Medical Interns Research Articles

Impact of BMW Segregation Training Program on Hospital Infection Control in a South Indian Hospital

Introduction: Biomedical waste (BMW) generated is a matter of great concern as it consists of high levels of hazardous waste. The lack of segregation and disposal policy in India leads to use of such infectious waste in day-to-day life [1]. Lack of awareness about segregation of Biomedical Waste (BMW) at source is a major cause for Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI) and increased risk of contamination of hospital and external environment.
 Materials & Methods: To address the problem, we decided to train interns and health care workers to increase their awareness about BMW segregation and thereby reduce HAI.
 The program was run in 3 phases. In the 1st phase need assessment was done as to how important and effective this program would be in controlling HAI. The 2nd phase comprised of identifying the stake holders in the program who will play the key role in implementing the program effectively. The 3rd phase of Biomedical Segregation Program BMWSP focused on the outcomes as enumerated in the Kirkpatrick model [2], viz., participants’ reaction, learning, change in behavior and results. Measuring the impact of the program on the learners at these four levels revealed the effectiveness of the program.
 Results: To overcome the shortfalls in the Kirkpatrick model we used Logic model which took care of the instructional design. Logic model is better suitable for evaluating BMWSP as it considers inter-relation between constituents in a sequence and their effect on the process as well as product providing the necessary roadmap from the planned work (inputs and activities) to the intended results (outputs, outcomes and impact). It is a sequence of events connecting each other starting with Resources / Inputs, Activities, Outputs, Outcomes and Impact. The model helped medical interns and dental students to understand the importance for BMWSP and also made a significant difference in its implementation.
 Conclusion: The program helped in making the health care staff more aware about BMWSP. It also increased their knowledge, and helped in implementation of the program. This will significantly reduce HAI and overall benefit the society.

A Systematic Review: Study on Challenges Faced by Dental Interns in the Workforce: Suggestions for Pacific Nations

Aim To identify challenges faced by dental interns in the workforce and to suggest Pacific Island Countries (PIC) on further research in this area. Materials and Methods A comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, Scopus and ProQuest databases was conducted using relevant keywords. All studies, published from 1st January 2000 to 31st January 2021, were taken into consideration. Removal of duplicates and screening the full-text articles using eligibility criteria were used to finalise the number of articles. The significant findings and conclusions were extracted and grouped under themes. Results A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria, involving dental interns, medical interns, postgraduate and undergraduate. Five themes were identified as the main challenges faced by dental interns in the workplace including workplace bullying, handling medical emergencies, community placement, lack of interdisciplinary approach and poor record keeping. Conclusion There is a need for PIC to conduct research and surveys, to identify the challenges its dental interns may be facing. This will create an ideal foundation from which strategies and initiatives can be implemented and enforced in the dental internship programme. Ensuring that oral health services are delivered efficiently and oral status of the Pacific is not compromised.

Testing an educational intervention to improve health care providers’ preparedness to care for victims of elder abuse: a mixed method pilot study

AabstractBackgroundElder abuse is prevalent and associated with ill-health. However, health care providers often lack education about elder abuse and older patients’ victimization often remains unknown to them. In this pilot study we performed initial testing of an educational model aiming at improving health care providers’ preparedness to care for older adults subjected to abuse, or more specifically their self-reported propensity to ask older patients questions about abuse and perceived ability to manage the response.MethodsThe educational model consisted of a full training day about elder abuse, including theory, group discussions and forum theatre. Forum theatre is an interactive form of drama in which participants are not only observers, but rather spect-actors, urged to participate in the scene. They are thereby given the opportunity to discuss and practise difficult health care encounters. Medical interns (intervention group n = 16, control group n = 14) in Sweden participated in the study and a mixed method convergent parallel design was used. Quantitative data was collected at baseline and 6 months post-intervention using a questionnaire (the REAGERA-P). Qualitative interviews were conducted with four of the participants in the intervention group and data was analysed using qualitative content analysis.ResultsThe reported frequency of asking older patients questions about abuse increased in the intervention group (p = 0.047), but not the control group (p = 0.38) post-intervention. Potential mediators for the improvement were an increased awareness of elder abuse and higher self-efficacy for asking questions about elder abuse. Participants also reported a higher perceived ability to manage cases of elder abuse, even though uncertainties concerning how to provide the best possible care remained. The qualitative interviews indicated that learning from each other in group discussions and forum theatre likely was an important contributor to the positive results.ConclusionThis pilot test indicated that the educational model may be effective in improving health care providers’ preparedness to care for older adults subjected to abuse. However, uncertainties about how to handle elder abuse cases remained post-intervention. In a future full-scale test of the model more focus needs to be put on how to manage cases of elder abuse.

Prevalence and Determinants of Knowledge of Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Healthcare Providers and Students in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundMusculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are rapidly rising in Saudi Arabia and considered the 3rd reason for hospital visits across the country. Despite their prevalence, the adequacy of knowledge in diagnosing and treating MSDs has not been assessed. The purpose of this study is to assess MSD knowledge amongst healthcare providers (orthopedists, physicians, and physical therapists) and medical and physical therapy students and interns.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, a web-based 25-question MSD test was given to licensed physical therapists, primary care physicians and orthopedists, as well as final-year physical therapy and medical students and interns in Saudi Arabia. Two multivariable linear regression analysis models were used to determine MSD test score differences amongst (1) orthopedists, primary care physicians, and physical therapists and (2) amongst medical and physical therapy students and interns.ResultsA total of 680 participants were included (response rate is 22.7%). The overall MSD test score was 48.2%, and the passing rate was 14%. Model 1 showed that orthopedist’s group had a significantly higher mean score on MSD test than physical therapists (t482= 8.12, p < 0.001) and primary care physician (t482= 6.00, p < 0.05). However, primary care physician scores did not significantly differ from physical therapy group (t482= 6.47, p = 0.07). Model 2 showed that medical interns had significantly higher mean score on MSD test than physical therapy students (t240=4.46, p < 0.001), physical therapy interns (t240= 4.7, p < 0.05), and medical students (t240= 2.79, p < 0.05). There was also a significant difference between medical students and physical therapy interns (t240= 2.5, p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between medical students and physical therapy students.ConclusionExcept for orthopedists, the MSD knowledge appears inadequate amongst healthcare providers, medical and physical therapy students and interns in Saudi Arabia. To improve knowledge in MSDs, increasing content of MSDs in undergraduate education and postgraduate training is necessary.

Resting and Recharging: A Narrative Review of Strategies to Improve Sleep During Residency Training.

Residency involves demanding training with long hours that may cause fatigue and sleep deprivation and adversely impact residents and patients under their care. To identify, using a narrative review, evidence-based interventions to reduce the physiologic effects of fatigue and sleep deprivation from overnight and night shift work. A PubMed literature search was conducted through August 30, 2021, using the terms "resident" and "sleep" in the title or abstract and further narrowed using a third search term. Observational studies, randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses of human subjects written and published in English were included. Studies that were not specific to residents or medical interns or did not investigate an intervention were excluded. Additional studies were identified by bibliography review. Due to the heterogeneity of study design and intervention, a narrative review approach was chosen with results categorized into non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions. Initially, 271 articles were identified, which were narrowed to 28 articles with the use of a third search term related to sleep. Bibliography review yielded 4 additional articles. Data on interventions are limited by the heterogeneity of medical specialty, sample size, length of follow-up, and reliance on self-report. Non-pharmacological interventions including strategic scheduling and sleep hygiene may improve sleep and well-being. The available evidence, including randomized controlled trials, to support pharmacological interventions is limited. Non-pharmacological approaches to mitigating fatigue and sleep deprivation have varying effectiveness to improve sleep for residents; however, data for pharmacological interventions is limited.

Visual-spatial dimension integration in digital pathology education enhances anatomical pathology learning

Literature review demonstrated a surprising lack of publications on digital e-learning pathology resources for senior medical undergraduates and interns. An interactive Digital Pathology Repository (iDPR) integrating two- and three-dimensional (2D, 3D) high-resolution anatomical pathology images with correlated digital histopathology was developed. The novel iDPR was rigorously evaluated using mixed methods to assess pathology knowledge gains (pre- and post-tests), quality impact analysis (questionnaire), user feedback (focus group discussions) and user visual behaviour (eye gaze tracking analysis of 2D/ 3D images).Exposure to iDPR appeared to improve user pathology knowledge, as observed by significantly increased test scores on topic-related quizzes (n = 69, p < 0.001). In addition, most users were highly satisfied with the key design elements of the iDPR tool. Focus group discussion revealed the iDPR was regarded as a relevant online learning resource, although some minor technical issues were also noted. Interestingly, visual behaviour trends indicated that specific diagnostic pathological lesions could be correctly identified faster in 3D images, when compared to 2D images.The iDPR offers promise and potential in pathology education for senior clinical students and interns, gauging from both qualitative and quantitative positive user feedback. With incorporation of image annotations and interactive functionality, and with further technology development, this would prove a useful tool for diagnostic pathology and telepathology. As images with added visual-spatial dimension can provide enhanced detail and aid more rapid diagnosis, future applications of the iDPR could include virtual reality or holographic images of anatomical pathology specimens.

The role of chronic physical illness and job dissatisfaction on burnout’s risk among medical interns in Oman: a study of prevalence and determinants

BackgroundMedical interns are at risk of burnout due to several organizational and individual factors. There is scarcity of studies exploring the role of chronic physical illness and job dissatisfaction on burnout experience among medical interns. This study examined the prevalence of burnout syndrome and explored whether chronic physical illness and job dissatisfaction could independently predict burnout syndrome among medical interns in Oman. This cross-sectional study was conducted among a random sample of medical interns enrolled in the Omani internship program. One-hundred and eighty interns participated in this study and filled in a self-reported questionnaire that included Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS), and data related to physical illness.ResultsThe prevalence of burnout syndrome was 15%. Having a physical illness (OR = 7.285, 95% CI = 1.976–26.857, P = 0.003) and job dissatisfaction (OR = 16.488, 95% CI = 5.371–50.614, P = 0.0001) was significant independent predictors of high levels of the EE subscale. In addition, having a physical illness (OR = 4.678, 95% CI = 1.498–14.608, P = 0.008) and being dissatisfied (OR = 2.900, 95% CI = 11.159–7.257, P = 0.023) were significant independent predictors of the high DP subscale. Having physical illness was independent predictors of the low personal accomplishment subscale (OR = 0.258, 95% CI = 0.088–0.759, P = 0.014).ConclusionsBurnout syndrome is prevalent among medical interns in Oman. Job dissatisfaction and chronic physical illness are risk factors for burnout syndrome. Internship programs should consider these factors when designing burnout mitigative strategies.

Knowledge and risk perception towards human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B infections among medical students

Background and objectives: Nosocomial human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are common occupational hazards transmitted through infected needle-stick injuries. Younger medical students are at a higher risk of exposure mainly because of their inexperience and ignorance. Both these infections are preventable if standard precautions and protocols for post-exposure prophylaxis are followed. The present study assesses the knowledge, and risk perception among medical students and interns towards HIV and HBV infections, to guide instructors in planning appropriate training programmes. Methods: Following approval of the institutional ethics committee of University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, India, (UCMS) undergraduate medical students and interns were invited to respond to an indigenously designed questionnaire regarding HIV and HBV infections. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. The students were assessed vertically. Results: There was a gradual increase in the awareness regarding HIV and HBV infection with each passing academic year. The percentage of total questions answered correctly was highest (91.1%) in internship and lowest (71.5%) in the first semester. Awareness regarding HIV was greater as compared to HBV infection in all the groups. Interns had maximum awareness of post exposure prophylaxis available for both HIV and HBV infections. Ninth semester students scored the highest on pre-exposure prophylaxis for HBV infection. Overall, the interns were the most aware. Conclusion: Students’ knowledge on HIV and HBV infections improves as these areas are covered in greater detail during exposure to clinical disciplines. An early clinical exposure module for first year medical students in the Competency Based Medical Education curriculum may provide an opportunity to improve awareness, to reduce infection and subsequent morbidity. The students have greater awareness of HIV than HBV, though the risk of transmission is higher for the latter. Thus, shortcomings in imparting knowledge about hepatitis B must be identified and rectified.

Low back pain and associated risk factors among medical students in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide. Different studies showed the high prevalence of LBP among medical students. However, no study has been conducted on Bangladeshi medical students to estimate the prevalence of LBP. This study determined the prevalence, characteristics, and associated risk factors of LBP among medical students in Bangladesh. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from October to December 2020 among randomly selected 270 medical students and medical interns in Faridpur Medical College, Bangladesh, using an online questionnaire. In data analysis, chi-square test and binary logistic regression were performed, and a p-value of < 0.05 was regarded as statistically significant. Results: A total of 207 participants responded fully to the survey, and were included in the analysis. The mean age of the participants was 22.4 ± 1.9 years. The point, 6-month, and 12-month prevalence of LBP was 25.6%, 46.9%, and 63.3%, respectively. In most participants, LBP was localized (53.2%), recurrent (64.9%), non-specific (70.8%), affected for a short period (55%), and relieved without receiving any treatment (60.4%). Participants who had a significantly higher 12-month prevalence of LBP included females (72.2% vs 52.2%), with BMI >25 kg/m 2 (73.2% vs 56.7%), those who performed physical activity at low to moderate frequency (72.4% vs 29.5%), those who spent > 6 hours/day by sitting (71.3% vs 45.3%), and those who did not have enough rest time (92.7% vs 56%). Ergonomic features of chairs, such as having back support, adjustable back support, and adjustable sitting surface, significantly (p < 0.05) influenced the outcomes. Conclusion: The prevalence of LBP among medical students in Bangladesh was high, and most of the risk factors associated with the high prevalence of LBP were modifiable. Hence, LBP can be prevented by implementing preventive strategies and providing ergonomic training and physical activity facilities.

Hypoglycemic unawareness: challenges, triggers, and recommendations in patients with hypoglycemic unawareness: a case report

BackgroundHypoglycemia is a fairly common complication in diabetic patients, particularly in those on insulin therapy. Hypoglycemia symptoms are classified into two types: autonomic and neuroglycopenic symptoms. If a person develops neuroglycopenic symptoms before the appearance of autonomic symptoms or is asymptomatic until blood sugar levels are very low, the patient will develop hypoglycemic unawareness (HU).Case presentationA 25-year-old Iranian woman with HU presented with a severe hypoglycemic episode. This episode was characterized by loss of consciousness and focal neural deficits, which were unusual symptoms in the patient, who was a medical intern with type 1 diabetes and currently being treated with regular and NPH insulin.ConclusionsHypoglycemia is a common complication in diabetic patients receiving oral or insulin therapy. A patient who is unaware of their condition may experience severe and potentially fatal episodes. These incidents can negatively affect their daily lives as well as their careers and jobs. Hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure is a possible cause for patients with multiple episodes of severe hypoglycemia. IThe use of a continuous glucose monitoring device with an alarm, if available, can be an excellent option for these patients.

Knowledge and Behavior toward Venous Thromboembolism Event Prophylaxis and Treatment Protocols among Medical Interns in Riyadh.

Objective This study was aimed at evaluating the knowledge and behavior toward venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis among medical interns. Methods This is a questionnaire-based cross-sectional observational cohort study of medical interns that used a validated questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised of items that assessed behavior, knowledge, and self-assessment of VTE risk factors, diagnosis, and prophylaxis. The study was conducted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from October 2020 till September 2021. Results The respondents were 246 medical interns. The overall rate of correct responses to behavior items was 41.82%. The overall rate of correct responses to knowledge items was 47.35%. A total of 61.8% responded negatively to the use of VTE risk assessment guidelines (p < 0.0001). For the self-assessment of knowledge of VTE, more than 70% believed they did not have appropriate knowledge, were not prepared to establish the risk of VTE, and were not prepared to provide adequate prophylaxis for VTE (p < 0.0001). A high proportion of medical interns (83.3%, p < 0.0001) believed they needed further training on this topic. Conclusion Participants in this study showed poor knowledge and negative behavior regarding the assessment of risk factors, diagnosis, and prophylaxis of VTE. The majority of participants reported they needed training on this topic. These findings underscore the need for educational programs during undergraduate training and orientation of medical interns for VTE risk assessment, diagnosis, and prophylaxis at the beginning of their internship.

Comparison of the effects of vid-cast and lecture-based training courses on burn knowledge among medical interns at the Motahari burn hospital

Background: A training course on burn infection and care is one of the courses that medical students take during their internship. This training course has not yet been taught through e-learning in medical schools in Iran. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effects of two methods: traditional lecturing and employing a vid-cast with interactive electronic content, on the knowledge of interns in a training course on burns. Methods: This quasi-experimental study with a pre-post non-equivalent group design was conducted among medical interns taking burn rotation training courses at the Motahari burn hospital, affiliated with the Iran University of Medical Sciences. The two groups were given a pre-test at the beginning of the course. One group was given in-person lectures, and the other was given the same content in the form of a vid-cast with interactive electronic files. At the end of the rotation course, a post-test was administered on the planned content, and scores of both groups were compared. Results: The pre-test mean scores in the lecture group before and after the training intervention were 8 and 14.2, respectively; this difference was significant (P&lt;0.001). The difference between the pre-test and post-test mean scores in the vid-cast group was also significant (P&lt;0.001).The mean of post-test scores in the lecture group was 14.92 and 17.24 in the e-learning group; this difference was also significant (P&lt;0.001). Conclusion: Post-test scores in the e-learning group were higher with a significant statistical difference, suggesting that the e-learning outperformed their counterparts in the traditional lecture model. It is recommended that e-learning be used either as a supplementary or the main method of training in burn infection and care for interns.

Recall of Prior Knowledge in Medical Microbiology Among Medical Interns: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Assessment in Saudi Arabia.

BackgroundRetention of basic biomedical sciences knowledge is of great importance in medical practice. This study aimed to provide some insights into medical interns’ ability to recall theoretical knowledge of medical microbiology and to explore factors that affect its retention.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study conducted between January and March 2019, an anonymized questionnaire with 10 validated multiple-choice questions about medical microbiology was distributed as hard copies to test the ability to recall knowledge of Saudi medical interns in three tertiary training hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.ResultsA total of 300 medical interns [164 females (54.7%) and 136 males (45.3%)], in three major tertiary medical care centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, voluntarily participated in the study. Almost a third of participants, 107 (36.4%), graduated from medical schools adopting a traditional curriculum, whereas 184 (63.6%) graduated from medical schools adopting problem-based learning (PBL) instructional approach. The overall mean score out of 10 marks was 3.9±1.8 with almost 82% failures scoring less than six marks. Both total and pass/fail grades were significantly associated with interns who graduated from private colleges. Scores were not significantly associated with any of the investigated parameters except type of college (governmental vs private) with a p-value of 0.049.ConclusionThe current study revealed an overall poor recall of knowledge in microbiology among interns. Our findings suggest a need for a careful revision of curriculum to correct deficiencies, particularly in teaching medical microbiology. Integration of basic sciences is required as well as aligning teaching of basic medical sciences with clinical skills.

A survey on connected healthcare beyond COVID in India: clinical perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen the advent of novel medical devices and practices. Demand for quality healthcare services rose exponentially which eventually led to accessibility becoming a major issue of concern. In addition to this, in-person consultations and various other conventional treatment methods were proven to be problematic. Limitations of traditional health care systems such as in-person consultations were highlighted, and conventional treatment methods have proven to be problematic. As an alternative approach, telehealth services are now gaining recognition due to their high efficiency, ease of use, and state-of-the-art technology. In this article, trends of telemedicine and its evolving popularity across the medical community due to the pandemic and beyond are studied and highlighted. An online survey form was circulated to 42 medical practitioners and interns to analyse the growing interest in telemedicine. The questionnaire covered the physicians' perspectives, preferences, experiences, and other important aspects of home-based teleconsultation. Based on the responses collected from doctors and medical interns, 14.2% disapproved, whereas 38.1% favoured and 47.6% showed a neutral response to the teleconsultation. More than 50% of the respondents claim the process to be time-consuming and 42% of them perceived it to be the other way round. 4.8% of the doctors preferred it to be only through computers whereas 45.2% per cent preferred consultation through smartphones and 50% of them preferred it be both ways. More than half (59.5%) of the doctors preferred the pandemic scenario and the remaining for its continued usage post-pandemic. Although India has the world’s second-largest online market, a major population in India is digitally illiterate according to the Digital Foundation of India. Thus, it is important to devise telehealth technology that is simplest to use to reach also the economically backward patient communities.

Barriers Encountered Toward Pursuing a Neurosurgical Career: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Medical Students, Interns, and Junior Doctors in Africa

Africa has an increased burden of neurosurgical diseases with an estimate of 1,986,392 neurosurgical cases, 108,824 neurosurgical case capacity, and 1,877,568 case deficits yearly. Literature suggests that about 8420 neurosurgeons are needed to fill this vast gap. The main objective of this study is to elucidate barriers encountered in pursuing neurosurgery training in the African context. A cross-sectional electronic survey, developed in English and subsequently translated into French, was utilized. This was disseminated among medical students, medical interns, and junior doctors in all 5 African regions. A total of 491 responses were received from the following 5 African regions: West Africa (30.5%), East Africa (30.3%), Central Africa (18.1%), North Africa (11.8%), and Southern Africa (9.2%). Of the participants, 55.2% were men and 44.8% were women. Seventy-six percent of respondents were aware of the neurosurgery deficit in Africa. Barriers to pursuing neurosurgery included discouragement from others over lack of an "ideal personality" trait, culture/cultural beliefs as related to gender roles, lack of mentorship, inadequate neurosurgical training opportunities, poor health infrastructure for neurosurgical practice in Africa, poor patient outcomes, and challenges with work/life balance were some of the barriers highlighted to pursuing neurosurgical career on the continent. Even with its robust population growth, Africa is not producing enough neurosurgeons to meet the demands of the population due to several barriers. Delineating these challenges and barriers represents an important step in developing sustainable mechanisms for recruitment, training, mentorship, and support of burgeoning African neurosurgeons.

Anxiety and insecurity in medical interns: the impact of the pandemic COVID-19

Purpose: We aimed to assess anxiety among medical interns and to identify changes regarding their perspective about the profession during the pandemic period in Brazil, between November 2020 and February 2021. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study which medical interns answered an online survey questionnaire. The assessment was performed using the validated questionnaire General Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7).Results: 162 responses were collected, mean age of 24.9 years, majority female (66.7%); 83.3% had the option of returning to practical assistance. Among these, 35% claimed to have had contact with suspects COVID-19 patients and 13% had a positive test for COVID-19. GAD-7 scores showed that 33.4% were qualified as “Normal”, while mild (37%), moderate (22.8%) or severe symptoms of anxiety (6.8%). A GAD-7 score positive for TAG was found in 29.6% of them. Anxiety was significantly associated (p=0.013) with questioning the choice of Medicine as a profession. Conclusions: We found a high frequency of interns with symptoms of anxiety, higher compared to similar studies prior to the pandemic. In addition, medical interns with anxiety were the ones who most questioned the choice of profession.

Medical intern job demands and job carry-over strain: The moderating role of psychosocial mentoring and job satisfaction

This study examined the relationship between psychological job demands and job carry-over strain among medical interns, and the moderating role of mentoring and job satisfaction in that relationship. Medical interns (n = 229) at teaching hospitals in Southeastern Nigeria (male = 84.28%; modal age group = 31–35 years). completed validated surveys on psychological job demands, job carry-over strain, mentoring, and job satisfaction. Simultaneous moderated regression analyses indicated psychosocial mentoring and job satisfaction to moderate the relationship between job demands and job carry-over strain. Mentorship programs for medical interns may be helpful to their quality of work life.

Factors predicting unsatisfactory work performance among medical interns

Factors predicting unsatisfactory work performance among medical interns

Modifiable factors influencing emotional intelligence among medical interns

Modifiable factors influencing emotional intelligence among medical interns

A Prescription Audit Using the Who Core Drug Use Indicators in a Rural Health Training Center of Pondicherry

Introduction: Prescription auditing is an important tool to assess the appropriateness of drug dispensing in any health-care setup. Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate the prescriptions as per the World Health Organization (WHO) core indicators. Materials and Methods: The study is an observational study undertaken in the outpatient department of the rural health training center. About 310 prescriptions were analyzed for their completeness as per the WHO guidelines. Results: The auditing showed the distribution of gender as 62.90% in the male category and 37.09% in the female category. The age distribution of the prescription falls across the ages from 1 to 60 years with 64.51% in the under-five categories, 54.83% in the adolescent category, 17.74% in the middle age group, and 38.70% in the geriatric age group. The prescription indicators such as name and age of the patient, hospital id, dose of the drug, and duration of treatment were completely recorded in the out patient (OP) slip. The parameters like were near to completion such as history (98%), examination (99%), and signature with the name of the doctor (96.12%). Generic names of the drugs are entered in 89.67%, investigations were ordered in 63.87%, and follow-up was advised only in 54.19% of the prescriptions. Handwriting in capitals was only in 56.77% and the registration number of the doctor was entered only in 46.77% of the prescriptions. Conclusion: This study showed some pitfalls in the areas of prescribing indicators which have to be sorted out through proper training of the medical officers and interns posted in the health centers.