National Teaching Research Articles

“Can’t you just tell us when to teach them how to use an apostrophe?” The worthwhile struggle to cultivate agential preservice teachers in a compliance culture

ABSTRACT Teachers are simultaneously regarded as the most important influence on student learning and, paradoxically, as untrustworthy agents who can’t be relied upon to deliver quality learning outcomes. Globally, this contested view of teaching is reflected in policies that limit teacher agency by prescribing how teaching will be conducted; for example, insisting on so-called evidence-based instructional models. Such policies also affect initial teacher education, which is increasingly policed for compliance with national teaching standards. However, teaching standards that reduce the teacher’s role to ensuring fidelity to acceptable pedagogies have been widely criticised, with calls for teacher agency and professional judgement to be more highly valued. We endorse this critique and draw on Bakhtin’s dialogic theory to illuminate data generated using collaborative autoethnography that reveals the worthwhile struggle for “good” initial teacher education.

Knowledge regarding biomedical waste management among nursing staffs of Teaching Hospital at Birgunj, Parsa, Nepal.

Biomedical waste poses significant environmental and public health risks, necessitating proper handling and disposal. Nursing staff, as frontline healthcare providers, play a crucial role in ensuring safe biomedical waste management practices. The objective of this study is to identify the knowledge on biomedical waste management among nurses in a hospital at Birgunj. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among nurses working in National Medical College and Teaching Hospital. The nonprobability purposive sampling technique was used to collect data from 169 nurses using a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 23 facilitated data entry and analysis. Descriptive analysis, employing mean and standard deviation, was conducted, while inferential analysis utilized the chi-square test to explore associations between knowledge levels and selected demographic variables. Results indicated that among the 169 respondents, the majority (67.45%) possessed adequate level of knowledge. Notably, no significant associations were observed between the nurse's knowledge level on biomedical waste management and the selected demographic variables. To enhance knowledge among nurses regarding biomedical waste management, it is recommended that hospital authorities organize continuous education programs and periodic training sessions. These initiatives can contribute to an increased understanding of proper biomedical waste management practices among nursing staff.

Health related Quality of Life of patients with Chronic Kidney Disease undergoing Hemodialysis in National Medical College and Teaching Hospital Birgunj, Province 2, Nepal

INTRODUCTION: Chronic diseases are slow in progression, long in duration and they require medical treatment. The majority of chronic diseases hold the potential to worsen overall health of patients by limiting their capacity to live well, limit the functional status, productivity and health related quality of life (HRQOL) are major contributor to health care costs. And Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) is also one of them. Assessment of quality of life of patients with Chronic kidney disease not only helps to assess the quality of dialysis program but also is useful to guide nephrologists to develop better interventions and plans of care for the future. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the quality of life of patient with Chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing hemodialysis in National Medical College And Teaching Hospital Birgunj, parsa, Nepal. MATERIAL METHODS: Quantitative descriptive cross sectional study design was adopted for the study. This study was carried out in CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis in dialysis unit of National Medical College, Teaching Hospital with sample size of 79, the instrument CKD patient undergoing hemodialysis. The data were gathered through A semi structured interview schedule was used to collect data. The standardized tool WHOQOL BREF was used, which consists of 26 items. RESULTS: the study finding revealed that the 43% of the respondents had good quality of life, and 57% of respondents had poor quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of study findings; it can be concluded that most of the patient with Chronic Kidney Disease undergoing hemodialysis had poor quality of life in physical (89.9%); psychological (83.5%); social (51.9%) and environmental health (69.6%).

Factors associated with late diagnosis of cervical cancer at two national referral hospitals, Kenya 2017: A case control study

BackgroundCervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality among women in Kenya. Two thirds of cervical cancer cases in Kenya are diagnosed in advanced stages. We aimed to identify factors associated with late diagnosis of cervical cancer, to guide policy interventions. MethodsAn unmatched case control study (ratio 1:2) was conducted among women aged ≥ 18 years with cervical cancer at Kenyatta National and Moi Teaching and Referral Hospitals. We defined a case as patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage ≥ 2A and controls as those with stage ≤ 1B. A structured questionnaire was used to document exposure variables. We calculated adjusted odds ratio (aOR) to identify any associations. ResultsWe enrolled 192 participants (64 cases, 128 controls). Mean age 39.2 (±9.3) years, 145 (76 %) were married, 77 (40 %) had primary level education, 168 (88 %) had their first pregnancy ≤ 24 years of age, 85 (44 %) were > para 3 and 150 (78 %) used contraceptives. Late diagnosis of cervical cancer was associated with cost of travel to cancer centres > USD 6.1 (aOR 6.43 95% CI [1.30, 31.72]), age > 50 years (aOR 4.71; 95% CI [1.18, 18.80]), anxiety over cost of cancer care (aOR 5.6; 95% CI [1.05, 32.72]) and ultrasound examination during evaluation of symptoms (aOR 4.89; 95% CI [1.07–22.42]). Previous treatment for gynecological infections (aOR 0.10; 95% CI [0.02, 0.47]) was protective against late diagnosis. ConclusionCost of seeking care and the quality of the diagnostic process were important factors in this study. Decentralization of care, innovative health financing solutions and clear diagnostic and referral algorithms for women presenting with gynecological symptoms could reduce late-stage diagnosis in Kenya.

‘Witnessing children's innate curiosity, resilience and boundless creativity is humbling and inspiring’

The Woodland Nursery won Early Years Team of the Year at the Pearson National Teaching Awards in November 2023. Here Tracy Paskins, co-founder and manager shares more about the forest school nursery in Greenwich, London.

“It Makes Us Feel More Professional!” Stakeholders’ Perception of the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination

The professionalism of teaching has been subject of an age long debate. Teachers beseech others to recognize them as professionals and they become belligerent when they fail to receive recognition. Since 2018, Ghana has instituted the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examinations (GTLE) to regulate entry into the teaching profession. This policy has received a mixed bag of reactions with the populace sharply divided in opinion. Given that knowledge gap existed, it was important to interrogate the general perception of all stakeholders across Ghana to unravel how the GTLE is perceived among stakeholders. This paper is culled out of a broader study that employed a mixed-methods research approach in a nationwide study involving over 2800 respondents. For this paper, we report on the qualitative data generated from 145 participants. We describe the concerns of stakeholders who are in favour, against, or ambivalent about the GTLE. Drawing on an adaptation of CBAM model, we discuss stakeholders’ perceptions of GTLE as stages of concern. We conclude that stakeholders opposed to the licensing of teachers do so because of their concerns about its form, content, and other logistical challenges. To sustain the policy, it is recommended for the National Teaching Council and the Ministry of Education to take steps to address these concerns. Regardless, what stakeholders agree to be the biggest strength of the GTLE is that it is a positive step towards professionalizing teaching. It is a useful yardstick to determine who is qualified to perform the function of teaching, and prevents all others who do not qualify from accessing classrooms.

Просветительская и образовательная деятельность женщин-татарок в советском Туркменистане

The article examines the contribution of Tatar women teachers to the education of the Turkmen people and to the training of national teaching staff for the Soviet Socialistic Republic of Turkmenistan in the first years of Soviet regime. The article explores the example of Gulnar Dzhanbekovna Karly, the oldest teacher of the Turkmen State University named after Magtymguly. The author analyses the life path, scholarly and pedagogical work of the prominent Tatar woman, who during her half-century of fruitful work took an active part in the training of highly qualified young historian scholars of Turkmenistan and in the development of school textbooks. The article reveals how representatives of the Karly pedagogical dynasty, at least five generations of educators, including mullahs, teachers and lectors, selflessly served their people, the people of Turkmenistan and the profession of a historian scholar.

Ebstein's Anomaly With Right Atrial Thrombus in 23 Years Old Man at Reference National Teaching Hospital of Ndjamena: A Case Report.

Ebstein’s anomaly is a rare congenital heart disease. It is usually associated with other congenital defects, particularly atrial septal defect/patent foramen ovale (PFO). We report here the case of Ebstein's disease revealed in a 23-year-old adult admitted for palpitations and exertional dyspnoea. He was in heart failure. The EKG showed atrial flutter . Cardiomegaly was present with a cardiothoracic index of 0.7. On echocardiography, the apical displacement of the tricuspid septal leaflet was 15 mm/m2 , the Celermajer index was Grade 3. There was a large thrombus floating in the right atrium. While awaiting surgical management, the patient was being treated with diuretics, digitalis and anticoagulants.

MICROBIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT OF NATIONAL MEDICAL COLLEGE &TEACHING HOSPITAL, NEPAL

Objective: This research was carried out from September to March 2023 at the National Medical College and Teaching Hospital with the objective to detect most prominent nosocomial infection causing microorganisms in hospital environment. Methods: A total of 148 environment samples (66 in air samples and 82 surface samples) from different wards were taken from the hospital environment. All the samples were processed following standard microbiological methods. Results: Gram-positive cocci were the most prominent ones followed by Gram-positive bacilli and then Gram-negative bacilli. Among Gram-positive isolates, coagulase-negative staphylococci accounted for 28.84% of the isolates followed by Staphylococcus aureus with 25.76%, Streptococci with 8.23%, and Gram-positive rods with 17.68%. Among Gram-negative isolates, Acinetobacter spp. accounted for 8.08% followed by Escherichia coli with 1.43% and Klebsiella spp with 0.35%. Among fungal isolates, yeasts were found in higher number with 9.59% in comparison to Aspergillus spp. All Gram-positive isolates were sensitive to vancomycin. Among Gram-negative isolates, E. coli showed the highest susceptibility to amikacin with 85%, Klebsiella spp, and Acinetobacter spp showed the higher degree of susceptibility to ciprofloxacin with 80% and 74.2% respectively. Conclusions: The high incidence of similar types of bacterial isolates detection in the hospital environment suggests that the environment surrounding the hospital may be significantly contaminated with nosocomial pathogens and could represent a major mode of transmission to patients.

Impact of Referral Guideline Enforcement on Orthopedic and Trauma Admissions at Kenyatta National Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya: A Pre-Post Test Design

Background: The suboptimal utilization of tertiary health facilities and inadequate management of referral systems in low- and middle-income countries pose challenges to health system administration, characterized by frequent self-referrals and bypassing of lower-tier health facilities. On July 1, 2021, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) implemented referral guidelines, mandating that all admitted patients be referred from lower-tier health facilities, aligning with the KNH legal statute of 1987. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of enforcing referral guidelines on the spatial distribution of orthopedic and trauma admissions at KNH.
 Methodology: A pre-posttest study design was employed, reviewing a total of 459 and 446 charts in 2021 before and after the enforcement of referral guidelines. Measures of central tendencies and Chi-squared tests were applied, and density plots were generated using Geographic Information System (QGIS 2.18.19) to illustrate the spatial distribution of admissions.
 Results: of KNH admissions, 85.3% and 79.3% originated from Nairobi County and its environs. Admissions were geographically diverse, with a notable concentration from Nairobi County and its environs. Enforcement of referral guidelines led to a significant decrease in admissions from Nairobi County, dropping from 64.3% to 56.9% (p=0.019). Declines were particularly observed in Kamukunji, Embakasi, and Ruaraka sub-counties, serving as the catchment population for Mama Lucy Kibaki Referral Hospital. Conversely, admissions from Kibra and most of Kajiado County were notable. There was a concurrent increase in admissions from other parts of the country (p = 0.003).
 Conclusion: Over four-fifths of KNH admissions are from Nairobi County and its environs. The enforcement of referral guidelines resulted in decreased local admissions and an uptick in admissions from other regions in the country.

Organizational corruption, test score manipulation, and teacher hiring in Romania

This study investigated the relationship between organized corruption and the irregularities observed in the score distribution of Romania's national teaching hiring and mobility test, which determines eligibility for fixed-term and open-ended teaching positions. Despite its strict scoring rules, there was a significant excess of scores at the critical cut-off values. Both bunching analyses and binomial generalized linear mixed models identified organizational but not individual corruption, as a significant predictor of scoring irregularities at the minimum value required for open-ended positions.Organizational corruption was also associated with a higher probability that scoring precisely at this threshold value would secure an open-ended position. The results further indicated that other factors may contribute to the scoring irregularities at the minimum value required for the less desirable fixed-term positions.

Research on the Deep Integration Mechanism of National Fitness Campaign and College Physical Education Teaching: Taking Guangdong University of Science and Technology as an Example

By using the methods of literature review, questionnaire survey, and expert interview, this paper discusses and analyzes the deep integration mechanism of national fitness campaign and college physical education teaching, in order to promote the development of college physical education teaching reform, expand ideas, explore new fields, and provide novel development directions. The purpose is to enhance the national physical quality, improve the public service system, enhance the health awareness of the citizens, and provide guidelines for promoting the development of sports.

Linguistic Characteristics of Research Article Titles in National and International ELT Journals

Researchers have extensively studied the linguistic characteristics of research article (RA) titles. However, no research has investigated RA titles viewed from research design types published in national and international English Language Teaching (ELT) journals. Thus, the present study aims to fill this gap by investigating the average word length, syntactic structure, and syntactic structure type based on research design. This study used a comparative mixed method design to analyze 120 RA titles published in 2022-2023. The average length of titles was analyzed by counting the parts of speech of the tiles, the syntactic structures of titles were analyzed using the Framework of Cheng et al. (2012), and syntactic structure types based on research design were analyzed by reading the method section of the articles. Results indicate that the average length of the RA titles was 12 words in national journals and 13 words in international journals. Nominal structure was the most used RA title type in national journals, while compound structure was the most used in international journals. Furthermore, the nominal structure was often used for experimental design in international journals, while it was often used for descriptive study design in national journals. The compound and Verb-ing phrase structures were often used for case study design in both international and national journals. In conclusion, there are important differences and similarities in RA title characteristics between the two groups of ELT journal rankings. The findings contribute to the scholarship on the contrastive aspect of titling practices in English for Publishing Purposes.

Dissenting from what? the rupture of Chilean teachers with the long-term consensus on teacher professional development

ABSTRACT This article examines the division within Chile’s main teacher organisation caused by a dissident movement during the development of the new National Teaching Policy (PND), which occurred between the years 2014 and 2016. It focuses on the teachers’ collective awakening and the internal logic of neoliberal teacher policies. Through interviews and policy analysis, the study concludes that the dissident teacher movement has made visible the exclusion of teachers’ experiences in PND discussions, undermining the so-called consensus on teacher professional development. However, while we argue that these findings illustrate the importance of teachers’ unions as policy actors, we also suggest that this latter role is limited if they do not develop, in addition to the necessary critique, a shared political-pedagogical project.

Integrating EQUIP competency-based training into a university curriculum: a qualitative inquiry with students and faculty at Makerere University in Uganda

IntroductionCompetency-based training has gained prominence in clinical psychology education, emphasizing practical skills acquisition. The EQUIP competency-based approach, recognized for its effectiveness in in-service training, raises questions about its feasibility and utility in pre-service education.MethodsFaculty and supervisors were trained in and applied EQUIP competency-based assessment and techniques with current graduate students. A cohort comprising 15 graduate students, 12 faculty members, and supervisors from Butabika National Referral Mental Health and Teaching Hospital participated in focus group discussion and key informant interviews. Qualitative data was collected from 1st August 2022 to 4th August 2022. Thematic analysis identified three central themes.FindingsThe first theme reveals participants’ recognition of EQUIP’s feasibility in standardizing competence levels and addressing curriculum gaps. An extended training period, approximately 15 h, was identified as crucial to enhance educators’ and supervisors’ confidence in implementing the approach. The second theme emphasizes the pivotal role of role-play in competency-based training, transforming initial apprehension into constructive learning. Lastly, feedback emerged as a crucial component, with participants highlighting its role in fostering self-assuredness and refining skills.ConclusionThe study emphasizes the importance of robust training in competency-based methodologies. The EQUIP approach’s potential in clinical psychology education is evidenced by its alignment with research outcomes. Beyond this, the study advocates for longitudinal research to assess sustained engagement with EQUIP resources and their long-term impact. This research not only advances the discourse on competency-based training but also sets the stage for continuous improvements in clinical psychology education.

Analisi Tantangan Dan Hambatan Penerapan Kurikulum 2013 Di SD Negeri 060861

Indonesia has experienced several curriculum changes from 1947 to 2013. These changes are related to how important and strategic the role of the curriculum is in implementing the national teaching system. The 2013 curriculum is an integrated competency and character-based curriculum which is a refinement of the Education Unit Level Curricum (KTSP). The 2013 curriculum places more emphasis on character education, especially at the basic level, which will become the foundation for the next level. This research is descriptive quantitative research which aims to describe or create an objective picture of a situation, starting from data collection and answering the research questions that have been asked. Descriptive quantitative research also aims to obtain broader and deeper information by summarizing various conditions, situations, phenomena, or various variables and circumstances that occurred during the research by presenting what actually happened. The research results show that the obstacles in implementing the 2013 Curriculum come from the government, institutions, teachers and students. This seems to be appropriate that there are several factors that influence implementing the curriculum, namely: support from agencies and school principals, support from fellow teachers, support from students and parents, and support from within the teacher are the main elements. When the elements above encounter obstacles, they will certainly hinder the process of implementing a curriculum.

Obstetric Near Miss Events at a Tertiary Care Centre, Birgunj

Introduction: Near miss cases are the ones who nearly died but survived a complication that occurred during pregnancy, childbirth, or within 42 days of termination of pregnancy. Near-miss is recognized as the predictor of the level of care and maternal deathand thereforea review of near-miss obstetric eventsis useful to investigate maternal mortality. The study was meant to determine the ratio and nature of near-miss obstetric cases and associated factors.Materials and Methods: This was a prospective observational study done in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at National Medical College and Teaching Hospital from 1st February 2022 to 31st January 2023. Ethical approval was obtained from IRC (Ref. F-NMC/537/077-078).The near-miss cases were identified among the admitted obstetric cases using the five-factor scoring system and followed till their discharge or death.The assessment of the causes of near-miss cases was done.Results: During the study period, 1163 live births, 33 near-miss cases, and5 maternal mortalities were recorded. The incidence of near-miss was 28.37 per 1000 live births, the mortality index was 13.16% and the near-miss to maternal mortality ratio was 6.6: 1. Haemorrhage (39.39%) was the most common event responsible for near-miss, followed by hypertensive disorders (24.24%). Similarly, cardiovascular (78.79%) was the most common organ dysfunction recorded, followed by hepatic (33.33%).Conclusion: Haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders are the major causes of near-miss events. Identification and evaluation of the factors of near-miss cases can reduce maternal morbidity and mortality, as special preventive actions for the management of its complications can be planned. It is also worth presenting near-miss cases in national indices.

Assessment of Functional Outcome of Humeral Diaphyseal Fractures Treated with Dynamic Compression Plate at National Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Birgunj, Nepal

Introduction: Fractures of the humeral shaft account for roughly 3-5% of all fractures and result from direct and indirect trauma. Common mechanism for this fractures include fall on the motor vehicle accidents, fall on out stretched hand and direct loads to the arm. The shaft of humerus fracture is managed largely conservatively, but with the advent of new surgical techniques and implant options, less tolerance for acceptable deformity and functional deficits, more time consuming with conservative management, many surgeon are increasingly likely to consider surgical management. The aim of our study is to assess the functional outcome of dynamic compression plate in shaft of humerus fracture.Materials and Methods: This is a prospective observational study conductedm in department of orthopedic surgery, NMCTH, Birgunj among 45 patients from 17 years and above presenting with shaft of humerus fracture. The fracture was classified according to AO classification. The patients were treated with open reduction and internal fixation with dynamic compression plate and followed up at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks till the radiological union was achieved. American shoulder and elbow surgeon’s scoring system was used to assess the final outcome of the study.Results: 45 patients meeting inclusion criteria were included in the study, 3 patients lost follow up hence removed from study. Out of 42 patients, mean age of the patient was 31.95 years. Most of them 27(64.3%) were male. Predominant fracture was on left side 73.8% (31 patients). The study finding showed that 31(73.8%) sustained injury due to road traffic accidents. Majority of the fractures 32(76.20%) were in middle 1/3rd. Most of the patient had A3 type of fracture according to AO classification. The mean post-operative immobilization was 15 years. Forty one (97.61%) fracture united with one (2.39%) fracture going into non-union with mean time of 16.04 weeks. Thirty-seven (88.10%) patients has excellent range of motion of elbow and shoulder while 3(7.10%) had good and 2(4.8%) patient had poor functional outcome. The average ASES score obtained at 24 weeks was 47.07.Conclusion: From our study, it is concluded that open reduction and internal fixation with DCP in shaft of humerus fracture provides excellent functional outcome.

Knowledge Regarding Intravenous Therapy among Health Workers of a Teaching Hospital Birgunj, Parsa, Nepal

INTRODUCTION: Intravenous fluid is a continuous process of administration of large amount of fluid into the vein by a drip apparatus. The main purpose of intravenous therapy is to supply fluid and electrolyte to prevent or treat fluid and electrolyte imbalance in the body. The intravenous drug injected through vein into the body for quick action. At the time of infusion the nurse check or observe the flow rate of fluid for any adverse affect and also for others complication. Globally more than 330 million people receive invasive procedure of intravenous catheter placement annually. 60% to 90% patients require an intravenous catheter during hospitalization in US and studies said that 35%-50% patient is in fail intravenous catheters in hospitalization and arise complication. The objective of the study was to find out the knowledge regarding intravenous therapy among health workers of Teaching Hospital Birgunj, Parsa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive cross sectional study design was adopted for the study. This carried out in national medical college teaching hospital is a tertiary level Hospital, Birgunj, Nepal, with the sample size of 139. The instruments used for the study was a structured knowledge questionnaire was used in the study, after reviewing related literatures, which consists of 28 items and data were collected within 2 weeks. RESULTS: Among 139 health workers, 43.2% had moderate level of knowledge, 33.1% had low level of knowledge and 23.7% had adequate level of knowledge. CONCLUSION: From the study finding it can be concluded that knowledge regarding intravenous therapy among respondents had moderate level of knowledge. Hence, various educational programmes for health workers should be focused on enhancing their knowledge regarding intravenous therapy which enables them to provide quality care for patients.

Functional Outcome of Locking Compression Plate in Distal Femur Fractures

Introduction: Distal femur fracture is common in young people with high velocity injury. Management of distal femur fractures is a therapeutic challenge in orthopedics practice due to its extensive soft tissue injuries, bone loss, comminution, articular extension, instability.Open reduction with internal fixation replaces previous trend of closed conservative management and external fixation. Distal femoral locking compression plate (DF-LCP) requires both locking and compression screw fixation of the femur shaft. DF-LCP has been rapidly adopted as an alternative to intramedullary nails, blade plates and non-locking condylar screw.Materials and Methods: Prospective interventional study was done in department of orthopedics at National Medical College and Teaching Hospital, Birgunj for one year among 45 patients of age more than 18 years with post traumatic closed or open GA Type I, II distal femur fractures, AO Muller type A and C fractures. Ethical approval was obtained from institutional review committee and proper informed consent was taken. Type of implant used was DF-LCP.NEER’S scoring system was used for functional outcome.Results: Out of 45 patients, 42 patients with distal femur fracture were treated by DF-LCP.Three patients lostduring follow up hence removed from study. Out of 42 patients, mean age of the patients was 36.62 years. Most of them 31, (73.8%) were male. Predominant fracture was on right side 29 (69%).The study finding showed that 30 (71.4%) sustained injury due to road traffic accidents. Most of the patients 18 (42.9%) had type A2 fracture according to AO Muller distal femur fracture classification. Complications like surgical site infection observed in 3 cases. 100% union rate achieved with an average union time of 17.26 weeks. On evaluation according to Neer’s criteria mean score was 82.1 (Range: 48-96). Out of 42 patients 24 (57%) had excellent, 14 (33%) had good, 3 (7.2%) had fair and 1 (2.4%) had poor result.Conclusion: The study concluded DF-LCP is effective treatment for distal femur fracture. It provides stable construct for fracture union with excellent functional outcome.