Paramedical Schools Research Articles

Nutrition learning gaps in the undergraduate curricula of Nursing and Medicine degree and diploma programs in Tanzania Mainland

BackgroundNutrition has been widely ignored in the curricula of many health professional training programs in Sub-Saharan African countries. The present review was conducted to explore the adequacy of medical and nursing curricula in training graduates to treat, educate effectively, and counsel patients/clients with nutritional disorders in Tanzania.MethodsAn assessment of accredited medical and paramedical curricula in mainland Tanzania. The assessment followed Stufflebeam's CIPP model (context, input, process, and product) to enhance methodological rigour and transparency.ResultsOf the twelve curricula studied, only one had a dedicated course for nutrition. In the undergraduate medicine degree curriculum, only 119 out of 6580 hours over five years were allocated for nutrition training, which is merely 1.7% of the total curriculum hours. Similarly, in the undergraduate nursing degree curriculum only 370 hours out of 5280 over four years were allocated for nutrition training, which is equivalent to 0.07% of the total hours. In the paramedical diploma programs of clinical medicine and nursing, nutrition content was scattered among various courses within the curriculum. Most curricula were teacher-centred with limited use of validated methods to assess trainee on skills such as Observed Structured Practical/ Clinical Examination.ConclusionsBased on this assessment of accredited curricula, nutrition receives scant attention in medical and paramedical education in mainland Tanzania. Thus, it is imperative to support integrating stronger nutrition content into medical and paramedical schools focusing on skills and attitudes to enhance the efficient implementation of the nation’s nutrition policies and strategies.

Palliative care progress in Benin: a situation analysis using the WHO development indicators

ContextPalliative care (PC) in most African countries remains under-assessed. Benin has piloted the implementation of a set of indicators proposed by the WHO to measure PC development.ObjectivesTo examine the current status of PC in Benin.MethodsA workshop with stakeholders was organized to assess the WHO indicators in the Beninese context. Indicators were rated based on relevance and feasibility, data sources were agreed upon, and a survey was adapted. Data were collected between March and May 2023.ResultsThere is emerging community involvement in PC through the presence of patients’ rights promoters, as well as a political commitment expressed in the National PC strategy, the inclusion of PC services in the list of basic health services, and an assigned national authority –within the Ministry of Health–responsible for PC. Although no PC-oriented research has been documented, the celebration of the National PC Conference represents the first step to ground PC delivery in evidence. The reported annual consumption of opioids is 0.18 (ME) milligrams per capita, 34% of healthcare establishments have essential medicines for pain and PC, and 16.5% of patients with palliative needs have access to oral morphine. To date, no medical or paramedical schools offer PC training, and there is no official specialization in palliative medicine for doctors. PC is provided by 11 specialist teams (0.08/100,000 inhabitants), none of which provides pediatric care.ConclusionDespite growing political, professional, and community commitments to palliative care, there are challenges in education, research, essential medicines, and access to PC services.

The process of formation of medical education in the Voronezh province and its impact on the stuff problem in the region in the second half of the XIX – early XX century

The object of the study is the medical education system of the Voronezh province in the second half of the XIX – early XX century. The subject of the study is medical educational institutions and their impact on the personnel problem in the healthcare sector of the region. The regional aspect of the study, involving a set of sources from the local archive of the Voronezh region, allows for a deeper study of the history of the development of certain types of professional educational institutions of the Russian Empire and the problems to which their quantitative deficiency in a particular region has introduced. Based on the materials of archival documents of the State Archive of the Voronezh Region, the most important medical educational institutions for the Voronezh province in the second half of the XIX – early XX century were identified: the Zemsky paramedic school and the obstetric school, which tried to solve the problem of shortage of qualified medical personnel in the region. The methodological basis of this work includes the principles of historicism, consistency and objectivity. The analysis of a wide range of sources allowed us to build a logical chain of interrelations between the development of professional medical education and the state of healthcare in the Voronezh province. The formation of medical education led to an increase in human resources in this area – already in the 1880s, the educational institutions of the province trained from 70 to 100 specialists in the field of medicine. By the beginning of the 20th century, there was an increase in the average standard of living of the population, both in the region and throughout the country. The author concludes that the improvement of the health care in the region became possible due to an increase in the number of medical personnel trained in professional educational institutions of the Voronezh province, as well as educational and explanatory work on sanitary and hygienic issues, which was carried out by prominent public figures, doctors, teachers among the entire population. The novelty of the research lies in the introduction of new archival materials into scientific circulation and a more detailed study of the issue of the relationship between vocational education and personnel policy in the region.

Comparison of Students' Satisfaction with Holding Electronic and Traditional Exams in Ferdows City Paramedical and Health Faculty

Introduction: Tests are one of the methods used in universities to measure and evaluate students' learning. Electronic and traditional tests have their unique strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to compare two methods of holding electronic and conventional tests from the perspective of students in the Ferdows Health and Para Medical School.
 Method: The current research was carried out in a cross-sectional-analytical way. 201 students were questioned for this research. In order to collect information, a researcher-made questionnaire was used. Its reliability is approved by experts and validity is measured by Kronbakh Alpha74%. Data were analyzed using STATA version 13 software and using descriptive and analytical methods.
 Results: The results showed that there was a significant difference between students' satisfaction with traditional and electronic tests (P < 0.05). And traditional tests satisfaction was more than electronic ones. Also, there was a significant relationship between students' satisfaction level and the academic semester in traditional exams (P < 0.05) so the average level of satisfaction of students in higher semesters is higher.
 Conclusion: Based on the study findings, students' satisfaction with the traditional test is more than the electronic test, so it is suggested that educational institutions take the necessary measures and plans in order to obtain satisfaction from students with the electronic tests and solve the problems of these tests.

The Foundation and the Activity of Zhytomyr Veterinary Paramedic School During the World War I: Historical Experience

The purpose of the research is to find out the prerequisites for the creation of a veterinary paramedic school in Zhytomyr and to analyze the process of its formation and activity in wartime conditions. The research methodology involves a combination of special historical methods of knowledge: comparative, structural and functional analysis. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the fact that the problem became the object of a special study for the first time. Based on the materials of the State Archive of the Zhytomyr region, the complex process of creating a new educational institution, which is extremely necessary for the economy of the region in wartime conditions, is traced. Conclusions. Wartime conditions left an imprint on all spheres of life, made it difficult to solve many urgent tasks. One of these was the opening of a veterinary paramedic school in Zhytomyr, the need for which had been discussed for a long time. The initial stage of establishment and organization of the educational institution was accompanied by many difficulties. Firstly, it was difficult to plan salary expenses in connection with inflation, secondly, there was a lack of educational and methodological base, which necessitated the development of training programs, purchase of equipment, etc. Correspondence with other educational institutions, which already had experience in organizing veterinary paramedic education, did not bring the expected result. Finding the building and arranging the surrounding area was a difficult problem. But, despite these difficulties, the Zhytomyr veterinary and paramedic school started its work. In that difficult time, it was even possible to solve the issue of social support for students of the educational institution, who were provided with housing, paid scholarships and provided food assistance. The historical experience of the establishment and operation of an educational institution in wartime conditions is indicative and instructive in the sense of the implementation of joint efforts of local authorities and the public.

BIOSTATISTICAL SOFTWARE: MICROSOFT EXCEL, SPSS AND MINITAB MAKES FINDING CENTRAL TENDENCY AND DISPERSION EASY AND EFFECTIVE

When we were in school, we were taught how to use a note book and a pen to determine central tendency and dispersion. The entire process took too long and required too much time. These days, we can accomplish this using a programme called biostatistical software. These programmes reduce labour costs as well as time. India consistently ranks as one of the top five pharmaceutical producing nations in the world. The use of software, which allows a work to be completed with less effort and more accuracy, is growing steadily. In research, the use of computers and innovative software is becoming more and more frequent, particularly in the field of biostatistics, which deals with the application of mathematics to biological systems (living things). Due to its usage in both experimental and observational research, biostatistics is advantageous not only to the pharmaceutical business but also to medical and paramedical schools (such as nursing and pharmacy schools). Pen and paper calculations and measurements take an enormous amount of time and are inefficient. Currently, a variety of statistical software is available for the fulfilment of tasks that can quickly produce results. Software programmes used for statistical analysis include Minitab, SPSS, R studio and Microsoft Excel. This article will go over various biostatistical software programmes and how to utilise them to calculate central tendency and dispersion. Because it is free, versatile and simple to use MS Excel is the biostatistical programme that is utilised the most. Cons and benefits can be found in every piece of software. Microsoft Excel is free, whereas other programmes require a monthly or annual fee. There are available demo versions of these that can be used for educational purposes

Biostatistics: Simple practical way to use Microsoft excel to find mean, median, mode, standard deviation and correlation

India is among the top five countries in the pharmaceutical sector. Software is used more frequently because it completes the work in very short time in terms of analyzing data, calculations etc. Computers and cutting-edge software are increasingly used in research. Application of mathematics to biological systems is known as biostatistics (living things). Because biostatistics is employed in both experimental and observational investigations, it is a subject worth studying in the pharmaceutical sector, medical and paramedical (nursing, pharmacy, etc.) schools. Use of Pen and paper for measurements and calculations take far too long to complete. Software is the option to reduce the time. There is a wide variety of statistical software available today that produces findings quickly. Some examples of statistical software are Minitab, SPSS, R online, and Microsoft Excel. Microsoft excel is free and widely accessible software to calculate central tendency, dispersion and correlation. In this article we will discuss the use of Microsoft excel to find mean, median, mode, standard deviation and correlation of the given data.

The Correlation Between Communication Skills With Self-efficacy and Clinical Competence of Operating Room Students of Qom Paramedical School

Background and Objectives: This study aims to investigate the relationship of communication skills with clinical self-efficacy and clinical competence in operating room students. Methods: This is a descriptive-correlational study. Participants were 100 operating room students from the School of Allied Medical Sciences, Qom University of Medical Sciences, Qom, Iran in 2021, who were selected by a census method. To collect data, in addition to a demographic form (surveying age, sex, semester), Queendom communication skills test, perceived perioperative competence scale-revised, and clinical self-efficacy questionnaire were used. Descriptive statistics (Percentage, Mean±SD) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation test, independent t-test, and ANOVA) were used in analyzing the data. Results: There was a significant and positive correlation between communication skills and clinical competence (r=0.478, P≤0.001) and between communication skills and clinical self-efficacy (r=0.445, P≤0.001). Conclusion: Communication skills of Iranian operating room students have a positive and significant relationship with their clinical self-efficacy and clinical competence. Considering the importance of communication skills in providing safe and high-quality patient care, attention should be given to the communication skills training of these students by the educational planners and managers.

ҚАЗАҚСТАНДАХІХ-ХХ ҒАСЫРДЫҢ БАС КЕЗІНДЕГІ БІЛІМ БЕРУДІҢ РЕВОЛЮЦИЯҒА ДЕЙІНГІ ТАРИХНАМАСЫ

In the article, the works of pre-revolutionary Russian officials and researchers, educational specialists, who considered various issues of Kazakh education, are analyzed in a historiographical sense. A. Alectrov, A.V. Vasiliev, K. Belavin's works and articles on education of Kazakh children in Ural, Torgai, Orynbor regions published in periodicals are analyzed. The researches published in Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods are also analyzed in order to verify the historiographical facts. The content and significance of the works described about the Orynbor Neplyuev cadet corps, the Orynbor paramedic school, the school for Kazakh children under the Orynbor border commission, the Russian-Kazakh primary, two-class village, Kazakh teacher schools in the Orynbor, Ural, Troitsk field fortresses are shown. Information about the territory, population, educational institutions, financing, costs, number of students, age, social composition, division into classes, taught subjects, awarding of scholarships, tuition fees, beliefs of the educational institutions is given in the works. Difficulties in the education of Kazakh children, lack of interest of the colonizing country in the deep education of Kazakh children, the reasons why girls are not attracted to education, etc. problems are identified in the scope of historical data.

Healthcare in Dagestan during the Civil war

Based on a wide range of both published and newly introduced documents, the article examines the development of the health care system in Dagestan during the 1917 Revolution and the Civil War. The health care system in Dagestan, not very developed at the beginning of the 20th century, underwent a number of serious changes during the years of radical breakdown in Russian history with a negative impact on the state of public health in the region. The author considers the specifics of the changes in mangement of health care after the February revolution. The measures proposed by the Provisional Government proved inapplicable to Dagestan. Therefore, a special provision was developed, according to which the medical and sanitary case was assigned to a special city commission. During the period under review, there was an acute shortage of qualified medical personnel in Dagestan. In order to fill this deficit, a paramedic school was established in the city of Temir-Khan-Shura at the infirmary. Despite the fact that special manuals were issued to prevent infectious diseases, and also special sanitary commissions, it was not possible to avoid the high mortality rate from typhoid and typhus. This was due to the low effectiveness of antiepidemic measures. The author comes to the conclusion that, despite the difficult political situation, all political players in the region without exception turned to transformations in the field of management, of medical care.

How Can Faculty Members Produce More Articles?

Background: An important challenge for universities and research managers is to motivate faculty members to carry out research and increase the number of articles, which increases the university’s research ranking. The first stage in organizing research in the community is the achievement of a correct understanding of the capabilities and available facilities and realizing the weaknesses and strengths of research programs. Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the barriers to research from the perspective of the faculty members of Dezful University of Medical Sciences, Khuzestan, Iran. Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was performed to determine the barriers to research from the perspective of the faculty members of Dezful University of Medical Sciences. The data collection tool was a questionnaire consisting of two personal information sections and a questionnaire containing 39 items in four domains. The SPSS software (version 21), independent t-test, and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data. Results: The mean age of the participants was 26.9 ± 7.43 years. Additionally, 25 (50%) and 25 (50%) subjects were male and female. Moreover, 34 (68%), 13 (23%), and 3 (6%) participants were working in the Medical School, Nursing School, and Paramedical School, respectively. Conclusions: From the perspective of the faculty members, there were several barriers to research activities, the most important of which was related to the individual domain and financial support for the researcher. Furthermore, the specification of the research process by eliminating cumbersome administrative rules and creating a balance between obligatory hours dedicated to research and education can be an effective stage in the process of performing research activities.

A necessary revaluation of students and professionals

For the National Association of Paramedic School Directors, it is necessary to have reliable data in order to participate in the development of public health policies, but also to demonstrate the importance of investing in primary care through nursing leadership, training and competence in the service of populations. In France, nursing training capacities are increasing, university recognition is underway, and efforts have been made to finance training and increase salaries. These orientations need to be strengthened at the risk of not guaranteeing the stability of the workforce in the care sector.

Virtual reality-based medical education versus lecture-based method in teaching start triage lessons in emergency medical students: Virtual reality in medical education.

Introduction: Epidemics such as the recent one, COVID-19, have caused a change in education and its methods. Virtual simulation is one of the types of technology used in medical education and related sciences. Virtual simulation provides practical and clinical medical education in a safe, cost-effective, reproducible, and flexible learning environment where students can practice over and over in a standard environment. This study was conducted to compare the effect of virtual-based medical education versus lecture-based method in teaching start triage lessons in emergency medical students in educational and medical centers affiliated to Birjand University of Medical Sciences Ferdows, Paramedical School, in 2020. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study. َAll 44 students of emergency medicine registered for triage course participated in the study. They were divided into two homogenous groups which were matched based on their grade point average. The simple triage and rapid transport (START) triage course was taught in the traditional way- lecture based- from the beginning of the semester to the middle of the semester; then, the other group (simulation-based) was trained in the second half of the same semester using virtual simulation. Results: The students’ rate of learning was measured by their scores at the end of the course exam in both groups. The mean scores of virtual simulation-based education were slightly higher than those of the lecture-based education, but it was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The students were more satisfied with virtual simulation-based education than the lecture-based and the difference between the mean scores of satisfaction was statistically significant (P>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that VR can effectively improve knowledge in undergraduate emergency student’s education, but it was not more effective than traditional educational methods. More experimental studies with a larger sample size are needed to confirm that virtual simulation-based education can more effectively improve knowledge in teaching practical lessons such as triage.

Alexander Nikolaevich Vedensky – the «good genius» of Russian phlebology (to the 90<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the birthday)

A. N. Vedensky was born on December 6, 1931 in a family of employees. Relatives and family members of A.N. Vedensky, by their merits to the motherland had a significant impact on his development as a doctor and teacher. He excellently graduated from the paramedic school in Bobruisk and the First Medical Institute of Leningrad named after Academician I. P. Pavlov. After graduation, the Institute sent him to Velikiye Luki, Pskov region, where he worked in regional and city hospitals, at an ambulance substation. In 1960, he entered and went to study at the postgraduate course of the Institute of Blood Transfusion (LPIK) in Leningrad.

Correlation between Spiritual Intelligence and Clinical Competency in Students Who Are Children of War Victims.

Objective: Providing effective and correct care to patients requires clinical competence. One of the important components in clinical competence is spiritual intelligence the purpose of the study was to consider the correlation between clinical competence and spiritual intelligence in students who are children of victims of war of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences in 2019.Method: The cross-sectional study was carried out on 145 Martyrs' and War Veterans' Students of medical, nursing, midwifery, and paramedical schools. Sampling was done through census of students of operating room, anesthesia, medicine, nursing, midwifery, laboratory science, and radiology. The data collection tools were Kazdin et al’s (1986) Spiritual Intelligence questionnaire and Liu et al’s (2009) Clinical Competency Assessment questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS 23 software.Results: The results of data analysis showed a direct, positive, and significant linear relationship between spiritual intelligence and clinical competence of all students (P < 0.05). According to the students' self-report, the highest mean score of clinical competency of the students was related to medical students with a mean score of 37 and the lowest to the laboratory students with a mean score of 30 (P =0.012). In addition, the results showed that the highest mean score of spiritual intelligence belonged to nursing students with a score of 48 (good spiritual intelligence) and the lowest to radiology students with a score of 39 (moderate spiritual intelligence) (P =0.019).Conclusion: We found that there is a direct and positive correlation between spiritual intelligence and clinical competence, so it seems that promoting spiritual intelligence may be associated with an increase in clinical competence.

ФОРМИРОВАНИЕ КАЗАХСКОЙ ИНТЕЛЛИГЕНЦИИ В УЧЕБНЫХ ЗАВЕДЕНИЯХ ОРЕНБУРГСКОГО КРАЯ: ОТВЕТ НА ВЫЗОВЫ ПОРЕФОРМЕННОЙ МОДЕРНИЗАЦИИ

The article summarizes data on the education of non-Russians of Kazakh origin in the so-called “Russian” secondary and vocational educational institutions of the Orenburg region (gymnasiums, teacher’s schools, paramedic schools, agricultural schools) during the period of post-reform modernization. It shows the typical career paths of Kazakh graduates of these educational institutions, reconstructs main difficulties accompanying the process of recruiting Kazakhs to these schools and studying in them. It is concluded that the policy of acculturation in the field of education implemented by the central and regional authorities was activated in the post-reform period in connection with the involvement of national minorities in the modernization processes of the development of outlying territories. The formation of the Kazakh intelligentsia in the Orenburg region and the adjacent Kazakh steppe was directly related to the educational and enlightenment policy of the imperial structures. The empire made great strides on the way of construction of a single socio-cultural space in the region, one of the components of which was the creation of an education system with the inclusion of both Russian-Kazakh and aul schools, and “ordinary” secondary and professional educational institutions that admitted non-Slavic population. As a result, Orenburg has become the city where the foundations were laid for the development of the Kazakh intelligentsia, and, consequently, for the consolidation of the Kazakh national identity. It is emphasized that it was not despite but thanks to the imperial policy of acculturation by means of enlightenment. The author concludes that the post-reform modernization challenge, associated with the contradiction between innovations penetrating the steppe and the lack of an opportunity in the “foreign” Kazakh environment to adequately perceive them and use the proposed infrastructure for the benefit of their own development, gave rise to an response in the form of Kazakhs integrated through the Russian educational system, who became the new elite of the Kazakh people — not by right of blood, but based on the acquired new competencies and outlook on life. This new national intelligentsia has become a powerful factor in the cultural and even state growth of Kazakhs within Russia.

History of secondary medical education in the Irkutsk region. Military paramedic school

History of secondary medical education in the Irkutsk region. Military paramedic school

Designing a comprehensive clinical competency test for operating room technology student: Using Delphi technique and CIPP model evaluation.

BACKGROUND:The ultimate goal in educating medical students is to train skilled workforce who by obtaining the required knowledge of the discipline, personal and professional skills, and attitudes to enter the national health-care system. This study was conducted with the goal of designing a comprehensive clinical competency test of operating room technology student using the Delphi technique, and then, the clinical skills of the operating room technology students of the paramedical school were assessed using the CIPP evaluation model.MATERIALS AND METHODS:The present study was conducted in the University of Medical Sciences to evaluate clinical skills with Delphi technique and CIPP evaluation model. This was a mixed methods study. Purposive sampling method was employed in the qualitative stage, and a census was conducted in the quantitative part. A comprehensive clinical competency test was designed in this research using the Delphi technique and was conducted with 18 students. Then, clinical skills evaluation was performed by descriptive-analytical statistical tests and evaluator's observation using the CIPP model.RESULTS:The comprehensive clinical competencies test of the surgical technology students was designed in four sections: content, evaluation method, test conditions, and the criteria for passing the comprehensive test. The results in the implementation stage showed that the operating room technology students had a range of excellent to weak performances in exhibiting basic skills at different levels.CONCLUSIONS:The results of the present study showed that the comprehensive test, designed based on the Delphi technique of experts, and using the CIPP model can be a good criterion for the evaluation of the operating room technology students before entering the clerkship.

Educating Health Science Students About Peace through Health Topic; A Panel Discussion.

This report describes an experience of the first international health for peace conference held in November 2018 in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. This paper discusses the panel on peace education in medical and paramedical schools and the way for the future.

Stability of Iodine in Iodized Salt Against Heat, Light and Humidity

Background: Iodine has undeniable effects on human in all stages of life and its deficiency during fetal stages causes mental retardation, which incurs huge costs for treatment and care. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of heat, humidity and light on the iodine content in iodized salt. Methods: In this analytical-descriptive study, five brands of refined iodized salts were randomly selected from supermarkets in Babol City. All tests were performed in the Chemistry Laboratory of Paramedical School in Babol University of Medical Sciences. In the current study, the samples were kept for three months under different conditions of humidity, without humidity, light, darkness, and temperatures of 37°C, refrigerator and ambient. The iodine amount of samples was tested every 15 days using titration method based on Britain Pharmacopoeia. Data were analyzed with ANOVA in SPSS. Results: The results showed that iodine was reduced in all samples of refined salts: 9.69 ± 1.3 for refrigerator temperature with humidity, 8.34 ± 1.4 for refrigerator temperature without humidity, 8.85 ± 1.2 for 37°C with humidity, 7.80 ± 1.4 for 37°C without humidity, 13.96 ± 1.3 for ambient temperature with light and humidity, 9.61 ± 1.5 for ambient temperature with light and without humidity, 8.64 ± 1.1 for ambient temperature with humidity in darkness, and 5.41 ± 1.2 mg/L for ambient temperature without humidity in darkness. Conclusions: The results indicated that ambient temperature, darkness and non-humidity were the best conditions for keeping iodized salt.