Personnel Practices Research Articles

Connaissances attitudes et pratiques du personnel soignant non dermatologue face à la gale à Lomé (Togo)

Background: : The aim of this study was to document the knowledge, attitudes and practices of non-dermatologist health care workers on scabies. Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study among non-dermatologist health workers in public and private health facilities in the city of Lomé. Result: Of the 163 health workers included, 90.8% had a good knowledge of the definition of scabies; and the contributing factors (lack of hygiene, promiscuity) were known by 64.4% of the respondents. Pruritus was known as a major functional sign (92.6%) and the most cited sites of scabies lesions were the interdigital spaces (76.7%) and the buttocks (62.0%). In addition, 83.4% had already diagnosed and managed a case of scabies at least once. Topical scabicides were the most prescribed (86.5%), followed by antihistamines (54.6%); and 39.6% of respondents did not treat the patient’s environment. Conclusion: The knowledge, attitudes and practices of non-dermatologist health care personnel on scabies are low. It is important to organize continuing medical education to bring them up to speed. Key words: knowledge, attitudes, practices, non-dermatologist health care personnel, scabies

EVALUATION OF PRACTICES OF HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL IN THE EXPANDED PROGRAM ON IMMUNIZATION IN SA’ADAH, YEMEN, IN MAINTAINING VACCINE EFFICACY

Background and aim: The effectiveness of any vaccine depends on maintaining it at recommended temperatures from manufacture to administration. Health workers in any health facility play an important and vital role in maintaining the cold chain and vaccine efficiency. Therefore, the aim of conducting this research was to evaluate the practice of health workers working in the Expanded Program on Immunization in Sa’adah, Yemen in the correct procedures to maintain the effectiveness of the vaccine and recording data. Method: This study was conducted on 60 health facility (H.F) in 11 districts in Sa’adah Governorate, Yemen during the period from 1 June to 30 July 2019. The focus was on the checklist used to assess the general practices of healthcare personnel participating in the immunization program. The location of the refrigerator, the arrangement of the vaccines, the presence of a thermometer, the handling of the syringes, the cleaning of the injection area, the direction of the pentavalent and measles vaccination needle, and the method of storing the vaccines during the sessions were evaluated. Data were entered and cleaned using Microsoft Excel 2019 and exported to SPSS version 26. Results: The findings show that, the ages of participants ranged from 23-55 years with Mean±SD (34.17±7.310) and 38 (63.3) were male. From a total of health facilities, 43 (91.5) had a good site of refrigerators, 45 (95.7) had a good distance from the wall, and 42 (89.4) had thermometers. There is no significant correlation between the socio-demographics of HCPs and score practice, the total practice scores for HCPs were (21.7%, and 78.3%) for right practice and right but not complete practice, respectively. Conclusion: Only a small percentage of healthcare providers have corrected practice, while a large number have shown correct but not perfect practice. Hence, regular supportive supervision, ongoing technical support, and on-the-job training are highly recommended to improve the healthcare provider's practice with regard to immunization. Peer Review History: Received: 2 January 2023; Revised: 11 February; Accepted: 6 March 2023, Available online: 15 March 2023 Academic Editor: Dr. Ali Abdullah Al-yahawi, Al-Razi university, Department of Pharmacy, Yemen, alyahawipharm@yahoo.com Received file: Reviewer's Comments: Average Peer review marks at initial stage: 6.0/10 Average Peer review marks at publication stage: 7.0/10 Reviewers: Prof. Hassan A.H. Al-Shamahy, Sana'a University, Yemen, shmahe@yemen.net.ye Dr. Bilge Ahsen KARA, Ankara Gazi Mustafa Kemal Hospital, Turkey, ahsndkyc@gmail.com Dr. Amany Mohamed Alboghdadly, Princess Nourah bint abdulrahman university, Riyadh, amalbgadley@pnu.edu.sa Similar Articles: UTILIZATION OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN HEALTH INSTITUTIONS OF KEMBATA TEMBARO ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA INVESTIGATING THE OBSTACLES OF IMPLEMENTING HEALTH INFORMATION SYSTEMS FROM VIEWPOINT OF PERSONNEL OF MEHRIZ HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN 2017 DETERMINING THE IMPACT RATE OF TRIAGE TRAINING ON AWARENESS AND SKILL LEVEL OF PRE-HOSPITAL EMERGENCY PERSONNEL OF FASA CITY

Efficacy of Penicillin-Streptomycin Brands against Staphylococcus aureus: Concordance between Veterinary Clinicians' Perception and the Realities.

Antibiotics must be safe and effective for use in both human and veterinary medicine. However, information about the efficacy of different brands of antibiotics commonly used in veterinary practices is lacking in Ethiopia. In this study, we determined the efficacy of three brands of penicillin-streptomycin (Pen&strep, Penstrep, and Pro&strep) by performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing against Staphylococcus aureus isolated from cow milk from dairy farms in the towns of Sebata and Bishoftu, Central Ethiopia. We also assessed the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of veterinarians regarding the quality and use of brand antibiotics and the antibiotic utilization practices of dairy farm personnel using a structured questionnaire. Of 43 S. aureus isolated and tested, 33 (77%), 10 (23%), and 1 (2%) were susceptible to brands A, B, and C, respectively. According to the respondents, all of them reported that penstrep is the most prescribed antibiotic in dairy farms (100%), followed by oxytetracycline (78%) and sulfa drugs (52%). All veterinarians perceived that antibiotics imported from Western countries have a higher efficacy than those from Eastern countries, and they preferred brand A to the other brands, witnessing its better clinical outcome. The majority (87%) and a little more than half (53%) of the respondents perceived the overuse of antibiotics in veterinary clinics and dairy farms, respectively. Our study revealed the better efficacy of brand A against S. aureus compared to the other brands. Interestingly, the veterinarians' perception of and preference toward the use of brand antibiotics agreed with the findings of our antibacterial susceptibility testing. The prudent use of brand A is critically important for sustaining effective treatment, avoiding the risk of antimicrobial resistance, and helping to address animal welfare issues.

Assessment of Understanding and Practices of Community Pharmacy Personnel to Tackle COVID-19 Pandemic.

The skill, accessibility, and knowledge of community pharmacists have been paramount in managing pandemics. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of community pharmacy personnel towards tackling COVID-19 pandemic which might help concerned authorities to take effective actions to eliminate the gaps for the management of such pandemic in an efficient way. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 428 community pharmacy personnel from different community pharmacies in Kathmandu, Nepal from December 2021 to February 2022. Statistical analysis was done through SPSS® v21 and MedCalc for Windows v12.3.0. Most of the participants (42.76%) had certificate-level degrees in their respective fields and one to five years of working experience (48.84%). Only 29.67% of the respondents had good knowledge towards tackling COVID-19, whereas good attitude and practice were demonstrated by 59.11% and 42.29% respectively. The participants with higher degrees and more working experience had better knowledge, attitude, and practice. Education level bachelor and above was independent predictor of good knowledge (OR 20.69, 95% CI 11.30-37.90). Knowledge and practice (Spearman's rho: 0.135; P ≤0.005) and attitude and practice (Spearman's rho: 0.095; P = 0.049) scores were positively correlated. The significant association of community pharmacy personnel's educational level with knowledge, attitude, and practices demands the necessity of policy-making bodies' involvement for the mandatory presence of well-qualified pharmacists and regular training at the community pharmacy level. Furthermore, it is high time to reinforce the drug regulatory acts, regulations, and codes all over the nation.

Rural Public Health Data Challenges During the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case for Building Better Systems Ahead of a Public Health Crisis.

Rural public health personnel serve communities that have been particularly susceptible to COVID-19 and yet faced the pandemic with far less well-resourced capacity than their urban counterparts. A critical aspect of addressing local health inequities is access to high-quality population data and the capacity to effectively use data to support decision making. However, much of the data required to investigate inequities are not readily available to rural local health departments and the tools and training to analyze data are often lacking. The purpose of our effort was to explore rural data challenges related to COVID-19 and provide recommendations for improving rural data access and capacity ahead of future crises. We gathered qualitative data in 2 phases, more than 8 months apart, from rural public health practice personnel. Initial data were gathered in October-November 2020 regarding rural public health data needs during the COVID-19 pandemic and then to later identify whether the same findings held true in July 2021 or whether access to and capacity to use data to address the pandemic and related inequities improved as the pandemic progressed. In our 4-state exploration focused on access and use of data among rural public health systems to promote health equity in the Northwest United States, we found tremendous and ongoing unmet data needs, challenges with communicating data, and a lack of capacity to meet this public health crisis. Recommendations for addressing these challenges include increasing dedicated resources specifically to rural public health systems, improving data access and infrastructure, and providing dedicated data-related workforce development.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Personnel Involved in Bio Medical Waste Handling about COVID-19 & Its Bio-Medical Waste Management: A Descriptive Analysis

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an increased amount of biomedical waste, worsening the already strained biomedical waste management system in India. As biomedical waste handlers are the core of biomedical waste handling, their knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding sorting, segregation, transport, and storage of the waste are of prime concern. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of personnel involved in biomedical waste handling about COVID-19 and its biomedical waste management at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Mangalagiri. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: AIIMS Mangalagiri and common bio-medical waste treatment facility at Guntur. Participants- Personnel involved in bio-medical waste handling Methodology: The study enrolled a total of 139 participants from December 2020 to January 2021. A convenient sampling technique was used and a questionnaire was administered by face-to-face interview. Results: The study showed that half of the participants had favorable knowledge about bio-medical waste management (average score 5.08 and range 1-9). Two-thirds of the respondents felt that handling COVID-19 waste is necessary to contain the infection. Conversely, the practices regarding COVID-19 and its biomedical waste management were not in conformity with attitudes and knowledge. Fewer participants knew the exact sequence of donning (15.80%) and doffing (31.70%). Majority of participants (72.7%) desired a hands-on training for handling biomedical waste. Conclusion: Participants have good knowledge and attitudes regarding COVID-19 bio-medical waste management, but are not adhering to it. This explains the need for comprehensive training programs for all those involved in bio-medical waste management of COVID-19.

Semi-quantitative risk assessment of African swine fever virus introduction in pig farms.

A semi-quantitative risk assessment was developed to classify pig farms in terms of the probability of introduction of African swine fever virus (ASFV). Following on-farm data collection via a specific checklist, we applied a modified failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) to calculate the risk priority codes (RPC's), indicating increasing risk levels ranging from 1 to 5. The importance of biosecurity measures was attributed by experts. To consider geographic risk factors, we classified pig farms based on local density of farmed pigs, and on the estimated wild boar population density. The combination of RPC's with geographical risk factors resulted into a final ranking of pig farms in terms of the risk of ASFV introduction. Furthermore, the estimation of frequency and levels of non-compliance with biosecurity measures was used to identify weak points in risk prevention at farm level. The outcome of the risk assessment was affected by choices in assigning non-compliance scores and importance to specific components of biosecurity. The method was applied in 60 commercial farms in major pig production areas in Italy. Furthermore, we applied a reduced version of our checklist in 12 non-commercial/small commercial (≤20 pigs) farms in the northern Apennines. In commercial farms, highest RPC's were obtained for biosecurity measures associated with personnel practices and farm buildings/planimetry. Intervention should be addressed to training of personnel on biosecurity and ASF, to avoid contacts with other pig herds, and to improve practices in the entrance into the farm. Sharing trucks with other farms, and loading/unloading of pigs were other weak points. Fencing was classified as insufficient in 70% of the commercial farms. Among these farms, breeding units were characterised by the lowest risk of ASFV introduction (although differences among median ranks were not statistically significant: P-value = 0.07; Kruskal-Wallis test), and increasing herd size was not significantly correlated with a higher risk (Kendall's τ = -0.13; P-value = 0.14). Density of farmed pig was greatest in the main pig production area in northern Italy. Conversely, exposure to wild boars was greatest for non-commercial/small commercial farms on the Apennines, which were also characterised by non-compliance with critical biosecurity measures.

Factors influencing the knowledge, attitude, and practices of police personnel toward dengue fever in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Dengue fever is a significant public health problem in Nepal, and police personnel are considered to play a crucial role in preventing and controlling dengue fever. This study aimed to assess the factors that influence the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of police personnel toward dengue in Kathmandu, Nepal. The study design was a descriptive cross-sectional study among 422 police personnel, where data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. Bi-variate analysis and multivariate analysis were used to examine the association between sociodemographic factors and environmental factors with knowledge, attitude, and practices of dengue. The study found that the knowledge, attitude, and practice toward dengue prevention was 58%, 46%, and 75%, respectively. The study found that family history of dengue (AOR = 2.78, 95% CI = 1.38-5.6), owning bed nets (AOR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.04-4.35) and having covered water storage containers (AOR = 2.99, 95% CI = 1.74-5.13) were associated with higher odds of knowledge on dengue. Having family history of dengue (AOR = 2.45, 95% CI = 1.24-4.87) and the presence of broken glasses or discarded plastic bottles in the house (AOR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.93-5.36) were associated with attitude on dengue. Knowledge on dengue was associated with higher odds of attitude (AOR = 3.3, 95% CI = 2.09-5.36) and practices (AOR = 3.21, 95% CI = 1.93, 5.36). The study identified specific factors associated with knowledge, attitude, and practices toward dengue prevention. The study concluded that regular training and awareness-raising activities are needed to improve their knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward dengue.

Метафора как средство поиска ресурсов и путей разрешения ограничений в коммуникации

The article is devoted to the description of the practical case used by the authors, which is a set of specific coaching technologies aimed at overcoming the limitations arising in communication, the paper presents specific examples and technology of the application of art therapy practices in counseling. We rely on the understanding of coaching as a cooperation between the coach and the client in the process of setting and achieving the client's goals. The proposed set of technologies relates to art coaching. Art coaching is coaching combined with art, which acts as a harmonious combination of coaching technologies with techniques and methods presented in art therapy. Art coaching allows you to explore yourself with the help of art objects created in the creative process. The main techniques used were therapeutic metaphor through kinder surprise therapy and isotherapy, namely drawing on tree saws, conversation. Working with metaphor has great potential insolving the tasks of activating personal resources, managing emotions, which is one of the important aspects of the communicative process. The use of metaphor activates the emotional-figurative processes of a person, appeals to his emotional intelligence. It enhances the decision-making process by including an emotional component in it. The main purpose of using art-therapeutic techniques in the development of practice is to identify problem areas that manifest themselves in a communication situation, as well as resources that help overcome emerging difficulties. In addition to the description of the psychological impact technology itself, the authors present descriptions of coaching sessions using the developed advisory scheme. This coaching scheme has a wide range of applications - within the framework of private psychological practice, training and support of the organization's personnel, involving direct interaction with clients, to improve communicative competence, in educational programs.

The Influence of Basic Life Support Training on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Non-Medical Personnel in Kartika Husada Clinic, Malang East Java, Indonesia

The Influence of Basic Life Support Training on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Non-Medical Personnel in Kartika Husada Clinic, Malang East Java, Indonesia

Dismissal of an employee at the initiative of the employer for a single gross violation of labour duties (clause 7 of Article 42 of the Labour Code of Belarus)

During the third global reform of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus, which took place in 2019-2020, Article 42 of the Labor Code was set out in a new edition. In the updated Article 42 of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus, five grounds for dismissal at the initiative of the employer for a single gross violation of labor duties were combined into one paragraph 7. In 2021, this paragraph was supplemented with three new grounds. In this paper, for the first time, an attempt is made to comprehensively analyze all eight grounds for dismissal on the initiative of the employer for a single gross violation of labor duties, enshrined in paragraph 7 of Article 42 of the Labor Code of the Republic of Belarus. Within the framework of the scientific and practical analysis of eight disciplinary grounds for dismissal of an employee carried out in the article, the provisions of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, as well as current Belarusian judicial practice, are taken into account in a comparative aspect. Special attention in the paper is paid by the authors to the procedure for termination of an employment contract for this group of disciplinary grounds, problems that arise in personnel and other law enforcement practice, as well as guarantees that employees can use when dismissed on these grounds. Proposals are made to improve the labor legislation of the Republic of Belarus and law enforcement practice in relation to this group of grounds for dismissal of employees at the initiative of the employer.

Critical success factors for effective internal auditing: A caseof the office of auditor general

The primary goal of this research was to look at the key success elements for effective internal auditing. Internal auditing is the foundation of an organization’s internal control system. Although internal auditing in the public sector has problems, there are success criteria for efficient internal auditing. The investigation focused primarily on the case at the Office of the Auditor General, which audits all of Namibia’s public sector offices. The relevant data for the researcher surveys was obtained from the office’s management team and internal auditors using Google Forms. The study examined empirical literature to establish the important success elements for the Office of Auditor General’s effective internal auditing function. The study’s findings were used to identify and categorize the variables, which were then used to create models. The results of the data analysis were provided in frequency tables and charts. The study’s findings demonstrate that effective internal auditing requires management support and sound management practice, appropriate well-trained and competent internal audit personnel, a functioning board of directors, internal policies, and control. Among the identified criteria, however, managerial support and excellent management practice play a critical role. To improve the efficacy of internal auditing, the research advised that the Office of the Auditor General support internal auditing positions by facilitating internal auditing work and recruiting more trained and qualified internal auditors.

Perspectives and practices of personnel involved in family planning with women at reproductive risk.

To analyze the perspectives and practices of personnel involved in family planning with women at reproductive risk due to chronic diseases. Qualitative study in which physicians and nurses from primary care centers in a state in central Mexico were interviewed. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed under the Grounded Theory proposal. The perspectives and practices in family planning interventions are unilaterally framed in the biomedical model. Three categories of analysis emerged: "The battle", "Convince by imposing", "Monitor them and catch them". It is necessary to promote competencies in interculturality, gender perspective and human rights to make the intervention more of a counseling and less of a prescription for life projects.

Perspectives and practices of personnel involved in family planning with women at reproductive risk

RESUMEN Objetivo: Analizar las perspectivas y prácticas del personal que interviene en planificación familiar con mujeres en riesgo reproductivo por enfermedades crónicas. Método: Estudio cualitativo, se entrevistó a médicos y enfermeras de centros de primer nivel de atención en un estado en el centro de México. Las entrevistas fueron transcritas y analizadas bajo la propuesta de la Teoría Fundamentada. Resultados: Las perspectivas y prácticas en la intervención en planificación familiar se enmarcan de forma unilateral en el modelo biomédico. Emergieron tres categorías de análisis: “La batalla”, “Convencer imponiendo”, “Vigilarlas y atraparlas”. Conclusión: Es necesario impulsar competencias en materia de interculturalidad, perspectiva de género y derechos humanos, para hacer de la intervención más una consejería y menos una prescripción de proyectos de vida.

ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICES OF LABORATORY PERSONNEL TOWARDS CHEMICAL SAFETY IN UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA CAMPUSES, MALAYSIA

Inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes and unsafe practices while handling chemicals can contribute to incidents such as fires, accidents, injuries and fatalities at academic institutions and laboratories. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of lab personnel towards chemical safety at an academic institution. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 123 laboratory personnel at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM), Malaysia using purposive sampling. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed by email to collect data which was analysed using descriptive statistics, a Spearman Correlation Coefficient measures and a Chi-Squared test. In general, the respondents’ knowledge and attitudes towards chemical safety were high with median scores ranging between 79.2% and 88.9%, respectively. However, their practices were moderate, with a mean score of 74. 1%. There was a weak correlations between attitudes and the level of knowledge (rs = 0.38, p < 0.05) and practices (rs = 0.19, p < 0.05). There were significant associations between department, campus and training status (χ2 value, p < 0.05) with knowledge and practice levels. Although the overall scores were satisfactory, some aspects still need improvement, especially with regard to the Globally Harmonised System (GHS) of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals symbols, personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance and emergency response procedures. The practice of eating and drinking in laboratories by lab personnel is an issue that also requires attention.

The Strategy of Gorontalo Police Service in Improving Community Vaccination Discipline in the Era of the Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aims to determine and analyze the strategy of Gorontalo Police Service in improving community vaccination discipline in the Covid-19 pandemic era.
 This type of research is descriptive qualitative. Data collection techniques through interviews, observation and documentation studies. Data analysis techniques through data reduction, data presentation, and data verification.
 The results showed that the strategy of Gorontalo Police Service was running well through the Determination of Service Standards, Information and Openness, Preference and Counseling, Leading Personnel Practices, Effective Complaints Unit, Use of Information and Communication Technology. The strategy of Gorontalo Police Service has been able to improve community vaccination discipline in the Covid-19 pandemic era, but daily achievements have not met the expected target. Constraints faced 1) Limited human resources, 2) Lack of mobilization facilities, 3) Lack of public awareness for vaccination. It is recommended that the Gorontalo Police Resources Department carry out technical guidance on an ongoing basis for the management and administration of Covid-19 vaccination services in Gorontalo Regency. People who have received vaccinations are expected to remain disciplined in maintaining the 5M health protocol, washing hands, wearing masks, maintaining distance, avoiding crowds and limiting mobility. People who have not received vaccinations are expected with self-awareness to immediately go to referral places to get vaccination services

Knowledge, attitudes and practices in health personnel who provide care to patients with SARSCOV2

Objective: To identify knowledge, attitudes and practices in health personnel who provide care to patients with SARS-COV2. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out that included 362 participants, discriminated against health professionals (213) and health technicians (149) who provided first-line health services for the care of suspected or positive patients for SARS Cov 2, the technique Sampling was at convenience, the questionnaire they answered to participate was self-completed electronically using the Google Docs tool after designing, validating and applying a KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices) survey. An analysis with descriptive statistics was performed, bivariate associations were made using the Chi-square test where p<005 was taken as the level of significance. Results: In the KAP (Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices) survey, factors, protective and risk behaviors emerged; In these results, it is important to highlight that some of them vary in the responses of the participants, because what for some may constitute a risk factor or behavior, for others it may be a risk or protective factor. Conclusion: For the participants Having security in knowledge, personal coping resources, availability of personal protection elements and resources for care, at the time of carrying out the interventions in the patients they become protective behaviors, and the participants' perception of risk was influenced by values, beliefs, feelings, knowledge and their sources. It is important to highlight that some of them vary in the responses of the participants, because what for some may constitute a risk factor or behavior, for others it may be a risk or protective factor. conclusions. For the participants Having security in knowledge, personal coping resources, availability of personal protection elements and resources for care, at the time of carrying out the interventions in the patients they become protective behaviors, and the participants' perception of risk was influenced by values, beliefs, feelings, knowledge and their sources. It is important to highlight that some of them vary in the responses of the participants, because what for some may constitute a risk factor or behavior, for others it may be a risk or protective factor. conclusions. For the participants Having security in knowledge, personal coping resources, availability of personal protection elements and resources for care, at the time of carrying out the interventions in the patients they become protective behaviors, and the participants' perception of risk was influenced by values, beliefs, feelings, knowledge and their sources.

Knowledge, Practice and Perception of Local Waste Disposal Personnel Regarding Domestic Waste Management at Uttara in Dhaka: A Case Study

The purpose of the study is to identify the knowledge, practice and perception of local waste disposal personnel regarding domestic waste management at Uttara Sector # 10 & 11. The purposive sampling method was used to collect the data. The study was conducted in Sectors 10 & 11. There were 50 male participants in this study. The pretested questionnaire was to the 50 male participants. The study was conducted using mixed methods (qualitative and quantitative). Both open-ended and close-ended questions led the participants to explore the knowledge, practice and perception of local waste disposal personnel. The study revealed that most of the participants (68%) are young adults. Only 12 participants are a child. It also investigated that most of the participants are not well-educated. The 35 people stated that they never went to school. The working experience of the total participants in this study is represented through a pie chart. The highest working experience level is 36 per cent, which is 2-5 years of working experience with waste disposal techniques. The second highest is 32 per cent and their working experience is below 2 years. This work also found that all the participants usually collect household waste including spoiled food, spoiled vegetable, glass items, paper and polythene. Among 50, 35 people know about the importance of waste management. The study also showed that the 48 people don't take any precautions because the authority does not provide them and the rest of them are accustomed. Most of the participants did not receive any training from the authority. 74% of people stated that their health is being affected by the job due to bad odour exposure from the waste. The number of injuries is high among them and 75% of people said that they have been injured many times with glass and needles. Most of them (46%) did not receive any treatment. On the other hand, 88% of people said they did not report anyone about their injury. It also revealed that ......

Assessing Training Needs of Health Personnel on the Process of Selecting Blood Donors and Transfusion in the West Region of Cameroon.

Blood transfusion is a health care procedure that can expose the donor and receiver to risks. The knowledge and practices of healthcare personnel on blood transfusion are necessary to anticipate and/or prevent the occurrence of avoidable transfusion risks. The aim of this study was to assess the training needs of health personnel on blood donor selection procedure. We conducted a cross-sectional study targeting health personnel in health facilities that reported contributing in offering blood transfusion services in the West region of Cameroon between March and May 2022. A questionnaire administered face to face was used to collect data from the targeted health personnel exhaustively included from health facilities. Knowledge and practices were assessed by estimating the rate of correct answers. STATA software was used to analyze the data. Of the 41 health facilities that reported offering blood transfusion services, 35 (85.3%) were covered. Category 5 and 4 health facilities were respectively 23 (65.7%) and 9 (25.7%). Among the 325 health personnel involved in transfusion, 302 (92.9%) were reached among which, 201 (66.6%) were female and 127 (42.1%) were nurses. Two hundred and ten (69.5%) had already received training on blood transfusion and 268 (88.7%) expressed a need for training on blood transfusion of which 139 (51.8%) on blood donors' selection. Sixteen (5.3%) knew how to identify blood donor and 116 (38.4) knew the minimum required tests to be performed on the donors' blood before the transfusion. Six (2.0%) out of 302 health personnel were able to select blood donors and identify minimum tests to be performed on donors' blood. There is a real need for training of health personnel on the blood donor selection process. Health authorities should ensure that all health personnel involved in blood transfusion receive a minimum of training in blood donor selection and testing.

Innovation in government succession planning: A case study

Formal succession planning is rare in the federal government compared to private sector organizations because there are multiple unique challenges in government. The Federal Merit System Principles and the Prohibited Personnel Practices established in Title 5 of the U.S. Code substantially limit flexibility in employee development and promotions, both key aspects of succession planning. For example, the merit system principle, “Recruit, select, and advance on merit after fair and open competition” prohibits the common succession planning practice of senior leaders personally identifying promising employees, providing them with special opportunities for development, and then promoting them into critical positions. This approach does not allow for fair and open competition and is thus seen as providing unfair advantages to some employees.