Post Questionnaires Research Articles

Promoting Vaccinations in Pregnancy: Results of a Systematic Literature Review of Italian Initiatives.

Pregnant women and infants inherently face heightened susceptibility to complications resulting from infectious diseases. Within these populations, vaccinations offer numerous advantages. This systematic review endeavors to comprehensively analyze the existing literature concerning interventions designed to promote vaccinations among pregnant women and newborns in Italy. We searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for primary studies published until 3 August 2023 which assessed the impact of vaccination education interventions targeting pregnant Italian women. Data extraction, pooling, and a quality appraisal of the included studies were conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Among the 528 articles identified, 3 met the inclusion criteria and focused on pregnant women aged 25 to 40 attending pre-delivery courses. In these studies, the effectiveness of the interventions was assessed using pre- and post-intervention questionnaires that investigated knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding recommended vaccinations. The results reveal significant increases in intention and adherence to vaccination among participants after these interventions. The results underscore the positive influence of health professionals' educational initiatives on pregnant Italian women's vaccination knowledge and attitudes. However, longitudinal studies with larger representative samples are needed to validate these findings and identify potential avenues for improving maternal educational interventions.

Optimalisasi Pemanfaatan Tanaman Herbal Sebagai Obat Anti-Gout Arthritis Sebagai Upaya Pencegahan Penyakit Gagal Ginjal

Health education about the benefits of herbal plants as anti-gout arthritis drugs needs to be done to help people increase their knowledge so that they can apply wise actions and attitudes that can improve their quality of life. The purpose of community service activities is to find out the effect of health socialization on the use of herbal plants on gout by assessing the increase in knowledge, attitudes, actions of participants and assistance in making ginger tea as a prevention of gout arthritis, as well as conducting gout screening tests. Methods of community service activities in the form of counseling, outreach, and education as well as assistance in making ginger medang which will then be evaluated with pre and post counseling questionnaires. The number of participants 30 people are people who live in the work area of the Palembang Kertapati Health Center. An indicator of the success of counseling is an increase in the knowledge, attitudes and actions of community service participants. In the results of the study, it was known that the level of knowledge before socialization and education was 36.7% and increased after socialization (86.7%); attitude of participants before socialization 80% after socialization increased to 100%; action before socialization 63.3% after socialization 100%. It is known that there is an influence from education and outreach in the form of increasing knowledge, attitudes and actions of the community at the Kertapati Health Center, Palembang City, South Sumatra so that a follow-up program is needed in the form of intensive counseling for health center cadres as the spearhead of information on a wider range of people.

Impact of virtual reality education on disease-specific knowledge and anxiety for hepatocellular carcinoma patient scheduled for liver resection: a randomized controlled study.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant health concern, and the complexity of liver anatomy poses challenges in conveying radiologic findings and surgical plans to patients. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a virtual reality (VR) education program on anxiety and knowledge in HCC patients undergoing hepatic resection. From 1 January 2022 to 28 February 2023, 88 patients were enrolled in a randomized controlled trial, divided into the VR group ( n =44) and the control group ( n =44). The VR group received patient-specific 3D liver model education through a VR platform, while the control group underwent conventional explanation processes. Both groups completed preintervention and postintervention questionnaires assessing anxiety (using STAI-X-1, STAI-X-2, and VAS) and knowledge about liver resection. Comparison of the questionnaires were performed between the two groups. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to analyze factor related to decrease in anxiety. While there was no significant difference in preintervention anxiety and knowledge scores between the two groups, the VR group exhibited significant reduction in STAI-X-1 scores (-4.14±7.5) compared to the control group (-0.84±5.7, P =0.023), as well as knowledge scores (17.20±2.6) compared to the control group (13.42±3.3, P <0.001). In the multivariable logistic regression model, VR education showed significant impact on decrease in STAI-X-1 score, postintervention. (OR=2.902, CI=1.097-7.674, P =0.032). The VR education program significantly improved knowledge and reduced anxiety among HCC patients compared to conventional methods. This study suggests that VR can be a valuable tool in patient education, enhancing comprehension and alleviating presurgical anxiety.

Effectiveness of health education in improving knowledge, attitude and practice related to foodborne zoonotic trematodes in Vietnam, with a particular focus on Clonorchis sinensis.

Foodborne zoonotic trematodes (FZT), which infect the liver, lungs and intestines of humans, are an emerging public health concern in tropical countries including Vietnam. In northern Vietnam, Clonorchis sinensis is recognised as the most important species of the FZT. Up to now, small-scale studies conducted in the country have indicated that health education could improve participants' knowledge and practices related to clonorchiasis, however strong evidence is still lacking. We conducted an intervention trial between 2020 and 2021 in four communes in Yen Bai and Thanh Hoa province, aiming to evaluate the impact of an extended educational package on knowledge, attitude and practices related to clonorchiasis, as well as on knowledge on the large liver fluke and minute intestinal flukes. To this end, baseline and post-intervention questionnaires were conducted. Generalised estimating equations models were run to analyse the impact of the intervention on knowledge, attitudes and practices over time in the intervention versus control group. Finally, 172 people in the intervention group and 162 in the control group were included for analysis. Results demonstrated that the intervention significantly improved clonorchiasis knowledge, attitudes and practices, with higher odds for a correct knowledge response (odds ratio (OR) = 2.80, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.84-4.27, p-value < 0.001), increased average mean attitude score (mean = 0.363, 95%CI = 0.182-0.544, p-value < 0.001), and a reduced odds of consuming raw fish (OR = 0.15, 95%CI = 0.06-0.40, p = 0.002) in the intervention group compared to the control group post-intervention versus baseline. Additionally, participants in the intervention group exhibited enhanced basic knowledge of the large liver fluke and minute intestinal flukes post-intervention. These findings demonstrate the potential of health education programs in preventing clonorchiasis in endemic areas, emphasising the importance of continued health education as a critical component of integrated control programs for clonorchiasis.

Credit hours and continuing medical education (CME) programmes.

Continuing medical education (CME) credits has been mandated by the National Medical Commission for registered medical practitioners in India as a part of continuing professional development and a minimum of 30 credits in 5 years is required for the renewal of the medical license. Undoubtedly, credit hours for CME attendance is an essential yardstick for professional and career growth, the modus operandi adopted to grant these credit hours needs a serious look. Targeted learning with adequate feedback either with a post CME examination or questionnaire should become the norm and every publication in high impact indexed journal deserve a higher credit point than the rest of the publications.

Knowledge and management of traumatic dental injuries among schoolteachers in Hungary: a cross-sectional study with educational intervention

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of Hungarian schoolteachers in the management of dental trauma injuries (TDI) of children between the ages of 3 and 18 and to illustrate a brief educational intervention on TDI management.MethodsA 15-item questionnaire on dental injuries was distributed in our observational cross-sectional study to 2720 Hungarian educational institutions to explore and evaluate teachers’ knowledge in January 2019. Two years later, targeted information material was made accessible regarding TDI management. In the second post-intervention phase of the study, educator knowledge was re-evaluated using the same questionnaire. Statistical analysis (Mann–Whitney and Chi-square tests) was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 28.ResultsA total of 1426 answers were collected in the initial survey. Although more than half (51.9%) of the respondents previously witnessed TDIs, 86.5% still did not perceive themselves as adequately informed regarding TDI management. Most teachers submitted appropriate responses to the indicator questions relating to the urgency of referral to dental professionals (71.8%), immediate contact with parents (79.0%) or dentists (13.0%), and the solution for avulsed teeth (81.3%). However, only every second (56.2%) educator responded correctly regarding the proper cleaning method. Following accessibility to our educational material, 622 respondents completed the post-intervention questionnaire in the second phase of the study. The percentage of appropriate responses to the five indicator questions significantly increased by 5–20.6%.ConclusionTeachers’ knowledge of TDI was inadequate yet can improve with online education. Efforts among dental professionals, the media, and targeted interventions will ensure adequate knowledge while also improving children’s dental health.

N48 Exploring &amp; evaluating the benefits of initiating an IBD Transition clinic

Abstract Background Establishing an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Transition Clinic can bring about several significant benefits. This includes providing continuity of care, specialised care, education in new treatment, emotional support, collaboration and coordination of care, empowering patients and assisting in adherence to medication and follow up appointments. In the author's history within the Trust there has never been an established IBD Transition clinic. This has led to young adults delayed in transitioning to adult services without any formal handover. Methods The IBD Consultant Nurse felt that the young adults were given a second class service and that they were not receiving the care and advice that they needed in the difficult time of being a young adult with a long term condition. They enlisted the help of a paediatric gastroenterologist and worked with the paediatric operations team and a cohort of patients were booked into a three monthly clinic held on a Saturday as this was felt the best day for engaging both patients and family. The paediatric gastroenterologist and IBD Consultant Nurse undertook the clinic jointly. Results A number of clinics were undertaken and the IBD Consultant Nurse asked for all patients to be assigned to an adult gastroenterologist after the first appointment. At the joint clinic all medication was discussed and a personalised plan of care was adopted for all patients to allow a smooth transition into adult services. The feedback from patients and family members was extremely favourable and all patients felt that they had been given all of the required information, a personalised care plan and were prepared to be transitioned to adult care. All patients were given a post clinic questionnaire on their satisfaction of the Transition clinic. The clinic was recently stopped as a adult gastroenterologist felt that this should not have been undertaken by a nurse and that they can only be undertaken by doctors. The current waiting time to be reviewed by a gastroenterologist is currently around 65weeks which could lead to a delay in treatment. Conclusion Ideally establishing a nurse-led transition clinic requires collaboration among healthcare providers, administrative support, and resources dedicated to its development. Additionally, an emphasis on patient and family involvement in the planning and execution stages can lead to a more patient-centric and successful transition program. This clinic was extremely successful but has had to stop as the gastroenterologists feel that only gastroenterologists can undertake transition clinics and should not be nurse led. Unfortunately this will lead to transition patients having an extended delay into adult services.

A Web-Based Educational Module Using Clinical Neuroscience to Deliver the Diagnosis of Functional Neurological Disorder.

Neuroscience-based patient education has become an evidence-based strategy for enhancing chronic pain treatment. Advances in understanding the neuroscience of functional neurological disorder (FND) may allow similar approaches to be developed and disseminated to clinicians, given the public health need for greater provider awareness and expertise around the condition. Accordingly, the authors developed an online video module for clinicians that delivers neuroscience-based psychoeducation for FND and assessed whether the intervention would be associated with changes in clinicians' perception of FND patients and knowledge about the condition. The online intervention consisted of a 20-minute video module, including an 8-minute scripted role-play that modeled neuroscience-informed diagnosis delivery. Pre- and postintervention questionnaires were embedded into the online module and included a self-assessment of FND-related perceptions and knowledge and a multiple-choice assessment of retention of the neuroscience-based content. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and McNemar's tests were used for statistical analyses. Of the 103 individuals who submitted surveys, 40 participants provided a complete data set from before and after the intervention. Following the intervention, self-assessment items showed respondents had significantly greater comfort with diagnosis delivery and treatment options and decreased negative perception of FND patients. The percentage of correct responses on a multiple-choice assessment regarding the functional neuroanatomy of FND was significantly increased. In summary, the online neuroscience-based educational intervention was effective for increasing clinician knowledge about FND and comfort with diagnosis delivery and treatment options. Implementing web-based formats may be a viable and cost-effective approach to disseminating knowledge and basic clinical skills in the care of patients with FND.

The Effect of an Active Break Intervention on Nonspecific Low Back Pain and Musculoskeletal Discomfort during Prolonged Sitting among Young People-Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

The most recent evidence has shown that the pandemic of COVID-19 caused an increasing problem with spinal pain in the population of teenagers and young adults. This may be explained by prolonged sitting times in flexed positions with electronic devices. Positions maintained for a prolonged time cause overloading of soft tissue and discogenic symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the active break program in reducing musculoskeletal discomfort and LBP (low back pain) among young people. This will be a randomized controlled study. The participants will be recruited from Bachelor's course students of the Physical Education Department aged 18-25 years. The participants will be assigned to an experimental group (with an active break) and a control group. The group with an active break with lumbar and hip extension exercises will be recommended to take a break for every 30 min of sitting. The control group will receive self-care recommendations. The primary outcomes will be pain intensity (Visual Analogue Scale), disability index (Oswestry Disability Index), and perceived musculoskeletal discomfort during prolonged sitting (Borg scale), assessed at baseline and after the intervention, and the Global Perceived Effect, only assessed after the 12-week intervention. The secondary outcome will be a Post-Intervention Questionnaire (a 5-item self-completed questionnaire), only assessed after the 12-week intervention. Our main research outcome-exercise protocols and interventions-will lead to the development of recommendations and protocols for the LBP population. It is important to determine the effect of interventions that are feasible and effective in addressing LBP and perceived musculoskeletal discomfort in young people. This is the first study examining the effect of active breaks with proposed lumbar and hip extension exercises on reducing or decreasing LBP in students based on a search of the literature. Exercises and recommendations will be the basis for developing proprietary preventative and therapeutic programs, which will be implemented in selected educational institutions.

Meaningful learning in a realistic drug simulation scenario

This study addresses the use of David Ausubel's Theory in a didactic sequence developed specifically for realistic drug simulations. Objective: to test the usability of a didactic sequence developed for realistic simulation in the preparation and administration of parenteral drugs in critically ill patients; to improve the applicability strategy of the didactic sequence for adjustments and subsequent validation. Methodology: qualitative observational study, which took place in May 2023 during a workshop on the preparation and administration of medication, using the evaluation tool validated by Raurell-Torredà as a model for data collection. Nursing undergraduate students from the 5th period onwards were invited to take part in the research to carry out a medication simulation during the workshop, A pre- and post-intervention questionnaire was carried out using a QR code to capture the answers, a semi-structured questionnaire with 11 questions on the subject, the data collected was arranged in an information bank using Microsoft Office Excel software and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results and Discussions: It can be seen that realistic simulation is a teaching-learning method that is little used, with 77.8% of the students having had contact with it for the first time. Conclusion: Although it is an effective teaching-learning strategy, undergraduate courses should structure their teaching strategy to include this teaching model in the course curriculum in order to improve teaching on the preparation and administration of medicines.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder: an exploratory telehealth pilot group intervention for caregivers

ABSTRACT The Family Foundations: Behavioral, Emotional, Social, and Team-Based [B.E.S.T.] program is a novel trauma-informed intervention for caregivers of children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) to address emotional, behavioral, and cognitive problems. Twenty-five caregivers participated in this exploratory pilot study and completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. There was a significant decrease in child externalizing behavioral problems and total problems (p < .01). There was a significant decrease in caregiver stress (p < .01) and an increase in self-reported parenting confidence (p < .01). Mixed results were obtained for change in child social functioning. Further evaluation with a control group and larger sample size is needed to further assess the effectiveness of the program.

Improving motivation and treatment uptake behaviors of patients with eating disorders using patient narrative videos: study protocol of a pilot randomized controlled trial

BackgroundPatients with eating disorders (ED) typically report delays between the onset of symptoms and engagement with treatment services. Personal barriers including stigma, shame, and guilt, as well as the availability of social support may influence patients’ decisions to engage with treatment services. Patient narratives are personalized stories discussing the illness and recovery of previously affected persons. Such narratives can reduce self-stigma and provide current patients with hope for their own recovery.MethodThis pilot study will examine the effects of patient narrative videos on the treatment motivation and uptake of treatment services for patients with ED. Three narrative videos were developed from the perspectives of (a) a former patient with an ED, (b) an ED specialist, and (c) the same former patient discussing a somatic condition unrelated to ED. Patients will be randomized into three video viewing and one treatment-as-usual group. Effects on treatment motivation will be assessed using the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment Scale (URICA-S) immediately after viewing the videos, as well as one-week and three-month follow-ups. Treatment uptake will be assessed during follow-up using a questionnaire listing possible treatment interactions. A post-intervention questionnaire and semi-structured interviews will be used to assess the feasibility and acceptability of patient narrative videos for this population.DiscussionThere is an urgent need to encourage patients with ED to engage with specialized treatments as soon as possible. Patient narratives may be a pivotal approach to implementing cost effective and easy to disseminate early intervention programs to future patients with ED.

Impact of an educational intervention regarding tobacco counseling on dentists and dental students.

The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of dental professionals and students regarding tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) after their participation in a continuing education activity (CEA) entitled "Smoking cessation: How does the dentist participate in this decision?" at the Oral Cancer Seminar: Projeto Maio Vermelho 2021. This study utilized a pre-/post-intervention design, including a pre-intervention questionnaire with 20 close-ended questions, an educational intervention, and a post-intervention questionnaire with nine close-ended questions. Descriptive and statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 25 and GraphPad Prism 8 software. The significance level was set at p = 0.05. A total of 94 participants answered the pre-intervention questionnaire and 52 answered both the pre- and post-intervention questionnaires. Most participants reported regularly asking about smoking status (96.8%), providing advice on tobacco risks (96.8%), and offering some counseling to help patients stop smoking (84.0%). Although participants habitually ask about cigarette use, other forms of tobacco consumption are frequently overlooked. Most participants reported never having attended TCC training during their undergraduate studies (67.0%) or after graduation (71.2%). However, 96.2% showed interest in attending TCC training. The perception that motivational counseling by dentists can encourage patients to stop smoking rose from 87.5 to 98.2% (p<0.05) after the educational intervention. In addition, participants' self-confidence in conducting TCC increased from 8.9% to 23.3% (p<0.01). The brief CEA on TCC showed favorable outcomes, enhancing the perception of dentists and undergraduate dental students regarding the effectiveness of counseling for smoking cessation and boosting their self-confidence in providing tobacco counseling.

The Utilization of Empathy and Self-awareness Models to Deescalate Violence in the Ambulatory Clinic Setting.

Our objective was to understand how empathy and self-awareness content, alongside traditional deescalation training, might impact ambulatory clinic staff responses to patient and family escalation events. Verbal and physical workplace violence is escalating across healthcare organizations, including ambulatory clinics. Deescalation content is often developed with acute care, psychiatric, or emergency care in mind. There is a need for relevant and empathic deescalation training for ambulatory clinic staff to address their specific needs. We developed empathic and self-reflective deescalation training which was interactive and relevant to ambulatory clinic staff. Staff were trained using both in-person and virtual modalities. Participant self-reflection pre- and postintervention questionnaires indicated increases in understanding and application of deescalation methodologies. Multiple ambulatory clinics where staff participated saw a decrease in patient complaints and grievances. Participating ambulatory clinics also saw an improvement in the likelihood to recommend practice. However, participating ambulatory clinics did not see a reduction in reported patient-involved workplace violence events. Ensuring both empathy and self-awareness content in deescalation training, along with relevant ambulatory clinic scenarios, support ambulatory staff to respond effectively and appropriately to escalation events, helps reduce patient complaints, and improves patient satisfaction.

Multi-modal mindfulness training and well-being for healthcare students

IntroductionMindfulness is a mental state attained through focusing awareness on the present with calm acceptance of thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. This study evaluated impact of mindfulness activities on well-being of pharmacy and other healthcare students. MethodsResearch participants completed pre- and post-intervention questionnaires evaluating multi-modal mindfulness interventions. Due to the pandemic, sessions led by a certified mindfulness instructor were offered live online and recorded, supplemented by a well-being mobile app and reflective discussion component. Four composite scales were administered to participants. The Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ-15), Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), and Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) inventories measured resilient coping skills, awareness, and psychological symptoms, including stress, depression, and anxiety. Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha were used to determine scale reliability and validity. ResultsThirty-six participants completed both pre- and post-intervention questionnaires (n = 36). Significant improvement was found in well-being for BRCS, FFMQ-15, and WEMWBS measures (P < .05). Change in DASS-21 was not significant (P = .19). Mobile app use enhanced foundational mindfulness skills. Awareness, connection, and coping themes were identified from written comments. ConclusionsEvaluation of this multi-modal interprofessional intervention provides further evidence of benefits of mindfulness for pharmacy and other healthcare students. The mobile app and mindful movement with reflection improved all attributes measured by the composite scales. Further research may explore alternative multi-modal mindfulness interventions and incorporation into healthcare education curricula. Interprofessional collaboration is encouraged among faculty to enhance mindfulness while connecting healthcare professionals.

Effectiveness of Online Parent Training for Vietnamese Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Parent training (PT) programs have been implemented for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in recent years. However, in Southeast Asia, the diffusion of rehabilitation programs for children with ASD and that of PT as a parental support measure has been slow. This study assessed the effectiveness of an online PT program that was developed in Japan and remotely delivered to Vietnamese parents of children with ASD residing in Vietnam. Sixteen parents of Vietnamese children with ASD participated in seven online Tottori University-style PT sessions. The online PT was conducted in real-time from Japan, considering the two-hour time difference between countries. Lectures and exercises were presented in Vietnamese with PowerPoint materials. Japanese staff provided explanations in Japanese, which were then simultaneously translated by a Vietnamese interpreter. Attendance, completion of homework assignments, and the number of statements on Zoom and social media were tallied. A pre-post-test design was employed to measure changes in parents' mental health factors and children's behavior. A post-intervention questionnaire was administered to assess participant's acceptance of PT. The findings showed that attendance and task completion rates were considerably high. The study found that the mental health scores of parents significantly improved after participating in online parenting training compared to before. However, there were no statistically significant improvements found in children's behavior. The study also confirmed high satisfaction with the cross-country online parenting training. This study confirmed that TUPT, developed in Japan and implemented as an online PT for parents of children with ASD living in Vietnam, was effective in improving parental mental health. The program acceptability questionnaire also showed positive results. This study is the first step in the evaluation and dissemination of Internet-based, cross-country parent training for parental support in Asia.

Creating new learning environments in virtual reality: Perceptions of English student-teachers

This article focuses on pre- and in-service English teachers’ perceptions of the educational potential of virtual reality (VR). We consider VR as an educational device inscribed in embodied cognition theories and enhancing learners’ engagement and motivation through immersion and sensory-motor agency in teaching/learning situations. After pedagogical experiments with master’s degree students in English teaching/learning, the latter were asked to share their perceptions of VR in the context of language education. The data includes responses to pre- and post-intervention questionnaires as well as photos and videos taken during the trials of VR headsets and will shed light on the progress that still needs to be made if VR is used in language education.

Desenvolvimento e avaliação do REMIC: site autoinstrucional sobre sistemas de microfone remoto

ABSTRACT Purpose 1) To develop, update, and improve a self-instructional website on Remote Microphone Systems for hearing-impaired students and their speechlanguage therapists, teachers, and parents; 2) to validate the website as a continuing education tool for teachers. Methods This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, quantitative study. 1) All REMIC content was converted into infographics based on instructional design; 2) Thirteen elementary school teachers answered three questionnaires (pre- and post-intervention theoretical questionnaire, Motivational Survey Form, and Self-Assessment Scale of the Impact of Training on the Job). Results 1) Six modules were created using infographics, communicating specific content objectively to the target audience. 2) There was a statistically significant difference between pre-and post-training about the questionnaire (p-value 0.005), the “Meaningful” domain of the Motivational Research Form had the highest score (19.23), and the average of the Training Impact on the Job Self-Assessment Scale was 42.3 points. These results indicate that the website is valuable for teacher training. Conclusion REMIC has been updated and is available at https://remic.fob.usp.brin Brazilian Portuguese and American English. Teachers considered it effective as a continuing education tool.

Quality improvement project to improve inhaler delivery in the intensive care unit

Background Late 2022, an ICU nurse discovered that Seretide™ (salmeterol/Fluticasone) Evohaler, a commonly used inhaler, did not change its dose counter when used with the inhaler connector 22M-22F. This was identified as a medication safety issue. Knowledge gaps of inhaler use in mechanically ventilated patients were identified as well. Aims To effectively administer metered dose inhalers to ventilated patients and increase its accuracy and safety. Methods We instituted education programs for healthcare professional in the ICU and introduced a new inhaler connector RTC 24-V. This was compared with the existing 22M-22F connector in a comparative study. Results The dose counter of Seretide™ recorded prior to initiation and extubation showed an obvious drop in doses ranging from 15 to 63 in patients randomized to use RTC 24-V, compared to 0 to 2 drop in doses for patients using 22M-22F. A total of 51 pre study and 33 post study questionnaires were completed. Confidence that the accurate dose of medications was administered rose from 58.8% to 84.8% after using the RTC 24-V. Responses that there was no issue compromising patient safety rose from 0% to 51.5% and fewer staff expressed concern about disconnections causing infections, dropping from 51% to 9.1%. 93.9% of respondents chose the new RTC 24-V as the preferred inhaler connector. Conclusion The new inhaler connector RTC 24-V was assessed to have less medication errors. ICU healthcare professionals expressed greater confidence in its safety and accuracy. We will implement the use of this connector with continued medical education.

Using Fast Feedback Method to Enhance Students’ Learning in Chemistry: A Case Study in Yilo Krobo Senior High School

Traditional practices by which teachers give feedback to students during classroom discourse have been challenged. The research found out how students get information about how well they are doing in chemistry class, which is the actual feedback that chemistry teachers give to their students. The study again suggested FAST feedback method as an ideal way of giving feedback to enhance students learning during chemistry lessons. FAST is an acronym for frequent, accurate, specific and timely. An exploratory-survey design was adopted for the study and a sample of 865 chemistry students and 20 teachers, (n=885), responded to the instruments. 795 students and 20 teachers were involved in the pre-intervention survey and 70 students were involved in the post-intervention survey. Data was collected using questionnaires, interviews, worksheets, observation of chemistry lessons and students’ exercise books. Data collected were analyzed using SPSS to provide answers to the research questions; i) how often do chemistry teachers give feedback to their students? ii) do chemistry teachers give accurate feedback to their students? iii) to what extent can the feedback given by chemistry teachers be described as specific? iv) do chemistry teachers give timely feedback? v) what effect has FAST feedback on the learning of chemistry? The research revealed the actual picture of feedback given by Ghanaian chemistry teachers in senior high schools as not frequent, accurate, specific nor timely. It was inferred from the learning outcomes and the students’ responses to the post-intervention questionnaire that FAST feedback method is ideal and can help students make positive impact on their chemistry learning.