Practical Experience Research Articles

Enhancing Performance of Health Assistants through Technical and Vocational Education and Training for Better Healthcare Access

This is a review article exploring critical role of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs in advancing capacities of health assistants and consequently strengthening healthcare access to the rural population in Nepal. The review was planned in the wake of the existing literatures on the study area that lacks a comprehensive examination to explores the role of health assistants in Nepal's healthcare delivery and assess the importance of TVET on their performance. A methodical literature search was conducted using various electronic databases like Google scholar and PubMed applying specific keywords, such as “Health Assistant", "Health Care Access", "Technical Education", "Vocational Education and Training”. It encompassed the studies published in the English language without limiting publication date, while the involved two authors independently evaluated the published articles' eligibility. These authors also carried out data extraction, culminating in a narrative summary of the findings. Of the total 37 literatures, most of them reported health assistant trained through TVET, play a vital role in improvement of healthcare access, thereby addressing the challenges. They bridge gaps in medical access, provide essential care, and promote community well-being, particularly in the underserved areas. TVET programs enhance skills through practical experiences and comprehensive training, resulting into significant improvement in healthcare access, especially in rural regions. Integrating innovative teaching methods and collaborations further enhances health assistant preparedness. Challenges, such as funding limitations and rural-urban divides persist, but opportunities exist in e-learning initiatives, partnerships, and professional development to improve health assistant education. Improving healthcare in Nepal by inculcating better skills to health assistants can address many healthcare problems.

Integrating artificial intelligence into the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine industry: a review.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is the practical experience and summary of the Chinese nation for thousands of years. It shows great potential in treating various chronic diseases, complex diseases and major infectious diseases, and has gradually attracted the attention of people all over the world. However, due to the complexity of prescription and action mechanism of TCM, the development of TCM industry is still in a relatively conservative stage. With the rise of artificial intelligence technology in various fields, many scholars began to apply artificial intelligence technology to traditional Chinese medicine industry and made remarkable progress. This paper comprehensively summarizes the important role of artificial intelligence in the development of traditional Chinese medicine industry from various aspects, including new drug discovery, data mining, quality standardization and industry technology of traditional Chinese medicine. The limitations of artificial intelligence in these applications are also emphasized, including the lack of pharmacological research, database quality problems and the challenges brought by human-computer interaction. Nevertheless, the development of artificial intelligence has brought new opportunities and innovations to the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. Integrating artificial intelligence technology into the comprehensive application of Chinese medicine industry is expected to overcome the major problems faced by traditional Chinese medicine industry and further promote the modernization of the whole traditional Chinese medicine industry.

Correlation Analysis of Self-Concept and Interpersonal Communication Among Generation Z Nursing Students at Pre-Professional Nursing Practice

Background: Interaction between people is facilitated by communication. The self concept might take on a positive or negative form. Gen Z is unique among current generations. Not just for the social structure they have come up in, but also for their spending habits, which differ from other generations. Objective: to investigate the possible relationship between generation Z nursing students' interpersonal communication skills and their self concept. Methods: A cross-sectional approach to correlation analysis was used in the research technique. The instruments were questionnaires and observations. The research sample consisted of 70 seventh semester preprofessional nursing students from Banjarmasin, selected using a total sampling technique. The Spearmen Rank Correlation test was utilized in this investigation. Results: indicated that 95.7% of students exhibited a good self concept, whereas 78.6% of students had intermediate levels of interpersonal communication abilities. The statistical test results showed a significant link (p < 0.05) between nursing students' self concept and their interpersonal communication skills. Conclusion: Students have a positive self concept, but clinical practice experience and social media influence their interpersonal communication skills. Suggestion: It is necessary to develop a program to improve both the positive nursing student’s self concept and teaching learning methods suitable for Z generation nurses to their communication abilities.

Strategies used by midwives to enhance knowledge and skill development in midwifery students: an appreciative inquiry study

BackgroundMidwifery practice experience for midwifery students is an important component of education to enhance knowledge and skill development. Practicing midwives provide student support in the clinical setting, there is minimal literature relating to strategies midwives use to support students.ObjectiveTo explore midwifery student experiences of the strategies used by midwives to facilitate knowledge and skill development in the clinical practice setting.MethodsQualitative approach based on Appreciative Inquiry. The setting is one University in Australia. Participants, thirteen Graduate Diploma in Midwifery students. Individual interviews followed by thematic analysis.ResultsData analysis identified six themes, Willingness to share knowledge and develop skills; The positive use of questioning; Moderating support; Teaching through the woman; Learning through problematisation and Providing constructive affirmation.ConclusionsMidwives incorporated varied strategies to support student development in the clinical setting. For an equitable clinical experience, all midwives need support to develop skills and confidence in facilitating student learning.

Levels of Nursing Ethics Knowledge among Students without Clinical Experience

Nursing ethics plays a crucial role in shaping the nursing profession, and a thorough understanding of ethical values serves as the foundation for delivering quality healthcare services. Objective: To describe the level of nursing ethics knowledge among nursing students who do not yet have clinical practice experience in hospitals. Method: This research employed a quantitative descriptive research design. Data analysis utilized a descriptive statistical approach, presenting frequency data and percentage levels of knowledge. The population in the study consists of all first-semester nursing students who have yet to undergo clinical practice. The sampling technique employed is purposive sampling. The research sample comprised 82 students lacking clinical practice experience. The questionnaire assessing nursing ethics knowledge underwent validity testing, obtaining a value of 1 > 0.355 and reliability testing with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.961 > 0.60. The questionnaire consisted of 29 items. Results: The findings of this study indicate percentage categories for the level of nursing ethics knowledge among students as follows: (21%) abysmal, (28%) poor, (20%) fair, (18%) good, and (16%) very good. Conclusions: Innovative learning strategies, practical experiences, and in-depth curriculum studies in the field of professional ethics in nursing are important to help address the limitations of nursing ethics knowledge.

Organizational aspects of nutritional support for patients in a multidisciplinary emergency hospital

Nutritional support, which is a process of substrate provision with all the nutrients necessary for life for various categories of patients who do not have the opportunity for proper natural nutrition, is a mandatory basic component of their intensive treatment. The practical implementation of nutritional support has two aspects: clinical and organizational. Currently, all components of the clinical aspect are well developed and tested and there are no reasons not to use them in everyday clinical practice. The least resolved and worked out in the majority of our medical institutions remains the organizational aspect, which often does not allow for the proper realization of this type of medical treatment. The article contains the main organizational options for decision the existing problem and many years of practical experience in implementing nutritional support in a multidisciplinary emergency hospital.

Clinical and surgical effectiveness of the multi-disciplinary standardized management model in the treatment of retroperitoneal liposarcoma: Evidence-based clinical practice experience from Fudan Zhongshan

BackgroundTo assess the correlation between clinical outcomes and diagnostic accuracy of evaluations carried out by a preoperative multidisciplinary team versus standard surgical care for patients with retroperitoneal liposarcoma undergoing surgery. MethodsThis comparative study was conducted retrospectively at a specialist assessment center within Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, China, between April 2011 and March 2021. Patients were assigned to a multidisciplinary team or nonmultidisciplinary team cohort based on referral to the multidisciplinary team. The primary outcome measured was long-term clinical prognosis, with other outcomes including diagnostic accuracy, 30-day reoperation, duration of stay, perioperative mortality, and medical complications. To mitigate selection bias, we conducted propensity-score matching. Uni- and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were then used to evaluate the effect of multidisciplinary teams on postoperative survival. The previously specified questionnaire was used to measure the enhancement of awareness and treatment adherence facilitated by multidisciplinary team management. Data analysis was carried out between January 2023 and August 2023. ResultsOf the 521 records that were screened, 139 patients were deemed eligible for inclusion and defined as the multidisciplinary team cohort. At the same time, 382 patients without multidisciplinary team management were also included during that period and defined as the nonmultidisciplinary team cohort. The multidisciplinary team cohort exhibited lower numbers of primary retroperitoneal liposarcoma but a higher tumor grade and a greater proportion of R2 resection. After propensity-score matching, the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 89.5%, 70.5%, and 62.9%, respectively, in the multidisciplinary team cohort, and 77.1%, 49.8%, and 45.1% in the nonmultidisciplinary team cohort. The diagnostic consistency of the multidisciplinary team group was significantly superior to that of the nonmultidisciplinary cohort (92.5% vs 83.6%, P = .042). Although no significant links were shown with duration of stay (P = .232) and 30-day reoperation (P = .447), the multidisciplinary team participation was linked to a substantial decrease in perioperative mortality (P = .036) and postoperative complications (P = .002). Additionally, the multidisciplinary team group indicated stronger illness awareness and postoperative adherence among individuals with retroperitoneal liposarcoma. ConclusionThe study’s findings indicate that multidisciplinary team management could result in improved clinical outcomes, higher diagnostic accuracy, and reduced duration of postoperative stays, complications, and perioperative mortality. The intervention may also enhance disease awareness and postoperative compliance in retroperitoneal liposarcoma patients who undergo surgery. However, evidence quality was deemed low, and prospective studies with robust designs are required. Nonetheless, these results are worth considering.

Innovative Methods of Teaching Foreign Languages for Economics Students

This article explores the intersection of foreign language acquisition and economics education, highlighting innovative teaching methods designed to benefit economics students. It discusses the increasingly vital role of multilingual proficiency in the global economy and addresses the limitations of traditional language teaching methodologies in meeting the specific needs of students pursuing economics. The article outlines several forward-thinking approaches, including Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), Project-Based Learning (PBL), professional language exchange programs, gamification, technology-enhanced learning, and the flipped classroom model. These methods aim not only to enhance foreign language proficiency but also to deepen students' understanding of economic concepts in a global context. By integrating content knowledge with language learning, these approaches offer a more engaging, relevant, and practical educational experience, preparing students for the complexities of the global economy

Utilizing gamification to promote pro-sustainable behavior among information technology students

AbstractHigher education institutions (HEIs) have made substantial strides towards incorporating sustainability into their curricula. However, the methodology of education for sustainable development (ESD) needs to be more performance-oriented and grounded in practical experience in order to foster behavioral changes towards environmental protection. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of a gamification-driven strategy in encouraging students of information technology (IT) to adopt sustainable practices. The data was gathered from the digital records and survey responses of 75 information technology (IT) students as a component of their English language course. The results of the study suggested that the gamified method successfully encouraged students to adopt sustainable practices in their personal lives and future workplaces. The students' viewpoints regarding the accountability of individual employers and citizens for the well-being of our planet underwent a substantial transformation in support of sustainable development. The method described is applicable to various academic fields, including the humanities, sciences, medical studies, and others.

Domestic imperative of the Philippines’ South China Sea policy: personality-driven policymaking and constant shifts between China and the United States

This article aims to explain the oscillations of the Philippines’ South China Sea policy vis-à-vis China between accommodation and confrontation from 1991 to 2022. It argues that the Philippines’ personality-driven foreign policymaking was conducive to dramatic shifts in position on the South China Sea issue. The presidential system of government and patronage politics in the Philippines give the presidential inner circles considerable leeway to shape and reshape the country’s foreign policy. Despite being constrained by domestic socio-political conditions at a given time as well as the political and security thinking embedded in its domestic politics, individual Philippine presidents and/or the presidential circles managed the South China Sea issue vis-à-vis China and the United States in particular ways according to their different sets of personal beliefs, professional expertise, and practical experience. This explains why the power transitions in the Philippines often caused major shifts in its management of the South China Sea disputes over time.

Research and analysis of airline supply chain risk management-- Take Boeing Company as an example

In today’s business environment, supply chain risk management is becoming more and more important for the strategic position of airlines. As a highly complex organizational structure, the airline supply chain faces multiple challenges and potential risks that may negatively impact its operational efficiency, customer satisfaction and profitability. Therefore, a deep understanding of the key elements and practical experience of an airline’s supply chain risk management is essential to enhance its competitiveness. This paper aims to comprehensively explore the overview and core elements of airline supply chain risk management. Firstly, it clearly defines and introduces the characteristics of supply chain risk, as well as the main risk types faced by airline supply chain. Then, it delves into the key elements of airline supply chain risk management, including supply chain visibility and information sharing, supplier selection and evaluation, and inventory management and logistics planning. Then, a series of successful experiences of airline supply chain risk management are introduced, and methods of using advanced technologies and tools to mitigate supply chain risk are discussed.

Methodical competence of future physical education teacher

The article reveals the relevance of the problem of developing methodical competence of future physical education teachers. It has been established that the teacher's methodical competence ensures the effectiveness of the pupils' learning process as it allows the implementation of methods, principles, content, forms and means of educational and pedagogical activities as well as activities in the areas of physical culture and health improvement. The contradiction in the process of developing the methodical competence of a teacher between the necessity and need of a teacher to have methodical competence and the insufficient development of the theoretical foundations of the process of its development, between the social order for a highly educated and competent teacher and the inertia of many teachers in bringing their knowledge and skills in line with the modern requirements of the educational process is specified, between the need for continuous methodical improvement and the lack of appropriate forms and methods of professional training. The purpose of the article is to study the dynamics of the development of methodical competence among students of higher education institutions - future teachers of physical culture during the academic year. It has been proven that trainee teachers, young physical education teachers do not demonstrate enough psychological, pedagogical and methodical knowledge, abilities and skills during the lesson. A significant part of teachers, regardless of their work experience, feel the need to update their knowledge (75.0 - 100%), master modern physical culture and health technologies (50.0 - 86.4%). Almost every second teacher experiences difficulties of a methodical nature, is not familiar with the technology of organizing and carrying out scientific and methodical work at school. After the end of the pedagogical experiment, it was established that theoretical knowledge improved by 14.15 points for the reliability difference Р ˂ 0.01, professional skills and abilities – 14.57 points at Р ˂ 0.01, physical culture methods – 11.45 points at Р ˂ 0.01, practical experience increased by 12.79 points at Р ˂ 0.01, personal qualities – 8.76 points at Р ˂ 0.05. Conclusion: the student who has mastered a high level of methodical competence while studying at a higher education institution is able to solve all methodical tasks in a physical education lesson at school.

Revival of trade in the Tambov province in the early 1920s

Importance. The p roblem o f r estoring t rade i n a r ural p rovince a fter i ts p rohibition during the years of “war communism” is considered. Without a commodity-producing, well-organized trading network, it was impossible to develop industry, agriculture and minimal satisfaction of the needs of the population. The study of the process of trade revival in the early 1920s shows not only the practical experience of restoring exchange operations in the agricultural region of the country, but also the state of the economy of the Tambov province as a whole.Research methods. Published and unpublished sources are used. The historical and comparative method allows us to reveal the essence of the phenomena under study on the basis of available facts within the narrow time limits of the new economic policy.Results and Discussion. The problems of restoring trade in the Tambov province with a predominantly rural population are shown. The conditions of the trade’s revival are considered, the peculiarities of the state cooperative and private trade's organization are revealed, the trading enterprises’ specialization is shown. The transition difficulties to the elements of a market economy are presented against the background of the economic life of an agricultural region. The dynamics of trade development in the early 1920s has been determined.Conclusion. The trade restoration in the Tambov province was complicated by the economic crisis, devastation, falling productivity of peasant farms, and low purchasing power of the population. With the new course's announcement of economic policy, petty bazaar trade begins to revive. Public- cooperative organizations had difficulty competing in the market with private trade and central trusts. The largest retail department stores in Tambov city and the county towns belonged to state and cooperative trade organizations. In cities, large-scale indoor trade grew more systematically, while in rural areas the trading apparatus was revived much more slowly. Small-scale universal trade prevailed in rural areas. Since 1923, the Bolshevik state has sought to establish control over the movement of goods from producer to consumer.

Bridging the Gap between Theoretical Learning and Practical Application: A Qualitative Study in the Italian Educational Context

In the contemporary educational landscape, there is a growing recognition of the transformative impact of practical experiences within traditional learning frameworks. This shift reflects a pedagogical evolution that values contextualized learning and the acquisition of practical skills together with theoretical knowledge. In the Italian educational context, School–Work Alternation (SWA) represents a proactive response to the evolving needs of the workforce and the imperative for educational institutions to prepare students for professional life. This study’s objectives include a deep exploration of students’ SWA experience, evaluating its impact on employability perceptions and the sense of agency, examining the influence of Self-Orientation, and contributing insights to the discourse on integrating practical experiences in education. Employing a mixed methodology and a bottom-up approach, 63 high school students of different Italian regions participated in an online in-depth interview and an ad hoc questionnaire designed to measure the experience of SWA in relation to variables of interest, utility, advantage, perception of support, quality of received mentoring, engagement, and satisfaction. The quantitative results indicate that personal choice significantly influences the perceived usefulness of and satisfaction with SWA, with those students guided by curiosity exhibiting higher utility and satisfaction. Qualitative analysis underscores both positive and negative aspects, with respondents viewing SWA as a useful experience bridging work, corporate, and school realms provided that students are key players in the SWA experience’s choice and that the SWA’s partners are motivated to guide them in this practical training. Moreover, results highlight SWA’s relevance in guiding academic and career paths, emphasizing its potential to offer valuable support to students. This study contributes nuanced insights into integrating practical experiences in education, offering recommendations for educators and policymakers to better prepare students for the dynamic demands of the modern job market.

The Effects of Workshops on International Orientation and Self-Other Understanding: Attempts at CEFR A2 Level Classes in a Japanese Music College

This study evaluates the effectiveness of workshops within English classes for Japanese music college students. The objective is to enhance the international orientation of music students and to foster intercultural understanding, as well as self- and other-understanding. The participants were 42 second-year students classified as “false beginners” at the CEFR A2 level of English proficiency. These students had limited basic English abilities and little practical use experience, with a background of low motivation for learning English. The study, designed as an alternative to traditional English remedial education, involved eight workshop-based lessons over one year. The post-workshop survey revealed that students recognized the importance of the workshops, gained a deeper understanding of internationality, and improved their communication skills and self-other understanding. However, limitations of the study include its focus on a small group of music students, reliance on self-reported data, and the absence of long-term follow-up. These factors hinder the generalization of the results and assessment of long-term effects. Future improvements and effective implementation of workshop-based programs are anticipated to address these limitations.

Technology-mediated task-based language teaching: a CALL evaluation framework and its pedagogical implications

This paper proposes an updated framework for the evaluation of the computer-assisted language learning (CALL) framework, further developed from Chapelle (2001) and González-Lloret and Ortega (2014). Based on a review of prominent previous CALL evaluation frameworks, an exploration of relevant literature in formal evaluation and my own first-hand practical experience, 1 this paper provides an updated computer-mediated task evaluation framework to aid student language learning. The current paper makes use of a hybrid evaluation framework drawing from Chapelle (2001) and González-Lloret and Ortega (2014), identifying and addressing gaps in their frameworks. The proposed CALL framework is based on nine criteria: primary focus on meaning, goal-orientation, learner autonomy, affective dimension, authenticity, reflective learning, learner fit, positive impact, and practicality. The chosen criteria permit the elaboration of an evaluation framework that takes recent research findings on best practices in the design of CALL tasks into account. This paper provides a detailed explanation of the proposed CALL evaluation framework and pedagogical design, which will allow CALL designers and teachers to assess the design and evaluate the effectiveness of their technology-mediated language tasks.

Hydrogen storage and geo-methanation in a depleted underground hydrocarbon reservoir

AbstractCoupling of power-to-gas processes with underground gas storage could effectively allow surplus electricity to be stored for later use. Depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs could be used as stores, but practical experience of hydrogen storage in such sites is limited. Here we present data from a field trial that stored 119,353 m3 of hydrogen admixed to natural gas in a depleted hydrocarbon reservoir. After 285 days, hydrogen recovery was 84.3%, indicating the process’s technical feasibility. Additionally, we report that microbes mediated hydrogen conversion to methane. In laboratory experiments studying mesocosms that mimic real reservoirs, hydrogen and carbon dioxide were converted to methane (0.26 mmol l−1 h−1 evolution rate) reproducibly over 14 cycles in 357 days. This rate theoretically allows 114,648 m3 of methane per year to be produced in the test reservoir (equivalent to ~1.08 GWh). Our research demonstrates the efficiency of hydrogen storage and the importance of geo-methanation in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs.

Effects of Soluble Organic Fertilizer Combined with Inorganic Fertilizer on Greenhouse Tomatoes with Different Irrigation Techniques

A reasonable fertilization rate and appropriate irrigation technology can lead to the green development of greenhouse tomatoes. The purpose of this study was to explore suitable irrigation technology for greenhouse tomatoes and the appropriate application rate of the soluble organic fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer combination. In 2021 and 2022, the effects of different irrigation techniques and fertilization treatments on tomato plant growth, fruit quality, yield, and efficiency were studied. The irrigation techniques in this study were drip and Moistube irrigation, and there were seven types of fertilization treatment, namely, no fertilization treatment (CK); low-volume (T1, 330 kg/hm2), medium-volume (T2, 660 kg/hm2), and high-volume inorganic fertilizer treatments (T3, 990 kg/hm2); and three inorganic fertilizer treatments of low-volume inorganic fertilizer (T1, 330 kg/hm2) combined with low-volume (F1, T1 + 75 kg/hm2), medium-volume (F2, T1 + 225 kg/hm2), and high-volume (F3, T1 + 375 kg/hm2) organic fertilizer. A total of 14 experimental treatments were implemented for irrigation and fertilization. The results of the two-year experiment show that the growth effect on the height, stem diameter, and leaf area index of tomato plants was the best using the treatment of low-concentration inorganic fertilizer combined with medium-concentration organic fertilizer with Moistube irrigation and drip irrigation. Using the two irrigation methods, the application of soluble organic fertilizer increased the yield and improved the fruit quality of the tomato. The maximum yield increased by 28.52%, the soluble sugar content increased by 14.49%, the vitamin C content increased by 45.04%, and the lycopene increased by 18.79%. The entropy-weight TOPSIS model was used to comprehensively evaluate 14 evaluation objects with different irrigation methods and fertilization treatments. The results of the two-year experiment show that the best fertilization treatment under Moistube irrigation and drip irrigation conditions was low-concentration inorganic fertilizer combined with medium-concentration soluble organic fertilizer, which was combined with the best fertilization treatment, and the most suitable irrigation method for greenhouse tomato cultivation in the Loess Plateau was Moistube irrigation. The results of this study also provide practical experience and theoretical support for adaptive irrigation and the integrated management of water and fertilizer.

Nachhaltigkeit von Weiterbildungen im Bildungssystem: Ein Evaluationsmodell für die Analyse der Weiterbildungswirksamkeit

The effectiveness and sustainability of further education are of interest to many actors in the education system. Accordingly, evaluation projects are often intended to prove the effectiveness of further education. Evaluations are often unable to provide an empirical measurement of impact. Alternatives are therefore needed as to how the impact and sustainability of further education can be evaluated. In this article, an evaluation model based on theory and saturated with practical evaluation experiences is presented. The theory offers many determinants of effective teacher further education, findings from evaluation research structure the evaluation procedure. The model presented combines these approaches and thus offers a systematization for evaluations in this subject area.

A training program for improving the capacity of infection high-throughput sequencing and diagnosis in China

BackgroundInfectious diseases are a serious threat to human especially since the COVID-19 outbreak has proved the importance and urgency of their diagnosis and treatment again. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) has been widely used and recognized in clinical and carried out localized testing in hospitals. Increasing the training of mNGS detection technicians can enhance their professional quality and more effectively realize the application value of the hospital platform.MethodsBased on the initial theoretical understanding and practice of the mNGS platform for localization construction, we have designed a training program to enhance the ability of technicians to detect pathogens by utilizing mNGS, and hence to conduct training practices nationwide.ResultsUntil August 30, 2022, the page views of online classes have reached 51,500 times and 6 of offline small-scale training courses have been conducted. A total of 67 trainees from 67 hospitals have participated in the training with a qualified rate of 100%. After the training course, the localization platform of 1 participating hospital has been put into use, 2 have added the mNGS localization platform for admission, among which 3 have expressed strong intention of localization.ConclusionsThis study focuses on the training procedures and practical experience of the project which is the first systematic standardized program of mNGS in the world. It solves the training difficulties in the current industry, and effectively promotes the localization construction and application of mNGS in hospitals. It has great development potential in the future and is worth further promotion.