English is generally recognized as the international language of science and most research on evidence-based medicine is produced in English. While Bangla is the dominant language in Bangladesh, ...public midwifery degree programs use English as the medium of instruction (EMI). This enables faculty and student access to the latest evidence-based midwifery content, which is essential for provision of quality care later. Yet, it also poses a barrier, as limited English mastery among students and faculty limits both teaching and learning.
This mixed-methods study investigates the challenges and opportunities associated with the implementation of EMI in the context of diploma midwifery education in Bangladesh. Surveys were sent to principals at 38 public midwifery education institutions, and 14 English instructors at those schools. Additionally, ten key informant interviews were held with select knowledgeable stakeholders with key themes identified.
Surveys found that English instructors are primarily guest lecturers, trained in general or business English, without a standardized curriculum or functional English language laboratories. Three themes were identified in the key informant interviews. First, in addition to students' challenges with English, faculty mastery of English presented challenges as well. Second, language labs were poorly maintained, often non-functional, and lacked faculty. Third, an alternative education model, such as the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) curriculum, has potential to strengthen English competencies within midwifery schools.
ESP, which teaches English for application in a specific discipline, is one option available in Bangladesh for midwifery education. Native language instruction and the middle ground of multilingualism are also useful options. Although a major undertaking, investing in an ESP model and translation of technical midwifery content into relevant mother tongues may provide faster and more complete learning. In addition, a tiered system of requirements for English competencies tied to higher levels of midwifery education could build bridges to students to help them access global evidence-based care resources. Higher levels might emphasize English more heavily, while the diploma level would follow a multilingualism approach, teach using an ESP curriculum, and have complementary emphasis on the mother tongue.
Anaesthesiology training programs in Europe vary in duration, content, and requirements for completion. This survey-based study conducted by the Trainees Committee of the European Society of ...Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care explores current anaesthesia training designs across Europe.
Between May and July 2018, we sent a 41-item online questionnaire to all National Trainee Representatives, members of the National Anaesthesiologists Societies Committee, and Council Representatives of the European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) of all member countries. We cross-validated inconsistent data with different country representatives.
Forty-three anaesthesiologists from all 39 associated ESAIC countries completed the questionnaire. Results showed considerable variability in teaching formats, frequency of teaching sessions during training, and differences in assessments made during and at the end of training. The reported duration of training was 60 months in 59% (n = 23) of participating countries, ranging from 24 months in Russia and Ukraine to 84 months in the UK.
This study shows the significant differences in anaesthesiology training formats across Europe, and highlights the importance of developing standardised training programs to ensure a consistent level of training and to improve patient safety. This study provides valuable insights into European anaesthesia training, and underlines the need for further research and collaboration to improve requirements.
Los programas formativos europeos en anestesiología varían en términos de duración, contenido y requisitos de cumplimiento. El objetivo de este estudio basado en una encuesta realizada por el Comité de Residentes de la European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care es explorar los diseños actuales de la formación en anestesia a lo largo de Europa.
Entre mayo y julio de 2018, enviamos un cuestionario online de 41 ítems a todos los representantes nacionales de los residentes, miembros de NASC (National Anaesthesiologists Societies Committee), y Representantes del Consejo de ESAIC (European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care) de todos los países miembros a los que representan. Validamos transversalmente los datos inconsistentes con los diferentes representantes de los países.
Cuarenta y tres anestesiólogos de 39 países asociados a ESAIC completaron el cuestionario. Los resultados mostraron una variabilidad considerable de los formatos docentes, la frecuencia de las sesiones formativas durante la formación, y las diferencias en términos de las evaluaciones realizadas durante y tras el fin de la formación. La duración reportada de la formación fue de 60 meses en el 59% de los países participantes (n = 23), oscilando desde 24 meses en Rusia y Ucrania a 84 meses en RU.
Este estudio muestra las diferencias significativas en términos de formatos de formación en anestesiología a lo largo de Europa, y destaca la importancia de desarrollar programas estandarizados para garantizar un nivel consistente de formación y mejorar la seguridad del paciente. El estudio realiza aportaciones valiosas sobre la formación en anestesia en Europa, y subraya la necesidad de la investigación y colaboración futuras para mejorar las exigencias.
On the occasion of her death a hundred years ago, this commemoration presents the bibliography of the first Hungarian woman. Hugonnai Vilma obtained the medical degree in Zurich, which was accredited ...only after eighteen years. She is an example of giving help and care for those in need.
After its debut with Bitcoin in 2009, Blockchain has attracted enormous attention and been used in many different applications as a trusted black box. Many applications focus on exploiting the ...Blockchain-native features (e.g. trust from consensus, and smart contracts) while paying less attention to the application-specific requirements. In this paper, we initiate a systematic study on the applications in the education and training sector, where Blockchain is leveraged to combat diploma fraud. We first present a general system structure for digitized diploma management systems and identify both functional and non-functional requirements. We then show that all existing Blockchain-based systems fall short in meeting these requirements. Inspired by the analysis, we propose a Blockchain-facilitated solution by leveraging some basic cryptographic primitives and data structures. Our analysis shows that the proposed solution respects all the identified requirements by design and can be further extended to enhance its security and privacy guarantees. Finally, we investigate the proposed solution's computational complexity and demonstrate its practicality.
Training of Specialist Nurses is of critical importance for the continued delivery of quality health services globally and in South Africa. In accordance with international trends, nursing education ...in South Africa has undergone significant educational reforms in the past few years. The aim of this paper is to critically reflect on current nursing education reform in South Africa and the implications for the postgraduate diploma in nursing programmes. The paper highlights some of the challenges encountered with the development, accreditation and implementation of the new nursing postgraduate diploma programmes. Successful nursing education reform requires collaborative and proactive conversations between all stakeholders before changes are made to existing nursing categories and skills mix, during the development of new programme frameworks, during programme development and after implementation of the reform strategies.
Summary In this Review we examine the progress and challenges of China's ambitious 1998 reform of the world's largest health professional educational system. The reforms merged training institutions ...into universities and greatly expanded enrolment of health professionals. Positive achievements include an increase in the number of graduates to address human resources shortages, acceleration of production of diploma nurses to correct skill-mix imbalance, and priority for general practitioner training, especially of rural primary care workers. These developments have been accompanied by concerns: rapid expansion of the number of students without commensurate faculty strengthening, worries about dilution effect on quality, outdated curricular content, and ethical professionalism challenged by narrow technical training and growing admissions of students who did not express medicine as their first career choice. In this Review we underscore the importance of rebalance of the roles of health sciences institutions and government in educational policies and implementation. The imperative for reform is shown by a looming crisis of violence against health workers hypothesised as a result of many factors including deficient educational preparation and harmful profit-driven clinical practices.
International mindedness (IM) is foundational to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) and in theory, meets the challenges of a diversified demographic. The implementation of IM ...may vary depending on where the IBDP is situated. Although a core concept in the IBDP, research suggests that IM may be difficult to implement. Systematic reviews included in this study offer empirical research on ways in which IM might meet the needs of a diversified population, although findings suggest there may be challenges with IM curriculum implementation. The purpose of this overview of reviews is to explore the role of IM as a component in the growth of the IBDP worldwide. Research is reviewed with respect to the reasons for IM’s global relevance; the international needs, national concerns, and local tensions that exist with IM implementation; and the importance of a broader understanding of interculturalism and multilingualism within IM.
The article continues the series of works by the authors on the possibilities of modern technologies in spatial design. The technologies of augmented and finite reality are considered: their use in ...the construction industry in significant terms and, in more detail, in academic and practical design by architects and designers. Undergraduate spatial-design student works completed in 2021 illustrate the use of modern technologies in the interior design of higher educational institutions. It is hoped it will be of interest to both higher school teachers and students of architectural specialties.
Globally, there has been increased demand for higher education in nursing and midwifery to support evidence-based practice. It is believed that higher education in nursing leads to improved quality ...of care. The motivation for pursuing higher education, the choice of institution for learning and the effects of higher education programs have not been given much attention in research literature in Ghanaq
To assess the motivating factors, reasons for the choice of institution and the perceived effects of attaining higher educational qualifications among post-diploma graduate nurses and midwives.
Descriptive cross-sectional study.
Kumasi.
Convenience and snowball sampling were used to select 523 nurses and midwives who had pursued higher education after their Diploma in Nursing or Midwifery education.
A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to collect data on motivation, choice of institution and perceived effects of higher education by nurses and midwives. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation and linear regression at 0.05 significance level.
The greatest motivation for higher education by nurses/midwives was to improve clinical judgment. Academic quality and reputation of the institution were the main reasons for the choice of institution (n = 458, 92.7 %). There were weak but positive significant correlations between the perceived effects of higher nursing and midwifery education and pressure from the workplace (r = 0.204, p < .001), and increasing new demands from clients (r = 0.284, p < .001). Increasing demands from clients (β = 0.203, p < .001) and improving social status (β = 0.264, p < .001) were the motivating factors that influenced the perceived effects of higher nursing and midwifery education.
The desire for improved professionalism and increased expertise are the reasons nurses and midwives seek higher education. Health managers should support nurses and midwives to attain higher education to improve the quality of care.
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