Relation Between Personality Traits and Academic Performance Among University Students of RAKMHSU, UAE-Using a Big Five Model

Introduction Students from diverse health care professions, their personality traits have a positive influence on their academic performance. This is viewed as an indicator of collaborative education and practice for efficient patient care. The health-care professional sciences graduates who join health sciences program should be highly motivated and determined to perform academically well to accomplish their goals. The personality trait assessment gives a holistic approach to know how efficiently students use their cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains for learning which improves patient-doctor relations and ultimately results in patient satisfaction. The objective of the study was to assess the preferred personality trait and to know its relation to their academic performance. Materials and methods The study design adopted was a prospective, cross sectional using a stratified randomized sampling. First year students enrolled for medical, dental, nursing and pharmacy programs at RAKMHSU were included in the study. The Big five model questionnaire was administered to study participants during their self-study hours and data collected were analyzed in SPSS version 18. Results The most common personality trait was openness 43% followed by agreeable 21%. The analysis of their GPA (Grade point average) found that agreeableness had high GPA and Neuroticism had the lowest GPA among all traits. The study also found that high unsuccessful students were seen with Neuroticism (31.5%), Extraversion (26.3%) followed by other traits. Conscientiousness also had positive and significant correlation with AP (p<0.001) along with agreeableness. In conclusion, each student is unique, and their personality trait can be used as an aptitude test tool during their admission process for health care professions related courses.

Exploring the experiences of operating room health care professionals' from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic

Background The operating room nurses have encountered several challenges during the current COVID-19 Pandemic, which subsequently impact their clinical performance. The present study aimed to investigate the experiences of operating room health care professionals' regarding the COVID-19 pandemic challenges in southern Iran. Methods This is a descriptive qualitative study. The required data were collected using in-depth and semi-structured interviews. Accordingly, 19 operating room health care professions were included in this study through purposive sampling. The data were collected from February 2020 to August 2021 and then analyzed using the Granheim and Lundman’s method. Results Three main themes and 9 sub-themes were presented in this study. They included: 1- Challenges of applying protocols and standards of care in the COVID-19 pandemic in the operating room (lack of specific guidelines regarding care protocols and standards for crisis management of Covid-19 in the operating room and impossibility of keeping social distance in the operating room). 2- Professional challenges (tedious and hard work, professional burnout, lack of adequate support by the managers and lack of personal protective equipment). 3-Psychological crises (indescribable anxiety and worry, parenting stress, and weakened resilience). Conclusion Based on the findings of the present study, it was indicated that lack of a specific guideline in the COVID-19 pandemic led to a sense of indecision and confusion among operating room staff. In this regard, performing tedious tasks, feelings of tiredness and exhaustion, lack of support by the authorities, and lack of access to adequate facilities and equipment were reported as the professional challenges of the healthcare staff in the current COVID-19 pandemic, which consequently affected the quality of care and patient’s safety. It seems that hospital officials can use the results reported in this study for efficient planning and effective management during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Development and Implementation of DIGEST: The Digital Interactive Gastroenterology Education Suite for Trainees

ABSTRACT Introduction Clinical clerkship curricula should exist to provide rotating learners on subspecialty rotations with consistent exposure to specific topics geared toward the discipline of interest, such as pediatric gastroenterology (GI). We aim to describe our experience developing and implementing DIGEST: the Digital Interactive Gastroenterology Education Suite for Trainees, a novel, online GI curriculum delivered to virtual, rotating learners during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic stay-at-home order. Materials and Methods A general needs assessment in 2019 identified a lack of standardized educational experience amongst the rotating learners on pediatric GI service. The COVID-19 pandemic compelled us to transition our curriculum from our institution’s secure share drive to the GOOGLE classroom. A program evaluation was undertaken and included learner responses to content and confidence questionnaires and a health care professions education (HPE) expert’s response to a course quality assessment rubric. Results Feasibility—the final DIGEST product was free of charge to create but incurred direct and indirect costs of time and training on behalf of the authors. Acceptance—7 possible learners participated and responded to the questionnaires (100% response rate). Learners reported a superior learning experience and increased confidence with DIGEST. An HPE expert reported that the course design of DIGEST met or exceeded expectations in all categories. Conclusions DIGEST is a novel pediatric GI curriculum for rotating learners that could be rapidly deployed, or adapted, for a wide range of clinical disciplines within the Military Health System.

181 Preoperative Blood Investigations in Surgical Fixation of Distal Radius Fractures (Jan-Apr 2020)

Background Venepuncture is not a risk-free procedure; 1 in 125 000 risk of nerve injury and risk of spreading MRSA. Blood biochemistry and haematology testing is expensive; a Group & Save can cost up to £20 (Inc. VAT). Distal Radius fractures are common injuries seen and treated at the Worthing Hospital. ORIF or MUA + K-wires of Distal Radius are highly unlikely to result in the need for intra-operative transfusion. Aim and Objective Aim to reduce unnecessary preoperative bloods from wards under T&O “control” during re-audit period to zero. Results This audit included 27 patients (4 male, 23 female) (average age 58 years). four patients were ≥ ASA 3, 23 were ASA 1- 2. About 20/27 (74.1%) patients had FBC performed. About 3/4 (75%) patients with ASA ≥ 3 had FBC done and 17/23 (73.9%) patients with ASA 1-2 had FBC. Almost 11/27 (40.7%) patients had Coagulation screen performed, with no previous history of anticoagulation. About 16/27 (59.2%) LFTs performed. About 14/27 (51.8%) G&S performed with 21 samples sent of these figures 7/27 patients had two G&S samples sent and 7/27 patients had only 1 sample sent to pathology lab. Conclusions The practice of doctors at Worthing hospital does not meet NICE guideline recommendations in Pre-operative blood investigations for Distal Radius fractures. This can add more cost to the trust, wasting resources and putting extra load on health care professions working in pathology department.

Postcolonial theory and Canada’s health care professions: bridging the gap

In recent years there have been several calls in professional and academic journals for healthcare personnel in Canada to raise the profile of postcolonial theory as a theoretical and explanatory framework for their practice with Indigenous people. In this paper I explore some of the challenges that are likely to confront those healthcare personnel in engaging with postcolonial theory in a training context. I consider these challenges in relation to three areas of conflict. First I consider conflicts around paradigms of knowledge, wherein postcolonial theory operates from a different base from most professional knowledge in health care. Second I consider conflicts of ideology, wherein postcolonial theory is largely at odds with Canada’s political and popular cultures. And finally I consider issues around the question of Canada’s legitimacy, which postcolonial theory puts in doubt. I suggest ways in which these conflicts might be addressed and managed in the training context, and also identify potential positive outcomes that would be enabling for healthcare personnel, and might also contribute to an improvement in Canada’s relationship with its indigenous peoples.

The Impact of Workplace Violence Toward Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses: Identifying the Facilitators and Barriers to Supportive Resources

BACKGROUND: When compared with all other health care professions, the psychiatric nursing profession has the highest prevalence of workplace violence. The effects of workplace violence can be psychologically and physically devastating. Supportive resources are not always available or fully utilized when available. Aims: The purpose of this study is to explore the true impact of workplace violence toward psychiatric mental health nurses, as well as their personal perspectives on the types of supportive resources necessary for future implementation. Additionally, this study strives to identify the facilitators and barriers to acquiring supportive resources. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study design was utilized. The theory of cognitive adaptation provided an underlying conceptual framework. Data were collected using REDCap software to identify the nature and extent of workplace violence in the study setting (Survey 1) and solicit detailed responses to focus group questions designed to address the study aims (Survey 2). RESULTS: Six pertinent themes were discovered: frequent exposure to workplace violence, attempt to understand workplace violence, the need for supportive means, barriers to accessing supportive means, increase administrative support, and workplace violence has a detrimental impact on various aspects of life. CONCLUSIONS: Although psychiatric mental health nurses express a desire for more psychological support postassault, the underlying meaning and cognitive adaptation following the workplace violence experience is not well understood, and there are barriers to the acquisition of services. The findings from this study are being used to inform a multifaceted program to effectively support psychiatric mental health nurses experiencing workplace violence.

Health Care Professionals' Confidence and Preferences for Diagnostic Assays for SARS-CoV-2: A Global Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an urgent requirement for novel diagnostic tests that determine infection with SARS-CoV-2 and the development of an immune response against it. The perspective of end users on the characteristics and clinical use of these assays has not been previously considered.Methods: We surveyed 17,186 health care professions (HCPs) in 29 countries to gauge opinion on the design, use, diagnostic impact and diagnostic accuracy of COVID-19 tests. Results were correlated with national statistics on the burden of disease and testing in individual countries.Results: HCPs overwhelmingly recognized the importance of COVID-19 tests but 37.1% were unsure of the appropriate timing of investigations relative to disease symptoms. Confidence in the diagnostic accuracy of assays varied inversely with COVID-19-related mortality in individual countries but had no relationship with the total number of tests performed. There was global consensus that the most important impact of positive antigen and antibody testing was confidence in returning to work following recovery. Saliva was the preferred sampling fluid for COVID-19 diagnostic tests in all groups surveyed.Conclusions: HCP input can ensure novel assays are fit for purpose in varied global health care settings, but HCPs may require support to effectively use novel diagnostics thus minimizing waste when supplies are limited.

Particularizing an Internal Morality of Physical Therapy

While the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) has upheld a Code of Ethics since 1935, the philosophical underpinnings of physical therapy practice have yet to be robustly explicated. Theoretical work in the field of philosophy of medicine can be engaged to study physical therapy practice. Modifying the phenomenological and teleological framework of Edmund Pellegrino, a physician and prominent bioethicist, the purpose of this theoretical paper is to particularize Pellegrino’s philosophy of medicine to construct an internal morality of physical therapy. Acknowledging that the internal morality of health care professions is founded in the relationship between a patient and a health care professional, this paper analyzes the nature and telos, or end, of physical therapy through three phenomena of physical therapy –the fact of disability, the act of profession, and the act of physical therapy. This paper claims that, rather than medicine’s clinical truth of a good treatment decision, physical therapy’s clinical truth is a good process that capacitates patients. This relational approach to an internal morality robustly underpins a philosophy and ethics of physical therapy.