Teaching and learning during COVID-19 crisis: faculty preparedness and factors influencing the use of E-learning platform at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda

Background Towards the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread worldwide and caused many schools to close. Many educational institutions transitioned from traditional face-to-face or blended to a total e-learning approach. The University of Rwanda rapidly shifted from a blended teaching and learning approach to a total e-learning approach. Thus,this study assessed the faculty preparedness and the factors influencing the use of e-learningplatforms at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences. Methods The study used a cross-sectional design. A web self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 450 CMHS faculty from June to July 2020, with a response rate of 34.4% (n=155). SPSS was used to describe nominal variables with frequencies and percentages. Similarly, continuous variables were analyzed by calculating median and interquartile ranges. The Chi-Square and Man-Whitney tests were also computed using SPSS. Results The majority of participants (93.7%) started using the e-learning approach, and 92.4% attended e-learning training. The top motivator for e-learning use was a personal interest in technology use (93.3%) and the leading barrier to using e-learning was the concern about access to students (77.1%). Conclusion This study found that faculty preparedness was significantly associated with e-learning use. The leading motivator and barriers were a personal interest in technology use and concern about access to students, respectively.

Utilization of the partogram among nurses and midwives in selected health facilities in the Eastern Province of Rwanda

Background: Maternal mortality continues to be a global burden, with more than 200 million women becoming pregnant each year and a large number dying as a result of complications of pregnancy or childbirth. The World Health Organisation has recommended use of the partogram to monitor labour and delivery in order to improve healthcare and reduce maternal and foetal mortality rates.Objective: This study described factors affecting utilisation of the partogram among nurses and midwives in selected health facilities of Rwanda.Method: A descriptive quantitative and cross-sectional research design was used. The population comprised 131 nurses and midwives providing obstetric care in 15 health institutions (1 hospital and 14 health centres). Data collection was through a self-administered questionnaire, and a pre-test of the data collection instrument was carried out to enhance validity and reliability. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 21) was used to capture and analyse data. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University of the Western Cape (Republic of South Africa) and from the Institutional Review Board of Kigali Health Institute (Rwanda). Patricia Benner's model of nursing practice was used to guide the study.Results: It was found that 36.6% of nurses and midwives did not receive any in-service training on how to manage women in labour. Despite fair knowledge of the partogram among nurses and midwives in this study, only 41.22% reported having used the partogram properly, while 58.78% reported not having done so.Conclusion: Nurses' and midwives' years of professional experience and training in managing pregnant women in labour were found to be predictors of the likelihood of proper use of the partogram. In-service training of obstetric caregivers in the Eastern Province of Rwanda is recommended to improve use of the partogram while managing women in labour

Validation of the Integration of HIV and AIDS Related Nursing Competencies into the Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum in South Africa

Background: Being in its fourth decade; HIV remains an epidemic that requires combined efforts for the global fight. The strategies planned and implemented in the fight against HIV include reversing and halting the spread of HIV; increasing health care access; and strengthening the health care system. South Africa has made the fight one of its top priorities; and has developed plans to increase the role of nurses in the management of HIV; demonstrating its willingness; commitment and progress in the fight against HIV.Objective: This article presents the validation process conducted to confirm the integration and mapping of the HIV and AIDS related nursing competencies into the four-year Bachelor of Nursing programme at a university in South Africa.Methods: This study adopted a constructivist paradigm; using a qualitative approach; applyingthe design step of the process model of curriculum development; to validate the inte gration of the mapped HIV and AIDS related nursing competencies into the undergraduate nursing curriculum.Results: For each competency; outcomes were developed for each year. Participants confirmed completeness of outcomes and appropriateness of the mapping of the HIV and AIDS related outcomes into the nursing curriculum; as well as the feasibility and practicability of the integration.Conclusion: Required resources for integration of HIV and AIDS related nursing competencies; such as human resources and nurse educators' continued personal development were identified; as well as barriers to integration; and measures to eliminate them were discussed. The importance of integration of HIV and AIDS nursing competencies into the curriculum was reiterated