impact of first aid program on school nurses' knowledge in Menoufiya governorate

First aid is one of the important set of specific tasks of school nurses. Administering treatment for injuries ranging from minor to serious in nature is essential for school children. This study was carried out to evaluate the impact of an educational program about first aid measures on the knowledge of school nurses. The study was carried out on a randomly recruited [using multistage] sample of 100 school nurses working in Menoufiya Governorate schools. A structured questionnaire was used to assess nurses' knowledge about first aid. The questionnaire was used three times. The first was before program implementation to assess baseline data and educational needs, the second was immediately after program implementation. The third was 3 months after program implementation to assess nurses' retained knowledge. The findings revealed that nurse-to-school ratio ranged from 1:1 to 1:5 and Nurse-to-student ratio ranged from 1:<1000 tol:3000 or more. First aid equipments and supplies at schools were very-deficient as reported by school nurses. Commonly reported illnesses/complaints require first aid response were diabetes, epilepsy, abdominal pain. Commonly reported injuries were wound and bleeding, extremity fractures and sprain, epistaxis and suffocation. The majority of the nurses had low pre-test scores of knowledge about first aid items. The total pretest mean score was 29.70 +/- 4.54 out of 99. In the post-test, and retention test the scores increased significantly in all items, and the total mean score reached 76.98 +/- 3.98 and 65.43 +/- 3.57 respectively. It can be concluded that implemented program about first aid had a significant effect on nurses' knowledge about first aid. The study recommended that continuous education for school nurses are needed to help them to respond effectively to children illnesses and injuries

Genotoxic and oxidative stress effects due to occupational exposure to anesthetic gases among operating room personnel

Occupational exposure to volatile anesthetic agents may result in various adverse health effects. Anesthetic agents eliminated rapidly from the body due to low solubility in blood and tissues. Genetic material has been shown to be a sensitive target of numerous harmful agents including anesthetic gases. Investigate the genotoxic effect of exposure to volatile anesthetics on leukocytes of exposed operating room personnel [anesthetists, surgeons and nurses], determine the effect of exposure to volatile anesthetics on oxidative stress [super oxide dismutase [SOD]] and determine work-related subjective symptoms. This study was conducted at Menoufiya University Hospitals. Sixty two operating room personnel [ORP] occupationally exposed to anesthetic gases were selected as a study group. An equal number of non-exposed matched controls were also chosen. A pre-designed self-administered questionnaire regarding subjective symptoms related to exposure together with heparenized blood sample for determination of DNA fragmentation and quantitative determination of super oxide dismutase [SOD]. ORP showed significant higher mean value of optical density of DNA fragments of leucocytes and significant lower mean value of SOD than controls. Statistically significantly higher frequency of work-relate symptoms included dizziness, headache, irritability, decreased concentration, anxiety and easy fatigability were reported among ORP compared to controls. With increasing years of exposure to anesthetic gases, the DNA fragmentation significantly increased; where SOD [ng/ml] levels significantly decreased. Longer exposure to anesthetic gases among ORP was associated with increased DNA fragmentation as well as decreased oxidative stress [SOD [ng/ml]]. Effective well-designed scavenging pressure/exhaust ventilation systems, further environmental and genetic studies are required to assess the effects of chronic exposure to volatile anesthetic agent. Finally, antioxidant supplements are recommended