The effect of training of the honorary teaching appointees on nursing and midwifery service and education in selected study sites.

In order to strengthen the teaching and learning of clinical nursing, a training workshop was conducted for the senior nursing staff of eight clinical wards who were freshly appointed as "Honorary Teachers". A prospective interventional study was conducted on 180 nursing students and 30 honorary and pure reaching staff of University of Nursing, Yangon, Nursing and Midwifery Training Schools and respective teaching hospitals of Yangon and Hpa-An from June 2007 to March 2008, with the objective of evaluating the effect of training of the honorary teaching appointees. Pre-tested self-administered structured questionnaires were used as a base line, identifying four areas: learning environment, teaching learning, teaching materials and collaboration between clinical and teaching staff, and a second assessment was done nine months after the intervention. The data were analyzed and compared. It was found that the clinical learning environment and the collaboration between the clinical and the teaching staff had improved significantly, and the clinical staff became more aware of their important roles towards effective clinical teaching. There was slight improvement after the intervention in Yangon, whereas there was significant improvement in all categories with an increase of 74% to 94% in collaboration in Hpa-an. The results of this study indicate that designation and delegation of duties with proper training and communication can further strengthen effective collaboration between clinical and teaching staff, thereby enhancing teaching and learning of clinical nursing and promoting quality nursing care.

Clinical trial to determine the hypouricaemic potential of Zizyphus jujuba kernel

Clinical trial to determine the therapeutic efficacy of a traditional herbal drug, Zizyphus jujuba kernel reputed for anti-gout action was carried out on 20 healthy volunteers. Using a cross-over design, the subjects were divided into two groups. Group I received standard hypouricaemic drug, allopurinol and Group II was administered Z. jujuba dernel for 14 days. after a wash-out period of another 7 days, the drugs were crossed over between the two groups in which Group I was administered Z. jujuba kernel and Group II was administered allopurinol for further 14 days again. Blood and urine samples of these subjects were taken at 5 days' intervals throughout the study period for determination of uric acid, creatinine and liver function tests. It was found that Z. jujuba shows no abnormalities on kidney and liver function tests. It also possesses neither hypouricaemic nor uricosuric actions.

Comparison of in vivo anti-inflammatory and antiplaque properties of Scoparia dulcis Linn. (Dan-ta-thuka) extract and chlorhexidine mouthwashes on normal and gingivitis subjects

Scoparia dulcis Linn. an indigenous Myanmar medicinal plant, which is being used as mouthwashes for the management of gingival troubles by the local people. In vivo study of the 1 percent Scoparia dulcis Linn. watery extract mouthwash on gingival inflammation and dental plaque accumulation study in comparison with standard 0.02 percent chlorhexidine mouthwash on normal and gingivitis subjects. Its antiplaque activity is similar to that of 0.02 percent chlorhexidine.

Epidemiology of road traffic accidents in Rangoon

A total of 2,849 road traffic accidents which occurred in Rangoon during the one year period between October I, 1969 and September 30, 1970 were studied in respect of the road user, the vehicle and the road system and its environment. Of all the road accidents, 114 (+ per cent) were fatal, 157 (5.5 per cent) involved badly injured cases and 666 (23.4 per cent} suffered minor injuries. The rest (1,912) were non-casualty accidents where only damage to vehicle, road, etc., was involved. Collision of two or more vehicles constituted the largest group in all types of road traffic accidents (55.4 per cent). The largest category of road users involved was the pedestrian 47.1 per cent) with a highest percentage of fatality (59.6 per cent) of all road accidental deaths. Human error was the major contributory factor to road accidents. Human failure on the part of the drivers of various vehicles accounted for 67.4 per cent of all road traffic accidents, whereas the other road users were responsible for 12.1 per cent of the total number of accidents. Speeding was a major contributory factor in 23.9 per cent of all the collisions studied. Nearly 80 per cent of the accidents occurred during 0800 to 2000 hours with two main peaks, between 0800 to 1000 hours (13.8 per cent) and between 1800 to 2000 hours (154 per cent). The road conditions and other miscellaneous factors contributed to 9.9 per cent of all the accidents.