Developing health promotional skills among medical undergraduates for tuberculosis patients: An innovative way to benefit students as well as patients.

BACKGROUND: Involving medical undergraduate students in patients' health education will not only help in improving students' learning as well as professional and communication skills but also plays an important role in achieving better health outcome of patients. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of students led educational intervention regarding tuberculosis (TB) on their learning and on the patients' knowledge and attitude towards the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred medical undergraduates were included in the study. An integrated lecture on TB was given to all participants followed by preintervention test on TB. One group was then subjected to interactive traditional lecture. Whereas the videos reflecting the experiences of TB patients were shown to the other group and was given an assignment to prepare educational leaflets for TB patients followed by postintervention test for both groups. The patients' satisfaction level with the information given via educational leaflet and the overall perceived benefits of this activity by the students were assessed. Data analysis done using SPSS version 23.0. Independent and paired t-test were used to calculate difference of means for quantitative variables. RESULTS: Two groups were comparable preintervention however postintervention there was significant improvement in knowledge in the study group (P0.000). Overall 74.2% of the patients were satisfied with the information provided through leaflets. Students' feedback highlighted that majority of the them felt benefitted from this activity. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that such type of educational interventions have dual benefits, i.e., learning for the students as well as providing health education to patients which in turn will improve their clinical outcome.

Educating nursing staff regarding infection control practices and assessing its impact on the incidence of hospital-acquired infections.

CONTEXT: Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a global problem. One of the common causes of HAI is through the health-care workers, mainly because of failure to comply with the recommended infection control guidelines. AIMS: The aim of our study was to educate and train the nurses regarding infection control practices and assess the impact of training and assess whether this training actually made any change in the incidence of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) and intravenous (IV) line-related infections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Baseline knowledge, attitude, and practices study of willingly participating 105 nurses regarding infection control was done. The incidence of CAUTI and IV line-related infection was calculated in the areas of their postings. They were trained via an educational module regarding infection control practices. We again assessed the incidence of CAUTI and IV line-related infections in the same areas 2 months after training. Data analysis was done using SPSS version 20.0. Student's t-test was used to analyze the difference in the prevalence of CAUTI and IV line-associated HAIs pre intervention and post intervention. RESULTS: There was reduction in the incidence of IV line-related infection, though it was not significant (P 0.15) and no change in the incidence of CAUTI after intervention. CONCLUSION: Single educational module though improved nurses' knowledge and attitude regarding infection control but failed to result in significant improvement in practices and incidence of HAIs.

Impact of Additional Short Session of Video Training on Performance of Basic Life Support Skills in 2nd-Year Medical Students.

CONTEXT: Basic life support (BLS) is a core life-saving skill which everyone should know, but knowledge of BLS is poor even among medical students. AIMS: The aim of our study was to assess the knowledge regarding BLS among medical students and see impact of training and also to know whether a short session of video training made an impact on their cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) skills. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Ninety-two 2nd-year medical students were included in the study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Their baseline knowledge regarding BLS was assessed before workshop with pretest 1. Following workshop posttest 1 and 1 month later, posttest 2 was conducted. A short duration video training on BLS was done after posttest 2 and its impact was assessed 2 months later with performance of CPR skills on a mannequin. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Data analysis was done using SPSS version 23.0. Pearson's Chi-square test was used to evaluate the differences between groups for categorized variables. Unpaired and paired t-test was used to calculate the difference of means for quantitative variables. RESULTS: There was significant improvement in knowledge regarding BLS after the workshop. Even after 1 month, though there was decline in knowledge, still it was significantly higher than the baseline. Short duration video training session did not lead to any improvement in BLS skills. CONCLUSIONS: BLS training should start early in medical curriculum with reinforcement at regular intervals. Single short duration video training session did not have any impact on improvement of skills.

Comparative evaluation of recovery characteristics of fentanyl and butorphanol when used as supplement to propofol anaesthesia.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Narcotics have been used since long as a component of balanced anaesthesia, thus minimizing the anaesthetic requirement both during induction and maintenance as well as attenuating the pressor response during laryngoscopy and intubation. Equally significant is their role in provision of smoother recovery period by minimizing postoperative pain. Other than pain, the factors like postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), shivering, sedation and respiratory depression are equally important in recovery from the effects of anaesthetic drugs. The present study aimed at comparing the postoperative recovery characterstics of fentanyl and butorphanol in patients undergoing open cholecystectomy under general anaesthesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study configured one hundred adults patients of American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) grade 1 or 2 of either sex scheduled to undergo elective open cholecystectomy and were randomly assigned to receive fentanyl (group F; n = 50) or butorphanol (group B; n = 50). Both group were premedicated with midazolam 0.04 mg/kg intravenously followed by injection fentanyl 2 mcg/kg or butorphanol 40 mcg/kg. Standard induction was done with propofol 2 mg/kg and vecuronium 0.1 mg/kg was used for intubation. Anaesthesia was maintained with propofol infusion and 67% nitrous oxide in oxygen. Intraoperative hemodynamic parameters were observed and recorded. Postoperatively analgesia, sedation, PONV, shivering, respiratory depression and recovery score were observed. RESULTS: The recovery time was less in group F (P > 0.05) while post operative analgesia (P < 0.001) and sedation (P > 0.05) was more in group B. The incidence of respiratory depression was more in group B (P > 0.05). PONV was comparable in both the groups. Postoperative shivering was significantly low in group B (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It is concluded that besides easy availability and lower cost, butorphanol decreased propofol consumption intraoperatively and provided better analgesia and prophylaxis against shivering in postoperative period.