Online Learning in the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic: Assessment of Students' Satisfaction at Chitwan Medical College of Nepal.

Background Online learning can play a vital role in the process of teaching and learning during Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. However, learners' satisfaction is extremely important in effective implementation of the online learning, especially at institutions where it is newly adopted. Objective To assess satisfaction towards online learning and its predictors among students at Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur. Method A web-based cross-sectional survey was undertaken among 434 undergraduate and postgraduate students from various academic programs who had participated in the online classes started during this COVID-19 pandemic. A structured questionnaire consisting of 31 items (5-point Likert scale) covering four major student satisfaction domains (learners' dimensions, technological characteristics, instructors' characteristics and course management and coordination) was distributed to the students using Google Form. Result More than half (53.5%) of the students were satisfied with the online learning, while 29.7% gave neutral views. Bivariate analyses found that all four domains scores were positively correlated with each other as well as with the students' overall satisfaction towards learning. In multivariate analysis, female gender [aOR: 2.72, p = 0.013], WiFi as internet modality for learning [aOR: 3.36, p = 0.001) and learners' dimension score [aOR: 1.27, p<0.001] were the significant predictors of students' satisfaction. Conclusion Although recently adopted, the satisfaction of the students towards online classes appears good, and prioritizing the identified predictors and working on the weak links could assist in enhancing students' satisfaction and better outcomes.

The effects of binaural beats stimulation compared to classical music on the memory of senior high school students: A randomized controlled trial / The Health Sciences Journal

INTRODUCTION@#Several studies have suggested that music has a significant effect on memory. Classical music has been studied extensively. However, there are studies on other types of music like binaural beats which involve the introduction of tones of different frequencies. This study aimed to determine the effects of binaural beats stimulation compared to classical music on memory among high school students.@*METHODS@#This was a randomized single-blind controlled trial among senior high school students in a selected private school assigned to listen to either binaural beats stimulation or classical music to determine their effect on memory as measured by the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Pre- and post-intervention RBANS scores were compared within and between the two study groups.@*RESULTS@#RBANS scores in both classical music and binaural beats stimulation groups improved with an increase of 20.58 ± 10.33 and 20.26 ± 12.06, respectively. The difference between the increase in scores was not significant.@*CONCLUSION@#Exposure to either binaural beats stimulation or classical music provided statistically and clinically significant increases in memory. Binaural beats stimulation increased memory to the same degree as classical music.

Observation Leads to Improved Operations in Nuclear Medicine.

The concept of observation--going out and seeing what is happening in daily operations---would seem like a normal management activity, but the reality in practice of the philosophy and technique is often underutilized. Once an observation has been determined, the next steps are to test and validate any discoveries on paper. For process change to be implemented, numerical data is needed to back-up observations in order to be heard and taken seriously by the executive team. Boca Raton Regional Hospital saw an opportunity to improve the process for radiopharmaceutical standing orders within its nuclear imaging department. As a result of this observation, the facility realized improved savings and an increase in employee motivation.

Percutaneous dilational tracheostomy: an initial experience in community based teaching hospital.

UNLABELLED: Percutaneous dilational tracheostomy (PDT) is frequently performed in the intensive care unit to prevent the long term complications associated with prolonged endotracheal intubation. OBJECTIVE: To report the analysis of our experience with percutaneous dilation tracheostomy. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective documentation of 40 patients who received percutaneous dilational tracheostomy in a multidisciplinary intensive care unit during a 12-month period. METHOD: The patients demographic, indications of intubation and PDT, time required to perform the procedure, complications and the outcome of these patients in the intensive care unit were noted. RESULT: Among 425 patients, 40 underwent percutaneous dilational tracheostomy that included 22 females and 18 males with the median age of 35 years. Prolonged ventilatory support was the most common indication for tracheostomy. The average duration of intubation before PDT was 5 days. Median procedure time was 20 minutes. Complications included minor bleeding in two (5%), subcutaneous emphysema with pneumothorax in two patients (5%), tracheal stenosis in three (7.5%), tracheo-esophageal fistula and glottic granuloma in one patient each (2.5%). Among forty patients, 28 (70%) were discharged to the ward, 8 died in intensive care unit and 4 left hospital against medical advice. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous dilational tracheostomy is a safe, quick and effective way for long term airway management in critically ill patients.