Bridging the theory practice gap: a review of Graduate Nurse Program (GNP) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

BACKGROUND: One of the prime concerns of government is the investment in people and resources for the education and health care of its nation. The United Arab Emirates has invested in improving Arab nurse education to reflect the latest emerging standards in international nurse education as part of this ongoing investment: a need to bridge the theory practice divide was identified. INTRODUCTION: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA), which is the main government healthcare provider in Dubai, granted full scholarship for Arab nationals to enrol in the first baccalaureate nursing degree program offered by a local university in the country. PROBLEM: Since its conception, 56 students have graduated from the program, of which eight graduates have resigned or did not join the nursing workforce. Current new graduates expressed lack of confidence and not feeling work ready to join the workforce; in addition, the nurses in service also voiced the opinion that the new Arab nursing graduates were inadequately prepared for service provision at the time of graduation. CONCLUSION: A graduate nurse program to bridge the gap between theory and practice and to ease the transition of new graduate nurses into the nursing workforce was developed by the DHA. DISCUSSION: This paper offers a positional discussion on the development of this program in Dubai, its findings, action planning and works in progress to resolve identified issues.

[Serum alpha 1-fetoprotein and extrahepatic digestive cancers. Apropos of 4 further cases]. / Alpha 1 foeto-protéine sérique et cancers digestifs extra-hépatiques. A propos de quatre nouvelles observations.

The authors report four new cases of primary digestive carcinoma other than hepatoma with alpha 1 feto-protein in the serum (greater than 200 ng/ml). Two were carcinoma of the colon without liver metastases. The remaining two were also colonic carcinoma but with liver metastases. In the first cases, alpha 1 feto-protein disappear after surgical procedure. In spite of the rareness of primary digestive carcinoma with presence of alpha 1 feto-protein noted until now, these cases require reconsideration of the idea that AFP is specific for hepatoma.

[Intra-epithelial carcinoma of the cervix uteri. Our experience with treatment, the role of conization]. / Le carcinome intra-épithélial du col utérin. Notre expérience du traitement, le rôle de la conisation

The authors re-emphasize that the sure diagnosis of carcinoma of the cervix depends on histology; having considered a series of 15,000 smears in an article on cytological screening for carcinoma of the cervix. They show that the main prop of this histological examination should definitely be conisation. They furthermore prepare an inventory of the different possible methods of treatment of intra-epithelial carcinoma, stating for each method the advantages and disadvantages of the method. Their attitude to treatment is conservative, and they believe that conisation in every case is sufficient when complete removal of the in situ lesion is carried out whatever the age of the patient is. They state the limits of this method and define clearly the contra-indications for such a scheme of treatment, which can only be carried out routinely with the absolutely necessary cooperation of a cytology laboratory and faultless histology.

[Intraepithelial carcinoma of the cervix uteri. 1) Cytologic detection in gynecologic practice. Our exerience with 15,000 smears]. / Le carcinome intra-épithélial du col utérin. 1) Le dépistage cytologique en pretique gynécologique. Notre expérience portant sur 15,000 frottis

The best results in screening for subclinical cancer of the cervix are given by cytological studies. The authors in reviewing their experience in this method of screening studied the result of 15,000 smears which gave a diagnosis of 37 cases of intra-epithelial carcinoma of the cervix, which means 1 case of carcinoma in situ diagnosed in every 400 smears. Although the technique is very simple it has to be carried out according to strict criteria at the time of taking the smear, of fixing it immediately and of staining it. There is a group of patients who are at high risk about the age of forty, when there is a marked influence due to parity. But only a systematic policy will bring about diagnosis of pre-invasive carcinoma in cases where the cervix is clinically healthy. The cytology is usually characteristic, though the diagnosis may be difficult during pregnancy, or when hormone contraception is being used or when there is a trichomonas infection present. This explains why we find false positives in 0.03 per cent of cases in this study and false negatives in 0.03 per cent of cases. Their rarity means that the method is 99.94 per cent reliable. Finally, the cervical smear gives an opportunity for studying the vaginal microbial flora as well as the cyto-hormonal state.