Preceptorship Practice in Healthcare Institutions in Ghana: A Situational Analysis

Preceptors play a vital role in supporting nursing/midwifery students and new employees’ transition and assimilation into their new role. Furthermore, with the increasing focus on educating more qualified nurses and midwives to meet health-related United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, there is a need for a more standardized and coordinated approach to preceptorship training. As former Head of the Nursing/Midwifery Training Institution in Ghana, I observed first-hand that the system of preceptorship needs improvements. Published literature on preceptorship has shown that the practice plays a vital role in healthcare delivery. However, most of the existing literature preceptorship is from developed countries, with little research from developing countries like Ghana. This study explored the practice of preceptorship in selected nursing/midwifery and healthcare institutions in Ghana. Situational analysis was used to examine the complex dynamics of the preceptorship program. It consists of three main procedural tools: situational maps, social worlds/arenas maps, and positional maps. Several important factors were found to impact preceptorship in Ghana. Key ones were motivational (monetary) challenges, lack of training of preceptors, politicking related to the development of preceptorship manuals, supervision, and outdated procedure guidelines for on-the-job teaching students. The study offers a series of recommendations to improve preceptorship practice at micro, meso, and macro levels. Additionally, they may enable regulators and policy makers in Ghana to formulate policies leading to a more robust preceptorship program to strengthen the skills of nursing/midwifery profession. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu)

Risk Factors for Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections during the First 3 Years of Life in the Tropics; Findings from a Birth Cohort.

Background: Soil-transmitted helminths (STH) infect more than 2 billion humans worldwide, causing significant morbidity in children. There are few data on the epidemiology and risk factors for infection in pre-school children. To investigate risk factors for infection in early childhood, we analysed data prospectively collected in the ECUAVIDA birth cohort in Ecuador. Methods and Findings: Children were recruited at birth and followed up to 3 years of age with periodic collection of stool samples that were examined microscopically for STH parasites. Data on social, demographic, and environmental risk factors were collected from the mother at time of enrolment. Associations between exposures and detection of STH infections were analysed by multivariable logistic regression. Data were analysed from 1,697 children for whom a stool sample was obtained at 3 years. 42.3% had at least one STH infection in the first 3 years of life and the most common infections were caused by A. lumbricoides (33.2% of children) and T. trichiura (21.2%). Hookworm infection was detected in 0.9% of children. Risk of STH infection was associated with factors indicative of poverty in our study population such as Afro-Ecuadorian ethnicity and low maternal educational level. Maternal STH infections during pregnancy were strong risk factors for any childhood STH infection, infections with either A. lumbricoides or T. trichiura, and early age of first STH infection. Children of mothers with moderate to high infections intensities with A. lumbricoides were most at risk. Conclusions: Our data show high rates of infection with STH parasites during the first 3 years of life in an Ecuadorian birth cohort, an observation that was strongly associated with maternal STH infections during pregnancy. The targeted treatment of women of childbearing age, in particular before pregnancy, with anthelmintic drugs could offer a novel approach to the prevention of STH infections in pre-school children

The role of built environment practitioners in driving the socio-economic sustainability aspects of sustainable regeneration

In the United Kingdom (UK), over the past three decades efforts have been made to ensure adequate promotion of sustainability objectives through various policy initiatives. However, despite the effort and the existence of these policy initiatives, sustainability projects in particular, regeneration projects are yet to deliver their intended sustainability objectives. While there is a rise in demand for higher sustainability benefits by stakeholders such as clients, communities and policy makers, the delivery of sustainability benefits from sustainability regeneration projects are yet to meet the expectations of these stakeholders. This article provides an overview of sustainability benefits within the context of the sustainable regeneration projects in the UK from a study that examines the roles and sustainability drivers of construction practitioners towards the promotion of sustainability on their regeneration projects. To do so, a qualitative research approach is adopted using a semi-structured interview technique for the study. The data obtained was analysed using content analysis. The findings revealed that out of the eight socio-economic sustainability drivers presented to practitioners, enhancement of reputation was the most important ‘socio-economic’ sustainability driver while the least important driver was legislative and legal requirement. The findings further revealed that majority of practitioners/ organisations were promoting the socio-economic sustainability driver they believed will enable them to meet their own corporate business objectives

Understanding socio-economic sustainability drivers of sustainable regeneration: an empirical study of regeneration practitioners in UK

The construction industry has been recognized as a major driver towards the delivery of UK sustainable regeneration objectives. Several construction organizations have played various roles in their quest to deliver sustainable regeneration projects in line with sustainable development objectives. Yet, to-date the delivery of such sustainable development objectives has continued to be an on-going challenge for these organizations involved in the delivery of regeneration projects. The study adopted an exploratory research approach, using a questionnaire survey to collect data from 193 construction organizations/practitioners involved in the delivery of sustainable regeneration projects in the UK. The findings revealed that the majority of construction organizations were promoting socio-economic sustainability principles to meet their own corporate business objectives. The findings further revealed that the majority of practitioners’ organizations were integrating socio-economic sustainability principles into their business practices because they believed doing so was the best way to gain advantage over their competitors and remain relevant in their market place

Prevalence of red blood cell antibodies among transfused patients at Komfo Anokye teaching (Kath) hospital, Ghana

Red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunisation is a common problem in transfused patients because of the possibility of haemolytic reaction and limited availability of compatible blood. In highincome countries, pre-transfusion antibody screening is performed routinely. In Ghana, patients are transfused with ABO Rh ‘D’ compatible blood without screening for immune antibodies. We therefore studied the prevalence and specificities of RBC antibodies in transfused patients at Komfo Anokye Teaching hospital, Ghana. The study was cross-sectional, involving previously transfused patients who required another transfusion. Participants’ basic data on demography and transfusion history were recorded. Blood samples were screened and subsequently typed for RBC antibodies using a column gel agglutination test. A total of 106 transfused patients, 52 male and 54 females were enrolled. The patients had previously received a median of 4 RBC units (range 1-14). Of these, ten patients (9.4%) had 11 RBC alloantibodies, whose specificities were 2 anti-K; 2 anti-C; one each of anti-D, -E, -M, and -S; and 3 were pan-reactive. The number of transfusion episodes was significantly associated with the rate of alloimmunisation (p=0.000). In conclusion the overall alloimmunisation rate in the study was 9.4% and this was significantly associated with increasing number of transfusion episodes. Antibodies were mainly directed against antigens in the Rhesus system and K antigen. We recommend that antibody screening be incorporated into routine pre-transfusion testing procedures in Ghana. Keywords: Alloimmunisation, multi transfusion, Alloantibod

Towards the delivery of sustainable regeneration projects’ types in the UK: an exploration of the role and level of involvement of key practitioners

Sustainable regeneration is a vital aspect of the UK sustainable development agenda in which a lot of efforts have been made over the years. Traditionally, the UK regeneration strategy has evolved from the provision of affordable housing through to the provision of other public sector projects and private sector commercial projects. While the concept of sustainable regeneration has been a key facet of UK sustainable development agenda over the past decades, it can be said that the delivery of sustainability benefits of major projects has been determined by numerous factors. Paramount among the factors which have affected and continue to determine the delivery of sustainability outcome of regeneration projects are the construction industry practitioners who are tasked with the responsibility in the delivery of these regeneration projects. The paper presents the findings of a study which explored practitioners’ level of involvement in the delivery of the three types of sustainable regeneration projects in the UK, using a mixed-method research to obtain 21 and 193 responses from practitioners through semi-structured interviews and questionnaire survey, respectively. The findings reveal that housing-led regeneration project is the most involved type of regeneration project by practitioners, while the least involved project is private sector commercial regeneration project

Improving Core Bond Strength of Particleboard Through Particle Size Redistribution

Novel particleboard furnish mixtures were formulated to improve the core-bonding and screw-holding of industrial particleboard without increasing resin content or board density. Single-layer (uniform vertical density with core furnish only) and conventional 3-layer particleboards were manufactured at two density levels from four novel mixes plus control (unscreened industrial core furnish). Board mean and core density, internal bond strength, edge screw withdrawal resistance, and moduli of rupture and elasticity were measured.The core of commercial furniture-grade particleboard appears to contain too many fine particulates and insufficient coarser particles. Uniform density profile single-layer boards containing novel mixes with higher-coarse (>2 mm) and lower-fines

Spanning the multilevel boundaries of construction organisations: Towards the delivery of BIM-compliant projects

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the interdependent boundary-spanning activities that characterise the level of permeability of knowledge, information flow and learning among construction supply chains involved in the delivery of building information modelling (BIM)-compliant construction projects. Construction projects are mobilised through a number of interdependent processes and multi-functional activities by different practitioners with myriad specialised skills. Many of the difficulties that manifest in construction projects can be attributed to the fragmented work activities and inter-disciplinary nature of project teams. This is nevertheless becoming ever more pertinent with the rise of technology deployment in construction organisations.Design/methodology/approachThe study combined experts’ sampling interviews and a case study research method to help offer better insights into the kind of emerging multilevel boundary practices as influenced by the rapidly evolving construction technological solutions. The experts’ sampling helped inform better understanding by unravelling the key changes in contemporary boundary configurations and related boundary-spanning practices within technology-mediated construction project settings. The case study also helped to establish the manifestation of best practices for managing multilevel boundaries in BIM-enabled construction project organisations.FindingsThe study has revealed that different generic organisational BIM strategies as developed in specialised boundaries are reconfigured as appropriate at the project level to produce project-specific BIM execution plan (BXP). The outcome of project BXP is dependent on the project organisational teams that cooperate in creating new solutions and on conceding space for negotiations and compromises which conflicting interests at the project level can find to be both desirable and feasible. The implementation effort is therefore contingent on mutual translation in which different actors with different insights instigate their practice through negotiation and persuasion which eventually are reinforced by contractual agreements and obligations.Originality/valueThe paper has presented a novel and well-timed empirical insight into BIM-enabled project delivery and best practices that span multilevel boundaries of construction organisations

The role of built environment practitioners in driving the socio-economic sustainability aspects of sustainable regeneration

In the United Kingdom (UK), over the past three decades efforts have been made to ensure adequate promotion of sustainability objectives through various policy initiatives. However, despite the effort and the existence of these policy initiatives, sustainability projects in particular, regeneration projects are yet to deliver their intended sustainability objectives. While there is a rise in demand for higher sustainability benefits by stakeholders such as clients, communities and policy makers, the delivery of sustainability benefits from sustainability regeneration projects are yet to meet the expectations of these stakeholders. This article provides an overview of sustainability benefits within the context of the sustainable regeneration projects in the UK from a study that examines the roles and sustainability drivers of construction practitioners towards the promotion of sustainability on their regeneration projects. To do so, a qualitative research approach is adopted using a semi-structured interview technique for the study. The data obtained was analysed using content analysis. The findings revealed that out of the eight socio-economic sustainability drivers presented to practitioners, enhancement of reputation was the most important ‘socio-economic’ sustainability driver while the least important driver was legislative and legal requirement. The findings further revealed that majority of practitioners/ organisations were promoting the socio-economic sustainability driver they believed will enable them to meet their own corporate business objectives