Introducing expert systems to medical students using esta, Expert System Teaching Aid

Medical students are allocated little curriculum time for exposure to expert systems. ESTA, a computer model of an expert system, was developed to make best use of this time. The nature of the students' interaction with ESTA is described, and their reactions to the expert system concepts and the place of expert systems in medicine are presented. A discussion of these reactions draws some conclusions about teaching expert systems in particular, and computers in general, in the basic medical course.     

Empowering practice nurses in the follow-up of patients with established heart disease: lessons from patients' experiences

This paper reports on the views of patients with established heart disease of a structured programme of follow-up care provided by practice nurses (PNs) in general practice in England. It is based on in-depth interviews with 22 patients receiving an integrated primary and secondary care intervention being developed and piloted for patients following heart attack or diagnosis of angina. Patients identified the important features of follow-up care to be easy access to a health professional who possessed knowledge and social and emotional skills. A range of views about the ability of PNs to provide such care emerged from patients' accounts. patients' perceptions about the seriousness of their condition and the way PN follow-up care was provided in practices emerged as important issues affecting patients' views. In addition, perceptions about the practice nurse's role, status and knowledge, existing relationships with general practitioners, and issues of communication were also important factors. It is concluded that in order to develop high-quality PN-led services for patients with established heart disease, four issues need to be taken into account: practice nurse training; continuity of follow-up care; the integration of the primary and secondary care interface; and development of the practice nurse's status within the primary health care team.     

Treatment approaches for clients with a stroke‐affected upper limb: Are we following evidence‐based practice?

Stroke rehabilitation is an area of practice that many occupational therapists encounter during their career. The literature promotes a wide range of management techniques and support devices for people who have a stroke-affected upper limb, but little is known about the validity of those that occupational therapists actually use in practice. A questionnaire was sent to occupational therapists working in Queensland and northern New South Wales facilities (n = 35), in which adults with a stroke were likely to be treated. Eighteen respondents answered questions about the management techniques and support devices used in their facility, and their perception of the benefit of these devices in the reduction of hemiplegic shoulder pain. Results are discussed with reference to evidence-based practice and indicate an urgent need for the collation and dissemination of the best current evidence available for the management techniques and support devices used in this area, as well as further research to extend this evidence.     

Independent learning among general practice trainees: an initial survey

Self-directed learning is a natural way for adults to learn. Vocational training for general practice is a preparation for unsupervised clinical work that will be supported, in the main, by continuing medical education. This study uses the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale to investigate factors influencing readiness for such learning among a sample of general practice trainees. Three principal factors emerged from analysis: enjoyment and enthusiasm for learning; a positive self-concept as a learner and a factor suggesting the possibility of a 'reproducing' orientation to learning. These factors may reflect approaches to learning in general rather than these adopted for professional learning, but offer helpful pointers for the development of both vocational training and of continuing medical education.     

北京、广州、上海城市居民营养知识、态度、行为的调查

对北京、广州和上海三大城市随机抽取的９６５名年龄在２０～５０岁的城市居民进行有关营养知识、态度和行为（Ｋ－Ａ－Ｐ）的调查。结果显示，三地区调查对象的营养知识水平不高。营养知识的得分与其自身受教育程度有相关性（ｒ＝０．３０１１，Ｐ＜０．０１）。年龄在３５岁以上的对象，营养知识的得分高于年轻人；三地区调查对象对营养知识的获取，合理的膳食模式，卫生的饮食习惯均持有积极、肯定的态度。食物消费频度调查结果表明，米／面、肉／禽、蔬菜、水果、奶及奶制品的消费量较高。此外，８９．５％，７８．８％和４７．８％的调查对象分别选择报纸、电视、广播作为其主要营养信息来源。本次调查为将来的营养宣教的内容和方法提供依据。     

明清时期新安药店及其医药学作用

新安药店始于宋，成于明，至清末一度达到鼎盛。较有代表的宋有“陆氏保和堂”，明有“徐保元堂”、“正田药店”、“胞与堂”等，清有“胡庆余堂”、“胡咸春”、“种德堂”等。这些药店明多为医家兼营，清多为徽商经营。新安药店作为集医疗、生产、经营一体的传统手工业，至今不少成为著名药厂，如“武汉健民制药厂”、“胡庆余堂”等。其在生产、经营、管理上积累了许多经验，同时在方剂学以及药物炮炙、贮藏、采集、加工、成方制作等方面皆有不少成就。     

涉外护理专业学生社区毕业实习效果评价

目的 探讨涉外护理专业学生社区毕业实习模式。方法 随机设定实验组(36人),参加慢性疾病调查、建立健康档案和进行相应的健康教育,结束时与不参加社区毕业实习的对照Ⅰ组(31人)、对照Ⅱ组(38人)的实习生同时接受基础知识和能力闭卷测试。然后统计调查问卷和健康档案的正确率,并将三组测试成绩进行比较。结果 实验组调查问卷和健康档案的正确率≥95％。实习生基础知识得分实验组(43.14±2.78)、对照Ⅱ组(42.53±1.96)与对照Ⅰ组(40.65±2.47)比较;能力得分实验组(47.00±2.34)与对照Ⅰ组(41.61±3.41)、对照Ⅱ组(41.42±3.52)比较;总分实验组(90.14±4.30)与对照Ⅰ组(82.26±5.33)、对照Ⅱ组(83.95±4.13)比较,均P<0.01,差异有极显著性意义。结论 社区毕业实习强化了实习生社区护理的基本知识,培养了实习生社区护理的相关能力。但有待于规范化。     

Signs of ocular disease: A prevalence study in optometric practice

Data on the prevalence of all ocular conditions seen in 1500 consecutive optometric patients were obtained during an investigation into the effectiveness of routine visual field screening. In many instances, these are the first prevalence figures for optometric patient populations. Some of the estimates of prevalence are compared with other optometric and general population surveys. Many disorders were observed, the most frequent being slight to moderate increases in retinal arterial reflex and attenuation, optic cup/disc ratio of 0.4, shallow anterior chambers and family history of glaucoma. The occurrence of some conditions was sporadic, resulting from the relatively small sample. However, this survey may serve as an audit of ocular disease detection for other practitioners.     

如何上好医学生药品质量选修课

医学生在以后的工作中会经常接触到药品，而药品质量的好坏直接关系到患者的生命安全，因此在医学生中开设药品质量选修课非常必要。本文从教学方法、教学手段、教学内容的衔接等方面提出了一些观点和具体方法。     

Pharmaceutical Policy and the Lay Public*

Almost every national and supranational health policy document accords high importance to the need to listen to and ‘empower’ patients. The relationship between pharmaceutical policy and the lay public is not direct but mediated by several actors, including health care workers, patient organisations, industry and, most recently, the media. Although the overall aim of health and pharmaceutical policy is to address the needs of all citizens, there are only a few, well organised groups who are actually consulted and involved in the policymaking process, often with the support of the industry. The reasons for this lack of citizen involvement in health and pharmaceutical policymaking are many, for example: there is no consensus about what public involvement means; there is a predominance of special interest groups with narrow, specific agendas; not all decision makers welcome lay participation; patients and professionals have different rationalities with regard to their views on medicine. Because the lay public and medicine users are not one entity, one of the many challenges facing policy makers today is to identify, incorporate and prioritise the many diverse needs. The authors recommend research which includes studies that look at: lay attitudes towards pharmaceutical policy; lay experiences of drug therapy and how it affects their daily lives; the problem of identifying lay representatives; the relationship between industry and the consumers; the effect of the media on medicine users and on pharmaceutical policy itself. The authors acknowledge that although lay involvement in policy is still in its infancy, some patient organisations have been successful and there are developments towards increased lay involvement in pharmaceutical policymaking. This article is the fourth in a series of articles on this topic that will appear in Pharmacy World & Science during 2005.