Mind the gap: Teachers’ conceptions of student-staff partnership and its potential to enhance educational quality

Abstract

Introduction: Student-staff partnerships as a concept to improve medical education have received a growing amount of attention. Such partnerships are collaborations in which students and teachers seek to improve education by each adding their unique contribution to decision-making and implementation processes. Although previous research has demonstrated that students are favourable to this concept, teachers remain hesitant. The present study investigated teachers’ conceptions of student-staff partnerships and of the prerequisites that are necessary to render such partnerships successful and enhance educational quality.

Method: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 course coordinators who lead course design teams and also teach in 4 bachelor health programmes, using Bovill and Bulley’s levels of student participation as sensitising concepts during data analysis.

Results: The results pointed to three different conceptions of student-staff partnerships existing among teachers: Teachers teach and students study; teachers teach and value students’ feedback; and teachers and students co-create. The prerequisites for effective co-creation teachers identified were: Teachers must be open to involve students and create dialogues; students must be motivated and have good communication skills; the organisation must be supportive; and teachers should have the final say.

Conclusion: We conclude that teachers’ conceptions are consistent with Bovill and Bulley’s levels of student participation. Under certain conditions, teachers are willing to co-create and reach the highest levels of student participation.     

Barriers and facilitators for cascade testing in genetic conditions: a systematic review

Cascade testing is the process of offering genetic counseling and testing to at-risk relatives of an individual who has been diagnosed with a genetic condition. It is critical for increasing the identification rates of individuals with these conditions and the uptake of appropriate preventive health services. The process of cascade testing is highly varied in clinical practice, and a comprehensive understanding of factors that hinder or enhance its implementation is necessary to improve this process. We conducted a systematic review to identify barriers and facilitators for cascade testing and searched PubMed, CINAHL via EBSCO, Web of Science, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library for articles published from the databases’ inception to November 2018. Thirty articles met inclusion criteria. Barriers and facilitators identified from these studies at the individual-level were organized into the following categories: (1) demographics, (2) knowledge, (3) attitudes, beliefs, and emotional responses of the individual, and (4) perceptions of relatives, relatives’ responses, and attitudes toward relatives. At the interpersonal-level, barriers and facilitators were categorized as (1) family communication-, support- and dynamics-, and (2) provider-factors. Finally, barriers at the environmental-level relating to accessibility of genetic services were also identified. Our findings suggest that several individual, interpersonal and environmental factors may play a role in cascade testing. Future studies to further investigate these barriers and facilitators are needed to inform future interventions for improving the implementation of cascade testing for genetic conditions in clinical practice.Subject terms: Preventive medicine, Genetic services     

Functionally navigated transcranial magnetic stimulation to evoke lingual pressure in stroke survivors with dysphagia and healthy adults: a proof of concept trial

ABSTRACT

Background

Post-stroke dysphagia is characterized by reduced corticolingual excitability and lingual pressure; however, it remains unknown if transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) directly facilitates lingual pressure generation.     

The use of off-label medications in substance abuse treatment programs

Abstract

Background: Substance use disorder (SUD) treatment centers serve a population of clients who have diverse needs, and may desire or require access to varied treatments while seeking care for their SUDs. While pharmacotherapies have increased in popularity for the treatment of SUDs, adoption rates do remain quite low. But a wider array of pharmacotherapies has become available in recent years which may shift the trend. This article helps shed light on how variations in SUD treatment centers develop and persist with regard to the adoption and delivery of off-label medications. Methods: We use a nationally representative and longitudinal sample of SUD treatment centers in the US (N?=?196). We use a logistic regression to analyze the relationship between organizational characteristics and offering any medications, off-label. We also use a negative binomial regression to analyze the relationship between organizational characteristics and the number of medications that were used off-label. Results: Our findings reveal that older centers, accredited centers, and centers that offer mental health screenings are all positively associated with the provision of off-label medication in SUD treatment. We also find a positive relationship between private funding and offering a greater number of off-label medications. Conclusions: Our results suggest that SUD clients who seek treatment from centers that offer medications off-label, may have access to a greater number of medication-assisted treatment options.     

#Motherhoodishard: Narrating Our Research and Mothering in the Postpartum Stage through Texting and Social Media

ABSTRACT

We narrate our personal journey through the political minefield that is postpartum crisis by examining our communicative strategies across friendship, research partnership and as mothers on social media platforms. In a country with the highest postpartum maternal death rate in the industrialized world, we argue sharing narratives is a radical feminist act and one that must continue to draw attention to marginalized bodies. We hope to elevate the study of communication challenges mothers may experience for personal and political reasons.     

Editorial on coronary artery fistulae

• Over 21 years, 26 coronary artery fistulae were treated percutaneously, and 21 (81%) were successful.
• There is still much to be learned about the physiology of coronary fistulae.
• Transcatheter methods have improved over the years and permit a high success rate, but some cases still require a surgical approach.

     

Fifty shades of graft: How to improve the efficacy of faecal microbiota transplantation for decolonization of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Background

Spontaneous decolonization of antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB) takes time: approximately 25% after 30 days for carbapenem-producing Enterobacteriaceae or extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has been proposed as a new strategy to promote decolonization in order to reduce the risk of superinfection due to these ARB. This paper discusses the literature on the use of FMT for this indication, and the improvement levers available to promote its efficacy.

Managing invasive aspergillosis in haematological patients in the era of resistance polymerase chain reaction and increasing triazole resistance: A modelling study of different strategies

Objectives

Triazole resistance in Aspergillus spp. is emerging and complicates prophylaxis and treatment of invasive aspergillosis (IA) worldwide. New polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid allow for detection of triazole resistance at a genetic level, which has opened up new possibilities for targeted therapy. In the absence of clinical trials, a modelling study delivers estimates of the added value of resistance detection with PCR, and which empiric therapy would be optimal when local resistance rates are known.

Video observation of hand-hygiene compliance in a manufacturer of ready-to-eat pie and pastry products

ABSTRACT

Food-handler hand-hygiene can be a contributory factor for food-borne illness. Cognitive data (knowledge/attitudes/self-reported practices), while informative, are not indicative of behaviour, and are subject to biases. Consequently, observation of behaviour is superior to survey data. However, researcher presence in direct observation increases reactivity, whereas video observation gives comprehensive analysis over a longer period, furthermore, familiarity reduces reactivity. Although video observation has been used to assess food safety at retail/foodservice, this valuable method is under-utilized in food-manufacturing environments. For the study, footage (24 h) was reviewed to assess compliance in a food-manufacturing site with company protocol. Video observation of food-handlers entering production (n = 674) was assessed; upon 70 occasions no attempt to implement hand-hygiene was observed. Of attempted hand-hygiene practices (n = 604), only 2% implemented compliant practices. Although 78% of attempts utilized soap, only 42% included sanitizer. Duration ranged from 1 to 69 s (Median 17 s). The study provides hand-hygiene data in an area that observational data is seldom captured.