scholarly journals Clinical nursing competency assessment: a scoping review

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-356
Author(s):  
Oboshie Anim-Boamah ◽  
Christmal Dela Christmals ◽  
Susan Jennifer Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Students ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Competency Assessment ◽  
Clinical Competency ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Assessment Systems ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Online Library

Abstract Objective To ensure that only competent graduates are licensed to practice nursing, councils conduct licensing examinations, which may include among others clinical competency assessment. This review explored current practices in clinical competency assessment of nursing students as part of a larger study aimed at developing an evidence-based, context-specific framework for clinical competency assessment in a sub-Saharan African (SSA) country. Methods A scoping guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) was conducted. Results Findings from 28 out of 1151 studies identified from Scopus, PubMed, CINAHL, Wiley Online Library, and ProQuest were included and synthesized. Results show that a good assessment system must be valid, reliable, transparent, feasible, fair, objective, and must provide feedback and continually improve to have an educational impact. Clinical competency assessment systems must be developed on sound empirical evidence, pilot tested, and involve thorough training and evaluation of the examiners. Continuous evaluation of the assessment system is also essential to ensure the quality and relevance of the assessment system. Only one of the included studies was conducted in Africa. Conclusions The paucity of clinical competency assessment research in sub-Saharan Africa may lead to benchmarking assessment systems on research conducted outside the context. Sub-Saharan Africa has a set of circumstances that demand a context-specific clinical competency assessment framework to guide clinical competency assessment.

Nursing Students’ Experiences on Clinical Competency Assessment in Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 278-293
Author(s):  
Oboshie Anim-Boamah ◽  
Christmal Dela Christmals ◽  
Susan Jennifer Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Education ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Financial Burden ◽  
Assessment System ◽  
Competency Assessment ◽  
Clinical Competency ◽  
Group Discussions ◽  
Licensing Examination

Background: More countries are establishing licensing examination systems for nursing education, including clinical competency assessment. In Ghana, clinical competency assessment forms part of the nursing licensing examination and is perceived as the benchmark for nursing licensing examination in the sub-region. The nationalised assessment system is established with some ad hoc changes over the last decade which requires continual evaluation. It is essential to find out how students experience this assessment system. Purpose: This study aimed to explore nursing students’ experiences of the clinical competency assessment in Ghana. Methods: An exploratory descriptive qualitative design was used in this study. Eight focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 68 final year students purposively selected from eight nursing education programs. The FGDs lasted between 90 to 120 minutes. Content analysis was used to analyze the data.Results: Although the pre-examination conference between students and examiners helped lessen students’ anxiety, limited resources, incongruence in teaching, practice and assessment, inherent biases due to the unstandardised assessment system, and a financial burden compromised the quality of the assessment.Conclusion:Clinical competency assessment is central to nursing licensing examinations; hence the ability of the system to discriminate competent and incompetent nurses otherwise cannot be overemphasised. Standardisation, training of the examiners and continuous evaluation of the assessment system are imperative for quality improvement in clinical competency assessment. 

scholarly journals Intersectional stigma and its impact on HIV prevention and care among MSM and WSW in sub-Saharan African countries: a protocol for a scoping review

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. e047280
Author(s):  
Gamji M’Rabiu Abubakari ◽  
Debbie Dada ◽  
Jemal Nur ◽  
DeAnne Turner ◽  
Amma Otchere ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Meta Analyses

IntroductionResearch has established that various forms of stigma (HIV stigma, gender non-conforming stigma and same-gender sex stigma) exist across Sub-Saharan Africa and have consequences for the utilisation of HIV prevention and care services. Stigmas are typically investigated in HIV literature individually or through investigating individual populations and the various stigmas they may face. The concept of intersectionality highlights the interconnected nature of social categorisations and their ability to create interdependent systems of discrimination based on gender, race, sexuality and so on. Drawing from perspectives on intersectionality, intersectional stigma denotes the convergence of multiple marginalised identities within an individual or a group, the experiences of stigma associated with these identities as well as the synergistic impact of these experiences on health and well-being. With respect to HIV, public health scholars can examine the impacts of intersectional stigmas on HIV prevention and care utilisation.Methods and analysisReviewers will search systematically through MEDLINE, Global Health, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection and Africa Index Medicus and citations for quantitative studies, qualitative studies and grey literature that include data on stigma and HIV among men who have sex with men and women who have sex with women in Sub-Saharan Africa. Eligible studies will include primary or secondary data on stigma related to HIV risk factors experienced by this population. Studies will be written in French or English and be published between January 1991 and November 2020. All screening and data extraction will be performed in duplicate, and if discrepancies arise, they will be settled by GM’RA, LEN, DD or AO. Findings from this study will be reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval is not required as there will be no human participants and no protected data will be used in this study. We will disseminate findings through peer-reviewed manuscripts, conferences and webinars.

scholarly journals Estimating the burden of cardiovascular risk in community dwellers over 40 years old in South Africa, Kenya, Burkina Faso and Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. e003499
Author(s):  
Ryan G Wagner ◽  
Nigel J Crowther ◽  
Lisa K Micklesfield ◽  
Palwende Romauld Boua ◽  
Engelbert A Nonterah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
South African ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Cvd Risk ◽  
Genomic Studies ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionCardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. The impact of these risk factors on future CVD outcomes and burden is poorly understood. We examined the magnitude of modifiable risk factors, estimated future CVD risk and compared results between three commonly used 10-year CVD risk factor algorithms and their variants in four African countries.MethodsIn the Africa-Wits-INDEPTH partnership for Genomic studies (the AWI-Gen Study), 10 349 randomly sampled individuals aged 40–60 years from six sites participated in a survey, with blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid levels measured. Using these data, 10-year CVD risk estimates using Framingham, Globorisk and WHO-CVD and their office-based variants were generated. Differences in future CVD risk and results by algorithm are described using kappa and coefficients to examine agreement and correlations, respectively.ResultsThe 10-year CVD risk across all participants in all sites varied from 2.6% (95% CI: 1.6% to 4.1%) using the WHO-CVD lab algorithm to 6.5% (95% CI: 3.7% to 11.4%) using the Framingham office algorithm, with substantial differences in risk between sites. The highest risk was in South African settings (in urban Soweto: 8.9% (IQR: 5.3–15.3)). Agreement between algorithms was low to moderate (kappa from 0.03 to 0.55) and correlations ranged between 0.28 and 0.70. Depending on the algorithm used, those at high risk (defined as risk of 10-year CVD event >20%) who were under treatment for a modifiable risk factor ranged from 19.2% to 33.9%, with substantial variation by both sex and site.ConclusionThe African sites in this study are at different stages of an ongoing epidemiological transition as evidenced by both risk factor levels and estimated 10-year CVD risk. There is low correlation and disparate levels of population risk, predicted by different risk algorithms, within sites. Validating existing risk algorithms or designing context-specific 10-year CVD risk algorithms is essential for accurately defining population risk and targeting national policies and individual CVD treatment on the African continent.

Quality Preparation of Mathematics and Science Teachers to Integrate ICT

2015 ◽  
pp. 29-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Njoroge Mungai
Keyword(s):  
Science Teachers ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Development Programs ◽  
Ict Integration ◽  
Learner Centered ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Context Specific

This chapter clearly illustrates that emphasis on preparation of teachers to integrate ICT is gaining momentum in the education sector. Arguably, underpinning this emphasis is the convergence of assertions that ICT integration has the potential to enhance the quality of teaching and learning. Nonetheless, considering that the debate about effective teaching has overtime existed between two tensions, namely learner-centered and teacher-centered approaches, the additional concern now is how best to prepare teachers to integrate ICT. It is shown in this chapter that the best teaching approach is context specific since it facilitates the teachers' capacity to enhance student learning through quality teaching. The chapter reviews Teacher Professional Development programs in Sub-Saharan Africa and discusses what constitutes learner-centered education, ICT integration, and provides findings of a case study on preparation of science teachers using ICT.

ICT Is Not Gender Blind

2016 ◽  
pp. 174-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adamkolo Mohammed Ibrahim ◽  
Mohammed Alhaji Adamu
Keyword(s):  
Gender Gap ◽  
Gender Disparity ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Software And Hardware ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Gender Based ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Online Library ◽  
Developed World

This chapter critically reviewed literature on gender disparity associated with access and usage of ICT, focusing on the less developed world, especially Sub-Saharan Africa. The authors used relevant online literature sourced from research databases such as Google Scholar, Elsevier and Wiley Online Library. With the aid of graphical illustrations, the chapter aligned its argument with some critical global research findings regarding gender-based mobile phone and Internet usage and the concept of ICT and gender. The chapter concluded that ICT gender gap negatively affects the socio-economic development of women, and recommended that ICTs manufacturers should integrate gender-balanced software and hardware right at the time of production of the technologies.

scholarly journals Systematic review of burnout among healthcare providers in sub-Saharan Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benyam W. Dubale ◽  
Lauren E. Friedman ◽  
Zeina Chemali ◽  
John W. Denninger ◽  
Darshan H. Mehta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Quantitative Measure ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
Epidemiologic Studies ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Thomson Reuters ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Burnout is characterized by physical and emotional exhaustion from long-term exposure to emotionally demanding work. Burnout affects interpersonal skills, job performance, career satisfaction, and psychological health. However, little is known about the burden of burnout among healthcare providers in sub-Saharan Africa. Methods Relevant articles were identified through a systematic review of PubMed, Web of Science (Thomson Reuters), and PsycINFO (EBSCO). Studies were selected for inclusion if they examined a quantitative measure of burnout among healthcare providers in sub-Saharan Africa. Results A total of 65 articles met our inclusion criteria for this systematic review. Previous studies have examined burnout in sub-Saharan Africa among physicians (N = 12 articles), nurses (N = 26), combined populations of healthcare providers (N = 18), midwives (N = 2), and medical or nursing students (N = 7). The majority of studies assessed burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The highest levels of burnout were reported among nurses, although all healthcare providers showed high burnout. Burnout among healthcare providers is associated with their work environments, interpersonal and professional conflicts, emotional distress, and low social support. Conclusions Available studies on this topic are limited by several methodological challenges. More rigorously designed epidemiologic studies of burnout among healthcare providers are warranted. Health infrastructure improvements will eventually be essential, though difficult to achieve, in under-resourced settings. Programs aimed at raising awareness and coping with burnout symptoms through stress management and resilience enhancement trainings are also needed.

How video attributes influence farmer learning about maize postharvest handling practices and technologies in kakumiro district, Uganda

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-65
Author(s):  
G Asasira ◽  
G Karubanga ◽  
F Okry ◽  
P Kibwika ◽  
JG Agea
Keyword(s):  
Smallholder Farmers ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Video Content ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Postharvest Handling ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Handling Practices ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Content Sequencing

In Sub-Saharan Africa, video has been earmarked as an important tool to enhance learning among smallholder farmers. The study evaluated how the inherent video attributes influence learning about postharvest handling practices and technologies from the perspective of maize farmers in Kakumiro district of Uganda; using the case of Access Agriculture maize videos. An action-oriented research involving showing of four videos, on-site participant observation, six key informant and 50 exit individual interviews were conducted in February 2019. While thematic-content analysis was applied for qualitative data, quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 version. Our results clearly illustrate that the video’s ability to influence farmer learning depends on the complementarity of its positive attributes including: demonstration ability, attractiveness and clarity of images, ability to arouse interest and curiosity; thus, fostering interactions among viewers. The nature of video content in terms of clarity, practicability, relevance, applicability and content sequencing are also perceived to be key attributes of video in enhancing learning among the viewers. However, the effectiveness of video is likely to be compromised by the socio-economic and cultural factors more especially if such factors are not well taken care of during the filming process. If possible, when developing videos for farmer learning, focus should be on creating local content that is context specific, which farmers can enjoy and relate to for easy adaptation and eventual application. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 9 (1): 58-65, June, 2019

scholarly journals Mapping evidence on management of cervical cancer in sub-Saharan Africa: scoping review protocol

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Petmore Zibako ◽  
Mbuzeleni Hlongwa ◽  
Nomsa Tsikai ◽  
Sarah Manyame ◽  
Themba G. Ginindza
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Cancer Management ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract Background Cancer is a non-communicable disease and is the number 2 leading cause of death globally. Among all cancers, cervical cancer is the number 1 killer of women in low-income countries (LICs). Cervical cancer is a well understood preventable cancer. The rates of cervical cancer are very varied and inversely proportional to the effectiveness of disease management policies. Management of cervical cancer includes prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment. The main objective of this scoping review is to map the evidence on cervical cancer management in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to understand the coverage of cervical cancer prevention and treatment services and provide an opportunity to generate knowledge on the risk factors, attitudes and practices extendable globally. Methods and analysis This review will be guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s framework recommended for conducting scoping review studies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-Scr) checklist will also be completed to ensure that the review adheres to the sound methodological rigour acceptable for scoping review studies. The following electronic databases will be searched for potentially eligible articles: PubMed, Ebsco Host, Scopus and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Study screening procedures recommended by Higgins and Deeks will be followed. A narrative synthesis will be used, with data synthesised and interpreted using sifting, charting and sorting based on themes and key issues. Discussion Cervical cancer can become a disease of the past with a proper control strategy in place. It is therefore imperative to map available evidence on the management of cervical cancer to inform policy and advocacy action. More knowledge on the status quo will guide policymakers in ensuring cancer management guiding policies are formulated/updated/revised accordingly. Systematic review registration Not registered with PROSPERO (not needed). Protocol and registration This scoping review was not registered.

scholarly journals Sachet water consumption as a risk factor for cholera in urban settings: Findings from a case control study in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 2017–2018 outbreak

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. e0009477
Author(s):  
Placide Mbala-Kingebeni ◽  
Florian Vogt ◽  
Berthe Miwanda ◽  
Tresor Sundika ◽  
Nancy Mbula ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Democratic Republic ◽  
Case Control Study ◽  
Case Control ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
P Value ◽  
Republic Of The Congo ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Control Study

Background Behavioural risk factors for cholera are well established in rural and semi-urban contexts, but not in densely populated mega-cities in Sub-Saharan Africa. In November 2017, a cholera epidemic occurred in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where no outbreak had been recorded for nearly a decade. During this outbreak, we investigated context-specific risk factors for cholera in an urban setting among a population that is not frequently exposed to cholera. Methodology/Principal findings We recruited 390 participants from three affected health zones of Kinshasa into a 1:1 matched case control study. Cases were identified from cholera treatment centre admission records, while controls were recruited from the vicinity of the cases’ place of residence. We used standardized case report forms for the collection of socio-demographic and behavioural risk factors. We used augmented backward elimination in a conditional logistic regression model to identify risk factors. The consumption of sachet water was strongly associated with the risk of being a cholera case (p-value 0.019), which increased with increasing frequency of consumption from rarely (OR 2.2, 95% CI 0.9–5.2) to often (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.6–9.9) to very often (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.0–16.7). Overall, more than 80% of all participants reported consumption of this type of drinking water. The risk factors funeral attendance and contact with someone suffering from diarrhoea showed a p-value of 0.09 and 0.08, respectively. No socio-demographic characteristics were associated with the risk of cholera. Conclusions/Significance Drinking water consumption from sachets, which are sold informally on the streets in most Sub-Saharan African cities, are an overlooked route of infection in urban cholera outbreaks. Outbreak response measures need to acknowledge context-specific risk factors to remain a valuable tool in the efforts to achieve national and regional targets to reduce the burden of cholera in Sub-Saharan Africa.

scholarly journals Mapping Evidence on Management of Cervical Cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa: Scoping Review Protocol

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Petmore Zibako ◽  
Mbuzeleni Hlongwa ◽  
Nomsa Tsikai ◽  
Sarah Manyame ◽  
Themba G Ginindza
Keyword(s):  
Cervical Cancer ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Communicable Disease ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Cancer Management ◽  
Scoping Reviews ◽  
Sub Saharan

Abstract BackgroundCancer is a non-communicable disease, and is the number two leading cause of death globally. Among all cancers, cervical cancer is the number one killer of women in Low-Income countries (LICs). Cervical cancer is a well understood preventable cancer. The rates of cervical cancer are very varied and inversely proportional to effectiveness of disease management policies. Management of cervical cancer includes: prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment. The main objective of this scoping review is to map evidence on cervical cancer management in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) to understand the coverage of cervical cancer prevention and treatment services and provide an opportunity to generate knowledge on risk factors, attitudes and practices extendable globally.Methods and analysisThis review will be guided by Arksey and O’Malley’s framework recommended for conducting scoping review studies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-Scr) checklist will also be completed to ensure that the review adheres to sound methodological rigour acceptable for scoping review studies. The following electronic databases will be search for potentially eligible articles: PubMed, Ebsco Host, Scopus and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Study screening procedures recommended by Higgins and Deeks will be followed.DiscussionCervical cancer can become a disease of the past with a proper control strategy in place. It is therefore imperative to map available evidence on management of cervical cancer to inform policy and advocacy action. More knowledge on the status quo will guide policy makers in ensuring cancer management guiding policies are formulated/updated/ revised accordingly.Scoping review registration: Not registered with PROSPERO (not needed).Protocol and registration: This scoping review was not registered.

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