ABSTRACT
Introduction: HIV remains a significant global public health challenge, with substantial impacts on individuals, communities, and healthcare systems. In 2018, it was estimated that approximately 37.9 million people were living with HIV, including 1.7 million children. The global prevalence of HIV among adults was approximately 0.8%, with a substantial proportion of individuals (around 21%) unaware of their HIV-positive status (UNAIDS, 2019). Since the onset of the HIV epidemic, an estimated 74.9 million people have become infected with HIV, resulting in approximately 32 million deaths from AIDS-related illnesses (UNAIDS, 2019). However, there has been significant progress in reducing AIDS-related deaths, with a notable decline of over 55% in AIDS-related deaths since the peak in 2004 and 2010 (UNAIDS, 2019). Thus, this study aimed at investigating the prevalence of HIV exposed children testing at 18 months and factors affecting the uptake of these services in various clinics of Mansa district, Luapula province, Zambia. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of HIV exposed children testing at 18 months and factors associated with the uptake of these services in various clinics of Mansa district in Luapula province. Method: An analytical cross-sectional research design was used for this study. The study population were HIV positive mothers who enrolled in PMTCT at the selected Clinics of Mansa District in Luapula Province. Simple random sampling method was used to select the respondents who were interviewed face to face using a pretested structured interview questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. The t-test was used to assess statistical significance of associations between variables at significance level of 0.05 and 95% confidence. Furthermore, multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between the likelihood of HIV testing at 18 months (dependent variable) and various independent ........

ABSTRACT
Preoperative fasting is the term used to describe the time before a surgical procedure during which patients are not permitted to consume any liquids or solids by mouth. Pre-operative fasting guidelines for adult patients are critical for ensuring the well-being and safety of surgical patients. Pre-operative fasting is a standard practice designed to reduce the risk of complications during surgery, such as gastric aspiration. Fasting helps to prevent complications like pulmonary aspiration pneumonia, which can occur if patients do not empty their stomachs before surgery. Fasting durations for solids, liquids, and clear fluids are typically recommended in guidelines. Fasting before surgery or medical procedures that require anesthesia is a common practice. Fasting is done to reduce the risk of aspiration, which occurs when stomach contents enter the lungs during anesthesia and can lead to serious complications. The general guidelines for preoperative fasting typically include avoiding solid food for a specific period before the procedure, as well as limiting liquid intake. Fasting durations and recommendations, on the other hand, can vary. There has been some evolution in preoperative fasting guidelines in recent years. The traditional method involved fasting for extended periods, sometimes up to 12 hours or more for solid food and 2-6 hours for clear liquids. Recent research and updated guidelines in various countries suggest that shorter fasting periods may be just as effective in preventing aspiration while also improving hydration and reducing the stress associated with prolonged fasting. Many healthcare facilities are now more relaxed about preoperative fasting, allowing clear liquids up to 2 hours before surgery and light meals up to 6 hours before the procedure. It is important to note, however, that these guidelines are subject to change, specific fasting instructions are dependent on factors such as the type of surgery, the patient's health status, and .....

ABSTRACT
Community health practitioners play a vital role in providing primary healthcare services, including antenatal/postnatal care and delivery. The research aim to identify safe normal delivery knowledge and practice among healthcare workers in primary healthcare clinics that plays significant role in the quality of care provided to pregnant women in their respective communities. Methods: A descriptive study design and a cluster sampling technique with the aid of questionnaires was used to select 210 community health practitioners from, Bayelsa Central Senatorial district. Results: From this study shows that 51.43% of respondents were within 25-34 years age bracket, 46.19% were married, 72.38% of respondents were CHEW’s, 53.81% were government employed and 92.38% were Christians while 1.90% and 5.71% were Islam and African traditional religion. An average knowledge of 94.76% community health practitioners on safe delivery was identified with a practice rate of 90.95% as well as 75.24% that has taken delivery successfully. Conclusion: Community health workers are known to be skilled birth attendants as well as positioned geographically and socially to deliver some aspects of MNH care. Hence we recommend that there should be an increased training and retraining of community health practitioners across Bayelsa state as this will help to protect life of women and their unborn /newborn babies.

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Readiness for hospital discharge is a multidimensional concept involving needs assessment, collaborative patient-centered care, resource management, and care coordination. It begins with admission assessment and treatment planning and then predicts patient readmission and continuity of care. Different studies have revealed moderate readiness for hospital discharge in various patient groups, with a focus on somatic diseases and less on mental disorders. Low readiness for hospital discharge leads to hospital readmissions, as well as financial and psychosocial burdens on patients and their families. As a result, patients, families, healthcare professionals, and community workers must work together to ensure readiness for hospital discharge. Despite the fact that these procedures are currently performed by nurses, nurses’ heavy workloads may have an impact on patients' preparation for hospital discharge. Additionally, various social demographic factors, illness-related variables, and psychological support have an impact on readiness for hospital discharge. Younger age, urban residence, higher level of education, and better financial status are positively correlated with increased readiness for hospital discharge, but disease severity, long duration of hospital stay, and limited continuity of care are negatively correlated with readiness for hospital discharge. In conclusion, readiness for hospital discharge is crucial for safe transitions; thus, addressing its influencing factors through teamwork and patient-centered methods may enhance understanding and meeting the unique needs of patients, particularly those with chronic and mental illnesses, allowing a successful transition from the hospital to the community.

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Purpose: Medical errors is a major health-safety issue in many hospitals; however, many of those errors are went underreported. Willingness of nurses to report the errors accurately is a key role in overcoming the underreporting issue. Therefore, this study determined the frequency of errors, error underreporting in Omani hospitals, and nurses' perceptions of the adequacy of the processes of error reporting and the most common errors, as well as the beliefs about reasons for underreporting. Method: The study used a descriptive cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 31 units in 11 Omani hospitals from July 2016 to July 2017 using incident reports and surveys completed by 562 nurses. Nurses were asked about reasons for underreporting, common errors on their patient units, and the adequacy of error reporting processes. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Results: The rate of errors determined by incident reports was compared to the rate provided by the Institute of Health Improvement using its trigger tool. In comparison to the predicted error rate of .40 identified by the trigger tool, the rate of errors across all units was .0164. There was a significant difference in reported and predicted rates (z = 4.36, p < .001). All units (31) had significantly lower than predicted error rates, indicating underreporting. Despite the belief that the error reporting processes were adequate, most nurses identified fear of punishment as a common reason for underreporting. Conclusion: Fear was identified as a common cause of underreporting; therefore, it is necessary to implement a culture of safety to address underreporting, inaccuracy in rates of medical errors, and patient safety.

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Introduction: The research was conducted to evaluate the health-related quality of life in individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital, located in Lusaka, Zambia. Diabetes mellitus has become a serious global public health concern with huge impact on human life and health expenditures (Khan et al., 2020). With many people affected, diabetes mellitus has an impact on individual’s functional capacities and quality of life, which leads to significant morbidity and mortality (Rantahal et al., 2015). Methodology: The research employed an analytical cross-sectional research design to assess the health-related quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital (LMUTH) in Lusaka, Zambia. It involved a comprehensive review of current knowledge and the gathering of primary sources to build a theoretical model based on existing evidence. The study sample consisted of 134 respondents, and data were collected using structured interview schedules. Simple random sampling method was used to select the study respondents, and a sampling frame was employed every day and randomly sampled some respondents. To assess and identify factors associated with health related quality of life in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression analyses were employed through SPSS version 23. The Odds Ratio with a 95% confidence interval was computed to determine the level of association. The variables with p-value less than 5%, in the multivariate analysis were considered as statistically associated, association between covariates and Health Related Quality of Life. Results: The findings revealed that a significant portion, 43.3%, of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at LMUTH reported a low quality of life. This low quality of life was found to be associated with various socio-demographic factors. Specifically, individuals who were not employed, lacked regular .....

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Introduction: Over the past decades, performance appraisal has been a part of the process of guiding and managing career development in the health care sectors. The feedback of performance appraisal may leave a great impact and satisfaction on employee and evaluators. However, there is little known about the effect of performance appraisal on improving the job satisfaction among nurses in Oman. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the relationship between performance appraisal and job satisfaction among nurses in Al Dakhliyah Governorate, Oman. Methods: the study used an explorative descriptive cross-sectional design using stratified random sampling of 309 nurses assigned in the 29 government healthcare institutions in Al Dakhliyah Governorate. A self-developed Performance Appraisal Questionnaire was used for data collection. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 was used to analyze and interpret the data. Results: the findings showed that more than 60% of the respondents believed that the reason to conduct performance appraisal was only to evaluate performance of employees without considering other factors such as job satisfaction, promotion, and motivation. Majority of respondent agreed that performance appraisal helps achieve meaningful career goals and promotes constructive criticism in a friendly and positive environment 70% and 67% respectively). In addition, many of the participants (69%) revealed that their work performance improved after the formal process of performance appraisal and 68% of them believed that performance appraisal would improve their job satisfaction and motivate them to perform their duties sincerely. Conclusion: Performance appraisal is a crucial aspect in human resource management that can directly affect the job satisfaction of nurses. Policy-decision makers in the Ministry of Health can develop clear guidelines and policies regarding performance appraisal, as well as strategies that improve job .........