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Challenges faced by estate school students in online education during the COVID -19 pandemic

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Challenges faced by estate school students in online education during the COVID -19 pandemic Authors: Alagaraja, R.; Dushanthy Jeney, C. Abstract: Education is one of the most fundamental human activities and is an essential social institution. Durkheims viewpoints of education as the socialization of the next generation. The COVID-19 pandemic has an impact on all aspects of society as a biological disaster, and it has a global impact on education. The traditional face-to-face teaching classroom system was replaced with an online system to protect the students from COVID-19 infections. This study aims to explore the challenges faced by estate school students during online education. The study was carried out using a qualitative research method in lower Cranley estate which is located in Nuwaraeliya district of Sri Lanka. Total of 30 people selected through a purposive sampling method, including 20 students, 5 parents, and 5 teachers. Primary data were gathered through 10 case studies, 20 interviews, and field observation. The thematic method was used to obtain the results. Students from working-class backgrounds do not have adequate economic, infrastructure, and study facilities to study on an online platform. In the online study system, they faced numerous social and psychological challenges and issues, including frustration, anger, anxiety, low self-esteem, lack of interest in education, and school dropouts. The cultural habits, social, and cultural capital of working-class communities have a detrimental impact on their children’s education. Therefore, online education is increasing social reproduction in society. Poor people were unable to access the online education. It has provided numerous benefits to people in the middle and upper classes. It will have an impact on the future educational achievement of the community, so there is a strong need to ensure free educational rights in Sri Lanka. Government and non-governmental organizations are needed to work on poor working-class children’s education during the COVID-19 pandemic because it affects not only their education but also their social mobility.

Leadership styles of Nurse Managers and Supervisors in Capacity Management Department, Al- Wakra Hospital

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Leadership styles of Nurse Managers and Supervisors in Capacity Management Department, Al- Wakra Hospital Authors: Devanesan, C.W.; Samuel, E.S. Abstract: Leadership is an art and discipline of guiding, directing, motivating, and inspiring a group or organization toward the achievement of common goals. There are several different leadership styles exhibited by the leaders in a healthcare setting. Nurse managers should observe their own leadership styles and its effects on the work environment, they can adjust to a better leadership style. The study aimed to explore the nurse manager’s perceptions on leadership styles among the nurse managers at Al- Wakra Hospital. An observational, cross-sectional survey was conducted among eight nursing supervisors, five bed managers and seven case managers at the capacity management department of Al- wakra Hospital. The samples were selected by convenience sampling. The multifactor leadership questionnaire was used to assess the leadership styles. It was a 45-item self-report questionnaire that measures a full range of leadership behaviors and three outcomes through its 12 subscales. The collected data were tabulated and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists-23. In terms of transformational leadership, results indicate that nursing supervisors frequently influenced their subordinates through the employment of all five critical strategies of transformational leadership: attributed idealized influence; behavioral idealized influence; inspirational motivation; intellectual stimulation and individualized consideration (mean 3.80). Also bed managers (mean 3.42) and case managers fairly often influenced their subordinates (mean 3.26) respectively. The results showed that nursing supervisors (mean 3.11), bed mangers (mean 3.21) and case mangers (mean 3.15) all perceived themselves to fairly often demonstrate transactional leadership factors - contingent reward and active management by perceptions respectively. Overall, the data showed that the nurse mangers perceived that they frequently and fairly often displayed transformational leadership styles. The finding of the study is providing information about the nurse manager’s perceptions of self, will provide direction for future leadership continuing education offerings and professional development.

Attitudes and practices of young adults related to blood donation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Attitudes and practices of young adults related to blood donation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka Authors: Fazla, M.M.F.; Dileka, K.T.S.; Wickramasekara, K.M.H.M.; Oshana, B.V.; Piyumantha, B.V.D.; Wijekumar, P.J.; Nayanathara, R.K.A.B.; Ranadeva, N.D.K. Abstract: Blood donation can save a million lives. A reduction in the numbers of potential donors was observed during the COVID 19 pandemic in Sri Lanka, where the need for an accelerated process of blood collection has been a concern of the health sector. This study aimed to determine the attitudes and practices of young adults related to blood donation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 388 young adults in Sri Lanka, using a convenient sampling technique and an online structured self-administered questionnaire. There were three sections in the questionnaire: socio-demographic (Q-05), attitude (Q-05), and practice (Q-06). Data were analysed using IBM SPSS version 28.0. Among the total participants, there were 274 (71%) females and 114 (29%) males. Of 388 young adults, 26.5% (n=103) were previous donors and 73.45% (n=285) were non-donors. 33.5% of the study participants (n=130) claimed that it is safe to donate blood during the COVID-19 pandemic while the rest 66.5% (n=258) claimed it’s not safe. Out of the donor population (n=103), 44.7% (n=46) donated blood during the COVID-19 pandemic where it was noted that more than half of regular donors 55.3% (n=57) refrained from donating blood during COVID 19 pandemic. Further, no statistically significant associations were found between the positive attitudes of donors and blood donation during the pandemic situation. (p= 0.114). There was a statistically significant (p=0.003) association observed between donors and non-donors with their preference for donating blood during the pandemic in a safe environment. Also, 10.86 % of donors got the COVID-19 infection after visiting a donation camp. This study concluded that there was an overall negative attitude toward blood donation during COVID-19 and also observed a reduction in the regular practice of blood donation.

State of Mental Health of the Children in Child Welfare Centers in Batticaloa District

2022-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: State of Mental Health of the Children in Child Welfare Centers in Batticaloa District Authors: Genoosha, N.; Arulpragasam, A.N.; Gadambanathan, T.; Karthijekan, K. Abstract: Children under institutionalised care are vulnerable to develop mental health abnormalities. This study aimed to assess the mental health of the children in child welfare centers and identify the influencing factors. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 30 child welfare centers in Batticaloa district from January 2017 to December 2019. A total of 647 children aged from 11 to 17 years were recruited. The self-reported youth version of strengths and difficulties questionnaire was used to assess the children’s mental health. Multiple linear regression stepwise method analyses were employed to identify the factors influencing the children’s mental health. The mean scores of the total difficulties, emotional problems, conduct problems, hyperactivity, peer problems and prosocial behaviour were 12.22±5.18, 4.14±2.09, 2.45±1.67, 3.27±1.77, 2.36±1.76 and 8.43±1.51, respectively. Fifty-two (8.0%) children had an abnormality in total difficulties, 73 (11.3%) had emotional problems, 89 (13.8%) had conduct problems, 22 (3.4%) had hyperactivity, 34 (5.3%) had peer problems, and 7 (1.1%) had abnormal prosocial concerns. Poor mental health was statistically associated with the presence of feeling of distress (p<0.001), family history of mental illness (p=0.001), female gender (p=0.002), poor satisfaction of family interaction (p=0.008), and poor academic performances (p=0.034). Forty-five children found with abnormal mental health in the screening were referred to the child mental health clinic at Teaching Hospital Batticaloa; only sixteen attended the clinic, and six were diagnosed with Childhood psychiatric disorders. The majority of the children in child welfare centers are mentally healthy, and few children exhibit abnormal mental health. Therefore, approaches to support the children in maintaining optimum mental health are valuable in their development. Further, early screening and referrals must be enhanced to prevent adversities