Occupational stress among dental house officers and students in a tertiary healthcare centre.

OBJECTIVE: To assess occupational stress among dental house officers and students treating patients in a tertiary healthcare centre in Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This questionnaire-based cross-sectional study of dental officers and final year dental students at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City was conducted in the second half of 2010. The questionnaire utilized was a modified form of stress screening questionnaire of International Stress Management Association. RESULTS: Out of the 100 questionnaires distributed, 88 questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 88.0%. A total of 53 (60.2%) the respondents were male and 35 (39.8%) were females. Dental students constituted 54 (61.4%) of the respondents while the remaining 34 (38.6%) were house officers. Amongst the respondents, 9 (10.2%), 68 (77.8%) and 11 (12.5%) reported severe, moderate and mild occupational stress respectively. The reported stress was significantly associated with gender (P = 0.032) as more female reported severe stress and more male reported moderate stress. The mean stress level was significantly higher among dental students than house officers (P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: One in every ten respondent reported severe occupational stress with a significant gender difference. Development of stress reduction strategies for dental house officers and students with gender bias is imperative.

Quality management and work environment in Swedish oral and maxillofacial surgery.

This thesis attempts to describe the opinion of the work with quality, quality management, and work environment among the employees at Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) clinics in Sweden. THIS THESIS AIMED TO: Analyse if the OMFS clinics in Sweden actively work with quality development and if so which systems they use. Explore the opinion of the employees about quality work. Describe how the employees of OMFS clinics in Sweden perceive good work, i.e., their image of the dimensions that the profession should contain to be really good work. Investigate whether there is a discrepancy between ideal and reality for this group. Describe how the employees of OMFS clinics in Sweden perceive their health. Analyse how work environment influenced attitudes to and knowledge of quality among employees of OMFS clinics in Sweden. The study was based on self-report questionnaires which in 2003 were sent to all OMFS clinics in Sweden. The response rate was 86%. Only at two clinics did all the respondents agree on their system. Surgeons rated intellectually stimulating work as most important, and the hazard-free work environment as least important. The nurses rated stimulating fellowship as most important, and the opportunity for career advancement as least important. The percentage unit differences between the ideal and the reality were largest for the item the work provides opportunities to have an influence on important decisions. There were significant differences between maxillofacial. surgeons and dental nurses and assistant nurses as to muscle- and joint trouble. The differences were also significant between men and women both as to muscle- and joint troubles and somatic trouble. Only work environment was significant for attitude towards quality work. Profession, gender, clinic size, and a factor for hard demand had significant associations to quality management system used or not. IN CONCLUSION: More than half of the respondents stated that they worked with a quality system. The dental nurses and assistant nurses had a much more positive view on the potential of quality work as a means to improve their work than had the maxillo-facial surgeons. For a majority of the dental nurses the working situation concerning the physical environment was more important than for the maxillo-facial surgeons. The employees emphasized free, influential, and intellectually stimulating work, but the dissonance between ideal and reality was rather wide concerning good work. OMFS employees are feeling unhealthy, but no worse than other high-risk-groups in human service working and better than female general practice dentists. The women of OMFS employees feel worse than the men.

Work environment factors affecting quality work in Swedish oral and maxillofacial surgery.

The aim of this study was to investigate how work environment influenced attitudes to and knowledge of quality among employees of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (OMFS) clinics in Sweden. Data were collected with a questionnaire of 67 questions, related to quality management at the clinic, working situation, content of "good work", physical environment and health. 22 clinics with 297 employees responded, 65% of the clinics and 86% of the employees. A multiple regression analysis with the dependent variable "Attitude towards quality work" showed that only "work environment" (p = 0.010) revealed a significant association (p < 0.05). The personnel will have a more favourable attitude to quality work if they regard work environment to be important. Dental nurses and assistant nurses had more than four times more knowledge of the used quality management system than had the maxillo-facial surgeons. Women had nearly four times more knowledge of quality management than men. Clinic size was important, with better knowledge of quality management in bigger clinics. Soft demands were defined as demands for "flexibility, creativity, quality, service, engagement/commitment and ability to work together, and competence". Hard demands included economy as important, and emphasis on efficiency and productivity. There was a weak association with knowledge of quality management systems if soft demands increased, but negative if hard demands increased. In conclusion, mainly work environment was of significance for the attitude towards quality work among the employees of OMFS clinics in Sweden. Profession, gender, clinic size, and the hard demands were significantly associated with knowledge of the quality management system used.

An investigation of the acceptability of undergraduate supervision by Senior House Officers and General Professional Trainees.

AIM: This study assessed whether Senior House Officers (SHO)/General Professional Trainees (GPT) are, or would be, comfortable supervising clinical undergraduates, whether they find this to be a valuable experience within their training programme, and whether undergraduates are or would be comfortable with SHO/GPTs supervising them. METHOD: Questionnaires were distributed to fourth and final year students at Glasgow and Dundee Dental Schools and fourth year students at Newcastle Dental School. Questionnaires were also distributed to SHO/GPTs at Glasgow Dental Hospital and School and Edinburgh Dental Institute. RESULTS: Seventy-nine per cent of respondent SHO/GPTs were currently not involved in the supervision of undergraduates within their present rotation, 65% of whom stated that they would value the experience of this within their training. Of those involved in supervision, 83% found the experience valuable. Forty-four per cent of students were unsure or not comfortable with SHO/GPTs supervising within an oral surgery department and approximately the same in other departments. Twenty-eight per cent of respondents felt that university lecturers should be the main trainer. CONCLUSION: SHO/GPTs value supervising undergraduates as part of their training experience. More than half of students are comfortable with SHO/GPTs supervising them. Both groups suggest that SHO/GPTs should receive some form of training in teaching prior to supervising undergraduates.

Changing knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Thai oral health personnel with regard to AIDS: an evaluation of an educational intervention.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of an educational intervention in improving Thai oral health personnel's (OHP) knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding HIV/AIDS. RESEARCH DESIGN: The study used a pre-test/post-test design with study and control groups. RESULTS: of the pre-test questionnaire were used to design the intervention. Three months after the study group received the intervention, the same questionnaire was given to both groups. INTERVENTION: A three-day workshop was conducted using a variety of teaching methods: lectures, videos, role-plays, interviews with HIV infected persons, and demonstrations. SETTING: The study was conducted in rural government dental clinics in three provinces in southern Thailand. One hundred and three OHP in 23 dental clinics were in the study group while 46 OHP in II dental clinics were in the control group. OUTCOME MEASURES: The outcomes were knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV/AIDS, perception of occupational risk, willingness to treat HIV infected persons and adherence to recommended infection control procedures. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The educational intervention resulted in significant improvement in many domains of KAP in the study group, while there was little change in the control group. The post-test questionnaire showed that further improvements are needed in attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and practices regarding accidental needle stick injury. The intervention was both effective and appropriate and should be considered for national use.

Attitudes of consultants to drinking alcohol on call.

198 consultant surgeons were asked about their drinking habits and their attitude to drinking alcohol whilst on call. Some of the answers raise issues which cause concern. It may be appropriate to consider a similar questionnaire to a wider professional group.

Trainees' perceptions of UK maxillofacial training.

Training is a central component of the work of many units around the UK. Many changes to the way that junior doctors are trained have taken place over the past few years and maxillofacial surgery, of all the surgical specialities, has perhaps undergone the most far-reaching. A postal survey of 93 maxillofacial specialist registrars (SpRs) in all regions of the UK was carried out, of whom 81 (87%) responded. The aim was to seek their views on subjects directly related to the quality of, and access to, training. Information was gathered on age of trainees, entitlement to annual and study leave, certification for Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) and office and research facilities.

Experience of workplace bullying behaviours in postgraduate hospital dentists: questionnaire survey.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of bullying and experience of bullying behaviours among postgraduate hospital dentists. DESIGN: Questionnaire survey. SETTING: The study was conducted among a sample of dentally qualified trainees within the UK's Hospital Dental Service. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-seven postgraduate hospital dentists were sent an anonymous questionnaire by the dental deans of participating deaneries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of bullying and prevalence of experience of bullying behaviours; differences in experience of bullying and bullying behaviours by gender and ethnic group. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-six hospital dentists returned the questionnaire, a response rate of 60%. Thirty-four (25%) identified themselves as victims of bullying, and 63 (47%) had witnessed their colleagues being bullied. Irrespective of whether or not they labelled themselves as victims of bullying, in the previous year 82 (60%) dentists had experienced one or more of the bullying behaviours included in the checklist. Overall, there was no statistically significant difference in experience of bullying behaviours by gender or ethnic group though non-white participants were significantly more likely than white participants to have experienced four of the bullying behaviours. CONCLUSIONS: Rates of bullying and experience of bullying behaviours among postgraduate hospital dentists were consistent with those reported in other NHS settings.

Conhecimento do médico hospitalar referente à higiene e as manifestações bucais de pacientes internados / Hospital physicians' knowledge of oral hygiene and oral manifestations in hospitalized patients

Objetivo: Avaliar através de questionário o conhecimento de médicoshospitalares referente à saúde bucal de pacientes internados. Métodos: Inicialmente os autores se dirigiam aos hospitais e pediam para os profissionais envolvidos preencherem um questionário semiestruturado.No total foram entrevistados 100 médicos, em seis hospitais, que atuam na rede pública e privada. O questionário foi composto por 12 questões que envolviam o ambiente hospitalar de atendimento; a área de atuação do médico; a unidade hospitalar que trabalha; a participação do cirurgião-dentista (CD) no ambientehospitalar; o conhecimento do médico referente à saúde bucal e aodiagnóstico das manifestações orais.Resultados: 52% dos médicos afirmaram não existir um controle deinfecção bucal, inclusive na unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI); 45% relataram nunca ter solicitado a presença do cirurgião dentista na equipe de saúde; cerca de 93% desconheciam a forma adequada de diagnosticar a doença periodontal; e 84% da doença cárie. Sobre as questões relacionadas à higiene bucal todos os profissionaisdesconheciam técnicas e instrumentos relacionados à higiene bucal. Destaca-se nas respostas que os médicos hospitalares, na sua grande maioria, acreditam que uma unidade hospitalar de odontologia poderia diminuir o tempo de internação dos pacientes. Conclusão: Há deficiência no conhecimento dos médicos hospitalares frente ao controle do biofilme oral dos pacientes hospitalizados, mas não omissão frente às questões que envolvem o foco de infecção odontogênica...

Objective: To evaluate hospital physiciansÆ knowledge of the oralhealth of hospitalized patients by means of a questionnaire-based survey.Methods: Physicians working at hospitals were invited to fill out a semistructured questionnaire. One hundred physicians from six public andprivate hospitals were interviewed. The questionnaire contained 12 questions addressing the hospital care facilities, the physicianÆs area of expertise, the hospital unit where he/she worked, the dentistÆs role in the hospital environment, and the physicianÆs knowledge of oral health and diagnosis of oral manifestations. Results: Among the interviewed physicians, 52% stated that there was no control of oral infections in the hospital were they worked, including the intensive care unit (ICU); 45% reported never asking for a dentist in the health care team; approximately 93% and 84% did not know the correct manner for diagnosing periodontal disease and dental caries,respectively. Regarding the questions relative to oral hygiene, none of the physicians knew about oral hygiene instruments and techniques. Among the answers, it should be highlighted that most physicians believed that a hospital dental unit could reduce the hospitalization time of patients.Conclusion: Under the conditions of this study, it may be concluded that the hospital physicians do not know how to control oral biofilm in hospitalized patients, but they are aware of the issues involving infections of odontogenic origin...

Prevalence of ocular injury and the use of protective eye wear among the dental personnel in a teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of ocular injury and the frequency of use of protective eye wear among the dental personnel of Lagos University teaching hospital. METHODOLOGY: A structured questionnaire was distributed to dental personnel of Lagos University Teaching Hospital working in the dental clinic and laboratory within a period of one month (November 2006). RESULTS: Ninety questionnaires out of 105 questionnaires were returned filled giving a response rate of 90.5%. 36.7% of the dental personnel are regular wearers of protective eye wear. 28.9% of males and 42.3% of females are regular wearers. Among the dental personnel the dental therapists showed the highest frequency of regular eye protection (100%) while the technologists showed the lowest frequency of regular eye protection (20%). There was significant difference in the prevalence of ocular injury among the dental personnel with the technologist having the highest prevalence of 40% and the dental students having the lowest prevalence of 15.4% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The frequency of using protective eye wear among the dental personnel of Lagos University Teaching hospital was low. The use of protective eye wear should be emphasized for all dental personnel and patients to prevent the occurrence of ocular injuries in the clinic and laboratory.

Ways of understanding the encounter with head and neck cancer patients in the hospital dental team--a phenomenographic study.

INTRODUCTION: Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common malignancy in the world. Fifty percent of the patients can be cured by surgery, radiotherapy or a combination approach. Head and neck cancer is life-threatening, and treatment may leave the patient with visible facial disfigurements and impairment of functions such as speech and eating. This affects not only the patient, but may arouse difficult feelings in the treatment staff. Dental personnel are involved in all facets of treatment, yet they have no specific training in cancer care. BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the variation in ways dental personnel understand and experience the encounter with head and neck cancer patients, as the way of understanding a certain phenomenon is judged to be fundamental to the way we act and form our beliefs. METHODS: Twenty members of hospital dental teams were interviewed. The interviews focused on experiences of the encounter with head and neck cancer patients. A qualitative research approach, phenomenography, was used in analysing the interviews. The encounter was perceived in three qualitatively different ways: as an act of caring, as a serious and responsible task and as an overwhelming emotional situation. The results indicate that hospital dental personnel are not able to lean on education and professional training in finding ways of dealing with situations with strong emotional impact. This has implications for the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer, as well as education of dental personnel.

Stress in junior hospital medical and dental staff: a descriptive account of their concerns and needs.

Examines the issues of work-related stress in the healthcare professions, focusing on junior medical and dental staff. Identifies the stressors, and reports on an interview survey conducted as part of a larger study funded by the National Health Service Management Executive to identify the levels of stress. Concludes that outsourcing to an independent counselling service could prove to be an effective stress-management strategy.