Fertility-preservation counselling and treatment for medical reasons: data from a multinational network of over 5000 women.

Fertility-preservation techniques for medical reasons are increasingly offered in national networks. Knowledge of the characteristics of counselled patients and techniques used are essential. The FertiPROTEKT network registry was analysed between 2007 and 2013, and included up to 85 university and non-university centres in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; 5159 women were counselled and 4060 women underwent fertility preservation. In 2013, fertility-preservation counselling for medical reasons increased significantly among nullipara and women aged between 21 and 35 years (n = 1043; P < 0.001). Frequency of GnRH applications slowly decreased, whereas tissue, oocytes and zygote cryopreservation increased. In 2013, women with breast cancer mainly opted for tissue freezing, whereas women with lymphoma opted for GnRH agonist. Women younger than 20 years predominantly opted for GnRH agonists and ovarian tissue cryopreservation; women aged between 20 and 40 years underwent a variety of techniques; and women over 40 years opted for GnRH agonists. The average number of aspirated oocytes per stimulation cycle decreased as age increased (< 30 years: 12.9; 31-35 years: 12.3; 36-46: 9.0; > 41 years: 5.7). For ovarian tissue cryopreservation, removal and cryopreservation of fewer than one ovary was preferred and carried out in 97% of cases in 2013.

Motivating undergraduate students via online learning to develop clinical competencies

Background: Online learning is becoming increasingly common for undergraduate health professions.Aims: To examine the effect of an online hypertension management module in motivating undergraduate pharmacystudents to further develop clinical competencies during future clinical placements.Method: The module focuses on approaches to counselling techniques for chronic disease management. It iscomplemented by therapeutics lectures, counselling tutorial and an objective structured clinical examination. A studentsurvey, constructed based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, was undertaken after completion of the assessment.Results: Sixty two percent reported increased motivation to practice what they had learnt during placements, and amajority also reported improved attitudes and perceived self-efficacy. Levels of motivation had significant moderatecorrelations with improved appreciation of counselling techniques (r=0.489, p<0.001), and confidence to furtherpractice blood pressure counselling (r=0.411, p<0.001).Conclusion: Increased motivation to manage hypertension during future placements appears correlated with perceivedself-efficacy and engagement with the learning concepts.

Evolutions of an Online Generation: Education, Industry and IMC

This paper traces the evolutions of a new generation of students who are predominantly the ‘online generation’; explores the emerging impact of this generation on industry; identifies the changing role of education from traditional classroom to an online environment; and explores the contribution related to integrated marketing communications (IMC). Educational requirements from a business perspective must incorporate global business demands; virtual learning environments progress the online generation towards a post-modern learning state. The central proposition of this paper is that the emergence of IMC in evolving industry practices is influenced by student generations who are producing a new paradigm of alignment between education and industry. This is purely a conceptual exploration using limited examples to provide some context and illustrate the questions raised for consideration.