Breastfeeding rates among rural African women steadily declined during the 1960's . The introduction of exclusive breast feeding (EBF) in the 80s helped reduce infant morbidity/mortality however, misconceptions about when to initiate EBF and for how long still persists till date.

Objective: There is different perception of HIV/AIDS counselling fatique among counsellors of patients. This descriptive study assessed perceived HIV/AIDS counseling fatigue among HIV/AIDS counselors in Calabar, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A total of 90 counselors were assessed using a 35-item questionnaire measuring a variety of counseling activities. Fatigue was ranked on a 5-point Likert-type scale. The counseling fatigue was categorized in five subscales: accessibility of clients for HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT), explains and facilitates, monitoring and follow through, trusting relationships, policies in counseling activities, and burnout responses. Results: The results showed that counselors’ perceptions on fatigue were mostly on accessibility of clients for HCT (Mean = 72.50, standard deviation [SD] = 6.124) with statistical significance of Chi-square calculated = 161.419, df = 5; P < 0.001, monitoring and follow through activities (mean = 71.80, SD = 11.23, Chi-square calculated = 31.223; df = 4; P < 0.001), and policies in counseling activities (mean = 66.0 SD = 9.62, (Chi-square calculated = 11.906, df = 6; P < 0.05). Explain and facilitate statistically and significantly correlated with age (r = 0.610, P = 0.000) and years of experience (r = 0.695, P = 0.000). Burnout responses were also statistically significant (Chi-square calculated = 144.000; df = 7; P < 0.001). Conclusion: Findings show HCT counseling activities generally cause fatigue for counselors, however, explain and facilitate counseling activities correlated with age (20–29 years) and years of experience (1–2 years) as these were found to be more fatigued among the participants. The years of experience correlation could be attributed to lack of formal HCT counseling training reported by 20 (20%). Further research is needed to explore counselors’ perceptions of HIV/AIDS counseling fatigue in different cultures.

Exposure to blood borne viruses, by health care workers has been on the increase with nurses mostly affected. These exposures constitute serious challenges in the health care setting as they are common causes of illness and mortality among health care workers including hospitalized patients. Practice of standard precautions has been shown to reduce the risk of exposure to blood and body fluids. Over the years, injection safety has become an integral part of infection control in view of many diseases that are transmitted through unsafe injection practices. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and practice of injection safety among nurses in UCTH, Calabar using a descriptive research design. The specific objectives were to assess the level of knowledge of nurses about injection safety, assess injection safety practices and ascertain the barriers to injection safety practices among nurses in UCTH. Purposive sampling was used to select one hundred and ninety one (191) nurses across the wards in UCTH Calabar. A checklist containing 37 items was used to elicit information. Frequency and percentages were used for descriptive data while the hypothesis was tested using Chi square (X 2 ) analysis at 0.05 level of significance. Result revealed that 59.7% of the respondents had good knowledge of injection safety and 66.0% had good practice of injection safety while 6.8% had poor practice. Barriers to injection safety practices included inadequate supply of injection safety material, none display of injection safety guidelines. Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between level of knowledge and practice of injection safety among nurses (P = 112.8 < 0.05). Recommendations: health care administrators and nurse leaders should display injection safety guidelines, supply injection safety materials and ensure that more nurses are recruited into the workforce.

The study investigated the effect of reward system on health care workers performance in Teaching Hospital. It examined the relationship among monetary and non-monetary rewards and employees' performance in University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH). Desk survey was used in gathering relevant information. Primary sources were questionnaire, observation and interview, while secondary data were gathered from internet, textbooks, journals and libraries. Chi-square statistical tool was used and the findings revealed the monetary reward had a positive impact on employees' performance while non-monetary rewards had a negative effect on employees' performance. The study recommended that management of UCTH should boost the morale of their employees through fair and equitable reward system. The study further recommended that management should be effective with monetary rewards like bonuses and fringe benefits to encourage the workers improve performance.

An essential part of the nurse education programs is to facilitate the linking of theory to practice. Teaching practice experiences of nursing student provide greater insight to develop effective classroom and clinical teaching strategies in nursing. This paper described teaching practice experiences of nursing students, expectations and benefits for effective learning. The study simulated the complexities of life in a typical classroom that facilitates learning characterized by an acceptance of responsibility and clinical decision making in nursing practice using a mixed research design. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit information from 0ne hundred and fifteen (115) students, 38 direct entry and 77 generic fourth year students while ten students (five direct and five generic) participated in the focused group discussion (FGD). Descriptive data were analyzed using SPSS vision 18 to obtain frequencies, percentages mean and standard deviation and chi square findings. The FGD based on their categories were divided into two groups. The data collected was analyzed by coding and categorizing the themes that emerged. Quantitative analysis revealed significant (**p<0.001) chi square rejecting the null hypotheses at 0.05 with probabilities less than 0.001. This shows that nursing students' experiences, expectations and benefits are significantly derived from teaching practice although contingent on the mode of entry into the university (Direct entry and Generic entry). It is concluded that teaching practice is a motivating and challenging method that necessitates learning of facts, principles and procedures for effective development of decision-making skills that assist nursing students assume responsibility. It is recommended that more time be allotted for this important exercise especially for generic students.