Sample records for briggs type indicator

  1. Relationship of self-management to personality types and indices.

    PubMed

    Williams, R L; Verble, J S; Price, D E; Layne, B H

    1995-06-01

    This study addressed the relationship between self-management (as measured by the Lifestyle Approaches Inventory, Williams, Moore, Pettibone, & Thomas, 1992) and personality types and indexes (as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Myers & McCaulley, 1985) in a sample of 347 university students. Correlational analyses indicated that the self-management factor most consistently linked to the Myers-Briggs indices was Organization of Physical Space. The Myers-Briggs index most consistently correlated with the self-management factors was Judgment-Perception. Overall, male and female subjects showed similar patterns of relationships between the self-management and personality indices. When the self-management scores were compared for the various Myers-Briggs types, the analysis indicated that types having a J (planful and organized) or S (precise and practical) in the typology tended to score higher than those having a P (spontaneous and flexible) or N (imaginative and insightful).

  2. Self-Selection Patterns of College Roommates as Identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anchors, W. Scott; Hale, John, Jr.

    1985-01-01

    Investigated patterns and processes by which students (N=422) made unassisted roommate pairings within residence halls using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Results indicated introverts, intuitives, feelers, and perceivers each tended to self-select. (BL)

  3. The Influence of Hemispheric Dominance on Scores of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hartman, Steve E.; And Others

    1997-01-01

    Results for 75 medical students and 248 undergraduates suggest that the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator appears to sample only 3 bipolar personality dimensions rather than the 4 that the use of "type tables" implies. One of these dimensions shares substantial variance with the cognitive model of hemispheric dominance. (SLD)

  4. Personality Characteristics of South Korean Students with Visual Impairments Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bak, Sunhi

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: The study presented here was designed to determine whether there were significant differences in the frequency and preference scores of personality functions and the frequency of personality types, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), by gender, school level, and level of visual function, of students with visual…

  5. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Teaching-Learning Process.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCaulley, Mary H.

    The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was developed specifically to make possible the implementation of Carl Jung's theory of type and is concerned mainly with conscious elements of the personality. It assumes that to function well, an individual must have a well-developed system for perception and a well-developed system for making decisions or…

  6. An Assessment of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carlyn, Marcia

    1977-01-01

    The Myers Briggs Type Indicator is a self-report inventory developed to measure variables in Carl Jung's personality typology. The four personality scales measured by the instrument, and the scoring process are described, and an extensive review of the intercorrelation, reliability, and validity research is presented. (Author/MV)

  7. The Multifactorial Nature of Extraversion-Introversion in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Eysenck Personality Inventory.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sipps, Gary J.; Alexander, Ralph A.

    1987-01-01

    The construct validity of extraversion-introversion was explored, as measured by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Findings supported the complexity of extraversion-introversion. Two MBTI scales, Extraversion Introversion and Judging Perceiving, were factorially valid measures of impulsivity…

  8. The Relationship between Personality Type and Software Usability Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI)

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lindsey, William H.

    2011-01-01

    The study attempted to determine if there is a relationship between user's psychological personality types, measured by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator[R] (MBTI[R]) and distinct measures of usability measured by the Software Usability Measurement Inventory (SUMI). The study was expected to provide an answer to the following basic research…

  9. Survey of Librarians Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Form G Self-Scorable).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johns, Alan

    A survey conducted in February 1990 asked 100 librarians to respond to a mailed Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a widely used personality survey that determines Jungian personality types. The results of the MBTI can be applied to building work teams in the library. Forty-eight librarians responded to the survey. Their responses were tallied…

  10. Considering Personality Type in Adult Learning: Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in Instructor Preparation at PricewaterhouseCoopers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Daisley, Richard J.

    2011-01-01

    This article explores the feasibility of using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) as a framework for instructor development in a professional services training environment. It explores the consistency of MBTI with common adult learning theory, addresses questions on MBTI's reliability and validity, and explores the applicability of MBTI to the…

  11. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Personality Profiling and General Weighted Average (GWA) of Nursing Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mallari, Shedy Dee C.; Pelayo, Jose Maria G., III

    2017-01-01

    The study focused on the investigation of the existing dynamics between the Myers Briggs Type Indicator personality profiling (MBTI), and General Weighted Average (GWA) of nursing students. The participants were 48 college students in Angeles City, Philippines. All the students were administered with the MBTI instrument. Descriptive…

  12. Essentials of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator[R] Assessment. Essentials of Psychological Assessment Series.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Quenk, Naomi L.

    This book provides step-by-step guidance on the administration, scoring, and interpretation of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator[R] (MBTI). The book also contains assessment of the test's strengths and weaknesses, advice on its clinical applications, and several case reports. The chapters are: (1) "Overview"; (2) "How To Administer…

  13. The Relationship of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to Scores on the National Teacher's Examination. AIR Forum 1981 Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pratt, Linda K.; And Others

    The relationship of the dimensions of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to scores on the National Teacher's Examination (NTE) was examined. The MBTI classifies people on each of four indices: extraversion/introversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judgment/perception. A sample of 111 students, 90 percent of whom were black,…

  14. Psychological Type and Preferences in the Academic Environment

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-09-01

    INTJ Perceiving ISTP ISFP INFP INTP EXTRA VERSION Perceiving ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP Judging ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ (Kroeger and Thuesen, 1992: 44) (Note: In...significant relationships between the components of an individual’s psychological type and cognitive style, as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator...nature and addressed the following question: What are the relationships between the preferences as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and

  15. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator[R] and Mainstream Psychology: Analysis and Evaluation of an Unresolved Hostility

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lloyd, John B.

    2012-01-01

    The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI[R]) is widely used as a staff-development tool in the business and voluntary sectors. Its Psychological Type approach is found to be a valuable aid to understanding self and others and thus to enhancing effective team-working. This continuing and growing popularity is surprising in view of the disdain with…

  16. Comparing University Students and Community College Students Learning Styles and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Preferences.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Herbster, Douglas L.; And Others

    This document reports on a study to determine if there is a pattern between specific learning styles and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator preferences. The learning style inventory used for the study, "The Teaching and Learning Styles Survey for Adolescents (TLC)," is based on Jungian style preferences--thinker, feeler, sensor, and…

  17. Psychometric Properties of Scores on a New Measure of Psychological Type.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vacha-Haase, Tammi; Thompson, Bruce

    Instruments measuring Carl Jung's (1921/1971) theory of psychological types have been widely used in various counseling contexts. The most popular measure of types has been the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (K. Briggs and I. Myers). This measure has been criticized for dichotomous scoring, forced-choice response formats, and differential gender…

  18. Alternative Ways of Measuring Counselees' Jungian Psychological-Type Preferences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vacha-Haase, Tammi; Thompson, Bruce

    2002-01-01

    Instruments measuring Carl Jung's (1921/1971) theory of psychological types have been widely used in various counseling contexts, including career counseling, marital and family therapy, and team building. The most popular measure of types, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), was developed by Katherine C. Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs…

  19. Career Assessment and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCaulley, Mary H.; Martin, Charles R.

    1995-01-01

    The Myers-Briggs Type Inventory provides a way of determining the fit between individual preferences and potential occupations. It can give people an appreciation of their strengths and weaknesses and awareness of possible blind spots. Recognition of individual types can help in selecting appropriate steps for career planning and lifelong…

  20. Re-Engineering Your Office Environment: Matching Careers and Personality via the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McPherson, Bill

    1995-01-01

    Provides a summary of the research on the use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in the workplace with implications for the practical uses of the MBTI. Suggests using the MBTI to aid the office professional, office manager, and office employee in training, career counseling and planning, team building, organizational development, and…

  1. Examination of Psychological Type and Preferred Negotiation Tactics and Strategies of Contract Negotiators

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-09-01

    Auxiliary Process .................. 23 iii Page The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ....................... 24 The Relationship of Personality Type and...negotiation tactics and/or strategies. Major Charan Johnstone (1986) studied the relationship of psychological type as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type...1986:118). Determining psychological type for both government and industry negotiators, and the relationship to negotiation tactics and strategies may

  2. Progress on the Journey to Total Quality Management: Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Adjective Check List in Management Development.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mani, Bonnie G.

    1995-01-01

    In an Internal Revenue Service office using total quality management (TQM), the management development program uses Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Adjective Check List for manager self-assessment. Because management commitment is essential to TQM, the process is a way of enhancing leadership skills and demonstrating appreciation of diversity. (SK)

  3. Over-representation of Myers Briggs Type Indicator introversion in social phobia patients.

    PubMed

    Janowsky, D S; Morter, S; Tancer, M

    2000-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to profile the personalities of patients with social phobia. Sixteen patients with social phobia were compared with a normative population of 55,971, and with 24 hospitalized Major Depressive Disorder inpatients, using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator. The Myers Briggs Type Indicator, a popular personality survey, divides individuals into eight categories: Extroverts versus Introverts, Sensors versus Intuitives, Thinkers versus Feelers, and Judgers versus Perceivers. Social phobia patients were significantly more often Introverts (93.7%) than were subjects in the normative population (46.2%). In addition, using continuous scores, the social phobia patients scored as significantly more introverted than did the patients with Major Depressive Disorder, who also scored as Introverted. Introversion is a major component of social phobia, and this observation may have both etiological and therapeutic significance.

  4. Personality characteristics of hospice volunteers as measured by Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, C W; Shuff, I M

    1995-12-01

    A sample of hospice volunteers (n = 99) was administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Myers & McCaulley, 1985). Frequencies of types observed were compared to population sample (n = 1,105) frequencies. Results indicated that, as a whole, hospice volunteers preferred extraversion over introversion, intuition over sensing, and feeling over thinking. Analysis of four-and two-letter preference combinations also yielded statistically significant differences. Most notably, the sensing-intuitive function appeared pivotal in determining of hospice volunteering. Suggestions are offered as to why the sensing-intuition function appeared central to hospice volunteering. Results appeared consistent with Jungian personality theory.

  5. Communicator image and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator extraversion-introversion.

    PubMed

    Opt, Susan K; Loffredo, Donald A

    2003-11-01

    This study is an examination of the relationship between communicator image and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) dimensions of extraversion-introversion. The authors found that individuals who prefer extraversion tend to have a more positive communicator image than those who prefer introversion. The results of this study support other research results showing that personality preferences differ in communication behaviors and traits, which could have implications for the individual's comfort and success in society. Results of this research also support the contention that communication behavior has biological aspects.

  6. Utilizing the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory in Employee Assistance Program Workplace Seminars.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aviles, Christopher B.

    Social work educators are being called upon more often to deliver employee workplace seminars for community agencies on a variety of topics ranging from burnout and stress management to improving workplace communication and managing workplace conflicts. One tool that addresses workplace communication is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It…

  7. A comparison of music education and music therapy majors: personality types as described by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and demographic profiles.

    PubMed

    Steele, Anita Louise; Young, Sylvester

    2008-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop both personality and demographic profiles for students who are interested in majoring in music education or music therapy. Two primary questions were addressed in the study: (a) Are there similarities and differences in the personality types of music education and music therapy majors as measured by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI )? (b) Are there similarities and differences in demographic characteristics of music education and music therapy majors in regard to (i) principal instrument studied in college, (ii) grade point average, (iii) scholarship awards, (iv) high school participation in private study and (v) ensembles, (vi) church/community participation, and (vii) volunteerism in high school?

  8. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator as a Tool to Facilitate Learning Outcomes for Team Building in the Classroom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berry, Priscilla; Wood, Cindy; Thornton, Barry

    2007-01-01

    Globalization and domestic competition are forcing businesses to rethink the human resources utilization process, and one method for considering again this challenge is creating a team culture. One key to this process for human resources development is the understanding of how to create the most successful teams. The use of the Myers-Briggs Type…

  9. The Connection between Personality Type and Achievement in College Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tharp, Gerald D.

    1993-01-01

    Discusses a study where the Myers Briggs Type Indicator was given to 146 students in a general biology course at a large state university. Results indicate that the introverts were the highest achievers and the perceiving types were the lowest achievers. (PR)

  10. Building Efficient and Effective Strategic Intelligence Teams

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-03-22

    this useful understanding is the Myer’s Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Developed by psychologist Carl Jung , Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook...focused on its specialized mission, acquiring its own information and then sharing via formal, finished reports. These efforts were not synchronized to... Carl Von Clausewitz’s correlation to intelligence in war, “War 6 has a way of masking the stage with scenery crudely daubed with fearsome

  11. Learning Strategy Preference and Personality Type: Are They Related?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Conti, Gary J.; McNeil, Rita C.

    2011-01-01

    This study investigated the relationship of learning strategy preference to personality type. Learning strategy preference was identified with the "A"ssessing "T"he "L"earning Strategies of "A"dult"S" (ATLAS), and personality type was measured with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The…

  12. Myers-Briggs typology and Jungian individuation.

    PubMed

    Myers, Steve

    2016-06-01

    Myers-Briggs typology is widely seen as equivalent to and representative of Jungian theory by the users of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and similar questionnaires. However, the omission of the transcendent function from the theory, and the use of typological functions as its foundation, has resulted in an inadvertent reframing of the process of individuation. This is despite some attempts to integrate individuation and typology, and reintroduce the transcendent function into Myers-Briggs theory. This paper examines the differing views of individuation in Myers-Briggs and Jungian theory, and some of the challenges of reconciling those differences, particularly in the context of normality. It proposes eight principles, drawn mainly from Jungian and classical post-Jungian work, that show how individuation as a process can be integrated with contemporary Myers-Briggs typology. These principles show individuation as being a natural process that can be encouraged outside of the analytic process. They make use of a wide range of opposites as well as typological functions, whilst being centred on the transcendent function. Central to the process is the alchemical image of the caduceus and a practical interpretation of the axiom of Maria, both of which Jung used to illustrate the process of individuation. © 2016, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

  13. Applications of Jungian Type Theory to Counselor Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dilley, Josiah S.

    1987-01-01

    Describes Carl Jung's theory of psychological type and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), an instrument to assess Jungian type. Cites sources of information on the research and application of the theory and the MBTI. Explores how knowledge of type theory can be useful to counselor educators. (Author)

  14. Psychological Types of Academically Gifted Adolescents

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cross, Tracy L.; Neumeister, Kristie L. Speirs; Cassady, Jerrell C.

    2007-01-01

    This study provides descriptive information about the psychological types of a sample of 931 gifted adolescents who attended a public residential academy. Psychological types are assessed with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTI reports on four pairs of personality types: Extraversion/Introversion (E/I), Sensing/Intuition (S/N),…

  15. New Study Says CAI May Favor Introverts.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hopmeier, George

    1981-01-01

    A personality research study using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator indicates that computer-assisted instruction programs favor introverts, i.e., those learners who can concentrate on details, memorize facts, and stay with a task until it is completed. (JJD)

  16. The Profiles of Creative Potential and Personality Characteristics of Adult Professionals

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Seon-Young; Min, Jiyeon

    2016-01-01

    Using 5 divergent thinking indices of the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, this study examined the creative profiles of 236 adult professionals and relationships between their creative characteristics and personality types. All these adults were in their middle or late stage of professional development in…

  17. Using Jung More (and Etching Him in Stone Less).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    O'Brien, Roger T.

    1985-01-01

    Discusses aspects of Jungian typology: (1) three pairs of opposing attitudes or functions; (2) the training applications of Jung's psychological types; and (3) instruments measuring Jungian typology, including Myers-Briggs Type Indicators, Keirsey Temperament Sorter, Personal Style Inventory, Keegan Type Measuring Instrument, and Personal Style…

  18. The Learning Styles of Agriculture Preservice Teachers as Assessed by the MBTI.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cano, Jamie; Garton, Bryan L.

    1994-01-01

    The Myers Briggs Type Indicator was completed by 82 preservice agricultural education teachers. All 16 types were reflected; the most common were Extrovert Sensing Thinking Judging (23%), Introvert Sensing Thinking Judging (18%), and Extrovert Sensing Feeling Judging (13%). (SK)

  19. Personality Types of Hong Kong Kindergarten Teachers: Implications for Teacher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wong, Yau-ho Paul; Li-fang, Zhang

    2013-01-01

    While an individual's personality is related to his or her well-being, little research has examined kindergarten teachers' personality. This research was the first to investigate Hong Kong kindergarten teachers' personality types using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Three hundred and seventy-one kindergarten teachers voluntarily responded…

  20. Investigation of the Relationships Between Personality Types of Eighth-Grade Science Students and Cognitive Preference Orientation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Novak, John Anthony

    This study investigated the relationship among personality types, cognitive preference orientation, science achievement, intelligence, attitudes toward science and scientists, sex, and geographic area of eighth-grade science students using the following four instruments: (1) Myers-Briggs Type Indication (MBTI); (2) Cognitive Preference Examination…

  1. Personality Types and Learners' Interaction in Web-Based Threaded Discussion

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, JeongMin; Lee, Youngmin

    2006-01-01

    This study examined the effects of group composition based on the learners' personality types as measured by the Myers-Briggs type indicator as they interacted in threaded discussions. Three groups comprised introverts, extroverts, and mixed introvert-extrovert classifications. Ninety-six participants were divided into 24 groups of 4 participants…

  2. How Reading Strategy Use and Personality Types Are Related?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Safdarian, Zahra; Ghyasi, Majid; Farsani, Mohammad Amini

    2014-01-01

    This study sought to uncover the reading strategies utilized by Iranian undergraduate English Foreign Language (EFL) learners and their relationship with personality types. To this end, 194 university EFL learners were asked to fill out the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to identify their personality types and answer a reading strategy…

  3. The Role of Personality Temperament and Student Learning in Principles of Economics: Further Evidence.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ziegert, Andrea L.

    2000-01-01

    Explores the relationship between student personality types and measures of student performance in principles of microeconomics using the Keirsey Sorter, a 70-question Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI); results from the Test of Understanding of College Economics (TUCE); and course grades. Suggests that personality types do affect student…

  4. Psychological Type Preferences of Female Bible College Students in England

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kay, William K.; Francis, Leslie J.

    2008-01-01

    A sample of 122 female students attending a Pentecostal Bible College in England completed Form G (Anglicised) of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The data demonstrated preferences for extraversion over introversion, for sensing over intuition, for feeling over thinking, and for judging over perceiving. The predominant type was ISFJ (16%),…

  5. Psychological Type Preferences of Roman Catholic Priests in the United Kingdom

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Craig, Charlotte L.; Duncan, Bruce; Francis, Leslie J.

    2006-01-01

    This study explores the psychological type profile of Roman Catholic priests. A sample of 79 priests completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Form G). The study shows that Roman Catholic priests tend to prefer introversion over extraversion, feeling over thinking and judging over perceiving. Near equal preferences are shown for sensing and…

  6. [Relationships between Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) psychological type and marital satisfaction, divorce proneness, positive affect, and conflict regulation in clinic couples].

    PubMed

    Kong, Seong Sook

    2010-06-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationships between the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) psychological type and marital satisfaction, divorce proneness, positive affect, and conflict regulation in couple visiting a clinic. Couples (n=62) who visited "M" couple clinic participated in the study. Data were collected from March to June 2009 using the Marital Satisfaction Scale, Marital Status Inventory, Positive Affect Inventory, and Conflict Regulation Inventory. The couples showed no significant differences in marital satisfaction, positive affect, and conflict regulation according to similarities between spouses in MBTI types. However, they showed significant differences in divorce proneness of husband according to a similarity in the Sensing/Intuition indicator. They also showed significant differences in divorce proneness, positive affect, and conflict regulation between the couples for ISTJ (Introversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging) or ESTJ (Extraversion, Sensing, Thinking, Judging) types compared to other couples. When nurses counsel couples, they should understand that differences in psychological type between spouses affects their marital relationship. In addition, nurses should educate couples on the characteristics of each type according to the couple's types and help them to understand each other, especially for couples where one spouse is the ISTJ/ESTJ type. These interventions will improve marital satisfaction and prevent the divorce in these couples.

  7. Student Personality Type versus Grading Procedures in Intermediate Accounting Courses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lawrence, Robyn; Taylor, Larry W.

    2000-01-01

    The personality preferences and temperaments of 82 intermediate accounting students were identified by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and Keirsey Temperament Sorter. Relationships were found between personality variables and the number of class absences, class participation, and the performance in homework and problems on the final examination.…

  8. Relationship of Personality Traits to Student Retention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liang, John Paul

    2010-01-01

    Carl Jung's theory of psychological types has been the basis for the development of personality categorization, including tests such as Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This study analyzed the extent of the relationship between MBTI and Tinto (1993) retention factors that influence Oriental medicine students' choice of staying or dropping out…

  9. Online Learners and Their Learning Strategies.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dewar, Tammy; Whittington, Dave

    2000-01-01

    Describes an experiment that looked at how adult learners made use of their Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI[R]), a personality assessment tool, type to cope with the challenges of learning in an online environment. Presents results of the experiment, and draws tentative conclusions. Provides notes related to the four psychological dimensions of…

  10. Personality, Hemispheric Dominance, and Cognitive Style.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hylton, Jaime; Hartman, Steve E.

    1997-01-01

    Shows that 154 medical students and 526 undergraduates (samples treated separately) who were judged left- or right-hemisphere dominant (by the Hemispheric Mode Indicator) were found to have very different personalities (as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator). Considers some of the practical ramifications of the psychometric overlap of…

  11. Personality Trait and Professional Choice among Preservice Teachers in Eastern Kentucky.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hinton, Samuel; Stockburger, Muriel

    A preliminary study was conducted to examine indicators which tend to reflect relationships between personality traits and professional choice among elementary education students enrolled in the teacher education program in Eastern Kentucky University. Education students in elementary education (N=122) completed the Myers Briggs Type Indicator.…

  12. Myers-Briggs Type Inventory Personality Preferences and Academic Performance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lowenthal, Werner; Meth, Hilda

    1989-01-01

    A study to determine if there are any relationships between the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory personality preferences and academic performance in schools of pharmacy is discussed. Differences in academic performance that could be related to gender are reported. (Author/MLW)

  13. An Examination of Preferences for Social Presence in Online Courses with Regard to Personality Type

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rose, Daniel Merritt

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this research was to examine the connections between personality types as illustrated by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator and the desire for social presence components within a technology based learning environment. Participants in the study were undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in an educational technology program at a…

  14. Working Effectively with Different Personality Types: A Look at the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Khanagov, Diana

    2007-01-01

    In 1921, Carl Jung wrote about four different types of personality, identified 24 centuries ago by Hippocrates. He theorized that these differences were not abnormalities in personality. Instead, he maintained that human behavior is predictable and classifiable that everyone has and acts upon personal preferences, established in early childhood.…

  15. Personality Type and Temperament in Industrial Education Students: A Descriptive Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edmunds, Neil; Schultz, Andrew

    1989-01-01

    Using Myers-Briggs Type Inventory, authors studied 213 industrial education students in 22 secondary schools in Nebraska to ascertain whether the inventory placed students proportionately into same categories as Myers-Briggs normative group--defined by Keirsey. Large numbers of Sensory Thinker (ST) type found in 60 percent of classes. STs aimed…

  16. Concurrent Validity of the Online Version of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kelly, Kevin R.; Jugovic, Heidi

    2001-01-01

    Data from the Keirsey Temperament Sorter II online instrument and Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) for 203 college freshmen were analyzed. Positive correlations appeared between the concurrent MBTI and Keirsey measures of psychological type, giving preliminary support to the validity of the online version of Keirsey. (Contains 28 references.)…

  17. An Examination of Self-Directed Learning Readiness in Executive-Level Fire Officers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knight, Steven G.

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to examine the self-directed learning readiness in executive fire officers in relation to the independent variables of personality type, educational attainment, and professional designation. This research utilized a quantitative design. This study utilized the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Self-Directed…

  18. Personality Inventory Selection for Understanding Leadership Styles.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-06-05

    justifies using personality inventories to identify leadership styles and it compares the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire and the Myers-Briggs Type...Indicator for consideration by the ACSC. The study concludes the MBTI has better interpretive value for the understanding of leadership styles .

  19. Intuition as a Brain Skill in Management.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Agor, Weston H.

    1985-01-01

    Over 2,900 managers were studied to test their ability to use intuition. The intuition portion of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was the test instrument. Results indicate that ability to use intuition does vary by management level, by level of government service, by sex, by occupational speciality, and to some degree by ethnic background.…

  20. Interactive Effects of Counselor-Client Similarity and Client Self-Esteem on Termination Type and Number of Sessions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berry, G. William; Sipps, Gary J.

    1991-01-01

    Examined effects of client self-esteem as measured by Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and client-counselor similarity as determined by Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) on number of sessions and type of termination (unilateral or mutual) for 55 clients and 9 counselors at university counseling center. Self-esteem interacted significantly with…

  1. Psychological Type and Undergraduate Student Achievement in Pharmacy Course in Military Medical University

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shi, Ru; Shan, Shou-qin; Tian, Jian-quan

    2007-01-01

    The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was given to 264 students in an undergraduate Pharmacy course at a military medical university. Selected MBTI personality types were compared for achievement in the course using a t-test to compare total points earned. High grades were earned by students stronger in the traits of introversion (I) and judgment…

  2. Linking Learning Style Theory with Retention Research: The TRAILS Project. AIR 1986 Annual Forum Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kalsbeek, David H.

    The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a measure of personality type and learning style, was used at Saint Louis University in the TRAILS (Tracking Retention and Academic Integration by Learning Style) Project. In addition to considering links between learning styles and student academic achievement and aptitude, MBTI was used to identify…

  3. The Vocal Improviser-Educator: An Analysis of Selected American and Australian Educators' Influences and Pedagogical Views

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ward-Steinman, Patrice Madura

    2014-01-01

    Thirty vocal improviser-educators from Australia (n = 15) and the United States (n = 15) were surveyed for musical background, influences and pedagogical views, and assessed for personality type using the "Myers-Briggs Type Indicator" ("MBTI"). The purpose was to both combine and compare the two groups to identify overall…

  4. International Manager Development: Cross-Cultural Training in Highly Diverse Environments.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Hilary; Kumra, Savita

    2000-01-01

    Managers working in different cultures need such skills as empathy, flexibility, acceptance of relativity, and tolerance of ambiguity. A business administration curriculum based on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator seeks to raise awareness of cultural differences, develop students' cultural "antennae," and improve cross-cultural…

  5. Personality Preferences and Career Expectations of Finnish Business Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jarlstrom, Maria

    2000-01-01

    Predominant Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) scores for 533 Finnish business students were as follows: 67% extraverted, 53% intuitive, 67% thinking, and 33% feeling. For Schein's career anchors, 26% preferred Technical Competence, 17% Managerial Competence, and 14% Independence. Significant relationships between MBTI preferences and career…

  6. Applied Music Teaching Behavior as a Function of Selected Personality Variables.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schmidt, Charles P.

    1989-01-01

    Investigates the relationships among applied music teaching behaviors and personality variables as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Suggests that personality variables may be important factors underlying four applied music teaching behaviors: approvals, rate of reinforcement, teacher model/performance, and pace. (LS)

  7. Opposition from Christians to Myers-Briggs Personality Typing: An Analysis and Evaluation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lloyd, John B.

    2007-01-01

    Myers-Briggs personality typing is widely used in the Christian church as an aid to individual self-understanding and spiritual formation. However, some Christian leaders have expressed doubt about its validity in understanding human personality and also opposition to its use in nurturing spiritual growth. The aim of the work reported was to…

  8. Differences in Myers-Briggs Personality Types among High School Band, Orchestra, and Choir Members

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacLellan, Christin Reardon

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore personality type differences among high school band, string orchestra, and choir students according to ensemble membership. Participants (N = 355) were high school students who had participated in their school's band, orchestra, or choir for 1 year or more. The author administered the Myers-Briggs Type…

  9. A Review of the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory: A Potential Training Tool for Human Services Organizations.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Aviles, Christopher B.

    The Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) can be helpful in personal, career, and marriage counseling; conflict and stress management; team building; and understanding managerial and learning styles. It has great potential to be utilized in human services organizations for training purposes because it offers a way to conceptualize employee…

  10. An Investigation of Psychological Typology as an Intervening Variable in the Implementation of a Computer Managed Instruction System. Technical Report No. 454.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bozeman, William C.

    This study explores the relationships between psychological types of users as identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and factors associated with the implementation and utilization of the Wisconsin System for Instructional Management (WIS-SIM), a computer management information system designed to support management processes in…

  11. Mentoring, Type, and Coping with Change

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fairhurst, A.; Garcia, M.

    1994-01-01

    Formal mentoring programs can help meet organizational goals. A case study at JPL illustrates the dey elements of a successful mentoring program. In the full-day training session, interpretation of two tools (the Meyers-Brigg Type Indicator and Invest in Your Values) helps participants to understand and appreciate the wide range of human norms. Career training within the program helps individuals cope with change.

  12. Hispanic College Students' Learning Styles, Personality Types, and Gender Differences: A Collective Case Study of Ten Hispanic College Students Exposed to the Myers Briggs Type Indicator

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harris, Rachelle D.

    2014-01-01

    The research body regarding learning styles has been abundant; however, research related to Separate and Connected learning styles has not been as copious. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the association between learning styles, personality types, and gender differences for Hispanic college students between the ages of 18-24…

  13. Flowers and Children: Unearthing Differences, Nurturing Growth.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nolan, Noreen; Eichmann, Mary Ellen

    1996-01-01

    Argues that the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a useful tool to help teachers understand their students' differences and learning preferences. Describes the use of the MBTI at a Catholic elementary school and a related project to link the appreciation of differences to a field trip to a flower show. (MAB)

  14. Barriers to Employment: Personality and Cognitive Predictors of Employment Status

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McTurk, Carolyn; Shakespeare-Finch, Jane

    2006-01-01

    Barriers to employment are linked to individual factors such as thinking styles and personality traits. Personality and cognitive differences between employed (n = 55) and unemployed (n = 57) cohorts were analysed to quantify the association between these variables and employment status. Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the…

  15. Identifying Student Potential for ICT Entrepreneurship Using Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicators

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnston, Kevin A.; Andersen, Barry K.; Davidge-Pitts, Jennifer; Ostensen-Saunders, Mark

    2009-01-01

    Literature relating to personality and entrepreneurship has focused primarily on personality characteristics of traditional entrepreneurs. The focus of this study was on personality characteristics and temperaments of potential Information and Communication Technology (ICT) entrepreneurs. The main objective of the study was to evaluate the…

  16. Giftedness and Intuition

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karwowski, Maciej

    2008-01-01

    Two studies were conducted to show connections between giftedness and intuition. The first study was exploratory. A sample of 194 gifted adolescent students (N=194) included fifty-five students identified as gifted by their teachers and fifty-six percent who were female. Using the Polish version of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, the students…

  17. Predicting Benefit from a Gestalt Therapy Marathon Workshop.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Healy, James; Dowd, E. Thomas

    1981-01-01

    Tested the utility of the Personal Orientation Inventory (POI), the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and the Girona Affect Scale in predicting the outcomes of a marathon Gestalt therapy workshop. Signigicant predictive equations were generated that use the POI to predict gains on the Girona Affect Scale. (Author/RC)

  18. The NFP Strategic Leader

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-01-01

    BriggsTypeIndicator (3d ed.; Palo Alto, Calif.: Consulting Psycholo- gists Press, 1998). 8. Carl G. Jung , PsychologicalTypes (Princeton, N.J...Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving preferences. Winter2009-10 37 The Importance of Intuition The MBTI is based on Carl Jung’s theory of personality...preferences. Jung argues that the first function in personality is how one perceives the en- vironment and gathers data. Those with a Sensing

  19. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Applied to Executive Leadership

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-01-01

    preferences. fftl Z.) ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ ISTP ISFP INFP INTP ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ Table 6: Sixteen Types David Keirsey and...personality types are generated by combinations of preferences and are listed in Table 2 (1:7-8). ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ ISTP ISFP INFP INTP ESTP ESFP...ENFP • ENTP ESTJ E3FJ ENFJ ENTJ Table 2: Sixteen Types David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, the authors of Please Understand Me, Character and

  20. The association between Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Psychiatry as the specialty choice.

    PubMed

    Yang, Chong; Richard, George; Durkin, Martin

    2016-02-06

    The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the association between Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and prospective psychiatry residents. Forty-six American medical schools were contacted and asked to participate in this study. Data were collected and an aggregated list was compiled that included the following information: date of MBTI administration, academic year, MBTI form/version, residency match information and student demographic information. The data includes 835 American medical students who completed the MBTI survey and matched into a residency training program in the United States. All analyses were performed using R 3.1.2. The probability of an introvert matching to a psychiatry residency is no different than that of an extravert (p= 0.30). The probability of an intuitive individual matching to a psychiatry residency is no different than that of a sensing type (p=0.20). The probability of a feeling type matching to a psychiatry residency is no different than that of a thinking type (p= 0.50). The probability of a perceiving type matching to a psychiatry residency is no different than that of a judging type (p= 0.60). Further analyses may elicit more accurate information regarding the personality profile of prospective psychiatry residents. The improvement in communication, team dynamics, mentor-mentee relationships and reduction in workplace conflicts are possible with the awareness of MBTI personality profiles.

  1. The association between Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and Psychiatry as the specialty choice

    PubMed Central

    Richard, George; Durkin, Martin

    2016-01-01

    Objectives The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the association between Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and prospective psychiatry residents. Methods Forty-six American medical schools were contacted and asked to participate in this study. Data were collected and an aggregated list was compiled that included the following information: date of MBTI administration, academic year, MBTI form/version, residency match information and student demographic information. The data includes 835 American medical students who completed the MBTI survey and matched into a residency training program in the United States. All analyses were performed using R 3.1.2. Results The probability of an introvert matching to a psychiatry residency is no different than that of an extravert (p= 0.30). The probability of an intuitive individual matching to a psychiatry residency is no different than that of a sensing type (p=0.20). The probability of a feeling type matching to a psychiatry residency is no different than that of a thinking type (p= 0.50). The probability of a perceiving type matching to a psychiatry residency is no different than that of a judging type (p= 0.60). Conclusions Further analyses may elicit more accurate information regarding the personality profile of prospective psychiatry residents. The improvement in communication, team dynamics, mentor-mentee relationships and reduction in workplace conflicts are possible with the awareness of MBTI personality profiles. PMID:26851600

  2. The Relationship of Personality Differences, Evaluation Scores and Perceptions of the Clinical Learning Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bynum, K. Megan

    2017-01-01

    This study examined the relationship between personality differences between preceptor and athletic training student to evaluation scores. The personality differences of seven preceptors and their paired ATS were measured using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test. From the quantitative findings, we cannot conclude at this time a relationship…

  3. The Development and Validation of a Personality Instrument to Increase Collaboration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richardson, Rita Coombs; DeVaney, Thomas A.

    2008-01-01

    Understanding personality profiles can be helpful in working relationships. Situations such as co-teaching frequently pair individuals in teamwork. Turf and personality conflicts between professionals can be destructive and impede goal attainment. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality measure that is based on Jung's theory of…

  4. Personality Type Analysis of Air Force Institute of Technology School of Systems and Logistics Graduate Degree 85S Class Using Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-09-01

    exercised and how willing and/or capable an individual is in using a non-preferred mental... postively correlated to a preference for self-paced instruction compared to "more traditional methods of instruction" and students agreement with the...finding was reinforced with the * selection ratio comparison by type groupings for the ST, SF, NF and NT grouping. A pattern also developed for types

  5. Psychological Type: An Assessment and Applications for Senior Air Force Leadership

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-04-01

    Type ............... 6 3. Report Form for Myers-Briggs Type Indicator ......... 7 4. Leadership Styles ................................... 11 5. Type...theoretical models. (8:153) Table 4 outlines the major facets of the tamperaments of each of the four leadership styles . 10 V5 am .1 41 P4 041 0 3k 644 A...data on 13 Air Force generals, the mix of sensers versus intuitives was seven to six and the leadership styles were six SJs versus five NTs with one each

  6. A Managerial View of Myers-Briggs Personality Types in the Clinical Laboratory.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1982-12-01

    of personality on selection of a laboratory specialty controlling for certain demographic variables, and to examine the relationship between...cent of the sample. One index of the personality, judging/perceiving, showed a weak relationship to choice of specialty unaffected by any of the... relationship between personality and job tenure in a sample of 141 medical technologists and medical laboratory technicians using the Myers-Briggs Type

  7. Developmental Advising--How? Why? Proceedings of the Region VII Conference on Academic Advising. (4th, Little Rock, Arkansas, May 15-17, 1988).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garnett, Donald T., Ed.

    This report of a conference on developmental advising contains the following 18 papers: "An Introduction to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)" (Roberta Corder); "Computer-Assisted Advising: The Personal Touch" (Susan Aldrich, Mark Peterson, Bruce Sands); "The Freshman Survey: Phase I" (Laura Lemonine);…

  8. Keeping Current: Doing It with Style for Different Folks: Learning Styles for School Library Media Specialists.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barron, Daniel D.

    1997-01-01

    Understanding learning styles can help teachers get beyond lecture, text, and test. This article reviews some of the research and literature on learning styles, highlighting the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, the 4-MAT System, and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). Includes related Web sites and print resources. (PEN)

  9. A Comparison of Osteopathic, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant and Occupational Therapy Students' Personality Styles: Implications for Education and Practice.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hardigan, Patrick C.; Cohen, Stanley R.

    This study compared personality traits of students in five health professions. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was completed by 1,508 osteopathic students, 654 pharmacy students, 165 physical therapy students, 211 physician assistant students, and 70 occupational therapy students. Comparing the extrovert/introvert dimension revealed that pharmacy…

  10. The Effects of Gender and Dominant Mental Processes on Hypermedia Learning

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ellis, Holly; Howard, W. Gary; Donofrio, Heather H.

    2012-01-01

    The effects of gender and dominant mental process on learning is an area of increased interest among educators. This study was designed to explore those effects on hypermedia learning. The hypermedia module was created using a modified hierarchical structure, and a pre-test/post-test was conducted. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was…

  11. The Effects of Cognitive Style on the Learning Preferences of Graduate School Students

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-09-01

    Pre-Test Relationships Between Cognitive Style Types and Preferences for Learning MTDs ......... 91 vi Figure Page 15. Post-Test Relationships Between...Abstract This research establishes significant relationships between an individual’s cognitive style, measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI...the data provide an opportunity to determine if there are any relationships between them. Also, due to the pre-tests and post-tests, there is

  12. Correlation between Leadership Effectiveness and Personality Preferences at a Hungarian Independent Financial Advisor Company

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mészáros, Aranka; Budavári-Takács, Ildikó

    2016-01-01

    The main focus of our research is to study, with the help of the dimensions of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (hereinafter: MBTI) the personality preferences of those leaders at the financial advisor company who are successful already. In the present study first we introduce the preferences of MBTI. Then we go on to define our hypothesis…

  13. Best Practices in Military Design Teams

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-03-01

    this assessment. 10 metacognitive thinkers, and can reflect and comment on how the team is thinking about a particular topic. These findings...planning team employed a thorough and intentional selection process that included assessment instruments, several interviews, and a writing assignment...Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), StrengthsFinder, and the Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory. • Writing samples and other examples of work

  14. The Relationship between Learning Style, Academic Major, and Academic Performance of College Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cano, Jamie

    1999-01-01

    Results of the Group Embedded Figures Test and Myers Briggs Type Indicator for 178 agricultural education freshmen showed 56% were field independent (FI); field dependent (FD) and FI students differed in choice of major; FD students were more likely to have lower grade point average; and as their style moved from dependence to independence, grade…

  15. The Maryland Career Course. Stage/Style Interactions: The Perry Scheme and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Brief Report #3.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, William S.

    The Maryland career course is a one-credit career planning course for undecided undergraduates based on William Perry's (1970) model of intellectual and ethical development. The Perry model can be described using four major and sometimes overlapping divisions which represent a series of positions on learning, i.e., Dualism, Multiplicity,…

  16. Using Psychology in the Physics Classroom: Five Steps to Improving Classroom Effectiveness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Jo-Anne

    2018-01-01

    Psychology has been an avocation of mine for almost 20 years, and over the past decade I have begun integrating this knowledge into my classroom. My first introduction to psychology was through the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®. MBTI looks at preferences in how people interact with the world around them. By recognizing how different students…

  17. I, S, T, and J Grading Techniques for Es, Ns, Fs, and Ps: Insights from the MBTI on Managing the Grading Process

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fornaciari, Charles J.; Lund Dean, Kathy

    2013-01-01

    Most instructors at least occasionally experience grading student work as a frustrating, time-consuming task. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) instrument can be a powerful self-awareness tool for management educators seeking to enhance their grading techniques. Evidence suggests that many management professors prefer Extraversion (E),…

  18. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: A Cultural and Ethical Evaluation

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1993-04-01

    to improve human understanding. "There are no good or bad types in typewatching; there are only differences.0 (Kroeger 7) 36 WORKS CITED Agor , Weston ...to use and develop this talent for effective decision making" ( Agor 68). He identifies the following benefits and ideas: - "...the organization will...34 ( Agor 69) This is all very logical and perhaps seemingly benign. But clearly a line is crossed with the recommendation of "nestablishing a formal

  19. The Relationship between Personality Type and Acceptable Noise Levels: A Pilot Study.

    PubMed

    Franklin, Cliff; Johnson, Laura V; White, Letitia; Franklin, Clay; Smith-Olinde, Laura

    2013-01-01

    Objectives. This study examined the relationship between acceptable noise level (ANL) and personality. ANL is the difference between a person's most comfortable level for speech and the loudest level of background noise they are willing to accept while listening to speech. Design. Forty young adults with normal hearing participated. ANLs were measured and two personality tests (Big Five Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) were administered. Results. The analysis revealed a correlation between ANL and the openness and conscientious personality dimensions from the Big Five Inventory; no correlation emerged between ANL and the Myers-Briggs personality types. Conclusions. Lower ANLs are correlated with full-time hearing aid use and the openness personality dimension; higher ANLs are correlated with part-time or hearing aid nonuse and the conscientious personality dimension. Current data suggest that those more open to new experiences may accept more noise and possibly be good hearing aid candidates, while those more conscientious may accept less noise and reject hearing aids, based on their unwillingness to accept background noise. Knowing something about a person's personality type may help audiologists determine if their patients will likely be good candidates for hearing aids.

  20. The Relationship between Personality Type and Acceptable Noise Levels: A Pilot Study

    PubMed Central

    Franklin, Cliff; Johnson, Laura V.; Franklin, Clay

    2013-01-01

    Objectives. This study examined the relationship between acceptable noise level (ANL) and personality. ANL is the difference between a person's most comfortable level for speech and the loudest level of background noise they are willing to accept while listening to speech. Design. Forty young adults with normal hearing participated. ANLs were measured and two personality tests (Big Five Inventory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) were administered. Results. The analysis revealed a correlation between ANL and the openness and conscientious personality dimensions from the Big Five Inventory; no correlation emerged between ANL and the Myers-Briggs personality types. Conclusions. Lower ANLs are correlated with full-time hearing aid use and the openness personality dimension; higher ANLs are correlated with part-time or hearing aid nonuse and the conscientious personality dimension. Current data suggest that those more open to new experiences may accept more noise and possibly be good hearing aid candidates, while those more conscientious may accept less noise and reject hearing aids, based on their unwillingness to accept background noise. Knowing something about a person's personality type may help audiologists determine if their patients will likely be good candidates for hearing aids. PMID:24349796

  1. Psychological Type Analysis Using Myers-Briggs Type Indicator of Air Force Personnel Undergoing Treatment for Alcoholism.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1986-09-01

    a "sixth sense" or " extrasensory perception " because it originates within the individual. It differs from sensation because the origin of an intuition...representations of the external world, and invests itself in perceptions , thoughts, and feelings about objects, people and animals, and other environmental...times, "the introvert interposes a subjective view between the perception of the object and his own action, which pre- vents the action from assuming a

  2. A Discriminant Analysis of Majors in the College Business and Public Administration at the University of North Dakota. North Dakota Economics Studies, Number 52.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tedefalk, Rolf K.

    Researchers have demonstrated that particular careers attract individuals with distinct identifiable personality profiles and learning styles, and this idea is extended to the selection of majors within the College of Business and Public Administration (BPA) at the University of North Dakota. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was used both to…

  3. Analyzing the Relationship of Strengths to Personality Preferences and Vocational Interests Utilizing Clifton StrengthsFinder, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and Strong Interest Inventory

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schenck, Paulette M.

    2009-01-01

    Throughout the history of vocational psychology, career counselors have constantly searched for, devised, and implemented practices and techniques to best prepare clients for the world of work. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between strengths to personality preference and vocational interests utilizing the Myers-Briggs…

  4. Initial Evaluations of Mainstream Personality Tests for Use with Visually Impaired Adults in Vocational Assessment and Guidance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reid, Juliet

    2000-01-01

    This article reviews the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R adult and EPQ-R short form), the 16PF5, and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator for use with adults with visual impairments. Results found only the EPQ-R short form can be used by participants using low vision aids, closed-circuit television, or an optical character reader.…

  5. Florence Nightingale: her personality type.

    PubMed

    Dossey, Barbara M

    2010-03-01

    This article casts new and refreshing light on Florence Nightingale's life and work by examining her personality type. Using the theory-based Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the author examines Nightingale's personality type and reveals that she was an introverted-intuitive-thinking-judging type. The merit of using the MBTI is that it allows us to more clearly understand three major areas of Nightingale's life that have been partially unacknowledged or misunderstood: her spiritual development as a practicing mystic, her management of her chronic illness to maintain her prodigious work output, and her chosen strategies to transform her visionary ideas into new health care and social realities.

  6. The Utility of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and the Strong Interest Inventory in Predicting Service Community Selection at the United States Naval Academy

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2002-06-01

    These include intelligence , cryptology, oceanography, medicine, civil engineering, supply, and aviation maintenance. Despite the Combat Exclusion Law...Butcher, 1968) shows that personality predicts achievement even when intelligence is statistically controlled. The 16PF5 takes the 16 factors of...assesses the likelihood of job stability and helps to clarify situations the individual may perceive as career obstacles ( Gottfredson , 2002). 25 The

  7. Characterizing the successful student in general chemistry and physical science classes in terms of Jung's personality types as identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Riley, Wayne David

    1998-11-01

    A student's success in a science class can depend upon previous experiences, motivation, and the level of interest in the subject. Since psychological type is intrinsic to a person's whole being, it can be influential upon the student's motivation and interests. Thus, a study of student psychological types versus the level of success in a class, as measured by a percentage, has potential to uncover certain personality characteristics which may be helpful to or which may hinder a student's learning environment. This study was initiated, using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, to evaluate any correlation between a student's personality type and his/her performance in a science class. A total of 1041 students from three classes: Chemistry 121/122, Chemistry 112, Physical Science 100, volunteered for the study. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the levels of significance among sixteen personality types' averages. The results reveal that for the Chemistry 1121/122 course, the average score of the INTJ personality type was 5.1 to 12.6 points higher than every other personality type. The ANOVA identifies 3 personality types with averages significantly below the INTJ at the p < 0.05 significance level. The ANOVA analysis for the Chemistry 112 course identified significances between student scores at p = 0.08. The significance level for the differences among scores for the Physical Science 100 course was determined at a level of p = 0.02. Significance levels for p < 0.05 and <0.01 were identified between several groups in this course. The data suggest, that although personality type may not predict a particular student's success in a science class, students with certain personality traits may be favored in a chemistry class due the structure of the instruction and the presentation of the subject matter.

  8. Personality types of entrepreneurs.

    PubMed

    Müller, Günter F; Gappisch, Cathrin

    2005-06-01

    85 German entrepreneurs were psychometrically assessed on 12 primary trait characteristics. The sample consisted of 49 men and 36 women whose mean age was 45.6 yr. (SD= 10.3). Occupational domains were production (40%) and services (60%). The mean duration of entrepreneurship within these domains was 13.1 yr. (SD=9.3). By factor analysis five personality types of entrepreneurs could be identified: Creative Acquisitor, Controlled Perseverator, Distant Achiever, Rational Manager, and Egocentric Agitator. These types correspond with types found in research by Miner and with the Myer-Briggs Indicator. In addition, correlations between general type potential and both job and life satisfaction of entrepreneurs were found. The results are discussed with regard to intercultural stability of personality types and implications for research and application.

  9. Myers-Briggs Type Indicators and Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory Correlations.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1994-04-01

    intrigued. Do these tests have a real application and what are their implications? Or, as Otto Kroeger has jokingly suggested, are they just another polite...However, understanding others’ perceptions of us can help to modify behavioral patterns towards success. Robert Burns said it most adeptly in his phrase Ŕ...two million people took the MBTI in 1990.2 How did this all begin? What is its basis? Carl Jung, a Swiss born psychiatrist set the foundation for

  10. Accounting Students' Performance and Personality Types.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nourayi, Mahmoud M.; Cherry, Alan A.

    1993-01-01

    Completion of the Myers Briggs Type Inventory by 103 accounting majors revealed no significant differences among personality types in achievement, except that sensing types perform better in accounting in general. Results seem to belie the suggestion that accounting attracts introverts and that the intuitive type is best suited to accounting in…

  11. A Study of Learning in the Operations of a Viscous Damped Traversing Unit.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1978-06-01

    Finally I would like to express special appreciation to my wife, Donna Pardue Robinson, and my children, Kristin, Keith and Stephanie for their...indication of learning. Bahrick, Fitts and Briggs dealt with learning curves in a 1957 article which supported their earlier work. They used the same data...Olof and Kaare Rodahl, Textbook of Work Physiology, New York: McGraw-Hill Book Compnay, 1970. 2. Bahrick, H. P., F. M. Fitts and G. E. Briggs , "Learning

  12. The Connection between Success in a Freshman Chemistry Class and a Student's Jungian Personality Type

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clark, Gale J.; Riley, Wayne D.

    2001-10-01

    This paper explores the connection between a student's performance in a freshman chemistry class and his or her personality type. Performance was gauged by the final percentage grade earned in class and personality type was based on Carl G. Jung's personality typology as assessed by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Performance and personality type were correlated using ANOVA statistics. The results show that only one of the 16 personality types had a class average that was significantly higher than 14 of the other 15 types. The lowest-scoring type was also significantly lower than 3 other personality types. This research shows that characteristics of personality types may be a basis for assisting or deterring success in a general chemistry class. Data on the personality types of 23 chemistry professors suggest that a success bias may be amplified by similar personality traits in the instructors.

  13. Can Personality-Type Instruments Profile Majors in Management Programs?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rowe, Fred A.; And Others

    1992-01-01

    Results of completion of 4 instruments (Myers-Briggs Type Inventory, Strong Interest Inventory, Hermann Brain Dominance Inventory, and Learning Styles Inventory) by 75 accounting, business administration, and public administration graduate students suggest that the Hermann (and to some extent the Strong) inventory has potential value for…

  14. Personality Type Profiles of Beginning Secondary Technical Education Teachers in West Virginia.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gordon, Howard R. D.

    A study developed and examined personality type preference profiles of beginning secondary technical education teachers in West Virginia. The target population consisted of all beginning secondary technical education teachers (n=34) employed by the West Virginia Department of Education during the 1998-99 school year. The Myers-Briggs Type…

  15. Student Satisfaction with Blended and Online Courses Based on Personality Type

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bolliger, Doris U.; Erichsen, Elizabeth Anne

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to investigate differences in perceived student satisfaction in blended and online learning environments based on personality type. A total of 72 graduate students enrolled in blended and online courses at two research universities in the United States completed an abbreviated online version of the Myers-Briggs Type…

  16. Use of structured personality survey techniques to indicate operator response to stressful situations

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Waller, M.A.

    Under given circumstances, a person will tend to operate in one of four dominant orientations: (1) to perform tasks; (2) to achieve consensus; (3) to achieve understanding, or (4) to maintain structure. Historically, personality survey techniques, such as the Myers-Briggs type indicator, have been used to determine these tendencies. While these techniques can accurately reflect a person's orientation under normal social situations, under different sets of conditions, the same person may exhibit other tendencies, displaying a similar or entirely different orientation. While most do not exhibit extreme tendencies or changes of orientation, the shift in personality from normal to stressfulmore » conditions can be rather dramatic, depending on the individual. Structured personality survey techniques have been used to indicate operator response to stressful situations. These techniques have been extended to indicate the balance between orientations that the control room team has through the various levels of cognizance.« less

  17. The Relationship of Stated Learning Preferences, Personality Type, and Career Background to Academic and Leadership Performance at the United States Air Command and Staff College

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1999-12-11

    Kolb envisioned experiential 26 Table 2 Subscales on the NASSP Learning Styles Profile Cognitive Styles Perceptual Responses Analytic Skill...Research Type Theory and Learning Preferences Jung and the Theory of Psychological Types Isabel Briggs Myers’ Contribution to Jung’s Work The Myers...Implications Recommendations for Further Study Summary of Specific Conclusions Discussion Grounded Curriculum Learning Preferences Type Theory Student

  18. The life and scientific contributions of Lyman J. Briggs

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Landa, Edward R.; Nimmo, John R.

    2003-01-01

    Lyman J. Briggs (1874-1963), an early twentieth century physicist at the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), made many significant contributions to our understanding of soil-water and plant-water interactions. He began his career at the Bureau of Soils (BOS) in 1896. At age 23, Briggs published (1897) a description of the roles of surface tension and gravity in determining the state of static soilmoisture. Concepts he presented remain central to this subject more than 100 yr later. With J. W. McLane, Briggs developed the "moisture equivalent" concept (a precursor to the idea of field capacity) and a centrifuge apparatus for measuring it. Briggs left the BOS at the end of 1905, under pressure from Milton Whitney, and moved to the Bureau of Plant Industry. Briggs' multi-state experiments with H. L. Shantz on water-use efficiencies showed that in a climate like that of the Great Plains, plants use water more productively in the cooler north than in the warmer south. In 1920, he moved from the USDA to the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), rising to Director in 1933. Among his other contributions to the American scientific community was his leadership, beginning in 1939, of a top secret committee that evolved into the Manhattan Project to develop an atomic bomb during World War II. A life-long baseball fan, Briggs at age 84, studied the speed, spin, and deflection of the curve ball, aided by manager Cookie Lavagetto and the pitching staff of the Washington Senators; he published these findings in a paper in the American Journal of Physics in 1959.

  19. Castles in the Clouds: The Irrelevance of Vertical Scales for Most Practical Concerns

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ho, Andrew

    2016-01-01

    This is a response to a focus article by Briggs and Peck (2015) in issue 13(2). It should have been published in issue 13(3-4) alongside a rejoinder by Briggs and Peck that did appear. Due to an oversight, it was not published there and appears here. See issue 13(3-4) for a rejoinder to this response. Briggs and Peck (2015) propose what amounts to…

  20. Using the MBTI to Predict Career Development Program Usefulness.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wilson, W. Elbert; And Others

    Career development programs can benefit from knowledge of the needs and characteristics of their participants. To investigate whether certain types of individuals seek career development assistance more often than others, 279 self-selected white collar employees of a large, federal biomedical research company completed the Myers Briggs Type…

  1. Two Sides of the Same COIN: A Comparative Analysis of American and British Counterinsurgency Approaches at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-10

    hearts and minds.16 Additionally, he claimed the cooperation between the civilian, military, and police authorities through the Briggs Plan developed...Company, 1967), 76-77. 16Ibid., 176. 17For additional information on the Briggs plan see John J. McCuen, The Art of Counter- Revolutionary War (St...the British campaign in Malaya began as an enemy-focused operation targeting the insurgent forces under the Briggs Plan and then Sir Gerald Templar

  2. A Longitudinal Study of Myers-Briggs Personality Types in Air Traffic Controllers

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-12-01

    investigated the relationship between MBTI types and initial success in the Air Traffic Control Academy Screen Program, subsequent field training...normal population on several dimensions. Weak relationships were found between the MBTI measures and success in training and eventual transition into...Perceiving category seemed to have any relationship with whether or not an individual passed or failed the Academy. However, this category showed an even

  3. Personality Types of Illinois Elementary Principals in High-Poverty, High-Performing Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hollowell, Daniel R.

    2016-01-01

    The socio-economic achievement gap is prevalent in schools across the country. There are many high-poverty, high-performing schools that have been successful in closing this achievement gap. This study investigated 30 Illinois elementary school principals from high-poverty, high-achieving schools. Principals were given the Myers-Briggs Type…

  4. Myers-Briggs Personality Type and Adolescent Coping in the College Search

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Golden, Thomas Courtenay

    2009-01-01

    The college choice requires the adolescent to gather and synthesize vast amounts of information, reconcile sometimes competing personal and familial goals, and manage a range of emotions. This decision process represents a major developmental crisis with which the adolescent must cope. Scholars have noted that psychological strain and heightened…

  5. The Maryland Career Course: Type/Learning Style Issues. Brief Report #2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, William S.

    The Maryland career course is a one-credit career planning course for undecided undergraduates which has provided training for teaching apprentices, and research on students' career decision making. To investigate typology differences in the population enrolling in the course, the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (SCII) and the Myers-Briggs Type…

  6. Relationship among science teacher personality characteristics and degree of teacher classroom implementation after in-service workshop

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sechler, Phares Lochiel Coleman

    State departments of public instruction require that teachers periodically update their licenses throughout their teaching careers. Various professional development events such as in-service workshops, university offerings, and special innovative programs provide opportunities for novice and experienced teachers to grow professionally. The "Team Science" workshop was designed from models supported by research that described guidelines for successful workshop strategies. In evaluating the workshop, the question was asked "Why did not all teachers implement the ideas from the workshop in their science classrooms?" This study investigates the possible relationship between teacher personality characteristics and implementation of technology innovations. Team Science was an extensive workshop program planned to develop science teachers' expertise in using computer and video technology to teach in physical science, chemistry, and physics classrooms in rural school in North Carolina. Upon evaluating the four-year effort, it was found that the 23 participants implemented the technological strategies at various levels. At the higher end of the range of technology use, some teachers exhibited complete integration of the computers and interfacing devices into both the laboratory work and the classroom inquiry. At the lower end of the range, some teachers used the technology very little. The resulting question emerged from the data collected: Do specific teacher personality characteristics (independent variables) correlate with the degree of implementation (dependent variable) of the innovative ideas and tools used in the teacher's science classroom after the in-service workshop? To determine if there were any significant personality traits, each teacher was given five personality tests. The tests were Hunt's Conceptual Development Test, the Paragraph Completion Test; James Rest's Defining Issues Test; Simmons Personal Survey, an emotional tendency test; the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator; and Riggs and Enochs Self-Efficacy Test. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression, and factor analysis to see what variables were predictors of implementation. The regression analysis revealed that subtests from Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Simmons Personal Survey, Hunt's Paragraph Completion Test, and Rest's Defining Issues Test could be used to predict implementation. Factor analysis indicated teachers who implemented the technology were "risk takers" and "flexible planners."

  7. A standardized patient model to teach and assess professionalism and communication skills: the effect of personality type on performance.

    PubMed

    Lifchez, Scott D; Redett, Richard J

    2014-01-01

    Teaching and assessing professionalism and interpersonal communication skills can be more difficult for surgical residency programs than teaching medical knowledge or patient care, for which many structured educational curricula and assessment tools exist. Residents often learn these skills indirectly, by observing the behavior of their attendings when communicating with patients and colleagues. The purpose of this study was to assess the results of an educational curriculum we created to teach and assess our residents in professionalism and communication. We assessed resident and faculty prior education in delivering bad news to patients. Residents then participated in a standardized patient (SP) encounter to deliver bad news to a patient's family regarding a severe burn injury. Residents received feedback from the encounter and participated in an education curriculum on communication skills and professionalism. As a part of this curriculum, residents underwent assessment of communication style using the Myers-Briggs type inventory. The residents then participated in a second SP encounter discussing a severe pulmonary embolus with a patient's family. Resident performance on the SP evaluation correlated with an increased comfort in delivering bad news. Comfort in delivering bad news did not correlate with the amount of prior education on the topic for either residents or attendings. Most of our residents demonstrated an intuitive thinking style (NT) on the Myers-Briggs type inventory, very different from population norms. The lack of correlation between comfort in delivering bad news and prior education on the subject may indicate the difficulty in imparting communication and professionalism skills to residents effectively. Understanding communication style differences between our residents and the general population can help us teach professionalism and communication skills more effectively. With the next accreditation system, residency programs would need to demonstrate that residents are acquiring these skills in their training. SP encounters are effective in teaching and assessing these skills. © 2013 Published by Association of Program Directors in Surgery on behalf of Association of Program Directors in Surgery.

  8. Psychological Profile of Sasang Typology: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Park, Soo Hyun; Lee, Soo Jin; Kim, Myoung-geun; Wedding, Danny; Kwon, Young-Kyu

    2009-01-01

    A systematic review of studies related to the psychological characteristics of Sasang types was conducted with the goal of delineating generalizable psychological profiles based on Sasang typology, a traditional Korean medical typology with medical herbs and acupuncture that is characterized as personalized medicine. Journal articles pertaining to Sasang typology were collected using five electronic database systems in Korea and in the USA. As a result, 64 potentially relevant studies were identified and 21 peer-reviewed research articles that employed psychometric inventories were included. Beginning with the use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory in 1992, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, NEO-Personality Inventory, Temperament and Character Inventory and other personality assessment tools were employed in the identified studies. Because data synthesis could not be carried out due to the heterogeneity of the studies, the present review article sought to delineate the mutual relevance of the studies based on research results pertaining to the correlation between the aforementioned psychological assessment instruments. Results of the review indicate that two super-factors, Extraversion and Neuroticism, serve as the foundation in regards to delineating personality constructs, such that the So-Yang type scored high on the Extraversion dimension and low on the Neuroticism dimension, while the So-Eum type scored low on the Extraversion dimension and high on the Neuroticism dimension. The present systematic review indicates that Sasang typology shares similarities with the Western psychological tradition. PMID:19745008

  9. Psychological profile of sasang typology: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Chae, Han; Park, Soo Hyun; Lee, Soo Jin; Kim, Myoung-Geun; Wedding, Danny; Kwon, Young-Kyu

    2009-09-01

    A systematic review of studies related to the psychological characteristics of Sasang types was conducted with the goal of delineating generalizable psychological profiles based on Sasang typology, a traditional Korean medical typology with medical herbs and acupuncture that is characterized as personalized medicine. Journal articles pertaining to Sasang typology were collected using five electronic database systems in Korea and in the USA. As a result, 64 potentially relevant studies were identified and 21 peer-reviewed research articles that employed psychometric inventories were included. Beginning with the use of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory in 1992, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, NEO-Personality Inventory, Temperament and Character Inventory and other personality assessment tools were employed in the identified studies. Because data synthesis could not be carried out due to the heterogeneity of the studies, the present review article sought to delineate the mutual relevance of the studies based on research results pertaining to the correlation between the aforementioned psychological assessment instruments. Results of the review indicate that two super-factors, Extraversion and Neuroticism, serve as the foundation in regards to delineating personality constructs, such that the So-Yang type scored high on the Extraversion dimension and low on the Neuroticism dimension, while the So-Eum type scored low on the Extraversion dimension and high on the Neuroticism dimension. The present systematic review indicates that Sasang typology shares similarities with the Western psychological tradition.

  10. Using Psychology in the Physics Classroom: Five Steps to Improving Classroom Effectiveness

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brown, Jo-Anne

    2018-01-01

    Psychology has been an avocation of mine for almost 20 years, and over the past decade I have begun integrating this knowledge into my classroom. My first introduction to psychology was through the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator®. MBTI looks at preferences in how people interact with the world around them. By recognizing how different students receive, process, and communicate information, and how my communication style likely interacts with theirs, I have been able to improve my competence in the classroom. For example, my student evaluations have gone from the low- to mid-5's 13 years ago to mid-6's (out of 7) consistently over the last five years, during which time I have also won four teaching awards and have been nominated for one more at my institution.

  11. Credible Immigration Policy Reform: A Response to Briggs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Orrenius, Pia M.; Zavodny, Madeline

    2012-01-01

    The authors agree with Vernon M. Briggs, Jr., that U.S. immigration policy has had unexpected consequences. The 1965 immigration reforms led to unanticipated chain migration from developing countries whereas the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act failed to slow unauthorized immigration. The result is a large foreign-born population with…

  12. Enhancing Student Team Effectiveness: Application of Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment in Business Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Amato, Christie H.; Amato, Louis H.

    2005-01-01

    This article examines the relationship between student perceptions of team learning experience and communication style. Student group learning perceptions were evaluated and team communication style was measured using dyads derived from Myers-Briggs personality profiles. Groups containing similar personalities were classified as compatible,…

  13. Crisis Thinking, Sensuous Reflexivity, and Solving Real Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jaspers, Jürgen

    2016-01-01

    In "Voices of Modernity," Richard Bauman and Charles Briggs write their grand overview of the birth and maturation of modernity. Bauman and Briggs understand modernity as a discursive construction that opposes traditional and modern developments, ways of being, and modes of understanding. Central in this narrative project of modernity…

  14. Analysis of Theoretical Relationships between Learning Styles of Students and Their Preferences for Learning Activities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rollins, Timothy J.

    1990-01-01

    A study of 10,603 students enrolled in 262 secondary agricultural programs examined learning styles and individual preferences and tested the Myers-Briggs theory that certain learning activities are associated with learning styles. Confirmed the Myers-Briggs finding that 70 percent prefer the sensing learning style. (JOW)

  15. 75 FR 10318 - Briggs & Stratton Power Products Group, LLC., Home Power Division, a Subsidiary of Briggs...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-03-05

    ... portable generators, home stand-by generators and pressure washers. New findings show that worker... portable generators, home stand-by generators and pressure washers. The amended notice applicable to TA-W... 1974, as amended. Signed in Washington, DC, this 22nd day of February 2010. Elliott S. Kushner...

  16. Study on Personality Types of Dentists in different Disciplines of Dentistry.

    PubMed

    Al-Dlaigan, Yousef H; Alahmari, Albatool S; Almubarak, Sara H; Alateeq, Sahar A; Anil, Sukumaran

    2017-07-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the most common personality type among dentists in seven selected clinical dentistry specialties using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and to compare between these different types of personalities. A survey containing the MBTI and demographic and practice questions was used to assess the personality styles of 243 dental specialists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The results of the MBTI for 243 specialist dentists revealed, generally, a higher percentage of scoring for introversion (I) with an average of 65% than extroversion (E). The study identified 10 common personality types among these specialists: ISTJ, ISFJ, INFJ, ISTP, INFP, INTP, ENFP, ENTP, ENFJ, and ENTJ (extraversion-introversion (E-I), sensing-intuition (S-N), thinking-feeling (T-F), and judging-perception (J-P)). The dominant personality type in all seven clinical specialties in dentistry was ISTJ, with an average of 54%. The personality types showed variation among the seven clinical dentistry specialties. However, among these seven clinician's specialties in dentistry, more than 50% of the individuals shared one common type of personality (ISTJ). The identification of the personality type might help in their association with coworkers, students, and patients as well as knowing the individual preferences toward different specialties in dentistry.

  17. Do Dental Students' Personality Types and Group Dynamics Affect Their Performance in Problem-Based Learning?

    PubMed

    Ihm, Jung-Joon; An, So-Youn; Seo, Deog-Gyu

    2017-06-01

    The aim of this study was to determine whether the personality types of dental students and their group dynamics were linked to their problem-based learning (PBL) performance. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) instrument was used with 263 dental students enrolled in Seoul National University School of Dentistry from 2011 to 2013; the students had participated in PBL in their first year. A four-session PBL setting was designed to analyze how individual personality types and the diversity of their small groups were associated with PBL performance. Overall, the results showed that the personality type of PBL performance that was the most prominent was Judging. As a group became more diverse with its different constituent personality characteristics, there was a tendency for the group to be higher ranked in terms of PBL performance. In particular, the overperforming group was clustered around three major profiles: Extraverted Intuitive Thinking Judging (ENTJ), Introverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ISTJ), and Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ESTJ). Personality analysis would be beneficial for dental faculty members in order for them to understand the extent to which cooperative learning would work smoothly, especially when considering group personalities.

  18. A Prospective Multi-Center Audit of Nutrition Support Parameters Following Burn Injury.

    PubMed

    Kurmis, Rochelle; Heath, Kathryn; Ooi, Selena; Munn, Zachary; Forbes, Sharon; Young, Vicki; Rigby, Paul; Wood, Kate; Phillips, Frances; Greenwood, John

    2015-01-01

    The importance of nutrition support delivery to the severe burn-injured patient is well recognized, however, nutrition provision to the patient may be sub optimal in practice. The aim of this study was to conduct a prospective multi-center audit across Australia and New Zealand using the Joanna Briggs Institute Burns Node Nutrition audit criteria. Thirty-four patients with severe burn injury (≥20% TBSA in adults and ≥10% TBSA in children) were identified on admission or on referral to the Dietitian at the eight participating Burn Units between February 1, 2012 and April 30, 2012 for inclusion in the study. De-identified patient data was analyzed using the Joanna Briggs Institute, Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System. Compliance with individual audit criterion ranged from 33 to 100%. Provision of prescribed enteral feed volumes and weekly weighing of patients were highlighted as key areas for clinical improvement. Clinical audit is a valuable tool for evaluating current practice against best evidence to ensure that quality patient care is delivered. The use of the Joanna Briggs Institute Burns Node audit criteria has allowed for a standardized multi-center audit to be conducted. Improving nutrition support delivery in burn patients was identified as a key area requiring ongoing clinical improvement across Australia and New Zealand. Clinician feedback on use of the audit criteria will allow for future refinement of individual criterion, and presentation of results of this audit has resulted in a review of the Bi-National Burns Registry nutrition quality indicators.

  19. Our Hidden Prejudices, on Trial

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glenn, David

    2008-01-01

    In October 2006, a New Hampshire police officer named Michael Briggs was shot to death in an alley. His accused killer, Michael Addison, has been charged with capital murder. It is the state's first death-penalty case in more than 30 years, and it is racially fraught: Addison is African-American, and Briggs was white. New Hampshire has a long list…

  20. Age at earliest reported memory: associations with personality traits, behavioral health, and repression.

    PubMed

    Spirrison, C L; McCarley, N G

    2001-09-01

    The present study examined relationships between the age at earliest memory and the personality traits and behavioral health of 107 undergraduates. Participants answered questions on their earliest memory and completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and a medical history form. Analyses indicated that continuous scores on two MBTI scales (Sensing-Intuition and Judging-Perceiving) were inversely related to age at earliest memory as were participant's self-reported drug and alcohol problems, emotional and psychological symptoms, accident rates, physical symptoms, and satisfaction with health. Respondents who reported first memories at or after 7 years of age (i.e., approximately 1 SD above the mean age at recalled memory) were classified as repressors. Repressors scored in the Sensing and Judging directions on the MBTI and reported significantly fewer emotional symptoms, accidents, psychological symptoms, and less health satisfaction than nonrepressors. Results are consistent with the age at earliest memory and repression literature and support the use of earliest memory age as an index of repression.

  1. Effectiveness of Prepared Instruction Units in Teaching the Principles of Internal Combustion Engine Operation and Maintenance. Technical Bulletin No. 192.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobs, Clinton O.

    The report is an evaluation of the effectiveness of the 12 instructional units developed around the use of the Briggs-Stratton Model 80302, 3HP, 8 cu. in. displacement engine having a fuel induction system similar in construction to farm tractor types. The evaluation procedure used was the "one-group Pre-test and Post-test" research method. The…

  2. Personological evaluation of Clance's Imposter Phenomenon Scale in a Korean sample.

    PubMed

    Chae, J H; Piedmont, R L; Estadt, B K; Wicks, R J

    1995-12-01

    The purpose of this study was both to determine if the Impostor Phenomenon (IP) can be reliably and validly assessed in a Korean context and if so, evaluate the construct within the context of Jungian typology and the 5-factor model of personality. A sample of 654 Korean men and women were selected from 4 major Korean cities and administered the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS; Clance & Imes, 1978) along with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI, Form G; Myers & McCaulley, 1985) and NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-R; Costa & McCrae, 1992). Results indicated that the CIPS was very reliable, and the pattern of correlates suggested impostors to be introverted types on the MBTI. Results with the NEO-PI-R showed impostors to be very high on neuroticism and low on conscientiousness. This pattern of correlates is similar to other performance-inhibiting constructs such as fear of success and fear of failure. It was argued that IP be construed more as a motivational style than as a distinct clinical syndrome. The IP seems to be less pervasive in Korea than America and these cross-cultural implications were discussed.

  3. "Presidential Address." Political Pawns in an Educational Endgame: Reflections on Bryant, Briggs, and Some Twentieth-Century School Questions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graves, Karen

    2013-01-01

    "Newsweek" ran an article on "The Homosexual Teacher" in December 1978. At the end of a tumultuous two-year period framed by Anita Bryant's anti-gay campaign in South Florida and John Briggs' proposition to bar gay and lesbian educators from working in California public schools, reporters concluded, "Most homosexual…

  4. How to provide tailored career coaching for medical students.

    PubMed

    Hur, Yera; Cho, A Ra; Kim, Sun

    2015-03-01

    This study was performed to develop a counseling strategy, based on the profiles of medical students' Strong Interest Inventory (STRONG) and Myer-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) results, focusing on the three following questions: Into what distinct levels are students categorized by STRONG and MBTI? and What is the dispersion of the integrated profiles? Freshmen students from Konyang University College of Medicine who matriculated between March 2011 and 2013 were administered the MBTI personality type test and the STRONG interest inventory assessment. The integrated profiles were categorized per Kim et al. (2006), and frequency analysis was performed with the collected data, using SPSS version 21.0. Regarding MBTI types, 16.9% of students were categorized as ESTJ, and 12.9% was ISTJ. Further, 62.4% of students were Investigative (I) according to STRONG. The integrated profiles were divided into four types, according to their unclear/clear preference in the STRONG and MBTI results. Most students had 'clear preference and clear interest' (n=144, 80.9%), six students (3.4%) had 'clear interest but unclear preference,' and 28 students (15.7%) showed 'unclear interest but clear preference.' Using the combined results of the STRONG interest inventory assessment and MBTI tools, we can purvey more tailored information to students.

  5. The Devil Is in the Detail Regarding the Efficacy of Reading Recovery: A Rejoinder to Schwartz, Hobsbaum, Briggs, and Scull

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reynolds, Meree; Wheldall, Kevin; Madelaine, Alison

    2009-01-01

    This rejoinder provides comment on issues raised by Schwartz, Hobsbaum, Briggs and Scull (2009) in their article about evidence-based practice and Reading Recovery (RR), written in response to Reynolds and Wheldall (2007). Particular attention is paid to the processes and findings of the What Works Clearinghouse evaluation of RR. The suggestion…

  6. South Dakota State University's Library: A History. Hilton M. Briggs Library Occasional Paper Number 1.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brown, Philip

    Tracing the history of South Dakota State University's Hilton M. Briggs Library over the past 102 years, this occasional paper describes the development of what is now the largest library (over 1.1 million total pieces) in the South Dakota Library Network from its inception as part of a small land grant college. Administrative eras are reviewed,…

  7. Human Factors Research in Aircrew Performance and Training

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-08-01

    and development called instructional design (Gagn6, Briggs , & Wager, 1988). Developments in computer-based instruction promise to increase training...Handbook of human factors (pp. 976-1011). New York: Wiley & Sons. Gagn6, R. M., Briggs , L. J., & Wager, W. W. (1988). Principles of instructional...SERVICE: SUPPORT TO MULTITRACK TESTING Dr. D. Michael McAnulty, Mr. Gary Coker, Ms. Cassandra Hocutt, Ms. Stephanie Noland, and Mr. Kenneth Persin

  8. Creating Strategic Vision: Long-Range Planning for National Security

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1987-07-01

    original research on national security issues . NDU Press publishes the best of this research. In addition, the Press publishes especially timely or dis...organizations. This culture stands in contrast to those dominated by long-term, continuously evolv- ing, large institutions. Our heroes are people who mold...planners because they tend to be very creative and they like to deal with new ideas and new approaches to issues . The Myers-Briggs Psychological Type

  9. A mixed-methods approach to systematic reviews.

    PubMed

    Pearson, Alan; White, Heath; Bath-Hextall, Fiona; Salmond, Susan; Apostolo, Joao; Kirkpatrick, Pamela

    2015-09-01

    There are an increasing number of published single-method systematic reviews that focus on different types of evidence related to a particular topic. As policy makers and practitioners seek clear directions for decision-making from systematic reviews, it is likely that it will be increasingly difficult for them to identify 'what to do' if they are required to find and understand a plethora of syntheses related to a particular topic.Mixed-methods systematic reviews are designed to address this issue and have the potential to produce systematic reviews of direct relevance to policy makers and practitioners.On the basis of the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute International Mixed Methods Reviews Methodology Group in 2012, the Institute adopted a segregated approach to mixed-methods synthesis as described by Sandelowski et al., which consists of separate syntheses of each component method of the review. Joanna Briggs Institute's mixed-methods synthesis of the findings of the separate syntheses uses a Bayesian approach to translate the findings of the initial quantitative synthesis into qualitative themes and pooling these with the findings of the initial qualitative synthesis.

  10. Personality Assessment for Employee Development: Ivory Tower or Real World?

    PubMed

    Moyle, Penny; Hackston, John

    2018-06-22

    The acceptance and popularity of personality assessments in organizational contexts has grown enormously over the last 40 years. Although these are used across many applications, such as executive coaching, team building, and hiring and promotion decisions, the focus of most published research on the use of personality assessments at work is biased toward assessment for employee selection. Reviews have therefore tended to use criteria that are appropriate for selection, neglecting the additional and different criteria that are important in relation to employee development. An illustration of the often-discussed scientist-practitioner divide is that the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is the most widely known and used personality assessment in organizations, despite harsh criticism by the academic community. This article reviews this debate, and draws implications for the appropriate choice of personality assessments for use in individual and team development, and a new direction for scientific research.

  11. Health Care Finance Executive Personalities Revisited: A 10-Year Follow-up Study.

    PubMed

    Lieneck, Cristian; Nowicki, Michael

    2015-01-01

    A dynamic health care industry continues to call upon health care leaders to possess not one but multiple competencies. Inherent personality characteristics of leaders often play a major role in personal as well as organizational success to include those in health care finance positions of responsibility. A replication study was conducted to determine the Myers-Briggs personality-type differences between practicing health care finance professionals in 2014, as compared with a previous 2003 study. Results indicate a significant shift between both independent samples of health care finance professionals over the 10-year period from original high levels of introversion to that of extraversion, as well as higher sensing personality preferences, as compared with the original sample's high level of intuition preferences. Further investigation into the evolving role of the health care finance manager is suggested, while continued alignment of inherent, personal characteristics is suggested to meet ongoing changes in the industry.

  12. Rethinking Military Personnel Evaluations

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-03-23

    review of references describing this effect, see Stephanie L. Wolfgeher, Inflation of USAF Officer Performance Reports: Analyzing the Organizational...Dennis P. Chapman, "It’s Time for a New Round of OER Reform," Military Review 86, no. 5 (September-October 2006), 100. 23 LTC Briggs is an Operations...Research Analyst who has an interesting, and award- winning, model for predicting promotion rates in the aggregate. David Briggs , "Modeling Army

  13. Perceptions of Teaching Methods for Preclinical Oral Surgery: A Comparison with Learning Styles

    PubMed Central

    Omar, Esam

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Dental extraction is a routine part of clinical dental practice. For this reason, understanding the way how students’ extraction knowledge and skills development are important. Problem Statement and Objectives: To date, there is no accredited statement about the most effective method for the teaching of exodontia to dental students. Students have different abilities and preferences regarding how they learn and process information. This is defined as learning style. In this study, the effectiveness of active learning in the teaching of preclinical oral surgery was examined. The personality type of the groups involved in this study was determined, and the possible effect of personality type on learning style was investigated. Method: This study was undertaken over five years from 2011 to 2015. The sample consisted of 115 students and eight staff members. Questionnaires were submitted by 68 students and all eight staff members involved. Three measures were used in the study: The Index of Learning Styles (Felder and Soloman, 1991), the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and the styles of learning typology (Grasha and Hruska-Riechmann). Results and Discussion: Findings indicated that demonstration and minimal clinical exposure give students personal validation. Frequent feedback on their work is strongly indicated to build the cognitive, psychomotor, and interpersonal skills needed from preclinical oral surgery courses. Conclusion: Small group cooperative active learning in the form of demonstration and minimal clinical exposure that gives frequent feedback and students’ personal validation on their work is strongly indicated to build the skills needed for preclinical oral surgery courses. PMID:28357004

  14. The effectiveness of home-based HIV counseling and testing on reducing stigma and risky sexual behavior among adults and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analyses.

    PubMed

    Feyissa, Garumma Tolu; Lockwood, Craig; Munn, Zachary

    2015-07-17

    Human immunodeficiency virus counselling and testing is a critical and essential gateway to Human immunodeficiency virus prevention, treatment, care and support services. Though some primary studies indicate that home-based counselling and testing is more effective than facility based counselling and testing to reduce stigma and risky sexual behavior, to the best of the author's knowledge, no systematic review has tried to establish consistency in the findings across populations. The objective of this review was to determine the effectiveness of home-based Human immunodeficiency virus counselling and testing in reducing Human immunodeficiency virus-related stigma and risky sexual behavior among adults and adolescents. All adults and adolescents aged 13 years or above. TYPE OF INTERVENTION: This review considered any studies that evaluated home-based Human immunodeficiency virus counseling and testing as an intervention. TYPES OF STUDIES: This review considered quantitative (experimental and observational) studies. TYPES OF OUTCOMES: This review considered studies that included the following outcome measures: stigma, violence, sexual behavior and clinical outcomes. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies reported in English Language from 2001 to 2014 in MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, Scopus and CINAHL. The search for unpublished studies included: WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Clinicaltrials.gov, Mednar, Google Scholar, AIDSinfo and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database. Papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted from papers included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Quantitative data were pooled using the meta-analysis software provided by Joanna Briggs Institute. Effect sizes were calculated using fixed effects model. Where the findings could not be pooled using meta-analyses, results were presented in a narrative form. Nine studies were included in this review, five of them reporting on stigma and related outcomes, three of them on sexual behavior and four of them on clinical outcomes. Meta-analysis indicated that the risk of observing any stigmatizing behavior in the community was 16% (RR=0.84, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.89] lower among the participants exposed to home-based HCT when compared to the risk among those participants not exposed to home-based HCT. The risk of experiencing any stigmatizing behavior by HIV positive patients was 37% (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.88) lower among the intervention population compared to the risk among the control population. The risk of intimate partner violence was 34% (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.89) lower among participants exposed to home-based HCT when compared to the risk among participants in the control arm. Compared to the control arm, the risk of reporting more than one sexual partner was 58% (RR 0.42, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.58) lower among participants exposed to home-based HCT. The risk of having any casual sexual partner in the past three months was 51% (RR 0.49, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.59) lower among the population exposed to home-based HCT when compared to the risk among those participants not exposed to home-based HCT. The risk of having ever been forced for sex among participants exposed to home-based HCT was 20% (RR 0.8, 0.56 to 1.14) lower when compared to the risk among the control arm; however this result was not statistically significant and the wide confidence interval indicates that the risk estimate was imprecise. Home-based HCT is protective against intimate partner violence, stigmatizing behavior, having multiple sexual partners, and having casual sexual partners. The low quality of studies included makes it difficult to formulate clear recommendations regarding the effectiveness of home-based HCT on the above outcomes as compared to other models of HCT. However, the current findings may help in designing HIV prevention programs, especially in high prevalence settings and where stigma is higher and there is limited access or barriers to utilizing facility-based services. Randomized controlled trials that assess the effectiveness of home-based HCT on stigma, sexual behavior, viral load and viral suppression are needed. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  15. The characteristics of medical students' personality types and interpersonal needs.

    PubMed

    Hur, Yera; Cho, A-Ra; Kim, Sun

    2013-12-01

    Medical students' personality types and interpersonal needs must be considered. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of personality types and interpersonal needs. A total of 171 students in Konyang University College of Medicine were examined using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior (FIRO-B). The data were analyzed by frequency analysis, t-test, and one-sample proportion test. The proportion of the 4 pairs of MBTI dimensions were Extroversion (E)-Introversion (I) (53.2% vs. 46.8%), Sensing (S)-Intuition (N) (63.2% vs. 36.8%), Thinking (T)-Feeling (F) (59.7% vs. 40.4%), and Judging (J)-Perceiving (P) (56.1% vs. 43.9%). The predominant personality types were ISTJ (16.4%), ESTJ (14.0%), and ESFJ (10.5%). The level of interpersonal needs were medium rage that was inclusion (mean=8.1), control (mean=8.8), affection (mean=8.1), expressed behavior (mean=12.1), wanted behavior (mean=12.9), and overall interpersonal needs (mean=25.0). Of the basic social needs, males and females differed significantly with regard to control needs (p=0.028). Educational programs that take into account personality types and characteristics of interpersonal needs are crucial in providing effective medical education. Our results suggest that the characteristics of personality types and interpersonal needs should be considered in developing an interpersonal relations improvement program for medical students.

  16. Glove utilization in the prevention of cross transmission: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Picheansanthian, Wilawan; Chotibang, Jutamas

    2015-05-15

    Gloves are worn to protect hands from contamination from microorganisms and to reduce the risks of transmission of microorganisms from healthcare workers to patients and vice versa. However, gloves should be changed between patient contacts and hand washing is necessary before putting on gloves and immediately after removing gloves. The objective of this review was to evaluate and synthesize the best available research evidence that investigates clinical use of gloves in the prevention of cross transmission. Health care workers.Types of intervention(s): Glove use intervention. Types of outcomes: Contamination of healthcare workers' hands, transmission of infections, adherence to glove usage, inappropriate uses of gloves, and adherence to hand hygiene. Types of studies: Quasi-experimental studies and descriptive studies. The search sought to find published and unpublished studies. The time period of the search covered articles published from 2000 to 2012 in English and Thai. The databases searched included: MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Science Direct, Current Content Connect, Blackwell synergy, Thai Nursing Research Database, Thai thesis database, Digital Library of Thailand Research Fund, Research of National Research Council of Thailand, and Database of Office of Higher Education. Studies selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument software. Data extraction was performed using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument software. A meta-synthesis was not possible due to the methodological heterogeneity of the included papers. The evidence was thus presented as a narrative summary. Twenty-three studies were included in this review. The results indicated that contamination of a healthcare worker's gloves with bacteria during routine care activities is common. The use of gloves can protect the hands of healthcare workers from bacterial contamination, but the protection afforded by the gloves was incomplete. Adherence to glove utilization among healthcare workers was suboptimal. Gloves were overused and often misused. The major break in compliance with glove use was failure to change gloves between procedures on the same patient. Inappropriate glove use can increase the risk of cross transmission. It is unclear if modifications in glove use alter compliance with hand hygiene among healthcare workers. Gloving can reduce acquisition of microorganisms on the hands. However, gloving does not completely prevent contamination of the hands. Compliance with glove use among healthcare workers is poor. Gloves were also overused and often misused. Inappropriate glove use can increase the risk of cross transmission via contaminated gloved hands. There is still not enough evidence to prove the influence of glove use on adherence to hand hygiene. This review strengthens the recent suggestion on the use of gloves to reduce bacterial contamination. However, gloving does not completely prevent contamination, thus emphasizing the need for hand antisepsis before and after patient contact. Intervention to improve the use of gloves and hand hygiene compliance after gloving in the healthcare settings should be implemented. Further studies should target poor compliers with glove use and promote strategies that can be evaluated. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  17. The new Adelaide medium frequency Doppler radar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reid, I. M.; Vandepeer, B. G. W.; Dillon, S.; Fuller, B.

    1993-08-01

    The Buckland Park Aerial Array (35 deg S, 138 deg E) is situated about 40 km north of Adelaide on a flat coastal plain. It was designed by Basil Briggs and Graham Elford, and constructed between 1965 and 1968. The first results were published in the late 1960's. Some aspects of the history of the array are described in Briggs (1993). A new MF Doppler Radar utilizing the array has been developed. This paper describes some of the technical details of this new facility.

  18. A new monster from southwest Oregon forests: Cryptomaster behemoth sp. n. (Opiliones, Laniatores, Travunioidea)

    PubMed Central

    Starrett, James; Derkarabetian, Shahan; Richart, Casey H.; Cabrero, Allan; Hedin, Marshal

    2016-01-01

    Abstract The monotypic genus Cryptomaster Briggs, 1969 was described based on individuals from a single locality in southwestern Oregon. The described species Cryptomaster leviathan Briggs, 1969 was named for its large body size compared to most travunioid Laniatores. However, as the generic name suggests, Cryptomaster are notoriously difficult to find, and few subsequent collections have been recorded for this genus. Here, we increase sampling of Cryptomaster to 15 localities, extending their known range from the Coast Range northeast to the western Cascade Mountains of southern Oregon. Phylogenetic analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data reveal deep phylogenetic breaks consistent with independently evolving lineages. We use discovery and validation species delimitation approaches to generate and test species hypotheses, including a coalescent species delimitation method to test multi-species hypotheses. For delimited species, we use light microscopy and SEM to discover diagnostic morphological characters. Although Cryptomaster has a small geographic distribution, this taxon is consistent with other short-range endemics in having deep phylogenetic breaks indicative of species level divergences. Herein we describe Cryptomaster behemoth sp. n., and provide morphological diagnostic characters for identifying Cryptomaster leviathan and Cryptomaster behemoth. PMID:26877685

  19. Routine culture-based screening versus risk-based management for the prevention of early-onset group B streptococcus disease in the neonate: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Kurz, Ella; Davis, Deborah

    2015-04-17

    Early-onset group B streptococcus disease, recognized as the most common cause of early onset neonatal sepsis in developed countries, is transmitted vertically from the group B streptococcus carrier mother to the neonate in the peripartum. Accordingly, early-onset group B streptococcus disease is prevented by halting the transmission of the microorganism from the mother to the infant. Two main methods, routine culture-based screening and risk-based management, may be used in the identification of mothers requiring intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis in labor. While there are advantages and disadvantages to each, there is limited high level evidence available as to which method is superior. To identify the effectiveness of risk-based management versus routine culture-based screening in the prevention of early-onset group B streptococcus disease in the neonate. This review considered studies which treated pregnant women with intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis following risk- and culture-based protocols for the prevention of early-onset group B streptococcus disease in the neonate. Types of intervention: This review considered studies that evaluated risk-based management against routine culture-based screening for the prevention of early-onset group B streptococcus disease in the neonate. Types of studies: This review looked for highest evidence available which in this case consisted of one quasi experimental study and eight comparative cohort studies with historical or concurrent control groups. Types of outcomes: Incidence of early-onset group B streptococcus disease in neonates as measured by positive group B streptococcus culture from an otherwise sterile site. Secondary outcomes include neonatal death due to group B streptococcus sepsis and percentage of women who received intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis. A multi-step search strategy was used to find studies which were limited to the English language and published between January 2000 and June 2013. The quality of the eligible studies was assessed independently by two reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool for observational studies. Data was extracted using a standardized extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Quantitative papers were, where possible, pooled for meta-analysis using Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument effect sizes expressed as odds ratio and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Heterogeneity was assessed statistically using the standard Chi-square. The results of this review come from nine studies published in peer reviewed journals. The treatment group consists of those screened as per the culture-based protocol, the control group the risk-based protocol. For combined term and preterm infants the odds of early-onset group B streptococcus disease for the treatment vs control groups is 0.45 (95% CI 0.37 to 0.53). The odds ratio in term infants is 0.45 (95% CI 0.36 to 0.57). Preterm infants are four times (OR 4.20 [95% CI 3.36 to 5.24]) more likely to develop early-onset group B streptococcus disease than term infants regardless of prevention technique. One study provides information on neonatal mortality in which there is one neonatal death in the risk-based cohort and none in the culture-based. The TRUNCATED AT 500 WORDS. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  20. Changes in spine loading patterns throughout the workday as a function of experience, lift frequency, and personality.

    PubMed

    Chany, Anne-Marie; Parakkat, Julia; Yang, Gang; Burr, Deborah L; Marras, William S

    2006-01-01

    Psychosocial stressors have been associated with low back pain reporting. However, response to psychosocial risk factors may be dependent on the individual's personality type that, in turn, can affect muscle recruitment and spine loading. This study explores how personality might be associated with spine loading during repetitive lifting performed throughout an entire work shift. Assess spine loading as a function of an individual's personality type during repetitive, long-term exposure to a materials handling tasks. Laboratory experiment where experienced and inexperienced participants performed repetitive, asymmetric lifts at various load and lift frequency levels throughout a series of 8-hour exposure periods. Spine loads were monitored throughout the work period. Twelve novice and 12 experienced materials handlers who were asymptomatic for back pain. Spine compression, anterior-posterior (A/P) shear, and lateral shear at the L5-S1 level. Participants were categorized into personality types based upon the Myers-Briggs personality type indicator. An electromyography-assisted biomechanical model was used to assess spine compression, A/P shear, and lateral shear throughout the exposure period. The results indicate that intuitors had higher shear spinal loading regardless of moment exposure, lift frequency, and time through the work period, compared with the sensor personality type. In addition, higher spine compressive and shear forces occurred in the perceiver personality compared with the judgers' personality trait, regardless of moment and, often, lift frequency. Novice lifters typically experienced greater spine loading. The results suggest that when there exists a personality-job environment mismatch, spinal loading increases via an increase in antagonistic co-contraction. The trends suggest that inherent personality characteristics may play a role in one's motor control strategies when performing a repetitive lifting task.

  1. Matching student personality types and learning preferences to teaching methodologies.

    PubMed

    Jessee, Stephen A; O'Neill, Paula N; Dosch, Robert O

    2006-06-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify teaching styles that complement the learning preferences of undergraduate dental students while enhancing the quality of patient care. A formidable challenge to reform in dental education has been overcoming the resistance by faculty and administration to recommended changes. The organizational structure of dental institutions, with their independent departments, makes obtaining consensus on educational issues difficult. For beneficial change to occur, clear evidence of the benefits to all within the organization must be presented. The objectives of the study were to 1) identify the most common personality types among first- and second-year undergraduate dental students at the University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI); 2) identify the learning preferences of these personality types; and 3) determine a more effective approach to teaching clinical dentistry based upon student personality types and learning preferences. Four common personality types were identified among respondents: ISTJ, ESFJ, ESTJ, and ISFJ, with a predisposition for Sensing (S) (desire for facts, use of senses) over Intuition (N) (look for possibilities, relationships) and Judging (J) (prefers decisiveness, closure) over Perceiving (P) (desire flexibility, spontaneity). The most common occurring personality type, ISTJ, represents an Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging individual. Specific clinical curricular techniques that would appeal to these common personality types are identified, and an explanation of their benefit is provided. Results of this study demonstrate the importance of faculty understanding and acknowledging different student personality types and related learning preferences as a way to initiate improvement of undergraduate dental education, promote student motivation, and allow for an expression of learning style preference.

  2. Measuring the Jungian personality types of Hispanic high school students.

    PubMed

    Mittag, K C

    1999-09-01

    Measures of normal variations in personality, called psychological type, are frequently used in education (e.g., to identify learning styles) and counseling (e.g., in career counseling). However, the most frequently-used measure of types, developed by Myers and Briggs, has been criticized on various psychometric grounds. The present study investigated the psychometric properties of an alternative measure, the Personal Preferences Self-Description Questionnaire (PPSDQ), which employs normative rather than ipsative (forced-choice) items. Because previous studies of the measure have primarily used older and highly literate participants, the present study was conducted with 328 Hispanic high school students to determine whether the sound psychometric quality of PPSDQ scores was compromised by vocabulary or language issues. The results of reliability and factor analyses were generally favorable as regards PPSDQ score integrity.

  3. The experiences of and meaning for women living and coping with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

    PubMed

    Min, Li Jie; Drury, Vicki Blair; Taylor, Beverley Joan

    Effective management of diabetes not only relies on lifestyle modification and adherence to a treatment regime, but also the ability to cope with the impact of the disease on daily activities. Stress associated with the multi-caregiver role of women may affect the ability to manage the disease effectively. To explore the experience of women living and coping with type 2 diabetes. Adult women aged 18 years and above diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.The meaning of living and coping with type 2 diabetes.Qualitative studies, including designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research. The search strategy used sought only to identify published English research papers from the year 1990 to 2010. A three-step search strategy was undertaken. The retrieved papers were assessed for methodological quality by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Data was extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review data extraction tool. The data were synthesised using the Joanna Briggs Institute approach of meta-synthesis by meta-aggregation. Nine studies were included in the review. Forty-one findings were obtained and then grouped into 11 categories which were then aggregated into four synthesised findings: "Living with type 2 diabetes is emotionally and mentally challenging", "Support (of self, by others, spiritual) provides the ability to cope with diabetes", "Women see their personal responsibility in the management of diabetes and try to maintain their autonomy. Despite this, women place the needs of the family over their own needs thereby resulting in ineffective management" and "Effective management of diabetes is hindered by role duties of women as well as their attitudes and the attitudes of the healthcare providers". Women are challenged by their multi-caregiving roles and the complexities of managing their diabetes simultaneously. Holistic, individual psycho-education programs for female patients with diabetes and carer programs educating families and friends will facilitate more effective and successful management. As supported by the evidence obtained in this review, diabetic education programs should include strategies that facilitate emotional coping. Family members should be encouraged to attend diabetes management programs or workshops designed for caregivers or family members to enable them to support female family members with diabetes effectively. Education programs for doctors should focus on the therapeutic helping relationship and the role this relationship plays in facilitating improved health outcomes for patients. Implementation of action research with interventions that address the key issues identified in this systematic review would be useful. Additionally, further longitudinal studies that link the incidence and severity of complications and quality of life issues associated with diabetes management to such intervention programs will clarify the benefits, modifying factors and barriers. Despite a plethora of literature examining the coping styles and experiences of Caucasian people with diabetes there is a paucity of literature investigating similar issues among Asian populations. Thus further research studies that examine the experience of living and coping with type 2 diabetes in Asian populations are needed to enhance understanding for these patients.

  4. Natural Resource Management at Four Social Scales: Psychological Type Matters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allison, Helen; Hobbs, Richard

    2010-03-01

    Understanding organisation at different social scales is crucial to learning how social processes play a role in sustainable natural resource management. Research has neglected the potential role that individual personality plays in decision making in natural resource management. In the past two decades natural resource management across rural Australia has increasingly come under the direct influence of voluntary participatory groups, such as Catchment Management Authorities. The greater complexity of relationships among all stakeholders is a serious management challenge when attempting to align their differing aspirations and values at four social institutional scales—local, regional, state and national. This is an exploratory study on the psychological composition of groups of stakeholders at the four social scales in natural resource management in Australia. This article uses the theory of temperaments and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®) to investigate the distribution of personality types. The distribution of personality types in decision-making roles in natural resource management was markedly different from the Australian Archive sample. Trends in personality were found across social scales with Stabilizer temperament more common at the local scale and Theorist temperament more common at the national scale. Greater similarity was found at the state and national scales. Two temperaments comprised between 76 and 90% of participants at the local and regional scales, the common temperament type was Stabilizer. The dissimilarity was Improviser (40%) at the local scale and Theorist (29%) at the regional scale. Implications for increasing participation and bridging the gap between community and government are discussed.

  5. Financial expectations of first-year veterinary students.

    PubMed

    Lim, Christine C; Schulhofer-Wohl, Sam; Root Kustritz, Margaret V; Molgaard, Laura K; Lee, David

    2015-07-15

    To assess student awareness of the financial costs of pursuing a veterinary education, to determine student expectations for financial returns of a veterinary career, and to identify associations between student debt and factors such as future career plans or personality type. Survey. First-year veterinary students at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine. In 2013, prior to the first day of class, all incoming first-year students received an email invitation to complete an online survey. The survey contained questions about demographics, current financial situation, current debt, expected debt at graduation, expected annual income following graduation, intent to pursue specialty training, and Myers-Briggs personality type. 72 of 102 (71%) students completed the survey; 65 respondents answered all relevant questions and provided usable data. Student responses for expected debt at graduation were comparable to national averages for veterinary college graduates; responses for expected annual income following graduation were lower than averages for University of Minnesota veterinary college graduates and national averages. However, students predicted even lower annual income if they did not attend veterinary college. Expected debt and expected annual income were not correlated with factors such as personality type or future career plans. Results indicated that first-year veterinary students were aware of the financial costs of their veterinary education and had realistic expectations for future salaries. For typical veterinary students, attending veterinary college appeared to be financially worthwhile, given lower expected earnings otherwise.

  6. The influence of personality type on decision making in the physical therapy admission process.

    PubMed

    Bezner, J R; Boucher, B K

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify the personality types of physical therapy (PT) interviewers and applicants, using the Personality Styles (PS) assessment tool, and to determine whether an interview team's personality type influences the rating score given. The PS was validated in a study of 298 students who completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Form G and a PS assessment. By chi-square analysis the PS model appears to be a valid representation of the MBTI (chi 2 = 86.62, p < 0.00001). Subjects for the interview portion of the study were 282 student applicants, 19 faculty, and 47 clinicians from two PT programs. A randomly assigned faculty/clinician team interviewed each applicant. Two one-way ANOVAs were performed with interview score as the dependent variable and 1) applicant personality type in relation to faculty/clinician team (same, different from both, like one) and 2) applicant personality type as the independent variables. Internal consistency of the interview rating form was alpha = 0.89. Mean interview score was 33.97/42 (SD 4.59). Interview scores were not significantly different between applicants who interviewed with clinician/faculty teams that were "like" compared with "not like" the applicants (F0.864; p = 0.423), but were significantly different between applicants with different PS personality types (F3.159; p = 0.026). Although personality type of the interview team did not impact the score given, thereby refuting the presence of interviewer bias, the rating scores did vary according to personality type of the applicant, suggesting a possible stereotyping bias in the criteria used to rate applicants.

  7. The effectiveness of moisturizers in the management of burn scars following burn injury: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Klotz, Tanja; Kurmis, Rochelle; Munn, Zachary; Heath, Kathryn; Greenwood, John E

    2015-11-13

    The common mantra with which patients often leave a burns unit is "moisturize and massage". Various products have been reported for use in practice including aqueous cream BP, bees wax and herbal oil creams, silicone based creams, paraffin/petroleum/mineral oil based products and aloe vera gels. Often combined with other scar management techniques such as pressure therapy, massage and contact media, moisturizers convey active properties of their own.  To date no published review on the optimal moisturizer for burn scar management has been identified via searches of recognized databases. The objective of this review was to identify and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of moisturizer use in the management of active burn scars following burn injury.  More specifically, this review focused on the following questions:  Does moisturizer use have an effect on scar outcomes following burn injury, including scar formation, skin breakdown, patient acceptance and water loss?  What is the optimal base composition of moisturizers used in scar management for patients who have sustained a burn injury? Types of participants:  Patients of any age who have sustained a burn injury of any size, and have been admitted to a hospital or regional burn unit or burn centre for the management of their injury.  Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest:  Studies evaluating moisturizer applied to healed skin following burn injury were considered for inclusion. Moisturizer may have been compared to usual care as defined by the individual study, other interventions, or a different type of moisturizer. Studies comparing moisturizer and massage compared to moisturizer alone were excluded.  Types of studies:  This review primarily considered experimental study designs, including randomized and pseudo-randomized controlled trials.  Types of outcomes:  Primary outcomes for examination in this review included scar formation and skin breakdown, measured by objective tools or subjective scales.  Secondary outcomes included product acceptance, patient compliance and transepidermal water loss. A search was conducted to identify published and unpublished studies via electronic databases. Reference lists of all papers selected for full text retrieval were then hand searched for potential additional citations. Articles meeting pre-determined eligibility criteria for the review were assessed by two independent reviewers using standardized checklists from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Corresponding authors were contacted where additional information was required; however this strategy did not yield additional information that altered study eligibility status. Data was extracted from the included paper using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Narrative synthesis of the included study was undertaken. One study, following a randomized controlled design, was eligible for inclusion in this review. This study investigated the effect of vitamin E cream versus a base moisturizing cream on outcomes including range of motion, scar thickness, cosmetic appearance and graft size. No significant differences between groups for all reported outcomes were observed. Despite the common practice involving moisturizers TRUNCATED AT 500 WORDS. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  8. Teaching Communication Skills to Radiology Residents.

    PubMed

    Itri, Jason N; Yacob, Sammy; Mithqal, Ayman

    The transition of health care in the United States from volume to value requires a systems-based approach aligning clinical services across the continuum of care. The ability to communicate effectively and resolve conflict is a critical skill within the systems-based model. Recognizing the essential role of communication in medicine, the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education has designated interpersonal and communication skills a core competency for all residents regardless of specialty. Yet, communication skills are often developed through on-the-job training or not at all. Traditional educational curricula use a predominantly didactic approach without opportunities for trainees to observe, actively experiment, or reflect on what is learned as a part of the learning process. In this article, we describe a 1-day experiential communication skills workshop customized for radiology residents that consists of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and conflict management sessions designed to develop interpersonal, communication, and conflict management skills through group discussion, role-play, and simulation. The purpose of this educational initiative was to determine the perceived value of an experiential communication skills workshop designed for radiology trainees. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Cognitive leisure activities and their role in preventing dementia: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Stern, Cindy; Munn, Zachary

    2010-03-01

    Dementia inflicts a tremendous burden on the healthcare system. Identifying protective factors or effective prevention strategies may lead to considerable benefits. One possible strategy mentioned in the literature relates to participation in cognitive leisure activities. To determine the effectiveness of cognitive leisure activities in preventing Alzheimer's and other dementias among older adults. Types of participants. Adults aged at least 60 years of age with or without a clinical diagnosis of dementia that resided in the community or care setting. Types of interventions. Cognitive leisure activities, defined as activities that required a mental response from the individual taking part in the activity (e.g. reading). Types of outcomes. The presence or absence of dementia was the outcome of interest. Types of studies. Any randomised controlled trials, other experimental studies, as well as cohort, case-control and cross-sectional studies were considered for inclusion. Search strategy. A search for published and unpublished studies in the English language was undertaken with no publication date restriction. Each study was appraised independently by two reviewers using the standard Joanna Briggs Institute instruments. Information was extracted from studies meeting quality criteria using the standard Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Because of the heterogeneity of populations and interventions, meta-analyses were not possible and results are presented in narrative form. There were no randomised controlled trials located that met inclusion criteria. Thirteen observational studies were included in the review; the majority were cohort design. Because of the heterogeneity of interventions, the study design, the way in which they were grouped and the different stages of life they were measured at, statistical pooling was not appropriate. Studies were grouped by stage of adult life participation when interventions were undertaken, that is, early adulthood, middle adulthood and late life. Five out of six studies showed a positive association between participating in activities and a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other dementias when interventions were undertaken in middle adulthood and six out of seven studies produced a positive association for late life participation. Results indicated that some activities might be more beneficial than others; however, results should be interpreted with caution because of the subjective nature of activity inclusion. • Actively participating in cognitive leisure activities during mid- or late life may be beneficial in preventing the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias in the elderly; however, the evidence is currently not strong enough to infer a direct causal relationship. • Participating in selected cognitive leisure activities may be more favourable than others but currently there is no strong evidence to recommend one over the other. © 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation © Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  10. Molecular three-body Brauner-Briggs-Klar theory for ion-impact ionization of molecules

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghanbari-Adivi, E.

    2016-12-01

    Molecular three-body Brauner-Briggs-Klar (M3BBK) theory is developed to study the single ionization of diatomic molecules by ion impact. The orientation-averaged molecular orbital (OAMO) approximation is used to reduce the required computer time without sacrificing the performance of the method. The post-collision interaction (PCI) between the scattered projectile and the ejected electron is included. The theory is applied to collision of protons with hydrogen molecules. Results are obtained for two different kinematical regimes: i) fast collisions and low emission energies, and ii) not so fast collisions and higher emission energies. For both considered regimes, experimental fully differential cross-sections as well as different theoretical calculations are available for comparison. These comparisons are carried out and discussed.

  11. Student personality and learning styles: A comparison between radiation therapy and medical imaging undergraduate students in New Zealand.

    PubMed

    Dungey, G; Yielder, J

    2017-05-01

    This study investigated the learning styles and personality type of undergraduate radiation therapy students at the University of Otago, Wellington (UOW) in New Zealand (NZ) to ascertain whether there is a pattern evidenced for this group and how that might compare with NZ medical imaging students. All students enrolled in the first year of the Bachelor of Radiation Therapy degree from 2014 to 2016 at the UOW were invited to participate in this research. The test tool was the Paragon Learning Style Inventory (PLSI), which is a standardised questionnaire adapted from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). All students who participated in the workshops consented for their data to be used for this project. The current study is longitudinal, and will continue for five years in total. The initial findings indicate that the cohorts of RT students exhibit personality and learning style preferences similar in Introversion/Extraversion and Thinking/Feeling to the proportion expected in the normal population. However, the Sensing/Intuition and Judging/Perceiving dichotomies show some similarities to the medical imaging students studied, who fell considerably outside that expected in the normal population. Overall, the dominant preference combinations identified, although different in degree, were similar to those of medical imaging students. The continuation of the radiation therapy study is important to ascertain more fully whether the results are particular to these cohorts of students or are trending towards showing a pattern of personality and learning style within the profession. Copyright © 2016 The College of Radiographers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Spatial transport of electron quantum states with strong attosecond pulses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chovancova, M.; Agueny, H.; Førre, M.; Kocbach, L.; Hansen, J. P.

    2017-11-01

    This work follows up the work of Dimitrovsky, Briggs and co-workers on translated electron atomic states by a strong field of an atto-second laser pulse, also described as creation of atoms without a nucleus. Here, we propose a new approach by analyzing the electron states in the Kramers-Henneberger moving frame in the dipole approximation. The wave function follows the displacement vector α (t). This allows arbitrarily shaped pulses, including the model delta-function potentials in the Dimitrovsky and Briggs approach. In the case of final-length single-cycle pulses, we apply both the Kramers-Henneberger moving frame analysis and a full numerical treatment of our 1D model. When the laser pulse frequency exceeds the frequency associated by the energy difference between initial and final states, the entire wavefunction is translated in space nearly without loss of coherence, to a well defined distance from the original position where the ionized core is left behind. This statement is demonstrated on the excited Rydberg states (n = 10, n = 15), where almost no distortion in the transported wave functions has been observed. However, the ground state (n = 1) is visibly distorted during the removal by pulses of reasonable frequencies, as also predicted by Dimitrovsky and Briggs analysis. Our approach allows us to analyze general pulses as well as the model delta-function potentials on the same footing in the Kramers-Henneberger frame.

  13. The five functions of psychological type.

    PubMed

    Myers, Steve

    2016-04-01

    From the mid-1930s to the end of his life, Jung complained that most readers misunderstood the main point of his book Psychological Types. He viewed being a type as one-sided and problematic for a variety of reasons. His symbol-based solution to the 'type problem' involved developing a transcendent function to become the new dominant function of consciousness. However, this function has not featured in the popular use of his typology and Isabel Briggs Myers believed that the one-sidedness of Jung's eight types could be balanced by the auxiliary function. This has led to the transcendent function being widely ignored, and to a developmental philosophy that encourages a degree of one-sidedness. This divergence of popular type theory and analytical psychology is the result of various factors, such as Jung describing typology as containing four functions, and a letter in 1950 where Jung apparently supported Myers' version of type theory. This hinders the application of analytical psychology to normal psychology, and particularly individual and cultural development. If we refer to Jung's typology as containing five functions not four, this more accurately represents both the content of the book Psychological Types and the primary value Jung saw in typology. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Overweight and obesity: effectiveness of interventions in adults.

    PubMed

    Gómez Puente, Juana María; Martínez-Marcos, Mercedes

    To identify the most effective interventions in overweight and obese adults. A narrative review through a search of the literature in databases PubMed, Cochrane, Joanna Briggs Institute, EMBASE, Cuiden y Cinahl with free and controlled language (MeSH terms) using Boolean operators AND and NOT. The research was limited to articles published between 2007 and 2015. Eighteen articles were selected based on the established inclusion and exclusion criteria. Different types of interventions were identified based on the modification of lifestyles, mainly diet, physical activity and behavior. Major differences were found in specific content, degree of intensity of interventions, time tracking and elements evaluated. Most of studies found statistically significant weight loss but this was limited in terms of weight and number of people. Web-based interventions have no uniform effect on weight loss but achieve similar levels to face-to-face interventions in maintaining weight loss. The combination of personalised diet, exercise and cognitive behavioural therapy is the most effective form of intervention in overweight and obesity. There is insufficient data to indicate whether group or individual interventions are more effective. Online intervention allows greater accessibility and lower cost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  15. Personality preference influences medical student use of specific computer-aided instruction (CAI)

    PubMed Central

    McNulty, John A; Espiritu, Baltazar; Halsey, Martha; Mendez, Michelle

    2006-01-01

    Background The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that personality preference, which can be related to learning style, influences individual utilization of CAI applications developed specifically for the undergraduate medical curriculum. Methods Personality preferences of students were obtained using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test. CAI utilization for individual students was collected from entry logs for two different web-based applications (a discussion forum and a tutorial) used in the basic science course on human anatomy. Individual login data were sorted by personality preference and the data statistically analyzed by 2-way mixed ANOVA and correlation. Results There was a wide discrepancy in the level and pattern of student use of both CAI. Although individual use of both CAI was positively correlated irrespective of MBTI preference, students with a "Sensing" preference tended to use both CAI applications more than the "iNtuitives". Differences in the level of use of these CAI applications (i.e., higher use of discussion forum vs. a tutorial) were also found for the "Perceiving/Judging" dimension. Conclusion We conclude that personality/learning preferences of individual students influence their use of CAI in the medical curriculum. PMID:16451719

  16. Anesthesiology resident personality type correlates with faculty assessment of resident performance.

    PubMed

    Schell, Randall M; Dilorenzo, Amy N; Li, Hsin-Fang; Fragneto, Regina Y; Bowe, Edwin A; Hessel, Eugene A

    2012-11-01

    To study the association between anesthesiology residents' personality preference types, faculty evaluations of residents' performance, and knowledge. Convenience sample and prospective study. Academic department of anesthesiology. Consenting anesthesiology residents (n = 36). All participants completed the Myers Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®). All residents' 6-month summation of daily focal evaluations completed by faculty [daily performance score (DPS); 1 = unsatisfactory, 2 = needs improvement, 3 = meets expectations, 4 = exceeds expectations], as well as a global assessment of performance (GAP) score based on placement of each resident into perceived quartile compared with their peers (ie,1 = first, or top, quartile) by senior faculty (n = 7) who also completed the MBTI, were obtained. The resident MBTI personality preferences were compared with the DPS and GAP scores, the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) I and II scores, and faculty MBTI personality type. There was no association between personality preference type and performance on standardized examinations (USMLE I, II). The mean GAP score was better (higher quartile score) for Extraverts than Introverts (median 2.0 vs 2.6, P = 0.0047) and for Sensing versus Intuition (median 2.0 vs 2.6, P = 0.0206) preference. Faculty evaluator MBTI preference type did not influence the GAP scores they assigned residents. Like GAP, the DPS was better for residents with Sensing versus Intuition preference (median 3.5 vs 3.3, P = 0.0111). No difference in DPS was noted between Extraverts and Introverts. Personality preference type was not associated with resident performance on standardized examinations, but it was associated with faculty evaluations of resident performance. Residents with Sensing personality preference were evaluated more favorably on global and focal faculty evaluations than those residents who chose the Intuition preference. Extraverted residents were evaluated more favorably on global but not focal assessment of performance. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. An Operational Definition of the Steady State in Enzyme Kinetics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barnsley, E. A.

    1990-01-01

    The Briggs-Haldane assumption is used as the basis for the development of a kinetic model for enzyme catalysis. An alternative definition of the steady state and examples of realistic mechanisms are provided. (KR)

  18. Genetics Home Reference: spondyloenchondrodysplasia with immune dysregulation

    MedlinePlus

    ... 1038/ng0211-90. Citation on PubMed Briggs TA, Rice GI, Daly S, Urquhart J, Gornall H, Bader-Meunier B, Baskar K, Baskar S, Baudouin V, Beresford MW, Black GC, Dearman RJ, de Zegher F, Foster ES, ...

  19. The Joanna Briggs Institute Best Practice Information Sheet: music as an intervention in hospitals.

    PubMed

    2011-03-01

    This Best Practice Information Sheet aims to synthesize the best-available evidence on music as a therapeutic intervention for the management of anxiety or pain related to procedural or operative interventions. The information that is contained in this sheet has been derived from studies that were included in a systematic review that was conducted by The Joanna Briggs Institute. The original references can be sourced from the systematic review. Music as a therapeutic intervention is a development largely of the mid-20th century; however, it has existed in various forms in most cultures for many centuries. The Best Practice Information Sheet includes music-listening before a procedure or operation, during a procedure or operation, and after a procedure or operation. It excludes other forms of music therapy. Several recommendations for practice are made. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  20. The effectiveness of tools used to evaluate successful critical decision making skills for applicants to healthcare graduate educational programs: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Benham, Brian; Hawley, Diane

    2015-05-15

    Students leave healthcare academic programs for a variety of reasons. When they attrite, it is disappointing for the student as well as their faculty. Advanced practice nursing and other healthcare professions require not only extensive academic preparation, but also the ability to critically evaluate patient care situations. The ability to critically evaluate a situation is not innate. Critical decision making skills are high level skills that are difficult to assess. For the purpose of this review, critical decision making and critical thinking skills refer to the same constructs and will be referred to globally as critical decision making skills. The objective of this review was to identify the effectiveness of tools used to evaluate critical decision making skills for applicants to healthcare graduate educational programs. Adult (18 years of age or older) applicants, students enrolled and/or recent graduates (within one year from completion) of healthcare graduate educational programs. Types of interventions: This review considered studies that evaluated the utilization of unique tools as well as standard tools, such as the Graduate Record Exam or grade point average, to evaluate critical decision making skills in graduate healthcare program applicants. Types of studies: Experimental and non-experimental studies were considered for inclusion. Types of outcomes: Successful quantitative evaluations based on specific field of study standards. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies. Studies published in English after 1969 were considered for inclusion in this review. Databases that included both published and unpublished (grey) literature were searched. Additionally, reference lists from all articles retrieved were examined for articles for inclusion. Selected papers were assessed by two independent reviewers using standardized critical appraisal instruments from Joanna Briggs Institute. Any disagreement between reviewers was resolved through discussion or with a third reviewer. Data was extracted independently by each reviewer from papers included in the review using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Included data included study type, 'r' values, number of subjects and reported 'p' values. These were indexed by author, year and study title. The meta-analysis was performed using the method for effect size analysis from Hunter and Schmidt. The syntax for equations was transposed into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet for data entry, analysis and graph creation. No articles or paper addressing unique tools for ascertaining critical decision making skills met the inclusion criteria. Standard tools, which were represented in the literature, assess critical decision making skills via prediction of academic and clinical success, which indicates the presence of critical decision making skills in graduate healthcare students. A total of 16 studies addressing standard tools were included in this review. All were retrospective case series studies. The date range for the included studies was 1970 to 2009. The strongest relationship was undergraduate grade point average's correlation to graduate grade point average (small effect size with an 'r' value of 0.27, credibility interval of 0.18-0.37). The second strongest relationship was between Graduate Record Examination’s verbal section and graduate grade point average (small effect size with an r value of 0.24, CrI of 0.11-0.37). An applicant’s undergraduate GPA has the strongest correlation with graduate healthcare program success of the indicators analyzed (r = 0.27, small effect size). The next best predictor of graduate healthcare program success was the GRE Verbal score (r = 0.24, small effect size). However, all of the variables carried positive correlations with graduate success, just of lesser effect size strength. This review supports the continued use of traditional indicators of graduate school potential in the undergraduate grade point average and the various sections of the Graduate Record Examination for the selection of graduate healthcare applicants. Primary studies should be funded and performed to assess the use of unique tools in assessing critical thinking in graduate healthcare students. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  1. A qualitative metasynthesis: family involvement in decision making for people with dementia in residential aged care.

    PubMed

    Petriwskyj, Andrea; Gibson, Alexandra; Parker, Deborah; Banks, Susan; Andrews, Sharon; Robinson, Andrew

    2014-06-01

    Involving people in decisions about their care is good practice and ensures optimal outcomes. Despite considerable research, in practice family involvement in decision making can be challenging for both care staff and families. The aim of this review was to identify and appraise existing knowledge about family involvement in decision making for people with dementia living in residential aged care. The present Joanna Briggs Institute meta-synthesis considered studies that investigate involvement of family members in decision making for people with dementia in residential aged care settings. While quantitative and qualitative studies were included in the review, this article presents the qualitative findings. A comprehensive search of studies was conducted in 15 electronic databases. The search was limited to papers published in English, from 1990 to 2013. Twenty-six studies were identified as relevant for this review; 16 were qualitative papers reporting on 15 studies. Two independent reviewers assessed the studies for methodological validity and extracted the data using the standardized Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). The findings were synthesized using JBI-QARI. The findings related to the decisions encountered and made by family surrogates, family perceptions of, and preferences for, their role/s, factors regarding treatment decisions and the collaborative decision-making process, and outcomes for family decision makers. Results indicate varied and complex experiences and multiple factors influencing decision making. Communication and contacts between staff and families and the support available for families should be addressed, as well as the role of different stakeholders in decisions.

  2. [Psychological features and cognitive styles of students entering medicine and other careers at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile].

    PubMed

    Bitran, Marcela; Zúñiga, Denisse; Lafuente, Montserrat; Viviani, Paola; Mena, Beltrán

    2004-07-01

    The similarity between the psychological features of medical school freshmen of different cohorts suggests that Medicine attracts students with specific psychological types. However, it is also possible that medical students are similar to the students admitted to any other career with high admission requirements. To determine if medical school freshmen are different from those of Engineering, Architecture, Psychology and Journalism. The Spanish version of the Myers Briggs Psychological Type Indicator (MBTI) was applied to two cohorts of Medical School freshmen (90 students of the 2000 cohort and 91 students of the 2001 cohort) and to a sample of 669 freshmen from the careers of Engineering, Psychology, Architecture and Journalism. Students entering Medical School are similar to the students admitted to Engineering and different from those that entered Architecture, Psychology and Journalism in the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile in 2000 and 2001. Medicine attracts a larger proportion of concrete and practical students that have an objective and systematic approach to study and to life in general. Unlike Medicine, Psychology and Architecture attract more students that have a cognitive style characterized by an intuitive perception, and that face life with an open and flexible attitude. This study reveals that the psychological features of undergradutate students are associated to their career choice. These psychological variables, therefore, may be relevant to the students' vocational preferences and possibly to their future specialty choice.

  3. Discharge planning for acute coronary syndrome patients in a tertiary hospital: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Lu, Minmin; Tang, Jun; Wu, Jianjin; Yang, Jie; Yu, Jiangyue

    2015-08-14

    Acute coronary syndromes threaten the lives of patients, and pose a high risk for morbidity and mortality despite advances in treatment. Evidence highlights that effective discharge planning is associated with long-term prognosis of patients. The aim of this project was to improve local practice in discharge planning for acute coronary syndrome patients in Huadong Hospital, Shanghai. Five criteria identified by the Joanna Briggs Institute were used to conduct an audit in the Cardiovascular Ward and Coronary Care Unit of Huadong Hospital, Shanghai. Forty-two nurses and 65 patients were involved. The Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice audit tools for promoting change in health practice were used to ascertain compliance with the criteria before and after the implementation of best practice. The program included three phases and was conducted over five months. The project showed that the compliance rates of in-house education, advice on lifestyle changes, education on discharge medication and left ventricular assessment reached 100%. Psychological screening also attained 97% compliance. There were improvements in the compliance rates of four criteria from 38% to 100%, excluding in-house education which was already 100% compliant. The project achieved significant improvements in establishing evidence-based practice of discharge planning for acute coronary syndrome patients in the Cardiovascular Ward and Coronary Care Unit. Strategies for sustaining best practice will continue to be developed in the future. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  4. Conducting systematic reviews of association (etiology): The Joanna Briggs Institute's approach.

    PubMed

    Moola, Sandeep; Munn, Zachary; Sears, Kim; Sfetcu, Raluca; Currie, Marian; Lisy, Karolina; Tufanaru, Catalin; Qureshi, Rubab; Mattis, Patrick; Mu, Peifan

    2015-09-01

    The systematic review of evidence is the research method which underpins the traditional approach to evidence-based healthcare. There is currently no uniform methodology for conducting a systematic review of association (etiology). This study outlines and describes the Joanna Briggs Institute's approach and guidance for synthesizing evidence related to association with a predominant focus on etiology and contributes to the emerging field of systematic review methodologies. It should be noted that questions of association typically address etiological or prognostic issues.The systematic review of studies to answer questions of etiology follows the same basic principles of systematic review of other types of data. An a priori protocol must inform the conduct of the systematic review, comprehensive searching must be performed and critical appraisal of retrieved studies must be carried out.The overarching objective of systematic reviews of etiology is to identify and synthesize the best available evidence on the factors of interest that are associated with a particular disease or outcome. The traditional PICO (population, interventions, comparators and outcomes) format for systematic reviews of effects does not align with questions relating to etiology. A systematic review of etiology should include the following aspects: population, exposure of interest (independent variable) and outcome (dependent variable).Studies of etiology are predominantly explanatory or predictive. The objective of reviews of explanatory or predictive studies is to contribute to, and improve our understanding of, the relationship of health-related events or outcomes by examining the association between variables. When interpreting possible associations between variables based on observational study data, caution must be exercised due to the likely presence of confounding variables or moderators that may impact on the results.As with all systematic reviews, there are various approaches to present the results, including a narrative, graphical or tabular summary, or meta-analysis. When meta-analysis is not possible, a set of alternative methods for synthesizing research is available. On the basis of the research question and objectives, narrative, tabular and/or visual approaches can be used for data synthesis. There are some special considerations when conducting meta-analysis for questions related to risk and correlation. These include, but are not limited to, causal inference.Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies related to etiology is an emerging methodology in the field of evidence synthesis. These reviews can provide useful information for healthcare professionals and policymakers on the burden of disease. The standardized Joanna Briggs Institute approach offers a rigorous and transparent method to conduct reviews of etiology.

  5. Women's experience of menopause: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

    PubMed

    Hoga, Luiza; Rodolpho, Juliana; Gonçalves, Bruna; Quirino, Bruna

    2015-09-16

    Evidence shows than an estimated one billion women have experienced menopause worldwide. The experience of menopause is influenced by beliefs and values prevalent in the sociocultural setting, the background of the women, and the ways in which the women approach changes in this phase of life. Independently of the circumstances involved, women experiencing menopause need to have their care needs and corresponding support identified based on their personal and contextual perspectives. Although it is essential to provide appropriate support to women experiencing menopause, no systematic reviews have so far been conducted that focus on menopause experienced by women worldwide. The objective of this review is to identify the best available evidence related to how women experience menopause worldwide. This review considered studies that included menopausal women aged between 40 and 65 years, who have lived the transition from reproductive years through menopause and beyond. This review included only studies whose participants have lived the experience of natural menopause. Women who have had induced menopause, or with premature menopause were excluded from this review. TYPES OF INTERVENTION(S)/PHENOMENA OF INTEREST: This review considered studies that investigate women's experiences of natural menopause under the scope of different social and cultural settings. TYPES OF STUDIES: This review considered studies that have a descriptive and interpretive approach, conducted using qualitative methodology. Qualitative studies that focus on program evaluation were excluded from this review. Qualitative data including, but not limited to, study designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research were considered for inclusion in this review. TYPES OF OUTCOMES: This review considered studies that include the following outcome measures: all aspects related both directly and indirectly to the experience of menopause, as concretely lived by women and according to their own point of view. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies. Studies published in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish were considered for inclusion in this review, without any restriction in terms of year of publication. This decision was made to permit the inclusion of all of research related to women's lived experiences of menopause worldwide since the inception of this type of research. The databases searched included CINAHL, Medline and Pubmed, PsycINFO, Lilacs, Scielo, Scopus, Dissertation Abstracts International and the University of São Paulo Dissertations and Thesis. Each primary study was assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality. The Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Appraisal and Review Instrument Data Extraction Form for Interpretive and Critical Research was used to appraise the methodological quality of all papers. Qualitative data was extracted from papers included in the review using standardized data extraction tools developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Qualitative research findings were synthesized using The Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Appraisal and Review Instrument. From the 24 included studies, 108 findings were extracted. These findings were aggregated into 17 categories, and then into six synthesized findings. The six synthesized findings are: (i) Menopause is a natural event in a woman’s life that is closely associated with psychosocial events of midlife and the aging process; (ii) The physical and emotional changes of menopause strongly affect the women; (iii) The women perceive menopause as a time characterized by gains and losses; (iv) Resilience is improved at the time of menopause and coping strategies are adopted to enhance physical and emotional wellbeing; (v) Health issues, family and marital relations, sociocultural background and meaning attributed to the women’s sex life determine if the sexual experiences during menopause are pleasant or not; and (vi) The women should be prepared and have their needs supported according to their perspectives. The systematic review shows that menopause is a stage of life experienced in different ways. The experience of menopause is characterized by personal challenges and changes in personal roles within the family and society. Hot flushes and night sweats are the strongest symptoms of those reported by women affected by the changes experienced during menopause. The positive or negative ways in which each woman approaches the changes during menopause are influenced by their personal, family and sociocultural background. Health care providers pay little attention to women´s perceptions regarding menopause. Considering menopause is a time when women feel vulnerable, personal and tailored healthcare according to individual needs, preferences and expectations should be provided. Coping strategies regarding the effects of menopause should be determined in creative and dynamic ways through the identification and consideration of the complex issues involved. These measures are essential to ensuring effective support for menopausal women. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  6. Participant views and experiences of participating in HIV research in sub-Saharan Africa: a qualitative systematic review.

    PubMed

    Nalubega, Sylivia; Evans, Catrin

    2015-06-12

    Human immunodeficiency virus clinical trials are increasingly being conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. There is a tension between the pressure to increase levels of research participation and the need to ensure informed consent and protection of participants' rights. Researchers need to be aware of the particular ethical issues that underpin Human immunodeficiency virus research conduct in low income settings. This necessitates hearing from those who have participated in research and who have direct experience of the research process. This review aimed to synthesize and present the best available evidence in relation to Human immunodeficiency virus research participation in sub-Saharan Africa, based on the views and experiences of research participants. The review included studies whose participants were current or former adult Human immunodeficiency virus research participants from sub-Saharan African countries. Views, experiences, attitudes, understandings, perceptions and perspectives of Human immunodeficiency virus research participants in sub-Saharan Africa. Types of studies: This review considered studies that focused on qualitative data, including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, ethnography, grounded theory, action research and feminist research. A three-step search strategy was utilized. Seven databases (CINAHL, Ovid MEDLINE (R) 1946, ASSIA, PsychInfo, Web of Science, EMBASE, and African Index Medicus) were searched with no limitation to years of publication, followed by hand searching of reference lists. Only studies published in the English language were considered. Methodological quality was assessed using the Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Qualitative findings were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Qualitative research findings were pooled using a pragmatic meta-aggregative approach and the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument software. Twenty-one studies were included in the review. One hundred and thirty-six findings were extracted from included studies and clustered into 14 categories based on similarities in meaning. These were further synthesized into five synthesized findings, set out below; i) Individuals are motivated to participate in Human immunodeficiency virus research due to a range of perceived benefits for themselves and others. ii) Participation in research can be associated with considerable fear and uncertainty. iii) Participation in Human immunodeficiency virus research is strongly influenced by social relationships (e.g. support or disapproval of family or friends) and social-economic and domestic factors (such as time or finances). iv). The meanings of research programs and processes are constructed within a context of existing lay beliefs, experiences and social relations associated with Human immunodeficiency virus and biomedical interventions in general. This means that local people may understand research and its processes very differently to health professionals. v) Participants' research experiences and their continued participation in Human immunodeficiency virus research are influenced by the research clinic context and the nature of their interactions with research staff. Individuals are generally willing to participate in Human immunodeficiency virus research. However their understanding of the process can be limited, and the experience may may cause anxiety or have negative consequences. Furthermore longer-term participation may become problematic due to socio-economic pressure or social commitments. The review suggests a need to develop better ways to explain research processes and to support participants, when/if they encounter problems. There is also a need to engage better with communities in order to educate them about HIV research programs. All the included studies focused on experiences around research enrolment and participation (retention); however there is a complete evidence gap on experiences of trial closure. Joanna Briggs Institute.

  7. Human Robotic Study at Houghton Crater - virtual reality study from NASA Ames (FFC) Future Fight

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    2002-01-01

    Human Robotic Study at Houghton Crater - virtual reality study from NASA Ames (FFC) Future Fight Central simulator tower L-R: Dr Geoffrey Briggs; Jen Jasper (seated); Dr Jan Akins and Mr. Tony Gross, Ames

  8. Intricate Correlation between Body Posture, Personality Trait and Incidence of Body Pain: A Cross-Referential Study Report

    PubMed Central

    Guimond, Sylvain; Massrieh, Wael

    2012-01-01

    Objective Occupational back pain is a disorder that commonly affects the working population, resulting in disability, health-care utilization, and a heavy socioeconomic burden. Although the etiology of occupational pain remains largely unsolved, anecdotal evidence exists for the contribution of personality and posture to long-term pain management, pointing to a direct contribution of the mind-body axis. In the current study, we have conducted an extensive evaluation into the relationships between posture and personality. Method We have sampled a random population of 100 subjects (50 men and 50 women) in the age range of 13–82 years based on their personality and biomechanical profiles. All subjects were French-Canadian, living in Canada between the Québec and Sorel-Tracy areas. The Biotonix analyses and report were used on the subjects being tested in order to distinguish postural deviations. Personality was determined by using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator questionnaire. Results We establish a correlation between ideal and kyphosis-lordosis postures and extraverted personalities. Conversely, our studies establish a correlative relationship between flat back and sway-back postures with introverted personalities. Conclusion Overall, our studies establish a novel correlative relationship between personality, posture and pain. PMID:22624034

  9. The influence of surgeon personality factors on risk tolerance: a pilot study.

    PubMed

    Contessa, Jack; Suarez, Luis; Kyriakides, Tassos; Nadzam, Geoffrey

    2013-01-01

    This study attempts to assess the association between surgeon personality factors (measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator personality inventory (MBTI(®))) and risk tolerance (measured by the Revised Physicians' Reactions to Uncertainty (PRU) and Physician Risk Attitude (PRA) scales). Instrument assessing surgeon personality profile (MBTI) and 2 questionnaires measuring surgeon risk tolerance and risk aversion (PRU and PRA). Saint Raphael campus of Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven, Connecticut. Twenty categorical surgery residents and 7 surgical core faculty members. The following findings suggest there might be a relationship between surgeon personality factors and risk tolerance. In certain areas of risk assessment, it appears that surgeons with personality factors E (Extravert), T (Thinking), and P (Perception) demonstrated higher tolerance for risk. Conversely, as MBTI(®) dichotomies are complementary, surgeons with personality factors I (Introvert), F (Feeling), and J (Judgment) suggest risk aversion on these same measures. These findings are supported by at least 2 studies outside medicine demonstrating that personality factors E, N, T, and P are associated with risk taking. This preliminary research project represents an initial step in exploring what may be considered a fundamental component in a "successful" surgical personality. © 2013 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Management of non-adherence to fluid intake restrictions in hemodialysis patients in a tertiary hospital: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Jia, Shoumei; Huang, Bihong; Chu, Yuanqian; Lu, Yuhua; McArthur, Alexa

    2016-08-01

    Non-adherence to fluid-intake restrictions is one of the most common problems for hemodialysis (HD) patients. A combined approach that involves patients, healthcare professionals and caregiver inputs based on best practice is important for enhancing adherence within a busy health system. The aim of this project was to promote evidence-based practice in the management of fluid-intake restrictions among HD patients in a HD center. Six evidence-based criteria developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute were used as a basis for audits undertaken in the Hemodialysis Center of Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, mainly focusing on nurse education, fluid-intake management by patients and the role of caregivers in assisting with fluid-intake management by patients. The project included three phases and was conducted over 5 months. The Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice audit tools for promoting change in health practice were used to examine compliance with the criteria before and after the implementation of best practice. Results from pre- and post implementation audits indicated that the compliance rates of four criteria reached 100% after the implementation of various strategies. One criterion (patients' self-monitoring) resulted in a compliance rate of 73.33%. One other criterion (patients' medical documentation) was maintained at 100% compliance. Patients' adherence to fluid intake, knowledge and attitude to self-management also improved significantly in the post implementation audit. This project achieved a significant improvement in evidence-based practice for the management of non-adherence to fluid-intake restrictions in HD patients. An increase in the number of HD patients found to be adherent to fluid-intake restrictions was reported during this process.

  11. Indigenous peoples' experiences and perceptions of hospitalisation for acute care: A metasynthesis of qualitative studies.

    PubMed

    Mbuzi, Vainess; Fulbrook, Paul; Jessup, Melanie

    2017-06-01

    The objective of this study was to explore Indigenous people's experiences and perceptions of hospitalisation and acute care. Systematic procedures were used for the literature search covering the period from 2000 to 2016. Final search was conducted in early September 2016. Quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program. Data extraction was conducted using the data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. A thematic approach to synthesis was taken. Statements were assembled to produce aggregated data of the findings, which were then categorised based on similarity of meaning, and the categories were used to produce comprehensive synthesised findings. The literature search was conducted in the following databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Google scholar, Medline, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, and PsycINFO. Manual searches of the International Journal of Indigenous Health, Menzies website and references of reviewed papers were also conducted. Inclusion criteria were qualitative articles, published in English from across the world, in peer-reviewed journals, that investigated acute health care experiences of Indigenous people. A metasynthesis of qualitative research studies was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. A total of 21 primary studies met the inclusion criteria. Three themes emerged from the metasynthesis: Strangers in a strange land; Encountering dysfunctional interactions; and Suffering stereotyping and assumptions. These themes emphasised the importance of meaningful relationships for Indigenous people and highlighted their cultural marginalisation in hospital settings. The findings indicate that healthcare experiences of Indigenous patients and their relatives in acute settings can fall well short of their expectations and needs. It behoves healthcare professionals to firstly be aware of such discrepancies, and secondly to implement strategies that enable inclusive and individualised care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Evaluation of antioxidant potential of essential oils of some commonly used Indian spices in in vitro models and in food supplements enriched with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

    PubMed

    Bag, Anwesa; Chattopadhyay, Rabi Ranjan

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the antioxidant potential of essential oils of some commonly used Indian spices (black pepper, cinnamon, clove, coriander and cumin) in various in vitro models and in food supplements enriched with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. In vitro antioxidant potential was evaluated using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging and Fe 2+ ion-chelating methods and lipid oxidation stabilisation potential was evaluated in bulk soybean oil-fish oil mixture and their oil-in-water emulsions using peroxide value (PV), p-anisidine value (p-AV) and total oxidation value as indicators of oxidation. Combination effects using DPPH radical scavenging and Briggs-Rauscher oscillating reaction methods were also evaluated. Test essential oils showed varying degrees of radical scavenging and Fe 2+ ion-chelating efficacy. Clove and coriander oils showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) radical scavenging and Fe 2+ ion-chelating potential over other tested essential oils as well as BHT and ∞-tocopherol. The anti-lipid peroxidative potential of test essential oils was found in the following decreasing order: clove > coriander > BHT > cinnamon > α-tocopherol > cumin > black pepper. Furthermore, clove and coriander oils showed synergistic antioxidant activity in combination both in DPPH radical scavenging and Briggs-Rauscher oscillating reaction methods whereas other possible combinations showed additive effects. Strong radical scavenging and Fe 2+ -chelating as well as anti-lipid peroxidative activities of clove and coriander oils provide evidence that clove and coriander oils may serve as a potential source of natural antioxidants for retarding lipid oxidation of food supplements enriched with omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids.

  13. Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial of Student Success Skills

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Webb, Linda; Carey, John; Villares, Elizabeth; Wells, Craig; Sayer, Aline

    2014-01-01

    Numerous authors have reviewed research to determine which skills are considered fundamental to successful academic and social outcomes for students (Hattie, Briggs, & Purdie, 1996; Masten & Coatworth, 1998; Wang, Haertel, & Walberg, 1994; Zins, Weissberg, Wang, & Walberg, 2004). These skills include: (1) cognitive and…

  14. Growth through Levels

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thissen, David

    2015-01-01

    In "Using Learning Progressions to Design Vertical Scales that Support Coherent Inferences about Student Growth" (hereafter ULR), Briggs and Peck suggest that learning progressions could be used as the basis of vertical scales with naturally benchmarked descriptions of student proficiency. They propose and provide a single example of a…

  15. Pollen dispersal by catapult: Experiments of Lyman J. Briggs on the flower of mountain laurel

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Nimmo, John R.; Hermann, Paula M.; Kirkham, M.B.; Landa, Edward R.

    2014-01-01

    The flower of Kalmia latifolia L. employs a catapult mechanism that flings its pollen to considerable distances. Physicist Lyman J. Briggs investigated this phenomenon in the 1950s after retiring as longtime director of the National Bureau of Standards, attempting to explain how hydromechanical effects inside the flower’s stamen could make it possible. Briggs’s unfinished manuscript implies that liquid under negative pressure generates stress, which, superimposed on the stress generated from the flower’s growth habit, results in force adequate to propel the pollen as observed. With new data and biophysical understanding to supplement Briggs’s experimental results and research notes, we show that his postulated negative-pressure mechanism did not play the exclusive and crucial role that he credited to it, though his revisited investigation sheds light on various related processes. Important issues concerning the development and reproductive function of Kalmia flowers remain unresolved, highlighting the need for further biophysical advances.

  16. 77 FR 43582 - Agency Information Collection Extension

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-07-25

    ...-year extension of its Environment, Safety and Health reporting requirements, OMB Control Number 1910..., and to Felecia Briggs, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Health, Safety and Security, HS-83/C-412... the following: (1) OMB No.: 1910-0300; (2) Information Collection Request Title: Environment, Safety...

  17. JPL stories: story on the story (series) Careering through JPL, presented by Alice M. Fairhurst

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hendrickson, S.

    2002-01-01

    Alice Fairhurst, co-author of Effective Teaching, Effective Learning, presented an enthusiastic overview of her tenure as a JPL career development and mentoring coordinator (1991-2001). Among other things, Alice is an expert in Keirseyian Temperament and Myers-Briggs typology.

  18. Being All that We Can Be

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holmes, Harold R.

    2005-01-01

    The author's career path can best be described as "unconventional" or "non-traditional" for a senior student affairs administrator. Being a first-generation college graduate, the author's focus was on what he characterizes as a "clear cut career path" for a Myers Briggs Extraverted Sensing Thinking Judging (ESTJ):…

  19. CLIMATIC DATA ON ESTIMATED EFFECTIVE CHIMNEY HEIGHTS IN THE UNITED STATES

    EPA Science Inventory

    Plume rise calculations are based on the equations of Briggs (1975) for use with variable vertical profiles of temperature and wind speed. Results are presented for small and large chimneys, based on five years of twice-daily rawinsondes throughout the contiguous United States. I...

  20. Challenges in Modeling and Measuring Learning Trajectories

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Confrey, Jere; Jones, R. Seth; Gianopulos, Garron

    2015-01-01

    Briggs and Peck make a compelling case for creating new, more intuitive measures of learning, based on creating vertical scales using learning trajectories (LT) in place of "domain sampling." We believe that the importance of creating measurement scales that coordinate recognizable landmarks in learning trajectories with interval scales…

  1. The personal interview: assessing the potential for personality similarity to bias the selection of orthopaedic residents.

    PubMed

    Quintero, Andres J; Segal, Lee S; King, Tonya S; Black, Kevin P

    2009-10-01

    The selection of medical students for training in orthopaedic surgery consists of an objective screening of cognitive skills to secure interviews for the brightest candidates, followed by subjective measures of candidates to confirm whether applicants are worthy of further consideration. The personal interview and its potential biased impact on the orthopaedic workforce were evaluated. During 2004-2006 at the Penn State College of Medicine, the authors performed a prospective cohort study in which 30 consenting interviewers and 135 interviewees completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator before the interviews. Completed surveys were evaluated after submitting the resident selection list to the National Residency Matching Program, and candidate rankings based solely on the personal interview were analyzed. Clinicians ranked candidates more favorably when they shared certain personality preferences (P = .044) and when they shared the preference groupings of the quadrant extrovert-sensing and either the function pair sensing-thinking (P = .007) or the temperament sensing-judging (P = .003), or the function pair sensing-feeling and the temperament sensing-judging (P = .029). No associations existed between personality preferences and interviewee rankings performed by basic scientists and resident interviewers. The results support the hypothesis that, within the department studied, there was a significant association between similarities in personality type and the rankings that individual faculty interviewers assigned to applicants at the completion of each interview session. The authors believe that it is important for the faculty member to recognize that this tendency exists. Finally, promoting diversity within the admission committee may foster a diverse resident body and orthopaedic workforce.

  2. Disappearing Discourse: Performative Texts and Identity in Legal Contexts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Trinch, Shonna

    2010-01-01

    This article examines how survivors of domestic violence and the institutional authorities to whom they turn for assistance represent verbal aggression in direct quotations and indirect reported speech in legal testimony. Using the theoretical framework proposed by Briggs and Bauman (1992), I suggest that direct quotations and reported speech…

  3. The Effects of Iconic Presentation on Individuals

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-09-01

    attitudes (Davis, 1981; Lusk and Dersnick, 1979; Robey, 1983; Zmud, Blocher, and Moffie , 1983). Davis (1981) performed a study based on the Myers-Briggs...Cheshire CT: Graphics Press, 1983. Zmud, R. W., E. Blocher, and R. P. Moffie . "The Impact of Color Graphic Report Formats on Decision Performance and

  4. Honors Students as Philosophers and Detectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Briggs, Kaitlin A.

    2013-01-01

    This article explores the multiple educational uses of the question, "what do you mean by_____?" as an interlocutor's conversational gesture during classroom discussion, as a text-based prompt for both encoding/writing and decoding/reading, and as a rhetorical device for an effective oral presentation. Kaitlin Briggs explains that the…

  5. Installing a Microcomputer Lab in a Medium-Sized Academic Library.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hallman, Clark N.; And Others

    Designed to serve as a blueprint for other libraries developing plans for microcomputer facilities, this report describes the planning and implementation of a microcomputer laboratory at South Dakota State University's Hilton M. Briggs Library. The university's plan for installing microcomputer labs on campus and the initial planning process…

  6. [The transfer of scientific knowledge in clinical practice].

    PubMed

    Pearson, Alan

    2012-12-01

    The rapid growth of evidence-based practice has been facilitated by the development of theoretical models enabling the components of this concept to be assimilated. The Joanna Briggs Institute is an international organisation which offers a wide range of resources in order to promote this practice in the health sector.

  7. Ivory Snowmen

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mueller, Ann

    2005-01-01

    Recalling memories from her own third grade art classes, Ann Mueller, recreated an updated version for her students showing her students how to make snow scenes from Ivory Snow flakes. She showed students the video, The Snowman based on Raymond Briggs's book of the same name. Its beautiful images spur the imagination, and the musical score is…

  8. Bi-Layer Wound Dressing System for Combat Casualty Care

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-08-01

    25] P.G. Bowler. 2003. The 105 bacterial growth guideline: reassessing its clinical relevance to wound healing. Ostomy /Wound Management 49: 44-53...33] M. Briggs, I. Torra, and J.E. Bou. 2003. Understanding the origin of wound pain during dressing change. Ostomy /Wound Management 49: 10-11

  9. Analysis of Proton Transport Experiments.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-09-05

    which can inhibit transport, may grow . The abrupt loss of transport at higher currents in the small channel suggests this possibility. Future experiments... Unicorn Park Drive Woburn, MA 01801 Attn: H. Linnerud 1 copy Lawrence Livermore Laboratory P. 0. Box 808 Livermore, CA 94550 Attn: R. J. Briggs 1 copy R

  10. ESTIMATED EFFECTIVE CHIMNEY HEIGHTS BASED ON RAWINSONDE OBSERVATIONS AT SELECTED SITES IN THE UNITED STATES

    EPA Science Inventory

    The plume rise equations of Briggs (1975) for variable vertical profiles of temperature and wind speed are described and applied for hypothetical small and very large chimneys at five NWS rawinsonde stations across the United States. From other available data additional informati...

  11. Challenges on the Path to Implementation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Martineau, Joseph A.; Wyse, Adam E.

    2015-01-01

    This article is a commentary of a paper by Derek C. Briggs and Frederick A. Peck, "Using Learning Progressions to Design Vertical Scales That Support Coherent Inferences about Student Growth," which describes an elegant potential framework for at least beginning to address three priorities in large-scale assessment that have not been…

  12. A comprehensive systematic review of visitation models in adult critical care units within the context of patient- and family-centred care.

    PubMed

    Ciufo, Donna; Hader, Richard; Holly, Cheryl

    2011-12-01

    The aim of this review was to appraise and synthesise the best available evidence on visitation models used in adult intensive care units in acute care hospitals and to explicate their congruence with the core concepts of patient- and family-centred care (PFCC). The review considered both quantitative and qualitative studies on visitation models developed within the PFCC model in adult intensive care units in acute care hospitals. The search strategy sought published and unpublished research papers limited to English for the years 1988 through 2009. An initial search of the Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence-Based Nursing and Midwifery, the Cochrane Library, and PubMed's Clinical Inquiry/Find Systematic Review database was conducted, followed by an analysis of key words contained in the title, abstract and index terms. Following this, an extensive three-stage search was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, HealthStar, ScienceDirect, Dissertation Abstracts International, DARE, PsycINFO, BioMedCentral, TRIP, Pre-CINAHL, PsycARTICLES, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection, ISI Current Contents, Science.gov, Web of Science/Web of Knowledge, Scirus.com website. Included was a hand search of reference lists of identified papers to capture all pertinent material as well as a search of relevant worldwide websites and search engines, such as Google Scholar and the Virginia Henderson Library of Sigma Theta Tau International. Each paper was assessed independently by two reviewers for methodological quality prior to inclusion in the review using the appropriate critical appraisal instrument. Findings from the qualitative studies were extracted and a synthesis conducted using the QARI (Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument) software developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. One synthesis revealed that visiting hours were seen as guidelines for the benefit of nurse and patient, rather than rules or policy. Due to the various types of designs in the available studies, it was not possible to pool quantitative research study results into a statistical meta-analysis. Because statistical pooling was not possible, the findings are presented in a narrative form. Following this, results are presented for their congruence with the principles of PFCC. Flexible visiting policies provide the ability to incorporate the concepts of PFCC into practice. However, nurses believe that while visiting is beneficial to patients, open and/or flexible visiting hours are an impediment to practice and increase their workload. Recommendations for best practice were formulated based on the outcomes and include visiting hours should be used as guidelines, not rules, that allow flexibility dependent upon individual patient/family situation. With regard to congruence with PFCC, patient and family requests for information emerged as an unmet need that needs to be addressed. 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare. 2011 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  13. Effectiveness of exercise interventions on physical function in community-dwelling frail older people: an umbrella review of systematic reviews.

    PubMed

    Jadczak, Agathe D; Makwana, Naresh; Luscombe-Marsh, Natalie; Visvanathan, Renuka; Schultz, Timothy J

    2018-03-01

    This umbrella review aimed to determine the effectiveness of exercise interventions, alone or in combination with other interventions, in improving physical function in community-dwelling older people identified as pre-frail or frail. Exercise is said to have a positive impact on muscle mass and strength which improves physical function and hence is beneficial for the treatment of frailty. Several systematic reviews discuss the effects of exercise interventions on physical function parameters, such as strength, mobility, gait, balance and physical performance, and indicate that multi-component exercise, including resistance, aerobic, balance and flexibility training, appears to be the best way in which to improve physical function parameters in frail older people. However, there is still uncertainty as to which exercise characteristics (type, frequency, intensity, duration and combinations) are the most effective and sustainable over the long-term. Participants were adults, 60 years or over, living in the community and identified as pre-frail or frail. Quantitative systematic reviews, with or without meta-analysis that examined the effectiveness of exercise interventions of any form, duration, frequency and intensity, alone or in combination with other interventions designed to alter physical function parameters in frail older people, were considered. The quantitative outcome measures were physical function, including muscular strength, gait, balance, mobility and physical performance. An iterative search strategy for ten bibliometric databases and gray literature was developed. Critical appraisal of seven systematic reviews was conducted independently by two reviewers using a standard Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Data was extracted independently by two reviewers using a standard Joanna Briggs Institute data extraction tool and summarized using a narrative synthesis approach. Seven systematic reviews were included in this umbrella review, with a total of 58 relevant randomized controlled trials and 6927 participants. Five systematic reviews examined the effects of exercise only, while two systematic reviews reported on exercise in combination with a nutritional approach, including protein supplementations, as well as fruit and dairy products. The average exercise frequency was 2-3 times per week (mean 3.0 ± 1.5 times per week; range 1-7 weekly) for 10-90 minutes per session (mean of 52.0 ± 16.5 mins) and a total duration of 5-72 weeks with the majority lasting a minimum of 2.5 months (mean 22.7 ± 17.7 weeks). Multi-component exercise interventions can currently be recommended for pre-frail and frail older adults to improve muscular strength, gait speed, balance and physical performance, including resistance, aerobic, balance and flexibility tasks. Resistance training alone also appeared to be beneficial, in particular for improving muscular strength, gait speed and physical performance. Other types of exercise were not sufficiently studied and their effectiveness is yet to be established. Interventions for pre-frail and frail older adults should include multi-component exercises, including in particular resistance training, as well as aerobic, balance and flexibility tasks. Future research should adopt a consistent definition of frailty and investigate the effects of other types of exercise alone or in combination with nutritional interventions so that more specific recommendations can be made.

  14. The views and experiences of nurses and midwives in the provision and management of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

    PubMed

    Evans, Catrin; Nalubega, Sylivia; McLuskey, John; Darlington, Nicola; Croston, Michelle; Bath-Hextall, Fiona

    2016-01-15

    Global progress towards HIV prevention and care is contingent upon increasing the number of those aware of their status through HIV testing. Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling is recommended globally as a strategy to enhance uptake of HIV testing and is primarily conducted by nurses and midwives. Research shows that provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling implementation is sub-optimal. The reasons for this are unclear. The review aimed to explore nurses' and midwives' views and experiences of the provision and management of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling. All cadres of nurses and midwives were considered, including those who undertake routine HIV testing as part of a diverse role and those who are specifically trained as HIV counselors. Types of phenomenon of interest: The review sought to understand the views and experiences of the provision and management of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling (including perceptions, opinions, beliefs, practices and strategies related to HIV testing and its implementation in practice). The review included only provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling. It excluded all other models of HIV testing. The review included all countries and all healthcare settings. Types of studies: This review considered all forms of qualitative study design and methodology. Qualitative elements of a mixed method study were included if they were presented separately within the publication. A three-step search strategy was utilized. Eight databases were searched for papers published from 1996 to October 2014, followed by hand searching of reference lists. Only studies published in the English language were considered. Methodological quality was assessed using the Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Qualitative findings were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Qualitative research findings were pooled using a pragmatic meta-aggregative approach and the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument software. This review included 21 publications from 18 research studies, representing a wide range of countries and healthcare settings. There were 245 findings which were aggregated into 12 categories and five synthesized findings. 1. Nurses/midwives are supportive of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling if it is perceived to enhance patient care and to align with perceived professional roles. 2. Nurses'/midwives' ability to perform provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling well requires an appropriate infrastructure and adequate human and material resources. 3. At the organizational level, nurses'/midwives' engagement with provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling is facilitated by an inclusive management structure, alongside the provision of ongoing training and clinical supervision. Provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling is hindered by difficulties in fitting it into existing workloads and routines. 4. Nurses/midwives perceive that good quality care in provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling involves finding a balance between public health needs and individual patient needs. Good care requires time and the ability to apply a patient centred approach. 5. The emotional work involved in provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling can be stressful. Nurses/Midwives may require support to deal with complex moral and ethical issues. This review shows that provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling is supported by nurses/midwives who strive to implement it according to principles of good care and a patient centered approach. Nurses/midwives face multiple operational, infra-structural, resource and ethical challenges in the implementation of provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling. The implementation process for provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling would benefit from using a quality improvement framework. Nurses/midwives undertaking provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling require management support, ongoing training and adequate infrastructure/resources. Additional guidance is required on legal/ethical issues in testing of children and in third party disclosure. Operational research is required to determine an optimal skill mix and optimal methods of integrating provider-initiated HIV testing and counseling into existing work routines. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  15. An Exploratory Analysis of Personality, Attitudes, and Study Skills on the Learning Curve within a Team-based Learning Environment

    PubMed Central

    Henry, Teague; Campbell, Ashley

    2015-01-01

    Objective. To examine factors that determine the interindividual variability of learning within a team-based learning environment. Methods. Students in a pharmacokinetics course were given 4 interim, low-stakes cumulative assessments throughout the semester and a cumulative final examination. Students’ Myers-Briggs personality type was assessed, as well as their study skills, motivations, and attitudes towards team-learning. A latent curve model (LCM) was applied and various covariates were assessed to improve the regression model. Results. A quadratic LCM was applied for the first 4 assessments to predict final examination performance. None of the covariates examined significantly impacted the regression model fit except metacognitive self-regulation, which explained some of the variability in the rate of learning. There were some correlations between personality type and attitudes towards team learning, with introverts having a lower opinion of team-learning than extroverts. Conclusion. The LCM could readily describe the learning curve. Extroverted and introverted personality types had the same learning performance even though preference for team-learning was lower in introverts. Other personality traits, study skills, or practice did not significantly contribute to the learning variability in this course. PMID:25861101

  16. An exploratory analysis of personality, attitudes, and study skills on the learning curve within a team-based learning environment.

    PubMed

    Persky, Adam M; Henry, Teague; Campbell, Ashley

    2015-03-25

    To examine factors that determine the interindividual variability of learning within a team-based learning environment. Students in a pharmacokinetics course were given 4 interim, low-stakes cumulative assessments throughout the semester and a cumulative final examination. Students' Myers-Briggs personality type was assessed, as well as their study skills, motivations, and attitudes towards team-learning. A latent curve model (LCM) was applied and various covariates were assessed to improve the regression model. A quadratic LCM was applied for the first 4 assessments to predict final examination performance. None of the covariates examined significantly impacted the regression model fit except metacognitive self-regulation, which explained some of the variability in the rate of learning. There were some correlations between personality type and attitudes towards team learning, with introverts having a lower opinion of team-learning than extroverts. The LCM could readily describe the learning curve. Extroverted and introverted personality types had the same learning performance even though preference for team-learning was lower in introverts. Other personality traits, study skills, or practice did not significantly contribute to the learning variability in this course.

  17. Personality preference distribution of dental students admitted to one dental school using different selection methods.

    PubMed

    von Bergmann, Hsingchi; Dalrymple, Kirsten R; Shuler, Charles F

    2014-04-01

    This study sought to determine whether using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) would detect differences in personality preferences in first-year dental students admitted to the same dental school through different admission methods. First-year dental students admitted in 2000 and 2001 were given the MBTI instrument during orientation prior to the start of classes. In fall 2000, the Class of 2004 had 140 students, with 116 in the traditional track and twenty-four in the parallel problem-based learning (PBL) track. In fall 2001, the Class of 2005 had 144 students, all enrolled in the PBL curriculum. All students admitted to the PBL track had experienced a process that included evaluation of their participation in a small group. Students in the traditional track had individual interviews with faculty members. Both student groups were required to meet the same baseline grade point average and Dental Admission Test standards. In 2000, the PBL students showed personality preferences that were distinctly different from the personality preferences of traditional track students in the categories of Extroversion (89 percent PBL, 44 percent traditional) and Thinking (72 percent PBL, 39 percent traditional). In 2001, the all-PBL class retained the trend towards Extroversion (69 percent). This study suggests that admission method may effectively change the personality preference distribution exhibited by the students who are admitted to dental school.

  18. Hybrid PV HgCdTe Detectors: Technology Reliability and Failure Physics Program

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-01-01

    interconnect reliability. 3-1 8912-16 SECTION 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors would like to thank Dr. Marion Reine, Dr. Andrei Szilagyi , Nancy Hartle... Szilagyi , Mat. Res. Soc. Syrnp. Proc. 69, 257, (1986) 9. Private communications with Andrei Szilagy. 10. R.J. Briggs, J.W. Marciniec, P.H. Zimmermann and

  19. Learning Progressions as Evolving Tools in Joint Enterprises for Educational Improvement

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penuel, William R.

    2015-01-01

    In their article, "Using Learning Progressions to Design Vertical Scales that Support Coherent Inferences about Student Growth," Briggs and Peck (this issue) argue that an important goal of assessment should be "to support coherent and actionable inferences of growth." They suggest that current approaches to test design rely on…

  20. Learning Progressions, Vertical Scales, and Testable Hypotheses: Promising Intuitions and Points for Clarification

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maul, Andrew

    2015-01-01

    Briggs and Peck [in "Using Learning Progressions to Design Vertical Scales That Support Coherent Inferences about Student Growth"] call for greater care in the conceptualization of the target attributes of students, or "what it is that is growing from grade to grade." In particular, they argue that learning progressions can…

  1. Temperament-Based Learning Styles of Palestinian and US Children

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Oakland, Thomas; Alghorani, Mohammed Adnan; Lee, Dong Hun

    2007-01-01

    Temperament styles of 400 Palestinian children living in Gaza are described, examined for possible gender and age differences, and compared with those of 3,200 US children in light of Jung's theory of temperament as modified by Myers and Briggs. The results show that Palestinian children generally prefer practical to imaginative, feeling to…

  2. Individual Learning Issues. Symposium 44. [Concurrent Symposium Session at AHRD Annual Conference, 2000.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    2000

    This document contains three papers from a symposium on individual learning issues that was conducted as part of a conference on human resource development (HRD). "Communication in the Workplace: Using Myers-Briggs To Build Communication Effectiveness" (Patrice M. Scanlon, Judy K. Schmitz, Tracey Murray, Lisa M. Hooper) reports on a…

  3. Future Trends in Education Policy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newitt, Jane, Ed.

    These essays deal explicitly with the future of the public schools and implicitly with the problem of making responsible predictions. Following an introduction by Herman Kahn, the first two essays deal with the social and social policy context of the schools. B. Bruce-Briggs contrasts alternative long-term and current cultural trends. Jane Newitt,…

  4. Recontextualizing YouTube: From Macro-Micro to Mass-Mediated Communicative Repertoires

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rymes, Betsy

    2012-01-01

    In this article, I deconstruct the macro-micro dichotomy by arguing that the very same mass-media messages that appear culturally homogenizing (like catchy tunes and phrases) also invite creative recontextualizations (Bauman and Briggs 1990). Moreover, "the more widely circulated and mass-produced a message is, the more highly diverse the…

  5. Detecting Learning Style through Biometric Technology for Mobile GBL

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mehigan, Tracey J.; Pitt, Ian

    2012-01-01

    Adaptive learning systems tailor content delivery to meet specific needs of the individual for improved learning-outcomes. Learning-styles and personalities are usually determined through the completion of questionnaires. There are a number of models available for this purpose including the Myer-Briggs Model (MBTI), the Big Five Model, and the…

  6. A Dream Deferred

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Richard, Alan

    2004-01-01

    In this article, the author explains why segregation still lives in Summerton, the town where the Brown v. Board of Education struggle began. The author traces the history of how the desegregation, which was court-ordered in 1970, has placed the students in Summerton still at a disadvantage. The Briggs v. Eliott case was the earliest of the five…

  7. On the spatial evolution of long-wavelength Goertler vortices governed by a viscous-inviscid interaction

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Choudhari, Meelan; Hall, Philip; Streett, Craig

    1992-01-01

    The generation of long-wavelength, viscous-inviscid interactive Goertler vortices is studied in the linear regime by numerically solving the time-dependent governing equations. It is found that time-dependent surface deformations, which assume a fixed nonzero shape at large times, generate steady Goertler vortices that amplify in the downstream direction. Thus, the Goertler instability in this regime is shown to be convective in nature, contrary to the earlier findings of Ruban and Savenkov. The disturbance pattern created by steady and streamwise-elongated surface obstacles on a concave surface is examined in detail, and also contrasted with the flow pattern due to roughness elements with aspect ratio of order unity on flat surfaces. Finally, the applicability of the Briggs-Bers criterion to unstable physical systems of this type is questioned by providing a counterexample in the form of the inviscid limit of interactive Goertler vortices.

  8. Warped Disks and Inclined Rings around Galaxies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Casertano, Stefano; Sackett, Penny D.; Briggs, Franklin H.

    2006-11-01

    Preface; Acknowledgements; Workshop participants; Group photograph; 1. The intergalactic HI supply F. Briggs; 2. Neutral gas infall into NGC 628 J. Kamphuis and F. Briggs; 3. VLA HI observations of the radio galaxy Centaurus A J. M. van der Hulst, J. H. van Gorkom, A. D. Haschick and A. D. Tubbs; 4. A geometric model for the dust-band of Centaurus A R. A. Nicholson, K. Taylor and J. Bland; 5. The circumgalactic ring of gas in Leo S. E. Schneider; 6. Using gas kinematics to measure M/L in elliptical galaxies T. de Zeeuw; 7. Velocity fields of disks in triaxial potentials P. J. Teuben; 8. Modeling the atomic gas in NGC 4278 J. F. Lees; 9. A few statistics from the catalog of polar-ring galaxies B. C. Whitmore; 10. Dynamics of polar rings L. S. Sparke; 11. Mergers and the structure of disk galaxies L. Hernquist; 12. Formation of polar rings H.-W. Rix and N. Katz; 13. Gas-dynamical models of settling disks D. Christodoulou and J. E. Tohline; 14. Evolutionary processes affecting galactic accretion disks T. Steiman-Cameron; 15. Particle simulations of polar rings T. Quinn; 16. A bending instability in prolate stellar systems D. Merritt; 17. The Milky Way: lopsided or barred? K. Kuijken; 18. Merger origin of starburst galaxies L. Hernquist; 19. Warped and flaring HI disks A. Bosma; 20. Behaviour of warps in extended disks F. Briggs and J. Kamphuis; 21. Observational constraints for the explanation of warps E. Battaner, E. Florido, M.-L. Sanchez-Saavedra and M. Prieto; 22. Warps in S0s: observations versus theories G. Galletta; 23. Warps and bulges J. Pitesky; 24. Time evolution of galactic warps P. Hofner and L. S. Sparke; 25. Are warps normal modes? S. Casertano; 26. Disk warping in a slewing potential E. C. Ostriker; 27. Concluding discussion Moderator: K. C. Freeman; Name index; Object index; Subject index.

  9. The role of the family in supporting the self-management of chronic conditions: A qualitative systematic review.

    PubMed

    Whitehead, Lisa; Jacob, Elisabeth; Towell, Amanda; Abu-Qamar, Ma'en; Cole-Heath, Amanda

    2018-01-01

    To explore the contribution of family members in promoting and supporting the self-management of chronic conditions amongst adult family members. The prevalence of chronic disease continues to grow globally. The role of the family in chronic condition management and support for self-management has received little attention. A systematic review of qualitative literature using the Joanna Briggs Institute approach for qualitative systematic reviews. Ovid (MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsycINFO) were searched for the period of database inception-2016. The QARI (Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument) critical appraisal instrument was used to assess the quality of each study. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute-QARI data extraction tool, findings related to the family role in the self-management of chronic conditions were extracted and each finding rated according to Joanna Briggs Institute-QARI levels of credibility. Findings were categorised and synthesised to produce a final set of aggregated findings. Families were key in constructing an environment that was conducive to family engagement and support. Adaptation within the family included maintaining cohesion between family members, normalisation and contextualisation of the chronic condition. Whilst evidence on the value of the family in promoting positive health outcomes is clear, research on how families can specifically support the self-management of chronic conditions is emerging. Family adaptability has been found to be the most powerful predictor of carer depression. Families may need support to change their home and family organisation to adapt to the challenges they face overtime. Change in roles and subsequent adaptation can be stressful, even for those family members at a distance. Nurses working in hospital and community settings can play an important role in assessing how families are adapting to living with chronic illness and to explore strategies to cope with challenges in the home setting. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  10. A descriptive study of Myers-Briggs personality types of professional music educators and music therapists with comparisons to undergraduate majors.

    PubMed

    Steele, Anita Louise; Young, Sylvester

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of the current study was to determine personality types and demographic characteristics of professional music educators and music therapists. The researchers also sought to determine if personality types of professionals were consistent with undergraduate majors in those fields and personal characteristics as suggested by The Music Education National Conference (MENC) and the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA). The research of Steele and Young (2008) found strong similarities and some differences between undergraduate music education and music therapy students. The possibility that basic types extend across the life span may strengthen understanding of job satisfaction, stress, burn out and other factors affecting retention. Participants were a voluntary convenience sample of 253 music educators (n=110) and music therapists (n=143). The highest preference for music educators was Extrovert-Intuition-Feeling-Judgment (ENFJ) and the highest preference for music therapists was Introvert-Intuition-Feeling-Judgment (INFJ). The difference in the collective type of each group was their "outlook on life", which was either Extrovert or Introvert. However, both groups were the same in their secondary type functions of "NFJ". A comparison of findings with the Steele and Young (2008) study suggested small changes in personality type over time. Caution must be exercised in generalizing findings; however this descriptive investigation may serve as the basis for future studies, which should help foster a stable work force in these professions.

  11. Radiation risk perception and public information

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Boggs-Mayes, C.J.

    1988-01-01

    We as Health Physicists face what, at many times, appears to be a hopeless task. The task simply stated is informing the public about the risks (or lack thereof) of radiation. Unfortunately, the public has perceived radiation risks to be much greater than they actually are. An example of this problem is shown in a paper by Arthur C. Upton. Three groups of people -- the League of Women Voters, students, and Business and Professional Club members -- were asked to rank 30 sources of risk according to their contribution to the number of deaths in the United States. Notmore » surprisingly, they ranked nuclear power much higher and medical x-rays much lower than the actual values. In addition to the perception problem, we are faced with another hurdle: health physicists as communicators. Members of the Health Physics Society (HPS) found that the communication styles of most health physicists appear to be dissimilar to those of the general public. These authors administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to the HPS Baltimore-Washington Chapter. This test, a standardized test for psychological type developed by Isabel Myers, ask questions that provide a quantitative measure of our natural preferences in four areas. Assume that you as a health physicist have the necessary skills to communicate information about radiation to the public. Health physicists do nothing with these tools. Most people involved in radiation protection do not get involved with public information activies. What I will attempt to do is heighten your interest in such activities. I will share information about public information activities in which I have been involved and give you suggestions for sources of information and materials. 2 refs., 1 tab.« less

  12. Boys and CSA Prevention: Issues Surrounding Gender and Approaches for Prevention

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Scholes, Laura; Jones, Christian; Nagel, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Freda Briggs (2007), a leader in the field of child protection in Australia continues to raise concerns about the vulnerability and victimisation of boys that she believes is substantially under-recognised. She argues that boys have not been well supported by child sexual abuse (CSA) prevention programs with child protection curriculum not yet…

  13. 33 CFR 110.145 - Narragansett Bay, R.I.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-07-01

    ... Coasters Harbor Island, west of a line bearing 351° from Tracey Ledge Buoy 5 through Seventeen-foot Spot Buoy northeast of Gull Rocks; south of a line bearing 292° from the cupola at the Naval War College... bearing 341° from the outer end of Briggs Wharf to the southwestern shore of Coasters Harbor Island near...

  14. 33 CFR 110.145 - Narragansett Bay, R.I.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-07-01

    ... Coasters Harbor Island, west of a line bearing 351° from Tracey Ledge Buoy 5 through Seventeen-foot Spot Buoy northeast of Gull Rocks; south of a line bearing 292° from the cupola at the Naval War College... bearing 341° from the outer end of Briggs Wharf to the southwestern shore of Coasters Harbor Island near...

  15. Temperament Styles of Children in South Korea and the United States

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lee, Dong Hun; Oakland, Thomas; Ahn, Changgu

    2010-01-01

    Temperament styles of 4,628 South Korean children, ages 9-17, are described in reference to possible gender and age differences and compared with those of 3,200 US age peers in the light of Jung's theory of temperament as modified by Myers and Briggs, one that highlights four bipolar qualities: extroversion-introversion, practical-imaginative,…

  16. An Exploration of School Counselors' Knowledge Sharing Practices Using Diffusion of Innovation Theory, Social Exchange Theory, and Theory of Reasoned Action

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shipp, Adria E.

    2010-01-01

    School counselors are expected to be advocates, collaborators, consultants, and leaders in their work with students, families, administrators, school staff, and community based stakeholders (ASCA, 2005; Shoffner & Briggs, 2001; Rowley, 2000). Underlying these expectations is the belief that school counselors are knowledgeable in the areas that…

  17. The Scholarly Process: A Grounded Theory Exploring How Counselor Educators Promote Scholarship of Counselors-in-Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Michalak, Megan B.

    2013-01-01

    The demand for master's level counseling scholarship is on the rise as a call for evidenced based practices persist (Benishek, 1998; Briggs & Pehrsson, 2008; Huber & Savage, 2009). Although there is a demand to increase the amount of counseling produced scholarship, little examination exists regarding how the profession can begin to…

  18. Estimation of radiation doses in TGFs and gamma ray glows

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Celestin, S. J.; Pincon, J. L.; Trompier, F.

    2017-12-01

    Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) are bursts of high-energy photons originating from the Earth's atmosphere in association with thunderstorm activity [e.g., Briggs et al., JGR, 118, 3805, 2013]. TGFs are associated with initial propagation stages of intracloud lightning, which represent the most frequent type of lightning discharges [e.g., Cummer et al., GRL, 42, 7792, 2015, and references therein]. TGFs are known to be produced inside common thunderclouds [e.g., Splitt et al., JGR, 115, A00E38, 2010; Chronis et al., B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 97, 639, 2016] typically at altitudes ranging from 10 to 14 km [e.g., Cummer et al., GRL, 41, 8586, 2014]. The global TGF occurrence rate is estimated to be 400,000 per year concerning TGFs detectable by Fermi-GBM (Gamma ray Burst Monitor) [Briggs et al., 2013], but detailed analysis of satellite measurements [Østgaard et al., JGR, 117, A03327, 2012] and theoretical studies [Celestin et al., JGR, 120, 10712, 2015] suggest that it cannot be excluded that TGFs represent a part of a regular process taking place during the propagation of lightning discharges. In addition to TGFs, another type of high-energy emissions has been observed inside thunderstorms from balloons [e.g., Eack et al., 101, 29637, 1996] and airplanes [e.g., McCarthy and Parks, 12, 393, 1985; Kelley et al., Nat. Commun., 6, 7845, 2015]. Referred to as gamma ray glows, these events correspond to significant elevations of the background radiation over long time scales that can be abruptly terminated with the occurrence of a lightning discharge. Kelley et al. [2015] estimate that a proportion larger than 8% of electrified storms produce glows. Dwyer et al. [JGR, 115, D09206, 2010] have estimated that if an aircraft were to find itself in the source electron beam giving rise to a TGF, passengers and crews might receive effective radiation doses above the regulatory limit depending on the beam diameter and Tavani et al. [Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 13, 1127, 2013] concluded that TGF-associated neutrons produced by photonuclear reactions would cause serious hazard on aircraft avionics. In this work, we present new simulation-driven estimations of doses received by humans that would be irradiated by TGFs and gamma ray glows.

  19. Effectiveness of Child Advocacy Centers and the multidisciplinary team approach on prosecution rates of alleged sex offenders and satisfaction of non-offending caregivers with allegations of child sexual abuse: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Nwogu, Ngozi N; Agrawal, Lynet; Chambers, Stephanie; Buagas, Archiel B; Daniele, Rose Mary; Singleton, Joanne K

    2016-01-15

    Child sexual abuse is a multifaceted issue that negatively affects the lives of millions of children worldwide. These children suffer numerous medical and psychological long-term adverse effects both in childhood and adulthood. It is imperative to implement evidence- based interventions for the investigation of this crime. The use of Child Advocacy Centers and the multidisciplinary team approach may improve the investigation of child sexual abuse. To evaluate the effectiveness of Child Advocacy Centers and the multidisciplinary team approach on prosecution rates of alleged sex offenders and satisfaction of non-offending caregivers of children less than 18 years of age, with allegations of child sexual abuse. Children under 18 years, of any race, ethnicity or gender with allegations of child sexual abuse. Other participants included in this review are non-offending caregivers of children with allegations of child sexual abuse, and alleged sex offenders. Type of intervention : The use of Child Advocacy Centers and the multidisciplinary team approach on child sexual abuse investigations. Types of outcomes : Prosecution rates of alleged sex offenders and the satisfaction of non-offending caregivers of children with allegations of child sexual abuse. Types of studies: This review includes quasi-experimental and descriptive studies. The search strategy aimed to find published and unpublished articles in the English language published from 1985 through April 2015 for inclusion. The databases searched include: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition, Criminal Justice Periodicals, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses and Criminal Justice Collections. An additional grey literature search was conducted. Two reviewers evaluated the included studies for methodological quality using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted using standardized data extraction instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Due to heterogeneity between the included studies, statistical meta-analysis was not possible. Results are presented in a narrative form. The use of Child Advocacy Centers and the multidisciplinary team approach in child sexual abuse investigation may have positive benefits in increasing non-offending caregivers' satisfaction and prosecution rates of alleged sex offenders. Utilization of Child Advocacy Centers and the multidisciplinary team approach for child sexual abuse investigations may be beneficial in improving prosecution rates and the experiences of families involved. The use of satisfaction surveys for non-offending caregivers may be an effective tool to evaluate the satisfaction with services rendered by Child Advocacy Centers. Findings from this review may help to guide reforms. It is hoped that client satisfaction may lead to or improve utilization of services important for the healing process of victims of abuse. Child Advocacy Center multidisciplinary team interventions may improve prosecution rates and satisfaction of non-offending caregiver’ in children less than 18 years of age with allegations of child sexual abuse (Grade B). When available, children with allegations of child sexual abuse should be referred to Child Advocacy Centers for evaluation (Grade B). The use of non-offending caregiver satisfaction survey is recommended to evaluate the ongoing effectiveness of the Child Advocacy Centers multidisciplinary team approach. The quality improvement process will help measure the quality of care rendered by a Child Advocacy Centers and identify areas in need of improvement so a Child Advocacy Centers can continue to provide optimal care in the investigation of child sexual abuse while improving the utilization of services important for the healing process for victims of abuse (Grade B). Future studies may consider interventions that include greater sample size and more diverse ethnic groups to promote generalizability of findings. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  20. Hand hygiene in the nursery during diaper changing.

    PubMed

    Phang, Koh Ni; Maznin, Nur Liyanna; Yip, Wai Kin

    2012-12-01

    This project aimed to improve hand hygiene practice during diaper changing among nurses working in the nursery. This project was conducted in one of the nurseries in a 935-bed acute care hospital with a sample of 15 nurses. A pre- and post-intervention audit was conducted utilising the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice module. A revised written workflow, which specified the occasions and process for hand hygiene during diaper changing, was introduced. Modifications to the baby bassinets and nursery were made after barriers to good hand hygiene were identified. The project was carried out over 4 months, from March to June 2011. The post-intervention audit results show an improvement in performing hand washing after changing diapers (20%) and performing the correct steps of hand rubbing (25%). However, the compliance rates decreased for the other criteria that measured whether hand rubbing or hand washing was performed prior to contacting the infant and after wrapping the infant, and whether hand washing was performed correctly. The improvement in compliance with hand washing--the main focus of the new workflow--after changing diapers was especially significant. The results indicated that having a workflow on the occasions and process for hand hygiene during diaper changing was useful in standardising practice. Pre- and post-implementation audits were effective methods for evaluating the effect of translating evidence into practice. However, this project had limited success in improving compliance with hand hygiene. This suggested that more effort is needed to reinforce the importance of hand hygiene and compliance to the proposed workflow. In addition, this project showed that for change to take place successfully, environmental modifications, increased awareness and adequate communication to every staff member are essential. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2012 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  1. 78 FR 40498 - Public Land Order No. 7817; Extension of Public Land Order No. 6986; Oregon

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-07-05

    ... Wild and Scenic River located in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest between the mouth of Deer... between the mouth of Deer Creek and the mouth of Briggs Creek located in the Rogue-Siskiyou National... River located in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest between the mouth of Deer Creek and the mouth...

  2. Papers and Proceedings. Syntopican VIII: "Moving Information--Concepts in Transition." (Minneapolis, MN, June 23-26, 1980).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    1980

    This collection of 22 papers examines various word processing (WP) technologies, systems, and applications. The first five papers by C. Briggs, C. Taylor, G. McLean, D. Remsen, and C. Norris discuss WP applications in the Army, a WP system for an insurance firm, the organization of the International Word Processing Association, WP fundamentals,…

  3. Some Thoughts on "Using Learning Progressions to Design Vertical Scales That Support Coherent Inferences about Student Growth"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kingston, Neal M.; Broaddus, Angela; Lao, Hongling

    2015-01-01

    Briggs and Peck (2015) have written a thought-provoking article on the use of learning progressions in the design of vertical scales that support inferences about student growth. Organized learning models, including learning trajectories, learning progressions, and learning maps have been the subject of research for many years, but more recently…

  4. A Case Study Exploring the Utilization of Fantasy Football and Its Effect on Teacher Morale

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Scott

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this case study was to investigate if teacher morale increased, as measured on the Staff Morale Questionnaire (Smith, 1976), after the implementation of a fantasy football league on a secondary campus in southeast Texas. Teaching is an occupation with a high turnover rate (Briggs & Richardson, 1992; Ingersol, 2003; Rafferty,…

  5. The Meta-Aggregative Approach to Qualitative Evidence Synthesis: A Worked Example on Experiences of Pupils with Special Educational Needs in Inclusive Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hannes, Karin; Petry, Katja; Heyvaert, Mieke

    2018-01-01

    The present article focuses on the meta-aggregative approach to qualitative evidence synthesis. Originally developed in Australia by the Joanna Briggs Institute, it mirrors the review process for reviews of effectiveness outlined by the international Cochrane and Campbell Collaboration, while remaining sensitive to the specific characteristics of…

  6. Effectiveness of interventions for the development of leadership skills among nurses: a systematic review protocol.

    PubMed

    Darragh, Michael; Traynor, Victoria; Joyce-McCoach, Joanne

    2016-06-01

    What interventions are the most effective for the development of leadership skills for nurses?The review objective is to systematically review the evidence to identify the effectiveness of interventions for the development of leadership skills among nurses. Centre for Evidence-based Initiatives in Health Care - University of Wollongong: an Affiliate Center of the Joanna Briggs Institute.

  7. U.S. Naval Strategy in the 1990s: Selected Documents

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-09-01

    Crawshaw , USN; Capt. Eric Briggs, USN; Capt. Charles Schaefer, USN; Cdr. Joseph Connelly, USN; Cdr. Al Seifert, USN; Capt. Frank Dobrydney, USN. † Vice...countermeasures 33 counter-terrorism 206, 208 courage 107 CPAM See CNO Program Analysis Memorandum Crawshaw , Robert 88 U . S . N A V A L S T R A T E G Y I N T

  8. Agnotology, Scientific Consensus, and the Teaching and Learning of Climate Change: A Response to Legates, Soon and Briggs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bedford, Daniel; Cook, John

    2013-01-01

    Agnotology is a term that has been used to describe the study of ignorance and its cultural production (Proctor in "Agnotology: the making and unmaking of ignorance." Stanford University Press, Stanford, 2008). For issues that are contentious in the societal realm, though largely not in the scientific realm, such as human evolution or…

  9. Evaluation of six pesticides leaching indexes using field data of herbicide application in Casablanca Valley, Chile.

    PubMed

    Kogan, M; Rojas, S; Gómez, P; Suárez, F; Muñoz, J F; Alister, C

    2007-01-01

    A field study was performed to evaluate the accuracy of six pesticide screening leaching indexes for herbicide movement. Adsorption, dissipation and soil movement were studied in a vineyard in a sandy loam soil during 2005 season. Simazine, diuron, pendimethalin, oxyfluorfen and flumioxazin were applied to bare soil at rates commonly used, and their soil concentrations throughout soil profile were determined at 0, 10, 20, 40 and 90 days after application (DAA). Herbicides were subjected to two pluviometric regimens, natural field condition and modified conditions (plus natural rainfall 180 mm). Leaching indexes utilized were: Briggs's Rf, Hamaker's Rf, LEACH, LPI, GUS and LIX. Simazine reached 120 cm, diuron 90 cm, flumioxazin 30 cm soil depth respectively. Pendimethalin and oxyfluorfen were retained up to 5 cm. None of the herbicides leaching was affected by rainfall regimen. Only flumioxazin field dissipation was clearly affected by pluviometric condition. The best representation of the herbicide soil depth movement and leaching below 15 cm soil depth were: Hamaker's Rf < Briggs's Rf < GUS < LPI, < LEACH < LIX. Field results showed a good correlation between herbicides K(d) and their soil depth movement and mass leached below 15 cm soil depth.

  10. Using a personality inventory to identify risk of distress and burnout among early stage medical students.

    PubMed

    Bughi, Stephanie A; Lie, Desiree A; Zia, Stephanie K; Rosenthal, Jane

    2017-01-01

    Distress and burnout are common among medical students and negatively impact students' physical, mental, and emotional health. Personality inventories such as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), used in medical education, may have a role in identifying burnout risk early. The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey study among 185 1st year medical students with the MBTI, the general well-being schedule (GWB), and Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS). Descriptive statistics and one-way MANOVAs were used to identify the prevalence and differences in MBTI preferences and distress/burnout risk. Response rate was 185/185 (100%). Distress (GWB) was reported by 84/185 (45.4%). High scores on exhaustion were reported by 118/182 (64.8%), cynicism by 76/182 (41.8%), and decreased professional efficacy by 38/182 (20.9%) for the three dimensions of the MBI-SS. Only 21/182 (11.5%) of respondents had high scores on all three dimensions of burnout. Students with MBTI preferences for extraversion reported greater positive well-being (P < 0.05), self-control (P < 0.05), professional efficacy (P < 0.01), and lower levels of depression (P < 0.01) compared with those with introversion preference. Distress and burnout are prevalent early in medical training. The significant difference between extraversion and introversion in relation to distress and burnout deserves further study. Use of a personality inventory may help identify students at risk of burnout and allow appropriate early stress management.

  11. Temperamental workers: Psychology, business, and the Humm-Wadsworth Temperament Scale in interwar America.

    PubMed

    Lussier, Kira

    2018-05-01

    This article traces the history of a popular interwar psychological test, the Humm-Wadsworth Temperament Scale (HWTS), from its development in the early 1930s to its adoption by corporate personnel departments. In popular articles, trade magazines, and academic journals, industrial psychologist Doncaster Humm and personnel manager Guy Wadsworth trumpeted their scale as a scientific measure of temperament that could ensure efficient hiring practices and harmonious labor relations by screening out "problem employees" and screening for temperamentally "normal" workers. This article demonstrates how concerns about the epistemological and scientific credibility of the HWTS were intimately entangled with concerns about its value to business at every step in the test's development. The HWTS sought to measure the emotional and social dimensions of an individual's personality so as to assess their suitability for work. The practice of temperament testing conjured a vision of the subject whose emotional and social disposition was foundational to their own capacity to find employment, and whose capacity to appropriately express, but regulate, their emotions was foundational to corporate order. The history of the HWTS offers an instructive case of how psychological tests embed social hierarchies, political claims, and economic ideals within their very theoretical and methodological foundations. Although the HWTS itself may have faded from use, the test directly inspired creators of subsequent popular personality tests, such as the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  12. Do Magnet®-accredited hospitals show improvements in nurse and patient outcomes compared to non-Magnet hospitals: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Petit Dit Dariel, Odessa; Regnaux, Jean-Phillipe

    2015-07-17

    The Magnet model proposes an accreditation for hospitals having demonstrated a healthy work environment and, as a result, positive staff and patient outcomes. Yet there are conflicting findings surrounding the actual impact of Magnet's organizational model on these outcomes, as well as a wide range of designs influencing the quality of these results. To conduct a systematic review that explores the effect of Magnet accreditation on objective nurse and patient outcomes. Magnet and non-Magnet accredited hospitals matched according to their similarity (e.g. size, type [urban or rural], level of acuity, location, etc.). Hospitals could be either university based or non-teaching hospitals and in any geographical location. As the focus of the study was outcomes specific to Magnet accreditation, studies reporting on "reputational Magnets" (the original hospitals), Magnet-aspiring and non-Magnet hospitals alone were excluded from the review. TYPES OF INTERVENTION(S)/PHENOMENA OF INTEREST: Exposure to Magnet accreditation. A Magnet hospital is defined as a hospital with American Nursing Credentialing Center -designated Magnet status at the time of study and having received this accreditation in the last four years, as this is the length of time for which the accreditation is valid, after which the hospital must reapply for another four-year accreditation. TYPES OF STUDIES: This review considered any quantitative study comparing nurse and patient outcomes in Magnet accredited hospitals with those in non-Magnet hospitals. Controlled clinical trials, controlled before and after and interrupted time series were considered first. When these were not available, case-controlled, descriptive comparative and descriptive correlational designs were considered. All studies presenting a "case study" with no comparison and other studies reporting on interviews and other qualitative data were excluded. TYPES OF OUTCOMES: The outcomes of interest were nurse outcomes related to turnover and absenteeism, as measured by the actual turnover rate if available, or the Anticipated Turnover Scale, the Revised Nursing Work Index or the Maslach Burnout Inventory, as well as nursing-sensitive patient outcomes (such as fall rates and hospital-acquired pressure ulcers) as measured by retrospective patient records, discharge abstracts, incident reports and reimbursement forms. Both published and unpublished literature between 1994 and 2014 were searched. The electronic databases searched were the following: CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Academic Search Complete and Web of Science. Other resources included ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Database /Dissertation Abstracts Online and OpenGrey, the American Hospital Association and the American Nurses Credentialing Center websites, and the Sigma Theta Tau International library of abstracts. In April 2015, a search update was conducted including the years 2014-2015 in the databases listed above. No cut-off point for the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal tool criteria was selected for inclusion of studies. Data from included studies were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Data Extraction Form for experimental/observational studies. Two reviewers extracted the data independently and results were compared for accuracy and categorized according to nurse and patient outcomes. All the studies analyzed retrospective data obtained from either combined databases or from questionnaires. The methodological heterogeneity and poor quality of the designs did not make it possible to pool quantitative results in a statistical meta-analysis. Results are presented in descriptive narrative form. From the 141 screened studies, ten met the inclusion criteria. Nine of these studies were retrospective analyses of data extracted from existing databases, one study collected original data. Of the seven studies examining patient outcomes, three found clear statistically significant improvements related to lower pressure ulcers, patient falls, failure to rescue and 30-day inpatient mortality in Magnet hospitals compared to non-Magnet hospitals. In the studies examining nurse outcomes, three found statistically significant improvements related to higher job satisfaction and lower intent to leave and turnover rates in Magnet compared to non-Magnet hospitals. Based on the mixed results and poor quality in the research designs in the ten included studies, it was not possible to conclude that Magnet accreditation has effects on nurse and patient outcomes. There is a need for more robust designs that can confidently measure the impact of hospital accreditation on objective outcomes. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  13. How Many Formative Assessment Angels Can Dance on the Head of a Meta-Analytic Pin: 0.2

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kingston, Neal; Nash, Brooke

    2012-01-01

    In their critique of Kingston and Nash (2011), Briggs, Ruiz-Primo, Furtak, Shepard, and Yin (2012) make several major points. First, Kingston and Nash's conclusions about the state of research on the efficacy of formative assessment are similar to other researchers, "including some of the authors." Second, their research may be unique in that they…

  14. The Second Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2004-07-01

    Bernardi,11 Michael R. Blanton,10 John J. Bochanski, Jr.,3 William N. Boroski,2 John W. Briggs ,8 J. Brinkmann,5 Robert J. Brunner,12 Tamás Budavári,7...Walter A. Siegmund,49 Nicole M. Silvestri,3 J. Allyn Smith,29, 50 Vernesa Smolčić,48 Stephanie A. Snedden,5 Albert Stebbins,2 Chris Stoughton,2

  15. The Impact of Online Teaching and Learning about Emotional Intelligence, Myers Briggs Personality Dimensions and Mindfulness on Personal and Social Awareness

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cotler, Jami L.

    2016-01-01

    As computer-meditated communication continues to evolve and become more sophisticated and accessible, the applications for this technology continue to grow. One area that has garnered a considerable amount of attention is online teaching and learning. Research has shown increasing evidence that learning outcomes of face-to-face, in comparison to…

  16. Positrons observed to originate from thunderstorms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fishman, Gerald J.

    2011-05-01

    Thunderstorms are the result of warm, moist air moving rapidly upward, then cooling and condensing. Electrification occurs within thunderstorms (as noted by Benjamin Franklin), produced primarily by frictional processes among ice particles. This leads to lightning discharges; the types, intensities, and rates of these discharges vary greatly among thunderstorms. Even though scientists have been studying lightning since Franklin's time, new phenomena associated with thunderstorms are still being discovered. In particular, a recent finding by Briggs et al. [2011], based on observations by the Gamma-Ray Burst Monitor (GBM) instrument on NASA's satellite-based Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (Fermi), shows that positrons are also generated by thunderstorms. Positrons are the antimatter form of electrons—they have the same mass and charge as an electron but are of positive rather than negative charge; hence the name positron. Observations of positrons from thunderstorms may lead to a new tool for understanding the electrification and high-energy processes occurring within thunderstorms. New theories, along with new observational techniques, are rapidly evolving in this field.

  17. Active Authentication Linguistic Modalities

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-12-01

    Rosenberg Self - Esteem Scale, the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory (MBTI), the NEO PI-R, the Multiple Intelligences Developmental Assessment Scales (MIDAS...two categories, male and female, as reported by self -identification. • Self - Esteem : The Rosenberg Self - Esteem Scale provides a numerical measure...MBTI - T/F 59.15% 79.62% MBTI - J/P 50.70% 83.57% Rosenberg Self - Esteem 57.50% 80.47% MIDAS - Primary Catagories 22.10% 70.74% MIDAS

  18. Modeling and prediction of ionospheric scintillation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Fremouw, E. J.

    1974-01-01

    Scintillation modeling performed thus far is based on the theory of diffraction by a weakly modulating phase screen developed by Briggs and Parkin (1963). Shortcomings of the existing empirical model for the scintillation index are discussed together with questions of channel modeling, giving attention to the needs of the communication engineers. It is pointed out that much improved scintillation index models may be available in a matter of a year or so.

  19. Modeling Smoke Plume-Rise and Dispersion from Southern United States Prescribed Burns with Daysmoke.

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Achtemeier, Gary, L.; Goodrick, Scott, A.; Liu, Yongqiang

    2011-08-19

    We present Daysmoke, an empirical-statistical plume rise and dispersion model for simulating smoke from prescribed burns. Prescribed fires are characterized by complex plume structure including multiple-core updrafts which makes modeling with simple plume models difficult. Daysmoke accounts for plume structure in a three-dimensional veering/sheering atmospheric environment, multiple-core updrafts, and detrainment of particulate matter. The number of empirical coefficients appearing in the model theory is reduced through a sensitivity analysis with the Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST). Daysmoke simulations for 'bent-over' plumes compare closely with Briggs theory although the two-thirds law is not explicit in Daysmoke. However, the solutions for themore » 'highly-tilted' plume characterized by weak buoyancy, low initial vertical velocity, and large initial plume diameter depart considerably from Briggs theory. Results from a study of weak plumes from prescribed burns at Fort Benning GA showed simulated ground-level PM2.5 comparing favorably with observations taken within the first eight kilometers of eleven prescribed burns. Daysmoke placed plume tops near the lower end of the range of observed plume tops for six prescribed burns. Daysmoke provides the levels and amounts of smoke injected into regional scale air quality models. Results from CMAQ with and without an adaptive grid are presented.« less

  20. Summarizing systematic reviews: methodological development, conduct and reporting of an umbrella review approach.

    PubMed

    Aromataris, Edoardo; Fernandez, Ritin; Godfrey, Christina M; Holly, Cheryl; Khalil, Hanan; Tungpunkom, Patraporn

    2015-09-01

    With the increase in the number of systematic reviews available, a logical next step to provide decision makers in healthcare with the evidence they require has been the conduct of reviews of existing systematic reviews. Syntheses of existing systematic reviews are referred to by many different names, one of which is an umbrella review. An umbrella review allows the findings of reviews relevant to a review question to be compared and contrasted. An umbrella review's most characteristic feature is that this type of evidence synthesis only considers for inclusion the highest level of evidence, namely other systematic reviews and meta-analyses. A methodology working group was formed by the Joanna Briggs Institute to develop methodological guidance for the conduct of an umbrella review, including diverse types of evidence, both quantitative and qualitative. The aim of this study is to describe the development and guidance for the conduct of an umbrella review. Discussion and testing of the elements of methods for the conduct of an umbrella review were held over a 6-month period by members of a methodology working group. The working group comprised six participants who corresponded via teleconference, e-mail and face-to-face meeting during this development period. In October 2013, the methodology was presented in a workshop at the Joanna Briggs Institute Convention. Workshop participants, review authors and methodologists provided further testing, critique and feedback on the proposed methodology. This study describes the methodology and methods developed for the conduct of an umbrella review that includes published systematic reviews and meta-analyses as the analytical unit of the review. Details are provided regarding the essential elements of an umbrella review, including presentation of the review question in a Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome format, nuances of the inclusion criteria and search strategy. A critical appraisal tool with 10 questions to help assess risk of bias in systematic reviews and meta-analyses was also developed and tested. Relevant details to extract from included reviews and how to best present the findings of both quantitative and qualitative systematic reviews in a reader friendly format are provided. Umbrella reviews provide a ready means for decision makers in healthcare to gain a clear understanding of a broad topic area. The umbrella review methodology described here is the first to consider reviews that report other than quantitative evidence derived from randomized controlled trials. The methodology includes an easy to use and informative summary of evidence table to readily provide decision makers with the available, highest level of evidence relevant to the question posed.

  1. Physical Leisure Activities and their Role in Preventing Dementia: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Stern, Cindy; Konno, Rie

    Identifying protective factors or effective prevention strategies for dementia would result in considerable benefits by prolonging quality of life and reducing social burden. Current data suggests that participation in physical leisure activities may lower the risk of dementia by improving cognitive reserves. The objective of this review was to determine the best available evidence in relation to physical leisure activities in preventing dementia among older adults. Types of studies Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and other experimental designs were considered for inclusion into the review. In the absence of clinical trials, other study designs such as cohort, case controlled and cross-sectional were considered. Only articles published in the English language were included with no publication date restriction.Types of participants Participants of interest were adults aged 60 and older with or without a clinical diagnosis of dementia, living in the community or residential care setting.Types of intervention This review considered studies that evaluated the effectiveness of any physical leisure activity in the prevention of dementia. Physical activities included gardening, playing sports, exercises, sightseeing and any other activities that required active movement of the body.Types of outcome measures The review considered studies that indicated the presence or absence of dementia as determined by cognitive function tests, mental examination scores, DSM classification (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), and other valid dementia diagnostic tools. A search for published and unpublished literature in the English language was conducted using all major electronic databases. There was no publication date restriction. A three-step search strategy was developed using MeSH terminology and keywords to ensure that all material relevant to the review was captured. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed by two reviewers, who appraised each study independently, using standardised Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Data was extracted from the studies that were identified as meeting the criteria for methodological quality using the standard JBI data extraction tools. Due to the heterogeneity of populations and interventions, results are presented in narrative form. Seventeen longitudinal studies were included in the review. Studies were grouped by stage of adult life participation when interventions were undertaken i.e. early-middle adulthood and late life. The evidence regarding the relationship between participation in physical activities during midlife and later life and the prevention of dementia was equivocal. The majority of studies showed limited benefits in engaging in physical activities and results indicated that some activities might be more beneficial than others. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH.

  2. Effectiveness of propolis on oral health: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Hwu, Yueh-Juen; Lin, Feng-Yu

    2014-12-01

    The use of propolis mouth rinse or gel as a supplementary intervention has increased during the last decade in Taiwan. However, the effect of propolis on oral health is not well understood. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to present the best available evidence regarding the effects of propolis use on oral health, including oral infection, dental plaque, and stomatitis. Researchers searched seven electronic databases for relevant articles published between 1969 and 2012. Data were collected using inclusion and exclusion criteria. The Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument was used to evaluate the quality of the identified articles. Eight trials published from 1997 to 2011 with 194 participants had extractable data. The result of the meta-analysis indicated that, although propolis had an effect on reducing dental plaque, this effect was not statistically significant. The results were not statistically significant for oral infection or stomatitis. Although there are a number of promising indications, in view of the limited number and quality of studies and the variation in results among studies, this review highlights the need for additional well-designed trials to draw conclusions that are more robust.

  3. Size matters: a meta-analysis on the impact of hospital size on patient mortality.

    PubMed

    Fareed, Naleef

    2012-06-01

    This paper seeks to understand the relationship between hospital size and patient mortality. Patient mortality has been used by several studies in the health services research field as a proxy for measuring healthcare quality. A systematic review is conducted to identify studies that investigate the impact of hospital size on patient mortality. Using the findings of 21 effect sizes from 10 eligible studies, a meta-analysis is performed using a random effects model. Subgroup analyses using three factors--the measure used for hospital size, type of mortality measure used and whether mortality was adjusted or unadjusted--were utilised to investigate their moderating influence on the study's primary relationship. Results from this analysis indicate that big hospitals have lower odds of patient mortality versus small hospitals. Specifically, the probability of patient mortality in a big hospital, in reference to a small hospital, is 11% less. Subgroup analyses show that studies with unadjusted mortality rates have an even lower overall odds ratio of mortality versus studies with adjusted mortality rates. Aside from some limitations in data reporting, the findings of this paper support theoretical notions that big hospitals have lower mortality rates than small hospitals. Guidelines for better data reporting and future research are provided to further explore the phenomenon. Policy implications of this paper's findings are underscored and a sense of urgency is called for in an effort to help improve the state of a healthcare system that struggles with advancing healthcare quality. © 2012 The Author. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2012 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  4. A systematic review of psychosocial interventions for women with postpartum stress.

    PubMed

    Song, Ju-Eun; Kim, Tiffany; Ahn, Jeong-Ah

    2015-01-01

    To analyze the effects of psychosocial interventions with the aim of reducing the intensity of stress in mothers during the postpartum period as compared with usual care. Eligible studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and ProQuest dissertations and theses. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) treating stress in postpartum mothers older than age 19 years were included. The suitability of the quality of articles was evaluated using Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Checklist for Experimental Studies. Fourteen articles met the inclusion criteria for data analysis. Authors, country, sample, setting, methods, time period, major content of the intervention, outcome measures, and salient findings were extracted and summarized in a data extraction form for further analysis and synthesis. Standardized mean differences with 95% confidence intervals were calculated for 13 suitable articles using Cochrane Review Manager. Of 1,871 publications, 14 RCTs, conducted between 1994 and 2012, were evaluated in the systematic review and 13 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Studies were categorized into three major types by interventional methods. We found that psychosocial interventions in general (standard mean difference -1.66, 95% confidence interval [-2.74, -0.57], p = .003), and supportive stress management programs in particular (standard mean difference -0.59, 95% confidence interval [-0.94, -0.23], p = .001), were effective for women dealing with postpartum stress. This review indicated that psychosocial interventions including supportive stress management programs are effective for reducing postpartum stress in women, so those interventions should become an essential part of maternity care. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

  5. Photosynthetic Responses to the Environment. Proceedings Symposium held August 24 - 27, 1992. Volume 8

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-08-27

    seedlings were grown in Wagner pots that were filled with 5 continuously aerated hydroponic solutions of various nitrate concentrations according to Hewitt...seeded Simpson, were grown by hydroponics inside Conviron growth chambers (model E15). The description of the hydroponic system, the growth solutions , and...control. In Briggs WR ed, Photosynthesis, Alan R Liss, New York, pp 183-205 8. Evans JR, Terashlma I (1988) Photosynthetic characteristics of spinach

  6. The Oregon Studies in Educational Research, Development, Diffusion, and Evaluational Volume III: Conceptual Frameworks for Viewing Educational RDD&E. Final Report.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Schalock, H. Del, Ed.; Sell, G. Roger, Ed.

    This volume represents the output of a yearlong effort to clarify and firm the conceptual base that underlies educational RDD&E. It contains three commissioned papers authored by Drs. Hendrik D. Gideonse, Gene V Glass and Blaine R. Worthen, and by Leslie J. Briggs and one paper prepared by H. Del Schalock and G. Roger Sell of the staff of the…

  7. A Bibliography: 1964-1967. Supplement

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1969-01-01

    General Hubert R. Harmon, 1954-1956 Major General James E. Briggs, 1956-1959 Major General William S. Stone, 1959-1962 Major General Robert H...Professor and Head, Dept pf Mathematics) 62498 17Jul 63 1 Aug 62 Col Marcos E. Kinevan (Professor and Head, Dept of Law) 17625 20Nov 64 lOJul 67 1...175, 186 housing, 175 Howard, Michael, 283 Hruska, Roman L. , 50, 107 humanities, 129 Hubbell, John G. , 215 Humphrey, Hubert H

  8. Barbers Point Harbor, Hawaii, Jetty Modification Study

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2008-11-01

    jetty lengths do not adversely impact the wave environment in the vicinity of the jetty. Production phase Figure 18 shows the normalized incident...objective of these current measurements is to show that the proposed jetty will not have any adverse impacts on the existing current patterns with no...with minimal construction costs and impact on the environment. ERDC/CHL TR-08-16 83 References Briggs, M. J., L. S. Lillycrop, G. S. Harkins

  9. The Effects of Segregation and the Consequences of Desegregation A (September 1952) Social Science Statement in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Supreme Court Case

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Kenneth B.; Chein, Isidor; Cook, Stuart W.

    2004-01-01

    This statement was an appendix to the appellants' briefs in the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, Briggs v. Elliott, and Davis v. Prince Edward County, Virginia, cases. The statement offers definitions of segregation and discusses the implications and potential effects of segregation on children both in minority and majority groups.

  10. The United States Army Medical Department Journal. October - December 2010

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-12-01

    Fail, Just Ask Them 65 Carita DeVilbiss, PhD; Valerie J. Rice, PhD; Linda Laws; Petra Alfred Understanding the Leadership and Cultural Dimensions...educators prepared to affect the affective domain? Natl Forum Teach Educ J [serial online], 2006;16(3E):2005-2006. 17. Martin BL, Briggs LJ. The...J. Rice, PhD Linda Laws Petra Alfred ABSTRACT One method to discover possible reasons why individuals fail academic training is to ask them

  11. An Analysis of Cognitive Style for USAF Civil Engineering Officers.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1985-09-01

    or outer worlds. As evidenced by the terms, extravorts (E) are drawn to relationships between people and things, while introverts (1) tend to spend...listed in Figure 2. ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ ISTP ISFP INFP INTP ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP ESTJ ESFJ ENF3 ENTJ Figure 2. Myers-Briggs Four-Dimension Styles (10:16... relationships and noting deviations from expectations (8:80). Receptive thinkers dwell more on the detail of the data itself, deriving attributes from direct

  12. CONARC Training Workshop, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 5-7 October 1971. Volume V. Methods and Media Specialty Workshop.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1971-10-01

    training dogs." V-5 Specialty Vorkshop Schedule for MEHODS AND MEDIA Location nd Capacity: Studio 3, Nelson Civilian Consultant: Dr Leslie J. Briggs...vary different combinations of environmental variables. Slide 5 (System Aspects) System Aspects Now that we have made the decision to use simulation...reactions to the general environmental stimuli, the duration of the interaction between man and enviromnent, the degree of contact provided by the

  13. Etude de l'impact de la valorisation energetique de pneus hors d'usage, dans une cimenterie, sur les emissions gazeuses par modelisation de la dispersion atmospherique

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bredin, Nathalie

    La génération incéssante de déchets nécessite le développement de nouvelles technologies, telle que la valorisation énergétique, pour en disposer. Une filière appropriée pour valoriser énergétiquement les déchets est le procédé cimentier. L'industrie du ciment est une des grandes consommatrices d'énergie. La température nécessaire à la préparation du ciment se situe aux environs de 1450°C pour faire réagir la matière première (cru) qui est sous forme poudreuse et constituée principalement de roches calcaires, argileuses, schisteuses,... Les gaz de combustion ont un long temps de résidence dans les fours. De plus, le mode de fonctionnement des fours est responsable d'un effet de lessivage des gaz acides par le cru alcalin. Ces propriétés font du procédé cimentier un bon candidat pour la valorisation énergétique des déchets. Les déchets interessants pour les cimenteries sont, entre autres, les huiles usées, les solvants usés et les pneus usés qui ont un pouvoir calorifique équivalent à celui du charbon. Les rejets à l'atmosphère des cimenteries sont principalement des émissions gazeuses. Ainsi, l'impact de la valorisation de pneus usés sur les émissions gazeuses de la cimenterie Saint-Laurent de Joliette a été étudié, à l'aide de l'outil qu'est la modélisation de la dispersion atmosphérique. Le modèle utilisé ISC-ST2, Industrial Source Complex-Short Term, est de type gaussien. L'analyse des concentrations maximales horaires et moyennes sur différentes périodes de temps (1 heure, 8 heures, ..., 1 an) des émissions gazeuses dans l'air ambiant montre que celles-ci sont en deçà des normes émises par le gouvernement québécois et par la Communauté Urbaine de Montréal. L'étude de la distribution géographique des polluants, d'après les concentrations annuelles, dans un rayon de 5 km autour de la cimenterie montre que le fait d'utiliser des pneus comme combustible de substitution n'a qu'un faible impact sur la concentration des contaminants au niveau du sol. L'étude du modèle gaussien de dispersion a permis de mettre au point un nouvel outil: la corrélation existant entre les concentrations latérales et verticales des polluants dans le panache. Cet outil utilisé pour étudier les schémas de dispersion atmosphérique de Turner en milieu rural, et de Briggs en milieux urbain et rural, montre que, en milieu rural, le schéma de dispersion proposé par Briggs présente une dispersion plus importante que celui de Turner pour les classes neutres et instables et moins importantes pour les classes stables. La comparaison des schémas de Briggs (rural et urbain) confirme que la dispersion en milieu urbain est plus importante qu'en milieu rural.

  14. Hearings Before the Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs of the United States Senate, Ninety-Second Congress, First Session on Nutrition and Human Needs. Part 10--Micronutrient Supplements for School Lunch Program. Hearings Held Washington, D.C., December 7, 1971.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Congress of the U.S., Washington, DC. Senate Select Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs.

    Contents of these hearings include the statement and testimony of the following witnesses: (1) Alan Young, Research Administrator, Research and Development Division, A. H. Robins Co.; Chairman, Board of Directors, Vitamin Information Bureau; (2) Dr. Joseph M. White, Nutritional and Medical Consultant, Miles Laboratories; (3) Dr. George Briggs,…

  15. Magnetic Fields in Interacting Binaries

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Briggs, G.; Ferrario, L.; Tout, C. A.; Wickramasinghe, D. T.

    2018-01-01

    Wickramasinghe et al. (2014) and Briggs et al. (2015) have proposed that the strong magnetic fields observed in some single white dwarfs (MWDs) are formed by an α—Ω dynamo driven by differential rotation when two stars, the more massive one with a degenerate core, merge during common envelope (CE) evolution (Ferrario et al., 2015b). We synthesise a population of binaries to investigate if fields in the magnetic cataclysmic variables (MCVs) may also originate during stellar interaction in the CE phase.

  16. Annual Historical Report, AMEDD Activities, Calendar Year 1989

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-01-01

    Durkot, J.L. Briggs, M.S. Rose and E.W. Askew. Metabolic effects of supplementing a hypocaloric diet with fat. FASEB J. 3:A448, 1989. 26. Sutton...a hypocaloric diet with fat. FASEB J. 3(3):A448, 1989. 22. Morgan, T.E., S.H. Laramee. Enteral alimentation: Pump- controlled nutrient infusion. J...calorie deficient diet for 30 days. FASEB J. 3:A463, 1989. 24. Meehan, R.T., N.M. Cintron, W.J. Kraemer, P.B. Rock and A. Cymerman. Association between

  17. Prototype Superconducting Planar Transformers Using High-Tc Thin and Thick Films

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1992-01-01

    AUG27 0%2 and Thick FilmsS A D W. C. McGinnis J. S. Briggs T. E . Jones L. J. Johnson 92-23707 Approved for public release; distribution Is unlimited. 92...platelet-like crystals, given the opportunity, will lie flat against each other. Reasonably good alignment can be produced by simply pressing the...these latter films, only the step-cooled sample (FCS-75) produced a reasonably smooth, uniform-looking film, and therefore only that film was

  18. The academic and nonacademic characteristics of science and nonscience majors in Yemeni high schools

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Anaam, Mahyoub Ali

    The purposes of this study were: (a) to identify the variables associated with selection of majors; (b) to determine the differences between science and nonscience majors in general, and high and low achievers in particular, with respect to attitudes toward science, integrated science process skills, and logical thinking abilities; and (c) to determine if a significant relationship exists between students' majors and their personality types and learning styles. Data were gathered from 188 twelfth grade male and female high school students in Yemen, who enrolled in science (45 males and 47 females) and art and literature (47 males and 49 females) tracks. Data were collected by the following instruments: Past math and science achievement (data source taken from school records), Kolb's Learning Styles Inventory (1985), Integrated Science Process Skills Test, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Attitude Toward Science in School Assessment, Group Assessment of Logical Thinking, Yemeni High School Students Questionnaire. The Logistic Regression Model and the Linear Discriminant Analysis identified several variables that are associated with selection of majors. Moreover, some of the characteristics of science and nonscience majors that were revealed by these models include the following: Science majors seem to have higher degrees of curiosity in science, high interest in science at high school level, high tendency to believe that their majors will help them to find a potential job in the future, and have had higher achievement in science subjects, and have rated their math teachers higher than did nonscience majors. In contrast, nonscience majors seem to have higher degrees of curiosity in nonscience subjects, higher interest in science at elementary school, higher anxiety during science lessons than did science majors. In addition, General Linear Models allow that science majors generally demonstrate more positive attitudes towards science than do nonscience majors and they outperform nonscience majors on integrated science process skills and logical thinking abilities. High achievers in science majors have a significantly higher attitude toward science, higher integrated science process skills, and higher logical thinking abilities than high and low achievers in nonscience majors. No gender differences were found on these variables. Chi-Square tests indicate that no significant relationships exist between students' majors and their personality types and learning styles. However, it was found that majority of students prefer extroversion over introversion, sensing over intuition, thinking over feeling, and judging over perceiving. Moreover, the most common learning styles among science and nonscience majors were the divergent and the assimilative learning styles. Finally, the educational implication of these findings were discussed and future research that need to be conducted were proposed.

  19. The Appropriateness of Canine-Assisted Interventions (CAIs) on the Health and Social Care of Older People Residing in Long Term Care: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Stern, Cindy; Pearson, Alan; Chur-Hansen, Anna

    2011-01-01

    Background: Canine-assisted interventions are used frequently in long term care settings, even though their effectiveness has not been definitively proven. One concern commonly described in the literature is the risk of zoonotic infection or animal-related injury/allergy associated with this type of interaction. To date, no systematic review has been undertaken to determine the appropriateness of canine-assisted interventions in relation to these issues. The aim of the review was to synthesise the best available evidence on the appropriateness of canine-assisted interventions on the health and social care of the older population residing in long term care with regards to zoonotic infection or animal-related injury/allergy. A comprehensive search was undertaken on 32 electronic databases and two reputable websites from their inception to 2009. The search was restricted to English language and both published and unpublished studies and papers were considered. The review took an inclusive approach and considered quantitative and qualitative studies that focussed on zoonotic risk/exposure/infection or animal-related injury/allergy from canine-assisted interventions used in long term care settings. In the absence of research studies, text and opinion were also considered. Critical appraisal of papers was to be undertaken using the appropriate Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal instrument and data extraction was to be via the Joanna Briggs Institute data extraction forms, dependant on design. There were no studies located the met the inclusion requirements of this review. There were also no text and opinion pieces that were specific to long term care, older people and canines. There is currently no evidence available to determine the appropriateness of canine-assisted interventions used for older people in long term care in regards to zoonotic risk/exposure/infection or animal-related injuries/allergies. There is a small body of literature available that focuses on health care but it is generalised and does not delineate between different age groups, settings or the animals used. No conclusive recommendations can be made regarding the use of canine-assisted interventions in long term care in the context of zoonotic infection and animal-related injuries/allergies. Text and opinion suggests that if a health care facility of any kind is planning to implement or is currently running this type of intervention (using any animal for people of any age group) the following should be considered:Implications for Research: Quantitative and qualitative research studies are urgently required to determine whether there is an increased risk of zoonotic infections or animalrelated injuries/allergies for those people involved in canine-assisted interventions undertaken in long term care. Those at risk need to be identified in a systematic way.

  20. Effects of Enactment of Legislative (Public) Smoking Bans on Voluntary Home Smoking Restrictions: A Review

    PubMed Central

    Arsenault, Nicole

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: The positive effects of worldwide increases in enactment of legislative bans on smoking in public areas have been well documented. Relatively little is known about the effects of such bans on voluntary home smoking behavior. Meanwhile, private spaces, such as homes, have replaced public spaces as the primary milieu of secondhand smoke exposure. Methods: A systematic search of peer-reviewed articles was conducted using multiple databases including Cochrane Library, Cinahl, Embase, Global Health, Health Star, Joanna Briggs, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PAIS International, PubMed, and Web of Science. We examined peer-reviewed studies that considered the impact of legislation-based public smoking bans on enactment of private home smoking restrictions. Results: Sixteen articles published between 2002 and 2014 were identified and included. Our results suggest overall positive effects post-legislative ban with the majority of studies demonstrating significant increases in home smoking restrictions. Studies focusing on smoking and nonsmoking samples as well as child populations are discussed in depth. Conclusions: Existing evidence indicates an overall significant positive effect post-legislative ban on voluntary home smoking restrictions. While disentangling these effects over space and time remains a challenge, scientific research has converged in dispelling any notion of significant displacement of smoking into the home. Policy makers, especially those in countries without existing public smoking legislation, can rest assured that these types of bans contribute to the minimization of tobacco-related harm. Implications: Findings converge in dispelling notions of displacement of smoking into the home as a consequence of legislative bans that prohibit smoking in public spaces. Evidence from the studies reviewed suggests that through their influence on social norms, legislative bans on smoking in public places may encourage citizens to establish voluntary home smoking restrictions, thus decreasing harm related to secondhand smoke. PMID:27613902

  1. The effects of cash transfers and vouchers on the use and quality of maternity care services: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Hunter, Benjamin M; Harrison, Sean; Portela, Anayda; Bick, Debra

    2017-01-01

    Cash transfers and vouchers are forms of 'demand-side financing' that have been widely used to promote maternal and newborn health in low- and middle-income countries during the last 15 years. This systematic review consolidates evidence from seven published systematic reviews on the effects of different types of cash transfers and vouchers on the use and quality of maternity care services, and updates the systematic searches to June 2015 using the Joanna Briggs Institute approach for systematic reviewing. The review protocol for this update was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42015020637). Data from 51 studies (15 more than previous reviews) and 22 cash transfer and voucher programmes suggest that approaches tied to service use (either via payment conditionalities or vouchers for selected services) can increase use of antenatal care, use of a skilled attendant at birth and in the case of vouchers, postnatal care too. The strongest evidence of positive effect was for conditional cash transfers and uptake of antenatal care, and for vouchers for maternity care services and birth with a skilled birth attendant. However, effects appear to be shaped by a complex set of social and healthcare system barriers and facilitators. Studies have typically focused on an initial programme period, usually two or three years after initiation, and many lack a counterfactual comparison with supply-side investment. There are few studies to indicate that programmes have led to improvements in quality of maternity care or maternal and newborn health outcomes. Future research should use multiple intervention arms to compare cost-effectiveness with similar investment in public services, and should look beyond short- to medium-term service utilisation by examining programme costs, longer-term effects on service utilisation and health outcomes, and the equity of those effects.

  2. An exploratory study of the relationship between learning styles and academic performance among students in different nursing programs.

    PubMed

    Li, Yuh-Shiow; Yu, Wen-Pin; Liu, Chin-Fang; Shieh, Sue-Heui; Yang, Bao-Huan

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Background: Learning style is a major consideration in planning for effective and efficient instruction and learning. Learning style has been shown to influence academic performance in the previous research. Little is known about Taiwanese students' learning styles, particularly in the field of nursing education. This purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between learning styles and academic performance among nursing students in a 5-year associate degree of nursing (ADN) program and a 2-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program in Taiwan. This study employed a descriptive and exploratory design. The Chinese version of the Myers-Briggs type indicator Form M was an instrument. Data such as grade point average were obtained from the Office of Academic Affairs and the Registrar computerized records. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance and chi-square statistical analysis were used to explore the relationship between academic performance and learning style in Taiwanese nursing students. The study sample included 285 nursing students: 96 students in a 2-year BSN program, and 189 students in a 5-year ADN program. Two common learning styles were found: Introversion, sensing, thinking, and judging; and introversion, sensing, feeling, and judging. A sensing-judging pair was identified in 43.3% of the participants. Academic performance was significantly related to learning style (p < 0.05, df = 15). The results of this study can help educators devise classroom and clinical instructional strategies that respond to individual needs in order to maximize academic performance and enhance student success. A large sample is recommended for further research. Understanding the learning style preferences of students can enhance learning for those who are under performing in their academic studies, thereby enhancing nursing education.

  3. The effectiveness of assertiveness communication training programs for healthcare professionals and students: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Omura, Mieko; Maguire, Jane; Levett-Jones, Tracy; Stone, Teresa Elizabeth

    2017-11-01

    Communication errors have a negative impact on patient safety. It is therefore essential that healthcare professionals have the skills and confidence to speak up assertively when patient safety is at risk. Although the facilitators to and barriers of assertive communication have been the subject of previous reviews, evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions designed to enhance assertive communication is lacking. Thus, this paper reports the findings from a systematic review of the effectiveness of assertiveness communication training programs for healthcare professionals and students. The objective of this review is to identify, appraise and synthesise the best available quantitative evidence in relation to the effectiveness of assertiveness communication training programs for healthcare professionals and students on levels of assertiveness, communication competence and impact on clinicians' behaviours and patient safety. The databases included: CINAHL, Cochrane library, EMBASE, Informit health collection, MEDLINE, ProQuest nursing and allied health, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. The search for unpublished studies included: MedNar, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses A&I. Studies published in English from 2001 until 2016 inclusive were considered. The review included original quantitative research that evaluated (a) any type of independent assertiveness communication training program; and (b) programs with assertiveness training included as a core component of team skills or communication training for healthcare professionals and students, regardless of healthcare setting and level of qualification of participants. Studies selected based on eligibility criteria were assessed for methodological quality and the data were extracted by two independent researchers using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal and data extraction tools. Eleven papers were critically appraised using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklists. Eight papers from the USA, Australia, Ireland, and Taiwan were included in the review. Interventions to improve assertive communication were reported to be effective to some degree with all targeted groups except experienced anaesthesiologists. Face-to-face and multimethod programs, support from leaders, teamwork skills training and communication techniques adapted from the aviation industry were identified as appropriate approaches for optimising the effectiveness of assertiveness communication training programs. Behavioural change as the result of assertiveness interventions was evaluated by observer-based rating scales during simulation, whilst self-perceived knowledge and attitudes were evaluated using validated scales. Future research should consider evaluation of sustained effect on behaviour change and patient safety. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. The effects of nursing preceptorship on new nurses' competence, professional socialization, job satisfaction and retention: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Ke, Ya-Ting; Kuo, Chia-Chi; Hung, Chich-Hsiu

    2017-10-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the effects of nursing preceptorship on the competence, job satisfaction, professional socialization and retention of new nurses. Although studies have focused on the effects of nursing preceptorship on new nurses' competence and retention, a systematic review of the overall effects is lacking. A quantitative systematic review. Five English/Chinese databases were searched for original articles published before June 2015 and only six articles published between 2001-2014 were included in the final analysis. Joanna Briggs Methodology was used to process one randomization control trial, one quasi-experimental study and four observational studies. Two appraisers independently reviewed each study using the standardized critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. The most adopted preceptorship was a fixed preceptor/preceptee model and one-on-one for 1-3-month duration. It showed that new nurses' overall competence increased significantly due to preceptorship. Only a few studies explored the effects of preceptorship on the job satisfaction and professional socialization of new nurses. Clear conclusions regarding the effect of preceptorship on nurses' retention rate could not be made because of inconsistent time points for calculation and a lack of control groups in the study design. Preceptorship can improve new nurses' nursing competence; however, more studies are needed to ascertain its effects on new nurses' retention rates, job satisfaction and professional socialization to promote nursing care quality and resolve nursing shortages. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Patient subjective experience and satisfaction during the perioperative period in the day surgery setting: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Rhodes, Lenore; Miles, Gail; Pearson, Alan

    2006-08-01

    This systematic review used the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument to manage, appraise, analyse and synthesize textual data in order to present the best available information in relation to how patients experience nursing interventions and care during the perioperative period in the day surgery setting. Some of the significant findings that emerged from the systematic review include the importance of pre-admission contact, provision of relevant, specific education and information, improving communication skills and maintaining patient privacy throughout their continuum of care.

  6. An Analysis of the Naval Innovation Laboratory’s Virtual Work Environment-Based Management Information System for Application in Joint Service Explosive Ordnance Disposal Notional Concepts Management

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-12-01

    Mr. A.N. Briggs and Susie Adams at NAVEODTECHDIV, Mr. Ronald Simmons of the Marine Corps Combat Development Command, and Mr. Michael Jinnett of the...was implemented. It is the system that members of the Notional Concepts Working Group are familiar with and requires little training or investigation...each user to individually perform each of these steps. There is little chance that all users would do this, and even less chance that they would come

  7. Evaluation of Titanium-5Al-5Mo-5V-3Cr (Ti-5553) Alloy against Fragment and Armor-Piercing Projectiles

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-09-01

    Alloy Ti-6Al-4V; ARL-MR- 486; U.S. Army Research Laboratory: Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, July 2000. Donachie, M. J., Jr. Titanium: A Technical...Tests of Armor Materials. TOP-2-2-710 (AD A137873), Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 8 July 1993. Veeck, S.; Lee, D.; Boyer, R.; Briggs, R. The...195 BEAR HILL RD WALTHAM MA 02451 1 RMI TITANIUM CO W PALLANTE PO BOX 269 1000 WARREN AVE NILES OH 44446 2 SOUTHWEST RSRCH INST

  8. A new species of sea urchin associating clingfish of the genus Dellichthys from New Zealand (Teleostei, Gobiesocidae)

    PubMed Central

    Conway, Kevin W.; Stewart, Andrew L.; Summers, Adam P.

    2018-01-01

    Abstract A new species of clingfish, Dellichthys trnskii sp. n. is described on the basis of 27 specimens, 11.9–46.0 mm SL, collected from intertidal and shallow coastal waters of New Zealand. It is distinguished from its only congener, D. morelandi Briggs, 1955 by characters of the cephalic sensory system and oral jaws, snout shape, and colouration in life. A rediagnosis is provided for D. morelandi, which is shown to exhibit sexual dimorphism in snout shape. PMID:29674890

  9. Microstructures and Mechanical Responses of Powder Metallurgy Noncombustive Magnesium Extruded Alloy by Rapid Solidification Process in Mass Production

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2010-05-01

    Equal-Channel Angular Pressing for the Processing of Ultra-Fine Grained Materials. Scripta Mater. 1996 , 35, 143–146. 6. Saito, Y.; Tsuji, N...Mg-Al-Rare Earth Alloys. J. Alloy. Compd. 1996 , 232, 264–268. 20. Šplíchal, K.; Jurkech, L. Comparison of Oxidation of Cast and Sintered... PETERSON CODE 28 9500 MACARTHUR BLVD WEST BETHESDA MD 20817-5700 1 AIR FORCE ARMAMENT LAB AFATL DLJW W COOK EGLIN AFB FL 32542 1 BRIGGS

  10. Health education for patients with acute coronary syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

    PubMed

    Liu, Xian-Liang; Shi, Yan; Willis, Karen; Wu, Chiung-Jung Jo; Johnson, Maree

    2017-10-16

    This umbrella review aimed to identify the current evidence on health education-related interventions for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM); identify the educational content, delivery methods, intensity, duration and setting required. The purpose was to provide recommendations for educational interventions for high-risk patients with both ACS and T2DM. Umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Inpatient and postdischarge settings. Patients with ACS and T2DM. CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Institute, Journals@Ovid, EMBase, Medline, PubMed and Web of Science databases from January 2000 through May 2016. Clinical outcomes (such as glycated haemoglobin), behavioural outcomes (such as smoking), psychosocial outcomes (such as anxiety) and medical service use. Fifty-one eligible reviews (15 for ACS and 36 for T2DM) consisting of 1324 relevant studies involving 2 88 057 patients (15 papers did not provide the total sample); 30 (58.8%) reviews were rated as high quality. Nurses only and multidisciplinary teams were the most frequent professionals to provide education, and most educational interventions were delivered postdischarge. Face-to-face sessions were the most common delivery formats, and many education sessions were also delivered by telephone or via web contact. The frequency of educational sessions was weekly or monthly, and an average of 3.7 topics was covered per education session. Psychoeducational interventions were generally effective at reducing smoking and admissions for patients with ACS. Culturally appropriate health education, self-management educational interventions, group medical visits and psychoeducational interventions were generally effective for patients with T2DM. Results indicate that there is a body of current evidence about the efficacy of health education, its content and delivery methods for patients with ACS or T2DM. These results provide recommendations about the content for, and approach to, health education intervention for these high-risk patients. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  11. Health education for patients with acute coronary syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Xian-liang; Shi, Yan; Willis, Karen; Wu, Chiung-Jung (Jo); Johnson, Maree

    2017-01-01

    Objectives This umbrella review aimed to identify the current evidence on health education-related interventions for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM); identify the educational content, delivery methods, intensity, duration and setting required. The purpose was to provide recommendations for educational interventions for high-risk patients with both ACS and T2DM. Design Umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Setting Inpatient and postdischarge settings. Participants Patients with ACS and T2DM. Data sources CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Institute, Journals@Ovid, EMBase, Medline, PubMed and Web of Science databases from January 2000 through May 2016. Outcomes measures Clinical outcomes (such as glycated haemoglobin), behavioural outcomes (such as smoking), psychosocial outcomes (such as anxiety) and medical service use. Results Fifty-one eligible reviews (15 for ACS and 36 for T2DM) consisting of 1324 relevant studies involving 2 88 057 patients (15 papers did not provide the total sample); 30 (58.8%) reviews were rated as high quality. Nurses only and multidisciplinary teams were the most frequent professionals to provide education, and most educational interventions were delivered postdischarge. Face-to-face sessions were the most common delivery formats, and many education sessions were also delivered by telephone or via web contact. The frequency of educational sessions was weekly or monthly, and an average of 3.7 topics was covered per education session. Psychoeducational interventions were generally effective at reducing smoking and admissions for patients with ACS. Culturally appropriate health education, self-management educational interventions, group medical visits and psychoeducational interventions were generally effective for patients with T2DM. Conclusions Results indicate that there is a body of current evidence about the efficacy of health education, its content and delivery methods for patients with ACS or T2DM. These results provide recommendations about the content for, and approach to, health education intervention for these high-risk patients. PMID:29042383

  12. Implementation of a protocol for the prevention and management of extravasation injuries in the neonatal intensive care patient.

    PubMed

    Warren, Diane

    2011-06-01

    This project sought to determine nurses' understanding and management of infants with intravenous (IV) therapy. There were three specific aims: • To improve identification and management of extravasation injuries in neonates • To ensure management of extravasation injuries in neonates is classified according to IV extravasation staging guidelines • To develop a protocol that outlined actions required to manage extravasation injuries. This project utilised a pre- and post-implementation audit strategy using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Getting Research into Practice (GRIP) program. This method has been used to improve clinical practice by utilising an audit, feedback and re-audit sequence. The project was implemented in four stages over a 7-month period from 21 October 2009 to 30 May 2010. Initially, there was poor compliance with all four criteria, ranging from zero to 63%. The GRIP phase of the project identified five barriers which were addressed throughout this project. These related to education of staff and the development of a protocol for the prevention and management of extravasation injuries in the neonatal population. Following implementation of best practice, the second audit showed a marked improvement in all four criteria, ranging from 70 to 100% compliance. Overall, this project has led to improvements in clinical practice in line with current evidence. This has resulted in enhanced awareness of the risks associated with IV therapy and of measures to prevent an injury occurring within this clinical setting. © 2011 The Author. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2011 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  13. The impact of negative childbirth experience on future reproductive decisions: A quantitative systematic review.

    PubMed

    Shorey, Shefaly; Yang, Yen Yen; Ang, Emily

    2018-06-01

    The aim of this study was to systematically retrieve, critique and synthesize available evidence regarding the association between negative childbirth experiences and future reproductive decisions. A child's birth is often a joyous event; however, there is a proportion of women who undergo negative childbirth experiences that have long-term implications on their reproductive decisions. A systematic review of quantitative studies was undertaken using Joanna Briggs Institute's methods. A search was carried out in CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science from January 1996 - July 2016. Studies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were assessed by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Tools. Data were extracted under subheadings adapted from the institute's data extraction forms. Twelve studies, which examined either one or more influences of negative childbirth experiences, were identified. The included studies were either cohort or cross-sectional designs. Five studies observed positive associations between prior negative childbirth experiences and decisions to not have another child, three studies found positive associations between negative childbirth experiences and decisions to delay a subsequent birth and six studies concluded positive associations between negative childbirth experiences and maternal requests for caesarean section in subsequent pregnancies. To receive a holistic understanding on negative childbirth experiences, a suitable definition and validated measuring tools should be used to understand this phenomenon. Future studies or reviews should include a qualitative component and/or the exploration of specific factors such as cultural and regional differences that influence childbirth experiences. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. A systematic review evaluating the impact of online or blended learning vs. face-to-face learning of clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education.

    PubMed

    McCutcheon, Karen; Lohan, Maria; Traynor, Marian; Martin, Daphne

    2015-02-01

    To determine whether the use of an online or blended learning paradigm has the potential to enhance the teaching of clinical skills in undergraduate nursing. The need to adequately support and develop students in clinical skills is now arguably more important than previously considered due to reductions in practice opportunities. Online and blended teaching methods are being developed to try and meet this requirement, but knowledge about their effectiveness in teaching clinical skills is limited. Mixed methods systematic review, which follows the Joanna Briggs Institute User guide version 5. Computerized searches of five databases were undertaken for the period 1995-August 2013. Critical appraisal and data extraction were undertaken using Joanna Briggs Institute tools for experimental/observational studies and interpretative and critical research. A narrative synthesis was used to report results. Nineteen published papers were identified. Seventeen papers reported on online approaches and only two papers reported on a blended approach. The synthesis of findings focused on the following four areas: performance/clinical skill, knowledge, self-efficacy/clinical confidence and user experience/satisfaction. The e-learning interventions used varied throughout all the studies. The available evidence suggests that online learning for teaching clinical skills is no less effective than traditional means. Highlighted by this review is the lack of available evidence on the implementation of a blended learning approach to teaching clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education. Further research is required to assess the effectiveness of this teaching methodology. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. A systematic review protocol on the use of teaching portfolios for educators in further and higher education.

    PubMed

    McColgan, Karen; Blackwood, Bronagh

    2009-12-01

    This paper is a review protocol that will be used to identify, critically appraise and synthesize the best current evidence relating to the use of teaching portfolios for educators in further and higher education. While portfolio use as a means to assist students in further and higher education has undergone extensive research and review, their use as a tool to assist educators has yet to receive systematic attention. Reviews conducted on studies related to portfolio use and undergraduate students have suggested that a teaching portfolio may have a benefit for educators in higher education as a means to provide relevancy and focus to their teaching. The objectives of the review are to evaluate how a teaching portfolio assists educators in teaching and learning; to evaluate the effects of maintaining a teaching portfolio for educators in relation to personal development; to explore the type of portfolio used; to determine whether a teaching portfolio is perceived more beneficial for various grades and professional types; and to determine any motivating factors or workplace incentives behind its implementation and completion. A search of the following databases will be made: MEDLINE, CINAHL, BREI, ERIC and AUEI. The review will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for systematic reviews of quantitative and qualitative research. The review will offer clarity and direction on the use of teaching portfolios for educators, policymakers, supervisory managers and researchers involved in further and higher education.

  16. [Prevention and detection of obstetric violence: A need in the Spanish delivery rooms?].

    PubMed

    Freire Barja, Natalia; Luces Lago, Ana María; Mosquera Pan, Lucía; Tizón Bouza, Eva

    2016-01-01

    The obstetric violence (OV) is the type of violence perpetrated against the pregnant woman through acts such as lack of respect to her autonomy and her freedom to decide. The increasing medicalization of the labour process, seems to be associated to this type of violence. Our objective is to provide health professionals with the necessary knowledge to be able to inform their patients about their rights and recognize those situations that can imply violence during the care process. The literature search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE, Joanna Briggs Institute, UpToDate and CUIDEN. The search was limited to articles published during the last five years. The next medical subject heading were used both in English and Spanish: "humanizing delivery", "obstetrics", "medicalization" and "violence". The performance of harmful practices and the unjustified medicalization of the labour process represent a potential damage to pregnant women by action, violating their rights as a result. To prevent and eradicate this, new lines of less interventionist work are being proposed. As health professionals we should promote the humanization of labour and informs women about the existent legislation, protocols and guidelines that offer adequate information based on the latest evidence and promote their advance role as patients. The health institutions are responsible for initiating this change, by implementing protocols to guide the practice of the health professionals involved in the care of women during labour. These protocols should be based on the WHO recommendations.

  17. Heat Resisting Metals for Gas Turbine Parts (N-102) - Chromium- Base Alloys

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1945-11-28

    Copy No, 69 - a. F. Killer Cory No. 68 - 71 . L. B-dgor Copy No. 70 - N. U t’.ochol Members of tho flor Uotdtoirgy Coroitteo Copy Copy Ccpy...Copy Cory Copy Copy Copy Copy Copy Cory Copy Copy Cory Nc. 71 - Ctrl Broor No. 72 t Lyaen J. Briggs Nc. 73 - J. HOB H« C*itchott No, 74...Col, R.S.A. •Dcugh&rty No, 75 - Rudolph Furrer- < Nc. : 5 - H< 71 « Glllett No. 6 - S. D, Horen No. 76 - R. P. Houor • • < Nc. 7 - Zry Jeffries Nc

  18. Habitat Suitability Index Models: Coho salmon

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McMahon, Thomas E.

    1983-01-01

    The coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) is native to the northern Pacific Ocean, spawning and rearing in streams from Monterey Bay, California, to Point Hope, Alaska, and southward along the Asiatic coast to Japan. Its center of abundance in North America is from Oregon to Alaska (Briggs 1953; Godfrey 1965; Hart 1973; Scott and Crossman 1973). Coho salmon have been successfully introduced into the Great Lakes and reservoirs and lakes throughout the United States to provide put-and-grow sport fishing (Scott and Crossman 1973; Wigglesworth and Rawson 1974). No subspecies of coho salmon have been described (Godfrey 1965).

  19. A Systematic Review: Family Support Integrated with Diabetes Self-Management among Uncontrolled Type II Diabetes Mellitus Patients.

    PubMed

    Pamungkas, Rian Adi; Chamroonsawasdi, Kanittha; Vatanasomboon, Paranee

    2017-09-15

    The rate of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is dramatically increasing worldwide. Continuing diabetes mellitus (DM) care needs effective self-management education and support for both patients and family members. This study aimed to review and describe the impacts of diabetes mellitus self-management education (DSME) that involve family members on patient outcomes related to patient health behaviors and perceived self-efficacy on self-management such as medication adherence, blood glucose monitoring, diet and exercise changes, health outcomes including psychological well-being and self-efficacy, and physiological markers including body mass index, level of blood pressure, cholesterol level and glycemic control. Three databases, PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus were reviewed for relevant articles. The search terms were "type 2 diabetes," "self-management," "diabetes self-management education (DSME)," "family support," "social support," and "uncontrolled glycaemia." Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines were used to determine which studies to include in the review. Details of the family support components of DSME intervention and the impacts of these interventions had on improving the health outcomes patients with uncontrolled glycaemia patients. A total of 22 intervention studies were identified. These studies involved different DSME strategies, different components of family support provided, and different health outcomes to be measured among T2D patients. Overall, family support had a positive impact on healthy diet, increased perceived support, higher self-efficacy, improved psychological well-being and better glycemic control. This systematic review found evidence that DSME with family support improved self-management behaviors and health outcomes among uncontrolled glycaemia T2D patients. The findings suggest DSME models that include family engagement can be a useful direction for improving diabetes care.

  20. A Systematic Review: Family Support Integrated with Diabetes Self-Management among Uncontrolled Type II Diabetes Mellitus Patients

    PubMed Central

    Pamungkas, Rian Adi; Chamroonsawasdi, Kanittha; Vatanasomboon, Paranee

    2017-01-01

    The rate of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is dramatically increasing worldwide. Continuing diabetes mellitus (DM) care needs effective self-management education and support for both patients and family members. This study aimed to review and describe the impacts of diabetes mellitus self-management education (DSME) that involve family members on patient outcomes related to patient health behaviors and perceived self-efficacy on self-management such as medication adherence, blood glucose monitoring, diet and exercise changes, health outcomes including psychological well-being and self-efficacy, and physiological markers including body mass index, level of blood pressure, cholesterol level and glycemic control. Three databases, PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus were reviewed for relevant articles. The search terms were “type 2 diabetes,” “self-management,” “diabetes self-management education (DSME),” “family support,” “social support,” and “uncontrolled glycaemia.” Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines were used to determine which studies to include in the review. Details of the family support components of DSME intervention and the impacts of these interventions had on improving the health outcomes patients with uncontrolled glycaemia patients. A total of 22 intervention studies were identified. These studies involved different DSME strategies, different components of family support provided, and different health outcomes to be measured among T2D patients. Overall, family support had a positive impact on healthy diet, increased perceived support, higher self-efficacy, improved psychological well-being and better glycemic control. This systematic review found evidence that DSME with family support improved self-management behaviors and health outcomes among uncontrolled glycaemia T2D patients. The findings suggest DSME models that include family engagement can be a useful direction for improving diabetes care. PMID:28914815

  1. Effectiveness of positive end-expiratory pressure, decreased fraction of inspired oxygen and vital capacity recruitment maneuver in the prevention of pulmonary atelectasis in patients undergoing general anesthesia: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Martin, Jennifer Bourgeois; Garbee, Deborah; Bonanno, Laura

    2015-09-16

    General anesthesia causes impairment of gas exchange in the lungs that results in decreased oxygenation of the blood; atelectasis is the principle cause of this impaired gas exchange. Anesthesia delivery varies between providers and there is no standard practice to decrease the incidence of postoperative atelectasis. To assess the effectiveness of three identified interventions, either individually or combined, in the development of postoperative pulmonary atelectasis in patients undergoing general anesthesia. The review considered participants over 18 years for inclusion. The American Society of Anesthesiologists classification of subjects was I, II or III. Participants underwent a variety of surgical procedures during which general anesthesia was administered. TYPES OF INTERVENTION(S)/PHENOMENA OF INTEREST: The review focused on the following interventions: positive end-expiratory pressure, decreased fraction of inspired oxygen content, and/or a vital capacity recruitment maneuver during general anesthesia in comparison to general anesthesia performed without the use of these interventions. TYPES OF STUDIES: Randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of any of the proposed interventions, individually or in combination, in the prevention of postoperative atelectasis during general anesthesia were considered for inclusion. TYPES OF OUTCOMES: This review considered studies that reported the incidence of postoperative atelectasis. Atelectasis was measured by lung density measurements, in Hounsfield units, with computed tomography scans, decreased PaO2 levels (partial pressure of oxygen dissolved in arterial blood), and pulmonary function tests. A three-step search strategy was utilized in this review. Studies published in English, without date limits, were considered for inclusion. Databases searched were: CINAHL, MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, EMBASE, ProQuest Theses and Dissertations and ClinicalTrials.gov, (specifically the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). Two independent reviewers appraised articles for methodological quality using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Randomized Control/Pseudo-randomized Trials. All studies included in this review were of high methodological quality. Data was extracted by two independent reviewers from papers using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Meta-analysis was attempted using STATA 12 software; however, due to the heterogeneity of interventions and outcomes it was not possible to pool data. A narrative summary including tables have been used to report results and findings. This review included ten studies with a total of 427 participants aged from 18-78. Although a decreased inspired oxygen content (less than 60%) was shown to be effective individually at decreasing the incidence of postoperative atelectasis, this intervention in combination with a vital capacity recruitment maneuver (+40cm H20 for 15 seconds, and positive end-expiratory pressure, +10cm H2O) was shown to be statistically significant (relative risk=1.149; 95% confidence interval= 1.018, 1.297; p= 0.024). Anesthesia providers should utilize multiple interventions at their disposal to combat the formation and effects of atelectasis for their patients undergoing general anesthesia. Positive end-expiratory pressure following a vital capacity recruitment maneuver can virtually eliminate atelectasis formation even in the presence of a high inspired oxygen content. The majority of atelectasis occurs within minutes of induction and intubation; therefore, further research is needed for testing interventions during this specific time. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  2. Experiences of cancer patients in a patient navigation program: a qualitative systematic review.

    PubMed

    Tan, Clarice Hwee Hoon; Wilson, Sally; McConigley, Ruth

    2015-03-12

    A patient navigation program is a model of care which entails trained personnel providing individualized and assistive care to adult oncology patients to help the patients overcome barriers. A further aim of the program is to achieve continuity of care as patients experience the complex healthcare system. Patient navigation is a new model of care in many institutions, and as such the experiences of patients in the patient navigation program remains inconclusive. The review seeks to understand the experiences of adult patients in patient navigation programs and how patient navigators impact the challenges patients encounter in the cancer care continuum. Participants of interest were adult cancer patients more than 18 years of age who are receiving or have received cancer care and are in a patient navigation program or had been in a hospital patient navigation program. Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest: The phenomenon of interest was the experiences of adult cancer patients who used patient navigation programs in hospital including how patient navigators impact on the challenges patients encounter in the cancer care continuum. Types of studies: This review considered studies that focused on qualitative data including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, action research and exploratory studies. The review includes patient navigation programs within a hospital setting. Types of outcome: The review sought to understand the experiences of patients with cancer in patient navigation programs in the hospital. A three-step search strategy was used. An initial search to identify keywords was undertaken in PubMed and Science Direct followed by an expanded search using all identified keywords and index terms specific to each included database. The reference lists of included papers were then searched for any other relevant studies. Each paper was assessed independently by two reviewers for methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Any disagreements that arose between the reviewers were resolved through discussion. Data extraction and synthesis was conducted using standardized data extraction and synthesis tools from JBI-QARI. The 17 unequivocal and credible findings of included studies were categorized according to similarity of meaning and developed into three synthesized findings. Three papers were included in the review. The three synthesized findings from the 17 findings extracted from the papers were: (1) Emotional empowerment: patient navigators need to be present with patients at key phases of the cancer care continuum and assure patients of their accessibility; (2) Knowledge empowerment: patient navigators need to explore and manage the needs and expectations of patients so that the healthcare team and patient have the same understanding of treatment goals and plans; and (3) Bridging the gaps: patient navigators need to ensure practical assistance is provided for patients to ensure continuity of care even at the completion of the treatment regimen. The presence of a patient navigator provides strong support to the patients when experiencing disruption from cancer diagnosis and treatment. The emotional isolation they experience lessens with the assurance that there is always a consistent and constant contact point they can fall back on. The logistic and practical help given by the navigators allows patients to take time to process information and make sense of what is happening. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  3. Translating the evidence for emergency equipment and supplies into practice among healthcare providers in a tertiary mental health institution: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Lu, Qiufen; Ng, Hui Chin; Xie, Huiting

    2015-05-15

    In the mental health care setting, patients are more vulnerable to choking and the risk of cardiac and respiratory problems due to behavioral problems and use of rapid tranquilization. Poorly maintained, incomplete or damaged equipment in emergency trolleys have previously been documented in various articles as a major contributing factor to deaths and delayed response to resuscitation attempts. This project aimed to examine the current practices for managing emergency equipment. An evidence implementation project was undertaken by utilizing the Joanna Briggs Institute's Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research Into Practice programs. Pre- and post-implementation audits were conducted in a mental health institution over 25 months. Strategies were implemented between audits to enhance adoption of the best available evidence regarding the checking and maintenance of emergency equipment. The baseline audit data showed that adherence was lowest in ensuring the functional status of emergency equipment (53%), followed by conducting regular checks for functional status, using inventory, and documenting these checks (60%). In line with the Getting Research Into Practice module, barriers such as the lack of knowledge and skills regarding emergency equipment were addressed with town hall meetings, code blue drills and education sessions. Follow-up audit results showed improvement in all areas. The greatest improvement was in documentation of emergency equipment checks, which improved by 18%, from 80% to 98%. Audits enabled the timely identification of potential lapses in the management of emergency equipment so that the barriers could be addressed, and strategies in line with the best available evidence regarding the checking and maintenance of emergency equipment were adopted. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  4. The messages presented in online electronic cigarette promotions and discussions: a scoping review protocol

    PubMed Central

    Maycock, Bruce; Jancey, Jonine

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Electronic cigarettes have become increasingly popular over the last 10 years. These devices represent a new paradigm for tobacco control offering smokers an opportunity to inhale nicotine without inhaling tobacco smoke. To date there are no definite conclusions regarding the safety and long-term health effects of electronic cigarettes; however, there is evidence that they are being marketed online as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. This scoping review aims to identify and describe the breadth of messages (eg, health, smoking-cessation and price related claims) presented in online electronic cigarette promotions and discussions. Methods and analysis A scoping review will be undertaken adhering to the methodology outlined in The Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Scoping Reviews. Six key electronic databases will be searched to identify eligible studies. Studies must be published in English between 2007 and 2017, examine and/or analyse content captured from online electronic cigarette promotions or discussions and report results for electronic cigarettes separately to other forms of tobacco delivery. Studies will be screened initially by title and abstract, followed by full-text review. Results of the search strategy will be reported in a PRISMA flow diagram and presented in tabular form with accompanying narrative summary. Ethics and dissemination The methodology consists of reviewing and collecting data from publicly available studies, and therefore does not require ethics approval. Results will be published in a peer reviewed journal and be presented at national/international conferences. Additionally, findings will be disseminated via social media and online platforms. Advocacy will be key to informing policy makers of regulatory and health issues that need to be addressed. Registration details The review was registered prospectively with The Joanna Briggs Institute Systematic Reviews database. PMID:29122804

  5. The lived experiences of being physically active when morbidly obese: A qualitative systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Toft, Bente Skovsby; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth

    2015-01-01

    The aim is to identify facilitators and barriers for physical activity (PA) experienced by morbidly obese adults in the Western world. Inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle have become a major challenge for health and well-being, particularly among persons with morbid obesity. Lifestyle changes may lead to long-term changes in activity level, if facilitators and barriers are approached in a holistic way by professionals. To develop lifestyle interventions, the perspective and experiences of this group of patients are essential for success. The methodology of the systematic review followed the seven-step procedure of the Joanna Briggs Institute and was published in a protocol. Six databases were searched using keywords and index terms. Manual searches were performed in reference lists and in cited citations up until March 2015. The selected studies underwent quality appraisal in the Joanna Briggs-Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Data from primary studies were extracted and were subjected to a hermeneutic text interpretation and a data-driven coding in a five-step procedure focusing on meaning and constant targeted comparison through which they were categorized and subjected into a meta-synthesis. Eight papers were included for the systematic review, representing the experiences of PA among 212 participants. One main theme developed from the meta-data analysis: “Identity” with the three subthemes: “considering weight,” “being able to,” and “belonging with others.” The theme and subthemes were merged into a meta-synthesis: “Homecoming: a change in identity.” The experiences of either suffering or well-being during PA affected the identity of adults with morbid obesity either by challenging or motivating them. A change in identity may be needed to feel a sense of “homecoming” when active. PMID:26400462

  6. Transport of Indole-3-Acetic Acid during Gravitropism in Intact Maize Coleoptiles 1

    PubMed Central

    Parker, Karen E.; Briggs, Winslow R.

    1990-01-01

    We have investigated the transport of tritiated indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) in intact, red light-grown maize (Zea mays) coleoptiles during gravitropic induction and the subsequent development of curvature. This auxin is transported down the length of gravistimulated coleoptiles at a rate comparable to that in normal, upright plants. Transport is initially symmetrical across the coleoptile, but between 30 and 40 minutes after plants are turned horizontal a lateral redistribution of the IAA already present in the transport stream occurs. By 60 minutes after the beginning of the gravitropic stimulus, the ratio of tritiated tracer auxin in the lower half with respect to the upper half is approximately 2:1. The redistribution of growth that causes gravitropic curvature follows the IAA redistribution by 5 or 10 minutes at the minimum in most regions of the coleoptile. Immobilization of tracer auxin from the transport stream during gravitropism was not detectable in the most apical 10 millimeters. Previous reports have shown that in intact, red light-grown maize coleoptiles, endogenous auxin is limiting for growth, the tissue is linearly responsive to linearly increasing concentrations of small amounts of added auxin, and the lag time for the stimulation of straight growth by added IAA is approximately 8 or 9 minutes (TI Baskin, M Iino, PB Green, WR Briggs [1985] Plant Cell Environ 8: 595-603; TI Baskin, WR Briggs, M Iino [1986] Plant Physiol 81: 306-309). We conclude that redistribution of IAA in the transport stream occurs in maize coleoptiles during gravitropism, and is sufficient in degree and timing to be the immediate cause of gravitropic curvature. PMID:16667914

  7. Lewis M. Rutherfurd and the First Photograph of Solar Granulation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Harvey, J. W.; Briggs, John W.; Prosser, Sian

    2017-08-01

    A major astronomical controversy of the mid-19th century was discordant descriptions of the small scale structure of the solar surface. Visual observers contradicted each other by describing the surface as consisting of “corrugations”, “willow leaves”, “rice grains”, “cumuli”, “thatch”, “granules”, etc. Early photographs of the solar surface were not good enough to settle the controversy. The French astronomer Jules Janssen is credited with the first 1876 photographs that clearly showed what we now call solar granulation (1876, CRAS 82, 1363). Upon seeing these images, New Yorker Lewis M. Rutherfurd (1878, MNRAS 38, 410) praised the high quality of Janssen’s images but asserted that he had also photographed granulation as early as 1871 using collodion wet plates. He sent copies of his best photograph to the Royal Astronomical Society to support his assertion. Curious about his claim, Briggs and Harvey set up Rutherfurd’s 13-inch achromatic refractor on Kitt Peak and found that it easily showed well-resolved solar granulation, so his claim might well have been justified. But without his plates we could not confirm the claim. For 140 years the copies of Rutherfurd’s best solar photograph remained in the archives of the Royal Astronomical Society and were recently discovered by Prosser (RAS Photographs A3/001B and A3/002). By coincidence a few days later, Briggs found the original August 11, 1871 plate. Despite poor condition these photographs show solar granulation. There are at least two other possible early claimants (Reade; Vogel) but their plates are almost certainly lost. Rutherfurd was a master of astronomical instrumentation and photography. He was reticent about his work, letting results speak for themselves, so it is satisfying to find that he was justified in making his claim of priority.

  8. Elemental analyses of modern dust in southern Nevada and California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Reheis, M.C.; Budahn, J.R.; Lamothe, P.J.

    1999-01-01

    Selected samples of modern dust collected in marble traps at sites in southern Nevada and California (Reheis and Kihl, 1995; Reheis, 1997) have been analyzed for elemental composition using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). For information on these analytical techniques and their levels of precision and accuracy, refer to Baedecker and McKown (1987) for INAA, to Briggs (1996) for ICP-AES, and to Briggs and Meier (1999) for ICP-MS. This report presents the elemental compositions obtained using these techniques on dust samples collected from 1991 through 1997.The dust-trap sites were established at varying times; some have been maintained since 1984, others since 1991. For details on site location, dust-trap construction, and collection techniques, see Reheis and Kihl (1995) and Reheis (1997). Briefly, the trap consists of a coated angel-food cake pan painted black on the outside and mounted on a post about 2 m above the ground. Glass marbles rest on a circular piece of galvanized hardware cloth (now replaced by stainless-steel mesh), which is fitted into the pan so that it rests 3-4 cm below the rim. The 2-m height eliminates most saltating sand-sized particles. The marbles simulate the effect of a gravelly fan surface and prevent dust that has filtered or washed into the bottom of the pan from being blown back out. The dust traps are fitted with two metal straps looped in an inverted basket shape; the top surfaces of the straps are coated with a sticky material that effectively discourages birds from roosting.

  9. Advance care planning in the oncology settings.

    PubMed

    Samara, Juliane; Larkin, David; Chan, Choi Wan; Lopez, Violeta

    2013-06-01

    Self-determination and patient choice of end-of-life care are emphasised in palliative care. Advance care planning (ACP) is an approach to enabling patients' choices. The use of ACP has not been extensively studied in our current context. Little is known about oncology care nurses' views and the barriers they face in the implementation of ACP. The aims of this study were to assess the uptake of ACP by health professionals and explore nurses' perceived barriers for implementing ACP. This study employed a pre- and post-implementation audit design using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (PACES) and Getting Research into Practice (GRIP) programs. An education programme on ACP was provided between pre-and post-implementation audits. Nurses and medical professionals (pre-audit, n = 32; post-audit, n = 30) working in oncology departments were invited to complete a questionnaire based on the audit criteria. A convenience sample of 25 nurses participated in the focus group interview. Interview data were analysed by content analysis. The post-audit results were lower than the pre-audit results with a range of decreased compliance from 1% for criterion 5 to 14% for criterion 6. Lack of time to implement ACP was the most frequently raised barrier by oncology nurses. The study findings were disappointing, but this first audit is significant to provide insights for future dissemination and implementation of ACP interventions. An ongoing mandatory professional development programme in ACP for healthcare staff is promising to promote the uptake of ACP in healthcare settings. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2013 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  10. An exploratory study of the relationship between learning styles and academic performance among students in different nursing programs.

    PubMed

    Li, Yuh-Shiow; Yu, Wen-Pin; Liu, Chin-Fang; Shieh, Sue-Heui; Yang, Bao-Huan

    2014-10-27

    Abstract Background: Learning style is a major consideration in planning for effective and efficient instruction and learning. Learning style has been shown to influence academic performance in the previous research. Little is known about Taiwanese students' learning styles, particularly in the field of nursing education. Aim: This purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between learning styles and academic performance among nursing students in a five-year associate degree of nursing (ADN) program and a two-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program in Taiwan. Methods/Design: This study employed a descriptive and exploratory design. The Chinese version of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Form M was an instrument. Data such as grade point average (GPA) were obtained from the Office of Academic Affairs and the Registrar computerized records. Descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance ANOVA) and chi-square statistical analysis were used to explore the relationship between academic performance and learning style in Taiwanese nursing students. Results/Findings: The study sample included 285 nursing students: 96 students in a two-year BSN program, and 189 students in a five-year ADN program. Two common learning styles were found: introversion, sensing, thinking, and judging (ISTJ); and introversion, sensing, feeling, and judging (ISFJ). A sensing-judging pair was identified in 43.3% of the participants. Academic performance was significantly related to learning style (p < 0.05, d.f. = 15). Conclusion: The results of this study can help educators devise classroom and clinical instructional strategies that respond to individual needs in order to maximize academic performance and enhance student success. A large sample is recommended for further research. Understanding the learning style preferences of students can enhance learning for those who are under performing in their academic studies, thereby enhancing nursing education.

  11. The effects of cash transfers and vouchers on the use and quality of maternity care services: A systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Hunter, Benjamin M.; Harrison, Sean; Portela, Anayda; Bick, Debra

    2017-01-01

    Background Cash transfers and vouchers are forms of ‘demand-side financing’ that have been widely used to promote maternal and newborn health in low- and middle-income countries during the last 15 years. Methods This systematic review consolidates evidence from seven published systematic reviews on the effects of different types of cash transfers and vouchers on the use and quality of maternity care services, and updates the systematic searches to June 2015 using the Joanna Briggs Institute approach for systematic reviewing. The review protocol for this update was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42015020637). Results Data from 51 studies (15 more than previous reviews) and 22 cash transfer and voucher programmes suggest that approaches tied to service use (either via payment conditionalities or vouchers for selected services) can increase use of antenatal care, use of a skilled attendant at birth and in the case of vouchers, postnatal care too. The strongest evidence of positive effect was for conditional cash transfers and uptake of antenatal care, and for vouchers for maternity care services and birth with a skilled birth attendant. However, effects appear to be shaped by a complex set of social and healthcare system barriers and facilitators. Studies have typically focused on an initial programme period, usually two or three years after initiation, and many lack a counterfactual comparison with supply-side investment. There are few studies to indicate that programmes have led to improvements in quality of maternity care or maternal and newborn health outcomes. Conclusion Future research should use multiple intervention arms to compare cost-effectiveness with similar investment in public services, and should look beyond short- to medium-term service utilisation by examining programme costs, longer-term effects on service utilisation and health outcomes, and the equity of those effects. PMID:28328940

  12. Light responses in Photoperiodism in Arabidopsis thaliana

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Anthony R. Cashmore

    2006-08-01

    ADO1: An Arabidopsis blue light photoreceptor We have reported the characterization of an Arabidopsis gene encoding the ADAGIO 1 (ADO1) protein (Jarillo et al., 2001a). ADO1 contains a LOV domain, similar to WHITE COLLAR 1 (WC1), a photoreceptor for entrainment of Neurospora circadian rhythms (Froehlich et al., 2002), as well as PHOT1 and PHOT2, the blue light photoreceptors for phototropism (Briggs et al., 2001; Christie et al., 1998; Jarillo et al., 2001b; Kinoshita et al., 2001). Loss of function ado1 mutants show an unusually long periodicity for their free running circadian rhythm (Jarillo et al., 2001a). This observation holds formore » plants grown under white light as well as blue light and surprisingly, plants grown under red light also show altered circadian properties. The similarity of the LOV domain of ADO1 to those of PHOT1, PHOT2 and WC1 (known flavoprotein photoreceptors) as well as the genetic and molecular properties of ADO1, indicate that ADO1 is likely a new class of blue light photoreceptor. Indeed, the LOV domain of the related FKF1/ADO3 has been shown to bind FMN, and exhibit the in vitro photochemistry characteristic of PHOT1 (Imaizumi et al., 2003). Furthermore, ZTL/ADO1 has been shown to participate in the circadian and proteasome mediated degradation of the Arabidopsis clock protein, TOC1 (Mas et al., 2003). We also showed that the ado1 mutation selectively confers hypersensitivity to red light — when grown under red light (but not blue light) the ado1 mutant possesses an unusually short hypocotyl. This red light hypersensivity is even more severe in a triple ado1 ado2 ado3 mutant — ADO2 and ADO3 being the two other members of this ADAGIO gene family. This finding of a mutant phenotype under red light is somewhat unexpected for a protein thought to function as a photoreceptor for blue light. We have pursued our studies of ADO1 by preparing a mutant gene for which we have altered the codon for the cysteine residue conserved in all LOV domains. It is this cysteine residue that forms a covalent adduct with the bound flavin in the photocycle of PHOT1 and FKF1. In the mutant ADO1 this cysteine is replaced by an alanine. We argue that if ADO1 functions as a photoreceptor in a similar fashion to PHOT1, then this mutant ADO1 should not be able to rescue the altered circadian phenotype of ado1 mutant plants. We find under white light, that indeed this is the case. Experiments underway are aimed at determining if the altered circadian phenotype under blue and red light are similarly unable to be rescued by the mutant gene, and we are performing similar experiments under red light with respect to the defect in hypocotyl elongation. The results from these experiments will likely support the hypothesis that ADO1 functions as a blue light photoreceptor, and they will address the question concerning whether or not the altered properties of the ado1 mutant under red light are also a reflection of this photoreceptor function. References. Briggs, W. R., Beck, C. F., Cashmore, A. R., Christie, J. M., Hughes, J., Jarillo, J. A., Kagawa, T., Kanegae, H., Liscum, E., Nagatani, A., et al. (2001). The phototropin family of photoreceptors. Plant Cell 13, 993-997. Christie, J. M., Reymond, P., Powell, G. K., Bernasconi, P., Raibekas, A. A., Liscum, E., and Briggs, W. R. (1998). Arabidopsis NPH1: A flavoprotein with the properties of a photoreceptor for phototropism. Science 282, 1698-1701. Froehlich, A. C., Liu, Y., Loros, J. J., and Dunlap, J. C. (2002). White Collar-1, a circadian blue light photoreceptor, binding to the frequency promoter. Science 297, 815-819. Imaizumi, T., Tran, H. G., Swartz, T. E., Briggs, W. R., and Kay, S. A. (2003). FKF1 is essential for photoperiodic-specific light signalling in Arabidopsis. Nature 426, 302-306. Jarillo, J. A., Capel, J., Tang, R.-H., Yang, H.-Q., Alonso, J. M., Ecker, J. R., and Cashmore, A. R. (2001a). An Arabidopsis circadian clock component interacts with both CRY1 and phyB. Nature 410, 487-490. Jarillo, J. A., Gabrys, H., Capel, J., Alonso, J. M., Ecker, J. R., and Cashmore, A. R. (2001b). Phototropin-related NPL1 controls chloroplast relocation induced by blue light. Nature 410, 952-954. Kinoshita, T., Doi, M., Suetsugu, N., Kagawa, T., Wada, M., and Shimazaki Ki, K. (2001). phot1 and phot2 mediate blue light regulation of stomatal opening. Nature 414, 656-660. Mas, P., Kim, W. Y., Somers, D. E., and Kay, S. A. (2003). Targeted degradation of TOC1 by ZTL modulates circadian function in Arabidopsis thaliana. Nature 426, 567-570.« less

  13. Direct pair production in heavy-ion--atom collisions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Anholt, R.; Jakubassa-Amundsen, D.H.; Amundsen, P.A.

    1983-02-01

    Direct pair production in approx.5-MeV/amu heavy-ion--atom collisions with uranium target atoms is calculated with the plane-wave Born approximation and the semiclassical approximation. Briggs's approximation is used to obtain the electron and positron wave functions. Since pair production involves high momentum transfer q from the moving projectile to the vacuum, use is made of a high-q approximation to greatly simplify the numerical computations. Coulomb deflection of the projectile, the effect of finite nuclear size on the elec- tronic wave functions, and the energy loss by the projectile exciting the pair are all taken into account in these calculations.

  14. The effectiveness of interventions to meet family needs of critically ill patients in an adult intensive care unit: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Kynoch, Kate; Chang, Anne M; Coyer, Fiona

    Background Attending to the needs of family members of critically ill patients is an important and necessary step in providing appropriate care for both the patient and the family. An initial search of the Cochrane and Joanna Briggs Institute Libraries did not reveal any published systematic reviews recommending effective interventions for addressing family needs of critically ill patients in an acute intensive care unit.Objectives This systematic review aims to establish best practice in addressing the needs of family members with a relative admitted to an adult critical care unit.Search strategy An extensive search of the major databases was conducted. Databases searched included: MEDLINE, CINAHL, psycINFO, Health source, Web of science, EMBASE, the Cochrane library and Database of abstracts of reviews of effects (DARE) as well as Pubmed. The search included published and unpublished studies and papers in English from 1980-2010.Selection criteria This review considered any randomised controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of interventions in addressing family needs of critically ill patients in an adult intensive care unit. In the absence of randomised controlled trials, other research designs such as quasi-experimental as well as before and after studies were considered for inclusion in the narrative summary to enable the identification of current approaches and possible future strategies for addressing family needs of critically ill patients.Assessment of quality Each included study was assessed by two independent reviewers using the appropriate appraisal checklist developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute.Data collection and analysis Data was extracted from the papers included in this review using standardised data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument package. The studies included in this review were not suitable for meta-analysis and therefore the results are presented in narrative form.Results Fourteen studies and one dissertation met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. There were 12 quasi-experimental studies identified including 8 two or three group, pre-test/post-test studies; 1 one-way between subjects design; 1 interrupted time series and 1 two-group comparative design study. The dissertation was a quasi-experimental three group pre-test/post-test design. There were 3 prospective randomised trials included. The evidence identified includes: the use of support groups for family members of patients admitted to an intensive care unit, structured communication and/or education programs for family members, the use of leaflets or brochures to meet family information needs and open or more flexible visiting hours.Conclusion/Recommendations This review makes several recommendations for clinical practice to address family needs of patients admitted to a critical care unit, however this review highlights the need for significant further research in this area. Future intervention studies focusing on family needs could include: the use of technology such as DVD's and SMS for informing families and interventions specifically designed to improve family comfort.

  15. The effectiveness of using non-traditional teaching methods to prepare student health care professionals for the delivery of mental state examination: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Xie, Huiting; Liu, Lei; Wang, Jia; Joon, Kum Eng; Parasuram, Rajni; Gunasekaran, Jamuna; Poh, Chee Lien

    2015-08-14

    With the evolution of education, there has been a shift from the use of traditional teaching methods, such as didactic or rote teaching, towards non-traditional teaching methods, such as viewing of role plays, simulation, live interviews and the use of virtual environments. Mental state examination is an essential competency for all student healthcare professionals. If mental state examination is not taught in the most effective manner so learners can comprehend its concepts and interpret the findings correctly, it could lead to serious repercussions and subsequently impact on clinical care provided for patients with mental health conditions, such as incorrect assessment of suicidal ideation. However, the methods for teaching mental state examination vary widely between countries, academic institutions and clinical settings. This systematic review aimed to identify and synthesize the best available evidence of effective teaching methods used to prepare student health care professionals for the delivery of mental state examination. This review considered evidence from primary quantitative studies which address the effectiveness of a chosen method used for the teaching of mental state examination published in English, including studies that measure learner outcomes, i.e. improved knowledge and skills, self-confidence and learners' satisfaction. A three-step search strategy was undertaken in this review to search for articles published in English from the inception of the database to December 2014. An initial search of MEDLINE and CINAHL was undertaken to identify keywords. Secondly, the keywords identified were used to search electronic databases, namely, CINAHL, Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Ovid, PsycINFO and, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. Thirdly, reference lists of the articles identified in the second stage were searched for other relevant studies. Studies selected were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using the standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute's Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument embedded within the System for the Unified Management, Assessment and Review of Information. Any disagreements that arose between the reviewers were resolved through discussion between the reviewers. Data was extracted using data extraction tools developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute Quantitative data was extracted from papers using standardized data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute's Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. The included studies were found to be heterogeneous in terms of participants and teaching methods. Moreover, a wide variety of instruments were used to determine impact and outcomes of the teaching methods. Hence, findings of the included articles were presented in a narrative summary. A total of 12 articles were included in this review with consensus from all reviewers. The evidence retrieved in this study suggests that non-traditional teaching methods, such as videotapes, virtual simulation, standardized patients and reflection, improve learners' understanding and skills of mental state examination as opposed to traditional teaching methods like lectures and provision of reading materials. However, studies that specifically compared the effectiveness of one method over another were limited to comparison between lectures with videotaped interviews and virtual simulations. It was shown that both videotaped interviews and virtual simulations were superior to lectures. In videotaped teaching, interactions between patients and learners performing mental state examination were shown for the learner’s discussion while virtual simulations mimicked patient symptoms in computer applications. Virtual simulation was notably a unique learning opportunity for the learners as it allowed learning to take place without the use of diminishing real life resources. However, in view of the high cost and learners’ difficulty in negotiating the virtual environment, videotaped teaching remained as the more commonly used method of teaching mental state examination. This systematic review study identified teaching strategies utilized in the teaching of mental state examination and their effectiveness. Videotapes was the most widely used and effective approach, that is, until the issue of high cost and ease of maneuver in virtual simulation could be overcome. There were also potential benefits of other teaching, such as reflection and use of standardized patients, and educators could consider these in the teaching of mental state examination. Future research could focus more on the comparison of various teaching methods to offer more evidence on the use of one teaching method over another. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  16. The effectiveness of systematic perioperative oral hygiene in reduction of postoperative respiratory tract infections after elective thoracic surgery in adults: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Pedersen, Preben U; Larsen, Palle; Håkonsen, Sasja Jul

    2016-01-01

    Nosocomial infections are a significant contributor to patient morbidity and mortality. Nosocomial infections significantly increase hospital length of stay and total hospital costs. Thoracic surgery, mechanical ventilation and/or admission to an intensive care unit are known to increase patients' risk for nosocomial respiratory tract infection. To identify, appraise and synthesize the best available evidence on the effectiveness of systematic perioperative oral hygiene in the reduction of postoperative respiratory airway infections in adult patients undergoing elective thoracic surgery. Patients over the age of 18 years who had been admitted for elective thoracic surgery, regardless of gender, ethnicity, diagnosis severity, co-morbidity or previous treatment.Perioperative systematic oral hygiene (such as mechanical removal of dental biofilm or plaques and/or systematic use of mouth rinse) performed by patients themselves or by healthcare staff (such as nurses).Randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies.Nosocomial infections, specifically respiratory tracts infections, and surgical site infections Multiple databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, Swemed+, Health Technology Assessment Database and Turning Research Into Practice [TRIP] database) were searched from 1980 to December 2014. Studies published in English, German, Danish, Swedish and Norwegian were considered for inclusion in this review. Two independent reviewers used the standard critical appraisal tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute to assess the methodological quality of studies. The process of data extraction was undertaken independently by two reviewers using tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Quantitative results were synthesized in meta-analysis. This review includes six studies: three randomized controlled trials and three quasi-experimental studies.The absolute magnitude of the summary effect sizes were: for nosocomial infections relative risk (RR) 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.55-0.78) for respiratory tract infections RR 0.48 (95%CI: 0.36-0.65) and for deep surgical site infections RR 0.48 (95%CI 0.27-0.84). Systematic perioperative oral hygiene reduces postoperative nosocomial, lower respiratory tract infections and surgical site infections but not urinary tract infections. The effect is statistically, clinically and practically significant.Perioperative decontamination of the nasopharynx and/or oropharynx is a strategy worth pursuing. The intervention is cheap and can easily be carried out by the patients themselves. (Grade A)Studies testing decontamination of the nasopharynx and/or oropharynx have until now only included patients undergoing thoracic surgical procedures. As the interventions are cheap, easy to carry out and have a great impact on the patients' outcome, it is recommendable to carry out more studies involving other type of patients undergoing major surgery with a high prevalence of nosocomial infections, respiratory tract infections and surgical site infections.

  17. Attitudes and perceived barriers influencing incident reporting by nurses and their correlation with reported incidents: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Fung, Wing Mei; Koh, Serena Siew Lin; Chow, Yeow Leng

    Clinical incident reporting is an integral feature of risk management system in the healthcare sector. By reporting clinical incidents, nurses allow for learning from errors, identification of error patterns and development of error preventive strategies. The need to understand attitudes to reporting, perceived barriers and incident reporting patterns by nurses are the core highlights of this review. INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review considered descriptive quantitative studies that examined nurses' attitudes or perceived barriers towards incident reporting.The participants in this review were nurses working in acute care settings or step-down care settings. Studies that included non-nursing healthcare personnel were excluded.This review considered studies which examined nurses' attitudes towards incident reporting, perceived barriers and incident reporting practices.The outcomes of interest were the attitudes that nurses have towards incident reporting, perceived barriers and the types of reported incidents in correlation with nurses' attitudes and barriers. A three-step search strategy was utilised in this review. An initial limited search of CINAHL and MEDLINE was undertaken. Search strategies were then developed using identified keywords and index terms. Lastly, the reference lists of all identified articles were examined. All searches were limited to studies published in English, between 1991 and 2010. The studies were independently assessed by two reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Descriptive/ Case Series studies. The reviewers extracted data independently from included studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute Data Extraction Form for Descriptive/ Case Series studies. Due to the descriptive nature of the study designs, statistical pooling was not possible. Therefore, the findings of this systematic review are presented in a narrative summary. Fifty-five papers were identified from the searches based on their titles and abstracts. Nine studies were included in this review. Cultural and demographic factors were the most significant factors in affecting nurses' attitudes towards incident reporting. Major perceived barriers included fear, administrative issues, and the reporting process. Also, nurses were more likely to report incidents that caused direct harm, and if reporting was kept anonymous. This review demonstrated that attitudes of nurses towards incident reporting vary across different study settings, with perceived barriers hindering the reporting process. Using the findings, interventions can be customised to increase reporting rates can be developed to curb the problem of underreporting.A non-punitive culture towards incident reporting has to be cultivated, and nursing authorities should provide frequent positive feedback to staff who reported incidents. Investigating system errors should be the focus rather than individual blame.Further research should target the development and evaluation of strategies to increase rates of incident reporting. Any differences between actual and perceived reporting rates should also be explored.

  18. An Iodine Fluorescence Quenching Clock Reaction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weinberg, Richard B.

    2007-05-01

    A fluorescent clock reaction is described that is based on the principles of the Landolt iodine reaction but uses the potent fluorescence quenching properties of triiodide to abruptly extinguish the ultraviolet fluorescence of optical brighteners present in liquid laundry detergents. The reaction uses easily obtained household products. One variation illustrates the sequential steps and mechanisms of the reaction; other variations maximize the dramatic impact of the demonstration; and a variation that uses liquid detergent in the Briggs Rauscher reaction yields a striking oscillating luminescence. The iodine fluorescence quenching clock reaction can be used in the classroom to explore not only the principles of redox chemistry and reaction kinetics, but also the photophysics of fluorescent pH probes and optical quenching.

  19. Effectiveness of rifampicin chemoprophylaxis in preventing leprosy in patient contacts: a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative evidence.

    PubMed

    Ferreira, Silvana Margarida Benevides; Yonekura, Tatiana; Ignotti, Eliane; Oliveira, Larissa Bertacchini de; Takahashi, Juliana; Soares, Cassia Baldini

    2017-10-01

    Individuals in contact with patients who have leprosy have an increased risk of disease exposure, which reinforces the need for chemoprophylactic measures, such as the use of rifampicin. The objective of the review was to synthesize the best available evidence regarding the effectiveness of rifampicin chemoprophylaxis for contacts with patients with leprosy, and to synthesize the best available evidence on the experience and acceptability of rifampicin chemoprophylaxis as reported by the contacts and health professionals involved in the treatment of leprosy or Hansen's disease. In the quantitative component, individuals in contact with leprosy patients were included. In the qualitative component, in addition to contacts, health professionals who were in the practice of treating leprosy were included. The quantitative component considered as an intervention rifampicin at any dose, frequency and mode of administration, and rifampicin combination regimens.The qualitative component considered as phenomena of interest the experience and acceptability of rifampicin chemoprophylaxis. The quantitative component considered experimental and observational studies whereas the qualitative component considered studies that focused on qualitative data, including but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography and action-research. The quantitative component considered studies that reported on outcomes such as the development of clinical leprosy in the contacts of patients who had leprosy, incidence rates, adverse effects and safety/harmful effects of the intervention. A three-step strategy for published and unpublished literature was used. The search for published studies included: PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature; and Google Scholar and EVIPnet for unpublished studies. Studies published from the time of the respective database inception to January 2016 in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese and Chinese were considered. Two reviewers independently assessed the studies for methodological quality using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Standardized data extraction tools developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute were used to extract quantitative and qualitative data from papers included in the review. Due to clinical and methodological heterogeneity in the interventions of the included studies, no statistical meta-analysis was possible. Quantitative and qualitative research findings are presented in narrative form. Following critical appraisal, eight studies were included in this review, seven quantitative and one qualitative. The reduction in incidence of leprosy, using one dose of rifampicin in the first two years, was 56.5%; in the follow up period of one to four years, the reduction was 34.9%. The combination of rifampicin and the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine showed a preventative effect of 80% against the disease. The only controlled clinical trial using two doses of rifampicin was community-based and did not indicate effectiveness of the intervention. The qualitative findings showed social acceptability of rifampicin. Chemoprophylaxis with one dose of rifampicin is found to be effective in preventing contacts of leprosy patients from contracting the disease. Also, there is indication that this strategy is socially accepted.

  20. Basin infilling of a schematic 1D estuary using two different approaches: an aggregate diffusive type model and a processed based model.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Laginha Silva, Patricia; Martins, Flávio A.; Boski, Tomász; Sampath, Dissanayake M. R.

    2010-05-01

    Fluvial sediment transport creates great challenges for river scientists and engineers. The interaction between the fluid (water) and the solid (dispersed sediment particles) phases is crucial in morphodynamics. The process of sediment transport and the resulting morphological evolution of rivers get more complex with the exposure of the fluvial systems to the natural and variable environment (climatic, geological, ecological and social, etc.). The earlier efforts in mathematical river modelling were almost exclusively built on traditional fluvial hydraulics. The last half century has seen more and more developments and applications of mathematical models for fluvial flow, sediment transport and morphological evolution. The first attempts for a quantitative description and simulation of basin filling in geological time scales started in the late 60´s of the last century (eg. Schwarzacher, 1966; Briggs & Pollack, 1967). However, the quality of this modelling practice has emerged as a crucial issue for concern, which is widely viewed as the key that could unlock the full potential of computational fluvial hydraulics. Most of the models presently used to study fluvial basin filling are of the "diffusion type" (Flemmings and Jordan, 1989). It must be noted that this type of models do not assume that the sediment transport is performed by a physical diffusive process. Rather they are synthetic models based on mass conservation. In the "synthesist" viewpoint (Tipper, 1992; Goldenfeld & Kadanoff, 1999; Werner, 1999 in Paola, 2000) the dynamics of complex systems may occur on many levels (time or space scales) and the dynamics of higher levels may be more or less independent of that at lower levels. In this type of models the low frequency dynamics is controlled by only a few important processes and the high frequency processes are not included. In opposition to this is the "reductionist" viewpoint that states that there is no objective reason to discard high frequency processes. In this viewpoint the system is broken down into its fundamental components and processes and the model is build up by selecting the important processes regardless of its time and space scale. This viewpoint was only possible to pursue in the recent years due to improvement in system knowledge and computer power (Paola, 2000). The primary aim of this paper is to demonstrate that it is possible to simulate the evolution of the sediment river bed, traditionally studied with synthetic models, with a process-based hydrodynamic, sediment transport and morphodynamic model, solving explicitly the mass and momentum conservation equations. With this objective, a comparison between two mathematical models for alluvial rivers is made to simulate the evolution of the sediment river bed of a conceptual 1D embayment for periods in the order of a thousand years: the traditional synthetic basin infilling aggregate diffusive type model based on the diffusion equation (Paola, 2000), used in the "synthesist" viewpoint and the process-based model MOHID (Miranda et al., 2000). The simulation of the sediment river bed evolution achieved by the process-based model MOHID is very similar to those obtained by the diffusive type model, but more complete due to the complexity of the process-based model. In the MOHID results it is possible to observe a more comprehensive and realistic results because this type of model include processes that is impossible to a synthetic model to describe. At last the combined effect of tide, sea level rise and river discharges was investigated in the process based model. These effects cannot be simulated using the diffusive type model. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using process based models to perform studies in scales of 10000 years. This is an advance relative to the use of synthetic models, enabling the use of variable forcing. REFERENCES • Briggs, L.I. and Pollack, H.N., 1967. Digital model of evaporate sedimentation. Science, 155, 453-456. • Flemmings, P.B. and Jordan, T.E., 1989. A synthetic stratigraphic model of foreland basin development. J. Geophys. Res., 94, 3851-3866. • Miranda, R., Braunschweig, F., Leitão, P., Neves, R., Martins, F. & Santos A., 2000. MOHID 2000 - A coastal integrated object oriented model. Proc. Hydraulic Engineering Software VIII, Lisbon, 2000, 393-401, Ed. W.R. Blain & C.A. Brebbia, WITpress. • Paola, C., 2000. Quantitative models of sedimentary basin filing. Sedimentology, 47, 121-178. • Schwarzacher, W., 1966. Sedimentation in a subsiding basin. Nature, 5043, 1349-1350. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This work was supported by the EVEDUS PTDC/CLI/68488/2006 Research Project

  1. Is standing balance altered in individuals with chronic low back pain? A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Berenshteyn, Yevgeniy; Gibson, Kelsey; Hackett, Gavin C; Trem, Andrew B; Wilhelm, Mark

    2018-01-30

    To examine the static standing balance of individuals with chronic low back pain when compared to a healthy control group. A search of available literature was done using PubMed, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. Studies were included if they contained the following: (1) individuals with chronic low back pain 3 months or longer; (2) healthy control group; (3) quantified pain measurement; and (4) center of pressure measurement using a force plate. Two authors independently reviewed articles for inclusion, and assessed for quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross Sectional Studies. Cohen's d effect size was calculated to demonstrate the magnitude of differences between groups. Nine articles were included in this review. Quality scores ranged from 5/8 to 8/8. Although center of pressure measures were nonhomogeneous, subjects with chronic low back pain had poorer performance overall compared to healthy controls. Despite inconsistencies in statistical significance, effect sizes were frequently large, indicating a lack of sufficient power in the included studies. Data were insufficiently reported among certain studies, limiting the ability of direct study comparison. Results suggest that balance is impaired in individuals with chronic low back pain when compared to healthy individuals. Implications for rehabilitation Static balance is affected in individuals with chronic low back pain. Balance assessments should be completed for individuals with chronic low back pain. Results from balance assessments should be used to indicate areas of improvement and help guide the course of treatment, as well as reassess as treatment progresses.

  2. Laughter and humour interventions for well-being in older adults: A systematic review and intervention classification.

    PubMed

    Gonot-Schoupinsky, F N; Garip, G

    2018-06-01

    To assess the potential of laughter and humour interventions to increase well-being in a general population of adults aged 60 plus; and to develop a classification to compare approaches and potential benefits of different intervention types. A systematic search of Web of Science, PubMed/MEDLINE, PsychInfo, AMED, and PsychArticles used inclusive terms relating to laughter and humour interventions. A realist synthesis approach enabled heterogeneous interventions to be compared pragmatically. Five laughter interventions, and one humour intervention, using one or more outcome related to well-being, were considered for inclusion after screening 178 primary research papers. The five laughter interventions, representing a sample of 369 participants, were retained. Well-being related outcome measures reported in each intervention informed efficacy; Joanna Briggs Institute tools appraised design; and a realist approach enabled heterogeneous interventions to be measured on their overall potential to provide an evidence base. Well-being related measures demonstrated at least one significant positive effect in all interventions. Confounding factors inherent in the intervention types were observed. Individual participant laughter was not reported. Laughter and humour interventions appear to enhance well-being. There is insufficient evidence for the potential of laughter itself to increase well-being as interventions contained a range of confounding factors and did not measure participant laughter. Interventions that isolate, track, and measure the parameters of individual laughter are recommended to build evidence for these potentially attractive and low-risk interventions. The classification proposed may guide the development of both evidence-oriented and population-appropriate intervention designs. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. A New Type of Transient Luminous Events Produced by Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, W.; Celestin, S. J.; Pasko, V. P.; Marshall, R. A.

    2016-12-01

    Discovered in 1994 by the Burst and Transient Source Experiment (BATSE) detector aboard the Compton Gamma-Ray Observatory [Fishman et al., Science, 264, 1313, 1994], Terrestrial Gamma-ray Flashes (TGFs) are high-energy photon bursts originating from the Earth's atmosphere characterized by their close association with thunderstorm activities. Since the discovery, TGFs have also been observed by the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) [Smith et al., Science, 307, 1085, 2005], the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope [Briggs et al., JGR, 115, A07323, 2010], and the Astrorivelatore Gamma a Immagini Leggero (AGILE) satellite [Marisaldi et al., JGR, 115, A00E13, 2010]. Space-borne measurements have revealed the temporal and spectral features of TGFs: typically lasting from fractions of to a few milliseconds, having a fluence of fractions of photons/cm2, and exhibiting a hard energy spectra extending up to a few tens of MeVs [Dwyer et al., Space Sci. Rev., 173, 133, 2012]. Moreover, detailed analyses of radio emissions have pointed out the close correlation between TGFs and the initial development stages of normal polarity intra-cloud lightning that transports negative charge upward (+IC) [e.g., Lu et al., GRL, 37, L11806, 2010; JGR, 116, A03316, 2011]. In this work, we show that, while TGFs pass through the atmosphere, the large quantities of energetic electrons knocked out during collisions of gamma-rays with air molecules can generate significant amount of excited species of neutral and ionized nitrogen molecules, thereby leading to production of a new type of transient luminous events (TLEs). The spectroscopic and morphological features of this predicted luminous phenomenon have been theoretically quantified in the framework of Monte Carlo simulations. Considering the measurability of this type of events and its close relation with TGFs, corresponding measurements would provide a novel perspective to investigate TGFs, as well as the initial breakdown stage of lightning discharges.

  4. A literature review of comfort in the paediatric critical care patient.

    PubMed

    Bosch-Alcaraz, Alejandro; Falcó-Pegueroles, Anna; Jordan, Iolanda

    2018-03-08

    To investigate the meaning of comfort and to contextualise it within the framework of paediatric critical care. The concept of comfort is closely linked to care in all health contexts. However, in specific settings such as the paediatric critical care unit, it takes on particular importance. A literature review was conducted. A literature search was performed of articles in English and Spanish in international health science databases, from 1992-March 2017, applying the quality standards established by the PRISMA methodology and the Joanna Briggs Institute. A total of 1,203 publications were identified in the databases. Finally, 59 articles which met the inclusion criteria were entered in this literature review. Almost all were descriptive studies written in English and published in Europe. The concept of comfort was defined as the immediate condition of being strengthened through having the three types of needs (relief, ease and transcendence) addressed in the four contexts of experience (physical, psychospiritual, social and environmental). Only two valid and reliable tools for assessing comfort were found: the Comfort Scale and the Comfort Behavior Scale. Comfort is subjective and difficult to assess. It has four facets: physical, emotional, social and environmental. High levels of noise and light are the inputs that cause the most discomfort. Comfort is a holistic, universal concept and an important component of quality nursing care. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. The messages presented in online electronic cigarette promotions and discussions: a scoping review protocol.

    PubMed

    McCausland, Kahlia; Maycock, Bruce; Jancey, Jonine

    2017-11-08

    Electronic cigarettes have become increasingly popular over the last 10 years. These devices represent a new paradigm for tobacco control offering smokers an opportunity to inhale nicotine without inhaling tobacco smoke. To date there are no definite conclusions regarding the safety and long-term health effects of electronic cigarettes; however, there is evidence that they are being marketed online as a healthier alternative to traditional cigarettes. This scoping review aims to identify and describe the breadth of messages (eg, health, smoking-cessation and price related claims) presented in online electronic cigarette promotions and discussions. A scoping review will be undertaken adhering to the methodology outlined in The Joanna Briggs Institute Manual for Scoping Reviews. Six key electronic databases will be searched to identify eligible studies. Studies must be published in English between 2007 and 2017, examine and/or analyse content captured from online electronic cigarette promotions or discussions and report results for electronic cigarettes separately to other forms of tobacco delivery. Studies will be screened initially by title and abstract, followed by full-text review. Results of the search strategy will be reported in a PRISMA flow diagram and presented in tabular form with accompanying narrative summary. The methodology consists of reviewing and collecting data from publicly available studies, and therefore does not require ethics approval. Results will be published in a peer reviewed journal and be presented at national/international conferences. Additionally, findings will be disseminated via social media and online platforms. Advocacy will be key to informing policy makers of regulatory and health issues that need to be addressed. The review was registered prospectively with The Joanna Briggs Institute Systematic Reviews database. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  6. Strategies to promote coping and resilience in oncology and palliative care nurses caring for adult patients with malignancy: a comprehensive systematic review.

    PubMed

    Gillman, Lucia; Adams, Jillian; Kovac, Robyn; Kilcullen, Anne; House, Annita; Doyle, Claire

    2015-06-12

    Cancer care nursing is perceived as personally and professionally demanding. Developing effective coping skills and resilience has been associated with better health and wellbeing for nurses, work longevity and improved quality of patient care. The objective of this systematic review was to identify personal and organizational strategies that promote coping and resilience in oncology and palliative care nurses caring for adult patients with malignancy. The search strategy identified published and unpublished studies from 2007 to 2013. Individual search strategies were developed for the 12 databases accessed and search alerts established. The review considered qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies that assessed personal or organizational interventions, programs or strategies that promoted coping and resilience. These included studies employing clinical supervision, staff retreats, psycho-educational programs, compassion fatigue resilience programs, stress inoculation therapy and individual approaches that reduced the emotional impact of cancer care work. The outcomes of interest were the experience of factors that influence an individual's coping and resilience and outcomes of validated measures of coping or resilience. Methodological quality of studies was independently assessed by two reviewers prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Standardized Joanna Briggs Institute tools were also used to extract data. Agreement on the synthesis of the findings from qualitative studies was reached through discussion. The results of quantitative studies could not be statistically pooled given the different study designs, interventions and outcome measures. These studies were presented in narrative form. Twenty studies were included in the review. Ten studies examined the experience of nurse's caring for the dying, the emotional impact of palliative care and oncology work and strategies to prevent burnout or avoid compassion fatigue, challenges in self-care, and processes nurses adopted to cope with work related stress. Six studies evaluated different interventions provided by organizations to improve coping and resilience. Evidence for the effectiveness of interventions was limited to three studies. The results are discussed under four headings: (i) preventative measures (ii) control measures (iii) unburdening and "letting go", and (iv) growing and thriving. This review identified a number of strategies to better prepare nurses for practice and maintain their psychological wellbeing. Although no firm conclusions can be drawn in respect to the most effective interventions, strategies with merit included those that: a) foster connections within the team; b) provide education and training to develop behaviors that assist in controlling or limiting the intensity of stress, or aiding recovery; and c) assist in processing emotion and learning from experiences. Although individuals must take responsibility for developing personal strategies to assist coping and resilience, organizational support is integral to equipping individuals to deal with work related challenges. A range of formal and informal support is required to promote coping and resilience. There is a need for large, well designed, multisite, experimental studies to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions that promote coping and resilience in adult palliative care or oncology nurses. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  7. Clinical simulation with dramatization: gains perceived by students and health professionals.

    PubMed

    Negri, Elaine Cristina; Mazzo, Alessandra; Martins, José Carlos Amado; Pereira, Gerson Alves; Almeida, Rodrigo Guimarães Dos Santos; Pedersoli, César Eduardo

    2017-08-03

    to identify in the literature the gains health students and professionals perceive when using clinical simulation with dramatization resources. integrative literature review, using the method proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). A search was undertaken in the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Web of Science, National Library of Medicine, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online. 53 studies were analyzed, which complied with the established inclusion criteria. Among the different gains obtained, satisfaction, self-confidence, knowledge, empathy, realism, reduced level of anxiety, comfort, communication, motivation, capacity for reflection and critical thinking and teamwork stand out. the evidence demonstrates the great possibilities to use dramatization in the context of clinical simulation, with gains in the different health areas, as well as interprofessional gains. identificar na literatura quais os ganhos percebidos pelos estudantes e profissionais da área de saúde, utilizando-se da simulação clínica realizada com recursos da dramatização. revisão integrativa da literatura, com a metodologia proposta pelo Instituto Joanna Briggs (JBI), com busca nas bases de dados: Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde, Web of Science, National Library of Medicine, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online. foram analisados 53 estudos, que atenderam os critérios de inclusão estabelecidos. Entre os diversos ganhos obtidos, destaca-se a satisfação, autoconfiança, conhecimento, empatia, realismo, diminuição do nível de ansiedade, conforto, comunicação, motivação, capacidade de reflexão e de pensamento crítico e trabalho em equipe. as evidências demonstram a ampla possibilidade de uso da dramatização no contexto de simulação clínica com ganhos nas diversas áreas de saúde e, também, interprofissionais. identificar en la literatura cuales los beneficios por los estudiantes y profesionales del área de salud, usándose la simulación clínica con recursos de dramatización. revisión integradora de la literatura, aplicándose la metodología propuesta por el Instituto Joanna Briggs (JBI), con búsqueda en las bases de datos: Literatura Latinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud, Web of Science, National Library of Medicine, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online. fueron analizados 53 estudios, que cumplieron con los criterios de inclusión establecidos. Entre los diversos beneficios obtenidos, se destacan la satisfacción, autoconfianza, conocimiento, empatía, realismo, disminución del nivel de ansiedad, conforto, comunicación, motivación, capacidad de reflexión y de pensamiento crítico y trabajo en equipo. las evidencias demuestran la amplia posibilidad de uso de la dramatización en el contexto de simulación clínica con beneficios en las diversas áreas de salud, y también interprofesionales.

  8. Experiences and shared meaning of teamwork and interprofessional collaboration among health care professionals in primary health care settings: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Sangaleti, Carine; Schveitzer, Mariana Cabral; Peduzzi, Marina; Zoboli, Elma Lourdes Campos Pavone; Soares, Cassia Baldini

    2017-11-01

    During the last decade, teamwork has been addressed under the rationale of interprofessional practice or collaboration, highlighted by the attributes of this practice such as: interdependence of professional actions, focus on user needs, negotiation between professionals, shared decision making, mutual respect and trust among professionals, and acknowledgment of the role and work of the different professional groups. Teamwork and interprofessional collaboration have been pointed out as astrategy for effective organization of health care services as the complexity of healthcare requires integration of knowledge and practices from differente professional groups. This integration has a qualitative dimension that can be identified through the experiences of health professionals and to the meaning they give to teamwork. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the best available evidence on the experiences of health professionals regarding teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in primary health care settings. The populations included were all officially regulated health professionals that work in primary health settings: dentistry, medicine, midwifery, nursing, nutrition, occupational therapy, pharmacy, physical education, physiotherapy, psychology, social work and speech therapy. In addition to these professionals, community health workers, nursing assistants, licensed practical nurses and other allied health workers were also included. The phenomena of interest were experiences of health professionals regarding teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in primary health care settings. The context was primary health care settings that included health care centers, health maintenance organizations, integrative medicine practices, integrative health care, family practices, primary care organizations and family medical clinics. National health surgery as a setting was excluded. The qualitative component of the review considered studies that focused on qualitative data including designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research. A three-step search strategy was utilized. Ten databases were searched for papers published from 1980 to June 2015. Studies published in English, Portuguese and Spanish were considered. Methodological quality was assessed using the Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. All included studies received a score of at least 70% the questions in the instrument, 11 studies did not address the influence of the researcher on the research or vice-versa, and six studies did not present a statement locating the researcher culturally or theoretically. Qualitative findings were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Qualitative research findings were pooled using a pragmatic meta-aggregative approach and the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument software. This review included 21 research studies, representing various countries and healthcare settings. There were 223 findings, which were aggregated into 15 categories, and three synthesized findings: CONCLUSIONS: This review shows that health professionals experience teamwork and interprofessional collaboration as a process in primary health care settings; its conditions, consequences (benefits and barriers), and finally shows its determinants. Health providers face enormous ideological, organizational, structural and relational challenges while promoting teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in primary health care settings. This review has identified possible actions that could improve implementation of teamwork and interprofessional collaboration in primary health care.

  9. The effectiveness of the teach-back method on adherence and self-management in health education for people with chronic disease: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Ha Dinh, Thi Thuy; Bonner, Ann; Clark, Robyn; Ramsbotham, Joanne; Hines, Sonia

    2016-01-01

    Chronic diseases are increasing worldwide and have become a significant burden to those affected by those diseases. Disease-specific education programs have demonstrated improved outcomes, although people do forget information quickly or memorize it incorrectly. The teach-back method was introduced in an attempt to reinforce education to patients. To date, the evidence regarding the effectiveness of health education employing the teach-back method in improved care has not yet been reviewed systematically. This systematic review examined the evidence on using the teach-back method in health education programs for improving adherence and self-management of people with chronic disease. Adults aged 18 years and over with one or more than one chronic disease.All types of interventions which included the teach-back method in an education program for people with chronic diseases. The comparator was chronic disease education programs that did not involve the teach-back method.Randomized and non-randomized controlled trials, cohort studies, before-after studies and case-control studies.The outcomes of interest were adherence, self-management, disease-specific knowledge, readmission, knowledge retention, self-efficacy and quality of life. Searches were conducted in CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Source, and Google Scholar databases. Search terms were combined by AND or OR in search strings. Reference lists of included articles were also searched for further potential references. Two reviewers conducted quality appraisal of papers using the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Data were extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument data extraction instruments. There was significant heterogeneity in selected studies, hence a meta-analysis was not possible and the results were presented in narrative form. Of the 21 articles retrieved in full, 12 on the use of the teach-back method met the inclusion criteria and were selected for analysis. Four studies confirmed improved disease-specific knowledge in intervention participants. One study showed a statistically significant improvement in adherence to medication and diet among type 2 diabetics patients in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Two studies found statistically significant improvements in self-efficacy (p = 0.0026 and p < 0.001) in the intervention groups. One study examined quality of life in heart failure patients but the results did not improve from the intervention (p = 0.59). Five studies found a reduction in readmission rates and hospitalization but these were not always statistically significant. Two studies showed improvement in daily weighing among heart failure participants, and in adherence to diet, exercise and foot care among those with type 2 diabetes. Overall, the teach-back method showed positive effects in a wide range of health care outcomes although these were not always statistically significant. Studies in this systematic review revealed improved outcomes in disease-specific knowledge, adherence, self-efficacy and the inhaler technique. There was a positive but inconsistent trend also seen in improved self-care and reduction of hospital readmission rates. There was limited evidence on improvement in quality of life or disease related knowledge retention.Evidence from the systematic review supports the use of the teach-back method in educating people with chronic disease to maximize their disease understanding and promote knowledge, adherence, self-efficacy and self-care skills.Future studies are required to strengthen the evidence on effects of the teach-back method. Larger randomized controlled trials will be needed to determine the effectiveness of the teach-back method in quality of life, reduction of readmission, and hospitalizations.

  10. Nonphysical effects of exergames on child and adolescent well-being: a comprehensive systematic review.

    PubMed

    Joronen, Katja; Aikasalo, Anna; Suvitie, Anne

    2017-09-01

    Exergames have the potential to promote physical activity among children and adolescents. They also have other important benefits, but knowledge about other than the physical effects of exergaming remains thin. To report the findings of a review of ten studies on the nonphysical effects of exergames on child and adolescent well-being. A broad search strategy was employed to identify relevant studies in CINAHL Ebsco Host, Ovid MEDLINE, Psycinfo ProQuest, Eric ProQuest, Scopus and Cochrane Library. The search timeframe was from January 2004 to April 2015. A comprehensive systematic review without meta-analysis was conducted on 10 quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods intervention studies. The quality of these studies was assessed following the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute. The data were analysed using a narrative synthesis approach. Exergaming was found to have some positive effects on self-concept, situational interest and motivation, enjoyment, psychological and social well-being, symptomatology and different learning experiences. However, two studies reported no effect on self-efficacy, and one study showed no intervention effect on self-esteem. The only follow-up study indicated that the enjoyment effect lasted for a few months. Most of the studies reviewed found that exergaming had positive effects. However, more research evidence is still needed. In particular, there is a need for better-validated instruments and follow-up research. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  11. Factors affecting caregiver burden of terminally ill adults in the home setting - A systematic review.

    PubMed

    He Leow, Mabel Qi; Wai Chi Chan, Sally

    Background: Terminally ill people have complex physical and psychological needs. As a result, their caregivers may experience high levels of burden, and some caregivers are unable to cope with the burden. Thus, it is important to determine the various factors that may influence caregiver burden, so that healthcare professionals may implement strategies to reduce caregiver burden. In this review, "caregiver burden" was expanded to include "caregiver stress" and "caregiver strain", as the two terms were related to caregiver burden. The objective of this systematic review was to identify the factors that may influence caregiver burden of a terminally ill adult in the home setting. Types of participants: This review considered adult participants (above age 18) who were the main caregivers of a terminally ill adult in the home setting, and providing care for the terminally ill person at the point of participation in the study.Types of intervention: There was no specific intervention of interest for the study.Types of outcomes: The focus of study was the factors that affected caregiver burden of the terminally ill person.Types of studies: Quantitative studies such as randomised controlled trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials (CCTs), interrupted time series (ITSs), controlled before after designs (CBAs), observational design (cohort, case-control), and descriptive surveys were included in the study. This review was limited to papers in English and Mandarin. A literature search from the inception of the database to October 2010 was conducted using major electronic databases. The databases used were CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO (Ovid), Scopus, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Mosby's Nursing Consult, Mednar: Deep web medical search, Proquest Dissertations and Theses and China Journal Net.Methodological quality: The quality of the potential studies was assessed by two independent reviewers using the critical appraisal checklists for descriptive/case studies from the JBI-MAStARI (Joanna Briggs Institute-Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument). Quantitative data were extracted from included papers using standardised data extraction tools from the JBI-MAStARI. Findings were presented in narrative form, as statistical pooling was not possible. Seven studies were included in the review. All the studies used a cross-sectional descriptive survey for the collection of data. Four main factors that influenced caregivers' perception of caregiving burden were identified: 1. Caregiver characteristics, 2. Patient characteristics, 3. Social support, and 4. Caregivers' personal protective resources. Caregiver characteristics, patient characteristics, social support, and attitude of caregiver towards the caregiving situation, were found to influence caregivers' perceived caregiving burden. Additional support is required for caregivers who are employed, known to have financial difficulties, caring for patient indicating symptom distress, and caring for a patient at the terminal stage (Level III). Future studies may attempt to develop a framework to identify factors that impact on caregiver burden. More studies on caregiver burden in males, caregiver burden of patients who were at the terminal stages of the various chronic illnesses should be explored.

  12. Nutritional interventions for optimizing healthy body composition in older adults in the community: an umbrella review of systematic reviews.

    PubMed

    Schultz, Timothy J; Roupas, Peter; Wiechula, Richard; Krause, Debra; Gravier, Susan; Tuckett, Anthony; Hines, Sonia; Kitson, Alison

    2016-08-01

    Optimizing body composition for healthy aging in the community is a significant challenge. There are a number of potential interventions available for older people to support both weight gain (for those who are underweight) and weight loss (for overweight or obese people). While the benefits of weight gain for underweight people are generally clearly defined, the value of weight loss in overweight or obese people is less clear, particularly for older people. This umbrella review aimed to measure the effectiveness of nutritional interventions for optimizing healthy body composition in older adults living in the community and to explore theirqualitative perceptions. The participants were older adults, 60 years of age or older, living in the community. The review examinedsix types of nutritional interventions: (i) dietary programs, (ii) nutritional supplements, (iii) meal replacements, (iv) food groups, (v) food delivery support and eating behavior, and (vi) nutritional counselling or education. This umbrella review considered any quantitative systematic reviews and meta-analyses of effectiveness, or qualitative systematic reviews, or a combination (i.e. comprehensive reviews). The quantitative outcome measures of body composition were: (i) nutritional status (e.g. proportion of overweight or underweight patients); (ii) fat mass (kg), (iii) lean mass or muscle mass (kg), (iv) weight (kg) or BMI (kg/m), (v) bone mass (kg) or bone measures such as bone mineral density, and (vi) hydration status. The phenomena of interestwere the qualitative perceptions and experiences of participants. We developed an iterative search strategy for nine bibliometric databases and gray literature. Critical appraisal of 13 studies was conducted independently in pairs using standard Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Six medium quality and seven high quality studies were identified. Data was extracted independently in pairs from all 13 included studies using the standard Joanna Briggs Institute data extraction tool. Only quantitative studies of effectiveness were included. The strength of evidence assessing the effectiveness of interventionswas graded using a traffic light system (green, amber, red). An overall assessment of the quality of the evidence for each comparison was undertaken. More systematic reviews investigating weight gain than those investigating weight loss were included. Studies onweight gain showed improved body composition for oral nutritional supplements on its own, for oral nutritional supplements in combination with resistance exercise training, and for oral nutritional supplements in combination with nutrition counselling. Studies on weight loss showed that diet in combination with exercise, diet in combination with exercise and nutrition counselling, and nutrition counselling on its own all can lead to reduced weight in older people. The outcomes of lean mass and weight/BMI were responsive to nutritional interventions, but fat mass did not vary. There were no qualitative reviews identified. Although effective interventions for weight gain and weight loss to optimize body composition of older people in the community were identified,making long term, clinically relevant changes in body composition is difficult. Multiple interventions are more effective than single interventions.

  13. The experience and expectations of terminally ill patients receiving music therapy in the palliative setting: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Qi He Mabel, Leow; Drury, Vicki Blair; Hong, Poon Wing

    Music therapy is a popular form of complementary therapy used in the hospice in Western countries, as people who are terminally ill have several needs arising directly from the disease process. In the area of palliative care, no systematic review has been conducted on the experience of patients using music therapy from the qualitative perspective. Hence, a synthesized summary of the experience of music therapy is presented. The aim of this review was to critically analyse and synthesize existing evidence related to terminally ill patients' experiences of using music therapy in the palliative setting. This review considered quantitative descriptive studies, and qualitative research with adult participants who were terminally ill receiving palliative care in a hospital, an in-patient hospice, a nursing home, or their own homes, regardless of their diagnosis who had undergone at least one music therapy session with a trained music therapist and were not cognitively impaired. Healthcare workers who have witnessed patients participating in music therapy were also included in the review. Only published primary research studies were included in the review. This review was limited to papers in English. A three-step search strategy was undertaken. First, an initial limited search of CINAHL and MEDLINE was done. Second, an extensive search using all identified keywords and index terms across all included databases was done. Finally, a hand search of the reference lists and bibliographies of included articles was conducted METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY: Papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using the standardised critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (QARI) for qualitative papers, and Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) for quantitative descriptive papers. Any disagreement that arose between the reviewers was resolved through discussion with a third reviewer. Information was extracted by two reviewers from each paper using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review data extraction tool (QARI) for qualitative papers, and the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) for quantitative descriptive papers. Any disagreement that arose between the reviewers was resolved through discussion with a third reviewer. Qualitative findings were pooled using the JBI-QARI while quantitative data were presented in narrative format. A total of 10 studies were identified, and of these, 3 were included in the review. Only qualitative papers were included in the studies as the quantitative descriptive papers did not meet the inclusion criteria. Two synthesized findings were developed - "Music therapy should be used in palliative settings to promote social interaction and communication with family, friends, other patients, and healthcare workers", and "Music therapy should be promoted in palliative care setting to provide support for holistic needs of patients". From the meta-syntheses of review, it was shown that patients experienced improved social interaction and communication with the people around them, and a more holistic care for as their physical, psychological and spiritual needs were met. No papers relating to the patients' expectations of music therapy was found. Further research should be conducted to explore the expectations of terminally ill patients with music therapy as no such paper was found from the systematic review. Quantitative studies to find out the effectiveness of music therapy in promoting social interaction and communication and in providing holistic care for patients can be done to quantify the findings. It can also be investigated if the quality of life of terminally ill patients improve after receiving music therapy, since music therapy has been found to have positive benefits for the patients. Also, qualitative studies that aim to find out the experiences of terminally ill patients through the interviewing of the patients should also be done, as the papers found either reported on the perception of healthcare providers, or through the analysis of patients' song lyrics. The use of music therapy should be encouraged in the palliative setting as the review has shown that music therapy is able to promote social interaction and communication with family members, healthcare workers and the people in their lives, and provides holistic care for patients by relieving physical symptoms, facilitating "moving on" to the next phrase of their life, improving their personal well-being, and providing an outlet for spirituality.

  14. Effectiveness of family interventions on psychological distress and expressed emotion in family members of individuals diagnosed with first-episode psychosis: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Napa, Wilai; Tungpunkom, Patraporn; Pothimas, Nisakorn

    2017-04-01

    A critical period for persons with first-episode psychosis is the first two years after diagnosis, when they are at high risk of suicide attempts, violent behaviors and substance abuse. This period also has a great impact on the psychological distress of family members, particularly caregivers who either provide care or live with ill family members. In addition, the families also report feelings of being overwhelmed when accessing service facilities at this critical point. These consequences impact on the affective tone/atmosphere in the family, also referred to as so-called expressed emotion. In addition, expressed emotion research has indicated that the family atmosphere contributes to recurrent psychosis and lengthy hospital stays for patients in the initial phase. Therefore, family interventions aimed at reducing psychological distress and improving expressed emotion in families during this critical time are very important. Modern research has yielded international evidence addressing these outcomes, but little is known about which interventions are the most effective. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. The objective of this review was to examine the effectiveness of family interventions on psychological distress and expressed emotion in family members of persons with first-episode psychosis (FEP). Family members of persons with FEP and who had received treatment after being diagnosed within two years. Studies that examined interventions among family members of persons with FEP. Family interventions referred to any education, psychoeducation, communication, coping and problem-solving skills training and cognitive behavioral therapy that was provided to family members of persons with FEP. Psychological distress and expressed emotions of those family members. Randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, cohort studies and case-control studies. The preliminary search was conducted in MEDLINE and CINAHL with keywords containing the title, abstract and subject description analysis as the first identification of related studies. An extensive search was conducted in other databases including ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, ScienceDirect, Scopus, PsychINFO, ThaiLIS and Thai National research databases. In addition, searches of reference lists and other manual searches were undertaken. Studies were critically appraised by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted using the standardized data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. The mean score and standard deviation (SD) were extracted for targets outcomes relating to psychological distress and expressed emotion. Quantitative data could not be pooled due to the heterogeneity of the included studies. Data were synthesized based on the individual results from the three included studies and have been presented in a narrative format accompanied with tabulated data. Data synthesis of the three individual studies indicated that there were no statistically significant interventions that address psychological distress and expressed emotion in family members who live with and care for persons with FEP. There is insufficient evidence available to evaluate the effect sizes for pooled outcomes. Based on the results of this review, there is insufficient evidence to validate the effectiveness of family interventions on psychological distress and expressed emotion in family members who live with and care for persons with FEP. In addition, based on the individual primary studies, the implications for practice should be carefully considered.

  15. Individual Members of the Cab Gene Family Differ Widely in Fluence Response.

    PubMed Central

    White, M. J.; Kaufman, L. S.; Horwitz, B. A.; Briggs, W. R.; Thompson, W. F.

    1995-01-01

    Chlorophyll a/b-binding protein genes (Cab genes) can be extremely sensitive to light. Transcript accumulation following a red light pulse increases with fluence over 8 orders of magnitude (L.S. Kaufman, W.F. Thompson, W.R. Briggs [1984] Science 226: 1447-1449). We have constructed fluence-response curves for individual Cab genes. At least two Cab genes (Cab-8 and AB96) show a very low fluence response to a single red light pulse. In contrast, two other Cab genes (AB80 and AB66) fail to produce detectable transcript following a single pulse of either red or blue light but are expressed in continuous red light. Thus, very low fluence responses and high irradiance responses occur in the same gene family. PMID:12228352

  16. Parametric spatiotemporal oscillation in reaction-diffusion systems.

    PubMed

    Ghosh, Shyamolina; Ray, Deb Shankar

    2016-03-01

    We consider a reaction-diffusion system in a homogeneous stable steady state. On perturbation by a time-dependent sinusoidal forcing of a suitable scaling parameter the system exhibits parametric spatiotemporal instability beyond a critical threshold frequency. We have formulated a general scheme to calculate the threshold condition for oscillation and the range of unstable spatial modes lying within a V-shaped region reminiscent of Arnold's tongue. Full numerical simulations show that depending on the specificity of nonlinearity of the models, the instability may result in time-periodic stationary patterns in the form of standing clusters or spatially localized breathing patterns with characteristic wavelengths. Our theoretical analysis of the parametric oscillation in reaction-diffusion system is corroborated by full numerical simulation of two well-known chemical dynamical models: chlorite-iodine-malonic acid and Briggs-Rauscher reactions.

  17. Highlights of the ATS 6th Annual Convention

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Breyer, Walter

    The convention began with a keynote by Michael Tubridy, the engineer in charge of the restoration of the Birr Castle Leviathan of Parsonstown. The convention then moved up to Mount Wilson, where talks were heard by Christ Plicht, Peter Abrahams, John Briggs, Don Osterbrock, Robert Ariail, Gayle Riggsbee, and Walt Breyer. Tours were made of the 100-inch and 60-inch telescopes, and observing through the 60-inch finished the day. Sunday, talks were heard by Paul O'Leary, Kevin Johnson, Eugene Rudd, E.J. Hysom, Edward Young, and Rolf Willach. Tours were made of the Hale Solar Laboratory, George Ellery Hale's home, the Huntington Library, Pasadena City College Observatory's 20-inch reflector, and Griffith Observatory's 12-inch Zeiss. On Monday, a tour was made to Mount Palomar and the 200-inch Hale Telescope.

  18. Parametric spatiotemporal oscillation in reaction-diffusion systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghosh, Shyamolina; Ray, Deb Shankar

    2016-03-01

    We consider a reaction-diffusion system in a homogeneous stable steady state. On perturbation by a time-dependent sinusoidal forcing of a suitable scaling parameter the system exhibits parametric spatiotemporal instability beyond a critical threshold frequency. We have formulated a general scheme to calculate the threshold condition for oscillation and the range of unstable spatial modes lying within a V-shaped region reminiscent of Arnold's tongue. Full numerical simulations show that depending on the specificity of nonlinearity of the models, the instability may result in time-periodic stationary patterns in the form of standing clusters or spatially localized breathing patterns with characteristic wavelengths. Our theoretical analysis of the parametric oscillation in reaction-diffusion system is corroborated by full numerical simulation of two well-known chemical dynamical models: chlorite-iodine-malonic acid and Briggs-Rauscher reactions.

  19. Resource allocation planning with international components

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Burke, Gene; Durham, Ralph; Leppla, Frank; Porter, David

    1993-01-01

    Dumas, Briggs, Reid and Smith (1989) describe the need for identifying mutually acceptable methodologies for developing standard agreements for the exchange of tracking time or facility use among international components. One possible starting point is the current process used at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in planning the use of tracking resources. While there is a significant promise of better resource utilization by international cooperative agreements, there is a serious challenge to provide convenient user participation given the separate project and network locations. Coordination among users and facility providers will require a more decentralized communication process and a wider variety of automated planning tools to help users find potential exchanges. This paper provides a framework in which international cooperation in the utilization of ground based space communication systems can be facilitated.

  20. [The influence of phychological features and learning styles on the academic performance of medical students].

    PubMed

    Bitran, Marcela; Lafuente, Montserrat; Zúñiga, Denisse; Viviani, Paola; Mena, Beltrán

    2004-09-01

    The degree of difficulty we experience while learning different concepts and skills depends, among other things, on our psychological features and learning style. This may be particularly true for medical students, whose formation involves the acquisition of multiple cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills. To assess whether the psychological features and learning styles of medical students are associated with their academic performance. The psychological preferences and learning styles of 66 students of the 2001-graduating cohort were determined with the Myers Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) and the Kolb Learning Style Inventory (LSI), respectively. The academic performance was assessed by the Calificación Médica Nacional (CMN), Chile and by the marks obtained during the Basic (1st to 3rd), Preclinical (4th and 5th) and Clinical (6th and 7th) years of undergraduate training. The psychological features, together with the sex of students were found to be associated with the performance in the Preclinical and Clinical years, and to the CMN. In men, the interest and ability to communicate with people and the concern for harmony, and in women the tendency to function in a systematic and orderly way are the features associated to high academic performance. No associations were found between learning styles and academic performance. The finding that the psychological preferences of medical students are relevent to their academic performance opens a new perspective to analyze the medical education and to design programs aimed at improving learning.

  1. [Virtual reality for therapeutic purposes in stroke: A systematic review].

    PubMed

    Viñas-Diz, S; Sobrido-Prieto, M

    2016-05-01

    Virtual reality (VR) is used in the field of rehabilitation/physical therapy to improve patients' functional abilities. The last 5 years have yielded numerous publications on the use of VR in patients with neurological disease which aim to establish whether this therapeutic resource contributes to the recovery of motor function. The following databases were reviewed: Cochrane Original, Joanna Briggs Connect, Medline/Pubmed, Cinahl, Scopus, Isi Web of Science, and Sport-Discus. We included articles published in the last 5 years in English and/or Spanish, focusing on using RV to improve motor function in patients with stroke. From this pool, we selected 4 systematic reviews and 21 controlled and/or randomised trials. Most studies focused on increasing motor function in the upper limbs, and/or improving performance of activities of daily living. An additional article examines use of the same technique to increase motor function in the lower limb and/or improve walking and static-dynamic balance. Strong scientific evidence supports the beneficial effects of VR on upper limb motor recovery in stroke patients. Further studies are needed to fully determine which changes are generated in cortical reorganisation, what type of VR system is the most appropriate, whether benefits are maintained in the long term, and which frequencies and intensities of treatment are the most suitable. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. Preventing nipple trauma in lactating women in the University Hospital of the University of Sao Paulo: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Shimoda, Gilcéria Tochika; Soares, Alda Valeria Neves; Aragaki, Ilva Marico Mizumoto; McArthur, Alexa

    2015-03-12

    Nipple trauma in lactating women is an important issue in facilitating successful breastfeeding. Evidence suggests that early postnatal education on the positioning and attachment technique, early observation of mothers and correcting breastfeeding techniques at an early stage may reduce nipple trauma. The aim of this project was to improve breastfeeding practice and thereby reduce nipple trauma in lactating women in a public hospital in Sao Paulo. More specifically the objectives of this project were: firstly, to assess the current practice in nurses' assistance concerning the prevention of nipple trauma; secondly, to adapt and trial a Breastfeeding Assessment Form to observe and educate the lactating mother during the early post-natal period; and thirdly, to assess the impact of introducing the assessment strategy on breastfeeding and nipple trauma rates. The Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System online tool was utilized for this project. A clinical audit was conducted to assess compliance with best practice in nursing assistance concerning the prevention of nipple trauma. The project concluded with a second audit, which assessed the change in practice following the implementation of strategies to improve practice. The project was successful in that there was an improvement across all of the audit criteria following the introduction of the strategy to promote best practice. Criterion 1, concerning nursing staff knowledge, improved in compliance by 73%. Criterion 2 and 4, concerning women's knowledge about prevention and management of nipple trauma, improved by 53% and 55% respectively. Breastfeeding assessment improved by 26% from baseline to follow-up audit. Moreover, an improvement in women's satisfaction and exclusive breastfeeding rates was observed; however, nipple trauma rates did not decrease. This implementation project had great impact on both nursing staff as well as lactating women's knowledge of preventing and managing nipple trauma. It also enhanced women's satisfaction with breastfeeding and exclusive breastfeeding rates. Further research is required into other aspects involved with the onset of nipple trauma. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  3. Holocene sea level, a semi-empirical contemplation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bittermann, K.; Kemp, A.; Vermeer, M.; Rahmstorf, S.

    2017-12-01

    Holocene eustatic sea level from approximately -10,000-1800 CE was characterized by an increase of about 60m, with the rate progressively slowing down until sea level almost stabilizes between 500-1800 CE. Global and northern-hemisphere temperatures rose from the last glacial termination until the `Holocene Optimum'. From ­­there, up to the start of the recent anthropogenic rise, they almost steadily decline. How are the sea-level and temperature evolutions linked? We investigate this with semi-empirical sea-level models. We found that, due to the nature of Milankovitch forcing, northern-hemisphere temperature (we used the Greenland temperature by Vinther et al., 2009) is a better model driver than global mean temperature because the evolving mass of northern-hemisphere land ice was the dominant cause of Holocene global sea-level trends. The adjustment timescale for this contribution is 1200 years (900-1500 years; 90% confidence interval). To fit the observed sea-level history, the model requires a small additional constant rate (Bittermann 2016). This rate turns out to be of the same order of magnitude as reconstructions of Antarctic sea-level contributions (Briggs et al. 2014, Golledge et al. 2014). In reality this contribution is unlikely to be constant but rather has a dominant timescale that is large compared to the time considered. We thus propose that Holocene sea level can be described by a linear combination of a temperature driven rate, which becomes negative in the late Holocene (as Northern Hemisphere ice masses are diminished), and a positive, approximately constant term (possibly from Antarctica), which starts to dominate from the middle of the Holocene until the start of industrialization. Bibliography: Bittermann, K. 2016. Semi-empirical sea-level modelling. PhD Thesis University of Potsdam. Briggs, R.D., et al. 2014. A data-constrained large ensemble analysis of Antarctic evolution since the Eemian. Quaternary science reviews, 103, 91-115. Golledge, N.R., et al. 2014. Antarctic contribution to meltwater pulse 1A from reduced Southern Ocean overturning. Nature communications, 5, 5107. Vinther, B.M., et al. 2009. Holocene thinning of the Greenland ice sheet. Nature, 461(7262), 385-388.

  4. DNS and LES of a Shear-Free Mixing Layer

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Knaepen, B.; Debliquy, O.; Carati, D.

    2003-01-01

    The purpose of this work is twofold. First, given the computational resources available today, it is possible to reach, using DNS, higher Reynolds numbers than in Briggs et al.. In the present study, the microscale Reynolds numbers reached in the low- and high-energy homogeneous regions are, respectively, 32 and 69. The results reported earlier can thus be complemented and their robustness in the presence of increased turbulence studied. The second aim of this work is to perform a detailed and documented LES of the shear-free mixing layer. In that respect, the creation of a DNS database at higher Reynolds number is necessary in order to make meaningful LES assessments. From the point of view of LES, the shear-free mixing-layer is interesting since it allows one to test how traditional LES models perform in the presence of an inhomogeneity without having to deal with difficult numerical issues. Indeed, as argued in Briggs et al., it is possible to use a spectral code to study the shear-free mixing layer and one can thus focus on the accuracy of the modelling while avoiding contamination of the results by commutation errors etc. This paper is organized as follows. First we detail the initialization procedure used in the simulation. Since the flow is not statistically stationary, this initialization procedure has a fairly strong influence on the evolution. Although we will focus here on the shear-free mixing layer, the method proposed in the present work can easily be used for other flows with one inhomogeneous direction. The next section of the article is devoted to the description of the DNS. All the relevant parameters are listed and comparison with the Veeravalli & Warhaft experiment is performed. The section on the LES of the shear-free mixing layer follows. A detailed comparison between the filtered DNS data and the LES predictions is presented. It is shown that simple eddy viscosity models perform very well for the present test case, most probably because the flow seems to be almost isotropic in the small-scale range that is not resolved by the LES.

  5. Excitation of Continuous and Discrete Modes in Incompressible Boundary Layers

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ashpis, David E.; Reshotko, Eli

    1998-01-01

    This report documents the full details of the condensed journal article by Ashpis & Reshotko (JFM, 1990) entitled "The Vibrating Ribbon Problem Revisited." A revised formal solution of the vibrating ribbon problem of hydrodynamic stability is presented. The initial formulation of Gaster (JFM, 1965) is modified by application of the Briggs method and a careful treatment of the complex double Fourier transform inversions. Expressions are obtained in a natural way for the discrete spectrum as well as for the four branches of the continuous spectra. These correspond to discrete and branch-cut singularities in the complex wave-number plane. The solutions from the continuous spectra decay both upstream and downstream of the ribbon, with the decay in the upstream direction being much more rapid than that in the downstream direction. Comments and clarification of related prior work are made.

  6. A systematic review on the effectiveness of music listening in reducing depressive symptoms in adults.

    PubMed

    Chan, Moon Fai; Wong, Zi Yang; Thayala, N V

    The use of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of depressive symptoms has its disadvantages, therefore various complementary treatments have been sought and included to reduce depressive symptoms. The use of music as a healing intervention has been well documented throughout history. Even though there are many benefits to the use of music as a potential intervention, little is known about the efficacy of music listening in the mediation of depressive symptoms. The objective of this review was to determine the effectiveness of music listening in reducing depressive symptoms in adults. Types of participants This review included studies on adult men and women (aged 18 years and above) with depression or depressive symptoms.Types of intervention The review focused on studies that investigated music listening as an intervention for depressive symptoms.Types of outcomes The primary outcome measures examined were changes in depressive symptoms as quantified via validated depression scale scores.Types of studies Randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, interrupted time series (ITSs) and controlled before and after designs were included. A literature search ranging from the 1989 to January 2010, was conducted using major electronic databases. A three-stage search strategy was utilized in the process of the search to ensure that all studies that met the inclusion criteria were included. The quality of the included studies was subjected to assessment by two independent reviewers using the critical appraisal checklists for experimental studies from the JBI-MAStARI (Joanna Briggs Institute-Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument). Data were extracted from included papers using the standardized extraction tool from the JBI -MAStARI. Quantitative data were grouped together and combined into a meta-analysis for the assessment of the overall efficacy of an intervention were appropriate. Narrative formats were used when meta-analysis was not appropriate. From the overall results, the evidence offers some support that music listening over a period of time helps to reduce depressive symptoms in the adult population. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: There is a need to conduct more studies, which replicate the designs used in the existing studies that met the inclusion criteria, on the level of efficacy of music listening on the reduction of depressive symptoms for a more accurate meta-analysis of the findings and reflect with greater accuracy the significant effects that music has on the level of depressive symptoms.

  7. Advanced communication skills: conflict management and persuasion.

    PubMed

    Ang, Marigene

    2002-11-01

    There is an increasing need in the medical school curriculum to adequately prepare students for professionalism in the workplace. This senior seminar is a four-week course designed to develop fluency in handling conflict and negotiation as well as understanding the elements of persuasive communication. Students used the Meyers-Brigg Personality Inventory as a paradigm for understanding different communication styles. The class was piloted in October and November 2001 and consisted of four modules. In module one, each student was given the Meyers-Brigg Personality Inventory to take. Discussions and exercises provided insight into the student's own communication style as well as styles the individual student might find more problematic. The second module consisted of four sessions focusing on conflict management and negotiating skills. Students were given strategies for dealing with conflict as well as specific approaches for communicating with "difficult" patients. In the subsequent sessions, students had a chance to further incorporate these strategies by (1) discussing in a small-group setting a conflict situation that they had either witnessed or experienced in order to systematically evaluate how to incorporate conflict-management approaches into their particular communication style. (2) Role-playing four conflict situations students' were likely to encounter in their professional lives. Role-plays were videotaped and individual feedback was given immediately after the role-play by the observing students, the patient-actor, and the evaluator, who had been trained to give specific feedback on the conflict strategies. (3) Watching specific videotaped role-plays as a class allowed students to see and give feedback on particularly effective strategies that their colleagues used. The third module was devoted to giving bad news and ways that different people prefer to receive bad news, using the MBTI personality types as examples. The final module outlined the principles used in persuasion. Each student had the opportunity to make a five-to-ten-minute persuasive speech, the topic to be applicable to the student's specialty, which was reviewed by his peers. Feedback was tailored specifically to the different principles of persuasion. The curriculum was judged to be effective in changing confidence and attitudes as evidenced by pre- and post-course evaluations that students filled out during the last session of the class. Six things contributed to its success: (1) the class was offered as a fourth-year seminar; students could see its relevance and therefore were motivated to learn. (2) Activities were designed to build on learning in ways that graduated from passive to active. In such a way the theoretical was made practical. (3) Feedback was immediate and congruent. For example, the evaluators and patient-actors were all trained in the conflict management principles taught. (4) Feedback done by peer review allowed students to internalize strategies. (5) Concrete steps were given for behavioral change. (6) Small-group sessions invited camaraderie and allowed for individualized attention. Future activities include integrating this curriculum into residency teaching; the course is a continuation of a first-year course on interviewing skills taken by every student.

  8. Experiences of and support for nurses as second victims of adverse nursing errors: a qualitative systematic review.

    PubMed

    Cabilan, C J; Kynoch, Kathryn

    2017-09-01

    Second victims are clinicians who have made adverse errors and feel traumatized by the experience. The current published literature on second victims is mainly representative of doctors, hence nurses' experiences are not fully depicted. This systematic review was necessary to understand the second victim experience for nurses, explore the support provided, and recommend appropriate support systems for nurses. To synthesize the best available evidence on nurses' experiences as second victims, and explore their experiences of the support they receive and the support they need. Participants were registered nurses who made adverse errors. The review included studies that described nurses' experiences as second victims and/or the support they received after making adverse errors. All studies conducted in any health care settings worldwide. The qualitative studies included were grounded theory, discourse analysis and phenomenology. A structured search strategy was used to locate all unpublished and published qualitative studies, but was limited to the English language, and published between 1980 and February 2017. The references of studies selected for eligibility screening were hand-searched for additional literature. Eligible studies were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality using a standardized critical appraisal instrument from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI QARI). Themes and narrative statements were extracted from papers included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from JBI QARI. Data synthesis was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute meta-aggregation approach. There were nine qualitative studies included in the review. The narratives of 284 nurses generated a total of 43 findings, which formed 15 categories based on similarity of meaning. Four synthesized findings were generated from the categories: (i) The error brings a considerable emotional burden to the nurse that can last for a long time. In some cases, the error can alter nurses' perspectives and disrupt workplace relations; (ii) The type of support received influences how the nurse will feel about the error. Often nurses choose to speak with colleagues who have had similar experiences. Strategies need to focus on helping them to overcome the negative emotions associated with being a second victim; (iii) After the error, nurses are confronted with the dilemma of disclosure. Disclosure is determined by the following factors: how nurses feel about the error, harm to the patient, the support available to the nurse, and how errors are dealt with in the past; and (iv) Reconciliation is every nurse's endeavor. Predominantly, this is achieved by accepting fallibility, followed by acts of restitution, such as making positive changes in practice and disclosure to attain closure (see "Summary of findings"). Adverse errors were distressing for nurses, but they did not always receive the support they needed from colleagues. The lack of support had a significant impact on nurses' decisions on whether to disclose the error and his/her recovery process. Therefore, a good support system is imperative in alleviating the emotional burden, promoting the disclosure process, and assisting nurses with reconciliation. This review also highlighted research gaps that encompass the characteristics of the support system preferred by nurses, and the scarcity of studies worldwide.

  9. Trauma-Informed Care for Youth in Foster Care.

    PubMed

    Fratto, Carolyn M

    2016-06-01

    For decades, evidence has shown an undeniable connection between childhood trauma and chronic adverse reactions across the lifespan (Bilchik & Nash, 2008; Perry, 2001; Perry, 2006). Childhood traumatic experiences are associated with serious and persistent, long-term physical, psychological, and substance abuse issues. In addition to adverse effects on physical health, research indicates that early childhood trauma has particularly adverse effects on adolescent self-esteem, coping skills, school performance, self-regulation, critical thinking, self-motivation, and the ability to build healthy relationships (O'Connell, Boat, & Warner, 2009). A traumatic event is a dangerous or distressing experience, outside the range of usual human experience that overwhelms the capacity to cope and frequently results in intense emotional and physical reactions, feelings of helplessness and terror, and threatens serious injury or death (The National Child Traumatic Stress Network [NCTSNET], 2014). Approximately five million children each year in the United States experience some type of traumatic experience (Perry, 2006). Nationwide community studies estimate between 25% and 61% of children and adolescents have a history of at least one exposure to a potentially traumatic event and 38.5% of American adults claim to have experienced at least one traumatic event before the age of 13 (Briggs et al., 2012; Gerson & Rappaport, 2013). According to results of a 2002-2003 survey of 900 New York City adolescents, 24% reported a history of witnessing someone being shot, 12% reported exposure to someone being killed, and 51% reported witnessing someone being beaten or mugged (O'Connell et al., 2009). Each year, 2-3 million children are victims of maltreatment, a type of trauma, including physical and/or sexual abuse (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2014; Perry, 2006). Compared to the general population, youth in foster care are significantly more likely to have experienced violence, specifically abuse and/or neglect (Burns et al., 2004). It is estimated that approximately 90-percent of children in foster care have experienced a traumatic event, with nearly half reporting exposure to four or more types of traumatic events (Stein et al., 2001). Given the widespread prevalence of traumatic exposures, it is important for the mental health professionals working with foster care youth, to be aware of the prevalence and various types of trauma that are most common. Focus in treatment is typically on behavioral and emotional reactions rather than addressing the context of these symptoms, including trauma exposure histories and trauma-specific reactions. Clinicians must maintain awareness of the frequency and impact of childhood traumatic experiences on subsequent behaviors and overall functioning. Clinicians should appreciate the link between how traumatized children understand the world and interact with others differently from other children and how to provide appropriate treatment for children with a history of traumatic exposures. Practitioners must remain alert to symptoms that may suggest a history of trauma and must have an understanding of the difficulties adolescents may face regulating their emotions and behavior, as a symptom of a past traumatic experience. The failure to address trauma through screening, assessment, and treatment has major implications for long-term public health costs and services. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. The effectiveness of virtual reality interventions in improving balance in adults with impaired balance compared to standard or no treatment: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Booth, Vicky; Masud, Tahir; Bath-Hextall, Fiona

    Balance impairment can result in falls and reduced activities of daily living and function. Virtual reality and interactive gaming systems provide a novel and potentially environmentally flexible treatment option to improve postural stability and reduce falls in balance impaired populations. There are no existing systematic reviews in this topic area. To search, critically appraise and synthesise the best available evidence on whether virtual reality interventions, including interactive gaming systems, are effective at improving balance in adults with impaired balance. Adults with impaired, altered or reduced balance identified either through reduced balance outcome measure score or increased risk or incidence of falls.Types of interventions:Any virtual reality or interactive gaming systems used within a rehabilitative setting.The primary outcome was an objective measure of balance (i.e. balance outcome measure such as Berg Balance Score) or number and/or incidence of falls. Secondary outcome measures of interest included any adverse effects experienced, an outcome measure indicating functional balance (i.e. walking speed), quality of life (through use of an objective measure i.e. EuroQOL), and number of days in hospital due to falls.Types of studies:Randomised controlled trials (RCT). A three-stage strategy searched the following electronic databases: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PsycBITE, OTseeker, Ei Compendex, Inspec, Current Controlled Trials, and the National Institute of Health Clinical Trials Database. The methodological quality of each included study was independently assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) to systematically comment on influence of bias. Data was individually extracted from the included studies using the standardised JBI data extraction tool from JBI-MAStARI. Data was analysed using Review Manager 5 software. Results were expressed as mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals for continuous outcomes. Meta-analysis was not possible due to the variation of the interventions given and small number of included trials; hence, a description of the results was given. Four studies were included in the systematic review. All the included studies used different types of virtual reality or interactive gaming interventions. Two of the included studies used the same balance outcome measure. There was a notable inconsistency of balance outcome measurement between all the included studies. No data was given regarding falls in any of the studies. A secondary outcome, the 10m walk test, was recorded in two of the studies. The four included studies had small sample sizes and poor methodological quality. Despite the presentation of statistically significant results, the clinical significance is questionable. The review can not recommend the inclusion of virtual reality or interactive gaming systems into the rehabilitation of balance impairment based on the results of the four included studies. Further investigation in this topic area is required.

  11. The influence of occupation on wellbeing, as experienced by the elderly: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Jessen-Winge, Christina; Petersen, Mille Nyboe; Morville, Anne-Le

    2018-05-01

    The objective of this review was to synthesize knowledge regarding which types of occupations the elderly perceive as important to and supporting their overall wellbeing. Being active is an important part of managing the daily challenges of advanced old age. Occupational therapy and occupational science are based on the premise that a person's occupations are intertwined with their health and are thus needed for them to experience a meaningful life and improve their wellbeing. This review, which included independently living elderly people aged 65 and over living in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia, sought to uncover if the elderly see any specific types of occupations as enhancing their wellbeing. This review included qualitative studies with designs including, but not limited to, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography and action research. A three-step search strategy using Joanna Briggs Institute methodology was utilized. Both published and unpublished studies were searched. The following databases were searched for studies up to 2017: CINAHL, Nursing and Allied Health Source, Web of Science, PubMed and OpenGrey. Using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research, two independent reviewers assessed whether each study had the methodological quality required to be included in the review. Any disagreements were resolved through discussion with a third reviewer. The standardized JBI data extraction tool for interpretive and critical research was used to extract data from the included studies. JBI tools were used to pool the qualitative research findings. The findings were then aggregated through a process of rating according to quality, and categorized according to similarity in meaning, which generated a set of statements for each category. These categories were then subjected to a meta-synthesis to produce a single comprehensive set of synthesized findings useful as a basis for evidence-based practice. All three of the included studies utilized qualitative interviews and followed a phenomenological approach. The studies included only participants aged 85 and over. Thirty-five findings were extracted and grouped into four categories, which were synthesized into two meta-syntheses: 1) The importance of "doing" alone - to feel good, I have to be the master of my own life; and 2) Old habits never die - a structured day is a good day. Based on the dependability and credibility of the three studies, the ranking was high (see Summary of Findings). The present review shows that two factors enhance elderly people's wellbeing: first, variation and independence in undertaking activities; second, having a choice between the occupations and a structure of activities that make up daily life. The two factors are influenced by a balance between having activities alone and with others. This review is not intended to identify specific occupations that enhance elderly people's wellbeing, but rather to indicate which types of occupations enhance the wellbeing of the elderly, and provide value and meaning to their daily lives.Both the dependability and the credibility of the studies have been rated as moderate.

  12. Competence for older people nursing in care and nursing homes: An integrative review.

    PubMed

    Kiljunen, Outi; Välimäki, Tarja; Kankkunen, Päivi; Partanen, Pirjo

    2017-09-01

    People living in care and nursing homes are vulnerable individuals with complex needs; therefore, a wide array of nursing competence is needed to ensure their well-being. When developing the quality of care in these units, it is essential to know what type of competence is required for older people nursing. The aim of this integrative review was to identify the competence needed for older people nursing in licensed practical nurses' and registered nurses' work in care and nursing homes. Integrative literature review. We performed an integrative review using Whittemore and Knafl's method. The CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SocINDEX and Scopus databases were searched for studies published from 2006 to April 2016. We assessed the quality of the studies using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools and analysed the data by applying qualitative content analysis. Ten articles were included in the review. Most of the studies focused on registered nurses' work. We identified five competence areas that are needed for older people nursing in registered nurses' work in care and nursing homes: attitudinal and ethical, interactional, evidence-based care, pedagogical, and leadership and development competence. Empirical evidence of competence requirements related to licensed practical nurses' work in these facilities was scarce. The competence required for registered nurses and licensed practical nurses should be clearly identified to support competence management in the care and nursing home context. Well-educated nursing staff are needed in care and nursing homes to provide high-quality care because comprehensive and advanced nurse competence is required to meet the needs of older people. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  13. Transfer of Old ‘Reactivated’ Memory Retrieval Cues in Rats

    PubMed Central

    Briggs, James F.; Riccio, David C.

    2008-01-01

    The present studies examined whether the retrieval of an old ‘reactivated’ memory could be brought under the control of new contextual cues. In Experiment 1 rats trained in one context were exposed to different contextual cues either immediately, 60 min, or 120 min after a cued reactivation of the training memory. When tested in the shifted context, subjects exposed shortly after reactivation treated the shifted context as the original context. This transfer diminished with longer post-reactivation delays. Experiment 2 replicated the basic finding and demonstrated that the transfer of the old retrieval cues was specific to the contextual cues present during exposure. These findings are consistent with previous research (i.e., Briggs, Fitz, & Riccio, in press) showing the transfer of retrieval cues for a new memory, and demonstrating a similarity (in this case) between newly acquired and old reactivated memories. PMID:19190707

  14. The Best of Both Worlds

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Simmons, Elizabeth H.

    2009-03-01

    Thanks to the New FacultyWorkshop, I now have dual identities: as a professor in a research-focused university physics department and as Dean of a teaching-focused undergraduate residential science college within that university (Lyman Briggs College). I'll talk first about how the NFW changed my perspective on education and outreach -- and how that affected the climate in the department I was in at the time. Next, I'll comment on how this shift of perspective eventually led to new professional opportunities, including my current dual position. The lessons from the NFW have contributed directly to my acquiring the skills required of a leader in an interdisciplinary college that encourages its faculty both to be active disciplinary researchers and to take a scholarly approach to teaching. Finally, I'll mention how being part of the college's community of teacher-scholars has helped my teaching to continue evolving in directions compatible with the aims of the New Faculty Workshop.

  15. Systematic review of practice guideline dissemination and implementation strategies for healthcare teams and team-based practice.

    PubMed

    Medves, Jennifer; Godfrey, Christina; Turner, Carly; Paterson, Margo; Harrison, Margaret; MacKenzie, Lindsay; Durando, Paola

    2010-06-01

    To synthesis the literature relevant to guideline dissemination and implementation strategies for healthcare teams and team-based practice. Systematic approach utilising Joanna Briggs Institute methods. Two reviewers screened all articles and where there was disagreement, a third reviewer determined inclusion. Initial search revealed 12,083 of which 88 met the inclusion criteria. Ten dissemination and implementation strategies identified with distribution of educational materials the most common. Studies were assessed for patient or practitioner outcomes and changes in practice, knowledge and economic outcomes. A descriptive analysis revealed multiple approaches using teams of healthcare providers were reported to have statistically significant results in knowledge, practice and/or outcomes for 72.7% of the studies. Team-based care using practice guidelines locally adapted can affect positively patient and provider outcomes. © 2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation © Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

  16. Littoral foraging by red phalaropes during spring in the northern Bering Sea

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Haney, J. Christopher; Stone, Amy E.

    1988-01-01

    Phalaropes demonstrate considerable plasticity in their choice of foraging habitats. The Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicaria) alternates use of pelagic environments in winter and migration (Taning 1933, Stanford 1953, Briggs et al 1984) with wet tundra habitats during the breeding season (Kistchinski 1975, Mayfield 1979, Ridley 1980). Foods available and taken in littoral zones of the Arctic Ocean in fall have been identified (Conners and Risebrough 1978, Johnson and Richardson 1980), but otherwise little attention has been devoted to the transition between the marine and terrestrial periods of the Red Phalarope’s life history. We report phalarope use of littoral areas during spring in the northern Bering Sea and Kongkok Bay, St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. In addition, we describe phalarope foraging tactics and foods available in the sur zone, emphasizing this form of littoral foraging as an opportunistic and facultative feeding strategy.

  17. DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Ghosh, B.B.

    The object of the study reported in this paper was to investigate the possibility of using the blend of kerosene with petrol in a gasoline engines, without much losses in performance. The authors carried out experiments on a four-stroke cycle Briggs and Stratton S. I. Engine using five blends of kerosene with petrol at a compression ratios 5.3 and 7.47 to 1 with and without surge chambers, at a constant engine speed of 1500 rev/min with the following conclusions: 1. At part-load and the lower compression ratio the brake thermal efficiency is improved with percentage increase of kerosene but atmore » the higher compression ratio it is improved only upto 50% kerosene blend with petrol. 2. The knock-free maximum bhp is reduced with (a) the percentage increase of kerosene, (b) the increase of compression ratio. 3. Use of a surge chamber increase the knock-free maximum bhp, and reduces the brake thermal efficiency.« less

  18. The effectiveness of physical leisure time activities on glycaemic control in adult patients with diabetes type 2: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Pai, Lee-Wen; Chang, Pi-Ying; Chen, Wei; Hwu, Yueh-Juen; Lai, Chia-Hsiang

    The objective of this systematic review is to synthesise the best available evidence on the effectiveness of physical leisure time activities on glycaemic control in adult patients with diabetes type 2.The specific review question is:What is the effectiveness of physical leisure time activities on glycaemic control in patients with diabetes type 2? Type 2 diabetes results from the body's ineffective use of insulin. Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both.Type 2 diabetes was previously called non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. According to 2011 National Diabetes Fact Sheet, diabetes affected 25.8 million people of all ages of United States population during 2005-2008, include 18.8 million diagnosed people and seven million undiagnosed people. Among United States residents ages 65 years and older, 10.9 million, or 26.9 percent, had diabetes in 2010. Recent World Health Organization (WHO) calculations indicate diabetes kills more than one million people annually, almost 80% of which occur in low- and middle-income countries. Almost half of diabetes deaths occur in people aged under 70 years; 55% of diabetes deaths are in women. WHO projects that diabetes deaths will double between 2005 and 2030.Type 2 diabetes is associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity, and race. It is a common outcome of uncontrolled blood sugar and over time leads to serious complications including hypertension, blindness, kidney damage, lower-limb amputations, heart disease, and stroke. Good glycaemic control is a major goal in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus to prevent and delay those severe long-term complications. Physical activity is considered to be a substantial part of the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, as well as diet and medication. Physical activity is a common physiological stressor that causes perturbation to glucose homeostasis and energy needs.Several studies have reported the effects of physical activity on improving insulin sensitivity, cardio-respiratory fitness, glycaemic control, and psychosocial well-being. The American Diabetes Association suggests that people with type 2 diabetes spend at least 150 minutes a week on moderate-intensity physical activity (50-70% of maximum heart rate), or at least 90 minutes a week on vigorous physical activity (>70% of maximum heart rate). Recent studies also indicate that moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity could help type 2 diabetes patients to maintain ideal glycaemic control. Boule et al found physical activity training could reduce haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (control group vs. exercise group: 8.31% vs. 7.65%) by 0.66%. This is close to the effect of intense glucose-lowering pharmacological treatment found in the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study. A 1% absolute decrease in the HbA1c value is associated with a 15% to 20% decrease in major cardiovascular events and a 37% reduction in microvascular complications.According to Zhao, Ford, Chaoyang's report (2011), only 25-42% of older adults with diabetes mellitus met recommendations for total physical activity based on the 2007 American Diabetes Association and 2008 Department of Health and Human Services guidelines. Various barriers to regular physical activity had been described, such as health problems, lack of time or energy, no exercise partner, lack of family support, and motivation and working time. An active lifestyle does not require complex exercise programmes. Instead, regular daily physical activity is believed to enable individuals to reduce the risk of chronic diseases and may enhance their quality of life. Recently, it has been thought that, instead of structured physical activity, lifestyle physical activity is a better alternative for diabetes patients. Moderate or vigorous lifestyle or leisure time physical activities included jogging, walking, gardening, tai chi chuan, and qigong (an ancient Chinese breathing exercise that combines aerobics, isometric and isotonic movements and meditation). According to data from recent studies, moderate physical leisure time activities for at least 60 minutes every week can effectively improve glycaemic control in patients with diabetes type 2.Those measure indicators of glycaemic control including glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) were used to assess glycaemic control in diabetic patients. HbA1c value reflects the mean plasma glucose concentration over two to three months. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) reflect short-term plasma glucose change. Glycated haemoglobin is a form ofhaemoglobin that is measured primarily to identify the averageplasmaglucoseconcentration over prolonged periods of time. The fasting plasma glucose test measures fasting blood sugar levels and the postprandial plasma glucose test is often used to test the effectiveness of the body's carbohydrate metabolism and the ability to produce insulin. In 2010, Psaltopoulou et al gathered current information from meta-analyses on dietary and lifestyle practices concerning reduction of risk to develop type 2 diabetes. In 2009, Thomas et al completed a systematic review in which fourteen randomised controlled trials involving a total of 377 participants comparing exercise against no exercise in type 2 diabetes were identified. Trials ranged from eight weeks to twelve months duration. Compared with the control, the exercise intervention significantly improved glycaemic control as indicated by a decrease in glycated haemoglobin levels of 0.6%. This systematic review will differ from these two previously published reviews in that it aims to explore the effectiveness of different kinds of moderate or vigorous physical leisure time activities in improving glycaemic control in patients with diabetes type 2. A search of MEDLINE, DARE database, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library of Systematic Reviews and Joanna Briggs Institute Library of Systematic Reviews found no existing reviews or review underway on this topic.

  19. Characteristics and correlates of coping with multiple sclerosis: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Keramat Kar, Maryam; Whitehead, Lisa; Smith, Catherine M

    2017-10-10

    The purpose of this systematic review was to examine coping strategies that people with multiple sclerosis use, and to identify factors that influence their coping pattern. This systematic review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines for synthesizing descriptive quantitative research. The following databases were searched from the inception of databases until December 2016: Ovid (Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and PsycINFO), Science Direct, Web of Science, and Scopus. Manual search was also conducted from the reference lists of retrieved articles. Findings related to the patterns of coping with multiple sclerosis and factors influencing coping with multiple sclerosis were extracted and synthesized. The search of the database yielded 455 articles. After excluding duplicates (n = 341) and studies that did not meet the inclusion criteria (n = 27), 71 studies were included in the full-text review. Following the full-text, a further 21 studies were excluded. Quality appraisal of 50 studies was completed, and 38 studies were included in the review. Synthesis of findings indicated that people with multiple sclerosis use emotional and avoidance coping strategies more than other types of coping, particularly in the early stages of the disease. In comparison to the general population, people with multiple sclerosis were less likely to use active coping strategies and used more avoidance and emotional coping strategies. The pattern of coping with multiple sclerosis was associated with individual, clinical and psychological factors including gender, educational level, clinical course, mood and mental status, attitude, personality traits, and religious beliefs. The findings of this review suggest that considering individual or disease-related factors could help healthcare professionals in identifying those less likely to adapt to multiple sclerosis. This information could also be used to provide client-centered rehabilitation for people living with multiple sclerosis based on their individual responses and perceptions for coping. Implications for rehabilitation Engagement in coping with multiple sclerosis has been associated with individual factors and neuropsychological functions. Considering individual and disease-related factors would allow healthcare professionals to provide more tailored interventions to maintain and master coping with multiple sclerosis. People living with multiple sclerosis should be empowered to appraise and manage ability to cope based on the contextual evidence (individual and clinical condition). Rehabilitation services should move beyond physical management incorporating behavioral aspects for better functioning in living with multiple sclerosis.

  20. Patient- and family-centered performance measures focused on actionable processes of care for persistent and chronic critical illness: protocol for a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Rose, Louise; Istanboulian, Laura; Allum, Laura; Burry, Lisa; Dale, Craig; Hart, Nicholas; Kydonaki, Claire; Ramsay, Pam; Pattison, Natalie; Connolly, Bronwen

    2017-04-17

    Approximately 5 to 10% of critically ill patients transition from acute critical illness to a state of persistent and in some cases chronic critical illness. These patients have unique and complex needs that require a change in the clinical management plan and overall goals of care to a focus on rehabilitation, symptom relief, discharge planning, and in some cases, end-of-life care. However, existing indicators and measures of care quality, and tools such as checklists, that foster implementation of best practices, may not be sufficiently inclusive in terms of actionable processes of care relevant to these patients. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review is to identify the processes of care, performance measures, quality indicators, and outcomes including reports of patient/family experience described in the current evidence base relevant to patients with persistent or chronic critical illness and their family members. Two authors will independently search from inception to November 2016: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, PROSPERO, the Joanna Briggs Institute and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. We will include all study designs except case series/reports of <10 patients describing their study population (aged 18 years and older) using terms such as persistent critical illness, chronic critical illness, and prolonged mechanical ventilation. Two authors will independently perform data extraction and complete risk of bias assessment. Our primary outcome is to determine actionable processes of care and interventions deemed relevant to patients experiencing persistent or chronic critical illness and their family members. Secondary outcomes include (1) performance measures and quality indicators considered relevant to our population of interest and (2) themes related to patient and family experience. We will use our systematic review findings, with data from patient, family member and clinician interviews, and a subsequent consensus building process to inform the development of quality metrics and tools to measure processes of care, outcomes and experience for patients experiencing persistent or chronic critical illness and their family members. PROSPERO CRD42016052715.

  1. How are we assessing near-peer teaching in undergraduate health professional education? A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Irvine, Susan; Williams, Brett; McKenna, Lisa

    2017-03-01

    Near Peer teaching (NPT) is reported as an effective pedagogical approach to student learning and performance. Studies in medicine, nursing and health sciences have relied mainly on self-reports to describe its benefits, focusing on psychomotor and cognitive aspects of learning. Despite increasing research reports on peer teaching internationally, little is known about the various domains of learning used in assessment of performance and objective learning outcomes of NPT. To determine the domains of learning and assessment outcomes used in NPT in undergraduate health professional education. Quantitative systematic review was conducted in accord with the PRISMA protocol and the Joanna Briggs Institute processes. A wide literature search was conducted for the period 1990-November 2015 of fourteen databases. Grey literature was undertaken from all key research articles. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were eligible for consideration, including measured learning outcomes of near-peer teaching in undergraduate education in nursing, medicine and health sciences. Set limitations included publications after 1990 (2015 inclusive), English language and objective learning outcomes. A quality appraisal process involving two independent reviewers was used to analyse the data. Of 212 selected articles, 26 were included in the review. Terminology was confusing and found to be a barrier to the review process. Although some studies demonstrated effective learning outcomes resulting from near-peer teaching, others were inconclusive. Studies focused on cognitive and psychomotor abilities of learners with none assessing metacognition, affective behaviours or learning outcomes from quality of understanding. The studies reviewed focused on cognitive and psychomotor abilities of learners. Even though evidence clearly indicates that metacognition and affective behaviours have direct influence on learning and performance, indicating more research around this topic is warranted. Methodological quality of the studies and lack of theoretical frameworks underpinned by educational psychology may have contributed to inconsistencies in learning outcomes reported. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Effectiveness of and User Experience With Web-Based Interventions in Increasing Physical Activity Levels in People With Multiple Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Dennett, Rachel; Gunn, Hilary; Freeman, Jennifer A

    2018-05-15

    Supporting people with multiple sclerosis (MS) to achieve and maintain recommended levels of physical activity is important but challenging. Web-based interventions are increasingly being used to deliver targeted exercise programs and promote physical activity. The purpose of this study was to systematically review current evidence regarding the effectiveness and user experience of web-based interventions in increasing physical activity in people with MS. MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, PEDro, PsychInfo, Web of Sciences, The Cochrane Library, and gray literature were searched from 1990 to September 2016. English language articles reporting the use of web-based interventions to increase physical activity in adults with MS were included. Eligible quantitative studies were of any design and reported a measure of physical activity. Qualitative studies exploring users' experiences in any context were included. Of the 881 articles identified, 9 met the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently assessed methodological quality and extracted data using standardized critical appraisal and data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI). Meta-analysis of self-reported physical activity questionnaire data from 4 studies demonstrated a standardized mean difference of 0.67 (95% CI = 0.43-0.92), indicating a positive effect in favor of the web-based interventions. Narrative review of accelerometry data from 3 studies indicated increases in objectively measured physical activity. No qualitative studies met the inclusion criteria. In the 9 included articles, only 2 different interventions (used with people who were ambulant) were reported. Web-based interventions had a short-term positive effect on self-reported physical activity in people who had MS and were ambulant. Evidence is not currently available to support or refute their use in the long-term or with people who are not ambulant.

  3. A systematic review: efficacy of botulinum toxin in walking and quality of life in post-stroke lower limb spasticity.

    PubMed

    Gupta, Anupam Datta; Chu, Wing Hong; Howell, Stuart; Chakraborty, Subhojit; Koblar, Simon; Visvanathan, Renuka; Cameron, Ian; Wilson, David

    2018-01-05

    Improved walking is one of the highest priorities in people living with stroke. Post-stroke lower limb spasticity (PSLLS) impedes walking and quality of life (QOL). The understanding of the evidence of improved walking and QOL following botulinum toxin (BoNTA) injection is not clear. We performed a systematic review of the randomized control trials (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of BoNTA injection on walking and QOL in PSLLS. We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL, ProQuest Thesis and Dissertation checks, Google Scholar, WHO International Clinical Trial Registry Platform, ClinicalTrials.gov , Cochrane, and ANZ and EU Clinical Trials Register for RCTs looking at improvement in walking and QOL following injection of BoNTA in PSLLS. The original search was carried out prior to 16 September 2015. We conducted an additional verifying search on CINHAL, EMBASE, and MEDLINE (via PubMed) from 16 September 2015 to 6 June 2017 using the same clauses as the previous search. Methodological quality of the individual studies was critically appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute's instrument. Only placebo-controlled RCTs looking at improvement in walking and QOL were included in the review. Of 2026 records, we found 107 full-text records. Amongst them, we found five RCTs qualifying our criteria. No new trials were found from the verifying search. Two independent reviewers assessed methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using Joanna Briggs Institute's appraisal instrument. Two studies reported significant improvement in gait velocity (p = 0.020) and < 0.05, respectively. One study showed significant improvement in 2-min-walking distance (p < 0.05). QOL was recorded in one study without any significant improvement. Meta-analysis of reviewed studies could not be performed because of different methods of assessing walking ability, small sample size with large confidence interval and issues such as lack of power calculations in some studies. Findings from our systematic and detailed study identify the need for a well-designed RCT to adequately investigate the issues highlighted. This review could not conclude there was sufficient evidence to support or refute improvement on walking or QOL following BoNTA injection. Reasons for this are discussed, and methods for future RCTs are developed.

  4. Nursing clinical supervision project in a Neonatal Intensive Care and a Special Care Baby Unit: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Johansson, Diana

    2015-04-17

    Clinical supervision is a process of guided reflective practice and is used in the areas of mental health and palliative care. However, within the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit setting, stressful situations may also arise, with no policies for nurses in regards to participation in clinical supervision. With critical incidents, complex family issues and loss of nursing expertise, clinical supervision could be a potential solution to this dilemma. The aims of the project were to investigate if any hospital policies supported clinical supervision. Specifically, the aims were: (i) to conduct an audit of nurses' knowledge on the topic of clinical supervision, (ii) to investigate if nurses were aware of, or had been involved in, any clinical supervision activities conducted in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit or a Special Care Baby Unit, and (iii) to investigate if records are maintained of any clinical supervision activities held. A three-phase approach was initiated for this project: a baseline audit, implementation of education sessions, and a follow-up audit using the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice programs. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Special Care Baby Unit have approximately 180 registered nurses working in the units where the project was conducted. The baseline audit included 37 nurses by convenience sampling and the follow-up audit included nine of these nurses. No policy on clinical supervision has been developed to support nurses in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Special Care Baby Unit. The baseline audit found that nurses described clinical supervision as educational and task orientated, and did not equate clinical supervision with a process that could be also described as "guided reflective practice". Following the education sessions, there was a better understanding of what clinical supervision entailed and the benefits that could lead to improved professional practice, but there were no activities in which nurses could engage in this process. Implementation of a pilot project to test the evidence of clinical supervision in the Neonatal Intensive Care and Special Care Baby speciality units should be undertaken with strategies to assess the effectiveness of clinical supervision and the positive aspects that have been reported in the literature. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  5. Effect of Nearshore Islands on Tsunami Inundation in Shadow Zones

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goertz, J.; Kaihatu, J. M.; Kalligeris, N.; Lynett, P. J.; Synolakis, C.

    2017-12-01

    Field surveys performed in the wake of the 2010 Mentawai tsunami event have described the belief of local residents that offshore islands serve as possible tsunami sheltering mechanisms, reducing the corresponding inundation on beaches behind the islands, despite the fact that deduced inundation from debris lines show this to be in fact untrue (Hill et al. 2012). Recent numerical model studies (Stefanakis et al. 2014) have shown that inundation levels on beaches behind conical islands are indeed higher than they are on open coastlines. While work has been done on tsunami amplification on the lee side of islands (Briggs et al. 1995), no work has been done concerning tsunami inundation on beach areas behind the islands. A series of experiments to address this were conducted in the Directional Wave Basin (DWB) at the O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory at Oregon State University in summer 2016. A series of four sheet metal islands (two with a full conical section, two truncated at the water line) were placed at varying distances from the toe of a 1/10 sloping beach. Incident wave conditions consisting of solitary waves and full-stroke "dam break" waves were run over the islands. Free surface elevations, velocities, and beach runup were measured, with the intent of determining relationships between the wave condition, the island geometry and distance from the beach, and the tsunami characteristics. A series of runup measurements from a particular set of experiments can be seen in Figure 1. Based on these preliminary analyses, it was determined that: A) inundation was always amplified behind the island relative to areas outside this shadow zone; and B) inundation was generally highest with the island closest to the beach, except in the case where the tsunami wave broke prior to reaching the island. In this latter scenario, the inundation behind the island increased with island distance from the beach. The development of relationships between the inundation levels, island geometry and distance, and wave conditions will be described. References: Briggs, M.J., et al. (1995), Pure Appl. Geophys., 144, 569-593. Hill, E.M., et al. (2012), J. Geophys. Res. - Sol. Ea., 117, B06402. Stefanakis, T.,et al. (2014), Proc. R. Soc. A, DOI: 10.1098/rspa.2014.0575.

  6. Effectiveness of nursing intervention for adult patients experiencing chronic pain: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Castillo-Bueno, M D; Moreno-Pina, J P; Martínez-Puente, M V; Artiles-Suárez, M M; Company-Sancho, M C; García-Andrés, M C; Sánchez-Villar, I; Hernández-Pérez, R

    To determine the best available evidence regarding the effectiveness of nursing interventions for adult patients experiencing chronic pain. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) and Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trials. Participants were adults, aged at least 18 years, suffering from chronic pain (lasting for longer than six months). Pain of oncological origin and patients admitted in a hospital, were excluded. Non pharmacological nursing interventions for chronic pain. The primary outcome measure was chronic pain, and secondary outcome measures were: disability, depression, dependence and health related quality of life. All studies, published and unpublished, in English and Spanish, carried out between January 1997 and December 2007 were retrieved.. The methodological quality of included articles was assessed by two independent reviewers using appropriate critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were independently extracted by two reviewers, using the standardised data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute.A meta-analysis was not possible as the trials were heterogeneous in their interventions, characteristics of the populations, intervention duration measurement instruments and outcomes measures. 1,666 references were identified that fit the aim of the review. 92 articles were retrieved, of which 13 were chosen to be critically appraised for their methodological quality. In the end, eight controlled trials were included.The main results were:Other outcome measures showed an improvement in the quality of life (sensorial stimulation and guided imagery), in depression, disability and empowerment (music therapy) and physical functioning (program of psycho-education).The main limitations of this review were: excluding studies were the professional performing the interventions were not detailed or the intervention was not carried out by a nurse and that the search strategy was limited up to 2007. Listening to music, a cognitive-behavioural treatment programme, magnetic therapy, sensorial stimulation, a psychoeducation programme and guided imagery are nursing interventions that helps to reduce the chronic pain in adults and may be used as contributory to the pharmacological treatment. Short exercises for increasing endurance does not reduce pain. For future reviews we do not recommend the inclusion of different interventions for the reduction of chronic pain, due to the great number and variability of intervention, but the development of a SR on specific interventions.

  7. The meaning of confidence for older people living with frailty: a qualitative systematic review.

    PubMed

    Underwood, Frazer; Burrows, Lisa; Gegg, Rod; Latour, Jos M; Kent, Bridie

    2017-05-01

    In many countries, the oldest old (those aged 85 years and older) are now the fastest growing proportion of the total population. This oldest population will increasingly be living with the clinical condition of frailty. Frailty syndromes negatively impact on the person as they do the healthcare systems supporting them. Within healthcare literature "loss of confidence" is occasionally connected to older people living with frailty, but ambiguously described. Understanding the concept of confidence within the context of frailty could inform interventions to meet this growing challenge. The objective of this systematic review was to explore the meaning of confidence from the perspective of older people living with frailty through synthesis of qualitative evidence to inform healthcare practice, research and policy. Studies that included frail adults, aged over 60 years, experiencing acute hospital and or post-acute care in the last 12 months. The concept of "confidence" and its impact on the physical health and mental well-being of older people living with frailty. Studies that reported on the older person's descriptions, understanding and meaning of confidence in relation to their frailty or recent healthcare experiences. Studies of qualitative design and method. A three step search strategy was used. The search strategy explored published studies and gray literature. Publications in English from the last 20 years were considered for inclusion. All included articles were assessed by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). Data were extracted from included studies using the data extraction tools developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Qualitative research findings were collated using a meta-aggregative approach and JBI-QARI software. Synthesized findings of this review were drawn from just four research studies that met the inclusion criteria. Only six findings contributed to the creation of three categories. These informed a single synthesized finding: Vulnerability, described as a fragile state of well-being that is exposed to the conflicting tensions between physical, emotional and social factors. These tensions have the capability to enhance or erode this state. Assertions that an understanding of the concept confidence has been reached cannot be made. The review data offer limited insight into the concept of confidence being described by the cohort of older people living with frailty.

  8. Fever management in the emergency department of the Children's Hospital of Fudan University: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Hu, Fei; Zhang, Jiayan; Shi, Shupeng; Zhou, Zhang

    2016-09-01

    Febrile illness in young children usually indicates an underlying infection and is a cause of concern for parents and carers. It is very important that healthcare professionals know how to recognize fever, assess children with fever, treat children with fever and role of nurses and parents. This paper outlines a best practice implementation project on the management of fever in children in an emergency department. To audit current practice of fever management for children in an emergency department and to implement strategies to standardize pediatric fever management based on evidence-based practice guidelines. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute's Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice to examine compliance with fever management criteria based on the best available evidence before and after the implementation of strategies to spread the use of evidence-based practice protocols. We found significant improvements in pediatric fever management as measured by the knowledge scores of parents (54.5-83.7) and nurses (67.6-90.3). This suggested a need for continuous education. We found a noticeable improvement in compliance across all the five criteria; using correct methods to measure temperature (86-98%), staff education (0-100%), parents education (0-100%), using assessment tools (0-100%) and observed management (0-98%). This best practice implementation project demonstrated the use of effective strategies to standardize the protocol for fever management, implement assessment tool, develop multimedia materials, deliver continuous staff education and update nursing documentation and patient education pamphlets to ensure best practice is delivered by nurses to improve patient outcomes.

  9. Influence of reminder therapy for controlling bacterial plaque in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Lima, Igor Felipe Pereira; de Andrade Vieira, Walbert; de Macedo Bernardino, Ítalo; Costa, Pedro Augusto; Lima, Anderson Paulo Barbosa; Pithon, Matheus Melo; Paranhos, Luiz Renato

    2018-04-17

    To assess the scientific evidence regarding the influence of reminder therapy on plaque index, gingival index, and white spots in patients subjected to orthodontic treatment. Randomized clinical trials were searched in the electronic databases LILACS, PubMed, SciELO, Scopus, Web of Science, Embase, LIVIVO, and Cochrane Library. The databases OpenThesis and OpenGrey were used to capture the "gray literature," preventing selection and publication biases. The risk of bias was assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Randomized Controlled Trials tool. The software Review Manager was used for the meta-analysis. The heterogeneity among studies was assessed through the I 2 statistic. A summary of the overall strength of evidence available was assessed using the Grades of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tool. A total of 332 records were found, from which only 7 articles met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to analysis. Reminder therapy showed improved scores for the plaque index (standardized mean difference = -1.22; 95% confidence interval = -2.03 to -0.42; P = .003) and the gingival index (standardized mean difference = 1.49; 95% confidence interval = -2.61 to 0.37; P = .009). Moreover, there was lower occurrence of white spots (relative risk = 0.53; 95% confidence interval = 0.38 to 0.74; P < .001) when reminder therapy was implemented. According to the existing high-quality evidence, reminder therapy is a valuable strategy and may contribute to the reduction of plaque and gingival indices as well as to the lower occurrence of white spots in patients subjected to orthodontic treatment.

  10. Ethical and methodological issues in qualitative health research involving children: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Huang, Xiaoyan; O'Connor, Margaret; Ke, Li-Shan; Lee, Susan

    2016-05-01

    The right of children to have their voice heard has been accepted by researchers, and there are increasing numbers of qualitative health studies involving children. The ethical and methodological issues of including children in research have caused worldwide concerns, and many researchers have published articles sharing their own experiences. To systematically review and synthesise experts' opinions and experiences about ethical and methodological issues of including children in research, as well as related solution strategies. The research design was a systematic review of opinion-based evidence, based on the guidelines by Joanna Briggs Institute. A search of five computerised databases has been conducted in April 2014 and 2271 articles were found. After screening the titles, abstracts, full texts and appraising the quality, 30 articles were finally included in the review. A meta-aggregative approach was applied in the data analysis and synthesis process. Ethical approval is not needed as it is a systematic review of published literature. Six themes were identified, including evaluating potential risks and benefits, gaining access, obtaining informed consent/assent, protecting confidentiality and privacy, building rapport and collecting rich data. The similarities and differences between research involving children and that involving adults were indicated. All potential incentives should be justified when designing the study. Further studies need to research how to evaluate individual capacity of children and how to balance protecting children's right to participate and their interests in the research. Cultural differences related to researching children in different regions should also be studied. © The Author(s) 2014.

  11. Implementation of the American Society of Anesthesiology's guidelines to reduce prolonged fasting times in pediatric preoperative patients: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Costello, Carol M

    2016-10-01

    The American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) guidelines for pediatric preoperative fasting have been a standard for well over a decade. However, use of protocols involving an excessive fasting duration exposes patients to the physiological impacts of fluid volume loss. The current project aimed to improve fluid supplementation during presurgical fasting in pediatric patients at an academic medical center. Specific objectives were to increase clinical staff knowledge regarding ASA fasting standards and implement them in specific pediatric patient populations. The Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice tools were used. A baseline audit assessed compliance with best practice criteria regarding staff education, patient/family instruction and preoperative fasting times. Intervention outcomes were evaluated in a post implementation criteria audit. Although compliance with fasting less than 12 hours more than doubled, only half of these patients/parents adhered to the guidelines. No excessive fasting events were attributed to a language barrier. There were no insufficient fasting events. Moderate success with fasting compliance was demonstrated when patients/parents were taught the multi-step ASA non per os (nothing by mouth) instructions. This complexity may have contributed to non-compliance and pointed to the need for enhanced teaching strategies. No operative start delays related to insufficient fasting indicated surgical scheduling flexibility was not at risk, and anesthesia providers had adopted the guidelines. Interdisciplinary engagement in this project was significantly impacted by director level communication which will be a key strategy for future implementations.

  12. Evidence-based measures to prevent central line-associated bloodstream infections: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Perin, Daniele Cristina; Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini; Higashi, Giovana Dorneles Callegaro; Sasso, Grace Teresinha Marcon Dal

    2016-09-01

    to identify evidence-based care to prevent CLABSI among adult patients hospitalized in ICUs. systematic review conducted in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Cinahl, Web of Science, Lilacs, Bdenf and Cochrane Studies addressing care and maintenance of central venous catheters, published from January 2011 to July 2014 were searched. The 34 studies identified were organized in an instrument and assessed by using the classification provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute. the studies presented care bundles including elements such as hand hygiene and maximal barrier precautions; multidimensional programs and strategies such as impregnated catheters and bandages and the involvement of facilities in and commitment of staff to preventing infections. care bundles coupled with education and the commitment of both staff and institutions is a strategy that can contribute to decreased rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections among adult patients hospitalized in intensive care units. identificar evidências de cuidados para prevenção de infecção de corrente sanguínea relacionada a cateter venoso central em pacientes adultos em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva. revisão Sistemática realizada por meio de busca nas bases de dados Pubmed, Scopus, Cinahl, Web of Science, Lilacs, Bdenf e Cochrane. Foram buscadas pesquisas com cuidados com a cateterização e manutenção do cateter venoso central, publicados de janeiro de 2011 a julho de 2014. Os 34 estudos incluídos foram organizados em um instrumento e avaliados por meio da classificação do The Joanna Briggs Institute. os estudos apresentaram bundles de cuidados com elementos como a higiene das mãos e precauções máximas de barreira; programas multidimensionais e estratégias como cateteres e curativos impregnados e o envolvimento da instituição e engajamento da equipe nos esforços para prevenção de infecção. os cuidados no formato de bundles aliados com a educação e engajamento da equipe e da instituição são estratégias que poderão contribuir para a redução das taxas de infecção de corrente sanguínea relacionada a cateter venoso central em pacientes adultos em unidades de terapia intensiva. identificar evidencias de cuidados para prevención de infección de la corriente sanguínea relacionada al catéter venoso central, en pacientes adultos en Unidades de Terapia Intensiva. revisión sistemática realizada por medio de búsqueda en las bases de datos Pubmed, Scopus, Cinahl, Web of Science, Lilacs, Bdenf y Cochrane. Fueron buscadas investigaciones de cuidados con la cateterización y manutención del catéter venoso central, publicados de enero de 2011 a julio de 2014. Los 34 estudios incluidos fueron organizados en un instrumento y evaluados por medio de la clasificación del The Joanna Briggs Institute. los estudios presentaron bundles de cuidados con elementos como: higiene de las manos y precauciones máximas de barrera; programas multidimensionales y estrategias como catéteres y curativos impregnados y, participación de la institución y compromiso del equipo en los esfuerzos para prevención de la infección. los cuidados en el formato de bundles aliados con la educación y compromiso del equipo y de la institución, son estrategias que podrán contribuir para la reducción de las tasas de infección de la corriente sanguínea relacionadas al catéter venoso central, en pacientes adultos en unidades de terapia intensiva.

  13. Intermittent fasting interventions for treatment of overweight and obesity in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Harris, Leanne; Hamilton, Sharon; Azevedo, Liane B; Olajide, Joan; De Brún, Caroline; Waller, Gillian; Whittaker, Vicki; Sharp, Tracey; Lean, Mike; Hankey, Catherine; Ells, Louisa

    2018-02-01

    To examine the effectiveness of intermittent energy restriction in the treatment for overweight and obesity in adults, when compared to usual care treatment or no treatment. Intermittent energy restriction encompasses dietary approaches including intermittent fasting, alternate day fasting, and fasting for two days per week. Despite the recent popularity of intermittent energy restriction and associated weight loss claims, the supporting evidence base is limited. This review included overweight or obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m) adults (≥18 years). Intermittent energy restriction was defined as consumption of ≤800 kcal on at least one day, but no more than six days per week. Intermittent energy restriction interventions were compared to no treatment (ad libitum diet) or usual care (continuous energy restriction ∼25% of recommended energy intake). Included interventions had a minimum duration of 12 weeks from baseline to post outcome measurements. The types of studies included were randomized and pseudo-randomized controlled trials. The primary outcome of this review was change in body weight. Secondary outcomes included: i) anthropometric outcomes (change in BMI, waist circumference, fat mass, fat free mass); ii) cardio-metabolic outcomes (change in blood glucose and insulin, lipoprotein profiles and blood pressure); and iii) lifestyle outcomes: diet, physical activity, quality of life and adverse events. A systematic search was conducted from database inception to November 2015. The following electronic databases were searched: MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, ISRCTN registry, and anzctr.org.au for English language published studies, protocols and trials. Two independent reviewers evaluated the methodological quality of included studies using the standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted from papers included in the review by two independent reviewers using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Effect sizes were expressed as weighted mean differences and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated for meta-analyses. Six studies were included in this review. The intermittent energy restriction regimens varied across studies and included alternate day fasting, fasting for two days, and up to four days per week. The duration of studies ranged from three to 12 months. Four studies included continuous energy restriction as a comparator intervention and two studies included a no treatment control intervention. Meta-analyses showed that intermittent energy restriction was more effective than no treatment for weight loss (-4.14 kg; 95% CI -6.30 kg to -1.99 kg; p ≤ 0.001). Although both treatment interventions achieved similar changes in body weight (approximately 7 kg), the pooled estimate for studies that investigated the effect of intermittent energy restriction in comparison to continuous energy restriction revealed no significant difference in weight loss (-1.03 kg; 95% CI -2.46 kg to 0.40 kg; p = 0.156). Intermittent energy restriction may be an effective strategy for the treatment of overweight and obesity. Intermittent energy restriction was comparable to continuous energy restriction for short term weight loss in overweight and obese adults. Intermittent energy restriction was shown to be more effective than no treatment, however, this should be interpreted cautiously due to the small number of studies and future research is warranted to confirm the findings of this review.

  14. The effectiveness of nurse education and training for clinical alarm response and management: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Yue, Liqing; Plummer, Virginia; Cross, Wendy

    2017-09-01

    To identify the effectiveness of education interventions provided for nurses for clinical alarm response and management. Some education has been undertaken to improve clinical alarm response, but the evidence for evaluating effectiveness for nurse education interventions is limited. Systematic review. A systematic review of experimental studies published in English from 2005-2015 was conducted in four computerised databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Scopus). After identification, screening and appraisal using Joanna Briggs Institute instruments, quality research papers were selected, data extraction and analysis followed. Five studies met the inclusion criteria for alarm response and no articles were concerned with clinical alarm education for management. All had different types and methods of interventions and statistical pooling was not possible. Response accuracy, response time and perceptions were consistent when different interventions were adopted. A positive effect was identified when learning about general alarms, single alarms, sequential alarms and medium-level alarms for learning as the primary task. Nurses who were musically trained had a faster and more accurate alarm response. Simulation interventions had a positive effect, but the effect of education provided in the care unit was greater. Overall, clinical alarm awareness was improved through education activities. Nurses are the main users of healthcare alarms and work in complex environments with high numbers of alarms, including nuisance alarms and other factors. Alarm-related adverse events are common. The findings of a small number of experimental studies with diverse evidence included consideration of various factors when formulating education strategies. The factors which influence effectiveness of nurse education are nurse demographics, nurse participants with musical training, workload and characteristics of alarms. Education interventions based in clinical practice settings increase education effectiveness, although simulation can be effective. No study shows any type of intervention results in sustained improvement. There are workload implications in education and the matching of load, number and type of alarms with nurse demographics which should be evaluated. There also needs to be a connection between education and the clinical setting to contribute to clinical alarm awareness for undergraduate nurses and practicing nurses. Education solely supported by employers is insufficient. Patient safety and long-term effects must be further explored. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Limited evidence to assess the impact of primary health care system or service level attributes on health outcomes of Indigenous people with type 2 diabetes: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Gibson, Odette R; Segal, Leonie

    2015-04-11

    To describe reported studies of the impact on HbA1C levels, diabetes-related hospitalisations, and other primary care health endpoints of initiatives aimed at improving the management of diabetes in Indigenous adult populations of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Systematic literature review using data sources of MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, CINHAL and PsycInfo from January 1985 to March 2012. Inclusion criteria were a clearly described primary care intervention, model of care or service, delivered to Indigenous adults with type 2 diabetes reporting a program impact on at least one quantitative diabetes-related health outcome, and where results were reported separately for Indigenous persons. Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools were used to assess the study quality. PRISMA guidelines were used for reporting. The search strategy retrieved 2714 articles. Of these, 13 studies met the review inclusion criteria. Three levels of primary care initiatives were identified: 1) addition of a single service component to the existing service, 2) system-level improvement processes to enhance the quality of diabetes care, 3) change in primary health funding to support better access to care. Initiatives included in the review were diverse and included comprehensive multi-disciplinary diabetes care, specific workforce development, systematic foot care and intensive individual hypertension management. Twelve studies reported HbA1C, of those one also reported hospitalisations and one reported the incidence of lower limb amputation. The methodological quality of the four comparable cohort and seven observational studies was good, and moderate for the two randomised control trials. The current literature provides an inadequate evidence base for making important policy and practice decisions in relation to primary care initiatives for Indigenous persons with type 2 diabetes. This reflects a very small number of published studies, the general reliance on intermediate health outcomes and the predominance of observational studies. Additional studies of the impacts of primary care need to consider carefully research design and the reporting of hospital outcomes or other primary end points. This is an important question for policy makers and further high quality research is needed to contribute to an evidence-base to inform decision making.

  16. The Patient-Healthcare Professional Relationship and Communication in the Oncology Outpatient Setting: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Prip, Anne; Møller, Kirsten Alling; Nielsen, Dorte Lisbet; Jarden, Mary; Olsen, Marie-Helene; Danielsen, Anne Kjaergaard

    2017-07-27

    Today, cancer care and treatment primarily take place in an outpatient setting where encounters between patients and healthcare professionals are often brief. The aim of this study was to summarize the literature of adult patients' experiences of and need for relationships and communication with healthcare professionals during chemotherapy in the oncology outpatient setting. The systematic literature review was carried out according to PRISMA guidelines and the PICO framework, and a systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, CINAHL, The Cochrane Library, and Joanna Briggs Institute Evidence Based Practice Database. Nine studies were included, qualitative (n = 5) and quantitative (n = 4). The studies identified that the relationship between patients and healthcare professionals was important for the patients' ability to cope with cancer and has an impact on satisfaction of care, that hope and positivity are both a need and a strategy for patients with cancer and were facilitated by healthcare professionals, and that outpatient clinic visits framed and influenced communication and relationships. The relationship and communication between patients and healthcare professionals in the outpatient setting were important for the patients' ability to cope with cancer. Healthcare professionals need to pay special attention to the relational aspects of communication in an outpatient clinic because encounters are often brief. More research is needed to investigate the type of interaction and intervention that would be the most effective in supporting adult patients' coping during chemotherapy in an outpatient clinic.This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially without permission from the journal.

  17. The Effectiveness of Community-Based Nutrition Education on the Nutrition Status of Under-five Children in Developing Countries. A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Majamanda, J; Maureen, D; Munkhondia, T M; Carrier, J

    2014-12-01

    This systematic review aimed at examining the best available evidence on the effectiveness of community-based nutrition education in improving the nutrition status of under five children in developing countries. A systematic search of the literature was conducted utilising the following data bases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), EMBASE, Medline, and Web of Knowledge. 9 studies were identified for the critical appraisal process. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal check-list for experimental studies was utilised and two reviewers conducted the appraisal process independently. 7 studies were included for this review and data was extracted using the JBI data extraction form for experimental studies. The extracted data was heterogeneous as such narrative synthesis was conducted. The nutritional status of children in all studies improved and this was evidenced by increases in weight, height, mid upper arm circumference and reduced morbidity. Key messages about education were age at introduction of complementary foods, nutrition value on different types of feeds found locally and frequency of feeding the children. However, there were varied results regarding the effects of the intervention on the nutrition status of children. This was attributed by differences in implementers' characteristics, different intervention strategy and intensity, difference in age of the children at enrolment, pre-existing children's growth and nutritional status and follow-up periods. In addition to home visiting, conducting group meetings of care givers and community leaders, providing education twice a week and use of cooking demonstrations have shown that they produce highly significant findings. The evidence from the identified studies suggests that community- based nutrition education improves the nutrition status of under-five children in developing countries.

  18. Medical overuse in the Iranian healthcare system: a systematic review protocol.

    PubMed

    Arab-Zozani, Morteza; Pezeshki, Mohammad Zakaria; Khodayari-Zarnaq, Rahim; Janati, Ali

    2018-04-17

    Lack of resources is one of the main problems of all healthcare systems. Recent studies have shown that reducing the overuse of medical services plays an important role in reducing healthcare system costs. Overuse of medical services is a major problem in the healthcare system, and it threatens the quality of the services, can harm patients and create excess costs for patients. So far, few studies have been conducted in this regard in Iran. The main objective of this systematic review is to perform an inclusive search for studies that report overuse of medical services in the Iranian healthcare system. An extensive search of the literature will be conducted in six databases including PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane and Scientific Information Database using a comprehensive search strategy to identify studies on overuse of medical care. The search will be done without time limit until the end of 2017, completed by reference tracking, author tracking and expert consultation. The search will be conducted on 1 February 2018. Any study that reports an overuse in a service based on a specific standard will be included in the study. Two reviewers will screen the articles based on the title, abstract and full text, and extract data about type of service, clinical area and overuse rate. Quality appraisal will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist. Potential discrepancies will be resolved by consulting a third author. Recommendations will be made to the Iranian MOHME (Ministry of Health and Medical Education) in order to make better evidence-based decisions about medical services in the future. CRD42017075481. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  19. The impact of transitional care programs on health services utilization in community-dwelling older adults: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Weeks, Lori E; Macdonald, Marilyn; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Helwig, Melissa; Bishop, Andrea; Iduye, Damilola F; Moody, Elaine

    2018-02-01

    The objective was to identify and synthesize the best available evidence on the impact of transitional care programs on various forms of health services utilization in community-dwelling older adults. There is growing evidence that transitional care programs can help address important challenges facing health care systems and our increasing older adult population in many countries by reducing unnecessary health service utilization. There is a need for a systematic review of the research evaluating the impact of transitional care programs on hospital and other health service usage. The review included studies on community-dwelling adults age 60 and over with at least one medical diagnosis, and which evaluated the outcomes of transitional care programs on health system utilization of older adults. The outcomes for this review were hospital usage including admissions and readmissions, emergency department usage, primary care/physician usage, nursing home usage, and home health care usage. The review considered experimental and epidemiological study designs including randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, before and after studies, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, and case-control studies. A three-step search was utilized to find published and unpublished studies conducted in any country but reported in English. Six electronic databases were searched from inception of the database to May, 2016. A search for unpublished studies was also conducted. Methodological quality was assessed independently by two reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist for systematic reviews and research synthesis. Quantitative data were extracted from included studies independently by the two reviewers using the standardized Joanna Briggs Institute data extraction tools. Due to the methodological heterogeneity of the included studies, a comprehensive meta-analysis for all outcomes was not possible. Meta-analysis was conducted for rehospitalization at 30, 90 and 180 days. A narrative summary of other quantitative findings was conducted. Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. Nineteen of the studies were randomized controlled trials and four were case control studies, involving 20,997 participants in total with a mean age of 76. Meta-analysis found that transitional care significantly reduced hospital readmission rates at 30 days (odds ratio [OR] 0.75, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] 0.62-0.91, p < 0.01), 90 days (OR 0.77, 95% CIs 0.59-1.02, p = 0.04), and 180 days (OR 0.67, 95% CIs 0.46-0.99, p < 0.01). Narrative synthesis indicated little impact of transitional care on emergency department and nursing home usage, increased use of primary care/physician usage, and decreased home health care usage. Based on a review of 23 studies conducted in the USA, Hong Kong, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, we identified four major conclusions. First, transitional care reduces rehospitalization rates over time, with the largest effects seen at 30 days. Second, transitional care may increase the utilization of primary care services and thus have a favourable impact on preventative care. Third, transitional care may reduce home health usage. Fourth, transitional care interventions of one month or less appear to be as effective as longer interventions in reducing hospital usage.

  20. Interventions to build resilience in family caregivers of people living with dementia: a comprehensive systematic review.

    PubMed

    Petriwskyj, Andrea; Parker, Deborah; O'Dwyer, Siobhan; Moyle, Wendy; Nucifora, Nikki

    2016-06-01

    Recent studies have indicated that family caregivers of people with dementia have higher rates of depression, anxiety and hopelessness, as well as higher levels of burden, stress and distress. Not all caregivers, however, succumb to the negative effects of caring. Caregivers who are able to recover from, resist or adapt to the physical and psychological demands of caring can be considered "resilient". The objective of this review was to examine the existing evidence regarding interventions for building resilience in family caregivers of people living with dementia. This review considered studies that included family caregivers of people with dementia. Studies investigating interventions to build resilience in family caregivers were considered by the review. For qualitative studies, the phenomena of interest were family caregivers' experiences of the interventions including factors affecting implementation and their subjective experience of outcomes. Studies conducted in any cultural or geographical context and any settings including participants' homes in the community, residential aged care or hospital, medical or allied health practice were considered for inclusion. Quantitative studies incorporating experimental and descriptive study designs and qualitative studies, including, but not limited to, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research were considered for inclusion. Quantitative studies were included that contained either objective or subjective outcome measures (or a combination of both). In cases in which proxy measures of resilience were used, only those papers that explicitly related the aims of the intervention and the measurement of outcomes to resilience itself were considered for inclusion. Proxies could include, but were not limited to, self-efficacy, locus of control, perceived burden, psychological wellbeing, strength, coping, positive adjustment and resourcefulness. Qualitative studies were similarly considered for inclusion if they explicitly related the aims of the intervention to resilience. Eleven electronic databases were searched for research studies published in English in or after 1990. Quantitative and qualitative studies selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) and Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). Quantitative and qualitative data were extracted from publications included in the review using the standardized data extraction tools from JBI-MAStARI and JBI-QARI. It was not possible to pool quantitative findings for statistical meta-analysis using JBI-MAStARI. Qualitative research findings were too limited to be pooled using the JBI-QARI. The findings are presented in narrative form. The review included three publications reporting one quantitative intervention study and one mixed-method intervention study. There was a lack of available studies and, of the two intervention studies that were identified, neither found any statistically significant change in quantitative measures of resilience. Qualitative data suggested positive impacts of a poetry writing intervention and a positive experience of the intervention. The studies differed in both the nature of the intervention and the way resilience was conceptualized and operationalized. Consequently, it was not possible to offer any recommendations for practice. Implications for research relate to the development of a more comprehensive theory of resilience in family caregivers that can be used to develop and rigorously evaluate reliable and valid measures of resilience in line with that theory. Further, well-designed, sufficiently powered intervention studies informed by theory are needed.

  1. Survival outcomes following salvage surgery for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: systematic review.

    PubMed

    Kao, S S; Ooi, E H

    2018-04-01

    Recurrent oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma causes great morbidity and mortality. This systematic review analyses survival outcomes following salvage surgery for recurrent oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. A comprehensive search of various electronic databases was conducted. Studies included patients with recurrent or residual oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with salvage surgery. Primary outcomes were survival rates following salvage surgery. Secondary outcomes included time to recurrence, staging at time of recurrence, post-operative complications, and factors associated with mortality and recurrence. Methodological appraisal and data extraction were conducted as per Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Eighteen articles were included. The two- and five-year survival rates of the patients were 52 per cent and 30 per cent respectively. Improvements in treatment modalities for recurrent oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma were associated with improvements in two-year overall survival rates, with minimal change to five-year overall survival rates. Various factors were identified as being associated with long-term overall survival, thus assisting clinicians in patient counselling and selection for salvage surgery.

  2. Changes in physiological and behavioral parameters of preterm infants undergoing body hygiene: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Freitas, Patrícia de; Marques, Silvia Rezende; Alves, Taisy Bezerra; Takahashi, Juliana; Kimura, Amélia Fumiko

    2014-08-01

    Objective To verify the effect of bathing on the body temperature of preterm infants (PTI). Method Systematic review conducted in the following bibliographic electronic sources: Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde/Lilacs (BVS), Cumulated Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, PubMed, SCOPUS and Web of Science, using a combination of search terms, keywords and free terms. The review question was adjusted to the PICO acronym (Patient/population, Intervention, Control/comparative intervention, Outcome). The selected publications were evaluated according to levels of evidence and grades of recommendation for efficacy/effectiveness studies, as established by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Results Eight hundred and twenty four (824) publications were identified and four studies met the inclusion criteria, of which three analyzed the effect of sponge baths and the effect of immersion baths. Conclusion Sponge baths showed a statistically significant drop in body temperature, while in immersion baths the body temperature remained stable, although they studied late preterm infants.

  3. Ionospheric scintillation by a random phase screen Spectral approach

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rufenach, C. L.

    1975-01-01

    The theory developed by Briggs and Parkin, given in terms of an anisotropic gaussian correlation function, is extended to a spectral description specified as a continuous function of spatial wavenumber with an intrinsic outer scale as would be expected from a turbulent medium. Two spectral forms were selected for comparison: (1) a power-law variation in wavenumber with a constant three-dimensional index equal to 4, and (2) Gaussian spectral variation. The results are applied to the F-region ionosphere with an outer-scale wavenumber of 2 per km (approximately equal to the Fresnel wavenumber) for the power-law variation, and 0.2 per km for the Gaussian spectral variation. The power-law form with a small outer-scale wavenumber is consistent with recent F-region in-situ measurements, whereas the gaussian form is mathematically convenient and, hence, mostly used in the previous developments before the recent in-situ measurements. Some comparison with microwave scintillation in equatorial areas is made.

  4. Systematic review of health literacy in Cochrane database studies on paediatric asthma educational interventions: searching beyond rigorous design.

    PubMed

    Zeni, Mary Beth

    2012-03-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate if paediatric asthma educational intervention studies included in the Cochrane Collaboration database incorporated concepts of health literacy. Inclusion criteria were established to identify review categories in the Cochrane Collaboration database specific to paediatric asthma educational interventions. Articles that met the inclusion criteria were selected from the Cochrane Collaboration database in 2010. The health literacy definition from Healthy People 2010 was used to develop a 4-point a priori rating scale to determine the extent a study reported aspects of health literacy in the development of an educational intervention for parents and/or children. Five Cochrane review categories met the inclusion criteria; 75 studies were rated for health literacy content regarding educational interventions with families and children living with asthma. A priori criteria were used for the rating process. While 52 (69%) studies had no information pertaining to health literacy, 23 (31%) reported an aspect of health literacy. Although all studies maintained the rigorous standards of randomized clinical trials, a model of health literacy was not reported regarding the design and implementation of interventions. While a more comprehensive health literacy model for the development of educational interventions with families and children may have been available after the reviewed studies were conducted, general literacy levels still could have been addressed. The findings indicate a need to incorporate health literacy in the design of client-centred educational interventions and in the selection criteria of relevant Cochrane reviews. Inclusion assures that health literacy is as important as randomization and statistical analyses in the research design of educational interventions and may even assure participation of people with literacy challenges. © 2012 The Author. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2012 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  5. Demand-side financing measures to increase maternal health service utilisation and improve health outcomes: a systematic review of evidence from low- and middle-income countries.

    PubMed

    Murray, Susan F; Hunter, Benjamin M; Bisht, Ramila; Ensor, Tim; Bick, Debra

    2012-01-01

    In many countries financing for health services has traditionally been disbursed directly from governmental and non-governmental funding agencies to providers of services: the 'supply-side' of healthcare markets. Demand-side financing offers a supplementary model in which some funds are instead channelled through, or to, prospective users. In this review we considered evidence on five forms of demand-side financing that have been used to promote maternal health in developing countries: OBJECTIVES: The overall review objective was to assess the effects of demand-side financing interventions on maternal health service utilisation and on maternal health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries. Broader effects on perinatal and infant health, the situation of underprivileged women and the health care system were also assessed. This review considered poor, rural or socially excluded women of all ages who were either pregnant or within 42 days of the conclusion of pregnancy, the limit for postnatal care as defined by the World Health Organization. The review also considered the providers of services.The intervention of interest was any programme that incorporated demand-side financing as a mechanism to increase the consumption of goods and services that could impact on maternal health outcomes. This included the direct consumption of maternal health care goods and services as well as related 'merit goods' such as improved nutrition. We included systems in which potential users of maternal health services are financially empowered to make restricted decisions on buying maternal health-related goods or services - sometimes known as consumer-led demand-side financing. We also included programmes that provided unconditional cash benefits to pregnant women (for example in the form of maternity allowances), or to families with children under five years of age where there was evidence concerning maternal health outcomes.We aimed to include quantitative studies (experimental, observational and descriptive), qualitative studies (including designs based on phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research), and economic studies (cost-effectiveness, cost-utility and costs studies). The Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for mixed-method systematic reviews was adopted. A three-step systematic search strategy was used to: 1) identify key terms, 2) search bibliographic databases and 3) retrieve additional publications from reference lists and sources of grey literature. Data were extracted from papers included in the review using the standardised data extraction tools for quantitative, qualitative and economic data from the Joanna Briggs Institute System for the Unified Management, Assessment and Review of Information. The quantitative and economic findings are presented in narrative form. Qualitative research findings were pooled using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. This involved the aggregation or synthesis of findings to generate a set of statements that represent that aggregation, through assembling the findings (Level 1 findings), and categorising these findings on the basis of similarity in meaning (Level 2 findings). These categories were then subjected to a meta-synthesis in order to produce a single comprehensive set of synthesised findings (Level 3 findings) that can be used as a basis for evidence-based practice or policy. Seventy-two studies were included in the review. Drawing on work from several continents, many of the included studies were reports and evaluations for relevant government or funding agencies and represented important lesson-learning about implementation issues. However, fewer than half were published in peer reviewed journals and few were of high research quality.For three modes of demand-side financing (conditional cash transfers, payments to offset costs of access to maternal healthcare, and vouchers for maternity services) we found evidence relevant to review questions on the utilisation of maternal health services, barriers to the provision of demand-side financing and supply-side preconditions to implementing demand-side financing schemes. There was insufficient evidence to provide comprehensive answers for review questions on the effect of demand-side financing interventions on maternal, perinatal and infant health outcomes and on the social and financial situation of underprivileged women. There was also insufficient evidence on the cost-effectiveness of demand-side financing interventions and preconditions for sustainability and scale-up of demand-side financing schemes.Salient recommendations for policymakers regarding demand-side financing for maternal health derived from the current evidence are:There is a pressing need for large, robust studies on the short- and longer-term impact of demand-side financing on maternal and infant mortality and morbidity, which should also reflect 'good practice' indicators such as the uptake and duration of exclusive breastfeeding and compliance with infant immunisation programmes. It is also important that the impact on outcomes of subsequent pregnancies is evaluated. Moderate and large-sized demand-side financing programmes that have recently or will soon be scaled up, such as those in Kenya, Uganda and Bangladesh, represent the most obvious sites for such evaluations, and lessons may be learnt from Mexico's PROGRESA/ Oportunidades about how to establish a well-embedded monitoring and rigorous evaluation structure.Other important areas that require further study include.

  6. Appropriateness of using a symbol to identify dementia and/or delirium: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Hines, Sonia; Abbey, Jenny; Wilson, Jacinda; Sacre, Sandy

    2009-01-01

    Alzheimer's Australia contracted the Dementia Collaborative Research Centre - Consumers, Carers and Social Research to conduct a systematic review to explore the appropriateness of a symbol for dementia.The concept of a symbol for people with dementia was an outcome of the Alzheimer's Australia National Consumer Summit on Dementia held in Canberra in October 2005. People living with dementia and their carers identified that a national symbol would be helpful in order to encourage appropriate treatment of people with dementia.Funding was provided as part of the Australian Government's Dementia Initiative to Alzheimer's Australia to work in collaboration with the Queensland University of Technology and Catholic Health Australia to explore, through research, the viability and potential impact of such a symbol in a range of care settings. The main objective of this systematic review was to evaluate any published and unpublished evidence regarding the appropriateness of developing a symbol for dementia and/or delirium, which could be used in a variety of settings to indicate that a person has dementia and/or delirium. A literature search was performed using the following databases: Ageline, APAIS Health, CINAHL, Dissertations and Theses Abstracts, Embase, MEDLINE, PsycEXTRAS, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, Current Contents, LegalTrac, Health and Society, Sociological Abstracts, Family and Society, CINCH, and Hein Online databases. The reference lists of articles retrieved were hand searched, as well as a range of literature from health, legal, ethical and emergency services. Grey literature was searched for using a number of Internet sites, and personal email communication with authors of relevant studies and known researchers in the field was initiated. Papers were retrieved if they provided information about attitudes or perceptions towards the appropriateness of symbols, identifiers or alerts used to inform others that someone has dementia, delirium and/or another medical condition or functional impairment. Any references to symbols, identifiers or alerts being used to indicate a particular type of service were also considered. Retrieved papers were critically appraised by two reviewers, using tools developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Due to the type and clinical heterogeneity of papers retrieved, meta-analysis was not possible, and a narrative summary was developed instead. The systematic review revealed that several different symbols and identifiers are in current use, in various parts of the world, to represent a range of medical and functional conditions, including dementia, delirium, falls risk, diabetes, and vision impairment. According to the papers reviewed, the most commonly used colour of symbols representing dementia was blue. There was general consensus amongst the literature that a symbol for dementia is appropriate in the acute care setting. It was also clear from the research that an abstract symbol, as opposed to one which explicitly attempts to depict dementia, was most acceptable to staff, people with dementia and their carers. There appeared to be some support for the use of a body worn symbol (on a bracelet) for people with dementia who may go missing from their home, aged care facility or day centre. Future research should concentrate on the appropriateness of a dementia symbol for commonly used services such as public transport and banking, and the acceptability of large scale marketing campaigns if a dementia symbol were to be introduced at a state or national level. In addition, further research is recommended into the acceptability of such a symbol across a wide range of different cultural and linguistic groups.

  7. Alcohol withdrawal management in adult patients in a high acuity medical surgical transitional care unit: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Sukhenko, Olga

    2016-01-15

    Excessive alcohol consumption, a major health problem worldwide, affects about 6% of the United States population. Caring for patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome in a hospital ward presents complex physiologic and psycho-social challenges which are best met with evidence-based practices. An academic medical center in the United States has been experiencing an increase in patients with alcohol withdrawal syndrome. However, gaps in clinician knowledge and infrastructure supporting the management of these patients still existed. The aim of this project was to improve the continuity of care of patients undergoing alcohol withdrawal in a medical surgical high acuity transitional care unit by incorporating evidence-based practices, and thereby to positively impact on patient outcomes. Specific objectives were related to standardized assessments and pharmacologic management strategies. The project used the Joanna Briggs Institute's Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice audit tool for promoting change in health practice. A baseline clinical audit was conducted to assess compliance with best practices for managing alcohol withdrawal syndrome, which was followed by several interventions targeted at nurses and providers. A follow-up audit was conducted to assess compliance with the implemented strategies. The follow-up audit used the same evidence-based audit criteria as those used for the baseline audit. A non-probabilistic, convenience sampling approach was used. A sample size of 15 patients was used for both the baseline and follow-up audits. The baseline audit revealed a high compliance rate for four of the five audit criteria concerning risk assessment and pharmacologic strategies. There was sub-optimal compliance (53%) with the criterion regarding use of the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment of Alcohol Scale (revised) (CIWA-Ar) scale to assess patients with alcohol withdrawal. After the interventions were implemented this criterion recorded an improvement to 100% compliance. None of the patients in the pilot were transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) for reasons relating to alcohol withdrawal. The outcomes of this project demonstrated alcohol withdrawal management can be safely undertaken outside the ICU when the patients are appropriately assessed and treated for the severity of their withdrawal symptoms. This new clinical program significantly impacted on continuity of care. Challenges were resolved using an interdisciplinary team approach. The project resulted in plans for further areas of work concerning alcohol withdrawal management, including adoption of similar approaches by other acute and transitional care units. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  8. Holocene sea level, a semi-empirical contemplation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bittermann, Klaus; Kemp, Andrew; Vermeer, Martin; Rahmstorf, Stefan

    2017-04-01

    Holocene eustatic sea level from approximately -10,000-1800 CE was characterized by an increase of about 60 m, with the rate progressively slowing down until sea level almost stabilizes between 500-1800 CE. Global and northern-hemisphere temperatures rose from the last glacial termination until the 'Holocene Optimum'. From there, up to the start of the recent anthropogenic rise, they almost steadily decline. How are the sea-level and temperature evolutions linked? We investigate this with a semi-empirical sea-level model. We found that, due to the nature of Milankovitch forcing, northern-hemisphere temperature (we used the Greenland temperature by Vinther et al., 2009) is a better model driver than global mean temperature because the evolving mass of northern-hemisphere land ice was the dominant cause of Holocene global sea-level trends. The adjustment timescale for this contribution is 1200 years (900-1500 years; 90% confidence interval). To fit the observed sea-level history, the model requires a small additional constant rate (Bittermann 2016). This rate turns out to be of the same order of magnitude as reconstructions of Antarctic sea-level contributions (Briggs et al. 2014, Golledge et al. 2014). In reality this contribution is unlikely to be constant but rather has a dominant timescale that is large compared to the time considered. We thus propose that Holocene sea level can be described by a linear combination of a temperature driven rate, which becomes negative in the late Holocene (as Northern Hemisphere ice masses are diminished), and a positive, approximately constant term (possibly from Antarctica), which starts to dominate from the middle of the Holocene until the start of industrialization. Bibliography: Bittermann, K. 2016. Semi-empirical sea-level modelling. PhD Thesis University of Potsdam. Briggs, R.D., Pollard, D., & Tarasov, L. 2014. A data-constrained large ensemble analysis of Antarctic evolution since the Eemian. Quaternary science reviews, 103, 91-115. Golledge, N.R., Menviel, L., Carter, L., Fogwill, C.J., England, M.H., Cortese, G., & Levy, R.H. 2014. Antarctic contribution to meltwater pulse 1A from reduced Southern Ocean overturning. Nature communications, 5, 5107. Vinther, B.M., Buchardt, S.L., Clausen, H.B., Dahl-Jensen, D., Johnsen, S.J., Fisher, D.A., Koerner, R.M., Raynaud, D., Lipenkov, V., Andersen, K.K., Blunier, T., Rasmussen, S.O., Steffensen, J.P., & Svensson, A.M. 2009. Holocene thinning of the Greenland ice sheet. Nature, 461(7262), 385-388.

  9. The personal active aging strategies of older adults in Europe: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

    PubMed

    Klugar, Miloslav; Čáp, Juraj; Klugarová, Jitka; Marečková, Jana; Roberson, Donald N; Kelnarová, Zuzana

    2016-05-01

    There is a consensus that the aging population is beginning to impact on many facets of our life. They have more medical problems and the potential to "drain" the focus of the medical community, as well as national budgets with their accompanying medical bills. Personal strategies related to active aging will help us to better understand and identify how older adults in Europe prepare themselves for the natural process of aging and what are their personal approaches to active aging. The objective of this review was to synthesize the best available evidence regarding the older adult's perspective on the personal strategies related to active aging among older adults in Europe. This review considered studies that included older adults (age over 55 years) who live in Europe. This review considered studies that investigated older adults' perspectives on (any) personal strategies related to active aging. Europe (considering "some similarity" in health care systems and retirement policies). This review considered any qualitative designs. A three-step search strategy was used to identify published and unpublished studies. The extensive search process was conducted in October 2014 and considered published and unpublished studies from the inception of databases until October 2014. Studies published in any language which had an abstract in English, Czech and Slovak languages were considered for inclusion in this review. Studies were appraised for methodological quality by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). Data were extracted from the papers included in the review by two independent reviewers using the standardized JBI-QARI data extraction tool. Data synthesis was performed using the meta-aggregation approach of meta-synthesis recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Fourteen studies were included in this systematic review. From these 14 studies, 42 findings were extracted; findings were synthesized into four categories: (1) positive approach to life, (2) mental, social and physical activities, (3) adaptation, and (4) financial independence. Categories were synthesized into two synthesized findings: (1) if older adults adapt to changing situations and choose a positive attitude, they can find an active way to live and also a mission and meaning in their lives, (2) if older adults learn new activities, participate in exercise, keep balanced relationships and manage their financial resources, they will stay mentally, socially and physically active, and also financially responsible. If older Europeans learn new activities, participate in exercise, keep balanced relationships and manage their financial resources, they will stay mentally, socially and physically active, and also financially responsible.

  10. An evidence-based approach to the prevention and initial management of skin tears within the aged community setting: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Beechey, Rebekah; Priest, Laura; Peters, Micah; Moloney, Clint

    2015-06-12

    Maintaining skin integrity in a community setting is an ongoing issue, as research suggests that the prevalence of skin tears within the community is greater than that in an institutional setting. While skin tear prevention and management principles in these settings are similar to those in an acute care setting, consideration of the environmental and psychological factors of the client is pivotal to prevention in a community setting. Evidence suggests that home environment assessment, education for clients and care givers, and being proactive in improving activities of daily living in a community setting can significantly reduce the risk of sustaining skin tears. The aim of this implementation project was to assess and review current skin tear prevention and management practices within the community setting, and from this, to implement an evidence-based approach in the education of clients and staff on the prevention of skin tears. As well. the project aims to implement evidence-based principles to guide clinical practice in relation to the initial management of skin tears, and to determine strategies to overcome barriers and non-compliance. The project utilized the Joanna Brigg's Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System audit tool for promoting changes in the community health setting. The implementation of this particular project is based in a region within Anglicare Southern Queensland. A small team was established and a baseline audit carried out. From this, multiple strategies were implemented to address non-compliance which included education resources for clients and caregivers, staff education sessions, and creating skin integrity kits to enable staff members to tend to skin tears, and from this a follow-up audit undertaken. Baseline audit results were slightly varied, from good to low compliance. From this, the need for staff and client education was highlighted. There were many improvements in the audit criteria following client and staff education sessions and staff self-directed learning packages. Future strategies required to sustain improvements in practice and make further progress are to introduce a readily available Anglicare Skin Integrity Assessment Tool to the nursing staff for undertaking new client admissions over 65 years, and to provide ongoing education to staff members, clients and care givers in order to reduce the prevalence of skin tears in the community setting. This implementation project demonstrated the importance of education of personal care workers, clients and their caregivers for prevention of skin tears in the community setting. This in turn created autonomy and empowered clients to take control of their health. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  11. International practice settings, interventions and outcomes of nurse practitioners in geriatric care: A scoping review.

    PubMed

    Chavez, Krista S; Dwyer, Andrew A; Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie

    2018-02-01

    To identify and summarize the common clinical settings, interventions, and outcomes of nurse practitioner care specific to older people. Scoping review of the international published and grey literature. A structured literature search was conducted of CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, and Cochrane Collaboration and Joanna Briggs Institute databases. Following the Arksey and O'Malley framework, randomized controlled and quasi-experimental studies of Masters-prepared nurse practitioners providing care for patients over 65 years were included. Studies were reviewed independently by two investigators. Data were extracted, collated by setting, summarized in tables and synthesized for analysis. In total, 56 primary research studies from four countries and 23 systematic reviews were identified. Primary studies were conducted in primary care (n=13), home care (n=14), long-term care (n=10), acute/hospital care (n=9), and transitional care (n=10). Nurse practitioner interventions included substitutive as well as a supplementation NP role elements to meet specific unmet patient care needs. Studies examined six main outcome measures: service utilization (n=41), cost (n=24), length of stay (n=14), health indices (n=44), satisfaction (n=14) and quality of life (n=7). Cumulatively, nurse practitioners demonstrated enhanced results in 83/144 (58%) of outcomes compared to physician-only or usual care. The most commonly measured financial-related outcome was service utilization (n=41) and benefits were frequently reported in home care (8/9, 89%) and long-term care (7/10, 70%) settings. Among patient and care-related outcomes health indices were most frequently measured (n=44). Primary care most frequently reported improved health indices (11/13, 85%). Transitional care reported improved outcomes across all measures, except for service utilization. This review demonstrates improved or non-inferiority results of nurse practitioner care in older people across settings. More well-designed, rigorous studies are needed particularly in relation to costs. The results of this review could be used for future systemic review of effectiveness of NP care specific to older people. Despite the demonstrated NP role value, barriers to implementing the nurse practitioner role persist internationally and more work is needed to develop and promote these roles. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  12. Applications of instructional design theory to lesson planning for Superfund incident commander training

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Mansfield, N.J.

    1992-01-01

    The increasing number of hazardous materials accidents in the United States has resulted in new federal regulations addressing the emergency response activities associated with chemical releases. A significant part of these new federal standards (29 CFR 1910.120 and 40 CFR Part 311) requires compliance with specific criteria by all personnel involved in a hazardous material emergency. This study investigated alternative lesson design models applicable to instruction for hazardous material emergencies. A specialized design checklist was created based on the work of Gagne, Briggs, and Wager (1988), Merrill (1987), and Clark (1989). This checklist was used in the development of lessonmore » plan templates for the hazardous materials incident commander course. Qualitative data for establishing learning objectives was collected by conducting a needs assessment and a job analysis of the incident commander position. Incident commanders from 14 public and private organizations participated in the needs assessment process. Technical information for the lessons was collected from appropriate governmental agencies. The implementation of the checklist and lesson plans can contribute to assuring quality training for incident commanders throughout the United States.« less

  13. Phenolic acids profile, antioxidant and antibacterial activity of chamomile, common yarrow and immortelle (Asteraceae).

    PubMed

    Mekinić, Ivana Generalić; Skroza, Danijela; Ljubenkov, Ivica; Krstulović, Luka; Možina, Sonja Smole; Katalinić, Višnja

    2014-12-01

    Chamomile, common yarrow and immortelle ethanolic extracts were chemically analysed with respect to phenolics. Twelve phenolic acids were separated and identified by HPLC-DAD and the presence of rosmarinic acid was additionally confirmed by LC-MS. Five methods were applied for the evaluation of extracts' antioxidant properties (FRAP, DPPH, ABTS, chelating activity, Briggs-Rauscher reaction), while the antibacterial activity was tested against some of the major food-borne pathogens (Campylobacter coli, Escherichia coli, Salmonella Infantis, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus). Immortelle extract was the richest in phenolics with a dominant flavonoid fraction, while the other two extracts contained higher amount of non-flavonoids. The phenolic acid profile also varied; high concentration of rosmarinic acid was found in chamomile and common yarrow, while caffeic acid was dominant in immortelle. The best antioxidant properties were obtained for chamomile extract, while good antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram-positive bacterial species, was detected for immortelle. The obtained results could be used as a tool for chemotaxonomic classification of the investigated plants or for their potential application as natural antioxidants/antimicrobials.

  14. Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Technology in Regenerative Medicine and Biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pei, Duanqing; Xu, Jianyong; Zhuang, Qiang; Tse, Hung-Fat; Esteban, Miguel A.

    The potential of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) for regenerative medicine is unquestionable, but practical and ethical considerations have hampered clinical application and research. In an attempt to overcome these issues, the conversion of somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells similar to ESCs, commonly termed nuclear reprogramming, has been a top objective of contemporary biology. More than 40 years ago, King, Briggs, and Gurdon pioneered somatic cell nuclear reprogramming in frogs, and in 1981 Evans successfully isolated mouse ESCs. In 1997 Wilmut and collaborators produced the first cloned mammal using nuclear transfer, and then Thomson obtained human ESCs from in vitro fertilized blastocysts in 1998. Over the last 2 decades we have also seen remarkable findings regarding how ESC behavior is controlled, the importance of which should not be underestimated. This knowledge allowed the laboratory of Shinya Yamanaka to overcome brilliantly conceptual and technical barriers in 2006 and generate induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from mouse fibroblasts by overexpressing defined combinations of ESC-enriched transcription factors. Here, we discuss some important implications of human iPSCs for biology and medicine and also point to possible future directions.

  15. Nursing home nurses' perceptions of emergency transfers from nursing homes to hospital: A review of qualitative studies using systematic methods.

    PubMed

    O'Neill, Barbara; Parkinson, Lynne; Dwyer, Trudy; Reid-Searl, Kerry

    2015-01-01

    The aim is to describe nursing home nurses' perceptions around emergency transfers to hospital. Transfers are costly and traumatic for residents, and efforts are underway to avoid hospitalization. Nurses play a key role in transfers, yet their views are underreported. A systematic review of qualitative studies was undertaken, guided by Joanna Briggs Institute methods. From seven reviewed studies, it was clear nursing home nurses are challenged by the complexity of the transfer process and understand their need for appropriate clinical knowledge, skills and resources. Communication is important, yet nurses often use persuasive and targeted communication. Ambiguity, strained relationships and negative perceptions of residents' experiences around hospitalization contribute to conflict and uncertainty. Nurses are more confident when there is a plan. Transferring a resident is a complex process and special skills, knowledge and resources are required, but may be lacking. Efforts to formalize the transfer process and improve communication and collaboration amongst all stakeholders is needed and would be well received. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. The role of family and friends in providing social support towards enhancing the wellbeing of postpartum women: a comprehensive systematic review.

    PubMed

    Ni, Phang Koh; Siew Lin, Serena Koh

    2011-01-01

    Maternal postpartum health is a neglected area both in research and practice. This aspect warrants more attention as the health of postpartum mothers has a considerable influence on her infant and also other family members. Social support provided by family and friends has been identified as a buffer against the many stressors faced by the women. Outcomes such as self-esteem, stress, postnatal depression, breastfeeding levels, infant care, and maternal adaptation have been studied and found to be significantly related to social support. The need to understand the role of social support provided by family and friends provide the impetus for conducting this review. The objective of this systematic review was to appraise and synthesise the best available evidence which discusses the impact of social support from family and friends on enhancing the wellbeing of postpartum women. This review includes women who were within their first year postpartum period, with any number of children, and had given birth to healthy infants. Mothers who had co-existing morbidities such as depression were excluded. Mothers from low socio-economic groups were excluded.This review considered any study that involved the provision of social support by family and/or friends. Interventions provided by peer counsellors were also considered.The six outcomes were stress, self esteem, breastfeeding levels, mental health in relation to postnatal depression, infant care and maternal adaptation.Quantitative This review considered any randomised controlled trials that examined the effectiveness of social support from family and friends on the well being of the postpartum women. As it was not likely to find RCTs on this topic, this review also considered observational studies (cohort, case control, quantitative descriptive studies such as surveys).Qualitative This review considered any interpretive studies that drew on the experiences of social support from family and friends in postpartum women including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory and ethnography.The search was conducted only in published literature in English. A search was conducted in the following databases: PsycINFO, MEDLINE, CINAHL, SCOPUS, THE COCHRANE LIBRARY, BMJ Clinical Evidence, Wiley Interscience, ScienceDirect and MEDNAR.Each paper was assessed independently by two reviewers prior to critical appraisal using Joanna Briggs Institute-System for the Unified Management, Assessment and Review of Information (JBI-SUMARI) developed by Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Qualitative and quantitative data were extracted using the tools from the JBI-SUMARI DATA SYNTHESIS: Qualitative data was synthesised using QARI (Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument). Quantitative data could not be pooled due to the lack of comparable RCTs or cohort studies and was thus presented in a narrative form. This review included 24 quantitative articles, comprising of two RCTs and 22 descriptive studies. From these studies, social support was shown to have a significant positive correlation with outcomes such as breastfeeding, infant care, maternal adaptation, and self esteem. In addition, social support was shown to have a negative correlation with the levels of stress and postnatal depression. This indicated that increasing the social support of postpartum women will promote breastfeeding, infant care, maternal adaptation and self esteem. Rendering social support also aids in buffering their levels of stress and postnatal depression.Three qualitative articles were included in this review. Meta-synthesis of the qualitative findings yielded 17 findings which were grouped into seven categories and then further categorised into one synthesised finding which was, "Motherhood as a period of learning, adjustment, seeking positive social support whilst buffering against stressors'. This synthesised finding suggested that social support offered by family and friends has both positive and negative effects with which the postpartum mothers have to learn to cope. Family members such as the partners and grandmothers should be involved in the provision of care towards the postpartum women. The support from peer volunteers may also contribute to the desired health outcomes. Healthcare professionals ought to be equipped with the knowledge on social support so that they can better assess the needs of the postpartum women and develop a support plan.Further research is necessary to better understand the negative effects of social support and to test interventions to buffer them. The effectiveness of the various types of social support interventions should be subject to further testing in future research. Further research may help to identify which support provider is more effective in enhancing a particular health outcome.

  17. Strategies to Prevent or Reduce Gender Bias in Peer Review of Research Grants: A Rapid Scoping Review.

    PubMed

    Tricco, Andrea C; Thomas, Sonia M; Antony, Jesmin; Rios, Patricia; Robson, Reid; Pattani, Reena; Ghassemi, Marco; Sullivan, Shannon; Selvaratnam, Inthuja; Tannenbaum, Cara; Straus, Sharon E

    2017-01-01

    To review the literature on strategies implemented or identified to prevent or reduce gender bias in peer review of research grants. Studies of any type of qualitative or quantitative design examining interventions to reduce or prevent gender bias during the peer review of health-related research grants were included. Electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), PsycINFO, Joanna Briggs, the Cochrane Library, Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) Reviews, and the Campbell Library were searched from 2005 to April 2016. A search for grey (i.e., difficult to locate or unpublished) literature was conducted and experts in the field were consulted to identify additional potentially relevant articles. Two individuals screened titles and abstracts, full-text articles, and abstracted data with discrepancies resolved by a third person consistently. After screening 5524 citations and 170 full-text articles, one article evaluating gender-blinding of grant applications using an uncontrolled before-after study design was included. In this study, 891 applications for long-term fellowships in 2006 were included and 47% of the applicants were women. These were scored by 13 peer reviewers (38% were women). The intervention included eliminating references to gender from the applications, letters of recommendations, and interview reports that were sent to the committee members for evaluation. The proportion of successful applications led by women did not change with gender-blinding, although the number of successful applications that were led by men increased slightly. There is limited research on interventions to mitigate gender bias in the peer review of grants. Only one study was identified and no difference in the proportion of women who were successful in receiving grant funding was observed. Our results suggest that interventions to prevent gender bias should be adapted and tested in the context of grant peer review to determine if they will have an impact.

  18. Implementing evidence in an onco-haematology nursing unit: a process of change using participatory action research.

    PubMed

    Abad-Corpa, Eva; Delgado-Hito, Pilar; Cabrero-García, Julio; Meseguer-Liza, Cristobal; Zárate-Riscal, Carmen Lourdes; Carrillo-Alcaraz, Andrés; Martínez-Corbalán, José Tomás; Caravaca-Hernández, Amor

    2013-03-01

    To implement evidence in a nursing unit and to gain a better understanding of the experience of change within a participatory action research. Study design of a participatory action research type was use from the constructivist paradigm. The analytical-methodological decisions were inspired by Checkland Flexible Systems for evidence implementation in the nursing unit. The study was carried out between March and November 2007 in the isolation unit section for onco-haematological patients in a tertiary level general university hospital in Spain. Accidental sampling was carried out with the participation of six nurses. Data were collected using five group meetings and individual reflections in participants' dairies. The participant observation technique was also carried out by researchers. Data analysis was carried out by content analysis. The rigorous criteria were used: credibility, confirmability, dependence, transferability and reflexivity. A lack of use of evidence in clinical practice is the main problem. The factors involved were identified (training, values, beliefs, resources and professional autonomy). Their daily practice (complexity in taking decisions, variability, lack of professional autonomy and safety) was compared with an ideal situation (using evidence it will be possible to normalise practice and to work more effectively in teams by increasing safety and professional recognition). It was decided to create five working areas about several clinical topics (mucositis, pain, anxiety, satisfaction, nutritional assessment, nauseas and vomiting, pressure ulcers and catheter-related problems) and seven changes in clinical practice were agreed upon together with 11 implementation strategies. Some reflections were made about the features of the study: the changes produced; the strategies used and how to improve them; the nursing 'subculture'; attitudes towards innovation; and the commitment as participants in the study and as healthcare professionals. The findings throw light on the process of change in the healthcare sector. The results are useful to modify nursing practice based on evidence. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2013 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  19. Strategies to Prevent or Reduce Gender Bias in Peer Review of Research Grants: A Rapid Scoping Review

    PubMed Central

    Tricco, Andrea C.; Thomas, Sonia M.; Antony, Jesmin; Rios, Patricia; Robson, Reid; Pattani, Reena; Ghassemi, Marco; Sullivan, Shannon; Selvaratnam, Inthuja; Tannenbaum, Cara; Straus, Sharon E.

    2017-01-01

    Objective To review the literature on strategies implemented or identified to prevent or reduce gender bias in peer review of research grants. Methods Studies of any type of qualitative or quantitative design examining interventions to reduce or prevent gender bias during the peer review of health-related research grants were included. Electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), PsycINFO, Joanna Briggs, the Cochrane Library, Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) Reviews, and the Campbell Library were searched from 2005 to April 2016. A search for grey (i.e., difficult to locate or unpublished) literature was conducted and experts in the field were consulted to identify additional potentially relevant articles. Two individuals screened titles and abstracts, full-text articles, and abstracted data with discrepancies resolved by a third person consistently. Results After screening 5524 citations and 170 full-text articles, one article evaluating gender-blinding of grant applications using an uncontrolled before-after study design was included. In this study, 891 applications for long-term fellowships in 2006 were included and 47% of the applicants were women. These were scored by 13 peer reviewers (38% were women). The intervention included eliminating references to gender from the applications, letters of recommendations, and interview reports that were sent to the committee members for evaluation. The proportion of successful applications led by women did not change with gender-blinding, although the number of successful applications that were led by men increased slightly. Conclusions There is limited research on interventions to mitigate gender bias in the peer review of grants. Only one study was identified and no difference in the proportion of women who were successful in receiving grant funding was observed. Our results suggest that interventions to prevent gender bias should be adapted and tested in the context of grant peer review to determine if they will have an impact. PMID:28061509

  20. The role of academic health centres in building equitable health systems: a systematic review protocol

    PubMed Central

    Edelman, Alexandra; Taylor, Judy; Ovseiko, Pavel V; Topp, Stephanie M

    2017-01-01

    Introduction Academic health centres (AHCs) are complex organisations often defined by their ‘tripartite’ mission: to achieve high standards of clinical care, undertake clinical and laboratory research and educate health professionals. In the last decade, AHCs have moved away from what was a dominant focus on high impact (clinical) interventions for individuals, towards a more population-oriented paradigm requiring networked institutions and responsiveness to a range of issues including distribution of health outcomes and health determinants. Reflective of this paradigm shift is a growing interest in the role of AHCs in addressing health disparities and improving health system equity. This protocol outlines a systematic review that seeks to synthesise and critically appraise the current state of evidence on the role of AHCs in contributing to equitable health systems locally and globally. Methods and analysis Electronic searches will be conducted on a pilot list of bibliographic databases, including Google Scholar, Scopus, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, ERIC, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, Cochrane Library, Evidence Based Medicine Reviews, Campbell Library and A+ Education, from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2016. Apart from studies reporting clinical interventions or trials, all types of published peer-reviewed and grey literature will be included in the review. The single screening method will be employed in selecting studies, with two additional reviewers consulted where allocation is unclear. Quality and relevance appraisal utilising Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools will follow data extraction to a preprepared template. Thematic synthesis will be undertaken to develop descriptive themes and inform analysis. Ethics and dissemination As the review is focused on the analysis of secondary data, it does not require ethics approval. The results of the study will be disseminated through articles in peer-reviewed journals and trade publications as well as presentations at relevant national and international conferences. Results will be further disseminated through networks and associations of AHCs. Protocol registration International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) number CRD42016051802. PMID:28554932

  1. Engaging policy-makers, heath system managers, and policy analysts in the knowledge synthesis process: a scoping review.

    PubMed

    Tricco, Andrea C; Zarin, Wasifa; Rios, Patricia; Nincic, Vera; Khan, Paul A; Ghassemi, Marco; Diaz, Sanober; Pham, Ba'; Straus, Sharon E; Langlois, Etienne V

    2018-02-12

    It is unclear how to engage a wide range of knowledge users in research. We aimed to map the evidence on engaging knowledge users with an emphasis on policy-makers, health system managers, and policy analysts in the knowledge synthesis process through a scoping review. We used the Joanna Briggs Institute guidance for scoping reviews. Nine electronic databases (e.g., MEDLINE), two grey literature sources (e.g., OpenSIGLE), and reference lists of relevant systematic reviews were searched from 1996 to August 2016. We included any type of study describing strategies, barriers and facilitators, or assessing the impact of engaging policy-makers, health system managers, and policy analysts in the knowledge synthesis process. Screening and data abstraction were conducted by two reviewers independently with a third reviewer resolving discrepancies. Frequency and thematic analyses were conducted. After screening 8395 titles and abstracts followed by 394 full-texts, 84 unique documents and 7 companion reports fulfilled our eligibility criteria. All 84 documents were published in the last 10 years, and half were prepared in North America. The most common type of knowledge synthesis with knowledge user engagement was a systematic review (36%). The knowledge synthesis most commonly addressed an issue at the level of national healthcare system (48%) and focused on health services delivery (17%) in high-income countries (86%). Policy-makers were the most common (64%) knowledge users, followed by healthcare professionals (49%) and government agencies as well as patients and caregivers (34%). Knowledge users were engaged in conceptualization and design (49%), literature search and data collection (52%), data synthesis and interpretation (71%), and knowledge dissemination and application (44%). Knowledge users were most commonly engaged as key informants through meetings and workshops as well as surveys, focus groups, and interviews either in-person or by telephone and emails. Knowledge user content expertise/awareness was a common facilitator (18%), while lack of time or opportunity to participate was a common barrier (12%). Knowledge users were most commonly engaged during the data synthesis and interpretation phases of the knowledge synthesis conduct. Researchers should document and evaluate knowledge user engagement in knowledge synthesis. Open Science Framework ( https://osf.io/4dy53/ ).

  2. Effectiveness of teaching strategies on the development of critical thinking in undergraduate nursing students: a meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Oliveira, Larissa Bertacchini de; Díaz, Leidy Johanna Rueda; Carbogim, Fábio da Costa; Rodrigues, Adriano Rogério Baldacin; Püschel, Vilanice Alves de Araújo

    2016-04-01

    To evaluate the effectiveness of teaching strategies used for development of critical thinking (CT) in undergraduate nursing students. Systematic review with meta-analysis based on the recommendations of the Joanna Briggs Institute . Searches were conducted in the following databases: PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, LILACS, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO, ERIC, and a database of theses from four continents. The initial selection and evaluation of studies and assessment of methodological quality was performed by two reviewers independently. Twelve randomized clinical trials were included in the study. In the meta-analysis of the four studies included that evaluated the strategy of problem-based learning (PBL), compared to lectures, the effectiveness of PBL was demonstrated with statistical significance (SMD = 0.21 and 95% CI = 0.01 to 0.42; p = 0.0434) for the development of CT in undergraduate nursing students, and the studies were homogeneous (chi-square = 6.10, p = 0.106). The effectiveness of PBL was demonstrated in the increase of overall CT scores. Further studies need to be conducted in order to develop, implement and evaluate teaching strategies that are guided in high methodological rigor, and supported in theoretical models of teaching and learning. Avaliar a efetividade das estratégias de ensino utilizadas para o desenvolvimento do pensamento crítico (PC) em estudantes de graduação em Enfermagem. Revisão sistemática com metanálise baseada nas recomendações do Joanna Briggs Institute. A busca foi realizada nas bases de dados PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, Web of Science, SCOPUS, LILACS, Cochrane CENTRAL, PsycINFO e ERIC e de banco de teses dos quatro continentes. A seleção e avaliação inicial dos estudos e a avaliação da qualidade metodológica foi realizada por dois revisores de forma independente. Incluídos 12 ensaios clínico randomizados. Na metanálise, dos quatro estudos incluídos que avaliaram a estratégia do Problem Based Learning (PBL), comparada a palestras, foi demonstrada a efetividade do PBL, estatisticamente significativa (SMD=0,21 e 95% IC=0,01-0,42; p=0,0434) para o desenvolvimento do PC em estudantes de graduação em Enfermagem e os estudos eram homogêneos (Qui-quadrado=6,10, p=0,106). Foi demonstrada a efetividade do PBL no aumento dos escores de PC global. Novos estudos precisam ser feitos com o objetivo de desenvolver, implementar e avaliar estratégias de ensino, que sejam pautadas em alto rigor metodológico e amparadas em modelos teóricos de ensino-aprendizagem.

  3. Physical therapy interventions for gross motor skills in people with an intellectual disability aged 6 years and over: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Hocking, Judith; McNeil, Julian; Campbell, Jared

    2016-12-01

    The systematic review was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of physical therapy interventions for improving gross motor skills (GMSs) in people with an intellectual disability aged 6 years and older. There is a lack of physical therapy research for GMSs in this population, and no prior systematic review. People with an intellectual disability may require specific teaching approaches within therapy interventions to accommodate their cognitive and learning needs. People with an intellectual disability who suffer from GMS deficits can benefit from physical therapy to help improve their GMSs. Data sources were PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and ProQuest. Reference lists of relevant identified articles were also hand searched. Papers published in English from 1 January 2008 to 22 October 2014 were considered for inclusion. This start date was chosen to reflect the tenets of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities which was ratified in 2008.Eligible study designs for inclusion were randomized controlled trial (RCT), pseudo-RCT, repeated measures, and case report. Overall, 887 potential articles were identified, of which 42 were retrieved for full-text review, and seven were finally included. Critical appraisal was independently conducted by two reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal checklists; no articles were excluded following critical appraisal. Data extraction was performed using Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument data extraction instruments. High heterogeneity between the studies precluded meta-analysis of the results; a narrative synthesis was completed instead. Two RCTs, two pseudo-RCTs, two repeated measures studies, and one case report were included. Studies varied in regard to participants' intellectual disability, and the clinical interventions used. Interventions were well tolerated with negligible adverse effects. Significant improvements were reported for cadence and nondimensionalized gait velocity following body-weight-supported gait training; cadence following lower limb strengthening exercises; and the Gross Motor Function Measure-88 measures following adapted judo training. These results suggest that task-specific training may be useful. However, the overall quality of evidence was low. The evidence identified by this systematic review supporting physical therapy for improving GMSs in people with an intellectual disability was limited because of the low quality of studies (only two were RCTs) and only three statistically significant findings. Given the current paucity of evidence, a future systematic review, which sought to identify evidence regarding interventions used by a range of health and education professionals for improving GMSs in people with an intellectual disability, could provide a broader evidence base for clinical interventions which may be utilized by physical therapists.

  4. Effectiveness of nurse-led patient-centered care behavioral risk modification on secondary prevention of coronary heart disease: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Chiang, Chung-Yan; Choi, Kai-Chow; Ho, Ka-Ming; Yu, Sau-Fung

    2018-04-22

    Despite establishment of advocacies centered on using patient-centered care to improve disease-related behavioral changes and health outcomes, studies have seldom discussed incorporation of patient-centered care concept in the design of secondary cardiac prevention. This review aimed to identify, appraise, and examine existing evidence on the effectiveness of nurse-led patient-centered care for secondary cardiac prevention in patients with coronary heart disease. A systematic review of randomized controlled trials focusing on nurse-led patient-centered care for secondary cardiac prevention was conducted. Primary outcomes were behavioral risks (e.g. smoking, physical activity), secondary outcomes were clinically relevant physiological parameters (e.g. body weight, blood pressure, blood glucose, blood lipoproteins), health-related quality of life, mortality, and self efficacy. Twenty-three English and seven Chinese electronic databases were searched to identify the trials. The studies' eligibility and methodological quality were assessed by two reviewers independently according to the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines. Statistical heterogeneities of the included studies were assessed by Higgins I2 and quantitative pooling was performed when studies showed sufficient comparability. 15 articles on 12 randomized controlled trials were included in this review. Methodological quality of the included studies was fair. Based on the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tool for experimental studies, the included studies had met a mean of six criteria out the ten in this appraisal tool. The meta-analyses of the included studies revealed that nurse-led patient-centered care had significantly improved patients' smoking habits, adherence toward physical activity advices, and total cholesterol level with medical regime optimization, in short- to medium-term. The intervention was also favorable in improving the patients' health-related quality of life in several domains of SF-36. Furthermore, from single-study results, the intervention was favorable in improving the patients' weight management and alcohol consumption. However, it did not show significant effects on improving the patient's dietary habits, certain cardiac physiological parameters, mortality and self-efficacy. Currently, no addition long-term benefit of the intervention on secondary cardiac prevention was identified. This review has systematically analyzed the effects of nurseledpatient-centered care on patients' behavioral risks, cardiacphysiological parameters, mortality, health-related quality of life and self-efficacy. Given limited quantity of existing evidence regarding certain outcomes and long-term follow-up period; cross-trial heterogeneity of the interventions, measurement methods and statistical results; high or unclear risk of bias in some quality dimensions, the effectiveness of the intervention on secondary cardiac prevention remains inconclusive and subject to additional trials and evidences. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Effectiveness of team nursing compared with total patient care on staff wellbeing when organizing nursing work in acute care wards: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    King, Allana; Long, Lesley; Lisy, Karolina

    2015-11-01

    The organization of the work of nurses, according to recognized models of care, can have a significant impact on the wellbeing and performance of nurses and nursing teams. This review focuses on two models of nursing care delivery, namely, team and total patient care, and their effect on nurses' wellbeing. To examine the effectiveness of team nursing compared to total patient care on staff wellbeing when organizing nursing work in acute care wards. Participants were nurses working on wards in acute care hospitals.The intervention was the use of a team nursing model when organizing nursing work. The comparator was the use of a total patient care model.This review considered quantitative study designs for inclusion in the review.The outcome of interest was staff wellbeing which was measured by staff outcomes in relation to job satisfaction, turnover, absenteeism, stress levels and burnout. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies from 1995 to April 21, 2014. Quantitative papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data was extracted from papers included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. The data extracted included specific details about the interventions, populations, study methods and outcomes of significance to the review question and its specific objectives. Due to the heterogeneity of the included quantitative studies, meta-analysis was not possible. Results have been presented in a narrative form. The database search returned 10,067 records. Forty-three full text titles were assessed, and of these 40 were excluded, resulting in three studies being included in the review. Two of the studies were quasi experimental designs and the other was considered an uncontrolled before and after experimental study. There were no statistically significant differences observed in any study in the overall job satisfaction of nurses using a team nursing model compared with a total patient care model. Some differences in job satisfaction were however observed within different subgroups of nurses. There were no statistically significant differences in either stress or job tension. Within the selected studies, the specific outcomes of absenteeism and burnout were not addressed. Due to the limited number of quantitative studies identified for inclusion in this systematic review it is not possible to determine whether organizing nursing work in a team nursing or total patient care model is more effective in terms of staff wellbeing in acute care settings. Neither a team nursing or total patient care model had a significant influence on nurses' overall job satisfaction, stress levels or staff turnover. This review could not ascertain if the type of model of care affects absenteeism or burnout as these were not addressed in any of the identified studies.Caution should be taken when evaluating which model of care is appropriate and the decision needs to incorporate staff experience levels and staff skill mix. There needs to be clear definition of nursing roles.This review demonstrates the need for further quantitative studies of these models of care that are well designed with sufficient sample sizes to allow for attrition of participants, and that explore the impact each model has on nurse's wellbeing, in particular, studies that address burnout and absenteeism. There is a need for consistent terminology to allow for future comparison and research to occur at an international level. Future studies on models of care should include economic analysis to fully inform policy and practice.

  6. Predicting risk and outcomes for frail older adults: an umbrella review of frailty screening tools

    PubMed Central

    Apóstolo, João; Cooke, Richard; Bobrowicz-Campos, Elzbieta; Santana, Silvina; Marcucci, Maura; Cano, Antonio; Vollenbroek-Hutten, Miriam; Germini, Federico; Holland, Carol

    2017-01-01

    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background A scoping search identified systematic reviews on diagnostic accuracy and predictive ability of frailty measures in older adults. In most cases, research was confined to specific assessment measures related to a specific clinical model. Objectives To summarize the best available evidence from systematic reviews in relation to reliability, validity, diagnostic accuracy and predictive ability of frailty measures in older adults. Inclusion criteria Population Older adults aged 60 years or older recruited from community, primary care, long-term residential care and hospitals. Index test Available frailty measures in older adults. Reference test Cardiovascular Health Study phenotype model, the Canadian Study of Health and Aging cumulative deficit model, Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment or other reference tests. Diagnosis of interest Frailty defined as an age-related state of decreased physiological reserves characterized by an increased risk of poor clinical outcomes. Types of studies Quantitative systematic reviews. Search strategy A three-step search strategy was utilized to find systematic reviews, available in English, published between January 2001 and October 2015. Methodological quality Assessed by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist for systematic reviews and research synthesis. Data extraction Two independent reviewers extracted data using the standardized data extraction tool designed for umbrella reviews. Data synthesis Data were only presented in a narrative form due to the heterogeneity of included reviews. Results Five reviews with a total of 227,381 participants were included in this umbrella review. Two reviews focused on reliability, validity and diagnostic accuracy; two examined predictive ability for adverse health outcomes; and one investigated validity, diagnostic accuracy and predictive ability. In total, 26 questionnaires and brief assessments and eight frailty indicators were analyzed, most of which were applied to community-dwelling older people. The Frailty Index was examined in almost all these dimensions, with the exception of reliability, and its diagnostic and predictive characteristics were shown to be satisfactory. Gait speed showed high sensitivity, but only moderate specificity, and excellent predictive ability for future disability in activities of daily living. The Tilburg Frailty Indicator was shown to be a reliable and valid measure for frailty screening, but its diagnostic accuracy was not evaluated. Screening Letter, Timed-up-and-go test and PRISMA 7 (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) demonstrated high sensitivity and moderate specificity for identifying frailty. In general, low physical activity, variously measured, was one of the most powerful predictors of future decline in activities of daily living. Conclusion Only a few frailty measures seem to be demonstrably valid, reliable and diagnostically accurate, and have good predictive ability. Among them, the Frailty Index and gait speed emerged as the most useful in routine care and community settings. However, none of the included systematic reviews provided responses that met all of our research questions on their own and there is a need for studies that could fill this gap, covering all these issues within the same study. Nevertheless, it was clear that no suitable tool for assessing frailty appropriately in emergency departments was identified. PMID:28398987

  7. Identifying OH Imposters in the ALFALFA HI Survey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Suess, Katherine; Darling, Jeremiah K.; Haynes, Martha P.; Giovanelli, Riccardo

    2015-01-01

    OH megamasers (OHMs) are rare, luminous molecular masers that are typically observed in (ultra) luminous infrared galaxies and serve as markers of major galaxy mergers. In blind emission line surveys such as the ALFALFA (Arecibo Legacy Fast Arecibo L-Band Feed Array) survey for neutral hydrogen (HI) in the local universe, OHMs at z~0.2 can mimic z~0.05 HI lines. We present the results of optical spectroscopy of ambiguous HI detections in the ALFALFA 40% data release [1] detected by WISE but with uncertain optical counterparts. The optical redshifts, obtained from observations at the Apache Point Observatory 3.5m telescope, identified 127 HI optical counterparts and discovered five new OHMs. Fifty-six candidates remain ambiguous. The new OHMs are the first detected in a blind spectral line survey.The number of OHMs in ALFALFA matches predictions based on the OH luminosity function [2]. Additionally, the OHMs found in a blind survey do not seem to differ from those found in previous targeted surveys. This provides validation of the methods used in previous IR-selected OHM surveys and indicates there is no previously unknown OHM-producing population at z~0.2. We also provide a method for future surveys to separate OH and HI lines without expensive spectral observations. This method utilizes infrared colors and magnitudes, such as WISE mid-IR data. Since the fraction of OHMs found in flux-limited HI surveys is expected to increase with the redshift of the survey [3], this analysis can be applied to future flux-limited high-redshift hydrogen surveys.We thank the ALFALFA team for observing and producing the survey dataset. The ALFALFA team at Cornell is supported by NSF AST-1107390 and the Brinson Foundation.[1] Haynes, M. P., R. Giovanelli, A. M. Martin, K. M. Hess, A. Saintonge, et al. 2011, Astron J, 142, 142[2] Darling, J. & R. Giovanelli 2002, Astrophys J, 572, 810[3] Briggs, F. H. 1998, A&A, 336, 815

  8. Non-Surgical Interventions for Adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis: An Overview of Systematic Reviews

    PubMed Central

    Płaszewski, Maciej; Bettany-Saltikov, Josette

    2014-01-01

    Background Non-surgical interventions for adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis remain highly controversial. Despite the publication of numerous reviews no explicit methodological evaluation of papers labeled as, or having a layout of, a systematic review, addressing this subject matter, is available. Objectives Analysis and comparison of the content, methodology, and evidence-base from systematic reviews regarding non-surgical interventions for adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. Design Systematic overview of systematic reviews. Methods Articles meeting the minimal criteria for a systematic review, regarding any non-surgical intervention for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, with any outcomes measured, were included. Multiple general and systematic review specific databases, guideline registries, reference lists and websites of institutions were searched. The AMSTAR tool was used to critically appraise the methodology, and the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine and the Joanna Briggs Institute’s hierarchies were applied to analyze the levels of evidence from included reviews. Results From 469 citations, twenty one papers were included for analysis. Five reviews assessed the effectiveness of scoliosis-specific exercise treatments, four assessed manual therapies, five evaluated bracing, four assessed different combinations of interventions, and one evaluated usual physical activity. Two reviews addressed the adverse effects of bracing. Two papers were high quality Cochrane reviews, Three were of moderate, and the remaining sixteen were of low or very low methodological quality. The level of evidence of these reviews ranged from 1 or 1+ to 4, and in some reviews, due to their low methodological quality and/or poor reporting, this could not be established. Conclusions Higher quality reviews indicate that generally there is insufficient evidence to make a judgment on whether non-surgical interventions in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis are effective. Papers labeled as systematic reviews need to be considered in terms of their methodological rigor; otherwise they may be mistakenly regarded as high quality sources of evidence. Protocol registry number CRD42013003538, PROSPERO PMID:25353954

  9. Obstacles to implementing evidence-based practice in Belgium: a context-specific qualitative evidence synthesis including findings from different health care disciplines.

    PubMed

    Hannes, K; Goedhuys, J; Aertgeerts, B

    2012-01-01

    A number of barriers to the implementation of evidence-based practice have already been inventoried. However, little attention has been given to their context-specific nature. This qualitative evidence synthesis examines commonalities in the obstacles perceived by different groups of health care practitioners working in the Belgian health care system and sets out to discuss potential strategies to bridge some of these barriers. We actively searched for primary studies addressing our topic of interest in international and national databases (1990 to May 2008), consulted experts and screened references of retrieved studies. We opted for the meta-aggregative approach, developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute, to analyse our findings. The findings indicate that (1) evidence might have a limited role in decision-making processes; (2) aspects other than quality of care steer the evidence-based practice agenda; (3) some health care providers benefit less from evidence-based practice than others and (4) there is a lack of competences to put the evidence-based principles in practice. Belgian policy makers might consider health care system characteristics from and strategies developed or suggested by others to respond to country-specific obstacles. Examples include but are not limited to; (a) providing incentives for patient-centred care coordination and patient communication, (b) supporting practitioners interested in applying research-related activities, (c) considering direct access systems and interprofessional learning to respond to the demand for autonomous decision-making from satellite professional groups, (d) systematically involving allied health professionals in important governmental advisory boards, (e) considering pharmaceutical companies perceived as 'the enemy' an ally in filling in research gaps, (f) embedding the evaluation of evidence-based knowledge and skills in examinations (g) moving from (in)formative learning to transformative learning and (h) organizing high quality catch-up programs for those who missed out on evidence-based medicine in their curriculum.

  10. Non-surgical interventions for adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis: an overview of systematic reviews.

    PubMed

    Płaszewski, Maciej; Bettany-Saltikov, Josette

    2014-01-01

    Non-surgical interventions for adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis remain highly controversial. Despite the publication of numerous reviews no explicit methodological evaluation of papers labeled as, or having a layout of, a systematic review, addressing this subject matter, is available. Analysis and comparison of the content, methodology, and evidence-base from systematic reviews regarding non-surgical interventions for adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis. Systematic overview of systematic reviews. Articles meeting the minimal criteria for a systematic review, regarding any non-surgical intervention for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, with any outcomes measured, were included. Multiple general and systematic review specific databases, guideline registries, reference lists and websites of institutions were searched. The AMSTAR tool was used to critically appraise the methodology, and the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine and the Joanna Briggs Institute's hierarchies were applied to analyze the levels of evidence from included reviews. From 469 citations, twenty one papers were included for analysis. Five reviews assessed the effectiveness of scoliosis-specific exercise treatments, four assessed manual therapies, five evaluated bracing, four assessed different combinations of interventions, and one evaluated usual physical activity. Two reviews addressed the adverse effects of bracing. Two papers were high quality Cochrane reviews, Three were of moderate, and the remaining sixteen were of low or very low methodological quality. The level of evidence of these reviews ranged from 1 or 1+ to 4, and in some reviews, due to their low methodological quality and/or poor reporting, this could not be established. Higher quality reviews indicate that generally there is insufficient evidence to make a judgment on whether non-surgical interventions in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis are effective. Papers labeled as systematic reviews need to be considered in terms of their methodological rigor; otherwise they may be mistakenly regarded as high quality sources of evidence. CRD42013003538, PROSPERO.

  11. Effectiveness and experiences of families and support workers participating in peer-led parenting support programs delivered as home visiting programs: a comprehensive systematic review.

    PubMed

    Munns, Ailsa; Watts, Robin; Hegney, Desley; Walker, Roz

    2016-10-01

    Designing child and family health services to meet the diverse needs of contemporary families is intended to minimize impacts of early disadvantage and subsequent lifelong health and social issues. Innovative programs to engage families with child and family support services have led to interest in the potential value of peer-led home visiting from parents in local communities. There is a range of benefits and challenges identified in a limited number of studies associated with home visiting peer support. The objective of the review is to identify: INCLUSION CRITERIA PARTICIPANTS: Families/parents with one or more children aged zero to four years, peer support workers and their supervisors. Peer-led home visiting parenting support programs that use volunteer or paraprofessional home visitors from the local community compared to standard community maternal-child care. The phenomenon of interest will be the relationships between participants in the program. Quantitative studies: randomized control trials (RCTs). Qualitative studies: grounded theory and qualitative descriptive studies. Parental attitudes and beliefs, coping skills and confidence in parenting, parental stress, compliance with child health checks/links with primary healthcare services, satisfaction with peer support and services and the nature of the relationship between parents and home visitors. The search strategy will include both published and unpublished studies. Seven journal databases and five other sources will be searched. Only studies published in the English language from 2000 to 2015 will be considered. Studies were assessed by two independent reviewers using standardized critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI) and the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI) as appropriate. Both quantitative and qualitative data were independently extracted by two reviewers using standardized data extraction tools from the JBI-MAStARI and the JBI-QARI, respectively, including qualitative and quantitative details about setting of interventions, phenomena of interest, participants, study methods and outcomes or findings. For quantitative findings, statistical pooling was not possible due to differences in interventions and outcome measures. Findings were presented in narrative form. Qualitative findings were aggregated into categories based on similarity of meaning from which synthesized findings were generated. Quantitative results from two RCTs demonstrated positive impacts of peer-led home visiting parent support programs including more positive parenting attitudes and beliefs, and more child preventative health care visits.Fifteen qualitative findings from two studies were aggregated into five categories from which two synthesized findings emerged. Parents and home visitors identified similar components as contributing to their program's success, these being quality of relationships between parents and home visitors with elements being mutual respect, trust and being valued within the partnership. In addition, home visitors identified importance of enabling strategies to develop relationships. They also needed supportive working environments with clinical staff and management. The current review indicates a positive impact of peer-led home visiting parent support programs, incorporating a framework of partnership between parents and home visitors, on mother-infant dyads. Positive changes in parenting attitudes and beliefs, and increased number of child preventative healthcare visits are supported by the quality of the relationship between parent and home visitor, and home visitors' working environments. The essential characteristics of an effective parent support program are strategies for relationship building between parents and home visitors; ongoing staff and home visitor education to enhance communication, collaboration and working in partnership; supervision by team leaders; and continuous quality improvement. The focus of further research should be on confirmatory studies using an action research methodology and the cost-effectiveness of these models.

  12. Spin State of Returning Fly-by Near Earth Asteroid 2012 TC4

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ryan, William; Ryan, Eileen V.

    2017-10-01

    The ten-meter class near-Earth asteroid 2012 TC4 will make a close approach to the Earth on October 12, 2017. As of July 2017, the close approach distance ranges from 0.003 to 0.64 lunar distances (LD) with a nominal value of 0.23 LD. However this is the second observable close approach that this object has made since its discovery. In particular, broadband photometry was obtained for 2012 TC4 on 10 and 11 October 2012 using the Magdalena Ridge Observatory (MRO) 2.4-meter telescope. A periodicity of ~12.2 minutes was immediately evident in the time-series data, which was in agreement with the reported values of Polishook (2013), Odden et al. (2012), Warner (2013), and Carbognani (2014). The lightcurve displays an amplitude of ~0.9 magnitude, which implies that it is highly elongated with an axial ratio of a/b>2.3. However, a second period is also clearly evident in the MRO data, indicating that the asteroid is in a state of non-principle axis rotation.The nature of its orbit has made 2012 TC4 an attractive Earth-impacting asteroid surrogate for an exercise testing the capabilities of the scientific and emergency response communities (Reddy, 2017). For this reason, it is anticipated that considerable resources, including MRO, will be utilized to take advantage of the 2017 flyby to study this asteroid. Here, we present the details of the tumbling nature of this fast-spinning object observed during the October 2012 discovery apparition. These data were acquired before closest approach in 2012 where the asteroid came within 0.25 lunar distances of Earth. Therefore, this analysis will be discussed in the context of the spin state observations planned for early October 2017 at MRO, for which preliminary results will also be reported. In particular, comparison of the observed rotation state from the two apparitions can be indicative of any effects of Earth’s gravity during the 2012 flyby.References:Odden, C.E., Verhaegh, J.C., McCullough, D.G., and Briggs, J.W. (2013). Minor Planet Bul. 40, 176-177.Warner, B.D. (2013). Minor Planet Bul. 40, 71-80.Polishook, D. (2013). Minor Planet Bul. 40, 42-43.Carbognani, A. (2014). Minor Planet Bul. 41, 4-8.Reddy, V. (2017), AMOS SSA Technical Conference, Maui, HI.

  13. Effect of educational components and strategies associated with insulin pump therapy: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Jayasekara, Rasika Sirilal; Munn, Zachary; Lockwood, Craig

    2011-12-01

    The objectives of this review were to establish the effectiveness of approaches to the provision of education for adults with type 1 diabetes using or initiating insulin pump therapy (IPT), and identify the best available evidence on the association between intervals and duration of follow up and the stated outcome criteria. This review considered all studies and papers that involved adults (aged 16 years or over) with type 1 diabetes using IPT as their primary form of therapy who participated in education or training, with no restrictions placed on gender or comorbidities. All forms of education, including resources utilised during education were included in the review. The search strategy sought to find both published and unpublished studies and papers written in the English language. An initial limited search of MEDLINE and CINAHL databases was undertaken to identify optimal search terms. A second search using all identified key words and index terms was then undertaken based on key words specific to each database across all included databases from 1998 to February 2008. Thirdly, the reference lists of all identified reports and articles were searched for additional studies. Two independent reviewers assessed the methodological quality of retrieved papers using the corresponding checklist from the System for the Unified Management, Assessment and Review of Information (SUMARI) package. A total of 142 studies were identified as potentially relevant to the review question in the first and second steps of the literature search. Based on the title and abstract, 24 papers that were relevant to the review topic were retrieved for evaluation of methodological quality. Following this stage, 20 papers were excluded. Whilst searching the reference lists of the selected studies (n = 4), one paper met the inclusion criteria. Therefore, a total of five descriptive studies were included in the review. The included papers reported a variety of educational methods and different outcome measures. In general, it is difficult to draw a strong conclusion regarding the effectiveness of components and strategies associated with IPT because of a lack of high-quality comparative studies, small sample sizes and a variability of reported methods in the included studies. However, included descriptive studies explored a range of issues related to the effectiveness of IPT therapy, and the educative requirements of patients. It is clear that type 1 diabetes patients initiating and utilising IPT need a comprehensive range of advice, education and training. The mixture of group and individual teaching, multidisciplinary teams as educators, educational materials, long-term training with multiple sessions and a variety of educational contents may all be effective for delivering IPT education and training. 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare. 2011 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  14. The Effectiveness of Suicide Prevention Education Programs for Nurses.

    PubMed

    Ferguson, Monika S; Reis, Julie A; Rabbetts, Lyn; Ashby, Heather-Jean; Bayes, Miriam; McCracken, Tara; Ross, Christine; Procter, Nicholas G

    2018-03-01

    Education to improve health professionals' responses to suicide is considered an important suicide prevention strategy. However, the effectiveness of this approach for nurses is unclear. To systematically review the peer-reviewed literature regarding the effectiveness of suicide prevention education programs for nurses. Nine academic databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Reviews & Trials, Embase, Informit Health Collection, Joanna Briggs Institute, Medline, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched in November 2016, utilizing search terms related to suicide, education, and nurses, with no limits placed on publication date or study design. The search yielded 5,456 identified articles, 11 of which met the inclusion criteria. Studies were primarily quantitative (RCTs n = 3; quasi-experimental n = 6; qualitative n = 2), and involved nurses (range = 16-561) working in a diversity of settings, particularly hospitals (n = 9). Studies revealed positive changes in nurses' competence, knowledge, and attitudes associated with training over the short term. The heterogeneity of education programs and methodological weaknesses of included studies limit the conclusions drawn. There is a moderate body of evidence to support the effectiveness of suicide prevention education programs for nurses. Future research should examine longer-term changes in clinical practice and strategies for continuing education, with more rigorous study designs.

  15. Self-management for patients with inflammatory bowel disease in a gastroenterology ward in China: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Chen, Ruo-Bing

    2016-11-01

    Globally, there is an increasing incidence of inflammatory bowel disease. It is very important for patients to be involved with self-management that can optimize personal heath behavior to control the disease. The aim of this project was to increase nursing staff knowledge of inflammatory bowel disease discharge guidance, and to improve the quality of education for discharged patients, thereby improving their self-management. A baseline audit was conducted by interviewing 30 patients in the gastroenterology ward of Huadong Hospital, Fudan University. The project utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute's Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research Into Practice audit tools for promoting quality of education and self-management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Thirty patients were provided with written materials, which included disease education and information regarding self-management. A post-implementation audit was conducted. There was improvement of education prior to discharge and dietary consultancy in the gastroenterology ward. Self-management plans utilizing written materials only were not sufficient for ensuring sustainability of the project. Comprehensive self-management education can make a contribution to improving awareness of the importance of self-management for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

  16. Large springs in the United States

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Meinzer, Oscar Edward

    1927-01-01

    What are the largest springs in the United States, how much water do they discharge, and what geologic conditions produce them are questions of much popular interest and considerable scientific and economic importance. Yet the information in regard to large springs has been so widely scattered and so difficult to interpret that most people have only very vague notions on the subject. The present paper is in a sense a by-product of a more comprehensive investigation of the origin, discharge, and quantity of ground water in the United States. It has, however, required, extensive search for data and critical analysis of the data that were obtained. The task would have been virtually impossible except for the hearty cooperation of the district engineers and other members of the water- resources branch of the Geological Survey, who are really coauthors of this paper. I wish to acknowledge especially the help of Kirk Bryan, G. C. Stevens, W. E. Hall, W. E. King, E. L. Williams, H. C. Beckman, C. E. Ellsworth, C. E. McCashin, C. G. Paulsen, W. G. Hoyt, H. T. Stearns, H. D. McGlashan, R. C. Briggs, F. F. Henshaw, W. A. Lamb, G. M. Hall, E. C. LaRue, and A. B. Purton

  17. Conceptual design and optimization for JET water detritiation system cryo-distillation facility

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Lefebvre, X.; Hollingsworth, A.; Parracho, A.

    2015-03-15

    The aim of the Exhaust Detritiation System (EDS) of the JET Active Gas Handling System (AGHS) is to convert all Q-based species (Q{sub 2}, Q-hydrocarbons) into Q{sub 2}O (Q being indifferently H, D or T) which is then trapped on molecular sieve beds (MSB). Regenerating the saturated MSBs leads to the production of tritiated water which is stored in Briggs drums. An alternative disposal solution to offsite shipping, is to process the tritiated water onsite via the implementation of a Water Detritiation System (WDS) based, in part, on the combination of an electrolyser and a cryo-distillation (CD) facility. The CDmore » system will separate a Q{sub 2} mixture into a de-tritiated hydrogen stream for safe release and a tritiated stream for further processing on existing AGHS subsystems. A sensitivity study of the Souers' model using the simulation program ProSimPlus (edited by ProSim S.A.) has then been undertaken in order to perform an optimised dimensioning of the cryo-distillation system in terms of available cooling technologies, cost of investment, cost of operations, process performance and safety. (authors)« less

  18. Nursing students experienced personal inadequacy, vulnerability and transformation during their patient care encounter: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

    PubMed

    Kaldal, Maiken Holm; Kristiansen, Jette; Uhrenfeldt, Lisbeth

    2018-05-01

    To identify, appraise and synthesize the best available evidence exploring nursing students' experiences of professional patient care encounters in a hospital unit. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines were followed and a meta-synthesis was conducted. Qualitative research articles were considered for inclusion in the review, and JBI's meta-aggregative approach to synthesizing qualitative evidence was followed. An extensive search for relevant literature was undertaken in scientific databases. Data were extracted from the included research articles, and qualitative research findings were pooled using the Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. This involved categorization of findings on the basis of similarity of meaning and aggregation of these categories to produce a comprehensive set of synthesized findings. A total of five research articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review. The review process resulted in 46 subcategories that were aggregated into 13 categories. The categories generated four synthesized findings: personal existence; personal learning and development; being a professional fellow human; and clinical learning environment. We meta-synthesized that: Nursing students experienced personal inadequacy, vulnerability and a transformation during their patient care encounter. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Convective Electrokinetic Instability With Conductivity Gradients

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Chuan-Hua; Lin, Hao; Lele, Sanjiva; Santiago, Juan

    2003-11-01

    Electrokinetic flow instability has been experimentally identified and quantified in a glass T-junction microchannel system with a cross section of 11 um x 155 um. In this system, buffers of different conductivities were electrokinetically driven into a common mixing channel by a DC electric field. A convective instability was observed with a threshold electric field of 0.45 kV/cm for a 10:1 conductivity ratio. A physical model has been developed which consists of a modified Ohmic model formulation for electrolyte solutions and the Navier-Stokes equations with an electric body force term. The model and experiments show that bulk charge accumulation in regions of conductivity gradients is the key mechanism of such instabilities. A linear stability analysis was performed in a convective framework, and Briggs-Bers criteria were applied to determine the nature of instability. The analysis shows the instability is governed by two key parameters: the ratio of molecular diffusion to electroviscous time scale which governs the onset of instability, and the ratio of electroviscous to electroosmotic velocity which governs whether the instability is convective or absolute. The model predicted critical electric field, growth rate, wavelength, and phase speed which were comparable to experimental data.

  20. An Integrative Review of Engaging Clinical Nurses in Nursing Research.

    PubMed

    Scala, Elizabeth; Price, Carrie; Day, Jennifer

    2016-07-01

    To review the literature for best practices for engaging clinical nurses in nursing research. Review of the research and nonresearch papers published between 2005 and 2015 that answered the evidence-based practice (EBP) question: what are the best practices for engaging clinical nursing staff in nursing research? PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Joanna Briggs Institute, and Cochrane were searched using a combination of controlled vocabulary and key words. Nineteen papers that answered the EBP question were selected for review. It can be difficult to involve clinical nurses in research. There are multiple factors to consider when nursing leadership looks to engage clinical nurses in nursing research. Nurse leaders can take many approaches to engage clinical nurses in research. Each organization must perform its own assessment to identify areas of opportunity. Nursing leadership can take these areas of opportunity to structure a multifaceted approach to support clinical staff in the conduct and dissemination of nursing research. The evidence from this review offers EBP recommendations as well as reports on the gaps in the literature related to best practices for engaging clinical nurses in nursing research. © 2016 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  1. Adult Patients' Experiences of Nursing Care Dependence.

    PubMed

    Piredda, Michela; Matarese, Maria; Mastroianni, Chiara; D'Angelo, Daniela; Hammer, Marilyn J; De Marinis, Maria Grazia

    2015-09-01

    Care dependence can be associated with suffering and humiliation. Nurses' awareness of patients' perception of care dependence is crucial to enable them in helping the dependent persons. This study aimed to describe adult patients' experience of nursing care dependence. A metasynthesis was conducted to integrate qualitative findings from 18 studies published through December 2014 on adult patients' experiences of care dependency. Procedures included the Johanna Briggs Institute approach for data extraction, quality appraisal, and integration of findings. The experience of dependence revealed the concept of the embodied person, particularly in relation to care of the physical body. The relationship between the individual and nurses within the context of care had a major impact for dependent patients. When the care relation was perceived as positive, the experience led to the development of the person in finding new balances in life, but when it was perceived as negative, it increased patient' suffering. Care dependence is manifested mostly as bodily dependence and is consistent with its relational nature. The nurse-patient relationship is important to the dependent patients' experience. A greater understanding of patients' experiences of dependence is crucial to enable nurses in improving care and decreasing patient suffering. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  2. An improved approach of register allocation via graph coloring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gao, Lei; Shi, Ce

    2005-03-01

    Register allocation is an important part of optimizing compiler. The algorithm of register allocation via graph coloring is implemented by Chaitin and his colleagues firstly and improved by Briggs and others. By abstracting register allocation to graph coloring, the allocation process is simplified. As the physical register number is limited, coloring of the interference graph can"t succeed for every node. The uncolored nodes must be spilled. There is an assumption that almost all the allocation method obeys: when a register is allocated to a variable v, it can"t be used by others before v quit even if v is not used for a long time. This may causes a waste of register resource. The authors relax this restriction under certain conditions and make some improvement. In this method, one register can be mapped to two or more interfered "living" live ranges at the same time if they satisfy some requirements. An operation named merge is defined which can arrange two interfered nodes occupy the same register with some cost. Thus, the resource of register can be used more effectively and the cost of memory access can be reduced greatly.

  3. Perceived facilitators and inhibitors for the use of personal digital assistants (PDAs) by nurses: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Moloney, Clint; Becarria, Lisa

    It is clear from the literature that more investigation into the infusion of this technology within nursing is required with a particular emphasis on the advantages of documenting best practices in nursing education. Current literature highlights the importance of incorporating wireless devices in nursing organisations without discussing how effectively nurses can collect data. Good information is found on the factors of adoption and barriers associated with such devices in nursing however the evidence supplied in such findings is yet to be well substantiated. Therefore, this study conducted an investigation into the factors of adoption of wireless applications for data collection. By doing so, this review has attempted to fill-in the gap in the literature and provides insights into those factors that need to be given priority when implementing handheld technologies in nursing. The overarching aim of this systematic review was therefore to explore and confirm the facilitators and inhibitors to the adoption of handheld technology in nursing. The objective of this review was to summarise the available evidence on the facilitators and inhibitors of adopting and utilising handheld wireless technology into the nursing profession. In particular this review set out to understand the supportive interventions that assist nurses to adjust to the use of such technology. Types of participants - This review was only interested in the nursing profession and was not limited to any one culture or setting. Therefore the review included nurses both Australian and overseas who were working in acute settings, community settings, and student nurses still in an academic setting.Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest - The review only considered studies that were endeavouring to understand the behavioural intention and user acceptance of handheld wireless technology (PDA's) in a nursing setting.Types of studies - This review considered studies that focus on qualitative data including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, ground theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research.Types of outcomes - Outcomes of interest were a strong reflection on the perception of nurses towards the technology and an identification of the major inhibitors and facilitators in adoption and utilisation of the technology. A three-step search strategy was utilised in each component of this review. An initial limited search of MEDLINE and CINAHL was undertaken followed by analysis of the text words contained in the title and abstract, and of the index terms used to describe article. A second search using all identified keywords and index terms was then undertaken across all included databases. Thirdly, the reference list of all identified reports and articles was searched for additional studies. Each paper was assessed by two reviewers for methodological quality prior to inclusion in the review using a critical appraisal instrument from Joanna Briggs Institute-Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI) software developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), (). Qualitative data was extracted from papers included in the review using the standardised data extraction tool from the JBI-QARI (). The JBI Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI) was utilised to merge similar findings into categories and then similar categories were again narrowed down to a common generic concept. A total of 18 papers were retrieved. Of these, 11 were included in the review with all 11 being qualitative research papers. Reasons for the 7 papers being excluded from the review, were because experiences of nurses were not addressed (7 papers); the definition of nurse did not fit the inclusion criteria (2 papers); the concept "Nurses utilising PDAs" was not completely clear (1 paper). In addition all 7 of these papers were also excluded because of poor or incomplete descriptions of the methodology following critical appraisal using the JBI-QARI critical appraisal tool. The findings of the remaining 11 papers were extracted and combined in the meta-synthesis. Key findings in this review included: The saving of nursing time; both advantages and disadvantage in assisting with information flow; the assistance of the technology with nurse decision making; varied opinions on the usability of the technology; positive links to nursing support; innovation diffusion considerations; and positive results on the use of the technology as an effective learning tool. Findings of this systematic review provide sound evidence that information flow and real-time nurse decision making are enhanced with the use of PDAs in a clinical setting. What is clear is the technology can play a particularly important role in the pre-registered population of nurses still undergoing their training. Nursing support for this cohort would appear fundamental and hence the additional support given by using such technology would appear to enhance critical thinking skills and an ability to analyse evidence based practice information.Wireless connectively to the World Wide Web can expand the breadth of information made available to nursing staff and promote a safer and more therapeutic environment. The role PDAs may have in providing a safer medication administration environment for nurses needs to be investigated in greater depth. Issues of innovation diffusion require significant attention and manufacturers of these devices need to work with the nursing profession to find the most suitable design for a busy clinical setting. E-learning through the use of such technology would appear to have great potential and increase a nurse's exposure to education resources. This would seem of great benefit to student nurses in the academic sector.

  4. Effectiveness of surgery for adults with hallux valgus deformity: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Klugarova, Jitka; Hood, Victoria; Bath-Hextall, Fiona; Klugar, Miloslav; Mareckova, Jana; Kelnarova, Zuzana

    2017-06-01

    Hallux valgus (HV) is a common foot deformity. In severe stages of this condition, surgery is often necessary. Currently, there is no systematic review comparing the effectiveness of surgery over conservative treatment. The objective of this review was to establish the effectiveness of surgery compared to conservatory management for adults with HV. The current review included adults (18 years or over) with HV deformity, excluding adults with neurological problems causing foot deformities, for example, cerebral palsy, neuropathy, stroke and multiple sclerosis. The review included any type of HV surgery compared to no surgery, conservative treatment or different types of HV surgeries. The primary outcome was gait measurement, and secondary outcomes included quality of life, patient satisfaction, pain assessed using any validated assessment tool and adverse events. The review included randomized controlled trials. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies. A three-step search strategy was utilized in 16 databases without language and date limitations. Papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Data were extracted from papers included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool developed by the JBI. Quantitative data were, where possible, pooled in statistical meta-analysis using RevMan5 (Copenhagen: The Nordic Cochrane Centre, Cochrane). Effect sizes expressed as risk ratio (for categorical data) and mean differences (MD) or standardized MD (for continuous data) and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated for analysis. Where statistical pooling was not possible, the findings have been presented in narrative form. Searching identified 2412 citations. After removal of duplicates, paper retrieval and critical appraisal, 25 studies were included in the review. The included trials were of medium-to-poor quality.Twenty-four trials compared the effectiveness of different types of surgeries. Meta-analysis revealed no difference in level of pain between distal chevron-type osteotomy and other surgical procedures (standard mean difference [SMD] 0.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.24 to 0.28). One single trial reported that distal chevron osteotomy is more effective than Lindgren osteotomy in terms of walking speed (MD -0.24, 95% CI -0.43 to -0.05).One medium quality trial assessed the effectiveness of HV surgery compared to conservative or no treatment. This trial showed that surgery, specifically distal chevron osteotomy of the first metatarsal, is a more effective procedure for pain compared to conservative treatment (MD -15.00, 95% CI -22.79 to -7.21) and also no treatment in the first year (MD -18.00, 95% CI -25.62 to -10.38). The current systematic review showed that differences between various types of surgical procedures, specifically osteotomies of the first metatarsal on clinical outcomes, are minimal. There is evidence from one study, that surgery, specifically distal chevron osteotomy of the first metatarsal is a more effective procedure than conservative or no treatment in reducing pain in the first year following surgery. However, this systematic review has identified that there is a lack of high-quality studies comparing similar types of HV treatments that assess the same outcomes.

  5. Identifying and reducing the incidence of post discharge Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) in orthopaedic patients: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    McLiesh, Paul; Wiechula, Rick

    2012-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The risk of venous thromboembolism for orthopaedic patients is often high due to the length of surgery, damage from trauma to bone and soft tissues and lengthy periods of immobility or reduced mobility. Although venous thromboembolism occurs mainly in inpatients a significant number of patients develop venous thromboembolism post discharge OBJECTIVES: To synthesise the best available evidence on strategies that effectively reduce post discharge venous thromboembolism in orthopaedic patients. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Patients regardless of age, gender or co-morbidities that have been admitted with an acute orthopaedic injury (unplanned) or a planned orthopaedic surgery/procedure and then followed up after discharge. Only papers describing the incidence and prophylaxis treatment used in non-Asian patients were considered for inclusion. Any interventions of combinations of chemoprophylaxis and/or mechanical prophylaxis to prevent venous thromboembolism incidence extending beyond hospital admission. Outcomes included diagnosis of venous thromboembolism following an orthopaedic admission/surgery for up to 6 months post discharge and the incidence of any significant bleeding or death related to venous thromboembolism or haemorrhage.The review considered any randomised controlled trials; in the absence of RCTs other research designs, such as non-randomised controlled trials and before and after studies, were considered SEARCH STRATEGY: Search strategy considered only papers in English from 2000 to March 2012. METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY: Papers selected for retrieval were assessed using standardised critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. DATA COLLECTION: Data was extracted from the studies using the standardised Johanna Briggs Institute data extraction form. DATA SYNTHESIS: Of the included studies none matched methodology, treatment or comparator that allowed meta-analysis. The results were therefore presented in a narrative form and were structured using patient population, then intervention and then analysis of results. RESULTS: 20 articles were included in the systematic review. The overall incidence of post discharge venous thromboembolism in orthopaedic patients is not possible to determine due to the variability in reporting criteria and poor follow-up. Use of Low Molecular Weight Heparins was generally shown to be effective in preventing venous thromboembolism. The new generation Factor Xa inhibitors were shown to improve venous thromboembolism prevention however had a slightly higher risk of bleeding. There was limited high level research presented to allow effective assessment of aspirin and/or mechanical compression devices. CONCLUSIONS: Prevention of post discharge venous thromboembolism is complex due to the number of variables that can influence its occurrence. The risk of post discharge venous thromboembolism varies among different patient populations so consideration must be given to matching the risk for each of those groups with available interventions.For higher risk orthopaedic patient groups such as those with large joint replacements and femoral fractures low molecular weight heparins should be considered and continued where possible post discharge for thirty days however the risk profile for venous thromboembolism and bleeding must be considered for both populations and individuals.Consideration in future research design must be given to factors such as: adequate follow-up time, and standardised criteria to measure the incidence of post discharge venous thromboembolism. • Save items Add to Favorites View more options Similar articles Effectiveness of nurse-led preoperative assessment services for elective surgery: a systematic review. [JBI Libr Syst Rev. 2010] The Effectiveness of Integrated Care Pathways for Adults and Children in Health Care Settings: A Systematic Review. [JBI Libr Syst Rev. 2009] Review The effect of insulin therapy algorithms on blood glucose levels in patients following cardiac surgery: A systematic review. [JBI Database System Rev Implem...] Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Infusion (CSII) Pumps for Type 1 and Type 2 Adult Diabetic Populations: An Evidence-Based Analysis. [Ont Health Technol Assess Ser....] Review The effectiveness of ayurvedic oil-based nasal instillation (Nasya) medicines in the treatment of facial paralysis (Ardita): a systematic review. [JBI Database System Rev Implem...] See reviews... See all... Cited by 1 PubMed Central article A systematic scoping review on the consequences of stress-related hyperglycaemia. [PLoS One. 2018] Related information Cited in PMC Search details 27820532[uid] Search See more... Recent Activity ClearTurn Off Effectiveness of tight glycemic control in the medical Intensive Care Unit: a sy... PubMed 27820532[uid] (1) PubMed 27820349[uid] (1) PubMed Effectiveness of Tight Glycemic Control in the Medical Intensive Care Unit: A Sy... PubMed

  6. Adults surviving lung cancer two or more years: A systematic review.

    PubMed

    Rhea, Deborah J; Lockwood, Suzy

    Lung cancer has had a low survival rate throughout the years. Some studies have shown that psychological variables such as hardiness and resiliency may play a role in the meaningfulness of survival among lung cancer patients. The objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the best available evidence on the experiences of surviving lung cancer (including psychological/affective well-being dimensions such as resiliency, optimism, quality of life, and coping strategies) in adults over the age of 18, two or more years after diagnosis. The review considered adults (18 years and older) who have survived lung cancer two or more years post diagnosis.The review included studies that examined the experiences (including psychological/affective well-being dimensions such as resiliency, optimism, quality of life, and coping strategies) of surviving lung cancer two or more years post diagnosis.The review considered patients' experiences of surviving lung cancer post two years diagnosis, including the examination of specific psychological/affective well-being aspects such as resiliency, optimism, quality of life and coping strategies.The review included quantitative descriptive studies and qualitative studies. A search for published and unpublished studies in English language from January 1999 through December 2010 was undertaken in multiple databases including MEDLINE, CINAHL, ProQuest and Psyc INFO. Assessment of methodological quality of studies was undertaken using critical appraisal tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data was extracted using the Joanna Briggs Institute Data Extraction forms. Results were presented in a narrative format as the synthesis of qualitative or quantitative data was not appropriate. 13 studies were included in the review: one mixed methods study (including a qualitative research component) and 12 quantitative studies.The qualitative component of the included mixed methods study identified five findings related to the meaningfulness of surviving lung cancer post two years. The central themes that emerged were existential issues, health and self-care, physical ability, adjustment, and support.Quantitative studies identified that distressed groups had less meaningful experiences related to lung cancer survival than not distressed groups. The studies also found that emotional states and style of coping were related to the meaningfulness of lung cancer survival. With less emotional distress, seeing the good in everything, adjusting life to fit the changes from lung cancer, and adding physical activity to the daily routine, the life of a lung cancer survivor can be more meaningful. Healthcare providers must assess lung cancer survivors for potential symptom clusters affecting key patient outcomes such as quality of life. Consider introducing interventions to promote light to moderate physical activity in older patients and moderate to vigorous physical activity in younger patients, and ceasing smoking. Teach active coping strategies. There is a need for qualitative research studies exploring the experiences of lung cancer survivors. Further research is recommended on symptom clusters that might impact outcomes such as quality of life.

  7. Systematic review on the relationship between the nursing shortage and job satisfaction, stress and burnout levels among nurses in oncology/haematology settings.

    PubMed

    Toh, Shir Gi; Ang, Emily; Devi, M Kamala

    2012-06-01

    To establish the best available evidence regarding the relationship between the nursing shortage and nurses' job satisfaction, stress and burnout levels in oncology/haematology settings. Electronic databases (CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, ScienceDirect, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, Web of Science, The Cochrane Library, Proquest and Mednar) were searched using a three-step strategy in order to identify published and unpublished studies conducted between 1990 and 2010. Grey literature was excluded in the review. The identified studies were evaluated using standardised critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute-Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI). A total of seven descriptive and descriptive-correlational studies published in English were included and data were presented in a narrative summary. Findings revealed a positive bidirectional relationship between the nursing shortage and oncology registered nurses' (RNs') job dissatisfaction, stress and burnout. The extent of the job dissatisfaction, stress and burnout experienced by the oncology RNs and their perception of staffing inadequacy differed according to their demography and work settings. Particularly, nurses who had higher qualifications and positions, who worked full-time and who worked in inpatient settings and non-Magnet hospitals were more likely to attribute staffing inadequacy as one of the main contributing factors for their job dissatisfaction, stress and burnout. This led to a rise in the number of oncology RNs leaving the speciality. Within the constraints of the study and the few quality papers available, it appears that oncology RNs who worked in substandard staffing units often express job dissatisfaction, stress and burnout, which prompt them to seek new employment out of the oncology specialty. This entails a pressing need for organisations to ensure sufficient staffing in oncology/haematology settings, in order to ensure that quality patient care is provided. Limited studies that examine the relationship between the nursing shortage and oncology RNs' stress and burnout have been conducted. Also, no studies in the Asian context have previously been conducted. Organizations need to customize their strategies for the recruitment and retention of oncology nurses. The strategies should take into consideration the specific demographic characteristics of oncology nurses or those of work settings that are experiencing staffing inadequacy and negative nursing outcomes. The strategies should also aim to replicate features of other institutions that are attractive to oncology nurses, and also include training that help oncology nurses better manage their emotions. Future research needs to examine the relationship between the nursing shortage and oncology nurses' job satisfaction, stress and burnout in bone marrow transplant units, paediatric oncology settings and Asian oncology settings. The characteristics of oncology nurses or workplaces that are more likely to experience negative nursing outcomes due the nursing shortage should also be identified. © 2012 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2012 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  8. A systematic review of the experiences of undergraduate nursing students choosing to study at an English speaking university outside their homeland.

    PubMed

    Terwijn, Ruth; Pearce, Susanne; Rogers-Clark, Catherine

    Increasingly overseas students are attending university nursing programs in English-speaking countries to gain additional tertiary qualifications that may not be available in their homeland and also to fill the international nursing shortfall. For these students, some common issues identified and affirmed in qualitative research papers include loneliness, discriminatory experiences, developing communication, and academic skills. This systematic review will help identify and synthesise current issues through exploring the existing literature, giving an insight into the lives of international nursing students. Given the large and increasing number of these students, it is important to acknowledge and improve learning and other outcomes for them. The objective of this systematic review was to determine the best available evidence in relation to the experiences of undergraduate nursing students choosing to study at an English speaking university outside their homeland. This review sought high quality studies aimed at exploring the experience of undergraduate nursing students studying outside their homeland at an English speaking university. Both qualitative research studies and opinion-based text were considered for this review. An extensive search of the literature was conducted to identify research studies published between January 1990 and April 2011 in English and indexed in 37 major databases. All included articles were assessed independently by two reviewers (RT and SP), using the appropriate critical appraisal tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted from included papers using appropriate standardised data extraction tools developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data from qualitative studies and textual and opinion papers were meta-synthesised separately using standardised instruments. Data synthesis of all included studies involved the pooling of findings and then grouping into categories on a basis of similarity of meaning. The categories were further aggregated into a set of statements representing synthesised findings as a coherent whole. A total of 19 studies were identified as of high quality and meeting the inclusion criteria. From these studies, 254 findings were extracted which were grouped into 13 categories and further aggregated into four synthesised findings. The four major areas identified in this review in relation to the experiences of undergraduate nursing students studying outside their homeland at an English-speaking university include the need for support and encouragement, valuing and respecting difference, and the desire to succeed despite challenges and inclusion. Recognising the unique needs of international nursing students, in the clinical, academic and social context, is critical to improve the experiences of this student cohort. Educational and support strategies and programs are needed to respond to these needs. The implications for research are substantial. Given the outcomes of this review, action and evaluative research is needed to explore, implement and evaluate support strategies for students from non-English speaking backgrounds studying nursing. Research in the areas of curriculum development, supporting students' clinical experiences, and university social and academic support programs is recommended.

  9. The effect of display movement angle, indicator type and display location on control/display stereotype strength.

    PubMed

    Hoffmann, Errol R; Chan, Alan H S

    2017-08-01

    Much research on stereotype strength relating display and control movements for displays moving in the vertical or horizontal directions has been reported. Here we report effects of display movement angle, where the display moves at angles (relative to the vertical) of between 0° and 180°. The experiment used six different controls, four display locations relative to the operator and three types of indicator. Indicator types were included because of the strong effects of the 'scale-side principle' that are variable with display angle. A directional indicator had higher stereotype strength than a neutral indicator, and showed an apparent reversal in control/display stereotype direction beyond an angle of 90°. However, with a neutral indicator this control reversal was not present. Practitioner Summary: The effects of display moving at angles other than the four cardinal directions, types of control, location of display and types of indicator are investigated. Indicator types (directional and neutral) have an effect on stereotype strength and may cause an apparent control reversal with change of display movement angle.

  10. RNA-Seq Revealed Differences in Transcriptomes between 3ADON and 15ADON Populations of Fusarium graminearum In Vitro and In Planta.

    PubMed

    Puri, Krishna D; Yan, Changhui; Leng, Yueqiang; Zhong, Shaobin

    2016-01-01

    Fusarium graminearum is the major causal agent of Fusarium head blight (FHB) in barley and wheat in North America. The fungus not only causes yield loss of the crops but also produces harmful trichothecene mycotoxins [Deoxynivalenol (DON) and its derivatives-3-acetyldeoxynivalenol (3ADON) and 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15ADON), and nivalenol (NIV)] that contaminate grains. Previous studies showed a dramatic increase of 3ADON-producing isolates with higher aggressiveness and DON production than the 15ADON-producing isolates in North America. However, the genetic and molecular basis of differences between the two types of isolates is unclear. In this study, we compared transcriptomes of the 3ADON and 15ADON isolates in vitro (in culture media) and in planta (during infection on the susceptible wheat cultivar 'Briggs') using RNA-sequencing. The in vitro gene expression comparison identified 479 up-regulated and 801 down-regulated genes in the 3ADON isolates; the up-regulated genes were mainly involved in C-compound and carbohydrate metabolism (18.6%), polysaccharide metabolism (7.7%) or were of unknown functions (57.6%). The in planta gene expression analysis revealed that 185, 89, and 62 genes were up-regulated in the 3ADON population at 48, 96, and 144 hours after inoculation (HAI), respectively. The up-regulated genes were significantly enriched in functions for cellular import, C-compound and carbohydrate metabolism, allantoin and allantoate transport at 48 HAI, for detoxification and virulence at 96 HAI, and for metabolism of acetic acid derivatives, detoxification, and cellular import at 144 HAI. Comparative analyses of in planta versus in vitro gene expression further revealed 2,159, 1,981 and 2,095 genes up-regulated in the 3ADON isolates, and 2,415, 2,059 and 1,777 genes up-regulated in the 15ADON isolates at the three time points after inoculation. Collectively, our data provides a foundation for further understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in aggressiveness and DON production of the two chemotype isolates of F. graminearum.

  11. The role of academic health centres in building equitable health systems: a systematic review protocol.

    PubMed

    Edelman, Alexandra; Taylor, Judy; Ovseiko, Pavel V; Topp, Stephanie M

    2017-05-29

    Academic health centres (AHCs) are complex organisations often defined by their 'tripartite' mission: to achieve high standards of clinical care, undertake clinical and laboratory research and educate health professionals. In the last decade, AHCs have moved away from what was a dominant focus on high impact (clinical) interventions for individuals, towards a more population-oriented paradigm requiring networked institutions and responsiveness to a range of issues including distribution of health outcomes and health determinants. Reflective of this paradigm shift is a growing interest in the role of AHCs in addressing health disparities and improving health system equity. This protocol outlines a systematic review that seeks to synthesise and critically appraise the current state of evidence on the role of AHCs in contributing to equitable health systems locally and globally. Electronic searches will be conducted on a pilot list of bibliographic databases, including Google Scholar, Scopus, MEDLINE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, ERIC, ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, Cochrane Library, Evidence Based Medicine Reviews, Campbell Library and A+ Education, from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2016. Apart from studies reporting clinical interventions or trials, all types of published peer-reviewed and grey literature will be included in the review. The single screening method will be employed in selecting studies, with two additional reviewers consulted where allocation is unclear. Quality and relevance appraisal utilising Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools will follow data extraction to a preprepared template. Thematic synthesis will be undertaken to develop descriptive themes and inform analysis. As the review is focused on the analysis of secondary data, it does not require ethics approval. The results of the study will be disseminated through articles in peer-reviewed journals and trade publications as well as presentations at relevant national and international conferences. Results will be further disseminated through networks and associations of AHCs. International Prospective Register for Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) number CRD42016051802. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  12. Utility of social media and crowd-sourced data for pharmacovigilance: a scoping review protocol.

    PubMed

    Tricco, Andrea C; Zarin, Wasifa; Lillie, Erin; Pham, Ba; Straus, Sharon E

    2017-01-19

    Adverse events associated with medications are under-reported in postmarketing surveillance systems. A systematic review of published data from 37 studies worldwide (including Canada) found the median under-reporting rate of adverse events to be 94% in spontaneous reporting systems. This scoping review aims to assess the utility of social media and crowd-sourced data to detect and monitor adverse events related to health products including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, biologics and natural health products. Our review conduct will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review methods manual. Literature searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library from inception to 13 May 2016. Additional sources included searches of study registries, conference abstracts, dissertations, as well as websites of international regulatory authorities (eg, Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the WHO, European Medicines Agency). Search results will be supplemented by scanning the references of relevant reviews. We will include all publication types including published articles, editorials, websites and book sections that describe use of social media and crowd-sourced data for surveillance of adverse events associated with health products. Two reviewers will perform study selection and data abstraction independently, and discrepancies will be resolved through discussion. Data analysis will involve quantitative (eg, frequencies) and qualitative (eg, content analysis) methods. The summary of results will be sent to Health Canada, who commissioned the review, and other relevant policymakers involved with the Drug Safety and Effectiveness Network. We will compile and circulate a 1-page policy brief and host a 1-day stakeholder meeting to discuss the implications, key messages and finalise the knowledge translation strategy. Findings from this review will ultimately inform the design and development of a data analytics platform for social media and crowd-sourced data for pharmacovigilance in Canada and internationally. Our protocol was registered prospectively with the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/kv9hu/). Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  13. Effects of foot and ankle devices on balance, gait and falls in adults with sensory perception loss: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Paton, Joanne; Hatton, Anna L.; Rome, Keith; Kent, Bridie

    2016-01-01

    EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background Foot and ankle devices are being developed as a method of preventing people with sensory perception loss sustaining a fall. Such devices are believed to work by reducing the likelihood of a fall by improving the balance and gait of the user. Objectives The objective of the review was to evaluate the effectiveness of foot and ankle devices for the prevention of falls and the improvement of balance and gait in adults with sensory perception loss. Inclusion criteria Types of participants Participants were community-dwelling adults with bilateral pathological sensory perception loss. Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest The current review evaluated any foot or ankle device, including but not restricted to, all types of footwear (therapeutic and retail), insoles (customized and prefabricated) and ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs). Types of studies In the absence of randomized controlled trials (RCT), the review considered experimental and epidemiological study designs, except case series, individual case reports and descriptive cross-sectional studies. Outcomes The primary outcome was number of falls. Secondary outcome measures were clinical or laboratory measures of balance or gait. Search strategy A search for published and unpublished literature from inception to March 2015 written in the English language was conducted across a number of major electronic databases. A three-step search strategy was developed using MeSH terminology and keywords to ensure all that relevant materials are captured. Methodological quality Methodological quality of included studies was assessed by two reviewers, who appraised each study independently, using standardized Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools. Data extraction Quantitative data were extracted from the studies that were identified as meeting the criteria for methodological quality using the standardized JBI data extraction tools. Data synthesis Due to the heterogeneity of populations, interventions and outcome measures, meta-analyses were not possible and results are presented in narrative form. Results Nine trials (from 10 papers) involving 238 participants, (14 with multiple sclerosis and 16 with idiopathic peripheral neuropathy, 150 with diabetic neuropathy) and 58 controls were included in the review. No study reported falls as an outcome measure. The results of the included studies found that in people with sensory perception loss, postural sway improved with vibrating insoles and AFO, altering the softness and texture of the top cover had no effect on postural sway, wearing footwear over long distances or AFOs improved step-to-step consistency, and no foot and ankle device was reported to have a negative effect on the balance or gait of people with sensory perception loss. The methodological quality of the included studies was poor. No study used a randomized controlled trial (RCT) methodology. No study incorporated a follow-up period or tested the intervention within the context of the intended clinical environment. Conclusion There is limited evidence to suggest that footwear and insole devices can artificially alter postural stability and may reduce the step-to-step variability in adults with sensory perception loss. Varying the material properties of an insole does not notably affect static balance or gait. PMID:28009675

  14. An Analysis of Factors Affecting Mature Age Students' Academic Success in Undergraduate Nursing Programs: A Critical Literature Review.

    PubMed

    Hayden, Lisa J; Jeong, Sarah Y; Norton, Carol A

    2016-01-01

    The population of mature age students entering university nursing programs has steadily increased in both Australia and worldwide. The objective of the literature review was to explore how mature age students perform academically and to analyse the factors associated with their academic performance in nursing programs. A literature search was conducted in the following databases: CINAHL, ProQuest, Medline, Cochrane, Mosby's Index, Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), and Scopus. Twenty-six (26) research papers published between 2000 and 2014 have met the selection criteria of this review. The key themes identified include; 1) ambiguity in definition of mature age and academic success, 2) age and academic success, 3) intrinsic factors (life experiences, emotional intelligence, and motivation and volition), and 4) extrinsic factors (peer, academic and family support; and learning style, components of the modules and mode of delivery). Current literature provides evidence that mature age nursing students perform at a higher level within the methodological issues discussed in this paper. Future research is warranted to advance the understanding of the complex relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic factors of mature age students and their academic success in higher education. Nursing educators will benefit from novel evidence, ideas and opportunities to explore and implement in nursing education.

  15. Mobile Technology in Undergraduate Nursing Education: A Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Lee, Hyejung; Min, Haeyoung; Oh, Su-Mi; Shim, Kaka

    2018-04-01

    This study aimed to identify and systematically review the literature on the use of mobile technology in nursing education. The research findings could evidence the effectiveness of mobile technology in undergraduate nursing students' learning outcomes. Computerized searches were conducted using the Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases for relevant primary studies and limited to those between 2000 and February 2018. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies published in either English or Korean were included and critically appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Seven RCTs and 7 quasi-experimental studies were identified. The mobile device and intervention applied varied throughout all the studies. Studies published earlier in the 2000s found that immediate access to clinical and pharmacological referencing information through the mobile device increased students' efficacy in clinical practice. Later studies, which were mostly conducted in Korea, reported that smartphone-based applications could promote nursing students' learning motivation and satisfaction but not their clinical skills and knowledge. We still seem to be in the beginning stage of implementing mobile technology in nursing education due to the limited implication of mobile technology and inconsistent research conclusions. In the future, rigorous primary empirical studies are needed to suggest the effective use of mobile devices in nursing education.

  16. Mobile Technology in Undergraduate Nursing Education: A Systematic Review

    PubMed Central

    Lee, Hyejung; Oh, Su-mi; Shim, Kaka

    2018-01-01

    Objectives This study aimed to identify and systematically review the literature on the use of mobile technology in nursing education. The research findings could evidence the effectiveness of mobile technology in undergraduate nursing students' learning outcomes. Methods Computerized searches were conducted using the Ovid-MEDLINE, Ovid-EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL databases for relevant primary studies and limited to those between 2000 and February 2018. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies published in either English or Korean were included and critically appraised using Joanna Briggs Institute tools. Results Seven RCTs and 7 quasi-experimental studies were identified. The mobile device and intervention applied varied throughout all the studies. Studies published earlier in the 2000s found that immediate access to clinical and pharmacological referencing information through the mobile device increased students' efficacy in clinical practice. Later studies, which were mostly conducted in Korea, reported that smartphone-based applications could promote nursing students' learning motivation and satisfaction but not their clinical skills and knowledge. Conclusions We still seem to be in the beginning stage of implementing mobile technology in nursing education due to the limited implication of mobile technology and inconsistent research conclusions. In the future, rigorous primary empirical studies are needed to suggest the effective use of mobile devices in nursing education. PMID:29770243

  17. Antidepressant drugs and breastfeeding: a review of the literature.

    PubMed

    Davanzo, Riccardo; Copertino, Marco; De Cunto, Angela; Minen, Federico; Amaddeo, Alessandro

    2011-04-01

    The use of antidepressants in breastfeeding mothers is controversial: Manufacters often routinely discourage breastfeeding for the nursing mother despite the well-known positive impact that breastfeeding carries on the health of the nursing infant and on his or her family and society. We conducted a systematic review of drugs commonly used in the treatment of postpartum depression. For every single drug two sets of data were provided: (1) selected pharmacokinetic characteristics such as half-life, milk-to-plasma ratio, protein binding, and oral bioavailability and (2) information about lactational risk, according to some authoritative sources of the literature: Drugs in Pregnancy and Lactation edited by Briggs et al. (Lippincott Williams, Philadelphia, 2008), Medications and Mothers' Milk by Hale (Hale Publishing, Amarillo, TX, 2010), and the LactMed database of TOXNET ( www.pubmed.gov ; accessed June 2010). Notwithstanding a certain variability of advice, we found that (1) knowledge of pharmacokinetic characteristics are scarcely useful to assess safety and (2) the majority of antidepressants are not usually contraindicated: (a) Selective serotinin reuptake inhibitors and nortryptiline have a better safety profile during lactation, (b) fluoxetine must be used carefully, (c) the tricyclic doxepine and the atypical nefazodone should better be avoided, and (d) lithium, usually considered as contraindicated, has been recently rehabilitated.

  18. Profile of women who carried out smoking cessation treatment: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Pereira, Caroline Figueira; de Vargas, Divane

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Analyze the profile of women, in health services, who carry out treatment for smoking cessation. METHODS Systematic review that used the following sources of information: Cummulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), Scopus and Web of Science. We included quantitative studies that addressed the characterization of women, in health services, who carried out treatment for smoking cessation, resulting in 12 articles for analysis. The assessment of the methodological quality of the studies was performed using the instrument MAStARI from Joanna Briggs Institute. RESULTS The predominant profile of women who carried out treatment for smoking cessation in health services was composed of white, married, employed, and highly level educated women. Women who carried out the treatment for smoking cessation in specialized services had a more advanced age, were white, were married and had a diagnosis of depression. The quality level of most studies was moderate. CONCLUSIONS The profile of women who carry out treatment for smoking cessation, either in general or specialized health services, is composed of white, married, and highly level educated women. Publications about smoking women are scarce and the lack of Brazilian studies characterizing the profile of women who start treatment for smoking cessation shows the need for studies that explore this subject. PMID:26247386

  19. Extravasation management in the pediatric oncology ward of Children's Hospital of Fudan University: a best practice implementation project.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yingwen; Kong, Meijing; Ge, Youhong

    2016-12-01

    Extravasation in a pediatric patient can cause a serious adverse event, but many nurses have insufficient experience to deal with it during intravenous administration. Our division implemented a best practice project, which included extravasation kit instruction preparation, staff education and an update of institutional policy and procedures. The project focused on auditing the extent to which the protocol was implemented and promoting its implementation. The objective of the project was to establish an evidence-based policy and procedure for extravasation management, improve knowledge regarding best practice of extravasation management among staff and formalize the documentation template for extravasation events. The Joanna Briggs Institute's Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System and Getting Research into Practice were used to examine compliance with criteria based on the best available evidence before and after the implementation of strategies to promote the use of the evidence-based practice protocol. Four criteria showed a noticeable improvement in compliance: increased use of extravasation kit (0-100%), updated policies and procedure (0-94%), staff education (19-94%) and documented outcomes (13-88%). The project successfully established effective strategies for establishing an extravasation kit instruction sheet, updating policies and procedures, continuous staff education and nursing documentation to ensure best practice and improve patient outcomes.

  20. Follow-up data on the effectiveness of New Zealand's national school based child protection program.

    PubMed

    Briggs, F; Hawkins, R M

    1994-08-01

    In 1987, in response to concerns relating to the high incidence of (reported) child sexual abuse, the Ministry of Education and New Zealand Policy jointly introduced a national school-based personal safety program, Keeping Ourselves Safe. In December 1990, 252 children were interviewed in eight primary schools, selected as representative of the ethnic, economic, and social diversity of New Zealand society (Briggs 1991). The interview schedule was designed on problem-solving lines to establish whether children could identify and respond safely to a wide range of potentially unsafe situations. One year later, 117 of the children were available for interview using the same questionnaire. Children exposed to Keeping Ourselves Safe had retained and increased their safety strategies during that time. The variables of gender, age, race, and academic level did not affect improvement but the number of initial gains by children with highly committed teachers was almost double the number achieved by teachers classified as having low levels of commitment. Prior to using the program, children from low socioeconomic groups had significantly lower knowledge and skill levels than their middle-class contemporaries. Middle-class children also gained more from the program. The difference in gains achieved is explained in terms of parental participation in the school program.

  1. Profile of women who carried out smoking cessation treatment: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Pereira, Caroline Figueira; de Vargas, Divane

    2015-01-01

    OBJECTIVE Analyze the profile of women, in health services, who carry out treatment for smoking cessation. METHODS Systematic review that used the following sources of information: Cummulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde (BVS), Scopus and Web of Science. We included quantitative studies that addressed the characterization of women, in health services, who carried out treatment for smoking cessation, resulting in 12 articles for analysis. The assessment of the methodological quality of the studies was performed using the instrument MAStARI from Joanna Briggs Institute. RESULTS The predominant profile of women who carried out treatment for smoking cessation in health services was composed of white, married, employed, and highly level educated women. Women who carried out the treatment for smoking cessation in specialized services had a more advanced age, were white, were married and had a diagnosis of depression. The quality level of most studies was moderate. CONCLUSIONS The profile of women who carry out treatment for smoking cessation, either in general or specialized health services, is composed of white, married, and highly level educated women. Publications about smoking women are scarce and the lack of Brazilian studies characterizing the profile of women who start treatment for smoking cessation shows the need for studies that explore this subject.

  2. Topics in electron capture by fast ions

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hsin, S.H.

    1987-01-01

    The post-collision interaction (PCI) model was applied, together with the eikonal approximation, to study the (n = 2,3) capture cross sections in p + H(ls) collisions. The results indeed improve the previous eikonal calculations for l = 0 cases, and agree quite well with present experimental data. Calculations using the strong-potential Born (SPB) approximation, with the Sil and McGuire technique, for capture into the np, nd levels are also presented. While these cross sections are smaller than cross sections for capture into the ns levels at high velocities, nevertheless the Thomas peak is clearly evident in both the absolute valuemore » m = 2, absolute value m = 1 and m = 0 magnetic substates in p + H(ls) collisions. Also calculated were corrections to the SPB using the Distorted-Wave Born formalism of Taulbjerg and Briggs. In the sense of a plane-wave Born expansion, all terms of the third Born approximation and all single switching fourth Born terms are included, but a peaking approximation is needed to reduce the calculation to tractable form. Effects of the higher terms are most visible in the valley between the Thomas peak and the forward peak. The Thomas peak is visible in the correction term, even though it includes no second Born contributions.« less

  3. The implementation of best practice in medication administration across a health network: a multisite evidence-based audit and feedback project.

    PubMed

    Munn, Zachary; Scarborough, Alan; Pearce, Susanne; McArthur, Alexa; Kavanagh, Sheila; Girdler, Michelle; Stefan-Rasmus, Bernie; Breen, Helen; Farquhar, Shirley; Li, Jessie; Hutchinson, Steven; Stephenson, Matthew; McBeth, Helen; Kitson, Alison

    2015-09-16

    Medication errors present a significant risk to patient safety. The "rights" of medication administration represent one approach to potentially reducing this risk. The aim of this project was to implement an evidence-based audit and feedback project to improve compliance with best practice in this area across a health network. A baseline audit was conducted to determine compliance with evidence-based standards by trained observers. The results of this audit were analysed and fed back to staff. An analysis of barriers to compliance was undertaken by key staff within the organization, which was followed by the implementation of targeted strategies to improve compliance. A follow-up audit was conducted and the results compared to the baseline audit. There were improvements in the percentage of compliance across all of the eight criteria audited, with statistically significant improvements found in six of the eight. In general, compliance with the criteria was high in both the baseline and follow-up audits. This audit and feedback implementation project was successful in increasing compliance and knowledge in this area and providing future direction for sustaining evidence-based practice change. It is now planned to use this approach for rolling out future implementation projects within this health system. The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  4. A review of factors affecting patient satisfaction with nurse led triage in emergency departments.

    PubMed

    Rehman, Salma Abdul; Ali, Parveen Azam

    2016-11-01

    To determine the factors that affect patient satisfaction with nurse-led-triage in EDs using a systematic review. Nurses' involvement in the triage services provided in the Emergency Department has been an integral part of practice for several decades in some countries. Although studies exploring patient satisfaction with nurse-led ED triage exist, no systematic review of this evidence is available. MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Joanna Briggs Library and Google Scholar were searched (January 1980-June 2013). Eighteen studies that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Factors that affect patient satisfaction with nurse-led-triage include nurses' abilities to provide patient centred care, communication skills, nurses' caring abilities, concern for the patient and competence in diagnosing and treating the health problem. Other factors include availability and visibility of nurses, provision of appropriate health related information in a jargon-free language, nurses' ability to answer questions, and an ability to provide patients with an opportunity to ask questions. There is continued scope for nurse-led-triage services in the ED. Patients are generally satisfied with the service provided by nurses in EDs and report a willingness to see the same professional again in the future if needed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Informing clinical policy decision-making practices in ambulance services.

    PubMed

    Muecke, Sandy; Curac, Nada; Binks, Darryn

    2013-12-01

    This study aims to identify the processes and frameworks that support an evidence-based approach to clinical policy decision-making practices in ambulance services. This literature review focused on: (i) the setting (pre-hospital); and (ii) the process of evidence translation, for studies published after the year 2000. Searches of Medline, CINAHL and Google were undertaken. Reference lists of eligible publications were searched for relevant articles. A total of 954 articles were identified. Of these, 20 full text articles were assessed for eligibility and seven full text articles met the inclusion criteria. Three provided detailed descriptions of the evidence-based practice processes used to inform ambulance service protocol or guideline development or review. There is little published literature that describes the processes involved, and frameworks required, to inform clinical policy decision making within ambulance services. This review found that processes were iterative and involved collaborations across many internal and external stakeholders. In several jurisdictions, these were coordinated by a dedicated team. Success appears dependent on committed leadership and purposive human and structural resources. Although time consuming, structured processes have been developed in some jurisdictions to assist decision-making processes. Further insight is likely to be obtained from literature published by those from other disciplines. © 2013 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2013 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  6. Laboratory, clinical and therapeutic features of respiratory panic disorder subtype.

    PubMed

    Zugliani, Morena M; Freire, Rafael C; Perna, Giampaolo; Crippa, Jose A; Nardi, Antonio E

    2015-01-01

    It is our aim to elaborate on the new developments in regard to the respiratory subtype (RS) of panic disorder (PD) since it was first described. We will present psychopathological features, diagnostic criteria, genetic and physiopathological hypotheses, as well as therapeutic and prognostic characteristics. Two searches were performed in the Thomson Reuters Web of Knowledge (http://wokinfo.com/): 1 - search terms: "panic disorder" AND ("respiratory symptom" OR "respiratory symptoms" OR "respiratory subtype" OR "respiratory panic" OR "cardiorespiratory"); 2 - all articles citing Briggs and colleagues' 1993 article "Subtyping of Panic Disorder by Symptom Profile" (Br J Psychiatry 1993;163: 201-9). Only those articles involving human subjects and written English were included. In comparison with patients of the non-respiratory subtype (NRS), RS patients showed greater familial history of PD, and higher comorbidity rates for anxiety disorders and depressive disorders. These patients were also more sensitive to CO2, hyperventilation and caffeine. Certain characteristics, such as heightened sensitivity to CO2 and the higher incidence of a family history of PD, clearly distinguished the Respiratory Subtype patients from the Non-Respiratory. Nonetheless, some studies failed to demonstrate differential responses to pharmacological treatment and CBT across the subtypes. RS patients seem to respond faster than NRS to pharmacological treatment with antidepressants and benzodiazepines, but more studies are needed to confirm this finding.

  7. BBU and Corkscrew Growth Predictions for the Darht Second Axis Accelerator

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Y.J.; Fawley, W.M.

    2001-06-12

    The second axis accelerator of the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT-II) facility will produce a 2-kA, 20-MeV, 2-{micro}s output electron beam with a design goal of less than 1000 {pi} mm-mrad normalized transverse emittance. In order to meet this goal, both the beam breakup instability (BBJ) and transverse corkscrew motion (due to chromatic phase advance) must be limited in growth. Using data from recent experimental measurements of the transverse impedance of actual DARHT-II accelerator cells by Briggs et al. [2], they have used the LLNL BREAKUP code to predict BBU and corkscrew growth in DARHT-II. The results suggest thatmore » BBU growth should not seriously degrade the final achievable spot size at the x-ray converter, presuming the initial excitation level is of the order 100 microns or smaller. For control of corkscrew growth, a major concern is the number of tuning shots needed to utilize effectively the tuning-V algorithm [3]. Presuming that the solenoid magnet alignment falls within spec, they believe that possibly as few as 50-100 shots will be necessary to set the dipole corrector magnet currents. They give some specific examples of tune determination for a hypothetical set of alignment errors.« less

  8. BBU and Corkscrew Growth Predictions for the DARHT Second Axis Accelerator

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Chen, Y J; Fawley, W M

    2001-06-12

    The second axis accelerator of the Dual Axis Radiographic Hydrodynamic Test (DARHT-II) facility will produce a 2-kA, 20-MeV, 2-{micro}s output electron beam with a design goal of less than 1000 {pi} mm-mrad normalized transverse emittance. In order to meet this goal, both the beam breakup instability (BBU) and transverse ''corkscrew'' motion (due to chromatic phase advance) must be limited in growth. Using data from recent experimental measurements of the transverse impedance of actual DARHT-II accelerator cells by Briggs et al., they have used the LLNL BREAKUP code to predict BBU and corkscrew growth in DARHT-II. The results suggest that BBUmore » growth should not seriously degrade the final achievable spot size at the x-ray converter, presuming the initial excitation level is of the order 100 microns or smaller. For control of corkscrew growth, a major concern is the number of ''tuning'' shots needed to utilize effectively the ''tuning-V'' algorithm. Presuming that the solenoid magnet alignment falls within spec, they believe that possibly as few as 50-100 shots will be necessary to set the dipole corrector magnet currents. They give some specific examples of tune determination for a hypothetical set of alignment errors.« less

  9. How has the impact of 'care pathway technologies' on service integration in stroke care been measured and what is the strength of the evidence to support their effectiveness in this respect?

    PubMed

    Allen, Davina; Rixson, Laura

    Across the developed world, we are witnessing an increasing emphasis on the need for more closely coordinated forms of health and social care provision. Integrated care pathways (ICPs) have emerged as a response to this aspiration and are believed by many to address the factors which contribute to service integration. ICPs map out a patient's journey, providing coordination of services for users. They aim to have: 'the right people, doing the right things, in the right order, at the right time, in the right place, with the right outcome'. The value for ICPs in supporting the delivery of care across organisational boundaries, providing greater consistency in practice, improving service continuity and increasing collaboration has been advocated by many. However, there is little evidence to support their use, and the need for systematic evaluations in order to measure their effectiveness has been widely identified. A recent Cochrane review assessed the effects of ICPs on functional outcome, process of care, quality of life and hospitalisation costs of inpatients with acute stroke, but did not specifically focus on service integration or its derivatives. To the best of our knowledge, no such systematic review of the literature exists. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Types of participants The review focused on the care of adult patients who had suffered a stroke. It included the full spectrum of services - acute care, rehabilitation and long-term support - in hospital and community settings.Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest Integrated care pathways were the intervention of interest, defined for the purpose of this review as 'a multidisciplinary tool to improve the quality and efficiency of evidence based care and is used as a communication tool between professionals to manage and standardise the outcome orientated care'. Here 'multidisciplinary' is taken to refer to the involvement of two or more disciplines.Types of outcomes Service integration' was the outcome of interest however, this was defined and measured in the selected studies.Types of studies This review was concerned with how 'service integration' was defined in evaluations of ICPs; the type of evidence utilised in measuring the impact of the intervention and the weight of evidence to support the effectiveness of care pathway technologies on 'service integration'. Studies that made an explicit link between ICPs and service integration were included in the review. Evidence generated from randomised controlled trials, quasi-experimental, qualitative and health economics research was sought. The search was limited to publications after 1980, coinciding with the emergence of ICPs in the healthcare context. Assessment for inclusion of foreign papers was based on the English-language abstract, where available. These were included only if an English translation was available. This review excluded studies that: SEARCH STRATEGY: In order to avoid replication, the Joanna Briggs Institute for Evidence Based Nursing and Midwifery Database and the Cochrane Library were searched to establish that no systematic reviews existed and none were in progress. A three-stage search strategy was then used to identify both published and unpublished studies (see ). Our search strategy located 2123 papers, of which 39 were retrieved for further evaluation. We critically appraised seven papers, representing five studies. These were all evaluation studies and, as is typical in this field, comprised a range of study designs and data collection methods. Owing to the diversity of the study types included in the review, we developed a single-appraisal checklist and data-extractiontool which could be applied to all research designs. The tool drew on the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) appraisal checklists for experimental studies and interpretive and critical research, and also incorporated specific information and issues which were relevant for our purposes (see ). This extends the thinking outlined in Lyne et al. in which, drawing on Campbell and Stanley's classic paper, the case is made for developing an appraisal tool which is applicable to all types of evaluation, irrespective of study design.In assessing the quality of the papers, we were sympathetic to the methodological challenges of evaluating complex interventions such as ICPs. We were also cognisant of the very real constraints in which service evaluations are frequently undertaken in healthcare contexts. In accordance with the aims of this particular review, we have included studies, which are methodologically weaker than is typical of many systematic reviews because, in our view, in the absence of stronger evidence, they yield useful information. Given the heterogeneity of the included studies, meta-analysis and/or qualitative synthesis was not possible. A narrative summary of the study findings is presented. Therefore, we do not know whether the costs of ICP development and implementation are justified by any of the reported benefits. Implications for practice There is some evidence that ICPs may support certain elements of service integration in the context of stroke care. This seems to be as a result of their ability to support the timely implementation of clinical interventions and the mobilisation of resources around the patient without incurring additional increases in length of stay. ICPs appear to be most successful in improving service coordination in the acute stroke context where patient care trajectories are predictable. Their value in the context of rehabilitation settings in which recovery pathways are more variable is less clear. There is some evidence that ICPs may be effective in bringing about behavioural changes in contexts where deficiencies in service provision have been identified. Their value in contexts where inter-professional working is well established is less clear. While earlier before and after studies show a reduction in length of stay in ICP-managed care, this may reflect wider healthcare trends, and the failure of later studies to demonstrate further reductions suggests that there may be limits as to how far this can continue to be reduced. There is some evidence to suggest that ICPs bring about improvements in documentation, but we do not know how far documented practice reflects actual practice. It is unclear how ICPs have their effects and the relative importance of the process of development and the artefact in use. As none of the studies reviewed included an economic evaluation, moreover, it remains unclear whether the benefits of ICPs justify the costs of their implementation.

  10. The incidence of thromboembolism formation following the use of recombinant factor VIIa in patients suffering from blunt force trauma compared with penetrating trauma: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Devlin, Raymond; Bonanno, Laura; Badeaux, Jennifer

    2016-03-01

    Rapid replacement of blood loss is critical in patients suffering from traumatic hemorrhage. When the availability of blood products is limited, certain interventions have shown promise in conserving blood supplies. Recombinant factor (rF) VIIa has been administered, as an off-label use, to assist in controlling hemorrhage in trauma patients. Although rFVIIa has a tendency to remain localized to areas of vascular insult, there may be an increase in thromboembolism formation when patients suffer multiple sites of injury as seen in blunt force trauma. This review aimed to synthesize the best available evidence regarding the incidence of thromboembolism formation after receiving rFVIIa as an adjunct to hemorrhage control measures (standard resuscitation efforts consisting of varying amounts of packed red blood cells [PRBCs], fresh frozen plasma [FFP], platelets and crystalloid solutions) in patients suffering from traumatic injuries (blunt force and penetrating trauma). Civilian and combat trauma patients who were 15 years and older suffering from blunt force and penetrating traumatic injuries. Use of rFVIIa as an adjunct to hemorrhage control measures (standard resuscitation efforts consisting of varying amounts of PRBCs, FFP, platelets and crystalloid solutions). This review considered both experimental and epidemiological study designs. Confirmed formation of thromboembolism (confirmation based on specific diagnostic tests such as ultrasound, ventilation-perfusion scan or angiography). The databases searched included CINAHL, Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE and the Cochrane Control Register of Clinical Trials. Studies published after June 1986 were considered for inclusion in this review. Search for unpublished studies was performed. Studies selected for inclusion were critically appraised by two independent reviewers using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Data was extracted from articles using standardized data extraction instruments from the JBI. Quantitative results were pooled in statistical meta-analysis using the Joanna Briggs software for meta-analysis. Two studies with a total of 831 participants were included. Both the studies were randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trials. No studies of combat trauma patients met the inclusion criteria for this review. A meta-analysis was performed. In blunt force trauma patients, the incidence of thromboembolism formation on administering rFVIIa revealed an overall relative risk of 1.17 with a 95% confidence interval (CI) from 0.77 to 1.79; results not statistically significant (P = 0.4594); large CI and imprecise estimate. In penetrating trauma patients, the incidence of thromboembolism formation on administering rFVIIa revealed an overall relative risk of 0.77 with a 95% CI from 0.27 to 2.20; results not statistically significant (P = 0.6242); very large CI and imprecise estimate. The estimates of the effects are imprecise, results are compatible with effects in opposite directions, increase or decrease of thromboembolism formation, and an increase of thromboembolism formation cannot be excluded. When rFVIIa is administered to trauma patients, there does not appear to be an increased risk of thromboembolism formation favoring one type of injury over the other (blunt force versus penetrating trauma). Owing to large CIs and imprecise estimates, the overall risk of thromboembolism cannot be excluded. The use of rFVIIa does appear to decrease the overall need for blood products in trauma patients with no statistically significant improvement in survival rates. With the high cost of rFVIIa, its use is limited to those facilities that can afford it. In situations wherein blood supply is limited, rFVIIa could conserve limited supplies of blood products with no difference in thromboembolism risk between blunt force versus penetrating trauma, but the high cost will ultimately limit its use to facilities that can afford it. The use of rFVIIa in blunt force and penetrating trauma patients has a JBI Grade B Recommendation (Appendix I). This review excluded patients receiving pharmacologic anticoagulation such as warfarin sodium or heparin. The actions of these drugs will most likely counteract the desired coagulation effect of rFVIIa. Many studies do not account for the effects of rFVIIa in trauma patients receiving pharmacologic anticoagulation and this could be a future area of research.

  11. Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Techniques for Control of Pain in Lung Cancer Patients: An Integrated Review.

    PubMed

    Phianmongkhol, Yupin; Thongubon, Kannika; Woottiluk, Pakapan

    2015-01-01

    Experience of lung cancer includes negative impacts on both physical and psychological health. Pain is one of the negative experiences of lung cancer. Cognitive behavioral therapy techniques are often recommended as treatments for lung cancer pain. The objective of this review was to synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy techniques in treating lung cancer pain. This review considered studies that included lung cancer patients who were required to 1) be at least 18 years old; 2) speak and read English or Thai; 3) have a life expectancy of at least two months; 4) experience daily cancer pain requiring an opioid medication; 5) have a positive response to opioid medication; 6) have "average or usual" pain between 4 and 7 on a scale of 0-10 for the day before the clinic visit or for a typical day; and 7) able to participate in a pain evaluation and treatment program. This review considered studies to examine interventions for use in treatment of pain in lung cancer patients, including: biofeedback, cognitive/attentional distraction, imagery, hypnosis, and meditation. Any randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined cognitive behavioral therapy techniques for pain specifically in lung cancer patients were included. In the absence of RCTs, quasi-experimental designs were reviewed for possible conclusion in a narrative summary. Outcome measures were pain intensity before and after cognitive behavioural therapy techniques. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished literature. A three-step search was utilised by using identified keywords and text term. An initial limited search of MEDLINE and CINAHL was undertaken followed by analysis of the text words contained in the title and abstract, and of the index terms used to describe the article. A second search using all the identified keywords and index terms was then undertaken across all included databases. Thirdly, the reference list of all identified reports and articles were searched for additional studies. Searches were conducted during January 1991- March 2014 limited to English and Thai languages with no date restriction. All studies that met the inclusion criteria were assessed for methodological quality by three reviewers using a standardized critical appraisal tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Three reviewers extracted data independently, using a standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Ideally for quantitative data meta-analysis was to be conducted where all results were subject to double data entry. Odds ratios (for categorical data) and weighted mean differences (for continuous data) and their 95% confidence intervals were to be calculated for analysis and heterogeneity was to be assessed using the standard Chi-square. Where statistical pooling was not possible the finding were be presented in narrative form. There were no studies located that met the inclusion requirements of this review. There were also no text and opinion pieces that were specific to cognitive behavioral therapy techniques pain and lung cancer patients. There is currently no evidence available to determine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy techniques for pain in lung cancer patients.

  12. End User and Implementer Experiences of mHealth Technologies for Noncommunicable Chronic Disease Management in Young Adults: Systematic Review.

    PubMed

    Slater, Helen; Campbell, Jared M; Stinson, Jennifer N; Burley, Megan M; Briggs, Andrew M

    2017-12-12

    Chronic noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, and persistent musculoskeletal pain impose an escalating and unsustainable burden on young people, their families, and society. Exploring how mobile health (mHealth) technologies can support management for young people with NCDs is imperative. The aim of this study was to identify, appraise, and synthesize available qualitative evidence on users' experiences of mHealth technologies for NCD management in young people. We explored the perspectives of both end users (young people) and implementers (health policy makers, clinicians, and researchers). A systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Eligibility criteria included full reports published in peer-reviewed journals from January 2007 to December 2016, searched across databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE (PubMed), Scopus, and PsycINFO. All qualitative studies that evaluated the use of mHealth technologies to support young people (in the age range of 15-24 years) in managing their chronic NCDs were considered. Two independent reviewers identified eligible reports and conducted critical appraisal (based on the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument: JBI-QARI). Three reviewers independently, then collaboratively, synthesized and interpreted data through an inductive and iterative process to derive emergent themes across the included data. External validity checking was undertaken by an expert clinical researcher and for relevant content, a health policy expert. Themes were subsequently subjected to a meta-synthesis, with findings compared and contrasted between user groups and policy and practice recommendations derived. Twelve studies met our inclusion criteria. Among studies of end users (N=7), mHealth technologies supported the management of young people with diabetes, cancer, and asthma. Implementer studies (N=5) covered the management of cognitive and communicative disabilities, asthma, chronic self-harm, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Quality ratings were higher for implementer compared with end user studies. Both complementary and unique user themes emerged. Themes derived for end users of mHealth included (1) Experiences of functionality that supported self-management, (2) Acceptance (technical usability and feasibility), (3) Importance of codesign, and (4) Perceptions of benefit (self-efficacy and empowerment). For implementers, derived themes included (1) Characteristics that supported self-management (functional, technical, and behavior change); (2) Implementation challenges (systems level, service delivery level, and clinical level); (3) Adoption considerations for specific populations (training end users; specific design requirements); and (4) Codesign and tailoring to facilitate uptake and person-centered care. Synthesizing available data revealed both complementary and unique user perspectives on enablers and barriers to designing, developing, and implementing mHealth technologies to support young people's management of their chronic NCDs. PROSPERO CRD42017056317; http://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.asp?ID=CRD 42017056317 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6vZ5UkKLp). ©Helen Slater, Jared M Campbell, Jennifer N Stinson, Megan M Burley, Andrew M Briggs. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 12.12.2017.

  13. The patient experience of high technology medical imaging: a systematic review of the qualitative evidence.

    PubMed

    Munn, Zachary; Jordan, Zoe

    When presenting to an imaging department, the person who is to be imaged is often in a vulnerable state, and out of their comfort zone. It is the role of the medical imaging technician to produce a high quality image and facilitate patient care throughout the imaging process. Qualitative research is necessary to better inform the medical imaging technician and to help them to understand the experience of the person being imaged. Some issues that have been identified in the literature include fear, claustrophobia, dehumanisation, and an uncomfortable or unusual experience. There is now a small but worthwhile qualitative literature base focusing on the patient experience in high technology imaging. There is no current qualitative synthesis of the literature on the patient experience in high technology imaging. It is therefore timely and worthwhile to produce a systematic review to identify and summarise the existent literature exploring the patient experience of high technology imaging. To identify the patient experience of high technology medical imaging. Studies that were of a qualitative design that explored the phenomenon of interest, the patient experience of high technology medical imaging. Participants included anyone who had undergone one of these procedures. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies, and was conducted over a period from June - September 2010. No time limits were imposed on this search strategy. A three-step search strategy was utilised in this review. All studies that met the criteria were selected for retrieval. They were then assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardised critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Data was extracted from papers included in the review using the standardised data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Research findings were pooled using the Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Following the search and critical appraisal processes, 15 studies were identified that were deemed of suitable quality to be included in the review. From these 15 studies, 127 findings were extracted, forming 33 categories and 11 synthesised findings. These synthesised findings related to the patient experience, the emotions they felt (whether negative or positive), the need for support and information, and highlighted the importance of imaging to the patient. The synthesised findings in this review highlight the diverse, unique and challenging ways in which people experience imaging with MRI and CT scanners. All health professionals involved in imaging need to be aware of the different ways each patient may experience imaging, and provide them with ongoing support and information. The implications for practice are derived directly from the results of the meta-synthesis, and each of the 11 synthesised findings. There is still scope for further high methodological qualitative studies to be conducted in this field, particularly in the field of nuclear medicine imaging and Positron Emission Tomography. Further studies may be conducted in certain patient groups, and in certain age ranges. No studies were found assessing the experience of children undergoing high technology imaging.

  14. The impact of essential fatty acid, B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and zinc supplementation on stress levels in women: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    McCabe, Delia; Lisy, Karolina; Lockwood, Craig; Colbeck, Marc

    2017-02-01

    Women juggling multiple roles in our complex society are increasingly experiencing psychological stress. Dietary supplementation to manage stress is widespread despite limited supporting evidence. A systematic review of the available literature was undertaken to investigate the efficacy of specific dietary supplements in managing female stress and anxiety. To identify the impact of essential fatty acids (EFAs), B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and/or zinc, consumed as dietary supplements to the daily diet, on female stress and anxiety levels. Women aged 18 years and over, who had participated in a study where stress and/or anxiety were assessed. Dietary supplementation with EFAs, B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and/or zinc. Supplements, either alone or combined, were compared with either no intervention or placebo. Randomized controlled and pseudo-randomized trials were included. Stress and anxiety were assessed using self-report or physiological outcome measures. Published and unpublished studies were sought via MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, PsycARTICLES, MedNar, National Institute of Mental Health and the International Association for Women's Mental Health. Methodological quality was evaluated using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted using the standardized data extraction instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Due to heterogeneity of the included studies, narrative synthesis was performed. Fourteen studies were included in this review. Essential fatty acids were effective in reducing perceived stress and salivary cortisol levels during pregnancy and anxiety in premenstrual women, and anxiety during menopause in the absence of depression, but were ineffective when depression was disregarded. Disregarding the hormonal phase, EFAs were ineffective in reducing stress or anxiety in four groups of women. Combined magnesium and vitamin B6 supplementation reduced premenstrual anxiety but had no effect when used in isolation and did not affect stress in women suffering from dysmenorrhea when combined or used in isolation. Older women experienced anxiety reduction using vitamin B6, but not folate or vitamin B12. High-dose sustained-release vitamin C was effective in reducing anxiety and blood pressure in response to stress. The current review suggests that EFAs may be effective in reducing prenatal stress and salivary cortisol and may reduce anxiety during premenstrual syndrome and during menopause in the absence of depression. Magnesium and vitamin B6 may be effective in combination in reducing premenstrual stress, and vitamin B6 alone may reduce anxiety effectively in older women. High-dose sustained-release vitamin C may reduce anxiety and mitigate increased blood pressure in response to stress. Essential fatty acids may be effective in reducing prenatal stress and salivary cortisol levels, and premenstrual or menopausal anxiety in the absence of depression. Combining magnesium and vitamin B6 may reduce premenstrual anxiety and vitamin B6 may reduce anxiety in older women. High-dose sustained-release vitamin C may reduce anxiety and mitigate increased blood pressure in response to stress. Investigating supplementation in longer term studies is warranted and should include compliance testing, the use of inert substances as controls and reliable outcome measures.

  15. Oxygen microprofile in the prepared sediments and its implication for the sediment oxygen consuming process in a heavily polluted river of China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Chao; Zhai, Wanying; Shan, Baoqing

    2016-05-01

    Dissolved oxygen (DO) microprofiles of prepared sediments from 24 sampling sites in the Fuyang River were measured using a gold amalgam microelectrode in this study. The measured microprofiles can be divided into four types. In type I profiles, DO kept constant in the overlying water and decreased smoothly in the pore water; in type II profile, DO showed fluctuation in the pore water; in type III profiles, DO showed peak in the SWI; in type IV profiles, DO decreased obviously in the overlying water. Type I profiles indicated the absence of benthic organisms and thus the degradation of the sediment habitat. Type II and III profiles indicated the activity of benthic animal and epipelic algae, which is common in the healthy aquatic sediment. Type IV profiles indicated that the excessive accumulation of pollutants in the sediment and thus the serious sediment pollution. There are nine sites showing type I profile, three sites showing type II profile, nine sites showing type III profile, and three sites showing type IV profile in the Fuyang River. The dominance of type I and appearance of type IV indicated that sediment oxygen consumption processes in the Fuyang River were strongly influenced by the sediment pollutants release and the vanish of benthic organisms. The pharmacy, metallurgy, and curriery industries may contribute to the sediment deterioration and thus to the occurrence of type I and type IV oxygen profiles in the Fuyang River.

  16. Nutritional screening, assessment and implementation strategies for adults in an Australian acute tertiary hospital: a best practice implementation report.

    PubMed

    Smith, Louise; Chapman, Amanda; Flowers, Kelli; Wright, Kylie; Chen, Tanghua; O'Connor, Charmaine; Astorga, Cecilia; Francis, Nevenka; Vigh, Gia; Wainwright, Craig

    2018-01-01

    The project aimed to improve the effectiveness of nutritional screening and assessment practices through clinical audits and the implementation of evidence-based practice recommendations. In the absence of optimal nutrition, health may decline and potentially manifest as adverse health outcomes. In a hospitalized person, poor nutrition may adversely impact on the person's outcome. If the nutritional status can be ascertained, nutritional needs can be addressed and potential risks minimized.The overall purpose of this project was to review and monitor staff compliance with nutritional screening and assessment best practice recommendations ensuring there is timely, relevant and structured nutritional therapeutic practices that support safe, compassionate and person-centered care in adults in a tertiary hospital in South Western Sydney, Australia, in the acute care setting. A baseline retrospective chart audit was conducted and measured against 10 best practice criteria in relation to nutritional screening and assessment practices. This was followed by a facilitated multidisciplinary focus group to identify targeted strategies, implementation of targeted strategies, and a post strategy implementation chart audit.The project utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System (JBI PACES) and Getting Research into Practice (GRIP) tool, including evidence from other available supporting literature, for promoting change in healthcare practice. The baseline audit revealed deficits between current practice and best practice across the 10 criteria. Barriers for implementation of nutritional screening and assessment best practice criteria were identified by the focus group and an education strategy was implemented. There were improved outcomes across all best practice criteria in the follow-up audit. The baseline audit revealed gaps between current practice and best practice. Through the implementation of a targeted education program and resource package, outcomes improved in the follow up audit. The findings indicated that engagement from multidisciplinary team members and consumers was effective in developing tailored education that improved knowledge of best practice. This was demonstrated by an increase in the percentage of compliance across the 10 criteria, although leaving room for more improvement. A policy has been developed for implementation and future audits are planned to measure whether improved practices have been sustained.

  17. Determination of the complex refractive indices of Titan haze analogs using photothermal deflection spectroscopy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vuitton, Véronique; Tran, Buu N.; Persans, Peter D.; Ferris, James P.

    2009-10-01

    The spectrometers of the Cassini mission to the Saturn system have detected haze layers reaching up to 800 km in Titan's atmosphere. Knowledge of the complex refractive index ( k) of the haze is important for modeling the surface and atmosphere of Titan and retrieving some information about the functional groups present in the aerosols. Plasma discharges or ultraviolet radiation are commonly used to drive the formation of solid organics assumed to be good analogs of the Titan aerosols. [Tran, B.N., Ferris, J.P., Chera, J.J., 2003a. The photochemical formation of a Titan haze analog. Structural analysis by X-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopy. Icarus 162, 114-124; Tran, B.N., Force, M., Briggs, R., Ferris J.P., Persans, P., Chera, J.J., 2008. Photochemical processes on Titan: Irradiation of mixtures of gases that simulate Titan's atmosphere. Icarus 177, 106-115] reported the index of refraction of analogs synthesized by far ultraviolet irradiation of various gas mixtures. k was determined in the 200-800 nm wavelength range from transmission and reflection spectroscopy. However, this technique is limited by (i) uncertainties in the absorption values because of the small amounts of organics available, (ii) light scattering by the surface roughness and particulates in the sample. These limitations prompted us to perform new measurements using photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS), a technique based on the conversion of absorbed light into heat in the material of interest. By combining traditional spectroscopy ( λ < 500 nm) and PDS ( λ > 500 nm), we determined values of k over the 375-1550 nm range. k values as low as 10 -4 above 1000 nm were determined. This is one order of magnitude lower than the measurements generally used as a reference for Titan's aerosols analogs [Khare, B.N., Sagan, C., Arakawa, E.T., Suits, F., Callicott, T.A., Williams, M.W., 1984. Optical-constants of organic Tholins produced in a simulated Titanian atmosphere—from soft-X-ray to microwave-frequencies. Icarus 60(1), 127-137]. We recommend that these results were used in models to describe the optical properties of the aerosols produced in Titan's stratosphere.

  18. Global dengue death before and after the new World Health Organization 2009 case classification: A systematic review and meta-regression analysis.

    PubMed

    Low, Gary Kim-Kuan; Ogston, Simon A; Yong, Mun-Hin; Gan, Seng-Chiew; Chee, Hui-Yee

    2018-06-01

    Since the introduction of 2009 WHO dengue case classification, no literature was found regarding its effect on dengue death. This study was to evaluate the effect of 2009 WHO dengue case classification towards dengue case fatality rate. Various databases were used to search relevant articles since 1995. Studies included were cohort and cross-sectional studies, all patients with dengue infection and must report the number of death or case fatality rate. The Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal checklist was used to evaluate the risk of bias of the full-texts. The studies were grouped according to the classification adopted: WHO 1997 and WHO 2009. Meta-regression was employed using a logistic transformation (log-odds) of the case fatality rate. The result of the meta-regression was the adjusted case fatality rate and odds ratio on the explanatory variables. A total of 77 studies were included in the meta-regression analysis. The case fatality rate for all studies combined was 1.14% with 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.82-1.58%. The combined (unadjusted) case fatality rate for 69 studies which adopted WHO 1997 dengue case classification was 1.09% with 95% CI of 0.77-1.55%; and for eight studies with WHO 2009 was 1.62% with 95% CI of 0.64-4.02%. The unadjusted and adjusted odds ratio of case fatality using WHO 2009 dengue case classification was 1.49 (95% CI: 0.52, 4.24) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.26, 2.63) respectively, compared to WHO 1997 dengue case classification. There was an apparent increase in trend of case fatality rate from the year 1992-2016. Neither was statistically significant. The WHO 2009 dengue case classification might have no effect towards the case fatality rate although the adjusted results indicated a lower case fatality rate. Future studies are required for an update in the meta-regression analysis to confirm the findings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. The experiences of midwives and nurses collaborating to provide birthing care: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Macdonald, Danielle; Snelgrove-Clarke, Erna; Campbell-Yeo, Marsha; Aston, Megan; Helwig, Melissa; Baker, Kathy A

    2015-11-01

    Collaboration has been associated with improved health outcomes in maternity care. Collaborative relationships between midwives and physicians have been a focus of literature regarding collaboration in maternity care. However despite the front line role of nurses in the provision of maternity care, there has not yet been a systematic review conducted about the experiences of midwives and nurses collaborating to provide birthing care. The objective of this review was to identify, appraise and synthesize qualitative evidence on the experiences of midwives and nurses collaborating to provide birthing care.Specifically, the review question was: what are the experiences of midwives and nurses collaborating to provide birthing care? This review considered studies that included educated and licensed midwives and nurses with any length of practice. Nurses who work in labor and delivery, postpartum care, prenatal care, public health and community health were included in this systematic review.This review considered studies that investigated the experiences of midwives and nurses collaborating during the provision of birthing care. Experiences, of any duration, included any interactions between midwives and nurses working in collaboration to provide birthing care.Birthing care referred to: (a) supportive care throughout the pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum, (b) administrative tasks throughout the pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum, and (c) clinical skills throughout the pregnancy, labor, delivery and postpartum. The postpartum period included the six weeks after delivery.The review considered English language studies that focused on qualitative data including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research.This review considered qualitative studies that explored the experiences of collaboration in areas where midwives and nurses work together. Examples of these areas included: hospitals, birth centers, client homes, health clinics and other public or community health settings. These settings were located in any country, cultural context, or geographical location. A three-step search strategy was used to identify relevant published and unpublished studies. English papers from 1981 onwards were considered. The following databases were searched: Anthrosource, CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Social Services Abstracts and Sociological Abstracts. In addition to the databases, several grey literature sources were searched. Papers that were selected for retrieval were independently assessed for inclusion in the review by two JBI-trained reviewers. The two reviewers used a standardized critical appraisal instrument from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Qualitative data were extracted from papers included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument. Once qualitative studies were assessed using the the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument critical appraisal tool, findings of the included studies were extracted. These findings were aggregated into categories according to their similarity in meaning. These categories were then subjected to a meta-synthesis to produce a comprehensive set of synthesized findings. Five studies were included in the review. Thirty-eight findings were extracted from the included studies and were aggregated into five categories. The five categories were synthesized into two synthesized findings. The two synthesized findings were:Synthesized finding1: Negative experiences of collaboration between nurses and midwives may be influenced by distrust, lack of clear roles, or unprofessional or inconsiderate behavior.Synthesized finding 2: If midwives and nurses have positive experiences collaborating thenthere is hope that the challenges of collaboration can be overcome. Qualitative evidence about the experiences of midwives and nurses collaborating to provide birthing care was identified, appraised and synthesized. Two synthesized findings were created from the findings of the five included studies. Midwives and nurses had negative experiences of collaboration which may be influenced by: distrust, unclear roles, or a lack of professionalism or consideration. Midwives and nurses had positive experiences of teamwork which can be a source of hope for overcoming the challenges of sharing care.There is clearly a gap in the literature about the collaborative experiences of midwives and nurses, given that only five studies were located for inclusion in the systematic review. More qualitative research exploring collaboration as a process and the interactional dynamics of midwives and nurses in a variety of practice and professional contexts is required.Distrust, unclear roles, and lack of professionalism and consideration must all be addressed. Strategies that address and minimize the occurrences of these three elements need to be developed and implemented in an effort to reduce negative collaborative experiences for midwives and nurses. Postive experiences of teamwork must be acknowleged and celebrated, and the challenges that sharing care present must be understood as a part of the collaborative process.More qualitative research is required to explore the collaborative process between midwives and nurses. Further exploration of their interactional dynamics, their relationship between power and collaboration, and the experiences of collaboration in a variety of professional and practice contexts is recommended.

  20. Prescription and Underprescription of Clozapine in Dutch Ambulatory Care.

    PubMed

    van der Zalm, Yvonne C; Termorshuizen, Fabian; Schulte, Peter F; Bogers, Jan P; Marcelis, Machteld; Sommer, Iris E; Selten, Jean Paul

    2018-01-01

    Purpose: To our knowledge, no study has examined in a structured way the extent of underprescription of clozapine in ambulatory patients with Non-Affective Psychotic Disorder (NAPD). In the Netherlands, psychiatric care for such patients is provided by Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) teams and by early intervention teams. In 20 FACT teams and 3 early intervention teams we assessed the proportion of patients who: use clozapine (type 1 patients), previously used this drug (type 2), have an unfulfilled indication for this drug, by type of indication (type 3), or were at least markedly psychotic, but had not yet received two adequate treatments with other antipsychotic drugs (type 4). We expected to find major differences between teams. To rule out that these differences are caused by differences in severity of psychopathology, we also calculated the proportions of patients who use clozapine given an indication at any time (number of type 1 patients divided by the sum of type 1, 2, and 3 patients). Materials and methods: The nurse practitioner of each team identified the patients already on clozapine. Next, using a highly-structured decision tree, the nurse practitioner and psychiatrist assessed whether the remaining patients had an indication for this drug. Indications were treatment-resistant positive symptoms, tardive dyskinesia, aggression and suicidality. The severity of positive symptoms was determined using the Clinical Global Impression-Schizophrenia Scale (CGI-SCH). Results: In the participating FACT-teams 2,286 NAPD patients were assessed. The range among teams in proportions was: type 1: 8.8-34.7% (mean: 23.0%), type 2: 0-8.2% (mean: 3.5%), type 3: 1.7-15.6% (mean: 6.9%), type 4: 1.8-16.3% (mean: 8.6%). The range in proportions of patients using this drug given an indication was 49.0-90.9% (mean: 68.8%). These figures were lower in early intervention teams. Conclusions: The proportion of patients in FACT-teams who have an unfulfilled indication for clozapine is 6.9%. There were considerable differences between teams with respect to this proportion. Almost a third of the outpatients had at any time an indication for clozapine. If one takes type 4 patients into account, this proportion may be higher. Registration number: NTR5135 http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/index.asp.

  1. Examples of landscape indicators for assessing environmental conditions and problems in urban and suburban areas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Martin-Duque, J. F.; Godfrey, A.; Diez, A.; Cleaves, E.; Pedraza, J.; Sanz, M.A.; Carrasco, R.M.; Bodoque, J.; Brebbia, C.A.; Martin-Duque, J.F.; Wadhwa, L.C.

    2002-01-01

    Geo-indicators can help to assess environmental conditions in city urban and suburban areas. Those indicators should be meaningful for understanding environmental changes. From examples of Spanish and American cities, geo-indicators for assessing environmental conditions and changes in urban and suburban areas are proposed. The paper explore two types of geo-indicators. The first type presents general information that can be used to indicate the presence of a broad array of geologic conditions, either favouring or limiting various kinds of uses of the land. The second type of geo-indicator is the one most commonly used, and as a group most easily understood; these are site and problem specific and they are generally used after a problem is identified. Among them, watershed processes, seismicity and physiographic diversity are explained in more detail. A second dimension that is considered when discussing geo-indicators is the issue of scale. Broad scale investigations, covering extensive areas are only efficient at cataloguing general conditions common to much of the area or some outstanding feature within the area. This type of information is best used for policy type decisions. Detailed scale investigations can provide information about local conditions, but are not efficient at cataloguing vast areas. Information gathered at the detailed level is necessary for project design and construction.

  2. Declining trends of diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy and neuropathy with improving diabetes care indicators in Japanese patients with type 2 and type 1 diabetes (JDDM 46).

    PubMed

    Yokoyama, Hiroki; Araki, Shin-Ichi; Kawai, Koichi; Yamazaki, Katsuya; Tomonaga, Osamu; Shirabe, Shin-Ichiro; Maegawa, Hiroshi

    2018-01-01

    We examined changes in prevalence of diabetic microvascular/macrovascular complications and diabetes care indicators for adults in Japan with type 2 and type 1 diabetes over one decade. Two independent cohorts were recruited with the same inclusion criteria in 2004 (cohort 1: 3319 with type 2 and 286 with type 1 diabetes) and in 2014 (cohort 2: 3932 with type 2 and 308 with type 1 diabetes). Prevalence of complications and care indicators including achieving treatment targets for glycemia, blood pressure, lipid control, body mass index (BMI), and smoking were compared. In addition, patients in cohort 1 were re-examined in 2014 and their data were compared with the baseline data of each cohort. In type 2 diabetes, the prevalence of nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, chronic kidney disease, current smoking and stroke significantly decreased, with improvements in achieving treatment target rates in cohort 2 two as compared with cohort 1. In type 1 diabetes, the prevalence of nephropathy, retinopathy, chronic kidney disease, and hemoglobin A 1C values significantly decreased. Decreases in prevalence of microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes were similarly found in each age-matched and sex-matched group, whereas younger patients exhibited marked increase in BMI and lower treatment target achieving rates compared with elderly patients. Regarding normoalbuminuric renal impairment, only a slight increase in the prevalence was observed both in type 2 and type 1 diabetes. In cohort 1, re-examined in 2014, care indicators were significantly improved from 2004, while complications increased with getting 10 years older. We observed declining trends of diabetic microvascular complications with improvement in diabetes care indicators in type 2 and type 1 diabetes. Younger patients with type 2 diabetes exhibited marked increase in BMI and lower rates of achieving treatment targets compared with elderly patients, which remains a concern.

  3. The association between ethnicity and delay in seeking medical care for chest pain: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Wechkunanukul, Kannikar; Grantham, Hugh; Damarell, Raechel; Clark, Robyn A

    2016-07-01

    Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, and chest pain is one of the most common symptoms of ACSs. A rapid response to chest pain by patients and appropriate management by health professionals are vital to improve survival rates.People from different ethnic groups are likely to have different perceptions of chest pain, its severity and the need for urgent treatment. These differences in perception may contribute to differences in response to chests pain and precipitate unique coping strategies. Delay in seeking medical care for chest pain in the general population has been well documented; however, limited studies have focused on delay times within ethnic groups. There is little research to date as to whether ethnicity is associated with the time taken to seek medical care for chest pain. Consequently, addressing this gap in knowledge will play a crucial role in improving the health outcomes of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients suffering from chest pain and for developing appropriate clinical practice and public awareness for these populations. The current review aimed to determine if there is an association between ethnicity and delay in seeking medical care for chest pain among CALD populations. Patients from different ethnic minority groups presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with chest pain. The current review will examine studies that evaluate the association between ethnicity and delay in seeking medical care for chest pain among CALD populations. The current review will consider quantitative studies including randomized controlled trials (RCTs), non-RCTs, quasi-experimental, before and after studies, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case-control studies and analytical cross-sectional studies. The current review will consider studies that measure delay time as the main outcome. The time will be measured as the interval between the time of symptom onset and time to reach an ED. A comprehensive search was undertaken for relevant published and unpublished studies written in English with no date restriction. All searches were conducted in October 2014. We searched the following databases: MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, ProQuest (health databases only), Informit, Sociological Abstracts, Scopus and Web of Science. The search for unpublished studies included a wide range of 'gray literature' sources including national libraries, digital theses repositories and clinical trial registries. We also targeted specific health research, specialist cardiac, migrant health, and emergency medicine organizational websites and/or conferences. We also checked the reference lists of included studies and contacted authors when further details about reported data was required to make a decision about eligibility. Papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to being included in the review. Validity was assessed using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Adjudication was produced by the third reviewer. Data were extracted from included articles by two independent reviewers using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. The extracted data were synthesized into a narrative summary. Meta-analysis could not be performed due to the heterogeneity of study protocols and methods used to measure outcomes. A total of 10 studies, with a total of 1,511,382 participants, investigating the association between ethnicity and delay met the inclusion criteria. Delay times varied across ethnic groups, including Black, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian, Southeast Asian and Chinese. Seven studies reported delay in hours and ranged from 1.90 to 3.10 h. Delay times were longer among CALD populations than the majority population. The other three studies reported delay time in categories of time (e.g. <1, <4 and <6 h) and found larger proportions of later presentations to the EDs among ethnic groups compared with the majority groups. There is evidence of an association between ethnicity and time taken in seeking medical care for chest pain, with patients from some ethnic minorities (e.g. Black, Asian, Hispanic and South Asian) taking longer than those of the majority population. Health promotions and health campaigns focusing on these populations are indicated.

  4. The Impact of Hospital Visiting Hour Policies on Pediatric and Adult Patients and their Visitors.

    PubMed

    Smith, Lisa; Medves, Jennifer; Harrison, Margaret B; Tranmer, Joan; Waytuck, Brett

    Policies concerning restricted or open visiting hours are being challenged in health care institutions internationally, with no apparent consensus on the appropriateness of the visiting hour policies for pediatric and adult patients. The rules that govern practice are often based on the institutional precedent and assumptions of staff, and may have little or no evidence to support them. Policy and practice related to visiting hours is of pressing concern in Canada, and in Ontario specifically, following the reaction to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003 and subsequent changes in visiting policies in most health care settings. A systematic investigation of the impact of hospital visiting hours on visitors (including patients, families, and significant others) would inform decision-makers who are responsible for hospital policies about the best available evidence. The objective of this review was to appraise and synthesize the best available evidence on the impact of hospital visiting hours on patients and their visitors. Types of participants This review considered studies that included both pediatric and adult hospital patients and their visitors. Participants were either patients, visitors, or health care providers in the following hospital settings: medical/surgical units, critical care (ICU, CCU, NICU), pediatrics, maternity, or general hospital wards.Articles were excluded if participants came from the following settings: post-operative and post-anaesthesia care units (PACU), dementia wards, long-term care settings or retirement homes, or delivery rooms. PACUs were excluded because there are aspects of the presence of visitors to these units that are very specific, and differ from the general visits to patients who are not in the immediate post-operative stage. Dementia wards, long-term care settings and retirement homes were excluded because these were considered to be their "home", so visiting would be quite different from that on acute care hospital wards. Finally, delivery rooms were excluded because this review does not evaluate the impact of the outcomes of presence during "delivery" (or other "procedures").Types of interventions Studies were considered for inclusion in this review if they evaluated the effect or impact of visiting policies. This included interventions targeted at limiting or expanding patient visiting. We anticipated a paucity of experimental studies regarding this review question, thus included observational studies where the impact of visiting policy on patients and/or visitors was a focus, but testing intervention(s) may not have been the primary aim. We did not consider observational studies that focused only on the presence of visitors during specific procedures, resuscitation, or childbirth. The reason is that this limited aspect of the presence of a significant other was not considered "visiting" per se, and would be best examined in another systematic review.Types of outcome measures For this review, outcome measures related to both patients and visitors as a result of visiting hour policies were considered, including but not limited to: patient and/or visitor satisfaction; attitudes; beliefs; perceptions; mood; or patient physiological outcomes. These also included health care provider beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes about the impact of visiting policies on patients and/or visitors. Studies were excluded if they examined the trend of current visiting hour policies (with no evaluation of their impact), or if they focused on visitor presence only during emergency procedures, resuscitation, or childbirth.Types of studies Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-experimental studies were included. However, given the expected scarcity of these designs relevant to our review question, other quantitative research designs were considered, such as non-randomized controlled trials, before-and-after studies, and descriptive/observational studies. Using a defined search and retrieval method the following databases from 1995-2007 were accessed: Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PsycINFO, HealthSTAR, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, AMED, and ERIC. Each paper was assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological quality prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments for evidence of effectiveness, from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Disagreements were dealt with by consultations with a third reviewer. Information was extracted from each paper independently by two reviewers using the standardized data extraction tool developed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Disagreements were dealt with by consultations with a third reviewer. Due to type of designs and quality of available studies, it was not possible to pool quantitative research study results in a statistical meta-analysis. Since statistical pooling was not possible, the findings are presented in a descriptive narrative form. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. The study designs were varied, and included one pilot randomized trial, two quasi-experimental studies, eight descriptive studies/cross-sectional surveys, and four pre-post intervention questionnaires. Findings were inconsistent across studies. Nurses inconsistently enforced visiting policies. In ICU settings, liberalized visiting hours did not increase septic complications. One study reinforced the need for increased patient control over visiting (individual visit contracts, devices). Flexible (open) visitation policies increased patient and visitor satisfaction, and sibling visitation was beneficial to the patient and family. In maternity settings, a 'combination policy' was useful (open visiting for partner, more restricted visiting for others). Key recommendations are provided that refer to clinical practice in critical care, maternity, and general ward settings, as well as recommendations for future research. In critical care settings, policy makers/administrators need to be aware of their staff nurses' beliefs and attitudes about visiting policies, educate them about the rationale for these policies and consider program development to assist nurses to work with families. Open visitation, and ways to increase patient control of visiting should be considered. No connection was found between liberal visiting hours and increased infection rates. When facilitating sibling visitation in the NICU, a pre-visit education process is recommended. Maternity settings may wish to consider a 'combination' policy, where the women's partners and/or significant other would have open visiting (all day), with restricted visiting for others. In other general hospital ward settings, open visiting with a 'quiet hour' is suggested.

  5. 76 FR 33794 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Stock Exchange, Incorporated; Notice of Filing and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-06-09

    ... types and indications that are eligible for entry to and accepted by the Matching System. The Exchange... Exchange with the ability to determine on an order type by order type basis which orders and indications... Rule 43.2 relating to the types of orders handled on the CBOE's Screen Based Trading System (``SBT...

  6. Equivalences of the multi-indexed orthogonal polynomials

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Odake, Satoru

    2014-01-15

    Multi-indexed orthogonal polynomials describe eigenfunctions of exactly solvable shape-invariant quantum mechanical systems in one dimension obtained by the method of virtual states deletion. Multi-indexed orthogonal polynomials are labeled by a set of degrees of polynomial parts of virtual state wavefunctions. For multi-indexed orthogonal polynomials of Laguerre, Jacobi, Wilson, and Askey-Wilson types, two different index sets may give equivalent multi-indexed orthogonal polynomials. We clarify these equivalences. Multi-indexed orthogonal polynomials with both type I and II indices are proportional to those of type I indices only (or type II indices only) with shifted parameters.

  7. Rock and Soil Types at Pathfinder Landing Site

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    Type areas of rocks and soils. (A) Dark rock type and bright soil type: Shown is the dark rock Barnacle Bill. Reflectance spectra typical of fresh basalt and APXS spectra indicating more silica-rich basaltic andesite compositions characterize this type. These rocks are typically the small boulders and intermediate-sized cobbles at the Pathfinder site. The bright soil type is very common and in this case comprises Barnacle Bill's wind tail and much of the surround soil area. This soil has a high reflectance and a strongly reddened spectrum indicative of oxidized ferric minerals. (B) Bright rock type: Shown is the bright rock Wedge. Reflectance spectra typical of weathered basalt and APXS spectra indicating basaltic compositions characterize this type. These rocks are typically larger than 1 meter in diameter and many display morphologies indicating flood deposition. (C) Pink rock type: Shown is the pink rock Scooby Doo. APXS and reflectance spectra indicate a composition and optical characteristics similar to the drift soil. However, the morphology of the pink rock type indicates a cemented or rocklike structure. This material may be a chemically cemented hardpan that underlies much of the Pathfinder site. (D) Dark soil type: The dark soil type is typically found on the windward sides of rocks or in rock-free areas like Photometry Flats (shown here) where the bright soil has been striped away by aeolian action or in open areas. Other locations include the Mermaid Dune. (E) Disturbed soil type: The darkening of disturbed soil relative to its parent material, bright soil, as a result of changes in soil texture and compaction caused by movement of the rover and retraction of the lander airbag. (F) Lamb-like soil type: This soil type shows reflectance and spectral characteristics intermediate between the bright and dark soils. Its distinguishing feature is a weak spectral absorption near 900 nanometers not seen in either the bright or dark soils.

    NOTE: original caption as published in Science Magazine

    Mars Pathfinder is the second in NASA's Discovery program of low-cost spacecraft with highly focused science goals. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, developed and manages the Mars Pathfinder mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

  8. Effectiveness of temporary deafferentation of the arm on somatosensory and motor functions following stroke: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Opsommer, Emmanuelle; Zwissig, Camille; Korogod, Natalya; Weiss, Thomas

    2016-12-01

    After stroke, regaining functional use of the upper limb can be challenging. Temporary deafferentation (TD) is a novel approach used in neurorehabilitation to voluntarily reduce the somatosensory input in a body part by temporary anesthesia; which has been shown to improve sensorimotor functions in the affected limb. The primary objective of this systematic review was to present the best available evidence related to the effects of TD of the affected arm on the recovery of motor function and activity of the upper limb (arm and hand) following stroke. Further, this review aimed to assess the effects of TD on sensory function, activities of daily living (ADL) and quality of life following stroke, the acceptability and safety of the intervention as well as adverse events. Adult patients (18 years and older) with a clinical diagnosis of stroke, either hemorrhagic or ischemic. Reports of rehabilitation that included the use of a pneumatic tourniquet, regional anesthesia or nerve block to achieve TD of an arm, or the use of TD as a stand-alone intervention. Primary outcomes were motor function and activity of the upper limb using assessment scales, motor tests and global motor functions.Secondary outcomes included measures of sensory function, ADL, impact of stroke and quality of life and pain.Additional outcomes were neurophysiological changes as studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging, magnetoencephalography and/or transcranial magnetic stimulation.Acceptability and safety of the intervention as well as adverse events were also included. We included any experimental and epidemiological studies. There were no randomized controlled trials. We included non-randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, before and after studies and case-control studies. We searched for both published and unpublished studies in major databases and all reference lists of relevant articles in English, German or French languages. We included studies published from January 1980 to October 2015. Data were extracted from included studies using a standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. There was heterogeneity in the types of intervention and outcome measures, therefore statistical pooling of the findings was not appropriate. As such, the studies were grouped according to type of outcome where possible. Findings are presented in a narrative form. Eight studies met the eligibility criteria. All outcome parameters related to the primary outcome (motor function and activity of the more affected upper extremity) showed an improvement during or after TD. The sensory functions significantly improved during or after TD when measured either by the grating orienting task or the grating orientation accuracy, and slightly improved when measured using the von Frey hair testing during TD. There is evidence supporting the use of TD of the upper extremity in adults after stroke. Temporary deafferentation can be recommended (Grade B).

  9. [Electronic indicators for determining the optimum moment for inseminating cows and sheep].

    PubMed

    Kostov, I; Bodurov, N; Todorova, I

    1984-01-01

    Three types of electron indicators to measure the electric resistance of the vagina with cows and ewes are described. The first type of such indicators gives a direct scale record of resistance as measured in ohm units. The remaining two types present a simpler construction, and are intended for practical purposes, pointing to the threshold value of resistance. It has been found by means of these indicators that the optimal time for insemination in the case of cows is when the electric resistance is lower than 250 omega; for ewes--when the resistance is lower than 550 omega. The indicators rate totally designed with Bulgarian transistors and integral schemes.

  10. A systematic review of the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions on quality of life (QoL) for adult vitiligo patients.

    PubMed

    Lert, Chua Tse; Fai, Chan Moon

    Vitiligo is the most common pigmentation disorder. It is an acquired, progressive disorder, presenting with white macules that can appear anywhere on the skin. Presently, there is no cure for vitiligo. Although there are therapies targeted at improving its appearance, their effectiveness is limited. Without satisfactory solution to vitiligo, patients are permanently disfigured for life. Quality of life of vitiligo patients has been commonly found to be moderately impaired. Patients are chronically embarrassed and depressed. Stigmatisation is also common and cause marginalization. Hence, while vitiligo is not "life-threatening", it can be "life-ruining". Because current treatments are unsatisfactory in repigmenting the skin, the question of continuing treatment must also consider the benefits to quality of life, and that is the purpose of this review. The overall objective of this systematic review was to examine the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions, in terms of quality of life for adult patients with vitiligo. Types of studies - The review considered quantitative papers, including randomised controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies.Types of participants - Adult patients who have vitiligo from 18 to 75 years-old.Types of interventions - This review considered studies of current therapeutic interventions for vitiligo, including oral, topical, combination, camouflage, cognitive-behavioural therapy and grafting.Types of measured outcomes - Quality of life outcomes as measured by validated tools. The search aimed to find published studies and papers, limited to English language reports. A three-step search strategy was utilised: An initial limited search of MEDLINE and CINAHL was undertaken, followed by an analysis of the text words contained in the title and abstract, and of the index terms used to describe the article. A second search using all identified keywords and index terms were then undertaken. Search strategies were developed using terms that were specific to the databases. Thirdly, the reference lists of all identified papers were searched for additional studies. The databases searched include: PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, JSTOR, ScienceDirect,PsycARTICLES (Ovid) and PsycINFO (Ovid) DATA COLLECTION: Two reviewers critically appraised the methodological quality of research studies using a standardised critical appraisal tool from the Joanna-Briggs Institute. Data was extracted from nine papers for this review, however as the studies were heterogeneous in population, interventions and methodologies, it was not possible to conduct a meta-analysis to establish superiority of interventions in terms of improving quality of life. Hence, a narrative summary was presented to collate the results of the interventions where there were similar. All treatments were found to improve quality of life for vitiligo patients. Disease-altering interventions that were effective in repigmentation arrest of disease progression were also effective in improving quality of life. Lifestyle-altering interventions were found to be selectively effective for patients with more severe quality of life impairment and Subscale analysis showed particular effectiveness of interventions in improving the emotional dimension of quality of life. Current interventions for vitiligo are effective in bettering the quality of life either by improving physical appearance of the patient or by addressing the psychological distress directly. Less effectiveness was achieved for the functional and social dimensions, which are more dependent on social and cultural norms. This suggests that current interventions alone are inadequate to address the holistic quality of life challenges associated with vitiligo. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH.

  11. A systematic review of the effectiveness of secondary prevention lifestyle interventions designed to change lifestyle behaviour following stroke.

    PubMed

    Lawrence, Maggie; Kerr, Susan; McVey, Ms Caroline; Godwin, Jon

    Background Each year, approximately 15 million people worldwide have a stroke; of these, five million die and another five million are chronically disabled. Stroke recurs in approximately 25% of patients during the first five years post-stroke; recurrence may result in death, increased disability or institutionalisation. Modifiable risk factors for recurrent stroke have been identified, and may be addressed by means of behavioural health promotion interventions.Objectives This systematic review sought to establish the effectiveness of secondary prevention behavioural interventions, which address one or more modifiable lifestyle risk factors for recurrent stroke i.e. tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and excessive alcohol consumption. Types of participants The review included studies that had recruited adults (aged ≥18 years) who had had a stroke, minor stroke or transient ischaemic attack.Types of intervention The review considered studies that evaluated behavioural lifestyle interventions, designed to address the prevention of recurrent stroke.Types of outcomes Primary outcomes were concerned with lifestyle behaviour change i.e. tobacco use, diet, physical activity and alcohol consumption, and with change in physiological measures e.g. blood pressure, total cholesterol, and Body Mass Index. Secondary outcome measures included psychological outcomes, learning outcomes and incidence of stroke recurrence.Types of studies Experimental and non-experimental quantitative studies were considered.Search strategy In August 2009, we searched All EMB Reviews, AMED, ASSIA, British Nursing Index and Archive, CINAHL, Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Science, ProQuest dissertation and theses, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and bibliographies of retrieved papers.Methodological quality and data extraction Two review authors independently assessed methodological quality using standardised critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument, and extracted data using a review-specific data extraction form.Data analysis Where possible, results from the review papers were pooled in statistical meta-analysis using bespoke software based on the system used by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists Collaborative Group. Where statistical pooling was not possible, findings are presented in narrative form.Results Three studies, two RCTs and one quasi-experimental study, involving 581 participants (baseline) were included in the review. Two models of service delivery were reported: shared care and nurse-led. Interventions were delivered to groups or in one-to-one consultations.Meta-analyses of the pooled lifestyle data favoured the interventions (2p=0.02; Note: here and throughout, 2p represents the two-tailed probability). In terms of physiological outcomes, the pooled data favoured the interventions (2p=0.05), particularly those aiming to reduce blood pressure and cholesterol levels. The pooled secondary outcomes, including perceived health status and stroke knowledge favoured the interventions (2p<0.00001), however, the test for heterogeneity was also highly significant.Conclusions Stroke secondary prevention lifestyle interventions are effective in terms of affecting positive change in relation to lifestyle behaviours, physiological and secondary outcomes. However, there was insufficient evidence to determine the effect of intervention on incidence of stroke recurrence.Implications for practice Clinicians should implement stroke secondary prevention interventions which address lifestyle behaviours, physiological factors, psychological outcomes and stroke knowledge.Implications for research Further large-scale, well-designed trials are needed to determine the factors that impact on the effectiveness of secondary prevention interventions.

  12. Nurse staffing and system integration and change indicators in acute care hospitals: evidence from a balanced scorecard.

    PubMed

    McGillis Hall, Linda; Peterson, Jessica; Baker, G Ross; Brown, Adalsteinn D; Pink, George H; McKillop, Ian; Daniel, Imtiaz; Pedersen, Cheryl

    2008-01-01

    This study examined relationships between financial indicators for nurse staffing and organizational system integration and change indicators. These indicators, along with hospital location and type, were examined in relation to the nursing financial indicators. Results showed that different indicators predicted each of the outcome variables. Nursing care hours were predicted by the hospital type, geographic location, and the system. Both nursing and patient care hours were significantly related to dissemination and benchmarking of clinical data.

  13. Pilot Emergency Tutoring System for F-4 Aircraft Fuel System Malfunction Using Means-Ends Analysis

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1990-06-01

    pulled , and wing transfer pressure is normal. What operator do you choose? For example: type look_at INDICATOR for looked_at(INDICATOR) type set...cb internal wing transfer is pulled , and wing transfer pressure is normal. What operator do you choose? For example: type look_at INDICATOR for...at, external transfer is off, internal wing transfer is stop trans, refuel probe is extended, cb internal wing transfer is pulled ,and wing

  14. Late Holocene subalpine lake sediments record a multi-proxy shift to increased aridity at 3.65 kyr BP, following a millennial-scale neopluvial interval in the Lake Tahoe watershed and western Great Basin, USA

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Noble, Paula; Zimmerman, Susan; Ball, Ian; Adams, Kenneth; Maloney, Jillian; Smith, Shane

    2016-04-01

    A mid Holocene dry period has been reported from lake records in the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada, yet the spatial and temporal extent of this interval is not well understood. We present evidence for a millennial-scale interval of high winter precipitation (neopluvial) at the end of the mid Holocene in the Lake Tahoe-Pyramid Lake watershed in the northern Sierra Nevada that reached its peak ˜3.7 kcal yr BP. A transect of 4 cores recovered from Fallen Leaf Lake in the Tahoe Basin were dated using AMS14C on plant macrofossils, and analyzed using scanning XRF, C and N elemental and stable isotope measurements, and diatoms as paleoclimate proxies. Fallen Leaf Lake is a deep glacially-derived lake situated in the Glen Alpine Valley at an elevation of 1942m, ˜45 m above the level of Lake Tahoe. In Fallen Leaf Lake, the end of the neopluvial is dated at 3.65 ± 0.09 kcal yr BP, and is the largest post-glacial signal in the cores. The neopluvial interval is interpreted to be a period of increased snowpack in the upper watershed, supported by depleted g δ13Corg (-27.5) values, negative baseline shifts in TOC and TN, lower C:N, and high abundances of Aulacoseira subarctica, a winter-early spring diatom. Collectively, these proxies indicate cooler temperatures, enhanced mixing, and/or shortened summer stratification resulting in increased algal productivity relative to terrestrial inputs. The neopluvial interval ends abruptly at 3.65 ka, with a change from mottled darker opaline clay to a homogeneous olive clay with decreased A. subarctica and opal, and followed by a 50% reduction in accumulation rates. After this transition δ13Corg becomes enriched by 2‰ and TOC, TN, and C:N all show the start of positive trends that continue through the Holocene. Pyramid Lake is an endorheic basin situated at the terminal end of the watershed, and inflow arrives from the Lake Tahoe basin via the Truckee River. At Pyramid Lake, existing ages on paleo-shorelines indicate a significant lake-level rise beginning at some point after 5 kcal yr BP and reaching a highstand of about 1186 m between 3.8 - 4.1 kcal yr BP (Briggs et al., 2005), but new OSL ages on Holocene shorelines are pending. In the Walker, Mono, and Owens lake basins, the neopluvial shorelines represent the highest late Holocene shorelines (Stine, 1990; Adams et al., 2014). Collectively, these studies indicate that the neopluvial and subsequent aridification intervals preserved in Fallen Leaf Lake sediments were at least regional in scale, affecting the watersheds in the northern Sierra Nevada-western Great Basin

  15. Scoping review of pediatric tonsillectomy quality of life assessment instruments.

    PubMed

    Kao, Stephen Shih-Teng; Peters, Micah D J; Dharmawardana, Nuwan; Stew, Benjamin; Ooi, Eng Hooi

    2017-10-01

    Sleep-disordered breathing or recurrent tonsillitis have detrimental effects on the child's physical health and quality of life. Tonsillectomy is commonly performed to treat these common conditions and improve the child's quality of life. This scoping review aims to present a comprehensive and descriptive analysis of quality of life questionnaires as a resource for clinicians and researchers when deciding which tool to use when assessing the quality of life effects after tonsillectomy. A comprehensive search strategy was undertaken across MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL. Quality of life questionnaires utilized in studies investigating pediatric patients undergoing tonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis or sleep-disordered breathing were included. Methodological quality and data extraction were conducted as per Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Ten questionnaires were identified, consisting of six generic and four disease-specific instruments. The Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory was the most commonly utilized generic questionnaire. The Obstructive Sleep Apnea-18 was the most commonly utilized disease-specific questionnaire. This review identified a range of generic and disease-specific quality of life questionnaires utilized in pediatric patients who have undergone tonsillectomy with or without adenoidectomy for sleep-disordered breathing or chronic tonsillitis. Important aspects of each questionnaire have been summarized to aid researchers and clinicians in choosing the appropriate questionnaire when evaluating the quality of life effects of tonsillectomy. NA Laryngoscope, 127:2399-2406, 2017. © 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

  16. A qualitative review of immigrant women's experiences of maternal adaptation in South Korea.

    PubMed

    Song, Ju-Eun; Ahn, Jeong-Ah; Kim, Tiffany; Roh, Eun Ha

    2016-08-01

    to synthesise the evidence of immigrant women's experiences of maternal adaptation in Korea. eligible studies were identified by searching MEDLINE, CINAHL, and the Korean electronic databases. Qualitative research studies, published in English and Korean addressing maternal adaptation experiences of immigrant women by marriage in Korea, were considered in the review. The suitability of the quality of articles was evaluated using the Joanna Briggs Institute's Critical Appraisal Checklist. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria for data analysis. Authors, purpose of the study, study design, theoretical framework, population (nationality and sample size), data collection (setting and method), and main study findings were extracted and summarised in a data extraction form for further narrative analysis and synthesis. A qualitative systematic review was performed by means of thematic synthesis. the literature search identified 7,628 articles, of which 15 studies, published between 2009 and 2014, were evaluated in the systematic review. Two overarching categories including five themes were identified in the qualitative studies related to maternal adaptation experiences; 'Experiences of motherhood transition' and 'Experiences of child-rearing'. these findings demonstrate the importance of understanding and improving maternal adaptation of immigrant women living in Korea. This can be achieved by enhancing social support, providing culturally sensitive maternal healthcare services, and expanding opportunities for immigrant women in education, job training, and economic independence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Impact of lower urinary tract symptoms on work productivity in female workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Lin, Kuan-Yin; Siu, Ka-Chun; Lin, Kuan-Han

    2018-06-28

    The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine the impact of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) on work productivity in female workers. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using eight electronic databases (MEDLINE, PEDro, CINAHL, Cochrane library, EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, and PsycINFO) to identify articles published before July 2017 that studied the work productivity in female workers with LUTS. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute. Meta-analyses were performed on studies having measured work productivity between females with and without LUTS, and odds ratios (ORs) or the mean differences were used. Fourteen articles (n = 48 223 females) were included in the review, and meta-analyses were performed with six of those articles. Lower urinary tract symptoms were significantly associated with work productivity loss (OR = 1.11, 95%CI = 1.06-1.15), presenteeism (OR = 1.10, 95%CI = 1.05-1.14), and activity impairment (OR = 1.11, 95%CI = 1.09-1.14). However, there was no significant difference in the probability of absenteeism between females with and without LUTS (OR = 1.03, 95%CI = 0.94-1.13). Evidence suggests that female workers with LUTS had significantly greater work productivity impairment compared to those without LUTS. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. Understanding Reflectance Anisotropy: Surface-structure signatures and bulk-related features

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gero Schmidt, W.

    2000-03-01

    Reflectance anisotropy spectroscopy (RAS) is becoming an increasingly important tool for in situ control of semiconductor processing with real-time feedback. The understanding and interpretation of the measured spectra, however, has been hampered by relatively slow theoretical progress. Using a massively parallel real-space multigrid technique [1] and ab initio pseudopotentials we calculated the optical spectra of a variety of III-V(001) growth structures and stepped Si(111):H surfaces. Our results agree well with experiment, notably with respect to the stoichiometric changes induced by different surface preparations. We identify two distinct sources for the optical anisotropy: (i) highly structure-dependent features are caused by transitions involving electronic surface states, and (ii) derivative-like oscillations or peaks at the bulk critical point energies arise from transitions between surface-modified bulk wave functions. The latter are nearly independent from the actual surface structure. The agreement between the calculated and measured spectra is further improved by applying quasi-particle corrections obtained from numerically efficient, simplified GW calculations [2]. The combination of converged first-principles calculations with an approximate treatment of many-particle effects allows the reliable identification of ``surface-structure fingerprints'' in the optical spectra, paving the way for the exploitation of their rich technological potential. [1ex] [1] EL Briggs, DJ Sullivan, J Bernholc, Phys. Rev. B 54, 14362 (1996). [2] F Bechstedt, R Del Sole, G Cappellini, L Reining, Solid State Commun. 84, 765 (1992).

  19. Meta-analysis of the effectiveness of nursing discharge planning interventions for older inpatients discharged home.

    PubMed

    Mabire, Cédric; Dwyer, Andrew; Garnier, Antoine; Pellet, Joanie

    2018-04-01

    To determine the effectiveness of nursing discharge planning interventions on health-related outcomes for older inpatients discharged home. Inadequate discharge planning for the ageing population poses significant challenges for health services. Effective discharge planning interventions have been examined in several studies, but little information is available on nursing interventions for older people. Despite the research published on the importance of discharge planning, the impact on patient's health outcomes still needs to be evaluated in practice. Systematic review and meta-analysis. A systematic search was undertaken across 13 databases to retrieve published and unpublished studies in English between 2000-2015. Critical appraisal, data extraction and meta-analysis followed the methodology of the Joanna Briggs Institute. Thirteen studies were included in the review, 2 of 13 were pilot studies and one had a pre-post design. Included studies involved 3,964 participants with a median age of 77 years. Nurse discharge planning did not significantly reduce hospital readmission or quality of life, except readmission was lower across studies conducted in the USA. The overall effect score for nurse discharge planning on length of stay was statistically significant and positive. Nursing discharge planning is a complex intervention and difficult to evaluate. Findings suggest that nursing discharge planning for older inpatients discharged home increases the length of stay yet neither reduces readmission rate nor improves quality of life. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. COSPAR Round Table on `How can GEO and COSPAR scientific community work together?'

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gobron, Nadine; Ollier, Gilles

    The Group on Earth Observations is coordinating efforts to build a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, or GEOSS. GEO is a voluntary partnership of governments and inter-national organizations. It provides a framework within which these partners can develop new projects and coordinate their strategies and investments. The Science and Technology Commit-tee of GEO is working to strengthen this role by encouraging the wider scientific and technology community to participate as contributors to and benefactors of a sustained GEOSS. The proposed round table aims at discussing how are scientists and GEO currently working together, using specific examples and how do space agencies or data providers contribute to GEO? Round table participants are welcome to present their own vision on future actions to improve, if necessary, the relations between contributors and GEO. Meeting participants will also be offered the opportunity to intervene and ask questions to the panel. Moderators: • Dr. Nadine Gobron -EC-JRC -Chair of Commission A • Gilles Ollier -DG Research Participants: • Prof. José Achache -Director of GEO • Prof. Maurice Bonnet -President of COSPAR • Dr. Tamatsu Igarashi -JAXA EORC Manager • Dr. Stuart Minchin (CSIRO and member of GEO STC) TBC • Prof. Berrien Moore -Executive Director of Climate Central • Dr. Diane E. Wickland -NASA Headquarters • Dr. Stephen Briggs -ESA (TBC)

  1. Prevalence of depression and anxiety among undergraduate university students in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol.

    PubMed

    January, James; Madhombiro, Munyaradzi; Chipamaunga, Shalote; Ray, Sunanda; Chingono, Alfred; Abas, Melanie

    2018-04-10

    Depression and anxiety symptoms are reported to be common among university students in many regions of the world and impact on quality of life and academic attainment. The extent of the problem of depression and anxiety among students in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is largely unknown. This paper details methods for a systematic review that will be conducted to explore the prevalence, antecedents, consequences, and treatments for depression and anxiety among undergraduate university students in LMICs. Studies reporting primary data on common mental disorders among students in universities and colleges within LMICs will be included. Quality assessment of retrieved articles will be conducted using four Joanna Briggs critical appraisal checklists for prevalence, randomized control/pseudo-randomized trials, descriptive case series, and comparable cohort/case control. Meta-analysis of the prevalence of depression and anxiety will be conducted using a random effects model which will generate pooled prevalence with their respective 95% confidence intervals. The results from this systematic review will help in informing and guiding healthcare practitioners, planners, and policymakers on the burden of common mental disorders in university students in LMICs and of appropriate and feasible interventions aimed at reducing the burden of psychological morbidity among them. The results will also point to gaps in research and help set priorities for future enquiries. PROSPERO CRD42017064148.

  2. Toddler socioemotional behavior in a northern plains Indian tribe: associations with maternal psychosocial well-being.

    PubMed

    Frankel, Karen A; Croy, Calvin D; Kubicek, Lorraine F; Emde, Robert N; Mitchell, Christina M; Spicer, Paul

    2014-01-01

    M.C. Sarche, C.D. Croy, C. Big Crow, C. Mitchell, and P. Spicer (2009) provided first-ever information relating the socioemotional development of American Indian toddlers to the immediate context of their mothers' lives. The current study sought to replicate and build on their earlier work by examining the impact of additional maternal risk factors, identified in previous research with non-American Indian populations, on the development of American Indian toddlers: maternal depression, negative social influences, and mother's feelings of isolation. At 27 months, American Indian mothers (N = 110) completed the Parent Demographic Questionnaire, which measured maternal psychosocial characteristics (e.g., depressed affect, social support, drug and alcohol use, isolation) and demographics. Mothers also completed the Infant-Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (A.S. Carter & M.J. Briggs-Gowan, 2006) and the Parent-Child Dysfunctional Interaction subscale of the Parenting Stress Index (R.R. Abidin, 1995, 1997). Some results replicated the original study, but others did not. Reports of a dysfunctional mother-child relationship related to externalizing and internalizing problems, replicating the earlier study. This study also found associations between a dysfunctional mother-child relationship and socioemotional competence as well as dysregulation. The previous finding of a relationship between American Indian identity and socioemotional competence was supported. Adding the effects of maternal depressed affect and isolation significantly increased prediction of toddler behavior problems. © 2013 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.

  3. Differential decomposition of bacterial and viral fecal indicators in common human pollution types.

    PubMed

    Wanjugi, Pauline; Sivaganesan, Mano; Korajkic, Asja; Kelty, Catherine A; McMinn, Brian; Ulrich, Robert; Harwood, Valerie J; Shanks, Orin C

    2016-11-15

    Understanding the decomposition of microorganisms associated with different human fecal pollution types is necessary for proper implementation of many water quality management practices, as well as predicting associated public health risks. Here, the decomposition of select cultivated and molecular indicators of fecal pollution originating from fresh human feces, septage, and primary effluent sewage in a subtropical marine environment was assessed over a six day period with an emphasis on the influence of ambient sunlight and indigenous microbiota. Ambient water mixed with each fecal pollution type was placed in dialysis bags and incubated in situ in a submersible aquatic mesocosm. Genetic and cultivated fecal indicators including fecal indicator bacteria (enterococci, E. coli, and Bacteroidales), coliphage (somatic and F+), Bacteroides fragilis phage (GB-124), and human-associated genetic indicators (HF183/BacR287 and HumM2) were measured in each sample. Simple linear regression assessing treatment trends in each pollution type over time showed significant decay (p ≤ 0.05) in most treatments for feces and sewage (27/28 and 32/40, respectively), compared to septage (6/26). A two-way analysis of variance of log 10 reduction values for sewage and feces experiments indicated that treatments differentially impact survival of cultivated bacteria, cultivated phage, and genetic indicators. Findings suggest that sunlight is critical for phage decay, and indigenous microbiota play a lesser role. For bacterial cultivated and genetic indicators, the influence of indigenous microbiota varied by pollution type. This study offers new insights on the decomposition of common human fecal pollution types in a subtropical marine environment with important implications for water quality management applications. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. A new dynamical index for classification of cold surge types over East Asia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Park, Tae-Won; Ho, Chang-Hoi; Jeong, Jee-Hoon; Heo, Jin-Woo; Deng, Yi

    2015-11-01

    The cold surges over East Asia can be classified into wave-train type and blocking type according to their dynamic origins. In the present study, two dynamic indices are proposed to objectively identify cold surge types using potential temperature ( θ) on the dynamic tropopause at 2-potential vorticity units (2-PVU) surface. The two indices are designed to represent primary characteristics of the two types of cold surge. The wave-train index ( WI) is defined as a difference of anomalous θ on the 2-PVU surface between the western North Pacific and northeast China, which captures a southward (northward) intrusion of cold (warm) air mass related to the trough-ridge pattern. The blocking index ( BI) is defined as a difference of anomalous θ between the subarctic region and northeast China, which indicates air mass overturning related to a reversal of the usual meridional θ gradient commonly observed in the occurrence of blocking type cold surge. Composite analyses based on the distribution of the WI and BI clearly demonstrate the dynamic evolutions of corresponding cold surge types. The wave-train cold surge is associated with a southeastward expansion of the Siberian High and northerly wind near surface, which is caused by growing baroclinic waves. During the blocking cold surge, a geopotential height dipole indicating the subarctic blocking and deepening of East Asian coastal trough induces a southward expansion of the Siberian High and northeasterly wind. Compared to the wave-train type, the blocking cold surge exhibits a longer duration and stronger intensity. In the new framework of these dynamic indices, we can detect a third type of cold surge when both the wave-train and the blocking occur together. In addition, we can exclude the events that do not have the essential features of the upper tropospheric disturbances or the subarctic anticyclonic circulation, which are responsible for cold surge occurrence, using the new indices.

  5. The Usability of a Pressure-Indicating Film to Measure the Teat Load Caused by a Collapsing Liner

    PubMed Central

    Demba, Susanne; Elsholz, Sabrina; Ammon, Christian; Rose-Meierhöfer, Sandra

    2016-01-01

    Prevention of damage to the teat and mastitis requires determination of the teat load caused by a collapsing liner. The aim of this study was to test a pressure-indicating film designed to measure the pressure between a collapsing liner and artificial teats. The Ultra Super Low and the Extreme Low pressure-indicating films were tested on two types of artificial teat. The experiments were performed with a conventional milking cluster equipped with round silicone liners. For each teat and film type, 30 repetitions were performed. Each repetition was performed with a new piece of film. Kruskal-Wallis tests were performed to detect differences between the pressure values for the different teats. The area of regions where pressure-indication color developed was calculated to determine the most suitable film type. Both film types measured the pressure applied to both artificial teats by the teat cup liner. Thus, the pressure-indicating films can be used to measure the pressure between a collapsing liner and an artificial teat. Based on the results of the present investigation, a pressure-indicating film with the measurement ranges of both film types combined would be an optimal tool to measure the overall pressure between an artificial teat and a collapsing liner. PMID:27690033

  6. Development of an integrated indicator system to assess the impacts of reclamation engineering on a river estuary.

    PubMed

    Xu, Yan; Cai, Yanpeng; Sun, Tao; Yin, Xin'An; Tan, Qian

    2017-06-30

    An integrated indicator system was developed for determining synthetic environmental responses under multiple types of coastal reclamation engineering in the Yellow River estuary, China. Four types of coastal engineering works were analyzed, namely port construction, petroleum exploitation, fishery and aquaculture, and seawall defense. In addition, two areas with limited human disturbances were considered for comparison. From the weights of the response value for each indicator, port construction was determined to be the primary impact contributor among the four engineering works studies. Specifically, hydrodynamic conditions, ecological status, economic costs, and engineering intensity were on average 72.78%, 65.03%, 75.03%, and 66.35% higher than those of other engineering types. Furthermore, fishery and aquaculture impact on water quality was 42.51% higher than that of other engineering types, whereas seawall defense impact on landscape variation was 51.75% higher than that of other engineering types. The proposed indicator system may provide effective coastal management in future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  7. African American Extended Family and Church-Based Social Network Typologies.

    PubMed

    Nguyen, Ann W; Chatters, Linda M; Taylor, Robert Joseph

    2016-12-01

    We examined social network typologies among African American adults and their sociodemographic correlates. Network types were derived from indicators of the family and church networks. Latent class analysis was based on a nationally representative sample of African Americans from the National Survey of American Life. Results indicated four distinct network types: ambivalent, optimal, family centered, and strained. These four types were distinguished by (a) degree of social integration, (b) network composition, and (c) level of negative interactions. In a departure from previous work, a network type composed solely of nonkin was not identified, which may reflect racial differences in social network typologies. Further, the analysis indicated that network types varied by sociodemographic characteristics. Social network typologies have several promising practice implications, as they can inform the development of prevention and intervention programs.

  8. A systematic review of community-based interventions for emerging zoonotic infectious diseases in Southeast Asia

    PubMed Central

    Halton, Kate; Sarna, Mohinder; Barnett, Adrian; Leonardo, Lydia; Graves, Nicholas

    2013-01-01

    Executive Summary Background Southeast Asia has been at the epicentre of recent epidemics of emerging and re-emerging zoonotic diseases. Community-based surveillance and control interventions have been heavily promoted but the most effective interventions have not been identified. Objectives This review evaluated evidence for the effectiveness of community-based surveillance interventions at monitoring and identifying emerging infectious disease; the effectiveness of community-based control interventions at reducing rates of emerging infectious disease; and contextual factors that influence intervention effectiveness. Inclusion criteria Participants Communities in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam. Types of intervention(s) Non-pharmaceutical, non-vaccine, and community-based surveillance or prevention and control interventions targeting rabies, Nipah virus, dengue, SARS or avian influenza. Types of outcomes Primary outcomes: measures: of infection or disease; secondary outcomes: measures of intervention function. Types of studies Original quantitative studies published in English. Search strategy Databases searched (1980 to 2011): PubMed, CINAHL, ProQuest, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, Science Direct, Cochrane database of systematic reviews, WHOLIS, British Development Library, LILACS, World Bank (East Asia), Asian Development Bank. Methodological quality Two independent reviewers critically appraised studies using standard Joanna Briggs Institute instruments. Disagreements were resolved through discussion. Data extraction A customised tool was used to extract quantitative data on intervention(s), populations, study methods, and primary and secondary outcomes; and qualitative contextual information or narrative evidence about interventions. Data synthesis Data was synthesised in a narrative summary with the aid of tables. Meta-analysis was used to statistically pool quantitative results. Results Fifty-seven studies were included. Vector control interventions using copepods, environmental cleanup and education are effective and sustainable at reducing dengue in rural and urban communities, whilst insecticide spraying is effective in urban outbreak situations. Community-based surveillance interventions can effectively identify avian influenza in backyard flocks, but have not been broadly applied. Outbreak control interventions for Nipah virus and SARS are effective but may not be suitable for ongoing control. Canine vaccination and education is more acceptable than culling, but still fails to reach coverage levels required to effectively control rabies. Contextual factors were identified that influence community engagement with, and ultimately effectiveness of, interventions. Conclusion Despite investment in community-based disease control and surveillance in Southeast Asia, published evidence evaluating interventions is limited in quantity and quality. Nonetheless this review identified a number of effective interventions, and several contextual factors influencing effectiveness. Identification of the best programs will require comparative evidence of effectiveness acceptability, cost-effectiveness and sustainability. Implications for practice Interventions are more effective if there are high levels of community ownership and engagement. Linkages between veterinary and public health surveillance systems are essential. Interventions are not well accepted when they fail to acknowledge the importance of animals for economic activity in communities. Implications for research Evidence is needed on functioning and outcomes of current surveillance systems and novel low-cost methods of surveillance. Evaluations of control interventions should control for confounding and report measures of disease, cost and sustainability. Translational research is needed to assess generalisability and evaluate roll-out of effective interventions as regional or national programs.

  9. Clinical effectiveness of decongestive treatments on excess arm volume and patient-centered outcomes in women with early breast cancer-related arm lymphedema: a systematic review

    PubMed Central

    Jeffs, Eunice; Ream, Emma; Taylor, Cath; Bick, Debra

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the effect of decongestive lymphedema treatment on excess arm volume or patient-centered outcomes in women presenting within either 12 months or a mean nine months of developing arm lymphedema following breast cancer treatment. Introduction: Lymphedema is a common consequence of breast cancer treatment requiring life-long treatment to reduce symptoms and prevent complications. Currently, evidence to inform the optimal decongestive lymphedema treatment package is lacking. Inclusion criteria: The review included studies on women who received lymphedema treatment within either 12 months or a mean of nine months of developing unilateral breast cancer-related arm lymphedema. The intervention was any decongestive lymphedema treatment delivered with the purpose of reducing arm lymphedema, compared to another form of lymphedema treatment (whether self or practitioner-administered), placebo or no treatment. The clinical outcome was excess arm volume; patient-centered outcomes were health-related quality of life, arm heaviness, arm function, patient-perceived benefit and satisfaction with treatment. Experimental study designs were eligible, including randomized and non-randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental, prospective and retrospective before and after studies were considered. Methods: A three-step search strategy was utilized to find published and unpublished studies. The search identified studies published from the inception of each database to July 6, 2016. Reference lists were scanned to identify further eligible studies. Studies were critically appraised using appropriate standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Details describing each study and treatment results regarding outcomes of interest were extracted from papers included in the review using appropriate standardized data extraction tools from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Due to heterogeneity in included studies, results for similar outcome measures were not pooled in statistical meta-analysis. A narrative and tabular format was used to synthesize results from identified and included studies. Results: Seven studies reporting results for outcomes of interest were critically appraised and included in the review: five randomized controlled trials and two descriptive (uncontrolled) studies. Reported outcomes included excess arm volume (five studies), health-related quality of life (three studies), arm heaviness (one study), arm function (two studies) and patient-perceived benefit (two studies). There was some evidence that decongestive treatments were effective for women presenting within either 12 months or a mean of nine months of developing breast cancer-related arm lymphedema, but the wide range of data prevented comparison of treatment findings which limited our ability to answer the review questions. Conclusions: Weak evidence (grade B) for the impact of decongestive lymphedema treatment on women with early lymphedema (i.e. less than 12 months duration of BCRL symptoms) did not allow any conclusions to be drawn about the most effective treatment to be offered when these women first present for treatment. Findings provided no justification to support change to current practice. Future primary research needs to focus on the most effective treatment for women when they first present with lymphedema symptoms, e.g. treatment provided within 12 months of developing symptoms. Studies should be adequately powered and recruit women exclusively with less than 12 months duration of breast cancer-related lymphedema symptoms, provide longer follow-up to monitor treatment effect over time, with comparable treatment protocols, outcome measures and reporting methods. PMID:29419623

  10. Effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy/closed incision management in the prevention of post-surgical wound complications: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    PubMed

    Sandy-Hodgetts, Kylie; Watts, Robin

    2015-01-01

    The treatment of post-surgical wound complications, such as surgical site infections and surgical wound dehiscence, generates a significant burden for patients and healthcare systems. The effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy has been under investigation but to date no systematic review has been published in relation to its effectiveness in the prevention of surgical wound complications. To identify the effectiveness of negative pressure wound therapy in the prevention of post-surgical wound complications in adults with a closed surgical incision compared to standard surgical dressings. Male and female adults who have had negative pressure wound therapy applied to their surgical incision following a procedure in one of the following areas: trauma, cardiothoracic, orthopedic, abdominal, or vascular surgery.The intervention of interest was the use of negative pressure wound therapy directly over an incision following a surgical procedure; the comparator was standard surgical dressings.Both experimental and epidemiological study designs, including randomized controlled trials, pseudo-randomized trials, quasi-experimental studies, before and after studies, prospective and retrospective cohort studies, case control studies, and analytical cross sectional studies were sought.The primary outcome was the occurrence of post-surgical wound infection or dehiscence as measured by the following: surgical site infections - superficial and deep; surgical wound dehiscence; wound pain; wound seroma; wound hematoma. Published and unpublished studies in English from 1990 to 2013 were identified by searching a variety of electronic databases. Reference lists of all papers selected for retrieval were then searched for additional studies. Papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. Data were extracted from the included papers using a standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument. In addition to study results, the data extracted included details of the study population, setting, intervention and author's conclusion. Where appropriate, data were pooled using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis software. Meta-analyses were performed for three outcomes. In cases of heterogeneity between studies a narrative summary of results was undertaken. Eight studies were included in the review. Meta-analyses revealed a statistically significant difference in favor of the use of negative pressure wound therapy as compared to standard surgical dressings was found for surgical site infections. Conflicting results were found for wound dehiscence and seroma. Given the small number of studies, mostly retrospective comparative cohort in design, no definitive conclusions can be reached as to the effectiveness of the use of negative pressure wound therapy in the prevention of surgical wound complications. However, there was a demonstrated association between the use of negative pressure wound therapy and reduction in surgical site infection. Negative pressure wound therapy in preference to standard postoperative dressings, for example dry gauze, may be considered for closed surgical incisions in adults assessed as high-risk for surgical site infections. The focus of further research on this topic should be level one studies (randomized controlled trials) on patients identified as 'at risk' in the preoperative period.

  11. Which Extrinsic and Intrinsic Factors are Associated with Non-Contact Injuries in Adult Cricket Fast Bowlers?

    PubMed

    Olivier, Benita; Taljaard, Tracy; Burger, Elaine; Brukner, Peter; Orchard, John; Gray, Janine; Botha, Nadine; Stewart, Aimee; Mckinon, Warrick

    2016-01-01

    The high prevalence of injury amongst cricket fast bowlers exposes a great need for research into the risk factors associated with injury. Both extrinsic (environment-related) and intrinsic (person-related) risk factors are likely to be implicated within the high prevalence of non-contact injury amongst fast bowlers in cricket. Identifying and defining the relative importance of these risk factors is necessary in order to optimize injury prevention efforts. The objective of this review was to assess and summarize the scientific literature related to the extrinsic and intrinsic factors associated with non-contact injury inherent to adult cricket fast bowlers. A systematic review was performed in compliance with the PRISMA guidelines. This review considered both experimental and epidemiological study designs. Studies that included male cricket fast bowlers aged 18 years or above, from all levels of play, evaluating the association between extrinsic/intrinsic factors and injury in fast bowlers were considered for inclusion. The three-step search strategy aimed at finding both published and unpublished studies from all languages. The searched databases included MEDLINE via PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register in the Cochrane Library, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), ProQuest 5000 International, ProQuest Health and Medical Complete, EBSCO MegaFile Premier, Science Direct, SPORTDiscus with Full Text and SCOPUS (prior to 28 April 2015). Initial keywords used were 'cricket', 'pace', 'fast', 'bowler', and 'injury'. Papers which fitted the inclusion criteria were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity prior to inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-MAStARI). A total of 16 studies were determined to be suitable for inclusion in this systematic review. The mean critical appraisal score of the papers included in this study was 6.88 (SD 1.15) out of a maximum of 9. The following factors were found to be associated with injury: bowling shoulder internal rotation strength deficit, compromised dynamic balance and lumbar proprioception (joint position sense), the appearance of lumbar posterior element bone stress, degeneration of the lumbar disc on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and previous injury. Conflicting results were found for the association of quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle asymmetry with injury. Technique-related factors associated with injury included shoulder-pelvis flexion-extension angle, shoulder counter-rotation, knee angle, and the proportion of side-flexion during bowling. Bowling workload was the only extrinsic factor associated with injury in adult cricket fast bowlers. A high bowling workload (particularly if it represented a sudden upgrade from a lower workload) increased the subsequent risk to sustaining an injury 1, 3 or 4 weeks later. Identifying the factors associated with injury is a crucial step which should precede the development of, and research into, the effectiveness of injury prevention programs. Once identified, risk factors may be included in pre-participation screening tools and injury prevention programs, and may also be incorporated in future research projects. Overall, the current review highlights the clear lack of research on factors associated with non-contact injury, specifically in adult cricket fast bowlers. Johanna Briggs Institute Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports 1387 (Olivier et al., JBI Database Syst Rev Implement Rep 13(1):3-13. doi: 10.11124/jbisrir-2015-1387 , 2015).

  12. Factors affecting effective communication between registered nurses and adult cancer patients in an inpatient setting: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Tay, Li Hui; Hegney, Desley; Ang, Emily

    2011-06-01

    To establish the best available evidence regarding the factors affecting effective communication between registered nurses and inpatient cancer adults. Electronic databases (CINAHL, Ovid, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus and Wiley InterScience) were searched using a three-step search strategy to identify the relevant quantitative and qualitative studies published in English. The grey literature was not included in the review. The identified studies were evaluated using the guidelines from the Joanna Briggs Institute System for the Unified Management, Assessment and Review of Information. A total of three studies were included in the quantitative component of the review, and the data were presented in a narrative summary. Five studies were included in the qualitative component of the review, and the findings were categorised in a meta-synthesis which generated four synthesised findings. The factors that were found to influence effective communication were identified in the characteristics of nurses, patients and the environment. The promoting factors in nurses included genuineness, competency and effective communication skills. The role of post-basic training in improving nurse-patient communication remained inconclusive. Conversely, nurses who were task-orientated, who feared death and who had low self-awareness of their own verbal behaviours inhibited communication. Nurses were also observed to communicate less effectively when delivering psychosocial aspects of care and in emotionally charged situations. On the other hand, patients who participated actively in their own care and exhibited information-seeking behaviour promoted communication with the nurses. However, patients' unwillingness to discuss their disease/feelings, their preference to seek emotional support from their family/friends and their use of implicit cues were some of the factors that were found to inhibit communication. A supportive ward environment increased facilitative behaviour in nurses, whereas conflict among the staff led to increased use of blocking behaviours. Cultural norms within the Chinese society were also found to inhibit nurse-patient communication. Within the constraints of the study and the few quality papers available, it appeared that personal characteristics of patients and nurses are the key factors that influence effective nurse-patient communication within the oncology setting. Very little evidence exists to explain the role of environment in effective nurse-patient communication, particularly within an Asian setting. Training can be implemented to inform nurses about the communication challenges, to equip them with effective communication skills and improve their receptivity to patient cues. Information-sharing can be used as a non-threatening approach to initiate rapport-building and open communication. Nurses should consider patients' psychological readiness to communicate and respect their preference as to whom they wish to share their thoughts/emotions with. Hospitals/institutions also need to ensure a supportive ward culture and appropriate workload that will enable nurses to provide holistic care to patients. Further research on the effect of the Asian culture on effective communication within the oncology setting is required to expand the knowledge in this area. Studies to ascertain the effect of the patient's age and place within the oncology treatment cycle are also warranted. The lack of evidence on the effectiveness of post-basic communication education also requires further investigation. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare © 2011 The Joanna Briggs Institute.

  13. The influence of workplace culture on nurses' learning experiences: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

    PubMed

    Davis, Kate; White, Sarahlouise; Stephenson, Matthew

    2016-06-01

    A healthy workplace culture enables nurses to experience valuable learning in the workplace. Learning in the workplace enables the provision of evidence-based and continuously improving safe patient care, which is central to achieving good patient outcomes. Therefore, nurses need to learn within a workplace that supports the implementation of evidence-based, professional practice and enables the best patient outcomes; the influence of workplace culture may play a role in this. The purpose of this review was to critically appraise and synthesize the best available qualitative evidence to understand both the nurses' learning experiences within the workplace and the factors within the workplace culture that influence those learning experiences. Registered and enrolled nurses regulated by a nursing and midwifery board and/or recognized health practitioner regulation agency (or their international equivalent). This review considered studies that described two phenomena of interest: the nurses' learning experience, either within an acute healthcare workplace or a workplace-related learning environment and the influence of workplace culture on the nurses' learning experience (within the workplace or workplace-related learning environment). This review considered studies that included nurses working in an acute healthcare organization within a Western culture. This review considered studies that focused on qualitative evidence and included the following research designs: phenomenological, grounded theory and critical theory. Published and unpublished studies in English from 1980 to 2013 were identified using a three-step search strategy, searching various databases, and included hand searching of the reference lists within articles selected for appraisal. For studies meeting the inclusion criteria, methodological quality was assessed using a standardized checklist from the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). Qualitative data were extracted from articles included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from the JBI-QARI. Qualitative research findings were pooled using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Appraisal and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI). This involved the aggregation and synthesis of findings to generate a set of categories, which were then subjected to a meta-synthesis to produce a single comprehensive set of synthesized findings that could be used as a basis for evidence-based practice. Fourteen articles were identified following appraisal and a total of 105 findings (85 unequivocal and 20 credible) were extracted from included studies and grouped into eight categories based on similarity of meaning. Subsequently, categories were grouped into two synthesized findings. The two synthesized findings were as follows: ORGANIZATIONAL INFLUENCES: Enabling nurses to demonstrate accountability for their own learning, along with clear organizational systems that provide resources, time, adequate staffing and support, demonstrates encouragement for and the value of nurses' learning and education. Nurses value their peers, expert nurses, preceptors, mentors and educators facilitating and encouraging their learning and professional development. An optimal workplace culture is central for nurses to experience valuable and relevant learning in the workplace. To emphasize the importance of nurses' learning in the workplace, working and learning is understood as an integrated experience. Consequently, a dual system that enables nurses to demonstrate accountability for their own learning, along with clear organizational and educational systems, is required to demonstrate the value in nurses' learning and education.

  14. Effectiveness of school-based family asthma educational programs in quality of life and asthma exacerbations in asthmatic children aged five to 18: a systematic review.

    PubMed

    Walter, Helen; Sadeque-Iqbal, Fatema; Ulysse, Rose; Castillo, Doreen; Fitzpatrick, Aileen; Singleton, Joanne

    2016-11-01

    Asthma is a common, chronic, non-communicable respiratory disease that affects millions of children worldwide. Asthma exacerbations can range from mild to severe and can have an unfavorable impact on the quality of life of children and their caregivers. Asthma exacerbations often result in absenteeism from school or work, activity intolerance and emergency hospital visits. One strategy to address this health issue in an attempt to improve health outcomes is school-based asthma educational programs. A review of the literature revealed that previous systematic reviews have examined similar topics on the effectiveness of school-based asthma educational programs that have included collaborative efforts between parents and schools. No systematic reviews were found that examined the effectiveness of school-based asthma educational programs that exclusively included children and their caregivers. Research has not been systematically reviewed to determine the effectiveness of a school-based asthma educational program within a familial context. To identify the best available evidence on the effectiveness of school-based family asthma educational programs that exclusively included both children and caregivers on the quality of life and number of asthma exacerbations of children aged five to 18 years with a clinical diagnosis of asthma. Children aged five to 18 years of any gender, race or ethnicity with a clinical diagnosis of asthma and their caregivers. School-based family asthma educational programs. Randomized controlled trials. Quality of life and the number of asthma exacerbations measured by either missed days from school or work, and/or physical activity intolerance, and/or emergency hospital visits. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies from inception of the database to August 21, 2015. Quantitative papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for methodological validity before inclusion in the review using standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Data were extracted from articles included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. The data extracted included specific details about the populations, interventions, study methods and outcomes of significance to the review question and its specific objectives. Due to the heterogeneity among the included studies, statistical pooling and meta-analysis was not possible. Results are presented in narrative form. Six studies examining the intervention were included in this review. All six of the included studies were randomized controlled trials (RCTs). All six studies compared the effects of school-based asthma education to no school-based asthma education/usual care on quality of life and number of asthma exacerbations. Three out of four RCTs showed that children who participated in school-based family asthma educational programs demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in overall quality of life (P < 0.05). All six studies showed improvement in the number of asthma exacerbations that resulted in one or all of the measured outcomes of either missed days from school or work, physical activity intolerance and/or decreased emergency hospital visits. School-based family asthma educational programs for children that include caregivers can have a positive impact on the quality of life and asthma management of children with asthma. Other outcomes that can be positively affected by school-based family asthma educational programs include absenteeism from school or work, physical activity intolerance and emergency hospital visits as result of asthma exacerbations.

  15. Patients' involvement in improvement initiatives: a qualitative systematic review.

    PubMed

    van, Claire; McInerney, Patricia; Cooke, Richard

    2015-10-01

    Over the last 20 years, quality improvement in health has become an important strategy in health services in many countries. With the emphasis on quality health care, there has been a shift in social paradigms towards including service users in their own health on different levels. There is growing evidence in literature on the positive impact on health outcomes where patients are active participants in their personal care. There is however less information available on the broader influence of users on improvement in systems. The objective of this review was to identify the barriers and enablers to patients being involved in quality improvement efforts directed towards their own health care. This review considered studies that included adults and children of any age experiencing any health problem.The review considered studies that explored patient or user participation in quality improvement and the factors enabling and hindering this processThe qualitative component of this review considered studies that focused on qualitative data, including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research and feminist research. Other texts such as opinion papers and reports were also considered. The search strategy aimed to find both published and unpublished studies. A three-step search strategy was utilized in this review. The searches using all identified keywords and index terms included the databases PubMed, PsycINFO, Medline, Scopus, EBSCOhost and CINAHL.Qualitative, text and opinion papers were considered for inclusion in this review.Closely related concepts like community involvement, family involvement, patients' involvement in their own care (for example, in the case of shared decision making), and patient centeredness in the context of a consultation were excluded. Qualitative and textual papers selected for retrieval were assessed by two independent reviewers for authenticity prior to inclusion in the review using the standardized critical appraisal instruments from the Joanna Briggs Institute. Qualitative and textual data were extracted from papers included in the review using the standardized data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. The above findings were pooled and through the identification of categories, a final meta-synthesis was formulated. Two synthesized findings were created from the included papers. Firstly, there are barriers to patients' participation in quality improvement in health and in spite of policy support for user involvement in quality improvement, it is a difficult strategy to implement. The second synthesized finding was that there are enablers to patients' involvement in quality improvement: when patients are involved in quality improvement efforts in health care, there are innovative, often unexpected, outcomes at different levels of the process, and sustaining these efforts is possible with ongoing individual or group support.Five categories which supported the synthesized findings were created through the meta-aggregative process. There are enablers and barriers to involving patients in quality improvement in health care that need to be considered when planning such interventions.Relationships and roles will need to be very clear from the outset. A developmental approach needs to be considered where support and training is part of the project. Where patients are truly engaged in service improvement, unexpected innovation occurs.There are many more reports and opinion papers published regarding this topic than there are rigorous research studies. This leaves the field open to the development of good methodological studies related to quality improvement and in particular to the participation of patients.

  16. Sensitivity analysis of the Commonly Used Drought Indices on the different land use Types - Case Study over Turkey

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ersoy, E. N.; Hüsami Afşar, M.; Bulut, B.; Onen, A.; Yilmaz, M. T.

    2017-12-01

    Droughts are climatic phenomenon that may impact large and small regions alike for long or short time periods and influence society in terms of industrial, agricultural, domestic and many more aspects. The characteristics of the droughts are commonly investigated using indices like Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). On the other hand, these indices may not necessarily yield similar performance over different vegetation types. The aim is to analyze the sensitivity of drought indices (SPI, SPEI, PDSI) to vegetation types over different climatic regions in Turkey. Here the magnitude of the drought severity is measured using MODIS NDVI data, while the vegetation type (e.g., non-irrigated arable lands, vineyards, fruit trees and berry plantations, olive groves, pastures, land principally occupied by agriculture) information is obtained using CORINE land cover classification. This study has compared the drought characteristics and vegetation conditions on different land use types using remotely sensed datasets (e.g., CORINE land use data, MODIS NDVI), and commonly used drought indices between 2000 and 2016 using gauge based precipitation and temperature measurements.

  17. Comparing interprofessional and interorganizational collaboration in healthcare: A systematic review of the qualitative research.

    PubMed

    Karam, Marlène; Brault, Isabelle; Van Durme, Thérèse; Macq, Jean

    2018-03-01

    Interprofessional and interorganizational collaboration have become important components of a well-functioning healthcare system, all the more so given limited financial resources, aging populations, and comorbid chronic diseases. The nursing role in working alongside other healthcare professionals is critical. By their leadership, nurses can create a culture that encourages values and role models that favour collaborative work within a team context. To clarify the specific features of conceptual frameworks of interprofessional and interorganizational collaboration in the healthcare field. This review, accordingly, offers insights into the key challenges facing policymakers, managers, healthcare professionals, and nurse leaders in planning, implementing, or evaluating interprofessional collaboration. This systematic review of qualitative research is based on the Joanna Briggs Institute's methodology for conducting synthesis. Cochrane, JBI, CINAHL, Embase, Medline, Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Sociological Abstract, PsycInfo, and ProQuest were searched, using terms such as professionals, organizations, collaboration, and frameworks. Qualitative studies of all research design types describing a conceptual framework of interprofessional or interorganizational collaboration in the healthcare field were included. They had to be written in French or English and published in the ten years between 2004 and 2014. Sixteen qualitative articles were included in the synthesis. Several concepts were found to be common to interprofessional and interorganizational collaboration, such as communication, trust, respect, mutual acquaintanceship, power, patient-centredness, task characteristics, and environment. Other concepts are of particular importance either to interorganizational collaboration, such as the need for formalization and the need for professional role clarification, or to interprofessional collaboration, such as the role of individuals and team identity. Promoting interorganizational collaboration was found to face greater challenges, such as achieving a sense of belonging among professionals when differences exist between corporate cultures, geographical distance, the multitude of processes, and formal paths of communication. This review sets a direction to follow for implementing changes that meet the challenge of a changing healthcare system and the transition towards non-institutional care. It also shows that collaboration between nurses and healthcare professionals from different healthcare organizations is still poorly explored. This is a major limitation in the existing scientific literature, especially given the potential role that could be played by nurses in enhancing interorganizational collaboration. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  18. Conducting systematic reviews of economic evaluations.

    PubMed

    Gomersall, Judith Streak; Jadotte, Yuri Tertilus; Xue, Yifan; Lockwood, Suzi; Riddle, Dru; Preda, Alin

    2015-09-01

    In 2012, a working group was established to review and enhance the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidance for conducting systematic review of evidence from economic evaluations addressing a question(s) about health intervention cost-effectiveness. The objective is to present the outcomes of the working group. The group conducted three activities to inform the new guidance: review of literature on the utility/futility of systematic reviews of economic evaluations and consideration of its implications for updating the existing methodology; assessment of the critical appraisal tool in the existing guidance against criteria that promotes validity in economic evaluation research and two other commonly used tools; and a workshop. The debate in the literature on the limitations/value of systematic review of economic evidence cautions that systematic reviews of economic evaluation evidence are unlikely to generate one size fits all answers to questions about the cost-effectiveness of interventions and their comparators. Informed by this finding, the working group adjusted the framing of the objectives definition in the existing JBI methodology. The shift is away from defining the objective as to determine one cost-effectiveness measure toward summarizing study estimates of cost-effectiveness and informed by consideration of the included study characteristics (patient, setting, intervention component, etc.), identifying conditions conducive to lowering costs and maximizing health benefits. The existing critical appraisal tool was included in the new guidance. The new guidance includes the recommendation that a tool designed specifically for the purpose of appraising model-based studies be used together with the generic appraisal tool for economic evaluations assessment to evaluate model-based evaluations. The guidance produced by the group offers reviewers guidance for each step of the systematic review process, which are the same steps followed in JBI reviews of other types of evidence. The updated JBI guidance will be useful for researchers wanting to synthesize evidence about economic questions, either as stand-alone reviews or part of comprehensive or mixed method evidence reviews. Although the updated methodology produced by the work of the working group has improved the JBI guidance for systematic reviews of economic evaluations, there are areas where further work is required. These include adjusting the critical appraisal tool to separate out questions addressing intervention cost and effectiveness measurement; providing more explicit guidance for assessing generalizability of findings; and offering a more robust method for evidence synthesis that facilitates achieving the more ambitious review objectives.

  19. A systematic review of the effectiveness of warming interventions for women undergoing cesarean section.

    PubMed

    Munday, Judy; Hines, Sonia; Wallace, Karen; Chang, Anne M; Gibbons, Kristen; Yates, Patsy

    2014-12-01

    Women undergoing cesarean section are vulnerable to adverse effects associated with inadvertent perioperative hypothermia, but there has been a lack of synthesized evidence for temperature management in this population. This systematic review aimed to synthesize the best available evidence in relation to preventing hypothermia in mothers undergoing cesarean section surgery. Randomized controlled trials meeting the inclusion criteria (adult patients of any ethnic background, with or without comorbidities, undergoing any mode of anesthesia for any type of cesarean section) were eligible for consideration. Active or passive warming interventions versus usual care or placebo, aiming to limit or manage core heat loss in women undergoing cesarean section were considered. The primary outcome was maternal core temperature. A comprehensive search with no language restrictions was undertaken of multiple databases from their inception until May 2012. Two independent reviewers using the standardized critical appraisal instrument for randomized controlled trials from the Joanna Briggs Institute Meta-Analysis of Statistics Assessment and Review Instruments (JBI-MASTARI) assessed retrieved papers for methodological quality and conducted data collection. Where possible, results were combined in a fixed effects meta-analysis using the Cochrane Collaboration Review Manager software. Due to heterogeneity for one outcome, random effects meta-analysis was also used. A combined total of 719 participants from 12 studies were included. Intravenous fluid warming was found to be effective at maintaining maternal temperature and preventing shivering. Warming devices, including forced air warming and under-body carbon polymer mattresses, were effective at preventing hypothermia. However, effectiveness increased if the devices were applied preoperatively. Preoperative warming devices reduced shivering and improved neonatal temperatures at birth. Intravenous fluid warming did not improve neonatal temperature, and the effectiveness of warming interventions on umbilical pH remains unclear. Intravenous fluid warming by any method improves maternal temperature and reduces shivering during and after cesarean section, as does preoperative body warming. Preoperative warming strategies should be utilized where possible. Preoperative or intraoperative warmed IV fluids should be standard practice. Warming strategies are less effective when intrathecal opioids are administered. Further research is needed to investigate interventions in emergency cesarean section surgery. Larger scale studies using standardized, clinically meaningful temperature measurement time points are required. © 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.

  20. Patient, nursing and medical staff experiences and perceptions of the care of people with palliative esophagogastric cancer: a systematic review of the qualitative evidence.

    PubMed

    Cowley, Alison; Evans, Catrin; Bath-Hextall, Fiona; Cooper, Joanne

    2016-10-01

    Esophagogastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy and its incidence is increasing. The disease progresses quickly and five-year survival rates are poor. Treatment with palliative intent is provided for the majority of patients but there remains a lack of empirical evidence on the most effective service models to support esophagogastric cancer patients. The overall objective of this systematic review was to synthesize the best available evidence on the experiences and perceptions of patients and health professionals with regard to the care of people diagnosed with palliative esophagogastric cancer. The review considered studies that included patients diagnosed with palliative esophagogastric cancer and any health professionals involved in the delivery of palliative care to this patient group in a hospital, home or community setting. The review considered studies that investigated the experiences and perceptions of people diagnosed with palliative esophagogastric cancer and staff working with these people. Studies that were carried out in any setting, including in-patient and outpatient areas, specialist cancer and non-specialist palliative care services and those were any patient were in receipt or had experiences of palliative care services were considered. All types of health practitioners delivering palliative care to esophagogastric cancer patients were considered. Studies that focused on qualitative data, including, but not limited to, designs such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, action research, feminist research and narrative approaches were considered. Mixed methods studies were considered in the review only if qualitative findings were reported separately. A three-step search strategy was utilized. A total 11 databases were searched for studies from 2000 onward, followed by hand searching of reference lists. Methodological quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument critical appraisal tool (JBI-QARI). Qualitative findings were extracted using the JBI-QARI data extraction Instrument. Qualitative research findings were pooled using a pragmatic meta-aggregative approach. The review included two publications. There were 46 findings which were aggregated into four categories and one overall synthesized finding: "In addition to support for physical needs, patients need support that takes into account changing life situations to achieve the best quality of life." The review shows that patients value services and support that addresses their complex, fluctuating and highly individual needs. No evidence was uncovered regarding how these services should be designed and delivered.

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