Middle Level Principals' Parent Involvement Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomichek-Michalowski, Tracie V.

2017-01-01

The purpose of the exploratory research study was to identify middle level principals' parent involvement practices. Parent involvement impacts students in positive ways, and a principal must have the ability to involve parents. The job description of a principal can be difficult to place on paper. Principals multitask throughout the day and often…

Career Pathways of Athletic Directors: Consideration of the Impact of Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armstrong, Lenora E.

2011-01-01

This study explored career pathways for becoming an athletic director (AD) at National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divisions I, II, and, III member institutions with consideration of gender and race/ethnicity. The study employed an exploratory, descriptive research design using a quantitative electronic survey tapping a census of all…

Web 2.0 in the Professional LIS Literature: An Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aharony, Noa

2011-01-01

This paper presents a statistical descriptive analysis and a thorough content analysis of descriptors and journal titles extracted from the Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA) database, focusing on the subject of Web 2.0 and its main applications: blog, wiki, social network and tags.The primary research questions include: whether the…

Data Science Programs in U.S. Higher Education: An Exploratory Content Analysis of Program Description, Curriculum Structure, and Course Focus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Rong; Sae-Lim, Watinee

2016-01-01

In this study, an exploratory content analysis of 30 randomly selected Data Science (DS) programs from eight disciplines revealed significant gaps in current DS education in the United States. The analysis centers on linguistic patterns of program descriptions, curriculum requirements, and DS course focus as pertaining to key skills and domain…

An Exploratory, Descriptive Study of the Attitudes of Instructors and Students toward the Use of Asynchronous Online Discussion at a Female University in Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alshahrani, Hamed A.; Walker, David A.

2016-01-01

This exploratory, descriptive study examined instructor and female student attitudes toward asynchronous online discussion (AOD) in Saudi Arabia. Preliminary results, derived from an attitudinal-based survey, indicated that, in aggregate, instructors and students had positive attitudes toward using AOD at a female institution of higher education…

A Survey on Conflict Resolution Mechanisms in Public Secondary Schools: A Case of Nairobi Province, Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramani, Ken; Zhimin, Liu

2010-01-01

The broad objective of the study was to determine various mechanisms applied in resolving conflicts within public secondary schools in Nairobi province. This study used descriptive and exploratory research design. A sample comprising of principals, representatives of Boards of Governors (BoG's), class teachers, students and education officers was…

Contextual Approach to the Development of an Indonesian Syntax Textbook in Higher Education in Indonesia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wahyuni, Tutik; Suwandi, Sarwiji; Slamet, St. Y.; Andayani

2018-01-01

The objective of this present research is to develop an Indonesian Syntax textbook. At the exploratory stage, a descriptive-qualitative approach was adopted. The data were collected using a documentary study, observations, and questionnaires and analyzed through a contextual model. The model was experimentally tested. At this stage, some main…

Teaching Effectiveness in Private Higher Education Institutions in Botswana: Analysis of Students' Perceptions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baliyan, Som Pal; Moorad, Fazlur Rehman

2018-01-01

This quantitative study analyzed the perceptions of students on teaching effectiveness in private higher education institutions in Botswana. An exploratory and descriptive survey research design was adopted in this study. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used to collect data through a survey of 560 stratified randomly sampled students in…

Spatial Thinking Assists Geographic Thinking: Evidence from a Study Exploring the Effects of Geospatial Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metoyer, Sandra; Bednarz, Robert

2017-01-01

This article provides a description and discussion of an exploratory research study that examined the effects of using geospatial technology (GST) on high school students' spatial skills and spatial-relations content knowledge. It presents results that support the use of GST to teach spatially dependent content. It also provides indication of an…

Metrology in health: a pilot study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, M.; Matos, A.

2015-02-01

The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyze some relevant issues which arise when the concept of metrological traceability is applied to health care facilities. Discussion is structured around the results that were obtained through a characterization and comparative description of the practices applied in 45 different Portuguese health entities. Following a qualitative exploratory approach, the information collected was the support for the initial research hypotheses and the development of the questionnaire survey. It was also applied a quantitative methodology that included a descriptive and inferential statistical analysis of the experimental data set.

Nursing Doctorates in Brazil: research formation and theses production.

PubMed

Scochi, Carmen Gracinda Silvan; Gelbcke, Francine Lima; Ferreira, Márcia de Assunção; Lima, Maria Alice Dias da Silva; Padilha, Katia Grillo; Padovani, Nátali Artal; Munari, Denize Bouttelet

2015-01-01

to analyze the formation of nursing doctorates in Brazil, from theses production, disciplines and other strategies focusing on research offered by courses. a descriptive and analytical study of the performance of 18 doctoral courses in nursing, running from 1982 to 2010, and defended their theses between 2010-2012. 502 theses were defended in this period, most linked to the online research process of health and nursing care. There are gaps in the knowledge of theoretical and philosophical foundations of care, nursing history and ethics. There are also weaknesses in the methodological design of the theses, with a predominance of descriptive and/or exploratory studies. This was consistent with international standards set with regards to the proposition of research of disciplines and complementary strategies in forming the doctorate. despite the efforts and advances in research formation, it is essential to expand to more robust research designs with a greater impact on production knowledge that is incorporated into practice.

2010 Hans O. Mauksch Address: "Teaching Sociology"--Leader of the Pack?--An Exploratory Study of Teaching Journals across Disciplines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pike, Diane

2011-01-01

This research explores key features of the scholarship of teaching and learning presented in nine higher education pedagogical journals. In an effort to better understand the domain in which the journal "Teaching Sociology" resides, descriptive and comparative analyses indicate that there is notable variation in the type of knowledge offered to…

An Exploratory Study of the Experiences of Recent Graduates Who Participated in the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Zaducka T. C.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences of recent graduates who participated in the Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program at a medium-size southeastern university. This research used a phenomenological approach, as well as qualitative interviews, to provide a detailed and insightful description about…

Exploring the Nature and Reasons for Sexual Violence within Marriage among Young Women in Nepal

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Puri, Mahesh; Shah, Iqbal; Tamang, Jyotsna

2010-01-01

Sexual violence within marriage (SVWM) is a major public health and human right issue and yet remains a much neglected research area, especially in Nepal. An exploratory study using free listing, in-depth case histories and causal flow analysis was conducted among two major ethnic groups in Nepal. Descriptive data collected from free listing…

Exploring the Literacy Beliefs of Refugee Mothers: Implications for Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Nicole

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to utilize an exploratory and descriptive lens to examine the literacy beliefs of refugee mothers of preschool aged children, who were enrolled in a refugee family literacy program (n = 19). Through use of a survey, mothers' literacy beliefs as related to the home literacy environment and schooling were examined. Results…

Defense Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) FY 1985.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-01-31

EO)/ INFRARED (IR) COUNTERMEASURES W CATEGORY: Exploratory Development DESCRIPTION: Analysis needs to be performed to determine how to counter weapon...MHz to 2 GHz. Electrically conducting surfaces of interest are cable shields and braids, and optically transparent (to visible and infrared ) screens...conjunction with a particular method of low temperature depositions from organometallics. 37 .. . -. . . . . . -67 - . ... . 43. TITLE: TUNABLE INFRARED LASER

Technological Change and the Material Conditions of the Literate Practice of Medicine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dutcher, Violet A.

A study, to support the need for exploratory research, was designed to elicit a description of the medical chart located in its setting--the chart was looked "through" as a tool (as a means to an end to effect particular medical goals) and looked "at" itself as technology. This could provide a way to understand the relationship…

Knowledge Management and Law Enforcement: An Examination of Knowledge Management Strategies of the Police Information System (POLNET) in the Turkish National Police

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gultekin, Kubra

2009-01-01

This research study explores knowledge management (KM) in law enforcement, focusing on the POLNET system established by the Turkish National Police as a knowledge-sharing tool. This study employs a qualitative case study for exploratory and descriptive purposes. The qualitative data set came from semi-structured face-to-face and telephone…

Characteristics of Limited English Proficient Hispanic Students in Programs for the Learning Disabled: Implications for Policy, Practice and Research. Part I. Report Summary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ortiz, Alba A., Ed.; Polyzoi, Eleoussa, Ed.

An exploratory and descriptive study is reviewed which examined the identification and placement of 334 limited English proficient Hispanic students (grades 2-5) in learning disability programs. Ss' eligibility folders were examined to determine why they had been referred initially, how they were assessed, and to document the initial placement…

The child's perspective on discomfort during medical research procedures: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Staphorst, Mira S; Benninga, Marc A; Bisschoff, Margriet; Bon, Irma; Busschbach, Jan J V; Diederen, Kay; van Goudoever, Johannes B; Haarman, Eric G; Hunfeld, Joke A M; Jaddoe, Vincent V W; de Jong, Karin J M; de Jongste, Johan C; Kindermann, Angelika; Königs, Marsh; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Passchier, Jan; Pijnenburg, Mariëlle W; Reneman, Liesbeth; Ridder, Lissy de; Tamminga, Hyke G; Tiemeier, Henning W; Timman, Reinier; van de Vathorst, Suzanne

2017-08-01

The evaluation of discomfort in paediatric research is scarcely evidence-based. In this study, we make a start in describing children's self-reported discomfort during common medical research procedures and compare this with discomfort during dental check-ups which can be considered as a reference level of a 'minimal discomfort' medical procedure. We exploratory study whether there are associations between age, anxiety-proneness, gender, medical condition, previous experiences and discomfort. We also describe children's suggestions for reducing discomfort. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Paediatric research at three academic hospitals. 357 children with and without illnesses (8-18 years, mean=10.6 years) were enrolled: 307 from paediatric research studies and 50 from dental care. We measured various generic forms of discomfort (nervousness, annoyance, pain, fright, boredom, tiredness) due to six common research procedures: buccal swabs, MRI scans, pulmonary function tests, skin prick tests, ultrasound imaging and venepunctures. Most children reported limited discomfort during the research procedures (means: 1-2.6 on a scale from 1 to 5). Compared with dental check-ups, buccal swab tests, skin prick tests and ultrasound imaging were less discomforting, while MRI scans, venepunctures and pulmonary function tests caused a similar degree of discomfort. 60.3% of the children suggested providing distraction by showing movies to reduce discomfort. The exploratory analyses suggested a positive association between anxiety-proneness and discomfort. The findings of this study support the acceptability of participation of children in the studied research procedures, which stimulates evidence-based research practice. Furthermore, the present study can be considered as a first step in providing benchmarks for discomfort of procedures in paediatric research. © 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.

The child's perspective on discomfort during medical research procedures: a descriptive study

PubMed Central

Staphorst, Mira S; Benninga, Marc A; Bisschoff, Margriet; Bon, Irma; Busschbach, Jan J V; Diederen, Kay; van Goudoever, Johannes B; Haarman, Eric G; Hunfeld, Joke A M; Jaddoe, Vincent V W; de Jong, Karin J M; de Jongste, Johan C; Kindermann, Angelika; Königs, Marsh; Oosterlaan, Jaap; Passchier, Jan; Pijnenburg, Mariëlle W; Reneman, Liesbeth; de Ridder, Lissy; Tamminga, Hyke G; Tiemeier, Henning W; Timman, Reinier; van de Vathorst, Suzanne

2017-01-01

Objective The evaluation of discomfort in paediatric research is scarcely evidence-based. In this study, we make a start in describing children's self-reported discomfort during common medical research procedures and compare this with discomfort during dental check-ups which can be considered as a reference level of a ‘minimal discomfort’ medical procedure. We exploratory study whether there are associations between age, anxiety-proneness, gender, medical condition, previous experiences and discomfort. We also describe children's suggestions for reducing discomfort. Design Cross-sectional descriptive study. Setting Paediatric research at three academic hospitals. Patients 357 children with and without illnesses (8–18 years, mean=10.6 years) were enrolled: 307 from paediatric research studies and 50 from dental care. Main outcome measures We measured various generic forms of discomfort (nervousness, annoyance, pain, fright, boredom, tiredness) due to six common research procedures: buccal swabs, MRI scans, pulmonary function tests, skin prick tests, ultrasound imaging and venepunctures. Results Most children reported limited discomfort during the research procedures (means: 1–2.6 on a scale from 1 to 5). Compared with dental check-ups, buccal swab tests, skin prick tests and ultrasound imaging were less discomforting, while MRI scans, venepunctures and pulmonary function tests caused a similar degree of discomfort. 60.3% of the children suggested providing distraction by showing movies to reduce discomfort. The exploratory analyses suggested a positive association between anxiety-proneness and discomfort. Conclusions The findings of this study support the acceptability of participation of children in the studied research procedures, which stimulates evidence-based research practice. Furthermore, the present study can be considered as a first step in providing benchmarks for discomfort of procedures in paediatric research. PMID:28765130

The methodological quality of nurse-sensitive indicators in Dutch hospitals: A descriptive exploratory research study.

PubMed

Kieft, R A M M; Stalpers, D; Jansen, A P M; Francke, A L; Delnoij, D M J

2018-06-01

Nurse-sensitive indicators (NSIs) are increasingly being developed and used to establish quality of nursing care in Western countries. The objective was to gain insights into the methodological quality of mandatory NSIs in Dutch hospitals, including indicators for pain, wound care, malnutrition and delirium. A descriptive exploratory design was used, starting with desk research into publicly available documents and reports describing the development of the NSIs included in this study. We used the validated Appraisal of Indicators through Research and Evaluation (AIRE) instrument to evaluate the methodological quality. Although the purpose and relevance of each individual NSI have been described, no detailed information about the criteria for selecting these topics is available. It is not clear which specific stakeholders participated and how their input was used. We found no information about the process of collecting and compiling scientific evidence. It is unclear whether and to what extent the usability of NSIs has been tested. The methodological quality of NSIs used in Dutch hospitals is less than optimal in various ways and it is therefore questionable if the indicators are accurate enough to identify changes or improve nursing practice. Our study also provides an example of how the methodological quality of NSIs can be assessed systematically, which is relevant considering the increasing use of NSIs in various countries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

What motivates women to breastfeed in Lebanon: An exploratory qualitative analysis.

PubMed

BouDiab, Sarah; Werle, Carolina

2018-04-01

This exploratory qualitative study examined the influence of injunctive and descriptive norms on breastfeeding, a health-improving behaviour related to a highly committed personal decision. The research explores the different mechanisms through which social norms impact breastfeeding behaviour pre or post-adoption of breastfeeding practice. A qualitative approach was used by performing in-depth analysis of cross-sectional accounts of women in Lebanon contemplating adoption of breastfeeding practice and women who already breastfed. Interviews were also conducted with medical professionals, lactation specialists, and breastfeeding activists. On one hand, the attitude of the medical professionals and the government efforts are two mechanisms that stimulate the injunctive norms. On the other hand, the descriptive norms are defined by community attitude aggregated with societal beliefs and expectations on women's image and role in society. Both types of social norms are in constant interplay with personal norms and each type becomes more salient at different periods over time. The findings suggest that social norms are major determinants of breastfeeding behaviour. The influence of the type of social norm-descriptive or injunctive-on the decision to breastfeed varies according to the moment of life the mother is living. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nursing Doctorates in Brazil: research formation and theses production

PubMed Central

Scochi, Carmen Gracinda Silvan; Gelbcke, Francine Lima; Ferreira, Márcia de Assunção; Lima, Maria Alice Dias da Silva; Padilha, Katia Grillo; Padovani, Nátali Artal; Munari, Denize Bouttelet

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: to analyze the formation of nursing doctorates in Brazil, from theses production, disciplines and other strategies focusing on research offered by courses. METHOD: a descriptive and analytical study of the performance of 18 doctoral courses in nursing, running from 1982 to 2010, and defended their theses between 2010-2012. RESULTS: 502 theses were defended in this period, most linked to the online research process of health and nursing care. There are gaps in the knowledge of theoretical and philosophical foundations of care, nursing history and ethics. There are also weaknesses in the methodological design of the theses, with a predominance of descriptive and/or exploratory studies. This was consistent with international standards set with regards to the proposition of research of disciplines and complementary strategies in forming the doctorate. CONCLUSION: despite the efforts and advances in research formation, it is essential to expand to more robust research designs with a greater impact on production knowledge that is incorporated into practice. PMID:26312630

Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Intrapartum Care: A Descriptive Exploratory Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Iravani, Mina; Janghorbani, Mohsen; Zarean, Ellahe; Bahrami, Masod

2016-02-01

Evidence based practice is an effective strategy to improve the quality of obstetric care. Identification of barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care is necessary and crucial to deliver high quality care to parturient women. The current study aimed to explore barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care from the perspective of clinical groups that provide obstetric care in Iran. This descriptive exploratory qualitative research was conducted from 2013 to 2014 in fourteen state medical training centers in Iran. Participants were selected from midwives, specialists, and residents of obstetrics and gynecology, with a purposive sample and snowball method. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed according to conventional content analysis. Data analysis identified twenty subcategories and four main categories. Main categories included barriers were related to laboring women, persons providing care, the organization environment and health system. The adoption of evidence based intrapartum care is a complex process. In this regard, identifying potential barriers is the first step to determine and apply effective strategies to encourage the compliance evidence based obstetric care and improves maternity care quality.

Collaborative Project Work Development in a Virtual Environment with Low-Intermediate Undergraduate Colombian Students (Desarrollo de trabajo colaborativo en un ambiente virtual con estudiantes colombianos de pregrado de nivel intermedio-bajo)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salinas Vacca, Yakelin

2014-01-01

This paper reports on an exploratory, descriptive, and interpretive study in which the roles of discussion boards, the students, the teacher, and the monitors were explored as they constructed a collaborative class project in a virtual environment. This research was conducted in the virtual program of a Colombian public university. Data were…

A General Procedure to Assess the Internal Structure of a Noncognitive Measure--The Student360 Insight Program (S360) Time Management Scale. Research Report. ETS RR-11-42

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ling, Guangming; Rijmen, Frank

2011-01-01

The factorial structure of the Time Management (TM) scale of the Student 360: Insight Program (S360) was evaluated based on a national sample. A general procedure with a variety of methods was introduced and implemented, including the computation of descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).…

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory FY 2016 Laboratory Directed Research and Development Annual Report

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

Al-Ayat, R.; Gard, E.; Sketchley, J.

The LDRD annual report for FY2016 consists of two parts: The Overview. This section contains a broad description of the LDRD Program, highlights of recent accomplishments and awards, Program statistics, and the LDRD portfolio-management processes. Project Reports. Project reports are submitted by all principal investigators at the end of the fiscal year. The length and depth of the report depends on the project’s lifecycle. For projects that will be continuing the following year, the principal investigator submits a continuing project report, which is a brief update containing descriptions of the goals, scope, motivation, relevance (to DOE/NNSA and Livermore mission areas),more » and technical progress achieved in FY16, as well as a list of selected publications and presentations that resulted from the research. For projects that concluded in FY16, a more detailed final report is provided that is technical in nature and includes the background, objectives, scientific approach, accomplishments, and impacts on the Laboratory missions, as well as a list of publications and presentations that resulted from the research. Project reports are listed under their research topics and organized by year and type, such as exploratory research (ER), feasibility study (FS), laboratory-wide competition (LW), and strategic initiative (SI). Each project is assigned a unique tracking code, an identifier that consists of three elements. The first is the fiscal year in which the project began, the second represents the project type, and the third identifies the serial number of the project for that fiscal year. For example, 16-ERD-100 means the project is an exploratory research project that began in FY16. The three-digit number (100) represents the serial number for the project.« less

Choice Defines Value: A Predictive Modeling Competition in Health Preference Research.

PubMed

Jakubczyk, Michał; Craig, Benjamin M; Barra, Mathias; Groothuis-Oudshoorn, Catharina G M; Hartman, John D; Huynh, Elisabeth; Ramos-Goñi, Juan M; Stolk, Elly A; Rand, Kim

2018-02-01

To identify which specifications and approaches to model selection better predict health preferences, the International Academy of Health Preference Research (IAHPR) hosted a predictive modeling competition including 18 teams from around the world. In April 2016, an exploratory survey was fielded: 4074 US respondents completed 20 out of 1560 paired comparisons by choosing between two health descriptions (e.g., longer life span vs. better health). The exploratory data were distributed to all teams. By July, eight teams had submitted their predictions for 1600 additional pairs and described their analytical approach. After these predictions had been posted online, a confirmatory survey was fielded (4148 additional respondents). The victorious team, "Discreetly Charming Econometricians," led by Michał Jakubczyk, achieved the smallest χ 2 , 4391.54 (a predefined criterion). Its primary scientific findings were that different models performed better with different pairs, that the value of life span is not constant proportional, and that logit models have poor predictive validity in health valuation. The results demonstrated the diversity and potential of new analytical approaches in health preference research and highlighted the importance of predictive validity in health valuation. Copyright © 2018 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Barriers to Implementing Evidence-Based Intrapartum Care: A Descriptive Exploratory Qualitative Study

PubMed Central

Iravani, Mina; Janghorbani, Mohsen; Zarean, Ellahe; Bahrami, Masod

2016-01-01

Background: Evidence based practice is an effective strategy to improve the quality of obstetric care. Identification of barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care is necessary and crucial to deliver high quality care to parturient women. Objectives: The current study aimed to explore barriers to adaptation of evidence-based intrapartum care from the perspective of clinical groups that provide obstetric care in Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive exploratory qualitative research was conducted from 2013 to 2014 in fourteen state medical training centers in Iran. Participants were selected from midwives, specialists, and residents of obstetrics and gynecology, with a purposive sample and snowball method. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed according to conventional content analysis. Results: Data analysis identified twenty subcategories and four main categories. Main categories included barriers were related to laboring women, persons providing care, the organization environment and health system. Conclusions: The adoption of evidence based intrapartum care is a complex process. In this regard, identifying potential barriers is the first step to determine and apply effective strategies to encourage the compliance evidence based obstetric care and improves maternity care quality. PMID:27175303

[School blogs about sexuality: an exploratory documentary study].

PubMed

Valli, Gabriela Petró; Cogo, Ana Luísa Petersen

2013-09-01

The objective was to analyze the structure of school blogs on sexuality and their utilization by adolescents. This quantitative, exploratory and documentary study was performed with 11 blogs designed by students and available online in March of 2012. The information was submitted to hypertext analysis and descriptive statistics, taking research ethics norms into consideration. Group and education blogs developed in Portuguese and Brazilian schools were most often signed by their authors and suffered few updates. The written posts mixed scientific and informal languages, besides presenting videos and images. Every blog included information regarding the number of followers, visits, comments and a contact to answer questions. The highlighted discussed topics were birth control methods and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Blogs are a resource for health education that should promote active discussions and rely on the participation of health care professionals.

Technology base research project for electrochemical energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinoshita, Kim

1988-07-01

The progress made by the technology base research (TBR) project for electrochemical energy storage during calendar year 1987 was summarized. The primary objective of the TBR Project, which is sponsored by the Department of Energy (DOE) and managed by Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL), is to identify electrochemical technologies that can satisfy stringent performance and economic requirements for electric vehicles and stationary energy storage applications. The ultimate goal is to transfer the most promising electrochemical technologies to the private sector or to another DOE project (e.g., Sandia National Laboratories' Exploratory Technology Development and Testing Project) for further development and scale-up. Besides LBL, which has overall responsibility for the TBR Project, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) and Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) participate in the TBR Project by providing key research support in several of the project elements. The TBR Project consists of three major project elements: exploratory research; applied science research; and air systems research. The objectives and the specific battery and electrochemical systems addressed by each project element are discussed in the following sections, which also include technical summaries that relate to the individual projects. Financial information that relates to the various projects and a description of the management activities for the TBR Project are described in the Executive Summary.

The use of exploratory analyses within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence single technology appraisal process: an evaluation and qualitative analysis.

PubMed

Kaltenthaler, Eva; Carroll, Christopher; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Scope, Alison; Holmes, Michael; Rice, Stephen; Rose, Micah; Tappenden, Paul; Woolacott, Nerys

2016-04-01

As part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) single technology appraisal (STA) process, independent Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) critically appraise the company submission. During the critical appraisal process the ERG may undertake analyses to explore uncertainties around the company's model and their implications for decision-making. The ERG reports are a central component of the evidence considered by the NICE Technology Appraisal Committees (ACs) in their deliberations. The aim of this research was to develop an understanding of the number and type of exploratory analyses undertaken by the ERGs within the STA process and to understand how these analyses are used by the NICE ACs in their decision-making. The 100 most recently completed STAs with published guidance were selected for inclusion in the analysis. The documents considered were ERG reports, clarification letters, the first appraisal consultation document and the final appraisal determination. Over 400 documents were assessed in this study. The categories of types of exploratory analyses included fixing errors, fixing violations, addressing matters of judgement and the ERG-preferred base case. A content analysis of documents (documentary analysis) was undertaken to identify and extract relevant data, and narrative synthesis was then used to rationalise and present these data. The level and type of detail in ERG reports and clarification letters varied considerably. The vast majority (93%) of ERG reports reported one or more exploratory analyses. The most frequently reported type of analysis in these 93 ERG reports related to the category 'matters of judgement', which was reported in 83 (89%) reports. The category 'ERG base-case/preferred analysis' was reported in 45 (48%) reports, the category 'fixing errors' was reported in 33 (35%) reports and the category 'fixing violations' was reported in 17 (18%) reports. The exploratory analyses performed were the result of issues raised by an ERG in its critique of the submitted economic evidence. These analyses had more influence on recommendations earlier in the STA process than later on in the process. The descriptions of analyses undertaken were often highly specific to a particular STA and could be inconsistent across ERG reports and thus difficult to interpret. Evidence Review Groups frequently conduct exploratory analyses to test or improve the economic evaluations submitted by companies as part of the STA process. ERG exploratory analyses often have an influence on the recommendations produced by the ACs. More in-depth analysis is needed to understand how ERGs make decisions regarding which exploratory analyses should be undertaken. More research is also needed to fully understand which types of exploratory analyses are most useful to ACs in their decision-making. The National Institute for Health Research Health Technology Assessment programme.

The use and misuse of statistical methodologies in pharmacology research.

PubMed

Marino, Michael J

2014-01-01

Descriptive, exploratory, and inferential statistics are necessary components of hypothesis-driven biomedical research. Despite the ubiquitous need for these tools, the emphasis on statistical methods in pharmacology has become dominated by inferential methods often chosen more by the availability of user-friendly software than by any understanding of the data set or the critical assumptions of the statistical tests. Such frank misuse of statistical methodology and the quest to reach the mystical α<0.05 criteria has hampered research via the publication of incorrect analysis driven by rudimentary statistical training. Perhaps more critically, a poor understanding of statistical tools limits the conclusions that may be drawn from a study by divorcing the investigator from their own data. The net result is a decrease in quality and confidence in research findings, fueling recent controversies over the reproducibility of high profile findings and effects that appear to diminish over time. The recent development of "omics" approaches leading to the production of massive higher dimensional data sets has amplified these issues making it clear that new approaches are needed to appropriately and effectively mine this type of data. Unfortunately, statistical education in the field has not kept pace. This commentary provides a foundation for an intuitive understanding of statistics that fosters an exploratory approach and an appreciation for the assumptions of various statistical tests that hopefully will increase the correct use of statistics, the application of exploratory data analysis, and the use of statistical study design, with the goal of increasing reproducibility and confidence in the literature. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Graphical and Numerical Descriptive Analysis: Exploratory Tools Applied to Vietnamese Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haughton, Dominique; Phong, Nguyen

2004-01-01

This case study covers several exploratory data analysis ideas, the histogram and boxplot, kernel density estimates, the recently introduced bagplot--a two-dimensional extension of the boxplot--as well as the violin plot, which combines a boxplot with a density shape plot. We apply these ideas and demonstrate how to interpret the output from these…

An Exploratory Analysis of a Middle School Science Curriculum: Implications for Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Gregory S.; Hord, Casey

2016-01-01

An exploratory study of a middle school curriculum directly aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards was conducted with a focus on how the curriculum addresses the instructional needs of students with learning disabilities. A descriptive analysis of a lesson on speed and velocity was conducted and implications discussed for students with…

Formative Qualitative Evaluation for "Exploratory" ITS Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murray, Tom

1993-01-01

Discusses evaluation methods applicable to exploratory research areas, provides an overview of qualitative and formative methods for exploratory research on intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) and describes an exploratory study in ITS knowledge acquisition which involved working with three educators to build an ITS for high school physics.…

Transactional Distance and Dialogue: An Exploratory Study to Refine the Theoretical Construct of Dialogue in Online Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shearer, Rick L.

2009-01-01

Theory building is complex and ongoing. Theories need to be constantly tested and the underlying constructs explored, as knowledge of a field evolves. This study, which is in support of Moore's (1980, 1993) theory of transactional distance, is exploratory and descriptive, and focuses on one of the key variables in the theory dialogue. As…

Educating Children with Down Syndrome in Lebanon: An Exploratory Study of Urban Mothers' Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatoum, Rima J.

2010-01-01

In view of the fact that Lebanon does not currently have a special education infrastructure, the purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to understand the phenomenon of educating children with Down syndrome (DS) in Lebanon in terms of the meanings mothers ascribe to it and their description of their experience. The intent was to develop…

Community intellectual disability nurses' public health roles in the United Kingdom: An exploratory documentary analysis.

PubMed

Mafuba, Kay; Gates, Bob; Cozens, Maria

2018-03-01

The aim of this study was to explore how public health policy in the United Kingdom was reflected in community intellectual disability nurses' (CIDNs)' job descriptions and person's specifications. The role of CIDNs has evolved due to policy changes. As these roles evolve, job descriptions and person specifications are important in highlighting employer's expectations staff, priorities, and professional values of their employees. This study involved an exploratory documentary analysis of n = 203 CIDNs' job descriptions and person specifications in the context of role theory. The CIDNs' public health roles identified in this study are health education, health protection, health prevention, health surveillance, and health promotion. Key policies themes were intellectual disability health access, public health strategies, policy evaluation/redesign, and public health policy. There is a lack of public health role clarity and inconsistency in role expectations across organizational boundaries in the United Kingdom.

[State school children's opinions regarding violence in the media].

PubMed

Piedrahita S, Laura E

2009-01-01

To describe the opinion of schoolage children, from a public school, regarding the violence they perceive in the media. Descriptive-exploratory research with a sample, selected according to the child's age in a public school. Quantitative data were collected. There were found common issues related to the child's opinion about the violence present in the media such as frequent exposure to the media violence and lack of parental supervision. Social context and constant exposure to the media violence affect the children's opinion about the violence phenomenon and their predisposition to it.

Effective Middle Level Teaching: Perceptions on the Preparedness of Newly Hired Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howell, Penny B.; Cook, Chris; Faulkner, Shawn A.

2013-01-01

This interpretive, exploratory study utilized survey methodology to document middle level principals' perceptions of effective teaching practices and the preparedness of newly hired middle level teachers. The findings suggest that principals' descriptions of effective teaching differ from their descriptions of effective teachers. Additionally,…

A description of the reformatted spring small grains labeling procedure used in test 2, part 2 of the US/Canada wheat and barley exploratory experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmer, W. F.; Magness, E. R. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

The reformatted spring small grains labeling procedure is designed to be used for assigning crop identification labels to a predetermined and selected number of dots. The development and description of this procedure is presented.

Measured emotional intelligence ability and grade point average in nursing students.

PubMed

Codier, Estelle; Odell, Ellen

2014-04-01

For most schools of nursing, grade point average is the most important criteria for admission to nursing school and constitutes the main indicator of success throughout the nursing program. In the general research literature, the relationship between traditional measures of academic success, such as grade point average and postgraduation job performance is not well established. In both the general population and among practicing nurses, measured emotional intelligence ability correlates with both performance and other important professional indicators postgraduation. Little research exists comparing traditional measures of intelligence with measured emotional intelligence prior to graduation, and none in the student nurse population. This exploratory, descriptive, quantitative study was undertaken to explore the relationship between measured emotional intelligence ability and grade point average of first year nursing students. The study took place at a school of nursing at a university in the south central region of the United States. Participants included 72 undergraduate student nurse volunteers. Emotional intelligence was measured using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test, version 2, an instrument for quantifying emotional intelligence ability. Pre-admission grade point average was reported by the school records department. Total emotional intelligence (r=.24) scores and one subscore, experiential emotional intelligence(r=.25) correlated significantly (>.05) with grade point average. This exploratory, descriptive study provided evidence for some relationship between GPA and measured emotional intelligence ability, but also demonstrated lower than average range scores in several emotional intelligence scores. The relationship between pre-graduation measures of success and level of performance postgraduation deserves further exploration. The findings of this study suggest that research on the relationship between traditional and nontraditional measures of academic success, and emotional intelligence correlation with postgraduation performance, is warranted. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Illustrative case studies in the return of exome and genome sequencing results

PubMed Central

Amendola, Laura M; Lautenbach, Denise; Scollon, Sarah; Bernhardt, Barbara; Biswas, Sawona; East, Kelly; Everett, Jessica; Gilmore, Marian J; Himes, Patricia; Raymond, Victoria M; Wynn, Julia; Hart, Ragan; Jarvik, Gail P

2015-01-01

Whole genome and exome sequencing tests are increasingly being ordered in clinical practice, creating a need for research exploring the return of results from these tests. A goal of the Clinical Sequencing and Exploratory Research (CSER) consortium is to gain experience with this process to develop best practice recommendations for offering exome and genome testing and returning results. Genetic counselors in the CSER consortium have an integral role in the return of results from these genomic sequencing tests and have gained valuable insight. We present seven emerging themes related to return of exome and genome sequencing results accompanied by case descriptions illustrating important lessons learned, counseling challenges specific to these tests and considerations for future research and practice. PMID:26478737

Job Satisfaction DEOCS 4.1 Construct Validity Summary

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-08-01

focuses more specifically on satisfaction with the job. Included is a review of the 4.0 description and items, followed by the proposed modifications to...the factor. The DEOCS 4.0 description provided for job satisfaction is “the perception of personal fulfillment in a specific vocation, and sense of...piloting items on the DEOCS; (4) examining the descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis results, and aggregation statistics; and (5

Compassion fatigue in liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators: a descriptive research study.

PubMed

Kim, Sabin

2013-12-01

Because of the nature of the helping professions, nurses are at high risk for compassion fatigue and burnout. In the past, many researchers have studied compassion fatigue and burnout in nurses. However, reports of research assessing liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators' compassion fatigue and burnout are rare. To assess liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators' levels of compassion fatigue and burnout. A nonexperimental, exploratory descriptive study was conducted using the Professional Quality of Life Scale Version 5 (ProQOL-V), a 30-item self-report instrument to measure participants' level of compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress. This study sampled 14 liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators from a large multiorgan transplant center in the Southeast region. Transplant nurse coordinators had an average level of compassion satisfaction, an average level of burnout, and an average level of secondary traumatic stress. Within liver and kidney transplant nurse coordinators, a statistically significant relationship was found between education levels of transplant nurse coordinators and the level of burnout, suggesting that education levels may influence burnout.

End-of-life care practices of critical care nurses: A national cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Ranse, Kristen; Yates, Patsy; Coyer, Fiona

2016-05-01

The critical care context presents important opportunities for nurses to deliver skilled, comprehensive care to patients at the end of life and their families. Limited research has identified the actual end-of-life care practices of critical care nurses. To identify the end-of-life care practices of critical care nurses. A national cross-sectional online survey. The survey was distributed to members of an Australian critical care nursing association and 392 critical care nurses (response rate 25%) completed the survey. Exploratory factor analysis using principal axis factoring with oblique rotation was undertaken on survey responses to identify the domains of end-of-life care practice. Descriptive statistics were calculated for individual survey items. Exploratory factor analysis identified six domains of end-of-life care practice: information sharing, environmental modification, emotional support, patient and family centred decision-making, symptom management and spiritual support. Descriptive statistics identified a high level of engagement in information sharing and environmental modification practices and less frequent engagement in items from the emotional support and symptom management practice areas. The findings of this study identified domains of end-of-life care practice, and critical care nurse engagement in these practices. The findings highlight future training and practice development opportunities, including the need for experiential learning targeting the emotional support practice domain. Further research is needed to enhance knowledge of symptom management practices during the provision of end-of-life care to inform and improve practice in this area. Copyright © 2015 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The lived experience of self-transcendence in women with AIDS.

PubMed

Coward, D D

1995-05-01

To describe the lived experience of self-transcendence in women with AIDS, associated with increased sense of meaning and purpose, well-being, self-esteem, and connectedness with self and/or others. Exploratory-descriptive, using phenomenological research methods for the study approach, data collection, and data analysis. One written description and nine audiotaped interviews of self-transcendence experiences were provided by women with class IV HIV infection (AIDS). Ten women recruited by nurses at an AIDS family clinic and through a flyer at the AIDS Support Group House in Seattle. Participant descriptions indicated that women with AIDS continue to find meaning and purpose in their lives through experiences of receiving from others, giving to others, and maintaining hope. The findings support the theory that self-transcendence views and behaviors are a source of mental health at the end of life. The findings suggest several ways nurses may help women with AIDS discover or make meaning and purpose in their lives.

Site characterization plan: Yucca Mountain Site, Nevada Research and Development Area, Nevada: Volume 8, Part B: Chapter 8, Sections 8.3.5 through 8.3.5.20

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

NONE

1988-12-01

This site characterization plan (SCP) has been developed for the candidate repository site at Yucca Mountain in the State of Nevada. The SCP includes a description of the Yucca Mountain site (Chapters 1-5), a conceptual design for the repository (Chapter 6), a description of the packaging to be used for the waste to be emplaced in the repository (Chapter 7), and a description of the planned site characterization activities (Chapter 8). The schedules and milestones presented in Sections 8.3 and 8.5 of the SCP were developed to be consistent with the June 1988 draft Amendment to the DOE`s Mission Planmore » for the Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Program. The five month delay in the scheduled start of exploratory shaft construction that was announced recently is not reflected in these schedules. 68 figs., 102 tabs.« less

Touch in mental health nursing: an exploratory study of nurses' views and perceptions.

PubMed

Gleeson, M; Higgins, A

2009-05-01

The aim of this study was to explore psychiatric nurses' perceptions of physical touch with people who experience mental health problems. A descriptive exploratory qualitative research design was used. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 10 registered psychiatric nurses who met the inclusion criteria and were randomly selected to participate in the study. Burnard's 14 stage-by-stage process of coding and categorization was used to analyse the data. Watson distinguished between two kinds of physical touch: instrumental and expressive. The findings indicated that physical touch was used in mental health nursing; however, it was only considered to be therapeutic to clients if used judiciously, with effective interpersonal skills. The participants in this study clearly identified the need to be sensitive to both the individual client needs, and honour their personal space and cultural background. A significant issue in this study was male participants concerns that touching female clients would be misinterpreted as a sexual advance. To protect themselves, male participants used touch in a cautious and minimal manner, and only in a public space, where others could view the interaction. In the absence of research on physical touch in mental health nursing there is a need for further research to explore in detail these findings.

The role and functions of Clinical Nurse Consultants, an Australian advanced practice role: a descriptive exploratory cohort study.

PubMed

Baldwin, Richard; Duffield, Christine Margaret; Fry, Margaret; Roche, Michael; Stasa, Helen; Solman, Annette

2013-03-01

The NSW Health Policy Directive (NSW Department of Health, 2000) lists clinical service and consultancy; clinical leadership; research; education; clinical services planning and management as the five domains of practice for nurses appointed as Clinical Nurse Consultants (CNCs), an Australian advanced practice nurse (APN) role. However, there is no clear definition of what is meant by advanced practice in the Australian nursing context. Nowhere is this more evident than in differentiating between the roles of Clinical Nurse Consultants (CNCs) and Nurse Practitioners (NP) in NSW. To date, limited empirical research has been done to characterise or delineate CNC role activity and responsibility. To investigate (i) the nature of CNC roles, activities and responsibilities, (ii) differentiate between CNCs by their work patterns and activities, and (iii) empirically conceptualize and differentiate ways CNCs practice in terms of an APN typology. The study sample was 56 CNCs at one tertiary level public hospital in Australia. A descriptive exploratory cohort study was conducted to explore CNC role characteristics and patterns of activity. Data were triangulated using an online survey, a follow-up survey, and semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics to examine differences between CNC work patterns and role activities. The survey data and the individual reports were thematically analysed to investigate for difference across the population of CNCs. Interpretation of survey and interview data led to an analyst-developed CNC typology of four CNC categories based on the work patterns and activities of Sole Practitioner, Clinic Coordinator, Clinical Team Coordinator and Clinical Leader. The typology was based on the themes interprofessional, role focus, clinical focus and setting as these themes distinguished and differentiated CNC roles. The study provides evidence of great diversity and prioritization within CNC roles. The CNC typology identified in this study is similar to the categorisation of the roles of APNs reported by other researchers. With further testing, the CNC typology could be useful to service managers and policy makers in making decision on the category of CNC required for a position and may also be able to be applied to other APN roles. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Florida Nurse Leader Survey Findings: Key Leadership Competencies, Barriers to Leadership, and Succession Planning Needs.

PubMed

Denker, Ann-Lynn; Sherman, Rose O; Hutton-Woodland, Michael; Brunell, Mary Lou; Medina, Pamela

2015-01-01

This study examined barriers to nursing leadership and succession planning needs for nurse leaders in Florida. The Florida Action Coalition responded to the call to prepare and enable nurses to lead change to advance health, through a grant supported by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Florida Blue Foundation. This is a nurse leader subset of a 56-item statewide survey of actively licensed RNs and advanced RN practitioners in Florida conducted via a cross-sectional, exploratory descriptive research design. Key findings included a description of leadership competencies, barriers, and succession planning practices. Florida nurse leaders are aging and less diverse than the general population and report limited utilization of succession planning by their organizations. In Florida, attention must be directed to resources and strategies to develop skilled nurse leaders and plan succession.

Integration of the primary health care approach into a community nursing science curriculum.

PubMed

Vilakazi, S S; Chabeli, M M; Roos, S D

2000-12-01

The purpose of this article is to explore and describe guidelines for integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum in a Nursing College in Gauteng. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design was utilized. The focus group interviews were conducted with community nurses and nurse educators as respondents. Data were analysed by a qualitative descriptive method of analysis as described in Creswell (1994: 155). Respondents in both groups held similar perceptions regarding integration of primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum. Five categories, which are in line with the curriculum cycle, were identified as follows: situation analysis, selection and organisation of objectives/goals, content, teaching methods and evaluation. Guidelines and recommendations for the integration of the primary health care approach into a Community Nursing Science Curriculum were described.

An exploratory sequential design to validate measures of moral emotions.

PubMed

Márquez, Margarita G; Delgado, Ana R

2017-05-01

This paper presents an exploratory and sequential mixed methods approach in validating measures of knowledge of the moral emotions of contempt, anger and disgust. The sample comprised 60 participants in the qualitative phase when a measurement instrument was designed. Item stems, response options and correction keys were planned following the results obtained in a descriptive phenomenological analysis of the interviews. In the quantitative phase, the scale was used with a sample of 102 Spanish participants, and the results were analysed with the Rasch model. In the qualitative phase, salient themes included reasons, objects and action tendencies. In the quantitative phase, good psychometric properties were obtained. The model fit was adequate. However, some changes had to be made to the scale in order to improve the proportion of variance explained. Substantive and methodological im-plications of this mixed-methods study are discussed. Had the study used a single re-search method in isolation, aspects of the global understanding of contempt, anger and disgust would have been lost.

A poster presentation as an evaluation method to facilitate reflective thinking skills in nursing education.

PubMed

Chabeli, M M

2002-08-01

This article seeks to establish whether the poster presentation of a specific theme can facilitate the student's thinking skills in nursing education. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual research design where twenty students volunteered to take part in the study by signing an informed consent was followed. Descriptive naïve sketches were used for data collection followed by individual interviews to validate the findings. Data was analysed by means of the descriptive method of open coding of Tesch (in Creswell, 1994:155). DENOSA's ethical standards for research (1998:7) were considered. The findings indicated both positive and negative perceptions. The positive perceptions were: a poster presentation as an evaluation method facilitates creative, critical and reflective thinking skills; group work facilitates student participation; it facilitates problem solving skills; it increases the student's independence and a sense of ownership; and the evaluation is fair. The negative perceptions were that there was a lack of clarity on the student's expectations and that group activity is difficult. Trustworthiness was maintained in accordance with Lincoln and Guba's principles (1985:290-327). It is concluded that a poster presentation, used effectively as an evaluation method, can facilitate the learner's critical and reflective thinking skills. It is recommended that other learner-centred methods of assessment and evaluation be researched for their effective use in facilitating the higher order thinking skills of learners.

Community Intellectual Disability Nurses' Public Health Roles in the United Kingdom: An Exploratory Documentary Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mafuba, Kay; Gates, Bob; Cozens, Maria

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to explore how public health policy in the United Kingdom was reflected in community intellectual disability nurses' (CIDNs)' job descriptions and person's specifications. The role of CIDNs has evolved due to policy changes. As these roles evolve, job descriptions and person specifications are important in highlighting…

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.

A humanbecoming qualitative descriptive study on quality of life with older adults.

PubMed

Ma, Lina

2014-04-01

Quality of life is a universal living experience and is significant for older adults living in long-term residential care facilities. The purposes of this research study were to: explicate the experience of quality of life for older adults, contribute to the understanding of quality of life for older adults and to nursing's extant body of knowledge by enhancing humanbecoming. Humanbecoming was selected as the theoretical perspective for the qualitative descriptive exploratory method study with 10 volunteers living in the same long-term residential care facility in Singapore. Findings showed that: quality of life is fortifying tranquillity amid potential turbulence with the gratifying engagements of diverse affiliations, as envisioning possibilities arise with discordant constraints. The findings of this study have made a significant contribution to the phenomenon - quality of life both in terms of older adults living in nursing homes and from a Singaporean context.

Knowledge of the nursing team on pressure ulcer prevention.

PubMed

Galvão, Nariani Souza; Serique, Maria Alice Barbosa; Santos, Vera Lúcia Conceição de Gouveia; Nogueira, Paula Cristina

2017-04-01

describe and analyze the nursing team's knowledge about classification, evaluation and measures to prevent pressure ulcers (PU) in patients hospitalized in the ICU of a teaching hospital in the city of Manaus. a descriptive and exploratory study was conducted after approval by a research ethics committee. Data were collected using a validated instrument. The study sample was made up of 40 nursing staff members, of whom 14 were nurses and 26 were nursing technicians/aides. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and Student's t-test, with value of p<0.05. the overall mean of hits was 63.4% for technicians/aides and 51.4% for nurses, with statistically significant differences between the groups only for the PU prevention category (p<0.001). a deficit of knowledge on PU prevention was found among nurses and nursing technicians/aides, demanding the training of these professionals.

Smoking cessation in women: findings from qualitative research.

PubMed

Puskar, M

1995-11-01

The purpose of this descriptive exploratory study is to describe the experience of successful smoking cessation in adult women. The convenience sample included 10 women, ages 25 to 42, who had abstained from smoking for at least 6 months but not longer than 3 years. A semistructured interview format was used to elicit descriptions of the experience of successful smoking cessation from these subjects. The interview format explored the experience, including initial contemplation, the process of quitting, and maintenance of smoking abstinence. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and then analyzed using methods outlined by Miles and Huberman [1]. Four themes emerged from the data: evolving commitment to health and personal growth, being stigmatized, changing conceptualization of smoking, and smoking cessation as a relational phenomenon. These findings were consistent with Pender's Health Promotion Model and have implications for nurse practitioners who counsel women on smoking cessation.

Exploring the barriers to and facilitators of implementing research into practice.

PubMed

Johnston, Bridget; Coole, Carol; Narayanasamy, Melanie; Feakes, Ruth; Whitworth, Gillian; Tyrell, Tracy; Hardy, Beth

2016-08-02

District and community nursing roles have changed rapidly in recent years. Community nurses are increasingly being tasked with carrying out multiple roles, which require them to put research into practice and use evidence-based tools and interventions. The implementation of interventions and tools needs to be developed from empirical research, requiring evidence, to be translated into practice. However, this process may be compromised or enhanced by a number of factors. This exploratory, descriptive qualitative study sought to identify barriers and facilitators to community nurses implementing research into practice. Four focus groups were conducted with registered community nurses and district nurses (n=22). Analysis identified four main themes: keeping up to date with evidence; using a clinical tool; education/training and implementation. Findings suggest that there are barriers at a personal, professional and organisational level. Strategies are suggested to overcome these obstacles.

Parachuting harnesses comparative evaluation on energy distribution grids.

PubMed

Hembecker, Paula Karina; Poletto, Angela Regina; Gontijo, Leila Amaral

2012-01-01

This research aims to make a comparative evaluation of three different parachuting harnesses to work at heights in the energy industry, from the electricians' point of view concerning these products under the optics of usability and ergonomic principles, and mainly justified by the high quantity of injuries at the energy industry due to high falls. According to its main target, this field research is classified as exploratory-descriptive transversal viewing study and, considering this perspective, the study was developed in four steps. Research results have enlightened the weakest spots and the potential improvement opportunities of these products, developed to assure safety of the work at heights to the energy industry, according to the opinion of the users. Still, results point that, regardless of the model, these devices have adapting issues to fulfill the electrical sector user's needs.

Staff perception of patient discharge from ICU to ward-based care.

PubMed

James, Stephen; Quirke, Sara; McBride-Henry, Karen

2013-11-01

The quality of information exchange between intensive care unit (ICU) and ward nurses, when patients are transferred out of intensive care, is important to the continuity of safe care. This research aimed to explore nurses' experiences of the discharge process from ICU to the ward environment. The study was conducted in a New Zealand Metropolitan hospital, using an exploratory descriptive design we adapted a questionnaire based on Whittaker and Ball's research on ICU patient handover. The questionnaires were then analysed using a descriptive thematic approach. The response rate of 48% included 45 ICU and 47 ward nurses. Key findings were that the written and verbal communication needs differ dependent upon setting and the timing of a discharge. Timing of handover also requires negotiation. Being able to negotiate the timing and nature of handover is important for nurses. In addition, standardized approaches to communication are believed to enhance patient safety. Standardized handover, with content and processes that are mutually negotiated, is crucial to providing the safest environment for patients. © 2013 The Authors. Nursing in Critical Care © 2013 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

Exploratory Advanced Research Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-31

Exploratory advanced research focuses on longer-term, higher-risk research with a high payoff potential. It matches opportunities from discoveries in science and technology with the needs of specific industries. The uncertainties in the research appr...

Exploratory Advanced Research Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-15

Exploratory advanced research focuses on longer term, higher risk research with a high payoff potential. It matches opportunities from discoveries in science and technology with the needs of specific industries. The uncertainties in the research appr...

Prison Radicalization: The New Extremist Training Grounds?

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-01

distributing and collecting survey data , and the data analysis. The analytical methodology includes descriptive and inferential statistical methods, in... statistical analysis of the responses to identify significant correlations and relationships. B. SURVEY DATA COLLECTION To effectively access a...Q18, Q19, Q20, and Q21. Due to the exploratory nature of this small survey, data analyses were confined mostly to descriptive statistics and

Impact of implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee on administrative and care indicators at a teaching hospital.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Luciane Cristine Ribeiro; Juliani, Carmen Maria Casquel Monti

2015-01-01

To compare hospital indicators before and after implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee at a reference hospital. It is an quantitative, evaluation, exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional research. The data was gathered from the hospital administrative reports for the period 2008-2013, provided by the Information Technology Center of the Complexo FAMEMA. The indicators improved after implementation of the Internal Bed Regulation Committee. The individuals involved in the process acknowledged the improvement. It is necessary to carry on the regulatory actions, especially in a comprehensive and complex healthcare system, such as the brazilian Sistema Único de Saúde.

The Emergence of Inclusive Exploratory Talk in Primary Students' Peer Interaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rajala, Antti; Hilppo, Jaakko; Lipponen, Lasse

2012-01-01

In this study, we examine a prominent type of classroom talk, exploratory talk, in primary school peer interactions. Exploratory talk has been shown to be productive in facilitating problem solving and fostering school achievement. However, within the growing body of research concerning exploratory talk, the relation between exploratory talk and…

Applying the Theory of Work Adjustment to Latino Immigrant Workers: An Exploratory Study.

PubMed

Eggerth, Donald E; Flynn, Michael A

2012-02-01

Blustein mapped career decision making onto Maslow's model of motivation and personality and concluded that most models of career development assume opportunities and decision-making latitude that do not exist for many individuals from low income or otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds. Consequently, Blustein argued that these models may be of limited utility for such individuals. Blustein challenged researchers to reevaluate current career development approaches, particularly those assuming a static world of work, from a perspective allowing for changing circumstances and recognizing career choice can be limited by access to opportunities, personal obligations, and social barriers. This article represents an exploratory effort to determine if the theory of work adjustment (TWA) might meaningfully be used to describe the work experiences of Latino immigrant workers, a group living with severe constraints and having very limited employment opportunities. It is argued that there is significant conceptual convergence between Maslow's hierarchy of needs and the work reinforcers of TWA. The results of an exploratory, qualitative study with a sample of 10 Latino immigrants are also presented. These immigrants participated in key informant interviews concerning their work experiences both in the United States and in their home countries. The findings support Blustein's contention that such workers will be most focused on basic survival needs and suggest that TWA reinforcers are descriptive of important aspects of how Latino immigrant workers conceptualize their jobs.

Applying the Theory of Work Adjustment to Latino Immigrant Workers: An Exploratory Study

PubMed Central

Eggerth, Donald E.; Flynn, Michael A.

2015-01-01

Blustein mapped career decision making onto Maslow’s model of motivation and personality and concluded that most models of career development assume opportunities and decision-making latitude that do not exist for many individuals from low income or otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds. Consequently, Blustein argued that these models may be of limited utility for such individuals. Blustein challenged researchers to reevaluate current career development approaches, particularly those assuming a static world of work, from a perspective allowing for changing circumstances and recognizing career choice can be limited by access to opportunities, personal obligations, and social barriers. This article represents an exploratory effort to determine if the theory of work adjustment (TWA) might meaningfully be used to describe the work experiences of Latino immigrant workers, a group living with severe constraints and having very limited employment opportunities. It is argued that there is significant conceptual convergence between Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the work reinforcers of TWA. The results of an exploratory, qualitative study with a sample of 10 Latino immigrants are also presented. These immigrants participated in key informant interviews concerning their work experiences both in the United States and in their home countries. The findings support Blustein’s contention that such workers will be most focused on basic survival needs and suggest that TWA reinforcers are descriptive of important aspects of how Latino immigrant workers conceptualize their jobs. PMID:26345693

Transition to the new role of caregiving for families of patients with breast cancer: a qualitative descriptive exploratory study.

PubMed

Hashemi-Ghasemabadi, Masoumeh; Taleghani, Fariba; Yousefy, Alireza; Kohan, Shahnaz

2016-03-01

Families, especially in Eastern and Muslim countries, routinely accept the responsibility of caring for cancer patients. This study describes the transition to the new role of caregiving from the perspective of family caregivers in Iran as part of the current trend of recognizing the experiences of family members of breast cancer patients from different cultural perspectives. A descriptive exploratory qualitative research approach was used to investigate the experiences of family caregivers of patients with breast cancer in the transition to caregiving. The subjects were 23 family caregivers of breast cancer patients referred to cancer centers at Isfahan University hospitals who were selected by purposive sampling. Data was gathered through in-depth interviews. Interview transcripts were analyzed using conventional content analysis with an inductive approach. Data analysis identified the following categories: grasping a new situation without preparation, perceived inefficiency, infinite absence, and abandoned in the role. Caregivers believed that they were not prepared for their new circumstances and did not have the necessary competence and capabilities to meet the challenges of caregiving. They experienced negative consequences resulting from the difficult responsibility of caregiving. Moreover, they believed that they received limited support from relatives, health-care providers, and the community. The transition to the new role of caregiving is affected by experiences specific to the conditions of the caretakers. When these conditions can be understood and identified, it is possible to provide detailed information for policymaking and planning for family-centered care.

Fitness Changes After an 8-Week Fitness Coaching Program at a Regional Youth Detention Facility.

PubMed

Amtmann, John; Kukay, Jake

2016-01-01

A Surgeon General's report states that there is a favorable relationship between exercise and chronic disease. Research suggests that exercise programs for elderly inmates may have a positive effect on the number of infirmary visits, which in turn may have a long-term effect on inmate health care costs. This exploratory descriptive double case study sought to add to the minimal information in peer-reviewed research journals by examining the effects of fitness coaching on two juveniles at a youth detention facility in Southwest Montana. The results showed that both participants made fitness improvements following the 8-week program and both perceived positive effects on self-concept and overall sense of well-being from participating in this program. © The Author(s) 2015.

The Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA): A Guide to a Good Qualitative Research Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alase, Abayomi

2017-01-01

As a research methodology, qualitative research method infuses an added advantage to the exploratory capability that researchers need to explore and investigate their research studies. Qualitative methodology allows researchers to advance and apply their interpersonal and subjectivity skills to their research exploratory processes. However, in a…

Disaster management and the critical thinking skills of local emergency managers: correlations with age, gender, education, and years in occupation.

PubMed

Peerbolte, Stacy L; Collins, Matthew Lloyd

2013-01-01

Emergency managers must be able to think critically in order to identify and anticipate situations, solve problems, make judgements and decisions effectively and efficiently, and assume and manage risk. Heretofore, a critical thinking skills assessment of local emergency managers had yet to be conducted that tested for correlations among age, gender, education, and years in occupation. An exploratory descriptive research design, using the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal-Short Form (WGCTA-S), was employed to determine the extent to which a sample of 54 local emergency managers demonstrated the critical thinking skills associated with the ability to assume and manage risk as compared to the critical thinking scores of a group of 4,790 peer-level managers drawn from an archival WGCTA-S database. This exploratory design suggests that the local emergency managers, surveyed in this study, had lower WGCTA-S critical thinking scores than their equivalents in the archival database with the exception of those in the high education and high experience group. © 2013 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2013.

Patient Drug Safety Reporting: Diabetes Patients' Perceptions of Drug Safety and How to Improve Reporting of Adverse Events and Product Complaints.

PubMed

Patel, Puja; Spears, David; Eriksen, Betina Østergaard; Lollike, Karsten; Sacco, Michael

2018-03-01

Global health care manufacturer Novo Nordisk commissioned research regarding awareness of drug safety department activities and potential to increase patient feedback. Objectives were to examine patients' knowledge of pharmaceutical manufacturers' responsibilities and efforts regarding drug safety, their perceptions and experiences related to these efforts, and how these factors influence their thoughts and behaviors. Data were collected before and after respondents read a description of a drug safety department and its practices. We conducted quantitative survey research across 608 health care consumers receiving treatment for diabetes in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom, and Italy. This research validated initial, exploratory qualitative research (across 40 comparable consumers from the same countries) which served to guide design of the larger study. Before reading a drug safety department description, 55% of respondents were unaware these departments collect safety information on products and patients. After reading the description, 34% reported the department does more than they expected to ensure drug safety, and 56% reported "more confidence" in the industry as a whole. Further, 66% reported themselves more likely to report an adverse event or product complaint, and 60% reported that they were more likely to contact a drug safety department with questions. The most preferred communication methods were websites/online forums (39%), email (27%), and telephone (25%). Learning about drug safety departments elevates consumers' confidence in manufacturers' safety efforts and establishes potential for patients to engage in increased self-monitoring and reporting. Study results reveal potentially actionable insights for the industry across patient and physician programs and communications.

Needs of family caregivers in home care for older adults 1

PubMed Central

Bierhals, Carla Cristiane Becker Kottwitz; dos Santos, Naiana Oliveira; Fengler, Fernanda Laís; Raubustt, Kamila Dellamora; Forbes, Dorothy Anne; Paskulin, Lisiane Manganelli Girardi

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: to reveal the felt and normative needs of primary family caregivers when providing instrumental support to older adults enrolled in a Home Care Program in a Primary Health Service in the South of Brazil. Methods: using Bradshaw's taxonomy of needs to explore the caregiver's felt needs (stated needs) and normative needs (defined by professionals), a mixed exploratory study was conducted in three steps: Descriptive quantitative phase with 39 older adults and their caregiver, using a data sheet based on patient records; Qualitative exploratory phase that included 21 caregiver interviews, analyzed by content analysis; Systematic observation, using an observation guide with 16 caregivers, analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results: the felt needs were related to information about instrumental support activities and subjective aspects of care. Caregivers presented more normative needs related to medications care. Conclusion: understanding caregivers' needs allows nurses to plan interventions based on their particularities. PMID:28403338

[Development and validation of the Family Vulnerability Index to Disability and Dependence (FVI-DD)].

PubMed

Amendola, Fernanda; Alvarenga, Márcia Regina Martins; Latorre, Maria do Rosário Dias de Oliveira; Oliveira, Maria Amélia de Campos

2014-02-01

This exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional, and quantitative study aimed to develop and validate an index of family vulnerability to disability and dependence (FVI-DD). This study was adapted from the Family Development Index, with the addition of social and health indicators of disability and dependence. The instrument was applied to 248 families in the city of Sao Paulo, followed by exploratory factor analysis. Factor validation was performed using the concurrent and discriminant validity of the Lawton scale and Katz Index. The descriptive level adopted for the study was p < 0.05. The final vulnerability index comprised 50 questions classified into seven factors contemplating social and health dimensions, and this index exhibited good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.82). FVI-DD was validated using both the Lawton scale and Katz Index. We conclude that FVI-DD can accurately and reliably assess family vulnerability to disability and dependence.

From practice to midrange theory and back again: Beck's theory of postpartum depression.

PubMed

Lasiuk, Gerri C; Ferguson, Linda M

2005-01-01

This article presents a brief overview of theory as background for a more detailed discussion of midrange theory-its origins, the critical role for midrange theory in the development of nursing practice knowledge, and the criteria for evaluating midrange theory. We then chronicle Cheryl Tatano Beck's program of research on postpartum depression (PPD) and advance the thesis that her theory of PPD, titled Teetering on the Edge, is an exemplar of a substantive midrange nursing theory. We demonstrate Beck's progression from identification of a clinical problem to exploratory-descriptive research, to concept analysis and midrange theory development, and finally to the application and testing of the theory in the clinical setting. Through ongoing refinement and testing of her theory, Beck has increased its generalizability across various practice settings and continually identifies new issues for investigation. Beck's program of research on PPD exemplifies using nursing outcomes to build and test nursing practice knowledge.

The influence of capitalism on the production of knowledge in nursing.

PubMed

Lino, Monica Motta; Backes, Vânia Marli Schubert; Costa, Maria Arminda da Silva Mendes Carneiro da; Martins, Maria Manuela Ferreira Pereira da Silva; Lino, Murielk Motta

2017-06-26

To understand the capitalist influence over the production of nursing knowledge according to Brazilian and Portuguese researchers. Descriptive, exploratory, and qualitative research, with 17 research nurses selected using the snowball technique. Data were collected from October 2011 to November 2012 in Brazil and Portugal, by means of semi-structured interviews. We analysed the content of the interviews and produced inferences based in the theoretical assumptions of Gaston Bachelard and the notion of an epistemological obstacle. The results were organised into three categories: Blocks to creativity/innovation and the practice of repetition; Overestimation of the quantitative; and Resistance to rupture. It is necessary to create new ways of assessing scientific literature from a qualitative perspective that allows room for creativity, professional development, and critical and reflective thinking. Solidarity is perceived as an alternative to overcoming the problems caused by the capitalist way of producing knowledge.

The professional profile of UFBA nursing management graduate students.

PubMed

Paiva, Mirian Santos; Coelho, Edméia de Almeida Cardoso; Nascimento, Enilda Rosendo do; Melo, Cristina Maria Meira de; Fernandes, Josicelia Dumêt; Santos, Ninalva de Andrade

2011-12-01

The objective of the present study was to analyze the professional profile of the nursing graduate students of Federal University of Bahia, more specifically of the nursing management area. This descriptive, exploratory study was performed using documental research. The data was collected from the graduates' curriculum on the Lattes Platform and from the graduate program documents, using a form. The study population consisted of graduates enrolled under the line of research The Organization and Evaluation of Health Care Systems, who developed dissertations/theses addressing Nursing/Health Management. The data were stored using Microsoft Excel, and then transferred to the STATA 9.0 statistical software. Results showed that most graduates are women, originally from the State of Bahia, and had completed the course between 2000 and 2011; faculty of public institutions who continued involved in academic work after completing the course. These results point at the program as an academic environment committed to preparing researchers.

Exploratory Advanced Research Program

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-08-20

The Exploratory Advanced Research Program strives to develop partnerships with the public and private sectors because the very nature of EAR is to apply ideas across traditional fields of research and stimulate new approaches to problem solving. Thro...

[Nursing knowledge production: transposition and repercussions on the graduation teaching].

PubMed

Pereira, Wilza Rocha

2013-09-01

The research aimed to analyze the production of knowledge in nursing at a public university, in order to evaluate the impact of that production during the Nursing Graduation. An exploratory and descriptive research has been done in two stages. The first one consisted of gathering the reports of researches executed by the teachers who coordinated them from 2000 to 2009. As a result of this stage, it was mapped the type of studies performed, the themes and the theoretical and methodological references most utilized. During the second stage we studied the current pedagogical project used in the Graduation course, and crossed the data with the previously, to create a dimension to some of the transpositions and applications of the knowledge produced by the researches to the Nursing Graduation course. We concluded that, in different ways, not only the application of the studies has been occurring but also the transposition of ideals that cross through the research groups to which they belong, being able to bring change to nursing education.

Development of a standardized job description for healthcare managers of metabolic syndrome management programs in Korean community health centers.

PubMed

Lee, Youngjin; Choo, Jina; Cho, Jeonghyun; Kim, So-Nam; Lee, Hye-Eun; Yoon, Seok-Jun; Seomun, GyeongAe

2014-03-01

This study aimed to develop a job description for healthcare managers of metabolic syndrome management programs using task analysis. Exploratory research was performed by using the Developing a Curriculum method, the Intervention Wheel model, and focus group discussions. Subsequently, we conducted a survey of 215 healthcare workers from 25 community health centers to verify that the job description we created was accurate. We defined the role of healthcare managers. Next, we elucidated the tasks of healthcare managers and performed needs analysis to examine the frequency, importance, and difficulty of each of their duties. Finally, we verified that our job description was accurate. Based on the 8 duties, 30 tasks, and 44 task elements assigned to healthcare managers, we found that the healthcare managers functioned both as team coordinators responsible for providing multidisciplinary health services and nurse specialists providing health promotion services. In terms of importance and difficulty of tasks performed by the healthcare managers, which were measured using a determinant coefficient, the highest-ranked task was planning social marketing (15.4), while the lowest-ranked task was managing human resources (9.9). A job description for healthcare managers may provide basic data essential for the development of a job training program for healthcare managers working in community health promotion programs. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[ABC supplies classification: a managment tool of costs in nursing].

PubMed

Lourenço, Karina Gomes; Castilho, Valéria

2006-01-01

The implementation of costs management systems has been extremely helpful to healthcare area owing to their efficacy in cutting expenditures as well as improving service quality. The ABC classification is an applied strategy to stocktaking and control. The research, which consists of an exploratory/descriptive quantitative analysis, has been carried out in order to identify, in a year time period, the demand for supplies at Universidade de Sao Paulo's Hospital. Of 1938 classified materials, 67 itens had been classified that they correspond to the materials with bigger costs for the hospital. 31.3% of these A-Class supplies catalogued items are the nursing materials, more used for the nursing team.

Bullying and cyberbullying among deaf students and their hearing peers: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Bauman, Sheri; Pero, Heather

2011-01-01

A questionnaire on bullying and cyberbullying was administered to 30 secondary students (Grades 7-12) in a charter school for the Deaf and hard of hearing and a matched group of 22 hearing students in a charter secondary school on the same campus. Because the sample size was small and distributions non-normal, results are primarily descriptive and correlational. No significant differences by hearing status were detected in rates of conventional or cyberbullying or both forms of victimization. Cyberbullying and cybervictimization were strongly correlated, as were conventional bullying and victimization. Moral disengagement was positively correlated only with conventional bullying. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

[Process of training and insertion in the labor market: a vision of nursing graduates].

PubMed

2014-03-01

Study to analyze nursing graduates' perception about the contribution of the training process in its insertion in the labour market. Descriptive exploratory study, a qualitative approach. The data was collected in 2011 through semistructured interviews. Attended by 15 professionals, graduated from the Nursing Course at a South Brazilian university in 2009-2010, inserted in the labour market. Data was analysed according to Minayo's proposals. From this analysis emerged the category Training route, including the subcategory: following the travel itineray. The results demonstrate the need for curricular integration, better use of clinical practices experiences, research valorization, and the importance of training based on dialogue between students and professors.

Portable bathtub: technology for bed bath in bedridden patients.

PubMed

Backes, Dirce Stein; Gomes, Carine Alves; Pereira, Simone Barbosa; Teles, Noelucy Ferreira; Backes, Marli Terezinha Stein

2017-04-01

determine the benefits of the Portable Bathtub as technology for bed bath in bedridden patients. qualitative research of exploratory-descriptive character, whose data were collected by means of 30 interviews with patients, family members and professionals directly involved in bed bath, carried out with Portable Bathtub, in bedridden patients of a medical clinic, from July to December 2015. from the data encoded by thematic content analysis resulted two categories: Portable Bathtub: from morphine to the patient's rekindled eyes; From mechanized practice to unique, transforming care. we concluded that the Portable Bathtub constitutes enhancing technology, as it enables clinical improvement of the patient's general condition and transcends traditional mechanized practices by the reach of advanced nursing care practices.

Impact of implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee on administrative and care indicators at a teaching hospital

PubMed Central

Rodrigues, Luciane Cristine Ribeiro; Juliani, Carmen Maria Casquel Monti

2015-01-01

Objective To compare hospital indicators before and after implementing an Internal Bed Regulation Committee at a reference hospital. Methods It is an quantitative, evaluation, exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional research. The data was gathered from the hospital administrative reports for the period 2008-2013, provided by the Information Technology Center of the Complexo FAMEMA. Results The indicators improved after implementation of the Internal Bed Regulation Committee. Conclusion The individuals involved in the process acknowledged the improvement. It is necessary to carry on the regulatory actions, especially in a comprehensive and complex healthcare system, such as the brazilian Sistema Único de Saúde. PMID:25993075

Emotional Intelligence and Transformational Leadership in Nurse Managers.

PubMed

Spano-Szekely, Lauraine; Quinn Griffin, Mary T; Clavelle, Joanne; Fitzpatrick, Joyce J

2016-02-01

This study describes the relationship between emotional intelligence (EI) and transformational leadership (TL) in nurse managers (NMs). Effective NM leadership is important as they have direct influence over RN performance and patient outcomes. Research has demonstrated that a TL style generates greater commitment from followers than other leadership styles. EI is 1 potential characteristic of TL. A descriptive exploratory research study was conducted to correlate EI and TL practices of NMs. EI was significantly positively correlated with TL and outcome measures of extra-effort, effectiveness, and satisfaction and significantly negatively correlated with laissez-faire leadership. A positive relationship was found between TL and NMs with advanced education and administrative certification. Nursing administrators should consider EI characteristics when hiring NMs and lead efforts to advance education to align with organization needs for business and strategic essentials necessary for NM effectiveness.

Expert searcher, teacher, content manager, and patient advocate: an exploratory study of clinical librarian roles.

PubMed

Tan, Maria C; Maggio, Lauren A

2013-01-01

The research explored the roles of practicing clinical librarians embedded in a patient care team. Six clinical librarians from Canada and one from the United States were interviewed to elicit detailed descriptions of their clinical roles and responsibilities and the context in which these were performed. Participants were embedded in a wide range of clinical service areas, working with a diverse complement of health professionals. As clinical librarians, participants wore many hats, including expert searcher, teacher, content manager, and patient advocate. Unique aspects of how these roles played out included a sense of urgency surrounding searching activities, the broad dissemination of responses to clinical questions, and leverage of the roles of expert searcher, teacher, and content manager to advocate for patients. Detailed role descriptions of clinical librarians embedded in patient care teams suggest possible new practices for existing clinical librarians, provide direction for training new librarians working in patient care environments, and raise awareness of the clinical librarian specialty among current and budding health information professionals.

Independent Research (IR) and Independent Exploratory Development (IED)

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

in the Workplace . Independent research/independent exploratory development, IR/IED...Exclusion Rate differences Over a Cut Score Domain, An Examination of Cognitive and Motivational Effects of Employee Interventions, and Cultural Diversity

Hardware Description of Mass Weather Dissemination System Exploratory Engineering Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-01

TELCO BARGE-IN TLOSSE LOCAL TELCO BARGE-IN i • TELCO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT NORTH ROUTES TELCO BARGE-IN’ ’ RE-I...34 TELCO SYSTEM EQUIPMENT SOUTH/WEST ROUTES 81- FIGURE 1. FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION OF THE TRIAL PATWAS OPERATION 2 f . .... " I’, ." The New York City PATWAS...du ring the test for both the old and improved PATWAS systems , and (3) questionnaire data from four questionnaires, one for an initial appraisal

Problem Solving with Spreadsheets.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Catterall, P.; Lewis, R.

1985-01-01

Documents the educational use of spreadsheets through a description of exploratory work which utilizes spreadsheets to achieve the objectives of Conway's Game of Life, a scientific method game for the development of problem-solving techniques. The implementation and classroom use of the spreadsheet programs are discussed. (MBR)

Bridging Theory with Practice: An Exploratory Study of Visualization Use and Design for Climate Model Comparison

DOE PAGES

Dasgupta, Aritra; Poco, Jorge; Wei, Yaxing; ...

2015-03-16

Evaluation methodologies in visualization have mostly focused on how well the tools and techniques cater to the analytical needs of the user. While this is important in determining the effectiveness of the tools and advancing the state-of-the-art in visualization research, a key area that has mostly been overlooked is how well established visualization theories and principles are instantiated in practice. This is especially relevant when domain experts, and not visualization researchers, design visualizations for analysis of their data or for broader dissemination of scientific knowledge. There is very little research on exploring the synergistic capabilities of cross-domain collaboration between domainmore » experts and visualization researchers. To fill this gap, in this paper we describe the results of an exploratory study of climate data visualizations conducted in tight collaboration with a pool of climate scientists. The study analyzes a large set of static climate data visualizations for identifying their shortcomings in terms of visualization design. The outcome of the study is a classification scheme that categorizes the design problems in the form of a descriptive taxonomy. The taxonomy is a first attempt for systematically categorizing the types, causes, and consequences of design problems in visualizations created by domain experts. We demonstrate the use of the taxonomy for a number of purposes, such as, improving the existing climate data visualizations, reflecting on the impact of the problems for enabling domain experts in designing better visualizations, and also learning about the gaps and opportunities for future visualization research. We demonstrate the applicability of our taxonomy through a number of examples and discuss the lessons learnt and implications of our findings.« less

Bridging Theory with Practice: An Exploratory Study of Visualization Use and Design for Climate Model Comparison

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

Dasgupta, Aritra; Poco, Jorge; Wei, Yaxing

Evaluation methodologies in visualization have mostly focused on how well the tools and techniques cater to the analytical needs of the user. While this is important in determining the effectiveness of the tools and advancing the state-of-the-art in visualization research, a key area that has mostly been overlooked is how well established visualization theories and principles are instantiated in practice. This is especially relevant when domain experts, and not visualization researchers, design visualizations for analysis of their data or for broader dissemination of scientific knowledge. There is very little research on exploring the synergistic capabilities of cross-domain collaboration between domainmore » experts and visualization researchers. To fill this gap, in this paper we describe the results of an exploratory study of climate data visualizations conducted in tight collaboration with a pool of climate scientists. The study analyzes a large set of static climate data visualizations for identifying their shortcomings in terms of visualization design. The outcome of the study is a classification scheme that categorizes the design problems in the form of a descriptive taxonomy. The taxonomy is a first attempt for systematically categorizing the types, causes, and consequences of design problems in visualizations created by domain experts. We demonstrate the use of the taxonomy for a number of purposes, such as, improving the existing climate data visualizations, reflecting on the impact of the problems for enabling domain experts in designing better visualizations, and also learning about the gaps and opportunities for future visualization research. We demonstrate the applicability of our taxonomy through a number of examples and discuss the lessons learnt and implications of our findings.« less

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.

Acute skin toxicity-related, out-of-pocket expenses in patients with breast cancer treated with external beam radiotherapy: a descriptive, exploratory study.

PubMed

Schnur, Julie B; Graff Zivin, Joshua; Mattson, David M K; Green, Sheryl; Jandorf, Lina H; Wernicke, A Gabriella; Montgomery, Guy H

2012-12-01

Acute skin toxicity is one of the most common side effects of breast cancer radiotherapy. To date, no one has estimated the nonmedical out-of-pocket expenses associated with this side effect. The primary aim of the present descriptive, exploratory study was to assess the feasibility of a newly developed skin toxicity costs questionnaire. The secondary aims were to: (1) estimate nonmedical out-of-pocket costs, (2) examine the nature of the costs, (3) explore potential background predictors of costs, and (4) explore the relationship between patient-reported dermatologic quality of life and expenditures. A total of 50 patients (mean age = 54.88, Stage 0-III) undergoing external beam radiotherapy completed a demographics/medical history questionnaire as well as a seven-item Skin Toxicity Costs (STC) questionnaire and the Skindex-16 in week 5 of treatment. Mean skin toxicity costs were $131.64 (standard error [SE] = $23.68). Most frequently incurred expenditures were new undergarments and products to manage toxicity. Education was a significant unique predictor of spending, with more educated women spending more money. Greater functioning impairment was associated with greater costs. The STC proved to be a practical, brief measure which successfully indicated specific areas of patient expenditures and need. Results reveal the nonmedical, out-of-pocket costs associated with acute skin toxicity in the context of breast cancer radiotherapy. To our knowledge, this study is the first to quantify individual costs associated with this treatment side effect, as well as the first to present a scale specifically designed to assess such costs. In future research, the STC could be used as an outcome variable in skin toxicity prevention and control research, as a behavioral indicator of symptom burden, or as part of a needs assessment.

Core Directions in Human Resource Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1999

The first of the four papers in this symposium, "Examination of Critical Issues for Development and Implementation of Online Instruction" (Scott D. Johnson, Nilda Palma-Rivas, Chanidprapa Suriya, Steve Downey), reports on a descriptive and exploratory study that examined several critical issues affecting the development of online…

Attitudes of student nurses enrolled in e-learning course towards academic dishonesty: a descriptive-exploratory study.

PubMed

Tayaben, Jude L

2014-01-01

The author investigated attitudes of nursing students enrolled in e-Learning towards academic dishonesty. The descriptive-exploratory design was used in the conduct of the study. Respondents were randomly selected 36 junior and senior nursing students. It revealed that nursing students perceived as neutral (mean = 2.77, mean = 3.17) in taking responsibility for promoting academic integrity in e-learning. The paraphrasing a sentence from internet source without referencing it (38.89%) got the most form of cheating. Female and level four (4) nursing students revealed as the most cheaters. The reasons not to cheat, nursing students considered punishment, and education or learning (91.67%) got the highest in ranks, and simply wrong (75%) got the lowest rank. Hence, there is a need to look on how to maintain academic honesty among nursing students in and out of the university with respect to e-learning as a means of teaching-learning method.

Project description and crowdfunding success: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Zhou, Mi Jamie; Lu, Baozhou; Fan, Weiguo Patrick; Wang, G Alan

2018-01-01

Existing research on antecedent of funding success mainly focuses on basic project properties such as funding goal, duration, and project category. In this study, we view the process by which project owners raise funds from backers as a persuasion process through project descriptions. Guided by the unimodel theory of persuasion, this study identifies three exemplary antecedents (length, readability, and tone) from the content of project descriptions and two antecedents (past experience and past expertise) from the trustworthy cue of project descriptions. We then investigate their impacts on funding success. Using data collected from Kickstarter, a popular crowdfunding platform, we find that these antecedents are significantly associated with funding success. Empirical results show that the proposed model that incorporated these antecedents can achieve an accuracy of 73 % (70 % in F-measure). The result represents an improvement of roughly 14 percentage points over the baseline model based on informed guessing and 4 percentage points improvement over the mainstream model based on basic project properties (or 44 % improvement of mainstream's performance over informed guessing). The proposed model also has superior true positive and true negative rates. We also investigate the timeliness of project data and find that old project data is gradually becoming less relevant and losing predictive power to newly created projects. Overall, this study provides evidence that antecedents identified from project descriptions have incremental predictive power and can help project owners evaluate and improve the likelihood of funding success.

A preliminary report of an educational intervention in practice management

PubMed Central

Crites, Gerald E; Schuster, Richard J

2004-01-01

Background Practice management education continues to evolve, and little information exists regarding its curriculum design and effectiveness for resident education. We report the results of an exploratory study of a practice management curriculum for primary care residents. Methods After performing a needs assessment with a group of primary care residents at Wright State University, we designed a monthly seminar series covering twelve practice management topics. The curriculum consisted of interactive lectures and practice-based application, whenever possible. We descriptively evaluated two cognitive components (practice management knowledge and skills) and the residents' evaluation of the curriculum. Results The mean correct on the knowledge test for this group of residents was 74% (n = 12) and 91% (n = 12) before and after the curriculum, respectively. The mean scores for the practice management skill assessments were 2.62 before (n = 12), and 3.65 after (n = 12) the curriculum (modified Likert, 1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree). The residents rated the curriculum consistently high. Conclusions This exploratory study suggests that this curriculum may be useful in developing knowledge and skills in practice management for primary care residents. This study suggests further research into evaluation of this curriculum may be informative for practice-based education. PMID:15380023

Exploratory Research and Development Fund, FY 1990

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

Not Available

1992-05-01

The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Exploratory R D Fund FY 1990 report is compiled from annual reports submitted by principal investigators following the close of the fiscal year. This report describes the projects supported and summarizes their accomplishments. It constitutes a part of an Exploratory R D Fund (ERF) planning and documentation process that includes an annual planning cycle, projection selection, implementation, and review. The research areas covered in this report are: Accelerator and fusion research; applied science; cell and molecular biology; chemical biodynamics; chemical sciences; earth sciences; engineering; information and computing sciences; materials sciences; nuclear science; physics and research medicinemore » and radiation biophysics.« less

[Development of questionnaire to assess food intake in the University of Antioquia, Colombia].

PubMed

Monsalve Álvarez, J Ma; González Zapata, L I

2011-01-01

To design a self-reported semi-quantitative questionnaire of frequency of food intake (QFFI) to assess the usual intake of foods and macronutrients of the academic community from the University of Antioquia (UoA). The design of the questionnaire was done by reviewing and analyzing previous studies on food intake and the established linings for the selling of dietary products at the UoA. For selecting the foods and defining the serving size, we applied the criterion of intake pattern and the weight or size of the most frequent serving for each food, according to what has been reported in previous studies. We undertook a descriptive exploratory study with the QFFI including 154 people of the UoA. The analysis included the comprehension, applicability and comprehensiveness of the instrument for the participants, as well as the calculation of the descriptive parameters in the exploratory component. A semi-quantitative QFFI compounded by 144 foods classified in 9 groups with serving sizes known by the population and 9 categories of frequencies of usual intake within the last year. The exploratory study showed differences in the pattern of intake in the population groups analyzed. The designed QFFI was adequate for the study population since it was easily understood and administered, and it allowed for assessing the usual intake in the community of the UoA.

Drilling, construction, and aquifer-test data from wells 3-3307-20 and -21, Thompson Corner exploratory wells I and II, Oahu, Hawaii

USGS Publications Warehouse

Presley, T.K.; Oki, D.S.

1996-01-01

The Thompson Corner exploratory wells I and II (State well numbers 3-3307-20 and -21) were drilled near Thompson Corner, about 2.2 miles south-southwest of the town of Haleiwa. The wells are located on agricultural land in the Waialua ground-water area. The wells are about 50 feet apart and penetrate about 90 feet into the ground water. Aquifer tests were conducted using well 3-3307-20 as a pumping well and well 3-3307-21 as an observation well. Well-construction data, logs of drilling notes, geologic descriptions for the samples, and aquifer-test data are presented for the wells. The wells are two of twelve exploratory wells drilled in the north-central Oahu area between July 1993 and May 1994 in cooperation with the Honolulu Board of Water Supply.

Webquest and Comics in the Formation of Human Resources in Nursing.

PubMed

Maruxo, Harriet Bárbara; Prado, Cláudia; Almeida, Denise Maria de; Tobase, Lucia; Grossi, Manoela Gomes; Vaz, Débora Rodrigues

2015-12-01

Objective To describe the process of constructing and implementation of Webquest as pedagogical strategy as guiding the study about the pedagogical concepts using Comic. Method The first stage of the study was outlined applied research of technological production. The second stage was characterized as research exploratory, descriptive documentary for the analysis of Comic. in the teaching diploma in Nursing of EEUSP in 2013. Results The proposed Webquest was implemented, resulting in 18 Comic. All Pedagogical Concepts studied were addressed; used the software indicated and the power point, the plots developed in different scenarios and most Comic contemplated mandatory items. Conclusion The use of different technological resources provide learning, by mobilizing multiple potentialities, abilities and interests of students, favoring the construction of collective and collaborative learning, strengthening important and necessary features in training that will influence the human resource profile in tune with the aspirations of the labor market.

Establishment of lactaton rooms in public and private companies: potentialities and difficulties.

PubMed

Fernandes, Vanessa Martinhago Borges; Santos, Evanguelia Kotzias Atherino Dos; Erdmann, Alacoque Lorenzini; Pires, Denise Elvira Pires de; Zampieri, Maria de Fátima Mota; Gregório, Vitória Regina Petters

2017-06-05

To know how managers of public and private companies view lactation support rooms and their implantation. This is study is based on qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive research. Twenty managers from Greater Florianópolis participated in the research, in 2015. Data were collected by means of semi-structured/projective interviews, and subjected to content analysis associated with Atlas.ti software. Data analysis led to the following two categories: difficulties and facilities of establishing a lactation room, with a predominance of financial difficulties and the lack of physical space. Dialectically, the subjects also recognised the low cost involved, which facilitates establishment. Financial, cultural, and political aspects make it difficult to set up lactation rooms, but the importance of this measure was acknowledged. Although the success of breastfeeding partly depends on these support rooms, it also requires multiple actions, especially the effective participation of nurses and other health workers.

Moving from technical to critical reflection in journalling: an investigation of students' ability to incorporate three levels of reflective writing.

PubMed

Usher, K; Tollefson, J; Francis, D

2001-01-01

This paper outlines a research project aimed at changing the levels of reflection of preregistration nursing students in a tertiary institution. Whilst reflection is widely espoused now in nursing, few studies have been found that identify whether the level of reflective writing can be identified or developed by students. Anecdotal and research evidence (Powell 1989; van Manen 1977) however indicates that most student reflective writing occurs at the technical level. A descriptive exploratory study using both qualitative and quantitative techniques was undertaken to apply van Manen's (1977) levels in a structured way in an attempt to facilitate the student's understanding and use of the levels in their reflective writing. The findings of the study indicate that student self evaluation and identification of the levels in their own writing can lead to change in the levels of critical reflective writing achieved by undergraduate students.

Mentoring in a Distributed Learning Social Work Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Donna

2017-01-01

Students in alternative education programs often experience differential access to faculty, advisors, university support systems, and the supportive culture established by being on campus. This study is a descriptive-exploratory program evaluation of the distributed learning social work mentoring program at California State University, Chico. The…

Guidance Counsellor Strategies for Handling Bullying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Power-Elliott, Michleen; Harris, Gregory E.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory-descriptive study was to examine how guidance counsellors in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador would handle a specific verbal-relational bullying incident. Also of interest was guidance counsellor involvement and training in bullying programmes and Positive Behaviour Supports. Data for this study was…

Processing Information in Graphical Form.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curcio, Frances R.; Smith-Burke, M. Trika

The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive study was to examine how children process different tasks of comprehension presented in graphical form. During the Spring 1981, 8 fourth graders and 9 seventh graders were interviewed. The children were presented with graphs accompanied by six questions reflecting three levels of comprehension:…

Syntactic Markedness and Language Acquisition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazurkewich, Irene

1985-01-01

Argues that Chomsky's theory of generative grammar provides a model for second language acquisition that meets the criteria of descriptive and exploratory adequacy in accounting for the language learning process. Illustrates this by presenting data on the acquisition of dative complements and dative questions in a passive context by second…

School Counsellors' Perceptions on Working with Student High-Risk Behaviour

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Gregory E.; Jeffery, Gary

2010-01-01

The current exploratory-descriptive study used a survey design method to examine guidance counsellors' and educational psychologists' perceptions of their preparation, motivation, and effectiveness in preventing, assessing, and intervening into student high-risk behaviour. The study also explored training associated with addressing high-risk…

Cooperative Learning and Teacher Beliefs about Pedagogy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brody, Celeste M.; Hill, Leslie Rennie

This is an exploratory, descriptive study of experienced elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers who participated in a 9-month cooperative learning training project which was designed to encourage reflection upon their beliefs and assumptions about their pedagogy. Fifteen teachers were interviewed to understand how teachers modify…

BioCarian: search engine for exploratory searches in heterogeneous biological databases.

PubMed

Zaki, Nazar; Tennakoon, Chandana

2017-10-02

There are a large number of biological databases publicly available for scientists in the web. Also, there are many private databases generated in the course of research projects. These databases are in a wide variety of formats. Web standards have evolved in the recent times and semantic web technologies are now available to interconnect diverse and heterogeneous sources of data. Therefore, integration and querying of biological databases can be facilitated by techniques used in semantic web. Heterogeneous databases can be converted into Resource Description Format (RDF) and queried using SPARQL language. Searching for exact queries in these databases is trivial. However, exploratory searches need customized solutions, especially when multiple databases are involved. This process is cumbersome and time consuming for those without a sufficient background in computer science. In this context, a search engine facilitating exploratory searches of databases would be of great help to the scientific community. We present BioCarian, an efficient and user-friendly search engine for performing exploratory searches on biological databases. The search engine is an interface for SPARQL queries over RDF databases. We note that many of the databases can be converted to tabular form. We first convert the tabular databases to RDF. The search engine provides a graphical interface based on facets to explore the converted databases. The facet interface is more advanced than conventional facets. It allows complex queries to be constructed, and have additional features like ranking of facet values based on several criteria, visually indicating the relevance of a facet value and presenting the most important facet values when a large number of choices are available. For the advanced users, SPARQL queries can be run directly on the databases. Using this feature, users will be able to incorporate federated searches of SPARQL endpoints. We used the search engine to do an exploratory search on previously published viral integration data and were able to deduce the main conclusions of the original publication. BioCarian is accessible via http://www.biocarian.com . We have developed a search engine to explore RDF databases that can be used by both novice and advanced users.

Pneumatic injection system using a hot exhaust gases, developed in Institute of Automobiles and Internal Combustion Engines of Cracow University of Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marek, W.; Śliwiński, K.

2016-09-01

The article concerns research carried out by the Krakow University of Technology on the concept of a pneumatic fuel injection spark ignition engines. In this artkule an example of an application of this type of power to the Wankel's engine, together with a description of its design and operating principles and the benefits of its use. The work was carried out over many years by Prof. Stanislaw Jarnuszkiewicz despite the development of many patents but not widely used in engines. Authors who were involved in the team-work of the team of Prof. Jarnuszkiewicz, after conducting exploratory studies, believed that this solution has development potential and this will be presented in future articles.

Interdiscplinary team processes within an in-home service delivery organization.

PubMed

Gantert, Thomas W; McWilliam, Carol L

2004-01-01

Interdisciplinary teamwork is particularly difficult to achieve in the community context where geographical separateness and solo practices impede face to face contact and collaborative practice. Understanding the processes that occur within interdisciplinary teams is imperative, since client outcomes are influenced by interdisciplinary teamwork. The purpose of this exploratory study was to describe the processes that occur within interdisciplinary teams that deliver in-home care. Applying grounded theory methodology, the researcher conducted unstructured in-depth interviews with a purposeful sample of healthcare providers and used constant comparative analysis to elicit the findings. Findings revealed three key team processes: networking, navigating, and aligning. The descriptions afford several insights that are applicable to in-home healthcare agencies attempting to achieve effective interdisciplinary team functioning.

BANFISA and (IN) DICA-SUS in health undergraduate education: playing and learning construction.

PubMed

Silva, Laianna Victoria Santiago; Tanaka, Patrícia Sayuri de Lima; Pires, Maria Raquel Gomes Maia

2015-01-01

To analyze the learning built during the matches of the games by students of the subject Gestão de Políticas Públicas em Saúde at the Universidade de Brasília. Exploratory, descriptive research, in a qualitative approach, with 26 students from various graduation courses in health, using a questionnaire and participant observation. Participants reinvented rules, related issues addressed in the games to the reality, interacted with colleagues and had fun throughout the match. Comparing the games in relation to ludicity, the BANFISA was more attractive than the (IN) DICA-SUS, although they are complementary. Learning constructed by the students goes beyond the content of the subject; involve the active participation in group and creativity.

Using Sociograms to Enhance Power and Voice in Focus Groups.

PubMed

Baiardi, Janet M; Gultekin, Laura; Brush, Barbara L

2015-01-01

To discuss the use of sociograms in our focus groups with homeless sheltered mothers and to assess facilitator influence and the distribution of power influence. An exploratory, descriptive qualitative design that utilizes both focus groups and sociograms. Two focus groups were conducted in December 2009 (N = 7) and January 2010 (N = 4). Data analysis included a content analysis and a process analysis using sociograms to graphically represent group participant dynamics. Use of the sociogram provided a means to assess the influence of the facilitator as well as quantify the degree to which group participants' voices are included. Using sociograms provides a viable mechanism to complement content analysis and increase the methodological rigor of focus groups in health care research. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Art therapy and the promotion of child development in a hospitalization context].

PubMed

Valladares, Ana Cláudia Afonso; da Silva, Mariana Teixeira

2011-09-01

This study aimed to evaluate and compare the development of hospitalized children before and after art therapy interventions. Qualitative case studies were undertaken in this descriptive-exploratory research, based on the developmental evaluation of the children. The study participants were five children between seven and ten years old, in the Hospital of Tropical Illnesses (HDT) in the city of Goiânia, state of Goiás, Brazil, in 2006. Results showed that art therapy interventions efficiently promoted children's development. Art therapy is a resource for positively channeling the variables of hospitalized children's development and for neutralizing affective factors that naturally appear, as well as for exposing the child's healthier potentials, which sometimes receive little stimulus in the context of hospitalization.

Accreditation in a public hospital: perceptions of a multidisciplinary team.

PubMed

Camillo, Nadia Raquel Suzini; Oliveira, João Lucas Campos de; Bellucci Junior, José Aparecido; Cervilheri, Andressa Hirata; Haddad, Maria do Carmo Fernandez Lourenço; Matsuda, Laura Misue

2016-06-01

to analyze the perceptions of the multidisciplinary team on Accreditation in a public hospital. descriptive, exploratory, qualitative research, performed in May 2014, using recorded individual interviews. In total, 28 employees of a public hospital, Accredited with Excellence, answered the guiding question: "Tell me about the Accreditation system used in this hospital". The interviews were transcribed and subjected to content analysis. of the speeches, three categories emerged: Advantages offered by the Accreditation; Accredited public hospital resembling a private hospital; Pride/satisfaction for acting in an accredited public hospital. participants perceived Accreditation as a favorable system for a quality management in the public service because it promotes the development of professional skills and improves cost management, organizational structure, management of assistance and perception of job pride/satisfaction.

The Types of Trust Involved in American Muslim Healthcare Decisions: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Padela, Aasim I; Pruitt, Liese; Mallick, Saleha

2017-08-01

Trust in physicians and the healthcare system underlies some disparities noted among minority populations, yet a descriptive typology of different types of trust informing healthcare decisions among minority populations is limited. Using data from 13 focus groups with 102 American Muslims, we identified the types and influence of trust in healthcare decision-making. Participants conveyed four types of trust implicating their health-seeking behaviors-(I) trust in allopathic medicine, (II) trust in God, (III) trust in personal relationships, and (IV) trust in self. Healthcare disparity research can benefit from assessing how these types of trust are associated with health outcomes among minority populations so as to inform intervention programs that seek to enhance trust as a means to improve community health.

What Do GCSE Examiners Think of "Thinking Aloud"? Findings from an Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greatorex, Jackie; Suto, Irenka W. M.

2008-01-01

Background: "Thinking aloud" is a well-established method of data collection in education, assessment, and other fields of research. However, while many researchers have reported their views on its usage, the first-hand experiences of research participants have received less attention. Purpose: The aim of this exploratory study was to…

An Exploratory Study of the Restorative Benefits of Hiking in Wilderness Solitude and Its Relationship to Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ellison, Mark Andrew

2010-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory research was to examine the relationship between the restorative benefits of hiking in wilderness solitude (RBHWS) and job satisfaction. This research is a jumping off point, intended to guide future research on the RBHWS, and the practical utilization of this in human resource development. This research sought to…

Information literacy for evidence-based practice in perianesthesia nurses: readiness for evidence-based practice.

PubMed

Ross, Jacqueline

2010-04-01

Information literacy, the recognition of information required, and the development of skills for locating, evaluating, and effectively using relevant evidence is needed for evidence-based practice (EBP). The purpose of this study was to examine perianesthesia nurses' perception of searching skills and access to evidence sources. The design was a descriptive, exploratory survey. The sample consisted of ASPAN members (n = 64) and nonmembers (n = 64). The Information Literacy for Evidence-Based Nursing Practice instrument was used. Findings were that ASPAN members read more journal articles, were more proficient with computers, and used Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) more frequently than nonmembers. The three top barriers to use of research were: lack of understanding of organization or structure of electronic databases, lack of skills to critique and/or synthesize the literature, and difficulty in accessing research materials. In conclusion, education is needed for critiquing literature and understanding electronic databases and research articles to promote EBP in perianesthesia areas. Copyright 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The community health clinics as a learning context for student nurses.

PubMed

Makupu, M B; Botes, A

2000-09-01

The purpose of the research study was to describe guidelines to improve the community health clinics as a learning context conductive to learning. The objectives of the study commenced by getting the perception of student nurses from a nursing college in Gauteng; community sisters from ten community health clinics in the Southern Metropolitan Local Council and college tutors from a college in Gauteng. The research design and method used, consisting of a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual approach and the design was divided into two phases. Phase one consisted of a field/empirical study and phase two of conceptualization. In all the samples follow-up focus group interviews were conducted to confirm the findings. To ensure trustworthiness, Lincoln and Guba's model (1985) was implemented and data analysis was according to Tesch's model (1990 in Creswell 1994:155) based on a qualitative approach. The conceptual framework discussed, indicating a body of knowledge, was based on the study and empirical findings from phase one to give clear meaning and understanding regarding the research study.

CINAHL: an exploratory analysis of the current status of nursing theory construction as reflected by the electronic domain.

PubMed

Riddlesperger, K L; Beard, M; Flowers, D L; Hisley, S M; Pfeifer, K A; Stiller, J J

1996-09-01

Since the 1980s the electronic domain has become the primary method for academic and professional communication of research and information. Papers relating to theory construction in nursing are a frequently occurring phenomenon within the electronic domain. Theory construction provides the underpinning for the advancement of professional nursing, facilitating the conceptualization of nursing actions leading to theory-based practice and research. The purpose of this study was to address the research question, 'What are the similarities and differences among theory construction papers that are accessible electronically in nursing literature today?' The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) was accessed to obtain a listing of papers from which an overall description of the type of theory construction papers being published in the nursing literature today could be determined. A literature search was conducted using the description 'theory construction'. Papers were limited to publication years from 1990 onwards. A total of 125 papers were obtained and read by one of the six authors. Using grounded theory, categories emerged by identification of similarities and differences among the papers. The findings are discussed here along with suggestions for further study. A second purpose of this paper was to present both traditional and non-traditional methods of tapping into the electronic domain when searching for assistance with theory construction.

Exploratory Research and Development Fund, FY 1990. Report on Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

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

Not Available

1992-05-01

The Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Exploratory R&D Fund FY 1990 report is compiled from annual reports submitted by principal investigators following the close of the fiscal year. This report describes the projects supported and summarizes their accomplishments. It constitutes a part of an Exploratory R&D Fund (ERF) planning and documentation process that includes an annual planning cycle, projection selection, implementation, and review. The research areas covered in this report are: Accelerator and fusion research; applied science; cell and molecular biology; chemical biodynamics; chemical sciences; earth sciences; engineering; information and computing sciences; materials sciences; nuclear science; physics and research medicine and radiationmore » biophysics.« less

E-Learning: Ageing Workforce versus Technology-Savvy Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Karen; Fleming, Julie; Keijsers, Wilhelmina

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide description and analysis of how a traditional industry is currently using e-learning, and to identify how the potential of e-learning can be realised whilst acknowledging the technological divide between younger and older workers. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory qualitative methodology…

Understanding Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: Perceptions of School Counselors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simpson, Chris; Armstrong, Stephen A.; Couch, Lisa; Bore, Samuel K.

2010-01-01

This national exploratory study examined the perceptions of secondary school counselors' (n = 81) understanding of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Two one-way ANOVAs revealed no statistically significant differences between middle and high school counselors on their perceptions of the prevalence of NSSI. Descriptive analyses revealed that a…

The Reliability and Legality of Online Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agbebaku, C. A.; Adavbiele, A. Justina

2016-01-01

Today, the classroom beyond the border through online Open University education in Nigeria has made it possible for many students to obtain university degrees. However, the reliability and legality of such degrees have become questionable. This paper is a descriptive exploratory case study regarding the public and private sector end-users, whose…

Experiential Learning: A Review of College Health Centers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greaney, Elizabeth J.

2010-01-01

This exploratory study was conducted using a descriptive design and examined the use of college health centers for academic internships and clinical rotations. In addition, the study examined the relationship among health center director and school characteristics and the presence of academic internships or clinical rotations and the directors'…

Twitter Use in Libraries: An Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aharony, Noa

2010-01-01

Microblogging is a relatively new phenomenon in online social networking that has become increasingly prevalent in the last few years. This study explores the use of Twitter in public and academic libraries to understand microblogging patterns. Analysis of the tweets was conducted in two phases: (1) statistical descriptive analysis and (2) content…

Careers in Science and Technical Communication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kastens, Kim

2007-01-01

This article provides practical guidance for science teachers to help students who love both science and writing, and are struggling to find a career that will allow them to combine these disparate talents and interests. It includes descriptions of career paths, suggestions for exploratory steps, and links to sources of additional information. The…

Hospice Decision Making: Diagnosis Makes a Difference

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waldrop, Deborah P.; Meeker, Mary Ann

2012-01-01

Purpose: This study explored the process of decision making about hospice enrollment and identified factors that influence the timing of that decision. Methods: This study employed an exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional design and was conducted using qualitative methods. In-depth in-person semistructured interviews were conducted with 36…

Hardiness among Elderly Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagnild, Gail; Young, Heather

Hardiness has been defined as a mediator in life stress and, within the health/illness context, has been conceptualized as a personality characteristic. This study used a descriptive exploratory design to examine the concept of hardiness among elderly women. The Stress, Appraisal, and Coping model developed by Lazarus and Folkman (1986) was the…

A Visual Approach to Improved Literacy Skills for Special Education Adolescents: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinatra, Richard; Venezia, Jennie F.

1986-01-01

"Academically disabled" adolescents (N=70) participated in a visual literacy approach to reading and writing development. The subgroup of learning disabled students significantly improved in reading comprehension and narrative and descriptive writing, while "borderline" students (intelligence quotient 70-89) improved in reading comprehension.…

School Nurses' Knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strunk, Julie A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine school nurses' working knowledge of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). The current knowledge of school nurses was investigated by means of a mixed-method exploratory descriptive pilot study. Instrumentation included a scale that measured the knowledge of school nurses in regard to ASD, including medication…

Enacting Diversity in Dual Certification Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pugach, Marleen C.; Blanton, Linda P.

2012-01-01

This exploratory study, based on a content analysis of program descriptions, course syllabi, and related program documents, examined the curricula of three fully merged teacher education programs that were redesigned to better prepare teachers for the full range of diversity in their student populations. In these programs, graduates earn a general…

Mistreatment in Assisted Living Facilities: Complaints, Substantiations, and Risk Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Linda R.; Guo, Guifang

2011-01-01

Purpose of the Study: Use archived public data from Arizona to explore relationships among selected institutional and resident risk and situation-specific factors and complaints and substantiated allegations of various types of mistreatment in assisted living facilities (ALFs). Design and Methods: An exploratory/descriptive 2-group design was…

Prevalence of Evaluation Method Courses in Education Leader Doctoral Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shepperson, Tara L.

2013-01-01

This exploratory study investigated the prevalence of single evaluation methods courses in doctoral education leadership programs. Analysis of websites of 132 leading U.S. university programs found 62 evaluation methods courses in 54 programs. Content analysis of 49 course catalog descriptions resulted in five categories: survey, planning and…

The Religious Life during Suicide Bereavement: A Description

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vandecreek, Larry; Mottram, Kenneth

2009-01-01

This exploratory study gathered narratives from 10 female suicide survivors, exploring 3 dimensions of their religious life during bereavement: (a) the function of the survivor's personal religion, (b) the function of religious support from family and friends, and (c) the function of established religious communities. Ten themes emerged from the…

A Descriptive Study of Differing School Health Delivery Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Sherri I.; Maughan, Erin

2017-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory qualitative study was to identify and describe emerging models of school health services. Participants (N = 11) provided information regarding their models in semistructured phone interviews. Results identified a variety of funding sources as well as different staffing configurations and supervision. Strengths of…

An Improvement in Instructional Quality: Can Evaluation of Teaching Effectiveness Make a Difference?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngware, Moses Waithanji; Ndirangu, Mwangi

2005-01-01

Purpose: To report study findings on teaching effectiveness and feedback mechanisms in Kenyan universities, which can guide management in developing a comprehensive quality control policy. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted an exploratory descriptive design. Three public and two private universities were randomly selected to…

Integrating a Transcultural Perspective into the Social Work Curriculum: A Descriptive and Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drabble, Laurie; Sen, Soma; Oppenheimer, Sergio Yomar

2012-01-01

This paper describes a transcultural perspective, employed by one social work program, as an integrative framework for addressing diversity throughout the curriculum. The transcultural perspective incorporates five interrelated but distinct dimensions: (1) culture (recognizing the importance of culture at all levels of practice); (2) understanding…

Development and psychometric properties rating scale of “clinical competency evaluation in mental health nurses”: Exploratory factor analysis

PubMed Central

Moskoei, Sara; Mohtashami, Jamileh; Ghalenoeei, Mahdie; Nasiri, Maliheh; Tafreshi, Mansoreh Zaghari

2017-01-01

Introduction Evaluation of clinical competency in nurses has a distinct importance in healthcare due to its significant impact on improving the quality of patient care and creation of opportunities for professional promotion. This is a psychometric study for development of the “Clinical Competency of Mental Health Nursing”(CCMHN) rating scale. Methods In this methodological research that was conducted in 2015, in Tehran, Iran, the main items were developed after literature review and the validity and reliability of the tool were identified. The face, content (content validity ratio and content validity index) and construct validities were calculated. For face and content validity, experts’ comments were used. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine the construct validity. The reliability of scale was determined by the internal consistency and inter-rater correlation. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS version 16, using descriptive statistical analysis. Results A scale with 45 items in two parts including Emotional/Moral and Specific Care competencies was developed. Content validity ratio and content validity index were 0.88, 0.97 respectively. Exploratory factor analysis indicated two factors: The first factor with 23.93 eigenvalue and second factor with eigenvalue 2.58. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for determination of internal consistency was 0.98 and the ICC for confirmation inter-rater correlation was 0.98. Conclusion A scale with 45 items and two areas was developed with appropriate validity and reliability. This scale can be used to assess the clinical competency in nursing students and mental health nurses. PMID:28607650

Understanding Practitioner Research as a Form of Life: An Eastern Interpretation of Exploratory Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wu, Zongjie

2006-01-01

Allwright and colleagues around the world have been developing Exploratory Practice as an approach to practitioner research different from the familiar notion of teacher research. EP offers a set of principles devoted to understanding, in a collaborative mode, the quality of language classroom life. Several underlying points, such as "quality of…

A cross-sectional mixed methods study protocol to generate learning from patient safety incidents reported from general practice.

PubMed

Carson-Stevens, Andrew; Hibbert, Peter; Avery, Anthony; Butlin, Amy; Carter, Ben; Cooper, Alison; Evans, Huw Prosser; Gibson, Russell; Luff, Donna; Makeham, Meredith; McEnhill, Paul; Panesar, Sukhmeet S; Parry, Gareth; Rees, Philippa; Shiels, Emma; Sheikh, Aziz; Ward, Hope Olivia; Williams, Huw; Wood, Fiona; Donaldson, Liam; Edwards, Adrian

2015-12-01

Incident reports contain descriptions of errors and harms that occurred during clinical care delivery. Few observational studies have characterised incidents from general practice, and none of these have been from the England and Wales National Reporting and Learning System. This study aims to describe incidents reported from a general practice care setting. A general practice patient safety incident classification will be developed to characterise patient safety incidents. A weighted-random sample of 12,500 incidents describing no harm, low harm and moderate harm of patients, and all incidents describing severe harm and death of patients will be classified. Insights from exploratory descriptive statistics and thematic analysis will be combined to identify priority areas for future interventions. The need for ethical approval was waivered by the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board research risk review committee given the anonymised nature of data (ABHB R&D Ref number: SA/410/13). The authors will submit the results of the study to relevant journals and undertake national and international oral presentations to researchers, clinicians and policymakers. 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/

Exploring the relationship between client perspectives, clinical expertise and research evidence.

PubMed

Roulstone, Sue

2015-06-01

This paper examines the relationship between components of evidence-based practice (clinical expertise, patient perspective and research evidence). Findings are examined from two research programs: the Better Communication Research Program and Child Talk, including exploratory studies of the views of parents and children regarding speech-language pathology and studies of current practice by SLPs in England. Systematic reviews of the research literature were also undertaken. The paper analyses relationships between outcomes valued by children and parents and those reported in the literature and in practice, parents' perspectives regarding intervention in comparison with clinicians' reports of practice and the extent to which research evidence underpins current practice is examined. Parents and children value functional outcomes and positive experiences; these are not routinely measured in research or practice. Therapy is perceived positively by most parents; however, some are ambivalent and less clear about the rationale. Commonly used interventions are supported by evidence, but there are gaps regarding some critical therapy components. The paper discusses four challenges to evidence-based practice: the consistency and clarity of descriptions of interventions; consensus based models of practice; understanding of the mechanisms of change; and, finally, the operationalization of client preferences within an evidence-based practice framework.

Policy Research Challenges in Comparing Care Models for Dual-Eligible Beneficiaries.

PubMed

Van Cleave, Janet H; Egleston, Brian L; Brosch, Sarah; Wirth, Elizabeth; Lawson, Molly; Sullivan-Marx, Eileen M; Naylor, Mary D

2017-05-01

Providing affordable, high-quality care for the 10 million persons who are dual-eligible beneficiaries of Medicare and Medicaid is an ongoing health-care policy challenge in the United States. However, the workforce and the care provided to dual-eligible beneficiaries are understudied. The purpose of this article is to provide a narrative of the challenges and lessons learned from an exploratory study in the use of clinical and administrative data to compare the workforce of two care models that deliver home- and community-based services to dual-eligible beneficiaries. The research challenges that the study team encountered were as follows: (a) comparing different care models, (b) standardizing data across care models, and (c) comparing patterns of health-care utilization. The methods used to meet these challenges included expert opinion to classify data and summative content analysis to compare and count data. Using descriptive statistics, a summary comparison of the two care models suggested that the coordinated care model workforce provided significantly greater hours of care per recipient than the integrated care model workforce. This likely represented the coordinated care model's focus on providing in-home services for one recipient, whereas the integrated care model focused on providing services in a day center with group activities. The lesson learned from this exploratory study is the need for standardized quality measures across home- and community-based services agencies to determine the workforce that best meets the needs of dual-eligible beneficiaries.

The nursing role in ICU outreach: an international exploratory study.

PubMed

Endacott, Ruth; Chaboyer, Wendy

2006-01-01

It is widely acknowledged that many critically ill patients are managed outside of designated critical care units. One strategy adopted in Australia and England to assess and manage risk in these patients is the intensive care unit (ICU) outreach or liaison nurse service. This article examines how ICU outreach/liaison roles in Australia and England operate in the context of Manley's theoretical framework for advanced nursing practice. Descriptive case study design using semi-structured interviews and job descriptions as sources of evidence. Findings of interviews with six Australian ICU Liaison nurses are already published; this study replicated the Australian study with four ICU Consultant Nurses in England and mapped interview and job description data from both countries onto Manley's conceptual framework for advanced practice/consultant nurse. Four themes emerged from the English data: patient interventions, support for ward staff, liaison between ward and ICU staff and hospital-wide impact. The first three of these comprised the core service common to the roles in both countries. Manley's four subroles (expert practitioner, consultant, educator and researcher) were present across both countries. However, the interview and job description data demonstrated that there were lower expectations in Australia that the roles would lead to staff development and build capacity across the hospital system. Similarly, formal education for ward staff such as ALERT and CRiSP courses were more developed in UK. Our data demonstrate that the role undertaken in England and Australia is sufficiently comparable to use as a research intervention in international studies across the two countries. However, the macro service level differs. Job descriptions across both countries emphasized the need to influence hospital policy; however, the ICU consultant nurses in England might be considered better placed to achieve this through role title and access to the hospital executive. In both countries, the roles would benefit from systematic evaluation of the impact on outcomes. This is particularly important for longer-term integration of the role in the health services in both countries.

Expert searcher, teacher, content manager, and patient advocate: an exploratory study of clinical librarian roles

PubMed Central

Tan, Maria C.; Maggio, Lauren A.

2013-01-01

Objective: The research explored the roles of practicing clinical librarians embedded in a patient care team. Methods: Six clinical librarians from Canada and one from the United States were interviewed to elicit detailed descriptions of their clinical roles and responsibilities and the context in which these were performed. Results: Participants were embedded in a wide range of clinical service areas, working with a diverse complement of health professionals. As clinical librarians, participants wore many hats, including expert searcher, teacher, content manager, and patient advocate. Unique aspects of how these roles played out included a sense of urgency surrounding searching activities, the broad dissemination of responses to clinical questions, and leverage of the roles of expert searcher, teacher, and content manager to advocate for patients. Conclusions: Detailed role descriptions of clinical librarians embedded in patient care teams suggest possible new practices for existing clinical librarians, provide direction for training new librarians working in patient care environments, and raise awareness of the clinical librarian specialty among current and budding health information professionals. PMID:23405048

Construction of the descriptive system for the assessment of quality of life AQoL-6D utility instrument

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Multi attribute utility (MAU) instruments are used to include the health related quality of life (HRQoL) in economic evaluations of health programs. Comparative studies suggest different MAU instruments measure related but different constructs. The objective of this paper is to describe the methods employed to achieve content validity in the descriptive system of the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL)-6D, MAU instrument. Methods The AQoL program introduced the use of psychometric methods in the construction of health related MAU instruments. To develop the AQoL-6D we selected 112 items from previous research, focus groups and expert judgment and administered them to 316 members of the public and 302 hospital patients. The search for content validity across a broad spectrum of health states required both formative and reflective modelling. We employed Exploratory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to meet these dual requirements. Results and Discussion The resulting instrument employs 20 items in a multi-tier descriptive system. Latent dimension variables achieve sensitive descriptions of 6 dimensions which, in turn, combine to form a single latent QoL variable. Diagnostic statistics from the SEM analysis are exceptionally good and confirm the hypothesised structure of the model. Conclusions The AQoL-6D descriptive system has good psychometric properties. They imply that the instrument has achieved construct validity and provides a sensitive description of HRQoL. This means that it may be used with confidence for measuring health related quality of life and that it is a suitable basis for modelling utilities for inclusion in the economic evaluation of health programs. PMID:22507254

Construction of the descriptive system for the Assessment of Quality of Life AQoL-6D utility instrument.

PubMed

Richardson, Jeffrey R J; Peacock, Stuart J; Hawthorne, Graeme; Iezzi, Angelo; Elsworth, Gerald; Day, Neil A

2012-04-17

Multi attribute utility (MAU) instruments are used to include the health related quality of life (HRQoL) in economic evaluations of health programs. Comparative studies suggest different MAU instruments measure related but different constructs. The objective of this paper is to describe the methods employed to achieve content validity in the descriptive system of the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL)-6D, MAU instrument. The AQoL program introduced the use of psychometric methods in the construction of health related MAU instruments. To develop the AQoL-6D we selected 112 items from previous research, focus groups and expert judgment and administered them to 316 members of the public and 302 hospital patients. The search for content validity across a broad spectrum of health states required both formative and reflective modelling. We employed Exploratory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to meet these dual requirements. The resulting instrument employs 20 items in a multi-tier descriptive system. Latent dimension variables achieve sensitive descriptions of 6 dimensions which, in turn, combine to form a single latent QoL variable. Diagnostic statistics from the SEM analysis are exceptionally good and confirm the hypothesised structure of the model. The AQoL-6D descriptive system has good psychometric properties. They imply that the instrument has achieved construct validity and provides a sensitive description of HRQoL. This means that it may be used with confidence for measuring health related quality of life and that it is a suitable basis for modelling utilities for inclusion in the economic evaluation of health programs.

Toward Reflective Judgment in Exploratory Factor Analysis Decisions: Determining the Extraction Method and Number of Factors To Retain.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knight, Jennifer L.

This paper considers some decisions that must be made by the researcher conducting an exploratory factor analysis. The primary purpose is to aid the researcher in making informed decisions during the factor analysis instead of relying on defaults in statistical programs or traditions of previous researchers. Three decision areas are addressed.…

Research Needs and Learning Format Preferences of Graduate Students at a Large Public University: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bussell, Hilary; Hagman, Jessica; Guder, Christopher S.

2017-01-01

This article reports on a study of research needs and learning preferences of graduate students at a public research university. A sequential exploratory mixed-method design was used, with a survey instrument developed from an initial qualitative stage. Significant differences were found between master's and doctoral students' and on-campus and…

How Information Affects Intrinsic Motivation: Two Exploratory Pilot Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Ruth V.; Samijo

Research on the motivational aspects of multimedia games may provide ways to design more engaging user information systems which increase users' exploratory and information-seeking behaviors. Two small-scale exploratory studies examined the effects of introducing information on the intrinsic motivation of users of a CD-ROM game. Results of the…

Student-to-Student Legacies in Exploratory Action Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moran, Katherine

2017-01-01

In 2013/2014, I conducted two consecutive cycles of exploratory action research aimed at improving the quality of my French engineering students' oral presentations in English. Each cycle involved a different group of students. I collaborated with the students extensively throughout the project and found that the experience was highly beneficial…

"Education Is Not Just Teaching": Learner Thoughts on Exploratory Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanks, Judith

2015-01-01

Exploratory Practice (EP) has recently been established as an innovative form of practitioner research in language education, one which includes learners alongside their teachers as co-researchers. However, to date, little attention has been given to learners' perspectives on this approach. This article focuses on the experiences of learners…

Cultural Protective and Risk Factors: Professional Perspectives about Child Sexual Abuse in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plummer, Carol A.; Njuguna, Wambui

2009-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore perspectives on cultural risks and protective factors among professionals in Kenya. Method: An exploratory/descriptive survey of Kenyan professionals working to prevent or intervene with child sexual abuse was undertaken to determine their perspectives on how tribal culture impacts vulnerability to…

Leveraging a Sorting Task as a Measure of Knowledge Structure in Bilingual Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tang, Hengtao; Clariana, Roy

2017-01-01

This descriptive exploratory study considers whether a simple sorting task can elicit readers' knowledge structure in learners' first and second language. In this investigation, knowledge structure is considered from a symbolic connectionist viewpoint as the fundamental pre-meaningful aspect of knowledge, where structure is the precursor of…

Native Chinese-Speaking K-12 Language Teachers' Beliefs and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lü, Chan; Lavadenz, Magaly

2014-01-01

This study investigated the relationships between the beliefs and practices of K-12 native Chinese teachers on Chinese language and literacy instruction. Using a descriptive-exploratory design, this study employed a mixed-methods approach consisting of three steps: (1) a teacher beliefs questionnaire, (2) classroom observations and videotaping,…

Touch in Family Therapy: An Exploratory Study Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moy, Caryl T.

The use of touch in therapeutic relationships is seldom dealt with as a practice issue except in a proscriptive way. To gather descriptive information on the use of touch in therapy, professional therapists (N=50) whose practice was largely family therapy were interviewed about the successful use of touch in their helping relationships. Interview…

A Psychometric Validation of the Internal and External Motivation to Respond without Prejudice toward People with Disabilities Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pruett, Steven R.; Deiches, Jon; Pfaller, Joseph; Moser, Erin; Chan, Fong

2014-01-01

Objective: To determine the factorial validity of the Internal and External Motivation to Respond without Prejudice toward People with Disabilities Scale (D-IMS/EMS). Design: A quantitative descriptive design using factor analysis. Participants: 233 rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation services students. Results: Both exploratory and…

Chief Diversity Officers' Perceptions of Institutionally Sustainable Diversity Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Rong

2017-01-01

This exploratory and descriptive study investigated the degree to which a NACUBO Economic Models Project framework is perceived by Chief Diversity Officers (CDOs) as being a relevant tool for sustaining diversity core values in institutional diversity program operations. In response to the rapidly changing demographics of the United States and the…

An Examination of the Relationship between Principal Technology Leadership and Technology Integration in Urban Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Draper, Kathryn L.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory/quantitative descriptive and correlational study was to examine the relationship between principal technology leadership and technology integration in urban schools. The technology activities of principals along with Organizational Health Instrument (OHI) survey outcomes perceived by their faculty were described and…

Classroom Use of a Verbal Measure of Information Rate: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finkler, Deana; Thompson, Patricia

The Verbal Measure of Information Rate (VMIR) is a measure of information rate which reflects the elements, features, and changes in a complex environment. Subjects rated 14 bipolar adjective pairs to indicate an appropriate description of the learning situation or information load (simple-complex, novel-familiar). The measure was administered to…

Undergraduate Student Perceptions of the Pedagogy Used in a Leadership Course: A Qualitative Examination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Odom, Summer F.

2015-01-01

This exploratory, qualitative, descriptive study examined undergraduate student perspectives of pedagogy used in an undergraduate leadership elective course to describe how students view the effectiveness and impact of pedagogies used in the course. Undergraduate students (n = 28) reflected on the effectiveness of the pedagogies and the learning…

Classroom Management in Foreign Language Education: An Exploratory Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macías, Diego Fernando

2018-01-01

This review examines studies in the area of classroom management in foreign language education. It is organized into three large areas: The first area focuses on the distinctive characteristics of foreign language instruction that are more likely to impact classroom management in foreign language classes. The second area provides a description of…

Pedagogy and the PC: Trends in the AIS Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badua, Frank

2008-01-01

The author investigated the array of course topics in accounting information systems (AIS), as course syllabi embody. The author (a) used exploratory data analysis to determine the topics that AIS courses most frequently offered and (b) used descriptive statistics and econometric analysis to trace the diversity of course topics through time,…

A Descriptive Survey of Why Parents Choose Hybrid Homeschools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wearne, Eric

2016-01-01

"Hybrid home schools" are schools in which students attend school with other students for 2 or 3 days per week in traditional classroom settings, and are homeschooled the balance of the week. This exploratory study presents self-reported reasons parents choose these schools, using an electronic survey of parents from four such schools…

Outdoor Education Support System with Location Awareness Using RFID and Symbology Tags

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osawa, Noritaka; Noda, Katsuji; Tsukagoshi, Satoru; Noma, Yutaka; Ando, Akikazu; Shibuya, Tomoharu; Kondo, Kimio

2007-01-01

A support system for outdoor learning using exploratory observation was developed. The system uses radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and two-dimensional (2D) symbology tags to locate positions on a horticultural farm and its surrounding forests. Students were able to get a location-dependent description and an educational hint for…

Exertional Heat Illness among Secondary School Athletes: Statewide Policy Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodgers, Jill; Slota, Peggy; Zamboni, Beth

2018-01-01

Exertional heat illness (EHI) is a leading cause of preventable death among student athletes. While causes and preventative measures for EHI are known, school districts may not be implementing evidence-based practices. This descriptive, exploratory study explored school policies, resources, and practices of coaches in a mid-Atlantic state in the…

Exploring Rural High School Learners' Experience of Mathematics Anxiety in Academic Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hlalele, Dipane

2012-01-01

The purpose of the study was to explore rural high school learners' experience of mathematics anxiety in academic settings. Mathematics anxiety has been found to have an adverse effect on confidence, motivation and achievement. This quantitative study is exploratory and descriptive in nature. The participants were 403 learners doing mathematics in…

Secondary School Teachers' Experiences of Teaching Pregnant Learners in Limpopo Province, South Africa

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matlala, Sogo F.; Nolte, A. G. W.; Temane, M. A.

2014-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a study on the experiences of secondary school teachers on teaching pregnant learners in Limpopo Province. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten purposively selected secondary school teachers. Data analysis yielded six themes,…

The Pedagogy of Science Teachers from Non-Natural Science Backgrounds

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, Shaneka

2017-01-01

This is a descriptive, exploratory, qualitative, collective case study that explores the pedagogical practices of science teachers who do not hold natural science degrees. The intent of this study is to support the creation of alternative pathways for recruiting and retaining high-quality secondary science teachers in K-12 education. The…

Play at the Art Table: A Study of Children's Play Behaviors while Drawing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Escobedo, Theresa H.

This descriptive study examined children's drawings and related language episodes to differentiate drawings exhibiting play from those exhibiting exploratory behavior. Drawings categorized as play were further analyzed to identify constructive and imaginary play. The play theory used as the basis of the study proposes that exploration and…

Post-Baccalaureate Reverse Transfer Students in Iowa: 2006 to 2008

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leigh, Rachel A.

2009-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive, exploratory study investigates the number of students who hold a bachelor's degree or higher attending Iowa's fifteen community colleges between fiscal years 2006 and 2008. This group of students is referred to as post-baccalaureate reverse transfer (PBRT) students in the literature and in this paper. This study…

Exploring Adolescent-Parent Interaction Strategies for Accessing Alcohol at Home

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dresler, Emma; Whitehead, Dean; Weaver, Kelly

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which youth have ready access to alcohol and the extent to which immediate family influence affects consumption. Design/methodology/approach: This qualitative descriptive exploratory study undertook semi-structured peer-group interviews with 20 participants from four New Zealand high…

Investigating the Educational Needs of Nurses in Telepractice: A Descriptive Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carter, Lorraine; Hudyma, Shirlene; Horrigan, Judith

2010-01-01

Although some nursing bodies have recognized nursing telepractice as a specialty, with its own knowledge, skills, and attitudes, there is little documented evidence of the educational needs of Canadian nurses working in telehealth. However, now that telehealth has been recognized as a partial solution to Canada's health-care challenges, the area…

Assessing Students' Metacognitive Awareness of Learning Strategies among Secondary School Students in Edo State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Okoza, Jolly; Aluede, Oyaziwo; Owens-Sogolo, Osasere

2013-01-01

This study examined metacognitive awareness of learning strategies among Secondary School Students in Edo State, Nigeria. The study was an exploratory one, which utilized descriptive statistics. A total number of 1200 students drawn through multistage proportionate random sampling technique participated in the study. The study found that secondary…

The challenges experienced by Iranian war veterans living with chemical warfare poisoning: a descriptive, exploratory study.

PubMed

Hassankhani, Hadi; Taleghani, Fariba; Mills, Jane; Birks, Melanie; Francis, Karen; Ahmadi, Fazlolah

2010-06-01

This exploratory, descriptive study investigates the experiences of Iranian war veterans living with chronic disease acquired as a result of chemical warfare. Sulphur mustard (SM) is considered one of the most important agents of chemical warfare and was widely used during the Iran-Iraq conflict in 1980-1988. There are approximately 100 000 Iranian SM casualties who suffer from serious long-term progressive health problems involving their respiratory organs, eyes and skin. Seventeen male Iranian war veterans aged between 30 and 59 years and four victims' family members participated in the study. Data was generated during individual in-depth interviews that used open-ended questions. Grounded theory techniques, including the constant comparative method of concurrent data generation and analysis, were employed in the analysis of data. Preliminary results indicate two main thematic categories: social isolation and physical disability. It is argued that a lack of knowledge about the outcomes of SM poisoning, physical restrictions and difficulty in adjusting socially decreases war veterans' functional capacity and levels of independence.

The role of the charge nurse manager: a descriptive exploratory study.

PubMed

McCallin, A M; Frankson, C

2010-04-01

To explore the charge nurse manager role. Management in nursing is increasingly challenging. Restructuring of organizations has had an impact on the scope of the charge nurse manager role that has expanded so that managers are now expected to be leaders. If role preparation is inadequate, potential for role confusion and role stress increases, undermining role effectiveness in this key senior nursing position. This descriptive exploratory study investigated the experiences of charge nurse managers. Twelve nurse managers from an acute care hospital in New Zealand were interviewed. Data were analysed thematically. Three themes, role ambiguity, business management deficit and role overload emerged. It was evident that charge nurse managers were appointed into a management role with clinical expertise but without management skills. Findings suggest that role preparation should include postgraduate education and business management training. Role induction requires a formal organizational management trainee programme and ongoing supportive clinical supervision. New approaches to charge nurse manager role development are needed. Organizations must provide formal structural support to facilitate management development. The profession needs to promote succession planning that would reduce these longstanding problems.

Leveraging finances for public health system improvement: results from the Turning Point initiative.

PubMed

Bekemeier, Betty; Riley, Catharine M; Berkowitz, Bobbie

2007-01-01

Reforming the public health infrastructure requires substantial system changes at the state level; state health agencies, however, often lack the resources and support for strategic planning and systemwide improvement. The Turning Point Initiative provided support for states to focus on large-scale system changes that resulted in increased funding for public health capacity and infrastructure development. Turning Point provides a test case for obtaining financial and institutional resources focused on systems change and infrastructure development-areas for which it has been historically difficult to obtain long-term support. The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive survey research was to enumerate the actual resources leveraged toward public health system improvement through the partnerships, planning, and implementation activities funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as a part of the Turning Point Initiative.

Withdrawal-associated injury site pain (WISP): a descriptive case series of an opioid cessation phenomenon.

PubMed

Rieb, Launette Marie; Norman, Wendy V; Martin, Ruth Elwood; Berkowitz, Jonathan; Wood, Evan; McNeil, Ryan; Milloy, M-J

2016-12-01

Withdrawal pain can be a barrier to opioid cessation. Yet, little is known about old injury site pain in this context. We conducted an exploratory mixed-methods descriptive case series using a web-based survey and in-person interviews with adults recruited from pain and addiction treatment and research settings. We included individuals who self-reported a past significant injury that was healed and pain-free before the initiation of opioids, which then became temporarily painful upon opioid cessation-a phenomenon we have named withdrawal-associated injury site pain (WISP). Screening identified WISP in 47 people, of whom 34 (72%) completed the descriptive survey, including 21 who completed qualitative interviews. Recalled pain severity scores for WISP were typically high (median: 8/10; interquartile range [IQR]: 2), emotionally and physically aversive, and took approximately 2 weeks to resolve (median: 14; IQR: 24 days). Withdrawal-associated injury site pain intensity was typically slightly less than participants' original injury pain (median: 10/10; IQR: 3), and more painful than other generalized withdrawal symptoms which also lasted approximately 2 weeks (median: 13; IQR: 25 days). Fifteen surveyed participants (44%) reported returning to opioid use because of WISP in the past. Participants developed theories about the etiology of WISP, including that the pain is the brain's way of communicating a desire for opioids. This research represents the first known documentation that previously healed, and pain-free injury sites can temporarily become painful again during opioid withdrawal, an experience which may be a barrier to opioid cessation, and a contributor to opioid reinitiation.

EpiHosp: A web-based visualization tool enabling the exploratory analysis of complications of implantable medical devices from a nationwide hospital database.

PubMed

Ficheur, Grégoire; Ferreira Careira, Lionel; Beuscart, Régis; Chazard, Emmanuel

2015-01-01

Administrative data can be used for the surveillance of the outcomes of implantable medical devices (IMDs). The objective of this work is to build a web-based tool allowing for an exploratory analysis of time-dependent events that may occur after the implementation of an IMD. This tool should enable a pharmacoepidemiologist to explore on the fly the relationship between a given IMD and a potential outcome. This tool mine the French nationwide database of inpatient stays from 2008 to 2013. The data are preprocessed in order to optimize the queries. A web tool is developed in PHP, MySQL and Javascript. The user selects one or a group of IMD from a tree, and can filter the results using years and hospital names. Four result pages describe the selected inpatient stays: (1) temporal and demographic description, (2) a description of the geographical location of the hospital, (3) a description of the geographical place of residence of the patient and (4) a table showing the rehospitalization reasons by decreasing order of frequency. Then, the user can select one readmission reason and display dynamically the probability of readmission by mean of a Kaplan-Meier curve with confidence intervals. This tool enables to dynamically monitor the occurrence of time-dependent complications of IMD.

Community College Presidents in a Southern State: An Exploratory Qualitative Inquiry of Servant Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehning, John

2013-01-01

This exploratory qualitative inquiry added to a limited body of research on the topic of community college presidents who practice the servant leadership philosophy, their influence on organizational effectiveness, and their influence on creating benefits for their community. The research question directing this study asked, What are the…

An Exploratory Study of Video Browsing User Interface Designs and Research Methodologies: Effectiveness in Information Seeking Tasks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tse, Tony; Vegh, Sandor; Shneiderman, Ben; Marchionini, Gary

1999-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory study was to develop research methods to compare the effectiveness of two video browsing interface designs, or surrogates--one static (storyboard) and one dynamic (slide show)--on two distinct information seeking tasks (gist determination and object recognition). (AEF)

Exploratory Study of the HOPE Foundation[C] Courageous Leadership Academy: Summary of Findings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Seth; Choi, KC; Herman, Becki

2011-01-01

The HOPE Foundation (HOPE) commissioned the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to conduct an exploratory study of the implementation and impact of the Courageous Leadership Academy (CLA). In this report, the authors introduce the school reform model, describe the study methodology, present findings for each of the three research questions…

Group Work for Korean Expatriate Women in the United States: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Suh, Suhyun; Lee, Myoung-Suk

2006-01-01

This paper presents the results of exploratory research with a group of seven Korean expatriate women. The study employed a modified Reality Therapy approach over eight meetings conducted by two professionally qualified leaders who also speak Korean. Qualitative research methods were used to analyze and describe the participants' experiences.…

Comprehension and Recall of Television's Computerized Image: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Metallinos, Nikos; Chartrand, Sylvie

This exploratory study of the effects of the new visual communications media imagery (e.g., video games, digital television, and computer graphics) on the visual perception process is designed to provide a theoretical framework for research, introduce appropriate research instruments for such study, and experiment with the application of biometric…

Exploring Disparities and Variability in Perceptions and Self-Reported Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Three Ethnic Subgroups of U.S. Blacks

PubMed Central

Gwede, Clement K.; William, Claire M.; Thomas, Kamilah B.; Tarver, Will L.; Quinn, Gwendolyn P.; Vadaparampil, Susan T.; Kim, Jongphil; Lee, Ji-Hyun; Meade, Cathy D.

2010-01-01

Purpose/Objectives To explore perceptions of colorectal cancer (CRC) and self-reported CRC screening behaviors among ethnic subgroups of U.S. blacks. Design Descriptive, cross-sectional, exploratory, developmental pilot. Setting Medically underserved areas in Hillsborough County, FL. Sample 62 men and women aged 50 years or older. Ethnic subgroup distribution included 22 African American, 20 English-speaking Caribbean-born, and 20 Haitian-born respondents. Methods Community-based participatory research methods were used to conduct face-to-face individual interviews in the community. Main Research Variables Ethnic subgroup, health access, perceptions of CRC (e.g., awareness of screening tests, perceived risk, perceived barriers to screening), healthcare provider recommendation, and self-reported CRC screening. Findings Awareness of CRC screening tests, risk perception, healthcare provider recommendation, and self-reported use of screening were low across all subgroups. However, only 55% of Haitian-born participants had heard about the fecal occult blood test compared to 84% for English-speaking Caribbean-born participants and 91% for African Americans. Similarly, only 15% of Haitian-born respondents had had a colonoscopy compared to 50% for the English-speaking Caribbean and African American subgroups. Conclusions This exploratory, developmental pilot study identified lack of awareness, low risk perception, and distinct barriers to screening. The findings support the need for a larger community-based study to elucidate and address disparities among subgroups. Implications for Nursing Nurses play a major role in reducing cancer health disparities through research, education, and quality care. Recognition of the cultural diversity of the U.S. black population can help nurses address health disparities and contribute to the health of the community. PMID:20797950

Exploratory data project : freight resiliency performance measures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

Exploratory Data Project: Freight Resiliency Performance Measures. (2009-10) FHWA's Office of Freight Management : and Operations, through a partnership with the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), established a Freight : Performance M...

Interviewing to develop Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) measures for clinical research: eliciting patients’ experience

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures must provide evidence that their development followed a rigorous process for ensuring their content validity. To this end, the collection of data is performed through qualitative interviews that allow for the elicitation of in-depth spontaneous reports of the patients’ experiences with their condition and/or its treatment. This paper provides a review of qualitative research applied to PRO measure development. A clear definition of what is a qualitative research interview is given as well as information about the form and content of qualitative interviews required for developing PRO measures. Particular attention is paid to the description of interviewing approaches (e.g., semi-structured and in-depth interviews, individual vs. focus group interviews). Information about how to get prepared for a qualitative interview is provided with the description of how to develop discussion guides for exploratory or cognitive interviews. Interviewing patients to obtain knowledge regarding their illness experience requires interpersonal and communication skills to facilitate patients’ expression. Those skills are described in details, as well as the skills needed to facilitate focus groups and to interview children, adolescents and the elderly. Special attention is also given to quality assurance and interview training. The paper ends on ethical considerations since interviewing for the development of PROs is performed in a context of illness and vulnerability. Therefore, it is all the more important that, in addition to soliciting informed consent, respectful interactions be ensured throughout the interview process. PMID:24499454

Perspectives on Teacher Quality: Bilingual Education and ESL Teacher Certification, Test-Taking Experiences, and Instructional Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lemberger, Nancy; Reyes-Carrasquillo, Angela

2011-01-01

This descriptive exploratory study looked at the certification process, test-taking experiences, and instructional practices of a group of graduate bilingual education (BE) and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers to understand why some had problems passing teacher certification tests after completing their degrees. The study surveyed 63 BE…

The Relationship between Health Professionals and the Elderly Patient Facing Drug Prescription: A Qualitative Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lefevre, Fernando; Teixeira, Jorge Juarez Vieira; Lefevre, Ana Maria Cavalcanti; de Castro, Lia Lusitana Cardozo; Spinola, Aracy Witt de Pinho

2004-01-01

Aiming at identifying the relationship between the elderly patient facing drug prescription and health professionals, an exploratory and descriptive study of a qualitative cut was carried out using semi-structured interviews. To this end, the Collective Subject Discourse analysis technique was employed. Thirty elderly patients living in the urban…

The Description and Indexing of Editorial Cartoons: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Landbeck, Christopher Ryan

2013-01-01

While access to images in general has improved in the last 20 years, due to both advances in electronic storage and dissemination and to improvements in the intellectual provisions of them, access to editorial cartoons lags behind access to other types of images. While there have been piecemeal or ad hoc efforts to organize large cartoon…

Digital Storytelling in ESL Instruction: Identity Negotiation through a Pedagogy of Multiliteracies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vinogradova, Polina

2011-01-01

This qualitative descriptive exploratory study investigated how a pedagogy of multiliteracies can be introduced to the ESL curriculum using digital stories and explored the ways ESL learners negotiate their identities through the multimodality of this narrative genre. The study was based on the premise that in language education it is crucial to…

Chinese Adolescents' Attitudes toward Sexual Relationships and Premarital Sex: Implications for Promoting Sexual Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Yu-Ting; Hayter, Mark; Lin, Mei-Ling

2014-01-01

This study was designed to explore Taiwanese school students' attitudes toward sexual relationships and premarital sex. This was an exploratory descriptive, qualitative study. Focus groups (N = 8) were conducted with 47 adolescents from three high schools in Taiwan. Transcripts were transcribed and thematically analyzed using Atlas V 5.0.…

University Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design: How Postsecondary Institutions Use the LEEDRTM Green Building Rating System

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chance, Shannon Massie

2010-01-01

This descriptive, exploratory study focused on how institutions of higher education have used the United States Green Building Council's (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED[R]) Green Building Rating system. It employed statistical methods to assess which types of universities have used LEED, what ratings they earned, and…

Providing Choice in Middle Grade Classrooms: An Exploratory Study of Enactment Variability and Student Reflection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williams, Jasmine D.; Wallace, Tanner LeBaron; Sung, Hannah C.

2016-01-01

Employing descriptive and interpretive analyses of classroom videos and focus group data, this study details how the provision of choice was enacted in instruction, and the subsequent messages students perceived. Participants included six teachers (fourth to eighth grade) and 114 students (age X-bar = 11.28 years, 60% African American). Survey…

Do High-Ability Students Disidentify with Science? A Descriptive Study of U.S. Ninth Graders in 2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andersen, Lori; Chen, Jason A.

2016-01-01

The present study describes science expectancy-value motivation classes within a nationally representative sample of students who were U.S. ninth graders in 2009. An expectancy-value model was the basis for science-specific profile indicators (self-efficacy, attainment value, utility value, interest-enjoyment value). Using exploratory latent class…

Words Du Jour: An Analysis of Traditional and Transitional Course Descriptors at Select J-Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spillman, Mary; Kuban, Adam J.; Smith, Suzy J.

2017-01-01

Journalism education may be at a tipping point. It is unclear, however, what new form curricula might take. Through an analysis of individual course titles and descriptions that appeared in the 2013-2014 undergraduate catalogs of 68 selected universities, this exploratory study finds that most departments/schools are not offering classes that…

Business and Office Education: Accounting, Clerk. Instructor's Manual [and] Student Learning Activity Guide. Kit No. 204.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cliatt, Katherine H.

This learning activity guide and instructor's manual provide information and exercises for an exploratory activity in accounting. Instructional objectives covered in the guide are for the students to learn (1) reasons for studying accounting and related job descriptions, (2) definitions for accounting terms, (3) the accounting equation, (4) how to…

Middle Years Students' Use of Self-Regulating Strategies in an Online Journaling Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Chris

2009-01-01

This study investigated boys' capacity for self regulation in a Year 8 classroom at a regional secondary college in the state of Victoria, Australia. This was an exploratory descriptive study that sought to examine how the use of an online journal influenced students' capacity to adaptively react (Zimmerman, 2002) to self-determined knowledge…

Exploring Students' Perceptions about English Learning in a Public University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiménez, Patricia Kim

2018-01-01

This manuscript reports the final findings of an exploratory, descriptive case study that aimed at exploring the perceptions of a group of English as a foreign language students in a public university regarding their English learning and the commitment level through the process. A questionnaire, a survey, and the teacher's diary were the…

Quality of Learning Facilities and Learning Environment: Challenges for Teaching and Learning in Kenya's Public Universities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ndirangu, Mwangi; Udoto, Maurice O.

2011-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to report findings on the perceptions of quality of educational facilities in Kenyan public universities, and the implications for teaching/learning, and the learning environment. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopted an exploratory descriptive design. A total of 332 and 107 undergraduate students…

Baccalaureate Success of Vertical Transfer Students: The Impact of Geography, Gender, Age, and Risk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman, Melissa L.; Conley, Valerie Martin

2008-01-01

This exploratory study examined the impact of location (rural vs. non-rural) and individual characteristics such as age, gender, and risk factors on baccalaureate attainment of vertical transfer students. Descriptive findings indicate that overall few students (12%) who began in a two-year institution transferred to a four-year institution.…

Small Business Apparel Retailing in Jamaica: An Exploratory Investigation into Product Development Processes and Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson-Leslie, Natalie; Gaskill, LuAnn R.

2006-01-01

While the process and practices of retail product development in developed countries have been documented, a void exists in descriptive analysis regarding retail product development in an international setting. The primary purpose of this study was to explore small business apparel retailing, and specifically the retail product development process…

Recreational leasing of industrial forestlands in New York State

Treesearch

Sergio Capozzi; Chad P. Dawson

2001-01-01

An exploratory and descriptive study of recreational leasing of industrial forestlands in the state of New York was conducted to better understand lease programs and the lessees involved in these programs. During the summer of 1999, thirteen companies were sent mail surveys and 9 responded (response rate of 69%). Based on information provided by the companies, 540...

Buddy-Tutor Project. Hilo Intermediate School. Final Report, March-July, 1974.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawaii Univ., Honolulu. Social Welfare Development and Research Center.

An operational description of the 1973-74 Buddy-Tutor Project at Hilo Intermediate School in Hilo, Hawaii and an evaluative assessment of its outcome with statistical treatment of the data is provided in this report. This project is an exploratory behavioral intervention program for educationally deprived students and focuses its efforts on the…

Words or Pictures: A Comparison of Written and Pictorial Explanations of Physical and Chemical Equilibria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Akaygun, Sevil; Jones, Loretta L.

2014-01-01

The features of a concept or principle an individual chooses to highlight in an explanation or description may be related to the medium of communication used. Different aspects of understanding can be revealed through words and through drawings. This two-part exploratory study examined the differences between explanations of physical and chemical…

The Relationship of Core Self-Evaluations and Life Satisfaction in College Students with Disabilities: Evaluation of a Mediator Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smedema, Susan Miller; Chan, Fong; Yaghmaian, Rana A.; Cardoso, Elizabeth DaSilva; Muller, Veronica; Keegan, John; Dutta, Alo; Ebener, Deborah J.

2015-01-01

This study examined the factorial structure of the construct core self-evaluations (CSE) and tested a mediational model of the relationship between CSE and life satisfaction in college students with disabilities. We conducted a quantitative descriptive design using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis.…

ASL Handshape Stories, Word Recognition and Signing Deaf Readers: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gietz, Merrilee R.

2013-01-01

The effectiveness of using American Sign Language (ASL) handshape stories to teach word recognition in whole stories using a descriptive case study approach was explored. Four profoundly deaf children ages 7 to 8, enrolled in a self-contained deaf education classroom in a public school in the south participated in the story time five-week…

Teachers' Accounts of Their Perceptions and Practices of Providing Written Feedback to Nursing Students on Their Assignments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iqbal, Sajid; Gul, Raisa; Lakhani, Arusa; Rizvi, Nusrat Fatima

2014-01-01

Written feedback can facilitate students' learning in several ways. However, the teachers' practices of written feedback may be affected by various factors. This study aimed to explore the nurse teachers' accounts of their perceptions and practices of providing written feedback. A descriptive exploratory design was employed in the study. A…

Ethical responsibilities in nursing: research findings and issues.

PubMed

Cassidy, V R

1991-01-01

Discussions in the literature assert that nurses are becoming increasingly cognizant of their ethical responsibilities, but that they are often ill prepared to participate in ethical decision making. A review of selected research literature from 1970 to 1987 was undertaken to validate these assertions. A total of 12 studies related to ethical responsibilities was identified in the review; all studies were published between 1980 and 1987. The majority of studies were at the descriptive and exploratory levels and employed Kohlberg's cognitive theory of moral development as their conceptual framework. Significant findings related to educational level and ethical responsibilities were consistent across studies. Findings related to age and clinical experience were mixed; the effects of economic level, religion-religiosity, ethnicity, and other variables on ethical responsibilities were not significant. Issues raised in the light of the existing research include the use of Kohlberg's theory as a conceptual orientation in nursing groups and limited data on the reliability and validity of instruments used in measuring ethical constructs. Recommendations for future research on ethical responsibilities include the validation of Kohlberg's theory for nursing investigations, exploration of other frameworks for developing a multidimensional view of ethical responsibilities, and the use of qualitative research designs.

Increasing Participation in Genomic Research and Biobanking Through Community-Based Capacity Building

PubMed Central

Cohn, Elizabeth Gross; Husamudeen, Maryam; Larson, Elaine L.; Williams, Janet K.

2016-01-01

Achieving equitable minority representation in genomic biobanking is one of the most difficult challenges faced by researchers today. Capacity building—a framework for research that includes collaborations and on-going engagement—can be used to help researchers, clinicians and communities better understand the process, utility, and clinical application of genomic science. The purpose of this exploratory descriptive study was to examine factors that influence the decision to participate in genomic research, and identify essential components of capacity building with a community at risk of being under-represented in biobanks. Results of focus groups conducted in Central Harlem with 46 participants were analyzed by a collaborative team of community and academic investigators using content analysis and AtlisTi. Key themes identified were: (1) the potential contribution of biobanking to individual and community health, for example the effect of the environment on health, (2) the societal context of the science, such as DNA criminal databases and paternity testing, that may affect the decision to participate, and (3) the researchers’ commitment to community health as an outcome of capacity building. These key factors can contribute to achieving equity in biobank participation, and guide genetic specialists in biobank planning and implementation. PMID:25228357

"Exploratory experimentation" as a probe into the relation between historiography and philosophy of science.

PubMed

Schickore, Jutta

2016-02-01

This essay utilizes the concept "exploratory experimentation" as a probe into the relation between historiography and philosophy of science. The essay traces the emergence of the historiographical concept "exploratory experimentation" in the late 1990s. The reconstruction of the early discussions about exploratory experimentation shows that the introduction of the concept had unintended consequences: Initially designed to debunk philosophical ideas about theory testing, the concept "exploratory experimentation" quickly exposed the poverty of our conceptual tools for the analysis of experimental practice. Looking back at a number of detailed analyses of experimental research, we can now appreciate that the concept of exploratory experimentation is too vague and too elusive to fill the desideratum whose existence it revealed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploratory Usability Testing of User Interface Options in LibGuides 2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thorngate, Sarah; Hoden, Allison

2017-01-01

Online research guides offer librarians a way to provide digital researchers with point-of-need support. If these guides are to support student learning well, it is critical that they provide an effective user experience. This article details the results of an exploratory comparison study that tested three key user interface options in LibGuides…

An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Italian High School Students Who Receive Private Tutoring in Mathematics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rega, Andrea

2012-01-01

My purpose for this exploratory qualitative research was to gain insights into the perceptions of high school students in Italy who receive private tutoring in mathematics, about their experience and expectations. Little prior research from the perspective of the students has been conducted. Results suggest that some students use private tutoring…

Emotional and Narrative Responses of Students to Targeted Educational Experiences: An Exploratory Study Employing the Use of Emotional Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mudge, Suzanne D.; Grinnan, Cullen T.; Priesmeyer, H. Richard

2006-01-01

Current educational research suggests that emotions can either enhance or inhibit the ability to learn, with social and cultural influences causing changes in behavior and altering biological processes. In this exploratory study researchers utilized a qualitative design to seek insight into student emotions associated with school attitude and…

Action Research as an Approach to Integrating Sustainability into MBA Programs: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benn, Suzanne; Dunphy, Dexter

2009-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory project that employed an action research approach to integrating sustainability into core subjects in the MBA program at an Australian university. It documents the change methodology used, the theoretical basis for this choice, and the project outcomes. It then identifies some key enabling factors and…

Policy and Persistence: An Exploratory Mixed Methods Case Study of "Last Mile" Students at Portland State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wubbold, Joseph Mark

2012-01-01

In an extension of educational attainment research, this exploratory mixed- methods case study examines the influence of institutional policies on the behavior of five cohorts (n = 925) of traditional first time, full time (FTFT) freshmen--called "Last Mile" students--at one urban research university located in the Pacific Northwest.…

A Social Approach to Decision-Making Capacity: Exploratory Research with People with Experience of Mental Health Treatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDaid, Shari; Delaney, Sarah

2011-01-01

This paper reports on exploratory, qualitative research conducted with eight people with experience of mental health treatment about their understanding of decision-making capacity. While acknowledging that there are times when mental or emotional distress can interfere with the capacity to make decisions, participants described how their capacity…

Results from an Exploratory Study of Sun Protection Practice: Implications for the Design of Health Promotion Messages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eadie, Douglas; MacAskill, Susan

2007-01-01

Purpose: The primary aim of the research reported here is to provide strategic guidance for the development of a national communication strategy to improve sun protection practice amongst young people. Design/methodology/approach: The research adopted an exploratory approach, employing qualitative focus groups to represent three population groups,…

Intra-abdominal pressure: an integrative review

PubMed Central

Milanesi, Rafaela; Caregnato, Rita Catalina Aquino

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT There is a growing request for measuring intra-abdominal pressure in critically ill patients with acute abdominal pain to be clarified. Summarizing the research results on measurement of vesical intra-abdominal pressure and analyzing the level of evidence were the purposes of this integrative literature review, carried out based on the databases LILACS, MEDLINE and PubMed, from 2005 to July 2012. Twenty articles were identified, in that, 12 literature reviews, 4 descriptive and exploratory studies, 2 expert opinions, one prospective cohort study and one was an experience report. The vesical intra-abdominal pressure measurement was considered gold standard. There are variations in the technique however, but some common points were identified: complete supine position, in absence of abdominal contracture, in the end of expiration and expressed in mmHg. Most research results indicate keeping the transducer zeroed at the level of the mid-axillary line at the iliac crest level, and instill 25mL of sterile saline. Strong evidence must be developed. PMID:26958978

Realidad Latina: Latino adolescents, their school, and a university use photovoice to examine and address the influence of immigration.

PubMed

Streng, J Matt; Rhodes, Scott D; Ayala, Guadalupe X; Eng, Eugenia; Arceo, Ramiro; Phipps, Selena

2004-11-01

Over the past 10 years, growth of the Latino population in the United States has been most rapid in North Carolina. Project Realidad Latina (Latino Reality) was a qualitative exploratory study conducted to gain insight into the immigration experiences of 10 newly-arrived Latino adolescents living in rural North Carolina (NC). The study followed a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach and used the photovoice method. Over a one-year period, adolescents partnered with public health practitioners and researchers in: generating photo-assignments, taking photographs based on these assignments, using the photographs for photo-discussions, and defining themes based on these photo-discussions. A photograph exhibition and community forum raised awareness among local decision-makers and community members of the issues and assets of Latino adolescents and initiated a process toward change. From the participants' words and photographs emerged contextual descriptions of issues that both challenged and facilitated their adaptation and quality of life in their school and community. Likewise, implications from the findings and the nature of the CBPR approach for future Latino adolescent health intervention research are presented.

Using the Framework for Health Promotion Action to address staff perceptions of occupational health and safety at a fly-in/fly-out mine in north-west Queensland.

PubMed

Devine, Susan G; Muller, Reinhold; Carter, Anthony

2008-12-01

An exploratory descriptive study was undertaken to identify staff perceptions of the types and sources of occupational health and safety hazards at a remote fly-in-fly-out minerals extraction and processing plant in northwest Queensland. Ongoing focus groups with all sectors of the operation were conducted concurrently with quantitative research studies from 2001 to 2005. Action research processes were used with management and staff to develop responses to identified issues. Staff identified and generated solutions to the core themes of: health and safety policies and procedures; chemical exposures; hydration and fatigue. The Framework for Health Promotion Action was applied to ensure a comprehensive and holistic response to identified issues. Participatory processes using an action research framework enabled a deep understanding of staff perceptions of occupational health and safety hazards in this setting. The Framework for Health Promotion provided a relevant and useful tool to engage with staff and develop solutions to perceived occupational health and safety issues in the workplace.

The TIMSS Videotape Classroom Study: Methods and Findings from an Exploratory Research Project on Eighth-Grade Mathematics Instruction in Germany, Japan, and the United States. A Research and Development Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stigler, James W.; Gonzales, Patrick; Kwanaka, Takako; Knoll, Steffen; Serrano, Ana

This report presents the methods and preliminary findings of the Videotape Classroom Study, a video study of eighth-grade mathematics lessons in Germany, Japan, and the United States. This exploratory research project is part of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The study included 231 eighth-grade mathematics…

Participative management in health care services.

PubMed

Muller, M

1995-03-01

The need and demand for the highest-quality management of all health care delivery activities requires a participative management approach. The purpose with this article is to explore the process of participative management, to generate and describe a model for such management, focusing mainly on the process of participative management, and to formulate guidelines for operationalization of the procedure. An exploratory, descriptive and theory-generating research design is pursued. After a brief literature review, inductive reasoning is mainly employed to identify and define central concepts, followed by the formulation of a few applicable statements and guidelines. Participative management is viewed as a process of that constitutes the elements of dynamic interactive decision-making and problem-solving, shared governance, empowerment, organisational transformation, and dynamic communication within the health care organisation. The scientific method of assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation is utilised throughout the process of participative management. A continuum of interactive decision-making and problem-solving is described, the different role-players involved, as well as the levels of interactive decision-making and problem-solving. The most appropriate decision-making strategy should be employed in pro-active and reactive decision-making. Applicable principles and assumptions in each element of participative management is described. It is recommended that this proposed model for participative management be refined by means of a literature control, interactive dialogue with experts and a model case description or participative management, to ensure the trustworthiness of this research.

An exploratory study of sexual assertiveness and characteristics of African American women in negotiating condom use at an HBCU.

PubMed

Jenkins, Chalice C; Kennedy, Bernice Roberts

2013-01-01

The transmission of HIV/AIDS among African American women through heterosexual sex is an epidemic. Critical themes extracted from the HIV/AIDS sexual assertiveness literature revealed that: (a) sexual assertiveness is related to HIV risk, (b) sexual assertiveness is related to communication, and (c) women with low sexual assertiveness are at risk for HIV. This descriptive study sought to answer the following research question: What do young adult college attending African American women self-report about asking information about their partner's sexual history? The multifaceted model of HIV risk is the theoretical framework which guided this descriptive study. A basic tenet of the multifaceted model of HIV risk is that there is no single predictor of women's HIV risk behavior. Results revealed that 104 young adult college attending African American women who volunteered to attend a one day HIV prevention training overall scored high on a Sexual Assertive Scale on subscales of Information Communication, Refusal, and Pregnancy/STD Prevention Subscale, and scored in the medium range on the Initiation Subscales. The Information Communication and Pregnancy/ STD Prevention Subscale received the highest scores. More research is needed targeting diverse African American females with different socioeconomic status, various locations, and educated to determine their sexual assertiveness with partners which are essential in developing specific programs for diverse groups of African American females.

Rotation Criteria and Hypothesis Testing for Exploratory Factor Analysis: Implications for Factor Pattern Loadings and Interfactor Correlations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schmitt, Thomas A.; Sass, Daniel A.

2011-01-01

Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) has long been used in the social sciences to depict the relationships between variables/items and latent traits. Researchers face many choices when using EFA, including the choice of rotation criterion, which can be difficult given that few research articles have discussed and/or demonstrated their differences.…

Is Counseling Going to the Dogs? An Exploratory Study Related to the Inclusion of an Animal in Group Counseling with Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lange, Amber M.; Cox, Jane A.; Bernert, Donna J.; Jenkins, Christie D.

2007-01-01

Research has demonstrated that the use of animals in counseling provides beneficial effects to clients. This article presents literature on Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), and details an exploratory study that applied AAT in an adolescent anger management group. Consistent with other research, beneficial effects noted in this study included a…

[Comprehension of community healthcare agents on the National Humanization Policy].

PubMed

Zanfolim, Leila Cristiane; de Fáccio Azevedo, Ana Carolina; de Almeida Santos, Lara; Buriola, Aline Aparecida

2015-09-01

To identify the comprehension of Community Healthcare Agents on the National Humanization Policy (NHP), as well as to analyze whether they recognize healthcare actions developed in their daily lives, as those established by the NHP. Exploratory and descriptive qualitative research, conducted between June and September 2013, with 15 Community Healthcare Agents of the Family Health Strategy Program in a city located in the West of Sao Paulo state. The data collection was conducted through individual interviews, using a semi-structured script and submitted to content analysis. Two categories emerged: "Superficial knowledge: an obstacle to the construction of humanized care" and "Actions of humanized health: trying to get closer". The basic concepts of NHP are part of the knowledge of these professionals, but the understanding they possess is superficial, which directly affects the actions provided to the community.

Survey Design: To Ask or Not to Ask? That is the Question...

PubMed

Sinkowitz-Cochran, Ronda L

2013-04-01

Surveys are one of the most frequent modes of observation and measurement. Survey research can be exploratory, descriptive, and/or explanatory. Modes of survey administration vary and include face-to-face, telephone, mail, and Internet. There are numerous considerations that that must be taken into account when designing and conducting a survey. Deciding what information is needed and why is important when developing questions for a survey; it is essential to define the purpose of the survey and to be as specific as possible in terms of the data to be collected. Response rate varies by target audience and is influenced by a number of factors such as incentives, survey length, and perceived burden. From question development to survey construction, the goal is to minimize measurement error with systematic planning and execution.

Acceptability and usability of a telepresence robot for geriatric primary care: A pilot.

PubMed

Vermeersch, Patricia; Sampsel, Debi D; Kleman, Carolyn

2015-01-01

The dual challenge of increasing numbers of older adults and overall increases in those with some form of insurance is driving the need to develop and evaluate novel methods of primary care delivery such as telehealth. The goal of this study was to explore the acceptability and usability of a remote presence robot (RPR) in a simulated primary care wellness encounter for older adults. A descriptive exploratory study was used to determine the acceptability and usability of the RPR operated by an APRN 250 miles from 13 older adults residing in a high rise during a simulated primary care visit. The results support previous research that technology such as the RPR can be both acceptable and useful for an older adult and primary care provider but only in certain circumstances. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Leadership in nursing: analysis of the process of choosing the heads.

PubMed

de Moura, Gisela Maria Schebella Souto; de Magalhaes, Ana Maria Müller; Dall'agnol, Clarice Maria; Juchem, Beatriz Cavalcanti; Marona, Daniela dos Santos

2010-01-01

The process of choosing heads can be strategic to achieve desired results in nursing care. This study presents an exploratory and descriptive research that aims to analyze the process of choosing heads for the ward, in the nursing area of a teaching hospital in Porto Alegre. Data was collected from registered nurses, technicians and nursing auxiliaries through a semi-structured interview technique and free choice of words. Three theme categories emerged from content analysis: process of choosing heads, managerial competences of the head-to-be and team articulation. Leadership was the word most frequently associated with the process of choosing heads. The consultation process for the choice of the leader also contributes to the success of the manager, as it makes the team members feel co-responsible for the results achieved and legitimizes the head-to-be in their group.

Graduate Counseling Students' Levels of Ego Development, Wellness, and Psychological Disturbance: An Exploratory Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambie, Glenn W.; Smith, Heather L.; Ieva, Kara P.

2009-01-01

The authors report the findings of a descriptive, correlational study of 111 graduate counseling students' levels of ego development (L. X. Hy & J. Loevinger, 1996), wellness (J. E. Myers & T. J. Sweeney, 2005), and psychological disturbance (M. J. Lambert et al., 2004). Higher levels of ego maturity were associated with higher wellness scores.…

Bullying and Cyberbullying among Deaf Students and Their Hearing Peers: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bauman, Sheri; Pero, Heather

2011-01-01

A questionnaire on bullying and cyberbullying was administered to 30 secondary students (Grades 7-12) in a charter school for the Deaf and hard of hearing and a matched group of 22 hearing students in a charter secondary school on the same campus. Because the sample size was small and distributions non-normal, results are primarily descriptive and…

Heading toward the Finish Line: Effects of PLATO[R] Online Courses on Credit Recovery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luopa, Patricia E.

2010-01-01

Students who have failed a core course that is required for graduation often re-take the course they failed. In recent years, school districts have been using on-line courses for the purpose of allowing their students to recover the credits they need. This study was an ex post facto exploratory examination of descriptive and inferential statistics…

Factors Associated with Adolescent Physical Activity during Middle School Physical Education: A One-Year Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Senne, Terry; Rowe, David; Boswell, Boni; Decker, James; Douglas, Shaun

2009-01-01

The purpose of this descriptive component of a larger, exploratory case study was to examine associations among lesson contexts, teacher behaviors, and adolescent physical activity over a year of physical education (PE) at one school. Middle school students (n = 206) and their PE teachers (n = 4) were observed twice-weekly across one academic…

The Identity Development and Coming out Process of Gay Youth in Puerto Rico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fankhanel, Edward H.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to gather basic exploratory-descriptive data regarding the self-perceptions and behaviors of Puerto Rican gay youth (16 to 24 years old) during their gay identity development and coming out process. The study was conducted in Puerto Rico to eliminate ethnic minority influences that may be present in Puerto Rican gay…

Postbaccalaureate Reverse Transfer Students in Iowa: An Expanded Look at Community College Students with Previous Degrees Earned

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedel, Janice Nahra; Friesleben, Kelly L.

2017-01-01

Postbaccalaureate reverse transfer students (PRTSs) are students that enroll at a community college after completion of at least a bachelor's degree. This study expanded the definition of PRTSs by including students that had completed an associate's degree prior to enrolling at a community college. This report is an exploratory, descriptive study…

An Analysis of Water Safety Behaviors among Migrant and Economically/Educationally Disadvantaged Middle School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sbarbaro, Victor S.; Enyeart Smith, Theresa M.

2011-01-01

This water safety study was both descriptive and exploratory in nature. The purpose was for middle school students to assess their own water safety experiences and to help school decision-makers determine the extent of drowning/water accidents. In July 2009, a water safety survey was administered to 122 students participating in the local Summer…

An Exploratory Analysis of the Navy Personnel Support Delivery Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

technology-competent generation. Our efforts are focused on providing a quantitative effort to understanding past trends in Personnel Support Detachment (PSD... quantitative effort to understanding past trends in Personnel Support Detachment (PSD) and Customer Service Desk (CSD) transactions that may aid manpower...56 xiv THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK xv LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Final Dataset Column Names and Descriptions

Characterizations of Social-Based and Self-Based Contexts Associated with Students' Awareness, Evaluation, and Regulation of Their Thinking during Small-Group Mathematical Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magiera, Marta T.; Zawojewski, Judith S.

2011-01-01

This exploratory study focused on characterizing problem-solving situations associated with spontaneous metacognitive activity. The results came from connected case studies of a group of 3 purposefully selected 9th-grade students working collaboratively on a series of 5 modeling problems. Students' descriptions of their own thinking during…

Graphics, Playability and Social Interaction, the Greatest Motivations for Playing Call of Duty. Educational Reflections

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcano Lárez, Beatriz Elena

2014-01-01

War videogames raise a lot of controversy in the educational field and are by far the most played videogames worldwide. This study explores the factors that encouraged gamers to choose war videogames with a sample of 387 Call of Duty players. The motivational factors were pinpointed using a non-experimental descriptive exploratory study through an…

Influencers on quality of life as reported by people living with dementia in long-term care: a descriptive exploratory approach.

PubMed

Moyle, Wendy; Fetherstonhaugh, Deirdre; Greben, Melissa; Beattie, Elizabeth

2015-04-23

Over half of the residents in long-term care have a diagnosis of dementia. Maintaining quality of life is important, as there is no cure for dementia. Quality of life may be used as a benchmark for caregiving, and can help to enhance respect for the person with dementia and to improve care provision. The purpose of this study was to describe quality of life as reported by people living with dementia in long-term care in terms of the influencers of, as well as the strategies needed, to improve quality of life. A descriptive exploratory approach. A subsample of twelve residents across two Australian states from a national quantitative study on quality of life was interviewed. Data were analysed thematically from a realist perspective. The approach to the thematic analysis was inductive and data-driven. Three themes emerged in relation to influencers and strategies related to quality of life: (a) maintaining independence, (b) having something to do, and (c) the importance of social interaction. The findings highlight the importance of understanding individual resident needs and consideration of the complexity of living in large group living situations, in particular in regard to resident decision-making.

Role and working conditions of nurses in public health in Mexico and Peru: a binational qualitative study.

PubMed

De Córdova, Maria Isabel Peñarrietade; Mier, Nelda; Quirarte, Nora Hilda Gonzales; Gómez, Tranquilina Gutiérrez; Piñones, Socorro; Borda, Alejandro

2013-11-01

This exploratory study conducted in Mexico and Peru investigated nurses' perceptions about their role in public health and working conditions. Health reform efforts in many countries are redefining the role of health professionals in public health. Little is known about the role of nurses working in public health contexts in Latin America. Fourteen focus groups were conducted in Mexico and Peru with 82 nurses working in government-sponsored community health centres. Data were analysed using a content analysis technique. Themes identified were: nurses' job descriptions in public health settings; organisational factors influencing the nurses' work, and influence of academic and social image factors. Management barriers and limited training influences the role and working conditions of public health nurses in Mexico and Peru. The professional role of nurses working in public health in Latin America is not well defined because of the health-care system infrastructure and the lack of a clear public health nurse job description. Further research is needed to better understand the role of public health nurses and strengthen their training, particularly in relation to nursing management encompassing abilities for decision-making processes and public health program planning and evaluation. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Modified Petri net model sensitivity to workload manipulations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, S. A.; Mackinnon, D. P.; Lyman, J.

1986-01-01

Modified Petri Nets (MPNs) are investigated as a workload modeling tool. The results of an exploratory study of the sensitivity of MPNs to work load manipulations in a dual task are described. Petri nets have been used to represent systems with asynchronous, concurrent and parallel activities (Peterson, 1981). These characteristics led some researchers to suggest the use of Petri nets in workload modeling where concurrent and parallel activities are common. Petri nets are represented by places and transitions. In the workload application, places represent operator activities and transitions represent events. MPNs have been used to formally represent task events and activities of a human operator in a man-machine system. Some descriptive applications demonstrate the usefulness of MPNs in the formal representation of systems. It is the general hypothesis herein that in addition to descriptive applications, MPNs may be useful for workload estimation and prediction. The results are reported of the first of a series of experiments designed to develop and test a MPN system of workload estimation and prediction. This first experiment is a screening test of MPN model general sensitivity to changes in workload. Positive results from this experiment will justify the more complicated analyses and techniques necessary for developing a workload prediction system.

Safety culture in the operating room of a public hospital in the perception of healthcare professionals1

PubMed Central

Carvalho, Paloma Aparecida; Göttems, Leila Bernarda Donato; Pires, Maria Raquel Gomes Maia; de Oliveira, Maria Liz Cunha

2015-01-01

Objective: to evaluate the perception of healthcare professionals about the safety culture in the operating room of a public hospital, large-sized, according to the domains of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ). Method: descriptive, cross-sectional and quantitative research, with the application of the SAQ to 226 professionals. Descriptive data analysis, instrument consistency and exploratory factor analysis. Results: participants were distributed homogeneously between females (49.6%) and males (50.4%); mean age of 39.6 (SD±9.9) years and length of professional experience of 9.9 (SD±9.2) years. And Cronbach's ( of 0.84. It was identified six domains proposed in the questionnaire: stress perception (74.5) and job satisfaction (70.7) showed satisfactory results; teamwork environment (59.1) and climate of security (48.9) presented scores below the minimum recommended (75); unit's management perceptions (44.5), hospital management perceptions (34.9) and working conditions (41.9) presented the lowest averages. Conclusions: the results showed that, from the perspective of the professionals, there is weakness in the values, attitudes, skills and behaviors that determine the safety culture in a healthcare organization. PMID:26625994

Facilitating Exploratory Learning in Schools through Virtual Worlds: Experiences from a Course Run at a School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iqbal, Ahmer

2012-01-01

The following paper examines the results of a research study in which a virtual world, Quest Atlantis (QA), was used to engage students in exploratory learning to teach about water quality issues. The main aim of the research was to find out how new digital learning environments and educational technology, such as virtual worlds, can be introduced…

Australasian emergency nurses' willingness to attend work in a disaster: a survey.

PubMed

Arbon, Paul; Ranse, Jamie; Cusack, Lynette; Considine, Julie; Shaban, Ramon Z; Woodman, Richard J; Bahnisch, Laura; Kako, Mayumi; Hammad, Karen; Mitchell, Belinda

2013-05-01

The type of disaster, individual demographic factors, family factors and workplace factors, have been identified in the international, multidisciplinary literature as factors that influence a person's willingness to attend and assist in their workplace during a disaster. However, it is unknown if these factors are applicable to Australasian emergency nurses. The research aims to determine the extent to which Australasian emergency nurses are willing to attend their workplace in a disaster. This research was exploratory and descriptive study design, using online and paper based surveys as a means of data collection. Australasian emergency nurses from two Australasian emergency nursing colleges and four Australian hospitals were recruited to participate. Data analysis was conducted using both descriptive and inferential statistics. In total, 451 Australasian emergency nurses participated in this research. Participants were more willing to attend their workplace during a conventional disaster (p ≤ 0.001), if they worked full-time (p = 0.01), had received formal education pertaining to disasters (p ≤ 0.001), had a family disaster plan (p = 0.008), did not have children (p = 0.001) and worked in an environment in which they perceived their colleagues, managers and organisation to be prepared. The factors that influenced Australasian emergency nurses to attend their workplace in a disaster were similar to that described in the international multidisciplinary literature. Of particular note, improving disaster knowledge and skills, having a family disaster plan and improving the perceptions of the nurses' workplace preparedness can enhance the nurses' willingness to assist in a disaster. Copyright © 2013 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Missional Imaginations for Theological Education: Mixed Model, Exploratory, Action-Oriented Research Mapping the Theological Identity and Organizational Readiness for Change of Five Theological School Systems in the United States Originating after 1945

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Kyle J. A.

2009-01-01

This dissertation explores the formal theologies and organizational readiness for change with a view towards adopting missional prototypes for theological education across a school's (system's) tradition, curriculum, and structure. The research assessed five theological schools in the United States through an exploratory, action-oriented,…

Enhancing rigor and practice of scoping reviews in social policy research: considerations from a worked example on the Americans with disabilities act.

PubMed

Harris, Sarah Parker; Gould, Robert; Fujiura, Glenn

2015-01-01

There is increasing theoretical consideration about the use of systematic and scoping reviews of evidence in informing disability and rehabilitation research and practice. Indicative of this trend, this journal published a piece by Rumrill, Fitzgerald and Merchant in 2010 explaining the utility and process for conducting reviews of intervention-based research. There is still need to consider how to apply such rigor when conducting more exploratory reviews of heterogeneous research. This article explores the challenges, benefits, and procedures for conducting rigorous exploratory scoping reviews of diverse evidence. The article expands upon Rumrill, Fitzgerald and Merchant's framework and considers its application to more heterogeneous evidence on the impact of social policy. A worked example of a scoping review of the Americans with Disabilities Act is provided with a procedural framework for conducting scoping reviews on the effects of a social policy. The need for more nuanced techniques for enhancing rigor became apparent during the review process. There are multiple methodological steps that can enhance the utility of exploratory scoping reviews. The potential of systematic consideration during the exploratory review process is shown as a viable method to enhance the rigor in reviewing diverse bodies of evidence.

Faculty Provisions of Accommodations for Students with Disabilities in Higher Education: An Analysis of Community College Faculty in the Traditional, Hybrid, and Online Mathematics Course Teaching Environments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mongiovi, Kelly Anne

2012-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory descriptive study was to examine the mathematics faculty provisions of accommodations for students with disabilities within a Florida Community College. Both developmental and college level mathematics courses were included in this study. This study examined courses taught in the traditional, hybrid, and online…

The Openness of the University of the Philippines Open University: Issues and Prospects

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Villamejor-Mendoza, Maria Fe

2013-01-01

This paper is a self-reflection on the state of openness of the University of the Philippines Open University (UPOU). An exploratory and descriptive study, it aims not only to define the elements of openness of UPOU, but also to unravel the causes and solutions to the issues and concerns that limit its options to becoming a truly open university.…

Coping with Multiple Innovations in Schools: An Exploratory Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wallace, Mike

1991-01-01

Reviews small-scale, exploratory research into British schools' management of concurrent educational reform innovations generated by government, local education authorities, and the schools themselves. Describes changing innovations patterns, key factors influencing their adoption and implementation, the central management strategies employed, and…

The holistic nursing care of patients with minor injuries attending the A&E department.

PubMed

Olive, Philippa

2003-01-01

Philosophy, theoretical frameworks, and concepts of nursing are applied to the particular context of accident and emergency nursing. From this the research question evolves; the researcher seeks to explore the accident and emergency nurses' perceptions of the concept of holistic nursing care, a concept that is included within their department's philosophy for nursing. An ethnographic approach is applied to the research to gather rich descriptive data through exploratory interviews. The data were collected and analysed simultaneously, categories of data were developed, and these are presented here in the findings. The categories were scrutinised for patterns, similarities, and dissimilarities between the data; recurrent themes emerge. These themes shed light upon the meanings of holism in care to the respondents and offer an understanding of their cultural systems that affect the provision of holistic nursing care, these are discussed and analysed within the contexts of the existing knowledge base. The study identifies issues that adversely affect the provision of holistic nursing care, notably fragmentation of care, dissemination of nursing information, and privacy. The implications for practice are discussed, and recommendations include action research for practical issues and further research into the provision of holistic nursing care incorporating the perceptions of patients who receive care in this setting.

Comparisons of Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniel, Larry G.

Historically, most researchers conducting factor analysis have used exploratory methods. However, more recently, confirmatory factor analytic methods have been developed that can directly test theory either during factor rotation using "best fit" rotation methods or during factor extraction, as with the LISREL computer programs developed…

A Restorative Justice Approach to Empathy Development in Sex Offenders: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roseman, Christopher P.; Ritchie, Martin; Laux, John M.

2009-01-01

The authors describe an exploratory study in sex offender treatment using a restorative justice approach to examine the shame, guilt, and empathy development of convicted sexual offenders. Implications for clinical practice and future research are highlighted. (Contains 3 tables.)

Description of the US Army small-scale 2-meter rotor test system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Phelps, Arthur E., III; Berry, John D.

1987-01-01

A small-scale powered rotor model was designed for use as a research tool in the exploratory testing of rotors and helicopter models. The model, which consists of a 29 hp rotor drive system, a four-blade fully articulated rotor, and a fuselage, was designed to be simple to operate and maintain in wind tunnels of moderate size and complexity. Two six-component strain-gauge balances are used to provide independent measurement of the rotor and fuselage aerodynamic loads. Commercially available standardized hardware and equipment were used to the maximum extent possible, and specialized parts were designed so that they could be fabricated by normal methods without using highly specialized tooling. The model was used in a hover test of three rotors having different planforms and in a forward flight investigation of a 21-percent-scale model of a U.S. Army scout helicopter equipped with a mast-mounted sight.

Faculty application of the American Psychological Association style.

PubMed

Morse, Gwen Goetz

2009-10-01

This article explores current faculty methods with the application and evaluation of the American Psychological Association (APA) style. Specific aims were to determine concerns related to APA style, review faculty grading practices, identify institutional resources, and report potential solutions for improving application of APA style. A survey with an exploratory descriptive research design was developed and distributed online to academic chairs and deans, requesting their support in distributing the survey to their faculty. Responses (N = 704) were grouped into five categories: departmental and personal concerns; faculty grading practices; institutional resources; format, writing style, and grammar; and suggestions and potential solutions. Sixty percent reported that application and evaluation of APA style is a concern in their department. Content analysis identified four categories as proposed solutions: consistency, education, resources, and dialogue. On the basis of the feedback of the participants, the CRED program is proposed for the issues that were identified. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

Female Sexual Homicide Offenders: A Descriptive and Comparative Study.

PubMed

Skott, Sara; Beauregard, Eric; Darjee, Rajan

2018-04-23

Research on female sexual homicide has been very scarce. In Europe, it has rarely been examined, and in Scotland, it has never previously been studied. This exploratory study aims to examine the characteristics of sexual homicides involving female offenders between 1990 and 2015 in Scotland. Using data from the Scottish Homicide Database between 1990 and 2015, female sexual homicides (n = 7) were compared to nonsexual homicides committed by females (n = 106) and to sexual homicides committed by men (n = 89) using Fisher's exact tests. The findings show that although female sexual homicide offenders are similar to both female nonsexual homicide offenders and male sexual homicide offenders in certain aspects, there are important differences that distinguish sexual homicides involving female offenders from both groups. Female sexual homicide offenders can arguably be seen as a distinct group of offenders, with specific characteristics and specific needs. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

[Types of medical registries - definitions, methodological aspects and quality of the scientific work with registries].

PubMed

Mathis-Edenhofer, Stefan; Piso, Brigitte

2011-12-01

This work presents a comprehensive list of registry definitions including broader and narrower definitions. Compared to each other different methodological issues can be identified. Some of these issues are common for all registry types; some can be assigned more easily to a specific registry type. Instruments for evaluating the quality of registers reflect many of the mentioned aspects. Generally, and especially at registers with a descriptive or exploratory research dimension it is important to consider their intended purpose and in about it was achieved. This includes, for instance, whether the purpose and the methodology are coordinated. From the start of registration an initiator should be - based on the purpose - aware of the methodological dimension of the registry. This helps to apply the correct type of the registry, the appropriate guidance and, ultimately, the arguments for the effort (cost-benefit ratio).

[Benefits from the use of toys during nursing care delivered to hospitalized children].

PubMed

Jansen, Michele Ferraz; dos Santos, Rosane Maria; Favero, Luciane

2010-06-01

It is a qualitative research study, descriptive-exploratory in nature, which aims to verify the benefits from the use of toys during nursing care to hospitalized children. Ten subjects participated in the study: three children and seven mothers of hospitalized children. Data were collected between May and July, 2008 by means of specific instruments for each age group and further organized in thematic categories: the use of toys to lessen hospitalization stress; toys facilitating understanding and acceptance of procedures; and the experience of using toys and hospitalization process. The results show that the use of toys is an excellent nursing resource to render care to admitted children. The features of the toys facilitated communication, participation, acceptance of procedure and child motivation, what enabled them to keep their individuality, lessen the stress and the possibility to implement children's and families' non-traumatic care.

Quality of life of older adults in Canada and Norway: examining the Iowa model.

PubMed

Low, Gail; Molzahn, Anita E; Kalfoss, Mary

2008-06-01

In this study, Glick and Tripp-Reimer's (1996) Iowa model for gerontological nursing serves as a guiding framework for a descriptive exploratory study of quality of life (QOL) of older adults. Using secondary data, the authors explored whether the effects of health appraisal, morbidities, social support transitions (SST), and the environment on QOL would be partly mediated by cognitive developmental transitions (CDT). Data sets were available from studies with random samples of community-dwelling older adults from Canada (n = 202) and Norway (n = 490). The partly and fully mediated effects found suggest positive CDT in older age might be significantly enhanced by the presence of intimate ties, positive perceptions of one's health limitations, and residence in a healthy, safe, and resource-rich physical environment. These findings represent a novel attempt at testing complex linkages between aspects of elder, environment, and nursing concepts within the Iowa model warranting further research.

The importance of systematic inquiry in nursing research: An example; women and recovery from acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Hamilton, G A

1991-01-01

A review of the literature related to recovery from acute myocardial after discharge from the hospital revealed that very little is known about the recovery period in women. The recovery period has been studied in men with the major focus on cardiac rehabilitation, return to work, and sexual activity. In this descriptive exploratory study women were compared to men in these three areas of recovery within 3 to 9 months after discharge from the hospital. There were statistically significant differences in the following areas: marital status, more women were widowed or single; women had more responsibility for household duties after acute myocardial infarction, a decrease in frequency of sexual activity, and more reports of chest pain during sexual activity. Subjects reported little or no counselling by nurses with regard to cardiac rehabilitation, return to work or household duties, and resumption of sexual activity.

Self-care of elderly people after the diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

PubMed

Araujo, Graciela Machado de; Leite, Marinês Tambara; Hildebrandt, Leila Mariza; Oliveski, Cinthia Cristina; Beuter, Margrid

2018-01-01

to characterize the seropositive elderly for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in their socio-demographic aspects; to understand how the elderly take care of themselves from the diagnosis of HIV/AIDS. Qualitative, descriptive, exploratory research conducted at a Voluntary Counseling and Testing Center with 10 elderly people receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS. The data were analyzed according to the content analysis. Data show the elderly people's lack of knowledge about HIV/AIDS transmission, the experience of being elderly and having HIV/AIDS, caring for oneself and life after diagnosis of HIV/AIDS in their daily lives. Final considerations: The diagnosis of HIV/AIDS seropositivity in the elderly generates a blend of feelings and fears that lead to food changes, adherence to treatment and the renunciation of daily and social habits, manifested as ways of self-care.

[Promotion in mental health, nursing creating and intervening with children's stories].

PubMed

Braga, Gimene Cardozo; Silveira, Esalba Maria; Coimbra, Valéria Cristina Christello; Porto, Adrize Rutz

2011-03-01

This paper refers to the importance of the childish stories as an instrument for the nursing action and the mental health promotion in childhood. The objective was to veriyj the recognition of the children's emotions, through stories specific to health. This is a descriptive-exploratory study of a qualitative nature, conducted in seven groups meetings with six children aged seven to ten years in an outpatient childish mental health. In the data collection the following were used as instruments: six fairy tales, the play of emotions, emotional faces, drawings, paintings and clay sculptures. Thematic analysis was used in which the following emerged, the recognition of emotions. The children recognized four basics emotions: sadness, joy, fear and anger. It was found in the study that the creation of contextualized stories and the strategy of storytelling group may be useful as a tool for research and qualification of nursing actions, to promote children's mental health.

Multidisciplinary team of intensive therapy: humanization and fragmentation of the work process.

PubMed

Evangelista, Viviane Canhizares; Domingos, Thiago da Silva; Siqueira, Fernanda Paula Cerântola; Braga, Eliana Mara

2016-01-01

to understand the meaning of humanized care in intensive care units considering the experience of the multidisciplinary team. descriptive and exploratory qualitative research. For this purpose, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 professionals of the heath-care team, and, after transcription, we organized the qualitative data according to content analysis. from two main categories, we were able to understand that humanized care is characterized in the actions of health-care: effective communication, team work, empathy, singularity, and integrality; and mischaracterized in the management processes, specifically in the fragmentation of the work process and health-care, in the precarious work conditions, and in differing conceptual aspects of the political proposal of humanization. care activities in intensive therapy are guided by the humanization of care and corroborate the hospital management as a challenge to be overcome to boost advances in the operationalization of this Brazilian policy.

[Bariatric surgery: its effects for obese in the workplace].

PubMed

Mariano, Maria Luiza Lobato; Monteiro, Claudia Santos; de Paula, Maria Angela Boccara

2013-09-01

This descriptive exploratory research aims to analyze the effects of bariatric surgery in the lifestyle of people with class III obesity in the workplace, through individual interviews with patients undergoing gastric bypass in gamma-Rouz. Data collection was conducted in June and July, 2011, by means of individual interviews, yielding three Collective Subject Discourse: "More willingness to work" "Life without comorbidities" and "Other effects of bariatric surgery." 30 patients with mean age 44 +/- 12 years old, 24 (80%) female, 19 (63%) performed paid professional activities, 10 (34%) did not work and one (3.3%) students, 23 (96%) hypertension and eight (33%) with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus were included in the study. Difficulty handling with physical appearance: 13 (43%) and the emotional aspect: 21 (70%). Bariatric surgery positively affected the lifestyle of obese at work with reduction in comorbidities and physical and emotional problems, favoring social and professional reintegration of the individuals.

[Multi-causality in nursing work accidents with biological material].

PubMed

Soares, Leticia Gramazio; Sarquis, Leila Maria Mansano; Kirchhof, Ana Lúcia Cardoso; Felli, Vanda Elisa Andres

2013-12-01

In order to analyze the multiple causes of occupational accidents with biological exposure among nursing staff was carried out a descriptive and exploratory research in a medium-sized hospital in the State of Paraná, in the period between January 2008 and January 2009. The population was 26 nursing staff of the medical clinic. Data collection was performed by semi-structured interviews with five of the eight injured in the period and its contents were analyzed by Causes and Effects Diagram. The categories of causes material, organizational, institutional and worker's behavior, showed the inappropriate disposal of sharps, work overload, no use of bio-security standards and poor supervision and training of workers, as factors for the occurrence of these accidents. The adoption of the tool of Causes and Effects Diagram provided an analysis of accidents in its multiple causes, showing the interaction between them.

Permanent education in primary health care: perception of local health managers.

PubMed

Silva, Luiz Anildo Anacleto da; Soder, Rafael Marcelo; Petry, Letícia; Oliveira, Isabel Cristine

2017-05-04

To know the health education strategies advocated and developed for workers of primary care, in the view of managers. The study is characterized as a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory research. A semistructured interview was used to collect data. The sample population was chosen intentionally, with an audience of 26 municipal health managers ascribed to a regional health coordination office, located in the north/northwest of the Rio Grande do Sul State. The thematic analysis allowed the construction of two empirical categories: educational strategies, compartmentalized, discontinuous and with technicist bases; and the insipience/absence of educational proposals. The results show a reality that needs to be transformed by all people involved in health work process: teachers and students, users, members of health councils, workers and managers. Realistically, there is a quest for change in services, to qualify the comprehensiveness of health care.

Perceptions of a hospital-based animal assisted intervention program: An exploratory study.

PubMed

Abrahamson, Kathleen; Cai, Yun; Richards, Elizabeth; Cline, Krista; O'Haire, Marguerite E

2016-11-01

Research has shown that there are multiple benefits of animal assisted interventions for patients. However, the impact of interaction with these animals in staff is understudied, particularly in the acute care setting, and is thus a novel contribution to the literature on human-animal interaction. The purpose of this qualitative pilot study was to contribute to the body of knowledge surrounding the experiences and perceptions of hospital staff who have participated in a hospital-based animal assisted intervention program. Nine face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted (4 staff nurses, 3 support staff members, and 2 hospital volunteers). Five themes emerged from the respondent interviews: (1) descriptions of the therapy dogs; (2) contacts with the dogs at work; (3) connection with the dogs outside of work; (4) benefits; (5) drawbacks. Our findings reflect abundantly positive hospital staff experiences. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Nursing school students' perception of legal and illegal drugs consumption].

PubMed

Bermúdez-Herrera, Azucena; Silva, Marta Angélica Iossi; Priotto, Elis Maria Teixeira; Sampaio, Julliane Messias Cordeiro

2011-06-01

Drugs consumption is as ancient as humanity. It has always existed and is associated with culture, in its historical and social context. The aim of this research is to know and analyze the perception of students from the Nursing School at the University of Guayaquil about legal and illegal drugs consumption. The methodological approach was qualitative, descriptive and exploratory. The sample consisted of eleven first-year students from the Nursing School. Individual and semi structured interviews were used for data collection. Thematic content analysis was adopted, in which five themes were identified: The economic situation, domestic violence, migration of close relatives, influence of the media that surround us, and ignorance about the topic. With a view to enhancing awareness on this hard reality that hurts and prejudices humanity, knowing students' perceptions contributes to identify their needs and create possibilities for health care interventions, particularly health promotion.

Memory perspective and self-concept in social anxiety: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Stopa, Lusia; Bryant, Tess

2004-07-01

The mental representation of self and observer perspective images are important maintaining factors in cognitive models of social phobia (Clark & Wells, 1995; Rapee & Heimberg, 1997). This study investigates Libby and Eibach's (2002) hypothesis that the observer perspective is used to recall memories that are incongruent with current self-concept. A total of 60 participants (divided into high and low social anxiety groups) completed a questionnaire in which they described current self-concept, recalled four memories of social occasions (two congruent, two incongruent), and rated memory age and vividness. Congruence was defined as memories that "fit" with current self-descriptions. A qualitative analysis of self-concept showed that both groups used a similar range of themes. High socially anxious participants recalled more observer perspective memories in the second incongruent memory. Congruence did not influence vividness, but public self-consciousness did. The implications of the results are discussed and suggestions made for future research.

Work addiction and quality of life: a study with physicians

PubMed Central

de Azevedo, Walter Fernandes; Mathias, Lígia Andrade da Silva Telles

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the quality of life of physicians and investigate to what extent it is affected by work addiction. Methods This is an exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional study, conducted with 1,110 physicians. For data collection, we used a questionnaire with sociodemographic information, the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF, and the Work Addiction Scale. Results Most physicians presented high quality of life. Female participants presented lower quality of life in the domains psychologic, environment and general (p<0.05). Quality of life was negatively correlated with the number of shifts (p<0.005). The higher the addiction to work, the lower the quality of life. Conclusion The research allowed understanding the implications of work addiction in the quality of life. Further studies are required to support the development of strategies that improve health conditions and quality of life of medical professionals. PMID:28767908

Identifying the support needs of fathers affected by post-partum depression: a pilot study.

PubMed

Letourneau, N; Duffett-Leger, L; Dennis, C-L; Stewart, M; Tryphonopoulos, P D

2011-02-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to describe the experiences, support needs, resources, and barriers to support for fathers whose partners had post-partum depression (PPD) in preparation for a larger study. Qualitative methods and community-based research approaches were used in this exploratory/descriptive multi-site study, conducted in New Brunswick and Alberta. Telephone interviews were conducted with a total of 11 fathers in New Brunswick (n= 7) and Alberta (n= 4). Fathers experienced a number of depressive symptoms including: anxiety, lack of time and energy, irritability, feeling sad or down, changes in appetite, and thoughts of harm to self or baby. The most common barriers for fathers were lack of information regarding PPD resources and difficulty seeking support. This pilot study establishes the feasibility of the larger-scale exploration of fathers' experiences in supporting their spouses affected by PPD. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing.

Multi-frequency tapping-mode atomic force microscopy beyond three eigenmodes in ambient air

PubMed Central

An, Sangmin; Long, Christian J

2014-01-01

Summary We present an exploratory study of multimodal tapping-mode atomic force microscopy driving more than three cantilever eigenmodes. We present tetramodal (4-eigenmode) imaging experiments conducted on a thin polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film and computational simulations of pentamodal (5-eigenmode) cantilever dynamics and spectroscopy, focusing on the case of large amplitude ratios between the fundamental eigenmode and the higher eigenmodes. We discuss the dynamic complexities of the tip response in time and frequency space, as well as the average amplitude and phase response. We also illustrate typical images and spectroscopy curves and provide a very brief description of the observed contrast. Overall, our findings are promising in that they help to open the door to increasing sophistication and greater versatility in multi-frequency AFM through the incorporation of a larger number of driven eigenmodes, and in highlighting specific future research opportunities. PMID:25383276

Friendliness, functionality and freedom: Design characteristics that support midwifery practice in the hospital setting.

PubMed

Hammond, Athena; Homer, Caroline S E; Foureur, Maralyn

2017-07-01

to identify and describe the design characteristics of hospital birth rooms that support midwives and their practice. this study used a qualitative exploratory descriptive methodology underpinned by the theoretical approach of critical realism. Data was collected through 21 in-depth, face-to-face photo-elicitation interviews and a thematic analysis guided by study objectives and the aims of exploratory research was undertaken. the study was set at a recently renovated tertiary hospital in a large Australian city. participants were 16 registered midwives working in a tertiary hospital; seven in delivery suite and nine in birth centre settings. Experience as a midwife ranged from three to 39 years and the sample included midwives in diverse roles such as educator, student support and unit manager. three design characteristics were identified that supported midwifery practice. They were friendliness, functionality and freedom. Friendly rooms reduced stress and increased midwives' feelings of safety. Functional rooms enabled choice and provided options to better meet the needs of labouring women. And freedom allowed for flexible, spontaneous and responsive midwifery practice. hospital birth rooms that possess the characteristics of friendliness, functionality and freedom offer enhanced support for midwives and may therefore increase effective care provision. new and existing birth rooms can be designed or adapted to better support the wellbeing and effectiveness of midwives and may thereby enhance the quality of midwifery care delivered in the hospital. Quality midwifery care is associated with positive outcomes and experiences for labouring women. Further research is required to investigate the benefit that may be transmitted to women by implementing design intended to support and enhance midwifery practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Absenteeism in Undergraduate Business Education: A Proposed Model and Exploratory Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Lisa A.

2010-01-01

One issue in undergraduate business education remaining underexamined is student absenteeism. In this article, the literature on undergraduate absenteeism is reviewed culminating in a proposed conceptual framework to guide future research, and an exploratory investigation of management students' attitudes about absenteeism is conducted.…

[Changing the focus: an exploratory study of drug use and workplace violence among women of popular classes in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil].

PubMed

David, Helena Maria Scherlowski Leal; Caufield, Catherine

2005-01-01

This exploratory study aimed to investigate factors related to the use of illicit and licit drugs and workplace violence in a group of women from popular classes in the city of Rio de Janeiro. We used a descriptive and analytic quantitative approach was used, as well as a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews with women who suffered or were suffering workplace violence, using the collective subject discourse analysis methodology. The results showed sociodemographic and work situations that can be considered as possible risk factors for drug consumption and workplace violence. The qualitative analysis shows how this group perceives the phenomena of drug use and workplace violence, expanding the comprehension about these issues and providing conceptual and methodological elements for additional studies on this subject.

Determinants of personal protective equipment (PPE) use in UK motorcyclists: exploratory research applying an extended theory of planned behaviour.

PubMed

Norris, Emma; Myers, Lynn

2013-11-01

Despite evident protective value of motorcycle personal protective equipment (PPE), no research has assessed considerations behind its uptake in UK riders. A cross-sectional online questionnaire design was employed, with riders (n=268) recruited from online motorcycle forums. Principal component analysis found four PPE behavioural outcomes. Theoretical factors of intentions, attitudes, injunctive and descriptive subjective norms, risk perceptions, anticipated regret, benefits and habit were also identified for further analysis. High motorcycle jacket, trousers and boots wear, middling high-visibility wear and low non-Personal Protective Equipment wear were found. Greater intentions, anticipated regret and perceived benefits were significantly associated with increased motorcycle jacket, trousers and boots wear, with habit presence and scooter use significantly associated with increased high-visibility wear. Lower intentions, anticipated regret and risk perceptions, being female, not holding a car licence and urban riding were significantly associated with increased non-PPE wear. A need for freedom of choice and mixed attitudes towards PPE use were evident in additional comments. PPE determinants in this sample provide a preliminary basis for future uptake interventions. Larger scale and qualitative research is needed to further investigate relevant constructs. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental management performance for Brazilian industrials: measuring with the item response theory.

PubMed

Trierweiller, Andréa Cristina; Peixe, Blênio César Severo; Tezza, Rafael; Bornia, Antonio Cezar; de Andrade, Dalton Francisco; Campos, Lucila Maria de Souza

2012-01-01

Growing challenges with respect to preserving the environment have forced changes in company operational structures. Thus, the objective of this article is to measure the evidence of Environmental Management using the Item Response Theory, based on website analysis from Brazilian industrial companies from sectors defined through the scope of the research. This is a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study related to an information collection and analysis instrument. The general view of the research problem with respect to the phenomenon under study in based on multi-case studies, with the methodological outline based on the theoretical reference used. Primary data was gathered from 270 company websites from 7 different Brazilian sectors and led to the creation of 26 items approved by environmental specialists. The results were attained with the measuring of Environmental Management evidence via the Item Response Theory, providing a clear order of the items involved based on each item's level of difficulty, quality, and propriety. This permitted the measurement of each item's quality and propriety, as well as that of the respondents, placing them on the same analysis scale. Increasing the number of items and companies involved is suggested fEor future research in order to permit broader sector analysis.

Application of a Network Perspective to DoD Weapon System Acquisition: An Exploratory Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-30

the course of action, and prepare for the Technology Development phase. As one could guess based on the description of...include allocating requirements and developing a design, testing the design, and preparing for production and fielding of the system. This analysis...Management and Budget (OMB) prepare the defense portion of the President’s Budget. Even though Congress normally appropriates money for only

Perceptions of Student Misconduct, Perceived Respect for Teachers, and Support for Corporal Punishment among School Teachers in South Korea: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Ben

2009-01-01

This article provides an analysis of survey data on perceptions of student misconduct, perceived respect for teachers, and support for corporal punishment among school teachers in South Korea. The data were gathered from a survey of 110 middle and high school teachers in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Descriptive, chi square, logistic regression,…

Healthcare needs of noninstitutionalized Jordanian cancer patients: an exploratory descriptive study.

PubMed

Al-Jauissy, Mohammed Said; Al-Hassan, Muosa; Akhu-Zaheya, Laila

2009-01-01

Despite all advances in healthcare, provision of healthcare for cancer patients remains one of major continuing challenges for healthcare professionals. One of these challenges is shorter hospital stay. In this fast-paced environment, identification of cancer patients' needs is limited yet necessary to initiate an appropriate treatment plan for this group of patients. The major purpose of this study was to identify healthcare needs of noninstitutionalized patients with cancer from Arab Jordanians' perspective. The study was conducted at a chemotherapy clinic of a major university hospital in Jordan. An exploratory descriptive design using a structured interview was used to collect the data. The questions of the interview composed of items of several scales including the Patient Need Scale. Sixty-two participants met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate. The participants were patients with cancer, were receiving chemotherapy, and were (a) Jordanian male or female patients, (b) able to communicate in Arabic, (c) 19 years of age or older, and (d) free from psychiatric or mental illnesses. Participants reported 70 existing needs (68.6%). However, 50% of these identified needs were perceived as being not met. Jordanian patients with cancer reported more healthcare needs than patients in Western cultures. Individualized comprehensive assessment of patients' needs from their perspective is essential to initiate an effective treatment plan.

Psychometric properties of the Danish student well-being questionnaire assessed in >250,000 student responders.

PubMed

Niclasen, Janni; Keilow, Maria; Obel, Carsten

2018-05-01

Well-being is considered a prerequisite for learning. The Danish Ministry of Education initiated the development of a new 40-item student well-being questionnaire in 2014 to monitor well-being among all Danish public school students on a yearly basis. The aim of this study was to investigate the basic psychometric properties of this questionnaire. We used the data from the 2015 Danish student well-being survey for 268,357 students in grades 4-9 (about 85% of the study population). Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses and Cronbach's α reliability measures were used in the analyses. The factor analyses did not unambiguously support one particular factor structure. However, based on the basic descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analyses, confirmatory factor analyses, the semantics of the individual items and Cronbach's α, we propose a four-factor structure including 27 of the 40 items originally proposed. The four scales measure school connectedness, learning self-efficacy, learning environment and classroom management. Two bullying items and two psychosomatic items should be considered separately, leaving 31 items in the questionnaire. The proposed four-factor structure addresses central aspects of well-being, which, if used constructively, may support public schools' work to increase levels of student well-being.

W.a.w (we are watching) smart app: accommodating social perception towards public officers’ performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widhoyoko, S. A.; Sasmoko; Nasir, L. A.; Manalu, S. R.; Indrianti, Y.

2018-03-01

This research is a continuation of previous research that is corruption early prevention is expanded by using expert system to analyze data and produce information to build decision. The research method used is neuroresearch method through three stages of research, namely exploratory stage, explanatory stage and confirmatory stages. The exploratory research finds W.aW’s Principles and W.a.W’s Units of Assessment as the basis for the preparation of the application. Stages of explanatory research in the form of W.a.W’s design of IT and confirmatory research stages are the design of expert system W.a.W. Expert System uses this formulation to generate dynamic standard value for each category and current social perception.

Perception of mental health in Pakistani nomads: An interpretative phenomenological analyses

PubMed Central

Choudhry, Fahad Riaz; Bokharey, Iram Zehra

2013-01-01

The study was conducted to explore the mental health issues of Pakistani nomads and to uncover their concept, ideation, and perception about mental health and illnesses. It was an exploratory study situated in the qualitative paradigm. The research strategy used was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), as the study was planned to explore the lived experiences of nomads regarding mental health and coping strategies and how they interpret those experiences. For data collection, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Seven participants were included in the FGDs, and two FGDs were conducted composed of both genders. The responses were recorded, and data were transcribed and analysed using IPA. Data verification procedures of peer review, which help to clarify researcher bias and rich thick description, were used. The major themes were lack of resources and myriad unfulfilled needs, specifically the basic needs (food, shelter, and drinking and bathing water). Moreover, a strong desire to fulfil the secondary needs of enjoyment and having luxuries was also reflected. A list of recommendations was forwarded for policy making of this marginalized community and to create awareness regarding mental health. PMID:24369779

[Palliative care in paediatric oncology: perceptions, expertise and practices from the perspective of the multidisciplinary team].

PubMed

Silva, Adriana Ferreira da; Issi, Helena Becker; Motta, Maria da Graça Corso da; Botene, Daisy Zanchi de Abreu

2015-06-01

To reveal the perceptions, expertise and practices of multi-professional teams providing palliative care to children in a paediatric oncology unit. The research questions were based on everyday care, facilitations and difficulties, essential aspects of professional approaches, and the inter-disciplinary focus of care for children in palliative care and their families. Qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research. Data were collected from June to October 2013 from nine professional multidisciplinary team members by means of a semi-structured interview submitted to thematic analysis. The following four themes emerged from analysis: palliative care: conceptions of the multi-professional team; the construction of singular care; the facilitations and difficulties experienced by the team and significant lessons learned. The subjects revealed that the team also suffers with the death of a child and, like the family, moves toward the construction of coping mechanisms for the elaboration of mourning. Paradoxically, the team shares knowledge to determine the foundations of a singular therapeutic project and inserts the family in this process so that it can be the protagonist of the child's care.

An Exploratory Study Examining Current Assessment Supervisory Practices in Professional Psychology.

PubMed

Iwanicki, Sierra; Peterson, Catherine

2017-01-01

The extant literature reveals a considerable amount of research examining course work or technical training in psychological assessment, but a dearth of empirical research on assessment supervision. This study examined perspectives on current assessment supervisory practices in professional psychology through an online survey. Descriptive and qualitative data were collected from 125 survey respondents who were members of assessment-focused professional organizations and who had at least 1 year of supervision experience. Responses indicated a general recognition of the need for formal training in assessment supervision, ongoing training opportunities, and adherence to supervision competencies. Responses indicated more common use of developmental and skill-based models, although most did not regard any one model of assessment supervision as superior. Despite the recommended use of a supervision contract, only 65.6% (n = 80) of respondents use one. Discussion, directed readings, modeling, role-play, and case presentations were the most common supervisory interventions. Although conclusions are constrained by low survey response rate, results yielded rich data that might guide future examination of multiple perspectives on assessment supervision and ultimately contribute to curriculum advances and the development of supervision "best practices."

Perception of mental health in Pakistani nomads: an interpretative phenomenological analyses.

PubMed

Choudhry, Fahad Riaz; Bokharey, Iram Zehra

2013-12-19

The study was conducted to explore the mental health issues of Pakistani nomads and to uncover their concept, ideation, and perception about mental health and illnesses. It was an exploratory study situated in the qualitative paradigm. The research strategy used was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), as the study was planned to explore the lived experiences of nomads regarding mental health and coping strategies and how they interpret those experiences. For data collection, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Seven participants were included in the FGDs, and two FGDs were conducted composed of both genders. The responses were recorded, and data were transcribed and analysed using IPA. Data verification procedures of peer review, which help to clarify researcher bias and rich thick description, were used. The major themes were lack of resources and myriad unfulfilled needs, specifically the basic needs (food, shelter, and drinking and bathing water). Moreover, a strong desire to fulfil the secondary needs of enjoyment and having luxuries was also reflected. A list of recommendations was forwarded for policy making of this marginalized community and to create awareness regarding mental health.

Midwives' experiences of managing women in labour in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.

PubMed

Maputle, S M; Hiss, D C

2010-09-01

The objective of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of midwives managing women during labour at a tertiary care hospital in the Limpopo Province. An exploratory, descriptive, contextual and inductive design was applied to this qualitative research study. Purposive sampling was used to select midwives who were working in the childbirth unit and had managed women during labour. A sample of 12 midwives participated in this study. Data were collected by means of unstructured individual interviews and analysed through an open coding method by the researchers and the independent co-coder. Categories identified were lack of mutual participation and responsibility sharing, dependency and lack of decision-making, lack of information-sharing, empowering autonomy and informed choices opportunities, lack of open communication and listening, non-accommodative midwifery actions, and lack of human and material infrastructure. To ensure the validity of the results, criteria to measure trustworthiness were utilized. This study has implications for woman-centered care by midwives managing women in labour and provides appropriate guidelines that should be integrated into the Batho-Pele Principles.

Animal to human translational paradigms relevant for approach avoidance conflict decision making.

PubMed

Kirlic, Namik; Young, Jared; Aupperle, Robin L

2017-09-01

Avoidance behavior in clinical anxiety disorders is often a decision made in response to approach-avoidance conflict, resulting in a sacrifice of potential rewards to avoid potential negative affective consequences. Animal research has a long history of relying on paradigms related to approach-avoidance conflict to model anxiety-relevant behavior. This approach includes punishment-based conflict, exploratory, and social interaction tasks. There has been a recent surge of interest in the translation of paradigms from animal to human, in efforts to increase generalization of findings and support the development of more effective mental health treatments. This article briefly reviews animal tests related to approach-avoidance conflict and results from lesion and pharmacologic studies utilizing these tests. We then provide a description of translational human paradigms that have been developed to tap into related constructs, summarizing behavioral and neuroimaging findings. Similarities and differences in findings from analogous animal and human paradigms are discussed. Lastly, we highlight opportunities for future research and paradigm development that will support the clinical utility of this translational work. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Factors affecting the adoption of ICT tools in experiments with bioinformatics in biopharmaceutical organizations: a case study in the Brazilian Cancer Institute].

PubMed

Pitassi, Claudio; Gonçalves, Antonio Augusto; Moreno Júnior, Valter de Assis

2014-01-01

The scope of this article is to identify and analyze the factors that influence the adoption of ICT tools in experiments with bioinformatics at the Brazilian Cancer Institute (INCA). It involves a descriptive and exploratory qualitative field study. Evidence was collected mainly based on in-depth interviews with the management team at the Research Center and the IT Division. The answers were analyzed using the categorical content method. The categories were selected from the scientific literature and consolidated in the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework created for this study. The model proposed made it possible to demonstrate how the factors selected impacted INCA´s adoption of bioinformatics systems and tools, contributing to the investigation of two critical areas for the development of the health industry in Brazil, namely technological innovation and bioinformatics. Based on the evidence collected, a research question was posed: to what extent can the alignment of the factors related to the adoption of ICT tools in experiments with bioinformatics increase the innovation capacity of a Brazilian biopharmaceutical organization?

The life-world of mothers who care for mentally retarded children: the Katutura township experience.

PubMed

Ntswane, A M; van Rhyn, L

2007-03-01

This article reports on a research study done in Katutura Township, near Windhoek. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was followed to answer the research question investigating experiences of mothers caring for mentally retarded children at home. Phenomenological interviews were conducted with a purposefully selected sample of twelve mothers. The meaning of their experiences was analysed by using Teschxs method (1990 in Creswell, 1994:155) of analysing qualitative data. The results indicated various emotions and challenges experienced by these mothers during the care of their children. Feelings of shock, despondency and sadness dominated the early stages when the retarded children were still young. During later years, as the children were growing up, the mothers felt shame, fear, frustration, anger, disappointment and worry. However, acceptance followed, as the children grew older. Stigma seemed to affect all the respondents. Support in any form or lack thereof seemed to be the decisive factor-positioning mothers along a continuum of two extremes, namely despairing isolation and integrated happiness. Recommendations were made regarding the improvement of heath care services and education of the mothers and their families.

Exploratory Practice: Work at the Cultural Inglesa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allwright, Dick; Lenzuen, Rosa

1997-01-01

Focuses on the aim of the Cultural Inglesa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which is the development of a new, fully sustainable concept for classroom-based research--exploratory practice--and its assimilation into the normal working and professional-development practices of Rio Cultura teachers. (Author/VWL)

Existential Measurement: A Factor Analytic Study of Some Current Psychometric Instruments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thauberger, Patrick C.; And Others

1982-01-01

Research in existentialism and ontology has given rise to several psychometric instruments. Used both exploratory and confirmatory principal-factor analyses to study relationships among 16 existential scales. Exploratory factor analysis provided some support of the theory that the avoidance of existential confrontation is a central function of…

Brief Report: An Exploratory Study of the Diagnostic Reliability for Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Lauren J.; Eapen, Valsamma; Maybery, Murray; Midford, Sue; Paynter, Jessica; Quarmby, Lyndsay; Smith, Timothy; Williams, Katrina; Whitehouse, Andrew J.

2017-01-01

Previous research shows inconsistency in clinician-assigned diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). We conducted an exploratory study that examined the concordance of diagnoses between a multidisciplinary assessment team and a range of independent clinicians throughout Australia. Nine video-taped Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)…

Exploratory Analysis in Learning Analytics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gibson, David; de Freitas, Sara

2016-01-01

This article summarizes the methods, observations, challenges and implications for exploratory analysis drawn from two learning analytics research projects. The cases include an analysis of a games-based virtual performance assessment and an analysis of data from 52,000 students over a 5-year period at a large Australian university. The complex…

Docking-based classification models for exploratory toxicology studies on high-quality estrogenic experimental data

EPA Science Inventory

Background: Exploratory toxicology is a new emerging research area whose ultimate mission is that of protecting human health and environment from risks posed by chemicals. In this regard, the ethical and practical limitation of animal testing has encouraged the promotion of compu...

The Effects of Mobile Collaborative Activities in a Second Language Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ilic, Peter

2015-01-01

This research is designed to explore the areas of collaborative learning and the use of smartphones as a support for collaborative learning through a year-long exploratory multiple case study approach integrating both qualitative and quantitative data analysis. Qualitative exploratory interviews are combined with Multidimensional Scaling Analysis…

Exploratory Practice and Soft Systems Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tajino, Akira; Smith, Craig

2005-01-01

This paper aims to demonstrate that Soft Systems Methodology (SSM), a soft systems approach developed in management studies (see Checkland, 1981), can be usefully linked with Exploratory Practice (EP), a form of practitioner research for language classrooms. Some compatible SSM and EP characteristics, in tandem, could enhance continual efforts to…

Language Teachers Making Sense of Exploratory Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanks, Judith

2015-01-01

This article critically examines the implementation of Exploratory Practice in an English for academic purposes (EAP) context in a British university. The innovation involved challenges as well as opportunities for uniting learning, teaching and research. Particular emphasis is given to two teachers, who are the focus of this article: the story of…

An Exploratory Comparative Case Study of Employee Engagement in Christian Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daniels, Jessica R.

2016-01-01

Numerous studies have identified a positive correlation between employee engagement and overall organizational performance. However, research on employee engagement specifically within higher education is limited, and even less attention has been focused on engagement within the context of Christian higher education. An exploratory comparative…

Teaching Writing in the Shadow of Standardized Writing Assessment: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brimi, Hunter

2012-01-01

This exploratory study results from interviews with five high school English teachers regarding their writing instruction. The researcher sought to answer these questions: (1) How had the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program's (TCAP) Writing Assessment affected their teaching as gauged by the teachers' statements regarding the assessment,…

Issues Related to the Frequency of Exploratory Analyses by Evidence Review Groups in the NICE Single Technology Appraisal Process.

PubMed

Kaltenthaler, Eva; Carroll, Christopher; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Scope, Alison; Holmes, Michael; Rice, Stephen; Rose, Micah; Tappenden, Paul; Woolacott, Nerys

2017-06-01

Evidence Review Groups (ERGs) critically appraise company submissions as part of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Single Technology Appraisal (STA) process. As part of their critique of the evidence submitted by companies, the ERGs undertake exploratory analyses to explore uncertainties in the company's model. The aim of this study was to explore pre-defined factors that might influence or predict the extent of ERG exploratory analyses. The aim of this study was to explore predefined factors that might influence or predict the extent of ERG exploratory analyses. We undertook content analysis of over 400 documents, including ERG reports and related documentation for the 100 most recent STAs (2009-2014) for which guidance has been published. Relevant data were extracted from the documents and narrative synthesis was used to summarise the extracted data. All data were extracted and checked by two researchers. Forty different companies submitted documents as part of the NICE STA process. The most common disease area covered by the STAs was cancer (44%), and most ERG reports (n = 93) contained at least one exploratory analysis. The incidence and frequency of ERG exploratory analyses does not appear to be related to any developments in the appraisal process, the disease area covered by the STA, or the company's base-case incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). However, there does appear to be a pattern in the mean number of analyses conducted by particular ERGs, but the reasons for this are unclear and potentially complex. No clear patterns were identified regarding the presence or frequency of exploratory analyses, apart from the mean number conducted by individual ERGs. More research is needed to understand this relationship.

Identifying Items to Assess Methodological Quality in Physical Therapy Trials: A Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Cummings, Greta G.; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-01-01

Background Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. Objective The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Design A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Methods Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Results Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Limitation Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. Conclusions To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. PMID:24786942

Identifying items to assess methodological quality in physical therapy trials: a factor analysis.

PubMed

Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Cummings, Greta G; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-09-01

Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. © 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

Epoch-making milestones in antibiotic exploratory researches in Japan.

PubMed

Hotta, Kunimoto

2017-01-01

Professor Satoshi Ōmura was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. He is the third to win the award for research on antibiotic, following Fleming' (UK, 1945, discovery of penicillin) and Waksman (USA, 1952, discovery of streptomycin), and the second person after Waksman to receive the award for research on actinomycetes. By focusing his research on macrolides stemming from leucomycin research rather than β-lactams like penicillin or aminoglycosides like streptomycin, Prof. Ōmura realized many scientific achievements. These efforts finally led to the discovery of avermectin and its semi-synthetic derivative, ivermectin, considered a monumental contribution to the human race. In this manuscript, I will outline the chronicles of the epoch-making antibiotic exploratory researches preceding Prof. Ōmura.

Long Valley Coring Project, Inyo County, California, 1998, preliminary stratigraphy and images of recovered core

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sackett, Penelope C.; McConnell, Vicki S.; Roach, Angela L.; Priest, Susan S.; Sass, John H.

1999-01-01

Phase III of the Long Valley Exploratory Well, the Long Valley Coring Project, obtained continuous core between the depths of 7,180 and 9,831 ft (2,188 to 2,996 meters) during the summer of 1998. This report contains a compendium of information designed to facilitate post-drilling research focussed on the study of the core. Included are a preliminary stratigraphic column compiled primarily from field observations and a general description of well lithology for the Phase III drilling interval. Also included are high-resolution digital photographs of every core box (10 feet per box) as well as scanned images of pieces of recovered core. The user can easily move from the stratigraphic column to corresponding core box photographs for any depth. From there, compressed, "unrolled" images of the individual core pieces (core scans) can be accessed. Those interested in higher-resolution core scans can go to archive CD-ROMs stored at a number of locations specified herein. All core is stored at the USGS Core Research Center in Denver, Colorado where it is available to researchers following the protocol described in this report. Preliminary examination of core provided by this report and the archive CD-ROMs should assist researchers in narrowing their choices when requesting core splits.

An Exploratory Descriptive Study of Registered Nurse Innovation: Implications for Levels of Adoption.

PubMed

Polster, Debra; Villines, Dana

The aims of this study were to describe registered nurses' levels of personal innovativeness and registered nurses' perceived organizational innovativeness and determine the relationship between these 2 variables. There is limited research to describe the levels of innovation of nurses within a hospital. The levels of innovation can determine the likelihood of adoption of evidence-based practices at the bedside. As change agents, clinical nurse specialists can determine successful implementation strategies tailored to nurse levels of innovation. This was a descriptive study at a midwest, urban, teaching, 408-bed Magnet hospital. Surveys were completed by 217 nurses. The participants reported high personal innovativeness ((Equation is included in full-text article.)= 32.1; SD, 6.4), and the institution was perceived as innovative, with 90.3% of scores categorized as positive innovativeness. The statistically significant correlation was in the medical-surgical unit (r = -0.52, P < .01). There is no correlation between personal innovativeness and organizational innovativeness except for medical-surgical nurses (P = .03). They are likely to perceive the organization more innovative than themselves. Determining adopter characteristics can be valuable to the clinical nurse specialist by adapting strategic interventions to advance nursing practice. Exploring levels of adoption can be an innovative strategy to transform nursing at the bedside and throughout the organization.

Facial trauma as physical violence markers against elderly Brazilians: A comparative analysis between genders.

PubMed

de Sousa, Rayanne Izabel Maciel; de Macedo Bernardino, Ítalo; Castro, Ricardo Dias; Cavalcanti, Alessandro Leite; Bento, Patricia Meira; d'Ávila, Sérgio

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to characterize the profile of elderly Brazilians with injuries resulting from physical violence and identify victimization differences. A descriptive and exploratory study was conducted involving the analysis of medico-legal and social records of 259 elderly victims of physical violence treated at an Institute of Forensic Medicine and Dentistry over four years (from January 2008 to December 2011). The forensic service database was evaluated by researchers properly trained and calibrated to perform this function between January and March 2013. Socio-demographic variables of victims, aggression characteristics, aggressor's profile and types of lesions were evaluated. Descriptive and multivariate statistics using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) were performed. The prevalence of facial trauma was 42.9%. Based on the MCA results, two groups with different victimization profiles were identified: married men aged 70-79 years, victims of community violence at night, suffering facial injuries; and single, widowed or separated women aged 60-69 years, victims of domestic violence during the day, suffering trauma in other areas of the body. The results suggest that there is a high prevalence of facial injuries among elderly Brazilians victims of physical violence and there are important differences related to victimization characteristics according to gender. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exploratory Advanced Research Program : Research Associates Program 2014

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-31

Since 1954, the National Research Council (NRC) has conducted the Research Associateship Program (RAP) in cooperation with sponsoring Federal laboratories and other approved participating research organizations. RAP provides highly skilled and exceed...

Exploratory Advanced Research Program : Research Associates Program 2016

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-02-01

Since 1954, the National Research Council (NRC) has conducted the Research Associateship Program (RAP) in cooperation with sponsoring Federal laboratories and other approved participating research organizations. RAP provides highly skilled and exceed...

"If There Is a Job Description I Don't Think I've Read One": A Case Study of Programme Leadership in a UK Pre-1992 University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Rafael

2015-01-01

This paper reports on an exploratory study of the role of programme leaders (PLs) in a pre-1992 university, based on interviews with PLs (7) and a survey of taught Masters students (54) in a single school. The study elicits PLs' activities, most of which might be categorised as managerial and administrative, with leadership required…

A NEW LOOK AT THE EFFECTS OF ANXIETY AND STRESS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF COMPLEX INTELLECTUAL TASKS, STUDY II. SCHOOL ANXIETY AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING--EXPLORATORY STUDIES.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DUNN, JAMES A.

THE EFFECTS OF TEST ANXIETY AND TEST STRESS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF TWO DIFFERENT INTELLECTUAL TASKS WERE STUDIED. IT WAS HYPOTHESIZED THAT THE DESCRIPTIVE EFFECTS OF ANXIETY WOULD BE GREATER FOR DIFFICULT BUT SIMPLE TASKS THAN FOR COMPLEX BUT EASY TASKS, AND THAT SITUATIONAL STRESS WOULD BE MORE DISRUPTIVE FOR COMPLEX TASKS THAN FOR SIMPLE TASKS. A…

An Examination of Parametric and Nonparametric Dimensionality Assessment Methods with Exploratory and Confirmatory Mode

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kogar, Hakan

2018-01-01

The aim of the present research study was to compare the findings from the nonparametric MSA, DIMTEST and DETECT and the parametric dimensionality determining methods in various simulation conditions by utilizing exploratory and confirmatory methods. For this purpose, various simulation conditions were established based on number of dimensions,…

Comparing Fathers' Physical and Toy Play and Links to Child Behaviour: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

St George, Jennifer; Fletcher, Richard; Palazzi, Kerrin

2017-01-01

Increasing amounts of research show that fathers' involvement in children's lives contributes to the child's social, emotional and cognitive development; however, much of the evidence comes from fathers' caregiving and object play. This exploratory study compared the characteristics of 24 Australian fathers' play in two contexts--toy play and…

Informal Learning in Academic Student Organizations: An Exploratory Examination of Student-Faculty Interactions and the Relationship to Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holzweiss, Peggy C.; Parrott, Kelli Peck; Cole, Bryan R.

2013-01-01

This exploratory study examined informal learning opportunities that exist within student organizations. The researchers specifically isolated academic organizations and the interactions between students and faculty that may occur in this context. Findings indicate that 81% of participants experienced interactions with faculty within the context…

An Exploratory Study of Digital Video Editing as a Tool for Teacher Preparation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Calandra, Brendan; Gurvitch, Rachel; Lund, Jacalyn

2008-01-01

The authors' purpose was to examine teacher candidates' perspectives of successful teaching through personalized video vignettes. Furthermore, the authors were interested in how participants' written reflections might change as a result of creating these vignettes. This research used mixed-methods within the context of an exploratory multi-case…

The Nature of Professional Learning Communities in New Zealand Early Childhood Education: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherrington, Sue; Thornton, Kate

2015-01-01

Professional learning communities are receiving increasing attention within the schooling sector but empirical research into their development and use within early childhood education contexts is rare. This paper reports initial findings of an exploratory study into the development of professional learning communities in New Zealand's early…

Application of Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling to Evaluate the Academic Motivation Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guay, Frédéric; Morin, Alexandre J. S.; Litalien, David; Valois, Pierre; Vallerand, Robert J.

2015-01-01

In this research, the authors examined the construct validity of scores of the Academic Motivation Scale using exploratory structural equation modeling. Study 1 and Study 2 involved 1,416 college students and 4,498 high school students, respectively. First, results of both studies indicated that the factor structure tested with exploratory…

Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Mindset of At-Risk Students: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matheson, Ian A.

2015-01-01

There is a limited body of research examining how students' beliefs about intelligence and about their abilities relate to different learning environments. As reported here, I examined secondary school students' beliefs, goals, and expectations guided by Zimmerman's (2000) model of self-regulated learning. In this exploratory study, 230 secondary…

An Exploratory Framework for Handling the Complexity of Mathematical Problem Posing in Small Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kontorovich, Igor; Koichu, Boris; Leikin, Roza; Berman, Avi

2012-01-01

The paper introduces an exploratory framework for handling the complexity of students' mathematical problem posing in small groups. The framework integrates four facets known from past research: task organization, students' knowledge base, problem-posing heuristics and schemes, and group dynamics and interactions. In addition, it contains a new…

Vocational Exploratory Programs: Career Selections and Attitudes.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reynolds, Alfred

More research is needed on the effect of summer vocational exploratory programs for disadvantaged youth. Because of the limited number of high schools which offer a wide range of vocational courses, only one out of every five high school students has the opportunity to pursue viable technical or occupationally specific goals. However, research…

An Exploratory Study of Problem Gambling on Casino versus Non-Casino Electronic Gaming Machines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, Dave; Pulford, Justin; Bellringer, Maria; Abbott, Max; Hodgins, David C.

2012-01-01

Electronic gaming machines (EGMs) have been frequently associated with problem gambling. Little research has compared the relative contribution of casino EGMs versus non-casino EGMs on current problem gambling, after controlling for demographic factors and gambling behaviour. Our exploratory study obtained data from questionnaires administered to…

Why Integrating Technology Has Been Unsuccessful in Kuwait? An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alfelaij, Bader

2016-01-01

In Kuwait, unsuccessful attempts to use and integrate technology into classrooms and lecture halls are currently being witnessed in schools and higher education institutions. Such failure is believed to be the consequence of various challenges, such as cultural, technical and contextual challenges. In this exploratory study, the researcher has…

Mentoring Matters: An Exploratory Survey of Educational Leadership Doctoral Students' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welton, Anjalé D.; Mansfield, Katherine Cumings; Lee, Pei-Ling

2014-01-01

There is limited research on quantitative differences between men and women's experiences in doctoral programs. We aim to fill that gap by sharing findings from a web-based exploratory survey of perceived gender differences on quality mentoring in educational leadership doctoral programs. According to survey results, there is limited…

Academic and Personal Development through Group Work: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steen, Sam

2011-01-01

This exploratory study linked academic and personal development within a group counseling intervention. A pre-test post-test research design compared social skills, learning behaviors, and achievement with a convenience sample and control group of students from three elementary schools. For the treatment group, grade point average in Language Arts…

Internationalizing Higher Education (HE) in Vietnam: Insights from Higher Education Leaders--An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nguyen, Dong Phong; Vickers, Margaret; Ly, Thi Minh Chau; Tran, Mai Dong

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to increase knowledge of the key drivers, and challenges, of the internationalization of Higher Education (HE), especially in the transitioning economy of Vietnam. Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory qualitative research design used semi-structured interviews. Nine senior institutional leaders from…

Bullying and Victimisation Dynamics in High School: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lekunze, Lucy M. George; Strom, B. Ivan

2017-01-01

Bullying is a worldwide concern and erroneous perceptions of the phenomenon could underscore unsustainable interventions. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine, in-depth, how some high school teachers from two schools in New Jersey perceived student bullying. The primary research question was: What perceptions do…

An Exploratory Study of Emotional Affordance of a Massive Open Online Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Jeremy C. Y.

2014-01-01

This exploratory study examines emotional affordance of a massive open online course (MOOC). Postings in a discussion forum of a MOOC in computer science are analysed following a research design informed by virtual ethnography. Emotional affordance is investigated, focusing on non-achievement emotions which are not directly linked to achievement…

Parental Influence on Exploratory Students' College Choice, Major, and Career Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Workman, Jamie L.

2015-01-01

This article explores parental influence on exploratory students' college choice, major, and career decision making. The research began with examination of a first year academic advising model and Living Learning Community. Parental influence emerged as a key theme in student decision making processes. The project was conducted using grounded…

Mission Attachment and Job Satisfaction among Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing Service Professionals: An Exploratory Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fermin, Caroline P.

2017-01-01

This research study was an exploratory analysis to determine if a relationship existed between mission attachment and job satisfaction of emergency nonprofit domestic violence shelter/transitional housing workers. The study examined if the perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes were different between entry-level, middle-level, and senior-level…

Making the Case for Exploratory World Language Instruction in Catholic Elementary Schools through University Partnerships

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burke, Brigid M.; Howard, Eric D.

2017-01-01

As a result of a university partnership, elementary students at two midwest Catholic elementary schools have been provided with exploratory world language instruction (FLEX) from pre-service teachers. To investigate students' attitudes and learning of Spanish, researchers interviewed second and fourth graders. The students' parents and pre-service…

Personal Epistemologies of Statisticians in Academia: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, Aurel H.; Stylianides, Andreas J.

2017-01-01

In this exploratory study, we investigated the personal epistemologies of statisticians in academia with the aim of offering some insight into what might be an availing epistemology for learning statistics. Findings from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with six academics in the UK currently researching within the field of statistics showed…

An exploratory study of apex fence flaps on a 74 deg delta wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wahls, R. A.; Vess, R. J.

1985-01-01

An exploratory wind tunnel investigation was performed to observe the flow field effects produced by vertically deployed apex fences on a planar 74 degree delta wing. The delta shaped fences, each comprising approximately 3.375 percent of the wing area, were affixed along the first 25 percent of the wing leading edge in symmetric as well as asymmetric (i.e., fence on one side only) arrangements. The vortex flow field was visualized at angles of attack from 0 to 20 degrees using helium bubble and oil flow techniques; upper surface pressures were also measured along spanwise rows. The results were used to construct a preliminary description of the vortex patterns and induced pressures associated with vertical apex fence deployment. The objective was to obtain an initial evaluation of the potential of apex fences as vortex devices for subsonic lift modulation as well as lateral directional control of delta wing aircraft.

[Introduction to Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA)].

PubMed

Martínez, Carolina Méndez; Sepúlveda, Martín Alonso Rondón

2012-03-01

Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) has become one of the most frequently used statistical techniques, especially in the medical and social sciences. Given its popularity, it is essential to understand the basic concepts necessary for its proper application and to take into consideration the main strengths and weaknesses of this technique. To present in a clear and concise manner the main applications of this technique, to determine the basic requirements for its use providing a description step by step of its methodology, and to establish the elements that must be taken into account during its preparation in order to not incur in erroneous results and interpretations. Narrative review. This review identifies the basic concepts and briefly describes the objectives, design, assumptions, and methodology to achieve factor derivation, global adjustment evaluation, and adequate interpretation of results. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

An exploratory cluster randomised trial of a university halls of residence based social norms intervention in Wales, UK

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Excessive alcohol consumption amongst university students has received increasing attention. A social norms approach to reducing drinking behaviours has met with some success in the USA. Such an approach is based on the assumption that student's perceptions of the norms of their peers are highly influential, but that these perceptions are often incorrect. Social norms interventions therefore aim to correct these inaccurate perceptions, and in turn, to change behaviours. However, UK studies are scarce and it is increasingly recognised that social norm interventions need to be supported by socio ecological approaches that address the wider determinants of behaviour. Objectives To describe the research design for an exploratory trial examining the acceptability, hypothesised process of change and implementation of a social norm marketing campaign designed to correct misperceptions of normative alcohol use and reduce levels of misuse, implemented alongside a university wide alcohol harm reduction toolkit. It also assesses the feasibility of a potential large scale effectiveness trial by providing key trial design parameters including randomisation, recruitment and retention, contamination, data collection methods, outcome measures and intracluster correlations. Methods/design The study adopts an exploratory cluster randomised controlled trial design with halls of residence as the unit of allocation, and a nested mixed methods process evaluation. Four Welsh (UK) universities participated in the study, with residence hall managers consenting to implementation of the trial in 50 university owned campus based halls of residence. Consenting halls were randomised to either a phased multi channel social norm marketing campaign addressing normative discrepancies (n = 25 intervention) or normal practice (n = 25 control). The primary outcome is alcohol consumption (units per week) measured using the Daily Drinking Questionnaire. Secondary outcomes assess frequency of alcohol consumption, higher risk drinking, alcohol related problems and change in perceptions of alcohol-related descriptive and injunctive norms. Data will be collected for all 50 halls at 4 months follow up through a cross-sectional on line and postal survey of approximately 4000 first year students. The process evaluation will explore the acceptability and implementation of the social norms intervention and toolkit and hypothesised process of change including awareness, receptivity and normative changes. Discussion Exploratory trials such as this are essential to inform future definitive trials by providing crucial methodological parameters and guidance on designing and implementing optimum interventions. Trial registration number ISRCTN: ISRCTN48556384 PMID:22414293

Basic Exploratory Research versus Guideline-Compliant Studies Used for Hazard Evaluation and Risk Assessment: Bisphenol A as a Case Study

PubMed Central

Tyl, Rochelle W.

2009-01-01

Background Myers et al. [Environ Health Perspect 117:309–315 (2009)] argued that Good Laboratory Practices (GLPs) cannot be used as a criterion for selecting data for risk assessment, using bisphenol A (BPA) as a case study. They did not discuss the role(s) of guideline-compliant studies versus basic/exploratory research studies, and they criticized both GLPs and guideline-compliant studies and their roles in formal hazard evaluation and risk assessment. They also specifically criticized our published guideline-compliant dietary studies on BPA in rats and mice and 17β-estradiol (E2) in mice. Objectives As the study director/first author of the criticized E2 and BPA studies, I discuss the uses of basic research versus guideline-compliant studies, how testing guidelines are developed and revised, how new end points are validated, and the role of GLPs. I also provide an overview of the BPA guideline-compliant and exploratory research animal studies and describe BPA pharmacokinetics in rats and humans. I present responses to specific criticisms by Myers et al. Discussion and conclusions Weight-of-evidence evaluations have consistently concluded that low-level BPA oral exposures do not adversely affect human developmental or reproductive health, and I encourage increased validation efforts for “new” end points for inclusion in guideline studies, as well as performance of robust long-term studies to follow early effects (observed in small exploratory studies) to any adverse consequences. PMID:20049112

Moral sensitivity in Primary Health Care nurses.

PubMed

Nora, Carlise Rigon Dalla; Zoboli, Elma Lourdes Campos Pavone; Vieira, Margarida M

2017-04-01

to characterize the profile and describe the moral sensitivity of primary health care nurses. this is a quantitative, transversal, exploratory, descriptive study. The data were collected through the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire translated and adapted to Brazil. 100 primary health care nurses participated, from Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The data collection took place during the months of March and July 2016, in an online form. The analysis of the data occurred through descriptive statistical analysis. the nurses had an average moral sensitivity of 4.5 (out of 7). The dimensions with the greatest moral sensitivity were: interpersonal orientation, professional knowledge, moral conflict and moral meaning. the nurses of Rio Grande do Sul have a moderate moral sensitivity, which may contribute to a lower quality in Primary Health Care.

[The use of Cantonese pain descriptors among healthy young adults in Hong Kong].

PubMed

Chung, W Y; Wong, C H; Yang, J C; Tan, P P

1998-12-01

The interpretation and expression of pain are closely related to an individual's social and cultural background. To convey messages on pain, language and words (pain descriptors) is particularly significant in assessment and evaluation of pain severity and its management. Therefore, the study of pain descriptors is crucial in clinical practice. It was of exploratory-descriptive design. Samples were recruited by convenience. Data were collected by structured self-administered questionnaire. Data obtained included demographic information and pain descriptors used by the subjects in various pain conditions. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. Pain descriptors were categorized according to nature, process, intensity, aggravating factors, accompanying symptoms and behavioral manifestation. Total number of pain descriptors (in Cantonese) based on real pain experience was 3017, mean was 3 (n = 986). The commonest used descriptors was the nature of pain (41%). The intensity of pain constituted 20%. There was no significant difference in the number of pain descriptors between male and female. However, there was a significant difference between the type of pain descriptors used (Mfemale = 526, Mmale = 453, Z = -2.9729, p = 0.0029). There were also significant differences in the use of pain descriptors among the various age groups (X2 = 15.0157, df = 4, P = 0.0047) and educational levels (X2 = 11.2443, df = 4, P = 0.0240). The types of descriptors used increased with an increase in age and education levels. This exploratory-descriptive study explores the use of pain descriptors among Chinese young adults in Hong Kong. The result shows that female use more pain descriptors than male. The pain descriptors that female used are mostly of nature type. The similarities and differences in findings with those of the Ho's (1991) are compared.

Exploratory Factor Analysis and Psychometric Evaluation of the Teacher Reporting Attitude Scale for Child Sexual Abuse

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walsh, Kerryann; Rassafiani, Mehdi; Mathews, Ben; Farrell, Ann; Butler, Des

2012-01-01

This paper presents an evaluation of an instrument to measure teachers' attitudes toward reporting child sexual abuse and discusses the instrument's merit for research into reporting practice. Based on responses from 444 Australian teachers, the Teachers' Reporting Attitude Scale for Child Sexual Abuse was evaluated using exploratory factor…

Classification of L2 Vocabulary Learning Strategies: Evidence from Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Bo; Li, Changyu

2011-01-01

This research presents a classification theory for the L2 vocabulary learning strategies. Based on the exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of strategies that adult Chinese English learners used, this theory identifies six categories, four of which are related to the cognitive process in lexical acquisition and the other two are…

Enrollment Management Professionals in Community Colleges: An Exploratory Study of Their Influence on Student Recruitment and Retention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Tracy A.

2010-01-01

Community college leaders rely on enrollment management professionals (EMPs) to recruit and retain students, but research does not report the attributes these professionals should possess to contribute to student recruitment and retention. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine if characteristics exist among EMPs that contribute to…

Changing Teachers' Practices through Exploratory Talk in Mathematics: A Discursive Pedagogical Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Murphy, Carol

2015-01-01

This paper presents data collected as part of an intervention research project to develop exploratory talk and collaborative group work with six and seven year-old students in mathematics. A discursive approach was used to analyse and interpret variations in the way that three case-study teachers, involved in the project, managed the group work…

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale: Examining the Variable of Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ali, Shainna; Lambie, Glenn; Bloom, Zachary D.

2017-01-01

The Sexual Orientation Counselor Competency Scale (SOCCS), developed by Bidell in 2005, measures counselors' levels of skills, awareness, and knowledge in assisting lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) clients. In an effort to gain an increased understanding of the construct validity of the SOCCS, researchers performed an exploratory factor analysis on…

Parent Explanation and Preschoolers' Exploratory Behavior and Learning in a Shadow Exhibition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Schijndel, Tessa J. P.; Raijmakers, Maartje E. J.

2016-01-01

The present study fills a gap in existing visitor research by focusing on the preschool age group. The study explores relationships between parent explanation, children's exploratory behavior, and their domain-specific learning in a shadow exhibition. In addition, the effect of a preceding theater show on child and parent behaviors is examined. In…

An Exploratory Study of Fifth-Grade Students' Reasoning about the Relationship between Fractions and Decimals When Using Number Line-Based Virtual Manipulatives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Scott

2017-01-01

Understanding the relationship between fractions and decimals is an important step in developing an overall understanding of rational numbers. Research has demonstrated the feasibility of technology in the form of virtual manipulatives for facilitating students' meaningful understanding of rational number concepts. This exploratory dissertation…

Selective Attention in Web Forms: An Exploratory Case Study with Older People

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sayago, Sergio; Guijarro, Jose-Maria; Blat, Josep

2012-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory study aimed to identify which ways of marking required and optional fields help older people fill in web forms correctly. Drawing on a pilot study and selective attention research in ageing, modified versions of widely used forms were created, in which standard asterisks were replaced with one of three…

Characteristics of Effective Pedagogy of Third Grade English Learners in Language Arts: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Merwin, Gregory J.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify pedagogical and non-pedagogical factors that affect the academic achievement of English Learner (EL) students in the area of language arts at Dr. Albert Schweitzer Elementary School in Anaheim, California. The researcher conducted an exploratory multiple case study to develop a comprehensive, contextual…

An Exploratory Examination of a Grant-Making Project in Social Work Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Dennis D.; McCarter, Susan; Thomas, M. Lori; Boyd, A. Suzanne

2012-01-01

Educators secure funding for MSW students to become a grant-making entity and provide monies to address local needs. An exploratory research design is used to obtain quantitative and qualitative data from students participating in the course-based project. Feedback suggests that students perceived increased abilities in the area of community needs…

An Exploratory Factor Analysis of the URICA among Couple Therapy Participants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tambling, Rachel B.; Johnson, Lee N.

2012-01-01

Assessing and measuring client motivation to change has been of great interest to therapists and researchers in a variety of fields. This article presents the results of an exploratory factor analysis of the University of Rhode Island Change Assessment (URICA), a measure of motivation to change, in a sample of individuals in couple therapy. Four…

FACTOR 9.2: A Comprehensive Program for Fitting Exploratory and Semiconfirmatory Factor Analysis and IRT Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo-Seva, Urbano; Ferrando, Pere J.

2013-01-01

FACTOR 9.2 was developed for three reasons. First, exploratory factor analysis (FA) is still an active field of research although most recent developments have not been incorporated into available programs. Second, there is now renewed interest in semiconfirmatory (SC) solutions as suitable approaches to the complex structures are commonly found…

College Student Textbook Acquisition: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGowan, Matthew K.; Stephens, Paul R.

2015-01-01

The past ten years have seen an increase in the number of ways students can acquire textbooks. The traditional purchase of printed textbooks from the campus bookstore still exists, but now students can purchase e-books, buy online, or rent from either the campus bookstore or from an online provider. This research is an exploratory study of college…

Reasoning Words as Linguistic Features of Exploratory Talk: Classroom Use and What It Can Tell Us

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boyd, Maureen; Kong, Yiren

2017-01-01

Reasoning words are linguistic features associated with classroom exploratory talk as students talk-to-learn, explore ideas, and probe each other's thinking. This study extends established research on use of reasoning words to a fourth- to fifth-grade literature-based English language learning context. We examined frequency and patterning of…

Horizontal Structure in Public Relations: An Exploratory Study of Departmental Differentiation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grunig, Larissa Schneider

An exploratory study of horizontal organizational structure investigated how the tasks in a public relations department are apportioned and why the structure is as it is. J. E. Grunig and T. Hunt's taxonomy of horizontal structures, which served as the framework for the research, suggests that the following structures are typical: by public, by…

An Exploratory Analysis of Job and Life Satisfaction among Entrepreneurs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyons, Paul R.; DeCarlo, James F.

An exploratory study examined the job and life satisfaction of a sample of 32 female entrepreneurs residing in the tri-state area of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. To compare the entrepreneurs' concepts of life and job satisfaction to those of women in more traditional occupations, researchers also studied a sample of 32 female nursing…

An Exploratory Study of the Impacts of an Employer-Supported Child Care Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morrissey, Taryn W.; Warner, Mildred E.

2011-01-01

Although employer-sponsored child care programs have become more common, there is little empirical research on whether these programs affect employees' satisfaction with child care or their work-life balance, and if effects vary across employee characteristics. In this exploratory study, we administered a survey to employees with children at one…

The Implications of Talent Management for Diversity Training: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, Jim; Harte, Victoria

2010-01-01

Purpose: The paper seeks to explore the proposition that there is a need for research to address the connections between talent management (TM) and managing diversity as one example of achieving better integration and less separation in academic work on human resource (HR). Design/methodology/approach: An exploratory study of one organisation at a…

Seeing the Forest Despite the Trees: The Benefit of Exploratory Data Analysis to Program Evaluation Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sinacore, James M.; And Others

1992-01-01

It is argued that there is a benefit to applying techniques of exploratory data analysis (EDA) to program evaluation. The evaluation of a rehabilitation program for people with rheumatoid arthritis (20 subjects and 21 comparisons) through EDA supports the argument, indicating outcomes more precisely than conventional analysis of variance. (SLD)

Exploratory Two-Level Analysis of Individual- and School-Level Factors on Truant Youth Emotional/Psychological Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dembo, Richard; Wareham, Jennifer; Schmeidler, James; Winters, Ken C.

2016-01-01

Research on samples of truant adolescents is limited, with little known about mental health problems among truant youths. This study provided an exploratory, multilevel examination of mental health problems for a sample of 300 truant adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a single factor of multiple mental health problems at the…

Content-Specific Strategies to Advocate for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graybill, Emily C.; Varjas, Kris; Meyers, Joel; Watson, Laurel B.

2009-01-01

Researchers suggest that supportive school personnel may decrease some of the challenges encountered by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) youth in schools (Russell, Seif, & Truong, 2001); however, little is known about the approaches used by school-based advocates for LGBT youth. This exploratory study investigated the strategies used…

EAR Program Research Results

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-01-01

The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need for longer term, higher risk research with the potential for longterm improvements to transportation systems-improvements in planning, building, renewing, and operating safe, congesti...

An Examination of Black Male First-Generation College Students' Reports of the Social Supports that Have Buffering Effects on Their School-Related Stress and Help Them Achieve Academic Success in College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harrington, Anthony C.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this exploratory, case study of Black male first-generation college students at Carthen College was three-fold. First, it was designed to elicit participants' descriptions of the stress they experienced related to school and being a student. Second, the study aimed to describe and then rate how important that source of support was…

[Do nursing students have entrepreneur profile?].

PubMed

Roncon, Paulo Fernando; Munhoz, Sarah

2009-01-01

Descriptive-exploratory study that aimed at knowing the profile of nursing students regarding entrepreneurship. The General Entrepreneurship Trend Test with 54 questions was applied to 41 students. Results demonstrated that 14% present five entrepreneur tendencies, 12% present four entrepreneur tendencies, and 80% do not present entrepreneur tendencies. The majority of student intent to work as clinical nurses, while none of them intent to work in management activities. It was concluded that students have low grade of the entrepreneurship characteristics.

Exploratory and descriptive study on nutritional characteristics and quality of eggs from Chilean partridge (Nothoprocta perdicaria).

PubMed

Arias, José Luis; Matthei, Alberto; Valenzuela, Carolina

2018-01-01

This work aims to contribute more information on tinamou eggs by performing an exploratory and descriptive study of some of their nutritional and quality characteristics. The chemical composition of tinamou egg showed a high protein content in white (85% dry basis) and high lipid concentration in yolk (52% db). The iron (Fe) content in white was higher than hen egg (0.47 mg/100 g) and this could be associated with the observed pinkish color of the white. As in the hen egg, the major fatty acids in tinamou yolk were: oleic (39%), linoleic (23%) and palmitic (20%). The cholesterol content of tinamou was 21.2 mg/g of yolk, and 100 g of whole egg provides 589 mg of cholesterol. As in the hen egg, tinamou egg white showed high levels of lysine, sulfur-containing amino acids, threonine and valine with respect to the recommended allowance for an adult man. All essential amino acids with the exception of histidine cover the adult requirements. The shell inorganic composition of these eggs is calcium carbonate and the morphology was similar to other avian eggs. Tinamou egg is small and elongated, with a dark brown color. The eggshell is thinner and experiences more deformation but less breaking strength than hen eggshell. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Passing the baton: a grounded practical theory of handoff communication between multidisciplinary providers in two Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient settings.

PubMed

Koenig, Christopher J; Maguen, Shira; Daley, Aaron; Cohen, Greg; Seal, Karen H

2013-01-01

Handoffs are communication processes that enact the transfer of responsibility between providers across clinical settings. Prior research on handoff communication has focused on inpatient settings between provider teams and has emphasized patient safety. This study examines handoff communication within multidisciplinary provider teams in two outpatient settings. To conduct an exploratory study that describes handoff communication among multidisciplinary providers, to develop a theory-driven descriptive framework for outpatient handoffs, and to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different handoff types. Qualitative, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 31 primary care, mental health, and social work providers in two Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center outpatient clinics. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Grounded Practical Theory to develop a theoretical model of and a descriptive framework for handoff communication among multidisciplinary providers. Multidisciplinary providers reported that handoff decisions across settings were made spontaneously and without clear guidelines. Two situated values, clinic efficiency and patient-centeredness, shaped multidisciplinary providers' handoff decisions. Providers reported three handoff techniques along a continuum: the electronic handoff, which was the most clinically efficient; the provider-to-provider handoff, which balanced clinic efficiency and patient-centeredness; and the collaborative handoff, which was the most patient-centered. Providers described handoff choice as a practical response to manage constituent features of clinic efficiency (time, space, medium of communication) and patient-centeredness (information continuity, management continuity, relational continuity, and social interaction). We present a theoretical and descriptive framework to help providers evaluate differential handoff use, reflect on situated values guiding clinic communication, and guide future research. Handoff communication reflected multidisciplinary providers' efforts to balance clinic efficiency with patient-centeredness within the constraints of day-to-day clinical practice. Evaluating the strengths and weaknesses among alternative handoff options may enhance multidisciplinary provider handoff decision-making and may contribute to increased coordination and continuity of care across outpatient settings.

The Relationship of Bureaucratic Structure to School Climate: An Exploratory Factor Analysis of Construct Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lennon, Patricia A.

2010-01-01

This researcher examined the relationship of bureaucratic structure to school climate by means of an exploratory factor analysis of a measure of bureaucracy developed by Hoy and Sweetland (2000) and the four dimensional measure of climate developed by Hoy, Smith, and Sweetland (2002). Since there had been no other empirical studies whose authors…

Instructional Strategies and Best Practices for Improving the Achievement Gap in Mathematics: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lord, Joey

2017-01-01

This qualitative exploratory case study focused on the achievement gap in mathematics that exists in one urban North Carolina middle school and the strategies used by school personnel to narrow this gap. The goal of this research was to determine effective instructional strategies and best practices used to engage students in learning that will…

Exploratory Development Research Effectiveness: A Second Evaluation,

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-09-01

A12i 537 EXPLORATORY DEVELOPMENT RESERCH EFFECTIVENESS: A / SECOND EVRLUATfON(U) CALIFORNIA STATE UNIV SACRAMENTO T A BUCKLES ET AL. SEP 78 CSUS/NPS...Administration - CSUS-NPS J077091 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT . OBJECTIVE.............. . .. .. .. .... 1 DISCUSSION............. .. .. .. .... 1... contention that Work Unit Cost influenced the degree of transition. The last postulate that was tested concerned work unit classification by dollar amount. It

An Exploratory Case Study of Olympiad Students' Attitudes towards and Passion for Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oliver, Mary; Venville, Grady

2011-01-01

Much is known about high school students' attitudes towards science but there is almost no research on what passion for science might look like and how it might be manifested. This exploratory case study took advantage of a unique group of highly gifted science students participating in the Australian Science Olympiad (N = 69) to explore their…

The Effects of Using Exploratory Computerized Environments in Grades 1 to 8 Mathematics: A Meta-Analysis of Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sokolowski, Andrzej; Li, Yeping; Willson, Victor

2015-01-01

Background: The process of problem solving is difficult for students; thus, mathematics educators have made multiple attempts to seek ways of making this process more accessible to learners. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect size statistic of utilizing exploratory computerized environments (ECEs) to support the process of word…

Educators in Industry: An Exploratory Study to Determine How Teacher Externships Influence K-12 Classroom Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowen, Bradley; Shume, Teresa

2018-01-01

This exploratory study investigates the impacts of industry-based externships for K-12 teachers, and reports teachers' perspectives on how these experiences influenced K-12 classroom practices. The program of focus in this research study is the Educators in Industry: K-12 Externship Program. For four weeks in the summer, teacher-participants are…

The Impact of Student Self-Efficacy on Scientific Inquiry Skills: An Exploratory Investigation in "River City," a Multi-User Virtual Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ketelhut, Diane Jass

2007-01-01

This exploratory study investigated data-gathering behaviors exhibited by 100 seventh-grade students as they participated in a scientific inquiry-based curriculum project delivered by a multi-user virtual environment (MUVE). This research examined the relationship between students' self-efficacy on entry into the authentic scientific activity and…

Educator Perspectives on the Use of Alternative Assessment Methods within Taught Masters Programmes: An Exploratory Study Using Activity Theory and Q Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deignan, Tim; Brown, Sally

2016-01-01

This article reports on an exploratory two-stage sequential mixed methods research study that investigated the views of university educators on the introduction of assessment methods other than essays, exams and dissertations within taught Masters programmes. In the first stage, interviews were conducted internationally with 45 participants and…

Living Accommodation for Young People. Report of An Exploratory Review.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Phyllis G.; Miller, A.

The Building Research Station has embarked on a series of case-studies on the provision of living accommodations for single young people in the 15 to 24 age group in England who live away from home because of education, training or employment. An exploratory review of the existing literature on the subject was made. Discussed are some of the…

Teacher and Student Use of Gesture and Access to Secondary Mathematics for Students with Learning Disabilities: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hord, Casey; Marita, Samantha; Walsh, Jennifer B.; Tomaro, Taylor-Marie; Gordon, Kiyana; Saldanha, Rene L.

2016-01-01

The researchers conducted an exploratory qualitative case study to describe the gesturing processes of tutors and students when engaging in secondary mathematics. The use of gestures ranged in complexity from simple gestures, such as pointing and moving the pointing finger in an arching motion to demonstrate mathematics relationships within…

Technical Objects between Categorisation and Learning: An Exploratory Case Study in French Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Impedovo, M. A.; Andreucci, C.; Delserieys-Pedregosa, A.; Coiffard, C.; Ginestié, J.

2015-01-01

In this article we present exploratory research carried out in order to understand how students (from 12 to 14 years old) relate to technical objects. It uses technical objects that are part of everyday life and mediated reality. A questionnaire was administered to 57 students in French classes. The questionnaire was composed of three parts: 1)…

An Exploratory Investigation: Are Driving Simulators Appropriate to Teach Pre-Driving Skills to Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brooks, Johnell O.; Mossey, Mary E.; Tyler, Peg; Collins, James C.

2014-01-01

Research examining driver training for young adults with intellectual disabilities has been limited since the 1970s. The current pilot and exploratory study investigated teaching pre-driving skills (i.e. lane keeping and speed maintenance) to young adults with intellectual disabilities using an interactive driving simulator to provide dynamic and…

Designing an Exploratory Text Analysis Tool for Humanities and Social Sciences Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shrikumar, Aditi

2013-01-01

This dissertation presents a new tool for exploratory text analysis that attempts to improve the experience of navigating and exploring text and its metadata. The design of the tool was motivated by the unmet need for text analysis tools in the humanities and social sciences. In these fields, it is common for scholars to have hundreds or thousands…

Tobephobia Experienced by Teachers in Secondary Schools: An Exploratory Study Focusing on Curriculum Reform in the Nelson Mandela Metropole

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Singh, P.

2011-01-01

Because of its history from apartheid to democracy, the aspiration to reform schools is a recurrent theme in South African education. Efforts to reform education in schools based on the outcomes-based education (OBE) curriculum approach created major challenges for policy makers in South Africa. The purpose of this exploratory research was…

More than a Library?: Urban Poverty and an Exploratory Look at the Role of a Neighborhood Institution

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ly, Carolyn

2010-01-01

Libraries have traditionally tended to be one of the few institutionally provided public resources for local residents in poor, urban, neighborhoods. This paper presents findings from the exploratory phase of an ongoing research project which examines, through participant observation, the "value" of a public library in a poor urban neighborhood.…

Visual Culture in the Elementary-School Classroom: Moving from Box-Store Commodities to Out-of-the-Box Thinking

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fattal, Laura Felleman

2017-01-01

The goal of the action research project on visual culture is to contribute to the dialogue on the exploratory ecology vs commodity culture of the elementary school classroom. Exploratory culture, unlike commodity culture, applauds open-ended thinking, inchoate imaginings, and critical thinking with its attachment to divergent paths to resolving…

An Exploratory Examination of Literacy Assessment Practices of Adult Programs in North Carolina's Piedmont-Triad Region

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Byrd, Eboni Nikita; Comer, Marcus M.

2007-01-01

It is estimated that 22 percent, of adults in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina have poor literacy skills, meaning that they have difficulty with tasks involving simple texts and documents. Purpose: Given this low level of adult literacy, the purpose of this exploratory research study was to analyze the perceptions of North Carolina's adult…

Scale Development and Initial Tests of the Multidimensional Complex Adaptive Leadership Scale for School Principals: An Exploratory Mixed Method Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özen, Hamit; Turan, Selahattin

2017-01-01

This study was designed to develop the scale of the Complex Adaptive Leadership for School Principals (CAL-SP) and examine its psychometric properties. This was an exploratory mixed method research design (ES-MMD). Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to develop and assess psychometric properties of the questionnaire. This study…

Investigating Everyday Measures through Exploratory Talk: Whole Class Plenary Intervention and Landscape Study at Grade Four

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gade, Sharada; Blomqvist, Charlotta

2018-01-01

We report an exploratory talk based, whole class plenary intervention, in relation to students' understanding of everyday measures and measurement, in a grade four classroom at a grade 4-6 school in Sweden. Extended, project related, teacher-researcher collaboration forms basis for such cultural historical activity theory or CHAT based efforts. As…

Creating a Community of Inquiry in Large-Enrollment Online Courses: An Exploratory Study on the Effect of Protocols within Online Discussions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Baiyun; deNoyelles, Aimee; Patton, Kerry; Zydney, Janet

2017-01-01

It can be difficult to foster focused and effective communication in online discussions within large classes. Implementing protocols is a strategy that may help students communicate more effectively, facilitate their learning process, and improve the quality of their work within online discussions. In this exploratory research study, a protocol…

An Exploratory Study of Puerto Rican MSM Drug Users: The Childhood and Early Teen Years of Gay Males and Transsexual Females

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finlinson, H. Ann; Colon, Hector M.; Robles, Rafaela R.; Soto, Mayra

2008-01-01

Research suggests that sexual silence, family loyalty, and homophobia foster health-compromising behaviors among adult Latino gay males, but little is known about the effect of these sociocultural factors on the lives of Latino children and young teens characterized by gender nonconformity and homosexual orientation. This exploratory study of…

The Value of Learning Talk: Applying a Novel Dialogue Scoring Method to Inform Interaction Design in an Open-Ended, Embodied Museum Exhibit

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roberts, Jessica; Lyons, Leilah

2017-01-01

Museum researchers have long acknowledged the importance of dialogue in informal learning, particularly for open-ended exploratory exhibits. Novel interaction techniques like full-body interaction are appealing for these exploratory exhibits, but designers have not had a metric for determining how their designs are supporting productive learning…

An Exploratory Study on K-12 Teachers' Use of Technology and Multimedia in the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, Florence; Carr, Marsha L.

2015-01-01

21st century has seen new technology and multimedia made available for integration in K-12 classrooms. This exploratory study examines K-12 teachers' use of technology and multimedia in the classroom in two southern counties in the Southeastern United States. The purpose of the study was to answer the following five research questions: 1) What…

An Exploratory Study of the Impact of Self-Efficacy and Learning Engagement in Coding Learning Activities in Italian Middle School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banzato, Monica; Tosato, Paolo

2017-01-01

In Italy, teaching coding at primary and secondary levels is emerging as a major educational issue, particularly in light of the recent reforms now being implemented. Consequently, there has been increased research on how to introduce information technology in lower secondary schools. This paper presents an exploratory survey, carried out through…

EAR Program Research Results : Updated through 2013

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-31

The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need for longer term, higher risk research with the potential for long-term improvements to transportation systemsimprovements in planning, building, renewing, and operating safe, conge...

EAR Program Research Results: Updated through 2014

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-31

The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need for longer term, higher risk research with the potential for long-term improvements to transportation systemsimprovements in planning, building, renewing, and operating safe, conge...

EAR Program Research Results: Updated through 2016

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-12-31

The Exploratory Advanced Research (EAR) Program addresses the need for longer term, higher risk research with the potential for long-term improvements to transportation systemsimprovements in planning, building, renewing, and operating safe, conge...

Accelerator & Fusion Research Division 1991 summary of activities

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

Not Available

1991-12-01

This report discusses research projects in the following areas: Heavy-ion fusion accelerator research; magnetic fusion energy; advanced light source; center for x-ray optics; exploratory studies; superconducting magnets; and bevalac operations.

Accelerator Fusion Research Division 1991 summary of activities

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

Berkner, Klaus H.

1991-12-01

This report discusses research projects in the following areas: Heavy-ion fusion accelerator research; magnetic fusion energy; advanced light source; center for x-ray optics; exploratory studies; superconducting magnets; and bevalac operations.

Exploring the potential of Product Service Systems to achieve household waste prevention on new housing developments in the UK.

PubMed

Gottberg, Annika; Longhurst, Philip J; Cook, Matthew B

2010-03-01

Product service systems (PSS) are cleaner product concepts which have been developed to achieve improvements in resource productivity which may be realized from modern trends in service delivery. However, there is a paucity of research on the waste prevention performance of PSS in UK household markets. This paper reports the findings of exploratory research which begins to address this gap in knowledge. An exploratory waste prevention assessment was completed on four experimental PSS which were developed in conjunction with a major UK house-builder for delivery on their new housing developments. The results of the assessment show that the selected PSS concepts have potential to prevent high value and harmful Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) arising in UK household waste streams. Consistent with the canon of exploratory research, the assessment also identifies a number of factors which are thought to influence PSS waste prevention performance. It is recognized that further research is needed to gain an in-depth understanding of these factors as well as to define policy measures which enable the conditions in which PSS prevent household waste on new housing developments in the UK to be created.

Building Identity and Community through Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rude, Carolyn D.

2015-01-01

A field's identity and sustainability depend on its research as well as on programs, practice, and infrastructure. Research and practice have a reciprocal relationship, with practice identifying research questions and researchers answering those questions to improve practice. Technical communication research also has an exploratory purpose, using…

[Coaching: a reference model for the practice of nurse-leaders in the hospital context].

PubMed

Cardoso, Maria Lúcia Alves Pereira; Ramos, Laís Helena; D'Innocenzo, Maria

2011-06-01

The objectives of the present study was to evaluate the leadership of nurses by using the coaching strategy as a managerial tool, and identify, measure and analyze the acquisition of competencies from the view of nurse-coaches. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, exploratory and field study that was performed using a quantitative approach. Situational Leadership was selected as the theoretical framework and the research instrument was submitted to statistical and content analyses and was applied on 11 nurse leaders of a large scale private general hospital located in São Paulo. The results showed that participants gained new knowledge, confirmed the Situational Leadership model as the recognized being a coach leader, with a style that is mainly aimed at tasks and people, according to the situation involved, and pointed out the following skills as determinant of coaches: communication, giving and receiving feedback, assigning and gaining power and having an influence. Finally, the attitudes reflected the practice of coaching.

Benefits, barriers, and intentions/desires of nurses related to distance learning in rural island communities.

PubMed

Kataoka-Yahiro, Merle R; Richardson, Karol; Mobley, Joseph

2011-03-01

This study assessed distance learning needs among nurses on the Neighbor Islands in Hawaii. An exploratory study was conducted using a descriptive qualitative design. Of the 37 nurses who completed the study, 7 were nurse administrators and 30 were staff nurses. There were 18 focus groups of nurses recruited from six public hospitals on the Neighbor Islands. Three major themes related to distance learning emerged in this study: benefits, barriers, and intentions/desires. Each major theme had several linkages to categories and subcategories. Overall findings were as follows: (1) cost was mentioned more often in three major thematic areas (benefit, barriers, and intentions/desires); (2) the need to revisit and address current curriculum approaches and practices in distance learning programs was identified; and (3) strong recommendations were made for programs and organizational support for distance learning in hospital settings. These findings have implications for nursing research, education, and practice. Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Motivational factors influencing nurses to undertake postgraduate hospital-based education.

PubMed

Kinsella, Danny; Fry, Margaret; Zecchin, Alison

2018-05-01

Specialist postgraduate education improves patient health outcomes, and assists in meeting the emerging specialisation of nursing practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the motivational factors that influence nurses' engagement with hospital-based postgraduate education. The research design was descriptive and exploratory, using a survey method. The survey consisted of demographic details, the Participation Reasons Scale (PRS) and open-ended questions. Thirty-four participants (100%) completed the survey. Of the PRS extrinsic and intrinsic factors, Professional Improvement and Development (Factor 1) and Professional Service (Factor 2), both intrinsic factors, ranked the highest. Therefore, this study identified that intrinsic motivation factors influenced engagement with postgraduate specialty programs for early career nurses. These results highlight the importance of intrinsic motivation factors for a nursing workforce and how this can potentially drive behaviour and decision making. A better understanding of motivation factors across a nurse's career could lead to educational strategies that optimise postgraduate program engagement to better support healthcare delivery and a culture of lifelong learning. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

[The multiple social roles of female lay caretakers of hospitalized children].

PubMed

Wegner, Wiliam; Pedro, Eva Neri Rubim

2010-06-01

This is a qualitative, descriptive, exploratory, and interventionist research carried out with nine female lay caretakers of children undergoing oncologic treatment. The objectives were to present the multiple social roles performed by female lay caretakers of children with cancer and to discuss the caretaker's role in society. The study was carried out between March and April, 2007, at Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The data collection was performed with the focal group technique. The results were examined through the analysis of thematic content, which evidenced the multiple social roles performed by women, the main group of caretakers in society, regardless of the context. Final considerations enhance a discussion in the educational, political and social levels about the redistribution of social roles, particularly family responsibility between men and women. The participation of the nursing staff can take place through the comprehension of those roles imposed by the context and facilitate family inclusion in the care relationship.

Welcoming with risk classification in teaching hospitals: assessment of structure, process and result.

PubMed

Vituri, Dagmar Willamowius; Inoue, Kelly Cristina; Bellucci Júnior, José Aparecido; de Oliveira, Carlos Aparecido; Rossi, Robson Marcelo; Matsuda, Laura Misue

2013-01-01

To assess, from the worker's viewpoint, the structure, the process and the results of the Emergency Hospital Services that have taken up the guideline of "Welcoming with Risk Classification" in two teaching hospitals of the state of Paraná. Quantitative and descriptive research, exploratory and prospective, using random sampling stratified by professional category, comprising a universe of 216 professional people. They found some points of agreement regarding the promotion of a welcoming and humane environment; privacy and security; welcome and shelter of the companion and also the sheltering and classification of all patients; however, there was disagreement about the comfort of the environment, reference system and counter-reference, prioritisation of seriously ill patients in post-classification service, communication between the members of the multi-professional team and reassessment of the guideline. The workers assess the development of the guideline as being precarious, due mainly to the lack of physical structure, due to the lack of physical structure and shortcomings in the service process.

[Mental health actions in the north of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil].

PubMed

Martins, Ricardo Vianna; Rossettob, Maíra; Sartori, Queli Daiane Nogueira; Pinto, Ader Campos; Van Der Sand, Isabel Cristina Pacheco; Hildebrandt, Leila Mariza

2012-03-01

The objective this study is to describe the actions and intervention projects in mental health in the health services of the cities that are part of Rio Grande do Sul's 15th Regional Health Coordinating Body (15a Coordenadoria Regional de Saúde). This is an exploratory, descriptive and qualitative research. A questionnaire was applied to health professionals and managers who were part of regional mental health forums. From the content analysis as proposed by Minayo, the following categories emerged- one which describes mental health care in the health services of the municipalities, including aspects related to mental disorders, to the organization of the mental health team, to the main developed actions and to the difficulties found; the other category is about intervention projects in mental health that, according to the subjects, will be implanted in the cities. Relevant points the regional network of mental health care were identified which will be helpful in planning and improving care.

[Violence against women in the perspective of community health agents].

PubMed

Hesler, Lilian Zielke; da Costa, Marta Cocco; Resta, Darielli Gindri; Colomé, Isabel Cristina dos Santos

2013-03-01

The current study has the objective of learning and understanding how Community Health Agents conceptualize, develop and perform strategies to counter violence against women attending the Family Health Strategies in a northeastern municipality of Rio Grande do Sul. It is an exploratory research, utilizing a descriptive and qualitative approach, carried out with 35 Community Health Agents. Semi-structured interviews were performed to collect the data, which were analyzed using the thematic model. Conceptions of violence against women are centered around violence as a social construction based on gender inequalities and on violence as having a multifactorial construction. Regarding care practices and interventions to counter violence, the following tools are highlighted construction of intervention strategies within the staff forming bonds, listening and dialogue with the women victims of violence; and directing victims to support services. We believe that this study contributes to the visibility of this theme as a need in health care, as well as for the construction of strategies to counter it.

Nurses in the labor market: professional insertion, competencies and skills.

PubMed

Püschel, Vilanice Alves de Araújo; Costa, Dafeni; Reis, Priscila Patrício; Oliveira, Larissa Bertacchini de; Carbogim, Fábio da Costa

2017-01-01

to characterize nurses graduated from the School of Nursing of the University of São Paulo, from 2006 to 2012; verify their entry, facilitating factors and difficulties of these graduates in the labor market and to consider their skills and competences in the world of work. an exploratory, descriptive study with a qualitative approach. out of 505 graduates, 172 (34.1%) participated in the research. Entry into the labor market was mainly via public hospital institutions, in the SE of Brazil, in the caregiving sectors. The greater part remained from one to two years in their first job. Most agreed that they were prepared to meet the health needs of the population.  Furthermore, they had been encouraged to seek systematic and continuous improvement in a critical, reflexive and creative way, while combining technical-scientific knowledge and personal skills. the results show that the University of São Paulo has been preparing nurses for work in the labor market, in accordance with the provisions of the National Curricular Guidelines.

Predicting the mental health of college students with psychological capital.

PubMed

Selvaraj, Priscilla Rose; Bhat, Christine Suniti

2018-06-01

Behavioral health treatment is grounded in the medical model with language of deficits and problems, rather than resources and strengths. With developments in the field of positive psychology, re-focusing on well-being rather than illness is possible. The primary purpose of this study was to examine relationships and predictions that exist between levels of mental health in college students, i.e., flourishing, moderate mental health, and languishing, and psychological capital (PsyCap). For this cross-sectional, exploratory study survey method was used for data collection and for analyses of results a series of descriptive, correlation, ANOVA, and multiple regression analyses were done. Results indicated that developing positive psychological strengths such as hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism (acronym HERO) within college students significantly increased their positive mental health. Based on the predictive nature of PsyCap, mental health professionals may engage more in creating programs incorporating PsyCap development intervention for college students. Implications for counseling and programmatic services for college students are presented along with suggestions for future research.

"You've Got to Love Yourself": Photovoice Stories From African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos Living With Diabetes.

PubMed

Peña-Purcell, Ninfa C; Cutchen, Lauren; McCoy, Traechel

2018-05-01

Health disparities persist among African Americans (AAs) and Latino adults with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this research was to use PhotoVoice to examine AAs and Latinos' daily experiences of managing diabetes. An exploratory, descriptive study using PhotoVoice and focus groups was conducted over a 3-week period: Week 1 orientation session, Week 2 photo taking and returning cameras, and Week 3 focus group to share and discuss photos. Ten AAs and nine Latino adults were enrolled, forming four focus groups. Four categories emerged: (1) daily life living with type 2 diabetes mellitus, (2) negative and positive emotions, (3) supports and barriers, and (4) needs. The social determinants of health influencing diabetes self-care were observed in discussions and photos-this included the built environment to promote a healthy lifestyle, social support, and education. PhotoVoice promotes culturally congruent care to better understand AA and Latinos' experience living with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

[Costs and consumption of material resources in pediatric intensive and semi-intensive care units].

PubMed

Zuliani, Larissa Lenotti; Jericó, Marli de Carvalho; de Castro, Liliana Cristina; Soler, Zaida Aurora Sperli Geraldes

2012-01-01

Cost management of hospital material resources is a trendy research topic, especially in specialized health units. Nurses are pointed out as the main managers for costs and consumption of hospital materials resources. This study aimed to characterize Pediatric Intensive and Semi-Intensive Care Units of a teaching hospital and investigate costs and consumption of material resources used to treat patients admitted to these units. This is a descriptive exploratory study with retrospective data and quantitative approach. Data were obtained from a Hospital Information System and analyzed according to the ABC classification. The average expenditures were similar in both the neonatal and cardiac units, and lower in Pediatric Intensive and Semi-Intensive care units. There was a significant variation in the monthly consumption of materials. Higher cost materials had a greater impact on the budget of the studied units. The data revealed the importance of using a systematic method for the analysis of materials consumption and expenditure in pediatric units. They subsidize administrative and economic actions.

[Assessment levels of the user's satisfaction in a private hospital].

PubMed

da Cruz, Wilma Batista Souza; Melleiro, Marta Maria

2010-03-01

The objective of this study was to analyze the satisfaction of the users of a private hospital in terms of a number of attributes of the services in units. This exploratory, descriptive study used a quantitative approach and was developed in a private hospital in the city of São Paulo. The casuistry consisted of 71 users and data collection was performed during the period from March to August 2007, using a derivative of the scale model of the Service Quality (SERVQUAL) of the evaluative model of Parasuraman et al. The level of overall satisfaction ranged around 95%. The assurance (96%) and reliability (96%) were considered the most important dimensions of quality, followed by empathy (95%), responsiveness (93%) and tangibility (88%). Medical and nursing staffs introduced high levels of satisfaction. 91% has intention to recommend the hospital. This research provided the knowledge of the attributes most important in terms of satisfaction and contributed to confirming or reshaping assistance and management processes.

The HIV Prison Paradox: Agency and HIV-Positive Women's Experiences in Jail and Prison in Alabama.

PubMed

Sprague, Courtenay; Scanlon, Michael L; Radhakrishnan, Bharathi; Pantalone, David W

2017-08-01

Incarcerated women face significant barriers to achieve continuous HIV care. We employed a descriptive, exploratory design using qualitative methods and the theoretical construct of agency to investigate participants' self-reported experiences accessing HIV services in jail, in prison, and post-release in two Alabama cities. During January 2014, we conducted in-depth interviews with 25 formerly incarcerated HIV-positive women. Two researchers completed independent coding, producing preliminary codes from transcripts using content analysis. Themes were developed iteratively, verified, and refined. They encompassed (a) special rules for HIV-positive women: isolation, segregation, insults, food rationing, and forced disclosure; (b) absence of counseling following initial HIV diagnosis; and (c) HIV treatment impediments: delays, interruption, and denial. Participants deployed agentic strategies of accommodation, resistance, and care-seeking to navigate the social world of prison and HIV services. Findings illuminate the "HIV prison paradox": the chief opportunities that remain unexploited to engage and re-engage justice-involved women in the HIV care continuum.

An investigation into the prevalence of exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus).

PubMed

Quirke, Thomas; O'Riordan, Ruth

2015-01-01

Exploratory behavior in the wild is fundamentally linked to an animal's survival and natural life history. The ability to gather information about their environment, establish territories, assert dominance, communicate information regarding reproductive status and locate mates are closely associated with a range of exploratory behaviors. Understanding how these behaviors are performed within the captive setting is crucial in order to create a captive environment in which these behaviors can be expressed, and their function conserved. The objective of this research was to highlight the factors of captive husbandry and management that influence the occurrence of exploratory behaviour of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) in captivity. One hundred and twelve cheetahs in 88 enclosures across nine zoological institutions in five countries were the subjects of this study. The presence of raised areas, number of movements between enclosures, group composition, sex and an interaction between group composition and the ability to view cheetahs in adjacent enclosures, all significantly influenced the prevalence of exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs. The presence of raised areas and an increasing number of movements between enclosures significantly increased the probability of observing exploratory behaviour, while this probability was significantly decreased for female cheetahs, when cheetahs were able to view conspecifics in adjacent enclosures, and were maintained in groups. A number of recommendations are discussed in relation to promoting exploratory behavior in captive cheetahs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evaluation of Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Douglas, K. A.; Yale, M. S.; Bennett, D. E.; Haugan, M. P.; Bryan, L. A.

2014-12-01

The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure student attitudes toward physics and learning physics. Previous research revealed a fairly complex factor structure. In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from an undergraduate introductory physics course (n =3844 ) to determine whether a more parsimonious factor structure exists. Exploratory factor analysis results indicate that many of the items from the original CLASS have poor psychometric properties and could not be used in a revised factor structure. The cross validation showed acceptable fit statistics for a three factor model found in the exploratory factor analysis. This research suggests that a more optimum measurement of students' attitudes about physics and learning physics is obtained with a 15-item instrument, which describes the factors of personal application, personal effort, and problem solving. The proposed revised version of the CLASS offers researchers the opportunity to test a shortened version of the instrument that may be able to provide information about students' attitudes in the areas of personal application of physics, personal effort in a physics course, and approaches to problem solving.

Tools and data acquisition of borehole geophysical logging for the Florida Power and Light Company Turkey Point Power Plant in support of a groundwater, surface-water, and ecological monitoring plan, Miami-Dade County, Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wacker, Michael A.

2010-01-01

Borehole geophysical logs were obtained from selected exploratory coreholes in the vicinity of the Florida Power and Light Company Turkey Point Power Plant. The geophysical logging tools used and logging sequences performed during this project are summarized herein to include borehole logging methods, descriptions of the properties measured, types of data obtained, and calibration information.

Management of corporate socio-economic policy by the energy corporations

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

Simpson, R.E. Jr.

1982-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the energy corporations in the mitigation of the socio-economic impacts of rapid development. The study employed an exploratory descriptive research design. The sample was limited to an in-depth study of the socio-economic managerial processes at the Standard Oil Company (Indiana) and the Standard Oil Company of California, two of the nation's largest and wealthiest energy corporations. Findings demonstrated that division managers believe that socio-economic expenses are a normal cost of doing business and can, in fact, lead to cost savings for the corporation. The study confirmed other research findingsmore » that corporate executive management has a further role to play in the design of administrative systems that govern the formulation, implementation, and evaluation of socio-economic policy. The study recommended the development of specific centralized corporate socio-economic policies for energy-impact development, decentralization of policy implementation, integration of trained socio-economic project managers into the formal authority hierarchy, inclusion of specific socio-economic criterion in the formal performance-evaluation system, incorporation of socio-economic expenses into the operating budget format, and the development of a formal corporate-level socio-economic policy-evaluation committee.« less

Violent and Non-Violent Criminal Behavior among Young Chinese Drug Users: A Mixed Methods Study.

PubMed

Liu, Liu; Chui, Wing Hong; Chen, Ye

2018-03-02

Young drug users are found to be increasingly involved in criminal justice issues. This exploratory and descriptive study aims to analyze the criminal behaviors among young Chinese drug users through a mixed methods research design. Quantitative analysis indicates that young drug users with and without a history of criminality show significant differences in terms of several features. Male drug users, particularly, those who are older, with religious beliefs, and initiated into drug use at younger age were most likely to commit crimes. Among drug users with criminal experiences, those who committed crimes prior to drug initiation have a greater likelihood of committing violent crimes. Furthermore, young drug users with severe depression are more likely to commit crimes, especially violent ones. Qualitative analysis further illustrates that young male drug users often get involved in criminal conduct of the youth gang nature with propensity for engaging in violent crimes as compared to their female counterparts who are more likely to turn into drug dealers and traffickers, in addition to engaging in larceny. The research findings are consistent with developmental theories and "victim to offender cycle". Integrated mental health and substance use services are suggested for crime prevention among young Chinese drug users.

The ergonomic process of an automotive company in Brazil: a study case.

PubMed

Bustos, Carolina; Fischer, Daniela; Ballardin, Lucimara; Nielsen, Rudolf

2012-01-01

The goal of this paper is to present the ergonomic process of an automotive company, whose focus is on the adaptation of the work conditions to the psychophysiological characteristics of its employees. The planning and the development of the ergonomic actions took place in three distinctive stages: ergonomic analysis of the work post (stage 1), ergonomic adaptations (stage 2) and Ergonomic Committee (stage 3). The activities started in June 2006 and have lasted to the current date, keeping a permanent improving process. The procedure adopted was based on the ergonomic analysis methodology proposed by Wisner (1994:1997) and the stages of the Ergonomic Analysis of Work presented in the 17 NR Regulatory Manual (MET, 2002). The paper's approach focused on the voluntary participation of workers from different areas and different hierarchical levels of the organization throughout all the stages of the process. The methodological procedures included descriptive research techniques, exploratory and qualitative research criteria, background and guidelines available in literature and legislation, as well as company information. Among the main results it can be mentioned the satisfaction of the employees regarding the appropriate work conditions, cultural and organizational changes and the creation of an Ergonomic Committee in the company.

The HRQoL of Chinese patients undergoing haemodialysis.

PubMed

Yu, Hui-Dan; Petrini, Marcia A

2010-03-01

With the transition from infectious disease and acute illness to chronic disease and degenerative illness as leading causes of death, health-related quality of life has become an important aspect in assessing the burden of chronic disease. The quality of life of haemodialysis patients has been studied extensively; however, very limited research using exploratory descriptive design has been carried out in this area in China. The aim of this study was to explore health-related quality of life of end-stage renal disease patients undergoing haemodialysis in China. This study used the qualitative research design approach. A semi-structured, in-depth interview was conducted with 16 haemodialysis patients in two hospitals using Colaizzi's phenomenological method to transcribe and analyse the data. The results of this study showed that dialysis patients show improvement in physical competence, but they also experienced emotional instability and psychological distress, financial burdens, inadequate disease knowledge and less social support which influenced their quality of life. To optimise the patients undergoing dialysis health-related quality of life, support of psycho-social-economical aspects should be enhanced. Health care providers should give haemodialysis patients thorough health education, individualised psychological and emotional intervention and adequate social support to optimise health-related quality of life.

An exploratory study of the extent of social inclusion among people with psychosis and psychotic-related conditions.

PubMed

Turner, Niall; Ferguson, Lisa; Hill, Michele; Nesbitt, Tara; O'Callaghan, Eadbhard; O'Mahony, Paul; Clarke, Mary

2017-05-01

Understanding social inclusion among at-risk populations will deepen our understanding of their specific needs. This study explored the level of social inclusion among people with psychotic-related conditions using a standardised interview. The Social Inclusion Interview Schedule was used in two research projects. People with psychosis participated in both studies and had been recruited as part of an Irish programme of research on psychotic conditions. Descriptive statistics were used to quantify participants' level of social exclusion. Data from 71 participants were available, 38 in one cohort and 33 in the other. The smaller cohort had a shorter mean duration of illness. Participants' mean age was 40. The majority lived in the community and were satisfied with their living arrangements. In each cohort, the same two areas of community integration emerged as problematic - having something productive to do and being close to someone in the community. There was a higher level of perceived stigma among the cohort with the longer duration of illness. While evidence of social inclusion was found among participants, there were areas of concern particularly with regard to integration into work and social connectedness.

The Impact of Course Title and Instructor Gender on Student Perceptions and Interest in a Women's and Gender Studies Course

PubMed Central

Spoor, Jennifer R.; Lehmiller, Justin J.

2014-01-01

Diversity awareness has enormous benefits, and universities in the United States increasingly require students to complete diversity-related courses. Prior research has demonstrated that students' initial attitudes toward these courses affect their subsequent engagement, as well as the quality of their learning experience; however, very little research has examined how these initial attitudes are formed. We conducted an experiment to examine this issue in the context of a women's and gender studies course in psychology. Participants read one of two identical course descriptions that varied only the course title (i.e., Psychology of Gender versus Psychology of Women) and instructor gender. Participants perceived a women-titled course to be narrowly focused compared to an identical gender-titled course and were more interested in taking the gender-titled course. Instructor gender had no effects on any of the variables. Additionally, female participants had more positive attitudes toward the course than male participants, regardless of title. Exploratory mediation analyses indicated that the main effects of course title and participant gender were mediated by perceptions of course content. Implications for improving student experiences and interest in diversity-related courses are discussed. PMID:25268353

The impact of course title and instructor gender on student perceptions and interest in a women's and gender studies course.

PubMed

Spoor, Jennifer R; Lehmiller, Justin J

2014-01-01

Diversity awareness has enormous benefits, and universities in the United States increasingly require students to complete diversity-related courses. Prior research has demonstrated that students' initial attitudes toward these courses affect their subsequent engagement, as well as the quality of their learning experience; however, very little research has examined how these initial attitudes are formed. We conducted an experiment to examine this issue in the context of a women's and gender studies course in psychology. Participants read one of two identical course descriptions that varied only the course title (i.e., Psychology of Gender versus Psychology of Women) and instructor gender. Participants perceived a women-titled course to be narrowly focused compared to an identical gender-titled course and were more interested in taking the gender-titled course. Instructor gender had no effects on any of the variables. Additionally, female participants had more positive attitudes toward the course than male participants, regardless of title. Exploratory mediation analyses indicated that the main effects of course title and participant gender were mediated by perceptions of course content. Implications for improving student experiences and interest in diversity-related courses are discussed.

Identification of Increasing Green Behaviour in Citraland Bagya City, Medan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aulia, D. N.; Marpaung, B. O. Y.; Suryani, L.

2017-03-01

This present time, Indonesia just began applying the concept of Green Architecture. The actions require community participation as residents and the users of the building. The built environment is designed around the idea of Green Architecture but inhabited and managed improperly; the goal of sustainable built environment is not achieved. The aspect of behaviour is the key factor in the implementation of Green Architecture’s concept. This research is a descriptive exploratory which is to identify the problems to the implementation of Green Architecture’s concept in planned housing. Then the study will explore the components causes of the problems used as a problem solver. The study conducted on the living behaviour in Citraland Bagya City’s resident. The estate is designed and built with the concept of Green Architecture in Medan city. The research was carried out by the four aspects of housing are the physical, social and cultural, policy, and management issue. These three components will indirectly relate to the economic issues that are the efficiency and effectiveness of living behaviour. The results showed that the increasing of green behavior is still small and the occupant requires motivation and socialization of living green.

An exploratory analysis of PubMed's free full-text limit on citation retrieval for clinical questions.

PubMed

Krieger, Mary M; Richter, Randy R; Austin, Tricia M

2008-10-01

The research sought to determine (1) how use of the PubMed free full-text (FFT) limit affects citation retrieval and (2) how use of the FFT limit impacts the types of articles and levels of evidence retrieved. Four clinical questions based on a research agenda for physical therapy were searched in PubMed both with and without the use of the FFT limit. Retrieved citations were examined for relevancy to each question. Abstracts of relevant citations were reviewed to determine the types of articles and levels of evidence. Descriptive analysis was used to compare the total number of citations, number of relevant citations, types of articles, and levels of evidence both with and without the use of the FFT limit. Across all 4 questions, the FFT limit reduced the number of citations to 11.1% of the total number of citations retrieved without the FFT limit. Additionally, high-quality evidence such as systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials were missed when the FFT limit was used. Health sciences librarians play a key role in educating users about the potential impact the FFT limit has on the number of citations, types of articles, and levels of evidence retrieved.

Exploratory Advanced Research Program : Video Analytics Research Projects

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

The flagship dataset to emerge from the Transportation Research Boards second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) study is the naturalistic driving study (NDS). The study is a focus on driver behavior and addresses the notion that it is po...

Latino Parental Access to Biliteracy Programs in Selected Latino-Majority Schools Based on the "Castaneda" Guidelines: Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Palma, Griselda

2017-01-01

An exploratory study of Latino majority elementary (LME) schools was launched to investigate if parents of English Language Learners (ELLs) are provided due process to biliteracy programs in low-income schools in San Diego County. The main research question of the study asked: How are the instructional programs in LME schools preparing Latino ELLs…

An Exploratory Study of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in a Design Project by Students in Grades 9-12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawanto, Oenardi; Butler, Deborah; Cartier, Sylvie; Santoso, Harry; Lawanto, Kevin; Clark, David

2013-01-01

This exploratory study evaluated self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies of 27 students in grades 9-12 during an engineering design project. The specific focus of the study was on student task interpretation and its relation to planning and cognitive strategies in design activities. Two research questions guided the study: (1) To what degree was…

The Effects of Meaning-Focused Pre-Tasks on Beginning-Level L2 Writing in German: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abrams, Zsuzsanna; Byrd, David R.

2017-01-01

Most studies on task-based language learning focus on the oral performance of advanced level learners of English as a second language (ESL), while little research examines the written performance of beginning language learners in non-ESL contexts. This exploratory study aims to address this gap, by examining the effect of pre-writing tasks on…

Acute care nurses' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care: an exploratory study in Singapore.

PubMed

Chew, Brendan Wk; Tiew, Lay Hwa; Creedy, Debra K

2016-09-01

To investigate acute care nurses' perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care and relationships with nurses' personal and professional characteristics. Spirituality and spiritual care are often neglected or absent in daily nursing practice. Nurses' perceptions of spirituality can be influenced by personal, professional and social factors and affect the provision of spiritual care. A cross-sectional, exploratory, nonexperimental design was used. All nursing staff (n = 1008) from a large acute care hospital in Singapore were invited to participate. Participants completed a demographic form and the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale. Completed surveys were received from 767 staff yielding a response rate of 76%. Descriptive statistics and General Linear Modelling were used to analyse data. Acute care nurses reported positive perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. Religion, area of clinical practice and view of self as spiritual were associated with nurses' reported perspectives of spirituality and spiritual care. Nurses working in this acute care hospital in Singapore reported positive perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. Respondents tended to equate religion with spirituality and were often unclear about what constituted spiritual care. They reported a sense of readiness to apply an interprofessional approach to spiritual care. However, positive perceptions of spirituality may not necessarily translate into practice. Spiritual care can improve health outcomes. Nurses' understanding of spirituality is essential for best practice. Interprofessional collaboration with clinicians, administrators, educators, chaplains, clergy and spiritual leaders can contribute to the development of practice guidelines and foster spiritual care by nurses. Further research is needed on the practical applications of spiritual care in nursing. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Sector switching among histopathologists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Ruggunan, Shaun D; Singh, Suveera

2013-05-30

The mobility of health care professionals from the public to private sector is prevalent in South Africa. However, literature on sector switching of clinical doctors remains limited. It is against this background that this study aims to make the labour market visible for histopathologists and identify the reasons for sector switching. This study is exploratory and descriptive. It uses qualitative methods, such as in-depth interviews, with 70% (n = 16/23) of the population of histopathologists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Lee's (1966) push-pull theory is adapted to explain the pull sector switching behaviours of histopathologists. Interviews were recorded and independently transcribed. The narratives of the participants were coded to reflect the main themes that contributed to their sector switching behaviours. Five key themes emerged as reasons for the mobility of histopathologists from the public to private sector in KwaZulu-Natal. The findings indicate that remuneration, working conditions, work flexibility, career pathing and autonomy of labour processes are the key drivers of this mobility. Histopathologists provide a core function in the health care chain. However, their invisibility in academic discourse in both public health and human resources for health indicates the paucity of research undertaken on the importance of these specialists in the health care chain. This is especially significant in developing countries like South Africa, where there is a dearth of these specialists. This study, while exploratory, aims to open a dialogue to better understand their reasons for sector switching and, hopefully, inform policies on training, recruitment and retention of these specialists.

Sector switching among histopathologists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: a qualitative study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The mobility of health care professionals from the public to private sector is prevalent in South Africa. However, literature on sector switching of clinical doctors remains limited. It is against this background that this study aims to make the labour market visible for histopathologists and identify the reasons for sector switching. Methods This study is exploratory and descriptive. It uses qualitative methods, such as in-depth interviews, with 70% (n = 16/23) of the population of histopathologists in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Lee’s (1966) push-pull theory is adapted to explain the pull sector switching behaviours of histopathologists. Interviews were recorded and independently transcribed. The narratives of the participants were coded to reflect the main themes that contributed to their sector switching behaviours. Results Five key themes emerged as reasons for the mobility of histopathologists from the public to private sector in KwaZulu-Natal. The findings indicate that remuneration, working conditions, work flexibility, career pathing and autonomy of labour processes are the key drivers of this mobility. Conclusions Histopathologists provide a core function in the health care chain. However, their invisibility in academic discourse in both public health and human resources for health indicates the paucity of research undertaken on the importance of these specialists in the health care chain. This is especially significant in developing countries like South Africa, where there is a dearth of these specialists. This study, while exploratory, aims to open a dialogue to better understand their reasons for sector switching and, hopefully, inform policies on training, recruitment and retention of these specialists. PMID:23721129

Adaptation of the Practice Environment Scale for military nurses: a psychometric analysis.

PubMed

Swiger, Pauline A; Raju, Dheeraj; Breckenridge-Sproat, Sara; Patrician, Patricia A

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to confirm the psychometric properties of Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index in a military population. This study also demonstrates association rule analysis, a contemporary exploratory technique. One of the instruments most commonly used to evaluate the nursing practice environment is the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Although the instrument has been widely used, the reliability, validity and individual item function are not commonly evaluated. Gaps exist with regard to confirmatory evaluation of the subscale factors, individual item analysis and evaluation in the outpatient setting and with non-registered nursing staff. This was a secondary data analysis of existing survey data. Multiple psychometric methods were used for this analysis using survey data collected in 2014. First, descriptive analyses were conducted, including exploration using association rules. Next, internal consistency was tested and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the factor structure. The specified factor structure did not hold; therefore, exploratory factor analysis was performed. Finally, item analysis was executed using item response theory. The differential item functioning technique allowed the comparison of responses by care setting and nurse type. The results of this study indicate that responses differ between groups and that several individual items could be removed without altering the psychometric properties of the instrument. The instrument functions moderately well in a military population; however, researchers may want to consider nurse type and care setting during analysis to identify any meaningful variation in responses. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

In-service education and training as experienced by registered nurses.

PubMed

Norushe, T F; Van Rooyen, D; Strumpher, J

2004-11-01

Nursing is a dynamic profession that is subject to rapid changes in health care provision, hence the need for in-service training programmes for nurses. Newly employed registered nurses require in-service training in order to update them regarding the latest developments in nursing practice. The researcher noted that some newly appointed registered nurses were not competent in all aspects relating to their tasks. This could have been due to a knowledge deficit relating to either new developments or of the procedure relating to a specific task. In some institutions newly-appointed registered nurses on probation reported not receiving in-service training for six months or longer, yet they were still expected to perform their tasks efficiently. The objectives of the study were to, firstly, explore and describe the experiences of registered nurses regarding in-service training programmes in their institutions and, secondly, to make recommendations to Nursing Service Managers relating to the development of effective in-service training programmes in their institutions. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive design was implemented. Data was analysed using Tesch's descriptive approach (in Creswell, 1994:155). Two main themes emerged, namely that registered nurses experienced in-service training programmes as inadequate and reacted negatively towards them. This article focuses on the experiences of registered nurses relating to in-service training programmes, as well as the formulation of guidelines to assist nursing service managers in the development of effective in-service training programmes.

Portfolio assessment and evaluation: implications and guidelines for clinical nursing education.

PubMed

Chabeli, M M

2002-08-01

With the advent of Outcomes-Based Education in South Africa, the quality of nursing education is debatable, especially with regard to the assessment and evaluation of clinical nursing education, which is complex and renders the validity and reliability of the methods used questionable. This paper seeks to explore and describe the use of portfolio assessment and evaluation, its implications and guidelines for its effective use in nursing education. Firstly, the concepts of assessment, evaluation, portfolio and alternative methods of evaluation are defined. Secondly, a comparison of the characteristics of the old (traditional) methods and the new alternative methods of evaluation is made. Thirdly, through deductive analysis, synthesis and inference, implications and guidelines for the effective use of portfolio assessment and evaluation are described. In view of the qualitative, descriptive and exploratory nature of the study, a focus group interview with twenty students following a post-basic degree at a university in Gauteng regarding their perceptions on the use of portfolio assessment and evaluation method in clinical nursing education was used. A descriptive method of qualitative data analysis of open coding in accordance with Tesch's protocol (in Creswell 1994:155) was used. Resultant implications and guidelines were conceptualised and described within the existing theoretical framework. Principles of trustworthiness were maintained as described by (Lincoln & Guba 1985:290-327). Ethical considerations were in accordance with DENOSA's standards of research (1998:7).

Next Generation Traffic Control Systems Workshop Summary Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2015-12-01

On February 3-4, 2015, at the Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center in McLean, Virginia, the Federal Highway Administration's Office of Operations Research and Development, with support from the Exploratory Advanced Research Program, convened the 2...

Basic Research in the Information Technology Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Theis, Thomas N.; Horn, Paul M.

2003-07-01

Why do information technology companies support exploratory research in physics and allied fields? The answer is simple-because of the need to bring new technology quickly to market. Ultimately, even long-term research is all about speed.

Description of movement quality in patients with low back pain: A qualitative study as a first step to a practical definition.

PubMed

van Dijk, Margriet J H; Smorenburg, Nienke T A; Visser, Bart; Nijhuis-van der Sanden, Maria W G; Heerkens, Yvonne F

2017-03-01

As a first step to formulate a practical definition for movement quality (MQ), this study aims to explore how Dutch allied health care professionals (AHCPs) describe MQ of daily life activities in patients with low back pain (LBP). In this qualitative cross-sectional digital survey study, Dutch AHCPs (n = 91) described MQ in open text (n = 91) and with three keywords (n = 90). After exploratory qualitative content analysis, the ICF linking rules (International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health) were applied to classify MQ descriptions and keywords. The identified meaningful concepts (MCs) of the descriptions (274) and keywords (239) were linked to ICF codes (87.5% and 80.3%, respectively), Personal factors (5.8% and 5.9%, respectively), and supplementary codes (6.6% and 13.8%, respectively). The MCs were linked to a total of 31 ICF codes, especially to b760 'control of voluntary movement functions', b7602 'coordination of voluntary movements', d4 'Mobility', and d230 'carry out daily routine'. Negative and positive formulated descriptions elucidated different MQ interpretations. Descriptions of MQ given by Dutch AHCPs in patients with LBP cover all ICF components. Coordination and functional movements are seen as the most elementary concepts of MQ. Variation in MQ descriptions and interpretations hinders defining MQ and indicates the necessity of additional steps.

18 F-sodium fluoride positron emission tomography of the equine distal limb: Exploratory study in three horses.

PubMed

Spriet, M; Espinosa, P; Kyme, A Z; Phillips, K L; Katzman, S A; Galuppo, L D; Stepanov, P; Beylin, D

2018-01-01

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a cross-sectional, functional imaging modality that has recently become available to the horse. The use of 18 F-sodium fluoride ( 18 F-NaF), a PET bone tracer, has not previously been reported in this species. To assess the feasibility of 18 F-NaF PET in the equine distal limb and explore possible applications in the horse in comparison with other imaging modalities. Exploratory descriptive study involving three research horses. Horses were placed under general anaesthesia prior to intravenous (i.v.) administration of 1.5 MBq/kg of 18 F-NaF. Positron emission tomography imaging of both front feet and fetlocks was performed using a portable scanner. Computed tomography (CT) of the distal limb was performed under a separate anaesthetic episode. Bone scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were subsequently performed under standing sedation. Images obtained from PET and other imaging modalities were independently assessed and the results correlated. Positron emission tomography images were obtained without complication. The radiation exposure rate was similar to equine bone scintigraphy. Positron emission tomography detected focal 18 F-NaF uptake in areas where other imaging modalities did not identify any abnormalities. This included sites of ligamentous attachment, subchondral compact bone plate and the flexor cortex of the navicular bone. 18 F-NaF uptake was identified in some, but not all, osseous fragments and areas of osseous formation, suggesting a distinction between active and inactive lesions. A small number of horses were included and histopathology was not available. 18 F-NaF PET imaging of the equine distal limb provides useful additional information when compared with CT, MRI and scintigraphy and has the potential for both research and clinical applications in the horse. The Summary is available in Chinese - see Supporting information. © 2017 EVJ Ltd.

Are adults with intellectual disabilities socially excluded? An exploratory study in Taiwan.

PubMed

Wang, Y T

2013-10-01

The aim of this exploratory study is to examine to what extent adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) in Taiwan are socially excluded and to identify the factors that are potentially associated with such social exclusion. The research method of this study is secondary data analysis, using descriptive and χ2 statistical analysis. Two data sets, from the 2003 and 2006 surveys entitled 'Survey of Living Situation for People with Disabilities in Taiwan', were used (n = 572; n = 618). In addition, 'independent living/living within the community' (as opposed to residing in an institution), 'employment' and 'household economic situation/residing in a low-income household' were social exclusion indicators in this study. The results revealed that in the 2003 (2006) survey, 81.9% (79.6%) of the subjects fell into at least one category of social exclusion, 11.3% (12.3%) fell into two or more categories and 0.2% (1.1%) fell into all three categories. Moreover, older women with ID, with no spouse or partner, lower educational levels and greater severity of the disability had a significantly greater likelihood of being subjected to more categories of social exclusion. The finding that the proportion of adults with ID and no social exclusion has risen from 18.1% in 2003 to 20.4% in 2006 represents an encouraging trend. However, there has been a marked increase in the proportion of the subjects with more categories of social exclusion, particularly with regard to those who have to endure all three categories, from 0.2% in 2003, to 1.1% in 2006. This implies that, at the time of the last survey, there was still considerable room for improvement in the social inclusion of adults with ID in Taiwan. © 2012 The Author. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, MENCAP & IASSID.

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

50 CFR 300.105 - Initiating a new fishery.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... comprehensive research/surveys or exploratory fishing has not been submitted to CCAMLR; (2) Catch and effort... research/survey cruises, such as distribution, abundance, demographic data and information on stock...

[Development of an Instrument to Assess the Quality of Childbirth Care from the Mother's Perspective].

PubMed

Jeong, Geum Hee; Kim, Hyun Kyoung; Kim, Young Hee; Kim, Sun Hee; Lee, Sun Hee; Kim, Kyung Won

2018-02-01

This study aimed to develop an instrument to assess the quality of childbirth care from the perspective of a mother after delivery. The instrument was developed from a literature review, interviews, and item validation. Thirty-eight items were compiled for the instrument. The data for validity and reliability testing were collected using a questionnaire survey conducted on 270 women who had undergone normal vaginal delivery in Korea and analyzed with descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and reliability coefficients. The exploratory factor analysis reduced the number of items in the instrument to 28 items that were factored into four subscales: family-centered care, personal care, emotional empowerment, and information provision. With respect to convergence validation, there was positive correlation between this instrument and birth satisfaction scale (r=.34, p<.001). The internal consistency reliability was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha =.96). This instrument could be used as a measure of the quality of nursing care for women who have a normal vaginal delivery. © 2018 Korean Society of Nursing Science.

An exploratory study of selected female registered nurses: meaning and expression of nurturance.

PubMed

Geissler, E M

1990-05-01

The words 'nurse' and 'nursing' originate in the word 'nurture' which dates back to the 14th century. 'Nurturance' appeared for the first time in the 1976 Supplement to the Oxford English Dictionary and in a United States dictionary in 1983. Etymologically and semantically bound to nursing, little is known about the term nurturance. An exploratory design using phenomenological analysis was applied to understand the female registered nurses' experience of nurturing patients throughout the life-span and to uncover behaviours commonly believed nurturant. Interviews with 14 RNs practising in diverse settings revealed 39 nurturant behaviours that were intuited into four themes describing the subjects' perceived structure of nurturance as: (1) enabling maximum potential; (2) providing physical and emotional protection; (3) engaging in a supportive interaction; and (4) conveying shared humanity. Data were formulated into an exhaustive description of the phenomenon nurturance. Additionally, the results support Greenberg-Edelstein's theoretical model of the positive reciprocity of nurturance between nurse and patient.

Behavioral and Psychosocial Considerations in Intelligence Analysis: A Preliminary Review of Literature on Critical Thinking Skills

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

Department of Defense, Washington Headquarters Services , Directorate for Information Operations and Reports (0704-0188), 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite... discovery (teaching by problem solving), and exploratory (teaching by exploration). Research suggests while guided discovery and exploratory training...34 College Student Journal 38 (2004): 482-493. MasterFILE Premier. EBSCO . 4 June 2008. - This study was conducted to determine whether an introductory

Focusing on What Counts: Using Exploratory Focus Groups to Enhance the Development of an Electronic Survey in a Mixed-Methods Research Design

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Galliott, Natal'ya; Graham, Linda J.

2016-01-01

This paper illustrates the use of exploratory focus groups to inform the development of a survey instrument in a sequential phase mixed-methods study investigating differences in secondary students' career choice capability. Five focus groups were conducted with 23 Year 10 students in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Analysis of the focus…

Impacts of Social-Emotional Curricula on Three-Year-Olds: Exploratory Findings from the Head Start CARES Demonstration. Research Snapshot. OPRE Report 2014-78

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsueh, JoAnn; Lowenstein, Amy E.; Morris, Pamela; Mattera, Shira K.; Bangser, Michael

2014-01-01

This report presents exploratory impact findings for 3-year-olds from the Head Start CARES demonstration, a large-scale randomized controlled trial implemented in Head Start centers for one academic year across the country. The study was designed primarily to test the effects of the enhancements on 4-year-olds, but it also provides an opportunity…

Supporting cognition in systems biology analysis: findings on users' processes and design implications.

PubMed

Mirel, Barbara

2009-02-13

Current usability studies of bioinformatics tools suggest that tools for exploratory analysis support some tasks related to finding relationships of interest but not the deep causal insights necessary for formulating plausible and credible hypotheses. To better understand design requirements for gaining these causal insights in systems biology analyses a longitudinal field study of 15 biomedical researchers was conducted. Researchers interacted with the same protein-protein interaction tools to discover possible disease mechanisms for further experimentation. Findings reveal patterns in scientists' exploratory and explanatory analysis and reveal that tools positively supported a number of well-structured query and analysis tasks. But for several of scientists' more complex, higher order ways of knowing and reasoning the tools did not offer adequate support. Results show that for a better fit with scientists' cognition for exploratory analysis systems biology tools need to better match scientists' processes for validating, for making a transition from classification to model-based reasoning, and for engaging in causal mental modelling. As the next great frontier in bioinformatics usability, tool designs for exploratory systems biology analysis need to move beyond the successes already achieved in supporting formulaic query and analysis tasks and now reduce current mismatches with several of scientists' higher order analytical practices. The implications of results for tool designs are discussed.

The public communication of science in public health graduate programs in Brazil: From the coordinators' perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teixeira, C. A.; Gallo, P. R.

2014-12-01

Introduction - The elaboration process of public policies for science and technology in knowledge societies should include not only experts, but all society members. There are studies on lay people's perception of science and technology. However, what is the scientists' perspective on public communication of science? Objectives - To describe and characterize the concepts that coordinators of Brazilian public health graduate programs have about public communication of science. Methods - This is an analytical and descriptive report of an exploratory research (doctoral study). The answers of fifty-one coordinators to two questionnaires were submitted for content analysis. The categories were transformed into variables that allowed the data processing by the Hiérarchique Classificatoire et Cohésitive (CHIC®) software. Results - Similarity analysis strongly suggested (0,99) that coordinators understand public communication as a communication directed to academic peers and students, also as a form of participation in scientific events and communication by scientific papers. Likewise, the implication analysis suggested a strong implication (0,98) between scientific communication understood as public communication. Conclusion - The notion of public communication of science as a social right and as a commitment and responsibility of researchers and research centers is not explicitly present in the narrative of the coordinators, although in general the coordinators conceive it as a relevant activity. This study thus contributes to a reflection on the role of scientists, researchers and research centers in public communication of science and technology.

Effects of natural enrichment materials on stress, memory and exploratory behavior in mice.

PubMed

Acklin, Casey J; Gault, Ruth A

2015-07-01

Environmental enrichment is an essential component of laboratory animal housing that allows animals to engage in natural behaviors in an otherwise artificial setting. Previous research by the authors suggested that, compared with synthetic enrichment materials, natural materials were associated with lower stress levels in mice. Here, the authors compare the effects of different enrichment materials on stress, memory and exploratory behavior in Swiss Webster mice. Mice that were provided with natural enrichment materials had lower stress levels, better memory and greater exploratory behavior than did mice provided with synthetic enrichment materials or with no enrichment materials. These findings suggest that provision of natural enrichment materials can improve well-being of laboratory mice.

Feathers in the Nest: Establishing a Supportive Environment for Women Researchers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hartley, Nicole; Dobele, Angela

2009-01-01

This paper discusses research examining the attitudes and behaviours of researching women in academia and considers the effect of these factors on successful researching outcomes. The results of this exploratory research highlight in particular, a number of interesting environmental influencers which contribute to enhancing successful work…

Cornell Center for Materials Research - An NSF MRSEC

Science.gov Websites

Cornell Center for Materials Research Cornell Center for Materials Research | An NSF MRSEC Search Research Atomic Membranes for 3D Systems Structured Materials for Strong Light-Matter Interactions Mechanisms, Materials, and Devices for Spin Manipulation Seed Projects - Exploratory Research Acknowledging

Emerging Action Research Traditions: Rigor in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watkins, Karen E.; Nicolaides, Aliki; Marsick, Victoria J.

2016-01-01

The authors argue here that contemporary use of action research shares the exploratory, inductive nature of many qualitative research approaches--no matter the type of data collected--because the type of research problems studied are set in complex, dynamic, rapidly changing contexts and because action research is undertaken to support social and…

Correctional services and prison chaplaincy in Australia: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Carey, Lindsay B; Del Medico, Laura

2014-12-01

This paper summarizes an exploratory study undertaken to consider the work of Australian chaplaincy personnel ministering to prisoners within correctional facilities. This qualitative research was not concerned with specific correctional institutions per se, but predominantly about the perspectives of chaplains concerning their professional contribution and issues they experienced while trying to provide pastoral care to prisoners. Data from a single-focus group indicated that prison chaplains were striving to fulfill religious and spiritual duties according to national and international standards for the treatment of prisoners. Given various frustrations identified by participants, that either impeded or thwarted their professional role as chaplains, a number of improvements were subsequently identified in order to develop the efficiency and effectiveness of chaplaincy and thus maximize the benefits of pastoral care to prisoners. Implications of this exploratory study relate not only to prison chaplaincy but also to ecclesiastical organizations, correctional facilities, governments and the need of support for further research to be conducted.

ETHNOBIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS IN CHILDREN OF A TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BARBALHA, CEARÁ, BRAZIL

PubMed Central

Lemos, Izabel Cristina Santiago; Delmondes, Gyllyandeson de Araújo; dos Santos, Ana Deyva Ferreira; Santos, Enaide Soares; de Oliveira, Dayanne Rakelly; de Figueiredo, Patrícia Rosane Leite; Alves, Dailon de Araújo; Barbosa, Roseli; de Menezes, Irwin Rose Alencar; Coutinho, Henrique Douglas Melo; Kerntopf, Marta Regina; Fernandes, George Pimentel

2016-01-01

Background: The use of natural resources for the treatment of acute respiratory infections in children is a widespread practice within traditional communities, especially by women by being the primary caregivers. This study aimed to perform ethnobiological survey of plants and animals used for the treatment of acute respiratory infections in children of a traditional community in the municipality of Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil. Methods: It is a descriptive exploratory study with a quantitative approach, developed in Sitio Santo Antonio, in the municipality of Barbalha, Ceará, Brazil. As a tool for data collection, was applied a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Data analysis used descriptive statistics (simple and percentage rate) and the Relative Frequency of Citation. Results: The research included a total of 54 informants. In total, there were 38 species cited. According to the Relative Frequency of Citation the following species were the most cited: Ocimum basilicum L. (0.59), Eucalyptus globulus Labili (0.59), Plectranthus amboinicus (L.) Spreng (0.42), Hyptis suaveolens (L.) Poit. (0.24), Allium aescalonicum L. (0.22) and Mentha arvensis L. (0.18). Among the symptoms mentioned by the research subjects to treat the acute respiratory infections in childhood, there were: fever; cough; coughing with secretions; sore throat; hoarseness; tiredness; nasal congestion. Conclusions: It is important the knowledge about the usefulness of natural resources as alternative practices in diseases treatment, seeking to rescue popular knowledge used in the traditional community and fomenting the need to consider cultural aspects in the full practice to children’s health care. PMID:28852733

Nursing practice in a post-Soviet country from the perspectives of Armenian nurses: a qualitative exploratory study.

PubMed

Poghosyan, Lusine; Poghosyan, Hermine; Berlin, Kristen; Truzyan, Nune; Danielyan, Lusine; Khourshudyan, Kristine

2012-09-01

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the views of head and staff nurses about nursing practice in the hospitals of Armenia. Armenia inherited its nursing frameworks from the Soviet Union. After the Soviet collapse, many changes took place to reform nursing. However, to date little has been systematically documented about nursing practice in Armenia. Qualitative descriptive design was implemented. Three major hospitals in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia, participated in the study. Purposeful sampling was used. Forty-three nurses participated, 29 staff and fourteen head nurses. Data were collected through five focus groups comprised of seven to ten participants. A focus group guide was developed. The researcher facilitated the discussions in Armenian, which were audio taped. The research assistant took notes. Data were transcribed and translated into English, imported into atlas.ti 6.1 qualitative software, and analysed by three authors. Five themes were extracted. Lack of role clarity theme was identified from the head nurse data. The practice environment theme was identified from the staff nurse data. Nursing education, value, respect and appreciation of nursing, and becoming a nurse were common themes identified from both head and staff nurse data. Head nurses lack autonomy, do not have clear roles and are burdened with documentation. Staff nurses practice in challenging work environments with inadequate staffing and demanding workloads. All nurses reported the need to improve nursing education. This is the first study conducted in Armenia exploring nursing practice in the hospitals from the nurses' perspectives. Nurses face challenges that may impact their wellbeing and patient care. Understanding challenges nursing practice faces in the hospitals in Armenia will help administrators and care providers to take actions to improve nursing practice and subsequently patient care. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

An exploratory study of the need for curriculum review of Master of Public Health Degree at a Rural-based University in South Africa

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Background Master of Public Health (MPH) training programmes were developed worldwide in response to the crisis in human resources for health. Aim To determine whether the MPH programme at the selected rural-based university in South Africa enabled students to achieve the MPH core competencies relevant for Lower Middle Income Countries. Setting The study was carried out at a rural-based University in South Africa. The target population was the 2011 first-year cohort of MPH students who by the beginning of 2014 had just completed their coursework. Methodology A quantitative cross-sectional descriptive research design was adapted. Eighty-five students were randomly selected to participate in the study. A structured questionnaire comprising seven competency clusters was developed. The selected students completed a self-administered questionnaire. Only those students who signed consent forms participated in this study. The questionnaire was tested for construct validity and reliability using 10 students with similar characteristics to those sampled for the study. Microsoft Excel software was used to analyse the data descriptively in terms of frequency and percentages. Results The students were confident of their competencies regarding public health science skills. Amongst these were analytical assessment, communication, community and inter-sectorial competencies as well as ethics. However, the students lacked confidence in context-sensitive issues, planning and management, research and development, and leadership competencies. Yet the latter is the backbone of public health practice. Conclusion and recommendation There is a need for revamping public health curricula. In this respect, a follow-up study that builds a deeper understanding of the subject is needed. PMID:27380845

Exploring the perceived health benefits of singing in a choir: an international cross-sectional mixed-methods study.

PubMed

Moss, Hilary; Lynch, Julie; O'Donoghue, Jessica

2018-05-01

This mixed-methods exploratory study investigates the perceived health benefits of singing in a choir from an international sample of choristers. An online questionnaire including demographic information, 28 quantitative statements and two qualitative questions relating to the perceived health benefits of singing in a choir was distributed via email and social media over a period of 4 months to a sample of 1,779 choristers. Basic descriptives and comparisons between subgroups of the sample are presented along with thematic analysis of qualitative comments. Basic descriptives suggest an overwhelmingly positive response. Females scored significantly higher than males on physical benefits, social benefits and emotional benefits. Professional singers reported significantly more physical, social and spiritual benefits than amateur singers. Bias may be present in these findings as the results were entirely self-reported by people who already sing in choirs. Qualitative thematic analysis identified six key themes which may counter this bias by providing deeper understanding of the perceived benefits for choir singers. These include social connection, physical and physiological benefits (specifically respiratory health), cognitive stimulation, mental health, enjoyment and transcendence. Choral singing elicits a positive response in the chorister across a plethora of domains. This research confirms previous findings on the health benefits of singing but offers evidence from the largest sample of singers to date. However, results are based on self-perceptions of choristers, and findings are, therefore, limited. Results may be used as a base on which to develop further research in this area. It also provides confirmatory evidence to support choral singing as a means of improving wellbeing in many populations, including but not limited to workplaces, schools, nursing homes, communities and churches.

Hypothesis testing in hydrology: Theory and practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kirchner, James; Pfister, Laurent

2017-04-01

Well-posed hypothesis tests have spurred major advances in hydrological theory. However, a random sample of recent research papers suggests that in hydrology, as in other fields, hypothesis formulation and testing rarely correspond to the idealized model of the scientific method. Practices such as "p-hacking" or "HARKing" (Hypothesizing After the Results are Known) are major obstacles to more rigorous hypothesis testing in hydrology, along with the well-known problem of confirmation bias - the tendency to value and trust confirmations more than refutations - among both researchers and reviewers. Hypothesis testing is not the only recipe for scientific progress, however: exploratory research, driven by innovations in measurement and observation, has also underlain many key advances. Further improvements in observation and measurement will be vital to both exploratory research and hypothesis testing, and thus to advancing the science of hydrology.

Action Research in EdD Programs in Educational Leadership

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Osterman, Karen; Furman, Gail; Sernak, Kathleen

2014-01-01

This exploratory study gathered information about the use of action research within doctor of education programs in educational leadership and explored faculty understanding of and perspectives on action research. Survey data established that action research is used infrequently to meet dissertation requirements. Contributing factors include lack…

[Nursing beliefs and actions in exercising patient advocacy in a hospital context].

PubMed

Barlem, Jamila Geri Tomaschewski; Lunardi, Valéria Lerch; Barlem, Edison Luiz Devos; Ramos, Aline Marcelino; Figueira, Aline Belletti; Fornari, Nerizane Cerutti

2015-10-01

Analyzing beliefs and actions of nurses in exercising patient advocacy in a hospital context. A quantitative cross-sectional exploratory and descriptive study, conducted with 153 nurses from two hospitals in southern Brazil, one public and one philanthropic, by applying Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale - Brazilian version. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and analysis of variance. Nurses believe they are advocating for patients in their workplaces, and agree that they should advocate, especially when vulnerable patients need their protection. Personal values and professional skills have been identified as major sources of support for the practice of advocacy. Nurses do not disagree nor agree that advocating for patients in their working environments can bring them negative consequences. It is necessary to recognize how the characteristics of public and private institutions have helped or not helped in exercising patient advocacy by nurses.

Promoting personal safety of building service workers: issues and challenges.

PubMed

Chen, Shelley I; Skillen, D Lynn

2006-06-01

This exploratory, descriptive study conducted at a large western Canadian university solicited perceptions of personal safety among building service workers who perform night shift work alone. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted at approximately 10:00 p.m. or 7:00 a.m with a convenience sample of night building service workers in private or semi-private locations on the university campus. Transcribed interview data were subjected to inductive content analysis using descriptive, interpretive, and pattern coding (Miles & Huberman, 1994). Results suggest that building service night shift workers are exposed to personal safety hazards in their physical and psychosocial work environments. In addition, culturally and linguistically appropriate delivery of safety training and education about policies and procedures is required for culturally diverse building service workers. Promotion of personal safety in this heterogeneous worker population requires due diligence, assessment, and advocacy.

Virtual Observatories, Data Mining, and Astroinformatics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borne, Kirk

The historical, current, and future trends in knowledge discovery from data in astronomy are presented here. The story begins with a brief history of data gathering and data organization. A description of the development ofnew information science technologies for astronomical discovery is then presented. Among these are e-Science and the virtual observatory, with its data discovery, access, display, and integration protocols; astroinformatics and data mining for exploratory data analysis, information extraction, and knowledge discovery from distributed data collections; new sky surveys' databases, including rich multivariate observational parameter sets for large numbers of objects; and the emerging discipline of data-oriented astronomical research, called astroinformatics. Astroinformatics is described as the fourth paradigm of astronomical research, following the three traditional research methodologies: observation, theory, and computation/modeling. Astroinformatics research areas include machine learning, data mining, visualization, statistics, semantic science, and scientific data management.Each of these areas is now an active research discipline, with significantscience-enabling applications in astronomy. Research challenges and sample research scenarios are presented in these areas, in addition to sample algorithms for data-oriented research. These information science technologies enable scientific knowledge discovery from the increasingly large and complex data collections in astronomy. The education and training of the modern astronomy student must consequently include skill development in these areas, whose practitioners have traditionally been limited to applied mathematicians, computer scientists, and statisticians. Modern astronomical researchers must cross these traditional discipline boundaries, thereby borrowing the best of breed methodologies from multiple disciplines. In the era of large sky surveys and numerous large telescopes, the potential for astronomical discovery is equally large, and so the data-oriented research methods, algorithms, and techniques that are presented here will enable the greatest discovery potential from the ever-growing data and information resources in astronomy.

The Evaluation of a Self-Enumerated Scale of Quality of Life (CASP-19) in the Context of Research on Ageing: A Combination of Exploratory and Confirmatory Approaches

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiggins, R. D.; Netuveli, G.; Hyde, M.; Higgs, P.; Blane, D.

2008-01-01

This paper describes the conceptual development of a self-enumerated scale of quality of life (CASP-19) and presents an empirical evaluation of its structure using a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analytic approaches across three different survey settings for older people living in England and Wales in the new millennium. All…

Distinguishing Features and Similarities Between Descriptive Phenomenological and Qualitative Description Research.

PubMed

Willis, Danny G; Sullivan-Bolyai, Susan; Knafl, Kathleen; Cohen, Marlene Z

2016-09-01

Scholars who research phenomena of concern to the discipline of nursing are challenged with making wise choices about different qualitative research approaches. Ultimately, they want to choose an approach that is best suited to answer their research questions. Such choices are predicated on having made distinctions between qualitative methodology, methods, and analytic frames. In this article, we distinguish two qualitative research approaches widely used for descriptive studies: descriptive phenomenological and qualitative description. Providing a clear basis that highlights the distinguishing features and similarities between descriptive phenomenological and qualitative description research will help students and researchers make more informed choices in deciding upon the most appropriate methodology in qualitative research. We orient the reader to distinguishing features and similarities associated with each approach and the kinds of research questions descriptive phenomenological and qualitative description research address. © The Author(s) 2016.

Latina girls of Puerto Rican origin who are successful in science and mathematics high school courses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oquendo-Rodriguez, Aida L.

Professions and careers related to science and mathematics lack representation of minorities. Within these underrepresented minority populations there is no other group more affected than Latina women and girls. Women in general, are still underrepresented in many areas of our society. While women's roles are changing in today's society, most changes encourage the participation of more White/Anglo women in traditionally male roles. Latina women are still more disadvantaged than White women. There is no doubt that education is significant in increasing the participation of minorities in the fields of science and mathematics, especially for minority girls (Oakes, 1990; Rodriguez, 1993). This study explored the interests, life experiences, characteristics and motivations of Latina girls of Puerto Rican origin who are successful in science and mathematics high school courses. The study identifies factors that can influence the interest of Latina girls of Puerto Rican origin in science and mathematics career choices. This research is significant and relevant to educators and policy makers, especially to science and mathematics educators. The research is primarily descriptive and exploratory. It explores the social characteristics of Latina girls and professional women who have been successful in science and mathematics high school courses. The research offers the reader a visit to the participants' homes with descriptions and the opportunity to explore the thoughts and life experiences of Latina girls, their mothers and young Latina professionals of Puerto Rican origin. This research reveals the common characteristics of successful students found in the Latina girls of Puerto Rican origin who where interviewed. Creating a portrait of Latina girls of Puerto Rican origin who are successful in science and mathematics high school courses in one of the school districts of western Massachusetts. The research findings reveal that teacher relationships, family expectations, mother's support, mother - daughter relationship, cultural pride, talent recognition, the girls' perception of teachers and school and the girls strong desire to change their economic situation contribute to their success in school regardless of their low socio-economic backgrounds.

Undergraduate research internships to support exploratory research in transportation engineering : project final report, Sept. 2008.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-09-01

The Case Western Reserve University Department of Civil Engineering is in the process of expanding its teaching and research activities, Transportation Engineering as part of its initiative in the overall area of Infrastructure Performance and Reliab...

77 FR 59934 - National Cancer Institute; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-01

....396, Cancer Biology Research; 93.397, Cancer Centers Support; 93.398, Cancer Research Manpower; 93.399... Committee: National Cancer Institute Special Emphasis Panel; Minority-Based Community Clinical Oncology... Committee: National Cancer Institute Special Emphasis Panel; Exploratory/Developmental Research Programs in...

Firefighter Workplace Learning: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tracey, Edward A.

2014-01-01

Despite there being a significant amount of research investigating workplace learning, research exploring firefighter workplace learning is almost nonexistent. The purpose of this qualitative multi-case study was to explore how firefighters conceptualize, report, and practice workplace learning. The researcher also investigated how firefighters…

Sleep assessment by patients and nurses in the intensive care: An exploratory descriptive study.

PubMed

Aitken, Leanne M; Elliott, Rosalind; Mitchell, Marion; Davis, Chelsea; Macfarlane, Bonnie; Ullman, Amanda; Wetzig, Krista; Datt, Ashika; McKinley, Sharon

2017-03-01

Sleep disruption is common in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, with reports indicating reduced quality and quantity of sleep in many patients. There is growing evidence that sleep in this setting may be improved. To describe ICU patients' self-report assessment of sleep, examine the relationship between patients' self-reported sleep and their reported sleep by the bedside nurse, and describe the strategies suggested by patients to promote sleep. An exploratory descriptive study was undertaken with communicative adult patients consecutively recruited in 2014-2015. Patients reported sleep using the Richards-Campbell Sleep Questionnaire (score range 0-100mm; higher score indicates better sleep quality), with nursing assessment of sleep documented across a five level ordinal variable. Patients were asked daily to describe strategies that helped or hindered their sleep. Ethical approval for the study was gained. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed [median (interquartile range)]; relationships were tested using Spearman's rank correlation and differences assessed using the Kruskal-Wallis test; p<0.05 was considered significant. Participants (n=151) were recruited [age: 60 (46-71) years; ICU length of stay 4 (2-9) days] with 356 self-reports of sleep. Median perceived sleep quality was 46 (26-65) mm. A moderate relationship existed between patients' self-assessment and nurses' assessment of sleep (Spearman's rank correlation coefficient 0.39-0.50; p<0.001). Strategies identified by patients to improve sleep included adequate pain relief and sedative medication, a peaceful and comfortable environment and physical interventions, e.g. clustering care, ear plugs. Patients reported on their sleep a median of 2 (1-3) days during their ICU stay, suggesting that routine use of self-report was feasible. These reports revealed low sleep quality. Patients reported multiple facilitators and barriers for sleep, with environmental and patient comfort factors being most common. Interventions that target these factors to improve patient sleep should be implemented. Copyright © 2016 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Uses of Published Research: An Exploratory Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fahy, Patrick J.

2013-01-01

Academic publications are too often ignored by other researchers. There are various reasons: Researchers know that conclusions may eventually be proved wrong; publications are sometimes retracted; effects may decline when studied later; researchers occasionally don't seem to know about papers they have allegedly authored; there are even…

Research Productivity of Accounting Faculty: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yining; Nixon, Mary R.; Gupta, Ashok; Hoshower, Leon

2010-01-01

This study surveyed 367 accounting faculty members from AACSB accredited Colleges of Business to examine (1) their research productivity and (2) the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators to conduct research. Wide differences in research productivity were observed in the faculty associated with doctoral vs. non-doctoral granting programs. There were…

An Exploratory Investigation of the Research Self-Efficacy, Interest in Research, and Research Knowledge of Ph.D. in Education Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lambie, Glenn W.; Hayes, B. Grant; Griffith, Catherine; Limberg, Dodie; Mullen, Patrick R.

2014-01-01

Faculty members in higher education are called to be effective researchers; however, there is limited research examining the research development of Ph.D. students. The cross-sectional, correlational investigation we report here examined levels of research self-efficacy, interest in research, and research knowledge of Ph.D. in education students…

Institutional research and development, FY 1987

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

Struble, G.L.; Lawler, G.M.; Crawford, R.B.

The Institutional Research and Development program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory fosters exploratory work to advance science and technology, disciplinary research to develop innovative solutions to problems in various scientific fields, and long-term interdisciplinary research in support of defense and energy missions. This annual report describes research funded under this program for FY87. (DWL)

Learning Practice-Based Research Methods: Capturing the Experiences of MSW Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Natland, Sidsel; Weissinger, Erika; Graaf, Genevieve; Carnochan, Sarah

2016-01-01

The literature on teaching research methods to social work students identifies many challenges, such as dealing with the tensions related to producing research relevant to practice, access to data to teach practice-based research, and limited student interest in learning research methods. This is an exploratory study of the learning experiences of…