Determinism and Underdetermination in Genetics: Implications for Students' Engagement in Argumentation and Epistemic Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiménez-Aleixandre, María Pilar

2014-01-01

In the last two decades science studies and science education research have shifted from an interest in products (of science or of learning), to an interest in processes and practices. The focus of this paper is on students' engagement in epistemic practices (Kelly in "Teaching scientific inquiry: Recommendations for research and…

Policy Implementation: Implications for Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeGroff, Amy; Cargo, Margaret

2009-01-01

Policy implementation reflects a complex change process where government decisions are transformed into programs, procedures, regulations, or practices aimed at social betterment. Three factors affecting contemporary implementation processes are explored: networked governance, sociopolitical context and the democratic turn, and new public…

Retrospective Review Article: The Contribution of Neurolinguistics to Second and Foreign Language Theory and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Danesi, Marcel

1990-01-01

A review of some of the major works in neurolinguistics published during the last decade extrapolates many implications for second and foreign language theory and practice, covering such issues as hemispheric dominance, language processing, and bilingualism. (35 references) (CB)

Supernatural impotence: historical review with anthropological and clinical implications.

PubMed

Margolin, J; Witztum, E

1989-12-01

The historical and cultural background of the belief in supernatural impotence is presented, emphasizing its possible implications for clinical practice. A brief historical survey of the concept in Judaism and Christianity is followed by a short anthropological survey of supernatural impotence in different ethnic subcultures in Israel. A case demonstration exemplifies the connection between understanding the patient's cultural background and beliefs and the clinical competence of the therapist. The relationship between the clinical-therapeutic process in psychiatric practice and knowledge of the patient's cultural background and beliefs is stressed.

Women Surviving an Abusive Relationship: Grief and the Process of Change.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russell, Bonnie; Uhlemann, Max R.

1994-01-01

Surveys literature regarding women in abusive relationships focusing on key issues related to the change process that are consistent with the grieving process. Examines constructs of depression, guilt, and decision-making difficulty by comparing them within perspective of normal grieving. Discusses implications for counseling practice. Includes 35…

Translating Advances in Reading Comprehension Research to Educational Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNamara, Danielle S.; Kendeou, Panayiota

2011-01-01

The authors review five major findings in reading comprehension and their implications for educational practice. First, research suggests that comprehension skills are separable from decoding processes and important at early ages, suggesting that comprehension skills should be targeted early, even before the child learns to read. Second, there is…

Decisionmaking in practice: The dynamics of muddling through.

PubMed

Flach, John M; Feufel, Markus A; Reynolds, Peter L; Parker, Sarah Henrickson; Kellogg, Kathryn M

2017-09-01

An alternative to conventional models that treat decisions as open-loop independent choices is presented. The alterative model is based on observations of work situations such as healthcare, where decisionmaking is more typically a closed-loop, dynamic, problem-solving process. The article suggests five important distinctions between the processes assumed by conventional models and the reality of decisionmaking in practice. It is suggested that the logic of abduction in the form of an adaptive, muddling through process is more consistent with the realities of practice in domains such as healthcare. The practical implication is that the design goal should not be to improve consistency with normative models of rationality, but to tune the representations guiding the muddling process to increase functional perspicacity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping patterns of change in emotion-focused psychotherapy: Implications for theory, research, practice, and training.

PubMed

Watson, Jeanne C

2018-05-01

An important objective in humanistic-experiential psychotherapies and particularly emotion-focused psychotherapy (EFT) is to map patterns of change. Effective mapping of the processes and pathways of change requires that in-session processes be linked to in-session resolutions, immediate post-session changes, intermediate outcome, final therapy outcome, and longer-term change. This is a challenging and long-term endeavour. Fine-grained descriptions of in-session processes that lead to resolution of specific interpersonal and intrapersonal issues linked with longer-term outcomes are the foundation of EFT, the process-experiential approach. In this paper, evidence in support of EFT as a treatment approach will be reviewed along with research on two mechanisms of change, viewed as central to EFT, clients' emotional processing and the therapeutic relationship conditions. The implications for psychotherapy research are discussed. Given the methodological constraints, there is a need for more innovative methodologies and strategies to investigate specific psychotherapy processes within and across different approaches to map patterns and mechanisms of change to enhance theory, research, practice, and training.

Clarifying assumptions to enhance our understanding and assessment of clinical reasoning.

PubMed

Durning, Steven J; Artino, Anthony R; Schuwirth, Lambert; van der Vleuten, Cees

2013-04-01

Deciding on a diagnosis and treatment is essential to the practice of medicine. Developing competence in these clinical reasoning processes, commonly referred to as diagnostic and therapeutic reasoning, respectively, is required for physician success. Clinical reasoning has been a topic of research for several decades, and much has been learned. However, there still exists no clear consensus regarding what clinical reasoning entails, let alone how it might best be taught, how it should be assessed, and the research and practice implications therein.In this article, the authors first discuss two contrasting epistemological views of clinical reasoning and related conceptual frameworks. They then outline four different theoretical frameworks held by medical educators that the authors believe guide educators' views on the topic, knowingly or not. Within each theoretical framework, the authors begin with a definition of clinical reasoning (from that viewpoint) and then discuss learning, assessment, and research implications. The authors believe these epistemologies and four theoretical frameworks also apply to other concepts (or "competencies") in medical education.The authors also maintain that clinical reasoning encompasses the mental processes and behaviors that are shared (or evolve) between the patient, physician, and the environment (i.e., practice setting). Clinical reasoning thus incorporates components of all three factors (patient, physician, environment). The authors conclude by outlining practical implications and potential future areas for research.

Revisioning Assessment through a Children's Rights Approach: Implications for Policy, Process and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elwood, Jannette; Lundy, Laura

2010-01-01

The linkage between the impact of assessment and compliance with children's rights is a connection, which although seemingly obvious, is nonetheless rarely made, particularly by governments, which, as signatories to the relevant human rights treaties, have the primary responsibility for ensuring that educational practice is compatible with…

Effects of forest harvest on biogeochemical processes in the Caspar Creek watershed

Treesearch

Randy A. Dahlgren

1998-01-01

Water quality and long-term sustainability are major components addressed within the ecosystem approach to forest management. Forest harvest practices are often implicated as having adverse impacts on sensitive aquatic communities and on the long-term sustainability of forest ecosystems. While careless harvest practices can certainly cause adverse impacts, proper...

Mobility and Migration of Labour in the European Union and Their Specific Implications for Young People. CEDEFOP Document.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tassinopoulos, Alexandros; Werner, Heinz; Kristensen, Soren

This document contains two papers that examine mobility and migration of labor in the European Union and discuss specific implications for young people. The "Foreword" (Jordi Planas) examines the practical and symbolic role that establishment of the right to freedom of movement for European citizens plays in the process of construction…

Knowledge 'Translation' as social learning: negotiating the uptake of research-based knowledge in practice.

PubMed

Salter, K L; Kothari, A

2016-02-29

Knowledge translation and evidence-based practice have relied on research derived from clinical trials, which are considered to be methodologically rigorous. The result is practice recommendations based on a narrow view of evidence. We discuss how, within a practice environment, in fact individuals adopt and apply new evidence derived from multiple sources through ongoing, iterative learning cycles. The discussion is presented in four sections. After elaborating on the multiple forms of evidence used in practice, in section 2 we argue that the practitioner derives contextualized knowledge through reflective practice. Then, in section 3, the focus shifts from the individual to the team with consideration of social learning and theories of practice. In section 4 we discuss the implications of integrative and negotiated knowledge exchange and generation within the practice environment. Namely, how can we promote the use of research within a team-based, contextualized knowledge environment? We suggest support for: 1) collaborative learning environments for active learning and reflection, 2) engaged scholarship approaches so that practice can inform research in a collaborative manner and 3) leveraging authoritative opinion leaders for their clinical expertise during the shared negotiation of knowledge and research. Our approach also points to implications for studying evidence-informed practice: the identification of practice change (as an outcome) ought to be supplemented with understandings of how and when social negotiation processes occur to achieve integrated knowledge. This article discusses practice knowledge as dependent on the practice context and on social learning processes, and suggests how research knowledge uptake might be supported from this vantage point.

Prioritizing lean management practices in public and private hospitals.

PubMed

Hussain, Matloub; Malik, Mohsin

2016-05-16

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to prioritize 21 healthcare wastes in public and private hospitals of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Design/methodology/approach - Seven healthcare wastes linked with lean management are further decomposed in to sub-criteria and to deal with this complexity of multi criteria decision-making process, analytical hierarchical process (AHP) method is used in this research. Findings - AHP framework for this study resulted in a ranking of 21 healthcare wastes in public and private hospitals of UAE. It has been found that management in private healthcare systems of UAE is putting more emphasis on the inventory waste. On the other hand, over processing waste has got highest weight in public hospitals of UAE. Research limitations/implications - The future directions of this research would be to apply a lean set of tools for the value stream optimization of the prioritized key improvement areas. Practical implications - This is a contribution to the continuing research into lean management, giving practitioners and designers a practical way for measuring and implementing lean practices across health organizations. Originality/value - The contribution of this research, through successive stages of data collection, measurement analysis and refinement, is a set of reliable and valid framework that can be subsequently used in conceptualization, prioritization of the waste reduction strategies in healthcare management.

Science Teachers' Beliefs and Practices: Issues, Implications and Research Agenda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mansour, Nasser

2009-01-01

The study of teachers' beliefs forms part of the process of understanding how teachers conceptualize their work which in turn is important to the understanding of teachers' practices and their decisions in the classroom. A growing body of research argues that teachers' beliefs should be studied within a framework that is aware of the influence of…

The Hidden Human Rights Curriculum of Surveillance Cameras in Schools: Due Process, Privacy and Trust

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry-Hazan, Lotem; Birnhack, Michael

2018-01-01

This article explores how school principals integrate Closed Circuit TV systems (CCTVs) in educational practices and analyses the pedagogical implications of these practices through the lens of human rights. Drawing on interviews with school principals and municipality officials, we found that schools use CCTVs for three main purposes: (1)…

Bullying as an Institutionally Exclusionary Practice--Implications of Ignoring Culturally Specific Support Needs of Black Male Students in Further Education (FE)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peart, Sheine

2015-01-01

Stereotypical bullying is usually configured as actions that occur between individuals where there is an "imbalance of power or strength" (Kowalski, Lomber and Agatston). However, bullying can also be conceived as an organisational process, where systemised institutional practices results in "the collective failure?…?of an…

Integration of professional judgement and decision-making in high-level adventure sports coaching practice.

PubMed

Collins, Loel; Collins, Dave

2015-01-01

This study examined the integration of professional judgement and decision-making processes in adventure sports coaching. The study utilised a thematic analysis approach to investigate the decision-making practices of a sample of high-level adventure sports coaches over a series of sessions. Results revealed that, in order to make judgements and decisions in practice, expert coaches employ a range of practical and pedagogic management strategies to create and opportunistically use time for decision-making. These approaches include span of control and time management strategies to facilitate the decision-making process regarding risk management, venue selection, aims, objectives, session content, and differentiation of the coaching process. The implication for coaches, coach education, and accreditation is the recognition and training of the approaches that "create time" for the judgements in practice, namely "creating space to think". The paper concludes by offering a template for a more expertise-focused progression in adventure sports coaching.

Are individuals with higher psychopathic traits better learners at lying? Behavioural and neural evidence.

PubMed

Shao, R; Lee, T M C

2017-07-25

High psychopathy is characterized by untruthfulness and manipulativeness. However, existing evidence on higher propensity or capacity to lie among non-incarcerated high-psychopathic individuals is equivocal. Of particular importance, no research has investigated whether greater psychopathic tendency is associated with better 'trainability' of lying. An understanding of whether the neurobehavioral processes of lying are modifiable through practice offers significant theoretical and practical implications. By employing a longitudinal design involving university students with varying degrees of psychopathic traits, we successfully demonstrate that the performance speed of lying about face familiarity significantly improved following two sessions of practice, which occurred only among those with higher, but not lower, levels of psychopathic traits. Furthermore, this behavioural improvement associated with higher psychopathic tendency was predicted by a reduction in lying-related neural signals and by functional connectivity changes in the frontoparietal and cerebellum networks. Our findings provide novel and pivotal evidence suggesting that psychopathic traits are the key modulating factors of the plasticity of both behavioural and neural processes underpinning lying. These findings broadly support conceptualization of high-functioning individuals with higher psychopathic traits as having preserved, or arguably superior, functioning in neural networks implicated in cognitive executive processing, but deficiencies in affective neural processes, from a neuroplasticity perspective.

Neuroscience Meets Music Education: Exploring the Implications of Neural Processing Models on Music Education Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collins, Anita

2013-01-01

Over the past two decades, neuroscientists have been fascinated by the way the brain processes music. Using new technologies, neuroscientists offer us a better understanding of the human brain's structures and functions. They have further proposed explanatory models for how the brain processes music. While these models shed light on how the…

Matching Impedances and Modes in Acoustic Levitation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barmatz, M. B.

1985-01-01

Temperature differences accommodated with tunable coupler. Report discusses schemes for coupling sound efficiently from cool outside atmosphere into hot acoustic-levitation chamber. Theoretical studies have practical implications for material-processing systems that employ acoustic levitation.

Changes in the Hiring Process: New Actors, New Practices, and New Challenges. Final Report. Volume I: Findings and Implications [and] Volume II: Appendices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kogan, Deborah; And Others

Trends in the recruitment and hiring practices of U.S. private sector firms were examined by analyzing data from the following: a literature review; telephone discussions with representatives of 13 key national labor market intermediaries (outplacement, career management, job search, screening, and staffing service firms); telephone discussions…

Making it Real: Authenticity, Process and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Badger, Richard; MacDonald, Malcolm

2010-01-01

Authenticity has been a part of the intellectual resources of language teaching since the 1890s but its precise meaning and implications are contested. This commentary argues for a view of authenticity which recognizes the limits of the concept as a guide for pedagogic practice and acknowledges the fact that texts are processes rather than…

21 CFR 111.530 - When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PACKAGING, LABELING, OR HOLDING OPERATIONS FOR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS Returned Dietary Supplements § 111.530 When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches? If the reason for a dietary supplement being returned implicates other batches, you must...

21 CFR 111.530 - When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PACKAGING, LABELING, OR HOLDING OPERATIONS FOR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS Returned Dietary Supplements § 111.530 When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches? If the reason for a dietary supplement being returned implicates other batches, you must...

21 CFR 111.530 - When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PACKAGING, LABELING, OR HOLDING OPERATIONS FOR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS Returned Dietary Supplements § 111.530 When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches? If the reason for a dietary supplement being returned implicates other batches, you must...

21 CFR 111.530 - When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PACKAGING, LABELING, OR HOLDING OPERATIONS FOR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS Returned Dietary Supplements § 111.530 When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches? If the reason for a dietary supplement being returned implicates other batches, you must...

21 CFR 111.530 - When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... PRACTICE IN MANUFACTURING, PACKAGING, LABELING, OR HOLDING OPERATIONS FOR DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS Returned Dietary Supplements § 111.530 When must an investigation be conducted of your manufacturing processes and other batches? If the reason for a dietary supplement being returned implicates other batches, you must...

Postpartum Patient Teaching Success: Implications from Nursing and Patient Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Day, Dawn

2014-01-01

A recent examination of postpartum patient satisfaction scores in an inner-city hospital revealed decreased satisfaction of discharge teaching practices. Guided by Knowles' model of andragogy and Donabedian's model of structure-process-outcome, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how the structure and process of discharge…

Coordination of care by primary care practices: strategies, lessons and implications.

PubMed

O'Malley, Ann S; Tynan, Ann; Cohen, Genna R; Kemper, Nicole; Davis, Matthew M

2009-04-01

Despite calls from numerous organizations and payers to improve coordination of care, there are few published accounts of how care is coordinated in real-world primary care practices. This study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC) documents strategies that a range of physician practices use to coordinate care for their patients. While there was no single recipe for coordination given the variety of patient, physician, practice and market factors, some cross-cutting lessons were identified, such as the value of a commitment to interpersonal continuity of care as a foundation for coordination. Respondents also identified the importance of system support for the standardization of office processes to foster care coordination. While larger practices may have more resources to invest, many of the innovations described could be scaled to smaller practices. Some coordination strategies resulted in improved efficiency over time for practices, but by and large, physician practices currently pursue these efforts at their own expense. In addition to sharing information on effective strategies among practices, the findings also provide policy makers with a snapshot of the current care coordination landscape and implications for initiatives to improve coordination. Efforts to provide technical support to practices to improve coordination, for example, through medical-home initiatives, need to consider the baseline more typical practices may be starting from and tailor their support to practices ranging widely in size, resources and presence of standardized care processes. If aligned with payment incentives, some of these strategies have the potential to increase quality and satisfaction among patients and providers by helping to move the health care delivery system toward better coordinated care.

Furthering Our Understanding of Therapist Knowledge and Attitudinal Measurement in Youth Community Mental Health.

PubMed

Okamura, Kelsie H; Hee, Puanani J; Jackson, David; Nakamura, Brad J

2018-02-19

Examining therapist evidence-based practice (EBP) knowledge seems an important step for supporting successful implementation. Advances in implementation science suggest a distinction between practice specific (i.e., knowing which practices are derived from the evidence base) and EBP process (i.e., integrating research evidence, clinical experience, client characteristics, and monitoring outcomes) knowledge. An examination of how these knowledge types are measured and relate to attitudes appears warranted. In our sample of 58 youth community therapists, both practice specific and EBP process knowledge accounted for EBP attitude scores, which varied by therapist demographic variables. Implications for measurement of therapist constructs and future research in identifying therapist predictors of EBP use and youth clinical improvement are discussed.

Crosscultural Issues in the Process of Sending U.S. Employees of Multinational Corporations for Overseas Service: Theoretical Considerations with Practical Implications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Griffis, Betty Ann

Defining the multinational as a producing enterprise motivated by profit and owning or controlling facilities in more than one country, this paper analyzes the process employed by United States multinationals in sending parent country nationals abroad for service in a subsidiary. It first examines the process in its fullest form by citing…

The Interactional Accomplishment of Not Knowing in Elementary School Science and Mathematics: Implications for Classroom Performance Assessment Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reis, Giuliano; Barwell, Richard

2013-01-01

The day-to-day business of being a science or mathematics teacher involves the continuous assessment of students. This, in turn, is an inherently discursive process. The aim of the present study is to examine some of the specific discursive practices through which science and mathematics knowing is jointly produced through classroom interaction.…

The i-Map: A Process-Centered Response to Plagiarism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walden, Kim; Peacock, Alan

2006-01-01

In recent years there has been a marked change in our cultural relationship with information which has implications for our teaching and learning practices. Current concerns about the identification of, and responses to, plagiarism are grounded in that process of change. In this paper we take the position that it is better to address and respond…

A practical approach for comparing management strategies in complex forest ecosystems using meta-modelling toolkits

Treesearch

Andrew Fall; B. Sturtevant; M.-J. Fortin; M. Papaik; F. Doyon; D. Morgan; K. Berninger; C. Messier

2010-01-01

The complexity and multi-scaled nature of forests poses significant challenges to understanding and management. Models can provide useful insights into process and their interactions, and implications of alternative management options. Most models, particularly scientific models, focus on a relatively small set of processes and are designed to operate within a...

Applying Constructivist and Objectivist Learning Theories in the Design of a Web-based Course: Implications for Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moallem, Mahnaz

2001-01-01

Provides an overview of the process of designing and developing a Web-based course using instructional design principles and models, including constructivist and objectivist theories. Explains the process of implementing an instructional design model in designing a Web-based undergraduate course and evaluates the model based on course evaluations.…

Max Weber's Types of Rationality: Cornerstones for the Analysis of Rationalization Processes in History.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kalberg, Stephen

1980-01-01

Explores rationality in Max Weber's works and identifies four types of rationality which play major roles in his writing--practical, theoretical, substantive, and formal. Implications for society and education are discussed. (DB)

Profiling the Shopping Behavior of Elderly Consumers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, J. Barry; Bearden, William O.

1978-01-01

Data were collected by personal interview on shopping roles, information processing, food stamp and coupon use, store brand purchases, mispricing and product unavailability experiences, and with familiarity with fair trade practices. Implications and directions for further research are suggested. (Author)

"Chance favors only the prepared mind": preparing minds to systematically reduce hazards in the testing process in primary care.

PubMed

Singh, Ranjit; Hickner, John; Mold, Jim; Singh, Gurdev

2014-03-01

Testing plays a vital role in primary care. Failures in the process are common and can be harmful. As the great 19th century microbiologist Louis Pasteur put it "chance favors only the prepared mind." Our objective is to prepare minds in primary care practices to improve safety in the testing process. Various principles from safety science can be applied. A prospective methodology that uses an anonymous practice survey based on concepts from failure modes and effects analysis is proposed. Responses are used to rank perceived hazards in the testing process, leading to prioritization of areas for intervention. Secondary data analysis (using data from a study of medication safety) was used to explore the value of this approach in the context of assessing the testing process. At 3 primary care practice sites, a total of 61 staff members completed 4 survey items examining the testing process. Comparison across practices shows that each has a distinct profile of hazards, which would lead each on a different path toward improvement. The proposed approach treats each practice as a unique complex adaptive system aiming to help it thrive by inculcating trust, mutual respect, and collaboration. Implications for patient safety research and practice are discussed.

Intentionality: evolutionary development in healing: a grounded theory study for holistic nursing.

PubMed

Zahourek, Rothlyn P

2005-03-01

Although intentionality has been implicated as a causal variable in healing research, its definition has been inconsistent and vague. The objective of this grounded theory study is to develop a substantive theory of intentionality in a naturalistic encounter between nurse-healers and their healee-clients, and to consider the implications for practice and research. Six expert nurse-healers and six healee-clients were interviewed as individuals and in dyads before and after treatments. Interviews and observational data were analyzed using the constant comparative method and synthesized analysis. Participants described their experience of intentionality in healing as an evolutionary process characterized by distinctive shifts. The theory of intentionality: the matrix for healing (IMH) includes definitions of intentionality and a conceptual framework of three developmental phases of intentionality (generic, healing, and transforming intentionalities). The predominant attribute, development, is described. The theory contributes to knowledge about healing and intentionality and has implications for practice and future research.

Processing of fallopian tube, ovary, and endometrial surgical pathology specimens: A survey of U.S. laboratory practices.

PubMed

Samimi, Goli; Trabert, Britton; Duggan, Máire A; Robinson, Jennifer L; Coa, Kisha I; Waibel, Elizabeth; Garcia, Edna; Minasian, Lori M; Sherman, Mark E

2018-03-01

Many high-grade serous carcinomas initiate in fallopian tubes as serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC), a microscopic lesion identified with specimen processing according to the Sectioning and Extensive Examination of the Fimbria protocol (SEE-Fim). Given that the tubal origin of these cancers was recently recognized, we conducted a survey of pathology practices to assess processing protocols that are applied to gynecologic surgical pathology specimens in clinical contexts in which finding STIC might have different implications. We distributed a survey electronically to the American Society for Clinical Pathology list-serve to determine practice patterns and compared results between practice types by chi-square (χ2) tests for categorical variables. Free text comments were qualitatively reviewed. Survey responses were received from 159 laboratories (72 academic, 87 non-academic), which reported diverse specimen volumes and percentage of gynecologic samples. Overall, 74.1% of laboratories reported performing SEE-Fim for risk-reducing surgical specimens (82.5% academic versus 65.7% non-academic, p < 0.05). In specimens from surgery for benign indications in which initial microscopic sections showed an unanticipated suspicious finding, 75.9% of laboratories reported using SEE-Fim to process the remainder of the specimen (94.8% academic versus 76.4% non-academic, p < 0.01), and 84.6% submitted the entire fimbriae. Changes in the theories of pathogenesis of high-grade serous carcinoma have led to implementation of pathology specimen processing protocols that include detailed analysis of the fallopian tubes. These results have implications for interpreting trends in cancer incidence data and considering the feasibility of developing a bank of gynecologic tissues containing STIC or early cancer precursors. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Group Process as Drama.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, John

1984-01-01

Suggests that drama, as well as training or therapy, may be employed as a useful research and practice paradigm in working with small groups. The implications of this view for group development as a whole, and for member and leader participation, are explored. (JAC)

The Mental Capacity Act 2005: implications for dietetic practice.

PubMed

Lyons, C; Brotherton, A; Stanley, N; Carrahar, M; Manthorpe, J

2007-08-01

The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 will be implemented in England and Wales in 2007 and have consequences for dietitians who work with people who may lack capacity to make specific decisions. This paper will explore issues arising from the introduction of the Act and considers the implications for dietitians involved in the delivery of clinical care, using enteral feeding as an illustrative example. If patients lack capacity to make specific decisions, dietitians will be required to record if, how and why they reached a decision, how they are involved in the decision making process and need to be able to justify their actions in relation to those decisions. This paper discusses the importance of dietitians' involvement in best interests decision making and considers the implications of decision making where people have drawn up a Lasting Power of Attorney. The role of such advance decisions is discussed and consideration is given to the potential compatibility of perspectives between the patient and family that may give rise to disputes. Dietitians may be well placed within multidisciplinary team working to ensure patients and their carers are part of the decision making process through effective communication and support for patients. Dietitians in England and Wales must consider the implications of the MCA upon their clinical practice and others outside these jurisdictions may like to reflect on the relevance of such developments in their own contexts.

An integrative discourse perspective on positive leadership in public health care.

PubMed

Pietiläinen, Ville; Salmi, Ilkka

2017-02-06

Purpose This study aims to take a discursive view on positive leadership (PL). A positive approach has gained momentum in recent years as appropriate leadership practices are implemented in organizations. Despite the turn toward discursive approaches in organization studies, there is insufficient evidence supporting PL as a socially constructed experience. Design/methodology/approach The present study addresses an integrative discourse perspective for capturing the PL concept as a social process within the public health-care context. Findings Four meanings of PL are highlighted: role-taking, servicing, balancing and deciphering. Research limitations/implications The meanings shift the emphasis of certain PL definitions to a contextual interpretation. For scholars, the perspective demonstrates a multidimensional process approach in the desired organizational context as a counterbalance to one unanimously agreed-upon PL definition. Practical implications For leaders, an integrative discourse perspective offers tools for comprehending PL as a process: how to identify, negotiate and reconcile various PL meanings. Originality/value An integrative discourse perspective provides a novel perspective capturing the PL concept within the public health-care field.

Learning Processes and Learning Outcomes

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-06-01

establish and maintain activation levels) may process information faster because the relevant traces in long - term memory are already activated...drill and practice, and discovery. Finally, implications for the design of computerized instructional environments are indicated. 14. SUBJECT TERMS lI...outcome. This impact may be direct, or may interact with characteristics of the learner to effect learning outcome. INITIAL STATES Conative and cognitive

If We Build It, They Will Come: Exploring Policy and Practice Implications of Public Support for Couple and Relationship Education for Lower Income and Relationally Distressed Couples.

PubMed

Bradford, Angela B; Hawkins, Alan J; Acker, Jennifer

2015-12-01

Over the past decade, public funding for Couple and Relationship Education programs has expanded. As program administrators have been able to extend their reach to low-income individuals and couples using this support, it has become apparent that greater numbers of relationally distressed couples are attending classes than previously anticipated. Because psychoeducational programs for couples have traditionally served less distressed couples, this dynamic highlights the need to examine the policy and practice implications of more distressed couples accessing these services. This paper reviews some of the most immediate issues, including screening for domestic violence and couple needs, pedagogical considerations, and the potential integration of therapy and education services. We also make suggestions for future research that can inform policy and practice efforts. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Implications of pharmacogenomics for drug development and clinical practice.

PubMed

Ginsburg, Geoffrey S; Konstance, Richard P; Allsbrook, Jennifer S; Schulman, Kevin A

2005-11-14

Pharmacogenomics is likely to be among the first clinical applications of the Human Genome Project and is certain to have an enormous impact on the clinical practice of medicine. Herein, we discuss the potential implications of pharmacogenomics on the drug development process, including drug safety, productivity, market segmentation, market expansion, differentiation, and personalized health care. We also review 3 challenges facing the translation of pharmacogenomics into clinical practice: dependence on information technology, limited health care financing, and the scientific uncertainty surrounding validation of specific applications of the technology. To our knowledge, there is currently no formal agenda to promote and cultivate innovation, to develop progressive information technology, or to obtain the financing that would be required to advance the use of pharmacogenomic technologies in patient care. Although the potential of these technologies is driving change in the development of clinical sciences, it remains to be seen which health care systems level needs will be addressed.

Attachment Theory: Implications for School Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kennedy, Janice H.; Kennedy, Charles E.

2004-01-01

The effective practice of school psychology requires a strong research and theoretical base, a framework that encompasses developmental processes and outcomes, both adaptive and maladaptive, which facilitates assessment and intervention and offers insight into classroom and family dynamics. Attachment theory provides the school psychologist with…

Integrating musculoskeletal sonography into rehabilitation: Therapists’ experiences with training and implementation

PubMed Central

Gray, Julie McLaughlin; Frank, Gelya; Roll, Shawn C.

2018-01-01

Musculoskeletal sonography is rapidly extending beyond radiology; however, best practices for successful integration into new practice contexts are unknown. This study explored non-physician experiences with the processes of training and integration of musculoskeletal sonography into rehabilitation. Qualitative data were captured through multiple sources and iterative thematic analysis was used to describe two occupational therapists’ experiences. The dominant emerging theme was competency, in three domains: technical, procedural and analytical. Additionally, three practice considerations were illuminated: (1) understanding imaging within the dynamics of rehabilitation, (2) navigating nuances of interprofessional care, and (3) implications for post-professional training. Findings indicate that sonography training for rehabilitation providers requires multi-level competency development and consideration of practice complexities. These data lay a foundation on which to explore and develop best practices for incorporating sonographic imaging into the clinic as a means for engaging clients as active participants in the rehabilitation process to improve health and rehabilitation outcomes. PMID:28830315

Ethical implications of digital images for teaching and learning purposes: an integrative review.

PubMed

Kornhaber, Rachel; Betihavas, Vasiliki; Baber, Rodney J

2015-01-01

Digital photography has simplified the process of capturing and utilizing medical images. The process of taking high-quality digital photographs has been recognized as efficient, timely, and cost-effective. In particular, the evolution of smartphone and comparable technologies has become a vital component in teaching and learning of health care professionals. However, ethical standards in relation to digital photography for teaching and learning have not always been of the highest standard. The inappropriate utilization of digital images within the health care setting has the capacity to compromise patient confidentiality and increase the risk of litigation. Therefore, the aim of this review was to investigate the literature concerning the ethical implications for health professionals utilizing digital photography for teaching and learning. A literature search was conducted utilizing five electronic databases, PubMed, Embase (Excerpta Medica Database), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Educational Resources Information Center, and Scopus, limited to English language. Studies that endeavored to evaluate the ethical implications of digital photography for teaching and learning purposes in the health care setting were included. The search strategy identified 514 papers of which nine were retrieved for full review. Four papers were excluded based on the inclusion criteria, leaving five papers for final analysis. Three key themes were developed: knowledge deficit, consent and beyond, and standards driving scope of practice. The assimilation of evidence in this review suggests that there is value for health professionals utilizing digital photography for teaching purposes in health education. However, there is limited understanding of the process of obtaining and storage and use of such mediums for teaching purposes. Disparity was also highlighted related to policy and guideline identification and development in clinical practice. Therefore, the implementation of policy to guide practice requires further research.

Environmental justice, impact assessment and the politics of knowledge: The implications of assessing the social distribution of environmental outcomes

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

Walker, Gordon, E-mail: g.p.walker@lancaster.ac.u

2010-09-15

Claims of environmental injustice have increasingly become part of environmental conflicts, both explicitly through the work of environmental justice campaigning groups and implicitly through the arguments deployed about the rights and wrongs of a given situation. Such claims can centre on different notions of justice, including those concerned with questions of distribution and procedure. This paper focuses on distributional or outcome justice and explores what implications follow when the distributional concerns of environmental justice are included in the practice of impact assessment processes, including through social impact assessment (SIA). The current use of impact assessment methods in the UK ismore » reviewed showing that although practices are evolving there is a little routine assessment of distributional inequalities. It is argued that whilst this should become part of established practice to ensure that inequalities are revealed and matters of justice are given a higher profile, the implications for conflict within decision making processes are not straightforward. On the one hand, there could be scope for conflict to be ameliorated by analysis of inequalities informing the debate between stakeholders, and facilitating the implementation of mitigation and compensation measures for disadvantaged groups. On the other hand, contestation over how evidence is produced and therefore what it shows, and disagreement as to the basis on which justice and injustice are to be determined, means that conflict may also be generated and sustained within what are essentially political and strategic settings.« less

Patient safety and technology-driven medication - A qualitative study on how graduate nursing students navigate through complex medication administration.

PubMed

Orbæk, Janne; Gaard, Mette; Fabricius, Pia; Lefevre, Rikke S; Møller, Tom

2015-05-01

The technology-driven medication process is complex, involving advanced technologies, patient participation and increased safety measures. Medication administration errors are frequently reported, with nurses implicated in 26-38% of in-hospital cases. This points to the need for new ways of educating nursing students in today's medication administration. To explore nursing students' experiences and competences with the technology-driven medication administration process. 16 pre-graduate nursing students were included in two focus group interviews which were recorded, transcribed and analyzed using the systematic horizontal phenomenological-hermeneutic template methodology. The interviews uncovered that understanding the technologies; professionalism and patient safety are three crucial elements in the medication process. The students expressed positivity and confidence in using technology, but were fearful of committing serious medication errors. From the nursing students' perspective, experienced nurses deviate from existing guidelines, leaving them feeling isolated in practical learning situations. Having an unclear nursing role model for the technology-driven medication process, nursing students face difficulties in identifying and adopting best practices. The impact of using technology on the frequency, type and severity of medication errors; the technologies implications on nursing professionalism and the nurses ability to secure patient adherence to the medication process, still remains to be studied. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Basic principles to consider when opening a nurse practitioner-owned practice in Texas.

PubMed

Watson, Michael

2015-12-01

Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN)-owned clinics in Texas are becoming more common and because of the success of these early clinics, more APRNs are considering opening their own practice; but Texas remains one of the most restrictive states for APRN practice and many questions remain. What are the regulations about physician delegation? Will you get reimbursed from insurance companies and at what rates? Can you be a primary care provider (PCP)? Changes enacted after the adoption of Senate Bill 406 improved the opportunities for APRNs in Texas yet several requirements must be met and early consultation with a lawyer and accountant can facilitate the initial business setup. The Prescriptive Authority Agreement simplified the delegation requirements and allows the APRN increased flexibility in obtaining and consulting with a delegating physician. Becoming credentialed as a PCP with private insurance companies is often complicated; however, utilizing the Council for Affordable Quality Healthcare's Universal Provider Data source for initial credentialing can facilitate this. Although this article does not discuss the financial implications of opening a practice, it does cover many aspects including legislative and regulatory requirements for practice, credentialing process and challenges, business structure, and tax implications. ©2015 American Association of Nurse Practitioners.

The role of hand of error and stimulus orientation in the relationship between worry and error-related brain activity: Implications for theory and practice.

PubMed

Lin, Yanli; Moran, Tim P; Schroder, Hans S; Moser, Jason S

2015-10-01

Anxious apprehension/worry is associated with exaggerated error monitoring; however, the precise mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. The current study tested the hypothesis that the worry-error monitoring relationship involves left-lateralized linguistic brain activity by examining the relationship between worry and error monitoring, indexed by the error-related negativity (ERN), as a function of hand of error (Experiment 1) and stimulus orientation (Experiment 2). Results revealed that worry was exclusively related to the ERN on right-handed errors committed by the linguistically dominant left hemisphere. Moreover, the right-hand ERN-worry relationship emerged only when stimuli were presented horizontally (known to activate verbal processes) but not vertically. Together, these findings suggest that the worry-ERN relationship involves left hemisphere verbal processing, elucidating a potential mechanism to explain error monitoring abnormalities in anxiety. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. © 2015 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Reflective processes of practitioners in head and neck cancer rehabilitation: a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Caty, Marie-Ève; Kinsella, Elizabeth Anne; Doyle, Philip C

2016-12-01

This study systematically examined how experienced Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) use the processes of reflection to develop knowledge relevant for practice in the context of head and neck cancer (HNC) rehabilitation. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 SLPs working in HNC rehabilitation in North America. Grounded theory methodology was adopted for data collection and analysis. The findings inform a preliminary reflective practice model that depicts the processes of reflection used by practitioners interviewed. Nine categories of reflective processes were identified by participant SLPs in terms of the processes of reflection: ongoing questioning, experimenting through trial and error, integrating knowledge from past cases, embracing surprise, thinking out of the box, being in the moment, consulting with colleagues, putting oneself in the patients' shoes, and discerning ethical issues. These findings provide empirical evidence that supports Schön's theory of reflective practice and contribute to knowledge about the ways in which SLPs use processes of reflection in the context of HNC rehabilitation. The findings of this study have implications for how SLPs perceive and consider their role as knowledge-users and knowledge producers in their day-to-day clinical work, as well as for building capacity for reflective practice.

Perspectives of US Direct Care Workers on the Grief Process of Persons with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gray, Jennifer A.; Abendroth, Maryann

2016-01-01

Background: The study explored the grief process of persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDDs) as perceived by direct care workers (DCWs) and how such workers can guide and support PWIDDs experiencing grief. Materials and Methods: A thematic analysis approach was used to examine data from nine focus groups with 60 DCWs from…

The Case of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker: The Scientific Process and How It Relates to Everyday Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stanger-Hall, Kathrin; Merriam, Jennifer; Greuling, Ruth Ann

2007-01-01

In this case study, based on the reported rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in April 2005, students examine a real-world example of the scientific process and explore the practical implications of their conclusions. The case tells the story of Brad Murky, a student and research assistant who must decide whether the available evidence is…

Convergence and Divergence of Process and Portfolio Approaches to L2 Writing Instruction: Issues and Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lam, Ricky

2015-01-01

In the L2 writing literature, there has been a rich history of scholarship in theory, research and practice since the 1960s. Two of the most prominent L2 writing approaches are process and portfolio pedagogy. The former approach promotes the use of diverse writing strategies (e.g. pre-writing) to enhance student writers' expression and fluency.…

[Cancer screening in clinical practice: the value of shared decision-making].

PubMed

Cornuz, Jacques; Junod, Noëlle; Pasche, Olivier; Guessous, Idris

2010-07-14

Shared decision-making approach to uncertain clinical situations such as cancer screening seems more appropriate than ever. Shared decision making can be defined as an interactive process where physician and patient share all the stages of the decision making process. For patients who wish to be implicated in the management of their health conditions, physicians might express difficulty to do so. Use of patient decision aids appears to improve such process of shared decision making.

Nomadism: Against Methodological Nationalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Braidotti, Rosi

2010-01-01

This article is inspired by Gilles Deleuze's philosophical nomadology and stresses the idea of subjectivity. It stresses the non-unitary, complex and inter-relational structure of the process of subject-formation and explores some of the implications of this structure for ethical relations, politics and for pedagogical practice. As for ethical…

Dentists' Attitudes toward and Knowledge of the Elderly.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiyak, H. Asuman; And Others

1982-01-01

A survey of Washington State dentists in private practice shows generally inaccurate perceptions of the aging process. More experienced dentists held fewer stereotypes, those rating elderly patients as having good oral hygiene held positive stereotypes, and geriatrics coursework did not affect stereotypes. Implications for training and geriatric…

Concepts of sustainability, motivations for pest management approaches, and implications for communicating change

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Effective communication with farmers is an essential component of impacting their decision processes and encouraging changes in pest management practices, but requires a system of research and extension management that differs from that to which most biological scientists are accustomed. We present...

Chorio-Allantoic Membrane Grafting of Chick Limb Buds as a Class Practical.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLachlan, John C.

1981-01-01

A new method of carrying out grafts of early embryonic chick limb buds to the chick chorio-allantoic membrane and a processing schedule which renders cartilage elements visible in whole mount are discussed, including implications for the procedures and their results. (Author/DC)

Fostering nurses' political knowledges and practices: education and political activation in relation to lesbian health.

PubMed

MacDonnell, Judith A

2009-01-01

This article describes findings from a qualitative policy study focused on female nurses' activism in relation to lesbian health. Critical feminist analysis and comparative life history methodology were applied to career histories obtained from 10 diversely situated female nurses across Ontario, Canada. The findings show that nursing activist practices are informed by advocacy experiences that foster inclusive professional and community education plus formal education processes that shape their political socialization. Implications for nursing theory include the development of political knowledges and practices that support caring science, sociopolitical knowing, and primary healthcare nursing practice in a community context.

When and why do doctors decide to become general practitioners? Implications for recruitment into UK general practice specialty training.

PubMed

Irish, Bill; Lake, Jonathan

2011-01-01

All applicants to round 1 of national recruitment into the general practice specialty recruitment process were surveyed as to the reasons for, and the timing of their career choices. Most applicants reported decision making after completing undergraduate training citing variety, continuity of care and work-life balance as their main drivers for a career in general practice. Applicants were statistically more likely to have undertaken a Foundation placement in general practice than their peers on a Foundation programme. Reasons for choice of deanery were largely related to location and social ties, rather than to the educational 'reputation' of its programmes.

Advanced Practice Nursing Committee on Process Improvement in Trauma: An Innovative Application of the Strong Model.

PubMed

West, Sarah Katherine

2016-01-01

This article aims to summarize the successes and future implications for a nurse practitioner-driven committee on process improvement in trauma. The trauma nurse practitioner is uniquely positioned to recognize the need for clinical process improvement and enact change within the clinical setting. Application of the Strong Model of Advanced Practice proves to actively engage the trauma nurse practitioner in process improvement initiatives. Through enhancing nurse practitioner professional engagement, the committee aims to improve health care delivery to the traumatically injured patient. A retrospective review of the committee's first year reveals trauma nurse practitioner success in the domains of direct comprehensive care, support of systems, education, and leadership. The need for increased trauma nurse practitioner involvement has been identified for the domains of research and publication.

Understanding the Role of Numeracy in Health: Proposed Theoretical Framework and Practical Insights

PubMed Central

Lipkus, Isaac M.; Peters, Ellen

2009-01-01

Numeracy, that is how facile people are with mathematical concepts and their applications, is gaining importance in medical decision making and risk communication. This paper proposes six critical functions of health numeracy. These functions are integrated into a theoretical framework on health numeracy that has implications for risk-communication and medical-decision-making processes. We examine practical underpinnings for targeted interventions aimed at improving such processes as a function of health numeracy. It is hoped that the proposed functions and theoretical framework will spur more research to determine how an understanding of health numeracy can lead to more effective communication and decision outcomes. PMID:19834054

Informed consent in a multicultural cancer patient population: implications for nursing practice.

PubMed

Barnes, D M; Davis, A J; Moran, T; Portillo, C J; Koenig, B A

1998-09-01

Obtaining informed consent, an ethical obligation of nurses and other health care providers, occurs routinely when patients make health care decisions. The values underlying informed consent (promotion of patients' well-being and respect for their self-determination) are embedded in the dominant American culture. Nurses who apply the USA's cultural values of informed consent when caring for patients who come from other cultures encounter some ethical dilemmas. This descriptive study, conducted with Latino, Chinese and Anglo-American cancer patients in a large, public, west-coast clinic, describes constraints on the informed consent process in a multicultural setting, including language barriers, the clinical environment, control in decision making, and conflicting desired health outcomes for health care providers and patients, and suggests some implications for nursing practice.

An Overview of Non-pathological Geroneuropsychology: Implications for Nursing Practice and Research

PubMed Central

Graham, Martha A.; Fazeli, Pariya L.; Heaton, Karen; Moneyham, Linda

2011-01-01

One aspect of successful aging is maintaining cognitive functioning; that includes both subjective cognitive functioning and objective cognitive functioning even in lieu of subtle cognitive deficits that occur with normal, non-pathological aging. Age-related cognitive deficits emerge across several domains including attention, memory, language, speed of processing, executive, and psychomotor, just to name a few. A primary theory explaining such cognitive deficits is cognitive reserve theory; it posits that biological factors such as demyelination and oxidative stress interfere with neuronal communication which eventually produces observable deficits in cognitive functioning. Therefore, it is important to maintain or improve cognitive reserve in order to augment cognitive functioning in later life. This article provides a general overview of the principles of geroneuropsychology along with implications for nursing practice and research. PMID:22210304

Meditation-induced neuroplastic changes in amygdala activity during negative affective processing.

PubMed

Leung, Mei-Kei; Lau, Way K W; Chan, Chetwyn C H; Wong, Samuel S Y; Fung, Annis L C; Lee, Tatia M C

2018-06-01

Recent evidence suggests that the effects of meditation practice on affective processing and resilience have the potential to induce neuroplastic changes within the amygdala. Notably, literature speculates that meditation training may reduce amygdala activity during negative affective processing. Nonetheless, studies have thus far not verified this speculation. In this longitudinal study, participants (N = 21, 9 men) were trained in awareness-based compassion meditation (ABCM) or matched relaxation training. The effects of meditation training on amygdala activity were examined during passive viewing of affective and neutral stimuli in a non-meditative state. We found that the ABCM group exhibited significantly reduced anxiety and right amygdala activity during negative emotion processing than the relaxation group. Furthermore, ABCM participants who performed more compassion practice had stronger right amygdala activity reduction during negative emotion processing. The lower right amygdala activity after ABCM training may be associated with a general reduction in reactivity and distress. As all participants performed the emotion processing task in a non-meditative state, it appears likely that the changes in right amygdala activity are carried over from the meditation practice into the non-meditative state. These findings suggest that the distress-reducing effects of meditation practice on affective processing may transfer to ordinary states, which have important implications on stress management.

Learning-performance distinction and memory processes for motor skills: a focused review and perspective.

PubMed

Kantak, Shailesh S; Winstein, Carolee J

2012-03-01

Behavioral research in cognitive psychology provides evidence for an important distinction between immediate performance that accompanies practice and long-term performance that reflects the relative permanence in the capability for the practiced skill (i.e. learning). This learning-performance distinction is strikingly evident when challenging practice conditions may impair practice performance, but enhance long-term retention of motor skills. A review of motor learning studies with a specific focus on comparing differences in performance between that at the end of practice and at delayed retention suggests that the delayed retention or transfer performance is a better indicator of motor learning than the performance at (or end of) practice. This provides objective evidence for the learning-performance distinction. This behavioral evidence coupled with an understanding of the motor memory processes of encoding, consolidation and retrieval may provide insight into the putative mechanism that implements the learning-performance distinction. Here, we propose a simplistic empirically-based framework--motor behavior-memory framework--that integrates the temporal evolution of motor memory processes with the time course of practice and delayed retention frequently used in behavioral motor learning paradigms. In the context of the proposed framework, recent research has used noninvasive brain stimulation to decipher the role of each motor memory process, and specific cortical brain regions engaged in motor performance and learning. Such findings provide beginning insights into the relationship between the time course of practice-induced performance changes and motor memory processes. This in turn has promising implications for future research and practical applications. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Elaboration Likelihood Model: Implications for the Practice of School Psychology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Petty, Richard E.; Heesacker, Martin; Hughes, Jan N.

1997-01-01

Reviews a contemporary theory of attitude change, the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of persuasion, and addresses its relevance to school psychology. Claims that a key postulate of ELM is that attitude change results from thoughtful (central route) or nonthoughtful (peripheral route) processes. Illustrations of ELM's utility for school…

Co-Constructing an Understanding of Creativity in Drama Education that Draws on Neuropsychological Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howard-Jones, Paul A.; Winfield, M.; Crimmins, G.

2008-01-01

Background: Neuroscience is unlikely to produce findings for immediate application in the classroom. The educational significance and practical implications of knowledge about mind and brain inevitably require some level of interpretation, yet the multiplying examples of unscientific "brain-based" educational concepts suggest this process of…

Articulation Rate in Preschool Children: A 3-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Jean F.; Archibald, Lisa M. D.

2006-01-01

Background: Speaking rate has implications for both clinical practice and an understanding of normal and disordered communication processes. Fundamental information on speaking rate is required by the clinician for the appropriate management of those disorders with disturbances of rate or those in which rate modification strategies are applied.…

The Inspiration of Hope in Substance Abuse Counseling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koehn, Corinne; Cutcliffe, John R.

2012-01-01

This study used a grounded theory method to explore how counselors inspire hope in clients struggling with substance abuse. Findings from 10 participants revealed that hope inspiration occurred in 3 phases and consisted of several categories of hope-inspiring processes. Implications for counseling practice, counselor education, and research are…

The effect of total carbon on microscopic soil properties and implications for crop production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil structure is a dynamic property affected by physical, chemical, and microbiological processes. Addition of organic matter to soils and the use of different management practices have been reported to impact soil structure and crop production. Moderation in soil temperature and increases in mic...

Determinism versus Creativity: Which Way for Social Work?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peile, Colin

1993-01-01

Contends that dominant cosmology within social work is determinism. Argues for creative cosmology that can synthesize deterministic and random processes. Sees this development made possible by reconceptualization of relative nature of time. Discussion is grounded in relation to small example of social work practice, and implications of creative…

Secondary Schools in Canada: The National Report of the Exemplary Schools Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaskell, Jane

The Exemplary Schools Project was a national cooperative project that identified successful Canadian secondary schools and analyzed their practices to suggest policy implications. Five issues were examined: the meaning and recognition of success; interactions between the school and its context; the influence of school structures, processes, and…

Disciplinary Counseling: Implications for Policy and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dannells, Michael; Consolvo, Camille

2000-01-01

A survey of college and university judicial officers and counseling center directors explores the use of disciplinary counseling in the student judicial process, and how the individuals in this position view it. Provides data about demographics and the frequency of referrals, and discusses issues related to disciplinary counseling. (Contains 18…

When Lightning Strikes: Reexamining Creativity in Psychotherapy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carson, David K.; Becker, Kent W.

2004-01-01

Creativity is paramount to the therapeutic process. This article explored the role of creativity in counseling and psychotherapy through a critical analysis of several key articles in a special issue of The Journal of Clinical Activities, Assignments, & Handouts in Psychotherapy Practice (L. L. Hecker, 2002). Implications for counselors/therapists…

Do Farmers Using Conventional and Non-Conventional Systems of Agriculture Have Different Perceptions of the Diversity of Wild Birds? Implications for Conservation.

PubMed

Silva-Andrade, Horasa Lima; de Andrade, Luciano Pires; Muniz, Lauana Souza; Telino-Júnior, Wallace Rodrigues; Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino; Lyra-Neves, Rachel Maria

2016-01-01

Farmers' perceptions of birds' interactions with agricultural production systems are fundamental to species conservation efforts. In the present study, we evaluated the perceptions of birds held by farmers who engage in conventional and non-conventional agricultural production processes and the implications of potential differences in these perceptions on species conservation. To accomplish this, data were collected using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and other complementary sources of information gathered from 191 farmers in northeastern Brazil. Although some similarities were identified among the farmers in their perceptions and local ecological knowledge (LEK) of birds, differences existed between the conventional and non-conventional farmers in their attitudes toward, conflicts with, and usage of bird species. Compared to the conventional farmers, the non-conventional farmers could identify more bird species, possessed more favorable attitudes toward birds, and engaged in practices more beneficial to the conservation of avifauna. The perceptions that were identified were related to the type of agriculture practiced, and such perceptions may affect the conservation of bird species. Therefore, the adoption of certain agricultural practices has important implications for conservation. Our results indicate the need for investment in public policies, programs and actions that account for farmers' knowledge and perceptions. Such investments will contribute to the development and adoption of practices supporting wild bird conservation in agricultural areas.

Do Farmers Using Conventional and Non-Conventional Systems of Agriculture Have Different Perceptions of the Diversity of Wild Birds? Implications for Conservation

PubMed Central

de Andrade, Luciano Pires; Muniz, Lauana Souza; Telino-Júnior, Wallace Rodrigues; Albuquerque, Ulysses Paulino; Lyra-Neves, Rachel Maria

2016-01-01

Farmers’ perceptions of birds’ interactions with agricultural production systems are fundamental to species conservation efforts. In the present study, we evaluated the perceptions of birds held by farmers who engage in conventional and non-conventional agricultural production processes and the implications of potential differences in these perceptions on species conservation. To accomplish this, data were collected using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and other complementary sources of information gathered from 191 farmers in northeastern Brazil. Although some similarities were identified among the farmers in their perceptions and local ecological knowledge (LEK) of birds, differences existed between the conventional and non-conventional farmers in their attitudes toward, conflicts with, and usage of bird species. Compared to the conventional farmers, the non-conventional farmers could identify more bird species, possessed more favorable attitudes toward birds, and engaged in practices more beneficial to the conservation of avifauna. The perceptions that were identified were related to the type of agriculture practiced, and such perceptions may affect the conservation of bird species. Therefore, the adoption of certain agricultural practices has important implications for conservation. Our results indicate the need for investment in public policies, programs and actions that account for farmers’ knowledge and perceptions. Such investments will contribute to the development and adoption of practices supporting wild bird conservation in agricultural areas. PMID:27243222

Health and environmental implications of rural female entrepreneurship practices in osun state Nigeria.

PubMed

Akinbami, Catherine A O; Momodu, Abiodun S

2013-09-01

In rural Nigeria, food processing is mostly engaged in by women and children. Most of these processes are done using outdated technologies that make use of traditional woodstoves. This article presents the health and environmental implications of the rural female entrepreneurs involved in food processing and proffer means of bettering the lot of these women to handle these hazards. A partially structured questionnaire and focus group discussion was used to capture data from respondents. The study revealed that about 73 % of women involved in direct production of garri and palm oil processing could be at risk of early death or disability-adjusted life years from the mentioned diseases. The article concludes that the rural female entrepreneur needs to be better positioned to handle these hazards, for her health, that of her children, as well as for the environment.

Developing a practice guideline for the occupational health services by using a community of practice approach: a process evaluation of the development process.

PubMed

Kwak, Lydia; Wåhlin, Charlotte; Stigmar, Kjerstin; Jensen, Irene

2017-01-18

One way to facilitate the translation of research into the occupational health service practice is through clinical practice guidelines. To increase the implementability of guidelines it is important to include the end-users in the development, for example by a community of practice approach. This paper describes the development of an occupational health practice guideline aimed at the management of non-specific low back pain (LBP) by using a community of practice approach. The paper also includes a process evaluation of the development providing insight into the feasibility of the process. A multidisciplinary community of practice group (n = 16) consisting of occupational nurses, occupational physicians, ergonomists/physical therapists, health and safety engineers, health educators, psychologists and researchers from different types of occupational health services and geographical regions within Sweden met eleven times (June 2012-December 2013) to develop the practice guideline following recommendations of guideline development handbooks. Process-outcomes recruitment, reach, context, satisfaction, feasibility and fidelity were assessed by questionnaire, observations and administrative data. Group members attended on average 7.5 out of 11 meetings. Half experienced support from their workplace for their involvement. Feasibility was rated as good, except for time-scheduling. Most group members were satisfied with the structure of the process (e.g. presentations, multidisciplinary group). Fidelity was rated as fairly high. The described development process is a feasible process for guideline development. For future guideline development expectations of the work involved should be more clearly communicated, as well as the purpose and tasks of the CoP-group. Moreover, possibilities to improve support from managers and colleagues should be explored. This paper has important implications for future guideline development; it provides valuable information on how practitioners can be included in the development process, with the aim of increasing the implementability of the developed guidelines.

How Do Scientists Define Openness? Exploring the Relationship Between Open Science Policies and Research Practice.

PubMed

Levin, Nadine; Leonelli, Sabina; Weckowska, Dagmara; Castle, David; Dupré, John

2016-06-01

This article documents how biomedical researchers in the United Kingdom understand and enact the idea of "openness." This is of particular interest to researchers and science policy worldwide in view of the recent adoption of pioneering policies on Open Science and Open Access by the U.K. government-policies whose impact on and implications for research practice are in need of urgent evaluation, so as to decide on their eventual implementation elsewhere. This study is based on 22 in-depth interviews with U.K. researchers in systems biology, synthetic biology, and bioinformatics, which were conducted between September 2013 and February 2014. Through an analysis of the interview transcripts, we identify seven core themes that characterize researchers' understanding of openness in science and nine factors that shape the practice of openness in research. Our findings highlight the implications that Open Science policies can have for research processes and outcomes and provide recommendations for enhancing their content, effectiveness, and implementation.

How Do Scientists Define Openness? Exploring the Relationship Between Open Science Policies and Research Practice

PubMed Central

Levin, Nadine; Leonelli, Sabina; Weckowska, Dagmara; Castle, David; Dupré, John

2016-01-01

This article documents how biomedical researchers in the United Kingdom understand and enact the idea of “openness.” This is of particular interest to researchers and science policy worldwide in view of the recent adoption of pioneering policies on Open Science and Open Access by the U.K. government—policies whose impact on and implications for research practice are in need of urgent evaluation, so as to decide on their eventual implementation elsewhere. This study is based on 22 in-depth interviews with U.K. researchers in systems biology, synthetic biology, and bioinformatics, which were conducted between September 2013 and February 2014. Through an analysis of the interview transcripts, we identify seven core themes that characterize researchers’ understanding of openness in science and nine factors that shape the practice of openness in research. Our findings highlight the implications that Open Science policies can have for research processes and outcomes and provide recommendations for enhancing their content, effectiveness, and implementation. PMID:27807390

Implementation of the Strengths Model at an area mental health service.

PubMed

Chopra, Prem; Hamilton, Bridget; Castle, David; Smith, Jenny; Mileshkin, Cris; Deans, Michael; Wynne, Brad; Prigg, Glenn; Toomey, Nigel; Wilson, Michael

2009-06-01

The objectives of this paper are to provide an overview of recovery-focused models of care and discuss the implementation of the Strengths Model at St. Vincent's Mental Health Melbourne (SVMH), Victoria, Australia. The implementation of the Strengths Model at SVMH is discussed with particular emphasis on the process of implementation, service implications, practical challenges and dilemmas that have arisen, and proposed evaluation. Recovery-focused care is feasible and can enhance current practice of mental health services.

Australia's evolving food practices: a risky mix of continuity and change.

PubMed

Venn, Danielle; Banwell, Cathy; Dixon, Jane

2017-10-01

To investigate trends in five key aspects of Australian food practice which have been implicated in diet-related health risks, specifically energy intake. They are: the replacement of home-prepared foods by commercially prepared foods; consumer reliance on ultra-processed foods; de-structured dining; increased pace of eating; and a decline in commensal eating. Data were from repeated cross-sections from the national Household Expenditure and Time Use Surveys. Trends in food practice aspects were examined using indicators of food expenditure across different food groups and time spent eating and cooking, including where, when and with whom eating activities took place. Australia, 1989-2010. Nationally representative samples of Australian households. The share of the total food budget spent on food away from home rose steadily from 22·8 % in 1989 to 26·5 % in 2010, while spending on ultra-processed foods increased. The basic patterning of meals and the pace of eating changed little, although people spent more time eating alone and at restaurants. Cooking time declined considerably, particularly for women. These changes have occurred over the same time that obesity and diet-related, non-communicable diseases have increased rapidly in Australia. Some aspects are implicated more than others: particularly the shift from domestic cooking to use of pre-prepared and ultra-processed foods, a reduction in time spent in food preparation and cooking, as well as an upsurge in time and money devoted to eating away from home. These are all likely to operate through the higher energy content of commercially prepared, compared with unprocessed or lightly processed, foods.

Supporting children with disabilities at school: implications for the advocate role in professional practice and education

PubMed Central

Ng, Stella L.; Lingard, Lorelei; Hibbert, Kathryn; Regan, Sandra; Phelan, Shanon; Stooke, Rosamund; Meston, Christine; Schryer, Catherine; Manamperi, Madhushani; Friesen, Farah

2015-01-01

Abstract Purpose: School settings are a common practice context for rehabilitation professionals; health advocacy is a common and challenging practice role for professionals in this context. This study explored how pediatric practitioners advocate for children with disabilities at school. Specifically, we examined everyday advocacy in the context of school-based support for children with disabilities. Method: Our theoretical framework and methodological approach were informed by institutional ethnography, which maps and makes visible hidden social coordinators of work processes with a view to improving processes and outcomes. We included families, educators, and health/rehabilitation practitioners from Ontario. Of the 37 consented informants, 27 were interviewed and 15 observed. Documents and texts were collected from the micro-level (e.g. clinician reports) and the macro-level (e.g. policies). Results: Pediatric practitioners' advocacy work included two main work processes: spotlighting invisible disabilities and orienteering the special education terrain. Practitioners advocated indirectly, by proxy, with common proxies being documents and parents. Unintended consequences of advocacy by proxy included conflict and inefficiency, which were often unknown to the practitioner. Conclusions: The findings of this study provide practice-based knowledge about advocacy for children with disabilities, which may be used to inform further development of competency frameworks and continuing education for pediatric practitioners. The findings also show how everyday practices are influenced by policies and social discourses and how rehabilitation professionals may enact change.Implications for RehabilitationRehabilitation professionals frequently perform advocacy work. They may find it beneficial to perform advocacy work that is informed by overarching professional and ethical guidelines, and a nuanced understanding of local processes and structures.Competency frameworks and education for pediatric rehabilitation professionals may be improved by: encouraging professionals to consider how their practices, including their written documents, may affect parental burden, (mis)interpretation by document recipients, and potential unintended consequences.Policies and texts, e.g. privacy legislation and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), influence rehabilitation professionals' actions and interactions when supporting children with disabilities at school.An awareness of the influence of policies and texts may enable practitioners to work more effectively within current systems when supporting individuals with disabilities. PMID:25738906

Education System Reform in China after 1978: Some Practical Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sun, Miantao

2010-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to provide an overview of education system reform in China since 1978, and its practical implications. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from literature review and interview. An overview of education system reform and its practical implications was found through data analysis. Findings: There has been two…

Role stressors and coping strategies among nurse managers.

PubMed

Udod, Sonia; Cummings, Greta G; Care, W Dean; Jenkins, Megan

2017-02-06

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to share preliminary evidence about nurse managers' (NMs) role stressors and coping strategies in acute health-care facilities in Western Canada. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory inquiry provides deeper insight into NMs' perceptions of their role stressors, coping strategies and factors and practices in the organizational context that facilitate and hinder their work. A purposeful sample of 17 NMs participated in this study. Data were collected through individual interviews and a focus group interview. Braun and Clarke's (2006) six phase approach to thematic analysis guided data analysis. Findings Evidence demonstrates that individual factors, organizational practices and structures affect NMs stress creating an evolving role with unrealistic expectations, responding to continuous organizational change, a fragmented ability to effectively process decisions because of work overload, shifting organizational priorities and being at risk for stress-related ill health. Practical implications These findings have implications for organizational support, intervention programs that enhance leadership approaches, address individual factors and work processes and redesigning the role in consideration of the role stress and work complexity affecting NMs health. Originality/value It is anticipated that health-care leaders would find these results concerning and inspire them to take action to support NMs to do meaningful work as a way to retain existing managers and attract front line nurses to positions of leadership.

Fundamental care and knowledge interests: Implications for nursing science.

PubMed

Granero-Molina, José; Fernández-Sola, Cayetano; Mateo-Aguilar, Ester; Aranda-Torres, Cayetano; Román-López, Pablo; Hernández-Padilla, José Manuel

2018-06-01

To characterise the intratheoretical interests of knowledge in nursing science as an epistemological framework for fundamental care. For Jürgen Habermas, theory does not separate knowledge interests from life. All knowledge, understanding and human research is always interested. Habermas formulated the knowledge interests in empirical-analytical, historical-hermeneutic and critical social sciences; but said nothing about health sciences and nursing science. Discursive paper. The article is organised into five sections that develop our argument about the implications of the Habermasian intratheoretical interests in nursing science and fundamental care: the persistence of a technical interest, the predominance of a practical interest, the importance of an emancipatory interest, "being there" to understand individuals' experience and an "existential crisis" that uncovers the individual's subjectivity. The nursing discipline can take on practical and emancipatory interests (together with a technical interest) as its fundamental knowledge interests. Nurses' privileged position in the delivery of fundamental care gives them the opportunity to gain a deep understanding of the patient's experience and illness process through physical contact and empathic communication. In clinical, academic and research environments, nurses should highlight the importance of fundamental care, showcasing the value of practical and emancipatory knowledge. This process could help to improve nursing science's leadership, social visibility and idiosyncrasy. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Marketing the dental practice: eight steps toward success.

PubMed

McGuigan, Patrick J; Eisner, Alan B

2006-10-01

The authors provide a suggested framework for completing a comprehensive evaluation of practice processes and routines. Their approach focuses on improving the professional image of dentists and the methods they use to market themselves. A practice can benefit by implementing a program to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the practice and how these strengths and weaknesses affect patients' experiences. A word-of-mouth marketing campaign relies on the cultivation of opinion leaders, but opinion leaders cannot be cultivated until they have been identified. Dental practice marketing campaigns cannot be based on assumptions; they must be based on facts. Practice Implications. Improving relationships with patients will lead to increased patient retention, reduced marketing costs and greater personal satisfaction. By focusing on strengths, clinicians will improve patients' experiences in the dental office.

A multidirectional communication model: implications for social marketing practice.

PubMed

Thackeray, Rosemary; Neiger, Brad L

2009-04-01

The landscape of sending and receiving information has changed dramatically in the past 25 years. The communication process is changing from being unidirectional to multidirectional as consumers are becoming active participants by creating, seeking, and sharing information using a variety of channels and devices. The purpose of this article is to describe how this shift in the communication process- where gatekeepers control the creation and content of information and consumers are less active recipients to one that reflects a multidirectional and more dynamic process with participative consumers-will affect the social marketing process. This shift in communication does not represent an option for social marketers so much as a necessity. As professionals respond to this evolving communication model, the practice of social marketing can remain vibrant as a relevant consumer-oriented approach to behavior change.

Faculty and Technology: Implications for Faculty Training and Technology Leadership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keengwe, Jared; Kidd, Terry; Kyei-Blankson, Lydia

2009-02-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors affecting ICT adoption process and the implications for faculty training and technology leadership. Respondents represented a wide range of academic and professional positions. They identified themselves as Assistant, Associate, and Professor as well as Instructional Designer, Director of Technology, Information Manager, eLearning Manager, Assistant Department Chair, Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs and Consultant. The respondents identified Organizational Support, Leadership, Training and Development, and Resources as the predominate themes affecting Information and Communication Technology (ICT) adoption process in higher education. Evidence from this study offers insights on how higher education administrators and technology leaders could help their faculty and staff to implement appropriate ICT tools and practices to improve student learning.

Intuition and nursing practice implications for nurse educators: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Correnti, D

1992-01-01

Intuitive knowledge is an essential component of the art of nursing and of the nursing process. This article provides an analysis and review of the literature on intuition. The author addresses the use of intuition in nursing science, characteristics of intuitive nurses, receptivity of intuitive knowledge, and the importance of expanding nursing's utilization of the intuitive process. Strategies are provided for promoting intuitive skills in continuing education/staff development settings.

Rehabilitation as "destination triage": a critical examination of discharge planning.

PubMed

Durocher, Evelyne; Gibson, Barbara E; Rappolt, Susan

2017-06-01

In this paper we examine how the intersection of various social and political influences shapes discharge planning and rehabilitation practices in ways that may not meet the espoused aims of rehabilitation programs or the preferences of older adults and their families. Taking a critical bioethics perspective, we used microethnographic case study methods to examine discharge-planning processes in a well-established older adult inpatient rehabilitation setting in Canada. The data included observations of discharge-planning family conferences and semi-structured interviews conducted with older adults facing discharge, their family members and rehabilitation professionals involved in discharge planning. From the time of admission, a contextual push to focus on discharge superseded program aims of providing interventions to increase older adults' functional capabilities. Professionals' primary commitment to safety limited consideration of discharge options and resulted in costly and potentially unnecessary recommendations for 24-hour care. The resulting "rehabilitation" stay was more akin to an extended process of "destination triage" biased towards the promotion of physical safety than optimizing functioning. The resulting reduction of rehabilitation into "destination triage" has significant social, financial and occupational implications for older adults and their families, and broader implications for healthcare services and overarching healthcare systems. Implications for Rehabilitation Current trends promoting consideration of discharge planning from the point of admission and prioritizing physical safety are shifting the focus of rehabilitation away from interventions to maximize recovery of function, which are the stated aims of rehabilitation. Such practices furthermore promote assessments to determine prognosis early in the rehabilitation stay when accurate prognosis is difficult, which can lead to overly conservative recommendations for discharge from rehabilitation services, thus further negating the impact of rehabilitation. Further work is required to examine the social, occupational and functional implications of superseding rehabilitation interventions to maximize capabilities with practices that prioritize safety over quality of life for older adults and their family members.

Global League Tables, Big Data and the International Transfer of Educational Research Modalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crossley, Michael

2014-01-01

The international transfer of educational policy and practice has long been a key theme in comparative research and scholarship. Recent years have seen renewed attention to the processes of international policy transfer, with new understandings emerging from innovative theorising and analysis. This article examines the nature and implications of…

Challenging Ideals of Reciprocity in Undergraduate Teaching: The Unexpected Benefits of Unpredictable Cross-Cultural Fieldwork

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hammersley, Laura A.; Bilous, Rebecca H.; James, Sarah W.; Trau, Adam M.; Suchet-Pearson, Sandie

2014-01-01

Geographers are increasingly grappling with the theoretical and practical implications of integrating an ethics of reciprocity into undergraduate learning and teaching. This paper draws on the unexpected experiences of a third-year human geography research methods fieldtrip to examine the process of balancing undergraduate student learning and…

Language Awareness as a Challenge for Business

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hunerberg, Reinhard; Geile, Andrea

2012-01-01

The following contribution is a meta-analysis of the language awareness discipline from a practical application point of view. It is based on a keynote speech at the "10th International Conference of the Association for Language Awareness," and deals with the implications of business requirements for language use in communication processes. The…

Counseling Psychology in the Era of Genetic Testing: Considerations for Practice, Research, and Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kaut, Kevin P.

2006-01-01

The field of genetics and the process of testing for genetic disorders have advanced considerably over the past half century, ushering in significant improvements in certain areas of medical diagnosis and disease prediction. However, genetic discoveries are accompanied by many social, emotional, and psychological implications, and counseling…

Punishment and Forgiveness: A Phenomenological Analysis of Archetypal Leadership Patterns and the Implications for Educational Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abramson, Neil Remington; Senyshyn, Yaroslav

2009-01-01

Archetypal psychology suggests the possibility of a punishment archetype representing the unconscious preferences of human beings as a species about what constitutes appropriate ways for leaders (students, teachers and educational leaders) to correct followers who do harm to others. Mythological analysis compared God's process of punishment, in…

The Application of Teacher Cognition in the Classroom: A New Teaching Competency.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Armour-Thomas, Eleanor

1989-01-01

This article reviews the role of teacher cognition in teaching and critically examines methods of its assessment. Research investigations of three aspects of teachers' thought processes that may have implications for educational practice are examined. The inclusion of cognitive competencies in a teacher's repertoire of skills is discussed. (IAH)

Opportunities and challenges in conducting systematic reviews to support development of nutrient reference values: vitamin A as an example

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nutrient reference values have significant public health and policy implications. Given the importance of defining reliable nutrient reference values, there is a need for an explicit, objective, and transparent process to set these values. The Tufts Medical Center Evidence-based Practice Center asse...

The Alumni Survey: Program Implications for School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dickmann, Ellyn; Cooner, Donna; Dugan, James J.

2007-01-01

Universities have long practiced data collection techniques to gain insights and direction from their graduates, but public high schools are just now beginning to use this process to gather input from those who know the system the best--their alumni. Because past students' reflections on their high school education can indicate the level of…

PLA Philosophy, Policy, and Practice Implications: Revisiting the 2009 Hoffman, Travers, Evans, and Treadwell Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Travers, Nan L.

2013-01-01

The heart of prior learning assessment (PLA) is the quality and validity of the academic evaluation process itself. Institutions providing PLA opportunities are faced with issues of accountability from all constituents: students, faculty, state systems, and accrediting agencies. Increasingly, institutions are more and more accepting of different…

Process versus Product: What Ethic Does the FCS-BOK Uphold?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roubanis, Jody L.

2017-01-01

Fundamental moral implications for professional practice inherent to the Family and Consumer Sciences Body of Knowledge (FCS-BOK) are revealed by using paradigms conventional to normative ethics. A product-oriented teleological ethic is linked to the FCS-BOK core concepts: basic human needs, individual well-being, family strengths, and community…

Computer Task Application Use by Professional Health Educators: Implications for Professional Preparation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hanks, Walter A.; Barnes, Michael D.; Merrill, Ray M.; Neiger, Brad L.

2000-01-01

Investigated how health educators currently used computers and how they expected to use them in the future. Surveys of practicing health educators at many types of sites indicated that important current abilities included Internet, word processing, and electronic presentation skills. Important future tasks and skills included developing computer…

Implications of the School Leadership for Handling Practical Administrative Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thamarasseri, Ismail

2015-01-01

Leadership is the process of influencing others to get the work done. It involves motivating, influencing, and directing individuals towards the attainment of long term organizational goals. A leader remains in the limelight. The success or failure of an organizational endeavour is attributed upon its leader. School leadership includes any…

An Analysis of Predictors of History Content Knowledge: Implications for Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitchett, Paul G.; Heafner, Tina L.; Lambert, Richard G.

2017-01-01

How and to what extent students learn history content is a complicated process, drawing from the instructional opportunities they experience; the policy prioritization of history/social studies instruction in schools; and their own cultural perspectives toward the past. In an attempt to better understand the complex inter-play among these…

Implementing Innovative Workplaces: Organizational Implications of Different Strategies. Workscape 21: The Ecology of New Ways of Working.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Becker, Franklin; Quinn, Kristen L.; Rappaport, Andrew J.; Sims, William R.

This document reports a study that examined implementation processes for new workplace practices--nonterritorial offices--in five international organizations in four countries. The organizations are IBM and Ernst & Young in the United Kingdom; Digital Equipment's Natural Office in Sweden; SOL Cleaning Company headquarters in Finland; and…

Practical Implications of Research on Referral and Opportunity to Learn. Monograph No. 22.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ysseldyke, James; And Others

The paper summarizes findings from four studies on the referral process for students with academic and social/behavioral problems and several observational investigations on students' academic responding time. Research on referral addresses such aspects as reasons for referral, causes ascribed for difficulties, pre-referral classroom intervention,…

Best Practices of Award-Winning Public School Principals: Implications for University Preparation Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Sandra L.

2006-01-01

There is no doubt that quality administrator preparation is critical because research has documented that successful school leaders have a strong influence on student achievement as they set direction, support and develop effective teachers, and as they implement effective organizational processes. Yet, it seems that every day the media reports…

The Importance of Search as Intertextual Practice for Undergraduate Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bodemer, Brett B.

2012-01-01

By first reassessing the role of search in the literacy event of the lower division undergraduate paper, this article argues that searching is not a lower-order mental activity but a concurrent, integral component of the research-writing process. This conclusion has large implications for information literacy instructional design, and several…

How Artists Working in Academia View Artistic Practice as Research: Implications for Tertiary Music Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blom, Diana; Bennett, Dawn; Wright, David

2011-01-01

Artistic research output struggles for recognition as "legitimate" research within the highly-competitive and often traditional university sector. Often recognition requires the underpinning processes and thinking to be documented in a traditional written format. This article discusses the views of eight arts practitioners working in…

The Theory and Practice of Alternative Certification: Implications for the Improvement of Teaching.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawley, Willis D.

1990-01-01

Identifies questions related to the processes and consequences of alternative teacher certification (AC), answers questions with research-based facts, proposes key elements of a model AC program, and draws conclusions about the directions AC may take and its probable effects on educational reform and on the professionalization of teaching. (SM)

Quality improvement in physiotherapy services.

PubMed

Boak, George; Sephton, Ruth; Hough, Elaine; Ten Hove, Ruth

2017-06-12

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a process change in physiotherapy services and to explore factors that may have influenced the outcomes. Design/methodology/approach This is a multiple case study and information was gathered from eight physiotherapy teams over 24 months. Findings The process change was successfully implemented in six teams. It had a clear, positive effect on service quality provided to patients in three teams. Whilst quality also improved in three other teams, other issues make changes difficult to assess. Factors that enabled process change to be effective are suggested. Research limitations/implications The findings are based on results achieved by only eight English teams. Practical implications This process change may be appropriate for other teams providing therapy services if attention is paid to potential enabling factors, and a learning approach is adopted to designing and introducing the change. Originality/value To the best of the authors' knowledge, no other longitudinal process change study in therapy services has been published.

On the Assessment of Paramedic Competence: A Narrative Review with Practice Implications.

PubMed

Tavares, W; Boet, S

2016-02-01

Paramedicine is experiencing significant growth in scope of practice, autonomy, and role in the health care system. Despite clinical governance models, the degree to which paramedicine ultimately can be safe and effective will be dependent on the individuals the profession deems suited to practice. This creates an imperative for those responsible for these decisions to ensure that assessments of paramedic competence are indeed accurate, trustworthy, and defensible. The purpose of this study was to explore and synthesize relevant theoretical foundations and literature informing best practices in performance-based assessment (PBA) of competence, as it might be applied to paramedicine, for design or evaluation of assessment programs. A narrative review methodology was applied to focus intentionally, but broadly, on purpose relevant, theoretically derived research that could inform assessment protocols in paramedicine. Primary and secondary studies from a number of health professions that contributed to and informed best practices related to the assessment of paramedic clinical competence were included and synthesized. Multiple conceptual frameworks, psychometric requirements, and emerging lines of research are forwarded. Seventeen practice implications are derived to promote understanding as well as best practices and evaluation criteria for educators, employers, and/or licensing/certifying bodies when considering the assessment of paramedic competence. The assessment of paramedic competence is a complex process requiring an understanding, appreciation for, and integration of conceptual and psychometric principles. The field of PBA is advancing rapidly with numerous opportunities for research.

Transforming psychotherapy in order to succeed with adolescent boys: male-friendly practices.

PubMed

Kiselica, Mark S

2003-11-01

The purpose of this article is to describe a "male-friendly" therapeutic process with troubled adolescent boys. A male-friendly process is one in which the therapist employs a wide variety of strategies and activities that are likely to appeal to male youth and that facilitate the establishment and maintenance of rapport. The nuances of practicing a male-friendly approach are highlighted and then applied in a case study of psychotherapy with a depressed adolescent boy. The implications of this approach for redefining professional conceptions about boundaries in the client-therapist relationship and reexamining inaccurate stereotypes about the emotional lives of boys are discussed. Copyright 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Guidance for using mixed methods design in nursing practice research.

PubMed

Chiang-Hanisko, Lenny; Newman, David; Dyess, Susan; Piyakong, Duangporn; Liehr, Patricia

2016-08-01

The mixed methods approach purposefully combines both quantitative and qualitative techniques, enabling a multi-faceted understanding of nursing phenomena. The purpose of this article is to introduce three mixed methods designs (parallel; sequential; conversion) and highlight interpretive processes that occur with the synthesis of qualitative and quantitative findings. Real world examples of research studies conducted by the authors will demonstrate the processes leading to the merger of data. The examples include: research questions; data collection procedures and analysis with a focus on synthesizing findings. Based on experience with mixed methods studied, the authors introduce two synthesis patterns (complementary; contrasting), considering application for practice and implications for research. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A systematic review on the neural effects of music on emotion regulation: implications for music therapy practice.

PubMed

Moore, Kimberly Sena

2013-01-01

Emotion regulation (ER) is an internal process through which a person maintains a comfortable state of arousal by modulating one or more aspects of emotion. The neural correlates underlying ER suggest an interplay between cognitive control areas and areas involved in emotional reactivity. Although some studies have suggested that music may be a useful tool in ER, few studies have examined the links between music perception/production and the neural mechanisms that underlie ER and resulting implications for clinical music therapy treatment. Objectives of this systematic review were to explore and synthesize what is known about how music and music experiences impact neural structures implicated in ER, and to consider clinical implications of these findings for structuring music stimuli to facilitate ER. A comprehensive electronic database search resulted in 50 studies that met predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pertinent data related to the objective were extracted and study outcomes were analyzed and compared for trends and common findings. Results indicated there are certain music characteristics and experiences that produce desired and undesired neural activation patterns implicated in ER. Desired activation patterns occurred when listening to preferred and familiar music, when singing, and (in musicians) when improvising; undesired activation patterns arose when introducing complexity, dissonance, and unexpected musical events. Furthermore, the connection between music-influenced changes in attention and its link to ER was explored. Implications for music therapy practice are discussed and preliminary guidelines for how to use music to facilitate ER are shared.

Application of best practice approaches for designing decision support tools: The preparatory education about clinical trials (PRE-ACT) study

PubMed Central

Fleisher, Linda; Ruggieri, Dominique G.; Miller, Suzanne M.; Manne, Sharon; Albrecht, Terrance; Buzaglo, Joanne; Collins, Michael A.; Katz, Michael; Kinzy, Tyler G.; Liu, Tasnuva; Manning, Cheri; Charap, Ellen Specker; Millard, Jennifer; Miller, Dawn M.; Poole, David; Raivitch, Stephanie; Roach, Nancy; Ross, Eric A.; Meropol, Neal J.

2014-01-01

Objective This article describes the rigorous development process and initial feedback of the PRE-ACT (Preparatory Education About Clinical Trials) web-based- intervention designed to improve preparation for decision making in cancer clinical trials. Methods The multi-step process included stakeholder input, formative research, user testing and feedback. Diverse teams (researchers, advocates and developers) participated including content refinement, identification of actors, and development of video scripts. Patient feedback was provided in the final production period and through a vanguard group (N = 100) from the randomized trial. Results Patients/advocates confirmed barriers to cancer clinical trial participation, including lack of awareness and knowledge, fear of side effects, logistical concerns, and mistrust. Patients indicated they liked the tool’s user-friendly nature, the organized and comprehensive presentation of the subject matter, and the clarity of the videos. Conclusion The development process serves as an example of operationalizing best practice approaches and highlights the value of a multi-disciplinary team to develop a theory-based, sophisticated tool that patients found useful in their decision making process. Practice implications Best practice approaches can be addressed and are important to ensure evidence-based tools that are of value to patients and supports the usefulness of a process map in the development of e-health tools. PMID:24813474

Neuroimaging studies of practice-related change: fMRI and meta-analytic evidence of a domain-general control network for learning.

PubMed

Chein, Jason M; Schneider, Walter

2005-12-01

Functional magnetic resonance imaging and a meta-analysis of prior neuroimaging studies were used to characterize cortical changes resulting from extensive practice and to evaluate a dual-processing account of the neural mechanisms underlying human learning. Three core predictions of the dual processing theory are evaluated: 1) that practice elicits generalized reductions in regional activity by reducing the load on the cognitive control mechanisms that scaffold early learning; 2) that these control mechanisms are domain-general; and 3) that no separate processing pathway emerges as skill develops. To evaluate these predictions, a meta-analysis of prior neuroimaging studies and a within-subjects fMRI experiment contrasting unpracticed to practiced performance in a paired-associate task were conducted. The principal effect of practice was found to be a reduction in the extent and magnitude of activity in a cortical network spanning bilateral dorsal prefrontal, left ventral prefrontal, medial frontal (anterior cingulate), left insular, bilateral parietal, and occipito-temporal (fusiform) areas. These activity reductions are shown to occur in common regions across prior neuroimaging studies and for both verbal and nonverbal paired-associate learning in the present fMRI experiment. The implicated network of brain regions is interpreted as a domain-general system engaged specifically to support novice, but not practiced, performance.

Considerations in pharmaceutical conversion: focus on antihistamines.

PubMed

Garbus, S B; Moulton, B W; Meltzer, E O; Reich, P R; Weinreb, L F; Friedman, J A; Orland, B I

1997-04-01

The practice of pharmaceutical conversion, which encompasses three types of drug interchange (generic, brand, and therapeutic substitution), is increasing in managed care settings. Pharmaceutical conversion has numerous implications for managed care organizations, their healthcare providers, and their customers. Although drug cost may be a driving consideration in pharmaceutical conversion, a number of other considerations are of equal or greater importance in the decision-making process may affect the overall cost of patient care. Among these considerations are clinical, psychosocial, and safety issues; patient adherence; patient satisfaction; and legal implications of pharmaceutical conversion. Patient-centered care must always remain central to decisions about pharmaceutical conversion. This article discusses the issues related to, and implications of, pharmaceutical conversion utilizing the antihistamines class of drugs as the case situation.

Treatment implications arising from a qualitative analysis of letters written by the nonoffending partners of men who have perpetrated child sexual abuse.

PubMed

Cahalane, Hilary; Parker, Gemma; Duff, Simon

2013-01-01

There is a dearth of current empirical research exploring the experiences of nonoffending partners, or women whose partners have perpetrated child sexual abuse. Existing literature is dated and focuses disproportionately on intrafamilial abuse. This research explores how nonoffending partners construct and understand their experiences using thematic analysis within a social constructionist framework. Findings indicate that discovery of a partner's sexual offending is a profoundly distressing experience. It can inhibit a woman's ability to process the broader implications of her partner's behavior, including issues of risk, the impact on the victim, and the additional protective responsibilities she must adopt in the future. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.

Determinism and Underdetermination in Genetics: Implications for Students' Engagement in Argumentation and Epistemic Practices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiménez-Aleixandre, María Pilar

2014-02-01

In the last two decades science studies and science education research have shifted from an interest in products (of science or of learning), to an interest in processes and practices. The focus of this paper is on students' engagement in epistemic practices (Kelly in Teaching scientific inquiry: Recommendations for research and implementation. Sense Publishers, Rotterdam, pp 99-117, 2008), or on their practical epistemologies (Wickman in Sci Educ 88(3):325-344, 2004). In order to support these practices in genetics classrooms we need to take into account domain-specific features of the epistemology of genetics, in particular issues about determinism and underdetermination. I suggest that certain difficulties may be related to the specific nature of causality in genetics, and in particular to the correspondence between a given set of factors and a range of potential effects, rather than a single one. The paper seeks to bring together recent developments in the epistemology of biology and of genetics, on the one hand, with science education approaches about epistemic practices, on the other. The implications of these perspectives for current challenges in learning genetics are examined, focusing on students' engagement in epistemic practices, as argumentation, understood as using evidence to evaluate knowledge claims. Engaging in argumentation in genetics classrooms is intertwined with practices such as using genetics models to build explanations, or framing genetics issues in their social context. These challenges are illustrated with studies making part of our research program in the USC.

Signage as a tool for behavioral change: Direct and indirect routes to understanding the meaning of a sign.

PubMed

Meis, Julia; Kashima, Yoshihisa

2017-01-01

Signs, prompts, and symbols are a common means to change behavior in our society. Understanding the psychological mechanisms by which signage influences behavior is a critical first step to achieve the desired outcome. In the current research, we propose a theoretical model of sign-to-behavior process. The model suggests that when one encounters a sign, it is encoded to construct an action representation (comprehension process), which is then acted on unless its enactment is inhibited (decision process). We test the implications of the model in two studies. In support of our hypothesis, for unfamiliar signs, clarity of purpose predicts perceived effectiveness of a sign; however, for familiar signs, clarity of purpose does not matter. Insights gained from the studies will help to design effective signs. Practical implications of the model are discussed, and future research directions are outlined.

Signage as a tool for behavioral change: Direct and indirect routes to understanding the meaning of a sign

PubMed Central

Kashima, Yoshihisa

2017-01-01

Signs, prompts, and symbols are a common means to change behavior in our society. Understanding the psychological mechanisms by which signage influences behavior is a critical first step to achieve the desired outcome. In the current research, we propose a theoretical model of sign-to-behavior process. The model suggests that when one encounters a sign, it is encoded to construct an action representation (comprehension process), which is then acted on unless its enactment is inhibited (decision process). We test the implications of the model in two studies. In support of our hypothesis, for unfamiliar signs, clarity of purpose predicts perceived effectiveness of a sign; however, for familiar signs, clarity of purpose does not matter. Insights gained from the studies will help to design effective signs. Practical implications of the model are discussed, and future research directions are outlined. PMID:28854203

“The Birthing From Within Holistic Sphere”: A Conceptual Model for Childbirth Education

PubMed Central

England, Pam; Horowitz, Rob

2000-01-01

An expanded conceptual model of childbirth education is offered, proposing the benefits of balancing informative teaching processes with creative, experiential, introspective learning processes for parents. The application of these two teaching dimensions to exploring four different perspectives of birth (the mother's, the father's, the baby's, and the culture's) is discussed, along with examples from “Birthing From Within” classes. Implications for current practice and the evolving role of childbirth educator are noted. PMID:17273200

Proxemics in Couple Interactions: Rekindling an Old Optic.

PubMed

Sluzki, Carlos E

2016-03-01

Utilizing as a lens the interpersonal implications of physical interpersonal distances in social contexts (a set of variables present during the professional discourse during the 1960s and 1970s, to then fade away), this article explores interactive process displayed by the protagonic couple in Bela Bartok's opera "Bluebeard Castle," an exercise aimed at underlining the value of maintaining proxemics as an explicit level of observation for clinical practice and interpersonal research. © 2015 Family Process Institute.

Actual curriculum development practices instrument: Testing for factorial validity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foi, Liew Yon; Bakar, Kamariah Abu; Hamzah, Mohd Sahandri Gani; Alwi, Nor Hayati

2014-09-01

The Actual Curriculum Development Practices Instrument (ACDP-I) was developed and the factorial validity of the ACDP-I was tested (n = 107) using exploratory factor analysis procedures in the earlier work of [1]. Despite the ACDP-I appears to be content and construct valid instrument with very high internal reliability qualities for using in Malaysia, the accumulated evidences are still needed to provide a sound scientific basis for the proposed score interpretations. Therefore, the present study addresses this concern by utilising the confirmatory factor analysis to further confirm the theoretical structure of the variable Actual Curriculum Development Practices (ACDP) and enrich the psychometrical properties of ACDP-I. Results of this study have practical implication to both researchers and educators whose concerns focus on teachers' classroom practices and the instrument development and validation process.

The Psychological Benefits from Reconceptualizing Music-Making as Mindfulness Practice.

PubMed

Steinfeld, Matthew; Brewer, Judson

2015-06-01

While the music psychology and education literatures have devoted considerable attention to how musical instrumentalists practice their instruments, less formal scholarly attention has been given in consideration of what it means to maintain a musical "practice" over time and across context. In this paper, the practice of mindfulness meditation is used as heuristic, arguing for a view of mindfulness meditation as a formalized de-specialization of the infinite number of other activities with which people can achieve mindfulness. Sitting meditation, requiring of one to observe the contents of their mind unmediated, can serve as a useful model for the musician in understanding the phenomenology of the music-making process and the "flow" states that can result from an embodied musical practice. Finally, reconceptualizing music-making as a mindfulness practice is considered with psychological and pedagogical implications relevant for developing musicians.

From Exotic to Mainstream: A 10-year Odyssey from Internet Speed to Boundary Spanning with Scrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baskerville, Richard; Pries-Heje, Jan; Madsen, Sabine

Based on four empirical studies conducted over a 10-year time period from 1999 to 2008 we investigate how local software processes interact with global changes in the software development context. In 1999 companies were developing software at high speed in a desperate rush to be first-to-market. In 2001 a new high speed/quick results development process had become established practice. In 2003 changes in the market created the need for a more balanced view on speed and quality, and in 2008 companies were successfully combining agile and plan driven approaches to achieve the benefits of both. The studies reveal a twostage pattern in which dramatic changes in the market causes disruption of established practices, experimentation, and process adaptations followed by consolidation of lessons learnt into a new (and once again mature) software development process. Limitations, implications, and areas for future research are discussed.

The poetics of mourning and faith-based intervention in maladaptive grieving processes in Ethiopia.

PubMed

Hussein, Jeylan Wolyie

2018-08-01

The paper is an inquiry into the poetics of mourning and faith-based intervention in maladaptive grieving processes in Ethiopia. The paper discusses the ways that loss is signified and analyzes the meanings of ethnocultural and psychospiritual practices employed to deal with maladaptive grief processes and their psychological and emotional after-effects. Hermeneutics provided the methodological framework and informed the analysis. The thesis of the paper is that the poetics of mourning and faith-based social interventions are interactionally based meaning making processes. The paper indicates the limitations of the study and their implications for further inquiry.

Teaching Improvisation through Processes. Applications in Music Education and Implications for General Education

PubMed Central

Biasutti, Michele

2017-01-01

Improvisation is an articulated multidimensional activity based on an extemporaneous creative performance. Practicing improvisation, participants expand sophisticated skills such as sensory and perceptual encoding, memory storage and recall, motor control, and performance monitoring. Improvisation abilities have been developed following several methodologies mainly with a product-oriented perspective. A model framed under the socio-cultural theory of learning for designing didactic activities on processes instead of outcomes is presented in the current paper. The challenge is to overcome the mere instructional dimension of some practices of teaching improvisation by designing activities that stimulate self-regulated learning strategies in the students. In the article the present thesis is declined in three ways, concerning the following three possible areas of application: (1) high-level musical learning, (2) musical pedagogy with children, (3) general pedagogy. The applications in the music field focusing mainly on an expert's use of improvisation are discussed. The last section considers how these ideas should transcend music studies, presenting the benefits and the implications of improvisation activities for general learning. Moreover, the application of music education to the following cognitive processes are discussed: anticipation, use of repertoire, emotive communication, feedback and flow. These characteristics could be used to outline a pedagogical method for teaching music improvisation based on the development of reflection, reasoning, and meta-cognition. PMID:28626441

Assessing health in an urban neighborhood: community process, data results and implications for practice.

PubMed

Idali Torres, M

1998-06-01

This article examines the community process and data results of a health assessment conducted in an urban neighborhood of a middle-size city in Western Massachusetts. It describes the four-stage development process of the Health Assessment Project (HAP), a collaboration of the UMASS School of Public Health faculty and students, community based organizations and youth residents: (1) planning with a contemporary participatory approach, (2) implementing the data collection with traditional survey methodology, (3) tailoring the data analysis for a presentation at a community forum and report, and (4) incorporating the community's reaction to data results. In addition, it presents selected data results on health conditions of individual household members and perceived community health concerns and resources. Salient data results include high rates of chronic health conditions such as asthma and other respiratory problems among residents 0-18, back pain and other musculoskeletal among younger adults 19-54, and high blood pressure and other cardi-circulatory problems among older adults age 55 and older. The three most prevalent perceived community concerns are substance abuse, gangs and drug dealing. Identified community resources include sources of (1) providers of primary care, (2) health information as family/friends and Spanish media, (3) social activity such as churches and schools. Finally, this paper concludes by discussing implications for community health practice.

Teaching Improvisation through Processes. Applications in Music Education and Implications for General Education.

PubMed

Biasutti, Michele

2017-01-01

Improvisation is an articulated multidimensional activity based on an extemporaneous creative performance. Practicing improvisation, participants expand sophisticated skills such as sensory and perceptual encoding, memory storage and recall, motor control, and performance monitoring. Improvisation abilities have been developed following several methodologies mainly with a product-oriented perspective. A model framed under the socio-cultural theory of learning for designing didactic activities on processes instead of outcomes is presented in the current paper. The challenge is to overcome the mere instructional dimension of some practices of teaching improvisation by designing activities that stimulate self-regulated learning strategies in the students. In the article the present thesis is declined in three ways, concerning the following three possible areas of application: (1) high-level musical learning, (2) musical pedagogy with children, (3) general pedagogy. The applications in the music field focusing mainly on an expert's use of improvisation are discussed. The last section considers how these ideas should transcend music studies, presenting the benefits and the implications of improvisation activities for general learning. Moreover, the application of music education to the following cognitive processes are discussed: anticipation, use of repertoire, emotive communication, feedback and flow. These characteristics could be used to outline a pedagogical method for teaching music improvisation based on the development of reflection, reasoning, and meta-cognition.

Scholarly Communication and Information Technology: Exploring the Impact of Changes in the Research Process on Archives. Rand Reprints.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Michelson, Avra; Rothenberg, Jeff

1993-01-01

The report considers the interaction of trends in information technology and trends in research practices and the policy implications for archives. The information is divided into 4 sections. The first section, an "Overview of Information Technology Trends," discusses end-user computing, which includes ubiquitous computing, end-user…

Dissecting a Gendered Organization: Implications for Career Trajectories for Mid-Career Faculty Women in STEM

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hart, Jeni

2016-01-01

This paper traces the workplace practices within which mid-career women faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) carry out their careers. Findings from this case study of 25 faculty at one research university revealed three institutional processes that constrained their careers: (a) access to and integration into career…

A Review of Emergent Literacy with Implications for Research and Practice in Reading. Technical Report No. 379.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Jana M.; Allen, JoBeth

Defining emergent as the process of becoming and literacy as the interrelatedness of reading and writing in young children's development, this paper reviews emergent literacy research and relates it to beginning reading and writing instruction. The first section of the paper describes the social and linguistic contexts for literacy, reviewing…

How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Expanded Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bransford, John D., Ed.; Brown, Ann L., Ed.; Cocking, Rodney R., Ed.

This book presents results of recent research about the mind, brain, and learning processes. It examines new findings in learning theory and their implications for what is taught, how it is taught, and how learners are assessed. It also shows how theories and insights can translate into actions and practices. It examines research on human…

Ideological Tensions in the Educational Choice Practices of Modern Greek Cypriot Parents: The Role of Social Capital

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Green, Anthony; Vryonides, Marios

2005-01-01

The rapid modernisation process of Greek Cypriot society has created a cultural environment with an amalgam of traditionalist and modernist ethical attitudes, and antagonisms between them concerning, among other things, social advancement. These have implications for the way individuals and families develop various strategies of choice-making for…

Perception of scale in forest management planning: Challenges and implications

Treesearch

Swee May Tang; Eric J. Gustafson

1997-01-01

Forest management practices imposed at one spatial scale may affect the patterns and processes of ecosystems at other scales. These impacts and feedbacks on the functioning of ecosystems across spatial scales are not well understood. We examined the effects of silvicultural manipulations simulated at two spatial scales of management planning on landscape pattern and...

Alternative silvicultural practices in Appalachian forest ecosystems: implications for species diversity, ecosystem resilience, and commercial timber production

Treesearch

Thomas R. Fox; Carola A. Haas; David W. Smith; David L. Loftis; Shepard M. Zedaker; Robert H. Jones; A.L. Hammett

2007-01-01

Increasing demands for timber and non-timber forest products often conflict with demands to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem processes. To examine tradeoffs between these goals, we implemented six alternative management systems using a stand-level, replicated experiment. The treatments included four silvicultural regeneration methods designed to sustain timber...

Situation Analysis of Students' Welfare Services in Universities in South-Western Nigeria: Implications for Students' Personnel Management Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alani, Ramoni Ayobami; Okunola, Phillips Olaide; Subair, Sikiru Omotayo

2010-01-01

Motivating learners in university depends largely on those services, processes and procedures whose primary purpose is to enhance and maintain learners' physical, social, intellectual and emotional well-being. This study examined the situation of welfare services in the context of university education vis-a-vis students' perceived motivation to…

Inside the Black Box: An Exploration of Service Delivery in a Family Reunification Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Staff, Ilene; Fein, Edith

1994-01-01

Describes a three-month study of a family reunification program for abused and neglected children that explored the process and outcomes of service delivery. The coding scheme measured both the time used in and purposes of activities of the service workers. Discusses the implications of this method for practice, planning, and research. (TM)

Learning Expertise in Practice: Implications for Learning Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jarvis, Peter

2015-01-01

Building on Polanyi's insight in "The Tacit Dimension" that we know more than we can tell, this paper argues that we need to extend our understanding of learning to incorporate implicit learning, which is necessary in order to understand the process of becoming an expert and in so doing it points to the need to expand the theories of…

Grounded Theory as a "Family of Methods": A Genealogical Analysis to Guide Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Babchuk, Wayne A.

2011-01-01

This study traces the evolution of grounded theory from a nuclear to an extended family of methods and considers the implications that decision-making based on informed choices throughout all phases of the research process has for realizing the potential of grounded theory for advancing adult education theory and practice. [This paper was…

The Importance of Orientation: Implications of Professional Identity on Classroom Practice and for Professional Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsieh, Betina

2015-01-01

Previous work on new teacher professional identity has focused on identity as a process of negotiation between individual and contextual factors. These negotiations are often filled with a struggle between personal agency and structures that prevent the enactment of an ideal professional self. This study introduces and discusses three teacher…

Transforming Education: Global Perspectives, Experiences and Implications. Educational Psychology: Critical Pedagogical Perspectives. Volume 24

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVillar, Robert A., Ed.; Jiang, Binbin, Ed.; Cummins, Jim, Ed.

2013-01-01

This research-based volume presents a substantive, panoramic view of ways in which Australia and countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North and South America engage in educational programs and practices to transform the learning processes and outcomes of their students. It reveals and analyzes national and global trajectories in key areas of…

The Varied Impact of Couple Relationship Breakdown on Children: Implications for Practice and Policy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coleman, Lester; Glenn, Fiona

2010-01-01

This review of international literature assesses the impacts that the relationship breakdown of parents has on children and factors that can provide support should this occur. The parental separation process causes significant albeit short-term distress for most children, with a minority reporting longer-term outcomes such as socio-economic…

Summary Writing in Academic Contexts: Implicating Meaning in Processes of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hood, Susan

2008-01-01

The practice of summary writing from source texts has long been a core activity in academic writing programs. When described as precis writing, textbooks focusing on teaching this skill date back to the second half of the nineteenth century. In current guidelines, students are typically asked to demonstrate an understanding of the key meanings…

Native People and the Social Work Profession: A Critical Exploration of Colonizing Problematics and the Development of Decolonized Thought.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waterfall, Barbara

2002-01-01

Discusses relationship between the social work profession and indigenous populations living in colonial Canada. Examines characteristics of Eurocentrism and historical and ongoing colonial processes, and implicates the profession of social work as a colonizing practice. Urges native people to disengage from current neo-colonial and constitutional…

In Search of Meaning. Interdisciplinary Seminar in School Administration. Summary Report (Vol. II).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stahly, Harold L.; And Others

The essential purpose of the five papers compiled in this report is to summarize, analyze, and interpret recent tendencies in educational theory and practice and their implications for "the heart of the educational process," i.e., the curriculum. The papers focus on general strategies or methodologies of instruction, rather than specific subject…

Translational research: a concept analysis.

PubMed

Wendler, M Cecilia; Kirkbride, Geri; Wade, Kristen; Ferrell, Lynne

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND/CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: Little is known about which approaches facilitate adoption and sustainment of evidence-based practice change in the highly complex care environments that constitute clinical practice today. The purpose of this article was to complete a concept analysis of translational research using a modified Walker and Avant approach. DESIGN/DATA COLLECTION: Using a rigorous and thorough review of the recent health care literature generated by a deep electronic search from 2004-2011, 85 appropriate documents were retrieved. Close reading of the articles by three coresearchers yielded an analysis of the emerging concept of translational research. Using the iterative process described by Walker and Avant, a tentative definition of the concept of translational research, along with antecedents and consequences were identified. Implications for health care professionals in education, practice, and research are offered. Further research is needed to determine the adequacy of the definition, to identify empirical referents, and to guide theory development. The study resulted in a theoretical definition of the concept of translational research, along with identification of antecedents and consequences and a description of an ideal or model case to illustrate the definition. Implications for practice and education include the importance of focusing on translational research approaches that may reduce the research-practice gap in health care, thereby improving patient care delivery. Research is needed to determine the usefulness of the definition in health care clinical practice.

Resisting vulnerability: the experiences of families who have kin in hospital-a feminist ethnography.

PubMed

Perry, Joann; Judith Lynam, M; Anderson, Joan M

2006-02-01

Health care restructuring, in an effort to control costs, has resulted in marked organizational change with concomitant influences on nursing practice in the hospital and community contexts. Such changes have resulted in increased levels of acuity among patients and shorter hospital stays. As a consequence, families are being asked to assume greater roles in illness care of family members. At the same time societies and therefore patient populations are becoming increasingly culturally and linguistically diverse. Yet, little is known about hospitalization and help-seeking practices of family caregivers in an ethnoculturally diverse context and the nature of support they require from the health care system. This paper addresses this gap in knowledge. Here we draw upon data gathered in two ethnographic studies of illness care and help-seeking practices in an enthoculturally diverse community. Analysis of family data identified 'resisting vulnerability' as a process central to the families' experiences. This paper examines the process of resisting vulnerability and how it was influenced by the practices of health care professionals and structures of the health system. Implications for practice are discussed.

The neural mediators of kindness-based meditation: a theoretical model

PubMed Central

Mascaro, Jennifer S.; Darcher, Alana; Negi, Lobsang T.; Raison, Charles L.

2015-01-01

Although kindness-based contemplative practices are increasingly employed by clinicians and cognitive researchers to enhance prosocial emotions, social cognitive skills, and well-being, and as a tool to understand the basic workings of the social mind, we lack a coherent theoretical model with which to test the mechanisms by which kindness-based meditation may alter the brain and body. Here, we link contemplative accounts of compassion and loving-kindness practices with research from social cognitive neuroscience and social psychology to generate predictions about how diverse practices may alter brain structure and function and related aspects of social cognition. Contingent on the nuances of the practice, kindness-based meditation may enhance the neural systems related to faster and more basic perceptual or motor simulation processes, simulation of another’s affective body state, slower and higher-level perspective-taking, modulatory processes such as emotion regulation and self/other discrimination, and combinations thereof. This theoretical model will be discussed alongside best practices for testing such a model and potential implications and applications of future work. PMID:25729374

Medical talent management: a model for physician deployment.

PubMed

Brightman, Baird

2007-01-01

This article aims to provide a focused cost-effective method for triaging physicians into appropriate non-clinical roles to benefit both doctors and healthcare organizations. Reviews a validated career-planning process and customize it for medical talent management. A structured career assessment can differentiate between different physician work styles and direct medical talent into best-fit positions. This allows healthcare organizations to create a more finely tuned career ladder than the familiar "in or out" binary choice. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS--Healthcare organizations can invest in cost-effective processes for the optimal utilization of their medical talent. Provides a new use for a well-validated career assessment and planning system. The actual value of this approach should be studied using best-practices in ROI research.

Processes that Inform Multicultural Supervision: A Qualitative Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Tohidian, Nilou B; Quek, Karen Mui-Teng

2017-10-01

As the fields of counseling and psychotherapy have become more cognizant that individuals, couples, and families bring with them a myriad of diversity factors into therapy, multicultural competency has also become a crucial component in the development of clinicians during clinical supervision and training. We employed a qualitative meta-analysis to provide a detailed and comprehensive description of similar themes identified in primary qualitative studies that have investigated supervisory practices with an emphasis on diversity. Findings revealed six meta-categories, namely: (a) Supervisor's Multicultural Stances; (b) Supervisee's Multicultural Encounters; (c) Competency-Based Content in Supervision; (d) Processes Surrounding Multicultural Supervision; (e) Culturally Attuned Interventions; and (f) Multicultural Supervisory Alliance. Implications for practice are discussed. © 2017 American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

Breaking bad news revisited: the push for negotiated disclosure and changing practice implications.

PubMed

Arber, Anne; Gallagher, Ann

2003-04-01

This article revisits the ethical, legal, professional and emotional issues involved with disclosing bad news. The authors examine the push for disclosure that has come from a number of quarters in the UK, including ethical and legal challenges, in particular the Bristol Royal Inquiry Report, professional codes of conduct, health policy and the expectations of the public. The contribution of nurses to breaking bad news is not widely discussed in the literature. With the development of new nursing roles and evidence-based practice it is timely to consider the role of nurses in this process. The article highlights some limitations with current guidelines for breaking bad news, in particular, that these guidelines tend to be constructed from a professional standpoint and lack patient-centred evidence. The issue of emotional labour and how it relates to giving bad news is discussed with respect to professional staff and patients. The article concludes by raising some practice implications, including: the importance of context and continuity; the significance of information and support; the desirable qualities of the professional; and issues to consider in determining patient preferences.

Selecting for creativity and innovation potential: implications for practice in healthcare education.

PubMed

Patterson, Fiona; Zibarras, Lara Dawn

2017-05-01

The ability to innovate is an important requirement in many organisations. Despite this pressing need, few selection systems in healthcare focus on identifying the potential for creativity and innovation and so this area has been vastly under-researched. As a first step towards understanding how we might select for creativity and innovation, this paper explores the use of a trait-based measure of creativity and innovation potential, and evaluates its efficacy for use in selection for healthcare education. This study uses a sample of 188 postgraduate physicians applying for education and training in UK General Practice. Participants completed two questionnaires (a trait-based measure of creativity and innovation, and a measure of the Big Five personality dimensions) and were also rated by assessors on creative problem solving measured during a selection centre. In exploring the construct validity of the trait-based measure of creativity and innovation, our research clarifies the associations between personality, and creativity and innovation. In particular, our study highlights the importance of motivation in the creativity and innovation process. Results also suggest that Openness to Experience is positively related to creativity and innovation whereas some aspects of Conscientiousness are negatively associated with creativity and innovation. Results broadly support the utility of using a trait-based measure of creativity and innovation in healthcare selection processes, although practically this may be best delivered as part of an interview process, rather than as a screening tool. Findings are discussed in relation to broader implications for placing more priority on creativity and innovation as selection criteria within healthcare education and training in future.

Australian general practitioner attitudes to clinical practice guidelines and some implications for translating osteoarthritis care into practice.

PubMed

Basedow, Martin; Runciman, William B; Lipworth, Wendy; Esterman, Adrian

2016-11-01

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been shown to improve processes of care and health outcomes, but there is often a discrepancy between recommendations for care and clinical practice. This study sought to explore general practitioner (GP) attitudes towards CPGs, in general and specifically for osteoarthritis (OA), with the implications for translating OA care into practice. A self-administered questionnaire was conducted in January 2013 with a sample of 228 GPs in New South Wales and South Australia. Seventy-nine GPs returned questionnaires (response rate 35%). Nearly all GPs considered that CPGs support decision-making in practice (94%) and medical education (92%). Very few respondents regarded CPGs as a threat to clinical autonomy, and most recognised that individual patient circumstances must be taken into account. Shorter CPG formats were preferred over longer and more comprehensive formats, with preferences being evenly divided among respondents for short, 2-3-page summaries, flowcharts or algorithms and single page checklists. GPs considered accessibility to CPGs to be important, and electronic formats were popular. Familiarity and use of The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners OA Guideline was poor, with most respondents either not aware of it (30%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 27 - 41%), had never used it (19%; 95% CI 12 - 29%) or rarely used it (34%; 95% CI 25-45%). If CPGs are to assist with the translation of evidence into practice, they must be easily accessible and in a format that encourages use.

Wind Plant Preconstruction Energy Estimates. Current Practice and Opportunities

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

Clifton, Andrew; Smith, Aaron; Fields, Michael

2016-04-19

Understanding the amount of energy that will be harvested by a wind power plant each year and the variability of that energy is essential to assessing and potentially improving the financial viability of that power plant. The preconstruction energy estimate process predicts the amount of energy--with uncertainty estimates--that a wind power plant will deliver to the point of revenue. This report describes the preconstruction energy estimate process from a technical perspective and seeks to provide insight into the financial implications associated with each step.

Family medicine practice performance and knowledge management.

PubMed

Orzano, A John; McInerney, Claire R; Tallia, Alfred F; Scharf, Davida; Crabtree, Benjamin F

2008-01-01

Knowledge management (KM) is the process by which people in organizations find, share, and develop knowledge for action. KM affects performance by influencing work relationships to enhance learning and decision making. To identify how family medicine practices exhibit KM. A model and a template of KM concepts were derived from a comprehensive organizational literature review. Two higher and two lower performing family medicine practices were purposefully selected from existing comparative case studies based on prevention delivery rates and innovation. Interviews, fieldnotes of operations, and clinical encounters were coded independently using the template. Face-to-face discussions resolved coding differences. All practices had processes and tools for finding, sharing, and developing knowledge; however, KM overall was limited despite implementation of expensive technologies like an electronic medical record. Where present, KM processes and tools were used by individuals but not integrated throughout the organization. Loss of information was prominent, and finding knowledge was underdeveloped. The use of technical tools and developing knowledge by reconfiguration and measurement were particularly limited. Socially related tools, such as face-to-face-communication for sharing and developing knowledge, were more developed. As in other organizations, tool use was tailored for specific outcomes and leveraged by other organizational capacities. Differences in KM occur within family practices and between family practices and other organizations and may have implications for improving practice performance. Understanding interaction patterns of work relationships and KM may explain why costly technical or externally imposed "one size fits all" practice organizational interventions have had mixed results and limited sustainability.

Developing, delivering and evaluating primary mental health care: the co-production of a new complex intervention.

PubMed

Reeve, Joanne; Cooper, Lucy; Harrington, Sean; Rosbottom, Peter; Watkins, Jane

2016-09-06

Health services face the challenges created by complex problems, and so need complex intervention solutions. However they also experience ongoing difficulties in translating findings from research in this area in to quality improvement changes on the ground. BounceBack was a service development innovation project which sought to examine this issue through the implementation and evaluation in a primary care setting of a novel complex intervention. The project was a collaboration between a local mental health charity, an academic unit, and GP practices. The aim was to translate the charity's model of care into practice-based evidence describing delivery and impact. Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) was used to support the implementation of the new model of primary mental health care into six GP practices. An integrated process evaluation evaluated the process and impact of care. Implementation quickly stalled as we identified problems with the described model of care when applied in a changing and variable primary care context. The team therefore switched to using the NPT framework to support the systematic identification and modification of the components of the complex intervention: including the core components that made it distinct (the consultation approach) and the variable components (organisational issues) that made it work in practice. The extra work significantly reduced the time available for outcome evaluation. However findings demonstrated moderately successful implementation of the model and a suggestion of hypothesised changes in outcomes. The BounceBack project demonstrates the development of a complex intervention from practice. It highlights the use of Normalisation Process Theory to support development, and not just implementation, of a complex intervention; and describes the use of the research process in the generation of practice-based evidence. Implications for future translational complex intervention research supporting practice change through scholarship are discussed.

Out of sight, out of mind: global connection, environmental discourse and the emerging field of sustainability education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henderson, Joseph A.

2015-09-01

How might we understand the complex nature of our existence in the world, and what are the implications of such examination? Moreover, how might we go about engaging others in this practice and what are the complications of such an endeavor? Expanding on Quigley, Dogbey, Che and Hallo's findings, I consider the implications of human-environment connections and examine the difficulty of articulating such connections via photovoice methods in particular places. Further, I use a Foucauldian discourse lens to situate this connective process to larger political and social dynamics at work in their paper, and in environmental education in general. Implications for sustainability and sustainability education are then developed, along with suggestions for future research in this emerging field.

Workplace Democracy: A Review of Literature and Implications for Human Resource Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatcher, Tim

2007-01-01

A review of workplace democracy revealed that both practice and research need updating. The results are discussed in terms of history, theory, research and practice. Implications for human resource development research and practice are also included. (Contains 2 tables.)

Service innovation management practices in the telecommunications industry: what does cross country analysis reveal?

PubMed

Rahman, Syed Abidur; Taghizadeh, Seyedeh Khadijeh; Ramayah, T; Ahmad, Noor Hazlina

2015-01-01

Service innovation management practice is currently being widely scrutinized mainly in the developed countries, where it has been initiated. The current study attempts to propose a framework and empirically validate and explain the service innovation practices for successful performance in the telecommunications industry of two developing countries, Malaysia and Bangladesh. The research framework proposes relationships among organisational culture, operating core (innovation process, cross-functional organisation, and implementation of tools/technology), competition-informed pricing, and performance. A total of 176 usable data from both countries are analysed for the purpose of the research. The findings show that organisational culture tends to be more influential on innovation process and cross-functional organisation in Malaysian telecommunication industry. In contrast, implementation of tools/technology plays a more instrumental role in competition-informed pricing practices in Bangladesh. This study revealed few differences in the innovation management practices between two developing countries. The findings have strategic implications for the service sectors in both the developing countries regarding implementation of innovative enterprises, especially in Bangladesh where innovation is the basis for survival. Testing the innovation management practices in the developing countries perhaps contains uniqueness in the field of innovation management.

Drawing on Creative Reflective Practices in Counselling Research: An Example of Using Mental Imagery to Shed Light on the Research Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thomas, Val

2014-01-01

The disciplines of counselling and psychotherapy have generated a range of innovative qualitative research methods. There is the potential for further developments, particularly in relation to methods that reveal how the researcher is implicated in the research. Practitioner-researchers could help to identify potential new methods through a…

The Involvement of Migrant Mothers in Their Children's Education: Cultural Capital and Transnational Class Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jamal Al-deen, Taghreed; Windle, Joel

2015-01-01

This paper analyses the kinds of capital, practices and investments that are implicated in the participation of migrant mothers in the educational careers of their children, drawing on a Bourdieusian framework. We present findings of a study of Muslim Iraqi mothers with school-aged children in Australia, based on 47 interviews with 25…

Emergent Themes from Recent Research Syntheses in Science Education and Their Implications for Research Design, Replication, and Reporting Practices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taylor, Joseph; Furtak, Erin; Kowalski, Susan; Martinez, Alina; Slavin, Robert; Stuhlsatz, Molly; Wilson, Christopher

2016-01-01

This article draws upon the experiences of four recent efforts to synthesize the findings of quantitative studies in science education research. After establishing the need for research syntheses in advancing generalizable knowledge and causal effects research in our field, we identify a set themes that emerged in the process of conducting these…

Performance Improvement: Applying a Human Performance Model to Organizational Processes in a Military Training Environment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aaberg, Wayne; Thompson, Carla J.; West, Haywood V.; Swiergosz, Matthew J.

2009-01-01

This article provides a description and the results of a study that utilized the human performance (HP) model and methods to explore and analyze a training organization. The systemic and systematic practices of the HP model are applicable to military training organizations as well as civilian organizations. Implications of the study for future…

Clinician Beliefs and Practices in Dementia Care: Implications for Health Educators

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Meuser, Thomas M.; Boise, Linda; Morris, John C.

2004-01-01

Research on assessment and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is moving at a rapid pace. Continuing education (CE) providers must translate new findings for clinicians so as to enhance patient care. A two-page survey was distributed by mail to a sample of 5,000 licensed Missouri clinicians to gather data in support of this translation process.…

An Overview of the Use of Mechanical Turk in Behavioral Sciences: Implications for Social Work

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Chitat; Holosko, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Crowdsourcing is a process in which a firm parcels out work to a "crowd" and offers payment for anyone within the crowd who completes the task determined by that firm. A growing number of behavioral scientists have begun using the Mechanical Turk (MTurk) to facilitate their research and practice, but there is apparently not one academic…

Tales of the Expected: The Influence of Students' Expectations on Question Validity and Implications for Writing Exam Questions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crisp, Victoria; Sweiry, Ezekiel; Ahmed, Ayesha; Pollitt, Alastair

2008-01-01

Background: Through classroom preparation and exposure to past papers, textbooks and practice tests students develop expectations about examinations: what will be asked, how it will be asked and how they will be judged. Expectations are also involved in the automatic process of understanding questions. Where a question and a student's expectations…

Expanding Agency: Centering Gender Identity in College and University Student Records Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linley, Jodi L.; Kilgo, Cindy Ann

2018-01-01

This article details the process the authors--a doctoral student at the time, and a faculty member--engaged in to change the ways the University of Iowa (UI) asks for and reports student name, gender pronouns, sex, and gender identity. The UI Inclusive Student Records Initiative raises implications for practice and research. Two focus groups--one…

Evaluating Three School-Based Integrated Health Centres Established by a Partnership in Cornwall to Inform Future Provision and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macpherson, Reynold

2013-01-01

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to report the process, findings and implications of a three-year evaluation of integrated health centres (IHCs) established in three secondary schools in Cornwall by the School-Based Integrated Health Centres (SBIHC) partnership. Design/methodology/approach: When the partners had completed the capital works, an…

Twin Loss: Implications for Counselors Working with Surviving Twins.(practice & Theory)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Withrow, Rebecca; Schwiebert, Valerie L.

2005-01-01

Multiple births are becoming increasingly prevalent due to the use of fertility drugs and women choosing to wait until later life to conceive. With the growth in the twin population, little research has been done to investigate the effects on the grief process when 1 twin dies. Counselors must understand the unique experience of twins to formulate…

"Flipping" Lessons in a Multi-Section Spanish Course: Implications for Assigning Explicit Grammar Instruction Outside of the Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moranski, Kara; Kim, Frederic

2016-01-01

Flipped or inverted classroom (IC) models are promising for foreign language instruction in that they appear to promote well-regarded practices that bridge both sociocultural and cognitive theoretical frameworks, such as allowing for higher degrees of learner agency and facilitating deeper levels of processing. To date, the majority of work on IC…

Survivors' Experiences of Dysphagia-Related Services Following Head and Neck Cancer: Implications for Clinical Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nund, Rebecca L.; Ward, Elizabeth C.; Scarinci, Nerina A.; Cartmill, Bena; Kuipers, Pim; Porceddu, Sandro V.

2014-01-01

Background: It is known that people with dysphagia experience a number of negative consequences as a result of their swallowing difficulties following head and neck cancer management (HNC). However their perceptions and experiences of adjusting to dysphagia in the post-treatment phase, and the services received to assist this process, has not been…

Aortic stenosis: insights on pathogenesis and clinical implications

PubMed Central

Carità, Patrizia; Coppola, Giuseppe; Novo, Giuseppina; Caccamo, Giuseppa; Guglielmo, Marco; Balasus, Fabio; Novo, Salvatore; Castrovinci, Sebastiano; Moscarelli, Marco; Fattouch, Khalil; Corrado, Egle

2016-01-01

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a common valvular heart disease in the Western populations, with an estimated overall prevalence of 3% in adults over 75 years. To understand its patho-biological processes represents a priority. In elderly patients, AS usually involves trileaflet valves and is referred to as degenerative calcific processes. Scientific evidence suggests the involvement of an active “atherosclerosis-like” pathogenesis in the initiation phase of degenerative AS. To the contrary, the progression could be driven by different forces (such as mechanical stress, genetic factors and interaction between inflammation and calcification). The improved understanding presents potentially new therapeutic targets for preventing and inhibiting the development and progression of the disease. Furthermore, in clinical practice the management of AS patients implies the evaluation of generalized atherosclerotic manifestations (i.e., in the coronary and carotid arteries) even for prognostic reasons. In counselling elderly patients, the risk stratification should address individual frailty beyond the generic risk scores. In these regard, the co-morbidities, and in particular those linked to the global atherosclerotic burden, should be carefully investigated in order to define the risk/benefit ratio for invasive treatment strategies. We present a detailed overview of insights in pathogenesis of AS with possible practical implications. PMID:27582763

Moisture uptake of polyoxyethylene glycol glycerides used as matrices for drug delivery: kinetic modelling and practical implications.

PubMed

Qi, Sheng; Belton, Peter; McAuley, William; Codoni, Doroty; Darji, Neerav

2013-04-01

Gelucire 50/13, a polyoxyethylene glycol glyceride mixture, has been widely used in drug delivery, but its moisture uptake behaviour is still poorly understood. In this study, the effects of relative humidity, temperature, and drug incorporation on the moisture uptake of Gelucire are reported in relation to their practical implications for preparation of solid dispersions using this material. DVS combined with kinetics modelling was used as the main experimental method to study the moisture uptake behaviour of Gelucire. Thermal and microscopic methods were employed to investigate the effect of moisture uptake on the physical properties of the material and drug loaded solid dispersions. The moisture uptake by Gelucire 50/13 is temperature and relative humidity dependent. At low temperatures and low relative humidities, moisture sorption follows a GAB model. The model fitting indicated that at high relative humidities the sorption is a complex process, potentially involving PEG being dissolved and the PEG solution acting as solvent to dissolve other components. Careful control of the storage and processing environmental conditions are required when using Gelucire 50/13. The incorporation of model drugs not only influences the moisture uptake capacity of Gelucire 50/13 but also the solidification behaviour.

Neurological and Psychiatric Diseases and Their Unique Cognitive Profiles: Implications for Nursing Practice and Research

PubMed Central

Vance, David E.; Dodson, Joan E.; Watkins, Jason; Kennedy, Bridgett H.; Keltner, Norman L.

2013-01-01

To successfully negotiate and interact with one’s environment, optimal cognitive functioning is needed. Unfortunately, many neurological and psychiatric diseases impede certain cognitive abilities such as executive functioning or speed of processing; this can produce a poor fit between the patient and the cognitive demands of his or her environment. Such non-dementia diseases include bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress syndrome, depression, and anxiety disorders, just to name a few. Each of these diseases negatively affects particular areas of the brain, resulting in distinct cognitive profiles (e.g., deficits in executive functioning but normal speed of processing as seen in schizophrenia). In fact, it is from these cognitive deficits in which such behavioral and emotional symptoms may manifest (e.g., delusions, paranoia). This article highlights the distinct cognitive profiles of such common neurological and psychiatric diseases. An understanding of such disease-specific cognitive profiles can assist nurses in providing care to patients by knowing what cognitive deficits are associated with each disease and how these cognitive deficits impact everyday functioning and social interactions. Implications for nursing practice and research are posited within the framework of cognitive reserve and neuroplasticity. PMID:23422693

The National United States Center Data Repository: Core essential interprofessional practice & education data enabling triple aim analytics.

PubMed

Pechacek, Judith; Shanedling, Janet; Lutfiyya, May Nawal; Brandt, Barbara F; Cerra, Frank B; Delaney, Connie White

2015-01-01

Understanding the impact that interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) might have on triple aim patient outcomes is of high interest to health care providers, educators, administrators, and policy makers. Before the work undertaken by the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at the University of Minnesota, no standard mechanism to acquire and report outcome data related to interprofessional education and collaborative practice and its effect on triple aim outcomes existed. This article describes the development and adoption of the National Center Data Repository (NCDR) designed to capture data related to IPECP processes and outcomes to support analyses of the relationship of IPECP on the Triple Aim. The data collection methods, web-based survey design and implementation process are discussed. The implications of this informatics work to the field of IPECP and health care quality and safety include creating standardized capacity to describe interprofessional practice and measure outcomes connecting interprofessional education and collaborative practice to the triple aim within and across sites/settings, leveraging an accessible data collection process using user friendly web-based survey design to support large data scholarship and instrument testing, and establishing standardized data elements and variables that can potentially lead to enhancements to national/international information system and academic accreditation standards to further team-based, interprofessional, collaborative research in the field.

Understanding the processes of writing papers reflectively.

PubMed

Regmi, Krishna; Naidoo, Jennie

2013-07-01

This paper explores the writing of research papers using reflective frameworks. Reflective practice is integral to professional education and development. However, healthcare students, academics and practitioners have given limited attention to how to write reflectively. In addition, there are limited resources on the practical aspects of writing papers reflectively. The following major databases were searched: PubMed, Medline, King's Library, Excerpta Medica Database, Department of Health database, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature. The searches were conducted using 'free text' and 'index' terms. Only relevant papers published in English were reviewed and scrutinised. Unpublished reports, internal publications, snowballing from the reference lists and personal contacts were also included in the search. This is a review paper that critiques the frameworks used for reflective practice. Writing papers reflectively is a complex task. Healthcare professionals and researchers need to understand the meaning of reflection and make appropriate use of reflective frameworks. Demystifying the process of reflectively writing papers will help professionals develop skills and competencies. IMPLICATION FOR RESEARCH/PRACTICE: This article provides a practical guide to reflection and how nursing and allied healthcare students, academics and practitioners can practise it. The paper identifies four generic stages in frameworks: description, assessment, evaluation and action, which are illustrated by annotated 'skeletal' examples. It is hoped that this will assist the process of reflective practice, writing and learning.

The National United States Center Data Repository: Core essential interprofessional practice & education data enabling triple aim analytics

PubMed Central

Pechacek, Judith; Shanedling, Janet; Lutfiyya, May Nawal; Brandt, Barbara F.; Cerra, Frank B.; Delaney, Connie White

2015-01-01

Abstract Understanding the impact that interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPECP) might have on triple aim patient outcomes is of high interest to health care providers, educators, administrators, and policy makers. Before the work undertaken by the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education at the University of Minnesota, no standard mechanism to acquire and report outcome data related to interprofessional education and collaborative practice and its effect on triple aim outcomes existed. This article describes the development and adoption of the National Center Data Repository (NCDR) designed to capture data related to IPECP processes and outcomes to support analyses of the relationship of IPECP on the Triple Aim. The data collection methods, web-based survey design and implementation process are discussed. The implications of this informatics work to the field of IPECP and health care quality and safety include creating standardized capacity to describe interprofessional practice and measure outcomes connecting interprofessional education and collaborative practice to the triple aim within and across sites/settings, leveraging an accessible data collection process using user friendly web-based survey design to support large data scholarship and instrument testing, and establishing standardized data elements and variables that can potentially lead to enhancements to national/international information system and academic accreditation standards to further team-based, interprofessional, collaborative research in the field. PMID:26652631

Customer Service: Implications for Reference Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whitlatch, Jo Bell

1995-01-01

The past decade has seen an increasing emphasis on customer service in business research and management. Two concepts in understanding business customer service practices are discussed: the service encounter and total quality management. Highlights include customer service research and practices in business; implications for library reference…

The menagerie of neurology

PubMed Central

Beh, Shin C.; Frohman, Teresa; Frohman, Elliot M.

2014-01-01

Summary Neurology is a field known for “eponymophilia.” While eponym use has been a controversial issue in medicine, animal-related metaphoric descriptions continue to flourish in neurologic practice, particularly with the advent of neuroimaging. To provide practicing and trainee neurologists with a useful reference for all these colorful eponyms, we performed a literature review and summarized the various animal eponyms in the practice of neurology (and their etiologic implications) to date. We believe that the ability to recognize animal-like attributes in clinical neurology and neuroradiology may be attributed to a visual phenomenon known as pareidolia. We propose that animal eponyms are a useful method of recognizing clinical and radiologic patterns that aid in the diagnostic process and therefore are effective aidesmémoire and communicative tools that enliven and improve the practice of neurology. PMID:29473555

An integrative process model of leadership: examining loci, mechanisms, and event cycles.

PubMed

Eberly, Marion B; Johnson, Michael D; Hernandez, Morela; Avolio, Bruce J

2013-09-01

Utilizing the locus (source) and mechanism (transmission) of leadership framework (Hernandez, Eberly, Avolio, & Johnson, 2011), we propose and examine the application of an integrative process model of leadership to help determine the psychological interactive processes that constitute leadership. In particular, we identify the various dynamics involved in generating leadership processes by modeling how the loci and mechanisms interact through a series of leadership event cycles. We discuss the major implications of this model for advancing an integrative understanding of what constitutes leadership and its current and future impact on the field of psychological theory, research, and practice. © 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Quantifying the process and outcomes of person-centered planning.

PubMed

Holburn, S; Jacobson, J W; Vietze, P M; Schwartz, A A; Sersen, E

2000-09-01

Although person-centered planning is a popular approach in the field of developmental disabilities, there has been little systematic assessment of its process and outcomes. To measure person-centered planning, we developed three instruments designed to assess its various aspects. We then constructed variables comprising both a Process and an Outcome Index using a combined rational-empirical method. Test-retest reliability and measures of internal consistency appeared adequate. Variable correlations and factor analysis were generally consistent with our conceptualization and resulting item and variable classifications. Practical implications for intervention integrity, program evaluation, and organizational performance are discussed.

[Expertise and biodiversity: the environmental impact assessment in the context of Natura 2000 network].

PubMed

Makowiak, Jessica

2014-03-01

Natura 2000 network, established by the Habitats directive, states that "any plan or project likely to have a significant effect on a Natura 2000 site, shall undergo an appropriate assessment to determine its implications for the site". The safeguards set out in this article are triggered not by a certainty but by a likelihood of significant effects. The paradox clearly appears: the significant implications of a project can be assessed only through an impact assessment process. So the administration and the judge are asked, inevitably, to participate to the building of the definition of practical aspect of expertise.

Integrative techniques related to positive processes in psychotherapy.

PubMed

Cromer, Thomas D

2013-09-01

This review compiles and evaluates a number of therapist interventions that have been found to significantly contribute to positive psychotherapy processes (i.e., increased alliance, patient engagement/satisfaction, and symptomatic improvement). Four forms of intervention are presented: Affect-focused, Supportive, Exploratory, and Patient-Therapist Interaction. The intention of this review is to link specific interventions to applied practice so that integrative clinicians can potentially use these techniques to improve their clinical work. To this end, there is the inclusion of theory and empirical studies from a range of orientations including Emotionally Focused, Psychodynamic, Client-Centered, Cognitive-Behavioral, Interpersonal, Eclectic, and Motivational Interviewing. Each of the four sections will include the theoretical basis and proposed mechanism of change for the intervention, research that supports its positive impact on psychotherapy processes, and conclude with examples demonstrating its use in actual practice. Clinical implications and considerations regarding the use of these interventions will also be presented. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Creativity and Ethics: The Relationship of Creative and Ethical Problem-Solving.

PubMed

Mumford, Michael D; Waples, Ethan P; Antes, Alison L; Brown, Ryan P; Connelly, Shane; Murphy, Stephen T; Devenport, Lynn D

2010-02-01

Students of creativity have long been interested in the relationship between creativity and deviant behaviors such as criminality, mental disease, and unethical behavior. In the present study we wished to examine the relationship between creative thinking skills and ethical decision-making among scientists. Accordingly, 258 doctoral students in the health, biological, and social sciences were asked to complete a measure of creative processing skills (e.g., problem definition, conceptual combination, idea generation) and a measure of ethical decision-making examining four domains, data management, study conduct, professional practices, and business practices. It was found that ethical decision-making in all four of these areas was related to creative problem-solving processes with late cycle processes (e.g., idea generation and solution monitoring) proving particularly important. The implications of these findings for understanding the relationship between creative and deviant thought are discussed.

Creativity and Ethics: The Relationship of Creative and Ethical Problem-Solving

PubMed Central

Mumford, Michael D.; Waples, Ethan P.; Antes, Alison L.; Brown, Ryan P.; Connelly, Shane; Murphy, Stephen T.; Devenport, Lynn D.

2010-01-01

Students of creativity have long been interested in the relationship between creativity and deviant behaviors such as criminality, mental disease, and unethical behavior. In the present study we wished to examine the relationship between creative thinking skills and ethical decision-making among scientists. Accordingly, 258 doctoral students in the health, biological, and social sciences were asked to complete a measure of creative processing skills (e.g., problem definition, conceptual combination, idea generation) and a measure of ethical decision-making examining four domains, data management, study conduct, professional practices, and business practices. It was found that ethical decision-making in all four of these areas was related to creative problem-solving processes with late cycle processes (e.g., idea generation and solution monitoring) proving particularly important. The implications of these findings for understanding the relationship between creative and deviant thought are discussed. PMID:21057603

Practice guidelines for program evaluation in community-based rehabilitation.

PubMed

Grandisson, Marie; Hébert, Michèle; Thibeault, Rachel

2017-06-01

This paper proposes practice guidelines to evaluate community-based rehabilitation (CBR) programs. These were developed through a rigorous three-phase research process including a literature review on good practices in CBR program evaluation, a field study during which a South Africa CBR program was evaluated, and a Delphi study to generate consensus among a highly credible panel of CBR experts from a wide range of backgrounds and geographical areas. The 10 guidelines developed are summarized into a practice model highlighting key features of sound CBR program evaluation. They strongly indicate that sound CBR evaluations are those that give a voice and as much control as possible to the most affected groups, embrace the challenge of diversity, and foster use of evaluation processes and findings through a rigorous, collaborative and empowering approach. The practice guidelines should facilitate CBR evaluation decisions in respect to facilitating an evaluation process, using frameworks and designing methods. Implications for rehabilitation Ten practice guidelines provide guidance to facilitate sound community-based rehabilitation (CBR) program evaluation decisions. Key indications of good practice include: • being as participatory and empowering as possible; • ensuring that all, including the most affected, have a real opportunity to share their thoughts; • highly considering mixed methods and participatory tools; • adapting to fit evaluation context, local culture and language(s); • defining evaluation questions and reporting findings using shared CBR language when possible, which the framework offered may facilitate.

Teacher Strategies for Effective Intervention with Students Presenting Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties: Implications for Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Paul

2011-01-01

In this paper some key practice and policy implications emerging from a review of literature on effective teacher strategies for social, emotional and behavioural difficulties are set out. Particular attention is given to implications in relation to the development of teachers' skills.

2013 Update in addiction medicine for the generalist.

PubMed

Gordon, Adam J; Bertholet, Nicolas; McNeely, Jennifer; Starrels, Joanna L; Tetrault, Jeanette M; Walley, Alexander Y

2013-11-04

Increasingly, patients with unhealthy alcohol and other drug use are being seen in primary care and other non-specialty addiction settings. Primary care providers are well positioned to screen, assess, and treat patients with alcohol and other drug use because this use, and substance use disorders, may contribute to a host of medical and mental health harms. We sought to identify and examine important recent advances in addiction medicine in the medical literature that have implications for the care of patients in primary care or other generalist settings. To accomplish this aim, we selected articles in the field of addiction medicine, critically appraised and summarized the manuscripts, and highlighted their implications for generalist practice. During an initial review, we identified articles through an electronic Medline search (limited to human studies and in English) using search terms for alcohol and other drugs of abuse published from January 2010 to January 2012. After this initial review, we searched for other literature in web-based or journal resources for potential articles of interest. From the list of articles identified in these initial reviews, each of the six authors independently selected articles for more intensive review and identified the ones they found to have a potential impact on generalist practice. The identified articles were then ranked by the number of authors who selected each article. Through a consensus process over 4 meetings, the authors reached agreement on the articles with implications for practice for generalist clinicians that warranted inclusion for discussion. The authors then grouped the articles into five categories: 1) screening and brief interventions in outpatient settings, 2) identification and management of substance use among inpatients, 3) medical complications of substance use, 4) use of pharmacotherapy for addiction treatment in primary care and its complications, and 5) integration of addiction treatment and medical care. The authors discuss each selected articles' merits, limitations, conclusions, and implication to advancing addiction screening, assessment, and treatment of addiction in generalist physician practice environments.

Factors that affect general practice as a choice of medical speciality: implications for policy development.

PubMed

Vohra, Amit; Ladyshewsky, Richard; Trumble, Stephen

2017-11-28

Objective This article critically appraises the range of personal, professional and social factors that affect the choice of speciality across medical students, prevocational doctors, general practice registrars and general practitioners. Methods This qualitative study applied constructs from the fields of decision theory and career theory to better understand the complex nature of choosing a speciality. In all, 47 in-depth interviews were conducted with participants at different stages of their career cycle. The data was codified and analysed using NVivo to identify key factors that influenced speciality choice. Results The research identified 77 individual findings influencing general practice as a choice of medical speciality. These were distilled into a matrix to show that factors such as money, prestige and peer interaction did not have a compelling effect, whereas clinical and academic role models, flexibility, work-life balance, scope of practice, connection with patients, training environment and practical opportunities did. Conclusion The findings indicate that the decision in relation to the choice of medical speciality is a complex cognitive process that is undertaken within a personal, social and professional context particular to each individual. What is known about the topic? Current literature aims to quantify changes in attitudes towards choice of speciality or the effect of particular variables in isolation while ignoring the complexity of this decision process and how the numerous variables compare with each other. What does this paper add? The present study is the first intergenerational research on this topic in the Australian context and the paper dismisses the role of prestige and remuneration as key drivers of choice in picking general practice as a speciality, noting that money is merely a 'hygiene factor'. What are the implications for policy makers? A policy framework outlining 10 key principles is presented to assist policy makers seeking to affect workforce outcomes by applying policy levers to influence doctors' choice of speciality.

Effective Monitoring and Control of Outsourced Software Development Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ponisio, Laura; Vruggink, Peter

In our study of four outsourcing projects we discover mechanisms to support managerial decision making during software development processes. We report on Customer Office, a framework used in practice that facilitates reasoning about projects by highlighting information paths and making co-ordination issues explicit. The results suggest a key role of modularisation and standardisation to assist in value creation, by facilitating information flow and keeping the overview of the project. The practical implications of our findings are guidelines for managing outsourcing projects such as to have a modularised view of the project based on knowledge domains and to standardise co-ordination operations.

Science Teachers' Misconceptions in Science and Engineering Distinctions: Reflections on Modern Research Examples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antink-Meyer, Allison; Meyer, Daniel Z.

2016-10-01

The aim of this exploratory study was to learn about the misconceptions that may arise for elementary and high school science teachers in their reflections on science and engineering practice. Using readings and videos of real science and engineering work, teachers' reflections were used to uncover the underpinnings of their understandings. This knowledge ultimately provides information about supporting professional development (PD) for science teachers' knowledge of engineering. Six science teachers (two elementary and four high school teachers) participated in the study as part of an online PD experience. Cunningham and Carlsen's (Journal of Science Teacher Education 25:197-210, 2014) relative emphases of science and engineering practices were used to frame the design of PD activities and the analyses of teachers' views. Analyses suggest misconceptions within the eight practices of science and engineering from the US Next Generation Science Standards in four areas. These are that: (1) the nature of the practices in both science and engineering research is determined by the long-term implications of the research regardless of the nature of the immediate work, (2) engineering and science are hierarchical, (3) creativity is inappropriate, and (4) research outcomes cannot be processes. We discuss the nature of these understandings among participants and the implications for engineering education PD for science teachers.

Implications of domestic food practices for the presence of bioactive components in meats with special reference to meat-based functional foods.

PubMed

Jiménez-Colmenero, Francisco; Cofrades, Susana; Herrero, Ana M; Ruiz-Capillas, Claudia

2017-06-14

Although an essential component of the diet, the consumption of meat is in question. Meat is a major source of beneficial compounds but it also contains other substances with negative health implications. Functional foods, which are leading trends in the food industry, constitute an excellent opportunity for the meat sector to improve healthier meat options. Most studies on meat-based functional foods have focused mainly on the application of different strategies (animal production practices and meat transformation systems) to improve (increase/reduce) the presence of bioactive (healthy/unhealthy) compounds; these have led to the development of numerous products, many of them by the meat industry. However, like other foods, after purchase meats undergo certain processes before they are consumed, and these affect their composition. Although domestic handling practices can significantly alter the make-up of the marketed product in terms of healthy/unhealthy compounds, there are very few studies on their consequences. This paper provides an overview of the influence of different domestic practices (from shopping to eating) habitually followed by consumers on the presence of, and consequently on the levels of exposure to, (healthy and unhealthy) food components associated with the consumption of meats, with special reference to meat-based functional foods.

Analytical Implications of Using Practice Theory in Workplace Information Literacy Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moring, Camilla; Lloyd, Annemaree

2013-01-01

Introduction: This paper considers practice theory and the analytical implications of using this theoretical approach in information literacy research. More precisely the aim of the paper is to discuss the translation of practice theoretical assumptions into strategies that frame the analytical focus and interest when researching workplace…

Implications of global climate change for the assessment and management of human health risks of chemicals in the natural environment.

PubMed

Balbus, John M; Boxall, Alistair B A; Fenske, Richard A; McKone, Thomas E; Zeise, Lauren

2013-01-01

Global climate change (GCC) is likely to alter the degree of human exposure to pollutants and the response of human populations to these exposures, meaning that risks of pollutants could change in the future. The present study, therefore, explores how GCC might affect the different steps in the pathway from a chemical source in the environment through to impacts on human health and evaluates the implications for existing risk-assessment and management practices. In certain parts of the world, GCC is predicted to increase the level of exposure of many environmental pollutants due to direct and indirect effects on the use patterns and transport and fate of chemicals. Changes in human behavior will also affect how humans come into contact with contaminated air, water, and food. Dietary changes, psychosocial stress, and coexposure to stressors such as high temperatures are likely to increase the vulnerability of humans to chemicals. These changes are likely to have significant implications for current practices for chemical assessment. Assumptions used in current exposure-assessment models may no longer apply, and existing monitoring methods may not be robust enough to detect adverse episodic changes in exposures. Organizations responsible for the assessment and management of health risks of chemicals therefore need to be more proactive and consider the implications of GCC for their procedures and processes. Copyright © 2012 SETAC.

Health promotion, occupational therapy and multiculturalism: lessons from research.

PubMed

Dyck, I

1993-08-01

Principles of occupational therapy practice make the profession an important potential partner in health promotion initiatives for immigrant groups. Health promotion embodies the principles of self-definition of health needs by target groups, and working with a community in initiating and supporting programmes. This paper discusses the implications of an exploratory study of the daily activities of immigrant Indo-Canadian mothers for translating health promotion principles into practice. The research process and an analysis of interviews conducted with the women suggest factors to consider in using a health promotion framework with immigrants who have experienced social and economic dislocation through the immigration process. Discussion of household structure, divisions of labour, childcare strategies, and parenting concerns raises issues requiring particular attention in sharing occupational therapy skills and knowledge with ethnocultural communities.

Teacher change in beliefs and practices in science and literacy instruction with English language learners

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Okhee

2004-01-01

This study examined patterns of change in beliefs and practices as elementary teachers learned to establish instructional congruence, a process of mediating academic disciplines with linguistic and cultural experiences of diverse student groups. The study focused on six bilingual Hispanic teachers working with fourth-grade, mostly Hispanic students. The results indicated that teacher learning and change occurred in different ways in the areas of science instruction, students' language and culture, English language and literacy instruction, and integration of these areas in establishing instructional congruence. The results also indicated that establishing instructional congruence was a gradual and demanding process requiring teacher reflection and insight, formal training, and extensive support and sharing. Implications for further research in promoting achievement for all students are discussed.

The Relation between Early Childhood Teachers' Conceptualization of "Play" and Their Practice: Implication for the Process of Learning to Teach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cheng, Doris Pui-Wah

2012-01-01

For centuries, educators and psychologists have advocated "play" as the ideal activity for the development of young children. Actually, play has been found currently to be the central pedagogy in the learning of young children in 21 countries in the world. However, the quality of play-based pedagogy is becoming a key concern across…

Relapse in opiate addicts: a behavioral analysis.

PubMed

Chaney, E F; Roszell, D K; Cummings, C

1982-01-01

Behavioral interviewing was used to study the relapse antecedents and concomitants of 38 opiate addicts on methadone maintenance. Relapse situations were categorized with regard to intra- or interpersonal determinants and implications for behavioral treatment interventions were discussed. Situations were also analyzed within an opponent process theory of motivation framework. Practical and theoretical difficulties with the study of relapse situations in substance abusing populations were highlighted.

Estimators used in the New Mexico inventory: practical implications of "truly" random nonresponse within each stratum

Treesearch

Paul L. Patterson; Sara A. Goeking

2012-01-01

The annual forest inventory of New Mexico began as an accelerated inventory, and 8 of the 10 Phase 2 panels were sampled between 2008 and 2011. The inventory includes a large proportion of nonresponse. FIA's estimation process uses post-stratification and assumes that nonresponse occurs at random within each stratum. We construct an estimator for the New Mexico...

When Does Retrieval Induce Forgetting and when Does It Induce Facilitation? Implications for Retrieval Inhibition, Testing Effect, and Text Processing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Jason C. K.

2009-01-01

Retrieval practice can enhance long-term retention of the tested material (the testing effect), but it can also impair later recall of the nontested material--a phenomenon known as retrieval-induced forgetting (Anderson, M. C., Bjork, R. A., & Bjork, E. L. (1994). "Remembering can cause forgetting: retrieval dynamics in long-term memory." "Journal…

The Rational Patient and Beyond: Implications for Treatment Adherence in People with Psychiatric Disabilities

PubMed Central

Corrigan, Patrick W.; Rüsch, Nicolas; Ben-Zeev, Dror; Sher, Tamara

2014-01-01

Purpose/Objective Many people with psychiatric disabilities do not benefit from evidence-based practices because they often do not seek out or fully adhere to them. One way psychologists have made sense of this rehabilitation and health decision process and subsequent behaviors (of which adherence might be viewed as one) is by proposing a “rational patient;” namely, that decisions are made deliberatively by weighing perceived costs and benefits of intervention options. Social psychological research, however, suggests limitations to a rational patient theory that impact models of health decision making. Design The research literature was reviewed for studies of rational patient models and alternative theories with empirical support. Special focus was on models specifically related to decisions about rehabilitation strategies for psychiatric disability. Results Notions of the rational patient evolved out of several psychological models including the health belief model, protection motivation theory, and theory of planned behavior. A variety of practice strategies evolved to promote rational decision making. However, research also suggests limitations to rational deliberations of health. (1) Rather than carefully and consciously considered, many health decisions are implicit, potentially occurring outside awareness. (2) Decisions are not always planful; often it is the immediate exigencies of a context rather than an earlier balance of costs and benefits that has the greatest effects. (3) Cool cognitions often do not dictate the process; emotional factors have an important role in health decisions. Each of these limitations suggests additional practice strategies that facilitate a person’s health decisions. Conclusions/Implications Old models of rational decision making need to be supplanted by multi-process models that explain supra-deliberative factors in health decisions and behaviors. PMID:24446671

Embedding technology into inter-professional best practices in home safety evaluation.

PubMed

Burns, Suzanne Perea; Pickens, Noralyn Davel

2017-08-01

To explore inter-professional home evaluators' perspectives and needs for building useful and acceptable decision-support tools for the field of home modifications. Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with a range of home modification professionals from different regions of the United States. The interview transcripts were analyzed with a qualitative, descriptive, perspective approach. Technology supports current best practice and has potential to inform decision making through features that could enhance home evaluation processes, quality, efficiency and inter-professional communication. Technological advances with app design have created numerous opportunities for the field of home modifications. Integrating technology and inter-professional best practices will improve home safety evaluation and intervention development to meet client-centred and societal needs. Implications for rehabilitation Understanding home evaluators technology needs for home safety evaluations contributes to the development of app-based assessments. Integrating inter-professional perspectives of best practice and technological needs in an app for home assessments improves processes. Novice and expert home evaluators would benefit from decision support systems embedded in app-based assessments. Adoption of app-based assessment would improve efficiency while remaining client-centred.

Social support under siege: An analysis of forced migration among women from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Wachter, Karin; Gulbas, Lauren E

2018-07-01

In 2016, researchers conducted a qualitative study in a mid-sized town in the United States to address gaps in research and practice related to psychosocial consequences of forced migration among women. The loss of social support and its impacts on the well-being of women are rarely addressed in refugee resettlement policy or practice overwhelmingly concerned with economic self-sufficiency. The study sought to develop theory to explain how women (n = 27) who migrated from the Democratic Republic of the Congo recreate social support post-resettlement in the United States. An interpretive approach informed by postcolonial feminist perspectives guided the grounded theory methodology. A theoretical model emerged explaining pivots in the internal and relational lives of women as social support systematically constricted over time as a result of war, displacement, and resettlement. Upon arrival to the United States, women experienced partitioned lives through changing relationships to space and time, which contributed to women being alone and impacted well-being. Converging processes propelled women towards learning to stand alone, through which women could develop a sense self-reliance, but not without internal and relational consequences. The analysis contributes to the empirical literature knowledge of how resettlement is a life altering event that sets into motion psychosocial processes with implications for well-being and health. Implications for practice and future research are discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Distinguishing integrative from eclectic practice in cognitive behavioral therapies.

PubMed

Petrik, Alexandra M; Kazantzis, Nikolaos; Hofmann, Stefan G

2013-09-01

In psychotherapy research, practice, and training, there remains marked controversy about the merits of theoretical purism (i.e., model specific), versus integration, as well as how such principles may be represented in practice. Adding to the confusion is that many attributes of the therapeutic relationship, processes in therapy, and techniques have been popularized in the context of one or two theoretical approaches, but are incorporated into the practice of many approaches. This article demonstrates the various ways in which three core interventions (i.e., activity scheduling, self-monitoring, and identification, evaluation, and modification of thoughts) can be applied within the context of different cognitive and behavioral therapeutic models. It also demonstrates the role of in-session therapist language in describing the theoretical basis and processes underpinning therapeutic interventions. Case examples are presented to illustrate therapy provided by two hypothetical clinicians, Therapist A and Therapist B. Whether or not a practitioner elects to practice integrative psychotherapy, we advocate for consistency in the theoretical approach through the course of a service for a particular patient. Implications are outlined and discussed within the context of the current state of cognitive and behaviorally focused psychotherapies and integrative psychotherapy. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

Social Justice Advocacy in Rural Communities: Practical Issues and Implications

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bradley, Joshua M.; Werth, James L., Jr.; Hastings, Sarah L.

2012-01-01

The professional literature related to social justice has increased, but there has been little discussion of the practical issues and implications associated with social advocacy. However, adding new roles will result in new considerations for counseling psychologists. The need to be attuned to how the practical aspects of advocacy intersect with…

Democratic Schooling in Norway: Implications for Leadership in Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moller, Jorunn

2006-01-01

This article explores the meaning of an education based on democratic values and the implications for school leadership in practice. Based on findings from a case study in a Norwegian upper secondary school, the study describes democratic school leadership in practice, with particular attention to the distribution of power and leadership in the…

General practices as emergent research organizations: a qualitative study into organizational development.

PubMed

Macfarlane, Fraser; Shaw, Sara; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Carter, Yvonne H

2005-06-01

An increasing proportion of research in primary care is locally undertaken in designated research practices. Capacity building to support high quality research at these grass roots is urgently needed and is a government priority. There is little previously published research on the process by which GP practices develop as research organizations or on their specific support needs at organizational level. Using in-depth qualitative interviews with 28 key informants in 11 research practices across the UK, we explored their historical accounts of the development of research activity. We analysed the data with reference to contemporary theories of organizational development. Participants identified a number of key events and processes, which allowed us to produce a five-phase model of practice development in relation to research activity (creative energy, concrete planning, transformation/differentiation, consolidation and collaboration). Movement between these phases was not linear or continuous, but showed emergent and adaptive properties in which specific triggers and set-backs were often critical. This developmental model challenges previous categorical taxonomies of research practices. It forms a theory-driven framework for providing appropriate support at the grass roots of primary care research, based on the practice's phase of development and the nature of external triggers and potential setbacks. Our findings have important implications for the strategic development of practice-based research in the UK, and could serve as a model for the wider international community.

Genetic discoveries and nursing implications for complex disease prevention and management.

PubMed

Frazier, Lorraine; Meininger, Janet; Halsey Lea, Dale; Boerwinkle, Eric

2004-01-01

The purpose of this article is to examine the management of patients with complex diseases, in light of recent genetic discoveries, and to explore how these genetic discoveries will impact nursing practice and nursing research. The nursing science processes discussed are not comprehensive of all nursing practice but, instead, are concentrated in areas where genetics will have the greatest influence. Advances in genetic science will revolutionize our approach to patients and to health care in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, raising many issues for nursing research and practice. As the scope of genetics expands to encompass multifactorial disease processes, a continuing reexamination of the knowledge base is required for nursing practice, with incorporation of genetic knowledge into the repertoire of every nurse, and with advanced knowledge for nurses who select specialty roles in the genetics area. This article explores the impact of this revolution on nursing science and practice as well as the opportunities for nursing science and practice to participate fully in this revolution. Because of the high proportion of the population at risk for complex diseases and because nurses are occupied every day in the prevention, assessment, treatment, and therapeutic intervention of patients with such diseases in practice and research, there is great opportunity for nurses to improve health care through the application (nursing practice) and discovery (nursing research) of genetic knowledge.

Understanding variations in secondary findings reporting practices across U.S. genome sequencing laboratories.

PubMed

Ackerman, Sara L; Koenig, Barbara A

2018-01-01

Increasingly used for clinical purposes, genome and exome sequencing can generate clinically relevant information that is not directly related to the reason for testing (incidental or secondary findings). Debates about the ethical implications of secondary findings were sparked by the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) 2013 policy statement, which recommended that laboratories report pathogenic alterations in 56 genes. Although wide variation in laboratories' secondary findings policies has been reported, little is known about its causes. We interviewed 18 laboratory directors and genetic counselors at 10 U.S. laboratories to investigate the motivations and interests shaping secondary findings reporting policies for clinical exome sequencing. Analysis of interview transcripts and laboratory documents was informed by sociological theories of standardization. Laboratories varied widely in terms of the types of secondary findings reported, consent-form language, and choices offered to patients. In explaining their adaptation of the ACMG report, our participants weighed genetic information's clinical, moral, professional, and commercial value in an attempt to maximize benefits for patients and families, minimize the costs of sequencing and analysis, adhere to professional norms, attract customers, and contend with the uncertain clinical implications of much of the genetic information generated. Nearly all laboratories in our study voluntarily adopted ACMG's recommendations, but their actual practices varied considerably and were informed by laboratory-specific judgments about clinical utility and patient benefit. Our findings offer a compelling example of standardization as a complex process that rarely leads simply to uniformity of practice. As laboratories take on a more prominent role in decisions about the return of genetic information, strategies are needed to inform patients, families, and clinicians about the differences between laboratories' practices and ensure that the consent process prompts a discussion of the value of additional genetic information for patients and their families.

Identification, assessment and intervention--Implications of an audit on dyslexia policy and practice in Scotland.

PubMed

Reid, Gavin; Deponio, Pamela; Davidson Petch, Louise

2005-08-01

This article reports on research commissioned by the Scottish Executive Education Department (SEED). It aimed to establish the range and extent of policy and provision in the area of specific learning difficulties (SpLD) and dyslexia throughout Scotland. The research was conducted between January and June 2004 by a team from the University of Edinburgh. The information was gathered from a questionnaire sent to all education authorities (100% response rate was achieved). Additional information was also obtained from supplementary interviews and additional materials provided by education authorities. The results indicated that nine education authorities in Scotland (out of 32) have explicit policies on dyslexia and eight authorities have policies on SpLD. It was noted however that most authorities catered for dyslexia and SpLD within a more generic policy framework covering aspects of Special Educational Needs or within documentation on 'effective learning'. In relation to identification thirty-six specific tests, or procedures, were mentioned. Classroom observation, as a procedure was rated high by most authorities. Eleven authorities operated a formal staged process combining identification and intervention. Generally, authorities supported a broader understanding of the role of identification and assessment and the use of standardized tests was only part of a wider assessment process. It was however noted that good practice in identification and intervention was not necessarily dependent on the existence of a dedicated policy on SpLD/dyslexia. Over fifty different intervention strategies/programmes were noted in the responses. Twenty-four authorities indicated that they had developed examples of good practice. The results have implications for teachers and parents as well as those involved in staff development. Pointers are provided for effective practice and the results reflect some of the issues on the current debate on dyslexia particularly relating to early identification.

The menagerie of neurology: Animal signs and the refinement of clinical acumen.

PubMed

Beh, Shin C; Frohman, Teresa; Frohman, Elliot M

2014-06-01

Neurology is a field known for "eponymophilia." While eponym use has been a controversial issue in medicine, animal-related metaphoric descriptions continue to flourish in neurologic practice, particularly with the advent of neuroimaging. To provide practicing and trainee neurologists with a useful reference for all these colorful eponyms, we performed a literature review and summarized the various animal eponyms in the practice of neurology (and their etiologic implications) to date. We believe that the ability to recognize animal-like attributes in clinical neurology and neuroradiology may be attributed to a visual phenomenon known as pareidolia. We propose that animal eponyms are a useful method of recognizing clinical and radiologic patterns that aid in the diagnostic process and therefore are effective aidesmémoire and communicative tools that enliven and improve the practice of neurology.

Reflecting, refueling, and reframing: a 10-year retrospective model for faculty development and its implications for nursing scholarship.

PubMed

Alteen, Anna Marie; Didham, Paula; Stratton, Cathy

2009-06-01

In this article, the authors retrace their journey during the past 10 years as faculty members engaged in the implementation of a new bachelor of nursing (collaborative) program. They outline the major personal challenges related to increasing credentials and portfolio development for teachers within a university environment. The authors extrapolate from the relevant literature on teaching and scholarship, and thereby analyze the methodologies that enhanced the faculty development process for them during this time. Specifically, they discuss the methods that facilitated meaningful reflection on their new roles and responsibilities; nurtured their professional growth and afforded opportunities for refueling and reenergizing along the way; and provided a vision for reframing their practice as nurse educators in light of previous experiences. With reference to Boyer's model of scholarship, the authors also explore possible implications for further analysis of the faculty development process within the broader context of nursing scholarship.

High reliability and implications for nursing leaders.

PubMed

Riley, William

2009-03-01

To review high reliability theory and discuss its implications for the nursing leader. A high reliability organization (HRO) is considered that which has measurable near perfect performance for quality and safety. The author has reviewed the literature, discussed research findings that contribute to improving reliability in health care organizations, and makes five recommendations for how nursing leaders can create high reliability organizations. Health care is not a safe industry and unintended patient harm occurs at epidemic levels. Health care can learn from high reliability theory and practice developed in other high-risk industries. Viewed by HRO standards, unintended patient injury in health care is excessively high and quality is distressingly low. HRO theory and practice can be successfully applied in health care using advanced interdisciplinary teamwork training and deliberate process design techniques. Nursing has a primary leadership function for ensuring patient safety and achieving high quality in health care organizations. Learning HRO theory and methods for achieving high reliability is a foremost opportunity for nursing leaders.

Integrating Public Health and Deliberative Public Bioethics: Lessons from the Human Genome Project Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications Program

PubMed Central

Meagher, Karen M.

2016-01-01

Public health policy works best when grounded in firm public health standards of evidence and widely shared social values. In this article, we argue for incorporating a specific method of ethical deliberation—deliberative public bioethics—into public health. We describe how deliberative public bioethics is a method of engagement that can be helpful in public health. Although medical, research, and public health ethics can be considered some of what bioethics addresses, deliberative public bioethics offers both a how and where. Using the Human Genome Project Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications program as an example of effective incorporation of deliberative processes to integrate ethics into public health policy, we examine how deliberative public bioethics can integrate both public health and bioethics perspectives into three areas of public health practice: research, education, and health policy. We then offer recommendations for future collaborations that integrate deliberative methods into public health policy and practice. PMID:26843669

Integrating Public Health and Deliberative Public Bioethics: Lessons from the Human Genome Project Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications Program.

PubMed

Meagher, Karen M; Lee, Lisa M

2016-01-01

Public health policy works best when grounded in firm public health standards of evidence and widely shared social values. In this article, we argue for incorporating a specific method of ethical deliberation--deliberative public bioethics--into public health. We describe how deliberative public bioethics is a method of engagement that can be helpful in public health. Although medical, research, and public health ethics can be considered some of what bioethics addresses, deliberative public bioethics offers both a how and where. Using the Human Genome Project Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications program as an example of effective incorporation of deliberative processes to integrate ethics into public health policy, we examine how deliberative public bioethics can integrate both public health and bioethics perspectives into three areas of public health practice: research, education, and health policy. We then offer recommendations for future collaborations that integrate deliberative methods into public health policy and practice.

The neurophysiology of pain perception and hypnotic analgesia: implications for clinical practice.

PubMed

Jensen, Mark P

2008-10-01

Although there remains much to be learned, a great deal is now known about the neurophysiological processes involved in the experience of pain. Research confirms that there is no single focal "center" in the brain responsible for the experience of pain. Rather, pain is the end product of a number of integrated networks that involve activity at multiple cortical and subcortical sites. Our current knowledge about the neurophysiological mechanisms of pain has important implications for understanding the mechanisms underlying the effects of hypnotic analgesia treatments, as well as for improving clinical practice. This article is written for the clinician who uses hypnotic interventions for pain management. It begins with an overview of what is known about the neurophysiological basis of pain and hypnotic analgesia, and then discusses how clinicians can use this knowledge for (1) organizing the types of suggestions that can be used when providing hypnotic treatment, and (2) maximizing the efficacy of hypnotic interventions in clients presenting with pain problems.

Shared decision-making – transferring research into practice: the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)

PubMed Central

Dolan, James G.

2008-01-01

Objective To illustrate how the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) can be used to promote shared decision-making and enhance clinician-patient communication. Methods Tutorial review. Results The AHP promotes shared decision making by creating a framework that is used to define the decision, summarize the information available, prioritize information needs, elicit preferences and values, and foster meaningful communication among decision stakeholders. Conclusions The AHP and related multi-criteria methods have the potential for improving the quality of clinical decisions and overcoming current barriers to implementing shared decision making in busy clinical settings. Further research is needed to determine the best way to implement these tools and to determine their effectiveness. Practice Implications Many clinical decisions involve preference-based trade-offs between competing risks and benefits. The AHP is a well-developed method that provides a practical approach for improving patient-provider communication, clinical decision-making, and the quality of patient care in these situations. PMID:18760559

Health Decision Making: Lynchpin of Evidence-Based Practice

PubMed Central

Spring, Bonnie

2008-01-01

Health decision making is both the lynchpin and the least developed aspect of evidence-based practice. The evidence-based practice process requires integrating the evidence with consideration of practical resources and patient preferences and doing so via a process that is genuinely collaborative. Yet, the literature is largely silent about how to accomplish integrative, shared decision making. Implications for evidence-based practice are discussed for 2 theories of clinician decision making (expected utility and fuzzy trace) and 2 theories of patient health decision making (transtheoretical model and reasoned action). Three suggestions are offered. First, it would be advantageous to have theory-based algorithms that weight and integrate the 3 data strands (evidence, resources, preferences) in different decisional contexts. Second, patients, not providers, make the decisions of greatest impact on public health, and those decisions are behavioral. Consequently, theory explicating how provider-patient collaboration can influence patient lifestyle decisions made miles from the provider's office is greatly needed. Third, although the preponderance of data on complex decisions supports a computational approach, such an approach to evidence-based practice is too impractical to be widely applied at present. More troublesomely, until patients come to trust decisions made computationally more than they trust their providers’ intuitions, patient adherence will remain problematic. A good theory of integrative, collaborative health decision making remains needed. PMID:19015288

Factors influencing how senior nurses and midwives acquire and integrate coaching skills into routine practice: a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Rafferty, Rae; Fairbrother, Greg

2015-06-01

To introduce a theory which describes the process of and explicates the factors moderating, the acquisition and integration of leadership coaching skills into the routine practice of senior nurses and midwives. Organizations invest significant resources in leadership coaching programs to ensure that coaching is embedded as a core function of the manager's role. However, even after training, many managers remain unable to undertake this role successfully. The process by which health professionals translate 'manager as coach' training into successful practice outcomes, has remained largely unexplored. A grounded theory study design. Data, collected between February 2012-May 2013, included in-depth interviews with 20 senior nurses and midwives who had attended a leadership coaching program and analysis of nine reflective practice journals. Multiple researchers coded and analysed the data using constant comparative techniques. The outcomes of coaching training ranged from inappropriate use of the coaching skills through to transformed managerial practice. These outcomes were influenced by the dynamic interaction of three central domains of the emergent theoretical model: pre-existing individual perceptions, program elements and contemporaneous experiences. Interactions occurred within the domains and between them, impacting on activators such as courage, motivation, commitment and confidence. The study offers new insights into how senior nurses and midwives acquire and integrate coaching skills into their routine practice. The process is described as multifactorial and dynamic and has implications for the training design, delivery and organizational support of future leadership coaching programs. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Regulation of health information processing in an outsourcing environment.

PubMed

2004-06-01

Policy makers must consider the work force, technology, cost, and legal implications of their legislative proposals. AHIMA, AAMT, CHIA, and MTIA urge lawmakers to craft regulatory solutions that enforce HIPAA and support advancements in modern health information processing practices that improve the quality and cost of healthcare. We also urge increased investment in health information work force development and implementation of new technologies to advance critical healthcare outcomes--timely, accurate, accessible, and secure information to support patient care. It is essential that state legislatures reinforce the importance of improving information processing solutions for healthcare and not take actions that will produce unintended and detrimental consequences.

Individual reactions to high involvement work processes: investigating the role of empowerment and perceived organizational support.

PubMed

Butts, Marcus M; Vandenberg, Robert J; DeJoy, David M; Schaffer, Bryan S; Wilson, Mark G

2009-04-01

This study sought to understand how high involvement work processes (HIWP) are processed at the employee level. Using structural equation modeling techniques, the authors tested and supported a model in which psychological empowerment mediated the effects of HIWP on job satisfaction, organizational commitment, job performance, and job stress. Furthermore, perceived organizational support (POS) was hypothesized to moderate the relationships between empowerment and these outcomes. With exception for the empowerment-job satisfaction association, support was found for our predictions. Future directions for research and the practical implications of our findings for both employees and organizations are discussed.

Identity processes, threat, and interpersonal relations: accounts from British Muslim gay men.

PubMed

Jaspal, Rusi; Cinnirella, Marco

2012-01-01

This study explores identity processes, identity threat, and interpersonal relations with other gay men in a qualitative interview study with a sample of young British Muslim gay men of Pakistani background. Transcripts were subjected to qualitative thematic analysis. Data were analyzed through the interpretive lens of Identity Process Theory. Three superordinate themes are reported: (a) self-continuity and the transition from straight to gay space; (b) interpersonal relations with other gay men and self- and other categorization; and (c) interpersonal contact or identification with White gay men as an identity enhancer. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Implications of the Turing machine model of computation for processor and programming language design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hunter, Geoffrey

2004-01-01

A computational process is classified according to the theoretical model that is capable of executing it; computational processes that require a non-predeterminable amount of intermediate storage for their execution are Turing-machine (TM) processes, while those whose storage are predeterminable are Finite Automation (FA) processes. Simple processes (such as traffic light controller) are executable by Finite Automation, whereas the most general kind of computation requires a Turing Machine for its execution. This implies that a TM process must have a non-predeterminable amount of memory allocated to it at intermediate instants of its execution; i.e. dynamic memory allocation. Many processes encountered in practice are TM processes. The implication for computational practice is that the hardware (CPU) architecture and its operating system must facilitate dynamic memory allocation, and that the programming language used to specify TM processes must have statements with the semantic attribute of dynamic memory allocation, for in Alan Turing"s thesis on computation (1936) the "standard description" of a process is invariant over the most general data that the process is designed to process; i.e. the program describing the process should never have to be modified to allow for differences in the data that is to be processed in different instantiations; i.e. data-invariant programming. Any non-trivial program is partitioned into sub-programs (procedures, subroutines, functions, modules, etc). Examination of the calls/returns between the subprograms reveals that they are nodes in a tree-structure; this tree-structure is independent of the programming language used to encode (define) the process. Each sub-program typically needs some memory for its own use (to store values intermediate between its received data and its computed results); this locally required memory is not needed before the subprogram commences execution, and it is not needed after its execution terminates; it may be allocated as its execution commences, and deallocated as its execution terminates, and if the amount of this local memory is not known until just before execution commencement, then it is essential that it be allocated dynamically as the first action of its execution. This dynamically allocated/deallocated storage of each subprogram"s intermediate values, conforms with the stack discipline; i.e. last allocated = first to be deallocated, an incidental benefit of which is automatic overlaying of variables. This stack-based dynamic memory allocation was a semantic implication of the nested block structure that originated in the ALGOL-60 programming language. AGLOL-60 was a TM language, because the amount of memory allocated on subprogram (block/procedure) entry (for arrays, etc) was computable at execution time. A more general requirement of a Turing machine process is for code generation at run-time; this mandates access to the source language processor (compiler/interpretor) during execution of the process. This fundamental aspect of computer science is important to the future of system design, because it has been overlooked throughout the 55 years since modern computing began in 1048. The popular computer systems of this first half-century of computing were constrained by compile-time (or even operating system boot-time) memory allocation, and were thus limited to executing FA processes. The practical effect was that the distinction between the data-invariant program and its variable data was blurred; programmers had to make trial and error executions, modifying the program"s compile-time constants (array dimensions) to iterate towards the values required at run-time by the data being processed. This era of trial and error computing still persists; it pervades the culture of current (2003) computing practice.

Reforming primary science assessment practices: A case study of one teacher's professional development through action research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briscoe, Carol; Wells, Elaine

2002-05-01

Calls for reform have suggested that classroom practice can best be changed by teachers who engage in their own research. This interpretive study examines the process of action research and how it contributes to the professional development of a first-grade teacher. The purpose of the study was to explore the research process experienced by the teacher as she examined whether portfolios could be used as an effective means for facilitating and assessing young children's development of science process skills. Data sources included a journal kept by the teacher, documents produced by the teacher and students as part of the portfolio implementation process, hand-written records of teacher's informal interviews with students, and anecdotal records from research team meetings during the study. Data analysis was designed to explore how the teacher's classroom practices and thinking evolved as she engaged in action research and attempted to solve the problems associated with deciding what to assess and how to implement portfolio assessment. We also examined the factors that supported the teacher's learning and change as she progressed through the research process. Data are presented in the form of four assertions that clarify how the action research process was influenced by various personal and contextual factors. Implications address factors that facilitated the teacher as researcher, and how this research project, initiated by the teacher, affected her professional development and professional life.

Defining the paramedic process.

PubMed

Carter, Holly; Thompson, James

2015-01-01

The use of a 'process of care' is well established in several health professions, most evidently within the field of nursing. Now ingrained within methods of care delivery, it offers a logical approach to problem solving and ensures an appropriate delivery of interventions that are specifically suited to the individual patient. Paramedicine is a rapidly advancing profession despite a wide acknowledgement of limited research provisions. This frequently results in the borrowing of evidence from other disciplines. While this has often been useful, there are many concerns relating to the acceptable limit of evidence transcription between professions. To date, there is no formally recognised 'process of care'-defining activity within the pre-hospital arena. With much current focus on the professional classification of paramedic work, it is considered timely to formally define a formula that underpins other professional roles such as nursing. It is hypothesised that defined processes of care, particularly the nursing process, may have features that would readily translate to pre-hospital practice. The literature analysed was obtained through systematic searches of a range of databases, including Ovid MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health. The results demonstrated that the defined process of care provides nursing with more than just a structure for practice, but also has implications for education, clinical governance and professional standing. The current nursing process does not directly articulate to the complex and often unstructured role of the paramedic; however, it has many principles that offer value to the paramedic in their practice. Expanding the nursing process model to include the stages of Dispatch Considerations, Scene Assessment, First Impressions, Patient History, Physical Examination, Clinical Decision-Making, Interventions, Re-evaluation, Transport Decisions, Handover and Reflection would provide an appropriate model for pre-hospital practices.

Interactive Care Model: A Framework for More Fully Engaging People in Their Healthcare.

PubMed

Drenkard, Karen; Swartwout, Ellen; Deyo, Patricia; O'Neil, Michael B

2015-10-01

Transformation of care delivery requires rethinking the relationship between the person and clinician. The model described provides a process to more fully engage patients in their care. Five encounters include assessing capacity for engagement, exchanging information and choices, planning, determining interventions, and evaluating the effectiveness of engagement interventions. Created by researchers and validated by experts, implications for practice, education, and policy are explored.

Compressor Stability and Control: Review and Practical Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-06-01

and control technology is being built. 1. INTRODUCTION The concept of a ’smart engine ’, which utilizes augmented sensing, actuation, and computational...research mix. Concentration has been primarily on combustion control, and on stability and control of compressors and compression systems. The latter...at least a functional description of the processes at work during stall inception can effective control Paper presented at the RTO A VT Symposium on

Knowledge Types Used by Researchers and Wool Producers in Australia under a Workplace Learning Typology: Implications for Innovation in the Australian Sheep Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thompson, Lyndal-Joy; Reeve, Ian

2011-01-01

This paper reports on research into the learning aspects of adopting integrated parasite management practices for sheep (IPM-s) applying a workplace learning framework. An analysis of four primary data sources was conducted; a postal survey of Australian wool producers, a Delphi process with IPM-s researchers, focus groups and interviews with wool…

Earth Science Informatics Community Requirements for Improving Sustainable Science Software Practices: User Perspectives and Implications for Organizational Action

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downs, R. R.; Lenhardt, W. C.; Robinson, E.

2014-12-01

Science software is integral to the scientific process and must be developed and managed in a sustainable manner to ensure future access to scientific data and related resources. Organizations that are part of the scientific enterprise, as well as members of the scientific community who work within these entities, can contribute to the sustainability of science software and to practices that improve scientific community capabilities for science software sustainability. As science becomes increasingly digital and therefore, dependent on software, improving community practices for sustainable science software will contribute to the sustainability of science. Members of the Earth science informatics community, including scientific data producers and distributers, end-user scientists, system and application developers, and data center managers, use science software regularly and face the challenges and the opportunities that science software presents for the sustainability of science. To gain insight on practices needed for the sustainability of science software from the science software experiences of the Earth science informatics community, an interdisciplinary group of 300 community members were asked to engage in simultaneous roundtable discussions and report on their answers to questions about the requirements for improving scientific software sustainability. This paper will present an analysis of the issues reported and the conclusions offered by the participants. These results provide perspectives for science software sustainability practices and have implications for actions that organizations and their leadership can initiate to improve the sustainability of science software.

Field Birding and Digital Objects: Immaterial Technologies and Their Implications for One Practice of Coming to Know the More-than-Human

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Watson, Gavan Peter Longley

2011-01-01

This paper focuses on the implications of two emerging digital technologies on the act of field birding, and the implications of these objects for thinking about wild birds. While the adoption of new immaterial technologies promises to improve the ease with which birding is practiced, their use leads to new ethical considerations. Using the…

Stem cell terminology: practical, theological and ethical implications.

PubMed

Shanner, Laura

2002-01-01

Stem cell policy discussions frequently confuse embryonic and fetal sources of stem cells, and label untested, non-reproductive cloning as "therapeutic." Such misnomers distract attention from significant practical and ethical implications: accelerated research agendas tend to be supported at the expense of physical risks to women, theological implications in a multi-faith community, informed consent for participation in research, and treatment decisions altered by unrealistic expectations.

Human factors systems approach to healthcare quality and patient safety

PubMed Central

Carayon, Pascale; Wetterneck, Tosha B.; Rivera-Rodriguez, A. Joy; Hundt, Ann Schoofs; Hoonakker, Peter; Holden, Richard; Gurses, Ayse P.

2013-01-01

Human factors systems approaches are critical for improving healthcare quality and patient safety. The SEIPS (Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety) model of work system and patient safety is a human factors systems approach that has been successfully applied in healthcare research and practice. Several research and practical applications of the SEIPS model are described. Important implications of the SEIPS model for healthcare system and process redesign are highlighted. Principles for redesigning healthcare systems using the SEIPS model are described. Balancing the work system and encouraging the active and adaptive role of workers are key principles for improving healthcare quality and patient safety. PMID:23845724

Framing nursing practice within a forensic outpatient service.

PubMed

Encinares, M; Lorbergs, K A

2001-09-01

The role of the outpatient forensic nurse is evolving as a specialized area of nursing practice in the community. Nurses must have comprehensive knowledge of the patients, keen intuition, and sound judgment in the continuous clinical assessment of the criminogenic factors that help determine the patients' level of risk. In addition, it is crucial to know and understand the court system, the process of the ORB, and the implications of the disposition order. The comprehensive, client-centered care provided by the Forensic Outpatient Service encompasses multifunctional and complex roles and responsibilities and clearly demonstrates the importance of the forensic outpatient nurse in working with this group of patients.

Analysis of air quality management with emphasis on transportation sources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

English, T. D.; Divita, E.; Lees, L.

1980-01-01

The current environment and practices of air quality management were examined for three regions: Denver, Phoenix, and the South Coast Air Basin of California. These regions were chosen because the majority of their air pollution emissions are related to mobile sources. The impact of auto exhaust on the air quality management process is characterized and assessed. An examination of the uncertainties in air pollutant measurements, emission inventories, meteorological parameters, atmospheric chemistry, and air quality simulation models is performed. The implications of these uncertainties to current air quality management practices is discussed. A set of corrective actions are recommended to reduce these uncertainties.

Global megatrends and their implications for environmental assessment practice

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

Retief, Francois, E-mail: francois.retief@nwu.ac.za; Bond, Alan; Research Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University

This paper addresses the future of environmental assessment (EA) practice in light of a rapidly changing world. We apply a literature review-based methodology to firstly identify key global megatrends and then reflect upon the implications for EA practice based on some known challenges. The key megatrends identified are synthesised into six categories: i) demographics, ii) urbanization, iii) technological innovation, iv) power shifts, v) resource scarcity and vi) climate change. We then discuss the implications of these megatrends for EA practice against four known EA challenges namely: dealing with i) complexity and uncertainty, ii) efficiency, iii) significance and iv) communication andmore » participation. Our analysis suggests important implications for EA practice such as: increased difficulties with accuracy of prediction; the need for facilitative adaptation; an increase in the occurrence of unexpected events; higher expectations for procedural efficiency; challenges with information and communication management; dealing with significance judgements; and mitigation amidst resource scarcity and increasing pressures on earth systems. The megatrends underscore the need for continued evolution of EA thinking and practice, especially moving away from seeking a predictable single future or outcome towards the possibility of multiple scenarios with associated adaptability and enhanced system resilience capable of responding to rapid change.« less

IMPLICATIONS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE FOR THE ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN HEALTH RISKS OF CHEMICALS IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

PubMed Central

Balbus, John M; Boxall, Alistair BA; Fenske, Richard A; McKone, Thomas E; Zeise, Lauren

2013-01-01

Global climate change (GCC) is likely to alter the degree of human exposure to pollutants and the response of human populations to these exposures, meaning that risks of pollutants could change in the future. The present study, therefore, explores how GCC might affect the different steps in the pathway from a chemical source in the environment through to impacts on human health and evaluates the implications for existing risk-assessment and management practices. In certain parts of the world, GCC is predicted to increase the level of exposure of many environmental pollutants due to direct and indirect effects on the use patterns and transport and fate of chemicals. Changes in human behavior will also affect how humans come into contact with contaminated air, water, and food. Dietary changes, psychosocial stress, and coexposure to stressors such as high temperatures are likely to increase the vulnerability of humans to chemicals. These changes are likely to have significant implications for current practices for chemical assessment. Assumptions used in current exposure-assessment models may no longer apply, and existing monitoring methods may not be robust enough to detect adverse episodic changes in exposures. Organizations responsible for the assessment and management of health risks of chemicals therefore need to be more proactive and consider the implications of GCC for their procedures and processes. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2013;32:62–78. © 2012 SETAC PMID:23147420

A Review of Cochrane Systematic Reviews of Interventions Relevant to Orthoptic Practice.

PubMed

Rowe, Fiona J; Elliott, Sue; Gordon, Iris; Shah, Anupa

2017-09-01

To present an overview of the range of systematic reviews on intervention trials pertinent to orthoptic practice, produced by the Cochrane Eyes and Vision group (CEV). We searched the 2016 Cochrane Library database (31.03.2016) to identify completed reviews and protocols of direct relevance to orthoptic practice. These reviews are currently completed and published, available on www.thecochranelibrary.com (free to UK health employees) or via the CEV website (http://eyes.cochrane.org/) . We found 27 completed CEV reviews across the topics of strabismus, amblyopia, refractive errors, and low vision. Seven completed CEV protocols addressed topics of strabismus, amblyopia, refractive errors, low vision, and screening. We found 3 completed Cochrane Stroke reviews addressing visual field loss, eye movement impairment, and age-related vision loss. The systematic review process presents an important opportunity for any clinician to contribute to the establishment of reliable, evidence-based orthoptic practice. Each review has an abstract and plain language summary that many non-clinicians find useful, followed by a full copy of the review (background, objectives, methods, results, discussion) with a conclusion section that is divided into implications for practice and implications for research. The current reviews provide patients/parents/carers with information about various different conditions and treatment options, but also provide clinicians with a summary of the available evidence on interventions, to use as a guide for both clinical practice and future research planning. The reviews identified in this overview highlight the evidence available for effective interventions for strabismus, amblyopia, refractive errors, and low vision or stroke rehabilitation as well as the gaps in the evidence base. Thus, a demand exists for future robust, randomized, controlled trials of such interventions of importance in orthoptic practice.

A review of the nursing role in central venous cannulation: implications for practice policy and research.

PubMed

Alexandrou, Evan; Spencer, Timothy R; Frost, Steve A; Parr, Michael J A; Davidson, Patricia M; Hillman, Kenneth M

2010-06-01

The aim of this article is to review published studies about central vein cannulation to identify implications for policy, practice and research in an advanced practice nursing role. Modified integrative literature review. Searches of the electronic databases: Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL); Medline, Embase, and the World Wide Web were undertaken using MeSH key words. Hand searching for relevant articles was also undertaken. All studies relating to the nurses role inserting central venous cannulae in adult populations met the search criteria and were reviewed by three authors using a critical appraisal tool. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria for the review, all reported data were from the UK. There were disparate models of service delivery and study populations and the studies were predominantly non experimental in design. The results of this review need to be considered within the methodological caveats associated with this approach. The studies identified did not demonstrate differences in rates of adverse events between a specialist nurse and a medical officer. There were only a small number of studies found in the literature review and the limited availability of clinical outcome data precluded formal analysis from being generated. Central vein cannulation is potentially an emerging practice area with important considerations for policy practice and research. Training specialist nurses to provide such a service may facilitate standardising of practice and improving surveillance of lines, and possibly improve the training and accreditation process for CVC insertions for junior medical officers. For this to occur, there is a need to undertake well-conducted clinical studies to clearly document the value and efficacy of this advanced practice nursing role.

Learning and change in a community mental health setting.

PubMed

Mancini, Michael A; Miner, Craig S

2013-10-01

This article offers methodological reflections and lessons learned from a three-year university-community partnership that used participatory action research methods to develop and evaluate a model for learning and change. Communities of practice were used to facilitate the translation of recovery-oriented and evidence-based programs into everyday practice at a community mental health agency. Four lessons were drawn from this project. First, the processes of learning and organizational change are complex, slow, and multifaceted. Second, development of leaders and champions is vital to sustained implementation in an era of restricted resources. Third, it is important to have the agency's values, mission, policies, and procedures align with the principles and practices of recovery and integrated treatment. And fourth, effective learning of evidence-based practices is influenced by organizational culture and climate. These four lessons are expanded upon and situated within the broader literature and implications for future research are discussed.

Unconventional eating practices and their health implications.

PubMed

Hanning, R M; Zlotkin, S H

1985-04-01

The authors discuss a number of unconventional or faddist foods and eating practices and their health implications. Among the topics included are vegetarianism, Zen macrobiotic diets, fast foods, junk foods, megavitamins and their toxicity, health foods, fad diets in infancy, and elimination diets.

Mental illness disclosure decision making.

PubMed

Pahwa, Rohini; Fulginiti, Anthony; Brekke, John S; Rice, Eric

2017-01-01

Disclosure related to mental illness has been linked to various positive outcomes, including better mental health. However, many individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) continue to practice non-disclosure. Even though disclosure inherently occurs within the context of one's social relationships, research has generally conceptualized mental illness disclosure as an individual level phenomenon and neglected to consider preferences concerning to whom an individual discloses and the factors that influence this decision. The current study uses the disclosure decision-making model (DD-MM) by Greene (2009) to better understand the processes of mental illness disclosure preference and selective disclosure for individuals with SMI (n = 60) using multivariate random intercept logistic regression with an emphasis on the constituent factors of disclosure preference at both individual and relational levels. The majority of participants were found to practice selective disclosure, with 68% of the participants identifying at least 1 network member to whom they could disclose. Family members and friends were central to the selective disclosure process, comprising the greatest proportion of network members who, both were and were not identified as preferred confidants. Women were found to show higher odds of preference for mental illness disclosure than men. Having lower perceived social support was associated with lower odds of disclosure preference. Among relational factors, greater relationship availability and lower dyadic tangible social support were associated with lower odds of disclosure preference. Practice and research implications of using social network analysis to get a deeper understanding of disclosure and disclosure preference are discussed, including implications for future interventions targeting stigma reduction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Physician leadership in e-health? A systematic literature review.

PubMed

Keijser, Wouter; Smits, Jacco; Penterman, Lisanne; Wilderom, Celeste

2016-07-04

Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the literature on roles of physicians in virtual teams (VTs) delivering healthcare for effective "physician e-leadership" (PeL) and implementation of e-health. Design/methodology/approach The analyzed studies were retrieved with explicit keywords and criteria, including snowball sampling. They were synthesized with existing theoretical models on VT research, healthcare team competencies and medical leadership. Findings Six domains for further PeL inquiry are delineated: resources, task processes, socio-emotional processes, leadership in VTs, virtual physician-patient relationship and change management. We show that, to date, PeL studies on socio-technical dynamics and their consequences on e-health are found underrepresented in the health literature; i.e. no single empirical, theoretic or conceptual study with a focus on PeL in virtual healthcare work was identified. Research limitations/implications E-health practices could benefit from organization-behavioral type of research for discerning effective physicians' roles and inter-professional relations and their (so far) seemingly modest but potent impact on e-health developments. Practical implications Although best practices in e-health care have already been identified, this paper shows that physicians' roles in e-health initiatives have not yet received any in-depth study. This raises questions such as are physicians not yet sufficiently involved in e-health? If so, what (dis)advantages may this have for current e-health investments and how can they best become involved in (leading) e-health applications' design and implementation in the field? Originality/value If effective medical leadership is being deployed, e-health effectiveness may be enhanced; this new proposition needs urgent empirical scrutiny.

A perspective on medical school admission research and practice over the last 25 years.

PubMed

Kreiter, Clarence D; Axelson, Rick D

2013-01-01

Over the last 25 years a large body of research has investigated how best to select applicants to study medicine. Although these studies have inspired little actual change in admission practice, the implications of this research are substantial. Five areas of inquiry are discussed: (1) the interview and related techniques, (2) admission tests, (3) other measures of personal competencies, (4) the decision process, and (5) defining and measuring the criterion. In each of these areas we summarize consequential developments and discuss their implication for improving practice. (1) The traditional interview has been shown to lack both reliability and validity. Alternatives have been developed that display promising measurement characteristics. (2) Admission test scores have been shown to predict academic and clinical performance and are generally the most useful measures obtained about an applicant. (3) Due to the high-stakes nature of the admission decision, it is difficult to support a logical validity argument for the use of personality tests. Although standardized letters of recommendation appear to offer some promise, more research is needed. (4) The methods used to make the selection decision should be responsive to validity research on how best to utilize applicant information. (5) Few resources have been invested in obtaining valid criterion measures. Future research might profitably focus on composite score as a method for generating a measure of a physician's career success. There are a number of social and organization factors that resist evidence-based change. However, research over the last 25 years does present important findings that could be used to improve the admission process.

Journal selection decisions: a biomedical library operations research model. I. The framework.

PubMed Central

Kraft, D H; Polacsek, R A; Soergel, L; Burns, K; Klair, A

1976-01-01

The problem of deciding which journal titles to select for acquisition in a biomedical library is modeled. The approach taken is based on cost/benefit ratios. Measures of journal worth, methods of data collection, and journal cost data are considered. The emphasis is on the development of a practical process for selecting journal titles, based on the objectivity and rationality of the model; and on the collection of the approprate data and library statistics in a reasonable manner. The implications of this process towards an overall management information system (MIS) for biomedical serials handling are discussed. PMID:820391

Democratization of health care: challenge for nursing.

PubMed

Watts, R J

1990-01-01

One of the key foundational principles of primary health care is community involvement. The implementation of meaningful community involvement requires democratic institutions and processes within the health care system. In this context the meaning of substantive democracy and the implications of this concept for the health care system are briefly discussed. The relationship between the purpose, values, and foundational concepts of democracy and those of nursing is examined in greater detail. Based on the congruency between these, the role of nursing in generating and enhancing democratic processes within the health care system is discussed and a model of nursing practice proposed.

Button Pushers and Ribbon Cutters: Observations on Skill and Practice in a Hospital Laboratory and Their Implications for the Shortage of Skilled Technicians. EQW Working Papers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarselletta, Mario

Employers and policymakers have traditionally sought to manage skill shortages in technical and other occupations through initiatives predicted in one of two broad definitions of skill: skill-as-input and skill-as-artifact. A weakness of both these perspectives is that focusing on the inputs and outcomes of a labor process obscures or ignores the…

Distinguishing Acts of War in Cyberspace: Assessment Criteria, Policy Considerations, and Response Implications

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-01

process will help to harmonize important work on cyber policy and procedures within NATO and at the national level to ensure that the Alliance’s...conducts and practices its Emergency Action Procedures to defend the nation through interagency emergency cyber pro- cedures. During these conferences...via cyberspace, and does so in compliance with all applicable laws, policies, and procedures . The conduct of all U.S. intelligence operations is 64

Manpower planning for nurse personnel.

PubMed Central

Keaveny, T J; Hayden, R L

1978-01-01

A technique is described which can be applied to manpower planning for nurse personnel at a state or regional level. An iterative process explores the implications of alternative planning policy decision strategies intended to balance manpower supply and requirements. Impacts of the following policy alternatives are estimated: scale of operations of education institutions; interstate migration patterns; labor force participation rates; and job design of licensed practical nurse (LPN) and registered nurse (RN) positions. PMID:665883

Bridging the gap between the economic evaluation literature and daily practice in occupational health: a qualitative study among decision-makers in the healthcare sector.

PubMed

van Dongen, Johanna M; Tompa, Emile; Clune, Laurie; Sarnocinska-Hart, Anna; Bongers, Paulien M; van Tulder, Maurits W; van der Beek, Allard J; van Wier, Marieke F

2013-06-03

Continued improvements in occupational health can only be ensured if decisions regarding the implementation and continuation of occupational health and safety interventions (OHS interventions) are based on the best available evidence. To ensure that this is the case, scientific evidence should meet the needs of decision-makers. As a first step in bridging the gap between the economic evaluation literature and daily practice in occupational health, this study aimed to provide insight into the occupational health decision-making process and information needs of decision-makers. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted with a purposeful sample of occupational health decision-makers in the Ontario healthcare sector. Eighteen in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the process by which occupational health decisions are made and the importance given to the financial implications of OHS interventions. Twenty-five structured telephone interviews were conducted to explore the sources of information used during the decision-making process, and decision-makers' knowledge on economic evaluation methods. In-depth interview data were analyzed according to the constant comparative method. For the structured telephone interviews, summary statistics were prepared. The occupational health decision-making process generally consists of three stages: initiation stage, establishing the need for an intervention; pre-implementation stage, developing an intervention and its business case in order to receive senior management approval; and implementation and evaluation stage, implementing and evaluating an intervention. During this process, information on the financial implications of OHS interventions was found to be of great importance, especially the employer's costs and benefits. However, scientific evidence was rarely consulted, sound ex-post program evaluations were hardly ever performed, and there seemed to be a need to advance the economic evaluation skill set of decision-makers. Financial information is particularly important at the front end of implementation decisions, and can be a key deciding factor of whether to go forward with a new OHS intervention. In addition, it appears that current practice in occupational health in the healthcare sector is not solidly grounded in evidence-based decision-making and strategies should be developed to improve this.

Bridging the gap between the economic evaluation literature and daily practice in occupational health: a qualitative study among decision-makers in the healthcare sector

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Continued improvements in occupational health can only be ensured if decisions regarding the implementation and continuation of occupational health and safety interventions (OHS interventions) are based on the best available evidence. To ensure that this is the case, scientific evidence should meet the needs of decision-makers. As a first step in bridging the gap between the economic evaluation literature and daily practice in occupational health, this study aimed to provide insight into the occupational health decision-making process and information needs of decision-makers. Methods An exploratory qualitative study was conducted with a purposeful sample of occupational health decision-makers in the Ontario healthcare sector. Eighteen in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the process by which occupational health decisions are made and the importance given to the financial implications of OHS interventions. Twenty-five structured telephone interviews were conducted to explore the sources of information used during the decision-making process, and decision-makers’ knowledge on economic evaluation methods. In-depth interview data were analyzed according to the constant comparative method. For the structured telephone interviews, summary statistics were prepared. Results The occupational health decision-making process generally consists of three stages: initiation stage, establishing the need for an intervention; pre-implementation stage, developing an intervention and its business case in order to receive senior management approval; and implementation and evaluation stage, implementing and evaluating an intervention. During this process, information on the financial implications of OHS interventions was found to be of great importance, especially the employer’s costs and benefits. However, scientific evidence was rarely consulted, sound ex-post program evaluations were hardly ever performed, and there seemed to be a need to advance the economic evaluation skill set of decision-makers. Conclusions Financial information is particularly important at the front end of implementation decisions, and can be a key deciding factor of whether to go forward with a new OHS intervention. In addition, it appears that current practice in occupational health in the healthcare sector is not solidly grounded in evidence-based decision-making and strategies should be developed to improve this. PMID:23731570

Constructing conceptual knowledge and promoting "number sense" from computer-managed practice in rounding whole numbers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hativa, Nira

1993-12-01

This study sought to identify how high achievers learn and understand new concepts in arithmetic from computer-based practice which provides full solutions to examples but without verbal explanations. Four high-achieving second graders were observed in their natural school settings throughout all their computer-based practice sessions which involved the concept of rounding whole numbers, a concept which was totally new to them. Immediate post-session interviews inquired into students' strategies for solutions, errors, and their understanding of the underlying mathematical rules. The article describes the process through which the students construct their knowledge of the rounding concepts and the errors and misconceptions encountered in this process. The article identifies the cognitive abilities that promote student self-learning of the rounding concepts, their number concepts and "number sense." Differences in the ability to generalise, "mathematical memory," mindfulness of work and use of cognitive strategies are shown to account for the differences in patterns of, and gains in, learning and in maintaining knowledge among the students involved. Implications for the teaching of estimation concepts and of promoting students' "number sense," as well as for classroom use of computer-based practice are discussed.

Becoming a Physicist: How Identities and Practices Shape Physics Trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quan, Gina M.

This dissertation studies the relationships and processes which shape students' participation within the discipline of physics. Studying this early disciplinary participation gives insight to how students are supported in or pushed out of physics, which is an important step in cultivating a diverse set of physics students. This research occurs within two learning environments that we co-developed: a physics camp for high school girls and a seminar for undergraduate physics majors to get started in physics research. Using situated learning theory, we conceptualized physics learning to be intertwined with participation in physics practices and identity development. This theoretical perspective draws our attention to relationships between students and the physics community. Specifically, we study how students come to engage in the practices of the community and who they are within the physics community. We find that students' interactions with faculty and peers impact the extent to which students engage in authentic physics practices. These interactions also impact the extent to which students develop identities as physicists. We present implications of these findings for the design of physics learning spaces. Understanding this process of how students become members of the physics community will provide valuable insights into fostering a diverse set of successful trajectories in physics.

Manifestations of metacognitive activity during the collaborative planning of chemistry practical investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mathabathe, Kgadi Clarrie; Potgieter, Marietjie

2017-07-01

This paper elaborates a process followed to characterise manifestations of cognitive regulation during the collaborative planning of chemistry practical investigations. Metacognitive activity was defined as the demonstration of planning, monitoring, control and evaluation of cognitive activities by students while carrying out the chemistry task. Inherent in collaborative learning is the social aspect of metacognition, which in this study was evidenced in social cognitive regulation (notably of intra- and interpersonal metacognitive regulations) as groups of students went about planning their practical investigations. Discussions of two of the learning groups (n = 4; n = 3) as they planned the extended practical investigation were recorded, transcribed and analysed for indicators of any inherent metacognitive activity. The process of characterising the manifestations of metacognition resulted in the development of a coding system which specifies not only the regulatory strategies at play but the type of regulation (self or other), the area of regulation (cognition, task performance or behaviour) as well as the depth of regulatory contributions (high or low). The fine-grained coding system allowed for a finer theoretical elucidation of the social nature of metacognition. The implications of this study for metacognition and chemistry education research are highlighted.

Toward a Transdisciplinary Model of Evidence-Based Practice

PubMed Central

Satterfield, Jason M; Spring, Bonnie; Brownson, Ross C; Mullen, Edward J; Newhouse, Robin P; Walker, Barbara B; Whitlock, Evelyn P

2009-01-01

Context This article describes the historical context and current developments in evidence-based practice (EBP) for medicine, nursing, psychology, social work, and public health, as well as the evolution of the seminal “three circles” model of evidence-based medicine, highlighting changes in EBP content, processes, and philosophies across disciplines. Methods The core issues and challenges in EBP are identified by comparing and contrasting EBP models across various health disciplines. Then a unified, transdisciplinary EBP model is presented, drawing on the strengths and compensating for the weaknesses of each discipline. Findings Common challenges across disciplines include (1) how “evidence” should be defined and comparatively weighted; (2) how and when the patient's and/or other contextual factors should enter the clinical decision-making process; (3) the definition and role of the “expert”; and (4) what other variables should be considered when selecting an evidence-based practice, such as age, social class, community resources, and local expertise. Conclusions A unified, transdisciplinary EBP model would address historical shortcomings by redefining the contents of each model circle, clarifying the practitioner's expertise and competencies, emphasizing shared decision making, and adding both environmental and organizational contexts. Implications for academia, practice, and policy also are discussed. PMID:19523122

Implementing a new governance model.

PubMed

Stanley-Clarke, Nicky; Sanders, Jackie; Munford, Robyn

2016-05-16

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to discuss the lessons learnt from the process of implementing a new model of governance within Living Well, a New Zealand statutory mental health agency. Design/methodology/approach - It presents the findings from an organisational case study that involved qualitative interviews, meeting observations and document analysis. Archetype theory provided the analytical framework for the research enabling an analysis of both the formal structures and informal value systems that influenced the implementation of the governance model. Findings - The research found that the move to a new governance model did not proceed as planned. It highlighted the importance of staff commitment, the complexity of adopting a new philosophical approach and the undue influence of key personalities as key determining factors in the implementation process. The findings suggest that planners and managers within statutory mental health agencies need to consider the implications of any proposed governance change on existing roles and relationships, thinking strategically about how to secure professional commitment to change. Practical implications - There are ongoing pressures within statutory mental health agencies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of organisational structures and systems. This paper has implications for how planners and managers think about the process of implementing new governance models within the statutory mental health environment in order to increase the likelihood of sustaining and embedding new approaches to service delivery. Originality/value - The paper presents insights into the process of implementing new governance models within a statutory mental health agency in New Zealand that has relevance for other jurisdictions.

Information technology: changing nursing processes at the point-of-care.

PubMed

Courtney, Karen L; Demiris, George; Alexander, Greg L

2005-01-01

Changing societal demographics, increasing complexity in healthcare knowledge, and increasing nursing shortages have led healthcare strategists to call for a redesign of the healthcare system. Embedded within most redesign recommendations is the increased use of technology to make nursing practice more efficient. However, information technology (IT) has the potential to go beyond simple efficiency increases. If IT is perceived truly as a part of the redesign of healthcare delivery rather than simply the automation of existing processes, then it can change nursing processes within institutions and furthermore change the point-of-care between nurses and patients. Nursing adoption of technology within the workplace is a result of the interactions between technical skills, social acceptance, and workplace culture. Nursing needs for information not only influence their adoption of particular technologies but also shape their design. The objective of this article is to illustrate how IT can change not only nursing practice and processes but also the point-of-care. A case study of the use of IT by nurses in telehomecare is presented and administrative implications are discussed.

Enabling Ethical Code Embeddedness in Construction Organizations: A Review of Process Assessment Approach.

PubMed

Oladinrin, Olugbenga Timo; Ho, Christabel Man-Fong

2016-08-01

Several researchers have identified codes of ethics (CoEs) as tools that stimulate positive ethical behavior by shaping the organisational decision-making process, but few have considered the information needed for code implementation. Beyond being a legal and moral responsibility, ethical behavior needs to become an organisational priority, which requires an alignment process that integrates employee behavior with the organisation's ethical standards. This paper discusses processes for the responsible implementation of CoEs based on an extensive review of the literature. The internationally recognized European Foundation for Quality Management Excellence Model (EFQM model) is proposed as a suitable framework for assessing an organisation's ethical performance, including CoE embeddedness. The findings presented herein have both practical and research implications. They will encourage construction practitioners to shift their attention from ethical policies to possible enablers of CoE implementation and serve as a foundation for further research on ethical performance evaluation using the EFQM model. This is the first paper to discuss the model's use in the context of ethics in construction practice.

Heritage-culture images disrupt immigrants' second-language processing through triggering first-language interference.

PubMed

Zhang, Shu; Morris, Michael W; Cheng, Chi-Ying; Yap, Andy J

2013-07-09

For bicultural individuals, visual cues of a setting's cultural expectations can activate associated representations, switching the frames that guide their judgments. Research suggests that cultural cues may affect judgments through automatic priming, but has yet to investigate consequences for linguistic performance. The present studies investigate the proposal that heritage-culture cues hinder immigrants' second-language processing by priming first-language structures. For Chinese immigrants in the United States, speaking to a Chinese (vs. Caucasian) face reduced their English fluency, but at the same time increased their social comfort, effects that did not occur for a comparison group of European Americans (study 1). Similarly, exposure to iconic symbols of Chinese (vs. American) culture hindered Chinese immigrants' English fluency, when speaking about both culture-laden and culture-neutral topics (study 2). Finally, in both recognition (study 3) and naming tasks (study 4), Chinese icon priming increased accessibility of anomalous literal translations, indicating the intrusion of Chinese lexical structures into English processing. We discuss conceptual implications for the automaticity and adaptiveness of cultural priming and practical implications for immigrant acculturation and second-language learning.

The Benefits of Executive Control Training and the Implications for Language Processing

PubMed Central

Hussey, Erika K.; Novick, Jared M.

2012-01-01

Recent psycholinguistics research suggests that the executive function (EF) skill known as conflict resolution – the ability to adjust behavior in the service of resolving among incompatible representations – is important for several language processing tasks such as lexical and syntactic ambiguity resolution, verbal fluency, and common-ground assessment. Here, we discuss work showing that various EF skills can be enhanced through consistent practice with working-memory tasks that tap these EFs, and, moreover, that improvements on the training tasks transfer across domains to novel tasks that may rely on shared underlying EFs. These findings have implications for language processing and could launch new research exploring if EF training, within a “process-specific” framework, could be used as a remediation tool for improving general language use. Indeed, work in our lab demonstrates that EF training that increases conflict-resolution processes has selective benefits on an untrained sentence-processing task requiring syntactic ambiguity resolution, which relies on shared conflict-resolution functions. Given claims that conflict-resolution abilities contribute to a range of linguistic skills, EF training targeting this process could theoretically yield wider performance gains beyond garden-path recovery. We offer some hypotheses on the potential benefits of EF training as a component of interventions to mitigate general difficulties in language processing. However, there are caveats to consider as well, which we also address. PMID:22661962

The NASA/DOD aerospace knowledge diffusion research project: A research agenda

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinelli, Thomas E.; Kennedy, John M.

1990-01-01

The project has both immediate and long term purposes. In the first instance it provides a practical and pragmatic basis for understanding how the results of NASA/DoD research diffuse into the aerospace R and D process. Over the long term it provides an empirical basis for understanding the aerospace knowledge diffusion process itself, and its implications at the individual, organizational, national, and international levels. The project is studying the major barriers to effective knowledge diffusion. This project will provide descriptive and analytical data regarding the flow of scientific and technical information (STI). It will examine both channels used to communicate information and the social system of the aerospace knowledge diffusion process.

Implications of dual practice for universal health coverage.

PubMed

McPake, Barbara; Russo, Giuliano; Hipgrave, David; Hort, Krishna; Campbell, James

2016-02-01

Making progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) requires that health workers are adequate in numbers, prepared for their jobs and motivated to perform. In establishing the best ways to develop the health workforce, relatively little attention has been paid to the trends and implications of dual practice - concurrent employment in public and private sectors. We review recent research on dual practice for its potential to guide staffing policies in relation to UHC. Many studies describe the characteristics and correlates of dual practice and speculate about impacts, but there is very little evidence that is directly relevant to policy-makers. No studies have evaluated the impact of policies on the characteristics of dual practice or implications for UHC. We address this lack and call for case studies of policy interventions on dual practice in different contexts. Such research requires investment in better data collection and greater determination on the part of researchers, research funding bodies and national research councils to overcome the difficulties of researching sensitive topics of health systems functions.

Cultural influences on science museum practices: A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duensing, Sally Jeanne

This dissertation looks at how informal science museums and centers both reflect and create the cultural contexts in which they are embedded. Specifically, it explores the multiple cultural perspectives held by the staff of the Yapollo Science Center in Trinidad, West Indies. This study focuses on how these perspectives impact the science center's sense of mission, design of educational programs, and development of exhibits. The findings in this case study have implications for other science museums and learning environments. Through the conduct and analysis of interviews, group meetings and on-site observations, this study found that there are several cultural domains in which staff perspectives of museum practice are situated. These include the local popular Trinidadian culture, the formal school system, and international science center community practices. For example, learning in the science center is seen by Yapollo staff as a social endeavor, more than an individual act. There is an emphasis on group engagement and social learning processes in exhibit design and teaching programs. The impact of local culture is further evidenced by Trinidadian practices of social learning and social competition in steel pan learning and calypso competition. These practices inform images of learning at Yapollo. The study highlights the role of formal educational systems by discussing how staff's informal educational approaches have resulted in a dialectic with the local formal British based school system practices. The study also explores the ways staff have adapted exhibit and program ideas from the international science museum. The synthesis of these cultures creates its own cultural ways of thinking and practice about exhibits and pedagogy that form the shared common wisdom at Yapollo. Museum practice, in this context, is viewed as a culture shaping enterprise that is itself shaped by culture. It demonstrates that teaching and learning practices occur in, and can be reflected upon, in multiple cultural contexts. The findings of this study have implications for many other areas of sociocultural and educational research.

Client-centred therapy, post-traumatic stress disorder and post-traumatic growth: theoretical perspectives and practical implications.

PubMed

Joseph, Stephen

2004-03-01

In practice it is not unusual for client-centred therapists to work with people who have experienced traumatic events. However, client-centred therapy is not usually considered within texts on traumatic stress and questions have been raised over the appropriateness of client-centred therapy with trauma survivors. The present study shows how, although he was writing well before the introduction of the term 'post-traumatic stress disorder', Carl Rogers provided a theory of therapy and personality that contains an account of threat-related psychological processes largely consistent with contemporary trauma theory. Rogers' theory provides the conceptual underpinnings to the client-centred and experiential ways of working with traumatized people. Furthermore, Rogers' theory provides an understanding of post-traumatic growth processes, and encourages therapists to adopt a more positive psychological perspective to their understanding of how people adjust to traumatic events.

Quantifying complexity in translational research: an integrated approach

PubMed Central

Munoz, David A.; Nembhard, Harriet Black; Kraschnewski, Jennifer L.

2014-01-01

Purpose This article quantifies complexity in translational research. The impact of major operational steps and technical requirements (TR) is calculated with respect to their ability to accelerate moving new discoveries into clinical practice. Design/Methodology/Approach A three-phase integrated Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method was used to quantify complexity in translational research. A case study in obesity was used to usability. Findings Generally, the evidence generated was valuable for understanding various components in translational research. Particularly, we found that collaboration networks, multidisciplinary team capacity and community engagement are crucial for translating new discoveries into practice. Research limitations/implications As the method is mainly based on subjective opinion, some argue that the results may be biased. However, a consistency ratio is calculated and used as a guide to subjectivity. Alternatively, a larger sample may be incorporated to reduce bias. Practical implications The integrated QFD-AHP framework provides evidence that could be helpful to generate agreement, develop guidelines, allocate resources wisely, identify benchmarks and enhance collaboration among similar projects. Originality/value Current conceptual models in translational research provide little or no clue to assess complexity. The proposed method aimed to fill this gap. Additionally, the literature review includes various features that have not been explored in translational research. PMID:25417380

How Does One "Open" Science? Questions of Value in Biological Research.

PubMed

Levin, Nadine; Leonelli, Sabina

2017-03-01

Open Science policies encourage researchers to disclose a wide range of outputs from their work, thus codifying openness as a specific set of research practices and guidelines that can be interpreted and applied consistently across disciplines and geographical settings. In this paper, we argue that this "one-size-fits-all" view of openness sidesteps key questions about the forms, implications, and goals of openness for research practice. We propose instead to interpret openness as a dynamic and highly situated mode of valuing the research process and its outputs, which encompasses economic as well as scientific, cultural, political, ethical, and social considerations. This interpretation creates a critical space for moving beyond the economic definitions of value embedded in the contemporary biosciences landscape and Open Science policies, and examining the diversity of interests and commitments that affect research practices in the life sciences. To illustrate these claims, we use three case studies that highlight the challenges surrounding decisions about how--and how best--to make things open. These cases, drawn from ethnographic engagement with Open Science debates and semistructured interviews carried out with UK-based biologists and bioinformaticians between 2013 and 2014, show how the enactment of openness reveals judgments about what constitutes a legitimate intellectual contribution, for whom, and with what implications.

Unlicensed staff members' experiences with patients' pain on an inpatient oncology unit: implications for redesigning the care delivery system.

PubMed

Schulman-Green, Dena; Harris, Debra; Xue, Ying; Loseth, Diane B; Czaplinski, Cindy; Donovan, Constance; McCorkle, Ruth

2005-01-01

Although unlicensed staff have routine contact with patients in pain, little research relates to their role with these patients. The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of unlicensed inpatient hospital staff caring for cancer patients in pain. We sought to understand pain identification and communication practices, describe common practice situations, and identify training needs. We conducted 4 focus groups with unit secretaries, nurses' aides, and housekeepers (N = 24) on 2 inpatient oncology units at an urban, northeastern teaching hospital. Group processes were tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Atlas/ti software and content analysis. Analysis generated 5 issues related to pain in the daily practice of unlicensed staff: perceived function with pain, building relationships with patients, interpreting patients' pain, system issues, and job challenges and coping strategies. Unlicensed staff reported performing important functions related to pain, including alerting nursing staff to patients' pain, and providing psychosocial support. Participants shared difficulties of working with patients in pain and expressed interest in education on pain identification and course of illness. Findings provide insight into the role of unlicensed staff, and have implications for the educational preparation of this group as well as the nature of their participation in the care delivery system.

How Does One “Open” Science? Questions of Value in Biological Research

PubMed Central

Levin, Nadine

2016-01-01

Open Science policies encourage researchers to disclose a wide range of outputs from their work, thus codifying openness as a specific set of research practices and guidelines that can be interpreted and applied consistently across disciplines and geographical settings. In this paper, we argue that this “one-size-fits-all” view of openness sidesteps key questions about the forms, implications, and goals of openness for research practice. We propose instead to interpret openness as a dynamic and highly situated mode of valuing the research process and its outputs, which encompasses economic as well as scientific, cultural, political, ethical, and social considerations. This interpretation creates a critical space for moving beyond the economic definitions of value embedded in the contemporary biosciences landscape and Open Science policies, and examining the diversity of interests and commitments that affect research practices in the life sciences. To illustrate these claims, we use three case studies that highlight the challenges surrounding decisions about how––and how best––to make things open. These cases, drawn from ethnographic engagement with Open Science debates and semistructured interviews carried out with UK-based biologists and bioinformaticians between 2013 and 2014, show how the enactment of openness reveals judgments about what constitutes a legitimate intellectual contribution, for whom, and with what implications. PMID:28232768

Fruits without labour: the implications of Friedrich Nietzsche's ideas for the caring professions.

PubMed

Nolan, P W; Brown, B; Crawford, P

1998-08-01

Seldom is the work of philosophers invoked by health professionals when examining aspects of care from a philosophical perspective. Instead, students of health care, especially nurses, have been introduced to 'philosophies' which are often superficially examined and poorly understood. This practice fails to develop in students an appreciation of the work of philosophers or to acquire the art of critical thinking. The introduction of models and theories of nursing in the past three decades has alerted nurses to the importance of possessing critical skills in order to identify sound theory and implement good practice. This paper goes beyond mere philosophising and examines aspects of mental health care from the perspectives of one of nineteenth century Europe's most notable philosophers, Friedrich Nietzsche. It argues that understanding his work can enhance one's ability to reflect on nursing practice, as well as bringing a new dimension to how we analyse 'mental health' problems. His work provides many insights into how we can improve our understanding of the effect of mental illness and mental health care on the individual, and how we conceptualise the process of care. This paper provides an overview of his life's work, his impact on the history of ideas and develops some of the more provocative implications of his work for mental health care.

Application of process mapping to understand integration of high risk medicine care bundles within community pharmacy practice.

PubMed

Weir, Natalie M; Newham, Rosemary; Corcoran, Emma D; Ali Atallah Al-Gethami, Ashwag; Mohammed Abd Alridha, Ali; Bowie, Paul; Watson, Anne; Bennie, Marion

2017-11-21

The Scottish Patient Safety Programme - Pharmacy in Primary Care collaborative is a quality improvement initiative adopting the Institute of Healthcare Improvement Breakthrough Series collaborative approach. The programme developed and piloted High Risk Medicine (HRM) Care Bundles (CB), focused on warfarin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), within 27 community pharmacies over 4 NHS Regions. Each CB involves clinical assessment and patient education, although the CB content varies between regions. To support national implementation, this study aims to understand how the pilot pharmacies integrated the HRM CBs into routine practice to inform the development of a generic HRM CB process map. Regional process maps were developed in 4 pharmacies through simulation of the CB process, staff interviews and documentation of resources. Commonalities were collated to develop a process map for each HRM, which were used to explore variation at a national event. A single, generic process map was developed which underwent validation by case study testing. The findings allowed development of a generic process map applicable to warfarin and NSAID CB implementation. Five steps were identified as required for successful CB delivery: patient identification; clinical assessment; pharmacy CB prompt; CB delivery; and documentation. The generic HRM CB process map encompasses the staff and patients' journey and the CB's integration into routine community pharmacy practice. Pharmacist involvement was required only for clinical assessment, indicating suitability for whole-team involvement. Understanding CB integration into routine practice has positive implications for successful implementation. The generic process map can be used to develop targeted resources, and/or be disseminated to facilitate CB delivery and foster whole team involvement. Similar methods could be utilised within other settings, to allow those developing novel services to distil the key processes and consider their integration within routine workflows to effect maximal, efficient implementation and benefit to patient care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nurse-led action research project for expanding nurses' role in patient education in Iran: Process, structure, and outcomes.

PubMed

Khorasani, Parvaneh; Rassouli, Maryam; Parvizy, Soroor; Zagheri-Tafreshi, Mansoureh; Nasr-Esfahani, Mahmood

2015-01-01

Patient education is among the lowest met need of patients in Iran; therefore, expansion of that role can result in greater professional accountability. This study aimed to explain the practical science of the process, structure, and outcomes of a nurse-led action research project to expand the nurses' role in patient education in Iran. This study was part of a participatory action research. Daily communications and monthly joint meetings were held from January 2012 to February 2014 for planning and management. These were based on the research protocol, and the conceptual framework included the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships process by means of Leadership for Change skills. Data were produced and gathered through participant observations. Administrative data included project records, official documents, artifacts, news, and reports, which were analyzed through qualitative content analysis. A participatory project was established with three groups of participants organized from both academic and clinical fields. These consisted of a "core research support team," "two steering committees," and community representatives of clients and professionals as "feedback groups." A seven-stage process, named the "Nurse Educators: Al-Zahra Role Expansion Action Research" (NEAREAR) process, resulted from the project, in which strategic issues were gradually developed and implemented through 32 action plans and quality improvement cycles of action research. Audits and supervision evaluations showed meaningful changes in capacity building components. A nurse-led ad hoc structure with academic-clinical partnerships and strategic management process was suggested as a possible practical model for expanding nurses' educational role in similar contexts. Implications and practical science introduced in this action research could also be applicable for top managers and health system policy makers in a wider range of practice.

Developing an evaluation framework for clinical redesign programs: lessons learnt.

PubMed

Samaranayake, Premaratne; Dadich, Ann; Fitzgerald, Anneke; Zeitz, Kathryn

2016-09-19

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present lessons learnt through the development of an evaluation framework for a clinical redesign programme - the aim of which was to improve the patient journey through improved discharge practices within an Australian public hospital. Design/methodology/approach The development of the evaluation framework involved three stages - namely, the analysis of secondary data relating to the discharge planning pathway; the analysis of primary data including field-notes and interview transcripts on hospital processes; and the triangulation of these data sets to devise the framework. The evaluation framework ensured that resource use, process management, patient satisfaction, and staff well-being and productivity were each connected with measures, targets, and the aim of clinical redesign programme. Findings The application of business process management and a balanced scorecard enabled a different way of framing the evaluation, ensuring measurable outcomes were connected to inputs and outputs. Lessons learnt include: first, the importance of mixed-methods research to devise the framework and evaluate the redesigned processes; second, the need for appropriate tools and resources to adequately capture change across the different domains of the redesign programme; and third, the value of developing and applying an evaluative framework progressively. Research limitations/implications The evaluation framework is limited by its retrospective application to a clinical process redesign programme. Originality/value This research supports benchmarking with national and international practices in relation to best practice healthcare redesign processes. Additionally, it provides a theoretical contribution on evaluating health services improvement and redesign initiatives.

Conversational pursuit of medication compliance in a Therapeutic Community for persons diagnosed with mental disorders*

PubMed Central

Mortari, Luigina

2014-01-01

Purpose In this article, we contribute to the debate on medication compliance by exploring the conversational “technologies” entailed in the process of promoting clients’ adherence to psychopharmacological prescriptions. Using a case study approach, we explore how medication-related problems are dealt with in conversational interaction between the staff members and the clients of a mental health Therapeutic Community (TC) in Italy. Method Four meetings between two staff members (Barbara and Massimo) and the clients of the TC were audio-recorded. The data were transcribed and analyzed using the method of Conversation Analysis. Results Barbara and Massimo recur to practices of topic articulation to promote talk that references the clients’ failure to take the medications. Through these practices they deal with the practical problem of mobilizing the clients’ cooperation in courses of action that fit into the institutional agenda of fostering medication adherence. Conclusions Barbara and Massimo’s conversational practices appear to reflect the assumption that medication-related problems can be reduced to compliance problems. This assumption works to make the clients accountable for their failure to take the medications while shaping a conversational environment that is unreceptive to their complaints about side effects. Implications for the understanding of mental health rehabilitation practice in TCs are discussed. Implications of RehabilitationTherapeutic community staff members should be aware of the challenges and blocks in communicating with their clients.Therapeutic communities can promote staff members’ awareness of communication challenges through reflective workshops in which they can jointly view and comment on interaction with their clients.Reflective workshops can be used to raise awareness of the presuppositions underlying therapeutic community staff members’ communication practices. PMID:24053481

Rapid Changes in American Family Life: Consequences for Child Health and Pediatric Practice

PubMed Central

Fiese, Barbara H.; Beardslee, William R.

2013-01-01

Pediatricians are in the unique position of being on the front line of care for children and having access to their families. This article presents both a rationale and the evidence base for identifying the family characteristics and processes that affect child health and suggests approaches that pediatricians can implement to improve the care of children, using data from 3 recent reports of the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, as well as other recent family research. Evidence regarding the impact on child health of 3 family factors in particular (family composition and living arrangements, family routines, and parental depression) is highlighted, and implications for pediatric practice are described. PMID:23918891

Ergonomic design for dental offices.

PubMed

Ahearn, David J; Sanders, Martha J; Turcotte, Claudia

2010-01-01

The increasing complexity of the dental office environment influences productivity and workflow for dental clinicians. Advances in technology, and with it the range of products needed to provide services, have led to sprawl in operatory setups and the potential for awkward postures for dental clinicians during the delivery of oral health services. Although ergonomics often addresses the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders for specific populations of workers, concepts of workflow and productivity are integral to improved practice in work environments. This article provides suggestions for improving workflow and productivity for dental clinicians. The article applies ergonomic principles to dental practice issues such as equipment and supply management, office design, and workflow management. Implications for improved ergonomic processes and future research are explored.

Building organizational supports for knowledge sharing in county human service organizations: a cross-case analysis of works-in-progress.

PubMed

Lee, Chris; Austin, Michael J

2012-01-01

Building on the literature related to evidence-based practice, knowledge management, and learning organizations, this cross-case analysis presents twelve works-in-progress in ten local public human service organizations seeking to develop their own knowledge sharing systems. The data for this cross-case analysis can be found in the various contributions to this Special Issue. The findings feature the developmental aspects of building a learning organization that include knowledge sharing systems featuring transparency, self-assessment, and dissemination and utilization. Implications for practice focus on the structure and processes involved in building knowledge sharing teams inside public human service organizations. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC

Rapid changes in American family life: consequences for child health and pediatric practice.

PubMed

Fiese, Barbara H; Rhodes, Holly G; Beardslee, William R

2013-09-01

Pediatricians are in the unique position of being on the front line of care for children and having access to their families. This article presents both a rationale and the evidence base for identifying the family characteristics and processes that affect child health and suggests approaches that pediatricians can implement to improve the care of children, using data from 3 recent reports of the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council, as well as other recent family research. Evidence regarding the impact on child health of 3 family factors in particular (family composition and living arrangements, family routines, and parental depression) is highlighted, and implications for pediatric practice are described.

Development of a Mixed Methods Investigation of Process and Outcomes of Community-Based Participatory Research.

PubMed

Lucero, Julie; Wallerstein, Nina; Duran, Bonnie; Alegria, Margarita; Greene-Moton, Ella; Israel, Barbara; Kastelic, Sarah; Magarati, Maya; Oetzel, John; Pearson, Cynthia; Schulz, Amy; Villegas, Malia; White Hat, Emily R

2018-01-01

This article describes a mixed methods study of community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership practices and the links between these practices and changes in health status and disparities outcomes. Directed by a CBPR conceptual model and grounded in indigenous-transformative theory, our nation-wide, cross-site study showcases the value of a mixed methods approach for better understanding the complexity of CBPR partnerships across diverse community and research contexts. The article then provides examples of how an iterative, integrated approach to our mixed methods analysis yielded enriched understandings of two key constructs of the model: trust and governance. Implications and lessons learned while using mixed methods to study CBPR are provided.

Testing two global models to prevent violence against women and children: methods and baseline data analysis of a seven-year prospective study.

PubMed

McFarlane, Judith; Nava, Angeles; Gilroy, Heidi; Paulson, Rene; Maddoux, John

2012-12-01

Worldwide, two models of care are offered most often to abused women-safe shelter and justice services. No evidence exists on the differential effectiveness of the models. To provide evidence for best practice and policy, 300 abused women, 150 first-time users of a shelter and 150 first time-applicants for a protection order, participated in a seven-year study. Safety, abuse, and the emotional and physical functioning of the women and their children were measured. The procedural logistics, sampling process, metrics, and baseline descriptors for these 300 women and 300 children is presented along with implications for practice and policy.

Implications of complex adaptive systems theory for the design of research on health care organizations

PubMed Central

McDaniel, Reuben R.; Lanham, Holly Jordan; Anderson, Ruth A.

2013-01-01

Background Because health care organizations (HCOs) are complex adaptive systems (CASs), phenomena of interest often are dynamic and unfold in unpredictable ways, and unfolding events are often unique. Researchers of HCOs may recognize that the subject of their research is dynamic; however, their research designs may not take this into account. Researchers may also know that unfolding events are often unique, but their design may not have the capacity to obtain information from meager evidence. Purpose These two concerns led us to examine two ideas from organizational theory: (a) the ideas of K. E. Weick (1993) on organizational design as a verb and (b) the ideas of J. G. March, L. S. Sproull, and M. Tamuz (1991) on learning from samples of one or fewer. In this article, we applied these ideas to develop an enriched perspective of research design for studying CASs. Methodology/Approach We conducted a theoretical analysis of organizations as CASs, identifying relevant characteristics for research designs. We then explored two ideas from organizational theory and discussed the implications for research designs. Findings Weick's idea of “design as a verb” helps in understanding dynamic and process-oriented research design. The idea of “learning from samples of one or fewer” of March, Sproull, and Tamuz provides strategies for research design that enables learning from meager evidence. When studying HCOs, research designs are likely to be more effective when they (a) anticipate change, (b) include tension, (c) capitalize on serendipity, and (d) use an “act-then-look” mind set. Implications for practice are discussed. Practice Implications Practitioners who understand HCOs as CASs will be cautious in accepting findings from studies that treat HCOs mechanistically. They will consider the characteristics of CAS when evaluating the evidence base for practice. Practitioners can use the strategies proposed in this article to stimulate discussion with researchers seeking to conduct research in their HCO. PMID:19322050

Effective Practices for Sexually Traumatized Girls: Implications for Counseling and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Underwood, Lee; Stewart, Sarah E.; Castellanos, Anita M.

2007-01-01

The sexual traumatization of female adolescents is becoming increasingly visible in the counseling field. This paper will outline the prevalence of sexual abuse on female adolescents with emphasis on effective practices used in the field. In addition, implications for counselors and counselor educators will be discussed. Multicultural…

Observations of a Working Class Family: Implications for Self-Regulated Learning Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vassallo, Stephen

2012-01-01

Guardians have been implicated in the development of children's academic self-regulation. In this case study, which involved naturalistic observations and interviews, the everyday practices of a working class family were considered in the context of self-regulated learning development. The family's practices, beliefs, dispositions and home…

Educational Psychologists' Constructions of Sexuality and the Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Chloe

2012-01-01

Despite an underlying inclusion agenda, sexuality equality remains a low priority in education. Review of literature suggests the marginalization of sexual minority young people (SMYP) in schools. This study explores educational psychologists' (EPs') constructions of sexuality and the implications for practice. Discursive psychology was used to…

Teaching and Learning Intuition: Some Implications for HRD and Coaching Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mavor, Penny; Sadler-Smith, Eugene; Gray, David E.

2010-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine conceptual and theoretical links between intuition and coaching; investigate accomplished coaches' practical experiences of intuition; identify skill set of an intuitive coach; discuss implications of findings for coaches', HRD professionals', and line managers' learning and development.…

Marketing in the Islamic Context.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hashmi, Mahmud S.

The implications of the Islamic religion and culture for marketing strategies and practices are discussed. An introductory section describes the Islamic population and its segments, and gives some historical background about the religion. A list of the principal tenets and practices of the Islamic faith, and the specific marketing implications of…

Interoception, contemplative practice, and health

PubMed Central

Farb, Norman; Daubenmier, Jennifer; Price, Cynthia J.; Gard, Tim; Kerr, Catherine; Dunn, Barnaby D.; Klein, Anne Carolyn; Paulus, Martin P.; Mehling, Wolf E.

2015-01-01

Interoception can be broadly defined as the sense of signals originating within the body. As such, interoception is critical for our sense of embodiment, motivation, and well-being. And yet, despite its importance, interoception remains poorly understood within modern science. This paper reviews interdisciplinary perspectives on interoception, with the goal of presenting a unified perspective from diverse fields such as neuroscience, clinical practice, and contemplative studies. It is hoped that this integrative effort will advance our understanding of how interoception determines well-being, and identify the central challenges to such understanding. To this end, we introduce an expanded taxonomy of interoceptive processes, arguing that many of these processes can be understood through an emerging predictive coding model for mind–body integration. The model, which describes the tension between expected and felt body sensation, parallels contemplative theories, and implicates interoception in a variety of affective and psychosomatic disorders. We conclude that maladaptive construal of bodily sensations may lie at the heart of many contemporary maladies, and that contemplative practices may attenuate these interpretative biases, restoring a person’s sense of presence and agency in the world. PMID:26106345

Incorporating organisational safety culture within ergonomics practice.

PubMed

Bentley, Tim; Tappin, David

2010-10-01

This paper conceptualises organisational safety culture and considers its relevance to ergonomics practice. Issues discussed in the paper include the modest contribution that ergonomists and ergonomics as a discipline have made to this burgeoning field of study and the significance of safety culture to a systems approach. The relevance of safety culture to ergonomics work with regard to the analysis, design, implementation and evaluation process, and implications for participatory ergonomics approaches, are also discussed. A potential user-friendly, qualitative approach to assessing safety culture as part of ergonomics work is presented, based on a recently published conceptual framework that recognises the dynamic and multi-dimensional nature of safety culture. The paper concludes by considering the use of such an approach, where an understanding of different aspects of safety culture within an organisation is seen as important to the success of ergonomics projects. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: The relevance of safety culture to ergonomics practice is a key focus of this paper, including its relationship with the systems approach, participatory ergonomics and the ergonomics analysis, design, implementation and evaluation process. An approach to assessing safety culture as part of ergonomics work is presented.

Project-based teaching in health informatics: a course on health care quality improvement.

PubMed

Moehr, J R; Berenji, G R; Green, C J; Kagolovsky, Y

2001-01-01

Teaching the skills and knowledge required in health informatics [1] is a challenge because the skill of applying knowledge in real life requires practice. We relate the experience with introducing a practice component to a course in "Health Care Quality Improvement". Working health care professionals were invited to bring an actual quality problem from their place of work and to work alongside students in running the problem through a quality improvement project lifecycle. Multiple technological and process oriented teaching innovations were employed including project sessions in observation rooms, video recording of these sessions, generation of demonstration examples and distance education components. Both students and their collaborators from the work place developed proficiency in applying quality improvement methods as well as in experiencing the realities of group processes, information gaps and organizational constraints. The principles used to achieve high involvement of the whole class, the employed resources and technical support are described. The resulting academic and practical achievements are discussed in relation to the alternative instructional modalities, and with respect to didactic implications for similar endeavors and beyond to other fields such as systems engineering.

Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Mitigation Strategies of Cognitive Deficits in Aging with HIV: Implications for Practice and Research

PubMed Central

Vance, David E.

2013-01-01

Highly active antiretroviral therapy has given the chance to those living with HIV to keep on living, allowing them the opportunity to age and perhaps age successfully. Yet, there are severe challenges to successful aging with HIV, one of which is cognitive deficits. Nearly half of those with HIV experience cognitive deficits that can interfere with everyday functioning, medical decision making, and quality of life. Given that cognitive deficits develop with more frequency and intensity with increasing age, concerns mount that as people age with HIV, they may experience more severe cognitive deficits. These concerns become especially germane given that by 2015, 50% of those with HIV will be 50 and older, and this older cohort of adults is expected to grow. As such, this paper focuses on the etiologies of such cognitive deficits within the context of cognitive reserve and neuroplasticity. From this, evidence-based and hypothetical prevention (i.e., cognitive prescriptions), rehabilitation (i.e., speed of processing training), and mitigation (i.e., spaced retrieval method) strategies are reviewed. Implications for nursing practice and research are posited. PMID:23431469

Evidence-based interventions in pediatric psychology: progress over the decades.

PubMed

Palermo, Tonya M

2014-09-01

This introduction to the special issue on Evidence-Based Interventions in Pediatric Psychology provides background on the process used to develop the special issue, a summary of the key findings from the series of reviews, and discussion of the implications for evidence-based practice. Authors followed a three-phase approach to develop their systematic reviews using rigorous systematic review methodology drawn heavily from the Cochrane Collaboration. The strength of the evidence for each pediatric psychology intervention was evaluated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. The introduction discusses the progress that has been made in the evidence base for pediatric psychology interventions since the first special series published in 1999. Recommendations to stimulate further research and expand and strengthen the quality of the evidence base are described. The introduction concludes with implications from the special issue for pediatric psychology training in evidence-based practice. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Elaborating on systems thinking in health promotion practice.

PubMed

Naaldenberg, Jenneken; Vaandrager, Lenneke; Koelen, Maria; Wagemakers, Anne-Marie; Saan, Hans; de Hoog, Kees

2009-03-01

Health and well-being are the result of a series of complex processes in which an individual interacts with other people and the environment. A systematic approach ensures incorporation of individual, ecological, social and political factors. However, interactions between these factors can be overlooked within a systematical approach. A systemic approach can provide additional information by incorporating interactions and communication. The opportunities of a systems thinking perspective for health promotion were investigated for this paper. Although others have also made attempts to explore systems thinking in the field of health promotion, the implications of systems thinking in practice need attention. Other fields such as agricultural extension studies, organizational studies and development studies provide useful experiences with the use of a systems thinking perspective in practice. Building on experiences from these fields, we give a theoretical background in which processes of social learning and innovation play an important role. From this background, we derive an overview of important concepts for the practical application of a systems thinking perspective. These concepts are the structure of the system, meanings attached to actions, and power relations between actors. To make these concepts more explicit and reduce the theoretical character of systems thinking, we use an illustration to elaborate on these concepts in practice. For this purpose, we describe a health promotion partnership in The Netherlands using the concepts structure, meaning and power relations. We show how a systems perspective increases insight in the functioning of a partnership and how this can facilitate processes of social learning and innovation. This article concludes by identifying future opportunities and challenges in adopting systems thinking for health promotion practice. A systems perspective towards health promotion can help projects reaching a more integral and sustainable approach in which the complex nature of health promotion processes is supported. Practical applications of systems thinking are necessary to adapt this perspective.

When all children comprehend: increasing the external validity of narrative comprehension development research

PubMed Central

Burris, Silas E.; Brown, Danielle D.

2014-01-01

Narratives, also called stories, can be found in conversations, children's play interactions, reading material, and television programs. From infancy to adulthood, narrative comprehension processes interpret events and inform our understanding of physical and social environments. These processes have been extensively studied to ascertain the multifaceted nature of narrative comprehension. From this research we know that three overlapping processes (i.e., knowledge integration, goal structure understanding, and causal inference generation) proposed by the constructionist paradigm are necessary for narrative comprehension, narrative comprehension has a predictive relationship with children's later reading performance, and comprehension processes are generalizable to other contexts. Much of the previous research has emphasized internal and predictive validity; thus, limiting the generalizability of previous findings. We are concerned these limitations may be excluding underrepresented populations from benefits and implications identified by early comprehension processes research. This review identifies gaps in extant literature regarding external validity and argues for increased emphasis on externally valid research. We highlight limited research on narrative comprehension processes in children from low-income and minority populations, and argue for changes in comprehension assessments. Specifically, we argue both on- and off-line assessments should be used across various narrative types (e.g., picture books, televised narratives) with traditionally underserved and underrepresented populations. We propose increasing the generalizability of narrative comprehension processes research can inform persistent reading achievement gaps, and have practical implications for how children learn from narratives. PMID:24659973

How participation in surgical mortality audit impacts surgical practice.

PubMed

Lui, Chi-Wai; Boyle, Frances M; Wysocki, Arkadiusz Peter; Baker, Peter; D'Souza, Alisha; Faint, Sonya; Rey-Conde, Therese; North, John B

2017-04-19

Surgical mortality audit is an important tool for quality assurance and professional development but little is known about the impact of such activity on professional practice at the individual surgeon level. This paper reports the findings of a survey conducted with a self-selected cohort of surgeons in Queensland, Australia, on their experience of participating in the audit and its impact on their professional practice, as well as implications for hospital systems. The study used a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. All surgeons registered in Queensland in 2015 (n = 919) were invited to complete an anonymous online questionnaire between September and October 2015. 184 surgeons completed and returned the questionnaire at a response rate of 20%. Thirty-nine percent of the participants reported that involvement in the audit process affected their clinical practice. This was particularly the case for surgeons whose participation included being an assessor. Thirteen percent of the participants had perceived improvement to hospital practices or advancement in patient care and safety as a result of audit recommendations. Analysis of the open-ended responses suggested the audit experience had led surgeons to become more cautious, reflective in action and with increased confidence in best practice, and recognise the importance of effective communication and clear documentation. This is the first study to examine the impact of participation in a mortality audit process on the professional practice of surgeons. The findings offer evidence for surgical mortality audit as an effective strategy for continuous professional development and for improving patient safety initiatives.

Comparing the Use of Evidence and Culture in Targeted Colorectal Cancer Communication for African Americans

PubMed Central

Thompson, Vetta L. Sanders; Kalesan, Bindu; Wells, Anjanette; Williams, Sha-Lai; Caito, Nicole M.

2010-01-01

Objective This study examined the effects (affective reactions, cognitive reactions and processing, perceived benefits and barriers and intent to screen) of targeted Peripheral + Evidential (PE) and Peripheral+Evidential+Socio-cultural (PE+SC) colorectal cancer communications. Methods This study was a two-arm randomized control study of cancer communication effects on affective, cognitive processing, and behavioral outcomes over a 22-week intervention. There were 771 African American participants, 45 to 75 years, participating in the baseline survey related to CRC screening. Three follow-up interviews that assessed intervention effects on affective response to the publications, cognitive processing, and intent to obtain CRC screening were completed. Results There were no statistically significant differences between PE and PE+SC intervention groups for affect, cognitive processing or intent to screen. However, there were significant interactions effects on outcome variables. Conclusions The advantages and disadvantages of PE+SC targeted cancer communications and implications of sex differences are considered. Practice Implications While there do not appear to be significant differences in behavioral outcomes when using PE and PE+SC strategies, there appear to be subtle differences in affective and cognitive processing outcomes related to medical suspicion and ethnic identity, particularly as it relates to gender. PMID:20702056

When health care workers experience mental ill health: institutional practices of silence.

PubMed

Moll, Sandra; Eakin, Joan M; Franche, Renée-Louise; Strike, Carol

2013-02-01

Based on findings from an institutional ethnography in a large mental health organization, we explore how institutional forces shape the experiences of health care workers with mental health issues. We interviewed 20 employees about their personal experiences with mental health issues and work and 12 workplace stakeholders about their interactions with workers who had mental health issues. We also reviewed organizational texts related to health, illness, and productivity. In analyzing transcripts and texts, silence emerged as a core underlying process characterizing individual and organizational responses to employees with mental health issues. Silence was an active practice that took many forms; it was pervasive, complex, and at times, paradoxical. It served many functions for workers and the organization. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of the findings for workers with mental health issues.

Evidence-based clinical policy: case report of a reproducible process to encourage understanding and evaluation of evidence.

PubMed

Rikard-Bell, G; Waters, E; Ward, J

2006-07-01

We report within a case study a reproducible process to facilitate the explicit incorporation of evidence by a multidisciplinary group into clinical policy development. To support the decision-making of a multidisciplinary Intersectoral Advisory Group (IAG) convened by the Royal Australasian College of Physicians Health Policy Unit, a systematic review of randomized controlled trials about environmental tobacco smoke and smoking cessation interventions in paediatric settings was first undertaken. As reported in detail here, IAG members were then formally engaged in a transparent and replicable process to understand and interpret the synthesized evidence and to proffer their independent reactions regarding policy, practice and research. Our intention was to ensure that all IAG members were democratically engaged and made aware of the available evidence. As clinical policy must engage stakeholder representatives from diverse backgrounds, a process to equalize understanding of the evidence and 'democratize' judgment about its implications is needed. Future research must then examine the benefits of such explicit steps when guidelines, in turn, are implemented. We hypothesize that changes to future practice will be more likely if processes undertaken to develop guidelines are transparent to clinicians and other target groups.

Forensic community mental health nurses' perceptions of statutory community aftercare: implications for practice.

PubMed

Riordan, Sharon; Wix, Stuart; Humphreys, Martin

2005-01-01

The key role played by forensic community mental health nurses in statutory community aftercare for mentally disordered offenders in England and Wales has been successful. The nurses often have the most contact with this patient population, yet paradoxically, have not been asked to express their views about the process. The pivotal role undertaken by this professional group appears to be fundamental to the success of statutory aftercare for this patient group.

Why Psychology Cannot be an Empirical Science.

PubMed

Smedslund, Jan

2016-06-01

The current empirical paradigm for psychological research is criticized because it ignores the irreversibility of psychological processes, the infinite number of influential factors, the pseudo-empirical nature of many hypotheses, and the methodological implications of social interactivity. An additional point is that the differences and correlations usually found are much too small to be useful in psychological practice and in daily life. Together, these criticisms imply that an objective, accumulative, empirical and theoretical science of psychology is an impossible project.

Evaluation of NASA-sponsored research on capital investment decision making in the civil aviation industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Donovan, D. J.

1977-01-01

Significant findings of three studies undertaken to provide the NASA Aircraft Energy Efficiency (ACEE) Office with information regarding how aircraft manufacturers and commercial airlines make investment decisions concerning the acquisition of new and derivative technology are analyzed and their general implications explored. Topics discussed include: the market for airline aircraft, factors affecting the corporate decision making process of air transport manufacturers, and flight equipment purchasing practices of representative air carriers.

Improving client and nurse satisfaction through the utilization of bedside report.

PubMed

Vines, Mary M; Dupler, Alice E; Van Son, Catherine R; Guido, Ginny W

2014-01-01

Bedside reporting improves client safety and trust and facilitates nursing teamwork and accountability; however, many nurses do not consider it best practice when caring for their clients. A literature review was conducted to determine whether bedside report is an essential shift handover process that promotes both client and nursing satisfaction. Implications for nurses in professional development are discussed, and strategies for developing and implementing bedside report using Lewin's theory of planned change are provided.

The experience of adoptive parents in adoption reunion relationships: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Petta, Gabrielle A; Steed, Lyndall G

2005-04-01

The issues experienced by adoptive parents when faced with an adult child's searching or reunion relationship with his or her birth family, how adoptive parents place themselves within this process, and the factors that influence their experience at this time were explored in a qualitative study of 21 adoptive parents. Themes derived from semistructured interviews are discussed, and implications for clinical practice and future research are suggested. Copyright (c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved.

[What did bachelard mean by "applied rationalism" ?].

PubMed

Tiles, Mary

2013-01-01

Bachelard was concerned with the processes whereby scientific knowledge is acquired, including the activity of knowing subjects. He did not equate reasoning with logic but rather argued that reasoning resulted from the use of mathematics in organizing both thought and experimental practices, which is why he conceived science as applied mathematics. This had material and technical implications, for Bachelard was concerned with the element of reason inherent in technical materialism as well as the concrete reality inherent in applied rationalism.

Software Engineering Laboratory Ada performance study: Results and implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Booth, Eric W.; Stark, Michael E.

1992-01-01

The SEL is an organization sponsored by NASA/GSFC to investigate the effectiveness of software engineering technologies applied to the development of applications software. The SEL was created in 1977 and has three organizational members: NASA/GSFC, Systems Development Branch; The University of Maryland, Computer Sciences Department; and Computer Sciences Corporation, Systems Development Operation. The goals of the SEL are as follows: (1) to understand the software development process in the GSFC environments; (2) to measure the effect of various methodologies, tools, and models on this process; and (3) to identify and then to apply successful development practices. The activities, findings, and recommendations of the SEL are recorded in the Software Engineering Laboratory Series, a continuing series of reports that include the Ada Performance Study Report. This paper describes the background of Ada in the Flight Dynamics Division (FDD), the objectives and scope of the Ada Performance Study, the measurement approach used, the performance tests performed, the major test results, and the implications for future FDD Ada development efforts.

Between self-clarity and recovery in schizophrenia: reducing the self-stigma and finding meaning.

PubMed

Hasson-Ohayon, Ilanit; Mashiach-Eizenberg, Michal; Elhasid, Noa; Yanos, Philip T; Lysaker, Paul H; Roe, David

2014-04-01

Although there are extensive theoretical reviews regarding the self-experience among persons with schizophrenia, there is limited research that addresses the implications of self-clarity on the recovery of persons with schizophrenia while exploring the role of possible mediators within this process. Accordingly, the current study explored the relationship between self-clarity and recovery while examining the possible mediating role of self-stigma and sense of meaning in life. 80 persons with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were administered four scales: self-concept clarity, self-stigma, meaning in life, and recovery. Results confirmed the hypothesized model in which self-clarity affects self-stigma, self-stigma affects meaning in life, and meaning in life affects recovery. No direct relationship was uncovered between self-clarity and recovery. Implications of the current study for future research and clinical practice are discussed with the emphasis on the importance of the self-experience with regard to the process of recovery. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monological versus dialogical consciousness: two epistemological views on the use of theory in clinical ethical practice.

PubMed

Ohnsorge, Kathrin; Widdershoven, Guy

2011-09-01

In this article, we argue that a critical examination of epistemological and anthropological presuppositions might lead to a more fruitful use of theory in clinical-ethical practice. We differentiate between two views of conceptualizing ethics, referring to Charles Taylors' two epistemological models: 'monological' versus 'dialogical consciousness'. We show that the conception of ethics in the model of 'dialogical consciousness' is radically different from the classical understanding of ethics in the model of 'monological consciousness'. To reach accountable moral judgments, ethics cannot be conceptualized as an individual enterprise, but has to be seen as a practical endeavor embedded in social interactions within which moral understandings are being negotiated. This view has specific implications for the nature and the role of ethical theory. Theory is not created in the individual mind of the ethicist; the use of theory is part of a joint learning process and embedded in a cultural context and social history. Theory is based upon practice, and serves practical purposes. Thus, clinical ethics support is both practical and theoretical. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Secondary Science Teachers' and Students' Involvement in a Primary School Community of Science Practice: How It Changed Their Practices and Interest in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forbes, Anne; Skamp, Keith

2016-02-01

MyScience is a primary science education initiative in which being in a community of practice is integral to the learning process. In this initiative, stakeholder groups—primary teachers, primary students and mentors—interact around the `domain' of `investigating scientifically'. This paper builds on three earlier publications and interprets the findings of the views of four secondary science teachers and five year 9 secondary science students who were first-timer participants—as mentors—in MyScience. Perceptions of these mentors' interactions with primary students were analysed using attributes associated with both `communities of practice' and the `nature of science'. Findings reveal that participation in MyScience changed secondary science teachers' views and practices about how to approach the teaching of science in secondary school and fostered primary-secondary links. Year 9 students positively changed their views about secondary school science and confidence in science through participation as mentors. Implications for secondary science teaching and learning through participation in primary school community of science practice settings are discussed.

Survey process quality: a question of healthcare manager approach.

PubMed

Nilsson, Petra; Blomqvist, Kerstin

2017-08-14

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how healthcare first-line managers think about and act regarding workplace survey processes. Design/methodology/approach This interview study was performed at a hospital in south Sweden. First-line healthcare managers ( n=24) volunteered. The analysis was inspired by phenomenography, which aims to describe the ways in which different people experience a phenomenon. The phenomenon was a workplace health promotion (WHP) survey processes. Findings Four main WHP survey process approaches were identified among the managers: as a possibility, as a competition, as a work task among others and as an imposition. For each, three common subcategories emerged; how managers: stated challenges and support from hospital management; described their own work group and collaboration with other managers; and expressed themselves and their situation in their roles as first-line managers. Practical implications Insights into how hospital management can understand their first-line managers' motivation for survey processes and practical suggestions and how managers can work proactively at organizational, group and individual level are presented. Originality/value Usually these studies focus on those who should respond to a survey; not those who should run the survey process. Focusing on managers and not co-workers can lead to more committed and empowered managers and thereby success in survey processes.

Collaborating with community-based services to promote evidence-based practice: Process description of a national initiative to improve services for youth with mental health and substance use problems.

PubMed

Henderson, Joanna L; Chaim, Gloria; Brownlie, E B

2017-08-01

Many youth with significant mental health (MH) and/or substance use (SU) difficulties do not receive specialized services. Collaboration between service providers, researchers, and other stakeholders is essential to improve youth service system capacity to provide evidence-based services to meet the complex array of needs of youth. Facilitators and barriers of implementing evidence-based practice have been identified, but few studies provide examples of the processes of collaboration and implementation for youth MH services. This study explicates the design features and implementation processes of a project to improve screening activities in youth services. These processes supported the building of 16 collaborative networks of service providers from diverse youth-serving sectors (e.g., MH, youth justice, child welfare) in urban, rural, suburban, and remote Canadian communities. These cross-sectoral networks implemented an evidence-based practice (screening youth aged 12-24 years for MH and SU problems using the Global Assessment of Individual Needs-Short Screener [GAIN-SS]) across their services. Materials and resources were provided by a centralized research team. Core project components were standardized and adherence to these components was monitored. Over 800 service providers participated in cross-sectoral networks, capacity-building events, joint data analysis, or interpretation and recommendation sessions. Across the 89 participating agencies, service providers for 84% of participating youth implemented the evidence-based practice accurately in accordance with project protocols, with 98% of positive screens reviewed and addressed according to organizational protocols. Service provider feedback is reported. Facilitators, barriers, and implications of promoting implementation of evidence-based practices across sites and sectors are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Improving care transitions through meaningful use stage 2: continuity of care document.

PubMed

Murphy, Lyn Stankiewicz; Wilson, Marisa L; Newhouse, Robin P

2013-02-01

In this department, Drs Murphy, Wilson, and Newhouse highlight hot topics in nursing outcomes, research, and evidence-based practice relevant to the nurse administrator. The goal is to discuss the practical implications for nurse leaders in diverse healthcare settings. Content includes evidence-based projects and decision making, locating measurement tools for quality improvement and safety projects, using outcome measures to evaluate quality, practice implications of administrative research, and exemplars of projects that demon strate innovative approaches to organizational problems. In this article, the authors describe the elements of continuity of care documentation, how sharing information can improve the quality and safety of care transitions and the implications for nurse executives.

Medical humanities and their discontents: definitions, critiques, and implications.

PubMed

Shapiro, Johanna; Coulehan, Jack; Wear, Delese; Montello, Martha

2009-02-01

The humanities offer great potential for enhancing professional and humanistic development in medical education. Yet, although many students report benefit from exposure to the humanities in their medical education, they also offer consistent complaints and skepticism. The authors offer a pedagogical definition of the medical humanities, linking it to medicine as a practice profession. They then explore three student critiques of medical humanities curricula: (1) the content critique, examining issues of perceived relevance and intellectual bait-and-switch, (2) the teaching critique, which examines instructor trustworthiness and perceived personal intrusiveness, and (3) the structural/placement critique, or how and when medical humanities appear in the curriculum. Next, ways are suggested to tailor medical humanities to better acknowledge and reframe the needs of medical students. These include ongoing cross-disciplinary reflective practices in which intellectual tools of the humanities are incorporated into educational activities to help students examine and, at times, contest the process, values, and goals of medical practice. This systematic, pervasive reflection will organically lead to meaningful contributions from the medical humanities in three specific areas of great interest to medical educators: professionalism, "narrativity," and educational competencies. Regarding pedagogy, the implications of this approach are an integrated required curriculum and innovative concepts such as "applied humanities scholars." In turn, systematic integration of humanities perspectives and ways of thinking into clinical training will usefully expand the range of metaphors and narratives available to reflect on medical practice and offer possibilities for deepening and strengthening professional education.

Improving Process Evaluations of Health Behavior Interventions: Learning From the Social Sciences.

PubMed

Morgan-Trimmer, Sarah

2015-09-01

This article reflects on the current state of process evaluations of health behavior interventions and argues that evaluation practice in this area could be improved by drawing on the social science literature to a greater degree. While process evaluations of health behavior interventions have increasingly engaged with the social world and sociological aspects of interventions, there has been a lag in applying relevant and potentially useful approaches from the social sciences. This has limited the scope for health behavior process evaluations to address pertinent contextual issues and methodological challenges. Three aspects of process evaluations are discussed: the incorporation of contexts of interventions; engagement with the concept of "process" in process evaluation; and working with theory to understand interventions. Following on from this, the article also comments on the need for new methodologies and on the implications for addressing health inequalities. © The Author(s) 2013.

Understanding Homophobic Behavior and Its Implications for Policy and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Poteat, V. Paul; Russell, Stephen T.

2013-01-01

In this article, we consider recent advances in scholarship on homophobic bullying, and implications for policy and practice. We first consider toward whom homophobic behavior is directed, drawing attention to the nuances among LGBT youth, and the realities of homophobic bullying for heterosexual or straight youth. We review the correlates or…

Awareness of the Social Implications of Clothing in Relation to Fashion Awareness and Clothing Economic Practices.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horridge, Patricia; Richards, Mary Lynne

1986-01-01

The Sproles Consumer Interests and Priorities questionnaire was administered to 3,036 home economists. Awareness of social implications of clothing, correlated positively with fashion awareness and clothing economic practices. Results suggest that persons exhibiting substantial awareness of social importance of clothing also tend to evidence…

Understanding Parental Grief as a Response to Mental Illness: Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penzo, Jeanine A.; Harvey, Pat

2008-01-01

Parents who are raising children with mental illness struggle with feelings of grief and loss. Kubler-Ross' (1969) stages of grieving (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) are examined as experienced by parents raising children with chronic mental illness. Practice implications for social workers who are working with children and…

Child Abuse and Neglect in Cambodian Refugee Families: Characteristics and Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Janet; Rhee, Siyon; Berthold, S. Megan

2008-01-01

This study examines the characteristics and patterns of child maltreatment among Cambodian refugee families in Los Angeles and assesses the implications for child welfare practice with Cambodian refugee families. Data were extracted from 243 active Cambodian case files maintained by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services…

Family Violence and Migrant Women: Implications for Practice. Migrant Clinicians Network Clinical Supplement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rodriguez, Rachel; And Others

1993-01-01

This newsletter supplement is devoted to the theme of domestic violence affecting migrant women. It contains four articles describing programs providing violence prevention education to migrant women and children. "Family Violence and Migrant Women: Implications for Practice" (Rachel Rodriguez) discusses the social isolation of migrant women;…

Attachment Theory and Religiosity: A Summary of Empirical Research with Implications for Counseling Christian Clients

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reinert, Duane F.; Edwards, Carla E.; Hendrix, Rebecca R.

2009-01-01

The authors summarize the growing body of empirical research literature in the area of psychology of religion that has been guided by attachment theory and indicate implications for counseling, including practical suggestions for case conceptualization, possible spiritual interventions, and ethical guidelines for practice. Attachment theory…

Addressing Cross-Cultural Teamwork Barriers: Implications for Industry Practice and Higher Education Curricula

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levitt, Steven R.

2016-01-01

This study explores cultural factors affecting international team dynamics and the implications for industry practice and higher education. Despite decades of studying and experience with cultural diversity, international work groups continue to be challenged by ethnocentrism and prejudices. Central to the context is that cultural differences in…

Capitalism's New Handmaiden: The Biotechnical World Negotiated through Children's Fiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sawers, Naarah

2009-01-01

In an era when the merger between capitalism and science becomes an accepted norm, new questions need to be asked about the ethical implications of scientific practices. One such practice is organ transplantation. However, potent debates surround the just distribution and ethical implications of organ transplantation. This paper examines the ways…

Position Statement on Motivations, Methodologies, and Practical Implications of Educational Neuroscience Research: fMRI Studies of the Neural Correlates of Creative Intelligence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geake, John

2011-01-01

In this position statement it is argued that educational neuroscience must necessarily be relevant to, and therefore have implications for, both educational theory and practice. Consequently, educational neuroscientific research necessarily must embrace educational research questions in its remit.

Guattari's Ecosophy and Implications for Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenhalgh-Spencer, Heather

2014-01-01

Guattari's ecosophy has implications for many types of pedagogy practiced in the school. While Guattari never explicitly advocated the educational use of ecosophy, I explore in this article how it can be used as a lens to "read" pedagogy in nuanced ways, highlighting oppressive premises and practices. I first discuss Guattari's…

Soviet Psycho-educational Research on Learning Disabilities: Implications for American Research and Practice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wozniak, Robert H.

The implications of Soviet psychoeducational research on learning disabilities (LD) and its relevance to American research and practice are discussed. The first section provides an overview of the general perspective of Soviet special education, with particular reference to LD and its relationship to Soviet psychology and philosophy. The second…

"Further Education, Future Prosperity? The Implications of Marketisation on Further Education Working Practices"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Illsley, Rachael; Waller, Richard

2017-01-01

This paper examines how the marketised funding system of vocational further education is affecting lecturers' working practices and professional integrity. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a number of lecturing staff and managers within two vocational areas at an English FE college to examine the implications of working under the…

Implications of the concept of minimal risk in research on informed choice in clinical practice

PubMed Central

Wada, Kyoko; Nisker, Jeff

2015-01-01

The concept of a minimal risk threshold in research, beneath which exception to informed consent and ethics review processes may occur, has been codified for over 30 years in many national research regulations and by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences. Although minimal risk in research constitutes one of the criteria for allowing waiver of informed consent or modification to the consent process and a large body of literature exists, discussion of a minimal risk threshold in clinical practice has not occurred. One reason for lack of discussion may be that implicit consent is accepted for a wide range of routine clinical practices. Extending the role of minimal risk in research to clinical practice might assist clinicians in identifying circumstances for which implicit consent is indeed sufficient and circumstances in which it is not. Further, concepts from minimal risk in research might assist clinicians regarding when information provision in health promotion is required. We begin by reviewing concepts in both minimal risk in research and informed choice in clinical practice. We then explore how a clinical minimal risk concept may clarify recommendations for information provision in clinical practice and support the patient's informed choice regarding therapeutic and diagnostic procedures and also health promotion. Given that clinical practice involves a broad scope of health information, professional practice guidelines on information provision based on the application of the minimal risk threshold in research could be developed to guide clinicians in what information must be provided to their patients. PMID:26108215

Perceptions of Occupational Therapists on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Five Years After Its Enactment.

PubMed

Yuen, Hon K; Spicher, Hillary S; Semon, Madelyn R; Winwood, Leah M; Dudgeon, Brian J

2017-01-01

This study explored the perceptions of occupational therapists regarding the impact and implications of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA or ACA) on occupational therapy practice. Fifteen occupational therapists participated in an interview to answer open-ended questions related to their thoughts and perceptions regarding the impact and implications of the ACA on their practice. The participants were practicing in eight different states and worked in five different settings with clinical experience ranging from 3 to 38 years; their positions ranged from staff therapist to owner of a free-standing outpatient clinic. Qualitative content analysis was used to synthesize the interview transcripts. Results showed that therapists did not have sufficient knowledge on the various mandates and provisions of the ACA, or were uncertain about what implications the ACA would have on practice, with the ACA affecting some settings more than others. Data revealed the perceived impacts of the ACA on occupational therapy practice include greater attention on documenting outcome-focused care, external accountability pressures on productivity, conscientiousness about clients' insurance coverage, uncertainty about collaborative care delivery, and survival of small businesses. Findings suggest training regarding knowledge about and implications of different elements of the ACA is needed as well as practices needing to promote the services that occupational therapists can provide to improve cost-effectiveness and outcomes in collaborative care environments.

Exploring gender and culture with Khmer refugee women: reflections on participatory feminist research.

PubMed

Thompson, J L

1991-03-01

This article discusses the process and findings from a study based on the paradigm of feminist participatory research. The research is first discussed in relation to contemporary feminist scholarship. The project combined elements of community health nursing practice and feminist research in a support group with Khmer refugee women. The research explored psychosocial adjustment and the construction of gender among Khmer women. Methods of data collection included life history and trauma history interviews, discussion of dream narratives and Cambodian myths, and participant observation. Findings included four recurring themes identified in the women's stories. The research process is discussed in terms of its implications for nursing praxis.

End of Life in a Haitian American, Faith-Based Community: Caring for Family and Communal Unity.

PubMed

Ladd, Susan Charlotte; Gordon, Shirley C

This article presents two models resulting from a grounded theory study of the end-of-life decision-making process for Haitian Americans. Successful access to this vulnerable population was achieved through the faith-based community. The first model describes this faith-based community of Haitian Americans. The second model describes the process used by families in this community who must make end-of-life healthcare decisions. Implications for nursing practice and caring science include a need to improve the congruence between the nursing care provided at this vulnerable time and the cultural values of a population.

How do United Kingdom (UK) medical schools identify and support undergraduate medical students who ‘fail’ communication assessments? A national survey

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The doctor’s ability to communicate effectively (with patients, relatives, advocates and healthcare colleagues) relates directly to health outcomes, and so is core to clinical practice. The remediation of medical students’ clinical communication ability is rarely addressed in medical education literature. There is nothing in the current literature reporting a contemporary national picture of how communication difficulties are managed, and the level of consequence (progression implications) for students of performing poorly. This survey aimed to consolidate practices for identifying and processes for managing students who ‘fail’ communication assessments across all UK medical schools. Methods Data were collected via an email survey to all leads for clinical communication in all UK Medical Schools for the UK Council for Clinical Communication in Undergraduate Medical Education. Results All but two participating Schools reported some means of support and/or remediation in communication. There was diversity of approach, and variance in the level of systemisation adopted. Variables such as individuality of curricula, resourcing issues, student cohort size and methodological preferences were implicated as explaining diversity. Support is relatively ad hoc, and often in the hands of a particular dedicated individual or team with an interest in communication delivery with few Schools reporting robust, centralised, school level processes. Conclusions This survey has demonstrated that few Medical Schools have no identifiable system of managing their students’ clinical communication difficulties. However, some Schools reported ad hoc approaches and only a small number had a centralised programme. There is scope for discussion and benchmarking of best practice across all Schools with allocation of appropriate resources to support this. PMID:23834990

Urological cancer care pathways: development and use in the context of systematic reviews and clinical practice guidelines.

PubMed

Maclennan, Sara Jane; Maclennan, Steven J; Imamura, Mari; Omar, Muhammad Imran; Vale, Luke; Lam, Thomas; Royle, Pamela; Royle, Justine; Swami, Satchi; Pickard, Rob; McClinton, Sam; Griffiths, T R Leyshon; Dahm, Philipp; N'dow, James

2011-06-01

Making healthcare treatment decisions is a complex process involving a broad stakeholder base including patients, their families, health professionals, clinical practice guideline developers and funders of healthcare. This paper presents a review of a methodology for the development of urological cancer care pathways (UCAN care pathways), which reflects an appreciation of this broad stakeholder base. The methods section includes an overview of the steps in the development of the UCAN care pathways and engagement with clinical content experts and patient groups. The development process is outlined, the uses of the urological cancer care pathways discussed and the implications for clinical practice highlighted. The full set of UCAN care pathways is published in this paper. These include care pathways on localised prostate cancer, locally advanced prostate cancer, metastatic prostate cancer, hormone-resistant prostate cancer, localised renal cell cancer, advanced renal cell cancer, testicular cancer, penile cancer, muscle invasive and metastatic bladder cancer and non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. The process provides a useful framework for improving urological cancer care through evidence synthesis, research prioritisation, stakeholder involvement and international collaboration. Although the focus of this work is urological cancers, the methodology can be applied to all aspects of urology and is transferable to other clinical specialties.

Practice nurse appraisal: evaluation report.

PubMed

Murie, Jill; Wilson, Anne; Cerinus, Marie

2009-07-01

As general practice nurses (GPNs) now perform many activities formerly undertaken by general practitioners (GPs), the paperwork and process of the Scottish GP appraisal scheme may be usefully replicated for GPN appraisal. Eight GPNs adapted paperwork. Ten GP appraisers in NHS Lanarkshire were invited to interview their GPN(s) using the adapted paperwork. Both groups evaluated the project from 'descriptive' (participation and process) and 'reflective' or qualitative perspectives. Eight GPs appraised 11 GPNs using a ten-page document. GPNs reported that the documentation was helpful in preparing for and participating in the interview, as well as the planning of future objectives and development. GPs reported that the appraisal interview incorporated GPNs' views, the content was relevant, and their approach nonjudgemental and developmental. Some expressed concern that their participation had not helped them identify ways of addressing GPN learning needs. There was clear indication from GPNs that trained colleagues rather than GP employers are preferred appraisers. Improvements in the paperwork would be required. There is potential to replicate the paperwork and processes used in GP appraisal to GPNs, subject to refinement of the paperwork and engagement of trained nurse colleagues in the process. This may reduce the effect of collusion, inhibition or conflict of interest. However, GPN personal development still must be reconciled with practice priorities and development. The results of this pilot indicate a positive response in terms of participation and process. Further research should examine GPN appraisal using an external nurse appraiser, training issues and resource implications.

Microanalytic Assessment of Self-Regulated Learning During Clinical Reasoning Tasks: Recent Developments and Next Steps.

PubMed

Cleary, Timothy J; Durning, Steven J; Artino, Anthony R

2016-11-01

Helping medical educators obtain and use assessment data to assist medical students, residents, and physicians in reducing diagnostic errors and other forms of ineffective clinical practice is of critical importance. Self-Regulated Learning-Microanalytic Assessment and Training is an assessment-to-intervention framework designed to address this need by generating data about trainees' strategic processes (e.g., focusing on clinical task procedures), regulatory processes (e.g., planning how to do a task), and motivational processes (e.g., increasing confidence for performing a task) as they perform clinical activities. In this article, the authors review several studies that have used an innovative assessment approach, called self-regulated learning (SRL) microanalysis, to generate data about how trainees regulate their thinking and actions during clinical reasoning tasks. Across the studies, initial findings revealed that medical students often do not exhibit strategic thinking and action during clinical reasoning practice tasks even though some regulatory processes (e.g., planning) are predictive of important medical education outcomes. Further, trainees' motivation beliefs, strategic thinking, and self-evaluative judgments tend to shift rapidly during clinical skills practice and may also vary across different parts of a patient encounter. Collectively, these findings underscore the value of dynamically assessing trainees' SRL as they complete clinical tasks. The findings also set the stage for exploring how medical educators can best use SRL microanalytic assessment data to guide remedial practices and the provision of feedback to trainees. Implications and future research directions for connecting assessments to intervention in medical education are discussed.

Examining Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Practice as a lifelong learning process: opportunities and challenges to the nuclear medicine professional and beyond.

PubMed

Pascual, Thomas N B

2016-08-01

This essay will explore the critical issues and challenges surrounding lifelong learning for professionals, initially exploring within the profession and organizational context of nuclear medicine practice. It will critically examine how the peer-review process called Quality Management Audits in Nuclear Medicine Practice (QUANUM) of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can be considered a lifelong learning opportunity to instill a culture of quality to improve patient care and elevate the status of the nuclear medicine profession and practice within the demands of social changes, policy, and globalization. This will be explored initially by providing contextual background to the identity of the IAEA as an organization responsible for nuclear medicine professionals, followed by the benefits that QUANUM can offer. Further key debates surrounding lifelong learning, such as compulsification of lifelong learning and impact on professional change, will then be weaved through the discussion using theoretical grounding through a qualitative review of the literature. Keeping in mind that there is very limited literature focusing on the implications of QUANUM as a lifelong learning process for nuclear medicine professionals, this essay uses select narratives and observations of QUANUM as a lifelong learning process from an auditor's perspective and will further provide a comparative perspective of QUANUM on the basis of other lifelong learning opportunities such as continuing professional development activities and observe parallelisms on its benefits and challenges that it will offer to other professionals in other medical speciality fields and in the teaching profession.

Integrating virtual reality video games into practice: clinicians' experiences.

PubMed

Levac, Danielle E; Miller, Patricia A

2013-10-01

The Nintendo Wii is a popular virtual reality (VR) video gaming system in rehabilitation practice and research. As evidence emerges related to its effectiveness as a physical therapy training method, clinicians require information about the pragmatics of its use in practice. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study is to explore observations and insights from a sample of physical therapists (PTs) working with children with acquired brain injury regarding practical implications of using the Wii as a physical therapy intervention. Six PTs employed at a children's rehabilitation center participated in semi-structured interviews, which were transcribed and analyzed using content analysis. Two themes summarize the practical implications of Wii use: 1) technology meets clinical practice; and 2) onus is on the therapist. Therapists described both beneficial and challenging implications arising from the intersection of technology and practice, and reported the personal commitment required to orient oneself to the gaming system and capably implement this intervention. Findings include issues that may be relevant to professional development in a broader rehabilitation context, including suggestions for the content of educational initiatives and the need for institutional support from managers in the form of physical resources for VR implementation.

The Role of Occupational Identification During Post-Merger Integration

PubMed Central

Kroon, David P.; Noorderhaven, Niels G.

2016-01-01

Integration processes after mergers are fraught with difficulties, and constitute a main cause of merger failure. This study focuses on the human aspect of post-merger integration, and in particular, on the role of occupational identification. We theorize and empirically demonstrate by means of a survey design that employees’ identification with their occupation is positively related to their willingness to cooperate in the post-merger integration process, over and above the effect of organization members’ organizational identification. This positive effect of occupational identification is stronger for uniformed personnel but attenuates in the course of the integration process. Qualitative interviews further explore and interpret the results from our statistical analysis. Together, these findings have important practical implications and suggest future research directions. PMID:29568214

Perspectives of Taiwanese pastoral counselors on the use of scripture and prayer in the counseling process.

PubMed

Der Pan, Peter Jen; Deng, Liang-Yu F; Tsai, Shiou Ling; Yuan, S S Jenny

2015-04-01

Interviews were carried out with 10 Christian pastoral counselors to explore their perspectives on the use of Scripture and prayer in the counseling process. Grounded Theory was utilized. Five main categories including a theological framework of pastoral counseling, counselors' considerations of using Scripture and prayer, preparation for Christian spiritual intervention, implications of spiritual resources, and ethical issues in the pastoral counseling process were generated. The results suggest the theological framework of pastoral counseling is crucial to the use of Scripture and prayer, and the issue of a neutral response should first be clarified for clients. Basic guidelines for ethically using Scripture and prayer for working with Christian clients are proposed for further pastoral counselor training, practice, and research.

Safe meat-handling knowledge, attitudes and practices of private and government meat processing plants' workers: implications for future policy.

PubMed

Adesokan, H K; Raji, A O Q

2014-03-01

Food-borne disease outbreaks remain a major global health challenge and cross-contamination from raw meat due to poor handling is a major cause in developing countries. Adequate knowledge of meat handlers is important in limiting these outbreaks. This study evaluated and compared the safe meat-handling knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of private (PMPP) and government meat processing plants' (GMPP) workers in south-western Nigeria. This cross sectional study comprised 190 meat handlers (PMPP = 55; GMPP = 135). Data concerning their safe meat-handling knowledge, attitudes and practices as well as their socio-demographic characteristics, such as age, gender and work experience were collected. A significant association was observed between the type of meat processing plants and their knowledge (p = 0.000), attitudes (p = 0.000) and practices (p = 0.000) of safe meat-handling. Meat handlers in the GMPP were respectively, about 17 times (OR = 0.060, 95% CI: 0.018-0.203), 57 times (OR = 0.019, 95% CI: 0.007-0.054) and 111 times (OR = 0.009, 95% CI: 0.001- 0.067) less likely to obtain good knowledge, attitude and practice level of safe meat-handling than those from PMPP. Further, KAP levels were significantly associated with age group, education and work experience (p < 0.05). Study findings suggest the need for future policy in food industry in developing countries to accommodate increased involvement of private sector for improved food safety and quality delivery. Public health education on safe food handling and hygiene should be on the front burner among food handlers in general.

A critical review of the implication of nanotechnology in modern dental practice

PubMed Central

Verma, Sanjeev Kumar; Prabhat, K. C.; Goyal, Lata; Rani, Manita; Jain, Amit

2010-01-01

Curiosity has its own reason for existing. For thousands of years, mankind has been harnessing its curiosity into inquiry and the process of scientific methodology. If we consider technology as an engine, then science is its fuel. Science of miniaturization (nanotechnology) is manipulating matter at nanometer level and the application of the same to medicine is called nanomedicine. Nanotechnology holds promise for advanced diagnostics, targeted drug delivery, and biosensors. When we gain access to hold the nanorobots, we will be able to treat very rapidly a number of diseases that are a continuous threat for mankind today. The present article aims to provide an early glimpse on the impact and future implication of nanotechnology in dentistry, especially in oral surgery and orthodontics. PMID:22442549

Amenable to reason: Aristotle's rhetoric and the moral psychology of practical ethics.

PubMed

London, A J

2000-12-01

An Aristotelian conception of practical ethics can be derived from the account of practical reasoning that Aristotle articulates in is Rhetoric and this has important implications for the way we understand the nature and limits of practical ethics. an important feature of this conception of practical ethics is its responsiveness to the complex ways in which agents form and maintain moral commitments, and this has important implications for the debate concerning methods of ethics in applied ethics. In particular, this feature enables us to understand casuistry, narrative, and principlism as mutually supportive modes of moral inquiry, rather than divergent and mutually exclusive methods of ethics. As a result, an Aristotelian conception of practical ethics clears the conceptual common ground upon which practical ethicists can forge a stable and realistic self-understanding.

How do health care organizations take on best practices? A scoping literature review.

PubMed

Innis, Jennifer; Dryden-Palmer, Karen; Perreira, Tyrone; Berta, Whitney

2015-12-01

The aims of this scoping literature review are to examine and summarize the organizational-level factors, context, and processes that influence the use of evidence-based practice in healthcare organizations. A scoping literature review was done to answer the question: What is known from the existing empirical literature about factors, context, and processes that influence the uptake, implementation, and sustainability of evidence-based practice in healthcare organizations? This review used the Arksey and O'Malley framework to describe findings and to identify gaps in the existing research literature. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed to screen studies. Relevant studies published between January 1991 and March 2014 were identified using four electronic databases. Study abstracts were screened for eligibility by two reviewers. Following this screening process, full-text articles were reviewed to determine the eligibility of the studies by the primary author. Eligible studies were then analyzed by coding findings with descriptive labels to distinguish elements that appeared relevant to this literature review. Coding was used to form categories, and these categories led to the development of themes. Thirty studies met the eligibility criteria for this literature review. The themes identified were: the process organizations use to select evidence-based practices for adoption, use of a needs assessment, linkage to the organization's strategic direction, organizational culture, the organization's internal social networks, resources (including education and training, presence of information technology, financial resources, resources for patient care, and staff qualifications), leadership, the presence of champions, standardization of processes, role clarity of staff, and the presence of social capital. Several gaps were identified by this review. There is a lack of research on how evidence-based practices may be sustained by organizations. Most of the research done to date has been cross-sectional. Longitudinal research would give insight into the relationship between organizational characteristics and the uptake, implementation, and sustainability of evidence-based practice. In addition, although it is clear that financial resources are required to implement evidence-based practice, existing studies contain a lack of detail about the cost of adopting and using new practices. This scoping review contains a number of implications for healthcare administrators, managers, and providers to consider when adopting and implementing evidence-based practices in healthcare organizations.

Reflective practice and its implications for pharmacy education.

PubMed

Tsingos, Cherie; Bosnic-Anticevich, Sinthia; Smith, Lorraine

2014-02-12

Pharmacy students require critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to integrate theory learned in the classroom with the complexities of practice, yet many pharmacy students fall short of acquiring these skills.(1-2) Reflective practice activities encourage learning from the student's own experiences and those of others, and offer a possible solution for the integration of knowledge-based curricula with the ambiguities of practice, as well as enhance communication and collaboration within a multidisciplinary team. Although reflective practices have been embraced elsewhere in health professions education, their strengths and shortcomings need to be considered when implementing such practices into pharmacy curricula. This review provides an overview of the evolution of theories related to reflective practice, critically examines the use of reflective tools (such as portfolios and blogs), and discusses the implications of implementing reflective practices in pharmacy education.

Reflective Practice and Its Implications for Pharmacy Education

PubMed Central

Bosnic-Anticevich, Sinthia; Smith, Lorraine

2014-01-01

Pharmacy students require critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to integrate theory learned in the classroom with the complexities of practice, yet many pharmacy students fall short of acquiring these skills.1-2 Reflective practice activities encourage learning from the student’s own experiences and those of others, and offer a possible solution for the integration of knowledge-based curricula with the ambiguities of practice, as well as enhance communication and collaboration within a multidisciplinary team. Although reflective practices have been embraced elsewhere in health professions education, their strengths and shortcomings need to be considered when implementing such practices into pharmacy curricula. This review provides an overview of the evolution of theories related to reflective practice, critically examines the use of reflective tools (such as portfolios and blogs), and discusses the implications of implementing reflective practices in pharmacy education. PMID:24558286

Discourse analysis: towards an understanding of its place in nursing.

PubMed

Crowe, Marie

2005-07-01

This paper describes how discourse analysis, and in particular critical discourse analysis, can be used in nursing research, and provides an example to illustrate the techniques involved. Discourse analysis has risen to prominence in the 1980s and 1990s in disciplines such as the social sciences, literary theory and cultural studies and is increasingly used in nursing. This paper investigates discourse analysis as a useful methodology for conducting nursing research. Effective clinical reasoning relies on employing several different kinds of knowledge and research that draw on different perspectives, methodologies and techniques to generate breadth of knowledge and depth of understanding of clinical practices and patients' experiences of those practices. The steps in a discourse analysis include: choosing the text, and identifying the explicit purpose of the text, the processes used for claiming authority connections to other discourses, construction of major concepts, processes of naming and categorizing, construction of subject positions, construction of reality and social relations and implications for the practice of nursing. The limitations of discourse analysis, its relationship to other qualitative approaches and questions for evaluating the rigour of research using discourse analysis are also explored. The example of discourse analysis shows how a text influences the practice of nursing by shaping knowledge, values and beliefs. Discourse analysis can make a contribution to the development of nursing knowledge by providing a research strategy to examine dominant discourses that influence nursing practice.

Challenges in the development and reimbursement of personalized medicine-payer and manufacturer perspectives and implications for health economics and outcomes research: a report of the ISPOR personalized medicine special interest group.

PubMed

Faulkner, Eric; Annemans, Lieven; Garrison, Lou; Helfand, Mark; Holtorf, Anke-Peggy; Hornberger, John; Hughes, Dyfrig; Li, Tracy; Malone, Daniel; Payne, Katherine; Siebert, Uwe; Towse, Adrian; Veenstra, David; Watkins, John

2012-12-01

Personalized medicine technologies can improve individual health by delivering the right dose of the right drug to the right patient at the right time but create challenges in deciding which technologies offer sufficient value to justify widespread diffusion. Personalized medicine technologies, however, do not neatly fit into existing health technology assessment and reimbursement processes. In this article, the Personalized Medicine Special Interest Group of the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research evaluated key development and reimbursement considerations from the payer and manufacturer perspectives. Five key areas in which health economics and outcomes research best practices could be developed to improve value assessment, reimbursement, and patient access decisions for personalized medicine have been identified. These areas are as follows: 1 research prioritization and early value assessment, 2 best practices for clinical evidence development, 3 best practices for health economic assessment, 4 addressing health technology assessment challenges, and 5 new incentive and reimbursement approaches for personalized medicine. Key gaps in health economics and outcomes research best practices, decision standards, and value assessment processes are also discussed, along with next steps for evolving health economics and outcomes research practices in personalized medicine. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The impact of corporate practices on health: implications for health policy.

PubMed

Freudenberg, Nicholas; Galea, Sandro

2008-04-01

Although corporate practices play a substantial role in shaping health and health behavior, public health researchers have rarely systematically studied these practices as a social determinant of health. We consider case studies of three products - trans fat, a food additive and a preservative; Vioxx, a pain killer; and sports utility vehicles - to illustrate the role of corporate policies and practices in the production of health and disease and the implications for health policy. In recent years, public health advocates, researchers, and lawyers have used strategies to reduce the adverse health impact of corporate practices. Systematic analysis of these experiences yields insights that can guide the development of health policies that increase opportunities for primary prevention by discouraging harmful corporate practices.

In silico cancer modeling: is it ready for primetime?

PubMed Central

Deisboeck, Thomas S; Zhang, Le; Yoon, Jeongah; Costa, Jose

2011-01-01

SUMMARY At the dawn of the era of personalized, systems-driven medicine, computational or in silico modeling and the simulation of disease processes is becoming increasingly important for hypothesis generation and data integration in both experiment and clinics alike. Arguably, this is nowhere more visible than in oncology. To illustrate the field’s vast potential as well as its current limitations we briefly review selected works on modeling malignant brain tumors. Implications for clinical practice, including trial design and outcome prediction are also discussed. PMID:18852721

Ethical issues in research and publication.

PubMed

Iammarino, N K; O'Rourke, T W; Pigg, R M; Weinberg, A D

1989-03-01

Ethical considerations inherent in the process of research and publication represent one issue of particular concern to professionals. Members of a profession usually are guided by a code of ethics that specifies standards for practice. However, rarely do professional preparation programs sufficiently prepare students to deal with the concerns associated with research and professional publication. The authors address three specific areas of concern for health educators: the student-professor relationship, joint authorship, and ethics in publishing. Potential problems are discussed, and implications for the profession are cited.

Democratizing Process Innovation? On Citizen Involvement in Public Sector BPM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niehaves, Björn; Malsch, Robert

‘Open Innovation’ has been heavily discussed for product innovations; however, an information systems (IS) perspective on ‘process innovation’ has not yet been taken. Analyzing the example of the public sector in Germany, the paper seeks to investigate the factors that hinder and support ‘open process innovation’, a concept we define as the involvement of citizens in business process management (BPM) activities. With the help of a quantitative study (n=358), six factors are examined for their impact on citizen involvement in local government BPM initiatives. The results show that citizen involvement in reform processes is not primarily motivated by the aim of cost reduction, but rather related to legitimacy reasons and the intent to increase employee motivation. Based on these findings, implications for (design) theory and practice are discussed: Instead of detailed collaborative business processes modeling, the key of citizen involvement in public sector BPM lies in communication and mutual understanding.

Microbiological Safety and Food Handling Practices of Seed Sprout Products in the Australian State of Victoria.

PubMed

Symes, Sally; Goldsmith, Paul; Haines, Heather

2015-07-01

Seed sprouts have been implicated as vehicles for numerous foodborne outbreaks worldwide. Seed sprouts pose a unique food safety concern because of the ease of microbiological seed contamination, the inherent ability of the sprouting process to support microbial growth, and their consumption either raw or lightly cooked. To examine seed sprout safety in the Australian state of Victoria, a survey was conducted to detect specific microbes in seed sprout samples and to investigate food handling practices relating to seed sprouts. A total of 298 seed sprout samples were collected from across 33 local council areas. Escherichia coli was detected in 14.8%, Listeria spp. in 12.3%, and Listeria monocytogenes in 1.3% of samples analyzed. Salmonella spp. were not detected in any of the samples. A range of seed sprout handling practices were identified as potential food safety issues in some food businesses, including temperature control, washing practices, length of storage, and storage in proximity to unpackaged ready-to-eat potentially hazardous foods.

Mindfulness Interventions in Physical Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Hardison, Mark E.

2016-01-01

A scoping review was conducted to describe how mindfulness is used in physical rehabilitation, identify implications for occupational therapy practice, and guide future research on clinical mindfulness interventions. A systematic search of four literature databases produced 1,524 original abstracts, of which 16 articles were included. Although only 3 Level I or II studies were identified, the literature included suggests that mindfulness interventions are helpful for patients with musculoskeletal and chronic pain disorders and demonstrate trends toward outcome improvements for patients with neurocognitive and neuromotor disorders. Only 2 studies included an occupational therapist as the primary mindfulness provider, but all mindfulness interventions in the selected studies fit within the occupational therapy scope of practice according to the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process. Higher-level research is needed to evaluate the effects of mindfulness interventions in physical rehabilitation and to determine best practices for the use of mindfulness by occupational therapy practitioners. PMID:27089297

Evidence-based health care: its place within clinical governance.

PubMed

McSherry, R; Haddock, J

This article explores the principles of evidence-based practice and its role in achieving quality improvements within the clinical governance framework advocated by the recent White Papers 'The New NHS: Modern, Dependable' (Department of Health (DoH), 1997) and 'A First Class Service: Quality in the New NHS' (DoH, 1998a). Within these White Papers there is an emphasis on improving quality of care, treatment and services through employing the principles of clinical governance. A major feature of clinical governance is guaranteeing quality to the public and the NHS, and ensuring that clinical, managerial and educational practice is based on scientific evidence. This article also examines what evidence-based practice is and what processes are required to promote effective healthcare interventions. The authors also look at how clinical governance relates to other methods/systems involved in clinical effectiveness. Finally, the importance for nurses and other healthcare professionals of familiarizing themselves with the development of critical appraisal skills, and their implications for developing evidence-based practice, is emphasized.

Mindfulness Interventions in Physical Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Hardison, Mark E; Roll, Shawn C

2016-01-01

A scoping review was conducted to describe how mindfulness is used in physical rehabilitation, identify implications for occupational therapy practice, and guide future research on clinical mindfulness interventions. A systematic search of four literature databases produced 1,524 original abstracts, of which 16 articles were included. Although only 3 Level I or II studies were identified, the literature included suggests that mindfulness interventions are helpful for patients with musculoskeletal and chronic pain disorders and demonstrate trends toward outcome improvements for patients with neurocognitive and neuromotor disorders. Only 2 studies included an occupational therapist as the primary mindfulness provider, but all mindfulness interventions in the selected studies fit within the occupational therapy scope of practice according to the American Occupational Therapy Association's Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process. Higher-level research is needed to evaluate the effects of mindfulness interventions in physical rehabilitation and to determine best practices for the use of mindfulness by occupational therapy practitioners. Copyright © 2016 by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Maternity Services: Implications for Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lazenbatt, Anne; Greer, Jean

2009-01-01

This article debates the issues involved in safeguarding and protecting children in maternity services and offers implications for professional practice. Midwives and other staff who work as members of the maternity team have a safeguarding role to play in the identification of babies and children who have been abused, or are at risk of abuse, and…

SOME IMPLICATIONS OF A CONCEPT OF GROWTH MOTIVATION FOR ADULT EDUCATION THEORY AND PRACTICE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

NOREEN, DAVID SHELDON

THIS STUDY EXAMINED GROWTH MOTIVATION AS A DEVELOPING CONCEPT AND AS A THEORETICAL CONSTRUCT, AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS THEORY FOR ADULT EDUCATION THEORY AND PRACTICE. SPECIAL ATTENTION WAS GIVEN TO THE THEORETICAL CONSTRUCTS OF ABRAHAM MASLOW, TO THE NATURE OF GROWTH MOTIVATION CONCEPTS IN GENERAL, AND TO FORMS OF SELF UNDERSTANDING AND…

Youth Work Transitions: A Review with Implications for Counselling and Career Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parada, Filomena; Young, Richard A.

2013-01-01

We critically review studies highlighting youth's work transitions and derive some implications for career and counselling theory and practice. We first discuss today's hypermodern world, specifically the meanings being conveyed by today's complex social realities and their impact on individuals' (work) lives. An overview of…

The Control-Value Theory of Achievement Emotions: Assumptions, Corollaries, and Implications for Educational Research and Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pekrun, Reinhard

2006-01-01

This article describes the control-value theory of achievement emotions and its implications for educational research and practice. The theory provides an integrative framework for analyzing the antecedents and effects of emotions experienced in achievement and academic settings. It is based on the premise that appraisals of control and values are…

Practical implications of incentive systems are utilized by dental franchises.

PubMed

Yavner, S B

1989-01-01

The success of any dental practice depends, among other factors, on the critical role of staff employees. In order to encourage desired staff behaviors, incentive systems can be designed for employee dentists, assistants/hygienists and managers. A survey of dental franchises was conducted in 1987 for the purpose of examining their incentive control systems. The specific incentives employed by these dental franchises for their employees are analyzed. The implications of these incentive systems used by dental franchise organizations for all dental practices are then discussed.

A Conceptual Model for Understanding Academic Physicians' Performances of Identity: Findings From the University of Utah.

PubMed

Chow, Candace J; Byington, Carrie L; Olson, Lenora M; Ramirez, Karl Paulo Garcia; Zeng, Shiya; López, Ana María

2018-05-22

To explore how academic physicians perform social and professional identities and how their personal experiences inform professional identity formation. Semi-structured interviews and observations were conducted with 25 academic physicians of diverse gender and racial/ethnic backgrounds at the University of Utah School of Medicine from 2015-2016. Interviews explored the domains of social identity, professional identity, and relationships with patients and colleagues. Patient interactions were observed. Interviews and observations were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using grounded theory. Three major themes emerged: physicians' descriptions of identity differed based on social identities, as women and racially/ethnically minoritized participants linked their gender and racial/ethnic identities, respectively, to their professional roles more than men and White, non-Latino/a participants; physicians' descriptions of professional practice differed based on social identities, as participants who associated professional practices with personal experiences often drew from events connected to their minoritized identities; and physicians' interactions with patients corresponded to their self-described actions. Professional identity formation is an ongoing process and the negotiation of personal experiences is integral to this process. This negotiation may be more complex for physicians with minoritized identities. Implications for medical education include providing students, trainees, and practicing physicians with intentional opportunities for reflection and instruction on connecting personal experiences and professional practice.

Glenohumeral osteoarthritis: overview, therapy, and rehabilitation.

PubMed

Macías-Hernández, Salvador Israel; Morones-Alba, Juan Daniel; Miranda-Duarte, Antonio; Coronado-Zarco, Roberto; Soria-Bastida, María de Los Angeles; Nava-Bringas, Tania; Cruz-Medina, Eva; Olascoaga-Gómez, Andrea; Tallabs-Almazan, Laura Verónica; Palencia, Chanell

2017-08-01

Glenohumeral osteoarthritis (GHOA) is a common cause of pain and functional disability of the shoulder. Despite the limited evidence, there are several options for the treatment of this pathology. The aim of this article is to provide current information on the characteristics of the disease and the pathophysiology, evidence based on medical and surgical treatments with emphasis on the rehabilitation process. It was performed with an extensive literature review, mainly clinical practice guidelines, randomized controlled trials, reviews, focusing on the rehabilitation management. There are few clinical practice guidelines that address GHOA as a pathology with unique characteristics. Evidence based treatment recommendations are mostly supported by low-quality evidence and experts' opinions, with few high levels of evidence studies guiding treatment decisions. Despite the lack of good quality evidence, rehabilitation programs have proven to be efficient and reliable, and this revision provides information and recommendations in this field. Implication of Rehabilitation Glenohumeral osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and functional disability of the shoulder There are few clinical practice guidelines that address Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis as a pathology with unique characteristics, and recommendations for rehabilitation and therapeutic exercise are poor The paper provides current information on the characteristics of the disease, its rehabilitation process, and could be of interest for rehabilitation professionals to direct their practices in this field.

Using Health Communication Best Practices to Develop a Web-Based Provider-Patient Communication Aid: The CONNECT™ Study

PubMed Central

Fleisher, Linda; Buzaglo, Joanne; Collins, Michael; Millard, Jennifer; Miller, Suzanne M.; Egleston, Brian L.; Solarino, Nicholas; Trinastic, Jonathan; Cegala, Donald J.; Benson, Al B.; Schulman, Kevin A.; Weinfurt, Kevin P.; Sulmasy, Daniel; Diefenbach, Michael A.; Meropol, Neal J.

2008-01-01

Objective Although there is broad consensus that careful content vetting and user testing is important in the development of technology-based educational interventions, often these steps are overlooked. This paper highlights the development of a theory-guided, web-based communication aid (CONNECT™), designed to facilitate treatment decision making among patients with advanced cancer. Methods The communication aid included an online survey, patient skills training module and an automated physician report. Development steps included: 1) evidence-based content development, 2) usability testing, 3) pilot testing, and 4) patient utilization and satisfaction. Results Usability testing identified some confusing directions and navigation for the on-line survey and validated the relevance of the “patient testimonials” in the skills module. Preliminary satisfaction from the implementation of the communication aid showed that 66% found the survey length reasonable and 70% found it helpful in talking with the physician. Seventy percent reported the skills module helpful and about half found it affected the consultation. Conclusion Designing patient education interventions for translation into practice requires the integration of health communication best practice including user feedback along the developmental process. Practice Implications This developmental process can be translated to a broad array of community based patient and provider educational interventions. PMID:18417312

The state of the art in evaluating the performance of department chairs and division heads.

PubMed

Dunning, David G; Durham, Timothy M; Aksu, Mert N; Lange, Brian M

2007-04-01

This study explores the little understood process of evaluating the performance of department chairs/division heads in dental schools. Specifically, this research aimed to elucidate the methods, processes, and outcomes related to the job performance of department chairs/division heads. Forty-three deans and 306 chairs completed surveys with both close-ended and open-ended questions. In addition, ten deans and ten chairs were interviewed. Results indicate that 80 to 90 percent of department chairs are formally evaluated, although as many as 50 percent may lack job descriptions. Recommended best practices for performance appraisal--such as having at least yearly appraisals, holding face-to-face meetings, and setting specific, personal performance objectives/benchmarks for chairs--are being used in most schools. Still, there is much room to improve appraisals by incorporating other recommended practices. Overall high levels of satisfaction were reported by both chairs and deans for the process and outcomes of appraisals. Qualitative data showed some convergence of opinions about appraisals with the notable exception of informal feedback. We explore some implications of these results, especially as they relate to improving performance appraisals.

Exploring the physical layer frontiers of cellular uplink: The Vienna LTE-A Uplink Simulator.

PubMed

Zöchmann, Erich; Schwarz, Stefan; Pratschner, Stefan; Nagel, Lukas; Lerch, Martin; Rupp, Markus

Communication systems in practice are subject to many technical/technological constraints and restrictions. Multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) processing in current wireless communications, as an example, mostly employs codebook-based pre-coding to save computational complexity at the transmitters and receivers. In such cases, closed form expressions for capacity or bit-error probability are often unattainable; effects of realistic signal processing algorithms on the performance of practical communication systems rather have to be studied in simulation environments. The Vienna LTE-A Uplink Simulator is a 3GPP LTE-A standard compliant MATLAB-based link level simulator that is publicly available under an academic use license, facilitating reproducible evaluations of signal processing algorithms and transceiver designs in wireless communications. This paper reviews research results that have been obtained by means of the Vienna LTE-A Uplink Simulator, highlights the effects of single-carrier frequency-division multiplexing (as the distinguishing feature to LTE-A downlink), extends known link adaptation concepts to uplink transmission, shows the implications of the uplink pilot pattern for gathering channel state information at the receiver and completes with possible future research directions.

Potential facilitators and barriers to adopting standard treatment guidelines in clinical practice.

PubMed

Sharma, Sangeeta; Pandit, Ajay; Tabassum, Fauzia

2017-04-18

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess medicines information sources accessed by clinicians, if sources differed in theory and practice and to find out the barriers and facilitators to effective guideline adoption. Design/methodology/approach In all, 183 doctors were surveyed. Barriers and facilitators were classified as: communication; potential adopters; innovation; organization characteristics and environmental/social/economic context. Findings Most of the clinicians accessed multiple information sources including standard treatment guidelines, but also consulted seniors/colleagues in practice. The top three factors influencing clinical practice guideline adoption were innovation characteristics, environmental context and individual characteristics. The respondents differed in the following areas: concerns about flexibility offered by the guideline; denying patients' individuality; professional autonomy; insights into gaps in current practice and evidence-based practice; changing practices with little or no benefit. Barriers included negative staff attitudes/beliefs, guideline integration into organizational structures/processes, time/resource constraints. Fearing third parties (government and insurance companies) restricting medicines reimbursement and poor liability protection offered by the guidelines emerged as the barriers. Facilitators include aligning organizational structures/processes with the innovation; providing leadership support to guide diffusion; increasing awareness and enabling early innovation during pre/in-service training, with regular feedback on outcomes and use. Practical implications Guideline adoption in clinical practice is partly within doctors' control. There are other key prevailing factors in the local context such as environmental, social context, professional and organizational culture affecting its adoption. Organizational policy and accreditation standards necessitating adherence can serve as a driver. Originality/value This survey among clinicians, despite limitations, gives helpful insights. While favourable attitudes may be helpful, clinical adoption could be improved more effectively by targeting barriers.

Geomorphic process from topographic form: automating the interpretation of repeat survey data in river valleys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kasprak, Alan; Caster, Joshua J.; Bangen, Sara G.; Sankey, Joel B.

2017-01-01

The ability to quantify the processes driving geomorphic change in river valley margins is vital to geomorphologists seeking to understand the relative role of transport mechanisms (e.g. fluvial, aeolian, and hillslope processes) in landscape dynamics. High-resolution, repeat topographic data are becoming readily available to geomorphologists. By contrasting digital elevation models derived from repeat surveys, the transport processes driving topographic changes can be inferred, a method termed ‘mechanistic segregation.’ Unfortunately, mechanistic segregation largely relies on subjective and time consuming manual classification, which has implications both for its reproducibility and the practical scale of its application. Here we present a novel computational workflow for the mechanistic segregation of geomorphic transport processes in geospatial datasets. We apply the workflow to seven sites along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, where geomorphic transport is driven by a diverse suite of mechanisms. The workflow performs well when compared to field observations, with an overall predictive accuracy of 84% across 113 validation points. The approach most accurately predicts changes due to fluvial processes (100% accuracy) and aeolian processes (96%), with reduced accuracy in predictions of alluvial and colluvial processes (64% and 73%, respectively). Our workflow is designed to be applicable to a diversity of river systems and will likely provide a rapid and objective understanding of the processes driving geomorphic change at the reach and network scales. We anticipate that such an understanding will allow insight into the response of geomorphic transport processes to external forcings, such as shifts in climate, land use, or river regulation, with implications for process-based river management and restoration.

Internet use by physicians and its impact on medical practice-an exploratory study.

PubMed

Kwon, Ik-Whan G; Xie, Henry Yu

2003-01-01

Internet use by physicians has played a vital role in medical practices for many years. A number of related studies have emerged to examine the impact of Internet use on medical practice. However, there is yet to be a comprehensive study on the impact of Internet use by physicians on their medical practice. This study examines a preliminary step to explore the major implications of physicians' Internet use on the traditional areas, such as health education and learning, physician-patient relationship, and medical marketing. Barriers to Internet use are also investigated. Implication of use of the Internet in the medical practice and limitations of this study are discussed as well.

A conceptual model for generating and validating in-session clinical judgments

PubMed Central

Jacinto, Sofia B.; Lewis, Cara C.; Braga, João N.; Scott, Kelli

2016-01-01

Objective Little attention has been paid to the nuanced and complex decisions made in the clinical session context and how these decisions influence therapy effectiveness. Despite decades of research on the dual-processing systems, it remains unclear when and how intuitive and analytical reasoning influence the direction of the clinical session. Method This paper puts forth a testable conceptual model, guided by an interdisciplinary integration of the literature, that posits that the clinical session context moderates the use of intuitive versus analytical reasoning. Results A synthesis of studies examining professional best practices in clinical decision-making, empirical evidence from clinical judgment research, and the application of decision science theories indicate that intuitive and analytical reasoning may have profoundly different impacts on clinical practice and outcomes. Conclusions The proposed model is discussed with respect to its implications for clinical practice and future research. PMID:27088962

Important interactional strategies for everyday public health nursing practice.

PubMed

Porr, Caroline J

2015-01-01

This Clinical Concepts article concerns the relational tools required by public health nurses to establish relationships with single mothers living on public assistance, mothers who are vulnerable and often stigmatized. The implications of stigmatization for relationship building are highlighted based on previous research investigating how public health nurses working in Canadian jurisdictions establish professional caring relationships with this cohort of mothers. Public health nurses employed interactional strategies including engaging in a positive manner and offering verbal commendations which served as effective relational tools to break through mothers' walls of defensiveness and to resume the dynamic process of relationship building. Building Relationship is a key practice standard for public health nurses and is instrumental to their work at both individual and community levels to improve social determinants of health. The author concludes with recommendations to facilitate building relationships during everyday public health nursing practice. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Care erosion in hospitals: Problems in reflective nursing practice and the role of cognitive dissonance.

PubMed

de Vries, Jan; Timmins, Fiona

2016-03-01

Care erosion - gradual decline in care level - is an important problem in health care today. Unfortunately, the mechanism whereby it occurs is complex and poorly understood. This paper seeks to address this by emphasising problems in reflective nursing practice. Critical reflection on quality of care which should drive good care instead spawns justifications, denial, and trivialisation of deficient care. This perpetuates increasingly poor care levels. We argue that cognitive dissonance theory provides a highly effective understanding of this process and suggest for this approach to be incorporated in all efforts to address care erosion. The paper includes a detailed discussion of examples and implications for practice, in particular the need to restore critical reflection in nursing, the importance of embracing strong values and standards, and the need for increased awareness of signs of care erosion. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Associations between positive parenting practices and child externalizing behavior in underserved Latino immigrant families.

PubMed

Holtrop, Kendal; McNeil Smith, Sharde'; Scott, Jenna C

2015-06-01

This study examined whether five specific parenting practices (i.e., monitoring, discipline, skill encouragement, problem solving, and positive involvement) were associated with reduced child externalizing behaviors among a sample of Latino immigrant families. It utilized baseline data from 83 Latino couples with children participating in a larger randomized controlled trial of a culturally adapted parenting intervention. Results reveal that monitoring, discipline, skill encouragement, and problem solving each made independent contributions to the prediction of child externalizing behavior, although not all in the expected direction. Further analyses examining mothers and fathers separately suggest that mother-reported monitoring and father-reported discipline practices uniquely contributed to these findings. These results may have important implications for prevention and clinical intervention efforts with Latino immigrant families, including the cultural adaptation and implementation of parenting interventions with this underserved population. © 2014 Family Process Institute.

A practical implementation science heuristic for organizational readiness: R = MC2

PubMed Central

Cook, Brittany S.; Lamont, Andrea; Wandersman, Abraham; Castellow, Jennifer; Katz, Jason; Beidas, Rinad S.

2015-01-01

There are many challenges when an innovation (i.e., a program, process, or policy that is new to an organization) is actively introduced into an organization. One critical component for successful implementation is the organization’s readiness for the innovation. In this article, we propose a practical implementation science heuristic, abbreviated as R= MC2. We propose that organizational readiness involves: 1) the motivation to implement an innovation, 2) the general capacities of an organization, and 3) the innovation-specific capacities needed for a particular innovation. Each of these components can be assessed independently and be used formatively. The heuristic can be used by organizations to assess readiness to implement and by training and technical assistance providers to help build organizational readiness. We present an illustration of the heuristic by showing how behavioral health organizations differ in readiness to implement a peer specialist initiative. Implications for research and practice of organizational readiness are discussed. PMID:26668443

Thick prescriptions: toward an interpretation of pharmaceutical sales practices.

PubMed

Oldani, Michael J

2004-09-01

Anthropologists of medicine and science are increasingly studying all aspects of pharmaceutical industry practices--from research and development to the marketing of prescription drugs. This article ethnographically explores one particular stage in the life cycle of pharmaceuticals: sales and marketing. Drawing on a range of sources-investigative journalism, medical ethics, and autoethnography--the author examines the day-to-day activities of pharmaceutical salespersons, or drug reps, during the 1990s. He describes in detail the pharmaceutical gift cycle, a three-way exchange network between doctors, salespersons, and patients and how this process of exchange is currently in a state of involution. This gift economy exists to generate prescriptions (scripts) and can mask and/or perpetuate risks and side effects for patients. With implications of pharmaceutical industry practices impacting everything from the personal-psychological to the global political economy, medical anthropologists can play a lead role in the emerging scholarly discourse concerned with critical pharmaceutical studies.

Efficacy of ACA strategies in biography-driven science teaching: an investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacDonald, Grizelda L.; Miller, Stuart S.; Murry, Kevin; Herrera, Socorro; Spears, Jacqueline D.

2013-12-01

This study explored the biography-driven approach to teaching culturally and linguistically diverse students in science education. Biography-driven instruction (BDI) embraces student diversity by incorporating students' sociocultural, linguistic, cognitive, and academic dimensions of their biographies into the learning process (Herrera in Biography-driven culturally responsive teaching. Teachers College Press, New York, 2010). Strategies have been developed (Herrera, Kavimandan and Holmes in Crossing the vocabulary bridge: differentiated strategies for diverse secondary classrooms. Teachers College Press, New York, 2011) that provide teachers with instructional routines that facilitate BDI. Using systematic classroom observations we empirically demonstrate that these activate, connect, affirm, strategies are likely to be effective in increasing teachers' biography-driven practices. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.

Flexible resource management and its effect on project cost and duration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinha, Denis C.; Ahluwalia, Rashpal S.

2018-06-01

In practice, most projects result in cost overruns and schedule slippage due to poor resource management. This paper presents an approach that aims at reducing project duration and costs by empowering project managers to assess different scenarios. The proposed approach addresses combinatorial modes for tasks, multi-skilled resources, and multiple calendars for resources. A case study reported in the literature is presented to demonstrate the capabilities of this method. As for practical implications, this approach enhances the decision-making process which results in improved solutions in terms of total project duration and cost. From an academic viewpoint, this paper adds empirical evidence to enrich the existing literature, as it highlights relevant issues to model properly the complexity of real-life projects.

Controversies in oncologist-patient communication: a nuanced approach to autonomy, culture, and paternalism.

PubMed

Cherny, Nathan I

2012-01-01

Difficult dialogues with patients facing life-changing decisions are an intrinsic part of oncologic practice and a major source of stress. Having a sophisticated approach to the concepts of autonomy, paternalism, and culture can help in addressing difficult dilemmas that arise around the issues of disclosure and decision making. This article addresses some of the most common major challenges in oncologist-patient communication with a nuanced approach to the concepts of autonomy, paternalism, and culture. It introduces the new concept of"voluntary diminished autonomy" and describes the implications this concept has for the consent process. It also attempts to bring clarity to common problems and misconceptions relating to culture, paternalism, and therapeutic privilege as these pertain to the communication practices of oncologists.

Walking and Walkability: Is Wayfinding a Missing Link? Implications for Public Health Practice.

PubMed

Vandenberg, Ann E; Hunter, Rebecca H; Anderson, Lynda A; Bryant, Lucinda L; Hooker, Steven P; Satariano, William A

2016-02-01

Research on walking and walkability has yet to focus on wayfinding, the interactive, problem-solving process by which people use environmental information to locate themselves and navigate through various settings. We reviewed the literature on outdoor pedestrian-oriented wayfinding to examine its relationship to walking and walkability, 2 areas of importance to physical activity promotion. Our findings document that wayfinding is cognitively demanding and can compete with other functions, including walking itself. Moreover, features of the environment can either facilitate or impede wayfinding, just as environmental features can influence walking. Although there is still much to be learned about wayfinding and walking behaviors, our review helps frame the issues and lays out the importance of this area of research and practice.

An integrative review of Reiki touch therapy research.

PubMed

Vitale, Anne

2007-01-01

Reiki touch therapy is a complementary biofield energy therapy that involves the use of hands to help strengthen the body's ability to heal. There is growing interest among nurses to use Reiki in patient care and as a self-care treatment, however, with little supportive empirical research and evidence to substantiate these practices. The purpose of this integrative review is to begin the systematic process of evaluating the findings of published Reiki research. Selected investigations using Reiki for effects on stress, relaxation, depression, pain, and wound healing management, among others is reviewed and summarized. A summary of Reiki studies table illustrates the study descriptions and Reiki treatment protocols specified in the investigations. Synthesis of findings for clinical practice and implications for future research are explored.

Development of a Mixed Methods Investigation of Process and Outcomes of Community-Based Participatory Research

PubMed Central

Lucero, Julie; Wallerstein, Nina; Duran, Bonnie; Alegria, Margarita; Greene-Moton, Ella; Israel, Barbara; Kastelic, Sarah; Magarati, Maya; Oetzel, John; Pearson, Cynthia; Schulz, Amy; Villegas, Malia; White Hat, Emily R.

2017-01-01

This article describes a mixed methods study of community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership practices and the links between these practices and changes in health status and disparities outcomes. Directed by a CBPR conceptual model and grounded in indigenous-transformative theory, our nation-wide, cross-site study showcases the value of a mixed methods approach for better understanding the complexity of CBPR partnerships across diverse community and research contexts. The article then provides examples of how an iterative, integrated approach to our mixed methods analysis yielded enriched understandings of two key constructs of the model: trust and governance. Implications and lessons learned while using mixed methods to study CBPR are provided. PMID:29230152

Defining Contemplative Science: The Metacognitive Self-Regulatory Capacity of the Mind, Context of Meditation Practice and Modes of Existential Awareness

PubMed Central

Dorjee, Dusana

2016-01-01

The term ‘contemplative’ is now frequently used in the fast growing field of meditation research. Yet, there is no consensus regarding the definition of contemplative science. Meditation studies commonly imply that contemplative practices such as mindfulness or compassion are the subject of contemplative science. Such approach, arguably, contributes to terminological confusions in the field, is not conducive to the development of an overarching theory in contemplative science, and overshadows its unique methodological features. This paper outlines an alternative approach to defining contemplative science which aims to focus the research on the core capacities, processes and states of the mind modified by contemplative practices. It is proposed that contemplative science is an interdisciplinary study of the metacognitive self-regulatory capacity (MSRC) of the mind and associated modes of existential awareness (MEA) modulated by motivational/intentional and contextual factors of contemplative practices. The MSRC is a natural propensity of the mind which enables introspective awareness of mental processes and behavior, and is a necessary pre-requisite for effective self-regulation supporting well-being. Depending on the motivational/intentional and contextual factors of meditation practice, changes in the metacognitive self-regulatory processes enable shifts in MEA which determine our sense of self and reality. It is hypothesized that changes in conceptual processing are essential mediators between the MSRC, motivational/intentional factors, context of meditation practice, and the modulations in MEA. Meditation training fosters and fine-tunes the MSRC of the mind and supports development of motivational/intentional factors with the ultimate aim of facilitating increasingly advanced MEA. Implications of the proposed framework for definitions of mindfulness and for future systematic research across contemplative traditions and practices are discussed. It is suggested that the proposed definition of contemplative science may reduce terminological challenges in the field and make it more inclusive of varied contemplative practices. Importantly, this approach may encourage development of a more comprehensive contemplative science theory recognizing the essential importance of first- and second-person methods to its inquiry, thus uniquely contributing to our understanding of the mind. PMID:27909417

Towards multidisciplinary assessment of older people: exploring the change process.

PubMed

Ross, Fiona; O'Tuathail, Claire; Stubberfield, Debbie

2005-04-01

This paper discusses the process of change that took place in an intervention study of standardized multidisciplinary assessment guidelines implemented in a female ward for older people in a District General Hospital in South London. This study was one of nine implementation projects in the South Thames Evidence-Based Practice Project. The relationship between the worlds of research and healthcare practice is uneasy and contested and, as such, is a breeding ground for challenging questions about how evidence can be used to foment change in clinical practice. Recent literature on change highlights the importance of understanding complexity, which informed our approach and analysis. A multifaceted approach to change that comprised evidence-based guidelines, leadership (project leader) and change management was evaluated before and after the implementation by telephone interviews with patients, a postal survey of community staff and interviews with ward staff. A diagnostic analysis of current assessment practice informed the change process. The project leader collected data on adherence. This paper draws on descriptive and qualitative data and addresses the links between contextual issues and the processes and pathways of change, informed by theoretical ideas from the change literature. Key themes emerged: working through others and across boundaries, managing uncertainty and unanticipated challenges. Adherence of ward staff to using the multidisciplinary assessment guidelines was high, with evidence of some dissemination to community staff at follow-up. Three years after the project finished the multidisciplinary assessment is still part of routine clinical practice. The analysis contributes to understanding about the nursing leadership of change within an interprofessional arena of practice. It highlights the importance of understanding the context in relation to the impact and sustainability of change and thus the utility of conducting a diagnostic analysis in the early stages of implementation. This has implications for developing approaches to change in nursing and interprofessional practice in other settings. Using research to change practice needs clinical leaders who are supported by the organization and have the skills to implement research evidence, manage uncertainty and build trust with a range of other professionals.

Therapeutic Change in Group Therapy For Interpersonal Trauma: A Relational Framework for Research and Clinical Practice.

PubMed

Chouliara, Zoë; Karatzias, Thanos; Gullone, Angela; Ferguson, Sandra; Cosgrove, Katie; Burke Draucker, Claire

2017-04-01

Our understanding of therapeutic change processes in group therapy for complex interpersonal trauma has been limited. The present study aimed at addressing this gap by developing a framework of therapeutic change in this field from a survivor and therapist perspective. This is a qualitative study, which utilized semistructured individual interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to identify recurrent themes. A final sample of n = 16 patients and n = 5 facilitators completed the interview. Main change processes identified by survivors were as follows: self versus others, trust versus threat, confrontation versus avoidance, and "patching up" versus true healing. Therapeutic processes identified by therapist facilitators included managing group dynamics, unpredictability and uncertainty, and process versus content. The proposed framework explains therapeutic change in group therapy in relational terms, that is, therapeutic dissonance, the dynamic interaction of self and experience as well as building empathic trusting relations. The importance of managing dissonance to aid personally meaningful recovery was highlighted. These findings have implications for the usefulness of relational and person-centered approaches to clinical practice in the area of interpersonal and complex trauma, especially in the early identification, prevention, and management of dropouts.

Improvement attributes in healthcare: implications for integrated care.

PubMed

Harnett, Patrick John

2018-04-16

Purpose Healthcare quality improvement is a key concern for policy makers, regulators, carers and service users. Despite a contemporary consensus among policy makers that integrated care represents a means to substantially improve service outcomes, progress has been slow. Difficulties achieving sustained improvement at scale imply that methods employed are not sufficient and that healthcare improvement attributes may be different when compared to prior reference domains. The purpose of this paper is to examine and synthesise key improvement attributes relevant to a complex healthcare change process, specifically integrated care. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on an integrative literature review on systemic improvement in healthcare. Findings A central theme emerging from the literature review indicates that implementing systemic change needs to address the relationship between vision, methods and participant social dynamics. Practical implications Accommodating personal and professional network dynamics is required for systemic improvement, especially among high autonomy individuals. This reinforces the need to recognise the change process as taking place in a complex adaptive system where personal/professional purpose/meaning is central to the process. Originality/value Shared personal/professional narratives are insufficiently recognised as a powerful change force, under-represented in linear and rational empirical improvement approaches.

Effects of practice on variability in an isochronous serial interval production task: asymptotical levels of tapping variability after training are similar to those of musicians.

PubMed

Madison, Guy; Karampela, Olympia; Ullén, Fredrik; Holm, Linus

2013-05-01

Timing permeates everyday activities such as walking, dancing and music, yet the effect of short-term practice in this ubiquitous activity is largely unknown. In two training experiments involving sessions spread across several days, we examined short-term practice effects on timing variability in a sequential interval production task. In Experiment 1, we varied the mode of response (e.g., drumstick and finger tapping) and the level of sensory feedback. In Experiment 2 we varied the interval in 18 levels ranging from 500 ms to 1624 ms. Both experiments showed a substantial decrease in variability within the first hour of practice, but little thereafter. This effect was similar across mode of response, amount of feedback, and interval duration, and was manifested as a reduction in both local variability (between neighboring intervals) and drift (fluctuation across multiple intervals). The results suggest mainly effects on motor implementation rather than on cognitive timing processes, and have methodological implications for timing studies that have not controlled for practice. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Constructive Reframing of Student Roles and Systems Learning in Medical Education Using a Communities of Practice Lens.

PubMed

Gonzalo, Jed D; Thompson, Britta M; Haidet, Paul; Mann, Karen; Wolpaw, Daniel R

2017-12-01

Health systems are in the midst of a transformation that is being driven by a variety of forces. This has important implications for medical educators because clinical practice environments play a key role in learning and professional development, and evolving health systems are beginning to demand that providers have "systems-ready" knowledge, attitudes, and skills. Such implications provide a clear mandate for medical schools to modify their goals and prepare physicians to practice flexibly within teams and effectively contribute to the improvement of health care delivery. In this context, the concepts of value-added medical education, authentic student roles, and health systems science are emerging as increasingly important. In this Article, the authors use a lens informed by communities of practice theory to explore these three concepts, examining the implications that the communities of practice theory has in the constructive reframing of educational practices-particularly common student roles and experiences-and charting future directions for medical education that better align with the needs of the health care system. The authors apply several key features of the communities of practice theory to current experiential roles for students, then propose a new approach to students' clinical experiences-value-added clinical systems learning roles-that provides students with opportunities to make meaningful contributions to patient care while learning health systems science at the patient and population level. Finally, the authors discuss implications for professional role formation and anticipated challenges to the design and implementation of value-added clinical systems learning roles.

Establishing the boundaries and building bridges: a literature review on ecological theory: implications for research into the refugee parenting experience.

PubMed

Williams, Nombasa

2010-03-01

Currently an ecological model for conceptualizing and capturing the refugee parenting experience is lacking. After an extensive review of the literature related to the usages of Bronfenbrenner's ecological model of child development, a gap was found in knowledge and research centred on describing the environment of pre-resettlement (i.e. pre-flight, flight, migration, camp) contexts and their impact on refugee parents and carer experiences. The culture of the refugee parenting experience may be characterized by disruptions in and alterations to family structure and organization; values and norms; and gender roles. This paper begins by examining the definition and usages of existing ecological frameworks in the 20th and 21st century. Particular attention is drawn to the gaps in the existing literature and an ecological model is offered. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for practice. The outcomes of this paper suggest the need for practitioners, policymakers and researchers to engage and develop culturally competent, relevant and appropriate interventions (i.e. reconciling differing beliefs and behaviours concerning child-rearing practices; affirming positive parenting practices of these families during engagement protocols and processes; adopting a strengths-based orientation) in the area of child protection whilst at the same time safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children within pre- and post-resettlement contexts.

Assessing primary care data quality.

PubMed

Lim, Yvonne Mei Fong; Yusof, Maryati; Sivasampu, Sheamini

2018-04-16

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess National Medical Care Survey data quality. Design/methodology/approach Data completeness and representativeness were computed for all observations while other data quality measures were assessed using a 10 per cent sample from the National Medical Care Survey database; i.e., 12,569 primary care records from 189 public and private practices were included in the analysis. Findings Data field completion ranged from 69 to 100 per cent. Error rates for data transfer from paper to web-based application varied between 0.5 and 6.1 per cent. Error rates arising from diagnosis and clinical process coding were higher than medication coding. Data fields that involved free text entry were more prone to errors than those involving selection from menus. The authors found that completeness, accuracy, coding reliability and representativeness were generally good, while data timeliness needs to be improved. Research limitations/implications Only data entered into a web-based application were examined. Data omissions and errors in the original questionnaires were not covered. Practical implications Results from this study provided informative and practicable approaches to improve primary health care data completeness and accuracy especially in developing nations where resources are limited. Originality/value Primary care data quality studies in developing nations are limited. Understanding errors and missing data enables researchers and health service administrators to prevent quality-related problems in primary care data.

Communicating microarray results of uncertain clinical significance in consultation summary letters and implications for practice.

PubMed

Paul, Jean Lillian; Pope-Couston, Rachel; Wake, Samantha; Burgess, Trent; Tan, Tiong Yang

2016-01-01

Letter-writing is an integral practice for genetic health professionals. In Victoria, Australia, patients with a chromosomal variant of uncertain clinical significance (VUS) referred to a clinical geneticist (CG) for evaluation receive consultation summary letters. While communication of uncertainty has been explored in research to some extent, little has focused on how uncertainty is communicated within consultation letters. We aimed to develop a multi-layered understanding of the ways in which CGs communicate diagnostic uncertainty in consultation summary letters. We used theme-oriented discourse analysis of 49 consultation summary letters and thematic analysis of a focus group involving eight CGs. Results showed that CGs have become more confident in their description of VUS as 'contributing factors' to patients' clinical features, but remain hesitant to assign definitive causality. CGs displayed strong epistemic stance when discussing future technological improvements to provide hope and minimise potentially disappointing outcomes for patients and families. CGs reported feeling overwhelmed by their workload associated with increasing numbers of patients with VUS, and this has led to a reduction in the number of review appointments offered over time. This study provides a rich description of the content and process of summary letters discussing VUS. Our findings have implications for letter-writing and workforce management. Furthermore, these findings may be of relevance to VUS identified by genomic sequencing in clinical practice.

The role of evidence, context, and facilitation in an implementation trial: implications for the development of the PARIHS framework.

PubMed

Rycroft-Malone, Jo; Seers, Kate; Chandler, Jackie; Hawkes, Claire A; Crichton, Nicola; Allen, Claire; Bullock, Ian; Strunin, Leo

2013-03-09

The case has been made for more and better theory-informed process evaluations within trials in an effort to facilitate insightful understandings of how interventions work. In this paper, we provide an explanation of implementation processes from one of the first national implementation research randomized controlled trials with embedded process evaluation conducted within acute care, and a proposed extension to the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS) framework. The PARIHS framework was prospectively applied to guide decisions about intervention design, data collection, and analysis processes in a trial focussed on reducing peri-operative fasting times. In order to capture a holistic picture of implementation processes, the same data were collected across 19 participating hospitals irrespective of allocation to intervention. This paper reports on findings from data collected from a purposive sample of 151 staff and patients pre- and post-intervention. Data were analysed using content analysis within, and then across data sets. A robust and uncontested evidence base was a necessary, but not sufficient condition for practice change, in that individual staff and patient responses such as caution influenced decision making. The implementation context was challenging, in which individuals and teams were bounded by professional issues, communication challenges, power and a lack of clarity for the authority and responsibility for practice change. Progress was made in sites where processes were aligned with existing initiatives. Additionally, facilitators reported engaging in many intervention implementation activities, some of which result in practice changes, but not significant improvements to outcomes. This study provided an opportunity for reflection on the comprehensiveness of the PARIHS framework. Consistent with the underlying tenant of PARIHS, a multi-faceted and dynamic story of implementation was evident. However, the prominent role that individuals played as part of the interaction between evidence and context is not currently explicit within the framework. We propose that successful implementation of evidence into practice is a planned facilitated process involving an interplay between individuals, evidence, and context to promote evidence-informed practice. This proposal will enhance the potential of the PARIHS framework for explanation, and ensure theoretical development both informs and responds to the evidence base for implementation.

Some Implications for Moral Education of the Confucian Principle of Harmony: Learning from Sustainability Education Practice in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feng, Ling; Newton, Derek

2012-01-01

The concept of "harmony" was taught by the Chinese sages as the practice of acceptance, tolerance, mutual respect, equality and patience, and is now given great importance by the Chinese government in its attempts to promote the stability and sustainability of the country. The concept could have significant implications for moral…

How the Government Defines "Rural" Has Implications for Education Policies and Practices. Issues & Answers. REL 2007-010

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnold, Michael L.; Biscoe, Belinda; Farmer, Thomas W.; Robertson, Dylan L.; Shapley, Kathy L.

2007-01-01

Clearly defining what rural means has tangible implications for public policies and practices in education, from establishing resource needs to achieving the goals of No Child Left Behind in rural areas. The word "rural" has many meanings. It has been defined in reference to population density, geographic features, and level of economic…

In the "Best Interest" of the Student: Perceptions and Implications for Leadership Practices in Secondary Schools in Kenya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jwan, Julius Ouma

2011-01-01

This paper discusses the contrasting views of what constitutes the "best interests" of students and the implications of such perceptions for leadership practices in secondary schools in Kenya. The paper is based on a study conducted to establish the students', teachers' and principals' perceptions of democratic school leadership--in line…

When Duty Calls: The Implications of Social Justice Work for Policy, Education, and Practice in the Mental Health Professions. Reactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiselica, Mark S.

2004-01-01

In reaction to the pioneering model of social justice education in counseling psychology described by Goodman, Liang, Helms, Latta, Sparks, and Weintraub, several implications of social justice work for policy, education, and practice in the mental health professions are suggested. Specifically, it is recommended that mental health scientists and…

Kindergartners' Mental Models of the Day and Night Cycle: Implications for Instructional Practices in Early Childhood Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saçkes, Mesut

2015-01-01

This study aims to examine kindergarten children's mental models of the day and night cycle and provide implications for pedagogical practices targeting space science concepts in early childhood classrooms. A total of 46 kindergartners participated in the study, their age ranging from 60 to 75 months, including 22 boys and 24 girls.…

"Forest Grove School District v. T.A." Supreme Court Case: Implications for School Psychology Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Shauna G.; Eusebio, Eleazar C.; Turton, William J.; Wright, Peter W. D.; Hale, James B.

2011-01-01

The 2009 "Forest Grove School District v. T.A." United States Supreme Court case could have significant implications for school psychology practice. The Court ruled that the parents of a student with a disability were entitled to private school tuition reimbursement even though T.A. had not been identified with a disability or previously…

'The character rests heavily within me': drama students as standardized patients in mental health nursing education.

PubMed

Jacobs, A C; van Jaarsveldt, D E

2016-04-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Standardized patient (SP) simulation is an internationally recognized learning strategy that has proven effective in enhancing nursing students' competencies necessary for mental health practice. WHAT DOES THIS PAPER ADD TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: A deeper exploration of the process from the perspective of SPs and more particularly drama students, revealed the complexity they need to navigate and the personal vulnerability they are exposed to when creating an authentic learning opportunity for nursing students. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Their vulnerability justifies deeper consideration of support, as well as research on the ethical implications of SP simulation. Nursing students need to be well grounded in therapeutic communication before engaging with mental health users. This should include opportunities to question personal frames of reference that could hinder therapeutic engagement with diverse others. In future, the drama students can be involved in scenario development to enhance the authenticity of simulations. Introduction The effectiveness of Standardized patient (SP) simulation in enhancing students' mental health nursing competencies is well published. Nevertheless, the believable and accurate portrayal of a patient with a mental health issue during SP simulation is complex. Though vital to the creation of safe authentic learning experiences, the perspectives of SPs and particularly of drama students involved in SP simulation are unknown. Aim The aim of this paper is therefore to explore and describe the experiences of 11 drama students engaged in mental health simulations for nursing students. Method A qualitative approach was taken and data were gathered using various techniques. Findings The content analysis revealed that these SPs negotiated three roles during this interdisciplinary learning experience, namely of a facilitator of learning, a drama student and the person within. Discussion The study provided valuable insight into the world of an SP, including the complexities they navigate and the vulnerability they experience. Implications for Practice Nurse educators are alerted to SP's need for support and the necessity of establishing good interpersonal skills before nursing students enter the practice setting. Involvement of SPs in scenario development could enhance the authenticity of future simulations. The ethical implications of SP simulation requires further exploration. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Mental Health Outcomes of Drought: A Systematic Review and Causal Process Diagram

PubMed Central

Vins, Holly; Bell, Jesse; Saha, Shubhayu; Hess, Jeremy J.

2015-01-01

Little is understood about the long term, indirect health consequences of drought (a period of abnormally dry weather). In particular, the implications of drought for mental health via pathways such as loss of livelihood, diminished social support, and rupture of place bonds have not been extensively studied, leaving a knowledge gap for practitioners and researchers alike. A systematic review of literature was performed to examine the mental health effects of drought. The systematic review results were synthesized to create a causal process diagram that illustrates the pathways linking drought effects to mental health outcomes. Eighty-two articles using a variety of methods in different contexts were gathered from the systematic review. The pathways in the causal process diagram with greatest support in the literature are those focusing on the economic and migratory effects of drought. The diagram highlights the complexity of the relationships between drought and mental health, including the multiple ways that factors can interact and lead to various outcomes. The systematic review and resulting causal process diagram can be used in both practice and theory, including prevention planning, public health programming, vulnerability and risk assessment, and research question guidance. The use of a causal process diagram provides a much needed avenue for integrating the findings of diverse research to further the understanding of the mental health implications of drought. PMID:26506367

Evaluation of patient wristbands and patient identification process in a training hospital in Turkey.

PubMed

Cengiz, Canan; Celik, Yusuf; Hikmet, Neset

2016-10-10

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the utilisation of patient wristbands (PWs) and patient identification (PI) process in a training hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Design/methodology/approach This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in a training hospital with 640 beds, accreditied by Joint Commission International. The views of 348 patients and 419 hospital personnel on the implementation of patient wristbands and identification process were evaluated. Findings The results indicated that lack of information among patients about the importance of PWs and the misknowledge among staff participants on when, where, and by whom PWs should be put on and verified were the weakest points in this hospital. Research limitations/implications PI process must be strictly implemented according to the standard procedures of patient safety. Both patients and hospital personnel should be trained continuously, and training sessions must be held to increase their awareness about the importance of PWs and identification process. Practical implications Finding new ways and using new methods for increasing knowledge about PI and PWs are necessary. Hospital management should prepare a written PI and PW policy and procedure documents by taking the views of patients and hospital personnel and share these with them. Originality/value This study incorporates the views and attitudes of patients and health care personnel in improving health care quality by increasing awareness about PI and wristbands.

Effect of thermal processing practices on the properties of superplastic Al-Li alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hales, Stephen J.; Lippard, Henry E.

1993-01-01

The effect of thermal processing on the mechanical properties of superplastically formed structural components fabricated from three aluminum-lithium alloys was evaluated. The starting materials consisted of 8090, 2090, and X2095 (Weldalite(TM) 049), in the form of commercial-grade superplastic sheet. The experimental test matrix was designed to assess the impact on mechanical properties of eliminating solution heat treatment and/or cold water quenching from post-forming thermal processing. The extensive hardness and tensile property data compiled are presented as a function of aging temperature, superplastic strain and temper/quench rate for each alloy. The tensile properties of the materials following superplastic forming in two T5-type tempers are compared with the baseline T6 temper. The implications for simplifying thermal processing without degradation in properties are discussed on the basis of the results.

An emancipatory study of contemporary nursing practice.

PubMed

Jacobs, Barbara Bennett; Fontana, Joyce S; Kehoe, Maryanne Hidalgo; Matarese, Colette; Chinn, Peggy L

2005-01-01

Changes in health care facilities have created the necessity for individual nurses to change, eg, change jobs, pursue additional education, become independent entrepreneurs. There is a shortage of nurses that places stress on those who remain to care for an increasing number of persons with too few resources. The purposes of this study were to explore nurses' perceptions of the circumstances of their work lives and to describe the processes by which they can create change in these circumstances. The methodology was an emancipatory design combining tenets of critical inquiry and feminist research. The method used was a dialectical process of reflection and action (praxis). Three diverse groups of nurses met weekly over 6-10 weeks. Using the group process method, each group reflected on, discussed, and analyzed the phenomenon of practicing nursing today. The outcome of an emancipatory study is reflected in the power of the process. The group interaction increased awareness, promoted reflection on the status quo, and energized the groups to derive possible solutions to changing that status quo. It is not the solutions themselves that are as relevant as is the obvious cogency of the process to achieve individual and group emancipation. Six codifications reflected the themes that emerged and 5 processes for exploring untested feasibilities for change were identified. The participants perceived themselves more as subjects in their history than objects to be manipulated, capable of transforming a rather dismal situation of nursing practice into one that was critical, creative, and freer from constraints. The implication of this study is that nurses are encouraged to adopt and adapt this process of group interaction because of its demonstrated credibility to empower and validate the role that nurses have to derive and implement solutions to change their unsatisfactory status quo.

The impact of fear appeals on processing and acceptance of action recommendations.

PubMed

de Hoog, Natascha; Stroebe, Wolfgang; de Wit, John B F

2005-01-01

A stage model of processing of fear-arousing communications was tested in an experiment that examined the impact of vulnerability to a severe health risk, the quality of the arguments supporting a protective action recommendation, and the source to which the recommendation was attributed, on processing and acceptance of the recommendation. Argument quality influenced attitudes toward the recommendation (but not intention to act), and this effect was mediated by negative thoughts about the recommendation. Vulnerability influenced intention to act (but not attitudes), and this effect was mediated by perceived threat and positive thoughts about the recommendation. The pattern of findings suggests that although vulnerability to a severe health risk induces biased processing of the recommendation, biased processing is restricted to intentions and does not compromise the evaluation of the recommendation. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

A pragmatics' view of patient identification.

PubMed

Lichtner, Valentina; Galliers, Julia R; Wilson, Stephanie

2010-10-01

Patient identification is a central safety critical aspect of healthcare work. Most healthcare activities require identification of patients by healthcare staff, often in connection with the use of patient records. Indeed, the increasing reliance on electronic systems makes the correct matching of patients with their records a keystone for patient safety. Most research on patient identification has been carried out in hospital settings. The aim was to investigate the process of identification of patients and their records in the context of a primary healthcare clinic. A qualitative field study was carried out at a Walk-In Centre in London (UK). The identification of patients and their records was found to be a context-dependent process, both when formalised in procedures and when relying on informal practices. The authors discovered a range of formal and informal patient identifiers were used in this setting, depending on the task at hand. The theoretical lens of Pragmatics was applied to offer an explanation of this identification process. Context provides the cognitive scaffolding for a process of 'suitably constrained guesswork' about the identity of patients and their records. Implications for practice and for system design are discussed. Practitioners and technology designers should be aware of the risk for misidentifications inherent in this natural information processing activity.

Perceived changes associated with autogenic training for anxiety: a grounded theory study.

PubMed

Yurdakul, Levent; Holttum, Sue; Bowden, Ann

2009-12-01

Autogenic training (AT) is a behaviourally orientated intervention usually taught in eight or nine sessions in the United Kingdom: clients are taught six simple mental formulae designed to induce a calm state of mind and body, five additional emotional expression exercises, and individually tailored 'personal formulae' for supporting positive change. In the absence of existing psychological (as opposed to neuro-physiological) models of AT's mechanisms, this study aimed to produce the first such model, drawing on the perceptions of recent AT clients. An abbreviated form of grounded theory was used to explore retrospectively and in detail the experiences of a small sample of people of the process of change. Forty people were approached and 12 women participated who had completed AT in group form after referral for anxiety. Each was interviewed individually. A preliminary model of change was produced, grounded in the interview data. Factors reported to be salient were learning in a group, the core AT experience (the six standard exercises), difficulties with practice, the importance of regular practice integrated into daily life, and enhanced well-being and coping, which incorporated reduced worrying and clearer thinking. Limitations of the study are discussed, as are areas for further research and implications for anxiety treatment. This was a small study with a self-selected sample. However, theoretical generalizations can be made about the process of change. Since AT does not specifically focus on challenging negative cognitions, the cognitive changes reported have implications for anxiety treatments.

Series: The research agenda for general practice/family medicine and primary health care in Europe. Part 2. Results: Primary care management and community orientation.

PubMed

Hummers-Pradier, Eva; Beyer, Martin; Chevallier, Patrick; Eilat-Tsanani, Sophia; Lionis, Christos; Peremans, Lieve; Petek, Davorina; Rurik, Imre; Soler, Jean Karl; Stoffers, Henri Ejh; Topsever, Pinar; Ungan, Mehmet; van Royen, Paul

2010-03-01

At the WONCA Europe conference 2009 the recently published 'Research Agenda for General Practice/Family Medicine and Primary Health Care in Europe' was presented. It is a background paper and reference manual, providing advocacy of general practice/family medicine (GP/FM) in Europe. The Research Agenda summarizes the evidence relating to the core competencies and characteristics of the WONCA Europe definition of GP/FM, and its implications for general practitioners/family doctors, researchers and policy makers. The European Journal of General Practice publishes a series of articles based on this document. In a first article, background, objectives, and methodology were discussed. In this second article, the results for the core competencies 'primary care management' and 'community orientation' are presented. Though there is a large body of research on various aspects of 'primary care management', it represents a very scattered rather than a meta view. Many studies focus on care for specific diseases, the primary/secondary care interface, or the implications of electronic patient records. Cost efficiency or process indicators of quality are current outcomes. Current literature on community orientation is mainly descriptive, and focuses on either care for specific diseases, or specific patient populations, or on the uptake of preventive services. Most papers correspond poorly to the WONCA concept. For both core competencies, there is a lack of research with a longitudinal perspective and/or relevant health or quality of life outcomes as well as research on patients' preferences and education for organizational aspects of GP/FM.

Communication-based behaviour support for adults with intellectual disabilities receiving dental care: A focus group study exploring dentists' decision-making and communication.

PubMed

Phadraig, Caoimhin Mac Giolla; Griffiths, Colin; McCallion, Philip; McCarron, Mary; Nunn, June

2017-01-01

A better understanding of how communication-based behaviour supports are applied with adults with intellectual disabilities may reduce reliance on restrictive practices such as holding, sedation and anaesthesia in dentistry. In this study, we explore how communication is used by dentists who provide treatment for adults with intellectual disabilities. A descriptive qualitative study, adopting synchronous online focus groups, was undertaken with six expert dentists in Ireland. Members were contacted again in pairs or individually for further data collection, analysed using thematic content analysis. Two relevant categories emerged from the data, relating to the selection and application of communication-based behaviour support for adults with intellectual disabilities. Decision-making processes were explored. Building on these categories, a co-regulating process of communication emerged as the means by which dentists iteratively apply and adapt communicative strategies. This exploration revealed rationalist and intuitive decision-making. Implications for education, practice and research are identified.

Un Jalón, Un Volteón, y Otra Vez: High-Risk Crack Smoking Paraphernalia in México City.

PubMed

Valdez, Avelardo; Nowotny, Kathryn M; Negi, Nalini; Mora, Eduardo Zafra; Cepeda, Alice

2016-01-01

During the past decade, crack smoking has increased in Mexico among poor urban populations. Despite this increasing prevalence, little is known about the types of paraphernalia used and related sharing practices and physical harms. Data come from in-depth semi-structured interviews and observations with 156 current crack smokers in Mexico City. Findings reveal a complex, crack-smoking process in Mexico City that represents an interconnected structure of paraphernalia items and pipes that could contribute to detrimental health consequences. Specifically, we identify essential paraphernalia items that make the smoking of crack possible; describe the homemade construction of two categories of pipes; and detail the sharing practices and physical harms associated with these paraphernalia. Results point towards a smoking process that is embedded in impoverished urban neighborhoods sustained by an accessible street-level crack market. Discussed are the policy and intervention implications associated with reducing crack-related health consequences in Mexico and other Latin American countries.

Un Jalón, Un Volteón, y Otra Vez: High-Risk Crack Smoking Paraphernalia in México City

PubMed Central

Valdez, Avelardo; Cepeda, Alice; Nowotny, Kathryn M.; Mora, Eduardo Zafra; Negi, Nalini

2016-01-01

During the past decade, crack smoking has increased in Mexico among poor urban populations. Despite this increasing prevalence, little is known about the types of paraphernalia used and related sharing practices and physical harms. Data come from in-depth semi-structured interviews and observations with 156 current crack smokers in Mexico City. Findings reveal a complex, crack-smoking process in Mexico City that represents an interconnected structure of paraphernalia items and pipes that could contribute to detrimental health consequences. Specifically, we identify essential paraphernalia items that make the smoking of crack possible; describe the home- made construction of two categories of pipes; and the sharing practices and physical harms associated with these paraphernalia. Results point towards a smoking process that is embedded in impoverished urban neighborhoods sustained by an accessible street-level crack market. Discussed are the policy and intervention implications associated with reducing crack related health consequences in Mexico and other Latin American countries. PMID:27356211

Confronting Therapeutic Failure: A Conversation Guide

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We reflect on the impact of bad news on both clinician and patient in the setting of cancer treatment failure. We review the classic six-step SPIKES (setting, perception, invitation for information, knowledge, empathy, summarize and strategize) protocol for giving bad news that has been widely adopted since it was first published in this journal in 2005. The goal of such a conversation guide is to describe both the process and the tasks that constitute vital steps for clinicians and to comment on the emotional impact of the conversation on the clinician. Confronting therapeutic failure is the hardest task for oncologists. We offer practical tips derived from a thorough review of the evidence and our clinical experience. Implications for Practice: Discussing the failure of anticancer therapy remains a very difficult conversation for oncologists and their patients. In this article, the process of confronting this failure is broken down into various components, and practical tips are provided for clinicians following a classic protocol for breaking bad news. Also addressed are the emotions of the oncologist and the reasons why these conversations are typically so hard. These insights are based on solid research intended to deepen the therapeutic connection between physician and patient. PMID:26099747

Pathways Between Marriage and Parenting for Wives and Husbands: The Role of Coparenting1

PubMed Central

Morrill, Melinda

2016-01-01

As family systems research has expanded, so have investigations into how marital partners coparent together. Although coparenting research has increasingly found support for the influential role of coparenting on both marital relationships and parenting practices, coparenting has traditionally been investigated as part of an indirect system which begins with marital health, is mediated by coparenting processes, and then culminates in each partner's parenting. The field has not tested how this traditional model compares to the equally plausible alternative model in which coparenting simultaneously predicts both marital relationships and parenting practices. Furthermore, statistical and practical limitations have typically resulted in only one parent being analyzed in these models. This study used model-fitting analyses to include both wives and husbands in a test of these two alternative models of the role of coparenting in the family system. Our data suggested that both the traditional indirect model (marital health to coparenting to parenting practices), and the alternative predictor model where coparenting alliance directly and simultaneously predicts marital health and parenting practices, fit for both spouses. This suggests that dynamic and multiple roles may be played by coparenting in the overall family system, and raises important practical implications for family clinicians. PMID:20377635

Experiences of self-practice/self-reflection in cognitive behavioural therapy: a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies.

PubMed

Gale, Corinne; Schröder, Thomas

2014-12-01

Self-practice/self-reflection is a valuable training strategy which involves therapists applying therapeutic techniques to themselves, and reflecting on the process. To undertake a meta-synthesis of qualitative studies exploring therapists' experiences of self-practice/self-reflection in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This would integrate, and interpret, the current literature in order to develop a new understanding, and contribute to the development of CBT training programmes. The meta-synthesis encompassed three distinct phases: undertaking a comprehensive and systematic literature search; critically appraising the papers; and synthesising the data using the meta-ethnographic method. The literature search identified 378 papers, ten met the criteria for inclusion. After critical appraisal, all were included in the synthesis. The synthesis identified 14 constructs, which fell into three broad categories: 'experience of self-practice/self-reflection'; 'outcomes of self-practice/self-reflection'; and 'implications for training'. This synthesis found that self-practice allows therapists to put themselves into their clients' shoes, experiencing the benefits that therapy can bring but also the problems that clients can run in to. This experience increases therapists' empathy for their clients, allowing them to draw on their own experiences in therapy. As a result, therapists tend to feel both more confident in themselves and more competent as a therapist. The self-practice/self-reflection process was facilitated by reflective writing and working with others, particularly peers. Self-practice/self-reflection is a valuable training strategy in CBT, which has a range of beneficial outcomes. It can also be used as a means of continuing personal and professional development. Self-practice of CBT techniques, and reflecting on the process, can be a useful training strategy and helpful for ongoing development Therapists could consider developing a 'self-case' study, rather than using the exercises as one-off techniques, recording reflections in writing, and sharing reflections with peers. Self-practice/self-reflection can be particularly helpful for increasing empathy for clients, highlighting the difficulties they may encounter. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

A socio-technical investigation of the smart grid: Implications for demand-side activities of electricity service providers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Corbett, Jacqueline Marie

Enabled by advanced communication and information technologies, the smart grid represents a major transformation for the electricity sector. Vast quantities of data and two-way communications abilities create the potential for a flexible, data-driven, multi-directional supply and consumption network well equipped to meet the challenges of the next century. For electricity service providers ("utilities"), the smart grid provides opportunities for improved business practices and new business models; however, a transformation of such magnitude is not without risks. Three related studies are conducted to explore the implications of the smart grid on utilities' demand-side activities. An initial conceptual framework, based on organizational information processing theory, suggests that utilities' performance depends on the fit between the information processing requirements and capacities associated with a given demand-side activity. Using secondary data and multiple regression analyses, the first study finds, consistent with OIPT, a positive relationship between utilities' advanced meter deployments and demand-side management performance. However, it also finds that meters with only data collection capacities are associated with lower performance, suggesting the presence of information waste causing operational inefficiencies. In the second study, interviews with industry participants provide partial support for the initial conceptual model, new insights are gained with respect to information processing fit and information waste, and "big data" is identified as a central theme of the smart grid. To derive richer theoretical insights, the third study employs a grounded theory approach examining the experience of one successful utility in detail. Based on interviews and documentary data, the paradox of dynamic stability emerges as an essential enabler of utilities' performance in the smart grid environment. Within this context, the frames of opportunity, control, and data limitation interact to support dynamic stability and contribute to innovation within tradition. The main contributions of this thesis include theoretical extensions to OIPT and the development of an emergent model of dynamic stability in relation to big data. The thesis also adds to the green IS literature and identifies important practical implications for utilities as they endeavour to bring the smart grid to reality.

Decoding the Disciplines as a Hermeneutic Practice

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yeo, Michelle

2017-01-01

This chapter argues that expert practice is an inquiry that surfaces a hermeneutic relationship between theory, practice, and the world, with implications for new lines of questioning in the Decoding interview.

Recovering from childhood sexual abuse: a theoretical framework for practice and research.

PubMed

Chouliara, Z; Karatzias, T; Gullone, A

2014-02-01

Research on survivors' experiences of recovering from childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has been limited and focused on those with severe mental health difficulties. This study elicited experiences of recovery from CSA in male and female survivors who have/have not utilized mental health services. The tangible end-point was to propose a theoretical model of personally meaningful recovery. This is a qualitative study, which utilized semi-structured individual interviews following the critical incident technique. Transcripts were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to identify recurrent themes. A total 22 adult survivors of CSA. Main themes identified were: The Affected Self, Factors Hindering Recovery, Factors Enhancing Recovery, The Hurdles of Recovery and the Recovering Self. The affected self included: lack of boundary awareness and self-blame, over self-reliance, over-vigilance and guilt, shame, aloneness and social stigma. The recovering self was characterized by increasing confidence, assertiveness, ability to self-care and self-acceptance, and by embracing vulnerability. These findings have potentially major implications for clinical practice, service provision, policy development and professional training in this field. The importance of disclosure in the healing process seemed paramount and can have major implications for current service protocols. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[From brain imaging to good teaching? implicating from neuroscience for research on learning and instruction].

PubMed

Stubenrauch, Christa; Krinzinger, Helga; Konrad, Kerstin

2014-07-01

Psychiatric disorders in childhood and adolescence, in particular attention deficit disorder or specific learning disorders like developmental dyslexia and developmental dyscalculia, affect academic performance and learning at school. Recent advances in neuroscientific research have incited an intensive debate both in the general public and in the field of educational and instructional science as well as to whether and to what extent these new findings in the field of neuroscience might be of importance for school-related learning and instruction. In this review, we first summarize neuroscientific findings related to the development of attention, working memory and executive functions in typically developing children and then evaluate their relevance for school-related learning. We present an overview of neuroimaging studies of specific learning disabilities such as developmental dyslexia and developmental dyscalculia, and critically discuss their practical implications for educational and teaching practice, teacher training, early diagnosis as well as prevention and disorder-specific therapy. We conclude that the new interdisciplinary field of neuroeducation cannot be expected to provide direct innovative educational applications (e.g., teaching methods). Rather, the future potential of neuroscience lies in creating a deeper understanding of the underlying cognitive mechanisms and pathomechanisms of learning processes and learning disorders.

Trait-based cue Utilization and initial skill acquisition: implications for models of the progression to expertise

PubMed Central

Wiggins, Mark W.; Brouwers, Sue; Davies, Joel; Loveday, Thomas

2014-01-01

The primary aim of this study was to examine the role of cue utilization in the initial acquisition of psycho-motor skills. Two experiments were undertaken, the first of which examined the relationship between cue utilization typologies and levels of accuracy following four simulated, power-off landing trials in a light aircraft simulator. The results indicated that higher levels of cue utilization were associated with a greater level of landing accuracy following training exposure. In the second study, participants’ levels of cue utilization were assessed prior to two 15 min periods during which they practiced take-offs and landings using a simulated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Consistent with Study 1, the outcomes of Study 2 revealed a statistically significant relationship among levels of cue utilization and the number of trials to criterion on the take-off task, and the proportion of successful trials during both take-off and landing. In combination, the results suggest that the capacity for the acquisition and the subsequent utilization of cues is an important predictor of skill acquisition, particularly during the initial stages of the process. The implications for theory and applied practice are discussed. PMID:24917844

Beyond Positivism: Understanding and addressing childhood obesity disparities through a Critical Theory perspective

PubMed Central

Schroeder, Krista; Kulage, Kristine M.; Lucero, Robert

2016-01-01

Purpose We apply Critical Theory to examine menu labeling with the aim of uncovering important implications for nursing practice, research, and policy. Conclusions Our critical analysis uncovers barriers to menu labeling's effectiveness, particularly for vulnerable populations. Nurses must work to minimize the impact of these barriers and optimize the effectiveness of menu labeling, in order to strengthen the fight against obesity. Practice implications We suggest changes, guided by this critical analysis,that can be implemented by nurses working in clinical practice, research, and policy. PMID:26112774

The down syndrome behavioral phenotype: implications for practice and research in occupational therapy.

PubMed

Daunhauer, Lisa A; Fidler, Deborah J

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT Down syndrome (DS) is the most common chromosomal cause of intellectual disability. The genetic causes of DS are associated with characteristic outcomes, such as relative strengths in visual-spatial skills and relative challenges in motor planning. This profile of outcomes, called the DS behavioral phenotype, may be a critical tool for intervention planning and research in this population. In this article, aspects of the DS behavioral phenotype potentially relevant to occupational therapy practice are reviewed. Implications and challenges for etiology-informed research and practice are discussed.

Practical and Scholarly Implications of Information Behaviour Research: A Pilot Study of Research Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koh, Kyungwon; Rubenstein, Ellen; White, Kelvin

2015-01-01

Introduction: This pilot study examined how current information behaviour research addresses the implications and potential impacts of its findings. The goal was to understand what implications and contributions the field has made and how effectively authors communicate implications of their findings. Methods: We conducted a content analysis of 30…

Informed Consent to Research in Long-Term Care Settings

PubMed Central

Jablonski, Rita A.; Bourbonniere, Meg; Kolanowski, Ann

2010-01-01

Informed consent to nursing home research is a two-tiered process that begins with obtaining the consent of a long-term care community at the institutional level and progresses to the engagement of individuals in the consent process. Drawing on a review of the literature and the authors’ research experiences and institutional review board service, this paper describes the practical implications of nurse investigators’ obligation to ensure informed consent among participants in long-term care research. Recommendations focus on applying a community consent model to long-term care research, promoting an evidence-based approach to the protection of residents with decisional impairment, and increasing investigators’ attention to ethical issues involving long-term care staff. PMID:20078005

Self-practice and self-reflection in cognitive behaviour therapy training: what factors influence trainees' engagement and experience of benefit?

PubMed

Bennett-Levy, James; Lee, Nicole K

2014-01-01

Previous studies of self-practice/self-reflection (SP/SR) CBT training have found that trainees report significant benefits from practising CBT techniques on themselves (self-practice) and reflecting on their experience (self-reflection) as a formal part of their CBT training. However, not all trainees experience the same level of benefit from SP/SR and not all types of training course produce benefits to the same extent. This paper examines the question: What factors influence trainees' reported benefit from SP/SR? The aim was to develop a model to maximize the value of SP/SR training. The authors used a grounded theory analysis of four SP/SR training courses, varying along several dimensions, to derive a model that could account for the data. A model was derived comprising of seven elements: Two outcomes - "Experience of Benefit" and "Engagement with the Process" - that mutually influence one another; and five other influencing factors - "Course Structure and Requirements", "Expectation of Benefit", "Feeling of Safety with the Process", "Group Process", and "Available Personal Resources" - that mediate the impact on Engagement with the Process and Experience of Benefit from SP/SR. A model that provides guidance about the best ways to set up and develop SP/SR programs has been developed. This model may now be subject to empirical testing by trainers and researchers. Implications and recommendations for the design and development of future SP/SR programs are discussed.

Transplant tourism: a modern iteration of an ancient problem.

PubMed

Khamash, Hasan A; Gaston, Robert S

2008-08-01

To explore the scope and implications of emerging global problem of transplant tourism, a practice in which patients seek transplant services (most commonly kidney allografts) in countries other than their permanent residence. Potential remedies that must be implemented if abuses are to be curbed are also offered. Although traveling abroad for medical services may not be problematic from a number of perspectives, what makes transplant tourism so troubling is its link with organ trafficking and transplant commercialism. Unlike many illegal markets, however, this one is driven by the need of patients with irreversible kidney failure, who, along with kidney vendors, are the most vulnerable participants in the process in terms of medical and financial outcomes. This review explores the scope and implications of transplant tourism, and offers potential remedies that must be implemented if abuses are to be curbed.

Preventing Unintended Disclosure of Personally Identifiable Data Following Anonymisation.

PubMed

Smith, Chris

2017-01-01

Errors and anomalies during the capture and processing of health data have the potential to place personally identifiable values into attributes of a dataset that are expected to contain non-identifiable values. Anonymisation focuses on those attributes that have been judged to enable identification of individuals. Attributes that are judged to contain non-identifiable values are not considered, but may be included in datasets that are shared by organisations. Consequently, organisations are at risk of sharing datasets that unintendedly disclose personally identifiable values through these attributes. This would have ethical and legal implications for organisations and privacy implications for individuals whose personally identifiable values are disclosed. In this paper, we formulate the problem of unintended disclosure following anonymisation, describe the necessary steps to address this problem, and discuss some key challenges to applying these steps in practice.

Postmodern feminist perspectives and nursing research: a passionately interested form of inquiry.

PubMed

Aranda, Kay

2006-06-01

The challenges posed by postmodern and poststructural theories profoundly disrupt the certainties of feminist and nursing research, yet at the same time offer possibilities for developing new epistemologies. While there are an increasing number of accounts discussing the theoretical implications of these ideas for nursing research, I wish to discuss the practical and the methodological implications of using postmodern feminist theories within empirical research. In particular, I identify the challenges I encountered through an examination of specific aspects of the research process and through examples drawn from empirical research. I conclude that using postmodern feminist theories requires a continuous engagement with, and interrogation of, the modern epistemological and ontological assumptions of qualitative, feminist nursing research and, in so doing, presents the possibility for nurse scholars to begin to develop a 'passionately interested' methodological approach to nursing inquiry.

Cognitive continuum theory in interprofessional healthcare: A critical analysis.

PubMed

Parker-Tomlin, Michelle; Boschen, Mark; Morrissey, Shirley; Glendon, Ian

2017-07-01

Effective clinical decision making is among the most important skills required by healthcare practitioners. Making sound decisions while working collaboratively in interprofessional healthcare teams is essential for modern healthcare planning, successful interventions, and patient care. The cognitive continuum theory (CCT) is a model of human judgement and decision making aimed at orienting decision-making processes. CCT has the potential to improve both individual health practitioner, and interprofessional team understanding about, and communication of, clinical decision-making processes. Examination of the current application of CCT indicates that this theory could strengthen interprofessional team clinical decision making (CDM). However, further research is needed before extending the use of this theoretical framework to a wider range of interprofessional healthcare team processes. Implications for research, education, practice, and policy are addressed.

Threat Assessment and Targeted Violence at Institutions of Higher Education: Implications for Policy and Practice Including Unique Considerations for Community Colleges

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bennett, Laura; Bates, Michael

2015-01-01

This article provides an overview of the research on targeted violence, including campus violence, and the implications for policy and practice at institutions of higher education. Unique challenges of threat assessment in the community college setting are explored, and an overview of an effective threat assessment policy and team at William…

Participatory innovation process for testing new practices for soil fertility management in Chókwè Irrigation Scheme (Mozambique)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez Reparaz, Maite; de Vente, Joris; Famba, Sebastiao; Rougier, Jean-Emmanuel; Ángel Sánchez-Monedero, Miguel; Barberá, Gonzalo G.

2015-04-01

Integrated water and nutrient management are key factors to increase productivity and to reduce the yield gap in irrigated systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. These two elements are affected by an ensemble of abiotic, biotic, management and socio-economic factors that need to be taken into account to reduce the yield gap, as well as farmers' perceptions and knowledge. In the framework of the project European Union and African Union cooperative research to increase Food production in irrigated farming systems in Africa (EAU4Food project) we are carrying out a participatory innovation process in Chókwè irrigation scheme (Mozambique) based on stakeholders engagement, to test new practices for soil fertility management that can increase yields reducing costs. Through a method combining interviews with three farmers' associations and other relevant stakeholders and soil sampling from the interviewed farmers' plots with the organization of Communities of Practices, we tried to capture how soil fertility is managed by farmers, the constraints they find as well as their perceptions about soil resources. This information was the basis to design and conduct a participatory innovation process where compost made with rice straw and manure is being tested by a farmers' association. Most important limitations of the method are also evaluated. Our results show that socio-economic characteristics of farmers condition how they manage soil fertility and their perceptions. The difficulties they face to adopt new practices for soil fertility management, mainly related to economic resources limitations, labour availability, knowledge time or farm structure, require a systemic understanding that takes into account abiotic, biotic, management and socio-economic factors and their implication as active stakeholders in all phases of the innovation process.

Human resource management and performance in healthcare organisations.

PubMed

Harris, Claire; Cortvriend, Penny; Hyde, Paula

2007-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to compare the evidence from a range of reviews concerned with the links between human resource management (HRM) and performance. The aim of the paper is to review this diverse literature, and to derive human resource (HR) implications for healthcare researchers, policy makers and managers. Recent reviews of the human resource management and performance literature are examined, in addition to the inclusion of a previously unpublished review. Their methods, HRM focus, findings and recommendations are contrasted in order to produce this review. The paper finds that relationships have been found between a range of HRM practices, policies systems and performance. Despite being an important concern for HR professionals, there is little research exploring the link between HRM and performance in the health sector. The paper sees that recent studies have found HRM practices to be associated with patient outcomes such as mortality, yet they yield little information regarding the processes through which HRM affects individual performance and its consequent impact on patient care. The use of approaches that seek to gain an understanding of workers' interpretations of their experience, i.e. the psychological process through which HRM can affect individual performance, may shed some light on how these processes work in practice. The paper shows that increasing autonomy for healthcare organisations in the UK, i.e. Foundation Trusts, may offer increased opportunity for locally tailored HR systems and practices. The paper presents findings drawn from a review of previous research on a subject of increasing relevance to HR researchers and practitioners in healthcare organisations. The paper indicates alternative approaches to research and practice in light of extant research.

Nurse-led action research project for expanding nurses’ role in patient education in Iran: Process, structure, and outcomes

PubMed Central

Khorasani, Parvaneh; Rassouli, Maryam; Parvizy, Soroor; Zagheri-Tafreshi, Mansoureh; Nasr-Esfahani, Mahmood

2015-01-01

Background: Patient education is among the lowest met need of patients in Iran; therefore, expansion of that role can result in greater professional accountability. This study aimed to explain the practical science of the process, structure, and outcomes of a nurse-led action research project to expand the nurses’ role in patient education in Iran. Materials and Methods: This study was part of a participatory action research. Daily communications and monthly joint meetings were held from January 2012 to February 2014 for planning and management. These were based on the research protocol, and the conceptual framework included the Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships process by means of Leadership for Change skills. Data were produced and gathered through participant observations. Administrative data included project records, official documents, artifacts, news, and reports, which were analyzed through qualitative content analysis. Results: A participatory project was established with three groups of participants organized from both academic and clinical fields. These consisted of a “core research support team,” “two steering committees,” and community representatives of clients and professionals as “feedback groups.” A seven-stage process, named the “Nurse Educators: Al-Zahra Role Expansion Action Research” (NEAREAR) process, resulted from the project, in which strategic issues were gradually developed and implemented through 32 action plans and quality improvement cycles of action research. Audits and supervision evaluations showed meaningful changes in capacity building components. Conclusions: A nurse-led ad hoc structure with academic–clinical partnerships and strategic management process was suggested as a possible practical model for expanding nurses’ educational role in similar contexts. Implications and practical science introduced in this action research could also be applicable for top managers and health system policy makers in a wider range of practice. PMID:26120341

The Hydrologic Implications Of Unique Urban Soil Horizon Sequencing On The Functions Of Passive Green Infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuster, W.; Schifman, L. A.; Herrmann, D.

2017-12-01

Green infrastructure represents a broad set of site- to landscape-scale practices that can be flexibly implemented to increase sewershed retention capacity, and can thereby improve on the management of water quantity and quality. Although much green infrastructure presents as formal engineered designs, urbanized landscapes with highly-interspersed pervious surfaces (e.g., right-of-way, parks, lawns, vacant land) may offer ecosystem services as passive, infiltrative green infrastructure. Yet, infiltration and drainage processes are regulated by soil surface conditions, and then the layering of subsoil horizons, respectively. Drawing on a unique urban soil taxonomic and hydrologic dataset collected in 12 cities (each city representing a major soil order), we determined how urbanization processes altered the sequence of soil horizons (compared to pre-urbanized reference soil pedons) and modeled the hydrologic implications of these shifts in layering with an unsaturated zone code (HYDRUS2D). We found that the different layering sequences in urbanized soils render different types and extents of supporting (plant-available soil water), provisioning (productive vegetation), and regulating (runoff mitigation) ecosystem services.

Implications of Dual Practice among Health Workers: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

MOGHRI, Javad; RASHIDIAN, Arash; ARAB, Mohammad; AKBARI SARI, Ali

2017-01-01

Background: Mixed health care systems to work simultaneously on both public and private facilities, is common today. This phenomenon referred to as dual practice (DP), has potential implications for access, quality, cost and equity of health services. This paper aimed to review systematically studies that assess the implications of DP among health workers. Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and The Cochrane library were searched for obtaining published literature between Feb 1990 and May 2014. Google and Google Scholars, organizational websites, and reference lists of relevant papers searched to get grey literature. Only studies concentrated on consequences and impacts of DP among health professionals and conducted using “randomized controlled trials”, “non-randomized controlled trials”, “controlled before and after studies”, or “interrupted time series” were eligible for inclusion. Results: From 3242 records, we focused on 19 studies, which aimed to assess effects and impacts of dual practice. After that, the current understanding of DP positive and negative implications was categorized and discussed based on two perspectives. Conclusion: There has been a propensity to over-reliance on theoretical methods in predicting the implications of this phenomenon. Almost all of the mentioned implications are based on theoretical predictions undermined in the broader literature. Furthermore, assessing the current literature showed positive and negative impacts of DP on different parts of the health system and various dimensions of service delivery. These implications are contexted specific and may vary from system to system. PMID:28451549

Neuroethics and fMRI: Mapping a Fledgling Relationship

PubMed Central

Garnett, Alex; Whiteley, Louise; Piwowar, Heather; Rasmussen, Edie; Illes, Judy

2011-01-01

Human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) informs the understanding of the neural basis of mental function and is a key domain of ethical enquiry. It raises questions about the practice and implications of research, and reflexively informs ethics through the empirical investigation of moral judgments. It is at the centre of debate surrounding the importance of neuroscience findings for concepts such as personhood and free will, and the extent of their practical consequences. Here, we map the landscape of fMRI and neuroethics, using citation analysis to uncover salient topics. We find that this landscape is sparsely populated: despite previous calls for debate, there are few articles that discuss both fMRI and ethical, legal, or social implications (ELSI), and even fewer direct citations between the two literatures. Recognizing that practical barriers exist to integrating ELSI discussion into the research literature, we argue nonetheless that the ethical challenges of fMRI, and controversy over its conceptual and practical implications, make this essential. PMID:21526115

Practices and health perception of preparation of Brassica vegetables: translating survey data to technological and nutritional implications.

PubMed

Nugrahedi, Probo Y; Hantoro, Inneke; Verkerk, Ruud; Dekker, Matthijs; Steenbekkers, Bea

2015-01-01

Food preparation practices are known to have large nutritional implications on the final product. This article describes survey data on preparation practices of Brassica vegetables and the translation of these data into technological and nutritional implications using knowledge on the mechanisms of changes in the content of phytochemicals. The survey on preparation practices was performed with food service establishments (n = 123) and households (n = 477) in Semarang, Indonesia, and assessed the food handlers' perception of the health benefits of these vegetables. Boiling and stir-frying are the most frequently applied techniques to prepare Brassicas. The respondents perceive that steaming, boiling, and stir-frying result in vegetables with a high health benefit. White cabbage and choysum are the most frequently prepared Brassicas. However, broccoli is perceived as the healthiest. The consequences of the various applied preparation techniques on the content of alleged health promoting phytochemicals (glucosinolates) in dishes containing Brassica vegetables are discussed.

Ideology and community social psychology: theoretical considerations and practical implications.

PubMed

Montenegro, Marisela

2002-08-01

This paper addresses the importance of the concept of ideology in community work. The implications of a Marxist approach to ideology in community practice are analyzed in terms of the concepts of problematization (P. Freire, 1979) and consciousness-raising (J. Barreiro, 1976), illustrating the point with some examples. The traditional Marxist perspective is also examined in relation to the perspectives of social constructionism (I. Ibáñez, 1996), cultural studies (A. McRobbie, 1992), post-Marxism (E. Laclau & C. Mouffe, 1985), and feminism (D. Haraway, 1991). It is argued that the concepts of hegemony and habitus (P. Bourdieu, 1985) can be useful to community social psychology theory and practice. A "situated perspective"--in which it is possible to dialogue from different "subject positions," and articulate transformation and political action--is argued. The implications of this shifting in the concept of ideology by means of theoretical developments outside social communitypsychology can help to define the external (outside) agent's position in community practice.

The Policy Implications of College and Career Assessment Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lenning, Oscar T.

This paper considers social policy and institutional practice policy implications of findings reported by Ernest Pascarella and Patrick Terenzini concerning student career choice and economic benefits of college. Sixteen social policy implications are identified. These include: beating the Japanese; overcoming the "pipeline mentality"; revising…

Update in perioperative medicine: practice changing evidence published in 2016.

PubMed

Regan, Dennis W; Kashiwagi, Deanne; Dougan, Brian; Sundsted, Karna; Mauck, Karen

2017-10-01

This summary reviews 18 key articles published in 2016 which have significant practice implications for the perioperative medical care of surgical patients. Due to the multi-disciplinary nature of the practice of perioperative medicine, important new evidence is published in journals representing a variety of medical and surgical specialties. Keeping current with the evidence that drives best practice in perioperative medicine is therefore challenging. We set out to identify, critically review, and summarize key evidence which has the most potential for practice change. We integrated the new evidence into the existing body of medical knowledge and identified practical implications for real world patient care. The articles address issues related to anticoagulation, transfusion threshold, immunosuppressive medications, postoperative delirium, myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery, postoperative pain management, perioperative management of antihypertensives, perioperative fasting, and perioperative diabetic control.

Screening for important unwarranted variation in clinical practice: a triple-test of processes of care, costs and patient outcomes.

PubMed

Partington, Andrew; Chew, Derek P; Ben-Tovim, David; Horsfall, Matthew; Hakendorf, Paul; Karnon, Jonathan

2017-03-01

Objective Unwarranted variation in clinical practice is a target for quality improvement in health care, but there is no consensus on how to identify such variation or to assess the potential value of initiatives to improve quality in these areas. This study illustrates the use of a triple test, namely the comparative analysis of processes of care, costs and outcomes, to identify and assess the burden of unwarranted variation in clinical practice. Methods Routinely collected hospital and mortality data were linked for patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndromes at the emergency departments of four public hospitals in South Australia. Multiple regression models analysed variation in re-admissions and mortality at 30 days and 12 months, patient costs and multiple process indicators. Results After casemix adjustment, an outlier hospital with statistically significantly poorer outcomes and higher costs was identified. Key process indicators included admission patterns, use of invasive diagnostic procedures and length of stay. Performance varied according to patients' presenting characteristics and time of presentation. Conclusions The joint analysis of processes, outcomes and costs as alternative measures of performance inform the importance of reducing variation in clinical practice, as well as identifying specific targets for quality improvement along clinical pathways. Such analyses could be undertaken across a wide range of clinical areas to inform the potential value and prioritisation of quality improvement initiatives. What is known about the topic? Variation in clinical practice is a long-standing issue that has been analysed from many different perspectives. It is neither possible nor desirable to address all forms of variation in clinical practice: the focus should be on identifying important unwarranted variation to inform actions to reduce variation and improve quality. What does this paper add? This paper proposes the comparative analysis of processes of care, costs and outcomes for patients with similar diagnoses presenting at alternative hospitals, using linked, routinely collected data. This triple test of performance indicators extracts maximum value from routine data to identify priority areas for quality improvement to reduce important and unwarranted variations in clinical practice. What are the implications for practitioners? The proposed analyses need to be applied to other clinical areas to demonstrate the general application of the methods. The outputs can then be validated through the application of quality improvement initiatives in clinical areas with identified important and unwarranted variation. Validated frameworks for the comparative analysis of clinical practice provide an efficient approach to valuing and prioritising actions to improve health service quality.

A medical home: value and implications of knowledge management.

PubMed

Orzano, A John; McInerney, Claire R; McDaniel, Reuben R; Meese, Abigail; Alajmi, Bibi; Mohr, Stewart M; Tallia, Alfred F

2009-01-01

Central to the "medical home" concept is the premise that the delivery of effective primary care requires a fundamental shift in relationships among practice members and between practice members and patients. Primary care practices can potentially increase their capacity to deliver effective care through knowledge management (KM), a process of sharing and making existing knowledge available or by developing new knowledge among practice members and patients. KM affects performance by influencing work relationships to enhance learning, decision making, and task execution. We extend our previous work to further characterize, describe, and contrast how primary care practices exhibit KM and explain why KM deserves attention in medical home redesign initiatives. Case studies were conducted, drawn from two higher and lower performing practices, which were purposely selected based on disease management, prevention, and productivity measures from an improvement trial. Observations of operations, clinical encounters, meetings, and interviews with office members and patients were transcribed and coded independently using a KM template developed from a previous secondary analysis. Face-to-face discussions resolved coding differences among research team members. Confirmation of findings was sought from practice participants. Practices manifested varying degrees of KM effectiveness through six interdependent processes and multiple overlapping tools. Social tools, such as face-to-face-communication for sharing and developing knowledge, were often more effective than were expensive technical tools such as an electronic medical record. Tool use was tailored for specific outcomes, interacted with each other, and leveraged by other organizational capacities. Practices with effective KM were more open to adopting and sustaining new ways of functioning, ways reflecting attributes of a medical home. Knowledge management differences occur within and between practices and can explain differences in performance. By relying more on social tools rather than costly, high-tech investment, KM leverages primary care's relationship-centered strength, facilitating practice redesign as a medical home.

Strategic plan modelling by hospital senior administration to integrate diversity management.

PubMed

Newhouse, John J

2010-11-01

Limited research suggests that some hospital senior administrators and chief executive officers (CEOs) have employed a strategic planning function to achieve diversity management practices. As the hospital industry struggles with how to integrate diversity practices to improve patient satisfaction, increase the quality of care and enhance clinical outcomes for minority populations, understanding the planning process involved in this endeavour becomes significant for senior hospital administrators. What is not well understood is what this strategic planning process represents and how it is applied to integrate diversity management. Scant research exists about the type of strategic models that hospital CEOs employ when they wish to reposition their organizations through diversity management. This study examines the strategic planning models used by senior administrators to integrate diversity management for an institutional-wide agenda. A qualitative survey process was used for CEOs in the states of New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The key research questions dealt with what type of strategic plan approach senior administrators used for integrating diversity management and what rationale they used to pursue this. Significant differences were reported between three types of strategic plan modelling used by CEOs. Also, when comparing past and current practices over time, such differences existed. The need to integrate diversity management is underscored by this study. How senior hospital administrators apply strategic plan models and what impact these approaches have represent the major implications that this study offers.

Introducing rapid diagnostic tests for malaria into registered drug shops in Uganda: lessons learned and policy implications.

PubMed

Mbonye, Anthony K; Clarke, Sîan E; Lal, Sham; Chandler, Clare I; Hutchinson, Eleanor; Hansen, Kristian S; Magnussen, Pascal

2015-11-14

Malaria is a major public health problem in Uganda and the current policy recommends introduction of rapid diagnostic tests for malaria (RDTs) to facilitate effective case management. However, provision of RDTs in drug shops potentially raises a new set of issues, such as adherence to RDTs results, management of severe illnesses, referral of patients, and relationship with caretakers. The main objective of the study was to examine the impact of introducing RDTs in registered drug shops in Uganda and document lessons and policy implications for future scale-up of malaria control in the private health sector. A cluster-randomized trial introducing RDTs into registered drug shops was implemented in central Uganda from October 2010 to July 2012. An evaluation was undertaken to assess the impact and the processes involved with the introduction of RDTs into drug shops, the lessons learned and policy implications. Introducing RDTs into drug shops was feasible. To scale-up this intervention however, drug shop practices need to be regulated since the registration process was not clear, supervision was inadequate and record keeping was poor. Although initially it was anticipated that introducing a new practice of record keeping would be cumbersome, but at evaluation this was not found to be a constraint. This presents an important lesson for introducing health management information system into drug shops. Involving stakeholders, especially the district health team, in the design was important for ownership and sustainability. The involvement of village health teams in community sensitization to the new malaria treatment and diagnosis policy was a success and this strategy is recommended for future interventions. Introducing RDTs into drug shops was feasible and it increased appropriate treatment of malaria with artemisinin-based combination therapy. It is anticipated that the lessons presented will help better implementation of similar interventions in the private sector.

Dual processing and organizational justice: the role of rational versus experiential processing in third-party reactions to workplace mistreatment.

PubMed

Skarlicki, Daniel P; Rupp, Deborah E

2010-09-01

The moral perspective of justice proposes that when confronted by another person's mistreatment, third parties can experience a deontic response, that is, an evolutionary-based emotional reaction that motivates them to engage in retribution toward the transgressor. In this article, we tested whether the third party's deontic reaction is less strong when a rational (vs. experiential) processing frame is primed. Further, we tested whether third parties high (vs. low) in moral identity are more resistant to the effects of processing frames. Results from a sample of 185 French managers revealed that following an injustice, managers primed to use rational processing reported lower retribution tendencies compared with managers primed to use experiential processing. Third parties high in moral identity, however, were less affected by the framing; they reported a high retribution response regardless of processing frame. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. Copyright 2010 APA, all rights reserved

Transforming Language Ideologies through Action Research: A Case Study of Bilingual Science Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Eunah

This qualitative case study explored a third grade bilingual teacher's transformative language ideologies through participating in a collaborative action research project. By merging language ideologies theory, Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), and action research, I was able to identify the analytic focus of this study. I analyzed how one teacher and I, the researcher, collaboratively reflected on classroom language practices during the video analysis meetings and focus groups. Further, I analyzed twelve videos that we coded together to see the changes in the teacher's language practices over time. My unit of analysis was the discourse practice mediated by additive language ideologies. Throughout the collaborative action research process, we both critically reflected on the classroom language use. We also developed a critical consciousness about the participatory shifts and learning of focal English Learner (EL) students. Finally, the teacher made changes to her classroom language practices. The results of this study will contribute to the literacy education research field for theoretical, methodological, and practical insights. The integration of language ideologies, CHAT, and action research can help educational practitioners, researchers, and policy makers understand the importance of transforming teachers' language ideologies in designing additive learning contexts for ELs. From a methodological perspective, the transformative language ideologies through researcher and teacher collaborated video analysis process provide a unique contribution to the language ideologies in education literature, with analytic triangulation. As a practical implication, this study suggests action research can be one of the teacher education tools to help the teachers transform language ideologies for EL education.

Clinical terminology support for a national ambulatory practice outcomes research network.

PubMed

Ricciardi, Thomas N; Lieberman, Michael I; Kahn, Michael G; Masarie, F E

2005-01-01

The Medical Quality Improvement Consortium (MQIC) is a nationwide collaboration of 74 healthcare delivery systems, consisting of 3755 clinicians, who contribute de-identified clinical data from the same commercial electronic medical record (EMR) for quality reporting, outcomes research and clinical research in public health and practice benchmarking. Despite the existence of a common, centrally-managed, shared terminology for core concepts (medications, problem lists, observation names), a substantial "back-end" information management process is required to ensure terminology and data harmonization for creating multi-facility clinically-acceptable queries and comparable results. We describe the information architecture created to support terminology harmonization across this data-sharing consortium and discuss the implications for large scale data sharing envisioned by proponents for the national adoption of ambulatory EMR systems.

Clinical Terminology Support for a National Ambulatory Practice Outcomes Research Network

PubMed Central

Ricciardi, Thomas N.; Lieberman, Michael I.; Kahn, Michael G.; Masarie, F.E. “Chip”

2005-01-01

The Medical Quality Improvement Consortium (MQIC) is a nationwide collaboration of 74 healthcare delivery systems, consisting of 3755 clinicians, who contribute de-identified clinical data from the same commercial electronic medical record (EMR) for quality reporting, outcomes research and clinical research in public health and practice benchmarking. Despite the existence of a common, centrally-managed, shared terminology for core concepts (medications, problem lists, observation names), a substantial “back-end” information management process is required to ensure terminology and data harmonization for creating multi-facility clinically-acceptable queries and comparable results. We describe the information architecture created to support terminology harmonization across this data-sharing consortium and discuss the implications for large scale data sharing envisioned by proponents for the national adoption of ambulatory EMR systems. PMID:16779116

Nurses with Undiagnosed Hearing Loss: Implications for Practice.

PubMed

Spencer, Cara S; Pennington, Karen

2015-01-05

Hearing loss affects 36 million people in the United States of America, including 17% of the adult population. This suggests some nurses will have hearing losses that affect their communication skills and their ability to perform auscultation assessments, potentially compromising patient care and safety. In this article, the authors begin by reviewing the hearing process, describing various types of hearing loss, and discussing noise-induced hearing loss and noise levels in hospitals. Next, they consider the role of hearing in nursing practice, review resources for hearing-impaired nurses, identify the many costs associated with untreated hearing loss, and note nurses' responsibility for maintaining their hearing health. The authors conclude that nurses need to be aware of their risk for hearing loss and have their hearing screened every five years.

Professional socialization of students in clinical nurse specialist programs.

PubMed

Ares, Terri L

2014-11-01

Graduate nursing programs facilitate the transition of RNs to advanced roles through a complex process of professional socialization. The purpose of this study was to explore the professional socialization of clinical nurse specialist (CNS) students. Two hundred twenty-five students, representing 73 CNS programs, responded to an online survey. Both preprogram variables and educational experiences contributed to an adequate level of CNS socialization. Students' self-concept was strong, and they felt prepared to practice in the role, which was highly correlated with their perceptions of how well the program prepared them academically and experientially. Having a CNS mentor was positively associated with readiness to practice. Outcomes did not vary with cohort status, and online instruction did not impede socialization. These findings provide implications for CNS program advisement and design. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Primary care needs of patients who have undergone gender reassignment.

PubMed

Sobralske, Mary

2005-04-01

The purpose of this article is to inform nurse practitioners (NPs) about the primary care needs of patients who have undergone gender reassignment, either by hormone therapy alone or in conjunction with surgery. Data sources used were mainly from a review of the literature about gender identity disorder and gender reassignment. Information was also gathered from several leading surgeons on gender reassignment surgical procedures and subsequent clinical considerations. There is very little written on the primary care clinical ramifications of transsexual patients and how clinicians can adapt their approaches to healthcare delivery to accommodate their special situations. Implications for practice include how an NP can adapt clinical practice approaches to provide for patients who have undergone gender reassignment. Changes that occur in the transsexual process may warrant noncustomary primary healthcare screening and examination.

[Social representations on HIV/AIDS among adolescentes: implications for nursing care].

PubMed

Thiengo, Maria Aparecida; de Oliveira, Denize Cristina; Rodrigues, Benedita Maria Rêgo Deusdará

2005-03-01

With the objective of discussing the implications of the social representations of HIV/AIDS for the interpersonal relations and the practices for protection among adolescents, 15 semidirective interviews were carried out with adolescents, both with and without HIV, assisted at a Hospital School in Rio de Janeiro. The software ALCESTE 4.5 was used for the data analysis. It was observed that the social representation of AIDS is structured around cognitions connected to prevention, revealing a contradiction between the knowledge and the practices reported by the group. It is suggested that the nursing practices should be directed towards the reduction of the distance between practices, representations and scientific knowledge.

Survey of handwriting instruction practices of elementary teachers and educational programs: implications for occupational therapy.

PubMed

Donica, Denise K; Larson, Michelle H; Zinn, Abbey A

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions of elementary school teachers on training in handwriting instruction received during their education, as well as their current classroom practices. The quantity and quality of training in handwriting instruction provided by baccalaureate degree-granting teacher education programs in North Carolina was also examined. An online survey was administered to each population identified to inquire about handwriting instruction practices. Results from 505 teachers and 16 professors indicated that while handwriting instruction content is valued by both teachers and professors, varied levels of training were provided to the teachers. Implications for occupational therapy practice are discussed including strategies for school-based therapists.

Building foundations for the future: the NHS Scotland advanced practice succession planning development pathway.

PubMed

Currie, Kay; Grundy, Maggie

2011-10-01

To highlight implications for managers from the implementation of a national advanced practice succession planning development pathway within Scotland. Internationally, advanced practice posts have often developed in an ad-hoc manner, with little organizational attention to succession planning. Evaluation of a pilot national succession planning development pathway identified mechanisms which facilitate or hamper effective planning for advanced practice roles. A responsive evaluation design incorporating semi-structured questionnaires to pathway participants (n = 15) and semi-structured telephone interviews with case-site pathway participants (n = 7) and their line managers. Managers believed the development pathway was worthwhile; however, there was limited strategic planning to match individuals' development to service need. Practitioners generally perceived managers as interested in their development, although levels of practical support varied. There is concern from both managers and practitioners regarding ongoing funding for advanced practice development. The present evaluation study reiterates the need for organizational commitment to succession planning including robust service needs analysis mechanisms and adequate funding for development processes. Nurse managers are viewed as the 'gatekeepers' to opportunities for developing advanced nurse practitioners; scare resources must be targeted effectively to support succession planning through the development of selected individuals for future advanced practice posts, justified by service need. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Moving beyond gender: processes that create relationship equality.

PubMed

Knudson-Martin, Carmen; Mahoney, Anne Rankin

2005-04-01

Equality is related to relationship success, yet few couples achieve it. In this qualitative study, we examine how couples with children in two time cohorts (1982 and 2001) moved toward equality. The analysis identifies three types of couples: Postgender, gender legacy, and traditional. Movement toward equality is facilitated by: (a) Stimulus for change, including awareness of gender, commitment to family and work, and situational pressures; and (b) patterns that promote change, including active negotiation, challenges to gender entitlement, development of new competencies, and mutual attention to relationship and family tasks. Implications for practice are discussed.

Real-time functional magnetic imaging-brain-computer interface and virtual reality promising tools for the treatment of pedophilia.

PubMed

Renaud, Patrice; Joyal, Christian; Stoleru, Serge; Goyette, Mathieu; Weiskopf, Nikolaus; Birbaumer, Niels

2011-01-01

This chapter proposes a prospective view on using a real-time functional magnetic imaging (rt-fMRI) brain-computer interface (BCI) application as a new treatment for pedophilia. Neurofeedback mediated by interactive virtual stimuli is presented as the key process in this new BCI application. Results on the diagnostic discriminant power of virtual characters depicting sexual stimuli relevant to pedophilia are given. Finally, practical and ethical implications are briefly addressed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The marketing concept applied to an education program.

PubMed

Parks, S C; Moody, D L; Barbrow, E P

1984-09-01

Dietetic education programs seeking to maintain their enrollment levels may find it necessary to adopt more sophisticated marketing strategies. This article describes the application of the marketing process to an extended degree dietetic program that serves a national audience. It also presents a strategy for initiating a marketing study and marketing orientation by analyzing its internal program data. The article discusses the specific market characteristics of the program's primary market segments, and it presents further implications for dietitians at work in health care facilities, in businesses, or in private practice.

Implications of workforce and financing changes for primary care practice utilization, revenue, and cost: a generalizable mathematical model for practice management.

PubMed

Basu, Sanjay; Landon, Bruce E; Song, Zirui; Bitton, Asaf; Phillips, Russell S

2015-02-01

Primary care practice transformations require tools for policymakers and practice managers to understand the financial implications of workforce and reimbursement changes. To create a simulation model to understand how practice utilization, revenues, and expenses may change in the context of workforce and financing changes. We created a simulation model estimating clinic-level utilization, revenues, and expenses using user-specified or public input data detailing practice staffing levels, salaries and overhead expenditures, patient characteristics, clinic workload, and reimbursements. We assessed whether the model could accurately estimate clinic utilization, revenues, and expenses across the nation using labor compensation, medical expenditure, and reimbursements databases, as well as cost and revenue data from independent practices of varying size. We demonstrated the model's utility in a simulation of how utilization, revenue, and expenses would change after hiring a nurse practitioner (NP) compared with hiring a part-time physician. Modeled practice utilization and revenue closely matched independent national utilization and reimbursement data, disaggregated by patient age, sex, race/ethnicity, insurance status, and ICD diagnostic group; the model was able to estimate independent revenue and cost estimates, with highest accuracy among larger practices. A demonstration analysis revealed that hiring an NP to work independently with a subset of patients diagnosed with diabetes or hypertension could increase net revenues, if NP visits involve limited MD consultation or if NP reimbursement rates increase. A model of utilization, revenue, and expenses in primary care practices may help policymakers and managers understand the implications of workforce and financing changes.

The impact of working memory and the “process of process modelling” on model quality: Investigating experienced versus inexperienced modellers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martini, Markus; Pinggera, Jakob; Neurauter, Manuel; Sachse, Pierre; Furtner, Marco R.; Weber, Barbara

2016-05-01

A process model (PM) represents the graphical depiction of a business process, for instance, the entire process from online ordering a book until the parcel is delivered to the customer. Knowledge about relevant factors for creating PMs of high quality is lacking. The present study investigated the role of cognitive processes as well as modelling processes in creating a PM in experienced and inexperienced modellers. Specifically, two working memory (WM) functions (holding and processing of information and relational integration) and three process of process modelling phases (comprehension, modelling, and reconciliation) were related to PM quality. Our results show that the WM function of relational integration was positively related to PM quality in both modelling groups. The ratio of comprehension phases was negatively related to PM quality in inexperienced modellers and the ratio of reconciliation phases was positively related to PM quality in experienced modellers. Our research reveals central cognitive mechanisms in process modelling and has potential practical implications for the development of modelling software and teaching the craft of process modelling.

The impact of working memory and the “process of process modelling” on model quality: Investigating experienced versus inexperienced modellers

PubMed Central

Martini, Markus; Pinggera, Jakob; Neurauter, Manuel; Sachse, Pierre; Furtner, Marco R.; Weber, Barbara

2016-01-01

A process model (PM) represents the graphical depiction of a business process, for instance, the entire process from online ordering a book until the parcel is delivered to the customer. Knowledge about relevant factors for creating PMs of high quality is lacking. The present study investigated the role of cognitive processes as well as modelling processes in creating a PM in experienced and inexperienced modellers. Specifically, two working memory (WM) functions (holding and processing of information and relational integration) and three process of process modelling phases (comprehension, modelling, and reconciliation) were related to PM quality. Our results show that the WM function of relational integration was positively related to PM quality in both modelling groups. The ratio of comprehension phases was negatively related to PM quality in inexperienced modellers and the ratio of reconciliation phases was positively related to PM quality in experienced modellers. Our research reveals central cognitive mechanisms in process modelling and has potential practical implications for the development of modelling software and teaching the craft of process modelling. PMID:27157858

The impact of working memory and the "process of process modelling" on model quality: Investigating experienced versus inexperienced modellers.

PubMed

Martini, Markus; Pinggera, Jakob; Neurauter, Manuel; Sachse, Pierre; Furtner, Marco R; Weber, Barbara

2016-05-09

A process model (PM) represents the graphical depiction of a business process, for instance, the entire process from online ordering a book until the parcel is delivered to the customer. Knowledge about relevant factors for creating PMs of high quality is lacking. The present study investigated the role of cognitive processes as well as modelling processes in creating a PM in experienced and inexperienced modellers. Specifically, two working memory (WM) functions (holding and processing of information and relational integration) and three process of process modelling phases (comprehension, modelling, and reconciliation) were related to PM quality. Our results show that the WM function of relational integration was positively related to PM quality in both modelling groups. The ratio of comprehension phases was negatively related to PM quality in inexperienced modellers and the ratio of reconciliation phases was positively related to PM quality in experienced modellers. Our research reveals central cognitive mechanisms in process modelling and has potential practical implications for the development of modelling software and teaching the craft of process modelling.

The Implications of the National Minimum Wage for Training Practices and Skill Utilisation in the United Kingdom Hospitality Industry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Norris, Gill; Williams, Steve; Adam-Smith, Derek

2003-01-01

Two key issues thrown up by the 1999 introduction of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in the United Kingdom are its likely impact on employers' training practices in low paying sectors of the economy and the implications for skills. Based on a study of the hospitality industry, this article assesses the limited significance of the differential,…

The development of a patient-specific method for physiotherapy goal setting: a user-centered design.

PubMed

Stevens, Anita; Köke, Albère; van der Weijden, Trudy; Beurskens, Anna

2018-08-01

To deliver client-centered care, physiotherapists need to identify the patients' individual treatment goals. However, practical tools for involving patients in goal setting are lacking. The purpose of this study was to improve the frequently used Patient-Specific Complaints instrument in Dutch physiotherapy, and to develop it into a feasible method to improve physiotherapy goal setting. An iterative user-centered design was conducted in co-creation with the physiotherapists and patients, in three phases. Their needs and preferences were identified by means of group meetings and questionnaires. The new method was tested in several field tests in physiotherapy practices. Four main objectives for improvement were formulated: clear instructions for the administration procedure, targeted use across the physiotherapy process, client-activating communication skills, and a client-centered attitude of the physiotherapist. A theoretical goal-setting framework and elements of shared decision making were integrated into the new-called, Patient-Specific Goal-setting method, together with a practical training course. The user-centered approach resulted in a goal-setting method that is fully integrated in the physiotherapy process. The new goal-setting method contributes to a more structured approach to goal setting and enables patient participation and goal-oriented physiotherapy. Before large-scale implementation, its feasibility in physiotherapy practice needs to be investigated. Implications for rehabilitation Involving patients and physiotherapists in the development and testing of a goal-setting method, increases the likelihood of its feasibility in practice. The integration of a goal-setting method into the physiotherapy process offers the opportunity to focus more fully on the patient's goals. Patients should be informed about the aim of every step of the goal-setting process in order to increase their awareness and involvement. Training physiotherapists to use a patient-specific method for goal setting is crucial for a correct application.

Effective responder communication improves efficiency and psychological outcomes in a mass decontamination field experiment: implications for public behaviour in the event of a chemical incident.

PubMed

Carter, Holly; Drury, John; Amlôt, Richard; Rubin, G James; Williams, Richard

2014-01-01

The risk of incidents involving mass decontamination in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear release has increased in recent years, due to technological advances, and the willingness of terrorists to use unconventional weapons. Planning for such incidents has focused on the technical issues involved, rather than on psychosocial concerns. This paper presents a novel experimental study, examining the effect of three different responder communication strategies on public experiences and behaviour during a mass decontamination field experiment. Specifically, the research examined the impact of social identity processes on the relationship between effective responder communication, and relevant outcome variables (e.g. public compliance, public anxiety, and co-operative public behaviour). All participants (n = 111) were asked to visualise that they had been involved in an incident involving mass decontamination, before undergoing the decontamination process, and receiving one of three different communication strategies: 1) 'Theory-based communication': Health-focused explanations about decontamination, and sufficient practical information; 2) 'Standard practice communication': No health-focused explanations about decontamination, sufficient practical information; 3) 'Brief communication': No health-focused explanations about decontamination, insufficient practical information. Four types of data were collected: timings of the decontamination process; observational data; and quantitative and qualitative self-report data. The communication strategy which resulted in the most efficient progression of participants through the decontamination process, as well as the fewest observations of non-compliance and confusion, was that which included both health-focused explanations about decontamination and sufficient practical information. Further, this strategy resulted in increased perceptions of responder legitimacy and increased identification with responders, which in turn resulted in higher levels of expected compliance during a real incident, and increased willingness to help other members of the public. This study shows that an understanding of the social identity approach facilitates the development of effective responder communication strategies for incidents involving mass decontamination.

Effective Responder Communication Improves Efficiency and Psychological Outcomes in a Mass Decontamination Field Experiment: Implications for Public Behaviour in the Event of a Chemical Incident

PubMed Central

Carter, Holly; Drury, John; Amlôt, Richard; Rubin, G. James; Williams, Richard

2014-01-01

The risk of incidents involving mass decontamination in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear release has increased in recent years, due to technological advances, and the willingness of terrorists to use unconventional weapons. Planning for such incidents has focused on the technical issues involved, rather than on psychosocial concerns. This paper presents a novel experimental study, examining the effect of three different responder communication strategies on public experiences and behaviour during a mass decontamination field experiment. Specifically, the research examined the impact of social identity processes on the relationship between effective responder communication, and relevant outcome variables (e.g. public compliance, public anxiety, and co-operative public behaviour). All participants (n = 111) were asked to visualise that they had been involved in an incident involving mass decontamination, before undergoing the decontamination process, and receiving one of three different communication strategies: 1) ‘Theory-based communication’: Health-focused explanations about decontamination, and sufficient practical information; 2) ‘Standard practice communication’: No health-focused explanations about decontamination, sufficient practical information; 3) ‘Brief communication’: No health-focused explanations about decontamination, insufficient practical information. Four types of data were collected: timings of the decontamination process; observational data; and quantitative and qualitative self-report data. The communication strategy which resulted in the most efficient progression of participants through the decontamination process, as well as the fewest observations of non-compliance and confusion, was that which included both health-focused explanations about decontamination and sufficient practical information. Further, this strategy resulted in increased perceptions of responder legitimacy and increased identification with responders, which in turn resulted in higher levels of expected compliance during a real incident, and increased willingness to help other members of the public. This study shows that an understanding of the social identity approach facilitates the development of effective responder communication strategies for incidents involving mass decontamination. PMID:24595097

Shiatsu in Britain and Japan: Personhood, holism and embodied aesthetics.

PubMed

Adams, Glyn

2002-01-01

In this paper, globalisation processes are examined through the prism of shiatsu, an originally Japanese, touch-based therapy, now practised in Europe, Japan, North America, and many other places. Examining this emergent plane of therapeutic practice provides an opportunity to reflect on categories of personhood, notably that of the individual, and its place within processes of globalisation. The article is divided into two parts. In the first part the holisms inherent to East Asian medical practice and underlying notions of personhood in Japan and Britain are critically examined. The seemingly reductionistic practice of 'bodily holism' in Japan is shown to reflect socio-centred notions of the person. The concept of holism animating shiatsu in a British school in London, far from being Japanese, 'ancient', or 'timeless', is shown to reflect individualism characteristic of the New Age movement. In the second part of the paper, using an auto-phenomenological approach, a description of practitioner (my own) and client's lived experience of shiatsu is given in case study form. This illustrates how 'holism' is felt within the context of a shiatsu treatment. The aesthetic form of the shiatsu touch described is shown to be implicitly individualising. This has, it is argued, profound implications for understanding the embodied dimensions of practitioner-patient encounters, the potential efficacy of treatment, and more generally the practice of globalised East Asian 'holistic' therapies in Britain and other settings.

Reflections on how wound healing-promoting effects of the hair follicle can be translated into clinical practice.

PubMed

Jimenez, Francisco; Poblet, Enrique; Izeta, Ander

2015-02-01

Clinicians have long reported that hair-bearing areas tend to heal more rapidly than those lacking hair follicles. In the past decade, numerous scientific studies have corroborated clinical evidence, showing a direct nexus between the human hair follicle and the wound healing process. The migration of epithelial follicular stem cells to the skin surface to help in the wound re-epithelialization and the effect of the hair cycle on the wound healing rate underline the influence of the hair follicle in the healing process. In clinical practice, non-healing wounds are pathologies of high prevalence with significant associated burden costs for the healthcare system. As the population ages, the prevalence of this pathology is expected to increase in future years. The recent advances in understanding the biology of hair follicle stem cells have created the challenges of using this newly acquired knowledge in practical therapeutic applications. Chronic leg ulcers are an example of the targeted pathologies that urgently need better therapies. In this essay, our aim is to raise interest in this question, reviewing what is known in relation to the connections between hair follicles and wound healing, and elaborating on future directions that the field might take, including implications for clinical practice. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Defining pharmacy and its practice: a conceptual model for an international audience.

PubMed

Scahill, S L; Atif, M; Babar, Z U

2017-01-01

There is much fragmentation and little consensus in the use of descriptors for the different disciplines that make up the pharmacy sector. Globalization, reprofessionalization and the influx of other disciplines means there is a requirement for a greater degree of standardization. This has not been well addressed in the pharmacy practice research and education literature. To identify and define the various subdisciplines of the pharmacy sector and integrate them into an internationally relevant conceptual model based on narrative synthesis of the literature. A literature review was undertaken to understand the fragmentation in dialogue surrounding definitions relating to concepts and practices in the context of the pharmacy sector. From a synthesis of this literature, the need for this model was justified. Key assumptions of the model were identified, and an organic process of development took place with the three authors engaging in a process of sense-making to theorize the model. The model is "fit for purpose" across multiple countries and includes two components making up the umbrella term "pharmaceutical practice". The first component is the four conceptual dimensions, which outline the disciplines including social and administrative sciences, community pharmacy, clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences. The second component of the model describes the "acts of practice": teaching, research and professional advocacy; service and academic enterprise. This model aims to expose issues relating to defining pharmacy and its practice and to create dialogue. No model is perfect, but there are implications for what is posited in the areas of policy, education and practice and future research. The main point is the need for increased clarity, or at least beginning the discussion to increase the clarity of definition and consistency of meaning in-and-across the pharmacy sector locally, nationally and internationally.

Integrating research, clinical care, and education in academic health science centers.

PubMed

King, Gillian; Thomson, Nicole; Rothstein, Mitchell; Kingsnorth, Shauna; Parker, Kathryn

2016-10-10

Purpose One of the major issues faced by academic health science centers (AHSCs) is the need for mechanisms to foster the integration of research, clinical, and educational activities to achieve the vision of evidence-informed decision making (EIDM) and optimal client care. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach This paper synthesizes literature on organizational learning and collaboration, evidence-informed organizational decision making, and learning-based organizations to derive insights concerning the nature of effective workplace learning in AHSCs. Findings An evidence-informed model of collaborative workplace learning is proposed to aid the alignment of research, clinical, and educational functions in AHSCs. The model articulates relationships among AHSC academic functions and sub-functions, cross-functional activities, and collaborative learning processes, emphasizing the importance of cross-functional activities in enhancing collaborative learning processes and optimizing EIDM and client care. Cross-functional activities involving clinicians, researchers, and educators are hypothesized to be a primary vehicle for integration, supported by a learning-oriented workplace culture. These activities are distinct from interprofessional teams, which are clinical in nature. Four collaborative learning processes are specified that are enhanced in cross-functional activities or teamwork: co-constructing meaning, co-learning, co-producing knowledge, and co-using knowledge. Practical implications The model provides an aspirational vision and insight into the importance of cross-functional activities in enhancing workplace learning. The paper discusses the conceptual and empirical basis to the model, its contributions and limitations, and implications for AHSCs. Originality/value The model's potential utility for health care is discussed, with implications for organizational culture and the promotion of cross-functional activities.

Screening for diabetes in unconventional locations: resource implications and economics of screening in optometry practices.

PubMed

Howse, Jennifer H; Jones, Steve; Hungin, A Pali S

2011-10-01

Unconventional locations outwith general medical practice may prove opportunities for screening. The aim was to determine the resource implications and economics of a screening service using random capillary blood glucose (rCBG) tests to detect raised blood glucose levels in the "at risk" population attending high street optometry practices. A screening service was implemented in optometry practices in North East England: the cost of the service and the implication of different screening strategies was estimated. The cost of a screening test was £5.53-£11.20, depending on the screening strategy employed and who carried out the testing. Refining the screening strategy to target those ≥40 years with BMI of ≥25 kg/m(2) and/or family history of diabetes resulted in a cost per case referred to the GP of £14.38-£26.36. Implementing this strategy in half of optometric practices in England would have the potential to identify up to 150,000 new cases of diabetes and prediabetes a year. Optometry practices provide an effective way of identifying people who would benefit from further investigation for diabetes. Effectiveness could be improved further by improving cooperation and communication between optometrists and medical practitioners. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Implications of the "My School" Website for Disadvantaged Communities: A Bourdieuian Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mills, Carmen

2015-01-01

Drawing on the theoretical constructs of Pierre Bourdieu, this article explores implications of the Australian "My School" website for schools located in disadvantaged communities. These implications flow from the legitimisation of certain cultural practices through the hidden linkages between scholastic aptitude and cultural heritage…

Discontinuing Medications: A Novel Approach for Revising the Prescribing Stage of the Medication-Use Process

PubMed Central

Bain, Kevin T.; Holmes, Holly M.; Beers, Mark H.; Maio, Vittorio; Handler, Steven M.; Pauker, Stephen G.

2009-01-01

Thousands of Americans are injured or die each year from adverse drug reactions, many of which are preventable. The burden of harm conveyed by the use of medications is a significant public health problem and, therefore, improving the medication-use process is a priority. Recent and ongoing efforts to improve the medication-use process focus primarily on improving medication prescribing, and not much emphasis has been put on improving medication discontinuation. A formalized approach for rationally discontinuing medications is a necessary antecedent to improving medication safety and improving the nation’s quality of care. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for revising the prescribing stage of the medication-use process to include discontinuing medications. This framework has substantial practice and research implications, especially for the clinical care of older persons, who are particularly susceptible to the adverse effects of medications. PMID:18771457

[Current aspects of the physiopathology of the infectious process. II. Cybernetic elements in the pathogenetic structure of infectious diseases].

PubMed

Dragomirescu, M; Buzinschi, S

1980-01-01

The authors discuss the applicability of general cybernetic principles (the theory of systems and self-regulated mechanisms based on inversed connections) to the pathophysiologic structure of infections. With reference to concrete examples they outline the following elements: the appartenance of the infectious process to the notion of system (as conceived in the theory of systems), the previsible character of the functional potential of the structured system in the components of infection, and the sequental correspondence between system dynamics and the dynamics of the infectious process. Starting from the mechanism of action of the main microbial toxins, the aptitude of the latter to act upon the functional code of the macroorganism, altering the cellular and supracellular self-regulated biosystems, is demonstrated. Finally, the practical implications of assimilating cybernetic processes in the pathophysiology of infectious diseases are analyzed.

Rethinking the Concept of Acculturation

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Seth J.; Unger, Jennifer B.; Zamboanga, Byron L.; Szapocznik, José

2013-01-01

This article presents an expanded model of acculturation among international migrants and their immediate descendants. Acculturation is proposed as a multidimensional process consisting of the confluence among heritage-cultural and receiving-cultural practices, values, and identifications. The implications of this reconceptualization for the acculturation construct, as well as for its relationship to psychosocial and health outcomes, are discussed. In particular, an expanded operationalization of acculturation is needed to address the “immigrant paradox,” whereby international migrants with more exposure to the receiving cultural context report poorer mental and physical health outcomes. We discuss the role of ethnicity, cultural similarity, and discrimination in the acculturation process, offer an operational definition for context of reception, and call for studies on the role that context of reception plays in the acculturation process. The new perspective on acculturation presented in this article is intended to yield a fuller understanding of complex acculturation processes and their relationships to contextual and individual functioning. PMID:20455618

Attorney General forces Infectious Diseases Society of America to redo Lyme guidelines due to flawed development process.

PubMed

Johnson, L; Stricker, R B

2009-05-01

Lyme disease is one of the most controversial illnesses in the history of medicine. In 2006 the Connecticut Attorney General launched an antitrust investigation into the Lyme guidelines development process of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). In a recent settlement with IDSA, the Attorney General noted important commercial conflicts of interest and suppression of scientific evidence that had tainted the guidelines process. This paper explores two broad ethical themes that influenced the IDSA investigation. The first is the growing problem of conflicts of interest among guidelines developers, and the second is the increasing centralisation of medical decisions by insurance companies, which use treatment guidelines as a means of controlling the practices of individual doctors and denying treatment for patients. The implications of the first-ever antitrust investigation of medical guidelines and the proposed model to remediate the tainted IDSA guidelines process are also discussed.

Resilience in competitive athletes with spinal cord injury: the role of sport participation.

PubMed

Machida, Moe; Irwin, Brandon; Feltz, Deborah

2013-08-01

Individuals who experience loss of their physical abilities often face the challenges of adapting to a new way of life. Past research has shown that sport participation can assist the physical and psychological adaptation to acquired physical disabilities. The purposes of our study were to examine the following: (a) the resilience process of sport participants with acquired spinal cord injury, and (b) the role of sport participation in the resilience process. We conducted semistructured phenomenological interviews with 12 male quadriplegic wheelchair rugby players. Results show that the development of resilience is a multifactorial process involving pre-existing factors and pre-adversity experiences, disturbance/disturbing emotions, various types and sources of social support, special opportunities and experiences, various behavioral and cognitive coping strategies, motivation to adapt to changes, and learned attributes or gains from the resilience process. We discuss implications for future research and practice.

Therapist Multicultural Competence, Asian American Participants’ Cultural Values, and Counseling Process

PubMed Central

Wang, Shihwe; Kim, Bryan S. K.

2011-01-01

Asian Americans drop out of mental health treatment at a high rate. This problem could be addressed by enhancing therapists’ multicultural competence and by examining clients’ cultural attitudes that may affect the counseling process. In the present study, we used a video analogue design with a sample of 113 Asian American college students to examine these possibilities. The result from a t test showed that the session containing therapist multicultural competencies received higher ratings than the session without therapist multicultural competence. In addition, correlational analyses showed that participant values acculturation was positively associated with participant ratings of counseling process, while the value of emotional self-control was negatively correlated. The results of a hierarchical multiple regression analysis did not support any interaction effects among the independent variables on counseling process. All of these findings could contribute to the field of multicultural competence research and have implications for therapist practices and training. PMID:21490875

[Influence of the recording interval and a graphic organizer on the writing process/product and on other psychological variables].

PubMed

García Sánchez, Jesús N; Rodríguez Pérez, Celestino

2007-05-01

An experimental study of the influence of the recording interval and a graphic organizer on the processes of writing composition and on the final product is presented. We studied 326 participants, age 10 to 16 years old, by means of a nested design. Two groups were compared: one group was aided in the writing process with a graphic organizer and the other was not. Each group was subdivided into two further groups: one with a mean recording interval of 45 seconds and the other with approximately 90 seconds recording interval in a writing log. The results showed that the group aided by a graphic organizer obtained better results both in processes and writing product, and that the groups assessed with an average interval of 45 seconds obtained worse results. Implications for educational practice are discussed, and limitations and future perspectives are commented on.

Oral contraception and adolescent women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: risks, benefits, and implications for practice.

PubMed

Betschart, J

1996-01-01

Healthcare providers who work with adolescents with diabetes are in an ideal position to provide education and support regarding contraceptive issues. Diabetes educators and other health professionals who counsel teens focus on other aspects of diabetes care and management but frequently do not address sexual issues or assess contraceptive practices. The purpose of this paper is to review oral contraceptive issues for teens with diabetes and to provide practice implications for health professionals who are in a favorable position to influence the quality of diabetes and general health care for these adolescents.

Breaking the rules of the game: Ethical implications for nursing practice and education.

PubMed

Milton, Constance L

2006-07-01

Rules in games are fundamental to the ethics of practice. Rules provide a context or space where a game is defined and played. Throughout human life, games may be formalized with written and unwritten rules. Imaginations may be sparked in the creative structuring of new, informal games. Formal and informal rules can serve to provide direction for what may be viewed as decorum and appropriate behavior with professional groups. In this column, the author illuminates possible ethical meanings for rule-making and breaking with implications for nursing practice and education from a nursing theoretical perspective.