Superfund Redevelopment Initiative Quarterly Webinar Series

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Superfund Redevelopment Initiative hosts a series of quarterly webinars on redevelopment of Superfund sites across the country that discuss the different types of reuse that are possible and share how particular sites have become reuse success stories.

Region 9 Superfund Data Evaluation/Validation Guide

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guidance document is designed by EPARegion 9 Quality Assurance Office to provide assistance to project officers, Superfund contractors, and Superfund grantees in performing timely data evaluation and/or validation of laboratory data.

Challenges to Superfund Community Nutrition Programs in Kentucky

PubMed Central

Gaetke, Lisa; Gaetke, Kara; Bowen, Christa

2008-01-01

Since 2000, the University of Kentucky's (UK's) Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) Community Outreach Core has provided support and guidance through Superfund Community Action through Nutrition (SCAN) programs, which meet the needs of individuals and communities affected by environmental contaminants. It has been shown that nutrition may modulate the toxicity of Superfund chemicals. SCAN programs integrate nutrition education, nutrition science research, and health communication to increase understanding of health risks associated with residing near Superfund sites. Two critical tasks must be accomplished. SCAN personnel must identify and recruit affected community members, and then, offer meaningful programs. Certain quantitative outcome measures and legal issues presented both challenges and opportunities. Community members preferred qualitative evaluation discussions, which showed increased knowledge and improved attitudes following SCAN programs. SCAN, in full partnership with affected communities, translates safe, effective nutrition information to reduce health risks associated with exposure to Superfund pollutants. PMID:18443657

Superfund manual: Legal and management strategies. 6. edition

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

Hall, R.M. Jr.

1998-12-31

This book is essential for any responsible business seeking to identify and minimize risks arising out of potential CERCLA liability. This new 6th edition brings you up-to-date on the latest Superfund regulations, case law, and implementation policies, and provides you with comprehensive coverage of the entire program. You`ll learn what Superfund does and requires, how it is being implemented, and its impact upon you. In addition, the book provides some practical thoughts on strategic issues for potentially responsible parties and how to respond. Clearly explained in laymen`s terms are: hazardous substance release reporting; the National Contingency Plan and National Prioritiesmore » List; liability; government liability under Superfund; government response authorities and enforcement; response strategies for potentially responsible parties; natural resource damages; uses of Superfund; the role of the states under Superfund, state statutes and the common law; and EPCRA.« less

Challenges to superfund community nutrition programs in kentucky.

PubMed

Gaetke, Lisa; Gaetke, Kara; Bowen, Christa

2008-03-01

Since 2000, the University of Kentucky's (UK's) Superfund Basic Research Program (SBRP) Community Outreach Core has provided support and guidance through Superfund Community Action through Nutrition (SCAN) programs, which meet the needs of individuals and communities affected by environmental contaminants. It has been shown that nutrition may modulate the toxicity of Superfund chemicals. SCAN programs integrate nutrition education, nutrition science research, and health communication to increase understanding of health risks associated with residing near Superfund sites. Two critical tasks must be accomplished. SCAN personnel must identify and recruit affected community members, and then, offer meaningful programs. Certain quantitative outcome measures and legal issues presented both challenges and opportunities. Community members preferred qualitative evaluation discussions, which showed increased knowledge and improved attitudes following SCAN programs. SCAN, in full partnership with affected communities, translates safe, effective nutrition information to reduce health risks associated with exposure to Superfund pollutants.

Superfund Enforcement

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Provides information on the superfund enforcement cleanup program and finding the companies or people responsible for contamination at a site, and negotiating with them to do the clean up themselves, or to pay for the clean up done by another party.

Risk assessment guidance for Superfund: Volume 1 -- Human health evaluation manual. Supplement to Part A: Community involvement in Superfund risk assessments

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of the guidance document is to provide the site team--risk assessor, remedial project manager (RPM), and community involvement coordinator--with information to improve community involvement in the Superfund risk assessment process. Specifically, the document: provides suggestions for how Superfund staff and community members can work together during the early stages of Superfund cleanup; identifies where, within the framework of the human health risk assessment methodology, community input can augment and improve EPA`s estimates of exposure and risk; recommends questions the site team should ask the community; and illustrates why community involvement is valuable during the human health assessment atmore » Superfund sites.« less

Two Superfund environmental justice case studies

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

Hirschhorn, J.S.

1997-12-31

One of the environmental contributions of the Clinton Administration was Executive Order No. 12898 on Environmental Justice issued in 1994. Environmental justice has received considerable attention in EPA`s Superfund program. Many Superfund sites are located in or close by residential areas composed populated by ethnic minorities and people of the lowest economic status. Over the years, minority communities have often asserted that they have been treated more unfairly than predominantly white, middle class communities, with respect to the quality of environmental cleanups and the relocation of residents. The environmental justice claim is also that these communities have been intentionally placedmore » in harm`s way because of historical racial prejudice and injustice, meaning that either polluting industrial facilities were intentionally placed in minority neighborhoods or that residential areas for minority workers were built close to industrial facilities. This paper presents discussions of two Superfund sites where environmental justice issues have been very important, and it analyzes how specific parts of the Executive Order have been complied with in EPA`s Superfund program.« less

Chromosomal aberrations in Sigmodon hispidus from a Superfund site

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

Bowers, B.; McBee, K.; Lochmiller, R.

1995-12-31

Cotton rats (Sigmodon hispidus) were collected from an EPA Superfund site located on an abandoned oil refinery. Three trapping grids were located on the refinery and three similar grids were located at uncontaminated localities which served as reference sites. Bone marrow metaphase chromosome preparations were examined for chromosomal damage. For each individual, 50 cells were scored for six classes of chromosomal lesions. For the fall 1991 trapping period, mean number of aberrant cells per individual was 2.33, 0.85, and 1.50 for the three Superfund grids., Mean number of aberrant cells per individual was 2.55, 2.55, and 2.12 from the referencemore » grids. Mean number of lesions per cell was 2.77, 0.86, and 1.9 from the Superfund grids, and 3.55, 2.77, and 2.50 from the reference grids. For the spring 1992 trapping period, more damage was observed in animals from both Superfund and reference sites; however, animals from Superfund grids had more damage than animals from reference grids. Mean number of aberrant cells per individual was 3.50, 3.25, and 3.70 from the Superfund grids, and 2.40, 2.11, and 1.40 from the reference grids. Mean number of lesions per cell was 4.80, 4.25, and 5.50 from the Superfund grids, and 2.60, 2.33, and 1.50 from the reference grids. These data suggest animals may be more susceptible to chromosomal damage during winter months, and animals from the Superfund grids appear to be more severely affected than animals from reference grids.« less

Superfund Relocation Information

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Superfund’s relocation policies and guidance provide EPA staff with tools on when to consider permanent relocation of residents and businesses living near or on NPL sites as part of a Superfund remedial action.

Remediation System Evaluation, Silresim Chemical Corp. Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Silresim Superfund Site is located in an industrial area of Lowell, Massachusetts. This Superfund siteaddresses contamination associated with a chemical waste reclamation facility that was operated bySilresim Chemical Corporation between 1971 and..

Superfund: Contaminated Sediments

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Contaminated sediments are a significant environmental problem and contribute to the over 3,200 fish consumption advisories nationwide. The Superfund program cleans up sediment sites that present an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment.

Ward round template: enhancing patient safety on ward rounds.

PubMed

Gilliland, Niall; Catherwood, Natalie; Chen, Shaouyn; Browne, Peter; Wilson, Jacob; Burden, Helena

2018-01-01

Concerns had been raised at clinical governance regarding the safety of our inpatient ward rounds with particular reference to: documentation of clinical observations and National Early Warning Score (NEWS), compliance with Trust guidance for venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk assessment, antibiotic stewardship, palliative care and treatment escalation plans (TEP). This quality improvement project was conceived to ensure these parameters were considered and documented during the ward round, thereby improving patient care and safety. These parameters were based on Trust patient safety guidance and CQUIN targets. The quality improvement technique of plan-do-study-act (PDSA) was used in this project. We retrospectively reviewed ward round entries to record baseline measurements, based on the above described parameters, prior to making any changes. Following this, the change applied was the introduction of a ward round template to include the highlighted important baseline parameters. Monthly PDSA cycles are performed, and baseline measurements are re-examined, then relevant changes were made to the ward round template. Documentation of baseline measurements was poor prior to introduction of the ward round template; this improved significantly following introduction of a standardised ward round template. Following three cycles, documentation of VTE risk assessments increased from 14% to 92%. Antibiotic stewardship documentation went from 0% to 100%. Use of the TEP form went from 29% to 78%. Following introduction of the ward round template, compliance improved significantly in all safety parameters. Important safety measures being discussed on ward rounds will lead to enhanced patient safety and will improve compliance to Trust guidance and comissioning for quality and innovation (CQUIN) targets. Ongoing change implementation will focus on improving compliance with usage of the template on all urology ward rounds.

SUPERFUND TECHNICAL SUPPORT

EPA Science Inventory

Under this task, technical support is provided to Regional Remedial Project Managers (RPMs)/On-Scene Coordinators (OSCs) at Superfund, RCRA, and Brownfields sites contaminated with hazardous materials by the Technical Support Center (TSC) for Monitoring and Site Characterization....

Superfund Program Review

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document presents outcomes of implementing a number of the actions described in the November 2013 Superfund Remedial Program Review (SPR) Action Plan . It also describes ongoing Action Plan efforts and projects future outcomes anticipated in FY 2015

Superfund Redevelopment Initiative

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Provides information at the national level to ensure that at every Superfund site, EPA and its partners have an effective process and the necessary tools and information needed to return the country’s most hazardous sites to productive use.

Superfund: CERCLA Overview

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

CERCLA, commonly known as Superfund, was enacted by Congress on December 11, 1980. This law created a tax on the chemical and petroleum industries and provided broad Federal authority to respond directly to releases or threatened releases of hazardous subs

Superfund: Evaluating the Impact of Executive Order 12898

PubMed Central

O’Neil, Sandra George

2007-01-01

Background The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) addresses uncontrolled and abandoned hazardous waste sites throughout the country. Sites that are perceived to be a significant threat to both surrounding populations and the environment can be placed on the U.S. EPA Superfund list and qualify for federal cleanup funds. The equitability of the Superfund program has been questioned; the representation of minority and low-income populations in this cleanup program is lower than would be expected. Thus, minorities and low-income populations may not be benefiting proportionately from this environmental cleanup program. In 1994 President Clinton signed Executive Order 12898 requiring that the U.S. EPA and other federal agencies implement environmental justice policies. These policies were to specifically address the disproportionate environmental effects of federal programs and policies on minority and low-income populations. Objective and Methods I use event history analysis to evaluate the impact of Executive Order 12898 on the equitability of the Superfund program. Discussion Findings suggest that despite environmental justice legislation, Superfund site listings in minority and poor areas are even less likely for sites discovered since the 1994 Executive Order. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that Executive Order 12898 for environmental justice has not increased the equitability of the Superfund program. PMID:17637927

Superfund: evaluating the impact of executive order 12898.

PubMed

O'Neil, Sandra George

2007-07-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) addresses uncontrolled and abandoned hazardous waste sites throughout the country. Sites that are perceived to be a significant threat to both surrounding populations and the environment can be placed on the U.S. EPA Superfund list and qualify for federal cleanup funds. The equitability of the Superfund program has been questioned; the representation of minority and low-income populations in this cleanup program is lower than would be expected. Thus, minorities and low-income populations may not be benefiting proportionately from this environmental cleanup program. In 1994 President Clinton signed Executive Order 12898 requiring that the U.S. EPA and other federal agencies implement environmental justice policies. These policies were to specifically address the disproportionate environmental effects of federal programs and policies on minority and low-income populations. I use event history analysis to evaluate the impact of Executive Order 12898 on the equitability of the Superfund program. Findings suggest that despite environmental justice legislation, Superfund site listings in minority and poor areas are even less likely for sites discovered since the 1994 Executive Order. The results of this study indicate that Executive Order 12898 for environmental justice has not increased the equitability of the Superfund program.

Environmental policy and equity: The case of Superfund

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

Hird, J.A.

1993-01-01

This article analyzes the equity implications of the EPA's Superfund program by examining the geographic distribution of sites, who pays for cleanup, and cleanup pace. Although the [open quotes]polluter pays[close quotes] principle is used to justify Superfund policy, it is a goal that is not and indeed usually cannot be attained for past contamination. Further, the geographic distribution of Superfund sites suggests that the likely beneficiaries of program expenditures live in counties that are on average both wealthier and more highly educated than the rest, and also have lower rates of poverty. The pace of the EPA's cleanups, however, dependsmore » mostly on the sites potential hazard, and is not apparently motivated by the localities socioeconomic characteristics or political representation. The program is found in several respects to be both inefficient and inequitable, yet Superfund enjoys considerable support for reasons beyond these traditional public policy goals, including its political and symbolic appeal. 36 refs., 2 tabs.« less

40 CFR 300.505 - EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of... (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS... Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA). (a) The SMOA may establish the nature and extent of EPA and state...

40 CFR 300.505 - EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of... (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS... Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA). (a) The SMOA may establish the nature and extent of EPA and state...

40 CFR 300.505 - EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of... (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS... Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA). (a) The SMOA may establish the nature and extent of EPA and state...

40 CFR 300.505 - EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of... (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS... Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA). (a) The SMOA may establish the nature and extent of EPA and state...

40 CFR 300.505 - EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false EPA/State Superfund Memorandum of... (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS NATIONAL OIL AND HAZARDOUS... Superfund Memorandum of Agreement (SMOA). (a) The SMOA may establish the nature and extent of EPA and state...

Report: Superfund Interagency Agreements

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #2001-P-00011, June 22, 2001. EPA generally had effective controls in place to ensure its Superfund IAGs achieve expected environmental results in a timely, cost-effective, and efficient manner.

Superfund Contract Laboratory Program

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Contract Laboratory Program (CLP) is a national network of EPA personnel, commercial laboratories, and support contractors whose primary mission is to provide data of known and documented quality to the Superfund program.

78 FR 729 - Ellman Battery Superfund Site; Orlando, Orange County, FL; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-04

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9767-6; CERCLA-04-2012-3780] Ellman Battery Superfund Site... Action at the Ellman Battery Superfund Site located in Orlando, Orange County, Florida. DATES: The Agency... name Ellman Battery Superfund Site by one of the following methods: www.epa.gov/region4/superfund...

RESEARCH STUDIES AT THE GILT EDGE MINE SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

A collaborative effort is being implemented at the Gilt Edge Mine Superfund site near Lead, SD. The partnerships involves the Mine Waste Technology Program (MWTP) with the USEPA's NRMRL, Region VIII Superfund program, the DOE, MSE Technology Application, Inc (MSE) and CDM Federal...

SUPERFUND REMOTE SENSING SUPPORT

EPA Science Inventory

This task provides remote sensing technical support to the Superfund program. Support includes the collection, processing, and analysis of remote sensing data to characterize hazardous waste disposal sites and their history. Image analysis reports, aerial photographs, and assoc...

Superfund Site Assessment Process

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn about the site assessment process used by the federal Superfund program to evaluate releases of hazardous substances that may pose a threat to human health or the environment and select an appropriate program for sites needing cleanup.

Effective treatment of PAH contaminated Superfund site soil with the peroxy-acid process.

PubMed

Scott Alderman, N; N'Guessan, Adeola L; Nyman, Marianne C

2007-07-31

Peroxy-organic acids are formed by the chemical reaction between organic acids and hydrogen peroxide. The peroxy-acid process was applied to two Superfund site soils provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Initial small-scale experiments applied ratios of 3:5:7 (v/v/v) or 3:3:9 (v/v/v) hydrogen peroxide:acetic acid:deionized (DI) water solution to 5g of Superfund site soil. The experiment using 3:5:7 (v/v/v) ratio resulted in an almost complete degradation of the 14 EPA regulated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Bedford LT soil during a 24-h reaction period, while the 3:3:9 (v/v/v) ratio resulted in no applicable degradation in Bedford LT lot 10 soil over the same reaction period. Specific Superfund site soil characteristics (e.g., pH, total organic carbon content and particle size distribution) were found to play an important role in the availability of the PAHs and the efficiency of the transformation during the peroxy-acid process. A scaled-up experiment followed treating 150g of Bedford LT lot 10 soil with and without mixing. The scaled-up processes applied a 3:3:9 (v/v/v) solution resulting in significant decrease in PAH contamination. These findings demonstrate the peroxy-acid process as a viable option for the treatment of PAH contaminated soils. Further work is necessary in order to elucidate the mechanisms of this process.

78 FR 57852 - Warrior Rosin Spill Superfund Site, Holt, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama ; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-20

... Superfund Site, Holt, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama ; Notice of Settlement AGENCY: Environmental Protection... concerning the Warrior Rosin Spill Superfund Site located in Holt, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. The settlement.../superfund/programs/enforcement/enforcement.html . U.S. Mail: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Superfund...

Report: EPA Needs to Track Compliance with Superfund Cleanup Requirements

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #08-P-0141, April 28, 2008. According to EPA’s Superfund information system, there were 3,397 active Superfund enforcement instruments to ensure cleanups at National Priorities List sites as of September 30, 2007.

Superfund Public Information System (SPIS), January 1999

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

NONE

1999-01-01

The Superfund Public Information System (SPIS) on CD-ROM contains Superfund data for the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Superfund data is a collection of three databases: Records of Decision (RODS); Comprehensive Environmental, Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System (CERCLIS); and Archive (NFRAP). Descriptions of these databases and CD contents are listed below. Data content: The CD contains the complete text of the official ROD documents signed and issued by EPA from fiscal years 1982--1996; 147 RODs for fiscal year 1997; and seven RODs for fiscal year 1998. The CD also contains 89 Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD) documents, asmore » well as 48 ROD Amendments. CERCLIS and Archive (NFRAP) data is through January 19, 1999. RODS is the Records Of Decision System. RODS is used to track site clean-ups under the Superfund program to justify the type of treatment chosen at each site. RODS contains information on technology justification, site history, community participation, enforcement activities, site characteristics, scope and role of response action, and remedy. Explanation of Significant Differences (ESDs) are also available on the CD. CERCLIS is the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System. It is the official repository for all Superfund site and incident data. It contains comprehensive information on hazardous waste sites, site inspections, preliminary assessments, and remedial status. The system is sponsored by the EPA`s Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, Information Management Center. Archive (NFRAP) consists of hazardous waste sites that have no further remedial action planned; only basic identifying information is provided for archive sites. The sites found in the Archive database were originally in the CERCLIS database, but were removed beginning in the fall of 1995.« less

Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS) Volume III: Part A

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA's Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund (RAGS) Volume 3A provides policies and guiding principles on the application of probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methods to human health and ecological risk assessment in the EPA Superfund Program.

75 FR 49414 - Cooperative Agreements and Superfund State Contracts for Superfund Response Actions

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-13

... revisions affect States, Indian Tribes, intertribal consortia, and political subdivisions. The revisions... political subdivision participation in CERCLA implementation: Cooperative Agreements and Superfund State... funds to a State, political subdivision, or Indian Tribe that assumes responsibility as the lead or...

Guidelines for asbestos remediation at Italian superfund sites.

PubMed

Paglietti, F; Malinconico, S; Di Molfetta, V; Giangrasso, M

2012-01-01

Asbestos is now banned in 52 countries. Although Italy banned asbestos in 1992, up until that date it had been one of the main producer nations of asbestos and asbestos-containing materials, and asbestos-related contamination is still widespread in the country. To reduce asbestos-related health effects, Italy has adopted many laws and regulations regarding exposure thresholds and remediation tools. Even so, there are legislative gaps that are making it difficult to manage related risks especially in the operative phase. The lack of standard procedures at a national level regarding emergency shutdown and remediation as well as reference thresholds for specific risk situations creates difficulties and different actions when dealing with the cleanup of Italian asbestos superfund sites. The authors propose operative guidelines for asbestos remediation at Italian superfund sites. INAIL, the reference national organization for asbestos-related matters, acting as an advisor to a number of state, regional, and local authorities, examined the main asbestos-related risk situations in Italy and proposed the most appropriate actions to take. The detailed analysis of many actual cases of risk, in part through inspections and the management of cleanup actions at asbestos Italian superfund sites, resulted in proposals to modify existing procedures and thresholds, which were subsequently discussed with all national, regional, and local scientific bodies. After more than two years of work and discussion at a national level, INAIL-DIPIA-Asbestos Group drafted new Guidelines for Asbestos Remediation at Italian Superfund sites, and officially submitted them to the Environment Ministry. The Ministry then adopted the document in regard to all asbestos Italian superfunds. This recently released document is also a useful reference for contaminated sites at a regional and local level. The operative Guidelines for Asbestos Remediation at Italian Superfund sites may also be of use at an

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM - ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS 1993

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.) established the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program in 1986, following passage of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA). The SITE Program, now in its eighth year, is an integral part of EPA's ...

SUPERFUND ENGINEERING ISSUE: ISSUES AFFECTING THE APPLICABILITY AND SUCCESS OF REMEDIAL/REMOVAL INCINERATION PROJECTS

EPA Science Inventory

The Regional Superfund Engineering Forum is a group of EPA professionals, representing EPA's Regional Superfund Offices, committed to the identification and resolution of engineering issues impacting the remediation of Superfund sites. The Forum is supported by and advises the ...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM: ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY 1994

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program evaluates innovative technologies for the remediation of contaminated Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) corrective actions sites. Historically t...

SITE COMPREHENSIVE LISTING (CERCLIS) (Superfund)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Information System (CERCLIS) (Superfund) Public Access Database contains a selected set of non-enforcement confidential information and is updated by the regions every 90 days. The data describes what has happened at Superfund sites prior to this quarter (updated quarterly). This database includes lists of involved parties (other Federal Agencies, states, and tribes), Human Exposure and Ground Water Migration, and Site Wide Ready for Reuse, Construction Completion, and Final Assessment Decision (GPRA-like measures) for fund lead sites. Other information that is included has been included only as a service to allow public evaluations utilizing this data. EPA does not have specific Data Quality Objectives for use of the data. Independent Quality Assessments may be made of this data by reviewing the Quality Assurance Action Plan (QAPP).

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: BDAT FOR SOLIDIFICATION/STABILIZATION TECHNOLOGY FOR SUPERFUND SOILS (DRAFT FINAL REPORT)

EPA Science Inventory

This report evaluates the performance of solidification as a method for treating solids from Superfund sites. Tests were conducted on four different artificially contaminated soils which are representative of soils found at the sites. Contaminated soils were solidified us...

Medication communication during ward rounds on medical wards: Power relations and spatial practices.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Manias, Elizabeth; Gerdtz, Marie

2013-03-01

Communication plays a crucial role in the management of medications. Ward rounds are sites where health professionals from different disciplines and patients come together to exchange medication information and make treatment decisions. This article examines power relations and spatial practices surrounding medication communication between patients and health professionals including doctors, nurses and pharmacists during ward rounds. Data were collected in two medical wards of a metropolitan teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Data collection methods involved participant observations, field interviews, video-recordings, together with individual and group reflexive interviews. A critical discourse analysis was undertaken to identify the location sites where power relations were reproduced or challenged in ward rounds. Findings demonstrated that traditional medical hierarchies constructed the ways in which doctors communicated about medications during ward rounds. Nurses and pharmacists ventured into the ward round space by using the discourse of preparation and occupying a peripheral physical position. Doctors privileged the discourse of medication rationalization in their ward round discussions, competing with the discourse of inquiry taken up by patients and families. Ward rounds need to be restructured to provide opportunities for nurses and pharmacists to speak at dedicated times and in strategic locations. By critically reflecting upon the complex process of medication communication during ward rounds, greater opportunities exist for enhanced team communication among health professionals.

Risk-Based Decision Making Case Study: Application at a Superfund Cleanup.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blacker, Stanley; Goodman, Daniel

1994-01-01

Describes a case study comparing an integrated approach to Superfund cleanup with traditional approaches at a particular Superfund site. Emphasizes ways to save time and money while still achieving the desired risk reduction level. (LZ)

76 FR 11779 - Puckett Smelter Superfund Site; Mountainboro, Etowah County, AL; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-03

... Superfund Site; Mountainboro, Etowah County, AL; Notice of Settlement AGENCY: Environmental Protection... Superfund Site located in Mountainboro, Etowah county, Alabama for publication. DATES: The Agency will... No. EPA-RO4- SFUND-2011-0149 or Site name Puckett Smelter Superfund Site by one of the following...

Feasibility study for the United Heckathorn Superfund Site, Richmond, California

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

Lincoff, A.H.; Costan, G.P.; Montgomery, M.S.

The United Heckathom Superfund Site in Richmond, California, was used to formulate pesticides from approximately 1947 to 1966. Soils at the site and sediments in the harbor were contaminated with various chlorinated pesticides, primarily DDT, as a result of these activities. The US Environmental Protection Agency listed the site on the Superfund National Priorities List in 1990. This document is part of the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study phase of the Superfund response, which will provide the basis for selection of a final remedy that will protect human health and the environment and achieve compliance with federal and state envirorunentalmore » laws.« less

78 FR 729 - Leonard Chemical Superfund Site; Catawba, York County, SC; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-04

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9767-7; CERCLA-04-2013-3752] Leonard Chemical Superfund Site... perform a Remedial Action at the Leonard Chemical Superfund Site located in Catawba, York County, South.... Submit your comments by Site name Leonard Chemical Superfund Site by one of the following methods: www...

EPA and partners celebrate redevelopment at Charles George Landfill Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Charles George Reclamation Trust Landfill Superfund site, a former landfill, is now home to a new solar facility. The USEPA oversaw the cleanup of the 70-acre Superfund site, preventing any exposure to contaminants and reducing leachate generation.

Superfund: conscripting industry support for environmental cleanup

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

Gulick, T.E.

The Superfund is notable in its attempt to charge the costs of environmental damage to those commercial interests that contributed to the damage. The approach should appeal to the Reagan administration's fiscal austerity program. It realizes the attendant costs to the benefits of our technologically productive society and recognizes that those costs must be paid either as environmental precautions or as cleanup costs, property damage, and disease. This article examines the major problems addressed by Superfund, describing the major provisions of the Act, discussing previously available remedies, and considering some of the problems that may arise with implementation. 126 references.

Report: Information Concerning Superfund Cooperative Agreements with New York and New Jersey

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #2007-2-00003, October 30, 2006. The Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) requested that the Office of Inspector General obtain information involving obligations for Superfund Cooperative Agreements.

76 FR 68439 - BCX Tank Superfund Site; Jacksonville, Duval County, FL; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-04

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket EPA-R4-SFUND 2011-3767, FRL-9486-9] BCX Tank Superfund... entered into a settlement for reimbursement of past response costs concerning the BCX Tank Superfund Site... settlement are available from Ms. Paula V. Painter. Submit your comments by Site name BCX Tank Superfund Site...

Cleanups In My Community (CIMC) - Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Superfund Sites, National Layer

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This data layer provides access to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Superfund Sites as part of the CIMC web service. EPA works with DoD to facilitate the reuse and redevelopment of BRAC federal properties. When the BRAC program began in the early 1990s, EPA worked with DoD and the states to identify uncontaminated areas and these parcels were immediately made available for reuse. Since then EPA has worked with DoD to clean up the contaminated portions of bases. These are usually parcels that were training ranges, landfills, maintenance facilities and other past waste-disposal areas. Superfund is a program administered by the EPA to locate, investigate, and clean up worst hazardous waste sites throughout the United States. EPA administers the Superfund program in cooperation with individual states and tribal governments. These sites include abandoned warehouses, manufacturing facilities, processing plants, and landfills - the key word here being abandoned.This data layer shows Superfund Sites that are located at BRAC Federal Facilities. Additional Superfund sites and other BRAC sites (those that are not Superfund sites) are included in other data layers as part of this web service.BRAC Superfund Sites shown in this web service are derived from the epa.gov website and include links to the relevant web pages within the attribute table. Data about BRAC Superfund Sites are located on their own EPA web pages, and CIMC links to those pages. The CIMC web service

Cleanups In My Community (CIMC) - Federal facilities that are also Superfund sites, National Layer

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Federal facilities are properties owned by the federal government. This data layer provides access to Federal facilities that are Superfund sites as part of the CIMC web service. Data are collected using the Superfund Enterprise Management System (SEMS) and transferred to Envirofacts for access by the public. Data about Federal facility Superfund sites are located on their own EPA web pages, and CIMC links to those pages. Links to the relevant web pages for each site are provided within the attribute table. Federal facility sites can be either Superfund sites or RCRA Corrective Action sites, or they may have moved from one program to the other and back. In Cleanups in My Community, you can map or list any of these Federal Facility sites. This data layer shows only those facilities that are Superfund Sites. RCRA federal facility sites and other Superfund NPL sites are included in other data layers as part of this web service.Superfund is a program administered by the EPA to locate, investigate, and clean up worst hazardous waste sites throughout the United States. EPA administers the Superfund program in cooperation with individual states and tribal governments. These sites include abandoned warehouses, manufacturing facilities, processing plants, and landfills - the key word here being abandoned. The CIMC web service was initially published in 2013, but the data are updated on the 18th of each month. The full schedule for data updates in CIMC is located here:

NATURAL BIOATTENUATION OF TRICHLOROETHENE AT THE ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

Data from the St. Joseph, Michigan, Superfund Site were used in a peer-reviewed video entitled "Natural Bioattenuation of Trichloroethene at the St. Joseph, Michigan Superfund Site." Computer visualizations of the data set show how trichloroethene, or TCE, can degrade under natu...

A ward without patients.

PubMed

1988-01-02

Walk into Brooke ward and it doesn't feel like a ward at all. There are bright-coloured bedspreads, cuddly toys everywhere, a 1930s ball gown hangs above one of the lockers. And of course, there's Emma, the ward cat - continually fussed over by nurses and residents alike.

Point-of-entry drinking-water treatment systems for Superfund applications

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

Chambers, C.D.; Janszen, T.A.

1989-06-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and State Superfund agencies need a technical manual to assist their personnel in the selection of an effective drinking-water treatment system for individual households in areas where the drinking water has been adversely affected by Superfund site contaminants and no other alternative water supply is available or feasible. Commercially available water treatment systems for individual households are of two basic types: point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE). A POU device consists of equipment applied to selected water taps to reduce contaminants at each tap. A POE device consists of equipment to reduce the contaminants inmore » the water distributed throughout the entire structure of a house. The study was initiated to collect monitoring, operation and maintenance, performance, and design data on existing Superfund POE water-treatment systems. Evaluation of the collected data showed that the existing data are not sufficient for the preparation of a technical assistance document to meet the objectives of EPA and State Superfund personnel.« less

Evaluation of serum immunoglobulins among individuals living near six Superfund sites.

PubMed

Williamson, Dhelia M; White, Mary C; Poole, Charles; Kleinbaum, David; Vogt, Robert; North, Kari

2006-07-01

Residents living in communities near Superfund sites have expressed concern that releases from these facilities affect their health, including adverse effects on their immune systems. We used data from six cross-sectional studies to evaluate whether people who live near several Superfund sites are more likely to have individual immunoglobulin test results (IgA, IgG, and IgM) below or above the reference range than those who live in comparison areas with no Superfund site. Study participants consisted of target-area residents who lived close to a Superfund site and comparison-area residents who were not located near any Superfund or hazardous waste sites. A consistent modeling strategy was used across studies to assess the magnitude of the relationship between area of residence and immunoglobulin test results, adjusting for potential confounders and effect modifiers. In all study areas, the results suggest that people who live near a Superfund site may have been more likely to have IgA test results above the reference range than comparison areas residents regardless of modeling strategy employed. The effect measures were larger for residents who lived in communities near military bases with groundwater contamination. For all analyses the wide confidence intervals reflect uncertainty in the magnitude of these effects. To adequately address the question of whether the immune system is affected by low-level exposures to hazardous substances, we recommend that more functional immunotoxicity tests be conducted in human populations where individual exposure information is available or when it can be reasonably estimated from environmental exposure measurements.

Spatial disparity in the distribution of superfund sites in South Carolina: an ecological study.

PubMed

Burwell-Naney, Kristen; Zhang, Hongmei; Samantapudi, Ashok; Jiang, Chengsheng; Dalemarre, Laura; Rice, LaShanta; Williams, Edith; Wilson, Sacoby

2013-11-06

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Superfund is a federal government program implemented to clean up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Twenty-six sites in South Carolina (SC) have been included on the National Priorities List (NPL), which has serious human health and environmental implications. The purpose of this study was to assess spatial disparities in the distribution of Superfund sites in SC. The 2000 US census tract and block level data were used to generate population characteristics, which included race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), education, home ownership, and home built before 1950. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to map Superfund facilities and develop choropleth maps based on the aforementioned sociodemographic variables. Spatial methods, including mean and median distance analysis, buffer analysis, and spatial approximation were employed to characterize burden disparities. Regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the number of Superfund facilities and population characteristics. Spatial coincidence results showed that of the 29.5% of Blacks living in SC, 55.9% live in Superfund host census tracts. Among all populations in SC living below poverty (14.2%), 57.2% were located in Superfund host census tracts. Buffer analyses results (0.5mi, 1.0mi, 5.0mi, 0.5km, 1.0km, and 5.0km) showed a higher percentage of Whites compared to Blacks hosting a Superfund facility. Conversely, a slightly higher percentage of Blacks hosted (30.2%) a Superfund facility than those not hosting (28.8%) while their White counterparts had more equivalent values (66.7% and 67.8%, respectively). Regression analyses in the reduced model (Adj. R2 = 0.038) only explained a small percentage of the variance. In addition, the mean distance for percent of Blacks in the 90th percentile for Superfund facilities was 0.48mi. Burden disparities exist in the distribution of Superfund facilities in SC at the block and

Spatial disparity in the distribution of superfund sites in South Carolina: an ecological study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background According to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Superfund is a federal government program implemented to clean up uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. Twenty-six sites in South Carolina (SC) have been included on the National Priorities List (NPL), which has serious human health and environmental implications. The purpose of this study was to assess spatial disparities in the distribution of Superfund sites in SC. Methods The 2000 US census tract and block level data were used to generate population characteristics, which included race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), education, home ownership, and home built before 1950. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to map Superfund facilities and develop choropleth maps based on the aforementioned sociodemographic variables. Spatial methods, including mean and median distance analysis, buffer analysis, and spatial approximation were employed to characterize burden disparities. Regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between the number of Superfund facilities and population characteristics. Results Spatial coincidence results showed that of the 29.5% of Blacks living in SC, 55.9% live in Superfund host census tracts. Among all populations in SC living below poverty (14.2%), 57.2% were located in Superfund host census tracts. Buffer analyses results (0.5mi, 1.0mi, 5.0mi, 0.5km, 1.0km, and 5.0km) showed a higher percentage of Whites compared to Blacks hosting a Superfund facility. Conversely, a slightly higher percentage of Blacks hosted (30.2%) a Superfund facility than those not hosting (28.8%) while their White counterparts had more equivalent values (66.7% and 67.8%, respectively). Regression analyses in the reduced model (Adj. R2 = 0.038) only explained a small percentage of the variance. In addition, the mean distance for percent of Blacks in the 90th percentile for Superfund facilities was 0.48mi. Conclusion Burden disparities exist in the distribution of

77 FR 9652 - Proposed CERCLA Administrative Cost Recovery Settlement; Lake Linden Superfund Site in Lake...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-17

... Settlement; Lake Linden Superfund Site in Lake Linden, Houghton County, MI AGENCY: Environmental Protection... concerning the Lake Linden Superfund Site in Lake Linden, Houghton County, Michigan with Honeywell Specialty...-6609. Comments should reference the Lake Linden Superfund Site in Lake Linden, Houghton County...

Revisions to US EPA Superfund Risk and Dose Assessment Models and Guidance - 13403

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

Walker, Stuart A.

2013-07-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Superfund program's six Preliminary Remediation Goal (PRG) and Dose Compliance Concentration (DCC) internet based calculators for risk and dose assessment at Superfund sites are being revised to reflect better science, revisions to existing exposure scenarios and new scenarios, and changes to match up more closely with the EPA chemical regional screening level calculator. A revised version of the 1999 guidance document that provides an overview for the Superfund risk assessment process at radioactively contaminated sites, 'Radiation Risk Assessment At CERCLA Sites: Q and A', is being completed that will reflect Superfund recommended guidance andmore » other technical documents issued over the past 13 years. EPA is also issuing a series of fact sheets in the document 'Superfund Radiation Risk Assessment: A Community Tool-kit'. This presentation would go over those changes that are expected to be finished by this spring. (authors)« less

Solidification/Stabilization Use at Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

To provide interested stakeholders such as project managers, technology service providers, consulting engineers, site owners, and the general public with the most recent information about solidification/stabilization applications at Superfund sites...

A comprehensive study of Superfund program benefits in the Denver and Tampa Bay metropolitan areas

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

Held, K.; Casper, B.; Siddhanti, S.K.

1995-12-31

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the benefits of the Superfund program in selected geographic areas. The study demonstrates how the cleanup of Superfund sites has improved the overall quality of life of those in the affected communities. The study presents findings on the benefits of Superfund cleanup activity in the Denver, Colorado and Tampa Bay, Florida metropolitan areas. Denver and Tampa Bay were chosen from several areas that the EPA evaluated and screened during the initial phase of the study. These locations were chosen because of a substantial presence of Superfund activities, making it possible to assessmore » the efficacy of the program. Several features make this study unique in terms of its overall goal. The study examines a broad range of benefit categories related to human health, environmental, and socioeconomic effects of Superfund cleanup activities. The study is also designed to assess benefits due to completed, current, and future planned activity at Superfund sites. This assessment covers Federal remedial activities at National Priorities List (NPL) sites, as well as relevant Federal removal actions in the study areas. These benefits are investigated from an area-wide perspective, as opposed to site-by-site, to determine Superfund`s overall effect on the communities in each area. The study consists of two major phases: Phase 1: Screening and ranking 16 prospective geographic areas and selecting Denver and Tampa Bay as the most appropriate areas for in-depth analysis; and Phase 2: Developing methodologies for assessing benefits, collecting relevant data, and analyzing the benefits from Superfund cleanup activity.« less

77 FR 8255 - Constitution Road Drum Superfund Site, Atlanta, Dekalb County, GA; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-14

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [CERCA-04-2012-3761, FRL-9631-1] Constitution Road Drum Superfund... response costs concerning the Constitution Road Drum Superfund Site located in Atlanta, Dekalb County.... Submit your comments by Site name Constitution Road Drum Superfund Site by one of the following methods...

Congressman Mike Oxley talks about Superfund reform

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

Reimer, C.

1995-10-01

The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) is currently undergoing an extensive review in both the US House of Representatives and Senate. Congress is under some time pressure in its work, as the program`s taxing authority expires at the end of this year. During the last Congress, a coalition of environmentalists, industry members, and others supported reform legislation. However, the 103rd Congress and the coalition`s efforts ultimately failed for various reasons, including Congressional opposition at that time to including a broad risk assessment measure with the Superfund bill. With the November 1994 election, a Republic majority took overmore » both the House and the Senate, and with it came changes; among the changes were new congressional Committee chairmen. National Ground Water Association staff recently spoke with Congressman Michael G. Oxley (R-OH), the new chairman of the House Commerce, Trade, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee. This House Subcommittee is responsible for Superfund reauthorization issues. Congressman Oxley will play a key role in any Superfund legislation that is drafted and may eventually pass in the 104th Congress.« less

77 FR 2981 - Constitution Road Drum Superfund Site; Atlanta, Dekalb County, GA; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-20

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [CERCA-04-2012-3754, FRL-9619-9] Constitution Road Drum Superfund... settlement for past response costs concerning the Constitution Road Drum Superfund Site located in Atlanta... Ms. Paula V. Painter. Submit your comments by Site name Constitution Road Drum Superfund Site by one...

78 FR 44119 - Circle Environmental #1 Superfund Site; Dawson, Terrell County, Georgia; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-23

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9837-3; CERCLA-04-2013-3760] Circle Environmental 1 Superfund... settlement with Walter G. Mercer, Jr. concerning the Circle Environmental 1 Superfund Site located in Dawson... methods: Internet: www.epa.gov/region4/superfund/programs/enforcement/enforcement.html U.S. Mail: U.S...

78 FR 70551 - Macalloy Superfund Site, North Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-26

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [CERCLA-04-2014-3750; FRL 9903-42-Region 4] Macalloy Superfund...., addressing past costs and a portion of future costs concerning the Macalloy Superfund Site located in North... following methods: Internet: www.epa.gov/region4/superfund/programs/enforcement/enforcement.html . U.S. Mail...

78 FR 23563 - LWD, Inc. Superfund Site; Calvert City, Marshall County, Kentucky; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-19

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9805-2; CERCLA-04-2013-3751] LWD, Inc. Superfund Site... costs concerning the LWD, Inc., Superfund Site located in Calvert City, Marshall County, Kentucky. The... V. Painter. Submit your comments by Site name LWD, Inc., Superfund Site by one of the following...

Superfund Record of Decision (EPA Region 3): Buckingham County Landfill Superfund Site, VA, September 1994

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

Not Available

1994-10-01

The Record of Decision (ROD) presents the final remedial action selected for the Buckingham County Landfill Superfund Site (Site), located near the town of Sprouse's Corner in Buckingham County, Virginia. The remedial action was chosen in accordance with the requirements of the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), 42 U.S.C. Section 9601 et. seg., as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA), and the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP), 40 C.F.R. Part 300. The decision document explains the factual and legal basis for selecting the remedial action. Themore » selected remedy includes the two following options, both of which are fully protective of human health and the environment: Monitor the ground water and cap the hazardous waste disposal area; and Implement the source control measures.« less

SUPERFUND SOILS DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

This paper describes the Superfund Soil Data Management System (DMS), a PC-based data system being developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in its effort to manage and evaluate treatment and performance data for contaminated soil, sludge, and debris. his system...

Superfund Public Information System (SPIS), June 1998 (on CD-ROM). Data file

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

NONE

1998-06-01

The Superfund Public Information System (SPIS) on CD-ROM contains Superfund data for the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Superfund data is a collection of four databases, CERCLIS, Archive (NFRAP), RODS, and NPL Sites. Descriptions of these databases and CD contents are listed below. The FolioViews browse and retrieval engine is used as a graphical interface to the data. Users can access simple queries and can do complex searching on key words or fields. In addition, context sensitive help, a Superfund process overview, and an integrated data dictionary are available. RODS is the Records Of Decision System. RODS is usedmore » to track site clean-ups under the Superfund program to justify the type of treatment chosen at each site. RODS contains information on technology justification, site history, community participation, enforcement activities, site characteristics, scope and role of response action, and remedy. Explanation of Significant Differences (ESDs) are also available on the CD. CERCLIS is the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Information System. It is the official repository for all Superfund site and incident data. It contains comprehensive information on hazardous waste sites, site inspections, preliminary assessments, and remedial status. The system is sponsored by the EPA`s Office of Emergency and Remedial Response, Information Management Center. Archive (NFRAP) consists of hazardous waste sites that have no further remedial action planned; only basic identifying information is provided for archive sites. The sites found in the Archive database were originally in the CERCLIS database, but were removed beginning in the fall of 1995. NPL sites (available online) are fact sheets that describe the location and history of Superfund sites. Included are descriptions of the most recent activities and past actions at the sites that have contributed to the contamination. Population estimates, land usages, and

Air-water exchange of PAHs and OPAHs at a superfund mega-site.

PubMed

Tidwell, Lane G; Blair Paulik, L; Anderson, Kim A

2017-12-15

Chemical fate is a concern at environmentally contaminated sites, but characterizing that fate can be difficult. Identifying and quantifying the movement of chemicals at the air-water interface are important steps in characterizing chemical fate. Superfund sites are often suspected sources of air pollution due to legacy sediment and water contamination. A quantitative assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and oxygenated PAH (OPAHs) diffusive flux in a river system that contains a Superfund Mega-site, and passes through residential, urban and agricultural land, has not been reported before. Here, passive sampling devices (PSDs) were used to measure 60 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 22 oxygenated PAH (OPAHs) in air and water. From these concentrations the magnitude and direction of contaminant flux between these two compartments was calculated. The magnitude of PAH flux was greater at sites near or within the Superfund Mega-site than outside of the Superfund Mega-site. The largest net individual PAH deposition at a single site was naphthalene at a rate of -14,200 (±5780) (ng/m 2 )/day. The estimated one-year total flux of phenanthrene was -7.9×10 5 (ng/m 2 )/year. Human health risk associated with inhalation of vapor phase PAHs and dermal exposure to PAHs in water were assessed by calculating benzo[a]pyrene equivalent concentrations. Excess lifetime cancer risk estimates show potential increased risk associated with exposure to PAHs at sites within and in close proximity to the Superfund Mega-site. Specifically, estimated excess lifetime cancer risk associated with dermal exposure and inhalation of PAHs was above 1 in 1 million within the Superfund Mega-site. The predominant depositional flux profile observed in this study suggests that the river water in this Superfund site is largely a sink for airborne PAHs, rather than a source. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Report: EPA Could Improve Its Redistribution of Superfund Payments to Specific Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #2006-P-00027, July 31, 2006. EPA did not make timely redistributions of Superfund coop agreement, interagency agreement, and small purchase payments from the general site identifier “WQ” to the specific Superfund sites or other site identifiers.

Superfund Chemical Data Matrix (SCDM) Query

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This site allows you to to easily query the Superfund Chemical Data Matrix (SCDM) and generate a list of the corresponding Hazard Ranking System (HRS) factor values, benchmarks, and data elements that you need.

33 CFR 165.1336 - Regulated Navigation Area; Pacific Sound Resources and LockheedShipyard Superfund Sites, Elliott...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...; Pacific Sound Resources and LockheedShipyard Superfund Sites, Elliott Bay, Seattle, WA. 165.1336 Section... Area; Pacific Sound Resources and LockheedShipyard Superfund Sites, Elliott Bay, Seattle, WA. (a... Pacific Sound Resources and Lockheed Shipyard EPA superfund sites. Vessels may otherwise transit or...

33 CFR 165.1336 - Regulated Navigation Area; Pacific Sound Resources and LockheedShipyard Superfund Sites, Elliott...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...; Pacific Sound Resources and LockheedShipyard Superfund Sites, Elliott Bay, Seattle, WA. 165.1336 Section... Area; Pacific Sound Resources and LockheedShipyard Superfund Sites, Elliott Bay, Seattle, WA. (a... Pacific Sound Resources and Lockheed Shipyard EPA superfund sites. Vessels may otherwise transit or...

33 CFR 165.1336 - Regulated Navigation Area; Pacific Sound Resources and LockheedShipyard Superfund Sites, Elliott...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...; Pacific Sound Resources and LockheedShipyard Superfund Sites, Elliott Bay, Seattle, WA. 165.1336 Section... Area; Pacific Sound Resources and LockheedShipyard Superfund Sites, Elliott Bay, Seattle, WA. (a... Pacific Sound Resources and Lockheed Shipyard EPA superfund sites. Vessels may otherwise transit or...

76 FR 38389 - Caraleigh Phosphate and Fertlizer Works Superfund Site; Raleigh, Wake County, NC; Notice of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-30

... and Fertlizer Works Superfund Site; Raleigh, Wake County, NC; Notice of Settlement AGENCY... Caraleigh Phosphate and Fertilizer Works Superfund Site located in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina for... Phosphate and Fertilizer Works Superfund Site by one of the following methods: http://www.regulations.gov...

Entanglement entropy flow and the Ward identity.

PubMed

Rosenhaus, Vladimir; Smolkin, Michael

2014-12-31

We derive differential equations for the flow of entanglement entropy as a function of the metric and the couplings of the theory. The variation of the universal part of entanglement entropy under a local Weyl transformation is related to the variation under a local change in the couplings. We show that this relation is, in fact, equivalent to the trace Ward identity. As a concrete application of our formalism, we express the entanglement entropy for massive free fields as a two-point function of the energy-momentum tensor.

75 FR 30831 - Cooksey Brothers Landfill Fire Superfund Site; Ashland, Boyd County, KY; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-02

... Landfill Fire Superfund Site; Ashland, Boyd County, KY; Notice of Settlement AGENCY: Environmental... Brothers Landfill Fire Superfund Site located in Ashland, Boyd County, Kentucky for publication. DATES: The..., identified by Docket ID No. EPA-RO4- SFUND-2010- 0447 or Site name Cooksey Brothers Landfill Superfund Site...

RCRA, Superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: Superfund accelerated cleanup model (updated February 1998); Directive

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

NONE

1998-06-01

This module presents the primary aspects of SACM compared to the traditional Superfund response process. In addition, this module discusses presumptive remedies by covering what they are, and providing an overview of the guidance EPA has developed.

Remediation System Evaluation, McCormick and Baxter Superfund SiteRemediation System Evaluation, McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The McCormick and Baxter Creosoting Company, Portland Plant, Superfund Site is located adjacent tothe Willamette River in Portland, Oregon and addresses contamination of soil, groundwater, and riversediments stemming from creosoting operations...

Guidance: Using RCRA's Results-Based Approaches and Tailored Oversight Guidance when Performing Superfund Oversight

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Memorandum providing additional information in support of Superfund's administrative reform on PRP oversight. Superfund program managers should consider RCRA's Results-Based Guidance when developing oversight plans with PRPs.

Noether’s second theorem and Ward identities for gauge symmetries

DOE PAGES

Avery, Steven G.; Schwab, Burkhard U. W.

2016-02-04

Recently, a number of new Ward identities for large gauge transformations and large diffeomorphisms have been discovered. Some of the identities are reinterpretations of previously known statements, while some appear to be genuinely new. We present and use Noether’s second theorem with the path integral as a powerful way of generating these kinds of Ward identities. We reintroduce Noether’s second theorem and discuss how to work with the physical remnant of gauge symmetry in gauge fixed systems. We illustrate our mechanism in Maxwell theory, Yang-Mills theory, p-form field theory, and Einstein-Hilbert gravity. We comment on multiple connections between Noether’s secondmore » theorem and known results in the recent literature. Finally, our approach suggests a novel point of view with important physical consequences.« less

A systematic literature review of Releasing Time to Care: The Productive Ward.

PubMed

Wright, Stella; McSherry, Wilfred

2013-05-01

This systematic review provides an overview of the literature published on Releasing Time to Care: The Productive Ward between 2005 and June 2011. Releasing Time to Care: The Productive Ward programme was developed by the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and launched in England in 2007. The programme comprises thirteen modules that aim to increase time for direct patient care, improve the patient and staff experience and make changes to the ward environment to improve efficiency. A systematic literature review. The terms 'Releasing Time to Care' and 'Productive Ward' were applied to key healthcare databases; CINAHL, Medline, Science Direct, ProQuest, Health Business Elite, British Nursing Index, Embase, Health Management Information Consortium and PsychInfo. All papers were read and subject to a quality assessment. The literature search identified 95 unique sources. A lack of research on The Productive Ward programme meant it was necessary to include non-empirical literature. In total, 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. Seven key themes were identified: the patient and staff experience, direct care time, patient safety, financial impact, embedding and sustainability, executive support and leadership, and common barriers and determinants of success. It also highlighted areas that require further exploration such as long-term sustainability of the programme and consistent data measurement between organisations. The review tentatively reports how The Productive Ward programme has been used to transform nursing practice for the benefit of patients and frontline staff, and how it resulted in cost savings. The literature review identified a potential positive results bias in the current literature whereby favourable outcomes were reported. This paper summarises the types of evidence and current literature on The Productive Ward providing a reference for frontline staff implementing the programme. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

33 CFR 165.905 - USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. 165.905 Section 165.905 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. (a) The following areas of the St. Louis River...

33 CFR 165.905 - USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. 165.905 Section 165.905 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. (a) The following areas of the St. Louis River...

33 CFR 165.905 - USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. 165.905 Section 165.905 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. (a) The following areas of the St. Louis River...

33 CFR 165.905 - USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. 165.905 Section 165.905 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. (a) The following areas of the St. Louis River...

33 CFR 165.905 - USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. 165.905 Section 165.905 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF... USX Superfund Site Safety Zones: St. Louis River. (a) The following areas of the St. Louis River...

APPLICATION ANALYSIS REPORT - DEMONSTRATION OF A TRIAL EXCAVATION AT THE MCCOLL SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

In June 1990, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Region IX Superfund Program, in cooperation with EPA’s Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory (AEERL), and EPA’s Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program performed a trial excavation of approximatel...

U.S. EPA Superfund Program's Policy for Community Involvement at Radioactively Contaminated Sites

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

Carey, Pat; Walker, Stuart

2008-01-15

This paper describes the Superfund program's statutory requirements for community involvement. It also discusses the efforts the Superfund program has made that go beyond these statutory requirements to involve communities. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) implements the Superfund program under the authority of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA). From the beginning of the Superfund program, Congress envisioned a role for communities. This role has evolved and expanded during the implementation of the Superfund program. Initially, the CERCLA statute had community involvement requirementsmore » designed to inform surrounding communities of the work being done at a site. CERCLA's provisions required 1) development of a community relations plan for each site, 2) establishment of information repositories near each site where all publicly available materials related to the site would be accessible for public inspection, 3) opportunities for the public to comment on the proposed remedy for each site and 4) development of a responsiveness summary responding to all significant comments received on the proposed remedy. In recognition of the need for people living near Superfund sites to be well-informed and involved with decisions concerning sites in their communities, SARA expanded Superfund's community involvement activities in 1986. SARA provided the authority to award Technical Assistance Grants (TAGs) to local communities enabling them to hire independent technical advisors to assist them in understanding technical issues and data about the site. The Superfund Community Involvement Program has sought to effectively implement the statutory community involvement requirements, and to go beyond those requirements to find meaningful ways to involve citizens in the cleanup of sites in their communities. We've structured our program

Analysis of state Superfund programs: 50 state study. 1998 update

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

NONE

States have remediated over 40,000 contaminated sites not on the federal Superfund list. ELI`s latest analysis of state Superfund programs examines the cleanup programs of all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. The study provides the most current data on state statutes, program organization, staffing, funding, expenditures, cleanup standards, and cleanup activities, voluntary cleanup programs and brownfields programs. State and federal policymakers and attorneys working on non-NPL sites should find this study useful.

Remediation System Evaluation, Groveland Wells Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Groveland Wells Superfund site is located in Groveland, Essex County, Massachusetts and has soiland ground water contaminated with trichloroethylene (TCE) and its degradation products. Soil andground water impacts result from operations and...

45 CFR 46.409 - Wards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Wards. 46.409 Section 46.409 Public Welfare... Protections for Children Involved as Subjects in Research § 46.409 Wards. (a) Children who are wards of the state or any other agency, institution, or entity can be included in research approved under § 46.406 or...

45 CFR 46.409 - Wards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Wards. 46.409 Section 46.409 Public Welfare... Protections for Children Involved as Subjects in Research § 46.409 Wards. (a) Children who are wards of the state or any other agency, institution, or entity can be included in research approved under § 46.406 or...

45 CFR 46.409 - Wards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Wards. 46.409 Section 46.409 Public Welfare... Protections for Children Involved as Subjects in Research § 46.409 Wards. (a) Children who are wards of the state or any other agency, institution, or entity can be included in research approved under § 46.406 or...

45 CFR 46.409 - Wards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Wards. 46.409 Section 46.409 Public Welfare... Protections for Children Involved as Subjects in Research § 46.409 Wards. (a) Children who are wards of the state or any other agency, institution, or entity can be included in research approved under § 46.406 or...

45 CFR 46.409 - Wards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Wards. 46.409 Section 46.409 Public Welfare... Protections for Children Involved as Subjects in Research § 46.409 Wards. (a) Children who are wards of the state or any other agency, institution, or entity can be included in research approved under § 46.406 or...

33 CFR 165.1329 - Regulated Navigation Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site, Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA. 165.1329... Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site, Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA... (EPA) and others in the Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA superfund cleanup site. Vessels may...

33 CFR 165.1329 - Regulated Navigation Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site, Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA. 165.1329... Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site, Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA... (EPA) and others in the Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA superfund cleanup site. Vessels may...

33 CFR 165.1329 - Regulated Navigation Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site, Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA. 165.1329... Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site, Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA... (EPA) and others in the Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA superfund cleanup site. Vessels may...

33 CFR 165.1329 - Regulated Navigation Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site, Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA. 165.1329... Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site, Commencement Bay, Tacoma, WA... (EPA) and others in the Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA superfund cleanup site. Vessels may...

Evaluating public participation in environmental decision-making: EPA's superfund community involvement program.

PubMed

Charnley, Susan; Engelbert, Bruce

2005-11-01

This article discusses an 8-year, ongoing project that evaluates the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund community involvement program. The project originated as a response to the Government Performance and Results Act, which requires federal agencies to articulate program goals, and evaluate and report their progress in meeting those goals. The evaluation project assesses how effective the Superfund community involvement program is in promoting public participation in decisions about how to clean up hazardous wastes at Superfund sites. We do three things in the article: (1) share our experience with evaluating an Agency public participation program, including lessons learned about methods of evaluation; (2) report evaluation results; and (3) address a number of issues pertaining to the evaluation of public participation in environmental decision-making. Our goal is to encourage more environmental managers to incorporate evaluation into their public participation programs as a tool for improving them. We found that written mail surveys were an effective and economical tool for obtaining feedback on EPA's community involvement program at Superfund sites. The evaluation focused on four criteria: citizen satisfaction with EPA information about the Superfund site, citizen understanding of environmental and human health risks associated with the site, citizen satisfaction with opportunities provided by EPA for community input, and citizen satisfaction with EPA's response to community input. While the evaluation results were mixed, in general, community members who were most informed about and involved in the cleanup process at Superfund sites generally were also the most satisfied with the community involvement process, and the job that EPA was doing cleaning up the site. We conclude that systematic evaluation provides meaningful and useful information that agencies can use to improve their public participation programs. However, there need to be

Superfund Chemical Data Matrix (SCDM) Query - Popup

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This site allows you to to easily query the Superfund Chemical Data Matrix (SCDM) and generate a list of the corresponding Hazardous Ranking System (HRS) factor values, benchmarks, and data elements that you need.

Remediation System Evaluation, Hellertown Manufacturing Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Hellertown Manufacturing Superfund Site, located in Hellertown, Pennsylvania 1.5 miles south of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is approximately 8.6 acres and addresses trichloroethylene (TCE) contamination of the groundwater resulting from operations of a fo

Remediation System Evaluation, Mattiace Petrochemical Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Mattiace Petrochemical Superfund Site, located in an industrial area near the harbor of Glen Cove, isapproximately 1.9 acres and has extensive soil and groundwater contamination of volatile organiccompounds stemming from the operations of...

Superfund and Technology Liaison Program Fact Sheet

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Superfund and Technology Liaison (STL) Program was established to facilitate regional access to ORD laboratories, provide technical support, and assist with the integration of science and technology into decision-making for hazardous waste programs.

48 CFR 1426.7103 - The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund Minority Contractors Utilization... Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund Minority Contractors Utilization...

48 CFR 1426.7103 - The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund Minority Contractors Utilization... Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund Minority Contractors Utilization...

48 CFR 1426.7103 - The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund Minority Contractors Utilization... Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund Minority Contractors Utilization...

48 CFR 1426.7103 - The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund Minority Contractors Utilization... Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund Minority Contractors Utilization...

SOLIDIFICATION/STABILIZATION CASE STUDIES AT USEPA SUPERFUND SITES

EPA Science Inventory

Oral presentation dicumenting several completed Superfund remediations using solidification/stabilization, both in situ and ex-situ, to treat soils containing metals and organics.
65 slide presentation.

EPA Proposes to Remove the Hatheway & Patterson Superfund Site from the National Priorities List

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Charles George Reclamation Trust Landfill Superfund site, a former landfill, is now home to a new solar facility. The USEPA oversaw the cleanup of the 70-acre Superfund site, preventing any exposure to contaminants and reducing leachate generation.

Remediation System Evaluation, Summitville Mine Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Summitville Mine Superfund Site is located in the southeastern portion of the San Juan Mountains,in Rio Grande County, approximately 60 miles west of Alamosa, Colorado and 10 to 15 miles south ofDel Norte, Colorado.

Ward safety perceived by ward managers in Britain, Germany and Switzerland: identifying factors that improve ability to deal with violence.

PubMed

Lepping, P; Steinert, T; Needham, I; Abderhalden, C; Flammer, E; Schmid, P

2009-09-01

Little is known about how safe nurses feel on psychiatric wards across different European countries. This paper is aim to evaluate how ward safety is perceived by ward managers in Great Britain, Germany and Switzerland. We replicated a Swiss questionnaire study in Germany and Britain, which asked ward managers on adult psychiatric wards to give details about their ward including data on the management of aggression, staffing levels, staff training, standards and type of restraint used, alarm devices, treatment and management of aggression and the existence and perceived efficacy of standards (protocols, guidelines). The British sample had by far the highest staffing levels per psychiatric bed, followed by Switzerland and Germany. The British ward managers by far perceived violence and aggression least as a problem on their wards, followed by Germany and then Switzerland. British ward managers are most satisfied with risk management and current practice dealing with violence. German managers were most likely to use fixation and most likely to have specific documentation for coercive measures. Swiss wards were most likely to use non-specific bedrooms for seclusion and carry alarm devices. British wards were far more likely to have protocols and training for the treatment and management of violence, followed by Switzerland and Germany. British ward managers by far perceived violence and aggression to be a small problem on their wards compared with Swiss and German ward managers. This was associated with the availability of control and restraint teams, regular training, clear protocols and a lesser degree risk assessments, but not staffing levels.

In-Depth Case Studies of Superfund Reuse

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

SRI’s in-depth case studies explore Superfund reuse stories from start to finish. Their purpose is to see what redevelopment strategies worked, acknowledge reuse barriers and understand how communities overcame the barriers to create new reuse outcomes.

Human Health Toxicity Values in Superfund Risk Assessments

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This memorandum revises the hierarchy of human health toxicity values generally recommended for use inr isk assessments, originally presented in Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund Volume I, Part A.

76 FR 44912 - Callaway and Son Drum Service Superfund Site; Lake Alfred, Polk County, FL; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-27

... Service Superfund Site; Lake Alfred, Polk County, FL; Notice of Settlement AGENCY: Environmental... Callaway and son Drum Service Superfund Site located in Lake Alfred, Polk County, Florida for publication... by Site name Callaway and Son Drum Service Superfund Site by one of the following methods: http://www...

Remediation System Evaluation, Higgins Farm Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Higgins Farm Superfund Site is located in a rural portion of Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, approximately 4 miles northeast of Princeton, New Jersey. The site occupies approximately 75 acres southeast of New Jersey State Highway 518...

Framework for Investigating Asbestos-Contaminated Superfund Sites

EPA Science Inventory

The document presents a recommended framework for investigating and characterizing the potential for human exposure and risk from asbestos contamination in outdoor soil and indoor dust at Superfund removal and remedial sites. The framework presents specific strategies and method...

SHIRCO PILOT-SCALE INFRARED INCINERATION SYSTEM AT THE ROSE TOWNSHIP DEMODE ROAD SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

Under the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation or SITE Program, an evaluation was made of the Shirco Pilot-Scale Infrared Incineration System during 17 separate test runs under varying operating conditions. The tests were conducted at the Demode Road Superfund site in Ros...

Measuring ward round quality in urology.

PubMed

Darbyshire, Daniel; Barrett, Charlotte; Ross, David; Shackley, David

2015-01-01

Ward rounds are the traditional process by which clinical information is interpreted and management plans made in the inpatient setting and the only time during which patient-doctor interaction can reliably occur. Efforts to improve quality and safety have started looking at the ward round but this has mainly been in the acute medical setting. To begin the quality improvement process for Urological ward rounds. Twenty indicators thought to relate to quality were recorded for every weekday ward round by the Urology team for one month. Twenty ward rounds, 93 patient encounters, were reviewed. A consultant was present for 37% of the patient encounters. 84% of observation charts were reviewed; drug charts 28% and antibiotics 70%. Plans were communicated to the doctors, patient and nursing staff. All notes were typed directly onto the electronic system, 20% of notes were checked by the lead clinician. Mean time per patient was 6 minutes. By starting a discussion about ward rounds we aim to align the process with the broader values of the organisation. Ward rounds can be the cornerstone of delivering safe, clean and personal care and measuring this process is vital to understanding efforts to improve them.

Remediation System Evaluation, Boomsnub/Airco Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Boomsnub/Airco Superfund Site is located in Hazel Dell, Clark County, Washington north ofVancouver, Washington and consists of the 0.75-acre Boomsnub property, the 11-acre BOC Gasesproperty, and a co-mingled ground water plume of chromium and...

U.S. EPA Superfund Program's Policy for Risk and Dose Assessment

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

Walker, Stuart

2008-01-15

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation (OSRTI) has primary responsibility for implementing the long-term (non-emergency) portion of a key U.S. law regulating cleanup: the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, CERCLA, nicknamed 'Superfund'. The purpose of the Superfund program is to protect human health and the environment over the long term from releases or potential releases of hazardous substances from abandoned or uncontrolled hazardous waste sites. The focus of this paper is on risk and dose assessment policies and tools for addressing radioactively contaminated sites by the Superfund program. EPA has almost completedmore » two risk assessment tools that are particularly relevant to decommissioning activities conducted under CERCLA authority. These are the: 1. Building Preliminary Remediation Goals for Radionuclides (BPRG) electronic calculator, and 2. Radionuclide Outdoor Surfaces Preliminary Remediation Goals (SPRG) electronic calculator. EPA developed the BPRG calculator to help standardize the evaluation and cleanup of radiologically contaminated buildings at which risk is being assessed for occupancy. BPRGs are radionuclide concentrations in dust, air and building materials that correspond to a specified level of human cancer risk. The intent of SPRG calculator is to address hard outside surfaces such as building slabs, outside building walls, sidewalks and roads. SPRGs are radionuclide concentrations in dust and hard outside surface materials. EPA is also developing the 'Radionuclide Ecological Benchmark' calculator. This calculator provides biota concentration guides (BCGs), also known as ecological screening benchmarks, for use in ecological risk assessments at CERCLA sites. This calculator is intended to develop ecological benchmarks as part of the EPA guidance 'Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund: Process for Designing and Conducting Ecological

Remediation System Evaluation, SMS Instruments Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The SMS Instruments Superfund Site is located at 120 Marcus Boulevard in Deer Park, Suffolk County,New York. The site consists of a 34,000 square foot building located on a 1.5-acre lot that is surroundedby other light industrial facilities.

Remediation System Evaluation, Ellis Property Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Ellis Property Superfund Site is located in a rural area of Burlington County, New Jersey. Most ofthe land at the site has not been developed. However, there is a building in a fenced area that is used tohouse the remedial system..

Consumer perspectives in adolescent ward design.

PubMed

Hutton, Alison

2005-05-01

The aim of the study was to gain an understanding of the environment and facilities that adolescents require in a purpose-built adolescent ward. People who are hospitalized have limited control over their care and environment. The experience of hospitalization is also considered a highly stressful event. It is essential that patients have an opportunity to participate in the planning and design of ward environments in order to reduce their stress and better accommodate their treatment needs. An interpretative qualitative design was used. Seven chronically ill adolescents were asked to design their own ward in order to obtain consumer input about what the perceived necessary facilities for adolescent wards. The adolescents provided clear information about the facilities that should be incorporated into an adolescent ward to maintain their privacy and independence. Further research needs to be conducted seeking consumer input, especially if it can enhance the stay of adolescent patients while they are hospitalized. Adolescent voice is more often than not represented by nurses, or other healthcare professionals in the patients' best interest. This practice acts on the assumption that the adult knows best and/or that adolescents are unable to articulate their own needs. Adolescent consumers contribute worthwhile recommendations to how a ward is run providing insight about their needs in the ward environment.

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 7: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 10: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

Report: Remedial Project Manager Turnover at Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #2001-M-000015, June 15, 2001. We determined that EPA Region III did not have formal procedures in place to mitigate continuity problems caused by turnover of EPA personnel in the Superfund program.

Superfund Chemical Data Matrix (SCDM) Query - April 2016

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This site allows you to to easily query the Superfund Chemical Data Matrix (SCDM) and generate a list of the corresponding Hazardous Ranking System (HRS) factor values, benchmarks, and data elements that you need.

SUPERFUND: FOCUSING ON THE NATION AT LARGE

EPA Science Inventory

In 1986 Congress enacted sweeping amendments to the nation's law to cleanup abandoned hazardous waste sites. Two years later Administrator Reilly set a course for the Superfund program designed to improve the program's performance and to increase the role of the private sector in...

Remediation System Evaluation, Ott/Story/Cordova Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Ott/Story/Cordova Superfund Site occupies approximately 20 acres in Dalton Township, MuskegonCounty, Michigan. The remedies at the site address contamination stemming from a specialty organicchemical production facility operated under a series of..

77 FR 16548 - Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site; Davie, Broward County, FL; Notice of Settlements

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-21

...-2012- 3766; CERCLA-04-2012-3765] Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site; Davie, Broward County... costs concerning the Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site located in Davie, Broward County.... Painter. Submit your comments by Site name Florida Petroleum Reprocessors by one of the following methods...

76 FR 45738 - Regulated Navigation Area; Pacific Sound Resources and Lockheed Shipyard EPA Superfund Cleanup...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-01

... Shipyard superfund cleanup remediation efforts. This RNA would prohibit activities that would disturb the... sediment caps installed in the designated regulated navigation area, pursuant to the remediation efforts of... persons engaged in activities associated with remediation efforts in the superfund sites, provided that...

Notification: EPA Enforcement of Superfund Orders and Agreements

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project #OA&E-FY18-0215, May 10, 2018. The OIG plans to begin preliminary research on the EPA's enforcement of Superfund Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) Response Settlements and Unilateral Response Orders.

THERMAL ENCAPSULATION OF METALS IN SUPERFUND SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

Superfund sites frequently contain both heavy metals and organic hazardous waste. If not properly controlled, the metals may be changed to a more leachable form and may also be emitted to the atmosphere via the exhaust stack. This paper documents a batch kiln R&D test program to ...

Simulation for ward processes of surgical care.

PubMed

Pucher, Philip H; Darzi, Ara; Aggarwal, Rajesh

2013-07-01

The role of simulation in surgical education, initially confined to technical skills and procedural tasks, increasingly includes training nontechnical skills including communication, crisis management, and teamwork. Research suggests that many preventable adverse events can be attributed to nontechnical error occurring within a ward context. Ward rounds represent the primary point of interaction between patient and physician but take place without formalized training or assessment. The simulated ward should provide an environment in which processes of perioperative care can be performed safely and realistically, allowing multidisciplinary assessment and training of full ward rounds. We review existing literature and describe our experience in setting up our ward simulator. We examine the facilities, equipment, cost, and personnel required for establishing a surgical ward simulator and consider the scenario development, assessment, and feedback tools necessary to integrate it into a surgical curriculum. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

77 FR 21433 - Regulated Navigation Area; Pacific Sound Resources and Lockheed Shipyard EPA Superfund Cleanup...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-10

... superfund cleanup remediation efforts. This RNA will prohibit activities that would disturb the seabed, such... installed in the designated regulated navigation area, pursuant to the remediation efforts of the U.S... activities associated with remediation efforts in the superfund sites, provided that the Captain of the Port...

77 FR 11533 - Anniston PCB Superfund Site, Anniston, Calhoun County, Alabama; Notice of Amended Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-27

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [CERCLA-04-2012-3763; FRL 9637-7] Anniston PCB Superfund Site... past response costs concerning the Anniston PCB Superfund Site located in Anniston, Calhoun County.... Submit your comments by Site name Anniston PCB by one of the following methods: www.epa.gov/region4...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM: INNOVATION MAKING A DIFFERENCE

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program encourages commercialization of innovative technologies for characterizing and remediating hazardous waste site contamination through four components: Demonstration, Emerging Technology, and Monitoring & Measurement Pr...

Centredale Manor Superfund Site in Rhode Island included on EPA List of Targeted for Immediate Attention

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency released the list of Superfund sites that Administrator Pruitt has targeted for immediate and intense attention. The Centredale Manor Restoration Project superfund site is one of the 21 sites on the list.

Remediation System Evaluation, Douglas Road Landfill Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Douglas Road Landfill Superfund Site is located in St. Joseph County just north of Mishawaka,Indiana. The site consists of a 16-acre capped landfill located on an approximately 32-acre lot (includingthe land purchased in 1999 for a wetlands...

The SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION program - Technology Profiles

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program was created to evaluate new and promising treatment technologies for cleanup at hazardous waste sites. The mission of the SITE program is to encourage the development and routine use of innovative treatment technologie...

Operation Ward's Island, A Guide to the Trees and Other Features of Ward's Island.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

New York City Board of Education, Brooklyn, NY. Bureau of Curriculum Development.

This guide for teachers, students, and adults illustrates how it is possible to use Ward's Island as an outdoor laboratory. It contains a guide to 30 kinds of trees on the island, along with clearly drawn maps and illustrations. The guide helps the user to locate these trees along two nature trails. A section called "Ward's Island…

Remediation System Evaluation, Elmore Waste Disposal Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Elmore Waste Disposal, Inc. Superfund site is located in Greer, South Carolina. The originalElmore Site occupies approximately half an acre between South Carolina Route 290 on the south, a CSXrail line on the north and is bounded on the west by...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION: TECHNOLOGY PROFILES, NINTH EDITION

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program, now in its eleventh year, is an integral part of EPA's research into alternative cleanup methods for hazardous waste sites around the nation. The SITE Program was created to encourage the development and routine use o...

Remediation System Evaluation, Baird and McGuire Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The 32.5-acre Baird and McGuire Superfund Site, located in Holbrook, Massachusetts, addresses VOC,SVOC, and arsenic contamination from a chemical mixing and batching plant that operated between 1912and 1983.

Ward rounds, participants, roles and perceptions: literature review.

PubMed

Walton, Victoria; Hogden, Anne; Johnson, Julie; Greenfield, David

2016-05-09

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to classify and describe the purpose of ward rounds, who attends each round and their role, and participants' perception of each other's role during the respective ward rounds. Design/methodology/approach - A literature review of face-to-face ward rounds in medical wards was conducted. Peer reviewed journals and government publications published between 2000 and 2014 were searched. Articles were classified according to the type of round described in the study. Purposes were identified using keywords in the description of why the round was carried out. Descriptions of tasks and interactions with team members defined participant roles. Findings - Eight round classifications were identified. The most common were the generalised ward; multidisciplinary; and consultant rounds. Multidisciplinary rounds were the most collaborative round. Medical officers were the most likely discipline to attend any round. There was limited reference to allied health clinicians and patient involvement on rounds. Perceptions attendees held of each other reiterated the need to continue to investigate teamwork. Practical implications - A collaborative approach to care planning can occur by ensuring clinicians and patients are aware of different ward round processes and their role in them. Originality/value - Analysis fulfils a gap in the literature by identifying and analysing the different ward rounds being undertaken in acute medical wards. It identifies the complexities in the long established routine hospital processes of the ward round.

40 CFR 35.4040 - How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? 35.4040 Section 35.4040 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Eligible? § 35.4040 How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? (a) Only one TAG may be...

40 CFR 35.4040 - How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? 35.4040 Section 35.4040 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Eligible? § 35.4040 How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? (a) Only one TAG may be...

40 CFR 35.4040 - How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? 35.4040 Section 35.4040 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Eligible? § 35.4040 How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? (a) Only one TAG may be...

40 CFR 35.4040 - How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? 35.4040 Section 35.4040 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Eligible? § 35.4040 How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? (a) Only one TAG may be...

40 CFR 35.4040 - How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? 35.4040 Section 35.4040 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... Eligible? § 35.4040 How many groups can receive a TAG at one Superfund site? (a) Only one TAG may be...

75 FR 76280 - Regulated Navigation Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-08

.../ Tideflats superfund cleanup remediation efforts. This RNA will prohibit activities that would disturb the.../Tideflats superfund cleanup remediation process in those waters. These caps consist of approximately three... remediation efforts of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and others in the Thea Foss and Wheeler...

Reported implementation lessons from a national quality improvement initiative; Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™. A qualitative, ward-based team perspective.

PubMed

White, Mark; Butterworth, Tony; Wells, John S G

2017-10-01

To explore the experiences of participants involved in the implementation of the Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™ initiative in Ireland, identifying key implementation lessons. A large-scale quality improvement programme Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™ was introduced nationwide into Ireland in 2011. We captured accounts from ward-based teams in an implementation phase during 2013-14 to explore their experiences. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with a purposive sample of 24 members of ward-based teams from nine sites involved in the second national phase of the initiative were conducted. Interviews were analysed and coded under themes, using a seven-stage iterative process. The predominant theme identified was associated with the implementation and management of the initiative and included: project management; training; preparation; information and communication; and participant's negative experiences. The most prominent challenge reported related to other competing clinical priorities. Despite the structured approach of Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™, it appears that overstretched and busy clinical environments struggle to provide the right climate and context for ward-based teams to engage and interact actively with quality improvement tools, methods and activities. Findings highlight five key aspects of implementation and management that will help facilitate successful adoption of large-scale, ward-based quality improvement programmes such as Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™. Utilising pre-existing implementation or quality frameworks to assess each ward/unit for 'readiness' prior to commencing a quality improvement intervention such as Productive Ward: Releasing Time to Care™ should be considered. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

EPA superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for region 7: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. Irregular report

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

NONE

1998-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 3: Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 6: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

Infinite Set of Soft Theorems in Gauge-Gravity Theories as Ward-Takahashi Identities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamada, Yuta; Shiu, Gary

2018-05-01

We show that the soft photon, gluon, and graviton theorems can be understood as the Ward-Takahashi identities of large gauge transformation, i.e., diffeomorphism that does not fall off at spatial infinity. We found infinitely many new identities which constrain the higher order soft behavior of the gauge bosons and gravitons in scattering amplitudes of gauge and gravity theories. Diagrammatic representations of these soft theorems are presented.

Remediation System Evaluation, Bog Creek Farm Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Bog Creek Farm Superfund site is located in Howell Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey onCounty Road 547. The site is bordered by two residences to the west, the north branch of SquankumBrook to the north, and open fields to the south and east.

CONTAMINATION OF PUBLIC GROUND WATER SUPPLIES BY SUPERFUND SITES

EPA Science Inventory

Multiple sources of contamination can affect ground water supplies, including municipal landfills, industrial operations, leaking underground storage tanks, septic tank systems, and prioritized uncontrolled hazardous waste sites known as “Superfund” sites. A review of Superfund R...

Superfund, Hedonics, and the Scales of Environmental Justice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noonan, Douglas S.; Turaga, Rama Mohana R.; Baden, Brett M.

2009-11-01

Environmental justice (EJ) is prominent in environmental policy, yet EJ research is plagued by debates over methodological procedures. A well-established economic approach, the hedonic price method, can offer guidance on one contentious aspect of EJ research: the choice of the spatial unit of analysis. Environmental managers charged with preventing or remedying inequities grapple with these framing problems. This article reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on unit choice in EJ, as well as research employing hedonic pricing to assess the spatial extent of hazardous waste site impacts. The insights from hedonics are demonstrated in a series of EJ analyses for a national inventory of Superfund sites. First, as evidence of injustice exhibits substantial sensitivity to the choice of spatial unit, hedonics suggests some units conform better to Superfund impacts than others. Second, hedonic estimates for a particular site can inform the design of appropriate tests of environmental inequity for that site. Implications for policymakers and practitioners of EJ analyses are discussed.

Superfund, hedonics, and the scales of environmental justice.

PubMed

Noonan, Douglas S; Turaga, Rama Mohana R; Baden, Brett M

2009-11-01

Environmental justice (EJ) is prominent in environmental policy, yet EJ research is plagued by debates over methodological procedures. A well-established economic approach, the hedonic price method, can offer guidance on one contentious aspect of EJ research: the choice of the spatial unit of analysis. Environmental managers charged with preventing or remedying inequities grapple with these framing problems. This article reviews the theoretical and empirical literature on unit choice in EJ, as well as research employing hedonic pricing to assess the spatial extent of hazardous waste site impacts. The insights from hedonics are demonstrated in a series of EJ analyses for a national inventory of Superfund sites. First, as evidence of injustice exhibits substantial sensitivity to the choice of spatial unit, hedonics suggests some units conform better to Superfund impacts than others. Second, hedonic estimates for a particular site can inform the design of appropriate tests of environmental inequity for that site. Implications for policymakers and practitioners of EJ analyses are discussed.

Superfund record of decision amendment (EPA Region 5): Sturgis Municipal Well Field Superfund Site, Sturgis, MI, September 10, 1996

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

NONE

This decision document amends the September 30, 1991 (PB92-964136) Record of Decision (ROD) for the Sturgis Municipal Well Field Superfund Site, in Sturgis, Michigan. The selected remedy is the final remedy for the site. The purpose of this remedy is to eliminate the source of groundwater contamination and restore the aquifer to its beneficial use.

77 FR 52322 - McClellan Air Force Base Superfund Site Proposed Notice of Administrative Order on Consent

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-29

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9723-5] McClellan Air Force Base Superfund Site Proposed Notice of Administrative Order on Consent AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION: Notice... consent concerning portions of the McClellan Air Force Base Superfund Site (``Site'') in McClellan...

Notification: Oversight of Superfund State Contracts for Remedial Activities

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project #OA-FY15-0054, December 30, 2014. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is beginning an audit of the EPA's oversight of Superfund State Contracts (SSCs) for remedial activities.

PERSONNEL PROTECTION THROUGH RECONNAISSANCE ROBOTICS AT SUPERFUND REMEDIAL SITES

EPA Science Inventory

Investigation, mitigation, and clean-up of hazardous materials at Superfund sites normally require on-site workers to perform hazardous and sometimes potentially dangerous functions. uch functions include site surveys and the reconnaissance for airborne and buried toxic environme...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM TECHNOLOGY PROFILES: SIXTH EDITION

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program evaluates new and promising treatment and monitoring and measurement technologies for cleanup of hazardous waste sites. The program was created to encourage the development and routine use of innovative treatment techn...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM - TECHNOLOGY PROFILES - SEVENTH EDITION

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program evaluates new and promising treatment and monitoring and measurement technologies for cleanup of hazardous waste sites. The program was created to encourage the development and routine use of innovative treatment techn...

Raising adults as children? A report on milieu therapy in a psychiatric ward in Norway.

PubMed

Oeye, Christine; Bjelland, Anne Karen; Skorpen, Aina; Anderssen, Norman

2009-03-01

Milieu therapy is widely used as a therapeutic approach in psychiatric wards in the Nordic countries, but few studies exist that report on what practices a milieu therapy approach implies as seen from an ethnographic perspective. Therefore, there is a need to obtain insight into how milieu therapy unfolds in a psychiatric ward setting. The present ethnographic study aims to explore this in a locked-up psychiatric ward that was tied to a psychodynamic-oriented milieu therapy approach. Metaphors from traditional nuclear family life were widely used. Patients were often understood as harmed children and were taught self-management skills; the staff aimed at providing a caring atmosphere; and the patients seemed to behave, sometimes, in a childlike manner. In a Foucaultian framework, milieu therapy can be seen as a therapeutic normalization technique used to produce self-governing individuals. Milieu therapy "raises" patients in order to transform patients' odd behaviour and nonconforming lifestyles. We see this "raising children" approach as a type of intervention that nicely connects to the national policy of normalization and integration politics towards persons with psychiatric diagnoses.

EPA Continues to Ensure Public Health Protection at Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has begun reviewing site cleanups at 12 National Priorities List Sites (Superfund Sites) including two Federal Facilities, across New England by performing required Five-Year Reviews of each site.

Incorporating ToxCast and Tox21 Datasets to Rank Biological Activity of Chemicals at Superfund Sites in North Carolina

PubMed Central

Tilley, Sloane K.; Reif, David M.; Fry, Rebecca C.

2017-01-01

Background The Superfund program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in 1980 to address public health concerns posed by toxic substances released into the environment in the United States. Forty-two of the 1328 hazardous waste sites that remain on the Superfund National Priority List are located in the state of North Carolina. Methods We set out to develop a database that contained information on both the prevalence and biological activity of chemicals present at Superfund sites in North Carolina. A chemical characterization tool, the Toxicological Priority Index (ToxPi), was used to rank the biological activity of these chemicals based on their predicted bioavailability, documented associations with biological pathways, and activity in in vitro assays of the ToxCast and Tox21 programs. Results The ten most prevalent chemicals found at North Carolina Superfund sites were chromium, trichloroethene, lead, tetrachloroethene, arsenic, benzene, manganese, 1,2-dichloroethane, nickel, and barium. For all chemicals found at North Carolina Superfund sites, ToxPi analysis was used to rank their biological activity. Through this data integration, residual pesticides and organic solvents were identified to be some of the most highly-ranking predicted bioactive chemicals. This study provides a novel methodology for creating state or regional databases of Superfund sites. Conclusions These data represent a novel integrated profile of the most prevalent chemicals at North Carolina Superfund sites. This information, and the associated methodology, is useful to toxicologists, risk assessors, and the communities living in close proximity to these sites. PMID:28153528

Incorporating ToxCast and Tox21 datasets to rank biological activity of chemicals at Superfund sites in North Carolina.

PubMed

Tilley, Sloane K; Reif, David M; Fry, Rebecca C

2017-04-01

The Superfund program of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established in 1980 to address public health concerns posed by toxic substances released into the environment in the United States. Forty-two of the 1328 hazardous waste sites that remain on the Superfund National Priority List are located in the state of North Carolina. We set out to develop a database that contained information on both the prevalence and biological activity of chemicals present at Superfund sites in North Carolina. A chemical characterization tool, the Toxicological Priority Index (ToxPi), was used to rank the biological activity of these chemicals based on their predicted bioavailability, documented associations with biological pathways, and activity in in vitro assays of the ToxCast and Tox21 programs. The ten most prevalent chemicals found at North Carolina Superfund sites were chromium, trichloroethene, lead, tetrachloroethene, arsenic, benzene, manganese, 1,2-dichloroethane, nickel, and barium. For all chemicals found at North Carolina Superfund sites, ToxPi analysis was used to rank their biological activity. Through this data integration, residual pesticides and organic solvents were identified to be some of the most highly-ranking predicted bioactive chemicals. This study provides a novel methodology for creating state or regional databases of biological activity of contaminants at Superfund sites. These data represent a novel integrated profile of the most prevalent chemicals at North Carolina Superfund sites. This information, and the associated methodology, is useful to toxicologists, risk assessors, and the communities living in close proximity to these sites. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Strategy to Ensure Institutional Control Implementation at Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document sets forth EPA’s strategy (Strategy) for ensuring that institutional controls (ICs) are successfully implemented at Superfund sites, with an emphasis on evaluating ICs at sites where all construction of all remedies is complete (construction complete sites).

EVALUATION OF UNSATURATED/VADOSE ZONE MODELS FOR SUPERFUND SITES

EPA Science Inventory

Mathematical models of water and chemical movement in soils are being used as decision aids for defining groundwater protection practices for Superfund sites. Numerous transport models exist for predicting movementand degradation of hazardous chemicals through soils. Many of thes...

Privacy Impact Assessment for the Enforcement Superfund Tracking System

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This Enforcement Superfund Tracking System (ESTS) collects publicly available information from the California Secretary of State on businesses. Learn how this data is collected, how it will be used, access to the data, and the purpose of data collection.

ANCHOR HILL PIT LAKE IN SITU TREATMENT, GILT EDGE MINE SUPERFUND SITE, S. DAKOTA, USA - A RETROSPECTIVE

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Region VII Superfund office and the EPA National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL) Mine Waste Technology Program (MWTP)have been conducting a field scale technology demonstration of an in situ treatment of the Anchor Hill Pit Lake at the Gilt Edge Mine Superfund...

77 FR 43073 - Proposed CERCLA Section 122(h) Settlement Relating to the Jewett White Lead Company Superfund...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-23

... the Jewett White Lead Company Superfund Site (``Site''), Located on Staten Island, Richmond County, NY... accordance with Section 122(i) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act... in connection with the Jewett White Lead Company Superfund Site (``Site''), located on Staten Island...

78 FR 47317 - Ore Knob Mine Superfund Site; Laurel Springs, Ashe County, North Carolina; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-05

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9843-3; CERCLA-04-2013-3759] Ore Knob Mine Superfund Site; Laurel Springs, Ashe County, North Carolina; Notice of Settlement AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency... settlement with Herbert N. Francis concerning the Ore Knob Mine Superfund Site located in Laurel Springs...

Simulated ward round: reducing costs, not outcomes.

PubMed

Ford, Helen; Cleland, Jennifer; Thomas, Ian

2017-02-01

Distractions and interruptions on the ward pose substantial patient safety risks, but medical students receive little training on their management. Although there is some evidence that medical students can be taught how to manage distractions and interruptions in a simulated ward environment, the only model to date is based on individual feedback, which is resource-expensive, mitigating curricular integration. Our aim was to assess the educational utility of a cost-efficient approach to a patient safety-focused simulated ward round. Twenty-three of 55 final-year medical students took part in a cost-reduced simulated ward round. Costs were minimised by providing group rather than individualised feedback, thereby shortening the duration of each simulation and reducing the number of interruptions. The utility of the simulation was assessed via student evaluation and performance on a patient safety station of an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). The direct costs of the simulation were more than 50 per cent lower per student compared with the original study, mostly as a result of a reduction in the time that faculty members took to give feedback. Students managed distractions better and received higher scores in the OSCE station than those who had not undergone the ward round. Group feedback was evaluated positively by most participants: 94 per cent of those who provided feedback agreed or strongly agreed that the simulation would make them a safer doctor and would improve their handling of distractions. Our aim was to assess the educational utility of a cost-efficient approach to a patient safety-focused simulated ward round DISCUSSION: The costs of a simulated ward round can be significantly reduced whilst maintaining educational utility. These findings should encourage medical schools to integrate ward simulation into curricula. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

EVALUATION OF UNSATURATED/VADOSE ZONE MODELS FOR SUPERFUND SITES

EPA Science Inventory

Mathematical models of water and chemical movement in soils are being used as decision aids for defining groundwater protection practices for Superfund sites. umerous transport models exist for predicting movement and degradation of hazardous chemicals through soil& Many of these...

Report: Making Better Use of Stringfellow Superfund Special Accounts

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #08-P-0196, July 9, 2008. By Fiscal Year 2010, EPA Region 9 could reclassify, or transfer to the Trust Fund, up to $47.8 million in special account funds for the Stringfellow Superfund site, located near Glen Avon, California.

EPA Continues to Ensure Public Health Protection at Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has completed comprehensive reviews of site cleanups at nine National Priorities List Sites (Superfund Sites), including four Federal Facilities, across New England by performing required Five-Year Reviews of each site.

Violent events, ward climate and ideas for violence prevention among nurses in psychiatric wards: a focus group study.

PubMed

Lantta, Tella; Anttila, Minna; Kontio, Raija; Adams, Clive E; Välimäki, Maritta

2016-01-01

Patient violence against nurses in their work environments is a widespread global concern, particularly in the field of mental health care. A high prevalence of violent events impacts the well-being of nurses and may also impair overall ward climate. However, it has been proposed that nurses' use limited techniques to prevent patient violence, and, therefore, more comprehensive methods for dealing with patient violence are needed. There is still restricted understanding of the ward climate during the occurrence of a violent event as well as how these incidents could be more effectively prevented. This study aimed to explore nurses' experiences of violent events in psychiatric wards, give insight into ward climates and examine suggestions for violence prevention. This study employed a descriptive, exploratory design including focus groups (n = 5) and open-ended questions. The participants were registered and enrolled nurses (n = 22) working on three closed psychiatric in-patient wards in one Finnish hospital district. Focus groups were tape-recorded, transcribed and analyzed with inductive content analysis. Nurses' experiences of violent events included a variety of warning signs and high-risk situations which helped them to predict forthcoming violence. Patient-instigated violent events were described as complicated situations involving both nurses and patients. When the wards were overloaded with work or emotions, or if nurses had become cynical from dealing with such events, well-being of nurses was impaired and nursing care was complicated. Suggestions for violence prevention were identified, and included, for example, more skilled interaction between nurses and patients and an increase in contact between nurses and patients on the ward. This study revealed the complexity of violent events on psychiatric wards as well as the implications of these events on clinical practice development and training, administration and policy. A routine process is needed

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 9: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American Samoa, and Guam

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program SUMMARY AND CLOSURE REPORT

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program promoted the development, commercialization, and implementation of innovative hazardous waste treatment technologies for 20 years. SITE offered a mechanism for conducting joint technology demonstration and evaluation ...

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: BDAT INCINERATION OF CERCLA SARMS AT THE JOHN ZINK COMPANY TEST FACILITY (FINAL PROJECT REPORT)

EPA Science Inventory

This report presents the results of a treatability study of rotary kiln incineration of a synthetic "Superfund soil" bearing a wide range of chemical contaminants typically occurring at Superfund sites. This surrogate soil is referred to as a synthetic analytical reference ...

Watershed Council as Polymorph: The Changing Nature of Expertise and Expert-Public Communication in Deliberations about Superfund Remediation

EPA Science Inventory

This paper investigates the navigation of expert and public credibility in the remediation of a New England Superfund site. In 1999, the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) named Rhode Island’s Centredale Manor an official Superfund site, prompting remediation effort...

DECISION ANALYSIS OF INCINERATION COSTS IN SUPERFUND SITE REMEDIATION

EPA Science Inventory

This study examines the decision-making process of the remedial design (RD) phase of on-site incineration projects conducted at Superfund sites. Decisions made during RD affect the cost and schedule of remedial action (RA). Decision analysis techniques are used to determine the...

Superfund: Funding for the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry

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

Not Available

Neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor the Office of Management and Budget is violating the law by reviewing or revising the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's budget request before the President submits it to Congress. The review also does not violate section III (n) of the superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 which secures minimum funding for ATSDR that can only be changed by Congress. However, GAO believes that this provision prohibits EPA from specifying how ATSDR should spend superfund money. It is therefore recommending that EPA not place any restrictions on the use of funds earmarkedmore » for ATSDR under section III(n) of SARA.« less

Notification: Evaluation of Time-Critical Removal Actions for Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project #OPE-FY15-0019, February 4, 2015. The EPA OIG plans to begin preliminary research on the evaluation of the effectiveness of time-critical removal actions for Superfund sites on February 24, 2015.

Nursing Education Trial Using a Virtual Nightingale Ward.

PubMed

Tsuji, Keiko; Iwata, Naomi; Kodama, Hiromi; Hagiwara, Tomoko; Takai, Kiyako; Sasaki, Yoko; Nagata, Yoshie; Matsumoto, Maki

2017-01-01

Nursing department students are expected to correctly grasp the entire concept of nursing through their education. The authors created a movie of a Nightingale ward (virtual ward, hereafter) with an architectural computer design software for education. The students' reaction to the virtual ward was categorized into three viewpoints: that of nurses, of patients, and of nurses and patients in common. Most of the reactions in each viewpoint were: "easy to observe patients" in the nurses' viewpoint; "no privacy" in the patients' viewpoint; and "wide room" in the common viewpoint, respectively. These reactions show the effectiveness of using a virtual ward in nursing education. Because these reactions are characteristics of a Nightingale ward, and even students, who have generally less experiences, recognized these characteristics from the both viewpoints of nurses and patients.

77 FR 2720 - Proposed Agreement and Covenant Not To Sue for the Colville Post & Poles Superfund Site, Stevens...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-19

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9612-1] Proposed Agreement and Covenant Not To Sue for the Colville Post & Poles Superfund Site, Stevens County, WA AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION... Colville Post & Poles Superfund Site, Stevens County, Washington, and should be addressed to Jennifer G...

From Paper to PDA: Design and Evaluation of a Clinical Ward Instruction on a Mobile Device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanstrup, Anne Marie; Stage, Jan

Mobile devices with small screens and minimal facilities for interaction are increasingly being used in complex human activities for accessing and processing information, while the user is moving. This paper presents a case study of the design and evaluation of a mobile system, which involved transformation of complex text and tables to digital format on a PDA. The application domain was an emergency medical ward, and the user group was junior registrars. We designed a PDA-based system for accessing information, focusing on the ward instruction, implemented a prototype and evaluated it for usability and utility. The evaluation results indicate significant problems in the interaction with the system as well as the extent to which the system is useful for junior registrars in their daily work.

Delivery of pharmaceutical services at ward level in a teaching hospital.

PubMed

Schellack, N; Martins, V; Botha, N; Meyer, J C

2009-03-01

Poor management of pharmaceuticals could lead to wastage of financial resources and poor services in the public sector. The main aim of the study was to investigate the quality of pharmaceutical services at ward level in a teaching hospital. The design of the study was descriptive. Three data collection instruments were designed and pilot-tested prior to the actual data collection. Two structured questionnaires were used to interview the sister-in-charge of each ward and the stock and drug controller at the pharmacy. A checklist for the management of pharmaceuticals was completed for each ward. Descriptive statistics were used to describe and summarise the data. Sisters-in-charge of 30 wards and the stock and drug controller at the pharmacy participated in the study. The relationship with the pharmacy was perceived to be average by 54% (n = 30) of the sisters-in-charge of the wards. Communication with the pharmacy was mainly by telephone and 57% of the sisters-in-charge mentioned that they experienced difficulties in conveying messages to the pharmacy. Ten of the wards received regular ward visits by a pharmacist. Expiry dates were checked by all wards but at different intervals. The majority of the wards (90%) used patient cards, which refer to prescription charts, for stock control and ordering from the pharmacy. Fridge temperatures were checked and charted on a daily basis by 30% of the wards. Written standard operating procedures (SOPs) were used by the pharmacy for issuing ward stock. Although 83% of the wards indicated that they used SOPs, evidence of written SOPs was not available. The results indicated that the management of pharmaceutical services at ward level could be improved. Implementation of appropriate communication systems will enhance cooperation between the pharmacy and the wards. A uniform ward stock control system, either by computer or stock cards, should be introduced. Regular ward visits by a pharmacist to oversee ward stock management are

Optimization Review: Carson River Mercury Superfund Site, Carson City, Nevada

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Carson River Mercury Site (CRMS) (Figure 1) is located in northwest Nevada and was designated a Superfund site in 1990 because of elevated mercury concentrations observed in surface water, sediments and biota inhabiting the site.

Ward nurses' knowledge of computed tomography scanning.

PubMed

Majeed, M A; Nayeemuddin, M; Christie, M

Patients benefit from and are reassured by advance information on procedures that they are to undergo. Ward nurses should have adequate knowledge of radiological investigations to ensure proper patient preparation and good interdepartmental communication to avoid delays and cancellations. This study was conducted to assess the ward nurses' knowledge of the process of computed tomography (CT) scanning. One hundred and twenty qualified nurses were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding CT scanning. The findings revealed a suboptimal level of awareness about the process. This is probably due to lack of formal teaching for nurses on the wards in regards the different radiological procedures and patient preparation. There is a strong case for better educational talks on rapidly changing radiological techniques for ward staff to ensure high-quality patient care.

Remediation System Evaluation, Savage Municipal Water Supply Superfund Site (PDF)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Savage Municipal Water Supply Superfund Site, located on the western edge of Milford, New Hampshire, consists of a source area and an extended plume that is approximately 6,000 feet long and 2,500 feet wide.

On the brink of reform: Four bills vie for the Superfund reauthorization title

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

Zodrow, J.J.

1995-12-01

After months of hearings in the House of Representatives and the Senate, Congress is poised to reform the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980. Without CERCLA reauthorization, no federal tax dollars will be allocated to the Superfund for remediating contaminated industrial sites. Authorization to pay into the Superfund expired officially in 1994, and only $2.8 billion remains in the trust fund, enough to run the program through next September at its current annual budget of $1.4 billion. Critics state that Congress acted ambitiously in enacting CERCLA 15 years ago in response to a general belief that onlymore » dozens of contaminated sites existed and could be addressed within a few years. However, the Environmental Protection Agency since 1980 has named 1,300 sites to the National Priorities List. Many contend that the Superfund program was not designed to be a clearinghouse for a multitude of site cleanups. CERCLA`s complicated procedural requirements and taxing transactional costs, some say, were intended to apply to a few, highly toxic sites.« less

Developing non-technical ward-round skills.

PubMed

Harvey, Rachel; Mellanby, Edward; Dearden, Effie; Medjoub, Karima; Edgar, Simon

2015-10-01

Conducting clinical 'rounds' is one of the most onerous and important duties that every junior doctor is expected to perform. There is evidence that newly qualified doctors are not adequately prepared by their undergraduate experiences for this task. The aim of this study was to analyse the challenges pertaining to non-technical skills that students would face during ward rounds, and to create a model that facilitates the transition from medical student to doctor. A total of 217 final-year medical students completed a simulated ward round. Free-text responses were analysed using template analysis applying an a priori template developed from the literature by the research team. This drew on the generic categories of non-technical skills suggested by Flin et al. Ninety-seven per cent of students agreed or strongly agreed that the simulated ward round improved their insight into the challenges of ward rounds and their perceived ability to work efficiently as an active member of the ward round. The responding students (206) submitted written feedback describing the learning that they planned to use: 800 learning points were recorded, and all could be categorised into one of seven non-technical skills. Conducting clinical 'rounds' is one of the most onerous and important duties that every junior doctor is expected to perform We believe that improved task efficiency and insight into the challenges of the ward round gained by medical students will lead to an enhancement in performance during clinical rounds, and will have a positive impact on patient safety. We would suggest that undergraduate medical schools consider this model in the preparation for the clinical practice element of the curriculum. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Summary of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (Superfund)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

CERCLA provides a Federal Superfund to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment

EPA superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for region 3: Delaware, Washington DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Irregular report

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

NONE

1998-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 1: Connecticut, Maine, Massachussetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for region 6: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Irregular report

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

NONE

1998-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for region 5: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. Irregular report

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

NONE

1998-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 2: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 8: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

HANDBOOK: RECYCLING AND REUSE OF MATERIAL FOUND ON SUPERFUND SITES

EPA Science Inventory

This document provides assistance in identifying potential recycling technologies for a wide variety of contaminants and matrices. Personnel at Superfund and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action sites face the challenge of selecting remedial options for...

Superfund record of decision (EPA Region 3): Stanley Kessler Superfund Site, King of Prussia, PA, September 1994

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

Not Available

1994-09-29

This decision document presents the final selected remedial action for the Stanley Kessler Superfund Site (the Site). The selected remedy for the Site will restore contaminated ground water to its beneficial use by cleaning up the ground water to background levels as established by EPA or the appropriate Maximum Contaminant Levels or non-zero Maximum Contaminant Level Goals established under the Federal Safe Drinking Water Act whichever is more stringent. The selected remedy is the only planned action for the Site.

Mining-Related Sediment and Soil Contamination in a Large Superfund Site: Characterization, Habitat Implications, and Remediation.

PubMed

Juracek, K E; Drake, K D

2016-10-01

Historical mining activity (1850-1970) in the now inactive Tri-State Mining District provided an ongoing source of lead and zinc to the environment including the US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site located in Cherokee County, southeast Kansas, USA. The resultant contamination adversely affected biota and caused human health problems and risks. Remediation in the Superfund site requires an understanding of the magnitude and extent of contamination. To provide some of the required information, a series of sediment and soil investigations were conducted in and near the Superfund site to characterize lead and zinc contamination in the aquatic and floodplain environments along the main-stem Spring River and its major tributaries. In the Superfund site, the most pronounced lead and zinc contamination, with concentrations that far exceed sediment quality guidelines associated with potential adverse biological effects, was measured for streambed sediments and floodplain soils located within or downstream from the most intensive mining-affected areas. Tributary streambeds and floodplains in affected areas are heavily contaminated with some sites having lead and zinc concentrations that are an order of magnitude (or more) greater than the sediment quality guidelines. For the main-stem Spring River, the streambed is contaminated but the floodplain is mostly uncontaminated. Measured lead and zinc concentrations in streambed sediments, lakebed sediments, and floodplain soils documented a persistence of the post-mining contamination on a decadal timescale. These results provide a basis for the prioritization, development, and implementation of plans to remediate contamination in the affected aquatic and floodplain environments within the Superfund site.

Mining-Related Sediment and Soil Contamination in a Large Superfund Site: Characterization, Habitat Implications, and Remediation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juracek, K. E.; Drake, K. D.

2016-10-01

Historical mining activity (1850-1970) in the now inactive Tri-State Mining District provided an ongoing source of lead and zinc to the environment including the US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site located in Cherokee County, southeast Kansas, USA. The resultant contamination adversely affected biota and caused human health problems and risks. Remediation in the Superfund site requires an understanding of the magnitude and extent of contamination. To provide some of the required information, a series of sediment and soil investigations were conducted in and near the Superfund site to characterize lead and zinc contamination in the aquatic and floodplain environments along the main-stem Spring River and its major tributaries. In the Superfund site, the most pronounced lead and zinc contamination, with concentrations that far exceed sediment quality guidelines associated with potential adverse biological effects, was measured for streambed sediments and floodplain soils located within or downstream from the most intensive mining-affected areas. Tributary streambeds and floodplains in affected areas are heavily contaminated with some sites having lead and zinc concentrations that are an order of magnitude (or more) greater than the sediment quality guidelines. For the main-stem Spring River, the streambed is contaminated but the floodplain is mostly uncontaminated. Measured lead and zinc concentrations in streambed sediments, lakebed sediments, and floodplain soils documented a persistence of the post-mining contamination on a decadal timescale. These results provide a basis for the prioritization, development, and implementation of plans to remediate contamination in the affected aquatic and floodplain environments within the Superfund site.

Mining-related sediment and soil contamination in a large Superfund site: Characterization, habitat implications, and remediation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Juracek, Kyle E.; Drake, K. D.

2016-01-01

Historical mining activity (1850–1970) in the now inactive Tri-State Mining District provided an ongoing source of lead and zinc to the environment including the US Environmental Protection Agency Superfund site located in Cherokee County, southeast Kansas, USA. The resultant contamination adversely affected biota and caused human health problems and risks. Remediation in the Superfund site requires an understanding of the magnitude and extent of contamination. To provide some of the required information, a series of sediment and soil investigations were conducted in and near the Superfund site to characterize lead and zinc contamination in the aquatic and floodplain environments along the main-stem Spring River and its major tributaries. In the Superfund site, the most pronounced lead and zinc contamination, with concentrations that far exceed sediment quality guidelines associated with potential adverse biological effects, was measured for streambed sediments and floodplain soils located within or downstream from the most intensive mining-affected areas. Tributary streambeds and floodplains in affected areas are heavily contaminated with some sites having lead and zinc concentrations that are an order of magnitude (or more) greater than the sediment quality guidelines. For the main-stem Spring River, the streambed is contaminated but the floodplain is mostly uncontaminated. Measured lead and zinc concentrations in streambed sediments, lakebed sediments, and floodplain soils documented a persistence of the post-mining contamination on a decadal timescale. These results provide a basis for the prioritization, development, and implementation of plans to remediate contamination in the affected aquatic and floodplain environments within the Superfund site.

Optimization Review, Black Butte Mine Superfund Site, Lane County, Oregon

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The BBM Superfund Site (the site) is located in Lane County, Oregon, approximately 35 miles southeast of Eugene and approximately 10 miles upstream from the Cottage Grove Reservoir (CGR). Mercury mining and processing operations were active at the site...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM - TECHNOLOGY PROFILES 4th Edition

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program evaluates new and promising treatment technologies for cleanup of hazardous waste sites. The program was created to encourage the development and routine use of innovative treatment technologies. As a result, the SI...

POINT-OF-ENTRY DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS FOR SUPERFUND APPLICATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection AGency (EPA) and State Superfund agencies need a technical assistance manualto assist their personnel in the selection of an effective drinking water treatment system for aindividualhouseholds in areas whre the drinking water has been adversely a...

Optimization Review, Peck Iron and Metal Superfund Site, Portsmouth, Virginia

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Peck Iron and Metal Superfund Site is a 33-acre property located in Norfolk County, Portsmouth, Virginia. PIM (Figure 1) is the site of a former scrap metal storage and recycling facility that began operation in the 1940s.

The Pueblo Superfund program -- a Native American perspective on cultural impacts and environmental equity under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA)

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

Sanchez, C.M.; Garcia, T.L.; Chavez, E.F.

1996-12-31

The All Indian Pueblo Council (AIPC) through the Pueblo Office of Environmental Protection (POEP) implements and provides a variety of environmental programs and services to the 19 Indian Pueblos of New Mexico. Specifically, the POEP Superfund Program investigates and evaluates potential hazardous waste sites within Pueblo lands. The POEP Superfund Program began in September 1991 when the 19 Pueblo Governors signed a Superfund Memorandum of Agreement with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 6. The goal of the POEP Superfund Program is to determine those sites that are eligible for Superfund-financed remedial action by placing those sites on themore » National Priorities List (NPL), while including the Pueblo perspective. Because the 19 Pueblos are each unique, sovereign nations, several differences and gaps associated with the current Superfund law and EPA methodologies exist. Currently, the Superfund Hazard Ranking System (HRS) model does not account for Indian religious and ceremonial impacts from these sites. Due to their importance in Pueblo life, culturally significant plants, animals, ceremonial surface water use, and sacred areas should be considered as critical impacts when evaluating the various pathways of exposure of the HRS. Tribal environmental equality is an aspect that will be included into all environmental laws. AIPC and POEP are working to address this issue under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), as amended by the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA).« less

Superfund Technology Evaluation Report: SITE Program Demonstration Test Shirco Pilot-Scale Infrared Incineration System at the Rose Township Demode Road Superfund Site Volume I

EPA Science Inventory

The Shirco Pilot-Scale Infrared Incineration System was evaluated during a series of seventeen test runs under varied operating conditions at the Demode Road Superfund Site located in Rose Township, Michigan. The tests sought to demonstrate the effectiveness of the unit and the t...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY2000

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program promotes the development, commercialization, and implementation of innovative hazardous waste treatment technologies. SITE offers a mechanism for conducting joint demonstration and evaluation projects at hazardous waste site...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION (SITE) PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS 2003

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program has successfully promoted the development, commercialization and implementation of innovative hazardous waste treatment technologies for 17 years. SITE offers a mechanism for conducting joint technology demonstration a...

Diffusive flux of PAHs across sediment-water and water-air interfaces at urban superfund sites.

PubMed

Minick, D James; Anderson, Kim A

2017-09-01

Superfund sites may be a source of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the surrounding environment. These sites can also act as PAH sinks from present-day anthropogenic activities, especially in urban locations. Understanding PAH transport across environmental compartments helps to define the relative contributions of these sources and is therefore important for informing remedial and management decisions. In the present study, paired passive samplers were co-deployed at sediment-water and water-air interfaces within the Portland Harbor Superfund Site and the McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site. These sites, located along the Willamette River (Portland, OR, USA), have PAH contamination from both legacy and modern sources. Diffusive flux calculations indicate that the Willamette River acts predominantly as a sink for low molecular weight PAHs from both the sediment and the air. The sediment was also predominantly a source of 4- and 5-ring PAHs to the river, and the river was a source of these same PAHs to the air, indicating that legacy pollution may be contributing to PAH exposure for residents of the Portland urban center. At the remediated McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site, flux measurements highlight locations within the sand and rock sediment cap where contaminant breakthrough is occurring. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2281-2289. © 2017 SETAC. © 2017 SETAC.

Medical costs and lost productivity from health conditions at volatile organic compound-contaminated Superfund sites

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

Lybarger, J.A.; Spengler, R.F.; Brown, D.R.

1998-10-01

This paper estimates the health costs at Superfund sites for conditions associated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in drinking water. Health conditions were identified from published literature and registry information as occurring at excess rates in VOC-exposed populations. These health conditions were: (1) some categories of birth defects, (2) urinary tract disorders, (3) diabetes, (4) eczema and skin conditions, (5) anemia, (6) speech and hearing impairments in children under 10 years of age, and (7) stroke. Excess rates were used to estimate the excess number of cases occurring among the total population living within one-half mile of 258 Superfund sites.more » These sites had evidence of completed human exposure pathways for VOCs in drinking water. For each type of medical condition, an individual`s expected medical costs, long-term care costs, and lost work time due to illness or premature mortality were estimated. Costs were calculated to be approximately $330 million per year, in the absence of any remediation or public health intervention programs. The results indicate the general magnitude of the economic burden associated with a limited number of contaminants at a portion of all Superfund sites, thus suggesting that the burden would be greater than that estimated in this study if all contaminants at all Superfund sites could be taken into account.« less

SUPERFUND GROUND WATER ISSUE: GROUND WATER SAMPLING FOR METALS ANALYSES

EPA Science Inventory

Filtration of ground-water samples for metals analysis is an issue identified by the Forum as a concern of Superfund decision-makers. Inconsistency in EPA Syperfund cleanup pracices occurs where one EPA Region implements a remedial action based on unfiltered ground-water samples,...

The transition from staff nurse to ward leader.

PubMed

Spencer, Caroline; Al-Sadoon, Tara; Hemmings, Laura; Jackson, Karen; Mulligan, Paul

Moving from the staff nurse to ward sister role involves acquiring a range of skills to lead and motivate a team and ensure standards of care are high. Recognising new ward sisters' need for support, a trust developed a training programme to enable them to develop the necessary skills and provide mutual support. This article discusses the development of the programme and offers the reflections of three ward sisters who participated in it.

Superfund record of decision (EPA Region 1): Tansitor Electronics, Inc., Bennington, VT, September 29, 1995

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

NONE

1996-03-01

This Decision Document presents the selected remedial action for the Tansitor Electronics, Inc. Superfund Site in Bennington, Vermont. This ROD sets forth the selected remedy for the Tansitor Electronics, Inc. Superfund Site, which includes management of migration components to obtain a comprehensive remedy. This ROD does not include any source control component because EPA`s risk assessment concluded that the surface and subsurface soils did not present an unacceptable risk either under current conditions or under a potential future residential scenario.

The Portland Harbor Superfund Site Sustainability Project: Introduction.

PubMed

Fitzpatrick, Anne G; Apitz, Sabine E; Harrison, David; Ruffle, Betsy; Edwards, Deborah A

2018-01-01

This article introduces the Portland Harbor Superfund Site Sustainability Project (PHSP) special series in this issue. The Portland Harbor Superfund Site is one of the "mega-sediment sites" in the United States, comprising about 10 miles of the Lower Willamette River, running through the heart of Portland, Oregon. The primary aim of the PHSP was to conduct a comprehensive sustainability assessment, integrating environmental, economic, and social considerations of a selection of the remedial alternatives laid out by the US Environmental Protection Agency. A range of tools were developed for this project to quantitatively address environmental, economic, and social costs and benefits based upon diverse stakeholder values. In parallel, a probabilistic risk assessment was carried out to evaluate the risk assumptions at the core of the remedial investigation and feasibility study process. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:17-21. © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY 1996

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program has been successfully promoting the development, commercialization and implementation of innovative hazardous waste treatment technologies for more than 10 years. SITE offers a mechanism for conducting joint technology...

SUPERFUND INNOVTIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY 1997

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program has successfully promoted the development, commercialization and implementation of innovative hazardous waste treatment technologies for more than 12 years. SITE offers a mechanism for conducting joint technology demon...

Developing skills in clinical leadership for ward sisters.

PubMed

Fenton, Katherine; Phillips, Natasha

The Francis report has called for a strengthening of the ward sister's role. It recommends that sisters should operate in a supervisory capacity and should not be office bound. Effective ward leadership has been recognised as being vital to high-quality patient care and experience, resource management and interprofessional working. However, there is evidence that ward sisters are ill equipped to lead effectively and lack confidence in their ability to do so. University College London Hospitals Foundation Trust has recognised that the job has become almost impossible in increasingly large and complex organisations. Ward sisters spend less than 40% of their time on clinical leadership and the trust is undertaking a number of initiatives to support them in this role.

SUPERFUND GROUND WATER ISSUE - ACCURACY OF DEPTH TO WATER MEASUREMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Accuracy of depth to water measurements is an issue identified by the Forum as a concern of Superfund decision-makers as they attempt to determine directions of ground-water flow, areas of recharge of discharge, the hydraulic characteristics of aquifers, or the effects of manmade...

GUIDE TO TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES FOR HAZARDOUS WASTES AT SUPERFUND SITES

EPA Science Inventory

Over the past fewyears, it has become increasinsly evident that land disposal of hazardous wastes is at least only a temporary solution for much of the wastes present at Superfund sites. The need for more Iong-term, permanent "treatment solutions as alternatives to land disposal ...

An Evaluation Guide for Fuel Cell Deployments at EPA Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guidebook aims to educate potential project site personnel and regional planners on various considerations to be evaluated when pursuing a hydrogen fuel cell project on an EPA Superfund site for on-site energy generation needs.

Generalising Ward's Method for Use with Manhattan Distances.

PubMed

Strauss, Trudie; von Maltitz, Michael Johan

2017-01-01

The claim that Ward's linkage algorithm in hierarchical clustering is limited to use with Euclidean distances is investigated. In this paper, Ward's clustering algorithm is generalised to use with l1 norm or Manhattan distances. We argue that the generalisation of Ward's linkage method to incorporate Manhattan distances is theoretically sound and provide an example of where this method outperforms the method using Euclidean distances. As an application, we perform statistical analyses on languages using methods normally applied to biology and genetic classification. We aim to quantify differences in character traits between languages and use a statistical language signature based on relative bi-gram (sequence of two letters) frequencies to calculate a distance matrix between 32 Indo-European languages. We then use Ward's method of hierarchical clustering to classify the languages, using the Euclidean distance and the Manhattan distance. Results obtained from using the different distance metrics are compared to show that the Ward's algorithm characteristic of minimising intra-cluster variation and maximising inter-cluster variation is not violated when using the Manhattan metric.

Rules of thumb for superfund remedy selection

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

NONE

1997-08-01

The guidance document describes key principles and expectations, interspersed with `best practices` based on program experience, that should be consulted during the Superfund remedy selection process. These remedy selection `Rules of Thumb` are organized into three major policy areas: (1) risk assessment and risk management, (2) developing remedial alternatives, and (3) ground-water response actions. The purpose of this guide is to briefly summarize key elements of various remedy selection guidance documents and policies in one publication.

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY 2002

EPA Science Inventory

This report details the Fiscal Year 2002 activities of the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. The Program focused on the remediation needs of the hazardous waste remediation community through demonstration and evaluation of innovative technologies for reme...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY 2001

EPA Science Inventory

This report details the fiscal year 2001 activities of the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program. The Program focuses on the remediation needs of the hazardous waste remediation community through demonstration and evaluation of innovative technologies for re...

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY 1995

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program was established more than nine years ago to encourage the development and implementation of innovative treatment technologies for hazardous waste site remediation. Development of this program was in direct response to ...

The role of the ward manager in promoting patient safety.

PubMed

Pinnock, David

In this article the role of the ward manager in promoting patient safety is explored. The background to the development of the patient safety agenda is briefly discussed and the relationship between quality and safety is illustrated. The pivotal importance of the role of the ward manager in delivering services to patients is underlined and literature on patient safety is examined to identify what a ward manager can do to make care safer. Possible actions of the ward manager to improve safety discussed in the literature are structured around the Leadership Framework. This framework identifies seven domains for the leadership of service delivery. Ward managers use their personal qualities, and network and work within teams, while managing performance and facilitating innovation, change and measurement for improvement. The challenge of promoting patient safety for ward managers is briefly explored and recommendations for further research are made.

Smoking cessation treatment practices: recommendations for improved adoption on cardiology wards.

PubMed

Berndt, Nadine C; Bolman, Catherine; de Vries, Hein; Segaar, Dewi; van Boven, Irene; Lechner, Lilian

2013-01-01

Smoking cessation treatment practices described by the 5 A's (ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange) are not well applied at cardiology wards because of various reasons, such as a lack of time and appropriate skills of the nursing staff. Therefore, a simplified guideline proposing an ask-advise-refer (AAR) strategy was introduced in Dutch cardiac wards. This study aimed to identify factors that determine the intentions of cardiac ward heads in adopting the simplified AAR guideline, as ward heads are key decision makers in the adoption of new guidelines. Ward heads' perceptions of current smoking cessation practices at the cardiac ward were also investigated. A cross-sectional survey with written questionnaires was conducted among heads of cardiology wards throughout the Netherlands, of whom 117 (64%) responded. According to the heads of cardiac wards, smoking cessation practices by cardiologists and nurses were mostly limited to brief practices that are easy to conduct. Only a minority offered intensive counseling or arranged follow-up contact. Heads with strong intentions of adopting the AAR guideline differed significantly on motivational and organizational attributes and perceived more smoking cessation assistance by other health professionals than did heads with weak intentions of adopting. Positive attitudes, social support toward adoption, and perception of much assistance at the ward were significantly associated with increased intentions to adopt the AAR guideline. Brief smoking cessation practices are adequately performed at cardiac wards, but the most effective practices, offering assistance and arranging for follow-up, are less than optimal. The AAR guideline offers a more feasible approach for busy cardiology wards. To ensure successful adoption of this guideline, the heads of cardiac wards should be convinced of its advantages and be encouraged by a supportive work environment. Policies may also facilitate the adoption of the AAR guideline.

Electronic Printed Ward Round Proformas: Freeing Up Doctors' Time.

PubMed

Fernandes, Darren; Eneje, Philip

2017-01-01

The role of a junior doctor involves preparing for the morning ward round. At a time when there are gaps on rotas and doctors' time is more stretched, this can be a source of significant delay and thus a loss of working time. We therefore looked at ways in which we could make the ward round a more efficient place by introducing specific electronic, printed ward round proformas. We used the average time taken to write proformas per patient and the average time taken per patient on the ward round. This would then enable us to make fair comparisons with future changes that were made using the plan, do, study, and act principles of quality improvement. Our baseline measurement found that the average time taken to write up the proforma for each patient was 1 minute 9 seconds and that the average time taken per patient on the ward round was 8 minutes 30 seconds. With the changes we made during our 3 PDSA cycles and the implementation of an electronic, printed ward round proforma, we found that we were able to reduce the average time spent per patient on the ward round to 6 minutes 32 seconds, an improvement of 1 min 58 seconds per patient. The project has thus enabled us to reduce the time taken per patient during the ward round. This improved efficiency will enable patients to be identified earlier for discharge. It will also aid in freeing up the time of junior doctors, allowing them to complete discharge letters sooner, order investigations earlier and enable them to complete their allocated tasks within contracted hours.

SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM: PROGRESS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS - FISCAL YEAR 1991

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program was the first major program for demonstrating and evaluating full-scale innovative treatment technologies at hazardous waste sites. Having concluded its fifth year, the SITE program is recognized as a leading advocate ...

Reviving post-take surgical ward round teaching.

PubMed

Force, Jade; Thomas, Ian; Buckley, Frances

2014-04-01

Learning in the clinical environment is an important feature of medical education. Ward-round teaching leads to relevant, applied and lasting learning of knowledge, skills and attitudes; however, on fast-paced ward rounds in specialties such as general surgery, the student experience is often suboptimal, and teaching can be overlooked. Clinical teaching fellows (CTFs) are postgraduate doctors ranging from foundation year-2 (FY2) level through to specialty trainees, who have elected to spend up to 2 years out of the programme to teach medical undergraduates. This article explores whether CTFs can successfully support the regular delivery of undergraduate medical teaching on the busy post-take surgical ward round (PTSWR). The CTFs at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness, planned and facilitated weekly, structured teaching sessions to accompany the PTSWR. This educational intervention was evaluated using pre- and post-intervention student questionnaires. The questionnaires focused on student enjoyment and depth of learning using Likert scales and free-text components. Students were also asked about barriers to learning on typical PTSWRs. The consultant surgeons leading on these rounds were issued separate questionnaires, to gauge their evaluation of CTF support. The main barrier to effective undergraduate ward round teaching was a lack of time on the part of clinical staff. Ward rounds accompanied by CTF support significantly increased student enjoyment (p < 0.0001) and perceived learning (p < 0.0001). Consultant surgeons were supportive of the teaching initiative. Support from CTFs on busy PTSWRs optimised student satisfaction, and was welcomed by clinical staff. CTF support could be widened to other busy ward rounds, e.g. acute medical takes, to enhance student learning and reduce the teaching burden on clinical faculty staff. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Does living near a Superfund site contribute to higher polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure?

PubMed

Choi, Anna L; Levy, Jonathan I; Dockery, Douglas W; Ryan, Louise M; Tolbert, Paige E; Altshul, Larisa M; Korrick, Susan A

2006-07-01

We assessed determinants of cord serum polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels among 720 infants born between 1993 and 1998 to mothers living near a PCB-contaminated Superfund site in Massachusetts, measuring the sum of 51 PCB congeners (capital sigmaPCB) and ascertaining maternal address, diet, sociodemographics, and exposure risk factors. Addresses were geocoded to obtain distance to the Superfund site and neighborhood characteristics. We modeled log10(capital sigmaPCB) as a function of potential individual and neighborhood risk factors, mapping model residuals to assess spatial correlates of PCB exposure. Similar analyses were performed for light (mono-tetra) and heavy (penta-deca) PCBs to assess potential differences in exposure pathways as a function of relative volatility. PCB-118 (relatively prevalent in site sediments and cord serum) was assessed separately. The geometric mean of capital sigmaPCB levels was 0.40 (range, 0.068-18.14) ng/g serum. Maternal age and birthplace were the strongest predictors of capital sigmaPCB levels. Maternal consumption of organ meat and local dairy products was associated with higher and smoking and previous lactation with lower capital sigmaPCB levels. Infants born later in the study had lower capital sigmaPCB levels, likely due to temporal declines in exposure and site remediation in 1994-1995. No association was found between capital sigmaPCB levels and residential distance from the Superfund site. Similar results were found with light and heavy PCBs and PCB-118. Previously reported demographic (age) and other (lactation, smoking, diet) correlates of PCB exposure, as well as local factors (consumption of local dairy products and Superfund site dredging) but not residential proximity to the site, were important determinants of cord serum PCB levels in the study community.

EPA superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for region 3: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and Virgin Islands. Irregular report

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

NONE

1998-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for region 1: Connecticut, Maine, Massachussetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Irregular report

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

NONE

1998-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for region 8: Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Irregular report

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

NONE

1998-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

EPA Superfund Records of Decision (RODs) for Region 4: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee

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

NONE

1999-03-01

The purpose of an EPA Record of Decision is to evaluate a Superfund Site with the goal of protecting human health and the environment while ensuring consistency of evaluations in contamination and clean-up of all Superfund sites. The ROD is a public document signed by the appropriate Regional Administrator which details cleanup, cost estimates, and EPA`s responsiveness to the public comment summary. The ROD may be litigated, thus it is important to have all current updates to the signed EPA decision. The ROD may be amended with an Amendment or supplemented by an Explanation of Significant Difference (ESD). A Superfundmore » Site may have multiple RODs, as each Superfund Site may be further redefined as Operable Units and Events. This allows EPA`s decisions to evolve as new technology presents itself. Average clean-up time for a Superfund Site can range from 12 to 100 years.« less

Remediation System Evaluation, Vineland Chemical Company Superfund Site, Vineland, New Jersey

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Vineland Chemical Company Superfund Site was selected by EPA OSRTI based on recommendations from the EPA Remedial Project Manager for the site and from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Philadelphia District that provides oversight of remedial..

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program Annual Report to Congress FY2004

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program has successfully promoted the development, commercialization, and implementation of innovative hazardous waste treatment technologies for 18 years. SITE offers a mechanism for conducting joint technology demonstration ...

Productivity of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) exposed to PCBs at the Kalamazoo River superfund site.

PubMed

Neigh, Arianne M; Zwiernik, Matthew J; MacCarroll, Monica A; Newsted, John L; Blankenship, Alan L; Jones, Paul D; Kay, Denise P; Giesy, John P

2006-03-01

A 123-km stretch of the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, was designated a Superfund site in 1990 due to historical releases of effluent containing polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-contaminated paper waste. Risk to bird species in the river ecosystem was evaluated using the tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) as a monitor for possible effects due to PCB exposure at two nesting locations, one in the Superfund site and one in an upstream reference location that is less contaminated with PCBs. In 2 of the 3 years of the study, clutch size at the contaminated location was 3.7 +/- 1.4 and 4.8 +/- 0.73 eggs per nest (mean +/- SD), which was significantly less than the clutch size at the reference location (5.0 +/- 1.1 and 5.3 +/- 1.1 eggs per nest). However, there were no statistically significant differences in fledging success, predicted brood size, predicted number of fledglings, or growth of nestlings between the Kalamazoo River Superfund site and an upstream reference location with lesser concentrations of PCBs in the sediments and riparian soils. Productivity and hatching success comparisons between these same sites were also not significantly different; however, the power of these conclusions was less (p < .10). The reduction in clutch size at the co-contaminated location could not be attributed to PCBs due to a number of confounding factors, including Co-cocontaminants, habitat structure, and food availability. Other reproductive parameters were not significantly impaired, and the size of the newly established colony at the Kalamazoo River Superfund site continued to grow over the period of the study. These site-specific observations, combined with multiple lines of evidence approach that considered results reported for the effects of both total PCBs and 2,3,7,8 tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalents (TEQ) on tree swallows at other locations, suggest that there were no significant population-level effects of PCBs on tree swallows at the Kalamazoo River Superfund site.

Superfund awakes in state supreme courts

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

Sutherland, D.

1998-01-01

Superfund, often referred to as a sleeping giant, is waking up in state courts with rulings the insurance industry is on the hook for a large share of the nation`s environmental cleanup. While Congress has been quagmired in legislative reauthorization attempts, 40% of the state supreme courts (20 states) have passed laws favoring policyholders of comprehensive general liability insurance (CGL) to be compensated for their cleanup and litigation costs. These rulings vary in terms from state to state, but their collective action is giving the insurance industry grave concerns because of the increase in settlements with CGL policyholders.

Noise pollution in intensive care units and emergency wards.

PubMed

Khademi, Gholamreza; Roudi, Masoumeh; Shah Farhat, Ahmad; Shahabian, Masoud

2011-01-01

The improvement of technology has increased noise levels in hospital Wards to higher than international standard levels (35-45 dB). Higher noise levels than the maximum level result in patient's instability and dissatisfaction. Moreover, it will have serious negative effects on the staff's health and the quality of their services. The purpose of this survey is to analyze the level of noise in intensive care units and emergency wards of the Imam Reza Teaching Hospital, Mashhad. This research was carried out in November 2009 during morning shifts between 7:30 to 12:00. Noise levels were measured 10 times at 30-minute intervals in the nursing stations of 10 wards of the emergency, the intensive care units, and the Nephrology and Kidney Transplant Departments of Imam Reza University Hospital, Mashhad. The noise level in the nursing stations was tested for both the maximum level (Lmax) and the equalizing level (Leq). The research was based on the comparison of equalizing levels (Leq) because maximum levels were unstable. In our survey the average level (Leq) in all wards was much higher than the standard level. The maximum level (Lmax) in most wards was 85-86 dB and just in one measurement in the Internal ICU reached 94 dB. The average level of Leq in all wards was 60.2 dB. In emergency units, it was 62.2 dB, but it was not time related. The highest average level (Leq) was measured at 11:30 AM and the peak was measured in the Nephrology nursing station. The average levels of noise in intensive care units and also emergency wards were more than the standard levels and as it is known these wards have vital roles in treatment procedures, so more attention is needed in this area.

Optimization Evaluation, North Penn Area 6 Superfund Site, Lansdale, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The North Penn Area 6 Superfund Site (NPA6 Site) addresses multiple sources of contamination and a broad contaminant plume that underlies a large portion of Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Tetrachloroethene (PCE), trichloroethene (TCE), and associated....

Patient- and ward-level determinants of nursing time in nursing facilities.

PubMed

Laine, Juha; Noro, Anja; Finne-Soveri, Harriet; Häkkinen, Unto

2005-10-01

To explore the patient- and ward-level determinants of wage-adjusted nursing time in long-term care wards for the elderly with a view to improving efficiency of the use of labour resources. The wage-adjusted nursing time given to patients was obtained from a time measurement study. Patient characteristics were based on the Minimum Data Set 2.0 of the Resident Assessment Instrument for nursing homes. Ordinary least-squares regression analysis and multilevel modelling were used to disentangle the effect of patient- and ward-level factors on nursing time. A significant difference in wage-adjusted nursing time between wards was detected, which was partly explained by characteristics of patients in wards. The combination of patients' physical functioning and cognition and the Resource Utilization Groups RUG-III/22 resource use classification explained 20-25% of patients' nursing time over a 24-hour period. Variables related to the operational environment of the ward did not explain differences in wage-adjusted nursing time once the patient profile of the ward had been controlled for. The results also showed notable unmeasured patient and ward level effects, inefficiency and randomness in the allocation of nursing time. By improving the allocation and use of labour resources, the substantial variation in nursing time between wards could be diminished. Managers should allocate their staff primarily according to patients' resource needs.

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: TRIAL BURN TEST REPORT, PART 1 - DATA SUMMARIES

EPA Science Inventory

This treatability study summary reports on the results of a trial burn of pesticide-contaminated soil from the Aberdeen, NC Superfund site. The trial burn using the Vesta mobile rotary kiln incinerator was designed to demonstrate that this system can destroy the pestici...

Ergonomics in the psychiatric ward towards workers or patients?

PubMed

Silvana, Salerno; Laura, Forcella; Ursula, Di Fabio; Irene, Figà Talamanca; Paolo, Boscolo

2012-01-01

Patient's aggressive behavior is one of the major problem in the psychiatric ward. Here we present the preliminary results of a psychiatric ward case-study, of a public hospital in the Chieti province, in order to plan ergonomic improvement. We applied the Method of Organizational Congruencies in the psychiatric ward in order to study the relationship between organized hospital work and nurses wellbeing in a 24 hour shifts. We observed 58 main phases in the three work shifts. The technical actions are mainly those of any hospital wards (shift briefing, preparing and administering drugs, recording data on clinical charts, etc.). We found important differences mainly due to the nurses overcontrol activities on the patients behavior (preventing suicides or self destructive behavior), the occurrence of restraint procedure towards patients, the pollution due to patient's cigarette smoke. The fear of patient's self destructive behavior or other aggressive behaviour are the main cognitive and social aspects of this hospital ward. Nurses working in this psychiatric ward have to accept: locked doors, poor and polluted environment, restraint procedure with high risk of aggression and no availability of mental health care programs. A new interdisciplinary concept for ergonomics in psychiatry setting may represent a challenge for both nurses and patients and the community.

THE SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS FY1999

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program has successfully promoted the development, commercialization and implementation of innovative hazardous waste treatment technologies for more than 14 years. SITE offers a mechanism for conducting joint technology demon...

RCRA/UST, Superfund, and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to applicable or relevant and appropriate requirements. Directive

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

NONE

1996-03-01

This module, describes the overall role played by ARARs in the Superfund response process; Explains the difference between applicable and relevant and appropriate requirements; Explains how ARARs apply to on- and off-site response actions; Describes how and at what stages of the response process ARARs are identified; Discusses the type and extent of ARARs that may apply to a given respone action; and Discusses specific laws and requirements that may come into play at a Superfund site.

Multi-Criteria Knapsack Problem for Disease Selection in an Observation Ward

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lurkittikul, N.; Kittithreerapronchai, O.

2014-06-01

The aging population and the introduction of Thailand universal healthcare have increased inpatients and outpatients to public hospitals, particularly to a hospital that provides special and comprehensive health services. Many inpatient wards have experienced large influx of inpatients as the hospitals have to admit all patients regardless their conditions. These overcrowding wards cause stress to medical staffs, block access between medical departments, hospital-acquired infections, and ineffective uses of resources. One way to manage such inundated inpatient is to select some patients whose conditions require less clinical attention or whose lengths of stay are predictable and short and, then, place them at an observation ward. This intermediate ward increases turnover of beds and reduces unnecessary paperwork as patients are considered to be outpatients. In this article, we studied inpatient data of a tertiary care hospital in which an observation ward was considered to alleviate the overcrowding problem at Internal Medicine Department. The analysis of data showed that the hospital can balance inpatient flow by managing a group of patients who is admitted because of treatments ordered by its special clinics. Having explored several alternatives, we suggested patient selection criteria and proposed a layout at an observation ward. The hospital should increase medical beds in a new building ward because the current observation ward can handle 27.3% of total short stay patients, while the observation ward is projected to handle 80% of total short stay patients.

Sites in Mass. and Conn. are on EPA's Superfund Redevelopment Focus List

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Today, the US EPA released its initial list of Superfund National Priorities List sites with the greatest expected redevelopment & commercial potential including two sites in New England: New Bedford Harbor in New Bedford, Mass. & Raymark Industries Inc.

Why patients need leaders: introducing a ward safety checklist

PubMed Central

Amin, Yogen; Grewcock, Dave; Andrews, Steve; Halligan, Aidan

2012-01-01

The safety and consistency of the care given to hospital inpatients has recently become a particular political and public concern. The traditional ‘ward round’ presents an obvious opportunity for systematically and collectively ensuring that proper standards of care are being achieved for individual patients. This paper describes the design and implementation of a ‘ward safety checklist’ that defines a set of potential risk factors that should be checked on a daily basis, and offers multidisciplinary teams a number of prompts for sharing and clarifying information between themselves, and with the patient, during a round. The concept of the checklist and the desire to improve ward rounds were well received in many teams, but the barriers to adoption were informative about the current culture on many inpatient wards. Although the ‘multidisciplinary ward round’ is widely accepted as good practice, the medical and nursing staff in many teams are failing to coordinate their workloads well enough to make multidisciplinary rounds a working reality. ‘Nursing’ and ‘medical’ care on the ward have become ‘de-coupled’ and the potential consequences for patient safety and good communication are largely self-evident. This problem is further complicated by a medical culture which values the primacy of clinical autonomy and as a result can be resistant to perceived attempts to ‘systematize’ medical care through instruments such as checklists. PMID:22977047

The Productive Ward program™: a longitudinal multilevel study of nurse perceived practice environment, burnout, and nurse-reported quality of care and job outcomes.

PubMed

Van Bogaert, Peter; Van heusden, Danny; Somers, Annemie; Tegenbos, Muriel; Wouters, Kristien; Van der Straeten, Johnny; Van Aken, Paul; Havens, Donna Sullivan

2014-09-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of The Productive Ward-Releasing Time to Care™ program implemented in a hospital transformation process on nurse perception related to practice environment, burnout, quality of care, and job outcomes. To address the continuously evolving complex challenges of patient care, high-performance nursing care is necessary. A longitudinal survey design was used to conduct a study in a 600-bed acute care university hospital with 3 measurement periods: T0: base line in 2006, T1 in 2011, and T2 in 2013. As part of the hospital transformation process, the productive ward program was introduced between T1 and T2. Relevant impact on nurse-physician relations, nurse management, hospital management-organizational support, nurse-reported quality of care, and job outcomes were identified. Hospital strategies and policies should be aligned with daily practices so that engaged and committed staff can promote excellent outcomes.

Patients' feelings about ward nursing regimes and involvement in rule construction.

PubMed

Alexander, J

2006-10-01

This study compared two acute psychiatric ward nursing regimes, focusing on ward rules as a means of investigating the relationship between the flexibility/inflexibility of the regimes and patient outcomes. Previous studies identified an association between ward rules and patient aggression. A link between absconding and nurses' attitudes towards rule enforcement has also been explored. However, an in-depth exploration of ward rules from the perspective of nurses and patients had not been undertaken previously. The study aimed to discover the content of rules within acute psychiatric wards; to explore patients' responses to the rules; to evaluate the impact of rules and rule enforcement on nurse-patient relationships and on ward events; and to investigate the relationship between ward rules, ward atmosphere and ward design. The relevance of sociological theory emerged from the data analysis. During this process, the results were moved up to another conceptual level to represent the meaning of lived experience at the level of theory. For example, nurses' descriptions of their feelings in relation to rule enforcement were merged as role ambivalence. This concept was supported by examples from the transcripts. Other possible explanations for the data and the connections between them were checked by returning to each text unit in the cluster and ensuring that it fitted with the emergent theory. The design centred on a comparative interview study of 30 patients and 30 nurses within two acute psychiatric wards in different hospitals. Non-participant observations provided a context for the interview data. Measures of the Ward Atmosphere Scale, the Hospital-Hostel Practices Profile, ward incidents and levels of as required (PRN) medication were obtained. The analysis of the quantitative data was assisted by spss, and the qualitative analysis by QSR *NUDIST. Thematic and interpretative phenomenological methods were used in the analysis of the qualitative data. A series of

Variability in Costs across Hospital Wards. A Study of Chinese Hospitals

PubMed Central

Adam, Taghreed; Evans, David B.; Ying, Bian; Murray, Christopher J. L.

2014-01-01

Introduction Analysts estimating the costs or cost-effectiveness of health interventions requiring hospitalization often cut corners because they lack data and the costs of undertaking full step-down costing studies are high. They sometimes use the costs taken from a single hospital, sometimes use simple rules of thumb for allocating total hospital costs between general inpatient care and the outpatient department, and sometimes use the average cost of an inpatient bed-day instead of a ward-specific cost. Purpose In this paper we explore for the first time the extent and the causes of variation in ward-specific costs across hospitals, using data from China. We then use the resulting model to show how ward-specific costs for hospitals outside the data set could be estimated using information on the determinants identified in the paper. Methodology Ward-specific costs estimated using step-down costing methods from 41 hospitals in 12 provinces of China were used. We used seemingly unrelated regressions to identify the determinants of variability in the ratio of the costs of specific wards to that of the outpatient department, and explain how this can be used to generate ward-specific unit costs. Findings Ward-specific unit costs varied considerably across hospitals, ranging from 1 to 24 times the unit cost in the outpatient department — average unit costs are not a good proxy for costs at specialty wards in general. The most important sources of variability were the number of staff and the level of capacity utilization. Practice Implications More careful hospital costing studies are clearly needed. In the meantime, we have shown that in China it is possible to estimate ward-specific unit costs taking into account key determinants of variability in costs across wards. This might well be a better alternative than using simple rules of thumb or using estimates from a single study. PMID:24874566

Private-Sector Cleanup Expenditures and Transaction Costs at 18 Superfund Sites (1993)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Superfund allows the government either to clean up a site and recover its cost from the potentially responsible parties (PRPs) or to require the PRPs to undertake the cleanup themselves. This study examines private-sector expenditures and transaction-costs

THE SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM; ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS, FY 1998

EPA Science Inventory

This document summarizes the accomplishments and activities of the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program for 1998. General information on the SITE program is presented. In addition, cost savings effected by the SITE program were estimated and are presented. ...

The relationship between substance use and exit security on psychiatric wards.

PubMed

Simpson, Alan; Bowers, Len; Haglund, Kristina; Muir-Cochrane, Eimear; Nijman, Henk; Van der Merwe, Marie

2011-03-01

In this paper we report on the rates of drug/alcohol use on acute psychiatric wards in relation to levels and intensity of exit security measures. Many inpatient wards have become permanently locked, with staff concerned about the risk of patients leaving the ward and harming themselves or others, and of people bringing illicit substances into the therapeutic environment. In 2004/2005, a cross sectional survey on 136 acute psychiatric wards across three areas of England was undertaken. A comprehensive range of data including door locking and drug/alcohol use were collected over 6 months on each ward. In 2006, supplementary data on door locking and exit security were collected. Door locking, additional exit security measures and substance misuse rates of the 136 wards were analysed and the associations between these were investigated. No consistent relationships were found with exit security features, intensity of drug/alcohol monitoring procedures, or the locking of the ward door. There were indications that use of breath testing for alcohol might reduce usage and that the use of 'sniffer' dogs was associated with greater alcohol use. Greater exit security or locking of the ward door had no influence on rates of use of alcohol or illicit drugs by inpatients and thus cannot form part of any strategy to control substance use by inpatients. There are some grounds to believe that a greater use of screening might help reduce the frequency of alcohol/substance use on wards and may lead to a reduction in verbal abuse. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Advanced Nursing © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Developing a general ward nursing dashboard.

PubMed

Russell, Margot; Hogg, Maggie; Leach, Stuart; Penman, Mags; Friel, Susan

2014-12-15

The seventh and final article in the series on Leading Better Care explores some of the challenges in clinical practice relating to the use of data and making information meaningful to senior charge nurses and ward sisters. It describes the collaborative approach taken by NHS Lanarkshire, which involved nursing staff, programme leads and the eHealth team in the development of a general ward nursing dashboard as a means of ensuring safe, effective person-centred care. The article also illustrates how this web-based data-reporting programme is used to support clinical practice.

Arsenic and metals in soils in the vicinity of the Imperial Oil Company Superfund Site, Marlboro Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. Water-resources investigations

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

Barringer, J.L.; Szabo, Z.; Barringer, T.H.

1998-09-01

Concentrations of arsenic exceed the New Jersey State Cleanup Criterion of 20 parts per million in sandy and clay-rich soils of two residential areas in the vicinity of the Imperial Oil Company Superfund site in Marlboro Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. In order to determine the source of the arsenic and metals in soils in the two residential areas, soil samples were collected from (1) long-term forested areas, to determine background geologic and regional atmospheric inputs of arsenic and metals; (2) former and current orchards, to assess the range of concentrations of arsenic and metals that could be contributed bymore » past use of pesticides; (3) the Imperial Oil Company Superfund site, to characterize the chemical composition of contamination from activities at the site; (4) a wooded area adjacent to the Superfund site, to determine whether arsenic and metals from the Superfund site were evident; and (5) the two residential areas, to compare soil chemistry in these areas with the chemistry of soils from forests, orchards, and the Superfund site. The soil samples were divided by soil horizon and were analyzed for 23 metals and metalloids, total organic carbon, and total sulfur. Additionally, air-flow models were used to determine whether roasting of arsenic at the Imperial Oil Company Superfund site was a possible source of arsenic in the soils.« less

Introduction of a new ward round approach in a cardiothoracic critical care unit.

PubMed

Shaughnessy, Liz; Jackson, Jo

2015-07-01

Francis (2013) described inconsistent ward rounds and failures to conduct ward rounds properly as contributing factors to the poor care seen at the Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust. He suggested that the absence of a nurse at the bedside had clear consequences for communication, ward round efficiency and patient safety. He recommended that nurses should be actively involved in ward rounds and linked this to high quality patient care. To share an experience of introducing a ward round checklist, a bedside nurse verbal summary and the development of standard operating procedure for Ward Rounds in cardiothoracic critical care unit to improve patient safety and care. Semi structured interviews of six registered nurses. A questionnaire to 69 registered nurses. An electronic questionnaire sent to 23 members of the MDT. An observational audit of seven ward rounds reviewing 69 patients. 97% of nurses agreed that verbal summarizing had improved clarity and 90% felt that it had improved patient care. 87% of the MDT respondents stated that they had noticed an improvement in the attendance of the bedside nurse at the ward round review. The ward round checklist reduced omissions. Communication with patients during ward rounds was an area which needed to be improved. The introduction of a new ward round approach and audit of its practice has enabled an improvement in the quality of patient care by: Giving more opportunity for the nurse to participate and feel part of the ward round. Reduction of omissions through the use of a ward round checklist. Improved clarity among the MDT by the use of bedside nurse verbal summarizing of the plan of care. Nurses' full participation in ward rounds is essential to ensure effective communication and enhance patient safety. © 2015 British Association of Critical Care Nurses.

RCRA/UST, Superfund, and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to statutory overview of CERCLA

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

NONE

1996-03-01

This module presents a brief overview of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA), the statute through which Congress established EPA`s hazardous substance release reporting and cleanup program, known as the `Superfund` program. The statute provides the legal authority and general framework for the program, while specific procedural requirements can be found in the regulations and guidance documents. It is vital that Hotline Information Specialist be knowledgeable about the statute itself because it is the primary reference used to answer questions relating to the Superfund program. This module presents information on the CERCLA statute only, notmore » the regulations promulgated pursuant to the statute.« less

Optimization Evaluation: Lee Chemical Superfund Site, City Of Liberty, Clay County, Missouri

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Lee Chemical Superfund Site (site) is located along Missouri Highway 210 in Liberty, Missouri, approximately 15 miles east of Kansas City, Missouri. Currently, the site is a vacant lot of approximately2.5 acres in a flat alluvial plain.

PILOT-SCALE INCINERATION OF CONTAMINATED SLUDGES FROM THE BOFORS-NOBEL SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

A detailed test program was performed at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Incineration Research Facility (IRF) to help determine the effectiveness of incineration in treating two contaminated lagoon sludges from the Bofors-Nobel Superfund site in Mus...

Risk Assessment Training Experience (RATE) – University of Iowa Superfund Research Center.

EPA Science Inventory

These modules will offer hands-on training in the primary areas of risk assessment (i.e., legal background, hazard identification, dose-response assessment, exposure assessment, and risk characterization) at the University of Iowa Superfund Research Program on October 2, 2017. An...

Spatial and temporal variation of freely dissolved PAHs in an urban river undergoing Superfund remediation

PubMed Central

Sower, GJ; Anderson, K.A.

2014-01-01

Urban rivers with a history of industrial use can exhibit spatial and temporal variations in contaminant concentrations that may significantly affect risk evaluations and even the assessment of remediation efforts. Concentrations of 15 biologically available priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured over five years along 18.5 miles of the lower Willamette River using passive sampling devices and HPLC. The study area includes the Portland Harbor Superfund megasite with several PAH sources including remediation operations for coal tar at RM 6.3 west and an additional Superfund site, McCormick and Baxter, at RM 7 east consisting largely of creosote contamination. Study results show that organoclay capping at the McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site reduced PAHs from a pre-cap average of 440 ± 422 ng/L to 8 ± 3 ng/L post-capping. Results also reveal that dredging of submerged coal tar nearly tripled nearby freely dissolved PAH concentrations. For apportioning sources, fluoranthene/ pyrene and phenanthrene/anthracene diagnostic ratios from passive sampling devices were established for creosote and coal tar contamination and compared to published sediment values. PMID:19174872

Reusing Cleaned Up Superfund Sites: Ecological Use Where Waste is Left on Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The report draws from experiences at completedand current reuse projects, EPA technical guidance, and other sources to describe ecosystem characteristics and remediation approaches that have been used to accommodate ecological usesat Superfund sites wher

Does daily nurse staffing match ward workload variability? Three hospitals' experiences.

PubMed

Gabbay, Uri; Bukchin, Michael

2009-01-01

Nurse shortage and rising healthcare resource burdens mean that appropriate workforce use is imperative. This paper aims to evaluate whether daily nursing staffing meets ward workload needs. Nurse attendance and daily nurses' workload capacity in three hospitals were evaluated. Statistical process control was used to evaluate intra-ward nurse workload capacity and day-to-day variations. Statistical process control is a statistics-based method for process monitoring that uses charts with predefined target measure and control limits. Standardization was performed for inter-ward analysis by converting ward-specific crude measures to ward-specific relative measures by dividing observed/expected. Two charts: acceptable and tolerable daily nurse workload intensity, were defined. Appropriate staffing indicators were defined as those exceeding predefined rates within acceptable and tolerable limits (50 percent and 80 percent respectively). A total of 42 percent of the overall days fell within acceptable control limits and 71 percent within tolerable control limits. Appropriate staffing indicators were met in only 33 percent of wards regarding acceptable nurse workload intensity and in only 45 percent of wards regarding tolerable workloads. The study work did not differentiate crude nurse attendance and it did not take into account patient severity since crude bed occupancy was used. Double statistical process control charts and certain staffing indicators were used, which is open to debate. Wards that met appropriate staffing indicators prove the method's feasibility. Wards that did not meet appropriate staffing indicators prove the importance and the need for process evaluations and monitoring. Methods presented for monitoring daily staffing appropriateness are simple to implement either for intra-ward day-to-day variation by using nurse workload capacity statistical process control charts or for inter-ward evaluation using standardized measure of nurse workload intensity

Spatial patterns in electoral wards with high lymphoma incidence in Yorkshire health region.

PubMed Central

Barnes, N.; Cartwright, R. A.; O'Brien, C.; Roberts, B.; Richards, I. D.; Bird, C. C.

1987-01-01

The possibilities of clustering between those electoral wards which display higher than expected incidences of cases of the lymphomas occurring between 1978 and 1982 are examined. Clusters are defined as being those wards with cases in excess (at a probability of less than 10%) which are geographically adjacent to each other. A separate analysis extends the definition of cluster to include high incidence wards that are adjacent or separated by one other ward. The results indicate that many high incidence lymphoma wards do occur close together and when computer simulations are used to compute expected results, many of the observed results are shown to be highly improbable both in the overall number of clustering wards and in the largest number of wards comprising a 'cluster'. PMID:3663469

Secondary Education Through Health -- environmental health curriculum: A Superfund science literacy outreach project

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

Sherman, L.R.

1996-12-31

Inner-city high school students are disproportionately affected by health problems that stem from environmental conditions. Also, they are not adequately prepared in Science -- especially in the concepts, methods, and procedures of environmental-health science research -- and are generally unaware of the career opportunities in this field. A Superfund program was developed to increase Science literacy and expand career knowledge in environmental health among a cohort of minority high school students from New York City. The year-round program features lectures, laboratory tours, seminars, investigations, and research taught by faculty and Superfund investigators at Mount Sinai`s Environmental Health Sciences Center. Themore » students made remarkable progress in terms of gaining environmental health knowledge, laboratory and scientific research skills, and awareness of environmental health careers.« less

The New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site Long Term Monitoring Program (1993-2009)

EPA Science Inventory

New Bedford Harbor (NBH), located in southeastern Massachusetts, was designated as a marine Superfund site in 1983 due to sediment contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Based on risks to human health and the environment, the first two phases of the site cleanup invo...

APPLICATION OF A WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT MODELING SYSTEM AT A SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

Water quality modeling and related exposure assessments at a Superfund site, Silver Bow Creek-Clark Fork River in Montana, demonstrate the capability to predict the fate of mining waste pollutants in the environment. inked assessment system--consisting of hydrology and erosion, r...

Site Optimization Tracker: Crossley Farm Superfund Site, Hereford and Washington Townships, Berks County, Pennsylvania

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Pilot Region-Based Optimization Program for Fund-Lead Sites in EPA Region 3. Site Optimization Tracking information for Crossley Farm Superfund Site, Hereford and Washington Townships, Berks County, Pennsylvania.

Remediation System Evaluation, Comm. Bay/South Tacoma Channel, Well 12A Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The first operable unit (OU1) of the Commencement Bay/South Tacoma Channel Superfund Site addressessoil and groundwater contamination associated with the Time Oil property that was first discovered inpublic supply Well 12A in 1981.

Unusual leg malformations in screech owls from a South Carolina Superfund site

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albers, P.H.; Hoffman, D.J.; Brisbin, I.L.

2001-01-01

In 1995, the discovery of leg malformations in several screech owl (Otis asio) nestlings and in their female parent at a Department of Energy (DOE) Superfund site in South Carolina prompted an investigation into the nature of the observed abnormalities. Surviving nestlings and the female parent were transferred to a captive screech owl breeding colony at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD. The malformed female parent and her offspring were each mated with normal owls from the colony for 3 yr. Matings of the malformed female produced five malformed and six normal owls; all owls produced by matings of normal offspring were normal. Malformed offspring were euthanized when it became apparent that their physical distress precluded survival under normal conditions of colony care. Euthanized owls were necropsied and examined for skeletal development. Detailed descriptions of eight malformed owls are presented. Results of the matings indicated that the leg malformations were caused by a genetic trait in the female parent that was heterozygous dominant. The characteristic was lethal except in occasional mild manifestations and resembled an extreme form of a dominant abnormality previously described for domestic fowl called duplicate polydactyly. Other reports of skeletal abnormalities in wild birds and potential environmental causes of genetic mutations at the DOE Super-fund site are presented. Other studies performed at the DOE Superfund site do not implicate elevated (above background) ionizing radiation from '37Cs, the dominant radio-nuclide where the owls were captured, as the cause of the mutation. The cause of this genetic abnormality remains unknown.

Design Lessons From the Analysis of Nurse Journeys in a Hospital Ward.

PubMed

Nazarian, Masoumeh; Price, Andrew; Demian, Peter; Malekzadeh, Masoud

2018-01-01

The objective is to establish design strategies to help minimize nurse journeys and inform future decision-making. The impact of the ward layout was investigated through a case study ward in a multispecialty hospital in Tehran. Nurse teams have the most direct contact with ward patients. Time spent on activities not part of care provision should be minimized. Literature suggests that a significant part of nurses' time is spent moving between different places within wards, which emphasizes the importance of ward layout. The ethnographic method was adopted for observing nurses' actions based on routes that form a significant share of nurses' daily journeys. Data were collected from 42 nursing staff over 120 hr during different shifts. This provided empirical data on the frequency of each journey which revealed meaningful patterns. Approximately 1,300 room-to-room journeys were made. Conclusions were drawn about the criticality of each route. There is a significant difference between the frequencies of different routes in the case study ward. The distances between origins and destinations of the most frequently used journeys must remain minimal. Awareness of less frequent routes allows for greater flexibility in ward design. Arrangement of ward spaces can minimize journey times. Healthcare planners and designers can explore the implications of chosen systems on walking distance and, consequently, the nursing staff productivity. For existing wards, rearrangement of space utilization can improve staff productivity. The recommendations can be applied wherever productivity is influenced by walking distances.

Remediation System Evaluation, GCL Tie and Treating Superfund Site, Sidney, New York

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The GCL Tie and Treating Superfund Site is located along the outskirts of Sidney in Delaware County, New York. The site is a former wood treating facility that was operated between the early 1950s and 1988 when the property was abandoned by the owners.

Cleanups In My Community (CIMC) - Superfund National Priority List (NPL) Sites, National Layer

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This data layer provides access to Superfund National Priority List Sites as part of the CIMC web service. Superfund is a program administered by the EPA to locate, investigate, and clean up worst hazardous waste sites throughout the United States. EPA administers the Superfund program in cooperation with individual states and tribal governments. These sites include abandoned warehouses, manufacturing facilities, processing plants, and landfills - the key word here being abandoned.Only NPL sites have been included in Cleanups in My Community thus far. EPA maintains the NPL, which identifies for the States and the public those sites or other releases that appear to warrant remedial (long term) actions. These NPL sites fall into the following categories:Proposed: Sites may be proposed for the NPL and then may be placed on the NPL as final or be removed from the Proposed NPL.Final: Those sites placed on the NPL are called final, and for these sites, a cleanup remedy is selected and implemented. However, it may be several years after construction of the remedy is completed before the hazardous substances are completely cleaned up or controlled in place.Deleted: After the clean up process is complete, and appropriate reviews confirm the area is cleaned up or the hazards are controlled, sites can be deleted from the NPL.For more information on the data provided through this web service, please see the processing steps below, and see more information here: https://www.

Remediation System Evaluation, Streamlined Remediation System Evaluation (RSE-Lite), Circuitron Corporation Superfund Site

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Circuitron Corporation Superfund Site is located at 82 Milbar Boulevard, East Farmingdale, Suffolk County, New York. The site is situated on a 1-acre lot in an industrial/commercial area that is surrounded by similar small manufacturers...

Hospital admission avoidance through the introduction of a virtual ward.

PubMed

Jones, Joanne; Carroll, Andrea

2014-07-01

The ageing British population is placing increased demands on the delivery of care in mainstream health-care institutions. While people are living longer, a significant percentage is also living with one or more long-term conditions. These issues, alongside continuing financial austerity measures, require a radical improvement in the care of patients away from hospitals. The Wyre Forest Clinical Commissioning Group introduced a virtual ward model for two main purposes: to save on spiralling costs of hospital admissions, and, secondly, to ensure the preferred wishes of most patients to be cared for and even die at home were achieved. This commentary describes how the virtual ward model was implemented and the impact of preventing unplanned emergency admissions to hospitals. The setting up of enhanced care services and virtual wards in one county is discussed, aiming to highlight success points and potential pitfalls to avoid. The results from the implementation of the virtual ward model show a significant reduction in emergency and avoidable patient admissions to hospital. The success of virtual wards is dependent on integrated working between different health-care disciplines.

77 FR 13603 - Anniston PCB Superfund Site; Anniston, Calhoun County, AL; Correction

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-07

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-9644-2; CERCLA-04-2012-3763] Anniston PCB Superfund Site... FR 11533 (FRL-9637-7), EPA posted a Notice of Amended Settlement concerning the Anniston PCB... the settlement are available from Ms. Paula V. Painter. Submit your comments by Site name Anniston PCB...

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF REMEDIAL DREDGING AT THE NEW BEDFORD HARBOR, MA, SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

New Bedford Harbor (NBH), MA, is a Superfund site due to high sediment polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations. An initial remedial dredging operation removed the most contaminated sediments from the upper harbor ("Hot Spot"). During remediation, a monitoring program assess...

Remediation System Evaluation, Tutu Wellfield Superfund Site, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Tutu Wellfield Superfund Site is a 1.5 square mile site located on the eastern end of St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) within the upper Turpentine Run surface drainage basin in the Anna’s Retreat area.

Youth Health Coordinating Council Ward 8 Secret Health Clinic Shopper Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Behrens, Donna

2010-01-01

There are over 70,000 residents in Ward 8, the poorest area of Washington, DC and along with Ward 7, it's most geographically remote. Approximately 36% of the Ward 8 population consists of children and youth, 18 years or younger. Children in the District of Columbia are at greater risk for poorer health and life outcomes than children in other…

Spatial and temporal variation of freely dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in an urban river undergoing Superfund remediation.

PubMed

Sower, Gregory James; Anderson, Kim A

2008-12-15

Urban rivers with a history of industrial use can exhibit spatial and temporal variations in contaminant concentrations that may significantly affect risk evaluations and even the assessment of remediation efforts. Concentrations of 15 biologically available priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured over five years along 18.5 miles of the lower Willamette River using passive sampling devices and HPLC. The study area includes the Portland Harbor Superfund megasite with several PAH sources including remediation operations for coal tar at RM 6.3 west and an additional Superfund site, McCormick and Baxter, at RM 7 east consisting largely of creosote contamination. Study results show that organoclay capping at the McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site reduced PAHs from a precap average of 440 +/- 422 ng/L to 8 +/- 3 ng/L postcapping. Results also reveal that dredging of submerged coal tar nearly tripled nearby freely dissolved PAH concentrations. For apportioning sources, fluoranthene/pyrene and phenanthrene/anthracene diagnostic ratios from passive sampling devices were established for creosote and coal tar contamination and compared to published sediment values.

5. Roof Truss Above Service Area, Roof Truss Above Ward, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. Roof Truss Above Service Area, Roof Truss Above Ward, Roof Framing Axonometric - National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers - Battle Mountain Sanitarium, Ward 4, 500 North Fifth Street, Hot Springs, Fall River County, SD

Strengthening the role of the ward manager: a review of the literature.

PubMed

Pegram, Anne M; Grainger, Michelle; Sigsworth, Janice; While, Alison E

2014-09-01

The role of the ward manager is integral to service delivery, however, they may lack the necessary authority and autonomy to achieve the organisation and delivery of patient care. To identify initiatives that have strengthened the ward manager role. A review of published literature was undertaken. Data included were drawn from a variety of sources, including policy, professional literature and research studies. Three policy initiatives were identified along with two innovations from ward managers and two recent professional organisation campaigns. One innovation was identified that could improve the process of care delivery thus empowering ward managers' decision making. The literature identified the need for a review of the role, and adequate administrative support and training for the role. The literature reviewed provided little evidence of initiatives to strengthen the role of the ward manager, highlighting the imperative to develop an evidence base. There was consensus on the importance of education and training before and during appointment to the position. The role of the ward manager remains pivotal in care delivery. The focus should be on how best to support ward managers in achieving their role within health-care systems. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

[A project to ameliorate nurses working overtime in psychiatry ward].

PubMed

Feng, Yuen-Hsiang; Li, Hsiu-Chen; Fang, Mao-So

2009-12-01

The authors found nurses working in psychiatry wards were frequently required to work overtime, with average overtime measuring 85 minutes. After analysis, we found main factors leading to overtime to be late new patient admissions, tardy ward inspections by attending physicians, failure to implement workplace regulations, failure by nurses to implement proper shift transfer procedures, and meeting-related delays. This paper proposes an approach by which average overtime for psychiatry ward nurses may be reduced from 85 to 30 minutes. Based on findings, the researchers adjusted the schedule for ward visits by attending physicians, updated and streamlined workplace regulations, ensured administrative procedures were precisely followed, and updated and streamlined standing orders. Average overtime was reduced from 85 to 25 minutes. This research facilitated a reduction in the amount of overtime registered by nurses.

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING OF REMEDIAL DREDGING AT THE NEW BEDFORD HARBOR, MA, SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

New Bedford Harbor (NBH), MA, is a Superfund site because of high polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations in the sediment. From April 1994 to September 1995, a remedial dredging operation (termed the 'Hot Spot') removed the most contaminated sediments (PCB concentrations gr...

Guidelines for Using Passive Samplers to Monitor Organic Contaminants at Superfund Sediment Sites

EPA Science Inventory

Passive samplers are monitoring tools that can provide faster, cheaper, and scientifically-sound information about the water column and interstitial water concentrations of contaminants of concern (COC) at Superfund sites. Often, the use of passive samplers is more effective tha...

Thermal comfort of patients in hospital ward areas.

PubMed Central

Smith, R. M.; Rae, A.

1977-01-01

The patient is identified as being of prime importance for comfort standards in hospital ward areas, other ward users being expected to adjust their dress to suit the conditions necessary for patients comfort. A study to identify the optimum steady state conditions for patients comfort is then described. Although this study raises some doubts as to the applicability of the standard thermal comfort assessment techniques to ward areas, it is felt that its results give a good indication of the steady-state conditions preferred by the patients. These were an air temperature of between 21-5 degrees and 22 degrees C and a relative humidity of between 30% and 70%, where the air velocity was less than 0-1 m/s and the mean radiant temperature was close to air temperature. PMID:264497

Analysis of Ward identities in supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Sajid; Bergner, Georg; Gerber, Henning; Montvay, Istvan; Münster, Gernot; Piemonte, Stefano; Scior, Philipp

2018-05-01

In numerical investigations of supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory on a lattice, the supersymmetric Ward identities are valuable for finding the critical value of the hopping parameter and for examining the size of supersymmetry breaking by the lattice discretisation. In this article we present an improved method for the numerical analysis of supersymmetric Ward identities, which takes into account the correlations between the various observables involved. We present the first complete analysis of supersymmetric Ward identities in N=1 supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory with gauge group SU(3). The results indicate that lattice artefacts scale to zero as O(a^2) towards the continuum limit in agreement with theoretical expectations.

Guidance: Strategies to Achieve Timely Settlement and Implementation of RD/RA at Superfund Sites

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Memorandum recommends strategies to encourage PRPs to enter into a settlement using the model RD/RA Consent Decree; discusses the current model UAO; and suggests practical alternatives to expedite Superfund settlements and the cleanup process.

Renton's Quendall Terminals on List of EPA Superfund Sites Targeted for Immediate, Intense Attention

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA released the list of Superfund sites that Administrator Pruitt has targeted for intense and immediate attention, including the Quendall Terminals Site, a former creosote facility on the shore of Lake Washington in Renton, Washington.

Notification: CTS Asheville Superfund Site Update: Sampling, Monitoring, Communication and Opportunities for Cleanup Efficiencies

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project #OPE-FY14-0044, July 22, 2014. The EPA OIG plans to begin preliminary research of the EPA's sampling, monitoring, communication and opportunities for cleanup efficiencies for the CTS Asheville Superfund Site, North Carolina.

75 FR 35456 - Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or Superfund...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-22

... and Liability Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Brownfields Amendments, Section 104(k); Notice of Revisions to FY2011 Guidelines for Brownfields Assessment, Revolving Loan Fund, and Cleanup Grants AGENCY... applicants in preparing proposals for grants to assess and clean up brownfield sites. EPA's Brownfields...

EPA Recommends Modifications to Part of Industri-plex Superfund Cleanup in Woburn, Mass.

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposes recommended modifications to part of the cleanup of the Industri-plex Superfund Site in Woburn, Mass. Beginning today (May 3, 2018), there will be a 14-day public comment period on EPA’s proposal.

Summative Evaluation on the Hospital Wards. What Do Faculty Say to Learners?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hasley, Peggy B.; Arnold, Robert M.

2009-01-01

No previous studies have described how faculty give summative evaluations to learners on the medical wards. The aim of this study was to describe summative evaluations on the medical wards. Participants were students, house staff and faculty at the University of Pittsburgh. Ward rotation evaluative sessions were tape recorded. Feedback was…

Evaluating public participation in environmental decision-making: EPA's superfund community involvement program.

Treesearch

Susan Charnley; Bruce Engelbert

2005-01-01

This article discusses an 8-year, ongoing project that evaluates the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund community involvement program. The project originated as a response to the Government Performance and Results Act, which requires federal agencies to articulate program goals, and evaluate and report their progress in meeting those goals. The evaluation...

Report: EPA’s Distribution of Superfund Human Resources Does Not Support Current Regional Workload

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #17-P-0397, September 19, 2017. Due to insufficient human resources to cover all Superfund site work, some regions have had to slow down or discontinue their efforts to protect human health and the environment.

An Evaluation of Public Preferences for Superfund Site Cleanup, Volume II: Pilot Study (1995)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In volume II, the authors present the detailed technical results of a pilot market research study that was conducted to determine preferences for the specific type and level of cleanup desired by the public at Superfund sites.

Doctor Ward's Accidental Terrarium.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hershey, David R.

1996-01-01

Presents the story of the accidental invention of the Wardian case, or terrarium, by Nathaniel Bagshaw Ward. Advocates the use of this story in teaching precollege biology as an illustration of how a chance event can lead to a major scientific advancement and as an example of the common occurrence of multiple discovery in botany. Contains 34…

Correlation between levels of conflict and containment on acute psychiatric wards: the city-128 study.

PubMed

Bowers, Len; Stewart, Duncan; Papadopoulos, Chris; Iennaco, Joanne DeSanto

2013-05-01

OBJECTIVE Attainment of safe, calm inpatient psychiatric wards that are conducive to positive therapeutic care is crucial. On such wards, rates of coerced medication, seclusion, manual restraint and other types of containment are comparatively low, and, usually, rates of conflict-for example, aggression, substance use, and absconding-are also low. Sometimes, however, wards maintain low rates of containment even when conflict rates are high. This study investigated wards with the counterintuitive combination of low containment and high conflict or high containment and low conflict. METHODS The authors conducted a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data collected from 136 acute psychiatric wards across England in 2004-2005. The wards were categorized into four groups on the basis of median splits of containment and conflict rates: high conflict and high containment, high conflict and low containment, low conflict and low containment, and low conflict and high containment. Features significantly associated with these ward types were identified. RESULTS Among the variables significantly associated with the various typologies, some-for example, environmental quality-were changeable, and others-such as social deprivation of the area served-were fixed. High-conflict, low-containment wards had higher rates of male staff and lower-quality environments than other wards. Low-conflict, high-containment wards had higher numbers of beds. High-conflict, high-containment wards utilized more temporary staff as well as more unqualified staff. No overall differences were associated with low-conflict, low-containment wards. CONCLUSIONS Wards can make positive changes to achieve a low-containment, nonpunitive culture, even when rates of patient conflict are high.

Effects of ward rotation on subsequent transition processes of Japanese clinical nurses.

PubMed

Fujino, Mitsuku; Nojima, Yoshiko

2005-03-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of Japanese clinical nurses undertaking a ward rotation in a general hospital, and its effects on subsequent processes relating to: (i) perception of ward rotation; (ii) reactions to the ward transition process; and (iii) outcomes of ward rotation. In-depth interviews were conducted with 21 Japanese clinical nurses who had an average of 8.8 years (SD = 5.50) clinical experience. Findings indicated that participants experienced role overload, role incongruity and/or role underload, role overqualification, or role ambiguity in the new environment. These role stresses created critical emotional distress during the transition process. The high desire for career development facilitated the transition process, while lack of preparation inhibited the transition process. To facilitate smooth transition, well-prepared and structured supports based on reliable interpersonal relationships are necessary. The findings offer significant cues for effective ward rotation programs. The implication for nursing administrators is that appropriate ward rotations enhance confidence and promote effective role development in the new clinical setting.

Technology Demonstration Summary Shirco Electric Infrared Incineration At The Peak Oil Superfund Site

EPA Science Inventory

Under the auspices of the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation or SITE Program, a critical assessment is made of the performance of the transportable Shirco Infrared Thermal Destruction System during three separate test runs at an operating feed rate of 100 tons per day. Th...

1992 UPDATE OF U.S. EPA'S SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION (SITE) EMERGING TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Emerging Technology Program (ETP) has encouraged and financially supported further development of bench- and pilot-scale testing and evaluation of innovative technologies suitable for use at hazardous waste sites for five year...

48 CFR 1426.7103 - The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) (Superfund Minority Contractors Utilization... SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC PROGRAMS Minority Business Reports 1426.7103 The Comprehensive...

Nurses caring for ENT patients in a district general hospital without a dedicated ENT ward score significantly less in a test of knowledge than nurses caring for ENT patients in a dedicated ENT ward in a comparable district general hospital.

PubMed

Foxton, C R; Black, D; Muhlschlegel, J; Jardine, A

2014-12-01

To assess whether there is a difference in ENT knowledge amongst nurses caring for patients on a dedicated ENT ward and nurses caring for ENT patients in a similar hospital without a dedicated ENT ward. A test of theoretical knowledge of ENT nursing care was devised and administered to nurses working on a dedicated ENT ward and then to nurses working on generic non-subspecialist wards regularly caring for ENT patients in a hospital without a dedicated ENT ward. The test scores were then compared. A single specialist ENT/Maxillo-Facial/Opthalmology ward in hospital A and 3 generic surgical wards in hospital B. Both hospitals are comparable district general hospitals in the south west of England. Nursing staff working in hospital A and hospital B on the relevant wards were approached during the working day. 11 nurses on ward 1, 10 nurses on ward 2, 11 nurses on ward 3 and 10 nurses on ward 4 (the dedicated ENT ward). Each individual test score was used to generate an average score per ward and these scores compared to see if there was a significant difference. The average score out of 10 on ward 1 was 6.8 (+/-1.6). The average score on ward two was 4.8 (+/-1.6). The average score on ward three was 5.5 (+/-2.1). The average score on ward 4, which is the dedicated ENT ward, was 9.7 (+/-0.5). The differences in average test score between the dedicated ENT ward and all of the other wards are statistically significant. Nurses working on a dedicated ENT ward have an average higher score in a test of knowledge than nurses working on generic surgical wards. This difference is statistically significant and persists despite banding or training. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Spatial and temporal variation of freely dissolved polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in an urban river undergoing Superfund remediation

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

Aregory James Sower; Kim A. Anderson

2008-12-15

Urban rivers with a history of industrial use can exhibit spatial and temporal variations in contaminant concentrations that may significantly affect risk evaluations and even the assessment of remediation efforts. Concentrations of 15 biologically available priority pollutant polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured over five years along 18.5 miles of the lower Willamette River using passive sampling devices and HPLC. The study area includes the Portland Harbor Superfund megasite with several PAH sources including remediation operations for coal tar at RM 6.3 west and an additional Superfund site, McCormick and Baxter, at RM 7 east consisting largely of creosote contamination.more » Study results show that organoclay capping at the McCormick and Baxter Superfund Site reduced PAHs from a precap average of 440 {+-} 422 ng/L to 8 {+-} 3 ng/L postcapping. Results also reveal that dredging of submerged coal tar nearly tripled nearby freely dissolved PAH concentrations. For apportioning sources, fluoranthene/pyrene and phenanthrene/anthracene diagnostic ratios from passive sampling devices were established for creosote and coal tar contamination and compared to published sediment values. 29 refs., 3 figs., 3 tabs.« less

Students' Perceptions on an Interprofessional Ward Round Training - A Qualitative Pilot Study.

PubMed

Nikendei, C; Huhn, D; Pittius, G; Trost, Y; Bugaj, T J; Koechel, A; Schultz, J-H

2016-01-01

Ward rounds are an essential activity for interprofessional teams in hospital settings and represent complex tasks requiring not only medical knowledge but also communication skills, clinical technical skills, patient management skills and team-work skills. The present study aimed to analyse final year students', nurses' as well as physiotherapists' views on a simulation-based interprofessional ward round training. In two successive passes a total number of 29 final year students, nursing students and physiotherapy students (16 in the first run, 13 in the second) volunteered to participate in two standardized patient ward round scenarios: (1) patient with myocardial infarction, and (2) patient with poorly controlled diabetes. Views on the interprofessional ward round training were assessed using focus groups. Focus group based feedback contained two main categories (A) ward round training benefits and (B) difficulties. Positive aspects enfolded course preparation, setting of the training, the involvement of the participants during training and the positive learning atmosphere. Difficulties were seen in the flawed atmosphere and realization of ward rounds in the daily clinical setting with respect to inter-professional aspects, and course benefit for the different professional groups. The presented inter-professional ward round training represents a well received and valuable model of interprofessional learning. Further research should assess its effectiveness, processes of interprofessional interplay and transfer into clinical practice.

Leadership support for ward managers in acute mental health inpatient settings.

PubMed

Bonner, Gwen; McLaughlin, Sue

2014-05-01

This article shares findings of work undertaken with a group of mental health ward managers to consider their roles through workshops using an action learning approach. The tensions between the need to balance the burden of administrative tasks and act as clinical role models, leaders and managers are considered in the context of providing recovery-focused services. The group reviewed their leadership styles, broke down the administrative elements of their roles using activity logs, reviewed their working environments and considered how recovery focused they believed their wards to be. Findings support the notion that the ward manager role in acute inpatient settings is at times unmanageable. Administration is one aspect of the role for which ward managers feel unprepared and the high number of administrative tasks take them away from front line clinical care, leading to frustration. Absence from clinical areas reduces opportunities for role modeling good clinical practice to other staff. Despite the frustrations of administrative tasks, overall the managers thought they were supportive to their staff and that their wards were recovery focused.

A critical ethnographic study of encounters between midwives and breast-feeding women in postnatal wards in England.

PubMed

Dykes, Fiona

2005-09-01

To explore the nature of interactions between midwives and breast-feeding women within postnatal wards. A critical ethnographic study using participant observation and focused interviews. Two maternity units in Northern England, UK. 61 postnatal women and 39 midwives. The interactions between midwives and women were encompassed by the global theme of 'taking time and touching base'. However, most encounters were characterised by an absence of 'taking time' or 'touching base'. This related to midwives' experiences of temporal pressure and inability to establish relationality with women due to their working patterns. The global theme was underpinned by five organising themes: 'communicating temporal pressure'; 'routines and procedures'; 'disconnected encounters'; 'managing breast feeding'; and 'rationing information'. The organisational culture within the postnatal wards contributed to midwives experiencing profound temporal pressures and an inability to establish relationality with women. Within this context, the needs of breast-feeding women for emotional, esteem, informational and practical support were largely unmet. Transformative action is required to dramatically reorganise the provision of hospital-based, postnatal ward midwifery care in parts of the UK. This should include a re-conceptualisation of caring time, with recognition that midwives need sufficient time in order to give time to others. This, in turn, requires recognition that caring time is cyclical and rhythmical, allowing for relationality, sociability, mutuality and reciprocity. The midwifery staffing structure in postnatal wards needs to be reviewed, as it is unacceptable to midwives and service users for staff to be rapidly relocated according to other demands within the institution. Most radically, it is argued that now is the time to reconsider the suitability of the hospital as the place and space within which women commence their breast-feeding journey.

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY BULLETIN: RECLAMATION OF LEAD FROM SUPERFUND WASTE MATERIAL USING SECONDARY LEAD SMELTERS

EPA Science Inventory

This process involves incorporating lead-contaminated Superfund waste with the regular feed to a secondary lead smelter. Since secondary lead smelters already recover lead from recycled automobile batteries, it seems likely that this technology could be used to treat waste from ...

Benefits of automated surface decontamination of a radioiodine ward.

PubMed

Westcott, Eliza; Broadhurst, Alicia; Crossley, Steven; Lee, Lloyd; Phan, Xuyen; Scharli, Rainer; Xu, Yan

2012-02-01

A floor-washing robot has been acquired to assist physicists with decontamination of radioiodine therapy ward rooms after discharge of the patient at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. The effectiveness of the robot in decontaminating the ward has been evaluated. A controlled experiment was performed by deliberately contaminating a polyvinyl chloride flooring offcut with 131I followed by automated decontamination with the robot. The extent of fixed and removable contamination was assessed before and after decontamination by two methods: (1) direct Geiger-Mueller counting and (2) beta-counting wipe tests. Surface contamination was also assessed in situ on the ward by Geiger-Mueller counting and wipe testing. Contamination maps confirmed that contamination was removed rather than spread around by the robot. Wipe testing revealed that the robot was successful in clearing approximately 60-80% of removable contamination. The robotic floor-washing device was considered suitable to provide effective automated decontamination of the radioiodine ward. In addition, the robot affords other benefits: the time spent by the physicists decontaminating the room is greatly reduced offering financial and occupational safety and health benefits. The robot has also found utility in other decontamination applications in the healthcare environment.

Application of curative therapy in the ward. 1920.

PubMed

Marble, Henry Chase

2009-06-01

This Classic article is a reprint of the original work by Henry Chase Marble, Application of Curative Therapy in the Ward. An accompanying biographical sketch on Henry Chase Marble, MD, is available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-0789-7 . The Classic Article is (c)1920 by the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, Inc. and is reprinted with permission from Marble HC. Application of curative therapy in the ward. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1920;2:136-138.

18. View looking NE up corridor showing Wards Island Viaduct ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

18. View looking NE up corridor showing Wards Island Viaduct in foreground and Randalls Island Viaduct in background. Wards Island, New York Co., NY. Sec. 4207, MP 8.02. - Northeast Railroad Corridor, Amtrak Route between New Jersey/New York & New York/Connecticut State Lines, New York County, NY

76 FR 73622 - Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) or Superfund...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-29

... of Possible Funding Reductions Please describe the effects, if any, of a 10% and 20% reduction in... and Liability Act (CERCLA) or Superfund, Section 128(a); Notice of Grant Funding Guidance for State... provides guidance on eligibility for funding, use of funding, grant mechanisms and process for awarding...

Occupational exposure to cytotoxic drugs in two UK oncology wards

PubMed Central

Ziegler, E; Mason, H; Baxter, P

2002-01-01

Aims: To investigate the potential exposure to cytotoxic drugs of staff on two oncology wards in a large district, UK hospital under normal working conditions. Methods: Cytotoxic drug exposure was monitored in urine samples, surface wipes, and on disposable gloves by using a number of commonly used marker drugs, namely cyclophosphamide, ifosfamide, methotrexate, and the platino coordinated drugs. Questionnaire data on their work practices, potential exposure, use of protective personal equipment, and relevant training were collected from nursing, domestic, and clerical staff on two oncology wards. Results: The majority of staff were female with a mean age of 31 years. Roughly half of the staff studied were specifically trained nurses with an average of 3.5 years experience of administering cytotoxic drugs. No cytotoxic drug preparation or reconstitution was carried out on the wards. Disposable gloves, plastic armlets and aprons, but not eye protection, were invariably worn where there was potential exposure to cytotoxics. No cytotoxic drug was detected in any of the staff's urine samples. Isolated disposable latex gloves from nurses administering drugs showed some contamination, as did some surfaces within the wards' sluice rooms, but not in the ward areas where the drugs were stored and checked prior to administration. Conclusions: The risk management strategies in place, including use of personal protective equipment, staff training, and other organisational measures, have ensured that internal exposure is lower than the detection limits for the current biological monitoring methods. Levels of contamination appear significantly lower than earlier, non-UK published studies where different risk management strategies were in place and, in particular, ward staff may have been involved in some degree of cytotoxic drug reconstitution. PMID:12205233

Nurse Satisfaction and Burnout in Shanghai Neurology Wards.

PubMed

Jiang, Hui; Li, Chen; Gu, Yan; Lu, Haiyan

2016-01-01

To explore satisfaction and burnout of nurses working in neurology wards in Shanghai, China. A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Three hundred and eighty-seven nurses from 23 neurology wards in 21 tertiary general hospitals were recruited using cluster sampling. The valid response rate was 94.83%. Nurse satisfaction with the salary/wages, the job and the nurse staffing level were 21.79%, 37.33%, and 40.87%. A high nurse burnout rate was found as: emotional exhaustion (EE) ≥ 27 (89.92%); depersonalization (DP) ≥ 10 (92.64%); and reduced personal accomplishment (PA)≤ 33 (79.29%). Most nurses in the neurology wards were dissatisfied and had high levels of burnout. Experienced, intermediate and senior nurses were at the highest risk for job turnover. Nurse administrators should take effective measures to increase nurse satisfaction and decrease burnout to retain experienced nurses and keep the stability of nursing workforce. © 2014 Association of Rehabilitation Nurses.

Perchlorate and Superfund Response to Uncertainty and the Geochemical Cycle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayer, K. P.

2007-12-01

Perchlorate, a chemical that had been known both in nature and through synthesis since the nineteenth century, only emerged into the limelight as an environmental contaminant in 1997. US EPA's Superfund Program became involved in perchlorate issues in the late 1980s and early 1990s due to the chemical's presence mixed with other contaminants at cleanup sites. Relying largely on pharmaceutical studies primarily from the 1950s and 1960s, EPA scientists in 1992 made a provisional estimate of toxicity and estimated that about 4 micrograms per liter (parts per billion or ppb) in drinking water would be protective. "Uncertainty factors" were incorporated to address for several identified information gaps. Results of new animal and human studies funded by the Defense Department and industry in the late 1990s shifted the concern from affects on adults with unhealthy thyroids to the potential developmental health risks to infants and children. EPA's January, 2002, draft toxicity assessment was referred to a committee of the National Research Council. In January, 2005, this committee recommended a "reference dose" based primarily on human clinical data. Many decisions remain on interpretation of the scientific recommendations for regulatory applications. After California's 1997 development of an analytical method to detect perchlorate in water to 4 ppb, EPA and state officials quickly discovered this chemical at 10 Superfund sites in the Pacific Southwest Region and at more than 30 other locations in California, Arizona and Nevada. Even before current research on the potential for natural sources of this anion, reported detections of perchlorate were investigated with reasonable care and appropriate skepticism. A brief overview of the search for likely sources of perchlorate detected in California water supplies is presented from a regional Superfund perspective. Some are clearly anthropogenic and others may be unrelated to industrial or disposal practices. Currently, there

Service audit of a forensic rehabilitation ward.

PubMed

Young, Susan; Gudjonsson, Gisli H; Needham-Bennett, Humphrey; Chick, Kay

2009-10-01

An open forensic rehabilitation ward provides an important link bridging the gap between secure and community provisions. This paper provides an audit of such a service by examining the records of an open forensic rehabilitation ward over a five-year period from 1 June 2000 until 31 May 2005. During the audit period there were 51 admissions, involving 45 different patients, and 50 discharges. The majority of the patients came from secure unit facilities, acute psychiatric wards or home. Thirty-nine patients were discharged either into hostels (66%) or their home (12%). The majority of patients (80%) had on admission a primary diagnosis of either schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Most had an extensive forensic history. The focus of their admission was to assess and treat their mental illness/disorder and offending behaviour and this was successful as the majority of patients were transferred to a community placement after a mean of 15 months. It is essential that there is a well-integrated care pathway for forensic patients, involving constructive liaison with generic services and a well-structured treatment programme which integrates the key principles of the 'recovery model' approach to care.

A feasibility study comparing UK older adult mental health inpatient wards which use protected engagement time with other wards which do not: study protocol.

PubMed

Nolan, Fiona M; Fox, Chris; Cheston, Richard; Turner, David; Clark, Allan; Dodd, Emily; Khoo, Mary-Ellen; Gray, Richard

2016-01-01

Protected engagement time (PET) is a concept of managing staff time on mental health inpatient wards with the aim of increasing staff and patient interaction. Despite apparent widespread use of PET, there remains a dearth of evidence as to how it is implemented and whether it carries benefits for staff or patients. This protocol describes a study which is being carried out on mental health wards caring for older adults (aged over 65) in England. The study shares a large proportion of the procedures, measures and study team membership of a recently completed investigation of the impact of PET in adult acute mental health wards. The study aims to identify prevalence and components of PET to construct a model for the intervention, in addition to testing the feasibility of the measures and procedures in preparation for a randomised trial. The study comprises four modules and uses a mixed methods approach. Module 1 involves mapping all inpatient wards in England which provide care for older adults, including those with dementia, ascertaining how many of these provide PET and in what way. Module 2 uses a prospective cohort method to compare five older adult mental health wards that use PET with five that do not across three National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust sites. The comparison comprises questionnaires, observation tools and routinely collected clinical service data and combines validated measures with questions developed specifically for the study. Module 3 entails an in-depth case study evaluation of three of the participating PET wards (one from each NHS Trust site) using semi-structured interviews with patients, carers and staff. Module 4 describes the development of a model and fidelity scale for PET using the information derived from the other modules with a working group of patients, carers and staff. This is a feasibility study to test the application of the measures and methods in inpatient wards for older adults and develop a draft model for the

A discussion of approaches to transforming care: contemporary strategies to improve patient safety.

PubMed

Burston, Sarah; Chaboyer, Wendy; Wallis, Marianne; Stanfield, Jane

2011-11-01

This article presents a discussion of three contemporary approaches to transforming care: Transforming Care at the Bedside, Releasing Time to Care: the Productive Ward and the work of the Studer Group(®). International studies of adverse events in hospitals have highlighted the need to focus on patient safety. The case for transformational change was identified and recently several approaches have been developed to effect this change. Despite limited evaluation, these approaches have spread and have been adopted outside their country of origin and contextual settings. Medline and CINAHL databases were searched for the years 1999-2009. Search terms included derivatives of 'transformation' combined with 'care', 'nursing', 'patient safety', 'Transforming Care at the Bedside', 'the Productive Ward' and 'Studer Group'. A comparison of the three approaches revealed similarities including: the foci of the approaches; interventions employed; and the outcomes measured. Key differences identified are the implementation models used, spread strategies and sustainability of the approaches. The approaches appear to be complementary and a hybrid of the approaches such as a blend of a top-down and bottom-up leadership strategy may offer more sustainable behavioural change. These approaches transform the way nurses do their work, how they work with others and how they view the care they provide to promote patient safety. All the approaches involve the implementation of multiple interventions occurring simultaneously to affect improvements in patient safety. The approaches are complementary and a hybrid approach may offer more sustainable outcomes. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

[Airborne Fungal Aerosol Concentration and Distribution Characteristics in Air- Conditioned Wards].

PubMed

Zhang, Hua-ling; Feng, He-hua; Fang, Zi-liang; Wang, Ben-dong; Li, Dan

2015-04-01

The effects of airborne fungus on human health in the hospital environment are related to not only their genera and concentrations, but also their particle sizes and distribution characteristics. Moreover, the mechanisms of aerosols with different particle sizes on human health are different. Fungal samples were obtained in medicine wards of Chongqing using a six-stage sampler. The airborne fungal concentrations, genera and size distributions of all the sampling wards were investigated and identified in detail. Results showed that airborne fungal concentrations were not correlated to the diseases or personnel density, but were related to seasons, temperature, and relative humidity. The size distribution rule had roughly the same for testing wards in winter and summer. The size distributions were not related with diseases and seasons, the percentage of airborne fungal concentrations increased gradually from stage I to stage III, and then decreased dramatically from stage V to stage VI, in general, the size of airborne fungi was a normal distribution. There was no markedly difference for median diameter of airborne fungi which was less 3.19 μm in these wards. There were similar dominant genera in all wards. They were Aspergillus spp, Penicillium spp and Alternaria spp. Therefore, attention should be paid to improve the filtration efficiency of particle size of 1.1-4.7 μm for air conditioning system of wards. It also should be targeted to choose appropriate antibacterial methods and equipment for daily hygiene and air conditioning system operation management.

Notification: Cancellation of Assignment on Proposed Superfund Sites on the U.S. EPA's National Priorities List

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project #OPE-FY13-0018, July 30, 2013. The Office of Inspector General conducted preliminary research to evaluate proposed Superfund sites on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priorities List.

Lead (Pb) in biota and perceptions of Pb exposure at a recently designated Superfund beach site in New Jersey.

PubMed

Burger, Joanna; Gochfeld, Michael; Jeitner, Christian; Donio, Mark; Pittfield, Taryn

2012-01-01

The Raritan Bay Slag Site (New Jersey) was designated a Superfund site in 2009 because the seawall, jetties, and sediment contained lead (Pb). Our objective was to compare Pb and mercury (Hg) levels in biota and public perceptions of exposure at the Superfund and reference sites. Samples (algae, invertebrates, fish) were collected from the Raritan Bay Slag Site and reference sites and analyzed for Pb and Hg. Waterfront users were interviewed using a standard questionnaire. Levels of Pb in aquatic organisms were compared to ecological and human health safety standards. Lead levels were related to location, trophic level, and mobility. Lead levels in biota were highest at the western side of the West Jetty. Mean Pb levels were highest for algae (Fucus = 53,600 ± 6990 ng/g = ppb [wet weight], Ulva = 23,900 ± 2430 ppb), intermediate for grass shrimp (7270 ± 1300 ppb, 11,600 ± 3340 ppb), and lowest for fish (Atlantic silversides 218 ± 44 ppb). Within species, Pb levels varied significantly across the sampling sites. Lead levels in algae, sometimes ingested by individuals, were sufficiently high to exceed human safety levels. Mercury levels did not differ between the Superfund and reference sites. Despite the fence and warnings, people (1) used the Superfund and reference sites similarly, (2) had similar fish consumption rates, and (3) were not concerned about Pb, although most individuals knew the metal was present. The fish sampled posed no apparent risk for human consumers, but the algae did.

LEAD (Pb) IN BIOTA AND PERCEPTIONS OF Pb EXPOSURE AT A RECENTLY DESIGNATED SUPERFUND BEACH SITE IN NEW JERSEY

PubMed Central

Burger, Joanna; Gochfeld, Michael; Jeitner, Christian; Donio, Mark; Pittfield, Taryn

2014-01-01

The Raritan Bay Slag Site (New Jersey) was designated a Superfund site in 2009 because the seawall, jetties, and sediment contained lead (Pb). Our objective was to compare Pb and mercury (Hg) levels in biota and public perceptions of exposure at the Superfund and reference sites. Samples (algae, invertebrates, fish) were collected from the Raritan Bay Slag Site and reference sites and analyzed for Pb and Hg. Waterfront users were interviewed using a standard questionnaire. Levels of Pb in aquatic organisms were compared to ecological and human health safety standards. Lead levels were related to location, trophic level, and mobility. Lead levels in biota were highest at the western side of the West Jetty. Mean Pb levels were highest for algae (Fucus = 53,600 ± 6990 ng/g = ppb [wet weight], Ulva = 23,900 ± 2430 ppb), intermediate for grass shrimp (7270 ± 1300 ppb, 11,600 ± 3340 ppb), and lowest for fish (Atlantic silversides 218 ± 44 ppb). Within species, Pb levels varied significantly across the sampling sites. Lead levels in algae, sometimes ingested by individuals, were sufficiently high to exceed human safety levels. Mercury levels did not differ between the Superfund and reference sites. Despite the fence and warnings, people (1) used the Superfund and reference sites similarly, (2) had similar fish consumption rates, and (3) were not concerned about Pb, although most individuals knew the metal was present. The fish sampled posed no apparent risk for human consumers, but the algae did. PMID:22409490

A holistic approach to ward design.

PubMed

Mozaffar, Farhang; Jamaleddin, Seyyed; Khakzand, Mehdi

2009-06-01

Three Iranian academics examine how existing experience in inpatient and other ward design can be harnessed to ensure the creation of comfortable, relaxing and, as far as is possible, individually "tailored" hospital accommodation in the future.

Information Needs Assessment for a Medicine Ward-Focused Rounding Dashboard.

PubMed

Aakre, Christopher A; Chaudhry, Rajeev; Pickering, Brian W; Herasevich, Vitaly

2016-08-01

To identify the routine information needs of inpatient clinicians on the general wards for the development of an electronic dashboard. Survey of internal medicine and subspecialty clinicians from March 2014-July 2014 at Saint Marys Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota. An information needs assessment was generated from all unique data elements extracted from all handoff and rounding tools used by clinicians in our ICUs and general wards. An electronic survey was distributed to 104 inpatient medical providers. 89 unique data elements were identified from currently utilized handoff and rounding instruments. All data elements were present in our multipurpose ICU-based dashboard. 42 of 104 (40 %) surveys were returned. Data elements important (50/89, 56 %) and unimportant (24/89, 27 %) for routine use were identified. No significant differences in data element ranking were observed between supervisory and nonsupervisory roles. The routine information needs of general ward clinicians are a subset of data elements used routinely by ICU clinicians. Our findings suggest an electronic dashboard could be adapted from the critical care setting to the general wards with minimal modification.

An outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis colonization in a nasal ward.

PubMed

Wang, Lijun; Wang, Mei; Zhang, Junyi; Wu, Wei; Lu, Yuan; Fan, Yanyan

2015-04-01

The aim of this study was to describe an outbreak of Burkholderia stabilis colonization among patients in a nasal ward. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was used for the molecular typing of B. stabilis isolates. Microbiological records were reviewed to delineate the colonization outbreak period. One hundred seventy-one cultures of environment and equipment samples from the nasal ward were performed to trace the source of contamination. Infection control measures were taken in order to end the outbreak. All B. stabilis isolates were identified as a new MLST type, ST821. A total of 53 patients carried this B. stabilis in the nasal ward between March and September 2013, which was defined as the outbreak period. The source of the colonization was not determined because all environment cultures were negative for Burkholderia cepacia complex. No further B. stabilis carriers have been found in the ward since the implementation of interventions. Attention must be paid to asymptomatic colonization in order to identify outbreaks early. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Ward Identity and Scattering Amplitudes for Nonlinear Sigma Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Low, Ian; Yin, Zhewei

2018-02-01

We present a Ward identity for nonlinear sigma models using generalized nonlinear shift symmetries, without introducing current algebra or coset space. The Ward identity constrains correlation functions of the sigma model such that the Adler's zero is guaranteed for S -matrix elements, and gives rise to a subleading single soft theorem that is valid at the quantum level and to all orders in the Goldstone decay constant. For tree amplitudes, the Ward identity leads to a novel Berends-Giele recursion relation as well as an explicit form of the subleading single soft factor. Furthermore, interactions of the cubic biadjoint scalar theory associated with the single soft limit, which was previously discovered using the Cachazo-He-Yuan representation of tree amplitudes, can be seen to emerge from matrix elements of conserved currents corresponding to the generalized shift symmetry.

Report: EPA Is Documenting How It Addresses Time-Critical Public Health Risks Under Its Superfund Authority

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #16-P-0059, December 9, 2015. We found that the EPA can provide documentation that imminent and substantial endangerment threats to public health at Superfund time-critical removal sites have been addressed.

The challenge posed to children's health by mixtures of toxic waste: the Tar Creek superfund site as a case-study.

PubMed

Hu, Howard; Shine, James; Wright, Robert O

2007-02-01

In the United States, many of the millions of tons of hazardous wastes that have been produced since World War II have accumulated in sites throughout the nation. Citizen concern about the extent of this problem led Congress to establish the Superfund Program in 1980 to locate, investigate, and clean up the worst sites nationwide. Most such waste exists as a complex mixture of many substances. This article discusses the issue of toxic mixtures and children's health by focusing on the specific example of mining waste at the Tar Creek Superfund Site in Northeast Oklahoma.

An Evaluation of Public Preferences for Superfund Site Cleanup, Volume 1: A Preliminary Assessment (1995)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The purpose of the project is to develop a methodology for determining the cleanup options for National Priority List (NPL) sites governed under Superfund legislation that are acceptable to the public. A survey instrument was developed for the study.

Creating Readers: Vonda Ward--Broward County Library, Fort Lauderdale, FL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Library Journal, 2004

2004-01-01

This article details the work of Vonda Ward--a middle-school teacher turned librarian. When Vonda Ward was a middle-school teacher, she could not get her students to share her excitement about history because they could not read its stories. That is when she realized how much subject mastery depended on the basics. Broward County Library's leaders…

Iranian nurses' experiences of aggression in psychiatric wards: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Moghadam, Malek Fereidooni; Pazargadi, Mehrnoosh; Khoshknab, Masoud Fallahi

2013-10-01

Aggression from psychiatric patients is a constant problem for care providers that causes major problems in the therapeutic environment, and may have negative effects on the quality of care. Since recognition of aggression with regard to cultural background leads to better control of aggression in the psychiatric wards, this study has been done to clarify Iranian nurses' experiences of aggression in psychiatric wards. A qualitative content analysis study was conducted to explore experiences of nurses. Data analysis revealed four themes: (1) Damage resulting from aggression, (2) Aggression catalysts, (3) Contagious nature of aggression, and (4) Various control strategies. There are various causes for in-patients' aggression, and nurses use various approaches to control it. These approaches are influenced by personnel, facilities, and ward environment. Identifying these factors and strategies can contribute to better management of aggression and, thus, better quality of care in psychiatric wards.

Poverty and violence, frustration and inventiveness: hospital ward life in Bangladesh.

PubMed

Zaman, Shahaduz

2004-11-01

An ethnographic exploration was done in an orthopaedic ward of a government teaching hospital in Bangladesh to understand the nature of hospital culture in the context of Bangladeshi society at large. Life and work in the ward result in a culture that is simultaneously created by its inhabitants and the conditions in which they are situated. The study shows that biomedicine is a product of particular social conditions and that the hospital reflects features of its society. Behind the injuries and broken limbs in the ward are stories of violence, crime, and intolerance occurring in a society where masses of people fight over limited resources. In the ward people interact in an extremely hierarchical manner. The patients, who are mainly from poor economic backgrounds, remain at the bottom of the hierarchy. Doctors and other staff members are often professionally frustrated. Strikes related to hospital staff's various professional demands hamper the regular flow of work in the ward. Family members are engaged in nursing and provide various kinds of support to their hospitalized relatives. Patients give small bribes to ward boys and cleaners to obtain their day-to-day necessities. Patients joke with each other and mock senior doctors. Thus, they neutralize their powerlessness and drive away the monotony of their stay. Doctors develop 'indigenous' solutions to orthopaedic problems. Instead of using high-tech devices, they employ instruments made of bamboo, bricks, and razor blades. This study shows how medical practice takes shape in an understaffed, under-resourced and poorly financed hospital operating in a low-income country.

Notification: Preliminary Research to Evaluate Proposed Superfund Sites on the U.S. EPA's National Priorities List

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project #OPE-FY13-0018, April 4, 2013. The Office of Inspector General plans to begin preliminary research to evaluate proposed Superfund sites on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s National Priorities List.

Economic deprivation and racial segregation: comparing Superfund sites in Portland, Oregon and Detroit, Michigan.

PubMed

Smith, Chad L

2009-09-01

The research presented here weighs the ability of two major explanations of social inequality-Massey and Denton's racial segregation explanation and Wilson's emphasis on economic deprivation (concentrated poverty)-to predict environmental inequality. Two sets of logistic regression analyses are used to predict the location of Superfund sites in Portland, Oregon and Detroit, Michigan providing a conditional understanding of environmental inequality within a larger sociological context. The analysis includes a general examination of the two theories in all census tracts in both cities and a set of analyses focusing upon Black neighborhoods in Detroit. The findings indicate that there is support for explanations of environmental inequality that include both racial segregation and economic deprivation, but that the more powerful of the two is economic deprivation. The results suggest that even though African-American neighborhoods disproportionately house Superfund sites, these facilities are more likely to be located in Black neighborhoods that are economically deprived.

Notification: Audit of Region 7’s Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) Contract

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Project #OA-FY14-0354, July 21, 2014. The EPA OIG plans to begin the preliminary research phase of an audit evaluating Region 7's monitoring for compliance under its Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team (START) contract (EPS71306).

Landfill-stimulated iron reduction and arsenic release at the Coakley Superfund Site (NH).

PubMed

deLemos, Jamie L; Bostick, Benjamin C; Renshaw, Carl E; Stürup, Stefan; Feng, Xiahong

2006-01-01

Arsenic is a contaminant at more than one-third of all Superfund Sites in the United States. Frequently this contamination appearsto resultfrom geochemical processes rather than the presence of a well-defined arsenic source. Here we examine the geochemical processes that regulate arsenic levels at the Coakley Landfill Superfund Site (NH), a site contaminated with As, Cr, Pb, Ni, Zn, and aromatic hydrocarbons. Long-term field observations indicate that the concentrations of most of these contaminants have diminished as a result of treatment by monitored natural attenuation begun in 1998; however, dissolved arsenic levels increased modestly over the same interval. We attribute this increase to the reductive release of arsenic associated with poorly crystalline iron hydroxides within a glaciomarine clay layer within the overburden underlying the former landfill. Anaerobic batch incubations that stimulated iron reduction in the glaciomarine clay released appreciable dissolved arsenic and iron. Field observations also suggest that iron reduction associated with biodegradation of organic waste are partly responsible for arsenic release; over the five-year study period since a cap was emplaced to prevent water flow through the site, decreases in groundwater dissolved benzene concentrations at the landfill are correlated with increases in dissolved arsenic concentrations, consistent with the microbial decomposition of both benzene and other organics, and reduction of arsenic-bearing iron oxides. Treatment of contaminated groundwater increasingly is based on stimulating natural biogeochemical processes to degrade the contaminants. These results indicate that reducing environments created within organic contaminant plumes may release arsenic. In fact, the strong correlation (>80%) between elevated arsenic levels and organic contamination in groundwater systems at Superfund Sites across the United States suggests that arsenic contamination caused by natural degradation of

The impact on the workload of the Ward Manager with the introduction of administrative assistants.

PubMed

Locke, Rachel; Leach, Camilla; Kitsell, Fleur; Griffith, Jacki

2011-03-01

To evaluate the impact on the workload of the Ward Manager (WM) with the introduction of administrative assistants into eight trusts in the South of England in a year-long pilot. Ward Managers are nurse leaders who are responsible for ward management and delivering expert clinical care to patients. They have traditionally been expected to achieve this role without administrative assistance. Meeting the workload demands of multiple roles and overload has meant the leadership and clinical role has suffered, presenting issues of low morale among existing WMs and issues of recruiting the next generation of WMs. Sixty qualitative interviews were carried out with 16 WMs, 12 Ward Manager Assistants (WMAs), and six senior nurse executives about the impact of the introduction of the WMA post. Quantitative data to measure change in WM workload and ward activity was supplied by 24 wards. Ward Managers reported spending reduced time on administrative tasks and having increased time available to spend on the ward with patients and leading staff. With the introduction of WMAs, there was also improvement in key performance measures (the maintenance of quality under service pressures) and increased staff motivation. There was overwhelming support for the introduction of administrative assistants from participating WMs. The WMAs enabled WMs to spend more time with patients and, more widely, to provide greater support to ward teams. The success of the pilot is reflected in wards working hard to be able to extend contracts of WMAs. The extent of the success is reflected in wards that were not participants in the pilot, observing the benefits of the post, having worked to secure funding to recruit their own WMAs. The widespread introduction of administrative assistance could increase ward productivity and provide support for clinical leaders. Continuing professional development for WMs needs to incorporate training about management responsibilities and how to best use administrative

The locked psychiatric ward: hotel or detention camp for people with dual diagnosis.

PubMed

Terkelsen, Toril Borch; Larsen, Inger Beate

2013-10-01

The concepts of autonomy and liberty are established goals in mental health care; however, involuntary commitment is used towards people with mental health and substance abuse problems (dual diagnosis). To explore how patients and staff act in the context of involuntary commitment, how interactions are described and how they might be interpreted. Ethnographic methodology in a locked psychiatric ward in Norway. Two parallel images emerged: (a) The ward as a hotel. Several patients wanted a locked ward for rest and safety, even when admission was classified as involuntary. The staff was concerned about using the ward for real treatment of motivated people, rather than merely as a comfortable hotel for the unmotivated. (b) The ward as a detention camp. Other patients found involuntary commitment and restrictions in the ward as a kind of punishment, offending them as individuals. Contrary, the staff understood people with dual diagnoses more like a generalized group in need of their control and care. Patients and staff have different perceptions of involuntary commitment. Based on the patients' points of view, mental health care ought to be characterized by inclusion and recognition, treating patients as equal citizens comparable to guests in a hotel.

A systems analysis of ward rounds in plastic surgery at a single center

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Introduction: Ward rounds permeate health care delivery worldwide and form an important daily activity within all hospitals. In this study, the daily morning ward round in plastic surgery was examined from a teleological and systems point of view. Methods: Data were gathered from the following sources to inform the systems analysis: patient interviews, staff interviews, direct observations of the ward round on multiple occasions, and through process mapping. Results: To better understand the ward and its layout, a schematic of it was developed. Following observations of the ward round and the way in which decisions are made on it, an IDEF0 map was developed. Three patients were invited to take part in the study. Three members of staff were interviewed. The overarching themes from the interviews related to aspects of communication which this paper details. Conclusions: This small-scale study demonstrates how the ward round as a process can be assessed, including product quality, process quality, the measurement and management of capacity, the role of standardization, the role and significance of bottlenecks, the key information flows, including the role of feedback, and the motivation and incentives of system participants and ideas for improvement generated. PMID:29177228

Report: EPA Should Improve Its Oversight of Long-Term Monitoring at Wheeling Disposal Superfund Site in Missouri

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #11-P-0034, December 20, 2010. Our independent sampling results from the Wheeling Disposal Superfund Site were generally consistent with the sampling data that Region 7 has obtained historically.

A General Chemistry Assignment Analyzing Environmental Contamination for the Depue, IL, National Superfund Site

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saslow Gomez, Sarah A.; Faurie-Wisniewski, Danielle; Parsa, Arlen; Spitz, Jeff; Spitz, Jennifer Amdur; Loeb, Nancy C.; Geiger, Franz M.

2015-01-01

The classroom exercise outlined here is a self-directed assignment that connects students to the environmental contamination problem surrounding the DePue Superfund site. By connecting chemistry knowledge gained in the classroom with a real-world problem, students are encouraged to personally connect with the problem while simultaneously…

Ecological Risk Assessment Guidance for Superfund: Process for Designing and Conducting Ecological Risk Assessments - Interim Final

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document provides guidance to site managers and Remedial Project Managers who are legally responsible for the management of a site on how to design and conduct technically defensible ecological risk assessments for the Superfund program.

Optimization Review: Ogallala Ground Water Contamination Superfund Site, Operable Unit 2 (Tip Top Cleaners), Ogallala, Nebraska

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Ogallala Ground Water Contamination Superfund site was identified in 1989 through municipal well sampling. Tetrachloroethene (PCE), a solvent commonly used in dry cleaner operations, was the primary ground water target chemical of concern (COC) that..

ADDENDUM TO SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION PROGRAM TECHNOLOGY PROFILES, TENTH EDITION, VOLUME 1 - DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program, now in its thirteenth year, is an integral part of EPA's research into alternative cleanup methods for hazardous waste sites around the nation. The SITE Program was created to encourage the development and routine us...

The New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site Long Term Monitoring Program: Results from 1993 to 2014

EPA Science Inventory

Background. New Bedford Harbor (NBH), located in southeastern Massachusetts, was designated as a marine Superfund site in 1983 due to sediment contamination by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Based on risks to human health and the environment, the first two phases of the site ...

Light-front Ward-Takahashi identity for two-fermion systems

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

Marinho, J. A. O.; Frederico, T.; Pace, E.

We propose a three-dimensional electromagnetic current operator within light-front dynamics that satisfies a light-front Ward-Takahashi identity for two-fermion systems. The light-front current operator is obtained by a quasipotential reduction of the four-dimensional current operator and acts on the light-front valence component of bound or scattering states. A relation between the light-front valence wave function and the four-dimensional Bethe-Salpeter amplitude both for bound or scattering states is also derived, such that the matrix elements of the four-dimensional current operator can be fully recovered from the corresponding light-front ones. The light-front current operator can be perturbatively calculated through a quasipotential expansion, andmore » the divergence of the proposed current satisfies a Ward-Takahashi identity at any given order of the expansion. In the quasipotential expansion the instantaneous terms of the fermion propagator are accounted for by the effective interaction and two-body currents. We exemplify our theoretical construction in the Yukawa model in the ladder approximation, investigating in detail the current operator at the lowest nontrivial order of the quasipotential expansion of the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The explicit realization of the light-front form of the Ward-Takahashi identity is verified. We also show the relevance of instantaneous terms and of the pair contribution to the two-body current and the Ward-Takahashi identity.« less

Identifying positively deviant elderly medical wards using routinely collected NHS Safety Thermometer data: an observational study

PubMed Central

Taylor, Natalie; Kellar, Ian; Pye, Victoria; Mohammed, Mohammed A; Lawton, Rebecca

2018-01-01

Objective The positive deviance approach seeks to identify and learn from exceptional performers. Although a framework exists to apply positive deviance within healthcare organisations, there is limited guidance to support its implementation. The approach has also rarely explored exceptional performance on broad outcomes, been implemented at ward level, or applied within the UK. This study develops and critically appraises a pragmatic method for identifying positively deviant wards using a routinely collected, broad measure of patient safety. Design A two-phased observational study was conducted. During phase 1, cross-sectional and temporal analyses of Safety Thermometer data were conducted to identify a discrete group of positively deviant wards that consistently demonstrated exceptional levels of safety. A group of matched comparison wards with above average performances were also identified. During phase 2, multidisciplinary staff and patients on the positively deviant and comparison wards completed surveys to explore whether their perceptions of safety supported the identification of positively deviant wards. Setting 34 elderly medical wards within a northern region of England, UK. Participants Multidisciplinary staff (n=161) and patients (n=188) clustered within nine positively deviant and comparison wards. Results Phase 1: A combination of analyses identified five positively deviant wards that performed best in the region, outperformed their organisation and performed consistently well over 12 months. Five above average matched comparator wards were also identified. Phase 2: Staff and patient perceptions of safety generally supported the identification of positively deviant wards using Safety Thermometer data, although patient perceptions of safety were less concordant with the routinely collected data. Conclusions This study tentatively supports a pragmatic method of using routinely collected data to identify positively deviant elderly medical wards; however

Site action, environmental justice and an urban community: A unique approach at a Superfund site

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

Seppi, P.K.; Richman, L.R.; Wireman, J.M.

1994-12-31

The US Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA) project at the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site is an example of how technical, environmental justice, and community relations issues all affect actions at a Superfund Site. The Diamond Alkali Superfund Site is divided into two operable units. The site consists of the former pesticides manufacturing facility at 80 and 120 Lister Avenue in Newark, New Jersey, and the adjoining six mile reach of the Passaic River known as the ``Passaic River Study Area``. EPA has negotiated Consent Orders with the Potentially Responsible Party (PRP) to design and construct the selected containment remedy at themore » land-based properties, and to conduct the Remedial Investigation (RI) of the river under EPA oversight. Pesticides, dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), metals and other hazardous substances have been found at the Site. Evidence indicates that the ecology of the Passaic River has been adversely impacted by the presence of these hazardous substances. The State of New Jersey issued a ban on the consumption of fish and crabs from affected sections of the Passaic River; yet reportedly, many residents still consume seafood from the river. Community relations at the Site had deteriorated because of the community`s lack of trust and loss of confidence in EPA. To address these issues, EPA has implemented an innovative public outreach program to improve how it communicates with racial minority and low-income communities living in the vicinity of the Site, and to involve them in the decision-making process.« less

Rolling out Productive Ward foundation modules across a hospital trust.

PubMed

Foster, Sam; Gordon, Pete; McSherry, Wilfred

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust has spent the last 12 months rolling out the Productive Ward foundation modules across the whole organisation. This has resulted in measurable increases in time spent on direct care, and reduced infection rates and ward non-pay (non-staffing) expenditure. This article discusses the initiative and looks at how problems with the hospital supply chain are being addressed.

Report: Independent Sampling Generally Confirms EPA’s Data at the Jones Sanitation Superfund Site in New York

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #09-P-0243, September 23, 2009. In April 2008, the OIG obtained groundwater and surface water samples from the Jones Sanitation Superfund Site and nearby areas, and conducted a site inspection.

Authenticity in Learning--Nursing Students' Experiences at a Clinical Education Ward

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Manninen, Katri; Henriksson, Elisabet Welin; Scheja, Max; Silen, Charlotte

2013-01-01

Purpose: This study aims to explore and understand first year nursing students' experiences of learning at a clinical education ward. Design/methodology/approach: The setting is a clinical education ward for nursing students at a department of infectious diseases. A qualitative study was carried out exploring students' encounters with patients,…

Suicide amongst psychiatric in-patients who abscond from the ward: a national clinical survey.

PubMed

Hunt, Isabelle M; Windfuhr, Kirsten; Swinson, Nicola; Shaw, Jenny; Appleby, Louis; Kapur, Nav

2010-02-03

Suicide prevention by mental health services requires an awareness of the antecedents of suicide amongst high risk groups such as psychiatric in-patients. The goal of this study was to describe the social and clinical characteristics of people who had absconded from an in-patient psychiatric ward prior to suicide, including aspects of the clinical care they received. We carried out a national clinical survey based on a 10-year (1997-2006) sample of people in England and Wales who had died by suicide. Detailed data were collected on those who had been in contact with mental health services in the year before death. There were 1,851 cases of suicide by current psychiatric in-patients, 14% of all patient suicides. 1,292 (70%) occurred off the ward. Four hundred and sixty-nine of these patients died after absconding from the ward, representing 25% of all in-patient suicides and 38% of those that occurred off the ward. Absconding suicides were characterised by being young, unemployed and homeless compared to those who were off the ward with staff agreement. Schizophrenia was the most common diagnosis, and rates of previous violence and substance misuse were high. Absconders were proportionally more likely than in-patients on agreed leave to have been legally detained for treatment, non-compliant with medication, and to have died in the first week of admission. Whilst absconding patients were significantly more likely to have been under a high level of observation, clinicians reported more problems in observation due to either the ward design or other patients on the ward. Measures that may prevent absconding and subsequent suicide amongst in-patients might include tighter control of ward exits, and more intensive observation of patients, particularly in the early days of admission. Improving the ward environment to provide a supportive and less intimidating experience may contribute to reduced risk.

Clinical Features of Adult Patients Admitted to Pediatric Wards in Japan.

PubMed

Michihata, Nobuaki; Matsui, Hiroki; Fushimi, Kiyohide; Yasunaga, Hideo

2015-10-01

Pediatricians generally need to treat adult patients who require long-term care for pediatric diseases. However, little is known about the characteristics of adult patients in pediatric wards. Using a national inpatient database, the aim of this study was to determine the clinical details of adult patients admitted to pediatric wards in Japanese acute-care hospitals. We extracted all inpatients aged ≥19 years who were admitted to pediatric departments in Japan from April 2012 to March 2013. We examined the patients' main diagnoses and the use of life-supporting home medical devices. Of 417,352 patients admitted to pediatric wards during the study period, we identified 4,729 (1.1%) adult patients. The major diagnoses of the adult patients were malignancy, congenital heart disease, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. More than 35% of the patients with cerebral palsy had a tracheostomy tube, gastrostomy tube, home central venous alimentation, or home respirator. More than 20% of patients aged ≥40 years in pediatric wards had adult diseases, including ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, and adult malignancy. Many adult patients in pediatric wards had adult diseases. It is essential to establish a disease-oriented support system for adults with chronic conditions that originated in their childhood. Copyright © 2015 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

78 FR 76143 - Proposed CERCLA Settlement Relating to the Paul's Tank Cleaning Service Superfund Site...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-16

... Paul's Tank Cleaning Service Superfund Site, Burlington County, New Jersey AGENCY: Environmental.... (``Settling Party''). The Settling Party is a potentially responsible party, pursuant to Section 107(a) of CERCLA, and thus is potentially liable for response costs incurred at or in connection Paul's Tank...

Implementation of Releasing Time to Care - the productive ward.

PubMed

Wilson, Gwyneth

2009-07-01

This paper describes the implementation of the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement Productive Ward - releasing time to care programme. It will discuss the benefits and key successes and provides advice for those wishing to implement the programme. In Lord Darzi's Next Stage Review, he advocates an ambitious vision of patient centred - clinician led, locally driven NHS. The Releasing Time to Care programme is a unique opportunity for everyone working within the NHS to improve effectiveness, safety and reliability of the services we provide. Whilst being situated within a National Health Service policy environment learning from this work can be translated nationally and internationally, as the principles underpin the provision of high quality care. Evaluation is currently in relation to each of the 15 modules rather than as the programme as a whole. It uses various methods including audit, observation, activity follow through, satisfaction surveys and process mapping. Each month data is colated for each of the 11 metrics which has shown a reduction in falls, drug administration errors and improvement in the recording of patient observations. One of the key issues is that an essential component for the success of the programme lies in the tangible support of the Trust Board/Board of Directors. Evidence shows that this programme improves patient satisfaction as it enables the provision of an increase in direct patient care by staff and subsequently improved clinical and safety outcomes. Ward Sister/Charge Nurse development includes Leadership, Project management and Lean Methodology techniques. The Releasing Time to Care programme is a key component of the Next Stage Review. It will create productive organisations by being a catalyst for the transformation of Trust services, enabling staff to spend more time caring for patients and users. This release in time will result in better outcomes and subsequent improvement with patient and staff satisfaction and

Reflective practice and daily ward reality: a covert power game.

PubMed

Mantzoukas, Stefanos; Jasper, Melanie A

2004-11-01

The concept of reflection is propounded in the literature as an epistemology for practice that enables practitioners to solve their daily problematic situations through conscious thought processes which eventually leads to practice-based knowledge. Hence, reflection became a central tenet of both theory development and educational provision in nursing. Furthermore, this centrality of reflection was reinforced by statutory nursing bodies and service providers by adopting it as the means for carrying out adequate professional practice. Although this may be the case, issues of implementation of reflection within the daily reality of practitioners are frequently overlooked within the literature. Moreover, little consideration appears to be given on the impact that the organizational culture and the politics of power may exert on the implementation of reflective practices within daily ward reality. This paper explores how reflection is viewed by nurses within their daily reality in the medical wards, examines the relationships between the organizational culture of these wards and the practitioners and investigates whether reflective methods of practice were being implemented when the study was conducted. An interpretative ethnographical methodology was implemented and the data collecting methods used were observation, interviews and qualitative content analysis with a group of 16 practising nurses from four medical wards of one NHS Trust in England. Two interviews were conducted with each nurse within 3-week intervals. The content of these interviews evolved from the analysis of episodes of practice observed when the nurses were giving nursing care. These data were supplemented by narratives from the nurses' in the form of written reflective accounts that were analysed via qualitative content analysis techniques. Four themes were generated: (i) relationships between nurses and doctors; (ii) relationships between nurses and managers; (iii) nursing practice; and (iv

Design in mind: eliciting service user and frontline staff perspectives on psychiatric ward design through participatory methods.

PubMed

Csipke, Emese; Papoulias, Constantina; Vitoratou, Silia; Williams, Paul; Rose, Diana; Wykes, Til

2016-01-01

Psychiatric ward design may make an important contribution to patient outcomes and well-being. However, research is hampered by an inability to assess its effects robustly. This paper reports on a study which deployed innovative methods to capture service user and staff perceptions of ward design. User generated measures of the impact of ward design were developed and tested on four acute adult wards using participatory methodology. Additionally, inpatients took photographs to illustrate their experience of the space in two wards. Data were compared across wards. Satisfactory reliability indices emerged based on both service user and staff responses. Black and minority ethnic (BME) service users and those with a psychosis spectrum diagnosis have more positive views of the ward layout and fixtures. Staff members have more positive views than service users, while priorities of staff and service users differ. Inpatient photographs prioritise hygiene, privacy and control and address symbolic aspects of the ward environment. Participatory and visual methodologies can provide robust tools for an evaluation of the impact of psychiatric ward design on users.

Design in mind: eliciting service user and frontline staff perspectives on psychiatric ward design through participatory methods

PubMed Central

Csipke, Emese; Papoulias, Constantina; Vitoratou, Silia; Williams, Paul; Rose, Diana; Wykes, Til

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Psychiatric ward design may make an important contribution to patient outcomes and well-being. However, research is hampered by an inability to assess its effects robustly. This paper reports on a study which deployed innovative methods to capture service user and staff perceptions of ward design. Method: User generated measures of the impact of ward design were developed and tested on four acute adult wards using participatory methodology. Additionally, inpatients took photographs to illustrate their experience of the space in two wards. Data were compared across wards. Results: Satisfactory reliability indices emerged based on both service user and staff responses. Black and minority ethnic (BME) service users and those with a psychosis spectrum diagnosis have more positive views of the ward layout and fixtures. Staff members have more positive views than service users, while priorities of staff and service users differ. Inpatient photographs prioritise hygiene, privacy and control and address symbolic aspects of the ward environment. Conclusions: Participatory and visual methodologies can provide robust tools for an evaluation of the impact of psychiatric ward design on users. PMID:26886239

Report: Independent Ground Water Sampling Generally Confirms EPA’s Data at Wheeler Pit Superfund Site in Wisconsin

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #10-P-0218, September 8, 2010. With minimal exceptions, our independent sampling results at the Wheeler Pit Superfund Site were consistent with the sampling results that EPA Region 5 has obtained historically.

EPA Contract Laboratory Program Statement of Work for Inorganic Superfund Methods Multi-Media, Multi-Concentration ISM02.3

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document contains analytical methods for the analysis of metals and cyanide in environmental samples. It also contains contractual requirements for laboratories participating in Superfund's Contract Laboratory Program.

EPA Contract Laboratory Program Statement of Work for Inorganic Superfund Methods Multi-Media, Multi-Concentration ISM02.4

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document contains analytical methods for the analysis of metals and cyanide in environmental samples. It also contains contractual requirements for laboratories participating in Superfund's Contract Laboratory Program.

Job stressors and social support behaviors: comparing intensive care units to wards in Jordan.

PubMed

Mrayyan, Majd T

2009-02-01

Studies about nurses' stressors and social support behaviors are limited. This study explored differences between Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and wards in regard to Jordanian nurses' job stressors and social support behaviors as well as predictors of the two concepts. A quantitative research design using a survey method was used. The Nursing Stress Scale (NSS) (Gray-Toft & Anderson 1981) and the Inventory of Social Supportive Behaviors (ISSB) (Barrera, Sandler & Ramsay 1981) were used to collect data from a convenience sample of 228 nurses who were working in 12 ICUs and 235 nurses who were working in nine wards of 13 hospitals, with a total response rate of 66.2%. Stressors in ICUs were higher than those in wards. The ICUs scored higher than wards in 'conflict with physicians' subscale of NSS. The ICUs scored higher than wards in 'emotional support' and 'tangible assistance' subscales of ISSB. Shift worked, model of nursing care, and level of education predicted nurses' job stressors in ICUs and wards. 'Model of nursing care' was a shared predictor of social support behaviors in ICUs and wards. High job stressors and low social support behaviors were evidenced in Jordan. Job stressors were higher in ICUs than those in wards, thus more social support behaviors should be provided to nurses in ICUs. Nurses' stressors should be assessed and managed. In all settings in general and in ICUs in particular, nurse managers should use various social support behaviors to buffer the influence of job stressors on nurses.

Environment in pediatric wards: light, sound, and temperature.

PubMed

Oliveira, Lia; Gomes, Cláudia; Bacelar Nicolau, Leonor; Ferreira, Luís; Ferreira, Rosário

2015-09-01

The mutual relationship between sleep and disease is well known, becoming more relevant whenever the disease leads to hospitalization. We intend to describe patterns of environmental factors of some pediatric wards, and to verify if these are in line with those recommended. As a secondary aim, we characterize sleep quality during hospitalization. Five pediatric wards of a tertiary-level hospital were included. Light, sound, and temperature were measured and assessed through descriptive statistics. The following recommended values were considered: maximum light 100 Lux, maximum sound 45 dB, and optimal temperature 20-24 °C. A questionnaire was prepared to assess children's sleep, and it was completed by a caregiver. Light values were within the desirable limits for 86% of evaluated time. In all wards, the intensity of sound was much higher than desirable, being above 45 dB during 85% of evaluated time. The temperature was above 24 °C during 78% of total time. Based on 34 answered questionnaires (out of 50 distributed), almost half of the respondents believe that sleep quality and restlessness are worse at the hospital. Most children slept for a longer time at home. Eighteen children awoke more times at the hospital, and those awakenings were mostly attributed to noise. The sound and temperature were higher than recommended. The different values between these wards may be due to different levels of care, but this shows that there are no standard rules on this matter. A worse quality and shorter duration of sleep at hospital were reported. Comprehensive studies are necessary to evaluate the impact of environmental factors on disease recovery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Improving the ward-based care of patients post-thyroidectomy.

PubMed

Mahalingam, Sridhayan; Singhal, Rachit; Mugilan, Sridhayani; Choudhury, Natasha

2016-11-02

Nursing staff play a crucial role in managing surgical patients in the postoperative period. However, with an increasing risk of subspecialty wards facing closure as a result of financial pressures within the NHS, the knowledge base and expertise of ward-based nursing staff of surgical subspecialties is becoming increasingly limited. Using patients undergoing thyroidectomy as an example, a quality improvement multidisciplinary audit is presented, which shows how simple targeted interventions through a multidisciplinary approach can help maintain high standards of patient care in a secondary care setting.

Learning through participating on an interprofessional training ward.

PubMed

Lidskog, Marie; Löfmark, Anna; Ahlström, Gerd

2009-09-01

Learning in clinical education can be understood as a process of becoming a legitimate participant in the relevant context. Interprofessional training wards (IPTWs) are designed to give students from educational programmes in health and social care a realistic experience of collaboration for the purpose of developing teamwork skills. IPTWs have been found to be appreciated by the students and to influence students' understanding of each other's professions. The aim of this study was to describe and analyse the students' learning on an interprofessional training ward in care for older persons through focusing on the students' ways of participating in the communities of practice on the ward. A case study design was chosen. Multiple data sources were used. The findings show that the students engaged as active participants in the care. At the same time there was sometimes a discrepancy between on the one hand expectations and goals, on the other hand actual participation. There were difficulties in making the training relevant for all the student groups involved. The findings indicate that in the planning of interprofessional education the choice of setting and learning situations is crucial with regard to the learning that will occur.

PILOT-SCALE INCINERATION TESTING OF FLUFF AND SOIL FROM THE M.W. MANUFACTURING SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

A series of six tests was performed on wastes (fluff and contaminated soil) from the M.W. Manufacturing Superfund Site to determine the efficacy of incineration as the proposed remediation technology. he fluff, which is the insulation from scrap wire, and the soil wastes are cont...

Protective isolation in single-bed rooms: studies in a modified hospital ward

PubMed Central

Ayliffe, G. A. J.; Collins, B. J.; Lowbury, E. J. L.; Wall, Mary

1971-01-01

Studies were made in a modified hospital ward containing 19 beds, 14 of them in the open ward, one in a window-ventilated side-room, two in rooms with partial-recirculation ventilators giving 7-10 air changes per hour, and two in self-contained isolation suites with plenum ventilation (20 air changes per hour), ultra-violet (UV) barriers at doorways and airlocks. Preliminary tests with aerosols of tracer bacteria showed that few bacteria entered the plenum or recirculation-ventilated rooms. Bacteria released inside mechanically ventilated cubicles escaped into the corridor, but this transfer was reduced by the presence of an airlock. UV barriers at the entrance to the airlock and the cubicle reduced the transfer of bacteria from cubicle to corridor. During a period of 4 years while the ward was in use for surgical and gynaecological patients, the incidence of post-operative sepsis and colonization of wounds by multiple-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was lower (though not significantly lower) in the plenum-ventilated rooms than in the open ward, the recirculator-ventilated cubicles and the window-ventilated cubicles. Nasal acquisition of multiple-resistant Staph. aureus was significantly less common in the plenum-ventilated than in the recirculator-ventilated cubicles and in the other areas. Mean counts of bacteria on settle-plates were significantly lower in the plenum-ventilated cubicles than in the other areas; mean settle-plate counts in the recirculator-ventilated cubicles were significantly lower than in the open ward and in the window-ventilated side-room; similar results were shown by slit-sampling of air. Mean settle-plate counts were significantly lower in all areas when the ward was occupied by female patients. Staph. aureus was rarely carried by air from plenum-ventilated or other cubicles to the open ward, or from the open ward to the cubicles; though staphylococci were transferred from one floor area to another, they did not appear to be redispersed

Identifying positively deviant elderly medical wards using routinely collected NHS Safety Thermometer data: an observational study.

PubMed

Baxter, Ruth; Taylor, Natalie; Kellar, Ian; Pye, Victoria; Mohammed, Mohammed A; Lawton, Rebecca

2018-02-16

The positive deviance approach seeks to identify and learn from exceptional performers. Although a framework exists to apply positive deviance within healthcare organisations, there is limited guidance to support its implementation. The approach has also rarely explored exceptional performance on broad outcomes, been implemented at ward level, or applied within the UK. This study develops and critically appraises a pragmatic method for identifying positively deviant wards using a routinely collected, broad measure of patient safety. A two-phased observational study was conducted. During phase 1, cross-sectional and temporal analyses of Safety Thermometer data were conducted to identify a discrete group of positively deviant wards that consistently demonstrated exceptional levels of safety. A group of matched comparison wards with above average performances were also identified. During phase 2, multidisciplinary staff and patients on the positively deviant and comparison wards completed surveys to explore whether their perceptions of safety supported the identification of positively deviant wards. 34 elderly medical wards within a northern region of England, UK. Multidisciplinary staff (n=161) and patients (n=188) clustered within nine positively deviant and comparison wards. Phase 1: A combination of analyses identified five positively deviant wards that performed best in the region, outperformed their organisation and performed consistently well over 12 months. Five above average matched comparator wards were also identified. Phase 2: Staff and patient perceptions of safety generally supported the identification of positively deviant wards using Safety Thermometer data, although patient perceptions of safety were less concordant with the routinely collected data. This study tentatively supports a pragmatic method of using routinely collected data to identify positively deviant elderly medical wards; however, it also highlights the various challenges that are faced

'Safety by DEFAULT': introduction and impact of a paediatric ward round checklist.

PubMed

Sharma, Sanjiv; Peters, Mark J

2013-10-11

Poor communication is a source of risk. This can be particularly significant in areas of high clinical acuity such as intensive care. Ward rounds are points where large amounts of information must be communicated in a time-limited environment with many competing interests. This has the potential to reduce effective communication and risk patient safety. Checklists have been used in many industries to improve communication and mitigate risk. We describe the introduction of a ward round safety checklist 'DEFAULT' on a paediatric intensive care unit. A non-blinded, pre- and post-intervention observational study was undertaken in a 12-bedded Level 3 tertiary PICU between July 2009 and December 2011. Ward round stakeholders subjectively liked the checklist and felt it improved communication. Introduction of the ward round checklist was associated with an increase in median days between accidental extubations from 14 (range 2 to 86) to 150 (56 to 365) (Mann-Whitney P <0.0001). The ward round checklist was also associated with an increase in the proportion of invasively ventilated patients with target tidal volumes of <8 ml/kg, which increased from 35 of 71 patients at 08.00 representing a proportion of 0.49 (95% CI 0.38 to 0.60) to 23 of 38 (0.61, 0.45 to 0.74). This represented a trend towards an increased proportion of cases in the target range (z = 1.68, P = 0.09). The introduction of a ward round safety checklist was associated with improved communication and patient safety.

Year 6 Post-Remediation Biomonitoring and Phase II Source Investigation at the United Heckathorn Superfund Site, Richmond, California

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

Kohn, Nancy P.; Evans, Nathan R.

The Heckathorn Superfund Site in Richmond, California, encompasses the property of the former United Heckathorn pesticide packaging plant and the adjacent waterway, Lauritzen Channel. The site was used from 1945 to 1966 by several operators to produce various agricultural chemicals. The site was placed on the National Priorities List of Superfund sites in 1990, which resulted in the removal of pesticide-contaminated soil from the upland portion of the site and dredging the marine portion of the site. Post-remediation marine monitoring and associated studies conducted through 2002 indicate that the contamination in the channel continues to pose a significant risk tomore » biota and human health. This report documents continued marine monitoring and source investigation studies conducted in 2003.« less

"Ward v. Wilbanks": Counselor Educators Respond

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkholder, David; Hall, Stephanie F.; Burkholder, Jessica

2014-01-01

This article investigated 71 counselor educators' perspectives and pedagogical practices related to "Ward v. Wilbanks" (2009) and the American Counseling Association (ACA) response to the case. The authors used qualitative content analysis to identify 6 themes from survey data: (a) views on gatekeeping and student training; (b)…

The relationship between leadership, teamworking, structure, burnout and attitude to patients on acute psychiatric wards

PubMed Central

Nijman, Henk; Simpson, Alan; Jones, Julia

2010-01-01

Background Conflict (aggression, substance use, absconding, etc.) and containment (coerced medication, manual restraint, etc.) threaten the safety of patients and staff on psychiatric wards. Previous work has suggested that staff variables may be significant in explaining differences between wards in their rates of these behaviours, and that structure (ward organisation, rules and daily routines) might be the most critical of these. This paper describes the exploration of a large dataset to assess the relationship between structure and other staff variables. Methods A multivariate cross-sectional design was utilised. Data were collected from staff on 136 acute psychiatric wards in 26 NHS Trusts in England, measuring leadership, teamwork, structure, burnout and attitudes towards difficult patients. Relationships between these variables were explored through principal components analysis (PCA), structural equation modelling and cluster analysis. Results Principal components analysis resulted in the identification of each questionnaire as a separate factor, indicating that the selected instruments assessed a number of non-overlapping items relevant for ward functioning. Structural equation modelling suggested a linear model in which leadership influenced teamwork, teamwork structure; structure burnout; and burnout feelings about difficult patients. Finally, cluster analysis identified two significantly distinct groups of wards: the larger of which had particularly good leadership, teamwork, structure, attitudes towards patients and low burnout; and the second smaller proportion which was poor on all variables and high on burnout. The better functioning cluster of wards had significantly lower rates of containment events. Conclusion The overall performance of staff teams is associated with differing rates of containment on wards. Interventions to reduce rates of containment on wards may need to address staff issues at every level, from leadership through to staff

Comparison of student learning in the out-patient clinic and ward round.

PubMed

Davis, M H; Dent, J A

1994-05-01

In undergraduate medical education there is a trend away from ward-based teaching towards out-patient and community-based teaching. To study the potential effects of this altered emphasis on student learning, a pilot group of final-year medical students at the University of Dundee was asked to keep individual structured log-books. These contained details of patients seen during their 3-week orthopaedic attachment in both a ward and out-patient setting. A comparison of perceived learning in the two settings showed that students learned more from attending an out-patient clinic than a ward round, but did not make full use of the learning potential of either. The setting did not particularly influence the balance of learning as categorized here but only the ward round supplied experience of surgical complications. The amount of learning taking place in an out-patient clinic was influenced by student ability, measured by examination performance, but not by clinic work-load. The implications of increased use of out-patient clinics and the advantages and disadvantages of the approach employed are discussed. It is concluded that in the situation studied student learning in the outpatient setting is as good as or superior to the ward setting but should not totally replace it.

The health-care environment on a locked psychiatric ward: an ethnographic study.

PubMed

Johansson, Inger M; Skärsäter, Ingela; Danielson, Ella

2006-12-01

Recent changes in psychiatric hospital care involving a reduction in the number of beds and time spent in hospital motivated the study of conditions of inpatient care on such wards. An ethnographic study of a locked, acute psychiatric ward in a department of psychiatry was performed with the aim of describing the health-care environment in such a ward. The ward admitted patients on both a voluntarily and involuntarily basis. Data were collected by means of 3.5 months of participant observations. The results showed a health-care environment that was overshadowed by control. Staff were in control but they also lacked control; they attempted to master the situation in line with organizational demands and they sometimes failed. At the same time, the staff tried to share the responsibility of caring for patients and next of kin. Patients were controlled by staff; they were the underdogs and dependent on staff for their care and the freedom to leave the ward. Patients tried to make themselves heard and reacted to the control by developing counter-strategies. What this study adds to earlier research is patients' pressure on staff and sometimes quite an open struggle for more control, which may be an expression for an unacceptable imbalance in power between patients and staff.

Issuance of Final Guidance: Ecological Risk Assessment and Risk Management Principles for Superfund Sites, October 7, 1999

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This guidance is intended to help Superfund risk managers make ecological risk management decisions that are based on sound science, consistent across Regions, and present a characterization of site risks that is transparent to the public.

75 FR 53694 - Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site; Davie, Broward County, FL; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket EPA-RO4-SFUND-2010-0729, FRL-9196-1] Florida Petroleum... entered into a settlement for reimbursement of past response costs concerning the Florida Petroleum... No. EPA-RO4- SFUND-2010-0729 or Site name Florida Petroleum Reprocessors Superfund Site by one of the...

PRE- AND POST-DREDGING AT A MARINE SUPERFUND SITE: COMPARISON OF EXPOSURE, HABITAT, AND ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS

EPA Science Inventory

New Bedford Harbor (NBH), MA, is a marine Superfund site due to severely PCB-contaminated sediments. Prior to initial remedial activities, a comprehensive long-term monitoring program was developed to assess the effectiveness of dredging at this site, both spatially and temporal...

Cross-year peer tutoring on internal medicine wards: results of a qualitative focus group analysis.

PubMed

Krautter, Markus; Andreesen, Sven; Köhl-Hackert, Nadja; Hoffmann, Katja; Herzog, Wolfgang; Nikendei, Christoph

2014-01-01

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has become a well-accepted teaching method within medical education. However, descriptions of on-ward PAL programs are rare. A focus group analysis of a newly established PAL program on an internal medicine ward was conducted to provide insights into PAL teaching from a student perspective. To provide insights into students' experiences regarding their on-ward training with and without accompanying PAL tutors. A total of N=168 medical students in their sixth semester participated in the investigation (intervention group: N=88; control group: N=80). The intervention group took part in the PAL program, while the control group received standard on-ward training. There were seven focus groups with N=43 participants (intervention group: four focus groups, N=28 participants; control group: three focus groups, N=15 participants). The discussions were analyzed using content analysis. The intervention group emphasized the role of the tutors as competent and well-trained teachers, most beneficial in supervising clinical skills. Tutors motivate students, help them to integrate into the ward team, and provide a non-fear-based working relationship whereby students' anxiety regarding working on ward decreases. The control group had to rely on autodidactic learning strategies when neither supervising physicians nor final-year students were available. On-ward PAL programs represent a particularly valuable tool for students' support in training clinical competencies on ward. The tutor-student working alliance acts through its flat hierarchy. Nevertheless, tutors cannot represent an adequate substitute for experienced physicians.

Food hygiene on the wards.

PubMed

Steuer, Walter

2007-09-13

A PROBLEM THAT IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED OR SIMPLY NOT GIVEN ENOUGH ATTENTION: the food served to patients from the kitchen is not sterile. If food is allowed to stand at room temperature for a long time, both in the case of food cooked for lunch and of food intended for supper which has been previously chilled, there is the possibility of massive spore germination or of dangerous toxin formation. Therefore regulations on how to handle food and beverages (e.g. tea) must be set out in the infection control policy, and checks carried out to monitor compliance with the rules relating to temperature checks, duration and type of storage, need for reheating, etc. Making staff aware of the issues involved is of paramount importance. These include monitoring hygiene standards in the ward kitchen, formulation of a cleaning policy, periodic bacteriological checks (not only of workstations but also of the dishwasher results), whenever possible the use of disposable cloths for working surfaces and equipment, changing cleaning cloths at least once daily and hygienic hand disinfection before and after handing out food. Foodstuffs brought in by visitors represent a special hygienic and organizational problem because in many cases they already have a high baseline microbial count. Visitors must be made aware that, for example, slices of cake left in the patient's room and often eaten only hours later can pose a risk of infection.In summary, the following principles of food hygiene must be observed on the wards:Maintenance of the cold-hot chainNot only reheat food, but ensure it is well heated throughout Avoid situations giving rise to spore germination in foodstuffs brought in by visitorsCleanliness and minimal contamination of kitchen worktopsCleanliness of crockery and kitchen towels Do not allow food to stand at room temperature for a long time, in particular desserts and confectionery A standard policy must be enforced to define the hygienic status and organization for food

42 CFR 70.7 - Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and... QUARANTINE, INSPECTION, LICENSING INTERSTATE QUARANTINE § 70.7 Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients. A parent, guardian, physician, nurse, or other such person shall not transport, or...

42 CFR 70.7 - Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and... QUARANTINE, INSPECTION, LICENSING INTERSTATE QUARANTINE § 70.7 Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients. A parent, guardian, physician, nurse, or other such person shall not transport, or...

42 CFR 70.7 - Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and... QUARANTINE, INSPECTION, LICENSING INTERSTATE QUARANTINE § 70.7 Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients. A parent, guardian, physician, nurse, or other such person shall not transport, or...

42 CFR 70.7 - Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and... QUARANTINE, INSPECTION, LICENSING INTERSTATE QUARANTINE § 70.7 Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients. A parent, guardian, physician, nurse, or other such person shall not transport, or...

42 CFR 70.7 - Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and... QUARANTINE, INSPECTION, LICENSING INTERSTATE QUARANTINE § 70.7 Responsibility with respect to minors, wards, and patients. A parent, guardian, physician, nurse, or other such person shall not transport, or...

Final Report: Technical Assistance for the Kearsarge Metallurgical Corporation Superfund Site, Conway, New Hampshire, EPA Region 1

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report reviews and provides recommendations for a long-term groundwater monitoring network for the Kearsarge Metallurgical Corporation Superfund site (KMC site). The KMC site is a former foundry and metal fabrication facility in Conway, New Hampshire.

Robot Assisted Surgical Ward Rounds: Virtually Always There.

PubMed

Croghan, Stefanie M; Carroll, Paul; Reade, Sarah; Gillis, Amy E; Ridgway, Paul F

2018-05-02

 While an explosion in technological sophistication has revolutionized surgery within the operating theatre, delivery of surgical ward-based care has seen little innovation.  Use of telepresence allowing off-site clinicians communicate with patients has been largely restricted to outpatient settings or use of complex, expensive, static devices.  We designed a prospective study to ascertain feasibility and face validity of a remotely controlled mobile audiovisual drone (LUCY) to access inpatients.  This device is, uniquely, lightweight, freely mobile and emulates 'human' interaction by swiveling and adjusting height to patients' eye-level.   METHODS: Robot-assisted ward rounds(RASWR) were conducted over 3 months. A remotely located consultant surgeon communicated with patients/bedside teams via encrypted audiovisual telepresence robot (DoubleRoboticstm, California USA).  Likert-scale satisfaction questionnaires, incorporating free-text sections for mixed-methods data collection, were disseminated to patient and staff volunteers following RASWRs.  The same cohort completed a linked questionnaire following conventional (gold-standard) rounds, acting as control group. Data were paired, and non-parametric analysis performed.  RESULTS: RASWRs are feasible (>90% completed without technical difficulty). The RASWR(n=52 observations) demonstrated face validity with strong correlations (r>0.7; Spearman, p-value <0.05) between robotic and conventional ward rounds among patients and staff on core themes, including dignity/confidentiality/communication/satisfaction with management plan. Patients (96.08%, n=25) agreed RASWR were a satisfactory alternative when consultant physical presence was not possible. There was acceptance of nursing/NCHD cohort (100% (n=11) willing to regularly partake in RASWR).  CONCLUSION: RASWRs receive high levels of patient and staff acceptance, and offer a valid alternative to conventional ward rounds when a consultant cannot be

Opening the black box in nursing work and management practice: the role of ward managers.

PubMed

Townsend, Keith; Wilkinson, Adrian; Kellner, Ashlea

2015-03-01

This paper aims to identify and explore key obstacles preventing ward managers from effectively performing the human resource management (HRM) responsibilities required in their role. In the context of increasing costs and the decentralisation of responsibility to ward level, the relevance of the ward manager role within the 'black box' between human resource management and firm performance is becoming increasingly pertinent. This paper presents an intensive case study including 37 interviews across all levels of a hospital where senior management attempted to shift to a high performance model of human resource management. The findings indicated that ward managers played a critical role in maintaining and improving employee performance, although they were restricted from effectively performing their responsibilities due to budget pressure and limited managerial skill development. Our findings support the contention that hospitals would benefit from focusing on the critical role of the ward manager as the central locus of influence in high performance human resource management (HPHRM) systems. Investment into high performance human resource management is discouraged if the hospital cannot adequately enable ward managers who are responsible for implementation. Introduction of managerial skills training to potential and existing ward managers is critical. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

RCRA, Superfund Monthly Hotline reports. Monthly report

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

Not Available

1992-01-01

The RCRA/SF Hotline quickly responds to questions related to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA), Underground Storage Tanks (UST) program, the Superfund Amendments Reauthorization Act (SARA), and the Chemical emergency Preparedness (CEPP) Community Right-to-know Act/Title III program. The hotline is the mechanism for EPA's response to inquiries from the public and regulated community; the referral point for document availability; the dissemination of changing information; and the primary means for answering factual questions on EPA regulations and policies. The Monthly Hotline Reports contain questions posed by the callers that were eithermore » significant and required the EPA to resolve the issues or were the most frequently asked questions. Also included in the Reports are the Federal Register summaries, publications availabilities, and call statistics.« less

Medical academia clinical experiences of Ward Round Teaching curriculum.

PubMed

Haghani, Fariba; Arabshahi, Seyed Kamran Soltani; Bigdeli, Shoaleh; Alavi, Mousa; Omid, Athar

2014-01-01

Medical students spend most of their time in hospital wards and it is necessary to study clinical educational opportunities. This study was aimed to explore faculty members' experience on Ward Round Teaching content. This qualitative study was conducted by purposive sampling with the maximum variation of major clinical departments faculty members in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (n = 9). Data gathering was based on deep and semi-structured interviews. Data gathering continued till data saturation. Data was analyzed through the Collaizzi method and validated. Strategies to ensure trustworthiness of data (credibility, dependability, conformability, transferability) were employed (Guba and Lincoln). Basic codes extracted from the analyzed data were categorized into two main themes and related subthemes, including (1) tangible teachings (analytic intelligence, technical intelligence, legal duties) and (2) implied teachings (professionalism, professional discipline, professional difficulties). Ward round teaching is a valuable opportunity for learners to learn not only patient care aspects but also ethical values. By appropriate planning, opportunities can be used to teach capabilities that are expected of general practitioners.

Linearized self-consistent GW approach satisfying the Ward identity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuwahara, Riichi; Ohno, Kaoru

2014-09-01

We propose a linearized self-consistent GW approach satisfying the Ward identity. The vertex function derived from the Ward-Takahashi identity in the limit of q =0 and ω -ω'=0 is included in the self-energy and the polarization function as a consequence of the linearization of the quasiparticle equation. Due to the energy dependence of the self-energy, the Hamiltonian is a non-Hermitian operator and quasiparticle states are nonorthonormal and linearly dependent. However, the linearized quasiparticle states recover orthonormality and fulfill the completeness condition. This approach is very efficient, and the resulting quasiparticle energies are greatly improved compared to the nonlinearized self-consistent GW approach, although its computational cost is not much increased. We show the results for atoms and dimers of Li and Na compared with other approaches. We also propose convenient ways to calculate the Luttinger-Ward functional Φ based on a plasmon-pole model and calculate the total energy for the ground state. As a result, we conclude that the linearization improves overall behaviors in the self-consistent GW approach.

Medical academia clinical experiences of Ward Round Teaching curriculum

PubMed Central

Haghani, Fariba; Arabshahi, Seyed Kamran Soltani; Bigdeli, Shoaleh; Alavi, Mousa; Omid, Athar

2014-01-01

Background: Medical students spend most of their time in hospital wards and it is necessary to study clinical educational opportunities. This study was aimed to explore faculty members’ experience on Ward Round Teaching content. Methods and Materials: This qualitative study was conducted by purposive sampling with the maximum variation of major clinical departments faculty members in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences (n = 9). Data gathering was based on deep and semi-structured interviews. Data gathering continued till data saturation. Data was analyzed through the Collaizzi method and validated. Strategies to ensure trustworthiness of data (credibility, dependability, conformability, transferability) were employed (Guba and Lincoln). Results: Basic codes extracted from the analyzed data were categorized into two main themes and related subthemes, including (1) tangible teachings (analytic intelligence, technical intelligence, legal duties) and (2) implied teachings (professionalism, professional discipline, professional difficulties). Conclusion: Ward round teaching is a valuable opportunity for learners to learn not only patient care aspects but also ethical values. By appropriate planning, opportunities can be used to teach capabilities that are expected of general practitioners. PMID:24627858

HISTORY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE US EPA'S SUPERFUND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION (SITE) MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT (MMT) PROGRAM

EPA Science Inventory

This manuscript presents the history and evolution of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Monitoring and Measurement Technology (MMT) Program. This includes a discussion of how the fundamental concepts of a performanc...

Respiratory support in oncology ward setting: a prospective descriptive study.

PubMed

Mishra, Seema; Bhatnagar, Sushma; Gupta, Deepak; Goyal, Gaurav Nirvani; Agrawal, Ravi; Jain, Roopesh; Chauhan, Himanshu

2009-01-01

Mechanical ventilation in cancer patients is a critical issue The present prospective descriptive study was designed (1) to assess the patient population needing respirator support in ward setting at a premier state-run oncology institute in India, (2) to observe and analyze the course of their disease while on respirator, and (3) to coordinate better quality of life measures in cancer patients at the institute based on the present study's outcomes. Beginning from March 2005 to March 2006, all cancer patients who were connected to respirator in the wards were enrolled in the current study. Our anesthesiology department at the cancer institute also has primary responsibility for airway management and mechanical ventilation in high dependency units of oncology wards. Preventilation variables in cancer patients were assessed to judge the futility of mechanical ventilation in ward setting. Subsequently, patients were observed for disease course while on respirator. Final outcome with its etio-pathogenesis was correlated with predicted futility of mechanical ventilation. Over a period of 1 year, 132 (46 men and 86 women) cancer patients with median age 40 years (range 1-75 years) were connected to respirator in oncology wards. Based on the preventilation variables and indications for respirator support, right prediction of medical futility and hospital discharge was made in 77% of patients. Underestimation and overestimation of survival to hospital discharge was made in 10% cases and 13% cases, respectively. Based on preventilation variables, prediction of outcome in cancer patients needing respirator support can be made in 77% cases. This high probability of prediction can be used to educate patients, and their families and primary physicians, for well-informed and documented advance directives, formulated and regularly revised DNAR policies, and judicious use of respirator support for better quality-of-life outcomes.

Ward mortality after ICU discharge: a multicenter validation of the Sabadell score.

PubMed

Fernandez, Rafael; Serrano, Jose Manuel; Umaran, Isabel; Abizanda, Ricard; Carrillo, Andres; Lopez-Pueyo, Maria Jesus; Rascado, Pedro; Balerdi, Begoña; Suberviola, Borja; Hernandez, Gonzalo

2010-07-01

Tools for predicting post-ICU patients' outcomes are scarce. A single-center study showed that the Sabadell score classified patients into four groups with clear-cut differences in ward mortality. To validate the Sabadell score using a prospective multicenter approach. Thirty-one ICUs in Spain. All patients admitted in the 3-month study period. We recorded variables at ICU admission (age, sex, severity of illness, and do-not-resuscitate orders), during the ICU stay (ICU-specific treatments, ICU-acquired infection, and acute renal failure), and at ICU discharge (Sabadell score). Statistical analyses included one-way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis with ward mortality as the dependent variable. We admitted 4,132 patients (mean age 61.5 +/- 16.7 years) with mean predicted mortality of 23.8 +/- 22.7%; 545 patients (13%) died in the ICU and 3,587 (87%) were discharged to the ward. Overall ward mortality was 6.7%; ward mortality was 1.5% (36/2,422) in patients with score 0 (good prognosis), 9% (64/725) in patients with score 1 (long-term poor prognosis), 23% (79/341) in patients with score 2 (short-term poor prognosis), and 64% (63/99) in patients with score 3 (expected hospital death). Variables associated with ward mortality in the multivariate analysis were predicted risk of death (OR 1.016), ICU readmission (OR 5.9), Sabadell score 1 (OR 4.7), Sabadell score 2 (OR 15.7), and Sabadell score 3 (OR 107.2). We confirm the ability of the Sabadell score at ICU discharge to define four groups of patients with very different likelihoods of hospital survival.

PILOT-SCALE INCINERATION OF PCB-CONTAMINATED SEDIMENTS FROM THE NEW BEDFORD HARBOR HOT SPOT SUPERFUND SITE

EPA Science Inventory

Testing was performed at the EPA's Incineration Research Facility (IRF) to determine the incinerability of contaminated marine sediment from the Hot Spot in the New Bedford Harbor Superfund Site. he contaminants at this site were PCBs, at concentrations up to >200,000 mg/kg, and ...

SUPERFUND TREATABILITY CLEARINGHOUSE: CERCLA BDAT SARM PREPARATION AND RESULTS OF PHYSICAL SOILS WASHING EXPERIMENTS (FINAL REPORT)

EPA Science Inventory

This study reports on the results of work preparing 30,000 Ibs of SARM or synthetic analytical reference matrix, a surrogate Superfund soil containing a vide range of contaminants. It also reports the results ©f bench scale treatability experiments designed to simulate the EP...

Electronic patient record use during ward rounds: a qualitative study of interaction between medical staff.

PubMed

Morrison, Cecily; Jones, Matthew; Blackwell, Alan; Vuylsteke, Alain

2008-01-01

Electronic patient records are becoming more common in critical care. As their design and implementation are optimized for single users rather than for groups, we aimed to understand the differences in interaction between members of a multidisciplinary team during ward rounds using an electronic, as opposed to paper, patient medical record. A qualitative study of morning ward rounds of an intensive care unit that triangulates data from video-based interaction analysis, observation, and interviews. Our analysis demonstrates several difficulties the ward round team faced when interacting with each other using the electronic record compared with the paper one. The physical setup of the technology may impede the consultant's ability to lead the ward round and may prevent other clinical staff from contributing to discussions. We discuss technical and social solutions for minimizing the impact of introducing an electronic patient record, emphasizing the need to balance both. We note that awareness of the effects of technology can enable ward-round teams to adapt their formations and information sources to facilitate multidisciplinary communication during the ward round.

Electronic patient record use during ward rounds: a qualitative study of interaction between medical staff

PubMed Central

Morrison, Cecily; Jones, Matthew; Blackwell, Alan; Vuylsteke, Alain

2008-01-01

Introduction Electronic patient records are becoming more common in critical care. As their design and implementation are optimized for single users rather than for groups, we aimed to understand the differences in interaction between members of a multidisciplinary team during ward rounds using an electronic, as opposed to paper, patient medical record. Methods A qualitative study of morning ward rounds of an intensive care unit that triangulates data from video-based interaction analysis, observation, and interviews. Results Our analysis demonstrates several difficulties the ward round team faced when interacting with each other using the electronic record compared with the paper one. The physical setup of the technology may impede the consultant's ability to lead the ward round and may prevent other clinical staff from contributing to discussions. Conclusions We discuss technical and social solutions for minimizing the impact of introducing an electronic patient record, emphasizing the need to balance both. We note that awareness of the effects of technology can enable ward-round teams to adapt their formations and information sources to facilitate multidisciplinary communication during the ward round. PMID:19025662

Factors impacting perceived safety among staff working on mental health wards

PubMed Central

Brown, Andrew; McCabe, Rhiannah; Rogerson, Michelle; Whittington, Richard

2017-01-01

Background Safety at work is a core issue for mental health staff working on in-patient units. At present, there is a limited theoretical base regarding which factors may affect staff perceptions of safety. Aims This study attempted to identify which factors affect perceived staff safety working on in-patient mental health wards. Method A cross-sectional design was employed across 101 forensic and non-forensic mental health wards, over seven National Health Service trusts nationally. Measures included an online staff survey, Ward Features Checklist and recorded incident data. Data were analysed using categorical principal components analysis and ordinal regression. Results Perceptions of staff safety were increased by ward brightness, higher number of patient beds, lower staff to patient ratios, less dayroom space and more urban views. Conclusions The findings from this study do not represent common-sense assumptions. Results are discussed in the context of the literature and may have implications for current initiatives aimed at managing in-patient violence and aggression. Declaration of interest None. Copyright and usage © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. PMID:28904814

Factors impacting perceived safety among staff working on mental health wards.

PubMed

Haines, Alina; Brown, Andrew; McCabe, Rhiannah; Rogerson, Michelle; Whittington, Richard

2017-09-01

Safety at work is a core issue for mental health staff working on in-patient units. At present, there is a limited theoretical base regarding which factors may affect staff perceptions of safety. This study attempted to identify which factors affect perceived staff safety working on in-patient mental health wards. A cross-sectional design was employed across 101 forensic and non-forensic mental health wards, over seven National Health Service trusts nationally. Measures included an online staff survey, Ward Features Checklist and recorded incident data. Data were analysed using categorical principal components analysis and ordinal regression. Perceptions of staff safety were increased by ward brightness, higher number of patient beds, lower staff to patient ratios, less dayroom space and more urban views. The findings from this study do not represent common-sense assumptions. Results are discussed in the context of the literature and may have implications for current initiatives aimed at managing in-patient violence and aggression. None. © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 2017. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.

Utility of Ward-Based Retinal Photography in Stroke Patients.

PubMed

Frost, Shaun; Brown, Michael; Stirling, Verity; Vignarajan, Janardhan; Prentice, David; Kanagasingam, Yogesan

2017-03-01

Improvements in acute care of stroke patients have decreased mortality, but survivors are still at increased risk of future vascular events and mitigation of this risk requires thorough assessment of the underlying factors leading to the stroke. The brain and eye share a common embryological origin and numerous similarities exist between the small vessels of the retina and brain. Recent population-based studies have demonstrated a close link between retinal vascular changes and stroke, suggesting that retinal photography could have utility in assessing underlying stroke risk factors and prognosis after stroke. Modern imaging equipment can facilitate precise measurement and monitoring of vascular features. However, use of this equipment is a challenge in the stroke ward setting as patients are frequently unable to maintain the required seated position, and pupil dilatation is often not feasible as it could potentially obscure important neurological signs of stroke progression. This small study investigated the utility of a novel handheld, nonmydriatic retinal camera in the stroke ward and explored associations between retinal vascular features and stroke risk factors. This camera circumvented the practical limitations of conducting retinal photography in the stroke ward setting. A positive correlation was found between carotid disease and both mean width of arterioles (r = .40, P = .00571) and venules (r = .30, P = .0381). The results provide further evidence that retinal vascular features are clinically informative about underlying stroke risk factors and demonstrate the utility of handheld retinal photography in the stroke ward. Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Additional weekend allied health services reduce length of stay in subacute rehabilitation wards but their effectiveness and cost-effectiveness are unclear in acute general medical and surgical hospital wards: a systematic review.

PubMed

Sarkies, Mitchell N; White, Jennifer; Henderson, Kate; Haas, Romi; Bowles, John

2018-06-18

Are additional weekend allied health services effective and cost-effective for acute general medical and surgical wards, and subacute rehabilitation hospital wards? Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies published between January 2000 and May 2017. Two reviewers independently screened studies for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality. Meta-analyses were conducted for relative measures of effect estimates. Patients admitted to acute general medical and surgical wards, and subacute rehabilitation wards. All services delivered by allied health professionals during weekends (Saturday and/or Sunday). This study limited allied health professions to: occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social work, speech pathology, dietetics, art therapy, chiropractic, exercise physiology, music therapy, oral health (not dentistry), osteopathy, podiatry, psychology, and allied health assistants. Hospital length of stay, hospital re-admission, adverse events, discharge destination, functional independence, health-related quality of life, and cost of hospital care. Nineteen articles (20 studies) were identified, comprising 10 randomised and 10 non-randomised trials. Physiotherapy was the most commonly investigated profession. A meta-analysis of randomised, controlled trials showed that providing additional weekend allied health services in subacute rehabilitation wards reduced hospital length of stay by 2.35days (95% CI 0.45 to 4.24, I 2 =0%), and may be a cost-effective way to improve function (SMD 0.09, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.19, I 2 =0%), and health-related quality of life (SMD 0.10, 95% CI -0.01 to 0.20, I 2 =0%). For acute general medical and surgical hospital wards, it was unclear whether the weekend allied health service model provided in the two identified randomised trials led to significant changes in measured outcomes. The benefit of providing additional allied health services is clearer in subacute rehabilitation settings than for acute general

Henry Ward Beecher: A Nation's Tribune.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandler, Daniel Ross

Henry Ward Beecher was America's most prominent 19th century liberal preacher and a major spokesperson for New England Transcendentalism. His philosophy integrated four fundamental themes: the creation of a moral code based on the internalization of values and peer group pressures, the establishment of the reform ideal of the impartial nonpartisan…

Job satisfaction in mainland China: comparing critical care nurses and general ward nurses.

PubMed

Zhang, Aihua; Tao, Hong; Ellenbecker, Carol Hall; Liu, Xiaohong

2013-08-01

To explore the level of nurses' job satisfaction and compare the differences between critical care nurses and general ward nurses in Mainland China. Hospitals continue to experience high nurse turnover. Job satisfaction is a key factor to retain skilled nurses. The differences in job satisfaction among critical care nurses and general ward nurses are unknown. A cross-sectional design was selected for this descriptive correlation study. Cross-sectional study of critical care nurses (n = 446) and general ward nurses (n = 1118) in 9 general hospitals by means of questionnaires that included the Chinese Nurses Job Satisfaction Scale and demographic scale. The data were collected from June 2010-November 2010. Chinese nurses had moderate levels of job satisfaction, were satisfied with co-workers and family/work balance; and dissatisfied with pay and professional promotion. Critical care nurses were younger; less educated and had less job tenure when compared with nurses working on general wards. Critical care nurses were significantly less satisfied than general ward nurses with many aspects of their job. Levels of nurses' job satisfaction can be improved. The lower job satisfaction of critical care nurses compared with general ward nurses should warn the healthcare administrators and managers of potentially increasing the critical care nurses turn over. Innovative and adaptable managerial interventions need to be taken to improve critical care nurse' job satisfaction and retain skilled nurse. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Aggression in Psychiatric Wards: Effect of the Use of a Structured Risk Assessment.

PubMed

Hvidhjelm, Jacob; Sestoft, Dorte; Skovgaard, Lene Theil; Rasmussen, Kirsten; Almvik, Roger; Bue Bjorner, Jakob

2016-12-01

Health care workers are often exposed to violence and aggression in psychiatric settings. Short-term risk assessments, such as the Brøset Violence Checklist (BVC), are strong predictors of such aggression and may enable staff to take preventive measures against aggression. This study evaluated whether the routine use of the BVC could reduce the frequency of patient aggression. We conducted a study with a semi-random regression discontinuity design in 15 psychiatric wards. Baseline aggression risk was assessed using the Aggression Observation Short Form (AOS) over three months. The BVC was implemented in seven intervention wards, and the risk of aggressive incidents over three months of follow-up was compared with the risk in eight control wards. The analysis was conducted at the ward level because each ward was allocated to the intervention and control groups. At baseline, the risk of aggression varied between wards, from one aggressive incident per patient per 1,000 shifts to 147 aggressive incidents per patient per 1,000 shifts. The regression discontinuity analysis found a 45% reduction in the risk of aggression (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.55, 95% confidence interval: 0.21-1.43). The study did not find a significant reduction in the risk of aggression after implementing a systematic short-term risk assessment with the BVC. Although our findings suggest that use of the BVC may reduce the risk of aggression, the results need to be confirmed in studies with more statistical power.

Identifying the nontechnical skills required of nurses in general surgical wards.

PubMed

Marshall, Dianne C; Finlayson, Mary P

2018-04-01

To identify the nontechnical skills (NTS) required of nurses in general surgical wards for safe and effective care. As the largest occupational group, nurses are in an ideal position to block the vulnerabilities of patient adverse events in a surgical ward. Previous studies in the surgical environment have identified the NTS required of nurses for safe care in operating rooms; however, these skills have not been identified for nurses in general surgical wards. A nonparticipant observational descriptive design was used. A purposive sample of 15 registered nurses was recruited from four surgical wards and observed for a full shift on a morning, afternoon or night shift. Nonparticipant observations were conducted using field notes to collect data. A coding frame was developed, and an inductive process was used to analyse the data. A taxonomy comprising seven NTS required of nurses in their roles in surgical ward teams emerged from the data analysis. They are communication, leadership and management, planning, decision-making, situation awareness, teamwork and patient advocacy. Patient care provided by general surgical nurses involved the seven identified key NTS. These particular NTS are an important component of safe nursing practice as they underpin the provision of safe and effective care for general surgical patients. Nurses block the trajectory of error by using NTS to address the vulnerabilities in the system that can lead to adverse patient events. Identifying general surgical nurses' NTS enables the development of teaching strategies that target the learning of those skills to achieve successful work outcomes and improve patient safety. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Do-not-resuscitate policy on acute geriatric wards in Flanders, Belgium.

PubMed

De Gendt, Cindy; Bilsen, Johan; Vander Stichele, Robert; Lambert, Margareta; Den Noortgate, NeleVan; Deliens, Luc

2005-12-01

To describe the historical development and status of a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) policy on acute geriatric wards in Flanders, Belgium, and to compare it with the international situation. Structured mail questionnaires. All 94 acute geriatric wards in hospitals in Flanders in 2002 (the year Belgium voted a law on euthanasia). Head geriatricians. A questionnaire was mailed about the existence, development, and implementation of the DNR policy (guidelines and order forms), with a request to return copies of existing DNR guidelines and DNR order forms. The response was 76.6%, with hospital characteristics not significantly different for responders and nonresponders. Development of DNR policy began in 1985, with a step-up in 1997 and 2001. In 2002, a DNR policy was available in 86.1% of geriatric wards, predominantly with institutional DNR guidelines and individual, patient-specific DNR order forms. Geriatric wards in private hospitals implemented their policy later (P=.01) and more often had order forms (P=.04) than those in public hospitals. The policy was initiated and developed predominantly from an institutional perspective by the hospital. The forms were not standardized and generally lacked room to document patient involvement in the decision making process. Implementation of institutional DNR guidelines and individual DNR order forms on geriatric wards in Flanders lagged behind that of other countries and was still incomplete in 2002. DNR policies varied in content and scope and were predominantly an expression of institutional defensive attitudes rather than a tool to promote patient involvement in DNR and other end-of-life decisions.

Supporting ward staff in acute care areas: the past, the present and the future?

PubMed

Coad, Sharon; Haines, Susan; Lawrence, Barbara

2002-01-01

Clinical education for acute ward staff caring for critically ill patients has continued to be a strong focus for practice development. Adopting a work-based learning approach to empower ward staff has led to the development of a five-day competency-based high dependency skills course. Developing leadership potential and enhancing networking opportunities for nurses from within critical care and ward areas is essential for the realisation of the aims of Comprehensive Critical Care.

The management pattern carried out in a cataract surgery day ward.

PubMed

Lin, Jing; Fang, Xiaoqun; Wu, Suhong

2013-06-01

To evaluate the management practice and process of a cataract surgery day ward. From January to December in 2012, a portion of the cataract patients were evaluated for the pattern of day ward management. Methods were as follows: 1) Establish the cataract day ward. 2) Enroll the patients who met the following criteria: voluntary, local residents or outsiders who stayed in a hotel near the hospital, accompanied by family, and who had simple senile cataract without any systemic major diseases. 3) Establish the hospitalization process. 4) Analyze the nursing process. After cataract day surgery, the patients were followed for 2 hours and completed a questionnaire about their needs and sentiments. A total of 3971 cases were observed in this study; 49 cases were switched to a normal pattern of hospitalization because of operative complications, 1 case had a strong desire to switch to a normal pattern of hospitalization because of ocular discomfort, 8 cases went back to the hospital for treatment because of ocular pain, and 52 cases called on the phone to seek help. Overall, 3820 cases(96.2%) returned on time the next day to visit the doctor. No patients showed severe postoperative complications and 98% expressed great satisfaction with the day ward process. Only 200 cases expressed great concern about not knowing how to deal with postoperative pain, the changes in condition outside the hospital, the therapeutic effects, and the problem of expense reimburse-ment. Day ward cataract surgery is an efficient and safe mode, and has the potential to relieve the demand for inpatient beds and to ensure timely treatment of the patients. In addition, it helps the patients enjoy health care at public expense, reserving reimbursement for those who need to be hospitalized. Nurses should pay more attention to systemic evaluation of the patients, health education, and psychological guidance, and keep in close communication with doctors, which is the key to ensure the safety of day ward

A problem of hospital hygiene: the presence of aspergilli in hospital wards with different air-conditioning features.

PubMed

Perdelli, Fernanda; Sartini, Marina; Spagnolo, Anna Maria; Dallera, Maurizio; Lombardi, Roberto; Cristina, Maria Luisa

2006-06-01

A total of 1,030 microbiological samples were taken in 3 hospital wards with different air-conditioning features: no conditioning system (ward A), a conditioning system equipped with minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) filters (ward B), and a conditioning system thoroughly maintained and equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters (absolute) (ward C). The air in each ward was sampled, and the bacterial and fungal concentrations were determined by active and passive methods. The concentration of fungi on surfaces was also determined. Active sampling showed positive samples in wards A and B only, with average values of 0.50 colony-forming units (CFU)/m(3) (95% CI, 0.30 to 0.70) in A and 0.16 CFU/m(3) (95% CI, 0.13 to 0.20) in B. Passive sampling was positive only in ward A (mean, 0.14 CFU/cm(2)/h; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.15). Aspergillus was found in 27% and 22% of sampled surfaces in wards A and B, respectively, but in no samples from ward C. The most commonly found species was A. fumigatus (76% of cases in A and 34% of cases in B). The results show that the use of air-conditioning systems markedly reduces the concentration of aspergilli in the environment. Proper maintenance of these systems is clearly fundamental if their efficacy is to be ensured.

Report: EPA Has Improved Efforts to Reduce Unliquidated Obligations in Superfund Cooperative Agreements, But a Uniform Policy Is Needed

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #09-P-0241, September 22, 2009. The regions audited (Regions 3, 5, and 8) have implemented effective procedures to adequately monitor the status of obligations under Superfund Cooperative Agreements.

Errors in fluid therapy in medical wards.

PubMed

Mousavi, Maryam; Khalili, Hossein; Dashti-Khavidaki, Simin

2012-04-01

Intravenous fluid therapy remains an essential part of patients' care during hospitalization. There are only few studies that focused on fluid therapy in the hospitalized patients, and there is not any consensus statement about fluid therapy in patients who are hospitalized in medical wards. The aim of the present study was to assess intravenous fluid therapy status and related errors in the patients during the course of hospitalization in the infectious diseases wards of a referral teaching hospital. This study was conducted in the infectious diseases wards of Imam Khomeini Complex Hospital, Tehran, Iran. During a retrospective study, data related to intravenous fluid therapy were collected by two clinical pharmacists of infectious diseases from 2008 to 2010. Intravenous fluid therapy information including indication, type, volume and rate of fluid administration was recorded for each patient. An internal protocol for intravenous fluid therapy was designed based on literature review and available recommendations. The data related to patients' fluid therapy were compared with this protocol. The fluid therapy was considered appropriate if it was compatible with the protocol regarding indication of intravenous fluid therapy, type, electrolyte content and rate of fluid administration. Any mistake in the selection of fluid type, content, volume and rate of administration was considered as intravenous fluid therapy errors. Five hundred and ninety-six of medication errors were detected during the study period in the patients. Overall rate of fluid therapy errors was 1.3 numbers per patient during hospitalization. Errors in the rate of fluid administration (29.8%), incorrect fluid volume calculation (26.5%) and incorrect type of fluid selection (24.6%) were the most common types of errors. The patients' male sex, old age, baseline renal diseases, diabetes co-morbidity, and hospitalization due to endocarditis, HIV infection and sepsis are predisposing factors for the

Region 9 NPL Sites (Superfund Sites 2013)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

NPL site POINT locations for the US EPA Region 9. NPL (National Priorities List) sites are hazardous waste sites that are eligible for extensive long-term cleanup under the Superfund program. Eligibility is determined by a scoring method called Hazard Ranking System. Sites with high scores are listed on the NPL. The majority of the locations are derived from polygon centroids of digitized site boundaries. The remaining locations were generated from address geocoding and digitizing. Area covered by this data set include Arizona, California, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Marianas and Trust Territories. Attributes include NPL status codes, NPL industry type codes and environmental indicators. Related table, NPL_Contaminants contains information about contaminated media types and chemicals. This is a one-to-many relate and can be related to the feature class using the relationship classes under the Feature Data Set ENVIRO_CONTAMINANT.

Doctors' and nurses' perceptions of a ward-based pharmacist in rural northern Sweden.

PubMed

Sjölander, Maria; Gustafsson, Maria; Gallego, Gisselle

2017-08-01

Background This project is part of the prospective quasi experimental proof-of-concept investigation of clinical pharmacist intervention study to reduce drug-related problems among people admitted to a ward in a rural hospital in northern Sweden. Objective To explore doctors' and nurses' perceptions and expectations of having a ward-based pharmacist providing clinical pharmacy services. Setting Medical ward in a rural hospital in northern Sweden. Method Eighteen face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of doctors and nurses working on the ward where the clinical pharmacy service was due to be implemented. Semi-structured interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Main outcome measure Perceptions and expectations of nurses and doctors. Results Doctors and nurses had limited experience of working with pharmacists. Most had a vague idea of what pharmacists can contribute within a ward setting. Participants, mainly nurses, suggested inventory and drug distribution roles, but few were aware of the pharmacists' skills and clinical competence. Different views were expressed on whether the new clinical pharmacy service would have an impact on workload. However, most participants took a positive view of having a ward-based pharmacist. Conclusion This study provided an opportunity to explore doctors' and nurses' expectations of the role of clinical pharmacists before a clinical pharmacy service was implemented. To successfully implement a clinical pharmacy service, roles, clinical competence and responsibilities should be clearly described. Furthermore, it is important to focus on collaborative working relationships between doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

Active learning on the ward: outcomes from a comparative trial with traditional methods.

PubMed

Melo Prado, Hegla; Hannois Falbo, Gilliatt; Rodrigues Falbo, Ana; Natal Figueirôa, José

2011-03-01

Academic activity during internship is essentially practical and ward rounds are traditionally considered the cornerstone of clinical education. However, the efficacy and effectiveness of ward rounds for learning purposes have been under-investigated and it is necessary to assess alternative educational paradigms for this activity. This study aimed to compare the educational effectiveness of ward rounds conducted with two different learning methodologies. Student subjects were first tested on 30 true/false questions to assess their initial degree of knowledge on pneumonia and diarrhoea. Afterwards, they attended ward rounds conducted using an active and a traditional learning methodology. The participants were submitted to a second test 48hours later in order to assess knowledge acquisition and were asked to answer two questions about self-directed learning and their opinions on the two learning methodologies used. Seventy-two medical students taking part in a paediatric clinic rotation were enrolled. The active methodology proved to be more effective than the traditional methodology for the three outcomes considered: knowledge acquisition (33 students [45.8%] versus 21 students [29.2%]; p=0.03); self-directed learning (38 students [52.8%] versus 11 students [15.3%]; p<0.001), and student opinion on the methods (61 students [84.7%] versus 38 students [52.8%]; p<0.001). The active methodology produced better results than the traditional methodology in a ward-based context. This study seems to be valuable in terms of the new evidence it demonstrates on learning methodologies in the context of the ward round. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

SITE PROGRAM APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS ASSESSMENT OF SUPERFUND APPLICATIONS FOR THE AMERICAN COMBUSTION INC. PYRETRON OXYGEN ENHANCED BURNER

EPA Science Inventory

Incineration is widely used to clean up Superfund sites. Modifications which improve the efficiency with which waste can be incinerated are therefore of interest to EPA. Oxygen/air burners are of interest because their installation on conventional incinerators can allow for signi...

Independent Design Review: Grants Chlorinated Solvents Plume, Superfund Site, Grants, Cibola County, New Mexico, EPA Region 6

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Grants Chlorinated Solvents Plume Superfund Site in Grants, Cibola County, New Mexico was selected by EPA OSRTI based on a nomination from EPA Region 6. The remedy is in the early design stage and has an estimated cost of $29.5 million.

75 FR 30753 - Regulated Navigation Area; Thea Foss and Wheeler-Osgood Waterways EPA Superfund Cleanup Site...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-02

... superfund cleanup remediation efforts. To more effectively protect those efforts, the Coast Guard is... cleanup remediation process in those waters. These caps consist of approximately three feet of sand and... remediation efforts that underlie the whole concept of the proposed RNA, and we would consult with the City of...

Long-Term Groundwater Monitoring Optimization, Clare Water Supply Superfund Site, Permeable Reactive Barrier and Soil Remedy Areas, Clare, Michigan

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report contains a review of the long-term groundwater monitoring network for the Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) and Soil Remedy Areas at the Clare Water Supply Superfund Site in Clare, Michigan.

Biological treatment of leachate from a Superfund site

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

Opatken, E.J.; Howard, H.K.; Bond, J.J.

1989-02-01

Studies were completed on treating a leachate from New Lyme, Ohio. The leachate was transported to Cincinnati, Ohio, where a pilot-sized rotating biological contactor (RBC) was used for a treatment evaluation. The biomass was developed on the RBC discs with primary effluent from the City of Cincinnati's Mill Creek Sewage Treatment Facility. Experiments were then conducted to determine the effectiveness of treating a hazardous waste leachate and to provide information on the following: the rate of organics removal; the final effluent quality; the fate of priority pollutants and specific organic compounds; and the loss of volatiles via stripping in themore » RBC. The paper reports on the results from these experiments and the applicability of an RBC to treat a hazardous-waste leachate from a Superfund site.« less

[Project to improve abdominal obesity in day care ward psychiatric patients].

PubMed

Liu, Yu-Chieh; Wang, Hui-Yu; Huang, Hui-Ling; Chen, Min-Li

2011-06-01

Over half (57.14%) of patients in our ward suffer from abdominal obesity. This rate is on a continuing upward trend. Reasons for such obesity include lack of physical activity classes, inadequate physical activity, high calorie diets and unhealthy eating habits, chronic diseases and drug side effects, poor motivation to reduce weight, and lack of crisis awareness of abdominal obesity. This project was designed to lessen the problem of abdominal obesity among psychiatric day care inpatients. Resolution measures implemented included: (1) arranging aerobic exercise classes; (2) scheduling classes to teach patients healthy diet habits and knowledge regarding diseases and drugs; (3) holding a waistline reduction competition; (4) displaying health education bulletin boards; (5) holding a quiz contest with prizes for correct answers. The eight abdominally obese patients in the ward achieved an average waist circumference reduction of 2.9 cm and the overall abdominal obesity rate in the ward fell to 35.7%. BMI, eating habits, and awareness of weight loss importance and motivation all improved. The outcome achieved targeted project objectives. We recommend the integration of obesity prevention into routine ward activities and quality control indicators. Nurses should provide patients with weight loss concepts, regularly monitor risk factors, and encourage patient family cooperation to maintain medical care quality.

[Do-not-resuscitate policy on acute geriatric wards in Flanders, Belgium].

PubMed

De Gendt, C; Bilsen, J; Vander Stichele, R; Lambert, M; Van Den Noortgate, N; Deliens, L

2007-10-01

This study describes the historical development and status of a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) policy on acute geriatric wards in Flanders, Belgium. In 2002 (the year Belgium voted a law on euthanasia), a structured mail questionnaire was sent to all head geriatricians of acute geriatric wards in Flanders (N=94). Respondents were asked about the existence, development, and implementation of the DNR policy (guidelines and order forms). The response was 76.6%. Development of DNR policy began in 1985, with a step-up in 1997 and 200l. In 2002, a DNR policy was available in 86.1% of geriatric wards, predominantly with institutional DNR guidelines and individual, patient-specific DNR order forms. The policy was initiated and developed predominantly from an institutional perspective by the hospital. The forms were not standardized and generally lacked room to document patient involvement in the decision making process. Implementation of institutional DNR guidelines and individual DNR order forms on geriatric wards in Flanders lagged behind that of other countries and was still incomplete in 2002. DNR policies varied in content and scope and were predominantly an expression of institutional defensive attitudes rather than a tool to promote patient involvement in DNR and other end-of-life decisions.

Regional economic impact assessment: Evaluating remedial alternatives for the Portland Harbor Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon, USA.

PubMed

Harrison, David; Coughlin, Conor; Hogan, Dylan; Edwards, Deborah A; Smith, Benjamin C

2018-01-01

The present paper describes a methodology for evaluating impacts of Superfund remedial alternatives on the regional economy in the context of a broader sustainability evaluation. Although economic impact methodology is well established, some applications to Superfund remedial evaluation have created confusion because of seemingly contradictory results. This confusion arises from failure to be explicit about 2 opposing impacts of remediation expenditures: 1) positive regional impacts of spending additional money in the region and 2) negative regional impacts of the need to pay for the expenditures (and thus forgo other expenditures in the region). The present paper provides a template for economic impact assessment that takes both positive and negative impacts into account, thus providing comprehensive estimates of net impacts. The paper also provides a strategy for identifying and estimating major uncertainties in the net impacts. The recommended methodology was applied at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site, located along the Lower Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, USA. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) developed remedial alternatives that it estimated would cost up to several billion dollars, with construction durations possibly lasting decades. The economic study estimated regional economic impacts-measured in terms of gross regional product (GRP), personal income, population, and employment-for 5 of the USEPA alternatives relative to the "no further action" alternative. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:32-42. © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Auditing Safety of Compounding and Reconstituting of Intravenous Medicines on Hospital Wards in Finland.

PubMed

Suvikas-Peltonen, Eeva; Palmgren, Joni; Häggman, Verner; Celikkayalar, Ercan; Manninen, Raija; Airaksinen, Marja

2017-01-01

On the hospital wards in Finland, nurses generally reconstitute intravenous medicines, such as antibiotics, analgesics, and antiemetics prescribed by doctors. Medicine reconstitution is prone to many errors. Therefore, it is important to identify incorrect practices in the reconstitution of medicine to improve patient safety in hospitals. The aim of this study was to audit the compounding and reconstituting of intravenous medicines on hospital wards in a secondary-care hospital in Finland by using an assessment tool and microbiological testing for identifying issues posing patient safety risks. A hospital pharmacist conducted an external audit by using a validated 65-item assessment tool for safe-medicine compounding practices on 20 wards of the selected hospital. Also, three different microbiological samples were collected to assure the aseptics. Practices were evaluated using a four-point rating scale of "never performed," "rarely performed," "often performed," and "always performed," and were based on observation and interviews with nurses or ward pharmacists. In addition, glove-, settle plate-, and media fill-tests were collected. Associations between microbial sample results and audit-tool results were discussed. Altogether, only six out of the 65 items were fully implemented in all wards; these were related to logistic practices and quality assurance. More than half of the wards used incorrect practices ("rarely performed" or "never performed") for five items. Most of these obviated practices related to aseptic practices. All media-fill tests were clean but the number of colony forming units in glove samples and settle- plate samples varied from 0 to >100. More contamination was found in wards where environmental conditions were inadequate or the use of gloves was incorrect. Compounding practices were [mostly] quite well adapted, but the aseptic practices needed improvement. Attention should have been directed particularly to good aseptic techniques and

Uncovering paradoxes from physicians' experiences of patient-centered ward-round.

PubMed

Bååthe, Fredrik; Ahlborg, Gunnar; Edgren, Lars; Lagström, Annica; Nilsson, Kerstin

2016-05-03

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to uncover paradoxes emerging from physicians' experiences of a patient-centered and team-based ward round, in an internal medicine department. Design/methodology/approach Abductive reasoning relates empirical material to complex responsive processes theory in a dialectical process to further understandings. Findings This paper found the response from physicians, to a patient-centered and team-based ward round, related to whether the new demands challenged or confirmed individual physician's professional identity. Two empirically divergent perspectives on enacting the role of physician during ward round emerged: We-perspective and I-perspective, based on where the physician's professional identity was centered. Physicians with more of a We-perspective experienced challenges with the new round, while physicians with more of an I-perspective experienced alignment with their professional identity and embraced the new round. When identity is challenged, anxiety is aroused, and if anxiety is not catered to, then resistance is likely to follow and changes are likely to be hampered. Practical implications For change processes affecting physicians' professional identity, it is important for managers and change leaders to acknowledge paradox and find a balance between new knowledge that needs to be learnt and who the physician is becoming in this new procedure. Originality/value This paper provides increased understanding about how physicians' professional identity is interacting with a patient-centered ward round. It adds to the knowledge about developing health care in line with recent societal requests and with sustainable physician engagement.

Acceptance of the 2009 Henry Baldwin Ward Medal: The accidental parasitologist

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lafferty, Kevin D.

2009-01-01

Members of the Society, President Conn, colleagues, friends, and particularly students, the Ward Medal recipient, from Clarke Read onward, traditionally recounts how their career was shaped. A decade ago, in a crumbling Kona hotel, the ASP's own tattooed lady, Janine Caira, opened her Ward Medal address with: “To all future Ward Medalists, many of whom I trust are sitting in the audience out there today, I say: savor the moment! You have no idea how much easier it is to be sitting out there where you are than standing up here where I am” (Caira 1998). I certainly didn't imagine that Janine was delivering her advice to me and it is presumptuous to imagine my story is a template for shaping a career. As the title of my talk indicates, it was an accident.

Costs of terminal patients who receive palliative care or usual care in different hospital wards.

PubMed

Simoens, Steven; Kutten, Betty; Keirse, Emmanuel; Berghe, Paul Vanden; Beguin, Claire; Desmedt, Marianne; Deveugele, Myriam; Léonard, Christian; Paulus, Dominique; Menten, Johan

2010-11-01

In addition to the effectiveness of hospital care models for terminal patients, policy makers and health care payers are concerned about their costs. This study aims to measure the hospital costs of treating terminal patients in Belgium from the health care payer perspective. Also, this study compares the costs of palliative and usual care in different types of hospital wards. A multicenter, retrospective cohort study compared costs of palliative care with usual care in acute hospital wards and with care in palliative care units. The study enrolled terminal patients from a representative sample of hospitals. Health care costs included fixed hospital costs and charges relating to medical fees, pharmacy and other charges. Data sources consisted of hospital accountancy data and invoice data. Six hospitals participated in the study, generating a total of 146 patients. The findings showed that palliative care in a palliative care unit was more expensive than palliative care in an acute ward due to higher staffing levels in palliative care units. Palliative care in an acute ward is cheaper than usual care in an acute ward. This study suggests that palliative care models in acute wards need to be supported because such care models appear to be less expensive than usual care and because such care models are likely to better reflect the needs of terminal patients. This finding emphasizes the importance of the timely recognition of the need for palliative care in terminal patients treated in acute wards.

Superfund record of decision amendment (EPA Region 5): Allied Chemical/Ironton Coke Superfund Site, Ironton, OH, July 31, 1995

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

NONE

The Allied Chemical/Ironton Coke Superfund Site, located in Ironton, Lawrence County, Ohio is approximately 95 acres in size. The Allied Chemical/Ironton Coke site is divided into two operable units, the Goldcamp Disposal Area (GDA) and the Coke Plant/Lagoon Area (CPLA). The GDA Record of Decision (ROD) which describes the GDA site remedy was executed on September 29, 1988 (PB89-206221). The CPLA RD/RA is also through a CERCLA Section 106 Unilateral Administrative Order which was signed on July 1, 1991 and was issued to Allied Signal, Inc (PB92-964115). During the pre-design and design for the CPLA, new information discovered in whichmore » fundamental changes to the original CPLA and GDA ROD`s are required. This ROD Amendment documents four fundamental changes that will affect the CPLA ROD and one of the four changes that will affect the GDA ROD.« less

Geochemical Characteristics of TP3 Mine Wastes at the Elizabeth Copper Mine Superfund Site, Orange County, Vermont

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hammarstrom, Jane M.; Piatak, Nadine M.; Seal, Robert R.; Briggs, Paul H.; Meier, Allen L.; Muzik, Timothy L.

2003-01-01

Remediation of the Elizabeth mine Superfund site in the Vermont copper belt poses challenges for balancing environmental restoration goals with issues of historic preservation while adopting cost-effective strategies for site cleanup and long-term maintenance. The waste-rock pile known as TP3, at the headwaters of Copperas Brook, is especially noteworthy in this regard because it is the worst source of surface- and ground-water contamination identified to date, while also being the area of greatest historical significance. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a study of the historic mine-waste piles known as TP3 at the Elizabeth mine Superfund site near South Strafford, Orange County, VT. TP3 is a 12.3-acre (49,780 m2) subarea of the Elizabeth mine site. It is a focus area for historic preservation because it encompasses an early 19th century copperas works as well as waste from late 19th- and 20th century copper mining (Kierstead, 2001). Surface runoff and seeps from TP3 form the headwaters of Copperas Brook. The stream flows down a valley onto flotation tailings from 20th century copper mining operations and enters the West Branch of the Ompompanoosuc River approximately 1 kilometer downstream from the mine site. Shallow drinking water wells down gradient from TP3 exceed drinking water standards for copper and cadmium (Hathaway and others, 2001). The Elizabeth mine was listed as a Superfund site in 2001, mainly because of impacts of acid-mine drainage on the Ompompanoosuc River.

Long-Term Monitoring Network Optimization Evaluation for Operable Unit 2, Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex Superfund Site, Idaho

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This report presents a description and evaluation of the ground water and surface water monitoring program associated with the Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex Superfund Site (Bunker Hill) Operable Unit (OU) 2.

Remedial Design-Stage Optimization Review Report: Sandy Beach Ground Water Plume Superfund Site, Tarrant County, Texas, EPA Region 6

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Sandy Beach Road Ground Water Plume Superfund Site, CERCLIS ID No. TXN000605649, is located within incorporated areas of Pelican Bay and Azle, Texas and an unincorporated portion of Tarrant County, Texas.

Superfund record of decision amendment (EPA Region 3): Tyson Dump Superfund Site, Upper Merion Township, Montgomergy County, PA, July 20, 1996

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

NONE

1996-08-01

The Record of Decision Amendment (`ROD Amendment`) modifies the selected remedy described in the Revised Record of Decision for the Tyson`s Superfund Site (Site) issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on March 31, 1988 (1988 Revised ROD - PB89-233894). In the 1988 Revised ROD, EPA selected a soil vapor extraction (SVE) remedy for lagoon area soils. The SVE system has removed approximately 200,000 pounds of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the lagoon area soils. Although several enhancements and modifications have been employed to improve performance, the SVE system will not achieve the cleanup standards specified in the 1988more » Revised ROD. The decision document presents the selected remedial action for the lagoon area soils at the Tyson`s Site.« less

CHARACTERIZATION OF GROUNDWATER SAMPLES FROM SUPERFUND SITES BY AS CHROMATOGRAPHY/MASS SPECTROMETRY AND LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY/MASS SPECTROMETRY.

EPA Science Inventory

Groundwater at or near Superfund sites often contains much organic matter,as indicated by total organic carbon (TOC) measurements. Analyses by standard GC and GC/MS methodology often miss the more polar or nonvolatile of these organic compounds. The identification of the highly p...

Optimization Review: Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex Superfund Site, Central Treatment Plant (CTP), Kellogg, Shoshone County, Idaho

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The Bunker Hill Mining and Metallurgical Complex Superfund Site includes all areas of the Coeur d’Alene Basin where mining-related contamination occurred and encompasses a 21-square mile “Box” along Interstate 90 surrounding the former smelter complex.

A ward round proforma improves documentation and communication.

PubMed

Alazzawi, Sulaiman; Silk, Zacharia; Saha, Urmila U; Auplish, Sunil; Masterson, Sean

2016-12-02

This article present the results of an audit cycle which evaluated the quality of inpatient ward round documentation in a busy district general hospital before and after the implementation of a standardized proforma which was specifically designed for trauma and orthopaedic patients. In each cycle, 20 case notes were examined and the data analysed to examine three main areas: Diagnosis, management and/or discharge plan Objective assessments including neurovascular status, weight-bearing status, surgical wound review, observations, results of investigations and decision from the daily trauma meeting Logistics of the documentation such as legibility, date and time, name and grade of the doctor and contact number. This audit demonstrated that using a ward round proforma can significantly enhance the quality of documentation and improve communication between multidisciplinary team members.

Theory of mind in schizophrenia: correlation with clinical symptomatology, emotional recognition and ward behavior.

PubMed

Lee, Woo Kyeong; Kim, Yong Kyu

2013-09-01

Several studies have suggested the presence of a theory of mind (ToM) deficit in schizophrenic disorders. This study examined the relationship of emotion recognition, theory of mind, and ward behavior in patients with schizophrenia. Fifty-five patients with chronic schizophrenia completed measures of emotion recognition, ToM, intelligence, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and Nurse's Observation Scale for Inpatient Evaluation (NOSIE). Theory of mind sum score correlated significantly with IQ, emotion recognition, and ward behavior. Ward behavior was linked to the duration of the illness, and even more so to theory of mind deficits. Theory of mind contributed a significant proportion of the amount of variance to explain social behavior on the ward. Considering our study results, impaired theory of mind contributes significantly to the understanding of social competence in patients with schizophrenia. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Images of recovery: a photo-elicitation study on the hospital ward.

PubMed

Radley, Alan; Taylor, Diane

2003-01-01

The authors attempted to discover the part the physical setting of the ward plays in patients' recovery by asking patients to take photographs of their ward, its spaces and objects, and then interviewing them about these images in hospital and subsequently in their homes. Photography allowed the patients to identify and capture aspects of the setting that they found salient and provided the photo-elicitation material for the interviews. Based on these data, the authors present (a) a critical discussion of the use of photography as method and its implications for qualitative analysis, (b) an overview of the kinds of image taken with respect to the ward and the course of patients' recovery, and (c) a theoretical analysis, employing Walter Benjamin's use of the concept of mimesis, that understands recovery as a bodily act in response to the shock to the senses that hospitalization and surgery produce.

Safewards: a new model of conflict and containment on psychiatric wards

PubMed Central

Bowers, L

2014-01-01

Accessible summary Rates of violence, self-harm, absconding and other incidents threatening patients and staff safety vary a great deal by hospital ward. Some wards have high rates, other low. The same goes for the actions of staff to prevent and contain such incidents, such as manual restraint, coerced medication, etc. The Safewards Model provides a simple and yet powerful explanation as to why these differences in rates occur. Six features of the inpatient psychiatric system have the capacity to give rise to flashpoints from which adverse incidents may follow. The Safewards Model makes it easy to generate ideas for changes that will make psychiatric wards safer for patients and staff. Abstract Conflict (aggression, self-harm, suicide, absconding, substance/alcohol use and medication refusal) and containment (as required medication, coerced intramuscular medication, seclusion, manual restraint, special observation, etc.) place patients and staff at risk of serious harm. The frequency of these events varies between wards, but there are few explanations as to why this is so, and a coherent model is lacking. This paper proposes a comprehensive explanatory model of these differences, and sketches the implications on methods for reducing risk and coercion in inpatient wards. This Safewards Model depicts six domains of originating factors: the staff team, the physical environment, outside hospital, the patient community, patient characteristics and the regulatory framework. These domains give risk to flashpoints, which have the capacity to trigger conflict and/or containment. Staff interventions can modify these processes by reducing the conflict-originating factors, preventing flashpoints from arising, cutting the link between flashpoint and conflict, choosing not to use containment, and ensuring that containment use does not lead to further conflict. We describe this model systematically and in detail, and show how this can be used to devise strategies for promoting

Outside the operating room: How a robotics program changed resource utilization on the inpatient Ward.

PubMed

Leung, Annie; Abitbol, Jeremie; Ramana-Kumar, Agnihotram V; Fadlallah, Bassam; Kessous, Roy; Cohen, Sabine; Lau, Susie; Salvador, Shannon; Gotlieb, Walter H

2017-04-01

To analyze the changes in the composition of the gynecologic oncology inpatient ward following the implementation of a robotic surgery program and its impact on inpatient resource utilization and costs. Retrospective review of the medical charts of patients admitted onto the gynecologic oncology ward the year prior to and five years after the implementation of robotics. The following variables were collected: patient characteristics, hospitalization details (reason for admission and length of hospital stay), and resource utilization (number of hospitalization days, consultations, and imaging). Following the introduction of robotic surgery, there were more admissions for elective surgery yet these accounted for only 21% of the inpatient ward in terms of number of hospital days, compared to 36% prior to the robotic program. This coincided with a sharp increase in the overall number of patients operated on by a minimally invasive approach (15% to 76%, p<0.0001). The cost per surgical admission on the inpatient ward decreased by 59% ($9827 vs. $4058) in the robotics era. The robotics program contributed to a ward with higher proportion of patients with complex comorbidities (Charlson≥5: RR 1.06), Stage IV disease (RR 1.30), and recurrent disease (RR 1.99). Introduction of robotic surgery allowed for more patients to be treated surgically while simultaneously decreasing inpatient resource use. With more patients with non-surgical oncological issues and greater medical complexity, the gynecologic oncology ward functions more like a medical rather than surgical ward after the introduction of robotics, which has implications for hospital-wide resource planning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Obeying patient's rights on the basis of maternity ward.

PubMed

Leszczyńska, K; Dymczyk, K; Wac, K; Krajewska, K

2005-01-01

This work is an attempt to evaluate the extent of knowledge concerning patient's rights and chances to execute these rights in everyday hospital reality. We have collected opinions of the patients from the maternity ward of Independent Central Public Clinical Hospital of Medical University of Silesia in Katowice. We also interested in participation of medical staff in respecting and realization of patient's rights it has become the main objective of this work. To collect the patient's opinions we used a specially prepared questionnaire which has measured obeying patient's rights in the following aspects: the rights to make decisions, the rights to information including the right to inspect medical data, the right to respect privacy and dignity, the right to treatment and care, the right to be in touch with relatives, the right the priest's care, the rights to file a complaint, the right to obey patient's rights. Patient's rights in a delivery room and a maternity ward are not respected to a satisfactory extent which is confirmed by the research results. During the hospitalization the patients aren't informed and they do not acquire almost any knowledge concerning their rights. The patient staying in a maternity ward is in most cases only a passive receiver of medical service.

An infinite set of Ward identities for adiabatic modes in cosmology

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

Hinterbichler, Kurt; Hui, Lam; Khoury, Justin, E-mail: khinterbichler@perimeterinstitute.ca, E-mail: lh399@columbia.edu, E-mail: jkhoury@sas.upenn.edu

2014-01-01

We show that the correlation functions of any single-field cosmological model with constant growing-modes are constrained by an infinite number of novel consistency relations, which relate N+1-point correlation functions with a soft-momentum scalar or tensor mode to a symmetry transformation on N-point correlation functions of hard-momentum modes. We derive these consistency relations from Ward identities for an infinite tower of non-linearly realized global symmetries governing scalar and tensor perturbations. These symmetries can be labeled by an integer n. At each order n, the consistency relations constrain — completely for n = 0,1, and partially for n ≥ 2 — themore » q{sup n} behavior of the soft limits. The identities at n = 0 recover Maldacena's original consistency relations for a soft scalar and tensor mode, n = 1 gives the recently-discovered conformal consistency relations, and the identities for n ≥ 2 are new. As a check, we verify directly that the n = 2 identity is satisfied by known correlation functions in slow-roll inflation.« less

CHAMPION INTERNATIONAL SUPERFUND SITE, LIBBY MONTANA FIELD PERFORMANCE EVALUATION BIOREMEDIATION UNIT: IN SITU BIOREMEDIATION OF THE UPPER AQUIFER

EPA Science Inventory

The field performance evaluation of the in-situ bioremediation system at Libby, Montana Superfund Site indicated that treatment appears to have occurred in the water phase under the influence of the treatment injection system. Reduced inorganic compounds may have exerted a deman...

EPA Extends Comment Period for Proposed Cleanup Plan for the Wells G&H Superfund Site in Woburn Massachusetts

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a cleanup plan for the Wells G&H Superfund Site, Southwest Properties, Operable Unit (OU4). The comment period will now be a total of 62 days and be open until September 13, 2017.

Arsenic Fate, Transport And Stability Study: Groundwater, Surface Water, Soil And Sediment Investigation At Fort Devens Superfund Site

EPA Science Inventory

A field investigation was conducted to examine the distribution of arsenic in groundwater, surface water, and sediments at the Fort Devens Superfund Site. The study area encompassed a portion of plow Shop Pond (Red Cove), which receives groundwater discharge from the aquifer und...

ASSESSMENT OF VAPOR INTRUSION IN HOMES NEAR THE RAYMARK SUPERFUND SITE USING BASEMENT AND SUB-SLAB AIR SAMPLES

EPA Science Inventory

This report describes the results of an investigation conducted to assist EPA’s New England Regional Office in evaluating vapor intrusion at 15 homes and one commercial building near the Raymark Superfund Site in Stratford, Connecticut. Methods were developed to sample sub-slab ...

Public Advisory: Avoid Fish Consumption in Souhegan River Near Fletcher’s Paint Superfund Site in Milford, N.H.

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

As part of the investigations at the Fletcher’s Paint Works & Storage Facility Superfund Site in Milford, N.H., the USEPA has determined that there is an elevated risk to public health from the ingestion of fish contaminated with PCBs in a segment...

An experimental ward. Improving care and learning.

PubMed

Ronan, L; Stoeckle, J D

1992-01-01

The rapidly changing health care system is still largely organized according to old, and increasingly outdated models. The contemporary demands of patient care and residency training call for an experimental ward, which can develop and test new techniques in hospital organization and the delivery of care in a comprehensive way.

75 FR 68788 - Ore Knob Mine Superfund Site; Jefferson, Ashe County, North Carolina; Notice of Settlement

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-09

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [Docket EPA-RO4-SFUND-2010-0893, FRL-9223-8] Ore Knob Mine... Agency has entered into a settlement for reimbursement of past response costs concerning the Ore Knobe..., identified by Docket ID No. EPA-RO4- SFUND-2010-0893 or Site name Ore Knob Mine Superfund Site by one of the...

Post natal use of analgesics: comparisons between conventional postnatal wards and a maternity hotel.

PubMed

Nordeng, Hedvig; Eskild, Anne; Nesheim, Britt-Ingjerd

2010-04-01

To investigate factors related to analgesic use after delivery, and especially whether rates of analgesic use were different in a midwife-managed maternity hotel as compared to conventional postnatal wards. One maternity hotel and two conventional postnatal wards at Ullevål University Hospital in Oslo, Norway. Data were obtained from hospital records for 804 women with vaginal deliveries. Postnatal analgesic use. Overall, approximately half the women used analgesics after vaginal delivery in both conventional postnatal wards and maternity hotel. The factors that were significantly associated with use of analgesics postnatally in multivariate analysis were multiparity, having a non-Western ethnicity, smoking in pregnancy, younger age, instrumental delivery, analgesic use during labour, maternal complications post partum, and duration of postnatal stay 4 days or more. The use of analgesics is determined by socio-demographic and obstetric factors rather than the organisation of the ward.

The cleaning of ward floors and the bacteriological study of floor-cleaning machines

PubMed Central

Bate, J. G.

1961-01-01

Current trends in ward flooring materials and cleaning methods are considered from the point of view of the hospital bacteriologist. Methods employed in an investigation into the bacteriological safety of a number of floor-cleaning machines are described, and some considerations governing the choice of vacuum cleaners for ward use are discussed. Images PMID:13687726

Patient and visitor violence towards staff on medical and psychiatric wards in India.

PubMed

Raveesh, B N; Lepping, Peter; Lanka, Sri V K; Turner, Jim; Krishna, Murali

2015-02-01

Patient and visitor violence (PVV) towards staff is common across health settings. It has negative effects on staff and treatment provision. Little data is available from the developing world. To examine the prevalence of PVV in India and make comparisons with the existing data. We administered an abbreviated version of the Survey of Violence Experienced by Staff (SOVES-A) in English in Mysore on medical and psychiatric wards. 249 staff participated. 16% of staff in psychiatric wards were subjected to some form of PVV in the past 4 weeks which is lower than in the developed world. 57% of staff on medical wards experienced PVV which is similar to the developed world. Patients and Visitors were almost equal sources of this violence. Verbal abuse was more common than threats and physical assaults. Training in aggression management may be a protective factor. PVV is a significant problem in India, especially on medical wards. Aggression management training may be a way to reduce the prevalence of PVV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Report: EPA Should Improve Oversight of Long-Term Monitoring at PAB Oil and Chemical Services, Inc., Superfund Site in Louisiana

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report #10-P-0229, September 21, 2010. Our independent ground water sampling results from the PAB Oil and Chemical Services, Inc., Superfund Site were consistent with Region 6’s valid historical results.

Toward Identifying the Next Generation of Superfund and Hazardous Waste Site Contaminants

PubMed Central

Ela, Wendell P.; Sedlak, David L.; Barlaz, Morton A.; Henry, Heather F.; Muir, Derek C.G.; Swackhamer, Deborah L.; Weber, Eric J.; Arnold, Robert G.; Ferguson, P. Lee; Field, Jennifer A.; Furlong, Edward T.; Giesy, John P.; Halden, Rolf U.; Henry, Tala; Hites, Ronald A.; Hornbuckle, Keri C.; Howard, Philip H.; Luthy, Richard G.; Meyer, Anita K.; Sáez, A. Eduardo; vom Saal, Frederick S.; Vulpe, Chris D.; Wiesner, Mark R.

2011-01-01

Background This commentary evolved from a workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences titled “Superfund Contaminants: The Next Generation” held in Tucson, Arizona, in August 2009. All the authors were workshop participants. Objectives Our aim was to initiate a dynamic, adaptable process for identifying contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that are likely to be found in future hazardous waste sites, and to identify the gaps in primary research that cause uncertainty in determining future hazardous waste site contaminants. Discussion Superfund-relevant CECs can be characterized by specific attributes: They are persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic, occur in large quantities, and have localized accumulation with a likelihood of exposure. Although still under development and incompletely applied, methods to quantify these attributes can assist in winnowing down the list of candidates from the universe of potential CECs. Unfortunately, significant research gaps exist in detection and quantification, environmental fate and transport, health and risk assessment, and site exploration and remediation for CECs. Addressing these gaps is prerequisite to a preventive approach to generating and managing hazardous waste sites. Conclusions A need exists for a carefully considered and orchestrated expansion of programmatic and research efforts to identify, evaluate, and manage CECs of hazardous waste site relevance, including developing an evolving list of priority CECs, intensifying the identification and monitoring of likely sites of present or future accumulation of CECs, and implementing efforts that focus on a holistic approach to prevention. PMID:21205582

Toward identifying the next generation of superfund and hazardous waste site contaminants.

PubMed

Ela, Wendell P; Sedlak, David L; Barlaz, Morton A; Henry, Heather F; Muir, Derek C G; Swackhamer, Deborah L; Weber, Eric J; Arnold, Robert G; Ferguson, P Lee; Field, Jennifer A; Furlong, Edward T; Giesy, John P; Halden, Rolf U; Henry, Tala; Hites, Ronald A; Hornbuckle, Keri C; Howard, Philip H; Luthy, Richard G; Meyer, Anita K; Sáez, A Eduardo; Vom Saal, Frederick S; Vulpe, Chris D; Wiesner, Mark R

2011-01-01

This commentary evolved from a workshop sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences titled "Superfund Contaminants: The Next Generation" held in Tucson, Arizona, in August 2009. All the authors were workshop participants. Our aim was to initiate a dynamic, adaptable process for identifying contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) that are likely to be found in future hazardous waste sites, and to identify the gaps in primary research that cause uncertainty in determining future hazardous waste site contaminants. Superfund-relevant CECs can be characterized by specific attributes: They are persistent, bioaccumulative, toxic, occur in large quantities, and have localized accumulation with a likelihood of exposure. Although still under development and incompletely applied, methods to quantify these attributes can assist in winnowing down the list of candidates from the universe of potential CECs. Unfortunately, significant research gaps exist in detection and quantification, environmental fate and transport, health and risk assessment, and site exploration and remediation for CECs. Addressing these gaps is prerequisite to a preventive approach to generating and managing hazardous waste sites. A need exists for a carefully considered and orchestrated expansion of programmatic and research efforts to identify, evaluate, and manage CECs of hazardous waste site relevance, including developing an evolving list of priority CECs, intensifying the identification and monitoring of likely sites of present or future accumulation of CECs, and implementing efforts that focus on a holistic approach to prevention.

Occurrence of airborne vancomycin- and gentamicin-resistant bacteria in various hospital wards in Isfahan, Iran

PubMed Central

Mirhoseini, Seyed Hamed; Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Khanahmad, Hossein; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2016-01-01

Background: Airborne transmission of pathogenic resistant bacteria is well recognized as an important route for the acquisition of a wide range of nosocomial infections in hospitals. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of airborne vancomycin and gentamicin (VM and GM) resistant bacteria in different wards of four educational hospitals. Materials and Methods: A total of 64 air samples were collected from operating theater (OT), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), surgery ward, and internal medicine ward of four educational hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. Airborne culturable bacteria were collected using all glass impingers. Samples were analyzed for the detection of VM- and GM-resistant bacteria. Results: The average level of bacteria ranged from 99 to 1079 CFU/m3. The highest level of airborne bacteria was observed in hospital 4 (628 CFU/m3) and the highest average concentration of GM- and VM-resistant airborne bacteria were found in hospital 3 (22 CFU/m3). The mean concentration of airborne bacteria was the lowest in OT wards and GM- and VM-resistant airborne bacteria were not detected in this ward of hospitals. The highest prevalence of antibiotic-resistant airborne bacteria was observed in ICU ward. There was a statistically significant difference for the prevalence of VM-resistant bacteria between hospital wards (P = 0.012). Conclusion: Our finding showed that the relatively high prevalence of VM- and GM-resistant airborne bacteria in ICUs could be a great concern from the point of view of patients' health. These results confirm the necessity of application of effective control measures which significantly decrease the exposure of high-risk patients to potentially airborne nosocomial infections. PMID:27656612

Occurrence of airborne vancomycin- and gentamicin-resistant bacteria in various hospital wards in Isfahan, Iran.

PubMed

Mirhoseini, Seyed Hamed; Nikaeen, Mahnaz; Khanahmad, Hossein; Hassanzadeh, Akbar

2016-01-01

Airborne transmission of pathogenic resistant bacteria is well recognized as an important route for the acquisition of a wide range of nosocomial infections in hospitals. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of airborne vancomycin and gentamicin (VM and GM) resistant bacteria in different wards of four educational hospitals. A total of 64 air samples were collected from operating theater (OT), Intensive Care Unit (ICU), surgery ward, and internal medicine ward of four educational hospitals in Isfahan, Iran. Airborne culturable bacteria were collected using all glass impingers. Samples were analyzed for the detection of VM- and GM-resistant bacteria. The average level of bacteria ranged from 99 to 1079 CFU/m(3). The highest level of airborne bacteria was observed in hospital 4 (628 CFU/m(3)) and the highest average concentration of GM- and VM-resistant airborne bacteria were found in hospital 3 (22 CFU/m(3)). The mean concentration of airborne bacteria was the lowest in OT wards and GM- and VM-resistant airborne bacteria were not detected in this ward of hospitals. The highest prevalence of antibiotic-resistant airborne bacteria was observed in ICU ward. There was a statistically significant difference for the prevalence of VM-resistant bacteria between hospital wards (P = 0.012). Our finding showed that the relatively high prevalence of VM- and GM-resistant airborne bacteria in ICUs could be a great concern from the point of view of patients' health. These results confirm the necessity of application of effective control measures which significantly decrease the exposure of high-risk patients to potentially airborne nosocomial infections.

Challenges of Obtaining Informed Consent in Emergency Ward: A Qualitative Study in One Iranian Hospital

PubMed Central

Davoudi, Nayyereh; Nayeri, Nahid Dehghan; Zokaei, Mohammad Saeed; Fazeli, Nematallah

2017-01-01

Background and Objective: Regarding the fact that emergency ward has unique characteristics, whose uniqueness affects informed consent processes by creating specific challenges. Hence, it seems necessary to identify the process and challenges of informed consent in the emergency ward through a qualitative study to understand actual patients’ and health care providers’ experiences, beliefs, values, and feelings about the informed consent in the emergency ward. Through such studies, new insight can be gained on the process of informed consent and its challenges with the hope that the resulting knowledge will enable the promotion of ethical, legal as well as effective health services to the patients in the emergency ward. Method: In this qualitative study, research field was one of the emergency wards of educational and public hospitals in Iran. Field work and participant observation were carried out for 515 hours from June 2014 to March 2016. Also, conversations and semi-structured interviews based on the observations were conducted. The participants of the study were nurses and physicians working in the emergency ward, as well as patients and their attendants who were involved in the process of obtaining informed consent. Results: Three main categories were extracted from the data: a sense of frustration; reverse protection; and culture of paternalism in consent process. Conclusion: Findings of this study can be utilized in correcting the structures and processes of obtaining informed consent together with promotion of patients' ethical and legal care in emergency ward. In this way, the approaches in consent process will be changed from paternalistic approach to patient-centered care which concomitantly protects patient’s autonomy. PMID:29399235

Limits of Freedom: The Ward Churchill Case

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Nell, Robert M.

2006-01-01

The University of Colorado's Ward Churchill is but the latest in a long line of professors whose volatile statements have created controversy for themselves and their universities. Specific personnel matters in the case have been meticulously addressed in Boulder, but several larger questions have been curiously neglected. One might well ask, for…

Forecasting Daily Patient Outflow From a Ward Having No Real-Time Clinical Data

PubMed Central

Tran, Truyen; Luo, Wei; Phung, Dinh; Venkatesh, Svetha

2016-01-01

Background: Modeling patient flow is crucial in understanding resource demand and prioritization. We study patient outflow from an open ward in an Australian hospital, where currently bed allocation is carried out by a manager relying on past experiences and looking at demand. Automatic methods that provide a reasonable estimate of total next-day discharges can aid in efficient bed management. The challenges in building such methods lie in dealing with large amounts of discharge noise introduced by the nonlinear nature of hospital procedures, and the nonavailability of real-time clinical information in wards. Objective Our study investigates different models to forecast the total number of next-day discharges from an open ward having no real-time clinical data. Methods We compared 5 popular regression algorithms to model total next-day discharges: (1) autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA), (2) the autoregressive moving average with exogenous variables (ARMAX), (3) k-nearest neighbor regression, (4) random forest regression, and (5) support vector regression. Although the autoregressive integrated moving average model relied on past 3-month discharges, nearest neighbor forecasting used median of similar discharges in the past in estimating next-day discharge. In addition, the ARMAX model used the day of the week and number of patients currently in ward as exogenous variables. For the random forest and support vector regression models, we designed a predictor set of 20 patient features and 88 ward-level features. Results Our data consisted of 12,141 patient visits over 1826 days. Forecasting quality was measured using mean forecast error, mean absolute error, symmetric mean absolute percentage error, and root mean square error. When compared with a moving average prediction model, all 5 models demonstrated superior performance with the random forests achieving 22.7% improvement in mean absolute error, for all days in the year 2014. Conclusions In the

Geophysical identification of subsurface cavities and fractures near a Superfund site south of Rockford, Illinois

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Ryan Frye

The ACME Superfund site is one of many Superfund sites in Northern Illinois. This 20 acre (8.1 ha) site was contaminated by various volatile organic compounds (VOC's) and heavy metals during the 1960-1980s. To more fully understand the potential extent of the karst system and its interaction with contaminants, both surface and borehole geophysics including seismic refraction tomography, frequency domain electromagnetics, electrical resistivity, ground penetrating radar, as well as natural gamma and electromagnetic well logs, were undertaken over an approximately 3,000 square meter grid in a field immediately south of the ACME site. Seismic refraction tomography provided information on lithology and fluctuations in the bedrock surface in the depth range 6 to 8 m. Refraction, combined with electromagnetic conductivity, also allowed mapping of potential soil pipes and/or filled sinkholes in the overlying soils. These could channel surface waters into the karst conduit system. Frequency domain electromagnetics proved to be the most successful tool for the identifying possible karst conduits below the bedrock surface. Zones of reduced conductivity suggest a series of interconnected solutionally enlarged fractures in an orthogonal pattern at a depth of approximately 8 m immediately south of the ACME site.

Superfund record of decision amendment (EPA Region 5): Arrowhead Refinery Company, Hermantown, MN, February 9, 1994

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

NONE

This decision document amends the selected remedial action for the Arrowhead Refinery Superfund Site (Arrowhead). This AROD does not make `fundamental changes` to the groundwater remedy selected in the ROD. Therefore, this AROD does not constitute an amendment of the groundwater remedy. However, this AROD does document minor differences in the groundwater remedy which the Agency intends to implement.