Medication reconciliation by a pharmacy technician in a mental health assessment unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Brownlie, Kay; Schneider, Carl; Culliford, Roger; Fox, Chris; Boukouvalas, Alexis; Willan, Cathy; Maidment, Ian D

2014-04-01

Medication discrepancies are common when patients cross organisational boundaries. However, little is known about the frequency of discrepancies within mental health and the efficacy of interventions to reduce discrepancies. To evaluate the impact of a pharmacy-led reconciliation service on medication discrepancies on admissions to a secondary care mental health trust. In-patient mental health services. Prospective evaluation of pharmacy technician led medication reconciliation for admissions to a UK Mental Health NHS Trust. From March to June 2012 information on any unintentional discrepancies (dose, frequency and name of medication); patient demographics;and type and cause of the discrepancy was collected. The potential for harm was assessed based on two scenarios; the discrepancy was continued into primary care, and the discrepancy was corrected during admission. Logistic regression identified factors associated with discrepancies. Mean number of discrepancies per admission corrected by the pharmacy technician. Unintentional medication discrepancies occurred in 212 of 377 admissions (56.2 %). Discrepancies involving 569 medicines (mean 1.5 medicines per admission) were corrected.The most common discrepancy was omission(n = 464). Severity was assessed for 114 discrepancies. If the discrepancy was corrected within 16 days the potential harm was minor in 71 (62.3 %) cases and moderate in 43(37.7 %) cases whereas if the discrepancy was not corrected the potential harm was minor in 27 (23.7 %) cases and moderate in 87 (76.3 %) cases. Discrepancies were associated with both age and number of medications; the stronger association was age. Medication discrepancies are common within mental health services with potentially significant consequences for patients.Trained pharmacy technicians are able to reduce the frequency of discrepancies, improving safety.

Staphylococcus aureus with Panton-Valentine toxin skin infection in a medical laboratory technician.

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Pougnet, Richard; Pougnet, Laurence

2016-12-01

This report exposes the case of a Staphylococcus aureus infection occurring in a microbiology laboratory technician. He was a 52 year-old man without medical history. He presented an abscess on the anterior aspect of the left forearm. Analysis showed that it was a Staphylococcus aureus secreting the Panton-Valentine toxin. The study of the workplace found the frequency of exposure. The study of workstation showed the link between the technician position and the infection. Indeed, this man touched an area where the biocleaning was hard to do. This is the first case of infection with PVL described for a laboratory technician.

The enforcement regulation for the law for radiation and x-ray technicians engaging in medical treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

The ordinance is set up under the provisions of the law concerning radiation and X-ray technicians engaging in medical treatment, to enforce it. An application for the license of such a technician shall be filed according to the form prescribed, attached with a copy or an abstract of the census register of the applicant and a medical certificate of a doctor concerning whether the applicant is an insane, deaf or blind person, or a case of epidemic. The membership registration of such a technician shall include the number and date of the registration, the prefecture of his legal domicile, name, birth date and sex distinction, the year and month of his success in the examination for such technicains, the items concerning the cancellation of the license or the suspension of the business, etc. The subjects of the examination for such technicians are physics, radiological physics, electrical engineering, chemistry, general basic medical science, radiological biology, photographing technology, treatment technics and others. An application for the examination for such technicians shall be filed to the Minister of Health and Welfare, attached with a personal history, a study certificate or a diploma of graduation, a photograph of the applicant and other specified documents. (Okada, K.)

The enforcement order for the law for radiation and x-ray technicians engaging in medical treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The enforcement order provides for the medical radiation technicians and medical X-ray technicians according to the established for them. The applicants for the license thereof must present their applications, together with the necessary documents, to the Government (or the prefectural government). The contents are as follows: application for license; to be entered in the register (with the items of the license); alteration of the registered items (the immediate corrective action, to the Government); elimination of the technicians from the register (to the Government); alteration of the license (the corrective action, to the Government); application for reissue of the license (to the Government); notification concerning the administrative measures. (Mori, K.)

The validation of the Utrecht work engagement scale for emergency medical technicians in Gauteng

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JLP Naudé

2004-04-01

Full Text Available The objectives of this study were to validate the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES for emergency medical technicians in the Gauteng Province of South Africa and to determine its construct equivalence and bias for different language groups. A cross-sectional survey design was used with a convenient sample (N = 318 of emergency medical technicians in Gauteng. The UWES and a biographical questionnaire were administered. A two-factor model of work engagement, consisting of Vigour/Dedication and Absorption was found. Exploratory factor analysis with target rotations confirmed the construct equivalence of the work engagement construct for white and black employees.

Occupational stress among nursing technicians and assistants: coping focused on the problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carla Araújo Bastos Teixeira

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Objective. To analyze the association between strategies used to cope with occupational stress that are focused on the problem wand the personal characteristics of nursing technicians and assistants. Methodology. This quantitative and correlational study was conducted in a large teaching hospital in the São Paulo State, Brazil, in 2013. A randomized sample with 310 participants (198 nursing assistants and 112 nursing technicians comprised the study population. Data were collected using a sociodemographic characteristics questionnaire and Scale of Ways of Coping with Problems. Data were submitted to univariate analysis, and variables with statistical significance (p<0.20 were submitted posteriorly in a multiple regression model. Results. Most employees were women (76.1% older than 40 years (67.7%, had nine to 11 years of formal education (73.5%, had a partner (58.7%, were Catholic (53.2%, and had children (74.5%. The final multiple regression model consisted of variable years of formal education and number of children. Conclusion. In this study, formal education and number of children were more strongly associated with a greater use of coping strategies focused on the problem. Such a strategy is related to minimal vulnerability to stress related to the working environment.

Medical Laboratory Technician--Hematology, Serology, Blood Banking, and Immunohematology (AFSC 90470).

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Joselyn H.

This three-volume student text is designed for use by Air Force personnel enrolled in a self-study extension course for medical laboratory technicians. Covered in the individual volumes are hematology (the physiology of blood, complete blood counts and related studies, erythrocyte studies, leukocyte and thrombocyte maturation, and blood…

Evaluating the effectiveness of an online medical laboratory technician program.

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Hansen-Suchy, Kara

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effectiveness of an online medical laboratory technician program in the academic preparation and development of laboratory professionals. A semi-quantitative comparative research design was used. Several factors were considered in this evaluation. Academic outcomes between online and campus medical laboratory technician (MLT) students was determined by comparing overall and categorical scores on certification exams as well as first time pass rate. Certification exam scores and first time pass rates were also compared to national norms when possible to do so. Demographic data, including age and experience were compared. Additionally, learning styles were assessed to determine if there was a correlation to overall GPA and MLT GPA and if learning styles could be used to predict successful completion of an online Associates of Applied Science. The research was conducted at an academic university located in the mountain west United States. Participants consisted of online and campus students enrolled in a Medical Laboratory Technician program that graduated with their Associate of Applied Science degree between the years 2007-2009. Results of these years were also compared to graduates from 2004-2006 in the same program. Certification performance and first time pass rates were the major outcomes measured. Age and experience were correlated. Online learning styles and GPA were also compared to successful degree completion. The researcher found no significant difference in certification performance with regard to total and categorical scores, and first time pass rates between campus and online MLT students. Online students were slightly older and had more experience working in a laboratory in some capacity. Correlation studies showed significant positive correlation between learning styles, GPA, and successful completion of an Associate of Applied Science degree. When registry scores were compared to the prior cohort of online

Development of new core competencies for Taiwanese Emergency Medical Technicians.

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Chang, Yu-Tung; Tsai, Kuang-Chau; Williams, Brett

2018-01-01

Core competencies are considered the foundation for establishing Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and paramedic curricula, and for ensuring performance standards in the delivery of prehospital care. This study surveyed EMT instructors and medical directors to identify the most desirable core competencies for all levels of EMTs in Taiwan. A principal components analysis with Varimax rotation was conducted. An online questionnaire was distributed to obtain perspectives of EMT instructors and medical directors on the most desirable core competencies for EMTs. The target population was EMT training-course instructors and medical directors of fire departments in Taiwan. The questionnaire comprised 61 competency items, and multiple-choice and open-ended questions were used to obtain respondents' perspectives of the Taiwanese EMT training and education system. The results identified three factors at EMT-1 and EMT-2 levels and five factors at the EMT-Paramedic level. The factors for EMT-1 and EMT-2 were similar, and those for EMT-Paramedics identified further comprehensive competence perspectives. The key factors that appear to influence the development of the Taiwanese Emergency Medical Services (EMS) education system are the attitude of authorities, the licensure system, and legislation. The findings present new core competencies for the Taiwanese EMT system and provide capacity to redesign curricula and reconsider roles for EMT-1 and EMT-2 technicians. At the EMT-Paramedic level, the findings demonstrate the importance of incorporating competency standards in the current skills-based curriculum. Moreover, the core-competencies gap that exists between Taiwanese EMT-1s, EMT-2s, and EMT-Paramedics and internationally recognized core competencies needs to be addressed. By identifying the key factors that potentially impact the development of the EMS education system, such as the attitude of authorities, the licensure system, and legislation, these findings will inform

Chemotherapy Order Entry by a Clinical Support Pharmacy Technician in an Outpatient Medical Day Unit.

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Neville, Heather; Broadfield, Larry; Harding, Claudia; Heukshorst, Shelley; Sweetapple, Jennifer; Rolle, Megan

2016-01-01

Pharmacy technicians are expanding their scope of practice, often in partnership with pharmacists. In oncology, such a shift in responsibilities may lead to workflow efficiencies, but may also cause concerns about patient risk and medication errors. The primary objective was to compare the time spent on order entry and order-entry checking before and after training of a clinical support pharmacy technician (CSPT) to perform chemotherapy order entry. The secondary objectives were to document workflow interruptions and to assess medication errors. This before-and-after observational study investigated chemotherapy order entry for ambulatory oncology patients. Order entry was performed by pharmacists before the process change (phase 1) and by 1 CSPT after the change (phase 2); order-entry checking was performed by a pharmacist during both phases. The tasks were timed by an independent observer using a personal digital assistant. A convenience sample of 125 orders was targeted for each phase. Data were exported to Microsoft Excel software, and timing differences for each task were tested with an unpaired t test. Totals of 143 and 128 individual orders were timed for order entry during phase 1 (pharmacist) and phase 2 (CSPT), respectively. The mean total time to perform order entry was greater during phase 1 (1:37 min versus 1:20 min; p = 0.044). Totals of 144 and 122 individual orders were timed for order-entry checking (by a pharmacist) in phases 1 and 2, respectively, and there was no difference in mean total time for order-entry checking (1:21 min versus 1:20 min; p = 0.69). There were 33 interruptions not related to order entry (totalling 39:38 min) during phase 1 and 25 interruptions (totalling 30:08 min) during phase 2. Three errors were observed during order entry in phase 1 and one error during order-entry checking in phase 2; the errors were rated as having no effect on patient care. Chemotherapy order entry by a trained CSPT appeared to be just as safe and

Expanded access to naloxone among firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical technicians in Massachusetts.

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Davis, Corey S; Ruiz, Sarah; Glynn, Patrick; Picariello, Gerald; Walley, Alexander Y

2014-08-01

Naloxone is a medication that reverses respiratory depression from opioid overdose if given in time. Paramedics routinely administer naloxone to opioid overdose victims in the prehospital setting, and many states are moving to increase access to the medication. Several jurisdictions have expanded naloxone administration authority to nonparamedic first responders, and others are considering that step. We report here on policy change in Massachusetts, where several communities have equipped emergency medical technicians, law enforcement officers, and firefighters with naloxone.

The role of the pharmacy technician in the skill-mixed district nursing team.

Science.gov (United States)

McGraw, Caroline; Coleman, Bridget; Ashman, Lea; Hayes, Sarah

2012-09-01

Registered nurses in the district nursing service delegate a broad range of medication administration activities to healthcare assistants. Although healthcare assistants have provided extra capacity, not all activities are suitable for delegation to unregulated practitioners. At the same time, their competency assessment is often patient-specific and demands significant registered nursing input. The purpose of this 6-month pilot programme was to test the premise that the employment of a pharmacy technician in the district nursing service would enhance productivity levels and deliver cost savings. Activities delegated included the administration of oral tablets and subcutaneous insulin and low molecular weight heparin injections. The evaluation found that the introduction of the pharmacy technician was associated with neither enhanced productivity nor more than modest cost savings. However, role redesign is a long-term activity and their role could be built on with further competency analysis.

National Training Course. Emergency Medical Technician. Paramedic. Instructor's Lesson Plans. Module II. Human Systems and Patient Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (DOT), Washington, DC.

This instructor's lesson plan guide on human systems and patient assessment is one of fifteen modules designed for use in the training of emergency medical technicians (paramedics). Four units are presented: (1) medical terminology, which covers some common prefixes and suffixes and the use of the medical dictionary; (2) an overview of the…

Development of new core competencies for Taiwanese Emergency Medical Technicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang YT

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Yu-Tung Chang,1,2 Kuang-Chau Tsai,2 Brett Williams1,3 1Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Frankston, VIC, Australia; 2Department of Emergency Medicine, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; 3Division of Paramedicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia Objectives: Core competencies are considered the foundation for establishing Emergency Medical Technician (EMT and paramedic curricula, and for ensuring performance standards in the delivery of prehospital care. This study surveyed EMT instructors and medical directors to identify the most desirable core competencies for all levels of EMTs in Taiwan. Methods: A principal components analysis with Varimax rotation was conducted. An online questionnaire was distributed to obtain perspectives of EMT instructors and medical directors on the most desirable core competencies for EMTs. The target population was EMT training-course instructors and medical directors of fire departments in Taiwan. The questionnaire comprised 61 competency items, and multiple-choice and open-ended questions were used to obtain respondents’ perspectives of the Taiwanese EMT training and education system. Results: The results identified three factors at EMT-1 and EMT-2 levels and five factors at the EMT-Paramedic level. The factors for EMT-1 and EMT-2 were similar, and those for EMT-Paramedics identified further comprehensive competence perspectives. The key factors that appear to influence the development of the Taiwanese Emergency Medical Services (EMS education system are the attitude of authorities, the licensure system, and legislation. Conclusion: The findings present new core competencies for the Taiwanese EMT system and provide capacity to redesign curricula and reconsider roles for EMT-1 and EMT-2 technicians. At the EMT-Paramedic level, the findings demonstrate the importance of

Medication reconciliation in pediatric cardiology performed by a pharmacy technician: a prospective cohort comparison study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Carol; Woo, Renée; Seto, Winnie; Pong, Sandra; Gilhooly, Tessie; Russell, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Medication reconciliation reduces potential medication discrepancies and adverse drug events. The role of pharmacy technicians in obtaining best possible medication histories (BPMHs) and performing reconciliation at the admission and transfer interfaces of care for pediatric patients has not been described. To compare the completeness and accuracy of BPMHs and reconciliation conducted by a pharmacy technician (pilot study) and by nurses and/or pharmacists (baseline). The severity of identified unintentional discrepancies was rated to determine their clinical importance. This prospective cohort comparison study involved patients up to 18 years of age admitted to and/or transferred between the Cardiology ward and the Cardiac Critical Care Unit of a pediatric tertiary care teaching hospital. A pharmacy resident conducted two 3-week audits: the first to assess the completeness and accuracy of BPMHs and reconciliation performed by nurses and/or pharmacists and the second to assess the completeness and accuracy of BPMHs and reconciliation performed by a pharmacy technician. The total number of patients was 38 in the baseline phase and 46 in the pilot period. There were no statistically significant differences between the baseline and pilot audits in terms of completion of BPMH (82% [28/34] versus 78% [21/27], p = 0.75) or completion of reconciliation (70% [23/33] versus 75% [15/20], p = 0.76) within 24 h of admission. Completeness of transfer reconciliation was significantly higher during the pilot study than at baseline (91% [31/34] versus 61% [11/18], p = 0.022). No significant differences between the baseline and pilot audits were found in the proportions of patients with at least one BPMH discrepancy (38% [13/34] versus 22% [6/27], p = 0.27), at least one unintentional discrepancy upon admission (21% [7/33] versus 10% [2/20], p = 0.46), or at least one unintentional discrepancy at the transfer interface (6% [1/18] versus 3% [1/34], p = 0.58). None of the 16

Medical Laboratory Technician--Microbiology, 10-3. Military Curriculum Materials for Vocational and Technical Education.

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Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

This course, the second of three courses in the medical laboratory technician field adapted from military curriculum materials for use in vocational and technical education, was designed as a refresher course for student self-study and evaluation. It is suitable for use by advanced students or beginning students participating in a supervised…

Advantages and disadvantages of interdisciplinary consultation in the prescription of assistive technologies for mobility limitations.

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de Laat, Fred A; van Heerebeek, Bart; van Netten, Jaap J

2018-03-28

To explore the advantages and disadvantages experienced by professionals in interdisciplinary consultation involving the user, prescriber and technician in the prescription of assistive technologies for mobility limitations. Cross-sectional study. Prescribers (N = 39) and orthopaedic technicians (N = 50), who were regularly involved in an interdisciplinary consultation completed a questionnaire about advantages and disadvantages of the interdisciplinary consultation. Advantages of the interdisciplinary consultation were mentioned within all CanMEDS areas of medical practice, including better and quicker prescription of the assistive technology, shared knowledge of medical diagnosis and device possibilities, shared decision making of the device prescription and clear communication rules. Disadvantages were mentioned in the CanMEDS areas management and collaboration, including planning problems (financial) reimbursement of this type of consultation, and time efficiency. On a 10-point scale, mean (standard deviation) rates of interdisciplinary consultations were 7.9 (0.6) according to prescribers, and 7.8 (0.9) by technicians. All participants wanted to continue the interdisciplinary consultation. Prescribers and technicians in the field of assistive technologies for walking mobility limitations appreciate an interdisciplinary consultation. Advantages are found in all CanMEDS areas, whereas disadvantages only concern coordination. It should be encouraged to realize this kind of consultation in all situations where such technologies are prescribed. Implications for rehabilitation Interdisciplinary consultation involving the user, prescriber and technician to prescribe assistive technologies for mobility limitations has many advantages in all CanMEDS areas of medical practice, and few disadvantages, related to management and collaboration only. The disadvantages of interdisciplinary consultation, such as (financial) reimbursement by health insurance companies

How compliant are technicians with universal safety measures in medical laboratories in Croatia?--A pilot study.

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Dukic, Kristina; Zoric, Matea; Pozaic, Petra; Starcic, Jelena; Culjak, Marija; Saracevic, Andrea; Miler, Marijana

2015-01-01

This pilot study aimed to investigate the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and compliance to the code of conduct (rules defined in institutional, governmental and professional guidelines) among laboratory technicians in Croatian medical laboratories. In addition, we explored the differences in compliance between participants of different age groups, laboratory ownership and accreditation status. An anonymous and voluntary survey with 15 questions was conducted among Croatian medical laboratory technicians (N=217). The questions were divided into two groups: demographic characteristics and the use of PPE. The questions of the second part were graded according to the Likert scale (1-4) and an overall score, shown as median and range (min-max), was calculated for each participant. Differences between the overall scores were tested for each group of participants. The majority of participants always wear protective clothes at work, 38.7% of them always wear gloves in daily routine, more than 30.0% consume food and almost half of them drink beverages at workplace. A significantly lower overall score was found for participants working in public compared to private laboratories (36 (16-40) vs. 40 (31-40), Plaboratory accreditation status (P=0.081). A considerable percentage of laboratory technicians in Croatian medical laboratories do not comply with safety measures. Lack of compliance is observed in all personnel regardless laboratory accreditation and participants' age. However, those working in private laboratories adhere more to the code of conduct.

Recruitment and Retention of New Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)-Basics and Paramedics.

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Chapman, Susan A; Crowe, Remle P; Bentley, Melissa A

2016-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe factors important for the recruitment and retention of Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)-Basics and EMT-Paramedics new to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) field (defined as two years or less of EMS employment) through an analysis of 10 years of Longitudinal EMT Attributes and Demographic Study (LEADS) data. Data were obtained from 10 years of LEADS surveys (1999-2008). Individuals new to the profession were identified through responses to a survey item. Their responses were analyzed using weights reflecting each individual's probability of selection. Means, proportions, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were determined and used to identify statistically significant differences. There were few changes in the demographic characteristics of new EMT-Basics and Paramedics across survey years. New EMT-Basics tended to be older and less likely to have a college degree than new EMT-Paramedics. More new EMT-Basics than EMT-Paramedics worked in rural areas and small towns and reported that they were working as a volunteer. There were differences between new EMT-Basics and EMT-Paramedics in several of the reasons for entering the profession and in facets of job satisfaction. The findings provide guidance for recruiters, educators, employers, and governmental EMS policy organizations and will provide better insight into how to attract and retain new entrants to the field. Chapman SA , Crowe RP , Bentley MA . Recruitment and retention of new Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)-Basics and Paramedics. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(Suppl. 1):s70-s86.

Clinical Experience and Learning Style of Flight Nurse and Aeromedical Evacuation Technician Students.

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De Jong, Marla J; Dukes, Susan F; Dufour, Karey M; Mortimer, Darcy L

2017-01-01

The clinical experience and preferred learning style of U.S. Air Force flight nurses and aeromedical evacuation technicians are unknown. Using a cross-sectional survey design, we gathered data regarding the clinical experience, level of comfort providing clinical care, and preferred learning style of 77 active duty (AD), Air Force Reserve (AFR), and Air National Guard (ANG) nurses enrolled in the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine Flight Nurse course, and 121 AD, AFR, and ANG medical technicians enrolled in the Aeromedical Evacuation Technician course. Nurses and medical technicians reported 7.6 ± 5.5 and 3.9 ± 4.5 yr of experience, respectively. AD, AFR, and ANG nurses had comparable years of experience: 5.8 ± 3.2, 8.3 ± 6.6, and 7.9 ± 4.2 yr, respectively; however, AD medical technicians had more years of experience (5.6 ± 4.4 yr) than AFR (3.1 ± 4.8 yr) and ANG (1.9 ± 2.8 yr) medical technicians. Both nurses and medical technicians reported infrequently caring for patients with various disease processes and managing equipment or devices that they will routinely encounter when transporting patients as an aeromedical evacuation clinician. Nurses and medical technicians preferred a kinesthetic learning style or a multimodal learning style that included kinesthetic learning. Nearly all (99%) nurses and 97% of medical technicians identified simulation as their preferred teaching method. These findings confirm faculty concerns regarding the clinical experience of flight nurse and aerospace evacuation technician students.De Jong MJ, Dukes SF, Dufour KM, Mortimer DL. Clinical experience and learning style of flight nurse and aeromedical evacuation technician students. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(1):23-29.

The Longitudinal Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Attributes and Demographics Study (LEADS): The First 10 Years and a Look at Public Perception of Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Science.gov (United States)

Crowe, Remle P; Bentley, Melissa A; Levine, Roger

2016-12-01

Crowe RP , Bentley MA , Levine R . The Longitudinal Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Attributes and Demographics Study (LEADS): the first 10 years and a look at public perception of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(Suppl. 1):s1-s6.

Emergency Medical Technician Training During Medical School: Benefits for the Hidden Curriculum.

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Russ-Sellers, Rebecca; Blackwell, Thomas H

2017-07-01

Medical schools are encouraged to introduce students to clinical experiences early, to integrate biomedical and clinical sciences, and to expose students to interprofessional health providers and teams. One important goal is for students to gain a better understanding of the patients they will care for in the future and how their social and behavioral characteristics may affect care delivery. To promote early clinical exposure and biomedical integration, in 2012 the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville incorporated emergency medical technician (EMT) training into the curriculum. This report describes the program; outlines changes (made after year 1) to improve biomedical integration; and provides a brief analysis and categorization of comments from student reflections to determine whether particular themes, especially related to the hidden curriculum, appeared. Medical students wrote frequently about EMT-related experiences: 29% of reflections in the charter year (1.2 per student) and 38% of reflections in the second year (1.5 per student) focused on EMT-related experiences. Reflections related to patient care, professionalism, systems-based practice, and communication/interpersonal skills. The frequency of themes in student reflections may provide insight into a medical program's hidden curriculum. This information may serve to inform curricula that focus on biosocial elements such as professionalism and communication with the goal of enhancing future physicians' tolerance, empathy, and patient-centeredness. The authors plan to conduct further qualitative analysis of student reflections to iteratively revise curricula to address gaps both in learning and in the differences between the explicit curriculum and actual experiences.

Emergency Victim Care. A Training Manual for Emergency Medical Technicians. Module 5. CPR, Oxygen Therapy. Revised.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Vocational Education.

This student manual, the fifth in a set of 14 modules, is designed to train emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in Ohio. The module contains two sections covering the following course content; cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (including artificial ventilation, foreign body obstructions, adjunctive equipment and special techniques, artificial…

Physician and Nurse Acceptance of Technicians to Screen for Geriatric Syndromes in the Emergency Department

OpenAIRE

Carpenter, Christopher R; Griffey, Richard T; Stark, Susan; Coopersmith, Craig M; Gage, Brian F

2011-01-01

Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate emergency medicine physician and nurse acceptance of nonnurse, nonphysician screening for geriatric syndromes. Methods: This was a single-center emergency department (ED) survey of physicians and nurses after an 8-month project. Geriatric technicians were paid medical student research assistants evaluating consenting ED patients older than 65 years for cognitive dysfunction, fall risk, or functional decline. The primary objective of t...

Emergency Victim Care. A Training Manual for Emergency Medical Technicians. Module 3--Anatomy and Physiology. Revised.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Vocational Education.

This student manual, the third in a set of 14 modules, is designed to train emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in Ohio. The module contains one section covering the following topics: general anatomical terms, the body cavities and contents, the integumentary system, the skeletal system, the muscular system, the nervous system, the respiratory…

Establishing a clinical pharmacy technician at a United States Army military treatment facility.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Jennifer L; Gladd, Ellen M; Gonzalez, Alicia C; Tranam, Salman; Larrabee, Joni M; Lipphardt, Sarah E; Chen, Tina T; Ronn, Michael D; Spain, John

2016-01-01

To describe the creation of a clinical pharmacy technician position within the U.S. Army and to identify the personal skills and characteristics required to meet the demands of this role. An outpatient military treatment facility located in Maryland. The clinical pharmacy technician position was designed to support clinical pharmacy services within a patient-centered medical home. Funding and a position description were established to hire a clinical pharmacy technician. Expected duties included administrative (45%), patient education (30%), and dispensing (25%). Local policy, in accordance with federal law and U.S. Army regulations, was developed to define the expanded technician responsibility to deliver patient medication education. In the initial 3 months, the clinical pharmacy technician spent 24 hours per week on clinical activities, affording an additional 10-15 hours per week for clinical pharmacists to provide patient care. Completed consults increased from 41% to 56%, and patient-pharmacist encounters increased from 240 to 290 per month. The technician, acting as a clinical pharmacist extender, also completed an average of 90 patient encounters independently each month. As a result of these improvements, the decision was made to hire a second technician. Currently, the technicians spend 28-40 hours per week on clinical activities, offsetting an average of 26 hours per week for the clinical pharmacists. A patient-centered medical home clinical pharmacy technician can reduce the administrative workload for clinical pharmacists, improve their efficiency, and enhance the use of clinical pharmacy services. Several characteristics, particularly medication knowledge, make pharmacy technicians particularly suited for this role. The results from the implementation of a clinical pharmacy technician at this military treatment facility resulted in an Army-wide expansion of the position and suggested applicability in other practice sites, particularly in federal

Emergency Medical Technician Training for Medical Students: A Two-Year Experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackwell, Thomas H; Halsey, R Maglin; Reinovsky, Jennifer H

2016-01-01

New medical school educational curriculum encourages early clinical experiences along with clinical and biomedical integration. The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, one of the new expansion schools, was established in 2011 with the first class matriculating in 2012. To promote clinical skills early in the curriculum, emergency medical technician (EMT) training was included and begins in the first semester. Along with the early clinical exposure, the program introduces interprofessional health and teams and provides the opportunity for students to personally see and appreciate the wide variety of environments from which their future patients emanate. This report describes the EMT program and changes that were made after the first class that were designed to integrate EMT training with the biomedical sciences and to assess the value of these integrative changes using objective criteria. A two-year retrospective study was conducted that involved the first two classes of medical students. Baseline student data and pass rates from the psychomotor skill and written components of the State examination were used to determine if students performed better in the integrated, prolonged course. There were 53 students in the first class and 54 in the second. Of the 51 students in the first class and 53 students in the second class completing the state psychomotor and written examination, 20 (39%) in the first class and 17 (32%) in the second passed on the initial psychomotor skill attempt; however, more students passed in the first three attempts in the second class than the first class, 51 (96%) versus 45 (88%) , respectively. All students passed by 5 attempts. For the written examination, 50 (98%) students in the first class and 51 (96%) in the second class passed on the first attempt. All students passed by the third attempt. Pass rates on both components of the State examination were not significantly different between classes. Medical students who

Perception of the Technicians AND Ancillary as of Sickbay Regarding Supervision on the Unit as of Therapeutics Intensity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabiano Júlio Silva

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This work is based on the perception of technicians and nursing assistants, in relation to the supervision of nurses examining what type of monitoring that are submitted, if it is in the form of leadership or managerial where we will work the negative points on supervision, evidenced by technical and nursing assistants, in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU. Method: This is a search with the qualitative methodology, which will be developed in the ICU of a public medical institution in Volta Redonda, where the instrument is to search through a questionnaire that will apply to technicians and nursing assistants, the ICU, in the period from July to August 2008. Conclusion: During this study realized that the quality of nursing care, the interaction of the nursing team and communication, can actually be modified with the leadership of the nurse. The need is urgent for change, the nurse not only becomes unsafe for dealing with this team, and makes it whole team is without prejudice, motivated, with that you get a poor service. Descriptors: Nursing and an Intensive Care Unit (ICU.

Guidebook on the education and training of technicians for nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

The IAEA Guidebook on the Education and Training of Technicians for Nuclear Power aims to assist Member States, especially the developing countries which are in the process of implementing, or intending to implement, a nuclear power programme, to understand and meet their requirements for qualified technicians in the most effective and efficient manner. It specifically seeks to assist policy makers and planners, as well as those designing and implementing education and training programmes. In this Guidebook, technician level occupations include those filled by technicians and higher level technicians (techniciens superieurs or technologists) and also by non-graduate engineers. The Guidebook complements the IAEA Guidebook on Manpower Development for Nuclear Power, as well as the IAEA Guidebook on the Qualification of Nuclear Power Plant Operations Personnel. The key objectives of this Guidebook are to describe: (1) the level and content of conventional education and training which a technician must have before nuclear oriented education and training can begin; (2) the level and content of nuclear oriented education and training; (3) measures to bridge the gap between the education and training acquired by technicians in the national technical schools (i.e. the level attained before upgrading) and the level of education and training qualifications needed for technicians to work in the nuclear power programme (i.e. the level attained after completion of nuclear oriented education and training). Valuable information on the national experiences of IAEA Member States in the education and training of technicians for nuclear power, as well as examples of such education and training from various Member States, are included in IAEA-TECDOC-526, which should be read in conjunction with the present text. 3 refs, 13 figs, 3 tabs

Improving job satisfaction and enlarging the role of technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Spooner, S H; Britton, M E; Erskine, L M; Verschoor, B A; Williams, P A

1991-01-01

The process used in preparing this administrative report provided the means of documenting departmental support of technician task expansion, cost benefits, increased availability of professional time, and the need for a dynamic department. Some of the benefits to St. Luke's Regional Medical Center and its Pharmacy Department were an increase in technician job satisfaction, improved quality of patient care attributable to the increased scope of pharmacy service, and up to 8554 hours per year of professional time available for more clinically oriented responsibilities. If technician turnover were decreased by half, technician pricing errors eliminated, and technicians assumed the identified technical tasks, potential monetary benefits could be as much as +116,900 per year. The departmental cost of implementing these recommendations would be an additional 4.16 technician FTEs, and the professional time for training, supervising, and coordinating technicians and functions. These recommendations were well received by pharmacy administration, and the committee was asked to develop a list of priorities and an implementation plan for administrative approval.

Veterinary Technician Program Director Leadership Style and Program Success

Science.gov (United States)

Renda-Francis, Lori A.

2012-01-01

Program directors of American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accredited veterinary technician programs may have little or no training in leadership. The need for program directors of AVMA-accredited veterinary technician programs to understand how leadership traits may have an impact on student success is often overlooked. The purpose of…

Comparing Burnout Across Emergency Physicians, Nurses, Technicians, and Health Information Technicians Working for the Same Organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Schooley, Benjamin; Hikmet, Neset; Tarcan, Menderes; Yorgancioglu, Gamze

2016-03-01

Studies on the topic of burnout measure the effects of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) (negative or cynical attitudes toward work), and reduced sense of personal accomplishment (PA). While the prevalence of burnout in practicing emergency medicine (EM) professionals has been studied, little is known of the prevalence and factors across physicians, nurses, technicians, and health information technicians working for the same institution. The aim of this study was to assess burnout differences across EM professional types.The total population of 250 EM professionals at 2 public urban hospitals in Turkey were surveyed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and basic social- and work-related demographics. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and additional post hoc tests were computed.Findings show that EE and DP scores were high across all occupational groups, while scores on PA were low. There was a statistically significant difference between nurses and medical technicians (P nurses and medical technicians (P Burnout can be high across occupational groups in the emergency department. Burnout is important for EM administrators to assess across human resources. Statistically significant differences across socio-demographic groups vary across occupational groups. However, differences between occupational groups may not be explained effectively by the demographic factors assessed in this or other prior studies. Rather, the factors associated with burnout are incomplete and require further institutional, cultural, and organizational analyses including differentiating between job tasks carried out by each EM job type.

Cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev receives assistance from suit technician

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

Sergei Krikalev, alternative mission specialist for STS-63, gets help from Dawn Mays, a Boeing suit technician. The cosmonaut was about to participate in a training session at JSC's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WETF). Wearing the training version of the extravehicular mobility unit (EMU) space suit, weighted to allow neutral buoyancy in the 25 feet deep WETF pool, Krikalev minutes later was underwater simulating a contingency spacewalk, or extravehicular activity (EVA).

Medical Laboratory Technician--Hematology, Serology, Blood Banking & Immunohematology, 10-4. Military Curriculum Materials for Vocational and Technical Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. National Center for Research in Vocational Education.

This course, the third of three courses in the medical laboratory technician field adapted from military curriculum materials for use in vocational and technical education, was designed as a refresher course for student self-study and evaluation. It is suitable for use by advanced students or beginning students participating in a supervised…

Clinical support role for a pharmacy technician within a primary care resource center.

Science.gov (United States)

Fera, Toni; Kanel, Keith T; Bolinger, Meghan L; Fink, Amber E; Iheasirim, Serah

2018-02-01

The creation of a clinical support role for a pharmacy technician within a primary care resource center is described. In the Primary Care Resource Center (PCRC) Project, hospital-based care transition coordination hubs staffed by nurses and pharmacist teams were created in 6 independent community hospitals. At the largest site, patient volume for targeted diseases challenged the ability of the PCRC pharmacist to provide expected elements of care to targeted patients. Creation of a new pharmacy technician clinical support role was implemented as a cost-effective option to increase the pharmacist's efficiency. The pharmacist's work processes were reviewed and technical functions identified that could be assigned to a specially trained pharmacy technician under the direction of the PCRC pharmacist. Daily tasks performed by the pharmacy technician included maintenance of the patient roster and pending discharges, retrieval and documentation of pertinent laboratory and diagnostic test information from the patient's medical record, assembly of patient medication education materials, and identification of discrepancies between disparate systems' medication records. In the 6 months after establishing the PCRC pharmacy technician role, the pharmacist's completion of comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs) for target patients increased by 40.5% ( p = 0.0223), driven largely by a 42.4% ( p technician to augment pharmacist care in a PCRC team extended the reach of the pharmacist and allowed more time for the pharmacist to engage patients. Technician support enabled the pharmacist to complete more CMRs and reduced the time required for chart reviews. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiologic Equipment and Technicians according to the Distribution of the Population

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoon, Chul Ho; Choi, Jun Gu

2009-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to provide basic data in order to systematize the management of demand and supply of radiologic technicians, to pursue a fair regional distribution of educational institutions, and furthermore to keep reasonable medical treatment and fee. This research was carried out through the investigation of radiologic equipment and technicians according to the distribution of the population. We compared and analyzed the correlation between regional population, the number of clinics and hospitals, the number of medical imaging devices, and the number of radiologists and radiologic technicians in 5 cities without 'Gu' administrative units in 2008. 27,317 radiologic technicians have been produced since the administration of the national qualifying exam for radiologic technicians. About 18,000 radiologic technicians are currently working. There are 39 colleges or universities with Departments of Radiology and the admission quota is 2,120 students excluding one college. The ratio of radiologic equipment to radiologic technicians is 2.6 to 1. There is a dilemma in which some radiologic technicians fail to find appropriate jobs while some clinics or hospitals are in need of radiologic technicians. This dilemma is due to unreasonable regional discrepancies in pay system and welfare situation, and excessive profit-oriented recruiting system of clinics and hospitals. The increase of students of Radiologic Departments and approval of additional departments will end up with producing superfluous high academic degree holders, which is on the contrary to the government policy to produce more job opportunities. So the policy of increasing Radiologic Departments should be reconsidered.

Forensic Science Technician

Science.gov (United States)

Tech Directions, 2010

2010-01-01

Forensic science technicians, also called crime laboratory technicians or police science technicians, help solve crimes. They examine and identify physical evidence to reconstruct a crime scene. This article discusses everything students need to know about careers for forensic science technicians--wages, responsibilities, skills needed, career…

Comparison of exercise blood pressure measured by technician and an automated system.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Gregory, J A; Jackson, A S; Studeville, J; Squires, W G; Owen, C A

1984-05-01

We evaluated the automated system Blood Pressure Measuring System (BPMS) developed by NASA on 277 adult males who elected to have a treadmill test as part of their annual physical. The BPMS uses acoustic transduction with a computer-assisted ECG gating to detect nonsynchronous noise. The BPMS readings were compared to pressures simultaneously measured by trained technicians. For all stages of work, BPMS readings were higher for systolic and lower for diastolic than technician readings. At peak stages of work, BPMS systolic pressures were about 20 mmHg higher than technician readings. Within each 3-min workstage, BPMS readings were found to be more inconsistent than technician readings. The standard errors of measurement for BPMS were from two to three times higher than technician values. These data showed automated blood pressure readings were significantly different than technician values and subject to more random fluctuations. These findings demonstrate the need to view exercise blood pressure measured by automated systems with caution.

Trusting early learners with critical professional activities through emergency medical technician certification.

Science.gov (United States)

Brenner, Judith; Bird, Jeffrey; Ginzburg, Samara B; Kwiatkowski, Thomas; Papasodero, Vincent; Rennie, William; Schlegel, Elisabeth; Ten Cate, Olle; Willey, Joanne M

2018-03-08

Two dominant themes face medical education: developing integrated curricula and improving the undergraduate medical education (UME) to graduate medical education (GME) transition. An innovative solution to both of these challenges at the Zucker School of Medicine has been the application of the cognitive apprenticeship framework in requiring emergency medical technician (EMT) certification during the first course in medical school as the core on which to build an integrated curriculum and provide entrustable clinical skills. Beginning with the Class of 2011, student feedback about the short-term impact of the experience was collected annually. In addition, perceptions of near graduates and alumni were surveyed in 2017 to explore the long-term impact of the experience. Theme analysis was conducted via inductive coding. Both first-year and more experienced learners report the value of the EMT curriculum as an integrated component of the first course of medical school. Reported positive long-term impacts included the first-hand observation of social determinants of health and interprofessionalism. Negative comments by early learners focused on course logistics, whereas older learners recalled the variability of clinical experiences during ambulance runs. The integration of the EMT curriculum as a core component of the first course serves multiple purposes: 1) it provides the foundation of a spiral learning approach; 2) it contextualizes the basic sciences within clinical practice; 3) it provides opportunities for students to engage in authentic clinical activities under the guidance of mentors; 4) it introduces students to the interdisciplinary nature of medicine; and 5) it serves as the first entrustable professional activity (EPA) for our students.

Data analyst technician: an innovative role for the pharmacy technician.

Science.gov (United States)

Ervin, K C; Skledar, S; Hess, M M; Ryan, M

2001-10-01

The development of an innovative role for the pharmacy technician is described. The role of the pharmacy technician was based on a needs assessment and the expertise of the pharmacy technician selected. Initial responsibilities of the technician included chart reviews, benchmarking surveys, monthly financial impact analysis, initiative assessment, and quality improvement reporting. As the drug-use and disease-state management (DUDSM) program expanded, pharmacist activities increased, requiring the expansion of data analyst technician (DAT) duties. These new responsibilities included participation in patient assessment, data collection and interpretation, and formulary enforcement. Most recently, technicians' expanded duties include maintenance of a physician compliance profiling database, quality improvement reporting and graphing, active role in patient risk assessment and database management for adult vaccination, and support of financial impact monitoring for other institutions within the health system. This pharmacist-technician collaboration resulted a threefold increase in patient assessments completed per day. In addition, as the DUDSM program continues to expand across the health system, an increase in DAT resources from 0.5 to 1.0 full-time equivalent was obtained. The role of the DAT has increased the efficiency of the DUDSM program and has provided an innovative role for the pharmacy technician.

Mass Medication Clinic (MMC) Patient Medical Assistant (PMA) System Training Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

2007-06-01

AD_________________ Award Number: W81XWH-06-2-0045 TITLE: Mass Medication Clinic (MMC) Patient ...SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER Mass Medication Clinic (MMC) Patient Medical Assistant (PMA) System Training Initiative 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH-06-2...sections will describe the events, results, and accomplishments of this study. With validation through this project the Patient Medical Assistant

40 CFR 82.40 - Technician training and certification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... speaking technicians by providing tests in other languages or allowing the use of a translator when taking the test. If a translator is used, the certificate received must indicate that translator assistance.... Each program must provide adequate training, through one or more of the following means: on-the-job...

Longitudinal Emergency Medical Technician Attributes and Demographic Study (LEADS) Design and Methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Levine, Roger

2016-12-01

The objective of this study is to describe the Longitudinal Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Attributes and Demographic Study (LEADS) design, instrument development, pilot testing, sampling procedures, and data collection methodology. Response rates are provided, along with results of follow-up surveys of non-responders (NRs) and a special survey of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) professionals who were not nationally certified. Annual surveys from 1999 to 2008 were mailed out to a random, stratified sample of nationally registered EMT-Basics and Paramedics. Survey weights were developed to reflect each respondent's probability of selection. A special survey of NRs was mailed out to individuals who did not respond to the annual survey to estimate the probable extent and direction of response bias. Individuals who indicated they were no longer in the profession were mailed a special exit survey to determine their reasons for leaving EMS. Given the large number of comparisons between NR and regular (annual) survey respondents, it is not surprising that some statistically significant differences were found. In general, there were few differences. However, NRs tended to report higher annual EMS incomes, were younger, healthier, more physically fit, and were more likely to report that they were not practicing EMS. Comparisons of the nationally certified EMS professionals with EMS professionals who were not nationally certified indicated that nationally certified EMS providers were younger, had less EMS experiences, earned less, were more likely to be female and work for private EMS services, and less likely to work for fire-based services. These differences may reflect state and local policy and practice, since many states and local agencies do not require maintenance of national certification as a requirement to practice. When these differences were controlled for statistically, there were few systematic differences between non-nationally certified and nationally

Safety and efficiency of prehospital pain management with fentanyl administered by emergency medical technicians

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Niels Dalsgaard; Brogaard, Kjeld; Dahl, Michael

2007-01-01

Introduction: In our region Advanced Emergency Medical Technicians (AEMTs) respond to acutely ill or injured patients in rural areas. The AEMTs have been authorized to administer fentanyl intravenously in doses up to 2 μg/kg to selected groups of patients in pain. Higher doses can be allowed...... by a physician after a teleconference. We examined the effect of intravenous (IV) fentanyl treatment, expressed as pain reduction on a 10-point Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Moreover we examined the occurrence of negative coincident events to assess whether it was safe to let non-medical staff administer potent...... opioids intravenously.   Methods: Retrospectively we collected the case sheets for all patients treated with IV fentanyl by the AEMTs in 2005 and 2006. We excluded all patients where a physician had been directly involved in the prehospital treatment. We recorded the IV fentanyl dose, NRS-score before...

Job stress and burnout in hospital employees: comparisons of different medical professions in a regional hospital in Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Chou, Li-Ping; Li, Chung-Yi; Hu, Susan C

2014-01-01

Objectives To explore the prevalence and associated factors of burnout among five different medical professions in a regional teaching hospital. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Hospital-based survey. Participants A total of 1329 medical professionals were recruited in a regional hospital with a response rate of 89%. These voluntary participants included 101 physicians, 68 physician assistants, 570 nurses, 216 medical technicians and 374 administrative staff. Primary and secondary outcome measures Demographic data included gender, age, level of education and marital status, and work situations, such as position, work hours and work shifts, were obtained from an electronic questionnaire. Job strain and burnout were measured by two validated questionnaires, the Chinese version of the Job Content Questionnaire and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory. Results Among the five medical professions, the prevalence of high work-related burnout from highest to lowest was nurses (66%), physician assistants (61.8%), physicians (38.6%), administrative staff (36.1%) and medical technicians (31.9%), respectively. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that job strain, overcommitment and low social support explained the most variance (32.6%) of burnout. Conclusions Physician assistant is an emerging high burnout group; its severity is similar to that of nurses and far more than that of physicians, administrative staff and medical technicians. These findings may contribute to the development of feasible strategies to reduce the stress which results in the burnout currently plaguing most hospitals in Taiwan. PMID:24568961

Cost analysis of medical assistance in dying in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Trachtenberg, Aaron J; Manns, Braden

2017-01-23

The legalization of medical assistance in dying will affect health care spending in Canada. Our aim was to determine the potential costs and savings associated with the implementation of medical assistance in dying. Using published data from the Netherlands and Belgium, where medically assisted death is legal, we estimated that medical assistance in dying will account for 1%-4% of all deaths; 80% of patients will have cancer; 50% of patients will be aged 60-80 years; 55% will be men; 60% of patients will have their lives shortened by 1 month; and 40% of patients will have their lives shortened by 1 week. We combined current mortality data for the Canadian population with recent end-of-life cost data to calculate a predicted range of savings associated with the implementation of medical assistance in dying. We also estimated the direct costs associated with offering medically assisted death, including physician consultations and drug costs. Medical assistance in dying could reduce annual health care spending across Canada by between $34.7 million and $138.8 million, exceeding the $1.5-$14.8 million in direct costs associated with its implementation. In sensitivity analyses, we noted that even if the potential savings are overestimated and costs underestimated, the implementation of mdedical assistance in dying will likely remain at least cost neutral. Providing medical assistance in dying in Canada should not result in any excess financial burden to the health care system, and could result in substantial savings. Additional data on patients who choose medical assistance in dying in Canada should be collected to enable more precise estimates of the impact of medically assisted death on health care spending and to enable further economic evaluation. © 2017 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

Physician and Nurse Acceptance of Technicians to Screen for Geriatric Syndromes in the Emergency Department

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian F Gage

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate emergency medicine physician and nurse acceptance of nonnurse, nonphysician screening for geriatric syndromes. Methods: This was a single-center emergency department (ED survey of physicians and nurses after an 8-month project. Geriatric technicians were paid medical student research assistants evaluating consenting ED patients older than 65 years for cognitive dysfunction, fall risk, or functional decline. The primary objective of this anonymous survey was to evaluate ED nurse and physician perceptions about the geriatric screener feasibility and barriers to implementation. In addition, as a secondary objective, respondents reported ongoing geriatric screening efforts independent of the research screeners. Results: The survey was completed by 72% of physicians and 33% of nurses. Most nurses and physicians identified geriatric technicians as beneficial to patients without impeding ED throughput. Fewer than 25% of physicians routinely screen for any geriatric syndromes. Nurses evaluated for fall risk significantly more often than physicians, but no other significant differences were noted in ongoing screening efforts. Conclusion: Dedicated geriatric technicians are perceived by nurses and physicians as beneficial to patients with the potential to improve patient safety and clinical outcomes. Most nurses and physicians are not currently screening for any geriatric syndromes. [West J Emerg Med. 2011;12(4:489–495.

Downtime after Critical Incidents in Emergency Medical Technicians/Paramedics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Janice Halpern

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Effective workplace-based interventions after critical incidents (CIs are needed for emergency medical technicians (EMT/paramedics. The evidence for a period out of service post-CI (downtime is sparse; however it may prevent posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD and burnout symptoms. We examined the hypothesis that downtime post-CI is associated with fewer symptoms of four long-term emotional sequelae in EMT/paramedics: depression, PTSD, burnout, and stress-related emotional symptoms (accepted cut-offs defined high scores. Two hundred and one paramedics completed questionnaires concerning an index CI including downtime experience, acute distress, and current emotional symptoms. Nearly 75% received downtime; 59% found it helpful; 84% spent it with peers. Downtime was associated only with lower depression symptoms, not with other outcomes. The optimal period for downtime was between 1 day being less effective. Planned testing of mediation of the association between downtime and depression by either calming acute post-CI distress or feeling helped by others was not performed because post-CI distress was not associated with downtime and perceived helpfulness was not associated with depression. These results suggest that outcomes of CIs follow different pathways and may require different interventions. A brief downtime is a relatively simple and effective strategy in preventing later depression symptoms.

Advancing technician practice: Deliberations of a regulatory board.

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Alex J

2018-01-01

In 2016, the Idaho State Board of Pharmacy (U.S.) undertook a major rulemaking initiative to advance pharmacy practice by broadening the ability of pharmacists to delegate tasks to pharmacy technicians. The new rules of the Board thus moved the locus of control in technician scope of practice from law to pharmacist delegation. Pharmacist delegation is individualistic and takes into account the individual technician's capabilities, the pharmacist's comfort level, facility policies, and the risk mitigation strategies present at the facility, among other factors. State law limits, by contrast, are rigid and can mean that pharmacists are unable to delegate tasks that are or could otherwise be within the abilities of their technicians. The expanded technician duties are in two domains: 1) medication dispensing support (e.g., tech-check-tech, accepting verbal prescriptions, transferring prescriptions, and performing remote data entry); and 2) technical support for pharmacist clinical services (e.g., administering immunizations). This commentary reviews the evidence behind these expanded duties, as well as the key regulatory decision points for each task. The Board's rules and approach may prove useful to other states and even other governing bodies outside the U.S. as they consider similar issues. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The practical training of students - x-ray technicians and requirements to mentors in clinical bases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gagova, P; Boninska, N.; Jovchev, D.

2012-01-01

Full text: Introduction: Training of X-ray technicians in Bulgaria takes place in the Medical Colleges to Medical Universities. It's purpose is providing professional training of students in the area of diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy. Practical training is based on the scientific and theoretical knowledge and skills and is organized in pedagogic environment, adequate to regularities for a gradual formation of practical skills and habits. The practical training and pre-graduation internship are performed in 1895 from total of 3810 hours, which represents about fifty percent of all training of X-ray technicians. Students are in groups of 2-4 students. Practical training is organized, accomplished and monitored by the teacher training practice with the help of a mentor in the clinical base. Purpose: To present the tasks of practical training of students - X-ray technicians and the requirements for the personal characteristics and activity of mentors. Materials and methods: Documentary method has been used. Literature and normative documents related to the practical training of students in 'X-ray technician' of Medical Colleges have been studied. The job descriptions of senior clinical X-ray technicians have been examined carefully. Results: By analyzing literature sources, we have structured the tasks of practical training and pre-graduation internship of students - X-ray technicians, also we have described the requirements for personal qualities of mentors and systematize the activities they perform. Conclusion: Practical training plays an important role in adaptation of young X-ray technicians to the conditions of medical work, improving their skills and habits, and to the development of specific practical skills for being able to respond to emergency conditions and to solve complicated practical situations. The mentor is the supervisor and the controller of interns who helps this happen through his own example, qualities and attitudes towards

Medical laboratory technician professional pathologies: a 2006-2016 literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pougnet, Richard; Loddé, Brice; Uguen, Marie; Sawicki, Bénédicte; Pougnet, Laurence

2017-12-01

The trade of laboratory technician (TL) exposes to many risks to health, because of biological or chemical or physical exposures. But the TL occupation is constantly evolving, the techniques are constantly changing. The purpose of this article is to take stock of the occupational TL pathologies which were recently described in the literature. This is a literature review, based on Medline® and Scopus® medical databases, on publications between 01/01/2006 and 31/12/2016. The research was conducted in French and English. Only articles about TL in Hospital or Teaching Hospital were selected. Twenty-eight articles were studied. The main infectious pathology described was brucellosis and a case of meningitis was studied. The cutaneous allergies reported concerned sensitization to certain solvents. There was no allergy to latex. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) were studied in 4 articles. The main MSDs were low back pain and neck pain. Several articles have alerted on the occurrence of burnout syndrome (BO). However, no prevalence studies were conducted over the period studied. In conclusion, TL can present many occupational pathologies. Few articles studied the prevalence of MSD and BO.

Rapid methods for jugular bleeding of dogs requiring one technician.

Science.gov (United States)

Frisk, C S; Richardson, M R

1979-06-01

Two methods were used to collect blood from the jugular vein of dogs. In both techniques, only one technician was required. A rope with a slip knot was placed around the base of the neck to assist in restraint and act as a tourniquet for the vein. The technician used one hand to restrain the dog by the muzzle and position the head. The other hand was used for collecting the sample. One of the methods could be accomplished with the dog in its cage. The bleeding techniques were rapid, requiring approximately 1 minute per dog.

Appendices to the guidebook on the education and training of technicians for nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-10-01

The current publication, a supplement to the IAEA Guidebook on the Education and Training of Technicians for Nuclear Power, in conjunction with which it should be read, aims to assist Member States, especially the developing countries which are in the process of implementing, or intending to implement, a nuclear power programme, to understand and meet their requirements for qualified technicians in the most effective and efficient manner. It specifically seeks to assist policy makers and planners, as well as those designing and implementing education and training programmes. The Guidebook and this TECDOC complement the IAEA Guidebook on Manpower Development for Nuclear Power, as well as the IAEA Guidebook on the Qualification of Nuclear Power Plant Operations Personnel. This TECDOC supplements the Guidebook with valuable information on the national experience of IAEA Member States in the education and training of technicians for nuclear power, as well as examples of such education and training from various Member States. Figs and tabs

ASHP statement on the pharmacy technician's role in pharmacy informatics.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-02-01

The American Society of Health- System Pharmacists (ASHP) believes that specially trained pharmacy technicians can assume important supportive roles in pharmacy informatics. These roles include automation and technology systems management, management of projects, training and education, policy and governance, customer service, charge integrity, and reporting. Such roles require pharmacy technicians to gain expertise in information technology (IT) systems, including knowledge of interfaces, computer management techniques, problem resolution, and database maintenance. This knowledge could be acquired through specialized training or experience in a health science or allied scientific field (e.g., health informatics). With appropriate safeguards and supervision, pharmacy technician informaticists (PTIs) will manage IT processes in health-system pharmacy services, ensuring a safe and efficient medication-use process.

Field Organization and Disaster Medical Assistance Teams

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim ARZIMAN

2015-10-01

Full Text Available SUMMARY: Disasters cause an acute deterioration in all stages of life. An area affected by the disaster in which the normal activities of life are disrupted is described as a “Field” in disaster terminology. Although it is not easy to define the borders of this zone, the area where there is normally functioning society is accepted as the boundary. Disaster management is the responsibility of the local government. However, in many large disaster responses many non-governmental and international organizations play a role. A Disaster Medical Team is a trained, mobile, self-contained, self-sufficient, multidisciplinary medical team that can act in the acute phase of a sudden-onset disaster (48 to 72 hours after its occurrence to provide medical treatment in the affected area. The medical team can include physicians, nurses, paramedics and EMTS, technicians, personnel to manage logistics, security and others. Various models of Disaster Medical Teams can be observed around the world. There is paucity of evidence based literature regarding DMTs. There is a need for epidemiological studies with rigorous designs and sampling. In this section of the special edition of the journal, field organizations in health management during disasters will be summarized, with emphasis on preparedness and response phases, and disaster medical teams will be discussed. Keywords: Field organization, disaster, medical team, DMAT

Is medically assisted death a special obligation?

Science.gov (United States)

Rivera-López, Eduardo

2017-06-01

Several distinct arguments conclude that terminally ill patients have a right to a medically assisted death; two are especially influential: the autonomy argument and the non-harm argument. Both have proven convincing to many, but not to those who view the duty not to kill as an (almost) absolute constraint. Some philosophers see the source of such a constraint in general (deontological) moral principles, other in the nature of the medical profession. My aim in this paper is not to add one further argument in favour of medically assisted death. Rather, I want to shed light on a kind of reason that, to my mind, has not been previously highlighted or defended, and that might shake the principled conviction that doctors are never allowed to actively assist their patients to die. Specifically, my purpose is to show that doctors (as members of the medical profession) have a special duty to provide medically assisted death to consenting terminally ill patients, because (and insofar as) they have been participants in the process leading to the situation in which a patient can reasonably ask to die. In some specific ways (to be explained), they are involved in the tragic fate of those patients and, therefore, are not morally allowed to straightforwardly refuse to assist them to die. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Occupational contact dermatitis amongst dentists and dental technicians

OpenAIRE

Lugović-Mihić, Liborija; Ferček, Iva; Duvančić, Tomislav; Bulat, Vedrana; Ježovita, Josip; Novak-Bilić, Gaby; Šitum, Mirna

2016-01-01

Since the working medical personnel including dentists and dental technicians mainly use their hands, it is understandable that the most common occupational disease amongst medical personnel is contact dermatitis (CD) (80%-90% of cases). Development of occupational CD is caused by contact of the skin with various substances in occupational environment. Occupational etiologic factors for dental personnel are foremost reactions to gloves containing latex, followed by various dental materials...

Barriers in detecting elder abuse among emergency medical technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Reingle Gonzalez, Jennifer M; Cannell, M Brad; Jetelina, Katelyn K; Radpour, Sepeadeh

2016-09-02

Elder abuse and neglect are highly under-reported in the United States. This may be partially attributed to low incidence of reporting among emergency medical technicians' (EMTs), despite state-mandated reporting of suspected elder abuse. Innovative solutions are needed to address under-reporting. The objective was to describe EMTs' experience detecting and reporting elder abuse. Qualitative data were collected from 11 EMTs and 12 Adult Protective Services (APS) caseworkers that participated in one of five semi-structured focus groups. Focus group data were iteratively coded by two coders. Findings suggest a number of barriers prevent EMTs from reporting elder abuse to APS. Participants suggested that limited training on elder abuse detection or reporting has been provided to them. EMTs suggested that training, creation of an automated reporting system or brief screening tool could be used to enhance EMT's ability to detect and communicate suspected cases of elder abuse to APS. Results from the present study suggest that EMTs may be uniquely situated to serve as elder abuse and neglect surveillance personnel. EMTs are eager to work with APS to address the under-reporting of elder abuse and neglect, but training is minimal and current reporting procedures are time-prohibitive given their primary role as emergency healthcare providers. Future studies should seek to translate these findings into practice by identifying specific indicators predictive of elder abuse and neglect for inclusion on an automated reporting instrument for EMTs.

[Historical succour of poverty and medical assistance in rural China.].

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Wen-Xian; Li, Ning-Xiu; Ren, Xiao-Hui

2009-11-01

There was considerable attention paid to the succour of poverty with widespread practice in China's history. Succour of poverty and medical assistance in rural areas were closely connected with famine relief carried out by the rulers. The mutual assistance of emotional and moral support long-term in rural communities is the most important form of medical assistance. A succour of poverty and medical assistance system in the modern sense should inherit and learn from the past consideration of poverty assistance and bring in the fine tradition of multiple forces to participate, in order to establish a succour of poverty and medical assistance system compatible with economic and social development. This is not only an important component of anti-poverty strategy in rural areas but also an inevitable requirement of historical development.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Scope of Practice for the Dietetic Technician, Registered.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-01

The Scope of Practice for the Dietetic Technician, Registered provides standards and tools to guide competence in performing nutrition and dietetics practice. Composed of statutory and individual components, the DTR's scope of practice is determined by state statute and the DTR's education, training, credentialing, and demonstrated and documented competence in practice. The Scope of Practice for the Dietetic Technician, Registered reflects the Academy's position on the DTR scope of practice and the essential technical assistance role of the DTR in providing safe timely person-centered care for the delivery of quality food and nutrition services.

Work-related injuries sustained by emergency medical technicians and paramedics in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Gülen, Bedia; Serinken, Mustafa; Hatipoğlu, Celile; Özaşır, Derya; Sönmez, Ertan; Kaya, Gökhan; Akpınar, Güleser

2016-03-01

Evaluated in the present study were locations, descriptions, and results of work-related injuries (WRIs) sustained by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics in Turkey's most crowded city, İstanbul. After the present study had been accepted by the urban health authority, a questionnaire was emailed to the healthcare personnel of İstanbul's 195 ambulance stations. Included in the present study were the responses of 901 members of staff (660 EMTs and 241 paramedics), with a mean age of 29.5±6.1 (min: 18; max: 61). The majority of participants (94.9%) had encountered verbal abuse from the public, and 39.8% had encountered physical violence from patients' relatives. Levels of satisfaction with work in emergency medical services (EMS) was also evaluated, and 510 participants (57.6%) were unhappy. Regarding gender, female employees were more likely to be verbally attacked (p=0.01), while males were more likely to be physically attacked (p=0.001). It was reported that motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) were the most common cause of WRIs (81.4%), followed by needle-stick injuries (52.2%), ocular exposure to blood and other fluids (30.9%), and sharp injuries (22.5%). Only 10.5% (n=95) of WRIs were reported to authorities; 488 (54.2%) of participants just attended to the practice to prevent possible WRIs. For paramedics and EMTs, risk of WRI is obviously high. Strategies to decrease and prevent verbal and physical violence should be developed.

A qualitative assessment of practitioner perspectives post-introduction of the first Continuous Professional Competence (CPC) guidelines for emergency medical technicians in Ireland.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Knox, Shane

2015-01-01

In November 2013, the Irish Regulator for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) introduced the first mandatory requirement for registrants to demonstrate evidence of continuous professional development (CPD)\\/continuous professional competence (CPC). This qualitative study assessed the experience of practitioners with CPC-related materials provided to them by the Regulator in addition to identifying perceived or encountered practical challenges and suggested improvements six months following introduction of the requirement.

Training pharmacy technicians to administer immunizations.

Science.gov (United States)

McKeirnan, Kimberly C; Frazier, Kyle R; Nguyen, Maryann; MacLean, Linda Garrelts

To evaluate the effectiveness of an immunization training program for pharmacy technicians on technicians' self-reported confidence, knowledge, and number of vaccines administered. A one-group pre- and posttest study was conducted with certified pharmacy technicians from Albertsons and Safeway community pharmacies in Idaho. Thirty pharmacy technicians were recruited to participate in an immunization administration training program comprising a 2-hour home study and a 2-hour live training. Pharmacy technician scores on a 10-question knowledge assessment, responses on a pre- and posttraining survey, and number of immunizations administered in the 6-month period following the training were collected. Twenty-five pharmacy technicians completed the home study and live portions of the immunization training program. All 29 pharmacy technicians who took the home study assessment passed with greater than 70% competency on the first attempt. Technicians self-reported increased confidence with immunization skills between the pretraining survey and the posttraining survey. From December 2016 to May 2017, the technicians administered 953 immunizations with 0 adverse events reported. For the first time, pharmacy technicians have legally administered immunizations in the United States. Trained pharmacy technicians demonstrated knowledge of vaccination procedures and self-reported improved confidence in immunization skills and administered immunizations after participating in a 4-hour training program. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diesel Engine Technician

Science.gov (United States)

Tech Directions, 2010

2010-01-01

Diesel engine technicians maintain and repair the engines that power transportation equipment such as heavy trucks, trains, buses, and locomotives. Some technicians work mainly on farm machines, ships, compressors, and pumps. Others work mostly on construction equipment such as cranes, power shovels, bulldozers, and paving machines. This article…

Radiation protection technician job task analysis manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-03-01

This manual was developed to assist all DOE contractors in the design and conduct of job task analysis (JTA) for the radiation protection technician. Experience throughout the nuclear industry and the DOE system has indicated that the quality and efficiency in conducting a JTA at most sites is greatly enhanced by using a generic task list for the position, and clearly written guidelines on the JTA process. This manual is designed to provide this information for personnel to use in developing and conducting site-specific JTAs. (VC)

A global picture of pharmacy technician and other pharmacy support workforce cadres

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koehler, Tamara; Brown, A.

a b s t r a c t Introduction: Understanding how pharmacy technicians and other pharmacy support workforce cadres assist pharmacists in the healthcare system will facilitate developing health systems with the ability to achieve universal health coverage as it is defined in different country contexts.

May Christians request medically assisted suicide and euthanasia?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Etienne de Villiers

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the question: ‘Is it morally acceptable for terminally ill Christians to voluntarily request medically assisted suicide or euthanasia?’ After a brief discussion of relevant changes in the moral landscape over the last century, two influential, but opposite views on the normative basis for the Christian ethical assessment of medically assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia are critically discussed. The inadequacy of both the view that the biblical message entails an absolute prohibition against these two practices, and the view that Christians have to decide on them on the basis of their own autonomy, is argued. An effort is made to demonstrate that although the biblical message does not entail an absolute prohibition it does have normative ethical implications for deciding on medically assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia. Certain Christian beliefs encourage terminally ill Christians to live a morally responsible life until their death and cultivate a moral prejudice against taking the life of any human being. This moral prejudice can, however, in exceptional cases be outweighed by moral considerations in favour of medically assisted suicide or voluntary euthanasia.

Electric Vehicle Technician

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Pam

2011-01-01

With President Obama's goal to have one million electric vehicles (EV) on the road by 2015, the electric vehicle technician should have a promising and busy future. "The job force in the car industry is ramping up for a revitalized green car industry," according to Greencareersguide.com. An electric vehicle technician will safely troubleshoot and…

30 CFR 75.1713 - Emergency medical assistance; first-aid.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 30 Mineral Resources 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Emergency medical assistance; first-aid. 75... Emergency medical assistance; first-aid. [Statutory Provisions] Each operator shall make arrangements in... trained in first-aid and first-aid training shall be made available to all miners. Each coal mine shall...

Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP). Data Codebook. Version 1.0

Science.gov (United States)

1993-12-01

0635 Corrective therapist 0436 Plant protection and quarantine 0636 Rehabilitation therapy assistant 0437 Horticulture 0637 Manual arts therapist 0440... Therapeutic radiologic technician 0471 Agronomy 0649 Medical machine technician 0475 Agricultural management 0650 Medical technical assistant 0480

Large Outbreak of Hepatitis C Virus Associated With Drug Diversion by a Healthcare Technician.

Science.gov (United States)

Alroy-Preis, Sharon; Daly, Elizabeth R; Adamski, Christine; Dionne-Odom, Jodie; Talbot, Elizabeth A; Gao, Fengxiang; Cavallo, Steffany J; Hansen, Katrina; Mahoney, Jennifer C; Metcalf, Erin; Loring, Carol; Bean, Christine; Drobeniuc, Jan; Xia, Guo-Liang; Kamili, Saleem; Montero, José T

2018-05-14

In May 2012, the New Hampshire (NH) Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) was notified of 4 persons with newly diagnosed hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection at hospital X. Initial investigation suggested a common link to the hospital cardiac catheterization laboratory (CCL) because the infected persons included 3 CCL patients and a CCL technician. NH DPHS initiated an investigation to determine the source and control the outbreak. NH DPHS conducted site visits, case patient and employee interviews, medical record and medication use review, and employee and patient HCV testing using enzyme immunoassay for anti-HCV, reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction for HCV RNA, nonstructural 5B (NS5B) and hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) sequencing, and quasispecies analysis. HCV HVR1 analysis of the first 4 cases confirmed a common source of infection. HCV testing identified 32 of 1074 CCL patients infected with the outbreak strain, including 3 patients coinfected with >1 HCV strain. The epidemiologic investigation revealed evidence of drug diversion by the HCV-infected technician, evidenced by gaps in controlled medication control, higher fentanyl use during procedures for confirmed cases, and building card key access records documenting the presence of the technician during days when transmission occurred. The employee's status as a traveling technician led to a multistate investigation, which identified additional cases at prior employment sites. This is the largest laboratory-confirmed drug diversion-associated HCV outbreak published to date. Recommendations to reduce drug diversion risk and to conduct outbreak investigations are provided.

Variables of job satisfaction in medical assistant profession.

Science.gov (United States)

Duma, Olga-Odetta; Roşu, Solange Tamara; Manole, M; Manole, Alina; Constantin, Brânduşa

2013-01-01

To identify the key favorable issues, showing a high degree of job satisfaction, and also the adverse issues that may affect the work performance among medical assistants. This research is a type of inquiry-based opinion survey carried out by administering a self-managed, anonymous questionnaire, consisting of five sections with 25 items. The study group included 175 medical assistants from all specialties, working in public hospitals in the city of Iasi, who answered the questionnaires. A number of 167 subjects have responded, the return rate being of 95.4%. The respondents were asked to indicate the amount of agreement or disagreement on a typical five-level Likert scale. The study has identified some positive aspects: positive perception of the medical assistant profession (76.6%); concern about personal growth and career development (86.3%); good rel ationships established with other colleagues (71.2%), and some negative aspects: inappropriate work conditions and equipments (70%); the income compared to the volume of work was perceived by majority as an important source of dissatisfaction (80.8%); willingness to work abroad (53.9%). The findings of the present research focused on the variables of job satisfaction in the medical assistant profession and should be a real concern for managers, because the job dissatisfaction may affect the employee's productivity.

Emergency Victim Care. A Training Manual for Emergency Medical Technicians. Module 2. Equipment, Safe Driving Practices, Legal Aspects, Controlling the Situation, Action Evaluation Conference. Revised.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Vocational Education.

This student manual, the second in a set of 14 modules, is designed to train emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in Ohio. The module contains five sections that cover the following course content: ambulance equipment, safe driving practices for emergency vehicle drivers, legal aspects of the EMT's job, how to maintain control at an accident scene…

Radiation Technician Scientist service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prieto Miranda, Enrique; Barrera Gonzalez, Gisela; Guerra Torres, Mercedes; Mora Lopez, Leonor; Altanes Valentin, Sonia; Rapado Paneque, Manuel; Plasencia Gutierrez, Manuel

2003-01-01

The irradiation service is part of the specialized technician scientist services of the Center of Technological Applications and Nuclear Development it belonging to the Radiobiological Department it provides a self shielded laboratory irradiator, PX y 30 type with Cobalt 60 sources, it destined for searches studies, so much basic as applying, in several branches of the science, like the radiobiology, the radiation chemistry, the solid state physics, the medicine, the agriculture and the Pharmaceutical- Medical Industry and besides offering the irradiation service properly with the which have been gotten significant economical outputs. The radiation processing is controlled by means of the dosimetric systems of Freckle, ceric cerous sulfate, Perspex (red, clear and Amber) and dose indicators

Measuring teamwork and conflict among Emergency Medical Technician personnel

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, P. Daniel; Weaver, Matthew D.; Weaver, Sallie J.; Rosen, Michael A.; Todorova, Gergana; Weingart, Laurie R.; Krackhardt, David; Lave, Judith R.; Arnold, Robert M.; Yealy, Donald M.; Salas, Eduardo

2011-01-01

Objective We sought to develop a reliable and valid tool for measuring teamwork among Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) partnerships. Methods We adapted existing scales and developed new items to measure components of teamwork. After recruiting a convenience sample of 39 agencies, we tested a 122-item draft survey tool. We performed a series of Exploratory Factor Analyses (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to test reliability and construct validity, describing variation in domain and global scores using descriptive statistics. Results We received 687 completed surveys. The EFA analyses identified a 9-factor solution. We labeled these factors [1] Team Orientation, [2] Team Structure & Leadership, [3] Partner Communication, Team Support, & Monitoring, [4] Partner Trust and Shared Mental Models, [5] Partner Adaptability & Back-Up Behavior, [6] Process Conflict, [7] Strong Task Conflict, [8] Mild Task Conflict, and [9] Interpersonal Conflict. We tested a short form (30-item SF) and long form (45-item LF) version. The CFA analyses determined that both the SF and LF versions possess positive psychometric properties of reliability and construct validity. The EMT-TEAMWORK-SF has positive internal consistency properties with a mean Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ≥0.70 across all 9-factors (mean=0.84; min=0.78, max=0.94). The mean Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the EMT-TEAMWORK-LF version was 0.87 (min=0.79, max=0.94). There was wide variation in weighted scores across all 9 factors and the global score for the SF and LF versions. Mean scores were lowest for the Team Orientation factor (48.1, SD 21.5 SF; 49.3 SD 19.8 LF) and highest (more positive) for the Interpersonal Conflict factor (87.7 SD 18.1 for both SF and LF). Conclusions We developed a reliable and valid survey to evaluate teamwork between EMT partners. PMID:22128909

Measuring teamwork and conflict among emergency medical technician personnel.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, P Daniel; Weaver, Matthew D; Weaver, Sallie J; Rosen, Michael A; Todorova, Gergana; Weingart, Laurie R; Krackhardt, David; Lave, Judith R; Arnold, Robert M; Yealy, Donald M; Salas, Eduardo

2012-01-01

We sought to develop a reliable and valid tool for measuring teamwork among emergency medical technician (EMT) partnerships. We adapted existing scales and developed new items to measure components of teamwork. After recruiting a convenience sample of 39 agencies, we tested a 122-item draft survey tool (EMT-TEAMWORK). We performed a series of exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test reliability and construct validity, describing variation in domain and global scores using descriptive statistics. We received 687 completed surveys. The EFAs identified a nine-factor solution. We labeled these factors 1) Team Orientation, 2) Team Structure & Leadership, 3) Partner Communication, Team Support, & Monitoring, 4) Partner Trust and Shared Mental Models, 5) Partner Adaptability & Back-Up Behavior, 6) Process Conflict, 7) Strong Task Conflict, 8) Mild Task Conflict, and 9) Interpersonal Conflict. We tested a short-form (30-item SF) and long-form (45-item LF) version. The CFAs determined that both the SF and the LF possess positive psychometric properties of reliability and construct validity. The EMT-TEAMWORK-SF has positive internal consistency properties, with a mean Cronbach's alpha coefficient ≥0.70 across all nine factors (mean = 0.84; minimum = 0.78, maximum = 0.94). The mean Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the EMT-TEAMWORK-LF was 0.87 (minimum = 0.79, maximum = 0.94). There was wide variation in weighted scores across all nine factors and the global score for the SF and LF. Mean scores were lowest for the Team Orientation factor (48.1, standard deviation [SD] 21.5, SF; 49.3, SD 19.8, LF) and highest (more positive) for the Interpersonal Conflict factor (87.7, SD 18.1, for both SF and LF). We developed a reliable and valid survey to evaluate teamwork between EMT partners.

Career Directions: HVACR Technician

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, Pam

2005-01-01

Heating/ventilation/air conditioning/refrigeration (HVACR) technicians (also known as "heating and cooling technicians") are the people who install, maintain, test and repair the machines that control temperature, circulation, moisture and purity of air in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. These systems consist of a variety of…

An in-depth examination into pharmacy technician worklife through an organizational behavior framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Desselle, Shane P

2016-01-01

Pharmacy technicians are a vital part of the health care workforce. Little is known about perceptions of their own work environment that would engender more effective recruitment, retention, and management strategies by pharmacists and employers. The purpose of this study was to gain a greater understanding of certified pharmacy technician worklife. Specific objectives included the identification of themes of worklife phenomena to assist with the development of appropriate responses by other pharmacy stakeholders and to ascertain the contribution of various factors engendering or discouraging career commitment of pharmacy technicians. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out with a convenience sample of pharmacy technicians in one U.S. state, who varied by their work settings and level of experience. The interview guide and corresponding participant responses were framed from around an organizational cultural basis rooted in organizational behavior theory. Notes from the interviews were analyzed thematically using directed content analysis. Four primary themes emerged, including: career impetus, job responsibilities, quality of work life, and equitable partnership. The data revealed pharmacy technicians' need for self-actualization and recognition of the value they bring to the organization. The participants identified primary responsibilities that contribute to their sense of worth and those that if not managed adequately potentially detract from their well-being and effectiveness. Findings in regard to rate of pay corroborate previous work on wages as both an intrinsic and extrinsic motivator. Pharmacy technicians seek equity among each other (their peers) and in a mutually beneficial relationship with their employing organization. This study provides the impetus for interventions and further study that should serve to enhance pharmacy technician effectiveness, quality of work life, and longevity in an emerging profession. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier

Use of a pharmacy technician to facilitate postfracture care provided by clinical pharmacy specialists.

Science.gov (United States)

Irwin, Adriane N; Heilmann, Rachel M F; Gerrity, Theresa M; Kroner, Beverly A; Olson, Kari L

2014-12-01

The ability of a pharmacy technician to support the patient screening and documentation-related functions of a pharmacist-driven osteoporosis management service was evaluated. A two-phase prospective study was conducted within a large integrated health system to assess a pharmacy technician's performance in supporting a multisite team of clinical pharmacy specialists providing postfracture care. In phase I of the study, a specially trained pharmacy technician provided support to pharmacists at five participating medical offices, helping to identify patients requiring pharmacist intervention and, when applicable, collecting patient-specific clinical information from the electronic health record. In phase II of the study, the amount of pharmacist time saved through the use of technician support versus usual care was evaluated. The records of 127 patient cases were reviewed by the pharmacy technician during phase I of the study, and a pharmacist agreed with the technician's determination of the need for intervention in the majority of instances (92.9%). An additional 91 patient cases were reviewed by the technician in phase II of the research. With technician support, pharmacists spent less time reviewing cases subsequently determined as not requiring intervention (mean ± S.D., 5.0 ± 3.8 minutes per case compared with 5.2 ± 4.5 minutes under the usual care model; p = 0.78). In cases requiring intervention, technician support was associated with a reduction in the average pharmacist time spent on care plan development (13.5 ± 7.1 minutes versus 18.2 ± 16.6 minutes with usual care, p = 0.34). The study results suggest that a pharmacy technician can accurately determine if a patient is a candidate for pharmacist intervention and collect clinical information to facilitate care plan development. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Investigating laparoscopic psychomotor skills in veterinarians and veterinary technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilkenny, Jessica; Santarossa, Amanda; Mrotz, Victoria; Walker, Meagan; Monaghan, Dominique; Singh, Ameet

2017-04-01

To determine the influence of age, year of graduation, and video game experience on baseline laparoscopic psychomotor skills. Cross-sectional. Licensed veterinarians (n = 38) and registered veterinary technicians (VTs) (n = 49). A laparoscopic box trainer was set up at the 2016 Ontario Veterinary Medical Association (OVMA) and the 2016 Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians (OAVT) conferences held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Participants volunteered to perform a single repetition of a peg transfer (PT) exercise. Participants were given a short demonstration of the PT task prior to testing. A Spearman's rank correlation (r s ) was used to identify associations between baseline psychomotor skills and self-reported surgical and non-surgical experiences collected via survey. Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare PT scores in veterinarians and VTs. A P-value of  .05). Veterinary technicians that frequently used chopsticks scored higher than those without chopstick experience (P = .04). Age and year of graduation correlated inversely, while self-reported VG experience correlated positively with laparoscopic psychomotor skills of veterinarians, when assessed on a simulator. The use of chopsticks may contribute to the acquisition of psychomotor skills in VTs. © 2017 The American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

You're a What?: Tower Technician

Science.gov (United States)

Vilorio, Dennis

2012-01-01

In this article, the author talks about the role and functions of a tower technician. A tower technician climbs up the face of telecommunications towers to remove, install, test, maintain, and repair a variety of equipment--from antennas to light bulbs. Tower technicians also build shelters and radiofrequency shields for electronic equipment, lay…

A qualitative study about experiences and emotions of emergency medical technicians and out-of-hospital emergency nurses after performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation resulting in death.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Aedo, I; Pérez-Urdiales, I; Unanue-Arza, S; García-Azpiazu, Z; Ballesteros-Peña, S

To explore the experiences, emotions and coping skills among emergency medical technicians and emergency nurses after performing out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation manoeuvres resulting in death. An exploratory qualitative research was performed. Seven emergency medical technicians and six emergency nurses were selected by non-probability sampling among emergency medical system workers. The meetings took place up to information saturation, achieved after six individual interviews and a focal group. The meetings were then transcribed and a manual and inductive analysis of the contents performed. After a failed resuscitation several short and long-term reactions appear. They can be negatives, such as sadness or uncertainty, or positives, such as the feeling of having done everything possible to save the patient's life. Emotional stress increases when ambulance staff have to talk with the deceased's family or when the patient is a child. The workers don't know of a coping strategy other than talking about their emotions with their colleagues. Death after a failed resuscitation can be viewed as a traumatic experience for rescuers. Being in contact with the suffering of others is an emotional, stress-generating factor with direct repercussions on the working and personal lives of emergency staff. Nevertheless, structured coping techniques are not common among those professionals. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Enfermería Intensiva y Unidades Coronarias (SEEIUC). Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Can they do it? Comparing the views of pharmacists and technicians to the introduction of an advanced technician role.

Science.gov (United States)

Napier, Patti; Norris, Pauline; Green, James; Braund, Rhiannon

2016-04-01

This study aimed to investigate the opinions of pharmacists and technicians regarding the ability of New Zealand technicians to take on an advanced checking technician role. A survey was developed to investigate the opinions regarding the introduction of this new role. The questions covered are: perceived ability to take on the role, training requirements and competence. Surveys were sent to pharmacists whose contact details are available for research purposes (n = 2095) and to all pharmacies in New Zealand (both community and hospital) for the attention of technicians (n = 858). The results were analysed using IBM SPSS and thematic analysis of comments was conducted. A total of 1221 surveys were returned (pharmacists = 736 and technicians = 485). The majority of the technicians (83%) believed that 'some' technicians could work in a CT role, compared with 73% of the pharmacists. Over two-thirds (69%) of the technicians felt comfortable checking a prescription at their current level of training compared with 53% of pharmacists. Both groups' comfort increased with further specific training for the technicians. The majority of both of these groups supported the change in roles. Pharmacists were less confident that technicians could take on this role now, but were more comfortable after extra training had been completed. The technicians, however, were confident they could take on this role now but would take on extra training if needed. © 2015 Royal Pharmaceutical Society.

Technology-assisted education in graduate medical education: a review of the literature

OpenAIRE

Jwayyed, Sharhabeel; Stiffler, Kirk A; Wilber, Scott T; Southern, Alison; Weigand, John; Bare, Rudd; Gerson, Lowell W

2011-01-01

Studies on computer-aided instruction and web-based learning have left many questions unanswered about the most effective use of technology-assisted education in graduate medical education. Objective We conducted a review of the current medical literature to report the techniques, methods, frequency and effectiveness of technology-assisted education in graduate medical education. Methods A structured review of MEDLINE articles dealing with "Computer-Assisted Instruction," "Internet or World W...

Technicians for the Brazilian nuclear power programme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins Pinto, C.S.; Spitalnik, J.; Meakins, E.J.; Hurley, I.

1980-01-01

The technician has a responsible role to fulfil in nuclear industry, acting as a bridge between the engineer and the skilled worker. Technicians must have sufficient theoretical knowledge to communicate with engineers, and a thorough understanding of technological practice; the nuclear industry demands both theory and practice of a high standard. In Brazil the essential role of the technician in industry is in general recognized. However, the lack of a nationally recognized Nuclear Technician and Nuclear Technologist qualification, as well as a desire of the best technicians to quality as engineers and, in some areas, inadequate salaries has resulted in a shortage of well-trained technicians. A first step to ensure availability of these technicians is to improve their career prospects and status through definition of appropriate career standards and salaries. Practical training by the industry can only be given in factories, plants and construction sites where nuclear work is done. It is proposed to extend apprentice training centres at three sites, to give the most promising students after two years of apprentice training two further years of instruction and practice to qualify as Nuclear Technicians. The training centres are chosen to cover the three sectors of nuclear industry where special training of technicians is important: manufacture and construction; operation and maintenance; and testing and analysis for process control and safety. (author)

Fuzzy hybrid MCDM approach for selection of wind turbine service technicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Goutam Kumar Bose

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This research paper is aimed to present a fuzzy Hybrid Multi-criteria decision making (MCDM methodology for selecting employees. The present study aspires to present the hybrid approach of Fuzzy multiple MCDM techniques with tactical viewpoint to support the recruitment process of wind turbine service technicians. The methodology is based on the application of Fuzzy ARAS (Additive Ratio Assessment and Fuzzy MOORA (Multi-Objective Optimization on basis of Ratio Analysis which are integrated through group decision making (GDM method in the model for selection of wind turbine service technicians’ ranking. Here a group of experts from different fields of expertise are engaged to finalize the decision. Series of tests are conducted regarding physical fitness, technical written test, practical test along with general interview and medical examination to facilitate the final selection using the above techniques. In contrast to single decision making approaches, the proposed group decision making model efficiently supports the wind turbine service technicians ranking process. The effectiveness of the proposed approach manifest from the case study of service technicians required for the maintenance department of wind power plant using Fuzzy ARAS and Fuzzy MOORA. This set of potential technicians is evaluated based on five main criteria.

Attitudes on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide among medical students in Athens.

Science.gov (United States)

Kontaxakis, Vp; Paplos, K G; Havaki-Kontaxaki, B J; Ferentinos, P; Kontaxaki, M-I V; Kollias, C T; Lykouras, E

2009-10-01

Attitudes towards assisted death activities among medical students, the future health gatekeepers, are scarce and controversial. The aims of this study were to explore attitudes on euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide among final year medical students in Athens, to investigate potential differences in attitudes between male and female medical students and to review worldwide attitudes of medical students regarding assisted death activities. A 20- item questionnaire was used. The total number of participants was 251 (mean age 24.7±1.8 years). 52.0% and 69.7% of the respondents were for the acceptance of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide, respectively. Women's attitudes were more often influenced by religious convictions as well as by the fact that there is a risk that physician-assisted suicide might be misused with certain disadvantaged groups. On the other hand, men more often believed that a request for physician-assisted suicide from a terminally ill patient is prima-facie evidence of a mental disorder, usually depression. Concerning attitudes towards euthanasia among medical students in various countries there are contradictory results. In USA, the Netherlands, Hungary and Switzerland most of the students supported euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. However, in many other countries such as Norway, Sweden, Yugoslavia, Italy, Germany, Sudan, Malaysia and Puerto Rico most students expressed negative positions regarding euthanasia and physician assisted suicide.

Pre-use anesthesia machine check; certified anesthesia technician based quality improvement audit.

Science.gov (United States)

Al Suhaibani, Mazen; Al Malki, Assaf; Al Dosary, Saad; Al Barmawi, Hanan; Pogoku, Mahdhav

2014-01-01

Quality assurance of providing a work ready machine in multiple theatre operating rooms in a tertiary modern medical center in Riyadh. The aim of the following study is to keep high quality environment for workers and patients in surgical operating rooms. Technicians based audit by using key performance indicators to assure inspection, passing test of machine worthiness for use daily and in between cases and in case of unexpected failure to provide quick replacement by ready to use another anesthetic machine. The anesthetic machines in all operating rooms are daily and continuously inspected and passed as ready by technicians and verified by anesthesiologist consultant or assistant consultant. The daily records of each machines were collected then inspected for data analysis by quality improvement committee department for descriptive analysis and report the degree of staff compliance to daily inspection as "met" items. Replaced machine during use and overall compliance. Distractive statistic using Microsoft Excel 2003 tables and graphs of sums and percentages of item studied in this audit. Audit obtained highest compliance percentage and low rate of replacement of machine which indicate unexpected machine state of use and quick machine switch. The authors are able to conclude that following regular inspection and running self-check recommended by the manufacturers can contribute to abort any possibility of hazard of anesthesia machine failure during operation. Furthermore in case of unexpected reason to replace the anesthesia machine in quick maneuver contributes to high assured operative utilization of man machine inter-phase in modern surgical operating rooms.

Expanded pharmacy technician roles: Accepting verbal prescriptions and communicating prescription transfers.

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, Timothy P; Adams, Alex J

2017-11-01

As the role of the clinical pharmacist continues to develop and advance, it is critical to ensure pharmacists can operate in a practice environment and workflow that supports the full deployment of their clinical skills. When pharmacy technician roles are optimized, patient safety can be enhanced and pharmacists may dedicate more time to advanced clinical services. Currently, 17 states allow technicians to accept verbal prescriptions called in by a prescriber or prescriber's agent, or transfer a prescription order from one pharmacy to another. States that allow these activities generally put few legal limitations on them, and instead defer to the professional judgment of the supervising pharmacist whether to delegate these tasks or not. These activities were more likely to be seen in states that require technicians to be registered and certified, and in states that have accountability mechanisms (e.g., discipline authority) in place for technicians. There is little evidence to suggest these tasks cannot be performed safely and accurately by appropriately trained technicians, and the track record of success with these tasks spans four decades in some states. Pharmacists can adopt strong practice policies and procedures to mitigate the risk of harm from verbal orders, such as instituting read-back/spell-back techniques, or requiring the indication for each phoned-in medication, among other strategies. Pharmacists may also exercise discretion in deciding to whom to delegate these tasks. As the legal environment becomes more permissive, we foresee investment in more robust education and training of technicians to cover these activities. Thus, with the adoption of robust practice policies and procedures, delegation of verbal orders and prescription transfers can be safe and effective, remove undue stress on pharmacists, and potentially free up pharmacist time for higher-order clinical care. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Should Health Care Aides Assist With Medications in Long-Term Care?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mubashir Arain PhD

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Objective: The objective of the study was to determine whether health care aides (HCAs could safely assist in medication administration in long-term care (LTC. Method: We obtained medication error reports from LTC facilities that involve HCAs in oral medication assistance and we analyzed Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI data from these facilities. Standard ratings of error severity were “no apparent harm,” “minimum harm,” and “moderate harm.” Results: We retrieved error reports from two LTC facilities with 220 errors reported by all health care providers including HCAs. HCAs were involved in 137 (63% errors, licensed practical nurses (LPNs/registered nurses (RNs in 77 (35%, and pharmacy in four (2%. The analysis of error severity showed that HCAs were significantly less likely to cause errors of moderate severity than other nursing staff (2% vs. 7%, chi-square = 5.1, p value = .04. Conclusion: HCAs’ assistance in oral medications in LTC facilities appears to be safe when provided under the medication assistance guidelines.

Emergency Victim Care. A Training Manual for Emergency Medical Technicians. Module 14. Appendix I: Communicating with Deaf and Hearing Impaired Patients. Appendix II: Medical Terminology. Appendix III: EMS Organizations. Appendix IV: Legislation (Ohio). Glossary of Terms. Index. Revised.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Vocational Education.

This training manual for emergency medical technicians, one of 14 modules that comprise the Emergency Victim Care textbook, contains appendixes, a glossary, and an index. The first appendix is an article on communicating with deaf and hearing-impaired patients. Appendix 2, the largest section in this manual, is an introduction to medical…

A System Approach to Navy Medical Education and Training. Appendix 11. Advanced General Duty Corpsman.

Science.gov (United States)

1974-08-31

curricula based upon job analysis was implemented to a level of methodology determination. These methods and curriculum materials constituted a third...Technician 8495 Dermatology Technician 8496 Embalming Technician 8497 Medical Illustration Technician 8498 Medical Equipment Repair Technician 8703 DT...IGIVE MEDICATED BATH 11 IGIVE MASSAGE FOP RELAXATION (SEDATIVE MASSAGED 12 IGIVE MASSAGE TO REDUCE MUSCLE SPASM 13 1APPLY WET COMPRESSES/SOAKS/PACKS 14

Association between workarounds and medication administration errors in bar-code-assisted medication administration in hospitals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Veen, Willem; van den Bemt, Patricia M L A; Wouters, Hans; Bates, David W; Twisk, Jos W R; de Gier, Johan J; Taxis, Katja

Objective: To study the association of workarounds with medication administration errors using barcode-assisted medication administration (BCMA), and to determine the frequency and types of workarounds and medication administration errors. Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study in

Electronics for technicians

CERN Document Server

Crane, P W

2013-01-01

Electronics for Technicians covers the basic fundamentals of electronics, including the operation of devices and circuits. The book is meant to help the technician to obtain numerical answers to actual circuit problems. This volume consists of seven chapters, the first of which introduces the reader to the basic rules for circuits containing resistive and reactive elements. Charge and discharge of a capacitor through a resistor is discussed, along with charge and discharge of an inductance through a resistance, application of sinusoidal voltages to simple networks, and series and parallel LCR

45 CFR 401.12 - Cuban and Haitian entrant cash and medical assistance.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... cash and medical assistance (and related administrative costs) to Cuban and Haitian entrants according... 45 Public Welfare 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Cuban and Haitian entrant cash and medical... ENTRANT PROGRAM § 401.12 Cuban and Haitian entrant cash and medical assistance. Except as may be otherwise...

Development of a Pharmacy Technician-Driven Program to Improve Vaccination Rates at an Academic Medical Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Hill, John D; Anderegg, Sammuel V; Couldry, Rick J

2017-10-01

Background: Influenza and pneumococcal disease contribute substantially to the burden of preventable disease in the United States. Despite quality measures tied to immunization rates, health systems have struggled to achieve these targets in the inpatient setting. Pharmacy departments have had success through implementation of pharmacist standing order programs (SOP); however, these initiatives are labor-intensive and have not resulted in 100% immunization rates. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate a pilot utilizing pharmacy technician interventions, in combination with a nursing SOP, to improve vaccination rates of hospitalized patients for influenza and pneumococcal disease. Methods: A process was developed for pharmacy technicians to identify patients who were not previously screened or immunized during the weekend days on the Cardiovascular Progressive Care unit at the University of Kansas Health-System. Targeted pharmacy technician interventions consisted of phone call reminders and face-to-face discussions with nursing staff. The primary study outcome was the change in immunization compliance rates between the control and intervention groups. Results: Influenza vaccine rates showed a statistically significant increase from 72.2% (52 of 72) of patients during the control group to 92.9% (65 of 70, P = .001) of patients during the intervention group. A pneumococcal vaccination rate of 81.3% (61 of 75) was observed in the control group, compared with 84.3% (59 of 70) of patients in the intervention group ( P = .638). Conclusion: An improvement in inpatient influenza immunization rates can be achieved through targeted follow-up performed by pharmacy technicians, in combination with a nursing-driven SOP.

5 CFR 842.210 - Military reserve technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Military reserve technicians. 842.210 Section 842.210 Administrative Personnel OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT (CONTINUED) CIVIL SERVICE... reserve technicians. (a) A military reserve technician as defined in 5 U.S.C. 8401(30) who is separated...

A medical assistant-based program to promote healthy behaviors in primary care.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrer, Robert L; Mody-Bailey, Priti; Jaén, Carlos Roberto; Gott, Sherrie; Araujo, Sara

2009-01-01

Most primary care patients have at least 1 major behavioral risk: smoking, risky drinking, low physical activity, or unhealthy diet. We studied the effectiveness of a medical assistant-based program to identify and refer patients with risk behaviors to appropriate interventions. We undertook a randomized control trial in a practice-based research network. The trial included 864 adult patients from 6 primary care practices. Medical assistants screened patients for 4 risk behaviors and applied behavior-specific algorithms to link patients with interventions. Primary outcomes were improved risk behaviors on standardized assessments. Secondary outcomes included participation in a behavioral intervention and the program's effect on the medical assistants' workflow and job satisfaction. Follow-up data were available for 55% of participants at a mean of 12 months. The medical assistant referral arm referred a greater proportion of patients than did usual care (67.4 vs 21.8%; P effects on program adoption. Engaging more primary care team members to address risk behaviors improved referral rates. More extensive medical assistant training, changes in practice culture, and sustained behavioral interventions will be necessary to improve risk behavior outcomes.

Medical anthropology and the physician assistant profession.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Lisa R

2015-01-01

Medical anthropology is a subfield of anthropology that investigates how culture influences people's ideas and behaviors regarding health and illness. Medical anthropology contributes to the understanding of how and why health systems operate the way they do, how different people understand and interact with these systems and cultural practices, and what assets people use and challenges they may encounter when constructing perceptions of their own health conditions. The goal of this article is to highlight the methodological tools and analytical insights that medical anthropology offers to the study of physician assistants (PAs). The article discusses the field of medical anthropology; the advantages of ethnographic and qualitative research; and how medical anthropology can explain how PAs fit into improved health delivery services by exploring three studies of PAs by medical anthropologists.

Medical Laboratory Assistant. Laboratory Occupations Cluster.

Science.gov (United States)

Michigan State Univ., East Lansing. Coll. of Agriculture and Natural Resources Education Inst.

This task-based curriculum guide for medical laboratory assistant is intended to help the teacher develop a classroom management system where students learn by doing. Introductory materials include a Dictionary of Occupational Titles job code and title sheet, a career ladder, a matrix relating duty/task numbers to job titles, and a task list. Each…

Computer Vision Tool and Technician as First Reader of Lung Cancer Screening CT Scans.

Science.gov (United States)

Ritchie, Alexander J; Sanghera, Calvin; Jacobs, Colin; Zhang, Wei; Mayo, John; Schmidt, Heidi; Gingras, Michel; Pasian, Sergio; Stewart, Lori; Tsai, Scott; Manos, Daria; Seely, Jean M; Burrowes, Paul; Bhatia, Rick; Atkar-Khattra, Sukhinder; van Ginneken, Bram; Tammemagi, Martin; Tsao, Ming Sound; Lam, Stephen

2016-05-01

To implement a cost-effective low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening program at the population level, accurate and efficient interpretation of a large volume of LDCT scans is needed. The objective of this study was to evaluate a workflow strategy to identify abnormal LDCT scans in which a technician assisted by computer vision (CV) software acts as a first reader with the aim to improve speed, consistency, and quality of scan interpretation. Without knowledge of the diagnosis, a technician reviewed 828 randomly batched scans (136 with lung cancers, 556 with benign nodules, and 136 without nodules) from the baseline Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Study that had been annotated by the CV software CIRRUS Lung Screening (Diagnostic Image Analysis Group, Nijmegen, The Netherlands). The scans were classified as either normal (no nodules ≥1 mm or benign nodules) or abnormal (nodules or other abnormality). The results were compared with the diagnostic interpretation by Pan-Canadian Early Detection of Lung Cancer Study radiologists. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the technician in identifying an abnormal scan were 97.8% (95% confidence interval: 96.4-98.8) and 98.0% (95% confidence interval: 89.5-99.7), respectively. Of the 112 prevalent nodules that were found to be malignant in follow-up, 92.9% were correctly identified by the technician plus CV compared with 84.8% by the study radiologists. The average time taken by the technician to review a scan after CV processing was 208 ± 120 seconds. Prescreening CV software and a technician as first reader is a promising strategy for improving the consistency and quality of screening interpretation of LDCT scans. Copyright © 2016 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Medical Assistant. [FasTrak Specialization Integrated Technical and Academic Competency (ITAC).] 2002 Revision.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Career-Technical and Adult Education.

This curriculum for a medical assistant program is designed for students interested in caring for the sick, injured, convalescent, or disabled under the direction of the family, physicians, and credentialed nurses. The curriculum is divided into 12 units: orientation to medical assisting; principles of medical ethics; risk management; infection…

[MEDICALLY ASSISTED PROCREATION AND HOMOSEXUAL COUPLES].

Science.gov (United States)

Caire, Anne-Blandine

2015-07-01

With the legalization of the same-sex marriage in France, the medically assisted procreation has returned to the heart of discussions relating to the family. So far, the French legislator has strictly limited access to such medical techniques to sterile heterosexual couples only. Thus, the possibility of giving birth is denied to people who are in a "social" sterility position, such as singles or gays. Is such decision still ethically and socially acceptable? Should the French Legislator on the contrary widen access to the MPA? The debate is revived and raises important ans interesting questions that this article intends to address.

Impact of pharmacy technician-centered medication reconciliation on optimization of antiretroviral therapy and opportunistic infection prophylaxis in hospitalized patients with HIV/AIDS.

Science.gov (United States)

Siemianowski, Laura A; Sen, Sanchita; George, Jomy M

2013-08-01

This study aimed to examine the role of a pharmacy technician-centered medication reconciliation (PTMR) program in optimization of medication therapy in hospitalized patients with HIV/AIDS. A chart review was conducted for all inpatients that had a medication reconciliation performed by the PTMR program. Adult patients with HIV and antiretroviral therapy (ART) and/or the opportunistic infection (OI) prophylaxis listed on the medication reconciliation form were included. The primary objective is to describe the (1) number and types of medication errors and (2) the percentage of patients who received appropriate ART. The secondary objective is a comparison of the number of medication errors between standard mediation reconciliation and a pharmacy-led program. In the PTMR period, 55 admissions were evaluated. In all, 50% of the patients received appropriate ART. In 27of the 55 admissions, there were 49 combined ART and OI-related errors. The most common ART-related errors were drug-drug interactions. The incidence of ART-related medication errors that included drug-drug interactions and renal dosing adjustments were similar between the pre-PTMR and PTMR groups (P = .0868). Of the 49 errors in the PTMR group, 18 were intervened by a medication reconciliation pharmacist. A PTMR program has a positive impact on optimizing ART and OI prophylaxis in patients with HIV/AIDS.

Impact of Time Lapse on ASCP Board of Certification Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) and Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Examination Scores.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Karen A; Fenn, JoAnn P; Freeman, Vicki S; Fisher, Patrick B; Genzen, Jonathan R; Goodyear, Nancy; Houston, Mary Lunz; O'Brien, Mary Elizabeth; Tanabe, Patricia A

2015-01-01

Research in several professional fields has demonstrated that delays (time lapse) in taking certification examinations may result in poorer performance by examinees. Thirteen states and/or territories require licensure for laboratory personnel. A core component of licensure is passing a certification exam. Also, many facilities in states that do not require licensure require certification for employment or preferentially hire certified individuals. To analyze examinee performance on the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) and Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) certification examinations to determine whether delays in taking the examination from the time of program completion are associated with poorer performance. We obtained examination data from April 2013 through December 2014 to look for changes in mean (SD) exam scaled scores and overall pass/fail rates. First-time examinees (MLS: n = 6037; MLT, n = 3920) were divided into 3-month categories based on the interval of time between date of program completion and taking the certification exam. We observed significant decreases in mean (SD) scaled scores and pass rates after the first quarter in MLS and MLT examinations for applicants who delayed taking their examination until the second, third, and fourth quarter after completing their training programs. Those who take the ASCP BOC MLS and MLT examinations are encouraged to do so shortly after completion of their educational training programs. Delays in taking an exam are generally not beneficial to the examinee and result in poorer performance on the exam. Copyright© by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

To assess the awareness, utilization and perception of healthcare ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2017-10-03

Oct 3, 2017 ... Optometrists, Dental Therapists, Physiotherapists,. Medical Laboratory Scientists, Dental Surgery. Assistants. Non-clinical staff; represent the Medical. Laboratory Technicians, Administrative staff,. Secretaries, Typists, Cooks/Caterers, Security personnel, Dieteticians, Technicians, Records staff and Works ...

Medication-assisted therapy for opioid addiction

OpenAIRE

Tai, Betty; Saxon, Andrew J.; Ling, Walter

2013-01-01

The “Medication-Assisted Therapy for Opioid Addiction” session was chaired by Dr. Betty Tai and had three presenters. The presenters (and their topics) were: Dr. Andrew J. Saxon (Methadone and Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction and HIV Risk Reduction), Dr. Walter Ling (Opioid Antagonist Treatment for Opioid Addiction), and Dr. Betty Tai (Chronic Care Model for Substance Use Disorder).

Radiation emergency medical preparedness and assistance network in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Su, Xu

2008-01-01

Full text: Rapid economic growth in demand has given rise to power shortage in China. The installed capacity of nuclear power has been scheduled to reach 36-40 GW in preliminary plans, which is about 4% of China's energy supply by 2020. On the other hand, the number of radiation facilities rises 7% annually, while this figure for medical accelerators and CT is 15%. With the application of radiation sources increasing, the possibility of accidents exposure is growing. The radiation emergency medical preparedness is increasingly practically challenging. CCMRRE (Chinese Center for Medical Response to Radiation Emergency), which functions as a national and professional institute with departments for clinic, monitoring and evaluating and technical supporting, was established in 1992. Clinic departments of haematological and surgical centres, and specialists in the radiation diagnosis and therapy, is responsible for the medical assistance in radiation accidents. The monitoring and evaluating department with bio-dosimetry, physical dosimetry and radiation monitoring laboratory, concentrates in radiation monitoring, dose estimating of accident exposure. Technical support department with advisors and experts in exposure dose estimating, radiation protecting and injury treating, provides technical instruction in case of nuclear and radiological accidents. In addition, around whole country, local organization providing first assistance, regional clinic treatment and radiation protection in nuclear accidents has been established. To strengthen the capability of radiation emergency medical response and to improve the cooperation with local organization, the managers and involved staffs were trained in skill frequently. The medical preparedness exercise, which mimics the nuclear accidents condition, was organized by CCMRRE and performed in 2007. The performances demonstrated that the radiation emergency medical preparedness and assistance system is prompt, functional and

Training nuclear technicians in two-year, post-secondary educational programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hull, D.M.; Roney, M.W.

1975-01-01

An available and economical supply to future manpower requirements for various types of nuclear technicians can be met by developing and/or restructuring two-year, post-secondary programs at local educational institutions. The Technical Education Research Centers program is under contract from the U.S. Office of Education to delineate the job requirements and develop curricula and instructional materials for two-year, post-secondary training of nuclear technicians. Six job categories have been identified along with corresponding tasks which the technician performs. These categories are: Reactor Operator, Nuclear Instrumentation Technician, Nuclear QA/QC Technician, Radiochemistry Technician, Radiation Protection Technician and Nuclear Medicine Technician. For the first five categories curricula have been established, courses have been described, and instructional materials are being written

Emergency Medical Technicians Are Often Consulted on Termination of Resuscitation, and Will Terminate Resuscitation Based on Controversial Single Factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mygind-Klausen, Troels; Glerup Lauridsen, Kasper; Bødtker, Henrik

2016-01-01

Introduction: Many out-of-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) attempts have to be terminated. Previous studies have investigated knowledge on abandoning resuscitation among physicians. In the prehospital setting emergency medical technicians (EMTs) may be involved in the decision......: 100%) participated. Median clinical experience was 12 (IQR: 6-22) years. All EMTs had performed resuscitation (median time since last resuscitation attempt: 1 (IQR: 0.5-2.8) month). Overall, 68% of EMTs had been consulted on termination of CPR, 74% felt it was important to be consulted, and 74% felt...... arrest (12%), witnessed cardiac arrest without bystander CPR within 10 minutes (30%), age above 80 years (20%), age above 90 years (62%), living at a nursing home (62%), known cancer (24%) and absence of pupillary light reflex (54%) during resuscitation. Conclusion: The majority of EMTs have been...

Knowledge and attitudes about smoking cessation among pharmacy technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Zillich, Alan J; Aquilino, Mary L; Farris, Karen B

2004-01-01

To evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of pharmacy technicians before and after attending a continuing education program about smoking cessation. A pre/post survey of a single group. Two statewide meetings of the Iowa Pharmacy Association. Pharmacy technicians. One 2-hour continuing education (CE) course about smoking cessation for pharmacy technicians. Changes in scores before and after the CE sessions among three domains (knowledge, efficacy, and outcome) of a validated survey instrument. Fifty-one technicians completed both the presession and postsession questionnaire. For the three survey domains, technicians' knowledge (P = .034), efficacy (P < .001), and outcome (P < .001) showed significant improvement between the presession and postsession surveys (Wilcoxon signed rank test). Pharmacy technicians who attended a CE program on smoking cessation improved their knowledge, attitudes, and self-confidence in helping smokers quit. Additional research should be conducted to test the role of pharmacy technicians in smoking cessation promotion.

Enactment of mandatory pharmacy technician certification in Kansas.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucas, Amber; Massey, Lindsay; Gill, Taylor; Burger, Gregory; Little, Jeff D

2016-02-01

The successful enactment of mandatory pharmacy technician certification in Kansas is described. In 2004, Kansas began requiring registration of all pharmacy technicians with the state board of pharmacy. Registration identified individuals working as pharmacy technicians but did not require any specific education or certification. In September 2012, the Kansas Board of Pharmacy created a task force of key stakeholders including pharmacists from multiple areas of practice, the University of Kansas School of Pharmacy, organizational leaders from the Kansas Council of Health-System Pharmacists (KCHP) and Kansas Pharmacists Association, and professional lobbyists. The goals of this task force were to research practices of technician certification in other states and to make recommendations to the state board of pharmacy on how Kansas could accomplish mandatory technician certification. The task force outlined the steps needed to achieve legislation that could be supported by the members. These topics included the creation of a technician trainee category, grandfathering certain technicians who had been practicing for a designated period of time, state board-approved exemptions, training requirements, age and education requirements, continuing-education requirements, and pharmacist:technician ratio. The recommendations were finalized at the August 2013 Kansas Pharmacy Summit, and the proposed legislation was introduced and passed during the 2014 legislative session. KCHP members learned many valuable lessons about advocacy and the legislative process with this initiative, including building relationships, working with legislators, and working with other professional organizations. The formation of a task force led to the successful passage of a bill granting the Kansas Board of Pharmacy the authority to issue regulations regarding mandatory pharmacy technician certification. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Aplastic anemia in Japanese radiological technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitabatake, T.; Watanabe, T.; Saito, A.; Nakamura, M.; Shiohama Hospital, Mie

1976-01-01

Among the Japanese radiological technicians, four deaths from aplastic anemia have been reported after 1930. On the other hand, during the period from 1930 to 1960, the population of radiological technicians is estimated to be 74,400 man-years, in which 0.5 aplastic anemias are expected. However, actually three died from aplastic anemia. This difference is statistically significant at the 1% level. While, in the period from 1961 to 1973, the observed value is 1 against 0.7 expected. It is concluded that aplastic anemia had been induced frequently among the Japanese radiological technicians in the era when there was much exposure to occupational radiation. (orig.) [de

FELASA recommendations for the education and training of laboratory animal technicians: category A: report of the Federation of European Laboratory Animal Science Associations Working Group on Education of Animal Technicians (Category A) accepted by the FELASA Board of Management.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weiss Convenor, J.; Bukelskiene, V.; Chambrier, P.; Ferrari, L.; Meulen, M. van der; Moreno, M.; Mulkens, F.G.G.F.M.; Sigg, H.; Yates, N.

2010-01-01

The future laboratory animal technician in Europe will be provided with three different levels of education. All candidates have to start with an introductory course to reach level A0. At this level (A0) they will be able to assist in the laboratory animal facility by undertaking limited specific

Welding Technician

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Ken

2009-01-01

About 95% of all manufactured goods in this country are welded or joined in some way. These welded products range in nature from bicycle handlebars and skyscrapers to bridges and race cars. The author discusses what students need to know about careers for welding technicians--wages, responsibilities, skills needed, career advancement…

Pneumoconiosis and respiratory problems in dental laboratory technicians: Analysis of 893 dental technicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dilek Ergün

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To explore the rate of pneumoconiosis in dental technicians (DTP and to evaluate the risk factors. Material and Methods: Data of 893 dental technicians, who were admitted to our hospital in the period January 2007–May 2012, from 170 dental laboratories were retrospectively examined. Demographic data, respiratory symptoms, smoking status, work duration, working fields, exposure to sandblasting, physical examination findings, chest radiographs, pulmonary function tests and high-resolution computed tomography results were evaluated. Results: Dental technicians’ pneumoconiosis rate was 10.1% among 893 cases. The disease was more common among males and in those exposed to sandblasting who had 77-fold higher risk of DTP. The highest profusion subcategory was 3/+ (according to the International Labour Organization (ILO 2011 standards and the large opacity rate was 13.3%. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, it was the largest DTP case series (N = 893/90 in the literature in English. Health screenings should be performed regularly for the early diagnosis of pneumoconiosis, which is an important occupational disease for dental technicians.

The role for peer-assisted ultrasound teaching in medical school.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickerson, Jonathan; Paul, Katie; Vila, Pierre; Whiticar, Rebecca

2017-06-01

Bedside ultrasonography has an increasing role in medicine yet medical students have limited exposure. Although countless hours are devoted to plain radiograph and electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation, ultrasound is frequently glossed over. Yet this imaging modality could enhance students' understanding of anatomy, physiology and pathology, and may increase their integration into hospital teams. We aimed to investigate whether a peer-assisted ultrasound course has a place within the undergraduate medical curriculum. We describe the implementation of a course and discuss its acceptability and utility in student education. Bedside ultrasonography has an increasing role in medicine yet medical students have limited exposure METHODS: Following consultation with the medical school, an improved ultrasonography course was developed with expert guidance from an ultrasonographer and with new equipment. Sessions involved peer-tutors teaching ultrasonography techniques to medical students during emergency medicine placements. Tutees completed questionnaires to assess the quality and perceived benefits of the course and of learning ultrasonography. Both quantitative and thematic analyses of the responses were conducted by the authors. Over a period of 8 months, 105 medical students received teaching across four sessions. A total of 103 students (98%) returned questionnaires on their evaluation of the course and tutors, and on their confidence in using ultrasound. Ninety-eight per cent felt that the teaching was well delivered, 100 per cent felt that their knowledge of ultrasound had improved and 100 per cent would recommend the course. The peer-assisted ultrasound course described here enabled the majority of students to feel confident gaining elementary ultrasound views, and performing abdominal aneurysm screening and trauma assessments: techniques that they could hopefully put to use during their placements. The peer-assisted model has an acceptable role in teaching

Job satisfaction, stress and burnout in anaesthetic technicians in New Zealand.

Science.gov (United States)

Kluger, M T; Bryant, J

2008-03-01

Anaesthetic technicians play a key role in the operating room, yet little is known about their levels of job satisfaction or workplace stress. A blinded, confidential single mail-out survey was posted to anaesthetic technicians in New Zealand. The survey consisted of demographic information, a job satisfaction survey, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Short Form 12. At total of 154 forms were returned (51% response rate). Respondents worked predominantly in public hospitals and many had duties outside the operating room. Job satisfaction was related to teamwork, practical nature of work and patient contact, while dissatisfaction was related to lack of respect from nurses and limited career pathway. High to moderate levels of emotional exhaustion (48%), depersonalisation (39%) and low levels of personal accomplishment (58%) were indicators of burnout. The Short Form 12 revealed high levels of physical impairment in 24% and emotional impairment in 35% of respondents. These data suggest that work is needed to evaluate anaesthetic assistants' job structure and actively manage their important physical and emotional sequelae.

Risk factors for the transmission of kala-azar in Fangak, South Sudan

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2011-05-02

May 2, 2011 ... Consultants, Doctors, Medical Assistants, Clinical Officers, Dentists, Dental Technicians, Nurses, Midwifes, Pharmacists,. Laboratory Technologists, Technicians, etc. For more information and conditions of eligibility for registration, see the notice board at the Medical Council office at the. Ministry of Health ...

A Medical Student Perspective on Physician-Assisted Suicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhee, John Y; Callaghan, Katharine A; Allen, Philip; Stahl, Amanda; Brown, Martin T; Tsoi, Alexandra; McInerney, Grace; Dumitru, Ana-Maria G

2017-09-01

Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia (PAS/E) has been increasingly discussed and debated in the public arena, including in professional medical organizations. However, the medical student perspective on the debate has essentially been absent. We present a medical student perspective on the PAS/E debate as future doctors and those about to enter the profession. We argue that PAS/E is not in line with the core principles of medicine and that the focus should be rather on providing high-quality end-of-life and palliative care. Copyright © 2017 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emergency Medical Services

Science.gov (United States)

... need help right away, you should use emergency medical services. These services use specially trained people and ... emergencies, you need help where you are. Emergency medical technicians, or EMTs, do specific rescue jobs. They ...

Nursing delegation and medication administration in assisted living.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitty, Ethel; Resnick, Barbara; Allen, Josh; Bakerjian, Debra; Hertz, Judith; Gardner, Wendi; Rapp, Mary Pat; Reinhard, Susan; Young, Heather; Mezey, Mathy

2010-01-01

Assisted living (AL) residences are residential long-term care settings that provide housing, 24-hour oversight, personal care services, health-related services, or a combination of these on an as-needed basis. Most residents require some assistance with activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living, such as medication management. A resident plan of care (ie, service agreement) is developed to address the health and psychosocial needs of the resident. The amount and type of care provided, and the individual who provides that care, vary on the basis of state regulations and what services are provided within the facility. Some states require that an RN hold a leadership position to oversee medication management and other aspects of care within the facility. A licensed practical nurse/licensed vocational nurse can supervise the day-to-day direct care within the facility. The majority of direct care in AL settings is provided by direct care workers (DCWs), including certified nursing assistants or unlicensed providers. The scope of practice of a DCW varies by state and the legal structure within that state. In some states, the DCW is exempt from the nurse practice act, and in some states, the DCW may practice within a specific scope such as being a medication aide. In most states, however, the DCW scope of practice is conscribed, in part, by the delegation of responsibilities (such as medication administration) by a supervising RN. The issue of RN delegation has become the subject of ongoing discussion for AL residents, facilities, and regulators and for the nursing profession. The purpose of this article is to review delegation in AL and to provide recommendations for future practice and research in this area.

The mixed message behind "Medication-Assisted Treatment" for substance use disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Sean M; Adinoff, Bryon

2018-01-01

The gap between treatment utilization and treatment need for substance use disorders (SUDs) remains a significant concern in our field. While the growing call to bridge this gap often takes the form of more treatment services and/or better integration of existing services, this perspective proposes that more effective labels for and transparent descriptions of existing services would also have a meaningful impact. Adopting the perspective of a consumer-based health-care model (wherein treatments and services are products and patients are consumers) allows us to consider how labels like Addiction-focused Medical Management, Medication-Assisted Treatment, Medication-Assisted Therapy, and others may actually be contributing to the underutilization problem rather than alleviating it. In this perspective, "Medication-Assisted Therapy" for opioid-use disorder (OUD) is singled out and discussed as inherently confusing, providing the message that pharmacotherapy for this disorder is a secondary treatment to other services which are generally regarded, in practice, as ancillary. That this mixed message is occurring amidst a nationwide "opioid epidemic" is a potential cause for concern and may actually serve to reinforce the longstanding, documented stigma against OUD pharmacotherapy. We recommend that referring to pharmacotherapy for SUD as simply "medication," as we do for other chronic medical disorders, will bring both clarity and precision to this effective treatment approach.

[Role of the technician in a brachytherapy department].

Science.gov (United States)

Bélot-Cheval, V; Lemoine, L; Cuisinier, C; Gensse, M-C; Lasbareilles, O

2013-04-01

The role of the technician in a brachytherapy department is essential for the cohesion of the treatment team made up of the radiation oncologist, the physicist, and the technician. He/she collaborates in the different treatment steps such as taking care of the patients, training of the professionals and research studies in collaboration with the team. He participates in all steps of the treatment such as preparation, technician's consultation, catheters/templates and radioactives sources implant, dose distribution analysis and treatment. He looks after the management of planning, radioactive sources and chemist's equipments. He takes part in the training of the junior technician, and support doctors and physicists in different studies. The procedure writing and the presentation of professional practices are also part of the technician task. Copyright © 2013 Société française de radiothérapie oncologique (SFRO). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Radiological control technician: Training program management manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-10-01

This manual defines and describes the DOE Radiological Control Technician Core Training Program qualification and training process, material development requirements, standards and policies, and administration. The manual applies to Radiological Control Technician Training Programs at all DOE contractor sites

Post-partum depressive symptoms and medically assisted conception: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gressier, F; Letranchant, A; Cazas, O; Sutter-Dallay, A L; Falissard, B; Hardy, P

2015-11-01

Does medically assisted conception increase the risk of post-partum depressive symptoms? Our literature review and meta-analysis showed no increased risk of post-partum depressive symptoms in women after medically assisted conception. Women who conceive with medically assisted conception, which can be considered as a stressful life event, could face an increased risk of depressive symptoms. However, no previous meta-analysis has been performed on the association between medically assisted conception and post-partum depressive symptoms. A systematic review with electronic searches of PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge and PsycINFO databases up to December 2014 was conducted to identify articles evaluating post-partum depressive symptoms in women who had benefited from medically assisted conception compared with those with a spontaneous pregnancy. Meta-analyses were also performed on clinically significant post-partum depressive symptoms according to PRISMA guidelines. From 569 references, 492 were excluded on title, 42 on abstract and 17 others on full-text. Therefore, 18 studies were included in the review and 8 in the meta-analysis (2451 women) on clinically significant post-partum depressive symptoms after medically assisted conception compared with a spontaneous pregnancy. A sensitivity meta-analysis on assisted reproductive technologies and spontaneous pregnancy (6 studies, 1773 women) was also performed. The quality of the studies included in the meta-analyses was evaluated using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology Statement for observational research. The data were pooled using RevMan software by the Cochrane Collaboration. Heterogeneity between studies was assessed from the results of the χ(2) and I(2) statistics. Biases were assessed with funnel plots and Egger's test. A fixed effects model was used for the meta-analyses because of the low level of heterogeneity between the studies. The systematic review of studies examining

46 CFR 160.151-39 - Training of servicing technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Training of servicing technicians. 160.151-39 Section...-39 Training of servicing technicians. (a) The training program for certification of servicing technicians must include— (1) Training and practice in packing an inflatable liferaft, repairing buoyancy...

Medication administration errors in assisted living: scope, characteristics, and the importance of staff training.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, Sheryl; Love, Karen; Sloane, Philip D; Cohen, Lauren W; Reed, David; Carder, Paula C

2011-06-01

To compare rates of medication errors committed by assisted living staff with different training and to examine characteristics of errors. Observation of medication preparation and passes, chart review, interviews, and questionnaires. Stratified random sample of 11 assisted living communities in South Carolina (which permits nonnurses to administer medications) and Tennessee (which does not). All staff who prepared or passed medications: nurses (one registered nurse and six licensed practical nurses (LPNs)); medication aides (n=10); and others (n=19), including those with more and less training. Rates of errors related to medication, dose and form, preparation, route, and timing. Medication preparation and administration were observed for 4,957 administrations during 83 passes for 301 residents. The error rate was 42% (20% when omitting timing errors). Of all administrations, 7% were errors with moderate or high potential for harm. The odds of such an error by a medication aide were no more likely than by a LPN, but the odds of one by staff with less training was more than two times as great (odds ratio=2.10, 95% confidence interval=1.27-3.49). A review of state regulations found that 20 states restrict nonnurses to assisting with self-administration of medications. Medication aides do not commit more errors than LPNs, but other nonnurses who administered a significant number of medications and assisted with self-administration committed more errors. Consequently, all staff who handle medications should be trained to the level of a medication aide. © 2011, Copyright the Authors. Journal compilation © 2011, The American Geriatrics Society.

Speech interaction strategies for a humanoid assistant

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stüker Sebastian

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The goal of SecondHands, a H2020 project, is to design a robot that can offer help to a maintenance technician in a proactive manner. The robot is to act as a second pair of hands that can assist the technician when he is in need of help. In order for the robot to be of real help to the technician, it needs to understand his needs and follow his commands. Interaction via speech is a crucial part of this. Due to the nature of the situation in which the interactions take place, often the technician needs to speak to the robot when under stress performing strenuous physical labor, the classical turn based interaction schemes need to be transformed into dialogue systems that perform stream processing, anticipating user intentions, correcting itself as more information become available, in order to be able to respond in a rapid manner. In order to meet these demands, we are developing low-latency streaming based automatic speech recognition systems in combination with recurrent neural network based Natural Language Understanding systems that perform slot filling and intent recognition in order for the robot to provide assistance in a rapid manner, that can be partly based on speculative classifications that are then being refined as more speech becomes available.

40 CFR 745.90 - Renovator certification and dust sampling technician certification.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... sampling technician certification. 745.90 Section 745.90 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... technician certification. (a) Renovator certification and dust sampling technician certification. (1) To become a certified renovator or certified dust sampling technician, an individual must successfully...

Knowledge Is Power for Medical Assistants: Crystallized and Fluid Intelligence As Predictors of Vocational Knowledge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Moehring

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Medical education research has focused almost entirely on the education of future physicians. In comparison, findings on other health-related occupations, such as medical assistants, are scarce. With the current study, we wanted to examine the knowledge-is-power hypothesis in a real life educational setting and add to the sparse literature on medical assistants. Acquisition of vocational knowledge in vocational education and training (VET was examined for medical assistant students (n = 448. Differences in domain-specific vocational knowledge were predicted by crystallized and fluid intelligence in the course of VET. A multiple matrix design with 3 year-specific booklets was used for the vocational knowledge tests of the medical assistants. The unique and joint contributions of the predictors were investigated with structural equation modeling. Crystallized intelligence emerged as the strongest predictor of vocational knowledge at every stage of VET, while fluid intelligence only showed weak effects. The present results support the knowledge-is-power hypothesis, even in a broad and more naturalistic setting. This emphasizes the relevance of general knowledge for occupations, such as medical assistants, which are more focused on learning hands-on skills than the acquisition of academic knowledge.

Knowledge Is Power for Medical Assistants: Crystallized and Fluid Intelligence As Predictors of Vocational Knowledge.

Science.gov (United States)

Moehring, Anne; Schroeders, Ulrich; Wilhelm, Oliver

2018-01-01

Medical education research has focused almost entirely on the education of future physicians. In comparison, findings on other health-related occupations, such as medical assistants, are scarce. With the current study, we wanted to examine the knowledge-is-power hypothesis in a real life educational setting and add to the sparse literature on medical assistants. Acquisition of vocational knowledge in vocational education and training (VET) was examined for medical assistant students ( n = 448). Differences in domain-specific vocational knowledge were predicted by crystallized and fluid intelligence in the course of VET. A multiple matrix design with 3 year-specific booklets was used for the vocational knowledge tests of the medical assistants. The unique and joint contributions of the predictors were investigated with structural equation modeling. Crystallized intelligence emerged as the strongest predictor of vocational knowledge at every stage of VET, while fluid intelligence only showed weak effects. The present results support the knowledge-is-power hypothesis, even in a broad and more naturalistic setting. This emphasizes the relevance of general knowledge for occupations, such as medical assistants, which are more focused on learning hands-on skills than the acquisition of academic knowledge.

Radiological Control Technician: Standardized technician Qualification Standard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-10-01

The Qualification Standard states and defines the knowledge and skill requirements necessary for successful completion of the Radiological Control Technician Training Program. The standard is divided into three phases: Phase I concerns RCT Academic training. There are 13 lessons associated with the core academics program and 19 lessons associated with the site academics program. The staff member should sign the appropriate blocks upon successful completion of the examination for that lesson or group of lessons. In addition, facility specific lesson plans may be added to meet the knowledge requirements in the Job Performance Measures (JPM) of the practical program. Phase II concerns RCT core/site practical (JPMs) training. There are thirteen generic tasks associated with the core practical program. Both the trainer/evaluator and student should sign the appropriate block upon successful completion of the JPM. In addition, facility specific tasks may be added or generic tasks deleted based on the results of the facility job evaluation. Phase III concerns the oral examination board successful completion of the oral examination board is documented by the signature of the chairperson of the board. Upon completion of all of the standardized technician qualification requirements, final qualification is verified by the student and the manager of the Radiological Control Department and acknowledged by signatures on the qualification standard. The completed Qualification Standard shall be maintained as an official training record

Practical analog electronics for technicians

CERN Document Server

Kimber, W A

2013-01-01

'Practical Analog Electronics for Technicians' not only provides an accessible introduction to electronics, but also supplies all the problems and practical activities needed to gain hands-on knowledge and experience. This emphasis on practice is surprisingly unusual in electronics texts, and has already gained Will Kimber popularity through the companion volume, 'Practical Digital Electronics for Technicians'. Written to cover the Advanced GNVQ optional unit in electronics, this book is also ideal for BTEC National, A-level electronics and City & Guilds courses. Together with 'Practical Digit

Hematological findings in male x-ray technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meo, Sultan A.

2004-01-01

In view of the known health hazards of x-ray radiation, this study focuses on the basic hematological parameters: red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs) and platelets count in x-ray technicians. The aim was to identify the affect of x-ray radiation on blood cell counts in x-ray technicians. The present study was conducted in the Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the year 2002. In this study, a group of 40 apparently healthy male x-ray technicians with age ranging from 25-50-years were recruited. They were matched with another group of 40 apparently healthy control subjects in terms of age, sex and ethnic origin. Both groups met with exclusion criteria as per standard. Red blood cells, WBC and platelets count were performed by using a blood cell auto analyser. The mean value of platelet count was significantly decreased (p<0.01) in x-ray technicians when compared to controls. However, no significant difference was observed in RBC and WBC count between the groups. Radiation causes decreased platelet count. Further, studies are needed to study the long-term effects of x-ray radiation on blood cell count in x-ray technicians. (author)

Act No. 25 of 31 January 1983 amending Act No. 1103 of 4 August 1965 and Decree No. 680 of 6 March 1968 on regulations governing the activities of technicians in medical radiology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

This Act amends Act No. 1103 of 4 August 1965 and Decree No. 680 of 6 March 1968 of the President of the Republic regulating the activities of auxiliary personnel engaged in medical radiology. It establishes new conditions for training and qualifications of such technicians in respect of radiodiagnosis, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine. (NEA) [fr

Comparing Burnout Across Emergency Physicians, Nurses, Technicians, and Health Information Technicians Working for the Same Organization

OpenAIRE

Schooley, Benjamin; Hikmet, Neset; Tarcan, Menderes; Yorgancioglu, Gamze

2016-01-01

Abstract Studies on the topic of burnout measure the effects of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) (negative or cynical attitudes toward work), and reduced sense of personal accomplishment (PA). While the prevalence of burnout in practicing emergency medicine (EM) professionals has been studied, little is known of the prevalence and factors across physicians, nurses, technicians, and health information technicians working for the same institution. The aim of this study was to a...

Radiation emergency medical preparedness and assistance network in Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, E. S.; Kong, H. J.; Noh, J. H.; Lim, Y. K.; Kim, C. S.

2003-01-01

Nationwide Medical Preparedness for Nuclear Accidents as an integral part of nuclear safety system has been discussed for several years and Radiation Health Research Institute (RHRI) of Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power Co. was established on July, 1999. The National Radiation Emergency Medical Center (NREMC) of Korea Cancer Center Hospital was also founded on September, 2002. Two organizations have established Radiation Emergency Medical Preparedness and Assistance Network in Korea to cope with accidental situations in nuclear power plants and also in handling sites of radionuclides. In order to construct an effective Nationwide Emergency Medical Network System they maintain good cooperation among regional hospitals. RHRI is going to make three types of medical groups, that is to say, the collaboration of the regional (primary appointed) hospital group around the nuclear power plants, the regional core (secondary appointed) hospital group and the central core hospital (RHRI). NREMC is also playing a central role in collaboration with 10 regional hospitals. Two cores are working key role for the maintenance of the network. Firstly, They maintain a radiological emergency response team consisting of physicians, nurses, health physicists, coordinators, and necessary support personnel to provide first-line responders with consultative or direct medical and radiological assistance at their facility or at the accident site. Secondly, they serves educational programs for the emergency personnel of collaborating hospitals not only as a treatment facility but also as a central training and demonstration unit. Regularly scheduled courses for the physician and nurse, and health/medical physicists are conducted. Therefore, to activate Nationwide Emergency Medical Network System and to maintain it for a long time, well-trained specialists and budgetary supports are indispensable

Respiratory assessment of refractory ceramic fibers in a heating technician population.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucas, David; Clamagirand, Vincent; Capellmann, Pascale; Hervé, Agnès; Mauguen, Gilles; Le Mer, Yannik; Jegaden, Dominique

2018-04-01

Refractory ceramic fibers (RCF) have been extensively used for insulation in condensing boilers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the respiratory exposure to these fibers among maintenance heating technicians. We first created a working group (Carsat Brittany and Finistère Occupational Health Services) and carried out a sampling strategy. Atmospheric measurements were done during work tasks, and filters were analyzed by phase contrast microscopy (PCM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in French approved laboratories. Four companies were included for a total of 15 days of work. During those 15 workdays, 12 SEM and 21 PCM samples were taken and analyzed. The phase contrast microscopy and SEM average results were 0.04 and 0.004 fibers/cm 3 , respectively. In conclusion, the study confirms heating technician RCF respiratory exposure during maintenance work for both condensation gas boilers and atmospheric boilers. Collective and individual prevention measures should be implemented along with appropriate medical follow-up.

Section 608 Technician Certification

Science.gov (United States)

Certifications for technicians who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of equipment that could release ozone depleting refrigerants or, after January 1, 2018, substitute refrigerants into the atmosphere.

Technicians and Shop Owners

Science.gov (United States)

Overview page provides information for shops and technicians that repair or service motor vehicle air-conditioning systems, including information on proper training, approved equipment, and regulatory practices.

A case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis with giant cells in a female dental technician.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yong-Hyun; Chung, Yun Kyung; Kim, Changhwan; Nam, Eun Suk; Kim, Hyun-Jun; Joo, Youngsu

2013-10-04

Dental technicians are exposed to methyl methacrylate(MMA) and hard metal dusts while working, and several cases of hypersensitivity pneumonitis caused by the exposure have been reported. The authors experienced a case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis in a female dental technician who had 10 years' work experience and report the case with clinical evidence. The patient's work, personal, social, and past and present medical histories were investigated based on patient questioning and medical records. Furthermore, the workplace conditions and tools and materials the patient worked with were also evaluated. Next, the pathophysiology and risk factors of pneumonitis were studied, and studies on the relationship between hypersensitivity pneumonitis and a dental technician's exposure to dust were reviewed. Any changes in the clinical course of her disease were noted for evaluation of the work-relatedness of the disease. The patient complained of cough and sputum for 1 year. In addition, while walking up the stairs, the patient was not able to ascend without resting due to dyspnea. She visited our emergency department due to epistaxis, and secondary hypertension was incidentally suspected. Laboratory tests including serologic, electrolyte, and endocrinologic tests and a simple chest radiograph showed no specific findings, but chest computed tomography revealed a centrilobular ground-glass pattern in both lung fields. A transbronchial biopsy was performed, and bronchoalveolar washing fluid was obtained. Among the findings of the laboratory tests, microcalcification, noncaseating granuloma containing foreign body-type giant cells, and metal particles within macrophages were identified histologically. Based on these results, hypersensitivity pneumonitis was diagnosed. The patient stopped working due to admission, and she completely quit her job within 2 months of restarting work due to reappearance of the symptoms. In this study, the patient did not have typical radiologic

Preparing technicians for photonics industries and organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Souders, John; Hull, Dan

2012-10-01

U.S. photonics organizations need about 800 new photonics technicians each year. Thirty-one community and technical colleges have approximately 700 students enrolled in photonics related programs; about 275 of them complete their coursework and enter the workforce each year. A disparity exists between the demand and supply of qualified photonics technicians in the U.S. OP-TEC, the National Center for Optics and Photonics Education is a consortium of seven colleges, under the leadership of the University of Central Florida, and sponsored by NSF. OP-TEC's mission is to increase the quantity and quality of photonics technicians prepared at two-year colleges. OP-TEC maintains the National Photonics Skill Standards for Technicians, provides curriculum models, teaching materials, faculty training/professional development and planning services to strengthen existing college photonics programs and to attract and support new ones. OP-TEC is converting its text materials to E-Books to support students in technical programs. Through OP-TEC's recruitment efforts 84 additional colleges are interested in initiating new photonics programs. The OP-TEC Photonics College Network (OPCN) consists of 28 colleges that are currently providing photonics education. This fall OPCN will lead an additional national effort to further educate employed photonics technicians through on-line courses, complemented by lab experiences at nearby colleges. OP-TEC is expanding its outreach to photonics employers and colleges by regionalizing its approach to offering its services. OP-TEC is also planning to develop new curricula and instructional materials for AAS programs to prepare Precision Optics Technicians. This paper will detail OP-TEC's work with particular emphases on its materials and services.

OCCUPATIONAL CONTACT DERMATITIS AMONGST DENTISTS AND DENTAL TECHNICIANS.

Science.gov (United States)

Lugović-Mihić, Liborija; Ferček, Iva; Duvančić, Tomislav; Bulat, Vedrana; Ježovita, Josip; Novak-Bilić, Gaby; Šitum, Mirna

2016-06-01

Since the working medical personnel including dentists and dental technicians mainly use their hands, it is understandable that the most common occupational disease amongst medical personnel is contact dermatitis (CD) (80%-90% of cases). Development of occupational CD is caused by contact of the skin with various substances in occupational environment. Occupational etiologic factors for dental personnel are foremost reactions to gloves containing latex, followed by various dental materials (e.g., metals, acrylates), detergents, lubricants, solvents, chemicals, etc. Since occupational CD is relatively common in dental personnel, its timely recognition, treatment and taking preventive measures is needed. Achieving skin protection at exposed workplaces is of special importance, as well as implementing necessary measures consequently and sufficiently, which is sometimes difficult to achieve. Various studies have shown the benefit of applying preventive measures, such as numerous protocols for reducing and managing latex sensitivity and other forms of CD in dentistry. Active involvement of physicians within the health care system, primarily dermatologists, occupational medicine specialists and general medicine doctors is needed for establishing an accurate medical diagnosis and confirmation of occupational skin disease.

Emergency medical technician education and training.

Science.gov (United States)

Lauro, Joseph; Sullivan, Francis; Williams, Kenneth A

2013-12-03

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) training and education are vital and vibrant aspects of a young and evolving profession. This article provides a perspective on this effort in the United States and reviews current activity in Rhode Island.

Teaching Laboratory Management Principles and Practices Through Mentorship and Graduated Responsibility: The Assistant Medical Directorship.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanley, Timothy; Sowder, Aleksandra M; Palmer, Cheryl Ann; Weiss, Ronald L

2016-01-01

With the changing landscape of medicine in general, and pathology in particular, a greater emphasis is being placed on laboratory management as a means of controlling spiraling medical costs and improving health-care efficiency. To meet this challenge, pathology residency programs have begun to incorporate formal laboratory management training into their curricula, using institutional curricula and/or online laboratory management courses offered by professional organizations. At the University of Utah, and its affiliated national reference laboratory, ARUP Laboratories, Inc, interested residents are able to supplement the departmental lecture-based and online laboratory management curriculum by participating in assistant medical directorship programs in one of several pathology subspecialty disciplines. The goals of many of the assistant medical directorship positions include the development of laboratory management skills and competencies. A survey of current and recent assistant medical directorship participants revealed that the assistant medical directorship program serves as an excellent means of improving laboratory management skills, as well as improving performance as a fellow and practicing pathologist.

National emergency medical assistance program for commercial nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linnemann, R.E.; Berger, M.E.

1987-01-01

Radiation Management Consultant's Emergency Medical Assistance Program (EMAP) for nuclear facilities provides a twenty-four hour emergency medical and health physics response capability, training of site and off-site personnel, and three levels of care for radiation accident victims: first air and rescue at an accident site, hospital emergency assessment and treatment, and definitive evaluation and treatment at a specialized medical center. These aspects of emergency preparedness and fifteen years of experience in dealing with medical personnel and patients with real or suspected radiation injury will be reviewed

Advancing the role of the pharmacy technician: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattingly, Ashlee N; Mattingly, T Joseph

To summarize the findings of a literature search on advancing the role of pharmacy technicians, including the types of training identified and the potential costs and benefits to both the technician and the pharmacy. A literature search of Scopus, Embase, and Medline was conducted on January 11, 2017. Original research, research reports, case studies, or association reports were included for review. Articles were considered to be relevant based on identification of an advanced pharmacy technician role or addressing additional training/education for technician functions. A standard data extraction form was used to collect study authors, article title, year published, journal title, study design, brief description of methods, primary outcome measures, advanced technician roles identified, additional education or training addressed, and additional costs and benefits identified in each article. A total of 33 articles were included for full review and data extraction. Study design varied, with 17 (52%) quantitative, 1 (3%) qualitative, 5 (15%) mixed-method, and 10 (30%) case study designs. Seventeen (52%) of the studies included were published after 2006. The mechanism of training was primarily through supervised on-the-job training, allowing technicians to assume administrative-based positions that facilitated a pharmacist-led clinical service, with either the pharmacist or the pharmacy receiving the greatest benefits. Although the literature supports technicians performing advanced roles in the pharmacy, resulting in either improved patient outcomes or opportunities for pharmacists to engage in additional clinical services, the benefits to the technician were primarily indirect, such as an increase in job satisfaction or a more desirable work schedule. If a technician is to take on additional roles that require completion of a formalized training or educational program, benefits that are more tangible may help to inspire technicians to pursue these roles. Copyright �

Medication Assisted Treatment for the 21st Century: Community Education Kit.

Science.gov (United States)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (DHHS/PHS), Rockville, MD. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

The need to support the success of individuals in methadone-assisted recovery, and the recent availability of new pharmacologic treatment options for opioid dependence, calls for an information tool that underscores the evidence-based benefits of medication assisted treatment for opioid dependence. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services'…

Ethics of emergent information and communication technology applications in humanitarian medical assistance.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, Matthew; Pringle, John; Christen, Markus; Eckenwiler, Lisa; Schwartz, Lisa; Davé, Anushree

2016-07-01

New applications of information and communication technology (ICT) are shaping the way we understand and provide humanitarian medical assistance in situations of disaster, disease outbreak or conflict. Each new crisis appears to be accompanied by advancements in humanitarian technology, leading to significant improvements in the humanitarian aid sector. However, ICTs raise ethical questions that warrant attention. Focusing on the context of humanitarian medical assistance, we review key domains of ICT innovation. We then discuss ethical challenges and uncertainties associated with the development and application of new ICTs in humanitarian medical assistance, including avoiding harm, ensuring privacy and security, responding to inequalities, demonstrating respect, protecting relationships, and addressing expectations. In doing so, we emphasize the centrality of ethics in humanitarian ICT design, application and evaluation. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Association Between Workarounds and Medication Administration Errors in Bar Code-Assisted Medication Administration : Protocol of a Multicenter Study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Veen, Willem; van den Bemt, Patricia Mla; Bijlsma, Maarten; de Gier, Han J; Taxis, Katja

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Information technology-based methods such as bar code-assisted medication administration (BCMA) systems have the potential to reduce medication administration errors (MAEs) in hospitalized patients. In practice, however, systems are often not used as intended, leading to workarounds.

Regulation on the training-schools and institutions for radiation-technicians and x-ray technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

The regulation, in accordance with the Law on X-ray technicians (Law No. 227, 1951), controls and makes rules of the establishment and activities of schools and institutions for those technicians as above mentioned, with intent to secure prescribed qualifications and capabilities of said technicians. Such schools and institutions shall get the designation by relevant ministers of the government who have the power to supervise them, namely the Education Minister and the Minister for Health and Welfare (Article 2). Articles 4 and 4(2) prescribe the standards for the relevant ministers to make the designation of those schools and institutions, in relation to the school years, curriculums, teachers, equipments, etc. According to the standards, those schools and institutions may be of 3-year, 2-year on one-year course according to the required attainment level of students who enters them. The minimum requirement of the attainment is the secondary-school certificates for the 3-year course. The relevant ministers may require such reports from, and give such instructions to those schools and institutions as they consider necessary, and may revoke their designation when such a school on institution has become incompliant with above mentioned standards (Articles 6 and 7). (Matsushima, A.)

Science and engineering technicians in the United States: characteristics of a redefined population, 1972

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finn, M.G.

1978-02-01

The 1972 redefined population was distributed among 10 technician fields. Approximately 75% of the total were concentrated in four relatively large fields: computer programmers; draftsmen; electrical and electronic technicians; and technicians, other fields. Women accounted for 11% of all technicians. The average age of technicians in 1972 was 37. Whites comprised 94.8% of all technicians, while 3.0% were black. More technicians resided in the middle Atlantic region than in any other region. As a percentage of the civilian labor force, however, technicians were most heavily concentrated in the New England and mountain regions. The educational level of technicians was quite diverse: about one-third had no postsecondary education, about one-sixth had at least a bachelor's degree. About one-half fell somewhere between these extremes. Approximately 68% of all technicians reported some form of supplemental training outside formal educational institutions. This training was quite diverse. In 1972, unemployed technicians totaled 3.2% of the technician labor force. Fourteen percent of technicians reported employment outside their field, and 11% reported employment outside the 10 technician fields that constituted the focus of this report. The median annual earnings of technicians employed full-time in 1971 was approximately $10,400. Private companies employed 71% of the technicians; federal and state governments employed 12.4% and 7.4%, respectively. Most other technicians were employed by local government or nonprofit organizations. Implications for policy and planning are drawn. The statistics presented here indicate that the most commonly used assumptions about education--occupation linkages are grossly oversimplified. 5 figures, 44 tables

Reporting multiple cycles in trials on medically assisted reproduction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scholten, Irma; Braakhekke, Miriam; Limpens, Jacqueline; Hompes, Peter G. A.; van der Veen, Fulco; Mol, Ben W. J.; Gianotten, Judith

2016-01-01

Trials assessing effectiveness in medically assisted reproduction (MAR) should aim to study the desired effect over multiple cycles, as this reflects clinical practice and captures the relevant perspective for the couple. The aim of this study was to assess the extent to which multiple cycles are

Ethics and regulation of inter-country medically assisted reproduction: a call for action

OpenAIRE

Shalev, Carmel; Moreno, Adi; Eyal, Hedva; Leibel, Michal; Schuz, Rhona; Eldar-Geva, Talia

2016-01-01

The proliferation of medically assisted reproduction (MAR) for the treatment of infertility has brought benefit to many individuals around the world. But infertility and its treatment continue to be a cause of suffering, and over the past decade, there has been a steady growth in a new global market of inter-country medically assisted reproduction (IMAR) involving ?third-party? individuals acting as surrogate mothers and gamete donors in reproductive collaborations for the benefit of other in...

A Novel Simulation Technician Laboratory Design: Results of a Survey-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmed, Rami; Hughes, Patrick G; Friedl, Ed; Ortiz Figueroa, Fabiana; Cepeda Brito, Jose R; Frey, Jennifer; Birmingham, Lauren E; Atkinson, Steven Scott

2016-03-16

OBJECTIVE : The purpose of this study was to elicit feedback from simulation technicians prior to developing the first simulation technician-specific simulation laboratory in Akron, OH. Simulation technicians serve a vital role in simulation centers within hospitals/health centers around the world. The first simulation technician degree program in the US has been approved in Akron, OH. To satisfy the requirements of this program and to meet the needs of this special audience of learners, a customized simulation lab is essential. A web-based survey was circulated to simulation technicians prior to completion of the lab for the new program. The survey consisted of questions aimed at identifying structural and functional design elements of a novel simulation center for the training of simulation technicians. Quantitative methods were utilized to analyze data. Over 90% of technicians (n=65) think that a lab designed explicitly for the training of technicians is novel and beneficial. Approximately 75% of respondents think that the space provided appropriate audiovisual (AV) infrastructure and space to evaluate the ability of technicians to be independent. The respondents think that the lab needed more storage space, visualization space for a large number of students, and more space in the technical/repair area. CONCLUSIONS : A space designed for the training of simulation technicians was considered to be beneficial. This laboratory requires distinct space for technical repair, adequate bench space for the maintenance and repair of simulators, an appropriate AV infrastructure, and space to evaluate the ability of technicians to be independent.

A comparison of physicians and medical assistants in interpreting verbal autopsy interviews for allocating cause of neonatal death in Matlab, Bangladesh: can medical assistants be considered an alternative to physicians?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Objective This study assessed the agreement between medical physicians in their interpretation of verbal autopsy (VA) interview data for identifying causes of neonatal deaths in rural Bangladesh. Methods The study was carried out in Matlab, a rural sub-district in eastern Bangladesh. Trained persons conducted the VA interview with the mother or another family member at the home of the deceased. Three physicians and a medical assistant independently reviewed the VA interviews to assign causes of death using the International Classification of Diseases - Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes. A physician assigned cause was decided when at least two physicians agreed on a cause of death. Cause-specific mortality fraction (CSMF), kappa (k) statistic, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values were applied to compare agreement between the reviewers. Results Of the 365 neonatal deaths reviewed, agreement on a direct cause of death was reached by at least two physicians in 339 (93%) of cases. Physician and medical assistant reviews of causes of death demonstrated the following levels of diagnostic agreement for the main causes of deaths: for birth asphyxia the sensitivity was 84%, specificity 93%, and kappa 0.77. For prematurity/low birth weight, the sensitivity, specificity, and kappa statistics were, respectively, 53%, 96%, and 0.55, for sepsis/meningitis they were 48%, 98%, and 0.53, and for pneumonia they were 75%, 94%, and 0.51. Conclusion This study revealed a moderate to strong agreement between physician- assigned and medical assistant- assigned major causes of neonatal death. A well-trained medical assistant could be considered an alternative for assigning major causes of neonatal deaths in rural Bangladesh and in similar settings where physicians are scarce and their time costs more. A validation study with medically confirmed diagnosis will improve the performance of VA for assigning cause of neonatal death. PMID:20712906

[Medical students' attitudes towards legalisation of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide].

Science.gov (United States)

Nordstrand, Magnus Andreas; Nordstrand, Sven Jakob; Materstvedt, Lars Johan; Nortvedt, Per; Magelssen, Morten

2013-11-26

We wished to investigate prevailing attitudes among future doctors regarding legalisation of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide. This issue is important, since any legalisation of these practices would confer a completely new role on doctors. Attitudes were identified with the aid of a questionnaire-based survey among medical students in their 5th and 6th year of study in the four Norwegian medical schools. Altogether 531 students responded (59.5% of all students in these cohorts). Of these, 102 (19%) were of the opinion that euthanasia should be legalised in the case of terminal illness, 164 (31%) responded that physician-assisted suicide should be permitted for this indication, while 145 (28%) did not know. A minority of the respondents would permit euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in other situations. Women and those who reported that religion was important to them were less positive than men to permitting euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. In most of the situations described, the majority of the students in this survey rejected legalisation. Opinions are more divided in the case of terminal illness, since a larger proportion is in favour of legalisation and more respondents are undecided.

Old, older and too old: age limits for medically assisted fatherhood?

Science.gov (United States)

Braverman, Andrea Mechanick

2017-02-01

How old is too old to be a father? Can you be a little bit older or "old-ish" to be a dad without being considered an "older dad"? At some point, does one simply become too old to be a father? Unless a man requires medical assistance in family building, that answer has historically turned solely on his opportunity to have a willing female partner of reproductive age. As with so many other aspects of family building, assisted reproductive technologies have transformed the possibilities for-and spawned heated debates about-maternal age. Much attention has been given to this contentious topic for potential mothers, with many programs putting age-related limitations in place for their female patients. This article considers whether there should also be limits-and how we should approach that question-for men who require and seek medical assistance to become fathers. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Use of Technology in the Medical Assisting Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Kozielski, Tracy L.

2014-01-01

The growing presence of technology in health care has infiltrated educational institutions. Numerous software and hardware technologies have been designed to improve student learning; however, their use in the classroom is unclear. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the experiences of medical assisting faculty using…

Epidemiology of aplastic anemia in Japanese radiological technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kitabatake, Takashi; Watanabe, Tsuyoshi; Saito, Akira; Nakamura, Minoru.

1976-01-01

Among Japanese radiological technicians, four deaths from aplastic anemia have been recorded. Based on this fact, some epidemiological considerations are tried. During the period from 1930 to 1960, the population of radiological technicians is estimated to be 74,400 man-years, in which 0.5 aplastic anemias are expected. However actually three died from aplastic anemia. This difference is statistically significant at the 1% level. On the other hand, in the period from 1961 to 1973, the observed value is 1 against 0.7 expected. It is concluded that aplastic anemia had been frequently induced among Japanese radiological technicians in the era when there was much exposure to occupational radiation. (auth.)

Defining the Simulation Technician Role: Results of a Survey-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Rachel; Taylor, Regina G; FitzGerald, Michael R; Kerrey, Benjamin T; LeMaster, Thomas; Geis, Gary L

2015-10-01

In health care simulation, simulation technicians perform multiple tasks to support various educational offerings. Technician responsibilities and the tasks that accompany them seem to vary between centers. The objectives were to identify the range and frequency of tasks that technicians perform and to determine if there is a correspondence between what technicians do and what they feel their responsibilities should be. We hypothesized that there is a core set of responsibilities and tasks for the technician position regardless of background, experience, and type of simulation center. We conducted a prospective, survey-based study of individuals currently functioning in a simulation technician role in a simulation center. This survey was designed internally and piloted within 3 academic simulation centers. Potential respondents were identified through a national mailing list, and the survey was distributed electronically during a 3-week period. A survey request was sent to 280 potential participants, 136 (49%) responded, and 73 met inclusion criteria. Five core tasks were identified as follows: equipment setup and breakdown, programming scenarios into software, operation of software during simulation, audiovisual support for courses, and on-site simulator maintenance. Independent of background before they were hired, technicians felt unprepared for their role once taking the position. Formal training was identified as a need; however, the majority of technicians felt experience over time was the main contributor toward developing knowledge and skills within their role. This study represents a first step in defining the technician role within simulation-based education and supports the need for the development of a formal job description to allow recruitment, development, and certification.

Fiber Optics Technician. Curriculum Research Project. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Whittington, Herschel K.

A study examined the role of technicians in the fiber optics industry and determined those elements that should be included in a comprehensive curriculum to prepare fiber optics technicians for employment in the Texas labor market. First the current literature, including the ERIC database and equipment manufacturers' journals were reviewed. After…

Medical Assistant-based care management for high risk patients in small primary care practices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Freund, Tobias; Peters-Klimm, Frank; Boyd, Cynthia M.

2016-01-01

Background: Patients with multiple chronic conditions are at high risk of potentially avoidable hospital admissions, which may be reduced by care coordination and self-management support. Medical assistants are an increasingly available resource for patient care in primary care practices. Objective......: To determine whether protocol-based care management delivered by medical assistants improves patient care in patients at high risk of future hospitalization in primary care. Design: Two-year cluster randomized clinical trial. Setting: 115 primary care practices in Germany. Patients: 2,076 patients with type 2......, and monitoring delivered by medical assistants with usual care. Measurements: All-cause hospitalizations at 12 months (primary outcome) and quality of life scores (Short Form 12 Health Questionnaire [SF-12] and the Euroqol instrument [EQ-5D]). Results: Included patients had, on average, four co-occurring chronic...

Experiences Providing Medical Assistance during the Sewol Ferry Disaster Using Traditional Korean Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Kyeong Han; Jang, Soobin; Lee, Ju Ah; Jang, Bo-Hyoung; Go, Ho-Yeon; Park, Sunju; Jo, Hee-Guen; Lee, Myeong Soo; Ko, Seong-Gyu

2017-01-01

This study aimed to investigate medical records using traditional Korean medicine (TKM) in Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014 and further explore the possible role of traditional medicine in disaster situation. After Sewol Ferry accident, 3 on-site tents for TKM assistance by the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM) in Jindo area were installed. The AKOM mobilized volunteer TKM doctors and assistants and dispatched each on-site tent in three shifts within 24 hours. Anyone could use on-site tent without restriction and TKM treatments including herb medicine were administered individually. The total of 1,860 patients were treated during the periods except for medical assistance on the barge. Most patients were diagnosed in musculoskeletal diseases (66.4%) and respiratory diseases (7.4%) and circulatory diseases (8.4%) followed. The most frequently used herbal medicines were Shuanghe decoction (80 days), Su He Xiang Wan (288 pills), and Wuji powder (73 days). TKM in medical assistance can be helpful to rescue worker or group life people in open shelter when national disasters occur. Therefore, it is important to construct a rapid respond system using TKM resources based on experience.

Experiences Providing Medical Assistance during the Sewol Ferry Disaster Using Traditional Korean Medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyeong Han Kim

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background. This study aimed to investigate medical records using traditional Korean medicine (TKM in Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014 and further explore the possible role of traditional medicine in disaster situation. Methods. After Sewol Ferry accident, 3 on-site tents for TKM assistance by the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM in Jindo area were installed. The AKOM mobilized volunteer TKM doctors and assistants and dispatched each on-site tent in three shifts within 24 hours. Anyone could use on-site tent without restriction and TKM treatments including herb medicine were administered individually. Results. The total of 1,860 patients were treated during the periods except for medical assistance on the barge. Most patients were diagnosed in musculoskeletal diseases (66.4% and respiratory diseases (7.4% and circulatory diseases (8.4% followed. The most frequently used herbal medicines were Shuanghe decoction (80 days, Su He Xiang Wan (288 pills, and Wuji powder (73 days. Conclusions. TKM in medical assistance can be helpful to rescue worker or group life people in open shelter when national disasters occur. Therefore, it is important to construct a rapid respond system using TKM resources based on experience.

Costs of medically assisted reproduction treatment at specialized fertility clinics in the Danish public health care system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Terkel; Erb, Karin; Rizvanovic, Amra

2014-01-01

To examine the costs to the public health care system of couples in medically assisted reproduction.......To examine the costs to the public health care system of couples in medically assisted reproduction....

A Grounded Theory Study of Aircraft Maintenance Technician Decision-Making

Science.gov (United States)

Norcross, Robert

Aircraft maintenance technician decision-making and actions have resulted in aircraft system errors causing aircraft incidents and accidents. Aircraft accident investigators and researchers examined the factors that influence aircraft maintenance technician errors and categorized the types of errors in an attempt to prevent similar occurrences. New aircraft technology introduced to improve aviation safety and efficiency incur failures that have no information contained in the aircraft maintenance manuals. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, aircraft maintenance technicians must use only approved aircraft maintenance documents to repair, modify, and service aircraft. This qualitative research used a grounded theory approach to explore the decision-making processes and actions taken by aircraft maintenance technicians when confronted with an aircraft problem not contained in the aircraft maintenance manuals. The target population for the research was Federal Aviation Administration licensed aircraft and power plant mechanics from across the United States. Nonprobability purposeful sampling was used to obtain aircraft maintenance technicians with the experience sought in the study problem. The sample population recruitment yielded 19 participants for eight focus group sessions to obtain opinions, perceptions, and experiences related to the study problem. All data collected was entered into the Atlas ti qualitative analysis software. The emergence of Aircraft Maintenance Technician decision-making themes regarding Aircraft Maintenance Manual content, Aircraft Maintenance Technician experience, and legal implications of not following Aircraft Maintenance Manuals surfaced. Conclusions from this study suggest Aircraft Maintenance Technician decision-making were influenced by experience, gaps in the Aircraft Maintenance Manuals, reliance on others, realizing the impact of decisions concerning aircraft airworthiness, management pressures, and legal concerns

Exposure of Iranian emergency medical technicians to workplace violence: a cross-sectional analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmani, Azad; Hassankhani, Hadi; Mills, Jane; Dadashzadeh, Abbas

2012-02-01

Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in Iran experience concerning levels of workplace violence, although until now there has been no investigation of this phenomenon. The objectives of the present study were to describe the exposure of Iranian EMTs to workplace violence and to identify the importance of related factors from their viewpoint. In this descriptive, exploratory study, 160 EMTs agreed to participate in a survey that collected data regarding their exposure to the following forms of workplace violence: verbal abuse, physical assault, cultural harassment, sexual harassment and sexual assault. A total of 138 questionnaires were returned, representing a response rate of 86%. The majority of participants 75% (n = 103) experienced at least one form of workplace violence in the 12 months before completing the questionnaire. The most frequently reported form of workplace violence was verbal abuse (71%), followed by physical assault (38%) and cultural harassment (9%). Violence resulting in serious injuries was reported by only 4% of participants, with no more than 8% of participants experiencing workplace violence that included the use of weapons. The most reported response to workplace violence was to 'invite the offender to calm down'. Participants took this approach because they believed that 'follow up of workplace violence is ineffectual' (34%), considered the workplace violence as a common in their job (30%), and did not know whom to report workplace violence to (13%). Iranian EMTs experience a considerable amount of workplace violence. The present study highlights the recommendation for formal training programmes and clearer protocols about how to manage workplace violence, especially verbal abuse in the Iranian prehospital setting. © 2011 The Authors. EMA © 2011 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Continuous professional competence (CPC) for emergency medical technicians in Ireland: educational needs assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Knox, Shane; Cullen, Walter; Dunne, Colum

2013-12-17

As in other countries, the Irish Regulator for Pre-Hospital practitioners, the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC), will introduce a Continuous Professional Competence (CPC) framework for all Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Paramedics and Advanced Paramedics (APs). This framework involves EMTs participating in regular and structured training to maintain professional competence and enable continuous professional developments. To inform the development of this framework, this study aimed to identify what EMTs consider the optimum educational outcomes and activity and their attitude towards CPC. All EMTs registered in Ireland (n = 925) were invited via email to complete an anonymous online survey. Survey questions were designed based on Continuous Professional Development (CPD) questionnaires used by other healthcare professions. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed. Response rate was 43% (n = 399). 84% of participants had been registered in Ireland for less than 24 months, while 59% had been registered EMTs for more than one year. Outcomes were: evidence of CPC should be a condition for EMT registration in Ireland (95%), 78% believed that EMTs who do not maintain CPC should be denied the option to re-register. Although not required to do so at the time of survey, 69% maintained a professional portfolio and 24% had completed up to 20 hours of CPC activities in the prior 12 months. From a list of 22 proposed CPC activities, 97% stated that practical scenario-based exercises were most relevant to their role. E-learning curricula without practical components were considered irrelevant (32%), but the majority of participants (91%) welcomed access to e-learning when supplemented by related practical modules. EMTs are supportive of CPC as a key part of their professional development and registration. Blended learning, which involves clinical and practical skills and e-learning, is the optimum approach.

SuperAssist: A User-Assistant Collaborative Environment for the supervision of medical instrument use at home

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Blanson Henkemans, O.A.; Neerincx, M.A.; Lindenberg, J.; Mast, C.A.P.G. van der

2007-01-01

With the rise of Transmural care, patients increasingly use medical instruments at home. Maintenance and troubleshooting greatly determines the safety and accuracy of these instruments. For the supervision of these complex tasks, we developed a User-Assistant Collaborative Environment (U-ACE). We

Pneumoconiosis and exposures of dental laboratory technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rom, W.N.; Lockey, J.E.; Lee, J.S.; Kimball, A.C.; Bang, K.M.; Leaman, H.; Johns, R.E. Jr.; Perrota, D.; Gibbons, H.L.

1984-01-01

One hundred and seventy-eight dental laboratory technicians and 69 non-exposed controls participated in an epidemiological respiratory study. Eight technicians who had a mean of 28 years grinding nonprecious metal alloys were diagnosed as having a simple pneumoconiosis by chest radiograph. Mean values for per cent predicted FVC and FEV1 were reduced among male nonsmoker technicians compared to male nonsmoker controls; after controlling for age, there was also a reduction in spirometry with increasing work-years. An industrial hygiene survey was conducted in 13 laboratories randomly selected from 42 laboratories stratified by size and type of operation in the Salt Lake City, Utah metropolitan area. Personal exposures to beryllium and cobalt exceeded the Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) in one laboratory. Occupational exposures in dental laboratories need to be controlled to prevent beryllium-related lung disorders as well as simple pneumoconiosis

A uniform approach for on-site training and qualification of health physics technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Till, J.E.

1977-01-01

Estimates show that in the U.S. approx. 75% of the health physics technicians received their training through courses offered by their employer. The quality and the extent of this training vary considerably among nuclear facilities. This paper describes a uniform approach for on-site training and qualification of health physics technicians applicable to all nuclear facilities. The program consists of four levels of qualification: Health Physics Technician Trainee, Technician I, Technician II and Senior Technician. The training is divided into modules that are composed of formal lectures, practical factors, experience, and a comprehensive examination. The minimum time required from hiring of inexperienced trainees to qualification as Senior Technicians is approx. 24 months. A qualification guide lists each step a technician must complete in the training program and provides documentation which facilitates audits by internal and external groups. Although items in the program would differ between facilities, the program provides specific titles for technicians, based on their training and experience, which would be applicable throughout the nuclear industry. (author)

Using peer-assisted learning to teach basic surgical skills: medical students’ experiences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahdi Saleh

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Standard medical curricula in the United Kingdom (UK typically provide basic surgical-skills teaching before medical students are introduced into the clinical environment. However, these sessions are often led by clinical teaching fellows and/or consultants. Depending on the roles undertaken (e.g., session organizers, peer tutors, a peer-assisted learning (PAL approach may afford many benefits to teaching surgical skills. At the University of Keele's School of Medicine, informal PAL is used by the Surgical Society to teach basic surgical skills to pre-clinical students. As medical students who assumed different roles within this peer-assisted model, we present our experiences and discuss the possible implications of incorporating such sessions into UK medical curricula. Our anecdotal evidence suggests that a combination of PAL sessions – used as an adjunct to faculty-led sessions – may provide optimal learning opportunities in delivering a basic surgical skills session for pre-clinical students.

Job Analysis Techniques for Restructuring Health Manpower Education and Training in the Navy Medical Department. Attachment 4. Clinic QPCB Task Sort for Clinical Physician Assistants--Dermatology, ENT, Opththalmology, Orthopedics, and Urology.

Science.gov (United States)

Technomics, Inc., McLean, VA.

This publication is Attachment 4 of a set of 16 computer listed QPCB task sorts, by career level, for the entire Hospital Corps and Dental Technician fields. Statistical data are presented in tabular form for a detailed listing of job duties for clinical physician assistants. (BT)

Peculiarities of family doctors' medical assistance for persons with 'Chernobyl syndrome'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Margine, Le.; Tintiuc, D.; Grejdeanu, T.; Margine, Lu.; Badan, V.

2012-01-01

Medical and social protection and rehabilitation of patients with 'Chernobyl syndrome' is provided by legislation of the Republic of Moldova, which is reflected in a comprehensive action plan for rehabilitation and protection of this category of citizens. This plan includes such medical activities as detailed medical ambulatory and stationary examination, purchase prescription drugs, annual sanatorium treatment, annual compensation recovery in the value of 2 average monthly salaries for health improvement. The role of family doctors' medical assistance for persons suffered due to the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant is very important in this plan implementation.

Chemistry technician performance evaluation program Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shawver, J.M.

1992-01-01

The Arizona Nuclear Power Project (ANPP), a three-reactor site located 50 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona, has developed and implemented a program for evaluating individual chemistry technician analytical performance on a routine basis. About 45 chemistry technicians are employed at the site, 15 at each operating unit. The technicians routinely perform trace level analyses for impurities of concern to PWRs. Each month a set of blind samples is provided by an outside vendor. The blind samples contain 16 parameters which are matrixed to approximate the PWR's primary and secondary cycles. Nine technicians receive the samples, three from each operating unit, and perform the required analyses. Acceptance criteria for successful performance on the blind parameters is based on the values found in the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) Document 83-016, Revision 2, August 1989, Chemistry Quality Control Program. The goal of the program is to have each technician demonstrate acceptable performance on each of 16 analytical parameters. On completion of each monthly set, a summary report of all of the analytical results for the sample set is prepared. From the summary report, analytical bias can be detected, technician performance is documented, and overall laboratory performance can be evaluated. The program has been very successful at satisfying the INPO requirement that the analytical performance of each individual technician should be checked on at least a six-month frequency for all important parameters measured. This paper describes the program as implemented at the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station and provides a summary report and trend and bias graphs for illustrative purposes

Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of 'teaching laboratory' technicians towards laboratory safety and waste management: a pilot interventional study.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Gilany, A-H; El-Shaer, S; Khashaba, E; El-Dakroory, S A; Omar, N

2017-06-01

A quasi-experimental study was performed on 20 technicians working in the Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt. The knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of laboratory technicians was measured before and two months after enrolling them in an intervention programme about laboratory best practice procedures. The programme addressed laboratory safety and medical waste management. The assessment was performed using a validated Arabic self-administered questionnaire. Pre- and post-intervention scores were compared using non-parametric tests. There are significant increases in the scores of KAP after implementation of the training programme. Copyright © 2017 The Healthcare Infection Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Advanced maternal age: ethical and medical considerations for assisted reproductive technology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harrison BJ

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Brittany J Harrison,1 Tara N Hilton,1 Raphaël N Rivière,1 Zachary M Ferraro,1–3 Raywat Deonandan,4 Mark C Walker1–3,51Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 2Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, University of Ottawa, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 3Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 4University of Ottawa Interdisciplinary School of Health Sciences, Ottawa, ON, Canada; 5Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Newborn Care, The Ottawa Hospital, Ottawa, ON, CanadaObjectives: This review explores the ethical and medical challenges faced by women of advanced maternal age who decide to have children. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs make post-menopausal pregnancy physiologically plausible, however, one must consider the associated physical, psychological, and sociological factors involved.Methods: A quasi-systematic review was conducted in PubMed and Ovid using the key terms post-menopause, pregnancy + MeSH terms [donations, hormone replacement therapy, assisted reproductive technologies, embryo donation, donor artificial insemination, cryopreservation]. Overall, 28 papers encompassing two major themes (ethical and medical were included in the review.Conclusion: There are significant ethical considerations and medical (maternal and fetal complications related to pregnancy in peri- and post-menopausal women. When examining the ethical and sociological perspective, the literature portrays an overall positive attitude toward pregnancy in advanced maternal age. With respect to the medical complications, the general consensus in the evaluated studies suggests that there is greater risk of complication for spontaneous pregnancy when the mother is older (eg, >35 years old. This risk can be mitigated by careful medical screening of the mother and the use of ARTs in healthy women. In these instances, a woman of advanced maternal age who is otherwise healthy can carry a

Robotics/Automated Systems Technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Doty, Charles R.

Major resources exist that can be used to develop or upgrade programs in community colleges and technical institutes that educate robotics/automated systems technicians. The first category of resources is Economic, Social, and Education Issues. The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) report, "Automation and the Workplace," presents analyses of…

Investigation research on improvement of safe handling techniques of radiation in medical fields; Reduction of exposure to medical radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanaka, Minoru; Watabe, Makoto; Oono, Kuniko [Tokyo Metropolitan Isotope Research Center (Japan)

1990-01-01

Today, it is generally recognized that radiation exposure regardless of its use should be limited to the required minimum. The form of radiation utilization for medical treatment is extremely diverse, and to clarify the actual state of dose that doctors, radiation technicians, nurses and subjects as patients receive by the diagnosis and treatment accompanied by radiation exposure is not only indispensable for evaluating the risk they receive, but also to give the important data for pursuing the reduction of radiation exposure dose of those engaging in medical treatment and patients-subjects. In this investigation research, the actual state of radiation exposure in doctors, radiation technicians, nurses and patients or subjects was investigated, and the radiation exposure dose was measured, in this way the reduction of radiation exposure dose was attempted. The radiation exposure dose in one month was 10.8{+-}3.0 mrem in doctors, 10.4{+-}2.5 mrem in radiation technicians, and 6.3{+-}2.5 mrem in nurses. The risk coefficient in a specific medical university was 1155 men-rem. Also the case of nuclear medical diagnosis administering Ga-67 was measured. (K.I.).

Advanced maternal age: ethical and medical considerations for assisted reproductive technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Brittany J; Hilton, Tara N; Rivière, Raphaël N; Ferraro, Zachary M; Deonandan, Raywat; Walker, Mark C

2017-01-01

This review explores the ethical and medical challenges faced by women of advanced maternal age who decide to have children. Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) make post-menopausal pregnancy physiologically plausible, however, one must consider the associated physical, psychological, and sociological factors involved. A quasi-systematic review was conducted in PubMed and Ovid using the key terms post-menopause, pregnancy + MeSH terms [donations, hormone replacement therapy, assisted reproductive technologies, embryo donation, donor artificial insemination, cryopreservation]. Overall, 28 papers encompassing two major themes (ethical and medical) were included in the review. There are significant ethical considerations and medical (maternal and fetal) complications related to pregnancy in peri- and post-menopausal women. When examining the ethical and sociological perspective, the literature portrays an overall positive attitude toward pregnancy in advanced maternal age. With respect to the medical complications, the general consensus in the evaluated studies suggests that there is greater risk of complication for spontaneous pregnancy when the mother is older (eg, >35 years old). This risk can be mitigated by careful medical screening of the mother and the use of ARTs in healthy women. In these instances, a woman of advanced maternal age who is otherwise healthy can carry a pregnancy with a similar risk profile to that of her younger counterparts when using donated oocytes.

How do laboratory technicians perceive their role in tuberculosis diagnostic process: a cross-sectional study among laboratory technicians in health centers of Central Java Province, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Widjanarko B

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Bagoes Widjanarko,1 Dyah Anantalia Widyastari,2 Martini Martini,3 Praba Ginandjar3 1Department of Health Education and Behavior Sciences, Faculty of Public Health, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia; 2Institute for Population and Social Research, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand; 3Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Indonesia Purpose: Detection of acid-fast bacilli in respiratory specimens serves as an initial pulmonary tuberculosis (TB diagnosis. Laboratories are the essential and fundamental part of all health systems. This study aimed to describe how laboratory technicians perceived their own self and work. This included perceived self-efficacy, perceived role, perceived equipment availability, perceived procedures, perceived reward and job, and perceived benefit of health education, as well as level of knowledge and attitudes related to work performance of laboratory technicians.Methods: This was a cross-sectional quantitative study involving 120 laboratory technicians conducted in Central Java. Interviews and observation were conducted to measure performance and work-related variables.Results: Among 120 laboratory technicians, 43.3% showed fairly good performance. They complied with 50%–75% of all procedures, including sputum collection, laboratory tools utilization, sputum smearing, staining, smear examination, grading of results, and universal precaution practice. Perceived role, perceived self-efficacy, and knowledge of laboratory procedures were significantly correlated to performance, besides education and years of working as a laboratory technician. Perceived equipment availability was also significantly correlated to performance after the education variable was controlled.Conclusion: Most of the laboratory technicians believed that they have an important role in TB patients’ treatment and should display proper self-efficacy in performing laboratory activities. The

Evidence-based approach to the maintenance of laboratory and medical equipment in resource-poor settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Malkin, Robert; Keane, Allison

2010-07-01

Much of the laboratory and medical equipment in resource-poor settings is out-of-service. The most commonly cited reasons are (1) a lack of spare parts and (2) a lack of highly trained technicians. However, there is little data to support these hypotheses, or to generate evidence-based solutions to the problem. We studied 2,849 equipment-repair requests (of which 2,529 were out-of-service medical equipment) from 60 resource-poor hospitals located in 11 nations in Africa, Europe, Asia, and Central America. Each piece of equipment was analyzed by an engineer or an engineering student and a repair was attempted using only locally available materials. If the piece was placed back into service, we assumed that the engineer's problem analysis was correct. A total of 1,821 pieces of medical equipment were placed back into service, or 72%, without requiring the use of imported spare parts. Of those pieces repaired, 1,704 were sufficiently documented to determine what knowledge was required to place the equipment back into service. We found that six domains of knowledge were required to accomplish 99% of the repairs: electrical (18%), mechanical (18%), power supply (14%), plumbing (19%), motors (5%), and installation or user training (25%). A further analysis of the domains shows that 66% of the out-of-service equipment was placed back into service using only 107 skills covering basic knowledge in each domain; far less knowledge than that required of a biomedical engineer or biomedical engineering technician. We conclude that a great majority of laboratory and medical equipment can be put back into service without importing spare parts and using only basic knowledge. Capacity building in resource-poor settings should first focus on a limited set of knowledge; a body of knowledge that we call the biomedical technician's assistant (BTA). This data set suggests that a supported BTA could place 66% of the out-of-service laboratory and medical equipment in their hospital back

Description and comparison of pharmacy technician training programs in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Douglas C; Draime, Juanita A; Anderson, Timothy S

2016-01-01

To describe pharmacy technician training programs in the United States and to compare pharmacy technician program characteristics between programs with and without a pharmacist on faculty and between programs with different accreditation status. Descriptive, cross-sectional study. Not applicable. United States pharmacy technician programs. Not applicable. Student class size, faculty credentials, coursework components, program length, tuition rates, and admission criteria. Currently, there are more than 698 pharmacy technician programs across 1114 campuses, with complete data available for 216 programs. Programs varied widely in terms of class sizes, faculty credentials, and admission criteria. Programs with pharmacists on faculty were significantly less expensive than were those without pharmacists (P = 0.009). Accreditation had no impact on tuition prices. This is the first study of its kind to describe and characterize pharmacy technician training programs. There is relatively little control of technician training by the profession of pharmacy. The quality of these programs in terms of student outcomes is unknown, and it should be explored. Rigorous debate and discussion is needed regarding the future of pharmacy technician roles and the training required for those roles. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A reliability-based maintenance technicians' workloads optimisation model with stochastic consideration

Science.gov (United States)

Ighravwe, D. E.; Oke, S. A.; Adebiyi, K. A.

2016-06-01

The growing interest in technicians' workloads research is probably associated with the recent surge in competition. This was prompted by unprecedented technological development that triggers changes in customer tastes and preferences for industrial goods. In a quest for business improvement, this worldwide intense competition in industries has stimulated theories and practical frameworks that seek to optimise performance in workplaces. In line with this drive, the present paper proposes an optimisation model which considers technicians' reliability that complements factory information obtained. The information used emerged from technicians' productivity and earned-values using the concept of multi-objective modelling approach. Since technicians are expected to carry out routine and stochastic maintenance work, we consider these workloads as constraints. The influence of training, fatigue and experiential knowledge of technicians on workload management was considered. These workloads were combined with maintenance policy in optimising reliability, productivity and earned-values using the goal programming approach. Practical datasets were utilised in studying the applicability of the proposed model in practice. It was observed that our model was able to generate information that practicing maintenance engineers can apply in making more informed decisions on technicians' management.

Ask not what your technician can do for you-ask what you can do for your technician.

Science.gov (United States)

Ganderton, L

2018-04-27

Historically, the vital roles played by technicians in Higher Education have had little recognition. Job opportunities are often overlooked by those who have no working knowledge of such organisations and poorly defined career pathways mean that it may not be a first choice for well-qualified, ambitious individuals. With just over a third of all Higher Education technicians in the UK now due to retire in the next 10 to 15 years, fundamental changes are needed, both to attract large numbers of people into vacant roles and to retain current technical staff.National initiatives, founded and driven by charitable and professional bodies, are currently working to address the issues of technicians within Higher Education. Organisations have been urged to take action or face potential recruitment difficulties and skills gaps over the coming years. In light of these national campaigns, institutions across the UK are beginning to develop proper structured career pathways, provide professional development and improve recognition for the work of their technical workforce. Whilst these are encouraging signs, only time will tell if enough has been done to raise both the profile and appeal of a technical career in Higher Education.

Comparison of Transplant Waitlist Outcomes for Pediatric Candidates Supported by Ventricular Assist Devices Versus Medical Therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Sabrina P; Oron, Assaf P; Kemna, Mariska S; Albers, Erin L; McMullan, D Michael; Chen, Jonathan M; Law, Yuk M

2018-05-01

Ventricular assist devices have gained popularity in the management of refractory heart failure in children listed for heart transplantation. Our primary aim was to compare the composite endpoint of all-cause pretransplant mortality and loss of transplant eligibility in children who were treated with a ventricular assist device versus a medically managed cohort. This was a retrospective cohort analysis. Data were obtained from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients. The at-risk population (n = 1,380) was less than 18 years old, either on a ventricular assist device (605 cases) or an equivalent-severity, intensively medically treated group (referred to as MED, 775 cases). None. The impact of ventricular assist devices was estimated via Cox proportional hazards regression (hazard ratio), dichotomizing 1-year outcomes to "poor" (22%: 193 deaths, 114 too sick) versus all others (940 successful transplants, 41 too healthy, 90 censored), while adjusting for conventional risk factors. Among children 0-12 months old, ventricular assist device was associated with a higher risk of poor outcomes (hazard ratio, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.5-3.0; p comparative study of ventricular assist devices versus medical therapy in children. Age is a significant modulator of waitlist outcomes for children with end-stage heart failure supported by ventricular assist device, with the impact of ventricular assist devices being more beneficial in adolescents.

A global picture of pharmacy technician and other pharmacy support workforce cadres.

Science.gov (United States)

Koehler, Tamara; Brown, Andrew

Understanding how pharmacy technicians and other pharmacy support workforce cadres assist pharmacists in the healthcare system will facilitate developing health systems with the ability to achieve universal health coverage as it is defined in different country contexts. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the present global variety in the technician and other pharmacy support workforce cadres considering; their scope, roles, supervision, education and legal framework. A structured online survey instrument was administered globally using the Survey Monkey platform, designed to address the following topic areas: roles, responsibilities, supervision, education and legislation. The survey was circulated to International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) member organisations and a variety of global list serves where pharmaceutical services are discussed. 193 entries from 67 countries and territories were included in the final analysis revealing a vast global variety with respect to the pharmacy support workforce. From no pharmacy technicians or other pharmacy support workforce cadres in Japan, through a variety of cadre interactions with pharmacists, to the autonomous practice of pharmacy support workforce cadres in Malawi. From strictly supervised practice with a focus on supply, through autonomous practice for a variety of responsibilities, to independent practice. From complete supervision for all tasks, through geographical varied supervision, to independent practice. From on the job training, through certificate level vocational courses, to 3-4 year diploma programs. From well-regulated and registered, through part regulation with weak implementation, to completely non-regulated contexts. This paper documents wide differences in supervision requirements, education systems and supportive legislation for pharmacy support workforce cadres globally. A more detailed understanding of specific country practice settings is required if the use of pharmacy

Management competencies required in the transition from a technician to a supervisor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sibongile R. Mahlangu (Kubheka

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Technicians are frequently promoted to supervisory positions based on their technical abilities, with scant attention focused on developing management competencies. This oversight often poses significant challenges. The effective transition from technician to supervisor is important in any organisation. Research objective: The primary objective is to identify and verify the competencies that are required for a technician and a supervisory position; the secondary objective is to identify the gap that must be filled with relevant training interventions to enable technicians to make an effective transition to a supervisory position. Motivation for this study: The identification of the management competencies required for a technician who makes a career change to a supervisor position. Research method: The sequential mixed method approach was used to enable the twophase data collection process: phase one was the quantitative phase and phase two was the qualitative phase. Main findings: The overall findings confirm that there are indeed management competencies that technicians require training and development on before being promoted to a supervisory position. Implication: Organisations need to identify the key competencies for a technician and a supervisor and implement development or training interventions that are essential to successfully transition an employee from the level of a technician to the level of a supervisor. Contribution: Organisations need to implement essential development or training interventions focused on developing management competencies and put in place support interventions such as coaching, job shadowing, mentoring and networking.

Job satisfaction and patient care practices of hemodialysis nurses and technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Perumal, Seena; Sehgal, Ashwini R

2003-10-01

The quality of hemodialysis care has been the focus of intense scrutiny, yet little is known about the job satisfaction of the nurses and technicians providing this care. We identified 240 nurses and technicians from 307 randomly selected American facilities and asked them about (a) specific domains of job satisfaction, (b) overall job satisfaction, and (c) self-reported patient care practices. Fewer than half of nurses and technicians were satisfied with their pay or their opportunities for advancement. Almost all subjects were satisfied with their personal delivery of patient care, their chance to do things for others, and their job security. About three-fourths of nurses and technicians expressed overall satisfaction with their jobs. Higher job satisfaction was associated with increased attention to patient psychosocial and educational needs. We urge local and national associations of nurses and technicians to collaborate with dialysis facilities, chains, and regulatory agencies to address specific aspects of job satisfaction.

How do laboratory technicians perceive their role in the tuberculosis diagnostic process? A cross-sectional study among laboratory technicians in health centers of Central Java Province, Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Widjanarko, Bagoes; Widyastari, Dyah Anantalia; Martini, Martini; Ginandjar, Praba

2016-01-01

Detection of acid-fast bacilli in respiratory specimens serves as an initial pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis. Laboratories are the essential and fundamental part of all health systems. This study aimed to describe how laboratory technicians perceived their own self and work. This included perceived self-efficacy, perceived role, perceived equipment availability, perceived procedures, perceived reward and job, and perceived benefit of health education, as well as level of knowledge and attitudes related to work performance of laboratory technicians. This was a cross-sectional quantitative study involving 120 laboratory technicians conducted in Central Java. Interviews and observation were conducted to measure performance and work-related variables. Among 120 laboratory technicians, 43.3% showed fairly good performance. They complied with 50%-75% of all procedures, including sputum collection, laboratory tools utilization, sputum smearing, staining, smear examination, grading of results, and universal precaution practice. Perceived role, perceived self-efficacy, and knowledge of laboratory procedures were significantly correlated to performance, besides education and years of working as a laboratory technician. Perceived equipment availability was also significantly correlated to performance after the education variable was controlled. Most of the laboratory technicians believed that they have an important role in TB patients' treatment and should display proper self-efficacy in performing laboratory activities. The result may serve as a basic consideration to develop a policy for enhancing motivation of laboratory technicians in order to improve the TB control program.

Career Directions--Electronics Technician

Science.gov (United States)

Tech Directions, 2012

2012-01-01

Electronics technicians (ETs) work with electronics engineers to set up and maintain complicated electronics equipment that many of today's businesses rely on. The field is varied. An ET might service the industrial controls on a factory floor. Or repair missile control systems for the government. Or an ET could specialize in cars and trucks,…

Physician Assisted Suicide: Knowledge and Views of Fifth-Year Medical Students in Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Schildmann, Jan; Herrmann, Eva; Burchardi, Nicole; Schwantes, Ulrich; Vollmann, Jochen

2006-01-01

Suicide and assisted suicide are not criminal acts in Germany. However, attempting suicide may create a legal duty for physicians to try to save a patient's life. This study presents data on medical students' legal knowledge and ethical views regarding physician assisted suicide (PAS). The majority of 85 respondents held PAS to be illegal. More…

Outbreak of hepatitis C virus infection associated with narcotics diversion by an hepatitis C virus-infected surgical technician.

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, Amy E; Schaefer, Melissa K; Patel, Priti R; Drobeniuc, Jan; Xia, Guoliang; Lin, Yulin; Khudyakov, Yury; Vonderwahl, Candace W; Miller, Lisa; Thompson, Nicola D

2015-01-01

Drug diversion by health care personnel poses a risk for serious patient harm. Public health identified 2 patients diagnosed with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who shared a common link with a hospital. Further investigation implicated a drug-diverting, HCV-infected surgical technician who was subsequently employed at an ambulatory surgical center. Patients at the 2 facilities were offered testing for HCV infection if they were potentially exposed. Serum from the surgical technician and patients testing positive for HCV but without evidence of infection before their surgical procedure was further tested to determine HCV genotype and quasi-species sequences. Parenteral medication handling practices at the 2 facilities were evaluated. The 2 facilities notified 5970 patients of their possible exposure to HCV, 88% of whom were tested and had results reported to the state public health departments. Eighteen patients had HCV highly related to the surgical technician's virus. The surgical technician gained unauthorized access to fentanyl owing to limitations in procedures for securing controlled substances. Public health surveillance identified an outbreak of HCV infection due to an infected health care provider engaged in diversion of injectable narcotics. The investigation highlights the value of public health surveillance in identifying HCV outbreaks and uncovering a method of drug diversion and its impacts on patients. Copyright © 2015 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. All rights reserved.

Medical image computing and computer-assisted intervention - MICCAI 2005. Proceedings; Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duncan, J.S.; Gerig, G.

2005-01-01

The two-volume set LNCS 3749 and LNCS 3750 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention, MICCAI 2005, held in Palm Springs, CA, USA, in October 2005. Based on rigorous peer reviews the program committee selected 237 carefully revised full papers from 632 submissions for presentation in two volumes. The first volume includes all the contributions related to image analysis and validation, vascular image segmentation, image registration, diffusion tensor image analysis, image segmentation and analysis, clinical applications - validation, imaging systems - visualization, computer assisted diagnosis, cellular and molecular image analysis, physically-based modeling, robotics and intervention, medical image computing for clinical applications, and biological imaging - simulation and modeling. The second volume collects the papers related to robotics, image-guided surgery and interventions, image registration, medical image computing, structural and functional brain analysis, model-based image analysis, image-guided intervention: simulation, modeling and display, and image segmentation and analysis. (orig.)

Medical image computing and computer-assisted intervention - MICCAI 2005. Proceedings; Pt. 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Duncan, J.S. [Yale Univ., New Haven, CT (United States). Dept. of Biomedical Engineering and Diagnostic Radiology; Gerig, G. (eds.) [North Carolina Univ., Chapel Hill (United States). Dept. of Computer Science

2005-07-01

The two-volume set LNCS 3749 and LNCS 3750 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Medical Image Computing and Computer-Assisted Intervention, MICCAI 2005, held in Palm Springs, CA, USA, in October 2005. Based on rigorous peer reviews the program committee selected 237 carefully revised full papers from 632 submissions for presentation in two volumes. The first volume includes all the contributions related to image analysis and validation, vascular image segmentation, image registration, diffusion tensor image analysis, image segmentation and analysis, clinical applications - validation, imaging systems - visualization, computer assisted diagnosis, cellular and molecular image analysis, physically-based modeling, robotics and intervention, medical image computing for clinical applications, and biological imaging - simulation and modeling. The second volume collects the papers related to robotics, image-guided surgery and interventions, image registration, medical image computing, structural and functional brain analysis, model-based image analysis, image-guided intervention: simulation, modeling and display, and image segmentation and analysis. (orig.)

What are the educational and curriculum needs for emergency medical technicians in Taiwan? A scoping review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chang YT

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Yu-Tung Chang,1,2 Kuang-Chau Tsai,2 Brett Williams1 1Department of Community Emergency Health and Paramedic Practice, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Frankston, VIC, Australia; 2Emergency Medicine Department, Far Eastern Memorial Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan Purpose: The development of emergency medical services (EMS training in Taiwan is in a transitional phase because of increasing demand for, and advancements in, clinical skill sets. The aim of this study is to review the current literature to compare the key factors of EMS training and education development in different countries in order to provide a new curricula blueprint for the Taiwanese EMS training system.Method: The method follows Arksey and O’Malley’s six stages of scoping review.Results: Five databases were searched for relevant articles: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database; Education Resources Information Center, and Google Scholar. The initial search of five databases produced 1,230 articles, of which title and abstract screening excluded 1,156 articles. The 74 remaining articles underwent a full-text screening process, which further reduced the number of articles to 22. Researching references and citations produced an additional 23 articles, national curriculum standards produced a further six documents, and one article derived from emergency medical technician (EMT regulation in Taiwan. In total, 52 articles were included in the study, categorized by competency and standards, EMT education and learning environment, curriculum design, and teaching and learning method.Conclusion: This study reviewed international EMS training and education literature and documents to summarize the essential elements for developing an EMS education system: for example, core competencies and standards, education environment, curriculum design, and teaching and learning method. By

Doctors or technicians: assessing quality of medical education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tayyab Hasan

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Tayyab HasanPAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences, University Brunei Darussalam, Bandar Seri Begawan, BruneiAbstract: Medical education institutions usually adapt industrial quality management models that measure the quality of the process of a program but not the quality of the product. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of industrial quality management models on medical education and students, and to highlight the importance of introducing a proper educational quality management model. Industrial quality management models can measure the training component in terms of competencies, but they lack the educational component measurement. These models use performance indicators to assess their process improvement efforts. Researchers suggest that the performance indicators used in educational institutions may only measure their fiscal efficiency without measuring the quality of the educational experience of the students. In most of the institutions, where industrial models are used for quality assurance, students are considered as customers and are provided with the maximum services and facilities possible. Institutions are required to fulfill a list of recommendations from the quality control agencies in order to enhance student satisfaction and to guarantee standard services. Quality of medical education should be assessed by measuring the impact of the educational program and quality improvement procedures in terms of knowledge base development, behavioral change, and patient care. Industrial quality models may focus on academic support services and processes, but educational quality models should be introduced in parallel to focus on educational standards and products.Keywords: educational quality, medical education, quality control, quality assessment, quality management models

2014-2017. How medically assisted reproduction changed in Italy. A short comparative synthesis with European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Malvasi, A; Signore, F; Napoletano, S; Bruti, V; Sestili, C; Di Luca, N M

2017-01-01

More than ten years after law n. 40 of February 19, 2004 became effective, regulation on medically assisted reproduction has dramatically changed outlook. The authors report on the steps that led to these changes through Courts' rulings, the Supreme Court's verdicts and the European Court of Human Rights' decisions, as well as ministerial regulations and guidelines concerning medically assisted reproduction. The aforementioned jurisprudential evolution was set to reach a new balance between the embryo's right to its own dignity and the woman's right to health and freedom of self-determination in reproduction. No court ruling denies that embryos have also to be safeguarded. In fact, there are still numerous prohibitions, including using embryos for experimental purposes. Judges aim primarily at avoiding that embryos' rights overcome the right to parenthood. The authors review the legislation of the various European countries: some have adopted a legislation to regulate medically assisted reproduction, while others have developed in this field some recommendations or guidelines. This is why they call for enactment of a European law governing the implementation/operational methods of medically assisted reproduction in order to avoid the scourge of procreative tourism to countries that have a more permissive law.

ACTIVITIES RESULTS AIMED AT IMPROVED MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO THE VASCULAR PATIENTS IN TOMSK REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. M. Plotnikov

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Acute disorders of cerebral circulation remain serious medical and social problem associated with high disability and mortality rates. Since 2011 Tomsk oblast is a participating member of the medical campaign aimed at improved medical services to the vascular patients. The preliminary implementation data analysis for 2012 revealed improvement of most of the indices of medical support to patients suffering from acute cerebral circulation; increased number of the in-patient cases (Regional Vascular Center and primary vascular department, decreased lethality rates from strokes, specifically hemorrhagic cases. Strict observance of the Regulations on Medical Assistance for stroke patients and the using of modern methods of therapy allowed to decrease hospital mortality in the Primary Vascular Departments and early mortality in the Regional Vascular Center. The active implementation of neurorehabilitation approaches resulted in the increased number of patients who do not require third parties’ assistance. Analysis of the work of the departments helped to identifying current problems and perspectives of further development of special medical care for stroke patients.

Medically assisted reproduction and ethical challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaeaeriaeinen, Helena; Evers-Kiebooms, Gerry; Coviello, Domenico

2005-01-01

Many of the ethical challenges associated with medically assisted reproduction are societal. Should the technique be restricted to only ordinary couples or could it be used also to single females or couples of same sex? Should the future child be entitled to know the identity of the gamete donor? Should there be age limits? Can embryos or gametes be used after the death of the donor? Can surrogate mothers be part of the process? Can preimplantation diagnostics be used to select the future baby's sex? In addition, there are several clearly medical questions that lead to difficult ethical problems. Is it safe to use very premature eggs or sperms? Is the risk for some rare syndromes caused by imprinting errors really increased when using these techniques? Do we transfer genetic infertility to the offspring? Is the risk for multiple pregnancies too high when several embryos are implanted? Does preimplantation diagnosis cause some extra risks for the future child? Should the counselling of these couples include information of all these potential but unlikely risks? The legislation and practices differ in different countries and ethical discussion and professional guidelines are still needed

Solar Technician Program Blows Hot

Science.gov (United States)

Ziegler, Peg Moran

1977-01-01

A training program for solar heating technicians was initiated at Sonoma State College's School of Environmental Studies for CETA applicants. Among the projects designed and built were a solar alternative energy center, a solar hot water system, and a solar greenhouse. (MF)

Cloud-assisted mutual authentication and privacy preservation protocol for telecare medical information systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chun-Ta; Shih, Dong-Her; Wang, Chun-Cheng

2018-04-01

 With the rapid development of wireless communication technologies and the growing prevalence of smart devices, telecare medical information system (TMIS) allows patients to receive medical treatments from the doctors via Internet technology without visiting hospitals in person. By adopting mobile device, cloud-assisted platform and wireless body area network, the patients can collect their physiological conditions and upload them to medical cloud via their mobile devices, enabling caregivers or doctors to provide patients with appropriate treatments at anytime and anywhere. In order to protect the medical privacy of the patient and guarantee reliability of the system, before accessing the TMIS, all system participants must be authenticated.  Mohit et al. recently suggested a lightweight authentication protocol for cloud-based health care system. They claimed their protocol ensures resilience of all well-known security attacks and has several important features such as mutual authentication and patient anonymity. In this paper, we demonstrate that Mohit et al.'s authentication protocol has various security flaws and we further introduce an enhanced version of their protocol for cloud-assisted TMIS, which can ensure patient anonymity and patient unlinkability and prevent the security threats of report revelation and report forgery attacks.  The security analysis proves that our enhanced protocol is secure against various known attacks as well as found in Mohit et al.'s protocol. Compared with existing related protocols, our enhanced protocol keeps the merits of all desirable security requirements and also maintains the efficiency in terms of computation costs for cloud-assisted TMIS.  We propose a more secure mutual authentication and privacy preservation protocol for cloud-assisted TMIS, which fixes the mentioned security weaknesses found in Mohit et al.'s protocol. According to our analysis, our authentication protocol satisfies most functionality features

A System Approach to Navy Medical Education and Training. Appendix 32- Competency Curricula for Ophthalmic Clinic Assistant and Ophthalmic Technician

Science.gov (United States)

1974-08-31

chamber fluid, and gonioscopy exam (Conditions) With direct supervision (Criteria) In accordance with physician’s instructions (Consequence) Completion of...posterior chambers Gonioscopy techniques Slit-lamp biomicroscopy techniques Smear and culture techniques Accuracy in recording ard charting Manual...CILIARY BODY/ANGLE STRUCTURE TESTS I TASXS a. Assist with gonioscopy PERFO-RANCE OBJECTIVE (Stimulus) Upon physician’s orders (Behavior) The OPHTA

Planning principles for medical assistance of persons who have been overexposured to ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gisone, P.; Perez, M.R.; Dubner, D.; Di Trano, J.L.; Rojo, A.

1995-01-01

Planning of medical response in radiological accidents or incidents, plays an essential role in facing these sort of events. In the present communication, guidance on the organizational structure for medical assistance of overexposured persons along with a medical interconsult system is proposed. Finally, an integrated system of Radiopathology Groups in Latin America is proposed. (author). 3 refs

Coordinating technician allocation and maintenance routing for offshore wind farms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schrotenboer, Albert H.; uit het Broek, Michiel A. J.; Jargalsaikhan, Bolor; Roodbergen, Kees Jan

2018-01-01

A maintenance activity at offshore wind farms requires a combination of technicians with different skills. At an operational level, it is important to fully utilize and coordinate technicians in order to increase efficiency of the short-term maintenance planning. In this paper, we investigate

14 CFR 65.80 - Certificated aviation maintenance technician school students.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... students has made satisfactory progress at the school and is prepared to take the oral and practical tests... technician school students. 65.80 Section 65.80 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION... § 65.80 Certificated aviation maintenance technician school students. Whenever an aviation maintenance...

Assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia: role contradictions for physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Randall, Fiona; Downie, Robin

2010-08-01

It is widely assumed by the general public that if assisted suicide (AS) or euthanasia (VE) were legalised doctors must be essentially involved in the whole process including prescribing the medication and (in euthanasia) administering it. This paper explores some reasons for this assumption and argues that it flatly contradicts what it means to be a doctor. The paper is thus not mainly concerned with the ethics of AS/VE but rather with the concept of a doctor that has evolved since the time of Hippocrates to current professional guidance reflected in healthcare law. The paper argues that the most common recent argument for AS/VE--that patients have a right to control when and how they die--in fact points to the involvement not of doctors but of legal agencies as decision makers plus technicians as agents.

Radiological Control Technician: Phase 4, Facility practical training attachment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-10-01

At DOE sites with more than one facility, and where RCT tasks at each facility may differ, site and facility tasks should be separated. The tasks that are common to all the facilities on the site should be included in Phase II training with the core tasks. Tasks unique to a facility should be added to the training program qualification standard, as an attachment, as Phase IV training. Not all the DOE sites will include Phase IV training in their programs. Phase IV training allows each site to qualify technicians to a select facility. Since the core training for the technicians is standardized, the transfer of technicians between facilities requires that only facility tasks be taught, provided the core qualification is current

A role for doctors in assisted dying? An analysis of legal regulations and medical professional positions in six European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Bosshard, G; Broeckaert, B; Clark, D; Materstvedt, L J; Gordijn, B; Müller-Busch, H C

2008-01-01

To analyse legislation and medical professional positions concerning the doctor's role in assisted dying in western Europe, and to discuss their implications for doctors. This paper is based on country-specific reports by experts from European countries where assisted dying is legalised (Belgium, The Netherlands), or openly practiced (Switzerland), or where it is illegal (Germany, Norway, UK). Laws on assisted dying in The Netherlands and Belgium are restricted to doctors. In principle, assisted suicide (but not euthanasia) is not illegal in either Germany or Switzerland, but a doctor's participation in Germany would violate the code of professional medical conduct and might contravene of a doctor's legal duty to save life. The Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill proposed in the UK in 2005 focused on doctors, whereas the Proposal on Assisted Dying of the Norwegian Penal Code Commission minority in 2002 did not. Professional medical organisations in all these countries except The Netherlands maintain the position that medical assistance in dying conflicts with the basic role of doctors. However, in Belgium and Switzerland, and for a time in the UK, these organisations dropped their opposition to new legislation. Today, they regard the issue as primarily a matter for society and politics. This "neutral" stance differs from the official position of the Royal Dutch Medical Association which has played a key role in developing the Dutch practice of euthanasia as a "medical end-of-life decision" since the 1970s. A society moving towards an open approach to assisted dying should carefully identify tasks to assign exclusively to medical doctors, and distinguish those possibly better performed by other professions.

Integrating medical, assistive, and universally designed products and technologies: assistive technology device classification (ATDC).

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Stephen; Elsaesser, Linda-Jeanne

2012-09-01

ISO26000:2010 International Guidance Standard on Organizational Social Responsibility requires that effective organizational performance recognize social responsibility, including the rights of persons with disabilities (PWD), engage stakeholders and contribute to sustainable development. Millennium Development Goals 2010 notes that the most vulnerable people require special attention, while the World Report on Disability 2011 identifies improved data collection and removal of barriers to rehabilitation as the means to empower PWD. The Assistive Technology Device Classification (ATDC), Assistive Technology Service Method (ATSM) and Matching Person and Technology models provide an evidence-based, standardized, internationally comparable framework to improve data collection and rehabilitation interventions. The ATDC and ATSM encompass and support universal design (UD) principles, and use the language and concepts of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Use ATDC and ICF concepts to differentiate medical, assistive and UD products and technology; relate technology "types" to markets and costs; and support provision of UD products and technologies as sustainable and socially responsible behavior. Supply-side and demand-side incentives are suggested to foster private sector development and commercialization of UD products and technologies. Health and health-related professionals should be knowledgeable of UD principles and interventions.

Section 608 Technician Certification Test Topics

Science.gov (United States)

Identifies some of the topics covered on Section 608 Technician Certification tests such as ozone depletion, the Clean Air Act and Montreal Protocol, Substitute Refrigerants and oils, Refrigeration and Recovery Techniques.

The Library Technician Programme in Lebanon

Science.gov (United States)

Rafidi, Samia

1973-01-01

A description of the library technician program established by the Beirut College for Women in February 1970: its curriculum, professional staff, students, and reactions produced by the program is presented. (Author/SJ)

In vivo bioprinting for computer- and robotic-assisted medical intervention: preliminary study in mice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keriquel, Virginie; Guillemot, Fabien; Arnault, Isabelle; Guillotin, Bertrand; Amedee, Joelle; Fricain, Jean-Christophe; Catros, Sylvain [INSERM, U577, Bordeaux, F-33076 (France) and Universite Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, UMR-S577 Bordeaux, F-33076 (France); Miraux, Sylvain [Centre de Resonance Magnetique des Systemes Biologiques, UMR 5536 (France)

2010-03-15

We present the first attempt to apply bioprinting technologies in the perspective of computer-assisted medical interventions. A workstation dedicated to high-throughput biological laser printing has been designed. Nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) was printed in the mouse calvaria defect model in vivo. Critical size bone defects were performed in OF-1 male mice calvaria with a 4 mm diameter trephine. Prior to laser printing experiments, the absence of inflammation due to laser irradiation onto mice dura mater was shown by means of magnetic resonance imaging. Procedures for in vivo bioprinting and results obtained using decalcified sections and x-ray microtomography are discussed. Although heterogeneous, these preliminary results demonstrate that in vivo bioprinting is possible. Bioprinting may prove to be helpful in the future for medical robotics and computer-assisted medical interventions.

In vivo bioprinting for computer- and robotic-assisted medical intervention: preliminary study in mice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keriquel, Virginie; Guillemot, Fabien; Arnault, Isabelle; Guillotin, Bertrand; Amedee, Joelle; Fricain, Jean-Christophe; Catros, Sylvain; Miraux, Sylvain

2010-01-01

We present the first attempt to apply bioprinting technologies in the perspective of computer-assisted medical interventions. A workstation dedicated to high-throughput biological laser printing has been designed. Nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) was printed in the mouse calvaria defect model in vivo. Critical size bone defects were performed in OF-1 male mice calvaria with a 4 mm diameter trephine. Prior to laser printing experiments, the absence of inflammation due to laser irradiation onto mice dura mater was shown by means of magnetic resonance imaging. Procedures for in vivo bioprinting and results obtained using decalcified sections and x-ray microtomography are discussed. Although heterogeneous, these preliminary results demonstrate that in vivo bioprinting is possible. Bioprinting may prove to be helpful in the future for medical robotics and computer-assisted medical interventions.

Physician assistants and the disclosure of medical error.

Science.gov (United States)

Brock, Douglas M; Quella, Alicia; Lipira, Lauren; Lu, Dave W; Gallagher, Thomas H

2014-06-01

Evolving state law, professional societies, and national guidelines, including those of the American Medical Association and Joint Commission, recommend that patients receive transparent communication when a medical error occurs. Recommendations for error disclosure typically consist of an explanation that an error has occurred, delivery of an explicit apology, an explanation of the facts around the event, its medical ramifications and how care will be managed, and a description of how similar errors will be prevented in the future. Although error disclosure is widely endorsed in the medical and nursing literature, there is little discussion of the unique role that the physician assistant (PA) might play in these interactions. PAs are trained in the medical model and technically practice under the supervision of a physician. They are also commonly integrated into interprofessional health care teams in surgical and urgent care settings. PA practice is characterized by widely varying degrees of provider autonomy. How PAs should collaborate with physicians in sensitive error disclosure conversations with patients is unclear. With the number of practicing PAs growing rapidly in nearly all domains of medicine, their role in the error disclosure process warrants exploration. The authors call for educational societies and accrediting agencies to support policy to establish guidelines for PA disclosure of error. They encourage medical and PA researchers to explore and report best-practice disclosure roles for PAs. Finally, they recommend that PA educational programs implement trainings in disclosure skills, and hospitals and supervising physicians provide and support training for practicing PAs.

Dental technician pneumoconiosis mimicking pulmonary tuberculosis: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Han Loong; Faisal, Mohamed; Soo, Chun Ian; Ban, Andrea Y L; Manap, Roslina Abdul; Hassan, Tidi M

2016-09-07

Dental laboratory technicians are at risk of developing occupational respiratory diseases due to exposure to various potentially toxic substances in their working environment. Since 1939, few cases of silicosis among dental technician have been reported. We illustrate a 38 year-old female, who worked in a dental laboratory for 20 years, initially treated as pulmonary tuberculosis and chronic necrotising aspergillosis without much improvement. Computed tomography guided lung biopsy and bronchoscopic transbronchial lung biopsy were performed. Lung tissue biopsies showed presence of refractile dental materials within the areas of histiocyte proliferation. The diagnosis of dental technician pneumoconiosis was obtained and our patient underwent pulmonary rehabilitation. This case highlights the importance of obtaining a detailed occupational history in tuberculosis endemic area, as pulmonary tuberculosis is a great mimicker of other respiratory diseases.

The Effect of Start Triage Education on Knowledge and Practice of Emergency Medical Technicians in Disasters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahboub Pouraghaei

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Pre-hospital triage is one of the most fundamental concepts in emergency management. Limited human resource changes triage to an inevitable solution in the management of disasters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of education of simple triage and rapid treatment (START in the knowledge and practice of Emergency Medical Service (EMS employees of Eastern Azerbaijan. Methods: This is a pre-and post-intervention study conducted on two hundred and five (205 of employees of EMS sector, in the disaster and emergency management center of Eastern Azerbaijan Province, 2015. The utilized tool is a questionnaire of the knowledge and practice of individuals regarding START triage. The questionnaire was filled by the participants pre- and post-education; thereafter the data were analyzed using SPSS 13 software. Results: The total score of the participants increased from 22.02 (4.49 to 28.54 (3.47. Moreover, the score of sections related to knowledge of the triage was a necessity and the mean score of the section related to the practice increased from 11.47 (2.15 to 13.63 (1.38, and 10.73 (3.57 to 14.93 (2.78, respectively, which were statistically significant. Conclusion: In this study, it was found that holding the educational classes of pre-hospital triage before the disasters is effective in improving the knowledge and practice of employees such as EMS technicians and this resulted to decreased error in performing this process as well as reduced overload in hospitals.

The Effect of Start Triage Education on Knowledge and Practice of Emergency Medical Technicians in Disasters.

Science.gov (United States)

Pouraghaei, Mahboub; Sadegh Tabrizi, Jaafar; Moharamzadeh, Payman; Rajaei Ghafori, Rozbeh; Rahmani, Farzad; Najafi Mirfakhraei, Baharak

2017-06-01

Introduction: Pre-hospital triage is one of the most fundamental concepts in emergency management. Limited human resource changes triage to an inevitable solution in the management of disasters. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of education of simple triage and rapid treatment (START) in the knowledge and practice of Emergency Medical Service (EMS) employees of Eastern Azerbaijan. Methods: This is a pre-and post-intervention study conducted on two hundred and five (205) of employees of EMS sector, in the disaster and emergency management center of Eastern Azerbaijan Province, 2015. The utilized tool is a questionnaire of the knowledge and practice of individuals regarding START triage. The questionnaire was filled by the participants pre- and post-education; thereafter the data were analyzed using SPSS 13 software. Results: The total score of the participants increased from 22.02 (4.49) to 28.54 (3.47). Moreover, the score of sections related to knowledge of the triage was a necessity and the mean score of the section related to the practice increased from 11.47 (2.15) to 13.63 (1.38), and 10.73 (3.57) to 14.93 (2.78), respectively, which were statistically significant. Conclusion: In this study, it was found that holding the educational classes of pre-hospital triage before the disasters is effective in improving the knowledge and practice of employees such as EMS technicians and this resulted to decreased error in performing this process as well as reduced overload in hospitals.

Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper is assisted into his spacecraft for tests

Science.gov (United States)

1963-01-01

NASA and McDonnell Aircraft Corp. spacecraft technicians assist Astronaut L. Gordon Cooper into his spacecraft prior to undergoing tests in the altitude chamber. These tests are used to determine the operating characteristcs of the overall environmental control system.

Needs, Acceptability, and Value of Humanitarian Medical Assistance in Remote Peruvian Amazon Riverine Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Sanchez, Juan F.; Halsey, Eric S.; Bayer, Angela M.; Beltran, Martin; Razuri, Hugo R.; Velasquez, Daniel E.; Cama, Vitaliano A.; Graf, Paul C. F.; Quispe, Antonio M.; Maves, Ryan C.; Montgomery, Joel M.; Sanders, John W.; Lescano, Andres G.

2015-01-01

Much debate exists regarding the need, acceptability, and value of humanitarian medical assistance. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 457 children under 5 years from four remote riverine communities in the Peruvian Amazon and collected anthropometric measures, blood samples (1–4 years), and stool samples. Focus groups and key informant interviews assessed perspectives regarding medical aid delivered by foreigners. The prevalence of stunting, anemia, and intestinal parasites was 20%, 37%, and 62%, respectively. Infection with multiple parasites, usually geohelminths, was detected in 41% of children. The prevalence of intestinal parasites both individual and polyparasitism increased with age. Participants from smaller communities less exposed to foreigners expressed lack of trust and fear of them. However, participants from all communities were positive about foreigners visiting to provide health support. Prevalent health needs such as parasitic infections and anemia may be addressed by short-term medical interventions. There is a perceived openness to and acceptability of medical assistance delivered by foreign personnel. PMID:25846293

Medical Students Teaching Medical Students Surgical Skills: The Benefits of Peer-Assisted Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Samuel Robert; Morris, Simon Rhys; Mirza, Salman

2018-04-10

Teaching surgical skills is a labor intensive process, requiring a high tutor to student ratio for optimal success, and teaching for undergraduate students by consultant surgeons is not always feasible. A surgical skills course was developed, with the aim of assessing the effectiveness of undergraduate surgical peer-assisted learning. Five surgical skills courses were conducted looking at eight domains in surgery, led by foundation year doctors and senior medical students, with a tutor to student ratio of 1:4. Precourse and postcourse questionnaires (Likert scales 0-10) were completed. Mean scores were compared precourse and postcourse. Surgical skills courses took place within clinical skills rooms in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham (UK). Seventy students (59 medical, 2 dental, and 9 physician associate students) from a range of academic institutions across the UK completed the course. There was an overall increase in mean scores across all eight domains. Mean improvement score precourse and postcourse in WHO surgical safety checklist (+3.94), scrubbing (+2.99), gowning/gloving (+3.34), knot tying (+5.53), interrupted sutures (+5.89), continuous sutures (+6.53), vertical mattress sutures (+6.46), and local anesthesia (+3.73). Peer-assisted learning is an effective and feasible method for teaching surgical skills in a controlled environment, subsequently improving confidence among healthcare undergraduates. Such teaching may provide the basis for feasibly mass-producing surgical skills courses for healthcare students. Copyright © 2018 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Doctors or technicians: assessing quality of medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasan, Tayyab

2010-01-01

Medical education institutions usually adapt industrial quality management models that measure the quality of the process of a program but not the quality of the product. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of industrial quality management models on medical education and students, and to highlight the importance of introducing a proper educational quality management model. Industrial quality management models can measure the training component in terms of competencies, but they lack the educational component measurement. These models use performance indicators to assess their process improvement efforts. Researchers suggest that the performance indicators used in educational institutions may only measure their fiscal efficiency without measuring the quality of the educational experience of the students. In most of the institutions, where industrial models are used for quality assurance, students are considered as customers and are provided with the maximum services and facilities possible. Institutions are required to fulfill a list of recommendations from the quality control agencies in order to enhance student satisfaction and to guarantee standard services. Quality of medical education should be assessed by measuring the impact of the educational program and quality improvement procedures in terms of knowledge base development, behavioral change, and patient care. Industrial quality models may focus on academic support services and processes, but educational quality models should be introduced in parallel to focus on educational standards and products.

Medical students-as-teachers: a systematic review of peer-assisted teaching during medical school

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu TC

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Tzu-Chieh Yu¹, Nichola C Wilson², Primal P Singh¹, Daniel P Lemanu¹, Susan J Hawken³, Andrew G Hill¹¹South Auckland Clinical School, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; ²Department of Surgery, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand; ³Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Auckland, Auckland, New ZealandIntroduction: International interest in peer-teaching and peer-assisted learning (PAL during undergraduate medical programs has grown in recent years, reflected both in literature and in practice. There, remains however, a distinct lack of objective clarity and consensus on the true effectiveness of peer-teaching and its short- and long-term impacts on learning outcomes and clinical practice.Objective: To summarize and critically appraise evidence presented on peer-teaching effectiveness and its impact on objective learning outcomes of medical students.Method: A literature search was conducted in four electronic databases. Titles and abstracts were screened and selection was based on strict eligibility criteria after examining full-texts. Two reviewers used a standard review and analysis framework to independently extract data from each study. Discrepancies in opinions were resolved by discussion in consultation with other reviewers. Adapted models of “Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Learning” were used to grade the impact size of study outcomes.Results: From 127 potential titles, 41 were obtained as full-texts, and 19 selected after close examination and group deliberation. Fifteen studies focused on student-learner outcomes and four on student-teacher learning outcomes. Ten studies utilized randomized allocation and the majority of study participants were self-selected volunteers. Written examinations and observed clinical evaluations were common study outcome assessments. Eleven studies provided student-teachers with formal teacher training. Overall, results suggest that peer-teaching, in highly selective

Technician Career Opportunities in Engineering Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Engineers' Council for Professional Development, New York, NY.

Career opportunities for engineering technicians are available in the technologies relating to air conditioning, heating, and refrigeration, aviation and aerospace, building construction, chemical engineering, civil engineering, electrical engineering, electronics, industrial engineering, instrumentation, internal combustion engines, mechanical…

Hydraulics and pneumatics a technician's and engineer's guide

CERN Document Server

Parr, Andrew

2011-01-01

Nearly all industrial processes require objects to be moved, manipulated or subjected to some sort of force. Such movements and manipulations are frequently accomplished by means of devices driven by liquids (hydraulics) or air (pneumatics), the subject of this book. Hydraulics and Pneumatics is written by a practicing process control engineer as a guide to the successful operation of hydraulic and pneumatic systems for all engineers and technicians working with them. Keeping mathematics and theory to a minimum, this practical guide is thorough but accessible to technicians without a

Seventh Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention Conference (MICCAI 2012)

CERN Document Server

Miller, Karol; Nielsen, Poul; Computational Biomechanics for Medicine : Models, Algorithms and Implementation

2013-01-01

One of the greatest challenges for mechanical engineers is to extend the success of computational mechanics to fields outside traditional engineering, in particular to biology, biomedical sciences, and medicine. This book is an opportunity for computational biomechanics specialists to present and exchange opinions on the opportunities of applying their techniques to computer-integrated medicine. Computational Biomechanics for Medicine: Models, Algorithms and Implementation collects the papers from the Seventh Computational Biomechanics for Medicine Workshop held in Nice in conjunction with the Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Intervention conference. The topics covered include: medical image analysis, image-guided surgery, surgical simulation, surgical intervention planning, disease prognosis and diagnostics, injury mechanism analysis, implant and prostheses design, and medical robotics.

Peer-Assisted History-Taking Groups: A Subjective Assessment of their Impact Upon Medical Students' Interview Skills

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keifenheim, Katharina Eva

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Among the clinical skills needed by all physicians, history taking is one of the most important. The teaching model for peer-assisted history-taking groups investigated in the present study consists of small-group courses in which students practice conducting medical interviews with real patients. The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the expectations, experiences, and subjective learning progress of participants in peer-assisted history-taking groups.Methods: The 42 medical student participants completed a 4-month, peer-assisted, elective history-taking course, which both began and ended with a subjective assessment of their interview skills by way of a pseudonymized questionnaire. Measures comprised the students’ self-assessment of their interview skills, their expectations of, and their experiences with the course and especially with the peer tutors. Results: Medical students’ most important motivations in attending peer-assisted history-taking groups were becoming able to complete a structured medical interview, to mitigate difficult interviewing situations, and to address patients’ emotional demands appropriately. By the end of the course, students’ self-assessment of both their interview skills and management of emotional issues improved significantly. Students especially benefitted from individual feedback regarding interview style and relationship formation, as well as generally accepted and had their expectations met by peer tutors. Conclusions: To meet the important learning objectives of history-taking and management of emotional issues, as well as self-reflection and reflection of student–patient interactions, students in the field greatly appreciate practicing medical interviewing in small, peer-assisted groups with real patients. At the same time, peer tutors are experienced to be helpful and supportive and can help students to overcome inhibitions in making contact with patients.

Pharmacy technician self-efficacies: Insight to aid future education, staff development, and workforce planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Desselle, Shane P; Hoh, Ryan; Holmes, Erin R; Gill, Amanpreet; Zamora, Lemuel

2017-07-15

The roles of pharmacy technicians are increasingly prominent given pharmacy's transition to patient-centered activities and evolving scopes of practice in many U.S. states and throughout the world. The aims of this study were to assess U.S. pharmacy technicians' self-efficacies for and attitudes toward performing current and emerging roles in hospital and in community pharmacy and to identify factors related to pharmacy technician self-efficacies in these roles. A total of 5000 pharmacy technicians from 8 U.S. states were sent an electronic survey eliciting data on current involvement, self-efficacies, and attitudes for practicing in an expansive list of practice activities. The 8 states from which the sample was drawn were selected from a stratified randomized procedure using U.S. Census Bureau geographically defined regions. Pre-notification and response reminders were employed. Data were analyzed descriptively and with univariate, inferential tests, as appropriate, to determine associations with commitment, practice environment, experience level, and other variables. Of the 612 participants who responded, 494 were currently working as a technician and not enrolled in a PharmD program of study. Participants reported various activities in which they were highly engaged. Overall, attitudes toward performing most of the activities and self-efficacies were quite favorable, even for those activities in which technicians were currently less involved. There were some notable differences between technicians practicing in community versus hospital settings. Years of experience, profession commitment, and advanced employee ranking were associated with higher levels of self-efficacy, overall. This initial examination of pharmacy technician self-efficacies identified areas that along with other factors could help employers with further expanding technician practice activities and vocational institutions with considerations for education and development of these key members

Respiratory Systems of Dental Technicians Negatively Affected during 5 Years of Follow-Up

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Nurgül Bozkurt

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Background: Dental laboratory technician is one of the professions in which dust exposure is frequently experienced and therefore the health of workers has to be monitored. Aims: In this study, changes in the pulmonary functions and of pneumoconiosis frequencies among dental technicians after five years were investigated by comparing the results of two screenings carried out in 2008 and 2013. Study Design: Cohort study. Methods: In 2008 and 2013, Provincial Health Directorate carried out two different health screenings covering all of the dental technicians working in dental laboratories in Denizli. In both screenings, a questionnaire was applied, with which socio-demographic and workplace properties of the technicians were obtained. In addition, Pulmonary function tests (PFT and standard chest X-rays of the technicians were performed. The results of these two screenings were evaluated by a chest specialist, and physical examinations were performed as necessary. In 2013, technicians who had pathologies underwent computerized tomography (HRCT. In this study, the study group was composed of dental laboratory technicians that participated in both screenings (2008 and 2013 and the data obtained from the screenings were compared. The gathered data were analyzed using paired student-t and X2 tests. Results: A total of 125 dental laboratory technicians participated in the two screenings. Overall, 92% of the technicians were male and the mean age of the participants was 35. Technicians were working for 9 hours a day, 6 days a week. Total exposure time was calculated to be around 41 thousand hours. Approximately 60% of workers were smokers. When the results of PFT were analyzed, 73% of the first evaluations were found to be normal; however, this ratio decreased to 51% in the second analysis five years later. In the second PFT measurement, compared to the first, there was a 23% decrease in the forced vital capacity (FVC value, and a 15.7% decrease in

Peer-assisted learning: a medical student perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fallaha MA

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Mohammad Amre Fallaha, Aalia Pagarkar, Nicholas LucasFaculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UKWe read the paper by Kazzazi et al1 with great interest. The original paper was informative, and as penultimate year medical students at Imperial College, we want to share our unique perspective regarding student learning and the benefits of peer-assisted learning (PAL. We find that many subjects, including embryology as outlined in the paper,1 are complex and typically taught through lecture-based formats. While this may be understandable to readers of respective specialties, students may find certain concepts abstract and not easily grasped through lectures alone.View the original paper by Kazzazi and Bartlett.

Patient- and Technician-Oriented Attitudes Toward Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Devices.

Science.gov (United States)

Lonergan, Brady; Nguyen, Eliza; Lembo, Cara; Hinchman, Carrie; Morales, Oscar G; Press, Daniel Z; Pascual-Leone, Alvaro; Stern, Adam P

2018-01-25

Four transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) devices are currently approved for use in treatment-resistant depression. The authors present the first data-driven study examining the patient- and technician-experience using three of these distinct devices. A retrospective survey design with both patient and technician arms was utilized. The study population included patients who received TMS for treatment-resistant depression at the Berenson Allen Center for Noninvasive Brain Stimulation for the first time between 2013 and 2016 and technicians who worked in the program from 2009 to 2017. Statistical analysis included t tests and analyses of variance to assess differences between and across the multiple groups, respectively. Patients treated with the NeuroStar device reported greater confidence that the treatment was being performed correctly compared with those treated with the Magstim device. Conversely, with regard to tolerability, patients treated with the Magstim device reported less pain in the last week and less pain on average compared with those treated with the NeuroStar device. On average, technicians reported feeling that both the Magstim and NeuroStar devices were significantly easier to use than the Brainsway Deep TMS H-Coil device. Additionally, they found the former two devices to be more reliable and better tolerated. Furthermore, the technicians reported greater confidence in the Magstim and NeuroStar devices compared with the Brainsway Deep TMS H-Coil device and indicated that they would be more likely to recommend the two former devices to other treatment centers.

Development and Evaluation of a Continuing Education Program for Nursing Technicians at a Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit in a Developing Country.

Science.gov (United States)

Borim, Bruna Cury; Croti, Ulisses A; Silveira, Patricia C; De Marchi, Carlos H; Moscardini, Airton C; Hickey, Patricia; Jenkins, Kathy

2017-11-01

The nursing profession faces continuous transformations demonstrating the importance of professional continuing education to extend knowledge following technological development without impairing quality of care. Nursing assistants and technicians account for nearly 80% of nursing professionals in Brazil and are responsible for uninterrupted patient care. Extensive knowledge improvement is needed to achieve excellence in nursing care. The objective was to develop and evaluate a continuing education program for nursing technicians at a pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) using a virtual learning environment entitled EDUCATE. From July to September 2015, a total of 24 nursing technicians working at the PCICU at a children's hospital located in the northwestern region of São Paulo state (Brazil) fully participated in the continuing education program developed in a virtual learning environment using Wix platform, allowing access to video classes and pre- and post-training theoretical evaluation questionnaires outside the work environment. The evaluation tools recorded participants' knowledge evolution, technological difficulties, educational, and overall rating. Knowledge development was descriptively presented as positive in more than 66.7%. Content and training were considered "excellent" by most participants and 90% showed an interest in the use of technological resources. Technical difficulties were found and quickly resolved by 40% of participants including Internet access, login, and lack of technical expertise. The continuing education program using a virtual learning environment positively contributed to the improvement in theoretical knowledge of nursing technicians in PCICU.

Pharmacy technician-to-pharmacist ratios: a state-driven safety and quality decision.

Science.gov (United States)

Bess, D Todd; Carter, Jason; DeLoach, Lindsey; White, Carol L

2014-01-01

To discuss the policy of pharmacy technician-to-pharmacist ratios by comparing Florida as an example of legislative-led authority versus Tennessee as an example of board of pharmacy-led ruling. Over the past 2 years, the Florida legislature has debated the issue of pharmacy staffing ratios, initially leaving the Florida Board of Pharmacy with little authority to advocate for and enact safe technician staffing ratios. Anticipating this situation, the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy created rules to meet pharmacy staffing needs while protecting the authority of the pharmacist-in-charge and promoting patient safety. Before enacting rules, members of the board toured the state and talked about proposed rule changes with pharmacists. The final rule sets the pharmacy technician-to-pharmacist ratio at 2:1 but permits a 4:1 ratio based on public safety considerations and availability of at least two Certified Pharmacy Technicians. Pharmacists and leaders within the profession should conduct further research on appropriate and safe ratios of pharmacy technicians to pharmacists, with a focus on safety and quality of care.

Natural fertility, infertility and the role of medically assisted reproduction: The knowledge amongst women of reproductive age in North Queensland.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheung, Nicole K; Coffey, Anne; Woods, Cindy; de Costa, Caroline

2018-04-16

The demand for medically assisted reproduction continues to increase, with more women encountering challenges with fertility. Due to misconceptions and gaps in knowledge, women are often unaware of the risks related to delayed childbearing. Lack of understanding of natural fertility, infertility and the role of medically assisted reproduction can lead to emotional suffering and changes in family plans. To assess the understanding and knowledge that women of reproductive age in North Queensland have regarding natural fertility, infertility and the role of medically assisted reproduction. Data were collected from 120 women (30 nurses, 30 teachers, 30 university students and 30 Technical and Further Education students) via the distribution of a structured questionnaire. Participants were surveyed in person about their personal plans and opinions, knowledge about natural fertility, infertility and medically assisted reproduction, and their preferred source of information. Participants demonstrated suboptimal knowledge levels throughout all sections of the questionnaire, in particular when asked about medically assisted reproduction. When asked to identify their main source of information, 'friends and family' was the most popular choice. Results from this North Queensland study add to the existing international literature, highlighting the widespread nature of the problem. Without adequate understanding of natural fertility, the risks of infertility, and the role and limitations of medically assisted reproduction, women make uninformed decisions. Development of local reproductive health education programs need to be instigated in response. © 2018 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

New Zealand dental technicians and continuing education: findings from a qualitative survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Vivienne R; Pang, Lilian C Y; Aarts, John M

2012-06-01

Under the 2003 Health Practitioners Competence Assurance (HPCA) Act, New Zealand registered dental technicians are subject to mandatory Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements. Internationally, little published literature has examined dental technicians' perspectives of CPD and CPD needs, and there is no published literature relating to the New Zealand context. Available research highlights the importance of CPD for maintaining high professional standards, ensuring patient safety, allowing dental technicians to keep abreast of current research and technological advances, fostering peer networks, and promoting job satisfaction. In 2009, an online open-ended questionnaire was developed to examine New Zealand dental and clinical dental technicians' perspectives of CPD and their perceived CPD needs. In total, 45 New Zealand registered dental technicians responded. Questionnaire responses provided rich qualitative insights into dental technicians' wide-ranging perceptions of CPD, factors that make CPD involvement more or less difficult and more or less desirable, and ways in which CPD access and relevance might be improved. This paper discusses the survey findings in the light of the existing literature on CPD and in relation to the unique New Zealand regulatory environment. It highlights the factors which respondents identified as shaping their CPD decisions, barriers to CPD engagement, perceived CPD needs, suggestions as to how the current CPD system could be improved, and areas for future research.

Severe hypoglycaemia requiring the assistance of emergency medical services - frequency, causes and symptoms

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Krnačová, V.; Kuběna, Aleš Antonín; Macek, K.; Bezděk, M.; Šmahelová, A.; Vlček, J.

2012-01-01

Roč. 156, č. 3 (2012), s. 271-277 ISSN 1213-8118 Grant - others:GA UK(CZ) SVV-2010-261-004 Keywords : regression trees * causes * symptoms * incidence * emergency medical service * severe hypoglycaemia Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 0.990, year: 2012 http://library.utia.cas.cz/separaty/2013/E/kubena-severe hypoglycaemia requiring the assistance of emergency medical services - frequency causes and symptoms.pdf

Intraoperative monitoring technician: a new member of the surgical team.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Molly S; Brown, Debra S

2011-02-01

As surgery needs have increased, the traditional surgical team has expanded to include personnel from radiology and perfusion services. A new surgical team member, the intraoperative monitoring technician, is needed to perform intraoperative monitoring during procedures that carry a higher risk of central and peripheral nerve injury. Including the intraoperative monitoring technician on the surgical team can create challenges, including surgical delays and anesthesia care considerations. When the surgical team members, including the surgeon, anesthesia care provider, and circulating nurse, understand and facilitate this new staff member's responsibilities, the technician is able to perform monitoring functions that promote the smooth flow of the surgical procedure and positive patient outcomes. Copyright © 2011 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Secure Cloud-Assisted Wireless Body Area Network in Mobile Emergency Medical Care System.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chun-Ta; Lee, Cheng-Chi; Weng, Chi-Yao

2016-05-01

Recent advances in medical treatment and emergency applications, the need of integrating wireless body area network (WBAN) with cloud computing can be motivated by providing useful and real time information about patients' health state to the doctors and emergency staffs. WBAN is a set of body sensors carried by the patient to collect and transmit numerous health items to medical clouds via wireless and public communication channels. Therefore, a cloud-assisted WBAN facilitates response in case of emergency which can save patients' lives. Since the patient's data is sensitive and private, it is important to provide strong security and protection on the patient's medical data over public and insecure communication channels. In this paper, we address the challenge of participant authentication in mobile emergency medical care systems for patients supervision and propose a secure cloud-assisted architecture for accessing and monitoring health items collected by WBAN. For ensuring a high level of security and providing a mutual authentication property, chaotic maps based authentication and key agreement mechanisms are designed according to the concept of Diffie-Hellman key exchange, which depends on the CMBDLP and CMBDHP problems. Security and performance analyses show how the proposed system guaranteed the patient privacy and the system confidentiality of sensitive medical data while preserving the low computation property in medical treatment and remote medical monitoring.

A new standard for multidisciplinary health and safety technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trinoskey, P.A.; Fry, L.A.; Egbert, W.F.

2000-01-01

Over the last two decades, a significant trend in health and safety has been toward greater specialization. However, compartmentalization of health and safety disciplines often leads to an inequity in resources, especially when appropriations overemphasize one risk to the detriment of others. For example, overemphasis on radiological safety can create an imbalance in overall worker protection. A multidisciplinary technical can help restore the balance and provide for a healthier and safer work environment. The key advantages of a multidisciplinary health and safety technician include: Broad coverage of the work area by one technician, More diverse use of the technician pool, Better coverage for off-shift or nonstandard hours, Balance of risks because all hazards are considered, Integrated emergency response, Ownership, Less time of identify the correct person with the requisite skills. We have developed a new standard that establishes the training and related qualifications for a multidisciplinary health and safety technician. The areas of training and qualification that are addressed include elements of industrial hygiene, industrial safety, fire protection, electrical safety, construction safety, and radiation safety. The initial core training program ensures that individuals are trained to the performance of requirements of the job. Initial training is in five areas: Fundamentals, Hazard recognition, Hazard assessment, Hazards controls, Hazards minimization. Core training is followed by formal qualification on specific tasks, including ventilation surveys, air monitoring, noise assessments, radiological monitoring, area inspections, work-area setups, and work coverage. The new standard addresses not only training topics and requirements, but also guidance to ensure that performance objectives are met. The standard applies to technicians, supervisors, technologists, and six specialty areas, including academic institutions and decontamination and decommissioning

A new standard for multidisciplinary health and safety technicians

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trinoskey, P.A.; Fry, L.A. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Univ. of California, CA (United States); Egbert, W.F. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Allied Signal Technical Corporation (United States)

2000-05-01

Over the last two decades, a significant trend in health and safety has been toward greater specialization. However, compartmentalization of health and safety disciplines often leads to an inequity in resources, especially when appropriations overemphasize one risk to the detriment of others. For example, overemphasis on radiological safety can create an imbalance in overall worker protection. A multidisciplinary technical can help restore the balance and provide for a healthier and safer work environment. The key advantages of a multidisciplinary health and safety technician include: Broad coverage of the work area by one technician, More diverse use of the technician pool, Better coverage for off-shift or nonstandard hours, Balance of risks because all hazards are considered, Integrated emergency response, Ownership, Less time of identify the correct person with the requisite skills. We have developed a new standard that establishes the training and related qualifications for a multidisciplinary health and safety technician. The areas of training and qualification that are addressed include elements of industrial hygiene, industrial safety, fire protection, electrical safety, construction safety, and radiation safety. The initial core training program ensures that individuals are trained to the performance of requirements of the job. Initial training is in five areas: Fundamentals, Hazard recognition, Hazard assessment, Hazards controls, Hazards minimization. Core training is followed by formal qualification on specific tasks, including ventilation surveys, air monitoring, noise assessments, radiological monitoring, area inspections, work-area setups, and work coverage. The new standard addresses not only training topics and requirements, but also guidance to ensure that performance objectives are met. The standard applies to technicians, supervisors, technologists, and six specialty areas, including academic institutions and decontamination and decommissioning

5 CFR 831.306 - Service as a National Guard technician before January 1, 1969.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Service as a National Guard technician... National Guard technician before January 1, 1969. (a) Definitions. In this section—(1) Service as a National Guard technician is service performed under section 709 of title 32, United States Code (or under...

A New Approach to Identify High Burnout Medical Staffs by Kernel K-Means Cluster Analysis in a Regional Teaching Hospital in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yii-Ching; Huang, Shian-Chang; Huang, Chih-Hsuan; Wu, Hsin-Hung

2016-01-01

This study uses kernel k-means cluster analysis to identify medical staffs with high burnout. The data collected in October to November 2014 are from the emotional exhaustion dimension of the Chinese version of Safety Attitudes Questionnaire in a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan. The number of effective questionnaires including the entire staffs such as physicians, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, medical administrators, and respiratory therapists is 680. The results show that 8 clusters are generated by kernel k-means method. Employees in clusters 1, 4, and 5 are relatively in good conditions, whereas employees in clusters 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 need to be closely monitored from time to time because they have relatively higher degree of burnout. When employees with higher degree of burnout are identified, the hospital management can take actions to improve the resilience, reduce the potential medical errors, and, eventually, enhance the patient safety. This study also suggests that the hospital management needs to keep track of medical staffs' fatigue conditions and provide timely assistance for burnout recovery through employee assistance programs, mindfulness-based stress reduction programs, positivity currency buildup, and forming appreciative inquiry groups. © The Author(s) 2016.

A New Approach to Identify High Burnout Medical Staffs by Kernel K-Means Cluster Analysis in a Regional Teaching Hospital in Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yii-Ching Lee PhD

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This study uses kernel k-means cluster analysis to identify medical staffs with high burnout. The data collected in October to November 2014 are from the emotional exhaustion dimension of the Chinese version of Safety Attitudes Questionnaire in a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan. The number of effective questionnaires including the entire staffs such as physicians, nurses, technicians, pharmacists, medical administrators, and respiratory therapists is 680. The results show that 8 clusters are generated by kernel k-means method. Employees in clusters 1, 4, and 5 are relatively in good conditions, whereas employees in clusters 2, 3, 6, 7, and 8 need to be closely monitored from time to time because they have relatively higher degree of burnout. When employees with higher degree of burnout are identified, the hospital management can take actions to improve the resilience, reduce the potential medical errors, and, eventually, enhance the patient safety. This study also suggests that the hospital management needs to keep track of medical staffs’ fatigue conditions and provide timely assistance for burnout recovery through employee assistance programs, mindfulness-based stress reduction programs, positivity currency buildup, and forming appreciative inquiry groups.

Nontraditional roles for certified pharmacy technicians in a pharmaceutical company.

Science.gov (United States)

Fung, Stacey M; Gilmour, Christine; McCracken, David; Shane, Korban; Matsuura, Gary

2006-01-01

To describe nontraditional roles for Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhTs) within pharmaceutical industry. Drug information department within a large biotechnology/pharmaceutical organization. The Medical Communications department within Genentech uses a skills-mix staffing model in which employees with varying educational and training backgrounds work as a team on meeting the informational needs of consumers and health professionals who contact the company. One position within the department is that of Medical Communications Associate, responsible primarily for managing product inquiries. Medical Communications Associates have degrees in life sciences or an equivalent combination of education and experience, including a minimum of 2 years of related experience in the health care industry. Currently, four of the seven Medical Communications Associates in the department are CPhTs. Not applicable. Ability to recruit CPhTs for Medical Communications Associate positions, and job satisfaction of those hired into these positions. Critical basic skills needed for the Medical Communications Associate position include strong computer literacy, ability to multitask, and ability to work in an environment with frequent interruptions. Strong oral and written communications skills, customer service skills, ability to deal with stressful situations, product-specific knowledge, ability to work on a daily basis with Medical Communications Pharmacists, and knowledge of medical terminology are also important. The skills set of CPhTs matches these requirements, as evidenced by the experiences of the four staff members who have worked in the department for a total of 17 person-years. This nontraditional role for CPhTs can be rewarding and beneficial to all, affording an unique opportunity within the pharmaceutical industry. The skill set and experience of CPhTs can be used in the nontraditional pharmacy practice setting of drug information.

Experiences Providing Medical Assistance during the Sewol Ferry Disaster Using Traditional Korean Medicine

OpenAIRE

Kim, Kyeong Han; Jang, Soobin; Lee, Ju Ah; Jang, Bo-Hyoung; Go, Ho-Yeon; Park, Sunju; Jo, Hee-Guen; Lee, Myeong Soo; Ko, Seong-Gyu

2017-01-01

Background. This study aimed to investigate medical records using traditional Korean medicine (TKM) in Sewol Ferry disaster in 2014 and further explore the possible role of traditional medicine in disaster situation. Methods. After Sewol Ferry accident, 3 on-site tents for TKM assistance by the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM) in Jindo area were installed. The AKOM mobilized volunteer TKM doctors and assistants and dispatched each on-site tent in three shifts within 24 hours. Anyone coul...

Bystander Intervention Prior to The Arrival of Emergency Medical Services: Comparing Assistance across Types of Medical Emergencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Faul, Mark; Aikman, Shelley N; Sasser, Scott M

2016-01-01

To determine the situational circumstances associated with bystander interventions to render aid during a medical emergency. This study examined 16.2 million Emergency Medical Service (EMS) events contained within the National Emergency Medical Services Information System. The records of patients following a 9-1-1 call for emergency medical assistance were analyzed using logistic regression to determine what factors influenced bystander interventions. The dependent variable of the model was whether or not a bystander intervened. EMS providers recorded bystander assistance 11% of the time. The logistic regression model correctly predicted bystander intervention occurrence 71.4% of the time. Bystanders were more likely to intervene when the patient was male (aOR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.12-1.3) and if the patient was older (progressive aOR = 1.10, 1.46 age group 20-29 through age group 60-99). Bystanders were less likely to intervene in rural areas compared to urban areas (aOR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.58-0.59). The highest likelihood of bystander intervention occurred in a residential institution (aOR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.85-1.86) and the lowest occurred on a street or a highway (aOR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.95-0.96). Using death as a reference group, bystanders were most likely to intervene when the patient had cardiac distress/chest pain (aOR = 11.38, 95% CI = 10.93-11.86), followed by allergic reaction (aOR = 7.63, 95% CI = 7.30-7.99), smoke inhalation (aOR = 6.65, 95% CI = 5.98-7.39), and respiration arrest/distress (aOR = 6.43, 95% CI = 6.17-6.70). A traumatic injury was the most commonly recorded known event, and it was also associated with a relatively high level of bystander intervention (aOR = 5.81, 95% CI = 5.58-6.05). The type of injury/illness that prompted the lowest likelihood of bystander assistance was Sexual Assault/Rape (aOR = 1.57, 95% CI = 1.32-1.84) followed by behavioral/psychiatric disorder (aOR = 1.64, 95% CI = 1.57-1.71). Bystander intervention varies greatly on

Training and qualification of health and safety technicians at a national laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Egbert, W.F.; Trinoskey, P.A.

1994-10-01

Over the last 30 years, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) has successfully implemented the concept of a multi-disciplined technician. LLNL Health and Safety Technicians have responsibilities in industrial hygiene, industrial safety, health physics, as well as fire, explosive, and criticality safety. One of the major benefits to this approach is the cost-effective use of workers who display an ownership of health and safety issues which is sometimes lacking when responsibilities are divided. Although LLNL has always promoted the concept of a multi-discipline technician, this concept is gaining interest within the Department of Energy (DOE) community. In November 1992, individuals from Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE) and RUST Geotech, joined by LLNL established a committee to address the issues of Health and Safety Technicians. In 1993, the DOE Office of Environmental, Safety and Health, in response to the Defense Nuclear Facility Safety Board Recommendation 91-6, stated DOE projects, particularly environmental restoration, typically present hazards other than radiation such as chemicals, explosives, complex construction activities, etc., which require additional expertise by Radiological Control Technicians. They followed with a commitment that a training guide would be issued. The trend in the last two decades has been toward greater specialization in the areas of health and safety. In contrast, the LLNL has moved toward a generalist approach integrating the once separate functions of the industrial hygiene and health physics technician into one function

Technicians under the Microscope: The Training and Skills of University Laboratory and Engineering Workshop Technicians

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Paul A.; Gospel, Howard

2015-01-01

The UK government aims to increase both the number, and also the status, of workers with intermediate-level skills, with a view to creating a "modern class of technicians" who can help to bolster economic growth and prosperity. This article considers the prospects for such a policy by focusing on one particular, but neglected, group of…

Technician Consistency in Specular Microscopy Measurements: A "Real-World" Retrospective Analysis of a United States Eye Bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Rand, Gabriel M; Kwon, Ji Won; Gore, Patrick K; McCartney, Mitchell D; Chuck, Roy S

2017-10-01

To quantify consistency of endothelial cell density (ECD) measurements among technicians in a single US eye bank operating under typical operating conditions. In this retrospective analysis of 51 microscopy technicians using a semiautomated counting method on 35,067 eyes from July 2007 to May 2015, technician- and date-related marginal ECD effects were calculated using linear regression models. ECD variance was correlated with the number of specular microscopy technicians. Technician mean ECDs ranged from 2386 ± 431 to 3005 ± 560 cells/mm. Nine technicians had statistically and clinically significant marginal effects. Annual mean ECDs adjusted for changes in technicians ranged from 2422 ± 433 to 2644 ± 430 cells/mm. The period of 2007 to 2009 had statistically and clinically significant marginal effects. There was a nonstatistically significant association between the number of technicians and ECD standard deviation. There was significant ECD variability associated with specular microscopy technicians and with the date of measurement. We recommend that eye banks collect data related to laboratory factors that have been shown to influence ECD variability.

Pharmacist and Technician Perceptions of Tech-Check-Tech in Community Pharmacy Practice Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, Timothy P; Adams, Alex J

2018-04-01

Tech-check-tech (TCT) is a practice model in which pharmacy technicians with advanced training can perform final verification of prescriptions that have been previously reviewed for appropriateness by a pharmacist. Few states have adopted TCT in part because of the common view that this model is controversial among members of the profession. This article aims to summarize the existing research on pharmacist and technician perceptions of community pharmacy-based TCT. A literature review was conducted using MEDLINE (January 1990 to August 2016) and Google Scholar (January 1990 to August 2016) using the terms "tech* and check," "tech-check-tech," "checking technician," and "accuracy checking tech*." Of the 7 studies identified we found general agreement among both pharmacists and technicians that TCT in community pharmacy settings can be safely performed. This agreement persisted in studies of theoretical TCT models and in studies assessing participants in actual community-based TCT models. Pharmacists who had previously worked with a checking technician were generally more favorable toward TCT. Both pharmacists and technicians in community pharmacy settings generally perceived TCT to be safe, in both theoretical surveys and in surveys following actual TCT demonstration projects. These perceptions of safety align well with the actual outcomes achieved from community pharmacy TCT studies.

Adoption of computer-assisted learning in medical education: the educators' perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Schifferdecker, Karen E; Berman, Norm B; Fall, Leslie H; Fischer, Martin R

2012-11-01

Computer-assisted learning (CAL) in medical education has been shown to be effective in the achievement of learning outcomes, but requires the input of significant resources and development time. This study examines the key elements and processes that led to the widespread adoption of a CAL program in undergraduate medical education, the Computer-assisted Learning in Paediatrics Program (CLIPP). It then considers the relative importance of elements drawn from existing theories and models for technology adoption and other studies on CAL in medical education to inform the future development, implementation and testing of CAL programs in medical education. The study used a mixed-methods explanatory design. All paediatric clerkship directors (CDs) using CLIPP were recruited to participate in a self-administered, online questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were then conducted with a random sample of CDs to further explore the quantitative results. Factors that facilitated adoption included CLIPP's ability to fill gaps in exposure to core clinical problems, the use of a national curriculum, development by CDs, and the meeting of CDs' desires to improve teaching and student learning. An additional facilitating factor was that little time and effort were needed to implement CLIPP within a clerkship. The quantitative findings were mostly corroborated by the qualitative findings. This study indicates issues that are important in the consideration and future exploration of the development and implementation of CAL programs in medical education. The promise of CAL as a method of enhancing the process and outcomes of medical education, and its cost, increase the need for future CAL funders and developers to pay equal attention to the needs of potential adopters and the development process as they do to the content and tools in the CAL program. Important questions that remain on the optimal design, use and integration of CAL should be addressed in order to adequately inform

The effectiveness of a computer-assisted instruction programme on communication skills of medical specialists in oncology.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulsman, R.L.; Ros, W.J.G.; Winnubst, J.A.M.; Bensing, J.M.

2002-01-01

Although doctor-patient communication is important in health care, medical specialists are generally not well trained in communication skills. Conventional training programmes are generally time consuming and hard to fit into busy working schedules of medical specialists. A computer-assisted

Assistência psicológica ao estudante de medicina: 21 anos de experiência Psychological assistance to medical students: 21 years of experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luiz Roberto Millan

2008-02-01

Full Text Available Este artigo tem como objetivo relatar a experiência de 21 anos do Grupo de Assistência Psicológica ao Aluno da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo (GRAPAL. Inicialmente, é apresentada, de forma sucinta, uma introdução acerca do histórico da assistência psicológica ao estudante de medicina, seguida da criação do GRAPAL, em 1983, e do início de suas atividades, em 1986. São apresentados os principais motivos da procura psicológica pelos alunos, os obstáculos encontrados por parte da instituição, da equipe de trabalho e dos alunos. A seguir, são apresentados alguns trabalhos publicados pelo serviço, que abordam a personalidade do aluno de medicina, a escolha da profissão e o problema do suicídio. Finalmente, são apresentadas sugestões feitas pelos alunos para o aperfeiçoamento dos atendimentos e as providências tomadas pela equipe do GRAPAL para alcançar a realização destas sugestões.The purpose of this article is to report on the 21-year experience of the Group of Psychological Assistance to Students at the School of Medicine of the São Paulo University (GRAPAL. First, the authors briefly introduce historical aspects of the psychological assistance provided to medical students, followed by the organization of GRAPAL in 1983 and the beginning of activities in 1986. Major reasons for medical students to seek psychological assistance, obstacles found by the institution, the work team and students are presented. Then, several works published by the Service, which approach the personality traits of medical students, their choice for Medicine and the suicide problem, are listed. Finally, the authors present some suggestions made by students to improve assistance services and measures to be taken by the GRAPAL team to carry out such suggestions.

Enhancing human-animal relationships through veterinary medical instruction in animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaffer, Caroline Brunsman

2008-01-01

Instruction in animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and animal-assisted activities (AAAs) teaches veterinary medical students to confidently and assertively maximize the benefits and minimize the risks of this union of animals and people. Instruction in AAT/AAA also addresses requirements by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education that accredited schools/colleges of veterinary medicine include in their standard curriculum the topics of the human-animal bond, behavior, and the contributions of the veterinarian to the overall public and professional health care teams. Entry-level veterinarians should be prepared to: (1) assure that animals who provide AAT/AAA are healthy enough to visit nursing homes, hospitals, or other institutions; (2) promote behavior testing that selects animals who will feel safe, comfortable, and connected; (3) advise facilities regarding infection control and ways to provide a safe environment where the animals, their handlers, and the people being visited will not be injured or become ill; and (4) advocate for their patients and show compassion for their clients when animals are determined to be inappropriate participants in AAT/AAA programs. This article presents AAT/AAA terminology, ways in which veterinarians can advocate for AAT/AAA, the advantages of being involved in AAT/AAA, a model AAT/AAA practicum from Tuskegee University's School of Veterinary Medicine (TUSVM), and examples of co-curricular activities in AAT/AAA by TUSVM's student volunteers.

SafeMed: Using pharmacy technicians in a novel role as community health workers to improve transitions of care.

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, James E; Surbhi, Satya; Bell, Paula C; Jones, Angel M; Rashed, Sahar; Ugwueke, Michael O

2016-01-01

To describe the design, implementation, and early experience of the SafeMed program, which uses certified pharmacy technicians in a novel expanded role as community health workers (CPhT-CHWs) to improve transitions of care. A large nonprofit health care system serving the major medically underserved areas and geographic hotspots for readmissions in Memphis, TN. The SafeMed program is a care transitions program with an emphasis on medication management designed to use low-cost health workers to improve transitions of care from hospital to home for superutilizing patients with multiple chronic conditions and polypharmacy. CPhT-CHWs were given primary responsibility for patient outreach after hospital discharge with the use of home visits and telephone follow-up. SafeMed program CPhT-CHWs served as pharmacist extenders, obtaining medication histories, assisting in medication reconciliation and identification of potential drug therapy problems (DTPs), and reinforcing medication education previously provided by the pharmacist per protocol. CPhT-CHW training included patient communication skills, motivational interviewing, medication history taking, teach-back techniques, drug disposal practices, and basic disease management. Some CPhT-CHWs experienced difficulties adjusting to an expanded scope of practice. Nonetheless, once the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy affirmed that envisioned SafeMed CPhT-CHW roles were consistent with Board rules, additional responsibilities were added for CPhT-CHWs to enhance their effectiveness. Patient outreach teams including CPhT-CHWs achieved increases in home visit and telephone follow-up rates and were successful in helping identify potential DTPs. The early experience of the SafeMed program demonstrates that CPhT-CHWs are well suited for novel expanded roles to improve care transitions for superutilizing populations. CPhT-CHWs can identify and report potential DTPs to the pharmacist to help target medication therapy management. Critical

Measures against radiation disaster/terrorism and radiation emergency medical assistance team

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tominaga, Takako; Akashi, Makoto

2016-01-01

The probability of occurrence of radiological terrorism and disaster in Japan is not low. For this reason, preparations for coping with the occurrence of radiological terrorism should be an urgent issue. This paper describes the radiation medical system and the threat of radiological terrorism and disaster in Japan, and introduces the Radiation Emergency Medical Assistance Team (REMAT), one of the radiation accident/disaster response organizations at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences. Radiation exposure medical systems in Japan are constructed only in the location of nuclear facilities and adjacent prefectures. These medical systems have been developed only for the purpose of medical correspondence at the time of nuclear disaster, but preparations are not made by assuming measures against radiological terrorism. REMAT of the National Institute of Radiological Sciences is obligated to dispatch persons to the requesting prefecture to support radiation medical care in case of nuclear disaster or radiation accident. The designation of nuclear disaster orientated hospitals in each region, and the training of nuclear disaster medical staffing team were also started, but preparations are not enough. In addition to enhancing and strengthening experts, specialized agencies, and special forces dealing with radiological terrorism, it is essential to improve regional disaster management capacity and terrorism handling capacity. (A.O.)

Training needs analysis for engineering technicians in Oman

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Mughairi, Abdulkarim Sultan

This thesis examines the transition from the Omani Colleges of Technology (CT) to employment of its engineering graduates. It arises out of concerns that the transition to the labour market for engineering graduate is problematical. The research was carried out to identify the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) of engineering technicians required in the Omani market place. The aim is to provide local curriculum designers in the Colleges of Technology with sufficient information about the required KSA in order to create and enhance the engineering curriculum so that it has greater capacity to meet the needs of a variety of stakeholders and of employers in particular. This in turn has the potential to bridge the gap between what is presently taught and what the workplace demands. Personnel psychologists identify views concerning the skills that are required for different jobs. One of these is based on the assumption that quite different skills are required in different jobs (SCANS, 1990). This view generates approaches within job analysis: the worker-oriented and the task-oriented approaches. This research uses Position Analysis Questionnaire (PAQ), which is a worker-oriented job analysis instrument, to investigate the KSA required to perform some of the engineering technician jobs in Omani industries. In addition, semi-structured interviews were used to investigate the factors that either hinder or entirely prevent the new graduates from Colleges of Technology from being accepted in the workforce pool. The major research findings concern the dimensions of knowledge, skills, and abilities of six engineering technician job titles and the major factors that hinder or (prevent) the technical college graduates from being accepted in the market place in Oman. These findings would definitely help design better transition route and bridge the gap between the CT technicians engineering programmes and the workplace demands.

Access to healthcare for undocumented migrants in France: a critical examination of State Medical Assistance.

Science.gov (United States)

André, Jean-Marie; Azzedine, Fabienne

2016-01-01

In France in 2012, of the total population of 65.2 million, 8.7 % were migrants. After being the third principal host country, France is now the 6th highest host country in the OECD. Since the 1980's numerous Acts have been passed by parliament on immigration issues. In 2000 the Universal Health Cover (Couverture Maladie Universelle) was created as health coverage for all residents of France. At the same time the State Medical Assistance (Aide Médicale de l'Etat) was created as health protection for undocumented migrants. Since the creation of this scheme, it has been the object of many political debates which call it into question, on account of its cost, perceived fraud, and the legitimacy of a social protection for undocumented migrants. Recently, access to State Medical Assistance has been made difficult by introducing conditions of residence and financial contributions. After a reports' analysis on institutional, associative, research studies and European recommendations, we note that all reports converge on the necessity of health protection for undocumented migrants. The major reasons are humanitarian, respect of European and International conventions, for public health, and financial. Moreover, fraud allegations have proved to be unfounded. Finally, State Medical Assistance is underused: in 2014 data from Médecins du Monde shows that only 10.2 % of undocumented migrant patients in their health facilities have access to this scheme. We conclude that the political debate concerning the State Medical Assistance should be about its under-utilisation, its improvement, its merger with the Universal Health Cover, and not its elimination. Moreover, the current debates regarding this scheme stigmatize this population, which is already precarious, making it more difficult for migrants to access healthcare, and generally, weaken national social cohesion.

THE ROLE OF SCHOOL TECHNICIANS IN PROMOTING SCIENCE THROUGH PRACTICAL WORK

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne T. Helliar

2011-11-01

Full Text Available This is a review of the role of practical work in UK’s secondary school science lessons, the impact that practical work has in the promotion of science, the challenges created through use of non-specialist science teachers and a possible additional role for science technicians. The paper considers how improved deployment of suitably experienced school science technicians and their recognition, by schools’ management, for their involvement in the delivery of training in the use of practical work, for less experienced teachers, could benefit schools and their students. This together with its companion paper endeavours to show how the more effective use of practical work and technicians can encourage more students to select science at higher, non-compulsory levels.

Metabolic syndrome and occupation: Any association? Prevalence among auto technicians and school teachers in South West Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Akintunde, Adeseye A; Oloyede, Taiwo W

2017-11-01

To determine occupational association with metabolic syndrome among auto technicians and school teachers. One hundred and sixty six subjects were selected for this study. Clinical data was obtained while laboratory investigations including plasma glucose and lipid profile were performed. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS 20.0. Pauto technicians. Mean serum triglycerides was significantly higher among auto-technicians compared to school teachers in this study. The prevalence of some conventional cardiovascular risk factors was significantly higher among auto-technicians compared to school teachers: Impaired blood glucose (9.6% vs. 1.2%, pauto-technicians. Based on the WHO and the Harmonized criteria, metabolic syndrome was more frequent among auto-technicians compared to school teachers. (8.4% vs. 1.2% and 19.3% vs. 7.2% respectively, pauto technicians despite their high level of physical activity, exertion and education compared to teachers. This may be related to the increased occupational exposure to organic and inorganic materials from dust particles, oil and oil related matter and particulate matter among auto technicians. Prompt definitive evaluation of this concept and appropriate health education to encourage safety mechanism can reduce this burden of metabolic syndrome among auto technicians in Nigeria. Copyright © 2016 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Initial activities of a radiation emergency medical assistance team to Fukushima from Nagasaki

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Naoki; Yoshida, Kouji; Nakashima, Kanami; Iwatake, Satoshi; Morita, Naoko; Ohba, Takashi; Yusa, Takeshi; Kumagai, Atsushi; Ohtsuru, Akira

2013-01-01

As an urgent response to serious radiological accidents in the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, the radiation emergency medical assistance team (REMAT) from Nagasaki University landed at Fukushima on March 14, 2011, two days after the initiation of radiation crisis by the hydrogen explosion at Unit-1 reactor. During a succession of unexpected disasters, REMAT members were involved in various activities for six days, such as setting the base for radiological triage at the Fukushima Medical University, considerations for administration of stable iodine, and risk communication with health care workers. This report briefly describes what happened around REMAT members and radiation doses measured during their activities. -- Highlights: ► The radiation emergency medical assistance team from Nagasaki was sent to Fukushima. ► The practical action level for body surface contamination was 100 kcpm. ► The ambient radiation dose in Fukushima drastically elevated on March 15, 2011. ► Higher than 10 kBq of I-131, Cs-134, and Cs-137 were detected in soil samples. ► The effective dose of the team members ranged between 51.7 and 127.8 μSv in 6 days

Precepting the medical assistant practicum: expectations and rewards: an evaluation of preceptors' opinions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Adam B; Fegan, Frank; Romence, Blase; Uhe, Kendra; Dionne, Barbara

2011-01-01

This study investigated the opinions of preceptors on select topics relevant to the benefits and rewards of precepting medical assisting (MA) students. A 35-item questionnaire was distributed to volunteer MA preceptors over the course of 1 year. Survey items prompted participants for information concerning background and previous experiences with MA students, as well as gathered opinions on the benefits, issues, and rewards of preceptorships. Of the preceptors who gave evidence of their credentials, 98.43% were either practicing certified medical assistants (CMA-AAMA) or nurses. Respectively, 80.85% of CMAs and 80.00% of nurses felt that students provided the office with extra help and placed no financial burden on the practice. Approximately 44% ranked free continuing medical education (CME) credits as the most important reward. Written responses identified thank-you notes as an important demonstration of service, acknowledgment, and appreciation. MA preceptors consider students a beneficial aspect of their practice because they lighten strenuous workloads and stimulate preceptors to remain current in their professional fields. Noncompensated MA preceptors value both extrinsic (e.g., free CME credits) and intrinsic rewards (e.g., feedback and thank-you cards) and suggested that intrinsic rewards were of greater value.

Survey on the use of CAD-CAM technology by UK and Irish dental technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackwell, E; Nesbit, M; Petridis, H

2017-05-12

Statement of the problem Digital workflows (CAD/CAM) have been introduced in dentistry during recent years. No published information exists on dental technicians' use and reporting of this technology.Purpose The aim of this cross sectional survey was to identify the extent digital technology has infiltrated the workplace and to investigate the factors affecting the use of CAD-CAM technology by dental laboratory technicians within Ireland and the UK.Materials and methods A web-based questionnaire was composed (Opinio, Object Planet Inc. Oslo, Norway) and distributed to UK and Irish dental technicians. Answers to all questions were anonymous and grouped such that general information was gathered initially, followed by branching of the survey into two sections depending on whether or not the respondent worked with CAD-CAM technology. Results were compiled and statistical analysis (Fisher's Exact test, SPSS, IBM, Armonk, New York, USA) was performed in order to investigate any correlation between various demographic variables and the answers provided.Results The survey was distributed to 760 UK technicians and 77 Irish technicians. The total number of completed surveys was 105, which yielded a total response rate of 14%. Most technicians reported using some form of CAD/CAM aspect in the workflow, and this was more significant for technicians working in large laboratories. Most training received was company-led. Large laboratories were also significantly correlated with less outsourcing of CAD/CAM work and a change in dental material use leading to the increase of zirconia and the decrease of noble alloys. Dental technicians did not report any significant change in working relationships and staffing as a result of CAD/CAM incorporation. High initial investment cost was the most common reason quoted from non-users, along with the lack of such technology in their working environment.

Recovery Act: Training Program Development for Commercial Building Equipment Technicians

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leah Glameyer

2012-07-12

The overall goal of this project has been to develop curricula, certification requirements, and accreditation standards for training on energy efficient practices and technologies for commercial building technicians. These training products will advance industry expertise towards net-zero energy commercial building goals and will result in a substantial reduction in energy use. The ultimate objective is to develop a workforce that can bring existing commercial buildings up to their energy performance potential and ensure that new commercial buildings do not fall below their expected optimal level of performance. Commercial building equipment technicians participating in this training program will learn how to best operate commercial buildings to ensure they reach their expected energy performance level. The training is a combination of classroom, online and on-site lessons. The Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX) developed curricula using subject matter and adult learning experts to ensure the training meets certification requirements and accreditation standards for training these technicians. The training targets a specific climate zone to meets the needs, specialized expertise, and perspectives of the commercial building equipment technicians in that zone. The combination of efficient operations and advanced design will improve the internal built environment of a commercial building by increasing comfort and safety, while reducing energy use and environmental impact. Properly trained technicians will ensure equipment operates at design specifications. A second impact is a more highly trained workforce that is better equipped to obtain employment. Organizations that contributed to the development of the training program include TEEX and the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES) (both members of The Texas A&M University System). TEES is also a member of the Building Commissioning Association. This report includes a description of the project

Successful Nicotine Intake in Medical Assisted Use of E-Cigarettes: A Pilot Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Pacifici, Roberta; Pichini, Simona; Graziano, Silvia; Pellegrini, Manuela; Massaro, Giuseppina; Beatrice, Fabio

2015-07-08

The electronic cigarette (e-cig) has gained popularity as an aid in smoking cessation programs mainly because it maintains the gestures and rituals of tobacco smoking. However, it has been shown in inexperienced e-cig users that ineffective nicotine delivery can cause tobacco craving that could be responsible for unsuccessful smoking reduction/cessation. Moreover, the incorrect use of an e-cig could also led to potential nicotine overdosage and intoxication. Medically assisted training on the proper use of an e-cig plus behavioral support for tobacco dependence could be a pivotal step in avoiding both issues. We performed an eight-month pilot study of adult smokers who started e-cig use after receiving a multi-component medically assisted training program with monitoring of nicotine intake as a biomarker of correct e-cig use. Participants were tested during follow-up for breath carbon monoxide (CO), plasma cotinine and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine, and number of tobacco cigarettes smoked. At the end of the first, fourth, and eighth month of follow-up, 91.1, 73.5, and 76.5% of participants respectively were e-cig users ('only e-cig' and 'dual users'). They showed no significant variation in plasma cotinine and trans-3'-hydroxycotinine with respect to the start of the study when they smoked only tobacco cigarettes, but a significant reduction in breath CO. The proposed medically assisted training program of e-cig use led to a successful nicotine intake, lack of typical cigarette craving and overdosage symptoms and a significant decrease in the biomarker of cigarette combustion products.

Medical laboratory scientist

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smith, Julie; Qvist, Camilla Christine; Jacobsen, Katja Kemp

2017-01-01

Previously, biomarker research and development was performed by laboratory technicians working as craftsmen in laboratories under the guidance of medical doctors. This hierarchical structure based on professional boundaries appears to be outdated if we want to keep up with the high performance...... of our healthcare system, and take advantage of the vast potential of future biomarkers and personalized medicine. We ask the question; does our healthcare system benefit from giving the modern medical laboratory scientist (MLS) a stronger academic training in biomarker research, development...

Outbreak of hepatitis C virus infection associated with narcotics diversion by an hepatitis C virus–infected surgical technician

Science.gov (United States)

Warner, Amy E.; Schaefer, Melissa K.; Patel, Priti R.; Drobeniuc, Jan; Xia, Guoliang; Lin, Yulin; Khudyakov, Yury; Vonderwahl, Candace W.; Miller, Lisa; Thompson, Nicola D.

2015-01-01

Background Drug diversion by health care personnel poses a risk for serious patient harm. Public health identified 2 patients diagnosed with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who shared a common link with a hospital. Further investigation implicated a drug-diverting, HCV-infected surgical technician who was subsequently employed at an ambulatory surgical center. Methods Patients at the 2 facilities were offered testing for HCV infection if they were potentially exposed. Serum from the surgical technician and patients testing positive for HCV but without evidence of infection before their surgical procedure was further tested to determine HCV genotype and quasi-species sequences. Parenteral medication handling practices at the 2 facilities were evaluated. Results The 2 facilities notified 5970 patients of their possible exposure to HCV, 88% of whom were tested and had results reported to the state public health departments. Eighteen patients had HCV highly related to the surgical technician’s virus. The surgical technician gained unauthorized access to fentanyl owing to limitations in procedures for securing controlled substances. Conclusions Public health surveillance identified an outbreak of HCV infection due to an infected health care provider engaged in diversion of injectable narcotics. The investigation highlights the value of public health surveillance in identifying HCV outbreaks and uncovering a method of drug diversion and its impacts on patients. PMID:25442395

Treatment outcome of alcohol use disorder outpatients with or without medically assisted detoxification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Merkx, Maarten J. M.; Schippers, Gerard M.; Koeter, Maarten W. J.; de Wildt, Wencke A. J. M.; Vedel, Ellen; Goudriaan, Anna E.; van den Brink, Wim

2014-01-01

Little is known about the incremental effects of medically assisted detoxification on outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorders. The objective of this study was to compare drinking outcomes in a psychosocial treatment program between two groups of heavy drinking patients who had an alcohol use

A longitudinal study on lung disease in dental technicians: What has changed after seven years?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Derya Özdemir Dogan

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The aim of this 7-year follow-up study was to determine respiratory changes in dental technicians. Material and Methods: In our region, in the year 2005, 36 dental technicians were evaluated with a cross-sectional study on respiratory occupational diseases, and in 2012 we evaluated them again. Inclusion of information on respiratory symptoms and demographic features questionnaires was applied. Pulmonary function tests (PFT were performed. Chest X-rays (CXR were evaluated according to the ILO-2000 classification. For the comparisons of the technicians' findings in 2005 and 2012, data analyses were performed with the Wilcoxon test in addition to descriptive statistical procedures. Results: In 2012, 19 out of the 36 technicians continued to work in the same place, so we were able to evaluate their findings. The prevalence of respiratory symptoms in dental technician was as follows: dyspnea 7 (37%, cough 6 (32%, and phlegm 5 (26%. According to ILO classifications in 2005, among the 36 technicians, 5 (13.8% had pneumoconiosis. At the end of 7 years, there were 9 pneumoconiosis cases among the 19 remaining technicians (47%. Thus, there was a statistically significant progression on the profusion of the radiologic findings (p < 0.005. Also there was a significant worsening on spirometric findings (p < 0.05. Conclusion: In dental technicians, a determination of both radiologic and functional progressions at the end of 7 years demonstrate that the primary and secondary preventive measures are necessary for these workplaces. Workplaces must be regularly controlled for worker health and hygiene.

Using an Ishikawa diagram as a tool to assist memory and retrieval of relevant medical cases from the medical literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Kam Cheong

2011-03-29

Studying medical cases is an effective way to enhance clinical reasoning skills and reinforce clinical knowledge. An Ishikawa diagram, also known as a cause-and-effect diagram or fishbone diagram, is often used in quality management in manufacturing industries.In this report, an Ishikawa diagram is used to demonstrate how to relate potential causes of a major presenting problem in a clinical setting. This tool can be used by teams in problem-based learning or in self-directed learning settings.An Ishikawa diagram annotated with references to relevant medical cases and literature can be continually updated and can assist memory and retrieval of relevant medical cases and literature. It could also be used to cultivate a lifelong learning habit in medical professionals.

Using an Ishikawa diagram as a tool to assist memory and retrieval of relevant medical cases from the medical literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wong Kam Cheong

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Studying medical cases is an effective way to enhance clinical reasoning skills and reinforce clinical knowledge. An Ishikawa diagram, also known as a cause-and-effect diagram or fishbone diagram, is often used in quality management in manufacturing industries. In this report, an Ishikawa diagram is used to demonstrate how to relate potential causes of a major presenting problem in a clinical setting. This tool can be used by teams in problem-based learning or in self-directed learning settings. An Ishikawa diagram annotated with references to relevant medical cases and literature can be continually updated and can assist memory and retrieval of relevant medical cases and literature. It could also be used to cultivate a lifelong learning habit in medical professionals.

[Competencies in the education of nursing technicians to implement the nursing care systematization].

Science.gov (United States)

da Cruz, Andrea de Mello Pereira; Almeida, Miriam de Abreu

2010-12-01

This is a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive study whose general objective was to learn, considering the perspective of the nursing technician who works in school hospitals, the competencies developed during their educational process to implement the Nursing Care Systematization (NCS). Data collection and analysis were carried out through a focal group, with content analysis and nursing technicians. Two thematic categories emerged: The participation of the nursing technician in the NCS and The competencies in the education of the nursing technician. Each one received two subcategories: Conception of the NCS and (De)valuation of the NCS, Technical-scientific competency and Competency in the interpersonal relationship, respectively. It was observed that the NCS must be shared, discussed and made public among nursing professionals, so that they may acknowledge themselves as the leading actors of their methodology and be aware that their practices determine the results.

DNA damage and cytotoxicity in pathology laboratory technicians exposed to organic solvents

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

TATIANE DE AQUINO

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to evaluate potential DNA damage and cytotoxicity in pathology laboratory technicians exposed to organic solvents, mainly xylene. Peripheral blood and buccal cells samples were collected from 18 technicians occupationally exposed to organic solvents and 11 non-exposed individuals. The technicians were sampled at two moments: Monday and Friday. DNA damage and cytotoxicity were evaluated using the Comet Assay and the Buccal Micronucleus Cytome assay. Fifteen subjects (83.5% of the exposed group to solvents complained about some symptom probably related to contact with vapours of organic solvents. DNA damage in the exposed group to solvents was nearly 2-fold higher on Friday than on Monday, and in both moments the individuals of this group showed higher levels of DNA damage in relation to controls. No statistical difference was detected in buccal cell micronucleus frequency between the laboratory technicians and the control group. However, in the analysis performed on Friday, technicians presented higher frequency (about 3-fold of karyolytic and apoptotic-like cells (karyorrhectic and pyknotic in relation to control group. Considering the damage frequency and the working time, a positive correlation was found in the exposed group to solvents (r=0.468; p=0.05. The results suggest that pathology laboratory workers inappropriately exposed to organic solvents have increased levels of DNA damage.

Factors that influence the acceptance of telemetry by emergency medical technicians in ambulances: an application of the extended technology acceptance model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Ji Young; Kim, Ki Young; Lee, Kang Hyun

2014-12-01

The aim of the study was to verify the effects of patient factors perceived by emergency medical technicians (EMTs) as well as their social and organizational factors on prehospital telemetry use intention based on the technology use intention and elaboration likelihood models. This is a retrospective empirical study. Questionnaires were developed on the basis of clinical factors of 72,907 patients assessed by prehospital telemetry from January 1, 2009 to April 30, 2012 by reviewing their prehospital medical care records and in-hospital medical records. Questionnaires regarding the social and organizational factors of EMTs were created on the basis of a literature review. To verify which factors affect the utilization of telemetry, we developed a partial least-squares route model on the basis of each characteristic. In total, 136 EMTs who had experience in using prehospital telemetry were surveyed from April 1 to April 7, 2013. Reliability, validity, hypotheses, and the model goodness of fit of the study tools were tested. The clinical factors of the patients (path coefficient=-0.12; t=2.38), subjective norm (path coefficient=0.18; t=2.63), and job fit (path coefficient=0.45; t=5.29) positively affected the perceived usefulness (p<0.010). Meanwhile, the clinical factors of the patients (path coefficients=-0.19; t=4.46), subjective norm (path coefficient=0.08; t=1.97), loyalty incentives (path coefficient=-0.17; t=3.83), job fit (path coefficient=-0.32; t=7.06), organizational facilitations (path coefficient=0.08; t=1.99), and technical factors (i.e., usefulness and ease of use) positively affected attitudes (path coefficient=0.10, 0.58; t=2.62, 5.81; p<0.010). Attitudes and perceived usefulness significantly positively affected use intention. Factors that influence the use of telemetry by EMTs in ambulances included patients' clinical factors, as well as complex organizational and environmental factors surrounding the EMTs' occupational environments. This suggests

Section 609 Technician Training and Certification Programs

Science.gov (United States)

EPA-approved programs for technicians who service motor vehicle air conditioning (MVAC) systems. Any person who repairs or services a MVAC system for consideration must be certified under section 609 of the Clean Air Act by an EPA-approved program.

Changing Roles of Librarians and Library Technicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Norene James

2015-10-01

Full Text Available What significant changes are librarians and library technicians experiencing in their roles? A survey put forward across Canada to librarians and library technicians addressing this question was conducted in February 2014. Eight hundred eighty-two responses were obtained from librarians, defined as MLIS graduates, and library technicians, defined as graduates from a two-year library diploma program. Respondents needed to have been employed in the last two years in these roles and students of either an MLIS or LIT program were also welcome to participate. The results suggest that both librarians and library technicians perceive their roles as growing in scope and complexity and that the lines of responsibility are blurring. A majority of respondents indicated that they perceive a change in their roles in the past five years and commented on what the perceived changes were. Librarian and library technician roles may be shifting away from what may be viewed as traditional or clearly defined responsibilities and both librarians and library technicians may be taking on new tasks as well as experiencing task overlap. All library staff will need to be fluid, adaptable, and open to change. Library school curricula and workplace training need to incorporate the development of these competencies. Quels sont les changements importants éprouvés par les bibliothécaires et les bibliotechniciens dans leurs rôles? Un sondage mené en février de 2014 a posé cette question aux bibliothécaires et aux bibliotechniciens dans tout le Canada. On a reçu huit-cent quatre-vingt-deux réponses des bibliothécaires, définis comme étant diplômés en MSIB, et les bibliotechniciens, définis comme étant diplômés d’un programme de deux ans en bibliotechnique. Les sondés devaient avoir travaillé au cours des deux dernières années dans ces fonctions et les étudiants d’un programme MSIB ou de bibliothéconomie/ sciences de l’information pouvaient aussi y

State-Targeted Funding and Technical Assistance to Increase Access to Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Abraham, Amanda J; Andrews, Christina M; Grogan, Colleen M; Pollack, Harold A; D'Aunno, Thomas; Humphreys, Keith; Friedmann, Peter D

2018-04-01

As the United States grapples with an opioid epidemic, expanding access to effective treatment for opioid use disorder is a major public health priority. Identifying effective policy tools that can be used to expand access to care is critically important. This article examines the relationship between state-targeted funding and technical assistance and adoption of three medications for treating opioid use disorder: oral naltrexone, injectable naltrexone, and buprenorphine. This study draws from the 2013-2014 wave of the National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey, a nationally representative, longitudinal study of substance use disorder treatment programs. The sample includes data from 695 treatment programs (85.5% response rate) and representatives from single-state agencies in 49 states and Washington, D.C. (98% response rate). Logistic regression was used to examine the relationships of single-state agency targeted funding and technical assistance to availability of opioid use disorder medications among treatment programs. State-targeted funding was associated with increased program-level adoption of oral naltrexone (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=3.14, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.49-6.60, p=.004) and buprenorphine (AOR=2.47, 95% CI=1.31-4.67, p=.006). Buprenorphine adoption was also correlated with state technical assistance to support medication provision (AOR=1.18, 95% CI=1.00-1.39, p=.049). State-targeted funding for medications may be a viable policy lever for increasing access to opioid use disorder medications. Given the historically low rates of opioid use disorder medication adoption in treatment programs, single-state agency targeted funding is a potentially important tool to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with opioid disorders and misuse.

Defining the Role of the Pharmacy Technician and Identifying Their Future Role in Medicines Optimisation.

Science.gov (United States)

Boughen, Melanie; Sutton, Jane; Fenn, Tess; Wright, David

2017-07-15

Traditionally, pharmacy technicians have worked alongside pharmacists in community and hospital pharmacy. Changes within pharmacy provide opportunity for role expansion and with no apparent career pathway, there is a need to define the current pharmacy technician role and role in medicines optimisation. To capture the current roles of pharmacy technicians and identify how their future role will contribute to medicines optimisation. Following ethical approval and piloting, an online survey to ascertain pharmacy technicians' views about their roles was undertaken. Recruitment took place in collaboration with the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK. Data were exported to SPSS, data screened and descriptive statistics produced. Free text responses were analysed and tasks collated into categories reflecting the type of work involved in each task. Responses received were 393 (28%, n = 1380). Results were organised into five groups: i.e., hospital, community, primary care, General Practitioner (GP) practice and other (which included HM Prison Service). Thirty tasks were reported as commonly undertaken in three or more settings and 206 (84.7%, n = 243) pharmacy technicians reported they would like to expand their role. Tasks core to hospital and community pharmacy should be considered for inclusion to initial education standards to reflect current practice. Post qualification, pharmacy technicians indicate a significant desire to expand clinically and managerially allowing pharmacists more time in patient-facing/clinical roles.

Varying levels of difficulty index of skills-test items randomly selected by examinees on the Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination.

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Bongyeun; Hong, Sunggi; Kim, Soon-Sim; Hyun, Jin-Sook; Baek, Milye; Moon, Jundong; Kwon, Hayran; Kim, Gyoungyong; Min, Seonggi; Kang, Gu-Hyun

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to characterize the difficulty index of the items in the skills test components of the class I and II Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination (KEMTLE), which requires examinees to select items randomly. The results of 1,309 class I KEMTLE examinations and 1,801 class II KEMTLE examinations in 2013 were subjected to analysis. Items from the basic and advanced skills test sections of the KEMTLE were compared to determine whether some were significantly more difficult than others. In the class I KEMTLE, all 4 of the items on the basic skills test showed significant variation in difficulty index (P<0.01), as well as 4 of the 5 items on the advanced skills test (P<0.05). In the class II KEMTLE, 4 of the 5 items on the basic skills test showed significantly different difficulty index (P<0.01), as well as all 3 of the advanced skills test items (P<0.01). In the skills test components of the class I and II KEMTLE, the procedure in which examinees randomly select questions should be revised to require examinees to respond to a set of fixed items in order to improve the reliability of the national licensing examination.

Varying levels of difficulty index of skills-test items randomly selected by examinees on the Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bongyeun Koh

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The goal of this study was to characterize the difficulty index of the items in the skills test components of the class I and II Korean emergency medical technician licensing examination (KEMTLE, which requires examinees to select items randomly. Methods: The results of 1,309 class I KEMTLE examinations and 1,801 class II KEMTLE examinations in 2013 were subjected to analysis. Items from the basic and advanced skills test sections of the KEMTLE were compared to determine whether some were significantly more difficult than others. Results: In the class I KEMTLE, all 4 of the items on the basic skills test showed significant variation in difficulty index (P<0.01, as well as 4 of the 5 items on the advanced skills test (P<0.05. In the class II KEMTLE, 4 of the 5 items on the basic skills test showed significantly different difficulty index (P<0.01, as well as all 3 of the advanced skills test items (P<0.01. Conclusion: In the skills test components of the class I and II KEMTLE, the procedure in which examinees randomly select questions should be revised to require examinees to respond to a set of fixed items in order to improve the reliability of the national licensing examination.

Determinants of General Health, Work-Related Strain, and Burnout in Public Versus Private Emergency Medical Technicians in Istanbul.

Science.gov (United States)

Tunaligil, Verda; Dokucu, Ali Ihsan; Erdogan, Mehmet Sarper

2016-07-01

This study investigated the impact of working for public versus private ambulance services in Turkey and elaborated on predictors of mental, physical, and emotional well-being in emergency medical technicians (EMT-Bs). In this observational cross-sectional study, an 81-question self-report survey was used to gather data about employee demographics, socioeconomic status, educational background, working conditions, and occupational health and workplace safety (OHS), followed by the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Work-Related Strain Inventory (WRSI), and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) with three subscales: Emotional Exhaustion (MBI-EE), Depersonalization (MBI-DP), and Diminished Personal Accomplishment (MBI-PA). In 2011, 1,038 EMT-Bs worked for publicly operated and 483 EMT-Bs worked for privately owned ambulance services in Istanbul, Turkey, of which 606 (58.4%) and 236 (48.9%) participated in the study (overall participation rate = 55.4%), respectively. On all scales, differences between total mean scores in both sectors were statistically insignificant (p > .05). In the public sector, work locations, false accusations, occupational injuries and diseases, work-related permanent disabilities, and organizational support were found to significantly influence self-reported perceptions of well-being (p well-being. EMT-Bs were asked about aspects of their working lives that need improvement; priority expectations in the public and private sectors were higher earnings (17.5%; 16.7%) and better social opportunities (17.4%; 16.8%). Working conditions, vocational training, and OHS emerged as topics that merit priority attention. © 2016 The Author(s).

Peer-assisted learning--beyond teaching: How can medical students contribute to the undergraduate curriculum?

Science.gov (United States)

Furmedge, Daniel S; Iwata, Kazuya; Gill, Deborah

2014-09-01

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has become increasingly popular over recent years with many medical schools now formally incorporating peer-teaching programs into the curriculum. PAL has a sound evidence base with benefit to both peer-teacher and peer-learner. Aside from in teaching delivery, empowering students to develop education in its broadest sense has been much less extensively documented. Five case studies with supportive evaluation evidence illustrate the success of a broad range of peer-led projects in the undergraduate medical curriculum, particularly where these have been embedded into formal teaching practices. These case studies identify five domains of teaching and support of learning where PAL works well: teaching and learning, resource development, peer-assessment, education research and evaluation and mentoring and support. Each case offers ways of engaging students in each domain. Medical students can contribute significantly to the design and delivery of the undergraduate medical program above and beyond the simple delivery of peer-assisted "teaching". In particular, they are in a prime position to develop resources and conduct research and evaluation within the program. Their participation in all stages enables them to feel involved in course development and education of their peers and ultimately leads to an increase in student satisfaction.

Medical practitioners' attitudes towards animal assisted interventions. An Italian survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinto, Anna; De Santis, Marta; Moretti, Carlo; Farina, Luca; Ravarotto, Licia

2017-08-01

The present study had a dual purpose: to obtain a comprehensive picture of the Italian medical practitioners' opinions, professional experiences, training needs and knowledge of Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI); and to provide a detailed description of the medical practitioners who are characterized by a strongly positive attitude towards AAI. An online survey addressed to Italian medical practitioners was carried out using a 35-items structured questionnaire. Data obtained from the survey were analysed through appropriate summary statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression analysis. 670 medical practitioners participated in the online survey. Among them, 508 stated that they knew of AAI. 93.7% of these described themselves fully favourable towards the use of the human-animal relationship for therapeutic purposes, 84.4% defined themselves as confident and interested in studying the theme. A positive attitude towards AAI was greater in females, in people between 45 and 54 years old, in those who are pet owners and in those who believe that conferences are the most suitable tool to share information on AAI. The chance of having a positive attitude towards AAI is higher in respondents with specific characteristics. Data collected could be used as a starting point to promote and implement communication and training activities on AAI addressed to medical practitioners. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A WIDER ROLE FOR TECHNICIANS IN SCIENCE PRACTICAL WORK WITH SCHOOL STUDENTS?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy G. Harrison

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This paper reports the results of a study made on the impact of improved deployment of science technicians in the classroom could directly benefit students in practical science investigations. Science technicians are skilled individuals whose understanding of practical work is a valuable resource not being used of in support of students understanding of science. Aspects of practical work and technician support were scrutinised, through information attained from a post-16 student survey to improve understanding about this teaching tool, to establish if it was being used to its full potential within science lessons. Analysis was also made of students’ perceptions of school science. The main outcomes were that the majority of students enjoyed science practical work and felt that science could not be taught without it. Students studying science at pre-university level attained a greater understanding, through participating in relevant practical work, than students who had studied it at earlier, compulsory levels. Students reported that science technicians provide impact on student learning when contact time was the greatest.

Pulmonary Foreign Body Granulomatosis in Dental Technician.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Sung Jun; Koo, Gun Woo; Park, Dong Won; Kwak, Hyun Jung; Yhi, Ji Young; Moon, Ji-Yong; Kim, Sang-Heon; Sohn, Jang Won; Yoon, Ho Joo; Shin, Dong Ho; Park, Sung Soo; Pyo, Ju Yeon; Oh, Young-Ha; Kim, Tae-Hyung

2015-10-01

Occupational lung diseases are caused by several toxic substances including heavy metals; however, the exact pathologic mechanisms remain unknown. In the workplace, dental technicians are often exposed to heavy metals such as cobalt, nickel, or beryllium and occasionally develop occupational lung diseases. We described a case of occupational lung disease in a patient who was employed as a dental technician for over a decade. A 31-year-old, non-smoking woman presented with productive cough and shortness of breath of several weeks duration. Chest computed tomography revealed a large number of scattered, bilateral small pulmonary nodules throughout the lung field, and multiple mediastinal lymph nodes enlargement. Percutaneous needle biopsy showed multifocal small granulomas with foreign body type giant cells suggestive of heavy metals inhalation. The patient's condition improved on simple avoidance strategy for several months. This case highlighted the importance of proper workplace safety.

Medication-assisted recovery from opioid addiction: historical and contemporary perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

White, William L

2012-01-01

Recovery is being used as a conceptual fulcrum for the redesign of addiction treatment and related support services in the United States. Efforts by policy, research, and clinical leaders to define recovery and calls for assertive models of long-term recovery management raise critical questions about how transformation efforts of recovery-focused systems will affect the pharmacotherapeutic treatment of opioid addiction and the status of patients participating in such treatment. This article highlights recent work advocating a recovery-oriented approach to medication-assisted treatment.

Successful Nicotine Intake in Medical Assisted Use of E-Cigarettes: A Pilot Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberta Pacifici

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The electronic cigarette (e-cig has gained popularity as an aid in smoking cessation programs mainly because it maintains the gestures and rituals of tobacco smoking. However, it has been shown in inexperienced e-cig users that ineffective nicotine delivery can cause tobacco craving that could be responsible for unsuccessful smoking reduction/cessation. Moreover, the incorrect use of an e-cig could also led to potential nicotine overdosage and intoxication. Medically assisted training on the proper use of an e-cig plus behavioral support for tobacco dependence could be a pivotal step in avoiding both issues. We performed an eight-month pilot study of adult smokers who started e-cig use after receiving a multi-component medically assisted training program with monitoring of nicotine intake as a biomarker of correct e-cig use. Participants were tested during follow-up for breath carbon monoxide (CO, plasma cotinine and trans-3’-hydroxycotinine, and number of tobacco cigarettes smoked. At the end of the first, fourth, and eighth month of follow-up, 91.1, 73.5, and 76.5% of participants respectively were e-cig users (‘only e-cig’ and ‘dual users’. They showed no significant variation in plasma cotinine and trans-3’-hydroxycotinine with respect to the start of the study when they smoked only tobacco cigarettes, but a significant reduction in breath CO. The proposed medically assisted training program of e-cig use led to a successful nicotine intake, lack of typical cigarette craving and overdosage symptoms and a significant decrease in the biomarker of cigarette combustion products.

Role of the chemical engineering technician in applied research related to tritium separation from aqueous effluents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nelson, S.D.

1978-01-01

Applied research and development activities related to the removal of tritium from aqueous effluent streams have presented broad opportunities to the chemical engineering technician for professional growth. Technician job activities involve operating complex analytical instrumentation and constructing, maintaining, and operating experimental electrolysis apparatus. The technician is a member of a professional team including scientific, engineering, and other technical personnel and as such is expected to exercise creative thought. Proximity of a large university and availability of formalized ''in house'' training courses provide incentives for technicians to broaden their academic base concurrent with their work involvement

So You Want to Train Solar Technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Ensign, M. Dale; Richins, Michael Paul

1978-01-01

Considers the role of solar energy in meeting the nation's energy requirements and the future needs for solar technicians and mechanics. Discusses the precautions community colleges must take in training these workers, to ensure that the demand be met without flooding the job market. (MB)

Men Who Have Sex With Men in Peru: Acceptability of Medication-Assisted Therapy for Treating Alcohol Use Disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Shan-Estelle; Vagenas, Panagiotis; Konda, Kelika A; Clark, Jesse L; Lama, Javier R; Gonzales, Pedro; Sanchez, Jorge; Duerr, Ann C; Altice, Frederick L

2017-07-01

In Peru, the HIV epidemic is concentrated in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). Multiple studies correlate alcohol use disorders (AUDs) with risky sexual behaviors among Peruvian MSM. Qualitative research was used to inform a clinical trial on the acceptability of medication-assisted therapies to assist management of AUDs and improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among MSM/TGW in Peru. Three focus groups involving HIV-infected or HIV-uninfected MSM/TGW ( n = 26) with AUDs (AUDIT ≥ 8) were transcribed, translated from Spanish into English, and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Despite having an AUD, participants considered themselves "social" drinkers, minimized their drinking behaviors, and differed about whether or not alcohol problems could be treated. Participants expressed skepticism about medication for treating AUDs. Three concepts emerged as necessary components of a treatment program for alcohol problems: cost, family support, and the potential to drink less alcohol without attaining total abstinence. This study reveals important areas of education to increase potential acceptability of a medication for treating AUDs among MSM/TGW. Given the social conditions and knowledge base of the participants, medication-assisted therapies using naltrexone may be a beneficial strategy for MSM with AUDs.

A Novel Approach to Medical Student Peer-assisted Learning Through Case-based Simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Jauregui, Joshua; Bright, Steven; Strote, Jared; Shandro, Jamie

2018-01-01

Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is the development of new knowledge and skills through active learning support from peers. Benefits of PAL include introduction of teaching skills for students, creation of a safe learning environment, and efficient use of faculty time. We present a novel approach to PAL in an emergency medicine (EM) clerkship curriculum using an inexpensive, tablet-based app for students to cooperatively present and perform low-fidelity, case-based simulations that promotes accountability for student learning, fosters teaching skills, and economizes faculty presence. We developed five clinical cases in the style of EM oral boards. Fourth-year medical students were each assigned a unique case one week in advance. Students also received an instructional document and a video example detailing how to lead a case. During the 90-minute session, students were placed in small groups of 3-5 students and rotated between facilitating their assigned cases and participating as a team for the cases presented by their fellow students. Cases were supplemented with a half-mannequin that can be intubated, airway supplies, and a tablet-based app (SimMon, $22.99) to remotely display and update vital signs. One faculty member rotated among groups to provide additional assistance and clarification. Three EM faculty members iteratively developed a survey, based on the literature and pilot tested it with fourth-year medical students, to evaluate the course. 135 medical students completed the course and course evaluation survey. Learner satisfaction was high with an overall score of 4.6 on a 5-point Likert scale. In written comments, students reported that small groups with minimal faculty involvement provided a safe learning environment and a unique opportunity to lead a group of peers. They felt that PAL was more effective than traditional simulations for learning. Faculty reported that students remained engaged and required minimal oversight. Unlike other simulations, our

Attitudes toward euthanasia, assisted suicide and termination of life-sustaining treatment of Puerto Rican medical students, medical residents, and faculty.

Science.gov (United States)

Ramirez Rivera, J; Rodríguez, R; Otero Igaravidez, Y

2000-01-01

To elicit the opinion of Puerto Rican medical students, residents and internal medicine faculty as to the appropriateness of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide and end-of-life management. Survey using a 16-item questionnaire answered within a two-month period in the fall of 1996. Rounds or faculty meetings at teaching hospitals located in the north, south and southwest of the island of Puerto Rico. There were 424 participants. The questionnaires of 279 medical students, 75 medical residents, and 35 internal medicine faculty members were analyzed. Thirty-five questionnaires, which were incomplete or answered by non-Puerto Rican participants, were excluded. Frequency of support of active euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide, withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment with informed consent was determined. Whether it was ethical to prescribe full doses of drugs needed to alleviate pain even if it would hasten death, or agree to limit or restrict resources for the terminally ill was also determined. Forty per cent of the students, 33% of the residents, and 20% of the faculty supported euthanasia. If physician-assisted suicide were legalized, 50 per cent of the students, 43 per cent of the residents and 45 percent of the faculty would not be opposed to it. Sixty-eight per cent of the students, 67 per cent of the residents and 88 per cent of the faculty would support withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment for dying patients with informed consent. Seventy-nine per cent of residents, 80 per cent of the faculty but only 54 per cent of medical students would prescribe full doses of drugs needed to alleviate pain in dying patients even if they would hasten death. Thirty-six per cent of the residents and faculty would agree to limit the use of medical resources for the terminally ill but only sixteen per cent of medical students would do so. The acceptance of euthanasia was inversely proportional to the clinical experience of the respondents: 40

Clinical Assistant Diagnosis for Electronic Medical Record Based on Convolutional Neural Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Zhongliang; Huang, Yongfeng; Jiang, Yiran; Sun, Yuxi; Zhang, Yu-Jin; Luo, Pengcheng

2018-04-20

Automatically extracting useful information from electronic medical records along with conducting disease diagnoses is a promising task for both clinical decision support(CDS) and neural language processing(NLP). Most of the existing systems are based on artificially constructed knowledge bases, and then auxiliary diagnosis is done by rule matching. In this study, we present a clinical intelligent decision approach based on Convolutional Neural Networks(CNN), which can automatically extract high-level semantic information of electronic medical records and then perform automatic diagnosis without artificial construction of rules or knowledge bases. We use collected 18,590 copies of the real-world clinical electronic medical records to train and test the proposed model. Experimental results show that the proposed model can achieve 98.67% accuracy and 96.02% recall, which strongly supports that using convolutional neural network to automatically learn high-level semantic features of electronic medical records and then conduct assist diagnosis is feasible and effective.

Accuracy of densitometric vertebral fracture assessment when performed by DXA technicians-a cross-sectional, multiobserver study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rud, B; Vestergaard, A; Hyldstrup, L

2016-01-01

Six dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technicians reviewed lateral images of the spine for deformed vertebrae. The images were acquired with a DXA scanner in 235 patients referred for osteoporosis assessment. The outcome was compared to findings on spinal radiographs assessed by two radiolog......Six dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technicians reviewed lateral images of the spine for deformed vertebrae. The images were acquired with a DXA scanner in 235 patients referred for osteoporosis assessment. The outcome was compared to findings on spinal radiographs assessed by two...... radiologists. Three DXA technicians performed acceptable or better in identifying patients with fractured vertebrae. INTRODUCTION: This is the first study to evaluate the accuracy of vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) when used by DXA technicians as a triage test to select patients with deformed vertebrae...... for spinal radiographs. METHODS: Lateral single-energy scans and radiographs of the thoracolumbar spine (T4-L4) were acquired in 235 patients aged 65 years or more referred for osteoporosis assessment. Six DXA technicians evaluated lateral scans using dedicated software. The DXA technicians were trained...

[EEG technician-nurse collaboration during stereo-electroencephalography].

Science.gov (United States)

Jomard, Caroline; Benghezal, Mouna; Cheramy, Isabelle; De Beaumont, Ségolène

2017-01-01

Drug-resistant epilepsy has significant repercussions on the daily life of children. Surgery may represent a hope. The nurse and the electroencephalogram technician carry out important teamwork during pre-surgical assessment tests and notably the stereo-electroencephalography. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Job Satisfaction among Turkish Business Aviation Technicians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tevfik Uyar

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The most applicable models in safety management put the human factors, employers’ attitudes and behaviors at the center. This study reports an investigation of job satisfaction among business aviation technicians. A demographic information form and Job Satisfaction Survey (JSS were used to collect data from 44 individuals. Data was analyzed using ANOVA and Student’s t-test. Our results show that there is significant difference in total job satisfaction levels with regard to marital status while other personal factors are not related to the total job satisfaction levels. However several sub dimensions of job satisfaction are affected by the workers’ military or civilian origin, their training background, types of companies they work in or their license category. No difference is found in age and position groups. Secondly, study shows that technicians are the most satisfied from the nature of their work, while they are the least satisfied by operational procedures.

40 CFR 745.92 - Fees for the accreditation of renovation and dust sampling technician training and the...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... renovation and dust sampling technician training and the certification of renovation firms. 745.92 Section... Renovation § 745.92 Fees for the accreditation of renovation and dust sampling technician training and the... the following disciplines: Renovator, dust sampling technician. (ii) Exemption. No fee shall be...

ASSESSMENT OF KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE OF COMPUTER ASSISTED LEARNING AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ravish

2015-12-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: It is going truth globally that the medical course in medical college students are developed via computer mediated learning.1 Utilization of both the range upon online messages options must create study exciting, monetization, and likely as hired. We Hypothesized that survey will facilitate to permit us to be able to blueprint some on this necessary condition among my medical students and also to improve our study facilities a lot of automatically. A set of closed ended problems remained displayed on departmental website, to evaluate their computer skills and talents and their own assessment in computer and internet skills helping in learning. In the beginning months of 1st year MBBS college students 2014-15 batch taken up voluntarily to the study through MCQs questions provided to them in the form of departmental website. A batch of 50 college students surveyed on 3 different days. Although 80% students were confident with the operational skills of the computer, the opinion regarding the usage of computers for web based learning activities was not uniform i.e., 55% of the participants felt uncomfortable with web assisted activity in comparison to paper based activity. However, 49% were of the opinion that paper based activity might become redundant and websites will take over books in the future. Expansion on computer-assisted study requires traditional changes as well as thoughtful strategic planning, resource giving, staff benefits, Edutainment promotion by multidisciplinary working, and efficient quality control.

Social-economic profile of asthmatic patients assisted at a Nucleus of Integrated Medical Assistance - doi:10.5020/18061230.2008.p180

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anisia Torquilho Praxedes

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the social-economic profile of asthmatic patients who use the health services rendered by the Nucleus of Integrated Medical Assistance (NAMI, in Fortaleza- Ce. Methods: This descriptive, retrospective and cross-sectional study, of a quantitative approach, had a sample comprised by 40 asthmatic patients assisted at NAMI during the period of April to May, 2006. The data collection was accomplished by means of a standard semi-structured interview, with open and closed questions. Results: The age range between 0 to 5 years old represented the greater percentage of patients, thus obtaining 60.0% of the answered questionnaires. According to social-economic conditions, 55.0% were illiterate or were learning to read, 75.0% were using some drug prescribed at NAMI, 72.5% fully ignored the disease, 52.5% recognized the factors that triggered the asthmatic crisis and 55.0% said having often crisis. Seventy per cent (70.0% of the interviewed showed some difficulty related to the use of the drugs; 47.5% referred having different problems related to the access to the medications. Conclusion: By the analysis of the determined social-economic profile of asthmatics patients assisted at NAMI, it is concluded that great part of them are people with little instruction, due to the social exclusion in which they are found; being the majority of them children of female gender. NCT00722657

Radiological Control Technician: Phase 2, Core/site practical training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-10-01

This volume provides a description of the guidelines, qualification in radiological instrumentation, qualification in radiological protection, and qualification in emergency preparedness for radiological control technicians

Implementation of personalized music listening for assisted living residents with dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Kelly; Liu, Winston W; Goltz, Daniel; Fixsen, Emma; Kirchner, Stephen; Hu, Janice; White, Heidi

2018-05-03

Personalized music listening (PML) has been touted as a safe and inexpensive means of improving the quality of life, mood, and behavior of persons with dementia. A PML program was implemented in an assisted living facility and evaluated across the five dimensions of the RE-AIM framework: reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. The first 17 residents invited to participate were enrolled and followed over eight months. Effectiveness was evident in staff-reported mood improvement in 62% of encounters. Adoption was evident in qualitative feedback collected from medication technicians. Implementation was facilitated by low costs, engagement of external volunteers, highlighting outcomes that are relevant to staff, and attention to playlists over time. Maintenance required continued engagement of volunteers, ongoing fundraising, attention to facility staff engagement, and iterative adjustments to the program framework as staffing changes occurred. PML was found to be a meaningful intervention that is possible at a reasonable cost. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Supply chain optimization at an academic medical center.

Science.gov (United States)

Labuhn, Jonathan; Almeter, Philip; McLaughlin, Christopher; Fields, Philip; Turner, Benjamin

2017-08-01

A successful supply chain optimization project that leveraged technology, engineering principles, and a technician workflow redesign in the setting of a growing health system is described. With continued rises in medication costs, medication inventory management is increasingly important. Proper management of central pharmacy inventory and floor-stock inventory in automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) can be challenging. In an effort to improve control of inventory costs in the central pharmacy of a large academic medical center, the pharmacy department implemented a supply chain optimization project in collaboration with the medical center's inhouse team of experts on process improvement and industrial engineering. The project had 2 main components: (1) upgrading and reconfiguring carousel technology within an expanded central pharmacy footprint to generate accurate floor-stock inventory replenishment reports, which resulted in efficiencies within the medication-use system, and (2) implementing a technician workflow redesign and algorithm to right-size the ADC inventory, which decreased inventory stockouts (i.e., incidents of depletion of medication stock) and improved ADC user satisfaction. Through a multifaceted approach to inventory management, the number of stockouts per month was decreased and ADC inventory was optimized, resulting in a one-time inventory cost savings of $220,500. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of occupational exposure of X-Ray on hematological parameters of diagnostic technicians

Science.gov (United States)

Taqi, Ali H.; Faraj, Kharman A.; Zaynal, Sarah A.; Hameed, Ahmed M.; Mahmood, Abd-Alkader A.

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to identify the effects of long term exposure of X-ray on diagnostic technicians which they work at Kirkuk hospitals through examining some hematological parameters which are white blood cells (WBC), Neutrophils, Lymphocyte, Monocyte, Eosinophil, Basophil, Reactive Lymphocyte, red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (HCT), Mean Cell Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), Mean Cell Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW), Platelet (PLT). The study included 54 male diagnostic technicians and 54 male healthy controls match with the first group to show any alteration of the hematological parameters. The diagnostic technicians divided into two groups depending on their work experience and hours working per day. The statistical analysis was performed using (Graph-pad) program. Our results showed that the Complete blood cells count (CBC) parameters (Neutrophil, Monocytes, Basophile, MCV, RDW and PLT) significantly (Pgroups of the diagnostic technicians compared with their controls. We concluded that chronic exposure of X-ray can significantly alter some hematological parameters and the number of hours working per day has observable effects on the some hematological parameters. We recommended training and courses about hazard of ionizing radiation should be organized for enhance the healthcare quality of the technicians and to improve their knowledge about benefit of radiation protection tools to protect themselves from any overexposure during the daily life.

78 FR 32991 - Medicaid Program; Increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage Changes Under the Affordable...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-03

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 42 CFR Part 433 [CMS-2327-CN] RIN 0938-AR38 Medicaid Program; Increased Federal Medical Assistance Percentage Changes Under the Affordable Care Act of 2010; Correction AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS...

Preparing technicians for engineering materials technology

Science.gov (United States)

Jacobs, James A.; Metzloff, Carlton H.

1990-01-01

A long held principle is that for every engineer and scientist there is a need for ten technicians to maximize the efficiency of the technology team for meeting needs of industry and government. Developing an adequate supply of technicians to meet the requirements of the materials related industry will be a challenge and difficult to accomplish. A variety of agencies feel the need and wish to support development of engineering materials technology programs. In a joint effort among Battelle Laboratories, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Northwest College and University Association for Science (NORCUS), the development of an engineering materials technology program for vocational programs and community colleges for the Pacific Northwest Region was recently completed. This effort has implications for a national model. The model Associate of Applied Science degree in Engineering Materials Technology shown provides a general structure. It purposely has course titles which need delimiting while also including a core of courses necessary to develop cognitive, affective and psychomotor skills with the underlining principles of math, science and technology so students have job entry skills, and so that students can learn about and adapt to evolving technology.

Work group design in pharmacy: the pharmacist-technician team.

Science.gov (United States)

Kershaw, B P; Solomon, D K; Zarowitz, B J

1987-05-01

The contemporary pharmacy practice manager faces the challenge of designing pharmacy service programs that not only satisfy the needs of the patient, but at the same time satisfy and motivate the pharmacists and technicians who sustain the programs. This research examined the team design, which has been recommended but not fully described in the literature. This application did not explore the full potential of the team design in the hospital pharmacy setting. More study is needed in this area to assess the impact of work group design on the expansion of clinical programs, employee turnover rates, quality and quantity of work produced, and, most important, the impact on job satisfaction enjoyed by pharmacists and technicians.

Assisted Living Facilities, Locations of Assisted Living Facilities identifed visually and placed on the Medical Multi-Hazard Mitigation layer., Published in 2006, 1:1200 (1in=100ft) scale, Noble County Government.

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC Local Govt | GIS Inventory — Assisted Living Facilities dataset current as of 2006. Locations of Assisted Living Facilities identifed visually and placed on the Medical Multi-Hazard Mitigation...

Brakes, brake control and driver assistance systems function, regulation and components

CERN Document Server

2014-01-01

Braking systems have been continuously developed and improved throughout the last years. Major milestones were the introduction of antilock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability program. This reference book provides a detailed description of braking components and how they interact in electronic braking systems. Contents Motor vehicle safety.- Basic principles of vehicle dynamics.- Car braking systems.- Car braking-system components.- Wheel brakes.- Antilock breaking systems.- Traction control system.- Electronic stability program.- Automatic brake functions.- Hydraulic modulator.- Sensors for brake control.- Sensotronic brake control.- Active steering.- Occupant protection systems.- Driver assistance systems.- Adaptive cruise control.- Parking systems.- Instrumentation.- Orientation methods.- Navigation systems.- Workshop technology. The target groups Motor-vehicle technicians in education and vocational training Master-mechanics and technicians in garage-workshops Teachers and lecturers in vocation...

Practical digital electronics for technicians

CERN Document Server

Kimber, Will

2013-01-01

Practical Digital Electronics for Technicians covers topics on analog and digital signals, logic gates, combinational logic, and Karnaugh mapping. The book discusses the characteristics and types of logic families; sequential systems including latch, bistable circuits, counters and shift registers; Schmitt triggers and multivibrators; and MSI combinational logic systems. Display devices, including LED, LCD and dot matrix display; analog and digital conversion; and examples of and equipment for digital fault finding are also considered. The book concludes by providing answers to the questions

Defining the Role of the Pharmacy Technician and Identifying Their Future Role in Medicines Optimisation

Science.gov (United States)

Boughen, Melanie; Sutton, Jane; Fenn, Tess

2017-01-01

Background: Traditionally, pharmacy technicians have worked alongside pharmacists in community and hospital pharmacy. Changes within pharmacy provide opportunity for role expansion and with no apparent career pathway, there is a need to define the current pharmacy technician role and role in medicines optimisation. Aim: To capture the current roles of pharmacy technicians and identify how their future role will contribute to medicines optimisation. Methods: Following ethical approval and piloting, an online survey to ascertain pharmacy technicians’ views about their roles was undertaken. Recruitment took place in collaboration with the Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK. Data were exported to SPSS, data screened and descriptive statistics produced. Free text responses were analysed and tasks collated into categories reflecting the type of work involved in each task. Results: Responses received were 393 (28%, n = 1380). Results were organised into five groups: i.e., hospital, community, primary care, General Practitioner (GP) practice and other (which included HM Prison Service). Thirty tasks were reported as commonly undertaken in three or more settings and 206 (84.7%, n = 243) pharmacy technicians reported they would like to expand their role. Conclusions: Tasks core to hospital and community pharmacy should be considered for inclusion to initial education standards to reflect current practice. Post qualification, pharmacy technicians indicate a significant desire to expand clinically and managerially allowing pharmacists more time in patient-facing/clinical roles. PMID:28970452

Oral health technicians in Brazilian primary health care: potentials and constraints.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguiar, Dulce Maria Lucena de; Tomita, Nilce Emy; Machado, Maria de Fátima Antero Sousa; Martins, Cleide Lavieri; Frazão, Paulo

2014-07-01

Different perspectives on the role of mid-level workers in health care might represent a constraint to health policies. This study aimed to investigate how different agents view the participation of oral health technicians in direct activities of oral healthcare with the goal of understanding the related symbolic dispositions. Theoretical assumptions related to inter-professional collaboration and conflicts in the field of healthcare were used for this analysis. A researcher conducted 24 in-depth interviews with general dental practitioners, oral health technicians and local managers. The concepts of Pierre Bourdieu supported the data interpretation. The results indicated inter-professional relations marked by collaboration and conflict that reflect an action space related to different perspectives of primary care delivery. They also unveiled the symbolic devices related to the participation of oral health technicians that represent a constraint to the implementation of oral health policy, thus reducing the potential of primary health care in Brazil.

The nuclear industry is looking for its technicians; Le nucleaire cherche ses techniciens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dumas, A

2010-03-15

With massive retirements planned up to 2015, the French nuclear industry wishes to recruit technicians for the operation and maintenance of its power plants. The French nuclear park represents 19 power plants with 58 reactors. The nuclear industry personnel represents 19000 people at EdF and about 20000 people from about 600 different service provider companies. Technician's salary ranges from 1500 to 2800 euros for experienced people, bonus not included. Before being operational, the French nuclear technicians have to follow a long training period in one of the 20 specialized and certified training centres. However, the training demand is so important that the industry suffers from a lack of instructors as well. (J.S.)

Smith Assists in Superstorm Sandy Relief Efforts | Poster

Science.gov (United States)

By Cathy McClintock, Guest Writer It should have been routine by now for a 30-year volunteer firefighter/ emergency medical technician from Thurmont, Md., but it wasn’t. That first night, as Ross Smith, IT security, looked across the Hudson River from Jersey City, N.J., he saw an unusually dark New York skyline.

Computer-Assisted, Programmed Text, and Lecture Modes of Instruction in Three Medical Training Courses: Comparative Evaluation. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Deignan, Gerard M.; And Others

This report contains a comparative analysis of the differential effectiveness of computer-assisted instruction (CAI), programmed instructional text (PIT), and lecture methods of instruction in three medical courses--Medical Laboratory, Radiology, and Dental. The summative evaluation includes (1) multiple regression analyses conducted to predict…

Medical guidelines for the patient: introducing the life assistance protocols.

Science.gov (United States)

Domínguez, David; Fernández, Carlos; Meneu, Teresa; Mocholí, Juan Bautista; Serafin, Riccardo

2008-01-01

This paper introduces our preliminary results in the modeling of Life Assistance Protocols, a new vision of medical guidelines and protocols through the lenses of p-Health. In this context the patient's role in the process is emphasized, the actions to be performed less defined and not only clinical situations considered, but also healthier lifestyle promotion processes accounted for, where the person's preferences and motivations play a key role. We propose a complete framework, balancing on classical clinical guideline models and covering both the theoretical and the practical aspects of the problem, describing it from conceptualization to the execution environment.

Does pneumoconiosis of dental technician cause to calcific pleural lesions? (Case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdurrahman ŞENYİĞİT

2009-03-01

Full Text Available The articles about various pneumoconiosis in dental technicians who work in inconvenient conditions have been increasing in recent years. Exposure to dust and fume that occur during the dental procedure may play role in pneumoconiosis of dental technicians.A 53 years old male patient conveyed that he has worked in dental prosthesis procedures for 22 years (1968-1990.Environmental asbestosis was not established in the history of the case but there were calcified pleural plaques in the chest x-ray graphy.There were appearance of calcific asbest plaques in many section of thorax CT.A case of pneumoconiosis in dental technician who work in unadequate preventive conditions was reported in this paper. Probably ,exposure to the asbest fibers that occurs during the procedure of dental prosthesis were the main reason for developing calcific pleural lesions.

Flow Cytometry Technician | Center for Cancer Research

Science.gov (United States)

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The Basic Science Program (BSP) pursues independent, multidisciplinary research in basic and applied molecular biology, immunology, retrovirology, cancer biology, and human genetics. Research efforts and support are an integral part of the Center for Cancer Research (CCR) at the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR). KEY ROLES/RESPONSIBILITIES The Flow Cytometry Core (Flow Core) of the Cancer and Inflammation Program (CIP) is a service core which supports the research efforts of the CCR by providing expertise in the field of flow cytometry (using analyzers and sorters) with the goal of gaining a more thorough understanding of the biology of cancer and cancer cells. The Flow Core provides service to 12-15 CIP laboratories and more than 22 non-CIP laboratories. Flow core staff provide technical advice on the experimental design of applications, which include immunological phenotyping, cell function assays, and cell cycle analysis. Work is performed per customer requirements, and no independent research is involved. The Flow Cytometry Technician will be responsible for: Monitor performance of and maintain high dimensional flow cytometer analyzers and cell sorters Operate high dimensional flow cytometer analyzers and cell sorters Monitoring lab supply levels and order lab supplies, perform various record keeping responsibilities Assist in the training of scientific end users on the use of flow cytometry in their research, as well as how to operate and troubleshoot the bench-top analyzer instruments Experience with sterile technique and tissue culture

How psychosocial factors affect well-being of practice assistants at work in general medical care?--a questionnaire survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Goetz, Katja; Berger, Sarah; Gavartina, Amina; Zaroti, Stavria; Szecsenyi, Joachim

2015-11-11

Well-being at work is an important aspect of a workforce strategy. The aim of the study was to explore and evaluate psychosocial factors and health and work-related outcomes of practices assistants depending on their employment status in general medical practices. This observational study was based on a questionnaire survey to evaluate psychosocial aspects at work in general medical practices. A standardized questionnaire was used, the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). Beside descriptive analyses linear regression analyses were performed for each health and work-related outcome scale of the COPSOQ. 586 practice assistants out of 794 respondents (73.8 %) from 234 general medical practices completed the questionnaire. Practice assistants reported the highest scores for the psychosocial factor 'sense of community' (mean = 85.9) and the lower score for 'influence at work' (mean = 41.2). Moreover, practice assistants who worked part-time rated their psychosocial factors at work and health-related outcomes more positively than full-time employees. Furthermore, the two scales of health related outcomes 'burnout' and 'job satisfaction' showed strong associations between different psychosocial factors and socio-demographic variables. Psychosocial factors at work influence well-being at work and could be strong risk factors for poor health and work-related outcomes. Effective management of these issues could have an impact on the retention and recruitment of health care staff.

Fulbright project focuses on rehabilitation technician education and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rehabilitation technician education and physiotherapy practice 272. Fulbright project focuses on ... particularly those qualified to mentor and teach entry-level learners, there are ... to reinforce classroom didactic knowledge as ongoing learning .... utilization of limited resources, and development of linkages with professional ...

Task Analysis and Job Descriptions for Robotics/Automated Systems Technicians. Final Report. Volume 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Hull, Daniel M.; Lovett, James E.

The Robotics/Automated Systems Technician (RAST) project developed a robotics technician model curriculum for the use of state directors of vocational education and two-year college vocational/technical educators. A baseline management plan was developed to guide the project. To provide awareness, project staff developed a dissemination plan…

IAEA Technical Co-operation activities: Asia and the Pacific. Workshop on training nuclear laboratory technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roeed, S.S.

1976-01-01

The workshop was held to exchange information on existing facilities and programmes in Asia and the Pacific for training nuclear laboratory technicians, to identify future training needs and to assess the need for IAEA's involvement in this field. As the participants outlined the requirements for nuclear laboratory technician training and the facilities available in their respective countries, it became evident that, in addition to the training of radioisotope laboratory technicians, they also wished to review the need for technician training for the operation of nuclear power plants and industrial application of atomic energy. The terms of reference of the workshop were extended accordingly. The opening address by Chang Suk Lee, the Korean Vice Minister of Science and Technology, noted the valuable contribution to quality control and other industrial uses that nuclear techniques have made in his country. He also reviewed the application of nuclear techniques in Korean agriculture and medicine. The participants explored various forms of co-operation that could be established between countries of the region. Exchange programmes, not only for students but also for expert teachers, and the exchange or loan of equipment were suggested. It was felt that some generalized training courses could be organized on a regional basis, and two countries advocated the setting up of a regional training centre. One suggestion was to arrange regional training courses in special fields that would move from one country to another. The need was felt for periodic regional meetings on training methods, course content and other questions relating to training of laboratory technicians. The IAEA was requested to act as a clearinghouse for information on available training facilities in the region and to advise on the curricula for technician training courses. The Agency was also asked to organize short courses for the training of instructors of technicians in the various fields of atomic

What the IOM Report on Graduate Medical Education Means for Physician Assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Cawley, James F

2015-06-01

Graduate medical education (GME) is funded by taxpayers through Medicare subsidies that pay for physician residency training, primarily to teaching hospitals. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently conducted a study of US GME and issued a series of recommendations for future policy reform. This commentary examines the major elements of proposed reforms for GME and offers analysis of those that may pertain specifically to physician assistant education now and in the future.

[Euthanasia and/or medically assisted suicide: Reflection on the new responsibility of the hospital pharmacist].

Science.gov (United States)

Boissinot, L; Benamou, M; Léglise, P; Mancret, R-C; Huchon-Bécel, D

2014-03-01

Concern about euthanasia and medically assisted suicide is currently growing around the world and particularly in France. Though not authorized at present in France, the role of hospital pharmacist in this issue needs to be discussed. This article aims to gather medical and legal literature of European Union member states on these issues and particularly in France. To propose a practical thinking on the possible role of hospital pharmacist. Among European Union, euthanasia and/or assisted suicide have already been introduced in some member states' laws. In France, Leonetti law currently sets the legal framework for the management of end of life. To address the society's demand on these issues, French President F. Hollande made two ethics committees responsible for working on it. Both were mainly against euthanasia and assisted suicide. Though a bit forgotten in this debate, hospital pharmacist needs to be associated in the thinking, as the main "drug-keeper". Indeed, guidelines are necessary to outline and ensure a safe drug use, complying with professional ethics, if lethal doses are voluntarily prescribed. Pharmaceutical work is in constant evolution and is addressing new issues still unanswered, including assisted suicide and euthanasia. French pharmaceutical authorities should seize upon them, in order to guarantee pharmaceutical ethics. These practices, if authorized by law, should remain exceptional, and law strictly enforced. The pharmacist could be one of these "lawkeepers". Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Scheduling technicians and tasks in a telecommunications company

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cordeau, J. F.; Laporte, G.; Pasin, F.

2010-01-01

This paper proposes a construction heuristic and an adaptive large neighborhood search heuristic for the technician and task scheduling problem arising in a large telecommunications company. This problem was solved within the framework of the 2007 challenge set up by the French Operational Research...

Access to continued professional education among health workers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results: Fifty-seven healthcare workers participated of whom 47 (82.5%) were nurses, 8 (14.0%) were either medical assistants or clinical officers, and one laboratory technician and a dental therapist. At the time of the study, 50(87.7%) were prescribers and 54 (94.7%) had ever issued a prescription for medications.

Developing and Evaluating Medical Humanities Problem-Based Learning Classes Facilitated by the Teaching Assistants Majored in the Liberal Arts

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Fen-Yu; Shieh, Jeng-Yi; Kao, Tze-Wah; Wu, Chau-Chung; Chu, Tzong-Shinn; Chen, Yen-Yuan

2016-01-01

Abstract Although medical humanities courses taught by teachers from nonmedical backgrounds are not unusual now, few studies have compared the outcome of medical humanities courses facilitated by physicians to that by teaching assistants majored in the liberal arts. The objectives of this study were to (1) analyze the satisfaction of medical students with medical humanities problem-based learning (PBL) classes facilitated by nonmedical teaching assistants (TAF) majored in the liberal arts, and those facilitated by the attending physicians (APF) and (2) examine the satisfaction of medical students with clinical medicine-related and clinical medicine-unrelated medical humanities PBL classes. A total of 123 medical students, randomly assigned to 16 groups, participated in this study. There were 16 classes in the course: 8 of them were TAF classes; and the others were APF classes. Each week, each group rotated from 1 subject of the 16 subjects of PBL to another subject. All of the 16 groups went through all the 16 subjects in the 2013 spring semester. We examined the medical students’ satisfaction with each class, based on a rating score collected after each class was completed, using a scale from 0 (the lowest satisfaction) to 100 (the highest satisfaction). We also conducted multivariate linear regression analysis to examine the association between the independent variables and the students’ satisfaction. Medical students were more satisfied with the TAF (91.35 ± 7.75) medical humanities PBL classes than APF (90.40 ± 8.42) medical humanities PBL classes (P = 0.01). Moreover, medical students were more satisfied with the clinical medicine-unrelated topics (92.00 ± 7.10) than the clinical medicine-related topics (90.36 ± 7.99) in the medical humanities PBL course (P = 0.01). This medical humanities PBL course, including nonmedical subjects and topics, and nonmedical teaching assistants from the liberal arts as class facilitators, was

Radiological Control Technician: Phase 1, Site academic training lesson plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-10-01

This volume provides lesson plans for training radiological control technicians. Covered here is basic radiological documentation, counting errors, dosimetry, environmental monitoring, and radiation instruments

Technical quality assurance in conventional radiography by X-ray assistants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juran, R.; Buehler, G.; Schmidt, D.

1989-01-01

Without the X-ray assistant, regularly involved in everyday practice, technical quality assurance can hardly be accomplished. Therefore a model for the organization of quality assurance was developed and tested in practice. It implies accountable technical checks by the technician, that are controlled by a quality supervisor, and are subsequently evaluated by the radiation physics department. This positively influences quality consciousness of the radiographers and therefore the quality itself. (author)

Highlights from the Electricity Sector Council's powerline technician project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2009-05-15

The Electricity Sector Council completed a situational analysis of the powerline technician trade in Canada in April 2008. The purpose of the study was to provide industry partners with the opportunity to provide input into the development of the powerline trade; to assess the current workforce; to examine training and working conditions based on in-depth focus group interviews; and to demonstrate regional and provincial differences in apprenticeship development. This report presented highlights from the Electricity Sector Council's powerline technician project. Specifically, the report discussed the number of powerline apprentices entering the trade; regional differences in the powerline trade; and emerging practices for recruitment, retention, and training. Recommendations were also offered in order to address the challenges faced by the powerline trade. It was concluded that the best ways to recruit candidates in the powerline technician trade are to invest in a word-of mouth campaign, such as a coaching program; encourage early introduction to the trades through job sampling; offer financial incentives; and invest in outreach programs. 4 figs.

Technicians dismantle the inner section of L3

CERN Multimedia

Laurent Guiraud

2001-01-01

The technicians are dismantling the forward tracking chamber located at the heart of the L3 detector. This formed part of the hadronic calorimeter, which is used for measuring particle energies. L3 was an experiment at the LEP collider that ran from 1989 to 2000.

Medical students-as-teachers: a systematic review of peer-assisted teaching during medical school

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Tzu-Chieh; Wilson, Nichola C; Singh, Primal P; Lemanu, Daniel P; Hawken, Susan J; Hill, Andrew G

2011-01-01

Introduction International interest in peer-teaching and peer-assisted learning (PAL) during undergraduate medical programs has grown in recent years, reflected both in literature and in practice. There, remains however, a distinct lack of objective clarity and consensus on the true effectiveness of peer-teaching and its short- and long-term impacts on learning outcomes and clinical practice. Objective To summarize and critically appraise evidence presented on peer-teaching effectiveness and its impact on objective learning outcomes of medical students. Method A literature search was conducted in four electronic databases. Titles and abstracts were screened and selection was based on strict eligibility criteria after examining full-texts. Two reviewers used a standard review and analysis framework to independently extract data from each study. Discrepancies in opinions were resolved by discussion in consultation with other reviewers. Adapted models of “Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Learning” were used to grade the impact size of study outcomes. Results From 127 potential titles, 41 were obtained as full-texts, and 19 selected after close examination and group deliberation. Fifteen studies focused on student-learner outcomes and four on student-teacher learning outcomes. Ten studies utilized randomized allocation and the majority of study participants were self-selected volunteers. Written examinations and observed clinical evaluations were common study outcome assessments. Eleven studies provided student-teachers with formal teacher training. Overall, results suggest that peer-teaching, in highly selective contexts, achieves short-term learner outcomes that are comparable with those produced by faculty-based teaching. Furthermore, peer-teaching has beneficial effects on student-teacher learning outcomes. Conclusions Peer-teaching in undergraduate medical programs is comparable to conventional teaching when utilized in selected contexts. There is evidence to suggest

Improving Public Health Through Access to and Utilization of Medication Assisted Treatment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas F. Kresina

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Providing access to and utilization of medication assisted treatment (MAT for the treatment of opioid abuse and dependence provides an important opportunity to improve public health. Access to health services comprising MAT in the community is fundamental to achieve broad service coverage. The type and placement of the health services comprising MAT and integration with primary medical care including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV prevention, care and treatment services are optimal for addressing both substance abuse and co-occurring infectious diseases. As an HIV prevention intervention, integrated (same medical record for HIV services and MAT services MAT with HIV prevention, care and treatment programs provides the best “one stop shopping” approach for health service utilization. Alternatively, MAT, medical and HIV services can be separately managed but co-located to allow convenient utilization of primary care, MAT and HIV services. A third approach is coordinated care and treatment, where primary care, MAT and HIV services are provided at distinct locations and case managers, peer facilitators, or others promote direct service utilization at the various locations. Developing a continuum of care for patients with opioid dependence throughout the stages MAT enhances the public health and Recovery from opioid dependence. As a stigmatized and medical disenfranchised population with multiple medical, psychological and social needs, people who inject drugs and are opioid dependent have difficulty accessing services and navigating medical systems of coordinated care. MAT programs that offer comprehensive services and medical care options can best contribute to improving the health of these individuals thereby enhancing the health of the community.

Radiation protection during the medical assistance to the victims of the accident in Goiania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silva, L.H.C.; Fajardo, P.W.; Rosa, R.

1989-01-01

Some of the casualities of the radiological accident occured in Goiania (Brazil), consequence of the violation of a Cs-137 source were assisted at Marcillo Dias Naval Hospital. The risks associated to the contact with the patients were radioactive contamination and external exposure. To deal with this problem, a Radiation Protection Group was formed and a Radiation Protection Program was developed and implemented in order to assure that risks would be maintained as low as reasonably achievable. The objective of this paper is to present the acquired experience on the radiation protection support in case of emergency medical assistance in radiological accidents. (author). 1 ref.; 2 tabs

Time to pregnancy among Danish laboratory technicians who were a part of the National Birth Cohort

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhu, Jin Liang; Knudsen, Lisbeth E; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo

2005-01-01

in 1997-2003. Altogether 6250 female teachers formed the reference group. A discrete-time survival analysis with a complementary log-log link was applied to estimate the fecundability ratio between the exposed and unexposed women, with adjustment for maternal age, gravidity, smoking, prepregnancy body......OBJECTIVES: The Danish National Birth Cohort was used to examine whether laboratory work was associated with reduced fecundity. METHODS: Self-reported data on laboratory work and waiting time to pregnancy (0-2, 3-5, 6-12 and > 12 months) were used for 829 female laboratory technicians interviewed...... mass index, and paternal job. RESULTS: No difference in time to pregnancy was found between the laboratory technicians and teachers or between the laboratory technicians with different exposures. The adjusted fecundability ratio for the laboratory technicians was 0.94 [95% confidence interval (95% CI...

Mutant frequency of radiotherapy technicians appears to be associated with recent dose of ionizing radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Messing, K.; Ferraris, J.; Bradley, W.E.; Swartz, J.; Seifert, A.M. (Universite du Quebec a Montreal (Canada))

1989-10-01

The frequency of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) mutants among peripheral T-lymphocytes of radiotherapy technicians primarily exposed to 60Co was measured by the T-cell cloning method. Mutant frequencies of these technicians in 1984 and 1986 were significantly higher than those of physiotherapy technicians who worked in a neighboring service, and correlated significantly with thermoluminescence dosimeter readings recorded during the 6 mo preceding mutant frequency determination. Correlations decreased when related to dose recorded over longer time intervals. HPRT mutant frequency determination in peripheral lymphocytes is a good measure of recently received biologically effective radiation dose in an occupationally exposed population.

Mutant frequency of radiotherapy technicians appears to be associated with recent dose of ionizing radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Messing, K.; Ferraris, J.; Bradley, W.E.; Swartz, J.; Seifert, A.M.

1989-01-01

The frequency of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) mutants among peripheral T-lymphocytes of radiotherapy technicians primarily exposed to 60Co was measured by the T-cell cloning method. Mutant frequencies of these technicians in 1984 and 1986 were significantly higher than those of physiotherapy technicians who worked in a neighboring service, and correlated significantly with thermoluminescence dosimeter readings recorded during the 6 mo preceding mutant frequency determination. Correlations decreased when related to dose recorded over longer time intervals. HPRT mutant frequency determination in peripheral lymphocytes is a good measure of recently received biologically effective radiation dose in an occupationally exposed population

The non-technical skills used by anaesthetic technicians in critical incidents reported to the Australian Incident Monitoring System between 2002 and 2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Rutherford, J S; Flin, R; Irwin, A

2015-07-01

The outcome of critical incidents in the operating theatre has been shown to be influenced by the behaviour of anaesthetic technicians (ATs) assisting anaesthetists, but the specific non-technical skills involved have not been described. We performed a review of critical incidents (n=1433) reported to the Australian Incident Monitoring System between 2002 and 2008 to identify which non-technical skills were used by ATs. The reports were assessed if they mentioned anaesthetic assistance or had the boxes ticked to identify "inadequate assistance" or "absent supervision or assistance". A total of 90 critical incidents involving ATs were retrieved, 69 of which described their use of non-technical skills. In 20 reports, the ATs ameliorated the critical incident, whilst in 46 they exacerbated the critical incident, and three cases had both positive and negative non-technical skills described. Situation awareness was identified in 39 reports, task management in 23, teamwork in 21 and decision-making in two, but there were no descriptions of issues related to leadership, stress or fatigue management. Situation awareness, task management and teamwork appear to be important non-technical skills for ATs in the development or management of critical incidents in the operating theatre. This analysis has been used to support the development of a non-technical skills taxonomy for anaesthetic assistants.

An Integration of Math with Auto Technician Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Valenzuela, Hector

2012-01-01

This article describes the development of the contextualized math, the course design, student teaching and daily interaction with the students, and the implementation aspects of the research project designed to develop contextualized mathematics and integrate it into the Auto Technician courses. The applied math curriculum was integrated into…

20 CFR 1002.306 - Is a National Guard civilian technician considered a State or Federal employee for purposes of...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Is a National Guard civilian technician... a National Guard civilian technician considered a State or Federal employee for purposes of USERRA? A National Guard civilian technician is considered a State employee for USERRA purposes, although he...

Impact of Mobile Dose-Tracking Technology on Medication Distribution at an Academic Medical Center.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelm, Matthew; Campbell, Udobi

2016-05-01

Medication dose-tracking technologies have the potential to improve efficiency and reduce costs associated with re-dispensing doses reported as missing. Data describing this technology and its impact on the medication use process are limited. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of dose-tracking technology on pharmacy workload and drug expense at an academic, acute care medical center. Dose-tracking technology was implemented in June 2014. Pre-implementation data were collected from February to April 2014. Post-implementation data were collected from July to September 2014. The primary endpoint was the percent of re-dispensed oral syringe and compounded sterile product (CSP) doses within the pre- and post-implementation periods per 1,000 discharges. Secondary endpoints included pharmaceutical expense generated from re-dispensing doses, labor costs, and staff satisfaction with the medication distribution process. We observed an average 6% decrease in re-dispensing of oral syringe and CSP doses from pre- to post-implementation (15,440 vs 14,547 doses; p = .047). However, when values were adjusted per 1,000 discharges, this trend did not reach statistical significance (p = .074). Pharmaceutical expense generated from re-dispensing doses was significantly reduced from pre- to post-implementation ($834,830 vs $746,466 [savings of $88,364]; p = .047). We estimated that $2,563 worth of technician labor was avoided in re-dispensing missing doses. We also saw significant improvement in staff perception of technology assisting in reducing missing doses (p = .0003), as well as improvement in effectiveness of resolving or minimizing missing doses (p = .01). The use of mobile dose-tracking technology demonstrated meaningful reductions in both the number of doses re-dispensed and cost of pharmaceuticals dispensed.

A formative evaluation of problem-based learning as an instructional strategy in a medical laboratory technician course

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Diane Patricia

2002-09-01

This study is a formative evaluation of problem-based learning as an effective course delivery strategy in a second year introductory Medical Laboratory Technician discipline-specific hematology course. This strategy can serve two purposes in this type of course: discipline specific content knowledge and process skills learning. A needs study identified that students required additional workplace skills as they entered the clinical internship. Students tested well on the national registry examinations, discipline-specific content knowledge, but group process skills needed improvement in the areas of collaboration, communication, and critical reasoning. Problem-based learning was identified as an change intervention to help provide these skills. A search of the literature revealed that the Baker College cultural and physical environment would support this intervention. Twelve cases were written, situated in a clinical laboratory environment, addressing learning issues identified in a modified Delphi survey of laboratory personnel e.g. fiscal responsibility, turn-around time, invasiveness of laboratory techniques, and holistic view of healthcare environment. A hematology class of 13 students received the intervention. The cases were structured to proceed from instructor-centered (guided) learning issues to learner-centered learning issues. Observations of the in-group collaboration processes were documented, as well as oral presentations and critical reasoning, with students given periodic feedback on these skills. Student surveys provided data about satisfaction, attitude to PBL process, and self-efficacy. Multiple choice discipline-specific content examinations were given and compared with classes from the previous four years. The study found that students receiving the PBL treatment scored as well as or better than students from previous years on traditional multiple choice exams. Recall questions showed positive significance and application/analysis questions

Effect of dental technician disparities on the 3-dimensional accuracy of definitive casts.

Science.gov (United States)

Emir, Faruk; Piskin, Bulent; Sipahi, Cumhur

2017-03-01

Studies that evaluated the effect of dental technician disparities on the accuracy of presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts are lacking. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the accuracy of presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts fabricated by different dental technicians by using a 3-dimensional computer-aided measurement method. An arch-shaped metal master model consisting of 5 abutments resembling prepared mandibular incisors, canines, and first molars and with a 6-degree total angle of convergence was designed and fabricated by computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD-CAM) technology. Complete arch impressions were made (N=110) from the master model, using polyvinyl siloxane (PVS) and delivered to 11 dental technicians. Each technician fabricated 10 definitive casts with dental stone, and the obtained casts were numbered. All casts were sectioned, and removable dies were obtained. The master model and the presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts were digitized with an extraoral scanner, and the virtual master model and virtual presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts were obtained. All definitive casts were compared with the master model by using computer-aided measurements, and the 3-dimensional accuracy of the definitive casts was determined with best fit alignment and represented in color-coded maps. Differences were analyzed using univariate analyses of variance, and the Tukey honest significant differences post hoc tests were used for multiple comparisons (α=.05). The accuracy of presectioned and postsectioned definitive casts was significantly affected by dental technician disparities (Ptechnician differences. Copyright © 2016 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Perceived Relapse Risk and Desire for Medication Assisted Treatment among Persons Seeking Inpatient Opiate Detoxification

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Genie L; Herman, Debra S.; Stein, Michael D.

2016-01-01

Most patients with opioid addiction do not receive medication at the time of discharge from brief inpatient detoxification programs despite the high risk of relapse and the availability of three FDA-approved medications. We surveyed 164 inpatient opioid detoxification patients to assess desire for pharmacotherapy following detoxification program discharge. Participants were predominantly male (71.3%) and 80% had detoxed in the past. Reporting on their most recent previous inpatient detoxification, 27% had relapsed the day they were discharged, 65% within a month of discharge, and 90% within a year of discharge. 63% reported they wanted medication-assisted treatment (MAT) after discharge from the current admission. The odds of desiring a treatment medication increased by a factor of 1.02 for every 1% increase in perceived relapse risk (p detox abstinence. PMID:23786852

Students as Technicians: Screening Newborns for Cystic Fibrosis

Science.gov (United States)

Gusky, Sharon

2014-01-01

In this activity, freshman college students learn biotechnology techniques while playing the role of a laboratory technician. They perform simulations of three diagnostic tests used to screen newborns for cystic fibrosis. By performing an ELISA, a PCR analysis, and a conductivity test, students learn how biotechnology techniques can be used to…

Are further education opportunities for emergency care technicians ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background. A recent review of emergency care education and training in South Africa resulted in the creation of a new 2-year, 240-credit National Qualifications Framework (NQF) level 6 Emergency Care Technician (ECT) qualification. The National Department of Health (NDoH) view ECTs as 'mid-level workers' in the ...

Cytogenetic analysis for radiation dose assessment in the medical nuclear workers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milacic, S.; Jovicic, D.; Rakic, B.; Djokovic, J.

2009-01-01

Radionuclide is used in medicine for laboratory research, laboratory testing for enzymes, hormones, medicines in vitro and in vivo in nuclear medicine (NM) for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. Commissioners, who performed the application radionuclide (RN), are nuclear medicine specialists, senior medical and radiological technicians, nurses and laboratory technicians. They are daily exposed to ionizing irradiations, from outside sources, as well as inside if they were to contamination. Medical nuclear workers (MNW) are exposed to ionizing irradiation, working with radio nuclides. MNW are periodically reviewed for contamination verified. Cytogenetic analysis of peripheral-blood lymphocytes (Ly) is the most sensitive tests for detecting a clinical biologic response to ionizing radiation. The frequency of chromosomal aberrations (f ca) in peripheral circulating lymphocytes (Ly) correlates with the dose received. (author) [sr

76 FR 29131 - Emergency Medical Services Week, 2011

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-19

... public and private sector partners across the United States to make certain that all children... often make the difference between life and death. Emergency medical technicians (EMTs), paramedics, and first responders serve on the front lines of our health care and public health system. Working with them...

Carpal tunnel syndrome among laboratory technicians in relation to personal and ergonomic factors at work.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Helaly, Mohamed; Balkhy, Hanan H; Vallenius, Laura

2017-11-25

Work-related carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) has been reported in different occupations, including laboratory technicians, so this study was carried out to determine the prevalence and the associated personal and ergonomic factors for CTS among laboratory technicians. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 279 laboratory technicians at King Fahd Hospital, Saudi Arabia, who filled in a self-administered questionnaire, including questions regarding their demographic criteria, occupational history, job tasks, workplace tools, ergonomic factors at work, and symptoms suggestive of CTS. Physical examinations and electrodiagnostic studies were carried out for those who had symptoms suggestive of CTS to confirm the diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed for both personal and physical factors in association with confirmed CTS among laboratory technicians. The prevalence of CTS among the laboratory technicians was 9.7% (27/279). The following were the statistically significant risk factors for CTS among them: gender (all cases of CTS were female, P=0.00), arm/hand exertion (OR: 7.96; 95% CI: 1.84-34.33), pipetting (OR: 7.27; 95% CI: 3.15-16.78), repetitive tasks (OR: 4.60; 95% CI: 1.39-15.70), using unadjustable chairs or desks (OR: 3.35; 95% CI: 1.23-9.15), and working with a biosafety cabinet (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.11-5.59). CTS cases had significant longer work duration (17.9 ± 5.6 years) than CTS non-case (11.5 ± 7.4 yeas) with low OR (1.108). This study demonstrates some personal and ergonomic factors associated with CTS among the laboratory technicians, including female gender, arm/hand exertion, pipetting, repetitive tasks, working with a biosafety cabinet, and an unadjusted workstation.

Nuclear instrument technician training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wollesen, E.S.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on Nuclear Instrument Technician (NIT) training that has developed at an accelerated rate over the past three decades. During the 1960's commercial nuclear power plants were in their infancy. For that reason, there is little wonder that NIT training had little structure and little creditability. NIT training, in many early plants, was little more than On-The Job Training (OJT). The seventies brought changes in Instrumentation and Controls as well as emphasis on the requirements for more in depth training and documentation. As in the seventies, the eighties saw not only changes in technologies but tighter requirements, standardized training and the development of accredited Nuclear Instrument Training; thus the conclusion: Nuclear Instrument Training Isn't What It Used To Be

Assisting IAEA Member States to Strengthen Regulatory Control, Particularly in the Medical Area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnston, P.

2016-01-01

As per its Statue and Mandate, IAEA is developing Safety Standards and is also providing assistance for their application in Member States. One target and very large audience of this programme is the community of national regulatory bodies for radiation safety, expected to be established in all 168 Member States. Ionizing radiation is being used throughout the world in medical practices and medical exposure is the most significant manmade source of exposure to the population from ionizing radiation. Radiation accidents involving medical uses have accounted for more injuries and early acute health effects than any other type of radiation accident, including accidents at nuclear facilities. With the constant emerging of new technologies using ionizing radiation for medical diagnostic and treatment, there are on-going challenges for Regulatory bodies. The presentation will highlight some figures related to the medical exposure worldwide, and then it will introduce the main safety standards and other publications developed specifically for Regulatory Bodies and focusing on medical practices. It will also highlight the most important and recent mechanisms (tools, peer reviews and advisory services, training courses, networks) that the Agency is offering to its Member States in order to cope with the main challenges worldwide, contributing thus to the efficiency and effectiveness of the regulatory oversight of medical facilities and activities. (author)

Impact of Vehicular Networks on Emergency Medical Services in Urban Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chun-Liang Lee

2014-10-01

Full Text Available The speed with which emergency personnel can provide emergency treatment is crucial to reducing death and disability among acute and critically ill patients. Unfortunately, the rapid development of cities and increased numbers of vehicles are preventing emergency vehicles from easily reaching locations where they are needed. A significant number of researchers are experimenting with vehicular networks to address this issue, but in most studies the focus has been on communication technologies and protocols, with few efforts to assess how network applications actually support emergency medical care. Our motivation was to search the literature for suggested methods for assisting emergency vehicles, and to use simulations to evaluate them. Our results and evidence-based studies were cross-referenced to assess each method in terms of cumulative survival ratio (CSR gains for acute and critically ill patients. Simulation results indicate that traffic light preemption resulted in significant CSR increases of between 32.4% and 90.2%. Route guidance was found to increase CSRs from 14.1% to 57.8%, while path clearing increased CSRs by 15.5% or less. It is our hope that this data will support the efforts of emergency medical technicians, traffic managers, and policy makers.

Impact of vehicular networks on emergency medical services in urban areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Chun-Liang; Huang, Chung-Yuan; Hsiao, Tzu-Chien; Wu, Chun-Yen; Chen, Yaw-Chung; Wang, I-Cheng

2014-10-31

The speed with which emergency personnel can provide emergency treatment is crucial to reducing death and disability among acute and critically ill patients. Unfortunately, the rapid development of cities and increased numbers of vehicles are preventing emergency vehicles from easily reaching locations where they are needed. A significant number of researchers are experimenting with vehicular networks to address this issue, but in most studies the focus has been on communication technologies and protocols, with few efforts to assess how network applications actually support emergency medical care. Our motivation was to search the literature for suggested methods for assisting emergency vehicles, and to use simulations to evaluate them. Our results and evidence-based studies were cross-referenced to assess each method in terms of cumulative survival ratio (CSR) gains for acute and critically ill patients. Simulation results indicate that traffic light preemption resulted in significant CSR increases of between 32.4% and 90.2%. Route guidance was found to increase CSRs from 14.1% to 57.8%, while path clearing increased CSRs by 15.5% or less. It is our hope that this data will support the efforts of emergency medical technicians, traffic managers, and policy makers.

ESHRE guideline: routine psychosocial care in infertility and medically assisted reproduction-a guide for fertility staffdagger

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gameiro, S.; Boivin, J.; Dancet, E.; Klerk, C. de; Emery, M.; Lewis-Jones, C.; Thorn, P.; Broeck, U. Van den; Venetis, C.; Verhaak, C.M.; Wischmann, T.; Vermeulen, N.

2015-01-01

STUDY QUESTION: Based on the best available evidence in the literature, what is the optimal management of routine psychosocial care at infertility and medically assisted reproduction (MAR) clinics? SUMMARY ANSWER: Using the structured methodology of the Manual for the European Society of Human

NORD's Patient Assistance Programs

Science.gov (United States)

... vsl3ds@rarediseases.org Fax: 1-203-349-8172 Urea Cycle Disorder | Accepting Applications Co-Pay Assistance Medical Assistance Medical ... this program here* *aprender más sobre este programa* Urea Cycle Disorders Diagnostic Testing Phone: 877-333-1860 Fax: 203- ...

Assessing Need for Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opiate-Dependent Prison Inmates

Science.gov (United States)

Albizu-García, Carmen E.; Caraballo, José Noel; Caraballo-Correa, Glorimar; Hernández-Viver, Adriana; Román-Badenas, Luis

2012-01-01

Individuals with a history of heroin dependence are overrepresented in American correctional facilities and 75% of inmates with a drug use disorder do not receive treatment during incarceration or after release. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with opiate agonists, such as methadone or buprenorphine, constitute standard of care; to guide planning for an expansion of drug treatment services in correctional facilities, a needs assessment was conducted at the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DCR) of Puerto Rico (PR). We report on the research process, the findings that informed our recommendations for the PCR to expand MAT for eligible inmates, and lessons learned. PMID:22263714

Guidelines for training and qualification of radiological protection technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-08-01

These guidelines, used in combination with plant-specific job analysis, provide the framework for a training and qualification program for radiological protection technicians at nuclear power plants. Radiological protection technicians are defined as those individuals, both plant and contractor, who will be engaged in the evaluation of radiological conditions in the nuclear plant and the implementation of the necessary radiological safety measures as they apply to nuclear plant workers and members of the general public. An important aspect of this work is recognizing and handling unusual situations involving radioactivity, including incidents related to degraded core conditions. These guidelines incorporate the results of an industry-wide job analysis and task analysis (JTA) combined with industry operating experience review. However, the industry-wide analyses did not identify all important academic and fundamental knowledge and skills. Further in-depth analysis by subject matter experts produced additional knowledge and skills that were added to these guidelines. All utilities should use these guidelines in conjunction with plant-specific and industry-wide JTA results to develop or validate their radiological protection technician training program. Plant-specific information should be used to establish appropriate training program content. This plant-specific information should reflect unique job duties, equipment, operating experience, and trainee entry-level qualifications. Revisions to these guidelines should be reviewed for applicability and incorporated into the training program using each utility's training system development (TSD) procedures. Plant-specific job analysis and task analysis data is essential to the development of performance-based training programs. These analyses are particularly useful in selecting tasks for training and in developing on-the-job training (OJT), laboratory training, and mock-up training. Qualification programs based on these

A method for the efficient and effective evaluation of contract health physics technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burkdoll, S.C.; Conley, T.A.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that Wolf Creek has developed a method for efficiently training contract health physics technicians. The time allotted for training contractors prior to a refueling and maintenance outage is normally limited to a few days. Therefore, it was necessary to develop a systematic method to evaluate prior experience as well as practical skills and knowledge. In addition, instruction in the particular methodologies used at Wolf Creek hadto be included with methods for evaluating technician comprehension

Characterization of Low Back Pain in Pilots and Maintenance Technicians on a Commercial Airline.

Science.gov (United States)

Fajardo Rodriguez, Hugo A; Ortiz Mayorga, Viviana A

2016-09-01

Lower back pain (LBP) is the most common complaint worldwide and the leading cause of disability in the workplace. In Colombia there are no epidemiological data on low back pain in aviation. This study aimed to characterize lower back pain in pilots and maintenance technicians in a Colombian commercial airline. Information was collected from the total population in a Colombian commercial airline in Bogota during the period from 2011 to 2013 using a voluntary survey which requested demographics, occupational (LEST survey) factors, back pain, and chronic pain (chronic pain grade scale). The prevalence rate of LBP in pilot respondents was 71% and the factors associated previously have belonged to the military forces: occupational exposure to physical load and work time. Chronic low back pain was at a prevalence of 49%. The prevalence of LBP in maintenance technicians was 65%. Associated factors were again similar to military forces and included mental workload. Chronic pain had a prevalence of 65%. Factors associated with chronic low back pain were the technicians' time in office and physical load. The prevalence of lower back pain in pilots is similar to that presented in the airline world population. In the case of maintenance technicians, the prevalence was higher than those found in other similar groups, but very similar to prevalences presented in different business industries, including the transport sector. Fajardo Rodriguez HA, Ortiz Mayorga VA. Characterization of low back pain in pilots and maintenance technicians on a commercial airline. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2016; 87(9):795-799.

Survey to assess the role of pharmacy technicians and nonpharmacist staff in the operation of research pharmacies.

Science.gov (United States)

Siden, Rivka; Tamer, Helen R; Skyles, Amy J; Dolan, Christopher S; Propes, Denise J; Redic, Kimberly

2014-11-01

Results of a survey assessing trends and innovations in the use of pharmacy technicians and other nonpharmacist staff in the research pharmacy setting are reported. A Web-based survey was distributed to Internet communities of members of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the University Health-System Consortium involved in investigational drug research and related practice areas. The survey collected data on the characteristics of institutions with pharmacy department staff dedicated to such research activities and the participation of pharmacists, technicians, and other staff in key areas of research pharmacy operations. Survey responses from 51 institutions were included in the data analysis. Overall, the reported distribution of assigned responsibility for most evaluated research pharmacy tasks reflected traditional divisions of pharmacist and technician duties, with technicians performing tasks subject to a pharmacist check or pharmacists completing tasks alone. However, some institutions reported allowing technicians to perform a number of key tasks without direct pharmacist supervision, primarily in the areas of inventory management and sponsor monitoring and auditing; almost half of the surveyed institutions reported technician involvement in teaching activities. In general, the reported use of "tech-check-tech" arrangements in research pharmacies was very limited. Some responding institutions reported the innovative use of nonpharmacist staff (e.g., paid interns, students and residents on rotation). Although the majority of research pharmacy tasks related to direct patient care are performed by or under the direct supervision of pharmacists, a variety of other essential tasks are typically assigned to pharmacy technicians and other nonpharmacist staff. Copyright © 2014 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

Technician checks the mirrors of the Starshine-2 experiment

Science.gov (United States)

2001-01-01

Technician checks the mirrors of the Starshine-2 experiment KSC-01PD-1715 KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- A technician checks the mirrors on the Starshine-2 experiment inside a canister in the payload bay of Space Shuttle Endeavour. The deployable experiment is being carried on mission STS-108. Starshine-2's 800 aluminum mirrors were polished by more than 25,000 students from 26 countries. Top priorities for the STS-108 (UF-1) mission of Endeavour are rotation of the International Space Station Expedition Three and Expedition Four crews, bringing water, equipment and supplies to the station in the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module Raffaello, and completion of robotics tasks and a spacewalk to install thermal blankets over two pieces of equipment at the bases of the Space Station's solar wings. Liftoff of Endeavour on mission STS-108 is scheduled for 7:41 p.m. EST.

Medical Applications of the PHITS Code (3): User Assistance Program for Medical Physics Computation.

Science.gov (United States)

Furuta, Takuya; Hashimoto, Shintaro; Sato, Tatsuhiko

2016-01-01

DICOM2PHITS and PSFC4PHITS are user assistance programs for medical physics PHITS applications. DICOM2PHITS is a program to construct the voxel PHITS simulation geometry from patient CT DICOM image data by using a conversion table from CT number to material composition. PSFC4PHITS is a program to convert the IAEA phase-space file data to PHITS format to be used as a simulation source of PHITS. Both of the programs are useful for users who want to apply PHITS simulation to verification of the treatment planning of radiation therapy. We are now developing a program to convert dose distribution obtained by PHITS to DICOM RT-dose format. We also want to develop a program which is able to implement treatment information included in other DICOM files (RT-plan and RT-structure) as a future plan.

Explanatory memorandum on European Community Document -mutual medical assistance in the case of a nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

The report lists the Commissions proposals for further action on its suggestion of mutual health assistance in the event of a nuclear accident. These include surveys and studies, further research on the medical treatment of radiation casualties and the methodology of epidemiological investigations, the promotion of contacts between experts and the attempt to assemble a handbook listing facilities and procedures for mutual assistance. The memorandum explains some of the points further under the headings, ministerial responsibility, legal and procedural issues and policy implications. The United Kingdom position is then stated. The UK government welcomes the proposals provided there is no duplication of work already covered by the IAEA Convention on Assistance in the case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency. (U.K.)

Risk of poor neonatal outcome at term after medically assisted reproduction: a propensity score-matched study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ensing, Sabine; Abu-Hanna, Ameen; Roseboom, Tessa J.; Repping, Sjoerd; van der Veen, Fulco; Mol, Ben Willem J.; Ravelli, Anita C. J.

2015-01-01

To study risk of birth asphyxia and related morbidity among term singletons born after medically assisted reproduction (MAR). Population cohort study. Not applicable. A total of 1,953,932 term singleton pregnancies selected from a national registry for 1999-2011. None. Primary outcome Apgar score

CERN's Technician Training Experience notches up another success!

CERN Multimedia

Stephanie Hills

2015-01-01

The programme was set up almost three years ago to help address a Europe-wide shortage of highly skilled technicians, with the participants gaining valuable skills and experience in an international environment. It’s clear that the programme works: some of the technician fellows who have taken part are being snapped up by major science projects and the high-tech industry.   Going underground: Fay Chicken at work in ATLAS. Fay Chicken (see UK news from CERN 59) has just accepted a job offer from the European Spallation Source in Sweden, where she will be working in the detector development team: “I’m also going to be setting up a new workshop where prototype detectors will be built. When I went to Lund, I was shown a big, empty room – it’s up to me to equip it!” This level of responsibility is a big step up for Fay, but there is no doubt that her time at CERN has both built her confidence to take on the role, and convinced ESS th...

Development of a Training Program for Commercial Building Technicians

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rinholm, Rod

2013-05-31

This project focused on developing and deploying a comprehensive program of 22 training modules, including certification requirements, and accreditation standards for commercial building technicians, to help achieve the full savings potential of energy efficient buildings, equipment, and systems. This curriculum extended the currently available commercial building technician programs -- training a labor force in a growing market area focused on energy efficiency. The program helps to remove a major market impediment to low energy/zero energy commercial building system acceptance, namely a lack of operating personnel capable of handling more complex high efficiency systems. The project developed a training curriculum for commercial building technicians, with particular focus on high-efficiency building technology, and systems. In Phase 1, the project team worked collaboratively in developing a draft training syllabus to address project objectives. The team identified energy efficiency knowledge gaps in existing programs and plans and plans to address the gaps with either modified or new curricula. In Phase 2, appropriate training materials were developed to meet project objectives. This material was developed for alternative modes of delivery, including classroom lecture materials, e-learning elements, video segments, exercises, and hands-on training elements. A Certification and Accreditation Plan and a Commercialization and Sustainability Plan were also investigated and developed. The Project Management Plan was updated quarterly and provided direction on the management approaches used to accomplish the expected project objectives. GTI project management practices tightly coordinate project activities using management controls to deliver optimal customer value. The project management practices include clear scope definition, schedule/budget tracking, risk/issue resolution and team coordination.

Results of the 2015 National Certified Pharmacy Technician Workforce Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Desselle, Shane P; Holmes, Erin R

2017-07-01

The results of the 2015 National Certified Pharmacy Technician Workforce Survey are described. A survey was e-mailed to a randomized sample of 5,000 certified pharmacy technicians (CPhTs) throughout the United States, with response reminders employed. Survey items eliciting demographic and work characteristics and work life attitudes were generated from the literature and qualitative interviews. This study aimed to describe job satisfaction, sources of stress, profession and employer commitment, education and training, and reasons for entry into the profession among CPhTs and determine relationships between those variables and CPhTs' level of involvement in various work activities, with particular attention paid to differences in practice setting. Frequency statistics, correlation analysis, and means testing were used to meet study objectives and identify significant differences. A total of 516 CPhTs currently working as a pharmacy technician responded to the survey. The CPhTs reported high levels of involvement in more traditional activities but less involvement in those that involve greater cognitive load. Respondents reported moderate levels of job satisfaction and commitment and somewhat high levels of stress overall. Most CPhTs chose to be a pharmacy technician because they desired to enter a healthcare field and help people and were recruited. CPhTs derived benefit from all aspects of education and training evaluated and most from on-the-job training. Perceived value of education and training was associated with higher satisfaction and commitment and with lower stress. There were a number of differences in these work life attitudes across practice settings and by involvement in various job functions. The results of the survey indicated that job satisfaction and commitment were moderate and that stress levels were somewhat high among CPhTs. There were a number of differences in work life attitudes across practice settings and by involvement in various job

Urinary Concentrations of Phthalate Metabolites and Pregnancy Loss Among Women Conceiving with Medically Assisted Reproduction.

Science.gov (United States)

Messerlian, Carmen; Wylie, Blair J; Mínguez-Alarcón, Lidia; Williams, Paige L; Ford, Jennifer B; Souter, Irene C; Calafat, Antonia M; Hauser, Russ

2016-11-01

Animal studies demonstrate that several phthalates are embryofetotoxic and are associated with increased pregnancy loss and malformations. Results from human studies on phthalates and pregnancy loss are inconsistent. We examined pregnancy loss prospectively in relation to urinary phthalate metabolite concentrations among women undergoing medically assisted reproduction. We used data from 256 women conceiving 303 pregnancies recruited between 2004 and 2012 from the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center. We quantified 11 phthalate metabolite concentrations and calculated the molar sum of four di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) metabolites (ΣDEHP). We estimated risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals for biochemical loss and total pregnancy loss (assisted reproduction.

Characterizing job satisfaction and intent to leave among nationally registered emergency medical technicians: an analysis of the 2005 LEADS survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, P Daniel; Moore, Charity G; Sanddal, Nels D; Wingrove, Gary; LaCroix, Brian

2009-01-01

The primary purpose of this study was to characterize job satisfaction with opportunities for advancement, job satisfaction with pay and benefits, and intent to leave the EMS profession among Nationally Registered EMT-Basics and EMT-Paramedics. A secondary data analysis was performed on the National Registry of EMTs Longitudinal Emergency Medical Technician Attributes and Demographic Study Project (LEADS) 2005 core survey. We used chi-square and multiple logistic regression analyses to test for differences in job satisfaction with opportunities for advancement, job satisfaction with pay and benefits, and intent to leave the EMS profession across years of experience and work location. Among 11 measures of job satisfaction, NREMT-Basics and NREMT-Paramedics were least satisfied with opportunities for advancement and pay and benefits (67.8 and 55.2%, respectively). Nearly 6% of respondents reported intentions of leaving the profession within 12 months. In univariate analyses, job satisfaction with advancement opportunities varied across years of experience and work location. Job satisfaction with pay and benefits varied across years of experience and work location. The proportion reporting intentions of leaving the profession did not vary across the two independent variables of interest. In multivariable logistic regression, statistical differences observed in univariate analyses were attenuated to non-significance across all outcome models. Income, personal health, level of EMS certification, and type of EMS work were significant in several outcome models. EMS workforce research is at its infancy, thus our study adds to a limited but growing body of knowledge. In future and replicated research, one will need to consider different person and organizational variables in predicting different measures of job satisfaction among EMS personnel.

Changes in the ocular surface: initial observations from a pilot study of diagnostic radiology technicians (radiographers)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerdal, Canan; Aydin, Sevda; Sengoer, Tomris; Onmus, Hale; Oezarar, Muemtaz

2002-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical and cytological changes in the ocular surface of radiology technicians (radiographers) exposed to diagnostic doses of radiation. The Schirmer, Rose Bengal staining and Tear-Break-Up-Time tear function tests were carried out following routine ophthalmic examination in 15 radiology technicians (group I) and 15 controls (group II). Impression cytology was performed by placing 5-mm-thick half-circular cellulose acetate filter paper in the upper and lower quadrants around the limbus. The cytological evaluation was made using the mapping technique. Significantly increased dry eye was detected in group I. In the impression cytology investigation, squamous metaplasia and intraepithelial lymphocytic infiltration was noted in all the group-I cases. A distinct change was observed between the regions showing squamous metaplasia and neigbouring normal epithelial cell structure. Dry eye and ocular surface cytological changes were observed in diagnostic radiology technicians. Routine ophthalmic evaluation of radiology technicians would be beneficial in detecting early cytological changes and dry eye. (orig.)

DOD Recovery personnel and NASA technicians inspect Friendship 7 spacecraft

Science.gov (United States)

1964-01-01

Department of Defense Recovery personnel and spacecraft technicians from NASA adn McDonnell Aircraft Corp., inspect Astronaut John Glenn's Mercury spacecraft, Friendship 7, following its return to Cape Canaveral after recovery in the Atlantic Ocean.

Technician Training for the Semiconductor Microdevices Industry. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Center for Occupational Research and Development, Inc., Waco, TX.

The Center for Occupational Research and Development (CORD) carried out four activities to foster semiconductor manufacturing technician (SMT) training: (1) collaboration with industry experts and educators while developing a curriculum to train SMTs; (2) implementation and testing of the curriculum at a technical college; (3) dissemination of…

Dental technician pneumoconiosis mimicking lung cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Uyar, Meral; Sokucu, Oral; Sanli, Maruf; Filiz, Ayten; Ali Ikidag, Mehmet; Feridun Isik, Ahmet; Bakir, Kemal

2015-09-01

A 47-year-old man was referred for assessment of bilateral lymph node enlargement identified on a routine chest radiograph. Positron emission tomography showed high standardized uptake values (SUVmax: 20.5) in right supraclavicular, right intercostal, and multiple mediastinal lymph nodes. Biopsy samples obtained from the right upper and left lower paratracheal nodes by mediastinoscopy revealed granulomatous inflammation. Clinical and laboratory findings indicated a diagnosis of dental technician pneumoconiosis. The patient is alive and well 3 years after diagnosis. This case highlights the importance of obtaining an occupational history.

Mechanical technology for higher engineering technicians

CERN Document Server

Black, Peter

1972-01-01

Mechanical Technology for Higher Engineering Technicians deals with the mechanics of machines, thermodynamics, and mechanics of fluids. This book presents discussions and examples that deal with the strength of materials, technology of machines, and techniques used by professional engineers. The book explains the strain energy of torsion, coil springs, and the effects of axial load. The author also discusses the forces that produce bending, shearing, and bending combined with direct stress, as well as beams subjected to a uniform bending moment or simply supported beams with concentrated non-c

Advances and results of the educative project: Implementation of the career of 'Technician in Radiological protection'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vizuet G, J.; Suarez, G.; Sanchez C, M.

2003-01-01

In this work the obtained advances and achievements during the impartment of the technician career in radiological protection are presented. This is carried out in the 'Justo Sierra' Technological High School Center of San Mateo Atenco, Estado de Mexico, and has for objective the formation of professional-technicians. (Author)

Summaries of the 40. Scientific Assembly of Polish Chemical Society and Association of Engineers and Technicians of Chemical Industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

Annual 40. Scientific Assembly of Polish Chemical Society and Association of Engineers and Technicians of Chemical Industry has been held in Gdansk on 22-26 September 1997. The most valuable scientific results obtained in Polish Laboratories have been presented in 22 main sections and 7 symposia directed especially at following subjects: analytical chemistry, biochemistry, solid state chemistry and material science, physical chemistry, heteroorganic and coordination chemistry, medical and pharmaceutical chemistry, metalorganic chemistry, inorganic and organic chemistry, polymers chemistry, chemistry and environment protection, theoretical chemistry, chemical didactics, photochemistry, radiation chemistry and chemical kinetics, chemical engineering, catalysis, crystallochemistry, chemical technology, electrochemistry, and instrumental methods

A technician-delivered 'virtual clinic' for triaging low-risk glaucoma referrals.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotecha, A; Brookes, J; Foster, P J

2017-06-01

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to describe the outcomes of a technician-delivered glaucoma referral triaging service with 'virtual review' of resultant data by a consultant ophthalmologist.Patients and methodsThe Glaucoma Screening Clinic reviewed new optometrist or GP-initiated glaucoma suspect referrals into a specialist ophthalmic hospital. Patients underwent testing by three ophthalmic technicians in a dedicated clinical facility. Data were reviewed at a different time and date by a consultant glaucoma ophthalmologist. Approximately 10% of discharged patients were reviewed in a face-to-face consultant-led clinic to examine the false-negative rate of the service.ResultsBetween 1 March 2014 and 31 March 2016, 1380 patients were seen in the clinic. The number of patients discharged following consultant virtual review was 855 (62%). The positive predictive value of onward referrals was 84%. Three of the 82 patients brought back for face-to-face review were deemed to require treatment, equating to negative predictive value of 96%.ConclusionsOur technician-delivered glaucoma referral triaging clinic incorporates consultant 'virtual review' to provide a service model that significantly reduces the number of onward referrals into the glaucoma outpatient department. This model may be an alternative to departments where there are difficulties in implementing optometrist-led community-based referral refinement schemes.

Medication-Assisted Treatment For Opioid Addiction in Opioid Treatment Programs. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 43

Science.gov (United States)

Tinkler, Emily; Vallejos Bartlett, Catalina; Brooks, Margaret; Gilbert, Johnatnan Max; Henderson, Randi; Shuman, Deborah, J.

2005-01-01

TIP 43 provides best-practice guidelines for medication-assisted treatment of opioid addiction in opioid treatment programs (OTPs). The primary intended audience for this volume is substance abuse treatment providers and administrators who work in OTPs. Recommendations in the TIP are based on both an analysis of current research and determinations…

Effect of specific resistance training on forearm pain and work disability in industrial technicians: cluster randomised controlled trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Lars Louis; Jakobsen, Markus D; Pedersen, Mogens Theisen

2012-01-01

To determine the effect of specific resistance training on forearm pain and work disability in industrial technicians.......To determine the effect of specific resistance training on forearm pain and work disability in industrial technicians....

A busca da graduação em enfermagem como opção dos técnicos e auxiliares de enfermagem La búsqueda del pre grado en enfermería como opción de los técnicos y auxiliares de enfermería Undergratuate nursing education as an option for nursing technicians and assistants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neuma Vital Julca Medina

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Este estudo teve como objetivo apreender os motivos que levam técnicos e auxiliares de enfermagem a buscarem a graduação nesta profissão. Realizado em um hospital escola, na cidade de São Paulo, sob a perspectiva da pesquisa qualitativa e como metodologia, a História Oral Temática e a Análise Categorial Temática. Deste trabalho participaram onze colaboradores: três técnicas de enfermagem e oito auxiliares de enfermagem.Este estudio tuvo como objetivo, conocer los motivos que influenciaron al técnico y auxiliar de enfermería a graduarse, a nivel superior, en su misma profesión. Fue realizado en un hospital docente de la ciudad de San Pablo, bajo la perspectiva de la investigación cualitativa y como metodología, la historia oral temática y el análisis de categoría temática. Paticiparon once colaboradores, siendo tres técnicos de enfermería y ocho auxiliares de enfermería.The aim of this study was to understand the reasons that lead both nursing technicians and assistants to enter undergraduate nursing programs. This study was carried out in a teaching hospital in the city of Sao Paulo, under a qualitative research perspective, and the methodologies adopted were the Thematic Oral History and the Thematic Categorical Analysis. There were eleven participants: three nursing technicians and eight nursing assistants.

Accuracy of vision technicians in screening ocular pathology at rural vision centres of southern India.

Science.gov (United States)

Suram, Vasantha; Addepalli, Uday Kumar; Krishnaiah, Sannapaneni; Kovai, Vilas; Khanna, Rohit C

2016-03-01

There is paucity of data on the inter-observer agreement and diagnostic accuracy between a primary-care technician (vision technician) and an ophthalmologist. Hence, the current study was conducted to assess the accuracy of vision technicians, to screen potentially sight-threatening ocular conditions at rural vision centres of southern India and their agreement with an ophthalmologist. In July to August 2010, patients presenting to seven vision centres in Adilabad district (Andhra Pradesh) were selected and screened in a masked manner by seven vision technicians followed by an examination by a consultant ophthalmologist. Agreement was assessed between vision technicians and the ophthalmologist for screening of potential sight-threatening ocular conditions and decisions for referral. The ophthalmologist's findings were considered as the reference standard. Two hundred and seventy-nine patients were enrolled at seven vision centres with a mean age of 32.9 ± 21.8 years. Agreement for screening of ocular pathology was 0.82 (95 per cent CI, 0.8-0.83). There was excellent agreement for cataract (0.97; 95 per cent CI, 0.93-1), refractive error (0.98; 95 per cent CI, 0.96-1), corneal pathology (1.0; 95 per cent CI, 1.0-1.0) and other anterior segment pathology (0.95; 95 per cent CI, 0.9-1); the agreement was moderate to fair for detection of glaucoma suspects (0.43; 95 per cent CI, 0.28-0.60) and retinal pathology (0.39; 95 per cent CI, 0.14-0.63). Sensitivity for screening of anterior segment pathology was 94.6-100 per cent. There was a fair to moderate sensitivity for glaucoma suspect; 35.6 per cent (95 per cent CI, 21.9-51.2) and retinal pathology 26.3 per cent (95 per cent CI, 9.2-51.2). Specificity for screening of ocular pathology was 98.2 to 100 per cent. The kappa (κ) agreement for referral for any pathology was 0.82 (0.8-0.83) CONCLUSION: As there is good agreement between the vision technicians and the ophthalmologist for screening and referral of

Considerations for services from dental technicians in fabrication of fixed prostheses: A survey of commercial dental laboratories in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatzikyriakos, Andreas; Petridis, Haralampos P; Tsiggos, Nikolaos; Sakelariou, Sotirios

2006-11-01

Effective communication and cooperation between dentists and dental technicians are essential in providing quality services. There has been a lack of information regarding dentist-dental technician communications and current methods and materials used for the fabrication of fixed partial dentures (FPDs). This cross-sectional study identified the materials and techniques used for fabrication of FPDs, as well as the status of communication between dentists and dental technicians in Thessaloniki, Greece. A questionnaire was developed with 7 sections pertaining to procedures and materials used for the fabrication of fixed prostheses: general questions, infection control, impressions/interocclusal records, die technique/mounting, information from final casts, prostheses design/materials, and communication/shade selection. The questionnaire was anonymous and distributed by the Association of Dental Technicians of Thessaloniki to all member laboratories (228) in the wider province of Thessaloniki, Greece. Due to the absence of normal distribution of the results, frequencies and medians were reported. Ninety-six of 228 dental laboratories responded (42.1% response rate). Twenty-six percent of dental laboratories did not routinely disinfect incoming items. The dental technicians considered 30% of incoming final impressions and 20% of interocclusal registrations as inadequate. Half of the time (55%) final casts were mounted by technicians on simple hinge articulators. Only 20% of tooth preparations had adequate finish lines. The majority (70%) of fixed restorations were metal-ceramic. Fifty-seven percent of dental technicians considered the delivery time requested by dentists as insufficient. The information provided in this study indicates areas of weakness in communication between dentists and dental technicians, along with areas where both parties should use greater care during clinical and laboratory procedures.

The Technician beneath Our Wings, or Is That Blades?

Science.gov (United States)

Colony, Lee; Foster, John

2011-01-01

Today's trained technicians in alternative energy fields are finding even more career opportunities open to them as the United States and the world turn to green technology to power their homes and businesses. Wisconsin's Gateway Technical College is training workers for green collar careers in geoexchange heating and cooling systems, wind power…

cataract surgical services

African Journals Online (AJOL)

countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin. America (3,4). With an estimated 12,000 bilaterally blind people ... (OMA's). 1 general medical practitioner. Loptometry technician. 1 general nurse and. 3 health assistants. Ocular morbidities cataract and aphakia corneal scarring/phthisis glaucoma refractive errors others. Percent. 52.4.

Debates about assisted suicide in Switzerland.

Science.gov (United States)

Burkhardt, Sandra; La Harpe, Romano

2012-12-01

Assisted suicide is allowed in 3 states of the United States (Oregon, Washington, Montana) but only if performed by a physician.On the opposite, in Switzerland, at the beginning of the 20th century, the Swiss Penal Code referred to assisted suicide in the context of honor or an unhappy love affair. It was only in 1985 that Exit Deutsche Schweiz (Exit for German-speaking Switzerland) "medically" assisted the first patient to end his life.Even if authorized by the Swiss law upon certain conditions, assisted suicide is subject to debates for ethical reasons. The Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences described directives to guide physicians on this difficult subject.Different studies showed an increase in the number of medical-assisted suicide in Switzerland since the 1990s. Now, this number seems to be quite stable. Assisted suicide is authorized in a few hospitals under strict conditions (especially when returning home is impossible).Thus, according to the Swiss law, any person could perform assisted suicide; this is essentially performed by 3 main associations, using pentobarbital on medical prescription as lethal substance.Generally speaking, the Swiss population is rather in favor of assisted suicide. Among politics, the debate has been tough until 2010, when the Federal Council decided not to modify the Swiss Penal Code concerning assisted suicide.

Expectations and final evaluation of complete dentures by patients, dentist and dental technician.

Science.gov (United States)

Marachlioglou, C R M Z; Dos Santos, J F F; Cunha, V P P; Marchini, Leonardo

2010-07-01

There is a poor association between the dentist's evaluation of denture quality and patients' satisfaction with their dentures. Possible differences between dental professionals and patients' expectations might help explain differences in outcome evaluations. This study compared scores given by a dentist, a dental technician and patients for their expectations before and their final evaluation after complete dentures treatment. Twenty completely edentulous patients, a prosthodontist and a dental technician provided scores for the expected aesthetic and functional results of their dentures based on a visual analogue scale at baseline. Post-treatment completion ratings were given after adjustments, by dentist and patients. The dental technician provided post-treatment completion ratings after completing the dentures. The patients had higher expectations than the dental technician and the dentist perceived for both aesthetic and function (P < 0.001). The patients also presented higher post-treatment completion ratings than the dental professionals perceived for final aesthetics (P = 0.016, Kendall's W = 0.207) and function (P = 0.002, Kendall's W = 0.303). Only the dentist presented a statistically significant difference between expectations (lower) and final (higher) outcomes for aesthetics (P = 0.017) and function (P = 0.003). There was no correlation between expectations and post-treatment completion ratings according to the patients' age. There was also no correlation between the patients' gender and expectation scores. Patients presented higher expectations regarding their dentures than dental professionals. The dentist believed that dentures would bring fewer benefits than patients did, but his perception of denture benefits post-treatment was significantly higher than his expectations.

Two technicians apply insulation to S-II second stage

Science.gov (United States)

1964-01-01

Two technicians apply insulation to the outer surface of the S-II second stage booster for the Saturn V moon rocket. The towering 363-foot Saturn V was a multi-stage, multi-engine launch vehicle standing taller than the Statue of Liberty. Altogether, the Saturn V engines produced as much power as 85 Hoover Dams.

Cooperative educational project for optical technicians utilizing amateur telescope making

Science.gov (United States)

Williamson, Ray

2004-01-01

In the modern optical shop, technicians are typically skilled machine operators who work on only one phase of the manufacture for each and every component. The product is designed, specified, methodized, scheduled and integrated by people off the shop floor. Even at the component level, the people inside the shop usually see only one stage of completion. In an effort to make the relevance of their work visible; to demonstrate competence to their peers; to gain appreciation for the work of others; and to give them a meaningful connection with the functions of optical systems, I created "The Telescope Project" for my former employer. I invited those interested to participate in an after-hours, partially subsidized project to build telescopes for themselves. The ground-rules included that we would all make the same design (thus practicing consensus and configuration management); that we would all work on every phase (thus learning from each other); and that we would obtain our parts by random lot at the end (thus making quality assurance a personal issue). In the process the participating technicians learned about optical theory, design, tolerancing, negotiation, scheduling, purchasing, fabrication, coating and assembly. They developed an appreciation for each other's contributions and a broader perspective on the consequences of their actions. In the end, each obtained a high-quality telescope for his or her personal use. Several developed an abiding love for astronomy. The project generated much interest from technicians who didn"t initially choose to participate. In this paper I describe the project in detail.

DEGREE OF AWARENESS OF SOFT RELINING MATERIALS BY DENTAL TECHNICIANS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilian Hristov

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of the current investigation is to analyze the dental-technicians’ awareness of the soft relining materials, their characteristics, advantages, shortcomings and methods for relining. Materials and methods: For the purpose of this investigation a standard questionnaire has been presented. A direct survey method, documentary and statistical method, as well as graphical methods, including tables, charts, graphics and figures, were used. Data were analysed with the help of IBM SPSS Statistics (ver. 19. Results: One hundred and eight dental technicians were included in the survey, evenly distributed by gender. Removable and fixed prosthodontics is the most commonly mentioned spheres of dental activities. Almost all included in the investigation point out the laboratory relining method as the most frequently used. Acrylic and silicone SRM are the most used groups of relining materials. Change of colour and hardness are the most frequently noticed shortcomings of these materials. The majority of the dental technicians declare that they have never done replacement of SRM or the relining has lasted more than a year. Discussion: The correlation between the age and the years of labour service among the participants is quite obvious. Most of them start working soon after their graduation. Removable prosthodontics is among the priorities for the majority of the labs. Conclusion: Although their unambiguous advantages, the soft relining materials have lots of shortcomings as well. The major problems are connected with their change of colour and hardness. Nevertheless, the dental technicians find them useful and reliable in overcoming specific prosthetic problems.

Assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Heide, Agnes

2013-01-01

Several countries have adopted laws that regulate physician assistance in dying. Such assistance may consist of providing a patient with a prescription of lethal medication that is self-administered by the patient, which is usually referred to as (physician) assistance in suicide, or of administering lethal medication to a patient, which is referred to as euthanasia. The main aim of regulating physician assistance in dying is to bring these practices into the open and to provide physicians with legal certainty. A key condition in all jurisdictions that have regulated either assistance in suicide or euthanasia is that physicians are only allowed to engage in these acts upon the explicit and voluntary request of the patient. All systems that allow physician assistance in dying have also in some way included the notion that physician assistance in dying is only accepted when it is the only means to address severe suffering from an incurable medical condition. Arguments against the legal regulation of physician assistance in dying include principled arguments, such as the wrongness of hastening death, and arguments that emphasize the negative consequences of allowing physician assistance in dying, such as a devaluation of the lives of older people, or people with chronic disease or disabilities. Opinion polls show that some form of accepting and regulating euthanasia and physician assistance in suicide is increasingly supported by the general population in most western countries. Studies in countries where physician assistance in dying is regulated suggest that practices have remained rather stable in most jurisdictions and that physicians adhere to the legal criteria in the vast majority of cases. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Job analysis of nuclear power reactor health physics technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, L.T.; Mazour, T.J.; Clark, P.V.; Todd, R.C.; Marotta, F.J.

1984-06-01

This report describes a project, an industry-wide Job Analysis of Nuclear Power Reactor Health Physics Technicians (HPTs), conducted by Brookhaven National Laboratory and Analysis and Technology, Inc. to provide the industry with job-performance data that can be used in systematically defining training programs in terms of required job functions responsibilities, and performance standards. The job-analysis methodology is consistent with that used by the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO) in similar industry-wide projects and includes administration of over 850 job task questionnaires to utility and contractor Health Physics Technicians throughout the country. Data collected includes task performance (difficulty, importance, and frequency) and industry-wide demographics (job levels, experience, education, and training). The results of this project discussed herein include model job descriptions for HPT positions, summaries of HPT experience, education, and training, industry-wide task listings with task-performance characteristics, and recommendations of selected tasks as a basis for HPT training development. Finally, potential future applications of the data base by utility and contractor organizations in training program development and evaluation and personnel qualifications are discussed

Patterns of Relating Between Physicians and Medical Assistants in Small Family Medicine Offices

Science.gov (United States)

Elder, Nancy C.; Jacobson, C. Jeffrey; Bolon, Shannon K.; Fixler, Joseph; Pallerla, Harini; Busick, Christina; Gerrety, Erica; Kinney, Dee; Regan, Saundra; Pugnale, Michael

2014-01-01

PURPOSE The clinician-colleague relationship is a cornerstone of relationship-centered care (RCC); in small family medicine offices, the clinician–medical assistant (MA) relationship is especially important. We sought to better understand the relationship between MA roles and the clinician-MA relationship within the RCC framework. METHODS We conducted an ethnographic study of 5 small family medicine offices (having informed by clinicians’ roles in hiring and managing MAs and the social familiarity of MAs and clinicians. Within the RCC framework, these findings can be seen as previously undefined constraints and freedoms in what is known as the Complex Responsive Process of Relating between clinicians and MAs. CONCLUSIONS Improved understanding of clinician-MA relationships will allow a better appreciation of how clinicians and MAs function in family medicine teams. Our findings may assist small offices undergoing practice transformation and guide future research to improve the education, training, and use of MAs in the family medicine setting. PMID:24615311

Reasons for medical evacuations of soldiers serving in International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operation in Afghanistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Korzeniewski, Krzysztof; Gregulski, Robert

2014-01-01

The article presents the results of a research study into the reasons for medical evacuations of Polish military personnel taking part in the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operation in Afghanistan from 2007 to 2013. The authors have analysed medical records of 485 soldiers who were medically evacuated out of a combat zone in Afghanistan for battle injuries, non-battle injuries and diseases. Each medically evacuated Polish soldier was subjected to statistical analysis. The study population comprised 25,974 soldiers assigned to the Polish Military Contingent Afghanistan in the given period. From 2007 to 2013, 1.9% of the Polish military personnel (n = 485) participating in the ISAF operation in Afghanistan were evacuated for medical reasons before the scheduled termination of their contract. 40.6% of all medical evacuations were due to battle injuries, 32.4% due to non-battle injuries, and 27.0% due to diseases. ISAF is an example of a combat operation, in which battle injuries remain the leading health problem in mission participants. 3 of 4 Polish soldiers who were medically evacuated from Afghanistan were no longer fit for military service in the area of operations due to the traumas they had suffered.

[Effective Techniques to Reduce Radiation Exposure to Medical Staff during Assist of X-ray Computed Tomography Examination].

Science.gov (United States)

Miyajima, Ryuichi; Fujibuchi, Toshioh; Miyachi, Yusuke; Tateishi, Satoshi; Uno, Yoshinori; Amakawa, Kazutoshi; Ohura, Hiroki; Orita, Shinichi

2018-01-01

Medical staffs like radiological technologists, doctors, and nurses are at an increased risk of exposure to radiation while assisting the patient in a position or monitor contrast medium injection during computed tomography (CT). However, methods to protect medical staff from radiation exposure and protocols for using radiological protection equipment have not been standardized and differ among hospitals. In this study, the distribution of scattered X-rays in a CT room was measured by placing electronic personal dosimeters in locations where medical staff stands beside the CT scanner gantry while assisting the patient and the exposure dose was measured. Moreover, we evaluated non-uniform exposure and revealed effective techniques to reduce the exposure dose to medical staff during CT. The dose of the scattered X-rays was the lowest at the gantry and at the examination table during both head and abdominal CT. The dose was the highest at the trunk of the upper body of the operator corresponding to a height of 130 cm during head CT and at the head corresponding to a height of 150 cm during abdominal CT. The maximum dose to the crystalline lens was approximately 600 μSv during head CT. We found that the use of volumetric CT scanning and X-ray protective goggles, and face direction toward the gantry reduced the exposure dose, particularly to the crystalline lens, for which lower equivalent dose during CT scan has been recently recommended in the International Commission on Radiological Protection Publication 118.

Performing Chest X-Rays at Inspiration in Uncooperative Children: The Effect of Exercises with a Training Program for Radiology Technicians

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langen, H.J.; Sengenberger, C.; Bielmeier, J.; Jocher, R.; Kohlhauser-Vollmuth, Ch.; Eschmann, M.

2014-01-01

It is difficult to acquire a chest X-ray of a crying infant at maximum inspiration. A computer program was developed for technician training. Method. Video clips of 3 babies were used and the moment of deepest inspiration was determined in the single-frame view. 12 technicians simulated chest radiographs at normal video speed by pushing a button. The computer program stopped the video and calculated the period of time to the optimal instant for a chest X-ray. Demonstration software can be tested at website online. Every technician simulated 10 chest X-rays for each of the 3 video clips. The technicians then spent 40 minutes practicing performing chest X-rays at optimal inspiration. The test was repeated after 5, 20, and 40 minutes of practice. Results. 6 participants showed a significant improvement after exercises (collective 1). Deviation from the optimal instant for taking an X-ray at inspiration decreased from 0.39 to 0.22 s after 40 min of practice. 6 technicians showed no significant improvement (collective 2). Deviation decreased from a low starting value of 0.25 s to 0.21 s. Conclusion. The tested computer program improves the ability of radiology technicians to take a chest X-ray at optimal inspiration in a crying child

New methodology to implement quality control programs in medical imaging departments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Furquim, Tania A.C.; Yanikian, Denise; Costa, Paulo R.

1996-01-01

The implementation of quality control programmes is studied in order to assure a better performance in medical imaging departments. The necessity of a continuous training of all technicians involved is highlighted. The contribution of these professionals is emphasized as fundamental to the success of the project

[Position-checking by imaging embarked there tomotherapy and the delegation to the radiology technician].

Science.gov (United States)

Autret, A; Choupeaux, D; Le Mée, M

2016-10-01

Tomotherapy is a technique of IMRT and IGRT using a linear accelerator and a helical CT-scanner. To reach this targeting of precision, the repositioning of the patient is essential. The use of a contention adapted according to the location of the disease and the morphology of the patient is necessary for the safety of this one and the treatment. Once the patient positioned on the reference table, technicians of imager's team check by the acquisition of helical imagery with the reference CT-scanner the position of the patient, the zone of the PTV and healthy organs in the protected surroundings. At first, adjustment will be made automatically on three planes of the space (axial, sagittal, frontal) and three rotations (pitch, roll and yaw) by the device of treatment, then the technicians of imagery will bring a modification of these recalls manually. After validation, the processing will then be made in complete safety for the patient and the nursing. This check by MVCT is daily before every session of processing. It is made by the technicians of imagery. The radiation oncologist confirms the images at j0, then controls once a week MVCT. Traceability in the file of the patient of the various marks (osseous and\\or soft tissue) necessary for the daily gaps will be noted by this one to delegate to the technicians of imagery the validation of the MVCT before every session. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier SAS.

Requirements for, and training and certification of, quality assurance technicians for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saiz, A.; Mir, A.; Serrano, J.

1982-01-01

The paper examines the requirements for, and training and certification of, technicians working in a quality assurance department at periods when the site, the main supplier and the engineering firm are being selected for construction, commissioning and operation of a light-water nuclear power plant with an output of approximately 1000 MW(e). In determining the system to be applied for the present work, account is taken of the special fields of engineering, supply, commissioning and operation. To this end, an analysis is made of the necessary organization, pointing out the number of technicians in each of the phases mentioned, and the necessary experience and knowledge required for discharging the functions indicated and for obtaining the appropriate certification. The second generation of Spanish nuclear power stations - about 7500MW(e) - demonstrated the need for quality assurance technicians. The Spanish Atomic Forum, a member of Foratom, is the first Spanish body to deal with the problem of training of such technicians at the national level through holding of seminars. This led to the appearance (in April 1974) of the first publication in Spanish on these techniques, a document which is still being used for teaching purposes. Later, it was the university and the professional associations which, with the support of the State Administration, undertook to provide this instruction. The paper also analyses Spanish experience in the teaching of quality assurance techniques during the period 1975-80, describing the programmes and contents of the courses

The relationship betweenmanagers’ leadership styles and emergency medical technicians’ job satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azimeh Ghorbanian

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background/AimsLeadership plays a crucial role in many professions, especially in challenging positions such as emergency medical service jobs. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between managers’ leadership styles and emergency medical technicians’ job satisfaction.MethodThis is a descriptive and cross-sectional study that was carried out in 2010. The research population included 21 managers and 87 emergency medical technicians working in 23 stations in Isfahan city, Iran. The main tools used for data accumulation were the Multiple Leadership Questionnaire for evaluating leadership styles and the Job Descriptive Index for measuring job satisfaction levels. Also, the Pearson correlation analysis test was used to evaluate the relationship between leadership style and job satisfaction.ResultsAmong both managers and technicians, the highest mean score related to the transformational management style, whereas the lowest mean score related to the laissez-faire management style. Moreover, a significant relationship (P<0.01 was found between the transformational and transactional leadership styles and job satisfaction. However, no significant relationship was observed between the laissez-faire management style and job satisfaction.ConclusionConsidering the importance of job satisfaction in medical emergencies, it is recommended that health sector policy makers should provide the groundwork for implementing the transformational leadership style to enhance job satisfaction of the medical emergency staff.

Assisted Medical Procedures (AMP)

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — DOCUMENTATION, DEVELOPMENT, AND PROGRESS The AMP was initially being developed as part the Advanced Integrated Clinical System (AICS)-Guided Medical Procedure System...

[Intelligent operating room suite : From passive medical devices to the self-thinking cognitive surgical assistant].

Science.gov (United States)

Kenngott, H G; Wagner, M; Preukschas, A A; Müller-Stich, B P

2016-12-01

Modern operating room (OR) suites are mostly digitally connected but until now the primary focus was on the presentation, transfer and distribution of images. Device information and processes within the operating theaters are barely considered. Cognitive assistance systems have triggered a fundamental rethinking in the automotive industry as well as in logistics. In principle, tasks in the OR, some of which are highly repetitive, also have great potential to be supported by automated cognitive assistance via a self-thinking system. This includes the coordination of the entire workflow in the perioperative process in both the operating theater and the whole hospital. With corresponding data from hospital information systems, medical devices and appropriate models of the surgical process, intelligent systems could optimize the workflow in the operating theater in the near future and support the surgeon. Preliminary results on the use of device information and automatically controlled OR suites are already available. Such systems include, for example the guidance of laparoscopic camera systems. Nevertheless, cognitive assistance systems that make use of knowledge about patients, processes and other pieces of information to improve surgical treatment are not yet available in the clinical routine but are urgently needed in order to automatically assist the surgeon in situation-related activities and thus substantially improve patient care.

Communication Technician: Apprenticeship Course Outline. Apprenticeship and Industry Training. 2209

Science.gov (United States)

Alberta Advanced Education and Technology, 2009

2009-01-01

The graduate of the Communication Technician apprenticeship program is a certified journeyperson who will be able to: (1) supervise, train and coach apprentices; (2) use a thorough knowledge of electrical and electronic theory and its application to communication and associated equipment used in the telecommunication industry; (3) understand…

A System Approach to Navy Medical Education and Training. Appendix 44. Competency Curriculum for Dental Assistant.

Science.gov (United States)

1974-08-31

Apply medication/treat carious lesion g. Irrigate pericoroniti3 h. Drain periodontal abscess i. Apply temporary sedative crown to fractured tooth J...TASKS a. Educate patients regarding relationship of plaque, caries, periodontal disease and oral health b. Instruct patient in use of plaque...microorganisms, caries Causes and effects of periodontal disease 35 I| Competency: DENTAL ASSISTANT (DA) Unit: Preventive Dentistry ( MODULE 3: ORAL

Physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia and palliative sedation: attitudes and knowledge of medical students.

Science.gov (United States)

Anneser, Johanna; Jox, Ralf J; Thurn, Tamara; Borasio, Gian Domenico

2016-01-01

In November 2015, the German Federal Parliament voted on a new legal regulation regarding assisted suicide. It was decided to amend the German Criminal Code so that any "regular, repetitive offer" (even on a non-profit basis) of assistance in suicide would now be considered a punishable offense. On July 2, 2015, a date which happened to be accompanied by great media interest in that it was the day that the first draft of said law was presented to Parliament, we surveyed 4th year medical students at the Technical University Munich on "physician-assisted suicide," "euthanasia" and "palliative sedation," based on a fictitious case vignette study. The vignette study described two versions of a case in which a patient suffered from a nasopharyngeal carcinoma (physical suffering subjectively perceived as being unbearable vs. emotional suffering). The students were asked about the current legal norms for each respective course of action as well as their attitudes towards the ethical acceptability of these measures. Out of 301 students in total, 241 (80%) participated in the survey; 109 answered the version 1 questionnaire (physical suffering) and 132 answered the version 2 questionnaire (emotional suffering). The majority of students were able to assess the currently prevailing legal norms on palliative sedation (legal) and euthanasia (illegal) correctly (81.2% and 93.7%, respectively), while only a few students knew that physician-assisted suicide, at that point in time, did not constitute a criminal offense. In the case study that was presented, 83.3% of the participants considered palliative sedation and the simultaneous withholding of artificial nutrition and hydration as ethically acceptable, 51.2% considered physician-assisted suicide ethically legitimate, and 19.2% considered euthanasia ethically permissible. When comparing the results of versions 1 and 2, a significant difference could only be seen in the assessment of the legality of palliative sedation: it was

Developing and Evaluating Medical Humanities Problem-Based Learning Classes Facilitated by the Teaching Assistants Majored in the Liberal Arts: A Longitudinal Crossover Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tseng, Fen-Yu; Shieh, Jeng-Yi; Kao, Tze-Wah; Wu, Chau-Chung; Chu, Tzong-Shinn; Chen, Yen-Yuan

2016-02-01

Although medical humanities courses taught by teachers from nonmedical backgrounds are not unusual now, few studies have compared the outcome of medical humanities courses facilitated by physicians to that by teaching assistants majored in the liberal arts. The objectives of this study were to (1) analyze the satisfaction of medical students with medical humanities problem-based learning (PBL) classes facilitated by nonmedical teaching assistants (TAF) majored in the liberal arts, and those facilitated by the attending physicians (APF) and (2) examine the satisfaction of medical students with clinical medicine-related and clinical medicine-unrelated medical humanities PBL classes.A total of 123 medical students, randomly assigned to 16 groups, participated in this study. There were 16 classes in the course: 8 of them were TAF classes; and the others were APF classes. Each week, each group rotated from 1 subject of the 16 subjects of PBL to another subject. All of the 16 groups went through all the 16 subjects in the 2013 spring semester. We examined the medical students' satisfaction with each class, based on a rating score collected after each class was completed, using a scale from 0 (the lowest satisfaction) to 100 (the highest satisfaction). We also conducted multivariate linear regression analysis to examine the association between the independent variables and the students' satisfaction.Medical students were more satisfied with the TAF (91.35 ± 7.75) medical humanities PBL classes than APF (90.40 ± 8.42) medical humanities PBL classes (P = 0.01). Moreover, medical students were more satisfied with the clinical medicine-unrelated topics (92.00 ± 7.10) than the clinical medicine-related topics (90.36 ± 7.99) in the medical humanities PBL course (P = 0.01).This medical humanities PBL course, including nonmedical subjects and topics, and nonmedical teaching assistants from the liberal arts as class facilitators, was satisfactory. This

Snapshot of cobalt, chromium and nickel exposure in dental technicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Kettelarij, Jolinde; Nilsson, Sara; Midander, Klara; Lidén, Carola; Julander, Anneli

2016-12-01

It is not fully understood where and how people are exposed to sensitizing metals. Much can be learnt from studying occupational settings where metals are handled. To quantify cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) exposure on the skin and in the air, and urine levels, in dental technicians working with tools and alloys that may result in skin and respiratory exposure. The metal skin dose was quantified with acid wipe sampling in dental technicians (n = 13). Air exposure was monitored by personal air sampling. Spot urine samples were collected for 24 h. Metals were analysed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Before work, Co was detected on the skin of 10 participants (0.00025-0.0039 µg/cm 2 ), and Cr (0.00051-0.011 µg/cm 2 ) and Ni (0.0062-0.15 µg/cm 2 ) on the skin of all participants. After a 2-h period without hand washing, CoCr-exposed participants had more Co on the skin (p = 0.004) than non-CoCr-exposed participants. Co was found in 10 air samples (0.22-155 µg/m 3 ), Cr in nine (0.43-71 µg/m 3 ), and Ni in four (0.48-3.7 µg/m 3 ). Metal urine concentrations were considered to be normal. Dental technicians were exposed to Co, Cr and Ni on the skin and through the air, which was not reflected in the urine concentrations in this study. Cobalt skin doses may potentially elicit allergic contact dermatitis and cause sensitization. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Medical applications of the nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ugarte, Valentin E.

2001-01-01

The Nuclear Medicine School Foundation, in Mendoza (Argentina) was created in 1986 by the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA) and is supported by the Government of the Mendoza Province, the CNEA, and the National University of Cuyo. The main activities of the school are medical diagnosis using nuclear techniques and the training of physicians and technicians in nuclear medicine. Teletherapy and brachytherapy are also performed. The use of the PET is described in some detail

Exploring the impact of an automated prescription-filling device on community pharmacy technician workflow

Science.gov (United States)

Walsh, Kristin E.; Chui, Michelle Anne; Kieser, Mara A.; Williams, Staci M.; Sutter, Susan L.; Sutter, John G.

2012-01-01

Objective To explore community pharmacy technician workflow change after implementation of an automated robotic prescription-filling device. Methods At an independent community pharmacy in rural Mayville, WI, pharmacy technicians were observed before and 3 months after installation of an automated robotic prescription-filling device. The main outcome measures were sequences and timing of technician workflow steps, workflow interruptions, automation surprises, and workarounds. Results Of the 77 and 80 observations made before and 3 months after robot installation, respectively, 17 different workflow sequences were observed before installation and 38 after installation. Average prescription filling time was reduced by 40 seconds per prescription with use of the robot. Workflow interruptions per observation increased from 1.49 to 1.79 (P = 0.11), and workarounds increased from 10% to 36% after robot use. Conclusion Although automated prescription-filling devices can increase efficiency, workflow interruptions and workarounds may negate that efficiency. Assessing changes in workflow and sequencing of tasks that may result from the use of automation can help uncover opportunities for workflow policy and procedure redesign. PMID:21896459

Medicosocial assistance to children in difficult situations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petrova E.I.

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Provision of medical and social assistance to children at risk groups has been analyzed theoretically. Information of medical and social assistance to children in the city of Ryazan has been presented

Ethics and regulation of inter-country medically assisted reproduction: a call for action.

Science.gov (United States)

Shalev, Carmel; Moreno, Adi; Eyal, Hedva; Leibel, Michal; Schuz, Rhona; Eldar-Geva, Talia

2016-01-01

The proliferation of medically assisted reproduction (MAR) for the treatment of infertility has brought benefit to many individuals around the world. But infertility and its treatment continue to be a cause of suffering, and over the past decade, there has been a steady growth in a new global market of inter-country medically assisted reproduction (IMAR) involving 'third-party' individuals acting as surrogate mothers and gamete donors in reproductive collaborations for the benefit of other individuals and couples who wish to have children. At the same time there is evidence of a double standard of care for third-party women involved in IMAR, violations of human rights of children and women, and extreme abuses that are tantamount to reproductive trafficking. This paper is the report of an inter-disciplinary working group of experts who convened in Israel to discuss the complex issues of IMAR. In Israel too IMAR practices have grown rapidly in recent years, mainly because of restrictions on access to domestic surrogacy for same sex couples and a chronically insufficient supply of egg cells for the treatment of couples and singles in need. Drawing upon local expertise, the paper describes documented practices that are harmful, suggests principles of good practice based on an ethic of care, and calls for action at the international, national and professional levels to establish a human rights based system of international governance for IMAR based on three regulatory models: public health monitoring, inter-country adoption, and trafficking in human beings, organs and tissues.

MEDIASSIST: medical assistance for intraoperative skill transfer in minimally invasive surgery using augmented reality

Science.gov (United States)

Sudra, Gunther; Speidel, Stefanie; Fritz, Dominik; Müller-Stich, Beat Peter; Gutt, Carsten; Dillmann, Rüdiger

2007-03-01

Minimally invasive surgery is a highly complex medical discipline with various risks for surgeon and patient, but has also numerous advantages on patient-side. The surgeon has to adapt special operation-techniques and deal with difficulties like the complex hand-eye coordination, limited field of view and restricted mobility. To alleviate with these new problems, we propose to support the surgeon's spatial cognition by using augmented reality (AR) techniques to directly visualize virtual objects in the surgical site. In order to generate an intelligent support, it is necessary to have an intraoperative assistance system that recognizes the surgical skills during the intervention and provides context-aware assistance surgeon using AR techniques. With MEDIASSIST we bundle our research activities in the field of intraoperative intelligent support and visualization. Our experimental setup consists of a stereo endoscope, an optical tracking system and a head-mounted-display for 3D visualization. The framework will be used as platform for the development and evaluation of our research in the field of skill recognition and context-aware assistance generation. This includes methods for surgical skill analysis, skill classification, context interpretation as well as assistive visualization and interaction techniques. In this paper we present the objectives of MEDIASSIST and first results in the fields of skill analysis, visualization and multi-modal interaction. In detail we present a markerless instrument tracking for surgical skill analysis as well as visualization techniques and recognition of interaction gestures in an AR environment.

Costs of medically assisted reproduction treatment at specialized fertility clinics in the Danish public health care system: results from a 5-year follow-up cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Christiansen, Terkel; Erb, Karin; Rizvanovic, Amra; Ziebe, Søren; Mikkelsen Englund, Anne L; Hald, Finn; Boivin, Jacky; Schmidt, Lone

2014-01-01

To examine the costs to the public health care system of couples in medically assisted reproduction. Longitudinal cohort study of infertile couples initiating medically assisted reproduction treatment. Specialized public fertility clinics in Denmark. Seven hundred and thirty-nine couples having no child at study entry and with data on kind of treatment and live birth (yes/no) for each treatment attempt at the specialized public fertility clinic. Treatment data for medically assisted reproduction attempts conducted at the public fertility clinics were abstracted from medical records. Flow diagrams were drawn for different standard treatment cycles and direct costs at each stage in the flow charts were measured and valued by a bottom-up procedure. Indirect costs were distributed to each treatment cycle on the basis of number of visits as basis. Costs were adjusted to 2012 prices using a constructed medical price index. Live birth, costs. Total costs per live birth in 2012 prices were estimated to 10,755€. Costs per treated couple - irrespective of whether the treatment was terminated by a live birth or not - were estimated at 6607€. Costs per live birth of women <35 years at treatment initiation were 9338€ and 15,040€ for women ≥35 years. The public costs for live births after conception with medically assisted reproduction treatment are relatively modest. The results can be generalized to public fertility treatment in Denmark and to other public treatment settings with similar limitations in numbers of public treatment cycles offered. © 2013 Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Emergency medical personnel training: I. An historical perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Sytkowski, P A; Jacobs, L M; Meany, M

1983-01-01

The status of Emergency Medical Technicians has evolved from an undefined role with few rules, regulations, or standards to an established health care profession and a nationally administered program. The evolution of this profession received major impetus from the 1966 report by the National Academy of Science/National Research Council that provided recommended training standards. Development of a training course curriculum for basic life support (BLS) followed. The need for coordinated training of Emergency Medical Technical Technicians was recognized, and funds became available to aid in the national standardization of education, examination, certification, and recertification procedures for EMTs. Concomitant with the attempt to standardize BLS training, advanced life support (ALS) programs grew in number. By 1977 the National Standard Training Curriculum became available and was soon followed by a national certification exam. As states have the option to accept or reject the federal standards embodied in the national training course, there remains variation among programs offered by each state. Because of the difference in need for specific emergency services among the states at a time of increased professional mobility, arguments still exist regarding the desirability of federally mandated training and certification programs.

Mutations des roles techniques et formation. Etude documentaire (Changes in the Roles and Education of Technicians. Documentary Study).

Science.gov (United States)

Pinard, Helene

Drawing from research conducted in 1990-91, this report examines trends affecting the future work of technicians in Quebec, their pre-employment education, and the link between college and work. Part 1 focuses on aspects of the economic, technological, and social environment that will influence the future role of technicians. Economic concerns…

Child Passenger Safety Technician Consultation in the Pediatric Primary Care Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Burstein, Dina; Zonfrillo, Mark R; Baird, Janette; Mello, Michael J

2017-09-01

Correct use of a child safety seat (CSS) can reduce the risk of fatal motor vehicle crash-related injury by up to 71%; however, misuse rates for CSS are as high as 70%. We recruited 189 caregivers at 2 large suburban pediatric office practices; 94 in the intervention group and 95 in the control group. All participants completed a baseline survey and received a CSS safety brochure. Intervention participants had their CSS installation checked at enrollment by a certified child passenger safety (CPS) technician. Follow-up was conducted 4 months post enrollment. Intervention group participants had a 21.3% reduction in critical misuse at follow-up, whereas control participants critical misuse rate at follow-up was identical to the intervention group at baseline. A consult with a certified CPS technician, at the time of a routine visit to the pediatrician, resulted in a reduction in CSS misuse rates.

Abstracts Book of 41. Scientific Assembly of Polish Chemical Society and Association of Engineers and Technicians of Chemical Industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

Scientific Assembly of Polish Chemical Society and Association of Engineers and Technicians of Chemical Industry is the most important scientific forum of Polish Chemists. The state of the art in many basic, fundamental and applied investigations has been presented and discussed. The following scientific sessions and microsymposia have been proposed: theoretical chemistry; molecular interactions; metal compounds - chemical, physical, electronic and biological aspects; catalysis and surface physico-chemistry; polymers - radiochemistry, modifications, physics and analytical methods; organic and bioorganic chemistry; physico-chemistry of condensed matter; chemical metallurgy; environmental protection; inorganic technology; chemistry and technology of coal; radiation chemistry; analytical chemistry; chemical engineering; young scientists forum; chemical didactics; petrochemistry; energetic materials; membranes and membrane processes; medical chemistry

Pedagogical Strategy for the professional training of technicians in Accountability and Auditing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martha Ximena Jaramillo-Lema

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The professionals in the specialty of Accounting and Auditing have an important role in the founding of mid and small enterprises (PYMES, therefore, there is need of forming technicians of high quality. However, after the application of different methods of research, it has been proven that there are insufficiencies in their work, which has brought about that the hirers reject to employ them. They support their decision saying that these technicians lack professional preparation in the processes of accounting and auditing. The present article has as main purpose, to propose a pedagogical strategy for the development of updating and upbringing courses based on the development in the spheres of accounting and auditing , thus it has been designed a system of actions of marked pedagogical effect that allows the achievement of this objective.

Baseline job satisfaction and stress among pharmacists and pharmacy technicians participating in the Fleetwood Phase III Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Lapane, Kate L; Hughes, Carmel M

2004-11-01

To provide baseline levels of job satisfaction and stress among members of the long-term care pharmacy team participating in the Fleetwood Phase III evaluation. Cross-sectional design; long-term care pharmacy provider in North Carolina (the implementation site of the large-scale Fleetwood Phase III study). All current pharmacy employees as of May/June 2002. None. Health Professional Stress Inventory and job satisfaction. Ninety-four percent (16/17) of consultant pharmacists were satisfied with their job, with 89% reporting they would definitely choose to be a pharmacist again. Seventy-five percent both of dispensing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians reported overall job satisfaction. Forty-one reported that they would not choose to be a pharmacist (pharmacy technician) again. The most frequently reported sources of stress among the dispensing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians were conflicts with non-work obligations (i.e., family, personal life) and the ability to perform duties with short staffing. In addition, inadequate pay and few opportunities for job advancement were often/frequent sources of stress among pharmacy technicians. More than one third of dispensing pharmacists also reported stress frequently because of fears of mistakes in patient treatment. Overall, consultants are very satisfied with their positions, although dispensing pharmacists and pharmacy technicians are less satisfied with their work. The reasons may be because of the different nature of each job, as well as staffing shortages. The extent to which the Fleetwood Model can improve job satisfaction and impact on stress will be evaluated once we resurvey the pharmacy team after the intervention period of the Fleetwood Phase III study.

A study on the issues and improving directions of the rules related radiologic technologist in medical law

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Chang Seon

1994-01-01

According to the astonishing progress of medical science, the medical roles of the radiologic technologist are increasing gradually and specializing highly. However, there are the wide disagreements the actual roles of the radiologic technologists at clinics and the relating rules of the medical law. Therefore, it is required that the medical law should be corresponded with the actual state. To solve these problems. This study has proceeded to make the survey of the present medical law and has tried to offer the most suitable theories to the actual state. This study includes the survey of relevant professional literatures. The major contents of this study are as follows. First, medical technician is written (in Chinese character) at the present medical technician law, and that word is written wrong. So, it should be replaced with Therefore, radiologic technologist should be written Second, the relations between the doctor and the radiologic technologist should be written the 'request or other words' instead of 'direction' Third, in spite of the rules of the present medical law, the medical act of radiologic technologist at clinics should be belonging to the boundary of medical practice. Forth, to present the appropriate medical service to the patients, legal status of radiologic technologist as a member of medical team should be established. Fifth, it is desired that Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technology as a business of radiologic technologist should be provided for in the medical law

Management of activated parts generated during the dismantling of linear accelerators for medical uses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz, Teresa; Correa, Cristina

2008-01-01

During years 2006-2008 have been carried out to the dismantling of several linear accelerators of medical use in Spain. The two first were in the Hospital of 'La Princesa' in Madrid and in the Hospital 'Santa Creu y Sant Pau' in Barcelona. The disassembling of such was made by technicians of the providing company and of the own hospital, with the advising of experts of the Radiological Protection and Radiophysics Service of such. Technicians of the Radiological Protection Technical Unit (RPU) of ENRESA collaborated in these dismantlings with the objective to determine that pieces could be evacuated conventionally as metallic scraps and which had to be managed as radioactive waste. In the following dismantling the classification of the pieces were carried out by the technicians of the providing company. After that the technicians of the RPU of ENRESA verified this classification and characterized, in detail, the pieces classified as radioactive wasted before their removal. In this paper the activities carried out to classify the pieces and the legal bases in which it leans on, as well as the measures made for the characterization of the materials considered as radioactive waste are described. (author)

Digitizing the Facebow: A Clinician/Technician Communication Tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalman, Les; Chrapka, Julia; Joseph, Yasmin

2016-01-01

Communication between the clinician and the technician has been an ongoing problem in dentistry. To improve the issue, a dental software application has been developed--the Virtual Facebow App. It is an alternative to the traditional analog facebow, used to orient the maxillary cast in mounting. Comparison data of the two methods indicated that the digitized virtual facebow provided increased efficiency in mounting, increased accuracy in occlusion, and lower cost. Occlusal accuracy, lab time, and total time were statistically significant (Ptechnician communication.

Physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia and palliative sedation: attitudes and knowledge of medical students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anneser, Johanna

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Objectives: In November 2015, the German Federal Parliament voted on a new legal regulation regarding assisted suicide. It was decided to amend the German Criminal Code so that any “regular, repetitive offer” (even on a non-profit basis of assistance in suicide would now be considered a punishable offense. On July 2, 2015, a date which happened to be accompanied by great media interest in that it was the day that the first draft of said law was presented to Parliament, we surveyed 4th year medical students at the Technical University Munich on “physician-assisted suicide,” “euthanasia” and “palliative sedation,” based on a fictitious case vignette study. Method: The vignette study described two versions of a case in which a patient suffered from a nasopharyngeal carcinoma (physical suffering subjectively perceived as being unbearable vs. emotional suffering. The students were asked about the current legal norms for each respective course of action as well as their attitudes towards the ethical acceptability of these measures.Results: Out of 301 students in total, 241 (80% participated in the survey; 109 answered the version 1 questionnaire (physical suffering and 132 answered the version 2 questionnaire (emotional suffering. The majority of students were able to assess the currently prevailing legal norms on palliative sedation (legal and euthanasia (illegal correctly (81.2% and 93.7%, respectively, while only a few students knew that physician-assisted suicide, at that point in time, did not constitute a criminal offense. In the case study that was presented, 83.3% of the participants considered palliative sedation and the simultaneous withholding of artificial nutrition and hydration as ethically acceptable, 51.2% considered physician-assisted suicide ethically legitimate, and 19.2% considered euthanasia ethically permissible. When comparing the results of versions 1 and 2, a significant difference could only be seen in the

Microprocessor based systems for the higher technician

CERN Document Server

Vears, RE

2013-01-01

Microprocessor Based Systems for the Higher Technician provides coverage of the BTEC level 4 unit in Microprocessor Based Systems (syllabus U80/674). This book is composed of 10 chapters and concentrates on the development of 8-bit microcontrollers specifically constructed around the Z80 microprocessor. The design cycle for the development of such a microprocessor based system and the use of a disk-based development system (MDS) as an aid to design are both described in detail. The book deals with the Control Program Monitor (CP/M) operating system and gives background information on file hand

Historical overview of the process of training of Senior Technician in Nursing in relation to research training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lola Rosario Altamirano-Baquerizo

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The formation of the Senior Technician in Nursing has been studied by many researchers as a process that integrates knowledge, skills and attitudes for the development of techniques and nursing procedures to healthy individuals or patients, families and community in the various bodies of the Network Asistencial. This paper identifies the training needs of Technician in Nursing, as it has found some shortcomings that do not refer to little curricular and methodological intent of the research training of this professional in the Bolivarian Technological Institute of Ecuador. In addressing the characterization of the historical background of the formation of the Senior Technician in Nursing el-logical historical method to use as documentation reviewing educational programs and policies of vocational training the technical level in the Ecuadorian higher education was used.

Navigating "Assisted Dying".

Science.gov (United States)

Schipper, Harvey

2016-02-01

Carter is a bellwether decision, an adjudication on a narrow point of law whose implications are vast across society, and whose impact may not be realized for years. Coupled with Quebec's Act Respecting End-of-life Care it has sharply changed the legal landscape with respect to actively ending a person's life. "Medically assisted dying" will be permitted under circumstances, and through processes, which have yet to be operationally defined. This decision carries with it moral assumptions, which mean that it will be difficult to reach a unifying consensus. For some, the decision and Act reflect a modern acknowledgement of individual autonomy. For others, allowing such acts is morally unspeakable. Having opened the Pandora's Box, the question becomes one of navigating a tolerable societal path. I believe it is possible to achieve a workable solution based on the core principle that "medically assisted dying" should be a very rarely employed last option, subject to transparent ongoing review, specifically as to why it was deemed necessary. My analysis is based on 1. The societal conditions in which have fostered demand for "assisted dying", 2. Actions in other jurisdictions, 3. Carter and Quebec Bill 52, 4. Political considerations, 5. Current medical practice. Leading to a series of recommendations regarding. 1. Legislation and regulation, 2. The role of professional regulatory agencies, 3. Medical professions education and practice, 4. Public education, 5. Health care delivery and palliative care. Given the burden of public opinion, and the legal steps already taken, a process for assisted-dying is required. However, those legal and regulatory steps should only be considered a necessary and defensive first step in a two stage process. The larger goal, the second step, is to drive the improvement of care, and thus minimize assisted-dying.

An object-oriented-database-system to assist control room staff

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schildt, G H [Vienna Univ. of Technology, Vienna (Austria). Inst. for Automation

1997-12-31

In order to assist control room staff of failure of any electrical or mechanical component a new objects-oriented-database-system (OODBS) has been developed and installed. Monitoring and diagnostics may be supported by this OODBS within a well-defined response time. The operator gets a report on different levels: For example, at a first level data about the vendor of a device (like reactor vessel internals, pumps, valves, etc.), data of installation, history of failures since installation, at a second level e.g. technical data of the device, at a next level e.g. a scanned photo of the device with its identification number within a certain compartment, and at another level using a CAD-system presenting technical drawings and corresponding part lists in order to assist necessary communication between operator and maintenance technician. (author). 3 refs, 10 figs.

An object-oriented-database-system to assist control room staff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schildt, G.H.

1996-01-01

In order to assist control room staff of failure of any electrical or mechanical component a new objects-oriented-database-system (OODBS) has been developed and installed. Monitoring and diagnostics may be supported by this OODBS within a well-defined response time. The operator gets a report on different levels: For example, at a first level data about the vendor of a device (like reactor vessel internals, pumps, valves, etc.), data of installation, history of failures since installation, at a second level e.g. technical data of the device, at a next level e.g. a scanned photo of the device with its identification number within a certain compartment, and at another level using a CAD-system presenting technical drawings and corresponding part lists in order to assist necessary communication between operator and maintenance technician. (author). 3 refs, 10 figs

Introducing a checking technician allows pharmacists to spend more time on patient-focused activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Napier, Patti; Norris, Pauline; Braund, Rhiannon

2018-04-01

Internationally there is an increasing focus on the clinical and cognitive services that pharmacists can provide. Lack of time has been identified as a barrier to pharmacists increasing their clinical activities. Within the pharmacy workplace there are many tasks that can only be performed by a pharmacist. The final accuracy check of a dispensed prescription is currently the sole responsibility of pharmacists in New Zealand. This takes up a significant amount of time during a pharmacist's work day. The introduction of a checking technician role has been suggested to allow pharmacists more time to do more patient focused work. To investigate the amount of time pharmacy staff spend on specific activities and to establish whether the introduction of a checking technician into twelve pilot sites increased the amount of time that the pharmacists could spend on patient focused activities. This study utilised a self-reported work sampling technique in twelve pilot sites, selected from both the hospital and community settings. Work sampling using an electronic device was conducted at two time-points (before the implementation of a Pharmacy Accuracy Checking Technician (PACT) role and when the PACT was in place). Data was collected at 10 min intervals for the period of five days, a working week. Tasks were grouped into patient focused, dispensing and personal activities. The introduction of the PACT into the pilot sites saw a mean increase of 19% in pharmacists' patient focused activities and a mean 20% decrease in dispensing activities. The introduction of a checking technician role into New Zealand pharmacies demonstrated the potential to provide pharmacists with more time to spend on patient focused activities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Commercial Airline In-Flight Emergency: Medical Student Response and Review of Medicolegal Issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Bukowski, Josh H; Richards, John R

2016-01-01

As the prevalence of air travel increases, in-flight medical emergencies occur more frequently. A significant percentage of these emergencies occur when there is no certified physician, nurse, or paramedic onboard. During these situations, flight crews might enlist the help of noncertified passengers, such as medical students, dentists, or emergency medical technicians in training. Although Good Samaritan laws exist, many health care providers are unfamiliar with the limited legal protections and resources provided to them after responding to an in-flight emergency. A 78-year-old woman lost consciousness and became pulseless onboard a commercial aircraft. No physician was available. A medical student responded and coordinated care with the flight crew, ground support physician, and other passengers. After receiving a packet (4 g) of sublingual sucrose and 1 L i.v. crystalloid, the patient regained pulses and consciousness. The medical student made the decision not to divert the aircraft based on the patient's initial response to therapy and, 45 min later, the patient had normal vital signs. Upon landing, she was met and taken by paramedics to the nearest emergency department for evaluation of her collapse. WHY SHOULD AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN BE AWARE OF THIS?: Emergency physicians are the most qualified to assist in-flight emergencies, but they might not be aware of the medicolegal risks involved with in-flight care, the resources available, and the role of the flight crew in liability and decision making. This case, which involved a medical student who was not given explicit protection under Good Samaritan laws, illustrates the authority of the flight crew during these events and highlights areas of uncertainty in the legislation for volunteer medical professionals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Doses to nuclear technicians in a dedicated PET/CT centre utilising 18F fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seierstad, T.; Stranden, E.; Bjering, K.; Evensen, M.; Holt, A.; Michalsen, H. M.; Wetteland, O.

2007-01-01

The first dedicated PET/CT centre in Norway was established at the Norwegian Radiumhospital in Oslo in 2005. Knowing that the introductions of PET-isotopes in nuclear medicine give increased occupational radiation dose to the technicians, a study was carried out in order to map the doses to staff members during different working operations and to see if any dose reducing measures were needed. The results of the study are in good agreement with other studies, and a technician dose of 20-25 nSv per injected MBq of 18 F seems to be representative for such centres. For an average injected activity of 350 MBq per patient, the dose limit is reached after handling around 3000 patients annually. For an annual number of less than 500 patients at the centre and rotation of the staff, an annual individual dose for the technicians would realistically be less than 2-3 mSv. Even a major increase in the number of patients will not result in individual doses near the ICRP dose limit. (authors)

Integrated Technical Information for the Air Logistics Center: Enhancing Maintenance Technician Task Performance

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Mitta, Deborah

1998-01-01

This technical paper documents the final results of an analysis of the task environment under which depot maintenance technicians perform their jobs--specifically, programmed depot maintenance (PDM) for F-15 aircraft...

Proceedings of the bright futures in Canada conference : building talent for a powerful tomorrow : powerline technician symposium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2009-07-01

This powerline technician symposium was held as part of the Electricity Sector Council (ESC) project conducted to report on emerging practices related to the recruitment, retention, and training of powerline technicians. Participants at the symposium were provided with an in-depth discussion of the ESC's situational analysis of the powerline technical trade in Canada. Electric power industry professionals from across Canada discussed regional practices related to the training and recruitment of new powerline technicians. Training programs discussed at the symposium included Cambrian College's powertechmodel; New Brunswick Power's mobile learning program; Hydro Ottawa's apprentice program; and Bright Futures BC's apprentice program. Career materials and methods of promoted the skilled labour market in Canada were also presented. The symposium featured a panel discussion as well as 4 panel PowerPoint presentations. tabs., figs.

Spacecraft and propulsion technician error

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, Daniel Clyde

Commercial aviation and commercial space similarly launch, fly, and land passenger vehicles. Unlike aviation, the U.S. government has not established maintenance policies for commercial space. This study conducted a mixed methods review of 610 U.S. space launches from 1984 through 2011, which included 31 failures. An analysis of the failure causal factors showed that human error accounted for 76% of those failures, which included workmanship error accounting for 29% of the failures. With the imminent future of commercial space travel, the increased potential for the loss of human life demands that changes be made to the standardized procedures, training, and certification to reduce human error and failure rates. Several recommendations were made by this study to the FAA's Office of Commercial Space Transportation, space launch vehicle operators, and maintenance technician schools in an effort to increase the safety of the space transportation passengers.

Understanding Transgender and Medically Assisted Gender Transition: Feminism as a Critical Resource.

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Jamie Lindemann

2016-11-01

Feminism has fought the trivialization of women's experiences, championed women's security, and insisted on respect for women's choices. In so doing, feminism has developed important perspectives on the complicated connections between what gender means as it plays itself in people's lives, and the inequalities of power and authority that structure much of human experience. Here, I put a few of these perspectives into contact with an issue where the interactions of gender and power are squarely in play: medicine's role in assisting gender transitioning generally and, specifically, the enduring controversy between medicine and many transgender people about the pathologization of transgender and the role of clinicians as gatekeepers to gender-transition interventions. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Royal Engineer Geographic Technicians: Exploring their attitudes to education and training

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, John Anthony

A creative approach is presented for understanding the attitudes of Royal Engineer (RE) Geographic Technicians (Geo Techs) to training and education. Through a grounded theory methodology, participants' experiences of learning and teaching are explored. These provide a greater awareness and perception of attitudes than have emerged through more established, formal methods of evaluating the effectiveness of training. Recent developments in technology, doctrine, requirements and operations have brought about significant changes to the range and complexity of subjects taught in the field of Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT). This in turn has increased the challenges to RE staff and students, many of whom find themselves instructing on or undertaking demanding degree level courses without the requisite formal qualifications. Grounded theory, based on guidelines rather than rigid rules, is adopted to provide a study of RE Geographic Technicians' learning experiences from the perspective of those who live it and for an interpretive understanding of their meanings to emerge. The policies, culture and social processes in which the RE Geo training takes place are explored to appreciate the influence of the training environment on learning. Data obtained through focus groups held with students and instructors, and through in-depth interviews with individuals who hold key roles associated with the course, recognises the relativism of multiple social realities in developing a rich source of knowledge on attitudes to learning. The collection, synthesis and analysis of data led to the emergence of core categories: context, commitment, expectations, motivation, qualifications, relevance and respect. Through their engagement the research participants' awareness, in particular of instructors, of Geographic Technicians' attitudes to training and education has been raised. Using the theoretical framework of communities of practice, the challenges and effectiveness of the RSMS as a

Animal Health Technicians: A Survey of Program Graduates and of Veterinarians.

Science.gov (United States)

Barsaleau, Richard B.; Walters, Henry R.

This document compiles the reports of two surveys conducted by Cosumnes River College to determine the status of graduates of its Animal Health Technician program, and to assess the acceptance and use of such paraprofessionals by area veterinarians. Information concerning type of employment, state certification, salaries, types of duties, length…

Hydraulics and pneumatics a technician's and engineer's guide

CERN Document Server

Parr, Andrew

1991-01-01

Hydraulics and Pneumatics: A Technician's and Engineer's Guide provides an introduction to the components and operation of a hydraulic or pneumatic system. This book discusses the main advantages and disadvantages of pneumatic or hydraulic systems.Organized into eight chapters, this book begins with an overview of industrial prime movers. This text then examines the three different types of positive displacement pump used in hydraulic systems, namely, gear pumps, vane pumps, and piston pumps. Other chapters consider the pressure in a hydraulic system, which can be quickly and easily controlled

Medical assistance in case of nuclear accident