Sports Management and Administration Internships and Students with Disabilities: Responsibilities and Practices for Success

Science.gov (United States)

Barnes, John

2009-01-01

Practica, internships, and mentorships are vital for the development of capable and productive graduates of preprofessional academic programs, including sports management and sports administration programs. College students with disabilities, including those in sports management and sports administration programs, who are preparing to enter their…

Previous Experience a Model of Practice UNAE

OpenAIRE

Ormary Barberi Ruiz; María Dolores Pesántez Palacios

2017-01-01

The statements presented in this article represents a preliminary version of the proposed model of pre-professional practices (PPP) of the National University of Education (UNAE) of Ecuador, an urgent institutional necessity is revealed in the descriptive analyzes conducted from technical support - administrative (reports, interviews, testimonials), pedagogical foundations of UNAE (curricular directionality, transverse axes in practice, career plan, approach and diagnostic examination as subj...

Program in the Culture of Biomedicine at the University of Delaware.

Science.gov (United States)

Brock, D. Heyward

1979-01-01

An interdisciplinary program is described that provides a humanistically-oriented education for preprofessional students, particularly those in the health sciences. The program offers new and diverse courses for the humanities student and was instrumental in the establishment of a Center for Science and Culture. (Author/MLW)

Student Preparation for Professional Practice in Early Intervention

Science.gov (United States)

Francois, Jennifer R.; Coufal, Kathy L.; Subramanian, Anu

2015-01-01

The preparation of students for professional practice in the field of early intervention has changed as a result of mandates through Part C, Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The purpose of this survey research was to describe the knowledge and skill areas, specific to early intervention, included in pre-professional curricula…

Between-Day Reliability of Pre-Participation Screening Components in Pre-Professional Ballet and Contemporary Dancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenny, Sarah J; Palacios-Derflingher, Luz; Owoeye, Oluwatoyosi B A; Whittaker, Jackie L; Emery, Carolyn A

2018-03-15

Critical appraisal of research investigating risk factors for musculoskeletal injury in dancers suggests high quality reliability studies are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine between-day reliability of pre-participation screening (PPS) components in pre-professional ballet and contemporary dancers. Thirty-eight dancers (35 female, 3 male; median age; 18 years; range: 11 to 30 years) participated. Screening components (Athletic Coping Skills Inventory-28, body mass index, percent total body fat, total bone mineral density, Foot Posture Index-6, hip and ankle range of motion, three lumbopelvic control tasks, unipedal dynamic balance, and the Y-Balance Test) were conducted one week apart. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs: 95% confidence intervals), standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change (MDC), Bland-Altman methods of agreement [95% limits of agreement (LOA)], Cohen's kappa coefficients, standard error, and percent agreements were calculated. Depending on the screening component, ICC estimates ranged from 0.51 to 0.98, kappa coefficients varied between -0.09 and 0.47, and percent agreement spanned 71% to 95%. Wide 95% LOA were demonstrated by Foot Posture Index-6 (right: -6.06, 7.31), passive hip external rotation (right: -9.89, 16.54), and passive supine turnout (left: -15.36, 17.58). The PPS components examined demonstrated moderate to excellent relative reliability with mean between-day differences less than MDC, or sufficient percent agreement, across all assessments. However, due to wide 95% limits of agreement, the Foot Posture Index-6 and passive hip range of motion are not recommended for screening injury risk in pre-professional dancers.

Anorexia athletica in pre-professional ballet dancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Herbrich, Laura; Pfeiffer, Ernst; Lehmkuhl, Ulrike; Schneider, Nora

2011-08-01

Competitive sport has been under increasing discussion as a possible favourable factor in the development of eating disorders among children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of sport-specific eating disorders, in line with the concept of anorexia athletica. This prospective field study included one experimental group and two control groups (disease and healthy). Fifty-two pre-professional ballet dancers aged 13-20 years were tested for clinical eating disorders, anorexia athletica criteria, eating disorder related psychopathology and self-concept, and were compared with 52 patients with anorexia nervosa and 44 non-athletic controls of the same age. The study was conducted using semi-structured interviews as well as self-report questionnaires. A clinical eating disorder diagnosis was made in 1.9% of the ballet dancers versus 0% of the high school students; anorexia athletica was diagnosed in 5.8% of the dancers versus 2.3% of the students. Ballet dancers scored lower than patients with anorexia nervosa with regard to eating disorder related psychopathology and higher than the patients with regard to self-concept. We conclude that more sensitive tools to differentiate between sport-specific (eating) patterns, anorexia athletica and clinically relevant eating disorders are needed, especially for aesthetic sports such as ballet. It remains an important goal to identify athletes with symptoms of anorexia athletica irrespective of their physique and/or sport.

Senior Citizens and Junior Writers--A Center for Exchange: Retired Professionals as Writing Laboratory Tutors for Students Enrolled in Upper-Level Pre-Professional University Writing Courses.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleimann, Susan; Meyers, G. Douglas

The writing center at a Maryland university prepares third-year students for nonacademic, preprofessional writing by using retired professionals as tutors. These tutors are trained by discussing readings centered around the Aristotelean schema of ethos, logos, and pathos and the more recent conception of writing as a problem-solving process. The…

Interprofessional simulation of birth in a non-maternity setting for pre-professional students.

Science.gov (United States)

McLelland, Gayle; Perera, Chantal; Morphet, Julia; McKenna, Lisa; Hall, Helen; Williams, Brett; Cant, Robyn; Stow, Jill

2017-11-01

Simulation-based learning is an approach recommended for teaching undergraduate health professionals. There is a scarcity of research around interprofessional simulation training for pre-professional students in obstetric emergencies that occur prior to arrival at the maternity ward. The primary aims of the study were to examine whether an interprofessional team-based simulated birth scenario would improve undergraduate paramedic, nursing, and midwifery students' self-efficacy scores and clinical knowledge when managing birth in an unplanned location. The secondary aim was to assess students' satisfaction with the newly developed interprofessional simulation. Quasi-experimental descriptive study with repeated measures. Simulated hospital emergency department. Final year undergraduate paramedic, nursing, and midwifery students. Interprofessional teams of five students managed a simulated unplanned vaginal birth, followed by debriefing. Students completed a satisfaction with simulation survey. Serial surveys of clinical knowledge and self-efficacy were conducted at three time points. Twenty-four students participated in one of five simulation scenarios. Overall, students' self-efficacy and confidence in ability to achieve a successful birth outcome was significantly improved at one month (psimulation experience was high (M=4.65/5). Results from this study indicate that an interprofessional simulation of a birth in an unplanned setting can improve undergraduate paramedic, nursing and midwifery students' confidence working in an interprofessional team. There was a significant improvement in clinical knowledge of the nursing students (who had least content about managing birth in their program). All students were highly satisfied with the interprofessional simulation experience simulation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

White Women, Racial Identity, and Learning about Racism in Graduate Preparation Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, Claire K.

2016-01-01

This study explored how White women learned about racism and White privilege in higher education and student affairs (HESA) master's degree programs. Drawn from a grounded theory, findings included 16 coursework and pre-professional experiences that generated racial dissonance, leading to "hunger" for more knowledge about racism and…

Practical C programming

CERN Document Server

Oualline, Steve

1997-01-01

There are lots of introductory C books, but this is the first one that has the no-nonsense, practical approach that has made Nutshell Handbooks® famous. C programming is more than just getting the syntax right. Style and debugging also play a tremendous part in creating programs that run well and are easy to maintain. This book teaches you not only the mechanics of programming, but also describes how to create programs that are easy to read, debug, and update. Practical rules are stressed. For example, there are fifteen precedence rules in C (&& comes before || comes before ?:). The practi

Incidencia de las prácticas pre profesionales en el desempeño laboral del licenciado en administración egresado de la uladech-católica-chimbote. 2013

OpenAIRE

Centurión Medina, Reinerio Zacarías

2015-01-01

The proposed research presents the study of the incidence on pre-professional practice in professional training, for “ULADECH”-Catholic Chimbote 2013 Administration students work performance, it had as aim to determine the incidence of the pre professional practices in the process of professional training in work performance for the Graduate degree in management from the Catholic University Los Ángeles de Chimbote. A survey was applied on 117 students in pre-professional practices I, II, III...

Implementation of an Outcome-Based Longitudinal Pharmacology Teaching in Undergraduate Dental Curriculum at KSAU-HS Experience

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdulmalik M. Alkatheri

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose/objectives: The aim of this study is to present a modification of the structure of the pharmacology educational experience for dental students as a result of the early introduction of a pharmacology course into the pre-professional curriculum. Methods: Three courses of professional dental pharmacology were modified before and/or after delivery by developing general course learning outcomes, lecture-by-lecture learning outcomes and theme mapping to align topics taught within these courses and with those taught in the pre-professional dental program. Results: Final proposals for three professional dental pharmacology courses, which are distributed over three professional years, were prepared based on teaching experience and theme mapping. Topics were added, deleted, transferred from one course to another to afford courses that are fully aligned, relatively comprehensive, longitudinal, with focus on topics relevant to the dental practice without redundancy. In addition, the design of these courses took into consideration the level of coverage of the pre-professional dental pharmacology course. Conclusions: This longitudinal inclusion of pharmacology courses form the second pre-professional year to the third professional year is expected to improve dental students’ pharmacology education experience. Although the last of these courses is a pharmacotherapeutic course, more courses with clinically oriented therapeutic approach are recommended. Keywords: Pharmacology course design, Dental students, Curriculum development, Curriculum mapping

Practical Maya programming with Python

CERN Document Server

Galanakis, Robert

2014-01-01

""Practical Maya Programming with Python"" is a practical tutorial packed with plenty of examples and sample projects which guides you through building reusable, independent modules and handling unexpected errors. If you are a developer looking to build a powerful system using Python and Maya's capabilities, then this book is for you. Practical Maya Programming with Python is perfect for intermediate users with basic experience in Python and Maya who want to better their knowledge and skills.

Recommended programming practices to facilitate the portability of science computer programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1983-01-01

This standard recommends programming practices to facilitate the portability of computer programs prepared for scientific and engineering computations. These practices are intended to simplify implementation, conversion, and modification of computer programs

Intervention Techniques Used With Autism Spectrum Disorder by Speech-Language Pathologists in the United States and Taiwan: A Descriptive Analysis of Practice in Clinical Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Hsieh, Ming-Yeh; Lynch, Georgina; Madison, Charles

2018-04-27

This study examined intervention techniques used with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in the United States and Taiwan working in clinic/hospital settings. The research questions addressed intervention techniques used with children with ASD, intervention techniques used with different age groups (under and above 8 years old), and training received before using the intervention techniques. The survey was distributed through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association to selected SLPs across the United States. In Taiwan, the survey (Chinese version) was distributed through the Taiwan Speech-Language Pathologist Union, 2018, to certified SLPs. Results revealed that SLPs in the United States and Taiwan used 4 common intervention techniques: Social Skill Training, Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Picture Exchange Communication System, and Social Stories. Taiwanese SLPs reported SLP preparation program training across these common intervention strategies. In the United States, SLPs reported training via SLP preparation programs, peer therapists, and self-taught. Most SLPs reported using established or emerging evidence-based practices as defined by the National Professional Development Center (2014) and the National Standards Report (2015). Future research should address comparison of SLP preparation programs to examine the impact of preprofessional training on use of evidence-based practices to treat ASD.

Practical C++ Programming

CERN Document Server

Oualline, Steve

2003-01-01

C++ is a powerful, highly flexible, and adaptable programming language that allows software engineers to organize and process information quickly and effectively. But this high-level language is relatively difficult to master, even if you already know the C programming language. The 2nd edition of Practical C++ Programming is a complete introduction to the C++ language for programmers who are learning C++. Reflecting the latest changes to the C++ standard, this 2nd edition takes a useful down-to-earth approach, placing a strong emphasis on how to design clean, elegant code. In short, to-th

Practical goal programming

CERN Document Server

Jones, Dylan

2010-01-01

This book and its treatment of goal programming will help organizations meet targets and objectives. The book includes many worked-out examples and tutorial exercises, and is designed to demostrate and teach its readers good modeling practice.

Potential Predictors of Injury Among Pre-Professional Ballet and Contemporary Dancers.

Science.gov (United States)

Yau, Rebecca K; Golightly, Yvonne M; Richardson, David B; Runfola, Cristin D; Waller, Anna E; Marshall, Stephen W

2017-06-15

Injuries occur frequently among ballet and contemporary dancers. However, limited literature exists on injuries to pre-professional dancers in the USA. The goals of this study were to 1. provide a descriptive epidemiology of the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries in an adolescent and young adult dance population and 2. identify parsimonious regression models that could be potentially used to predict injury incidence. The study was based at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) from Fall 2009 to Spring 2015. An injury was defined as any event that caused a dancer to be seen at the UNCSA Student Health Services and caused the dancer to modify or curtail dance activity for at least 1 day. Injury rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated using negative binomial generalized estimating equations. Models predicting injury rates were built using forward selection, stratified by sex. Among 480 dancers, 1,014 injuries were sustained. Most injuries were to the lower extremity and the result of overuse. There were differences in upper extremity, lower extremity, and traumatic injury rates by demographic subgroups. Among females, the most parsimonious predictive model for injury rates included a self-reported history of depression, age at time of injury, and number of injuries sustained at UNCSA prior to the semester of current injury. Among males, the most parsimonious model was a univariate model with family history of alcohol or drug problems. Strategies for traumatic injury prevention among dancers should be both sex- and style-specific. No differences were observed in overuse injury rates by sex or style, suggesting that generic overuse prevention strategies may not need to be guided by these factors. It is concluded that strategies can be implemented to reduce and mitigate the consequences of injuries if not the injuries themselves.

Academic Program Approval and Review Practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Don G. Creamer

1999-08-01

Full Text Available This report outlines general and specific processes for both program approval and program review practices found in 50 states and eight foreign countries and regions.  Models that depict these procedures are defined and the strengths and weakness of each are discussed.  Alternatives to current practice by state agencies in the U.S. are described that might provide for greater decentralization of these practices while maintaining institutional accountability.

Strengthening Chronic Disease Prevention Programming: the Toward Evidence-Informed Practice (TEIP) Program Assessment Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Albert, Dayna; Fortin, Rebecca; Lessio, Anne; Herrera, Christine; Hanning, Rhona; Rush, Brian

2013-01-01

Best practices identified solely on the strength of research evidence may not be entirely relevant or practical for use in community-based public health and the practice of chronic disease prevention. Aiming to bridge the gap between best practices literature and local knowledge and expertise, the Ontario Public Health Association, through the Toward Evidence-Informed Practice initiative, developed a set of resources to strengthen evidence-informed decision making in chronic disease prevention programs. A Program Assessment Tool, described in this article, emphasizes better processes by incorporating review criteria into the program planning and implementation process. In a companion paper, “Strengthening Chronic Disease Prevention Programming: The Toward Evidence-Informed Practice (TEIP) Program Evidence Tool,” we describe another tool, which emphasizes better evidence by providing guidelines and worksheets to identify, synthesize, and incorporate evidence from a range of sources (eg, peer-reviewed literature, gray literature, local expertise) to strengthen local programs. The Program Assessment Tool uses 19 criteria derived from literature on best and promising practices to assess and strengthen program planning and implementation. We describe the benefits, strengths, and challenges in implementing the tool in 22 community-based chronic disease prevention projects in Ontario, Canada. The Program Assessment Tool helps put best processes into operation to complement adoption and adaptation of evidence-informed practices for chronic disease prevention. PMID:23721789

Evaluation of the pharmacy practice program in the 6-year pharmaceutical education curriculum in Japan: community pharmacy practice program.

Science.gov (United States)

Utsumi, Miho; Hirano, Sachi; Fujii, Yuki; Yamamoto, Hiroshi

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to highlight concerns with the current pharmacy practice program and suggest aspects for improvement. A further aim of the study was to enhance the educational effects of the program, from the students' point of view. We surveyed 1,607 pharmacy students in Japan who had completed the pharmacy practice program in either 2010 or 2011. The students completed a self-descriptive questionnaire comprising 48 questions examining their experience of the pharmacy practice program. For community pharmacy practice, four factors were extracted through exploratory analysis: "satisfactory learning (pharmacy)," "support system of the university," "creation and clarification of the training plan," and "dialogue with patients." When comparing the mean values for each of the four factors between 2011 and 2012, the 2012 group scored significantly higher (p programs. From the results of McNemar's test, from 2011 to 2012, there was a significant decrease in the number of students who were unable to experience "charge system of patients" at neither hospitals nor pharmacies (p program introduced some initiatives. Furthermore, conducting training at multiple facilities deepens student learning and assists with the correction of problems, such as the disparities within the teaching system and learning content at each of the training facilities.

Implementation of an Electronic Objective Structured Clinical Exam for Assessing Practical Skills in Pre-Professional Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy Programs: Examiner and Course Coordinator Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Snodgrass, Suzanne J.; Ashby, Samantha E.; Rivett, Darren A.; Russell, Trevor

2014-01-01

Assessment of practical clinical skills is essential in the health fields. Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCEs), where examiners assess students performing clinical procedures on simulated patients (actors), are central to the evaluation of practical skills. However, traditional OSCEs require considerable time-investment to administer, and…

Management practices in substance abuse treatment programs.

Science.gov (United States)

McConnell, K John; Hoffman, Kim A; Quanbeck, Andrew; McCarty, Dennis

2009-07-01

Efforts to understand how to improve the delivery of substance abuse treatment have led to a recent call for studies on the "business of addiction treatment." This study adapts an innovative survey tool to collect baseline management practice data from 147 addiction treatment programs enrolled in the Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment 200 project. Measures of "good" management practice were strongly associated with days to treatment admission. Management practice scores were weakly associated with revenues per employee but were not correlated with operating margins. Better management practices were more prevalent among programs with a higher number of competitors in their catchment area.

2APL: a practical agent programming language

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dastani, M.M.

2008-01-01

This article presents a BDI-based agent-oriented programming language, called 2APL (A Practical Agent Programming Language). This programming language facilitates the implementation ofmulti-agent systems consisting of individual agents thatmay share and access external environments. It realizes

Practical C++ financial programming

CERN Document Server

Oliveira, Carlos

2015-01-01

Practical C++ Financial Programming is a hands-on book for programmers wanting to apply C++ to programming problems in the financial industry. The book explains those aspects of the language that are more frequently used in writing financial software, including the STL, templates, and various numerical libraries. The book also describes many of the important problems in financial engineering that are part of the day-to-day work of financial programmers in large investment banks and hedge funds. The author has extensive experience in the New York City financial industry that is now distilled in

Practice Facilitators' and Leaders' Perspectives on a Facilitated Quality Improvement Program.

Science.gov (United States)

McHugh, Megan; Brown, Tiffany; Liss, David T; Walunas, Theresa L; Persell, Stephen D

2018-04-01

Practice facilitation is a promising approach to helping practices implement quality improvements. Our purpose was to describe practice facilitators' and practice leaders' perspectives on implementation of a practice facilitator-supported quality improvement program and describe where their perspectives aligned and diverged. We conducted interviews with practice leaders and practice facilitators who participated in a program that included 35 improvement strategies aimed at the ABCS of heart health (aspirin use in high-risk individuals, blood pressure control, cholesterol management, and smoking cessation). Rapid qualitative analysis was used to collect, organize, and analyze the data. We interviewed 17 of the 33 eligible practice leaders, and the 10 practice facilitators assigned to those practices. Practice leaders and practice facilitators both reported value in the program's ability to bring needed, high-quality resources to practices. Practice leaders appreciated being able to set the schedule for facilitation and select among the 35 interventions. According to practice facilitators, however, relying on practice leaders to set the pace of the intervention resulted in a lower level of program intensity than intended. Practice leaders preferred targeted assistance, particularly electronic health record documentation guidance and linkages to state smoking cessation programs. Practice facilitators reported that the easiest interventions were those that did not alter care practices. The dual perspectives of practice leaders and practice facilitators provide a more holistic picture of enablers and barriers to program implementation. There may be greater opportunities to assist small practices through simple, targeted practice facilitator-supported efforts rather than larger, comprehensive quality improvement projects. © 2018 Annals of Family Medicine, Inc.

Practical strategies for nursing education program evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewallen, Lynne Porter

2015-01-01

Self-evaluation is required for institutions of higher learning and the nursing programs within them. The literature provides information on evaluation models and instruments, and descriptions of how specific nursing education programs are evaluated. However, there are few discussions in the nursing education literature of the practical aspects of nursing education program evaluation: how to get started, how to keep track of data, who to involve in data collection, and how to manage challenging criteria. This article discusses the importance of program evaluation in the academic setting and provides information on practical ways to organize the evaluation process and aggregate data, and strategies for gathering data from students, graduates, alumni, and employers of graduates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Assessment Practices in Undergraduate Accounting Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Lusher, Anna L.

2010-01-01

This study examined accounting program assessment plans at 102 colleges and universities in the United States. The research focused on identifying assessment practices in undergraduate accounting programs by examining the skills and competencies assessed and determining the methods of assessment used. The study also investigated what course and/or…

Strengthening Chronic Disease Prevention Programming: The Toward Evidence-Informed Practice (TEIP) Program Evidence Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Albert, Dayna; Fortin, Rebecca; Herrera, Christine; Hanning, Rhona; Lessio, Anne; Rush, Brian

2013-01-01

In public health and chronic disease prevention there is increasing priority for effective use of evidence in practice. In Ontario, Canada, despite various models being advanced, public health practitioners are seeking ways to identify and apply evidence in their work in practical and meaningful ways. In a companion article, “Strengthening Chronic Disease Prevention Programming: The Toward Evidence-Informed Practice (TEIP) Program Assessment Tool,” we describe use of a tool to assess and strengthen program planning and implementation processes using 19 criteria derived from best and promising practices literature. In this article, we describe use of a complementary Program Evidence Tool to identify, synthesize, and apply a range of evidence sources to strengthen the content of chronic disease prevention programming. The Program Evidence Tool adapts tools of evidence-based medicine to the unique contexts of community-based health promotion and chronic disease prevention. Knowledge management tools and a guided dialogue process known as an Evidence Forum enable community stakeholders to make appropriate use of evidence in diverse social, political, and structural contexts. Practical guidelines and worksheets direct users through 5 steps: 1) define an evidence question, 2) develop a search strategy, 3) collect and synthesize evidence, 4) interpret and adapt evidence, and 5) implement and evaluate. We describe the Program Evidence Tool’s benefits, strengths, challenges, and what was learned from its application in 4 Ontario public health departments. The Program Evidence Tool contributes to the development and understanding of the complex use of evidence in community-based chronic disease prevention. PMID:23721788

Effective Practices for Evaluating Education and Public Outreach Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkerson, S.

2013-12-01

Stephanie Baird Wilkerson, PhD Carol Haden EdD Magnolia Consulting,LLC Education and public outreach (EPO) program developers and providers seeking insights regarding effective practices for evaluating EPO activities programs benefit from understanding why evaluation is critical to the success of EPO activities and programs, what data collection methods are appropriate, and how to effectively communicate and report findings. Based on our extensive experience evaluating EPO programs, we will share lessons learned and examples of how these practices play out in actual evaluation studies. EPO program developers, providers, and evaluators must consider several factors that influence which evaluation designs and data collection methods will be most appropriate, given the nature of EPO programs. Effective evaluation practices of EPO programs take into account a program's phase of development, duration, and budget as well as a program's intended outcomes. EPO programs that are just beginning development will have different evaluation needs and priorities than will well-established programs. Effective evaluation practices consider the 'life' of a program with an evaluation design that supports a program's growth through various phases including development, revision and refinement, and completion. It would be premature and inappropriate to expect the attainment of longer-term outcomes of activities during program development phases or early stages of implementation. During program development, EPO providers should clearly define program outcomes that are feasible and appropriate given a program's scope and expected reach. In many respects, this directly relates to the amount of time, or duration, intended audiences participate in EPO programs. As program duration increases so does the likelihood that the program can achieve longer-term outcomes. When choosing which outcomes are reasonable to impact and measure, program duration should be considered. Effective evaluation

Teaching teamwork: an evaluation of an interprofessional training ward placement for health care students.

Science.gov (United States)

Morphet, Julia; Hood, Kerry; Cant, Robyn; Baulch, Julie; Gilbee, Alana; Sandry, Kate

2014-01-01

The establishment of interprofessional teamwork training in the preprofessional health care curriculum is a major challenge for teaching faculties. Interprofessional clinical placements offer an opportunity for teamwork education, as students in various professions can work and learn together. In this sequential, mixed-method study, focus group and survey techniques were used to evaluate students' educational experiences after 2-week ward-based interprofessional clinical placements. Forty-five senior nursing, medicine, and other health care students cared for patients in hospital wards under professional supervision, with nursing-medicine student "teams" leading care. Thirty-six students attended nine exit focus groups. Five central themes that emerged about training were student autonomy and workload, understanding of other professional roles, communication and shared knowledge, interprofessional teamwork/collaboration, and the "inner circle", or being part of the unit team. The learning environment was described as positive. In a postplacement satisfaction survey (n=38), students likewise rated the educational experience highly. In practicing teamwork and collaboration, students were able to rehearse their future professional role. We suggest that interprofessional clinical placements be regarded as an essential learning experience for senior preprofessional students. More work is needed to fully understand the effect of this interactive program on students' clinical learning and preparation for practice.

Defense programs business practices re-engineering QFD exercise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murray, C.; Halbleib, L.

1996-03-01

The end of the cold war has resulted in many changes for the Nuclear Weapons Complex (NWC). We now work in a smaller complex, with reduced resources, a smaller stockpile, and no new phase 3 weapons development programs. This new environment demands that we re-evaluate the way we design and produce nuclear weapons. The Defense Program (DP) Business Practices Re-engineering activity was initiated to improve the design and production efficiency of the DP Sector. The activity had six goals: (1) to identify DP business practices that are exercised by the Product Realization Process (PRP); (2) to determine the impact (positive, negative, or none) of these practices on defined, prioritized customer criteria; (3) to identify business practices that are candidates for elimination or re-engineering; (4) to select two or three business practices for re-engineering; (5) to re-engineer the selected business practices; and (6) to exercise the re-engineered practices on three pilot development projects. Business practices include technical and well as administrative procedures that are exercised by the PRP. A QFD exercise was performed to address (1)-(4). The customer that identified, defined, and prioritized the criteria to rate the business practices was the Block Change Advisory Group. Five criteria were identified: cycle time, flexibility, cost, product performance/quality, and best practices. Forty-nine business practices were identified and rated per the criteria. From this analysis, the group made preliminary recommendations as to which practices would be addressed in the re-engineering activity. Sixteen practices will be addressed in the re-engineering activity. These practices will then be piloted on three projects: (1) the Electronic Component Assembly (ECA)/Radar Project, (2) the B61 Mod 11, and (3) Warhead Protection Program (WPP)

Found in Translation: The Value of Teaching Law as Culture

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Carlson, Kerstin Bree

2013-01-01

as culturally specific. Yet, as law practice becomes more globalized, such awareness is an increasingly necessary element of any practitioner’s toolkit. This Article explores three examples of cross-cultural blunders to demonstrate the necessity of being sensitive to law in cultural context.......Although the study of law within its larger culture is emerging, recognition of law as culture is still generally nascent within legal studies and preprofessional programs. In fact, the greater recognition of law’s social and political role may have impeded a consideration of law’s role...

Practical database programming with Java

CERN Document Server

Bai, Ying

2011-01-01

"This important resource offers a detailed description about the practical considerations and applications in database programming using Java NetBeans 6.8 with authentic examples and detailed explanations. This book provides readers with a clear picture as to how to handle the database programming issues in the Java NetBeans environment. The book is ideal for classroom and professional training material. It includes a wealth of supplemental material that is available for download including Powerpoint slides, solution manuals, and sample databases"--

Exploring Community Radio Programming Practices to Inform ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A collective case study (multi-site) design was used to probe educational programming practices used in community radio. The paper explores how community radio station programming engages listeners in community generated education programmes that are produced through collaborative work with radio listener clubs.

The Intersections of Science and Practice: Examples From FitnessGram® Programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Welk, Gregory J

2017-12-01

The FitnessGram® program has provided teachers with practical tools to enhance physical education programming. A key to the success of the program has been the systematic application of science to practice. Strong research methods have been used to develop assessments and standards for use in physical education, but consideration has also been given to ensure that programming meets the needs of teachers, students, parents, and other stakeholders. This essay summarizes some of these complex and nuanced intersections between science and practice with the FitnessGram® program. The commentaries are organized into 5 brief themes: science informing practice; practice informing science; balancing science and practice; promoting evidence-based practice; and the integration of science and practice. The article draws on personal experiences with the FitnessGram® program and is prepared based on comments shared during the 37th Annual C. H. McCloy Research Lecture at the 2017 SHAPE America - Society of Health and Physical Educators Convention.

Elementary Education Program for Engineering by Dual System of Workshop and Teaching Program with Practical Subject

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Toshitsugu

Elementary education program for engineering by the dual system combined with workshop program and teaching program with practical subject was discussed. The dual system which consists of several workshop programs and fundamental subjects (such as mathematics, English and physics) with practical material has been performed for the freshmen. The elementary workshop program (primary course) has four workshops and the related lectures. Fundamental subjects are taught with the practical or engineering texts. English subjects are taught by specified teachers who have ever worked in engineering field with English. The dual system was supported by such systems as the center for success initiative and the English education center.

Best Management Practices, Policies and Programs

Science.gov (United States)

The National Great Practice Compendium highlights outstanding activities, technologies, and programs that prevent trash from entering the aquatic environment and/or that reduce the overall volume of trash that is generated.

Bimodal Programming: A Survey of Current Clinical Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Siburt, Hannah W; Holmes, Alice E

2015-06-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the current clinical practice in approaches to bimodal programming in the United States. To be specific, if clinicians are recommending bimodal stimulation, who programs the hearing aid in the bimodal condition, and what method is used for programming the hearing aid? An 11-question online survey was created and sent via email to a comprehensive list of cochlear implant programming centers in the United States. The survey was sent to 360 recipients. Respondents in this study represented a diverse group of clinical settings (response rate: 26%). Results indicate little agreement about who programs the hearing aids, when they are programmed, and how they are programmed in the bimodal condition. Analysis of small versus large implant centers indicated small centers are less likely to add a device to the contralateral ear. Although a growing number of cochlear implant recipients choose to wear a hearing aid on the contralateral ear, there is inconsistency in the current clinical approach to bimodal programming. These survey results provide evidence of large variability in the current bimodal programming practices and indicate a need for more structured clinical recommendations and programming approaches.

Introduction of handheld computing to a family practice residency program.

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Rao, Goutham

2002-01-01

Handheld computers are valuable practice tools. It is important for residency programs to introduce their trainees and faculty to this technology. This article describes a formal strategy to introduce handheld computing to a family practice residency program. Objectives were selected for the handheld computer training program that reflected skills physicians would find useful in practice. TRGpro handheld computers preloaded with a suite of medical reference programs, a medical calculator, and a database program were supplied to participants. Training consisted of four 1-hour modules each with a written evaluation quiz. Participants completed a self-assessment questionnaire after the program to determine their ability to meet each objective. Sixty of the 62 participants successfully completed the training program. The mean composite score on quizzes was 36 of 40 (90%), with no significant differences by level of residency training. The mean self-ratings of participants across all objectives was 3.31 of 4.00. Third-year residents had higher mean self-ratings than others (mean of group, 3.62). Participants were very comfortable with practical skills, such as using drug reference software, and less comfortable with theory, such as knowing the different types of handheld computers available. Structured training is a successful strategy for introducing handheld computing to a residency program.

Good manufacturing practice - quality assurance programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masefield, John; Thompson, Steven

1986-01-01

The concept of good manufacturing practice (GMP) in the medical device industry requires the use of controlled methods and equipment in performing each step in the device manufacturing process. Quality assurance programs are used to maintain compliance with GMP requirements by prescribing the operating and control procedures to be used. The specific elements of a quality assurance program for the radiation sterilization of medical devices are described. (author)

International Mentoring Programs: Leadership Opportunities to Enhance Worldwide Pharmacy Practice.

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Ubaka, Chukwuemeka; Brechtelsbauer, Erich; Goff, Debra A

2017-07-01

Health-system and community pharmacy practice in the United States is experiencing transformational change; however, this transformation is lagging in the international arena. As a result, efforts are being made to provide support and education to the international pharmacy leaders and practitioners. This article describes one effort, the Mandela Washington Fellows Program, and suggests areas where pharmacy leaders can be involved to help advance the practice of pharmacy on an international level. The Mandela Washington Fellows Program for young Africa leaders consists of a US-Africa pharmacy-mentoring program identified ranging from educational opportunities to collaboration for implementation of patient care programs. The specifics of the mentoring program include daily meetings, clinic and ward rounds, round table discussions with mentors, and visits to various hospital care systems. Lessons were learned and strategies for sustaining the program are discussed. These types of programs represent leadership opportunities that may not be apparent to most pharmacy directors, but expanding their view to helping international pharmacists expand their practice only strengthens the professional goal of providing patient-centered pharmacy services.

Mentoring advanced practice nurses in research: recommendations from a pilot program.

Science.gov (United States)

Leung, Doris; Widger, Kimberley; Howell, Doris; Nelson, Sioban; Molassiotis, Alex

2012-01-01

Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) need research skills to develop and advance their practice and, yet, many have limited access to research training and support following completion of their advanced degree. In this paper we report on the development, delivery, and evaluation of an innovative pilot program that combined research training and one-to-one mentorship for nine APNs in conducting research relevant to their practice. The program was organized within an academic institution and its affiliated hospitals in Toronto, Canada. Our experience with this program may assist those in other organizations to plan and deliver a similar program for APN research mentorship.

Geographic Region, Size, and Program Type in Family Practice Residencies.

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Jolene K.; Garrard, Judith

1981-01-01

Research on residency education in family practice is discussed. Programmatic variables are examined: geographic region, size, and type of program. Definitions of these variables are provided, the current distribution of family practice residency programs across each of these variables is described, and data for use by other researchers is…

CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs - 2007

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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs. Funding. CDC's Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco...

CDC Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs - 2014

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U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs. Funding. CDC's Best Practices for Comprehensive Tobacco...

Mid-market transformation programs: programs to promote best practices in system specification and installation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosenberg, Mitchell

2003-01-01

This paper summarizes the experience of programs designed to promote the adoption of best practices in equipment specification and installation among distributors and installation contractors in the residential central air conditioning and industrial compressed air equipment markets. For each of those markets, the paper identifies the current understanding of best practices, characterizes energy savings available from their adoption, assesses the nature of barriers to their adoption, and describes the operations and accomplishments of programs designed to address those barriers

The chaos cookbook a practical programming guide

CERN Document Server

Pritchard, Joe

2014-01-01

The Chaos Cookbook: A Practical Programming Guide discusses the use of chaos in computer programming. The book is comprised of 11 chapters that tackle various topics relevant to chaos and programming. Chapter 1 reviews the concept of chaos, and Chapter 2 discusses the iterative functions. Chapters 3 and 4 cover differential and Lorenz equations. Chapter 5 talks about strange attractors, while Chapter 6 deals with the fractal link. The book also discusses the Mandelbrot set, and then covers the Julia sets. The other fractal systems and the cellular automata are also explained. The last chapter

Dance Critique as Signature Pedagogy

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Kearns, Lauren

2017-01-01

The curriculum of preprofessional university degree programs in dance typically comprise four components: theory and history, dance technique, creative process, and performance. This article focuses on critique in the modern dance technique and choreography components of the dance curriculum. Bachelor of Fine Arts programs utilize critique as a…

National Reform Programs in Local Practices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjelholt, Morten; Jensen, Tina Blegind

. In particular, we emphasize the practices in which national strategic formulations are legitimized and accepted or abandoned by the actors involved. Building on a case study conducted over a two-year time span, we show how a local actor engages with and promotes a national reform program by evoking a discourse...

Lifelong Learning: Policies, Practices, and Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatton, Michael J., Ed.

The 26 articles in this book focus on lifelong learning policies, practices, and programs in 13 Asia Pacific countries. The following papers are included: "Half a Revolution: A Brief Survey of Lifelong Learning in New Zealand" (P. Methven and J. Hansen); "HRD in a Multicultural Workplace: The Need for Lifelong Learning" (M.…

[Healthy eating: implementation of a practice-oriented training program].

Science.gov (United States)

Kulakova, E N; Nastausheva, T L; Usacheva, E A

2016-01-01

Health professionals need to have current knowledge and skills in nutrition. The knowledge and skills have to be acquired in programs of continuing medical education, but also in undergraduate medical education. The main purpose of this work was to develop and implement a practice-oriented training program in nutrition and healthy eating for medical students. The subject named "Nutrition" was implemented into second-year medical curriculum. We defined a theoretical framework and terms such as nutrition, healthy eating, and evidence-based nutrition. In order to get learning outcomes we constructed a method of patients counseling and training "Individual food pyramid". The making of "Individual food pyramid" is a key integrate element of the program. It helps to memorize, understand and apply the basic principles of healthy eating in real life contexts. The final program consists of two sections: "General Nutrition" and "Special Nutrition". The most important intended learning outcome is student's lifestyle improvement. The program is practice-oriented and outcome-based.

THE BUDGET PROGRAM: ECONOMIC CONTENT AND PRACTICE OF IMPLEMENTATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iryna Shevchenko

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The aim of the article is to analyse the practice of the economic content of budget programs’ implementation in Ukraine. The definition of the budget program is given. It is noted that, in the Ukrainian legislative area, there is a wide range of programs, namely: programs of economic and social development of Ukraine; Government activity programs; state target programs; local programs for the socio-economic and cultural development. The author reviews in more detail the differences between the budget program and the state target program since it is these types of programs that are most confusing. It is emphasized that there is a certain interconnection between budget and state target programs and a strategic document. Thus, in order to achieve the corresponding goal and fulfil the tasks set out in the paper and aim at solving urgent problems of development, it is necessary to develop concrete ways in the context of branches of the economy. Methodology. The study of the indicators of planned and fully financed state budget programs, planned and spent expenditures for the financing of budget programs for 2011– 2015, as well as the polynomial trend of planned expenditures for the financialization of budget programs for 2011– 2017, is conducted. The interrelation between elements of budget programs and their characteristic features is studied. Indicators of the implementation of budget programs applied in international practice are considered and analysed, namely: Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, USA. Results. The author systematized the views of scientists on the performance indicators of budget programs. The analysis of the professional literature on this issue allowed generalizing the main classification features, which, according to the author, should be fixed at the legislative level. Practical implication. The author proposed an additional classification mark “Depending on the degree of risk of non-fulfilment of the program�

Degree Completers at Baccalaureate Arts and Sciences Institutions and the Contemporary U. S. Macroeconomy

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Wilson, Rachel; Yontz, Brian

2015-01-01

Recent economic downturns have led some liberal arts institutions to consider changes to their program offerings. With this article we seek to enhance the understanding of the correlation between liberal arts and pre-professional programs with the economy in order to help inform higher education faculty and administration when exploring changes to…

76 FR 8659 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-15

... Practices of the Video Relay Service Program AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission. ACTION: Final rule... with the Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program, Declaratory Ruling... accessible formats for people with disabilities (Braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send...

Teachers' Reflective Practice in Lifelong Learning Programs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Annie Aarup; Thomassen, Anja Overgaard

2018-01-01

This chapter explores teachers' reflective practice in lifelong learning programs based on a qualitative study of five teachers representing three part-time Master's programs. The theoretical framework for analysis of the interview data is Ellström's (1996) model for categorizing levels of action......, knowledge and learning, activity theory (Engeström, 1987) and expansive learning (Engeström & Sannino, 2010). The results show a divergence between what the teachers perceive as the Master students' learning goals and the teachers' goals and objectives. This is highlighted through the teachers' experience...

Physician practice responses to financial incentive programs: exploring the concept of implementation mechanisms.

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Cohen, Genna R; Erb, Natalie; Lemak, Christy Harris

2012-01-01

To develop a framework for studying financial incentive program implementation mechanisms, the means by which physician practices and physicians translate incentive program goals into their specific office setting. Understanding how new financial incentives fit with the structure of physician practices and individual providers' work may shed some insight on the variable effects of physician incentives documented in numerous reviews and meta-analyses. Reviewing select articles on pay-for-performance evaluations to identify and characterize the presence of implementation mechanisms for designing, communicating, implementing, and maintaining financial incentive programs as well as recognizing participants' success and effects on patient care. Although uncommonly included in evaluations, evidence from 26 articles reveals financial incentive program sponsors and participants utilized a variety of strategies to facilitate communication about program goals and intentions, to provide feedback about participants' progress, and to assist-practices in providing recommended services. Despite diversity in programs' geographic locations, clinical targets, scope, and market context, sponsors and participants deployed common strategies. While these methods largely pertained to communication between program sponsors and participants and the provision of information about performance through reports and registries, they also included other activities such as efforts to engage patients and ways to change staff roles. This review covers a limited body of research to develop a conceptual framework for future research; it did not exhaustively search for new articles and cannot definitively link particular implementation mechanisms to outcomes. Our results underscore the effects implementation mechanisms may have on how practices incorporate new programs into existing systems of care which implicates both the potential rewards from small changes as well as the resources which may be

The effectiveness of a cardiometabolic prevention program in general practices offering integrated care programs including a patient tailored lifestyle treatment.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hollander, M.; Eppink, L.; Nielen, M.; Badenbroek, I.; Stol, D.; Schellevis, F.; Wit, N. de

2016-01-01

Background & Aim: Selective cardio-metabolic prevention programs (CMP) may be especially effective in well-organized practices. We studied the effect of a CMP program in the academic primary care practices of the Julius Health Centers (JHC) that offer integrated cardiovascular disease management

OJPOT: Online Judge & Practice Oriented Teaching Idea in Programming Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Gui Ping; Chen, Shu Yu; Yang, Xin; Feng, Rui

2016-01-01

Practical abilities are important for students from majors including Computer Science and Engineering, and Electrical Engineering. Along with the popularity of ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest (ACM/ICPC) and other programming contests, online judge (OJ) websites achieve rapid development, thus providing a new kind of programming…

Effectiveness of Mentoring Program Practices. Research in Action. Issue 2

Science.gov (United States)

DuBois, David L.

2007-01-01

This article focuses on mentoring program practices in relation to issues of effectiveness, while recognizing that implications for program quality conceptualized more broadly is a key concern in need of greater investigation. The author provides an overview of selected conceptual and methodological issues involved with identification of…

Do Pain Medicine Fellowship Programs Provide Education in Practice Management? A Survey of Pain Medicine Fellowship Programs.

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Przkora, Rene; Antony, Ajay; McNeil, Andrew; Brenner, Gary J; Mesrobian, James; Rosenquist, Richard; Abouleish, Amr E

2018-01-01

We hypothesized that there is a gap between expectations and actual training in practice management for pain medicine fellows. Our impression is that many fellowships rely on residency training to provide exposure to business education. Unfortunately, pain management and anesthesiology business education are very different, as the practice settings are largely office- versus hospital-based, respectively. Because it is unclear whether pain management fellowships are providing practice management education and, if they do, whether the topics covered match the expectations of their fellows, we surveyed pain medicine program directors and fellows regarding their expectations and training in business management. A survey. Academic pain medicine fellowship programs. After an exemption was obtained from the University of Texas Medical Branch Institutional Review Board (#13-030), an email survey was sent to members of the Association of Pain Program Directors to be forwarded to their fellows. Directors were contacted 3 times to maximize the response rate. The anonymous survey for fellows contained 21 questions (questions are shown in the results). Fifty-nine of 84 program directors responded and forwarded the survey to their fellows. Sixty fellows responded, with 56 answering the survey questions. The responder rate is a limitation, although similar rates have been reported in similar studies. The majority of pain medicine fellows receive some practice management training, mainly on billing documentation and preauthorization processes, while most do not receive business education (e.g., human resources, contracts, accounting/financial reports). More than 70% of fellows reported that they receive more business education from industry than from their fellowships, a result that may raise concerns about the independence of our future physicians from the industry. Our findings support the need for enhanced and structured business education during pain fellowship. Business

Students' Understanding of Alkyl Halide Reactions in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

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Cruz-Ramirez de Arellano, Daniel

2013-01-01

Organic chemistry is an essential subject for many undergraduate students completing degrees in science, engineering, and pre-professional programs. However, students often struggle with the concepts and skills required to successfully solve organic chemistry exercises. Since alkyl halides are traditionally the first functional group that is…

Students' Understanding of Alkyl Halide Reactions in Undergraduate Organic Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz-Ramírez de Arellano, Daniel; Towns, Marcy H.

2014-01-01

Organic chemistry is an essential subject for many undergraduate students completing degrees in science, engineering, and pre-professional programs. However, students often struggle with the concepts and skills required to successfully solve organic chemistry exercises. Since alkyl halides are traditionally the first functional group that is…

Cervical cancer screening in adolescents: an evidence-based internet education program for practice improvement among advanced practice nurses.

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Choma, Kim; McKeever, Amy E

2015-02-01

The literature reports great variation in the knowledge levels and application of the recent changes of cervical cancer screening guidelines into clinical practice. Evidence-based screening guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer offers healthcare providers the opportunity to improve practice patterns among female adolescents by decreasing psychological distress as well as reducing healthcare costs and morbidities associated with over-screening. The purpose of this pilot intervention study was to determine the effects of a Web-based continuing education unit (CEU) program on advanced practice nurses' (APNs) knowledge of current cervical cancer screening evidence-based recommendations and their application in practice. This paper presents a process improvement project as an example of a way to disseminate updated evidence-based practice guidelines among busy healthcare providers. This Web-based CEU program was developed, piloted, and evaluated specifically for APNs. The program addressed their knowledge level of cervical cancer and its relationship with high-risk human papillomavirus. It also addressed the new cervical cancer screening guidelines and the application of those guidelines into clinical practice. Results of the study indicated that knowledge gaps exist among APNs about cervical cancer screening in adolescents. However, when provided with a CEU educational intervention, APNs' knowledge levels increased and their self-reported clinical practice behaviors changed in accordance with the new cervical cancer screening guidelines. Providing convenient and readily accessible up-to-date electronic content that provides CEU enhances the adoption of clinical practice guidelines, thereby decreasing the potential of the morbidities associated with over-screening for cervical cancer in adolescents and young women. © 2014 Sigma Theta Tau International.

The Lions Quest Program in Turkey: Teachers' Views and Classroom Practices

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Gol-Guven, Mine

2016-01-01

This is a pilot study to explore the classroom implementation of the Lions Quest Program in Turkey. Teachers of first through eighth grades at two elementary schools who applied the program were interviewed about the program and their classroom practices while they were also observed and their classrooms were also observed. Considerable program…

Student science enrichment training program. Progress report, June 1, 1991--May 31, 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sandhu, S.S.

1992-04-21

Historically Black Colleges and Universities wing of the United States Department of Energy (DOE) provided funds to Claflin College, Orangeburg, S.C. To conduct a student Science Enrichment Training Program for a period of six weeks during 1991 summer. Thirty participants were selected from a pool of applicants, generated by the High School Seniors and Juniors and the Freshmen class of 1990-1991 at Claflin College. The program primarily focused on high ability students, with potential for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Careers. The major objectives of the program were W to increase the pool of well qualified college entering minority students who will elect to go in Physical Sciences and Engineering and (II) to increase the enrollment in Chemistry and Preprofessional-Pre-Med, Pre-Dent, etc.-majors at Claflin College by including the Claflin students to participate in summer academic program. The summer academic program consisted of Chemistry and Computer Science training. The program placed emphasis upon laboratory experience and research. Visits to Scientific and Industrial laboratories were arranged. Guest speakers which were drawn from academia, industry and several federal agencies, addressed the participants on the future role of Science in the industrial growth of United States of America. The guest speakers also acted as role models for the participants. Several videos and films, emphasizing the role of Science in human life, were also screened.

Measuring impact of JAMA Dermatology Practice Gaps section on training in US dermatology residency programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Britton, Kristina M; Stratman, Erik J

2013-07-01

JAMA Dermatology Practice Gaps commentaries are intended to aid in the interpretation of the literature to make it more practical and applicable to daily patient care. Practice Gaps commentaries have had an impact on physician clinical practice and dermatology residency curricula. To assess the impact of JAMA Dermatology Practice Gaps commentaries on dermatology residency training programs in the United States, including journal club discussions and local quality improvement activities. A web-based questionnaire of 17 questions was sent via e-mail to US dermatology residency program directors (PDs) in February 2012. Program director report of incorporating Practice Gaps themes and discussions into resident journal club activities, clinical practice, quality improvement activities, or research projects in the residency programs, as a result of a Practice Gaps commentary. Of the 114 surveys distributed to US dermatology residency PDs, 48 were completed (42% response rate). Sixty percent of PDs reported familiarity with the Practice Gaps section of JAMA Dermatology, and 56% discuss these commentaries during resident journal club activities. Quality improvement and research projects have been initiated as a result of Practice Gaps commentaries. Practice Gaps commentaries are discussed during most dermatology residency journal club activities. Practice Gaps have had an impact on physician practice and dermatology residency curricula and can serve as a tool for enhanced continuing medical education and quality improvement initiatives.

Organizational attributes of practices successful at a disease management program.

Science.gov (United States)

Cloutier, Michelle M; Wakefield, Dorothy B; Tsimikas, John; Hall, Charles B; Tennen, Howard; Brazil, Kevin

2009-02-01

To assess the contribution of organizational factors to implementation of 3 asthma quality measures: enrollment in a disease management program, development of a written treatment plan, and prescription of severity-appropriate anti-inflammatory therapy. A total of 138 pediatric clinicians and 247 office staff in 13 urban clinics and 23 nonurban private practices completed questionnaires about their practice's organizational characteristics (eg, leadership, communication, perceived effectiveness, job satisfaction). 94% of the clinicians and 92% of the office staff completed questionnaires. When adjusted for confounders, greater practice activity and perceived effectiveness in meeting family needs were associated with higher rates of enrollment in the Easy Breathing program, whereas higher scores for 3 organizational characteristics--communication timeliness, decision authority, and job satisfaction--were associated with both higher enrollment and a greater number of written treatment plans. None of the organizational characteristics was associated with greater use of anti-inflammatory therapy. Three organizational characteristics predicted 2 quality asthma measures: use of a disease management program and creation of a written asthma treatment plan. If these organizational characteristics were amenable to change, then our findings could help focus interventions in areas of effective and acceptable organizational change.

Mothers' perceptions of Melbourne InFANT Program: informing future practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Lunn, Priscilla L; Roberts, Sanae; Spence, Alison; Hesketh, Kylie D; Campbell, Karen J

2016-09-01

Intervention programs to prevent childhood obesity are more likely to be successful when mothers are involved and engaged. Yet programs that involve mothers do not often employ process evaluation to identify aspects of the intervention that participants enjoyed or viewed as useful. The aims of this study were to describe how participants of the Melbourne InFANT Program-an early childhood obesity prevention intervention-engaged in the program and perceived its usefulness. Process evaluation data were collected at multiple time points during and after the intervention, using mixed methods drawing upon both quantitative and qualitative data. Results from short surveys (n = 271) and interview transcripts (n = 26) revealed that the Melbourne InFANT Program was perceived as useful and relevant by most (82-93%) participants. The formats through which the knowledge and skills were delivered were considered concise and effective, and aspects considered particularly useful included group sessions and advice on practical strategies to minimize stress around mealtimes. Findings from this study are important to inform future practice and the development of interventions which are well received by participants. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Dosimetric evaluation program for dental radiology practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregori, B.; Milat, J.; Fernandez, J.; Micinquevich, S.; Andrieu, J.

1992-01-01

The preliminary results of a program undertaken to estimate the doses to patients associated with dental radiology practices in Argentine, are presented. Information collected from the search demonstrated that the Dieck and coronal techniques are the most commonly used practices, while all the examinations are performed by using a circular collimator. For both practices, the dosimetric studies were carried out on a Rando Alderson phantom. All dose measurements were made using thermoluminescent detectors LiF and Ca 2 F. In addition, a mathematical model was developed by applying the Monte Carlo method to a MIRD-V phantom. Circular and rectangular collimators were used. Absorbed dose distribution on head and neck, as well as surface dose distribution, were estimated. The comparison of the performance of both collimators shows that the use of the rectangular one allows for a dose reduction of 80%. Besides, a good correlation between the physical and mathematical models applied was found. (author)

Best Practices in Academic Management. Study Programs Classification Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ofelia Ema Aleca

2016-05-01

Full Text Available This article proposes and tests a set of performance indicators for the assessment of Bachelor and Master studies, from two perspectives: the study programs and the disciplines. The academic performance at the level of a study program shall be calculated based on success and efficiency rates, and at discipline level, on the basis of rates of efficiency, success and absenteeism. This research proposes a model of classification of the study programs within a Bachelor and Master cycle based on the education performance and efficiency. What recommends this model as a best practice model in academic management is the possibility of grouping a study program or a discipline in a particular category of efficiency

Case-Logging Practices in Otolaryngology Residency Training: National Survey of Residents and Program Directors.

Science.gov (United States)

Dermody, Sarah M; Gao, William; McGinn, Johnathan D; Malekzadeh, Sonya

2017-06-01

Objective (1) Evaluate the consistency and manner in which otolaryngology residents log surgical cases. (2) Assess the extent of instruction and guidance provided by program directors on case-logging practices. Study Design Cross-sectional national survey. Setting Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education otolaryngology residency programs in the United States. Subjects and Methods US otolaryngology residents, postgraduate year 2 through graduating chiefs as of July 2016, were recruited to respond to an anonymous questionnaire designed to characterize surgical case-logging practices. Program directors of US otolaryngology residency programs were recruited to respond to an anonymous questionnaire to elucidate how residents are instructed to log cases. Results A total of 272 residents and 53 program directors completed the survey, yielding response rates of 40.6% and 49.5%, respectively. Perceived accuracy of case logs is low among residents and program directors. Nearly 40% of residents purposely choose not to log certain cases, and 65.1% of residents underreport cases performed. More than 80% of program directors advise residents to log procedures performed outside the operating room, yet only 16% of residents consistently log such cases. Conclusion Variability in surgical case-logging behaviors and differences in provided instruction highlight the need for methods to improve consistency of logging practices. It is imperative to standardize practices across otolaryngology residency programs for case logs to serve as an accurate measure of surgical competency. This study provides a foundation for reform efforts within residency programs and for the Resident Case Log System.

Self-perception of readiness for clinical practice: A survey of accelerated Masters program graduate registered nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantlay, Andrew; Salamanca, Jennifer; Golaw, Cherie; Wolf, Daniel; Maas, Carly; Nicholson, Patricia

2017-05-01

Accelerated nursing programs are gaining momentum as a means of career transition into the nursing profession for mature age learners in an attempt to meet future healthcare workforce demands in Australia. With a gap in the literature on readiness for practice of graduates from accelerated nursing programs at the Masters level the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the program based on graduates' preparedness for practice and graduate outcomes. Using a descriptive, exploratory design an online survey was used to explore the perception of graduate nurses' readiness for clinical practice. Forty-nine graduates from a nursing Masters program at an Australian university completed the survey defining readiness for practice as knowledge of self-limitations and seeking help, autonomy in basic clinical procedures, exhibiting confidence, possessing theoretical knowledge and practicing safe care. Graduates perceived themselves as adequately prepared to work as a beginner practitioner with their perception of readiness for clinical practice largely positive. The majority of participants agreed that the program had prepared them for work as a beginner practitioner with respondents stating that they felt adequately prepared in most areas relating to clinical practice. This would suggest that educational preparation was adequate and effective in achieving program objectives. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional Reactive Programming on the Web - A Practical Evaluation

OpenAIRE

Young, Christian Strand

2015-01-01

The web as an application platform is rising rapidly. With more complex solutions written in JavaScript that run client-side, as well as server-side, challenges related to JavaScript's asynchronous nature arise. This thesis explores and applies the Functional Reactive Programming paradigm (FRP) on the web as an alternative to traditional imperative programming. The potential of FRP in a context of the web is shown through case implementations of general practical real world problems that web ...

Putting program evaluation into practice: enhancing the Girls Just Wanna Have Fun program.

Science.gov (United States)

Bean, Corliss N; Kendellen, Kelsey; Halsall, Tanya; Forneris, Tanya

2015-04-01

In recent years there has been a call for increased community physical activity and sport programs for female youth that are deliberately structured to foster positive developmental outcomes. In addition, researchers have recognized the need to empirically evaluate such programs to ensure that youth are provided with optimal opportunities to thrive. This study represents a utilization-focused evaluation of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, a female-only physical activity-based life skills community program. A utilization-focused evaluation is particularly important when the evaluation is to help stakeholders utilize the findings in practice. The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to gain an understanding of the ongoing successes and challenges after year two of program implementation and (b) to examine how the adaptations made based on feedback from the first year evaluation were perceived as impacting the program. From interviews with youth participants and program leaders, three main themes with eight sub-themes emerged. The main themes were: (a) applying lessons learned can make a significant difference, (b) continually implementing successful strategies, and (c) ongoing challenges. Overall, this evaluation represents an important step in understanding how to improve program delivery to better meet the needs of the participants in community-based programming. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Psychosocial Training in U.S. Internal Medicine and Family Practice Residency Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gaufberg, Elizabeth H.; Joseph, Robert C.; Pels, Richard J.; Wyshak, Grace; Wieman, Dow; Nadelson, Carol C.

2001-01-01

Surveyed directors of internal medicine (IM) and family practice (FP) residency programs regarding the format, content, and quantity of psychosocial training in their programs, their opinions on topics related to such training, and program demographics. Found considerable variation in content and time devoted to psychosocial training within and…

Procesos didácticos innovadores: En el interaprendizaje de las prácticas pre-profesionales de educación básica

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pacheco -Mendoza, Silvia

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The application of teaching resources for teachers, is like referring to the compass that shows the direction to which they must abide those who want to reach a specific point, for it is essential to recognize that Milagro State University, maintains a schema preprofessional participatory practices for students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Education, mentions: Early Education and Basic Education Building on the career goals of the educational model UNEMI (MEDUNEMI, published in January 2012 and summarizes the taught academic guidelines. The innovative design of teaching resources for preprofessional practice, it is for the whole process of mutual learning, raising awareness and motivation responsibility to be exercised in the topics that will be as guidelines to encourage discovery learning, to suit your schedule cognitive development during class. With this view, the academic mission of teaching future professionals schooled in the national education system, educational quality will ensure that claims for over twenty years. Currently, the systemic holistic, process-oriented skills and projects to the welfare of the country's great educational community.

Barriers to and enablers of implementing antimicrobial stewardship programs in veterinary practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Hardefeldt, Laura Y; Gilkerson, J R; Billman-Jacobe, H; Stevenson, M A; Thursky, K; Bailey, K E; Browning, G F

2018-03-23

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are yet to be widely implemented in veterinary practice and medical programs are unlikely to be directly applicable to veterinary settings. To gain an in-depth understanding of the factors that influence effective AMS in veterinary practices in Australia. A concurrent explanatory mixed methods design was used. The quantitative phase of the study consisted of an online questionnaire to assess veterinarians' attitudes to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and antimicrobial use in animals, and the extent to which AMS currently is implemented (knowingly or unknowingly). The qualitative phase used semi-structured interviews to gain an understanding of the barriers to and enablers of AMS in veterinary practices. Data were collected and entered into NVivo v.11, openly coded and analyzed according to mixed methods data analysis principles. Companion animal, equine, and bovine veterinarians participated in the study. Veterinary practices rarely had antimicrobial prescribing policies. The key barriers were a lack of AMS governance structures, client expectations and competition between practices, cost of microbiological testing, and lack of access to education, training and AMS resources. The enablers were concern for the role of veterinary antimicrobial use in development of AMR in humans, a sense of pride in the service provided, and preparedness to change prescribing practices. Our study can guide development and establishment of AMS programs in veterinary practices by defining the major issues that influence the prescribing behavior of veterinarians. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Value of a regional family practice residency training program site

Science.gov (United States)

Fletcher, Sarah; Mullett, Jennifer; Beerman, Steve

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine the perceptions of residents, nurses, and physicians about the effect of a regional family practice residency site on the delivery of health services in the community, as well as on the community health care providers. Design Interviews and focus groups were conducted. Setting Nanaimo, BC. Participants A total of 16 residents, 15 nurses, and 20 physicians involved with the family practice residency training program at the Nanaimo site. Methods A series of semistructured interviews and focus groups was conducted. Transcripts of interviews and focus groups were analyzed thematically by the research team. Main findings Overall, participants agreed that having a family practice residency training site in the community contributed to community life and to the delivery of health services in the following ways: increased community capacity and social capital; motivated positive relationships and attitudes in the hospital and community settings; improved communication and teamwork, as well as accessibility and understanding of the health care system; increased the standard of care; and facilitated the recruitment and retention of family physicians. Conclusion This family practice residency training site was beneficial for the community it served. Future planning for distributed medical education sites should take into account the effects of these sites on the health care community and ensure that they continue to be positive influences. Further research in this area could focus on patients’ perceptions of how residency programs affect their care, as well as on the effect of residency programs on wait times and workload for physicians and nurses. PMID:25217693

Standard Practice for Design of Surveillance Programs for Light-Water Moderated Nuclear Power Reactor Vessels

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2010-01-01

1.1 This practice covers procedures for designing a surveillance program for monitoring the radiation-induced changes in the mechanical properties of ferritic materials in light-water moderated nuclear power reactor vessels. This practice includes the minimum requirements for the design of a surveillance program, selection of vessel material to be included, and the initial schedule for evaluation of materials. 1.2 This practice was developed for all light-water moderated nuclear power reactor vessels for which the predicted maximum fast neutron fluence (E > 1 MeV) at the end of license (EOL) exceeds 1 × 1021 neutrons/m2 (1 × 1017 n/cm2) at the inside surface of the reactor vessel. 1.3 This practice applies only to the planning and design of surveillance programs for reactor vessels designed and built after the effective date of this practice. Previous versions of Practice E185 apply to earlier reactor vessels. 1.4 This practice does not provide specific procedures for monitoring the radiation induced cha...

Defense programs beryllium good practice guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Herr, M.

1997-07-01

Within the DOE, it has recently become apparent that some contractor employees who have worked (or are currently working) with and around beryllium have developed chronic beryllium disease (CBD), an occupational granulomatous lung disorder. Respiratory exposure to aerosolized beryllium, in susceptible individuals, causes an immunological reaction that can result in granulomatous scarring of the lung parenchyma, shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, weight loss, and, ultimately, respiratory failure. Beryllium disease was originally identified in the 1940s, largely in the fluorescent light industry. In 1950, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) introduced strict exposure standards that generally curtailed both the acute and chronic forms of the disease. Beginning in 1984, with the identification of a CBD case in a DOE contractor worker, there was increased scrutiny of both industrial hygiene practices and individuals in this workforce. To date, over 100 additional cases of beryllium-specific sensitization and/or CBD have been identified. Thus, a disease previously thought to be largely eliminated by the adoption of permissible exposure standards 45 years ago is still a health risk in certain workforces. This good practice guide forms the basis of an acceptable program for controlling workplace exposure to beryllium. It provides (1) Guidance for minimizing worker exposure to beryllium in Defense Programs facilities during all phases of beryllium-related work, including the decontamination and decommissioning (D&D) of facilities. (2) Recommended controls to be applied to the handling of metallic beryllium and beryllium alloys, beryllium oxide, and other beryllium compounds. (3) Recommendations for medical monitoring and surveillance of workers exposed (or potentially exposed) to beryllium, based on the best current understanding of beryllium disease and medical diagnostic tests available. (4) Site-specific safety procedures for all processes of beryllium that is likely to

IMPROVING SPEAKING SKILLS. AN EXAMPLE OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AT A UNIVERSITY IN NORTHERN FRANCE / DÉVELOPPER L’INTERACTION ORALE DANS LE SECTEUR LANSAD. UN EXEMPLE EN ANGLAIS À L’UNIVERSITÉ DU LITTORAL CÔTE D’OPALE / ÎMBUNĂTĂŢIREA ABILITĂŢILOR DE COMUNICARE ÎN ENGLEZĂ LA O UNIVERSITATE FRANCEZĂ DIN NORDUL ŢĂRII - UNIVERSITÉ DU LITTORAL CÔTE D’OPALE (SECTORUL LASAD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie, Dufossé Sournin

2017-12-01

Full Text Available This practice report focuses on the development of oral interactions in EFL classes at Dunkirk University. Its aim is to show how role-plays in English used as social games can become part of a broader teaching and pre-professional scheme involving a task-based process recommended by the CEFRL (Common Framework of Reference for languages.

Practical C++ programming

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Oualline, Steve

2003-01-01

... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 4 6 3 2. The Basics of Program Writing Programs from Conception to Execution Creating a Real Program Getting Help in Unix Getting Help in an IDE Programming...

Preliminary Evaluation of a Practice-Based EBVM Skills Development Program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ava Firth

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Whilst there is a small body of research that investigates the development of EBVM skills in veterinary undergraduates there is a paucity of research that aims to understand the development of EBVM skills in practice-based post-graduate veterinary surgeons. This paper is a small step in remedying that shortfall. In particular, the paper provides a progress report on an RCVS Knowledge funded study that is evaluating a practice-based EBVM development program. The program is being conducted with a cohort of 20 veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses employed in a private practice veterinary company across multiple sites. The facilitated instruction approach incorporates multiple supports including; group based and one-to-one, synchronous and asynchronous, and, face-to-face and online strategies. This paper will provide details of both the facilitation and evaluation approaches that have been adopted. The paper will also report on preliminary results of the evaluation which focuses on barriers and facilitators to EBVM development.This is a podcast of Ava and Ian's talk at the Veterinary Evidence Today conference, Edinburgh November 2, 2016.

Assessment of Practical Research-Based Activity Program as a Tool ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

practical research–based activity program (PRBAP) may be considered as a good way for learning at medical schools; ... nervous system, cardiovascular, respiratory and ..... our department where the higher grades depend on the recall and ...

Distributed Solar Incentive Programs: Recent Experience and Best Practices for Design and Implementation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, L.; Reger, A.; Heeter, J.

2012-12-01

Based on lessons from recent program experience, this report explores best practices for designing and implementing incentives for small and mid-sized residential and commercial distributed solar energy projects. The findings of this paper are relevant to both new incentive programs as well as those undergoing modifications. The report covers factors to consider in setting and modifying incentive levels over time, differentiating incentives to encourage various market segments, administrative issues such as providing equitable access to incentives and customer protection. It also explores how incentive programs can be designed to respond to changing market conditions while attempting to provide a longer-term and stable environment for the solar industry. The findings are based on interviews with program administrators, regulators, and industry representatives as well as data from numerous incentive programs nationally, particularly the largest and longest-running programs. These best practices consider the perspectives of various stakeholders and the broad objectives of reducing solar costs, encouraging long-term market viability, minimizing ratepayer costs, and protecting consumers.

Assessment of surgical competence in North American graduate periodontics programs: a survey of current practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghiabi, Edmond; Taylor, K Lynn

2010-08-01

This cross-sectional study was designed to document the methods utilized by North American graduate periodontics programs in assessing their residents' surgical skills. A survey of clinical skills assessment was mailed to directors of all fifty-eight graduate periodontics programs in Canada and the United States. Thirty-four programs (59 percent) responded. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0. The results demonstrate that the most common practice for providing feedback and documenting residents' surgical skills in the programs surveyed was daily one-on-one verbal feedback given by an instructor. The next two most commonly reported methods were a standard checklist developed at program level and a combination of a checklist and verbal comments. The majority of the programs reported that the instructors met collectively once per term to evaluate the residents' progress. The results suggest that graduate periodontics programs provide their residents frequent opportunities for daily practice with verbal feedback from instructors. However, assessment strategies identified in other health professions as beneficial in fostering the integration of clinical skills practices are not employed.

Real-time Kernel Implementation Practice Program for Embedded Software Engineers' Education and its Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Toshio; Matsumoto, Masahide; Seo, Katsuhiko; Chino, Shinichiro; Sugino, Eiji; Sawamoto, Jun; Koizumi, Hisao

A real-time kernel (henceforth RTK) is in the center place of embedded software technology, and the understanding of RTK is indispensable for the embedded system design. To implement RTK, it is necessary to understand languages that describe RTK software program code, system programming manners, software development tools, CPU on that RTK runs and the interface between software and hardware, etc. in addition to understanding of RTK itself. This means RTK implementation process largely covers embedded software implementation process. Therefore, it is thought that RTK implementation practice program is very effective as a means of the acquisition of common embedded software skill in addition to deeper acquisition of RTK itself. In this paper, we propose to apply RTK implementing practice program to embedded software engineers educational program. We newly developed very small and step-up type RTK named μK for educational use, and held a seminar that used μK as a teaching material for the students of information science and engineers of the software house. As a result, we confirmed that RTK implementation practice program is very effective for the acquisition of embedded software common skill.

The Practice of Health Program Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Sarah R

2017-11-01

The Practice of Health Program Evaluation provides an overview of the evaluation process for public health programs while diving deeper to address select advanced concepts and techniques. The book unfolds evaluation as a three-phased process consisting of identification of evaluation questions, data collection and analysis, and dissemination of results and recommendations. The text covers research design, sampling methods, as well as quantitative and qualitative approaches. Types of evaluation are also discussed, including economic assessment and systems research as relative newcomers. Aspects critical to conducting a successful evaluation regardless of type or research design are emphasized, such as stakeholder engagement, validity and reliability, and adoption of sound recommendations. The book encourages evaluators to document their approach by developing an evaluation plan, a data analysis plan, and a dissemination plan, in order to help build consensus throughout the process. The evaluative text offers a good bird's-eye view of the evaluation process, while offering guidance for evaluation experts on how to navigate political waters and advocate for their findings to help affect change.

Evaluation of the clinical implementation of a large-scale online e-learning program on venous blood specimen collection guideline practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Willman, Britta; Grankvist, Kjell; Bölenius, Karin

2018-05-11

When performed erroneously, the venous blood specimen collection (VBSC) practice steps patient identification, test request management and test tube labeling are at high risk to jeopardize patient safety. VBSC educational programs with the intention to minimize risk of harm to patients are therefore needed. In this study, we evaluate the efficiency of a large-scale online e-learning program on personnel's adherence to VBSC practices and their experience of the e-learning program. An interprofessional team transformed an implemented traditional VBSC education program to an online e-learning program developed to stimulate reflection with focus on the high-risk practice steps. We used questionnaires to evaluate the effect of the e-learning program on personnel's self-reported adherence to VBSC practices compared to questionnaire surveys before and after introduction of the traditional education program. We used content analysis to evaluate the participants free text experience of the VBSC e-learning program. Adherence to the VBSC guideline high-risk practice steps generally increased following the implementation of a traditional educational program followed by an e-learning program. We however found a negative trend over years regarding participation rates and the practice to always send/sign the request form following the introduction of an electronic request system. The participants were in general content with the VBSC e-learning program. Properly designed e-learning programs on VBSC practices supersedes traditional educational programs in usefulness and functionality. Inclusion of questionnaires in the e-learning program is necessary for follow-up of VBSC participant's practices and educational program efficiency.

Position Paper: Dental General Practice Residency Programs: Financing and Operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Paul W.

1983-01-01

A discussion of changeable economic issues that can affect dental general practice residency program planning includes costs and resource allocation, maximizing efficiency and productivity, ambulatory and inpatient revenue sources, management functions, faculty as practitioners, faculty appointments, and marketing. (MSE)

Exploring the Literacy Practices of Refugee Families Enrolled in a Book Distribution Program and an Intergenerational Family Literacy Program

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Sunita; Sylvia, Monica R.; Ridzi, Frank

2015-01-01

This ethnographic study presents findings of the literacy practices of Burmese refugee families and their interaction with a book distribution program paired with an intergenerational family literacy program. The project was organized at the level of Bronfenbrenner's exosystem (in "Ecology of human development". Cambridge, Harvard…

Improving evidence based practice in postgraduate nursing programs: A systematic review: Bridging the evidence practice gap (BRIDGE project).

Science.gov (United States)

Hickman, Louise D; DiGiacomo, Michelle; Phillips, Jane; Rao, Angela; Newton, Phillip J; Jackson, Debra; Ferguson, Caleb

2018-04-01

The nursing profession has a significant evidence to practice gap in an increasingly complex and dynamic health care environment. To evaluate effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies related to a capstone project within a Masters of Nursing program that encourage the development of evidence based practice capabilities. Systematic review that conforms to the PRISMA statement. Master's Nursing programs that include elements of a capstone project within a university setting. MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, ERIC and PsycInfo were used to search for RCT's or quasi experimental studies conducted between 1979 and 9 June 2017, published in a peer reviewed journal in English. Of 1592 studies, no RCT's specifically addressed the development of evidence based practice capabilities within the university teaching environment. Five quasi-experimental studies integrated blended learning, guided design processes, small group work, role play and structured debate into Masters of Nursing research courses. All five studies demonstrated some improvements in evidence based practice skills and/or research knowledge translation, with three out of five studies demonstrating significant improvements. There is a paucity of empirical evidence supporting the best strategies to use in developing evidence based practice skills and/or research knowledge translation skills for Master's Nursing students. As a profession, nursing requires methodologically robust studies that are discipline specific to identify the best approaches for developing evidence-based practice skills and/or research knowledge translation skills within the university teaching environment. Provision of these strategies will enable the nursing profession to integrate the best empirical evidence into nursing practice. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

76 FR 24442 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Telecommunications Relay Services and...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-02

... same meaning as the terms ``small business,'' ``small organization,'' and ``small governmental...] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to... Commission's Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program; Telecommunications Relay Services...

How does the culture of medical group practices influence the types of programs used to assure quality of care?

Science.gov (United States)

Kaissi, Amer; Kralewski, John; Curoe, Ann; Dowd, Bryan; Silversmith, Janet

2004-01-01

It is widely acknowledged that the culture of medical group practices greatly influences the quality of care, but little is known about how cultures are translated into specific types of programs focused on quality. This study explores this issue by assessing the influence of the organizational culture on these types of programs in medical group practices in the upper Midwest. Data were obtained from two surveys of medical group practices. The first survey was designed to assess the culture of the practice using a nine-dimension instrument developed previously. The second survey was designed to obtain organizational structure data including the programs identified by the literature as important to the quality of care in medical practices. Completed surveys were obtained from eighty-eight medical groups. The relationship of the group practice culture to structural programs focused on quality of care was analyzed using logistic regression equations. Several interesting patterns emerged. As expected, practices with a strong information culture favor electronic data systems and formal programs that provide comparative or evidence-based data to enhance their clinical practices. However, those with a quality-centered culture appear to prefer patient satisfaction surveys to assess the quality of their care, while practices that are more business-oriented rely on bureaucratic strategies such as benchmarking and physician profiling. Cultures that emphasize the autonomy of physician practice were negatively (but not at a statistically significant level) associated with all the programs studied. Practices with a highly collegial culture appear to rely on informal peer review mechanisms to assure quality rather than any of the structural programs included in this analysis. This study suggests that the types of quality programs that group practices develop differ according to their cultures. Consequently, it is important for practice administrators and medical directors to

INTEGRATED PRACTICE LEARNING MODEL TO IMPROVE WAITER/S’ COMPETENCY ON HOSPITALITY STUDY PROGRAM, POLITEKNIK NEGERI BALI

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Made Darma Oka

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Hospitality Study Program, Politeknik Negeri Bali (PNB, hadn’t implemented integrated learning practice optimally. The aim of this research was improving the learning process method as an integrated practice learning model involving three courses (Food Production, FB Service, English for Restaurant in the same topic. This study was conducted on the forth semester of Hotel Study Program as the sample used in this research. After the random sampling was selected two classes as research samples, those were IVA class as an experiment group and IVB class as a control. Thus the samples could be determined according to the number of students in each class as many as 26 people. The application of integrated practice learning had an effect on the achievement of student competency in waiter/s occupation at Hotel Studies Program. The result of statistical test showed that there was a significant difference of competency achievement between integrated learning practices with partial practice learning students groups. It’s suggested to the management Hospitality Study Program to encourage and to facilitate the lecturers especially of core subjects to apply integrated learning practices in order to achieve the competency.

Defense programs beryllium good practice guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herr, M.

1997-07-01

Within the DOE, it has recently become apparent that some contractor employees who have worked (or are currently working) with and around beryllium have developed chronic beryllium disease (CBD), an occupational granulomatous lung disorder. Respiratory exposure to aerosolized beryllium, in susceptible individuals, causes an immunological reaction that can result in granulomatous scarring of the lung parenchyma, shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, weight loss, and, ultimately, respiratory failure. Beryllium disease was originally identified in the 1940s, largely in the fluorescent light industry. In 1950, the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) introduced strict exposure standards that generally curtailed both the acute and chronic forms of the disease. Beginning in 1984, with the identification of a CBD case in a DOE contractor worker, there was increased scrutiny of both industrial hygiene practices and individuals in this workforce. To date, over 100 additional cases of beryllium-specific sensitization and/or CBD have been identified. Thus, a disease previously thought to be largely eliminated by the adoption of permissible exposure standards 45 years ago is still a health risk in certain workforces. This good practice guide forms the basis of an acceptable program for controlling workplace exposure to beryllium. It provides (1) Guidance for minimizing worker exposure to beryllium in Defense Programs facilities during all phases of beryllium-related work, including the decontamination and decommissioning (D ampersand D) of facilities. (2) Recommended controls to be applied to the handling of metallic beryllium and beryllium alloys, beryllium oxide, and other beryllium compounds. (3) Recommendations for medical monitoring and surveillance of workers exposed (or potentially exposed) to beryllium, based on the best current understanding of beryllium disease and medical diagnostic tests available. (4) Site-specific safety procedures for all processes of beryllium that is

A Rapid Assessment Tool for affirming good practice in midwifery education programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Fullerton, Judith T; Johnson, Peter; Lobe, Erika; Myint, Khine Haymar; Aung, Nan Nan; Moe, Thida; Linn, Nay Aung

2016-03-01

to design a criterion-referenced assessment tool that could be used globally in a rapid assessment of good practices and bottlenecks in midwifery education programs. a standard tool development process was followed, to generate standards and reference criteria; followed by external review and field testing to document psychometric properties. review of standards and scoring criteria were conducted by stakeholders around the globe. Field testing of the tool was conducted in Myanmar. eleven of Myanmar׳s 22 midwifery education programs participated in the assessment. the clinimetric tool was demonstrated to have content validity and high inter-rater reliability in use. a globally validated tool, and accompanying user guide and handbook are now available for conducting rapid assessments of compliance with good practice criteria in midwifery education programming. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Training Program for Practical Engineering Design through the Collaboration with Regional Companies

Science.gov (United States)

Gofuku, Akio; Tabata, Nobuhisa; Tomita, Eiji; Funabiki, Nobuo

An education program to bring up engineering design capabilities through long-term internship by the collaboration with regional companies has been put in practice for five years. The program is composed of two types of long-term internships and several lectures for patent systems and engineering ethics. This paper describes the outline of the program, educational effects, and our experiences. The program was improved into two educational programs in 2011. The one is a special course to educate engineers and scientists who can lead the technologies of their domains. The other is a long-term internship program for master students in engineering divisions of graduate school. This paper also describes the current activities of the latter program.

Best Practices: The Neuroscience Program at Central Michigan University

Science.gov (United States)

Dunbar, Gary L.

2015-01-01

The original design of our program at Central Michigan University (CMU) and its evolving curriculum were directly influenced by Faculty for Undergraduate (FUN) workshops at Davidson College, Oberlin College, Trinity College, and Macalester College. The course content, laboratory exercises, and pedagogy used were informed by excellent articles in the Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education (JUNE) and presentations at these FUN workshops and meetings over the years. Like the program at Baldwin-Wallace College, which was a previous winner of the Undergraduate Neuroscience Program of the Year Award, as selected by the Committee on Neuroscience Departments and Programs (CNDP) of the Society for Neuroscience (SfN, our program stresses the importance of inquiry-based, hands-on research experience for our undergraduates and utilizes a peer-mentoring system. A distinct advantage that is employed at CMU is the use of graduate student mentors, which allows us to expand our peer-mentorship to distinct research teams that are focused on a specific research project. Developing our program was not easy. The present manuscript reviews the long and arduous journey (including ways in which we navigated some difficult internal political issues) we made to build a strong program. Hopefully, this description may prove helpful for other evolving programs, in terms of avoiding certain pitfalls and overcoming obstacles, as well as selecting practices that have proven to be successful at our institution. PMID:26240523

STEM professional volunteers in K-12 competition programs: Educator practices and impact on pedagogy

Science.gov (United States)

Zintgraff, Alfred Clifton

This mixed methods dissertation study explored how secondary school educators in specific K-12 competition programs recruited and deployed STEM professional volunteers. The study explored which practices were viewed as most important, and how practices related to constructivist pedagogy, all from the viewpoint of educators. The non-positivist approach sought new knowledge without pursuing generalized results. Review of the literature uncovered extensive anecdotal information about current practices, and suggested that large investments are made in engaging volunteers. One National Science Foundation-sponsored study was identified, and its recommendations for a sustained research agenda were advanced. Three study phases were performed, one to explore practices and operationalize definitions, a second to rate practice's importance and their relation to pedagogy, and a third to seek explanations. Educators preferred recruiting local, meaning recruiting parents and former students, versus from industry or other employers. Most educators preferred volunteers with mentoring skills, and placing them in direct contact with students, versus deploying volunteers to help with behind-the-scenes tasks supporting the educator. Relationships were identified between the highest-rated practices and constructivism in programs. In STEM professional volunteers, educators see affordances, in the same way a classroom tool opens affordances. A model is proposed which shows educators considering practicality, pedagogy, knowledge and skills, and rapport when accessing the affordances opened by STEM professional volunteers. Benefits are maximized when programs align with strong industry clusters in the community.

Effects of special exercise programs on functional movement screen scores and injury prevention in preprofessional young football players.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinc, Engin; Kilinc, Bekir Eray; Bulat, Muge; Erten, Yunus Turgay; Bayraktar, Bülent

2017-10-01

To increase movement capacity and to reduce injury risk in young soccer players by implementing a special functional exercise program based on functional movement screen (FMS) and correctives. 67 young male athletes 14-19 years of age from a Super League Football Club Academy participated in the study. Functional movement patterns were evaluated with FMS assessment protocol. Deep squat, hurdle step, inline lunge, shoulder mobility, active straight leg raise, trunk stability push-up, and rotatory stability were examined in FMS. Considering the FMS scores the number of intervention and control groups were defined as 24 and 43, respectively. Intervention program was composed of 1 hr twice a week sessions in total of 12 weeks with 4 weeks of mobility, 4 weeks of stability, and 4 weeks of integration exercises. At the end of 12-week intervention and control groups were re-evaluated with FMS protocol. Contact and noncontact sports injuries recorded during one season. In intervention group there was statistically significant difference in increase in total FMS scores ( P effective injury prevention.

MO-DE-BRA-02: From Teaching to Learning: Systems-Based-Practice and Practice-Based-Learning Innovations in Medical Physics Education Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kapur, A

2015-01-01

Purpose: The increasing complexity in the field of radiation medicine and concomitant rise in patient safety concerns call for enhanced systems-level training for future medical physicists and thus commensurate innovations in existing educational program curricula. In this work we report on the introduction of three learning opportunities to augment medical physics educational programs towards building systems-based practice and practice-based learning competencies. Methods: All initiatives were introduced for senior -level graduate students and physics residents in an institution with a newly established medical-physics graduate program and therapeutic-physics residency program. The first, centered on incident learning, was based on a spreadsheet tool that incorporated the reporting structure of the Radiation Oncology-incident Learning System (ROILS), included 120 narratives of published incidents and enabled inter-rater variability calculations. The second, centered on best-practices, was a zero-credit seminar course, where students summarized select presentations from the AAPM virtual library on a weekly basis and moderated class discussions using a point/counterpoint approach. Presentation styles were critiqued. The third; centered on learning-by-teaching, required physics residents to regularly explain fundamental concepts in radiological physics from standard textbooks to board certified physics faculty members. Results: Use of the incident-learning system spreadsheet provided a platform to recast known accidents into the framework of ROILS, thereby increasing awareness of factors contributing to unsafe practice and appreciation for inter-rater variability. The seminar course enhanced awareness of best practices, the effectiveness of presentation styles and encouraged critical thinking. The learn-by-teaching rotation allowed residents to stay abreast of and deepen their knowledge of relevant subjects. Conclusion: The incorporation of systems

MO-DE-BRA-02: From Teaching to Learning: Systems-Based-Practice and Practice-Based-Learning Innovations in Medical Physics Education Programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kapur, A [North Shore-LIJ Health System, New Hyde Park, NY (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: The increasing complexity in the field of radiation medicine and concomitant rise in patient safety concerns call for enhanced systems-level training for future medical physicists and thus commensurate innovations in existing educational program curricula. In this work we report on the introduction of three learning opportunities to augment medical physics educational programs towards building systems-based practice and practice-based learning competencies. Methods: All initiatives were introduced for senior -level graduate students and physics residents in an institution with a newly established medical-physics graduate program and therapeutic-physics residency program. The first, centered on incident learning, was based on a spreadsheet tool that incorporated the reporting structure of the Radiation Oncology-incident Learning System (ROILS), included 120 narratives of published incidents and enabled inter-rater variability calculations. The second, centered on best-practices, was a zero-credit seminar course, where students summarized select presentations from the AAPM virtual library on a weekly basis and moderated class discussions using a point/counterpoint approach. Presentation styles were critiqued. The third; centered on learning-by-teaching, required physics residents to regularly explain fundamental concepts in radiological physics from standard textbooks to board certified physics faculty members. Results: Use of the incident-learning system spreadsheet provided a platform to recast known accidents into the framework of ROILS, thereby increasing awareness of factors contributing to unsafe practice and appreciation for inter-rater variability. The seminar course enhanced awareness of best practices, the effectiveness of presentation styles and encouraged critical thinking. The learn-by-teaching rotation allowed residents to stay abreast of and deepen their knowledge of relevant subjects. Conclusion: The incorporation of systems

Management Communication in Non-U.S. MBA Programs: Current Trends and Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, Melinda

2005-01-01

A study of top-ranked, full-time, global MBA programs suggests that management communication is indeed both an important focus and component in the curriculum. The methods of delivery, however, do not seem to follow any particular model, such as the common U.S. practice of a separate program or department. Required courses are found at 10 of the…

Impact of the Medicare Chronic Disease Management program on the conduct of Australian dietitians' private practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Jansen, Sarah; Ball, Lauren; Lowe, Catherine

2015-04-01

This study explored private practice dietitians' perceptions of the impact of the Australian Chronic Disease Management (CDM) program on the conduct of their private practice, and the care provided to patients. Twenty-five accredited practising dietitians working in primary care participated in an individual semistructured telephone interview. Interview questions focussed on dietitians' perceptions of the proportion of patients receiving care through the CDM program, fee structures, adhering to reporting requirements and auditing. Transcript data were thematically analysed using a process of open coding. Half of the dietitians (12/25) reported that most of their patients (>75%) received care through the CDM program. Many dietitians (19/25) reported providing identical care to patients using the CDM program and private patients, but most (17/25) described spending substantially longer on administrative tasks for CDM patients. Dietitians experienced pressure from doctors and patients to keep their fees low or to bulk-bill patients using the CDM program. One-third of interviewed dietitians (8/25) expressed concern about the potential to be audited by Medicare. Recommendations to improve the CDM program included increasing the consultation length and subsequent rebate available for dietetic consultations, and increasing the number of consultations to align with dietetic best-practice guidelines. The CDM program creates challenges for dietitians working in primary care, including how to sustain the quality of patient-centred care and yet maintain equitable business practices. To ensure the CDM program appropriately assists patients to receive optimal care, further review of the CDM program within the scope of dietetics is required.

Professional development programs in health promotion: tools and processes to favor new practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Torres, Sara; Richard, Lucie; Guichard, Anne; Chiocchio, François; Litvak, Eric; Beaudet, Nicole

2017-06-01

Developing innovative interventions that are in sync with a health promotion paradigm often represents a challenge for professionals working in local public health organizations. Thus, it is critical to have both professional development programs that favor new practices and tools to examine these practices. In this case study, we analyze the health promotion approach used in a pilot intervention addressing children's vulnerability that was developed and carried out by participants enrolled in a public health professional development program. More specifically, we use a modified version of Guichard and Ridde's (Une grille d'analyse des actions pour lutter contre les inégalités sociales de santé. In Potvin, L., Moquet, M.-J. and Jones, C. M. (eds), Réduire les Inégalités Sociales en Santé. INPES, Saint-Denis Cedex, pp. 297-312, 2010) analytical grid to assess deductively the program participants' use of health promotion practices in the analysis and planning, implementation, evaluation, sustainability and empowerment phases of the pilot intervention. We also seek evidence of practices involving (empowerment, participation, equity, holism, an ecological approach, intersectorality and sustainability) in the intervention. The results are mixed: our findings reveal evidence of the application of several dimensions of health promotion (equity, holism, an ecological approach, intersectorality and sustainability), but also a lack of integration of two key dimensions; that is, empowerment and participation, during various phases of the pilot intervention. These results show that the professional development program is associated with the adoption of a pilot intervention integrating multiple but not all dimensions of health promotion. We make recommendations to facilitate a more complete integration. This research also shows that the Guichard and Ridde grid proves to be a thorough instrument to document the practices of participants. © The Author 2015. Published by

Perceptions of Effectiveness and Job Satisfaction of Pre-Law Advisors

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Knotts, H. Gibbs; Wofford, Claire B.

2017-01-01

Despite playing an important role, preprofessional advising has received little research attention. For this study, 313 U.S. preprofessional advisors were surveyed in 2015. Drawing on work adjustment and social cognitive career theories, we analyzed the job satisfaction and perceived effectiveness of pre-law advisors. The major findings reveal…

Association between scores in high school, aptitude and achievement exams and early performance in health science college

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Al-Alwan Ibrahim

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This retrospective study was carried out to assess the correlation between admi-ssion criteria to health science colleges, namely, final high school grade and Saudi National Apti-tude and Achievement exams, and early academic performance in these colleges. The study inclu-ded 91 male students studying in the two-year pre-professional program at the King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Records of these students were used to extract relevant information and their academic performance (based on the grade point average achieved at the end of the first semester of the pre-professional program, which were analytically studied. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess the associa-tions between the different scores. SPSS statistical program (version 12.0 was used for data ana-lyses. We found a strong correlation between the academic performance and the Achievement Exam, Aptitude Exam and high school final grade, with Pearson Correlation Coefficients of 0.96, 0.93, 0.87, respectively. The Saudi National Achievement Exam showed the most significant correla-tion. Our results indicate that academic performance showed good correlation with the admission criteria used, namely final high school grade, Saudi National Aptitude and Achievement Exams.

Observed Food Safety Practices in the Summer Food Service Program

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Patten, Emily Vaterlaus; Alcorn, Michelle; Watkins, Tracee; Cole, Kerri; Paez, Paola

2017-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this exploratory, observational study was three-fold: 1) Determine current food safety practices at Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) sites; 2) Identify types of food served at the sites and collect associated temperatures; and 3) Establish recommendations for food safety training in the SFSP.…

Translating Theory Into Practice: Implementing a Program of Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Hauer, Karen E; O'Sullivan, Patricia S; Fitzhenry, Kristen; Boscardin, Christy

2018-03-01

A program of assessment addresses challenges in learner assessment using a centrally planned, coordinated approach that emphasizes assessment for learning. This report describes the steps taken to implement a program of assessment framework within a medical school. A literature review on best practices in assessment highlighted six principles that guided implementation of the program of assessment in 2016-2017: (1) a centrally coordinated plan for assessment aligns with and supports a curricular vision; (2) multiple assessment tools used longitudinally generate multiple data points; (3) learners require ready access to information-rich feedback to promote reflection and informed self-assessment; (4) mentoring is essential to facilitate effective data use for reflection and learning planning; (5) the program of assessment fosters self-regulated learning behaviors; and (6) expert groups make summative decisions about grades and readiness for advancement. Implementation incorporated stakeholder engagement, use of multiple assessment tools, design of a coaching program, and creation of a learner performance dashboard. The assessment team monitors adherence to principles defining the program of assessment and gathers and responds to regular feedback from key stakeholders, including faculty, staff, and students. Next steps include systematically collecting evidence for validity of individual assessments and the program overall. Iterative review of student performance data informs curricular improvements. The program of assessment also highlights technology needs that will be addressed with information technology experts. The outcome ultimately will entail showing evidence of validity that the program produces physicians who engage in lifelong learning and provide high-quality patient care.

Ten practical lessons for an effective radon risk communication program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, A.; Johnson, F.R.

1990-01-01

Those responsible for state and local radon programs often express frustration about the small share of homes that have been tested for radon, and the small share of those with high readings that have been mitigated. Several recent studies have examined how well alternative ways of communicating about radon's risk have accomplished the goals of motivating appropriate testing and mitigation. Unfortunately, the results of these studies have not reached practitioners. This paper is for them. It summarizes the practical implications that are most crucial for planning and implementing an effective radon risk communication program--a program that will motivate people to test for radon and mitigate when radon levels are high, without unduly alarming those whose radon levels are low

E-Mentoring for Doctor of Nursing Practice Students: A Pilot Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Robin; Birk, Stefanie B; Sherman, Jan

2016-08-01

The growing number of online Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs, steady attrition rates, and shortage of faculty created an opportunity to explore the use of distance-mediated mentoring. Twenty first-year DNP Nursing Leadership students were matched with DNP-prepared mentors in a formalized e-mentoring program. The Ideal Mentor Scale was used to determine what students desired most from the mentoring relationship in addition to midpoint and end-of-program surveys. Quantitative analysis revealed mentors and mentees found the relationship to be beneficial (p mentors (92%) noted the program supplied adequate resources, and the majority of students would recommend the program. Having a mentor leads to both mentor- and mentee-perceived benefits. Recommendations include continuing to seek ways to improve the communication and commitment between the mentor and mentee in order to receive reciprocal program benefits. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(8):458-462.]. Copyright 2016, SLACK Incorporated.

Review of literature and practices for incident management programs : technical report.

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

The project team examined project evaluations, best practice summaries, and synthesis documents, and derived a summary of key elements of programs to speed the time to find and clear stalled vehicles and crashes from freeway shoulders and main lanes....

The Impact of an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE Program on the Professional Practice of Graduates

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Ruth Folake Aluko

2009-09-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the impact of a distance education program offered by the University of Pretoria, South Africa, on the professional practice of teachers. A pilot study was conducted using a combination of surveys and focus group interviews. Findings reveal that the program was beneficial to graduates’ personal development, professional practice, schools, learners, and colleagues. Further, principals who participated in the study attested to the differences they observed between the graduates and other teachers who had not been exposed to such a program. Suggestions for improvements included the introduction of subjects taught at school as areas of specialization, involvement of school principals in the assessment of enrolled students, visits to schools by the organizers, and exposure of students to the practical opportunities offered by the program (with portfolios that could be a part of the assessment.

Scaling Up and Moving In: Connecting social practices views to policies and programs in adult education

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Stephen Reder

2009-10-01

In this article research is presented that illustrates how measures of adults’ engagement in literacy and numeracy practices can be used in conjunction with well-entrenched proficiency measures to provide a richer quantitative framework for adult literacy and numeracy development. Longitudinal data about learners indicate that adult education programs are more closely aligned with practice engagement measures than with proficiency measures. Program participation leads to increased practice engagement that, over time, leads to the very gains in proficiency currently valued by policy makers.

Seminar program for postgraduate specialty training in general practice: proposal for a 5-year thematic catalogue

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Sommer, Susanne

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction: In different German regions, seminar programs have been conducted for General practice residents. In each region, selection and teaching of learning content is conducted in a different manner. So far, no structured, standardized curriculum has been implemented nationwide. We have investigated, if the development of a common 5-year program of learning topics is conceivable between the different university departments of General practice in Germany.Method: The seminar program working group of the DEGAM (German College of General Practitioners and Family Physicians has conducted an online survey based on information gathered via preliminary telephone conference (n=7; physicians with postgraduate teaching experience among all German university departments of General Practice and two non-university teaching institutions, identified via the internet. 884 topics were extracted from 14 Seminar programs. The topics were entered in a database, discussed and categorized: Practice management/practice work flow/standardized documentation forms/quality management (n=33 topics, common acute and chronic diseases, including disease management programs (n=29 topics, communication, neurological, psychological and psychiatric consultations (n=24 topics, common medical problems, including eye, ear, nose, throat, skin and pediatric problems (n=99 Topics family physicians general approach, including epidemiology, shared decision making, test of time (n=42 Topics. These topics have been rated for priority and desirable number of teaching-units.Results: A catalogue of 111 topics was designed, encompassing 160 teaching units. There is a suggestion of wide topics collections plus an add-on catalogue.Conclusion: A proposal for a 5-year-thematic catalogue for postgraduate training of general practice residents in Germany has been developed. This newly developed curriculum has the potential to improve knowledge and skills that have not been covered during in

Professional practice of dietitians in the Brazilian School Feeding Program: A multiple case study

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Patrícia Fernanda Ferreira PIRES

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: To assess dietician’s numerical parameters for school feeding and discuss limitations and possibilities for professional practice in the municipalities of Vale do Ivaí, in Northern Paraná, Brazil. Methods: This is a multiple case study. A semi-structured interview was administered to dietitians working at the School Feeding Program in nine cities located in Vale do Ivaí, Paraná, Brazil. Resolution nº 465/2010, from the Brazilian Federal Board of Dietitians, was used to calculate the adequacy of working hours of dietitians. The legistation of the Brazilian School Feeding Program was applied to discuss professional practice. Results: All the cities had at least one dietitian responsible for the School Feeding Program. The percentage of adequate working hours was from 20 to 66%. Some dietitians were involved in management activities, administration, procurement, and accounting, in addition to dietitian assignments for the School Feeding Program. Most dietitians worked in other sectors of the municipalities such as the health system, social assistance, and at events. This practice could compromise compliance of technical activities that must be met by the dietitians of the School Feeding Program. Conclusion: The number of dietitians in most of cities working at School Feeding Program is not sufficient to meet the number of students. The insuficient workload and excessive activities could hinder the development of dietitian’s private activities. The hiring of nutrition and dietitian technicians and administrative assistants for bureaucratic activies is recommended.

Teaching teamwork: an evaluation of an interprofessional training ward placement for health care students

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Morphet J

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Julia Morphet,1 Kerry Hood,2 Robyn Cant,2 Julie Baulch,3 Alana Gilbee,3 Kate Sandry4 1School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Frankston, Victoria, Australia; 2School of Nursing and Midwifery, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; 3Southern Clinical School, Monash University, Monash Health, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; 4Dandenong Emergency Department, Monash Health, David St, Dandenong, Victoria, Australia Abstract: The establishment of interprofessional teamwork training in the preprofessional health care curriculum is a major challenge for teaching faculties. Interprofessional clinical placements offer an opportunity for teamwork education, as students in various professions can work and learn together. In this sequential, mixed-method study, focus group and survey techniques were used to evaluate students' educational experiences after 2-week ward-based interprofessional clinical placements. Forty-five senior nursing, medicine, and other health care students cared for patients in hospital wards under professional supervision, with nursing-medicine student "teams" leading care. Thirty-six students attended nine exit focus groups. Five central themes that emerged about training were student autonomy and workload, understanding of other professional roles, communication and shared knowledge, interprofessional teamwork/collaboration, and the "inner circle", or being part of the unit team. The learning environment was described as positive. In a postplacement satisfaction survey (n=38, students likewise rated the educational experience highly. In practicing teamwork and collaboration, students were able to rehearse their future professional role. We suggest that interprofessional clinical placements be regarded as an essential learning experience for senior preprofessional students. More work is needed to fully understand the effect of this interactive program on students' clinical learning and preparation for practice

The Current Teacher Education Programs in Ethiopia: Reflection on Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Mekonnen, Geberew Tulu

2017-01-01

This study threw light on the current practice of Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching Program at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. The study focused on the enrolment, graduation and attrition proportion of Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching candidates in the year 2011 and 2015. The 2011 and 2015 academic years have been purposively selected because the…

Addressing Prediabetes in Childhood Obesity Treatment Programs: Support from Research and Current Practice

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Grow, H. Mollie; Fernandez, Cristina; Lukasiewicz, Gloria J.; Rhodes, Erinn T.; Shaffer, Laura A.; Sweeney, Brooke; Woolford, Susan J.; Estrada, Elizabeth

2014-01-01

Abstract Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and prediabetes have increased in prevalence among overweight and obese children, with significant implications for long-term health. There is little published evidence on the best approaches to care of prediabetes among overweight youth or the current practices used across pediatric weight management programs. Methods: This article reviews the literature and summarizes current practices for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of prediabetes at childhood obesity treatment centers. Findings regarding current practice were based on responses to an online survey from 28 pediatric weight management programs at 25 children's hospitals in 2012. Based on the literature reviewed, and empiric data, consensus support statements on prediabetes care and T2DM prevention were developed among representatives of these 25 children's hospitals' obesity clinics. Results: The evidence reviewed demonstrates that current T2DM and prediabetes diagnostic parameters are derived from adult-based studies with little understanding of clinical outcomes among youth. Very limited evidence exists on preventing progression of prediabetes. Some evidence suggests that a significant proportion of obese youth with prediabetes will revert to normoglycemia without pharmacological management. Evidence supports lifestyle modification for children with prediabetes, but further study of specific lifestyle changes and pharmacological treatments is needed. Conclusion: Evidence to guide management of prediabetes in children is limited. Current practice patterns of pediatric weight management programs show areas of variability in practice, reflecting the limited evidence base. More research is needed to guide clinical care for overweight youth with prediabetes. PMID:25055134

Impact of Practice-Based Instruction on Graduate Programs in the Pharmaceutical Sciences--Another Response.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerald, Michael C.

1979-01-01

The impact of practice-based programs on graduate education in pharmaceutical science is discussed. It is suggested that graduate programs remain flexible in order to accommodate the role of the pharmacist-scientist and to help in attracting qualified students. (SF)

Promising Practices for Making Recreation Programming Matter for People who Experience Mental Illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson, Susan L; Fenton, Lara

2018-05-01

There is merit in understanding how recreation-oriented programs for adults living with mental illness address barriers to participation and how programming is structured to create safe and inclusive environments, resulting in programming that amplifies the benefits of recreation for mental well-being. Following an environmental scan of programs targeting adults living with mental illness in Canada, ten coordinators in community mental health settings were interviewed. Four themes were constructed to reflect characteristics deemed to be 'promising practices' related to recreation-oriented programming: (a) barriers and solutions to individual participation, (b) characteristics of welcoming and supportive environments, (c) leadership characteristics, and (d) program characteristics.

DOE program for improvement practices for shallow burial of radioactive waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dieckhoner, J.E.

1978-01-01

The practice of burying solid radioactive waste in relatively shallow pits or trenches at government nuclear sites dates back to the Manhattan Project. In some cases, where local conditions were considered unfavorable, intersite shipment of waste has been required. This general concept was later used at commercially-operated sites under Federal or state regulation. The purpose, scope, and results of a DOE program begun several years ago for improvements of burial ground disposal methods are reviewed. The program includes the re-evaluation of the original siting and of operating practices at existing burial grounds (including monitoring for migration of activity); the development of improved criteria for siting of new grounds that might be required as the defense site operations continue; and development of corrective measures such as diking and better draining for possible unsatisfactory conditions that might be detected. The possible applications of these findings to commercial burial grounds is discussed

Effectiveness of a quality-improvement program in improving management of primary care practices

Science.gov (United States)

Szecsenyi, Joachim; Campbell, Stephen; Broge, Bjoern; Laux, Gunter; Willms, Sara; Wensing, Michel; Goetz, Katja

2011-01-01

Background: The European Practice Assessment program provides feedback and outreach visits to primary care practices to facilitate quality improvement in five domains (infrastructure, people, information, finance, and quality and safety). We examined the effectiveness of this program in improving management in primary care practices in Germany, with a focus on the domain of quality and safety. Methods: In a before–after study, 102 primary care practices completed a practice assessment using the European Practice Assessment instrument at baseline and three years later (intervention group). A comparative group of 102 practices was included that completed their first assessment using this instrument at the time of the intervention group’s second assessment. Mean scores were based on the proportion of indicators for which a positive response was achieved by all of the practices, on a scale of 0 to 100. Results: We found significant improvements in all domains between the first and second assessments in the intervention group. In the domain of quality and safety, improvements in scores (mean scores were based on the proportion of indicators for which a positive response was achieved by all of the practices, on a scale of 0 to 100) were observed in the following dimensions: complaint management (from a mean score of 51.2 at first assessment to 80.7 at second assessment); analysis of critical incidents (from 79.1 to 89.6); and quality development, quality policy (from 40.7 to 55.6). Overall scores at the time of the second assessment were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the comparative group. Interpretation: Primary care practices that completed the European Practice Assessment instrument twice over a three-year period showed improvements in practice management. Our findings show the value of the quality-improvement cycle in the context of practice assessment and the use of established organizational standards for practice management with the

Environmentally Sustainable Practices among College Outdoor Programs and Their Association with Organizational Support Structures

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Frauman, Eric

2017-01-01

Sustainability has gained increasing importance amongst both academic research and organizational practice over the past two decades (Davis & Challenger, 2014). The primary purpose of this study was to examine environmentally sustainable practices among college outdoor programs, while also examining how college level policy and infrastructural…

Upgrading Licensed Practical Nurse to Registered Nurse Program, September 1971 - June 1973. Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Holloway, Sally

Twenty Licensed Practical Nurses (LPN) became Registered Nurses (RN) in a pilot program giving partial academic credit for their LPN training and building on their existing skills. The program revolved around three needs: (1) trained nurses; (2) eliminating the notion that jobs were dead-end; and (3) achieving upward mobility for hospital staff.…

PRÁCTICAS PRE PROFESIONALES EN CIENCIAS ADMINISTRATIVAS E INFORMÁTICAS DE LA URACCAN-NUEVA GUINEA, 2009

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Maritza Haydeé Martínez Martínez

2012-01-01

Full Text Available El objeto del estudio fue la evaluación de las prácticas pre profesionales, desde la perspectiva del estudiantado, representantes de instituciones y autoridades universitarias. El enfoque fue cualitativo y por su profundidad, descriptiva, al valorar la opinión de quienes informaron en relación a la vida académica y las prácticas pre profesionales. Es de tipo transversal, semestre del 2009. La información se obtuvo a través de revisión documental, entrevistas y grupos focales.Entre los hallazgos se destacaron aspectos favorables y desfavorables de las prácticas pre profesionales, tales como: el afianzamiento de conocimientos, oportunidad laboral y visión de la realidad laboral, establecimiento de relaciones interpersonales, falta de confianza en sí mismos e iniciativa propia, visualización de éstas como un requisito a cumplir, poca apertura y confianza de las instituciones que inciden de forma negativa en el desarrollo y alcance pleno de los objetivos en este proceso.La carencia de normativas que regulen el proceso, la planificación, acompañamiento, evaluación y retroalimentación son vacíos sustanciales que afectan la finalidad de éstas. La diversidad de formas en que se han realizado las prácticas, vuelve más complejo el proceso por limitaciones económicas y humanas del recinto.En base a los resultados se sugirió la elaboración de una normativa que guíe el proceso de las prácticas pre profesionales, acompañado de la asignación de recursos humanos y económicos.SummaryThe objective of the study was to evaluate the pre-professional practices, from the perspective of the students, representatives of institutions and university authorities.The focus was qualitative and descriptive, to be able to value the opinion of those who gave information related to the academic life and the pre-professional practices. Is transversal and it covers the semester of the year 2009. The information was gathered through document review

Monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators. Report 2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-09-01

Electricity and natural gas transmission system operators (TSO) and distribution system operators (DSO) are regulated operators that provide public service functions for the benefit of the network users and the consumers they serve. Accordingly, European and French law requires that they be under independent and nondiscriminatory obligations. In particular, they must develop a good practices program which includes a range of measures to prevent the risk of discriminatory practices in network access. Pursuant to Article L.134-15 of the Energy Code, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is publishing this year its 8. annual report on the monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators for the year 2012. This report is based on analysis of the 'reports on the implementation of good practices programs' submitted to the CRE by the operators in late 2012 and audits carried out by the CRE services in these companies in 2012

Monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators. 2010 report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

Electricity and natural gas transmission system operators (TSO) and distribution system operators (DSO) are regulated operators that provide public service functions for the benefit of the network users and the consumers they serve. Accordingly, European and French law requires that they be under independent and nondiscriminatory obligations. In particular, they must develop a good practices program which includes a range of measures to prevent the risk of discriminatory practices in network access. Pursuant to Article L.134-15 of the Energy Code, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is publishing this year its 6. annual report on the monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators for the year 2010. This report is based on analysis of the 'reports on the implementation of good practices programs' submitted to the CRE by the operators in late 2010 and audits carried out by the CRE services in these companies in 2010

Lean and leadership practices: development of an initial realist program theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Goodridge, Donna; Westhorp, Gill; Rotter, Thomas; Dobson, Roy; Bath, Brenna

2015-09-07

Lean as a management system has been increasingly adopted in health care settings in an effort to enhance quality, capacity and safety, while simultaneously containing or reducing costs. The Ministry of Health in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada has made a multi-million dollar investment in Lean initiatives to create "better health, better value, better care, and better teams", affording a unique opportunity to advance our understanding of the way in which Lean philosophy, principles and tools work in health care. In order to address the questions, "What changes in leadership practices are associated with the implementation of Lean?" and "When leadership practices change, how do the changed practices contribute to subsequent outcomes?", we used a qualitative, multi-stage approach to work towards developing an initial realist program theory. We describe the implications of realist assumptions for evaluation of this Lean initiative. Formal theories including Normalization Process Theory, Theories of Double Loop and Organization Leaning and the Theory of Cognitive Dissonance help understand this initial rough program theory. Data collection included: key informant consultation; a stakeholder workshop; documentary review; 26 audiotaped and transcribed interviews with health region personnel; and team discussions. A set of seven initial hypotheses regarding the manner in which Lean changes leadership practices were developed from our data. We hypothesized that Lean, as implemented in this particular setting, changes leadership practices in the following ways. Lean: a) aligns the aims and objectives of health regions; b) authorizes attention and resources to quality improvement and change management c) provides an integrated set of tools for particular tasks; d) changes leaders' attitudes or beliefs about appropriate leadership and management styles and behaviors; e) demands increased levels of expertise, accountability and commitment from leaders; f) measures and

The Teaching of Work Ethics: Current Practices of Work Program Coordinators in Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Frances Annette; Herren, Ray V.

A study examined the perceptions and practices of 160 work program coordinators in Georgia (44% of the sample) regarding the teaching of work ethics. A literature review had shown that a consistent view of potential employers was that graduates of vocational education programs should be well grounded in the concept of work ethics. The main purpose…

Status of maintenance in the US nuclear power industry 1985. Volume 2. Description of programs and practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-06-01

This report documents a review of the status of maintenance programs and practices in the US commercial nuclear power industry. The purpose of this review is to establish a baselines reference for evaluating the effectiveness of future industry activities in maintenance. Two methods used to collect progammatic data. First, a Maintenance Review Protocol was used during site visits to eight selected power plants to collect in-depth maintenance program information. Second, a Maintenance Questionnaire was filled out by NRC Resident Inspectors regarding maintenance programs at their plant. The protocol and questionnaire contained items regarding five broad categories of maintenance: (1) organization and administration, (2) facilities and equipment, (3) procedures, (4) personnel, and (5) work control. The study found that there is wide variability in industry maintenance programs. However, the industry is currently undergoing changes in maintenance practices, and adherence to INPO and NUMARC guidance in maintenance may bring about more systematically developed program practices

Factors affecting the impact of professional development programs on teachers' knowledge, practice, student outcomes & efficacy.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lawrence Ingvarson

2005-01-01

Full Text Available This report examines effects of structural and process features of professional development programs on teachers' knowledge, practice and efficacy. It is based on four recent (2002-2003 studies undertaken through the Australian Government Quality Teacher Programme, designed to enhance teacher quality. The total data set for the survey study includes 3,250 teachers who had participated in eighty individual professional development1 activities within these studies. Teachers were surveyed at least three months after participating in an activity, which provided them with the opportunity to gauge the impact of programs on their practice. To investigate factors affecting impact, a theoretical model was developed based on recent research into the characteristics of effective professional development and tested using blockwise regression analysis. The model included contextual factors (e.g., school support, structural features of programs (e.g. ,length, process features (e.g., emphasis on content; active learning; examination of student work; feedback; follow-up, a mediating variable (level of professional community generated, and four outcome measures (knowledge; practice; student learning and efficacy. Consistent significant direct effects were found across the four studies for the impact of content focus, active learning, and follow-up on knowledge and professional community. Feedback was rarely incorporated into program design. Impact on efficacy was strongly related to the perceived impact of activities on teachers' practice and student learning outcomes.

Transgender Health in Endocrinology: Current Status of Endocrinology Fellowship Programs and Practicing Clinicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Davidge-Pitts, Caroline; Nippoldt, Todd B; Danoff, Ann; Radziejewski, Lauren; Natt, Neena

2017-04-01

The transgender population continues to face challenges in accessing appropriate health care. Adequate training of endocrinologists in this area is a priority. Assess the status of transgender health care education in US endocrinology fellowship training programs and assess knowledge and practice of transgender health among practicing US endocrinologists. Mayo Clinic and the Endocrine Society developed and administered a Web-based anonymous survey to 104 endocrinology fellowship program directors (PDs; members of the Association of Program Directors in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism) and 6992 US medical doctor members of Endocrine Society. There were 54 total responses from 104 PDs (51.9%). Thirty-five of these 54 programs (72.2%) provide teaching on transgender health topics; however, 93.8% respondents indicated that fellowship training in this area is important. Barriers to provision of education included lack of faculty interest or experience. The most desired strategies to increase transgender-specific content included online training modules for trainees and faculty. Of 411 practicing clinician responders, almost 80% have treated a transgender patient, but 80.6% have never received training on care of transgender patients. Clinicians were very or somewhat confident in terms of definitions (77.1%), taking a history (63.3%), and prescribing hormones (64.8%); however, low confidence was reported outside of the hormonal realm. The most requested methods of education included online training modules and presentation of transgender topics at meetings. Confidence and competence in transgender health needs to increase among endocrinologists. Strategies include the development of online training modules, expansion of formal transgender curricula in fellowship programs, and presentations at national and international meetings. Copyright © 2017 by the Endocrine Society

Promoting High-Value Practice by Reducing Unnecessary Transfusions With a Patient Blood Management Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadana, Divyajot; Pratzer, Ariella; Scher, Lauren J; Saag, Harry S; Adler, Nicole; Volpicelli, Frank M; Auron, Moises; Frank, Steven M

2018-01-01

Although blood transfusion is a lifesaving therapy for some patients, transfusion has been named 1 of the top 5 overused procedures in US hospitals. As unnecessary transfusions only increase risk and cost without providing benefit, improving transfusion practice is an effective way of promoting high-value care. Most high-quality clinical trials supporting a restrictive transfusion strategy have been published in the past 5 to 10 years, so the value of a successful patient blood management program has only recently been recognized. We review the most recent transfusion practice guidelines and the evidence supporting these guidelines. We also discuss several medical societies' Choosing Wisely campaigns to reduce or eliminate overuse of transfusions. A blueprint is presented for developing a patient blood management program, which includes discussion of specific methods for optimizing transfusion practice.

Applying Best Practices to Florida Local Government Retrofit Programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McIlvaine, J. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Sutherland, K. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2013-12-01

In some communities, local government and non-profit entities have funds to purchase and renovate distressed, foreclosed homes for resale in the affordable housing market. Numerous opportunities to improve whole house energy efficiency are inherent in these comprehensive renovations. BA-PIRC worked together in a multi-year field study making recommendations in individual homes, meanwhile compiling improvement costs, projected energy savings, practical challenges, and labor force factors surrounding common energy-related renovation measures. The field study, Phase 1 of this research, resulted in a set of best practices appropriate to the current labor pool and market conditions in central Florida to achieve projected annual energy savings of 15-30% and higher. This report describes Phase 2 of the work where researchers worked with a local government partner to implement and refine the 'current best practices.' A simulation study was conducted to characterize savings potential under three sets of conditions representing varying replacement needs for energy-related equipment and envelope components. The three scenarios apply readily to the general remodeling industry as for renovation of foreclosed homes for the affordable housing market. Our new local government partner, the City of Melbourne, implemented the best practices in a community-scale renovation program that included ten homes in 2012.

Applying Best Practices to Florida Local Government Retrofit Programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McIlvaine, J. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction (BA-PIRC), Cocoa, FL (United States); Sutherland, K. [Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction (BA-PIRC), Cocoa, FL (United States)

2013-12-01

In some communities, local government and non-profit entities have funds to purchase and renovate distressed, foreclosed homes for resale in the affordable housing market. Numerous opportunities to improve whole house energy efficiency are inherent in these comprehensive renovations. BA-PIRC worked together in a multiyear field study making recommendations in individual homes, meanwhile compiling improvement costs, projected energy savings, practical challenges, and labor force factors surrounding common energy-related renovation measures. The field study, Phase 1 of this research, resulted in a set of best practices appropriate to the current labor pool and market conditions in central Florida to achieve projected annual energy savings of 15%-30% and higher. This report describes Phase 2 of the work where researchers worked with a local government partner to implement and refine the "current best practices". A simulation study was conducted to characterize savings potential under three sets of conditions representing varying replacement needs for energy-related equipment and envelope components. The three scenarios apply readily to the general remodeling industry as for renovation of foreclosed homes for the affordable housing market. The new local government partner, the City of Melbourne, implemented the best practices in a community-scale renovation program that included ten homes in 2012.

Getting ready for identity theft rules: creating a prevention program for your medical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Cascardo, Debra

2009-01-01

Identity theft worries have found their way into medical practices. By August 1, 2009, all "creditors" must have a written program to prevent, detect, and minimize damage from identity theft. Any medical practice that bills patients is considered a creditor. Like HIPAA, these new Red Flag guidelines will serve to protect your practice from lawsuits as well as protect your patients from identity theft of their financial, personal, and medical information.

Needs assessment for developing a program to help train advanced-practice pharmacists for research.

Science.gov (United States)

Bulkley, Christina F; Miller, Michael J; Bush, Colleen G; Nussbaum, Barbara B; Draugalis, JoLaine R

2017-12-01

Results of a needs assessment to determine priority topics and preferred formats for research training in pharmacy residency programs are reported. For pharmacists seeking advanced-practice positions in academia, the ability to conduct practice-based research is expected. Pharmacy residency programs are a primary recruitment source for these positions, but research training varies by residency site and available expertise. To help define the optimal content and format of resident research training, ASHP and the ASHP Research and Education Foundation conducted a needs assessment targeting postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency directors (RPDs). The response rate was 36.5% (271 of 743 invitees); the information obtained was used to guide development of a Web-based training series. Only 12% of the RPDs who participated in the survey indicated that currently available research training resources within their residency programs were sufficient. Sixty-seven percent of surveyed RPDs agreed that a Web-based training program would be a useful resource, and 81% agreed that the target audience should be pharmacy residents. Training topics of greatest interest to RPDs included (1) components of a resident research plan, (2) identifying research questions, (3) study design and sample selection, (4) project management, (5) data acquisition, cleaning, management, and analysis, and (6) presenting and publishing project results. This needs assessment clearly identified opportunities for improving the infrastructure and content of PGY1 residency research training. At a minimum, training programs should focus on practice-based research concepts using readily accessible health-system data systems and provide universal accessibility and sufficient flexibility to allow residency programs to integrate the training in a manner that works best for the program. Copyright © 2017 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Effect of a Collaborative Mentoring Program on Beginning Science Teachers' Inquiry-based Teaching Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, Jeonghee; Seung, Eulsun; Go, MunSuk

2013-03-01

This study investigated how a collaborative mentoring program influenced beginning science teachers' inquiry-based teaching and their reflection on practice. The one-year program consisted of five one-on-one mentoring meetings, weekly science education seminars, weekly mentoring group discussions, and self-evaluation activities. The participants were three beginning science teachers and three mentors at the middle school level (7-9th grades) in an urban area of South Korea. For each beginning teacher, five lessons were evaluated in terms of lesson design/implementation, procedural knowledge, and classroom culture by using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol. Five aspects of the beginning teachers' reflections were identified. This study showed that a collaborative mentoring program focusing on inquiry-based science teaching encouraged the beginning teachers to reflect on their own perceptions and teaching practice in terms of inquiry-based science teaching, which led to changes in their teaching practice. This study also highlighted the importance of collaborative interactions between the mentors and the beginning teachers during the mentoring process.

Practical Formal Verification of MPI and Thread Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Gopalakrishnan, Ganesh; Kirby, Robert M.

Large-scale simulation codes in science and engineering are written using the Message Passing Interface (MPI). Shared memory threads are widely used directly, or to implement higher level programming abstractions. Traditional debugging methods for MPI or thread programs are incapable of providing useful formal guarantees about coverage. They get bogged down in the sheer number of interleavings (schedules), often missing shallow bugs. In this tutorial we will introduce two practical formal verification tools: ISP (for MPI C programs) and Inspect (for Pthread C programs). Unlike other formal verification tools, ISP and Inspect run directly on user source codes (much like a debugger). They pursue only the relevant set of process interleavings, using our own customized Dynamic Partial Order Reduction algorithms. For a given test harness, DPOR allows these tools to guarantee the absence of deadlocks, instrumented MPI object leaks and communication races (using ISP), and shared memory races (using Inspect). ISP and Inspect have been used to verify large pieces of code: in excess of 10,000 lines of MPI/C for ISP in under 5 seconds, and about 5,000 lines of Pthread/C code in a few hours (and much faster with the use of a cluster or by exploiting special cases such as symmetry) for Inspect. We will also demonstrate the Microsoft Visual Studio and Eclipse Parallel Tools Platform integrations of ISP (these will be available on the LiveCD).

The FITS model office ergonomics program: a model for best practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chim, Justine M Y

2014-01-01

An effective office ergonomics program can predict positive results in reducing musculoskeletal injury rates, enhancing productivity, and improving staff well-being and job satisfaction. Its objective is to provide a systematic solution to manage the potential risk of musculoskeletal disorders among computer users in an office setting. A FITS Model office ergonomics program is developed. The FITS Model Office Ergonomics Program has been developed which draws on the legislative requirements for promoting the health and safety of workers using computers for extended periods as well as previous research findings. The Model is developed according to the practical industrial knowledge in ergonomics, occupational health and safety management, and human resources management in Hong Kong and overseas. This paper proposes a comprehensive office ergonomics program, the FITS Model, which considers (1) Furniture Evaluation and Selection; (2) Individual Workstation Assessment; (3) Training and Education; (4) Stretching Exercises and Rest Break as elements of an effective program. An experienced ergonomics practitioner should be included in the program design and implementation. Through the FITS Model Office Ergonomics Program, the risk of musculoskeletal disorders among computer users can be eliminated or minimized, and workplace health and safety and employees' wellness enhanced.

Development of a HFE program for an operating NPP: Balancing between existing design practices and human factors standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salo, Leena; Savioja, Paula

2014-01-01

This paper describes HFE program development project conducted at a Finnish power company Fortum. The aim of developing a formal HFE program was to improve integration of human factors issues in design of technical systems and to systematically document the HFE process of the company. As Fortum has a long tradition of designing control room solutions, the starting point of the HFE program development was the existing own design practices. On the other hand, the aim was to create a program which would comply with international guidelines such as NUREG-0711. The program development was conducted by tracing the HFE design practices in an on-going I and C modernization project. This empirical work was carried out by interviews of designers and other HFE key stake holders. After the explication of the current practices, the gaps, overlaps and differences in relation to the international standards and guidelines were identified. Based on an analysis of current practices and guidelines and standards a new HFE process model was created. The design process model can be followed in modifications which concern systems with human user interfaces of any kind. The model consists of five separate phases which comply with the general engineering design process model utilized at the company. The HFE program is intended to be both a practical guide on how to take human factors issues into consideration in the design of NPP systems and also a tool for the management of HFE activities

Voices of chief nursing executives informing a doctor of nursing practice program.

Science.gov (United States)

Embree, Jennifer L; Meek, Julie; Ebright, Patricia

The purpose of this article is to describe the business case framework used to guide doctor of nursing practice (DNP) program enhancements and to discuss methods used to gain chief nurse executives' (CNEs) perspectives for desired curricular and experiential content for doctor of nursing practice nurses in health care system executive roles. Principal results of CNE interview responses were closely aligned to the knowledge, skills and/or attitudes identified by the national leadership organizations. Major conclusions of this article are that curriculum change should include increased emphasis on leadership, implementation science, and translation of evidence into practice methods. Business, information and technology management, policy, and health care law content would also need to be re-balanced to facilitate DNP graduates' health care system level practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The practice of Spencerian science: Patrick Geddes's Biosocial Program, 1876-1889.

Science.gov (United States)

Renwick, Chris

2009-03-01

From the Victorian era to our own, critics of Herbert Spencer have portrayed his science-based philosophical system as irrelevant to the concerns of practicing scientists. Yet, as a number of scholars have recently argued, an extraordinary range of reformist and experimental projects across the human and life sciences took their bearings from Spencer's work. This essay examines Spencerian science as practiced by the biologist, sociologist, and town planner Patrick Geddes (1854-1932). Through a close examination of his experimental natural history of the late 1870s and early 1880s, his wider writings on the evolutionary process in the 1880s, and his efforts later in that decade to improve the slums of Edinburgh, this essay reveals Geddes's deep, unifying, and energizing commitment to Spencer's program. Recapturing that commitment can not only help historians rethink Spencerian science as practice but also suggest ways of overcoming the dichotomy between elite ideas and practical activity that bedevils much contemporary historiography of science.

A Case Study of 21st Century Skills Programs and Practices

Science.gov (United States)

McLachlan, Kurt

2012-01-01

Skills, such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation are necessary for the 21st Century. The economy and the forums of international business and globalization demand skilled workers. Some schools in the United States are producing such workers, however it is unclear the programs and practices these schools utilize. This study…

Documenting Instructional Practices in a Literacy-infused Arts Program: Respecting Pedagogues from the Community

Science.gov (United States)

Brooks, Wanda; Smith, Michael W.

2013-01-01

This study examines the instructional practices around literacy that characterized the work of a community based arts program designed for urban adolescents. Two primary sources of data were collected: field notes on approximately 35 hours of instruction spread across seven months and interviews with the program's staff and students. Four…

Evaluating Youth Sexual Health Peer Education Programs: "Challenges and Suggestions for Effective Evaluation Practices"

Science.gov (United States)

Jaworsky, Denise; Larkin, June; Sriranganathan, Gobika; Clout, Jerri; Janssen, Jesse; Campbell, Lisa; Flicker, Sarah; Stadnicki, Dan; Erlich, Leah; Flynn, Susan

2013-01-01

Although peer sexual health education is a common form of sexual health promotion for youth, systematic reviews of these programs are relatively rare. In this study we interviewed youth peer educators to inquire about their experience of program evaluation and their perception of what is needed to develop effective evaluation practices. Data were…

Factors related to sexual practices and successful sexually transmitted infection/HIV intervention programs for Latino adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Young-Me; Dancy, Barbara; Florez, Elizabeth; Holm, Karyn

2013-01-01

The purpose of this integrative literature review was to explore factors that are related to sexual practices among Latino adolescents and identify which of those factors are common across successful sexually transmitted infection (STI)/HIV intervention programs for Latino adolescents. An integrative literature review was conducted. Search terms included Latino, Hispanic, education, intervention/prevention programs, sex, sexuality, reproductive health, health risk behaviors, multiple sex partners, contraception, STI/HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, delay in initiation of sexual intercourse, consistent use of birth control, avoidance of STI/HIV infections, unintended pregnancy, cultural factors, and gender roles. Findings revealed from the review of 17 articles addressing factors related to sexual practices among Latino adolescents included familialism, religion, gender roles, level of knowledge/information, and privacy/confidentiality. Five successful STI/HIV intervention programs, that incorporated those factors to effectively reduce risky sexual behaviors were identified. STI/HIV knowledge and gender roles were recognized as common factors integrated into and across successful intervention programs for this population. Only STI/HIV knowledge and gender roles were found as common factors across the five successful STI/HIV intervention programs and should be incorporated into future intervention programs that are culturally and gender specific. Therefore, health care providers need to understand culturally related gender roles and their impact on sexual practices to provide culturally sensitive and appropriate sex education about STIs and HIV for Latino adolescents to increase the program potential for reducing STI/HIV. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Specificity of Rugby Union Training Sessions in Preparation for Match Demands.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Patrick G; Peake, Jonathan M; Minett, Geoffrey M

2018-04-01

Investigations into the specificity of rugby union training practices in preparation for competitive demands have predominantly focused on physical and physiological demands. The evaluation of the contextual variance in perceptual strain or skill requirements between training and matches in rugby union is unclear, yet holistic understanding may assist to optimize training design. This study evaluated the specificity of physical, physiological, perceptual, and skill demands of training sessions compared with competitive match play in preprofessional, elite club rugby union. Global positioning system devices, video capture, heart rate, and session ratings of perceived exertion were used to assess movement patterns, skill completions, physiologic, and perceptual responses, respectively. Data were collected across a season (training sessions n = 29; matches n = 14). Participants (n = 32) were grouped in playing positions as: outside backs, centers, halves, loose forwards, lock forwards, and front row forwards. Greater total distance, low-intensity activity, maximal speed, and meters per minute were apparent in matches compared with training in all positions (P  0.90). Similarly, match heart rate and session ratings of perceived exertion responses were higher than those recorded in training (P  0.8). Key skill completions for forwards (ie, scrums, rucks, and lineouts) and backs (ie, kicks) were greater under match conditions than in training (P  1.50). Considerable disparities exist between the perceptual, physiological, and key skill demands of competitive matches versus training sessions in preprofessional rugby union players. Practitioners should consider the specificity of training tasks for preprofessional rugby players to ensure the best preparation for match demands.

Professional Competency Profile of San Marcos psychologist

OpenAIRE

Orellana Manrique, Oswaldo; García A., Lupe; Sarria J., César; Morocho S., José; Herrera H., Edgar; Salazar C., Marina; Yanac R., Elisa; Sotelo L., Lidia; Sotelo L., Noemi

2014-01-01

Taking as reference the project Tuning, research inquires about the recognition of skills generic psychologist from his identification done by students for a fifth year of the period of intership or pre-professional practice and graduates, presenting the outcome of the five powers elected overwhelmingly, establishing their differentiation and relevance. Tomando como referencia el proyecto Tuning, la investigación indaga acerca del reconocimiento de las competencias genéricas del psicólogo ...

Enhancing Practice and Achievement in Introductory Programming with a Robot Olympics

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Michael James; Counsell, Steve; Lauria, Stanislao; Swift, Stephen; Tucker, Allan; Shepperd, Martin; Ghinea, Gheorghita

2015-01-01

Computer programming is notoriously difficult to learn. To this end, regular practice in the form of application and reflection is an important enabler of student learning. However, educators often find that first-year B.Sc. students do not readily engage in such activities. Providing each student with a programmable robot, however, could be used…

Impact of disease management programs on hospital and community nursing practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldstein, Perry C

2006-01-01

The impact of disease management progrmms on the role of the nursing profession in the evolving U.S. health care system is reviewed. Needed changes in educational and training programs are discussed in relation to demands for changing clinical and administrative skills in nursing with an emphasis on increasing demand for advanced practice nurses.

The Educational Programs Audit Dress Rehearsal; Paradigm One: Practice Makes Perfect or How a New Approach to the Audit Helps Programs Succeed.

Science.gov (United States)

Pfeffer, Eileen; Kester, Donald L.

Described is a procedure (Audit Dress Rehearsal) used in a special education program audit consultation service which included a practice audit designed to lower anxiety and raise awareness of concern for program success. The introduction includes sections dealing with evaluation and audit personnel, planning and implementing an audit, and stages…

The Lions Quest Program in Turkey: Teachers’ Views and Classroom Practices.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mine Gol-Guven

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This is a pilot study to explore the classroom implementation of the Lions Quest Program in Turkey. Teachers of first through eighth grades at two elementary schools who applied the program were interviewed about the program and their classroom practices while they were also observed and their classrooms were also observed. Considerable program implementation differences were found within and between the schools. Three main issues were raised in the interviews, namely that the teachers were not clear about whether social emotional learning (SEL skills should be taught to students as a separate lesson or not; they seemed to doubt whether school personnel should be responsible for SEL implementation; and although they had positive views of the implementation, they underlined that students’ social and emotional wellbeing is dependent on family background and the developing maturity of the child. In conclusion, the teachers expressed positive views about the Lions Quest Program, yet lacked strong opinions about when, where, and by whom the program needed to be included in the curriculum. Limitations, implementation challenges, and implications for SEL in the Turkish context were also identified.

Evaluation of a Standardized Program for Training Practicing Anesthesiologists in Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia Skills.

Science.gov (United States)

Mariano, Edward R; Harrison, T Kyle; Kim, T Edward; Kan, Jack; Shum, Cynthia; Gaba, David M; Ganaway, Toni; Kou, Alex; Udani, Ankeet D; Howard, Steven K

2015-10-01

Practicing anesthesiologists have generally not received formal training in ultrasound-guided perineural catheter insertion. We designed this study to determine the efficacy of a standardized teaching program in this population. Anesthesiologists in practice for 10 years or more were recruited and enrolled to participate in a 1-day program: lectures and live-model ultrasound scanning (morning) and faculty-led iterative practice and mannequin-based simulation (afternoon). Participants were assessed and recorded while performing ultrasound-guided perineural catheter insertion at baseline, at midday (interval), and after the program (final). Videos were scored by 2 blinded reviewers using a composite tool and global rating scale. Participants were surveyed every 3 months for 1 year to report the number of procedures, efficacy of teaching methods, and implementation obstacles. Thirty-two participants were enrolled and completed the program; 31 of 32 (97%) completed the 1-year follow-up. Final scores [median (10th-90th percentiles)] were 21.5 (14.5-28.0) of 30 points compared to 14.0 (9.0-20.0) at interval (P < .001 versus final) and 12.0 (8.5-17.5) at baseline (P < .001 versus final), with no difference between interval and baseline. The global rating scale showed an identical pattern. Twelve of 26 participants without previous experience performed at least 1 perineural catheter insertion after training (P < .001). However, there were no differences in the monthly average number of procedures or complications after the course when compared to baseline. Practicing anesthesiologists without previous training in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia can acquire perineural catheter insertion skills after a 1-day standardized course, but changing clinical practice remains a challenge. © 2015 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.

Managing problem employees: a model program and practical guide.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Laurence

2010-01-01

This article presents a model program for managing problem employees that includes a description ofthe basic types of problem employees and employee problems, as well as practical recommendations for. (1) selection and screening, (2) education and training, (3) coaching and counseling, (4) discipline, (5) psychological fitness-for-duty evaluations, (6) mental health services, (7) termination, and (8) leadership and administrative strategies. Throughout, the emphasis on balancing the need for order and productivity in the workplace with fairness and concern for employee health and well-being.

Analysis of the effect of risk management practices on the performance of new product development programs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oehmen, Josef; Olechowski, Alison; Kenley, C. Robert

2014-01-01

Risk management is receiving much attention, as it is seen as a method to improve cost, schedule, and technical performance of new product development programs. However, there is a lack of empirical research that investigates the effective integration of specific risk management practices proposed...... skills and resources; (2) Tailor risk management to and integrate it with new product development; (3) Quantify impacts of risks on your main objectives; (4) Support all critical decisions with risk management results; (5) Monitor and review your risks, risk mitigation actions, and risk management...... by various standards with new product development programs and their association with various dimensions of risk management success. Based on a survey of 291 product development programs, this paper investigates the association of risk management practices with five categories of product development program...

Taipower's philosophy and practices for management of its nuclear power development program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chu, D.S.L.

1985-01-01

Taipower has been considered successful in nuclear power development and utilization in recent years. This paper presents Taipower's philosophy and practices in managing its nuclear power program with respect to management participation, personnel training, planning, design and construction, operation and maintenance, and the fuel cycle

Developing the leadership skills of new graduates to influence practice environments: a novice nurse leadership program.

Science.gov (United States)

Dyess, Susan; Sherman, Rose

2011-01-01

The authors of the recently published Institute of Medicine on the Future of Nursing report emphasized the importance of preparing nurses to lead change to advance health care in the United States. Other scholars linked practice environments to safe quality care. In order for nurses to fully actualize this role in practice environments, they need to possess leadership skills sets that identify and respond to challenges faced. New nurses are no exception. This article presents a program with a 5-year track record that is designed to support transition and enhance the skill sets of leadership for new nurses in their first year of practice. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation measurements at baseline and postprogram provided data for evaluation of the first 4 cohorts in the program. Evaluative outcomes presented indicate that new nurses gained leadership and translational research skills that contributed to their ability to influence practice environments. Nonetheless, practice environments continue to need improvement and ongoing leadership from all levels of nursing must be upheld.

A national survey of terrorism preparedness training among pediatric, family practice, and emergency medicine programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Shelly D; Bush, Anneke C; Lynch, Julia A

2006-09-01

Domestic terrorism is a real threat focusing on a need to engage in effective emergency preparedness planning and training. Front-line physicians are an important component of any emergency preparedness plan. Potential victims of an attack include children who have unique physiologic and psychological vulnerabilities in disasters. Front-line providers need to have adequate training to effectively participate in local planning initiatives and to recognize and treat casualties including children. The goal of the survey was to assess the current state of terrorism preparedness training, including child victims, by emergency medicine, family practice, and pediatric residency programs in the United States and to assess methods of training and barriers to establishing effective training. A survey was e-mailed to a comprehensive list of all US pediatric, family practice, and emergency medicine residency programs 3 times between September 2003 and January 2004. The survey measured the perceived risk of terrorist attack, level of training by type of attack, level of training regarding children, method of training, and barriers to training. Overall, 21% of programs responded (46 of 182 pediatric, 75 of 400 family practice, and 29 of 125 emergency medicine programs). Across all of the event types, emergency medicine programs were more likely to report adequate/comprehensive training. However, terrorism preparedness funding, these data suggest that we are failing to provide adequate training to front-line providers who may care for children in a catastrophic domestic terrorist event.

Promoting physical therapists’ of research evidence to inform clinical practice: part 1 - theoretical foundation, evidence, and description of the PEAK program

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background There is a need for theoretically grounded and evidence-based interventions that enhance the use of research evidence in physical therapist practice. This paper and its companion paper introduce the Physical therapist-driven Education for Actionable Knowledge translation (PEAK) program, an educational program designed to promote physical therapists’ integration of research evidence into clinical decision-making. The pedagogical foundations for the PEAK educational program include Albert Bandura’s social cognitive theory and Malcolm Knowles’s adult learning theory. Additionally, two complementary frameworks of knowledge translation, the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARiHS) and Knowledge to Action (KTA) Cycle, were used to inform the organizational elements of the program. Finally, the program design was influenced by evidence from previous attempts to facilitate the use of research in practice at the individual and organizational levels. Discussion The 6-month PEAK program consisted of four consecutive and interdependent components. First, leadership support was secured and electronic resources were acquired and distributed to participants. Next, a two-day training workshop consisting of didactic and small group activities was conducted that addressed the five steps of evidence based practice. For five months following the workshop, participants worked in small groups to review and synthesize literature around a group-selected area of common clinical interest. Each group contributed to the generation of a “Best Practices List” - a list of locally generated, evidence-based, actionable behaviors relevant to the groups’ clinical practice. Ultimately, participants agreed to implement the Best Practices List in their clinical practice. Summary This, first of two companion papers, describes the underlying pedagogical theories, knowledge translation frameworks, and research evidence used to derive the PEAK program �

Promoting physical therapists' of research evidence to inform clinical practice: part 1--theoretical foundation, evidence, and description of the PEAK program.

Science.gov (United States)

Tilson, Julie K; Mickan, Sharon

2014-06-25

There is a need for theoretically grounded and evidence-based interventions that enhance the use of research evidence in physical therapist practice. This paper and its companion paper introduce the Physical therapist-driven Education for Actionable Knowledge translation (PEAK) program, an educational program designed to promote physical therapists' integration of research evidence into clinical decision-making. The pedagogical foundations for the PEAK educational program include Albert Bandura's social cognitive theory and Malcolm Knowles's adult learning theory. Additionally, two complementary frameworks of knowledge translation, the Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARiHS) and Knowledge to Action (KTA) Cycle, were used to inform the organizational elements of the program. Finally, the program design was influenced by evidence from previous attempts to facilitate the use of research in practice at the individual and organizational levels. The 6-month PEAK program consisted of four consecutive and interdependent components. First, leadership support was secured and electronic resources were acquired and distributed to participants. Next, a two-day training workshop consisting of didactic and small group activities was conducted that addressed the five steps of evidence based practice. For five months following the workshop, participants worked in small groups to review and synthesize literature around a group-selected area of common clinical interest. Each group contributed to the generation of a "Best Practices List" - a list of locally generated, evidence-based, actionable behaviors relevant to the groups' clinical practice. Ultimately, participants agreed to implement the Best Practices List in their clinical practice. This, first of two companion papers, describes the underlying pedagogical theories, knowledge translation frameworks, and research evidence used to derive the PEAK program - an educational program designed to

Reading and writing academic practices in the phonoaudiology program at the University of Cauca

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pilar Mirely Chois-Lenis

2010-09-01

Full Text Available This article presents some results of an investigation aimed to characterize the academic literacy practices that are developed in the Phonoaudiology program at the University of Cauca. In this descriptive study, a sample of 24 students was taken from those in the last semester of the first academic period of 2009, who answered a survey of 26 multiple choice questions. The results indicate that the academic moment for which the students write and read the most is for the courses, who develop these practices primarily to be assessed and predominantly read and write their own lecture notes and the materials prepared by their faculty, to the detriment of scientific articles or papers for publication. It is expected, from these results, to generate reflexion processes and actions that qualify the practices of academic literacy within the program for the benefit of academic and professional performance of their students and graduates.

The Action Research Program: Experiential Learning in Systems-Based Practice for First-Year Medical Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Ackerman, Sara L; Boscardin, Christy; Karliner, Leah; Handley, Margaret A; Cheng, Sarah; Gaither, Thomas W; Hagey, Jill; Hennein, Lauren; Malik, Faizan; Shaw, Brian; Trinidad, Norver; Zahner, Greg; Gonzales, Ralph

2016-01-01

Systems-based practice focuses on the organization, financing, and delivery of medical services. The American Association of Medical Colleges has recommended that systems-based practice be incorporated into medical schools' curricula. However, experiential learning in systems-based practice, including practical strategies to improve the quality and efficiency of clinical care, is often absent from or inconsistently included in medical education. A multidisciplinary clinician and nonclinician faculty team partnered with a cardiology outpatient clinic to design a 9-month clerkship for 1st-year medical students focused on systems-based practice, delivery of clinical care, and strategies to improve the quality and efficiency of clinical operations. The clerkship was called the Action Research Program. In 2013-2014, 8 trainees participated in educational seminars, research activities, and 9-week clinic rotations. A qualitative process and outcome evaluation drew on interviews with students, clinic staff, and supervising physicians, as well as students' detailed field notes. The Action Research Program was developed and implemented at the University of California, San Francisco, an academic medical center in the United States. All educational activities took place at the university's medical school and at the medical center's cardiology outpatient clinic. Students reported and demonstrated increased understanding of how care delivery systems work, improved clinical skills, growing confidence in interactions with patients, and appreciation for patients' experiences. Clinicians reported increased efficiency at the clinic level and improved performance and job satisfaction among medical assistants as a result of their unprecedented mentoring role with students. Some clinicians felt burdened when students shadowed them and asked questions during interactions with patients. Most student-led improvement projects were not fully implemented. The Action Research Program is a

Medical Student Summer Externship Program: Increasing the Number Matching in Family Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Holly Cronau

2004-02-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives. The number of US allopathic medical school graduates choosing a residency in family medicine has fallen from 13.4% in 1999 to 10.5% in 2002. Concern about declining numbers has led to the development of programs to provide medical students exposure to family medicine outside the clerkship. This paper reports on the development and longitudinal achievements of a clinical summer externship program 1993 to 1999. Methods. The program description, practice settings, students’ experiences, and department commitment are described. The purpose of this prospective study is to determine the percentage of family medicine summer externship participants (n=115 who match into family medicine. Results. During the six years studied, 49 (43.4% of the participants matched into family medicine. Program participants viewed the program favorably, mean = 5.82 out of 6. Conclusions. The Ohio State University Department of Family Medicine Medical Student Summer Externship Program demonstrates an effective educational experience that can increase and/or attain the proportion of students going into family medicine at the time of graduation

A structured, extended training program to facilitate adoption of new techniques for practicing surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenberg, Jacob A; Jolles, Sally; Sullivan, Sarah; Quamme, Sudha Pavuluri; Funk, Luke M; Lidor, Anne O; Greenberg, Caprice; Pugh, Carla M

2018-01-01

Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has been shown to have significant benefits when compared to open inguinal hernia repair, yet remains underutilized in the United States. The traditional model of short, hands-on, cognitive courses to enhance the adoption of new techniques fails to lead to significant levels of practice implementation for most surgeons. We hypothesized that a comprehensive program would facilitate the adoption of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (TEP) for practicing surgeons. A team of experts in simulation, coaching, and hernia care created a comprehensive training program to facilitate the adoption of TEP. Three surgeons who routinely performed open inguinal hernia repair with greater than 50 cases annually were recruited to participate in the program. Coaches were selected based on their procedural expertise and underwent formal training in surgical coaching. Participants were required to evaluate all aspects of the educational program and were surveyed out to one year following completion of the program to assess for sustained adoption of TEP. All three participants successfully completed the first three steps of the seven-step program. Two participants completed the full course, while the third dropped out of the program due to time constraints and low case volume. Participant surgeons rated Orientation (4.7/5), GlovesOn training (5/5), and Preceptored Cases (5/5) as highly important training activities that contributed to advancing their knowledge and technical performance of the TEP procedure. At one year, both participants were performing TEPs for "most of their cases" and were confident in their ability to perform the procedure. The total cost of the program including all travel, personal coaching, and simulation was $8638.60 per participant. Our comprehensive educational program led to full and sustained adoption of TEP for those who completed the course. Time constraints, travel costs, and case volume are major considerations for

Decreased management of genital warts in young women in Australian general practice post introduction of national HPV vaccination program: results from a nationally representative cross-sectional general practice study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Harrison

Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: Since the introduction of Australia's human papillomavirus vaccination program, the management rate of genital warts in sexual health clinics and private hospitals has decreased in women of vaccine-eligible age. However, most genital warts in Australia are managed in general practice. This study examines whether a similar decrease occurred in Australian general practice after the introduction of the program. METHODS: Analysis of a nationally representative cross-sectional database of Australian general practice activity (1,175,879 patient encounters with 11,780 general practitioners. Genital warts management rates were estimated for the periods before and after introduction of the program (Pre-program, July 2002-June 2006; Post-program, July 2008-June 2012. Control conditions included genital herpes and gardnerella/bacterial vaginosis in female patients and genital herpes and urethritis in male patients. Trends in management rates by year, pre-vaccine (July 2000-June 2007 and post-vaccine (July 2007-June 2012 were also calculated. RESULTS: Management rate of genital warts among women potentially covered by program (aged 15-27 years decreased by 61% from 4.33 per 1,000 encounters in the Pre-program period to 1.67 in the Post-program period. Trend analysis of the post-vaccine period showed, among women of vaccine eligible age, a significant year-on-year reduction in the rate of genital warts management (p<0.0001 and a significant increase in the management rate of control conditions per year (p<0.0001. For all other age-sex groups there was no significant change in the management rate of genital warts between the Pre- and Post-program periods. CONCLUSION: The large decrease in general practice management of genital warts in women of vaccine-eligible age highlights the success of the program in the wider community.

Supporting aboriginal knowledge and practice in health care: lessons from a qualitative evaluation of the strong women, strong babies, strong culture program.

Science.gov (United States)

Lowell, Anne; Kildea, Sue; Liddle, Marlene; Cox, Barbara; Paterson, Barbara

2015-02-05

The Strong Women, Strong Babies, Strong Culture Program (the Program) evolved from a recognition of the value of Aboriginal knowledge and practice in promoting maternal and child health (MCH) in remote communities of the Northern Territory (NT) of Australia. Commencing in 1993 it continues to operate today. In 2008, the NT Department of Health commissioned an evaluation to identify enabling factors and barriers to successful implementation of the Program, and to identify potential pathways for future development. In this paper we focus on the evaluation findings related specifically to the role of Aborignal cultural knowledge and practice within the Program. A qualitative evaluation utilised purposive sampling to maximise diversity in program history and Aboriginal culture. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 76 participants were recorded in their preferred language with a registered Interpreter when required. Thematic analysis of data was verified or modified through further discussions with participants and members of the evaluation team. Although the importance of Aboriginal knowledge and practice as a fundamental component of the Program is widely acknowledged, there has been considerable variation across time and location in the extent to which these cultural dimensions have been included in practice. Factors contributing to this variation are complex and relate to a number of broad themes including: location of control over Program activities; recognition and respect for Aboriginal knowledge and practice as a legitimate component of health care; working in partnership; communication within and beyond the Program; access to transport and working space; and governance and organisational support. We suggest that inclusion of Aboriginal knowledge and practice as a fundamental component of the Program is key to its survival over more than twenty years despite serious challenges. Respect for the legitimacy of Aboriginal knowledge and practice within health

Good Practices In Instructional Process Among Current Educational Programs For Basic Education In Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laurens Kaluge

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Comparing the good practices in the area of teaching learning improvement, several points are raised here. The five programs covering teaching learning improvement component are MBE, CLCC, NTT-PEP, SEQIP, and CTL. Through a survey in seven provinces, data were collected from various bureaucrats, school practitioners, students, and their parents. Within the component of the teaching learning improvement there are several elements which are commonly available among the projects. Those elements are preparation of good teachers, provision and development of resources, and practice teaching learning activities are considered to be good practices.

2008 report on the Monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

Electricity and natural gas transmission system operators (TSO) and distribution system operators (DSO) are regulated operators that provide public service functions for the benefit of the network users and the consumers they serve. Accordingly, European and French law requires that they be under independent and nondiscriminatory obligations. In particular, they must develop a good practices program which includes a range of measures to prevent the risk of discriminatory practices in network access. Pursuant to Article L.134-15 of the Energy Code, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is publishing this year its 4. annual report on the monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators for the year 2008. This report is based on analysis of the 'reports on the implementation of good practices programs' submitted to the CRE by the operators in late 2008 and audits carried out by the CRE services in these companies in 2008

Modeling best practices in chronic disease management: the Arthritis Program at Southlake Regional Health Centre.

Science.gov (United States)

Bain, Lorna; Mierdel, Sandra; Thorne, Carter

2012-01-01

Researchers, hospital administrators and governments are striving to define competencies in interprofessional care and education, as well as to identify effective models in chronic disease management. For more than 25 years The Arthritis Program (TAP) at Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ontario, has actively practiced within these two interrelated priorities, which are now at the top of the healthcare agenda in Ontario and Canada. The approximately 135 different rheumatic conditions are the primary cause of long-term disability in Canada, affecting those from youth to the senior years, with an economic burden estimated at $4.4 billion (CAD$) annually, and growing. For the benefit of healthcare managers and their clients with chronic conditions, this article discusses TAP's history and demonstrable success, predicated on an educational model of patient self-management and self-efficacy. Also outlined are TAP's contributions in supporting evidence-based best practices in interprofessional collaboration and chronic disease management; approaches that are arguably understudied and under-practiced. Next steps for TAP include a larger role in empirical research in chronic-disease management and integration of a formal training program to benefit health professionals launching or expanding their interprofessional programs using TAP as the dynamic clinical example.

Energy Security and Restoration Exercise Program/Best Practices and Information Sharing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barbara McCabe; John Kovach

2009-03-30

The first year of this cooperative agreement focused on the following elements: curriculum development and presentation, curriculum maintenance, enhancements, and effectiveness, and smart card initiative. During the second year of this grant, with redirection from DOE, the IUOE modified its mission statement under the cooperative agreement. It states: 'The mission of the IUOE is to provide expertise to provide best practices, information sharing, and develop scenarios and conduct exercises ranging in size and complexity from table top to national level to prepare all stakeholders to protect and restore energy infrastructure should an event, terrorist or natural, occur'. The Program developed a number of products under this Cooperative Agreement. These products include: FOSTER (Facility Operations Safety Training Event Response) Curriculum and Training Models, Alternative Energy Supply - Generators Training Module, Liquefied Natural Gas Training Module, Education Program - Distributed Generations, Compendium of Resources and References, Energy Security and Restoration Training Manual, Manual of Situations and Scenarios Developed for Emergency Exercises, Manual of Best Practices/Lessons Learned for Energy Load Management, Training Plan, Strategic Information and Exercise Plan, National Certification Plan Report, and a Smart Card Project Report.

Rapid gene expression changes in peripheral blood lymphocytes upon practice of a comprehensive yoga program.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Su Qu

Full Text Available One of the most common integrative medicine (IM modalities is yoga and related practices. Previous work has shown that yoga may improve wellness in healthy people and have benefits for patients. However, the mechanisms of how yoga may positively affect the mind-body system are largely unknown. Here we have assessed possible rapid changes in global gene expression profiles in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs in healthy people that practiced either a comprehensive yoga program or a control regimen. The experimental sessions included gentle yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation (Sudarshan Kriya and Related Practices--SK&P compared with a control regimen of a nature walk and listening to relaxing music. We show that the SK&P program has a rapid and significantly greater effect on gene expression in PBMCs compared with the control regimen. These data suggest that yoga and related practices result in rapid gene expression alterations which may be the basis for their longer term cell biological and higher level health effects.

Value of community pharmacy residency programs: college of pharmacy and practice site perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Schommer, Jon C; Bonnarens, Joseph K; Brown, Lawrence M; Goode, Jean-Venable Kelly R

2010-01-01

To describe and compare perceptions of key informants representing U.S. colleges/schools of pharmacy and community pharmacy practice sites regarding (1) value associated with community pharmacy residency programs (CPRPs) and (2) barriers to offering CPRPs . Descriptive, non-experimental, cross-sectional study. United States, June 13, 2009, through July 13, 2009. 554 respondents to a Web-based survey. Key informants representing the following four organizational groups were surveyed: (1) colleges/schools of pharmacy participating in CPRPs, (2) colleges/schools of pharmacy not participating in CPRPs, (3) CPRP community pharmacy practice sites, and (4) non-CPRP community pharmacy practice sites. Value of CPRPs to participating pharmacies, value of CPRPs to participating colleges/schools of pharmacy, and barriers to offering CPRPs. Overall, 267 key informants from colleges/schools of pharmacy and 287 key informants from pharmacy practice sites responded to the survey (n = 554 total respondents). Of these, 334 responders provided data that were usable for analysis. The most important types of value to the respondents were altruistic in nature (e.g., pharmacy education development, pharmacy profession development, community engagement). However, barriers to offering CPRPs were more practical and included challenges related to accreditation and operational issues. Further, evidence indicated that (1) lack of leadership, (2) lack of revenue generated from such programs, and (3) the cost of reimbursement for residents may be fundamental, multidimensional barriers to implementing CPRPs. Guidelines for starting and continuing CPRPs, "industry norms" that would require CPRP training for certain types of employment, and creation of models for patient care revenue would help develop and position CPRPs in the future.

Perceived Mentoring Practices in Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics Fellowship Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Diekroger, Elizabeth A; Reyes, Charina; Myers, Katherine M; Li, Hong; Kralovic, Shanna K; Roizen, Nancy

2017-05-01

Junior physicians describe mentoring relationships as integral to their career development and success. Current evidence suggests that mentoring is under-utilized despite interest from trainees. The purpose of this study is to describe the mentoring practices in developmental-behavioral pediatric (DBP) fellowship programs and identify mentoring needs of DBP fellows and recent graduates. DBP fellows and recent graduates less than 5 years out of training from US-based DBP fellowship programs were contacted to complete a survey on their mentoring experiences in fellowship and early career. A total of 90 respondents completed the entire survey including 47 current DBP fellows and 43 recent graduates. Only 52% of respondents reported having a formal faculty mentor during their fellowship. Only 45% of recent graduates reported that they currently have a mentor, of those without a current mentor 83% said they would like to have a mentor. Adequate mentoring during fellowship was lowest for career development and research (34% and 27%). Satisfaction with mentoring was associated with having a formal mentor (p mentoring in multiple areas (p mentoring addresses the mentee's career goals, provides insight into being a developmental-behavioral pediatrician, assists in navigating academics, and involves a personal relationship. Results suggest opportunities for improved mentoring in DBP fellowship programs, particularly in the areas of career development and research and that there is a significant need for mentorship among recent graduates. Findings from this study can inform program improvement in mentoring for DBP fellows and recent graduates.

Intensive comprehensive aphasia programs: an international survey of practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, Miranda L; Cherney, Leora R; Worrall, Linda E

2013-01-01

In response to the need to simultaneously address multiple domains of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) in aphasia therapy and to incorporate intensive treatment doses consistent with principles of neuroplasticity, a potentially potent treatment option termed intensive comprehensive aphasia programs (ICAPs) has been developed. To conduct an international survey of ICAPs to determine the extent of their use and to explore current ICAP practices. A 32-item online survey was distributed internationally through Survey Monkey between May and August 2012. The survey addressed ICAP staffing, philosophy, values, funding, admission criteria, activities, family involvement, outcome measures, and factors considered important to success. Twelve ICAPs responded: 8 from the United States, 2 from Canada, and 1 each from Australia and the United Kingdom. The majority of ICAPs are affiliated with university programs and are funded through participant self-pay. ICAPs emphasize individualized treatment goals and evidence-based practices, with a focus on applying the principles of neuroplasticity related to repetition and intensity of treatment. On average, 6 people with aphasia attend each ICAP, for 4 days per week for 4 weeks, receiving about 100 hours of individual, group, and computer-based treatment. Speech-language pathologists, students, and volunteers staff the majority of ICAPs. ICAPs are increasing in number but remain a rare service delivery option. They address the needs of individuals who want access to intensive treatment and are interested in making significant changes to their communication skills and psychosocial well-being in a short period of time. Their efficacy and cost-effectiveness require future investigation.

Just Care: Learning from and with Graduate Students in a Doctor of Nursing Practice Program

Science.gov (United States)

Boquet, Elizabeth; Kazer, Meredith; Manister, Nancy; Lucas, Owen; Shaw, Michael; Madaffari, Valerie; Gannett, Cinthia

2015-01-01

In 2010, Fairfield University, a Jesuit Carnegie Masters Level 1 University located in the Northeast, established its first doctoral-level program: the Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP). In a developing program such as the DNP, some of the most pressing concerns of current rhetoric and writing in the disciplines align and interact with the…

The Effectiveness of a Training Program Based on Practice of Careers in Vocational Interests Development

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Mahasneh, Omar. M.; Farajat, Amani. M.

2015-01-01

The present research was conducted to identify the effectiveness of a training program based on practice of careers in vocational interests development, to answer questions about the study and test its hypothesis the training program had been prepared and the adoption of a measure of vocational interests, as validity and reliability of each of…

Evaluation of a program to strengthen general practice care for patients with chronic disease in Germany

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wensing, M.; Szecsenyi, J.; Stock, C.; Kolle, P.K.; Laux, G.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: A program to strengthen general practice care for patients with chronic disease was offered in Germany. Enrollment was a free individual choice for both patients and physicians. This study aimed to examine the long-term impact of this program. METHODS: Two comparative evaluations were

Translating policies into practice: a framework to prevent childhood obesity in afterschool programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Beets, Michael W; Webster, Collin; Saunders, Ruth; Huberty, Jennifer L

2013-03-01

Afterschool programs (3-6 p.m.) are positioned to play a critical role in combating childhood obesity. To this end, state and national organizations have developed policies related to promoting physical activity and guiding the nutritional quality of snacks served in afterschool programs. No conceptual frameworks, however, are available that describe the process of how afterschool programs will translate such policies into daily practice to reach eventual outcomes. Drawing from complex systems theory, this article describes the development of a framework that identifies critical modifiable levers within afterschool programs that can be altered and/or strengthened to reach policy goals. These include the policy environment at the national, state, and local levels; individual site, afterschool program leader, staff, and child characteristics; and existing outside organizational partnerships. Use of this framework and recognition of its constituent elements have the potential to lead to the successful and sustainable adoption and implementation of physical activity and nutrition policies in afterschool programs nationwide.

Workplace safety and health programs, practices, and conditions in auto collision repair businesses.

Science.gov (United States)

Brosseau, L M; Bejan, A; Parker, D L; Skan, M; Xi, M

2014-01-01

This article describes the results of a pre-intervention safety assessment conducted in 49 auto collision repair businesses and owners' commitments to specific improvements. A 92-item standardized audit tool employed interviews, record reviews, and observations to assess safety and health programs, training, and workplace conditions. Owners were asked to improve at least one-third of incorrect, deficient, or missing (not in compliance with regulations or not meeting best practice) items, of which a majority were critical or highly important for ensuring workplace safety. Two-thirds of all items were present, with the highest fraction related to electrical safety, machine safety, and lockout/tagout. One-half of shops did not have written safety programs and had not conducted recent training. Many had deficiencies in respiratory protection programs and practices. Thirteen businesses with a current or past relationship with a safety consultant had a significantly higher fraction of correct items, in particular related to safety programs, up-to-date training, paint booth and mixing room conditions, electrical safety, and respiratory protection. Owners selected an average of 58% of recommended improvements; they were most likely to select items related to employee Right-to-Know training, emergency exits, fire extinguishers, and respiratory protection. They were least likely to say they would improve written safety programs, stop routine spraying outside the booth, or provide adequate fire protection for spray areas outside the booth. These baseline results suggest that it may be possible to bring about workplace improvements using targeted assistance from occupational health and safety professionals.

Current practice patterns and knowledge among gynecologic surgeons of InterStim® programming after implantation.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobson, Deslyn T G; Gaskins, Jeremy T; Frazier, LaTisha; Francis, Sean L; Kinman, Casey L; Meriwether, Kate V

2017-10-03

The objective of this study was to describe surgeons' current practices in InterStim® programming after initial implantation and their knowledge of programming parameters. We hypothesized that surgeons performing their own reprogramming would have increased knowledge. We administered a written survey to attendees at the Society of Gynecologic Surgeons Scientific Meeting and analyzed those on which surgeons indicated they offer InterStim® care. The survey queried surgeon characteristics, experience with InterStim® implantation and programming, and clinical opinions regarding reprogramming and tested six knowledge-based questions about programming parameters. Correct response to all six questions was the primary outcome. One hundred and thirty-five of 407 (33%) attendees returned the survey, of which 99 met inclusion criteria. Most respondents (88 of 99; 89%) were between 36 and 60 years, 27 (73%) were women, 76 (77%) practiced in a university setting, and 76 (77%) were trained in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS). Surgeons who had InterStim® programming training were more likely to perform their own programming [15/46 (32%) vs 6/47 (13%), p = 0.03]. Most answered all knowledge-based questions correctly (62/90, 69%); no surgeon characteristics were significantly associated with this outcome. Most surgeons cited patient comfort (71/80, 89%) and symptom relief (64/80, 80%) as important factors when reprogramming, but no prevalent themes emerged on how and why surgeons change certain programming parameters. Surgeons who had formal InterStim® programming training are more likely to perform programming themselves. No surgeon characteristic was associated with improved programming knowledge. We found that surgeons prioritize patient comfort and symptoms when deciding to reprogram.

Effects of a Tablet-Based Home Practice Program With Telepractice on Treatment Outcomes in Chronic Aphasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurland, Jacquie; Liu, Anna; Stokes, Polly

2018-05-17

The aim of this study was to determine if a tablet-based home practice program with weekly telepractice support could enable long-term maintenance of recent treatment gains and foster new language gains in poststroke aphasia. In a pre-post group study of home practice outcomes, 21 individuals with chronic aphasia were examined before and after a 6-month home practice phase and again at follow-up 4 months later. The main outcome measure studied was change in naming previously treated or untreated, practiced or unpracticed pictures of objects and actions. Individualized home practice programs were created in iBooks Author with semantic, phonemic, and orthographic cueing in pictures, words, and videos in order to facilitate naming of previously treated or untreated pictures. Home practice was effective for all participants with severity moderating treatment effects, such that individuals with the most severe aphasia made and maintained fewer gains. There was a negative relationship between the amount of training required for iPad proficiency and improvements on practiced and unpracticed pictures and a positive relationship between practice compliance and same improvements. Unsupervised home practice with weekly video teleconferencing support is effective. This study demonstrates that even individuals with chronic severe aphasia, including those with no prior smart device or even computer experience, can attain independent proficiency to continue practicing and improving their language skills beyond therapy discharge. This could represent a low-cost therapy option for individuals without insurance coverage and/or those for whom mobility is an obstacle to obtaining traditional aphasia therapy.

Evaluation of a community transition to professional practice program for graduate registered nurses in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Aggar, Christina; Gordon, Christopher J; Thomas, Tamsin H T; Wadsworth, Linda; Bloomfield, Jacqueline

2018-03-26

Australia has an increasing demand for a sustainable primary health care registered nursing workforce. Targeting graduate registered nurses who typically begin their nursing career in acute-care hospital settings is a potential workforce development strategy. We evaluated a graduate registered nurse Community Transition to Professional Practice Program which was designed specifically to develop and foster skills required for primary health care. The aims of this study were to evaluate graduates' intention to remain in the primary health care nursing workforce, and graduate competency, confidence and experiences of program support; these were compared with graduates undertaking the conventional acute-care transition program. Preceptor ratings of graduate competence were also measured. All of the 25 graduates (n = 12 community, n = 13 acute-care) who completed the questionnaire at 6 and 12 months intended to remain in nursing, and 55% (n = 6) of graduates in the Community Transition Program intended to remain in the primary health care nursing workforce. There were no differences in graduate experiences, including level of competence, or preceptors' perceptions of graduate competence, between acute-care and Community Transition Programs. The Community Transition to Professional Practice program represents a substantial step towards developing the primary health care health workforce by facilitating graduate nurse employment in this area. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and Field Test of Competency Based Instructional Material for a Career Mobility Program for Licensed Practical Nurses. Final Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergen Community Coll., Paramus, NJ.

The Associate Degree Nursing Program at Bergen Community College developed and field tested competency-based instructional modules in a program designed to allow licensed practical nurses to qualify to take the certification examination for registered nurses after a year of study. Thirteen licensed practical nurses were enrolled in the first class…

Best Practices for Serving Students with Special Food and/or Nutrition Needs in School Nutrition Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo, Alexandra; Carr, Deborah; Nettles, Mary Frances

2010-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The purpose of this research project was to identify goals and establish best practices for school nutrition (SN) programs that serve students with special food and/or nutrition needs based on the four practice categories identified in previous National Food Service Management Institute, Applied Research Division (NFSMI, ARD)…

78 FR 40407 - Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program: Telecommunications Relay Services and...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-05

...] Structure and Practices of the Video Relay Service Program: Telecommunications Relay Services and Speech-to... telecommunications relay services (TRS) program continues to offer functional equivalence to all eligible users and..., identified by CG Docket Nos. 10-51 and 03-123, by any of the following methods: Electronic Filers: Comments...

Building Sustainable Professional Development Programs: Applying Strategies From Implementation Science to Translate Evidence Into Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldwin, Constance D; Chandran, Latha; Gusic, Maryellen E

2017-01-01

Multisite and national professional development (PD) programs for educators are challenging to establish. Use of implementation science (IS) frameworks designed to convert evidence-based intervention methods into effective health care practice may help PD developers translate proven educational methods and models into successful, well-run programs. Implementation of the national Educational Scholars Program (ESP) is used to illustrate the value of the IS model. Four adaptable elements of IS are described: (1) replication of an evidence-based model, (2) systematic stages of implementation, (3) management of implementation using three implementation drivers, and (4) demonstration of program success through measures of fidelity to proven models and sustainability. Implementation of the ESP was grounded on five established principles and methods for successful PD. The process was conducted in four IS stages over 10 years: Exploration, Installation, Initial Implementation, and Full Implementation. To ensure effective and efficient processes, attention to IS implementation drivers helped to manage organizational relationships, build competence in faculty and scholars, and address leadership challenges. We describe the ESP's fidelity to evidence-based structures and methods, and offer three examples of sustainability efforts that enabled achievement of targeted program outcomes, including academic productivity, strong networking, and career advancement of scholars. Application of IS frameworks to program implementation may help other PD programs to translate evidence-based methods into interventions with enhanced impact. A PD program can follow systematic developmental stages and be operationalized by practical implementation drivers, thereby creating successful and sustainable interventions that promote the academic vitality of health professions educators.

Building a Unit-Level Mentored Program to Sustain a Culture of Inquiry for Evidence-Based Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Breckenridge-Sproat, Sara T; Throop, Meryia D; Raju, Dheeraj; Murphy, Deborah A; Loan, Lori A; Patrician, Patricia A

2015-01-01

This study tested the effectiveness of a dynamic educational and mentoring program, facilitated by unit-level mentors, to introduce, promote, and sustain an evidence-based practice (EBP) culture among nurses in a military healthcare setting. The need to identify gaps in practice, apply principles of EBP, and advance scientific applications in the pursuit of quality nursing care is as important to military healthcare as it is in the civilian sector. The Advancing Research through Close Collaboration Model guided the intervention and study. Three instruments were used: the Organizational Readiness for System-wide Integration of Evidence-Based Practice, EBP Beliefs, and EBP Implementation scales. The study took place in 3 military hospitals simultaneously undergoing facility and staff integration. Data were collected from staff nurses in the inpatient nursing units before and after a facilitated education and mentoring intervention. Three hundred sixty nurses (38%) completed baseline, and 325 (31%) completed follow-up surveys. Scores improved on all 3 measures following implementation of the program; however, the differences were statistically significant only for the Organizational Readiness for System-wide Integration of Evidence-Based Practice scale (70.96 vs 77.63, t = -3.95, P culture may diffuse among individuals in an organization, even while experiencing significant change. It also demonstrates that a unit-level mentored EBP program is sustainable despite changes in organizational structure and workforce composition.

Using electronic clinical practice audits as needs assessment to produce effective continuing medical education programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, Doug; Staples, John; Pittman, Carmen; Stepanko, Cheryl

2012-01-01

The traditional needs assessment used in developing continuing medical education programs typically relies on surveying physicians and tends to only capture perceived learning needs. Instead, using tools available in electronic medical record systems to perform a clinical audit on a physician's practice highlights physician-specific practice patterns. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility of implementing an electronic clinical audit needs assessment process for family physicians in Canada. A clinical audit of 10 preventative care interventions and 10 chronic disease interventions was performed on family physician practices in Alberta, Canada. The physicians used the results from the audit to produce personalized learning needs, which were then translated into educational programming. A total of 26 family practices and 4489 patient records were audited. Documented completion rates for interventions ranged from 13% for ensuring a patient's tetanus vaccine is current to 97% of pregnant patients receiving the recommended prenatal vitamins. Electronic medical record-based needs assessments may provide a better basis for developing continuing medical education than a more traditional survey-based needs assessment. This electronic needs assessment uses the physician's own patient outcome information to assist in determining learning objectives that reflect both perceived and unperceived needs.

Innovative Practice in Advancement of Academic Nurse Educator Careers: Developing Scholarship From Program Grants.

Science.gov (United States)

Eddy, Linda L; Hoeksel, Renee; Fitzgerald, Cindy; Doutrich, Dawn

We describe an innovative practice in advancing careers of academic nurse educators: demonstrating scholarly productivity from program grants. Scholarly productivity is often narrowly defined, especially in research-intensive institutions. The expectation may be a career trajectory based on the traditional scholarship of discovery. However, nurse educators, especially at the associate and full professor ranks, are often involved in leadership activities that include writing and managing program grants. We encourage the academy to value and support the development of program grants that include significant scholarly components, and we offer exemplars of associate and full professor scholarship derived from these projects.

Annual report on the Monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators - 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

Electricity and natural gas transmission system operators (TSO) and distribution system operators (DSO) are regulated operators that provide public service functions for the benefit of the network users and the consumers they serve. Accordingly, European and French law requires that they be under independent and nondiscriminatory obligations. In particular, they must develop a good practices program which includes a range of measures to prevent the risk of discriminatory practices in network access. Pursuant to Article L.134-15 of the Energy Code, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is publishing this year its 2. annual report on the monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators for the year 2006. This report is based on analysis of the 'reports on the implementation of good practices programs' submitted to the CRE by the operators in late 2006 and audits carried out by the CRE services in these companies in 2006

Annual report on the Monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators - 2007

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

Electricity and natural gas transmission system operators (TSO) and distribution system operators (DSO) are regulated operators that provide public service functions for the benefit of the network users and the consumers they serve. Accordingly, European and French law requires that they be under independent and nondiscriminatory obligations. In particular, they must develop a good practices program which includes a range of measures to prevent the risk of discriminatory practices in network access. Pursuant to Article L.134-15 of the Energy Code, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is publishing this year its 3. annual report on the monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators for the year 2007. This report is based on analysis of the 'reports on the implementation of good practices programs' submitted to the CRE by the operators in late 2007 and audits carried out by the CRE services in these companies in 2007

Continuous quality improvement programs provide new opportunities to drive value innovation initiatives in hospital-based radiology practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Steele, Joseph R; Schomer, Don F

2009-07-01

Imaging services constitute a huge portion of the of the total dollar investment within the health care enterprise. Accordingly, this generates competition among medical specialties organized along service lines for their pieces of the pie and increased scrutiny from third-party payers and government regulators. These market and political forces create challenge and opportunity for a hospital-based radiology practice. Clearly, change that creates or builds greater value for patients also creates sustainable competitive advantage for a radiology practice. The somewhat amorphous concept of quality constitutes a significant value driver for innovation in this scenario. Quality initiatives and programs seek to define and manage this amorphous concept and provide tools for a radiology practice to create or build more value. Leadership and the early adoption of these inevitable programs by a radiology practice strengthens relationships with hospital partners and slows the attrition of imaging service lines to competitors.

Government regulation of forestry practices on private forest land in the United States: an assessment of state government responsibilities and program performance

Science.gov (United States)

Paul V. Ellefson; Michael A. Kilgore; James E. Granskog

2006-01-01

In 2003, a comprehensive assessment of state government, forest practice regulatory programs in the United States was undertaken. Involved was an extensive review of the literature and information gathering h m program administration in all 50 states. The assessment determined that regulatory programs focus on a wide range of forestry practices applied to private...

Strategies to Recruit a Diverse Low-Income Population to Child Weight Management Programs From Primary Care Practices.

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Barlow, Sarah E; Butte, Nancy F; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Salahuddin, Meliha; Pont, Stephen J

2017-12-21

Primary care practices can be used to engage children and families in weight management programs. The Texas Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration (TX CORD) study targeted patients at 12 primary care practices in diverse and low-income areas of Houston, Texas, and Austin, Texas for recruitment to a trial of weight management programs. This article describes recruitment strategies developed to benefit both families and health care practices and the modification of electronic health records (EHRs) to reflect recruitment outcomes. To facilitate family participation, materials and programs were provided in English and Spanish, and programs were conducted in convenient locations. To support health care practices, EHRs and print materials were provided to facilitate obesity recognition, screening, and study referral. We provided brief training for providers and their office staffs that covered screening patients for obesity, empathetic communication, obesity billing coding, and use of counseling materials. We collected EHR data from 2012 through 2014, including demographics, weight, and height, for all patients aged 2 to 12 years who were seen in the 12 provider practices during the study's recruitment phase. The data of patients with a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 85th percentile were compared with the same data for patients who were referred to the study and patients who enrolled in the study. We also examined reasons that patients referred to the study declined to participate. Overall, 26% of 7,845 patients with a BMI at or above the 85th percentile were referred to the study, and 27% of referred patients enrolled. Enrollment among patients with a BMI at or above the 85th percentile was associated with being Hispanic and with more severe obesity than with patients of other races/ethnicities or less severe obesity, respectively. Among families of children aged 2 to 5 years who were referred, 20% enrolled, compared with 30% of families of older children (>5 y

The Role of Program Directors in Treatment Practices: The Case of Methadone Dose Patterns in U.S. Outpatient Opioid Agonist Treatment Programs.

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Frimpong, Jemima A; Shiu-Yee, Karen; D'Aunno, Thomas

2017-10-01

To describe changes in characteristics of directors of outpatient opioid agonist treatment (OAT) programs, and to examine the association between directors' characteristics and low methadone dosage. Repeated cross-sectional surveys of OAT programs in the United States from 1995 to 2011. We used generalized linear regression models to examine associations between directors' characteristics and methadone dose, adjusting for program and patient factors. Data were collected through telephone surveys of program directors. The proportion of OAT programs with an African American director declined over time, from 29 percent in 1995 to 16 percent in 2011. The median percentage of patients in each program receiving role in explaining variations in methadone dosage across programs and patients. Further research should investigate the causal pathways through which directors' characteristics affect treatment practices. This may lead to new, multifaceted managerial interventions to improve patient outcomes. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Exploring the Disjunctures between Theory and Practice in Community College Visual Arts Programs

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Holland, Arnold

2012-01-01

This study explored the perceptions of ten community college visual arts faculty in five different community college settings with regard to the theory and practice disjunctures they were experiencing in their roles as instructors teaching foundational level courses within visual arts programs. The study illuminated the responses of community…

PENGEMBANGAN PROTATIK (PROGRAM TABEL FONETIK BERBASIS WEBSITE SEBAGAI MEDIA PEMBELAJARAN PRONUNCIATION PRACTICE

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Ayu Bandu Retnomurti

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract: This research aims to develop manual modules into a versatile technology web-based module in Phonetic Table Program PROTATIK web-based and to explain the interest and the influence of the media in Pronunciation Practice class FBS Indraprasta PGRI University Jakarta. Verbal-based learning such as English pronunciation practice requires the existence of an effective media because if it is directly given without media, inaccuracies in pronunciation, spelling, repetition will occur. The research belongs to Research and Development that includes conducting of a preliminary study to examine the theory and supervise the product, developing and testing or validating a new product. Whereas the development requires an analysis, develops syllabus and materials, creates and revises media. As conducting the try out in the end of the lesson, students are required to give comments on PROTATIK concerning the advantages, disadvantages, suggestions for improvement the media. PROTATIK provides pronunciation models for students to practice and help them to understand the sound of English as it is equipped with buttons to practice presented by nonnative speakers.

Organizing graduate medical education programs into communities of practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Bing-You, Robert G; Varaklis, Kalli

2016-01-01

Background A new organizational model of educational administrative support was instituted in the Department of Medical Education (DME) to better meet increasing national accreditation demands. Residency and fellowship programs were organized into four 'Communities of Practice' (CoOPs) based on discipline similarity, number of learners, and geographic location. Program coordinator reporting lines were shifted from individual departments to a centralized reporting structure within the DME. The goal of this project was to assess the impact on those most affected by the change. Methods This was a mixed methods study that utilized structured interviews and the Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument (OCAI). Eleven members of the newly formed CoOPs participated in the study. Results Three major themes emerged after review and coding of the interview transcripts: improved group identity, improved availability of resources, and increased opportunity for professional growth. OCAI results indicated that respondents are committed to the DME and perceived the culture to be empowering. The 'preferred culture' was very similar to the culture at the time of the study, with some indication that DME employees are ready for more creativity and innovation in the future. Conclusion Reorganization within the DME of residency programs into CoOPs was overwhelmingly perceived as a positive change. Improved resources and accountability may position our DME to better handle the increasing complexity of graduate medical education.

Web-based audiovisual phonetic table program application as e-learning of pronunciation practice in undergraduate degree program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Retnomurti Ayu Bandu

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Verbal-based learning such as English pronunciation practice requires the existence of an effective e-learning because if it is directly given without any learning media, inaccuracies in pronunciation, spelling, repetition will usually occur in the spoken language. Therefore, this study aims to develop e-learning to be used in the Pronunciation Practice class, Indraprasta PGRI University. This research belongs to Research and Development are: requires an analysis, develops syllabus and teaching materials, creates and develops e-learning, tries and revises the media. Consequently, there is a need to develop module in the classroom into a versatile technology web-based module in the form of Phonetic Table Program. The result is carried out in pronunciation practice classes to find more details on some parts that may still not be detected by the researchers. Thus, the use of technology has become a necessity to assist students in achieving the learning objectives. Therefore, the process of communication in learning will attract more students’ interest and provide facilities to understand the sound system of English as it is equipped with buttons to practice presented by nonnative speakers. Non-native speakers’ selection are based on the consideration that they quickly adapt helping other students who are less fluent in English.

Intersectorality in the 'Health in Schools' Program: an evaluation of the political-management process and working practices.

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Sousa, Marta Caires de; Esperidião, Monique Azevedo; Medina, Maria Guadalupe

2017-06-01

This study analyzed inter-sectoral activities between the health and education sectors in implementing the Health in Schools program in a city within a metropolitan region in northeast Brazil. Analysis of the political-management process looked at the following dimensions: professional practices and subject understanding of intersectorality. The results show that subjects define intersectorality as partnership and joint efforts. Regarding decision making and resource mobilization, during program implementation we noticed that healthcare leads, and education tends to play a more peripheral role. Health activities in the schools use a biomedical approach and primarily consist of lectures. We believe that the program strengthened the relationship between these two sectors. However, intersectoral coordination in the political-management process and practices show weaknesses and limitations.

A Three-Year Reflective Writing Program as Part of Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experiences

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Vaughn, Jessica; Kerr, Kevin; Zielenski, Christopher; Toppel, Brianna; Johnson, Lauren; McCauley, Patrina; Turner, Christopher J.

2013-01-01

Objectives. To implement and evaluate a 3-year reflective writing program incorporated into introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) in the first- through third-year of a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) program. Design. Reflective writing was integrated into 6 IPPE courses to develop students’ lifelong learning skills. In their writing, students were required to self-assess their performance in patient care activities, identify and describe how they would incorporate learning opportunities, and then evaluate their progress. Practitioners, faculty members, and fourth-year PharmD students served as writing preceptors. Assessment. The success of the writing program was assessed by reviewing class performance and surveying writing preceptor’s opinions regarding the student’s achievement of program objectives. Class pass rates averaged greater than 99% over the 8 years of the program and the large majority of the writing preceptors reported that student learning objectives were met. A support pool of 99 writing preceptors was created. Conclusions. A 3-year reflective writing program improved pharmacy students’ reflection and reflective writing skills. PMID:23788811

In-Service Infant Teachers Re-Envision Their Practice through a Professional Development Program

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Loizou, Eleni; Recchia, Susan L.

2018-01-01

Research Findings: Most infant teachers have been prepared to be early childhood educators with minimal theoretical or practical exposure to infancy. This study highlights the outcomes of a professional development program (PDP) designed to support a group of infant teachers who lacked specific infancy preparation to re-envision their roles. Data…

A unit-level perspective on the long-term sustainability of a nursing best practice guidelines program: An embedded multiple case study.

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Fleiszer, Andrea R; Semenic, Sonia E; Ritchie, Judith A; Richer, Marie-Claire; Denis, Jean-Louis

2016-01-01

Best practice guidelines are a tool for narrowing research-to-practice gaps and improving care outcomes. There is some empirical understanding of guideline implementation in nursing settings, yet there has been almost no consideration of the longer-term sustainability of guideline-based practice improvements. Many healthcare innovations are not sustained, underscoring the need for knowledge about how to promote their survival. To understand how a nursing best practice guidelines program was sustained on acute healthcare center nursing units. We undertook a qualitative descriptive case study of an organization-wide nursing best practice guidelines program with four embedded nursing unit subcases. The setting was a large, tertiary/quaternary urban health center in Canada. The nursing department initiated a program to enhance patient safety through the implementation of three guidelines: falls prevention, pressure ulcer prevention, and pain management. We selected four inpatient unit subcases that had differing levels of program sustainability at an average of almost seven years post initial program implementation. Data sources included 39 key informant interviews with nursing leaders/administrators and frontline nurses; site visits; and program-related documents. Data collection and content analysis were guided by a framework for the sustainability of healthcare innovations. Program sustainability was characterized by three elements: benefits, routinization, and development. Seven key factors most accounted for the differences in the level of program sustainability between subcases. These factors were: perceptions of advantages, collaboration, accountability, staffing, linked levels of leadership, attributes of formal unit leadership, and leaders' use of sustainability activities. Some prominent relationships between characteristics and factors explained long-term program sustainability. Of primary importance was the extent to which unit leaders used sustainability

Interdisciplinary Practice Approach to Proteins Study and Analysis in Undergraduate Program in Biotechnology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.P. Xavier

2013-05-01

Full Text Available The undergraduate program in Biotechnology at Federal University of Pará has been consolidated as excellence course in Pará, however there are still difficulties in some practice classes. In this way, the aim of this research was to develop low cost and easy implementation methodologies of teaching and learning that help the students to understand the integration of contents, and promote interdisciplinary and greater integration among professors. The main theme of the study was “Proteins: obtaining to analysis”. Professors charged of subjects in Biochemistry, Protein Biochemistry, Protein Engineering, Microbiology and Separation Methods of Biotech Products, has developed this work, which has been promoted by the program PROINT of UFPA. The main purpose of PROINT has been the consolidation of undergraduate teaching projects. Thirty students enrolled in the third semester were involved in this study. To perform the practice classes: a were made models with alternative materials (Styrofoam, cardboard; b were used the tutorials and exercises online as a complement to the teaching and learning process and; c were analyzed chromatograms, simulation purification steps, assembled and interpreted tables purification (falcon tubes, colored beads. Were used also conventional materials and reagents purchased in practices related to microbiology with the support of PROINT. Until now had been a greater interest and participation of students in the implementation of practices and a greater understanding of the theoretical content covered.

Accreditation of undergraduate medical training programs: practices in nine developing countries as compared with the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Cueto, Jose; Burch, Vanessa C; Adnan, Nor Azila Mohd; Afolabi, Bosede B; Ismail, Zalina; Jafri, Wasim; Olapade-Olaopa, E Oluwabunmi; Otieno-Nyunya, Boaz; Supe, Avinash; Togoo, Altantsetseg; Vargas, Ana Lia; Wasserman, Elizabeth; Morahan, Page S; Burdick, William; Gary, Nancy

2006-07-01

Undergraduate medical training program accreditation is practiced in many countries, but information from developing countries is sparse. We compared medical training program accreditation systems in nine developing countries, and compared these with accreditation practices in the United States of America (USA). Medical program accreditation practices in nine developing countries were systematically analyzed using all available published documents. Findings were compared to USA accreditation practices. Accreditation systems with explicitly defined criteria, standards and procedures exist in all nine countries studied: Argentina, India, Kenya, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines and South Africa. Introduction of accreditation processes is relatively recent, starting in 1957 in India to 2001 in Malaysia. Accrediting agencies were set up in these countries predominantly by their respective governments as a result of legislation and acts of Parliament, involving Ministries of Education and Health. As in the USA, accreditation: (1) serves as a quality assurance mechanism promoting professional and public confidence in the quality of medical education, (2) assists medical schools in attaining desired standards, and (3) ensures that graduates' performance complies with national norms. All nine countries follow similar accreditation procedures. Where mandatory accreditation is practiced, non-compliant institutions may be placed on probation, student enrollment suspended or accreditation withdrawn. Accreditation systems in several developing countries are similar to those in the developed world. Data suggest the trend towards instituting quality assurance mechanisms in medical education is spreading to some developing countries, although generalization to other areas of the world is difficult to ascertain.

Developing Mentors: Adult participation, practices, and learning in an out-of-school time STEM program

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Scipio, Deana Aeolani

This dissertation examines learning within an out-of-school time (OST) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) broadening participation program. The dissertation includes an introduction, three empirical chapters (written as individual articles), and a conclusion. The dissertation context is a chemical oceanography OST program for middle school students called Project COOL---Chemical Oceanography Outside the Lab. The program was a collaboration between middle school OST programming, a learning sciences research laboratory, and a chemical oceanography laboratory. Both labs were located at a research-based university in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Participants include 34 youth, 12 undergraduates, and five professional scientists. The dissertation data corpus includes six years of ethnographic field notes across three field sites, 400 hours of video and audio recordings, 40 hours of semi-structured interviews, and more than 100 participant generated artifacts. Analysis methods include comparative case analysis, cognitive mapping, semiotic cluster analysis, video interaction analysis, and discourse analysis. The first empirical article focuses on synthesizing productive programmatic features from four years of design-based research.. The second article is a comparative case study of three STEM mentors from non-dominant communities in the 2011 COOL OST Program. The third article is a comparative case study of undergraduates learning to be mentors in the 2014 COOL OST Program. Findings introduce Deep Hanging as a theory of learning in practice. Deep Hanging entails authentic tasks in rich contexts, providing access, capitalizing on opportunity, and building interpersonal relationships. Taken together, these three chapters illuminate the process of designing a rich OST learning environment and the kinds of learning in practice that occurred for adult learners learning to be mentors through their participation in the COOL OST program. In

Association of Practice-Level Social and Medical Risk With Performance in the Medicare Physician Value-Based Payment Modifier Program.

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Chen, Lena M; Epstein, Arnold M; Orav, E John; Filice, Clara E; Samson, Lok Wong; Joynt Maddox, Karen E

2017-08-01

Medicare recently launched the Physician Value-Based Payment Modifier (PVBM) Program, a mandatory pay-for-performance program for physician practices. Little is known about performance by practices that serve socially or medically high-risk patients. To compare performance in the PVBM Program by practice characteristics. Cross-sectional observational study using PVBM Program data for payments made in 2015 based on performance of large US physician practices caring for fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries in 2013. High social risk (defined as practices in the top quartile of proportion of patients dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid) and high medical risk (defined as practices in the top quartile of mean Hierarchical Condition Category risk score among fee-for-service beneficiaries). Quality and cost z scores based on a composite of individual measures. Higher z scores reflect better performance on quality; lower scores, better performance on costs. Among 899 physician practices with 5 189 880 beneficiaries, 547 practices were categorized as low risk (neither high social nor high medical risk) (mean, 7909 beneficiaries; mean, 320 clinicians), 128 were high medical risk only (mean, 3675 beneficiaries; mean, 370 clinicians), 102 were high social risk only (mean, 1635 beneficiaries; mean, 284 clinicians), and 122 were high medical and social risk (mean, 1858 beneficiaries; mean, 269 clinicians). Practices categorized as low risk performed the best on the composite quality score (z score, 0.18 [95% CI, 0.09 to 0.28]) compared with each of the practices categorized as high risk (high medical risk only: z score, -0.55 [95% CI, -0.77 to -0.32]; high social risk only: z score, -0.86 [95% CI, -1.17 to -0.54]; and high medical and social risk: -0.78 [95% CI, -1.04 to -0.51]) (P risk only performed the best on the composite cost score (z score, -0.52 [95% CI, -0.71 to -0.33]), low risk had the next best cost score (z score, -0.18 [95% CI, -0.25 to -0.10]), then

Ethics Education Seen through the Lens of Habermas's Conception of Practical Reason: The Quebec Education Program

Science.gov (United States)

Bouchard, Nancy; Morris, Ronald W.

2012-01-01

This paper examines the Quebec Education Program (QEP), particularly the new course in ethics and religious culture (ERC), in the light of Habermas's conception of the moral and ethical uses of practical reason. Habermas's discursive theory of morality is used to assess the program's understanding of what it means to be competent in moral matters.…

Educating change agents: a qualitative descriptive study of graduates of a Master's program in evidence-based practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Hole, Grete Oline; Brenna, Sissel Johansson; Graverholt, Birgitte; Ciliska, Donna; Nortvedt, Monica Wammen

2016-02-25

Health care professionals are expected to build decisions upon evidence. This implies decisions based on the best available, current, valid and relevant evidence, informed by clinical expertise and patient values. A multi-professional master's program in evidence-based practice was developed and offered. The aims of this study were to explore how students in this program viewed their ability to apply evidence-based practice and their perceptions of what constitute necessary conditions to implement evidence-based practice in health care organizations, one year after graduation. A qualitative descriptive design was chosen to examine the graduates' experiences. All students in the first two cohorts of the program were invited to participate. Six focus-group interviews, with a total of 21 participants, and a telephone interview of one participant were conducted. The data was analyzed thematically, using the themes from the interview guide as the starting point. The graduates reported that an overall necessary condition for evidence-based practice to occur is the existence of a "readiness for change" both at an individual level and at the organizational level. They described that they gained personal knowledge and skills to be "change-agents" with "self-efficacy, "analytic competence" and "tools" to implement evidence based practice in clinical care. An organizational culture of a "learning organization" was also required, where leaders have an "awareness of evidence- based practice", and see the need for creating "evidence-based networks". One year after graduation the participants saw themselves as "change agents" prepared to improve clinical care within a learning organization. The results of this study provides useful information for facilitating the implementation of EBP both from educational and health care organizational perspectives.

Interfacing theories of program with theories of evaluation for advancing evaluation practice: Reductionism, systems thinking, and pragmatic synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Huey T

2016-12-01

Theories of program and theories of evaluation form the foundation of program evaluation theories. Theories of program reflect assumptions on how to conceptualize an intervention program for evaluation purposes, while theories of evaluation reflect assumptions on how to design useful evaluation. These two types of theories are related, but often discussed separately. This paper attempts to use three theoretical perspectives (reductionism, systems thinking, and pragmatic synthesis) to interface them and discuss the implications for evaluation practice. Reductionism proposes that an intervention program can be broken into crucial components for rigorous analyses; systems thinking view an intervention program as dynamic and complex, requiring a holistic examination. In spite of their contributions, reductionism and systems thinking represent the extreme ends of a theoretical spectrum; many real-world programs, however, may fall in the middle. Pragmatic synthesis is being developed to serve these moderate- complexity programs. These three theoretical perspectives have their own strengths and challenges. Knowledge on these three perspectives and their evaluation implications can provide a better guide for designing fruitful evaluations, improving the quality of evaluation practice, informing potential areas for developing cutting-edge evaluation approaches, and contributing to advancing program evaluation toward a mature applied science. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Student perspectives of a Student-Led Groups Program model of professional practice education in a brain injury rehabilitation unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, Freyr; Fleming, Jennifer; Marshall, Kathryn; Ninness, Nadine

2017-10-01

Professional practice education is a core and essential component of occupational therapy training. With increasing numbers of education programmes and more students requiring professional practice placements, development of innovative models of professional practice education has emerged, but these require investigation. The aim of this study was to investigate student experiences and perceptions of the Student-Led Groups Program model of professional practice education in an inpatient brain injury rehabilitation unit. A qualitative approach, guided by phenomenological theory was used. Participants were 15 students who had completed a professional practice placement in the Student-Led Groups Program. Data were collected using in-depth semi-structured interviews and analysed thematically. Three over-arching themes emerged from the data; balance of support and freedom, development of clinical skills and missed opportunities. Students described how the structure of the placement facilitated independent learning and autonomy that was balanced with support from clinicians and student peers. Students perceived that they had developed a breadth of clinical skills and also had missed some learning opportunities in this professional practice placement structure. Overall student perceptions of the Student-Led Groups Program were positive, supporting the continued use of this model of professional practice education in this setting. The results highlight the value of structured and consistent approaches for supervision, including the use of formal approaches to peer supervision in the initial stages of learning. © 2017 Occupational Therapy Australia.

Fundamental attributes of a practical configuration management program for nuclear plant design control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, S.M.

1988-06-01

This summarizes the results of an evaluation of findings identifies during a number of Safety-System Functional Inspections and Safety System Outage Modification Inspections which are related to configuration management for nuclear plant design control. A computerized database of these findings was generated from a review of the design inspection reports. Based on the results of the evaluation, attributes of a configuration management program were developed which are responsive to minimizing these types of inspection findings. Incorporation of these key attributes is considered good practice in the development of a configuration management program for design control at operating nuclear plants

Programming principles and practice using C++

CERN Document Server

Stroustrup, Bjarne

2014-01-01

An Introduction to Programming by the Inventor of C++ Preparation for Programming in the Real World The book assumes that you aim eventually to write non-trivial programs, whether for work in software development or in some other technical field. Focus on Fundamental Concepts and Techniques The book explains fundamental concepts and techniques in greater depth than traditional introductions. This approach will give you a solid foundation for writing useful, correct, maintainable, and efficient code. Programming with Today's C++ (C++11 and C++14) The book is an introduction to programming in general, including object-oriented programming and generic programming. It is also a solid introduction to the C++ programming language, one of the most widely used languages for real-world software. The book presents modern C++ programming techniques from the start, introducing the C++ standard library and C++11 and C++14 features to simplify programming tasks. For Beginners-And Anyone Who Wants to Learn Something New The...

Practice Audit in Gastroenterology (PAGE) program: A novel approach to continuing professional development

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, David; Hollingworth, Roger; Gardiner, Tara; Klassen, Michael; Smith, Wendy; Hunt, Richard H; Barkun, Alan; Gould, Michael; Leddin, Desmond

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: Practice audit is an important component of continuing professional development that may more readily be undertaken if it were less complex. This qualitative study assessed the use of personal digital assistants to facilitate data collection and review. METHODS: Personal digital assistants programmed with standard questionnaires related to upper gastrointestinal endoscopies (Practice Audit in Gastroenterology-Endoscopy [‘PAGE-Endo’]) and colonoscopies (PAGE-Colonoscopy [‘PAGE-Colo’]) were provided to Canadian gastroenterologists, surgeons and internists. Over a three-week audit period, participants recorded indications, and the expected (E) and reported (R) findings for each procedure. Thereafter, participants recorded compliance with reporting, the ease of use and value of the PAGE program, and their willingness to perform another audit. RESULTS: Over 15 to 18 months, 173 participants completed PAGE-Endo (6168 procedures) and 111 completed PAGE-Colo (4776 procedures). Most respondents noted that PAGE was easy to use (99%), beneficial (88% to 95%), and that they were willing undertake another audit (92% to 95%). In PAGE-Endo, alarm features were prevalent (55%), but major reported findings were less common than expected: esophagitis (E 29.9%, R 14.8%), esophageal stricture (E 8.3%, R 3.6%), gastric ulcer (E 17.0%, R 4.7%), gastric cancer (E 4.3%, R 1.0%) and duodenal ulcer (E 11.5%, R 5.7%). In PAGE-Colo, more colonoscopies were performed for symptom investigation (55%) than for screening (25%) or surveillance (20%). There were marked interprovincial variations with respect to sedation, biopsies and technical aspects of colonoscopy. CONCLUSION: Secure, real-time data entry with review of aggregate and individual data in the PAGE program provided an acceptable, straightforward methodology for accredited practice audit activities. PAGE has considerable potential for continuing professional development in gastroenterology and other specialties

An Investigation of Classroom Practices in Teaching Listening Comprehension at English Education Program

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Siregar, Nurhafni

2017-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate how the classroom practice in teaching listening comprehension at English Education Program of STKIP Tapanuli Selatan in 2016/2017 Academic Year is. The informants of this research were all of second semester students of STKIP Tapanuli Selatan in 2016/2017 academic year and a lecturer of listening…

Knowledge, behavioral practices, and experiences of outdoor fallers: Implications for prevention programs.

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Chippendale, Tracy; Raveis, Victoria

2017-09-01

Although the epidemiology and prevention of falls has been well studied, the focus has been on indoor rather than outdoor falls. Older adults' knowledge of outdoor risk factors and their outdoor fall prevention practices have not been examined. To fill this gap, and to inform the development of a prevention program, we sought to explore the experiences and fall prevention knowledge and practices of older adults who had sustained an outdoor fall. A cross-sectional study using random digit telephone dialing was used to survey community dwelling seniors (N=120) across the five boroughs of New York City. We used the Outdoor Falls Questionnaire (OFQ), a valid and reliable tool as the survey instrument. Perceived outdoor fall risks, strategies used for prevention, and outdoor fall experiences were examined. SPSS version 21 was used for descriptive analysis of participant characteristics and to determine frequencies of perceived outdoor fall risks and strategies used for prevention. Phenomenological analysis was used with the qualitative data. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed separately and a mixed methods matrix was used to interpret and integrate the findings. Analysis revealed diverse unmet education and training needs including the importance of using single vision glasses, understanding the fall risks associated with recreational areas and parking lots, safe outdoor walking strategies, safe carrying of items on level and uneven surfaces, as well as when walking up and down stairs, and safety in opening/closing doors. Study findings are informative for outdoor fall prevention programs as well as practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Nursing Workforce Diversity Project: Strategies for Recruitment, Retention, Graduation, and NCLEX-RN Success.

Science.gov (United States)

Murray, Ted A; Pole, David C; Ciarlo, Erica M; Holmes, Shearon

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe a collaborative project designed to recruit and retain students from underrepresented minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds into nursing education. Ethnic minorities remain underrepresented in the nursing workforce in comparison to the general population. The numbers of minorities enrolled in nursing education programs are insufficient to meet the health care workforce diversity needs of the future. High school students were provided with a preprofessional education program to prepare them for admission into a nursing program. Retention strategies were implemented for newly admitted and enrolled nursing education students. Twenty-one high school students enrolled in a nursing education program. The students enrolled in the nursing education program graduated and passed the licensure examination. Early recruitment and multiprong retention programs can be successful in diversifying the registered nurse workforce.

An Evaluation Study of an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) Program in an Urban City: Examining the Transfer of Knowledge and Leadership Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Hye Lim

2011-01-01

This study examined the effectiveness of the Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) degree program in terms of transfer of knowledge and leadership practices. Based on a review of literature related to adult learning theories, EMBA programs, the importance of evaluation practices, and leadership practices, this study was designed to…

Practical method for generation expansion planning based on the dynamic programming. Dynamic programming ni motozuku dengen keikaku shuho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tanabe, R.; Yasuda, K.; Yokoyama, R. (Tokyo Metropolitan Univ., Tokyo (Japan))

1992-05-20

To supply cheap, high-reliable and a planty of the electricity is an important task of the electric supply system because the requirement for the electricity is rapidly increased in Japan. In order to solve this problem, the authors of the paper are developing a most suitable practical method based on algorithm, according to which the generation expansion planning is divided into two problems: the optimal generation mix and the optimal generation construction process and the two problems are solved respectively. But there are some bad points in the method, for example, there are only approximative practical restriction of the capacity of single machine and the existing electric supply etc., because the optimal generation mix is determined on the basis of non-linear planning. So, in the present paper, the electric supply support system is practically constructed while proposing an unified generation expansion planning based on the dynamic programming that is possible to consider these restrictions strictly and the usefullness of the method is inspected. 12 refs., 7 figs., 5 tabs.

Cultural history and aesthetics of nursing care.

Science.gov (United States)

Siles González, José; Ruiz, Maria del Carmen Solano

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to clarify the role of aesthetics in the organization and motivation of care through history. The guiding questions were: What values and aesthetic feelings have supported and motivated pre-professional and professional care? and Based on what structures has pre-professional and professional care been historically socialized? Primary and secondary sources were consulted, selected according to established criteria with a view to avoiding search and selection bias. Data analysis was guided by the categories: "habitus" and "logical conformism". It was found that the relation between social structures and pre-professionals (motherhood, religiosity) and professional aesthetic standards (professionalism, technologism) of care through history is evidenced in the caregiving activity of the functional unit, in the functional framework and the functional element. In conclusion, in social structures, through the socialization process, "logical conformism" and "habitus" constitute the aesthetic standards of care through feelings like motherhood, religiosity, professionalism, technologism and humanism.

Zero tolerance for incorrect data: Best practices in SQL transaction programming

Science.gov (United States)

Laiho, M.; Skourlas, C.; Dervos, D. A.

2015-02-01

DBMS products differ in the way they support even the basic SQL transaction services. In this paper, a framework of best practices in SQL transaction programming is given and discussed. The SQL developers are advised to experiment with and verify the services supported by the DBMS product used. The framework has been developed by DBTechNet, a European network of teachers, trainers and ICT professionals. A course module on SQL transactions, offered by the LLP "DBTech VET Teachers" programme, is also presented and discussed. Aims and objectives of the programme include the introduction of the topics and content of SQL transactions and concurrency control to HE/VET curricula and addressing the need for initial and continuous training on these topics to in-company trainers, VET teachers, and Higher Education students. An overview of the course module, its learning outcomes, the education and training (E&T) content, virtual database labs with hands-on self-practicing exercises, plus instructions for the teacher/trainer on the pedagogy and the usage of the course modules' content are briefly described. The main principle adopted is to "Learn by verifying in practice" and the transactions course motto is: "Zero Tolerance for Incorrect Data".

The operation of a Research and Development (R&D) program and its significance for practice change in community pharmacy.

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Hermansyah, Andi; Sainsbury, Erica; Krass, Ines

2017-01-01

Community pharmacy practice in Australia is changing and Research and Development (R&D) in community pharmacy plays an important role in contributing to the changes. A range of Cognitive Pharmacy Services (CPS) were developed from R&D programs, yet their implementation has been minimal indicating slow practice change within community pharmacy. Given the vital role of R&D, little is known about the operation and the extent to which it has been effective in supporting practice change in community pharmacy. In depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 key stakeholders in the pharmacy and healthcare system in Australia. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed ad verbatim and analysed using an inductive approach. Participants perceived that the R&D program has played an important role in the advent of CPS. Furthermore, they considered that evidence generated by the R&D projects is a critical influence on policy formulation, funding and implementation of CPS into practice. However, policy decisions and subsequent implementation are also influenced by other factors associated with context and facilitation which in turn foster or inhibit effective Knowledge Translation (KT) in the community pharmacy sector. While R&D programs have been viewed as essential for supporting changes in community pharmacy practice through development and funding of CPS, the overall impact has been small, as contemporary practice continues to be predominantly a dispensing model. Given the complexity and dynamic nature of the community pharmacy system, stakeholders must take into account the inter-relationship between context, evidence and facilitation for successful KT in community pharmacy practice.

Practices and Approaches of Out-of-School Time Programs Serving Immigrant and Refugee Youth

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Georgia Hall

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Opportunity to participate in an out-of-school time program may be a meaningful support mechanism towards school success and healthy development for immigrant and refugee children. This study extends existing research on best practices by examining the on-the-ground experiences of supporting immigrant and refugee youth in out-of-school time programs. Findings from semi-structured interviews with program directors in 17 Massachusetts and New Hampshire programs suggest a number of program strategies that were responsive to the needs of immigrant and refugee students, including support for the use of native language as well as English, knowing about and celebrating the heritage of the students’ homeland, including on staff or in leadership individuals with shared immigrant background, and giving consideration to the academic priorities of parents. The development of such intentional approaches to working with immigrant and refugee youth during the out-of-school time hours will encourage enrollment of, and enhance effectiveness with, this vulnerable population.

A state-of-practice survey of policy, plan, and program assessment in Canadian provinces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noble, Bram F.

2004-01-01

Since the introduction of the 1999 Canadian Cabinet Directive on the environmental assessment of policies, plans, and programs (PPPs), higher-order environmental assessment has been receiving increased attention in Canada. However, while practices and systems are advancing at the federal level, there has been very little attention given to recent developments in PPP assessment at the provincial level. This paper presents the results of a Canada-wide survey of PPP assessment principles and practices in 10 Canadian provincial EA jurisdictions. The findings indicate that there exists considerable variability in the provisions for and practice of PPP assessment amongst Canadian provinces, with only Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Quebec identifying recent practice experience. Included amongst the main barriers to effective implementation at the provincial level are the lack of legislative requirements for strategic EA, and the limited understanding of the nature and benefits of higher-order impact assessment

Educating Social Workers for Practice in Integrated Health Care: A Model Implemented in a Graduate Social Work Program

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Mattison, Debra; Weaver, Addie; Zebrack, Brad; Fischer, Dan; Dubin, Leslie

2017-01-01

This article introduces a curricular innovation, the Integrated Health Scholars Program (IHSP), developed to prepare master's-level social work students for practice in integrated health care settings, and presents preliminary findings related to students' self-reported program competencies and perceptions. IHSP, implemented in a…

"To Be a Scientist Sometimes You Have to Break Down Stuff about Animals": Examining the Normative Scientific Practices of a Summer Herpetological Program for Children

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Scott, Catherine Marie

2016-01-01

When studying informal science programs, researchers often overlook the opportunities enabled and constrained in each program and the practices reinforced for participants. In this case study, I examined the normative scientific practices reinforced in one-week-long "Herpetology" (the study of reptiles and amphibians) program for…

[Do the practices developed in Family Health Program contribute to transform the present model of health care].

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Shimizu, Helena Eri; Rosales, Carlos

2009-01-01

This study aimed to identify and analyze the main primary health care practices developed in the Family Health Care Program. Qualitative case study was carried out in the region of São Sebastião, DF. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with team workers and observation of the work process. The author concluded that diverse basic practices are developed in primary health care, but others practices focused in health care promotion are necessary in order to transform the health care model.

Evaluating programs that address ideological issues: ethical and practical considerations for practitioners and evaluators.

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Lieberman, Lisa D; Fagen, Michael C; Neiger, Brad L

2014-03-01

There are important practical and ethical considerations for organizations in conducting their own, or commissioning external, evaluations and for both practitioners and evaluators, when assessing programs built on strongly held ideological or philosophical approaches. Assessing whether programs "work" has strong political, financial, and/or moral implications, particularly when expending public dollars, and may challenge objectivity about a particular program or approach. Using a case study of the evaluation of a school-based abstinence-until-marriage program, this article discusses the challenges, lessons learned, and ethical responsibilities regarding decisions about evaluation, specifically associated with ideologically driven programs. Organizations should consider various stakeholders and views associated with their program to help identify potential pitfalls in evaluation. Once identified, the program or agency needs to carefully consider its answers to two key questions: Do they want the answer and are they willing to modify the program? Having decided to evaluate, the choice of evaluator is critical to assuring that ethical principles are maintained and potential skepticism or criticism of findings can be addressed appropriately. The relationship between program and evaluator, including agreements about ownership and eventual publication and/or promotion of data, should be addressed at the outset. Programs and organizations should consider, at the outset, their ethical responsibility when findings are not expected or desired. Ultimately, agencies, organizations, and programs have an ethical responsibility to use their data to provide health promotion programs, whether ideologically founded or not, that appropriately and effectively address the problems they seek to solve.

Work-life balance of nursing faculty in research- and practice-focused doctoral programs.

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Smeltzer, Suzanne C; Sharts-Hopko, Nancy C; Cantrell, Mary Ann; Heverly, Mary Ann; Jenkinson, Amanda; Nthenge, Serah

2015-01-01

The growing shortage of nursing faculty and the need for faculty to teach doctoral students to address the shortage call for examination of factors that may contribute to the shortage, including those that are potentially modifiable, including work-life balance.This descriptive study examined work-life balance of a national sample of nursing faculty teaching in research-focused and practice-focused doctoral programs. Data were collected through an online survey of 554 doctoral program faculty members to identify their perceptions of work-life balance and predictors of work-life balance. Work-life balance scores indicated better work-life balance than expected. Factors associated with good work-life balance included higher academic rank, having tenure, older age, years in education, current faculty position, and no involvement in clinical practice. Current faculty position was the best predictor of work-life balance. Although work-life balance was viewed positively by study participants, efforts are needed to strengthen factors related to positive work/life in view of the increasing workload of doctoral faculty as the numbers of doctoral students increase and the number of seasoned faculty decrease with anticipated waves of retirements. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Logo! 8 a practical introduction, with circuit solutions and example programs

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Kruse, Stefan

2015-01-01

Addressing students and engineers, but also hobby engineers, this practical guide will help to easily and cost-effectively implement technical solutions in home and installation technology, as well as small-scale automation solutions in machine and plant engineering. The book descriptively illustrates how to plan LOGO! 8 projects, develop programs and how to select the hardware. Standard control technology scenarios are demonstrated by building on the fundamentals of modern information technology and with the help of several real-life sample switches. In addition, readers are provided with practice-oriented descriptions of various basic and special LOGO! 8 modules with which specific tasks can be very flexibly implemented. Compared to former generations and competing products, LOGO! 8 comprises an integrated Ethernet interface, easy Internet control, a space-saving design and also more digital and analog outputs. The basic and special functions of the logic module can be used to replace several switching devi...

Designing and implementing a physiology course for a new doctoral occupational therapy program with student feedback.

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Goodman, Barbara E; Ikiugu, Moses N

2017-09-01

Recently, the Occupational Therapy Department requested a custom-designed medical physiology course for the students in the new occupational therapy doctoral program. The first author, a physiologist with extensive experience in teaching both undergraduate preprofessional and medical students in human physiology, was recruited to design and implement the course. The course was designed to be consistent with the constructivist philosophy that guides the occupational therapy curriculum. The course was offered for the first time during fall/spring 2015/2016 and included both first- and second-year occupational therapy doctoral students. A number of anonymous assessment tools were used to evaluate students' perceptions regarding the effectiveness of various pedagogies used in the course in enhancing their learning. A summative course assessment survey with comments was used at the end of the course. This paper describes the model of course design and the student feedback, which generated some suggestions for improvement of the course. This approach in designing a new course for a new disciplinary group of students should be helpful to other faculty involved in developing courses for health career programs populated by students with variable physiology backgrounds and different educational needs. The final relevant feedback from the course would be to have the students evaluate the usefulness of the course to their future careers immediately following their certification examinations in a year or two and during their subsequent clinical experiences; however, that information will likely be more difficult to obtain. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.

Listening to Graduates of a K-12 Bilingual Program: Language Ideologies and Literacy Practices of Former Bilingual Students

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Dworin, Joel

2011-01-01

This study investigated the language and literacy practices of five graduates of a Spanish-English K-12 dual language immersion program through semistructured interviews to understand the residual impact of thirteen years in a Spanish-English bilingual school program. Drawing from sociocultural theory, the interviews also sought to provide an…

Towards a program of assessment for health professionals: from training into practice.

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Eva, Kevin W; Bordage, Georges; Campbell, Craig; Galbraith, Robert; Ginsburg, Shiphra; Holmboe, Eric; Regehr, Glenn

2016-10-01

Despite multifaceted attempts to "protect the public," including the implementation of various assessment practices designed to identify individuals at all stages of training and practice who underperform, profound deficiencies in quality and safety continue to plague the healthcare system. The purpose of this reflections paper is to cast a critical lens on current assessment practices and to offer insights into ways in which they might be adapted to ensure alignment with modern conceptions of health professional education for the ultimate goal of improved healthcare. Three dominant themes will be addressed: (1) The need to redress unintended consequences of competency-based assessment; (2) The potential to design assessment systems that facilitate performance improvement; and (3) The importance of ensuring authentic linkage between assessment and practice. Several principles cut across each of these themes and represent the foundational goals we would put forward as signposts for decision making about the continued evolution of assessment practices in the health professions: (1) Increasing opportunities to promote learning rather than simply measuring performance; (2) Enabling integration across stages of training and practice; and (3) Reinforcing point-in-time assessments with continuous professional development in a way that enhances shared responsibility and accountability between practitioners, educational programs, and testing organizations. Many of the ideas generated represent suggestions for strategies to pilot test, for infrastructure to build, and for harmonization across groups to be enabled. These include novel strategies for OSCE station development, formative (diagnostic) assessment protocols tailored to shed light on the practices of individual clinicians, the use of continuous workplace-based assessment, and broadening the focus of high-stakes decision making beyond determining who passes and who fails. We conclude with reflections on systemic (i

Using a Mixed Methods Approach to Examine Practice Characteristics Associated With Implementation of an Adult Immunization Intervention Using the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program.

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Hawk, Mary; Nowalk, Mary Patricia; Moehling, Krissy K; Pavlik, Valory; Raviotta, Jonathan M; Brown, Anthony E; Zimmerman, Richard K; Ricci, Edmund M

Adult immunization rates are consistently suboptimal, exacting significant human and financial burden of preventable disease. Practice-level interventions to improve immunization rates have produced mixed results. The context of change critically affects implementation of evidence-based interventions. We conducted a randomized controlled cluster trial of the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program to increase adult vaccination rates in primary care practices and used qualitative methods to test intervention effects and understand practice characteristics associated with implementation success. We conducted qualitative interviews with staff from 14 practices to assess implementation experiences. Thematic analysis of data pointed to the importance of quality improvement history, communication and practice leadership, Immunization Champion leadership effectiveness, and organizational flexibility. Practices were scored on these characteristics and grouped into four types: Low Implementers, Medium Implementers, High Implementers, and Public/University Practices. Intervention uptake and immunization rate changes were compared, and a significant increase in influenza vaccination rates (3.9 percentage points [PPs]; p = .038) was observed for High Implementers only. Significant increases in Tdap vaccination rates were observed for High Implementers (9.3 PP; p = 0.006) and the Public/University groups (6.5 PP; p = 0.012), but not other groups. Practice characteristics may be critical factors in predicting intervention success.

Implementing Internet-Based Self-Care Programs in Primary Care: Qualitative Analysis of Determinants of Practice for Patients and Providers.

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Hermes, Eric; Burrone, Laura; Perez, Elliottnell; Martino, Steve; Rowe, Michael

2018-05-18

Access to evidence-based interventions for common mental health conditions is limited due to geographic distance, scheduling, stigma, and provider availability. Internet-based self-care programs may mitigate these barriers. However, little is known about internet-based self-care program implementation in US health care systems. The objective of this study was to identify determinants of practice for internet-based self-care program use in primary care by eliciting provider and administrator perspectives on internet-based self-care program implementation. The objective was explored through qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews with primary care providers and administrators from the Veterans Health Administration. Participants were identified using a reputation-based snowball design. Interviews focused on identifying determinants of practice for the use of internet-based self-care programs at the point of care in Veterans Health Administration primary care. Qualitative analysis of transcripts was performed using thematic coding. A total of 20 physicians, psychologists, social workers, and nurses participated in interviews. Among this group, internet-based self-care program use was relatively low, but support for the platform was assessed as relatively high. Themes were organized into determinants active at patient and provider levels. Perceived patient-level determinants included literacy, age, internet access, patient expectations, internet-based self-care program fit with patient experiences, interest and motivation, and face-to-face human contact. Perceived provider-level determinants included familiarity with internet-based self-care programs, changes to traditional care delivery, face-to-face human contact, competing demands, and age. This exploration of perspectives on internet-based self-care program implementation among Veterans Health Administration providers and administrators revealed key determinants of practice, which can be used to develop

Teachers' Practice a Decade After an Extensive Professional Development Program in Science Education

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Furman Shaharabani, Yael; Tal, Tali

2017-10-01

Science teachers are expected to teach in innovative ways that are different from their long experience as students. Professional development programs are planned to help teachers' development, yet, there is little knowledge of the long-term effects of professional development programs (PDPs), and especially on actual practice. The purpose of this study is to gain a long-term perspective of the ways in which the process and outcomes of a reform-oriented, extended PDP are expressed in science teachers' practice. Data sources included interviews and documents. The study presents four case studies of the practices of junior high school science teachers (grades 7-9) in Israel, with respect to a past PDP in which they took part a decade ago. The cases are presented in pairs of a leader and a follower. Each case details the teacher's work context, sustained implementation, coherence of tools and approaches, and adaptations. All four teachers shared the view that scientific skills are important to their students as learners in a changing world. All four teachers adopted one or two major approaches, which were the PDP's main focus. In addition, the two leaders adopted two more approaches. The teachers were still using many strategies associated with the major foci of the PDP. The level of enactment and modifications of the strategies varied. Usability of innovations is discussed in relation to the teachers' context. We suggest that science teachers' professional development include the ability to adapt the innovation to their teaching context in order to sustain the changes for a long period of time.

The Development of Productivity Practical Management Model at Automotive Mechanical Technology Skill Program in Semarang Vocational Schools, Indonesia

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Hadromi; Rachman, Maman; Soesanto; Kartana, Tri Jaka

2015-01-01

The purpose of this research is to develop automotive Mechanical Technology Skill Program (TMO) in Vocational School. The Research and Development (R&D) object was done in SMK 1, 4 and 7 Semarang, Indonesia. The result was achieved productivity Practical Management Final Model at TMO skill Program in Vocational school named momanticproter.…

Using a Moodle-Based Professional Development Program to Train Science Teachers to Teach for Creativity and its Effectiveness on their Teaching Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Balushi, Sulaiman M.; Al-Abdali, Nasser S.

2015-08-01

This study describes a distance learning professional development program that we designed for the purpose of training science teachers to teach for creativity. The Moodle platform was used to host the training. To ensure that trainees would benefit from this distance learning program, we designed the instructional activities according to the Community of Inquiry framework, which consists of three main elements: cognitive presence, teaching presence and social presence. Nineteen science teachers in Oman engaged in the training, which lasted for 36 working days. To measure the effectiveness of the training program on science teachers' instructional practices related to teaching for creativity, we used a pre-post one-group quasi-experimental design. An observation form was used to assess and document participants' practices. Paired t test results showed that there was a statistically significant improvement in science teachers' practices related to teaching for creativity. During the implementation of the training program, we observed that cognitive presence and teaching presence were the two most successful elements of the program. The training program involved participants in different instructional activities which were designed to help them understand the role of creativity in science; a wide range of instructional techniques designed to nurture students' creativity was discussed. The program also provided participants with opportunities to relate their practices to teaching for creativity and to design and implement lesson plans geared toward teaching for creativity. However, the social presence element was not satisfying. Participants' virtual interactions with each other and their engagement in online discussion forums were limited. This paper provides some recommendations to overcome such pitfalls.

Variation in the Viral Hepatitis and HIV Policies and Practices of Methadone Maintenance Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Jessop, Amy B; Hom, Jeffrey K; Burke, Monika

Patients prescribed methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) demonstrate elevated prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus, and HIV. Government agencies recommend testing for these infections in MMT programs, but uptake is limited. We audited infection-related policies and practices of all 14 MMT programs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 2015. Results were tabulated and compared with the results from a 2010 audit of 10 of 12 MMT programs. The audit focused on which patients are tested, timing and frequency, specific tests ordered, vaccination, and communication of test results. Written policies were nonspecific, offering little guidance on appropriate testing. The principal change in policy between 2010 and 2015 involved adding clearer guidance for communication of results to patients. In 2010 and 2015, all MMT programs tested new patients for hepatitis C virus antibodies, although retesting of existing patients varied. HBV testing increased from 2010 to 2015, though it was not uniform, with 5 programs testing for HBV surface antibodies and 10 programs testing for HBV surface antigens. Six programs assessed hepatitis vaccination status, but only 1 administered vaccines. In 2010, city-sponsored HIV antibody testing was available at all MMT programs. Without this program in 2015, few MMT programs conducted HIV testing. Despite limited hepatitis and HIV screening in MMT programs nationally, this study shows that testing can be incorporated into routine procedures. MMT programs are positioned to play an integral role in the identification of patients with chronic infections, but additional guidance and resources are required to maximize their impact.

The Efficacy of “Parenting the Strong-Willed Child” Program for Mothers’ Parenting Practices and Children’s Behavioral Problems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

حمیده حاجی سیدرضی

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The efficacy of a parent-training program based on “Strong Willed Children” for promoting mother’s parenting practices and decreasing childrenn’s behavioural problems was examined among families with 4-6 years old children. A sample of 25 volunteer mothers (mean age=30 and their children from play houses were collected and assigned into intervention (n=13 and comparison (n=12 groups. Parents completed measures of Children’s Reports of Parental Behavior Inventory (CRPBI; Margolies & Weintraub, 1977; including three dimensions of acceptance/rejection, psychological autonomy/ psychological control, firm control/ permissive control; and Eyberg Child Behavior Inventory (ECBI; Eyberg & Ross, 1978. Intervention group participated in a 6 -session of Parent training program weekly. The results showed that Parent training program significantly improved the parenting practices and firm control of mothers in experimental group. No significant differences was found in other dimensions of parenting practices and children’s behavioural problems among two groups. Explanations for obtaining different outcomes for behavioural problems and some dimensions of parenting based on cultural differences, measurements and length of the programme were discussed.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors (KAPb) of nurses and the effectiveness of a training program in psychosocial cancer care.

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Mahendran, Rathi; Chua, Joanne; Peh, Chao Xu; Lim, Haikel A; Ang, Emily N K; Lim, Siew Eng; Kua, Ee Heok

2014-08-01

Psychosocial distress in oncology patients may significantly interfere with their health outcomes and quality of life. Nurses work closely with their patients and are in the best position to screen for distress and provide timely intervention. It is thus important for nurses working in oncology settings to be equipped and prepared to address distressing psychosocial issues. The present study aims to investigate the impact of a training program in psychosocial care on nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice behaviors. A total of 180 nurses working in medical oncology and radiation oncology departments at the National University Cancer Institute Singapore underwent a training program in psychosocial care as part of their continuing nursing education curriculum. One hundred fifty four of these nurses completed a self-designed questionnaire on nurses' knowledge, attitudes, and practice behaviors (KAPb) at all four time points: baseline, post-training, and at 6 and 12 weeks post-training, respectively. The self-designed KAPb questionnaire proved adequate for this study. Positive gains on applied knowledge and practice behaviors were sustained over a 12-week period. There were no changes in theoretical knowledge. A decreasing trend in attitudes was noted, although this was specific to the participants' attitudes toward the importance of emotional concerns as compared to physical concerns in cancer treatment. Enrolled nurses seemed to have higher starting levels of theoretical knowledge than their registered counterparts were. There were no other differences on demographic variables in relation to the efficacy of the training program. The training program was successful in improving the applied knowledge and practice behaviors of nurses in providing psychosocial care for cancer patients. However, further refinement to the program, with particular attention to nurses' existing training and years of clinical nursing experience, would enhance staff empowerment

Practical Implications for an Effective Radiology Residency Quality Improvement Program for Milestone Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Leddy, Rebecca; Lewis, Madelene; Ackerman, Susan; Hill, Jeanne; Thacker, Paul; Matheus, Maria; Tipnis, Sameer; Gordon, Leonie

2017-01-01

Utilization of a radiology resident-specific quality improvement (QI) program and curriculum based on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) milestones can enable a program's assessment of the systems-based practice component and prepare residents for QI implementation post graduation. This article outlines the development process, curriculum, QI committee formation, and resident QI project requirements of one institution's designated radiology resident QI program. A method of mapping the curriculum to the ACGME milestones and assessment of resident competence by postgraduate year level is provided. Sample projects, challenges to success, and lessons learned are also described. Survey data of current trainees and alumni about the program reveal that the majority of residents and alumni responders valued the QI curriculum and felt comfortable with principles and understanding of QI. The most highly valued aspect of the program was the utilization of a resident education committee. The majority of alumni responders felt the residency quality curriculum improved understanding of QI, assisted with preparation for the American Board of Radiology examination, and prepared them for QI in their careers. In addition to the survey results, outcomes of resident project completion and resident scholarly activity in QI are evidence of the success of this program. It is hoped that this description of our experiences with a radiology resident QI program, in accordance with the ACGME milestones, may facilitate the development of successful QI programs in other diagnostic radiology residencies. Copyright © 2017 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

How does use of a prescription monitoring program change pharmacy practice?

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Traci C; Mann, Marita R; Bowman, Sarah E; Zaller, Nickolas; Soto, Xaviel; Gadea, John; Cordy, Catherine; Kelly, Patrick; Friedmann, Peter D

2013-01-01

To assess differences in prescription monitoring program (PMP) use between two states with different PMP accessibility (Connecticut [CT] and Rhode Island [RI]), to explore use of PMPs in pharmacy practice, and to examine associations between PMP use and pharmacists' responses to suspected diversion or "doctor shopping." Descriptive nonexperimental study. CT and RI from March through August 2011. Licensed pharmacists in CT and RI. Anonymous surveys e-mailed to pharmacists PMP use, use of patient reports in pharmacy practice, and responses to suspected doctor shopping or diversion. Responses from 294 pharmacists were received (CT: 198; RI: 96). PMP users were more likely to use the PMP to detect drug abuse (CT: 79%; RI: 21.9%; P behavior, PMP users were less likely than nonusers to discuss their concerns with the patient (adjusted odds ratio 0.48 [95% CI 0.25-0.92]) but as likely to contact the provider (0.86 [0.21-3.47]), refer the patient back to the prescriber (1.50 [0.79-2.86]), and refuse to fill the prescription (0.63 [0.30-1.30]). PMP users were less likely to state they were out of stock of the drug (0.27 [0.12-0.60]) compared with nonusers. Pharmacists reported high interest in attending continuing education on safe dispensing (72.8%). Pharmacists are important participants in the effort to address prescription drug misuse and abuse. Current PMP use with prevailing systems had limited influence on pharmacy practice. Findings point to future research and needed practice and education innovations to improve patient safety and safer opioid dispensing for pharmacists.

Accommodation of practical constraints by a linear programming jet select. [for Space Shuttle

Science.gov (United States)

Bergmann, E.; Weiler, P.

1983-01-01

An experimental spacecraft control system will be incorporated into the Space Shuttle flight software and exercised during a forthcoming mission to evaluate its performance and handling qualities. The control system incorporates a 'phase space' control law to generate rate change requests and a linear programming jet select to compute jet firings. Posed as a linear programming problem, jet selection must represent the rate change request as a linear combination of jet acceleration vectors where the coefficients are the jet firing times, while minimizing the fuel expended in satisfying that request. This problem is solved in real time using a revised Simplex algorithm. In order to implement the jet selection algorithm in the Shuttle flight control computer, it was modified to accommodate certain practical features of the Shuttle such as limited computer throughput, lengthy firing times, and a large number of control jets. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first such application of linear programming. It was made possible by careful consideration of the jet selection problem in terms of the properties of linear programming and the Simplex algorithm. These modifications to the jet select algorithm may by useful for the design of reaction controlled spacecraft.

Moving evidence-based drug abuse prevention programs from basic science to practice: "bridging the efficacy-effectiveness interface".

Science.gov (United States)

August, Gerald J; Winters, Ken C; Realmuto, George M; Tarter, Ralph; Perry, Cheryl; Hektner, Joel M

2004-01-01

This article examines the challenges faced by developers of youth drug abuse prevention programs in transporting scientifically proven or evidence-based programs into natural community practice systems. Models for research on the transfer of prevention technology are described with specific emphasis given to the relationship between efficacy and effectiveness studies. Barriers that impede the successful integration of efficacy methods within effectiveness studies (e.g., client factors, practitioner factors, intervention structure characteristics, and environmental and organizational factors) are discussed. We present a modified model for program development and evaluation that includes a new type of research design, the hybrid efficacy-effectiveness study that addresses program transportability. The utility of the hybrid study is illustrated in the evaluation of the Early Risers "Skills for Success" prevention program.

Relating Maxwell’s demon and quantitative analysis of information leakage for practical imperative programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anjaria, Kushal; Mishra, Arun

2017-01-01

Shannon observed the relation between information entropy and Maxwell demon experiment to come up with information entropy formula. After that, Shannon’s entropy formula is widely used to measure information leakage in imperative programs. But in the present work, our aim is to go in a reverse direction and try to find possible Maxwell’s demon experimental setup for contemporary practical imperative programs in which variations of Shannon’s entropy formula has been applied to measure the information leakage. To establish the relation between the second principle of thermodynamics and quantitative analysis of information leakage, present work models contemporary variations of imperative programs in terms of Maxwell’s demon experimental setup. In the present work five contemporary variations of imperative program related to information quantification are identified. They are: (i) information leakage in imperative program, (ii) imperative multithreaded program, (iii) point to point leakage in the imperative program, (iv) imperative program with infinite observation, and (v) imperative program in the SOA-based environment. For these variations, minimal work required by an attacker to gain the secret is also calculated using historical Maxwell’s demon experiment. To model the experimental setup of Maxwell’s demon, non-interference security policy is used. In the present work, imperative programs with one-bit secret information have been considered to avoid the complexity. The findings of the present work from the history of physics can be utilized in many areas related to information flow of physical computing, nano-computing, quantum computing, biological computing, energy dissipation in computing, and computing power analysis. (paper)

The complement of research and theory in practice: contact theory at work in nonfamilial intergenerational programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Jarrott, Shannon E; Smith, Cynthia L

2011-02-01

We assessed whether a shared site intergenerational care program informed by contact theory contributed to more desirable social behaviors of elders and children during intergenerational programming than a center with a more traditional programming approach that lacks some or all of the contact theory tenets. We observed 59 elder and child participants from the two sites during intergenerational activities. Using the Intergenerational Observation Scale, we coded participants' predominant behavior in 15-s intervals through each activity's duration. We then calculated for each individual the percentage of time frames each behavior code was predominant. Participants at the theory-based program demonstrated higher rates of intergenerational interaction, higher rates of solitary behavior, and lower rates of watching than at the traditional program. Contact theory tenets were optimized when coupled with evidence-based practices. Intergenerational programs with stakeholder support that promotes equal group status, cooperation toward a common goal, and mechanisms of friendship among participants can achieve important objectives for elder and child participants in care settings.

Effect of practical application of intimate relationship skills program in marital commitment of couples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bahareh Chitsazzadeh Alaf

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Nowadays, due to the increasing rate of divorce and betrayals, the marital commitment has been concerned in marriage and family studies. The research aimed to evaluate the effect of Practical Application of Intimate Relationship Skills (PAIRS program in marital commitment of couples. The method was quasi-experimental and the design was pretest-posttest with a control group. The convenience sampling method was employed to choose 16 couples whose marital commitment score was below the mean in Isfahan, Iran. These couples were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups (N=8 in each group. Data gathering was carried out using Adams and Jones dimensions of commitment inventory (DCI that was filled out by the members of both groups in the pretest stage. Then, the experimental group received the PAIRS training program in thirteen 90-minute sessions. 35 percent of the total variance belongs to the group membership due to the effectiveness of this educational program. This educational program attempts to make couples aware of themselves and their spouses, enhance, intimacy and empathy and develop effective relationship skills and problem-solving skills. The results demonstrated that the PAIRS program showed a positive effect on marital commitment. Hence, the PAIRS program can be employed to prevent divorce by increasing marital commitment in couples.

The urology residency matching program in practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Teichman, J M; Anderson, K D; Dorough, M M; Stein, C R; Optenberg, S A; Thompson, I M

2000-06-01

We evaluate behaviors and attitudes among resident applicants and program directors related to the American Urological Association (AUA) residency matching program and recommend changes to improve the match. Written questionnaires were mailed to 519 resident applicants and 112 program directors after the 1999 American Urological Association match. Subjects were asked about their observations, behaviors and opinions towards the match. Questionnaires were returned by 230 resident applicants and 94 program directors (44% and 83% response rates, respectively.) Of the resident applicants 75% spent $1,001 to $5,000 for interviewing. Of the program directors 47% recalled that applicants asked how programs would rank the applicant and 61% of applicants recalled that program directors asked applicants how they would rank programs. Dishonesty was acknowledged by 31% of program directors and 44% of resident applicants. Of program directors 82% thought applicants "lied", while 67% of applicants thought that programs "lied" (quotations indicate questionnaire language). Participants characterized their own dishonesty as "just playing the game" or they "did not feel badly." Of program directors 81% and of applicants 61% were "skeptical" or "did not believe" when informed they were a "high" or "number 1" selection. Being asked about marital status was recalled by 91% of male and 100% of female (p = 0. 02), if they had children by 53% of male and 67% of female, (p = 0. 03), and intent to have children by 25% of male and 62% of female (p match code rules frequently. Program directors and resident applicants are skeptical of each other. Patterns of faculty behavior differ based on applicant gender. Interviews are costly for applicants. We recommend that 1) programs adopt policies to enhance fairness, 2) applications be filed electronically, 3) programs assist resident applicants with interview accommodation to reduce financial burden and 4) a post-interview code of limited or

Improving Risk Management and Resiliency: A Plan for a Proactive National Policy on Insurance Practices in FEMA’s Public Assistance Program

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-01

and reduce insurance costs. 178 Department of Finance and Deregulation , “Managing the Cost of Damage to Road Infrastructure Caused by Natural...MANAGEMENT AND RESILIENCY: A PLAN FOR A PROACTIVE NATIONAL POLICY ON INSURANCE PRACTICES IN FEMA’S PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM by Gregory W. Eaton...AND RESILIENCY: A PLAN FOR A PROACTIVE NATIONAL POLICY ON INSURANCE PRACTICES IN FEMA’S PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S

Prerequisite programs and food hygiene in hospitals: food safety knowledge and practices of food service staff in Ankara, Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Bas, Murat; Temel, Mehtap Akçil; Ersun, Azmi Safak; Kivanç, Gökhan

2005-04-01

Our objective was to determine food safety practices related to prerequisite program implementation in hospital food services in Turkey. Staff often lack basic food hygiene knowledge. Problems of implementing HACCP and prerequisite programs in hospitals include lack of food hygiene management training, lack of financial resources, and inadequate equipment and environment.

Implementation of Good Clinical Laboratory Practice (GCLP) guidelines within the External Quality Assurance Program Oversight Laboratory (EQAPOL).

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Todd, Christopher A; Sanchez, Ana M; Garcia, Ambrosia; Denny, Thomas N; Sarzotti-Kelsoe, Marcella

2014-07-01

The EQAPOL contract was awarded to Duke University to develop and manage global proficiency testing programs for flow cytometry-, ELISpot-, and Luminex bead-based assays (cytokine analytes), as well as create a genetically diverse panel of HIV-1 viral cultures to be made available to National Institutes of Health (NIH) researchers. As a part of this contract, EQAPOL was required to operate under Good Clinical Laboratory Practices (GCLP) that are traditionally used for laboratories conducting endpoint assays for human clinical trials. EQAPOL adapted these guidelines to the management of proficiency testing programs while simultaneously incorporating aspects of ISO/IEC 17043 which are specifically designed for external proficiency management. Over the first two years of the contract, the EQAPOL Oversight Laboratories received training, developed standard operating procedures and quality management practices, implemented strict quality control procedures for equipment, reagents, and documentation, and received audits from the EQAPOL Central Quality Assurance Unit. GCLP programs, such as EQAPOL, strengthen a laboratory's ability to perform critical assays and provide quality assessments of future potential vaccines. © 2013.

Developing a comprehensive faculty development program to promote interprofessional education, practice and research at a free-standing academic health science center.

Science.gov (United States)

Shrader, Sarah; Mauldin, Mary; Hammad, Sammar; Mitcham, Maralynee; Blue, Amy

2015-03-01

There is an on-going transformation in health professions education to prepare students to function as competent members of an interprofessional team in order to increase patient safety and improve patient care. Various methods of health education and practice directed toward students have been implemented, yet descriptions of faculty development initiatives designed to advance interprofessional education and practice are scarce. This article describes a faculty development program at the Medical University of South Carolina, USA, based on the conceptual framework of adult transformational learning theory. Three components comprise the faculty development program: an institute, fellowship and teaching series. Evaluations of the three components indicate that the faculty development program aided in the sustainability of the university's interprofessional program, and built capacity for improvement and growth in interprofessional endeavors.

An Investigation of Classroom Practices in Teaching Listening Comprehension at English Education Program

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Nurhafni Siregar

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study is to investigate how the classroom practice in teaching listening comprehension at English Education Program of STKIP Tapanuli Selatan in 2016/2017 Academic Year is. The informants of this research were all of second semester students of STKIP Tapanuli Selatan in 2016/2017 academic year and a lecturer of listening comprehension at STKIP Tapanuli Selatan (63 students and one lecturer. A descriptive study was used to achieve the objective of the study. The sample was taken by cluster sampling. The data were collected by using interview to know how the lecturer carried out the teaching practice of listening, and questionnaire  for the students and observation were used to find out how the calssroom activities were conducted. The descriptive analysis was used to anayse the data. Based on the data analysis, it was found that: (1 the lecturer carried out listening activities into four parts, they are preparation, prediction stage, listening, and post listening, and (2 the practice of teaching listening was effective related to the teaching pedagogical procedures in teaching listening comprehension. although there were some points that should be practice further. Based on the findings, it was recomended that the lecturer and the students may apply the less activities that had not been done.

Preceptor Support in Hospital Transition to Practice Programs.

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Blegen, Mary A; Spector, Nancy; Ulrich, Beth T; Lynn, Mary R; Barnsteiner, Jane; Silvestre, Josephine

2015-12-01

The aim of this study was to describe newly licensed RN (NLRN) preceptorships and the effects on competency and retention. Preceptors are widely used, but little is known about the benefit from the perspective of the NLRN or about the models of the relationships. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing added questions about the preceptor experience in a study of transition-to-practice programs. Hospitals were coded as having high or low preceptor support in regard to scheduling NLRN on the same shifts as their preceptors, assignment sharing, and preceptor release time and a low number of preceptors per preceptee. Half of the 82 hospitals were classified as high, and half as low preceptor support. NLRNs and their preceptors in high-support hospitals evaluated the preceptor experience and NLRN competence higher. In addition, NLRN retention was higher in the high-support hospitals. To improve NLRN competence and retention, preceptors should have adequate time with each NLRN, share shift and patient assignments, and have few preceptees assigned to each preceptor concurrently.

Connecting Neuroscience, Cognitive, and Educational Theories and Research to Practice: A Review of Mathematics Intervention Programs

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Kroeger, Lori A.; Brown, Rhonda Douglas; O'Brien, Beth A.

2012-01-01

Research Findings: This article describes major theories and research on math cognition across the fields of neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and education and connects these literatures to intervention practices. Commercially available math intervention programs were identified and evaluated using the following questions: (a) Did neuroscience…

Investigation of practical use situation and performance for electric transient analysis programs in the U.S. nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, Yoshio

2010-01-01

The purposes of the present study are firstly to investigate the status of practical use of electric transient analysis programs used in U.S. nuclear power plants, which has been extracted as good examples from the information analysis of overseas troubles, and secondly to select a program to be recommended for use in implementing electric transient analysis in domestic nuclear power plants. In addition, to promote its practical use, a selected electric transient analysis program was tested by simulating the transient response during a load sequence test of an emergency diesel generator (EDG) in a domestic representative nuclear plant to evaluate its simulation accuracy by comparing its result with the measured plant data. The results obtained are as follows: (1) In U.S. nuclear power plants, simulations using electric transient analysis programs, such as ETAP, EMPT, etc., are widely performed, which contributed to improve the plant safety. (2) A selected transient analysis program EMTP was verified in its accuracy in terms of transient response of active power, current, voltage and frequency of the EDG during the load sequence test in a domestic representative nuclear power plant. (author)

Best Practices in Physics Program Assessment: Should APS Provide Accreditation Standards for Physics?

Science.gov (United States)

Hodapp, Theodore

The Phys21 report, ``Preparing Physics Students for 21st Century Careers,'' provides guidance for physics programs to improve their degree programs to make them more relevant for student career choices. Undertaking such changes and assessing impact varies widely by institution, with many departments inventing assessments with each periodic departmental or programmatic review. American Physical Society has embarked on a process to integrate information from Phys21, the results of other national studies, and educational research outcomes to generate a best-practices guide to help physics departments conduct program review, assessment, and improvement. It is anticipated that departments will be able to use this document to help with their role in university-level accreditation, and in making the case for improvements to departmental programs. Accreditation of physics programs could stem from such a document, and I will discuss some of the thinking of the APS Committee on Education in creating this guide, and how they are advising APS to move forward in the higher education landscape that is increasingly subject to standards-based evaluations. I will describe plans for the design, review, and dissemination of this guide, and how faculty can provide input into its development. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1540570. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the NSF.

Practical Action Programs in Education: Highlights of the Third National Conference on General Systems Education.

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Southern Connecticut State Coll., New Haven. Center for Interdisciplinary Creativity.

In this collection of papers Harold G. Cassidy outlines the conceptual framework for the conference which is based on a systems approach to development of practical action programs in education. A basic model is presented as a basis for shifting from the post-crisis to the pre-crisis approach to curriculum development and educational…

Using the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program to Increase Pneumococcal Immunizations for Older Adults: A Cluster-Randomized Trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, Richard K; Brown, Anthony E; Pavlik, Valory N; Moehling, Krissy K; Raviotta, Jonathan M; Lin, Chyongchiou J; Zhang, Song; Hawk, Mary; Kyle, Shakala; Patel, Suchita; Ahmed, Faruque; Nowalk, Mary Patricia

2017-01-01

To test the effectiveness of a step-by step, evidence-based guide, the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program, to increase adult pneumococcal vaccination. Randomized controlled cluster trial (RCCT) in Year 1 (June 1, 2013 to May 31, 2014) and pre-post study in Year 2 (June 1, 2014 to January 31, 2015) with data analyzed in 2016. Baseline year was June 1, 2012, to May 31, 2013. Demographic and vaccination data were derived from deidentified electronic medical record extractions. Primary care practices (n = 25) stratified according to metropolitan area (Houston, Pittsburgh), location (rural, urban, suburban), and type (family medicine, internal medicine), randomized to receive the intervention in Year 1 (n = 13) or Year 2 (n = 12). Individuals aged 65 and older at baseline (N = 18,107; mean age 74.2; 60.7% female, 16.5% non-white, 15.7% Hispanic). The 4 Pillars Program, provider education, and one-on-one coaching of practice-based immunization champions. Outcome measures were 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) and pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) vaccination rates and percentage point (PP) changes in vaccination rates. In the Year 1 RCCT, PPSV vaccination rates increased significantly in all intervention and control groups, with average increases ranging from 6.5 to 8.7 PP (P < .001). The intervention was not related to greater likelihood of PPSV vaccination. In the Year 2 pre-post study, the likelihood of PPSV and PCV vaccination was significantly higher in the active intervention sites than the maintenance sites in Pittsburgh but not in Houston. In a RCCT, PPSV vaccination rates increased in the intervention and control groups in Year 1. In a pre-post study, private primary care practices actively participating in the 4 Pillars Practice Transformation Program improved PPSV and PCV uptake significantly more than practices that were in the maintenance phase of the study. © 2016, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2016, The American

Using the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program to increase adult Tdap immunization in a randomized controlled cluster trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Nowalk, Mary Patricia; Lin, Chyongchiou J; Pavlik, Valory N; Brown, Anthony E; Zhang, Song; Moehling, Krissy K; Raviotta, Jonathan M; South-Paul, Jeannette E; Hawk, Mary; Ricci, Edmund M; Middleton, Donald B; Patel, Suchita A; Ahmed, Faruque; Zimmerman, Richard K

2016-09-22

National adult Tdap vaccination rates are low, reinforcing the need to increase vaccination efforts in primary care offices. The 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program is an evidence-based, step-by-step guide to improving primary care adult vaccination with an online implementation tracking dashboard. This study tested the effectiveness of an intervention to increase adult Tdap vaccination that included the 4 Pillars™ Program, provider education, and one-on-one coaching of practice-based immunization champions. 25 primary care practices participated in a randomized controlled cluster trial (RCCT) in Year 1 (6/1/2013-5/31/2014) and a pre-post study in Year 2 (6/1/2014-1/31/2015). Baseline year was 6/1/2012-5/31/2013, with data analyzed in 2016. Demographic and vaccination data were derived from de-identified electronic medical record (EMR) extractions. The primary outcomes were vaccination rates and percentage point (PP) changes/year. The cohort consisted of 70,549 patients ⩾18years who were seen in the practices ⩾1 time each year, with a baseline mean age=55years; 35% were men; 56% were non-white; 35% were Hispanic and 20% were on Medicare. Baseline vaccination rate averaged 35%. In the Year 1 RCCT, cumulative Tdap vaccination increased significantly in both intervention and control groups; in both cities, the percentage point increases in the intervention groups (7.7 PP in Pittsburgh and 9.9 PP in Houston) were significantly higher (P<0.001) than in the control groups (6.4 PP in Pittsburgh and 7.6 PP in Houston). In the Year 2 pre-post study, in both cities, active intervention groups increased rates significantly more (6.2 PP for both) than maintenance groups (2.2 PP in Pittsburgh and 4.1 PP in Houston; P<0.001). An intervention that includes the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program, staff education and coaching is effective for increasing adult Tdap immunization rates within primary care practices. Clinical Trial Registry Name/Number: NCT

Inspiring science achievement: a mixed methods examination of the practices and characteristics of successful science programs in diverse high schools

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Scogin, Stephen C.; Cavlazoglu, Baki; LeBlanc, Jennifer; Stuessy, Carol L.

2017-08-01

While the achievement gap in science exists in the US, research associated with our investigation reveals some high school science programs serving diverse student bodies are successfully closing the gap. Using a mixed methods approach, we identified and investigated ten high schools in a large Southwestern state that fit the definition of "highly successful, highly diverse". By conducting interviews with science liaisons associated with each school and reviewing the literature, we developed a rubric identifying specific characteristics associated with successful science programs. These characteristics and practices included setting high expectations for students, providing extensive teacher support for student learning, and utilizing student-centered pedagogy. We used the rubric to assess the successful high school science programs and compare them to other high school science programs in the state (i.e., less successful and less diverse high school science programs). Highly successful, highly diverse schools were very different in their approach to science education when compared to the other programs. The findings from this study will help schools with diverse students to strengthen hiring practices, enhance teacher support mechanisms, and develop student-focused strategies in the classroom that increase science achievement.

Monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators in 2015 and 2016. Follow-up report, January 2017

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

Electricity and natural gas transmission system operators (TSO) and distribution system operators (DSO) are regulated operators that provide public service functions for the benefit of the network users and the consumers they serve. Accordingly, European and French law requires that they be under independent and nondiscriminatory obligations. In particular, they must develop a good practices program which includes a range of measures to prevent the risk of discriminatory practices in network access. Pursuant to Article L.134-15 of the Energy Code, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is publishing this year its 10. annual report on the monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators for the 2015-2016 period. This report is based on analysis of the 'reports on the implementation of good practices programs' submitted to the CRE by the operators in 2015-2016 and audits carried out by the CRE services in these companies during the same period

Using the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program to increase adolescent human papillomavirus, meningococcal, tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis and influenza vaccination.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, Richard K; Raviotta, Jonathan M; Nowalk, Mary Patricia; Moehling, Krissy K; Reis, Evelyn Cohen; Humiston, Sharon G; Lin, Chyongchiou Jeng

2017-10-27

To report the results of an intervention using the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program (4 Pillars™ Program) to increase adolescent vaccinations including human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV) and influenza vaccines, which remain underutilized in this population. Eleven pediatric and family medicine practices, previously control sites from a randomized controlled cluster trial, with ≥50 adolescent patients participated. The 4 Pillars™ Program was the foundation of the intervention. De-identified demographic, office visit and vaccination data were derived from electronic medical record extractions for patients whose date of birth was 4/1/1997 to 4/1/2004 (ages 11-17years at baseline). Vaccination rates for HPV, influenza, tetanus-pertussis-diphtheria (Tdap) and meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccines were determined for all eligible patients pre- and post intervention (i.e., vaccination rates on 4/1/2015 and 4/30/2016). Among 9473 patients ages 11-17years at baseline (4/1/2015), mean pre-intervention vaccination rates for HPV initiation and completion, meningococcal, Tdap and influenza vaccines were below national levels. Rates increased significantly post intervention (P<0.001) for HPV initiation which increased 17.1 percentage points (PP) from 51.4%; HPV completion increased 14.8PP from 30.7%, meningococcal vaccine uptake increased 16.6PP from 79.1%, Tdap vaccine uptake increased 14.6PP from 76.9%. Influenza vaccine uptake did not increase significantly (2.3PP from 40.1%). In the regression using generalized estimating equations, odds of vaccination were higher for younger, non-white adolescents for all vaccines; being in a smaller practice decreased the odds of Tdap vaccination but increased the odds of influenza vaccination. Clinically and statistically significant improvements in HPV series initiation and completion, and meningococcal and Tdap vaccinations were observed in primary care practices implementing the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program

Monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators. Summary report 2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-07-01

Electricity and natural gas transmission system operators (TSO) and distribution system operators (DSO) are regulated operators that provide public service functions for the benefit of the network users and the consumers they serve. Accordingly, European and French law requires that they be under independent and nondiscriminatory obligations. In particular, they must develop a good practices program which includes a range of measures to prevent the risk of discriminatory practices in network access. Pursuant to Article L.134-15 of the Energy Code, the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE) is publishing this year its 7. annual report on the monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators for the year 2011. This report is based on analysis of the 'reports on the implementation of good practices programs' submitted to the CRE by the operators in late 2011 and audits carried out by the CRE services in these companies in 2011. These elements were supplemented and clarified by many exchanges with the operators, in particular during the committee hearings that took place in spring 2012 with each network operator. This report is structured around four cross-cutting themes, supplemented by individual analyses of each operator's situation. The cross-cutting issues address communication and user's awareness of the network operators, the new compliance officer function, TSO certification and, finally, the results of the 'mystery shopper' telephone survey carried out by the CRE. The individual situations analysed were those of the eight DSOs serving over 100,000 customers (ERDF, ES, URM, SRD and Geredis-Deux-Sevres for electricity, GrDF, Regaz-Bordeaux and Reseau GDS for natural gas) and the three TSOs (RTE for electricity and GRTgaz and TIGF for natural gas)

Grounding Teacher Education in Practice around the World: An Examination of Teacher Education Coursework in Teacher Education Programs in Finland, Norway, and the United States

Science.gov (United States)

Jenset, Inga Staal; Klette, Kirsti; Hammerness, Karen

2018-01-01

Worldwide, teacher educators and policy makers have called for teacher preparation that is more deeply linked to practice. Yet we know little about how such linkages are achieved within different international programs. We examine the degree to which programs provide opportunities to learn that are grounded in practice, during university…

Enhancing Literacy Practices in Science Classrooms through a Professional Development Program for Canadian Minority-Language Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Rivard, Léonard P.; Gueye, Ndeye R.

2016-01-01

'Literacy in the Science Classroom Project" was a three-year professional development (PD) program supporting minority-language secondary teachers' use of effective language-based instructional strategies for teaching science. Our primary objective was to determine how teacher beliefs and practices changed over time and how these were enacted…

GIS cartography a guide to effective map design

CERN Document Server

Peterson, Gretchen N

2009-01-01

Maps, either printed or digital, can create effective communication with bosses, clients, other scientists, and the public. However, entry level GISers often find that map design was given short shrift in their pre-professional life. It is time for the GIS field, which is maturing in other ways, to improve its skills in this area. Based on the author's more than ten years of research and practice in map design, GIS Cartography: A Guide to Effective Map Design provides the tools to create truly sophisticated maps. Packed full of in-depth information and advice, this book covers all facets of ma

Practices of reading and writing in five diferent programs of the Sergio Arboleda university

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blanca González

2010-06-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the results of an investigation into the practices of reading and writing present in five courses of different programs assigned at the Sergio Arboleda University (Bogotá. The research derives from the following questions: What is the role of reading and writing process in the course of some programs at the University? How is assign, directed and accompanied the task of reading and writing? and how are assessed the progress and results in the process of reading and writing? The information was obtained from written tests, surveys, classroom observations and interviews with teachers of these programs. After the analysis process, were set up five units of information, which in the case of reading were reading assignment, intervention guidance, intervention to clarify, evaluation and assessments of teachers, and for the case of writing: defining text types, intervention process, intervention in the correction process, evaluation and assessments of teachers.

Building Community and Fostering Success in STEM Through the Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) Program at the University of Nevada, Reno

Science.gov (United States)

Langus, T. C.; Tempel, R. N.

2017-12-01

The Women in Science & Engineering (WiSE) program at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) aims to recruit and retain a diverse population of women in STEM fields. During the WiSE Program's 10 years in service, we have primarily functioned as a resource for 364 young women to expand their pre-professional network by building valuable relationships with like-minded women. More recently, we have introduced key changes to better benefit our WiSE scholars, establishing a new residence hall, the Living Learning Community (LLC). The introduction of the LLC, resident assistants, and academic mentors helped to provide support to a diverse culture of women with varying thoughts, values, attitudes, and identities. To evaluate the progress of our program, demographic data was statistically analyzed using SPSS to identify correlations between math preparation, performance in foundational courses, average time to graduation, and retention in STEM majors. Initial programmatic assessment indicates that students participating in WiSE are provided a more well-rounded experience while pursuing higher education. We have maintained a 90% retention rate of females graduating with bachelor's degrees in STEM disciplines (n=187), with many graduates completing advanced masters and doctoral degrees and seamlessly entering into post-graduate internships, professional, and industry careers. The success of the WiSE program is attributed to a focused initiative in fostering supportive classroom environments through common course enrollment, professional development, and engaging women in their community through service learning. As a continued focus, we aim to increase the inclusivity and representation of women at UNR in underrepresented fields such as physics, math, and the geosciences. Further program improvements will be based on ongoing research, including a qualitative approach to explore how providing gender equitable resources influences the persistence of women in STEM.

Make Change Happen at the Program or Institutional Scale: Converting Community Expertise into Practical Guidance

Science.gov (United States)

McDaris, J. R.; Manduca, C. A.; Orr, C. H.

2016-12-01

As geoscience and STEM programs address common challenges like increasing the diversity of graduates or implementing active learning pedagogies, it is important to learn from the experiences of others in the community. Individual faculty members embody a wealth of experience on these topics but distilling that experience into practical guidance that has value for a broad audience is not as simple as knowing exactly what one person did. Context is important, not only because activities used in similar contexts are easier to adapt, but also because activities that work across multiple contexts are more robust. The development of any best practices guidance benefits from the engagement of a community. Synthesizing across multiple viewpoints leads to a consensus that builds on the diversity of individual experiences. The Science Education Resource Center (SERC) at Carleton College has had success generating such resources in geoscience and STEM education. Working with different groups of educators, we have helped develop content around making change happen at the program or institutional levels, increasing the diversity of students graduating in geoscience and STEM, fostering interdisciplinary learning, translating the results of education research into practice, and several others. These resources draw out common practices, situate them in the education research base, and highlight examples of their use in the real world but also communicate the different ways individuals or institutions have adapted these practices for their particular situation. These resources were developed through a group synthesis process involving the contribution of individual or group expertise, a face-to-face meeting of teams working on themes drawn from the contributed work, and asynchronous group revision and review following the meeting. The materials developed via this process provide reliable and adaptable guidance firmly rooted in the community's experience. This presentation will

A theory-based implementation program for alcohol screening and brief intervention (ASBI) in general practices: Planned development and study protocol of a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Abidi, L; Oenema, A; Candel, M J J M; van de Mheen, D

2016-11-01

Previous studies have shown that alcohol screening and brief intervention (ASBI) in general practices can lead to significant reductions in alcohol consumption among patients, yet ASBI is rarely implemented into routine clinical practice. The aim of this paper is to describe the development and evaluation of an ASBI implementation program aimed at increasing ASBI delivery rates of general practitioners (GPs) and decreasing patients' alcohol consumption. This study protocol describes the step-wise development and evaluation of an ASBI implementation program. A four-step method is used to identify relevant determinants of change and intervention components based on the Behaviour Change Wheel and the Theoretical Domains Framework. The program will be evaluated in general practices in The Netherlands in a two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial which investigates the effect of the program on GPs' ASBI delivery behaviour as well as on patients' alcohol consumption. Effective theory- and practice-based strategies to implement ASBI in general practices are highly needed. Using a stepwise method we described the development of a program consisting of an e-learning module, a tailored feedback module and environmental support and materials. We hypothesize that this program will result in an increase of GPs' ASBI delivery behaviour. Secondly, we expect an overall decrease in percentage of patients with excessive or problematic alcohol use and a higher proportion of patients from GPs receiving the ASBI implementation program decreasing their alcohol consumption, compared to patients from GPs in the control group. NTR5539. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of good practices programs and independence for electricity and natural gas system operators - 2013-2014 report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monteil, Anne; Casadei, Cecile

2014-12-01

This report results from the analysis of 'reports on the implementation of good practices programs' transmitted to the CRE (the French Commission for energy regulation) at the beginning of 2014 by those in charge of operators compliance. The report is structured in two thematic files, completed by individual analyses of the situation of each operator. These thematic files respectively address the processing of claims by the different natural gas operators, and the processing by ERDF of requests of connection to the grid of renewable energy production installations in the South-West of France. For each operator, the analysis comprises an assessment of independence, and an assessment of the compliance with the good practice program by the operator. For these individual analyses, the report makes a distinction between distribution network operators (ERDF, GRDF, Electricite de Strasbourg, Geredis, SRD, URM, Regaz-Bordeaux, Reseau GDS) and transport network operators (RTE, GRTgaz, TIGF)

Article Commentary: Becoming FASD Informed: Strengthening Practice and Programs Working with Women with FASD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Deborah Rutman

2016-01-01

Full Text Available There is growing appreciation among health and social care providers, especially those working in community-based programs with women or young people with substance use problems and/or who have experienced violence, maltreatment, or trauma, that a high number of their program participants may have been prenatally exposed to alcohol or have fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD. This article provides a conceptualization of the key components of an FASD-informed approach. Drawing on the emerging literature and the author's research identifying the support needs and promising approaches in working with women, young adults, and adults with FASD, as well as evaluations of FASD-related programs, the article discusses what an FASD-informed approach is, why it is centrally important in working with women, adults, and young people who may have FASD, underlying principles of an FASD-informed approach, and examples of FASD-informed adaptations to practice, programming, and the physical environment. In this discussion, the benefits of using an FASD-informed approach for service providers and women living with FASD and their families, as well as conceptualization of FASD-informed policy and systems are highlighted.

The promise and challenge of practice-research collaborations: Guiding principles and strategies for initiating, designing, and implementing program evaluation research.

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Secret, Mary; Abell, Melissa L; Berlin, Trey

2011-01-01

The authors present a set of guiding principles and strategies to facilitate the collaborative efforts of social work researchers and practitioners as they initiate, design, and implement outcome evaluations of human service interventions and programs. Beginning with an exploration of the interpersonal barriers to practice-research collaborations, and building on their experiences in successfully completing a community-based research evaluation, the authors identify specific relationship-focused principles and strategies and illustrate how these approaches can guide practice-research teams through the various sequential activities of the evaluation research process. In particular, it is suggested that practice-research collaborations can be formed, strengthened, and sustained by emphasis on a spirit of discovery and shared leadership at the start of the relationship, use of a comprehensive evaluation model to clarify and frame the evaluation and program goals, beginning where the client is when selecting research methodology and measurement tools, commitment to keeping the program first and recording everything during the implementation and data-collection stages, discussion of emerging findings and presentation of findings in graphic format at the data-analysis stage, and a total team approach at the dissemination stage.

Online Business Chinese Speaking Instruction: A Speak Everywhere Speaking Program for Practical Business Chinese

OpenAIRE

Li, Bailu; Fukada, Atsushi; Hong, Wei

2012-01-01

Despite the obvious importance of speaking skills, for technology and other reasons, it is difficult for foreign language instructors to provide ample speaking practice opportunities to students. However, particularly in business language teaching, speaking is crucial. To address this problem, the authors have created an oral program for a Business Chinese textbook on an online platform called Speak Everywhere. This article discusses general oral training issues and reports on the design of t...

Effects of a Lifestyle Modification Program on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Hypertensive Patients with Angioplasty: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

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Fahimeh Jafari

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Lack of knowledge, attitude and practice are some of the barriers of having a healthy lifestyle and controlling high blood pressure. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a lifestyle modification program on knowledge, attitude and practice of hypertensive patients with angioplasty. Methods: This study was a randomizedcontrolledclinical trial conducted from November to April 2014 on 60 hypertensive patients with angioplasty in ShahidChamran hospital of Isfahan, Iran. The samples were randomly assigned to two equal groups. Data collection was performed in three stages by a researcher-made questionnaire. The intervention plan was 6 education sessions and then follow up were done by phone call. The gathered data were analyzed via SPSS (V.20, using t-test, Chi-square, repeated measurement, and post hoc LSD test andANOVA statistics. Results: The mean score of knowledge, attitude and practice in the experimental group immediately after the intervention was 77.8±7.2, 88.3±6.4 and 86.2±6.5, respectively and one month after the intervention was 80.8±7.4, 91.1±3.5 and 92.5±2.2, respectively. But in the control group, the mean score of knowledge, attitude and practice immediately after the intervention (34.90±11.23, 61.11±6.28, and 38.64±7.15 and one month after the intervention was (38.64±7.15, 59.56±6.31 and 37.27±7.26. Conclusion: Lifestyle modification program can be effective in promoting the knowledge, attitude and practice of hypertensive patients with angioplasty. Nurses can use this program in their care provision programs for these patients.

Culturally Competent Practice: A Mixed Methods Study Among Students, Academics and Alumni of Clinical Psychology Master’s Programs in the Netherlands

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Geerlings, Lennie R. C.; Thompson, Claire L.; Kraaij, Vivian; Keijsers, Ger P. J.

2018-01-01

This is the first research into preparation for multicultural clinical psychology practice in Europe. It applies the theory of multicultural counselling competency (MCC) to a case study in the Netherlands. It was hypothesized that cross-cultural practice experience, identification as a cultural minority, and satisfaction with cultural training was associated with MCC. The Multicultural Awareness Knowledge and Skills Survey was completed by 106 participants (22 students, 10 academics, 74 alumni) from clinical psychology masters’ programs. MANOVA detected a main effect of cross-cultural experience on MCC for all groups and universities. The data were enriched with exploratory qualitative data from 14 interviews (5 students, 5 academics, 4 alumni). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis revealed three themes: limitations of clinical psychology, strategies for culturally competent practice, and strategies for cultural competency development. These outcomes suggest that cultural competency continues to require attention in master’s programs. The paper makes recommendations for further research enquiry related to training clinical psychologists to practice in Europe’s multicultural societies. PMID:29899800

Moving empirically supported practices to addiction treatment programs: recruiting supervisors to help in technology transfer.

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Amodeo, Maryann; Storti, Susan A; Larson, Mary Jo

2010-05-01

Federal and state funding agencies are encouraging or mandating the use of empirically supported treatments in addiction programs, yet many programs have not moved in this direction (Forman, Bovasso, and Woody, 2001 ; Roman and Johnson, 2002 ; Willenbring et al., 2004 ). To improve the skills of counselors in community addiction programs, the authors developed an innovative Web-based course on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), a widely accepted empirically-supported practice (ESP) for addiction. Federal funding supports this Web course and a randomized controlled trial to evaluate its effectiveness. Since supervisors often play a pivotal role in helping clinicians transfer learned skills from training courses to the workplace, the authors recruited supervisor-counselor teams, engaging 54 supervisors and 120 counselors. Lessons learned focus on supervisor recruitment and involvement, supervisors' perceptions of CBT, their own CBT skills and their roles in the study, and implications for technology transfer for the addiction field as a whole. Recruiting supervisors proved difficult because programs lacked clinical supervisors. Recruiting counselors was also difficult because programs were concerned about loss of third-party reimbursement. Across the addiction field, technology transfer will be severely hampered unless such infrastructure problems can be solved. Areas for further investigation are identified.

Practical examples of how knowledge management is addressed in Point Lepreau heat transport ageing management programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slade, J.; Gendron, T.; Greenlaw, G.

2009-01-01

In the mid-1990s, New Brunswick Power Nuclear implemented a Management System Process Model at the Point Lepreau Generating Station that provides the basic elements of a knowledge management program. As noted by the IAEA, the challenge facing the nuclear industry now is to make improvements in knowledge management in areas that are more difficult to implement. Two of these areas are: increasing the value of existing knowledge, and converting tacit knowledge to explicit knowledge (knowledge acquisition). This paper describes some practical examples of knowledge management improvements in the Point Lepreau heat transport system ageing management program. (author)

Clinical Practice in Teacher Training

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Hidayet Tok

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Recently, it seems that there has been a concept change in the aspect of teaching practice course which is regarded as one of the most significant course in teacher education program. This new concept requires the increase period of teaching practice in teacher education program and parallel to this, it also requires the change in the function of practice schools and highlighted “clinical practice in teacher education” concept. In this study, “clinical practice in teacher education” concept and its implementation processes were explained. Furthermore, clinical practice and traditional school practices were presented and the parallels between teaching and clinical practices were explained as well

The current practice of mentoring across Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education – International accredited programs in Qatar from faculty and trainees perspectives

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Suliman, Shireen; Al-Mohammed, Ahmed; Al Mohanadi, Dabia; Allen, Margaret; Bylund, Carma L

2018-01-01

Purpose Mentoring plays a vital role in academic productivity, personal development, and career guidance for students, residents, fellows, and junior faculty. A culture of mentoring is spreading across residency and fellowship training programs in Hamad Medical Corporation, the main teaching tertiary care facility in Qatar. However, there is insufficient knowledge about the current practice of mentoring in these programs. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study by surveying all faculty and trainees in all residency and fellowship training programs in Qatar. Each completed a web-based questionnaire that asked about the current experience, self-efficacy and measures of improvement of the current practice of mentoring across training programs. Results A total of 393/650 faculty members (61%), 187/250 fellows (74%), and 405/650 residents (62%) responded to the two surveys. Most (74% of faculty members) reported being current mentors, while 67% of residents and fellows reported that they currently have mentors. Faculty who received training in mentoring and those who had an established formal mentoring program in their departments were more likely to enroll in mentoring than others (86%, Pmentoring initiative in their departments were to develop a structured mentoring program and to train the mentors. Content analysis revealed participants’ confusion differentiating between the terms mentoring and supervision. Conclusion Based on the current study, many existing mentoring relationships have an evident confusion between supervision and mentoring roles. Developing structured mentoring program and training both faculty and trainees in mentoring is recommended to improve the current practice of mentoring within the training programs. PMID:29416385

How frequent are non-evidence-based health care beliefs in chiropractic students and do they vary across the pre-professional educational years.

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Innes, Stanley I; Leboeuf-Yde, Charlotte; Walker, Bruce F

2018-01-01

Evidence suggests that a students' beliefs already prior to entering a program may be important as a determinant in sustaining unsuitable health care beliefs. Our objectives were to investigate the proportion of Australian chiropractic students who hold non-evidence-based beliefs in the first year of study and the extent to which they may be involved in non-musculoskeletal health conditions. Finally, to see if this proportion varies over the course of the chiropractic program. In 2016, students from two Australian chiropractic programs answered a questionnaire on how often they would give advice on five common health conditions in their future practices as well as their opinion on whether chiropractic spinal adjustments could prevent or help seven health-related conditions. From a possible 831 students, 444 responded (53%). Students were highly likely to offer advice (often/quite often) on a range of non-musculoskeletal conditions. The proportions were lowest in first year and highest the final year. Also, high numbers of students held non-evidence-based beliefs about 'chiropractic spinal adjustments' which tended to occur in gradually decreasing in numbers in sequential years, except for fifth year when a reversal of the pattern occurred. New strategies are required for chiropractic educators if they are to produce graduates who understand and deliver evidence-based health care and able to be part of the mainstream health care system.

Hybrid Doctoral Program: Innovative Practices and Partnerships

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Alvich, Dori; Manning, JoAnn; McCormick, Kathy; Campbell, Robert

2012-01-01

This paper reflects on how one mid-Atlantic University innovatively incorporated technology into the development of a hybrid doctoral program in educational leadership. The paper describes a hybrid doctoral degree program using a rigorous design; challenges of reworking a traditional syllabus of record to a hybrid doctoral program; the perceptions…

Programming languages for MIS concepts and practice

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Wang, Hai

2014-01-01

Introduction Computers Computer Programming Languages     Role of Computer Programming Language      Software Systems     Taxonomies of Computer Programming LanguagesComputing Architecture in the Internet Environment Key Characteristics Shared by All Procedural Programming Languages      Syntax, Sentence, and Word     Variable     Arithmetic Operation     Execution Sequence      If-Then-Else Logic      Loop      Module C++ Introduction to Function-Oriented and Object-Oriented Programming A Tour of C Language      C and C++ Keyword and User-Defined Word      Comment Statements      Preprocessor

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Earth Science Applications Program: Exploring Partnerships to Enhance Decision Making in Public Health Practice

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Vann, Timi S.; Venezia, Robert A.

2002-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Earth Science Enterprise is engaged in applications of NASA Earth science and remote sensing technologies for public health. Efforts are focused on establishing partnerships with those agencies and organizations that have responsibility for protecting the Nation's Health. The program's goal is the integration of NASA's advanced data and technology for enhanced decision support in the areas of disease surveillance and environmental health. A focused applications program, based on understanding partner issues and requirements, has the potential to significantly contribute to more informed decision making in public health practice. This paper intends to provide background information on NASA's investment in public health and is a call for partnership with the larger practice community.

Expense comparison of a telemedicine practice versus a traditional clinical practice.

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Barker, Gail P; Krupinski, Elizabeth A; Schellenberg, Bonnie; Weinstein, Ronald S

2004-01-01

This paper compares the expenses of a telemedicine program to those of a traditional clinical practice using data from two fiscal years (FY) 1998/1999 and 2000/2001. As part of that evaluation, we compared expenses of the University of Arizona's clinical practice group, the University Physicians Incorporated (UPI), to those of the Arizona Telemedicine Program (ATP) practice. For this study, we used the reporting categories published in the year-end UPI financial statement. These categories included clinical services, administration, equipment depreciation, and overhead. Results showed that clinical service expenses and administrative expenses for FY 2000/2001 were higher in the traditional UPI practice, whereas equipment depreciation and overhead expenses are higher in the telemedicine practice. This differs somewhat from FY 1998/1999, where clinical expenses and overhead were higher in the UPI practice and administration and equipment depreciation were higher in the telemedicine practice. We will discuss the relevance of these results and the critical factors that contribute to these differences.

Practical experience from the Office of Adolescent Health's large scale implementation of an evidence-based Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program.

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Margolis, Amy Lynn; Roper, Allison Yvonne

2014-03-01

After 3 years of experience overseeing the implementation and evaluation of evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs in a diversity of populations and settings across the country, the Office of Adolescent Health (OAH) has learned numerous lessons through practical application and new experiences. These lessons and experiences are applicable to those working to implement evidence-based programs on a large scale. The lessons described in this paper focus on what it means for a program to be implementation ready, the role of the program developer in replicating evidence-based programs, the importance of a planning period to ensure quality implementation, the need to define and measure fidelity, and the conditions necessary to support rigorous grantee-level evaluation. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Impact of an educational program on knowledge and practice of health care staff toward pharmaceutical waste management in Gaza, Palestine.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabash, Mohammed I; Hussein, Rim A; Mahmoud, Aleya H; El-Borgy, Mohamed D; Abu-Hamad, Bassam A

2016-04-01

In health care facilities, pharmaceutical waste is generally discharged down the drain or sent to landfill. Poor knowledge about their potential downstream impacts may be a primary factor for improper disposal behavior. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of an intervention program on knowledge and practice of health care staff regarding pharmaceutical waste management. The study was designed as a pre/posttest intervention study. Total sample size was 530 in the pre-intervention phase, and then a subsample of 69 individuals was selected for the intervention and the post-intervention phases. Paired-sample t test was used to assess the difference between pretest and follow-up test results. A statistically significant improvement in knowledge and practice was achieved (Ppharmaceutical waste management. In health care facilities, pharmaceutical waste is generally discharged down the drain or sent to landfill. A lack of knowledge about the potential impacts of this type of waste may be a leading factor in improper disposal behavior. Following an educational program, statistically significant improvement in knowledge and practice of health care staff as regards to pharmaceutical waste management (PWM) was achieved. It is thus recommended that authorities implement training-of-trainers (TOT) programs to educate health care staff on PWM and organize refreshment workshops regularly.

Back to the future: A practice led transition program from Assistant in Nursing to Enrolled Nurse.

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Faithfull-Byrne, Annette; Thompson, Lorraine; Welch, Tony; Williamson, Moira; Schafer, Keppel; Hallinan, Claire

2017-01-01

Continuing professional development is an essential element in professional nursing practice. In our Hospital and Health service, a gap in existing nursing pathways was identified for Assistants in Nursing (AINs), who wished to further their career in nursing and progress to Enrolled Nurse (EN). There is also little in the literature that addresses Assistants in Nursing wishing to progress their career to Enrolled Nurses. This article describes a quality improvement project designed to address this gap. The project was a collaborative venture between a Queensland Hospital and Health Service and an Institute of Tertiary and Further Education (TAFE). The focus was on creating a flexible career path for Assistants in Nursing, wishing to become Enrolled Nurses. The project resulted in the Diploma of Nursing program (theory and practice) being delivered within the hospital setting by nurse educators and clinical nurse consultants. This is unusual in that the program is normally delivered in the tertiary setting, by academic staff from the Institute of Further Education. Program implementation is described along with the challenges encountered. Outcomes from the project were: 78% completion rate; 100% employment on completion of their course of study; and 18% progressing to further their education such as Advance Enrolled Nurse or Registered Nurse. Student satisfaction regarding the program was also positive. The initiative established a local career path for Assistants in Nursing wishing to progress to Enrolled Nurse. This quality project demonstrates that collaborative ventures between the tertiary sector and hospital and health services, can create innovative flexible solutions for staff wishing to further their career in nursing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Practices and Procedures in the Administration of ITV Distance Learning Programs at Selected Institutions in Higher Education.

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Koontz, F. R.

The purpose of this study was to obtain current data on practices and procedures in the administration of distance learning programs in the areas of: (1) needs assessment; (2) student demographics; (3) telecourse acquisition procedures and sources; (4) criteria used to evaluate credit telecourses; (5) institutional approval procedures; (6)…

Reciprocal Learning in Partnership Practice: An Exploratory Study of a Home Visiting Program for Mothers with Depression

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Fowler, Cathrine; Dunston, Roger; Lee, Alison; Rossiter, Chris; McKenzie, Jo

2012-01-01

This paper reports on a small exploratory study that investigates the place and role of reciprocal learning within a partnership-based home visiting program for mothers experiencing depression. The study is one important example of an increased focus on reciprocal learning within practice that has significant implications for the development of…

Teacher and Student Language Practices and Ideologies in a Third-Grade Two-Way Dual Language Program Implementation

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Henderson, Kathryn I.; Palmer, Deborah K.

2015-01-01

This article provides an in-depth exploration of the language ecologies of two classrooms attempting to implement a two-way dual language (TWDL) program and its mediating conditions. Drawing on ethnographic methods and a sociocultural understanding of language, we examined both teachers' and students' language ideologies and language practices,…

How does use of a prescription monitoring program change medical practice?

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Traci C; Mann, Marita R; Bowman, Sarah E; Zaller, Nickolas; Soto, Xaviel; Gadea, John; Cordy, Catherine; Kelly, Patrick; Friedmann, Peter D

2012-10-01

  The objectives of this study were to test for differences in prescription monitoring program (PMP) use between two states, Connecticut (CT) and Rhode Island (RI), with a different PMP accessibility; to explore use of PMP reports in clinical practice; and to examine associations between PMP use and clinician's responses to suspected diversion or "doctor shopping" (i.e., multiple prescriptions from multiple providers).   From March to August 2011, anonymous surveys were emailed to providers licensed to prescribe Schedule II medications in CT (N = 16,924) and RI (N = 5,567).   PMP use, use of patient reports in clinical practice, responses to suspected doctor shopping, or diversion.   Responses from 1,385 prescribers were received: 998 in CT and 375 in RI. PMP use was greater in CT, where an electronic PMP is available (43.9% vs 16.3%, χ(2)  = 85.2, P behavior were more likely to entail clinical response (i.e., refer to another provider odds ratio, OR, 1.75 [95% confidence interval, CI, 1.10, 2.80]; screen for drug abuse OR 1.93 [1.39, 2.68]; revisit pain/treatment agreement OR 1.97 [1.45, 2.67]; conduct urine screen OR 1.82 [1.29, 2.57]; refer to substance abuse treatment OR 1.30 [0.96, 1.75]) rather than legal intervention (OR 0.45 [0.21, 0.94]) or inaction (OR 0.09 [0.01, 0.70]).   Prescribers' use of an electronic PMP may influence medical practice, especially opioid abuse detection, and is associated with clinical responses to suspected doctor shopping or diversion. Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Assessing the Impact of a Program Designed to Develop Sustainability Leadership amongst Staff Members in Higher Education Institutes: A Case Study from a Community of Practice Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Alkaher, Iris; Avissar, Ilana

2018-01-01

This study focuses on the impact of a sustainability leadership development program (SLDP) designed to develop staff members as leaders who encourage sustainability practices within institutions of higher education (IHE). Using the framework of community of practice (CoP), we explored the program's contribution by interviewing 16 staff members who…

Skin and surface lead contamination, hygiene programs, and work practices of bridge surface preparation and painting contractors.

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Virji, M Abbas; Woskie, Susan R; Pepper, Lewis D

2009-02-01

A 2005 regulatory review of the lead in construction standard by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) noted that alternative pathways of exposure can be as significant as inhalation exposure and that noncompliance with the standard pertaining to hygiene facilities and practices was the second most commonly violated section of the standard. Noncompliance with provisions of the standard and unhealthy work and hygiene practices likely increase the likelihood of take-home lead via contaminated clothing, automobiles, and skin, thus contributing to elevated blood lead levels (BLL) among construction workers and their family members. We performed a cross-sectional study of bridge painters working for small contractors in Massachusetts to investigate causes of persistent elevated BLLs and to assess lead exposures. Thirteen work sites were evaluated for a 2-week period during which surface and skin wipe samples were collected and qualitative information was obtained on personal hygiene practices, decontamination and hand wash facilities, and respiratory protection programs. Results showed lead contamination on workers' skin, respirators, personal automobiles, and the decontamination unit, indicating a significant potential for take-home lead exposure. Overall, the geometric mean (GM) skin lead levels ranged from 373 microg on workers' faces at end of shift to 814 microg on hands at break time. The overall GM lead level inside respirators was 143 microg before work and 286 microg after work. Lead contamination was also present inside workers' personal vehicles as well as on surfaces inside the clean side of the decontamination unit. Review of the respiratory protection programs, work site decontamination and hand wash facilities, and personal hygiene practices indicated that these factors had significant impact on skin and surface contamination levels and identified significant opportunities for improving work site facilities and personal practices

Pediatricians’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice patterns regarding special education and Individualized Education Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Reshma P.; Kunnavakkam, Rangesh; Msall, Michael E.

2013-01-01

Objective The medical community has called upon pediatricians to be knowledgeable about an Individualized Education Program (IEP). We sought to: (1) Evaluate pediatricians’ knowledge and attitudes regarding special education (2) Examine the relationship between perceived responsibilities and practice patterns and (3) Identify barriers that impact pediatricians’ ability to provide comprehensive care to children with educational difficulties. Methods Surveys were mailed to a national sample of 1000 randomly selected general pediatricians and pediatric residents from October 2010 to February 2011. Results The response rate was 47%. Of the knowledge items, respondents answered an average of 59% correctly. The majority of respondents felt pediatricians should be responsible for identifying children who may benefit from special education services and assist families in obtaining services, but less than 50% felt they should assist in the development of an IEP. The majority of pediatricians inquired whether a child is having difficulty at school, but far less conducted screening tests or asked parents if they needed assistance obtaining services. Overall, the prevalence of considering a practice a pediatrician’s responsibility is significantly higher than examples of such a practice pattern being reported. Financial reimbursement and insufficient training were amongst the most significant barriers impacting a pediatrician’s ability to provide care to children with educational difficulties. Conclusion In order to provide a comprehensive medical home, pediatricians must be informed about the special education process. This study demonstrates there are gaps in pediatricians’ knowledge and practice patterns regarding special education that must be addressed. PMID:23707687

Pediatricians' knowledge, attitudes, and practice patterns regarding special education and individualized education programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Reshma P; Kunnavakkam, Rangesh; Msall, Michael E

2013-01-01

The medical community has called upon pediatricians to be knowledgeable about an individualized education program (IEP). We sought to: 1) evaluate pediatricians' knowledge and attitudes regarding special education; 2) examine the relationship between perceived responsibilities and practice patterns; and 3) identify barriers that impact pediatricians' ability to provide comprehensive care to children with educational difficulties. Surveys were mailed to a national sample of 1000 randomly selected general pediatricians and pediatric residents from October 2010 to February 2011. The response rate was 47%. Of the knowledge items, respondents answered an average of 59% correctly. The majority of respondents thought pediatricians should be responsible for identifying children who may benefit from special education services and assist families in obtaining services, but less than 50% thought they should assist in the development of an IEP. The majority of pediatricians inquired whether a child is having difficulty at school, but far fewer conducted screening tests or asked parents if they needed assistance obtaining services. Overall, the prevalence of considering a practice a pediatrician's responsibility is significantly higher than examples of such a practice pattern being reported. Financial reimbursement and insufficient training were among the most significant barriers affecting a pediatrician's ability to provide care to children with educational difficulties. In order to provide a comprehensive medical home, pediatricians must be informed about the special education process. This study demonstrates that there are gaps in pediatricians' knowledge and practice patterns regarding special education that must be addressed. Copyright © 2013 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Computer Program for Practical Semivariogram Modeling and Ordinary Kriging: A Case Study of Porosity Distribution in an Oil Field

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Mert Bayram Ali

2017-12-01

Full Text Available In this study, firstly, a practical and educational geostatistical program (JeoStat was developed, and then example analysis of porosity parameter distribution, using oilfield data, was presented.

A review of the practices and results of the UTMB to South Pole teledermatology program over the past six years.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Angel; Lanier, Russell; Diven, Dayna

2010-01-15

There is no place on earth more remote and inaccessible than Antarctica. In 2002, Raytheon Polar Services Co. (RPS) awarded The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston the contract to provide specialty medical services via telemedicine to the approximately 3,500 National Science Foundation (NSF) researchers and support personnel who rotate through Antarctica in a given year. We present the practices and results of the UTMB to the South Pole teledermatology program over the past six years, from 2003 to 2008. Issues encountered include logistics of sending out biopsies for pathologic diagnosis, limited bandwidth, and satellite availability for data transmission. The UTMB to the South Pole teledermatology program demonstrates the clinical practicality of telemedicine in providing dermatologic care to remote populations in extreme climate conditions.

Genetic programming theory and practice XII

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Riolo, Rick; Kotanchek, Mark

2015-01-01

These contributions, written by the foremost international researchers and practitioners of Genetic Programming (GP), explore the synergy between theoretical and empirical results on real-world problems, producing a comprehensive view of the state of the art in GP. Topics in this volume include: gene expression regulation, novel genetic models for glaucoma, inheritable epigenetics, combinators in genetic programming, sequential symbolic regression, system dynamics, sliding window symbolic regression, large feature problems, alignment in the error space, HUMIE winners, Boolean multiplexer funct

The SOS Club: A Practical Peer Helper Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Scarborough, Janna L.

1997-01-01

Describes a peer helper program developed for students in grades K-5. The program applies the concept that each student has something positive to offer the school and is responsible for providing that service. Discusses program goals and objectives, ways to gain support for the program, training, implementation, and evaluation. (RJM)

Examining the compatibility between forestry incentive programs in the US and the practice of sustainable forest management

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Steven E Daniels; Michael A Kilgore; Michael G Jacobson; John L Greene; Thomas J Straka

2010-01-01

This research explores the intersection between the various federal and state forestry incentive programs and the adoption of sustainable forestry practices on nonindustrial private forest (NIPF) lands in the US. The qualitative research reported here draws upon a series of eight focus groups of NIPF landowners (two each in Minnesota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and South...

Best practices in nursing homes. Clinical supervision, management, and human resource practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Dellefield, Mary Ellen

2008-07-01

Human resource practices including supervision and management are associated with organizational performance. Evidence supportive of such an association in nursing homes is found in the results of numerous research studies conducted during the past 17 years. In this article, best practices related to this topic have been culled from descriptive, explanatory, and intervention studies in a range of interdisciplinary research journals published between 1990 and 2007. Identified best practices include implementation of training programs on supervision and management for licensed nurses, certified nursing assistant job enrichment programs, implementation of consistent nursing assignments, and the use of electronic documentation. Organizational barriers and facilitators of these best practices are described. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

Putting program evaluation to work: a framework for creating actionable knowledge for suicide prevention practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilkins, Natalie; Thigpen, Sally; Lockman, Jennifer; Mackin, Juliette; Madden, Mary; Perkins, Tamara; Schut, James; Van Regenmorter, Christina; Williams, Lygia; Donovan, John

2013-06-01

The economic and human cost of suicidal behavior to individuals, families, communities, and society makes suicide a serious public health concern, both in the US and around the world. As research and evaluation continue to identify strategies that have the potential to reduce or ultimately prevent suicidal behavior, the need for translating these findings into practice grows. The development of actionable knowledge is an emerging process for translating important research and evaluation findings into action to benefit practice settings. In an effort to apply evaluation findings to strengthen suicide prevention practice, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) supported the development of three actionable knowledge products that make key findings and lessons learned from youth suicide prevention program evaluations accessible and useable for action. This paper describes the actionable knowledge framework (adapted from the knowledge transfer literature), the three products that resulted, and recommendations for further research into this emerging method for translating research and evaluation findings and bridging the knowledge-action gap.

Perspectives on enhancing international practical training of students in health and social care study programs - A qualitative descriptive case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hvalič-Touzery, Simona; Hopia, Hanna; Sihvonen, Sanna; Diwan, Sadhna; Sen, Soma; Skela-Savič, Brigita

2017-01-01

Internationalization of practical training in health and social care study programs is an important aspect of higher education. However, field mentors' and classroom teachers' competence in guiding culturally diverse students varies widely in European countries, and the majority does not have enough training in guiding foreign students. This study aimed to examine which factors enhance the efficacy of international practical placement experiences in health and social care study programs. A qualitative descriptive case study design was used. The study was conducted at six higher education institutions-two in Finland and one in Croatia, Estonia, the Netherlands and Slovenia. A convenience sample of 14 mentors, 15 teachers and 14 students with international experiences from six higher education institutions which are part of the Bologna Process was recruited. The data were collected from six focus groups using a semi-structured questionnaire based on a literature review. Each higher education institution conducted one group interview that was tape-recorded, transcribed and analysed for themes. Participants made several recommendations for enhancing the practical placement experience of students, teachers, and mentors. Most recommendations dealt with practical supervision of students. Three major themes noted were: 'Attitudes towards internationalization of practical placements', 'Factors impacting the international placement experience', and 'Pedagogical methods used and structural support available for internationalization.' The study highlights the need for strengthening the multicultural knowledge and skills of mentors and teachers. The findings provide practical guidelines for improving the international placement experience across health and social care fields. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correcting biases in psychiatric diagnostic practice in Northwest Russia: Comparing the impact of a general educational program and a specific diagnostic training program

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Rezvyy Grigory

2008-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A general education in psychiatry does not necessary lead to good diagnostic skills. Specific training programs in diagnostic coding are established to facilitate implementation of ICD-10 coding practices. However, studies comparing the impact of these two different educational approaches on diagnostic skills are lacking. The aim of the current study was to find out if a specific training program in diagnostic coding improves the diagnostic skills better than a general education program, and if a national bias in diagnostic patterns can be minimised by a specific training in diagnostic coding. Methods A pre post design study with two groups was carried in the county of Archangels, Russia. The control group (39 psychiatrists took the required course (general educational program, while the intervention group (45 psychiatrists were given a specific training in diagnostic coding. Their diagnostic skills before and after education were assessed using 12 written case-vignettes selected from the entire spectrum of psychiatric disorders. Results There was a significant improvement in diagnostic skills in both the intervention group and the control group. However, the intervention group improved significantly more than did the control group. The national bias was partly corrected in the intervention group but not to the same degree in the control group. When analyzing both groups together, among the background factors only the current working place impacted the outcome of the intervention. Conclusion Establishing an internationally accepted diagnosis seems to be a special skill that requires specific training and needs to be an explicit part of the professional educational activities of psychiatrists. It does not appear that that skill is honed without specific training. The issue of national diagnostic biases should be taken into account in comparative cross-cultural studies of almost any character. The mechanisms of such biases are

Heart and lung organ offer acceptance practices of transplant programs are associated with waitlist mortality and organ yield.

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Wey, Andrew; Valapour, Maryam; Skeans, Melissa A; Salkowski, Nicholas; Colvin, Monica; Kasiske, Bertram L; Israni, Ajay K; Snyder, Jon J

2018-04-19

Variation in heart and lung offer acceptance practices may affect numbers of transplanted organs and create variability in waitlist mortality. To investigate these issues, offer acceptance ratios, or adjusted odds ratios, for heart and lung transplant programs individually and for all programs within donation service areas (DSAs) were estimated using offers from donors recovered July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017. Logistic regressions estimated the association of DSA-level offer acceptance ratios with donor yield and local placement of organs recovered in the DSA. Competing risk methodology estimated the association of program-level offer acceptance ratios with incidence and rate of waitlist removals due to death or becoming too sick to undergo transplant. Higher DSA-level offer acceptance was associated with higher yield (odds ratios [ORs]: lung, 1.04 1.11 1.19 ; heart, 1.09 1.21 1.35 ) and more local placement of transplanted organs (ORs: lung, 1.01 1.12 1.24 ; heart, 1.47 1.69 1.93 ). Higher program-level offer acceptance was associated with lower incidence of waitlist removal due to death or becoming too sick to undergo transplant (hazard ratios [HRs]: heart, 0.80 0.86 0.93 ; lung, 0.67 0.75 0.83 ), but not with rate of waitlist removal (HRs: heart, 0.91 0.98 1.06 ; lung, 0.89 0.99 1.10 ). Heart and lung offer acceptance practices affected numbers of transplanted organs and contributed to program-level variability in the probability of waitlist mortality. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

An Exploratory Investigation of the Assessment Practices of Selected Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business--Accredited Business Programs and Linkages with General Education Outcomes

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Vitullo, Elizabeth; Jones, Elizabeth A.

2010-01-01

This research study investigated the assessment practices of five different undergraduate business programs. It examines the learning outcomes required for the business programs and their linkages with general education outcomes. Specific assessment methods, the results from assessments, and how business program faculty use assessment findings to…

Talking Circles for Adolescent Girls in an Urban High School: A Restorative Practices Program for Building Friendships and Developing Emotional Literacy Skills

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Schumacher, Martha Ann

2012-01-01

Restorative Practices and Restorative Justice programs in schools are a new and emerging field. Meeting in Circles to build community, resolve conflict, and learn interactively are core components of these programs. This ethnographic study, which took place February 2010 to December 2011, evaluates 12 small, out-of-classroom Talking Circles for 60…

Association between Travel Times and Food Procurement Practices among Female Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participants in Eastern North Carolina

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Jilcott, Stephanie B.; Moore, Justin B.; Wall-Bassett, Elizabeth D.; Liu, Haiyong; Saelens, Brian E.

2011-01-01

Objective: To examine associations between self-reported vehicular travel behaviors, perceived stress, food procurement practices, and body mass index among female Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants. Analysis: The authors used correlation and regression analyses to examine cross-sectional associations between travel time…

From theory to PrACTice: a cognitive remediation program based on a neuropsychological model of schizophrenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delphine eFabre

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Cognitive dysfunction is one of the hallmark deficits of schizophrenia. A wide range of studies illustrate how it is strongly interconnected to clinical presentation and daily life functioning (see Green, 1996 and Green et al., 2000. Hence, cognition is an important treatment target in schizophrenia. To address the challenge of cognitive enhancement in schizophrenia, a large number of cognitive remediation programs have been developed and evaluated over the past several decades. First, an overview of these programs is presented highlighting their specificity to cognitive deficit in schizophrenia using an integrated method. In this case, cognitive training focuses on enhancing several elementary cognitive functions considered as a prerequisite to social skills or vocational training modules. These programs are based on the neurodevelopmental hypothesis of schizophrenia. However, moderate improvement for patients who benefit from these therapies has been observed as described in Wykes et al review (2011. Next, neuropsychological models of schizophrenia are then presented. They highlight the critical role of the internally generated intentions in appropriate willful actions. The cognitive control mechanism deals with this ability. Interestingly, available cognitive remediation programs have not been influenced by these models. Hence, we propose another alternative to set up a specific cognitive remediation program for schizophrenia patients by targeting the cognitive control mechanism. We describe the PrACTice program which is in the process of being validated.

Gender gap or program gap? Students' negotiations of study practice in a course in electromagnetism

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Andersson, Staffan; Johansson, Anders

2016-12-01

[This paper is part of the Focused Collection on Gender in Physics.] This study of achievement differences, as reflected by course grades, on a third-semester electromagnetism course at a Swedish research university was motivated by instructor concerns about gender inequalities. Quantitative analysis showed a gender gap in course grades between female and male students for the period of fall 2007 to spring 2013. Dynamics behind this gap were explored through interpretative discourse analysis on interviews of 21 students who had recently passed the course. A recurring pattern was identified in the interviews. Students described studying electromagnetism as either studying to pass or studying to learn. Their choice of practice was influenced by the significance recognized in the course, which primarily was discussed in relation to program affiliation. Students stressed that perceived differences, in their study context, were larger between students affiliated with different programs than between male and female students on the same program. This was supported by quantitative analysis of course grades in relation to study programs, where the grade difference between female and male students on the same program in most cases were not statistically significant. The gender gap in grades for the whole course was related to different achievements on different programs. Programs further from the discipline of physics had lower mean grades and also enrolled a larger fraction of female students. Society-wide gender differences in interest and study choice are reflected in the grades on this single course. These results displace the achievement gap from the level of individuals to that of programs, and the gender gap from a difference in achievement to a difference in study choice. We discuss the implications of this shift of perspective in relation to gender differences for both research and teaching.

The University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health Doctor of Public Health program: an innovative approach to doctoral-level practice leadership development.

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Lenihan, Patrick; Welter, Christina; Brandt-Rauf, Paul; Neuberger, Babette; Pinsker, Eve; Petros, Michael; Risley, Kristine

2015-03-01

The University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Doctor of Public Health degree is designed to build leadership skills and an ability to contribute to the evidence base of practice. The competency-based, distance-format, doctoral-level program for midcareer professionals features an action learning approach in which students apply leadership principles from the virtual classroom to real-world problems at their work sites. Students demonstrate mastery of the competencies and readiness to advance to the dissertation stage through completing a portfolio by using a process of systematic reflection. The practice-oriented dissertation demonstrates the ability to contribute to the evidence base of public health practice in an area of emphasis. Preliminary evaluation data indicate that the program is meeting its intended purposes.

Classroom implementation of the practices learned in the Master of Chemistry Education program by the School District of Philadelphia's high school chemistry teachers

Science.gov (United States)

Jayaraman, Uma Devi

This dissertation reports the results of an exploratory case study utilizing quantitative and qualitative methodologies intended to ascertain the extent and differences of implementation of research-based instructional practices, learned in an intensive 26-month professional development, in their urban classrooms. Both the extent and differences in the implementation of practices were investigated in relation to the lesson design and implementation, content, and classroom culture aspects of research-based practices. Additionally, this research includes the concerns of the teachers regarding the factors that helped or hindered the implementation of research-based practices in their classrooms. Six graduates of the Master of Chemistry Education Program who were teaching a chemistry course in a high school in the School District of Philadelphia at the time of the study (2006-8), were the case. The teachers completed a concerns questionnaire with closed and open-ended items, and rated their perceptions of the extent of implementation of the practices in their urban classrooms. Additionally, the teachers were observed and rated by the researcher using a reform-teaching observation protocol and were interviewed individually. Also, the teachers submitted their lesson plans for the days they were observed. Data from these sources were analyzed to arrive at the findings for this study. The research findings suggest that the group of teachers in the study implemented the research-based practices in their classrooms to a low extent when compared to the recommended practices inherent to the MCE Program. The extents of implementation of the practices differed widely among the teachers, from being absent to being implemented at a high level, with inconsistent levels of implementation from various data sources. Further, the teachers expressed the depth of knowledge (gained in the MCE Program), formal laboratory exercises and reports, administrative support, self

A Practical Ethnic Studies Program

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Lum, Lydia

2009-01-01

This article describes the Asian American Studies Program at the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Boston which complements students' career tracks and engages them in the surrounding Asian American community. For many educators, large numbers of graduates are not only a bragging right, but a goal. However, those involved in the Asian American…

An Academic-Practice Partnership to Advance DNP Education and Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard, Patricia B; Williams, Tracy E

During the past decade, the growth of doctor of nursing practice (DNP) programs in the United States has been phenomenal, with most focusing on the preparation of advanced practice registered nurses. Simultaneously, academic-practice partnerships have been a frequent subject of discussion for nursing's leading academic, administrative, and practice organizations. Numerous reports about academic-practice partnerships concerning aspects of baccalaureate nursing education exist, but partnership accounts for DNP programs are essentially nonexistent. The purpose of this article is to describe the initial phase of an academic-practice partnership between a multisystem health care organization and a college of nursing in a public land-grant university in the southeastern United States. The 7-year partnership agreement between Norton Healthcare and the University of Kentucky College of Nursing was designed to prepare 5 cohorts of 20 to 30 baccalaureate-prepared staff nurses as DNP graduates for advanced practice registered nurse eligibility. The description of partnering institution characteristics frames an emphasis on elements of the partnership proposal, contractual agreement, and partner responsibilities along with the logic model evaluation plan. Lessons learned include the importance of proposals and contracts to sustain the partnership, frequent communication to build trust, and strategic analysis for rapid response to challenging situations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The effectiveness and feasibility of an online educational program for improving evidence-based practice literacy: an exploratory randomized study of US chiropractors.

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Schneider, Michael; Evans, Roni; Haas, Mitchell; Leach, Matthew; Delagran, Louise; Hawk, Cheryl; Long, Cynthia; Cramer, Gregory D; Walters, Oakland; Vihstadt, Corrie; Terhorst, Lauren

2016-01-01

Online education programs are becoming a popular means to disseminate knowledge about evidence-based practice (EBP) among healthcare practitioners. This mode of delivery also offers a viable and potentially sustainable solution for teaching consistent EBP content to learners over time and across multiple geographical locations. We conducted a study with 3 main aims: 1) develop an online distance-learning program about the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) for chiropractic providers; 2) test the effectiveness of the online program on the attitudes, skills, and use of EBP in a sample of chiropractors; and 3) determine the feasibility of expanding the program for broader-scale implementation. This study was conducted from January 2013 to September 2014. This was an exploratory randomized trial in which 293 chiropractors were allocated to either an online EBP education intervention or a waitlist control. The online EBP program consisted of 3 courses and 4 booster lessons, and was developed using educational resources created in previous EBP educational programs at 4 chiropractic institutions. Participants were surveyed using a validated EBP instrument (EBASE) with 3 rescaled (0 to 100) subscores: Attitudes, Skills, and Use of EBP. Multiple regression was used to compare groups, adjusting for personal and practice characteristics. Satisfaction and compliance with the program was evaluated to assess feasibility. The Training Group showed modest improvement compared to the Waitlist Group in attitudes (Δ =6.2, p < .001) and skills (Δ =10.0, p < .001) subscores, but not the use subscore (Δ = -2.3, p = .470). The majority of participants agreed that the educational program was 'relevant to their profession' (84 %) and 'was worthwhile' (82 %). Overall, engagement in the online program was less than optimal, with 48 % of the Training Group, and 42 % of the Waitlist Group completing all 3 of the program courses. Online EBP training leads to

Acceptability of evidence-based neonatal care practices in rural Uganda - implications for programming.

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Waiswa, Peter; Kemigisa, Margaret; Kiguli, Juliet; Naikoba, Sarah; Pariyo, George W; Peterson, Stefan

2008-06-21

Although evidence-based interventions to reach the Millennium Development Goals for Maternal and Neonatal mortality reduction exist, they have not yet been operationalised and scaled up in Sub-Saharan African cultural and health systems. A key concern is whether these internationally recommended practices are acceptable and will be demanded by the target community. We explored the acceptability of these interventions in two rural districts of Uganda. We conducted 10 focus group discussions consisting of mothers, fathers, grand parents and child minders (older children who take care of other children). We also did 10 key informant interviews with health workers and traditional birth attendants. Most maternal and newborn recommended practices are acceptable to both the community and to health service providers. However, health system and community barriers were prevalent and will need to be overcome for better neonatal outcomes. Pregnant women did not comprehend the importance of attending antenatal care early or more than once unless they felt ill. Women prefer to deliver in health facilities but most do not do so because they cannot afford the cost of drugs and supplies which are demanded in a situation of poverty and limited male support. Postnatal care is non-existent. For the newborn, delayed bathing and putting nothing on the umbilical cord were neither acceptable to parents nor to health providers, requiring negotiation of alternative practices. The recommended maternal-newborn practices are generally acceptable to the community and health service providers, but often are not practiced due to health systems and community barriers. Communities associate the need for antenatal care attendance with feeling ill, and postnatal care is non-existent in this region. Health promotion programs to improve newborn care must prioritize postnatal care, and take into account the local socio-cultural situation and health systems barriers including the financial burden. Male

Free and Reduced-Price Meal Application and Income Verification Practices in School Nutrition Programs in the United States

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Kwon, Junehee; Lee, Yee Ming; Park, Eunhye; Wang, Yujia; Rushing, Keith

2017-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: This study assessed current practices and attitudes of school nutrition program (SNP) management staff regarding free and reduced-price (F-RP) meal application and verification in SNPs. Methods: Stratified, randomly selected 1,500 SNP management staff in 14 states received a link to an online questionnaire and/or a printed…

A Study of Industry Best Practices in Ethics Programming: Learning from Exemplary Ethical Organizations to Inspire Moral Courage in the Military

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Garcia, Trisha A; Spriestersbach, Ryan

2005-01-01

The objective of this project is to define and identify best practices relating to ethics programming in today's corporate organizations, and determine if they might be utilized in a military context...

Master’s programs in advanced nursing practice: new strategies to enhance course design for subspecialty training in neonatology and pediatrics

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Morgan C

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Colin Morgan,1,2 Catherine Barry,1,2 Katie Barnes2,31Liverpool Women’s Hospital, Crown Street, Liverpool, UK; 2Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK; 3Liverpool Community Health, Liverpool, UKAbstract: The advanced nurse practitioner (ANP role first developed in the USA in the 1960s in primary care. Since then, it has evolved in many different countries and subspecialties, creating a variety of challenges for those designing and implementing master’s programs for this valuable professional group. We focus on ANPs in the neonatal and pediatric intensive care setting to illustrate the complexity of issues faced by both faculty and students in such a program. We review the impact of limited resources, faculty recruitment/accreditation, and the relationship with the medical profession in establishing a curriculum. We explore the evidence for the importance of ANP role definition, supervision, and identity among other health professionals to secure a successful role transition. We describe how recent advances in technology can be used to innovate with new styles of teaching and learning to overcome some of the difficulties in running master’s programs for small subspecialties. We illustrate, through our own experience, how a thorough assessment of the available literature can be used to innovate and develop strategies to create an individual MSc programs that are designed to meet the needs of highly specialized advanced neonatal and pediatric nursing practice.Keywords: master’s program, advanced nurse practitioner, advanced practice, neonatal, pediatric, intensive care

When practice precedes theory - A mixed methods evaluation of students' learning experiences in an undergraduate study program in nursing.

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Falk, Kristin; Falk, Hanna; Jakobsson Ung, Eva

2016-01-01

A key area for consideration is determining how optimal conditions for learning can be created. Higher education in nursing aims to prepare students to develop their capabilities to become independent professionals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sequencing clinical practice prior to theoretical studies on student's experiences of self-directed learning readiness and students' approach to learning in the second year of a three-year undergraduate study program in nursing. 123 nursing students was included in the study and divided in two groups. In group A (n = 60) clinical practice preceded theoretical studies. In group (n = 63) theoretical studies preceded clinical practice. Learning readiness was measured using the Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education (SDLRSNE), and learning process was measured using the revised two-factor version of the Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F). Students were also asked to write down their personal reflections throughout the course. By using a mixed method design, the qualitative component focused on the students' personal experiences in relation to the sequencing of theoretical studies and clinical practice. The quantitative component provided information about learning readiness before and after the intervention. Our findings confirm that students are sensitive and adaptable to their learning contexts, and that the sequencing of courses is subordinate to a pedagogical style enhancing students' deep learning approaches, which needs to be incorporated in the development of undergraduate nursing programs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Readiness for practice: a survey of neurosurgery graduates and program directors.

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Haji, Faizal A; Steven, David A

2014-11-01

Postgraduate neurosurgical education is undergoing significant reform, including transition to a competency-based training model. To support these efforts, the purpose of this study was to determine neurosurgical graduates' and program directors' (PDs) opinions about graduates' level of competence in reference to the 2010 Royal College Objectives of Training in Neurosurgery. An electronic survey was distributed to Canadian neurosurgery PDs and graduates from 2011. The questionnaire addressed graduates' abilities in nonprocedural knowledge and skills, CanMEDS roles, proficiency with core neurosurgical procedures and knowledge of complex neurosurgical techniques. Thirteen of 22 (59%) graduate and 17/25 (65%) PD surveys were completed. There were no significant differences between PD and graduate responses. Most respondents agreed that these graduates possess the knowledge and skills expected of an independently practicing neurosurgeon across current objectives of training. A small proportion felt some graduates did not achieve this level of proficiency on specific vascular, functional, peripheral nerve and endoscopic procedures. This was partially attributed to limited exposure to these procedures during training and perceptions that some techniques required fellowship-level training. Graduating neurosurgical residents are perceived to possess a high level of proficiency in the majority of neurosurgical practice domains. Inadequate exposure during training or a perception that subspecialists should perform some procedures may contribute to cases where proficiency is not as high. The trends identified in this study could be monitored on an ongoing basis to provide supplemental data to guide curricular decisions in Canadian neurosurgical training.

Material Programming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vallgårda, Anna; Boer, Laurens; Tsaknaki, Vasiliki

2017-01-01

. Consequently we ask what the practice of programming and giving form to such materials would be like? How would we be able to familiarize ourselves with the dynamics of these materials and their different combinations of cause and effect? Which tools would we need and what would they look like? Will we program......, and color, but additionally being capable of sensing, actuating, and computing. Indeed, computers will not be things in and by themselves, but embedded into the materials that make up our surroundings. This also means that the way we interact with computers and the way we program them, will change...... these computational composites through external computers and then transfer the code them, or will the programming happen closer to the materials? In this feature we outline a new research program that floats between imagined futures and the development of a material programming practice....

Research-Based Practices in Afterschool Mentoring Programs

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McDaniel, Sara C.; Yarbrough, Anna-Margaret; Besnoy, Kevin

2015-01-01

Most communities have afterschool programs that give school-aged students a safe place to go after the dismissal bell rings. The next step after simply providing a safe haven is to create a nurturing environment that develops young people's talents and supports their needs. A formal mentoring program can help to achieve this goal. In order to…

Combining program visualization with programming workspace to assist students for completing programming laboratory task

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elvina Elvina

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Numerous Program Visualization tools (PVs have been developed for assisting novice students to understand their source code further. However, none of them are practical to be used in the context of completing programming laboratory task; students are required to keep switching between PV and programming workspace when they need to know how their code works. This paper combines PV with programming workspace to handle such issue. Resulted tool (which is named PITON has 13 features extracted from PythonTutor, PyCharm, and student’s feedbacks about PythonTutor. According to think-aloud and user study, PITON is more practical to be used than a combination of PythonTutor and PyCharm. Further, its features are considerably helpful; students rated these features as useful and frequently used.

Health Sciences Students' Self-Assessment of Information and Communication Technology Skills and Attitude Toward e-Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Buabbas, Ali Jassem; Al-Shawaf, Hamza Mohammad Hassan; Almajran, Abdullah Abdulaziz

2016-06-20

In medical education, information and communication technology (ICT) knowledge and skills have become a necessity and an integral part of preparing tomorrow's doctors to be sufficiently competent to use informatics resources effectively and efficiently for the best practice of medicine. This research aimed to study the literacy of the preprofessional students in ICT before and after taking the basic informatics course at the Health Sciences Center at Kuwait University, to understand their potential and their attitudes toward using ICT, including e-learning. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data from 200 students in 2 stages: before and after the informatics course on the preprofessional program. In addition, the tutors' observational assessments of the students' achievements during the informatics course were obtained. The response rate of students before the course was 85.5% (171/200) and after was 77% (154/200). Of 200 students, 85% were female, and 15% were male. This disproportional representation of genders was due to the fact that 85% of registered students were female. Approximately 59% (101/171) of the students assessed themselves before the course as computer literate; afterward, this increased to 70.1% (108/154). Students who were still computer illiterate (29.2%; 45/154) mostly used the excuse of a lack of time (60%; 27/45). In generic ICT skills, the highest levels were for word processing, email, and Web browsing, whereas the lowest levels were for spreadsheets and database. In specific ICT skills, most respondents were reported low levels for statistical package use and Web page design. The results found that there was a significant improvement between students' general ICT skills before and after the course. The results showed that there were significant improvement between how frequently students were using Medline (PLibrary (Pstudents who completed the course (72.8%; 110/151) chose the learning management system as the most useful e

Altering Practices to Include Bimodal-bilingual (ASL-Spoken English) Programming at a Small School for the Deaf in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Priestley, Karen; Enns, Charlotte; Arbuckle, Shauna

2018-01-01

Bimodal-bilingual programs are emerging as one way to meet broader needs and provide expanded language, educational and social-emotional opportunities for students who are deaf and hard of hearing (Marschark, M., Tang, G. & Knoors, H. (Eds). (2014). Bilingualism and bilingual Deaf education. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; Paludneviciene & Harris, R. (2011). Impact of cochlear implants on the deaf community. In Paludneviciene, R. & Leigh, I. (Eds.), Cochlear implants evolving perspectives (pp. 3-19). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press). However, there is limited research on students' spoken language development, signed language growth, academic outcomes or the social-emotional factors associated with these programs (Marschark, M., Tang, G. & Knoors, H. (Eds). (2014). Bilingualism and bilingual Deaf education. New York, NY: Oxford University Press; Nussbaum, D & Scott, S. (2011). The cochlear implant education center: Perspectives on effective educational practices. In Paludneviciene, R. & Leigh, I. (Eds.) Cochlear implants evolving perspectives (pp. 175-205). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press. The cochlear implant education center: Perspectives on effective educational practices. In Paludnevicience & Leigh (Eds). Cochlear implants evolving perspectives (pp. 175-205). Washington, DC: Gallaudet University Press; Spencer, P. & Marschark, M. (Eds.) (2010). Evidence-based practice in educating deaf and hard-of-hearing students. New York, NY: Oxford University Press). The purpose of this case study was to look at formal and informal student outcomes as well as staff and parent perceptions during the first 3 years of implementing a bimodal-bilingual (ASL and spoken English) program within an ASL milieu at a small school for the deaf. Speech and language assessment results for five students were analyzed over a 3-year period and indicated that the students made significant positive gains in all areas, although results were variable. Staff and parent

The effect of a motor skills training program in the improvement of practiced and non-practiced tasks performance in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD).

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Farhat, Faiçal; Hsairi, Ines; Baati, Hamza; Smits-Engelsman, B C M; Masmoudi, Kaouthar; Mchirgui, Radhouane; Triki, Chahnez; Moalla, Wassim

2016-04-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of a group-based task oriented skills training program on motor and physical ability for children with DCD. It was also investigated if there was an effect on fine motor and handwriting tasks that were not specifically practiced during the training program. Forty-one children aged 6-10years took part in this study. Children were assigned to three groups: an experimental training group consisting of 14 children with DCD, a control non-training group consisted of 13 children with DCD and a control non-training group consisting of 14 typically developed children. The measurements included were, the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC), the Modified Agility Test (MAT), the Triple Hop Distance (THD), the 5 Jump-test (5JT) and the Handwriting Performance Test. All measures were administered pre and post an 8-week training program. The results showed that 10 children of the DCD training-group improved their performance in MABC test, attaining a score above the 15th percentile after their participation in the training program. DCD training-group showed a significant improvement on all cluster scores (manual dexterity (t (13)=5.3, pskills (t (13)=2.73, pskills, in the training program, may reflect improvement in motor skill but also transfer to other skills. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

IT Workforce: Key Practices Help Ensure Strong Integrated Program Teams; Selected Departments Need to Assess Skill Gaps

Science.gov (United States)

2016-11-01

principles and steps associated with workforce planning that agencies can utilize in their efforts to assess and address IT skill gaps. See GAO-04-39...As another example, our prior review of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency’s Modernize and Innovate the Delivery of...IT WORKFORCE Key Practices Help Ensure Strong Integrated Program Teams; Selected Departments Need to Assess Skill Gaps

Translanguaging Practices as Mobilization of Linguistic Resources in a Spanish/English Bilingual After-School Program: An Analysis of Contradictions

Science.gov (United States)

Martínez-Roldán, Carmen María

2015-01-01

This article discusses the results of an empirical study that examined the translanguaging practices of primary-grade, bilingual Latino students, as mediated by bilingual teacher candidates (TCs), in an after-school program in the southwestern United States. Expansive Learning theory, within the cultural-historical activity tradition, guided the…

Moving research into practice: lessons from the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's IDSRN program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Taylor Erin

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's (AHRQ Integrated Delivery Systems Research Network (IDSRN program was established to foster public-private collaboration between health services researchers and health care delivery systems. Its broad goal was to link researchers and delivery systems to encourage implementation of research into practice. We evaluated the program to address two primary questions: 1 How successful was IDSRN in generating research findings that could be applied in practice? and 2 What factors facilitate or impede such success? Methods We conducted in-person and telephone interviews with AHRQ staff and nine IDSRN partner organizations and their collaborators, reviewed program documents, analyzed projects funded through the program, and developed case studies of four IDSRN projects judged promising in supporting research implementation. Results Participants reported that the IDSRN structure was valuable in creating closer ties between researchers and participating health systems. Of the 50 completed projects studied, 30 had an operational effect or use. Some kinds of projects were more successful than others in influencing operations. If certain conditions were met, a variety of partnership models successfully supported implementation. An internal champion was necessary for partnerships involving researchers based outside the delivery system. Case studies identified several factors important to success: responsiveness of project work to delivery system needs, ongoing funding to support multiple project phases, and development of applied products or tools that helped users see their operational relevance. Factors limiting success included limited project funding, competing demands on potential research users, and failure to reach the appropriate audience. Conclusion Forging stronger partnerships between researchers and delivery systems has the potential to make research more relevant to users

A Review of Research and Practice on Professional Development School : Quality Assurance regarding to Development of Program for Advanced Teacher Education

OpenAIRE

小柳, 和喜雄

2014-01-01

Currently, studies have been made on quality assurance regarding to development of program for advanced teacher education, including in-service training and teacher training in Japan. If the enhancement of teaching practical skills training is requested at the graduate level, effective coordination between the local government and schools and universities to be a place for the practice becomes more and more important. In the flow of quality assurance of school education and teacher training, ...

Program Incubation and Commercialization Best Practices Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Richardson, Shannon

2018-04-06

As a reminder, the primary task of the 4C Program is to increase the commercialization rate of cleantech companies in California. Commercialization, broadly defined, is the innovation continuum of developing and introducing a new product or service into the market. For measurability, the 4C Program defines commercialization as encompassing a startup’s: (a) preparation, (b) incubation, (c) commercial-scale pilot / demonstration, and (d) first customer.

LA VINCULACIÓN CON LA SOCIEDAD Y LA PRÁCTICA PREPROFESIONAL EN LA UNIVERSIDAD ECUATORIANA

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Cecilia Segunda Guzmán Cedeño

2016-05-01

Full Text Available El proceso extensionista en la educación superior ecuatoriana tiene su expresión particular en la vinculación con la sociedad. La Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación involucra a profesores y estudiantes en su formación profesional al tener que asumir un rol protagónico con la sociedad, por las exigencias que esta le plantea. La Carrera de Castellano y Literatura tiene potencialidades para desarrollar esta labor sin embargo no se aprovechan lo suficiente, de ahí que este artículo derivado de una investigación doctoral se aborda la problemática del perfeccionamiento de la vinculación con la sociedad como expresión del proceso extensionista en la Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabí. Con el propósito de contribuir a resolver este problema se aportó un modelo pedagógico para favorecer el proceso extensionista, que permitió elaborar una alternativa pedagógica y como parte de ella, determinar las actividades extradocentes y extraescolares (ED y EE que deben desarrollar los estudiantes en su etapa de práctica preprofesional. Se implementaron como parte de la experiencia pedagógica que se desarrolló en el octavo semestre de la carrera de Castellano y Literatura de la Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro de Manabí.PALABRAS CLAVE: Vinculación con la sociedad; proceso extensionista; práctica preprofesional.SOCIETY ENTAILMENT AND PRE-PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE AT THE ECUADORIAN HIGHER EDUCATIONABSTRACTThe extension process at the Ecuadorian higher education has its own particular expression in the society entailment. The Faculty of Science Education involves professors and students in their professional formation to assume a protagonist role against the demands of the society. The career of Literature and Spanish is able to develop this task, however the potentialities are sub estimated. Hence, this paper as part of a doctoral research covers the problematic of the society entailment enhancement as an expression of the extension process at

Food Safety Knowledge and Practices of Older Adult Participants of the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program

OpenAIRE

Rasnake, Crystal Michelle

2000-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine food safety knowledge and practices of older adult participants in the Food Stamp Nutrition Education Program (FSNEP) in Virginia. One hundred and sixty-five FSNEP participants were assigned to two possible intervention groups, group one received the food safety lesson from the Healthy Futures Series currently used in FSNEP, while group two received the food safety lesson plus an additional food safety video. FSNEP participants completed food safet...

Ostomy Home Skills Program

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Full Text Available ... Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program Physician Quality Reporting System Value-Based Payment ... Practice Management Practice Management Practice Management CPT Coding Bulletin Articles ...

Ostomy Home Skills Program

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Advocate at Home Program State Legislative Action Center Leadership & Advocacy Summit Webinars Practice Management Practice Management Practice Management CPT Coding Bulletin Articles ...

An examination of current practices and gender differences in strength and conditioning in a sample of varsity high school athletic programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, Monica L; Ransdell, Lynda B; Lucas, Shelley M; Petlichkoff, Linda M; Gao, Yong

2012-01-01

Currently, little is known about strength and conditioning programs at the high school level. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to explore current practices in strength and conditioning for varsity high school athletes in selected sports. The following were specifically examined: who administers programs for these athletes, what kinds of training activities are done, and whether the responsible party or emphasis changes depending on the gender of the athletes. Coaches of varsity soccer, basketball, softball, and baseball in 3 large Idaho school districts were asked to complete an online survey. Sixty-seven percent (32/48) of the questionnaires were completed and used for the study. The majority of coaches (84%) provided strength and conditioning opportunities for their athletes, although only 37% required participation. Strength training programs were designed and implemented primarily by either physical education teachers or head coaches. Compared with coaches of male athletes, coaches of female athletes were less likely to know the credentials of their strength coaches, and they were less likely to use certified coaches to plan and implement their strength and conditioning programs. Most programs included dynamic warm-ups and cool-downs, plyometrics, agility training, speed training, and conditioning, and most programs were conducted 3 d·wk(-1) (76%) for sessions lasting between 30 and 59 minutes (63%). Compared with their female counterparts, male athletes were more likely to have required training, participate in strength training year round, and train using more sessions per week. This study provides additional information related to the practice of strength and conditioning in a sample of high school athletic teams.

The Practice-oriented Model of «School Psychology» Master's Program

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Andruschenko T.Y.,

2015-12-01

Full Text Available We presented the experience in the development and testing the module “Psychological diagnosis of students” of the “School psychology” master program in “Psychological and pedagogical education” training direction. We discussed contemporary contexts of design educational modules that are defined by ideas of cultural-historical approach of the scientific school of L.S. Vygotsky, educational theories and activities of developing education by D.B. Elkonin, V.V. Davydov, collectively distributed educational activity of V.V. Rubtsov. We analyzed the issue of professional competence training in educational psychologists at higher education. We presented the connection between the content of masters training and the requirements of the Professional standard “Teacher-psychologist (the psychologist in education”. Within the context of the network of educational organizations we paid special attention to the content and organization of distributed practice as the basic condition of master’s professional competences formation and their readiness for the implementation of the working activities.

Why Macro Practice Matters

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Reisch, Michael

2016-01-01

This article asserts that macro practice is increasingly important in today's rapidly changing and complex practice environment. It briefly explores the history of macro practice in U.S. social work, summarizes its major contributions to the profession and to U.S. society, and provides some suggestions for how social work programs can expand…

Best Practices in Montessori Secondary Programs

Science.gov (United States)

Donahoe, Marta

2013-01-01

This article is the result of years of study, both formal and informal; hundreds of hours of traditional and Montessori classroom observations; reading and digesting articles and books on secondary education, Montessori education, adolescent brain research, leadership, and best practices in education; and most enlightening of all, 20 years of…

Education of advanced practice nurses in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Misener, Ruth; Bryant-Lukosius, Denise; Harbman, Patricia; Donald, Faith; Kaasalainen, Sharon; Carter, Nancy; Kilpatrick, Kelley; DiCenso, Alba

2010-12-01

In Canada, education programs for the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and nurse practitioner (NP) roles began 40 years ago. NP programs are offered in almost all provinces. Education for the CNS role has occurred through graduate nursing programs generically defined as providing preparation for advanced nursing practice. For this paper, we drew on pertinent sections of a scoping review of the literature and key informant interviews conducted for a decision support synthesis on advanced practice nursing to describe the following: (1) history of advanced practice nursing education in Canada, (2) current status of advanced practice nursing education in Canada, (3) curriculum issues, (4) interprofessional education, (5) resources for education and (6) continuing education. Although national frameworks defining advanced nursing practice and NP competencies provide some direction for education programs, Canada does not have countrywide standards of education for either the NP or CNS role. Inconsistency in the educational requirements for primary healthcare NPs continues to cause significant problems and interferes with inter-jurisdictional licensing portability. For both CNSs and NPs, there can be a mismatch between a generalized education and specialized practice. The value of interprofessional education in facilitating effective teamwork is emphasized. Recommendations for future directions for advanced practice nursing education are offered.

Design (research) practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Binder, Thomas; Brandt, Eva

2017-01-01

possibilities through experimentation (Brandt and Binder 2007). Likewise in relation to design research we have argued that “the possible is always contingent and though research may convincingly provide arguments for certain possibilities both search and arguments have to be guided by programs that set...... substantiate or challenge this view and the dialectic between program and probing is in our view central to any design practice” (Binder and Redström 2006: 4). Our suggestion is to see design research practices as fundamentally homologous to any other design practices both in terms of the way they are driven...

Practical Application of Fundamental Concepts in Exercise Physiology

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Ramsbottom R.; Kinch, R. F. T.; Morris, M. G.; Dennis, A. M.

2007-01-01

The collection of primary data in laboratory classes enhances undergraduate practical and critical thinking skills. The present article describes the use of a lecture program, running in parallel with a series of linked practical classes, that emphasizes classical or standard concepts in exercise physiology. The academic and practical program ran…

Program impact pathway analysis of a social franchise model shows potential to improve infant and young child feeding practices in Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Phuong H; Menon, Purnima; Keithly, Sarah C; Kim, Sunny S; Hajeebhoy, Nemat; Tran, Lan M; Ruel, Marie T; Rawat, Rahul

2014-10-01

By mapping the mechanisms through which interventions are expected to achieve impact, program impact pathway (PIP) analysis lays out the theoretical causal links between program activities, outcomes, and impacts. This study examines the pathways through which the Alive & Thrive (A&T) social franchise model is intended to improve infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices in Vietnam. Mixed methods were used, including qualitative interviews with franchise management board members (n = 12), surveys with health providers (n = 120), counseling observations (n = 160), and household surveys (n = 2045). Six PIP components were assessed: 1) franchise management, 2) training and IYCF knowledge of health providers, 3) service delivery, 4) program exposure and utilization, 5) maternal behavioral determinants (knowledge, beliefs, and intentions) toward optimal IYCF practices, and 6) IYCF practices. Data were collected from A&T-intensive areas (A&T-I; mass media + social franchise) and A&T-nonintensive areas (A&T-NI; mass media only) by using a cluster-randomized controlled trial design. Data from 2013 were compared with baseline where similar measures were available. Results indicate that mechanisms are in place for effective management of the franchise system, despite challenges to routine monitoring. A&T training was associated with increased capacity of providers, resulting in higher-quality IYCF counseling (greater technical knowledge and communication skills during counseling) in A&T-I areas. Franchise utilization increased from 10% in 2012 to 45% in 2013 but fell below the expected frequency of 9-15 contacts per mother-child dyad. Improvements in breastfeeding knowledge, beliefs, intentions, and practices were greater among mothers in A&T-I areas than among those in A&T-NI areas. In conclusion, there are many positive changes along the impact pathway of the franchise services, but challenges in utilization and demand creation should be addressed to achieve the full

Ostomy Home Skills Program

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Achieving Full Scope of Practice Readiness Using Evidence for Psychotherapy Teaching in Web and Hybrid Approaches in Psychiatric Mental Health Advanced Practice Nursing Education.

Science.gov (United States)

McCoy, Kathleen T

2018-01-01

Radical changes in role, education, and practice have affected how education of advance practice nurses and practice deliverables occur. This article examines the effects of distance education upon the teaching/learning of psychotherapy in integrating Web-based technology and platforms. With the advent and proliferation of online programs of study, the question begs: How do distance-linked programs successfully introduce, practice, and supervise one-to-one and group psychotherapy training? By employing evidence-based education strategies, technology, and strong interpersonal skills and evidence-based therapies, a charter Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Doctor of Nursing Practice program paved an innovative and successful path. In that program, they prepared their students for full scope of practice, upon graduation, inclusive of psychotherapy as well as the other highly demanding and compressed requirements of the 3-year program. This article explores that journey and its recommendations for application derived from this 2010 cohort. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

International practice experiences in pharmacy education.

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Cisneros, Robert M; Jawaid, Sarah Parnapy; Kendall, Debra A; McPherson, Charles E; Mu, Keli; Weston, Grady Scott; Roberts, Kenneth B

2013-11-12

To identify reasons for inclusion of international practice experiences in pharmacy curricula and to understand the related structure, benefits, and challenges related to the programs. A convenience sample of 20 colleges and schools of pharmacy in the United States with international pharmacy education programs was used. Telephone interviews were conducted by 2 study investigators. University values and strategic planning were among key driving forces in the development of programs. Global awareness and cultural competency requirements added impetus to program development. Participants' advice for creating an international practice experience program included an emphasis on the value of working with university health professions programs and established travel programs. Despite challenges, colleges and schools of pharmacy value the importance of international pharmacy education for pharmacy students as it increases global awareness of health needs and cultural competencies.

Health leadership education programs, best practices, and impact on learners' knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors and system change: a literature review

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Careau E

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Emmanuelle Careau,1 Gjin Biba,1 Rosemary Brander,2 Janice P Van Dijk,2 Sarita Verma,3 Margo Paterson,2 Maria Tassone31Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Rehabilitation and Social Integration, Université Laval, Québec, QC, 2Office of Interprofessional Education and Practice, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, 3Centre for Interprofessional Education, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, CanadaBackground: A review of the literature was undertaken by the Canadian Interprofessional Health Leadership Collaborative to investigate the content and competencies of health education programs that teach collaborative leadership and to inform the development of an international collaborative leadership curriculum.Methods: A PubMed and Google Scholar search identified the frequency of key leadership education program terms and was adjusted for six major databases. From the 2,119 references, 250 were selected in a double-blinded manner. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed to determine the patterns, types, learners, models, and competencies addressed. Cross-tabulation and analysis of correlation identified best practices and impacts on learners' knowledge, skills, attitudes/behaviors, and on health system change.Results: Four types of leadership models were formally identified, ie, traditional leadership, transformational leadership, clinical leadership, and collaborative leadership. The most identified competencies were interprofessional communication, knowledge on how to work in teams and across disciplines, and financial knowledge. The least addressed topics were social accountability and community engagement. Only 6.8% of the articles reviewed assessed the effectiveness of their program based on patient-centered outcomes and 3.6% on system change.Conclusion: This literature review focused on 250 health leadership education programs reported in peer-reviewed journals to address important questions about the competencies, best practices

Medical Simulation Practices 2010 Survey Results

Science.gov (United States)

McCrindle, Jeffrey J.

2011-01-01

Medical Simulation Centers are an essential component of our learning infrastructure to prepare doctors and nurses for their careers. Unlike the military and aerospace simulation industry, very little has been published regarding the best practices currently in use within medical simulation centers. This survey attempts to provide insight into the current simulation practices at medical schools, hospitals, university nursing programs and community college nursing programs. Students within the MBA program at Saint Joseph's University conducted a survey of medical simulation practices during the summer 2010 semester. A total of 115 institutions responded to the survey. The survey resus discuss overall effectiveness of current simulation centers as well as the tools and techniques used to conduct the simulation activity

Participation of pregnant women in a community-based nutrition program in Mumbai's informal settlements: Effect on exclusive breastfeeding practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Chanani, Sheila; Waingankar, Anagha; Shah More, Neena; Pantvaidya, Shanti; Fernandez, Armida; Jayaraman, Anuja

2018-01-01

In urban Maharashtra, India, approximately half of mothers exclusively breastfeed. For children residing in informal settlements of Mumbai, this study examines factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding, and whether exclusive breastfeeding, in a community-based nutrition program to prevent and treat wasting among children under age three, is associated with enrolment during the mother's pregnancy. The nutrition program conducted a cross-sectional endline survey (October-December 2015) of caregivers in intervention areas. Factors associated with exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months of age were explored using multi-level logistic regressions. Additionally, program surveillance data collected during home-based counselling visits documented breastfeeding practices for children under six months of age. Using the surveillance data (January 2014-March 2016), exclusive breastfeeding status was regressed adjusting for child, maternal and socioeconomic characteristics, and whether the child was enrolled in the program in utero or after birth. The community-based endline survey included 888 mothers of infants. Mothers who received the nutrition program home visits or attended group counselling sessions were more likely to exclusively breastfeed (adjusted odds ratio 1.67, 95% CI 1.16, 2.41). Having a normal weight-for-height z-score (adjusted odds ratio 1.57, 95% CI 1.00, 2.45) was associated positively with exclusive breastfeeding. As expected, being an older infant aged three to five months (adjusted odds ratio 0.34, 95% CI 0.25, 0.48) and receiving a prelacteal feed after birth (adjusted odds ratio 0.57, 95% CI 0.41, 0.80) were associated with lower odds of exclusively breastfeeding. Surveillance data (N = 3420) indicate that infants enrolled in utero have significantly higher odds of being exclusively breastfed (adjusted odds ratio 1.55, 95% CI 1.30, 1.84) than infants enrolled after birth. Prenatal enrolment in community-based programs working on

Ballet and Dance

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... this site from a secured browser on the server. Please enable scripts and reload this page. Turn ... week of preprofessional training (Instructors who have trained professional dancers can usually determine when a dancer has ...

Acceptability of evidence-based neonatal care practices in rural Uganda – implications for programming

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Kiguli Juliet

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Although evidence-based interventions to reach the Millennium Development Goals for Maternal and Neonatal mortality reduction exist, they have not yet been operationalised and scaled up in Sub-Saharan African cultural and health systems. A key concern is whether these internationally recommended practices are acceptable and will be demanded by the target community. We explored the acceptability of these interventions in two rural districts of Uganda. Methods We conducted 10 focus group discussions consisting of mothers, fathers, grand parents and child minders (older children who take care of other children. We also did 10 key informant interviews with health workers and traditional birth attendants. Results Most maternal and newborn recommended practices are acceptable to both the community and to health service providers. However, health system and community barriers were prevalent and will need to be overcome for better neonatal outcomes. Pregnant women did not comprehend the importance of attending antenatal care early or more than once unless they felt ill. Women prefer to deliver in health facilities but most do not do so because they cannot afford the cost of drugs and supplies which are demanded in a situation of poverty and limited male support. Postnatal care is non-existent. For the newborn, delayed bathing and putting nothing on the umbilical cord were neither acceptable to parents nor to health providers, requiring negotiation of alternative practices. Conclusion The recommended maternal-newborn practices are generally acceptable to the community and health service providers, but often are not practiced due to health systems and community barriers. Communities associate the need for antenatal care attendance with feeling ill, and postnatal care is non-existent in this region. Health promotion programs to improve newborn care must prioritize postnatal care, and take into account the local socio-cultural situation

Towards the integration of mental practice in rehabilitation programs. A critical review

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Francine eMalouin

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Many clinical studies have investigated the use of mental practice (MP through motor imagery (MI to enhance functional recovery of patients with diverse physical disabilities. Although beneficial effects have been generally reported for training motor functions in persons with chronic stroke (e.g. reaching, writing, walking, attempts to integrate MP within rehabilitation programs have been met with mitigated results. These findings have stirred further questioning about the value of MP in neurological rehabilitation. In fact, despite abundant systematic reviews, which customarily focused on the methodological merits of selected studies, several questions about factors underlying observed effects remain to be addressed. This review discusses these issues in an attempt to identify factors likely to hamper the integration of MP within rehabilitation programs. First, the rationale underlying the use of MP for training motor function is briefly reviewed. Second, three modes of MI delivery are proposed based on the analysis of the research protocols from 27 studies in persons with stroke and Parkinson’s disease. Third, for each mode of MI delivery, a general description of MI training is provided. Fourth, the review discusses factors influencing MI training outcomes such as: the adherence to MI training, the amount of training and the interaction between physical and mental rehearsal; the use of relaxation, the selection of reliable, valid and sensitive outcome measures, the heterogeneity of the patient groups, the selection of patients and the mental rehearsal procedures. To conclude, the review proposes a framework for integrating MP in rehabilitation programs and suggests research targets for steering the implementation of MP in the early stages of the rehabilitation process. The challenge has now shifted towards the demonstration that MI training can enhance the effects of regular therapy in persons with subacute stroke during the period of

The effects of vestibular stimulation and fatigue on postural control in classical ballet dancers.

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Hopper, Diana M; Grisbrook, Tiffany L; Newnham, Prudence J; Edwards, Dylan J

2014-01-01

This study aimed to investigate the effects of ballet-specific vestibular stimulation and fatigue on static postural control in ballet dancers and to establish whether these effects differ across varying levels of ballet training. Dancers were divided into three groups: professional, pre-professional, and recreational. Static postural control of 23 dancers was measured on a force platform at baseline and then immediately, 30 seconds, and 60 seconds after vestibular stimulation (pirouettes) and induction of fatigue (repetitive jumps). The professional dancers' balance was unaffected by both the vestibular stimulation and the fatigue task. The pre-professional and recreational dancers' static sway increased following both perturbations. It is concluded that professional dancers are able to compensate for vestibular and fatiguing perturbations due to a higher level of skill-specific motor training.

[Identification of knowledge deficits of pharmacy students at the beginning of the fifth year of pharmacy practice experience: Proposals to change the content of academic programs].

Science.gov (United States)

Charpiat, B; Derfoufi, S; Larger, M; Janoly-Dumenil, A; Mouchoux, C; Allenet, B; Tod, M; Grassin, J; Boulieu, R; Catala, O; Bedouch, P; Goudable, J; Vinciguerra, C

2016-09-01

In France, community pharmacy students performed a hospital pharmacy practice experience during the 5th year of the university curriculum. The purpose of a part of the content of the academic teaching program delivered before this practice experience is to prepare the students for their future hospital activities. It should enable them for the practical use of knowledge in order to improve pharmacotherapy, laboratory diagnosis and monitoring of patients' care. The aim of this study was to show if there are gaps in this program. Fourteen students performing their clerkship in a teaching hospital were invited to highlight these gaps when they were gradually immersed in the pharmaceutical care. They did so under the careful observation of hospital pharmacist preceptors. These practitioners referred to professional guidelines, documentary tools used in daily clinical practice and publications supporting their pharmaceutical care practices. Shortcomings and gaps identified were: how to communicate with other healthcare professionals and the content of verbal exchanges, how to conduct a patient-centered consultation, documentation tools required for relevant pharmacist' interventions, codification of pharmacist's interventions, risks related to drug packaging and benefit risk assessment of health information technologies. These gaps represent a handicap by delaying the process that led to move from student to healthcare professional. Hospital pharmacist preceptors have to fill in these gaps before engaging students in pharmaceutical care. These results invite to revise partly the content of the academic teaching program delivered before the 5th year hospital pharmacy practice experience. Copyright © 2016 Académie Nationale de Pharmacie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Analyzing best practices in employee health management: how age, sex, and program components relate to employee engagement and health outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Terry, Paul E; Grossmeier, Jessica; Mangen, David J; Gingerich, Stefan B

2013-04-01

Examine the influence of employee health management (EHM) best practices on registration, participation, and health behavior change in telephone-based coaching programs. Individual health assessment data, EHM program data, and health coaching participation data were analyzed for associations with coaching program enrollment, active participation, and risk reduction. Multivariate analyses occurred at the individual (n = 205,672) and company levels (n = 55). Considerable differences were found in how age and sex impacted typical EHM evaluation metrics. Cash incentives for the health assessment were associated with more risk reduction for men than for women. Providing either a noncash or a benefits-integrated incentive for completing the health assessment, or a noncash incentive for lifestyle management, strengthened the relationship between age and risk reduction. In EHM programs, one size does not fit all. These results can help employers tailor engagement strategies for their specific population.

Practice management education during surgical residency.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Kory; Lebron, Ricardo A; Mangram, Alicia; Dunn, Ernest

2008-12-01

Surgical education has undergone radical changes in the past decade. The introductions of laparoscopic surgery and endovascular techniques have required program directors to alter surgical training. The 6 competencies are now in place. One issue that still needs to be addressed is the business aspect of surgical practice. Often residents complete their training with minimal or no knowledge on coding of charges or basic aspects on how to set up a practice. We present our program, which has been in place over the past 2 years and is designed to teach the residents practice management. The program begins with a series of 10 lectures given monthly beginning in August. Topics include an introduction to types of practices available, negotiating a contract, managed care, and marketing the practice. Both medical and surgical residents attend these conferences. In addition, the surgical residents meet monthly with the business office to discuss billing and coding issues. These are didactic sessions combined with in-house chart reviews of surgical coding. The third phase of the practice management plan has the coding team along with the program director attend the outpatient clinic to review in real time the evaluation and management coding of clinic visits. Resident evaluations were completed for each of the practice management lectures. The responses were recorded on a Likert scale. The scores ranged from 4.1 to 4.8 (average, 4.3). Highest scores were given to lectures concerning negotiating employee agreements, recruiting contracts, malpractice insurance, and risk management. The medical education department has tracked resident coding compliance over the past 2 years. Surgical coding compliance increased from 36% to 88% over a 12-month period. The program director who participated in the educational process increased his accuracy from 50% to 90% over the same time period. When residents finish their surgical training they need to be ready to enter the world of business

Social, economic and environmental evaluation of agri-environmental beneficial management practices

OpenAIRE

Kitchen, Amy Elizabeth

2012-01-01

In British Columbia, the Canada-British Columbia Environmental Farm Plan Beneficial Management Practices Program (BMP Program) encourages the adoption of agri-environmental practices on farms. The BMP Program is a voluntary and confidential program, which is jointly funded by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Since 2005 the BMP Program has provided funding to farmers to adopt agri-environmental Beneficial Management Practices (BMPs) and during this time no e...

Interprofessional Communities of Practice in Continuing Medical Education for Promoting and Sustaining Practice Change: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Megan; Lecce, Julia; Ivanova, Anna; Zawertailo, Laurie; Dragonetti, Rosa; Selby, Peter

2018-01-01

Standard knowledge delivery formats for CME may have limited impact on long-term practice change. A community of practice (CoP) is one tool that may enhance competencies and support practice change. This study explores the utility of an interprofessional CoP as an adjunct to a CME program in tobacco addiction treatment (Training Enhancement in Applied Counselling and Health [TEACH] Project) to promote and sustain practice change. A prospective cohort design was utilized to examine the long-term impact of the TEACH CoP on practice change. An online survey was administered to TEACH-trained practitioners to assess perceived feasibility, importance, and confidence related to course competencies, involvement in TEACH CoP activities, engagement in knowledge transfer (KT), and implementation of new programming. Chi-square tests were used to detect differences in KT and program development associated with CoP participation. Course competency scores from immediate postcourse surveys and long-term follow-up surveys were compared. No significant differences in participant characteristics were found between those who did (n = 300) and did not (n = 122) participate in the TEACH CoP. Mean self-perceived competency scores were greater immediately after course than at long-term follow-up; however, self-ratings of competency in pharmacological interventions and motivational interviewing were higher at follow-up. TEACH CoP participation was associated with significantly greater engagement in KT and implementation of new programming after training. The findings from this evaluation suggest the value of interprofessional CoPs offered posttraining as a mechanism to enhance practice. CME providers should consider offering CoPs as a component of training programs to promote and sustain practice change.

Evaluation of a training program for device operators in the Australian Government's Point of Care Testing in General Practice Trial: issues and implications for rural and remote practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Shephard, Mark D; Mazzachi, Beryl C; Watkinson, Les; Shephard, Anne K; Laurence, Caroline; Gialamas, Angela; Bubner, Tanya

2009-01-01

From September 2005 to February 2007 the Australian Government funded the Point of Care Testing (PoCT) in General Practice Trial, a multi-centre, cluster randomised controlled trial to determine the safety, clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and satisfaction of PoCT in General Practice. In total, 53 practices (23 control and 30 intervention) based in urban, rural or remote locations across three states (South Australia [SA], New South Wales [NSW] and Victoria [VIC]) participated in the Trial. Control practices had pathology testing performed by their local laboratory, while intervention practices conducted pathology testing by PoCT. In total, 4968 patients (1958 control and 3010 intervention) participated in the Trial. The point-of-care (PoC) tests performed by intervention practices were: haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and urine albumin:creatinine ratio (ACR) on patients with diabetes, total cholesterol, triglyceride and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol on patients with hyperlipidaemia, and international normalised ratio (INR) on patients on anticoagulant therapy. Three PoCT devices measured these tests: the Siemens DCA 2000 (Siemens HealthCare Diagnostics, Melbourne, VIC, Australia) for HbA1c and urine ACR; Point of Care Diagnostics Cholestech LDX analyser (Point of Care Diagnostics; Sydney, NSW, Australia) for lipids; and the Roche CoaguChek S (Roche Diagnostics; Sydney, NSW, Australia) for INR. Point-of-care testing in the General Practice Trial was underpinned by a quality management framework which included an on-going training and competency program for PoCT device operators. This article describes the design, implementation and results of the training and competency program. An education and training resource package was developed for the Trial consisting of a training manual, a set of A3 laminated posters and a CD ROM. Five initial training workshops were held for intervention practices from each geographic region between August and October 2005

Paid maternity leave and breastfeeding practice before and after California's implementation of the nation's first paid family leave program.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Rui; Yang, Muzhe

2015-01-01

California was the first state in the United States to implement a paid family leave (PFL) program in 2004. We use data from the Infant Feeding Practices Study to examine the changes in breastfeeding practices in California relative to other states before and after the implementation of PFL. We find an increase of 3-5 percentage points for exclusive breastfeeding and an increase of 10-20 percentage points for breastfeeding at several important markers of early infancy. Our study supports the recommendation of the Surgeon General to establish paid leave policies as a strategy for promoting breastfeeding. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Practical Approach to Program Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Linda J.; Sampson, John F.

1990-01-01

The Research and Evaluation Support Services Unit of the New South Wales (Australia) Department of Education conducts program evaluations to provide information to senior management for decision making. The 10-step system used is described, which provides for planning, evaluation, and staff development. (TJH)

Spillover effects of HIV testing policies: changes in HIV testing guidelines and HCV testing practices in drug treatment programs in the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jemima A. Frimpong

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background To examine the extent to which state adoption of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC 2006 revisions to adult and adolescent HIV testing guidelines is associated with availability of other important prevention and medical services. We hypothesized that in states where the pretest counseling requirement for HIV testing was dropped from state legislation, substance use disorder treatment programs would have higher availability of HCV testing services than in states that had maintained this requirement. Methods We analyzed a nationally representative sample of 383 opioid treatment programs from the 2005 and 2011 National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey (NDATSS. Data were collected from program directors and clinical supervisors through telephone surveys. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to measure associations between state adoption of CDC recommended guidelines for HIV pretest counseling and availability of HCV testing services. Results The effects of HIV testing legislative changes on HCV testing practices varied by type of opioid treatment program. In states that had removed the requirement for HIV pretest counseling, buprenorphine-only programs were more likely to offer HCV testing to their patients. The positive spillover effect of HIV pretest counseling policies, however, did not extend to methadone programs and did not translate into increased availability of on-site HCV testing in either program type. Conclusions Our findings highlight potential positive spillover effects of HIV testing policies on HCV testing practices. They also suggest that maximizing the benefits of HIV policies may require other initiatives, including resources and programmatic efforts that support systematic integration with other services and effective implementation.

A study on the Secondary School Teacher's Perception Change for Nuclear Power through an Experiment Practice Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, ByungChae; Kim, JuHyun; Na, JungHyun; Yoo, DaYoung; Kim, WoongKi

2016-01-01

It is important to correct mis-understanding perception of general public for nuclear power for development of nuclear industry and the nation‟s advancement. It is required to provide secondary school students and teachers with correct information by learning activities in addition to mass media and textbook. If teachers have wrong concept, students are affected by the negative impact. Therefore, teachers should understand nuclear power correctly. KAERI(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) has served an education program entitled „to understand nuclear power correctly by experiment and practice‟ as an practice and improvement program for the secondary school teachers. We checked the change of the secondary teacher‟s recognition for nuclear power by the survey. In this study, we checked the change of the secondary school teacher‟s recognition level for nuclear power by the survey before and after the education program. Nuclear Perception level was increased by 8% showing optimistic mind for the safety, dangerousness, and necessity of nuclear power plants after the education. Nuclear knowledge level also went up 15% through the education program. It is concluded that the nuclear perception of the secondary school teachers can be improved through the education program for nuclear power. Secondary school students form general public in the future. Perception of the students is influenced by teachers deeply

[Implementation of the program of "Collaborative Development of Advanced Practical Education to Train Pharmacists in Leadership" under the joint operation of the pharmaceutical departments in fourteen national universities].

Science.gov (United States)

Hirata, Kazumasa; Tamura, Satoru; Kobayashi, Motomasa

2012-01-01

"Collaborative Development of Advanced Practical Education Program to Train Pharmacists with Leadership" applied jointly by the pharmaceutical departments of fourteen national universities was selected to receive the special expenditure support of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology for fiscal year 2010 under "the Training of Highly Skillful Professionals and Improvement of the Quality of the Function of Professional Education". This project is to promote the collaborative development of the educational program which will make it possible to further advance and substantiate the education of pharmacists in the six year course of the pharmaceutical department for the ultimate purpose to introduce pharmacists with leadership who can play an active role and fill in a leadership position in a wide range of responsibilities into the society which, more and more, has come to expect pharmacy to take the initiative in acting against health hazards caused by infections, foods and environmental pollution as well as to meet the diversification of healthcare. To be more specific, this project is to try and evaluate the following programs repeatedly based on the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle: 1) Practical medical and pharmaceutical education program; 2) Program concerning research on long term themes and advanced education; 3) Program concerning training and education of SPs (standardized patients or simulated patients) and PBL (problem-based learning) tutorial education; and 4) Program concerning the method of evaluation of education. Through this repeated trial and evaluation, this project ultimately seeks to construct a highly effective practical educational program which integrates each university's achievements and educational attempts rich in originality.

Repository-Based Software Engineering Program: Working Program Management Plan

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

Repository-Based Software Engineering Program (RBSE) is a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) sponsored program dedicated to introducing and supporting common, effective approaches to software engineering practices. The process of conceiving, designing, building, and maintaining software systems by using existing software assets that are stored in a specialized operational reuse library or repository, accessible to system designers, is the foundation of the program. In addition to operating a software repository, RBSE promotes (1) software engineering technology transfer, (2) academic and instructional support of reuse programs, (3) the use of common software engineering standards and practices, (4) software reuse technology research, and (5) interoperability between reuse libraries. This Program Management Plan (PMP) is intended to communicate program goals and objectives, describe major work areas, and define a management report and control process. This process will assist the Program Manager, University of Houston at Clear Lake (UHCL) in tracking work progress and describing major program activities to NASA management. The goal of this PMP is to make managing the RBSE program a relatively easy process that improves the work of all team members. The PMP describes work areas addressed and work efforts being accomplished by the program; however, it is not intended as a complete description of the program. Its focus is on providing management tools and management processes for monitoring, evaluating, and administering the program; and it includes schedules for charting milestones and deliveries of program products. The PMP was developed by soliciting and obtaining guidance from appropriate program participants, analyzing program management guidance, and reviewing related program management documents.

Implementing best practice in hospital multidisciplinary nutritional care: an example of using the knowledge-to-action process for a research program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laur C

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Celia Laur,1 Heather H Keller1,2 1University of Waterloo, 2Schlegel-University of Waterloo, Research Institute for Aging, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Background: Prospective use of knowledge translation and implementation science frameworks can increase the likelihood of meaningful improvements in health care practices. An example of this creation and application of knowledge is the series of studies conducted by and with the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force (CMTF. Following a cohort study and synthesis of evidence regarding best practice for identification, treatment, and prevention of malnutrition in hospitals, CMTF created an evidence-informed, consensus-based pathway for nutritional care in hospitals. The purpose of this paper is to detail the steps taken in this research program, through four studies, as an example of the knowledge-to-action (KTA process. The KTA process: The KTA process includes knowledge creation and action cycles. The steps of the action cycle within this program of research are iterative, and up to this point have been informed by three studies, with a fourth underway. The first study identified the magnitude of the malnutrition problem upon admission to hospital and how it is undetected and undertreated (study 1. Knowledge creation resulted in an evidence-based pathway established to address care gaps (study 2 and the development of monitoring tools (study 3. The study was then adapted to local context: focus groups validated face validate the evidence-based pathway; during the final phase, study site implementation teams will continue to adapt the pathway (studies 2 and 4. Barriers to implementation were also assessed; focus groups and interviews were conducted to inform the pathway implementation (studies 1, 2, and 4. In the next step, specific interventions were selected, tailored, and implemented. In the final study in this research program, plan–do–study–act cycles will be used to make changes and to implement

Current Risk Management Practices in Psychotherapy Supervision.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehrtens, Ilayna K; Crapanzano, Kathleen; Tynes, L Lee

2017-12-01

Psychotherapy competence is a core skill for psychiatry residents, and psychotherapy supervision is a time-honored approach to teaching this skill. To explore the current supervision practices of psychiatry training programs, a 24-item questionnaire was sent to all program directors of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-approved adult psychiatry programs. The questionnaire included items regarding adherence to recently proposed therapy supervision practices aimed at reducing potential liability risk. The results suggested that current therapy supervision practices do not include sufficient management of the potential liability involved in therapy supervision. Better protections for patients, residents, supervisors and the institutions would be possible with improved credentialing practices and better documentation of informed consent and supervision policies and procedures. © 2017 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

Risk factors for lower-extremity injuries among contemporary dance students

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Seters, Christine; van Rijn, Rogier M; van Middelkoop, Marienke; Stubbe, Janine H

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether student characteristics, lower-extremity kinematics, and strength are risk factors for sustaining lower-extremity injuries in preprofessional contemporary dancers. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Codarts University of the Arts. PATIENTS: Forty-five

Dental therapists' expanded scope of practice in Australia: a 12-month follow-up of an educational bridging program to facilitate the provision of oral health care to patients 26+ years.

Science.gov (United States)

Hopcraft, Matthew; Martin-Kerry, Jacqueline M; Calache, Hanny

2015-01-01

Prior to 2009, dental therapists' scope of clinical practice in Victoria was limited to patients 25 years or younger. However, increases in dental demand by adults 26+ years required an alternative approach to service delivery. This paper outlines the self-reported confidence and knowledge level of dental therapists at 3, 6, and 12 months postcompletion of an educational program aimed at providing them with the skills to treat adults aged 26+ years. The study also surveyed dentists in the practice about the dental therapists' knowledge and the impact of their extended scope of practice on the clinics' operation. After completion of their educational program, the dental therapists who participated were surveyed at 3, 6, and 12 months postcompletion to assess their self-reported confidence levels and knowledge. Senior dentists at the clinic were surveyed to understand the impact of the subsequent change in practice of the dental therapists who undertook this training, as well as any concerns of perceived educational gaps. Surveys showed increased self-reported confidence levels by the dental therapists at 3, 6, and 12 months after completion of the program. Dental therapists and mentoring dentists identified that further education was needed in areas such as oral medicine, pathology, medically compromised patients, medications, prosthodontics, and referrals. Dental therapists felt confident and knowledgeable postprogram to treat patients 26+ years, within their scope of practice. Dentists generally felt that dental therapists, after completing the educational program, were confident and knowledgeable. Educational areas to focus on in future programs were identified. © 2015 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Evidence-based practice instruction by faculty members and librarians in North American optometry and ophthalmology programs.

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, Katherine A; Hrynchak, Patricia K; Spafford, Marlee M

2014-07-01

North American optometry and ophthalmology faculty members and vision science librarians were surveyed online (14% response rate) about teaching evidence-based practice (EBP). Similar to studies of other health care programs, all five EBP steps (Ask, Acquire, Appraise, Apply, Assess) were taught to varying degrees. Optometry and ophthalmology EBP educators may want to place further emphasis on (1) the Apply and Assess steps, (2) faculty- and student-generated questions and self-assessment in clinical settings, (3) online teaching strategies, (4) programmatic integration of EBP learning objectives, and (5) collaboration between faculty members and librarians.

Status report on the operation of the cyclotron and on the programs of its practical applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarkanyi, F.; Ander, I.; Ando, L.; Ditroi, F.; Fenyvesi, A.; Kiraly, B.; Kormany, Z.; Kovacs, P.; Kovacs, Z.; Mahunka, I.

2007-01-01

The main task of the Cyclotron Department is to operate the ATOMKI MGC-20E cyclotron, to support the research in different scientific fields and to use the accelerator in practice related applications. The Cyclotron Laboratory has been installed in a research institute so research is the most important task. Considering that some results of the basic research can be used in different routine applications, the second important task is to help developing systems for this reason. The capacity of the accelerator usually allows making routine applications to ensure the financial background for the service and for the development of the cyclotron. The cyclotron is applied directly for basic nuclear physics research and it indirectly helps the research in other fields via interdisciplinary studies. It is used in broad scale for different practical applications which have direct results in basic sciences in many cases therefore the classification sometimes is not simple. The irradiations at the cyclotron are dedicated to basic research in the field of nuclear structure and nuclear reaction studies and from other side to the so-called practical applications. The cyclotron has been in operation in ATOMKI since 1985. Since then the cyclotron has been reliably running with very short undesired breakdowns and it has been used for a wide range of research and application programs. This overview gives a short summary of the status of cyclotron operation and the practical applications and gives some indications on the future plans. (author)

Ostomy Home Skills Program

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Full Text Available ... Grant Program State Legislation Tracked by the College Maintenance of Certification Quality Quality Quality Electronic Health Records ( ... Legislative Action Center Leadership & Advocacy Summit Webinars Practice Management Practice Management Practice Management CPT Coding Bulletin Articles ...

Implementing best practice in hospital multidisciplinary nutritional care: an example of using the knowledge-to-action process for a research program.

Science.gov (United States)

Laur, Celia; Keller, Heather H

2015-01-01

Prospective use of knowledge translation and implementation science frameworks can increase the likelihood of meaningful improvements in health care practices. An example of this creation and application of knowledge is the series of studies conducted by and with the Canadian Malnutrition Task Force (CMTF). Following a cohort study and synthesis of evidence regarding best practice for identification, treatment, and prevention of malnutrition in hospitals, CMTF created an evidence-informed, consensus-based pathway for nutritional care in hospitals. The purpose of this paper is to detail the steps taken in this research program, through four studies, as an example of the knowledge-to-action (KTA) process. The KTA process includes knowledge creation and action cycles. The steps of the action cycle within this program of research are iterative, and up to this point have been informed by three studies, with a fourth underway. The first study identified the magnitude of the malnutrition problem upon admission to hospital and how it is undetected and undertreated (study 1). Knowledge creation resulted in an evidence-based pathway established to address care gaps (study 2) and the development of monitoring tools (study 3). The study was then adapted to local context: focus groups validated face validate the evidence-based pathway; during the final phase, study site implementation teams will continue to adapt the pathway (studies 2 and 4). Barriers to implementation were also assessed; focus groups and interviews were conducted to inform the pathway implementation (studies 1, 2, and 4). In the next step, specific interventions were selected, tailored, and implemented. In the final study in this research program, plan-do-study-act cycles will be used to make changes and to implement the pathway (study 4). To monitor knowledge use and to evaluate outcomes, audits, staff surveys, patient outcomes, etc will be used to record process evaluations (studies 3 and 4). Finally, a

A conceptual framework for transferring research to practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, D Dwayne

2002-06-01

Systematic evaluations of efforts to transfer research-based interventions and procedures into general practice at community drug treatment programs have been limited. However, practical experiences as well as results from studies of technology transfer and organizational behavior in related fields provide a basis for proposing a heuristic model of key factors that influence this process. The successful completion of four stages of activity typically involved in program change (exposure, adoption, implementation, and practice of new interventions) appears to be influenced by several organizational considerations (e.g., institutional readiness for change, resources, and climate) as well as staff attributes. Assessment instruments for measuring organizational functioning (based on ratings aggregated for staff and patients in a program) are introduced, along with preliminary evidence for their validity. A better conceptual understanding of the process of program change and common barriers that may be encountered is needed for effectively transferring research to practice.

Using the Nine Common Themes of Good Practice checklist as a tool for evaluating the research priority setting process of a provincial research and program evaluation program.

Science.gov (United States)

Mador, Rebecca L; Kornas, Kathy; Simard, Anne; Haroun, Vinita

2016-03-23

Given the context-specific nature of health research prioritization and the obligation to effectively allocate resources to initiatives that will achieve the greatest impact, evaluation of priority setting processes can refine and strengthen such exercises and their outcomes. However, guidance is needed on evaluation tools that can be applied to research priority setting. This paper describes the adaption and application of a conceptual framework to evaluate a research priority setting exercise operating within the public health sector in Ontario, Canada. The Nine Common Themes of Good Practice checklist, described by Viergever et al. (Health Res Policy Syst 8:36, 2010) was used as the conceptual framework to evaluate the research priority setting process developed for the Locally Driven Collaborative Projects (LDCP) program in Ontario, Canada. Multiple data sources were used to inform the evaluation, including a review of selected priority setting approaches, surveys with priority setting participants, document review, and consultation with the program advisory committee. The evaluation assisted in identifying improvements to six elements of the LDCP priority setting process. The modifications were aimed at improving inclusiveness, information gathering practices, planning for project implementation, and evaluation. In addition, the findings identified that the timing of priority setting activities and level of control over the process were key factors that influenced the ability to effectively implement changes. The findings demonstrate the novel adaptation and application of the 'Nine Common Themes of Good Practice checklist' as a tool for evaluating a research priority setting exercise. The tool can guide the development of evaluation questions and enables the assessment of key constructs related to the design and delivery of a research priority setting process.

Reconciling pairs of concurrently used clinical practice guidelines using Constraint Logic Programming.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilk, Szymon; Michalowski, Martin; Michalowski, Wojtek; Hing, Marisela Mainegra; Farion, Ken

2011-01-01

This paper describes a new methodological approach to reconciling adverse and contradictory activities (called points of contention) occurring when a patient is managed according to two or more concurrently used clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The need to address these inconsistencies occurs when a patient with more than one disease, each of which is a comorbid condition, has to be managed according to different treatment regimens. We propose an automatic procedure that constructs a mathematical guideline model using the Constraint Logic Programming (CLP) methodology, uses this model to identify and mitigate encountered points of contention, and revises the considered CPGs accordingly. The proposed procedure is used as an alerting mechanism and coupled with a guideline execution engine warns the physician about potential problems with the concurrent application of two or more guidelines. We illustrate the operation of our procedure in a clinical scenario describing simultaneous use of CPGs for duodenal ulcer and transient ischemic attack.

Ostomy Home Skills Program

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Full Text Available ... Safety Resources About the Patient Education Program The Recovery Room Choosing Wisely Educational Programs Educational Programs Educational ... and practice the skills needed for optimal postoperative recovery. The kit supports the entire surgical team with ...

Ostomy Home Skills Program

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Full Text Available ... Advocacy Summit Webinars Practice Management Practice Management Practice Management CPT Coding Bulletin Articles CPT Coding Workshops ICD-10 Coding Physicians as Assistants at Surgery Webinars Primers and Compendiums Quality Payment Program AMA House of Delegates ACS in ...

24 CFR 1715.25 - Misleading sales practices.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Misleading sales practices. 1715.25... URBAN DEVELOPMENT (INTERSTATE LAND SALES REGISTRATION PROGRAM) PURCHASERS' REVOCATION RIGHTS, SALES PRACTICES AND STANDARDS Sales Practices and Standards § 1715.25 Misleading sales practices. Generally...

Workplace violence: protecting your practice from an epidemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Calway, R C

2001-01-01

Workplace violence, in the form of verbal threats and/or intimidation and physical aggression, is commonplace in medical practices today. The practice must be prepared to respond to this disaster in the same manner with which they prepare for responses to a medical emergency, fire, or loss of electricity. The risks and liabilities of failing to build a robust program include low staff morale and productivity, employee injury, lost work time, regulatory fines and sanctions, and the risk of civil judgments against the practice. The most successful programs receive commitment (read: involvement) from management and include staff in program development and implementation.

A study of the effectiveness of a four semester preservice Secondary Science Teacher Education program regarding changes in teacher perceptions and practices

Science.gov (United States)

Yakar, Zeha

The purpose of this study was to investigate the development and change in constructivist behaviors of preservice science teachers of the Iowa-Secondary Science Teacher Education Program (SSTEP) over the four semester sequence. Constructivist behaviors were investigated from four perspectives; including actual classroom performances as viewed from videotapes, teacher perceptions of teacher use of constructivist teaching practices, and teacher beliefs as gained from open-ended questions, and written artifacts. The participants of the study included a total of 41 secondary science preservice teachers in four different semesters of their teacher preparation program. Three instruments were used to generate the main data to answer the research questions. The three instruments were: (1) Constructivist Learning Environment Survey (CLES), (2) Philosophy of Teaching and Learning (PTL), and (3) videotape portfolio evaluated with the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP). Major findings include the following: (1) Preservice teachers' perceptions regarding constructivist approaches become significantly and increasingly more student-centered in terms of Personal Relevance, Critical Voice, Shared Control, and Student Negotiation as they prepare through the four semester sequence. (2) Preservice teachers' conceptions concerning teaching and learning become significantly and increasingly more student-centered in terms of what students need to do to improve their understanding of science concepts. (3) Preservice teachers conceptions and their perceptions about actual classroom practices rarely align with observed teaching practices in their classrooms. Although preservice teachers hold student-centered beliefs and perceptions, their actual classroom teaching practices were "transitional constructivist". (4) Preservice teachers' constructivist practices of teaching and learning began to decline in the third semester with preservice teachers moving towards more teacher

Challenges and Ideas from a Research Program on High Quality, Evidence-Based Practice in School Mental Health

Science.gov (United States)

Weist, Mark D.; Youngstrom, Eric A.; Stephan, Sharon; Lever, Nancy; Fowler, Johnathan; Taylor, Leslie; McDaniel, Heather; Chappelle, Lori; Paggeot, Samantha; Hoagwood, Kimberly

2013-01-01

Objective Reviews the progression of a research program designed to develop, implement and study the implementation of “achievable” evidence-based practices (EBPs) in schools. Reviews challenges encountered and ideas to overcome them to enhance this avenue of research. Method Presents two federally funded randomized controlled trials involving comparison of a four-component targeted intervention (Quality Assessment and Improvement, Family Engagement and Empowerment, Modular Evidence-Based Practice, Implementation Support) versus a comparison intervention focused on Personal Wellness. In both studies primary aims focused on changes in clinician attitudes and behavior, including the delivery of high quality, evidence-based practices and secondary aims focused on student level impacts. Results A number of challenges, many not reported in the literature are reviewed, and ideas for overcoming them are presented. Conclusions Given the reality that the majority of youth mental health services are delivered in schools and the potential of school mental health (SMH) services to provide a continuum of mental health care from promotion to intervention, it is critical that the field consider and address the logistical and methodological challenges associated with implementing and studying EBP implementation by clinicians. PMID:24063310

Oral Health Knowledge and Practices of WIC Staff at Florida WIC Program.

Science.gov (United States)

Gold, Jaana T; Tomar, Scott

2016-06-01

This study was conducted to assess the oral health knowledge, practices and confidence of staff in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant and Children (WIC) by administering an anonymous self-completed survey to 39 WIC Clinic staff in Northern Florida. The survey instrument was a 28-item questionnaire adapted from previous validated surveys and covered questions on oral health knowledge, confidence and general practices related to oral health. Survey data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. The majority of WIC staff is knowledgeable about the role of the caregiver in cleaning the child's teeth and the role of bottle use in dental caries. Only 7 (25 %) of total 28 WIC staff indicated that fluoridated toothpaste could be used for children younger than 2 years of age. Only 18 (64 %) agreed that the cariogenic bacteria could be transmitted from mother to child. Nutritionists reported greater confidence compared to others in oral health tasks. Only 6 (67 %) of the nutritionists reported to counsel caregivers on the importance of regular tooth brushing. Only 4 (44 %) nutritionists reported to refer WIC clients to dental care. These results indicate that WIC staff has a limited knowledge on the age recommendations for the fluoride toothpaste use and on the transmission of the cariogenic bacteria. Many do not provide oral health counseling to caregivers. WIC staff with more education is more likely to discuss oral health issues. WIC staff is in need for oral health training and education to provide oral health counseling for at risk WIC population.

Developing Mentors: An Analysis of Shared Mentoring Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Bower-Phipps, Laura; Klecka, Cari Van Senus; Sature, Amanda L.

2016-01-01

Understanding how experienced teachers share and articulate effective mentoring practices can guide efforts to prepare quality mentors. This qualitative study focused on mentoring practices within a teacher-designed student-teaching program conceptualized while the mentor teachers within the program were students in a graduate-level mentoring…

10 CFR 850.27 - Hygiene facilities and practices.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Hygiene facilities and practices. 850.27 Section 850.27 Energy DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY CHRONIC BERYLLIUM DISEASE PREVENTION PROGRAM Specific Program Requirements § 850.27 Hygiene facilities and practices. (a) General. The responsible employer must assure that in...

Theory and practice in professional education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Trine Kløveager

the relationship between theory and practice in teacher, nurse, social work and engineering education, and to contribute with knowledge about how to bridge the gap between theory and practice in these educations. Aim: The aim of the present study is to identify the most promising strategies for improving......, nursing, engineering and social work and in other professional bachelor education programs regarding health, teaching and technology, and how?”. The systematic review consists of a research mapping which will identify and characterize the empirical research concerning the review question and a synthesis......Background: A fundamental component in professional education is the link between theory and practice. However, many students in professional education programs experience a lack of coherence between theory and practice which is often described as the theory practice gap. This PhD-project is part...

Creating a New Approach to Principal Leadership: The National Institute of School Leadership has Borrowed from the Leadership Practices of Other Professions to Build an Innovative Program for Principals

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Robert C.

2005-01-01

The author describes a principal training program resulting from a study that found disconnects between education leadership programs and what principals need to know and be able to do to guide improved instruction. The National Institute for School Leadership program focuses on practicing principals but also has applications for aspiring…

PEMIKIRAN TOKOH PENDIDIKAN DALAM BUKU LIFELONG LEARNING: POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND PROGRAMS (Perspektif Peningkatan Mutu Pendidikan di Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Ketut Sudarsana

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The substances of the views of the some figures depicted in the Lifelong Learning Policies, Practices, And Programs, especially the ones found on Chapter  11 to 15 mostly describe the relation between the school education, families, and society. They are in accordance with the Indonesian Government Regulation No20/2003 on the national system of Indonesian education that regulate its informal, formal and nonformal sectors. The least attended nonformal one has actually equal charge, namely providing the best education to the society.

Member Perceptions of Informal Science Institution Graduate Certificate Program: Case Study of a Community of Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Ball, Lois A.

This research attempted to understand the experiences of a cohort of informal and formal science educators and informal science institution (ISI) community representatives during and after completion of a pilot graduate certificate program. Informal science educators (ISEs) find limited opportunities for professional development and support which influence their contributions to America's science literacy and school science education. This emergent design nested case study described how an innovative program provided professional development and enabled growth in participants' abilities to contribute to science literacy. Data were collected through interviews, participant observations, and class artifacts. The program by design and constituency was the overarching entity that accounted for members' experiences. Three principal aspects of the ISI certificate program and cohort which influenced perceptions and reported positive outcomes were (1) the cohort's composition and their collaborative activities which established a vigorous community of practice and fostered community building, mentoring, and networking, (2) long term program design and implementation which promoted experiential learning in a generative classroom, and (3) ability of some members who were able to be independent or autonomous learners to embrace science education reform strategies for greater self-efficacy and career advancement. This research extends the limited literature base for professional development of informal science educators and may benefit informal science institutions, informal and formal science educators, science education reform efforts, and public education and science-technology-society understanding. The study may raise awareness of the need to establish more professional development opportunities for ISEs and to fund professional development. Further, recognizing and appreciating informal science educators as a diverse committed community of professionals who positively

Advanced network programming principles and techniques : network application programming with Java

CERN Document Server

Ciubotaru, Bogdan

2013-01-01

Answering the need for an accessible overview of the field, this text/reference presents a manageable introduction to both the theoretical and practical aspects of computer networks and network programming. Clearly structured and easy to follow, the book describes cutting-edge developments in network architectures, communication protocols, and programming techniques and models, supported by code examples for hands-on practice with creating network-based applications. Features: presents detailed coverage of network architectures; gently introduces the reader to the basic ideas underpinning comp

The Effects of Practice-Based Training on Graduate Teaching Assistants’ Classroom Practices

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Erin A.; Easlon, Erin J.; Potter, Sarah C.; Guzman-Alvarez, Alberto; Spear, Jensen M.; Facciotti, Marc T.; Igo, Michele M.; Singer, Mitchell; Pagliarulo, Christopher

2017-01-01

Evidence-based teaching is a highly complex skill, requiring repeated cycles of deliberate practice and feedback to master. Despite existing well-characterized frameworks for practice-based training in K–12 teacher education, the major principles of these frameworks have not yet been transferred to instructor development in higher educational contexts, including training of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). We sought to determine whether a practice-based training program could help GTAs learn and use evidence-based teaching methods in their classrooms. We implemented a weekly training program for introductory biology GTAs that included structured drills of techniques selected to enhance student practice, logic development, and accountability and reduce apprehension. These elements were selected based on their previous characterization as dimensions of active learning. GTAs received regular performance feedback based on classroom observations. To quantify use of target techniques and levels of student participation, we collected and coded 160 h of video footage. We investigated the relationship between frequency of GTA implementation of target techniques and student exam scores; however, we observed no significant relationship. Although GTAs adopted and used many of the target techniques with high frequency, techniques that enforced student participation were not stably adopted, and their use was unresponsive to formal feedback. We also found that techniques discussed in training, but not practiced, were not used at quantifiable frequencies, further supporting the importance of practice-based training for influencing instructional practices. PMID:29146664

Cardiac performance measure compliance in outpatients: the American College of Cardiology and National Cardiovascular Data Registry's PINNACLE (Practice Innovation And Clinical Excellence) program.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Paul S; Oetgen, William J; Buchanan, Donna; Mitchell, Kristi; Fiocchi, Fran F; Tang, Fengming; Jones, Philip G; Breeding, Tracie; Thrutchley, Duane; Rumsfeld, John S; Spertus, John A

2010-06-29

We examined compliance with performance measures for 14,464 patients enrolled from July 2008 through June 2009 into the American College of Cardiology's PINNACLE (Practice Innovation And Clinical Excellence) program to provide initial insights into the quality of outpatient cardiac care. Little is known about the quality of care of outpatients with coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and atrial fibrillation, and whether sex and racial disparities exist in the treatment of outpatients. The PINNACLE program is the first, national, prospective office-based quality improvement program of cardiac patients designed, in part, to capture, report, and improve outpatient performance measure compliance. We examined the proportion of patients whose care was compliant with established American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, and American Medical Association-Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement (ACC/AHA/PCPI) performance measures for CAD, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation. There were 14,464 unique patients enrolled from 27 U.S. practices, accounting for 18,021 clinical visits. Of these, 8,132 (56.4%) had CAD, 5,012 (34.7%) had heart failure, and 2,786 (19.3%) had nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Data from the PINNACLE program were feasibly collected for 24 of 25 ACC/AHA/PCPI performance measures. Compliance with performance measures ranged from being very low (e.g., 13.3% of CAD patients screened for diabetes mellitus) to very high (e.g., 96.7% of heart failure patients with blood pressure assessments), with moderate (70% to 90%) compliance observed for most performance measures. For 3 performance measures, there were small differences in compliance rates by race or sex. For more than 14,000 patients enrolled from 27 practices in the outpatient PINNACLE program, we found that compliance with performance measures was variable, even after accounting for exclusion criteria, suggesting an important opportunity to improve the quality of

Cardiac autonomic function in patients with diabetes improves with practice of comprehensive yogic breathing program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viveka P Jyotsna

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was to observe the effect comprehensive yogic breathing (Sudarshan Kriya Yoga [SKY] and Pranayam had on cardiac autonomic functions in patients with diabetes. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective randomized controlled intervention trial. Cardiac autonomic functions were assessed in 64 diabetics. Patients were randomized into two groups, one group receiving standard therapy for diabetes and the other group receiving standard therapy for diabetes and comprehensive yogic breathing program. Standard therapy included dietary advice, brisk walking for 45 min daily, and administration of oral antidiabetic drugs. Comprehensive yogic breathing program was introduced to the participants through a course of 12 h spread over 3 days. It was an interactive session in which SKY, a rhythmic cyclical breathing, preceded by Pranayam is taught under the guidance of a certified teacher. Cardiac autonomic function tests were done before and after 6 months of intervention. Results: In the intervention group, after practicing the breathing techniques for 6 months, the improvement in sympathetic functions was statistically significant (P 0.04. The change in sympathetic functions in the standard therapy group was not significant (P 0.75.Parasympathetic functions did not show any significant change in either group. When both parasympathetic and sympathetic cardiac autonomic functions were considered, there was a trend toward improvement in patients following comprehensive yogic breathing program (P 0.06. In the standard therapy group, no change in cardiac autonomic functions was noted (P 0.99. Conclusion: Cardiac autonomic functions improved in patients with diabetes on standard treatment who followed the comprehensive yogic breathing program compared to patients who were on standard therapy alone.

Theory and practice in teacher education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knudsen, Lars Emmerik Damgaard

Abstract for NERA 2013, Iceland Theory and Practice – Knowledge Forms, Culture Analysis and Embodiment Lars Emmerik Damgaard Knudsen ‘Teacher Education Network’ Compared to other Nordic teacher education programs the Danish teacher education is as designated to the teacher profession but not nece......Abstract for NERA 2013, Iceland Theory and Practice – Knowledge Forms, Culture Analysis and Embodiment Lars Emmerik Damgaard Knudsen ‘Teacher Education Network’ Compared to other Nordic teacher education programs the Danish teacher education is as designated to the teacher profession...... and videotaped in the last placement period and in the students’ phase of writing the bachelor thesis. The analysis demonstrates that the intended and practiced knowledge forms are cultural structured and bodily anchored in the self-images of the placement and teaching sites which points to a significant...... there are still significant contradictions between placement and teaching sites in the understandings of the means and ends of the teacher education program and in the relations between theory and practice. 3. The process of becoming academic and professional formation is in an interpellation process headed...

Internships as case-based learning for professional practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Piihl, Jesper; Rasmussen, Jens Smed; Rowley, Jennifer

2014-01-01

be designed to integrate differences in conceptions of knowledge in professional practices and pressures from short deadlines. The chapter explores how internship can enhance students’ learning and how students develop their role as academics-in-practice. Internships qualify as case based learning when......Internship programs can enhance generic learning outcomes by develop-ing students’ ability to interact with stakeholders in real world complexi-ties and contribute to changes in knowledge and practice. Experience from Denmark and Australia is used as background to show how intern-ship programs can...... the design of the program focuses on generic learning outcomes over specific solutions to specific problems in the specific context....

Compiling standardized information from clinical practice: using content analysis and ICF Linking Rules in a goal-oriented youth rehabilitation program.

Science.gov (United States)

Lustenberger, Nadia A; Prodinger, Birgit; Dorjbal, Delgerjargal; Rubinelli, Sara; Schmitt, Klaus; Scheel-Sailer, Anke

2017-09-23

To illustrate how routinely written narrative admission and discharge reports of a rehabilitation program for eight youths with chronic neurological health conditions can be transformed to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. First, a qualitative content analysis was conducted by building meaningful units with text segments assigned of the reports to the five elements of the Rehab-Cycle ® : goal; assessment; assignment; intervention; evaluation. Second, the meaningful units were then linked to the ICF using the refined ICF Linking Rules. With the first step of transformation, the emphasis of the narrative reports changed to a process oriented interdisciplinary layout, revealing three thematic blocks of goals: mobility, self-care, mental, and social functions. The linked 95 unique ICF codes could be grouped in clinically meaningful goal-centered ICF codes. Between the two independent linkers, the agreement rate was improved after complementing the rules with additional agreements. The ICF Linking Rules can be used to compile standardized health information from narrative reports if prior structured. The process requires time and expertise. To implement the ICF into common practice, the findings provide the starting point for reporting rehabilitation that builds upon existing practice and adheres to international standards. Implications for Rehabilitation This study provides evidence that routinely collected health information from rehabilitation practice can be transformed to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health by using the "ICF Linking Rules", however, this requires time and expertise. The Rehab-Cycle ® , including assessments, assignments, goal setting, interventions and goal evaluation, serves as feasible framework for structuring this rehabilitation program and ensures that the complexity of local practice is appropriately reflected. The refined "ICF Linking Rules" lead to a standardized

An e-learning supported Train-the-Trainer program to implement a suicide practice guideline. Rationale, content and dissemination in Dutch mental health care.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groot, M. de; Beurs, D.P. de; Keijser, J. de; Kerkhof, A.F.J.M.

2015-01-01

An e-learning supported Train-the-Trainer program was developed to implement the Dutch suicide practice guideline inmental health care. Literature on implementation strategies has been restricted to the final reporting of studieswith little opportunity to describe relevant contextual, developmental

On termination of meta-programs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Serebrenik, A.; De Schreye, D.; Nieuwenhuis, R.; Voronkov, A.

2001-01-01

The term meta-programming refers to the ability of writing programs that have other programs as data and exploit their semantics [4]. The choice of logic programming as a basis for meta-programming offers a number of practical and theoretical advantages. One of them is the possibility of tackling

Evaluating Effectiveness of Pair Programming as a Teaching Tool in Programming Courses

Science.gov (United States)

Faja, Silvana