Building Micro-Foundations for the Routines, Capabilities, and Performance Links

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abell, Peter; Felin, Teppo; Foss, Nicolai Juul

2007-01-01

a neglect of micro-foundations - is incomplete. There are no mechanisms that work solely on the macro-level, directly connecting routines and capabilities to firm-level outcomes. While routines and capabilities are useful shorthand for complicated patterns of individual action and interaction, ultimately...... they are best understood at the micro-level. Second, we provide a formal model that shows precisely why macro explanation is incomplete and which exemplifies how explicit micro-foundations may be built for notions of routines and capabilities and for how these impact firm performance....

Operational Work System Design and Staff Performance in the Nigerian Construction Industry

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Emmanuel Ejikeme Isichei

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Objective: The study investigated the impact of operational work system design on staff performance in selected construction firms in Nigeria. Research Design & Methods: The study used primary data gathered with the use of a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire format administered to 138 respondents. A hypothesis was postulated to test the significance of the research problem. Data analysis was carried out using correlation and multiple regression analysis which proved the significance of the alternative hypothesis as a result of testing the hypothesis. Findings: The findings show that there is a significant relationship between operational work system design and staff performance. The study concludes that operational job design can be advanced as a motivation tool, which is non-monetary in nature, to improve staff performance. Implications & Recommendations: A key drive to improve performance is the satisfaction of staff coupled with an outstanding operational job design which takes into consideration the total physical and mental well-being of staff and its interaction with other organisational factors. The study recommends, among others, that there should be active participation of staff in the design of work in the organisation. Contribution & Value Added: The study provides an empirical approach to enhancing performance in the construction industry and thereby developing an indigenous firm to compete favourably on a growing market.

Job Performance and Gender Factors of Administrative Staff in South West Nigeria Universities

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Olorunsola, E. O.

2012-01-01

This study examines the level of administrative staff job performance in South West Nigerian universities and also investigates whether the administrative staff job performance is related to their sexual characteristics. An instrument titled Job Performance Questionnaire (JPQ) was used to collect the data and was administered 400 subjects in…

Master schedule for CY-1978. Hanford Environmental Surveillance Routine Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blumer, P.J.; Myers, D.A.; Fix, J.J.

1977-12-01

This report provides the current schedule of data collection for the routine environmental surveillance program at the Hanford Site. No results are presented in this report. The data collected are available in routine reports issued by the Environmental Evaluations staff

Job Satisfaction Of Hospital Nursing Staff

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Charlotte Pietersen

2005-11-01

Full Text Available Health care managers realize that job satisfaction impacts on nursing staff retention. This study examined the job satisfaction of nursing staff (N = 109 at a government hospital. Just more than half of the respondents were generally satisfied. Feelings that nursing is worthwhile and satisfying, and financial stability at the hospital could promote staff retention. Specific intrinsic - (promotion, and extrinsic factors (routinization, working conditions, pay, interaction with supervisors, and organizational support could impact negatively on retention. Management should use these findings as a basis for staff consultation, developmental strategies, and interventions. Future research on other nursing populations is recommended.

AECB staff review of Bruce NGS 'A' operation for the year 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-05-01

AECB project staff believes that overall performance of the station in 1988 was generally satisfactory and better than in 1987. However, this assessment is not supported by some of the key performance indicators, although the indicators in areas where AECB staff had specific concerns do support it. For example, the percentage of reported significant events attributable to human error, the number of operating memos beyond the review date, scheduled emergency drills completed, the number of completed reactor trips all show a significant improvement over the 1987 value. In addition, AECB staff has been encouraged by the licensee's implementation of effective review processes for operator and maintenance call-ups, routines and deficiencies, and the establishment of supervisor inspection tours and operator rounds programs. Nevertheless, it is the opinion of AECB staff that to achieve standards of operation which would be considered fully satisfactory, the backlog of maintenance work must be reduced, the quality of work performed in the plant improved, and assurance provided that the required quality standards are being consistently achieved and maintained

The impact of a preloaded intraocular lens delivery system on operating room efficiency in routine cataract surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Jason J; Chu, Jeffrey; Graham, Jacob; Zaluski, Serge; Rocha, Guillermo

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the operational impact of using preloaded intraocular lens (IOL) delivery systems compared with manually loaded IOL delivery processes during routine cataract surgeries. Time and motion data, staff and surgery schedules, and cost accounting reports were collected across three sites located in the US, France, and Canada. Time and motion data were collected for manually loaded IOL processes and preloaded IOL delivery systems over four surgery days. Staff and surgery schedules and cost accounting reports were collected during the 2 months prior and after introduction of the preloaded IOL delivery system. The study included a total of 154 routine cataract surgeries across all three sites. Of these, 77 surgeries were performed using a preloaded IOL delivery system, and the remaining 77 surgeries were performed using a manual IOL delivery process. Across all three sites, use of the preloaded IOL delivery system significantly decreased mean total case time by 6.2%-12.0% (Psystem also decreased surgeon lens time, surgeon delays, and eliminated lens touches during IOL preparation. Compared to a manual IOL delivery process, use of a preloaded IOL delivery system for cataract surgery reduced total case time, total surgeon lens time, surgeon delays, and eliminated IOL touches. The time savings provided by the preloaded IOL delivery system provide an opportunity for sites to improve routine cataract surgery throughput without impacting surgeon or staff capacity.

Gamification of Clinical Routine: The Dr. Fill Approach.

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Bukowski, Mark; Kühn, Martin; Zhao, Xiaoqing; Bettermann, Ralf; Jonas, Stephan

2016-01-01

Gamification is used in clinical context in the health care education. Furthermore, it has shown great promises to improve the performance of the health care staff in their daily routine. In this work we focus on the medication sorting task, which is performed manually in hospitals. This task is very error prone and needs to be performed daily. Nevertheless, errors in the medication are crucial and lead to serious complications. In this work we present a real world gamification approach of the medication sorting task in a patient's daily pill organizer. The player of the game needs to sort the correct medication into the correct dispenser slots and is rewarded or punished in real time. At the end of the game, a score is given and the user can register in a leaderboard.

Staff Group Unanimity in the Care of Juveniles in Institutional Treatment: Routines, Rituals, and Relationships

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Ahonen, Lia; Degner, Jurgen

2013-01-01

One prerequisite for effective institutional care is that staff agree on how to deliver treatment and have a unified view of how to achieve change--in other words, to have staff group unanimity (SGU). This study used the Correctional Program Assessment Inventory (CPAI) 2000, interviews with key staff, and observations of daily activities to…

77 FR 12832 - Non-RTO/ISO Performance Metrics; Commission Staff Request Comments on Performance Metrics for...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-02

... Performance Metrics; Commission Staff Request Comments on Performance Metrics for Regions Outside of RTOs and... performance communicate about the benefits of RTOs and, where appropriate, (2) changes that need to be made to... common set of performance measures for markets both within and outside of ISOs/RTOs. As recommended by...

Needs, conditions of intervention and staff in medical physics for medical imagery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salvat, Cecile; Dieudonne, Arnaud; Guilhem, Marie-Therese; Le Du, Dominique; Pierrat, Noelle; Isambert, Aurelie; Valero, Marc; Blanchard, Vincent

2013-04-01

This guide proposes information on the types and quantification of medical physics tasks to be performed when performing medical imagery using ionizing radiations. It gives recommendations about the commitment of medical physicists (with or without support staff) and the required staff in nuclear medicine and, more generally in imagery (interventional radiology, scanography, conventional radiology). It first gives an overview of the situation in France in 2012 in terms of observations made by the ASN during inspections, and of results of a survey conducted among medical physicists involved in medical imagery. It indicates the current regulatory requirements, and international and national recommendations, and describes the commitment in imagery of medical physicists in three countries (Spain, Belgium and Germany). It analyses and describes the fields of intervention of medical physicists in imagery and identifies associated tasks in France (in equipment purchasing, equipment installation, equipment routine usage, patient care, nuclear medicine or internal vectorized radiotherapy, or staff training). Recommendations of a work-group about sizing criteria are proposed

Organizational routines, innovation, and flexibility: the application of narrative networks to dynamic workflow.

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Hayes, Gillian R; Lee, Charlotte P; Dourish, Paul

2011-08-01

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how current visual representations of organizational and technological processes do not fully account for the variability present in everyday practices. We further demonstrate how narrative networks can augment these representations to indicate potential areas for successful or problematic adoption of new technologies and potential needs for additional training. We conducted a qualitative study of the processes and routines at a major academic medical center slated to be supported by the development and installation of a new comprehensive HIT system. We used qualitative data collection techniques including observations of the activities to be supported by the new system and interviews with department heads, researchers, and both clinical and non-clinical staff. We conducted a narrative network analysis of these data by choosing exemplar processes to be modeled, selecting and analyzing narrative fragments, and developing visual representations of the interconnection of these narratives. Narrative networks enable us to view the variety of ways work has been and can be performed in practice, influencing our ability to design for innovation in use. Narrative networks are a means for analyzing and visualizing organizational routines in concert with more traditional requirements engineering, workflow modeling, and quality improvement outcome measurement. This type of analysis can support a deeper and more nuanced understanding of how and why certain routines continue to exist, change, or stop entirely. At the same time, it can illuminate areas in which adoption may be slow, more training or communication may be needed, and routines preferred by the leadership are subverted by routines preferred by the staff. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of the Performance of Routine Information System Management (PRISM framework: evidence from Uganda

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Aqil Anwer

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Sound policy, resource allocation and day-to-day management decisions in the health sector require timely information from routine health information systems (RHIS. In most low- and middle-income countries, the RHIS is viewed as being inadequate in providing quality data and continuous information that can be used to help improve health system performance. In addition, there is limited evidence on the effectiveness of RHIS strengthening interventions in improving data quality and use. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of the newly developed Performance of Routine Information System Management (PRISM framework, which consists of a conceptual framework and associated data collection and analysis tools to assess, design, strengthen and evaluate RHIS. The specific objectives of the study are: a to assess the reliability and validity of the PRISM instruments and b to assess the validity of the PRISM conceptual framework. Methods Facility- and worker-level data were collected from 110 health care facilities in twelve districts in Uganda in 2004 and 2007 using records reviews, structured interviews and self-administered questionnaires. The analysis procedures include Cronbach's alpha to assess internal consistency of selected instruments, test-retest analysis to assess the reliability and sensitivity of the instruments, and bivariate and multivariate statistical techniques to assess validity of the PRISM instruments and conceptual framework. Results Cronbach's alpha analysis suggests high reliability (0.7 or greater for the indices measuring a promotion of a culture of information, RHIS tasks self-efficacy and motivation. The study results also suggest that a promotion of a culture of information influences RHIS tasks self-efficacy, RHIS tasks competence and motivation, and that self-efficacy and the presence of RHIS staff have a direct influence on the use of RHIS information, a key aspect of RHIS performance

Occupational doses in medical staff during hemodynamic procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alonso, Thessa C.; Silva, Teogenes A. da

2008-01-01

The main objective of an occupational radiation program for workers is to keep radiation exposures under control and to assure that radiation protection principles are followed. Due to different types of interventionist medical exams, usually the medical staffs are highly exposed to radiation, which it emphasizes that it is required safety procedures for dose reduction. In this work, studies were concerned with individual doses of medical staff that are directly engaged to interventionist procedures at hemodynamic services. Dose values from a data bank of the CDTN Individual Monitoring Service (IMS) were analyzed and measurements with film type and thermoluminescent (TL) dosimeters were performed for comparison purposes. Additionally, the influence of the use of a lead apron on the individual dose was investigated. Results suggested that the medical staff does not care about wearing the routine personal dosimeter and that the registered doses may not be representative to the actual annual effective doses. They also showed that effective doses are highly dependent on the characteristics and conditions of the lead apron that is worn by the medical staff. It is concluded that it is important to have personal dosimetric system up-graded for reliable measurements, to define an adequate algorithm for determining the effective dose and to train the medical staff to follow the basic radiation protection principle of optimization. (author)

Creating Masterpieces: How Course Structures and Routines Enable Student Performance

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Dean, Kathy Lund; Fornaciari, Charles J.

2014-01-01

Over a five-year period, we made a persistent observation: Course structures and routines, such as assignment parameters, student group process rules, and grading schemes were being consistently ignored. As a result, we got distracted by correcting these structural issues and were spending less time on student assignment performance. In this…

Implementing cognitive therapies into routine psychosis care: organisational foundations.

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Dark, Frances; Whiteford, Harvey; Ashkanasy, Neal M; Harvey, Carol; Crompton, David; Newman, Ellie

2015-08-05

Treatment outcomes for people diagnosed with psychosis remain suboptimal due in part to the limited systematic application of evidence based practice (Adm Policy Ment Health, 36: 1-7, 2009) [1]. The Implementation science literature identifies a number of factors organisationally that need to be considered when planning to introduce a particular EBP. Profiling these organisational characteristics at baseline, prior to commencement of service reform can determine the focus of a subsequent implementation plan. This study examined the organisational baseline factors existing in two services promoting the routine use of cognitive interventions for psychosis. One of the services studied has since undertaken organisational structural reform to facilitate the greater uptake of Evidence Based Practice (EBP). The results of this study were used to design an implementation strategy to make cognitive therapies a part of routine psychosis care. One hundred-and-six mental health staff from two metropolitan mental health services in Australia was surveyed to ascertain their attitudes, competencies and interest in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for psychosis (CBTp) and Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT). In addition perceptions of organisational values were profiled using the Organisational Culture Profile (OCP). Fifty five participants were excluded because they completed less than 50% of the survey. The final sample consisted of 51 participants. 48.1% of surveys were completed. Over 50% of staff were interested in CBTp and CRT approaches to psychosis. Staff were aware of existing CBTp and CRT programs but these were not uniformly available throughout the services. Fourteen percent of staff identified as CBT therapist and 35% were trained CRT facilitators. Only 12% of staff were receiving therapy specific supervision. The Organisational Culture Profile (OCP) at baseline revealed highest scores amongst leadership, planning, and humanistic workplace domains, with communication

Improved performance of maternal-fetal medicine staff after maternal cardiac arrest simulation-based training.

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Fisher, Nelli; Eisen, Lewis A; Bayya, Jyothshna V; Dulu, Alina; Bernstein, Peter S; Merkatz, Irwin R; Goffman, Dena

2011-09-01

To determine the impact of simulation-based maternal cardiac arrest training on performance, knowledge, and confidence among Maternal-Fetal Medicine staff. Maternal-Fetal Medicine staff (n = 19) participated in a maternal arrest simulation program. Based on evaluation of performance during initial simulations, an intervention was designed including: basic life support course, advanced cardiac life support pregnancy modification lecture, and simulation practice. Postintervention evaluative simulations were performed. All simulations included a knowledge test, confidence survey, and debriefing. A checklist with 9 pregnancy modification (maternal) and 16 critical care (25 total) tasks was used for scoring. Postintervention scores reflected statistically significant improvement. Maternal-Fetal Medicine staff demonstrated statistically significant improvement in timely initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (120 vs 32 seconds, P = .042) and cesarean delivery (240 vs 159 seconds, P = .017). Prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation initiation and pregnancy modifications application are critical in maternal and fetal survival during cardiac arrest. Simulation is a useful tool for Maternal-Fetal Medicine staff to improve skills, knowledge, and confidence in the management of this catastrophic event. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Absorptive routines and international patent performance

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Fernando E. García-Muiña

2017-04-01

We enrich the treatment of the absorptive capacity phases including the moderating effects between routines associated to the traditional potential-realized absorptive capacities. Taking into account external knowledge search strategies, the deeper external relationships, the better transference and appropriation of specific external knowledge. Nevertheless, when the moderating role of assimilation is included, cooperation agreements appear as the most efficient source of external knowledge. Finally, we show that technological tools let firms store and structure the information making easier its use for international patenting. This positive effect is reinforced in the presence of exploitation routines, since technological knowledge will better fit to the industry's key factors of success.

Role of Academic Managers in Workload and Performance Management of Academic Staff: A Case Study

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Graham, Andrew T.

2016-01-01

This small-scale case study focused on academic managers to explore the ways in which they control the workload of academic staff and the extent to which they use the workload model in performance management of academic staff. The links that exist between the workload and performance management were explored to confirm or refute the conceptual…

How Does Nursing Staff Perceive the Use of Electronic Handover Reports? A Questionnaire-Based Study

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Torbjørg Meum

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Following the implementation of electronic nursing records in a psychogeriatric ward, we examined nursing staff's attitudes and perceptions to the implementation of an electronic handover routine. A web-based anonymous and secure questionnaire was distributed by e-mail to all nursing staff at a psychogeriatric ward at a university hospital. Most respondents were satisfied with the electronic handover, and they believed they managed to keep informed by the new routine. The simultaneous introduction of a morning meeting, to ensure a forum for oral professional discussion, was a success. A minority of staff did not fully trust the information conveyed in the electronic handover, and a significant proportion expressed a need for guidance in using the system. Staff that had a high level of trust in written reports believed these saved time, had little trouble finding time and a place to read the reports, and were more positive to the new handover routine.

Managing social difficulties: roles and responsibilities of patients and staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Penny; Bingham, Laura; Taylor, Sally; Hanif, Naheed; Podmore, Emma; Velikova, Galina

2012-01-01

Implementation of guidance on assessment and management of psychosocial and supportive-care problems or needs will be successful only if consideration is given to existing skills, experience and expectations of staff and patients. This study examines the roles and responsibilities of staff, patients and families in relation to management of social difficulties and proposes a pathway for response. A qualitative study was performed using staff and patient interviews. Seventeen doctors and 16 nurses were interviewed using patient scenarios and a support service questionnaire. Patients (n = 41) completed a screening questionnaire (the Social Difficulties Inventory) and were interviewed. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and subjected to a Framework analysis. Analysis examined (1) actions taken by staff and patients in response to social difficulties, (2) reasons given for action taken and (3) perceptions of staff and patients of who was responsible for taking action. Staff were confident concerning clinically related issues (i.e. mobility) but more hesitant concerning difficulties related to money, work and family concerns. Patients liked to cope with problems on their own where possible, would have liked information or support from staff but were uncertain how to access this. Results led to development of a hierarchy of interventions in response to detected social difficulties. For routine assessment of social difficulties, patients, nurses and doctors will have to work collaboratively, with nurses taking a lead in discussion. For specific clinically related problems doctors would play a more primary role. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development and implementation of tools for self-monitoring of staff exposed to 131I in nuclear medicine centres of Chile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Diaz-Londono, G.; Garcia, M.; Astudillo, R.; Hermosilla, A.

2017-01-01

Currently in Chile, there are about 42 nuclear medicine centres that mainly use 99m Tc and 131 I in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Therefore, staff performs various tasks that increase the risk of internal incorporation and the need to implement routine monitoring programmes. This article shows tools for self-monitoring of staff who exposed to 131 I from measurements in thyroid and urine samples, using the gamma cameras of Nuclear Medicine Units. Then, the calibration factors of gamma cameras of participating units were determined, and a one-worker dose was calculated due to internal incorporation, using an Excel spreadsheet for self-monitoring. The worker who handles 131 I in one of the studied units was monitored for 6 months. The goal of this study is to implement a routine self-monitoring programme for the estimation of committed effective dose of staff exposed to 131 I using gamma cameras in Nuclear Medicine Units of clinical centres in Chile. (authors)

The Role of Job Performance on Career Success and Self-esteem of Staff

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Sadra Ansaripour

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Human resources are the most valuable assets to any organisation, identifying factors that affect job performance of these resources has become increasingly important. Aim: To determine the relationship between self-esteem and success with job performance in the staff of the Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences (SKUMS Headquarters, Shahrekord, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical (correlational study, based on structural equation modeling, was conducted in 2015. The study population included 240 of the staff of SKUMS Headquarters, Shahrekord, Iran. From these people, 86 were selected by simple random sampling. A questionnaire of demographic characteristics, Paterson job performance, Radsyp career success and Eysenck selfesteem questionnaire were used to evaluate the concepts of job performance, success and self-esteem. The data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 23.0. Results: A total of 86 out of which 49 were female (57% and 37 (43% male, with a mean age of 39.85±7.6 (range 24-55 years. There was no significant relationship between demographic characteristics and job performance, career success and selfesteem. Self-esteem could be predicted positively and career success could be predicted negatively. Job performance and selfesteem had a significant positive correlation relationship (p<0.05. Conclusion: According to the direct relationship between job performance and self-esteem in this study, officials can improve job performance of staff through supporting them and reinforcing their self-esteem and thus providing career success.

Impact of Management Style on Performance Indicators of Academic Staff

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Irtwange, S. V.; Orsaah, S.

2009-01-01

The objective of this study is to assess the impact of management style on academic staff performance with University of Agriculture, Makurdi as a case study. The management style of the vice chancellor of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi between the periods, September 3, 1996 to September 3, 2001 was determined using the Ohio State…

Electrotactile feedback improves performance and facilitates learning in the routine grasping task

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Milica Isaković

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of electrotactile feedback in closed loop training of force control during the routine grasping task. The feedback was provided using an array electrode and a simple six-level spatial coding, and the experiment was conducted in three amputee subjects. The psychometric tests confirmed that the subjects could perceive and interpret the electrotactile feedback with a high success rate. The subjects performed the routine grasping task comprising 4 blocks of 60 grasping trials. In each trial, the subjects employed feedforward control to close the hand and produce the desired grasping force (four levels. First (baseline and the last (validation session were performed in open loop, while the second and the third session (training included electrotactile feedback. The obtained results confirmed that using the feedback improved the accuracy and precision of the force control. In addition, the subjects performed significantly better in the validation vs. baseline session, therefore suggesting that electrotactile feedback can be used for learning and training of myoelectric control.

Electrotactile Feedback Improves Performance and Facilitates Learning in the Routine Grasping Task.

Science.gov (United States)

Isaković, Milica; Belić, Minja; Štrbac, Matija; Popović, Igor; Došen, Strahinja; Farina, Dario; Keller, Thierry

2016-06-13

Aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of electrotactile feedback in closed loop training of force control during the routine grasping task. The feedback was provided using an array electrode and a simple six-level spatial coding, and the experiment was conducted in three amputee subjects. The psychometric tests confirmed that the subjects could perceive and interpret the electrotactile feedback with a high success rate. The subjects performed the routine grasping task comprising 4 blocks of 60 grasping trials. In each trial, the subjects employed feedforward control to close the hand and produce the desired grasping force (four levels). First (baseline) and the last (validation) session were performed in open loop, while the second and the third session (training) included electrotactile feedback. The obtained results confirmed that using the feedback improved the accuracy and precision of the force control. In addition, the subjects performed significantly better in the validation vs. baseline session, therefore suggesting that electrotactile feedback can be used for learning and training of myoelectric control.

Radiation doses to the staff of a nuclear cardiology department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsapaki, V.; Koutelou, M.; Theodorakos, A.; Kouzoumi, A.; Kitziri, S.; Tsiblouli, S.; Vardalaki, E.; Kyrozi, E.; Kouttou, S.

2002-01-01

The last years, new radiopharmaceuticals are used in a Nuclear Medicine (NM) Department. Nowadays, Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) is a method of routine imaging, a fact that has required increased levels of radioactivity in certain patient examinations. The staff that is more likely to receive the greatest radiation dose in a NM Department is the technologist who deals with performance of patient examination and injection of radioactive material and the nurse who is caring for the patients visiting the Department some of which being totally helpless. The fact that each NM Dept possesses equipment with certain specifications, deals with various kind of patients, has specific design and radiation protection measures which can differ from other NM Depts and uses various examination protocols, makes essential the need to investigate the radiation doses received by each member of the staff, so as to continuously monitor doses and take protective measures if required, control less experienced staff and ensure that radiation dose levels are kept as low as possible at all times. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate radiation dose to the nuclear cardiology department staff by thermoluminescent dosemeters (TLDs) placed on the the skin at thyroid and abdominal region as well as evaluating protection measures taken currently in the Dept

A survey on the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior and job performance of the staff at doctor Kermanshahi hospital

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Ashkan Chavoshi

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Understanding the factors affecting the performance of the staff in organizations will lead to increased their efficiency. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB on job performance in Dr. Kermanshahi hospital in Kermanshah. OCB is a voluntary behavior that goes beyond formal job descriptions of the staff and improves organizational performance . Methods: This descriptive-analytical study, which was based on structural equation modeling, was conducted in 2012.The study population included 311 staff at doctor Muhammad Kermanshahi hospital that were selected by simple random sampling. To evaluate the concepts of organizational citizenship behavior, job performance and personality attributes, Podsakoff, Patterson and NEO questionnaires were used, respectively. Data were analyzed by SPSS and AMOS software (version 21. Results: The results of the study revealed that 57% of respondents were women, 37.8% were in the age group 25 to 35 years, 40.7% had bachelor's degree and 30.2% had less than 5 years of experience. Also, personality characteristics of the staff affected their job performance. There was a significant relationship between organizational citizenship behaviour and job performance. Conclusions: This study confirmed the effects of OCB on promoting the performance of the staff. So, we can reinforce OCB in the hospital by taking advantage of the benefits of meta-functional behaviors in organization and consequently promoting the performance of the staff to.

Generating Novelty Through Interdependent Routines: A Process Model of Routine Work

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Deken, F.; Carlile, P.R.; Berends, H.; Lauche, K.

2016-01-01

We investigate how multiple actors accomplish interdependent routine performances directed at novel intended outcomes and how this affects routine dynamics over time. We report findings from a longitudinal ethnographic study in an automotive company where actors developed a new business model around

The impact of a preloaded intraocular lens delivery system on operating room efficiency in routine cataract surgery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jones JJ

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Jason J Jones,1 Jeffrey Chu,2 Jacob Graham,2 Serge Zaluski,3 Guillermo Rocha4 1Jones Eye Clinic, Sioux City, IA, 2Quorum Consulting Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA; 3VISIS, Perpignan, France; 4Ocular Microsurgery & Laser Centre, Brandon, MB, Canada Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the operational impact of using preloaded intraocular lens (IOL delivery systems compared with manually loaded IOL delivery processes during routine cataract surgeries. Methods: Time and motion data, staff and surgery schedules, and cost accounting reports were collected across three sites located in the US, France, and Canada. Time and motion data were collected for manually loaded IOL processes and preloaded IOL delivery systems over four surgery days. Staff and surgery schedules and cost accounting reports were collected during the 2 months prior and after introduction of the preloaded IOL delivery system. Results: The study included a total of 154 routine cataract surgeries across all three sites. Of these, 77 surgeries were performed using a preloaded IOL delivery system, and the remaining 77 surgeries were performed using a manual IOL delivery process. Across all three sites, use of the preloaded IOL delivery system significantly decreased mean total case time by 6.2%–12.0% (P<0.001 for data from Canada and the US and P<0.05 for data from France. Use of the preloaded delivery system also decreased surgeon lens time, surgeon delays, and eliminated lens touches during IOL preparation. Conclusion: Compared to a manual IOL delivery process, use of a preloaded IOL delivery system for cataract surgery reduced total case time, total surgeon lens time, surgeon delays, and eliminated IOL touches. The time savings provided by the preloaded IOL delivery system provide an opportunity for sites to improve routine cataract surgery throughput without impacting surgeon or staff capacity. Keywords: time and motion, provider impact, surgical throughput, IOL

An assessment of nursing staffs' knowledge of radiation protection and practice.

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Badawy, Mohamed Khaldoun; Mong, Kam Shan; Paul Lykhun, U; Deb, Pradip

2016-03-01

Although the exposure to nursing staff is generally lower than the allowable radiation worker dose limits, awareness and overcoming fears of radiation exposure is essential in order to perform routine activities in certain departments. Furthermore, the nursing staff, whether they are defined as radiation workers or not, must be able to respond to any radiological emergencies and provide care to any patient affected by radiation. This study aims to gauge the awareness of radiation safety among the nursing staff at a major hospital in different departments and recommend if further radiation safety training is required. A prospective multiple choice questionnaire was distributed to 200 nurses in 9 different departments. The questionnaire tested knowledge that would be taught at a basic radiation safety course. 147 nurses (74%) completed the survey with the average score of 40%. Furthermore, 85% of nurses surveyed felt there was a need for radiation safety training in their respective departments to assist with day to day work in the department. An increase in radiation safety materials that are specific to each department is recommended to assist with daily work involving radiation. Moreover, nursing staff that interact with radiation on a regular basis should undertake radiation safety courses before beginning employment and regular refresher courses should be made available thereafter.

Revenue, relationships and routines: the social organization of acute myocardial infarction patient transfers in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Veinot, Tiffany C; Bosk, Emily A; Unnikrishnan, K P; Iwashyna, Theodore J

2012-11-01

Heart attack, or acute myocardial infarction (AMI), is a leading cause of death in the United States (U.S.). The most effective therapy for AMI is rapid revascularization: the mechanical opening of the clogged artery in the heart. Forty-four percent of patients with AMI who are admitted to a non-revascularization hospital in the U.S. are transferred to a hospital with that capacity. Yet, we know little about the process by which community hospitals complete these transfers, and why publicly available hospital quality data plays a small role in community hospitals' choice of transfer destinations. Therefore, we investigated how community hospital staff implement patient transfers and select destinations. We conducted a mixed methods study involving: interviews with staff at three community hospitals (n = 25) in a Midwestern state and analysis of U.S. national Medicare records for 1996-2006. Community hospitals in the U.S., including our field sites, typically had longstanding relationships with one key receiving hospital. Community hospitals addressed the need for rapid AMI patient transfers by routinizing the collective, interhospital work process. Routinization reduced staff uncertainty, coordinated their efforts and conserved their cognitive resources for patient care. While destination selection was nominally a physician role, the decision was routinized, such that staff immediately contacted a "usual" transfer destination upon AMI diagnosis. Transfer destination selection was primarily driven at an institutional level by organizational concerns and bed supply, rather than physician choice or patient preference. Transfer routinization emerged as a form of social order that invoked tradeoffs between process speed and efficiency and patient-centered, quality-driven decision making. We consider the implications of routinization and institutional imperatives for health policy, quality improvement and health informatics interventions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd

Attitude of staff of Kashan university of medical sciences concerning their annual performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seyed Ahmad Hosseini Golafshani

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Performance assessment in organizations can lead to healthy relationships in the workplace, and it also pays grounds for intellectual growth and improvement of staff performance. This study examines the attitudes of Staff of Kashan University of Medical Sciences and Health Services about their annual performance. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 714 staff were randomly selected. The data of this study were collected by a questionnaire, whose validity and credit were tested. Then, in two stages, samples of 52 and 56 persons were taken and by two-half method and calculating the homogeneity coefficient and the Cronbach's coefficient alpha and Kuder-Richardson coefficients in the second step get to the Cronbach's coefficient alpha 93% that final validity was acceptable. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS Inc. Released 2007. SPSS for Windows, Version 16.0. (Chicago, SPSS Inc.. Results: The results of this study showed that the mean and standard deviation of age of the employees were 37.16 ± 7.1 years and their working history was 12.4 ± 7.7 years. A total of 256 participants (35.8% considered the current evaluation as inappropriate or completely inappropriate performance assessment, 303 participants (42.4% almost appropriate, 155 participants (21.7% suitable or perfectly suitable. About 47.9% of participants rated the best period of evaluation yearly, and 552 participants (77.3% of the statistical society were considered assessment in the presence of the employee appropriate. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the attitude of more than 50% of employees was positive about the annual performance assessment.

AECB staff annual report of Point Lepreau G.S. for the year 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-05-01

This report is a review by AECB staff of the operation of Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station during 1990. The review is based on information contained in the various documents submitted by New Brunswick Power under the terms of the Operating Licence and on information gathered by AECB staff during routine site monitoring, inspections and audits

CBE Faculty and Staff

Science.gov (United States)

About Us Research Staff Edward Arens Fred Bauman Gail Brager Darryl Dickerhoff Ali Ghahramani Partners Facilities Graduate Programs Visiting Scholar Program Careers CBE Faculty and Staff CBE is an performance of buildings. The core research group for CBE includes faculty and research staff members

The role of internet of things (IOT in knowledge management systems (Case study: Performance management of Yazd municipality staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamid Reza Khedmatgozar

2015-09-01

Full Text Available With the development of Internet of things (IOT technologies in recent years, the development of knowledge management systems based on them, as well as the role of these systems in different organizational areas such as staff performance management should be considered. The objective of this study is to design an application based on the IOT, and analysis of its role in staff performance improvement. The methodology of this study is action research based on the design of information systems with RAD approach and prototyping design method, and focus on one of the performance indicators of the Yazd municipality staff, namely daily working time. The proposed knowledge management based structure to control the entry and exit of staff in the case of study, and implementation of its prototype indicated that IOT can play roles in improving staff performance in six specific areas in two parts of data collection and management of entry and exit. In general, IOT could be used as a reliable basis to generate required data for knowledge management in knowledge based processes, especially knowledge discovery in physical and digital environments.

Ethnographic study of ICT-supported collaborative work routines in general practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Swinglehurst, Deborah; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Myall, Michelle; Russell, Jill

2010-12-29

Health informatics research has traditionally been dominated by experimental and quasi-experimental designs. An emerging area of study in organisational sociology is routinisation (how collaborative work practices become business-as-usual). There is growing interest in the use of ethnography and other in-depth qualitative approaches to explore how collaborative work routines are enacted and develop over time, and how electronic patient records (EPRs) are used to support collaborative work practices within organisations. Following Feldman and Pentland, we will use 'the organisational routine' as our unit of analysis. In a sample of four UK general practices, we will collect narratives, ethnographic observations, multi-modal (video and screen capture) data, documents and other artefacts, and analyse these to map and compare the different understandings and enactments of three common routines (repeat prescribing, coding and summarising, and chronic disease surveillance) which span clinical and administrative spaces and which, though 'mundane', have an important bearing on quality and safety of care. In a detailed qualitative analysis informed by sociological theory, we aim to generate insights about how complex collaborative work is achieved through the process of routinisation in healthcare organisations. Our study offers the potential not only to identify potential quality failures (poor performance, errors, failures of coordination) in collaborative work routines but also to reveal the hidden work and workarounds by front-line staff which bridge the model-reality gap in EPR technologies and via which "automated" safety features have an impact in practice.

The E-Balanced Scorecard (e-BSC) for Measuring Academic Staff Performance Excellence

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, May Leen; Hamid, Suraya; Ijab, Mohamad Taha; Soo, Hsaio Pei

2009-01-01

This research paper is a pilot study that investigated the suitability of adopting an automated balanced scorecard for managing and measuring the performance excellence of academic staffs in the higher education setting. A comprehensive study of related literature with requirements elicited from the target population in a selected premier…

Resident Reactions to Person-Centered Communication by Long-Term Care Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Savundranayagam, Marie Y; Sibalija, Jovana; Scotchmer, Emma

2016-09-01

Long-term care staff caregivers who are person centered incorporate the life history, preferences, and feelings of residents with dementia during care interactions. Communication is essential for person-centered care. However, little is known about residents' verbal reactions when staff use person-centered communication. Accordingly, this study investigated the impact of person-centered communication and missed opportunities for such communication by staff on resident reactions. Conversations (N = 46) between staff-resident dyads were audio-recorded during routine care tasks over 12 weeks. Staff utterances were coded for person-centered communication and missed opportunities. Resident utterances were coded for positive reactions, such as cooperation, and negative reactions, such as distress. Linear regression analyses revealed that the more staff used person-centered communication, the more likely that residents reacted positively. Additionally, the more missed opportunities in a conversation, the more likely that the residents reacted negatively. Conversation illustrations elaborate on the quantitative findings and implications for staff training are discussed. © The Author(s) 2016.

School staff autonomy and educational performance: within school type evidence

OpenAIRE

VERSCHELDE, Marijn; HINDRIKS, Jean; RAYP, Glenn; SCHOORS, Koen

2012-01-01

This paper shows the effect of school staff autonomy on educational performance. The distinctive feature with existing literature is that we employ variation in autonomy within the same country and within the same school type to reduce the omitted variables problems. To fully capture the informational advantage of local actors, we define autonomy as the operational empowerment of the school’s direction and teachers. The Flemish secondary school system in Belgium is analyzed as it displays uni...

Student and Staff Perceptions of a Learning Management System for Blended Learning in Teacher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Kathryn A.; Prieto-Rodriguez, Elena

2018-01-01

Higher education institutions routinely use Learning Management Systems (LMS) for multiple purposes; to organise coursework and assessment, to facilitate staff and student interactions, and to act as repositories of learning objects. The analysis reported here involves staff (n = 46) and student (n = 470) responses to surveys as well as data…

Methods to improve routine bioassay monitoring for freshly separated, poorly transported plutonium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bihl, D.E.; Lynch, T.P.; Carbaugh, E.H.; Sula, M.J.

1988-09-01

Several human cases involving inhalation of plutonium oxide at Hanford have shown clearance half-times from the lung that are much longer than the 500-day half-time recommended for class Y plutonium in Publication 30 of the International Commission on Radiological Protection(ICRP). The more tenaciously retained material is referred to as super class Y plutonium. The ability to detect super class Y plutonium by current routine bioassay measurements is shown to be poor. Pacific Northwest Laboratory staff involved in the Hanford Internal Dosimetry Program investigated four methods to se if improvements in routine monitoring of workers for fresh super class Y plutonium are feasible. The methods were lung counting, urine sampling, fecal sampling, and use of diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (DTPA) to enhance urinary excretion. Use of DTPA was determined to be not feasible. Routine fecal sampling was found to be feasible but not recommended. Recommendations were made to improve the detection level for routine annual urinalysis and routine annual lung counting. 12 refs., 9 figs., 7 tabs

Ethnographic study of ICT-supported collaborative work routines in general practice

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Health informatics research has traditionally been dominated by experimental and quasi-experimental designs. An emerging area of study in organisational sociology is routinisation (how collaborative work practices become business-as-usual). There is growing interest in the use of ethnography and other in-depth qualitative approaches to explore how collaborative work routines are enacted and develop over time, and how electronic patient records (EPRs) are used to support collaborative work practices within organisations. Methods/design Following Feldman and Pentland, we will use 'the organisational routine' as our unit of analysis. In a sample of four UK general practices, we will collect narratives, ethnographic observations, multi-modal (video and screen capture) data, documents and other artefacts, and analyse these to map and compare the different understandings and enactments of three common routines (repeat prescribing, coding and summarising, and chronic disease surveillance) which span clinical and administrative spaces and which, though 'mundane', have an important bearing on quality and safety of care. In a detailed qualitative analysis informed by sociological theory, we aim to generate insights about how complex collaborative work is achieved through the process of routinisation in healthcare organisations. Discussion Our study offers the potential not only to identify potential quality failures (poor performance, errors, failures of coordination) in collaborative work routines but also to reveal the hidden work and workarounds by front-line staff which bridge the model-reality gap in EPR technologies and via which "automated" safety features have an impact in practice. PMID:21190583

Effectiveness of behavioral skills training on staff performance in a job training setting for high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Palmen, A.M.J.W.; Didden, H.C.M.; Korzilius, H.P.L.M.

2010-01-01

Few studies have focused on improving staff performance in naturalistic training settings for high-functioning adolescents with autism spectrum disorders. Behavioral skills training, consisting of group instruction and supervisory feedback, was used to improve staff performance on (a) providing

Investigating the relationship between emotional displays of nursing managers and the performance of nursing staff (Case study: Dr. Shariati Hospital, Tehran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahra Riahi Paghaleh

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Emotional display is the management and proper expression of correct emotions consistent with organizational and profession rules. One of the factors affecting the occupational performance is the skills of the managers in control and effective use of excitement. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between nursing managers' emotional display and the performance of nursing staff. The study population consisted of all managers and nursing staff of Shariati Hospital, Tehran in 2015 who were selected using census method. The instruments were Dindorf et al. emotional display questionnaire and Paterson's job performance questionnaire whose validity and reliability were confirmed. Data were analyzed with Spearman correlation Coefficient, independent t-test, and ANOVA using SPSS software. "Real-emotion display" of nursing managers had a significant correlation with nursing staff performance (P=0.02, r=0.203. But "superficial and deep display of emotions" of the managers did not. There were no significant correlations between emotional display with age and work experience in managers and between job performance with marital status, gender, and age and work experience in nursing staff (P>0.05. The results showed that design and mplementation of training courses about emotional display are necessary in managers in order to improve the job performance of nursing staff.

Virtual microscopy: an evaluation of its validity and diagnostic performance in routine histologic diagnosis of skin tumors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Patricia Switten; Lindebjerg, Jan; Rasmussen, Jan

2010-01-01

Digitization of histologic slides is associated with many advantages, and its use in routine diagnosis holds great promise. Nevertheless, few articles evaluate virtual microscopy in routine settings. This study is an evaluation of the validity and diagnostic performance of virtual microscopy...... in routine histologic diagnosis of skin tumors. Our aim is to investigate whether conventional microscopy of skin tumors can be replaced by virtual microscopy. Ninety-six skin tumors and skin-tumor-like changes were consecutively gathered over a 1-week period. Specimens were routinely processed, and digital...... slides were captured on Mirax Scan (Carl Zeiss MicroImaging, Göttingen, Germany). Four pathologists evaluated the 96 virtual slides and the associated 96 conventional slides twice with intermediate time intervals of at least 3 weeks. Virtual slides that caused difficulties were reevaluated to identify...

Bedtime routines child wellbeing & development.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitsaras, George; Goodwin, Michaela; Allan, Julia; Kelly, Michael P; Pretty, Iain A

2018-03-21

Bedtime routines has shown important associations with areas associated with child wellbeing and development. Research into bedtime routines is limited with studies mainly focusing on quality of sleep. The objectives of the present study were to examine the relationship between bedtime routines and a variety of factors associated with child wellbeing and to examine possible determinants of bedtime routines. A total of 50 families with children between 3 and 5 years old took part in the study. Data on bedtime routines, parenting styles, school readiness, children's dental health, and executive function were collected. Children in families with optimal bedtime routines showed better performance in terms of executive function, specifically working memory (t (44)= - 8.51, p ≤ .001), inhibition and attention (t (48)= - 9.70, p ≤ .001) and cognitive flexibility (t (48)= - 13.1, p ≤ .001). Also, children in households with optimal bedtime routines scored higher in their readiness for school (t (48)= 6.92, p ≤ .001) and had better dental health (U = 85.5, p = .011). Parents in households with suboptimal bedtime routines showed worse performance on all measures of executive function including working memory (t (48)= - 10.47, p ≤ .001), inhibition-attention (t (48)= - 10.50, p ≤ .001) and cognitive flexibility (t (48)= - 13.6, p ≤ .001). Finally, parents with optimal bedtime routines for their children deployed a more positive parenting style in general (i.e. authoritative parenting) compared to those with suboptimal bedtime routines (t (48)= - 6.45, p ≤ .001). The results of the present study highlight the potentially important role of bedtime routines in a variety of areas associated with child wellbeing and the need for further research.

Job and task analysis for technical staff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toline, B.C.

1991-01-01

In September of 1989 Cooper Nuclear Station began a project to upgrade the Technical Staff Training Program. This project's roots began by performing job and Task Analysis for Technical Staff. While the industry has long been committed to Job and Task Analysis to target performance based instruction for single job positions, this approach was unique in that it was not originally considered appropriate for a group as diverse as Tech Staff. Much to his satisfaction the Job and Task Analysis Project was much less complicated for Technical Staff than the author had imagined. The benefits of performing the Job and Task Analysis for Technical Staff have become increasingly obvious as he pursues lesson plan development and course revisions. The outline for this presentation will be as follows: philosophy adopted; preparation of the job survey document; performing the job analysis; performing task analysis for technical staff and associated pitfalls; clustering objectives for training and comparison to existing program; benefits now and in the future; final phase (comparison to INPO guides and meeting the needs of non-degreed engineering professionals); and conclusion. By focusing on performance based needs for engineers rather than traditional academics for training the author is confident the future Technical Staff Program will meet the challenges ahead and will exceed requirements for accreditation

Routines and Organizational Change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yi, Sangyoon; Becker, Markus; Knudsen, Thorbjørn

2014-01-01

Routines have been perceived as a source of inertia in the process of organizational change. In this study, we suggest an overlooked, but prevalent, mechanism by which the inertial nature of routines helps, rather than hinders, organizational adaptation. Routine-level inertia plays a hidden role...... to cope with its task environment. In our nuanced perspective, inertia is not only a consequence of adaptation but also a source of adaptation. This logic is helpful to understand why reliable but apparently inertial organizations keep surviving and often exhibit outstanding performance. We conclude...

Eye lens exposure to medical staff performing electrophysiology procedures: dose assessment and correlation to patient dose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ciraj-Bjelac, Olivera; Bozovic, Predrag; Arandjic, Danijela; Antic, Vojislav; Selakovic, Jovana; Pavlovic, Sinisa

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the patient exposure and staff eye dose levels during implantation procedures for all types of pacemaker therapy devices performed under fluoroscopic guidance and to investigate potential correlation between patients and staff dose levels. The mean eye dose during pacemaker/defibrillator implementation was 12 μSv for the first operator, 8.7 μSv for the second operator/nurse and 0.50 μSv for radiographer. Corresponding values for cardiac re-synchronisation therapy procedures were 30, 26 and 2.0 μSv, respectively. Significant (p < 0.01) correlation between the eye dose and the kerma-area product was found for the first operator and radiographers, but not for other staff categories. The study revealed eye dose per procedure and eye dose normalised to patient dose indices for different staff categories and provided an input for radiation protection in electrophysiology procedures. (authors)

Competing Stimuli in the Treatment of Multiply Controlled Problem Behavior during Hygiene Routines

Science.gov (United States)

Long, Ethan S.; Hagopian, Louis P.; DeLeon, Iser G.; Marhefka, Jean Marie; Resau, Dawn

2005-01-01

The current study describes the use of noncontingent competing stimuli in the treatment of problem behavior exhibited by three individuals during staff-assisted hygiene routines. Functional analyses revealed that particular topographies of problem behaviors appeared to be maintained by their own sensory consequences, whereas other topographies…

Routine Responses to Disruption of Routines

Science.gov (United States)

Guha, Mahua

2015-01-01

"Organisational routines" is a widely studied research area. However, there is a dearth of research on disruption of routines. The few studies on disruption of routines discussed problem-solving activities that are carried out in response to disruption. In contrast, this study develops a theory of "solution routines" that are a…

20 CFR 900.5 - Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Staff. 900.5 Section 900.5 Employees' Benefits JOINT BOARD FOR THE ENROLLMENT OF ACTUARIES STATEMENT OF ORGANIZATION § 900.5 Staff. (a) The... the Act and performs such other functions as the Board may delegate to him. (b) Members of the staffs...

14 CFR 1310.6 - Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Staff. 1310.6 Section 1310.6 Aeronautics... GUARANTEED LOAN § 1310.6 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director advises and assists the Board... administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and performs such other duties as the...

Routine dosimetry in a nuclear medicine department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dreuille, O. de; Carbonieres, H. de; Briand-Champlong, J.; Foehrenbach, H.; Guevel, E.; Maserlin, P.; Gaillard, J.F.; Treguier, J.Y.

2002-01-01

The nuclear medicine department of the Val de Grace Hospital, in cooperation with the Radiological Protection Army Service, has performed an evaluation of the staff's radio-exposure based on routine dosimetry for six months. The most exposed people are the technicians (2.6 mSv/yr) and the nurse (1.7 mS/yr). The nuclear medicine physicians (0.6 mSv/yr) and the secretaries (0.07 mSv/yr) are far less exposed. The most irradiant occupations are the preparation and the injection of the radiopharmaceuticals (18 mSv/dy) and the realization of the Positron Emission Tomography examinations (19 mSv/dy). The increasing number of PET exams and the development of new tomographs, requiring higher activities, will still increase the exposition level of this working post. This study demonstrates that the exposition doses in nuclear medicine are low compared to the regular limits. Based on these results, only the technicians and the nurse are relevant to the A class. However, these dose levels cannot be neglected for particular positions such as the injection and the PET management. (author)

Preventing work-related stress among staff working in children's cancer Principal Treatment Centres in the UK: a brief survey of staff support systems and practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Beresford, B; Gibson, F; Bayliss, J; Mukherjee, S

2018-03-01

Growing evidence of the association between health professionals' well-being and patient and organisational outcomes points to the need for effective staff support. This paper reports a brief survey of the UK's children's cancer Principal Treatment Centres (PTCs) regarding staff support systems and practices. A short on-line questionnaire, administered in 2012-2013, collected information about the availability of staff support interventions which seek to prevent work-related stress among different members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT). It was completed by a member of staff with, where required, assistance from colleagues. All PTCs (n = 19) participated. Debriefs following a patient death was the most frequently reported staff support practice. Support groups were infrequently mentioned. There was wide variability between PTCs, and between professional groups, regarding the number and type of interventions available. Doctors appear to be least likely to have access to support. A few Centres routinely addressed work-related stress in wider staff management strategies. Two Centres had developed a bespoke intervention. Very few Centres were reported to actively raise awareness of support available from their hospital's Occupational Health department. A minority of PTCs had expert input regarding staff support from clinical psychology/liaison psychiatry. © 2016 The Authors. European Journal of Cancer Care Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Maintaining Nursing Staff Performance on an Intensive Behavior Therapy Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Marshall, B. D., Jr.; And Others

1983-01-01

The authors suggest ways to establish quality behavioral programs within a hospital for the mentally ill. They emphasize the importance of staff morale, consistency of effort, teamwork, staff training and reinforcement. Procedures said to be responsible for successful maintenance include a flexible credit economy system. (Author/CL)

THE IMPROVEMENT OF STAFF PERFORMANCE THROUGH VARIATION OF LEADERSHIP APPROACH AT STATE VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL (SMKN 2 METRO ACADEMIC YEAR 2015/2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sutarman - -

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract : SMKN 2 Metro, as one of vocational high schools potentially becomes a reference school, need to deal that possibility with high performace both teachers and staff. Reference school requires all staffs to manage and organize the school establishment in accordance with quality management procedure and do their best to improve their competency and qualification. The improvement of their competency and qualification is a supporting factor of the service provided by the school to all stake holders at SMKN 2 Metro. The aim of the research is to improve the performance of the staff at SMKN 2 Metro.It was school action research applied. This research was conducted to improve working situation and process to overcome problems of the school. SMKN 2 Metro is located at Street Yos Sudars, West Metro of Metro Municipal City. The subjcts of the research were staff consist of 13 civil servants (PNS and 20 volunteer (PTT. It was done for three months from February to April 2015.The researcher was able to conclude that staff performance at SMKN 2 Metro improved when variation of leadership approach applied. This conclusion was supported by some findings. There was linear improvement of staff performance both PNS and PTT. The improvement of PTT performance was better than PNS in the beggining of the treatment, bu then they reached the same quality of improvement. Coersive power needed to be apllied more intensive in the beggining although applied with very careful manner. Flexible leadership approach must equip authoritative approach. Reward, even in smallest amount of recognition, must be applied more intensive.   Key Words: Approach, Performance, Staff

Attitudes of nursing staff towards electronic patient records: a questionnaire survey.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veer, A.J.E. de; Francke, A.L.

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: A growing number of health care organizations are implementing a system of electronic patient records (EPR). This implies a change in work routines for nursing staff, but it could also be regarded as an opportunity to improve the quality of care. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is

Oblique Chest Views as a Routine Part of Skeletal Surveys Performed for Possible Physical Abuse--Is This Practice Worthwhile?

Science.gov (United States)

Hansen, Karen Kirhofer; Prince, Jeffrey S.; Nixon, G. William

2008-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the utility of oblique chest views in the diagnosis of rib fractures when used as a routine part of the skeletal survey performed for possible physical abuse. Methods: Oblique chest views have been part of the routine skeletal survey protocol at Primary Children's Medical Center since October 2002. Dictated radiology reports…

The nursing staff's opinion of falls among older persons with dementia. a cross-sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slaasletten Randi

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract The aim of this study was to describe the nursing staff's opinion of caring for older persons with dementia with the focus on causes of falls, fall-preventing interventions, routines of documentation and report and the nursing staff's experiences and reactions when fall incidents occur. A further aim was to compare these areas between registered nurses (RNs and enrolled nurses (ENs and staff with ≤5 and >5 years of employment in the care units in question. Background Falls are common among older people and persons with dementia constitute an additional risk group. Methods The study had a cross-sectional design and included nursing staff (n = 63, response rate 66% working in four special care units for older persons with dementia. Data collection was conducted with a questionnaire consisting of 64 questions. Results The respondents reported that the individuals' mental and physical impairment constitute the most frequent causes of falls. The findings also revealed a lack of, or uncertainty about, routines of documentation and reporting fall-risk and fall-preventing interventions. Respondents who had been employed in the care units more than five years reported to a higher degree that colours and material on floors caused falls. RNs considered the residents' autonomy and freedom of movement as a cause of falls to a significantly higher degree than ENs. RNs also reported a significantly longer time than ENs before fall incidents were discovered, and they used conversation and closeness as fall-preventing interventions to a significantly higher degree than ENs. Conclusions Individual factors were the most common causes to falls according to the nursing staff. RNs used closeness and dialog as interventions to a significantly higher degree to prevent falls than ENs. Caring of for older people with dementia consisted of a comprehensive on-going assessment by the nursing staff to balance the residents' autonomy-versus-control to minimise fall

Routine outcome measurement in mental health service consumers: who should provide support for the self-assessments?

Science.gov (United States)

Gelkopf, Marc; Pagorek-Eshel, Shira; Trauer, Tom; Roe, David

2015-06-01

This study examined whether mental health community service users completed outcome self-reports differently when assessments were supervised by internal vs. external staff. The examination of potential differences between the two has useful implications for mental health systems that take upon themselves the challenge of Routine Outcome Measurement (ROM), as it might impact allocation of public resources and managed care program planning. 73 consumers completed the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA), a shortened version of the Recovery Assessment Scale (RAS), and a functioning questionnaire. Questionnaires were administered, once using support provided by internal staff and once using support provided by external professional staff, with a one-month time interval and in random order. A MANOVA Repeated Measures showed no differences in outcomes of quality of life and recovery between internal and external support. Functioning scores were higher for the internal support when the internal assessments were performed first. Overall, except for the differences in functioning assessment, outcome scores were not determined by the supporting agency. This might indicate that when measuring quality of life and recovery, different supporting methods can be used to gather outcome measures and internal staff might be a good default agency to do this. Differences found in functioning assessment are discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Necessity of Internal Monitoring for Nuclear Medicine Staff in a Large Specialized Chinese Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hong-Bo; Zhang, Qing-Zhao; Zhang, Zhen; Hou, Chang-Song; Li, Wen-Liang; Yang, Hui; Sun, Quan-Fu

2016-04-12

This work intends to quantify the risk of internal contaminations in the nuclear medicine staff of one hospital in Henan province, China. For this purpose, the criteria proposed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to determine whether it is necessary to conduct internal individual monitoring was applied to all of the 18 nuclear medicine staff members who handled radionuclides. The activity of different radionuclides used during a whole calendar year and the protection measures adopted were collected for each staff member, and the decision as to whether nuclear medicine staff in the hospital should be subjected to internal monitoring was made on the basis of the criteria proposed by IAEA. It is concluded that for all 18 members of the nuclear medicine staff in the hospital, internal monitoring is required. Internal exposure received by nuclear medicine staff should not be ignored, and it is necessary to implement internal monitoring for nuclear medicine staff routinely.

Problem of routine photofluorography of the lungs of patients and medical personnel

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lehtinen, E; Pakkanen, J; Geiger, U [Zentralkrankenhaus, Tampere (Finland). Roentgendiagnostische Abteilung

1978-02-01

In the years 1974 and 1975 4,248 staff members of the hospital and 12,880 patients have been examined by photofluorography of the Central Hospital in Tampere. At the time of the examination no actual pulmonary or cardiac diseases were known to these patients. Among the staff two new cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis were found. Among the patients seven cases of reactivated pulmonary tuberculosis were found. Altogether there were 17 remarkable radiological results leading to treatment or follow-up examinations. A malignant pulmonary tumour was not found. The low number of positive results is not in a reasonable relation to the radiation risk; thus routine photofluorography is not indicated. Serial examinations of the staff should be continued. These examinations, however, should be made with large-size pictures, so that the radiation dose is reduced to about 20%.

Gender Performativity in the Community College: A Case Study of Female Backline Classified Staff

Science.gov (United States)

Powers, Samantha Rose

2012-01-01

This case study explored the gendered performances of five female backline classified staff members who work in non-traditional fields within a community college. More specifically, this study defined gendered behaviors at a community college, and explored how these behaviors have affected the identities of women working in non-traditional fields…

Technique for comparing automatic quadrature routines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lyness, J N; Kaganove, J J

1976-02-01

The present unconstrained proliferation of automatic quadrature routines is a phenomenon which is wasteful in human time and computing resources. At the root of the problem is an absence of generally acceptable standards or benchmarks for comparing or evaluating such routines. In this paper a general technique, based on the nature of the performance profile, is described which can be used for evaluation of routines.

Staff development and employee welfare practices and their effect ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Every organization primarily needs committed and dedicated staff that will help the ... are being offered to increase staff competence, efficiencies and performance. ... staff welfare practices and how these affect productivity and performance.

TOF plotter - a program to perform routine analysis time-of-flight mass spectral data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knippel, Brad C.; Padgett, Clifford W.; Marcus, R. Kenneth

2004-01-01

The main article discusses the operation and application of the program to mass spectral data files. This laboratory has recently reported the construction and characterization of a linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ToF-MS) utilizing a radio frequency glow discharge ionization source. Data acquisition and analysis was performed using a digital oscilloscope and Microsoft Excel, respectively. Presently, no software package is available that is specifically designed for time-of-flight mass spectral analysis that is not instrument dependent. While spreadsheet applications such as Excel offer tremendous utility, they can be cumbersome when repeatedly performing tasks which are too complex or too user intensive for macros to be viable. To address this situation and make data analysis a faster, simpler task, our laboratory has developed a Microsoft Windows-based software program coded in Microsoft Visual Basic. This program enables the user to rapidly perform routine data analysis tasks such as mass calibration, plotting and smoothing on x-y data sets. In addition to a suite of tools for data analysis, a number of calculators are built into the software to simplify routine calculations pertaining to linear ToF-MS. These include mass resolution, ion kinetic energy and single peak identification calculators. A detailed description of the software and its associated functions is presented followed by a characterization of its performance in the analysis of several representative ToF-MS spectra obtained from different GD-ToF-MS systems

Advance Care Planning: Understanding Clinical Routines and Experiences of Interprofessional Team Members in Diverse Health Care Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Arnett, Kelly; Sudore, Rebecca L; Nowels, David; Feng, Cindy X; Levy, Cari R; Lum, Hillary D

2017-12-01

Interprofessional health care team members consider advance care planning (ACP) to be important, yet gaps remain in systematic clinical routines to support ACP. A clearer understanding of the interprofessional team members' perspectives on ACP clinical routines in diverse settings is needed. One hundred eighteen health care team members from community-based clinics, long-term care facilities, academic clinics, federally qualified health centers, and hospitals participated in a 35-question, cross-sectional online survey to assess clinical routines, workflow processes, and policies relating to ACP. Respondents were 53% physicians, 18% advanced practice nurses, 11% nurses, and 18% other interprofessional team members including administrators, chaplains, social workers, and others. Regarding clinical routines, respondents reported that several interprofessional team members play a role in facilitating ACP (ie, physician, social worker, nurse, others). Most (62%) settings did not have, or did not know of, policies related to ACP documentation. Only 14% of settings had a patient education program. Two-thirds of the respondents said that addressing ACP is a high priority and 85% felt that nonphysicians could have ACP conversations with appropriate training. The clinical resources needed to improve clinical routines included training for providers and staff, dedicated staff to facilitate ACP, and availability of patient/family educational materials. Although interprofessional health care team members consider ACP a priority and several team members may be involved, clinical settings lack systematic clinical routines to support ACP. Patient educational materials, interprofessional team training, and policies to support ACP clinical workflows that do not rely solely on physicians could improve ACP across diverse clinical settings.

An Exploratory Study of the Relationship Between the Big-Five Personality Dimensions and Political Skills with Military Staff Members’ Perceived Performance

OpenAIRE

Alicia Ohlsson; Rhino Bandelitz Johansen; Gerry Larsson

2017-01-01

The purpose was to explore the relationship and mediation effects between the Big Five personality dimensions, and political skill with military staff members’ perceived performance. The sample included 185 Armed Forces International staff members from several military education facilities. The results indicated that the PSI and several personality dimensions were positively correlated with individuals’ perceived performance. In addition, the personality dimension Conscientiousness acted as a...

Implications of staff 'churn' for nurse managers, staff, and patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Duffield, Christine; Roche, Michael; O'Brien-Pallas, Linda; Catling-Paull, Christine

2009-01-01

In this article, the term "churn" is used not only because of the degree of change to staffing, but also because some of the reasons for staff movement are not classified as voluntary turnover. The difficulties for the nurse managing a unit with the degree of "churn" should not be under-estimated. Changes to skill mix and the proportions of full-time, agency, and temporary staff present challenges in providing clinical leadership, scheduling staff, performance management, and supervision. Perhaps more importantly, it is likely that there is an impact on the continuity of care provided in the absence of continuity of staffing. A greater understanding of the human and financial costs and consequences, and a willingness to change established practices at the institutional and ward level, are needed.

Assessing barriers to adherence in routine clinical care for pediatric kidney transplant patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Varnell, Charles D; Rich, Kristin L; Nichols, Melissa; Dahale, Devesh; Goebel, Jens W; Pai, Ahna L H; Hooper, David K; Modi, Avani C

2017-11-01

Patient-identified barriers to immunosuppressive medications are associated with poor adherence and negative clinical outcomes in transplant patients. Assessment of adherence barriers is not part of routine post-transplant care, and studies regarding implementing such a process in a reliable way are lacking. Using the Model for Improvement and PDSA cycles, we implemented a system to identify adherence barriers, including patient-centered design of a barriers assessment tool, identification of eligible patients, clear roles for clinic staff, and creating a culture of non-judgmental discussion around adherence. We performed time-series analysis of our process measure. Secondary analyses examined the endorsement and concordance of adherence barriers between patient-caregiver dyads. After three methods of testing, the most reliable delivery system was an EHR-integrated tablet that alerted staff of patient eligibility for assessment. Barriers were endorsed by 35% of caregivers (n=85) and 43% of patients (n=60). The most frequently patient-endorsed barriers were forgetting, poor taste, and side effects. Caregivers endorsed forgetting and side effects. Concordance between patient-caregiver dyads was fair (k=0.299). Standardized adherence barriers assessment is feasible in the clinical care of pediatric kidney transplant patients. Features necessary for success included automation, redundant systems with designated staff to identify and mitigate failures, aligned reporting structures, and reliable measurement approaches. Future studies will examine whether barriers predict clinical outcomes (eg, organ rejection, graft loss). © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Image quality validation of Sentinel 2 Level-1 products: performance status at the beginning of the constellation routine phase

Science.gov (United States)

Francesconi, Benjamin; Neveu-VanMalle, Marion; Espesset, Aude; Alhammoud, Bahjat; Bouzinac, Catherine; Clerc, Sébastien; Gascon, Ferran

2017-09-01

Sentinel-2 is an Earth Observation mission developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) in the frame of the Copernicus program of the European Commission. The mission is based on a constellation of 2-satellites: Sentinel-2A launched in June 2015 and Sentinel-2B launched in March 2017. It offers an unprecedented combination of systematic global coverage of land and coastal areas, a high revisit of five days at the equator and 2 days at mid-latitudes under the same viewing conditions, high spatial resolution, and a wide field of view for multispectral observations from 13 bands in the visible, near infrared and short wave infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The mission performances are routinely and closely monitored by the S2 Mission Performance Centre (MPC), including a consortium of Expert Support Laboratories (ESL). This publication focuses on the Sentinel-2 Level-1 product quality validation activities performed by the MPC. It presents an up-to-date status of the Level-1 mission performances at the beginning of the constellation routine phase. Level-1 performance validations routinely performed cover Level-1 Radiometric Validation (Equalisation Validation, Absolute Radiometry Vicarious Validation, Absolute Radiometry Cross-Mission Validation, Multi-temporal Relative Radiometry Vicarious Validation and SNR Validation), and Level-1 Geometric Validation (Geolocation Uncertainty Validation, Multi-spectral Registration Uncertainty Validation and Multi-temporal Registration Uncertainty Validation). Overall, the Sentinel-2 mission is proving very successful in terms of product quality thereby fulfilling the promises of the Copernicus program.

MO-DE-BRA-04: Hands-On Fluoroscopy Safety Training with Real-Time Patient and Staff Dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanderhoek, M; Bevins, N

2016-01-01

Purpose: Fluoroscopically guided interventions (FGI) are routinely performed across many different hospital departments. However, many involved staff members have minimal training regarding safe and optimal use of fluoroscopy systems. We developed and taught a hands-on fluoroscopy safety class incorporating real-time patient and staff dosimetry in order to promote safer and more optimal use of fluoroscopy during FGI. Methods: The hands-on fluoroscopy safety class is taught in an FGI suite, unique to each department. A patient equivalent phantom is set on the patient table with an ion chamber positioned at the x-ray beam entrance to the phantom. This provides a surrogate measure of patient entrance dose. Multiple solid state dosimeters (RaySafe i2 dosimetry systemTM) are deployed at different distances from the phantom (0.1, 1, 3 meters), which provide surrogate measures of staff dose. Instructors direct participating clinical staff to operate the fluoroscopy system as they view live fluoroscopic images, patient entrance dose, and staff doses in real-time. During class, instructors work with clinical staff to investigate how patient entrance dose, staff doses, and image quality are affected by different parameters, including pulse rate, magnification, collimation, beam angulation, imaging mode, system geometry, distance, and shielding. Results: Real-time dose visualization enables clinical staff to directly see and learn how to optimize their use of their own fluoroscopy system to minimize patient and staff dose, yet maintain sufficient image quality for FGI. As a direct result of the class, multiple hospital departments have implemented changes to their imaging protocols, including reduction of the default fluoroscopy pulse rate and increased use of collimation and lower dose fluoroscopy modes. Conclusion: Hands-on fluoroscopy safety training substantially benefits from real-time patient and staff dosimetry incorporated into the class. Real-time dose display helps

MO-DE-BRA-04: Hands-On Fluoroscopy Safety Training with Real-Time Patient and Staff Dosimetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vanderhoek, M; Bevins, N [Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI (United States)

2016-06-15

Purpose: Fluoroscopically guided interventions (FGI) are routinely performed across many different hospital departments. However, many involved staff members have minimal training regarding safe and optimal use of fluoroscopy systems. We developed and taught a hands-on fluoroscopy safety class incorporating real-time patient and staff dosimetry in order to promote safer and more optimal use of fluoroscopy during FGI. Methods: The hands-on fluoroscopy safety class is taught in an FGI suite, unique to each department. A patient equivalent phantom is set on the patient table with an ion chamber positioned at the x-ray beam entrance to the phantom. This provides a surrogate measure of patient entrance dose. Multiple solid state dosimeters (RaySafe i2 dosimetry systemTM) are deployed at different distances from the phantom (0.1, 1, 3 meters), which provide surrogate measures of staff dose. Instructors direct participating clinical staff to operate the fluoroscopy system as they view live fluoroscopic images, patient entrance dose, and staff doses in real-time. During class, instructors work with clinical staff to investigate how patient entrance dose, staff doses, and image quality are affected by different parameters, including pulse rate, magnification, collimation, beam angulation, imaging mode, system geometry, distance, and shielding. Results: Real-time dose visualization enables clinical staff to directly see and learn how to optimize their use of their own fluoroscopy system to minimize patient and staff dose, yet maintain sufficient image quality for FGI. As a direct result of the class, multiple hospital departments have implemented changes to their imaging protocols, including reduction of the default fluoroscopy pulse rate and increased use of collimation and lower dose fluoroscopy modes. Conclusion: Hands-on fluoroscopy safety training substantially benefits from real-time patient and staff dosimetry incorporated into the class. Real-time dose display helps

Quality in practice: integrating routine collection of patient language data into hospital practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Hudelson, Patricia; Dominicé Dao, Melissa; Durieux-Paillard, Sophie

2013-09-01

Timely identification of patients' language needs can facilitate the provision of language-appropriate services and contribute to quality of care, clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. At the University Hospitals of Geneva, Switzerland, timely organization of interpreter services was hindered by the lack of systematic patient language data collection. We explored the feasibility and acceptability of a procedure for collecting patient language data at the first point of contact, prior to its hospital-wide implementation. During a one-week period, receptionists and triage nurses in eight clinical services tested a new procedure for collecting patient language data. Patients were asked to identify their primary language and other languages they would be comfortable speaking with their doctor. Staff noted patients' answers on a paper form and provided informal feedback on their experience with the procedure. Registration staff encountered few difficulties collecting patient language data and thought that the two questions could easily be incorporated into existing administrative routines. Following the pilot test, two language fields with scroll-down language menus were added to the electronic patient file, and the subsequent filling-in of these fields has been rapid and hospital wide. Our experience suggests that routine collection of patient language data at first point of contact is both feasible and acceptable and that involving staff in a pilot project may facilitate hospital-wide implementation. Future efforts should focus on exploring the sensitivity and specificity of the proposed questions, as well as the impact of data collection on interpreter use.

Staff perceptions of quality of care: an observational study of the NHS Staff Survey in hospitals in England.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinder, Richard J; Greaves, Felix E; Aylin, Paul P; Jarman, Brian; Bottle, Alex

2013-07-01

There is some evidence to suggest that higher job satisfaction among healthcare staff in specific settings may be linked to improved patient outcomes. This study aimed to assess the potential of staff satisfaction to be used as an indicator of institutional performance across all acute National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in England. Using staff responses from the NHS Staff Survey 2009, and correlating these with hospital standardised mortality ratios (HSMR), correlation analyses were conducted at institutional level with further analyses of staff subgroups. Over 60 000 respondents from 147 NHS trusts were included in the analysis. There was a weak negative correlation with HSMR where staff agreed that patient care was their trust's top priority (Kendall τ = -0.22, psatisfaction with the quality of care delivered by oneself and institutional HSMR. In the context of the continued debate about the relationship of HSMR to hospital performance, these findings of a weak correlation between staff satisfaction and HSMR are intriguing and warrant further investigation. Such measures in the future have the advantage of being intuitive for lay and specialist audiences alike, and may be useful in facilitating patient choice. Whether higher staff satisfaction drives quality or merely reflects it remains unclear.

An Exploratory Study of the Relationship Between the Big-Five Personality Dimensions and Political Skills with Military Staff Members’ Perceived Performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicia Ohlsson

2017-10-01

Full Text Available The purpose was to explore the relationship and mediation effects between the Big Five personality dimensions, and political skill with military staff members’ perceived performance. The sample included 185 Armed Forces International staff members from several military education facilities. The results indicated that the PSI and several personality dimensions were positively correlated with individuals’ perceived performance. In addition, the personality dimension Conscientiousness acted as a statistically significant mediator between an individual’s use of political skills and their perceived performance. Practical considerations and future research directions are suggested.

Performance Indicators: Sickness and Absence Rates as Indicators of Staff Morale.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Sandra

Employee absenteeism is a problem faced by all library and information service managers as it erodes both salary budgets and productivity. It can have an undermining effect on staff morale, and may be an indicator of low staff motivation levels. There are two types of absence, unavoidable and avoidable, which can be measured using lost time and…

How Planful Is Routine Behavior? A Selective-Attention Model of Performance in the Tower of Hanoi

Science.gov (United States)

Patsenko, Elena G.; Altmann, Erik M.

2010-01-01

Routine human behavior has often been attributed to plans--mental representations of sequences goals and actions--but can also be attributed to more opportunistic interactions of mind and a structured environment. This study asks whether performance on a task traditionally analyzed in terms of plans can be better understood from a "situated" (or…

75 FR 57963 - Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff; Establishing the Performance...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-23

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-D-0459] Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff; Establishing the Performance Characteristics of In Vitro Diagnostic Devices for the Detection of Helicobacter pylori; Availability AGENCY: Food...

Chemical protective clothing; a study into the ability of staff to perform lifesaving procedures

Science.gov (United States)

Coates, M.; Jundi, A.; James, M.

2000-01-01

Objective—To investigate the ability of medical and nursing staff to perform certain tasks while wearing a chemical protection suit with a respirator. Tasks chosen were those that would be required before decontamination. Methods—Ten experienced accident and emergency doctors (middle grade and consultants) and 10 nurses were asked to perform certain tasks that were judged to be life saving, relevant to triage, or necessary to confirm death, on an advanced life support manikin, while wearing a TST-Sweden chemical protection suit. The operators were objectively assessed by one of the authors for achieving each task, then asked to make a subjective assessment of the difficulty experienced. Results—Medical staff were asked to ventilate the manikin using a bag-valve-mask, intubate within 30 seconds, apply monitor electrodes and cables and check cardiac rhythm, apply gel pads and defibrillate safely, and finally, fold the cruciform triage card to show "RED", and attach it to the manikin. All the doctors completed these tasks, except for one, who could only intubate the manikin after several attempts. Nursing staff were asked to open and apply an oxygen mask, adjust oxygen flow, size and insert an oropharyngeal airway, ventilate the manikin using a bag-valve-mask, apply a pressure bandage to a limb, and fold the cruciform triage card to show "YELLOW", and attach it to the manikin. All the nurses completed these tasks. Operators reported varying degrees of difficulty, the most difficult tasks were those requiring fine movements or delicate control. Generally, operators found the butyl rubber gloves cumbersome. Communication difficulties were frequently reported. Although only intubation was formally timed, tasks were perceived to take longer. Some operators found the suits too warm and uncomfortable. Conclusion—Should the need arise, the TST-Sweden chemical protection suits would enable experienced doctors and nurses to perform lifesaving measures effectively

A Systems View of the USMA Staff Redesign

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

McGinnis, Mike L

2004-01-01

...; a major hindrance to the Academy's pursuit of excellence and higher performance. This report presents a USMA staff design that will align and enhance the synergy between USMA staff elements, lower levels staffs, and the West Point Garrison Command.

Routine environmental monitoring schedule, calendar year 1997

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Markes, B.M., Westinghouse Hanford

1996-12-10

This document provides the Environmental Restorations Contractor (ERC) and the Project Hanford Management Contractor.(PHMC) a schedule in accordance with the WHC-CM-7-5, Environmental Compliance` and BHI- EE-02, Environmental Requirements, of monitoring and sampling routines for the Near-Field Monitoring (NFM) program during calendar year (CY) 1997. Every attempt will be made to consistently follow this schedule; any deviation from this schedule will be documented by an internal memorandum (DSI) explaining the reason for the deviation. The DSI will be issued by the scheduled performing organization and directed to Near-Field Monitoring. The survey frequencies for particular sites are determined by the technical judgment of Near- Field Monitoring and may depend on the site history, radiological status, use, and general conditions. Additional surveys may be requested at irregular frequencies if conditions warrant. All radioactive wastes sites are scheduled to be surveyed at least annually. Any newly discovered wastes sites not documented by this schedule will be included in the revised schedule for CY 1998. The outside perimeter road surveys of 200 East and West Area and the rail survey from the 300 Area to Columbia Center will be performed in the year 2000 per agreement with Department of Energy. Richland Field Office. This schedule does not discuss staffing needs, nor does it list the monitoring equipment to be used in completing specific routines. Personnel performing routines to meet this schedule shall communicate any need for assistance in completing these routines to Radiological Control management and Near-Field Monitoring. After each routine survey is completed, a copy of the survey record, maps, and data sheets will be forwarded to Near-Field Monitoring. These routine surveys will not be considered complete until this documentation is received. At the end of each month, the ERC and PHMC radiological control organizations shall forward a copy of the Routine

The significance of routines in nursing practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Rytterström, Patrik; Unosson, Mitra; Arman, Maria

2011-12-01

The aim of this study was to illuminate the significance of routines in nursing practice. Clinical nursing is performed under the guidance of routines to varying degrees. In the nursing literature, routine is described as having both negative and positive aspects, but use of the term is inconsistent, and empirical evidence is sparse. In the research on organisational routines, a distinction is made between routine as a rule and routine as action. A qualitative design using a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Data collection from three focus groups focused on nurses' experience of routines. Seventeen individual interviews from a previous study focusing on caring culture were also analysed in a secondary qualitative analysis. All participants were employed as 'qualified nursing pool' nurses. Routines are experienced as pragmatic, obstructive and meaningful. The aim of the pragmatic routine was to ensure that daily working life works; this routine is practised more on the basis of rational arguments and obvious intentions. The obstructive routine had negative consequences for nursing practice and was described as nursing losing its humanity and violating the patient's integrity. The meaningful routine involved becoming one with the routine and for the nurses, it felt right and meaningful to adapt to it. Routines become meaningful when the individual action is in harmony with the cultural pattern on which the nursing work is based. Instead of letting contemporary practice passively become routine, routines can be assessed and developed using research and theoretical underpinnings as a starting point for nursing practice. Leaders have a special responsibility to develop and support meaningful routines. One approach could be to let wards examine their routines from a patient perspective on the basis of the themes of pragmatic, meaningful and obstructive routine. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Academic Staff Development and Output in State Universities in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Data were collected from a sample of 402 academic staff. ... staff development and the productivity of academic staff in terms of research, teaching and community service. ... Keywords: Academic staff development; Performance management; Nigeria ... for Researchers · for Librarians · for Authors · FAQ's · More about AJOL ...

18 CFR 701.76 - The Water Resources Council Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... Council Staff. 701.76 Section 701.76 Conservation of Power and Water Resources WATER RESOURCES COUNCIL COUNCIL ORGANIZATION Headquarters Organization § 701.76 The Water Resources Council Staff. The Water Resources Council Staff (hereinafter the Staff) serves the Council and the Chairman in the performance of...

An intelligent stochastic optimization routine for nuclear fuel cycle design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parks, G.T.

1990-01-01

A simulated annealing (Metropolis algorithm) optimization routine named AMETROP, which has been developed for use on realistic nuclear fuel cycle problems, is introduced. Each stage of the algorithm is described and the means by which it overcomes or avoids the difficulties posed to conventional optimization routines by such problems are explained. Special attention is given to innovations that enhance AMETROP's performance both through artificial intelligence features, in which the routine uses the accumulation of data to influence its future actions, and through a family of simple performance aids, which allow the designer to use his heuristic knowledge to guide the routine's essentially random search. Using examples from a typical fuel cycle optimization problem, the performance of the stochastic Metropolis algorithm is compared to that of the only suitable deterministic routine in a standard software library, showing AMETROP to have many advantages

42 CFR 493.1267 - Standard: Routine chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Standard: Routine chemistry. 493.1267 Section 493.1267 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... Systems § 493.1267 Standard: Routine chemistry. For blood gas analyses, the laboratory must perform the...

Sugammadex compared with neostigmine/glycopyrrolate for routine reversal of neuromuscular block: a systematic review and economic evaluation†

Science.gov (United States)

Paton, F.; Paulden, M.; Chambers, D.; Heirs, M.; Duffy, S.; Hunter, J. M.; Sculpher, M.; Woolacott, N.

2010-01-01

Summary The cost-effectiveness of sugammadex for the routine reversal of muscle relaxation produced by rocuronium or vecuronium in UK practice is uncertain. We performed a systematic review of randomized controlled trials of sugammadex compared with neostigmine/glycopyrrolate and an economic assessment of sugammadex for the reversal of moderate or profound neuromuscular block (NMB) produced by rocuronium or vecuronium. The economic assessment aimed to establish the reduction in recovery time and the ‘value of time saved’ which would be necessary for sugammadex to be potentially cost-effective compared with existing practice. Three trials indicated that sugammadex 2 mg kg−1 (4 mg kg−1) produces more rapid recovery from moderate (profound) NMB than neostigmine/glycopyrrolate. The economic assessment indicated that if the reductions in recovery time associated with sugammadex in the trials are replicated in routine practice, sugammadex would be cost-effective if those reductions are achieved in the operating theatre (assumed value of staff time, £4.44 per minute), but not if they are achieved in the recovery room (assumed value of staff time, £0.33 per minute). However, there is considerable uncertainty in these results. Sugammadex has the potential to be cost-effective compared with neostigmine/glycopyrrolate for the reversal of rocuronium-induced moderate or profound NMB, provided that the time savings observed in trials can be achieved and put to productive use in clinical practice. Further research is required to evaluate the effects of sugammadex on patient safety, predictability of recovery from NMB, patient outcomes, and efficient use of resources. PMID:20935005

Development of Brigade Staff Tasks for the COBRAS II Brigade Staff Exercise

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Deter, Daniel

1998-01-01

... and development of simulation-based training for the conventional mounted brigade staff. The work was performed under a project called Combined Arms Operations at Brigade Level, Realistically Achieved Through Simulation (COBRAS).

Studying the impact of mental health on job performance of managers and staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Parviz Ahmadi

2012-08-01

Full Text Available The purpose of present research is to study the relationship between job performance and employees’ mental health in one of Iranian natural gas refinery located in city of Jam, Iran. Data collection was conducted based on two major characteristics of job performance and mental health based on questionnaire methods among 42 people. The methodology is descriptive and correlation – type and to analyze the data, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, variances equality tests as well as t-student were utilized. The findings show that there was a significant relationship between employees’ job performance and mental health and any increase in mental health aspects promotes job performance proportionally. In the meantime, there was no significant relationship between employees’ job performance and their gender and there was no significant difference on mental health status between male and female staff. Based on the results, one can conclude that low mental health level among employees can reduce their performance. Managers should use proper methods to decrease the negative consequences resulted from the lack of mental health in workplaces.

Integrating new practices: a qualitative study of how hospital innovations become routine.

Science.gov (United States)

Brewster, Amanda L; Curry, Leslie A; Cherlin, Emily J; Talbert-Slagle, Kristina; Horwitz, Leora I; Bradley, Elizabeth H

2015-12-05

Hospital quality improvement efforts absorb substantial time and resources, but many innovations fail to integrate into organizational routines, undermining the potential to sustain the new practices. Despite a well-developed literature on the initial implementation of new practices, we have limited knowledge about the mechanisms by which integration occurs. We conducted a qualitative study using a purposive sample of hospitals that participated in the State Action on Avoidable Rehospitalizations (STAAR) initiative, a collaborative to reduce hospital readmissions that encouraged members to adopt new practices. We selected hospitals where risk-standardized readmission rates (RSRR) had improved (n = 7) or deteriorated (n = 3) over the course of the first 2 years of the STAAR initiative (2010-2011 to 2011-2012) and interviewed a range of staff at each site (90 total). We recruited hospitals until reaching theoretical saturation. The constant comparative method was used to conduct coding and identification of key themes. When innovations were successfully integrated, participants consistently reported that a small number of key staff held the innovation in place for as long as a year while more permanent integrating mechanisms began to work. Depending on characteristics of the innovation, one of three categories of integrating mechanisms eventually took over the role of holding new practices in place. Innovations that proved intrinsically rewarding to the staff, by making their jobs easier or more gratifying, became integrated through shifts in attitudes and norms over time. Innovations for which the staff did not perceive benefits to themselves were integrated through revised performance standards if the innovation involved complex tasks and through automation if the innovation involved simple tasks. Hospitals have an opportunity to promote the integration of new practices by planning for the extended effort required to hold a new practice in place while

Staff experience and understanding of working with abused women suffering from mental illness.

Science.gov (United States)

Bengtsson-Tops, A; Saveman, B-I; Tops, D

2009-09-01

The phenomenon of abused women with mental illness is often unrecognised by staff working within welfare services. This may be explained by staff members' attitudes, insecurity or lack of awareness. Today, there are shortcomings in the knowledge of staff members' experiences and interpretations of abuse against women suffering from mental illness. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe how staff members experience and understand their work with abused women suffering from mental illness. Thematic interviews were conducted with 13 staff members from various welfare services. Data were subject to content analysis. The findings showed that working with abused women was experienced as ambiguous and painful and made the staff act pragmatically. Feelings of ambiguity were mainly related to the lack of theoretical frameworks for interpreting why women with mental illness are exposed to abuse. Painful experiences involved intertwined feelings of distress, frustration, worthlessness, ambivalence and powerlessness. These were all feelings that emerged in the direct encounters with the abused women. In response to the abused women's comprehensive needs, staff members acted pragmatically, implying networking without any sanction from the leaders of the organisation, compliance with routines and taking action in here-and-now situations. By acting pragmatically, staff members could achieve concrete results through their interventions. It is concluded that staff members, working with abused women with mental illness, are in a vulnerable situation and in need of formally accepted and implemented support and legitimacy as well as theoretical knowledge regarding causes and consequences of abuse in this particular group of women.

Status of cold chain in routine immunisation centres of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation in Quetta, Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Buledi, Rahim; Butt, Zahid Ahmad; Ahmed, Jamil; Alizai, Aamir Akram

2017-05-01

To determine the status of cold chain and knowledge and practices of health workers about cold chain maintenance in routine immunisation health centres. This cross-sectional study was conducted in Quetta, Pakistan, from May to July 2012, and comprised health facilities in the district. We interviewed the staff responsible for vaccine storage and cold chain maintenance and used a checklist to assess cold chain maintenance of routine expanded programme on immunisation vaccines. SPSS 16 was used for data analysis.. Of the 42 health facilities, staff of 13(30%) wrongly indicated that measles and Bacillus Calmette-Guérin were cold sensitive vaccines. Temperature of the ice-lined refrigerators was not maintained twice daily in 18(43%) centres. There were no voltage stabilisers and standby power generators in 31(74%) and 38(90%) centres, respectively. Vaccine arrangement was found to be inappropriate in ice-lined refrigerators of 38(90%) centres and ice packs were incorrectly used in carriers in 22(52%) centres. Vaccine stock was not charted in 39(93%) centres. Moreover, 4(10%) facilities did not have dedicated expanded programme on immunisation rooms whereas about 5(12%) and 33(79%) had no vaccinator and separate expanded programme on immunisation incharge appointed. Also, 32(76%) centres did not have a female vaccinator appointed. Although the majority of health staff had adequate knowledge, there were weaknesses in practice of maintaining the cold chain.

Occupational radiation exposure of medical staff performing 90Y-loaded microsphere radioembolization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laffont, Sophie; Ardisson, Valerie; Lenoir, Laurence; Rolland, Yan; Rohou, Tanguy; Edeline, Julien; Pracht, Marc; Sourd, Samuel Le; Lepareur, Nicolas; Garin, Etienne

2016-01-01

Radioembolization of liver cancer with 90 Y-loaded microspheres is increasingly used but data regarding hospital staff exposure are scarce. We evaluated the radiation exposure of medical staff while preparing and injecting 90 Y-loaded glass and resin microspheres especially in view of the increasing use of these products. Exposure of the chest and finger of the radiopharmacist, nuclear medicine physician and interventional radiologist during preparation and injection of 78 glass microsphere preparations and 16 resin microsphere preparations was monitored. Electronic dosimeters were used to measure chest exposure and ring dosimeters were used to measure finger exposure. Chest exposure was very low for both products used (<10 μSv from preparation and injection). In our experience, finger exposure was significantly lower than the annual limit of 500 mSv for both products. With glass microspheres, the mean finger exposure was 13.7 ± 5.2 μSv/GBq for the radiopharmacist, and initially 17.9 ± 5.4 μSv/GBq for the nuclear medicine physician reducing to 13.97 ± 7.9 μSv/GBq with increasing experience. With resin microspheres, finger exposure was more significant: mean finger exposure for the radiopharmacist was 295.1 ± 271.9 μSv/GBq but with a reduction with increasing experience to 97.5 ± 35.2 μSv/GBq for the six most recent dose preparations. For administration of resin microspheres, the greatest mean finger exposure for the nuclear medicine physician (the most exposed operator) was 235.5 ± 156 μSv/GBq. Medical staff performing 90 Y-loaded microsphere radioembolization procedures are exposed to safe levels of radiation. Exposure is lower than that from treatments using 131 I-lipiodol. The lowest finger exposure is from glass microspheres. With resin microspheres finger exposure is acceptable but could be optimized in accordance with the ALARA principle, and especially in view of the increasing use of radioembolization. (orig.)

Personal Staff - Joint Staff - The National Guard

Science.gov (United States)

the ARNG Deputy Director of the ARNG Chief of Staff of the ARNG Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Site Maintenance Battle Focused Training Strategy Battle Staff Training Resources News Publications March Today in Guard History Leadership CNGB VCNGB SEA DANG DARNG Joint Staff J-1 J-2 J-3 J-4 J-5 J-6 J

High beta radiation exposure of medical staff measures for optimisation of radiation protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barth, I.; Rimpler, A.

2006-01-01

Full text of publication follows: New therapies applying beta radionuclides have been introduced in medicine in recent years, especially in nuclear medicine, e. g. radio-synoviorthesis, radioimmunotherapy and palliative pain therapy. The preparation of radiopharmaceuticals, their dispensary as well as injection require the handling of vials and syringes with high activities of beta emitters at small distances to the skin. Thus the medical staff may be exposed to a high level of beta radiation. Hence the local skin dose, Hp(0,07), was measured at these workplaces with thin-layer thermoluminescent dosemeters TLD (LiF:Mg,P,Cu) fixed to the tip of the fingers at both hands of the personnel. In addition, official beta/photon ring dosemeters were worn at the first knuckle of the index finger. Very high local skin doses were measured at the tip of index finger and thumb. The findings indicate that the exposure of the staff can exceed the annual dose limit for skin of 500 mSv when working at a low protection standard. By the use of appropriate shieldings and tools (e.g. tweezers or forceps) the exposure was reduced of more than one order of magnitude. The German dosimetry services provide official beta/photon ring dosemeters for routine monitoring of the extremity exposure of occupationally exposed persons. But even monitoring with these official dosemeters does not provide suitable results to control compliance with the dose limit in the majority of cases because they can mostly not be worn at the spot of highest beta exposure (finger tip). Therefore, a study was performed to identify the difference of readings of official ring dosemeters and the maximum local skin dose at the finger tips. At workplaces of radio-synoviorthesis a correction factor of 3 was determined provided that the staff worked at high radiation protection standard and the ring dosemeters were worn at the first knuckle of the index finger. The correction factor increases significantly when the radiation

The implications of high-quality staff break areas for nurses' health, performance, job satisfaction and retention.

Science.gov (United States)

Nejati, Adeleh; Rodiek, Susan; Shepley, Mardelle

2016-05-01

The main study objective was to explore policy and design factors contributing to nurses' perception of how well-designed staff break areas can play an important beneficial role in relation to their overall job satisfaction, retention, performance and job-related health concerns. Nurses are extremely valuable to the healthcare industry; however, today's nursing profession is challenged by nurses' fatigue and its negative consequences on nurses' health and the quality of patient care they provide. Preliminary interviews were conducted with 10 nurses who worked as consultants in the healthcare design and construction industry. Based on findings, an online survey was developed and distributed to over 10 000 members of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses in the United States. The majority of nurses viewed high-quality break spaces as 'fairly' or 'very' important in terms of their potential to positively influence staff, patient and facility outcomes. Stress, rest breaks and the quality of break areas were some of the significant factors contributing to their perception. The results of this empirical study support the conclusion that improvements in healthcare facility policies regarding staff breaks, as well as the creation of better-designed break areas, can be of significant benefit for nurses and the patients that they serve. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Resolving and avoiding conflict with the professional staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Scher, S

1991-01-01

The professional staff perspective radically diverges from that of management. Whereas the professional staff sees the hospital in terms of its providing quality health care to each individual patient, hospital executives see the hospital in terms of its financial and systemwide performance. Unless these divergent perspectives are effectively integrated to solve problems and formulate hospital policies, chronic conflict between hospital management and the professional staff is inevitable.

Validation of the STAFF-5 computer model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fletcher, J.F.; Fields, S.R.

1981-04-01

STAFF-5 is a dynamic heat-transfer-fluid-flow stress model designed for computerized prediction of the temperature-stress performance of spent LWR fuel assemblies under storage/disposal conditions. Validation of the temperature calculating abilities of this model was performed by comparing temperature calculations under specified conditions to experimental data from the Engine Maintenance and Dissassembly (EMAD) Fuel Temperature Test Facility and to calculations performed by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) using the HYDRA-1 model. The comparisons confirmed the ability of STAFF-5 to calculate representative fuel temperatures over a considerable range of conditions, as a first step in the evaluation and prediction of fuel temperature-stress performance

Comparison of performance of tile drainage routines in SWAT 2009 and 2012 in an extensively tile-drained watershed in the Midwest

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Tian; Gitau, Margaret; Merwade, Venkatesh; Arnold, Jeffrey; Srinivasan, Raghavan; Hirschi, Michael; Engel, Bernard

2018-01-01

Subsurface tile drainage systems are widely used in agricultural watersheds in the Midwestern US and enable the Midwest area to become highly productive agricultural lands, but can also create environmental problems, for example nitrate-N contamination associated with drainage waters. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has been used to model watersheds with tile drainage. SWAT2012 revisions 615 and 645 provide new tile drainage routines. However, few studies have used these revisions to study tile drainage impacts at both field and watershed scales. Moreover, SWAT2012 revision 645 improved the soil moisture based curve number calculation method, which has not been fully tested. This study used long-term (1991-2003) field site and river station data from the Little Vermilion River (LVR) watershed to evaluate performance of tile drainage routines in SWAT2009 revision 528 (the old routine) and SWAT2012 revisions 615 and 645 (the new routine). Both the old and new routines provided reasonable but unsatisfactory (NSE runoff. The calibrated monthly tile flow, surface flow, nitrate-N in tile and surface flow, sediment and annual corn and soybean yield results from SWAT with the old and new tile drainage routines were compared with observed values. Generally, the new routine provided acceptable simulated tile flow (NSE = 0.48-0.65) and nitrate in tile flow (NSE = 0.48-0.68) for field sites with random pattern tile and constant tile spacing, while the old routine simulated tile flow and nitrate in tile flow results for the field site with constant tile spacing were unacceptable (NSE = 0.00-0.32 and -0.29-0.06, respectively). The new modified curve number calculation method in revision 645 (NSE = 0.50-0.81) better simulated surface runoff than revision 615 (NSE = -0.11-0.49). The calibration provided reasonable parameter sets for the old and new routines in the LVR watershed, and the validation results showed that the new routine has the potential to accurately

The Utrecht Health Project: Optimization of routine healthcare data for research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grobbee, Diederick E.; Hoes, Arno W.; Verheij, Theo J. M.; Schrijvers, Augustinus J. P.; Ameijden, Erik J. C. van; Numans, Mattijs E.

2005-01-01

Background. Research on the impact of changes in healthcare policy, developments in community and public health and determinants of health and disease during lifetime may effectively make use of routine healthcare data. These data, however, need to meet minimal criteria for quality and completeness. Research opportunities are further improved when routine data are supplemented with a standardized 'baseline' assessment of the full population. This formed the basis for a new study initiated in a newly developed large residential area in Leidsche Rijn, part of the city of Utrecht, the Netherlands.Methods. All new inhabitants are invited by their general practitioner to participate in the Utrecht Health Project (UHP). Informed consent is obtained and an individual health profile (IHP) is made by dedicated research nurses. The IHP is the starting point for the UHP research database as well as for the primary care electronic medical records. Follow-up data are collected through continuous linkage with the computerized medical files recorded by the general practitioners. UHP staff in each practice takes care of quality management of registration as well as data handling.Results. Currently, over 60 of invited new residents in the area have given informed consent with participation steadily increasing. Discussion. The Utrecht Health Project combines key elements of traditional epidemiologic cohort studies with the current power of routine electronic medical record keeping in primary care. The research approach optimizes routine health care data for use in scientific research

Predictors of routine episiotomy in primigravida women in Oman.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ghammari, Khadija; Al-Riyami, Zainab; Al-Moqbali, Moza; Al-Marjabi, Fatma; Al-Mahrouqi, Basma; Al-Khatri, Amal; Al-Khasawneh, Esra M

2016-02-01

Episiotomy is still the most common surgical procedure performed on women, despite the evidence against its routine use. This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the practice and predictors of routine episiotomy on primigravidae in Oman. Demographic data, reasons for and rate of performing routine episiotomies, and perceptions of 269 obstetricians, midwives and nurses from 11 hospitals in Oman regarding the procedure were recorded and analyzed. The rate of episiotomies was 66%. In terms of performing routine episiotomies (p<0.05): non-Omanis were 4.49 times more likely than Omanis; bachelor's degree-holders were 2.26 more likely than diploma-holders; and regional hospitals were 2.36 times more likely than tertiary hospitals. The majority perceived episiotomies "reduce spontaneous perineal tearing risk", "reduce shoulder dystocia complications", and allow for "easier suturing". The rate of episiotomies was higher than other similar contexts. An urgent intervention is necessary to curb this excessive practice, and create a culture of evidence-based practice to deal with misleading perceptions. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Supporting staff in employment: the emotional wellbeing of staff in an NHS psychiatric hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Patterson, I D; Bell, J S

2000-09-01

The objective of this study was to assess the emotional wellbeing of a broad sample of NHS employees in a psychiatric setting; to seek their views on sources of distress; and to identify preferred ways of dealing with it. A cross-sectional postal survey, employing two questionnaires: GHQ-28, and a semi-structured questionnaire. These were sent to a nominal 50% sample (n = 599). The population was the staff of a large Scottish psychiatric service. A 47.9% response rate was achieved; 32.9% of respondents exceeded a cut-off score of four on the GHQ-28. Neither occupational, group nor gender effects were significant on this measure. The reporting of emotionally-distressing problems affecting their performance was found to be more common amongst doctors; males, overall, showed a non-significant trend towards having been affected more than females by such problems; and older staff (above 45) were affected significantly more often than younger staff. Almost a third of staff were unaware of the availability of an internal organisational resource (the Occupational Health service). NHS Trusts should ensure the culture at work is appropriate from a preventative point of view and be aware that factors outwith the workplace can affect employees emotional wellbeing and performance. Preventative and supportive measures to minimise psychological distress in the workforce should be considered; the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme: Mental Health in the Workplace offers useful guidance.

Performance test of dosimetric services in the EU member states and Switzerland for the routine assessment of individual doses (photon, beta and neutron)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bordy, J.M.; Stadtmann, H.; Ambrosi, P.

2000-01-01

of the dosimetry of routine services. It was assumed that each service would have already done a type test before performing routine dosimetry: the radiation fields were chosen to simulate, as far as possible, workplace radiation fields by mixing combining energies and incident angles. The results of photon...... for External Radiation. The other two papers are included in this issue of Radiation Protection Dosimetry....

Medication reconciliation in nursing homes: thematic differences between RN and LPN staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Vogelsmeier, Amy A; Scott-Cawiezell, Jill R; Pepper, Ginette A

2011-12-01

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe medication reconciliation practices in nursing homes with a specific focus on nursing staff involvement in the process. The study was conducted in eight Midwestern nursing homes and included 46 onsite observations of resident transfers to the nursing home. Informal interviews of nursing staff performing medication reconciliation were conducted during each observation. Findings suggest nursing home nursing staff, including both RN and licensed practical nurse (LPN) staff, were primarily responsible for performing medication reconciliation; however, these staff often varied in how they processed resident transfer information to identify medication order discrepancies. Patterns of differences were found related to their perceptions about medication reconciliation, as well as their actions when performing the process. RN staff were more often focused on resident safety and putting the "big picture" together, whereas LPN staff were more often focused on the administrative assignment and "completing the task." Copyright 2011, SLACK Incorporated.

Technology performance evaluation of scientific and educational activities of scientific-pedagogical staff in higher education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bechvaya Maria, R.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper proposes a performance assessment tool research and teaching staff on the basis of a rating system that allows for the analysis of the results of key personnel of the higher school for criteria and determine the size of incentive payments. The rating model wage researchers and teachers bases on strengthening the incentive function of wages, aimed at personalization of scientific and educational activities of employees, which in modern conditions is the most relevant for use. The functions of stimulation, such as economic, moral and social are considered. The analysis methodologies for assessing university in the world and national rankings on the basis of which formed a system of indicators for assessing the activities of academic staff of higher education is represented. The necessity of development of an information system through which it is possible to carry out comprehensive analysis, that is to monitor the number of registered employees, to determine the share indices in the total ranking, to conduct the ranking points received by employees by industry and science in the context of structural units. The proposed information system is one element of technology assessment of effectiveness of the academic staff designed to evaluate the effectiveness of their activities and incentives, allows the analysis of criteria, based on which can be applied informed management decisions regarding the development of social and labor relations in the highest school.

Examining the cost of delivering routine immunization in Honduras.

Science.gov (United States)

Janusz, Cara Bess; Castañeda-Orjuela, Carlos; Molina Aguilera, Ida Berenice; Felix Garcia, Ana Gabriela; Mendoza, Lourdes; Díaz, Iris Yolanda; Resch, Stephen C

2015-05-07

Many countries have introduced new vaccines and expanded their immunization programs to protect additional risk groups, thus raising the cost of routine immunization delivery. Honduras recently adopted two new vaccines, and the country continues to broaden the reach of its program to adolescents and adults. In this article, we estimate and examine the economic cost of the Honduran routine immunization program for the year 2011. The data were gathered from a probability sample of 71 health facilities delivering routine immunization, as well as 8 regional and 1 central office of the national immunization program. Data were collected on vaccinations delivered, staff time dedicated to the program, cold chain equipment and upkeep, vehicle use, infrastructure, and other recurrent and capital costs at each health facility and administrative office. Annualized economic costs were estimated from a modified societal perspective and reported in 2011 US dollars. With the addition of rotavirus and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, the total cost for routine immunization delivery in Honduras for 2011 was US$ 32.5 million. Vaccines and related supplies accounted for 23% of the costs. Labor, cold chain, and vehicles represented 54%, 4%, and 1%, respectively. At the facility level, the non-vaccine system costs per dose ranged widely, from US$ 25.55 in facilities delivering fewer than 500 doses per year to US$ 2.84 in facilities with volume exceeding 10,000 doses per year. Cost per dose was higher in rural facilities despite somewhat lower wage rates for health workers in these settings; this appears to be driven by lower demand for services per health worker in sparsely populated areas, rather than increased cost of outreach. These more-precise estimates of the operational costs to deliver routine immunizations provide program managers with important information for mobilizing resources to help sustain the program and for improving annual planning and budgeting as well as longer

Teacher Performance Evaluation Plan: A Personalized Approach to Supervision, Staff Development, and Evaluation. An Implementation Guide. Revised Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, Jeanne; And Others

This guide provides assistance to New Mexico school districts in implementing a state-sponsored teacher performance evaluation plan (Provision III of the New Mexico Staff Accountability Plan, adopted by the State Board of Education). This plan involves five basic procedures: (1) determine specific definitions of the six essential teaching…

“These patients look lost” – Community pharmacy staff's identification and support of patients with limited health literacy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koster, Ellen S.; Philbert, Daphne; Blom, Lyda; Bouvy, Marcel L.

2016-01-01

Objective: To date, routine use of health literacy assessment in clinical settings is limited. The objective of this study was to explore if community pharmacy staff can identify patients with limited health literacy, how they identify patients and how they support patients to improve medication

Inconsistent identification of pit bull-type dogs by shelter staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Olson, K R; Levy, J K; Norby, B; Crandall, M M; Broadhurst, J E; Jacks, S; Barton, R C; Zimmerman, M S

2015-11-01

Shelter staff and veterinarians routinely make subjective dog breed identification based on appearance, but their accuracy regarding pit bull-type breeds is unknown. The purpose of this study was to measure agreement among shelter staff in assigning pit bull-type breed designations to shelter dogs and to compare breed assignments with DNA breed signatures. In this prospective cross-sectional study, four staff members at each of four different shelters recorded their suspected breed(s) for 30 dogs; there was a total of 16 breed assessors and 120 dogs. The terms American pit bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, Staffordshire bull terrier, pit bull, and their mixes were included in the study definition of 'pit bull-type breeds.' Using visual identification only, the median inter-observer agreements and kappa values in pair-wise comparisons of each of the staff breed assignments for pit bull-type breed vs. not pit bull-type breed ranged from 76% to 83% and from 0.44 to 0.52 (moderate agreement), respectively. Whole blood was submitted to a commercial DNA testing laboratory for breed identification. Whereas DNA breed signatures identified only 25 dogs (21%) as pit bull-type, shelter staff collectively identified 62 (52%) dogs as pit bull-type. Agreement between visual and DNA-based breed assignments varied among individuals, with sensitivity for pit bull-type identification ranging from 33% to 75% and specificity ranging from 52% to 100%. The median kappa value for inter-observer agreement with DNA results at each shelter ranged from 0.1 to 0.48 (poor to moderate). Lack of consistency among shelter staff indicated that visual identification of pit bull-type dogs was unreliable. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Endocarditis : Effects of routine echocardiography during Gram-positive bacteraemia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vos, F J; Bleeker-Rovers, C P; Sturm, P D; Krabbe, P F M; van Dijk, A P J; Oyen, W J G; Kullberg, B J

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: Despite firm recommendations to perform echocardiography in high-risk patients with Gram-positive bacteraemia, routine echocardiography is not embedded in daily practice in many settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a regime including routine echocardiography results in

Performance analysis of the TNO TLD individual monitoring service

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dijk, J.W.E. van; Julius, H.W.

1990-01-01

The purpose of this study was to analyse the performance and to establish the lowest detectable occupational dose (LDOD) of the TNO TL dosemeter, in use for large scale routine individual monitoring since 1983. The TNO individual monitoring service uses three TLD reader systems and over 45000 TL dosemeters, designed to measure H s (0.07) and H p (10). Each reader system is normalised daily and each individual dosemeter is calibrated every ten readout cycles. The performance of the service is monitored by a double blind experimental set-up. A series of 10 routine dosemeters is issued every fortnight, mailed, exposed by staff not involved in the monitoring service, sent back and evaluated. The conclusion of this study is that the lowest detectable occupational dose is less than 0.04 mSv and that the integrated dose at the level of the annual dose limit is measured within 2%. (author)

The Impact of an Implementation Project on Primary Care Staff Perceptions of Delivering Brief Alcohol Advice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanna Reinholdz

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To explore how the perceptions and experiences of working with risky drinkers change over time among primary health care staff during a systematic implementation project. Methods. Qualitative focus group interviews took place before and after the implementation of the project. Results. The staff displayed a positive change during the implementation period with regard to awareness, knowledge, and confidence that led to a change in routine practice. Throughout the project, staff were committed to engaging with risky drinkers and appeared to have been learning-by-doing. Conclusions. The results indicated a positive attitude to alcohol prevention work but staff lack knowledge and confidence in the area. The more practical experience during the study is, the more confidence seems to have been gained. This adds new knowledge to the science of implementation studies concerning alcohol prevention measures, which have otherwise shown disappointing results, emphasizing the importance of learning in practice.

Changing of the Guard: How Different School Leaders Change Organizational Routines

Science.gov (United States)

Enomoto, Ernestine K.; Conley, Sharon

2008-01-01

While providing stability and uniformity, organizational routines can foster continuous change. Using Feldman's (2000) performative model of routinized action theory, coupled with leadership succession research, we examined how three successive administrations in a California high school revised a student attendance (tardy-monitoring) routine over…

Extremity doses of medical staff involved in interventional radiology and cardiology: Correlations and annual doses (hands and legs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krim, S.; Brodecki, M.; Carinou, E.; Donadille, L.; Jankowski, J.; Koukorava, C.; Dominiek, J.; Nikodemova, D.; Ruiz-Lopez, N.; Sans-Merce, M.; Struelens, L.; Vanhavere, F.

2011-01-01

An intensive measurement campaign was launched in different hospitals in Europe within work package 1 of the ORAMED project (Optimization of RAdiation protection for MEDical staff). Its main objective was to obtain a set of standardized data on extremity and eye lens doses for staff in interventional radiology (IR) and cardiology (IC) and to optimize staff protection. The monitored procedures were divided in three main categories: cardiac, general angiography and endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography(ERCP) procedures. Using a common measurement protocol, information such as the protective equipment used (lead table curtain, transparent lead glass ceiling screen, patient shielding, whole body shielding or special cabin etc.) as well as Kerma Area Product (KAP) values and access of the catheter were recorded. This study was performed with a final database of more than 1300 procedures performed in 34 European hospitals. Its objectives were firstly to determine if the measured extremity doses could be correlated to the KAP values; secondly to check if the doses to the eyes could be linked to the doses to the hands (finger or wrist positions) and finally if the doses to the fingers could be estimated based on the doses to the wrists. General correlations were very difficult to find and their strength was mostly influenced by three main parameters: the X-ray tube configuration, the room collective radioprotective equipment and the access of the catheter. The KAP value can provide a simple mean to estimate the extremity doses of the operator given that it is assessed correctly for the operator when he is actually using the X-ray tube. Moreover, this study showed that the doses to the left finger are strongly correlated to the doses to the left wrist when no ceiling shield is used. It is also possible to estimate the doses to the eyes given the doses to the left finger or left wrist but the X-ray tube configuration and the access have to be considered. The annual

The clinical utility of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia as a routine assessment in nursing homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Yun-Hee; Li, Zhicheng; Low, Lee-Fay; Chenoweth, Lynn; O'Connor, Daniel; Beattie, Elizabeth; Liu, Zhixin; Brodaty, Henry

2015-08-01

To examine the clinical utility of the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia (CSDD) in nursing homes. 14 nursing homes in Sydney and Brisbane, Australia. 92 residents with a mean age of 85 years. Consenting residents were assessed by care staff for depression using the CSDD as part of their routine assessment. Specialist clinicians conducted assessment of depression using the Semi-structured Clinical Diagnostic Interview for DSM-IV-TR Axis I Disorders for residents without dementia or the Provisional Diagnostic Criteria for Depression in Alzheimer Disease for residents with dementia to establish expert clinical diagnoses of depression. The diagnostic performance of the staff completed CSDD was analyzed against expert diagnosis using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The CSDD showed low diagnostic accuracy, with areas under the ROC curve being 0.69, 0.68 and 0.70 for the total sample, residents with dementia and residents without dementia, respectively. At the standard CSDD cutoff score, the sensitivity and specificity were 71% and 59% for the total sample, 69% and 57% for residents with dementia, and 75% and 61% for residents without dementia. The Youden index (for optimizing cut-points) suggested different depression cutoff scores for residents with and without dementia. When administered by nursing home staff the clinical utility of the CSDD is highly questionable in identifying depression. The complexity of the scale, the time required for collecting relevant information, and staff skills and knowledge of assessing depression in older people must be considered when using the CSDD in nursing homes. Copyright © 2015 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Using Texting for Clinical Communication in Surgery: A Survey of Academic Staff Surgeons.

Science.gov (United States)

Firdouse, Mohammed; Devon, Karen; Kayssi, Ahmed; Goldfarb, Jeremy; Rossos, Peter; Cil, Tulin D

2018-03-01

Text messaging has become ubiquitous and is being increasingly used within the health care system. The purpose of this study was to understand texting practices for clinical communication among staff surgeons at a large academic institution. Staff surgeons in 4 subspecialties (vascular, plastics, urology, and general surgery) were surveyed electronically. A total of 62 surgeons from general surgery (n = 33), vascular surgery (n = 6), plastic surgery (n = 13), and urology (n = 10) completed the study (response rate 30%). When conveying urgent patient-related information, staff surgeons preferred directly calling other staff surgeons (61.5%) and trainees (58.8%). When discussing routine patient information, staff surgeons used email to reach other staff surgeons (54.9%) but preferred texting (62.7%) for trainees. The majority of participants used texting because it is fast (65.4%), convenient (69.2%) and allows transmitting information to multiple recipients simultaneously (63.5%). Most felt that texting enhances patient care (71.5%); however, only half believed that it enhanced trainees' educational experiences. The majority believed that texting identifiable patient information breaches patient confidentiality. Our data showed high adoption of text messaging for clinical communication among surgeons, particularly with trainees. The majority of surgeons acknowledge security concerns inherent in texting for patient care. Existing mobile communication platforms fail to meet the needs of academic surgeons. Further research should include guidelines related to texting in clinical practice, educational implications of texting, and technologies to better meet the needs of clinicians working in an academic surgical settings.

Special Staff - Joint Staff - Leadership - The National Guard

Science.gov (United States)

the ARNG Deputy Director of the ARNG Chief of Staff of the ARNG Command Chief Warrant Officer of the Site Maintenance Battle Focused Training Strategy Battle Staff Training Resources News Publications March Today in Guard History Leadership CNGB VCNGB SEA DANG DARNG Joint Staff J-1 J-2 J-3 J-4 J-5 J-6 J

Ethical challenges related to next of kin - nursing staffs' perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Tønnessen, Siri; Solvoll, Betty-Ann; Brinchmann, Berit Støre

2016-11-01

Patients in clinical settings are not lonely islands; they have relatives who play a more or less active role in their lives. The purpose of this article is to elucidate the ethical challenges nursing staff encounter with patients' next of kin and to discuss how these challenges affect clinical practice. The study is based on data collected from ethical group discussions among nursing staff in a nursing home. The discussions took place in 2011 and 2012. The data were analysed and interpreted by using hermeneutic methodology. All the data have been anonymised and handled with confidentiality. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants. Ethical challenges relating to patients' next of kin were found to be an issue frequently discussed in the groups. Our findings indicate that next of kin have different characteristics, categorised as 'the professionals' and 'the shadows'. In this article, we will describe the next of kin's characteristics and the ethical challenges and practical implications that nursing staff experience in this connection. We will discuss the findings in the light of the four basic principles of medical ethics and propose interventions to help nurses manage ethical challenges related to next of kin. The study reveals the need to enhance nursing staffs' communicative and ethical skills on an individual level, but most importantly, to establish routines in clinical settings for informing and following up next of kin in a systematic and structured way. © The Author(s) 2015.

Transmission of Pneumocystis carinii from patients to hospital staff

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundgren, Bettina; Elvin, K; Rothman, L P

1997-01-01

rooms in departments of infectious diseases managing patients with P carinii pneumonia (PCP), suggesting the airborne route of transmission. Exposure of staff to P carinii may occur in hospital departments treating patients with PCP. METHODS: Exposure to P carinii was detected by serological responses...... to human P carinii by ELISA, Western blotting, and indirect immunofluorescence in 64 hospital staff with and 79 staff without exposure to patients with PCP from Denmark and Sweden. DNA amplification of oropharyngeal washings was performed on 20 Danish staff with and 20 staff without exposure to patients...... with PCP. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in the frequency or level of antibodies to P carinii between staff exposed and those unexposed to patients with PCP. None of the hospital staff had detectable P carinii DNA in oropharyngeal washings. CONCLUSIONS: There is no difference in antibodies...

Benchmarking routine psychological services: a discussion of challenges and methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Delgadillo, Jaime; McMillan, Dean; Leach, Chris; Lucock, Mike; Gilbody, Simon; Wood, Nick

2014-01-01

Policy developments in recent years have led to important changes in the level of access to evidence-based psychological treatments. Several methods have been used to investigate the effectiveness of these treatments in routine care, with different approaches to outcome definition and data analysis. To present a review of challenges and methods for the evaluation of evidence-based treatments delivered in routine mental healthcare. This is followed by a case example of a benchmarking method applied in primary care. High, average and poor performance benchmarks were calculated through a meta-analysis of published data from services working under the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) Programme in England. Pre-post treatment effect sizes (ES) and confidence intervals were estimated to illustrate a benchmarking method enabling services to evaluate routine clinical outcomes. High, average and poor performance ES for routine IAPT services were estimated to be 0.91, 0.73 and 0.46 for depression (using PHQ-9) and 1.02, 0.78 and 0.52 for anxiety (using GAD-7). Data from one specific IAPT service exemplify how to evaluate and contextualize routine clinical performance against these benchmarks. The main contribution of this report is to summarize key recommendations for the selection of an adequate set of psychometric measures, the operational definition of outcomes, and the statistical evaluation of clinical performance. A benchmarking method is also presented, which may enable a robust evaluation of clinical performance against national benchmarks. Some limitations concerned significant heterogeneity among data sources, and wide variations in ES and data completeness.

The impact of multiple care giving roles on fatigue, stress, and work performance among hospital staff nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Scott, Linda D; Hwang, Wei-Ting; Rogers, Ann E

2006-02-01

This study describes fatigue and stress among a random sample of full-time hospital staff nurses (n=393) who provide care for aging family members, compares the results to nurses with and without children younger than 18 years living at home, examines differences in sleep duration, and explores the effects on work performance by care giving status during a 4-week period. Little attention has been given to the effects of care giver well-being when individuals assume dual roles as family and professional care givers. Hospital staff nurses recorded daily information concerning their work hours, errors, sleep/wake patterns, perceptions of fatigue, alertness, and stress and periods of drowsiness and sleep episodes while on duty for 28 days. Fatigue and stress levels were significantly higher among nurses caring for both children and elders. However, nurses providing elder care at home were more fatigued, sleep-deprived, and likely to make errors at work. These findings underscore the importance of restorative sleep interventions and fatigue countermeasures for hospital staff nurses involved in dual care giving roles. Limiting overtime and applying circadian principles to hospital scheduling processes would ensure a more alert workforce, minimize health risks for nurses, and maximize the safety of those in their care.

Intelligent stochastic optimization routine for in-core fuel cycle design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parks, G.T.

1988-01-01

Any reactor fuel management strategy must specify the fuel design, batch sizes, loading configurations, and operational procedures for each cycle. To permit detailed design studies, the complex core characteristics must necessarily be computer modeled. Thus, the identification of an optimal fuel cycle design represents an optimization problem with a nonlinear objective function (OF), nonlinear safety constraints, many control variables, and no direct derivative information. Most available library routines cannot tackle such problems; this paper introduces an intelligent stochastic optimization routine that can. There has been considerable interest recently in the application of stochastic methods to difficult optimization problems, based on the statistical mechanics algorithms originally attributed to Metropolis. Previous work showed that, in optimizing the performance of a British advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel stringer, a rudimentary version of the Metropolis algorithm performed as efficiently as the only suitable routine in the Numerical Algorithms Group library. Since then the performance of the Metropolis algorithm has been considerably enhanced by the introduction of self-tuning capabilities by which the routine adjusts its control parameters and search pattern as it progresses. Both features can be viewed as examples of artificial intelligence, in which the routine uses the accumulation of data, or experience, to guide its future actions

Occupational exposure of medical staff due to diagnostic X-ray examinations in veterinary medicine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mergel, E.; Feige, S.; Haeusler, U.

2007-01-01

The implementation of the Council directive 96/29 EURATOM and the corresponding national Radiation Protection Ordinance and the X-ray Protection Ordinance coming subsequently into effect led to a changed situation regarding the occupational radiation protection in the medical sector. To reduce the occupational exposure of veterinarians and assisting staff in veterinary radiography is particularly challenging as, in opposite to human radiological examination, the presence of staff is indispensable to restrain the patient. Beyond that the relevant literature reports about too high and/or about unnecessary radiation exposures. To gain a comprehensive knowledge upon the possible exposure of involved staff, the variety of typical examination methods in veterinary clinics and at practitioners had been investigated during the daily routine. Dose measurements were performed for different employees during the examinations taking into account several places of exposure (lens, thyroid, chest, hand, gonad, and feet). Veterinary X-ray diagnostic examinations for pets as well as in equine radiography had been accounted for this study. In total, 101 examination methods, 4.484 accompanied examinations and 53.892 single dose readings resulted in a reliable statistical base to set up a 'Job-Exposure-Matrix' allowing the dose assessment for a variable number and kind of examinations. The 'Job-Exposure-Matrix' is believed to be a useful tool for optimization of occupational radiation exposure of veterinarians by appraising the height of a possible dose, forcing a review of the status quo and triggering the improvement of personal protection by establishing adequate measures. (orig.)

Occupational exposure of medical staff due to diagnostic X-ray examinations in veterinary medicine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mergel, E.; Feige, S. [Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit mbH (GRS) (Germany); Haeusler, U. [Bundesamt fuer Strahlenschutz (BfS), Salzgitter (Germany)

2007-07-01

The implementation of the Council directive 96/29 EURATOM and the corresponding national Radiation Protection Ordinance and the X-ray Protection Ordinance coming subsequently into effect led to a changed situation regarding the occupational radiation protection in the medical sector. To reduce the occupational exposure of veterinarians and assisting staff in veterinary radiography is particularly challenging as, in opposite to human radiological examination, the presence of staff is indispensable to restrain the patient. Beyond that the relevant literature reports about too high and/or about unnecessary radiation exposures. To gain a comprehensive knowledge upon the possible exposure of involved staff, the variety of typical examination methods in veterinary clinics and at practitioners had been investigated during the daily routine. Dose measurements were performed for different employees during the examinations taking into account several places of exposure (lens, thyroid, chest, hand, gonad, and feet). Veterinary X-ray diagnostic examinations for pets as well as in equine radiography had been accounted for this study. In total, 101 examination methods, 4.484 accompanied examinations and 53.892 single dose readings resulted in a reliable statistical base to set up a 'Job-Exposure-Matrix' allowing the dose assessment for a variable number and kind of examinations. The 'Job-Exposure-Matrix' is believed to be a useful tool for optimization of occupational radiation exposure of veterinarians by appraising the height of a possible dose, forcing a review of the status quo and triggering the improvement of personal protection by establishing adequate measures. (orig.)

Assessment of Non-Professional Staff Training programme In ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study identified training and development for non-professional staff in Nigerian University Libraries, the categories of staff that are enjoying the training programme, the relevance of the course contents, and the effect of the training programme for non-professional and job performance. The method adopted for the study ...

Master schedule for CY-1979 Hanford environmental surveillance routine program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blumer, P.J.; Houston, J.R.; Eddy, P.A.

1978-12-01

The current schedule of data collection for the routine environmental surveillance program at the Hanford Site, as conducted by the Environmental Evaluation Section of Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratory for the Department of Energy (DOE), is given. Modifications to the schedule are made during the year and special areas of study, usually of short duration, are not scheduled. The environmental surveillance program objectives are to evaluate the levels of radioactive and nonradioactive pollutants in the Hanford environs, and to monitor Hanford operations for compliance with applicable environmental criteria and Washington State Water Quality Standards. Air quality data are obtained in a separate program administered by the Hanford Environmental Health Foundation. The collection schedule for potable water is shown but it is not part of the routine environmental surveillance program. Water quality data for Hanford Site potable water systems are published each year by the Hanford Environmental Health Foundation. The data collected are available in routine reports issued by the Environmental Evaluations staff. Groundwater data and evaluation are reported in the series, ''Radiological Status of the Groundwater Beneath the Hanford Project for...,'' the latest issue being PNL-2624 for CY-1977. Data from locations within the plant boundaries are presented in the annual ''Environmental Status of the Hanford Site for...'' report series, the most recent report being PNL-2677 for 1977. Data from offsite locations are presented in the annual ''Environmental Surveillance at Hanford for...'' series of reports, the latest being PNL-2614 for 1977

Spectral-optical characteristics of anthocyanin-containing natural dye staff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Astanov, S.; Sharipov, M.Z.; Dalmuradova, N.N.

2007-01-01

Spectral-optical characteristics of anthocyanin-containing natural dye staff received from fruit ficus carica are determined. The chromatographic separating of dyeing pigment obtained is performed. The data obtained can be used as passport characteristics of the new food dye staff. (authors)

Directorate of Management - Special Staff - Joint Staff - Leadership - The

Science.gov (United States)

NGB Official March Today in Guard History Leadership CNGB VCNGB SEA DANG DARNG Joint Staff J-1 J-2 J-3 J-4 J-5 J-6 J-7 J-8 Personal Staff Inspector General Judge Advocate General Officer Management Public Affairs Executive Support Services Legislative Liaison Special Staff Directorate of Management

Comparison of performance of tile drainage routines in SWAT 2009 and 2012 in an extensively tile-drained watershed in the Midwest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Guo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Subsurface tile drainage systems are widely used in agricultural watersheds in the Midwestern US and enable the Midwest area to become highly productive agricultural lands, but can also create environmental problems, for example nitrate-N contamination associated with drainage waters. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT has been used to model watersheds with tile drainage. SWAT2012 revisions 615 and 645 provide new tile drainage routines. However, few studies have used these revisions to study tile drainage impacts at both field and watershed scales. Moreover, SWAT2012 revision 645 improved the soil moisture based curve number calculation method, which has not been fully tested. This study used long-term (1991–2003 field site and river station data from the Little Vermilion River (LVR watershed to evaluate performance of tile drainage routines in SWAT2009 revision 528 (the old routine and SWAT2012 revisions 615 and 645 (the new routine. Both the old and new routines provided reasonable but unsatisfactory (NSE  <  0.5 uncalibrated flow and nitrate loss results for a mildly sloped watershed with low runoff. The calibrated monthly tile flow, surface flow, nitrate-N in tile and surface flow, sediment and annual corn and soybean yield results from SWAT with the old and new tile drainage routines were compared with observed values. Generally, the new routine provided acceptable simulated tile flow (NSE  =  0.48–0.65 and nitrate in tile flow (NSE  =  0.48–0.68 for field sites with random pattern tile and constant tile spacing, while the old routine simulated tile flow and nitrate in tile flow results for the field site with constant tile spacing were unacceptable (NSE  =  0.00–0.32 and −0.29–0.06, respectively. The new modified curve number calculation method in revision 645 (NSE  =  0.50–0.81 better simulated surface runoff than revision 615 (NSE  =  −0.11–0.49. The calibration

Measurements of the ionising radiation level at a nuclear medicine facility performing PET/CT examinations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tulik, P.; Kowalska, M.; Golnik, N.; Budzynska, A.; Dziuk, M.

2017-01-01

This paper presents the results of radiation level measurements at workplaces in a nuclear medicine facility performing PET/ CT examinations. This study meticulously determines the staff radiation exposure in a PET/CT facility by tracking the path of patient movement. The measurements of the instantaneous radiation exposure were performed using an electronic radiometer with a proportional counter that was equipped with the option of recording the results on line. The measurements allowed for visualisation of the staff's instantaneous exposure caused by a patient walking through the department after the administration of "1"8F-FDG. An estimation of low doses associated with each working step and the exposure during a routine day in the department was possible. The measurements were completed by determining the average radiation level using highly sensitive thermoluminescent detectors. (authors)

Joint Chiefs of Staff > About > The Joint Staff > Senior Enlisted Advisor

Science.gov (United States)

Skip to main content (Press Enter). Toggle navigation Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Chiefs of Staff Facebook Twitter YouTube Flickr Blog Instagram Search JCS: Search Search Search JCS: Search Home Media News Photos Videos Publications About The Joint Staff Chairman Vice Chairman

SCALE: A modular code system for performing standardized computer analyses for licensing evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-03-01

This Manual represents Revision 5 of the user documentation for the modular code system referred to as SCALE. The history of the SCALE code system dates back to 1969 when the current Computational Physics and Engineering Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) began providing the transportation package certification staff at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission with computational support in the use of the new KENO code for performing criticality safety assessments with the statistical Monte Carlo method. From 1969 to 1976 the certification staff relied on the ORNL staff to assist them in the correct use of codes and data for criticality, shielding, and heat transfer analyses of transportation packages. However, the certification staff learned that, with only occasional use of the codes, it was difficult to become proficient in performing the calculations often needed for an independent safety review. Thus, shortly after the move of the certification staff to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the NRC staff proposed the development of an easy-to-use analysis system that provided the technical capabilities of the individual modules with which they were familiar. With this proposal, the concept of the Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation (SCALE) code system was born. This manual covers an array of modules written for the SCALE package, consisting of drivers, system libraries, cross section and materials properties libraries, input/output routines, storage modules, and help files

SCALE: A modular code system for performing standardized computer analyses for licensing evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

This Manual represents Revision 5 of the user documentation for the modular code system referred to as SCALE. The history of the SCALE code system dates back to 1969 when the current Computational Physics and Engineering Division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) began providing the transportation package certification staff at the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission with computational support in the use of the new KENO code for performing criticality safety assessments with the statistical Monte Carlo method. From 1969 to 1976 the certification staff relied on the ORNL staff to assist them in the correct use of codes and data for criticality, shielding, and heat transfer analyses of transportation packages. However, the certification staff learned that, with only occasional use of the codes, it was difficult to become proficient in performing the calculations often needed for an independent safety review. Thus, shortly after the move of the certification staff to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the NRC staff proposed the development of an easy-to-use analysis system that provided the technical capabilities of the individual modules with which they were familiar. With this proposal, the concept of the Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation (SCALE) code system was born. This manual covers an array of modules written for the SCALE package, consisting of drivers, system libraries, cross section and materials properties libraries, input/output routines, storage modules, and help files.

Training of power station staff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dusserre, J.

1993-01-01

ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE currently operates 51 generating stations with 900 and 1300 MW Pressurized Water Reactors while, only 15 years ago, France possessed only a very small number of such stations. It was therefore vital to set up a major training organization to produce staff capable of starting, controlling and maintaining these facilities with a constant eye to improving quality and safety. Operator and maintenance staff training is based on highly-structured training plans designed to match both the post to be filled and the qualifications possessed by the person who is to fill it. It was essential to set up suitable high-performance training resources to handle this fast growth in staff. These resources are constantly being developed and allow EDF to make steady progress in a large number of areas, varying from the effects of human factors to the procedures to be followed during an accident

The Affect of Mobile Performance Support Devices on Anxiety and Self-Efficacy of Hospital Float Staff

Science.gov (United States)

Riley McKee, Megan

2012-01-01

Floating describes the act of staff moving from one unit to another based on the needs of the patients in a hospital. Many staff who float to different units express negative feelings, including anxiety and lack in self-efficacy. However, floating is both an economical and efficient method to use staff across the hospital, especially with current…

Innovative public library services - staff-less or staff-intensive?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johannsen, Carl Gustav Viggo

2014-01-01

Purpose – Several recent library innovations seem to make professional and clerical staff superfluous such as automated loan and delivery equipment, staff-less libraries open in 80 hours a week, and virtual services, enabling users to search the library catalogue and make reservations of library...... materials from their home address. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether such developments will necessarily lead to a situation where public libraries become self-service institutions or to what extent self-service and innovative staff-intensive library services can develop and co......-exist. Furthermore, the paper will examine what challenges library leaders face and what they can do, and actually have done, to handle staff resistance and other related problems to the benefit of both the users, the local communities, and also, the staff, in particular, when introducing new and innovative services...

Leistungsorientierte Mittelvergabe an der Medizinischen Hochschule Hannover: Praxisbericht der Bibliothek / Performance-related bonuses at Hannover Medical School: practical experience report of the library

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schmiel, Markus

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Since 2008 the Library of the Hannover Medical School collects and execute the publication data of the scientific staff for calculation of “performance-related bonuses” in the array publications. The practical experience report deals with the incoming routines from the data-collection to the calculation of the funds.

Performance of a real-time PCR assay in routine bovine mastitis diagnostics compared with in-depth conventional culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiitiö, Heidi; Riva, Rauna; Autio, Tiina; Pohjanvirta, Tarja; Holopainen, Jani; Pyörälä, Satu; Pelkonen, Sinikka

2015-05-01

Reliable identification of the aetiological agent is crucial in mastitis diagnostics. Real-time PCR is a fast, automated tool for detecting the most common udder pathogens directly from milk. In this study aseptically taken quarter milk samples were analysed with a real-time PCR assay (Thermo Scientific PathoProof Mastitis Complete-12 Kit, Thermo Fisher Scientific Ltd.) and by semi-quantitative, in-depth bacteriological culture (BC). The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the real-time PCR assay in routine use. A total of 294 quarter milk samples from routine mastitis cases were cultured in the national reference laboratory of Finland and examined with real-time PCR. With BC, 251 out of 294 (85.7%) of the milk samples had at least one colony on the plate and 38 samples were considered contaminated. In the PCR mastitis assay, DNA of target species was amplified in 244 samples out of 294 (83.0%). The most common bacterial species detected in the samples, irrespective of the diagnostic method, was the coagulase negative staphylococci (CNS) group (later referred as Staphylococcus spp.) followed by Staphylococcus aureus. Sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) for the PCR assay to provide a positive Staph. aureus result was 97.0 and 95.8% compared with BC. For Staphylococcus spp., the corresponding figures were 86.7 and 75.4%. Our results imply that PCR performed well as a diagnostic tool to detect Staph. aureus but may be too nonspecific for Staphylococcus spp. in routine use with the current cut-off Ct value (37.0). Using PCR as the only microbiological method for mastitis diagnostics, clinical relevance of the results should be carefully considered before further decisions, for instance antimicrobial treatment, especially when minor pathogens with low amount of DNA have been detected. Introducing the concept of contaminated samples should also be considered.

An interferon-gamma release assay test performs well in routine screening for tuberculosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vestergaard Danielsen, Allan; Fløe, Andreas; Lillebæk, Troels

2014-01-01

Introduction: A positive interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) is regarded as proof of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. We conducted an evaluation of the IGRA test “T-SPOT.TB” to test its performance during clinical routine use by analysing the positivity rate and odds, effect of season...... and sensitivity. Material and methods: Data from T-SPOT.TB testing together with age and test indications (anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) candidate, contact investigation or suspicion of tuberculosis (TB)) were combined with mycobac­teria culture results. Results: A total of 1,809 patients were tested....... Conclusive results were achieved for 1,780 patients (98.4%). Among these, 4.6% of anti-TNFα candidates, 19.3% of contacts and 24.4% of TB suspects tested positive. Compared with anti-TNFα candidates, the odds for a positive result were significantly higher for contact investigations (odds ratio (OR), mean...

Job satisfaction among emergency department staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Suárez, M; Asenjo, M; Sánchez, M

2017-02-01

To compare job satisfaction among nurses, physicians and administrative staff in an emergency department (ED). To analyse the relationship of job satisfaction with demographic and professional characteristics of these personnel. We performed a descriptive, cross-sectional study in an ED in Barcelona (Spain). Job satisfaction was evaluated by means of the Font-Roja questionnaire. Multivariate analysis determined relationship between the overall job satisfaction and the variables collected. Fifty-two nurses, 22 physicians and 30 administrative staff were included. Administrative staff were significantly more satisfied than physicians and nurses: 3.42±0.32 vs. 2.87±0.42 and 3.06±0.36, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed the following variables to be associated with job satisfaction: rotation among the different ED acuity levels (OR: 2.34; 95%CI: 0.93-5.89) and being an administrative staff (OR: 0.27; 95%CI: 0.09-0.80). Nurses and physicians reported greater stress and work pressure than administrative staff and described a worse physical working environment. Interpersonal relationships obtained the highest score among the three groups of professionals. Job satisfaction of nurses and physicians in an ED is lower than that of administrative staff with the former perceiving greater stress and work pressure. Conversely, interpersonal relationships are identified as strength. Being nurse or physician and not rotating among the different ED acuity levels increase dissatisfaction. Copyright © 2016 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of Managers' Coaching Conversations on Staff Knowledge Use and Performance in Long-Term Care Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Cummings, Greta G; Hewko, Sarah J; Wang, Mengzhe; Wong, Carol A; Laschinger, Heather K Spence; Estabrooks, Carole A

2018-02-01

Extended lifespans and complex resident care needs have amplified resource demands on nursing homes. Nurse managers play an important role in staff job satisfaction, research use, and resident outcomes. Coaching skills, developed through leadership skill-building, have been shown to be of value in nursing. To test a theoretical model of nursing home staff perceptions of their work context, their managers' use of coaching conversations, and their use of instrumental, conceptual and persuasive research. Using a two-group crossover design, 33 managers employed in seven Canadian nursing homes were invited to attend a 2-day coaching development workshop. Survey data were collected from managers and staff at three time points; we analyzed staff data (n = 333), collected after managers had completed the workshop. We used structural equation modeling to test our theoretical model of contextual characteristics as causal variables, managers' characteristics, and coaching behaviors as mediating variables and staff use of research, job satisfaction, and burnout as outcome variables. The theoretical model fit the data well (χ 2 = 58, df = 43, p = .06) indicating no significant differences between data and model-implied matrices. Resonant leadership (a relational approach to influencing change) had the strongest significant relationship with manager support, which in turn influenced frequency of coaching conversations. Coaching conversations had a positive, non-significant relationship with staff persuasive use of research, which in turn significantly increased instrumental research use. Importantly, coaching conversations were significantly, negatively related to job satisfaction. Our findings add to growing research exploring the role of context and leadership in influencing job satisfaction and use of research by healthcare practitioners. One-on-one coaching conversations may be difficult for staff not used to participating in such conversations. Resonant leadership, as

Perception of performance management system by academic staff in an open distance learning higher education environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Esther M. Maimela

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Orientation: Institutions of higher learning in South Africa are fast embracing performance management system (PMS as a mechanism for the achievement of teaching excellence and enhancement of research productivity. However, literature provided evidence to show that application of PMS in the private sector had failed to drive competition, efficiency and productivity. Research purpose: The main purpose of this article was to evaluate the perception of academic staff members of an open distance learning institution regarding the implementation of a PMS. Motivation for the study: PMS as a mechanism through which performance of academics is measured has been described as inconsistent with the long tradition of academic freedom, scholarship and collegiality in the academy. Moreso, previous research on the implementation of PMS was limited to private sector organisations, thus resulting in the dearth of empirical literature relating to its practice in service-driven public sector institutions. Research design, approach and method: The article adopted a quantitative research approach using census survey methodology. Data were collected from 492 academic staff from the surveyed institution using a self-developed questionnaire that was tested for high content validity with a consolidated Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.83. Data were analysed using a onesample t-test because of the one-measurement nature of the variable under investigation. Main findings: Major findings of the study indicated that respondents were satisfied with the implementation of the PMS by management. However, the payment of performance bonuses was not considered as sufficiently motivating, thus necessitating a pragmatic review by management. Practical/managerial implications: The findings of this article provided a practical guide to managers on the implementation and management of PMS as an employee performance reward mechanism in non-profit and service-oriented organisations

Radiation monitoring of PET staff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trang, A.

2004-01-01

Full text: Positron emission tomography (PET) is becoming a common diagnostic tool in hospitals, often located in and employing staff from the Nuclear Medicine or Radiology departments. Although similar in some ways, staff in PET departments are commonly found to have the highest radiation doses in the hospital environment due to unique challenges which PET tracers present in administration as well as production. The establishment of a PET centre with a dedicated cyclotron has raised concerns of radiation protection to the staff at the WA PET Centre and the Radiopharmaceutical Production and Development (RAPID) team. Since every PET centre has differing designs and practices, it was considered important to closely monitor the radiation dose to our staff so that improvements to practices and design could be made to reduce radiation dose. Electronic dosimeters (MGP DMC 2000XB), which have a facility to log time and dose at 10 second intervals, were provided to three PET technologists and three PET nurses. These were worn in the top pocket of their lab coats throughout a whole day. Each staff member was then asked to note down their duties throughout the day and also note the time they performed each duty. The duties would then correlate with the dose with which the electronic monitor recorded and an estimate of radiation dose per duty could be given. Also an estimate of the dose per day to each staff member could be made. PET nurses averaged approximately 20 μ8v per day getting their largest dose from caring for occasional problematic patients. Smaller doses of a 1-2 μ8v were recorded for injections and removing cannulas. PET technologists averaged approximately 15 μ8v per day getting their largest dose of 1-5μ8v mainly from positioning of patients and sometimes larger doses due to problematic patients. Smaller doses of 1-2 μ5v were again recorded for injections and removal of cannulas. Following a presentation given to staff, all WA PET Centre and RAPID staff

Who should be performing routine abdominal ultrasound? A prospective double-blind study comparing the accuracy of radiologist and radiographer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leslie, A.; Lockyer, H.; Virjee, J.P.

2000-01-01

AIM: To compare the accuracy of radiographers and radiologists in routine abdominal ultrasound. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients attending for routine abdominal ultrasound were included. Each patient was examined by both a radiographer and radiologist. Both operators noted their findings and wrote a concluding report without conferring. Reports were compared. Where there was disagreement the patient was either re-examined by another radiologist or had further investigation. RESULTS: Of 100 patients, 52 were men and 48 were women. The age range was 19-88 years (median 52 years). Thirty-seven patients had renal tract ultrasound, one had an aortic ultrasound and 62 had general upper abdominal ultrasound. In 44 cases both operators reported the examination as normal. In 49 cases both operators reported the examinations as abnormal and there was complete agreement between the operators. In seven cases there was not complete agreement between operators. Three of these disagreements were considered minor and four major. In three of the seven cases the radiographer was correct, and in four the radiologist was correct. CONCLUSION: Experienced radiographers and radiologists are highly accurate in performing and interpreting routine abdominal sonography. Both operators missed a small minority of abnormalities. There was no statistically significant difference in the accuracy of radiographers and radiologist. Leslie, A. (2000)

External Agents' Effect on Routine Dynamics:Lack of Compliance Resulting in Routine Breakdown

OpenAIRE

Busse Hansen, Nicolai

2014-01-01

Prior investigations on organizational routines have called for re- search to enlighten our understanding of how social actors establish and main- tain of routines as well as the causes of their disruption. The present paper con- tributes to this call by conducting systematic microethnographic analyses of naturally occurring interactional routine data in the form of recordings of job interviews in an international oil contractor company. The term interactional routine is used to describe recu...

Sustaining complex interventions in long-term care: a qualitative study of direct care staff and managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Colón-Emeric, Cathleen; Toles, Mark; Cary, Michael P; Batchelor-Murphy, Melissa; Yap, Tracey; Song, Yuting; Hall, Rasheeda; Anderson, Amber; Burd, Andrew; Anderson, Ruth A

2016-07-16

Little is known about the sustainability of behavioral change interventions in long-term care (LTC). Following a cluster randomized trial of an intervention to improve staff communication (CONNECT), we conducted focus groups of direct care staff and managers to elicit their perceptions of factors that enhance or reduce sustainability in the LTC setting. The overall aim was to generate hypotheses about how to sustain complex interventions in LTC. In eight facilities, we conducted 15 focus groups with 83 staff who had participated in at least one intervention session. Where possible, separate groups were conducted with direct care staff and managers. An interview guide probed for staff perceptions of intervention salience and sustainability. Framework analysis of coded transcripts was used to distill insights about sustainability related to intervention features, organizational context, and external supports. Staff described important factors for intervention sustainability that are particularly challenging in LTC. Because of the tremendous diversity in staff roles and education level, interventions should balance complexity and simplicity, use a variety of delivery methods and venues (e.g., group and individual sessions, role-play/storytelling), and be inclusive of many work positions. Intervention customizability and flexibility was particularly prized in this unpredictable and resource-strapped environment. Contextual features noted to be important include addressing the frequent lack of trust between direct care staff and managers and ensuring that direct care staff directly observe manager participation and support for the program. External supports suggested to be useful for sustainability include formalization of changes into facility routines, using "train the trainer" approaches and refresher sessions. High staff turnover is common in LTC, and providing materials for new staff orientation was reported to be important for sustainability. When designing or

An Association Between Implementing Trauma-Informed Care and Staff Satisfaction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Travis W. Hales

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Despite its widespread adoption there is limited research on the influence of trauma-informed care (TIC. The current study examined the impact of implementing TIC on the satisfaction of agency staff by comparing the results of a satisfaction survey taken in January of 2014, a month prior to the agency's implementation of TIC, and again twelve months later. As collaboration, empowerment, and self-care are primary components of a TIC organizational approach, its implementation was expected to increase staff satisfaction. Following the implementation of TIC, agency staff reported higher scores on all but one of the six satisfaction survey factors. Increases in staff satisfaction have been associated with better staff retention rates, increased organizational commitment and better performance. In consequence, TIC implementation is associated with increased staff satisfaction, and may positively influence organizational characteristics of significance to social service agencies.

Evaluation of staff performance and interpretation of the screening program for prevention of thalassemia.

Science.gov (United States)

Prommetta, Simaporn; Sanchaisuriya, Kanokwan; Fucharoen, Goonnapa; Yamsri, Supawadee; Chaiboonroeng, Attawut; Fucharoen, Supan

2017-06-15

Thalassemia screening program has been implemented for years in Southeast Asia, but no external quality assessment program has been established. We have developed and initiated the proficiency testing (PT) program for the first time in Thailand with the aim to assess the screening performance of laboratory staff and their competency in interpretation of the screening results. Three PT cycles per year were organized. From the first to the third cycle of the PT scheme, a total number of participant laboratories increased from 59 to 67. In each cycle, 2 PT items (assigned as blood samples of the couple) were provided. Performance evaluation was based on the accuracy of screening results, i.e . mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and the dichlorophenolindophenol (DCIP) test for haemoglobin E, including the competency in interpretation of screening results and assessment of foetal risk. Performance was assessed by comparing the participants' result against the assigned value. Of all 3 cycles, most laboratories reported acceptable MCV and MCH values. From the first to the third cycle, incorrect DCIP test and misinterpretation rates were decreased while incorrect risk assessment varied by cycle to cycle. Combining the accuracy of thalassemia screening and the competency in interpretation and risk assessment, approximately half of participants showed excellent performance. Improved performance observed in many laboratories reflects the achievement and benefit of the PT program which should be regularly provided.

AECB staff annual report of Darlington NGS 'A' for the year 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-06-01

This report presents the AECB staff review of major licensing issues and of the operational performance of the station during 1990. In addition to the reports mentioned above, other Ontario Hydro reports, official correspondence, and observations of AECB site staff have been taken into consideration. The report is limited to those aspects of station performance that AECB staff consider to have some safety significance. Developments of significance associated with issues addressed in the report that occurred in the early part of 1991 are also mentioned

Staff Association

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2014-01-01

Remove of the staff association office   The Staff Association offices are going to be renovated during the coming four months, February to May 2014. The physical move from our current premises 64/R-002 to our temporary office in  510/R-010 will take place on Friday January 31st, so the Secretariat will be closed on that day. Hence, from Monday February 3rd until the end of May 2014 the Staff Association Secretariat will be located in 510/R-010 (entrance just across the CERN Printshop).    

The embeddedness of selfish Routines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Poul Houman

2001-01-01

Routines have traditionally been seen as an organisational feature. However, like genes, routines may be carriers and initiators of organisations as well......Routines have traditionally been seen as an organisational feature. However, like genes, routines may be carriers and initiators of organisations as well...

Exploring a motivation of medical staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Goncharuk, Anatoliy G

2018-06-08

This paper aims to identify the true motivators (needs) of medical staff, compare them with the current labor incentives, and detect possible differences in motivators for main groups of medical staff. Observing personnel of 5 hospitals and students of the medical institute by special questionnaires, the author confirmed the hypothesis of different motivators for groups of medical staff with different ages, professions, and gender. The author used special questionnaires to collect the data. Study results confirmed the hypothesis of different motivators for groups of medical staff with different ages, professions, and gender. The author also found significant differences between the motivation of Ukrainian health workers and their colleagues from other countries. The main conclusion is that no matter how we would like to satisfy gender and age equality, all people are individual and what is good for an elderly male doctor cannot be acceptable for a young female nurse. Therefore, forming the motivation system for employees of medical institutions, it is necessary to take into account the age, gender, professions, and other characteristics of each employee. In this way, we can achieve the highest health-care performance. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

SYSTEM OF COMPLEX EVALUATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF IN THE UNIVERSITY: PRACTICE AND FEATURES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Myalkina

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: the problem of assessing the administrative staff of an educational organization of higher education is becoming increasingly important, as the competence, effectiveness and loyalty of staff is becoming an increasingly important factor and competitive advantage in the face of financial and resource constraints in the activities of universities. Traditional approaches to assessing the performance of employees give way to individual accounting of achievements and flexible regulation of material incentives for each employee.Materials and Methods: the article summarizes the experience and methods of personnel assessment as a key factor in the implementation of personnel policy and optimization of the personnel management system; the review of already applied methods of an estimation of scientific and pedagogical workers of high school is presented; a description of the methodology for a comprehensive assessment of the effectiveness of the administrative and management staff of the university, based on performance indicators and job descriptions, as well as performance and effectiveness indicators (KPI.Results:  the article presents the results obtained in the implementation of the pilot project for the comprehensive assessment of the administrative staff of the Minin University, a system for assessing administrative personnel is described, taking into account the quality of the execution of job descriptions and the performance indicators of each employee. Based on the evaluations of employees, an assessment of the structural units was carried out.Discussion and Conclusions: based on the results of the pilot project, a set of methods for assessing personnel in the personnel work system of the university is proposed, which ensures the quality, efficiency, loyalty and systematic individual development of the university staff. The assessment of the administrative and managerial staff allows us to conclude that this methodology can be used

Understanding the interface between clinical and laboratory staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ankie van den Broek

2014-07-01

Objectives: To propose a new conceptual model to gain insight and analyse factors that influence the laboratory–clinical staff interface. Methods: To develop the conceptual model, a literature study was performed, regulatory guidelines and standards for laboratories were analysed and discussions were held with experts on the topic. Result: A conceptual model and analytical framework provided good guidance in understanding and assessing the organisational and personal factors shaping the interface. The model was based on three elements: (1 the three phases of communication (pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical; (2 the organisational and personal factors of interaction; and (3 the socio-political, economic and cultural context in which clinicians and laboratory staff operate. Conclusion: Assessment of the interface between clinicians and laboratory workers can be performed in a systematic way. Applying this model will provide information to managers of health institutions and heads of laboratories and clinical departments about what happens when clinicians and laboratory staff interact, thus aiding them in designing strategies to improve this interface.

Attitudes, subjective norms, and intention to perform routine oral examination for oropharyngeal candidiasis as perceived by primary health-care providers in Nairobi Province

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koyio, L.N.; Kikwilu, E.N.; Mulder, J.; Frencken, J.E.F.M.

2013-01-01

Objectives: To assess attitudes, subjective norms, and intentions of primary health-care (PHC) providers in performing routine oral examination for oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) during outpatient consultations. Methods: A 47-item Theory of Planned Behaviour-based questionnaire was developed and

[Status of subjective well-being for medical staff in a tertiary hospital].

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Yunlong; Liu, Yan; Xu, Shaorong; Zhao, Min; Li, Junping; Xiong, Yan

2016-06-28

To investigate the status of subjective well-being (SWB) for medical staffs who contact with patients directly in a tertiary hospital.
 Staffs from a tertiary hospital in Hunan province were investigated the SWB Scale (SWBS-cc20) from 2012 to 2014.
 The scores of SWB for medical staffs are high (81.67±12.33). Among the 10 sub-dimensions of SWB, medical staffs performed the best in family atmosphere, personal growth, and interpersonal adaptation, while performed the worst in physical health, mental health and material contentment. Title, job nature, education and occupation significantly affected the status of SWB. Staffs who directly connected with patients have less scores of SWB than those who do not (t=-4.80, Pmental health (OR=1.315, 95% CI 1.023 to 1.690, Phealth (OR=1.313, 95% CI 1.029 to 1.677, Pmental health and physical health.

Knowing versus doing: education and training needs of staff in a chronic care hospital unit for individuals with dementia.

Science.gov (United States)

Marx, Katherine A; Stanley, Ian H; Van Haitsma, Kimberly; Moody, Jennifer; Alonzi, Dana; Hansen, Bryan R; Gitlin, Laura N

2014-12-01

Hospital clinical staff routinely confront challenging behaviors in patients with dementia with limited training in prevention and management. The authors of the current article conducted a survey of staff on a chronic care hospital unit concerning knowledge about dementia, perceived educational needs, and the care environment. The overall mean score for a 27-item knowledge scale was 24.08 (SD = 2.61), reflecting high level of disease knowledge. However, staff indicated a need for more information and skills, specifically for managing behaviors nonpharmacologically (92.3%), enhancing patient safety (89.7%), coping with care challenges (84.2%), and involving patients in activities (81.6%). Although most staff (i.e., nurses [80%] and therapists [86.4%]) believed their care contributed a great deal to patient well-being, approximately 75% reported frustration and being overwhelmed by dementia care. Most reported being hit, bitten, or physically hurt by patients (66.7%), as well as disrespected by families (53.8%). Findings suggest that staff have foundational knowledge but lack the "how-to" or hands-on skills necessary to implement nonpharmacological behavioral management approaches and communicate with families. Copyright 2014, SLACK Incorporated.

Daily life activity routine discovery in hemiparetic rehabilitation patients using topic models.

Science.gov (United States)

Seiter, J; Derungs, A; Schuster-Amft, C; Amft, O; Tröster, G

2015-01-01

Monitoring natural behavior and activity routines of hemiparetic rehabilitation patients across the day can provide valuable progress information for therapists and patients and contribute to an optimized rehabilitation process. In particular, continuous patient monitoring could add type, frequency and duration of daily life activity routines and hence complement standard clinical scores that are assessed for particular tasks only. Machine learning methods have been applied to infer activity routines from sensor data. However, supervised methods require activity annotations to build recognition models and thus require extensive patient supervision. Discovery methods, including topic models could provide patient routine information and deal with variability in activity and movement performance across patients. Topic models have been used to discover characteristic activity routine patterns of healthy individuals using activity primitives recognized from supervised sensor data. Yet, the applicability of topic models for hemiparetic rehabilitation patients and techniques to derive activity primitives without supervision needs to be addressed. We investigate, 1) whether a topic model-based activity routine discovery framework can infer activity routines of rehabilitation patients from wearable motion sensor data. 2) We compare the performance of our topic model-based activity routine discovery using rule-based and clustering-based activity vocabulary. We analyze the activity routine discovery in a dataset recorded with 11 hemiparetic rehabilitation patients during up to ten full recording days per individual in an ambulatory daycare rehabilitation center using wearable motion sensors attached to both wrists and the non-affected thigh. We introduce and compare rule-based and clustering-based activity vocabulary to process statistical and frequency acceleration features to activity words. Activity words were used for activity routine pattern discovery using topic models

Elections to Staff Council

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2011-01-01

Elections to fill all seats in the Staff Council are being organized this month. The voting takes place from the 31st of October to the 14th of November, at noon. As you may have noted when reading Echo, many issues concerning our employment conditions are on the agenda of the coming months and will keep the next Staff Council very busy. So, make your voice heard and take part in the elections for a new Staff Council. By doing so, you will be encouraging the men and women who will be representing you over the next two years and they will doubtless appreciate your gratitude. Every member of the Staff Association will have received an email containing a link to the webpage which will allow voting. If you are a member of the Staff Association and you did not receive such an email, please contact the Staff Association secretariat (staff.association@cern.ch). Do not forget to vote * * * * * * * Vote Make your voice heard and be many to elect the new Staff Council. More details on the election...

Prevalence of incidental or unexpected findings on low-dose CT performed during routine SPECT/CT nuclear medicine studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yap, Kelvin Kwok-Ho; Sutherland, Tom; Shafik-Eid, Raymond; Taubman, Kim; Schlicht, Stephen; Ramaseshan, Ganeshan

2015-01-01

In nuclear medicine, single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) is often combined with ‘simultaneous’ low-dose CT (LDCT) to provide complementary anatomical and functional correlation. As a consequence, numerous incidental and unexpected findings may be detected on LDCT. Recognition of these findings and appropriate determination of their relevance can add to the utility of SPECT/CT. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and categorise the relevance of incidental and unexpected findings on LDCT scans performed as part of routine SPECT/CT studies. All available LDCT scans performed as part of SPECT/CT studies at St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne in the year 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Two qualified radiologists independently reviewed the studies and any previous available imaging and categorised any detected incidental findings. A total of 2447 LDCT studies were reviewed. The relevance of the findings was classified according to a modified version of a scale used in the Colonography Reporting and Data System: E1 = normal or normal variant (28.0%); E2 = clinically unimportant (63.5%); E3 = likely unimportant or incompletely characterised (6.2%); E4 = potentially important (2.5%). Imaging specialists need to be cognisant of incidental and unexpected findings present on LDCT studies performed as part of SPECT/CT. Appropriate categorisation of findings and communication of potentially important findings to referring clinicians should form part of routine practice. The overall prevalence of potentially significant incidental and unexpected findings in our series was 8.7% (E3, 6.2%; E4, 2.5%) and was comparable to rates in other published imaging series.

Routine chest X-ray in the allergy clinic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia-Barredo, M.R.; Usamentiaga, E.; Fidalgo, I.

1997-01-01

To determine whether routine chest X-ray is indicated in allergy patients when there is no evidence of cardiopulmonary involvement. A retrospective study to analyze the indications and radiologic findings in 515 consecutive patients who underwent chest X-ray: Positive findings were considered to be any radiological sing that led to the performance of additional diagnostic measures or a change in the therapeutic management of the patient. Positive radiologic findings were observed in 39 cases (7.59%). Only two patients (0.38%) were diagnosed as having diseases that were susceptible to proper treatment. In one of them (0.19%), the failure to perform chest X-ray would have impeded the introduction of proper treatment. We do not recommend carrying out routine chest X-ray in this patient population. (Author) 7 refs

Developing a Mechanism for Assessment of the Mobile Operator Staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhukovska Liudmyla E.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at determining and substantiating practical recommendations on improving the assessment of staff of mobile operators based on an analysis of the existing theoretical and methodological foundations of formation and implementation of an effective mechanism for staff assessment and the suitability of their application in the competitive conditions. General tendencies in the development of mobile operators have been determined, existing approaches to assessing their staff have been explored. The article substantiates the need for cooperation and exchange of experts among mobile operators on staff assessment issues, using the assessment center technology and the use of an integrated staff assessment based on the points system, which will provide an objective assessment of each employee and will also contribute to the development of staff assessment technology for all telecommunications companies. The organizational and economic foundations for the implementation of these activities and the determination of level of their performance for mobile operators will be purpose of further researches.

AECB staff review of Bruce NGS'A' operation for the year 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-06-01

This report presents AECB project staff's review of major licensing issues and of the operational performance of the station during 1987. Ontario Hydro reports and official correspondence and observations on AECB staff at site have been taken into consideration. The report is limited to aspects of the station performance that AECB staff considers to have a safety significance. Where significant developments associated with issues addressed in the report occurred in the early part of 1988 (up to the time of writing), these are mentioned where appropriate. Ontario Hydro's Quarterly Reports for 1987 contain detailed technical information on the performance of the station, individual units and unit systems. It is the opinion of AECB project staff that despite a number of commendable actions and achievements which are identified in this report, the performance of the station in 1987 was only marginally satisfactory and less satisfactory than in 1986. This assessment is supported by key performance indicators such as the number of reportable significant events, the number of events caused by or influenced by human error and the reactor trip frequency, all of which exceeded 1986 levels, and also by the lack of satisfactory progress made during the year on actions to address the findings of the Fall '86 AECB Assessment of Operating Practices. AECB staff considers that the outstanding operations and maintenance problems that were identified in the 1986 Assessment are due, in part, to an ineffective quality assurance program, and in part to a shortage of resources

Behavioral Emergency Response Team: Implementation Improves Patient Safety, Staff Safety, and Staff Collaboration.

Science.gov (United States)

Zicko, Cdr Jennifer M; Schroeder, Lcdr Rebecca A; Byers, Cdr William S; Taylor, Lt Adam M; Spence, Cdr Dennis L

2017-10-01

Staff members working on our nonmental health (non-MH) units (i.e., medical-surgical [MS] units) were not educated in recognizing or deescalating behavioral emergencies. Published evidence suggests a behavioral emergency response team (BERT) composed of MH experts who assist with deescalating behavioral emergencies may be beneficial in these situations. Therefore, we sought to implement a BERT on the inpatient non-MH units at our military treatment facility. The objectives of this evidence-based practice process improvement project were to determine how implementation of a BERT affects staff and patient safety and to examine nursing staffs' level of knowledge, confidence, and support in caring for psychiatric patients and patients exhibiting behavioral emergencies. A BERT was piloted on one MS unit for 5 months and expanded to two additional units for 3 months. Pre- and postimplementation staff surveys were conducted, and the number of staff assaults and injuries, restraint usage, and security intervention were compared. The BERT responded to 17 behavioral emergencies. The number of assaults decreased from 10 (pre) to 1 (post); security intervention decreased from 14 to 1; and restraint use decreased from 8 to 1. MS staffs' level of BERT knowledge and rating of support between MH staff and their staff significantly increased. Both MS and MH nurses rated the BERT as supportive and effective. A BERT can assist with deescalating behavioral emergencies, and improve staff collaboration and patient and staff safety. © 2017 Sigma Theta Tau International.

The effectiveness of a multidisciplinary QI activity for accidental fall prevention: Staff compliance is critical

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ohde Sachiko

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Accidental falls among inpatients are a substantial cause of hospital injury. A number of successful experimental studies on fall prevention have shown the importance and efficacy of multifactorial intervention, though success rates vary. However, the importance of staff compliance with these effective, but often time-consuming, multifactorial interventions has not been fully investigated in a routine clinical setting. The purpose of this observational study was to describe the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary quality improvement (QI activity for accidental fall prevention, with particular focus on staff compliance in a non-experimental clinical setting. Methods This observational study was conducted from July 2004 through December 2010 at St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo, Japan. The QI activity for in-patient falls prevention consisted of: 1 the fall risk assessment tool, 2 an intervention protocol to prevent in-patient falls, 3 specific environmental safety interventions, 4 staff education, and 5 multidisciplinary healthcare staff compliance monitoring and feedback mechanisms. Results The overall fall rate was 2.13 falls per 1000 patient days (350/164331 in 2004 versus 1.53 falls per 1000 patient days (263/172325 in 2010, representing a significant decrease (p = 0.039. In the first 6 months, compliance with use of the falling risk assessment tool at admission was 91.5% in 2007 (3998/4368, increasing to 97.6% in 2010 (10564/10828. The staff compliance rate of implementing an appropriate intervention plan was 85.9% in 2007, increasing to 95.3% in 2010. Conclusion In our study we observed a substantial decrease in patient fall rates and an increase of staff compliance with a newly implemented falls prevention program. A systematized QI approach that closely involves, encourages, and educates healthcare staff at multiple levels is effective.

Sizewell B PWR: safety implications for operating staff. A report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1983-01-01

A report given on the safety implications for the staff who would be involved in the commissioning and operating of Sizewell B reactor, looking in particular detail at the following aspects of the plant and its proposed operation: operator access to the containment whilst the reactor is on-load and the reasons for and means of restricting this, the use of robotics to minimise routine access to high radiation areas, circuit chemistry in relation to its effect on minimising the coolant activity, the handling and storage of the radioactive waste arisings on-site, including the use of robotics and the integrity of the pressure vessel as considered by the Cottrell/Marshall dialogue.

Elections to Staff Council

CERN Multimedia

Saff Association

2013-01-01

2013 Elections to Staff Council   Vote! Make your voice heard and be many to elect the new Staff Council. More details on the elections can be found on the Staff Association web site (https://ap-vote.web.cern.ch/elections-2013).   Timetable elections Monday 28 October to Monday 11 November, 12:00 am voting Monday 18 and Monday 25 November, publication of the results in Echo Tuesday 19 November, Staff Association Assizes Tuesday 3 December, first meeting of the new Staff Council and election of the new Executive Committee The voting procedure is monitored by the Election Committee.

32 CFR 270.5 - Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Staff. 270.5 Section 270.5 National Defense... Staff. (a) The Commission will have a support staff, which will include staff members sufficient to expeditiously and efficiently process the applications for payments under this part. All members of the staff...

The impact of electronic health records on collaborative work routines: A narrative network analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chao, Chia-An

2016-10-01

This study examined collaborative work routines and changes after the implementation of a perinatal EHR. The change process and underlying drivers were analyzed to offer insight into why changes - intended or unintended - did or did not occur and their implications for EHR design and implementation. This mixed-method case study included both qualitative and quantitative information. Pre- and post-implementation observations took place over an 18-month period totaling 90h. Formal and informal interviews with administrative and clinical staff, pre- and post-implementation surveys, project meeting observations, and artifact review supplemented data gathered from the observations. Workflow and narrative network analyses of work routines were used to identify changes pre- and post-EHR and to represent different perspectives of work routines. EHR improved documentation efficiency and in- and out-patient information exchange, but increased variability in documentation. Some variabilities were institutionally sanctioned or tolerated, but other variabilities - while ingenious and emblematic of the generative nature of routines enabled by the EHR - were problematic. EHR's support for clinician communication and coordination was limited and its cognitive support insufficient. In some cases, EHR increased cognitive load as the unlocalized EHR scattered information, and the lengthy printouts contributed to information fragmentation and made information retrieval more difficult. The process of the EHR implementation and the changes observed was the confluence of three factors: resource constraint - in particular EHR expertise and experience - not uncommon in many community hospitals; the functional properties of the EHR focusing on information aggregation, storage, and retrieval; and the extant culture and practice of healthcare emphasizing autonomy and flexibility. While collaborative and communication changes were prompted by EHR implementation, the system played a minimal

Competencies Setup for Nuclear Regulatory Staff in Thailand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pingish, Panupong; Siripirom, Lopchai; Nakkaew, Pongpan; Manuwong, Theerapatt; Wongsamarn, Vichian

2010-01-01

Competencies setup for regulatory bodies oversee a research reactor and nuclear power reactors in Thailand, concentrating on staff development in areas of review and assessment, inspection and enforcement, authorization, and development of regulations and guides. The regulatory body in Thailand is the Bureau of Nuclear Safety Regulation (BNSR) which belongs to the Office of Atoms for Peace (OAP). The BNSR is divided into 4 groups according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). These groups are the nuclear safety administration group, nuclear safety technical support group, nuclear safety assessment and licensing group, and the nuclear installations inspection group. Each group is divided into senior and junior positions. The competencies model was used for implementation of staff qualification, career planning and professional progression by BNSR. Competencies are related to knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSAs) needed to perform their job. A key issue is obtaining competencies for the regulatory bodies. The systematic approach to training (SAT) has been used in several countries for improvement regulator performance. The SAT contains 5 steps, including analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation, to achieve competencies. The SAT provides a logical progression from the identification of competencies required to perform a job to the design, development and implementation of training using the competencies model. In the first step, BNSR performs an operating analysis of training needs assessment (TNA) by using gap analysis technique, as suggested by IAEA. Individual regulatory bodies address the gap using appropriate training program, after comparing the actual and desired competency profiles to determine the gap. This paper examines competencies setup for regulatory staff of BNSR as a result of gaps analysis to establish a scheme for design characteristics of regulatory staff and training courses, thereby enhancing the regulatory

Working relationships between obstetric care staff and their managers: a critical incident analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chipeta, Effie; Bradley, Susan; Chimwaza-Manda, Wanangwa; McAuliffe, Eilish

2016-08-26

Malawi continues to experience critical shortages of key health technical cadres that can adequately respond to Malawi's disease burden. Difficult working conditions contribute to low morale and frustration among health care workers. We aimed to understand how obstetric care staff perceive their working relationships with managers. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in health facilities in Malawi between October and December 2008. Critical Incident Analysis interviews were done in government district hospitals, faith-based health facilities, and a sample of health centres' providing emergency obstetric care. A total of 84 service providers were interviewed. Data were analyzed using NVivo 8 software. Poor leadership styles affected working relationships between obstetric care staff and their managers. Main concerns were managers' lack of support for staff welfare and staff performance, lack of mentorship for new staff and junior colleagues, as well as inadequate supportive supervision. All this led to frustrations, diminished motivation, lack of interest in their job and withdrawal from work, including staff seriously considering leaving their post. Positive working relationships between obstetric care staff and their managers are essential for promoting staff motivation and positive work performance. However, this study revealed that staff were demotivated and undermined by transactional leadership styles and behavior, evidenced by management by exception and lack of feedback or recognition. A shift to transformational leadership in nurse-manager relationships is essential to establish good working relationships with staff. Improved providers' job satisfaction and staff retentionare crucial to the provision of high quality care and will also ensure efficiency in health care delivery in Malawi.

AECB staff annual report of BRUCE NGS 'B' for the year 1990

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-06-01

This report presents the AECB staff review of major licensing issues and of the operational performance of the station during 1990. The report is limited to those aspects of station performance that AECB staff considers to have safety significance. Where developments of significance, associated with issues addressed in the report, occurred in the early part of 1991, these are also mentioned

Staff/bed and staff/patient ratios in South African public sector mental ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives. To document staff/bed and staff/patient ratios in public. sector mental health services in South Africa. Design. Cross-sectional survey. Method. Aquestionnaire was distributed to provincial mental health co-ordinators requesting numbers of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff who provide mental health care at all ...

Elections to Staff Council

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2013-01-01

Elections to fill all seats in the Staff Council are being organized this month. The voting takes place from the 28 of October to the 11th of November, at noon. As you may have noted when reading Echo, many issues concerning our employment conditions are on the agenda of the coming months, and in particular the Five-yearly-Review 2015, subject of the questionnaire that you probably recently filled out. All this will keep the next Staff Council very busy indeed. So, make your voice heard and take part in the elections for a new Staff Council. By doing so, you will be encouraging the men and women who will be representing you over the next two years and they will doubtless appreciate your gratitude. Every member of the Staff Association will have received an email containing a link to the webpage which will allow voting. If you are a member of the Staff Association and you did not receive such an email, please contact the Staff Association secretariat (staff.association@cern.ch). Do not forget to v...

Staff and patient absorbed doses due to diagnostic nuclear medicine procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tabei, F.; Neshandar Asli, I.; Aghamiri, S.M.; Arbabi, K.

2004-01-01

Background: annual patient effective dose equivalent can be considered as a quantitative physical parameter describing the activities performed in each nuclear medicine department. annual staff dose equivalent could be also considered as a parameter describing the amount of radiation risk for performing the activities. We calculated the staff to patient dose equivalent ratio to be used as a physical parameter for quantification of ALARA law in nuclear medicine department. Materials and methods: as a part of nationwide study, this paper reports the staff and patient absorbed dose equivalents from diagnostic nuclear medicine examinations performed in four nuclear medicine department during 1999-2002. The type and frequency of examinations in each department were determined directly from hospital medical reports. Staff absorbed doses equivalents were calculated from regular personal dosimeter reports. Results: the total number of examinations increased by 16.7 % during these years. Annual patient collective dose equivalent increased about 13.0 % and the mean effective dose equivalent per exam was 3.61 ± 0.07 mSv. Annual total staff absorbed dose equivalent (total of 24 radiation workers) in four departments increased from 40.45 mSv to 47.81 mSv during four years that indicates an increase of about 20.6 %. The average of annual ratios of staff to patient effective dose equivalents in four departments were 1.83 x 10 -3 , 1.04 x 10 -3 , 3.28 x 10 -3 and 3.24 x 10 -3 , respectively, within a range of 0.9 x 10 -3 - 4.17 x 10 -3 . The mean value of ratios in four years was about 2.24 x 10 -3 ± 1.09 x 10 -3 that indicates the staff dose of about two 1000 th of patient dose. Conclusion: The mean value of ratios in four years was about 1.89 x 10 -3 ± 0.95 x 10 -3 indicating the staff dose of about one 1000 th of the patient dose. The staff to patient absorbed dose equivalent ratio could be used as a quantitative parameter for describing ALARA law in radiation protection and

[Feasibility and acceptance of computer-based assessment for the identification of psychosocially distressed patients in routine clinical care].

Science.gov (United States)

Sehlen, Susanne; Ott, Martin; Marten-Mittag, Birgitt; Haimerl, Wolfgang; Dinkel, Andreas; Duehmke, Eckhart; Klein, Christian; Schaefer, Christof; Herschbach, Peter

2012-07-01

This study investigated feasibility and acceptance of computer-based assessment for the identification of psychosocial distress in routine radiotherapy care. 155 cancer patients were assessed using QSC-R10, PO-Bado-SF and Mach-9. The congruence between computerized tablet PC and conventional paper assessment was analysed in 50 patients. The agreement between the 2 modes was high (ICC 0.869-0.980). Acceptance of computer-based assessment was very high (>95%). Sex, age, education, distress and Karnofsky performance status (KPS) did not influence acceptance. Computerized assessment was rated more difficult by older patients (p = 0.039) and patients with low KPS (p = 0.020). 75.5% of the respondents supported referral for psycho-social intervention for distressed patients. The prevalence of distress was 27.1% (QSC-R10). Computer-based assessment allows easy identification of distressed patients. Level of staff involvement is low, and the results are quickly available for care providers. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Routine resite of peripheral intravenous devices every 3 days did not reduce complications compared with clinically indicated resite: a randomised controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rickard Claire M

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Peripheral intravenous device (IVD complications were traditionally thought to be reduced by limiting dwell time. Current recommendations are to resite IVDs by 96 hours with the exception of children and patients with poor veins. Recent evidence suggests routine resite is unnecessary, at least if devices are inserted by a specialised IV team. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of peripheral IVD 'routine resite' with 'removal on clinical indication' on IVD complications in a general hospital without an IV team. Methods A randomised, controlled trial was conducted in a regional teaching hospital. After ethics approval, 362 patients (603 IVDs were randomised to have IVDs replaced on clinical indication (185 patients or routine change every 3 days (177 patients. IVDs were inserted and managed by the general hospital medical and nursing staff; there was no IV team. The primary endpoint was a composite of IVD complications: phlebitis, infiltration, occlusion, accidental removal, local infection, and device-related bloodstream infection. Results IVD complication rates were 68 per 1,000 IVD days (clinically indicated and 66 per 1,000 IVD days (routine replacement (P = 0.86; HR 1.03; 95% CI, 0.74-1.43. Time to first complication per patient did not differ between groups (KM with log rank, P = 0.53. There were no local infections or IVD-related bloodstream infections in either group. IV therapy duration did not differ between groups (P = 0.22, but more (P = 0.004 IVDs were placed per patient in the routine replacement (mean, 1.8 than the clinical indication group (mean, 1.5, with significantly higher hospital costs per patient (P Conclusions Resite on clinical indication would allow one in two patients to have a single cannula per course of IV treatment, as opposed to one in five patients managed with routine resite; overall complication rates appear similar. Clinically indicated resite would achieve savings in equipment

A multicenter study of routine versus selective intraoperative leak testing for sleeve gastrectomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bingham, Jason; Kaufman, Jedediah; Hata, Kai; Dickerson, James; Beekley, Alec; Wisbach, Gordon; Swann, Jacob; Ahnfeldt, Eric; Hawkins, Devon; Choi, Yong; Lim, Robert; Martin, Matthew

2017-09-01

Staple line leaks after sleeve gastrectomy are dreaded complications. Many surgeons routinely perform an intraoperative leak test (IOLT) despite little evidence to validate the reliability, clinical benefit, and safety of this procedure. To determine the efficacy of IOLT and if routine use has any benefit over selective use. Eight teaching hospitals, including private, university, and military facilities. A multicenter, retrospective analysis over a 5-year period. The efficacy of the IOLT for identifying unsuspected staple line defects and for predicting postoperative leaks was evaluated. An anonymous survey was also collected reflecting surgeons' practices and beliefs regarding IOLT. From January 2010 through December 2014, 4284 patients underwent sleeve gastrectomy. Of these, 37 patients (.9%) developed a postoperative leak, and 2376 patients (55%) received an IOLT. Only 2 patients (0.08%) had a positive finding. Subsequently, 21 patients with a negative IOLT developed a leak. IOLT demonstrated a sensitivity of only 8.7%. There was a nonsignificant trend toward increased leak rates when an IOLT was performed versus when IOLT was not performed. Leak rates were not statistically different between centers that routinely perform IOLT versus those that selectively perform IOLT. Routine IOLT had very poor sensitivity and was negative in 91% of patients who later developed postoperative leaks. The use of IOLT was not associated with a decrease in the incidence of postoperative leaks, and routine IOLT had no benefit over selective leak testing. IOLT should not be used as a quality indicator or "best practice" for bariatric surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Computer-aided diagnosis in routine mammography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sittek, H.; Perlet, C.; Helmberger, R.; Linsmeier, E.; Kessler, M.; Reiser, M.

1998-01-01

Purpose: Computer-aided diagnosis in mammography is a topic many study groups have been concerned with since the first presentation of a system for computer-aided interpretation in 1967. Currently, there is only one system avilable for clinical use in mammography, the CAD-System Image Checker (R2 Technology). The purpose of our prospective study was to evaluate whether the integration of the CAD-system into the routine of a radiological breast diagnosis unit is feasible. Results: After the installation of the CAD-system, 300 patients with 1110 mammograms were included for evaluation in the present study. In 54 of these cases histological examination was indicated due to suspect criteria on conventional mammography. In 39 of 54 cases (72,2%) malignancy could be proven histologically. The CAD-system marked 82,1% of the histologically verified carcinomas correctly 94,3% of all 1797 marks made by the CAD-system indicated normal or benign structures. Routinely performed CAD analysis prolonged patients waiting time by about 15 min because the marks of the CAD system had to be interpreted in addition to the routine diagnostic investigations. Conclusion: Our experience with the use of the CAD-system in daily routine showed that CAD analysis can easily be integrated into a preexisting mammography unit. However, the diagnostic benefit is not yet clearly established. Since the rate of false negative marks by the CAD-system Image Checker is still high, the results of CAD analysis must be checked and corrected by an observer well experienced in mammography reading. (orig.) [de

Manual patient transfers used most often by student and staff nurses are consistent with their perceptions of transfer training, and performance confidence.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wyk, Paula M; Weir, Patricia L; Andrews, David M

2015-01-01

A disconnect in manual patient transfer (MPT) training practices for nurses, between what is taught and used in academic and clinical settings, could have implications for injury. This study aimed to determine: 1. what MPTs student and staff nurses use in clinical settings, and 2. if the MPTs used most often were also the ones they perceived that they received training for and had the most confidence performing. Survey responses from student nurses (n=163) (mid-sized university) and staff nurses (n=33) (local hospital) regarding 19 MPTs were analyzed to determine which transfers were perceived to be used most often, and which ones they had received training for and had the greatest confidence performing. The MPTs nurses perceived using most often were the same transfers they had the greatest confidence performing and for which they perceived receiving training. However, these MPTs were not taught at the university at the time of this investigation. Reducing the disconnect between manual patient transfer training obtained in the academic and clinical environments will hopefully reduce the risk of injury for nurses and improve the quality of care for patients.

Individual values, learning routines and academic procrastination.

Science.gov (United States)

Dietz, Franziska; Hofer, Manfred; Fries, Stefan

2007-12-01

Academic procrastination, the tendency to postpone learning activities, is regarded as a consequence of postmodern values that are prominent in post-industrialized societies. When students strive for leisure goals and have no structured routines for academic tasks, delaying strenuous learning activities becomes probable. The model tested in this study posits that postmodern value orientations are positively related to procrastination and to a lack of daily routines concerning the performance of academic activities. In contrast, modern values are negatively related to procrastination and positively to learning routines. Academic procrastination, in-turn, should be associated with the tendency to prefer leisure activities to schoolwork in case of conflicts between these two life domains. Seven hundred and four students from 6th and 8th grade with a mean age of 13.5 years participated in the study. The sample included students from all tracks of the German educational system. Students completed a questionnaire containing two value prototypes as well as scales on learning routines and procrastination. Decisions in motivational conflicts were measured using two vignettes. Results from structural equation modelling supported the proposed model for the whole sample as well as for each school track. A planned course of the day can prevent procrastination and foster decisions for academic tasks in case of conflicts. Students' learning takes place within a societal context and reflects the values held in the respective culture.

The Staff Council, ready for the challenges of 2015

CERN Document Server

Staff Association

2015-01-01

In order to fulfil its mission of representing CERN staff with the Management and the Member States in an optimal way, the Staff Council relies on the work of a number of commissions, amongst them employment conditions, pensions, legal matters, social security, health and safety and InFormAction (training, information and action). All of these commissions have as a goal to try and improve the employment conditions of CERN members of personnel. This is the case in particular in the context of the five-yearly review process, ending in December 2015 (5YR 2015). Let us recall that the objective of a five-yearly review is to ensure that the financial and social conditions offered by the Organisation favour recruitment from all Member States, and to retain and motivate staff necessary for the fulfilment of its mission. The convenor of each Commission reports regularly to the Staff Council and Executive Committee on the work performed in their group. The commissions are open to all members of the Staff Associati...

The Importance of Intangible Incentives to Increasing the Motivation of Enterprise Staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kuchumova Iryna Yu.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The article is aimed at studying different motivation systems that are used by the staff managers and considering recommendations for building an effective system to stimulate the professional development of staff at today’s enterprises. Impact of both the material and the non-material incentive systems on the staff performance was analyzed. It has been noted that, in the rapid development of the modern world, material motivation is no longer sufficient for the constant interest of workers and for their effective stimulation to productive work. Therefore, the main components of the system of non-material motivation of staff have been determined and analyzed. The most common methods of the non-material motivation used by contemporary companies together with the intangible incentives that workers want to receive were analyzed. Efficiency of the management practices associated with the evaluation of performance of each employee has been substantiated, and it has been specified that the effective staff incentives are one of the most significant factors in the competitiveness of today’s enterprises.

Learning and remembering strategies of novice and advanced jazz dancers for skill level appropriate dance routines.

Science.gov (United States)

Poon, P P; Rodgers, W M

2000-06-01

This study examined the influence of the challenge level of to-be-learned stimulus on learning strategies in novice and advanced dancers. In Study 1, skill-level appropriate dance routines were developed for novice and advanced jazz dancers. In Study 2, 8 novice and 9 advanced female jazz dancers attempted to learn and remember the two routines in mixed model factorial design, with one between-participants factor: skill level (novice or advanced) and two within-participants factors: routine (easy or difficult) and performance (immediate or delayed). Participants were interviewed regarding the strategies used to learn and remember the routines. Results indicated that advanced performers used atypical learning strategies for insufficiently challenging stimuli, which may reflect characteristics of the stimuli rather than the performer. The qualitative data indicate a clear preference of novice and advanced performers for spatial compatibility of stimuli and response.

The Influence of Nurse Manager Leadership Style on Staff Nurse Work Engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Manning, Jennifer

2016-09-01

Nursing literature supports the importance of an engaged nursing workforce as a means to positively influence performance. Nurse manager leadership style plays a critical role in engaging staff nurses. These relationships have been minimally studied in nurse managers and staff nurses. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of nurse manager leadership style factors on staff nurse work engagement. Using a descriptive correlational research design, 441 staff nurses working in 3 acute care hospitals were surveyed. Survey instruments included the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and the Multifactorial Leadership Questionnaire 5X short form. Transactional and transformational leadership styles in nurse managers positively influenced staff nurse work engagement. Passive-avoidant leadership style in nurse managers negatively influenced staff nurse work engagement. Nurse managers who provide support and communication through transformational and transactional leadership styles can have a positive impact on staff nurse work engagement and ultimately improve organizational outcomes.

Research Staff | Wind | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Research Staff Research Staff Learn more about the expertise and technical skills of the wind power research team and staff at NREL. Name Position Email Phone Anstedt, Sheri Professional III-Writer/Editor /Web Content Sheri.Anstedt@nrel.gov 303-275-3255 Baker, Donald Research Technician V-Electrical

Staff Association Cocktail

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2017-01-01

The Staff Association has been organising for many years a cocktail with delegates of the Member States participating in Finance Committees of March and September. This cocktail is held at the end of the day, after the Finance Committee meeting. This direct and regular communication helps establish an ongoing contact between the Staff Association and CERN Member States and, more recently, the Associate Member States. Ambassadors of the CERN Staff Association, who are Members of the Personnel, have the opportunity to meet their national delegation in an informal and friendly atmosphere. These exchanges, facilitated by the use of the national language, allow the personnel via the Staff Association to express its ideas and positions on current affairs and fundamental issues, and also to hear about those of the delegations in return.

A comparative study of the effect of triage training by role-playing and educational video on the knowledge and performance of emergency medical service staffs in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Aghababaeian, Hamidreza; Sedaghat, Soheila; Tahery, Noorallah; Moghaddam, Ali Sadeghi; Maniei, Mohammad; Bahrami, Nosrat; Ahvazi, Ladan Araghi

2013-12-01

Educating emergency medical staffs in triage skills is an important aspect of disaster preparedness. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of role-playing and educational video presentation on the learning and performance of the emergency medical service staffs in Khozestan, Iran A total of 144 emergency technicians were randomly classified into two groups. A researcher trained the first group using an educational video method and the second group with a role-playing method. Data were collected before, immediately, and 15 days after training using a questionnaire covering the three domains of demographic information, triage knowledge, and triage performance. The data were analyzed using defined knowledge and performance parameters. There was no significant difference between the two training methods on performance and immediate knowledge (P = .2), lasting knowledge (P=.05) and immediate performance (P = .35), but there was a statistical advantage for the role-playing method on lasting performance (P = .02). The two educational methods equally increase knowledge and performance, but the role-playing method may have a more desirable and lasting effect on performance.

Perceptions of staff at Eastern Cape Technikon on the value and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study was performed to determine the perceptions of staff at Eastern Cape Technikon on the value and effectiveness of linkage partnerships. Academic staff indicated that the main reason for their involvement in these projects is capacity building. Apart from the development of skills and competencies they also rate ...

Mental Health Staff Perceptions and Practice Regarding Self-Harm, Suicidality and Help-Seeking in LGBTQ Youth: Findings from a Cross-Sectional Survey in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Elizabeth; Rawlings, Victoria; McDermott, Elizabeth

2018-01-01

Young people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ) experience higher levels of suicidality compared to heterosexual or cisgender peers, and face significant barriers accessing mental health services including prejudice from staff. In a cross-sectional survey, mental health staff who reported receiving LGBT awareness training were significantly more likely to report in relation to working with LGBT youth that they routinely discussed issues of sexuality and gender (χ 2 =8.782, df=2, p LGBTQ awareness, and these findings indicate that awareness training could impact positively on practice.

Primary health care staff's perception of childhood tuberculosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerrum, Stephanie; Rose, Michala Vaaben; Bygbjerg, Ib Christian

2012-01-01

Background: Diagnosing tuberculosis in children remains a great challenge in developing countries. Health staff working in the front line of the health service delivery system has a major responsibility for timely identification and referral of suspected cases of childhood tuberculosis. This study...... explored primary health care staff’s perception, challenges and needs pertaining to the identification of children with tuberculosis in Muheza district in Tanzania. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study that included 13 semi-structured interviews and 3 focus group discussions with a total of 29 health...... staff purposively sampled from primary health care facilities. Analysis was performed in accordance with the principles of a phenomenological analysis. Results: Primary health care staff perceived childhood tuberculosis to be uncommon in the society and tuberculosis was rarely considered as a likely...

Examination of the Relationship between Organizational Stress and Employee Performance: A Research on Staff Working on Provincial Directorate of Youth and Sports

Science.gov (United States)

Goksel, Ali Gurel; Caz, Cagdas; Yazici, Omer Faruk; Ikizler, Huseyin Can

2017-01-01

The purpose of this research is to study the relation between the level of organizational stress at the staff of the Youth Services and Sports Provincial Directorate and their performance. The study group of research, Istanbul province in the Uskudar district officials operating in the Youth Services and Sports Provincial Directorate constitute a…

The role of informal dimensions of safety in high-volume organisational routines: an ethnographic study of test results handling in UK general practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Suzanne; Checkland, Katherine; Bowie, Paul; Guthrie, Bruce

2017-04-27

The handling of laboratory, imaging and other test results in UK general practice is a high-volume organisational routine that is both complex and high risk. Previous research in this area has focused on errors and harm, but a complementary approach is to better understand how safety is achieved in everyday practice. This paper ethnographically examines the role of informal dimensions of test results handling routines in the achievement of safety in UK general practice and how these findings can best be developed for wider application by policymakers and practitioners. Non-participant observation was conducted of high-volume organisational routines across eight UK general practices with diverse organisational characteristics. Sixty-two semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the key practice staff alongside the analysis of relevant documents. While formal results handling routines were described similarly across the eight study practices, the everyday structure of how the routine should be enacted in practice was informally understood. Results handling safety took a range of local forms depending on how different aspects of safety were prioritised, with practices varying in terms of how they balanced thoroughness (i.e. ensuring the high-quality management of results by the most appropriate clinician) and efficiency (i.e. timely management of results) depending on a range of factors (e.g. practice history, team composition). Each approach adopted created its own potential risks, with demands for thoroughness reducing productivity and demands for efficiency reducing handling quality. Irrespective of the practice-level approach adopted, staff also regularly varied what they did for individual patients depending on the specific context (e.g. type of result, patient circumstances). General practices variably prioritised a legitimate range of results handling safety processes and outcomes, each with differing strengths and trade-offs. Future safety

Data format translation routines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burris, R.D.

1981-02-01

To enable the effective connection of several dissimilar computers into a network, modification of the data being passed from one computer to another may become necessary. This document describes a package of routines which permit the translation of data in PDP-8 formats to PDP-11 or DECsystem-10 formats or from PDP-11 format to DECsystem-10 format. Additional routines are described which permit the effective use of the translation routines in the environment of the Fusion Energy Division (FED) network and the Elmo Bumpy Torus (EBT) data base

Research Staff | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Research Staff Research Staff desc Greg Wilson Center Director Dr. Greg Wilson is the Director of @nrel.gov 303-384-6649 Bosco, Nicholas Staff Scientist Nick.Bosco@nrel.gov 303-384-6337 Braunecker, Wade IV-Physics Michael.Deceglie@nrel.gov 303-384-6104 Deline, Chris Staff Engineer Chris.Deline@nrel.gov

Nurse manager engagement: what it means to nurse managers and staff nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Linda R; Shirey, Maria R

2013-01-01

To describe what nurse manager engagement means to nurse managers and staff nurses by incorporating an organizational dashboard to document engagement outcomes. Retaining engaged nurse managers is crucial for individual performance and organizational outcomes. However, nurse manager engagement is currently underreported in the literature. Existing data from the 2010 Employee Opinion Survey at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, were used to measure staff engagement among 28 nurse managers and 1497 staff nurses. The data showed a 21% gap between manager and staff nurse engagement levels, with managers showing higher engagement levels than staff. No clear depiction of nurse manager engagement emerged. Consequently, an expanded definition of nurse manager engagement was developed alongside a beginning dashboard of engagement outcomes. The findings have implications for overcoming barriers that affect staff nurse engagement, improving outcomes, and creating definitions of nurse manager engagement.

Interventions to improve teamwork and communications among healthcare staff.

Science.gov (United States)

McCulloch, P; Rathbone, J; Catchpole, K

2011-04-01

Concern over the frequency of unintended harm to patients has focused attention on the importance of teamwork and communication in avoiding errors. This has led to experiments with teamwork training programmes for clinical staff, mostly based on aviation models. These are widely assumed to be effective in improving patient safety, but the extent to which this assumption is justified by evidence remains unclear. A systematic literature review on the effects of teamwork training for clinical staff was performed. Information was sought on outcomes including staff attitudes, teamwork skills, technical performance, efficiency and clinical outcomes. Of 1036 relevant abstracts identified, 14 articles were analysed in detail: four randomized trials and ten non-randomized studies. Overall study quality was poor, with particular problems over blinding, subjective measures and Hawthorne effects. Few studies reported on every outcome category. Most reported improved staff attitudes, and six of eight reported significantly better teamwork after training. Five of eight studies reported improved technical performance, improved efficiency or reduced errors. Three studies reported evidence of clinical benefit, but this was modest or of borderline significance in each case. Studies with a stronger intervention were more likely to report benefits than those providing less training. None of the randomized trials found evidence of technical or clinical benefit. The evidence for technical or clinical benefit from teamwork training in medicine is weak. There is some evidence of benefit from studies with more intensive training programmes, but better quality research and cost-benefit analysis are needed. Copyright © 2011 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Feasibility of integrating mental health screening and services into routine elder abuse practice to improve client outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Sirey, Jo Anne; Berman, Jacquelin; Salamone, Aurora; DePasquale, Alyssa; Halkett, Ashley; Raeifar, Elmira; Banerjee, Samprit; Bruce, Martha L; Raue, Patrick J

2015-01-01

The goal of this pilot program was to test the feasibility of mental health screening among elder abuse victims and of offering those victims a brief psychotherapy for depression and anxiety. Elder abuse victims who sought assistance from a large, urban elder abuse service were screened for depression and anxiety using standardized measures. Clients with clinically significant depression (PHQ-9) or anxiety (GAD-7) were randomized to receive one of three different interventions concurrent with abuse resolution services. Staff were able to screen 315 individuals, with 34% of clients scoring positive for depression or anxiety. Of those with mental health needs, only 15% refused all services. The mental health intervention (PROTECT) was successfully implemented in two different formats with collaboration between staff workers. These findings support both the need for mental health care among elder abuse victims and the feasibility of integrating mental health screening and treatment into routine elder abuse practice.

Performance Evaluation of an Automated ELISA System for Alzheimer's Disease Detection in Clinical Routine.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiasserini, Davide; Biscetti, Leonardo; Farotti, Lucia; Eusebi, Paolo; Salvadori, Nicola; Lisetti, Viviana; Baschieri, Francesca; Chipi, Elena; Frattini, Giulia; Stoops, Erik; Vanderstichele, Hugo; Calabresi, Paolo; Parnetti, Lucilla

2016-07-22

The variability of Alzheimer's disease (AD) cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers undermines their full-fledged introduction into routine diagnostics and clinical trials. Automation may help to increase precision and decrease operator errors, eventually improving the diagnostic performance. Here we evaluated three new CSF immunoassays, EUROIMMUNtrademark amyloid-β 1-40 (Aβ1-40), amyloid-β 1-42 (Aβ1-42), and total tau (t-tau), in combination with automated analysis of the samples. The CSF biomarkers were measured in a cohort consisting of AD patients (n = 28), mild cognitive impairment (MCI, n = 77), and neurological controls (OND, n = 35). MCI patients were evaluated yearly and cognitive functions were assessed by Mini-Mental State Examination. The patients clinically diagnosed with AD and MCI were classified according to the CSF biomarkers profile following NIA-AA criteria and the Erlangen score. Technical evaluation of the immunoassays was performed together with the calculation of their diagnostic performance. Furthermore, the results for EUROIMMUN Aβ1-42 and t-tau were compared to standard immunoassay methods (INNOTESTtrademark). EUROIMMUN assays for Aβ1-42 and t-tau correlated with INNOTEST (r = 0.83, p ratio measured with EUROIMMUN was the best parameter for AD detection and improved the diagnostic accuracy of Aβ1-42 (area under the curve = 0.93). In MCI patients, the Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 ratio was associated with cognitive decline and clinical progression to AD.The diagnostic performance of the EUROIMMUN assays with automation is comparable to other currently used methods. The variability of the method and the value of the Aβ1-42/Aβ1-40 ratio in AD diagnosis need to be validated in large multi-center studies.

Leadership styles in nursing management: implications for staff outcomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James Avoka Asamani

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Nursing is a people-centred profession and therefore the issue of leadership is crucial for success. Nurse managers’ leadership styles are believed to be important determinant of nurses’ job satisfaction and retention. In the wake of a global nursing shortage, maldistribution of health workforce, increasing healthcare costs and expanding workload, it has become imperative to examine the role of nurse managers’ leadership styles on their staff outcomes. Using the Path-Goal Leadership theory as an organised framework, this study investigated the leadership styles of nurse managers and how they influence the nursing staff job satisfaction and intentions to stay at their current workplaces.Methods: The study employed a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from a sample of 273 nursing staff in five hospitals in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Descriptive and regression analyses were performed using SPSS version 18.0Results: Nurse managers used different leadership styles depending on the situation, but were more inclined to the supportive leadership style, followed by the achievement-oriented leadership style and participative leadership style. The nursing staff exhibited moderate levels of job satisfaction. The nurse managers’ leadership styles together explained 29% of the variance in the staff job satisfaction. The intention to stay at the current workplace was low (2.64 out of 5 among the nursing staff. More than half (51.7% of the nursing staff intended to leave their current workplaces, and 20% of them were actively seeking the opportunities to leave. The nurse managers’ leadership styles statistically explained 13.3% of the staff intention to stay at their current job position.Conclusions: These findings have enormous implications for nursing practice, management, education, and human resource for health policy that could lead to better staff retention and job satisfaction, and ultimately improve patient care.  

The Balancing Act: Student Classroom Placement Routines and the Uses of Data in Elementary Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Vicki; St. John, Elise; Datnow, Amanda; Choi, Bailey

2017-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how data are used in classroom placement routines. The authors explore educators' assumptions about the purposes of the classroom placement routine, detailing the ostensive (i.e. structure and template) and performative aspects of the routine itself, and the implications of data use for equity and…

Special discount to the members of the Staff Association

CERN Multimedia

Association du personnel

2012-01-01

FNAC 5% discount on gifts card available in four Swiss shops without any restriction. Gifts card on sale to the Staff Association Secretariat. TPG 50 CHF discount on annual subscriptions. Subscription « tout Genève » for adult: 650 CHF; for junior: 400 CHF. On sale to the Staff Association Secretariat. Théâtre de Carouge Discount of 5.-CHF for all shows (30.– CHF instead of 35.-CHF) and on season tickets « first performance » ( 132.– CHF instead 162.– CHF) and also on « classical » ( 150.– CHF instead of 180.– CHF) upon presentation of your Staff Association membership card before payment. Aquaparc Discounted prices on admission of whole day. Children from 5 to 15 years: 30.-CHF instead of 39.-CHF; Adults from 16 years: 36.-CHF instead of 49.-CHF. Tickets on sale to the Staff Association Secretariat. Go Sport 15% off on all purchases in the whole shop upon present...

Pre-procedural scout radiographs are unnecessary for routine pediatric fluoroscopic examinations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Creeden, Sean G.; Rao, Anil G.; Eklund, Meryle J.; Hill, Jeanne G.; Thacker, Paul G. [Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Charleston, SC (United States)

2017-03-15

Although practice patterns vary, scout radiographs are often routinely performed with pediatric fluoroscopic studies. However few studies have evaluated their utility in routine pediatric fluoroscopy. To evaluate the value of scout abdomen radiographs in routine barium or water-soluble enema, upper gastrointestinal (GI) series, and voiding cystourethrogram pediatric fluoroscopic procedures. We retrospectively evaluated 723 barium or water-soluble enema, upper GI series, and voiding cystourethrogram fluoroscopic procedures performed at our institution. We assessed patient history and demographics, clinical indication for the examination, prior imaging findings and impressions, scout radiograph findings, additional findings provided by the scout radiograph that were previously unknown, and whether the scout radiograph contributed any findings that significantly changed management. We retrospectively evaluated 723 fluoroscopic studies (368 males and 355 females) in pediatric patients. Of these, 700 (96.8%) had a preliminary scout radiograph. Twenty-three (3.2%) had a same-day radiograph substituted as a scout radiograph. Preliminary scout abdomen radiographs/same-day radiographs showed no new significant findings in 719 (99.4%) studies. New but clinically insignificant findings were seen in 4 (0.6%) studies and included umbilical hernia, inguinal hernia and hip dysplasia. No findings were found on the scout radiographs that would either alter the examination performed or change management with regard to the exam. Pre-procedural scout abdomen radiographs are unnecessary in routine barium and water-soluble enema, upper GI series, and voiding cystourethrogram pediatric fluoroscopic procedures and can be substituted with a spot fluoroscopic last-image hold. (orig.)

[Routine fluoroscopic investigations after primary bariatric surgery].

Science.gov (United States)

Gärtner, D; Ernst, A; Fedtke, K; Jenkner, J; Schöttler, A; Reimer, P; Blüher, M; Schön, M R

2016-03-01

Staple line and anastomotic leakages are life-threatening complications after bariatric surgery. Upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract X-ray examination with oral administration of a water-soluble contrast agent can be used to detect leaks. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of routine upper GI tract fluoroscopy after primary bariatric surgery. Between January 2009 and December 2014 a total of 658 bariatric interventions were carried out of which 442 were primary bariatric operations. Included in this single center study were 307 sleeve gastrectomies and 135 Roux-en-Y gastric bypasses. Up to December 2012 upper GI tract fluoroscopy was performed routinely between the first and third postoperative days and the detection of leakages was evaluated. In the investigation period 8 leakages (2.6 %) after sleeve gastrectomy, 1 anastomotic leakage in gastrojejunostomy and 1 in jejunojejunostomy after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass occurred. All patients developed clinical symptoms, such as abdominal pain, tachycardia or fever. In one case the leakage was detected by upper GI fluoroscopy and in nine cases radiological findings were unremarkable. No leakages were detected in asymptomatic patients. Routine upper GI fluoroscopy is not recommended for uneventful postoperative courses after primary bariatric surgery.

Leading Staff Development for School Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

Bubb, Sara; Earley, Peter

2009-01-01

As part of a CfBT Education Trust funded study, we investigated the practical steps school leaders can take to ensure that self-evaluation of school performance led, through the effective staff development, to genuine school improvement. On the journey from self-evaluation to school improvement our research identified what schools did that worked,…

Challenges of maintaining research protocol fidelity in a clinical care setting: A qualitative study of the experiences and views of patients and staff participating in a randomized controlled trial

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farmer Andrew J

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Trial research has predominantly focused on patient and staff understandings of trial concepts and/or motivations for taking part, rather than why treatment recommendations may or may not be followed during trial delivery. This study sought to understand why there was limited attainment of the glycaemic target (HbA1c ≤6.5% among patients who participated in the Treating to Target in Type 2 Diabetes Trial (4-T. The objective was to inform interpretation of trial outcomes and provide recommendations for future trial delivery. Methods In-depth interviews were conducted with 45 patients and 21 health professionals recruited from 11 of 58 trial centres in the UK. Patients were broadly representative of those in the main trial in terms of treatment allocation, demographics and glycaemic control. Both physicians and research nurses were interviewed. Results Most patients were committed to taking insulin as recommended by 4-T staff. To avoid hypoglycaemia, patients occasionally altered or skipped insulin doses, normally in consultation with staff. Patients were usually unaware of the trial's glycaemic target. Positive staff feedback could lead patients to believe they had been 'successful' trial participants even when their HbA1c exceeded 6.5%. While some staff felt that the 4-T automated insulin dose adjustment algorithm had increased their confidence to prescribe larger insulin doses than in routine clinical practice, all described situations where they had not followed its recommendations. Staff regarded the application of a 'one size fits all' glycaemic target during the trial as contradicting routine clinical practice where they would tailor treatments to individuals. Staff also expressed concerns that 'tight' glycaemic control might impose an unacceptably high risk of hypoglycaemia, thus compromising trust and safety, especially amongst older patients. To address these concerns, staff tended to adapt the trial protocol to

Developing Routines in Large Inter-organisational Projects: A Case Study of an Infrastructure Megaproject

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Therese Eriksson

2015-08-01

Full Text Available General management research has increasingly recognised the significance of routines in organisational performance. Among organisational tasks, megaprojects depend more on routines selected and created within the project than standard, small-scale projects do, owing largely to their size, duration, and uniqueness. Within this context, the present paper investigates how project routines were established and developed during the early design phase of an inter-organisational megaproject. A case study of a large public infrastructure project was conducted, in which data were collected during observations, semi-structured interviews, and project document studies over the course of three years. Results of analysis revealed that the client exerted the greatest impact on choice of routines and that the temporary nature of tasks limited efforts to fine-tune routines. Changes in routines were primarily reactive to new knowledge concerning project needs. The findings suggest that meta-routines to consciously review routines should be used to a greater extent and designed to capture supplier experiences as well.

The Staff Association and you

CERN Multimedia

Association du personnel

2013-01-01

The Staff Association, your representative with the Management and the Member States The article VII 1.01 of the Staff Rules and Regulations (SR&R) provides that “the relations between the Director-General and the personnel shall be established either on an individual basis or on a collective basis with the Staff Association as intermediary”. This essential role of the Staff representatives, of being the spokesperson of the entire staff of the Organization vis-à-vis the Director-General and the Members States, is achieved through regular participation in the various joint advisory committees defined in the SR&R. The most important are the Standing Concertation Committee and the TREF, tripartite forum where your representatives meet with the Member States delegates, in the presence of the Management, to explain the position of the staff on the various issues concerning employment conditions. The Finance Committee also gives the opportunity to the Staff Association to ...

Impact of In-Service Training and Staff Development on Workers' Job Performance and Optimal Productivity in Public Secondary Schools in Osun State, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Fejoh, Johnson; Faniran, Victoria Loveth

2016-01-01

This study investigated the impact of in-service training and staff development on workers' job performance and optimal productivity in public secondary schools in Osun State, Nigeria. The study used the ex-post-facto research design. Three research questions and three hypotheses were generated and tested using questionnaire items adapted from…

TERAPI RUMATAN METADONE: KETANGGAPAN PASIEN, SIKAP STAFF DAN PENERIMAAN MASYARAKAT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siti Isfandari

2012-11-01

Full Text Available To minimize impact of injection drug use on HIV/AIDS transmission, known as Harm Reduction, a longitudinal study on methadone maintenance substitution (MMS trial was conducted in Drug Dependence Hospital, Jakarta in November 2003 and Sanglah Hospital, Denpasar in Januury 2004. Respondents of the study were 58 methadone clients From Jakarta and 22 from Denpasar, as well as 11 RSKO's staffs and seven staffs from Sanglah Hospital. Data were collected by questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussion in the third and sixth month from the client admission. In addition to minimize HIV/AIDS transmission, other benefit of the program is to increase productivity and social participation of the MMS participants. Applying the WHO responsiveness concept for health service performance, we measured the performance of MMS. Both In the first three and six month, patients had positif responsiveness with total and component average score not less than 30. But there was no significant change comparing responsiveness in the third and sixth month. Among the components of responsiveness, information and communication received most positif evaluation from patients, while regulation received the lowest evaluation. Generally, all patients support the MMS program. Staffs of MMS had neutral attitude toward the program, try their best to perform their job and learn to understand more on their clients world. The conclusionis that MMS indeed provide positive impact to the clients, and further understanding from staffs toward their clients is necessary for better communication with the clients.

Increased Exposure to Rigid Routines Can Lead to Increased Challenging Behavior Following Changes to Those Routines

Science.gov (United States)

Bull, Leah E.; Oliver, Chris; Callaghan, Eleanor; Woodcock, Kate A.

2015-01-01

Several neurodevelopmental disorders are associated with preference for routine and challenging behavior following changes to routines. We examine individuals with Prader-Willi syndrome, who show elevated levels of this behavior, to better understand how previous experience of a routine can affect challenging behavior elicited by disruption to…

Optimisation of staff protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faulkner, K.; Marshall, N.W.; Rawlings, D.J.

1997-01-01

It is important to minimize the radiation dose received by staff, but it is particularly important in interventional radiology. Staff doses may be reduced by minimizing the fluoroscopic screening time and number of images, compatible with the clinical objective of the procedure. Staff may also move to different positions in the room in an attempt to reduce doses. Finally, staff should wear appropriate protective clothing to reduce their occupational doses. This paper will concentrate on the optimization of personal shielding in interventional radiology. The effect of changing the lead equivalence of various protective devices on effective dose to staff has been studied by modeling the exposure of staff to realistic scattered radiation. Both overcouch x-ray tube/undercouch image intensified and overcouch image intensifier/undercouch x-ray tube geometries were simulated. It was deduced from this simulation that increasing the lead apron thickness from 0.35 mm lead to 0.5 mm lead had only a small reducing effect. By contrast, wearing a lead rubber thyroid shield or face mask is a superior means of reducing the effective dose to staff. Standing back from the couch when the x-ray tube is emitting radiation is another good method of reducing doses, being better than exchanging a 0.35 mm lead apron for a 0.5 mm apron. In summary, it is always preferable to shield more organs than to increase the thickness of the lead apron. (author)

Staff Group Trainer: Development of a Computer-Driven, Structured, Staff Training Environment

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Koger, Milton

1998-01-01

.... The project produced two training support packages (TSP)--battalion and brigade--designed to train these staffs to more effectively and efficiently communicate within and between staff sections, command post, and the unit commander...

Use of a birth plan within woman-held maternity records: a qualitative study with women and staff in northeast Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitford, Heather M; Entwistle, Vikki A; van Teijlingen, Edwin; Aitchison, Patricia E; Davidson, Tracey; Humphrey, Tracy; Tucker, Janet S

2014-09-01

Birth plans are written preferences for labor and birth which women prepare in advance. Most studies have examined them as a novel intervention or "outside" formal care provision. This study considered use of a standard birth plan section within a national, woman-held maternity record. Exploratory qualitative interviews were conducted with women (42) and maternity service staff (24) in northeast Scotland. Data were analyzed thematically. Staff and women were generally positive about the provision of the birth plan section within the record. Perceived benefits included the opportunity to highlight preferences, enhance communication, stimulate discussions, and address anxieties. However, not all women experienced these benefits or understood the birth plan's purpose. Some were unaware of the opportunity to complete it or could not access the support they needed from staff to discuss or be confident about their options. Some were reluctant to plan too much. Staff recognized the need to support women with birth plan completion but noted practical challenges to this. A supportive antenatal opportunity to allow discussion of options may be needed to realize the potential benefits of routine inclusion of birth plans in maternity notes. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Decentralized Ground Staff Scheduling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, M. D.; Clausen, Jens

2002-01-01

scheduling is investigated. The airport terminal is divided into zones, where each zone consists of a set of stands geographically next to each other. Staff is assigned to work in only one zone and the staff scheduling is planned decentralized for each zone. The advantage of this approach is that the staff...... work in a smaller area of the terminal and thus spends less time walking between stands. When planning decentralized the allocation of stands to flights influences the staff scheduling since the workload in a zone depends on which flights are allocated to stands in the zone. Hence solving the problem...... depends on the actual stand allocation but also on the number of zones and the layout of these. A mathematical model of the problem is proposed, which integrates the stand allocation and the staff scheduling. A heuristic solution method is developed and applied on a real case from British Airways, London...

New staff contract policy

CERN Document Server

HR Department

2006-01-01

Following discussion at TREF and on the recommendation of the Finance Committee, Council approved a new staff contract policy, which became effective on 1 January 2006. Its application is covered by a new Administrative Circular No. 2 (Rev. 3) 'Recruitment, appointment and possible developments regarding the contractual position of staff members'. The revised circular replaces the previous Circulars No. 9 (Rev. 3) 'Staff contracts' and No. 2 (Rev. 2) 'Guidelines and procedures concerning recruitment and probation period for staff members'. The main features of the new contract policy are as follows: The new policy provides chances for long-term employment for all staff recruits staying for four years without distinguishing between those assigned to long-term or short-term activities when joining CERN. In addition, it presents a number of simplifications for the award of ICs. There are henceforth only 2 types of contract: Limited Duration (LD) contracts for all recruitment and Indefinite Contracts (IC) for...

Eye dose to staff involved in interventional and procedural fluoroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McLean, D; Hadaya, D; Tse, J

2016-01-01

In 2011 the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) lowered the occupational eye dose limit from 150 to 20 mSv/yr [1]. While international jurisdictions are in a process of adopting these substantial changes, medical physicists at the clinical level have been advising medical colleagues on specific situations based on dose measurements. Commissioned and calibrated TLDs mounted in commercially available holders designed to simulate the measurement of Hp(3), were applied to staff involved in x-ray procedures for a one month period. During this period clinical procedure data was concurrently collected and subject to audit. The use or not of eye personal protective equipment (PPE) was noted for all staff. Audits were conducted in the cardiac catheterisation laboratory, the interventional angiography rooms and the procedural room where endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) procedures are performed. Significant levels of occupational dose were recorded in the cardiac and interventional procedures, with maximum reading exceeding the new limit for some interventional radiologists. No significant eye doses were measured for staff performing ERCP procedures. One outcome of the studies was increased use of eye PPE for operators of interventional equipment with increased availability also to nursing staff, when standing in close proximity to the patient during procedures. (paper)

Video modeling to train staff to implement discrete-trial instruction.

Science.gov (United States)

Catania, Cynthia N; Almeida, Daniel; Liu-Constant, Brian; DiGennaro Reed, Florence D

2009-01-01

Three new direct-service staff participated in a program that used a video model to train target skills needed to conduct a discrete-trial session. Percentage accuracy in completing a discrete-trial teaching session was evaluated using a multiple baseline design across participants. During baseline, performances ranged from a mean of 12% to 63% accuracy. During video modeling, there was an immediate increase in accuracy to a mean of 98%, 85%, and 94% for each participant. Performance during maintenance and generalization probes remained at high levels. Results suggest that video modeling can be an effective technique to train staff to conduct discrete-trial sessions.

Effects of Staff Participation, Morale, and Shortage on Organisational Performance: An International Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Cheema, Jehanzeb R.; Asrar-ul-Haq, Muhammad

2017-01-01

Prior research has suggested that staff-centred organisational factors such as participation, morale and shortage can have a significant effect on organisational outcomes. However, relatively little attention has been paid to cross-country examination of these relationships specifically for educational organisations such as schools, colleges, and…

Implementing a video-based intervention to empower staff members in an autism care organization: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, Alex; Finch, Tracy; Kolehmainen, Niina; James, Deborah

2016-10-21

innovation in routine practice. This exploratory study has provided broad insights into facilitators and barriers to the implementation of an intervention to empower staff within an autism care organization. Further research is needed into similar interventions, including a focus upon staff members' emotional responses and resources, and how such interventions may relate to the culture of the organization in which implementation occurs.

Frequency of β-lactamase enzyme and antibiogram pattern in bacterial flora isolated from staffs hands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shilla Jalalpoor

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Background: β-lactamase is an enzyme that can inactivate β–Lactam family antibiotics. High prevalence of β-lactamase producer bacteria on the staff hands, due to antibiotic resistance and nosocomial infection in hospitalized patients. The objective of this study was to assess the frequency of β-lactamase positive bacteria and antibiogram pattern in bacterial flora isolated from staff hands of the Al-Zahra hospital in Isfahan.Materials and Method: This laboratory research was performed during of 2005-2007 in Al-Zahra hospital in Isfahan. According to statistical formula, we randomly selected 80 samples from staff hands. Staff hand samples collected with finger print method. Bacterial identification was performed with microbiological methods and β–lactamase production was performed with Acidometric method and antibiogram pattern was performed with Kirby Bauer method.Results: According to the acidometric test results of 80 isolated staff hands, 61.85% of strains produce β–lactamase. Staphylococcus spp., Bacillus spp. and Enterobacteriaceae were the most important producers respectively (70.83%, 64.72% and 50%. According to antibiogram test results, penicillin and vancomycin had the highest and lowest resistance. Conclusion: High frequency of β–lactamase in bacterial survey represents colonization of bacteria in staff hands; may be due to facility transmission β–lactamase plasmid genes in bacteria. We suggest better hand washing in hospitals and prescription of β–lactame antibiotics was based only on antibiogram results

Protected engagement time on older adult mental health wards: A thematic analysis of the views of patients, carers, and staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Dodd, Emily; Cheston, Richard; Procter, Charlie; Heneker, Sarah; Gray, Richard; Fox, Chris; Nolan, Fiona

2018-04-01

During protected engagement time (PET), ward routines are adjusted so that staff can spend time together with patients without interruption. The aim of PET is to increase staff and patient interaction on wards, and ultimately patient well-being. Although PET has been implemented on inpatient wards within the UK, including older adult wards, there is no systematic evidence as to how PET is carried out or how it is experienced by staff, patients, and families. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 28 participants (8 patients, 10 family members, and 10 ward staff) from three different wards with PET, and transcriptions were analysed using thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: (i) the patient is at the heart of care; (ii) PET depends on staff; and (iii) tensions in how PET operates. There was support in our sample for the principles of PET and its potential for a positive impact on patient well-being. However, the implementation of PET was identified as challenging, highlighting an existing tension between an individual's needs and the wider needs of patients on the ward as a whole. The impact of PET was generally described as being dependent on how PET was organized and the level of staff commitment to PET. Participants emphasized that if PET is to be successful, then it should be a fluid process that fits in with the local context. © 2017 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing Literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alannah Jupe

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Approximately 50% of cats admitted to Australian shelters are kittens, and 26% of dogs are puppies, and, particularly for cats, euthanasia rates are often high. Cats can be pregnant by 4 months of age, yet the traditional desexing age is 5–6 months, and studies in Australasia and Nth America reveal that only a minority of veterinarians routinely perform early age desexing (EAD of cats or dogs, suggesting they are not graduating with these skills. This study aimed to describe the attitudes of veterinary teaching staff in Australian and New Zealand universities towards EAD, and to determine if these changed from 2008 to 2015. It also aimed to identify students’ practical exposure to EAD. Most (64% of the 25 participants in 2015 did not advocate EAD in their teaching and, in their personal opinion, only 32% advocated it for cats. Concerns related to EAD cited by staff included anesthetic risk, orthopedic problems, hypoglycemia, and, in female dogs, urinary incontinence. Those who advocated EAD cited benefits of population control, ease of surgery and behavioral benefits. Only three of the eight universities provided a majority of students with an opportunity to gain exposure to EAD procedures before graduation, and in two of these, most students had an opportunity to perform EAD. In conclusion, most veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand are not graduating with the knowledge or skills to perform EAD, and have little opportunity while at university to gain practical exposure. Welfare agencies could partner with universities to enable students to experience EAD.

Attitudes of Veterinary Teaching Staff and Exposure of Veterinary Students to Early-Age Desexing, with Review of Current Early-Age Desexing Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Jupe, Alannah; Rand, Jacquie; Morton, John; Fleming, Sophie

2017-12-25

Approximately 50% of cats admitted to Australian shelters are kittens, and 26% of dogs are puppies, and, particularly for cats, euthanasia rates are often high. Cats can be pregnant by 4 months of age, yet the traditional desexing age is 5-6 months, and studies in Australasia and Nth America reveal that only a minority of veterinarians routinely perform early age desexing (EAD) of cats or dogs, suggesting they are not graduating with these skills. This study aimed to describe the attitudes of veterinary teaching staff in Australian and New Zealand universities towards EAD, and to determine if these changed from 2008 to 2015. It also aimed to identify students' practical exposure to EAD. Most (64%) of the 25 participants in 2015 did not advocate EAD in their teaching and, in their personal opinion, only 32% advocated it for cats. Concerns related to EAD cited by staff included anesthetic risk, orthopedic problems, hypoglycemia, and, in female dogs, urinary incontinence. Those who advocated EAD cited benefits of population control, ease of surgery and behavioral benefits. Only three of the eight universities provided a majority of students with an opportunity to gain exposure to EAD procedures before graduation, and in two of these, most students had an opportunity to perform EAD. In conclusion, most veterinary students in Australia and New Zealand are not graduating with the knowledge or skills to perform EAD, and have little opportunity while at university to gain practical exposure. Welfare agencies could partner with universities to enable students to experience EAD.

The impact of staff training on staff outcomes in dementia care: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Spector, Aimee; Revolta, Catherine; Orrell, Martin

2016-11-01

Caring for people with dementia can be emotionally challenging and is often linked to low job satisfaction and burnout in care staff. Staff training within care settings is potentially valuable in improving well-being and quality of care. This review aimed to (i) establish the impact of training on staff outcomes; (ii) compare the impact of different training approaches; (iii) explore the influence of training intensity; and (iv) explore potential barriers to success. A database search of staff training interventions revealed 207 papers, 188 of which were excluded based on prespecified criteria. Nineteen studies were included and appraised using a quality rating tool. Overall, the studies were found to be of variable quality; however, 16 studies found a significant change following training in at least one staff domain, with knowledge improving most frequently. Approaches focusing on managing challenging behaviours appeared to be the most effective. Training staff can be an effective method of improving well-being, and programmes helping staff to manage challenging behaviour appear to be the most beneficial. There is no clear relationship between training intensity and outcome. Most studies point to the importance of addressing organisational factors as a barrier to change. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Audit of the autoantibody test, EarlyCDT®-lung, in 1600 patients: an evaluation of its performance in routine clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Jett, James R; Peek, Laura J; Fredericks, Lynn; Jewell, William; Pingleton, William W; Robertson, John F R

2014-01-01

EarlyCDT(®)-Lung may enhance detection of early stage lung cancer by aiding physicians in assessing high-risk patients through measurement of biological markers (i.e., autoantibodies). The test's performance characteristics in routine clinical practice were evaluated by auditing clinical outcomes of 1613 US patients deemed at high risk for lung cancer by their physician, who ordered the EarlyCDT-Lung test for their patient. Clinical outcomes for all 1613 patients who provided HIPAA authorization are reported. Clinical data were collected from each patient's treating physician. Pathology reports when available were reviewed for diagnostic classification. Staging was assessed on histology, otherwise on imaging. Six month follow-up for the positives/negatives was 99%/93%. Sixty-one patients (4%) were identified with lung cancer, 25 of whom tested positive by EarlyCDT-Lung (sensitivity=41%). A positive EarlyCDT-Lung test on the current panel was associated with a 5.4-fold increase in lung cancer incidence versus a negative. Importantly, 57% (8/14) of non-small cell lung cancers detected as positive (where stage was known) were stage I or II. EarlyCDT-Lung has been extensively tested and validated in case-control settings and has now been shown in this audit to perform in routine clinical practice as predicted. EarlyCDT-Lung may be a complementary tool to CT for detection of early lung cancer. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ELEMENTS OF JOB ENRICHMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE AMONG THE NON ACADEMIC STAFF IN NIGERIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Odunayo SALAU

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Job enrichment has become an essential aspect in motivating employees for better and greater performance through a mutual sense for skill variety, task identity, task significance and autonomy. The main objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between the elements of job enrichment and organization performance among the non-teaching staff in Nigerian public universities. Descriptive research method was adopted for this study using one hundred and ninety seven (197 valid questionnaires which were completed by selected public universities in Ogun State, South-West Nigeria. A stratified and simple random sampling techniques were adopted for the study. The data collected were statistically analyzed in a significant manner. The result of the findings revealed that there are positive correlation between job depth, on the job training and core job dimension elements of the job enrichment and workers/organizational performance while there was no correlation between motivators’ elements and performance. Hence, increased recognition of task significance will stimulate the employees to further raise their commitment towards the attainment and realization of the goal and objectives of the institutions/organizations.

Towards mobile staff members management

Science.gov (United States)

Encheva, Sylvia

2017-07-01

Todays project management requires a number of abilities which involve finding quick solutions to shortage of staff members with possession of specific qualities. When persons with team responsibilities are under pressure or due to various circumstances are unable to perform exhaustive search in databases, an interactive visualization tool can come in quite handy in finding good solutions unforeseen occurrences. In particular we propose application of selected graphs for facilitating mobile human resource management.

Smoking behavior among hospital staff still influences attitudes and counseling on smoking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willaing, Ingrid; Ladelund, Steen

2004-01-01

individual smoking behavior among hospital staff and (a). smoking-related knowledge, (b). attitudes toward counseling on smoking, and (c). self-reported smoking-related counseling provided by the staff. The study was based on a survey using self-administered questionnaires given to all hospital staff...... in a large university hospital in Denmark. Altogether, 82% of staff (2561) returned a completed questionnaire. Analyses focused on a subsample consisting of health professionals in the clinical wards (1429). Multivariate analyses were performed in which smoking-related knowledge, attitudes toward smoking...... qualified to counsel patients about smoking than did never-smokers (ex-smokers, OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.3-2.5; smokers, OR=1.4, 95% CI=1.0-1.9). Individual smoking behavior among hospital staff was strongly associated with smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, and counseling practices. Lack of self...

An annual performance appraisal for CERN

CERN Multimedia

2012-01-01

The March Council session is the occasion for CERN’s annual performance appraisal, but instead of the MARS form familiar to CERN staff, the lab’s working document is an Annual Progress Report, linked to the Medium-Term Plan, matching achievements to objectives. This year, I think it’s fair to say, we were firmly able to tick the ‘achieved’ box.   Top of the list of objectives was the LHC, which exceeded expectations in 2011 by delivering over five times the anticipated luminosity for protons while improving the lead-ion integrated luminosity by an order of magnitude compared to 2010.  As a result, the experiments published over 190 papers and made a staggering 1900 conference presentations. Underpinning this was the Worldwide LHC Computing Grid, which routinely performs so well that we hardly notice it's there. Non-LHC physics also had its day in the sun in 2011, with experiments at the PS, SPS, AD, n_TOF and ISOLDE, as well ...

Perinatal staff perceptions of safety and quality in their service.

Science.gov (United States)

Sinni, Suzanne V; Wallace, Euan M; Cross, Wendy M

2014-11-28

Ensuring safe and appropriate service delivery is central to a high quality maternity service. With this in mind, over recent years much attention has been given to the development of evidence-based clinical guidelines, staff education and risk reporting systems. Less attention has been given to assessing staff perceptions of a service's safety and quality and what factors may influence that. In this study we set out to assess staff perceptions of safety and quality of a maternity service and to explore potential influences on service safety. The study was undertaken within a new low risk metropolitan maternity service in Victoria, Australia with a staffing profile comprising midwives (including students), neonatal nurses, specialist obstetricians, junior medical staff and clerical staff. In depth open-ended interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire were conducted with 23 staff involved in the delivery of perinatal care, including doctors, midwives, nurses, nursing and midwifery students, and clerical staff. Data were analyzed using naturalistic interpretive inquiry to identify emergent themes. Staff unanimously reported that there were robust systems and processes in place to maintain safety and quality. Three major themes were apparent: (1) clinical governance, (2) dominance of midwives, (3) inter-professional relationships. Overall, there was a strong sense that, at least in this midwifery-led service, midwives had the greatest opportunity to be an influence, both positively and negatively, on the safe delivery of perinatal care. The importance of understanding team dynamics, particularly mutual respect, trust and staff cohesion, were identified as key issues for potential future service improvement. Senior staff, particularly midwives and neonatal nurses, play central roles in shaping team behaviors and attitudes that may affect the safety and quality of service delivery. We suggest that strategies targeting senior staff to enhance their performance in

Routine intraoperative leak testing for sleeve gastrectomy: is the leak test full of hot air?

Science.gov (United States)

Bingham, Jason; Lallemand, Michael; Barron, Morgan; Kuckelman, John; Carter, Preston; Blair, Kelly; Martin, Matthew

2016-05-01

Staple line leak after sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is a rare but dreaded complication with a reported incidence of 0% to 8%. Many surgeons routinely test the staple line with an intraoperative leak test (IOLT), but there is little evidence to validate this practice. In fact, there is a theoretical concern that the leak test may weaken the staple line and increase the risk of a postop leak. Retrospective review of all SGs performed over a 7-year period was conducted. Cases were grouped by whether an IOLT was performed, and compared for the incidence of postop staple line leaks. The ability of the IOLT for identifying a staple line defect and for predicting a postoperative leak was analyzed. Five hundred forty-two SGs were performed between 2007 and 2014. Thirteen patients (2.4%) developed a postop staple line leak. The majority of patients (n = 494, 91%) received an IOLT, including all 13 patients (100%) who developed a subsequent clinical leak. There were no (0%) positive IOLTs and no additional interventions were performed based on the IOLT. The IOLT sensitivity and positive predictive value were both 0%. There was a trend, although not significant, to increase leak rates when a routine IOLT was performed vs no routine IOLT (2.6% vs 0%, P = .6). The performance of routine IOLT after SG provided no actionable information, and was negative in all patients who developed a postoperative leak. The routine use of an IOLT did not reduce the incidence of postop leak, and in fact was associated with a higher leak rate after SG. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Radiation exposure for medical staff performing quantitative coronary perfusion PET with 13N-ammonia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristoffersen, Ulrik Sloth; Borgwardt, Henrik Gutte; Skovgaard, Dorthe Charlotte

2009-01-01

with dipyridamole) and eight examinations consisted of three PET scans (additionally a scan after cold pressor testing). The two nuclear technologists and the physician attending the examinations were equipped with an electronic dosemeter over the chest and thermoluminescent dosimetry chips on the right index...... finger and wrist. RESULTS: The highest mean equivalent dose per examination for a staff member was 453 microSv (417-490 microSv) to the right index finger, 138 microSv (127-149 microSv) to the right wrist and 13 +/- 0.8 microSv to the chest. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial perfusion PET with (13)N......-ammonia exposes the staff to radiation doses that are comparable to doses from (18)F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose scans and the annual doses are well within the recommended upper limits for radiation workers....

Enhancing Training of Staff of the Agricultural Development

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PROF. MADUKWE

Effective Agricultural Extension Service Delivery in Nigeria. Wahab, A. A. 1 ... from Annual Performance Survey (APS) report of NAERLS and NPAFS between ... strengthen the staff's skills, increase productivity and achieve higher organizational .... Production & processing. 2 .... technology and sourcing .... industry used for.

An Investigation of Iranian Pharmacists and Pharmacy Staff Work Motivation through Different Job Characteristics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Armaghan Eslami

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: the Employees’ motivation is a very important part of management, both practically and theoretically. Motivation has been regarded as an indispensable part of performance, and structural element for management practice theories. The most important factor of the health care system is its workforce. They possess the highest impact on the input of health care system. Also they are one of the main determinant key of their efficacy and performance is their motivation. Although Motivated and qualified staff is the critical element for health care system performance, it is one of the hardest goal to reach due to health care complexity.Method: the Sample consisted of 326 men and women pharmacists and pharmacy staff, which are 155 women and 81 men. Wright (2004 work motivation 6-item scale were used to asses pharmacists and pharmacy staff work motivation. Data were analyzed by One-way ANOVA test method.Results: the results indicated that there is no significant difference in pharmacists and pharmacy staff work motivation according to their gender, education, job, job location and income.Conclusion: income, Location of job, Job, education might be considered as the hygiene factors. Other intrinsic or socio-cultural factor might be motivators for pharmacists and pharmacy staff.

Research Staff | Water Power | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Research Staff Research Staff Learn more about the expertise and technical skills of the water power research team and staff at NREL. Name Position Email Phone Anstedt, Sheri Professional III-Writer /Editor/Web Content Sheri.Anstedt@nrel.gov 303-275-3255 Baker, Donald Research Technician V-Electrical

Routine perinatal and paediatric post-mortem radiography: detection rates and implications for practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arthurs, Owen J. [NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Radiology Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London (United Kingdom); University College London, Institute of Child Health, London (United Kingdom); Calder, Alistair D. [NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Radiology Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London (United Kingdom); Kiho, Liina [Camelia Botnar Laboratories Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Paediatric Pathology, London (United Kingdom); Taylor, Andrew M. [Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Cardiorespiratory Unit, London (United Kingdom); UCL Institute of Cardiovascular Science, London (United Kingdom); University College London, Institute of Child Health, London (United Kingdom); Sebire, Neil J. [Camelia Botnar Laboratories Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Paediatric Pathology, London (United Kingdom); University College London, Institute of Child Health, London (United Kingdom)

2014-03-15

Routine perinatal and paediatric post-mortem plain radiography allows for the diagnosis and assessment of skeletal dysplasias, fractures and other bony abnormalities. The aim of this study was to review the diagnostic yield of this practice. We identified 1,027 cases performed in a single institution over a 21/2-year period, including babygrams (whole-body examinations) and full skeletal surveys. Images were reported prior to autopsy in all cases. Radiology findings were cross-referenced with the autopsy findings using an autopsy database. We scored each case from 0 to 4 according to the level of diagnostic usefulness. The overall abnormality rate was 126/1,027 (12.3%). There was a significantly higher rate of abnormality when a skeletal survey was performed (18%) rather than a babygram (10%; P < 0.01); 90% (665/739) of babygrams were normal. Of the 74 abnormal babygrams, we found 33 incidental non-contributory cases, 19 contributory, 20 diagnostic, and 2 false-positive cases. There were only 2 cases out of 739 (0.27%) in whom routine post-mortem imaging identified potentially significant abnormalities that would not have been detected if only selected imaging had been performed. A policy of performing selected, rather than routine, foetal post-mortem radiography could result in a significant cost saving. Routine post-mortem paediatric radiography in foetuses and neonates is neither diagnostically useful nor cost-effective. A more evidence-based, selective protocol should yield significant cost savings. (orig.)

Routine perinatal and paediatric post-mortem radiography: detection rates and implications for practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arthurs, Owen J.; Calder, Alistair D.; Kiho, Liina; Taylor, Andrew M.; Sebire, Neil J.

2014-01-01

Routine perinatal and paediatric post-mortem plain radiography allows for the diagnosis and assessment of skeletal dysplasias, fractures and other bony abnormalities. The aim of this study was to review the diagnostic yield of this practice. We identified 1,027 cases performed in a single institution over a 21/2-year period, including babygrams (whole-body examinations) and full skeletal surveys. Images were reported prior to autopsy in all cases. Radiology findings were cross-referenced with the autopsy findings using an autopsy database. We scored each case from 0 to 4 according to the level of diagnostic usefulness. The overall abnormality rate was 126/1,027 (12.3%). There was a significantly higher rate of abnormality when a skeletal survey was performed (18%) rather than a babygram (10%; P < 0.01); 90% (665/739) of babygrams were normal. Of the 74 abnormal babygrams, we found 33 incidental non-contributory cases, 19 contributory, 20 diagnostic, and 2 false-positive cases. There were only 2 cases out of 739 (0.27%) in whom routine post-mortem imaging identified potentially significant abnormalities that would not have been detected if only selected imaging had been performed. A policy of performing selected, rather than routine, foetal post-mortem radiography could result in a significant cost saving. Routine post-mortem paediatric radiography in foetuses and neonates is neither diagnostically useful nor cost-effective. A more evidence-based, selective protocol should yield significant cost savings. (orig.)

Staff Technical Position on geological repository operations area underground facility design: Thermal loads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nataraja, M.S.

1992-12-01

The purpose of this Staff Technical Position (STP) is to provide the US Department of Energy (DOE) with a methodology acceptable to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff for demonstrating compliance with 10 CFR 60.133(i). The NRC staff's position is that DOE should develop and use a defensible methodology to demonstrate the acceptability of a geologic repository operations area (GROA) underground facility design. The staff anticipates that this methodology will include evaluation and development of appropriately coupled models, to account for the thermal, mechanical, hydrological, and chemical processes that are induced by repository-generated thermal loads. With respect to 10 CFR 60.133(i), the GROA underground facility design: (1) should satisfy design goals/criteria initially selected, by considering the performance objectives; and (2) must satisfy the performance objectives 10 CFR 60.111, 60.112, and 60.113. The methodology in this STP suggests an iterative approach suitable for the underground facility design

Investigation of zoonotic infections among Auckland Zoo staff: 1991-2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Forsyth, M B; Morris, A J; Sinclair, D A; Pritchard, C P

2012-12-01

Investigation was undertaken to assess the occurrence of zoonotic infection among staff at Auckland Zoological Park, New Zealand, in 1991, 2002 and 2010. Serial cross-sectional health surveys in 1991, 2002 and 2010 comprising a health questionnaire, and serological, immunological and microbiological analysis for a range of potential zoonotic infections were performed. Laboratory results for zoo animals were also reviewed for 2004-2010 to assess the occurrence of potential zoonotic infections. Veterinary clinic, animal handler, grounds, maintenance and administrative staff participated in the surveys, with 49, 42 and 46 participants in the 1991, 2002 and 2010 surveys, respectively (29% of total zoo staff in 2010). A small number of staff reported work-related infections, including erysipelas (1), giardiasis (1) and campylobacteriosis (1). The seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis A virus and Toxoplasma gondii closely reflected those in the Auckland community. No carriage of hepatitis B virus (HBV) was detected, and most of those with anti-HBV antibodies had been vaccinated. Few staff had serological evidence of past leptospiral infection. Three veterinary clinic staff had raised Chlamydophila psittaci antibodies, all Auckland Zoo, this was uncommon and risks appear to be adequately managed under current policies and procedures. Nevertheless, ongoing assessment of risk factors is needed as environmental, human and animal disease and management factors change. Policies and procedures should be reviewed periodically in conjunction with disease monitoring results for both animals and staff to minimise zoonotic transmission. © 2012 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Qualified and Unqualified (N-R C) mental health nursing staff--minor differences in sources of stress and burnout. A European multi-centre study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sorgaard, Knut W; Ryan, Peter; Dawson, Ian

2010-06-14

Unqualified/non-registered caregivers (N-R Cs) will continue to play important roles in the mental health services. This study compares levels of burnout and sources of stress among qualified and N-R Cs working in acute mental health care. A total of 196 nursing staff --124 qualified staff (mainly nurses) and 72 N-R Cs with a variety of different educational backgrounds--working in acute wards or community mental teams from 5 European countries filled out the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Mental Health Professional Scale (MHPSS) and the Psychosocial Work Environment and Stress Questionnaire (PWSQ). (a) The univariate differences were generally small and restricted to a few variables. Only Social relations (N-R Cs being less satisfied) at Work demands (nurses reporting higher demands) were different at the .05 level. (b) The absolute scores both groups was highest on variables that measured feelings of not being able to influence a work situation characterised by great demands and insufficient resources. Routines and educational programs for dealing with stress should be available on a routine basis. (c) Multivariate analyses identified three extreme groups: (i) a small group dominated by unqualified staff with high depersonalization, (ii) a large group that was low on depersonalisation and high on work demands with a majority of qualified staff, and (iii) a small N-R C-dominated group (low depersonalization, low work demands) with high scores on professional self-doubt. In contrast to (ii) the small and N-R C-dominated groups in (i) and (iii) reflected mainly centre-dependent problems. The differences in burnout and sources of stress between the two groups were generally small. With the exception of high work demands the main differences between the two groups appeared to be centre-dependent. High work demands characterized primarily qualified staff. The main implication of the study is that no special measures addressed towards N-R Cs in general with regard

Why join the Staff Association

CERN Multimedia

Association du personnel

2011-01-01

Becoming a member of the Staff Association (SA) is above all a personal choice, showing that the joining person’s commitment and adherence to values such as solidarity, social cohesion, etc.In September, the SA launches a membership campaign to convince a maximum number to join, to inform, arouse interest and support. Posters, emails and individual contacts are part of the campaign programme, just like this editorial. As far as individual contacts are concerned, we ask you to give time and lend an ear to the delegates of your department in the Staff Council, who will approach you, in order to make an open and constructive discussion possible. Do not hesitate to ask questions and let them know your thoughts about the SA, as (constructive) criticism enables us to progress. The Staff Association and its role of collective representation The Staff Association, via its delegates, represents collectively all staff of the Organization before the Director-General and Member States. To do this, staff rep...

About the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Science.gov (United States)

Skip to main content (Press Enter). Toggle navigation Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Chiefs of Staff Facebook Twitter YouTube Flickr Blog Instagram Search JCS: Search Search Search JCS: Search Home Media News Photos Videos Publications About The Joint Staff Chairman Vice Chairman

42 CFR 493.931 - Routine chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Routine chemistry. 493.931 Section 493.931 Public... Proficiency Testing Programs by Specialty and Subspecialty § 493.931 Routine chemistry. (a) Program content and frequency of challenge. To be approved for proficiency testing for routine chemistry, a program...

Direct internal dosimetry. A new way for routine incorporation monitoring of γ-emitting radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doerfel, H.

1996-01-01

The INDOS detector system offers the following advantages with respect to routine incorporation monitoring: The measurement is performed automatically and there is no need for trained staff. The measuring time is short and thus a relative large number of persons may be monitored with a relative high measuring frequency. First estimates of the individual effective dose equivalent rate are available immediately after the measurement. 1) The direct determination of the dose equivalent in principle is more precise than the conventional procedures for internal dosimetry, because (i) the retention of radionuclides in the body may be measured explicitly and (ii) the dependence of the dose equivalent on the body proportions is corrected implicitly. 2) The measuring procedure is comparable to the external dosimetry with respect to accuracy and lower limit of detection. Thus, the results of internal and external dosimetry can be summed up in an easy and reasonable manner. 3) The detector system can be installed in any building; it also can be installed as a mobile unit in a car or a container for long distance transportation by aircraft or train. 4) Last but not least, the cost for monitoring with INDOS is much lower than for the conventional monitoring procedures using whole body counters. (author)

E3 Staff Database

Data.gov (United States)

US Agency for International Development — E3 Staff database is maintained by E3 PDMS (Professional Development & Management Services) office. The database is Mysql. It is manually updated by E3 staff as...

Violence exposure and burn-out among Turkish nursing home staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandiracioglu, Aliye; Cam, Olcay

2006-10-01

The aim of this study was to describe the frequency of violence against personnel from residents and to identify the prevalence of burn-out among staff working in nursing homes. The study was performed in two cities in the west of Turkey. A semi-structured questionnaire on violence and Pines' Burnout scale were distributed among all the staff working in six nursing homes, and 214 of them responded. Of the total number of respondents, 56% stated that they had been exposed to violence during the preceding year. More than 20% stated that they had reported violence to their supervisor. Less than 10% had received medical or psychological support following the event. Violent incidents were reported significantly more frequently among staff who reported problems working with elderly residents. There was no relationship between violence towards staff and burn-out. Violence is commonly experienced by care workers in nursing homes for the elderly. Strategies to improve occupational conditions in nursing homes are required.

22 CFR 902.3 - Board staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 22 Foreign Relations 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 true Board staff. 902.3 Section 902.3 Foreign Relations FOREIGN SERVICE GRIEVANCE BOARD ORGANIZATION § 902.3 Board staff. The chairperson shall select the Board's executive secretary and other staff provided for in the Act. The executive secretary and staff...

13 CFR 500.105 - Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Staff. 500.105 Section 500.105... LOAN PROGRAM Board Procedures § 500.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the... direction with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff...

13 CFR 400.105 - Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Staff. 400.105 Section 400.105... Board Procedures § 400.105 Staff. (a) Executive Director. The Executive Director of the Board advises... with respect to the administration of the Board's actions, directs the activities of the staff, and...

Radiation exposure of the radiological staff caused by radiography of small mammals, reptiles and birds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckert, Yvonne

2015-01-01

Radiography is often used as an advanced examination to ensure a diagnosis in avian, reptiles and small mammal's medicine. The aims of this thesis were: 1. To measure the radiation exposure of radiological staff caused by radiography of small mammals, reptiles and birds. The exposure of relevant body regions were measured during clinical routine. 2. To examine the differences of radiation exposures caused by radiography of different animal species and to determine the influence of dose-dependent parameters. 3. To present the radiation protection measures of the clinic and to discuss possible improvements. 4. To weigh the anaesthetic risk for small mammals, reptiles and birds against the radiation exposure of the radiological staff. The measurements took place during clinical routine of the Clinic for Exotic Pets, Reptiles, Pet and Feral Birds, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation. The radiation exposure of the radiological staff was measured. The radiological staff included veterinarians, veterinary-medical technical assistants, doctoral candidates and students during their practical year. Furthermore, the radiation exposure was measured at ten representative body regions using thermoluminescence dosimetry. The measuring positions included the eye-lenses, thyroid, thoracic region under the protective clothes, thoracic region above the protective clothes, gonads, fingers and the left foot. Except for one position that was measured under the protective clothes all positions measured above the protective clothes. Moreover at each examination the focus-film-distance, the kV-number, the mAs-product and the weight of the patient was recorded. Additionally the size of the examiner and the examiner's position regarding to the X-ray table were recorded as variable, dose-influencing parameters. Altogether, measurements were taken from 366 individual examiners. In all three divisions 792 X-ray images were made and 3660 dose values recorded. The

17 CFR 8.05 - Enforcement staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Enforcement staff. 8.05... staff. (a) Each exchange shall establish an adequate enforcement staff which shall be authorized by the... staff shall consist of employees of the exchange and/or persons hired on a contract basis. It may not...

Dual-Routine HCV/HIV Testing: Seroprevalence and Linkage to Care in Four Community Health Centers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Science.gov (United States)

Coyle, Catelyn; Kwakwa, Helena

2016-01-01

Despite common risk factors, screening for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV at the same time as part of routine medical care (dual-routine HCV/HIV testing) is not commonly implemented in the United States. This study examined improvements in feasibility of implementation, screening increase, and linkage to care when a dual-routine HCV/HIV testing model was integrated into routine primary care. National Nursing Centers Consortium implemented a dual-routine HCV/HIV testing model at four community health centers in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 1, 2013. Routine HCV and opt-out HIV testing replaced the routine HCV and opt-in HIV testing model through medical assistant-led, laboratory-based testing and electronic medical record modification to prompt, track, report, and facilitate reimbursement for tests performed on uninsured individuals. This study examined testing, seropositivity, and linkage-to-care comparison data for the nine months before (December 1, 2012-August 31, 2013) and after (September 1, 2013-May 31, 2014) implementation of the dual-routine HCV/HIV testing model. A total of 1,526 HCV and 1,731 HIV tests were performed before, and 1,888 HCV and 3,890 HIV tests were performed after dual-routine testing implementation, resulting in a 23.7% increase in HCV tests and a 124.7% increase in HIV tests. A total of 70 currently HCV-infected and four new HIV-seropositive patients vs. 101 HCV-infected and 13 new HIV-seropositive patients were identified during these two periods, representing increases of 44.3% for HCV antibody-positive and RNA-positive tests and 225.0% for HIV-positive tests. Linkage to care increased from 27 currently infected HCV--positive and one HIV-positive patient pre-dual-routine testing to 39 HCV--positive and nine HIV-positive patients post-dual-routine testing. The dual-routine HCV/HIV testing model shows that integrating dual-routine testing in a primary care setting is possible and leads to increased HCV and HIV screening

Knowledge, perceived skills and activities of nursing staff to support oral home care among older domiciliary care clients.

Science.gov (United States)

Salmi, Riikka; Tolvanen, Mimmi; Suhonen, Riitta; Lahti, Satu; Närhi, Timo

2018-04-25

Increasing number of older adults lives in their own homes, but needs help in many daily routines. Domiciliary care nursing staff (DCNS) is often needed to support oral home care. However, information of nursing staff's knowledge, skills and activity in this task is sparse. The study aimed to assess DCNS knowledge, perceived skills and activities to support oral home care of older domiciliary care clients. The study was conducted among DCNS in one of the largest cities in Finland. All DCNS members (n = 465) received a questionnaire with 14 multiple choice and open questions regarding the perceived skills, knowledge and activities of oral health guidance of older domiciliary care clients. In total, 115 (25%) DCNS members returned the questionnaires. Frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations were used to describe the samples and study variables. DCNS was categorised according to age and working years for group comparisons, which were assessed with chi-squared test. Knowledge concerning oral health was mostly on a high level. Around 50% of DCNS considered their knowledge regarding dental prosthesis hygiene as sufficient. Of the DCNS, 67% informed that they had received education on oral health care. However, over 50% of the DCNS had a need for further education in issues related to oral home care. DCNS were active in supporting most oral and prosthesis hygiene means, yet less in guidance concerning toothbrushing. Activity to support cleaning the interdental spaces was the weakest, in which only 12% of the respondents considered having average or excellent skills. Younger DCNS had better knowledge on oral home care due to recent education, but older staff members were more skilful in performing oral hygiene measures. There is a need for structured instructions and training on oral home care for DCNS. Oral home care should be taken into account more often and regularly. © 2018 Nordic College of Caring Science.

The problem of motivating teaching staff in a complex amalgamation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenrick, M A

1993-09-01

This paper addresses some of the problems brought about by the merger of a number of schools of nursing into a new complex amalgamation. A very real concern in the new colleges of nursing and midwifery in the United Kingdom is the effect of amalgamation on management systems and staff morale. The main focus of this paper is the motivation of staff during this time of change. There is currently a lack of security amongst staff and in many instances the personal job satisfaction of nurse teachers and managers of nurse education has been reduced, which has made the task of motivating staff difficult. Hence, two major theories of motivation and the implications of these theories for managers of nurse education are discussed. The criteria used for the selection of managers within the new colleges, leadership styles and organizational structures are reviewed. The amalgamations have brought about affiliation with higher-education institutions. Some problems associated with these mergers and the effects on the motivation of staff both within the higher-education institutions and the nursing colleges are outlined. Strategies for overcoming some of the problems are proposed including job enlargement, job enrichment, potential achievement rewards and the use of individual performance reviews which may be useful for assessing the ability of all staff, including managers, in the new amalgamations.

The effectiveness of staff training focused on increasing emotional intelligence and improving interaction between support staff and clients.

Science.gov (United States)

Zijlmans, L J M; Embregts, P J C M; Gerits, L; Bosman, A M T; Derksen, J J L

2015-07-01

Recent research addressed the relationship between staff behaviour and challenging behaviour of individuals with an intellectual disability (ID). Consequently, research on interventions aimed at staff is warranted. The present study focused on the effectiveness of a staff training aimed at emotional intelligence and interactions between staff and clients. The effects of the training on emotional intelligence, coping style and emotions of support staff were investigated. Participants were 214 support staff working within residential settings for individuals with ID and challenging behaviour. The experimental group consisted of 76 staff members, 138 staff members participated in two different control groups. A pre-test, post-test, follow-up control group design was used. Effectiveness was assessed using questionnaires addressing emotional intelligence, coping and emotions. Emotional intelligence of the experimental group changed significantly more than that of the two control groups. The experimental group showed an increase in task-oriented coping, whereas one control group did not. The results with regard to emotions were mixed. Follow-up data revealed that effects within the experimental group were still present four months after the training ended. A staff training aimed at emotional intelligence and staff-client interactions is effective in improving emotional intelligence and coping styles of support staff. However, the need for more research aiming at the relationship between staff characteristics, organisational factors and their mediating role in the effectiveness of staff training is emphasised. © 2014 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Microfoundations of Routines and Capabilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Felin, Teppo; Foss, Nicolai Juul; Heimriks, Koen H.

We discuss the microfoundations of routines and capabilities, including why a microfoundations view is needed and how it may inform work on organizational and competitive heterogeneity. Building on extant research, we identify three primary categories of micro-level components underlying routines...

Analysis of the Motivation and Work Climate of University Teaching Staff

Science.gov (United States)

González-Tirados, R. M.

2012-04-01

The scientific, social, economic and technological progress taking place in present-day advanced societies needs to be closely linked to the work of the university and to effectiveness, productivity and efficiency. Moreover, teaching staff play a predominant role and are the best point of reference for any changes to be introduced in teaching, in the way to manage classes, in the use of tools, changes in methodology or teaching strategies, and also in the ways students learn, etc. The teacher ceases to be a figure who only transmits knowledge and becomes a guide or facilitator of learning. The teacher, therefore, takes on a different commitment with the ways of learning, of approaching students, guiding tutorials, assessing student learning, etc. For these reasons staff motivationisone of the basic concerns. It would be expected that a demotivated staff with few incentives and a low opinion of their worth as teachers would be less committed to their teaching, research and management work, and as a result would achieve less success in their work with students. To put it another way, they would perform worse in all they do. But could it be that their vocation as teachers and the professionalism of university staff are sufficient motivating factors in themselves? The concepts of work climate, motivation and demotivation of teaching staff, feeling uneasy with teaching or academic work, conflicts of communication, a deterioration in relationships with colleagues, etc., are phrases that are heard more and more in the work environment. Most of these phrases would seem to be related to academic performance or the way of becoming involved in the centre's activities or to other variables which until proved are only supposition. It is for these reasons that we have wished to analyse the situation of teaching staff in universities in Madrid. In university organisations the teaching staff is one of the key elements that leads to work being done more or less effectively. Human

Elaboration of leadership and culture in high-performing nursing units of hospitals as perceived by staff nurses.

Science.gov (United States)

Casida, Jesus M; Crane, Patrick C; Walker, Tara L; Wargo, Lisa M

2012-01-01

The leadership-culture phenomenon, a known explanatory construct for organizational performance, is understudied in nursing. Building on our previous work, we further addressed this knowledge gap through explorations of demographics and hospital variables which may have a significant influence on staff nurses' (SNs) perceptions of their nurse managers' (NMs) leadership and nursing unit culture. Furthermore, we explored the extent to which the NMs' leadership predicted specific cultures which typify nursing unit effectiveness. Using dissertation data provided by278 SNs, we found that SNs educated at the baccalaureate level or higher had favorable perceptions of their nursing unit performance and viewed their NMs' leadership differently than the SNs with diploma or associate degrees. The frequent portrayals of transformational (TFL) leadership behaviors (e.g., visionary) by the NMs were paramount in shaping culture traits which exemplify high performance outcomes. TFL leaders were more likely to shape unit cultures which are flexible and adaptive to the environmental challenges within and outside the nursing unit. Thus, the type of NMs' leadership and unit culture may provide an added value in explaining the performance level in patient care units which consequently affects the overall hospital/organizational outcomes. Implications for research and leadership practices are presented.

Routine failures in the process for blood testing and the communication of results to patients in primary care in the UK: a qualitative exploration of patient and provider perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Litchfield, Ian; Bentham, Louise; Hill, Ann; McManus, Richard J; Lilford, Richard; Greenfield, Sheila

2015-11-01

The testing and result communication process in primary care is complex. Its successful completion relies on the coordinated efforts of a range of staff in primary care and external settings working together with patients. Despite the importance of diagnostic testing in provision of care, this complexity renders the process vulnerable in the face of increasing demand, stretched resources and a lack of supporting guidance. We conducted a series of focus groups with patients and staff across four primary care practices using process-improvement strategies to identify and understand areas where either unnecessary delay is introduced, or the process may fail entirely. We then worked with both patients and staff to arrive at practical strategies to improve the current system. A total of six areas across the process were identified where improvements could be introduced. These were: (1) delay in phlebotomy, (2) lack of a fail-safe to ensure blood tests are returned to practices and patients, (3) difficulties in accessing results by telephone, (4) role of non-clinical staff in communicating results, (5) routine communication of normal results and (6) lack of a protocol for result communication. A number of potential failures in testing and communicating results to patients were identified, and some specific ideas for improving existing systems emerged. These included same-day phlebotomy sessions, use of modern technology methods to proactively communicate routine results and targeted training for receptionists handling sensitive data. There remains an urgent need for further work to test these and other potential solutions. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Improved technical performance of a multifunctional prehospital telemedicine system between the research phase and the routine use phase - an observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Felzen, Marc; Brokmann, Jörg C; Beckers, Stefan K; Czaplik, Michael; Hirsch, Frederik; Tamm, Miriam; Rossaint, Rolf; Bergrath, Sebastian

2017-04-01

Introduction Telemedical concepts in emergency medical services (EMS) lead to improved process times and patient outcomes, but their technical performance has thus far been insufficient; nevertheless, the concept was transferred into EMS routine care in Aachen, Germany. This study evaluated the system's technical performance and compared it to a precursor system. Methods The telemedicine system was implemented on seven ambulances and a teleconsultation centre staffed with experienced EMS physicians was established in April 2014. Telemedical applications included mobile vital data, 12-lead, picture transmission and video streaming from inside the ambulances. The tele-EMS physician filled in a questionnaire regarding the technical performance of the applications, background noise and assessed clinical values of the transmitted pictures and videos after each mission between 15 May 2014-15 October 2014. Results Teleconsultation was established during 539 emergency cases. In 83% of the cases ( n = 447), only the paramedics and the tele-EMS physician were involved. Transmission success rates ranged from 98% (audio connection) to 93% (12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) transmission). All functionalities, except video transmission, were significantly better than the pilot project ( p < 0.05). Severe background noise was detected to a lesser extent ( p = 0.0004) and the clinical value of the pictures and videos were considered significantly more valuable. Discussion The multifunctional system is now sufficient for routine use and is the most reliable mobile emergency telemedicine system compared to other published projects. Dropouts were due to user errors and network coverage problems. These findings enable widespread use of this system in the future, reducing the critical time intervals until medical therapy is started.

SVM detection of epileptiform activity in routine EEG.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Kelleher, Daniel

2010-01-01

Routine electroencephalogram (EEG) is an important test in aiding the diagnosis of patients with suspected epilepsy. These recordings typically last 20-40 minutes, during which signs of abnormal activity (spikes, sharp waves) are looked for in the EEG trace. It is essential that events of short duration are detected during the routine EEG test. The work presented in this paper examines the effect of changing a range of input values to the detection system on its ability to distinguish between normal and abnormal EEG activity. It is shown that the length of analysis window in the range of 0.5s to 1s are well suited to the task. Additionally, it is reported that patient specific systems should be used where possible due to their better performance.

Research Staff | Buildings | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Research Staff Research Staff Photo of Roderick Jackson Roderick Jackson Laboratory Program Manager -related research at NREL. He works closely with senior laboratory management to set the strategic agenda for NREL's buildings portfolio, including all research, development, and market implementation

Training of technical staff and technical staff managers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moody, G.F.

1991-01-01

The purpose of Technical Staff and Technical Staff Managers training is to provide job skills enhancement to individuals selected to fill key technical positions within a nuclear utility. This training is unique in that unlike other training programs accredited by the National Academy for Nuclear Training, it does not lead to specific task qualification. The problems encountered when determining the student population and curriculum are a direct result of this major difference. Major problems encountered are determining who should attend the training, what amount of training is necessary and sufficient, and how to obtain the best feedback in order to effect substantive program improvements. These topics will be explored and possible solutions discussed

Education of staff--a key factor for a safe environment in day care.

Science.gov (United States)

Sellström, E; Bremberg, S

2000-05-01

In order to create a safe environment in day-care settings, an understanding of factors within the organization of day care, factors which influence safety, is essential. Day-care directors in 83 daycare centres completed a mail-in survey that contained questions about professional experience, the day-care centre's organization of child safety measures and a battery of questions designed to evaluate the directors' perceptions and beliefs about child safety. The day-care directors also carried out a safety inspection at their centre. The results were analysed using the multivariate logistic regression technique. The existence of a continuing plan for continued staff education in child safety was shown to be the strongest predictor of few safety hazards in day-care centres. The day-care directors' perceptions and beliefs about injury prevention were of less importance. This study indicates that in order to promote safety in day-care settings, an on-going plan for continued staff education in child safety should be a matter of routine. The introduction of such a plan should be the concern of the individual day-care directors, policy-makers and managers at the local and national level, and health professionals working in this field.

The Staff Association and its history

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2015-01-01

The Staff Association will celebrate its 60th birthday in the spring of 2015. We are collecting all information about the sixty years of the Staff Association. In particular, we are looking at publications of the Staff Association, which started with the “Staff Association Journal”, in 1955, which later became “Le Proton déchainé”, then, more simply, “Proton” in 1982 (the figure on the left shows the different mutations of our magazine). In our collection we are missing a few issues, in particular № 1 (dated mid-1955).     Dear reader, if have any old issues of this magazine, or of Graviton (figure on the right), another magazine edited by the Staff Association, or any other material or information that might help us document the history of the Staff Association, we would very much like to have a copy of the material or your contribution (written or oral). Please contact the Staff Association Sec...

Clearer, Simpler and more Efficient LAPACK Routines for Symmetric Positive Definite Band Factorization

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gustavson, Fred G.; Quintania-Orti, Enrique S.; Quintana-Orti, Gregorio

We describe a minor format change for representing a symmetric band matrix AB using the same array space specified by LAPACK. In LAPACK, band codes operating on the lower part of a symmetric matrix reference matrix element (i, j) as AB1+i−j,j . The format change we propose allows LAPACK band codes...... to reference the (i, j) element as ABi,j . Doing this yields lower band codes that use standard matrix terminology so that they become clearer and hence easier to understand. As a second contribution, we simplify the LAPACK Cholesky Band Factorization routine pbtrf by reducing from six to three the number...... of subroutine calls one needs to invoke during a right-looking block factorization step. Our new routines perform exactly the same number of floating-point arithmetic operations as the current LAPACK routine pbtrf. Almost always they deliver higher performance. The experimental results show...

Nursing staff-led behavioural group intervention in psychiatric in-patient care: Patient and staff experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Salberg, Johanna; Folke, Fredrik; Ekselius, Lisa; Öster, Caisa

2018-02-15

A promising intervention in mental health in-patient care is behavioural activation (BA). Interventions based on BA can be used by mental health nurses and other staff members. The aim of this study was to evaluate patients' and staff members' experiences of a nursing staff-led behavioural group intervention in mental health in-patient care. The intervention was implemented at three adult acute general mental health in-patient wards in a public hospital setting in Sweden. A self-administrated questionnaire, completed by 84 patients and 34 nurses and nurse assistants, was administered, and nonparametric data analysed using descriptive statistics. Our findings revealed that both patients and nursing staff ranked nursing care and care environment as important aspects in the recovery process. Patients and staff members reported overall positive experiences of the group sessions. Patients with higher frequencies of attendance and patients satisfied with overall care had a more positive attitude towards the intervention. A more positive experience of being a group leader was reported by staff members who had been leading groups more than ten times. The most common impeding factor during implementation, reported by staff members, was a negative attitude to change. Conducive factors were having support from a psychologist and the perception that patients were showing interest. These positive experiences reported by patients and nursing staff, combined with previous research in this field, are taking us one step further in evaluating group sessions based on BA as a meaningful nursing intervention in mental health in-patient care. © 2018 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.

CSAIO: exchanging experience to better defend the interests of the staff

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2014-01-01

Two representatives of the CERN Staff Association took part in the 15th Annual Conference of Staff Associations of International Organizations (CSAIO), which took place on Thursday 16th and Friday 17th of October in one of the centres of the European Space Agency (ESA) in Frascati (Italy). The CSAIO brings together staff representatives from international organizations based in Europe, as well as institutions of the European Union, in order to promote and defend the interests of their personnel. This allows the CERN Staff Association to follow the evolution of working and social conditions in other organizations. This year, 51 delegates from about 30 organizations travelled to Frascati to attend the conference. Themes addressed at the conference were: Salary adjustment method presentations: European Commission, CERN, European Council, and FICSA (Federation of International Civil Servants’ Association). Performance evaluation presentations: OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and...

Consuming technologies - developing routines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gram-Hanssen, Kirsten

2008-01-01

technologies and in this article these processes will be investigated from three different perspectives: an historical perspective of how new technologies have entered homes, a consumer perspective of how both houses and new technologies are purchased and finally, as the primary part of the article, a user...... perspective of how routines develop while these technologies are being used. In the conclusion these insights are discussed in relation to possible ways of influencing routines....

A note on some behavioral aspects of radiation protection staff working in hospitals around Delhi

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, M.M.

1979-01-01

A questionnaire was used to collect information concerning radiation protection staff working in hospitals in and around Delhi. The information included the organization of the department, the status and involvement of the radiation protection staff and their performance and job satisfaction. Answers received from departments of Radiotherapy, Radiology and Nuclear Medicine were used to assess the relationship between involvement, performance and job satisfaction. (author)

Exploring emergency department 4-hour target performance and cancelled elective operations: a regression analysis of routinely collected and openly reported NHS trust data.

Science.gov (United States)

Keogh, Brad; Culliford, David; Guerrero-Ludueña, Richard; Monks, Thomas

2018-05-24

To quantify the effect of intrahospital patient flow on emergency department (ED) performance targets and indicate if the expectations set by the National Health Service (NHS) England 5-year forward review are realistic in returning emergency services to previous performance levels. Linear regression analysis of routinely reported trust activity and performance data using a series of cross-sectional studies. NHS trusts in England submitting routine nationally reported measures to NHS England. 142 acute non-specialist trusts operating in England between 2012 and 2016. The primary outcome measures were proportion of 4-hour waiting time breaches and cancelled elective operations. Univariate and multivariate linear regression models were used to show relationships between the outcome measures and various measures of trust activity including empty day beds, empty night beds, day bed to night bed ratio, ED conversion ratio and delayed transfers of care. Univariate regression results using the outcome of 4-hour breaches showed clear relationships with empty night beds and ED conversion ratio between 2012 and 2016. The day bed to night bed ratio showed an increasing ability to explain variation in performance between 2015 and 2016. Delayed transfers of care showed little evidence of an association. Multivariate model results indicated that the ability of patient flow variables to explain 4-hour target performance had reduced between 2012 and 2016 (19% to 12%), and had increased in explaining cancelled elective operations (7% to 17%). The flow of patients through trusts is shown to influence ED performance; however, performance has become less explainable by intratrust patient flow between 2012 and 2016. Some commonly stated explanatory factors such as delayed transfers of care showed limited evidence of being related. The results indicate some of the measures proposed by NHS England to reduce pressure on EDs may not have the desired impact on returning services to previous

Measuring hospital medical staff organizational structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Shortell, S M; Getzen, T E

1979-01-01

Based on organization theory and the work of Roemer and Friedman, seven dimensions of hospital medical staff organization structure are proposed and examined. The data are based on a 1973 nationwide survey of hospital medical staffs conducted by the American Hospital Association. Factor analysis yielded six relatively independent dimensions supporting a multidimensional view of medical staff organization structure. The six dimensions include 1) Resource Capability, 2) Generalist Physician Contractual Orientation, 3) Communication/Control, 4) Local Staff Orientation, 5) Participation in Decision Making, and 6) Hospital-Based Physician Contractual Orientation. It is suggested that these dimensions can be used to develop an empirical typology of hospital medical staff organization structure and to investigate the relationship between medical staff organization and public policy issues related to cost containment and quality assurance. PMID:511580

Comparing routine neurorehabilitation program with trunk exercises based on Bobath concept in multiple sclerosis: pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Keser, Ilke; Kirdi, Nuray; Meric, Aydin; Kurne, Asli Tuncer; Karabudak, Rana

2013-01-01

This study compared trunk exercises based on the Bobath concept with routine neurorehabilitation approaches in multiple sclerosis (MS). Bobath and routine neurorehabilitation exercises groups were evaluated. MS cases were divided into two groups. Both groups joined a 3 d/wk rehabilitation program for 8 wk. The experimental group performed trunk exercises based on the Bobath concept, and the control group performed routine neurorehabilitation exercises. Additionally, both groups performed balance and coordination exercises. All patients were evaluated with the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale (ICARS), and Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC) before and after the physiotherapy program. In group analysis, TIS, BBS, ICARS, and MSFC scores and strength of abdominal muscles were significantly different after treatment in both groups (p 0.05). Although trunk exercises based on the Bobath concept are rarely applied in MS rehabilitation, the results of this study show that they are as effective as routine neurorehabilitation exercises. Therefore, trunk exercises based on the Bobath concept can be beneficial in MS rehabilitation programs.

Food safety in hospital: knowledge, attitudes and practices of nursing staff of two hospitals in Sicily, Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

La Guardia Maurizio

2007-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Food hygiene in hospital poses peculiar problems, particularly given the presence of patients who could be more vulnerable than healthy subjects to microbiological and nutritional risks. Moreover, in nosocomial outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease, the mortality risk has been proved to be significantly higher than the community outbreaks and highest for foodborne outbreaks. On the other hand, the common involvement in the role of food handlers of nurses or domestic staff, not specifically trained about food hygiene and HACCP, may represent a further cause of concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning food safety of the nursing staff of two hospitals in Palermo, Italy. Association with some demographic and work-related determinants was also investigated. Methods The survey was conducted, by using a semi-structured questionnaire, in March-November 2005 in an acute general hospital and a paediatric hospital, where nursing staff is routinely involved in food service functions. Results Overall, 401 nurses (279, 37.1%, of the General Hospital and 122, 53.5%, of the Paediatric Hospital, respectively answered. Among the respondents there was a generalized lack of knowledge about etiologic agents and food vehicles associated to foodborne diseases and proper temperatures of storage of hot and cold ready to eat foods. A general positive attitude towards temperature control and using clothing and gloves, when handling food, was shared by the respondents nurses, but questions about cross-contamination, refreezing and handling unwrapped food with cuts or abrasions on hands were frequently answered incorrectly. The practice section performed better, though sharing of utensils for raw and uncooked foods and thawing of frozen foods at room temperatures proved to be widely frequent among the respondents. Age, gender, educational level and length of service were inconsistently

Food safety in hospital: knowledge, attitudes and practices of nursing staff of two hospitals in Sicily, Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Buccheri, Cecilia; Casuccio, Alessandra; Giammanco, Santo; Giammanco, Marco; La Guardia, Maurizio; Mammina, Caterina

2007-01-01

Background Food hygiene in hospital poses peculiar problems, particularly given the presence of patients who could be more vulnerable than healthy subjects to microbiological and nutritional risks. Moreover, in nosocomial outbreaks of infectious intestinal disease, the mortality risk has been proved to be significantly higher than the community outbreaks and highest for foodborne outbreaks. On the other hand, the common involvement in the role of food handlers of nurses or domestic staff, not specifically trained about food hygiene and HACCP, may represent a further cause of concern. The purpose of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning food safety of the nursing staff of two hospitals in Palermo, Italy. Association with some demographic and work-related determinants was also investigated. Methods The survey was conducted, by using a semi-structured questionnaire, in March-November 2005 in an acute general hospital and a paediatric hospital, where nursing staff is routinely involved in food service functions. Results Overall, 401 nurses (279, 37.1%, of the General Hospital and 122, 53.5%, of the Paediatric Hospital, respectively) answered. Among the respondents there was a generalized lack of knowledge about etiologic agents and food vehicles associated to foodborne diseases and proper temperatures of storage of hot and cold ready to eat foods. A general positive attitude towards temperature control and using clothing and gloves, when handling food, was shared by the respondents nurses, but questions about cross-contamination, refreezing and handling unwrapped food with cuts or abrasions on hands were frequently answered incorrectly. The practice section performed better, though sharing of utensils for raw and uncooked foods and thawing of frozen foods at room temperatures proved to be widely frequent among the respondents. Age, gender, educational level and length of service were inconsistently associated with the answer pattern

Research Staff | Bioenergy | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Research Staff Research Staff Photo of Adam Bratis, Ph.D. Adam Bratis Associate Lab Director-Bio research to accomplish the objectives of the Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office, and to serve as a spokesperson for the bioenergy research effort at NREL, both internally and externally. This

Staff rules and regulations

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2007-01-01

The 11th edition of the Staff Rules and Regulations, dated 1 January 2007, adopted by the Council and the Finance Committee in December 2006, is currently being distributed to departmental secretariats. The Staff Rules and Regulations, together with a summary of the main modifications made, will be available, as from next week, on the Human Resources Department's intranet site: http://cern.ch/hr-web/internal/admin_services/rules/default.asp The main changes made to the Staff Rules and Regulations stem from the five-yearly review of employment conditions of members of the personnel. The changes notably relate to: the categories of members of the personnel (e.g. removal of the local staff category); the careers structure and the merit recognition system; the non-residence, installation and re-installation allowances; the definition of family, family allowances and family-related leave; recognition of partnerships; education fees. The administrative circulars, some of which are being revised following the m...

Staff rules and regulations

CERN Multimedia

HR Department

2007-01-01

The 11th edition of the Staff Rules and Regulations, dated 1 January 2007, adopted by the Council and the Finance Committee in December 2006, is currently being distributed to departmental secretariats. The Staff Rules and Regulations, together with a summary of the main modifications made, will be available, as from next week, on the Human Resources Department's intranet site: http://cern.ch/hr-web/internal/admin_services/rules/default.asp The main changes made to the Staff Rules and Regulations stem from the five-yearly review of employment conditions of members of the personnel. The changes notably relate to: the categories of members of the personnel (e.g. removal of the local staff category); the careers structure and the merit recognition system; the non-residence, installation and re-installation allowances; the definition of family, family allowances and family-related leave; recognition of partnerships; education fees. The administrative circulars, some of which are being revised following the ...

Staff acceptance of video monitoring for coordination: a video system to support perioperative situation awareness.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Young Ju; Xiao, Yan; Hu, Peter; Dutton, Richard

2009-08-01

To understand staff acceptance of a remote video monitoring system for operating room (OR) coordination. Improved real-time remote visual access to OR may enhance situational awareness but also raises privacy concerns for patients and staff. Survey. A system was implemented in a six-room surgical suite to display OR monitoring video at an access restricted control desk area. Image quality was manipulated to improve staff acceptance. Two months after installation, interviews and a survey were conducted on staff acceptance of video monitoring. About half of all OR personnel responded (n = 63). Overall levels of concerns were low, with 53% rated no concerns and 42% little concern. Top two reported uses of the video were to see if cases are finished and to see if a room is ready. Viewing the video monitoring system as useful did not reduce levels of concern. Staff in supervisory positions perceived less concern about the system's impact on privacy than did those supervised (p < 0.03). Concerns for patient privacy correlated with concerns for staff privacy and performance monitoring. Technical means such as manipulating image quality helped staff acceptance. Manipulation of image quality resulted overall acceptance of monitoring video, with residual levels of concerns. OR nurses may express staff privacy concern in the form of concerns over patient privacy. This study provided suggestions for technological and implementation strategies of video monitoring for coordination use in OR. Deployment of communication technology and integration of clinical information will likely raise concerns over staff privacy and performance monitoring. The potential gain of increased information access may be offset by negative impact of a sense of loss of autonomy.

Exploring weight loss services in primary care and staff views on using a web-based programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Ware, Lisa J; Williams, Sarah; Bradbury, Katherine; Brant, Catherine; Little, Paul; Hobbs, F D Richard; Yardley, Lucy

2012-01-01

Demand is increasing for primary care to deliver effective weight management services to patients, but research suggests that staff feel inadequately resourced for such a role. Supporting service delivery with a free and effective web-based weight management programme could maximise primary care resource and provide cost-effective support for patients. However, integration of e-health into primary care may face challenges. To explore primary care staff experiences of delivering weight management services and their perceptions of a web-based weight management programme to aid service delivery. Focus groups were conducted with primary care physicians, nurses and healthcare assistants (n = 36) involved in delivering weight loss services. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Participants thought that primary care should be involved in delivering weight management, especially when weight was aggravating health problems. However, they felt under-resourced to deliver these services and unsure as to the effectiveness of their input, as routine services were not evaluated. Beliefs that current services were ineffective resulted in staff reluctance to allocate more resources. Participants were hopeful that supplementing practice with a web-based weight management programme would enhance patient services and promote service evaluation. Although primary care staff felt they should deliver weight loss services, low levels of faith in the efficacy of current treatments resulted in provision of under-resourced and 'ad hoc' services. Integration of a web-based weight loss programme that promotes service evaluation and provides a cost-effective option for supporting patients may encourage practices to invest more in weight management services.

Exploring weight loss services in primary care and staff views on using a web-based programme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisa J Ware

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Background Demand is increasing for primary care to deliver effective weight management services to patients, but research suggests that staff feel inadequately resourced for such a role. Supporting service delivery with a free and effective web-based weight management programme could maximise primary care resource and provide cost-effective support for patients. However, integration of ehealth into primary care may face challenges.Objectives To explore primary care staff experiences of delivering weight management services and their perceptions of a web-based weight management programme to aid service delivery.Methods Focus groups were conducted with primary care physicians, nurses and healthcare assistants (n = 36 involved in delivering weight loss services. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.Results Participants thought that primary care should be involved in delivering weight management, especially when weight was aggravating health problems. However, they felt under-resourced to deliver these services and unsure as to the effectiveness of their input, as routine services were not evaluated. Beliefs that current services were ineffective resulted in staff reluctance to allocate more resources. Participants were hopeful that supplementing practice with a web-based weight management programme would enhance patient services and promote service evaluation.Conclusions Although primary care staff felt they should deliver weight loss services, low levels of faith in the efficacy of current treatments resulted in provision of under-resourced and ‘ad hoc’ services. Integration of a web-based weight loss programme that promotes service evaluation and provides a cost-effective option for supporting patients may encourage practices to invest more in weight management services.

2011 Elections to Staff Council

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2011-01-01

Vote Elections to fill all seats in the Staff Council are being organized this month. Voting will begin on Monday 31 October. Make your voice heard and be many to elect the new Staff Council. By doing so, you will be encouraging the men and women who will  represent you over the next two years and they will doubtless appreciate your gratitude. More details on the elections can be found on the Staff Association web site. (http://association.web.cern.ch) Elections Timetable Monday 31 October, at noon start date for voting Monday 14 November, at noon closing date for voting Monday 21 November, publication of the results in Echo Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 29 November Staff Association Assizes Tuesday 6 December, at 10.00 a.m. first meeting of the new Staff Council and election of the new Executive Committee The voting procedure is monitored by the Election Committee. 

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for clinically distressed health care workers: Waitlist-controlled evaluation of an ACT workshop in a routine practice setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Waters, Cerith S; Frude, Neil; Flaxman, Paul E; Boyd, Jane

2018-03-01

To examine the effects of a 1-day acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) workshop on the mental health of clinically distressed health care employees, and to explore ACT's processes of change in a routine practice setting. A quasi-controlled design, with participants block allocated to an ACT intervention or waiting list control group based on self-referral date. Participants were 35 health care workers who had self-referred for the ACT workshop via a clinical support service for staff. Measures were completed by ACT and control group participants at pre-intervention and 3 months post-intervention. Participants allocated to the waitlist condition went on to receive the ACT intervention and were also assessed 3 months later. At 3 months post-intervention, participants in the ACT group reported a significantly lower level of psychological distress compared to the control group (d = 1.41). Across the 3-month evaluation period, clinically significant change was exhibited by 50% of ACT participants, compared to 0% in the control group. When the control group received the same ACT intervention, 69% went on to exhibit clinically significant change. The ACT intervention also resulted in significant improvements in psychological flexibility, defusion, and mindfulness skills, but did not significantly reduce the frequency of negative cognitions. Bootstrapped mediation analyses indicated that the reduction in distress in the ACT condition was primarily associated with an increase in mindfulness skills, especially observing and non-reactivity. These findings provide preliminary support for providing brief ACT interventions as part of routine clinical support services for distressed workers. A 1-day ACT workshop delivered in the context of a routine staff support service was effective for reducing psychological distress among health care workers. The brief nature of this group intervention means it may be particularly suitable for staff support and primary care mental

The relationship between empowerment and effectiveness of staff ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Effectiveness is one of the management concepts considered and studied always by management scientists and experts. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different dimensions of empowerment (servicing staff, staff monitoring, consulting staff, and training staff) on dimensions of effectiveness of staff (staff ...

Between demarcation and discretion: The medical-administrative boundary as a locus of safety in high-volume organisational routines.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, Suzanne; Guthrie, Bruce

2018-04-01

Patient safety is an increasing concern for health systems internationally. The majority of administrative work in UK general practice takes place in the context of organisational routines such as repeat prescribing and test results handling, where high workloads and increased clinician dependency on administrative staff have been identified as an emerging safety issue. Despite this trend, most research to date has focused on the redistribution of the clinical workload between doctors, nurses and allied health professionals within individual care settings. Drawing on Strauss's negotiated order perspective, we examine ethnographically the achievement of safety across the medical-administrative boundary in key high-volume routines in UK general practice. We focus on two main issues. First, GPs engaged in strategies of demarcation by defining receptionist work as routine, unspecialised and dependent upon GP clinical knowledge and oversight as the safety net to deal with complexity and risk. Receptionists consented to this 'social closure' when describing their role, thus reinforcing the underlying inter-occupational relationship of medical domination. Second, in everyday practice, GPs and receptionists engaged in informal boundary-blurring to safely accommodate the complexity of everyday high-volume routine work. This comprised additional informal discretionary spaces for receptionist decision-making and action that went beyond the routine safety work formally assigned to them. New restratified intra-occupational hierarchies were also being created between receptionists based on the complexity of the safety work that they were authorised to do at practice level, with specialised roles constituting a new form of administrative 'professional project'. The article advances negotiated order theory by providing an in-depth examination of the ways in which medical-administrative boundary-making and boundary-blurring constitute distinct modes of safety in high

Investigations of CR39 dosimeters for neutron routine dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weinstein, M.; Abraham, A.; Tshuva, A.; German, U.

2004-01-01

CR-39 is a polymeric nuclear track detector which is widely used for neutron dosimetry. CR-39 detector development was conducted at a number of laboratories throughout the world(1,2) , and was accepted also for routine dosimetry. However, there are shortcomings which must be taken into consideration the lack of a dosimetry grade material which causes batch variations, significant angular dependence and a moderate sensitivity. CR-39 also under-responds for certain classes of neutron spectra (lower energy neutrons from reactors or high energy accelerator-produced neutrons).In order to introduce CR-39 as a routine dosimeter at NRCN, a series of checks were performed. The present work describes the results of some of our checks, to characterize the main properties of CR-39 dosimeters

Validation of a patient-centered culturally sensitive health care office staff inventory.

Science.gov (United States)

Tucker, Carolyn M; Wall, Whitney; Marsiske, Michael; Nghiem, Khanh; Roncoroni, Julia

2015-09-01

Research suggests that patient-perceived culturally sensitive health care encompasses multiple components of the health care delivery system including the cultural sensitivity of front desk office staff. Despite this, research on culturally sensitive health care focuses almost exclusively on provider behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge. This is due in part to the paucity of instruments available to assess the cultural sensitivity of front desk office staff. Thus, the objective of the present study is to determine the psychometric properties of the pilot Tucker-Culturally Sensitive Health Care Office Staff Inventory-Patient Form (T-CSHCOSI-PF), which is an instrument designed to enable patients to evaluate the patient-defined cultural sensitivity of their front desk office staff. A sample of 1648 adult patients was recruited by staff at 67 health care sites across the United States. These patients anonymously completed the T-CSHCOSI-PF, a demographic data questionnaire, and a patient satisfaction questionnaire. Findings Confirmatory factor analyses of the TCSHCOSI-PF revealed that this inventory has two factors with high internal consistency reliability and validity (Cronbach's αs=0.97 and 0.95). It is concluded that the T-CSHCOSI-PF is a psychometrically strong and useful inventory for assessing the cultural sensitivity of front desk office staff. This inventory can be used to support culturally sensitive health care research, evaluate the job performance of front desk office staff, and aid in the development of trainings designed to improve the cultural sensitivity of these office staff.

Routine-industrial planning in the ATOMMASh enterprise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zabara, V.N.; Kovalev, B.V.; Bobrov, A.A.; Gostishchev, V.S.; Edikhanov, V.P.

1987-01-01

Structure of automated system for routine-industrial planning, developed at the ATOMMASh enterprise is considered. 11 problems, enabling to calculate the duration of cycles of fabrication and lead of detail putting to departments, schedules of detail production in departments fo year, quater, mounth, production plans in norm-hours, equipment utilization, as well as problems, providing for schedule performance were developed. All operational data on the state of industry are concentrated in the data base of operational control

Staff perceptions of challenging parent-staff interactions and beneficial strategies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Joshua; Friedman, Susan Hatters; Collin, Marc; Martin, Richard J

2018-01-01

To characterise neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) staff perceptions regarding factors which may lead to more challenging staff-parent interactions, and beneficial strategies for working with families with whom such interactions occur. A survey of 168 physician and nursing staff at two NICUs in American teaching hospitals inquired about their perceptions of challenging parent-staff interactions and situations in which such interactions were likely to occur. From a medical perspective, staff perceptions of challenging interactions were noted when infants had recent decompensation, high medical complexity, malformations or long duration of stay in the NICU. From a psychological/social perspective, a high likelihood of challenging interactions was noted with parents who were suspicious, interfere with equipment, or parents who hover in the NICU, express paranoid or delusional thoughts, repeat questions, perceive the staff as inaccessible, are managing addictions, or who require child protective services involvement. Frequent family meetings, grieving opportunities, education of parents, social work referrals, clearly defined rules, partnering in daily care and support groups were perceived as the most beneficial strategies for improving difficult interactions. This study delineates what staff perceive as challenging interactions and provides support for an educational and interventional role that incorporates mental health professionals. ©2017 Foundation Acta Paediatrica. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

University staff experiences of students with mental health problems and their perceptions of staff training needs.

Science.gov (United States)

Gulliver, Amelia; Farrer, Louise; Bennett, Kylie; Ali, Kathina; Hellsing, Annika; Katruss, Natasha; Griffiths, Kathleen M

2018-06-01

University students experience high levels of mental health problems; however, very few seek professional help. Teaching staff within the university are well placed to assist students to seek support. To investigate university teaching staff experiences of, and training needs around, assisting students with mental health problems. A total of 224 teaching staff at the Australian National University completed an anonymous online survey (16.4% response rate from n ∼ 1370). Data on mental health training needs, and experiences of assisting students with mental health problems were described using tabulation. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. Most teaching staff (70.1-82.2%) reported at least moderate confidence in their ability to provide emotional support for students. However, many staff (60.0%) felt under-equipped overall to deal with student mental health problems; almost half (49.6%) reported they did not have access to formal training. Specific actions described in assisting students included referrals, offering support, or consulting others for advice. Given the high rates of students who approach staff about mental health problems, there is a critical need to provide and promote both formal mental health response training and explicit guidelines for staff on when, how, and where to refer students for help.

Clowning as a supportive measure in paediatrics - a survey of clowns, parents and nursing staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Barkmann, Claus; Siem, Anna-Katharina; Wessolowski, Nino; Schulte-Markwort, Michael

2013-10-10

Hospital clowns, also known as clown doctors, can help paediatric patients with the stress of a hospitalization and to circumvent the accompanying feelings of fear, helplessness and sadness, thus supporting the healing process. The objectives of the present study were to clarify the structural and procedural conditions of paediatric clowning in Germany and to document the evaluations of hospital clowns, parents and hospital staff. A nationwide online survey of hospital clowns currently active in paediatric departments and an accompanying field evaluation in Hamburg hospitals with surveys of parents and hospital staff were conducted. In addition to items developed specifically for the study regarding general conditions, procedures, assessments of effects and attitudes, the Work Satisfaction Scale was used. The sample included n = 87 hospital clowns, 37 parents and 43 hospital staff members. The online survey showed that the hospital clowns are well-trained, motivated and generally satisfied with their work. By their own estimate, they primarily boost morale and promote imagination in the patients. However, hospital clowns also desire better interdisciplinary collaboration and financial security as well as more recognition of their work. The Hamburg field study confirmed the positive results of the clown survey. According to the data, a clown intervention boosts morale and reduces stress in the patients. Moreover, there are practically no side effects. Both parents and hospital staff stated that the patients as well as they themselves benefited from the intervention. The results match those of previous studies and give a very positive picture of hospital clowning, so that its routine use and expansion thereof can be recommended. Furthermore, the intervention should be subject to the rules of evidence-based medicine like other medical treatments.

AECB staff annual report of Bruce NGS 'B' for the year 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-05-01

The operation of the Bruce 'B' Nuclear Generating Station is monitored and licensing requirements are enforced by the Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) Bruce project staff, with appropriate support from other AECB personnel. The staff observes operation of the reactors, conducts audits, witnesses important activities, reviews station documentation and reports, and issues approvals where appropriate in accordance with license conditions. As required by a condition of its Operating Licence, Ontario Hydro each year submits Technical Reports which summarize various aspects of the operation of Bruce NGS 'B' during the year. When these reports have been reviewed by AECB staff, a formal Annual Review Meeting is held with the station management to discuss safety-related aspects of the station operation, and to inform Ontario Hydro of AECB staff conclusions with respect to the performance of Ontario Hydro in operating the station during the year

Applicability and Efficiency of NGS in Routine Diagnosis: In-Depth Performance Analysis of a Complete Workflow for CFTR Mutation Analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adrien Pagin

Full Text Available Actually, about 2000 sequence variations have been documented in the CFTR gene requiring extensive and multi-step genetic testing in the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis and CFTR-related disorders. We present a two phases study, with validation and performance monitoring, of a single experiment methodology based on multiplex PCR and high throughput sequencing that allows detection of all variants, including large rearrangements, affecting the coding regions plus three deep intronic loci.A total of 340 samples, including 257 patients and 83 previously characterized control samples, were sequenced in 17 MiSeq runs and analyzed with two bioinformatic pipelines in routine diagnostic conditions. We obtained 100% coverage for all the target regions in every tested sample.We correctly identified all the 87 known variants in the control samples and successfully confirmed the 62 variants identified among the patients without observing false positive results. Large rearrangements were identified in 18/18 control samples. Only 17 patient samples showed false positive signals (6.6%, 12 of which showed a borderline result for a single amplicon. We also demonstrated the ability of the assay to detect allele specific dropout of amplicons when a sequence variation occurs at a primer binding site thus limiting the risk for false negative results.We described here the first NGS workflow for CFTR routine analysis that demonstrated equivalent diagnostic performances compared to Sanger sequencing and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. This study illustrates the advantages of NGS in term of scalability, workload reduction and cost-effectiveness in combination with an improvement of the overall data quality due to the simultaneous detection of SNVs and large rearrangements.

Real-time whole-genome sequencing for routine typing, surveillance, and outbreak detection of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

OpenAIRE

Joensen, Katrine Grimstrup; Scheutz, Flemming; Lund, Ole; Hasman, Henrik; Kaas, Rolf Sommer; Nielsen, Eva M.; Aarestrup, Frank Møller

2014-01-01

Fast and accurate identification and typing of pathogens are essential for effective surveillance and outbreak detection. The current routine procedure is based on a variety of techniques, making the procedure laborious, time-consuming, and expensive. With whole-genome sequencing (WGS) becoming cheaper, it has huge potential in both diagnostics and routine surveillance. The aim of this study was to perform a real-time evaluation of WGS for routine typing and surveillance of verocytotoxin-prod...

Real-Time Whole-Genome Sequencing for Routine Typing, Surveillance, and Outbreak Detection of Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli

OpenAIRE

Joensen, Katrine Grimstrup; Scheutz, Flemming; Lund, Ole; Hasman, Henrik; Kaas, Rolf S.; Nielsen, Eva M.; Aarestrup, Frank M.

2014-01-01

Fast and accurate identification and typing of pathogens are essential for effective surveillance and outbreak detection. The current routine procedure is based on a variety of techniques, making the procedure laborious, time-consuming, and expensive. With whole-genome sequencing (WGS) becoming cheaper, it has huge potential in both diagnostics and routine surveillance. The aim of this study was to perform a real-time evaluation of WGS for routine typing and surveillance of verocytotoxin-prod...

An Analysis of the Relationship between the Organizational Culture and the Performance of Staff Work Groups in Schools and the Development of an Explanatory Model

Science.gov (United States)

James, Chris; Connolly, Michael

2009-01-01

This article analyses the concept of organizational culture and the relationship between the organizational culture and the performance of staff work groups in schools. The article draws upon a study of 12 schools in Wales, UK, which despite being in disadvantaged settings have high levels of pupil attainment. A model is developed linking the…

The quality of clinical maternal and neonatal healthcare - a strategy for identifying 'routine care signal functions'.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephan Brenner

Full Text Available A variety of clinical process indicators exists to measure the quality of care provided by maternal and neonatal health (MNH programs. To allow comparison across MNH programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs, a core set of essential process indicators is needed. Although such a core set is available for emergency obstetric care (EmOC, the 'EmOC signal functions', a similar approach is currently missing for MNH routine care evaluation. We describe a strategy for identifying core process indicators for routine care and illustrate their usefulness in a field example.We first developed an indicator selection strategy by combining epidemiological and programmatic aspects relevant to MNH in LMICs. We then identified routine care process indicators meeting our selection criteria by reviewing existing quality of care assessment protocols. We grouped these indicators into three categories based on their main function in addressing risk factors of maternal or neonatal complications. We then tested this indicator set in a study assessing MNH quality of clinical care in 33 health facilities in Malawi.Our strategy identified 51 routine care processes: 23 related to initial patient risk assessment, 17 to risk monitoring, 11 to risk prevention. During the clinical performance assessment a total of 82 cases were observed. Birth attendants' adherence to clinical standards was lowest in relation to risk monitoring processes. In relation to major complications, routine care processes addressing fetal and newborn distress were performed relatively consistently, but there were major gaps in the performance of routine care processes addressing bleeding, infection, and pre-eclampsia risks.The identified set of process indicators could identify major gaps in the quality of obstetric and neonatal care provided during the intra- and immediate postpartum period. We hope our suggested indicators for essential routine care processes will contribute to streamlining

The quality of clinical maternal and neonatal healthcare - a strategy for identifying 'routine care signal functions'.

Science.gov (United States)

Brenner, Stephan; De Allegri, Manuela; Gabrysch, Sabine; Chinkhumba, Jobiba; Sarker, Malabika; Muula, Adamson S

2015-01-01

A variety of clinical process indicators exists to measure the quality of care provided by maternal and neonatal health (MNH) programs. To allow comparison across MNH programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), a core set of essential process indicators is needed. Although such a core set is available for emergency obstetric care (EmOC), the 'EmOC signal functions', a similar approach is currently missing for MNH routine care evaluation. We describe a strategy for identifying core process indicators for routine care and illustrate their usefulness in a field example. We first developed an indicator selection strategy by combining epidemiological and programmatic aspects relevant to MNH in LMICs. We then identified routine care process indicators meeting our selection criteria by reviewing existing quality of care assessment protocols. We grouped these indicators into three categories based on their main function in addressing risk factors of maternal or neonatal complications. We then tested this indicator set in a study assessing MNH quality of clinical care in 33 health facilities in Malawi. Our strategy identified 51 routine care processes: 23 related to initial patient risk assessment, 17 to risk monitoring, 11 to risk prevention. During the clinical performance assessment a total of 82 cases were observed. Birth attendants' adherence to clinical standards was lowest in relation to risk monitoring processes. In relation to major complications, routine care processes addressing fetal and newborn distress were performed relatively consistently, but there were major gaps in the performance of routine care processes addressing bleeding, infection, and pre-eclampsia risks. The identified set of process indicators could identify major gaps in the quality of obstetric and neonatal care provided during the intra- and immediate postpartum period. We hope our suggested indicators for essential routine care processes will contribute to streamlining MNH program

Active Movement Warm-Up Routines

Science.gov (United States)

Walter, Teri; Quint, Ashleigh; Fischer, Kim; Kiger, Joy

2011-01-01

This article presents warm-ups that are designed to physiologically and psychologically prepare students for vigorous physical activity. An active movement warm-up routine is made up of three parts: (1) active warm-up movement exercises, (2) general preparation, and (3) the energy system. These warm-up routines can be used with all grade levels…

Noninstructional Staff Perceptions of the College Climate

Science.gov (United States)

Duggan, Molly H.

2008-01-01

This study explored staff perception of organizational climate, including the impact of gender on staff interactions with faculty and students and staff perceptions of workplace satisfaction within the community college. The overarching research question guiding this study was, What are noninstructional staff perceptions of the community college…

Fit Between Organization Design and Organizational Routines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constance E. Helfat

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Despite decades of research on both organization design and organizational routines, little research has analyzed the relationship between them. Here we propose a normative theory in which the effectiveness of organization design and redesign depends on the characteristics of routines. The analysis shows which types of organization designs may be useful as well as which design changes may or may not succeed depending on (a the specificity of routines and (b the dynamic versus static purposes of organizational routines.

Staff radiation exposure in radiation diagnostics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khakimova, N.U.; Malisheva, E.Yu.; Shosafarova, Sh.G.

2010-01-01

Present article is devoted to staff radiation exposure in radiation diagnostics. Data on staff radiation exposure obtained during 2005-2008 years was analyzed. It was found that average individual doses of staff of various occupations in Dushanbe city for 2008 year are at 0.29-2.16 mSv range. They are higher than the average health indicators but lower than maximum permissible dose. It was defined that paramedical personnel receives the highest doses among the various categories of staff.

International networking and staff development EU-style: Cardiff University's library service and the Erasmus staff mobility scheme

OpenAIRE

Härkönen, Sonja

2010-01-01

Staff development and international networking have always been highly valued in Cardiff University’s library service. We have a strong staff development programme and pilot new ways of training and motivating our staff, for example through job rotation and shadowing. Increasingly over the last few years, we have developed links with colleagues abroad and have had the pleasure of hosting a variety of international visitors. In response to enquiries for staff training we have recently set up t...

Self Efficacy among University Academic Staff

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Educator's Self Efficacy and Collective Educators' Self Efficacy among University Academic Staff: An Ethical Issue. ... staff on collective educators' self efficacy. The implication of the result in terms of collaborative work among academic staff was discussed in line with ethical principles and code of conduct of psychologists.

Improving care coordination using organisational routines.

Science.gov (United States)

Prætorius, Thim

2016-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to systematically apply theory of organisational routines to standardised care pathways. The explanatory power of routines is used to address open questions in the care pathway literature about their coordinating and organising role, the way they change and can be replicated, the way they are influenced by the organisation and the way they influence health care professionals. Theory of routines is systematically applied to care pathways in order to develop theoretically derived propositions. Care pathways mirror routines by being recurrent, collective and embedded and specific to an organisation. In particular, care pathways resemble standard operating procedures that can give rise to recurrent collective action patterns. In all, 11 propositions related to five categories are proposed by building on these insights: care pathways and coordination, change, replication, the organisation and health care professionals. Research limitations/implications - The paper is conceptual and uses care pathways as illustrative instances of hospital routines. The propositions provide a starting point for empirical research. The analysis highlights implications that health care professionals and managers have to consider in relation to coordination, change, replication, the way the organisation influences care pathways and the way care pathways influence health care professionals. Originality/value - Theory on organisational routines offers fundamental, yet unexplored, insights into hospital processes, including in particular care coordination.

7 CFR 1700.27 - Chief of Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Chief of Staff. 1700.27 Section 1700.27 Agriculture... GENERAL INFORMATION Agency Organization and Functions § 1700.27 Chief of Staff. The Chief of Staff aids and assists the Administrator and the Deputy Administrator. The Chief of Staff advises the...

2017 Elections to Staff Council

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2017-01-01

Make your voice heard, support your candidates! After verification by the Electoral Commission, all candidates for the elections to the Staff Council have been registered. It is now up to you, members of the Staff Association, to vote for the candidate(s) of your choice. We hope that you will be many to vote and to elect the new Staff Council! By doing so, you can support and encourage the women and men, who will represent you over the next two years. We are using an electronic voting system; all you need to do is click the link below and follow the instructions on the screen. https://ap-vote.web.cern.ch/elections-2017 The deadline for voting is Monday, 13 November at midday (12 pm). Elections Timetable Monday 13 November, at noon Closing date for voting Tuesday 21 November and Tuesday 5 December Publication of the results in Echo Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 November Staff Association Assizes Tuesday 5 December (afternoon) First meeting of the new Staff Council and election of the new Executive Committee The ...

NO to sacrificing future staff!

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2011-01-01

During our public meetings last week, we reviewed several subjects. However, the most urgent one today is the 2nd package of measures for our Pension Fund. In our previous issue, we devoted a long article to the Management’s plan for staff recruited from January 2012. A disaster! As we announced at our meetings, the Staff Association will organize a referendum at the beginning of April. For the message to be heard it is vital that as many staff as possible take part. By voting you will express your support to your staff representatives to stand in the way of these unacceptable measures. It is a matter of urgency that the staff makes their voice heard. Time is short, the decisions will be made in June. The future of our Organization is as stake. This is our future colleagues we are talking about. We must prevent this sacrifice. They must be welcomed in such a manner that there is no uneasiness between us. They must be made to feel welcome in their new family, CERN, our CERN. That they should pay an ...

The prevalence of adrenal incidentaloma in routine clinical practice.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Davenport, Colin

2012-02-01

The prevalence of adrenal incidentaloma (AI) on computed tomography (CT) in the general population has been reported to be as high as 4.2%. However, many of the previous studies in this field utilised a prospective approach with analysis of CT scans performed by one or more radiologists with a specialist interest in adrenal tumours and a specific focus on identifying the presence of an adrenal mass. A typical radiology department, with a focus on the patient\\'s presenting complaint as opposed to the adrenal gland, may not be expected to diagnose as many adrenal incidentalomas as would be identified in a dedicated research protocol. We hypothesised that the number of AI reported in routine clinical practice is significantly lower than the published figures would suggest. We retrospectively reviewed the reports of all CT thorax and abdomen scans performed in our hospital over a 2 year period. 3,099 patients underwent imaging, with 3,705 scans performed. The median age was 63 years (range 18-98). Thirty-seven true AI were diagnosed during the time period studied. Twenty-two were diagnosed by CT abdomen (22\\/2,227) and 12 by CT thorax (12\\/1,478), a prevalence of 0.98 and 0.81% with CT abdomen and thorax, respectively, for AI in routine clinical practice.

STAFF MARKETING IN MODERN RUSSIAN CONDITIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataliya N. Kretova

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The conception of staff marketing, which was developed abroad, is effectively used in the developed countries for a long time. Its main advantage consists in the possibility of organizing some planning for the implementation of staff strategy: staff marketing provides the enterprise on the long-term basis with human resources capable of forming strategic potential, which would allow to implement the planned activities. Numerous problems of formation and development of civilized market relations in our country do not allow to fully implement the detailed models of staff marketing in domestic realities. On the basis of the analysis of theoretical developments and factors that have a practical impact on the implementation of marketing personnel in modern Russian conditions, the authors describe the essential elements of the conception. The primary purposes of staff marketing for domestic enterprises, grouped into the internal and external marketing are substantiated and disclosed. The special attention is paid to increasing the staff loyalty, which has dominant influence on business outcomes. The algorithm of events for the development of motivation system is proposed; at the stage of studying job satisfaction it is recommend to apply analytical calculations with the use of Shewhart control charts. Unlike traditional statistical tools based on the inspection of already implemented results, this approach is aimed at preventing negative tendencies and avoids losses associated with dissatisfaction with difficulty, as the individual employee and the team as a whole. Modern Russian enterprises can fully realize the conception of staff marketing only through rethinking of the consequences for all directions of work with the staff, as reflected in the definition of objectives, motivating staff and ensuring social responsibility of the enterprise.

Anti-malarial drug safety information obtained through routine monitoring in a rural district of South-Western Senegal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brasseur Philippe

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Knowing the safety profile of anti-malarial treatments in routine use is essential; millions of patients receive now artemisinin combination therapy (ACT annually, but the return on information through current systems is as yet inadequate. Cohort event monitoring (CEM is a WHO (World Health Organization-recommended practice; testing its performance and feasibility in routine practice in malaria-endemic is important. Methods A nine-year CEM-based study of the safety of artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ at five peripheral health facilities in a rural district of South-western Senegal. Staff (nurses, health workers were trained to collect actively and systematically information on the patient, treatment and events on a purposely designed questionnaire. The occurrence and severity of events was collected before, during and after treatment up to 28 days in order to generate information on all adverse events (AEs as well as treatment-emerging signs/symptoms (TESS. Laboratory tests (haematology, liver and renal was planned for at least 10% of cases. Results During 2001–2009, 3,708 parasitologically-confirmed malaria cases (mean age = 16.0 ± 12.7 years were enrolled (26% and 52% of all and parasitologically-confirmed ASAQ treatments, respectively. Treatment was supervised in 96% of cases. Products changed over time: 49% were a loose combination of individually-packaged products (available 2001–03, 42% co-blistered products (2004–09 and 9% a fixed-dose co-formulation (2006–09; dosing was age-based for 42%, weight-based for 58%. AS and AQ were correctly dosed in 97% and 82% of cases with the loose and 93% and 86% with the fixed combination, but only 50% and 42% with the co-blistered product. Thirty-three per cent (33% of patients had at least one sign/symptom pre-treatment, 12% had at least one AE and 9% a TESS (total events 3,914, 1,144 and 693, respectively. AEs overestimated TESS by 1.2-2 fold (average 1.7. Changes in

Qualitative interviews with healthcare staff in four European countries to inform adaptation of an intervention to increase chlamydia testing.

Science.gov (United States)

McNulty, Cliodna; Ricketts, Ellie J; Fredlund, Hans; Uusküla, Anneli; Town, Katy; Rugman, Claire; Tisler-Sala, Anna; Mani, Alix; Dunais, Brigitte; Folkard, Kate; Allison, Rosalie; Touboul, Pia

2017-09-25

To determine the needs of primary healthcare general practice (GP) staff, stakeholders and trainers to inform the adaptation of a locally successful complex intervention (Chlamydia Intervention Randomised Trial (CIRT)) aimed at increasing chlamydia testing within primary healthcare within South West England to three EU countries (Estonia, France and Sweden) and throughout England. Qualitative interviews. European primary healthcare in England, France, Sweden and Estonia with a range of chlamydia screening provision in 2013. 45 GP staff, 13 trainers and 18 stakeholders. The iterative interview schedule explored participants' personal attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural controls around provision of chlamydia testing, sexual health services and training in general practice. Researchers used a common thematic analysis. Findings were similar across all countries. Most participants agreed that chlamydia testing and sexual health services should be offered in general practice. There was no culture of GP staff routinely offering opportunistic chlamydia testing or sexual health advice, and due to other priorities, participants reported this would be challenging. All participants indicated that the CIRT workshop covering chlamydia testing and sexual health would be useful if practice based, included all practice staff and action planning, and was adequately resourced. Participants suggested minor adaptations to CIRT to suit their country's health services. A common complex intervention can be adapted for use across Europe, despite varied sexual health provision. The intervention (ChlamydiA Testing Training in Europe (CATTE)) should comprise: a staff workshop covering sexual health and chlamydia testing rates and procedures, action planning and patient materials and staff reminders via computer prompts, emails or newsletters, with testing feedback through practice champions. CATTE materials are available at: www.STItraining.eu. © Article author(s) (or their

42 CFR 493.1210 - Condition: Routine chemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Condition: Routine chemistry. 493.1210 Section 493....1210 Condition: Routine chemistry. If the laboratory provides services in the subspecialty of Routine chemistry, the laboratory must meet the requirements specified in §§ 493.1230 through 493.1256, § 493.1267...

28 CFR 551.32 - Staff supervision.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Staff supervision. 551.32 Section 551.32 Judicial Administration BUREAU OF PRISONS, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT MISCELLANEOUS Inmate Organizations § 551.32 Staff supervision. (a) The Warden shall appoint a staff member as the institution's Inmate Organization Manager (IO...

Generic environmental statement on the routine use of plutonium-powered cardiac pacemakers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoup, R.L.; Robinson, T.W.; O'Donnell, F.R.

1976-01-01

The purpose of a continuing program at ORNL is to provide technical assistance to the NRC on writing and editing of the final environmental statement on the routine use of nuclear-powered (primarily 238 Pu) cardiac pacemakers. This environmental statement defines the safety and reliability standards that nuclear-powered pacemakers are required to meet. All aspects of the risks to the patients, the public, and the environment are evaluated both for the routine use of plutonium-powered pacemakers and for postulated accidents involving pacemaker patients. Benefits derived from the use of plutonium-powered units are discussed and weighed against the risks in order to determine whether routine use is justified. Available alternative pacemakers with various performance characteristics are compared with respect to costs and to the needs of pacemaker patients

A crèche for CERN staff The Staff Association project

CERN Multimedia

Association du personnel

2006-01-01

For many years, the Staff Association has supported the demand for the creation of a crèche for the children of CERN staff. Several studies have been carried out without leading to a concrete plan. The fact that the CERN population is getting younger and the shortage of local facilities have led to a more urgent demand for this type of social service over the past few years. Furthermore, the Equal Opportunities Panel had already recommended that crèche places be made available.

Routines Are the Foundation of Classroom Management

Science.gov (United States)

Lester, Robin Rawlings; Allanson, Patricia Bolton; Notar, Charles E.

2017-01-01

Classroom management is the key to learning. Routines are the foundation of classroom management. Students require structure in their lives. Routines provide that in all of their life from the time they awake until the time they go to bed. Routines in a school and in the classroom provide the environment for learning to take place. The paper is…

The effectiveness of staff training focused on increasing emotional intelligence and improving interaction between support staff and clients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zijlmans, L.J.M.; Embregts, P.J.C.M.; Gerits, L.; Bosman, A.M.T.; Derksen, J.

2015-01-01

Background Recent research addressed the relationship between staff behaviour and challenging behaviour of individuals with an intellectual disability (ID). Consequently, research on interventions aimed at staff is warranted. The present study focused on the effectiveness of a staff training aimed

Routine sputum culture

Science.gov (United States)

Sputum culture ... There, it is placed in a special dish (culture). It is then watched to see if bacteria ... Elsevier; 2018:chap 36. Chernecky CC, Berger BJ. Culture, routine. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, eds. Laboratory ...

14 CFR 385.33 - Review by the staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Review by the staff. 385.33 Section 385.33...) ORGANIZATION STAFF ASSIGNMENTS AND REVIEW OF ACTION UNDER ASSIGNMENTS Procedure on Review of Staff Action § 385.33 Review by the staff. Where a petition for review is duly filed, the staff member may, upon...

34 CFR 75.519 - Dual compensation of staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 34 Education 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Dual compensation of staff. 75.519 Section 75.519... by a Grantee? Project Staff § 75.519 Dual compensation of staff. A grantee may not use its grantee to pay a project staff member for time or work for which that staff member is compensated from some other...

Values and attitudes related to career preference and performance in the surgical clerkship.

Science.gov (United States)

Linn, B S; Zeppa, R

1982-10-01

We investigated the values and attitudes of junior medical students in relation to career preference (particularly surgery), ward behavior, and cognitive performance in the surgical clerkship. Students choosing specialty surgery were more cynical and authoritarian than those selecting general surgery. Those choosing general surgery had more self-esteem, and along with those who selected specialty surgery, more intolerance for ambiguity than other students. None of the values or attitudes were associated with grades, but several were related to ward behavior as judged by faculty and house staff. Students who valued academic achievement more and independence and intellectualism less and those with more submissive authoritarian views and more ego strength were considered better ward performers. This raises the question of whether such values and attitudes should be reinforced in ward performance or whether such students are rated higher simply because they are less disruptive to busy ward routines.

Productivity and turnover in PCPs: the role of staff participation in decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Dorothy Y; Rundall, Thomas G; Cohen, Deborah J; Tallia, Alfred F; Crabtree, Benjamin F

2006-10-01

Efforts to redesign primary care practices are beginning to address how decisions are made in the practice setting. This study contributes to these efforts by examining associations between staff participation in decision-making, productivity, and turnover in primary care practices. The study is informed by organizational theories of participation that emphasize cognitive and affective influences on employee output and behavior. This research used data collected from primary care practices involved in a national initiative sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Cross-sectional survey data on organizational structures and attributes among 49 practices were analyzed. Regression analysis was used to examine associations among practice productivity, staff participation in decision-making, and formal structures such as staff meetings. Associations between staff turnover and participative decision-making were also examined. Staff participation in decisions regarding quality improvement, practice change, and clinical operations was positively associated with practice productivity, whereas formal structures such as staff meetings were not. In addition, higher levels of participation in decision-making were associated with reduced turnover among nonclinicians and administrative staff. Examination of organizational features is increasingly recognized as a key to improving primary care performance. Study findings suggest that one important strategy may be implementation of a participative model emphasizing greater staff involvement in practice decisions. This may enhance information-sharing, work satisfaction, and commitment to organizational decisions, all of which can lead to beneficial outcomes such as increased productivity and stability in primary care practices.

Mass casualty incidents: are NHS staff prepared? An audit of one NHS foundation trust.

Science.gov (United States)

Milkhu, C S; Howell, D C J; Glynne, P A; Raptis, D; Booth, H L; Langmead, L; Datta, V K

2008-09-01

Lack of knowledge of an NHS trust's major incident policies by clinical staff may result in poorly coordinated responses during a mass casualty incident (MCI). To audit knowledge of the major incident policy by clinical staff working in a central London major acute NHS trust designated to receive casualties on a 24-h basis during a MCI. A 12-question proforma was distributed to 307 nursing and medical staff in the hospital, designed to assess their knowledge of the major incident policy. Completed proformas were collected over a 2-month period between December 2006 and February 2007. A reply rate of 34% was obtained, with a reasonable representation from all disciplines ranging from nurses to consultants. Despite only 41% having read the policy in full, 70% knew the correct immediate action to take if informed of major incident activation. 76% knew the correct stand-down procedure. 56% knew the correct reporting point but less than 25% knew that an action card system was utilised. Nurses had significantly (p<0.01) more awareness of the policy than doctors. In view of the heightened terrorist threat in London, knowledge of major incident policy is essential. The high percentage of positive responses relating to immediate and stand-down actions reflects the rolling trust-wide MCI education programme and the organisational memory of the trust following several previous MCI in the capital. There is still scope for an improvement in awareness, however, particularly concerning knowledge of action cards, which are now displayed routinely throughout clinical areas and will be incorporated into induction packs.

THE MANY ROLES OF THE CERN STAFF ASSOCIATION

CERN Document Server

Staff Association

2011-01-01

The Staff Association represents all staff Article VII 1.01 of the Staff Rules & Regulations (SR&R) stipulates that “[…] the relations between the Director-General and the personnel shall be established either on an individual basis or on a collective basis with the Staff Association as intermediary.” The role of the Staff Association delegates as representatives of all staff of the Organization before the Director-General and Member States is demonstrated by its participation in different joint committees defined in the SR&R and by TREF. This role was particularly visible in 2009 and 2010 with demonstrations of between one and two thousand participants, first for our Pension Fund in December 2009 and March 2010, then for basic research in August 2010. The presence of the Staff Association was also evident with its public meetings, staff votes in the framework of the 2010 five-yearly review, and other actions. But the Staff Association is also The CERN Nu...

FASTPLOT, Interface Routines to MS FORTRAN Graphics Library

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

1 - Description of program or function: FASTPLOT is a library of routines that can be used to interface with the Microsoft FORTRAN Graphics library (GRAPHICS.LIB). The FASTPLOT routines simplify the development of graphics applications and add capabilities such as histograms, Splines, symbols, and error bars. FASTPLOT also includes routines that can be used to create menus. 2 - Methods: FASTPLOT is a library of routines which must be linked with a user's FORTRAN programs that call any FASTPLOT routines. In addition, the user must link with the Microsoft FORTRAN Graphics library (GRAPHICS.LIB). 3 - Restrictions on the complexity of the problem: None noted

Daily medication routine of adolescents with HIV/AIDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristiane Cardoso de Paula

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to describe the sociodemographic, clinical, and behavioral characteristics of the daily medication routine of adolescents with HIV/AIDS of ages 13 to 19 years, followed at a reference service. This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed with 23 adolescents, using a quantitative approach. Data were collected using a form during appointments at the outpatient clinic. Univariate analysis revealed: females, in the initial phase of adolescence, and vertical transmission. The highlights were: lack of assiduity to appointments; unprotected sex; and consumption of alcohol. Regarding the daily medication routine, subjects depend on their parents or guardians, use strategies to remember to take the medications, and are unaware about the laboratory test for disease management and treatment. There is a need for educative intervention using information and communication technology, such as the Internet, to promote health and autonomy among adolescents. Descriptors: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Adolescent Health; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Nursing.

The operational staff during exercise RESUME-95

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, J. [Jensen Consult, Virum (Denmark)

1997-12-31

With more than 100 participants entering the exercise RESUME-95 the Exercise Planning Committee decided to establish an operational staff named Directing Staff (DISTAFF) to ensure that the exercise plan was followed, the planned activities were carried out and to intervene if anything went wrong. In general the duties of the operational staff involve tasks such as secretarial assistance, keeping log of the progress of the situation and gathering, updating and distributing information on all aspects of the situation. Throughout the entire event it is the staff`s responsibility to keep a general view of the current situation and to make the necessary plans for the progress of the situation based on the available information. Furthermore the staff should ensure necessary contact to the public and to the media. (au).

The operational staff during exercise RESUME-95

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jensen, J [Jensen Consult, Virum (Denmark)

1998-12-31

With more than 100 participants entering the exercise RESUME-95 the Exercise Planning Committee decided to establish an operational staff named Directing Staff (DISTAFF) to ensure that the exercise plan was followed, the planned activities were carried out and to intervene if anything went wrong. In general the duties of the operational staff involve tasks such as secretarial assistance, keeping log of the progress of the situation and gathering, updating and distributing information on all aspects of the situation. Throughout the entire event it is the staff`s responsibility to keep a general view of the current situation and to make the necessary plans for the progress of the situation based on the available information. Furthermore the staff should ensure necessary contact to the public and to the media. (au).

External Agents' Effect on Routine Dynamics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Busse Hansen, Nicolai

Prior investigations on organizational routines have called for re- search to enlighten our understanding of how social actors establish and main- tain of routines as well as the causes of their disruption. The present paper con- tributes to this call by conducting systematic microethnographic...... and affiliation are central to how routines are maintained but also susceptible to disruption in case of mis- management. Also the paper contributes with a more fine-tuned understanding of action in terms of them being organized in accordance with preference, which basically means that some actions are preferred...... over others. In producing an action, the relevant next action is projected. However the relevant next action is projected in a specific way and if this is not taken in to account then the routine becomes disrupted. Another core aspect is the notion of deontics that lends itself towards describing who...

The Effectiveness of Staff Training Focused on Increasing Emotional Intelligence and Improving Interaction between Support Staff and Clients

Science.gov (United States)

Zijlmans, L. J. M.; Embregts, P. J. C. M.; Gerits, L.; Bosman, A. M. T.; Derksen, J. J. L.

2015-01-01

Background: Recent research addressed the relationship between staff behaviour and challenging behaviour of individuals with an intellectual disability (ID). Consequently, research on interventions aimed at staff is warranted. The present study focused on the effectiveness of a staff training aimed at emotional intelligence and interactions…

Development of a Refined Staff Group Trainer

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Quensel, Susan

1999-01-01

... individual staff sections in the brigade command post. The program was designed to deliver training to newly formed, inexperienced staffs conducting the staff functions that support the military decision-making process within the execution phase...

NRC staff review of licensee responses to pressure-locking and thermal-binding issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rathbun, H.J.

1996-12-01

Commercial nuclear power plant operating experience has indicated that pressure locking and thermal binding represent potential common mode failure mechanisms that can cause safety-related power-operated gate valves to fail in the closed position, thus rendering redundant safety-related systems incapable of performing their safety functions. In Generic Letter (GL) 95-07, {open_quotes}Pressure Locking and Thermal Binding of Safety-Related Power-Operated Gate Valves,{close_quotes} the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff requested that nuclear power plant licensees take certain actions to ensure that valves susceptible to pressure locking or thermal binding are capable of performing their safety functions within the current licensing bases of the facility. The NRC staff has received summary information from licensees in response to GL 95-07 describing actions they have taken to prevent the occurrence of pressure locking and thermal binding. The NRC staff has developed a systematic process to help ensure uniform and consistent review of licensee submittals in response to GL 95-07.

Training for staff who support students.

Science.gov (United States)

Flynn, Eleanor; Woodward-Kron, Robyn; Hu, Wendy

2016-02-01

Front-line administrative, academic and clinical teaching staff often find themselves providing pastoral and learning support to students, but they are often not trained for this role, and this aspect of their work is under-acknowledged. Staff participating in an action research study at two medical schools identified common concerns about the personal impact of providing student support, and of the need for professional development to carry out this responsibility. This need is magnified in clinical placement settings that are remote from on-campus services. Informed by participatory action research, brief interactive workshops with multimedia training resources were developed, conducted and evaluated at eight health professional student training sites. These workshops were designed to: (1) be delivered in busy clinical placement and university settings; (2) provide a safe and inclusive environment for administrative, academic and clinical teaching staff to share experiences and learn from each other; (3) be publicly accessible; and (4) promote continued development and roll-out of staff training, adapted to each workplace (see http://www.uws.edu.au/meusupport). The workshops were positively evaluated by 97 participants, with both teaching and administrative staff welcoming the opportunity to discuss and share experiences. Staff supporting health professional students have shared, often unmet, needs for support themselves Staff supporting health professional students have shared, often unmet, needs for support themselves. Participatory action research can be a means for producing and maintaining effective training resources as well as the conditions for change in practice. In our workshops, staff particularly valued opportunities for guided discussion using videos of authentic cases to trigger reflection, and to collaboratively formulate student support guidelines, customised to each site. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The systems psychodynamic experiences of organisational transformation amongst support staff

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Steyn

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Orientation: The unconscious impact of organisational transformation is often neglected and even denied. This research revealed the manifestation and impact of high levels and different forms of anxiety experienced by employees during transformation. Research objective: The objective was to study and describe the manifesting systems psychodynamic behaviour amongst support staff during organisational transformation. Motivation for the study: Organisational transformation is mostly researched from a leadership viewpoint. Little research data are available on the experiences of support staff on the receiving end of decisions about and implementation of transformation. Research design, approach and method: A qualitative approach within the phenomenological hermeneutic interpretive stance was used. The research was set in a government organisation. A semi-structured interview with four conveniently and purposefully chosen support staff members was thematically analysed using systems psychodynamics as theoretical paradigm. Main findings: Four themes manifested, namely de-authorisation and detachment, being bullied and seduced by leadership, the organisation in the mind as incompetent, and a dangerous and persecutory system. In the discussion, the basic assumptions and relevant constructs are interpreted. Practical implications: Understanding the transformation experiences of support staff could assist the industrial psychologist to facilitate appropriate support in coaching more junior staff towards increasing wellness and work performance. Contribution: Organisational transformation is highlighted as an anxiety provoking experience especially on the lower levels of the organisation. Its potentially deep and complex psychological impact could possibly derail parts of the system if not managed in a psychologically contained manner.

Engaging Frontline Leaders and Staff in Real-Time Improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, Jennifer; Hebish, Linda J; Mann, Sharon; Ching, Joan M; Blackmore, C Craig

2016-04-01

The relationship of staff satisfaction and engagement to organizational success, along with the integral influence of frontline managers on this dimension, is well established in health care and other industries. To specifically address staff engagement, Virginia Mason Medical Center, an integrated, single-hospital health system, developed an approach that involved leaders, through the daily use of standard work for leaders, as well as staff, through a Lean-inspired staff idea system. Kaizen Promotion Office (KPO) staff members established three guiding principles: (1) Staff engagement begins with leader engagement; (2) Integrate daily improve- ment (kaizen) as a habitual way of life not as an add-on; and (3) Create an environment in which staff feel psycho- logically safe and valued. Two design elements--Standard Work for Leaders (SWL) and Everyday Lean Ideas (ELIs) were implemented. For the emergency department (ED), an early adopter of the staff engagement work, the challenge was to apply the guiding principles to improve staff engagement while improving quality and patient and staff satisfaction, even as patient volumes were increasing. Daily huddles for the KPO staff members and weekly leader rounds are used to elicit staff ideas and foster ELIs in real time. Overall progress to date has been tracked in terms of staff satisfaction surveys, voluntary staff turnover, adoption of SWL, and testing and implementation of staff ideas. For example, voluntary turnover of ED staff decreased from 14.6% in 2011 to 7.5% in 2012, and 2.0% in 2013. Organizationwide, at least 800 staff ideas are in motion at any given time, with finished ones posted in an idea supermarket website. A leadership and staff engagement approach that focuses on SWL and on capturing staff ideas for daily problem solving and improvement can contribute to organization success and improve the quality of health care delivery.

Evaluation of doses to staff involved in interventional cardiology in two Khartoum hospitals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bashir, M. K. A.

2009-11-01

In interventional cardiac procedures, staff operates near the patient in a non-uniformly scattered radiation field. Consequently, workers may receive, over a period of time, relatively high radiation doses. The measurement of individual doses to personnel becomes critical due to the use of protective devices and, as a consequence of the large number of methods proposed to assess the effective dose, In this study, staff doses were measured in two cardiac centers: Ahmed Gasim Hospital and Cardiac Center, Khartoum. The objective was to measure personal dose equivalent and accordingly estimate the effective dose which is received by staff in interventional cardiology. Measurements were performed using electronic personal dosimeters (EPDs) worn over lead apron during the examination and were read immediately following each examination. A total number of 40 radiation worker were monitored for a period of two weeks. The highest doses received by the cardiologist followed by nurses and then X-ray technicians. Staff received mean effective doses that ranged from 24 to 110 μSv estimated for four weeks. Recommendations on how to reduce staff doses in interventional cardiology are presented. (Author)

Developing an appropriate staff mix for anticoagulation clinics: functional job analysis approach

Science.gov (United States)

Hailemariam, Desta A.; Shan, Xiaojun; Chung, Sung H.; Khasawneh, Mohammad T.; Lukesh, William; Park, Angela; Rose, Adam

2018-05-01

Anticoagulation clinics (ACCs) are specialty clinics that manage patients with blood clotting problems. Since labor costs usually account for a substantial portion of a healthcare organization's budget, optimizing the number and types of staff required was often the focus, especially for ACCs, where labor-intensive staff-patient interactions occur. A significant portion of tasks performed by clinical pharmacists might be completed by clinical pharmacist technicians, which are less-expensive resources. While nurse staffing models for a hospital inpatient unit are well established, these models are not readily applicable to staffing ACCs. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to develop a framework for determining the right staff mix of clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmacy technicians that increases the efficiency of care delivery process and improves the productivity of ACC staff. A framework is developed and applied to build a semi-automated full-time equivalent (FTE) calculator and compare various staffing scenarios using a simulation model. The FTE calculator provides the right staff mix for a given staff utilization target. Data collected from the ACCs at VA Boston Healthcare System is used to illustrate the FTE calculator and the simulation model. The result of the simulation model can be used by ACC managers to easily determine the number of FTEs of clinical pharmacists and clinical pharmacy technicians required to reach the target utilization and the corresponding staffing cost.

Fitting model-based psychometric functions to simultaneity and temporal-order judgment data: MATLAB and R routines.

Science.gov (United States)

Alcalá-Quintana, Rocío; García-Pérez, Miguel A

2013-12-01

Research on temporal-order perception uses temporal-order judgment (TOJ) tasks or synchrony judgment (SJ) tasks in their binary SJ2 or ternary SJ3 variants. In all cases, two stimuli are presented with some temporal delay, and observers judge the order of presentation. Arbitrary psychometric functions are typically fitted to obtain performance measures such as sensitivity or the point of subjective simultaneity, but the parameters of these functions are uninterpretable. We describe routines in MATLAB and R that fit model-based functions whose parameters are interpretable in terms of the processes underlying temporal-order and simultaneity judgments and responses. These functions arise from an independent-channels model assuming arrival latencies with exponential distributions and a trichotomous decision space. Different routines fit data separately for SJ2, SJ3, and TOJ tasks, jointly for any two tasks, or also jointly for the three tasks (for common cases in which two or even the three tasks were used with the same stimuli and participants). Additional routines provide bootstrap p-values and confidence intervals for estimated parameters. A further routine is included that obtains performance measures from the fitted functions. An R package for Windows and source code of the MATLAB and R routines are available as Supplementary Files.

AECB staff annual assessment of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station for the year 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-06-01

This report is the Atomic ENergy Control Board staff assessment of safety at the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station for 1995. The report is based on observations made by our staff, and on information submitted to us by Ontario Hydro. Performance was satisfactory for all four special safety systems. In 1995, Ontario Hydro complied with the regulations made under the Atomic Energy Control Act, except for two instances of non-compliance with the Transport Packaging of Radioactive Materials Regulations. Radiation doses received by Ontario Hydro station staff were below the regulatory limits. In general Ontario Hydro's maintenance program was found satisfactory. 9 tabs

The prevalence of adrenal incidentaloma in routine clinical practice.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Davenport, Colin

2011-03-10

The prevalence of adrenal incidentaloma (AI) on computed tomography (CT) in the general population has been reported to be as high as 4.2%. However, many of the previous studies in this field utilised a prospective approach with analysis of CT scans performed by one or more radiologists with a specialist interest in adrenal tumours and a specific focus on identifying the presence of an adrenal mass. A typical radiology department, with a focus on the patient\\'s presenting complaint as opposed to the adrenal gland, may not be expected to diagnose as many adrenal incidentalomas as would be identified in a dedicated research protocol. We hypothesised that the number of AI reported in routine clinical practice is significantly lower than the published figures would suggest. We retrospectively reviewed the reports of all CT thorax and abdomen scans performed in our hospital over a 2 year period. 3,099 patients underwent imaging, with 3,705 scans performed. The median age was 63 years (range 18-98). Thirty-seven true AI were diagnosed during the time period studied. Twenty-two were diagnosed by CT abdomen (22\\/2,227) and 12 by CT thorax (12\\/1,478), a prevalence of 0.98 and 0.81% with CT abdomen and thorax, respectively, for AI in routine clinical practice.

Routine Radiological Environmental Monitoring Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bechtel Nevada

1998-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy manages the Nevada Test Site in a manner that meets evolving DOE Missions and responds to the concerns of affected and interested individuals and agencies. This Routine Radiological Monitoring Plan addressess complicance with DOE Orders 5400.1 and 5400.5 and other drivers requiring routine effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance on the Nevada Test Site. This monitoring plan, prepared in 1998, addresses the activities conducted onsite NTS under the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision. This radiological monitoring plan, prepared on behalf of the Nevada Test Site Landlord, brings together sitewide environmental surveillance; site-specific effluent monitoring; and operational monitoring conducted by various missions, programs, and projects on the NTS. The plan provides an approach to identifying and conducting routine radiological monitoring at the NTS, based on integrated technical, scientific, and regulatory complicance data needs

Using HL7 in hospital staff assignments.

Science.gov (United States)

Unluturk, Mehmet S

2014-02-01

Hospital staff assignments are the instructions that allocate the hospital staff members to the hospital beds. Currently, hospital administrators make the assignments without accessing the information regarding the occupancy of the hospital beds and the acuity of the patient. As a result, administrators cannot distinguish between occupied and unoccupied beds, and may therefore assign staff to unoccupied beds. This gives rise to uneven and inefficient staff assignments. In this paper, the hospital admission-discharge-transfer (ADT) system is employed both as a data source and an assignment device to create staff assignments. When the patient data is newly added or modified, the ADT system updates the assignment software client with the relevant data. Based on the relevant data, the assignment software client is able to construct staff assignments in a more efficient way. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The operating staff of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlegel, G.; Christ, W.

1988-01-01

The training of its staff is one of the pillars of the safe and economical operation of a power plant. This is why power plant owners began to systematically train their staff already in the 50s, and why they created central training facilities. Staff members who have undergone this training make an indispensable contribution to the acceptedly high safety and availability of German power plants. The substantial cost of creating training facilities and of schooling plant staff is considered to be an investment for the future. Low labour turnover permits careful observation and development of staff and leads to a high standard of knowledge and experience. (orig./HSCH) [de

Oral health of early head start children: a qualitative study of staff, parents, and pregnant women.

Science.gov (United States)

Mofidi, Mahyar; Zeldin, Leslie P; Rozier, R Gary

2009-02-01

We explored the oral health knowledge, attitudes, and activities of Early Head Start (EHS) staff members, parents, and pregnant women, along with their suggestions related to future oral health educational interventions targeting EHS children. Nine focus groups were conducted with EHS staff, parents, and pregnant women. Audiotapes of sessions were transcribed and entered into ATLAS.ti 5.0 for coding and analysis. Attitudes about the importance of children's oral health among parents and pregnant women were mixed. Staff members voiced responsibility for children's oral health but frustration in their inability to communicate effectively with parents. Parents in turn perceived staff criticism regarding how they cared for their children's oral health. Gaps were noted in the oral health activities of EHS programs. Participants expressed confusion regarding the application of Head Start oral health performance standards to EHS. The need for culturally sensitive, hands-on oral health education was highlighted. Tailored, theory-based interventions are needed to improve communication between EHS staff and families. Clear policies on the application of Head Start oral health performance standards to EHS are warranted. Educational activities should address the needs and suggestions of EHS participants.

Readiness for organisational change among general practice staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Christl, B; Harris, M F; Jayasinghe, U W; Proudfoot, J; Taggart, J; Tan, J

2010-10-01

Increasing demands on general practice to manage chronic disease may warrant organisational change at the practice level. Staff's readiness for organisational change can act as a facilitator or barrier to implementing interventions aimed at organisational change. To explore general practice staff readiness for organisational change and its association with staff and practices characteristics. This is a cross-sectional study of practices in three Australian states involved in a randomised control trial on the effectiveness of an intervention to enhance the role of non-general practitioner staff in chronic disease management. Readiness for organisational change, job satisfaction and practice characteristics were assessed using questionnaires. 502 staff from 58 practices completed questionnaires. Practice characteristics were not associated with staff readiness for change. A multilevel regression analysis showed statistically significant associations between staff readiness for organisational change (range 1 to 5) and having a non-clinical staff role (vs general practitioner; B=-0.315; 95% CI -0.47 to -0.16; pchange which addresses the mix of practice staff. Moderately low job satisfaction may be an opportunity for organisational change.

Polish Decadence: Leopold Staff's Igrzysko in the European Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julia Przybos

2012-03-01

expression. It is my hypothesis that taken out of its secular context, religious revisionism of the kind practiced by French decadents may be seen as shocking transgression in a fiercely catholic country like Poland. In the country that lost its independence in 1794 and was ever since seeking to regain it, Catholic Church was perceived as an essential ally in the struggle against main occupying powers: Orthodox Russia, and Protestant Prussia. In the course of the 19th century Catholicism and patriotism had been effectively fused in Polish national conscience. In this charged political context a Polish author revisiting Church dogma or tradition was at risk of being perceived not only as a religious outcast but also as a traitor to the cause of Polish independence. To test my hypothesis I propose to examine Igrzysko (Game, a forgotten play by Leopold Staff. Admired today chiefly as a poet, the young Staff wrote Igrzysko in Poland after a long sojourn in Paris where he had lived among the international crowd of fin de siècle writers and artists. The play was first produced in Lemberg in 1909 and after a few performances vanished forever from Polish theatrical repertoire. Leopold Staff's play is set in ancient Rome and depicts tribulations of an actor who, while impersonating a Christian awaiting crucifixion, converts to Christianity. In his play, Staff revives the legend of Saint Genesius, an actor in Arles who died a martyr's death in 286 under Diocletian. In Spain, Saint Genesius's legend inspired Lope de Vega who wrote Acting is Believing (Lo fingido verdadero, 1607. In France, it was the source for Jean Rotrou's Saint Genest (1646. All told, the legend of Genesius is a popular theme for artists who wish to explore the distinction between art and life. An important addition to this old tradition, Staff's play contains, however, a decadent and potentially scandalous twist. Unlike in Acting is Believing and Saint Genest, the protagonist's conversion is very short

Explaining high and low performers in complex intervention trials: a new model based on diffusion of innovations theory.

Science.gov (United States)

McMullen, Heather; Griffiths, Chris; Leber, Werner; Greenhalgh, Trisha

2015-05-31

Complex intervention trials may require health care organisations to implement new service models. In a recent cluster randomised controlled trial, some participating organisations achieved high recruitment, whereas others found it difficult to assimilate the intervention and were low recruiters. We sought to explain this variation and develop a model to inform organisational participation in future complex intervention trials. The trial included 40 general practices in a London borough with high HIV prevalence. The intervention was offering a rapid HIV test as part of the New Patient Health Check. The primary outcome was mean CD4 cell count at diagnosis. The process evaluation consisted of several hundred hours of ethnographic observation, 21 semi-structured interviews and analysis of routine documents (e.g., patient leaflets, clinical protocols) and trial documents (e.g., inclusion criteria, recruitment statistics). Qualitative data were analysed thematically using--and, where necessary, extending--Greenhalgh et al.'s model of diffusion of innovations. Narrative synthesis was used to prepare case studies of four practices representing maximum variety in clinicians' interest in HIV (assessed by level of serological testing prior to the trial) and performance in the trial (high vs. low recruiters). High-recruiting practices were, in general though not invariably, also innovative practices. They were characterised by strong leadership, good managerial relations, readiness for change, a culture of staff training and available staff time ('slack resources'). Their front-line staff believed that patients might benefit from the rapid HIV test ('relative advantage'), were emotionally comfortable administering it ('compatibility'), skilled in performing it ('task issues') and made creative adaptations to embed the test in local working practices ('reinvention'). Early experience of a positive HIV test ('observability') appeared to reinforce staff commitment to recruiting

Summary of typical routine maintenance activities at Tokai Reprocessing Plant. Supplement (March, 2002)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-03-01

Typical maintenance activities, such as replacement of worn out parts and cleaning of filter elements, routinely performed during steady operation are summarized. [The Summary of Typical Routine Maintenance Activities at Tokai Reprocessing Plant] (JNC TN 8450 2001-006) was already prepared in September, 2001. The purpose of this summary is to give elementary understanding on these activities to people who are responsible for explanation them to the public. At this time, the same kind of summary is prepared as a supplement of the previous one. (author)

First-line managers' descriptions and reflections regarding their staff's access to empowering structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Skytt, Bernice; Hagerman, Heidi; Strömberg, Annika; Engström, Maria

2015-11-01

To elucidate first-line managers' descriptions and reflections regarding their staff's access to empowering structures using Kanter's theory of structural empowerment. Good structural conditions within workplaces are essential to employees' wellbeing, and their ability to access empowerment structures is largely dependent on the management. Twenty-eight first-line managers in elderly care were interviewed. Deductive qualitative content analysis was used to analyse data. Managers perceived that staff had varying degrees of access to the empowering structures described in Kanter's theory - and that they possessed formal power in their roles as contact persons and representatives. The descriptions mostly started from the managers' own actions, although some started from the needs of staff members. All managers described their staff's access to the empowering structures in Kanter's theory as important, yet it seemed as though this was not always reflected on and discussed as a strategic issue. Managers could make use of performance and appraisal dialogues to keep up to date on staff's access to empowering structures. Recurrent discussions in the management group based on such current information could promote staff's access to power through empowering structures and make job definitions a strategic issue in the organisation. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Radiation dose measurement for patients and staff during cardiac catheterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joda, H. H. M.

2009-07-01

The primary objective of this study was to determine the patient and staff dose during cardiac catheterization procedures in Ahmed Gasim Hospital, Khartoum Bahry. A survey of patient and staff exposure was performed covered 2 Cath Lab units from 2 manufacturers. The measurements involved 50 operations. The medical staff was monitored using TLD chips (LiF: Mg, Cu, P). The main operator who was closer to the patient and the x-ray tube, was monitored at six positions (forehead, neck chest - over the lead apron, waist - under the lead apron, leg, and hand), while the exposure to the assistant was measured at two positions (chest - over the lead apron, and hand), where the technologist and the circulator were monitored at one position (chest - over the lead apron). patient exposure was measured using the DAP meter. The main operator and the rest of the staff received 0.14, 0.01 mSv/y respectively. The estimated patient dose rate was found to be 125 mGy/min which considered higher than the recommended DRL for the continuous high mode fluoroscopy used in interventional radiology (100 mGy/min). The study concluded to the fact that the main operator received relatively high dose which is a direct result to the poor radiation protection in the department. (Author)

Official Website of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Science.gov (United States)

Skip to main content (Press Enter). Toggle navigation Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Chiefs of Staff Facebook Twitter YouTube Flickr Blog Instagram Search JCS: Search Search Search JCS: Search Home Media News Photos Videos Publications About The Joint Staff Chairman Vice Chairman

Properties of electret ionization chambers for routine dosimetry in photon radiation fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doerschel, B.; Pretzsch, G.

1985-01-01

The main properties of photon routine dosemeters are their energy and angular dependence as well as their measuring range and accuracy. The determination of radiation exposure from dosemeter response is based on the choice of an appropriate conversion factor taking into account the influence of body backscattering on the dosemeter response. Measuring range and accuracy of an electret ionization chamber first of all depend on electret stability, methods of charge measurement, and geometry of the chamber. The dosemeter performance is described for an electret ionization chamber which was designed for application to routine monitoring of radiation workers. (author)

Integrating Doulas Into First-Trimester Abortion Care: Physician, Clinic Staff, and Doula Experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Chor, Julie; Lyman, Phoebe; Ruth, Jean; Patel, Ashlesha; Gilliam, Melissa

2018-01-01

Balancing the need to provide individual support for patients and the need for an efficient clinic can be challenging in the abortion setting. This study explores physician, staff, and specially trained abortion doula perspectives on doula support, one approach to patient support. We conducted separate focus groups with physicians, staff members, and doulas from a high-volume, first-trimester aspiration abortion clinic with a newly established volunteer abortion doula program. Focus groups explored 1) abortion doula training, 2) program implementation, 3) program benefits, and 4) opportunities for improvement. Interviews were transcribed and computer-assisted content analysis was performed; salient findings are presented. Five physicians, 5 staff members, and 4 abortion doulas participated in separate focus group discussions. Doulas drew on both their prior personal skills and experiences in addition to their abortion doula training to provide women with support at the time of abortion. Having doulas in the clinic to assist with women's emotional needs allowed physicians and staff to focus on technical aspects of the procedure. In turn, both physicians and staff believed that introducing doulas resulted in more patient-centered care. Although staff did not experience challenges to integrating doulas, physicians and doulas experienced initial challenges in incorporating doula support into the clinical flow. Staff and doulas reported exchanging skills and techniques that they subsequently used in their interactions with patients. Physicians, clinic staff, and doulas perceive abortion doula support as an approach to provide more patient-centered care in a high-volume aspiration abortion clinic. © 2018 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

In search for effective methods of routine formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kandora Marcin

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Organizational routines are a frequently researched phenomenon in contemporary management science. Although the available theoretical foundations of Routine Theory seem to have reached a significant degree of maturity over the last thirty years, the same could not be said about the availability of material advice for the management practice. This paper addresses this gap and proposes a framework for an effective routine shaping process. It builds on a brief analysis of available literature on routine formation, supported by case study findings. The approach proposed stresses the importance of the controlled learning process and underlines the importance of deliberate implementation, in contrast to the evolutionary and engineering views on routine emergence.

Cooptation of Peer Support Staff: Quantitative Evidence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anthony J. Alberta

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Objective In 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS sent a letter to state Medicaid directors outlining requirements for implementing peer-based recovery support services (P-BRSS as a Medicaid-funded service. Since then, 30 states have implemented these services. Although the literature describing implementation of P-BRSS has identified the cooptation of peer support staff (PSS as a barrier to the effective provision of P-BRSS, the evidence for it remains anecdotal. This study attempts to determine if the context of employment in either a treatment organization or peer organization affected cooptation. Methods We conducted a survey of PSS in the fall of 2013. In all, 92 of the 181 respondents were working as PSS at the time, 53 in treatment organizations. Chi-square analysis was used to determine if the context of employment had an effect on the cooptation of peer staff. Results Peer staff working in treatment organizations reported that they were supervised by treatment staff and participated in employment-related training to improve their skills at providing treatment services more frequently than their counterparts in peer organizations. Peer staff working in treatment organizations also participated in training and education to prepare for employment as treatment professionals more frequently than peer staff working in peer organizations. Conclusions and Implications for Practice Peer staff members working in treatment organizations are subject to processes of acculturation into professional cultures that peer staff working in peer organizations are not. Effective implementation of P-BRSS should include specific efforts to minimize the cooptation of peer staff.

28 CFR 600.5 - Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Staff. 600.5 Section 600.5 Judicial Administration OFFICES OF INDEPENDENT COUNSEL, DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE GENERAL POWERS OF SPECIAL COUNSEL § 600.5 Staff. A Special Counsel may request the assignment of appropriate Department employees to assist the...

Improving the management of diabetes in hospitalized patients: the results of a computer-based house staff training program.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaidya, Anand; Hurwitz, Shelley; Yialamas, Maria; Min, Le; Garg, Rajesh

2012-07-01

Poorly controlled diabetes in hospitalized patients is associated with poor clinical outcomes. We hypothesized that computer-based diabetes training could improve house staff knowledge and comfort for the management of diabetes in a large tertiary-care hospital. We implemented a computer-based training program on inpatient diabetes for internal medicine house staff at the Brigham and Women's Hospital (Boston, MA) in September 2009. House staff were required to complete the program and answer a set of questions, before and after the program, to evaluate their level of comfort and knowledge of inpatient diabetes. Chart reviews of all non-critically ill patients with diabetes managed by house staff in August 2009 (before the program) and December 2009 (after the program) were performed. Chart reviews were also performed for August 2008 and December 2008 to compare house staff management practices when the computer-based educational program was not available. A significant increase in comfort levels and knowledge in the management of inpatient diabetes was seen among house staff at all levels of training (Pstaff compared with junior house staff. Nonsignificant trends suggesting increased use of basal-bolus insulin (P=0.06) and decreased use of sliding-scale insulin (P=0.10) were seen following the educational intervention in 2009, whereas no such change was seen in 2008 (P>0.90). Overall, house staff evaluated the training program as "very relevant" and the technology interface as "good." A computer-based diabetes training program can improve the comfort and knowledge of house staff and potentially improve their insulin administration practices at large academic centers.

STAFF MARKETING IN MODERN RUSSIAN CONDITIONS

OpenAIRE

Nataliya N. Kretova; Natalya N. Mitina

2017-01-01

The conception of staff marketing, which was developed abroad, is effectively used in the developed countries for a long time. Its main advantage consists in the possibility of organizing some planning for the implementation of staff strategy: staff marketing provides the enterprise on the long-term basis with human resources capable of forming strategic potential, which would allow to implement the planned activities. Numerous problems of formation and development of civilized market relatio...

The staff regulations of the Agency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

Following the first comprehensive review of the Provisional Staff Regulations conducted by the Secretariat, the Board of Governors approved on 12 June 2002 amendments to the Provisional Staff Regulations including the removal of the attribute 'provisional' from their title. The revised Staff Regulations of the Agency are set forth in this document for the information of all Members of the Agency. There is a subject index at the end of the document

7 CFR 1700.33 - Financial Services Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 11 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Financial Services Staff. 1700.33 Section 1700.33... AGRICULTURE GENERAL INFORMATION Agency Organization and Functions § 1700.33 Financial Services Staff. The Financial Services Staff evaluates the financial condition of financially troubled borrowers in order to...

40 CFR 141.621 - Routine monitoring.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Routine monitoring. 141.621 Section....621 Routine monitoring. (a) Monitoring. (1) If you submitted an IDSE report, you must begin monitoring..., you must monitor at the location(s) and dates identified in your monitoring plan in § 141.132(f...

The Quality of Clinical Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare – A Strategy for Identifying ‘Routine Care Signal Functions’

Science.gov (United States)

Brenner, Stephan; De Allegri, Manuela; Gabrysch, Sabine; Chinkhumba, Jobiba; Sarker, Malabika; Muula, Adamson S.

2015-01-01

Background A variety of clinical process indicators exists to measure the quality of care provided by maternal and neonatal health (MNH) programs. To allow comparison across MNH programs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), a core set of essential process indicators is needed. Although such a core set is available for emergency obstetric care (EmOC), the ‘EmOC signal functions’, a similar approach is currently missing for MNH routine care evaluation. We describe a strategy for identifying core process indicators for routine care and illustrate their usefulness in a field example. Methods We first developed an indicator selection strategy by combining epidemiological and programmatic aspects relevant to MNH in LMICs. We then identified routine care process indicators meeting our selection criteria by reviewing existing quality of care assessment protocols. We grouped these indicators into three categories based on their main function in addressing risk factors of maternal or neonatal complications. We then tested this indicator set in a study assessing MNH quality of clinical care in 33 health facilities in Malawi. Results Our strategy identified 51 routine care processes: 23 related to initial patient risk assessment, 17 to risk monitoring, 11 to risk prevention. During the clinical performance assessment a total of 82 cases were observed. Birth attendants’ adherence to clinical standards was lowest in relation to risk monitoring processes. In relation to major complications, routine care processes addressing fetal and newborn distress were performed relatively consistently, but there were major gaps in the performance of routine care processes addressing bleeding, infection, and pre-eclampsia risks. Conclusion The identified set of process indicators could identify major gaps in the quality of obstetric and neonatal care provided during the intra- and immediate postpartum period. We hope our suggested indicators for essential routine care processes

[BURNOUT SYNDROME AND STRESS OF NURSING STAFF IN A OURENSE HOSPITAL].

Science.gov (United States)

Soto-Rodríguez, Anxela; Pérez-Fernandez, Ma Reyes

2015-02-01

Set up the stress prevalence and burnout syndrome in different units of nursing staff of the Complexo Hospitalario Universitario de Ourense (CHUOU) and analyse which factors cause it. It has been designed a transversal, descriptive study by performing three assessment instruments: questionnaire of social-demographic variables; Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and Nursing Stress Scale (NSS), to a 117 nursing staff of CHUOU as population. The average age was 39.23 years old and 83.8% were women. The average scoring in the emotional exhaustion dimension was 24.44, in the component of depersonalization was 7.58, and in the personal accomplishment was 34.50. Moreover, 89.7% suffer stress related with work environment. The average score in the dimension of emotional exhaustion was 24.44, the depersonalization of 7.58 and the personal accomplishment of 34.50. The 89.7% suffered from work-related stress. Nursing staff present high burnout syndrome and stress. It has been observed a higher vulnerability to the syndrome from subjects with temporary contract and rotary shift. There has been statistically significant differences in young nursing staff and less career seniority, whom present hiqher stress levels.

Concussion knowledge and management practices among coaches and medical staff in Irish professional rugby teams.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraas, M R; Coughlan, G F; Hart, E C; McCarthy, C

2015-06-01

Self-reported concussion rates among U-20 and elite rugby union players in Ireland are 45-48%. Half of these injuries go unreported. Accurate knowledge of concussion signs and symptoms and appropriate management practices among coaches and medical staff is important to improve the welfare of players. Examine concussion knowledge among coaches, and management techniques among medical staff of professional Irish rugby teams. Surveys were administered to 11 coaches and 12 medical staff at the end of the 2010-2011 season. Coaches demonstrated an accurate knowledge of concussion with a good understanding of concussion-related symptoms. Medical staff reported using a variety of methods for assessing concussion and making return-to-play decisions. Reliance on subjective clinical methods was evident, with less reliance on objective postural stability performance. Overall, the coaches in this investigation have accurate knowledge of concussion and medical staff use effective techniques for managing this injury. On-going education is needed to assist coaches in identifying concussion signs and symptoms. It is recommended that medical staff increase their reliance on objective methods for assessment and return-to-play decision making.

Elections for staff representatives – Join, commit and vote!

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2015-01-01

The Staff Council is a statutory body representing collectively in the area of employment conditions all CERN staff members (MPE and MPA), as well as the pensioners, former Cernois. The Staff Council is the supreme representative body of the CERN staff and pensioners, which defines the main lines of the policy of the Staff Association. The Staff Council is composed of staff representatives (45 seats to represent staff members, and 5 for representing fellows and associate members), as well as delegates for pensioners (seven positions), designated by GAC-EPA. Every two years, the Council is renewed through elections. Concerning the 45 delegates representing staff members, all departments have a least two seats allocated, one in career paths AA to D and one in career paths E to H. This guarantees a fair distribution of seats among the various organizational units and career paths. The table below, shows the exact number of delegates per department and career paths. Staff members or fellows who want to participa...

32 CFR 1602.5 - Area office staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 6 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Area office staff. 1602.5 Section 1602.5....5 Area office staff. The compensated employees, civilian and military, of the Selective Service System employed in an area office will be referred to as the area office staff. ...

Research Staff | Chemistry and Nanoscience Research | NREL

Science.gov (United States)

Research Staff Research Staff Research staff members in NREL's Chemistry and Nanoscience Center are Electrochemical Engineering and Materials Chemistry. For lead researcher contacts, see our research areas. For our : Chemistry and Nanoscience In addition to his position at NREL, Dr. van de Lagemaat is also a fellow of the

Health physics training of plant staff

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heublein, R.M. Jr.

1982-01-01

The scope of this document entitled Health Physics Training of Plant Staff addresses those critical elements common to all health physics training programs. The incorporation of these elements in a health physics training program will provide some assurances that the trainees are competent to work in the radiological environment of a nuclear plant. This paper provides sufficient detail for the health physicist to make managerial decisions concerning the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation of health physics training programs. Two models are provided in the appendices as examples of performance based health physics training programs

The impact of staff and service user gender on staff responses towards adults with intellectual disabilities who display aggressive behaviour.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinberg, I; Scior, K

2014-02-01

The impact of staff and service user gender on responses of staff in intellectual disability (ID) services is poorly understood. The present study set out to assess the role of gender in influencing staff emotions, attributions and behavioural intentions in response to aggression displayed by adults with ID. A new scale measuring staff behavioural intentions was developed. A two × two (staff gender × service user gender) between subjects design was used to compare the responses of day and residential support staff to physical aggression by a hypothetical service user. In response to a vignette depicting a service user with ID assaulting a member of staff, 160 respondents completed measures of affective responses, causal attributions and behavioural intentions while imagining themselves as the target of the service user's assault. Female participants reported feeling more fear/anxiety, more depression/anger and less confident/relaxed than male participants. The longer staff had worked with people with ID, the more likely they were to favour safety-focused behaviours. More confident female participants were less likely to favour safety-focused behaviours, but confidence had no effect on male participants' endorsement of these behaviours. Increased confidence in both was associated with lower agreement of safety-focused behaviours in relation to the female vignette, regardless of participant gender. The more control women believed the service user had over their behaviour, the more likely they were to choose safety-focused behaviours. Punitive behaviours were favoured more in response to the male rather than the female service user. Punitive behaviours were also favoured more by more junior staff and by participants who expected feeling more depressed/angry in response to the vignettes. Both staff and service user gender influenced staff responses to aggression, yet the latter played a smaller role than expected. The role of gender in staff-service user

Effect of staff training on radiation dose in pediatric CT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hojreh, Azadeh, E-mail: azadeh.hojreh@meduniwien.ac.at [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Biological Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of General and Paediatric Radiology, Waehringer Guertel 18–20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Weber, Michael, E-mail: michael.Weber@Meduniwien.Ac.At [Medical University of Vienna, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of General and Paediatric Radiology, Waehringer Guertel 18–20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria); Homolka, Peter, E-mail: peter.Homolka@Meduniwien.Ac.At [Medical University of Vienna, Centre for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Waehringer Guertel 18–20, A-1090 Vienna (Austria)

2015-08-15

Highlights: • Pediatric patient CT doses were compared before and after staff training. • Staff training increasing dose awareness resulted in patient dose reduction. • Application of DRL reduced number of CT's with unusually high doses. • Continuous education and training are effective regarding dose optimization. - Abstract: Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of staff training on radiation doses applied in pediatric CT scans. Methods: Pediatric patient doses from five CT scanners before (1426 scans) and after staff training (2566 scans) were compared statistically. Examinations included cranial CT (CCT), thoracic, abdomen–pelvis, and trunk scans. Dose length products (DLPs) per series were extracted from CT dose reports archived in the PACS. Results: A pooled analysis of non-traumatic scans revealed a statistically significant reduction in the dose for cranial, thoracic, and abdomen/pelvis scans (p < 0.01). This trend could be demonstrated also for trunk scans, however, significance could not be established due to low patient frequencies (p > 0.05). The percentage of scans performed with DLPs exceeding the German DRLs was reduced from 41% to 7% (CCT), 19% to 5% (thorax-CT), from 9% to zero (abdominal–pelvis CT), and 26% to zero (trunk; DRL taken as summed DRLs for thorax plus abdomen–pelvis, reduced by 20% accounting for overlap). Comparison with Austrian DRLs – available only for CCT and thorax CT – showed a reduction from 21% to 3% (CCT), and 15 to 2% (thorax CT). Conclusions: Staff training together with application of DRLs provide an efficient approach for optimizing radiation dose in pediatric CT practice.

Hygiene Knowledge of Food Staff in Catering Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hülya Yardımcı

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This study, designed as a cross-sectional study, was carried out to determine the hygiene knowledge of the staff (N = 317 employed in kitchen and service departments of catering firms in Ankara. It was found that the mean scores of the staff with regard to personal hygiene, food hygiene, and kitchen and equipment hygiene were 10.7 ± 1.6, 19.8 ± 4.0, and 13.6 ± 2.0, respectively. Male staff achieved higher mean scores in personal hygiene knowledge test compared with female staff (p < .01. The staff receiving a hygiene training were determined to have higher mean scores in terms of hygiene knowledge tests compared with those who have not received, and the production staff had higher knowledge as to hygiene than the other groups (p < .01. The mean scores for hygiene knowledge tests were found to be increasing with age. Hygiene knowledge scores of the staff were quite lower than what must be taken. For that reason, periodical training programs should be organized to increase the awareness of the staff about hygiene.

What is the yield of routine chest radiography following tube thoracostomy for trauma?

Science.gov (United States)

Kong, Victor Y; Oosthuizen, George V; Clarke, Damian L

2015-01-01

Routine chest radiography (CXR) following tube thoracostomy (TT) is a standard practice in most trauma centres worldwide. Evidence supporting this routine practice is lacking and the actual yield is unknown. We performed a retrospective review of 1042 patients over a 4-year period who had a routine post-insertion CXR performed in accordance with current ATLS® recommendations. A total 1042 TTs were performed on 1004 patients. Ninety-one per cent of patients (913/1004) were males, and the median age for all patients was 24 years. Seventy-five per cent of all injuries (756/1004) were from penetrating trauma, and the remaining 25% (248/1004) were from blunt. The initial pathologies requiring TT were: haemopneumothorax: 34% (339/1042), haemothroax: 31% (314/1042), simple pneumothorax: 25% (256/1042), tension pneumothorax: 8% (77/1042) and open pneumothorax: 5% (54/1042). One hundred and three patients had TTs performed on clinical grounds alone without a pre-insertion CXR [Group A]. One hundred and ninety-one patients had a pre-insertion CXR but had persistent clinical concerns following insertion [Group B]. Seven hundred and ten patients had pre-insertion CXR but no clinical concerns following insertion [Group C]. Overall, 15% (152/1004) [9 from Group A, 111 from Group B and 32 from Group C] of all patients had their clinical management influenced as a direct result of the post-insertion CXR. Despite the widely accepted practice of routine CXR following tube thoracostomy, the yield is relatively low. In many cases, good clinical examination post tube insertion will provide warnings as to whether problems are likely to result. However, in the more rural setting, and in resource challenged environments, there is a relatively high yield from the CXR, which alters management. Further prospective studies are needed to establish or refute the role of the existing ATLS® guidelines in these specific environments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Become a staff delegate: why not you?

CERN Multimedia

Association du personnel

2009-01-01

Following a decision taken at the Staff Association General Assembly in May 2008, staff delegates are elected in the autumn of odd-numbered years. The next elections which will lead to a total renewal of the Staff Council will thus take place in November 2009. Will you be a candidate?

Modeling Routinization in Games: An Information Theory Approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wallner, Simon; Pichlmair, Martin; Hecher, Michael

2015-01-01

Routinization is the result of practicing until an action stops being a goal-directed process. This paper formulates a definition of routinization in games based on prior research in the fields of activity theory and practice theory. Routinization is analyzed using the formal model of discrete......-time, discrete-space Markov chains and information theory to measure the actual error between the dynamically trained models and the player interaction. Preliminary research supports the hypothesis that Markov chains can be effectively used to model routinization in games. A full study design is presented...

Functional behavioral analysis and social scripting for the older patient with schizophrenia: a staff development program.

Science.gov (United States)

Markwick, Laura; Smith, Charlene; Mick, Diane

2014-11-01

Executive functioning is the ability to plan, strategize, organize, and focus on details. Impaired executive functioning plays a significant role in behavior disturbances. Lack of inhibition, impaired abstract reasoning, thought perseverance, rigidity in routine, and lack of insight disrupt social skills and daily life. Autism and schizophrenia present some similar behaviors, including impaired executive functioning, often resulting in pharmacological management as many healthcare professionals receive limited training in executive functioning. Non-pharmacological tools used in autism for behavior management include functional behavioral analysis and social scripting, which help to identify causes of behavior and teach more appropriate behavioral responses. Described here is an educational program for healthcare workers in a long-term care skilled nursing facility, to help them understand the basis for behaviors in individuals with impaired executive function, to use these same tools for behavioral modification techniques, and to help patients learn more appropriate social skills. Program evaluation suggested the educational program was successful in increasing the staff's knowledge and comfort level in addressing the behavioral issues that arise with this population and staff also reported less use of medication as first-line treatment for behavioral issues.

14 CFR 385.3 - Scope of staff action.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

...) ORGANIZATION STAFF ASSIGNMENTS AND REVIEW OF ACTION UNDER ASSIGNMENTS General Provisions § 385.3 Scope of staff... manner as if no assignment had been made (see § 385.5). In such proceedings, each staff member may... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Scope of staff action. 385.3 Section 385.3...

10 CFR 2.709 - Discovery against NRC staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Discovery against NRC staff. 2.709 Section 2.709 Energy... Rules for Formal Adjudications § 2.709 Discovery against NRC staff. (a)(1) In a proceeding in which the NRC staff is a party, the NRC staff will make available one or more witnesses, designated by the...

Amendments to the Staff Rules and Regulations

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

The Staff Rules and Regulations in force since 1 January 1996 are modified as follows: as from 1 April 2003 • Article R II 1.19 - Types and duration of contracts of staff members (page 15) as from 1 July 2003 Implementation of the category of local staff members Copies of this update are available in the divisional secretariats. In addition, Staff Rules and Regulations are available for consultation on the Web at http://cern.ch/hr-div/internal/admin_services/rules/default.asp Human Resources Division Tel. 74128

Impact of routine cerebral CT angiography on treatment decisions in infective endocarditis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marwa Sayed Meshaal

Full Text Available Infective endocarditis (IE is commonly complicated by cerebral embolization and hemorrhage secondary to intracranial mycotic aneurysms (ICMAs. These complications are associated with poor outcome and may require diagnostic and therapeutic plans to be modified. However, routine screening by brain CT and CT angiography (CTA is not standard practice. We aimed to study the impact of routine cerebral CTA on treatment decisions for patients with IE.From July 2007 to December 2012, we prospectively recruited 81 consecutive patients with definite left-sided IE according to modified Duke's criteria. All patients had routine brain CTA conducted within one week of admission. All patients with ICMA underwent four-vessel conventional angiography. Invasive treatment was performed for ruptured aneurysms, aneurysms ≥ 5 mm, and persistent aneurysms despite appropriate therapy. Surgical clipping was performed for leaking aneurysms if not amenable to intervention.The mean age was 30.43 ± 8.8 years and 60.5% were males. Staph aureus was the most common organism (32.3%. Among the patients, 37% had underlying rheumatic heart disease, 26% had prosthetic valves, 23.5% developed IE on top of a structurally normal heart and 8.6% had underlying congenital heart disease. Brain CT/CTA revealed that 51 patients had evidence of cerebral embolization, of them 17 were clinically silent. Twenty-six patients (32% had ICMA, of whom 15 were clinically silent. Among the patients with ICMAs, 11 underwent endovascular treatment and 2 underwent neurovascular surgery. The brain CTA findings prompted different treatment choices in 21 patients (25.6%. The choices were aneurysm treatment before cardiac surgery rather than at follow-up, valve replacement by biological valve instead of mechanical valve, and withholding anticoagulation in patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis for fear of aneurysm rupture.Routine brain CT/CTA resulted in changes in the treatment plan in a significant

Training and Practices of Cannabis Dispensary Staff.

Science.gov (United States)

Haug, Nancy A; Kieschnick, Dustin; Sottile, James E; Babson, Kimberly A; Vandrey, Ryan; Bonn-Miller, Marcel O

2016-01-01

Introduction: The proliferation of cannabis dispensaries within the United States has emerged from patient demand for the legalization of cannabis as an alternative treatment for a number of conditions and symptoms. Unfortunately, nothing is known about the practices of dispensary staff with respect to recommendation of cannabis strains/concentrations for specific patient ailments. To address this limitation, the present study assessed the training and practices of cannabis dispensary staff. Materials and Methods: Medical and nonmedical dispensary staff ( n =55) were recruited via e-mail and social media to complete an online survey assessing their demographic characteristics, dispensary features, patient characteristics, formal training, and cannabis recommendation practices. Results: Fifty-five percent of dispensary staff reported some formal training for their position, with 20% reporting medical/scientific training. A majority (94%) indicated that they provide specific cannabis advice to patients. In terms of strains, dispensary staff trended toward recommendations of Indica for anxiety, chronic pain, insomnia, nightmares, and Tourette's syndrome. They were more likely to recommend Indica and hybrid plants for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)/trauma and muscle spasms. In contrast, staff were less likely to recommend Indica for depression; hybrid strains were most often recommended for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In terms of cannabinoid concentrations, dispensary staff were most likely to recommend a 1:1 ratio of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC):cannabidiol (CBD) for patients suffering from anxiety, Crohn's disease, hepatitis C, and PTSD/trauma, while patients seeking appetite stimulation were most likely to be recommended THC. Staff recommended high CBD for arthritis and Alzheimer's disease and a high CBD or 1:1 ratio for ALS, epilepsy, and muscle spasms. Conclusions: Although many dispensary staff are making recommendations consistent with

The routine use of post-operative drains in thyroid surgery: an outdated concept.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Prichard, R S

2010-01-01

The use of surgical drains in patients undergoing thyroid surgery is standard surgical teaching. Life-threatening complications, arising from post-operative haematomas, mandates their utilization. There is increasing evidence to suggest that this is an outdated practice. This paper determines whether thyroid surgery can be safely performed without the routine use of drains. A retrospective review of patients undergoing thyroid surgery, over a three year period was performed and post-operative complications documented. One hundred and four thyroidectomies were performed. 63 (60.6%) patients had a partial thyroidectomy, 27 (25.9%) had a total thyroidectomy and 14 (13.5%) had a sub-total thyroidectomy. Suction drains were not inserted in any patient. A cervical haematoma did not develop in any patient in this series and no patient required re-operation. There is no evidence to suggest the routine use of surgical drains following uncomplicated thyroid surgery reduces the rate of haematoma formation or re-operation rates and indeed is now unwarranted.

Community Relations - Public Affairs - Personal Staff - Joint Staff - The

Science.gov (United States)

: Public Affairs : Community Relations Community Relations The National Guard Bureau Civic Engagement Report National Commission of the Future of the Army White Papers I am the Guard ARNG Media ARNG Public Public Affairs Executive Support Services Legislative Liaison Special Staff Directorate of Management

The operational staff during exercise RESUME-95

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jensen, J.

1997-01-01

With more than 100 participants entering the exercise RESUME-95 the Exercise Planning Committee decided to establish an operational staff named Directing Staff (DISTAFF) to ensure that the exercise plan was followed, the planned activities were carried out and to intervene if anything went wrong. In general the duties of the operational staff involve tasks such as secretarial assistance, keeping log of the progress of the situation and gathering, updating and distributing information on all aspects of the situation. Throughout the entire event it is the staff's responsibility to keep a general view of the current situation and to make the necessary plans for the progress of the situation based on the available information. Furthermore the staff should ensure necessary contact to the public and to the media. (au)

Design and implementation of the modified signed digit multiplication routine on a ternary optical computer.

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Qun; Wang, Xianchao; Xu, Chao

2017-06-01

Multiplication with traditional electronic computers is faced with a low calculating accuracy and a long computation time delay. To overcome these problems, the modified signed digit (MSD) multiplication routine is established based on the MSD system and the carry-free adder. Also, its parallel algorithm and optimization techniques are studied in detail. With the help of a ternary optical computer's characteristics, the structured data processor is designed especially for the multiplication routine. Several ternary optical operators are constructed to perform M transformations and summations in parallel, which has accelerated the iterative process of multiplication. In particular, the routine allocates data bits of the ternary optical processor based on digits of multiplication input, so the accuracy of the calculation results can always satisfy the users. Finally, the routine is verified by simulation experiments, and the results are in full compliance with the expectations. Compared with an electronic computer, the MSD multiplication routine is not only good at dealing with large-value data and high-precision arithmetic, but also maintains lower power consumption and fewer calculating delays.

Unregistered health care staff's perceptions of 12 hour shifts: an interview study.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Louise; Schneider, Justine; Hare Duke, Laurie

2017-10-01

The purpose of the study was to explore unregistered health care staff's perceptions of 12 hour shifts on work performance and patient care. Many unregistered health care staff work 12 hour shifts, but it is unclear whether these are compatible with good quality care or work performance. Twenty five health care assistants from a range of care settings with experience of working 12 hour shifts took part in interviews or focus groups. A wide range of views emerged on the perceived impact of 12 hour shifts in different settings. Negative outcomes were perceived to occur when 12 hour shifts were combined with short-staffing, consecutive long shifts, high work demands, insufficient breaks and working with unfamiliar colleagues. Positive outcomes were perceived to be more likely in a context of control over shift patterns, sufficient staffing levels, and a supportive team climate. The perceived relationship between 12 hour shifts and patient care and work performance varies by patient context and wider workplace factors, but largely focuses on the ability to deliver relational aspects of care. Nursing managers need to consider the role of other workplace factors, such as shift patterns and breaks, when implementing 12 hour shifts with unregistered health care staff. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

32 CFR 700.710 - Organization of a staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 32 National Defense 5 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Organization of a staff. 700.710 Section 700.710... Commanders Staffs of Commanders § 700.710 Organization of a staff. (a) The term “staff” means those officers... operation of his or her command. (b) The officer detailed as chief of staff and aide to a fleet admiral or...

Training to raise staff awareness about safeguarding children.

Science.gov (United States)

Fleming, Jane

2015-04-01

To improve outcomes for children and young people health organisations are required to train all staff in children's safeguarding. This creates difficulties for large complex organisations where most staff provide services to the adult population. Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust is a large acute and community trust that had difficulties in engaging staff in children's safeguarding training. Compliance rates for clinical staff who were trained in children's safeguarding were low and needed to be addressed. This article sets out why safeguarding training is important for all staff and how the trust achieved staff engagement and improved compliance rates. To evaluate, maintain and develop safeguarding knowledge, understanding, skills, attitude and behaviour further resources are planned to allow access to learning resources in a variety of formats.

Training paediatric healthcare staff in recognising, understanding and managing conflict with patients and families: findings from a survey on immediate and 6-month impact.

Science.gov (United States)

Forbat, Liz; Simons, Jean; Sayer, Charlotte; Davies, Megan; Barclay, Sarah

2017-03-01

Conflict is a recognised component of healthcare. Disagreements about treatment protocols, treatment aims and poor communication are recognised warning signs. Conflict management strategies can be used to prevent escalation, but are not a routine component of clinical training. To report the findings from a novel training intervention, aimed at enabling paediatric staff to identify and understand the warning signs of conflict, and to implement conflict resolution strategies. Self-report measures were taken at baseline, immediately after the training and at 6 months. Questionnaires recorded quantitative and qualitative feedback on the experience of training, and the ability to recognise and de-escalate conflict. The training was provided in a tertiary teaching paediatric hospital in England over 18 months, commencing in June 2013. A 4-h training course on identifying, understanding and managing conflict was provided to staff. Baseline data were collected from all 711 staff trained, and 6-month follow-up data were collected for 313 of those staff (44%). The training was successful in equipping staff to recognise and de-escalate conflict. Six months after the training, 57% of respondents had experienced conflict, of whom 91% reported that the training had enabled them to de-escalate the conflict. Learning was retained at 6 months with staff more able than at baseline recognising conflict triggers (Fischer's exact test, p=0.001) and managing conflict situations (Pearson's χ 2 test, p=0.001). This training has the potential to reduce substantially the human and economic costs of conflicts for healthcare providers, healthcare staff, patients and relatives. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Improving care coordination using organisational routines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Prætorius, Thim

2016-01-01

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to systematically apply theory of organisational routines to standardised care pathways. The explanatory power of routines is used to address open questions in the care pathway literature about their coordinating and organising role, the way they change......: care pathways and coordination, change, replication, the organisation and health care professionals. Research limitations/implications – The paper is conceptual and uses care pathways as illustrative instances of hospital routines. The propositions provide a starting point for empirical research....... Practical implications – The analysis highlights implications that health care professionals and managers have to consider in relation to coordination, change, replication, the way the organisation influences care pathways and the way care pathways influence health care professionals. Originality...

Cone-beam computed tomography imaging: therapeutic staff dose during chemoembolisation procedure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paul, Jijo; Vogl, Thomas J; Chacko, Annamma; Mbalisike, Emmanuel C

2014-01-01

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging is an important requirement to perform real-time therapeutic image-guided procedures on patients. The purpose of this study is to estimate the personal-dose-equivalent and annual-personal-dose from CBCT imaging during transarterial chemoembolisation (TACE). Therapeutic staff doses (therapeutic and assistant physician) were collected during 200 patient (65  ±  15 years, range: 40–86) CBCT examinations over six months. Absorbed doses were assessed using thermo-luminescent dosimeters during patient hepatic TACE therapy. We estimated personal-dose-equivalent (PDE) and annual-personal-dose (APD) from absorbed dose based on international atomic energy agency protocol. APD for therapeutic procedure was calculated (therapeutic physician: 5.6 mSv; assistant physician: 5.08 mSv) based on institutional work load. Regarding PDE, the hands of the staff members received a greater dose compared to other anatomical locations (therapeutic physician: 56 mSv, 72 mSv; assistant physician: 12 mSv, 14 mSv). Annual radiation doses to the eyes and hands of the staff members were lower compared to the prescribed limits by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP). PDE and APD of both therapeutic staff members were within the recommended ICRP-103 annual limit. Dose to the assistant physician was lower than the dose to the therapeutic physician during imaging. Annual radiation doses to eye-lenses and hands of both staff members were lower than prescribed limits. (paper)

Eye lens dosimetry in interventional cardiology: Results of staff dose measurements and link to patient dose levels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antic, V.; Ciraj-Bjelac, O.; Rehani, M.; Aleksandric, S.; Arandjic, D.; Ostojic, M.

2013-01-01

Workers involved in interventional cardiology procedures receive high eye lens dose if protection is not used. Currently, there is no suitable method for routine use for the measurement of eye dose. Since most angiography machines are equipped with suitable patient dosemeters, deriving factors linking staff eye doses to the patient doses can be helpful. In this study the patient kerma-area product, cumulative dose at an interventional reference point and eye dose in terms of Hp(3) of the cardiologists, nurses and radiographers for interventional cardiology procedures have been measured. Correlations between the patient dose and the staff eye dose were obtained. The mean eye dose was 121 mSv for the first operator, 33 mSv for the second operator/nurse and 12 mSv for radiographer. Normalised eye lens doses per unit kerma-area product were 0.94 mSv Gy -1 cm -2 for the first operator, 0.33 mSv Gy -1 cm -2 for the second operator/nurse and 0.16 mSv Gy -1 cm -2 for radiographers. Statistical analysis indicated that there is a weak but significant (p < 0.01) correlation between the eye dose and the kerma-area product for all three staff categories. These values are based on a local practice and may provide useful reference for other studies for validation and for wider utilisation in assessing the eye dose using patient dose values. (authors)

Feasibility of opportunistic osteoporosis screening in routine contrast-enhanced multi detector computed tomography (MDCT) using texture analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mookiah, M R K; Rohrmeier, A; Dieckmeyer, M; Mei, K; Kopp, F K; Noel, P B; Kirschke, J S; Baum, T; Subburaj, K

2018-04-01

This study investigated the feasibility of opportunistic osteoporosis screening in routine contrast-enhanced MDCT exams using texture analysis. The results showed an acceptable reproducibility of texture features, and these features could discriminate healthy/osteoporotic fracture cohort with an accuracy of 83%. This aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of opportunistic osteoporosis screening in routine contrast-enhanced MDCT exams using texture analysis. We performed texture analysis at the spine in routine MDCT exams and investigated the effect of intravenous contrast medium (IVCM) (n = 7), slice thickness (n = 7), the long-term reproducibility (n = 9), and the ability to differentiate healthy/osteoporotic fracture cohort (n = 9 age and gender matched pairs). Eight texture features were extracted using gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM). The independent sample t test was used to rank the features of healthy/fracture cohort and classification was performed using support vector machine (SVM). The results revealed significant correlations between texture parameters derived from MDCT scans with and without IVCM (r up to 0.91) slice thickness of 1 mm versus 2 and 3 mm (r up to 0.96) and scan-rescan (r up to 0.59). The performance of the SVM classifier was evaluated using 10-fold cross-validation and revealed an average classification accuracy of 83%. Opportunistic osteoporosis screening at the spine using specific texture parameters (energy, entropy, and homogeneity) and SVM can be performed in routine contrast-enhanced MDCT exams.

AECB staff annual report of Pickering NGS for the year 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-11-01

The AECB Pickering project staff, in cooperation with AECB staff in Ottawa, monitor the operation of Pickering NGS-A units 1-4 and Pickering NGS-B units 5-8 to ensure that Ontario Hydro operates the station in compliance with the licensing and safety requirements of the Atomic Energy Control Board. This report presents the review of licensing issues and station performance during 1991. Improvement over 1990 station operation occurred in the following areas: availability of special safety systems; reduction of the station external dose; reorganization of station management to improve focus; station chemistry; housekeeping and material condition; fuel handling capability; training of operators and maintenance staff. However, little change occurred and improvement is still needed in the following: compliance with operating licence; system surveillance program; station maintenance; environmental qualification; radiation emergency response; fire and rescue emergency response; limited capability to predict and prevent equipment failures such as the boiler tube failure on unit 5. (L.L.)

Developing the public health role of a front line clinical service: integrating stop smoking advice into routine podiatry services.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Jackie; Eden, Gary; Williams, Maria

2007-06-01

Although smoking is a major public health problem, many clinicians do not routinely provide evidence-based health improvement advice to smokers to help them to quit. Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle methodology was used to design and implement a service development so that health improvement advice for smokers featured in all podiatry consultations provided by a Primary Care Trust in North East England. IT systems were developed to record the number and proportion of patients for whom smoking status was assessed, and the number and proportion of smokers who were given advice to quit and referred for specialist support. A questionnaire to staff explored their perceptions of the development on their clinics and consultations. During a 6-month period, smoking status was recorded for all 8831 (100%) patients attending podiatry clinics; 83% of smokers were given brief advice to quit; 7% of smokers were given help to access specialist stop smoking support services. Improvements were introduced within existing budgets and did not prolong clinics. It is straightforward and inexpensive to develop clinical services so that public health guidance is routinely implemented. More widespread implementation of similar service developments could lead to national improvements in public health.

Professional development status of teaching staff in a Ugandan public university

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kasule, George Wilson; Wesselink, Renate; Mulder, Martin

2016-01-01

A study was conducted to determine general professional development activities perceived to be important in enhancing university teaching staff’s job performance, and the extent to which teaching staff participate in these activities in Uganda. Data were collected through semi-structured

[The controversy of routine articulator mounting in orthodontics].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li; Han, Xianglong; Bai, Ding

2013-06-01

Articulators have been widely used by clinicians of dentistry. But routine articulator mounting is still controversial in orthodontics. Orthodontists oriented by gnathology approve routine articulator mounting while nongnathologic orthodontists disapprove it. This article reviews the thoughts of orthodontist that they agree or disagree with routine articulator mounting based on the considerations of biting, temporomandibular disorder (TMD), periodontitis, and so on.

Staff rotation: implications for occupational therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, A; Andriuk, M L; Langlois, P; Provost, E

1995-10-01

Occupational therapy departments of tertiary care hospitals can provide staff with opportunities to gain diverse clinical experience if they rotate through the various services such as surgery, medicine, geriatrics, plastic surgery and orthopaedics. The system of rotation offers both advantages and disadvantages for the staff and the institution. The Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, a large university teaching hospital, had traditionally offered staff the opportunity to rotate. Changes in staffing and their needs however, resulted in rotation becoming an important issue within the department. This article presents the pros and the cons of rotation and non-rotation systems as identified by therapists and administrators across Canada. Staff rotation was found to have an effect on job satisfaction and a therapist's career orientation. Given these findings, administrators may want to reconsider the role of the generalist and specialist in their facilities.

Staff roster for 1979: National Center for Analysis of Energy Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1980-01-01

This publication is a compilation of resumes from the current staff of the National Center for Analysis of Energy Systems. The Center, founded in January 1976, is one of four areas within the Department of Energy and Environment at Brookhaven National Laboratory. The emphasis of programs at the Center is on energy policy and planning studies at the regional, national, and international levels, involving quantitative, interdisciplinary studies of the technological, economic, social, and environmental aspects of energy systems. To perform these studies the Center has assembled a staff of experts in the areas of science, technology, economics planning, health and safety, information systems, and quantitative analysis.

Evaluation of a performance appraisal framework for radiation therapists in planning and simulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Becker, Jillian, E-mail: jillian.becker@health.qld.gov.au [Radiation Oncology Mater Centre, South Brisbane, Queensland (Australia); Bridge, Pete [School of Clinical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland (Australia); Brown, Elizabeth; Lusk, Ryan; Ferrari-Anderson, Janet [Radiation Oncology, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Queensland (Australia); Radiation Oncology Mater Centre, South Brisbane, Queensland (Australia)

2015-06-15

Constantly evolving technology and techniques within radiation therapy require practitioners to maintain a continuous approach to professional development and training. Systems of performance appraisal and adoption of regular feedback mechanisms are vital to support this development yet frequently lack structure and rely on informal peer support. A Radiation Therapy Performance Appraisal Framework (RT-PAF) for radiation therapists in planning and simulation was developed to define expectations of practice and promote a supportive and objective culture of performance and skills appraisal. Evaluation of the framework was conducted via an anonymous online survey tool. Nine peer reviewers and fourteen recipients provided feedback on its effectiveness and the challenges and limitations of the approach. Findings from the evaluation were positive and suggested that both groups gained benefit from and expressed a strong interest in embedding the approach more routinely. Respondents identified common challenges related to the limited ability to implement suggested development strategies; this was strongly associated with time and rostering issues. This framework successfully defined expectations for practice and provided a fair and objective feedback process that focussed on skills development. It empowered staff to maintain their skills and reach their professional potential. Management support, particularly in regard to provision of protected time was highlighted as critical to the framework's ongoing success. The demonstrated benefits arising in terms of staff satisfaction and development highlight the importance of this commitment to the modern radiation therapy workforce.

Evaluation of a performance appraisal framework for radiation therapists in planning and simulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, Jillian; Bridge, Pete; Brown, Elizabeth; Lusk, Ryan; Ferrari-Anderson, Janet

2015-01-01

Constantly evolving technology and techniques within radiation therapy require practitioners to maintain a continuous approach to professional development and training. Systems of performance appraisal and adoption of regular feedback mechanisms are vital to support this development yet frequently lack structure and rely on informal peer support. A Radiation Therapy Performance Appraisal Framework (RT-PAF) for radiation therapists in planning and simulation was developed to define expectations of practice and promote a supportive and objective culture of performance and skills appraisal. Evaluation of the framework was conducted via an anonymous online survey tool. Nine peer reviewers and fourteen recipients provided feedback on its effectiveness and the challenges and limitations of the approach. Findings from the evaluation were positive and suggested that both groups gained benefit from and expressed a strong interest in embedding the approach more routinely. Respondents identified common challenges related to the limited ability to implement suggested development strategies; this was strongly associated with time and rostering issues. This framework successfully defined expectations for practice and provided a fair and objective feedback process that focussed on skills development. It empowered staff to maintain their skills and reach their professional potential. Management support, particularly in regard to provision of protected time was highlighted as critical to the framework's ongoing success. The demonstrated benefits arising in terms of staff satisfaction and development highlight the importance of this commitment to the modern radiation therapy workforce

Satisfaction of staff of Swiss insurance companies with medical appraisals: a cross sectional study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gyr Niklaus

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A high quality of timely delivered medical appraisals is crucial for social and other insurances to judge possible occupational reintegration measures for patients with medical conditions who are in danger to lose their job. However, little is known about the satisfaction of staff of insurance companies with medical appraisals that they have commissioned. Our questionnaire survey prospectively included all medical appraisals arriving at Swiss insurances from FEB to APR 2008. We assessed the satisfaction of the commissioner with medical appraisals performed by medical assessors. In addition, we evaluated the contribution of several factors to overall satisfaction. The unit of sample was the medical appraisal. Findings We analysed 3165 medical appraisals, 2444 (77% of them from the public disability insurance, 678 (22% from private accident, liability and loss of income insurances and 43 (1% from other insurances. Overall satisfaction of staff of insurance companies in Switzerland was high, but satisfaction of the disability insurance with appraisals was generally lower compared to satisfaction of private insurances. The staff of the disability insurance judged time for preparation as too long in 30%. For staff of private insurance companies 20% of appraisals were not "worth its price". Well-grounded and comprehensible conclusions were the single most important factor for high overall satisfaction (OR 10.1; 95%-CI: 1.1-89.3. Conclusions From the viewpoint of staff of insurance companies, a relevant part of medical appraisals arrives too late. Medical assessors have to take the specific needs of insurances into account, to perform more appraisals with sound conclusions in due time.

Exploring Factors Affecting Emergency Medical Services Staffs' Decision about Transporting Medical Patients to Medical Facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ebrahimian, Abbasali; Seyedin, Hesam; Jamshidi-Orak, Roohangiz; Masoumi, Gholamreza

2014-01-01

Transfer of patients in medical emergency situations is one of the most important missions of emergency medical service (EMS) staffs. So this study was performed to explore affecting factors in EMS staffs' decision during transporting of patients in medical situations to medical facilities. The participants in this qualitative study consisted of 18 EMS staffs working in prehospital care facilities in Tehran, Iran. Data were gathered through semistructured interviews. The data were analyzed using a content analysis approach. The data analysis revealed the following theme: "degree of perceived risk in EMS staffs and their patients." This theme consisted of two main categories: (1) patient's condition' and (2) the context of the EMS mission'. The patent's condition category emerged from "physical health statuses," "socioeconomic statuses," and "cultural background" subcategories. The context of the EMS mission also emerged from two subcategories of "characteristics of the mission" and EMS staffs characteristics'. EMS system managers can consider adequate technical, informational, financial, educational, and emotional supports to facilitate the decision making of their staffs. Also, development of an effective and user-friendly checklist and scoring system was recommended for quick and easy recognition of patients' needs for transportation in a prehospital situation.

Real-Time Whole-Genome Sequencing for Routine Typing, Surveillance, and Outbreak Detection of Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Science.gov (United States)

Scheutz, Flemming; Lund, Ole; Hasman, Henrik; Kaas, Rolf S.; Nielsen, Eva M.; Aarestrup, Frank M.

2014-01-01

Fast and accurate identification and typing of pathogens are essential for effective surveillance and outbreak detection. The current routine procedure is based on a variety of techniques, making the procedure laborious, time-consuming, and expensive. With whole-genome sequencing (WGS) becoming cheaper, it has huge potential in both diagnostics and routine surveillance. The aim of this study was to perform a real-time evaluation of WGS for routine typing and surveillance of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC). In Denmark, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) routinely receives all suspected VTEC isolates. During a 7-week period in the fall of 2012, all incoming isolates were concurrently subjected to WGS using IonTorrent PGM. Real-time bioinformatics analysis was performed using web-tools (www.genomicepidemiology.org) for species determination, multilocus sequence type (MLST) typing, and determination of phylogenetic relationship, and a specific VirulenceFinder for detection of E. coli virulence genes was developed as part of this study. In total, 46 suspected VTEC isolates were characterized in parallel during the study. VirulenceFinder proved successful in detecting virulence genes included in routine typing, explicitly verocytotoxin 1 (vtx1), verocytotoxin 2 (vtx2), and intimin (eae), and also detected additional virulence genes. VirulenceFinder is also a robust method for assigning verocytotoxin (vtx) subtypes. A real-time clustering of isolates in agreement with the epidemiology was established from WGS, enabling discrimination between sporadic and outbreak isolates. Overall, WGS typing produced results faster and at a lower cost than the current routine. Therefore, WGS typing is a superior alternative to conventional typing strategies. This approach may also be applied to typing and surveillance of other pathogens. PMID:24574290

Real-time whole-genome sequencing for routine typing, surveillance, and outbreak detection of verotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Joensen, Katrine Grimstrup; Scheutz, Flemming; Lund, Ole; Hasman, Henrik; Kaas, Rolf S; Nielsen, Eva M; Aarestrup, Frank M

2014-05-01

Fast and accurate identification and typing of pathogens are essential for effective surveillance and outbreak detection. The current routine procedure is based on a variety of techniques, making the procedure laborious, time-consuming, and expensive. With whole-genome sequencing (WGS) becoming cheaper, it has huge potential in both diagnostics and routine surveillance. The aim of this study was to perform a real-time evaluation of WGS for routine typing and surveillance of verocytotoxin-producing Escherichia coli (VTEC). In Denmark, the Statens Serum Institut (SSI) routinely receives all suspected VTEC isolates. During a 7-week period in the fall of 2012, all incoming isolates were concurrently subjected to WGS using IonTorrent PGM. Real-time bioinformatics analysis was performed using web-tools (www.genomicepidemiology.org) for species determination, multilocus sequence type (MLST) typing, and determination of phylogenetic relationship, and a specific VirulenceFinder for detection of E. coli virulence genes was developed as part of this study. In total, 46 suspected VTEC isolates were characterized in parallel during the study. VirulenceFinder proved successful in detecting virulence genes included in routine typing, explicitly verocytotoxin 1 (vtx1), verocytotoxin 2 (vtx2), and intimin (eae), and also detected additional virulence genes. VirulenceFinder is also a robust method for assigning verocytotoxin (vtx) subtypes. A real-time clustering of isolates in agreement with the epidemiology was established from WGS, enabling discrimination between sporadic and outbreak isolates. Overall, WGS typing produced results faster and at a lower cost than the current routine. Therefore, WGS typing is a superior alternative to conventional typing strategies. This approach may also be applied to typing and surveillance of other pathogens.

Staff members' perceptions of an animal-assisted activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Bibbo, Jessica

2013-07-01

To examine the perceptions of staff members toward the implementation of an animal-assisted activity (AAA) in an outpatient regional cancer center. Quasi-experimental, post-test design. An adult outpatient regional cancer center in northern California. 34 facility staff members. Self-report questionnaire following four weeks of AAA visitation. Visits took place three times a week for a total of 12 visits. Perceptions of the AAA. Previous perceptions toward AAA influenced the perceptions of the visitation's efficacy. Direct and indirect interaction with the visiting AAA teams was positively associated with perceptions of the AAA. A disagreement occurred that the AAA had caused extra stress or work for staff. Enjoyment of interacting with the dog handler was not significantly different from interacting with the dog; however, it was more positively correlated to acceptance of the AAA. The study provided evidence that the AAA was generally accepted by staff members. Individual staff members' perceptions of dogs and AAAs can influence their receptivity to AAA interventions. Interaction with AAA teams should be voluntary and available for patients and staff members. AAA may be introduced into facilities without creating the perception of extra stress or work for staff members. Providing staff the opportunity to interact with visiting AAA teams may be beneficial for the success of such programs. The human handler in AAA teams may play a vital role in the staff acceptance of such programs.

The Endogenous Origins of Experience, Routines and Organizational Capabilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foss, Nicolai Juul; Felin, Teppo

2011-01-01

In this paper we discuss the origins and emergence of organizational routines and capabilities. We first argue that there are theoretical and endogeneity-related concerns associated with the key antecedents and mechanisms specified by the extant routines and capabilities literature. Specifically,...... or rationalist, choice-based approach can provide a more fruitful (though preliminary) foundation for understanding organizational behavior and capabilities.......In this paper we discuss the origins and emergence of organizational routines and capabilities. We first argue that there are theoretical and endogeneity-related concerns associated with the key antecedents and mechanisms specified by the extant routines and capabilities literature. Specifically......, we explicate the behaviorist and empiricist foundations of the organizational routines and capabilities literature and the extant emphasis placed on experience, repetition, and observation as the key antecedents and mechanisms of routines and capabilities. Based on this discussion we highlight...

The Effects of Behavioral Skills Training on Mand Training by Staff and Unprompted Vocal Mands by Children

Science.gov (United States)

Nigro-Bruzzi, Darlene; Sturmey, Peter

2010-01-01

We evaluated the effects of a training package, including instructions, modeling, rehearsal, and feedback, for training staff members to conduct mand training with children. Experimenters collected data on staff performance on each step of a task analysis of mand training and on unprompted child vocal mands. Training resulted in increases in staff…

Training Staff to Manage Challenging Behaviour

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oorsouw, W.M.W.J. van; Embregts, P.J.C.M.; Bosman, A.M.T.; Jahoda, A.

2010-01-01

Background - A training package for staff working with clients presenting challenging behaviour was developed to (1) increase their knowledge regarding challenging behaviour, and (2) to improve the quality of physical intervention techniques. The latter aim was intended to reduce staff anxiety about

Job satisfaction or production? How staff and leadership understand operating room efficiency: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Arakelian, E; Gunningberg, L; Larsson, J

2008-11-01

How to increase efficiency in operating departments has been widely studied. However, there is no overall definition of efficiency. Supervisors urging staff to work efficiently may meet strong reactions due to staff believing that demands for efficiency means just stress at work. Differences in how efficiency is understood may constitute an obstacle to supervisors' efforts to promote it. This study aimed to explore how staff and leadership understand operating room efficiency. Twenty-one members of staff and supervisors in an operating department in a Swedish county hospital were interviewed. The analysis was performed with a phenomenographic approach that aims to discover the variations in how a phenomenon is understood by a group of people. Six categories were found in the understanding of operation room efficiency: (A) having the right qualifications; (B) enjoying work; (C) planning and having good control and overview; (D) each professional performing the correct tasks; (E) completing a work assignment; and (F) producing as much as possible per time unit. The most significant finding was that most of the nurses and assistant nurses understood efficiency as individual knowledge and experience emphasizing the importance of the work process, whereas the supervisors and physicians understood efficiency in terms of production per time unit or completing an assignment. The concept 'operating room efficiency' is understood in different ways by leadership and staff members. Supervisors who are aware of this variation will have better prerequisites for defining the concept and for creating a common platform towards becoming efficient.

Characterization of drug-related problems identified by clinical pharmacy staff at Danish hospitals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjeldsen, Lene Juel; Birkholm, Trine; Fischer, Hanne

2014-01-01

Background In 2010, a database of drug related problems (DRPs) was implemented to assist clinical pharmacy staff in documenting clinical pharmacy activities locally. A study of quality, reliability and generalisability showed that national analyses of the data could be conducted. Analyses...... at the national level may help identify and prevent DRPs by performing national interventions. Objective The aim of the study was to explore the DRP characteristics as documented by clinical pharmacy staff at hospital pharmacies in the Danish DRP-database during a 3-year period. Setting Danish hospital pharmacies....... Method Data documented in the DRP-database during the initial 3 years after implementation were analyzed retrospectively. The DRP-database contains DRPs reported at hospitals by clinical pharmacy staff. The analyses focused on DRP categories, implementation rates and drugs associated with the DRPs. Main...

Clinical Outcome of Degenerative Mitral Regurgitation: Critical Importance of Echocardiographic Quantitative Assessment in Routine Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Antoine, Clemence; Benfari, Giovanni; Michelena, Hector I; Malouf, Joseph F; Nkomo, Vuyisile T; Thapa, Prabin; Enriquez-Sarano, Maurice

2018-05-31

Background -Echocardiographic quantitation of degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR) is recommended whenever possible in clinical guidelines but is criticized and its scalability to routine clinical practice doubted. We hypothesized that echocardiographic DMR quantitation, performed in routine clinical practice by multiple practitioners predicts independently long-term survival, and thus is essential to DMR management. Methods -We included patients diagnosed with isolated mitral-valve-prolapse 2003-2011 and any degree of MR quantified by any physician/sonographer in routine clinical practice. Clinical/echocardiographic data acquired at diagnosis were retrieved electronically. Endpoint was mortality under medical treatment analyzed by Kaplan-Meir method and Proportional-Hazard models. Results -The cohort included 3914 patients (55% male) aged 62±17 years, with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) 63±8% and routinely measured effective regurgitant orifice area (EROA) 19[0-40] mm 2 During follow-up (6.7±3.1 years) 696 patients died under medical management and 1263 underwent mitral surgery. In multivariate analysis, routinely measured EROA was associated with mortality (adjusted-hazard-ratio 1.19[1.13-1.24] p 40 mm 2 threshold. Conclusions -Echocardiographic DMR quantitation is scalable to routine practice and is independently associated with clinical outcome. Routinely measured EROA is strongly associated with long-term survival under medical treatment. Excess mortality vs. the general population appears in the "moderate" DMR range and steadily increases with higher EROA. Hence, individual EROA values should be integrated into therapeutic considerations, additionally to categorical DMR grading.

Evaluating staff training : Taking account of interactions between staff and clients with intellectual disability and challenging behaviour

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Oorsouw, W.M.W.J.; Embregts, P.J.C.M.; Bosman, A.M.T.

2013-01-01

Background Hastings (2010) has recently emphasised 3 aspects in the training of staff who serve clients with mild to moderate intellectual disability and challenging behaviour (CB): Staff attitudes, self-awareness, and clients' perspectives. This study investigates whether programs include these

Hygiene trained nursing staff at wards – What can this additional educated nurses achieve?

Science.gov (United States)

Tebest, Ralf; Honervogt, Fiona Yoon Mee; Westermann, Kristina; Samel, Christina; Redaèlli, Marcus; Stock, Stephanie

2017-01-01

Background: Hygiene deficits can cause hospital-acquired infections. To meet this public health problem the Robert Koch-Institute advocates the employment of infection control link nurses (ICLN). Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the experiences of ICLNs working in the University Hospital of Cologne. Method: A cross-sectional survey of all ICLNs (n = 64) working at the University Hospital of Cologne was carried out by a self developed questionaire. The data were assessed descriptively. Results: The return rate was 45.3 % (n = 29). The ICLNs were very satisfied with the ICLN training and felt well prepared for their task. The collaboration with other nursing staff, their head nurse and the Department of Hygiene was also positively evaluated. However, only one third of the respondents was satisfied with their working conditions and only half of them indicated feeling that the efforts they made so far were successful. This study also found that, many of the legal intended services were rarely performed. The study identified two barriers to implementation of ICLNs. On the one hand, the release from other routine nursing duties and on the other hand a lack of acceptance of the role by physicians. Conclusions: The task ahead is to find ways to exempt ICLNs from other duties and to involve the physicians more intensely in the implementation of ICLNs.

The institutionalization of a routine

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nickelsen, Niels Christian

2008-01-01

-which has before largely been treated in overview by institutionalism-plays an important role in the making of a routine. In my empirical study, I demonstrate that the concept and practice of the valve changes, and that it is identified in a number of ways, as it passes through the testing phase...... of production. I argue that the negotiation of these changes during test production is the fulcrum in the routinization of the production procedure. It is through these identity shifts that the valve is both reified, and rendered producible and applicable in the customer world....

Supported Conversation for hospital staff

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Forchhammer, Hysse B; Løvholt, Annelise P.; Mathiesen, Lone Lundbak

in communication and interaction, Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA) was adapted and implemented in a large neurological department at Rigshospitalet-Glostrup in Copenhagen. Method 152 staff members representing different health professionals were assigned to one of eleven courses during a six...... month period. Each course had 10-12 participants and lasted 6 hours, including instruction in the SCA principles, video analysis, interdisciplinary group work, and practice sessions with PWAs. Self-assessed learning outcomes were evaluated with a brief questionnaire filled out by staff members...... in communication, also showed significant improvements across all staff groups. After the course, more time to spend with patients was perceived as the most important factor to further increase communication success with PWA. Conclusion The results show that interdisciplinary SCA-courses successfully increase...

Routine filtration for decubitus radiography during double contrast barium enema examinations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camellini, V.; Abelli, P.; Marconi, G.

1987-01-01

A wedge-shaped plexiglass compensation filter for use in lateral decubitus radiographs of double contrast barium enema examinations has been designed. This filter, which has been used since February 1985, was compared with a second plexiglass filter, made by E-Z-EM. Voltage and amperage were kept contrast. Two different experiments were conducted in order to demonstrate the benefits of routine use of this compensation filter. First, the changes in skin dose were assessed using an ionization chamber on phantom. Secondly, three radiologists examined a series of 80 consecutive barium enemas without knowing which had been performed using the new filter. Out of the 70 examinations they considered excellent, as many as 45 had been performed with the new filter. Personal experience and the studies described show that the use of a compensation filter improves the accuracy and thus the diagnostic quality of the examinations as it enhances the detail of the anatomic structure of the colon; moreover the filter reduces skin exposure by up to 73.1% (EZ-E-EM filter 47.3%) and, at the same time, less radiographic films are needed. Routine use of a plexiglass compensation filter in lateral decubitus radiographs while performing a double contrast barium enema examination, is strongly recommended especially in obese patients

Guidelines for the Calibration of Routine Dosimetry Systems for use in Radiation Processing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sharpe, Peter; Miller, Arne

A set of guidelines has been developed to assist in the calibration of routine dosimetry systems for use in industrial radiation processing plants. Topics covered include the calibration of equipment, the performance of calibration irradiations and the derivation of mathematical functions...

CERN Staff Association supports the personnel of WIPO

CERN Multimedia

Staff Association

2017-01-01

For over two years already, the Director General of WIPO has been attacking the WIPO Staff Council: firing the Staff Association President, intimidating staff delegates as well as the personnel, organising an election for his own council to replace the legitimately elected Staff Council, etc. 25.01.2017 - CERN Staff Association The behaviour of the Director General of WIPO is absolutely intolerable and contrary to the rules, principles and agreements applicable in international organisations. It is also in clear contradiction with the fundamental rights and especially the freedom of speech and expression, even more so within an Association whose legitimacy cannot be unilaterally challenged. fi On Wednesday 25 January 2017, in response to a call for participation by FICSA (Federation of International Civil Servants’ Associations – www.FICSA.org) and CCISUA (Coordinating Committee for International Staff Unions and Associations – www.ccisua.org), several delegations of Geneva-ba...

Performance measures for a dialysis setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Gu, Xiuzhu; Itoh, Kenji

2018-03-01

This study from Japan extracted performance measures for dialysis unit management and investigated their characteristics from professional views. Two surveys were conducted using self-administered questionnaires, in which dialysis managers/staff were asked to rate the usefulness of 44 performance indicators. A total of 255 managers and 2,097 staff responded. Eight performance measures were elicited from dialysis manager and staff responses: these were safety, operational efficiency, quality of working life, financial effectiveness, employee development, mortality, patient/employee satisfaction and patient-centred health care. These performance measures were almost compatible with those extracted in overall healthcare settings in a previous study. Internal reliability, content and construct validity of the performance measures for the dialysis setting were ensured to some extent. As a general trend, both dialysis managers and staff perceived performance measures as highly useful, especially for safety, mortality, operational efficiency and patient/employee satisfaction, but showed relatively low concerns for patient-centred health care and employee development. However, dialysis managers' usefulness perceptions were significantly higher than staff. Important guidelines for designing a holistic hospital/clinic management system were yielded. Performance measures must be balanced for outcomes and performance shaping factors (PSF); a common set of performance measures could be applied to all the healthcare settings, although performance indicators of each measure should be composed based on the application field and setting; in addition, sound causal relationships between PSF and outcome measures/indicators should be explored for further improvement. © 2017 European Dialysis and Transplant Nurses Association/European Renal Care Association.

42 CFR 456.407 - UR responsibilities of administrative staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false UR responsibilities of administrative staff. 456... administrative staff. The UR plan must describe— (a) The UR support responsibilities of the ICF's administrative staff; and (b) Procedures used by the staff for taking needed corrective action. UR Plan: Informational...

75 FR 7581 - RTO/ISO Performance Metrics; Notice Requesting Comments on RTO/ISO Performance Metrics

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-22

... performance communicate about the benefits of RTOs and, where appropriate, (2) changes that need to be made to... of staff from all the jurisdictional ISOs/RTOs to develop a set of performance metrics that the ISOs/RTOs will use to report annually to the Commission. Commission staff and representatives from the ISOs...

10 CFR 850.40 - Performance feedback.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Performance feedback. 850.40 Section 850.40 Energy... Performance feedback. (a) The responsible employer must conduct periodic analyses and assessments of... the line managers, planners, worker protection staff, workers, medical staff, and labor organizations...

ORGANIZATIONAL ROUTINES IN RUSSIAN COMPANIES: REVIEW OF PRACTICES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olga Valieva

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Results of the first stage of the researches conducted in 2012-2013 are presented in article. Researches are connected with studying of transformational processes intra corporate of managemetn practices in the Russian companies and their subsequent institutionalization. Preliminary results showed that in the companies there is a standard set of organizational routines which part are information, and administrative routines, routines of the power of the founder, genetic, institutional and development routines. During research statistically significant connection between types of organizational structures, the sizes of the organization, information processing and administrative practices is established. It is revealed as change of approaches to management of the organization can affect a corruption component.

Experiences of frontline nursing staff on workplace safety and occupational health hazards in two psychiatric hospitals in Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Alhassan, Robert Kaba; Poku, Kwabena Adu

2018-06-06

Psychiatric hospitals need safe working environments to promote productivity at the workplace. Even though occupational health and safety is not completely new to the corporate society, its scope is largely limited to the manufacturing/processing industries which are perceived to pose greater dangers to workers than the health sector. This paper sought to explore the experiences of frontline nursing personnel on the occupational health and safety conditions in two psychiatric hospitals in Ghana. This is an exploratory cross-sectional study among 296 nurses and nurse-assistants in Accra (n = 164) and Pantang (n = 132) psychiatric hospitals using the proportional stratified random sampling technique. Multivariate Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression test was conducted to ascertain the determinants of staff exposure to occupational health hazards and the frequency of exposure to these occupational health hazards on daily basis. Knowledge levels on occupational health hazards was high in Accra and Pantang psychiatric hospitals (i.e. 92 and 81% respectively), but barely 44% of the 296 interviewed staff in the two hospitals said they reported their most recent exposure to an occupational health hazard to hospital management. It was found that staff who worked for more years on the ward had higher likelihood of exposure to occupational health hazards than those who worked for lesser years (p = 0.002). The category of occupational health hazards reported most were the physical health hazards. Psychosocial hazards were the least reported health hazards. Frequency of exposure to occupational health hazards on daily basis was positively associated with work schedules of staff particularly, staff on routine day schedule (Coef = 4.49, p = 0.011) and those who alternated between day and night schedules (Coef = 4.48, p = 0.010). Occupational health and safety conditions in the two hospitals were found to be generally poor. Even though majority of

Exploring training needs of nursing staff in rural Cretan primary care settings.