Area Of Professional Practice Research Articles

Everyday problem solving for US court interpreters and the role of research

This article examines the problem-solving strategies and resources that professional court interpreters in the United States use to address challenges in their daily work, with the goal of investigating the current influence of research on professional practice. The authors report on the first stage of a bipartite study consisting of focus groups conducted in California, New York, and Texas in the spring of 2018, the results of which directly shaped the development of a survey launched at the national level. Participants included a combination of junior and senior interpreters, staff and freelancers, and certified court interpreters with varying degrees of formal interpreter training and education. The anonymized transcripts of these groups were analyzed qualitatively following the principles of thematic analysis and a mixed top-down and bottom-up coding process. The results obtained interrogate the purported divide between theory and practice and reveal valuable information about the areas of professional practice that present challenges for court interpreters, the human and written (scholarly and/or professional) resources that court interpreters use to improve their professional practice and, most germanely, court interpreters’ needs and expectations about scholarly research. Ultimately, the study aims to inform future practice-based research and to improve interpreters’ performance through data-driven suggestions stemming from that research.

A cross-sectional study of discipline-based self-perceived digital literacy competencies of nursing students.

This study offers an empirical exploration of self-assessed digital competencies of students, most of whom studied in nursing courses, using a discipline-based self-assessment survey tool. A range of digital competencies were explored: information and communication technology proficiency and productivity, information literacy, digital creation, digital research, digital communication, digital learning and development, digital innovation, digital identity management and digital well-being. A cross-sectional empirical study. Quantitative data were collected from November to December 2021 via a questionnaire survey administered to students. Quantitative results were reported through descriptive statistical analysis. Mann-Whitney (U-test) and Kruskal-Wallis non-parametric statistical tests were used to identify statistically significant differences based on age demographics and pre- or post-registration course. Thematic analysis was utilized for survey open-ended questions data. Students reported low competencies in the following digital literacy dimensions, all of which were imperative for their studies and for their future professional careers: information literacy, digital research, digital innovation. Significant statistical subgroup differences were found between age demographics and pre/post-registration within most of the digital competence dimensions. The survey open-ended comments revealed that students encountered challenges around digital skills they had mostly developed via everyday life experiences and trial-and-error approaches. Increasing awareness of existing digital gaps and offering tailored digital skills enhancement can empower students as future-proof evidence-based practitioners in an evolving digital healthcare landscape. Highlights the importance of embedding digital literacy within nursing study programmes, as preparation for comprehensive patient healthcare. Offers insights into digital competencies gaps of nursing students. Proposes targeted educational digital skills training interventions. Stresses the value of academic staff supporting nursing students to develop digital skills in important areas of professional practice. JBI critical appraisal checklist. No patient or public contribution.

The Development of Modern Urban Planning: The Case of Strasbourg, 1871-1918

Strasbourg, this article argues, played a seminal role in the development of urban planning. The city’s transformation in the late nineteenth century was one of the earliest, largest, and most expensive planned urban extensions in modern Germany. In the process, Strasbourg also came to play a central role in the development of urban planning into an established area of technical expertise, an academic discipline, and an area of professional practice. Initially conceived under the aegis of the empire’s military command, the transformation of Strasbourg quickly involved local politicians, landowners, and independent experts, accelerating the development of urban planning into a practice dominated by what Camillo Sitte described as “technicians and specialists.” The reception of Strasbourg impacted the salient debates in urban planning from the 1870s to the early twentieth century.

Anestezi Sağlık Çalışanlarının İş Sağlığı ve Güvenliği Konusunda Algı, Bilgi ve Tutumlarının Değerlendirilmesi

Objective: Anesthesia healthcare workers work under more intense hazard, risk and excessive workload specific to their field, in addition to the problems of other healthcare workers. This study aims to identify perception of occupational risks in the working environment, knowledge about occupational health and safety (OHS), and the use of personal protective equipment in the working environment among the anesthesia healthcare workers. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 153 anesthesia healthcare workers. The healthcare workers participating in the study were divided into 2 groups according to their work: physicians and non-physician healthcare workers. The questionnaire included sociodemographic, knowledge about occupational risks and Occupational Health and Safety Law (OHSL), use of personal protective equipment and knowledge of OHS in the institution questions. Results: The frequencies of the working conditions and professional practice areas of the group of doctors being not ergonomically appropriate (p=0.005), insufficient lighting (p=0.001), insufficient heat (p<0.015), chemical agent exposure (p=0.024), ionizing radiation exposure (p=0.003), exposure to biological agents (p=0.022), exposure to psychological risk factors (p=0.017) were found to be statistically significantly higher. In this study, it was found that the perception of working environment conditions and occupational risk factors was higher in doctors, and their knowledge of OHSL and OHS practices in the institution was higher in the non-physician group. Conclusion: The OHS trainings received by the health care workers were effective for the results. Increasing knowledge about occupational risks and preventive measures against them can reduce the incidence and consequences of possible occupational diseases. Keywords: Anesthesia, occupational health, occupational safety

A Reflexive Lens on Preparing and Conducting Semi-structured Interviews with Academic Colleagues.

In qualitative research, researchers often conduct semi-structured interviews with people familiar to them, but there are limited guidelines for researchers who conduct interviews to obtain curriculum-related information with academic colleagues who work in the same area of practice but at different higher education institutions. Using a pragmatic constructivist stance, we address the practicalities of conducting semi-structured interviews with fellow educators who work in the same area of professional practice, where the researcher has to address the dual roles of "insider" and "outsider" as well as that of researcher and participant. Interviewing academic colleagues offers a unique opportunity for rich data collection, but researchers should adopt a flexible conversational style during interviewing within research parameters and be acutely aware of their positionality and fluidity of roles. This article contributes to existing knowledge by drawing on the work of previous scholars in various areas of research and research methodology thereby offering a practical and theoretical perspective on conducting qualitative research interviewing in higher education institutions where the role of researcher and participant can become blurred. These guidelines and insights will also benefit researchers who conduct research with peers who work together in the same area of expertise, in similar contexts and with whom there are varying levels of working relationships.

Academic program recommendations for graduate degrees in medical physics: AAPM Report No. 365 (Revision of Report No. 197).

Academic program recommendations for graduate degrees in medical physics: AAPM Report No. 365 (Revision of Report No. 197).

Towards an ecological model of inclusive practice for children with special educational needs in Vietnam: perceptions of primary school teachers

ABSTRACT Despite a high prevalence of special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in primary school children in Vietnam, initial teacher training (ITT) and continuous professional development (CPD) for SEND is underdeveloped and largely inaccessible. This paper reports on a UK–Vietnam collaborative project that aimed to explore the views, perceptions and experiences of primary school teachers in Vietnam regarding ITT and CPD for SEND. We present findings from an online survey with 96 primary school teachers at different stages of their careers, from a diversity of schools and locations across Vietnam. Findings draw attention to the challenges of inclusive practice and opportunities for development in this area of professional practice. A surprising finding from the analysis of qualitative open questions was the notion of professional love from teachers towards children and families. Drawing on ecological systems theory, this paper establishes an ecological model of inclusive practice for SEND in primary schools in Vietnam and makes recommendations for the development of international SEND practice more broadly.

Occupational therapy clinical report writing in South Africa - factors influencing current practice

INTRODUCTION: Report writing is considered an essential competency for all health professionals. Current research indicates that this area of professional practice appears to be routinely neglected or poorly executed. Previous studies have aimed at understanding the reasons for this neglect; however studies specific to occupational therapy practice are lacking. PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore occupational therapists' perceptions of the factors influencing current practice in report writing within the South African context. METHOD: This qualitative study included six focus group interviews with occupational therapy participants from a variety of clinical sites, fields of practice and health sectors in South Africa, with the exception of medicolegal practice. The qualitative data were inductively analysed to determine specific themes to understand the research question. RESULTS: While occupational therapists voiced uncertainty about ethical and legal aspects concerning report writing, certain profession-specific challenges, such as professional identity and the use of professional language, are perceived to cause a disconnect between the occupational therapists' reporting and their clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of the study indicate that participants were unsure of the details regarding the legal and ethical requirements of practice for report writing and voiced both positive and some negative sentiments in terms of reflecting professional identity and profession-specific, occupation-based language, acknowledging the challenge of being in a medical setting. The complexity of writing occupational therapy reports was perceived to be influenced by the audience receiving reports, which varied widely.

Entry-Level Expectations for Pathologists' Assistants.

The aim of this study was to assess expectations of performance that exist in the marketplace for entry-level pathologists' assistants (PathAs), defined as recent graduates of a pathologists' assistant program on their first day of employment. A voluntary, anonymous survey was distributed to pathologist and PathA members of the American Society for Clinical Pathology by email. We assessed 98 professional activities of PathAs using a 5-point scale of expectations based on levels of trust placed in them. We also collected demographic information. A total of 728 participants responded to this survey, including 280 pathologists and 448 PathAs. We classified 98 activities according to expectations: independent performance (20/98), developing independence (48/98), and not expected of PathAs (5/98). Some activities (25/98) were indeterminate yet likely represent areas of developing independence. This study demonstrates an expectation for entry-level PathAs to perform some activities included in the scope of practice independently but eventually to develop independent proficiency for most professional activities. A minority of activities were identified as responsibilities that are not expected of PathAs. Entry-level PathAs, therefore, remain "works in progress," with an expectation for independent performance of core activities while developing abilities in many areas of professional practice.

Auditor independence in post-reform China: A neo-Durkheimian approach

This study builds on the work of Durkheim (1915) by applying a neo-Durkheimian theoretical framework to audit failure in China following the implementation of economic reform and international auditing standards to highlight how embedded cultural norms, such as guanxi (a social network system involving the mutually beneficial and reciprocal exchange of personalised favours), limit adaptation and influence auditor independence. Specifically, this study adopts the grid-group dimensions proposed by Douglas (2003) to assist in understanding how Chinese auditors interpret their social relations based on cultural beliefs and overlaid them with characteristics of Chinese culture to demonstrate the influence of guanxi. The study is based on publicly available data focusing on the financial scandals of Yin Guang Xia (YGX) and Yunnan Green Land Biological Technology (Green Land) in China. We argue that Chinese auditing failure occurred because of socially embedded cultural values which limited thought processes and prevented adherence to formal international auditing standards. Policymakers and regulators must consider emerging economies’ unique cultural environments when introducing economic reform. Different cultural contexts call for different interventions by a range of stakeholders to improve audit independence. The neo-Durkheimian (NDT) theoretical framework used in this study may be extended to examine auditing practices in other emerging economies across a range of cultures, and may also be relevant to other areas of professional practice

Recommendation of School Social Work Activities to Address Students Issues in Vietnam

Bullying and physical violence, truancy, self-harm and other mental health issues are increasingly experienced within the school population. In being a crucial part of addressing such issues and the more traditional areas of poverty, family relationships and parenting, child abuse and neglect, home-school relationships, support for children with disabilities, school social work has become a specialist area of professional practice with a growing evidence base of effectiveness. This paper aims to explore issues related to middle-school students in Vietnam and their needs in school social work activities to address those problems. Implications for school social work research and practice which are recognized as a key area for students’ wellbeing are discussed.

The Role of Collaboration and Coordination In Social Work Practice

Social work, in the theoretical discourse, is an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary occupation. This fact has been confirmed throughout the history of the development of social work and has inevitably been reflected in practice. Social workers need to collaborate and coordinate, in everyday practice, with different services, agencies, institutions, and organizations. There is a legal framework for a multi-sector approach, namely for the participation of stakeholders from the governmental, non-governmental, civil, and private sectors, but also from the ranks of religious communities and individuals. The focus of this paper is to analyze the role of collaboration and coordination through the scope of theory and practice, in different areas of professional practice of social work. Collaboration is important on many different levels, as well as coordination of agendas designed by different stakeholders. Perceived as connective elements, collaboration and coordination make way for more efficient social activities, optimal use of resources, and timely social reaction to different issues and social needs of a specific local community. In a wider context, this also leads to raising the level of efficiency, which is a significant issue in contemporary social work practice. Furthermore, this paper will also shed a light on possibilities and limitations, causes, and reasons for collaboration, as well as on different kinds of collaboration and problems in the process of establishing and maintaining the collaboration. The paper also includes legal background and research focused on collaboration and coordination in social work.

Career development and coaching: Straddling two worlds and bringing them together

This article distinguishes between the areas of professional practice of ‘coaching’ and ‘career guidance’, reviewing recent change and noting the emergence of ‘career coaching’ as a crossover activity. We argue for further integration of coaching and careers work under this label and note some of the benefits for coaches who are working on career development issues to share a theoretical understanding of career development. We flag some attendant risks of not integrating further and note that a learning focus is a potential shared understanding that could be used as a basis for this ongoing integration.

Web Content Strategy in Practice within Academic Libraries

Web content strategy is a relatively new area of practice in industry, in higher education, and, correspondingly, within academic and research libraries. The authors conducted a web-based survey of academic and research library professionals in order to identify present trends in this area of professional practice by academic librarians and to establish an understanding of the degree of institutional engagement in web content strategy within academic and research libraries. This article presents the findings of that survey. Based on analysis of the results, we propose a web content strategy maturity model specific to academic libraries.

Understanding the Requirements of Applied Evidence-Based Decision Making in Social Protection Policies in Egypt

Evidence-based decision-making is of great importance in professional interventions in social work within many areas of professional practice. One of the important areas of social work in the Egyptian environment is the field of economic Aids. In this field, social workers provide all economic aids to applicants as a kind of social protection provided to them by countries including the services of the social welfare policies in Egypt. The current study explores the requirements of applied Evidence-based decision making in social protection policies in Egypt. The purpose of this study is to determine the requirements (knowledge, skill, and value) that are necessary for evidence-based decision-making in social protection policies. The sample of this study consists of 71 social workers from Assiut City, Egypt, 39 males, and 32 females, ages 28 through 60 years. Finally, strategies for helping social workers ton incorporating Evidence-based decision making in Social protection policies in Egypt are suggested.

Clock hours of food and nutrition education in curricula of undergraduate nutrition programs: a two-country comparison

ABSTRACT Objective To make a critical and comparative analysis of curricula of Brazilian and Portuguese higher education institutions in terms of clock hours and semester distribution of food and nutrition education in undergraduate nutrition programs, also assessing the main differences among courses classified into thematic axes and professional practice areas. Methods The curricula of fifteen Brazilian and eleven Portuguese nutrition programs were collected and classified into thematic axes and professional practice areas with the method of Document Analysis. Next, we performed statistical analysis regarding the total and proportional clock hours of instruction and their semester distribution to assess the differences between the two countries. The variables of interest were the hours of Food and Nutrition Education and their semester distribution. Results The Food and Nutrition Education axis was the second smallest one, with statistically significant differences among the axes (2.2% of curricula; p<0.001). Brazilian higher education institutions showed greater total clock hours of Food and Nutrition Education (p=0.018), Human and Social Sciences (p=0.003), Public Health (p<0.001), as well as a wider dispersion and lower relative weighted mean for the semester offering of courses (p=0.004) of Food and Nutrition Education courses. Portuguese higher education institutions showed greater total and proportional clock hours of instruction for Exact Sciences (p<0.005; p=0.001, respectively) and more proportional hours of Biologic and Health Sciences (p<0.001). Conclusion Our study found a reduced presence of the area of Food and Nutrition Education in the undergraduate training of nutritionists in both countries.

متطلبات استخدام العلاج عبر الإنترنت فی مجالات الممارسة المهنیة للخدمة الاجتماعیة Requirements for use online therapy in fields of social work practice

توسع استخدام تکنولوجية المعلومات والاتصالات بشکل کبير ، ترتب عليه آثار قريبة وبعيدة المدى على الممارسة المهنية للخدمة الاجتماعية بمداخلها الثلاثة (العلاجية – الوقائية – التأهيلية ) ، وهدفت الدراسة الحالية إلى تحديد الأساسيات المطلوبة لتطبيق العلاج الإلکتروني في مجالات الممارسة المهنية للخدمة الاجتماعية وهي الأساس ( المعرفي الإداري التنظيمي – المهاري – القيمي- الذاتي – التقني )، بجانب تحديد التحديات التي تواجه تطبيق العلاج الإلکتروني ، وذلک من خلال وجهتي نظر الممارسين والأکاديميين . وتمثلت أهم نتائج الدارسة فيما يلي: لا توجد فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين أعضاء هيئة التدريس تعزي إلي مجالات عملهم (مدرسي ، شباب، طبي ،تضامن ) وبين تحديدهم لأساسيات تطبيق العلاج الإلکتروني في الممارسة المهنية لمجالات الخدمة الاجتماعية ، وتوجد فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية بين الأخصائيين الاجتماعيين وأعضاء هيئة التدريس وبين تحديدهم لأساسيات تطبيق العلاج الإلکتروني وبين تحديدهم لمعوقات تطبيق العلاج الإلکتروني في الممارسة المهنية لمجالات الخدمة الاجتماعية. توصية : توصي الباحثة بتنفيذ البرنامج التدريبي المستخلص من نتائج الدراسة الحالية . The use of information and communication technology has expanded greatly, and has implications for both short and long term on the professional practice of social work with its three approaches (Therapy - preventive - rehabilitative), and accordingly the current study aimed to define the foundations required for the application of on line therapy in the areas of professional practice of social work, which is the basis (knowledge Organizational (organizational - skills - value - self - technical) administrative, in addition to identifying the challenges facing the application of electronic therapy, through the viewpoints of practitioners and academics. The results were as follows: There are no statistically significant differences between faculty members attributing to their fields of work (education - youth - medical - solidarity) and their identification of the basics of applying electronic therapy in the professional practice of social work fields, and there are statistically significant differences between social workers and faculty members and their identification of the basics The application of on line therapy and their identification of the obstacles to the application of on line therapy in the professional practice of the fields of social work. The researcher recommends implementing the training program drawn from the results of the current study.

مقومات رقمنة الممارسة المهنیة للخدمة الاجتماعیة بالمجال المدرسی

مستخلص : تتطلب الممارسة المهنية للخدمة الاجتماعية العديد من المقومات التي ترتکز عليها في تعاملها مع مختلف الأنساق وخاصة في خضم التغيرات السريعة والمتلاحقة، الأمر الذي أوجب الترکيز على الرقمية في کافة مناحي الممارسة المهنية للخدمة الاجتماعية وفي ظل اتجاه الدولة نحو التحول الرقمي والذي اتجه الباحث فيه إلى مقومات الرقمنة المطلوبة في ظل أساليب التدريب والتعلم الرقمى لطرق حديثة مکملة لأساليب التعلم التقليدي وخاصة في المجال المدرسي الذي يمثل أحد أهم مجالات الممارسة المهنية في الخدمة الاجتماعية وقد تمثلت تلک المقومات في (المقومات المعرفية – المقومات المهارية – المقومات التقنية). تنتمي هذه الدراسة وفقا لأهدافها إلى نمط الدراسات الوصفية واعتمدت على منهج المسح الإجتماعى الشامل للأخصائيين الإجتماعيين بمديرية التربية والتعليم بمحافظة الفيوم وعددهم 137 مفردة. وتوصلت الدراسة لمجموعة من النتائج (1) أکدت نتائج الدراسة على أهمية الترکيز على المقومات المعرفية اللازمة؛ لتحقيق الرقمنة المنشودة لتفعيل الممارسة المهنية للخدمة الإجتماعية في المجال المدرسي. (2) أشارت نتائج الدراسة إلى ضرورة الاهتمام بالمقومات المهارية اللازمة لدى الأخصائيين الإجتماعيين؛ لتحقيق الرقمنة في المجال المدرسي. (3) أفادت نتائج الدرلسة بأهمية المقومات التقنية وضرورة الإلمام بها لدى مجتمع الدراسة لتحقيق الرقمنة في المجال المدرسي. أوصت الدراسة بضرورة إجراء المزيد من الدراسات والأطروحات المعنية برقمنة الممارسة المهنية في الخدمة الاجتماعية. الکلمات المفتاحية : مقومات – الرقمنة – الممارسة المهنية Abstract: The professional practice of social work requires many of the elements that are based on it in dealing with various formats, especially in the midst of rapid and successive changes, which necessitated a focus on digital in all aspects of professional practice of social work and in light of the state’s trend towards digital transformation, in which the researcher turned to the elements of digitization. What is required in light of training and digital learning methods for modern methods that complement traditional learning methods, especially in the school field, which represents one of the most important areas of professional practice in social work. According to its objectives, this study belongs to the type of descriptive studies and relied on the comprehensive social survey approach for social workers in the Directorate of Education in Fayoum Governorate, who are 137 samples. The study reached a set of results 1) The results of the study emphasized the importance of focusing on the cognitive components necessary to achieve the desired digitization to activate the professional practice of social work in the school field. 2) The results of the study indicated the need to pay attention to the necessary skill components of social workers to achieve digitization in the school field. 3) The results of the study indicated the importance of technical components and the necessity of being familiar with them for the study community to achieve digitization in the school field. The study recommended the necessity of conducting more studies and theses concerned with the digitization of professional practice in social work. Keywords: components - digitization - professional practice

Le psychologue clinicien militaire du Service de santé des Armées face à l’urgence médico-psychologique et en opérations extérieures (2e partie)

Military psychologists carry out prevention measures, selection and care activities with members of the various armed forces. Clinical psychologists of the Armed Forces Health Service (AHS), under the status of Army Nurses and Technicians (MITHA), form the Psychologists Corps of the AHS since 2015. In collaboration with the psychiatrists and medical officers of the armed forces, they participate in the actions of the health teams deployed on the ground in exceptional health situations, during serious events or during external operations. In the second part of this interview, the psychologist hors classe Laurent Brulin discusses these areas of professional practice by relying on his clinical field practice within military environments abroad (Djibouti, Jordan, Mali). He focuses on issues of operational stress and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as the end-of-mission device commonly known as decompression chambers.

Pragmatism in professional practice

AbstractIn recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the American philosophy of pragmatism. The paper reviews the application of pragmatisms in five selected areas of professional practice: technology, law, politics, medical and social work, and education. Each area is examined for evidence that the ideas of pragmatism have been taken up academically in the research literature. The literature is then examined for evidence that the academic work has permeated the actions of professionals. Each of the chosen practice areas is clearly dominated by pragmatic, instrumental activities. Despite this and a good deal of discussion in the academic literature, there is only limited evidence that professionals, in so far as they exhibit pragmatist behaviour, make any explicit connection with the philosophy of pragmatism. The early pragmatists argued that pragmatic behaviour arises from man's need to solve problems quickly, using his limited understanding of the situation, in order to survive and flourish: no philosophy had been required to guide such behaviour. Today, philosophy is often consulted on questions of ethical and moral dilemmas in most practice areas, but the philosophy of pragmatism may well not feature in such discussions. Experience in operational research (OR) practice is reviewed and compared with that in the five other practice areas. From the reviews, a list of the habits and orientations is synthesized, habits and orientations that could be taken to characterize pragmatism in professional practice.