Benchmark Of Best Practice Research Articles

Hunting for the library value

International cooperation is an essential part of library and information professionals' work. Three European health and medical libraries started a benchmarking project in year 2013, aiming at comparing services among our libraries in order to find and implement best practices. We wanted to share ideas, solutions and examples. The purpose of this paper is to give the final report of the five-year benchmarking project. The project was a continuous best-practice benchmarking process. At the end the process, we essentially experienced this kind of library benchmarking as a communication and development tool. International benchmarking provides new skills for information professionals

The Organ Care System Training Manual for Hearts Donated after Circulatory Death: The Experience of One UK Centre after 50 Successful DCD Heart Transplants

Purpose The Organ Care System (OCS) is used to assess heart function following donation after circulatory death (DCD). We trained a small group of non-medical practitioners who are members of the National Organ Retrieval Services (NORS). A competency pack has been designed at Royal Papworth Hospital and includes a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and competencies for using this equipment. It is anticipated that national guidelines for using this equipment will be necessary and this guide acts as a benchmark for best practice based on the experience of a centre which has the greatest volume of data on DCD heart retrieval using the OCS in the UK. Methods Training has been undertaken at Transmedics Headquarters in Andover alongside in-house training. With the utilisation of reflection on best practice we designed a guide to facilitate safe practice with the OCS, supplemented with competencies to ensure gold standards in using this novel equipment. The SOP contains; questions and answers, a troubleshooting guide, pictures of equipment to aid correct setting up and competencies to ensure safe practice. Results From March 2015 to October 2018 we have transplanted 50 hearts from DCD donors. The team also attended 17 potential DCD heart donors of which 5 were placed on the OCS but not transplanted. The reasons for this included receiving additional information about the donor regarding potential malignancy and the presence of coronary artery disease. In one case coronary angiogram was performed on the OCS which confirmed coronary artery disease. 12 donor hearts were not perfused on the OCS, this was due to either the donor not meeting criteria at withdrawal of treatment or not meeting standard criteria for transplant to proceed. In addition to the procedural lessons learnt, logistical issues have arisen and contributed towards the development of the SOP. This experience has provided a depth of knowledge beyond training alone. Conclusion Upon the successful transplantation of 50 hearts retrieved from DCD donors using the OCS it was felt that the development of The OCS Training Manual was a key element in the success of this program. This manual has enabled consistency in practice and dissemination of information to ensure that lessons learnt are shared amongst this specialist team of OCS operators.

Changing the Context of Education through the Concept of an Assembly University

Technological development is proceeding at a greater pace across broader scales and with deeper human impacts than at any previous time. It is a primary driver forboth economic globalization and disruptive innovation. Undoubtedly, technological development has brought importantsocial benefits. However, it has also presented significant challenges. This paper introduces three such challenges within the context of the academia. Next, it examines how lessonsregarding the disruptive potential of sharing economies in the broader marketplace might be applied in transforming the context of higher education. To this end, the paper defines the concept of an Assembly University. Finally, it outlines certain steps taken by Dongseo University (DSU) toward implementing the Assembly University concept as a benchmark of best practices.

Knowledge-based lean six sigma system for enhancing quality management performance in healthcare environment

PurposeThis paper aims to present the development of a knowledge-based system (KBS) to support the implementation of Lean Six Sigma (L6s) principles applied to enhance quality management (QM) performance within a health-care environment.Design/methodology/approachThe process of KBS building has been started by acquiring knowledge from experts in field of L6σ and QM in health care. The acquired knowledge has been represented in a rule-based approach for capturing L6σ practices. These rules are produced in IF […].THEN way where IF is the premise and THEN is the action. The produced rules have been integrated with gauging absence pre-requisites (GAP) technique to facilitate benchmarking of best practice in a health-care environment. A comprehensive review of the structure of the system is given, detailing a typical output of the KBS.FindingsImplementation of L6s principles to enhance QM performance in a health-care environment requires a pre-assessment of the organisation’s competences. The KBS provides an enhanced strategic and operational decision-making hierarchy for achieving a performance benchmark.Research limitations/implicationsThe KBS needs validation in real health-care environment, which will be done in Oman’s hospitals.Practical implicationsThe paper is intended to benefit QM practitioners in the health-care sector during decision-making to achieve performance improvement against a best practice benchmark.Originality/valueThis research presents a novel application of a hybrid KBS with GAP methodology to support the implementation of L6s principles to enhance QM performance in a health-care environment.

Peer mentoring in entrepreneurship education: towards a role typology

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the contributions of peer mentoring as a learning support for mentee students in higher entrepreneurship education.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a single embedded case study focussing on mentee students’ perceptions of peer mentors’ support of their entrepreneurial learning during an experiential master’s course. Employing an abductive approach, the researchers conducted cross-sectional, thematic analyses of individual mentee interviews complemented by data from joint reflection sessions, reflection reports and observations during the course timeline.FindingsThe peer mentors contributed to the mentee students’ learning through various forms of support, which were categorised into mentor roles, mentor functions and intervention styles. The analysis found that peer mentors fulfil three coexisting roles: learning facilitator, supportive coach and familiar role model. These roles constitute the pillars of a typology of entrepreneurial peer mentoring.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes theoretical and empirical insights on peer mentoring in entrepreneurship education. It represents a first benchmark of best practices for future studies.Practical implicationsThe case study suggests that adding peer mentoring represents more efficient support for entrepreneurial learning than a teacher alone is able to provide. The typology can also be used for training peer mentors.Originality/valueThe researchers construct a new typology for entrepreneurial learning support, which contributes to theory development within the field of entrepreneurship education.

IRPA GUIDANCE-THE ROLE OF STAKEHOLDERS, RADIATION PROTECTION CULTURE AND ETHICS IN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.

The International Radiation Protection Association, IRPA, promotes the excellence in radiation protection by providing benchmarks of good practice, as well as enhancing professional competence and networking. In relation to emergency situations, including post-accident and recovery phases, a key issue is the ability of the system of protection to take a broader view of societal values, along with the need to develop processes which support and respect the dignity and well-being of the affected populations. Regarding the various situations of radiation exposure, IRPA's activities include aspects which can contribute to medical preparedness in radiation emergencies, focusing particularly on stakeholder engagement, radiation protection culture, the ethical dimensions of radiation protection and public understanding of risks. As it is a combination of science, experience, ethical and social values, radiation protection culture promotes radiation risk awareness in the different exposure situations, including the implementation of countermeasures in radiation and nuclear emergencies and post-accident situations, with attention also on medical countermeasures.

TOOLS OF INTENSIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH ON THE BASIS OF BENCHMARKING: FOREIGN AND RUSSIAN EXPERIENCE

Purpose: the main purpose of this article is to explore the possibility of adapting the foreign experience of using benchmarking tools to form promising areas of economic growth, as well as developing a tools for intensive economic growth in Russia and the regions. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks: to study the basics of intensive economic growth, taking into account the increase in labor productivity and factors of production; to analyze the tools and methods of benchmarking used in foreign practice; to conduct benchmarking of the Russian regions to assess the opportunities for intensive economic growth. Methods: when writing this article, methods of scientific cognition were used, in particular, benchmarking, the method of comparative analysis, the method of system analysis, the graphical method of presenting the results obtained, the method of generalization and systematization of theoretical concepts. Results: in modern conditions, the main source of intensive economic growth is the increase in labor productivity and factors of production. Ensuring the intensity of development at the regional and macroeconomic level can be achieved through the use of benchmarking and analysis of best practices. A comprehensive analysis of the conditions and instruments for intensifying the economy of foreign countries and assessing the applicability / adaptability of world practice for the Russian economy allowed the development of a tools for intensive economic growth in the Russian regions based on the use of tools and principles of benchmarking. Based on the proposed group of indicators for benchmarking to ensure intensive economic growth, the ranking of Russian regions according to the level of socio-economic development was conducted. Conclusions and Relevance : the materials outlined in the article demonstrate the very high efficiency of the use of benchmarking tools to ensure intensive development, which is achieved, first of all, by reducing the differentiation of Russian regions, searching for the most promising and priority innovative directions for further long-term development, allowing to increase the manufacturability of production and labor productivity. The proposed approach to the formation of the tools of intensive economic growth in Russia and regions on the basis of benchmarking is the development of scientific ideas on the improvement of the management of the economy of the regions. The difference between this approach and previously obtained results is that the analysis of the state of the regions is realized taking into account the following elements: conditions / symptoms, premises, tools, results / effects, etc. It is shown that future growth and social welfare of Russia will depend on high-tech industries and services.

Municipal asset management in China’s small cities and towns: Findings and strategies ahead

Chinese municipalities have developed a large stock of capital assets during a period of rapid growth and urbanization, but have yet to modernize asset management practices. Cities face challenges such as premature decline of fixed assets and spiking liabilities related to operating and maintaining assets. This paper evaluates the asset management practices in three selected small cities and towns in China, using a benchmarking assessment tool followed by an in-depth field assessment. The paper finds that overall performance is below half the international benchmark for good practice in all three cities. Management practices are considerably more advanced for land than for buildings and infrastructure. Key deficiencies in data availability and reporting, governance, capacity, and financial management indicate increased risks for local government finance and the delivery of public services. For small cities and towns where public revenues are often uncertain and limited, urban public services will be at risk of deterioration unless good asset management practices are put in place. The paper recommends strategic actions for upper and lower levels of government, to advance local asset management practices and facilitate the reform agenda.

Career guidance in five English independent schools

ABSTRACTEnglish independent schools are not required to follow government statutory guidance in a number of aspects including career education and guidance, and yet many are actively engaged in careers work and this has caught the attention of policymakers. State schools are subject to statutory guidance but, according to Ofsted and other authorities, the majority fail to adequately support young people through their post-school transitions. Using evidence from five English independent schools, the type of provision they offer is analysed against benchmarks of good practice to identify where their support is focussed. The factors that shape the resourcing and design of career education and guidance in the five schools are also explored. The extent to which the practices observed in the case studies can be replicated in all, or a sub-set of state schools, is discussed in the light of policy influence of independent schools.

Two-step benchmarking: Setting more realistically achievable targets in DEA

The models that set the closest targets have made an important contribution to DEA as tool for the best-practice benchmarking of decision making units (DMUs). These models may help defining plans for improvement that require less effort from the DMUs. However, in practice we often find cases of poor performance, for which closest targets are still unattainable. For those DMUs, we propose a two-step benchmarking procedure within the spirit of context-dependent DEA and that of the models that minimize the distance to the DEA efficient frontier. This procedure allows to setting more realistically achievable targets in the short term. In addition, it may offer different alternatives for planning improvements directed towards DEA efficient targets, which can be seen as representing improvements in a long term perspective. Thus, the sequential approach provides managers with a decision-support tool for the design of continuous improvement strategies based on actionable targets, by learning from better practices of others as an expert system. To illustrate, we examine an example which is concerned with the research performance of public Spanish universities.

Promoting student belongingness: 'WANTED' - the development, implementation and evaluation of a toolkit for nurses

Objective: Literature suggests that the need to belong influences health and well-being, behavioural, emotional and cognitive responses. This paper describes the impending development and validation of a toolkit for nurses to create the experience of belongingness with a team approach, for student nurses undertaking a clinical placement. Setting and Subjects: The design of the toolkit will be developed from a selected Delphi panel process involving nursing experts’ experience and opinions. The toolkit will then be distributed to nurses in selected clinical areas for use during periods of clinical placements. Primary Argument: Clinical placements are essential for professional socialisation in which nurses provide compelling role models for how to think, feel and act. However, students have often identified a sense of alienation through poor clinical experiences. The need to belong and be part of a team exerts a powerful influence on cognitive processes and behavioural responses. The absence of meaningful interpersonal relationships can result in failure to develop optimal clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills to manage patient care safely. Conclusion: More needs to be achieved than to simply justify the core attributes of a good clinical learning environment. Understanding of the key role that clinical leaders and supervisors exert to create a belongingness environment can influence positively the attitude of other staff towards students. For a valued positive clinical learning experience to become the benchmark of best practice, it requires a structured process, a toolkit to enable nurses to comprehend the concept of belongingness and to support them in embedding this model into their role of supervision.

Benchmarking of best practices: an overview of the academic literature

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to overview the academic literature on benchmarking of best practices tracking the most important articles and understanding the similarity between studies.Design/methodology/approachThe most relevant articles were identified using techniques such as the PageRank algorithm and co-citation maps. An analysis of the most relevant articles presents the main concepts, methods and updated discussions on this research field.FindingsThe analysis of academic output substantiates the increase in the production of articles on this research topic. There were identified two main clusters of co-cited articles, one related to data envelopment analysis (DEA) and other that presents a wide variation of methods for benchmarking. There are important critiques towards the past research on benchmarking of best practices, yet, new DEA approaches seem to address most of the criticized issues.Practical implicationsFrom time to time, a review of the literature of a certain field of knowledge is useful for other researchers to identify and organize its main theories, new trends, most relevant works, influent authors and important publications.Originality/valueThis paper delivers two important values: the updated discussion on benchmarking of best practices, clearing both DEA and non-DEA studies; and the methods adopted to systematically review the literature, which is original on this field of research.

Together We Can Go Farther: Using Palliative Care Registries and Collaboratives to Drive Quality Improvement (FR454)

•Discuss the current landscape of quality measurement and why it's important for program development, quality improvement (QI), monitoring the field, and reporting for quality and payment.•Describe an overarching palliative care quality strategy that can be used to improve the quality of care at attendees’ local institutions.•Describe how our separate quality strategies meet these needs and how they will collaborate into one overarching quality initiative for our field coordinated by AAHPM.•Describe the advantages of participating in data collection collaboratives such as the Palliative Care Quality Network (PCQN), Global Palliative Care Quality Alliance (GPCQA), and the National Palliative Care Registry™.•Describe how to use comparative data to evaluate your own palliative care program, improve your quality of care, and enable the Measuring What Matters initiative, The Joint Commission quality reporting, and other national quality reporting programs. As palliative care programs face increasing pressure to demonstrate their quality in order to advocate for support and expansion and to be paid by insurers, standardization in collection and reporting of quality data is increasingly important to allow for benchmarking and reporting. Three initiatives address these needs: the Palliative Care Quality Network (PCQN), the Global Palliative Care Quality Alliance (GPCQA), and the National Palliative Care Registry™. This session provides an overview of these initiatives, describes their collaboration, and discusses how they are together advancing quality improvement and positioning our field for reporting and payment. The PCQN and GPCQA are quality improvement (QI) collaboratives that support teams to collect prospective, standardized data on key care processes (e.g. advance care planning activities) and patient-level outcomes (e.g. daily symptom scores). Members of the collaboratives use standardized data to drive multisite QI initiatives. These growing networks allow benchmarking and identification of best practices to promote greater gains in QI than any service could make alone. The National Palliative Care Registry™ is a national annual survey focusing on composition and operations of palliative care programs. The goal of the Registry is to: assist palliative care programs in tracking their development year-to-year; and promote standardization and improve the quality of palliative care. The Registry provides actionable information that programs can use to secure, expand and retain resources for delivery of high-quality palliative care. Data from the registry can also support the establishment of new palliative care programs where none exists. In this session, attendees will learn about these initiatives and how together they support the improvement and expansion of palliative care programs in complementary ways. Data from each contribute to our understanding of practice and quality and addresses essential issues regarding reporting and payment. Attendees will learn how these efforts fit into an overarching palliative care quality strategy.

Croatia Needs a Gender Incongruence Diagnosis for Prepubertal Children.

First of all, we want to emphasize that we completely understand arguments given against the diagnosis, especially clinical ones (prepubertal individuals need psychological space, support, and information, not medical treatment and diagnosis). We also agree and support all efforts against the pathologization and stigmatization of gender variant persons. The shift in expert opinion, in which mere gender non-conformity is seen as a variation rather than a disorder, as can be seen in the Standards of Care for transgender persons of the WPATH 2011 and in the DSM-5, no doubt contributes to the psychological welfare of gender variant people. However, even in the countries representing benchmarks of good practice in the care of individuals with GI, not all health experts adopt the same approach toward supporting transgender people, and trans-healthcare providers have differing attitudes according to Gender Incongruence of Adolescence and Adulthood (GIAA) and Gender Incongruence in Childhood (GIC) diagnosis (Winter, De Cuypere, Green, Kane, & Knudson, 2016).

Best practice guidelines for the use of the assessment centre method in South Africa (5th edition)

Orientation: Assessment Centres (ACs) have a long and successful track record in South Africa when used for selection and development purposes. The popularity of the approach is mainly attributable to the ACs’ numerous strengths, which include the perceived fairness, practical utility and strong associations with on-the-job performance. To maintain the integrity of the AC, it is important for practitioners and decision makers to apply the method in a consistent and standardised manner.Research purpose: The purpose of the report is to provide practitioners and decision makers with practical guidelines and concrete procedures when using ACs as part of the organisation’s human resource management strategy. Motivation for the study: The past decade has seen significant advances in the science and practice of ACs. Now in its fifth edition, the revised Guidelines seek to provide important information to practitioners and decision makers on a number of factors when used in conjunction with the AC method, namely, technology, validation, legislation, ethics and culture.Main findings: The Guidelines provide specific suggestions and recommendations for using technology as part of the manner of delivery. Issues of culture, diversity and representation are also discussed. New features of the Guidelines include more concrete guidance on how to conduct a validation study as well as unpacking several ethical dilemmas that practitioners may encounter. Of critical importance is a position statement on the use of ACs in relation to new legislation (Employment Equity Amendment Act, Section 8, clause d) pertaining to psychometric testing.Practical/managerial implications: The Guidelines serve as a benchmark of best practice for practitioners and decision makers who intend on, or are currently, using ACs in their organisations.Contribution/value-add: In the absence of formal standards governing the use of ACs in South Africa, the Guidelines provide an important step towards establishing standardisation in the use of the AC method. The Guidelines provide (1) guidance to industrial and organisational psychologists, organisational consultants, human resource management specialists, generalists and the Department of Labour, and others designing and conducting ACs; (2) information to managers deciding whether to introduce AC methods; (3) instructions to assessors taking part in the AC; (4) guidance on the use of technology and navigating diverse cultural contexts; and (5) a reference for professionals on best practice considerations in the use of the AC method.

Food on the Edge: The future of food is a sustainable future

This article is a review of “Food on the Edge (FOTE)”, a symposium which ran in Galway, Ireland in October 2015 on the theme of “the future of food”. The aim of FOTE is to create a benchmark for best practice, in terms of food, its culture, and the people who produce it. According to the Symposium's founder and organiser, J. P. McMahon, “chefs everywhere have a responsibility to be the avant-garde of food education, whether in the context of fine-dining or street food”. The focus of FOTE seemed more on fine dining than street food, however, from a cursory glance at the panel, three-quarters of whom had been awarded Michelin stars at some time, and one quarter of whom currently feature in the 2015 world's top 100 restaurants. Only five of the speakers were women, the majority being white males. There was a real international flavour to this gathering, however, with representatives of 17 different countries speaking. This article provides an overview of the 39 presentations where the key themes emerging include sustainability, education, creativity, the need to know about your history, the links between chefs and producers, food and health, family dining, and the shortage of chefs.

Process safety common lead metrics: implementing and learning

No matter which major accident event investigation is looked into, some common themes concerning the requirements for process safety metrics present themselves. For example, the recent Macondo investigation by the US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) examined both API 754 and IOGP 456, and re-iterated that metrics need to be developed to capture the health of barriers and management systems. The effectiveness of barriers and management systems needs to be assessed, as does the frequency that these barriers are being called upon to make sure that the risk is being properly managed. Both API 754 and IOGP 456 use the four-tier system, where the top two tiers are lagging, and tiers three and four are more leading. Both standards focus on reporting and benchmarking the lagging metrics; however, the selection of leading metrics is left to be determined by individual companies. Recent work completed by the IChemE Safety Centre (ISC) focuses on these leading metrics, but takes a different approach by developing a suite of 21 common lead metrics that allows for developments to occur. By having common metrics across companies and across industries, ISC and its member companies are at the groundbreaking point where benchmarking and identification of best practice can begin. APPEA is leading the charge with a unanimous agreement by the CEOs at the April CEO meeting to implement the common lead metrics across the APPEA companies. Quadrant Energy is well underway with its journey, and this extended abstract discusses the process being undertaken to commence reporting on all 21 of these process safety common lead metrics.

The 10 ‘R's of safe multidisciplinary drug administration

Nurses are responsible for medication administration, and, as with many other nursing interventions, some risk is involved. If an error occurs, a patient may suffer harm or injury, which may lead to a permanent disability or a fatality. To ensure safe drug administration, nurses are encouraged to follow the five rights (‘R's; patient, drug, route, time and dose) of medication administration to prevent errors in administration. The five ‘R's do not consider all causes of drug errors; instead, they focus on medication administration at the bedside so they relate only to this stage of a drug prescription. A drug's journey is more than what happens at the bedside; therefore, the reduction of errors requires more than just the five ‘R's. This article proposes a multi-professional, evidence-based approach to medicines management, which all clinicians can work towards, together. Clinicians can achieve this approach by considering the National Patients Safety Agency's definition of a medication error and the values set out by the National Prescribing Centre. The approach utilizes 10 ‘R's, which provide a benchmark for good practice. The 10 ‘Rs’ advocate the need for the knowledge of the causes of drug errors, how to implement strategies to reduce drug errors, how to ensure safe practice throughout the medication journey, from chemical preparation, to monitoring outcomes, to response.

Professional Development in the Civil Service −From American and Hungarian Perspectives

Professional development in the civil service represents traditionally different approaches in the U.S.A. and Hungary; however modernization tendencies have marked tendencies that bring about the need for change of paradigms in the Hungarian practice. The current study aims at presenting the findings of a complex research project carried out in the U.S. in 2012 with the intention of the author to analyse the training practices efficiently pursued in the American civil service in order to set up benchmarks for best practices for adaptation. The American training philosophy and the practical solutions are analysed in the context of strategies and specific objectives that determine the applicable training methods on the one hand and justify the new practice-oriented approaches addressing the new needs in the Hungarian civil service on the other. Quantitative and qualitative research methods were applied for data analysis. The synthesis of research findings is provided with a special focus on practical applications in a highly encouraging learning environment that ultimately result in improved workplace performance.

Nursing: Essential to Healthcare Value

Nursing is a practice discipline and occurs as 1 nurse and 1 patient, family, or community at a time. The encounter between a nurse and patient forms a fundamental bond that defines, not only nursing as a profession, but each individual nurse as a provider of care. Nursing practice drives value, and nurses have a direct and intimate influence on the quality, safety, and costs of patient-centered care. If we define nursing value as the function of outcomes divided by costs,1 there is a need to better define the measures and analytics for patient-level costs and outcomes of nursing care. This fundamental shift to capture the patient or consumer impact of nursing care is an important expansion of how nursing value is quantified. This will require rethinking how we view nursing care delivery beyond solely measuring nursing in terms of tasks or ratios and staffing levels, to one that recognizes the individual and collective accomplishments and results provided by each nurse across the broad spectrum of care. True nursing value can only be described by measurement of the clinical and financial impact of nursing care.