Administrative Challenges Research Articles

OVERARCHING OVERTONES: ORACLES ON CAREER CHRONICLES OF WOMEN IN INDIAN HOTEL INDUSTRY

The hospitality sector has been witnessing tremendous changes of late in terms of gender diversity with the increased participatory role of women at all levels of the workforce. The global food and beverage, and lodging industries have been proactively getting women on board down the years, recognising their important role in enhancing visitor satisfaction translating into repeat visits. This trend is however more widespread and popular in developed countries. India’s unique cultural values, social traditions, conventional customs, gender stereotyping, conservative attitudes and religious beliefs have all been challenging age-old obstacles that have largely hindered the greater employment and integration of women in the hospitality sector’s labour market. It is only from the 1960s that the women workforce in the Indian precincts saw limited presence and then slowly grew in numbers. This analytical research paper actively seeks to explore and highlight the trajectory of women employees in the hotel industry. Accurate and objective data for this investigative analysis is obtained from several leading five-star hotels in Chennai. Insights into the hospitality sector are obtained through interaction with a number of women holding managerial positions. The gathered data is decoded, and variables that help it are extracted. This research study on the work trends, changing industry dynamics and administrative challenges encountered by women in the hospitality sector can help establish gender parity by promoting a greater number of women to join the ranks and raise the profile of women in the hotel industry.

‘It’s a nightmare’: informed consent in paediatric genome-wide sequencing. A qualitative expert interview study from Germany and Switzerland

The use of genome-wide sequencing (GWS) in paediatrics has added complexity to informed consent (IC) and pretest counselling because of the vast number and interpretation of potential findings, and their implications. However, empirical data from continental Europe on these issues remains limited. This study therefore aimed to explore the experiences and views of medical geneticists working with children in Germany and Switzerland regarding the challenges of obtaining valid IC in paediatric GWS. Qualitative interviews with 20 medical geneticists were analysed employing reflexive thematic analysis. In the interviews, many medical geneticists questioned the validity of parents’ IC due to the enormous amount of relevant information given and the variety and complexity of the possible test outcomes. Key barriers identified included familial implications, administrative challenges and struggles with non-directiveness. Medical geneticists’ suggestions for improvement included increasing the number of genetics professionals and better information material, which is crucial as GWS becomes a diagnostic standard in the early care pathways of children. An adjustment of aspirations from still existing ideal of traditional fully IC to appropriate IC seems to be needed. Such a more realistic and ethically sound adaptation of the requirements for IC can lead to better ‘informedness’ and improve the validity of the consent. This might also help reduce the moral distress for the medical geneticists involved.

Full-Dose Azacitidine in 5 Days Versus 7 Days With a Weekend Break in Myelodysplastic Syndromes: A Retrospective Cohort Study

IntroductionApart from transplantation, only azacitidine demonstrated a survival benefit in a phase III study in higher-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). The approved regimen is 75 mg/m2/day for 7 consecutive days, imposing a logistic challenge for outpatient weekend administration. Schedules with 5 days and 7 days with a weekend break (5 + 2) have been used for convenience despite the lack of strong scientific support. Most studies of alternative schedules were performed in lower-risk MDS and with dose reduction in the 5-day schedules. MethodsWe performed a single-center, retrospective cohort study to compare full-dose azacitidine (7 × 75 mg/m2) administration in 5-day and 5 + 2-day schedules in a higher-risk MDS cohort. We evaluated 100 patients for overall survival and a subsample (49 patients) for acute myeloid leukemia-free survival (AMLFS), probability of infections and transfusion burden. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox models were used for survival analyses. Linear and logistic regressions were applied for univariate and multivariate assessment. ResultsAfter a median follow-up of 10.8 months, patients treated with a 5-day schedule had a median overall survival of 12.5 months versus 15.0 months in the 5+2 group: HR 0.95 (95% CI, 0.57-1.56); P= .83. AMLFS was also similar between groups: HR 1.70 (95% CI, 0.70-4.14); P = .24. Azacitidine schedules were not predictive of infections nor number of red blood cell or platelet transfusions in multivariate analyses. ConclusionsIn higher-risk MDS, full-dose azacitidine (7 × 75 mg/m2) can be administered both in 5 days and in 7 days with a weekend break with no significant difference in survival, infection or transfusional outcomes.

Tackling the challenges of the oral administration of a fermented flour extract with liposomes: Effect on intestinal HT-29 cells

LisosanG is a fermented flour that contains polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and alpha-lipoic acid with antioxidant/anti-inflammatory properties. These compounds are often characterized by instability, low solubility/bioavailability, and poor absorption that restrict their application in therapy. These problems can be solved by using delivery systems among which liposomes have emerged as prominent candidates. Liposomes can load compounds with varied physico-chemical properties, providing protection from degradation, increased solubility, modulation of release, and facilitated diffusion across biomembranes. Lisosan G liposomes tailored for oral administration were prepared. Eudragit® enteric polymer was added to protect the liposomes from acidic pH. The Eudragit-liposomes were around 100 nm and unilamellar. They were resistant to acidic conditions and did not alter cell viability, nor intracellular ROS levels. These findings confirm that liposomes are an efficient system for the loading of multicomponent-based extracts and that, when properly formulated, can offer protection from physiological degradation, and be safely applied to cells.

Can India universalize social insurance before its demographic dividend ends?

About 91% of India’s workforce of 520 million is informal, lacking social insurance. However, this paper finds the Social Security Code 2020 wanting, but with potential for universalizing social insurance. The paper spells out the principles that should guide social insurance for informal workers; and presents the design and architecture for extending coverage. It shows how realistically, over the next 10–15 years, social insurance could cover the entire workforce, in accordance with ILO Conventions. It also estimates the fiscal cost of social insurance, for the first five years, and spells out the political economy, fiscal and administrative challenges to universalisation.

Find ways to take chances that can change perceptions

Beth Paretta has a challenge for higher education administrators: What can you change in six seconds? If you think six seconds isn’t enough time to do much of anything, Paretta has proven that's just not true, and so she wants to see others follow suit and make a difference.

Assay of Diphtheria Vaccine Potency by Intradermal Challenge Test

Relevance. Modern identifying potency (immunogenicity) of diphtheria toxoid tests are based on determining immunized animals resistance for administration challenge toxin or evaluation of protective antibodies level in serum. In Russia to assess the potency of diphtheria toxoid (DT) the challenge lethal method has been used for more than 60 years, challenge is based on determination of potency via its possibility to defend immunized animals from lethal doses of diphtheria toxin. This method is used as «golden standard». Last decade European Union Regulatory politic is headed to reduce of using animals in pharmaceutical practice, "The Three Rs" approach. In frameworks of this approach alternative methods of evaluating immunogenicity DT were purposed, particularly, intradermal challenge method. Within this test the potency of diphtheria toxoid is evaluated by its possibility to protect immunized animals from intradermal administration of diphtheria toxin. In the production of a number of foreign vaccines intradermal challenge test is used for assessing potency.Aim. Comparative characteristics of methods of lethal challenge test and intradermal challenge tests to determine the potency of diphtheria toxoid in combined vaccines and toxoids made in Russia.Materials and methods. Materials of domestic and foreign manufacturers were used in the work: combined vaccines for diphtheria prevention, diphtheria toxins, reference-vaccine. The determination of the potency of diphtheria toxoid was carried out on guinea pigs by pharmacopoeias methods: lethal challenge test and intradermal challenge tests.Results. To assess the potency of diphtheria toxoid using, a technique was used in accordance with WHO recommendations; for this, guinea pigs similar in sensitivity to diphtheria toxin to Dunkin Hartley pigs were selected. The suitability of the diphtheria toxin used in Russia for determining the potency of diphtheria toxoid by the method of intradermal challenge test was assessed when evaluating the effectiveness of vaccines for the prevention of diphtheria. Comparative tests of the intradermal challenge tests and lethal challenge tests were carried out to determine the potency of diphtheria toxoid.Conclusions. The conducted studies have demonstrated the fundamental possibility of using the intradermal challenge tests to assess the potency of diphtheria toxoid. However, for a number of factors, such as the variability of results, the number of animals, etc., the intradermal challenge tests is inferior to the method of lethal challenge tests in assessing the potency of diphtheria vaccines in routine practice.

In-Person and In-Home Teleneuropsychological Assessments With Youth With Neurodevelopmental Disorders: What’s the Difference?

Psychoeducational assessments provide clinicians with the foundation for diagnostic determinations and meaningful recommendations for youth with neurodevelopmental disorders. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the field shifted from seeing clients face-to-face (FTF) to conducting evaluations virtually via teleneuropsychology (TNP) in the client’s own home. The current study sought to determine the equivalence of cognitive and achievement scores obtained in the context of FTF versus TNP testing. Nineteen youth with diverse neurodevelopmental disorders completed the Woodcock Johnson-Fourth Edition (WJ-IV). Results suggest generally equivalent results, with the caveat that scores from measures of Fluid Reasoning and Auditory Processing were significantly different across testing modalities. Environmental factors, characteristics of the clients, administration challenges, technical considerations, and practice effects may have contributed to differences in scores. These findings have implications for assessment standardization, case conceptualization, and implementation of recommendations in the school setting when psychoeducational assessments are conducted virtually.

Educator's blueprint: A how-to guide on survey administration.

In this paper, we take the lessons learned from designing a survey and collecting validity evidence and prepare to administer the survey for research. We focus specifically on how researchers can reach individuals in the target population, methods of contact and engagement, evidence-informed factors that enhance participation, and recommendations for follow-up with nonrespondents. We also discuss the challenges of survey administration and provide guidance for navigating low response rates. Surveys are a common tool used to evaluate educational initiatives and collect data for all types of research. However, many clinician educators conducting survey-based evaluation and research may struggle to efficiently administer their survey. As a result, they often struggle to obtain appropriate response rates and thus may have difficulty publishing their survey results. Previous papers in this series focused on the initial steps of survey development and validation, but it is equally important to understand how best to administer your survey to obtain meaningful responses from a representative sample.

A Collaborative Response to the COVID-19 Challenge: Developing an International Platform for Sharing E-learning Materials for Veterinary Education.

When the COVID-19 pandemic swept through Europe in 2020, veterinary educational institutions faced new challenges overnight: distance learning became imperative, and teachers were forced to develop e-learning material on the fly. As a response to the unfortunate situation, veterinary faculties at three European universities (Utrecht, Copenhagen, Helsinki) applied for and received an Erasmus+ grant to develop an international platform for sharing veterinary e-learning material. Technical and administrative challenges caused a slow start. This added to the already limited timeframe and demonstrated the obstacles involved in trying to fuse organizational, legal, digital, educational, and cultural systems across national borders. Still, within the 2-year grant period, the partners managed to establish a platform for sharing veterinary e-learning materials among veterinary schools in Europe and eventually beyond. Furthermore, a website was designed for the project, as well as a Teachers' Forum, and relevant guidelines for up- and downloading and for the creation of new e-learning material. Privacy and copyright regulations were incorporated in a consent form to be accepted before uploading material. In order to disseminate the project, three webinars were held for colleagues at European veterinary schools. The current and additional papers as well as abstracts will make the project visible and subsequently available to the veterinary community. At present, 61 teachers have registered with the Veterinary Online Collection. Hopefully, a growing community of veterinary educators will become interested in sharing teaching material and experiences across national borders, thus facilitating veterinary teaching in general and during future lock-downs in particular.

Midwives Safeguarding Abortion Access: Establishing Medication Abortion Services.

The abortion access landscape for patients has changed dramatically in the wake of the US Supreme Court Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in June of 2022. In response, the Division of Midwifery at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, began a medication abortion service for both established patients and those who may seek care from out of state. This service increases access to abortion care now while also providing the clinical experience needed for student nurse-midwives to become future abortion providers. This article outlines the steps taken to implement a medication abortion service and ways it can be adopted by other midwifery practices. Strategies to address possible clinical, administrative, and logistical challenges are addressed. Finally, this article is a call to action because midwives are well qualified to provide high quality, safe, and comprehensive medication abortion within the midwifery model of care.

Should we initiate vasopressors earlier in patients with septic shock: A mini systemic review.

Septic shock treatment remains a major challenge for intensive care units, despite the recent prominent advances in both management and outcomes. Vasopressors serve as a cornerstone of septic shock therapy, but there is still controversy over the timing of administration. Specifically, it remains unclear whether vasopressors should be used early in the course of treatment. Here, we provide a systematic review of the literature on the timing of vasopressor administration. Research was systematically identified through PubMed, Embase and Cochrane searching according to PRISMA guidelines. Fourteen studies met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. The pathophysiological basis for early vasopressor use was classified, with the exploration on indications for the early administration of mono-vasopressors or their combination with vasopressin or angiotensinII. We found that mortality was 28.1%-47.7% in the early vasopressors group, and 33.6%-54.5% in the control group. We also investigated the issue of vasopressor responsiveness. Furthermore, we acknowledged the subsequent challenge of administration of high-dose norepinephrine via peripheral veins with early vasopressor use. Based on the literature review, we propose a possible protocol for the early initiation of vasopressors in septic shock resuscitation.

Acceleration potential of a Swiss-inspired approach to the site selection procedure

Abstract. The Federal Company for Radioactive Waste Disposal (BGE), the implementer of Germany's site selection procedure to identify a site suitable to safely dispose of its high-level nuclear waste, recently proposed a timeline suggesting the period between 2046 and 2068 as potential time slot for the final site decision (BGE, 2022). Thus, the decision is expected to be made substantially later than envisaged by the Site Selection Act, which states that one should aim for 2031 (StandAG, 2017). The BGE document not only details the timeline resulting in a site decision by mid-century but also outlines an alternative exploration approach inspired by the Swiss site selection procedure, which – if pursued – would enable substantial time gains. The core of this approach is a paradigm shift from exploration programs designed to acquire all data legally required for the safety analyses to data acquisition explicitly aiming at a site comparison during the respective exploration phase. Consequently, full-scale exploration would only be performed for those siting regions having passed the comparison. This contribution aims to detail and discuss this approach more thoroughly, based on the BGR's experience regarding the exploration of the subsurface. It focuses on the geoscientific aspects of this approach, while neglecting others such as the legal and administrative challenges. Owing to the basic idea of this alternative exploration approach, first a set of parameters suitable to differentiate potentially “better-suited” siting regions from “worse-suited” ones has to be identified. There are two main requirements for this set of parameters, namely the (i) general acceptance by the scientific community and (ii) capability to account for the specific characteristics of the individual host rock types while (still) ensuring the comparability of different rock types.

Hajj as an Element of Spatial Mobility of the Muslim Population of Siberia in the Context of the State‑Confessional Policy of the Russian Empire in the Second Half of the 19th to Early 20th Centuries

Hajj represents one of the most significant events in the life of the Muslim community. In the Russian Empire where Islam had become the second largest denomination in terms of the followers by the beginning of the 20th century, the Hajj transitioned from being a purely religious phenomenon to acquiring a certain political significance too. It was through this pilgrimage that Russian citizens professing Islam established relationships with their coreligionists from abroad.
 The aim of this study is to trace the degree of participation of Siberian Muslims in this process during the second half of the 19th to early 20th centuries and to assess their ability to perform the Hajj. Relying on archival materials, the authors demonstrate the importance of the process of organizing the Hajj and the participation of Muslims from the Russian Empire. The research revealed that Siberian Muslims were relatively minimally involved in the Hajj for several reasons. Firstly, a portion of the Muslims in Siberia had the status of exiles, which limited their movement both abroad and within the country. Secondly, the remoteness of the territory from the main sanitary checkpoints also discouraged potential pilgrims. In light of these circumstances, a phenomenon known as the “small hajj,” i.e., visiting holy places in Central Asia, became common among Siberian Muslims. The administrative challenges associated with performing the Hajj led many Muslims from various regions of the Russian Empire, including Siberia, to partake in pilgrimages illegally.
 This article may be of interest to religious scholars, historians, ethnographers, as well as a broad readership interested in the issues of state-confessional policy in the Russian Empire.

Point-of-care Ultrasound (POCUS) Program for Critical Care Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in an Oncological Intensive Care Unit and Rapid Response Team.

Implementation of a comprehensive point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) program for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting improves their diagnostic and therapeutic skills and enhances patient care. Overcoming staffing, IT infrastructure, and administrative challenges has allowed our critical care medicine service to develop a successful program that empowers NPs and PAs and boosts their professional growth. Our POCUS program underscores the necessity of institutional support, dedicated mentorship, collaboration with qualified faculty, and creation and maintenance of a curriculum that adheres to accepted national guidelines. Insights gained from our experiences can serve as a valuable resource for institutions aiming to develop their own POCUS programs.

Harnessing the evolutionary advantage of emergent performance management regimes: Strengthening accountability for challenges of modern public administration and governance

Harnessing the evolutionary advantage of emergent performance management regimes: Strengthening accountability for challenges of modern public administration and governance

THE TRAINING OF THE SIXTH VERSION ZAHIR ACCOUNTING MICRO,SMALL,AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISE GROUP (MSMe GROUP) IN KADU KEMPONG PADARINCANG VILLAGE, PADARINCANG DISTRICT, IN SERANG REGENCY

Community service activities in the form of Student Work Lectures (KKM) and collaboration with Universitas Bina Bangsa Lecturers regarding optimizing Zahir Accounting Version 6 training in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) group of Kadu Kempong Village, Padarincang, Serang Regency, aim to improve understanding and accounting skills in MSME actors. This study aims to empower MSMEs to manage their finances more efficiently through the use of Zahir Accounting Version 6 software. The method of implementing this activity includes the stages of identifying needs and initial assessment of the MSME group in Kadu Kempong Village. After that, a training program was designed that was adjusted to the level of understanding of the participants. The training focused on introducing the main features of Zahir Accounting Version 6, recording financial transactions, preparing financial reports, and simple analysis. In addition, this activity also includes a question-and-answer session and assistance in applying accounting practices to MSMEs. The results of this activity showed a significant increase in participants' understanding of basic accounting concepts and their ability to use Zahir Accounting Version 6. MSME players are now able to record financial transactions in a more structured manner, produce more accurate financial reports, and are able to analyze the financial health of their businesses. Thus, UMKM Kadu Kempong Village can optimize the use of Zahir Accounting Version 6 software to support their business growth and development. It is hoped that the continuation of this training can assist other MSMEs in overcoming accounting and administrative challenges, as well as potentially boosting the local economy as a whole.

Implementation Assessment of Electronic Records Management System in Bayelsa State, Nigeria

The quality of information available to medical practitioners when delivering treatment to patients influences the outcome of service delivery. In the healthcare industry, health information technology has been shown to improve patient safety and treatment quality. The purpose of this research is to identify the facilitators and hurdles to the deployment of an electronic records management system at NDUTH, Okolobiri. For this study, a descriptive cross-sectional research design was used. The stratified random sample was taken from the 204 staff members that participated in the survey at NDUTH Okolobiri. Telephone interviews were also conducted with a small number of hospital staff who had deployed the electronic records system. According to the findings, the majority of participants (51.0%) were female, with an average age of 37(SD+9.0) years. The respondents’ overall understanding of electronic records management systems was 45.9%. The overall implementation rate was 22.8%. The study’s facilitators were leadership support along with the availability of ICT equipment, whereas the barriers were funding, a lack of power, insufficient ICT infrastructures, administrative challenges, poor staff compliance, a lack of government support, and poor maintenance of software and ICT equipment. The findings indicate that government and private enterprises should invest more in healthcare delivery via electronic records management systems. This is critical because the quality of information that medical practitioners have access to when caring for patients influences the effectiveness of health service delivery. It has also been discovered to ensure the proper operation of health institutions.

First Responders and the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Organizational Strategies Can Promote Workforce Retention

Workforce retention is a current challenge for public administration, and there are continued questions about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the public safety workforce and their willingness to serve. Past studies have shown there are limits to what first responders will endure during complex and uncertain emergencies, leading them to potentially leave their position. Using a nationwide survey ( n = 3,582), in-depth interviews ( n = 91), and a visual methodology called PhotoVoice, this study examines the factors impacting threats to workforce retention (i.e., role abandonment and turnover intentions) among first responders and the ways public organizations can mitigate this negative impact. The results show personal or family risk may contribute to first responders’ decisions to quit, while an understanding of public risk may promote retention. We identify several organizational strategies (e.g., emotional safety, sufficient protective equipment, standard operating procedures) that may reduce retention threats.

Policy Analysis of New Autonomous Region Formation: A Case Study on the Readiness of Tondano City Formation Based on Government Regulation Number 78 of 2007

<p class="s41"><span class="s40">This research aims to describe and analyze the implementation of Government Regulation Number 78 of 2007, focusing on the supporting and inhibiting factors in the process of preparing </span><span class="s40">Tondano</span><span class="s40"> Raya District to become </span><span class="s40">Tondano</span><span class="s40"> City, a New Autonomous Region. Using the Policy Analysis theory by Patton & Sawick</span><span class="s40">i</span><span class="s40"> (2012), the study develops policy alternatives to ensure readiness for this transformation. The findings indicate that while there is significant community support for forming </span><span class="s40">Tondano</span><span class="s40"> City, several administrative and technical requirements stipulated by Government Regulation Number 78 of 2007 remain unmet. Specifically, administrative challenges, economic indicators, and infrastructure improvements are needed. High community support and abundant natural resources are major supporting factors, yet the lack of clear regulations and a moratorium policy </span><span class="s40">present significant obstacles</span><span class="s40">. The proposed policy alternatives include: strengthening relationships between the DPR and the community, completing and updating essential data, maintaining population quality and quantity, increasing Profit Sharing Funds, General Allocation Funds, and Special Allocation Funds, enhancing local revenue policies, adjusting expenditure patterns, securing potential national financial sources for local management, granting greater discretion to local governments, promoting industrial development, and optimizing resource potential in the prospective new autonomous region. These alternatives aim to comprehensively address the readiness for the future formation of </span><span class="s40">Tondano</span><span class="s40"> City as a New Autonomous Region, ensuring sustainable development and improved public services.</span></p><p class="s42"><span> </span></p><p class="s37"><span class="s36">Keywords:</span></p><p class="s38"><span class="s31">policy </span><span class="s31">analysis</span><span class="s31">; </span><span class="s31">f</span><span class="s31">ormation of new autonomous regions</span><span class="s31">; </span><span class="s31">policy alternatives</span></p>