Different Categories Of Staff Research Articles

Governing students for work and for life - guidance for students with special educational needs in Finnish VET

ABSTRACT Guidance has gained an increasingly important role in education. In this study, guidance for students with special educational needs within competence-based and customer-oriented, Finnish vocational education and training (VET) is examined from a governance perspective. Data were collected via focus group discussions among different categories of staff at one VET provider. A close-to-text analysis of the data was then performed followed by an investigation based on the Foucauldian key concepts, governmentality and power. Three versions of guidance were identified. In the first version, students are regarded as active and self-governing people, whose own motives and interest in education need to be identified and taken into account. In the second version, students are described as having difficulties in carrying out their studies and are given a passive role and exposed to objectifying governance by means of disciplinary power. In the third version, students are assumed to have a great need for support and are subject to a thorough, yet subtle, governance by means of pastoral power. The results are discussed with a focus on student categorisation and subject positions.

Вовлеченность сотрудников в управление как фактор повышения удовлетворенности работой

The involvement of staff in management is a 21st century management trend. Management consideration of employees as objects of management, suitable only to follow orders, is interpreted by researchers as a manifestation of toxic labor relations. In different countries, the manifestation of participation in management by workers occurs non-linearly and unevenly. Based on the materials of a sociological study, this article analyzes the prospects for involving workers in management in the Ural region. Contradictory trends have been identified: different categories of staff for the most part support the need for initiatives and innovations; however, there is a lack of confidence among employees that they can influence the ongoing changes, let alone initiate them. Not only the workers, but also the lower and middle levels of management assess the possibility of their participation in this process as low. The result is a decreasein the responsibility of staff for the results of the organization’s activities, ineffective use of involvement technologies, and a decrease in trust in the administration. The study makes it possible to determine the prospects for the use of staff involvement technologies: in decision-making through the design and rationalization of activities at the enterprise. Those employees who have the opportunity to participate in management decision-making activities are more satisfied with their work. The involvement of staff allows for the transformation of labor values from paternalistic and confrontational to a partnership.

Cost of a routine (planned) cardiac by-pass surgery at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka

Background: Non-communicable disease (NCD) has become a major challenge in Sri Lanka. Over the last 40 years, ischemic heart disease (IHD) has been identified as one of the leading causes of NCD deaths in Sri Lanka. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is a revascularization procedure that has been identified as an effective method for managing a patient with IHD. Therefore, estimating the approximate cost of CABG surgery in a public hospital would help in economic evaluations and managerial decision-making in public sector investments.Objective: To estimate the approximate cost of an uncomplicated routine (planned) cardiac bypass surgery at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka (NHSL), Colombo.Methods: This study was primarily based on secondary data. The data required for costing the procedure was extracted from 52 BHTs of patients who underwent CABG surgery at the NHSL during the last three months of the year 2019. Extracted data was used to determine the costing elements of each cost center. Direct and indirect cost centers were identified, and the cost of each center was determined by apportioning the available cost data by the step-down method using a weighted factor where applicable.Results: The approximate cost of an uncomplicated CABG was Rs. 1.3 million per patient. Out of the total cost, 89% (Rs. 1.16 million) was expended on direct labor as salaries of different categories of staff. A major portion of it (56%) was spent on ICU care (Rs. 0.654 million) followed by post-surgical care at the ward settings (33.9%, Rs. 0.393 million). The highest cost of the material was recorded at the theatre which was 6% of the total cost (Rs. 78,960.00). The cost of total overheads was Rs. 29,517.00 which was about 2.2% of the total. Conclusion: Although the approximate cost of a routine uncomplicated CABG surgery was Rs.1.3 million ($ 7,027) as of December 2019 at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka, compared to more developed countries this is a fairly low cost. However, when the differences between health system organization and per capita health expenditure are concerned, this is quite evident to claim that the Sri Lankan health system has low-cost but effective models of delivering its care to people.

Between structure and individual needs: a discourse-analytic study of support and guidance for students with special needs in Finnish vocational education and training

ABSTRACT The reformed Finnish vocational education and training (VET) system is a competence-based, customer-oriented educational programme with two overarching aims: to develop a skilled labour force and to promote social inclusion. Support and guidance have become increasingly important in Finnish VET in recent decades. This study focuses on how linguistic constructions of support and guidance for VET students with special educational needs are constructed in the dynamics between institutional ideas and the language use of VET staff. Data were collected through focus group discussions among different categories of staff. Through a psychological discourse analysis, three different linguistic constructions emerged: a package of support measures, a structure falling apart and dialogue as a bridge builder. Tensions and contradictions were identified between the different constructions. The results point to the need for balance between institutional structures and the possibilities of staff that daily interact with the student to provide holistic support measures.

Evaluating the need for supervision of advanced mental health practitioners in psychiatric practices in Saudi Arabia

PurposeResearch supports the value of clinical supervision as an essential aspect of mental health nursing. Despite the need for this, there appears to be a deficit in qualified supervision in the mental health field, although efforts have been made toward advanced mental health practitioner nursing. This study aims to characterize the ideas that advanced mental health nurse practitioners hold about supervision in practice and to consider what is required to support changes to advanced mental health nursing in Saudi Arabia.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopted a qualitative exploratory design that applied a phenomenological approach as the research method. Twelve postgraduate mental health nurses were recruited through purposive sampling.FindingsThe data analysis generated the central theme, which indicates the attributes of a competent supervisor of advanced mental health nurse practitioners. The components of a supervisor’s competence had the following three main themes: nursing competencies, professional characteristics and communication.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of this study is that the data was collected from practicing advanced care mental health practitioners in Saudi Arabia. Further research conducted in different geographical areas and with different categories of staff is warranted. The results of those studies could be compared against the results presented here.Practical implicationsBest practice measures indicated that mental health nurse practitioners working in mental health settings and private practice should receive supervision to help them reflect upon their daily nursing practice challenges.Originality/valueThe findings of this study indicate that to support mental health practitioners and advanced mental health practitioners working in private practice, competent supervisors need to be on hand and willing to invest in creating a supportive culture in practice.

The impact of personal coaching on influenza vaccination among healthcare workers before and during COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundWithout the implementation of mandatory vaccination, it was difficult to increase the influenza vaccination rate among healthcare workers. We described the strategy of personal coaching and assess its impact in increasing the influenza vaccination rate among healthcare workers in Hong Kong. MethodsPersonal coaching of individual staff led by the infection control officer (ICO) and senior nursing officer (SNO) from infection control team could overcome barriers and promote on-site vaccination. The influenza vaccination rates among different categories of staff in 2016/2017 (year 1, baseline), 2017/2018 (year 2, promotion using social media), and 2018/2019 to 2020/2021 (year 3–5, promotion using personal coaching) were analysed in a healthcare region with 8490 ± 206 staff during the study period. ResultsWith the implementation of personal coaching, the influenza vaccination rates increased significantly among medical (65.0% vs 57.0%, p = 0.048), nursing (30.6% vs 21.1%, p < 0.001), allied health (37.0% vs 27.4%, p < 0.001), care-related supporting staff (37.7% vs 27.3%, p < 0.001), and non-professional staff (27.3% vs 22.3%, p < 0.001) in year 3 compared with year 2, and also significantly increased among all staff in year 4 (38.0% vs 34.7%, p < 0.001) and year 5 (45.2% vs 38.0%, p < 0.001) when compared with the preceding year. The increase in vaccination rate was not apparent with social media promotion alone (26.4%, year 2 vs 25.6%, year 1, p = 0.305). ConclusionPersonal coaching led by ICO and SNO significantly increased the vaccination rates among healthcare workers in 3 consecutive years. This model could be promulgated to unit heads to establish a hospital culture conducive to vaccination.

Differences between Zoo/Aquarium Staff and Visitors’ Values, Beliefs, and Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Consequences for Environmental Communication

The value priorities, pro-environmental beliefs and pro-environmental behaviors of zoo/aquarium staff, volunteers, visitors and non-visitors are examined to test whether they differ in ways that may impact zoos’ effectiveness in communicating environmental messages. Online surveys were completed by 607 staff (including 157 educators), 339 volunteers, 1444 frequent visitors, 2321 occasional visitors and 350 non-visitors across 12 sites in North America and Australia. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to compare different categories of staff; and to compare educator, volunteer, visitor and non-visitor groups, in relation to their values and pro-environmental beliefs and behaviors. Educators and volunteers were found to ascribe greater importance to self-transcendence values than visitors, and this was reflected in their pro-environmental beliefs and behaviors. These differences may hinder educators’ ability to design and present environmental messages that resonate with current and potential visitors whose values may differ significantly from their own. Suggestions for mitigating this are discussed.

Цифровізація залучення персоналу через job-портали

Digitalization of staff involvement stipulates improvement and automation of search and recruitment processes, talent management, etc. Digital instruments for interacting with employment sites are implemented through the vacancies software (JBS). The rapid increase in its use was due to strict restrictions, social distancing and an increase in the number of staff working from home. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, JBS becomes the place of direct prompt interaction between the employer (or recruiting agency) and the job seeker. It is necessary to study the processes of digitalization of staff involvement through job portals and determine their impact on the staff recruitment process; analysis of the activities of job portals in the labor market, the scale of distribution of this method of attracting candidates. The article is concerned with studying the digital technologies of attracting staff through job portals. The trends of development of staff involvement using job search websites are analyzed. The types and features of using the software to work with job ads have been generalized. The specifics of the use of the most popular international job portals are highlighted. The main possibilities of using Ukrainian job portals to attract staff are evaluated and the dynamics and structure of the labor demand and supply on the most popular ones are analyzed. Recommendations for employers on the effective use of job portals to attract staff that can be implemented in the practice of staff management have been developed. Increasing the efficiency of the use of job portals in attracting staff is possible through its digitalization. Opportunities for attracting different categories of staff and prompt closure of company vacancies depend on the labor market segment, which is covered by individual job portals.

Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among UNRWA* health staff in Jordan concerning mental health programme pre-implementation: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundMental health is a major public health priority, especially among refugees. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) started to integrate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) into its primary healthcare services in Jordan in late 2017. In this study, we aimed to assess of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among UNRWA health staff (HS) in Jordan concerning mental health programme pre-implementation, and their perceived barriers about this MHPSS programme.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among doctors, dentists, nurses, and midwives who work at 16 of the 25 UNRWA health centres in Jordan. The assessment was made using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 22).ResultsOf the participants, 73% (161 of 220) believed that their knowledge of MHPSS programmes was insufficient, with no significant difference (p = 0·116) between different categories of staff. Furthermore, 88% (194 of 220) said that they needed more training, 67% (147 of 220) reported that the number of mental health cases is increasing, and 50% (110 of 220) that dealing with these cases is difficult. Reflecting on the past 12 months, 31% of staff (69 out of 220) reported meeting between one and ten children, and 45% (100 out of 220) reported meeting between one and ten adults suspected of having mental illnesses. The most suspected condition was depression (84%; 150 of 220), followed by epilepsy (64%; 140 of 220). The main perceived barriers to implementation included the limited availability of MHPSS policies (87%; 192 of 220), MH professionals (86%; 190 of 220), resources (86%; 189 out of 220), and lack of privacy (14%; 31 out of 220).ConclusionsMost health staff had positive attitudes towards MHPSS programme implementation but felt they lacked the required knowledge. There is a need for training and clear technical guidelines. Perceived barriers to MHPSS programme implementation were consistent with the previous studies and need to be tackled with a structured plan of action.

FUNCTIONAL TRAINING OF MANAGEMENT STAFF AS A TOOL TO IMPROVE THE MANAGEMENT OF ENTERPRISES AND ORGANIZATIONS

Introduction. The processes of globalization and the rapid development of the innovative compo-nent of the economy require companies to properly ensure the effectiveness of personnel manage-ment. Creation and implementation of innovations significantly affect the competitiveness of the enterprise, region, state, so it is necessary to develop the intellectual and creative potential of staff. The purpose of the research is to substantiate the role of functional training of management staff as a tool to improve the management of enterprises and organizations. Results. The key components of the personnel potential of the enterprise (organization) are determined. The personnel potential as a component of the system of economic potential of the enterprise is characterized. The principles of personnel management development are given. The role of personnel development as an element of the staffing system is outlined. The essence of staffing as a system, process and mechanism is substantiated. The essence and structure of intellectual capital of the organization (enterprise) are characterized. The author's position on the ratio of human and intellectual capital is given. Types of intellectual capital by the nature of utility are considered. The role and essence of functional training of managerial staff is substantiated. The expediency of taking into account the influence of factors of the internal environment of the enterprise in the process of planning and implementation of functional training of management staff is noted. It is proposed to take into account the peculiarities of professional development of different categories of staff in the process of their training. The expediency of considering the effectiveness of personnel management in the context of the overall efficiency of the enterprise is substantiated. The goals and main tasks of ensuring the effectiveness of personnel management are highlighted. Conclusions. In the global information economy, the role of staff in the process of creating competitive advantages of the enterprise is growing. The growth of production of the enterprise is mainly due to the efficient use of personnel. Keywords: personnel, efficiency of personnel management, personnel potential, personnel provision, functional training.

Assessment of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices among UNRWA health staff in Jordan concerning mental health programme pre-implementation: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundMental health is a major public health priority, particularly among refugees worldwide. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) started to integrate mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) into its primary health-care services in Jordan in late 2017. This baseline study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers among UNRWA health staff regarding the implementation of the MHPSS programme. MethodsThe UNRWA Health Programme conducted a cross-sectional study of a sample of 220 out of the 390 male and female doctors, dentists, nurses, and midwives who work at 16 of the 25 UNRWA health centres in Jordan during November, 2017. Individuals on duty at the health centres on the day of the survey were included. The 16 health centres were selected based on their size and accessibility to surveyors (reflecting proximity to Amman, and the size of population served). Of the selected health centres, seven were large, seven were medium, and two were small according to the UNRWA classification of health centres (based on the number of medical doctors). A validated self-administered questionnaire was used. Ethics approval was granted by the UNRWA Health Programme ethics committee, and informed written consent was obtained from all participants. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (version 22). FindingsOf the participants, 73% (161 of 220) believed that their knowledge of MHPSS programmes was insufficient, with no significant difference (p=0·116) between different categories of staff. Furthermore, 88% (194 of 220) said that they needed more training, 67% (147 of 220) reported that the number of mental health cases is increasing, and 50% (110 of 220) that dealing with these cases is difficult. Reflecting on the past 12 months, 31% of staff (69 out of 220) reported meeting between one and ten children, and 45% (100 out of 220) reported meeting between one and ten adults suspected of having mental illnesses. The most suspected condition was depression (84%; 150 of 220), followed by epilepsy (64%; 140 of 220). The main perceived barriers to implementation included the limited availability of MHPSS policies (87%; 192 of 220), MH professionals (86%; 190 of 220), resources (86%; 189 out of 220), and lack of privacy (14%; 31 out of 220). InterpretationMost health staff had positive attitudes towards MHPSS programme implementation but felt they lacked the required knowledge. There is a need for training and clear technical guidelines. Perceived barriers to MHPSS programme implementation need to be tackled with a structured plan of action. FundingThe UNRWA Health Programme, UNRWA Headquarters, Amman, Jordan.

Records management practice in support of governance in the county governments of Kenya, a case of Nyamira County

PurposeThe study aims to establish the records management practice, in support of governance in Nyamira County. The objectives were to determine the types of records managed in Nyamira County, to establish the contribution of records management in the running of Nyamira County, to determine the adoption of records management policies in Nyamira County and to assess strategies that will lead to sound records management in Nyamira County.Design/methodology/approachThe sample population comprised 27 respondents who were drawn from different categories of staff through census sampling as follows: 4 records officers, 3 record clerks, 10 chief officers and 10 secretaries. The study used a qualitative research approach where interview schedules and observation were used for data collection.FindingsIt was established that Nyamira County generated various types of records including policy related records, financial records and auditing records. It was submitted that records management is essential in support of governance as it forms a basis for equity in resource distribution, hence fostering confidence among the public, which results in good will from the people on County government projects. The study noted various challenges including inadequately trained staff on records management, lack of records disposal and retention schedules, inadequate equipment and space and inadequate policies and standards.Originality/valueThe study concluded that poor records management practiced in Nyamira County was a great hindrance to good governance and recommended that county governments should formulate and implement records management policies, standards and guidelines and provide adequate budgetary allocations to ensure that the records management practice that is in place supports governance.

Assessment of the accuracy of the Medical Response to Major Incidents (MRMI) course for interactive training of the response to major incidents and disasters.

The benefit of simulation models for interactive training of the response to major incidents and disasters has been increasingly recognized during recent years and a variety of such models have been reported. However, reviews of this literature show that the majority of these reports have been characterized by significant limitations regarding validation of the accuracy of the training related to given objectives. In this study, precourse and postcourse self-assessment surveys related to the specific training objectives, as an established method for curriculum validation, were used to validate the accuracy of a course in Medical Response to Major Incidents (MRMI) developed and organized by an international group of experts under the auspices of the European Society for Trauma and Emergency Surgery. The studied course was an interactive course, where all trainees acted in their normal roles during two full-day simulation exercises with real time and with simultaneous training of the whole chain of response: scene, transport, the different functions in the hospital, communication, coordination, and command. The key component of the system was a bank of magnetized casualty cards, giving all information normally available as a base for decisions on triage and primary management. All treatments were indicated with attachments on the cards and consumed time and resources as in reality. The trainees' performance was recorded according to prepared protocols and a measurable result of the response could be registered. This study was based on five MRMI courses in four different countries with altogether 235 participants from 23 different countries. In addition to conventional course evaluations and recording of the performance during the 2 exercise days, the trainees' perceived competencies related to the specific objectives of the training for different categories of staff were registered on a floating scale 1-10 in self-assessment protocols immediately before and after the course. The results were compared as an indicator of to which extent the training fulfilled the given objectives. These objectives were set by an experienced international faculty and based on experiences from recent major incident and disasters. Comparison of precourse and postcourse self-assessments of the trainees' perceived knowledge and skills related to the given objectives for the training showed a significant increase in all the registered parameters for all categories of participating staff. The average increase was for prehospital staff 74 percent (p<0.001), hospital staff 65 percent (p<0.001), and staff in coordinating/administrative functions 81 percent (p<0.001). The significant differences in the trainees' self-assessment of perceived competencies between the precourse and postcourse surveys indicated that the methodology in the studied course model accurately responded to the specific objectives for the different categories of staff.

Analysis of the Causes of Labor Opportunism in Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University

The objective ofthestudyisto analyze of the reasons for the occurrence of opportunism amongst staff in organizations. Using the results of a staff survey, research was carried out into correlation-regression dependencies of the factors that cause different forms of labor opportunism amongst different categories of workers: managers and their subordinates. On the basis of a quantitative assessment of the level of labor opportunism, the study estimates the inclination towards opportunism in the context of different categories of staff, and ascertains conditions of stability in the occurrence of labor opportunism in the organization. The research conducted into the nature of interference of labor opportunism between managers and subordinates provides evidence that the opportunism of the staff is a response to the opportunism of their superiors.

Effects of Entrepreneurial Orientations on Organizational Learning in a Manufacturing Firm in Nigeria

The concept of entrepreneur orientation and entrepreneurship has always been spoken of as being key factor in organisational learning and performance. The contention has been that entrepreneurial firms take more risks than other types of firms. An objective of the study therefore, is to determine the true position and appropriateness of the above view The study intends also to ascertain whether risk –taking behavior, proactiveness and competitive aggressiveness jointly and independently predict entrepreneurial innovativeness and the relationships of these variables.The data for the study was collected through questionnaire administered on different categories of staff of Unilever Nig. Plc. The data collected was analysed using multiple regression, frequency counts, percentages and Pearson’s correlation analysis. The result of the study indicated that entrepreneurial orientation as measured by risk taking behaviour, proactiveness and competitive aggressiveness has positive and significant impact on organizational learning. The conclusion from the study is that the enterprises especially small and medium scale ones, must learn and apply knowledge of such learning to adjustment strategies in order to take advantage of emerging opportunities. It is recommended that given the increasing volatility of enterprise operating environment enterprises need to continually increase their coping ability through learning.

The only one or one of many? A comment on the RDoC project

The only one or one of many? A comment on the RDoC project

Employment effects of hospital privatization in Germany

The main argument for the ongoing privatization process is that privatization will lead to an increase in efficiency, which has been confirmed by a large number of studies. An important argument against privatization is that privatization may lead to employment reductions. In the hospital sector, potential employment reductions might also lead to a decrease in the quality of care. This is the first study to investigate the employment effects of different types of hospital privatization (i.e., for-profit vs non-profit privatization) on different categories of staff. A combination of propensity score matching and difference-in-difference methods was used to identify the causal effect. We found large employment reductions after for-profit privatization, while there were no permanent reductions after non-profit privatization. Moreover, even for-profit privatization does not affect all types of staff. While there are large reductions in non-clinical staff, we could not detect any reduction in the number of physicians. The consequences of the detected employment effects of privatization have to be addressed in greater detail in future research.

Demographic Differences and Professional Stress of College Employees: A Case Study in Serbia

This study explores the perception of professional stress and stress coping strategies in a sample of 80 employees at the college. The data was collected by using an inventory of perceived sources of stress and work stress indicator (coping scale). In addition to developing the concept of professional stress, the study had two objectives: to measure the level of professional stress in different categories of staff at the college and to study and analyze stress in Serbia in relation to individual differences (gender, age, marital status, parenthood, number of children, education, class, and working hours). The highest level of stress experienced was by respondents with three or more children, over 50 years old, have a college degree, and professors. Employees younger than 30 years of age, members of the student parliament, employees with a university degree, and the parents of one child experienced the lowest level of stress. As for the relationship between individual differences and stress levels, the results show that there is a relationship between age, marital status, parenting, and the education of the children and how they are experiencing stress. By contrast, gender, class, and working hours are not associated with it. The research integrates a broader set of variables that are prerequisites to a better understanding of demographic and employment factors that lead to professional stress. This should help better understand the proportion of variance of employee satisfaction, performance, and help better cope with it.

Global Public-Private Partnerships in International Law

Over the last decade, public-private partnerships between states and a variety of non-state actors have proliferated as vehicles for functional co-operation at the global level. In parallel, there has been an emerging trend to accord such partnerships the privileges and immunities normally reserved for intergovernmental organizations (“IO-type privileges and immunities”). After identifying the legal and normative issues associated with this trend, this article argues that IO-type privileges and immunities should be restricted to entities that are clearly established under and governed by international law, and that any approach to IO-type privileges and immunities as a uniform package deal, regardless of the precise functional requirements of the global public-private partnership and its different categories of staff, or the specific conditions in the relevant national jurisdiction where a given privilege or immunity is sought, should be avoided.

Employment Effects of Hospital Privatization in Germany

The main argument for the ongoing privatization process is that privatization will lead to an increase in efficiency, which has been confirmed by a large number of studies. An important argument against privatization is that privatization may lead to employment reductions. In the hospital sector, potential employment reductions might also lead to a decrease in the quality of care. This is the first study to investigate the employment effects of different types of hospital privatization (i.e., for-profit vs non-profit privatization) on different categories of staff. A combination of propensity score matching and difference-in-difference methods was used to identify the causal effect. We found large employment reductions after for-profit privatization, while there were no permanent reductions after non-profit privatization. Moreover, even for-profit privatization does not affect all types of staff. While there are large reductions in non-clinical staff, we could not detect any reduction in the number of physicians. The consequences of the detected employment effects of privatization have to be addressed in greater detail in future research.