Difficult Work Research Articles

Balancing professional autonomy and authority at the margins of a fragile state: Front-line health workers’ experiences in Burkina Faso

ABSTRACT The availability of diagnostic equipment, medical products and basic infrastructure is limited in most low-income societies. Poor motivation among health workers as well as recruitment and retention problems are key factors contributing to poor health care services in developing countries. The current paper describes how the front line cope with these difficult working conditions. Data for this study come from anthropological fieldwork in two districts of Burkina Faso and include a total of 27 unstructured and 40 semi-structured interviews with staff at dispensaries and medical centres in the two districts. Analytically, we make a distinction between their professional autonomy and their professional authority. We find that while the health workers experience a certain degree of professional autonomy, in the sense that they rely on their own clinical judgement and their discretion as decision makers and gatekeepers, their professional authority is constantly challenged when working at the margins of the state. Through improvisations and bricolaging, they compensate for the many shortcomings, but many of them feel that their skills are waning and that their professional identity threatened. Thus, massive strengthening of the front-line health worker’s capacity is imperative for future improvement of health care services in Burkina Faso.

Features Of The Model Of The Relationship Between Patients And Medical Professionals In The Treatment Of Complications COVID-2019

The article is devoted to the problems of doctor-patient relationships in the context of a new type of coronavirus pandemic. The study was conducted using a questionnaire survey of 34 patients of the infectious diseases hospital, organized on the basis of the city hospital. According to the data obtained, all patients were satisfied with the medical care provided. Respondents noted a high level of care of doctors about their health. The survey also showed a high level of implementation of the patient’s rights to autonomy. Patients noted the difficult working conditions of medical workers. They consider the awarding of state awards to doctors to be justified. In addition, respondents consider the amount of additional payments to medical workers for their work to be insufficient. In conclusion, the author notes the formation of a predominantly cooperative model of relationships between medical professionals and patients.

EMERGENCY LAPAROTOMIES: VALIDATING THE ROLE OF SPINAL ANESTHESIA IN HIGH RISK CASES. A RETROSPECTIVE, FACILITY BASED OBSERVATIONAL STUDY IN SRINAGAR, GARHWAL, UTTARAKHAND

Introduction: Perforation peritonitis is very rampant in hilly areas of Garhwal due to excessive consumption of alcohol, smoking and stresses of life due to difficult terrain and working conditions. Most of the patients with co-morbities like COPD have higher pulmonary related complications following surgery under G.A. It is a challenge and concern for surgeons and anesthetists to manage and provide optimal care to these patients. The study validates the role of spinal anesthesia in such cases. Materials And Method: We reviewed all cases of emergency laparotomies done between Jan 2019 and June 2020. Ninety cases were given spinal anesthesia as sole anesthetic agent out of which sixty cases were ASA IV and thirty cases were ASA III. Outcome in all cases was analyzed and recorded. Results: All cases were adequately operated and outcome was successful in all accept three cases which required G.A due to prolonged surgeries. None needed mechanical ventilatory support post operatively. Mean hospital stay was seven days and there was no report of major renal or respiratory complications. Conclusion: Spinal anesthesis is a safe option and alternate to G.A in high risk emergency laparotomies minimizing the requirement of ventilatory support in rural tertiary care hospitals were critical care facilities are compromised.

Effect of Adopting Hardship Allowance Academic Staffs in Jig-Jiga University, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia

Higher education is one of the most important drivers of a nation and plays a significant role in the development of any country through the creation and cultivation of knowledge for the sake of building a modern world. The academic staffs are a key resource within higher education institutions. A positive and healthy university structure results in increased academic staff retention, job satisfaction, commitment and better job motivation. The study attempted to examine the extent to which hardship allowance retains and attracts academic staff at Jig-Jiga University (JJU). This study took a mixed method of research design. Primary data were collected through questionnaire surveys and interviews from various fields while secondary data were collected from the website, different journals, books and the internet which related to the hardship allowance. The Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 200 university academic staff while interviews were to university top management officials. The study found that the absence of hardship allowance to JJU’s academic staff meant relegating the desired goals of quality education and staff retention. In fact, the existence of such difficult conditions in Jig-Jiga town is duly recognised by different federal institutions operating in Jig-Jiga town. The federal institutions clearly recognise the existence of different difficult working conditions in the town and provided hardship allowance for their employees while their counterpart JJU staffs are getting nothing of such kind. The study offers practical suggestions that deep and urgent attentions need put in place to improve the staffs’ life, moral, and motivational crises. Further, the Ministry of Science and Higher education has to oversee the situation like the other sectors that implemented the hardship allowance to their employees.

PLC Tabanlı Uygulamalar: Mill Makinelerinde Oluşacak İş Kazalarının PLC Kullanılarak Önlenmesi

In recent years, the use of automation systems has been increasing, and the basis of these automation systems is generally Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) based application. PLC is used for automation in the industry where there are many advanced machines and devices. In industrial automation systems, it is also used Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Human - Machine Interface (HMI) systems to ensure safe, quality, and fast production by minimizing human errors and intervention. Because of these systems used in the industries, the automation software developed enables 24/7 production with high quality and low cost. Large-scale companies prefer to use automation systems in order to minimize worker labor and error, prevent work accidents, reduce costs, and make high quality and fast production. PLCs are widely used in packaging systems, especially in the food, chemical, tire, automotive industries, as well as in cement plants, ventilation and cooling facilities, and textile factories. These systems, which are widely used in industries, are preferred due to simple programming structure, ease of setup, use and assembly, durable operation in difficult working environments, low failure, low maintenance cost, and low energy consumption. This article presents the usage and application areas of PLC based automation systems. In addition, a case study is presented that Mill machines, commonly found in truck tire manufacturing factories, are secured using PLC and HMI. Input and output cards have been added to these machines to provide security automatically. As a result of the case study, the production is made faster and with higher quality, and employees are provided with a safer environment. In addition, thanks to the developed HMI interface, Mill machines are able to control and monitor malfunctions and safety situations without the need for additional maintenance personnel.

The process of optimizing the radial sliding bearing

The problem of optimizing the bearing choice process, caused by the failures due to the short life of the bearings, caused by the difficult working conditions, is becoming more and more frequent.By further optimizing the type of bearings used, we aim to both improve efficiency and productivity and reduce costs.For the choice of a radial sliding bearing, the three basic steps are followed: calculation of the diameter of the shaft, verification of the bearing pressure, thermal calculation. If at least one of the last two is not appropriate, the designer must change the material, the cooling conditions or the length / diameter ratio and then recalculate the bearing.The methodology of optimizing the choice of bearings involves the establishment of a set of initial constraints to reduce arbitrary recalculations.In optimal design, we eliminate the drawbacks presented in usual design and we impose at the beginning some restriction for shaft material, deflection, cooling capacity, we determine the type of fit and tolerances, that is neglected in usual design.

Hospital doctors and the struggle for work-life balance: the case of Ireland

Abstract Background Ireland has a high rate of doctor emigration. Difficult working conditions, particularly in the hospital sector, are often cited as a driver of doctor emigration. In October 2019, a random sample of Ireland's hospital doctors were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey about their working conditions. Methods The survey was distributed via the national Medical Register (with the assistance of the Medical Council of Ireland). Invitations were sent to 5356 hospital doctors, stratified by registration status (including interns, trainees, those not in training and consultants). An overall response rate of 20% was achieved (N = 1070). This paper focusses on responses to two free-text survey questions: (1) Do you have any other comments about your work-life balance? (N = 314). (2) Do you have any other comments on your working conditions as a hospital doctor? (N = 469). Results Respondent hospital doctors, at all levels of seniority, were struggling to achieve a balance between work and life. Of the free-text responses received, 8/10 were negative, with work-life balance/imbalance and work-overload being the issues arising most frequently. Respondents discussed how long and unpredictable working hours, combined with a high level of work intensity, meant that they often spent their personal time recovering from work. Conclusions Poor work-life balance has become normalised within Irish hospital medicine. The findings call to action to critically reflect on the sustainability of this way of working for the individual doctors, the wider workforce and the Irish health system.

Культурная жизнь блокадного Ленинграда в «Дневниках военных лет» В.В. Вишневского

The paper deals with the cultural life of besieged Leningrad through the prism of the “Diaries of the War Years” by V.V. Vishnevsky. It reveals the social significance of the musical performance “The Sea Spreads Wide” created with Vishnevsky’s active participation and the play “At the Walls of Leningrad”, the main writer’s work about the siege. Of particular interest are the diary entries about the author’s participation in the difficult work on the documentary “Leningrad in the struggle”. The paper characterizes Vishnevsky’s personal perception of various aspects of cultural life in the besieged city, gives his assessment of the events, and describes the stages of the writer’s work on the main wartime plays, the problems of cultural figures, caused not only by the difficult living conditions, but also by the strict control by the party leadership.

Uncertainties, work conditions and testing biases: Potential pathways to misdiagnosis in point-of-care rapid HIV testing in Zimbabwe.

Disconcerting levels of misdiagnosis are common in point-of-care rapid HIV testing programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. To investigate potential pathways to misdiagnosis, we interviewed 28 HIV testers in Zimbabwe and conducted weeklong observations at four testing facilities. Approaching adherence to national HIV testing algorithms as a social and scripted practice, dependent on the integration of certain competences, materials and meanings, our thematic analysis revealed three underlying causes of misdiagnosis: One, a lack of confidence in using certain test-kits, coupled with changes in testing algorithms and inadequate training, fed uncertainties with some testing practices. Two, difficult work conditions, including high workloads and resource-depleted facilities, compounded these uncertainties, and meant testers got distracted or resorted to testing short-cuts. Three, power struggles between HIV testers, and specific client-tester encounters created social interactions that challenged the testing process. We conclude that these contexts contribute to deviances from official and recommended testing procedures, as well as testing and interpretation biases, which may explain cases of misdiagnoses. We caution against user-error explanations to misdiagnosis in the absence of a broader recognition of how broader structural determinants affect HIV testing practices.

Understanding sustainability – the case of building blocks in Tanzania and Uganda

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe sustainability of hollow and solid blocks in sub-Saharan Africa.Design/methodology/approachIndicators of stakeholder value are proposed for measuring block sustainability based on comparisons of user building value price and carbon emissions. Block manufacturing processes in Tanzania and Uganda are described and assessed in this context.FindingsThe results from Uganda indicate that there are economic and environmental advantages in using hollow blocks as long as they are produced to statutory compliance levels. However, where blocks are not produced to standard requirements, the results indicate that it is better to use solid blocks. This surprising result seems to indicate that blocks prepared using low additions of cement might have sufficient functional quality for simple residential building applications even though they might not meet current standard strength requirements and have low cement productivity. These results also indicate that the improvement potential indicated previously cannot be realised when hollow blocks are used for simple construction needs.Research limitations/implicationsClear benchmarks for the best practical level of cement block sustainability seem to be missing. The first reasons is that the lowest acceptable compressive strength has not been defined since standard requirements might not be relevant in the studied context. The second one is that the lowest possible practically achievable cement content with acceptable cement productivity has not been established.Practical implicationsUnderstanding sustainability can be very difficult and substantial work needs to be done to introduce operational sustainability indicators.Originality/valueThe results contribute to the discussion of understanding, defining and measuring sustainability.

An Approach to Selection of Agricultural Product Supplier Using Pythagorean Fuzzy Sets

The selection of agricultural product supplier is an important link to optimize the supply chain management of agricultural products. Due to the uncertainty factors and the lack of decision-makers’ cognition, the selection of agricultural products suppliers has become a very complex and difficult work. Therefore, in order to effectively deal with these problems, this study proposes an agricultural product supplier selection algorithm based on the Pythagorean fuzzy power Bonferroni mean operator under Pythagorean fuzzy environment. In this method, first, the power operator and Bonferroni mean operator are combined and embedded in the Pythagorean fuzzy sets to build a Pythagorean fuzzy power Bonferroni mean operator. Then, a multiattribute decision-making method based on the operator proposed in this paper is proposed. Finally, an analysis of examples of agricultural product supplier selection is given to verify the rationality and effectiveness of this method.

Vibration analysis of aero parallel-pipeline systems based on a novel reduced order modeling method

The modeling of parallel-pipeline is a difficult work in engineer field duo to long distance complex pipelines. Vibration analysis of pipeline can become prohibitive due to high computational time associated with large number of degrees of freedom. Thus, the efficient model reduction technique to analyze the vibration characteristics of pipeline system is challenging for designers. The objective of this paper is to propose a reduced order modeling method of parallel-pipeline with multi-supports. Considering the constraint interface stiffness at the elastic support and the coupled fluid-structure pipeline system, a novel reduced order model is obtained by assembling the reduced substructure element. Modal analysis is performed for parallel-pipeline system, and the calculation results for reduced order model are compared with the full finite element model. The obtained results indicate that the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the reduced order model are consistent with full finite element model. Moreover, an interesting phenomenon is obtained that the fluid velocity in one of parallel-pipeline can decrease the natural frequencies of another pipeline. The proposed model can obtain sufficient calculation accuracy and higher calculation efficiency, which can provide insight and guidance for engineers in aircraft.

Conical Pick Production Process

Abstract One of the basic methods of mechanical rock mining is cutting, which faces increasingly difficult working conditions. Despite the rapid development of machines used in underground and opencast mining as well as in tunnel building, construction industry and road engineering, the problem of insufficient durability of mining tools remains unsolved. In addition to drilling and, to a lesser extent, planing, cutting provides a huge market for tools. Currently, the process of cutting is mainly based on conical picks. The cutterheads of cutting machines are equipped with several dozen, and frequently – more than one hundred conical picks, which, due to their workability and abrasiveness, sometimes work only a few hours. There is a market demand for over two hundred models of conical picks. This is due to the huge variety of shapes and sizes of picks as well as the methods of their mounting in the holder. The article briefly presents various solutions of conical picks, their construction, methods of protection, dimensions and materials used. Next, based on materials produced by ZWM Carbonex, the classic method of their manufacture using the turning technology has been described. The authors have also presented briefly the use of die forging for the large-scale production of picks, applied by Górnicza Fabryka Narzędzi Sp. z o.o.

Norway’s experience in attracting human resources to the Arctic region

The Arctic is an important strategic object for Russia, mainly due to the great reserves of minerals. However, the Arctic is a northern region typified by difficult working conditions. The Arctic does not have enabling environment for work in terms of climatic conditions, and remoteness from the center of the country. Consequently, the issue of attracting human capital to the Arctic region arises. Considerable involvement of the government is required to provide the population of the North with everything necessary for living, as well as to grant privileges and guarantees, taking into consideration existing international experience. At the same time, Western Arctic countries have a successful experience in human resources management. The analysis of the government programs aimed to attract and support the population of the Northern regions of Norway is carried out in this article. The most successful cases are identified; recommendations for implementation in the Russian legislation are given.

Implementing sustainable primary healthcare reforms: strategies from Costa Rica

As the world strives to achieve universal health coverage by 2030, countries must build robust healthcare systems founded on strong primary healthcare (PHC). In order to strengthen PHC, country governments...

The World Come of Age: An Intellectual History of Liberation Theology

The World Come of Age: An Intellectual History of Liberation Theology

Gendered Occupations: Network Centrality and Difficult Work Relationships

Gender as a contextual variable has remained under-researched in social network analysis. The authors find that employees’ central position in a social network influences their tendency to cite difficult work relationships and this tendency differs in feminized and masculinized contexts. Using two field network studies, through the lens of gendered nature of the occupations, the paper shows that in a feminized occupation employees who are more central in positive networks are less likely to cite colleagues in their negative ties whereas, in a masculinized occupation, employees who are more central in positive networks are more likely to cite colleagues in their negative ties. The paper extends the field’s knowledge by demonstrating how network centrality of employees is associated with dislike towards colleagues depending upon the gendered nature of the context. The study offers practical implications for organizations to bring about interventions that reduce employees’ tendency to cite others as difficult in their occupational networks.

Minimising trauma in staff at a sexual assault referral centre: What and who is needed?

IntroductionThis study investigates staff's perspectives on the characteristics required to work in a sexual assault referral centre and the support and training they believe sexual assault referral centres should provide to minimise the negative impacts of the work and provide a supportive working environment. MethodsSemi- structured interviews were conducted with 12 staff, and a focus group was held with a further four staff of a sexual assault referral centre. The data were examined using thematic analysis. ResultsFindings indicated that to work in a in sexual assault referral centre staff need to be understanding, empathetic, non-judgemental, supportive, flexible and resilient as well as having coping skills. The support structures and processes staff reported as being essential to creating a supportive working environment and reducing vicarious trauma were: supervision; training; peer support and shadowing. ConclusionsWorking in a SARC is stressful and emotionally difficult work. This study provides valuable insights about the individual and environmental factors SARC staff believe are required to have a happy and healthy workforce delivering a gold standard of care to victim-survivors of sexual violence.

An innovative learning approach for solar power forecasting using genetic algorithm and artificial neural network

Abstract Analysing the Output Power of a Solar Photo-voltaic System at the design stage and at the same time predicting the performance of solar PV System under different weather condition is a primary work i.e. to be carried out before any installation. Due to large penetration of solar Photovoltaic system into the traditional grid and increase in the construction of smart grid, now it is required to inject a very clean and economic power into the grid so that grid disturbance can be avoided. The level of solar Power that can be generated by a solar photovoltaic system depends upon the environment in which it is operated and two other important factor like the amount of solar insolation and temperature. As these two factors are intermittent in nature hence forecasting the output of solar photovoltaic system is the most difficult work. In this paper a comparative analysis of different solar photovoltaic forecasting method were presented. A MATLAB Simulink model based on Real time data which were collected from Odisha (20.9517∘N, 85.0985∘E), India. were used in the model for forecasting performance of solar photovoltaic system.

Medical care and sanitation, hygiene and living conditions in German (Nazi) concentration sub-camp Konzentrationslager Stutthof — Aussenlager Pölitz

The article analyzes the sanitary and hygienic conditions of living and medical care at Konzentrationslager Stutthof — Aussenlager Pölitz — a branch of the Stutthof central camp. The sub-camp in Police was created with a view to supplying cheap labour to a synthetic gasoline fac-tory, which was a strategic plant of the German war economy. The health condition of prisoners in concentration camps always remained bad, but the health problems of the prisoners in Police resulted not only from terrible sanitary, hygienic, and living conditions, but also from the difficult working conditions in the factory. So far, the issues of interest to us have not found wider interest among researchers who focused on the so-called “Camps”, apart from the so-called small — affiliate camps. The following research questions were asked: How did medical care function in the German (Nazi) sub-camp Konzentrationslager Stutthof — Aussenlager Pölitz? What were the sanitary, living and hygienic conditions in the German (Nazi) sub-camp Konzentrationslager Stutthof — Aussen-lager Pölitz? In preparing this article the author used research methods characteristic for historical sciences, such as external and internal evaluation of sources; the dogmatic method, which seeks casual connections of a more complex nature than simple time-related connections, and comparative research. The analysis was based on archival materials of the Institute of National Remembrance, es-pecially the Archives of the Branch Office of the Commission For the Prosecution of Crimes Against The Polish Nation of the Institute of National Remembrance in Szczecin (primarily testimony re-ports and witness accounts, factual documentation), memories and literature of the subject (Polish, German, and English). Based on the source material and subject literature it was proved that: 1) The way the sub-camp in Pölitz operated depended on the requirements of the German arms industry. It was created to provide cheap labor for a synthetic fuel factory (Chemische Werke Hydropetroleum Industrie Gesellschaft), a strategic plant for the German war industry. 2) Prisoners of concentration camps were never in good health, but health problems of prisoners in Pölitz were caused not only by poor sanitation, hygiene, and living conditions, but also by harsh working conditions in the factory. 3) The health conditions developed by prisoners from the KL Stutthof — Aussenlager Pölitz could be divided into 4 groups: a) illnesses related to the living conditions in the camp, typical for most concentration camps, b) illnesses resulting from hunger and total exhaustion, c) injuries caused by beating, and d) illnesses resulting from workplace contamination. The operation of the Pölitz camp could be divided into two periods: one when the camp (at that time “the summer camp”) was still under construction, and the other — its actual operation — when the winter camp was established with extended camp infrastructure. However, regardless of the time, prisoners always suffered from hunger, exhausting work beyond their capabilities and various illnesses.