Examples Of Good Practice Research Articles

A perspective on policies and practices regarding access to and quality of healthcare for people with intellectual disabilities in Zambia

AbstractZambia is a low‐income country on the African continent which is facing a high rate of health inequalities. Although the government has made efforts to reform the organization of healthcare to reduce inequalities, the practical implementation of disability policies remains challenging. Specifically, people with intellectual disabilities (ID) face barriers to accessing healthcare services in Zambia, due to geographic or socioeconomic factors, stigma, and limited specialized health professionals. This perspective paper provides an overview of the current policy and organization on the healthcare provision for people with ID. It presents the key challenges people with ID face in Zambia to access quality healthcare services. Additionally, we provide examples of good practices with a community approach. We discuss policy implementation of disability rights, including access to healthcare, the impact of raising knowledge and awareness about people with ID, and how gathering contextual information through research can help to reduce inequalities. Community and culturally sensitive approaches to improve access to healthcare for people with ID in Zambia are crucial. We call for close collaboration between the fields of research and practice to combine expertise and strengthen the impact and possibilities of scaling good practices within Zambia.

Implementation of Animated Film Media in Improving the Quality of Arabic Conversation for Students of Pondok Modern Tazakka

The title ofthis research is "Implementation of Animated Film Media in Improving the Quality of Arabic Conversation of Students in Tazakka Modern Lodge" located in Batang district, Central Java.This study aims to describe the role of animated film media in improving the quality of language of Pondok Modern Tazakka students. And the method used in obtaining data in this study used qualitative methods by observing and interviewing ustadz and students of the Pondok language section. The results of observations and interviews show that animated film media is quite helpful in improving students' Arabic language skills, especially in the daily muhadatsah method of the students, where animated film media is one of the media as a support in examples of good and correct Arabic pronunciation and conversation practices. This research is qualitative type that focuses on observation and interviews descriptively and also uses several references from articles and journals.

Evaluation of Malnutrition Knowledge among Nursing Staff in the Czech Republic: A Cross-Sectional Psychometric Study

Construct : The Knowledge of Malnutrition – Geriatric 2.0’ (KoM-G 2.0) instrument was designed to quantify nursing staff malnutrition knowledge in inpatient medical and rehabilitation care facilities, as well as home health care. It has been used to assess grasp of current clinical practice guidelines and proficiency in addressing issues related to malnutrition. It provides insight into familiarity with and capacity to tackle issues pertaining to malnutrition in clinical practice. Furthermore, it has been used assess the effectiveness of educational interventions aimed at improving nursing professionals knowledge and awareness of malnutrition. Background : The quality of nursing education affects malnutrition risk assessment, monitoring of food intake, and effectiveness of nutrition care. Improvements in malnutrition education require determining the current level of knowledge and benchmarking with other countries. In the Czech Republic, no nationwide assessment of nursing staff malnutrition knowledge has ever been conducted. Approach : The purpose of the study was to translate the KoM-G 2.0 instrument, gather initial validity evidence, and evaluate nursing staff knowledge of malnutrition in inpatient medical, rehabilitation care facilities, and home care in the Czech Republic. All inpatient healthcare facilities and home healthcare facilities in the Czech Republic were invited to participate. The Czech version of the internationally standardized KoM-G 2.0 (KoM-G 2.0 CZ) was used to assess nursing staff malnutrition knowledge between 3 February 2021 and 31 May 2021. A total of 728 nurses began the questionnaire, and 465 (63.9%) of respondents completed it and were included in the study. Data analyses examined instrument difficulty, discriminability, and reliability, as well as sources of variation in knowledge scores. Findings : The psychometric characteristics of the KoM-G 2.0 CZ instrument included the difficulty index Q (0.61), the discriminant index (ULI 0.29, RIT 0.38, upper-lower 30% 0.67), and Cronbach alpha (0.619). The overall mean of correct answers was 6.24 (SD 2.8). There was a significant impact of educational attainment and nutrition training on KoM-G 2.0 CZ scores. Conclusions : Our findings provide initial validity evidence that KoM-G 2.0 CZ is useful and appropriate for assessing malnutrition knowledge among Czech nursing staff. Our research identified gaps in knowledge and examples of good practice in understanding malnutrition that can be applied internationally. The knowledge of academic nurses was greater; therefore, we suggest they play a key role in nutritional care. We recommend continuous education to improve understanding of malnutrition in this setting.

Comparison of Selected Aspects of Regional Self-Government in the V4 Countries

The aim of the article is to compare the selected aspects of the regional self-government in the Visegrad Group countries regarding their defined competence frameworks and the current situation. The article is descriptive, based on the answers to a questionnaire addressed to the representatives of regional governments in the V4 countries. Its added value is to bring awareness of the differences of the public administration systems in the mentioned countries and to provide inspirations and examples of good practice based on a comparison of selected aspects.

Needs and experiences of homecare workers when supporting people to live at home at the end of life: a rapid review

BackgroundSocial homecare workers provide essential care to those living at home at the end of life. In the context of a service experiencing difficulties in attracting and retaining staff, we...

Education for Sustainability in Czech Kindergarten: Example of Good Practice in Kindergarten Semínko – Growing Microgreens

Education for Sustainability in Czech Kindergarten: Example of Good Practice in Kindergarten Semínko – Growing Microgreens

Nutrition and public health in Georgia: reviewing the current status and inspiring improvements: a joint event of the Georgian Nutrition Society, The Nutrition Society of the UK and Ireland and the Sabri Ülker Foundation, October 2023

AbstractGeorgia lies to the northeast of Türkiye, having a western border on the Black Sea. With a population of some 3·73 million, Georgia has a tradition of gastronomic excellence dating back millennia. However, changing lifestyles and external influences have, as elsewhere, led to problems of suboptimal nutrition, and lifestyle-related diseases and disorders prevail. There is considerable scope for improving the focus on public health (PH) and nutrition in Georgia. With this in mind, the Georgian Nutrition Society teamed up with The Nutrition Society of the UK and Ireland and the Sabri Ülker Foundation, a PH charity based in Istanbul, Türkiye, to host a conference and workshops in Tbilisi, Georgia. The primary purpose was to review the current status of PH and nutrition in Georgia with reference to the situation elsewhere, to share examples of best practice and to identify opportunities for improvement. A particular highlight was the presentation of a programme of nutrition education for family physicians recently implemented in Türkiye. This summary of the proceedings is intended as a blueprint for action in Georgia and also to inspire others to consider how PH might be improved via a focus on balanced nutrition.

General infection prevention, mitigation, and control procedures implemented in the university education during the COVID-19 pandemic to achieve classroom attendance: a successful community case study.

The COVID-19 pandemic entailed confinement and elimination of face-to-face university classes in Spain. The Francisco de Vitoria University in Madrid (UFV by its Spanish acronym) implemented risk management systems to enable on-campus university activity to avoid a negative impact on students, teachers, and faculties. A tracking/registry system was implemented to collect data, identify COVID-19-related cases, implement containment measures, and do follow-up in the UFV community (administration/services personnel [ASP], teaching/research personnel [TRP], and students), from September 2020 to April 2022. In addition, a prevention plan was implemented on campus to avoid COVID-19 spreading. Satisfaction with these measures was assessed through an online questionnaire. A total of 7,165 suspected COVID-19 cases (84.7% students, 7.7% ASP, 6.5% TRP) were tracked (62.5% female cases, mean age (±SD) 24.8 years (±9.2 years)), and 45% of them confirmed (82% symptomatic/16% asymptomatic), being the student group that with the highest percentage (38.3% total tracked cases). The source of infection was identified in 50.6% of the confirmed cases (90.2% located off-campus). Nineteen COVID-19 outbreaks were registered (inside-10/outside-9). COVID-19 incidence rates were similar or lower than those reported in the Community of Madrid, except in the last wave, corresponding to Omicron variant. The degree of satisfaction (scale 1-6) with the implemented measures was high (scores 4.48-5.44). During the COVID-19 pandemic, UFV control measures, periodic monitoring, and the effectiveness of the tracking system have contributed to maintaining classroom teaching, guaranteeing health and safety. UFV has adapted to a new reality as an example of good practice for future pandemics or emergency situations.

ANALYSIS OF MAIN CHARACTERISTICS AND UTILIZATION OF AGRICULTURAL LAND IN SERBIA AND BULGARIA

Land is the most important resource for the sustainable development of agriculture. Optimal use of land for the production of a sufficient amount of food, while simultaneously preserving biodiversity and its quality, is very important within the policy of preserving resources for future generations. Safety in food production represent one of the most important goals of sustainable development consist in actual the 2030 Agenda. We face numerous problems related to land. Degradation due to excessive use of modern agrotechnical means in food production, deforestation, erosion, excessive urbanization, floods are just some of the most common problems in land policy. An important problem is the abandonment of land use for agricultural production and its underutilization. Serbia and Bulgaria have significant areas of agricultural land. The subject of research in this paper is the share of agricultural and arable land in the total land area in Serbia and Bulgaria. The focus of the analysis is the average size of farm land, the percentage of irrigated land, and the production structure on farms, as well as the contribution of agriculture to the realization of added value in the creation of GDP. Agriculture and the food industry play a significant role in creating GDP, employment and exports and reducing the foreign deficit. Bearing in mind that the Republic of Serbia is in the process of joining the European Union, it is necessary to reform the agricultural policy and adapt it to the Common Agricultural Policy. This is one of the most important and demanding reforms in the integration policy process. The entire European model of agricultural development is based on the concept of sustainable development. Agricultural land policy in this process is of great importance and the experiences of EU member countries are important. The results of the research should indicate different experiences and recommendations that can be useful in agricultural land management policy. Land policy measures are aimed at creating optimal conditions for agricultural production while achieving the goals of all dimensions of sustainable development. Strategic approach in land management policy in Bulgaria provides guidelines and an example of good practice for taking measures and activities in the direction of its improvement in the Republic of Serbia. These results are also the basis for examining the causes of insufficient utilization of available natural resources and the balanced development that ensures the production of sufficient quantities of food and the preservation of the environment. Keywords: agricultural land, arable land, sustainable development JEL codes: Q15, Q18, Q24

Supporting People with Social Care Needs On Release from Prison: A Scoping Review

Context: Social care need in prisons is increasing in many countries. However, the delivery of social care in prisons has been (at best) inconsistent and there has been no previous review to inform provision for people on release. Objective: To identify and synthesise what is known about the social care needs of people on release from prison and how best to meet these. Method: A scoping review encompassing systematic searches of 26 electronic databases (January 2010–July 2021) included a wide range of literature. No exclusions were made on the basis of study design, method or quality. Findings were organised according to their contribution to the research questions. Findings: Forty-six documents met the review criteria of which 27 were from the UK. Just two focused specifically on the topic of interest and most of the extracted material was descriptive in nature. Almost no information was found on the number of people released from prison in need of social care. However, the challenges of providing care for this group appeared well understood. Although there were many examples of good practice and widespread consensus about its enablers, outcome information was lacking. Limitations: In keeping with the nature of the review, the quality of the literature was not formally assessed. Implications: The review identified several promising initiatives ranging from prison buddy schemes to pre-release training in everyday living skills and personalised pathway documents. Conclusions: Policy makers and researchers must now shift their attention to the effectiveness of particular interventions in improving social care outcomes.

Academic Integrity Strategies: Student Insights

This paper reports the key findings from two student surveys undertaken at our institution in the academic years 2020-21 and 2021-22. The research was based on the Bretag et al. (2018) student survey undertaken in various Australian universities. After discussions with both Bretag and Harper, we adapted the questions to our context – a Russell Group university in the UK – but included similar questions to enable a comparison, and to find out if there were common themes. The main aim of the surveys was to understand our students’ awareness of what is meant by the term ‘academic integrity’, defined as ‘being honest in your work, acknowledging the work of others and giving credit where you have used other people’s ideas/data’ https://secretariat.leeds.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/109/2022/12/academic_integrity.pdf. The responses provided an important insight into student attitudes to academic integrity, their understanding of academic malpractice, and their awareness of the penalties if found to have plagiarised, and if found guilty of contract cheating (Medway et al., 2018; Morris, 2018; Harper et al., 2019). The surveys also identified what students would find useful in developing their understanding of academic integrity, and this underlines the importance of consulting our students. Key findings include gaps in the information provided to students, the need for regular and timely reminders of the principles of academic integrity, and the need for guidance to be written using student-friendly language. The findings informed our recommendations in terms of teaching and learning at School/Faculty level and to policy at University level, to further support student success. In the context of the key issues raised by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) Academic Integrity Charter (2020), we discuss examples of best practice currently undertaken at the University of Leeds, on-going discussions regarding developments, and our recommendations for further embedding a culture of academic integrity. We argue that all students should have the same baseline experience and therefore promoting this ethos is the responsibility of all staff who teach and support students.

Fighting the BIPOC Awarding Gap: Decolonising Translation in Higher Education

This article reports on a project entitled “Tackling the BIPOC Awarding Gap” (2022–2025), whose aim is to foster teacher training practices that enhance diversity in language learning environments and tackle the awarding gap experienced by BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) aka BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) students. According to Advance HE (2021), the difficulties experienced by BAME-BIPOC students to achieve higher marks remain a patent reality in most of today’s higher-education institutions in the UK. This paper describes how our collaborative project endeavours to tackle the BAME-BIPOC awarding gap from four main angles: 1) student-teacher collaboration; 2) teacher training; 3) redevelopment and decolonisation of practical translation syllabi; and 4) the establishment of a support network. In this paper, the focus is put on the main challenges, lessons learnt and examples of best practices stemming from the first year of this project.

In search of methodological standards for corpus-based cognitive semantics: The case of Behavioral Profiles

ABSTRACT As a result of the quantitative turn, corpus data have become a staple of cognitive semantic research, and the strong emphasis on issues of methodology has led to a proliferation of analytical approaches. Successful application of any one approach requires a thorough understanding of theoretically-grounded methodological requirements and their implications. The present paper focuses on the framework of Behavioral Profiles and offers a methodologically-oriented review of nine studies carried out by the original authoring team and collaborating researchers. Through close scrutiny of the research process, it specifically aims to outline and examine the methodological standards required for data collection, annotation and statistical analysis. By discussing a range of available choices and highlighting examples of best practice, this paper will hopefully facilitate informed decision-making in future research into the organization of near-synonymous and polysemous categories.

Methods and tools to screen and assess risks for intimate partner violence among women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in six high-income countries: A scoping review

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this review is to collate literature on approaches to screening women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) backgrounds for experiences of intimate partner violence (IPV) and assessing risks, with a view to identifying examples of best practice and research gaps. Methods A scoping review methodology was adopted. Medline (Ovid), Embase, CINALH and CENTRAL databases were searched, with supplementary searches for grey literature. Results were independently screened by two reviewers. Studies were included if they focused on women from CaLD backgrounds living in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, United Kingdom or United States of America being screened/assessed in a health setting in relation to IPV. Data on study characteristics and key findings were extracted and critical appraisal of study quality was performed. Results A total of n = 1,320 results were yielded. After deduplication, the titles and abstracts of n = 846 studies were screened. A total of n = 5 studies were included in the final analysis, and four screening or risk assessment tools/methods were assessed (Danger Assessment for Immigrant Women, Safe Start, Index of Spouse Abuse and Southern Asian Violence Screen). Conclusions Given the documented barriers to migrant help-seeking, screening and risk assessment has an important role to play in ensuring that women from CaLD backgrounds are linked into appropriate IPV support services in a timely manner. However, there is very limited evidence to demonstrate that existing screening/risk assessment tools and strategies meet the specific needs of CaLD populations, and more attention needs to be given to intersectional experiences of violence.

A lifelong worker in the field of public education: on the 150th birthday anniversary of P. O. Afanasyev

The paper describes the life path of the prominent scholar Pyotr Onisimovich Afanasyev. P. O. Afanasyev developed a methodology for teaching the native language in elementary school originated by F. I. Buslaev and K. D. Ushinsky. In his works, he also gave a detailed description of the basic concepts of methodology as a science froma historical perspective. The scientist designed a course in Russian language teaching methodology for vocational and higher educational institutions, prepared textbooks and study aids of various types which have gone through many editions.P. O. Afanasyev contributed enormously to training teachers taking professional development courses. The paper presents the methodologist’s main works and outlines his pedagogical views and ideas. Among these ideas are adopt ingthe activity approach to learning, using active forms of class organisation, paying attention to students’ oral speech development, and increasing students’ general cultural level through teaching Russian. The study focuses on the issues of students’ speech culture and speaking skills enhancement, which are reflected in almost all methodological writings of P. O. Afanasyev. The article also provides examples of specific assignments and best practices. The research relied on the analysis of scientific, teaching and learning, reference, and popular science materials, as well as the search and descriptive methods. The article concludes that P. O. Afanasyev contributed significantly to the development of Russian language teaching methodology in primary and secondary school. He also promoted the development of the system ofteaching the Russian language to non-Russian students. The paper highlights the enduring value of the scientist’s ideas, his approaches to teaching Russian. Many of them remain in demand under modern conditions as well.

Embedding mental wellbeing in the curriculum: a collaborative definition and suite of examples in practice

The sector-wide challenge of student mental wellbeing within higher education (HE) requires universities to systematically and holistically enhance their practice and approaches. This paper recounts how an interdisciplinary team of academics, senior leaders, professional services and Students’ Union representatives across seven institutions responded to this need by collaboratively identifying definitions, good-practice for replication, and benefits of activity to embed mental wellbeing in the curriculum. Considering and exploring definitions across HE, our study provides clarity and reference points for definitions, particularly around the nature of “embedding” in relation to mental wellbeing for students. Five core themes for mental wellbeing in HE were identified and defined through this study: flourishing or thriving, balance, community and belonging, dynamic, and inclusive. Furthermore, a five-point definition of embeddedness developed; it being modeled in practice, tailored to needs, inherent in values, ethos and culture, a holistic partnership approach, and represented in strategy supported by appropriate resource. These are represented as a Mental Wellbeing Embeddedness Framework. The study sought good-practice examples from across seven HE providers, presented as example resources for replication by others in the sector seeking to address similar challenges within their institutions. Twenty-seven examples were developed into an online open educational resource toolkit, providing clear examples for use in a range of settings and responding to different needs around student mental wellbeing. Each example sharing its original rationale for development and clear list of benefits to be seen from replicating the initiative. Sector feedback to date indicates referencing the definitions activity and expanding this for use in other contexts, replication of good-practice examples in different settings, and support for identification of the benefits that can be achieved from embedding mental wellbeing in the curriculum. This paper is a call to action, shaping the future direction of student mental wellbeing, supported by policy, practice, and constant innovation.

A national survey of current practice on patients with long term and additional needs in paediatric intensive care units.

Patients with long term and additional needs (LEAP) in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are a growing and heterogenous cohort that provide unique challenges to clinicians. Currently no standard approach to define and manage this cohort exists. To analyse bed occupancy, examine current practice, and explore ideas to improve PICU care of patients with long term and additional needs. Patients with LEAP were defined as meeting two or more of the following criteria: length of stay >14 days; life limiting condition; ≥2 failed extubations; hospital stay >1 month prior to PICU admission; likely to require long-term ventilation. An electronic survey was then sent to all UK PICUs, via the UK Paediatric Critical Care Society, to collect quantitative and qualitative data relating to bed occupancy, length of stay, multidisciplinary and family involvement, and areas of possible improvement. Data collection were occurred between 8 February 2022 and 14 March 2022. Quantitative data were analysed using Microsoft Excel 365 and SPSS Statistics version 28.0. Raw data and descriptive statistics were reported, including percentages and median with interquartile range for non-parametric data. Qualitative raw data were examined using thematic analysis. Analysis was undertaken independently by two authors and results assessed for concordance. 70.1% (17/24) PICUs responded. 25% (67/259) of PICU beds were occupied by patients with long term and additional needs. 29% (5/17) of responding units have tailored management plans to this cohort of patient. A further 11% (2/17) have guidelines for children with generic chronic illness. 12% (2/16) of responding units had a designated area and 81% (13/16) of responding units had designated professionals. The majority (68% and 62%) of responding units engaged families and community professionals in multidisciplinary meetings. When asked how the care of long term and additional needs patients might be improved five themes were identified: consistent, streamlined care pathways; designated transitional care units; designated funding and hospital-to-home commissioning; development of roles to facilitate collaboration between hospital and community teams; proactive discharge planning and parallel planning. This survey provides a snapshot of UK practice for a cohort of patients that occupies a considerable proportion (29%) of PICU beds. While only a minority of responding PICUs offer specifically tailored management plans, the majority of units have designated professionals. Opportunities exist to improve PICU care in LEAP patients in areas such as: streamlined care pathways, designated clinical areas, designated funding, and development of defined collaborative roles. Next steps may involve working group convention to develop a consensus definition and share good practice examples.

Planning in Poland and Slovenia – Introduction to Comparative Analysis of Spatial Planning Systems at the Local Level

The paper aims to compare the existing spatial planning system in both countries, their spatial planning laws, documents and planning approaches. It focuses on the level of land use and urban planning instruments at the local level. It addresses the administrative and procedural characteristics of the two countries as well as experiences and examples of best practices that can be shared in the future. The results presented show that the countries are quite similar in terms of both the planning system and the typology of spatial planning acts. There are clearer differences in the planning approaches at the local level and in the current challenges regarding the stakeholders' participation in the planning processes.

Transforming public sector operations with enterprise resource planning: Opportunities, challenges, and best practices.

The public sector has long been criticized because the private sector is often considered more advanced and efficient in achieving its goals. Technological improvements in the public sector are needed to provide benefits to the wider community, one of which is by adopting systems used by advanced companies such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The purpose of this research is to provide insight into how ERP systems can be used to provide improvements in the public sector. This article uses a systematic literature review to synthesize the benefits and challenges and provides examples of best practices for implementing an ERP system in the public sector. The results show that ERP stands as an essential technical solution to achieve accountability and transparency in the public sector. The public and private sectors differ in the accessibility and disposal possibilities of resources, thus to overcome these challenges, the public sector needs to be guided by the implementation of best practices. The relatively low number of available Scopus-indexed research articles that focus on ERP in the public sector shows that the ERP literature has not developed well in the public sector.

Transformation of the Team Role Model of Scientific Schools Into a Markov Chain

The modern paradigm of performing scientific research is steadily improving. One of the directions of its development is the substantiation and organization of team interaction of scientists working on solving a certain scientific problem. The complexity of the tasks to be solved, the need to ensure continuity in scientific research, and the complexity of projects require the introduction of new project management approaches, even in the organization of scientific teams aimed at obtaining unique results.The provisions considered in the study are relevant for the development and organization of scientific research. Moreover, examples of best practices for the success of project teams, considering the types of roles of participants, can be transferred from the field of project management to the field of organization of scientific research. The presented tools will make it possible to move from qualitative ideas about the activities of scientific teams to quantitative assessments of the effectiveness of the researchers work. The use of modeling tools to demonstrate the necessity of each role listed in the scientific school's organizational structure as a "Belbin's team," emphasizing the most crucial ones that influence its growth, and the potential to combine specific project roles without sacrificing project quality are what make this research innovative from a scientific standpoint.