Job Plans Research Articles

The Role of Workplace Communication on Employees’ Performance in Tanzania: A Case of Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO)

Effective workplace communication is pivotal in enhancing employee performance, particularly in today's global business environment characterized by diversity and remote work dynamics. This study aimed to examine the role of workplace communication on employee performance within Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO), focusing on how communication influences job correctness, decision-making, planning, and overall employee productivity. The study utilized a descriptive research design to collect data. A total of 36 participants were sampled using simple random. Data were gathered through questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS for quantitative data insights. The findings indicate a significant correlation between effective communication and enhanced employee performance. Specifically, open communication with supervisors was strongly linked to increased job correctness and performance (mean = 4.81). Communication was also found to facilitate decision-making and planning (mean = 3.53), and there was a recognized relationship between effective communication and overall employee performance (mean = 3.97). However, the traditional top-down communication approach was noted, with a mean score of 3.65, suggesting areas for improvement in adopting more inclusive communication practices. The study confirms the critical role of effective workplace communication in enhancing employee performance at TANESCO. Open and transparent communication, particularly with supervisors, significantly contributes to job accuracy and employee productivity. The study recommends that TANESCO implements structured programs to foster open dialogue, develops comprehensive communication strategies that balance hierarchical and inclusive approaches, and invests in regular training and assessment of communication practices. Additionally, adopting an 'open door' policy and engaging in active listening are suggested to enhance the communication framework within the organization.

MOY 1 - The Emergency General Surgeon: what should their future operative role be, and how can an EGS post be more attractive?

Abstract Aims Determine the desired future operative role of dedicated Emergency General Surgery (EGS) surgeons in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI), and how to improve the attractiveness of an EGS post. Methods A live interactive online survey, designed and endorsed by ASGBI, was completed by attendees at two ASGBI conferences in 2023. The study was conducted according to CHERRIES and exempt from REC according to HRA. Consent was obtained from study participants, who were asked using a Likert scale which operations a dedicated EGS surgeon should perform and how an EGS post could be more attractive. Results The survey was completed by 156/371 eligible participants, of which 132 responses were analysed once duplicate responses (n=16), and non-UK/ROI respondents (n=8), were excluded. Participants included consultants (34%), surgical trainees (42%), and other doctors (23%), 61% were male and 39% were female, aged between 25 and 69. Respondents stated the desired future operative role of EGS surgeons included most EGS operations, including for torso trauma. Few believed EGS surgeons should perform emergency colonic resection for cancer (49%) or inflammatory bowel disease (37%), gastric volvulus (34%), bariatric complications (26%), or Boerhaaves (28%). The vast majority agreed that EGS posts could be improved by including elective general and subspecialty operating lists, continuing professional development, minimally-invasive (laparoscopic/robotic) opportunities, rest days post-on-call, family-friendly hours, EGS ambulatory and follow-up clinics, and major trauma responsibility. Conclusions EGS surgeons should operate on the majority of EGS patients. Job plans that include elective operating, professional development, and patient follow-up may improve recruitment and retention.

Reflection on the psychological suffering of elementary school teachers: the perspective of psychodynamics of work

Female elementary school teachers are suffering from psychic distress, as they experience various mental health problems due to the attributes of the profession and the accumulation of domestic activities. Objective: to reflect on the contributions of the Psychodynamics of Work to the psychological suffering of elementary school teachers. Methodology: theoretical reflection focusing on the convergences and specificities of Dejours' and Molinier's Psychodynamics of Work, and their contributions to the psychological suffering of female teachers. Results: Because they experience different experiences from men in the workplace, such as: an overload of activities, weaknesses in job and salary plans, school failure and demands with a high affective load, female teachers can suffer negative impacts on their mental health, leading to psychological distress. Conclusion: It is necessary to reflect on the condition of psychological distress among female teachers, taking into account the specificities of daily teaching, the socio-historical context and the adversities of women's work, motivating initiatives to create collective discussion spaces, support networks and public policies to minimize suffering and prevent future illnesses.

2349 How to provide a cost-effective geriatric peri-operative service within general surgery in line with NELA BPT

Abstract Introduction More than 50% of patients undergoing emergency general surgery are >65 years. The Emergency Laparotomy and Frailty (ELF) study showed strong associations between frailty (CFS ≥ 5) and increased mortality, risks of complications, and length of hospital stay. Methods For nearly 10 years, we have had geriatric liaison input for general surgery and colorectal patients in a tertiary teaching centre. This has transformed into a fully embedded service involving consultant geriatrician, registrars and senior house offices, providing 3-day a week medical input. NELA best practice tariff (BPT) April 2023 emphasises perioperative Geriatric team involvement in frail patients aged 65 and above. The main metrics include CFS, an MDT-based risk assessment, treatment escalation decision making and perioperative geriatrician involvement. Results The service has previously demonstrated significant improvement in patient care and holistic management including reducing the length of stay in hospital (average decrease of 5.5 days). Simple job planning, use of current resources and efficiency can mean Trusts can incorporate geriatricians with essential skills to improve patient management and reach NELA BPT. Conclusion Changes in NELA BPT emphasise the importance of comprehensive geriatric assessment in the management of older laparotomy patients. Introducing a multidisciplinary geriatric liaison service into the general surgical department can achieve high levels of compliance with national guidelines, resulting in better outcomes for patients as well as financial benefits for Trusts. This is particularly pertinent given the financial constraints on many services across the NHS, this is an opportunity to increase revenue and build a geriatric workforce.

DIEP backlog: Mission impossible?

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused global challenges, including the restriction of surgical options for women with breast cancer. Autologous reconstruction availability has still not returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. This study aimed to collect data about waiting lists for autologous breast reconstruction and is the first of its kind. A total of 31 units were approached and asked to complete a study specific questionnaire. In total, there are at least 2255 patients on a waiting list, which equates to a 2-year and 5-month backlog at the current level of provision, without the inclusion of new referrals. Alarmingly, 40 women reportedly developed breast cancer whilst on the waiting list. The impact of COVID-19 has been significant, revealing national inequity in reconstruction provision and long waiting lists. Recommendations include increasing theatre capacity, optimising plastic surgeons' job plans to prevent waiting lists from growing as well as training more surgeons in autologous reconstruction.

701 Do We Shy Away from Issuing Duty of Candour?

Abstract Aim Transparency and openness are the key elements that clinicians must offer. Certain events mandate a duty of candour (DOC). An apology must be provided to the patient/family/carer, providing a factual account of events. Francis Enquiry, 2013 recommended that a statutory DOC should be introduced. Numerous Trusts have been fined by CQC for failing to comply with statutory DOC. The aim of this audit was to study the compliance of our department in issuing a DOC for unexpected return to theatre following an acute laparotomy. Method We carried out two retrospective audits between January 2022 – March 2023 in general surgery department at St. James University hospital, Leeds. Approval was gained locally, and audit was conducted by reviewing electronic notes of each patient for evidence of issuance of DOC. All initial operations were acute laparotomies. Results A total of 46 patients were identified during second cycle of audit as compared to 21 patients during first who had unexpected return to theatres. 4 out of 46 had written evidence of DOC following their return to theatre; 8.7% compliance rate with Statutory Duty of Candour Guidelines which is 2.3% lesser than the first cycle. (P=0.193). Conclusions There appears to be poor compliance in performing a DOC or if provided, evidence of its documentation. Providing verbal and written DOC should become normative behaviour. There needs to exist an automated alert system for those incidences that requires a DOC and appropriate time in the job plan to accomplish this.

Core needs and diverse opportunity: A survey of academic clinical lecturers and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic

During a clinical lecturer role, parallel clinical and academic training is undertaken. The anticipation is that a lectureship represents an exciting and expansive time. However, a national crisis has been declared at the clinical lecturer level with a leaky pipeline of clinical academics resulting in dwindling numbers. Clinical lecturers are infrequently represented as a group partly due to their distributed nature and diverse job plans. We conducted a survey of clinical lecturers in the UK. Responses (n = 107) revealed a motivated but divided workforce. A content analysis revealed core elements that sculpt an individual’s success or failure, but these were variably present. COVID-19 had a negative effect on many with various strategies reported to try and reset academic trajectories. Feelings of isolation and anxiety about a viable future in academia were significant findings. This echoes calls for a greater number of secure longer-term grants to ensure that clinical academics and their skills are retained within the research workforce. A continued effort to analytically appraise whether supportive elements are in place for all lecturers will help focus initiatives to foster excellence in clinical academic training for everyone.

DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INFORM GUIDELINES FOR THE TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF PROSTHETIC HIP INFECTION

Hip prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a debilitating complication following joint replacement surgery, with significant impact on patients and healthcare systems. The INFection ORthopaedic Management: Evidence into Practice (INFORM:EP) study, builds upon the 6-year INFORM programme by developing evidence-based guidelines for the identification and management of hip PJI.A panel of 21 expert stakeholders collaborated to develop best practice guidelines based on evidence from INFORM \[1\]. An expert consensus process was used to refine guidelines using RAND/UCLA criteria. The guidelines were then implemented over a 12-month period through a Learning Collaborative of 24 healthcare professionals from 12 orthopaedic centres in England. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 members of the collaborative and findings used to inform the development of an implementation support toolkit. Patient and public involvement contextualised the implementation of the guidelines. The study is registered with the ISCRTN (34710385).The INFORM guidelines, structured around the stages of PJI management, were largely supported by surgeons, although barriers included limited awareness among non-surgical team members, lack of job planning for multidisciplinary teams, and challenges in ensuring timely referrals from primary care. Psychological support for patients was identified as a critical gap. Advanced Nurse Practitioners and multidisciplinary team (MDT) coordinators were seen as potential bridges to address these knowledge gaps. The guidelines were also viewed as a useful tool for service development.This study presents the first evidence-based guidelines for hip PJI management, offering a comprehensive approach to prevention, treatment, and postoperative care. Effective implementation is crucial, involving wider dissemination amongst primary and community care, as well as non-specialist treatment centres. Further resources are needed to ensure job planning for MDTs and psychological support for patients. Overall, this study lays the foundation for improved PJI management, benefiting patients and healthcare systems.

Personal strength and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic: A study of cultural workers in the music sector

This study examines how cultural workers in the music sector coped with the COVID-19-induced lockdown, and how coping is associated with growth in personal strength during the pandemic. We conducted an online survey 1 year into the pandemic among members of Creo, Norway’s largest trade union in the music sector. Respondents ( N = 658) were to a large degree engaged in fight coping. Furthermore, seeking and giving social support, adopting new digital technologies, rotating job plans, as well as generating and maintaining professional skills were positively related to increased personal strength. We observed notable differences between occupational groups. Musicians chose skill nurturing, music educators engaged in technology adoption, and backstage workers reported flight coping to a larger degree than the other occupational groups. Surprisingly, self-employed and temporary employed workers reported a lower degree of innovation in terms of initiating and participating in new digital concepts and technology adoption compared to those with permanent employment. Finally, temporary or self-employed workers reported a higher degree of flight and freeze coping than permanently employed workers.

How Long Does Contouring Really Take? Results of the Royal College of Radiologists Contouring Surveys

AimsThe success and safety of modern radiotherapy relies on accurate contouring. Understanding the time taken to complete radiotherapy contours is critical to informing workforce planning and, in the context of a workforce shortfall, advocating for investment in technology and multi-professional skills mix. We aimed to quantify the time taken to delineate target volumes for radical radiotherapy. Materials and methodsThe Royal College of Radiologists circulated two electronic surveys via email to all clinical oncology consultants in the UK. The individual case survey requested anonymous data regarding the next five patients contoured for radical radiotherapy. The second survey collected data on respondents' usual practice in radiotherapy contouring. ResultsThe median time to contour one radiotherapy case was 85 minutes (IQR = 50–131 minutes). Marked variability between and within tumour sites was evident: paediatric cancers took the most time (median = 210 minutes, IQR = 87.5 minutes), followed by head and neck and gynaecological cancers (median = 120 minutes, IQR = 71 and 72.5 minutes respectively). Breast cancer contouring required the least time (median = 43 minutes, IQR = 60 minutes). Radiotherapy technique, inclusion of nodes and 4D CT planning were associated with longer contouring times. A non-medical professional was involved in contouring in 65% of cases, but clinical oncology consultants were involved in target volume delineation in 90% of cases, and OARs in 74%. Peer review took place in 46% of cases with 56% of consultants reporting no time for peer review in their job plan. ConclusionContouring for radical radiotherapy is complex and time-consuming, and despite increasing involvement of non-medical professionals, clinical oncology consultants remain the primary practitioners. Peer review practice is variable and time is often a limiting factor. Many factors influence the time required for contouring, and departments should take these factors and the need for peer-review into account when developing job plans.

The Risk Management and Value Engineering: Mitigating Challenges in Construction

Value Engineering is a management technique crucial in construction for enhancing value and reducing costs. Unlike mere cost cutting, Value Engineering aims to improve functionality by minimizing energy consumption in terms of manpower, materials, and machines. Multidisciplinary teams of engineers, influencing the design process, enhance Value Engineering benefits. It's highly effective in identifying and eliminating unnecessary costs across building design, construction, operations, and maintenance. Value Engineering involves three main stages: Pre-Study, Job Plan, and Post-Study. This literature review delves into how Value Engineering principles are applied in building projects to achieve superior quality at lower costs.

Value Engineering Of Modern Formwork In Multi-Story Building Construction Case Study On The Construction Project Of The Brin Building Complex In Yogyakarta

Reinforced concrete is the most commonly used construction material in building construction in the 21st century. In its production, supportive instruments are needed to enhance both quality and economic aspects. Formwork, or shuttering, is a crucial factor in the casting and hardening of concrete. The subject of this research is wooden formwork and its alternatives, analyzed in terms of cost, quality, time, and convenience using the Value Engineering Job Plan analysis. In terms of cost, there is a cost savings of 8.88% for DUO polymer formwork compared to the conventional plywood method. The resulting surface quality of the concrete of this method has a average roughness of 3.492. The total duration of the work is 16.54791 days. The total value index obtained for the use of DUO polymer formwork is 98.99, for the plywood film formwork is 48.17, and for conventional plywood formwork is 0.00. Thus, in terms of value, the DUO polymer plastic formwork can be recommended as the best formwork method for multi-story building construction. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of this method, along with the benefits obtained, it would be even more beneficial on a larger construction scale.

Model of multidisciplinary teamwork in hip fracture care: a qualitative interview study

ObjectivesHip fractures are common injuries in older age with high mortality requiring multidisciplinary clinical care. Despite guidance, there is considerable variation in hip fracture services and patient outcomes; furthermore, little...

2050 Scoping an Oncogeriatric Pathway in Acute Care

Abstract Introduction Oncogeriatrics is relatively new concept aligning geriatric services with oncology, whereby older cancer patients have a comprehensive geriatrics assessment (CGA) to support oncology decision-making and improve outcomes and quality of care. Despite the rationale, evidence for effective oncogeriatric services is largely based upon specialist centres. We initiated a feasibility study February 2021, to establish criteria and pathway implications for an Acute Trust without oncology beds. Method Following an iterative process, a pathway was established between the Lung MDT and the established frailty unit. Patients with lung cancer who met criteria would be seen within a week and underwent a CGA by a frailty practitioner, consultant geriatrician, physiotherapist, occupational therapist. Referrals were made as appropriate to allied services e.g. dietician, pharmacy, continence teams etc. Results We refined the referral criteria and process, identifying the presence of a geriatrician at Lung MDT as key to ensuring incorporation of CFS (Rockwood) for effective MDT case discussion. Defining the cohort and pathway was challenging given the complex interplay of cancer symptom burden and comorbidity set against COVID, workforce pressures and cancer targets. Final referral criteria were: age over 70, Rockwood 4 or more, a formal lung cancer diagnosis, and a plan to undergo active treatment. Referral numbers were low during the feasibility phase. Only 38 patients were referred and we saw 23 patients over a 2-year period. Referral rates increased in the final 3 months of the pilot although only 9 of 22 who met criteria were referred. Conclusion Establishment of an effective oncogeriatrics service is challenging. The feasibility study has established a baseline for potential activity and job planning. Analysis of individual patient benefit is ongoing. Longer term we aim to extend the service to support patients after treatment has started, provide prehab, and include patients with all types of cancer.

Informing the development of a scoring system for National Health Service Clinical Impact Awards; a Delphi process and simulated scoring exercise.

To establish principles informing a new scoring system for the UK's Clinical Impact Awards and pilot a system based on those principles. A three-round online Delphi process was used to generate consensus from experts on principles a scoring system should follow. We conducted a shadow scoring exercise of 20 anonymised, historic applications using a new scoring system incorporating those principles. Assessment of clinical excellence awards for senior doctors and dentists in England and Wales. The Delphi panel comprised 45 members including clinical excellence award assessors and representatives of professional bodies. The shadow scoring exercise was completed by 24 current clinical excellence award assessors. The Delphi panel rated the appropriateness of a series of items. In the shadow scoring exercise, a novel scoring system was used with each of five domains rated on a 0-10 scale. Consensus was achieved around principles that could underpin a future scoring system; in particular, a 0-10 scale with the lowest point on the scale reflecting someone operating below the expectations of their job plan was agreed as appropriate. The shadow scoring exercise showed similar levels of reliability between the novel scoring system and that used historically, but with potentially better distinguishing performance at higher levels of performance. Clinical excellence awards represent substantial public spending and thus far the deployment of these funds has lacked a strong evidence base. We have developed a new scoring system in a robust manner which shows improvements over current arrangements.

Supervision Strategies for Managing Work-Related Stress in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry

High work-related stress negatively impacts workers’ health and productivity in the Nigerian petroleum industry. Supervisors in the Nigerian petroleum industry who lack strategies to reduce work-related stress significantly lose worker health and organizational productivity. Grounded in person-environment fit theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies Nigerian petroleum industry supervisors use to manage work-related stress. Participants were six supervisors who have successfully used strategies to reduce work-related stress in the Nigerian petroleum industry. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews and internal company documents relevant to reducing work-related stress and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings of the study showed that effective job planning, defining priorities, effective communication with workers and mentoring are some of the strategies used by the supervisors in managing work related stress in the Nigerian petroleum industry. To enhance a good work-health life in the industry, the study recommended training workers and supervisors on stress management, defining minimum conditions of service for workers, having an organizational policy on stress management, and collaboration among managers, employees, and clients on work-related stress management.

Research on a multilevel scheduling model for multi variety and variable batch production environments based on machine learning

Traditional manufacturing enterprises cannot adjust their production line structure in the short term. They face significant challenges in adapting to the rapidly changing market environment and meeting various variable batch production requirements. Building a suitable and convenient multi-layer planning and scheduling model is an important goal to solve the efficient operation of manufacturing enterprises. This paper proposes a planning and scheduling design that meets the needs of enterprise and the production workshop using the APERT-VC model through a top-down design methodology. APERT is an enterprise-level plan that uses attention mechanisms to collect job plan time and decomposes project plans into workshop plans through PERT technology. virtual command is workshop level plan management, which converts workshop plans into time series vectors and achieves rapid and comprehensive guidance of workshop resource planning for enterprises through multiple classification and decision-making. Through experiments, the algorithm achieved production scheduling accuracy improvement of over 30% compared to previous algorithms and a decision accuracy rate of over 90%. The first half of the new model solves the problem of collecting work time for multi variety and variable batch products, and improves the accuracy of algorithm input. The second half of the new algorithm innovatively combines image recognition technology with dispatcher behavior, achieving efficient simulation results.

Interest and barriers to research in obstetric haematology – findings from a national survey in the United Kingdom

Introduction In 2021, the steering committee members of British Society of Haematology Obstetric Haematology Special Interest Group noted difficulties in opening research studies. This led to the development of a survey to further evaluate this issue. Method An electronic survey was distributed to all members of the British Society of Haematology Obstetric Haematology Special Interest Group and to relevant specialty leads of the National Institute for Health and Care Research Clinical Research Network for further dissemination within these networks. Results Responses were received from 65 participants (73% consultant grade); mainly haematologists (52%) or obstetricians (39%). Less than a third of participants reported dedicated time for research in their job plan, with only five participants reporting no challenges in opening research studies in obstetric haematology. Discussion The survey confirmed significant interest in obstetric haematology research, with barriers to participation. We propose further actions to facilitate increased research.

Array Formation Testing with Multiple Azimuthal and Axial Pressure Transducers

An early formation tester operating a “sink probe” that extracts fluids from the borehole, also measures pressures at its location; pressures are additionally collected at two passive sensors, one situated 180 deg away and the second about meter axially. These positions are not conducive to accurate permeability predictions, since pressure transient signals used for inverse analysis attenuate very rapidly. Closer probe spacings offer formation evaluation advantages at low mobilities because Darcy pressure dissipation is reduced. Logging applications for such testing tools include heterogeneity, anisotropy and layer characterization. Multiprobe tools with smaller transducer separations are ideal, but at present, analytically based hardware design and software interpretation methods are not available. Two design approaches are described in this paper, namely, testers with multiple probes that are displaced azimuthally, and those with axially displaced probes. For the former, we describe a new triple-probe array tester and related software models that support pressure transient analysis in transversely isotropic media. The numerical approach supports independently operable probes with different nozzle shapes, flow rates and start and stop times. This flexibility supports anisotropy and heterogeneity mapping ‘’circumferentially about the borehole. The latter class of tools, those formed by axial pressure arrays, extend conventional “dual probe tools” by including additional pressure probes axially along the same azimuth. These support improved pressure gradient analysis and detection of isolated zones in vertical wireline applications. Taken together, both array methods and their computational models support more effective job planning and inverse properties analysis. Comments are also offered on “hybrid multiprobe tools” consisting of both azimuthal and axial arrays. These math formulations and computing methods for both tool classes not only support pressure analysis, but also, for more effective hardware design. For example, what pump flow rates are required to provide a given depth of investigation? Analogous questions can be answered “on paper” prior to prototype building. Representative computed examples are presented demonstrating the versatility and capabilities of the new models. This article introduces techniques focusing on single-phase flow fundamentals. Applications to other multiprobe tools, together with multiphase extensions, dealing with coupled pressure and contamination models, nonlinear gas pumping, convergence acceleration, and in addition, inverse approaches and “big data” support, will be presented in a forthcoming 2024 book.

Fatigue among anaesthesiologists in Europe: Findings from a joint EBA/NASC survey.

Anaesthesiologists deliver an increasing amount of patient care and often work long hours in operating theatres and intensive care units, with frequent on-calls and insufficient rest in between. In the long term, this will negatively influence mental and physical health and well being. As fatigue becomes more prevalent, this has predictable implications for patient safety and clinical effectiveness. 1. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, severity, causes and implications of work-related fatigue amongst specialist anaesthesiologists. An online survey of specialist anaesthesiologists. The survey was sent to anaesthesiologists in 42 European countries by electronic mail. Responses from a 36-item online survey assessed work-related fatigue and its impact on anaesthesiologists in European countries. Work-related fatigue was experienced in 91.6% of the 1508 respondents from 32 European countries. Fatigue was caused by their working patterns, clinical and nonclinical workloads, staffing issues and excessive work hours. Over 70% reported that work-related fatigue negatively impacted on their physical and mental health, emotional well being and safe commuting. Most respondents did not feel supported by their organisation to maintain good health and well being. Work-related fatigue is a significant and widespread problem amongst anaesthesiologists. More education and increased awareness of fatigue and its adverse effects on patient safety, staff well being and physical and mental health are needed. Departments should ensure that their rotas and job plans comply with the European Working Time Directive (EWTD) and introduce a fatigue risk management system to mitigate the effects of fatigue.