Overwhelming Workload Research Articles

Assessing Workplace Factors That Influence Burnout and Identifying Recommendations to Support Well-being in Pharmacy Faculty

ObjectiveCreating environments that promote well-being is critical as studies have shown that burnout, and thus poor well-being, results in poor health outcomes and declining workplace retention. While studies have measured the prevalence of burnout in pharmacy faculty, a gap exists regarding workplace factors that impact faculty well-being. The purpose of this study was to assess factors influencing pharmacy faculty burnout and identify recommendations to improve faculty well-being. MethodsFull-time pharmacy faculty were invited to participate in this exploratory study. Focus groups were divided by faculty rank (ie, assistant, associate, full professor). A semistructured interview format was used to identify factors contributing to faculty burnout and fulfillment as well as solicit suggestions for strategies to improve well-being. Inductive coding was used to identify themes. ResultsEleven faculty participated in 4 focus groups: 6 assistant professors in 2 focus groups (n = 3 faculty/focus group), 3 associate professors in 1 focus group, and 2 full professors in 1 focus group. Common factors influencing faculty burnout included overwhelming workload, workplace inefficiencies, and unexpected factors. Factors contributing to faculty fulfillment included impact, having a passion for work, and connecting with others. Recommendations for improving well-being included school-level well-being initiatives from leadership, encouraging work-life balance, and implementing intentional well-being initiatives and resources. ConclusionParticipants identified several workplace factors that contribute to burnout and faculty fulfillment. This study fills a critical gap in the literature regarding factors that influence pharmacy faculty well-being and burnout and can inform strategies for fostering faculty well-being in pharmacy education.

21st-century South African teachers in turbulent educational waters

Teachers in the South African education system face numerous challenges that negatively affect their well-being and contribute to the high attrition rate in the teaching profession. Given that few studies in the South African context focus on teacher well-being, this article fills that gap by exploring how teachers experience profession-related challenges and how these affect their well-being. By merging the force field model (Samuel & van Wyk, 2008) and the PERMA model (Seligman, 2011) as theoretical frameworks, four forces, namely contextual, institutional, programmatic, and biographical, were used as a lens to explore the push and pull factors that impact the well-being of teachers. Data were collected using eight electronic open-ended questions and eight semi-structured individual interviews (case studies). The findings revealed that factors teachers identified as pushing them away from the profession were unsatisfactory remuneration, lack of resources, uninvolved parents, learner diversity, and an overwhelming workload. Pull factors that attracted them to the profession were the stability and convenience of following a teaching career, feeling valued, and being passionate about facilitating learning.

Lessons from former principals: Possible approaches to mitigating school leader turnover

Attention is being paid by researchers and policymakers globally to the problem of principal burnout and attrition, caused by rising workloads and stressful conditions. This paper identifies several possible mitigating strategies or practices, drawing on lessons learnt from former school principals about their professional experiences. The paper draws upon a case study of principal attraction and retention in Australia, focusing particularly on survey results from a subset of 56 Australian former school principals. The analysis is theorised through turnover theory, specifically with a lens on the push factors that influenced principals’ turnover and attrition. Our analysis shows that principals left the profession due to a perceived lack of support, complexity of the role and overwhelming workload. These are identified as priorities for new policies and practices that better support principals working in an increasingly challenging profession. The paper provides an original contribution to the field through its specific focus on retention and former principals’ perspectives. While the paper is focused on Australian principals, their experiences can provide insights into wider patterns being seen in countries with pressurised workloads, increasingly poor principal health and well-being, and subsequent concerns about the attraction and retention of school leaders.

Factors associated with post-traumatic stress disorder in nurses after directly caring for COVID-19 patients: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundNurses are particularly at risk of suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) owing to their overwhelming workload, risk of infection, and lack of knowledge about the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). PTSD negatively affects an individual’s health, work performance, and patient safety. This study aims to assess factors related to PTSD among nurses after providing direct care to COVID-19 patients.MethodsThis study is a secondary analysis aimed at identifying factors influencing PTSD among nurses who provided direct care to COVID-19 patients. Data from 168 nurses, collected between October and November 2020, were analyzed. The independent variables were personal, interpersonal, and organizational and COVID-19-related factors (experience of quarantine and direct care of COVID-19 patients), and the dependent variables were PTSD symptoms evaluated based on the PTSD Checklist-5. The nurses’ experience of direct care for COVID-19 patients in the designated COVID-19 isolation wards during the first wave of the pandemic (February 2020 to May 2020) was included.ResultsAmong the nurses, 18.5% exhibited symptoms of PTSD. When providing direct care to a patient in the designated COVID-19 isolation ward, nurses witnessing the death of a patient (p = .001), low level of nurse staffing (p = .008), and inconvenience of electronic health records programs (p = .034) were associated with PTSD symptoms. The experience of quarantine owing to COVID-19 was also associated with PTSD symptoms (p = .034). Additionally, the higher the nurse managers’ ability, leadership, and support of nurses in the current ward, the higher the possibility of lowering nurses’ PTSD symptoms (p = .006).ConclusionsGovernments and hospitals should prepare and implement organizational intervention programs to improve nurse managers’ leadership, nurse staffing levels, and electronic health records programs. Additionally, because nurses who have witnessed the death of a COVID-19 patient or are self-isolating are vulnerable to PTSD, psychological support should be provided.

Medical students' perspective of the motivations and limitations of studying medicine: a cross-sectional study from the United Arab Emirates

BackgroundIncentives and disincentives to study medicine are complex concepts and may involve a dynamic balancing act between financial, personal, and social reasons. These processes have not been adequately explored in the Middle East. This study explores students' thoughts and feelings about studying medicine at the United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between April and August 2019. An online, self-administered questionnaire consisting of 22 questions was distributed to the students enrolled at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University. The survey questions focused on motivations to study medicine and limitations that prevent choosing medicine as a field of study.ResultsTwo hundred and five (33%) of 621 students in the six-year program completed the questionnaire. Forty-three percent of the responders were from the first two years of medical school. The decision to study medicine was reported as their own by 92%. Eighty-eight percent of the students did not consider gender a limitation for studying medicine, and 62% had a defined medical specialty to pursue. One-third considered quitting medicine, mainly during the first two years. Reported difficulties included mental health problems (stress, anxiety, and depression), social isolation ('having no life,' 'being lonely'), curriculum content (overwhelming workload), college condition/rules (poor condition of the hostels, lack of support, scant passion, and strict rules), and rational thinking (inadequate high-school preparation).ConclusionsThese results justify implementing an effective counseling program, especially during the early academic years. The quality of high-school education requires careful thoughtfulness from the department of education with input from our medical schools. Other modifiable factors include the methods of assessment, available supportive resources, and extracurricular activities.

P-664 Optimizing IVF unit workload by balancing retrievals using artificial intelligence algorithm for trigger day decision

Abstract Study question Can an algorithm effectively reduce fluctuations in the number of retrievals per day by distributing them more evenly throughout the month without compromising clinical outcome? Summary answer A trigger day decision algorithm can evenly distribute retrievals throughout the month, significantly reducing the variations of retrievals per day, without compromising clinical outcome. What is known already Whether clinic workload can have an impact on IVF outcomes is controversial with some studies indicating that high procedure volume may lead to lower pregnancy rates. Furthermore, efficient workload management is crucial for fertility clinics to achieve optimal outcomes for both patients and staff. Overwhelming workloads can lead to staff burnout and decreased productivity. Clinics need to be cautious with the number of patients they treat due to the fluctuations in the number of retrievals. Reducing these fluctuations can help the clinic maintain stability in patient flow, reduce waiting lists, and enhance overall efficiency and productivity. Study design, size, duration A retrospective cohort study including data of 6,562 retrieval protocol cycles performed in a large center serving over 50 physicians, between November 2021 and October 2022. The data includes 5,377 (81.94%) antagonist protocol cycles and 1,185 (18.06%) cycles of different protocols. The antagonist protocol cycles also include information on suggested trigger options: a specific single day, two options or three optional days, which were determined by a trigger management algorithm. Participants/materials, setting, methods An algorithm was developed to evenly distribute retrievals throughout the month. It divides the cycles into two groups: those with one suggested trigger day and fixed retrieval day (4,730 cycles 72.08%), and those with two/three suggested trigger day options and flexibility in choosing retrieval day (1,832 cycles 27.92%). The algorithm first allocates cycles with two options and then cycles with three options, aiming to minimize the variation in the number of retrievals between days. Main results and the role of chance The study showed that the implementation of a balancing algorithm on a clinic with an average of 18 retrievals per day resulted in a decrease of the standard deviation of the number of retrievals per day, from an average of 7.66 to 3.16, narrowing the range (average ± 2 standard deviation) of daily activity from 3-33 to 12-24 daily retrievals. Furthermore, the study showed that the number of days with more than 150% or less than 50% retrievals than the average of the month, decreased significantly from an average of 8.4 days per month to 0.5 day per month when the balancing algorithm was applied. Assuming the clinic has the capacity to handle the previous upper range of daily retrievals, the implementation of the balancing algorithm reduced the standard deviation and allowed for an increase in the average number of daily retrievals by approximately 31%, to an average of 23.6 cycles per day, with the clinic's capacity remaining unchanged. Limitations, reasons for caution This algorithm was developed specifically for antagonist cycles, which comprise approximately 80% of retrievals. Therefore, it cannot be applied to about 20% of cycles that are limited to a fixed trigger day but may have similar flexibility when an algorithm is available. Wider implications of the findings The use of a balancing algorithm has the potential to reduce workload and improve efficiency for medical and laboratory staff, thereby reducing errors and costs. Furthermore, it may enable clinics to treat more patients using the same facilities and resources, thus decreasing waitlists for treatments. Trial registration number HMC-0011-22

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the infection prevention and control field: Findings from focus groups conducted with association for professionals in infection control & epidemiology (APIC) members in fall 2021

IntroductionEmergence of the Delta variant in 2021 changed the pandemic landscape and led to healthcare surges across the US, despite availability of COVID-19 vaccine. Anecdotal information indicated that the infection prevention and control (IPC) field was changing, but formal assessment was needed. MethodsFocus groups (6) were conducted with APIC members in November and December, 2021 to elicit infection preventionists' (IP) opinions changes to the IPC field due to the pandemic. Focus groups were audio recorded via Zoom and transcribed. Content analysis was used to identify major themes. ResultsNinety IPs participated. IPs described multiple changes to the IPC field during the pandemic, including being more involved in policy development, the challenge of transitioning back to routine IPC while still responding to COVID-19, increased need for IPs across practice settings, difficulties in recruiting and retaining IPs, presenteeism in healthcare, and extensive burnout. Participants suggested approaches to improve IPs' wellbeing. ConclusionsThe ongoing pandemic has brought significant changes to the IPC field, including a shortage of IPs just as the field is expanding rapidly. The continued overwhelming workload and stress due to the pandemic has resulted in burnout among IPs and the need for initiatives to improve their wellbeing.

Nurse and Patient Assessments of COVID-19 Care Quality in China: A Comparative Survey Study.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the quality of nursing care was a concern due to nurses' overwhelming workload. A cross-sectional design was conducted to compare perceptions between nurses and patients about the quality of nursing care for COVID-19 patients and to explore factors associated with these perceptions. Data were collected during the COVID-19 pandemic from 17 March to 13 April 2020 in five hospitals in Wuhan, China. Perceptions of care quality were assessed among nurses and patients using the Caring Behaviors Inventory. Nurses rated the quality of caring behaviors higher than patients. Both nurses and patients rated technical caring behaviors at high levels and rated the item related to "spending time with the patient" the lowest, while patients rated it much lower than nurses. Nurses' sex, participation in ethical training organized by the hospital, professional title, being invited to Wuhan, and length of working experience in years were significantly associated with nurses' self-evaluated caring behaviors. Moreover, inpatient setting and communication mode were significantly associated with patients' self-evaluated caring behaviors.

Interpretable Differential Diagnosis of Non-COVID Viral Pneumonia, Lung Opacity and COVID-19 Using Tuned Transfer Learning and Explainable AI.

The coronavirus epidemic has spread to virtually every country on the globe, inflicting enormous health, financial, and emotional devastation, as well as the collapse of healthcare systems in some countries. Any automated COVID detection system that allows for fast detection of the COVID-19 infection might be highly beneficial to the healthcare service and people around the world. Molecular or antigen testing along with radiology X-ray imaging is now utilized in clinics to diagnose COVID-19. Nonetheless, due to a spike in coronavirus and hospital doctors' overwhelming workload, developing an AI-based auto-COVID detection system with high accuracy has become imperative. On X-ray images, the diagnosis of COVID-19, non-COVID-19 non-COVID viral pneumonia, and other lung opacity can be challenging. This research utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to deliver high-accuracy automated COVID-19 detection from normal chest X-ray images. Further, this study extended to differentiate COVID-19 from normal, lung opacity and non-COVID viral pneumonia images. We have employed three distinct pre-trained models that are Xception, VGG19, and ResNet50 on a benchmark dataset of 21,165 X-ray images. Initially, we formulated the COVID-19 detection problem as a binary classification problem to classify COVID-19 from normal X-ray images and gained 97.5%, 97.5%, and 93.3% accuracy for Xception, VGG19, and ResNet50 respectively. Later we focused on developing an efficient model for multi-class classification and gained an accuracy of 75% for ResNet50, 92% for VGG19, and finally 93% for Xception. Although Xception and VGG19's performances were identical, Xception proved to be more efficient with its higher precision, recall, and f-1 scores. Finally, we have employed Explainable AI on each of our utilized model which adds interpretability to our study. Furthermore, we have conducted a comprehensive comparison of the model's explanations and the study revealed that Xception is more precise in indicating the actual features that are responsible for a model's predictions.This addition of explainable AI will benefit the medical professionals greatly as they will get to visualize how a model makes its prediction and won't have to trust our developed machine-learning models blindly.

Society Under the Newly Issued Double-Reduction Policy: a Review of the Short- and Long-Term Social, Economic, Educational, and Livelihood Impacts and the Comparisons with the Similar Educational Policies in South Korea

Along with the rapid global development, the course load of primary and secondary school students increases proportionally as well as the time input of students on their studies. The workload from school and the after-school tutoring burden the students at the compulsory education stage just to gain better resources for future education. Thus, they lose a significant amount of their time which is supposed to be an opportunity for them to pursue their interests and discover their potential. More seriously, the overwhelming workload may also significantly affect their physical and mental health. Moreover, this “exploitation” of students can socially stimulate educational involution as well, decreasing fertility desire due to the difficulty of raising children. Under this background, the Chinese government issued the Double Burden Reduction Policy to reduce students' workload from school and outside studying. The policy aims to cool down and avoid overheated social involution through the partial closure of out-school tutoring as a primary means. This paper analyzes these existing short-term effects and gives probable predictions of long-term impacts.

Adherence to labor and delivery care quality standards and associated factors among nurse-midwives in two public teaching and referral hospitals in Kenya: a cross-sectional survey.

maternal mortality is a major health concern, especially in low and middle-income countries. In Kenya, about 362 maternal deaths occur in every 100,000 live births. Seventy-five percent of these deaths can be prevented through the provision of quality care, especially during labor and delivery as per the quality standards. The objective of this study was to establish the level of adherence to labor and delivery care quality standards among nurse-midwives, and the factors hindering the adherence. a descriptive, cross-sectional survey was carried out in the maternity units of Embu and Meru Teaching and Referral hospitals in Kenya. A total of 51 Nurse-midwives were involved in the study. Data on adherence was collected through direct observation using an observation checklist, whereas that of factors hindering adherence was collected through face-to-face interviews using a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were checked, coded, and entered into EPI Info version 7.1.2. SPSS Version 25.0 was used to analyze data. Associations between variables were tested using Pearson correlation and Fisher's exact tests at 95% CI. most of the participants (60.7%, n=31) were diploma holders, and a half (51%, n=26) were aged 20-29 years. About half (51%, n=26) had practiced for between 1 and 9 years and 43.1% (n=22) had worked in the maternity unit for more than a year. Out of the 12 quality standards assessed, only 5 (41.7%) were adhered to. Major implementation challenges include unavailability of standards (n=98.0%, n=50), inadequate supplies (96.1%, n=49), inadequate knowledge (88.2%, n=45), and an overwhelming workload (86.3%, n=44). There is a significant correlation between the highest level of qualification and lack of knowledge of quality standards (r=-0.279, p=0.05). adherence to labor and delivery care quality standards is low among nurse-midwives. Stakeholders must allocate more resources for training and the provision of adequate supplies. The facilities should also source for and customize the quality standards to promote greater adherence.

The Experience of ER Nurses in Lebanese Hospitals, During the COVID-19 Outbreak: A Qualitative Study.

The increasing number of COVID-19 cases, as well as the overwhelming workload, constitutes a serious occupational health threat to Emergency Room (ER) nurses working on the frontlines. In Lebanon, where unstable socio-economic conditions reign, the Covid-19 outbreak was added to the plethora of daily challenges faced by healthcare workers. The study's objective is to explore how Lebanese ER nurses perceived their duty on the frontlines amid the Covid-19 pandemic. This study employed a descriptive exploratory qualitative design. 15 Lebanese ER nurses working directly with Covid-19 patients were recruited from 3 university hospitals in Beirut. Interviews were held for data collection until data saturation. Subsequent analysis was done via coding of the transcribed verbatim. The findings showed significant gaps related to preparedness, support, and governmental action. Similarly, the frontliners faced serious challenges that increased their stress levels both physically and mentally. Furthermore, some participants were subject to stigma and had to face irresponsible behaviors during triage. Participants emphasized the need to guarantee a safe environment at work, to provide Covid-19 patients with the needed care. ER nurses struggled during this pandemic while working on the frontlines. They described their experience as not satisfying, with high levels of stress, danger, and challenges.

Infection preventionists’ experiences during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic: Findings from focus groups conducted with association for professionals in infection control & epidemiology (APIC) members

COVID-19 epidemiology changed dramatically in spring 2021 when vaccine became widely available and the Delta variant emerged. There was a need to identify current infection prevention challenges due to changing pandemic epidemiology. Six focus groups were conducted via Zoom with APIC members in November and December, 2021 to elicit infection preventionists' (IP) experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic after the Delta variant had emerged. Each focus group was audio recorded then transcribed verbatim. Content analysis was used to identify major themes. In total, 90 IPs participated (average of 15 IPs per focus group). Participating IPs described multiple issues they have faced during the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic after the Delta variant emerged, including continuing challenges with personal protective equipment, changes in pandemic restrictions that caused confusion and pushback, the hope when vaccine first became available and then despair when there was more vaccine breakthrough than anticipated, staffing and medical supply shortages, overwhelming workloads, and anger towards healthcare personnel and IPs. However, IPs felt more valued by leadership, and reported greater internal collaboration and external coordination of care. The second year of the pandemic brought ongoing and new challenges for IPs, but also better coordination of care. Strategic initiatives are needed to address the identified challenges, such as how to prioritize tasks when IPs are overwhelmed.

The Overview of Job Stress and Patient Safety Culture among Nurses in the East Coast Teaching Hospital, Malaysia

Patient safety is attributed to the responsibility of each component that exists in the healthcare system in an organization. Accidents may happen based on as a result of lack of attention, mistaken perception, or improper cognition or attention such as distraction [1]. Nurses are considered to carry high job stress, and low sleep quality problems due to uneven working shifts compared to other occupations [2]. Nurses are often associated with overwhelming workloads and busy schedules, and this situation could compromise their work performance and patient safety [3].
 
 This study aims to determine the prevalence of job stress and the patient safety culture among the nurses in the East Coast Teaching Hospital, Malaysia. There were 188 nurses who were randomly selected and agreed to participate in this study. The assessment was conducted using validated questionnaires, comprised of Expanded Nursing Stress Scales and Safety Attitude Questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis and Pearson’s correlation test.
 
 The study showed that 61.5% of the respondents suffered mild job stress, while 1.4% experienced severe job stress (Table 1). More than half of the respondents (74.1%) gave negative responses towards patient safety culture at their workplace showing their low awareness on patient safety culture (Table 2). Stress recognition factor (80.4%) was reported as the main factor for the negative response on patient safety culture among respondents. There was a significant inverse linear relationship between job stress and patient safety culture (r=-0.338, p<0.001). 
 The result revealed that the majority of the nurses enrolled in this study experienced unsatisfactory patient safety culture levels. Most of the respondents expressed appreciation for their job, however, several other domains received less positive responses. The overall patient safety culture can be improved by providing measures to correspond with the stress factors experience by the nurses.

Forgotten Heroes: Experiences of Health Care Support Workers Regarding Burnout and Resilience During Pandemic, A Qualitative Approach.

Health care support workers have been facing several challenges due to the stressful environment in COVID-19 pandemic. Because of the gap in literature, it is mandatory to explore their experiences to identify burnout, predisposing factors, and possible interventions. We conducted qualitative research with a hermeneutic phenomenological method. Participants belonged to cleaning services, security, and hospital administration areas at a hospital in Bogotá. We used semistructured individual interviews. The analysis approaches were deductive and inductive. As main concepts, we found the following: fear of infection and coping mechanisms, dealing with COVID-19 and being part of the health care support system, overwhelming workload and motivation to keep going and socioeconomic conditions. We found burnout predisposing factors; however, the participants did not express symptoms of burnout syndrome. We believe protective factors such as resilience are influential concerning this outcome.

Narratives of hospital health care professionals during the pandemic in the Northern Philippines: A phenomenological study.

Hospital health care professionals (HCPs) play a vital and crucial role in saving the lives of patients afflicted with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the incidence of the disease keeps increasing, health care workers in hospitals face difficulties in discharging their duties. This study aimed to describe the lived experiences of HCPs. Particularly, it determined their challenges, motivations and coping strategies to craft grassroots policies for the enhancement of health care delivery in the Northern Philippines. Employing a phenomenological study design, 24 study participants were purposively selected and their narratives were elicited through focus group discussion. Responses were transcribed verbatim. After data analyses, the challenges, coping strategies and motivations of HCPs were identified. Results revealed that HCPs experienced a lot of challenges. Some of these were brought by the rapid changes in their environment as HCPs. Moreover, there was lack of comprehensive strategies that made them unprepared along with a lack of human and material resources. Furthermore, they experienced physical fatigue because of overwhelming workload, anxiety, fear and discrimination that led to depression. Despite these difficulties, they remain resilient because of religious coping, being true to their duty as HCPs and the support they receive from their fellows. Thus, the study recommends that protocols to ensue should centre on adequate pandemic preparedness and capacitation of HCPs.

Stability of Selected Biochemical Analytes in Serum Stored at Room Temperature for 24 Hours at Kericho County Referral Hospital, Kenya

Accurate and reliable medical laboratory test results are essential for correct patient diagnosis and management. This is however influenced by many preanalytical, analytical, and post-analytical factors. A general problem faced by most clinical laboratories is the inability to timely process all blood samples received due to overwhelming workload, reagents stock-outs, and equipment breakdown, necessitating storage which predisposes analytes to deterioration. To ensure accurate results from stored samples, the determination of the stability of the analytes under various environmental conditions and storage periods is important in informing acceptable sample handling and storage. This study was designed to experimentally observe changes and evaluate the stability of eleven biochemical analytes in serum samples from 20 randomly sampled healthy volunteers stored at room temperature over 24 hours at Kericho County Referral Hospital laboratory. 10mls of venous blood was drawn from each volunteer, serum was separated and five aliquot sets were prepared. Analysis was done on a set immediately, at 2, 4, 8, and 24 hours, to determine the concentration of the selected analytes on Human Star 100 chemistry analyser. Student pair T-test and Wilcoxon rank were used to analyse the data. Chloride, Creatinine, Glucose, Potassium, Sodium, Urea, Alkaline Phosphatase, Alanine Amino Transferase and Aspartate Amino Transferase registered stability up to 24 hours, with mean percentage differences less the respective calculated reference change value of 4.54, 35.97, 13.14, 10.89, 2.16, 32.15, 16.48, 42.25 and 42.52. Direct and total bilirubin showed stability only up to 2 and 4 hours, respectively, with mean percentage differences of -2.6 and 1.07 against respective calculated reference change values of 1.14 and 0.675 in the subsequent analysis. This study recommends immediate analysis of serum for total and direct bilirubin, while electrolytes, enzymatic analytes and other metabolic waste and substrates can be analysed within 24 hours without extra storage precautions. If testing is delayed, then effective storage including a dark room, refrigeration, or freezing, should be applied to maintain analytes stability for reliable results.

Beginner teachers and classroom communities: a thematic analysis of UK beginner teachers' experiences in initial teacher education and beyond

This research explores the perspectives of beginner teachers in England, both on their Initial Teacher Education courses and their first year of teaching, to see if and how teacher educators might support them better. We carried out semi-structured interviews with 11 beginner teachers. They highlighted the joy they experienced in their daily work, the overwhelming workload and the significance of self-reliance in the classroom. The findings suggest that the circumstances for fruitful support by colleagues are severely hampered in the first year of teaching, where teachers' learning is largely driven by their classroom communities.

Edge-Assisted Intelligent Video Compression for Live Aerial Streaming

The ultra-low latency transmission, high speed broadband and ubiquitous access points in modern cities have greatly alleviated the last mile problem of live streaming services. Yet, the sophisticated video compression of high definition videos is still inevitable before transmission, which leads to overwhelming workloads in the light-weighted video collectors. In this paper, we are motivated to explore the computation offloading of live streaming video compression for UAVs, which are featured by limited capacity and fixed trajectory. In particular, the global motion model is utilized for inter frame residual coding instead of motion vector estimation, which usually takes more than 50% computation complexity in traditional H.264/265. We propose an edge-based Joint Video Coding (eJVC) scheme, which can save up to 84.04% encoding complexity of UAV video collector. Specifically, the attention network is used to distinguish foreground blocks and background blocks in the frame. LSTM neural network is used on the edge server to predict the auxiliary data needed by UAV video collector for video coding. In addition, our proposed solution can also accommodate the movement direction change when the control signal is notified in advance. Finally, the prototype system is implemented with the real world data set, and the experiment results show that our proposed solution can significantly save the computation time with little bitrate distortion performance loss.

Psychological safety between pediatric residents and nurses and the impact of an interdisciplinary simulation curriculum

BackgroundEffective teamwork in interdisciplinary healthcare teams is necessary for patient safety. Psychological safety is a key component of effective teamwork. The baseline psychological safety on pediatric inpatient healthcare teams is unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine the baseline psychological safety between pediatric nurses and residents and examine the impact of an interdisciplinary nighttime simulation curriculum.MethodsA convergent, multistage mixed methods approach was used. An interprofessional simulation curriculum was implemented fall 2020 to spring 2021. Qualitative focus group data and quantitative survey data on team psychological safety were collected and compared, both pre- and post-intervention and across nurses and residents. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data was conducted, and themes integrated with survey findings.ResultsData were collected from 30 nurses and 37 residents pre-intervention and 32 and 38 post-intervention, respectively. Residents and nurses negatively rated psychological safety (pre-intervention mean = 3.40 [SD = 0.72]; post-intervention mean = 3.35 [SD = 0.81]). At both times psychological safety was rated significantly lower for residents (pre-intervention mean = 3.11 [SD = 0.76], post-intervention mean = 2.98 [SD = 0.84]) than nurses (pre-intervention mean = 3.76 [SD = 0.45], post-intervention mean = 3.79 [SD = 0.50]), all P < .001. Qualitative analysis identified six integrated themes: (1) influence of existing relationships on future interactions, (2) unsatisfactory manner and frequency of communication, (3) unsatisfactory resolution of disagreements (4) overwhelming resident workload impairs collaboration, (5) interpersonal disrespect disrupts teamwork, and (6) interprofessional simulation was useful but not sufficient for culture improvement.ConclusionResident-nurse team psychological safety ratings were not positive. While interprofessional simulation curriculum shows promise, additional efforts are needed to improve psychological safety among residents and nurses.