Positive Professional Experiences Research Articles

Broadening participation in acoustics: Personal reflections and pathways forward

It has been over 30 years since the author embarked on pursuing acoustics and engineering as a career. At the first Acoustical Society of America’s (ASA) Technical Committee in Architectural Acoustics meeting that the author attended in the early 1990s, there were two women in the filled room, of whom the author was one. Overall, these past three decades have provided a fulfilling and positive professional experience, but there have been moments where the author leaned on demonstrating resilience, sought to rise above feelings of not being good enough, and made career choices and conducted research differently than might have been expected. In this presentation, the author shares personal reflections on her experience, as well as thoughts on how the ASA and its members can build on recent momentum to continue to broaden participation in acoustics, particularly among underrepresented groups. The author was tasked to lead diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln as an Associate Dean of Faculty and Inclusion beginning in 2018. A summary of data, tactics, and strategies undertaken since then are shared as possible pathways forward, that could be replicated in others’ research groups and communities.

Occupational benefit perception of acute and critical care nurses: A qualitative meta-synthesis.

BackgroundWith the development of society, nurses have an increasingly more important role in the medical team. At the same time, due to various reasons, the number of active nurses is continuously decreasing, and the shortage of nursing personnel is becoming ever more serious. The COVID-19 pandemic made these clinical problems more serious. As the department with the greatest work pressure and the most intense pace, acute and critical care nurses are already facing serious problems related to job burnout and dismission. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, these problems should be solved urgently. Furthermore, with the rise of positive psychology, many scholars are turning their research direction to the positive professional experience of nurses so as to get inspiration to encourage nurses to face work with an optimistic attitude and guide nursing managers to better retain nursing talents.ObjectiveThe purpose of this paper is to summarize and evaluate the positive emotional experience and professional benefit of acute and critical care specialist nurses in the process of work. So as to better interpret their occupational benefit perception and guide nursing managers in adopting positive measures and promoting the development of high-quality nursing.MethodsCinahl plus, Embase, Medline and other twelve databases were searched for relevant literature. Meta-aggregation was used to synthesize the findings of the included studies.ResultsFrom a total of 12 articles included in this study, 55 main results were presented, 8 new categories were integrated, and three themes were formed: professional identity, social support, and personal growth. The professional identity included: being proud of professional ability and increasing professional value; social support included: friends and family support, organizational, environmental support, peer support, and support of patients and their families; personal growth included realizing self-worth and promoting self-development.ConclusionHospital managers should pay attention to the positive emotional experience of nurses in work and based on this, provide practical and beneficial protection for nurses from the aspects of salary, learning opportunities, working environment, social support and internal personality, stimulate work enthusiasm, guide nurses to correctly face negative emotions and occupational pressure, and improve the sense of professional benefit.

Facilitators and barriers perceived by health professionals in the implementation of Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM) psychotherapy in Santiago.

IntroductionPalliative care (PC) for advanced cancer is guaranteed by law in Chile, but the formal training for it is insufficient. Training models have emerged internationally that enable professionals to be better prepared for the provision of psychotherapy in PC. The objective of this study is to explore health professionals’ perceptions of the ‘Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully’ (CALM) psychotherapy and the perceived barriers and facilitators to its implementation, based on a theoretical training.MethodsA qualitative study was carried out with health professionals working in oncology and/or PC and participating in a CALM training. A focus group was conducted after to explore the experience of CALM training and the perceived barriers and facilitators to its implementation. A thematic analysis of the content and an analysis of the facilitators and barriers to the implementation of mental health services were carried out.ResultsTwenty four professionals participated in the training, six of whom were part of the subsequent focus group. There was a consensus that the training was a positive professional experience and that it is a culturally sensitive and feasible intervention for application in Chile. The barriers identified include institutional bureaucracy as resistance to change, the excess workload of the clinical teams and the absence of spaces for more in-depth training.ConclusionsCALM is a useful and relevant framework for the training of health professionals working in oncology and PC. In Chile, there is a need for training spaces on this topic. Future research and organisational studies should evaluate professionals’ beliefs about, and resistance to, adopting evidence-based psychotherapeutic interventions.

The Impact of COVID 19 on University Staff and Students from Iberoamerica: Online Learning and Teaching Experience.

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has created a great impact on mental health in society. Considering the little attention paid by scientific studies to either students or university staff during lockdown, the current study has two aims: (a) to analyze the evolution of mental health and (b) to identify predictors of educational/professional experience and online learning/teaching experience. (2) Methods: 1084 university students and 554 staff in total from four different countries (Spain, Colombia, Chile and Nicaragua) participated in the study, affiliated with nine different universities, four of them Spanish and one of which was online. We used an online survey known as LockedDown, which consists of 82 items, analyzed with classical multiple regression analyses and machine learning techniques. (3) Results: Stress level and feelings of anxiety and depression of students and staff either increased or remained over the weeks. A better online learning experience for university students was associated with the age, perception of the experience as beneficial and support of the university. (4) Conclusions: The study has shown evidence of the emotional impact and quality of life for both students and staff. For students, the evolution of feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as the support offered by the university affected the educational experience and online learning. For staff who experienced a positive professional experience, with access to services and products, the quality-of-life levels were maintained.

The model of an online digital competencies development system for the management personnel of the Arctic region

The article presents a model of online system devised for the development of digital competencies of management personnel in the Arctic region. The model includes a description of the means and technologies allowing implementation of distance learning processes, justification of choice of digital platforms used, structure of electronic educational resources, and methodology of analysis of students’ performance based on the “digital footprint” technology. The structure of electronic educational resources is expected to provide an opportunity of use in various modes and forms of management training, basic and additional professional education, as well as online exchange of positive professional experience between the leaders of the Arctic regions. This approach us e-learning tools in the education shall increase the interest and involvement participants in various types of cognitive activities. The use of Microsoft Office 365 solution for education allows to integrate LMS Moodle with Teams communication application, which supports interactive format of communication. And the OneDrive cloud service shall allow to ensure secure storage of electronic documents and to organize online project work in teams. The statistical data of students’ performance is collected with the use of “digital footprint” technology and analyzed in order to obtain qualitative characteristics of online education process. The expected outcomes of learning will be related to the consumers’ requests. The proposed model of the training system for managers is expected to allow the practical implementation of the Life Long Learning concept, by drawing multi-component individual educational and professional development trajectories in the Arctic region subjects.

A graduate oral health therapist program to support dental service delivery and oral health promotion in Aboriginal communities in New South Wales, Australia.

The early closure of the Voluntary Dental Graduate Year Program and the Oral Health Therapy Graduate Year Program by the Australian Government adversely impacted New South Wales (NSW) Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs). This led to the co-design of a small-scale oral health therapy graduate year program for ACCHSs known as the Dalang Project, which enabled oral health therapists to engage with local Aboriginal communities and implement culturally competent, practical and evidence-based oral health promotion activities. This article provides an overview of the Dalang Project and its evaluation. All graduates of the Dalang Project were invited via email and social media to complete an online survey. The survey included questions about their year in the Dalang Project, why they applied, what they liked and disliked about the project, where they planned to work post-placement, and examples of the most significant changes they observed in the communities where they were placed. Host sites were also surveyed and data were collated on clinical services performed as well as oral health promotion activity. Prior to commencing the Dalang Project only 4 of the 15 respondents came from rural or regional areas. Nine of the 15 respondents were considering working in a regional, rural or remote area prior to applying for the Dalang Project. Twelve respondents were working at the time of the survey and half were working in regional, rural or remote locations in NSW and one in the Northern Territory. All reported that they would be more likely to work in an ACCHS as a result of being a part of the Dalang Project. The majority of respondents said they would recommend the program to future graduates. A total of 63 schools, 21 preschools and 15 community health services received regular dental health education through the Dalang Project. A total of 3250 toothbrushes and fluoride toothpastes were distributed to children and families through the Dalang Project. A key part of the program was the installation of refrigerated and filtered water fountains in schools where there was no free filtered or refrigerated water supply. The inclusion of this component in the program was part of the co-design process and links the program to the wider population health strategies in NSW to help prevent childhood obesity. The Dalang Project is an example of a successful co-designed project that has positively impacted oral health service delivery for Aboriginal children and has provided a valuable experience for new graduate oral health therapists working in ACCHSs. Overall, the Dalang Project was found to be a positive professional experience for the oral health therapists with many remaining in rural, remote and regional locations after completing the program.

Felt Needs of Cancer Palliative Care Professionals Working in India: A Qualitative Study.

Objectives:Cancer palliative care professionals face a plethora of challenges related to death, dying and suffering apart from limited workforce and other resources in India. However, the grief held by them is underappreciated and psychological needs are under explored. The aim of the present study was to explore felt needs of cancer palliative care professionals working in India.Materials and Methods:The study was cross-sectional, qualitative and in-depth in nature. It was conducted across four cancer palliative care centers in Bengaluru city of India. sample consisted of 15 professionals (mean age = 42 years and standard deviation = 8.41) with at least six months of experience, involved in direct patient care who gave an additional consent for audio-recording. The tools used were sociodemographic and professional datasheet and semi-structured interview guide, which were developed for the present study and validated from five experts. Thematic analysis was used to generate and analyze patterns within the qualitative data.Results:Five themes were identified, namely, death and grief; challenges in practice; strategies for self-care; positive professional experiences; and vision for palliative care.Conclusion:The cancer palliative care professionals need regular support in coping with death and grief, regular trainings and supervision across workplace to deal with occupational challenges, and to address their self-care and spiritual needs. The study highlights need to introduce more specialized training courses in handling pediatric patients, increase palliative care workforce, and hospice units. This can have implications in future research and training with development of innovative interventions to address these needs and challenges.

Current State of Pain Resource Nurse (PRN) Programs and Experiences of PRNs in China

BackgroundSince the 2010s, the Pain Resource Nurse (PRN) program and similar programs have been introduced in Chinese hospitals. However, the status of the PRN program and nurses’ experiences in these programs remain unclear. AimsThe aim of the study was to identify the factors related to PRN programs and explore PRNs’ experiences being part of the program. DesignA combination of descriptive cross-sectional and qualitative methods was used in the study. SettingsThirty-two hospitals in the eastern, central, and western regions of China. Participants/SubjectsTwenty-four PRNs who had been PRNs for 6 months or more. MethodsA purposive sample of 32 hospitals from eastern, central, and western regions of China carried out a PRN or similar program for more than 1 year with at least five bedside nurses from different nursing units were enrolled in the descriptive cross-sectional study. The questionnaire was designed by Brown's advanced nursing practice framework theory. A total of 24 PRNs who had been PRNs for 6 months or more participated in the interview by convenience and purposive sampling. ResultsThe mean number of PRNs in a program was 30.12 ± 17.93 (range 5-74). The role of the PRN was broader compared with that of bedside nurses, and it included pain management, training, and education. The most common reason for hospitals to establish PRN programs was to improve the quality of pain management (n = 28, 87.5%). Administrative support (n = 28, 87.5%) was a major supportive factor for PRN programs and lack of physician support (n = 28, 87.5%) was a barrier. Although all hospitals provided training, those with knowledge assessments after training indicated a significant improvement in the desired PRN functions compared with those that did not (p < .05). Personal interviews revealed that the reasons for becoming a PRN varied and included considering PRN as a career opportunity, personal interest, passively accepting the designation, and being a PRN temporarily. The positive professional experiences of being a PRN included an increased sense of self-worth and accomplishment and growth in a specialty, whereas the negative experiences included frustration with the work environment and resignation because of extra workload. ConclusionsThe hospital survey results indicated that the PRN program in China is still in the early development stage. The PRN interviews suggest that being a PRN involves both positive and negative experiences.

Passion: Introduction to Special Issue

There is a dark side to passion: a black heart, something malicious and not to be trusted. This Special Issue1 looks at the tensions between the positive and particularly the negative connotations of passion. This is the kind of passion where an adoring fan can become a menacing stalker. Or a ritual December celebration turns into a contested site of race relations. Often, when we think of media and passion, the first things that come to mind concern love and romance, a positive attachment to something or someone that matters to us. This meaning of passion is certainly one that can be found in an earlier special issue of this journal on passion and labour (Volume 18, Number 2), where the intense feelings associated with song writing, or the spectacle of excess in the world of professional wrestling, highlighted the sheer pleasure and adrenalin rush of passionate labour. Researchers offered health warnings in the marshalling of passion in a neoliberal labour market, but still emotion work signalled the potential for a positive professional experience, if only affect and feelings could be channelled for the greater good in our working lives. In this companion issue, we strike a darker tone to affect, emotion and passion. John Corner offers an introduction to key concepts related to passion. His article focuses on the contested relations between reason and passion, where these two seemingly disparate areas interact and engender varieties of passionate experience. He explores how ideas of the intense and extreme make passion ‘a provocative topic for cultural theory and analysis’. Why is passion provocative? Cheryl Hall’s (2005) book The Trouble with Passion sums up the uneasiness associated with passion, excess and intensity. As we shall see in the articles for this issue, how people feel about politics,

Commentary: New Findings Substantiate the Successful Use of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in Collaborative Practice Models

Commentary: New Findings Substantiate the Successful Use of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in Collaborative Practice Models

To be or not to be: shifting motivations in Chinese secondary school English teachers’ career narratives

As English is now promoted as an academic subject in primary and secondary schools in China, creating an enormous demand for qualified English teachers, there is a need to understand English teachers’ motivation and commitment to the teaching career. In this paper, the author reports on a biographical study of 12 teachers who taught in schools in Chinese hinterland areas so as to understand why they first joined and then left the teaching profession for postgraduate studies. Through interpreting their professional experiences, the author came to understand their ambiguous attitudes towards the teaching profession and their fascination with the English language. Initially, many of them were unwilling to become teachers but were attracted by the teacher education programmes to learn more English. Many of them became more committed to teaching after they had positive professional experiences. However, their sense of satisfaction and achievement were undermined by the challenges that they had to cope with as well as an awareness that they were unable to sustain their professional competence. In order to retain such teachers in the profession, there is a need for teacher educators and educational administrators to work out strategies to support teachers’ demand for linguistic and professional improvement in remote rural areas on the Chinese mainland.

On the margins of two professions: Job satisfaction and stress among post-secondary correctional educators

This paper examines how individuals in the unique, doubly marginal, environment of prison-based college faculty draw from both component professions to construct positive educational experiences. Based on qualitative interviews and participant observation, the processes by which correctional higher educators construct experiences are explored. Job satisfaction is constructed from two fabrics, social compensations (of interactional and intimate forms) and structural compensations. Balanced against the experiential rewards are the mitigating elements of interactional, institutional and organizational stresses. The integration of compensations and stresses are shown to form the foundation upon which positive professional experiences are constructed.