Professional Practice Guidelines Research Articles

Linguists and Communities: Discursive Practice and the Status of Collaborative Language Work in Indigenous Communities

An analysis of linguistics texts based on Indigenous community fieldwork raises questions of authority, contribution and accreditation of linguists and community representatives. The recommendations of various professional practice guidelines are considered, and possible theoretical understandings introduced. Uninterrogated writing practices may indicate underlying discourses which inhibit the development of collaborative principles.

Do a Good Job: Professional-Practice Guidelines and Competition

Research Article| August 01, 2008 Do a Good Job: Professional-Practice Guidelines and Competition JEFFREY R. KEATON JEFFREY R. KEATON 1MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc., 5628 East Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90040 1. email: jrkeaton@mactec.com; 323-889-5300 ×316. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information JEFFREY R. KEATON 1. email: jrkeaton@mactec.com; 323-889-5300 ×316. 1MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Inc., 5628 East Slauson Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90040 Publisher: Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1558-9161 Print ISSN: 1078-7275 Copyright © 2008 © 2005 Association of Engineering Geologists Environmental & Engineering Geoscience (2008) 14 (3): 231–235. https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.14.3.231 Article history First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation JEFFREY R. KEATON; Do a Good Job: Professional-Practice Guidelines and Competition. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience 2008;; 14 (3): 231–235. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.14.3.231 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyEnvironmental & Engineering Geoscience Search Advanced Search Abstract “The best way to avoid getting sued is to just do a good job.” These words were spoken by Dr. James E. Slosson in the early 1970s. As State Geologist from 1973 to 1975, Slosson led the California Division of Mines and Geology in producing guidelines for preparation of geologic and related reports that identified minimum levels of professional practice that local agencies could require for site development and building permit applications. In a regulated geology environment, “doing a good job” to some geologists and most purchasers of consulting geology services means “satisfying the minimum requirements at the lowest cost.” Slosson's Law states that the quality of professional service sinks to the lowest level allowed by government. Competition among professional geologists has evolved since the guidelines were produced, in part because of the number of companies offering geologic services, and in part because regulations require geologic evaluations for building permit applications. Regulated geology with stipulated minimum levels of geologic evaluation facilitates lawsuits against consulting engineering geologists. Lawyers solicit homeowners' associations with offers to help finance remodeling projects with construction-defect suits against all consultants and contractors involved with their condominium complexes or subdivisions. Many consultants choose to settle because they believe it is cheaper than defending themselves in court, even if they had nothing to do with any alleged defects. In these situations, simply doing a good job is not enough to avoid getting sued. Doing a good job is still good professional practice, but it has challenges too. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.

National Trends and Practices in Breast MRI

The objective of our study was to report on the current practices of radiologists involved in the performance and interpretation of breast MRI in the United States. We invited the 1,696 active physician members of the Society of Breast Imaging to participate in a survey addressing whether and how they performed and interpreted breast MRI. Respondents were asked to select one member of their practice to complete the survey. A total of 754 surveys were completed. Every respondent did not reply to every question. Contrast-enhanced breast MRI was offered at 557 of 754 (73.8%) practices. Of these, 346 of 553 (62.6%) performed at least five breast MRI examinations per week, and only 56 of 553 (10.1%) performed > 20 per week. Radiologists qualified under the Mammography Quality Standards Act supervised the performance of and interpreted breast MRI in the majority of facilities. Of 552 respondents, breast MRI was interpreted as soft copy with computer-aided detection (CAD) in 280 practices (50.7%), as soft copy without CAD in 261 (47.3%), and as hard copy in 11 (2.0%). Of 551 respondents, 256 (46.5%) never and 207 (37.6%) rarely interpreted breast MRI without correlating mammography or sonography findings. The majority of respondents never (269/561, 48.0%) or rarely (165/561, 29.4%) interpreted breast MRI performed at an outside facility. Screening breast MRI was offered at 359 of 561 (64.0%) practices. Of the practices performing contrast-enhanced examinations, 173 of 557 (31.1%) did not perform MRI-guided interventional procedures. Contrast-enhanced breast MRI is now widely used in the United States. The information gained from this survey should provide reasonable approaches for the development of professional practice guidelines.

Standards of Practice for Nutrition Support Pharmacists

of their professional time to nutrition support activities. These activities may include direct patient care, research relevant to nutrition support therapy, teaching, and administrative responsibilities. These standards are not intended for the pharmacist who occasionally provides nutrition support to patients, but rather to those who by virtue of education, training, experience, and personal interest wish to be identified as an NSP and provide expertise in collaboration with other healthcare professionals.

Exploring the supply of non-prescription medicines from community pharmacies in Scotland

The objectives of this study were to: (1) explore pharmacy support staff (PSS) opinions of and attitudes towards the supply of non-prescription medicines (NPMs); (2) assess whether NPM supply is compliant with professional and good practice guidelines. This exploratory study was conducted in community pharmacies in Grampian, Scotland, and comprised non-participant observation of NPM consultations, semi-structured interviews with, and a questionnaire of, PSS. Guideline compliance was assessed by a consensus group of practising community pharmacists. The percentage of consultations which achieved compliance with professional guidelines was calculated. A total score was also calculated for each consultation to assess compliance with good practice guidelines. Fifty-seven support staff from 21 pharmacies participated in at least one component of the study. In total, 195 observed consultations were evaluable. Fifty-four participants completed a questionnaire and 95 post-consultation interviews were completed. Most consultations involved product requests and were for self-treatment. Overall, interviewees were satisfied or very satisfied with 78 (83.0%) and 14 (14.9%) of all consultations, respectively. Participants' self-reported scores for the quality of consultation were high indicating that they perceived their consultations to be appropriate. Most PSS were aware of good practice guidelines and thought their use was important/very important, yet few consultations were fully guideline compliant. Non-product consultations were more guideline compliant than product consultations. Just over one third (35.6%) of consultations established whether other medication was being used by the intended recipient of the NPM. Few PSS (21.2%) had read the professional guidelines and as such, compliance with these guidelines was extremely low. The percentage of guideline compliant consultations were 6.6% (n = 5) (sufficient information gathered), 13.2% (n = 10) (adequate advice/information provision), 46.1% (n = 35) (personal involvement of pharmacist), 21.1% (n = 16) (particular care of specific patient groups) and 28.9% (n = 22) (pharmacist involvement with specific NPMs). Few consultations for NPMs in this study were fully guideline compliant. The reasons for non-compliance with good practice and professional guidelines need to be explored. Although failure to comply with professional guidelines could be due to PSS's lack of awareness, this does not explain non-compliance with good practice guidelines.

Challenging endoscopy reprocessing guidelines: a prospective study investigating the safe shelf life of flexible endoscopes in a tertiary gastroenterology unit

Professional practice guidelines for endoscope reprocessing recommend reprocessing endoscopes between each case and proper storage following reprocessing after the last case of the list. There is limited empirical evidence to support the efficacy of endoscope reprocessing prior to use in the first case of the day; however, internationally, many guidelines continue to recommend this practice. The aim of this study is to estimate a safe shelf life for flexible endoscopes in a high-turnover gastroenterology unit. In a prospective observational study, all flexible endoscopes in active service during the 3-week study period were microbiologically sampled prior to reprocessing before the first case of the day (n = 200). The main outcome variables were culture status, organism cultured, and shelf life. Among the total number of useable samples (n = 194), the overall contamination rate was 15.5%, with a pathogenic contamination rate of 0.5%. Mean time between last case one day and reprocessing before the first case on the next day (that is, shelf life) was 37.62 h (SD 36.47). Median shelf life was 18.8 h (range 5.27-165.35 h). The most frequently identified organism was coagulase-negative Staphylococcus, an environmental nonpathogenic organism. When processed according to established guidelines, flexible endoscopes remain free from pathogenic organisms between last case and next day first case use. Significant reductions in the expenditure of time and resources on reprocessing endoscopes have the potential to reduce the restraints experienced by high-turnover endoscopy units and improve service delivery.

Healthcare Policy Implications of Heterogeneity of Treatment Effects

Heterogeneity of treatment effects (HTE) is a phenomenon wherein the same treatment produces different responses in different patients. Following scientific presentations at a conference on HTE in drug therapy, a roundtable panel discussed the policymaking implications of this phenomenon in the current healthcare environment. The presentation of evidence on HTE served as a backdrop for this more pragmatic, solutions-based discussion of how HTE should be addressed in light of the trend in healthcare toward use of evidence-based medicine along with professional society clinical practice guidelines for specific disease states. Overall, the panel concluded that a specific agent should be used when the clinician is equipped with sound data. However, in the absence of such data, care has to be individualized, using the clinician’s best judgment regarding available treatment options. The sharing of data across all levels of the healthcare infrastructure is crucial for policymakers seeking to ensure quality care while considering the phenomenon of HTE and, at the same time, keeping cost-effectiveness a major concern.

Reporting Gender, Race, Ethnicity, and Sociometric Status: Guidelines for Research and Professional Practice

The purpose of this study was to determine what trends exist in the identification and description of participants used in data-based studies published in Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly and the Journal of Teaching in Physical Education. Data were analyzed using frequency counts for journals and time periods from the 1980s to 2005 with chi-square tests on gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Results indicate, for example, that across the time span both journals published articles reporting males first over females, X2 (3) = 22.16, p < .001. Trend data also reveal that even today most data-based studies in these journals fail to report race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Findings are discussed with guiding principles for future research.

Medicolegal Aspects of Endoscopic Screening and Genetic Testing in Hereditary Colon Cancer Syndromes

Hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes are increasingly being recognized. Genetic mutation testing affords the possibility of pinpointing patients who are and are not carriers of susceptibility. The genetic testing process is, however, technically complex and time consuming. Published professional practice guidelines have been produced by an array of professional organizations. These provide for clinical recognition for subjects who may have FAP, HNPCC, and related conditions. More or less directed genetic workup of suspected patients are included. Detailed algorithms for endoscopic surveillance and management exist and should be familiar to GI endoscopists. Practice guidelines may be considered to codify standards of care, deviation from which may carry risk of medical malpractice litigation. Detailed consideration of these issues and related matters are discussed.

The history of preconception care: evolving guidelines and standards.

This article explores the history of the preconception movement in the United States and the current status of professional practice guidelines and standards. Professionals with varying backgrounds (nurses, nurse practitioners, family practice physicians, pediatricians, nurse midwives, obstetricians/gynecologists) are in a position to provide preconception health services; standards and guidelines for numerous professional organizations, therefore, are explored. The professional nursing organization with the most highly developed preconception health standards is the American Academy of Nurse Midwives (ACNM); for physicians, it is the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). These guidelines and standards are discussed in detail.

Revising the Division of Clinical Psychology Professional Practice Guidelines

Revising the Division of Clinical Psychology Professional Practice Guidelines

Empirical uncertainty and moral contest: A qualitative analysis of the relationship between medical specialists and the pharmaceutical industry in Australia

Alliances between the medical profession and the pharmaceutical industry have become increasingly widespread in recent years. While there are clearly benefits for doctors and their patients derived from the medical profession working with industry, concern has arisen that the commercial imperative of industry may conflict with physicians’ independence and professional integrity. This paper reports the findings of an in-depth interview study with 50 Australian medical specialists undertaken to explore how and why they interact with the pharmaceutical industry and to gain insight into specialists’ moral evaluation of the relationship and its consequences. Analysis of the qualitative data led to the categorizing medical specialists into three types—Confident Engagers, Ambivalent Engagers and Avoiders—based on their descriptions and evaluations of their relationship. The majority of interviewees believed that some relationship with the pharmaceutical industry was inevitable, that there were both risks and benefits associated with the relationship and that as individuals they were competent in minimizing the risks and maximizing the benefits. However, their views diverged on the extent and magnitude of the risks and benefits. The data suggested that there is considerable variance in specialists’ judgments of what constituted appropriate industry largesse. Specialists’ relationship with the pharmaceutical industry has inherent tensions that are managed by different doctors in different ways. Moral evaluation of the relationship and its consequences varies and the ethical concerns surrounding the relationship appeared as an area of contest. The findings suggest that in developing normative guidelines for academic and professional practice, policy makers should recognise and account for the complexity of the relationship and for the variation in medical specialists’ views and feelings.

Guidelines for the use of clozapine in individuals with developmental disabilities

Clozapine is the most effective antipsychotic medication currently in use, but there has been a paucity of well-controlled research on its efficacy with people with developmental disabilities. We present a set of guidelines to ensure proper utilization of clozapine in individuals with developmental disabilities, because it can offer them therapeutic advantages similar to those observed in people with schizophrenia. We provide recommendations regarding the use of clozapine that are based on three main sources: literature and published professional practice guidelines regarding the use of clozapine in individuals who do not have developmental disabilities, the limited literature on the use of clozapine in individuals who have developmental disabilities, and our own clinical experience. The first part of the guidelines contains an overview of necessary practical knowledge regarding side effects, dose and blood level considerations, and interactions with other medications, diet and tobacco smoking. In the second part, we offer procedures for selecting individuals for clozapine therapy based on proper indications and contraindications for treatment. We also include requirements regarding informed consent, dosage and special laboratory and clinical monitoring.

The Responsible Use of Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations: Selection of Tests

SUMMARY The responsible use of psychological tests in child custody evaluations requires an advanced understanding of both psychological issues of test selection and legal criteria regarding admissibility of expert testimony. This paper discusses the psychological and legal issues associated with test selection and with admissibility of expert testimony pertaining to psychological test data. It is argued that the legal standards of relevance and helpfulness require the methodology underlying an expert's testimony to be both reliable and valid. Therefore, it is essential to select psychological tests with demonstrated reliability and validity. Case law regarding expert testimony and the integration of professional practice guidelines pertaining to the use of psychological tests with ethical standards will be discussed.

Bartering

Summary This article examines issues related to bartering arrangements in the context of providing professional mental health services. The risks associated with significant conflict of interest in the professional-client relationship and the potential for exploitation of the client are analyzed by examining the interplay of personal, business, and clinical interests in bartering relationships. Professional practice guidelines are suggested.

Sexuality and Fertility after Cancer

As more people achieve long-term survival after cancer, sexual dysfunction and infertility have increasingly been recognized as negative consequences that impact quality of life. Sexual dysfunction is a frequent long-term side effect of cancer treatment, but damage to different underlying physiological systems is salient in men versus women. Men frequently have erectile dysfunction (ED) related to damage to the autonomic nervous system and/or reduced circulation of blood to the penis. Hormonal impairment of sexual function is less common. Women, in contrast, are able to overcome damage to autonomic nerves if genital tissues remain structurally intact and estrogenized. Female sexual dysfunction is frequently associated with sudden premature ovarian failure or direct effects of radiation fibrosis or scar tissue causing pain with sexual activity. The lack of validated interventions for sexual rehabilitation after cancer is a major problem, as is finding cost-effective ways of providing services. Concerns about fertility are also a major source of distress to people treated for cancer during childhood or young adulthood, yet many young survivors do not recall any discussion about future childbearing potential with their oncology team. Since fertility preservation is becoming more practical for both men and women, producing patient and professional educational materials and developing professional practice guidelines should be high priorities for oncology societies.

Comparison of the Use of Service Learning, Volunteer, and Pro Bono Activities in Physical Therapy Curricula

Background and Purpose. Service to others considered an important attribute of a professional and incorporated into the Guide to Physical Therapist Practice and accreditation criteria. However, little known about the extent of the use of service activities within physical therapist (PT) and physical therapist assistant (PTA) education programs. The purposes of this study were to determine the use of three forms of community-based learning (CBL), service learning (SL), extracurricular volunteer activity (V), and pro bono services (PB) within PT and PTA curricula and to offer a comparison between the two curricula. Methods. Survey questionnaires were sent to the program administrators of all accredited PT programs, requesting information about the use of SL, V, and PB experiences within their curricula. A slightly modified version of this survey instrument was sent to the program administrators of all accredited PTA programs, soliciting similar information. Both survey instruments requested demographic and activity-specific information. Responses were tabulated for each group and then combined to compare between groups. Results. The response rates were 48% and 47% for the PT and PTA programs, respectively. Within the last 7 years, 77% of the PT programs and 61% of the PTA programs had used at least one of the three types of service activities. Of the respondents, 50 PT programs and 38 PTA programs were currently using SL in their curricula. The most frequent goals for incorporating SL were student learning and community benefit for both types of programs. Discussion and Conclusion. Half of those responding to this survey incorporate some form of CBL within their curriculum, and many programs that do not currently include SL are planning to add SL. Service learning and PB services are offered more frequently in PT programs than in PTA programs. This study suggests that physical therapy education increasingly incorporating service opportunities. Key Words: Physical therapy education, Pro bono learning, Service learning, Volunteerism. INTRODUCTION Service emphasized in many fields of professional education, including the health care professions. Altruism considered an extremely important attribute of a physical therapist (PT) and a physical therapist assistant (PTA), as noted in the professional practice guidelines and educational models.1-3 In addition, the accreditation standards for PT and PTA education identify the importance of developing these professional qualities in the educational setting.4 However, the extent of its integration into physical therapy education not known.5 The purpose of this study was to determine the use of three types of community-based learning (CBL)-service learning (SL), extracurricular volunteer activity (V), and pro bono services (PB)-within curricula throughout the United States and to offer a comparison between the two curricula. Service learning a form of experiential education in which students engage in activities that address human and community needs, together with structured opportunities intentionally designed to promote student learning and development.6 Academic credit awarded for learning, in contrast to service hours rendered while volunteering. Service learning aims to provide a reciprocal benefit for the student and the community, whereas extracurricular volunteer activity, according to Furco, is the engagement of individuals in activities where the primary emphasis in the service [emphasis added] being provided and the primary intended beneficiary clearly the service recipient.7(p4) Pro bono services, incorporated into some PT and PTA education programs, provide professional services at no fee or at a reduced fee to people of limited financial means.2,7 Pro bono services are not necessarily linked to academic course objectives or structured reflective opportunities, as required in SL. The following research questions were examined in this study: (1) How many PT and PTA programs are using service activities? …

The impact of child abuse in community institutions and organizations: Advancing professional and scientific understanding.

Although child abuse by family members has received considerable scientific and professional attention, knowledge on the impact of abuse committed by perpetrators in (nonfamilial) community organizations and institutions is lacking. We present a conceptual framework derived from child abuse studies, the authors’ collective clinical experience with adult survivors of nonfamilial abuse, and two independent panels of abuse survivors, practitioners, and researchers familiar with the impact of such abuse. The framework identifies abuse-related factors that contribute to harmful outcomes, and dimensions of harm associated with such acts. Implications of the conceptual framework are discussed in relation to professional education and practice guidelines, policy and prevention initiatives, and research needs.

Family Science:

This article describes the historical emergence of family science as a unique academic discipline with broad interdisciplinary ties. It lays out the substantive areas and parameters of the field, its theoretical and research foundations, dimensions of professional engagement with families, and ethical guidelines for professional practice. It further outlines career opportunities in family science, along with their corollary requirements for academic preparation and licensure.

Exercise training and the cardiovascular consequences of type 2 diabetes and hypertension: plausible mechanisms for improving cardiovascular health.

The coexistence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension is especially damaging to cardiovascular health. Most trials of exercise training for these conditions have focused on glycemic control and blood pressure reduction. Less is known about the effects of exercise on the cardiovascular consequences of diabetes and hypertension. This article reviews the available evidence and plausible mechanisms by which exercise training may improve the cardiovascular health of persons with type 2 diabetes and hypertension and provides practical guidelines for exercise prescription. A MEDLINE search was performed for January 1985 to June 2002. Bibliographies from relevant articles, professional society clinical practice guidelines, and books were also reviewed. Because few large, randomized trials exist on these topics, meta-analyses, smaller trials, nonrandomized trials, and animal studies were also considered. Data quality was determined by publication in peer-reviewed journals or professional society literature. Type 2 diabetes and hypertension result in abnormalities in central and peripheral parameters of cardiovascular structure and function. Evidence for an exercise training benefit is strongest for improvements in endothelial vasodilator function and left ventricular diastolic function. The data for exercise training's improvement of arterial stiffness and system inflammation and reduction of left ventricular mass are less robust. However, this assertion is based more on a lack of randomized controlled trials rather than data to the contrary. Exercise training also reduces total and abdominal fat. These changes in body composition mediate improvements in insulin sensitivity and blood pressure and may improve endothelial vasodilator function. The current evidence, albeit not fully confirmed in randomized trials, suggests that the benefits of exercise training go beyond the recognized benefits of glycemic control and blood pressure reduction.