List Of Practices Research Articles

A New Quality Improvement Toolkit to Improve Opioid Prescribing in Primary Care.

The role of opioids in managing chronic pain has evolved in light of the opioid misuse epidemic and new evidence regarding risks and benefits of long-term opioid therapy. With mounting national guidelines and local regulations, providers need interventions to standardize and improve safe, responsible prescribing. This article summarizes the evolution of an opioid management toolkit using a quality improvement (QI) approach to improve prescribing. The authors developed a list of opioid-prescribing best practices and offered in-office, team-based QI projects to ambulatory clinics, updated and tested over 3 trials in the form of a toolkit. Outcome measures included pre- and postproject surveys on provider and staff satisfaction, toolkit completion, and process measures. The toolkit supports workflow planning, redesign, and implementation. Ten clinics participated in trial 1, completing the QI project on average in 3 months, with a mean of 9.1 hours of team time. Provider satisfaction with prescribing increased from 42% to 96% and staff satisfaction from 54% to 81%. The most common strategies in trials 1 and 2 focused on regulatory compliance (35% to 36%), whereas in Trial 3 there was a strong move toward peer support (81%). Clinics responded to implementation of opioid-related best practices using QI with improved provider and staff satisfaction. Once the goals of regulatory compliance and workflow improvements were met, clinics focused on strategies supporting providers in the lead role of managing chronic pain, building on strategies that provide peer support. Using QI methods, primary care clinics can improve opioid-prescribing best practices for patients.

Best Practices for New Online Management Education Instructors to Overcome Resistance to Online Teaching: New Insights

Enrollment in online courses has increased rapidly in the last two decades, and exponentially in the last few years (Seaman, Allen, & Allen, 2018) as part of an e-revolution, especially in business schools (Kumar, Kumar, Palvia, & Verma, 2019), in which access to and use of information technology has become widespread. Instructors are one of the most important variables in online teaching as they function as the source of content for, and facilitators of, the online course. Some faculty, however, are ambivalent about teaching online for a variety of reasons (Mitchell, Parlamis, & Claiborne, 2015), and this ambivalence can be the impetus for the failure of the online course implementation. In addition, although research (“No significant difference”, n.d.) demonstrates that learning in online classes is comparable to learning in on-ground courses, instructors’ attitudes toward online teaching remain divided. In this chapter, I offer a brief review of Mitchell et al. (2015) and its general recommendations for management educators to help overcome their resistance to online teaching. I then expand upon what was previously written by sharing specific recommendations and resources focused on faculty, and for administrators to use with faculty, as they attempt the change to online teaching. To this end, I begin with a discussion of the notion of fit in the context of selecting faculty with a particular set of characteristics that are best suited to teaching online courses. The next portion of the chapter offers a research-derived list of best practices for new online instructors – addressing both hard and soft issues. Next, the discussion continues with a brief review of additional factors pertinent to teaching online but not included in the previous list. This will include topics gleaned both from research and over a decade and a half of personal online and hybrid experience as a management educator.

The mediating impact of sustainability on the relationship between agility and operational performance

Agility and sustainability are two philosophies that the North American manufacturing industry invested heavily in, since the beginning of the twenty-first century. The impact of the two philosophies go beyond operations and extend to innovation, employees, communities, and customer. This paper identified the lack of empirical research investigating the relationship between agility and sustainability as well as their combined interactions with operational performance metrics. Very few researchers investigated this relationship with limited depth and breadth. Therefore, this paper investigated the interaction between sustainability, agility, and their influence/impact on operational performance in the United States (US) automotive manufacturing Industry. Based on the literature review conducted and after consulting several particulars from the US automotive manufacturing industry a survey was developed, this survey reflects a comprehensive list of agility practices, sustainability practices, and top-five performance metrics utilized by the US automotive industry. A survey was carried out with a total of 212 respondents. Respondents are all top managers at 152 manufacturing facilities including assembly/manufacturing, Powertrain, and component plants. We established a comprehensive list that includes seven agility categories with 52 factors and identified the top five performance metrics. The results identify a significant and positive relationship between agility and sustainability, agility and operational performance, and sustainability and operational performance. The result shows a significant correlation between agility practices and sustainability. An agility performance index was determined by combining the analytic hierarchy process and partial least square. Utilizing the partial least square method, sustainability was identified as a mediator on the relationship between Agility and operational performance.

The Immersive Theater Experience for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Despite growing public awareness of ASD, many caregivers of children with ASD struggle to find opportunities for participation in community activities with appropriate accommodations. The current study evaluated the experiences of individuals with ASD who attended immersive theater performances specifically designed for individuals with ASD. Parents and teachers of 256 children and adolescents completed questionnaires regarding their pre-show expectations and post-show satisfaction with the performance. Analyses revealed that, on average, parents' and teachers' levels of satisfaction significantly outweighed their pre-show expectations. Based on researcher observations, audience feedback, and past research, a list of best practices for successful theater programming for individuals with ASD was compiled with the goal of widespread dissemination to increase accessibility of theater performances for neurodiverse audiences.

Where Have All the Lawyers Gone?

As ODR enters the court system, it is eagerly embraced by two of the justice system's traditional stakeholders: the public, and the courts. The third stakeholder, lawyers and the legal profession, has largely been absent from the table when discussions on initiating and designing court-ODR systems have taken place. In this paper, we explain the roots of this phenomenon and describe a conference session at the 2019 International Forum on ODR at which we shared them with ODR experts and court leaders. We engaged participants in a community conversation about engaging the legal profession in this justice evolution, in order to ensure its success and strengthen its justice outcomes. Together with participants, we generated a list of suggestions and best practices for engaging the legal profession constructively around these issues.

Evaluation of Teaching Practices for Physical Education Teachers in the Light of Trends Based on Knowledge Economy

The purpose of this study was to build a list of teaching practices for physical education teachers in light of trends knowledge based economy, and identified the level of performance of physical education teachers for these teaching practices. It also aimed test the significance of the differences in the means of practice degree in accordance with the variables: gender, teaching experience, and qualifications.To achieve these goals, the survey of the study was applied, after establishing its validity and reliability. The survey consisted of (42) Likert-scale questions distributed to five domains: planning, students’ participation, utilizing the contemporary teaching methods, developing the students’ abilities, and students’ personal qualities, and assessment, and verified their validity and reliability. The researcher used the descriptive approach because it was appropriate for the nature of the study, The sample for this study was composed of (83) in- service physical education teachers (male, female) at intermediate schools in Al Azhar institutes affiliated to the central district, in the area of Minoufia Azhariah.The results of the study showed that the level of teaching practices for physical education teachers in light of trends knowledge based economy is low. Results also revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in the level of teaching practices, according to the study variables.Recommendations to policymakers, physical education teachers to incorporate trends knowledge based economy within a balanced educational system and ongoing professional development for physical education teachers.

Is there an association between socioeconomic status of General Practice population and postgraduate training practice accreditation? A cross-sectional analysis of Scottish General Practices

BackgroundPractice population socioeconomic status is associated with practice postgraduate training accreditation. General Practitioner recruitment to socioeconomically deprived areas is challenging, exposure during training may encourage recruitment.ObjectivesTo determine the association of practice population socioeconomic deprivation score and training status, and if this has changed over time.MethodsCross-sectional study looking at socioeconomic deprivation and training status for all General Practices in Scotland (n = 982). Data from Information Services Division, from 2015, were combined with the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation to calculate weighted socioeconomic deprivation scores for every practice in Scotland. Scottish training body database identified training practices (n = 330). Mean deprivation score for training and non-training practices was calculated. Logistic regression was used to quantify the odds ratio of training status based on deprivation score, adjusted for practice list size, and compared with a similar 2009 analysis.ResultsSocioeconomic deprivation score is associated with training status, but is not significant when adjusted for practice list size [OR (adjusted) 0.87, 95% CI: 0.74–1.04]. In contrast, in 2009, adjusted deprivation score remained significant. Mean deprivation score in training and non-training practices remained similar at both time points [2015: 2.98 (SD 0.88) versus 3.17 (SD 0.81); 2009: 2.95 versus 3.19), with a more deprived mean score in non-training practices.ConclusionsGeneral practices in affluent areas remain more likely to train, although this association appears to be related to larger practice list sizes rather than socioeconomic factors. To ensure a variety of training environments training bodies should target, and support, smaller practices working in more socioeconomically deprived areas.

برنامج تنمیة مهنیة قائم على الممارسات العلمیة والهندسیة لتنمیة مهارات التدریس الإبداعی والاتجاه نحو مهنة التدریس لدى معلمی العلوم بمرحلة التعلیم الأساسی Professional Development Program Based on Science and Engineering Practices to Develop the Elementary Science Teachers' Creative Teaching Skills and Their Attitudes Towards Teaching Profession

شهدت التربية العلمية تغيرات جوهرية في الفترة الأخيرة، وکان في مقدمة تلک التغيرات بروز مصطلح الممارسات العلمية والهندسية بهدف إعداد القوى العاملة القادرة على دفع قطار التنمية. وقد فرض دمج تلک الممارسات في مناهج العلوم ضرورة توافر معلم کفء قادر على التحرر من القيود المتوارثة من المعلمين السابقين، وذلک من خلال امتلاکه لمهارات التدريس الإبداعي وتمتعه باتجاه إيجابي نحو مهنة التدريس. وفي ضوء ذلک، هدف البحث الحالي إلى بناء برنامج تنمية مهنية قائم على الممارسات العلمية والهندسية لتنمية مهارات التدريس الإبداعي والاتجاه نحو مهنة التدريس لدى معلمي العلوم بمرحلة التعليم الأساسي؛ ولتحقيق هذا الهدف تم بناء قائمة بالممارسات العلمية والهندسية اللازمة لهؤلاء المعلمين. واستخدمت القائمة في بناء برنامج التنمية المهنية. وأعدت بطاقة لملاحظة مهارات التدريس الإبداعي، کما أعد مقياس الاتجاه نحو مهنة التدريس. ولقياس فاعلية البرنامج طبقت أدوات القياس قبل تطبيق البرنامج على مجموعة من معلمي العلوم بمرحلة التعليم الأساسي وبعده. وقد أظهرت النتائج وجود فرق دال إحصائيا بين متوسطي رتب درجات المعلمين في التطبيق القبلي والبعدي لکل من بطاقة مهارات التدريس الإبداعي ومقياس الاتجاه نحو مهنة التدريس لصالح التطبيق البعدي. وفي ضوء هذه النتائج أوصى الباحث بضرورة إدراج الممارسات العلمية والهندسية کأحد الأسس الرئيسة لبناء برامج التنمية المهنية لمعلمي العلوم بمرحلة التعليم الأساسي بما يساعد على تنمية مهارات التدريس الإبداعي والاتجاه نحو مهنة التدريس. In the recent period, science and engineering practices term has been emerged in order to prepare the workforce that be able to lead the development process. Applying these practices into science curriculum needs a teacher who can overcome the traditional patterns of teaching science. This kind of teachers should be proficient in creative teaching skills and have a positive Attitude towards teaching profession. In order to have such skillful teacher, the research aims to build a professional development program based on science and engineering practices to develop the elementary science teachers' creative teaching skills and their Attitudes towards teaching profession. To achieve this aim, a list of science and engineering practices that are necessary for elementary science teachers was built. The list was used in building the professional development program. An observation card of creative teaching skills and A scale of the Attitude towards the teaching profession were prepared. To measure the effectiveness of the program, the measurement tools were applied before and after the implementation of the program. Results indicated that using the program has a positive effect on teachers' creative teaching skills and their Attitudes towards teaching profession. In light of these results, the researcher recommended the necessity of including science and engineering practices as one of the main bases for building professional development programs for elementary science teachers in a way that helps in developing creative teaching skills and the attitude towards the teaching profession.

Security Vulnerabilities in Raspberry Pi–Analysis of the System Weaknesses

The Internet of Things (IoT) is made up of many devices, platforms, and communication protocols. Among them, Raspberry Pi has arisen as one of the most popular equipment for hobby and education purposes because of its low cost, small size, flexibility, and potential. Nevertheless, Raspberry Pi needs an operating system to work, which exposes it to software vulnerabilities despite the many advantages it provides in comparison with nonoperating system devices. This device also has hardware limitations, which impact on its security. These limitations exist because some concessions had to be done during the design in order to decrease the cost of the device. This article analyzes different hardware and software vulnerabilities that can be found in a Raspberry Pi when using a default installation of different available operating systems. Finally, we propose a list of good practices to minimize the presented issues.

Mergers of primary care organizations: a systematic review of the literature

Abstract Background Mergers as large-scale collaborations in primary care organizations have become a commonplace in developed countries to offer economies of scale and more efficient delivery of care to population. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the scientific evidence on the relationship between the increase in the size of organizations providing primary care services and their performance. Methods The PICO model was adopted and three electronic databases (Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Knowledge) were searched using appropriate keywords. Screening by title and abstract and data extraction were performed by two independent investigators. Articles, written in English, evaluating the performance after increasing the size of an organization were included. Selected articles were assessed for quality and risk of bias using the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort and Cross-Sectional Studies. Process and outcome quality indicators were used for evaluation. Results From a total of 1337, 12 studies met the inclusion criteria and 103 indicators were identified: 59.2% did not show any variation, 33.9% improved significantly after the merger, 6.9% worsened after the merger. In particular, diabetes care did not show any statistically significant variation in 40.0 % of the indicators, while 10.0 % showed an improvement and 10.0% a worsening in clinical outcomes. A significant negative association was found between practice list size and reported non-urgent or urgent doctors’ availability (P < 0.05, both). The process of merging also created perceptions of takeover and had a negative effect on staff. Conclusions The effects of mergers are conflicting and there is little evidence that the performance is associated with the size of the structures involved. Assessment on the impact of primary care mergers should to be related to the population needs and the context where these processes are carried out. Key messages Merging processes may lead to contrasting results. To assess periodically and systematically the impact of mergers in a continuous quality improvement cycle.

“No Amount of Baths Is Gonna Make You Feel Better”: Seeking Balance, Wholeness, and Well-being in Everyday Self-Care

Recently, the concept of “self-care” has shifted from the sphere of biomedicine into popular discourse; rather than indicating the practice of maintaining physical health, the term has come to represent a set of broader and more commonplace practices aimed at achieving balance, wholeness, and overall well-being. Drawing from interviews and participant observation with young adult respondents both in college and recently graduated, this study explores what it means to practice this type of “everyday self-care.” Those who practice everyday self-care do so to seek out a holistic sense of happiness and well-being; they value self-care that engages their “whole” self – one conceptualized as made up of both mind and body. They strive for balance in tensions between self-control and indulgence, long-term well-being and immediate gratification, and selfishness and community. Self-care cannot be summed up in a list of activities or practices; rather, it necessitates an ongoing production of moral, economic, and social meanings.

Human Capital Development and Economic Growth in BRICS Countries: Controlling for Country Differences

This paper investigates the effect of human capital development on economic growth, as well as controlling for country differences, in the BRICS economies – from 1990 to 2017. Ordinary Least Square (OLS) and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) were used as the estimation techniques. We use one-way ANOVA and Scheffe pairwise comparison tests to understand how human capital development differed between each pair of countries. Findings suggest that the effect of human capital development on economic growth, though significant, was limited in these countries. A comparative analysis of results showed that China, Brazil and Russia were able to utilise their human capital to enhance economic growth more efficiently than South Africa and India. Consequently, this study observed that a 1% increase in government expenditure on education would result in a 0.13% increase in GDP for China, a 0.06% increase in Russia, a 0.07% increase in Brazil, a 0.04% increase in South Africa, and a 0.01% increase in GDP in India. In addition, the study concluded that human capital development practices differ in all the countries. Although this result was previously implied in the literature, comparison of a comprehensive list of human capital development practices among countries was lacking. Overall, the paper argues that the classical theory of economic growth, in combination with the new theory, and also the theory of market value, will not only help sustain a strategy tripod, but also shed significant light on the most fundamental questions confronting human capital development and economic growth in many developing economies.

Política de esporte universitário em uma instituição pública de ensino superior de Mato Grosso do Sul

Objetivou-se avaliar a política de esporte de uma Universidade Pública de Mato Grosso do Sul, através de uma pesquisa quali-quantitativa, descritiva-exploratória e documental. Foram analisados, documentos e editais de fomento de bolsas. Apenas um projeto foi desenvolvido entre o período de 2013 a 2016, atendendo, 237 pessoas semanalmente. Ofereceu 15 modalidades, ministradas por acadêmicos de 12 cursos diferentes. Conclui-se que a universidade analisada apresenta contrastes na política de esporte desenvolvida, pois se por um lado dispõe de coordenadoria específica e de um rol considerável de práticas esportivas, por outro a proposta mostra-se limitada nos horários de atendimento e apresenta problemas em relação aos responsáveis pela regência das aulas.

Health service literacy: complementary actor roles for transformative value co-creation

Purpose Although health-care features prominently in transformative service research, there is little to guide service providers on how to improve well-being and social change transformations. This paper aims to explore actor-level interactions in transformative services, proposing that actors’ complementary health service literacy roles are fundamental to resource integration and joint value creation. Design/methodology/approach In-depth interviews with 46 primary health-care patients and 11 health-care service providers (HSPs) were conducted focusing on their subjective experiences of health literacy. An iterative hermeneutic approach was used to analyse the textual data linking it with existing theory. Findings Data analysis identified patients’ and HSPs’ health service literacy roles and corresponding role readiness dimensions. Four propositions are developed describing how these roles influence resource integration processes. Complementary service literacy roles enhance resource integration with outcomes of respect, trust, empowerment and loyalty. Competing service literacy roles lead to outcomes of discredit, frustration, resistance and exit through unsuccessful resource integration. Originality/value Health service literacy roles – linked to actor agency, institutional norms and service processes – provide a nuanced approach to understanding the tensions between patient empowerment trends and service professionals’ desire for recognition of their expertise over patient care. Specifically, the authors extend Frow et al.’s (2016) list of co-creation practices with practices that complement actors’ service literacy and role readiness. Based on a service perspective, the authors encourage transformative service researchers, service professionals and health service system designers, to recognize complementary health service literacy roles as an opportunity to support patients’ resources and facilitate value co-creation.

Organizing Practices to Combat Supply Chain Security Breaches

Supply chain security (SCS) breaches are torturing supply chains and they have the potential to inflict acute pain on society at large. To cope with such breaches, international bodies, nations, societies, industries, and leading firms have instituted several countermeasures in the form of standards and respective practices. Identifying SCS practices suitable to a firm's specific needs from a laundry list of practices is a difficult task. Relying on the risk management literature and interactions with professionals, we categorize SCS management practices into four classes based on their intent—detection, prevention, response, and mitigation. We consider here their differences and their complementary effects. Our classification can be used to diagnose a firm's supply chain security status. Managers can benchmark their company against their peers using this classification. Equipped with such knowledge, managers, and organizations can ascertain specific gaps and undertake a targeted approach to bridge those gaps. Our results suggest that security-oriented practices have differential effects on SCS performance. We also found that firms who deploy practices in a more integrated approach realize better SCS performance. Thus, firms are advised to adopt the practices as a system to take advantage of the reinforcing characteristics of these practices on each other.

International principles and standards for the practice of ecological restoration. Second edition

Ecological restoration, when implemented effectively and sustainably, contributes to protecting biodiversity; improving human health and wellbeing; increasing food and water security; delivering goods, services, and economic prosperity; and supporting climate change mitigation, resilience, and adaptation. It is a solutions-based approach that engages communities, scientists, policymakers, and land managers to repair ecological damage and rebuild a healthier relationship between people and the rest of nature. When combined with conservation and sustainable use, ecological restoration is the link needed to move local, regional, and global environmental conditions from a state of continued degradation, to one of net positive improvement. The second edition of the International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration (the Standards) presents a robust framework for restoration projects to achieve intended goals, while addressing challenges including effective design and implementation, accounting for complex ecosystem dynamics (especially in the context of climate change), and navigating trade-offs associated with land management priorities and decisions.

Faculty Confronting Gender-Based Violence on Campus: Opportunities and Challenges.

Faculty have played an important role in the ongoing efforts to confront gender-based violence on college campuses, as teachers, researchers, advocates, and policy advisors. Nevertheless, few institutions have welcomed faculty activism on this issue, especially when it took the form of vocal support for survivor-led efforts to transform campus policies and culture. This article examines the nature and scope of faculty involvement in confronting gender-based violence on college campuses across North America between 2014 and 2018. Our analysis of the range of roles and responsibilities faculty have assumed and the challenges and obstacles they have faced is informed by our own involvement with the U.S.-based group, Faculty Against Rape (FAR), which is dedicated to supporting faculty involvement in confronting gender-based violence on campus. Informed by the context of the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements on one hand, and the changes in Federal and State protections for student survivors in the Trump-DeVos era on the other, the article concludes with a list of best practices for faculty involvement.

What Makes Consumers Satisfied?

What Makes Consumers Satisfied?

Conservatism in linear accelerator bunker shielding.

Conservatism in the shielding of linear accelerator bunkers is engrained in the methodology of international protocols and guidelines. However, the degree to which this cautious and prudent approach is necessary should be judged against the International Committee of Radiation Protection's principles of exposure justification and optimisation. Radiation survey data from 75 concrete barriers was aggregated and compared to exposure predictions from three popular protocols in order to assess any conservatism in factors used to calculate scatter, leakage and beam penetration. These findings, in addition to a list of common conservative practices, were then used to tally the possible fiscal impact of an over-conservative approach to linear accelerator bunker shielding. While primary beam penetration was accurately predicted, stated conservatisms in scatter and leakage was found to be largely misplaced. An estimated total factor of conservatism calculated from a tally was found to be in agreement with literature values of radiotherapist occupational exposure. This factor amounted to a cost increase of 43% for a single bunker if all conservative assumptions were made. There are aspects of linear accelerator shielding design that have been shown to be overly conservative, beyond what is justifiable by the International Committee of Radiation Protection. Some adjustment to international protocol methodology may be required.

Sustainable service supply chain practices (SSSCPs): a framework development

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a framework of sustainable service supply chain management (SCM) processes and practices in the multi-dimensional construct. It tries to provide a template for those sustainability general key practices that can be scheduled and budgeted in different service sectors.Design/methodology/approachTo provide an applicable framework, its adaptability to most service settings should be ensured. In this regard, at first, the related literature on service SCM processes and sustainability practices of SCM are reviewed. To modify and confirm the extracted list, it is distributed to experts. After summarizing experts’ opinions, an initial list of the sustainable service supply chain practices (SSSCPs) is provided. Finally, the Fuzzy Delphi Method is applied to construct the framework for hospital supply chain (SC).FindingsIt suggests that the SSSCPs can be constructed in terms of seven major processes: managing the sustainable supplier, sustainable employee, sustainable customer, sustainable service performance, sustainable service operations, sustainable external relations, and sustainable knowledge, information and technology.Practical implicationsThe framework can be employed as a template of sustainability practices for individual member firms of service SCs to identify and implement the key practices toward sustainability.Originality/valueReviewing the literature indicates that determining what is unique about the sustainable SCM in the service sector is immature. The paper is a preliminary effort to identify the general sustainability practices, in incorporating all sustainability dimensions in service SC processes.