Work Of Practitioners Research Articles

Practitioner Reflections on Sex Offender Treatment in Remote Communities

We offer reflections on practitioner service provision for sex offenders when working in remote communities. The social ecological model framework is used to capture the influence on practitioner working at an individual, relationship, community, and societal level. The social construction and geographic conditions of sexual offending within remote communities present myriad challenges for professionals working in these isolative settings in which they are embedded. Challenges include being the sole expert in a community, unavoidable dual relationships, community anxieties, and restrictive guidelines and assessment measures. Despite the challenges presented to practitioners operating in remote communities, many opportunities are available for building local and international peer relationships, connecting with the community, individualized treatment for clients, and flexibility in the adaptation of best practice to fit the needs of remote communities while maintaining ethical integrity.

What Would the Trees Tell Us?

To learn more about the possibilities for an appreciative co-inquiry into challenging interrelations between human beings and the more-than-human world, Bert Verleysen and Styn Grieten interviewed Griet Bouwen, an Appreciative Inquiry practitioner, narrative story-weaver, trained ecotuner, and social work teacher. She describes the purpose of her contribution to the world as ‘re-storying life as inter-becoming’.

Validation of a rapid SARS-CoV-2 antibody test in general practice

ObjectivesTo validate a rapid serological test (RST) for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies used in seroprevalence studies in healthcare providers, including primary healthcare providers (PHCPs) in Belgium.DesignA phase III validation study of the...

Understanding small NGOs' access to and use of geological data and expertise in delivering SDG 6 in eastern Africa

Abstract Groundwater resources have the potential to meet the water demands of vulnerable communities in eastern Africa. To ensure such groundwater resources are managed sustainably, robust geological knowledge must be available and utilised by those managing groundwater. Small NGOs are one type of practitioner working on water-related projects with remote and vulnerable communities. This study aimed to understand the access to and use of geological data and expertise by small NGOs involved in water-related projects, through an online survey and key-informant interviews. The study revealed that small NGOS want to use geological data but bureaucracy makes it difficult to access free, existing government geological data sources, and that datasets are not always stored appropriately. Funding constraints hinder the ability of small NGOs to access quality geological data from other sources and to hire appropriate expertise. Donors' lack of understanding of the value of geological data affects the ability of small NGOs to budget for and include the time needed to collect or access geological data. There is a need to recognise these barriers to the usability and accessibility of geological data and expertise by key actors working on water challenges, such as small NGOs, and take steps to address them.

Computerization of the Work of General Practitioners: Mixed Methods Survey of Final-Year Medical Students in Ireland.

The potential for digital health technologies, including machine learning (ML)-enabled tools, to disrupt the medical profession is the subject of ongoing debate within biomedical informatics. We aimed to describe the opinions of final-year medical students in Ireland regarding the potential of future technology to replace or work alongside general practitioners (GPs) in performing key tasks. Between March 2019 and April 2020, using a convenience sample, we conducted a mixed methods paper-based survey of final-year medical students. The survey was administered at 4 out of 7 medical schools in Ireland across each of the 4 provinces in the country. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests. We used thematic content analysis to investigate free-text responses. In total, 43.1% (252/585) of the final-year students at 3 medical schools responded, and data collection at 1 medical school was terminated due to disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. With regard to forecasting the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI)/ML on primary care 25 years from now, around half (127/246, 51.6%) of all surveyed students believed the work of GPs will change minimally or not at all. Notably, students who did not intend to enter primary care predicted that AI/ML will have a great impact on the work of GPs. We caution that without a firm curricular foundation on advances in AI/ML, students may rely on extreme perspectives involving self-preserving optimism biases that demote the impact of advances in technology on primary care on the one hand and technohype on the other. Ultimately, these biases may lead to negative consequences in health care. Improvements in medical education could help prepare tomorrow's doctors to optimize and lead the ethical and evidence-based implementation of AI/ML-enabled tools in medicine for enhancing the care of tomorrow's patients.

Shifting craft’s horizons: From individual makers to post-anthropocentric models of co-production

This issue features the work of individual practitioners who explore making through established decorative arts such as fine jewellery in Paris, mosaic glass making in Myanmar and a ceramic installation in the Cathedral of Palma de Majorca, alongside socially engaged groups employing co-production methodologies for designing everyday objects and experiences. Within each article, materials and the immediate and wider environment are considered as partners in the co-crafting process, albeit to varying degrees. The notion of serendipity and the influence of eastern philosophy on embracing imperfection in craft practice underpins some accounts and is questioned in others. As a collection, the articles evidence a palpable shift towards, and need for a more equal relationship and level of agency between the maker and the material, as argued in the Position Paper. This includes consideration of gender equality in particular crafts, where roles are traditionally linked to the properties of the materials and skills involved, as highlighted in the Craft and Industry Report. Social engagement through craft is echoed in the Portrait where stitch and embroidery are practised as forms of participatory expression, supporting human connectivity between cross-cultural and trans-national communities to influence issues of social justice. The affective role and emotive sensations evoked by textiles are also explored in the exhibition review of A Thread, Levitated and Hovering, staged in Hangzhou in 2022 and the first of three book reviews; Feminist Subjectivities in Fiber Art and Craft (2021), the other two discussing The Pursuit of Pleasurable Work (2021) and Industrial Craft in Australia (2021).

A qualitative study exploring nursing home care environments where nurse practitioners work.

Research is needed to support the growing nurse practitioner workforce to assure higher quality care for older adults in nursing homes. Nursing homes with optimal care environments that support nurse practitioner roles, increased visibility, independence, and relationships are better positioned to support care of older adults. This study reports findings of thirteen qualitative interviews with nurse practitioners to explore facets of nursing home care environments and adapt a tool to measure care environments. Our team incorporated deductive and inductive coding to identify three major emerging themes impacting care environments: 1) nurse practitioner practice in nursing homes, 2) overall goals of practice, 3) workplace challenges. Themes were derived from seven overarching categories and 33 codes describing aspects of NH care environment important to nurse practitioners. Some of the most highly important survey items measured nurse practitioner and physician relationships. Less important items measured relationships between nurse practitioners and administration.

Digital Maturity and Its Measurement of General Practitioners: A Scoping Review.

The work of general practitioners (GPs) is increasingly characterized by digitalization. Their progress in digitalization can be described by the concept of digital maturity and measured using maturity models. The aim of this scoping review is to provide an overview of the state of research on digital maturity and its measurement in primary care, specifically for GPs. The scoping review was conducted according to Arksey and O'Malley, considering the reporting scheme for PRISMA-ScR. For the literature search, we used PubMed and Google Scholar as the main sources of information. A total of 24 international, mostly Anglo-American studies, were identified. The understanding of digital maturity varied widely. In most studies, it was understood in a highly technical way and associated with the adoption of electronic medical records. More recent, but mostly unpublished, studies have attempted to capture overall digital maturity. So far, the understanding of digital maturity of GPs is still very diffuse-the research literature is still in its infancy. Future research should therefore aim to explore the dimensions of digital maturity of GPs to be able to develop a consistent and validated model for measuring digital maturity.

Explicit and Implicit Attitudes towards Individuals with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder among School-Based Professionals

ABSTRACT Occupational therapy practitioners (OTP) work with individuals with diagnoses that are subject to stigma including attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). While measures have been developed to broadly assess implicit attitudes toward disability, bias toward ADHD specifically has not been examined in individuals who work with this population. This cross-sectional study involved school-based professionals recruited via online message boards. Forty-seven individuals (24 OT, 23 other professionals) participated in online questionnaires including the ADHD Stigma Questionnaire to assess explicit bias. An author developed Implicit Relational Assessment Procedure focusing on stigma words related to ADHD was completed by a subset of 27 individuals. Although both groups displayed bias, occupational therapy practitioners demonstrated lower rates of both explicit and implicit bias toward individuals with ADHD than other professionals. Correlations between lower explicit and implicit bias scores were found among all participants. This study introduces an important tool for assessing preexisting biases toward children with ADHD. It has the potential to impact educational training regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion for professionals working in the school and early intervention setting including occupational therapy practitioners.

Acceptability and feasibility of using contingency management for cannabis reduction in specialist mental health services for psychosis: A qualitative study of staff views.

There is increasing evidence linking cannabis use to onset, continuation, and relapse of psychosis. Contingency Management (CM) is discussed as a candidate intervention to reduce cannabis use. Our study aimed to explore staff views on the feasibility and acceptability of using CM for cannabis reduction in early intervention services for psychosis (EIS), in order to inform wider learning about implementation of such approaches in mental health services. EIS teams in England. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups analysed thematically. Forty managers and staff members working in mental health services where a CM intervention was delivered as part of a trial, four staff who delivered CM in these settings, and three key informants (academic experts in relevant fields). A complex intervention comprising CM with incremental financial incentives (vouchers) for reducing or stopping cannabis use, and psychoeducation about the risks of cannabis use. Acceptability appeared to depend on how well the intervention was seen to fit with the service setting and ethos. Concerns included who should deliver CM; potential impacts on the therapeutic relationship; the ethics of using incentives to reduce socially objectionable behaviours; and how CM fits with the work of mental health practitioners. Feasibility concerns centred on resource limitations including time, cost, training, and national guidance and commissioning. Staff attitudes are likely to be a crucial influence on successful implementation of contingency management for cannabis reduction in specialist mental health settings. Several contextual barriers would need to be overcome to increase the acceptability of the intervention for use in early intervention services for psychosis.

Knowledge gaps of medical and pharmacy students with respect to performance enhancing drugs in sport: a pilot study.

Central to the work of medical and pharmacy practitioners is the provision of pharmaceutical support for patients, who may also be competitive athletes. This study aimed to assess the knowledge gaps of medical and pharmacy students at the University of Malta regarding World Anti-Doping Code and the Prohibited List. All medical and pharmacy students studying at the University of Malta were invited to participate in an online questionnaire devised by the research team. This questionnaire assessed knowledge regarding the prohibited status of 19 substances, as well as knowledge regarding therapeutic use exemptions. The questionnaire was prepiloted with local experts in the sports doping field to test face validity, and then tested for content clarity and easy of use by 20 medical and pharmacy students. Total scores were used to compare medical student vs. pharmacy student and athlete vs. non-athlete using the Mann-Whitney U Test. A total of 242 students answered the questionnaire, 58% of which were female. 86% of respondents were medical students. From of the cohort of respondents, 22% identified themselves as athletes as per definition provided in the questionnaire. A number of substances, such as diuretics, morphine, cocaine and ecstasy, were incorrectly classified by the majority of participants. Paracetamol, caffeine, vitamins, NSAIDs, and antihistamines were mostly correctly classified. Pharmacy students had better knowledge when compared to medical students (U value =2734.5, P value =0.034). Student athletes did not have more knowledge than non-athletes (U value =4810.5, P value =0.659). Medical and Pharmacy students have significant knowledge gaps when it comes to performance enhancing drugs in sport. Sports pharmacy should be included as part of the undergraduate curriculum for both medicine and pharmacy, but especially for medical students who will be future prescribers.

Data Science and its Relationship to Big Data and Data-Driven Decision Making

Companies are realizing that they need to hire data scientists, academic institutions are rushing to develop data science programs, and publications are promoting data science as a hot, even "sexy" career choice. However, there is a lack of clarity regarding the specifics of data science, and this lack of clarity may result in disillusionment as the concept fades into meaningless buzz. We argue in this article that it has been difficult to define data science precisely for good reasons. The fact that big data and data-driven decision making are two other important concepts that are also gaining importance is one reason. Another reason is that people naturally tend to link a practitioner's work to the definition of their field; This can lead to ignoring the field's fundamentals. We do not believe that it is of the utmost importance to attempt to precisely define the boundaries of data science. In an academic setting, we can debate the field's boundaries, but data science can only be of use to businesses if (i) its relationships to other important related concepts are understood and (ii) the fundamental principles of data science are identified. Once we accept (ii), it will be much easier for us to comprehend and precisely explain what data science has to offer. Furthermore, we won't be able to call it data science until we accept (ii).We present a viewpoint that addresses all of these ideas in this article. We conclude by providing a sample list of data science's fundamental principles as examples.

Proposing a Code of Ethics for Public Health Professionals in Europe

Context: Public health practitioners are involved in a wide array of contexts. Local and national government public health agencies; domestic and international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs); and academic institutions are just a few examples of the settings where public health practitioners work. Acting ethically and meeting ethical commitments in a practical and transdisciplinary endeavor as complicated as public health necessitates careful consideration. Ethical practice ensures that public health institutions work properly and that individual public health practitioners maintain their integrity. There is little debate about the importance of ethics in public health professional practice and, as a result, the necessity for a corresponding professional code of ethics. Policy Options: Only an US-American code of public health ethics has been created so far. Since ethical considerations in public health are heavily dependent in contexts, the aim of this document is to initiate a discussion surrounding the establishment of a Code of Ethics for Public Health Professionals in Europe. Recommendations: Stimulate the discussion on a European code of public health ethics. Make a clear distinction between public health ethics and medical ethics. Recognize public health as a profession and not just a medical specialty. Recognize the need for a common code of ethics among public health professionals in Europe. Use Kotter's Model based on the Theory of Change as a roadmap when creating the European public health code of ethics. Treat the European code of ethics as a "living document". Encourage further research on a European code of ethics.

Moving From Moral Distress to Moral Resilience Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Moral distress (MD) is a problematic experience for healthcare workers, with career engagement implications including burnout, job turnover, and career turnover. Instances of MD have been increasing since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, threatening greater problems for the healthcare system. Although a range of interventions have been explored, no evidence-based treatment has been identified. Because of how embedded ethical decision-making is in the healthcare field, it is unlikely that MD will be eradicated; however, it is suggested that MD can be learned from and transformed into moral resilience. Evidence indicates that healthcare workers could benefit from mindfulness-based and emotion regulation skills, alongside values-based and action strategies, to support the development of moral resilience. This article proposes the applicability of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and its six core skills—acceptance, cognitive defusion, mindfulness, self-as-context, values, and commitment—to the work of career practitioners as a means of developing moral resilience skills among healthcare workers and supporting career sustainability.

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONING SYSTEM OF THE FUEL AND ENERGY COMPLEX OF UKRAINE

The energy potential of Ukraine under wartime conditions has been clarified. The work of scientists, researchers, and practitioners regarding the goals and strategies of developing the fuel and energy potential system is analyzed. The main approaches to its formation and structure are outlined. Significant flaws in the organizational and territorial significance of the fuel and energy complex of Ukraine are outlined. It became known that the energy and hydropower industries lagged the main branches of fuel and energy resources relative to the broad scale of the increase in energy consumption. This, in turn, provoked a shortage of coal mass consumption at the state electric and thermal capacities. It was determined that after the collapse of the USSR, in Ukraine, the energy system occupied the first place in the state economy. Its priority was the satisfaction of the potential of the domestic energy demand, as well as exports to the countries of the European Union. This process supplies primary energy resources, including oil products, natural gas, oil, and nuclear fuel. At the same time, Ukraine somehow failed to form an adequate basis for the implementation of energy policy with the aim of stable and balanced development of the energy sector and the formation of a system of energy independence from foreign suppliers. It is known that once, the energy industry of Ukraine became the leading supplier of energy raw materials for other countries. As a result of the analysis of indicators regarding the income of companies in various industries, it can be stated that in 2021, the Ukrainian economy will remain raw-based and will continue. Even though the solution to the problems of the existence of the fuel and energy complex of Ukraine is aimed at achieving national goals, at the same time, there are minor problems. Therefore, in our opinion, the short-term and long-term stages of its implementation should be considered when developing an appropriate strategy. As for the effectiveness of the mentioned strategy, it is worth justifying the necessary conceptual toolkit and the methodological directions for further generalization. Considering the content of the Energy Strategy of Ukraine until 2035, "Security, energy efficiency, competitiveness," we believe it is worth developing appropriate types of energy strategies regarding the increasing level of energy efficiency, strengthening the norms and principles of energy security.

The virtuous smart city: Bridging the gap between ethical principles and practices of data-driven innovation

Abstract For smart cities, data-driven innovation promises societal benefits and increased well-being for residents and visitors. At the same time, the deployment of data-driven innovation poses significant ethical challenges. Although cities and other public-sector actors have increasingly adopted ethical principles, employing them in practice remains challenging. In this commentary, we use a virtue-based approach that bridges the gap between abstract principles and the daily work of practitioners who engage in and with data-driven innovation processes. Inspired by Aristotle, we describe practices of data-driven innovation in a smart city applying the concepts of virtue and phronêsis, meaning good judgment of and sensitivity to ethical issues. We use a dialogic case-study approach to study two cases of data-driven innovation in the city of Helsinki. We then describe as an illustration of how our approach can help bridge the gap between concrete practices of data-driven innovation and high-level principles. Overall, we advance a theoretically grounded, virtue-based approach, which is practice oriented and linked to the daily work of data scientists and other practitioners of data-driven innovation. Further, this approach helps understand the need for and importance of individual application of phronêsis, which is particularly important in public-sector organizations that can experience gaps between principle and practice. This importance is further intensified in cases of data-driven innovation in which, by definition, novel and unknown contexts are explored.

Global Psycho-Oncology in Low-Middle Income Countries:Challenges and Opportunities.

This Special Issue of Psycho-Oncology is focused on challenges and opportunities in the provision of psychosocial care to patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC's). The aim is to highlight global disparities and inequity in the provision of evidence-based, culturally-sensitive and timely psychosocial care and to showcase the work of researchers and practitioners to address this gap. We hope that this Issue will help to advance the psychological and social dimensions of cancer care in all parts of the world. The focus of the papers is on research and clinical innovations in LMIC's that target the psychological, social and cultural dimensions of cancer and on interventions to improve or maintain the psychological well-being, social functioning and/or quality of life of those who are affected and of their families. These papers draw attention to guidelines, resource needs, clinical service evaluation, emerging research, and knowledge translation within LMIC's that advance knowledge and implementation in the field of psycho-oncology. Innovations and advances in psycho-oncology are emerging from LMIC's to enhance the care of patients with cancer and their families in these regions and in all parts of the world. A sustained global initiative is now needed to ensure that guidelines for such care are routinely included in global, national and local cancer control plans and that essential resources and attention are directed to implement them. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Iskustva sa tretmanom nasilnika u porodici u Srbiji - iz perspektive terapeuta

This paper deals with research into organisational difficulty and ethical dilemmas, as well as the efficiency of group therapy of men who were sent to group therapy treatments due to intimate partner relationship violence. This type of intervention has recently been recognised in Serbia as an important factor in the protection against domestic violence. Nevertheless, its use has remained sporadic and in order to be able to understand reasons for this, we have found helpful an analysis of the social context, but also the views of experts and the general public regarding domestic violence in our country. The public and experts alike have a firm position in terms of treating domestic violence perpetrators: batterers are almost as a rule male. The research question as the focal point of further analysis was the following: Whether or in which way such a discourse affects the work of practitioners and personal development of the clients - participants in group therapy? To obtain the answer, we have conducted an in-depth interview with one of practitioners in the Belgrade Marriage and Family Counselling Centre, who has been in charge of this programme since it was first launched (2012). As it turns out, both the practitioners and the clients are faced with multiple challenges. The practitioners are faced with their efforts being ignored by experts (by fellow practitioners and prosecutors and judges alike), the absence of systemic support and institutional networking, as well as with professional burnout. The clients often see themselves as victims of the system; they are the subject of a socially imposed ideological reshaping and, therefore, not infrequently they demonstrate resistance to efforts aimed at achieving their personal change and so they leave the programme before it is actually completed. Bearing in mind such outcomes, we believe that it is necessary to work on a change of the prevalent discourse relative to violence and possible ways of preventing violence, on recognising the significance of group therapy of batterers as a potentially important alternative route in working with victims and perpetrators of domestic violence and, finally, on initiating an interdisciplinary discussion about the advantages and disadvantages of sociotherapy treatment.

Conditions, Actions and Purposes (CAP): A Dynamic Model for Community Policing in Europe

AbstractDespite its popularity as a policing method and evidence of its positive affect on communities, community policing has defied attempts to establish a clear definition and replicable form. Often regarded as an Anglo-American policing method in origin, community policing is now found across the world and is growing in influence. The need for differentiated local implementation raises important questions regarding the core features of community policing to guide the work of practitioners. Integrating insights from the existing literature and a trans-European project involving 323 interviews with community members and police officers across eight countries, we propose a dynamic model for community policing. In this original model, we differentiate between the conditions, actions and purposes of community policing (CAP) and describe how these core components are required for effective community policing, interrelated, and flexible enough for local implementation. Accordingly, we show how the CAP model is adaptable while at the same time retaining a sense of what makes ‘community policing’ a unique and identifiable policing method. We conclude our study with a discussion of the implications for research and practice internationally.

Case Study of a Professional Development Support Group of Sport Psychology Practitioners Working in Major League Baseball Organizations in the United States and Canada

A case study is presented about sport psychology practitioners working in Major League Baseball organizations in the United States and Canada who collaborated as a professional development support group. The practitioners ranged from entry-level mental skills coaches to midcareer providers to veteran sport psychologists. The professional development support group is described in relation to its professional development goals, membership criteria, and relevant context. The case study offers a perspective on the evolution of the group and provides evaluative information about implementation of its activities relative to its professional developmental goals. The case includes reflections about the meaning of the group and suggestions for how sport psychology practitioners can collaborate to foster their professional development in sport settings. In addition, lessons learned from the case study are considered for continued improvement of professional development support in sport psychology. Finally, guidelines are provided for designing and implementing professional development groups in sport psychology at professional and collegiate levels of sport.