Members Of Professional Associations Research Articles

Pharmaceutical Company Payments to Executive Board Members of Professional Medical Associations in Japan

This analysis of data from pharmaceutical manufacturers assesses the extent and distribution of industry payments to the executive board members of professional medical associations in Japan.

Philanthropic partnership at the University of Iowa: Providing complimentary ACRL membership to LIS students

The strength of ACRL comes from its membership. Nevertheless, ACRL and other membership-based professional organizations face many challenges in terms of recruiting and retaining members. Of course, membership and involvement in ACRL contributes to an individual’s career success. But academic and research libraries also benefit when their employees are engaged in their professional associations. Membership and participation in professional associations provides valuable mentoring and professional development opportunities. This is true at every stage of one’s career, but it is particularly critical to help new professionals understand the value of these activities. Many would agree that graduate school is the perfect time to introduce students to their future professional associations, yet membership often remains out of reach financially for many students.

Considerations for professionalism of nursing students in clinical practices

This is a descriptive study that aims to determine the factors affecting the professional behaviour of nursing students in clinical applications. The survey was conducted between 20 September and 20 December 2017 with the participation of 274 students studying in the Nursing Department of Health Sciences Faculty of a University. The data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 18 questions and Nursing Students Professional Behaviours Scale (NSPBS). The mean age of the nursing students participated in the study was 20.67 ± 1.88 years and 81.8% of the students were female while 18.2% were male. Of them, 78.5% loved their profession, 60.9% chose their profession willingly, 67.5% did not want to change their profession and 9.5% of them were members of professional associations and followed professional publications. The mean score of NSPBS was determined to be 122 (29–135). Hence, the nursing students’ ability to perform professional behaviours was found to be high.Keywords: Nursing, student, professional behaviour.

Association Development and Professional Transformation model for nurse leaders.

This pilot study evaluated an Association Development and Professional Transformation (ADAPT) model for nursing leadership development and assessed satisfaction with the ADAPT workshop. Nurses often lack self-confidence and self-efficacy in leadership roles. There is a need for nurses to take leadership opportunities that serve to advance the nursing profession. A quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design was used. The sampling method selected professional nursing association (PNA) members. Novice participants completed a pre-assessment and post-assessment Leadership Practice Inventory-Self (LPI-S) survey and attended the ADAPT workshop. Experienced nurse leaders participated as mentors. Both groups completed a satisfaction survey after the workshop. Awareness of nursing leadership behaviours increased. Total mean scores for each subscale on the LPI-S increased but this was not statistically significant. All participants reported satisfaction with the ADAPT workshop. This study offers evidence that the ADAPT model influences leadership behaviours. The ADAPT workshop provided a method to gain a leadership perspective and to encourage nurses to fulfil a leadership role within professional nursing associations. Organisations and professional nursing associations that support the leadership potential of nurses must invest in providing leadership development opportunities.

Variations in Australian dental therapy practice by practitioner and workplace characteristics

Understanding dental therapy practice across clinical settings is useful for education and service planning. This study assessed if dental therapy service provision varied according to practitioner and workplace characteristics. Members of professional associations representing dental therapists (DT) and oral health therapists (OHT) were posted a self-complete survey collecting practitioner and workplace characteristics, together with clinical activity on a self-selected typical day of practice. Differences in service provision according to characteristics were assessed by comparing mean services per patient visit. Negative binomial regression models estimated adjusted ratios (R) of mean services per patient. The response rate was 60.6%. Of practitioners registered as an OHT or a DT, 80.0% (n = 500) were employed in general clinical practice. Nearly one-third of OHT and nearly two-thirds of DT worked in public sector dental services. Patterns of service provision varied significantly according to practice sector and other characteristics. After adjusting for characteristics, relative to private sector, public sector practitioners had higher provision rates of fissure sealants (R = 3.79, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 2.84-5.06), restorations (R = 3.78, 95% CI: 2.94-4.86) and deciduous tooth extractions (R = 3.58, 95% CI: 2.60-4.93) per patient visit, and lower provision rates of oral health instruction (R = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.76-0.98), fluoride applications (R = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.33-0.56), scale and cleans (R = 0.39, 95% CI: 0.34-0.45) and periodontal services (R = 0.20, 95% CI: 0.14-0.28) per patient visit. Differences in service provision according to sector indicate that OHT and DT adapt to differing patient groups and models of care. Variations may also indicate that barriers to utilising the full scope of practice exist in some settings.

Factors affecting occupational therapists' decision to join their regional professional association: Facteurs influençant la décision des ergothérapeutes de joindre les rangs de leur association professionnelle régionale.

Voluntary occupational therapy organizations fill an important role. However, recruitment and retention can be problematic. Little is known about factors influencing occupational therapists to join/maintain membership in professional associations. This study investigated factors influencing occupational therapists' decision to join/remain members of their association. An electronic survey was carried out and data were analyzed using SPSS software and manual categorization of open-ended comments. Two hundred and fifty-four therapists responded. Generation of new ideas, opportunities for professional development, self-improvement, maintenance of standards, improvement of the profession, and discounts on equipment/educational opportunities were significant factors in deciding to join the organization. The factors perceived as priorities varied in relation to participants' year of graduation. More-customized strategies, reflecting priorities that vary during a therapist's career path, may need to be employed to best address recruitment and retention across the range of therapists' needs and goals.

Determinants of health care professional association members' intention to renew and recommend membership to others

This study was designed to explore the determinants of membership retention and expansion within a health care professional association. Analyzing empirical data from 824 members of the largest and most internationally representative health care professional association, this study found membership dues value and member attitude toward the association are key predictors of the decisions to renew membership and recommend it to others, whereas membership drop experience was a negative predictor of the 2 behavioral outcomes regarding members. Personal benefits provided by membership in the association are a determinant of recommending membership to others but not a significant factor in renewing membership.

Determinants of donation amount in nonprofit membership associations

Nonprofit organizations depend heavily on charitable giving. Using survey data of 2,517 nonprofit professional association members, this study examines the factors influencing the donation amounts given to those organizations. The results of a hierarchical regression analysis suggest that gender, length of membership, and individuals' intrinsic motivation are predictors of their decisions about how much to donate. However, level of satisfaction and extrinsic motivation do not predict members' extent of generosity. This study offers empirical evidence of the positive effects of nonprofit organizations' building mutual relationships with their members regarding donation amounts. The findings contribute to further understanding of the factors that drive donation amount.

Factors influencing professional state association membership decisions among recent pharmacy graduates

IntroductionState pharmacy association membership levels have remained stagnant in recent years despite active student organization involvement among student pharmacists and an increased number of pharmacy schools producing new pharmacy graduates in the United States. The objective of this project was to examine factors considered by recent pharmacy graduates when deciding to join state pharmacy associations. MethodsA 16-item cross sectional survey of recent pharmacy graduates collected respondents’ demographic profile, professional student organization involvement, association memberships, and membership decision factors. ResultsThe most influential factors in membership decisions included continuing education (62.8%), opportunity to advance pharmacy practice (51.1%), email updates (39.4%), and networking opportunities (37.2%). State pharmacy association meeting attendance (p = 0.004 and p = 0.028 for the Kentucky Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Kentucky Pharmacists Association respectively), student organization membership (p = 0.038), committee service (p = 0.025), and state association board participation (p = 0.021) during pharmacy education increases the likelihood of membership in state associations. ConclusionsEarly engagement in state pharmacy associations during pharmacy school improves the likelihood of new practitioner membership. Pharmacy schools should engage with state association leaders to promote student committee participation, association board participation, and attendance at state meetings to ensure the continued success of state pharmacy associations.

Experiences of aromatherapy massage among adult female cancer patients: A qualitative study.

To explore the experiences towards aromatherapy massage use, and to examine the perceived benefits and adverse effects of aromatherapy massage among adult female cancer patients. A qualitative research design was used. Fifteen women with cancer were recruited for semi-structured interviews. Sample recruitment was undertaken through cancer self-help groups and referrals of a private aromatherapy clinic by convenience sampling. The interview data were analysed by thematic analysis. All participants had a positive experience towards aromatherapy massage. The perceived benefits of aromatherapy massage included physical and psychological dimensions: overall comfort, relaxation, reduced pain, muscular tension, lymphoedema and numbness, improved sleep, energy level, appetite and mood. Interestingly, a few participants reported that aromatherapy massage helped to enhance self-acceptance and coping with their altered torso. No adverse effects were reported. The findings focused on four main themes that emerged: (i) an immediate effect that brings all-round comfort and reconnection to daily life; (ii) a pleasurable moment to forget the disease with aroma as a booster; (iii) a pampering experience of being cared for with a sense of dignity preserved; and (iv) communicating with the failing body. This study contributed by providing a better understanding in aromatherapy massage from female cancer patients' perspective which adds to the existing body of knowledge. The implications for nursing practice, education and future research were suggested. Aromatherapy massage seems to have both physical and psychological benefits for women with cancer. The findings elucidated a wide range of benefits that are perceived in such complex intervention, and the contextual factors that may influence these perceived benefits. This will inform future nurse-led quantitative research in the clinical setting. The study highlights the importance of touch towards a caring relationship and the provision of cancer care with a gender-specific approach. Exploring of the lived experience of aromatherapy massage and its meaning enables the healthcare professionals to gain insights into the needs, preferences and values for cancer care among female cancer population. While nurses play a crucial role in collaborating with cancer patients in the choice of CAM therapies, nurses should advise them to attend practising aromatherapists with recognised training and competency who should be members of aromatherapy professional associations. As aromatherapy is an unregulated profession, nurses may also advise oncology patients on the international guideline and institutional policies for aromatherapy massage use in the hospital setting. Nurses may broaden the caring repertoire by expanding their knowledge and skills in aromatherapy massage such as understanding the basic essential oils pharmacology, massage skills and therapy efficacy for symptoms management in cancer care. Oncology clinicians and nurses should support and guide patients' decision in the use of aromatherapy massage by providing evidence-based and comprehensive advice on the potential benefits, risks and related safety issues.

Managing Children with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is one of the most significant early childhood chronic respiratory diseases. The article features modern approaches to preventing, diagnosing and treating broncho-pulmonary dysplasia, as well as ways of preventing complications and undesirable disease outcomes in patients older than 3 years. Members of professional associations — Union of Pediatricians of Russia and Russian Association of Perinatal Medicine Specialists — have summarized the experience of managing this category of patients at leading Russian pediatric centers according to the principles of evidence-based medicine and have provided scientific and practical data corresponding to the world level of knowledge with regard to the present problem.

Promoting diversity to add value to the LIS profession

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact the University of North Carolina at Greensboro’s (UNCG) Library and Information Studies Academic and Cultural Enrichment (ACE) Scholars Program has had on promoting diversity and adding value to the library and information studies profession. Design/methodology/approach This paper is presented as a case study in which three iterations of the ACE Scholars Program are discussed, including program design and suggested impact the program has had on educating and engaging diverse individuals for careers in the library and information studies professions. Findings Nearly 50 ACE Scholars program participants, representing ethnically, racially and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds, have graduated from UNCG with their Master of Library and Information Studies degrees since 2011. In the five years since the first ACE cohort graduated, Scholar alums continue to impact the Library and Information Studies (LIS) profession through their professional roles as well as through their community engagement, professional association memberships and leadership roles, professional presentations and numerous publications. Originality/value This paper presents a model that has helped to promote diversity in the LIS field in way that can be adapted by other graduate programs that are preparing individuals for successful and engaged careers as library and information studies professionals.

Social capital and entrepreneurial process

The paper examines the relationship between social capital and entrepreneurial engagement of individuals in 35 nations from Europe and Asia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical research that attempts to investigate the influence of three-dimensional social capital concept – trust, networks and norms – on three stages of entrepreneurial process – preference, trial and success – using such large and comprehensive cross-sectional micro data. In general, we find that all three dimensions of social capital matter in the entrepreneurship context, albeit differently. They become beneficial in different ways and at different stages of entrepreneurial involvement. For example, among trust variables, institutional trust in general, and trust in business-oriented and business-supporting actors in particular, exert significant positive effect on entrepreneurial process. Individuals with formal membership in professional associations are more likely to perceive entrepreneurial opportunities, while some close or strong-tie networks might prevent them from progressing in the entrepreneurship ladder. Finally, individual level civic norms appear to be negatively associated with early-stage entrepreneurship, while the success in becoming an entrepreneur is not found to be bound by people’s civic norms.

The factors and motivations behind United Kingdom chiropractic professional association membership: a survey of the Welsh Institute of Chiropractic Alumni.

BackgroundThere are many professional associations representing chiropractors and chiropractic in the United Kingdom (UK). Each has its unique selling points (USPs) and chiropractors can choose to join as many as they like; however, cost of membership has to be weighed against perceived benefits. The predictors of UK chiropractic association membership and motivational factors to join these associations, have not formally been identified. This research study aimed to identify some of the factors and motivations in Welsh Institute of Chiropractic (WIOC) Alumni regarding their decision to join (or not) a UK chiropractic professional association.MethodsAn online survey instrument, comprising 23 questions, was administered from November-December 2015 via a link announced on ‘The WIOC Alumni’ Facebook group (N = 655), the active platform for the WIOC Alumni Organisation.ResultsOne hundred forty-eight respondents (approximately 22.6 % of ‘The WIOC Alumni’ Facebook group membership) completed the survey. Ten factors were reported to be important in decision making: ‘promoting public awareness of chiropractic’ (91.2 %), ‘access to professional indemnity insurance’ (89.2 %), ‘overall professionalism of the association’ (87.2 %), ‘the identity of the association’ (77.7 %), ‘positive attitude to research’ (77.0 %), ‘workplace support and advice’ (68.9 %), ‘access to events \\ courses \\ seminars’ (64.2 %), ‘Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities’ (62.2 %), ‘cost of membership’ (59.5 %) and ‘addresses my area of interest’ (56.1 %). ‘Many of my friends have joined’ (71.6 %) was considered unimportant, whereas ‘Lobbying: Influencing policy’ and ‘career development’ were considered important by almost twice as many as those that consider them unimportant (45.3 %: 25.7 % and 43.9 %: 27.0 % respectively), ‘requirement of employment’ and ‘associations newsletter’ were seen as unimportant by roughly twice as many as those considering them important (44.6 %: 28.4 % and 35.8 %: 28.4 % respectively). Should it become an option, almost 71 % of respondents would support the unification of the four main UK chiropractic associations, (the British, McTimoney, Scottish and United, Chiropractic Associations: BCA MCA, SCA and UCA, respectively).ConclusionsSeveral factors have an important effect on motivations to join UK chiropractic professional associations. Further research is required to determine if this is WIOC specific or can be extrapolated more generally.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12998-016-0115-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Global Professional Standards for Project Cost Management

This paper explores the need for global professional standards in the project cost management field. A range of global standards and guides have been developed for the project management profession as a whole but there have not been any developed specifically for project cost management (other than as a subset of project management standards). It will be argued that project cost management (be it Quantity Surveying, Cost Engineering, Project Controls or cost management carried out by Project Managers) is a specialist technical field that requires its own specific standards. The paper will examine the various national and regional professional standards that have been developed for the Quantity Surveying, Cost Engineering and Project Controls professions by various countries and professional associations around the world. It then examines the issues surrounding the lack of global standards for these professions and explores the benefits of developing over-arching strategies to produce global standards/programs. The paper then describes current initiatives to develop these specific global standards. This will include the International Construction Measurement Standard (ICMS) that is in the early stages of development. The research methodology underpinning this study comprises a review of professional standards around the world and interviews with practitioners and members of professional cost management associations within the International Cost Engineering Council (ICEC). The paper concludes with a range of recommendations and strategies to help address these issues.

Chinese Medicine in Australia.

Chinese medicine is a complex domain of theoretical and practical approaches that is being increasingly put under the research spotlight. The "Chinese Medicine in Australia" research project attempted to capture the clinical features of practitioners of Chinese medicine. The project involved a national survey of Chinese medicine professional association members and registered practitioners in the state of Victoria, Australia (n = 655; response rate, 42%-55%) completed in 2012-2013. The content and face validated survey was developed using new and previous workforce survey questions. This paper reports on the workforce and practice characteristics of the survey respondents. Chinese medicine practitioners are highly educated, come from diverse backgrounds, and have chosen to practice predominantly in sole or multipractitioner private practice settings. An interest in the philosophy of Chinese medicine and previous experiences contributed to practitioners' decisions to study and practice Chinese medicine. Incorporating a variety of techniques, practitioners describe themselves as practicing predominantly Chinese acupuncture and herbal medicine. The results from this survey contribute to the understanding of the nature and description of Chinese medicine practice in Australia.

School librarians’ intellectual freedom attitudes and practices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the most significant censorship issues faced by UK school librarians today and to determine what factors influence attitudes towards these issues. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was designed, closely based on that used for a previous survey of UK librarians in 2004. It was distributed online and 96 responses were received. Findings Overall, respondents were more likely to express support for intellectual freedom in theory than in practice. Statements that prompted the strongest pro-censorship responses related to access issues, namely, labelling and filtering. A number of librarians place significant emphasis on their personal ability, or right, to determine whether or not resources are included in the collection. There was evidence of a difference in practical application depending on whether librarians worked with pre-school children or were members of professional associations. Research limitations/implications The findings suggest a need for further research into the role of professional associations in supporting school librarians faced by censorship issues, especially those who support the youngest students. Originality/value The findings suggest that while school librarians hold strong pro-intellectual freedom views, they may need additional support to put these into practice. School librarians are undoubtedly in a challenging position, often being solo workers; they need support to find ways to uphold professional intellectual freedom principles within a school setting.

Assessing the CPRS Pathways to the Profession competency framework

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to assess the leadership skills and competencies defined in the Pathways to the Profession and understand the value senior corporate communications managers place on those skills and competencies and how senior-level corporate communicators demonstration of those skills and competencies.Design/methodology/approach– Institutional review board approval was obtained for a qualitative research design based on focus groups conducted in four Canadian cities with 25 senior corporate communicators, human resources professionals, and general business managers.Findings– This research has validated the competencies and credentials for senior-level corporate communications and public relations executives as highlighted in the Pathways to the Profession framework. It has also provided the profession with an understanding of the value senior public relations and organizational managers place on professional association membership and professional and academic credentials. This research is an important contribution to the growing body of knowledge on competency frameworks as professional associations, such as the Canadian Public Relations Society, take leadership positions in providing educational institutions with sets of standards for public relations and corporate communications education in Canada.Practical implications– This research will help the public relations and corporate communications profession provide guidance to educational institutions programming for senior-level public relations and communications management education based on quantifiable data on the value executives place on a particular set of skills and competencies.Originality/value– This is the first study of its kind that examines the perceived competencies and skills of Canadian senior public relations/communications management leadership. Further this research sought to assess the value of academic and professional credentials necessary for participation in executive leadership roles.

Storytelling in Health Journalism: Online Survey of Health Journalists on Definition and Use

Background: Although health information is of great interest and plays an important role in almost all media, there are very few studies on the actual work of health journalists. Methods: A quantitative online survey with qualitative elements on the definition and use of storytelling in health journalism was carried out among members of various professional journalists' associations (n=86). Results: The results suggest that health journalists understand storytelling especially as a term used when an article has a dramatic construction, and the story is about real people. As reasons for using storytelling, health journalists primarily name the understandable and clear presentation of medical issues. They see better chances for identification and establishing a relationship to the readers' lives. Of particular importance seems to be that narrative elements do not distort the facts and protect the privacy rights of persons mentioned in case reports.

Specialist Bibliographic Databases.

Specialist bibliographic databases offer essential online tools for researchers and authors who work on specific subjects and perform comprehensive and systematic syntheses of evidence. This article presents examples of the established specialist databases, which may be of interest to those engaged in multidisciplinary science communication. Access to most specialist databases is through subscription schemes and membership in professional associations. Several aggregators of information and database vendors, such as EBSCOhost and ProQuest, facilitate advanced searches supported by specialist keyword thesauri. Searches of items through specialist databases are complementary to those through multidisciplinary research platforms, such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Familiarizing with the functional characteristics of biomedical and nonbiomedical bibliographic search tools is mandatory for researchers, authors, editors, and publishers. The database users are offered updates of the indexed journal lists, abstracts, author profiles, and links to other metadata. Editors and publishers may find particularly useful source selection criteria and apply for coverage of their peer-reviewed journals and grey literature sources. These criteria are aimed at accepting relevant sources with established editorial policies and quality controls.