Professional Credibility Research Articles

Predicting job offer acceptance of professionals in Taiwan: The case of the technology industry

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is defined as a firm's behavior that goes beyond its economic interest to benefit stakeholders and is a critical factor for business organizations to implement in order to successfully increase the job offer acceptance of job applicants. This research examines such job offer acceptance by developing a model based on the social signaling theory and expectancy theory. The hypotheses of this research were empirically tested using the data from professional job applicants at three well-known career fairs for the high-tech industry in Taiwan. The test results show that business practice CSR engagement and recruitment procedural justice positively affect both career success expectation and a firm's attractiveness, which consequently influence job offer acceptance. At the same time, due to its insignificant effect on career success expectation, philanthropic CSR engagement only has a significant impact on a firm's attractiveness. The findings of this research complement prior studies by presenting how business practice CSR engagement, philanthropic CSR engagement, and recruitment procedural justice should be simultaneously taken into account to boost job offer acceptance. Lastly, managerial implications and limitations are provided.

The Effects of Auditor Experience and Professional Commitment on Acceptance of Underreporting Time: A Moderated Mediation Analysis

SUMMARYUnderreporting time is a common ethical dilemma in auditing. We examine the effects of professional commitment and experience on auditor acceptance of underreporting time with a sample of 110 practicing auditors at two large national accounting firms. Using a moderated mediation research model, we find that auditor experience moderates the negative relationship between professional commitment and acceptance of underreporting time, such that professional commitment is associated with underreporting acceptance only among less experienced auditors. We discuss the contributions, limitations, and practical implications of our findings.Data Availability: Please contact the first author.

Ξένοι εργαζόμενοι, συλλογικές αναπαραστάσεις και ταυτότητες. Η περίπτωση των μεταναστών στη συνοικία της Αγίας Τριάδας του Ηρακλείου Κρήτης

<p>The presence of foreign workers in our country,<br />contests their stereotypes, ‘representations’,<br />beliefs as well as their ‘identity’. Their social<br />and professional acceptance in the country<br />of ‘reception’ requires a change in the social<br />beliefs and representations and the distinct<br />acceptance of new cultural values. This transformation<br />to a divergent society provokes a<br />break-through in the self- perception which<br />leads to a new assessment and meaning of identity.<br />The ‘self- preservation’ strategies adopted<br />by the immigrants jeopardize their collective<br />identity when pursuing their symbolic and social<br />recognition. Against this background, the<br />expansion of their “networks”, the education<br />of the next generation and the change in their<br />personal preferences pave the way for new social<br />and symbolic opportunities.</p>

Food Banks: A Lens on the Hungry Body

Food Banks: A Lens on the Hungry Body

A comparison of competing technology acceptance models to explore personal, academic and professional portfolio acceptance behaviour

This paper presents a comparison analysis of two competing models, the technology acceptance model and the decomposed theory of planned behaviour (DTPB), which can be used for predicting and explaining students’ acceptance of electronic portfolios (e-portfolios). E-portfolios are considered important pedagogical tools, with a substantial amount of literature supporting their role in personal, academic and professional development. However, achieving students’ acceptance of e-portfolios is still a challenge for higher education institutions. Data were collected from 204 participating students via a cross-sectional survey method and analysed using structural equation modelling. An in-depth analysis of measures was completed before structural level analysis of the two models was undertaken, in which goodness-of-fit indices were observed and hypotheses analysed. The results from structural level analysis were compared in terms of overall model fit, explanatory power and path significance. The results demonstrated that the DTPB attained higher explanatory power with better insight of the phenomenon under investigation.

(De-)legitimizing medical professional discourses: evaluations from foreign English teachers in Japan

ABSTRACTUtilizing Donal Carbaugh's work on Cultural Discourse Analysis, this study explores the intersection of language, intercultural, and health communication within the context of globalization by focusing upon foreign language teachers as migrant workers. As part of a larger study interviewing 49 migrant workers in Japan, this study focuses upon 10 specific individual accounts of Assistant English Language Teachers' (ALTs) medical encounters and interactions with Japanese medical providers (JMPs) in Japan to uncover: (a) discursive practices ALTs use to (de)-legitimize JMPs and (b) cultural assumptions ALTs expect of JMPs. In particular, three ways are uncovered wherein terms of talk between ALTs and JMPs influenced perceptions and conceptions of medical interaction in Japan. First, place was rendered meaningful by ALTs by using two interrelated terms: ‘back home' and ‘here.' Such demarcations operated to (de)-legitimize the medical professional's practices, procedures, and credibility. Second, construals of ‘good' and ‘bad' providers are highlighted as ALTs attempted to make sense of their medical interactions. Finally, the relationship between ALTs’ conception of space and place are considered in light of ALTs’ provider construals. Theoretical, practical, and future implications are discussed.

Encouraging Specialty Certification: How Multilevel Support Can Help.

Professional development through specialty certification is positively associated with nurses' increased confidence in clinical skills, commitment to learning, empowerment, and professional credibility. This translates to improved patient outcomes, with higher organizational reimbursement, in addition to nurse retention and job satisfaction. Despite the call for lifelong learning from the Institute of Medicine, certification rates, especially among nurses in direct patient care, remain low. This article provides a three-tiered approach for organizational leaders and administrators of continuing education programs to establish resources and support for nurses seeking specialty certification.

Experiences of Rehabilitation Professionals with the Implementation of a Back School for Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Qualitative Study.

A standardized curriculum back school (CBS) has been recommended for further dissemination in medical rehabilitation in Germany. However, implementation of self-management education programs into practice is challenging. In low back pain care, individual factors of professionals could be decisive regarding implementation fidelity. The study aim was to explore attitudes and experiences of professionals who conducted the back school. Qualitative interviews were led with 45 rehabilitation professionals. The data were examined using thematic analysis. Three central themes were identified: (a) “back school as a common thread,” (b) “theory versus practice,” and (c) “participation and patient-centeredness.” The CBS and its manual were frequently described positively because they provide structure. However, specified time was mentioned critically and there were heterogeneous perceptions regarding flexibility in conducting the CBS. Theory and practice in the CBS were discussed concerning amount, distribution, and conjunction. Participation and patient-centeredness were mainly mentioned in terms of amount and heterogeneity of participation as well as the demand for competences of professionals. Factors were detected that may either positively or negatively influence the implementation fidelity of self-management education programs. The results are explorative and provide potential explanatory mechanisms for behavior and acceptance of rehabilitation professionals regarding the implementation of biopsychosocial back schools.

My Changed Body: Background, development and acceptability of a self-compassion based writing activity for female survivors of breast cancer

ObjectiveTo assess consumer and health professional user acceptability of a web-based self-compassion writing activity to minimize psychological distress related to the negative impact of breast cancer on body image. Methods“My Changed Body” is a web-based writing activity that combines expressive writing with a self-compassionate approach that focuses on cancer-related adverse body image alterations. Breast cancer survivors (n=15) and health professionals (n=20) provided feedback via a survey regarding the appearance, organization and content of the website and writing activity. ResultsBoth breast cancer survivors and health professionals rated the website highly in terms of design, layout and content. Participants commented positively on the website’s clear wording, appealing design and ease of navigation. Suggestions for improving the website included simplifying the instructions for the writing activity and allowing participants’ writing to be saved. ConclusionResults from both breast cancer survivors and health professionals suggest a moderate to high level of user acceptability and positive ratings for the overall impression of the website. Practice implicationsSelf-compassion based writing interventions can be translated to a web-based self-administered activity for body image difficulties after breast cancer treatment in a format that is acceptable to consumers and health professionals.

Meaning of palliative care for the elderly in primary care: a grounded theory

Aim: To understand the significance of palliative care for the elderly for health professionals working in primary health care. Method: An exploratory study with a qualitative approach, which will use the encoding and constant comparison process of Grounded Theory (GT), and will be interpreted in terms of the theoretical framework of social phenomenology of Alfred Schutz. The research scenarios will be three Family Health Units in the Felipe Camarao neighborhood, West District, in the city of Natal (RN), Brazil. For the production of the data, with the consent of the directors of each unit and with the acceptance of health professionals, participants will be interviewed through the use of semi-structured questionnaires incorporating demographic data and open questions about palliative care for the elderly. Expected results: to establish a health care strategy for primary care professionals that improves the quality of life of the elderly and other patients who depend on palliative care .

A critical discourse analysis of the attitudes of occupational therapists and physiotherapists towards the systematic use of standardised outcome measurement

Purpose: To investigate discourses relating to the implementation of standardised outcome measurement within rehabilitation practise. Method: It is a critical discourse analysis of texts in professional occupational therapist (OT) and physiotherapist (PT) journals, along with transcriptions from three focus group interviews with 25 OTs and PTs in local rehabilitation settings. Results: Although positive attitudes towards outcome measurement were expressed in the professional journals, OTs and PTs in local settings had professional reservations about standardisation of the rehabilitation practise. The therapists were caught in what they considered to be a dilemma between taking a holistic approach and performing standardised practise. Systematic outcome measurement challenged the core values of their practise. Therapists often felt that ‘it did not make sense’ to use outcome measurement and this became a barrier to its implementation. Conclusion: If the use of standardised outcome measurement is to be increased, reflection is needed on how the measurements can be integrated to provide a meaningful contribution to individual rehabilitation processes. To optimise implementation, it is essential to make use of research in knowledge translation and adapt it to fit with the ways in which new ideas and recommendations are implemented in local rehabilitation contexts.Implications for RehabilitationSuccessful implementation of standardised outcome measurements depends on whether occupational therapists and physiotherapists have an experience of the measurements as being meaningful.Enforcement of standardised outcome measurements must be done by means of more than a few isolated arguments, if professional acceptance is to be gained.To reject established dogmas on, e.g. standardisation, deliberate and conscious reflections in local settings are needed. It is necessary to go beyond normal and familiar professional reflections. To this end, newcomers’ opinions are valuable.

Systematic review of patient safety interventions in dentistry.

BackgroundThe concept of patient safety in dentistry is in its infancy, with little knowledge about the effectiveness of tools or interventions developed to improve patient safety or to minimise the occurrence of adverse events.MethodsThe aim of this qualitative systematic review was to search the academic and grey literature to identify and assess tools or interventions used in dental care settings to maintain or improve patient safety. All study designs were included from all dental care settings. Outcome measures were: patient safety, harm prevention, risk minimization, patient satisfaction and patient acceptability, professional acceptability, efficacy, cost-effectiveness and efficiency. Quality assessments were performed on the included studies based on CASP tools. Further analysis was undertaken to discover whether any of the tools had been trialled or verified by the authors, or by subsequent authors.ResultsFollowing abstract screening, and initial qualitative synthesis, nine studies were found to meet the inclusion criteria with 31 being excluded following initial analysis. Tools identified included: checklists (4 studies), reporting systems (3), the use of electronic notes (1) and trigger tools (1). Grey literature searching did not identify any further appropriate studies. In terms of study design, there were observational studies including audit cycles (5 studies), epidemiological studies (3) and prospective cluster randomised clinical trials (1). The quality of the studies varied and none of their outcomes were verified by other researchers. The tools identified have the potential to be used for measuring and improving patient safety in dentistry, with two surgical safety checklists demonstrating a reduction in erroneous dental extractions to nil following their introduction. Reporting systems provide epidemiological data, however, it is not known whether they lead to any improvement in patient safety. The one study on trigger tools demonstrates a 50 % positive predictive value for safety incidents. It is not clear as to what impact the introduction of electronic guidelines has on patient safety outcomes.ConclusionsThis systematic review finds that the only interventions in dentistry that reduce or minimise adverse events are surgical safety checklists. We believe this to be the first systematic review in this field; it demonstrates the need for further research into patient safety in dentistry across several domains: epidemiological, conceptual understanding and patient and practitioner involvement.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12903-015-0136-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The (Big) Data-security assemblage: Knowledge and critique

The Snowden revelations and the emergence of ‘Big Data’ have rekindled questions about how security practices are deployed in a digital age and with what political effects. While critical scholars have drawn attention to the social, political and legal challenges to these practices, the debates in computer and information science have received less analytical attention. This paper proposes to take seriously the critical knowledge developed in information and computer science and reinterpret their debates to develop a critical intervention into the public controversies concerning data-driven security and digital surveillance. The paper offers a two-pronged contribution: on the one hand, we challenge the credibility of security professionals’ discourses in light of the knowledge that they supposedly mobilize; on the other, we argue for a series of conceptual moves around data, human–computer relations, and algorithms to address some of the limitations of existing engagements with the Big Data-security assemblage.

The EHR and building the patient’s story: A qualitative investigation of how EHR use obstructs a vital clinical activity

BackgroundRecent research has suggested that using electronic health records (EHRs) can negatively impact clinical reasoning (CR) and interprofessional collaborative practices (ICPs). Understanding the benefits and obstacles that EHR use introduces into clinical activities is essential for improving medical documentation, while also supporting CR and ICP. MethodsThis qualitative study was a longitudinal pre/post investigation of the impact of EHR implementation on CR and ICP at a large pediatric hospital. We collected data via observations, interviews, document analysis, and think-aloud/-after sessions. Using constructivist Grounded Theory’s iterative cycles of data collection and analysis, we identified and explored an emerging theme that clinicians described as central to their CR and ICP activities: building the patient’s story. We studied how building the patient’s story was impacted by the introduction and implementation of an EHR. ResultsClinicians described the patient’s story as a cognitive awareness and overview understanding of the patient’s (1) current status, (2) relevant history, (3) data patterns that emerged during care, and (4) the future-oriented care plan. Constructed by consolidating and interpreting a wide array of patient data, building the patient’s story was described as a vitally important skill that was required to provide patient-centered care, within an interprofessional team, that safeguards patient safety and clinicians’ professional credibility. Our data revealed that EHR use obstructed clinicians’ ability to build the patient’s story by fragmenting data interconnections. Further, the EHR limited the number and size of free-text spaces available for narrative notes. This constraint inhibited clinicians’ ability to read the why and how interpretations of clinical activities from other team members. This resulted in the loss of shared interprofessional understanding of the patient’s story, and the increased time required to build the patient’s story. ConclusionsWe discuss these findings in relation to research on the role of narratives for enabling CR and ICP. We conclude that EHRs have yet to truly fulfill their promise to support clinicians in their patient care activities, including the essential work of building the patient’s story.

A Fuzzy Logic Approach to Assess Web Learner's Joint Skills

Skill assessment is an important but complicated task in the entire web based teaching and learning process. The learner's performance assessment has a strong influence on learners' approaches to learn and their learning outcomes like professional acceptability on desired skills. Most educators focus either on assessing a learner's technical skill set or non- technical skill set, individually, rather than focusing on both the aspects. This paper bridges the gap by applying fuzzy logic approach to analyze a learner's joint skills incorporating both skills-set. An already proven e-commerce website's evaluation technique has been chosen and applied in two situations of learner's skill assessment through case studies namely: technical skills evaluation, and non-technical skills evaluation. Experiments show that the learner's success depends on both sets of skill attributes. This work then proposed a novel method for skill assessment considering two (instead of one) sets of skill attributes invoking parallel or joint application of the technique. This new technique has also been analysed through a case study. Index Terms—E-learning, fuzzy logic, joint-skill, skill assessment, competencies.

The Discourse of Medicine in the Čahār Maqāla (Four Discourses) of Nezami Aruzi of Samarghand.

Nezami Aruzi prepared Čahār Maqāla (Four Discourses) as a guide and admonishment for the rulers and kings. The fourth discourse of Čahār Maqāla with 12 anecdotes is devoted to the science of medicine and the characteristics of the physicians. The discourse presents the name of the eminent scientists, physicians, as well as Farsi and Arabic medical books that had professional acceptance in the medieval in Persia. The author has described how medicine was studied in the medieval in Persia and has presented notes on the physiology of the nervous system, pulse, uroscopy, fever, spiritual affairs and medical ethics. The current essay is a brief review of the medical subjects in Čahār Maqāla.

Why I Wrote the New Royal College General Internal Medicine Exam: Redefining Our Identity and Revalidation

In 2010, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) recognized General Internal Medicine (GIM) as a distinct subspecialty. Soon after this recognition came a new written certificationexam, the successful completion of which awards the applicant the title of General Internist. For those of us who trained prior to the new status and examination, GIM was the default designation after four years of internal medicine training if a subspecialty was not pursued.What does this new subspecialty status mean for our professional identity, qualifications, and public credibility? Twelve years aftermy successful completion of the Internal Medicine (IM) certification exams, I voluntarily applied for consideration to write the first RCPSC exam in GIM, without a clear reason why. My reflection on the days leading up to the exam and writing the exam itself led me to understand why I did it. The process addressed my skepticism around designating GIM as a unique subspecialty, and through this I have come to appreciate the need for our profession to embrace revalidation.

Sir William Arbuthnot Lane and His Contributions to Plastic Surgery.

Surgical subspecialties were just emerging at the turn of the 20th Century, before this time, general surgeons had to adjust their operative skills to address disorders throughout the body. Sir William Arbuthnot Lane was a British surgeon, whose restless mind led him to wander throughout the field of general surgery and beyond. Although controversial, he advanced in the repair of cleft lip and palate, introduced the "no touch" operative technique, internal fixation of fractures, and is credited as the first surgeon to perform open massage of the heart. During The Great War, he established the British Plastic Surgery unit at Sidcup and delegated the care of facial and jaw injuries to young Major Harold Gillies. Lane later founded The New Health Society, an organization that stimulated the natural food movement. Sadly, in his latter years Lane's thinking drifted further away from with the times and his professional credibility waned. Nevertheless, Lane's variegated life is of sufficient interest to deserve reassessment.

English

In 2010, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) recognized General Internal Medicine (GIM) as a distinct subspecialty. Soon after this recognition came a new written certificationexam, the successful completion of which awards the applicant the title of General Internist. For those of us who trained prior to the new status and examination, GIM was the default designation after four years of internal medicine training if a subspecialty was not pursued.What does this new subspecialty status mean for our professional identity, qualifications, and public credibility? Twelve years aftermy successful completion of the Internal Medicine (IM) certification exams, I voluntarily applied for consideration to write the first RCPSC exam in GIM, without a clear reason why. My reflection on the days leading up to the exam and writing the exam itself led me to understand why I did it. The process addressed my skepticism around designating GIM as a unique subspecialty, and through this I have come to appreciate the need for our profession to embrace revalidation.

Interprofessional communication training: benefits to practicing pharmacists.

Interprofessional communication skills are important for pharmacists to build collaborative relationships with other health professionals, integrate into healthcare teams, maximise their effectiveness in patient care in addressing complex care needs and meet the demands of health care reforms. This qualitative study explores clinical pharmacists' experiences and reflections after completing a learning and practice module which introduced them to a framework for successful interprofessional communication. The postgraduate clinical pharmacy program at The University of Queensland and the clinical pharmacy practice environments of forty-eight hospital and seven community based pharmacists. A learning and practice module outlining a framework for successful interprofessional communication was designed and integrated into a postgraduate clinical pharmacy program. Enrolled pharmacists applied newly learnt communication skills in pro-actively initiated, clinical discussions with a health professional in their practice environment. They provided written reflections on their experiences which were analysed using thematic analysis. Pharmacists' perceptions of the impact of applying the communication framework during their interaction with a health professional in their practice setting. Themes which emerged from reflections described pharmacists' confidence and capabilities to successfully conduct a clinical discussion with a health professional after initial apprehension and nervousness about the scheduled interaction. The application of the communication framework enhanced their perception of their professional identity, credibility and ability to build a collaborative working relationship with other health professionals. Pharmacists perceived that a learning and practice module for successful interprofessional practice integrated into a postgraduate clinical pharmacy program enhanced their interprofessional communication skills. The development of pro-active, interprofessional communication skills has the potential to increase interprofessional collaboration and pharmacists' personal role satisfaction. Pharmacists also observed it added value to their professional contribution in health care teams when addressing the demands of increasingly complex health care needs and reforms.