Professional Work Research Articles

Development of Social Work Education in Nepal: A Historical Review

Social work is not a new discipline in Nepal. However, it is slowly expanding professionally and currently faces various challenges. Including need to rely on modern techniques, cultural distancing from the environment and strategies because there is not a professional social work model in Nepal. In addition, difficulties include a lack of training, guidelines, and instruction at the governmental level; absence of functioning associated social organizations’ ethics, and accountability on the part of social workers. This study seeks to address issues impeding professionalism to protect service users. The search engines Google, Google Scholar, Google Book, ProQuest, and Eric, etc. were used in this study. Two primary themes were studied: the challenges and implications of social work education in Nepal. To discuss findings, content analysis of the themes was employed. This study finds that social work practice needs to be properly regulated and accredited. The social worker should promote social work practice and instruction. Social workers ought to be recognized by the government to increase funding in the field. The Nepalese social work model can be developed with the help of practitioners and even service users. The vision for Nepalese social work should be to get the profession recognized and strengthen the association of social work.

Machine learning and human learning: a socio-cultural and -material perspective on their relationship and the implications for researching working and learning

AbstractThe paper adopts an inter-theoretical socio-cultural and -material perspective on the relationship between human + machine learning to propose a new way to investigate the human + machine assistive assemblages emerging in professional work (e.g. medicine, architecture, design and engineering). Its starting point is Hutchins’s (1995a) concept of ‘distributed cognition’ and his argument that his concept of ‘cultural ecosystems’ constitutes a unit of analysis to investigate collective human + machine working and learning (Hutchins, Philos Psychol 27:39–49, 2013). It argues that: (i) the former offers a way to reveal the cultural constitution of and enactment of human + machine cognition and, in the process, the limitations of the computational and connectionist assumptions about learning that underpin, respectively, good old-fashioned AI and deep learning; and (2) the latter offers a way to identify, when amplified with insights from Socio-Materialism and Cultural-Historical Activity Theory, how ML is further rearranging and reorganising the distributed basis of cognition in assistive assemblages. The paper concludes by outlining a set of conjectures researchers that could use to guide their investigations into the ongoing design and deployment of HL + ML assemblages and challenges associated with the interaction between HL + ML.

Supporting work participation for adults with hand and upper limb conditions: A survey of the British Association of hand therapists.

Musculoskeletal disorders affect over a third of the UK adult population and are a common reason for sick leave from work. The aims of this study were to describe the reported provision of work participation support for adults with hand and upper limb conditions by UK hand therapists, and to identify potential training needs in this area. A previous survey of the Australian Hand Therapy Association was adapted for the UK. The electronic questionnaire was distributed to members of the British Association of Hand Therapists. Eligible individuals were UK-based occupational therapists or physiotherapists whose role included the assessment and/or treatment of patients ≥18 years with hand or upper limb issues. There were 123 participants (17% response rate). The most frequently reported work participation interventions were discussing graded return to work and sign-posting patients to speak with their doctor. The Allied Health Professionals Health and Work Report and Fit Note were not regularly used, and respondents reported low levels of confidence in issuing these documents. Barriers to providing work recommendations included a perceived lack of time, skills, knowledge and training. Facilitators included the patient discussing work as a rehabilitation goal. Development opportunities for UK hand therapists include increasing patient awareness that they can ask for work-related advice and documentation, promoting existing health and work training, developing hand therapy-specific resources, and ensuring access to electronic Fit Notes. International opportunities include the continuation of this survey with a focus on generating exemplar work participation strategies to inform further research.

Criteria and Factors of Psychological Health of an Individual in the Conditions of Professional Activity Online

Since 2020, there has been a noticeable rise in the prevalence of online work. The catalyst for this shift was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was subsequently followed by a state of war. These circumstances compelled numerous individuals to acquire proficiency in the latest information technologies to retain their employment or seek new opportunities. The convergence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the war has heightened several risk factors associated with compromised mental well-being within the realm of professional activities. This circumstance remains true for educators across all educational levels, spanning from primary school to tertiary education. As with any phenomenon, both favorable and unfavorable facets can be discerned. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to provide a comprehensive description of the primary factors influencing the psychological well-being of individuals engaged in professional work in an online mode. It meticulously investigates the dual-edged sword of online work, accentuating the necessity for a balanced approach to remote employment. It emphasizes the critical need for adaptive measures and support systems to harness the benefits of remote work while minimizing its psychological detriments. By exploring the intersection of technological advancements and psychological health, this research sheds light on the complex dynamics at play, advocating for a more nuanced understanding and strategic interventions to ensure the well-being of professionals navigating the digital work landscape.

Barriers for continuous medical education: a cross-sectional questionnaire study among Danish GPs.

GPs' participation in continuous medical education (CME) is essential for patient care, GPs' wellbeing, and healthcare expenditure. However, one-quarter of Danish GPs did not use their reimbursement for CME in 2022. Knowledge of barriers for participating in CME is limited. To analyse the barriers GPs face to participation in CME, and patterns in perceived barriers. A cross-sectional questionnaire study design was used. The study population comprised all 3257 GPs in Denmark who, in May 2023, were registered as entitled to reimbursement for CME. The response rate was n = 1303/3257 (40%). Based on a question about use of CME, the responders were divided into 'frequent', 'partial', and 'seldom' users. Partial and seldom users answered questions about barriers related to CME (n = 726). The presence of barriers was quantified, and a latent class analysis (LCA) was used to stratify GPs according to their barrier patterns. The most frequent barriers were as follows: too busy (67%); fully booked courses (45%); and no substitute or locum doctor (39%). Based on the LCA, we found three distinctive patterns, clustering around the following: GPs from clinics with no tradition for CME (class 1, 17%); GPs who used time on professional work outside clinic (teaching, organisational work) (class 2, 43%); and GPs who were personally or professionally affected (class 3, 40%). Singled-handed and male GPs were slightly overrepresented among seldom users. We have identified barriers for CME. We found three different profiles of GPs who perceived different patterns of barriers. Identified patterns in barriers should be considered in future CME initiatives.

Work-Life Balance – Its Impact on Job Satisfaction among the Healthcare Workers in Senapati District, Manipur

Healthcare workers play an essential role in our day-to-day lives. Their ability to stay focused on the job, stay satisfied with their job, and maintain a healthy balance between their professional work and personal lives are prudence for them to discharge their duty effectively and efficiently. As a cross-sectional study and quantitative investigation, this study focuses on the healthcare workers’ work-life balance and its impact on job satisfaction. Using random sampling, a questionnaire survey was conducted, which was analysed through IBM SPSS Statistics 21. To achieve the goals of the study, statistical tools like Cronbach’s Alpha, independent-sample t-test, exploratory factor analysis, and Pearson correlation coefficient are employed. The study found that 5 per cent of healthcare workers have no balance between work and personal life, while 72.3 per cent are moderately balanced and 22.7 per cent are highly balanced. The study also found that female and unmarried healthcare workers have significantly higher work-life balance than male and married workers, respectively. Work-life balance and job satisfaction were found to have a moderately positive relationship, suggesting a significant linear relationship between the two variables. Thus, top management and employers in the healthcare industry must improve the policies and initiatives relating to work-life balance to keep the employees satisfied. Further, such policies and initiatives should be framed strategically to maintain equality for all employees, mainly male and female and married and unmarried workers.

Significance and application of quality improvement in clinical medicine

Quality improvement is a methodology which was initially developed and employed in the field of industrial manufacturing. This approach involves implementing a series of interventions aimed at elevating the existing quality standards to a higher level. In daily medical work, there are often spontaneous quality improvements. Medical quality improvements supported by scientific methodology can evaluate medical quality more scientifically and provide objective feedback on the quality of medical work for healthcare professionals. This article provides a concise introduction to quality improvement and shows its application and significance in the field of clinical medicine through examples.

Professional Development Leadership: Scale Development and Validation

Professional development leadership (PDL) aims to facilitate a shared understanding of professional quality and to influence employees to realize this understanding in practice. PDL can be important in overcoming clashes between managerial and professional logics and influencing professional work to support organizational goal attainment. This article develops and validates two PDL measurement scales on different subsamples of surveys of public managers ( n = 385) and their employees ( n = 3,865): a 9-item dimensional scale and a 4-item global scale. The paper thus serves as a stepping stone for future research on PDL.

APPLYING 5S METHODOLOGY IN TRAINING MANAGEMENT AT THU DAU MOT UNIVERSITY

The 5S approach is one of the strategies that can assist organizations, corporations, and educational institutions boost production and working efficiency. The Training Department - Thu Dau Mot University has used and implemented this strategy to create a clean and tidy working environment in which personnel can handle professional work and systematic archival records. This paper presents the theoretical basis of the 5S method, the application process, and the results of implementing this method in the management of training at Thu Dau Mot University. The findings show that applying 5S principles, implementing steps of PDCD quality cycle at the Training Department increase work management efficiency without spending too much money. The study implies that If 5S is adopted and reproduced in all functional departments and specialized units, it will generate a high-quality cultural environment that will strengthen the university's market position.

Perception of Polish pharmacy students on simulation exercise in pharmaceutical care for diabetes—a pilot study

BackgroundThe transformation of a pharmacist’s role from that of a drug dispenser to an advisor and patient educator, partially accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, requires a thorough change in the pharmacy curriculum. Preparation for the provision of modern pharmaceutical services requires the use of the most advanced teaching methods, such as pharmaceutical simulation. Knowledge alone does not guarantee students’ readiness and motivation to take on new challenges in their professional work, but it seems crucial that graduates of medical faculties have the ability to practically apply their knowledge, including in new and nonstandard situations. Therefore, in our study, we proposed an intervention using a simulation method (peer role play) in teaching pharmaceutical care, and we assessed its impact on students’ levels of self-perceived confidence and self-efficacy in accordance with Bandura’s theory. The aim of the study was to verify whether the introduction of these types of classes could be a useful element of pharmacy curriculum renewal.MethodsThe questionnaire-based study was conducted during pharmaceutical care peer role-playing classes in a simulation environment with a debriefing session among 85 final-year pharmacy students at Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland. The questionnaire consisted of two surveys: the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) and a pre-post self-assessment and self-efficacy questionnaire.ResultsThere was a positive correlation between the GSE score and self-efficacy (R = 0.52, p < 0.0001). A statistically significant increase in the post-self-assessment of all the skills and competencies included in the survey in the field of pharmaceutical care of a patient with diabetes compared to the pre-values was also observed (p < 0.001). Additionally, the students’ self-efficacy in terms of communicating with patients was greater following the class than before the class (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe peer role-play active teaching method was found to be a cost-effective method allowing for an increase in the self-assessment and self-efficacy of pharmacy students in diabetic patient pharmaceutical care. However, further in-depth research is needed to fully confirm the effectiveness of simulation exercises for teaching pharmacy undergraduates.

Exploring homecare leaders’ risk perception and the link to resilience and adaptive capacity: a multiple case study

BackgroundHome-based healthcare is considered crucial for the sustainability of healthcare systems worldwide. In the homecare context, however, adverse events may occur due to error-prone medication management processes and prevalent healthcare-associated infections, falls, and pressure ulcers. When dealing with risks in any form, it is fundamental for leaders to build a shared situational awareness of what is going on and what is at stake to achieve a good outcome. The overall aim of this study was to gain empirical knowledge of leaders’ risk perception and adaptive capacity in homecare services.MethodsThe study applied a multiple case study research design. We investigated risk perception, leadership, sensemaking, and decision-making in the homecare services context in three Norwegian municipalities. Twenty-three leaders were interviewed. The data material was analyzed using thematic analysis and interpreted in a resilience perspective of work-as-imagined versus work-as-done.ResultsThere is an increased demand on homecare services and workers’ struggle to meet society’s high expectations regarding homecare’s responsibilities. The leaders find themselves trying to maneuver in these pressing conditions in alignment with the perceived risks. The themes emerging from analyzed data were: ‘Risk and quality are conceptualized as integral to professional work’, ‘Perceiving and assessing risk imply discussing and consulting each other– no one can do it alone’ and ‘Leaders keep calm and look beyond the budget and quality measures by maneuvering within and around the system’. Different perspectives on patients’ well-being revealed that the leaders have a large responsibility for organizing the healthcare soundly and adequately for each home-dwelling patient. Although the leaders did not use the term risk, discussing concerns and consulting each other was a profound part of the homecare leaders’ sense of professionalism.ConclusionsThe leaders’ construction of a risk picture is based on using multiple signals, such as measurable vital signs and patients’ verbal and nonverbal expressions of their experience of health status. The findings imply a need for more research on how national guidelines and quality measures can be implemented better in a resilience perspective, where adaptive capacity to better align work-as-imagined and work-as-done is crucial for high quality homecare service provision.

Social Work Education on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People: Application of an Intersectional Feminist Lens and Suggested Classroom Exercises

ABSTRACT This paper argues for the application of Intersectional Feminist theoretical lens to social work pedagogy and provides sample educational activities, from simple to complex, which apply this lens to bachelors, masters, and doctoral social work levels. All social workers must be prepared to work effectively with transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) people. This work relies on social workers’ knowledge, skills, and self-awareness. Social workers who lack knowledge, skills, and self-awareness of the dimensions of gender diversity can create barriers to care for TGNC people. Increasingly, research on social work education and professional social work organizations are encouraging and expanding guidelines for effective practices with TGNC people. Much of this guidance stresses discrete practices rather than situating practice within a broader theoretical framework. Rather than adding to general guidance, we advocate for the application of an Intersectional Feminist lens in teaching social workers dimensions of gender diversity. Applying an Intersectional Feminist lens to social work education creates a context to frame educational activities and facilitates students’ self-discovery of personally and socially held conceptions and biases related to gender. We include activities to help those teaching social work infuse this lens into pedagogy across levels of teaching social work.

The experience of women researchers during the Covid-19 pandemic: a scoping review

Responses to the COVID-19 pandemic globally disrupted lives and contributed to the exacerbation of pre-existing inequalities. Women in research were also affected. The prominent role that women played in professional and personal care duties had a detrimental effect on their research outputs, potentially hindering their career progression. Moreover, the challenges faced by women academics during the pandemic, including job loss, increased mental health issues, and the intersection of gender with other socio-demographic traits exacerbated existing gender disparities within academia. By systematically scoping the qualitative literature on the experiences of women researchers during the pandemic, this study sought to explore how women experienced and reacted to the challenges generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative meta synthesis of the included studies revealed three themes: gendered professional expectations, colliding identities and coping strategies. These themes show how gendered roles such as teaching and professional care work, associated with the hierarchical and gendered division of tasks both at home and in the workplace, made women feel unsupported and alienated as relevant agents in the academic context. The study reveals the importance of pastoral care, teaching and service work as the essential backbone of the academic infrastructure, especially in times of crises. It also exposes how productivity-focused researcher assessment criteria, rewarding mainly individual results and unrewarding of care and service work, can be viewed as perpetuating structural inequalities based on gender, parenting situations, contractual situations and background. In conclusion, this study exposes the need to proactively address the gendered practices and implicit biases which reproduce inequalities within academia and highlights how paying attention to the experiences and needs of women researchers is essential for improving the resilience and crises preparedness of academic the system.

A Narrative Inquiry into Professional Quality of Life among Therapeutic Recreation Professionals Working in Long-Term Care Homes

This paper describes the findings from a study that explored Professional Quality of Life (ProQoL) among TR practitioners working in long term-care homes in Ontario, Canada. ProQoL incorporates positive (e.g., compassion satisfaction) and negative (e.g., compassion fatigue and burnout) aspects of working in healthcare (Stamm, 2010). Limited research exists exploring ProQoL from the perspective of TR practitioners working in LTC homes. To address this gap, four TR practitioners were interviewed to explore past and present experiences that contribute to ProQoL and write personal narratives that embody moments of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue. Narrative thematic analysis revealed three threads of ProQoL among practitioners: fueling the soul through connection and purpose, draining the TR spirit through workplace conflict and role ambiguity, and developing professional valour. Findings suggest that although practitioners derive great fulfillment from their careers, workplace culture and relational conflict are chronic challenges that erode the ProQoL of professionals. Recommendations for future research and practice are offered.

The Disproportionate Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Time Allocation of Recipients of NIH Career Development Awards Who Are Women or Caregivers of Dependents.

To understand time allocation of a national medical faculty cohort 1.5-2 years after the COVID-19 pandemic began, compared to before. From August 2021-April 2022, the authors conducted a retrospective survey of 1,430 clinician-researchers who received National Institutes of Health career-development awards between 2006-2009 asking about domestic and professional time allocation pre-pandemic and at the time of surveys (TOS). Of 915 respondents (64%), the 830 who remained in academic positions constituted the analytic sample. Multivariable regression models identified demographic factors associated with each time outcome and change in time between pre-pandemic and TOS, and having experienced ≥8-hour increase of total self-reported weekly professional work hours and domestic labor hours. Median self-reported weekly professional work hours were 55 hours/week pre- pandemic and 60 at TOS. On multivariable analysis, significant predictors of self-reported weekly professional work hours at TOS were having a non-child other dependent (+2.6 hours, P = .03), academic rank (associate -3.1 hours, assistant -9.0 hours; P < .001), and specialty (P < .001). Average self-reported TOS weekly domestic-labor hours were 23.1 among men and 30.2 among women (P < .001). Predictors of total self-reported TOS weekly domestic hours were being a woman (+5.6 hours; P < .001) and having children requiring supervision (+10.2 hours; P < .001). Overall, 9.3% of men (42/450) and 21.6% of women (88/407) experienced a ≥ 8 hour increase in domestic labor (P < .001). On multivariable analysis, women had higher odds of substantial domestic-labor increase (OR = 2.33, 95% CI: 1.47, 3.68), as did those with children requiring supervision (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.25, 2.98) or other dependents (OR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.98). This study illuminates demands on women and faculty with dependents during the COVID-19 pandemic and suggests increased flexibility and resources are of heightened importance.

Vocational Teachers’ Craft Knowledge and Working-life Experiences in Building and Construction: a Narrative Study of Embodied and Tacit Learning

Vocational teachers in building and construction in upper secondary school deal with complex situations of an organisational, vocational, and social kind. Recent research has shown that the teacher is the single most important factor for students’ learning in school. Teacher-student relationships and the teacher’s repertoire of teaching practices can be more important for the student’s learning than class size, the classroom environment, and the student’s socio-economic background. Beyond passing the journeyman’s test, we know little about the craft knowledge and working life experiences vocational teachers in the building and construction trades have acquired over many years in the construction industry, and thus, what knowledge and experiences they bring into the vocational teacher role. Learning in working life often takes place as an integrated part of work, and it is difficult to observe how learning happens. Craft knowledge is often tacit and personal. In this narrative, phenomenologically inspired study, learning is investigated as a bodily, internal process that simultaneously depends on the interaction with the material and social environment. Through narrative interviews with eleven vocational teachers in plumbing and carpentry, this study explores the teachers’ backgrounds as vocational students and apprentices, and their extensive experience as craftsmen on different construction sites. The analysis shows that the building site drives craft-related actions and situations that generate a strong craft identity, professional working life experiences, and personal growth. Craftsmen at the construction site work under constant pressure in a social, physically, and mentally demanding work environment and consecutively solve problems. As professional craftsmen in the complex working environment, the teachers also acquired social and organisational expertise, which they intuitively transferred to their role as vocational teachers.

Institutional Logics, Risk and Extreme Events: Insights from and for Management Education

AbstractTo shed light on the interrelationship between risk and logics, we explore how multiple institutional logics shape management educators’ experiences of risk in classroom teaching. Using a two‐case research design, we analyse an empirical case study of management educators in a UK business school during the COVID‐19 pandemic and a case study of emergency physicians during the Ebola epidemic. Comparing these two focal cases of different types of frontline professional work during global health crises, we develop a model of how perceptions of risks and their mitigation shape, and are shaped by, experiences of compatibility, contestation and rejection among multiple logics. Our study extends the literatures on institutional logics and risk by providing insight into the role of multiple logics in the social construction of risk. We also contribute to the management education literature by focusing attention on the risks of physical harm in classroom teaching and by theorizing when, how and why management educators apprehend these risks as ordinary or extraordinary to their normal professional role. Finally, our study has practical implications for risk mitigation at individual and organizational levels and for creatively and safely adapting teaching and learning practices with students during extreme events.

Pengaruh Profesional Identity pada Turnover Intention dengan Employee Enggagement dan Job Satisfaction sebagai Variabel Mediasi

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;The high level of employee turnover intention is an important problem for companies. Companies to make efforts to increase job satisfaction and employee engagement in their work, so that it will have an impact on reducing turnover intentions. Research was conducted on employees to analyze the influence of professional identity on turnover intention with employee engagement and job satisfaction as mediation. This research uses a quantitative approach using a questionnaire filled out by 42 respondents who work at company.. techniques &lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;probability sampling&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt; with simple random sampling. The results show that professional identity, job satisfaction and work engagement have a negative influence on turnover intention. &lt;/em&gt;Meanwhile, professional identity has a positive effect on employee engagement and job satisfaction. &lt;em&gt;Job satisfaction and employee engagement are able to mediate the influence of professional identity on turnover intention. In an effort to minimize employees turnover intention , companies need to improve their professional identity, which can have an impact on employee engagement and employee job satisfaction which will have the effect of lowering turnover intention.&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Common Defects of Prefabricated Prestressed Elements for Industrial Construction

This manuscript attempts to classify typical errors occurring during the design, production, and use of prefabricated and prestressed concrete girders and slabs manufactured in Poland for industrial buildings since the 1950s. Although the cases discussed concern Poland, most of them have a universal character, and as such are also found in other countries. The defects and errors are illustrated with examples and the causes of their occurrence are also discussed. A method of classifying flaws based on the period of their occurrence was proposed. Most of the examples discussed were encountered by the authors during their professional work. In most of the presented cases, repair was possible, enabling further safe operation. This paper shows how important it is to periodically check the technical condition of prestressed structures and how common and at the same time trivial mistakes may be made by designers and contractors of this type of structure, despite the experience of over 70 years of their mass use. The quality of modern prestressed structures is undoubtedly higher. Using the experience of previous generations, designers and contractors abandoned the less durable post-tensioned concrete lattice girders. Errors, if they appear, are most often at the stage of implementing new products or are the result of poor workmanship or disregard for unfavorable weather conditions.

The why and how of COVID streets: a city-level review of research into motivations and approaches during a crisis

ABSTRACT At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 1500 cities around the world created or expanded public spaces for walking, bicycling, recreation and outdoor commerce to accommodate requirements for physical distancing. These interventions often involved the reallocation of street space dedicated to cars to facilitate active mobility. While research on efforts to adapt street space during the pandemic is burgeoning, there has yet to be an in-depth analysis of the motivations behind these responses. Our international qualitative study conducted a thematic review of existing research on active mobility responses to understand them better. Specifically, our review considered why responses were chosen (four motivations: risk reduction, impact mitigation, demand accommodation and opportunity) and how they were implemented (four typologies: opportunism, crisis reaction, business-as-usual was also a crisis and agility). Opportunism was most common both as motivation and typology of approach. However, elements of the other motivations and approach typologies were critical for developing and implementing responses that more directly addressed community needs and concerns during the crisis. Our findings help inform the work of transportation professionals to make cities more resilient by building their capacity to respond quickly and equitably to future disruptions and ongoing crises.