Seven-step Approach Research Articles

Adaptive capacity of farming systems to climate change in Iran: Application of composite index approach

CONTEXTClimate change is expected to adversely affect agricultural production, particularly in Iran where the agricultural sector forms the backbone of the economy. This is true for the agriculture sector of the southwest region of Iran which is largely rain-fed and dominated by smallholder farmers with minimal livelihood alternatives. Although several studies have been conducted on climate change, little has been done on the adaptive capacity of farmers within farming systems, especially in Iran. OBJECTIVEThe main objective of this study was to evaluate the adaptive capacity of four common farming systems (i.e., family farming system, cooperative farming system, commercialized farming system, and agro-enterprise farming system) in Fars province, southwestern Iran. METHODSA seven-step approach was used to normalize, weigh, and aggregate 102 individual indicators within a composite adaptive capacity index that is dimensionless, ranging from 0 to 1, and 1 is the optimal value. The required data were collected using a cross-sectional survey from 1472 farmers within the four mentioned farming systems. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe results showed that the highest value was recorded by agro-enterprise for knowledge, perception and awareness, transport and physical accessibility, and institution and economic resources. Agro-enterprise scored higher in terms of awareness and action, which shows that these farming systems have a higher capacity for adaptation to the threat posed by climate diversity. Farmers in this farming system benefit from high formal education, high perceptions about the threat and risk of climate change, the occurrence of climatic events, causes for the change in climatic parameters, and awareness of climate change impacts. SIGNIFICANCEThis paper recommends resilience-building interventions in the study area, which target individuals with low adaptive capacities, especially farmers. The results can also assist agricultural policymakers to recognize which components and determinants of adaptive capacity should be prioritized to mitigate the threat of climate change to farming systems.

"Some believe those who say they can cure it" perceived barriers to antiretroviral therapy for children living with HIV/AIDS: Qualitative exploration of caregivers experiences in tamale metropolis.

HIV/AIDS is now a chronic disease, as adherence to anti-retrovirals impacts positively on the quality as well as expectancy of life. However, there exist multifaceted barriers to treatments for which children are most disadvantaged. Since Ghana subscribed to the "treat all" policy less percentage (25.5%) of children (2-14 years) living with HIV/AIDS have been enrolled on the antiretroviral program compared to other categories of the population by 2019. At present no study has explored these barriers to children living with HIV/AIDS enrollment and adherence. This study aims to explore the perceived barriers of caregivers of children living with HIV/AIDS in the Tamale Metropolis. We used descriptive phenomenology to explore the phenomena. Caregivers were purposively selected and interviewed till information became repetitive at the ninth (9th) caregiver. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data through face-to-face in-depth interviews which were audio recorded. The interviews lasted an average of 47 minutes. Audio interviews were transcribed verbatim (English) and translated back-to-back (Daghani) before analysis was done manually according to Collaizi's seven-step approach. We used the Guba and Lincoln guidelines to ensure the rigour of the study and its findings. Results are presented in themes and supported with quotes. Six themes emerged from the analysis of the caregivers' transcripts; (1) denial of HIV/AID diagnosis, (2) stock-outs and privacy at the clinic, (3) busy schedule and poor support, (4) ignorance and alternative herbal cure, (5) stigma and discrimination, (6) transportation and distance. Perceived barriers are multi-dimensional and encountered by all PLWHA, especially children. These barriers could derail the gains of HIV/AIDS interventions among children. Adherence counselling among caregivers alongside campaigns among faith and herbal healers are of grave concern to reduce myths of cure.

English

The aim of this study is to analyze the use of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in learning Microeconomics. It aims to answer the following research questions: What are the experiences of undergraduate students who studied with Problem-Based Learning (PBL)? Is this strategy useful at the undergraduate level? Does PBL really motivate students? Does it foster independent thinking? These questions are interesting but very complex and convoluted. The above questions created parameters for this action research which was done in relation to the teaching of an undergraduate course at a tertiary education institution. This paper presents the experiences of sixteen undergraduates at a tertiary institution in Trinidad and Tobago called New Model University. There is a paucity of information in the local setting as it pertains to this topic. As a result, the experiences of these sixteen students are valuable. Their diverse voices and varied experiences can certainly fill the existing gap. They can be instrumental for the better creation of policy. They can also assist in the effective implementation of PBL at tertiary education in Trinidad and Tobago. Furthermore, their voices and opinions answer the research question: What are the experiences of students who use Problem-Based Learning in the study of Microeconomics at New Model University? A seven-step approach to PBL was utilized as the main teaching and learning process. A case study was conducted over a period of twelve weeks. It incorporated open-ended questions and semi-structured interviews with four focus groups. The individual reflections and independent experiences of these sixteen students were carefully documented in weekly journals, and this complemented the data collection process. Data were collected, collated, analyzed, and narrated using six major themes. Recommendations which strongly advocate student-centered strategies were offered.   Key words: Teaching approaches, Problem-Based Learning (PBL), independent thinking.

Public’s sentiment on COVID-19 nurses survivor

Nurse plays a critical role in health services during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Their duties and responsibilities impose them to stay around the patients with a high probability to become the spreaders of the virus. This study explored the experience of nurses about the public’s sentiment when the nurses confirmed COVID-19. This qualitative research was performed using a phenomenological approach. The data were collected through direct in-depth interviews and then analyzed using the Colaizzi method with a seven-step approach to 12 participants. The results showed: i) feeling stigmatized by the community and ii) feeling that the social stigma has an impact on the family, both of which are composed of several sub-themes and categories. Participants found a lot of experiences and challenges because they had to carry out their responsibilities in an environment enforcing them at risk of contracting the virus. Participants who had ever been confirmed positive for the COVID-19 perceived the stigma and negative views by the community. They needed support from all parties to create a good atmosphere and correct the wrong information related to the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Families and communities should provide motivation for the confirmed COVID-19 nurses to recover and complete the isolation procedure.

Methodological procedure for the development of a qualitative and quantitative evaluation concept for project benefit assessment

The fourth industrial revolution not only brings great opportunities for the economy, but also poses major challenges for all stakeholders. Manufacturing companies in particular are affected by challenges such as a lack of innovative strength or the risk of being overtaken by innovative start-ups. However, the dynamic environment and the resulting complexity require faster and better decisions to remain competitive in the long term. Current business practices of established companies do not meet this challenge and risk losing control of their core business. Taking a purely technological approach to this subject harbors costly risks. Only the integration of the various individual technologies into a holistic digital strategy creates efficiency and new growth areas. To exploit the full potential of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) in the manufacturing industry, companies must therefore take a strategic view of the technological options and adapt their organizational structure and culture.
 The main objective of this paper is therefore to describe the procedure for developing a suitable evaluation concept for assessing the economic benefits of digitization projects. The evaluation concept to be developed is designed to be able to perform a multidimensional examination and evaluation of digitization projects in order to enable a quick and well-founded decision on the implementation as well as the prioritization of a specific project or several projects from a qualitative and quantitative point of view. The paper therefore describes a seven-step approach to developing a multidimensional matrix diagram that serves as the basic structure for such an evaluation concept.
 To develop a suitable evaluation concept, the research focus will be carefully examined and in-depth research on two overarching themes will be conducted, resulting in the definition of appropriate evaluation criteria: From a methodological point of view, existing assessment models are considered in general and the strengths and weaknesses of these models are discussed. From a practical perspective, the special requirements of digitization and Industry 4.0 will be addressed. To this end, expert interviews will be conducted and a total of 100 practical examples will be selected from an extensive database and analyzed in a criteria-oriented manner in order to derive assessment dimensions and assessment criteria from both a quantitative and qualitative perspective.

A qualitative study exploring nursing students' perspectives on and attitudes towards hospice care in China

BackgroundWith the fast growth of the older population and the increasing rates of chronic illnesses, the demand for hospice care is increasing at a rapid pace. This is bringing great challenges to the healthcare system in China. Given that nursing students will be the main healthcare workforce in the future, and as such, have responsibilities to prepare for these challenges. Therefore, understanding nursing students' perspectives and attitudes towards hospice care in China is important to promote the development of hospice care services. ObjectivesTo explore the perspectives and attitudes of Chinese nursing students towards hospice care. MethodThe descriptive phenomenology of a qualitative approach was used for the study. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews from 11 nursing students in China between April and June 2021. Data were analysed using Colaizzi's seven-step approach. FindingsThree main themes were identified: (1) Lack of knowledge and skills; (2) lack of clinical experience; and (3) needs for service improvement. These findings indicated the problems of hospice care education and hospice care services in China. ConclusionThe nursing students in this study lacked theoretical knowledge and the practical skills of hospice care. This suggests that medical educational institutions and the government should take action to increase hospice care training for nursing students, in order to increase the capacity and availability of hospice care services. It also informs policy-makers, health professionals, and health educators about the further need for the development of hospice care services in China.

A Systematic Review of Qualitative Studies Investigating Motives and Experiences of Recipients of Anonymous Gamete Donation.

The decision to use an anonymous gamete donation in fertility treatment could have significant long-term psychological and social effects for all stakeholders involved. In light of the growing recognition of donor-conceived children’s right to know their genetic parentage, this entails profound ethical implications. This review aims to carve out the full spectrum of recipients’ motives and experiences related to donor anonymity which could serve as an analytical framework for future ethical and sociological research on issues of donor anonymity. This review was conducted following a seven-step approach for systematic reviews of empirical bioethics literature. The characteristics and quality of the studies included in this review were reported. Data analysis was conducted using qualitative content analysis and was informed by sociological functionalist theorizations of ignorance. The 53 studies selected showed a diverse spectrum of characteristics concerning date and country of study, methodology, family type of participants, sample size, and the timing of data collection in relation to the stage of treatment. A total of 22 categories of motives and experiences of recipients concerning donor anonymity were identified inductively and grouped into five main categories. Donor anonymity was identified as a eufunctional form of ignorance, by which the recipients experienced or intended to control, regulate, or protect inter-stakeholder relations. Interpreting recipients’ motives and experiences concerning donor anonymity as a form of ignorance directed toward particular stakeholders helps reframe the discourse on donor anonymity. It is a fruitful approach that can be refined further and applied in future research. This review identified possible directions for future investigations on motives for donor anonymity: the need for more thorough inquiries into the change in recipients’ preferences over time, such as in the form of longitudinal studies and research on the perspective of non-biological parents.

A Seven-Step Approach to Control Severe Hemorrhage in Cesarean Delivery with the Placenta Accreta Spectrum Disorders Avoiding Hysterectomy

Objectives: To describe a novel procedure to treat hemorrhage of placenta accreta spectrum disorders (PAS) or cesarean-scar pregnancy (CSP). Methods: This was a retrospective study of women under cesarean delivery with PAS or placenta previa. Patients’ information was acquired from hospital records. A novel procedure of surgery is developed with seven major steps, including avoiding placenta incised, elevating upward the uterine, clamping the uterine arteries with sponge forceps, removing the placenta, opening the vesicouterine space and suture techniques. Results: A total of 38 patients were reviewed. Twenty-one patients diagnosed with placenta accrete syndrome and 3 patients with CSP were underwent surgery with the novel procedure of surgery and all severe hemorrhage was controlled without hysterectomy. There were 2 women with bladder injuries needing primary repair. Fourteen patients with placenta previa underwent cesarean delivery and there was no intraoperative complication of the total 14 patients. Conclusion: The seven-step approach is more secure and effective to control severe hemorrhage without other invasive procedures in cesarean delivery with PAS. It is technically easier to maintain and improve surgical skills.

Getting To Implementation (GTI)-Teach: A seven-step approach for teaching the fundamentals of implementation science.

Implementation Science (IS) is a complex and rapidly evolving discipline, posing challenges for educators. We developed, implemented, and evaluated a novel, pragmatic approach to teach IS. Getting To Implementation (GTI)-Teach was developed as a seven-step educational model to guide students through the process of developing, conducting, and sustaining an IS research project. During the four-week online course, students applied the steps to self-selected implementation problems. Students were invited to complete two online post-course surveys to assess course satisfaction and self-reported changes in IS knowledge and relevance of GTI-Teach Steps to their work. Results were summarized using descriptive statistics; self-reported post-course changes in IS knowledge were compared using paired t-tests. GTI-Teach was developed to include seven Steps: 1. Define the implementation problem; 2. Conceptualize the problem; 3. Prioritize implementation barriers and facilitators; 4. Select and tailor implementation strategies; 5. Design an implementation study; 6. Evaluate implementation; 7. Sustain implementation. Thirteen students, ranging in experience from medical students to full professors, enrolled in and completed the first GTI-Teach course. Of the seven students (54%) completing an end-of course survey, six (86%) were very satisfied with the course. Ten students (77%) responded to the tailored, 6-month post-course follow-up survey. They retrospectively reported a significant increase in their knowledge across all steps of GTI-Teach (1.3-1.8 points on a 5-point Likert scale) and rated each of the Steps as highly relevant to their work. GTI-Teach is a seven-step model for teaching IS fundamentals that students reported increased their knowledge and was relevant to their work.

Operationalizing a patient engagement plan for health research: Sharing a codesigned planning template from a national clinical trial.

IntroductionEngaging with patients about their lived experience of health and illness and their experience within the healthcare system can help inform the provision of care, health policies and health research. In the context of health research, however, operationalizing the levels of patient engagement is not straightforward. We suggest that a key challenge to the routine inclusion of patients as partners in health research is a lack of tangible guidance regarding how this can be accomplished.MethodsIn this article, we provide guidance on how to codesign and operationalize a concrete patient engagement plan for any health research project.ResultsWe illustrate a seven‐step approach using the example of a national clinical trial in Canada and provide a patient engagement planning template for use in any health research project.ConclusionSuch concrete guidance should improve the design and reporting of patient engagement in health research.Patient or Public ContributionThe De‐Implementing Wisely Research group is informed by a national 9‐member patient partner council (PPC). The research team includes three lead patient partners who are coinvestigators on the grant that funds the program of research. Members of the council advise on all aspects of the study design and implementation. The ideas presented in this paper were informed by regular communication and planning with the PPC; specific contributions of lead patient partner authors are outlined as follows: Brian Johnston, Susan Goold and Vanessa Francis are patient partners with a wide breadth of experience in the healthcare system and health research projects. The guidance in this article draws on their lived and professional expertise. All patient partner authors contributed to the planning of the manuscript, participated in meetings to develop content and provided critical manuscript edits and comments on drafts.

CIDO-COVID-19: An Ontology for COVID-19 Based on CIDO.

To realize integration, organization and reusability of knowledge related to COVID-19, an ontology for COVID-19 (CIDO-COVID-19) was constructed which extended the Coronavirus Infectious Disease Ontology (CIDO) by adding terms of COVID-19 related to symptoms, prevention, drugs and clinical domains. First, terms from the existing ontologies, literature, clinical guidelines and other resources about COVID-19 were merged. Then, the Stanford seven-step approach was used to define and organize the acquired terms. Finally, the CIDO-COVID-19 was built on basis of the terms mentioned above using Protégé. The CIDO-COVID-19 is a more comprehensive ontology for COVID-19, covering multiple areas in the domain of COVID-19, including disease, diagnosis, etiology, virus, transmission, symptom, treatment, drug and prevention.Clinical Relevance- The CIDO-COVID-19 covers multiple areas related to COVID-19, including diseases, diagnosis, etiology, virus, transmission, symptoms, treatment, drugs, prevention. Compared with the CIDO, it is expanded to cover drugs, prevention, and clinical domain. The definition of terms in CIDO-COVID-19 refers to biomedical ontologies, Clinical glossaries and clinical guidelines for COVID-19, which can provide clinicians with standard terminology in the clinical domain.

Junior Doctor Experiences and Challenges in Obtaining Surgical Informed Consent: A Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-Ethnography

Surgical informed consent (SIC) to procedures is necessary to ensure patient autonomy is adequately respected. It is also necessary to protect doctors, and their institutions, from claims of negligence. While SIC is often acquired by senior consultants, it also commonly falls to the junior doctors on a team to ensure SIC is adequately acquired and documented. A growing body of literature suggests that junior doctors are not sufficiently educated about the legal and practical issues concerned with obtaining medical consent. This may open up this cohort, and their hospitals, to medico-legal liability. to provide a systematic review of the qualitative literature on junior doctors' experiences and challenges in consenting surgical patients and to synthesize evidence on this issue in order to guide policy-makers in the medicolegal and medical education spheres. a systematic review of qualitative literature was performed. Analysis of the literature was guided by Noblit and Hare's seven-step approach to meta-ethnography, with the final synthesis presented as a thematic analysis of the literature. This research concludes that a significant proportion of SIC is likely to be acquired by junior doctors, many of whom are Post-Graduate Year (PGY) 1-2 and who lack adequate training and education. This cohort face challenges in assessing capacity, in ensuring adequate disclosure related to surgical procedures, and in adequately documenting consent. This may impact the validity of any SIC they acquire. Medical educators and policy-makers should be aware of these issues when creating policies impacting SIC, and when designing surgical education programs for medical students and junior doctors alike.

Effect of hurdling step strategy on the kinematics of the block start

ABSTRACT Athletes use either a seven-step or eight-step strategy to reach the first hurdle in the 110 m hurdle event. This study investigated the effect of step strategy on the start position, the block exit and the first four approach steps. Two-dimensional video data were collected in the sagittal plane from 12 male sprinters, grouped as seven-step (n = 6) or eight-step (n = 6) strategists. Mean block spacing was 0.08 m further apart, block contact time 0.06s longer, first step 0.25 m longer and first ground contact 0.03s longer for seven-step athletes compared with eight-step athletes. There was also a greater vertical displacement of the centre of mass (CoM) (0.04 m) for the seven-step athletes compared with the eight-step athletes. Additionally, the front hip mean angular acceleration was 197°/s2 slower for the seven-step athletes than the eight-step athletes. There was limited difference between groups for mean horizontal velocity at the moment of block exit (0.14 m/s). These technical alterations provide an important first insight into start kinematics. The findings of this study identify the position in the starting blocks, and the key parameters which pertain to the initial phases for a successful seven-step approach strategy to be employed.

Let's Talk About Mental Health: Quelling the Stigma and Paving the Road to Recovery

This Article explores a compelling issue: the on-going trend of mistreatment of mentally ill prisoners nationwide. Properly addressing the needs of this segment of the population can help contribute to a reduction in mass incarceration. In response to such systemic inequities, many states have implemented Mental Health Courts as a diversionary program for inmates who have committed minor offenses as a result of their illness. Crafting a solution to the alarming trend of inappropriately sentencing mentally ill defendants requires a seven-step approach. This article contends that all states should implement cognitive behavioral and group therapy programs in their departments of corrections facilities, as well as train law enforcement and prison personnel on interacting with mentally ill individuals. This Article also advocates for states to adopt a more meticulous inmate screening process; establish a group to supervise mentally ill inmates; and facilitate data sharing between prosecutors’ offices, medical personnel, and prison staff. Additionally, this article proposes establishing a Mental Health Treatment Center at state prisons modeled off of the Cook County Prison System, creating aftercare programs for inmates upon release, and expanding access to mental health courts.

Development and evaluation of a decision aid for family surrogate decision-makers for patients with acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) in ICUs: a study protocol

IntroductionShared decision making is endorsed by guidelines for both acute kidney injury and critical care medicine. However, there is still a huge need for effective interventions, especially those focusing on...

Profoundly Changed: The Homecoming of Veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan

This phenomenological research study, conducted from 2017 to 2018, rigorously and methodologically investigated Iraq and Afghanistan (OIF/OEF) veterans’ first-person accounts of their experiences of profound change after war. This study explored the existential themes of homecoming, betrayal, grief, guilt, meaning, and truth-telling through the lens of OIF/OEF veterans. This existential investigation built on the methods of Husserl’s phenomenology, which explored human consciousness, and Heidegger and others, who deepened the phenomenological exploration to address the question of human existence. Key to the investigation of human phenomena is allowing the core encounter to emerge through rich, authentic description. In this study, OIF/OEF veterans described an experience in which they recognized that they had been profoundly changed by war. In-person interviews were recorded and transcribed. Data was analyzed using Colaizzi’s (1978) seven-step approach. The findings highlighted how profound change after war was a matrix of psychological and spiritual expansion for both the individuals and their communities. The fundamental structure of this phenomenon had three essential facets. First, experience, awareness, and impact collectively constituted one another in a circle of influence. Second, a before-deployment self stood in stark contrast to an expanded after-deployment self. Finally, profound change was enduring and had wide-sweeping implications throughout many levels of each veteran’s life. Psychological-spiritual growth may result in symptomatic behaviors that are easily attributed to psychological disorders. These results also illuminate the need for social support at the community level as well as the need for veterans to cultivate self-awareness as part of the transition process.

Improving management of hospitalised patients with COVID-19: algorithms and tools for implementation and measurement

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic represents an unprecedented challenge to healthcare systems and nations across the world. Particularly challenging are the lack of agreed-upon management guidelines and variations in practice. Our hospital...

Driving markets: A typology and a seven-step approach

We identify four distinct market-driving processes based on the level of the entity driving the market and the type of change being driven: The Pied Piper; the Guild; the Evangelist; and the Apostles. Following this, we describe a seven-step approach for the Pied Piper process (individual firm driving functional change). The approach builds on prior work on driving markets, and introduces the concept of staggered waves of target customers and ecosystems. In addition, it introduces the role of potential obstructers and calls for developing plans to counter them prior to implementing a market-driving effort. Briefly, the seven-step process includes: (1) articulation of a value proposition for a fairly well-defined set of customers, (2) developing a vision of the ecosystem for delivering the proposed value to target customers, (3) stress testing the value proposition, target customers and ecosystem vision against macro trends and industry forces, (4) identifying “wave 1” customers, ecosystem actors, and potential obstructers, (5) developing a give-get matrix for the “wave 1” customers and ecosystem actors, a go-to-market plan that also addresses potential obstructers, (6) implementing the “wave 1” plan with agility, (7) cascading to subsequent waves of customers, ecosystem actors, and potential obstructers.

The seven-step failure diagnosis in automotive industry

Problem solving (PS) competency has been considered as the key competitive weapon for automotive manufacturers. Correct and reliable diagnosis is considered as the most important challenge in PS process. In this study, the seven-step approach for complex and cross-functional diagnosis has been developed based on the first two steps of universal PS approach. The proposed procedure puts the phenomenon forward prior to the definition of root causes. Obviously, it will speed up the PS process by narrowing the search perimeter. The structured and validated procedure guides the experts to optimize their diagnosis process. The new method was integrated with knowledge management system ‘SW e-Lua’ to transfer the accumulated know-how to the new projects. The key indicators, such as diagnosis performance, lead time, and no trouble found (NTF) ratio, have been developed to improve the efficiency of the new approach. The significant improvements were obtained through three years of implementation. By this way, the competency level of the diagnostic experts could be traced and improved. The factors affecting the complexity and the quality of a diagnosis were proposed and surveyed through OEMs, suppliers and aerospace industries. The structured problem description and the validated phenomenon were defined as the most important factors to narrow down the perimeter of the problem; consequently, they increase the efficiency of the diagnosis process. On the other hand, non-linear interaction of parameters, failure repeatability, and the necessity of advanced diagnostic equipment usage were revealed as the highest impact on the diagnosis complexity.

The HR analytics cycle: a seven-step process for building evidence-based and ethical HR analytics capabilities

PurposeThe purpose of the paper is to explore the meaning of Human Resources (HR) analytics and introduce the HR analytics cycle as a proactive and systematic process for ethically gathering, analyzing, communicating and using evidence-based HR research and analytical insights to help organizations achieve their strategic objectives.Design/methodology/approachConceptual review of the current state and meaning of HR analytics. Using the HR analytics cycle as a framework, the authors describe a seven-step process for building evidence-based and ethical HR analytics capabilities.FindingsHR analytics is a nascent discipline and there are a multitude of monikers and competing definitions. With few exceptions, these definitions lack emphasis on evidence-based practice (i.e. the use of scientific research findings in adopting HR practices), ethical practice (i.e. ethically gathering and using HR data and insights) and the role of broader HR research and experimentation. More importantly, there are no practical models or frameworks available to help guide HR leaders and practitioners in doing HR analytics work.Practical implicationsThe HR analytics cycle encompasses a broader range of HR analytics practices and data sources including HR research and experimentation in the context of social, behavioral and organizational science.Originality/valueThis paper introduces the HR analytics cycle as a practical seven-step approach for making HR analytics work in organizations.