Specific Team Research Articles

Effects of high-intensity interval training on selected indicators of physical fitness among male team-sport athletes: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Superior physical fitness and performance are essential in male team sports. Among a myriad of training methodologies, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has gained popularity owing to its unparalleled efficiency and effectiveness. Previous studies have established that HIIT is a proven and effective approach for enhancing various physiological performance outcomes, particularly oxygen consumption capacity, in individual sports. Despite potential differences in training practices between male and female athletes, HIIT is recognized as an anaerobic training approach for team-sport athletes. This systematic review aimed to comprehensively and innovatively analyze the existing literature to examine the effectiveness of HIIT on oxygen consumption performance among male team-sport athletes. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines across the PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and SPORTDiscus databases until December 31, 2023. The inclusion criteria for this review encompassed research articles published in peer-reviewed journals that specifically focused on the impact of HIIT on the oxygen consumption performance of male players engaged in team sports. The study population exclusively consisted of male participants. The collected data included study characteristics, participant demographics, intervention details, and outcomes. Methodological quality assessment was performed using standardized criteria. The effect sizes (ESs) were calculated, and a meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effects model. Results The literature search yielded 13 eligible studies encompassing 286 athletes aged 14–26 years. The meta-analysis showed statistically significant enhancements in maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) in six studies (ES, 0.19−0.74; p < 0.005), Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test (YYIRT) performance in six studies (ES, 0.20−2.07; p = 0.009), repeated-sprint ability total time (RSAtotal) in five studies (ES, 0.18−1.33; p < 0.001), and the best and average times for repeated-sprint ability (RSAbest and RSAmean, respectively) in four studies (ES, 0.47−1.50; p < 0.001). However, two studies did not report any significant differences in the outcomes of the Velocity in 30–15 Intermittent Fitness Test (VIFT) between the experimental and control groups (ES, −0.08 and −0.27; p = 0.87 and 0.443, respectively). Moreover, one study did not report any significant differences in the maximal aerobic speed (MAS) (ES, 0.41, p = 0.403). Conclusions HIIT significantly improved VO2max, YYIRT, and RSA; however, it did not appear to enhance VIFT and MAS performance, irrespective of age or competition level. These findings indicate that HIIT could serve as a valuable method for improving oxygen consumption performance (VO2max, YYIRT, and RSA) in male team-sport athletes, offering a time-efficient alternative to the traditional training methods. Further research is warranted to investigate its impact on performance outcomes in competitive settings and identify optimal HIIT protocols tailored to specific team sports.

Art therapy as a bridge to expand burn care beyond surgery: Providers’ perspectives in an inpatient burn center

Burn injuries necessitate resource-intensive multidisciplinary care and psychosocial support. Incorporating art therapy in burn centers could enhance patient and provider care. However, research on the impact and reception of art therapy within the context of burn care is scarce. A doctoral dissertation study introduced art therapy intervention for burn patients. As part of this research, we conducted a qualitative study to explore health-care providers’ experiences, with a focus on their perspectives on burn-care and art therapy to inform research and clinical practice. Using thematic analysis in qualitative research, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 10 health-care providers from varied disciplines and identified the following three themes: a) Burn care is a “multifaceted problem” as well as an impact-driven, rewarding experience for providers; b) The visuality of art therapy coupled with physical activity is perceived as a necessary “emotional outlet” for burn patients; and c) Future art therapy research/practice goals are linked to complex patient presentations, specific multidisciplinary team challenges, and the critical care environment. Positive perceptions reinforced that art therapy could contribute to inpatient care as part of multidisciplinary burn teams. More research is needed to address the identified psychosocial, functional, and interprofessional needs of patients and providers.

Winning Seats: Contingency Selling in Markets with Limited Capacity and Diverse Preferences

This paper examines an emerging pricing model, contingency selling, for markets where the product is sold in advance with attribute uncertainty and capacity constraint. A typical example is tournament ticket sales for sports events where it is uncertain whether a particular team will appear in the game. The model enables the firm to sell tickets in a contingent fashion, i.e., some tickets will be valid only if a certain team gets into the game. When consumers (fans) have sufficiently different preferences for different products (games with different teams), selling these “contingent tickets” better matches the price with the willingness-to-pay of particular consumer segments (fans of specific teams). Exploiting state-based price discrimination and belief heterogeneity, contingent tickets generate a higher margin per seat than the traditional way of selling general tickets, especially when there are supply constraints. We further show that contingency selling continues to be advantageous in the presence of secondary markets where consumers purchase tickets in advance but can trade tickets once they know which team will be in the game. We extend our model to examine the impacts of consumer optimism bias and fan base asymmetry. Finally, we compare contingency selling with alternative selling mechanisms to demonstrate the robustness of our results and illustrate the situations where this new selling model is more (or less) advantageous.

Development of a framework for community health workers to contribute to interprofessional learning teams

Background. Community health workers’ knowledge, skills and training seem to affect their contribution to 4th-year health sciences student teams who are following an interprofessional learning programme aimed at improving two South African rural communities’ health outcomes related to diabetes. Objective. To develop a framework for community health workers to contribute to interprofessional learning teams. Methods. The framework development forms part of previous phases of a multi-method study. The theory of change logic model guided the development of the draft framework, informed by data from two ecogram sessions, five nominal group technique discussions and a scoping review. The final framework was validated by experts during a workshop using forward and backward mapping. Results. The framework addresses the need for community health workers to gain knowledge, skills and training related to diabetes to effectively contribute to interprofessional learning teams. The theory of change process identified community needs and assets, desired results, influential factors, evidence-based strategies and assumptions required to address the problem. Conclusion. The framework focuses on a problem within specific interprofessional learning teams. Collaboration with stakeholders contributed to a rigorous research process, and the validation, refinement and future implementation of the framework. The framework eventually led to the development of an evidence-based training programme comprising knowledge, skills and training strategies related to diabetes. It is predicted that once community health workers have completed this training programme, they will be able to contribute effectively to the interprofessional learning teams.

Environmental assessment of hospital waste management practices: A study of hospitals in Kermanshah, Iran

This research aims to identify current procedures of hospital waste management in educational hospitals, in western Iran. This study examined upon to be current procedures of medical waste management focusing on the management of hazardous medical waste, under a circular economy. Three criteria environmental situation, environmental management, and environmental performance. The environmental assessment was done by pair matrixes between criteria and sub-criteria, and between scale levels of the indicators were done. The questionnaire structure adopted in the Romero and Carnero study. The Analytic Hierarchy Process method indicates that aspect of the hazardous waste improvement program is essential. The results demonstrated that 56 % of the total environmental criteria score was VERY DEFICIENT in the scale factors classification. The lowest values indicated in the environmental management aspect and 63 % of the total score was VERY DEFICIENT. The results indicated a deficient value in environmental criteria based on the values received for the commitment to environmental policy standards and waste management procedures. The results of environmental performance criteria have shown; that no data was on atmospheric emission. The lack of rules in green purchasing and renewable energy was indicated. In waste management criteria, the total value was reasonable, but there weren't comprehensive rules for redefining waste types and staff training obligations. However, the redefinition of rules, public and staff training, using new technologies, and determination of specific budgets and green teams by proper supervising cycle can be essential to improve hazardous waste management.

Supporting staff wellbeing in healthcare settings through multi-levelled creative psychological intervention – a feasibility study

ABSTRACT Background There is growing evidence that the arts and arts-based therapies can support the wellbeing of healthcare workers. However, there are few large trials, limiting the use of such therapies in routine practice. Aim To establish the feasibility of introducing a multi-levelled, evidence-based creative psychological intervention delivered by qualified arts psychotherapists and targeting the wellbeing of NHS clinical staff. Methods This is a feasibility study with pre/post mixed methods design, the first to explore the value of an evidence-based, multi-levelled creative psychological package targeting the diverse needs of clinical staff within different healthcare settings. The intervention wasadapted from a 12-session group therapy titled Arts for the Blues into a three-level package that included: (i) one-off drop-in sessions to release tension, (ii) workshops for staff development, (iii) group sessions for psychological support. It was delivered by qualified arts psychotherapists (i.e., art, drama and dance movement psychotherapists) and used brief evaluation forms, arts-based data and standardised outcome measures to establish acceptability. Results Findings indicate difficulties with recruitment, but the 49 participants placed high value on the different levels offered. All the outcome measures used identified positive change and indicated medium to large effects of the multi-levelled intervention on improvement of wellbeing and resilience, as well as reduction of distress, anxiety, depression and trauma. Conclusions Although the small sample does not allow the generalisation of results, the study suggests that this multi-levelled creative psychological intervention offers acceptable support. Implications for practice/policy/research Further research is needed to establish the effectiveness of this intervention with specific teams of professionals. However, the diverse options proposed in this intervention need to be considered further for routine practice, expanding on current job descriptions for art psychotherapists. Plain-language summary Pressures on healthcare services mean that healthcare workers need support for their wellbeing. It is possible that the arts and arts therapies can offer this support, but we need to conduct more research to be certain. In this study we wanted to see if clinical staff working in health services liked a new creative intervention we developed based on our review of the research literature. We modified this intervention from the Arts for the Blues model, a 12-session group therapy that uses a mixture of different artistic forms. We used this new model to support the wellbeing of clinical staff in a large hospital in the North West of England. We did this in three different ways: Creative activities for the whole organisation to release tension (up to 30 min) Creative psychoeducational workshops with teams for staff development (up to 4 h) Creative psychotherapy sessions with individuals in a group for psychological support (up to 18 h). Arts psychotherapists, including art psychotherapists, designed the content of this work and facilitated their delivery. We collected information from 49 clinical staff before and after each of these activities through questionnaires and a brief evaluation form. Although clinical staff were very busy, they liked the different options of the intervention and their wellbeing scores improved. We need to do further research with a larger number of participants. However, the findings so far show that art psychotherapists can work not only with patients, but also with other healthcare workers to improve their wellbeing.

“Not me!” a qualitative, vignette-based study of nurses’ and physicians’ reactions to spiritual distress on neuro-oncological units

PurposePeople with primary malignant brain tumors experience serious health-related suffering caused by limited prognosis and high symptom burden. Consequently, neuro-oncological healthcare workers can be affected emotionally in a negative way. The aim of this study was to analyze the attitudes and behavior of nurses and physicians when confronted with spiritual distress in these patients.MethodsNeurospirit-DE is a qualitative vignette–based, multicenter, cross-sectional online survey that was conducted in Bavaria, Germany. Reflexive thematic analysis was used for data analysis.ResultsA total of 143 nurses and physicians working in neurological and neurosurgical wards in 46 hospitals participated in the survey. The participants questioned if the ability to provide spiritual care can be learned or is a natural skill. Spiritual care as a responsibility of the whole team was highlighted, and the staff reflected on the appropriate way of involving spiritual care experts. The main limitations to spiritual care were a lack of time and not viewing spiritual engagement as part of the professional role. Some were able to personally benefit from spiritual conversations with patients, but many participants criticized the perceived emotional burden while expressing the imminent need for specific training and team reflection.ConclusionsMost neuro-oncological nurses and physicians perceive spiritual care as part of their duty and know how to alleviate the patient’s spiritual distress. Nonetheless, validation of spiritual assessment tools for neuro-oncology and standardized documentation of patients’ distress, shared interprofessional training, and reflection on the professional and personal challenges faced when confronted with spiritual care in neuro-oncology require further improvement and training.

Exemple d’une équipe territoriale de niveau 3 (« recours ») dans le TDAH : l’Équipe de Coordination Lyonnaise des troubles de l’Attention et de l’Hyperactivité (ECLAH)

BackgroundAttention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 6% of children and 3% of adults, representing approximately 481,600 youths and 240,800 adults in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Despite its prevalence, the French national strategy for neurodevelopmental disorders (2023–2027) highlights the lack of dedicated healthcare pathways for ADHD and the challenges in accessing diagnosis, treatment, and psychosocial rehabilitation. In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the discordance between the significant public health issue posed by ADHD and the local healthcare resources has often led to misdirection and congestion of specialized hospital teams. This situation persists despite the well-documented medical and societal complications of untreated ADHD. At the Vinatier Hospital in Lyon, several specialized teams offer expertise in ADHD for children and adults, but there was no specific team dedicated to ADHD until recently. The Lyon ADHD Coordination Team (ECLAH)Formed in November 2023 at the initiative of professionals from the Vinatier Hospital, ECLAH is a multidisciplinary team comprising psychologists, neuropsychologists, psychiatrists, child psychiatrists, addiction specialists, pharmacists, project managers, and clinical research associates. ECLAH aims to meet the national strategy's requirements for ADHD in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region by coordinating care networks, providing information, training, care, and conducting research in the field of ADHD. ECLAH functions as a resource team, complementing existing structures without replacing them, and focuses on specialization and expertise in ADHD to enhance ongoing efforts. Training MissionThe team contributes to the “Inter-University Diploma in ADHD across all ages” (DIU). The training “ADHD: From Screening to Support” equips healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools necessary for ADHD diagnosis and treatment. The “DIVA Adult 5.0: Diagnostic Goal!” training focuses on diagnostic reasoning and interviewing techniques for ADHD evaluation. These programs adhere to current scientific data and ADHD guidelines from recognized scientific societies, with a Qualiopi® certification pending for continuous medical education validation. Following training, professionals receive implementation support through multidisciplinary guidance meetings. Coordination and Information MissionECLAH is organizing a care network for ADHD in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, collaborating with general practitioners, health and educational institutions, medico-social establishments, penitentiary care, expert centers, and patient associations. The team provides information and guidance to institutions and professionals seeking ADHD-related resources either directly or through its developing website. The team maintains adherence to scientific data and best practice recommendations (RBPP) in the region, fostering expertise through awareness, training, tele-expertise, and multidisciplinary concertation meetings. ECLAH also coordinates with national ADHD organizations, contributing to the harmonization of practices and the development of ADHD guidelines. Care MissionECLAH offers third-line or “recourse” consultations for children and adults with complex cases requiring diagnostic or therapeutic support. These consultations, often involving differential diagnoses and comorbidity assessments, are conducted in partnership with specialized units such as the Center for the Evaluation of Language, Learning, and Attention Disorders (CETESLA) for child psychiatry and the University Addiction Service of Lyon (SUAL) for adults. ECLAH also provides psychoeducation and therapeutic education groups for individuals with complex ADHD or contraindications to medication. A support group for caregivers is planned, leveraging the “BREF” psychoeducation program. Research MissionECLAH engages in medical research, focusing on ADHD characteristics in women by hormonal status, the cessation of methylphenidate treatment in adolescents, links between asthma and ADHD, and screening for ADHD in high-level young athletes. ConclusionECLAH is a third-level territorial team supporting professionals and their ADHD patients in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes. By coordinating the regional care network, ECLAH enhances the existing care structures, ensuring access to reliable ADHD information and treatment pathways. The team plans to introduce a psychoeducation group for families and prioritize ADHD detection in penitentiary settings for both adults and youths.

Antimicrobial Stewardship: A Correct Management to Reduce Sepsis in NICU Settings.

The discovery of antimicrobial drugs has led to a significant increase in survival from infections; however, they are very often prescribed and administered, even when their use is not necessary and appropriate. Newborns are particularly exposed to infections due to the poor effectiveness and the immaturity of their immune systems. For this reason, in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), the use of antimicrobial drugs is often decisive and life-saving, and it must be started promptly to ensure its effectiveness in consideration of the possible rapid evolution of the infection towards sepsis. Nevertheless, the misuse of antibiotics in the neonatal period leads not only to an increase in the development and wide spreading of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) but it is also associated with various short-term (e.g., alterations of the microbiota) and long-term (e.g., increased risk of allergic disease and obesity) effects. It appears fundamental to use antibiotics only when strictly necessary; specific decision-making algorithms and electronic calculators can help limit the use of unnecessary antibiotic drugs. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the right balance between the risks and benefits of antimicrobial therapy in NICUs; for this purpose, specific Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASPs) in neonatal care and the creation of a specific antimicrobial stewardship team are requested.

Digital Game-based Learning: Exploring the Use of Mobile Legends in Arabic Language Skills

Among the negative impacts of Mobile Legends are dependence, loss of productivity, and health degradation. This research explored the other side of Mobile Legends, focusing on their positive impacts on learning. This study aims to explore the benefits of Mobile Legends digital games in Arabic language skills and analyze the use of Arabic in Mobile Legends games. The approach in this study is qualitative descriptive. The research sample was Arabic Language Education students of UIN Imam Bonjol Padang. The results showed: 1) the game used Arabic and players could improve listening to the Arabic vocabulary used in the game; 2) this game used Arabic in communication interactions between teams and opponents so that communication between players using Arabic-supported speaking skills; 3) this game helped users understand words and phrases used in the context of specific situations and team interactions; 4) besides the language aspect, the cultural aspect also influenced this game, Khaleed's character is identified as Khaleed bin Walid the valiant hero of Islam from Arabia. This research outlines that the Mobile Legends application can improve students' Arabic skills, especially listening, speaking, and reading.

Investigating the Effects of Inclusive Environments on the Mental Health of Queer Individuals : A Study With the Rose City Rollers

Purpose: Portland, OR, is home to the world’s largest roller derby organization, the Rose City Rollers (RCR). Having the spotlight held upon the community, the organization takes immense pride in communicating its ongoing embrace of its queer and uniquely diverse players. With historical and present prejudice against the LGBT+ community, derby stands as a haven for players looking for a place that will embrace each player's identity. The purpose of the study is to see how RCR’s openly queer settings specifically impact the well-being of its queer members. Methods: November 2023, I conducted three interviews and a research group using three Rose City Rollers skaters’. The players had been recruited through the organization, where I was looking for a specific skill level and team applicable to each of the three participants. The players ended up being all B/C level skaters who belonged to the wreckers team. Additionally, each person self-identified as being a part of the LGBT+ community. Results: Three major themes were continuously mentioned by the participants. They talked about the amount of emotional validation and sense of community found in roller derby, as well as how the vocality of a community fosters trust in its members. The participants brought up the importance of representation of queer individuals and how that contributes to positive mental health and self-esteem. Conclusion: The roller derby players from this study had an overwhelmingly positive outlook on the effects RCR had on their mental health. Having RCR foster a safe and representative community for a vast population allowed the participants to freely express themselves. The combination of deep emotional validation, persistent activism, and representation fostered trust within each member interviewed. With that they had also felt seen and empowered, highlighting the importance of constant activism and representation for queer Individuals.

First Evidence on the Validity of the Complexity Index Derived from the Resident Assessment Instrument for Home Care in Home Care Patients

ObjectivesRecently, a Complexity Index (CI), based on the multidimensional complexity model and derived from the Resident Assessment Instrument for Home Care (interRAI HC) was proposed as a decision-support tool to help frontline health care professionals in their clinical evaluation to identify and analyze complex situations. This study aims to test the CI: (1) concurrent validity with another measure of complexity (ie, the COMID), (2) convergent validity with related constructs assessed by interRAI HC scales (eg, depression), (3) divergent validity (comparison between CI-COMID and scales-COMID correlations), and (4) predictive validity on coordination meetings. DesignA cross-sectional observational design was used for a secondary analysis of interRAI HC and COMID data collected in routine home care nursing practice (July-December 2021). Setting and ParticipantsParticipants were community-dwelling adults receiving home care, with full interRAI HC and COMID assessments (N = 3533). MethodsCorrelational analyses were conducted to test the concurrent validity of the CI (with the COMID) and the convergent and divergent validity of the CI (with interRAI HCSwitzerland scales, eg, Depression Rating Scale, Method for Assigning Priority Levels, and a Frailty Index). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was conducted to test the discriminative ability of CI on specific professional team coordination meetings. ResultsResults showed that the CI correlated positively and strongly with the COMID (ρ = 0.691, P < .001, concurrent validity), positively with all the tested scales (P < .001, convergent validity), whereas the CI-COMID correlation was higher than the interRAI HC scales–COMID correlations (divergent validity). The ROC analysis showed the CI had a high area under the curve (AUC = 0.719, predictive validity). Conclusions and ImplicationsThe CI demonstrates good validity properties with a strong correlation with the COMID and a high predictive value for coordination meeting. It is distinct from the other interRAI HC scales and has its place among them to support the clinical analysis of complex situations.

How to Make an Internal Team Coach: An Integration of Research.

Team coaching has been found to increase group effort, improve interpersonal processes, and increase team knowledge and learning. However, the team coaching literature is renowned for its inability to define team coaching itself-making it difficult to solidify its place in the world of team science. So far, there is no consensus on what specific training would serve internal leaders best, and how they would connect to the team coaching literature. We know leadership and team training are effective in improving organizational outcomes, but the gap in the literature lies in identifying what specific competencies internal team coaches need, and what training could fulfill these. In this piece, we seek to (1) identify what competencies internal team leaders need based on the outcomes we know team coaching yields, (2) identify specific behaviors that can fulfill these competencies, and (3) integrate the literature to form an evidence-based guide on what training to provide to internal team coaches. By doing so, we hope to provide a definitive understanding of what internal team coaches need to be successful.

High Reliability in a Safety Net Hospital Leading to Operational Excellence.

The objective of this work was to establish sustainable systems for quality improvement in an Academic Medical Center and Safety Net Hospital. High reliability principles of leadership engagement, a culture of safety, and sustainable performance improvement were used. Target areas for improvement were clinical outcomes for patients, public reputation scores, and lower cost of care. The system was based on annual focused goals with specific targets, improvement teams, transparent scorecards, and data driven work. Program visibility was championed by leaders. Consistent education on quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness for all employees created buy-in. Data review and accountability tracked progress, helped resource allocation, and defined next steps. In the first 5 years, all patient quality and safety metrics improved between 10% and 60%. This improvement resulted in higher CMS Star Ranking and Leapfrog patient safety grade. The next phase included maximizing value by expanding into hospital operations and finance with a focus on improved clinical documentation and reduced length of stay and cost of care. Clinical documentation improvement led to a 15% increase in comorbidity capture. This positively impacted reported outcomes and hospital payment by appropriate risk adjustment. Length of stay was addressed with a new care coordination program and physician-driven utilization review. High reliability principles are applicable in a resource limited healthcare system. Improved clinical and operational results were achieved through goal setting, improvement teams, and data driven projects leading to creation of an office of operational excellence.

UK guidelines for the management of soft tissue sarcomas.

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are rare tumours arising in mesenchymal tissues and can occur almost anywhere in the body. Their rarity, and the heterogeneity of subtype and location, means that developing evidence-based guidelines is complicated by the limitations of the data available. This makes it more important that STS are managed by expert multidisciplinary teams, to ensure consistent and optimal treatment, recruitment to clinical trials, and the ongoing accumulation of further data and knowledge. The development of appropriate guidance, by an experienced panel referring to the evidence available, is therefore a useful foundation on which to build progress in the field. These guidelines are an update of the previous versions published in 2010 and 2016 [1, 2]. The original guidelines were drawn up by a panel of UK sarcoma specialists convened under the auspices of the British Sarcoma Group (BSG) and were intended to provide a framework for the multidisciplinary care of patients with soft tissue sarcomas. This iteration of the guidance, as well as updating the general multidisciplinary management of soft tissue sarcoma, includes specific sections relating to the management of sarcomas at defined anatomical sites: gynaecological sarcomas, retroperitoneal sarcomas, breast sarcomas, and skin sarcomas. These are generally managed collaboratively by site specific multidisciplinary teams linked to the regional sarcoma specialist team, as stipulated in the recently published sarcoma service specification [3]. In the UK, any patient with a suspected soft tissue sarcoma should be referred to a specialist regional soft tissues sarcoma service, to be managed by a specialist sarcoma multidisciplinary team. Once the diagnosis has been confirmed using appropriate imaging and a tissue biopsy, the main modality of management is usually surgical excision performed by a specialist surgeon, combined with pre- or post-operative radiotherapy for tumours at higher risk for local recurrence. Systemic anti-cancer therapy (SACT) may be utilised in cases where the histological subtype is considered more sensitive to systemic treatment. Regular follow-up is recommended to assess local control, development of metastatic disease, and any late effects of treatment.

Enhancing agile product development with scrum methodologies: A detailed exploration of implementation practices and benefits

This study conducts a systematic literature review to examine the implementation, challenges, and ongoing evolution of Scrum methodologies within Agile product development frameworks. Aimed at understanding how Scrum can be effectively tailored to meet the needs of diverse organizational contexts, especially in scenarios involving remote and distributed teams, the research also seeks to uncover the trajectory of Agile practices' continuous evolution. Employing a rigorous methodology, the review analyzed peer-reviewed articles and conference papers from key academic databases, including IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, and Scopus, published between 2013 and 2024. The selection was based on relevance to Scrum practices, empirical evidence, and theoretical contributions to the field of Agile development. Key insights from the study underscore the critical role of Scrum in enhancing collaboration, flexibility, and responsiveness in product development processes. Challenges identified include the necessity of overcoming organizational resistance and the importance of customizing Scrum practices to align with specific project and team dynamics. Notably, the research highlights Scrum's adaptability in supporting distributed teams through strategic communication and trust-building measures. Furthermore, the study points to the integration of Scrum with DevOps and its application beyond software development as indicators of its evolutionary potential within Agile methodologies. Finally, the study offers strategic recommendations for organizations adopting Scrum, emphasizing cultural adaptation, continuous training, and practice customization. It also suggests avenues for future research, particularly in exploring Scrum's integration with emerging technologies and broader industry applications, contributing valuable insights into enhancing Agile product development efficacy through Scrum methodologies. Keywords: Scrum Methodologies, Agile Product Development, Distributed Teams, Continuous Evolution.

Patterns of interactions among ICU interprofessional teams: A prospective patient-shift-level survey approach.

The Awakening, Breathing Coordination, Delirium monitoring and Early mobility bundle (ABCDE) is associated with lower mortality for intensive care unit (ICU) patients. However, efforts to improve ABCDE are variably successful, possibly due to lack of clarity about who are the team members interacting when caring for each patient, each shift. Lack of patient shift-level information regarding who is interacting with whom limits the ability to tailor interventions to the specific ICU team to improve ABCDE. Determine the number and types of individuals (i.e., clinicians and family members) interacting in the care of mechanically ventilated (MV) patients, as reported by the patients' assigned physician, nurse, and respiratory therapist (RT) each shift, using a network science lens. We conducted a prospective, patient-shift-level survey in 2 medical ICUs. For each patient, we surveyed the assigned physician, nurse, and RT each day and night shift about who they interacted with when providing ABCDE for each patient-shift. We determined the number and types of interactions, reported by physicians, nurses, and RTs and day versus night shift. From 1558 surveys from 404 clinicians who cared for 169 patients over 166 shifts (65% response rate), clinicians reported interacting with 2.6 individuals each shift (physicians: 2.65, nurses: 3.33, RTs: 1.86); this was fewer on night shift compared to day shift (1.99 versus 3.02). Most frequent interactions were with the bedside nurse, attending, resident, intern, and RT; family member interactions were reported in less than 1 in 5 surveys (12.2% of physician surveys, 19.7% of nurse surveys, 4.9% of RT surveys). Clinicians reported interacting with 3-4 clinicians each shift, and fewer on nights. Nurses interacted with the most clincians and family members. Interventions targeting shift-level teams, focusing on nurses and family members, may be a way to improve ABCDE delivery and ICU teamwork.

MELODY IN MEDICINE: CAN MUSIC ELEVATE EACH STAGE OF SURGERY?

Listening to music during surgery is a widespread phe-nomenon in healthcare institutions globally. Music can have both positive and negative impacts on the stressful and challenging surgical process. Scientific studies by Kahloul et al. (2017), Zybartaite and Gedrime (2021), and Ahmad (2017) confirm that music is an effective and eco-nomical tool to reduce stress. According to Boghadady and Kvist (2020), playing classical music at a moderate volume can enhance the speed and accuracy of surgical tasks. However, it’s important to acknowledge that music may hinder communication and concentration (Naraya-nan &amp; Gray 2018; Weldon et al. 2015; Shambo, Umad-hay &amp; Pedoto 2015), and contribute to time inefficiencies arising from the selection of music types (Sarla 2022). This qualitative study, conducted through semi-structu­red interviews, aimed to analyze how music influences te-amwork during the perioperative stages. The study an­tici-pates contributing to patient safety, work efficiency, team satisfaction, and cost reduction in the healthcare system Results and conclusions: All participants had a positive view of listening to music during surgery, with prefe-rences varying across perioperative stages. Anest­hesio-logists and operating room nurses often choose the type of music, while sometimes no specific team member is assigned to this role. Steady rhythm genres don’t dis-rupt communication and can alleviate emotional tension. High-rhythm genres may increase tension and fatigue, disrupting concentration. Fast-paced genres can improve mood, and different genres don’t necessarily affect surgi-cal duration. Slow-tempo genres may reduce emotional fatigue. High music volume can impair communication and concentration. An ideal music source in operating theaters should be compact, easily disinfected, and sim-ple to control.

A decision model to value football player investments under uncertainty

PurposeFrom the buying club’s perspective, the transfer of a player can be interpreted as an investment from which the club expects uncertain future benefits. This paper aims to develop a decision-oriented approach for the valuation of football players that could theoretically help clubs determine the subjective value of investing in a player to assess its potential economic advantage.Design/methodology/approachWe build on a semi-investment-theoretical risk-value model and elaborate an approach that can be applied in imperfect markets under uncertainty. Furthermore, we illustrate the valuation process with a numerical example based on fictitious data. Due to this explicitly intended decision support, our approach differs fundamentally from a large part of the literature, which is empirically based and attempts to explain observable figures through various influencing factors.FindingsWe propose a semi-investment-theoretical valuation approach that is based on a two-step model, namely, a first valuation at the club level and a final calculation to determine the decision value for an individual player. In contrast to the previous literature, we do not rely on an econometric framework that attempts to explain observable past variables but rather present a general, forward-looking decision model that can support managers in their investment decisions.Originality/valueThis approach is the first to show managers how to make an economically rational investment decision by determining the maximum payable price. Nevertheless, there is no normative requirement for the decision-maker. The club will obviously have to supplement the calculus with nonfinancial objectives. Overall, our paper can constitute a first step toward decision-oriented player valuation and for theoretical comparison with practical investment decisions in football clubs, which obviously take into account other specific sports team decisions.

Firm Characteristics and Corporate Social Responsibility of Listed Consumer Goods Sector Firms in Nigeria

This study assessed the impact of firm characteristics on corporate social responsibility (CSR) of listed consumer goods firms in Nigeria for the period of eleven years covering 2013 to 2023. The study adopted firm size and firm age as proxies for firm characteristics with the addition of firm growth (explanatory variables), while corporate social responsibility served as the response variable. Based on the ex post facto study design, secondary data collected from published financial statements of sampled five companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group were evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis based on OLS technique assisted by E-Views statistical software. The findings revealed that that firm size and firm growth had positive but insignificant impact on CSR, while firm age had negative insignificant effect on CSR practices of listed consumer goods firms in Nigeria. The study recommended that larger firms should dedicate specific departments or teams to CSR, while smaller firms can designate responsible individuals to CSR or outsource CSR functions if needed before implementing any CSR initiatives. Also, firms should conduct a thorough assessment of their competitive advantages and competencies in order to develop a comprehensive and sustainable CSR strategy that aligns with their business objectives, enhances their reputation, to satisfy the interest of all stakeholders in order to enjoy stable operations to enhance firm growth and sustainability.