Viewpoint Of Staff Research Articles

A Study on Barriers of E-learning from Viewpoint of University Staff and Students; Iranian Case Study, Islamic Azad University's Branches, Region I (Fars)

This study aims to examine the key barriers of e-learning in the branches of Islamic Azad University, Region I (Fars Province) from the viewpoint of university staff and students. In this descriptive survey, the barriers of e-learning were investigated with questionnaires and a sample comprising 1000 university staff and students. The results indicate that the lack of management support, impossibility of holding experimental meetings through e-learning, impossibility of university culture transfer and special problems of communicational infrastructures, the lack of easy access to computer systems and communicational lines and the lack of appropriate strategies of providing security are among the most important executional and infrastructural barriers of developing e-learning. In addition, the lack of expert staff in the fields of modern educational technologies, the lack of understanding of planners and the resistance of the beneficial against the implementation of electronic learning are the most important human barriers. Finally, the insufficiency of investment and required facilities, high cost of educational technologies’ equipment and costs relating to updating are among the most noticeable financial barriers in front of learning development. Accordingly, in order to break through such problems, we can utilize some strategies, tactics and measures like enhancing the level of awareness, motivation of the staff and students, institutionalizing the university culture during the process of electronic learning, considering a sufficient budget for investing in the implementation and development of e-learning, updating facilities and developing the communicational infrastructures. The results of this study can be utilized by managers and executers of electronic learning. In the generalization of the findings, however, caution must be exercised and any aspect should be considered just like any other study.

The Meaning of the Cut: A Phenomenological Inquiry into Prisoner Self-injury

Self-injurious behaviors (SIBs) represent a significant threat to the morbidity and mortality of vulnerable prisoners, and are now a ubiquitous aspect of the correctional system. Currently, correctional staff receive little specific training or appropriate guidance from national standards to respond to this dangerous behavior. To date, the overwhelming majority of empirical research on self-injury in prison has relied upon the viewpoint of academicians and/or correctional staff. This select viewpoint has reduced the perspective of the self-injuring prisoner to a passive role. In response, we utilized a qualitative methodology to access the perspectives of 20 highly recidivistic self-injuring inmates housed in three South Carolina prison. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed to identify fundamental themes underlying SIBs. Findings indicate that the meaning of self-injury is rooted in traumatic family milieus with the behavior becoming a fixed coping mechanism over time. Respondents perceived stress and control as dominant themes, though mental illness, physiological responses, and negative emotional states were also important. While desistance from self-injury appears unlikely, key policy solutions are presented in accordance with these inmate perspectives. This phenomenological inquiry suggests that efforts to understand these inmate “accounts” and personal history serve as a potentially efficacious means of understanding SIBs occurring in prison.

Patient-centered care through internal and external participation in medical rehabilitation

Patient-centeredness is one of the most important quality and outcome criteria in health care. Health care organizations are continually searching for approaches that will enable them to establish sustainable patient-centeredness in their daily practice. Existing approaches frequently focus on interaction between patient and health care professional (external participation). However, this is often not sufficient; other elements, such as good teamwork among the health care professionals (internal participation), are also essential. The model of integrated patient-centeredness differentiates between these two participations forms, both of which are explored from a patient and health care professional perspective in our study. The aim of the study was to confirm the model from the viewpoint of staff and patients. To this end we conducted a multi-center cross-sectional study consisting of a patient and staff survey to assess internal and external participation and patient-centeredness. A total of 15 rehabilitation clinics were involved, with 272 staff members and 536 patients included in the final analysis. Although evaluation was positive (mainly slightly above the middle of the scale), there was potential for improvement for both types of participation. Internal and external rating differed between patients and health care staff, with the first group assessing internal significantly better and external lower than the second group. The low to middle correlation of both types, as well as the correlation and regression with patient-centeredness, confirmed the model of integrated patient-centeredness. The model underlines the importance of both participation forms for patient-centeredness, as well as their interdependence. Further studies are needed in order to verify the impact of internal and external participation, as well as that of further possible dimensions of patient-centeredness, on clinical and functional outcome criteria.

Preparation and priority setting of clinical governance performance indicators in dimensions of risk management and clinical effectiveness from the healthcare staff viewpoints

Background: Evaluating the performance in clinical governance activities requires specific and appropriate national indicators. The aim of this study was to develop clinical governance performance indicators in dimensions of risk management and clinical effectiveness using viewpoints of healthcare staff who were working in various hospitals in East Azerbaijan, Iran. Materials and Methods: Through an extensive literature review, 135 indicators were selected for assessment by using comments of the staff working in all 41 hospitals of East Azerbaijan. Two hundred and eighty-eight people participated in four sessions in National Public Health Management Center (NPMC). Participants evaluated the indicators through 36 Focus Group Discussions. Through their discussions they completed predesigned forms with respect to title of indicators, methods of calculating the indicators, total score of importance and its feasibility, data collection method, data sources, and the level of indicator's evaluation. Results: Patients' safety and cardiovascular care unit (CCU) each by 16 indicators had the highest number of indicators. Pathology, ophthalmology, and radiology each by three indicators had the lowest number of indicators. The median score of the importance and the feasibility were both calculated in eight. Only 36.3% of the indicators were collected from hospitals. Most of the suggestions for gathering the indicators were from medical records and hospital information system (HIS), supervisors, statisticians, and admissions department. Sixty-nine indicators were designed by the participants that patient's safety had the highest number of them. Conclusion: A total of 204 indicators were evaluated and proposed by hospitals staff and stakeholders in clinical governance that can be useful in the quality of hospitals services promotion.

Whose Empowerment? The Dynamics of Power and Choice in Managing Student Access to Personalised Key Stage 4 Options

Within a framework of the roles of ‘empowerment’ and ‘personalisation’ in facilitating neo-liberal policy reform, this article analyses 14-year-old students' decision-making about their subject choices at the end of Key Stage 3 in secondary education in the United Kingdom. Evidence from research carried out in an 11–16 comprehensive school on both pastoral staff and students' viewpoints is analysed using contemporary interpretations of empowerment theory. This analysis reveals the dynamics and limitations of student and teacher empowerment in negotiating the management of this process and the differing outcomes of student voice strategies.

Satisfaction of staff of Swiss insurance companies with medical appraisals: a cross sectional study

BackgroundA high quality of timely delivered medical appraisals is crucial for social and other insurances to judge possible occupational reintegration measures for patients with medical conditions who are in danger to lose their job. However, little is known about the satisfaction of staff of insurance companies with medical appraisals that they have commissioned.Our questionnaire survey prospectively included all medical appraisals arriving at Swiss insurances from FEB to APR 2008. We assessed the satisfaction of the commissioner with medical appraisals performed by medical assessors. In addition, we evaluated the contribution of several factors to overall satisfaction. The unit of sample was the medical appraisal.FindingsWe analysed 3165 medical appraisals, 2444 (77%) of them from the public disability insurance, 678 (22%) from private accident, liability and loss of income insurances and 43 (1%) from other insurances. Overall satisfaction of staff of insurance companies in Switzerland was high, but satisfaction of the disability insurance with appraisals was generally lower compared to satisfaction of private insurances. The staff of the disability insurance judged time for preparation as too long in 30%. For staff of private insurance companies 20% of appraisals were not "worth its price". Well-grounded and comprehensible conclusions were the single most important factor for high overall satisfaction (OR 10.1; 95%-CI: 1.1-89.3).ConclusionsFrom the viewpoint of staff of insurance companies, a relevant part of medical appraisals arrives too late. Medical assessors have to take the specific needs of insurances into account, to perform more appraisals with sound conclusions in due time.

Parent participation in physical and psychological cares for their hospitalized children:Viewpoint of healthcare staff

Abstrct Background and Aim: Children healthcare is one of the most important aims of family-centered cares that cause children and family health promotion. Positive attitude of healthcare staff is essential to have parent effective participation in hospitalized children cares. This study was done to evaluate children hospital staff attitude, toward parent participation in physical and psychological cares for their hospitalized children. Methods: This descriptive study was performed on 100 medical staff of Qom children hospital and samples were chosen by convenience sampling method. Data were collected by using questionnaires, including two parts: population specifications and parent participation in hospitalized children cares. Structured questionnaire was designed using a Likert scale with 5 categories ranging from, “completely agreement” to “completely disagreement”.Validity of scale was determined by content validity, and inner correlation method of Cronbach's alpha (R= 0.82) was used for reliability of scale. Data were analyzed by SPSS software. Results: Scores average and scale deviation (SD) of hospital staff attitude was 94.67±10.96 that is categorized in neutral group. There were no significant relationship between attitude score with age, gender, marital status and education stand. Conclusion: positive attitude of healthcare staff is essential to have family effective participation in hospitalized children cares; so with continuing education courses and health care reform guidelines on children and hospital staff should take part in continuous training programs. Keywords: Attitude, Parent participation, Family-centered care, Hospitalized child.

Dropping Out From a Specialized Inpatient Treatment for Eating Disorders: The Perception of Patients and Staff

Most studies of treatment drop-outs have focused on demographic and clinical patient characteristics as possible predictors. To get a better insight in the meaning of dropping-out from therapy, during 1 year the viewpoints of patients and staff were compared in each case (N = 21 or 15.2%) of premature termination of an inpatient treatment program for eating disorders. Both patients and staff were reporting as important reasons of drop-out: not enough freedom, treatment being too difficult, and lack of trust. Contrary to the staff, patients were more often satisfied with the therapy and therefore did not expect further benefit in continuing the inpatient treatment. The findings are discussed mainly within the context of patient-staff interaction. The authors propose to abandon the term “drop-out” because of its negative connotation.

Modelling university image: The teaching staff viewpoint

This study proposes a methodology for identification of the main dimensions determining university image and understanding the relative weight of each of these dimensions. This is important for university governance in order to improve the service provided and to develop and maintain a distinctive position giving a competitive advantage. The conclusions and implications deriving from these results suggest actions designed to improve the image of the university.

Implementation of an electronic health records system in a small clinic: the viewpoint of clinic staff

In this study, we examined the implementation of an electronic health records (EHR) system in a small family practice clinic. We used three data collection instruments to evaluate user experience, work pattern changes, and organisational changes related to the implementation and use of the EHR system: (1) an EHR user survey, (2) interviews with key personnel involved in the EHR implementation project, and (3) a work analysis of clinic staff. A longitudinal design with two data-collection rounds was employed: data were collected prior to EHR implementation and after EHR implementation. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed. Employees of the small clinic perceived few changes in their work after the implementation of the EHR system, except for increased dependency on computers and a small increase in perceived workload. The work analysis showed a dramatic increase in the amount of time spent on computers by the various job categories. The EHR implementation did not change the amount of time spent by physicians with patients. On the other hand, the work of clinical and office staff changed significantly, and included decreases in time spent distributing charts, transcription and other clerical tasks. The interviews provided important contextual information regarding EHR implementation, and showed some positive elements (e.g., planning of training), but also some negative elements (e.g., unclear structure of the project) that would have deserved additional attention.

The impact of the integrated services to home care personnel's job, job satisfaction and quality of services: an intervention study

Introduction: Health and social care services are undergoing integration worldwide. The reform has changed home care work considerably. According to previous studies, home care work has become more versatile and home care workers’ responsibility for home-dwelling elderly who are more fragile has increased. Organisational interventions can strengthen home care work, staff resources and staff well-being. Only a few studies have studied the restructuring from a home care staff point of view. Aim: The aim was to examine the impacts of a work reorganisation intervention on home care personnel’s job, job satisfaction and the quality of services. This work forms part of a larger Finnish project entitled PALKO (Integrated Services in the Practice of Discharge and Home Care). Method: The design involved 11 municipalities randomised to the intervention municipalities and the other half to the controls. The data from home care personnel were gathered via a questionnaire in spring 2001 (ns1183) and in autumn 2003 after the intervention (ns1291). The response rate was 63 per cent in both cases. Results: Nearly all respondents were women and two-thirds were home aids and home help workers. The mean age was 46 years in the intervention group and 44 years in the control group (p-0.001). Otherwise the groups did not differ statistically in background variables. The information flow between home care and hospitals improved in the intervention group compared to the controls. The work load was not reduced. Skill discretion scores did not change in the intervention group between baseline and follow-up. Interestingly, decision authority scores had reduced in the intervention group compared to the control group. There were no statistically significant changes in the job satisfaction scores in either group. The quality of services was rated as better in the intervention group at the follow-up compared to the baseline. Conclusions: There were favourable changes in the home care personnel’s job control and the quality of services in the intervention group compared to the control group. However, outcome measures and possible effects of socially complex interventions need to be discussed more.

L’acceptabilité sociale de l’usage de congés légaux pour raisons parentales : le point de vue des cadres d’une grande entreprise

En Belgique, differentes mesures visant a faciliter l’articulation vie professionnelle/vie familiale ont ete instituees. Elles ne sont en general contraignantes ni pour les travailleurs, ni pour les employeurs. De nombreuses variables ont un impact sur le choix des parents dans la (non-)prise des conges attaches a la vie familiale. Entre les mesures institutionnelles et l’attitude des individus, il existe donc un espace pluriel de mediation. Cet article se concentre sur le role que joue le milieu du travail. Ainsi, nous constatons que le fait d’etre pere au travail fait encore l’objet d’un manque de reconnaissance et de legitimite. En general, le mode de gestion d’une entreprise suppose que les implications familiales emanent souvent d’un choix prive et renvoient a une responsabilite feminine. Aussi, la culture organisationnelle de l’entreprise est-elle importante, notamment dans la definition de la legitimite accordee a l’usage des conges attaches a la vie familiale. Cette question est ici exploree en analysant la maniere dont 137 cadres d’une grande entreprise wallonne percoivent cette legitimite.

Developing Scales to Evaluate Staff Perception of the Effects of the Physical Environment on Patient Comfort, Patient Safety, Patient Privacy, Family Integration With Patient Care, and Staff Working Conditions in Adult Intensive Care Units

Studies suggest that the physical environment can be important for patient comfort, patient safety, patient privacy, family integration with patient care, and staff working condition in adult intensive care units (ICUs). In the absence of any measuring scales, however, evaluations of the physical environment of ICUs in terms of any of these dimensions have remained vague. For rigorous evaluations of ICU designs from the viewpoint of clinical staff, a self-report instrument with several multiple-item scales was created. These scales were tested in a pilot survey that was administered among a small group of nurse managers and ICU directors at several best practice example sites. Reliability analysis of the survey data showed some scales to be internally consistent. For the other scales, factor analysis revealed multiple components, which were then combined to create additional subscales. Using these scales and subscales, the underlying effects of design on staff perception were studied at the best practice example sites that participated in the pilot survey. The results, limitations, and the future directions of the study are discussed.

Staff Perceptions of the Work Environment in Juvenile Group Home Settings

This study used the Prison Social Climate Survey to measure perceptions of the work environment among staff employed in all group homes administered by a state department of juvenile justice. Work environment perceptions were favorable along six dimensions and in the moderate range on a seventh. The variables that most consistently predicted staff perceptions were facility location (rural, urban, mid-size city) and whether staff had previously worked at privately operated facilities. Combined with previous research, the findings suggest that variables that are predictive of staff viewpoints in more closed settings, such as prisons and juvenile institutions, are not necessarily predictive in open, community correctional settings.

Uncertain Science and Certain Deadlines: CDC Responses to the Media During the Anthrax Attacks of 2001

This paper presents a study in which communication personnel for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provided first-hand accounts of the experience of responding to media inquiries during the 2001 anthrax attacks. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 communication professionals who worked either at the CDC headquarters in Atlanta or at field locations in the U.S. where persons were exposed to anthrax. The interviews sought CDC staff viewpoints on how the CDC handled a historically unprecedented level of press activity in terms of work locations and equipment, information flow and clearance, and staff roles. Staff reported that the situation led to new work practices, tools for performing the work, and an enhanced understanding of what it takes to be prepared for and to handle communication work during a terrorism-related health crisis. The paper provides a discussion of implications of the findings for CDC and for other public health organizations developing systems for communication response during health-related crises.

Computer-Assisted Assessment: Staff Viewpoints on its Introduction Within a New University

The current turbulence in policy making for higher education is creating a series of dilemmas for universities and colleges engaging in expansion whilst at the same time protecting high standards for learning and teaching as well as research. In this article, the specific application of computer-assisted assessment (CAA) is discussed as a method for coping with large class sizes whilst also providing meaningful feedback to students on their coursework submission, and without dominating staff time. A case study is presented (based on one department within a new university in South Wales, UK),which draws on three other higher education institutions' experiences of CAA applications. This includes a series of interviews with lecturers in order to highlight key concerns about the consequences of quality assurance at both pedagogic and management levels. Resourcing issues were paramount, and the paper concludes with the recommendation that the application of CAA should be reinforced by a research focus so that such learning and teaching developments can be critically evaluated whilst also generating research activity.

Hospital attitude survey on organ donation in the Emilia-Romagna region, Italy.

The role of hospital staff in the organ procurement process is crucial. Nevertheless, there is little literature about their attitudes toward donation. The Donor Action Hospital Attitude Survey (HAS) comprises a series of questions to assess hospital staff's attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge on organ donation and transplantation. Further analysis of the data will help identify any weak areas in the staff viewpoint and information, highlight potential needs for more education on specific issues, and establish a baseline to monitor future improvements. We used the Donor Action HAS in the Emilia-Romagna region, Italy. The aim of this paper is to assess and better understand the personnel's viewpoint in the 12 main hospitals of the region. The survey was carried out among hospital staff involved in organ donation. 1576 responses were collected (52 % of distributed questionnaires), of which 1024 came from nurses, 475 from physicians, and 77 from other backgrounds. Questions were subdivided into categories, and for every point an overall mark (maximum 3/3) was calculated. 1. Involvement in donation process during the past year: 1.24 /3, 2. Attitudes to organ donation (OD): 2.51 /3, 3. Skills / Self-confidence in donation practices: 1.36 /3, 4. Satisfaction with local transplant coordinator (TC) services: 2.31 /3. The attitude towards organ donation was positive, 1386 respondents support organ donation. A high percentage (93.6 % of respondents) is of the opinion that transplantation helps save other people's lives. Most uncertainty arises on the question whether donation helps families with grief. It is remarkable that only 53 % of those prepared to donate organs have informed the family of their wish. Many respondents do not feel comfortable performing key tasks close to donation. Major difficulties were observed in explaining to a family the concept of brain death (0.98 /3). Knowledge on the concept of brain-death was one of the most requested subjects for improvement. Emilia-Romagna is the region with one of the highest donation rates in Italy (29.9 pmp in 2000). Nevertheless, more profound knowledge of the local situation could help further improve donation.

The 'invisible assessment': the role of the staff nurse in the community setting

• The number of community staff nurses working in district nursing teams in the UK has increased in recent years as a result of organizational and educational initiatives such as skill mix and the Diploma in Professional Studies in Nursing (Project 2000). • Although the wider economic, philosophical and educational arguments for the role creation has been discussed in the literature, little has been written on the reality of the role from the viewpoint of the staff nurse or the relationship between the role and service requirements. The researchers conducted 16 interviews with district staff nurses from two NHS Trusts. The interpretation was guided by phenomenology and focused on the subjective perceptions of the nurses. • The data revealed dissatisfaction with their role among this group of staff nurses. Having been given a considerable degree of autonomy and responsibility as staff nurses in the hospital setting, they found that their role was limited and their skills ‘suppressed’ in the community. • They recognized that nurses in ‘F’, ‘G’ and ‘H’ Grades had greater experience and more education than they, yet they believed that they had the ability to participate more in the assessment and planning of care than was currently permitted. • They saw two factors as being mainly implicated in limiting their role: the tendency of district nurses to want to retain their ‘authority’ as assessors of care; and the Trust policy guidelines, which were somewhat inflexible on this issue. D Grade nurses also expressed their need for continuing education and support and for clearer career opportunities. • Although these data cannot be generalized to the population of staff nurses as a whole, the authors make tentative suggestions relating to the insights which may be taken from them.

The Character and Organization of the Admiralty Operational Intelligence Centre during the Second World War

By early 1943 the OIC was almost fully developed, and had long been a vital part of the naval war effort. The staff processed a mass of intelligence, including decrypts from Bletchley Park, and passed it on as necessary for operational exploitation, often accompanied by good advice. The work was hectic and highly demanding, made more difficult by the cramped conditions of the offices, in the Admiralty `Citadel'. The OIC had been set up in 1937, but only the sinking of Glorious in 1940 finally consolidated its position. It depended increasingly on pay officers, the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and civilian graduates, including women, and also in other ways was anomalous from the prewar naval staff point of view, even if it never became as `long hair' as Bletchley Park. The war forced the OIC to adapt, but it did not expand greatly after 1940. The chief personnel followed a cherished naval tradition, and strove to do their job with the resources at hand. They were encouraged to do this by restrictions on recruitment and space, but there was also the brief that the best results were gained by depending on a comparatively small number of first-class people, and overloading them with work.

Impact of Hospital Volunteers on the Patients' and Nurses' Perception of Medical Care Quality

In most modern hospitals, volunteers perform invaluable services and contribute a great deal to the success of the hospital. The quality of medical care in a hospital is traditionally evaluated from the institutional point of view, and the viewpoints of patients and hospital staff are often neglected. We surveyed both hospital inpatients and nursing personnel regarding their opinions of the impact of hospital volunteers on the quality of medical care. Inpatients and nursing personnel at The Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital were separately surveyed using simple questionnaires asking their opinions on the helpfulness of hospital volunteers and whether the presence of volunteers affected the quality of medical care provided at the hospital. Of the 204 patients who participated in the survey, 179 (88.6% of those who answered) felt that hospital volunteers brought them joy and hope, 110 (73.3%) felt that the most important contribution of the volunteers was their visiting and comforting of patients was the volunteers’ most important contribution and 209 (92.5%) felt that volunteers had a positive impact on medical care quality. This study showed that most patients at The Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital found volunteers to be helpful and felt that the volunteers brought them hopes and joys. This study also revealed that both hospital inpatients and nurses strongly felt that the hospital volunteers significantly contributed to the quality of medical care provided in the hospital.