Medicines optimisation for young people with juvenile arthritis and other long-term conditions:system-level barriers to engagement

To explore the views of pharmacy and rheumatology stakeholders about system-related barriers to medicines optimisation activities with young people with long-term conditions. A three-phase consensus-building study comprising (1) focus groups with community and hospital pharmacists; (2) semi-structured telephone interviews with lay and professional adolescent rheumatology stakeholders and pharmacy policymakers, and (3) multidisciplinary discussion groups with community and hospital pharmacists and rheumatology staff. Qualitative verbatim transcripts from phases 1 and 2 were subjected to framework analysis. Themes from phase 1 underpinned a briefing for phase 2 interviewees. Themes from phases 1 and 2 generated elements of good pharmacy practice and current/future pharmacy roles for ranking in phase 3. Results from phase 3 prioritisation and ranking exercises were captured on self-completion data collection forms, entered into an Excel spreadsheet and subjected to descriptive statistical analysis. Institutional ethical approval was given by Aston University Health and Life Sciences Research Ethics Committee. Four focus groups were conducted with 18 pharmacists across England, Scotland and Wales (7 hospital, 10 community and 1 community/public health). Fifteen stakeholders took part in telephone interviews (3 pharmacist commissioners; 2 pharmacist policymakers; 2 pharmacy staff members (1 community and 1 hospital); 4 rheumatologists; 1 specialist nurse, and 3 lay juvenile arthritis advocates). Twenty-five participants took part in three discussion groups in adolescent rheumatology centres across England and Scotland (9 community pharmacists; 4 hospital pharmacists; 6 rheumatologists; 5 specialist nurses, and 1 physiotherapist). In all phases of the study, system-level issues were acknowledged as barriers to more engagement with young people and families. Community pharmacists in the focus groups reported that opportunities for engaging with young people were low if parents collected prescriptions alone, which was agreed by other stakeholders. Moreover, institutional/company prescription collection policies – an activity largely disallowed for a young person under 16 without an accompanying parent - were identified by hospital and community pharmacists as barriers to open discussion and engagement. Few community pharmacists reported using Medicines Use Review (England/Wales) or Chronic Medication Service (Scotland) as a medicines optimisation activity with young people; many were unsure about consent procedures. Despite these limitations, rheumatology stakeholders ranked highly the potential of pharmacists empowering young people with general health care skills, such as repeat prescription ordering. The pharmacy profession lacks vision for its role in the care of young people with long-term conditions. Pharmacists and rheumatology stakeholders identified system-level barriers to more engagement with young people who take medicines regularly. We acknowledge that the modest number of participants may have had a specific interest and thus bias for the topic, but this underscores their frank admission of the challenges. Professional guidance and policy, practice frameworks and institutional/company policies must promote flexibility for pharmacy staff to recognise and empower young people who are able to give consent and take responsibility for medicines activities. This will increase mutual confidence and trust, and foster pharmacy’s role in teaching general health care skills. In this way, pharmacists will be able to build long-term relationships with young people and families.

Biståndshandläggare inom äldreomsorgens upplevelse av sin arbetssituation : En kvalitativ studie ur ett salutogent perspektiv

Syftet med denna uppsats var att genom ett salutogent perspektiv få en ökad förståelse för, inom äldreomsorgen verksamma, biståndshandläggares arbetssituation samt att undersöka vad som kan bidra till att biståndshandläggares arbetssituation upplevs som lättare och mindre påfrestande. Metoden som använts är kvalitativa intervjuer där sex biståndshandläggare verksamma i Värmland har intervjuats. Intervjuerna analyserades genom teman ur KASAM och resulterade i kategorier under varje tema. Under temat begriplighet framkom att biståndshandläggare får stöd från sina kollegor men att de också önskar att det fanns mer resurser för handledning. Biståndshandläggare utför mer än vad som ingår i arbetsbeskrivningen. Under temat hanterbarhet framgår att hög arbetsbelastning hanteras genom att biståndshandläggarna måste planera, strukturera och prioritera. Kollegornas stöd gör arbetet lättare att hantera då de genom att prata med varandra bearbetar känslomässigt påfrestande delar av arbetet. De uttryckte olika behov av att reflektera över sitt arbete. Biståndshandläggare har en stor frihet att planera sin egen arbetsdag och de samverkar med andra professioner. Under temat meningsfullhet framgår att biståndshandläggare finner mening i att göra skillnad för den enskilde. Vårt resultat visar att biståndshandläggarna är utsatta för stress i sitt arbete och att de också har förmåga att möta stressen, men förmågan att möta stressen minskar när arbetsbelastningen blir för hög. 

Orientação profissional direcionada aos alunos do curso técnico de nível médio em agrimensura

This article is the result of the implementation of a program of professional guidance group, based on behavioral analytic principles - psychological theory that addresses human behavior in its interaction with the environment. The program was developed with the objective to assist participants in their career choice at a time of life when such behavior is required in adolescents that are not always repertoire to make such a choice. Participated in the intervention twenty-four adolescents of both sexes, aged 16 and 18, students from middle-level technical course in surveying the Federal Technological University of Paraná - Campus Pato Branco. The results were satisfactory, and at the end of the intervention participants reported greater clarity about career choice that they would from then.

A autoridade de segurança alimentar e económica e os seus inspetores: uma análise sociológica dos dilemas identitários do grupo profissional

O estudo realizado analisa as experiências e vivências profissionais dos inspetores da Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica, tomando como pano de fundo a perspetiva de que o quotidiano da ação dos atores se configura como uma estruturação e ou restruturação de esquemas de desempenho específicos, mediada pela permanente criação e estabilização de alianças e negociações entre os atores. A partir duma abordagem qualitativa sobre as orientações profissionais, o sentido e a direção da satisfação profissional e as tendências das condições materiais e sociais das suas práticas quotidianas profissionais, conclui essencialmente o seguinte: por um lado, os entrevistados privilegiam uma nova ordem de modelo profissional para o seu grupo, com maiores margens de liberdade e ou de autonomia, e, por outro lado, os inspetores da Autoridade de Segurança Alimentar e Económica vivem num dilema identitário, face às dificuldades de reconhecimento social da sua profissão como órgão de polícia criminal especializada; Authorithy for the Food and Economy Security and his Inspectors: a sociological analysis of professional group identity dilemmas Abstract: The study analyzes the professional experiences of ASAE inspectors, using as theoretical perspetive that actors everyday action is configured as a structuring and or restructuring of specific performance schemes, mediated by permanent creation and stabilization alliances and negotiations between the actors. Through a qualitative approach to professional guidance, job satisfaction meaning and direction, and trends about the material and social conditions of professional daily practices, I essentially concludes that: on the one hand, respondents are favor a new order of professional model for their group, with higher margins and freedom or autonomy, and, on the other hand, ASAE inspectors are living an identity dilemma, given the difficulties of social recognition of their profession as specialized criminal police corps.

Model of ICT skills and new professional profile of the Guidance Counsellors in some European countries

El artículo analiza la utilización de las Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación en el escenario de algunos países europeos en el ámbito de la Orientación Educativa y Profesional.

Model of ICT skills and new professional profile of the Guidance Counsellors in some European countries

El artículo analiza la utilización de las Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación en el escenario de algunos países europeos en el ámbito de la Orientación Educativa y Profesional.

Model of ICT skills and new professional profile of the Guidance Counsellors in some European countries

El artículo analiza la utilización de las Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación en el escenario de algunos países europeos en el ámbito de la Orientación Educativa y Profesional.

Guidance procedure for the New York professional engineers license.

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Teachers making connections : online communities as a source of professional learning

The impact of the Internet on our lives has been pervasive. People are increasingly turning to the social interaction available on the Internet to satisfy their needs, whether these are professional or personal. The Internet offers users fast access to social contacts such as online chat groups and discussion lists,helping us to make connections with others. Online communities are being increasingly used by teachers for professional support, guidance and inspiration. These are often organised around subject areas and offer teachers opportunities to develop both personally and professionally. Online communities may present as a source of continuous professional development for teachers as they are able to deliver authentic and personalised opportunities for learning. This paper will present the findings of a study that was conducted on three online communities for teachers. It will explore the nature of online community membership and offer some conclusions regarding their potential as a source of professional learning for teachers.

Creating and enabling opportunities for increased student participation in experience based learning in professional practice

This paper explores models for enabling increased participation in experience based learning in legal professional practice. Legal placements as part of “for-credit” units offer students the opportunity to develop their professional skills in practice, reflect on their learning and job performance and take responsibility for their career development and planning. In short, work integrated learning (WIL) in law supports students in making the transition from university to practice. Despite its importance, WIL has traditionally taken place in practical legal training courses (after graduation) rather than during undergraduate law courses. Undergraduate WIL in Australian law schools has generally been limited to legal clinics which require intensive academic supervision, partnerships with community legal organisations and government funding. This paper will propose two models of WIL for undergraduate law which may overcome many of the challenges to engaging in WIL in law (which are consistent with those identified generally by the WIL Report). The first is a virtual law placement in which students use technology to complete a real world project in a virtual workplace under the guidance of a workplace supervisor. The second enables students to complete placements in private legal firms, government legal offices, or community legal centres under the supervision of a legal practitioner. The units complement each other by a) creating and enabling placement opportunities for students who may not otherwise have been able to participate in work placement by reason of family responsibilities, financial constraints, visa restrictions, distance etc; and b) enabling students to capitalise on existing work experience. This paper will report on the pilot offering of the units in 2008, the evaluation of the models and changes implemented in 2009. It will conclude that this multi-pronged approach can be successful in creating opportunities for, and overcoming barriers to participation in experiential learning in legal professional practice.

Opportunities and challenges : school guidance counsellors’ perceptions of counselling students online

School guidance counsellors world-wide seek ways of providing appropriate professional assistance to all students. While young people integrate online technology into their daily lives and go online for information and to communicate with each other, school counsellors in Australia are not offering online support to students. This cross-sectional study reported on the reluctance of school counsellors to offer online counselling and the reasons for this. A survey of 210 school guidance counsellors found that there is conditional support for the introduction of online counselling into the school setting. Counsellors indicated that they would use online counselling if students accepted its use in the school setting though they question how genuine students would be in its use. Most respondents reported a lack of confidence in understanding the ethical and legal implications of online counselling. However, the majority of participants were prepared to undertake further professional development in this mode of counselling. Additionally, they sought confirmation of the effectiveness of counselling students online before committing themselves to it. The implications for school guidance practice are discussed.

(De)Constructing ADHD : Critical Guidance for Teachers and Teacher Educators

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has achieved celebrity status in many Western countries, yet despite considerable effort to prove its existence as a “real” disorder, ADHD still suffers from a crisis of legitimacy. Nonetheless, diagnosis and prescription of medication has grown at a phenomenal rate since the late 1980s, particularly in Western culture. Numerous accounts exist explaining how the ADHD diagnosis functions as a convenient administrative loophole, providing schools with a medical explanation for school failure, medication to sedate the “problem” into submission, or the means to eject children from mainstream classrooms. This book provides a more holistic interpretation of how to respond to children who might otherwise be diagnosed with and medicated for “ADHD”—a diagnosis which, whether scientifically valid or not, is unhelpful within the confine of the school. Training teachers to recognise and identify “ADHD symptoms” or to understand the functions of restricted pharmaceuticals will only serve to increase the number of children diagnosed and the sale of psychoactive medications. Research has shown that such activities will not help those children learn, nor will it empower their classroom teachers to take responsibility for teaching such children well. This book seeks to provide school practitioners with knowledge that is useful within the educational context to improve the educational experiences and outcomes for children who might otherwise receive a diagnosis of ADHD.

Australian pharmacists' understanding of their continuing professional development obligations

Background The adoption of continuing professional development (CPD) in Australia is still relatively new [expand]. There is limited information on how Australian pharmacists have engaged with the CPD requirements for registration. Aim To explore Australian registered pharmacists’ understanding and engagement with the requirement for CPD credits for registration. Method The Pharmacy Board of Australia’s CPD requirements for registration was used as a guide to design an online survey to ascertain Australian pharmacists understanding and engagement in the acquisition of CPD credits for registration. Results A total of 278 pharmacists responded to the survey – 66% were female and 30% were male (4% did not disclose their gender). 63% of respondents felt that it would not be difficult to acquire 40 CPD credits annually; with pharmacists identifying that Group 1 activities were a preferred way of acquiring CPD credits. The majority of pharmacists (91%) believed that they knew what the current CPD requirements for general registration are and 77% felt that there has been enough guidance provided to assist them. Despite this, 26% of participants had never used self directed learning plans and 38% did not know how to undertake self-directed learning. 76% of participants were under the common misconception that CPD is synonymous with continuing education. Conclusion The majority of registered pharmacists believe they understand and can engage in the acquisition of CPD credits for registration. However, some aspects of the process was not understood. The key link of how this process aims to develop individual practice needs to be further developed within the profession.