Perceptions of clinical safety climate of the multicultural nursing workforce in Saudi Arabia : a cross-sectional survey

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the safety climate perceptions of the multicultural nursing workforce, and to investigate the influence of diversity of the multicultural nursing workforce on clinical safety in a large tertiary hospital in Saudi Arabia. Background Working in a multicultural environment is challenging. Each culture has its own unique characteristics and dimensions that shape the language, lifestyle, beliefs, values, customs, traditions, and patterns of behaviour, which expatriate nurses must come to terms with. However, cultural diversity in the health care environment can potentially affect the quality of care and patient safety. Method A mixed-method case study (survey, interview and document analysis) was employed. A primary study phase entailed the administration of the Safety Climate Survey (SCS). A population sampling strategy was used and 319 nurses participated, yielding a 76.8% response rate. Descriptive and inferential statistics (Kruskal–Wallis test) were used to analyse survey data. Results The data revealed the nurses’ perceptions of the clinical safety climate in this multicultural environment was unsafe, with a mean score of 3.9 out of 5. No significant difference was found between the age groups, years of nursing experience and their perceptions of the safety climate in this context. A significant difference was observed between the national background categories of nurses and perceptions of safety climate. Conclusion Cultural diversity within the nursing workforce could have a significant influence on perceptions of clinical safety. These findings have the potential to inform policy and practice related to cultural diversity in Saudi Arabia.

Evaluation of the GHR car following model for traffic safety studies

Traffic safety studies mandate more than what existing micro-simulation models can offer as they postulate that every driver exhibits a safe behaviour. All the microscopic traffic simulation models are consisting of a car-following model and the Gazis–Herman–Rothery (GHR) car-following model is a widely used model. This paper highlights the limitations of the GHR car-following model capability to model longitudinal driving behaviour for safety study purposes. This study reviews and compares different version of the GHR model. To empower the GHR model on precise metrics reproduction a new set of car-following model parameters is offered to simulate unsafe vehicle conflicts. NGSIM vehicle trajectory data is used to evaluate the new model and short following headways and Time to Collision are employed to assess critical safety events within traffic flow. Risky events are extracted from available NGSIM data to evaluate the modified model against the generic versions of the GHR model. The results from simulation tests illustrate that the proposed model does predict the safety metrics better than the generic GHR model. Additionally it can potentially facilitate assessing and predicting traffic facilities’ safety using microscopic simulation. The new model can predict Near-miss rear-end crashes.

A lock-type cell for NMR studies at high hydrostatic pressures and low temperatures

Details of a simple and convenient high-pressure cell for continuous-wave, wide-line nuclear magnetic resonance investigation at high pressures and low temperatures are described. Experimental results obtained with the cell at 14*108 Pa and 77K for ammonium iodide are presented briefly.

Components of Shame and Eating Disturbance among Clinical and Non-Clinical Populations

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between components of shame (characterological, behavioural and bodily) and eating disturbance.

METHOD: This was a cross sectional study of 859 female and 256 male participants from the general population [non-clinical (NCP)] and 167 female participants from an eating disordered population [clinical (CP)] completing the Experience of Shame Scale. The NCP samples also completed the Eating Attitudes Test-26, and the CP samples completed the Eating Disorder Risk Composite of the Eating Disorder Inventory-3. Participants were recruited via schools/colleges, eating disorder charities and the Internet.

RESULTS: Bodily and characterological shame were independently predictive of eating disturbance in female NCP samples (both, p?<?.001); bodily shame was uniquely predictive of eating disturbance for the male NCP (p?<?.05) and female CP samples (p?<?.001).

CONCLUSION: The aetiology of eating disturbance may be different for male and female NCP samples. The male NCP and the female CP samples displayed a similar pathway to eating disturbance. It is important to acknowledge the different components of shame associated with eating disturbance in different populations.

Perceptions of therapist responses to shame disclosures by clients: A quasi-experimental investigation with non-clinical participants

Background
Therapist responses to initial shame disclosure in therapy have received little empirical attention.

Aim
This study explored different therapeutic responses to shame disclosures in terms of their perceived helpfulness. Responses ranged from complete withdrawal from the feeling (withdrawal) to completely tuning into it (non-withdrawal). Given the tendency of shame to evoke avoidance, participants higher on shame-proneness (as measured by The Experience of Shame Scale) were expected to perceive withdrawal responses to shame as more helpful than non-withdrawal responses.

Methodology
Fifty-five non-clinical participants were assessed for shame-proneness before viewing videos of mock therapy sessions showing clients either disclosing shame (two videos) or shock (control condition). Participants then rated the helpfulness of different therapist responses. The responses differed in the degree they allowed the client to withdraw from their emotions.

Results
High shame proneness was associated with rating withdrawal responses to shame as least helpful. Overall, neither the withdrawal response nor the non-withdrawal response were rated as particularly helpful. The therapeutic response which addressed management strategies when shame is initially experienced in therapy was deemed most helpful.

Conclusion
Despite the tendency to withdraw from shame feelings, this response is not deemed helpful in therapy.

Non-clinical isolates bring new findings on enterococcal virulence

Dissertation presented to obtain the PhD degree in Biology

Safe Contiki OS: Type and Memory Safety for Contiki OS

Embedded systems, especially Wireless Sensor Nodes are highly prone to Type Safety and Memory Safety issues. Contiki, a prominent Operating System in the domain is even more affected by the problem since it makes extensive use of Type casts and Pointers. The work is an attempt to nullify the possibility of Safety violations in Contiki. We use a powerful, still efficient tool called Deputy to achieve this. We also try to automate the process