Supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students during clinical placement: strategies from both sides of the table

Background: Increasing proportions of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) students within health professional courses at universities creates challenges in delivering inclusive training and education. Clinical placements are a core component of most health care degrees as they allow for applied learning opportunities. A research gap has been identified in regard to understanding challenges and strategies for CALD students in health professional placements.

Methods: A key stakeholder approach was used to examine barriers and enablers experienced by CALD students in clinical placement. Semi-structured focus groups with healthcare students (n = 13) and clinical placement supervisors (n = 12) were employed. The focus groups were analysed using open coding and thematic analysis.

Results: Three main barrier areas were identified: placement planning and preparation; teaching, assessment and feedback; and cultural and language issues. Potential solutions included addressing placement planning and preparation barriers, appropriate student placement preparation, pre-placement identification of higher risk CALD students, and diversity training for supervisors. For the barrier of teaching, assessment & feedback, addressing strategies were to: adapt student caseloads, encourage regular casual supervisor-student conversations, develop supportive placement delivery modes and structures, set expectations early, model the constructive feedback process, use visual aids, and tailor the learning environment to individual student needs. The enablers for cultural & language issues were to: build language and practical approaches for communication, raise awareness of the healthcare system (how it interacts with healthcare professions and how patients access it), and initiate mentoring programs.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that teaching and learning strategies should be student-centred, aiming to promote awareness of difference and its impacts then develop appropriate responses by both student and teacher. Universities and partnering agencies, such as clinical training providers, need to provide an inclusive learning environment for students from multiple cultural backgrounds.

They are working every angle. A qualitative study of Australian adults' attitudes towards, and interactions with, gambling industry marketing strategies

As gambling products have diversified so too have the ways in which the gambling industry has been able to target, reach and engage different sectors of the community. Limited research has explored the ways in which individuals conceptualize and respond to gambling marketing strategies. Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with 100 adults in Victoria, Australia, who had gambled at least once during the previous year. Participants described the multi-layered ways in which gambling was marketed and were concerned about the role of marketing in ‘normalizing’ gambling for some groups. Male participants felt ‘bombarded’ and ‘targeted’ by sports bet marketing. Most women and older men actively resisted gambling marketing strategies. Older women, younger men, moderate and high risk gamblers and those from low socio-economic backgrounds were particularly influenced by incentivization to gambling. This study highlights the complex ways in which different individuals interpret and respond to gambling industry marketing strategies.

Programs to improve the social and emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

Attending to the social and emotional wellbeing of those from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural backgrounds is widely recognised to play a key role in effective social work practice. However, relatively little is currently known about what effective practice comprises, and significant challenges exist in any effort to demonstrate that programs do achieve significant change both for individual participants and the communities in which they live. This paper considers one program, Seasons for Healing, to illustrate the type of intervention that holds promise when working with adults and discusses the difficulties that arise in both defining and assessing program outcomes.

Preventing obesity in infants: the growing healthy feasibility trial protocol

INTRODUCTION: Early childhood is an important period for establishing behaviours that will affect weight gain and health across the life course. Early feeding choices, including breast and/or formula, timing of introduction of solids, physical activity and electronic media use among infants and young children are considered likely determinants of childhood obesity. Parents play a primary role in shaping these behaviours through parental modelling, feeding styles, and the food and physical activity environments provided. Children from low socio-economic backgrounds have higher rates of obesity, making early intervention particularly important. However, such families are often more difficult to reach and may be less likely to participate in traditional programs that support healthy behaviours. Parents across all socio-demographic groups frequently access primary health care (PHC) services, including nurses in community health services and general medical practices, providing unparalleled opportunity for engagement to influence family behaviours. One emerging and promising area that might maximise engagement at a low cost is the provision of support for healthy parenting through electronic media such as the Internet or smart phones. The Growing healthy study explores the feasibility of delivering such support via primary health care services.

METHODS: This paper describes the Growing healthy study, a non-randomised quasi experimental study examining the feasibility of an intervention delivered via a smartphone app (or website) for parents living in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas, for promoting infant feeding and parenting behaviours that promote healthy rather than excessive weight gain. Participants will be recruited via their primary health care practitioner and followed until their infant is 9 months old. Data will be collected via web-based questionnaires and the data collected inherently by the app itself.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study received approval from the University of Technology Sydney Ethics committee and will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.

Itinerant foreign harvest workers in Australia: the impact of precarious employment on occupational safety and health

Horticulture work in many high-income economies is increasingly performed by temporary migrant workers from low-wage economies. In Australia, such work is now performed predominantly by international backpackers – young well-educated workers with mostly sound English language skills. These workers are drawn to harvesting work by a government scheme which provides an incentive for completing a specified number of days work in horticulture. This article examines the health and safety experience of these workers, through focus groups, interviews and an online survey. Notwithstanding their distinctive backgrounds, the harvesting experience of these temporary migrant workers is similar to that of low-skilled migrants working in other high-income countries. Health and safety risks associated with work organisation and payment systems, and a lack of compliance with OHS legal requirements, are commonplace but potentially compounded by a sense of invincibility amongst these young travellers. Furthermore, a growing pool of undocumented workers is placing downward pressures on their employment conditions. The vulnerability associated with work and earnings uncertainty, and the harsh environment in which harvesting work occurs, remains a constant notwithstanding the background of these workers.

Practices of active citizenship among migrant youth: beyond conventionalities

© 2015 Taylor & Francis This paper discusses the empirical manifestations of the notion of active citizenship in the context of the experiences of migrant youth. It focuses on the practices of active citizenship through involvement in social networks and creative civic engagement. In doing so, the article examines the complex and multi-faceted nature of social networking among migrant youth and the extent to which their approach to engagement is dependent on the specificities of the local environment, the type of social issues involved, and the cultural norms of one's own cultural heritage. Key empirical insights are derived from quantitative and qualitative research conducted among migrant youth of African, Arabic-speaking and Pacific Island backgrounds in Australia. These empirical insights are used to examine the changing perceptions of active citizenship among migrant youth, and the possibilities offered through non-traditional networks to engender civic engagement and social participation.

Cultural intelligence (CQ) in virtual, cross-cultural interactions: generalizability of measure and links to personality dimensions and task performance

Previous studies have focused on investigating CQ in face-to-face contexts but very few have assessed CQ in virtual, cross-cultural interactions. This study highlights the relevance of cultural intelligence (CQ) as an intercultural capability in cross-cultural communications that are virtual. This two-study research (study 1: n = 274; study 2: n = 223) conducted in call centers in the Philippines (a) assesses the generalizability of the four-factor CQ model (i.e., cognitive, metacognitive, motivational and behavioral CQ) as applied in the virtual context and (b) tests the relationship between CQ, personality dimensions (i.e., openness to experience and extraversion) and supervisor’s ratings of task performance. Study 1 results show that the structural validity of the four-factor CQ model was supported with minor issues in some ofthe items indicating the need to modify the CQ measure when utilized in the virtual context. Study 2 results show that CQ is positively and significantly related to openness to experience and extraversion. In addition, results show that CQ predicts task performance highlighting the importance of developing CQ among call center representatives and other working professionals who virtually engage and interact with clients and customers from culturally diverse backgrounds.

It’s not all about language ability: motivational cultural intelligence matters in call center performance

his study focuses on the role of motivational cultural intelligence (CQ) in call center performance. Call centers mainly rely on verbal communication with language ability playing a significant role in delivery of tasks. This study argues that motivational CQ, or the interest and efficacy when interacting with individuals from culturally diverse backgrounds, plays a significant role in call center performance. This study was conducted in the Philippines, one of the top destinations for offshore services like call centers. Studies were conducted at two time points to determine the relationship between language ability, motivational CQ, and task performance. At Time 1, the language ability of 125 call center agent applicants was determined and assessed. At Time 2 which was conducted six months later, performance data were obtained and the level of the motivational CQ of the respondents measured. Results show that language ability is positively and significantly related to task performance. However, when motivational CQ was included, the relationship between language ability and task performance became non-significant, which conveys the full mediating role of motivational CQ in that relationship.

Interprofessional collaborative practice across Australasia: an emergent and effective community of practice

Individuals involved in fostering interprofessional collaborative practice in health are employed in the education, practice and political arenas. While the need to innovate and develop optimal training and practice is not new, the uniqueness of interprofessional collaborative practice is that it exists across professional backgrounds and transcends traditional hierarchies (entry-level to senior practitioners). As such, alternate models of support are required to assist champions to progress learning and innovation. One such model is a group of educators and practitioners networking across Australasia, resulting in the Australasian Community of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (ACoIPCP). ACoIPCP is a lively community of practice (CoP) group across Australia and New Zealand, which is abreast of current activity in the relevant arenas and provides members with an avenue to share information and, therefore, respond appropriately to changes in the environment. Membership includes likeminded individuals who work in the area of interprofessional collaboration from a broad range of perspectives in both health education and practice. This paper describes the development of ACoIPCP and its aims, activities and achievements. By developing a community of practice framework in a cross-organisational environment, ACoIPCP members have been able to support one another, share resources, seek feedback and learn with and from one another to foster interprofessional collaborative practice within educational, clinical and political settings. Information about the processes and outcomes of ACoIPCP may provide guidance to others interested in facilitating learning and innovation through a community of practice model.

A qualitative study of the infant feeding beliefs and behaviours of mothers with low educational attainment

BACKGROUND: Infancy is an important period for the promotion of healthy eating, diet and weight. However little is known about how best to engage caregivers of infants in healthy eating programs. This is particularly true for caregivers, infants and children from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds who experience greater rates of overweight and obesity yet are more challenging to reach in health programs. Behaviour change interventions targeting parent-infant feeding interactions are more likely to be effective if assumptions about what needs to change for the target behaviours to occur are identified. As such we explored the precursors of key obesity promoting infant feeding practices in mothers with low educational attainment.

METHODS: One-on-one semi-structured telephone interviews were developed around the Capability Opportunity Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) framework and applied to parental feeding practices associated with infant excess or healthy weight gain. The target behaviours and their competing alternatives were (a) initiating breastfeeding/formula feeding, (b) prolonging breastfeeding/replacing breast milk with formula, (c) best practice formula preparation/sub-optimal formula preparation, (d) delaying the introduction of solid foods until around six months of age/introducing solids earlier than four months of age, and (e) introducing healthy first foods/introducing unhealthy first foods, and (f) feeding to appetite/use of non-nutritive (i.e., feeding for reasons other than hunger) feeding. The participants' education level was used as the indicator of socioeconomic disadvantage. Two researchers independently undertook thematic analysis.

RESULTS: Participants were 29 mothers of infants aged 2-11 months. The COM-B elements of Social and Environmental Opportunity, Psychological Capability, and Reflective Motivation were the key elements identified as determinants of a mother's likelihood to adopt the healthy target behaviours although the relative importance of each of the COM-B factors varied with each of the target feeding behaviours.

CONCLUSIONS: Interventions targeting healthy infant feeding practices should be tailored to the unique factors that may influence mothers' various feeding practices, taking into account motivational and social influences.

Differences in doing business in Brazil and norway: evidence from norwegian expatriates

With more and more business being done between Brazil and Norway we are seeing an increasing number of expatriates from Norway moving to Brazil!to work. Most!are!related!to!the!oil!and!gas!industries.!With!the!two!cultures,! countries!and!backgrounds!being!so!different!what!are!some!of!the!issues!and! challenges!that!arise? Using!existing!literature!as!well!as!faceRtoRface!interviews!of!Norwegian! expatriates!working!in!Rio!de!Janeiro!this!thesis!tries!to!compare!the!two! countries!and!at!the!same!time!explore!some!of!these!potential!issues.!The! research!focuses!on!differences!in!trust,!negotiation!style,!planning,!organization,! conflict!as!well!as!general!cultural!challenges. Analysis!of!the!responses!shows!that!for!some!issues!there!are!no!clear!problems! or!challenges!but!for!others!there!are.!Specifically!the!treatment!of!time!and!the! general!timeliness!in!Brazilian!society!seems!to!be!a!challenge!for!Norwegian! expatriates.!Secondly!and!equally!as!challenging!is!the!hierarchical!way!of! organizing!businesses!in!Brazil!compared!to!the!flatter!structure!found!in! Norwegian!businesses.!With!the!hierarchy!comes!also!bureaucracy,!another! factor!that!the!subjects!in!this!thesis!found!to!be!difficult!to!deal!with. The!thesis!is!divided!into!6!chapters!starting!with!“introduction”,!followed!by! chapter!2!“Literature!review”.!Chapter!3!is!“Research!Methodology”!followed!by! chapter!4!“Data!presentation”.!Finally!the!results!are!discussed!in!chapter!5! “Analysis!and!discussion” and!concluded!in!chapter!6.

Conhecimento e afeto ecológico: antecedentes do consumo ecológico

O desenvolvimento sustentável é um desafio multidimensional com implicações para todos os setores da sociedade. Do ponto de vista do marketing, a construção de um mercado verde significativo pode ser de grande importância neste desafio. Diante disto, compreender os antecedentes do consumo ecológico lança luz sobre como se dão os comportamentos de consumo ambientalmente orientados, oque pode auxiliar no desenvolvimento de campanhas tanto educativas quanto comerciais. O presente estudo examina a influência de fatores emocionais e cognitivos nos comportamentos de compra ecológica. Para isso, um modelo conceitual foi construído a partir da literatura e submetido à verificação empírica, utilizandose levantamento para coleta de dados e Modelagem de Equações Estruturais para análise. Foi analisada uma amostra de 291 respondentes, levantada por meio eletrônico durante o mês de janeiro de 2010. Os achados desta pesquisa confirmam a emoção e o conhecimento subjetivo como antecedentes do consumo ecológico, mediadas pela atitude referente ao consumo ecológico e pela intenção de se engajar em tal comportamento. Sugestões de pesquisa futura são analisadas com base na teoria de marketing

Criação de varas do trabalho específicas para julgamento de processos tramitados pelo procedimento sumaríssimo como mecanismo de efetivação da prestação jurisdicional do Poder Judiciário trabalhista

Através desta pesquisa, analisa-se a lei 9.957/2000, que instituiu o procedimento sumaríssimo no processo do trabalho. Procura-se identificar os modelos de procedimentos utilizados na tramitação do processo trabalhista, notadamente o procedimento sumaríssimo e sua eficácia, dentro da estrutura organizacional da Justiça do Trabalho. Busca-se demonstrar a necessidade do cumprimento da lei n. 9.957/2000, como instrumento viável para uma efetiva prestação jurisdicional da Justiça do Trabalho, nas ações de valor abaixo de quarenta salários mínimos. Para atingir tais propósitos, abordam-se, inicialmente, aspectos teóricos fundamentais relacionados ao acesso à justiça, aos princípios constitucionais da duração razoável do processo e da segurança jurídica e, ainda, a interpretação e integração da legislação trabalhista. Em um segundo momento, demonstra-se a necessidade de reforma na estrutura organizacional da Justiça do Trabalho para uma integral aplicabilidade do procedimento sumaríssimo, em face da sobrecarga de processos em tramitação nas varas do trabalho. Analisa-se, também, a visão dos operadores do Direito do Trabalho, jurisdicionados e serventuários da Justiça do Trabalho sobre o procedimento sumaríssimo, na qualidade de instrumento eficaz na busca de uma prestação jurisdicional célere e, por isso, efetiva. Por fim, expõe-se a proposta de criação de varas do trabalho específicas para julgamento de processos tramitados pelo procedimento sumaríssimo, como instrumento de celeridade da atividade jurisdicional e de redução do tempo de duração do processo trabalhista.

Avaliação ambiental sedimentar em área de perfuração exploratória marítima, bacia de campos, Rio de Janeiro-Brasil

Através do banco de dados referente a granulometria (cascalho, areia, silte e argila), carbonato biogênico, carbono orgânico total (COT) e argilo-minerais (caulinita, esmectita, ilita e gibsita) do projeto MAPEM- Monitoramento Ambiental em Atividades de Perfuração Exploratória Marítima (Águas Rasas), foi realizado este estudo visando avaliar os efeitos da perfuração dos poços BO-022H e BO-023H, localizados em talude continental superior, região sul da Bacia de Campos, Brasil, a 50 km da cidade de Cabo Frio, a 250m de profundidade. A promissora atividade de exploração e produção de petróleo e gás no Brasil tem exigido estudos detalhados do ambiente marinho, estes por sua vez deverão considerar desde a técnica de perfuração até a minuciosa alteração causada no substrato sedimentar. Nesta perspectiva foram coletadas amostras de sedimentos superficiais na região no em torno da área perfurada. Durante o cruzeiro I foram coletadas 48 amostras, no cruzeiro II, três meses após a perfuração, foram coletadas 61 amostras e no cruzeiro III, 22 meses após a perfuração, foram coletadas 54 amostras. Paralelamente foram amostradas 6 estações de controle. A preocupação é compreender quais são as alterações ambientas causadas pela perfuração, para isso as análises dos sedimentos geraram informações sobre a composição granulométrica, o teor carbonato biogênico e carbono orgânico total, e, composição mineralógica (argilo-minerais). Essas variáveis comparadas à variação espacial (área de monitoramento/estações de referência) e temporal (3 cruzeiros oceanográficos) permitiram compreender como o substrato sedimentar marinho reagiu a atividade de perfuração. Com o background da área, para os três cruzeiros oceanográficos, definiu-se os níveis médios das variáveis analisadas, identificando sinais de contaminação pela atividade de perfuração. Estes resultados demostram que a atividade de perfuração não promoveu alterações significativa nas propriedades sedimentares, que a variação dos valores de backgrounds, do cruzeiro II para o cruzeiro III, permaneceram muito próximo daqueles do cruzeiro I. Entre os argilo-minerais, a esmectita e a ilita , aumentaram, porém no cruzeiro III, os valores sofrem redução ficando muito próximo daqueles do cruzeiro I.

Competência e desempenho nas habilidades primarias: um estudo a luz dos determinantes socio-econômicos

Este trabalho, pretende ser uma contribuição, no sentido de aguçar as atenções despertadas na área do desenvolvimento cognitivo do pré-escolar, para que não se desviem do grave problema há muito instalado na nossa sociedade: as dificuldades nos primeiros anos escolares da população procedente da classe baixa. O desempenho neste período, é um dos fatores determinantes no futuro acadêmico. Portanto, faz-se necessário que a compreensão do ambiente social se torne definida, permitindo planejar medidas de intervenção, que resultem em promoção social, especialmente para as classes e grupos carentes. As preocupações mencionadas, orientaram os esforços deste estudo, afim de se entender as variações intelectuais em função do nível socioeconômico de pré-escolares, assim como, as possíveis interrelações entre essas variáveis. Partindo-se de uma sucinta análise através de uma breve revisão das principais concepções da inteligência, buscou-se interpretar e relacionar essas contribuições e suas consequências em nível pragmático. Destaque marcante atribuiu-se aos estudos de AF inspirados no instrumental de D. Wechsler, enfatizando-se a avaliação dos fatores mais comumente encontrados. O aspecto central do trabalho é representado por uma pesquisa instrumentada através do WISC e de um questionário sôcio-econômico. A Análise Fatorial (AF) dos dados coletados, levou a detectar 4 fatores, cuja interpretação constituiu um tema paralelo deste trabalho.