Qualidade de vida no trabalho da Emater-RN: validação de um instrumento síntese de pesquisa e diagnóstico

The theoretical recital of the present study it is initiated of the evidence that the work occupies an important space in the man s life in way that the majority of the people works and passes great part of its time inside organizati ons. However, it is verified that the relation between man and work is becoming increasingly disagreement a time that the employees had started to complain work s routines, stress, not use all their potential and inadequate work s conditions. It can be observed by the way of Dejours (1994) studies. Thus, as contribution for the quality of work life s (QWL) studies the research developed here objectified to characterize the public employees quality of work life at EMATER -RN taking as reference an instrumen t of research synthesized from the typical academic literature of the subject. The synthesis of an ampler instrument is a necessity not taken care to the literature that treats on the subject but already perceived by some studies like Moraes et al (1990); Rodrigues (1989); Siqueira & Coleta (1989); Moraes et al (1992); Carvalho & Souza (2003); El -Aouar & Souza (2003) and Mourão, Kilimnick & Fernandes (2005); Adorno, Marques & Borges (2005) amongst others. These studies point out weak points of the existing models in the QWL s literature, as well as they recommend the elaboration of a model more flexible, that contemplates Brazilian cultural characteristics, and that contemplates the entire variable studied in the main existing models. For reach this objectiv e the adopted methodology was characterized as a case study with collected data in qualitative and quantitative way. Questionnaires and comments had been used as sources of evidences. These evidences had been tabulated through of statistical package SPSS ( Statistical Package for Social Science), in which the main technique of multivariate analysis used were the factorial analysis. As for the gotten results, it was verified the grouping of the quality of work life s indicators in 11 factors which are: Work s execution, Individual accomplishment, Work s equity, Relation individual and organization, Work s organization, Adequacy of the remuneration, Relation between head and subordinate, Effectiveness of the communication and the learning, Relation between work and personal life, Participation and Effectiveness of the work processes. Whatever to the characterization of the EMATER -RN s quality of work life it was clearly that to the measure that the satisfaction s evaluation with the QWL in the organization walks to intrinsic factors for extrinsic factors this level of satisfaction goes diminishing what points to the importance to improve these extrinsic factors in the institution. In summary it is possible to conclude that the organization studied has offered a significant set of referring variable to the quality of work life of the individual

A qualidade dos cuidados de enfermagem e a Norma ISO 9001 : Aplicação empírica no Hospital CUF Infante Santo

A preocupação com a qualidade e normalização dos serviços de saúde é cada vez maior, verificando-se que, para responder às progressivas exigências dos utentes, aparecem entidades que criam normas universais, as quais pretendem a garantia da qualidade nos serviços de saúde. Contudo, a implementação de um sistema de gestão da qualidade, através da norma ISO 9001, nestas organizações, é um desafio pela dificuldade de avaliação da qualidade dos serviços prestados- cuidados de saúde. Estando presente num hospital profissional como médicos, enfermeiros e gestores, com características culturais que influenciam a forma de encarar a qualidade e a sua monitorização para a existência de uma mudança profunda, quando se implementa uma política de qualidade, é fundamental conhecer a definição da qualidade de cada profissional, membro de uma cultura e, deste modo, a sua postura perante o fenómeno. O presente trabalho tem como objectivos identificar a percepção dos enfermeiros do Hospital Cuf Infante-Santo, relativamente ao sistema de gestão da qualidade, segundo a norma ISO, e, consequentemente, investigar pontos fortes, pontos fracos, ameaças e oportunidades da implementação dessa norma nessa organização hospitalar. Para atingir os objectivos, foi desenvolvido um modelo de análise, onde se considera o relacionamento entre as características da qualidade em saúde, cultura organizacional hospitalar e do sistema da norma ISO, para o desenvolvimento da melhoria contínua na organização. Os dados, para a elaboração desta dissertação, foram recolhidos através de inquérito por questionários aos enfermeiros do Hospital Cuf Infante-Santo, que se encontravam a laborar na organização aquando da implementação da norma ISO, sendo utilizado o método quantitativo e técnicas do estudo qualitativo na análise de dados orientados para o significado das acções. Do trabalho desenvolvido, conclui-se que a percepção relativamente às alterações na qualidade dos cuidados está limitada pelo facto de a maioria dos respondentes não conhecer o sistema de qualidade (Norma ISO 9001), sendo este um dos pontos fracos para a implementação da norma ISO na organização. Deste modo, a situação diagnosticada constitui um alerta para as organizações de saúde, ao implementarem sistemas de gestão da qualidade, potencializarem os pontos fortes identificados, como a orientação dos enfermeiros para o cuidar e para o cliente e, por outro lado, evitar repetir pontos fracos, como o identificado anteriormente, através do envolvimento e formação dos seus colaboradores nas políticas da qualidade. Os enfermeiros preocupam-se com a qualidade, mas referem que não a monitorizam regularmente. Pelo que, esta necessidade com a implementação do sistema de gestão da qualidade, deverá ser corrigida, de modo a que a organização de saúde em estudo caminhe para a excelência. ABSTRACT: The concern with the quality and standardization of health services is increasing, verifying that to respond to the progressiva demands of the users, there appear entities wishing to create universal standards to ensure the quality in health services. However, implementing a quality management service, through ISO 9001 standard, in these organizations, it is a challenge by the difficulties of evaluation in the quality of the provided services - health care. Being present in a hospital professionals such as doctors, nurses and managers, with cultural characteristics that influence the way and method of facing the quality and its monitoring for the existence of a profound change, when a quality policy is implemented, it is fundamental to know the definition of the quality of each and ever professional, member of a culture, and in this way, their posture towards the phenomenon. This present study aims to identify the perceptions of nurses at the Infante-Santo CUF Hospital, relatively to the quality management system, according to the ISO standard, and consequently, investigating strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of the implementation of this standard in that hospital organization. To achieve these aims or objectives, an analysis model was developed, which considers the relationship between the characteristics of the quality of health, hospital organizational culture and the ISO standard system, for the further development of the continuous improvement in the organization. The data for the elaboration of this dissertation was collected through questionnaire surveys done to the nurses at Infante-Santo CUF Hospital, who were working in the organization during the ISO standard implementation, being used the quantity method and techniques of the quality study in the analysis of data orientated to the meaning of actions. The developed research concluded that the perception related to the alterations in the quality of the care is limited by the majority of respondents not knowing the quality system (ISO 9001 standard), being this one of the weaknesses to the implementation of the ISO standard in the organization. Therefore, the diagnosed situation constituted a warning to the health organizations, to implement quality management systems, potentially the identified strengths, such as the orientation of the nurses to the care and to the client, and on the other hand, avoiding the repetition of weaknesses, as previously identified, through the involvement and training of its employees in the quality policies. The nurses are concerned about the quality but they refer that there is no regular monitoring. Thus, this necessity of the implementation of the quality and management system should be corrected, so that the health organization being studied should proceed to excellence.

Proposal for linking the school library of the School Education Unit Four Queens in the nursery of J. Francisco Public Library Orlich Tibás Canton, Heredia, Costa Rica

Since classical antiquity, the public library has been the institution that helps people to know their history and face the changes that society increasingly demands. Similarly, school libraries are piloting the learning of children; in them, manage to have their first contact with books, his first great travel stories with dinosaurs, robots, fiction, among others through the stories, legends and knowledge games. School libraries contribute to strengthening reading habits from the earliest years of life.In conducting the research, developed an assessment of the current situation of the two libraries under study, based on the following variables: services, human resources, budget, infrastructure, children's collection, furniture, electronic equipment and audiovisual, recreational interests, needs of information, socio-cultural characteristics and availability. This was achieved through the collection of information externada by children of preschool and junior, mothers or guardians and teachers of the Education Unit of Four Queens and in charge of the School Library Education Unit Four Queens (BEUPCR) and J. Francisco Public Library Orlich (BPFJO).According to the diagnosis and analysis of information, it is shown that the aspects related to personnel, electronic equipment and resources are limited, in addition, there were deficiencies in infrastructure BEUPCR.

Qualitative observation in a clinical setting: challenges at end of life

This paper explores the methodological challenges associated with undertaking qualitative observation in the clinical setting at end of life. The authors reflect on their experiences of using non-participant observation to explore the nursing care delivered to dying patients in acute hospital wards. The challenges of observation as a method, clearly defining the participant group and involving vulnerable populations, such as the dying patients and their families, will be discussed. Consideration is also given to defining and working within the observational field, the researchers' dual roles, cost versus benefit, impact of culture, religion and ethnicity, and the determination of research limits/boundaries, with reflections from the authors' own experiences used to exemplify the issues.

Aboriginal palliative care and mainstream services

The Aboriginal person's strong wish to die at home with family, surrounded by their 'country' and in their own community means effective palliative care services must be Aboriginal centred and focused.

La ciudad en la narrativa latinoamericana: 1950-1975

The representation of the city has always been present in the literature. A clear example of this is the famous city of Troy. The city in terms of where the actions take place, a novel in this case, despite the efforts of some works of the contemporary narrative to eradicate or reduce to its barest minimum expression, has continued to sit as a strong element of differentiation that gives the characters certain linguistic, historical, social and cultural characteristics. In the Hispanic narrative, according to historical features of the continent, the conquest, independence, and subsequently the constitution of the republics, the representation of the city acquires some unique characteristics, whose dimensions and implications, toward the second half of the twentieth century, transcend the simple notion of 'place' in which occur the facts narrated to acquire a central notion in the works, changing from being a support to become the central structure of the novel, which is able to articulate different situations, confront characters and articulate historically to the entire countries. This paper will talk mainly about the representation of the city in the published narrative between 1950 and 1975. We will try to have a transverse reading over these works through the analysis of the representation of the city that in them we can find, and that basically divided into three broad categories, each with its own specific functions: * The royal city. Corresponds to the cities that we can actually find in the American territory, and whose spaces and descriptions, historical references and territorial, it is possible to identify the reality or in any encyclopedia: streets, historical events, places, characters, etc...

As representações da família de crianças numa freguesia problemática (Rabo de Peixe, são Miguel, Açores)

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Clínica

Cultural diplomacy with Chinese characteristics : the case of Confucius Institutes in Australia

Since 2004,China has set up more than 400 Confucius Institutes and 500 Confucius Classrooms in 108 countries to promote Chinese language and culture. Despite these impressive numbers, these institutions are still surprisingly under-studied. This article uses Confucius Institutes in Australia as a case study to deepen the understanding of China’s new cultural diplomacy tool. The article describes Confucius Institutes as a form of strategic stakeholder engagement and argues that this collaborative tool of cultural diplomacy depends heavily on the commitment of its local stakeholders.

Do national cultural differences affect the nature and characteristics of HRM practices? Evidence from Australian and Hong Kong construction firms on remuneration and job autonomy

Human resource management (HRM) plays a pivotal role in attracting and retaining talents. However, there is growing recognition in international HRM literature that the adoption of the widely accepted US/Harvard-inspired HRM model ignores the influences of cultural contexts on HRM practices in different countries. This notion has not been empirically investigated in the construction industry. Based on survey responses from 604 construction professionals from Australia and Hong Kong, this study examines whether: (i) national cultural differences influence individuals’ preference for types of remuneration and job autonomy, (ii) actual organizational HRM practices reflect such preferences and (iii) gaps between individuals’ preferences and actual organizational HRM practices affect job satisfaction. Results showed significant difference in HRM preferences between Australian and Hong Kong respondents and these are reflected in the distinct types of HRM practices adopted by construction firms in the two countries. Findings further indicated that the gap between individuals’ preferences and actual organizational HRM practices is associated with job satisfaction. The results support existing mainstream research and highlight the deficiency of the acultural treatment of HRM that is still apparent in construction management literature. An uncritical literature in the area not only hinders theory development but also potentially undermines the ability of construction firms to attract, recruit, and retain scarce talents.

Student characteristics and approaches to learning: a cross-cultural study

The principal aim of this study is to examine the relationship between the cultural background of students and their learning approaches in a tertiary accounting program. While prior research in this area has more generally focused on the investigation of the learning approaches of accounting students, there appears to have been little investigation into the learning approaches of students from different cultures who are studying together at the same institution. The paper presents the results of a study of 550 students enrolled in an undergraduate accounting program at a multi-campus Victorian university where learning approaches and cultural background variables were investigated together with other background variables such as gender and age.

The findings extend prior research on the impact cultural factors may have on the learning approaches of accounting students and also assists in clarifying the relationship between memorisation in the process of learning given the diverse ways that students from different cultures study accounting.

The CUPID (Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability) Study: Methods of Data Collection and Characteristics of Study Sample

Background: The CUPID (Cultural and Psychosocial Influences on Disability) study was established to explore the hypothesis that common musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and associated disability are importantly influenced by culturally determined health beliefs and expectations. This paper describes the methods of data collection and various characteristics of the study sample. Methods/Principal Findings: A standardised questionnaire covering musculoskeletal symptoms, disability and potential risk factors, was used to collect information from 47 samples of nurses, office workers, and other (mostly manual) workers in 18 countries from six continents. In addition, local investigators provided data on economic aspects of employment for each occupational group. Participation exceeded 80% in 33 of the 47 occupational groups, and after pre-specified exclusions, analysis was based on 12,426 subjects (92 to 1018 per occupational group). As expected, there was high usage of computer keyboards by office workers, while nurses had the highest prevalence of heavy manual lifting in all but one country. There was substantial heterogeneity between occupational groups in economic and psychosocial aspects of work; three-to fivefold variation in awareness of someone outside work with musculoskeletal pain; and more than ten-fold variation in the prevalence of adverse health beliefs about back and arm pain, and in awareness of terms such as "repetitive strain injury" (RSI). Conclusions/Significance: The large differences in psychosocial risk factors (including knowledge and beliefs about MSDs) between occupational groups should allow the study hypothesis to be addressed effectively.

Study design, baseline patient characteristics and intervention in a cross-cultural framework: results from the ADORE study

OBJECTIVE : To describe the methodology and to present the baseline findings of the Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder Observational Research in Europe (ADORE) study, the primary objective of which is to describe the relationship between treatment regimen prescribed and quality of life of children with ADHD in actual practice. METHODS : In this 2-year prospective observational study, data on diagnosis, prescribed treatment and outcomes of ADHD were collected at seven time points by paediatricians and child psychiatrists on 1,573 children recruited in 10 European countries. The data presented here from the 1,478 patients included in the analyses describe the baseline condition, initial treatment regimen prescribed and quality of life of families with children with ADHD. RESULTS : Patients had a mean age of 9.0 years (SD 2.5) and 84% were male. Physicians diagnoses were made using DSM-IV (43 %), ICD-10 (32%) and both DSM-IV and ICD-10 (12 %). Mean age of awareness of a problem was 5.1 years, suggesting an average delay of approximately 4 years between awareness and diagnosis of ADHD. Baseline ADHD rating scale scores (physicianrated) indicated moderate to severe ADHD. Parent-rated SDQ scores were in agreement and suggested significant levels of co-existing problems. CGI-S, CGAS and CHIPCE scores also indicated significant impairment. Patients were offered the following treatments after the initial assessment: pharmacotherapy (25 %), psychotherapy (19 %), combination of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy (25 %), other therapy (10 %) and no treatment (21 %). CONCLUSION : The ADORE study shows that ADHD is similarly recognised across 10 European countries and that the children are significantly impaired across a wide range of domains. In this respect, they resemble children described in previous ADHD samples.

The interactions of consumption characteristics on social norms

Purpose: An extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model tests how customer loyalty intentions may relate to subjective and descriptive norms. The study further determines whether consumption characteristics – product enjoyment and importance – moderate norms-loyalty relationships.----- Methodology: Using a two-study approach focusing on youth, an Australian study (n = 244) first augmented TPB with descriptive norm. A Singapore study (n = 415) followed up with how consumption characteristics might moderate norms-loyalty relationships. With both studies, linear regressions tested the relationships among the variables.----- Findings: Extending TPB with descriptive norm improved TPB’s predictive ability across studies. Further, product enjoyment and importance moderated the norms-loyalty relationships differently. Subjective norm related to loyalty intentions significantly with high enjoyment, whereas descriptive norm was significant with low enjoyment. Only subjective norm was significant with low importance.----- Research limitations: Single-item variables, self-reported questionnaires on intended rather than actual behavior, and not controlling for cultural differences between the two samples limit generalizablity.----- Practical implications: The significance of both norms suggests that mobile firms should reach youth through their peers. With youth, social pressure may be influential particularly with hedonic products. However, the different moderations of product enjoyment and importance imply that a blanket marketing strategy targeting youth may not work.----- Originality/Value: This study extends academic knowledge on the relationships between norms and customer loyalty, particularly with consumption characteristics as moderators. The findings highlight the importance of considering different norms with consumer behavior. The study should help mobile firms understand how social influences impact customer loyalty.

Urban Informatics Research and Insights for Libraries, Cultural Industries and Innovation Systems

Over less than a decade, we have witnessed a seismic shift in the way knowledge is produced and exchanged. This is opening up new opportunities for civic and community engagement, entrepreneurial behaviour, sustainability initiatives and creative practices. It also has the potential to create fresh challenges in areas of privacy, cyber-security and misuse of data and personal information. The field of urban informatics focuses on the use and impacts of digital media technology in urban environments. Urban informatics is a dynamic and cross-disciplinary area of inquiry that encapsulates social media, ubiquitous computing, mobile applications and location-based services. Its insights suggest the emergence of a new economic force with the potential for driving innovation, wealth and prosperity through technological advances, digital media and online networks that affect patterns of both social and economic development. Urban informatics explores the intersections between people, place and technology, and their implications for creativity, innovation and engagement. This paper examines how the key learnings from this field can be used to position creative and cultural institutions such as galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAM) to take advantage of the opportunities presented by these changing social and technological developments. This paper introduces the underlying principles, concepts and research areas of urban informatics, against the backdrop of modern knowledge economies. Both theoretical ideas and empirical examples are covered in this paper. The first part discusses three challenges: a. People, and the challenge of creativity: The paper explores the opportunities and challenges of urban informatics that can lead to the design and development of new tools, methods and applications fostering participation, the democratisation of knowledge, and new creative practices. b. Technology, and the challenge of innovation: The paper examines how urban informatics can be applied to support user-led innovation with a view to promoting entrepreneurial ideas and creative industries. c. Place, and the challenge of engagement: The paper discusses the potential to establish place-based applications of urban informatics, using the example of library spaces designed to deliver community and civic engagement strategies. The discussion of these challenges is illustrated by a review of projects as examples drawn from diverse fields such as urban computing, locative media, community activism, and sustainability initiatives. The second part of the paper introduces an empirically grounded case study that responds to these three challenges: The Edge, the Queensland Government’s Digital Culture Centre which is an initiative of the State Library of Queensland to explore the nexus of technology and culture in an urban environment. The paper not only explores the new role of libraries in the knowledge economy, but also how the application of urban informatics in prototype engagement spaces such as The Edge can provide transferable insights that can inform the design and development of responsive and inclusive new library spaces elsewhere. To set the scene and background, the paper begins by drawing the bigger picture and outlining some key characteristics of the knowledge economy and the role that the creative and cultural industries play in it, grasping new opportunities that can contribute to the prosperity of Australia.