Program Evaluation

The Psychologist-in-Training (PIT) Program provides an opportunity for participants to conduct graduate study and obtain work experience leading toward New York State certification in school psychology. The PIT program offers tuition reimbursement at the prevailing City University rate to people pursuing study within the New York City Board of Education. To be eligible, participants must be continuously enrolled in an academic program, and agree to take a minimum of 12 credits per school year. Evaluators from the Office of Educational Research (OER) distributed a total of 77 questionnaires to participants in order to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the (PIT) Program. A total of 32 questionnaires were completed and returned, resulting in a 42 percent response rate. Findings indicate that participants' assessment of the program was quite positive. however, participants' comments about various aspects of the prcgram indicate that there is some room for improvement. Suggestions were made to have training which focuses more on practical skills, an easier application process, and better dissemination of relevant material. Based on these findings, OER recommends more hands-on training, as well as clearer and more timely dissemination of information regarding placement and fulfillment of the service obligation. (Author)

The Psychologist-in-Training (PIT) Program provides an opportunity for participants to conduct graduate study and obtain work experience leading toward New York State certification in school psychology. The PIT program offers tuition reimbursement at the prevailing City University rate to people pursuing study within the New York City Board of Education. To be eligible, participants must be continuously enrolled in an academic program, and agree to take a minimum of 12 credits per school year. Evaluators from the Office of Educational Research (OER) distributed a total of 77 questionnaires to participants in order to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the (PIT) Program. A total of 32 questionnaires were completed and returned, resulting in a 42 percent response rate. Findings indicate that participants' assessment of the program was quite positive. however, participants' comments about various aspects of the prcgram indicate that there is some room for improvement. Suggestions were made to have training which focuses more on practical skills, an easier application process, and better dissemination of relevant material. Based on these findings, OER recommends more hands-on training, as well as clearer and more timely dissemination of information regarding placement and fulfillment of the service obligation. (Author)

There is a need to create, disseminate, and implement new knowledge in the work disability prevention (WDP) field. Training programs attracting high-quality applicants and taking into account the complexity of this emerging field are urgently needed. Methods: An advanced training program, funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), was developed by 24 mentors affiliated with nine different universities. The main objective of this program is to develop transdisciplinary knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding WDP. This program has been developed for PhD students or post-doctoral fellows already registered full-time in a Canadian or recognized foreign university whose main interest is WDP, regardless of the health problem. Results: Since its implementation, the program received two successive cohorts of 10 students. They were registered in 13 universities in five countries and trained in nine different disciplines. Conclusions and significances: Appropriate WDP research may save major societal costs attributable to prolonged work disability. The proposed training program will contribute to developing tomorrow's research workforce.

Stakeholder engagement in comparative effectiveness research continues to gain national attention. While various methods are used to gather stakeholder expertise and form recommendations, evaluation of the stakeholder experience is often missing. The lack of evaluation prohibits assessing how effective and meaningful engagement practices are for enhancing research efforts and limits the ability to identify areas for future improvement. We propose that an evaluation plan of engagement processes be developed before stakeholder involvement begins and be required as part of a request for proposal or research grant where stakeholder input is being sought. Furthermore, we recommend the inclusion of six meta-criteria that represent normative goals of multiple studies: respect, trust, legitimacy, fairness, competence and accountability. To aid in the development of future evaluations, we have developed definitions for and matched specific examples of measuring each meta-criterion to serve a...

  Urban water systems (UWSs) are challenged by the sustainability perspective. Certain limitations of the sustainability of centralized UWSs and decentralized household level wastewater treatments can be overcome by managing UWSs at an intermediate scale, referred to as small to medium sized UWSs (SMUWSs). SMUWSs are different from large UWSs, mainly in terms of smaller infrastructure, data limitation, smaller service area, and institutional limitations. Moreover, sustainability assessment systems to evaluate the sustainability of an entire UWS are very limited and confined only to large UWSs. This research addressed the gap and has developed a set of 38 applied sustainability performance indicators (SPIs) by using fuzzy-Elimination and Choice Translating Reality (ELECTRE) I outranking method to assess the sustainability of SMUWSs. The developed set of SPIs can be applied to existing and new SMUWSs and also provides a flexibility to include additional SPIs in the future based on the...

The software development in different fields leads to increase the requirements for effective, efficient and complicated software. Due to the huge amounts of software requirements, it is possible some errors to occur in the certain part of the programs and this means a real challenge for the software producer. The need for an effective test system is necessary for designing reliable programs and avoiding the errors that may appear during the software product. In this review, many techniques are discussed for the process of generating test cases which are a group of conditions that determine whether the designed programs are able to satisfy the user's requirements or not. Fuzzy logic utilizes an operational profile in the process of allocating test case to improve the software quality, as well as the design of fault propagation path to predicts the software defects during the test operation, also the automatic generation for PLC test cases that produce a new track through the pro...

The study uses data from the Tanzania Human Resources Development Survey (1994) on willingness to pay (WTP) for desired quality of health care at lower-level health facilities to assess potential regressiveness of user fees -a disproportionately higher negative effect of user fees on utilization of health services among the poor compared with the rich. Despite reports of extensive bypassing of the lower-level health facilities in Tanzania, the WTP for quality health care at these health facilities is surprisingly large. WTP was lower among the poor, female and elderly respondents. Almost one-quarter of the poorest 40% of the population was not willing to pay even when the quality of services met their expectations. The results suggest that: the utilization of health services at lower-level health facilities can be increased by improving the quality of care; and the implementation of uniform user charges in the public facilities may be regressive, adversely affecting utilization among the poor, women and the elderly. An effective system of exemptions and waivers will be required for the very poor who may not be able to pay even when quality of services is improved. The findings of the study have policy implications for the Tanzanian government's recent attempts to expand cost-sharing through community health funds at lower-level health facilities, being introduced since 1998.

This study considered how 25 highly diverse after-school programs with funding of $5.6 million were evaluated during a 10-month period. The paper describes the evaluation methodologies used and determined which methodologies were most effective within a diverse and political context. The Bayview Fund for Youth Development (name assumed for purposes of this paper) was the result of a ballot initiative to set aside a large sum to fund programs for children and youth. The Fund supported 25 programs, 4 for children aged up to 5, and 21 for children and youth aged 6 to 20. Overall the 25 programs implemented a total of 369 different program activities. Because of the diversity of program activities and the requirements of city administrators, the evaluation approach used methodologies from the empowerment evaluation model of D. Fetterman (1996) and traditional evaluation strategies. Both fund accountability and individual program-level accountability were studied. Traditional evaluation ...

The purpose of this study is to investigate the experiences of faculty and learners participating in a project-based distributed learning environment, the MBA Without Boundaries program, at Ohio University. The qualitative data were collected through interviews with 54 learners/program graduates and 12 faculty members, participant observation during residencies, asynchronous interactions in the program's databases, and document analysis. Both faculty and learners consider that teamwork skills, communication skills, computer skills, and tolerance for ambiguity in the project problems are needed to teach and to study in a project-based distributed learning environment. Self-discipline and time management skills are significant for learners as well to make commitments in a distributed learning environment. The time and place flexibilities of the online environment, adult learners with different business backgrounds, and the combination of online interactions with residencies are reported as the most important advantages by both faculty and learners. Also, active participation in the learning process, experience with authentic problems, and transferability of learning issues to the work place are significant for most learners. Faculty members consider the creation of a learning community with motivated adults, and the experiment with project-based teaching in an online environment to be other advantages. The learners (13 out of 54) report the teammates who do not make enough contributions to a team project as the most common problem. Some learners complain about the distance barriers and technological failures due to modems and local Internet service providers. Also, several faculty members are concerned about the workload and the time they devote to the program. However, most learners and faculty highly value the program and feel positive experiences outweigh the disadvantages. A combination of project-based approach and distributed learning complements the teaching and learning activities, and this combination is more effective in active learning than a simple delivery of a course content through the Web.

Common challenges were marketing deficits, loss of human capital, and technology barriers. Common threats were the economy, increased numbers of urban residents, and insufficient facilities. Developing and implementing strategic plans to resolve the needs identified in this study may increase the effectiveness and efficiency of Extension.

DesCribed are toy modifications whichenable handicapped individuals to operate batti,ry-powered toys. A battery interrupter is explained as a device which fits between the batteries in a toy and provides the ability to have ,a separate on-off switch which can be-custom designed to fit a handicapped user's needs. Construction and use of three types of battery interruptses are described: for regular Cylindrical batteries (AA, C, and D cells), for nine-volt transistor radio-type batteries, and for use with cassette tape recorders and other devices having a "remote" jack. Construction of a wobble stick toy control switch is also illustrated. Skill development activities are suggested to provide training for switch use. Sources are listed for on-off modules, timer modules, environmental control modules, combined time and on-off devices, and battery interrupter cables. A "Trace Quick Sheet" lists books, pamphlets, catalogs, and-associations and organizatiOns that provide information regarding adapted toys and toy modifications to allow single-switch control. (JDD) 3000000900000000000M300000000(*MME*30000000000000000000M************* * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. )000000000000000000000000000000000006000000000000000000000(MM****3000000( How To Use Type 1. Interrupter.

[PORTUGUESE]Na maioria dos estudos de comunidade no Brasil e no mundo, a prevalência de depressão em um ano ficou na faixa de 8 a 12%, havendo associação com ser mulher e solteira, com o pico de prevalência no final da meia-idade. Em cuidados primários, a prevalência de depressão chegou a 16% no Rio. Utilizando-se a medida mais ampla de “morbidade psiquiátrica menor” ou “transtornos mentais comuns”, fica-se em torno de 50%. Os Episódios Depressivos foram a principal causa de incapacidade (ou seja, sem incluir o impacto da mortalidade), em medidas internacionais, desde 1990, tanto para homens e mulheres, como para países desenvolvidos ou não. O índice de reconhecimento de depressão pelos clínicos gerais situa-se em torno de 42%.Os casos graves e com maior incapacidade social e os com apresentação psicológica seriam mais facilmente identificados pelos clínicos. Os estudos de intervenções demonstram a efetividade da ênfase nas primeiras semanas de tratamento da depressão, com o estabel...

Background: As palliative care grows and evolves, robust programs to train and develop the next generation of leaders are needed. Continued integration of palliative care into the fabric of usual health care requires leaders who are prepared to develop novel programs, think creatively about integration into the current health care environment, and focus on sustainability of efforts. Such leadership development initiatives must prepare leaders in clinical, research, and education realms to ensure that palliative care matures and evolves in diverse ways. Methods: The Cambia Health Foundation designed the Sojourns Scholar Leadership Program to facilitate leadership development among budding palliative care leaders. Results: The background, aims, and results to date of each of the projects from the scholars of the inaugural cohort are presented.

This research report examines the Baby TALK model, an innovative early childhood intervention approach used to identify, recruit, and serve young children who are at-risk for developmental delays, mental health needs, and/or school failure, and their families. The report begins with a description of the model. This description is followed by an analysis of participant and program data from the Baby TALK, Inc. demonstration program in Decatur, Illinois. The analysis concludes with a discussion of the relevance of the model for early intervention and school readiness, future directions for our research, and best practice implications for the early childhood field.

A total of 359 retained seventh and eighth grade students from the Austin (Texas) Independent School District's junior high schools participated in a summer enrichment program that was designed to improve their basic skills and decision making skills and tc provide them with a successful school experience. Diagnostic information was used to assign students to reading and mathematics, classes, but assignment to decision making classes was done on a random basis. The academic classes were individualized as much as possible, while the decision making classes involved lectures, films, and student participation in decision making activities. Pre and posttest data included the reading comprehension, math concepts and problems, and math computation subtests of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), writing samples, and scores on a decision making test. The results showed that the program's objective of producing gains in 60/ of the. students was met on the math computation subtest of the ITBS and in writing ability, but not on the remaining subtests of the ITBS nor on the decision making test. The findings also revealed that seventh grade students showed significant improvement only on the math computation subtest, while eighth grade students improved significantly on all three subtests. (FL)

A total of 359 retained seventh and eighth grade students from the Austin (Texas) Independent School District's junior high schools participated in a summer enrichment program that was designed to improve their basic skills and decision making skills and tc provide them with a successful school experience. Diagnostic information was used to assign students to reading and mathematics, classes, but assignment to decision making classes was done on a random basis. The academic classes were individualized as much as possible, while the decision making classes involved lectures, films, and student participation in decision making activities. Pre and posttest data included the reading comprehension, math concepts and problems, and math computation subtests of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS), writing samples, and scores on a decision making test. The results showed that the program's objective of producing gains in 60/ of the. students was met on the math computation subtest of the ITBS and in writing ability, but not on the remaining subtests of the ITBS nor on the decision making test. The findings also revealed that seventh grade students showed significant improvement only on the math computation subtest, while eighth grade students improved significantly on all three subtests. (FL)

Objective. The purpose of this paper is to identify and suggest a number of performance measures to facilitate the evaluation of accreditation programs in healthcare. Methods. The paper is based on an exploratory research which has used qualitative methods, including snowball sampling technique, email interview and thematic content analysis. Participants. Respondents (experts and professionals) were selected from a diverse spectrum ranging from healthcare organizations, universities and accreditation-associated institutions. Results. The analysis of the data provided key measures to be considered in the evaluation of accreditation programs' impact at macro and micro levels as well as their nature and operations. The measures can be used to, for example, assess the degree of stakeholders' reliance on accreditation results, measure the cost of accreditation for participating organizations and serve as a formal mechanism for accredited organizations to appeal accreditation decisions. Conclusions. This paper has brought together a number of generic, yet influential and workable, measures which could be utilized for assessing the overall performance of an accreditation program in healthcare. The application of these measures depends on the features of given accreditation program and the context in which the program operates. Therefore, the next step/steps in the assessment of an accreditation program might be choosing the measures suiting that program.

Objective. The purpose of this paper is to identify and suggest a number of performance measures to facilitate the evaluation of accreditation programs in healthcare. Methods. The paper is based on an exploratory research which has used qualitative methods, including snowball sampling technique, email interview and thematic content analysis. Participants. Respondents (experts and professionals) were selected from a diverse spectrum ranging from healthcare organizations, universities and accreditation-associated institutions. Results. The analysis of the data provided key measures to be considered in the evaluation of accreditation programs' impact at macro and micro levels as well as their nature and operations. The measures can be used to, for example, assess the degree of stakeholders' reliance on accreditation results, measure the cost of accreditation for participating organizations and serve as a formal mechanism for accredited organizations to appeal accreditation decisions. Conclusions. This paper has brought together a number of generic, yet influential and workable, measures which could be utilized for assessing the overall performance of an accreditation program in healthcare. The application of these measures depends on the features of given accreditation program and the context in which the program operates. Therefore, the next step/steps in the assessment of an accreditation program might be choosing the measures suiting that program.

elementary level but not at the secondary level. With increasing demands for educational accountability, district leaders and policy makers are increasing their efforts to understand how this trend can be changed. Questions of school structures (size, instructional configurations, scheduling, etc.) and school leadership characteristics (professional learning communities, strategic planning, distributive leadership, etc.) are common in the discourse of the day. As a result of this scrutiny, many are calling for secondary school principals to be conversant in the language and habits of change agent and instructional leader, even though the principals on staff were most likely hired for their managerial skills in overseeing budgets, managing human resources, and attending to the general maintenance and operations of the facilities. Understanding how large district systems can develop the individual ability of their secondary school principals to improve learning conditions for all chil...

This directory is one of five which together describe almost 1200 discretionary grants and contracts currently supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs under the 1997 Amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This document covers grants and contracts in two program areas, "Research and Innovation To Improve Services and Results for Children with Disabilities" and "Studies and Evaluations". The program descriptions are grouped by the 32 competitions under which they were funded, such as field-initiated research projects, directed research projects, model demonstration projects for young children with disabilities, and outreach projects for children with disabilities. Provided for each project description is the following

The five-volume directory describes more than 1,200 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into sections representing the seven program areas of the Individuals with n4..hilities Education Act Amendments (1997), Part D. This volume, the fifth of the directory, describes projects designed to assist state educational agencies and their partners in reforming and improving their systems for providing educational, early intervention, and transitional services including systems for professional development, technical assistance, and dissemination of knowledge about best practices. The 85 projects are grouped by funding competitions and include information on grant number, title, project director, beginning and ending dates, and contact information. An abstract usually describes the project's purpose, proposed method, and proposed products. Three indexes are provided: (1) a project director index; (2) an organization index; and (3) a subject index. (DB)

This five-volume directory describes almost 1,200 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into five sections representing the seven program areas of the newly reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part D. This volume, the third of the directory, describes projects concerning technical assistance and dissemination, and parent training and information. The Technical Assistance and Dissemination program provides assistance and information to improve early intervention, educational and transitional services, and addresses systemic-change. The Parent Training and Information program aims to support training and information centers in meeting the needs of parents of children with disabilities, particularly underserved parents and parents of children who may be inappropriately identified, and assisting parents to understand the availability of procedural safeguards under the IDEA. The projects are grouped by the competitions under which they were funded, and include information on grant number, title, project director, beginning and ending dates, and contact information. An abstract describes +++++ ED426563 Has Multi-page SFR---Level=1 +++++ the project's purposes, proposed methods, and proposed products. Four indexes are provided: a project director index, an organizational index, a state index, and a subject index. (CR)

The five-volume directory describes more than 1,200 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into sections representing the seven program areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments (1997), Part D. This volume, the second of the directory, describes projects concerning personnel preparation. These projects are designed to help address state-identified needs for qualified personnel to work with children with disabilities in special and regular education, related services, and early intervention. Emphasis is on training in practices that have been determined through research and experience to be successful. The approximately 600 projects are grouped by funding competitions and include information on grant number, title, project director, beginning and ending dates, and contact information. An abstract usually describes the project's purpose, proposed method, and proposed products. Four indexes are provided: a project director index, an organization index, a state index, and a subject index. (DB)

This five-volume directory describes almost 1,200 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into five sections representing the seven program areas of the newly reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part D. This volume, the first of the directory, describes projects concerning research, innovation, and evaluation. The Research and Innovation program aims to produce and advance knowledge to improve the practices of professionals and others involved in providing services, and to improve educational results for children with disabilities. The Studies and Evaluations program is designed to assess the effectiveness of state and local efforts to provide a free, appropriate public education to children with disabilities, and to provide early intervention services to infants and toddlers with disabilities or who are at-risk of developmental delays. The projects are grouped by the competitions under which they were funded and include information on grant number, title, project director, beginning and ending dates, and contact information. An abstract describes the project's purposes, proposed methods, and proposed products. Four indexes are provided: a project director index, an organizational index, a state index, and a subject index. (CR)

This study will examine the effect of parent participation in promoting the successful transition of youth from school to adult roles, particularly for ethnically diverse families. A basis for the research is to assess the roles that minority parents are currently assuming in transition planning and how this profile matches the type of involvement desired by these parents. The definition of participation and its practice across cultural variations and in contrast to educators perspectives will also be evaluated. Method: The project will consist of two interrelated studies using different methodologies. The first study will be a qualitative investigation of the essential themes and activities in parent participation. The second study will be a survey designed to gather systematic information about the participation experiences of parents and their desire for involvement in the transition planning process. Both studies will involve ethnically diverse populations. Additionally, professionals will be asked to complete the survey, providing a look at their perceptions and attitudes toward parent participation. Products: Findings from the project will be disseminated through research articles, presentations, and user-friendly reports that will be distributed to schools and families.

This five-volume directory describes almost 1,200 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into five sections representing the seven program areas of the newly reauthorized Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part D. This volume, the fifth of the directory, describes projects designed to assist state educational agencies and their partners in enhancing educational results for children with disabilities by reforming and improving their systems for providing educational, early intervention, and transitional services, including their systems for professional development, technical assistance, and dissemination of knowledge about best practices. The projects are grouped by the competitions under which they were funded and include information on grant number, title, project director, beginning and ending dates, and contact information. An abstract describes the project's purposes, proposed methods, and proposed products. Four indexes are provided: a project director index, an organizational index, a state index, and a subject index. (CR)

The five-volume directory describes more than 1,200 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into sections representing the seven program areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments (1997), Past D. This volume, the fourth of the directory, describes projects concerned with technology and media services. These projects are intended to (1) support educational media activities that are designed to be of educational value to children with disabilities; (2) provide video descriptions, open captioning, or closed captioning of television programs, videos, or educational materials; (3) distribute captioned and described videos or educational materials; (4) provide free educational materials, including textbooks, in accessible media for visually impaired and print-disabled students in elementary, secondary, postsecondary, and graduate schools; and (5) provide cultural experiences through appropriate nonprofit organizations, such as the National Theater of the Deaf. The 80 projects are grouped by funding competitions and information includes grant number, title, project director, beginning and ending dates, and contact information. An abstract usually describes the project's purpose, proposed method, and proposed products. Four indexes are provided: a project director index, an organization index, a state index, and a subject index.

The five-volume directory describes more than 1,200 discretionary grants and contracts supported by the Research to Practice Division of the Office of Special Education Programs. The projects are grouped into sections representing the seven program areas of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments (1997), Part D. This volume, the second of the directory, describes projects concerning personnel preparation. These projects are designed to help address state-identified needs for qualified personnel to work with children with disabilities in special and regular education, related services, and early intervention. Emphasis is on training in practices that have been determined through research and experience to be successful. The approximately 600 projects are grouped by funding competitions and include information on grant number, title, project director, beginning and ending dates, and contact information. An abstract usually describes the project's purpose, proposed method, and proposed products. Four indexes are provided: a project director index, an organization index, a state index, and a subject index. (DB)

Background: Despite a large body of evidence describing care processes known to reduce the incidence of surgical site infections, many are underutilized in practice. Methods: Fifty-six hospitals volunteered to redesign their systems as part of the National Surgical Infection Prevention Collaborative, a 1-year demonstration project sponsored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Each facility selected quality improvement objectives for a select group of surgical procedures and reported monthly clinical process measure data. Results: Forty-four hospitals reported data on 35,543 surgical cases. Hospitals improved in measures related to appropriate antimicrobial agent selection, timing, and duration; normothermia; oxygenation; euglycemia; and appropriate hair removal. The infection rate decreased 27%, from 2.3% to 1.7% in the first versus last 3 months. Conclusions: The Collaborative demonstrated improvement in processes known to be associated with reduced risk of surgical site infections. Quality improvement organizations can be effective resources for quality improvement in the surgical arena.

Background: As a matter of routine, midwives in Sweden have spoken with women about their experiences of labour in a so-called 'postpartum consultation'. However, the possibility of offering women this kind of consultation today is reduced due to shortage of both time and resources. The aim of this study was to explore the occurrence, women's requirements of, and experiences of a postpartum consultation, and to identify expectations from women who wanted but did not have a consultation with the midwife assisting during labour. Methods: All Swedish speaking women who gave birth to a live born child at a University Hospital in western Sweden were consecutively included for a phone interview over a three-week period. An additional phone interview was conducted with the women who did not have a postpartum consultation, but who wanted to talk with the midwife assisting during labour. Data from the interviews were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Of the 150 interviewed women, 56% (n = 84) had a postpartum consultation of which 61.9% (n = 52) had this with the midwife assisting during labour. Twenty of the 28 women who did not have a consultation with anyone still desired to talk with the midwife assisting during labour. Of these, 19 were interviewed. The content the women wanted to talk about was summarized in four categories: to understand the course of events during labour; to put into words, feelings about undignified management; to describe own behaviour and feelings, and to describe own fear. The survey shows that the frequency of postpartum consultation is decreasing, that the majority of women who give birth today still require it, but only about half of them receive it. It is crucial to develop a plan for these consultations that meets both the women's needs and the organization within current maternity care.

This paper provides an account of a joint project of education and training of doctors and nurses in St Petersburg, funded by the Know How Fund Health Sector Small Partnership Scheme (Russia). Contextual material on drug and alcohol misuse in Russia is introduced prior to a focus on the drug and alcohol misuse issues in St Petersburg. Reference is made to historical and contemporary material on alcohol and drug misuse, and attention is drawn to the reliability of statistical data. The main aims of the project and the work carried out are outlined. Firstly, to bring together medical and nursing colleagues, enabling a recognition of the overlap in training and educational needs of both professional groups, and the learning that can occur from understanding each others roles and responsibilities. Secondly, that the theory and practice of different approaches to care and treatment can be incorporated into already established curricula used to educate both nurses and doctors. Colleagues in St Petersburg have requested the support and guidance of UK practitioners and nurse educationalists to facilitate these changes in perspectives. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the influence of the project in anticipation of a forthcoming paper that will detail evaluation processes that the provision has undergone and examine the findings in more detail.

This paper provides an account of a joint project of education and training of doctors and nurses in St Petersburg, funded by the Know How Fund Health Sector Small Partnership Scheme (Russia). Contextual material on drug and alcohol misuse in Russia is introduced prior to a focus on the drug and alcohol misuse issues in St Petersburg. Reference is made to historical and contemporary material on alcohol and drug misuse, and attention is drawn to the reliability of statistical data. The main aims of the project and the work carried out are outlined. Firstly, to bring together medical and nursing colleagues, enabling a recognition of the overlap in training and educational needs of both professional groups, and the learning that can occur from understanding each others roles and responsibilities. Secondly, that the theory and practice of different approaches to care and treatment can be incorporated into already established curricula used to educate both nurses and doctors. Colleagues in St Petersburg have requested the support and guidance of UK practitioners and nurse educationalists to facilitate these changes in perspectives. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the influence of the project in anticipation of a forthcoming paper that will detail evaluation processes that the provision has undergone and examine the findings in more detail.

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of community nurses in the management of a mental health information system (MHIS). A purposive convenient sampling method was employed to select 23 community mental health nurses from 23 community health facilities for the study. Individual semi-structured interviews were used, and the data were analysed for themes. The main findings of the study were categorised into the themes of information gathering tools and contents, information processing, and challenges of mental health information processing. Subthemes which emerged were information gathering tools, head count information content, knowledge and skills, computer technology, information flow and sharing, resources, and feedback in information processing. Information processing in terms of data gathering, compiling, analysing, getting feedback, and sharing information were the major concerns. There were inadequate knowledge and skills in information systems, no standard information collection tools designed for mental health, and lack of infrastructure, such as a mental health information network system across the health facilities and up to the higher level. Mental health requires a responsible person that deals with the MHIS in terms of reporting, analysing and getting feedback from the results of analysis back to the people at ground level for implementation. The amount of mental health information being collected and processed was inadequate and of poor quality. This has resulted in having few data available for the decision making process and/or planning mental health services.

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of community nurses in the management of a mental health information system (MHIS). A purposive convenient sampling method was employed to select 23 community mental health nurses from 23 community health facilities for the study. Individual semi-structured interviews were used, and the data were analysed for themes. The main findings of the study were categorised into the themes of information gathering tools and contents, information processing, and challenges of mental health information processing. Subthemes which emerged were information gathering tools, head count information content, knowledge and skills, computer technology, information flow and sharing, resources, and feedback in information processing. Information processing in terms of data gathering, compiling, analysing, getting feedback, and sharing information were the major concerns. There were inadequate knowledge and skills in information systems, no standard information collection tools designed for mental health, and lack of infrastructure, such as a mental health information network system across the health facilities and up to the higher level. Mental health requires a responsible person that deals with the MHIS in terms of reporting, analysing and getting feedback from the results of analysis back to the people at ground level for implementation. The amount of mental health information being collected and processed was inadequate and of poor quality. This has resulted in having few data available for the decision making process and/or planning mental health services.

Background: Internet-based distance learning combined with local hands-on skill enhancement can provide high-quality standardized education to in-service healthcare professionals in a wide geographical area. Objective: Primary objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of internet-based distance learning in conjunction with local hands-on skill enhancement in improving knowledge and skills of essential newborn care among in-service nursing health professionals. Methods: A total of 98 participants from seven health facilities in India and Maldives were enrolled in the study. Delivery of course material staggered over 5 weeks in the form of two lessons every week was moderated by two to three online tutors at each site. Participants managed actual case scenarios, participated in discussion forums and synchronous chat sessions within a closed group. Skill learning was administered by local tutor at the partnering health facilities. Knowledge and skill enhancement were evaluated by administering online multiple-choice questions (MCQs) test and on-site objective structured clinical evaluation (OSCE) stations before and after completion of the course. Participants' satisfaction was evaluated on a five-point Likert scale. Results: Among 98 participants enrolled in the study, 78 (79%) completed the post-test assessment. There was significant increase in knowledge and skills scores (MCQ test: mean difference: 6.4 (95% CI: 5.6-7.17), OSCE: mean difference: 15.4 (95% CI: 12.7-18.1). All the participants expressed satisfaction with content and delivery of the learning module. Conclusion: To conclude, online training and teaching in essential newborn care is feasible and acceptable for in-service nursing professionals and serves as a useful tool for professional development of their practical skills and knowledge.

This article examines Healthy Homes, a program intended to initiate a new approach to housing repairs and maintenance in remote communities in the Northern Territory of Australia. It argues that while the evidence for associations between poor housing and poor health outcomes is clear, greater attention should be paid to the implementation of health-focused housing interventions. Healthy Homes was examined through interviews with public servants, Aboriginal community-controlled organisation staff, and householders, alongside participant observation during maintenance projects and Condition Assessment Tool inspections. Routine housing, inspections, and expenditure datasets were also analysed. Across 5498 houses subject to Healthy Homes and over a twenty-month period, only 1315 Condition Assessment Tool inspections were completed, which is the key mechanism for generating preventive maintenance work. Expenditure on repairs and maintenance was stable between the old maintenance model and under Healthy Homes. Most Healthy Homes remote housing maintenance contracts were awarded to Aboriginal business enterprises. This article finds that Healthy Homes did not effectively shift remote property management to prioritise preventive maintenance. Issues with data collection and monitoring, program implementation, and contractual arrangements impeded more consistent and effective attention paid to the condition of housing health hardware. Future investment into the implementation of health-focused remote housing preventive maintenance programs must attend to the details of program design, including the data collection processes and contractual terms for service providers.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education is one of the most discussed topics among educators today. The current high-tech world requires more scientists and engineers than ever before. However, interest in STEM subjects appears to be insufficient to meet the future need. Although many strategies have been introduced to motivate students to enter technical fields, additional approaches are needed to continue to attract students to STEM fields. In this paper, a model is described that uses university resources to promote hands-on STEM demonstrations utilizing both in-house and mobile assets. The in-house program uses an annual open house and school field trips to provide “hands-on” science and engineering demonstrations as well as facility tours and STEM videos to encourage a greater focus on STEM disciplines. The Mobile Nanotechnology Education Laboratory, a.k.a. “Nanobus”, is an outreach program that visits schools and provides a similar experience to students who ...

Only 16% (8,500 out Only 2 (of 5) companies with of 52,000ϩ) Only 25% (5/20) of NIH-registered IBCs actually Overall findings of biotech employees top biotech comply, for an overall work at a compliant companies have compliance rate of 10% company. registered IBCs. (2/20).

O objetivo deste artigo é discutir o conceito de avaliação continuada a partir da experiência avaliativa de um programa de educação superior de uma universidade pública, que é ao mesmo tempo uma ação afirmativa, um curso de educação geral e uma nova forma de acesso aos cursos de graduação. Avaliação continuada representa uma inovação em termos conceituais e metodológicos na área de políticas públicas ao propor um processo que acompanha toda a existência de uma política. A análise da avaliação do programa de educação geral traz contribuições de duas naturezas: a) a compreensão de como construir um sistema de avaliação continuada; b) a operacionalização de tal sistema, evidenciando tanto a geração de insumos de forma contínua para a tomada de decisões quanto os desafios que vêm sendo enfrentados para que essa integração entre avaliação e tomada de decisões continue ocorrendo.

This article describes a STARTALK intensive summer high school Mandarin language and culture program that was conducted for three summers. Participants across the three years included 40 Mandarin Level II and 53 Mandarin Level III high school students. Quantitative and qualitative data are presented to show the effectiveness of the program. Students' language proficiency scores showed significant improvement between pre-and posttests for listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Interview and observational data are also discussed to show students' improvement in all four Mandarin language skills, as well as their increased knowledge of Chinese culture. A detailed program description including program goals, curriculum, instruction, and assessment is also shared for those who are interested in replicating the program model.

ObjectiveThe Royal Perth Hospital (RPH; Perth, Australia) has been the receiving facility for burns patients in two separate disasters. In 2002, RPH received 28 severely injured burns patients after the Bali bombing, and in 2009 RPH received 23 significantly burnt patients as a result of an explosion on board a foreign vessel in the remote Ashmore Reef Islands (840 km west of Darwin). The aim of this paper is to identify the interventions developed following the Bali bombing in 2002 and review their effectiveness of their implementation in the subsequent burns disaster.MethodsA comparative case study analysis using a standardised approach was used to describe context with debrief reports and ED photographs from both disasters used for evaluation.ResultsThe implementation of regular ED disaster response planning and training, early Code Brown notification of the entire hospital with regular updates, early clearing of inpatient beds, use of Short Message Service to communicate regular...

Objectives. To develop, implement, and assess an interprofessional rural health professions program for pharmacy and medical students. Design. A recruitment and admissions process was developed that targeted students likely to practice in rural areas. Pharmacy students participated alongside medical students in completing the Rural Health Professions program curriculum, which included monthly lecture sessions and assignments, and a capstone clinical requirement in the final year. Assessment. Fourteen pharmacy students and 33 medical students were accepted into the program during the first 2 years of the Rural Health Professions program. Approximately 90% of the rural health professions students were originally from rural areas. Conclusions. The rural health professions program is an interprofessional approach to preparing healthcare providers to practice in rural communities.

To credibly state that a disease management (DM) program "caused" a specific outcome it is required that metrics observed in the DM population be compared with metrics that would have been expected in the absence of a DM intervention. That requirement can be very difficult to achieve, and epidemiologists and others have developed guiding principles of causality by which credible estimates of DM impact can be made. This paper introduces those key principles. First, DM program metrics must be compared with metrics from a "reference population." This population should be "equivalent" to the DM intervention population on all factors that could independently impact the outcome. In addition, the metrics used in both groups should use the same defining criteria (ie, they must be "comparable" to each other). The degree to which these populations fulfill the "equivalent" assumption and metrics fulfill the "comparability" assumption should be stated. Second, when "equivalence" or "comparability" is not achieved, the DM managers should acknowledge this fact and, where possible, "control" for those factors that may impact the outcome(s). Finally, it is highly unlikely that one study will provide definitive proof of any specific DM program value for all time; thus, we strongly recommend that studies be ongoing, at multiple points in time, and at multiple sites, and, when observational study designs are employed, that more than one type of study design be utilized. Methodologically sophisticated studies that follow these "principles of causality" will greatly enhance the reputation of the important and growing efforts in DM.