bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Training in the use of the Continuous Miner
Authors: Morris C. W.
Published: July 2017

A training system has been developed to help coal companies structure a continuous miner operator training course. The system includes an instructor guide, supporting audio-visual materials, and an optional continuous miner part-task procedures trainer. The instructor guide identifies company specific information about the machine and mining conditions, and operator tasks that must be collected for the course and a recommended procedure for teaching the material.

A part-task continuous miner procedures trainer has been developed to teach control familiarization, machine responses, and safe operating procedures that are applicable to room and pillar mining. The trainer consists of a cab with typical operating controls and a computer-generated graphics display that depicts a plan and elevation view of the miner as it maneuvers through a stylized mine. A continuous miner's sounds and maneuvers are produced in response to the trainee's manipulation of the controls.
An Analytical Approach to Accident Control
Authors: Bryant Joseph E. , Cline Jerry L.
Published: July 2017

An analytical approach to accident control is presented and said to be applicable to many types of production operations, particularly those involving delicate and easily damaged end-item hardware. Elements of the analytical approach are defining project goals and priorities, identifying acceptable levels of risk, conducting accident modes and effects analyses, synthesizing hazards and hazard areas, and making objective decisions based upon quantitative data. Techniques for analyzing hazard areas in production operations are included.
Performance Measurement using an Auditory Monitoring Task
Authors: Newman Richard A.
Published: July 2017

An auditory monitoring task has been developed for use in shipboard environments as a measure of task performance under difficult environmental conditions such as severe ship motion. The task involves listening to sequences of apparently random presentations of either three or four tones. The listener must monitor the number of occurences of either two or three specified tones from the set. When the specified number have occurred, a button is pressed, and the count restarted. With reasonable training, stable performance in the laboratory can be obtained for at least thirty minutes of monitoring. A wide range of tone presentation rates were used, as were different ratios of tones monitored to tones presented. The results demonstrated that both presentation rate and tones monitored to tones presented could be used to control task difficulty. A consistent and significant difference in performance was found between men (N = 10) and women (N = 8). The literature on sex differences describes such differences in performance on auditory tasks, but does not provide an adequate explanation. The space/power requirements and other support needed to implement the test are minimal, making it adaptable to many difficult situations.
Human Factors Guidelines for the use of Word Recognition Devices
Authors: Edman Thomas R.
Published: July 2017

Speech recognition devices are finding increasing use in industrial environments, and continue to receive interest for military and data processing applications. In the ten year commercial history of word recognition devices, a small but valuable body of literature has developed which can assist the human factors engineer in making best use of this technology. Similarly, an even larger, though less well structured body of informed experience with these devices has also been accumulated. Sufficient data therefore, exists to permit development of a preliminary set of human factors guidelines for the use of speech recognition devices. To be discussed will be: (1) procedures for training word recognition devices; (2) guidelines for vocabulary selection; (3) methods for evaluating the performance of word recognition devices; (4) criteria for selecting applications for word recognition. The emphasis will be on detailed factors which affect recognition accuracy in application environments, e.g., effects of noise, parameters of training and acoustic-phonetic aspects of vocabulary selection.
Alternative Character-Spacing Algorithms for Crt-Displayed Text
Authors: Knight James L.
Published: July 2017

In traditional CRT displays of text, a centered-spacing algorithm is used with constant center-to-center distance between adjacent characters. This spacing algorithm is also used for most typewriters. In proportional-spacing, the edge-to-edge (rather than center-to-center) distance between adjacent characters is controlled. This can result in significantly greater display densities of textual information than with traditional centered-spacing. Human factors problems and issues associated with these alternative character-spacing algorithms for CRT-displayed text will be presented.
How to Make Large Screen Displays Legible
Authors: Shurtleff Donald A. , Wuersch William F. , Rogers James G.
Published: July 2017

Four major display variables, luminance adaptation level, symbol contrast ratio, symbol visual size and off-axis viewing angle, were related, in a rotatable central composite design, to an observer's ability to identify symbols shown on a large screen display (LSD). The results show the nature and significance of all main effects as well as delineate the important interactions among these variables. The results can be used as an LSD design and evaluation tool permitting tradeoffs to be made among the important features of display equipment, projection screens and viewing facilities.
Substitution Error Potential in Nuclear Power Plant Control Rooms
Authors: Kirkpatrick Mark , Mallory Kenneth
Published: July 2017

Nuclear power plant control rooms contain large numbers of identical or similar control and display components. The discrimination cues available for selecting a single component are frequently minimal. This situation can lead to substitution errors in which the wrong display is read or the wrong control is operated. An example of such an error is discussed in relation to a generic procedure sequence and remedial approaches are presented with respect to both original design and modification of existing control panels.
Potential Uses of two Types of Stereographic Display Systems in the Airborne Fire Control Environment
Authors: Mountford S. Joy , Somberg Ben
Published: July 2017

The potential utility of three-dimensional displays in an air combat environment was investigated using two types of stereo hardware systems. Helmet-mounted heads up display symbology formats were designed for a head-coupled helmet display system. These stereo-graphic displays were also presented on a forward projection screen and viewed using shutter goggles. Pilot opinion was solicited after flying exposure to an air-to-air guns scenario. Our limited data and opinion base indicated a slight disadvantage for the head-coupled system compared with the goggle system. However, pilots were very responsive to the idea of using stereographic displays and suggested air-to-ground and 4-D NAV uses. It appears that one potential use for stereo displays may be in a training context. Stereographic displays offer pilots an opportunity to learn the impact that control inputs can have on the future physics of a mission environment. Many unresolved areas of research and interest concerning stereographic display technology are generated by this research study.
Automatic Return in Multifunction Control Logic
Authors: Aretz Anthony J. , Kopala Carole Jean
Published: July 2017

A study was conducted to determine the feasibility of automating the return function in a multifunction control device. An automatic return function takes the control logic from any menu page back to the first page if the pilot does not select additional functions during a predetermined time period. The acceptability of three return time periods: 5, 10, and 15 seconds, was evaluated in a flight simulation. While there were no significant performance differences among the three time periods, subjective questionnaire data showed that pilots were in favor of automating the return function and had a significant preference for the 10 second time period.
Background Influence on Visual Accommodation: Implications for Target Acquisition
Authors: Benel Russell A. , Benel Denise C. R.
Published: July 2017

The accommodation of two groups of six observers each of whom viewed high-contrast checkerboard targets presented at six distances (0.9, 1.8, 3.7, 7.3, 16.6 and 29.3m) against either of two backgrounds (highly textured or textureless) was measured with a laser optometer. Significant differences existed between the accommodative responses at each distance due to backgrounds. Implications for size-distances perception and target detection are discussed.
The Model Human Processor: A Model for Making Engineering Calculations of Human Performance
Authors: Card S. K.
Published: July 2017

It can be argued that one of the chief impediments to progress in human engineering is the lack of a model of the human information-processor posed in such a way as to enable approximate engineering calculations to be made of human performance. The Model Human Processor is an attempt at such a model. The use of the model is illustrated through sample computations.
Hand Calculator Performance Under Interrupted Operation
Authors: Kreifeldt John G.
Published: July 2017

Hand calculators use either Reverse Polish Notation or Algebraic Notation and users of each ordinarily declare that their own type is superior. Of three published experiments, two have indicated RPN is superior to AN while one has shown no difference. The present experiment compared the two logic systems under uninterrupted conditions and when the subjects were interrupted during the task simulating realworld conditions. During noninterrupted operation, no significant performance differences were found between RPN and AN. When users were interrupted, both type of logic users took longer to complete the task although AN users took much longer than RPN users. Examination of these and previous results suggest that, while RPN seems to be superior to AN, a further conclusion is that RPN and AN users may possess inherently different problem formulation logics which each match their selected calculator logics.
The Effects of Different Pictorial Formats on Assembly Performance
Authors: Goto Russell N.
Published: July 2017

A laboratory experiment was conducted to assess three different pictorial formats typically employed to supplement written assembly instructions. The findings indicated that using pictorial formats which preselect relevant task information may lead to improved assembly performance.
Research in Brief
Authors: Dillon Richard H. , Mccray Elwin E.
Published: July 2017

This department is devoted to shorter articles and notes on research in the communications field, either completed or in progress. Readers are invited to submit reports on investigative studies which might prove useful to other students because of content, method, or implications for further research.
British Tories Learn a Lesson in Political Propaganda
Authors: Morrison Marcia
Published: July 2017

Convinced that the Labor victory of 1950 was due in part to superior propaganda, the Conservative Party has revamped its setup and is encouraged by the results. Miss Morrison, a student at the University of Minnesota, spent last summer investigating political party promotional methods in London.
Research in Brief
Authors: Christian Byron H.
Published: July 2017

This department is devoted to shorter articles and notes on research in the communications field, either completed or in progress. Readers are invited to submit reports on investigative studies which might prove useful to other students because of content, method, or implications for further research.
News Notes
Authors: Price Warren C.
Published: July 2017

News for inclusion in this section … activities of schools and departments of journalism, staff appointments and changes, curricular developments and the like … should be sent to Professor Price, School of Journalism, University of Oregon, Eugene, Ore. Notes for the next issue should reach him by October 1.
Effects of the Teletypesetter upon Newspaper Practices
Authors: Cranford Robert J.
Published: July 2017

Opening of teletypesetter circuits by all three American press associations arouses widespread speculation as to their effects upon journalism. A former newspaperman and journalism school director, Mr. Cranford did the research for this study at the State University of Iowa, where he is a candidate for the Ph.D.
Articles on Mass Communications in American Magazines
Authors: Higbie Charles E.
Published: July 2017

The first quarter of 1952 brought no spectacular events within the field of journalism. Neither were there material changes in the status of controversies which developed in the preceding quarter. The decision in the case of five Louisiana newsmen accused of defamation by gamblers at Lake Charles had not yet been handed down. William Oatis of the AP remained in a Czechoslovakian prison.

Debate over the governmental security order continued in a more restrained way while an interdepartmental security classification board began operation to put President Truman's executive order into effect. Additional areas of news blackout were being pointed out in state and local government and in private business by some observers to be debated along with federal news restrictions. Increased administrative control of campus newspapers was reported from several localities.

Great interest was evidenced in new technical developments in mass media, including the impending “thaw” of the television freeze and the effect of teletype-setter circuits on subscribing dailies.
Mass Media Audiences: City, Small City, Village and Farm
Authors: Maclean Malcolm’ S.
Published: July 2017

This report compares some aspects of mass media behavior among four segments of the population. The studies were carried out at the University of Minnesota under a grant from the Office of Naval Research. They were directed by Dr. Ralph O. Nafziger, now journalism director at Wisconsin.
The Charleston Daily Courier: Standard-Bearer of Confederacy
Authors: Malone Henry Thompson
Published: July 2017

This paper was notable for its loyalty to President Davis and its remarkable editorial restraint. The author of this article recently received his Ph.D. in history from Emory University, with a minor in journalism. He is now a member of the faculty of the Atlanta Division of the University of Georgia.
Electronics and Plastics in Photo-Journalism
Authors: Wilson Harold W.
Published: July 2017

Electronic engraving is playing an important role in bringing more pictures to small dailies and weeklies throughout the country. The author, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Minnesota, writes from first-hand experience with the Scan-a-graver as well as wide observation.
Articles on Mass Communications in American Magazines
Authors: Higbie Charles E.
Published: July 2017

The event that produced the greatest amount of controversial wordage concerning newspapers and journalism during the second quarter of 1952 was undoubtedly President Truman's offhand reply to a question seeking to link the governmental seizure of steel plants to a possible seizure of newspapers. The President's remark, made at a press conference with the American Society of Newspaper Editors, was debated as to meaning and intent for several weeks despite attempted clarification by the White House.

More definite was the exoneration of five Lake Charles, La. newsmen accused of defamation by local officials. The Louisiana state judge, in giving his decision, read a ringing assertion of the right of newspapers to inquire into local affairs and to comment upon the action of local officials.

Other controversial incidents included the filing of a suit by the Las Vegas, Nev. Sun to break up an alleged advertising boycott inspired by Senator Pat McCarran. In the suit's first test, a federal district judge ordered the return of advertising to the newspaper. According to Time magazine, Senator Joseph McCarthy sent letters to advertisers of Time asking them to cease patronizing the magazine because of stories printed about the senator.

Economic developments in the field of communications involved the ending of the television channel allocation “freeze” and the announcement of the policy and order of the awarding of channels throughout the United States. The price of newsprint was jumped $10 a ton by all major Canadian pulp manufacturers during the period.
Communications’ “Prophets”: Are They Any Good?
Authors: Taylor Wilson L.
Published: July 2017

Reported here are the results of an exploratory experiment designed to test how well six “experts” could predict a public's reaction to propaganda. The author conducted the experiment while an assistant professor of journalism at Tulane University. He is now on the research staff at Illinois.
A Management Audit of the Cincinnati Enquirer
Authors: Lynds Dennis J.
Published: July 2017

Publication of a four-year study by the American Institute of Management comes as a historic newspaper is transferred from trustee to employee-community ownership. Mr. Lynds, who summarizes the audit here, is editor of the AIM's monthly publication, the Corporate Director.
The Press of Uruguay: Historical Setting, Political Shadings
Authors: Fitzgibbon Russell H.
Published: July 2017

The nation's delicate relationship to its powerful neighbors, its political and international awareness, and its democratic way of life all enhance the opportunities of the mass media. Dr. Fitzgibbon, author of several books and numerous articles on Latin America, is professor of political science at UCLA.
Communications in Industry: A New Frontier for Educators
Authors: Breth Robert D.
Published: July 2017

The co-author of The Successful Employee Publication urges journalism schools to tackle the whole problem of industrial communications and not the house organ alone. Mr. Breth is a management consultant in Philadelphia and has pioneered in organizing courses of the type he describes here.
A Selected Bibliography from Foreign Journals
Authors: Gerald J. Edward ,   Assisted, Mitchell V. Charnley , Hage George S. , Schneider Maarten
Published: July 2017

The summer passed quietly on the international press scene, though the undertone of restlessness and economic perplexity continued in the United Kingdom and Western Europe. The promise of more paper found British daily publishers wondering if they were not bound in the pattern of operations based on scarcity of newsprint so long as the price of paper continued around 55 £ a ton.

A rewritten defamation law passed the British House of Commons. L'Echo of Paris continued its valuable series on the experiences of individual newspapers since the Liberation. The editor of World's Press News, Mr. Arthur J. Heighway, whose work had greatly improved the journal and set the pace in London, left his post in a disagreement with the management. I. P. I. Report continued its superb coverage of international journalism.
The Rationale of Surgical Treatment of Invasive Breast Cancer and Decision Making of Surgical Procedures
Authors: Bergkvist L.
Published: July 2017

Surgery plays a major role in the primary treatment of breast cancer. There has been rapid development in breast surgery over the last 20 years. Breast conserving therapy is standard today for tumours up till 4 cm in diameter, and can be used in selected cases for larger tumours after preoperative down staging with chemotherapy. Breast conserving therapy with postoperative radiotherapy gives the same long-term overall survival as mastectomy. Axillary surgery has also developed conservatively, with the introduction of the new technique of sentinel node biopsy, which offers an alternative to axillary clearance for staging of the axilla, with less morbidity.
Radioisotope-Guided Surgical Biopsy of Costal Metastases in Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Axelsson C. K. , Nielsen B. P. , Graff J.
Published: July 2017

Radioisotope bone scanning is a sensitive indicator of metastatic disease. Localization of the hot spot for biopsy is difficult. Today, a hand-held gamma probe enables the surgeon intraoperatively to accomplish the localization procedure easily. As this technique is described in American literature exclusively, more recent European findings is presented here. During one month two patients were diagnosed with breast cancer. Bone scanning disclosed minor hot spots in the ribs. On the day of surgical biopsy the localization of the hot spots was guided by a gamma probe. For the biopsy a dermal punch biopsy needle was employed, and fine needle aspiration biopsies were also taken.

The procedures were easy and completed within a few minutes. The post-operative courses were uneventful. In one patient, final histology showed malignancy in both biopsies. In the other patient, only the fine needle aspiration biopsy was malignant. The punch biopsy was abnormal, but did not contain malignant tissue.

The gamma probe is an important tool in the performance of rib biopsies of nonpalpable lesions. The punch biopsy technique is simple and combined with fine needle aspiration biopsy the method has proven to be sensitive and accurate. The punch biopsy technique furthermore reduces the risk of postoperative pneumothorax.
Feasibility of Predicting the Risk of Atrial Fibrillation after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery with Logistic Regression Model
Authors: Hakala T. , Pitkänen O. , Hippeläinen M.
Published: July 2017

Background and Aims:

The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary artery bypass grafting and to create predictive model and to evaluate the effects of AF on patients outcome.

Material and Methods:

Data of 3,676 consecutive patients were analysed to identify the predictors of AF. Multivariate logistic regression model was validated prospectively in 1,107 patients.

Results:

Increasing age (p < 0.001), preoperative use of digoxin (p = 003), need of intra-aortic balloon pump or inotropic medication in the weaning off cardiopulmonary by pass or during the first 24 hours postoperatively (p = 0.013), increasing body surface area (p = 0.006) and lower ejection fraction (p = 0.048) were independent risk factors for postoperative AF. The predictive model gave area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve 0.682, 95 % confidence interval 0.663–0.701, and p < 0.001. The patients with AF incidence had more postoperative stroke (p = 0.008), confusion (p < 0.001) severe gastrointestinal complications (p = 0.005), readmission to ICU (p < 0.001), longer ICU (p < 0.001) and hospital stay (p < 0.001) when compared with the patients who remained in sinus rhythm.

Conclusion:

Logistic regression model with the parameters used was not accurate enough for clinical purposes. Postoperative AF is associated with postoperative stroke, severe gastrointestinal complications, readmission to ICU, and longer ICU and hospital stay.
The Long-Term Results of Lubinus Interplanta Hemiarthroplasty in 228 Acute Femoral Neck Fractures. A Retrospective Six-Year Follow-Up
Authors: Isotalo K. , Rantanen J. , Äärimaa V. , Gullichsen E.
Published: July 2017

Background and Aims:

We retrospectively studied survival of patients treated with Lubinus interplanta (IP) semiendoprosthesis in acute hip fracture.

Materials and Methods:

The long-term results of Lubinus interplanta (IP) hemiarthroplasty in 228 acute medial fractures of the femoral neck in 222 patients were reviewed.

Results and Conclusions:

The mean age of the patients was 80.3 years. The mean duration of post-operative follow-up was 6.3 years (range 5–8 years). There were 12 reoperations (5.3 %), of which 8 were revisions (3.5 %). Dislocation rate was 3.5 %. Survival was 93 % at three years and 88 % at six years (Kaplan-Meier-survival analysis).

Conclusions:

These results surpass those previously published after Thompson and Moore hemiarthroplasties. The Lubinus prosthesis has a greater CCD (caput, collum, diaphyse) angle and a longer stem compared to Thompson and Moore implants. The need for resection of calcar cortex is also limited. These biomechanical facts may explain the good long-term results of Lubinus hemiarthroplasty.
Peroral Tramadol Premedication Increases Postoperative Nausea and Delays Home-Readiness in Day-Case Knee Arthroscopy Patients
Authors: Liukkonen K. , Santanen U. , Pere P. , Erkola O. , Rautoma P.
Published: July 2017

Background and Aims:

To evaluate the effect of preoperative oral tramadol on postoperative pain and its effect on the patient's home-readiness after diagnostic day-case knee arthroscopy performed under spinal anaesthesia.

Material and Methods:

We studied 156 outpatients in a prospective, randomized, double-blind fashion to examine the postoperative analgesic effect of preoperative oral slow-release tramadol. Postoperative pain was measured using a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS). Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and the patients home-readiness were assessed.

Results:

There were no statistically significant differences in the postoperative VAS scores between the tramadol and placebo groups, nor was there any significant difference in the need for postoperative pain medication. Patients in the tramadol group had higher incidence of PONV and they were discharged from hospital later than those given placebo although the tramadol patients required less intravenous midazolam for sedation.

Conclusions:

Preoperatively given slow-release tramadol is ineffective for reduction of postoperative pain after day-case arthroscopy of the knee. Additionally, preoperative tramadol is associated with higher incidence of PONV and it seems to cause delay in the patient's home-readiness.
Epidemiological Trends of Colorectal Cancer in the Nordic Countries
Authors: Malila N. , Hakulinen T.
Published: July 2017

Cancer of the colorectum is the second most common cancer in the Nordic countries, after breast cancer. In this report, following Møller et al. (Eur J Cancer Prev 2002; 11 Suppl: S1–96), trends in incidence of colon and rectum cancers in the five Nordic countries are presented from 1958–1962 to 1993–1997, with future predictions for 2003–2007. The data originate from population-based cancer registries in each of the Nordic countries.

Two thirds of the cases are colon cancers and one-third rectum cancers. From 1958–1962 to 1993–1997, the incidence of colon cancer has increased in all Nordic countries and the rates are predicted to increase further in Finland, Iceland, and Norway. The incidence rate of rectum cancer has increased slightly in Finland, Iceland, and Sweden, whereas the rate has decreased steadily in Denmark, originally a high-incidence country. In Norway the rates have increased substantially in both genders.

Marked differences exist between individual Nordic countries in colorectal cancer incidence trends and known dietary or other life style associated factors cannot fully explain them.
Stability of Internally Fixed Femoral Neck Fractures Augmented with Resorbable Cement
Authors: Mattsson P. , Larsson S.
Published: July 2017

Background and Aims:

Internal fixation of displaced femoral neck fractures is associated with a high risk for complications such as non-union or avascular necrosis. A stable fracture fixation can improve prognosis although stability is often counteracted by weak osteoporotic bone. The aim with this study was to evaluate whether augmentation with resorbable calcium-phosphate cement could improve fracture stability during the early period after surgery as shown in biomechanical studies.

Material and Methods:

40 ambulatory patients with a displaced femoral neck fracture were randomized to treatment with cannulated screws alone (controls) or screws combined with calcium-phosphate cement for augmentation (augmented). All patients were allowed unrestricted weight bearing after surgery. Fracture movement was measured with radiostereometry (RSA) at 1 and 6 weeks.

Results:

At 1 week the augmented fractures had moved on average 1.9±1.0 mm while movement in the controls was 5.5±3.4 mm (p < 0.0001). The average total movement at weeks was 6.9±2.9 mm and 10.9±5.1 mm, respectively (p < 0.005). Varus angulation and distal migration of the femoral head were the most common movements for both groups although augmented fractures had moved significantly less at both 1 and 6 weeks. There were no significant differences in angulation between groups around the longitudinal and transversal axes or in migration along the transverse or sagittal axes.

Conclusion:

Augmentation with calcium-phosphate cement improved the stability of internally fixed femoral neck fractures during the first six weeks after surgery, with improvement being less pronounced at six weeks compared with at one week.
Progression of Malignancy in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinomas
Authors: Virtanen I. , Lehto V.-P.
Published: July 2017

Much progress has recently been obtained in the classification and characterization of RCC by using cytogenetic, gene microarray and proteomic techniques. Pivotal for the understanding of the progression of malignancy of clear cell renal cell carcinomas are findings connecting its biology to inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau tumour suppressor gene product (VHLp), found in most CC-RCCs. Disruption of VHLp function appears to be involved in altered cell cycle control, resistance to hypoxia, hyperangiogenesis and changes in the organization of cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix proteins in RCC. These changes are reflected in the overexpression of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the subunits of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), and other angiogenetic and metastasis-promoting factors. Other changes related to progression of malignancy in RCC are the upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines and changes in cell adhesion proteins.
Integrated Sexual Healthcare: The Development and Review of One Model of Service Delivery
Authors: Dawson S.G. , Callander N. , Roche C. , Kingsland T. , Desmond N.
Published: July 2017

Sexual health is topical with many factors impacting upon its concept and hence provision. In 1995 the Sexual Health Service in East Berkshire was formed by the integration of the clinical services of Family Planning, Genitourinary Medicine and HIV with Sexual Health Promotion. The philosophy of the service is to provide holistic sexual healthcare in one visit, on one site by one clinical team. This article outlines the practical developments and the strengths and weaknesses of this model of service.
The Belgian—Dutch Clinical Pathway Network
Authors: Sermeus W. , Vanhaecht K. , Vleugels A.
Published: July 2017

In 2000, the Centre for Health Services & Nursing Research, Catholic University Leuven, Belgium, launched the Belgian—Dutch Clinical Pathway Network. This is a joint effort by both Belgian and Dutch hospitals to implement clinical pathways in the organisation of their practice. This article describes why the network was started, the core objectives and the organisation of the network.
Framework for the Implementation of Integrated Care Pathways: An Introduction
Authors: Cook Susy , Scott Marie
Published: July 2017

This is the first of a series of three papers to be published in the Journal of Integrated Care Pathways addressing the importance of a strategic infrastructure to support the advancement of integrated care pathways (ICPs) as a vehicle for care delivery. The series will discuss the need for effective tools to support implementation and the importance of spreading and sustaining improved practice. The papers have been written in response to a presentation given at the Integrated Care Pathways 2004 conference, and will provide readers with an opportunity to explore the concepts in more depth.
Wales-Wide Changes to the ICP for the Last Days of Life: Reflections of Local Protocols and Guidelines
Authors: Fowell Andrew , Johnstone Ros , Roberts Lindsey , Jones Angela
Published: July 2017

The Wales-wide implementation of a pre-developed care pathway for the last days of life reflected four different care settings and crossed the statutory and voluntary boundaries. Within the literature concerning pathways, the notion of ‘ownership’ is often cited as a factor contributing to successful implementation. To engender local ownership, each site seeking to implement the pathway was encouraged to make changes to the documentation to reflect local guidelines and protocols. This paper reports on the changes made to the pathway documentation throughout Wales.
Investigating the Attitudes of Health-Care Professionals towards the Use of Integrated Care Pathways in a District General Hospital: A Thematic Analysis of Focus Group Discussion
Authors: Claridge Tanya , Parker Dianne , Cook Gary
Published: July 2017

Context:

Integrated care pathways (ICPs) are an increasingly common approach to the standardization and integration of health-care practice in the NHS. They delineate interdisciplinary critical decision points and evidence-based daily treatment regimens for patients in specific disease groups. ICP champions assert that they have the potential to decrease medical errors, increase the accuracy of data capture, increase the efficiency of personnel and ultimately improve the quality of patient care. Despite the theoretical benefits of ICP use, there was anecdotal evidence of staff unease and audit evidence of variable compliance with ICPs at a district general hospital (DGH).

Objective:

This focus group study was one of the three interdependent methodologies used to investigate the attitudes of health-care professionals towards ICPs in a DGH. It was anticipated that thematic analysis of the focus group discussion would facilitate further the interpretation of qualitative data already analysed in a previous phase of the project, and inform the development of a survey questionnaire investigating the attitudes of the health-care professionals towards ICPs.

Design:

Ten focus groups comprising on average, six health-care professionals were conducted. The staff involved included doctors, nurses, professions allied to medicine, a member of the Community Health Council and non-clinical managers. The focus groups included staff with a range of seniority and speciality.

Results:

Analysis of the data achieved facilitated the confirmation and identification of themes underpinning the focus group discussion. These are reported here and illustrated by representative quotations.

Conclusion:

The focus group study provided a valuable insight into the attitudes regarding ICPs of over 60 health-care professionals. The themes identified were used to facilitate the development of a survey questionnaire to explore them in a quantifiable way. Focus group methodology proved to be a useful way to explore emerging issues in depth, and to observe areas of disagreement among staff.
Integrated Care Pathway to Promote the Health of Looked after Children
Authors: Simkiss D E
Published: July 2017

Background:

There are currently major national drivers set out in the Children Act 2004 and the National Service Framework for Children, Young People and Maternity Services that require closer working between statutory agencies, the voluntary sector and young people. Integrated care pathway methodology was used to improve the coordination of health assessments for looked after children.

Methods:

A working group of looked after children, health, education and social-care professionals, and a care pathway facilitator was established. Meetings were held with all interested parties. National guidance, ‘Promoting the Health of Looked After Children’, was incorporated into a process map for this service in Birmingham.

Results:

The outcomes include the process itself and a set of operational products. The process enabled young people and different professionals to better understand each other's roles and perspectives. The operational products included a process map and detailed care pathway, new health assessment documentation, an audit tool and a variance reporting strategy.

Conclusions:

An integrated care pathway process is a useful tool in facilitating closer working between agencies and young people. It can establish inter-agency governance procedures fundamental to delivering a Children's Trust model of working.
The Analytic Challenge in Interpretive Description
Authors: Thorne Sally , Kirkham Sheryl Reimer , O'Flynn-Magee Katherine
Published: July 2017

The past decade has witnessed remarkable evolution within qualitative health research as scholars have moved beyond initial adherence to the specific methods of phenomenology, grounded theory, and ethnography to develop methods more responsive to the experience-based questions of interest to a practice-based discipline. Interpretive description ( Thorne, Reimer Kirkham, & MacDonald-Emes, 1997 ) is an inductive analytic approaches designed to create ways of understanding clinical phenomena that yield applications implications. In this article, we further develop our understanding of this methodological alternative by elaborating on the objective and mechanisms of its analytic processes and by expanding our consideration of its interpretive products.
Understanding Emotional Experience in Fieldwork: Responding to Grief in a Northern Aboriginal Village
Authors: Hedican Edward J.
Published: July 2017

In this article, the author explores the experiential aspects of ethnographic fieldwork, especially in terms of a fieldworker's emotional response to the hardships faced by local people. He presents an ethnographic example concerning fieldwork in a northern Canadian Aboriginal village that evoked an intense emotional reaction from him. He explores this reaction in the context of the epistemological implications of emotional experience in qualitative research and argues that such introspection is a necessary yet understudied component of exploring subjectivity in ethnographic fieldwork.
The Development of Constructivist Grounded Theory
Authors: Mills Jane , Bonner Ann , Francis Karen
Published: July 2017

Constructivist grounded theory is a popular method for research studies primarily in the disciplines of psychology, education, and nursing. In this article, the authors aim to locate the roots of constructivist grounded theory and then trace its development. They examine key grounded theory texts to discern their ontological and epistemological orientation. They find Strauss and Corbin's texts on grounded theory to possess a discernable thread of constructivism in their approach to inquiry. They also discuss Charmaz's landmark work on constructivist grounded theory relative to her positioning of the researcher in relation to the participants, analysis of the data, and rendering of participants' experiences into grounded theory. Grounded theory can be seen as a methodological spiral that begins with Glaser and Strauss' original text and continues today. The variety of epistemological positions that grounded theorists adopt are located at various points on this spiral and are reflective of their underlying ontologies.
Demonstrating Rigor Using Thematic Analysis: A Hybrid Approach of Inductive and Deductive Coding and Theme Development
Authors: Fereday Jennifer , Muir-Cochrane Eimear
Published: July 2017

In this article, the authors describe how they used a hybrid process of inductive and deductive thematic analysis to interpret raw data in a doctoral study on the role of performance feedback in the self-assessment of nursing practice. The methodological approach integrated data-driven codes with theory-driven ones based on the tenets of social phenomenology. The authors present a detailed exemplar of the staged process of data coding and identification of themes. This process demonstrates how analysis of the raw data from interview transcripts and organizational documents progressed toward the identification of overarching themes that captured the phenomenon of performance feedback as described by participants in the study.
Internationally Educated Female Teachers who have Immigrated to Nova Scotia: A Research/Performance Text
Authors: Walsh Susan C. , Brigham Susan M.
Published: July 2017

This research/performance text emerged from a study involving internationally educated female teachers who have immigrated to Atlantic Canada. The text features the words and artwork of the research participants as well as excerpts from newspapers, academic writing, and documents about immigration in Nova Scotia juxtaposed so as to foreground the complexity of the women's immigration and integration experiences. Introductory comments provide contextual information about the research project, the participants, and the evolution of, as well as rationale for, the text as performance piece.
Through a Painted Window: On Narrative, Medicine, and Method Interview with Arthur W. Frank Conducted by the International Institute for Qualitative Methodology EQUIPP Students, November 16, 2005
Authors: Eldershaw Lynn P. , Mayan Maria , Winkler Anne
Published: July 2017

In a 2005 interview with doctoral and postdoctoral students Arthur W. Frank discusses a variety of topics related to qualitative research, such as methodology, narrative, power, rigor, and the peer review process. He reflects on his own work and the artists, philosophers and sociologists who have influenced him. He provides a selective history of research in the social sciences and discusses changes in health care and the practice of medicine.
Study of Errors among Nursing Students
Authors: Koren Ella , Goldberg Shoshana , Shinder-Nekhamkin Ann , Traister Lilit , Fridman Shoshi , Azuly Sima , Sharabani Rachel
Published: July 2017

The study of errors in the health system today is a topic of considerable interest aimed at reducing errors through analysis of the phenomenon and the conclusions reached. Errors that occur frequently among health professionals have also been observed among nursing students. True, in most cases they are actually “near errors,” but these could be a future indicator of therapeutic reality and the effect of nurses' work environment on their personal performance. There are two different approaches to such errors: (a) The EPP (error prone person) approach lays full responsibility at the door of the individual involved in the error, whether a student, nurse, doctor, or pharmacist. According to this approach, handling consists purely in identifying and penalizing the guilty party. (b) The EPE (error prone environment) approach emphasizes the environment as a primary contributory factor to errors. The environment as an abstract concept includes components and processes of interpersonal communications, work relations, human engineering, workload, pressures, technical apparatus, and new technologies. The objective of the present study was to examine the role played by factors in and components of personal performance as compared to elements and features of the environment. The study was based on both of the aforementioned approaches, which, when combined, enable a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon of errors among the student population as well as a comparison of factors contributing to human error and to error deriving from the environment. The theoretical basis of the study was a model that combined both approaches: one focusing on the individual and his or her personal performance and the other focusing on the work environment. The findings emphasize the work environment of health professionals as an EPE. However, errors could have been avoided by means of strict adherence to practical procedures. The authors examined error events in the administration of medication by nursing students during 1999–2006 using narrative analysis and the qualitative triangulation method. The findings result in a recommendation to reconsider the mode of approaching errors in educational processes, the handling of errors in the clinical field, and improvement of the safety climate.
Using Phenomenology to Examine the Experiences of Family Caregivers of Patients with Advanced Head and Neck Cancer: Reflections of a Novice Researcher
Authors: Penner Jamie L. , McClement Susan E.
Published: July 2017

Faced with a number of research methods, astute researchers carefully choose the method of research most appropriate for their inquiry. Even when there is a goodness of fit between the research design selected to conduct the study and the topic of interest, all designs pose challenges for investigators that need to be considered and addressed. This paper represents the reflections of a novice researcher regarding the issues and decisions made in the course of selecting a phenomenological approach to conduct research examining family caregivers' experiences caring for tube feeding–dependent patients with advanced head and neck cancer. As such, the article is aimed at sensitizing other novice investigators about things to consider in selecting a phenomenological perspective to answer their own research questions.
Summative Analysis: A Qualitative Method for Social Science and Health Research
Authors: Rapport Frances
Published: July 2017

In this paper the author describes a new qualitative analytic technique that she has been perfecting across a range of health research studies. She describes the summative analysis method, which is a group, collaborative analytic technique that concentrates on consensus-building activities, illustrating its use within a study of Holocaust survivor testimony that aimed to clarify how health and well-being were presented in Holocaust testimonials and what that might reveal about professional perceptions of trauma suffering. The author contextualizes the four stages of summative analysis with data from one Holocaust survivor's health interviews. The Holocaust study is briefly described, as is the survivor's background and experiences during the war. The author reflects on the study data and offers examples of individual and group analysis exercises to represent the method in practice. The author concludes with a consideration of the wider uses and implications of summative analysis within health and social scientific contexts.
Using Qualitative Methods to Explore Non-Disclosure: The Example of Self-Injury
Authors: Borrill Jo , Lorenz Emily , Abbasnejad Ayda
Published: July 2017

Attempts to investigate non-disclosure are hampered by the very aspect being examined, namely an unwillingness to disclose non-disclosure. Although qualitative interviews may be considered to be an appropriate method for in-depth exploration of personal experiences, a lack of anonymity and the desire to conform to what is perceived to be socially acceptable limit its application in sensitive research. The current study, using a qualitative approach, addresses non-disclosure in the context of non-suicidal self-injury. Twenty-five young adults from diverse cultural backgrounds were interviewed in depth about their perceptions of self-injury, without the researchers asking directly whether the participants had ever self-harmed. Two techniques were used to enhance discussion within the qualitative interview: participants were invited to (a) discuss three hypothetical scenarios and (b) explore alternative interpretations of statistical data on patterns of self-harm. Key themes emerged regarding disclosure, gender issues, and culturally shaped concerns about the consequences of disclosure. The contributions of each element of the interview to understanding participants' perceptions are highlighted and alternative methodological approaches for examining disclosure are discussed.