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Professionals' Perceptions (professional + perception)
Kinds of Professionals' Perceptions Selected AbstractsDivorce Israeli Style: Professional Perceptions of Gender and Power in Mediated and Lawyer-Negotiated DivorcesLAW & POLICY, Issue 2 2006BRYNA BOGOCH This study examines how the power of women is constructed by divorce professionals in a divorce process that is governed by rabbinical family law, the egalitarian ideology of the recently established family courts, and the growing use of mediation in divorce disputes. It is based on 254 questionnaires and 57 interviews with lawyers, mediators, and lawyer-mediators. We found that except for a minority of women lawyers, practitioners claimed that women were not disadvantaged by family law, and that mediation does not adversely affect weaker parties. However, their reactions to hypothetical situations indicated that rabbinical law does matter for women's bargaining power, and for lawyers' recommendations for mediation. This study reveals the complexities of the social construction of gender and power in divorce negotiations and the role of women professionals in empowering divorcing women. [source] Do Integrated Children's Services Improve Children's Outcomes?: Evidence From England's Children's Trust PathfindersCHILDREN & SOCIETY, Issue 5 2009Margaret O'Brien Thirty-five children's trust pathfinders, local cross-sector partnerships, were introduced across England in 2003 to promote greater integration in children's services. Using administrative performance data, this paper tracks yearly trends in child service outputs and child well-being outcomes from 1997 to 2004 in these local areas, including the period before their introduction. Professional perceptions of change in child outcomes are also presented. Time series regression analysis shows there was a general improvement in England in these selected performance indicators prior to the introduction of children's trusts pathfinders. Children's trust pathfinder areas initially focusing on ,all children' in their local area, rather than selected groups of children, showed the most progress. There was no consistent quantitative evidence for better outcomes in more integrated areas, however, 25 of the 35 survey respondents provided locally specific examples of children's trust pathfinder arrangements improving outcomes for children and young people. [source] Professionals' perceptions of the role of literacy in early intervention servicesPSYCHOLOGY IN THE SCHOOLS, Issue 7 2008Karen Thatcher The purpose of the current study was to examine therapists' perceptions about literacy in early intervention services. Little effort has been devoted to the incorporation of literacy into therapy services for very young children with special needs. In an attempt to understand how therapy providers view the role of literacy in their services, 168 providers were surveyed. Responses were compared and in general, speech therapists and developmental therapists reported similar rates of use of books and rhymes and similar attitudes about the role of literacy in services. In contrast, occupational and physical therapists were often similar in their responses, yet, in most analyses, their responses were significantly different than the speech and developmental therapists'. This trend mirrors the existing literature that more attention has been devoted to encouraging the incorporation of literacy into speech services than other therapy services. Implications for these different practices and attitudes across disciplines are discussed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] Involving users in low back pain researchHEALTH EXPECTATIONS, Issue 4 2003Bie Nio Ong BA BEd MA PhD Abstract Objective, To involve users in the design of a research project that aims at describing a 12-month course of low back pain in an adult population sample (epidemiological strand), and to determine how patient and professional perceptions of low back pain and its treatment relate to the use of health-care and to subsequent outcome (qualitative strand). Design, Three focus groups were organized in the preparatory phase of the project with general practitioners, other health professionals and low back pain sufferers. Issues pertaining to the experience of living with, or treating low back pain were explored and users were asked to identify relevant research questions for consideration within the study. Findings, The focus groups revealed tensions between involving users as co-researchers for design issues and their role as sufferers and health professionals who want to share their narrative accounts of low back pain. The group discussions produced a wealth of material for analysis, but no explicitly stated research topics. Three key themes and the process of user involvement in the focus groups are discussed. Conclusions, The focus group format could be restrictive in that it allows for detailed exchange between participants, but is insufficiently geared towards the production of a research agenda. We draw conclusions as to possible approaches for user involvement in health services research design. [source] God and genes in the caring professions: Clinician and clergy perceptions of religion and genetics,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL GENETICS, Issue 1 2009Virginia L. Bartlett Abstract Little is known about how care providers' perceptions of religion and genetics affect interactions with patients/parishioners. This study investigates clinicians' and clergy's perceptions of and experiences with religion and genetics in their clinical and pastoral interactions. This is an exploratory qualitative study designed to elicit care providers' descriptions of experiences with religion and genetics in clinical or pastoral interactions. Thirteen focus groups were conducted with members of the caring professions: physicians, nurses, and genetics counselors (clinicians), ministers and chaplains (clergy). Preliminary analysis of qualitative data is presented here. Preliminary analysis highlights four positions in professional perceptions of the relationship between science and faith. Further, differences among professional perceptions appear to influence perceptions of needed or available resources for interactions with religion and genetics. Clinicians' and clergy's perceptions of how religion and genetics relate are not defined solely by professional affiliation. These non-role-defined perceptions may affect clinical and pastoral interactions, especially regarding resources for patients and parishioners. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Rural professionals' perceptions of interprofessional continuing education in mental healthHEALTH & SOCIAL CARE IN THE COMMUNITY, Issue 4 2010Elizabeth A. Church PhD Abstract We describe the impact of an interprofessional education programme in mental health for professionals in six rural Canadian communities. The 10-session programme, offered primarily via videoconference, focussed on eight domains of mental health practice. One hundred and twenty-five professionals, representing 15 professions, attended at least some sessions, although attendance was variable. Data were collected between September 2006 and December 2007. The programme was evaluated using a mixed methods approach. Participants reported high levels of satisfaction for all topics and all aspects of the presentations: they were most satisfied with the opportunity to interact with other professionals and least satisfied with the videoconference technology. Professionals' confidence (n = 49) with mental health interventions, issues and populations was measured pre- and post-programme. There was a significant increase in confidence for seven of the eight mental health interventions and four of the six mental health issues that had been taught in the programme. Participants reported developing a more reflective mental health practice, becoming more aware of mental health issues, integrating new knowledge and skills into their work and they expressed a desire for further mental health training. They noted that interprofessional referrals, inter-agency linkages and collaborations had increased. Conditions that appeared to underpin the programme's success included: scheduling the programme over an extended time period, a positive relationship between the facilitator and participants, experiential learning format and community co-ordinators as liaisons. Participants' dissatisfaction with the videoconference technology was mitigated by the strong connection between the facilitator and participants. One challenge was designing a curriculum that met the needs of professionals with varied expertise and work demands. The programme seemed to benefit most of those professionals who had a mental health background. This programme has the potential to be of use in rural communities where professionals often do not have access to professional development in mental health. [source] Healthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancerJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 7 2010Esther Mok mok e., lau k-p., lam w-m., chan l-n., ng j.s.c. & chan k-s. (2010) Healthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. Journal of Advanced Nursing,66(7), 1510,1522. Abstract Title.,Healthcare professionals' perceptions of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. Aim., This paper is a report of an exploration of the phenomenon of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer from the perspectives of healthcare professionals. Background., Existential distress is an important concern in patients with advanced cancer; it affects their well-being and needs to be addressed in the provision of holistic care. Method., Focus groups were conducted from November 2008 to February 2009 with physicians, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and chaplains working in a palliative care unit that served patients with advanced cancer in Hong Kong. Data collection and analysis were guided by the grounded theory approach. All categories were saturated when five focus groups had been held with a total number of 23 participants. Findings., We found three causal conditions of existential distress: anticipation of a negative future, failure to engage in meaningful activities and relationships, and having regrets. Three basic (caring, relating and knowing) and six specific (positive feedback, religious support, new experiences, task setting, exploring alternatives and relationship reconciliation) intervening strategies were identified. Whether the intervening strategies would be effective would depend on patients' openness and readiness; healthcare professionals' self-awareness, hopefulness, and interest in knowing the patients; and a trusting relationship between patients and healthcare professionals. A sense of peace in patients was considered a consequence of successful interventions. Conclusion., This paper acknowledges the lack of an accepted conceptual framework of existential distress in patients with advanced cancer. It is based on healthcare professionals' views, and further studies from the perspectives of patients and their families are needed. [source] Comparing Norwegian nurses' and physicians' perceptions of the needs of significant others in Intensive Care UnitsJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 5 2005Christina Takman CCRN Aim and objectives., To illuminate and compare the perceptions of registered nurses (n = 243) and physicians (n = 29) in medical and surgical ICUs for adults on the needs of significant others. Background., Previous studies have established the necessity for healthcare professionals in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) to identify and meet the needs of critically ill adult patients' significant others. Design., A survey was conducted and data from the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results., The findings revealed four factors: ,attentiveness and assurance', ,taking care of themselves', ,involvement', and ,information and predictability'. Nurses scored higher than physicians on ,attentiveness and assurance'. Nurses with experience of being a patient or a significant other in an ICU placed a higher value on ,involvement' compared with nurses without such experience, while physicians with such experience scored higher on ,information and predictability' compared with those without such experience. Older physicians and those with extensive professional and ICU experience had a low score on ,involvement', but scored higher on ,information and predictability' compared with physicians with less experience. Nurses with extensive ICU and professional experience also scored higher on ,information and predictability' than nurses with less experience. Women placed a higher value on each of the four factors than men. Conclusion., The study revealed variations in ICU professionals' perceptions of significant others' needs. Relevance to clinical practice., There is a need for nurses and physicians to acknowledge that varying perceptions on significant others needs could lead to different ways of conducting themselves in encounters with significant others in ICUs. There is also a risk that the patients' significant others could be forced to adapt themselves to professionals' different and perhaps contradictory perceptions of their needs in ICUs. [source] ,All singing from the same hymn sheet': Healthcare professionals' perceptions of developing patient education material about the cardiovascular aspects of rheumatoid arthritisMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 4 2009Holly John BM BS, MRCP Abstract Objective:,Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in Britain, and its prevention is a priority. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have an increased risk of CVD, and management of modifiable classical risk factors requires a programme with patient education at its heart. Before a programme for RA patients is implemented, it is important to explore the perceptions of patients and relevant healthcare professionals and consider how these could influence the subsequent content, timing and delivery of such education. Here, we assess healthcare professionals' perceptions. Methods:,Qualitative focus group methodology was adopted. Four group meetings of healthcare professionals were held using a semi-structured interview schedule. The focus group transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results:,Three superordinate themes emerged: professional determinations about people with RA, including their perceptions about patients' priorities and motivations; communication about CVD risk, including what should be communicated, how, to whom and when; and responsibility for CVD management, referring to patients and the healthcare community. Conclusions:,Although healthcare professionals agree that it is important to convey the increased CVD risk to patients with RA, there is concern they may be less proactive in promoting risk management strategies. There was uncertainty about the best time to discuss CVD with RA patients. Maintaining a close relationship between primary and secondary care was thought to be important, with all healthcare professionals ,singing from the same hymn sheet'. These findings can inform the development of novel education material to fulfil a currently unmet clinical need. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] ,Extra information a bit further down the line': Rheumatoid arthritis patients' perceptions of developing educational material about the cardiovascular disease riskMUSCULOSKELETAL CARE, Issue 4 2009Holly John BM BS, MRCP Abstract Objective:,There are no patient education programmes addressing the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is the second in a pair of studies exploring stakeholder perceptions of developing such educational material. Healthcare professionals' perceptions were explored in the first study; here, we explore the perceptions of people with RA. Methods:,Semi-structured interviews were held individually with 18 people with RA, purposively sampled to include participants with no co-morbid history of CVD, those with CVD risk factors and those who had experienced a CVD event. The interview transcripts were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results:,Four superordinate themes were identified: experiences of living with RA; reactions to learning about co-morbid CVD; implementing lifestyle changes; and expectations of education. Participants found being diagnosed with RA a devastating experience and were mostly unaware of their increased risk of CVD co-morbidity. They explained how information about CVD would be overwhelming and irrelevant at diagnosis, but they would have coped with ,extra information a bit further down the line'. Conclusion:,There is a need to develop educational material or programmes. Their design must consider factors which facilitate lifestyle change, such as motivation or receiving personalized advice, and factors that inhibit change, such as depression or fatalism. Emphasizing the positive effects that some CVD lifestyle changes may have on RA symptom control may be particularly persuasive. Group education would be a popular format. These findings can be directly translated into clinical practice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||