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Training Exercise (training + exercise)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%
Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	33%

Selected Abstracts

Cognitive Mapping as an Emergency Management Training Exercise

JOURNAL OF CONTINGENCIES AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2004
David E. Alexander
This paper describes a scenario-based, table-top exercise which was given to a variety of postgraduate university classes in emergency preparedness and to some groups of trainee disaster managers. Participants in the exercise were asked to draw maps of a developing crisis situation and suggest a set of tactics for managing it. The results were analysed using theories of cognitive mapping. They showed that seven distinct kinds of map emerged from the sample of 67 collected. These were labelled well-defined, systematic, emblematic, ill-defined (cryptic), compressed, diagrammatic (ideographic) and mirror image. About 60 per cent of the maps depicted the majority of the elements, while the remaining 40 per cent were lacking in detail to varying degrees. The cognitive maps therefore introduced distortions into the representation of elements, and these were negatively correlated with the abilities, experience, knowledge and training of their authors, as manifested by their other work in the classroom. The extraordinary variety of perceptions of space and place during emergencies has considerable implications for how such events are managed during the crisis phase. [source]

A Randomized, Double-blind, Sham-controlled Trial Comparing Two Screening Devices for Radiation Contamination

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 9 2010
Philip Salen MD
Abstract Objectives:, This exploratory study compared the screening ability of a newly introduced radiation detection portal with a traditional Geiger counter for detection of radiation contamination in the setting of a mass casualty training exercise. Methods:, Following a pretrial evaluation of interobserver reliability for Geiger counter use, 30 volunteers were randomly assigned to don gowns containing three disks, each of which was either a sham resembling the radioactive samples or an actual cesium-137 sample; each subject participated a minimum of four times with different gowns each time. Each subject underwent standard radioactivity screening with the Geiger counter and the portal. Results:, Interobserver reliability was excellent between the two Geiger counter screeners in the pretrial exercise, correctly identifying 101 of 102 sham and radioactive samples (, = 0.98; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.94 to 1.00). For radioactively labeled subjects across all bodily locations, the portal (43/61, or 70.5%; 95% CI = 58.1% to 80.5%) was less sensitive than the Geiger counter screening (61/61, or 100%; 95% CI = 92.9% to 100%), which resulted in a portal false-negative rate of 29.5%. For radiation detection in the posterior thorax, the portal radiation screening (4/19, or 21.1%; 95% CI = 8% to 43.9%) was less accurate than the Geiger counter (19/19, or 100%; 95% CI 80.2% to 100%). In contrast, there were no major differences between the portal and the Geiger counter for radiation detection at the left shoulder, right shoulder, or sham (nonradiation) detection. There were no false-positive detections of the sham-labeled subjects for either device, yielding a specificity of 100% for both screening modalities. Conclusions:, Geiger counter screening was more sensitive than, and equally specific to, radiation detection portal screening in detecting radioactively labeled subjects during a radiation mass casualty drill. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:1020,1023 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine [source]

LEADERSHIP AND SEX-SIMILARITY: A COMPARISON IN A MILITARY SETTING

PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 2 2007
ROBERT P. VECCHIO
In a study of the possible impact of leader and follower sex-similarity on leadership criteria, survey responses of 1,974 military cadets in 167 squads were analyzed at the completion of a month-long field training exercise. Analyses (which included a series of hierarchical linear models that explicitly accounted for the nested character of squad membership relative to a leader) yielded results that indicated that same-sex leader,subordinate pairings had more positive working relationships than different-sex pairings. However, leader ratings of subordinate performance did not yield clear evidence of such an effect. In addition, increases in the proportion of female members in a squad were not associated with differences in squad-level cohesion, while being associated with decreases in squad-level leader,member exchange (LMX). Subordinate reports of participation in decision making, although correlated positively with LMX, were not significantly different as a function of leader,subordinate sex-similarity. Implications are derived for managing demographic diversity in order to enhance within-unit functioning. [source]

Effects of Tai Chi and resistance training on cardiovascular risk factors in elderly Chinese subjects: a 12-month longitudinal, randomized, controlled intervention study

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 6 2005
G. Neil Thomas
Summary Background, ,Tai Chi is rapidly gaining in popularity, worldwide. This study was performed to assess its impact on cardiovascular risk factors in comparison with resistance training exercises in elderly Chinese subjects. Methods, A total of 207 healthy elderly participants (65,74 years, 113/207 (55%) men) were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups: (1) Tai Chi, three times/week for 1 h/session (n = 64); (2) resistance training exercise, three times/week for 1 h/session (n = 65); (3) usual level of physical activity control group (n = 78). Anthropometric measures, dual X-ray densitometry body composition, blood pressure, lipids, glycaemic and insulin sensitivity indices were measured at baseline and 12 months. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (anova) was used to assess the between-group changes using a last-observation-carried-forward intention-to-treat approach. Results, A total of 180 (87·0%) subjects completed the study. No significant changes were identified in the Tai Chi group compared to the resistance training or control group. Of the primary outcomes, only the improvement in the insulin sensitivity index differed, being significantly greater in the resistance training than in the control group [mean difference 0·018 (95% confidence interval ( CI) 0·000,0·037) mmol glucose/min, P = 0·02), and tending to be greater than in the Tai Chi group (mean difference 0·019 (95% CI 0·000,0·038) mmol glucose/min, P < 0·06). Conclusion, Tai Chi had no significant effect on any measure compared to the controls, whereas resistance training improved the insulin sensitivity index in this 12-month study. [source]

Leadership training for managers: An Adlerian approach

JOURNAL OF LEADERSHIP STUDIES, Issue 1 2007
Amy Preiss
Adlerian theory,a social model of human behavior,provides an effective framework to improve managerial practices and enhance organizational leadership. Developed by Alfred Adler (1870,1937), founder of the influential school of individual psychology, Adlerian theory promotes principles of social interest, democracy, and encouragement. These principles may guide leaders in building collaborative, productive workforces through participative management, coaching, and employee engagement. Experiential training exercises that integrate Adlerian principles can help managers expand their interpersonal competencies and increase leadership effectiveness. [source]

Effects of Tai Chi and resistance training on cardiovascular risk factors in elderly Chinese subjects: a 12-month longitudinal, randomized, controlled intervention study