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Work Situations (work + situation)
Selected AbstractsWork, Family, and Individual Factors Associated with Mothers Attaining Their Preferred Work SituationsFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008Jenet JacobArticle first published online: 2 JUL 200 This study explores work, family, and individual factors associated with mothers attaining their preferred work situations, including full-time, part-time, work from home, and no paid work. Data are taken from a sub-sample of 1,777 mothers from a nationally representative sample contacted by random-digit dialing phone interviews by the University of Connecticut Center for Survey Research and Analysis and the Motherhood Study. Actual work situation, household income, spouse or partner's work situation, perception of family financial responsibility, race, and religion are associated with attaining preferred work situations using logistic regression, ANOVA, and chi-square analyses. Thirty-six percent of mothers who are in their preferred work situations have experienced fewer negative emotions and more positive emotions, suggesting implications for individual and family well-being and work,family policies. [source] Evaluation of current densities and total contact currents in occupational exposure at 400 kV substations and power linesBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 3 2009Leena H. Korpinen Abstract This investigation studied the current densities in the neck and total contact currents in occupational exposure at 400 kV substations and power lines. Eight voluntary workers simulated their normal work tasks using the helmet,mask measuring system. In all, 151 work tasks with induced current measurements were made. Work situations were: tasks in 400 kV substations, tasks in 400,110 kV towers and the cutting of vegetation under 400 kV power lines. The average current density in the neck was estimated from the current induced in the helmet. The calculated maximum average current densities in the neck varied from 1.5 to 6.4 mA/m2 and the maximum total contact currents from 66.8 to 458.4 µA. The study shows that the maximum average current densities and the total contact currents (caused by electric field) in occupational exposure at 400 kV substations and power lines does not exceed the limit and action values (10 mA/m2 and 1 mA) of the new EU-directive 2004/40/EC (live-line bare-hand works excluded). Bioelectromagnetics 30:231,240, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Long-term follow-up of adolescent onset anorexia nervosa in northern SwedenEUROPEAN EATING DISORDERS REVIEW, Issue 2 2005Karin Nilsson Abstract Objective This study examines the long-term outcome of adolescent onset anorexia nervosa, 8 and 16 years after first admission to child and adolescent psychiatric (CAP) treatment in northern Sweden. Method Two follow-ups (1991 and 1999) were made of 68 women who were first admitted to CAP between 1980 and 1985. The follow-ups included interviews and self-report inventories. Eating disorders and GAF were evaluated according to DSM-III-R. Results Recovery increased from 46 (68%) to 58 (85%). EDNOS (eating disorder not otherwise specified) decreased from 16 (24%) to seven (10%). The numbers for anorexia nervosa (AN) were the same, two (3%) in both follow-ups. Bulimia nervosa (BN) decreased from four (6%) in the first follow-up to one (1.5%) in the second follow-up. The mortality rate was one (1%). Self-evaluation of mental health indicated that 15% had problems with depression, anxiety or compulsive symptoms. Somatic problems and paediatric inpatient care during the first treatment period could predict long-term outcome. Most former patients had a satisfactory family and work situation. Conclusion Recovery from eating disorders continued during the follow-ups. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and Eating Disorders Association. [source] Does Higher Education Matter?EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION, Issue 1 2007Lessons from a Comparative Graduate Survey Renewed public interest in the relationships between higher education and the world of work and a deficient data base contributed to the decision to undertake a major comparative study on graduate employment and work. In the framework of the CHEERS study, supported by the European Commission's TSER programme, some 40,000 graduates of the academic year 1994/95 from 11 European countries and Japan were surveyed about four years later. The study paid attention to the transition to employment, the employment situation during the first four years after graduation, the links between competences acquired and work tasks, as well as the professional impact of values and orientations. Altogether, the findings indicate major North-South differences of graduate employment in Europe, but less clear findings as far as work assignments and retrospective views of higher education are concerned. They show on average a more favourable employment and work situation than the public debates suggest, few signs of European convergence, for example with respect to preference for generalists or professionals, and a high weight of intrinsic values. [source] Work, Family, and Individual Factors Associated with Mothers Attaining Their Preferred Work SituationsFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008Jenet JacobArticle first published online: 2 JUL 200 This study explores work, family, and individual factors associated with mothers attaining their preferred work situations, including full-time, part-time, work from home, and no paid work. Data are taken from a sub-sample of 1,777 mothers from a nationally representative sample contacted by random-digit dialing phone interviews by the University of Connecticut Center for Survey Research and Analysis and the Motherhood Study. Actual work situation, household income, spouse or partner's work situation, perception of family financial responsibility, race, and religion are associated with attaining preferred work situations using logistic regression, ANOVA, and chi-square analyses. Thirty-six percent of mothers who are in their preferred work situations have experienced fewer negative emotions and more positive emotions, suggesting implications for individual and family well-being and work,family policies. [source] Anticipation of Radiation Dose to the Conceptus from Occupational Exposure of Pregnant Staff During Fluoroscopically Guided Electrophysiological ProceduresJOURNAL OF CARDIOVASCULAR ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY, Issue 7 2005JOHN DAMILAKIS Ph.D. Introduction: A female employee working in the electrophysiology suite has the right to know potential radiation hazards to the unborn child before she is pregnant or before she decides to formally declare her pregnancy. Moreover, the employer of a declared pregnant worker must evaluate the work situation and ensure that the conceptus dose is kept below the maximum permissible level during the remaining gestation period. The aim of this study was to develop a method for conceptus dose anticipation and determination of maximum workload allowed for the pregnant employee who participates in fluoroscopically guided electrophysiological procedures. Methods and Results: A C-arm fluoroscopy system, an anthropomorphic phantom, and a radiation meter were used to obtain scattered air kerma dose rates separately for each of the three fluoroscopic projections typically used in the electrophysiology suite. Air kerma to conceptus dose conversion factors for all trimesters of gestation were calculated using Monte Carlo simulation. A formula is presented for the anticipation of the conceptus dose from occupational exposure of pregnant staff during fluoroscopically guided electrophysiological procedures. Normalized data are provided for conceptus dose estimation from occupational exposure of pregnant staff working in any electrophysiology laboratory. A methodology for estimation of maximum workload allowed for each month of the remaining gestation period of a worker who declared her pregnancy is proposed, which ensures that the regulatory dose limits are not exceeded. Conclusion: Data presented may be used for the implementation of a radiation protection program designed for pregnant staff working in an electrophysiological suite. [source] Working conditions and the possibility of providing good careJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2002Gunvor Lövgren RN Background,An open and tolerant climate characterized by joy in work where the personnel can mature as people and develop their professional competence was postulated as essential to working conditions under which good care can be provided in line with a care policy accepted for healthcare in a northern Swedish county. Aim, This study aimed to examine working conditions before and 3 years after the implementation of the care policy. Method, All personnel working on four hospital wards in the county described their experiences in questionnaires in a baseline measure in 1995 (n = 119) and a follow-up measure in 1998 (n = 106). Findings, Lower ratings for working conditions were found in many respects in the follow-up measure. Fewer respondents from three wards expressed satisfaction with their current work situation. More respondents in one of these wards expressed, in addition, an inability to keep up with their work and fewer also evaluated their immediate superiors as good leaders. More of the respondents from one ward expressed the intention of looking for alternative employment and wanted to have another job. More respondents in two wards reached scores indicating burnout risk or burnout, and lower means were seen in two to 10 work climate dimensions per ward, out of 10 possible, in the follow-up measure compared with the baseline. Conclusion, The working conditions seen as requisite for the possibility of providing good care seem to have deteriorated in a number of respects on the wards studied over a three-year period and improvements are needed if the care offered is to be in line with the stated care policy. A concurrent study investigating patient satisfaction of the care quality in the same county showed a deterioration in their assessments between measurements carried through with a three-year interval, implying a relationship between the working conditions of the personnel and the patients' experiences of care. [source] Aggression and violence in mental health services: categorizing the experiences of Irish nursesJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2007J. MAGUIRE msc ba(hons) ffnrcsi rpn rgn dip There is growing evidence that nurses in mental health services are likely to be victims of violence or aggression. One of the key difficulties in comparing international findings, however, has been that there has been an inadequate categorization of the types of incident to which staff are exposed. The current study aimed to identify the types of violent or aggressive incidents that staff in Irish Mental Health Services were exposed to within a 1-month long period. A cross-sectional study was undertaken with all nurses working in one of the Mental Health Services in Ireland, serving both an urban and rural population. Data were collected through a questionnaire (Scale of Aggressive and Violent Experiences) adapted from the Perceptions of Prevalence of Aggression Scale. The questionnaire was designed to collect data relating to both personal and professional demographics of the sample as well as experiences of aggressive or violent incidents respondents may have encountered in their work situation. There was a response rate of 31%. Data were analysed utilizing SPSS-11. Both descriptive and inferential analyses were undertaken. The relevant data were subjected to a series of one-way anovas and chi-squared analysis. The findings suggest that nursing staff in this Mental Health Service experienced high levels of verbal aggression, with distinctions obvious between threatening and non-threatening aggression, suggesting discernment in terms of intentionality. Additionally, respondents encountered greater levels of covert or indirect violence or aggression than forms that were overtly directed towards staff. The implications are discussed in relation to both policy and practice. [source] Long-term cancer survivors experience work changes after diagnosis: results of a population-based studyPSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 12 2009Floortje Mols Abstract Background: Although cancer survivorship is increasing with improved diagnosis and treatments, few studies have explored employment changes and the factors related to this change among cancer survivors. Therefore, we aim to explore the prevalence of employment problems in long-term cancer survivors. In addition, we explored what patient or tumour characteristics predicted employment changes. Methods: All 1893 long-term survivors of prostate cancer, endometrial cancer, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Hodgkin's lymphoma diagnosed between 1989 and 1998 in the area of the Comprehensive Cancer Centre South, The Netherlands were included in a population-based cross-sectional survey. Results: Response rate was 80% (n=1511). After excluding survivors without a job before diagnosis, 403 survivors remained; 197 (49%) experienced no changes in their work situation following cancer diagnosis, 69 (17%) were working fewer hours, and 137 (34%) stopped working or retired. A medium educational level was significant in reducing the risk of work changes. Being older, having more than one comorbid condition, being treated with chemotherapy, and disease progression were significant independent predictors of work changes after cancer. Experiencing work changes was associated with lower physical functioning but positively associated with social well-being. Discussion: Long-term cancer survivors experience work changes after diagnosis and treatment, and clinical factors significantly predicted work change after cancer. As such, our study underscores the importance of rehabilitation programs in improving the return to work after cancer. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Electromagnetic field exposure and health among RF plastic sealer operatorsBIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 1 2004Jonna Wilén Abstract Operators of RF plastic sealers (RF operators) are an occupational category highly exposed to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. The aim of the present study was to make an appropriate exposure assessment of RF welding and examine the health status of the operators. In total, 35 RF operators and 37 controls were included. The leakage fields (electric and magnetic field strength) were measured, as well as induced and contact current. Information about welding time and productivity was used to calculate time integrated exposure. A neurophysiological examination and 24 h ECG were also carried out. The participants also had to answer a questionnaire about subjective symptoms. The measurements showed that RF operators were exposed to rather intense electric and magnetic fields. The mean values of the calculated 6 min, spatially averaged E and H field strengths, in line with ICNIRP reference levels, are 107 V/m and 0.24 A/m, respectively. The maximum measured field strengths were 2 kV/m and 1.5 A/m, respectively. The induced current in ankles and wrists varied, depending on the work situation, with a mean value of 101 mA and a maximum measured value of 1 A. In total, 11 out of 46 measured RF plastic sealers exceeded the ICNIRP reference levels. RF operators, especially the ready made clothing workers had a slightly disturbed two-point discrimination ability compared to a control group. A nonsignificant difference between RF operators and controls was found in the prevalence of subjective symptoms, but the time integrated exposure parameters seem to be of importance to the prevalence of some subjective symptoms: fatigue, headaches, and warmth sensations in the hands. Further, RF operators had a significantly lower heart rate (24 h registration) and more episodes of bradycardia compared to controls. Bioelectromagnetics 25:5,15, 2004. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Work, Family, and Individual Factors Associated with Mothers Attaining Their Preferred Work SituationsFAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCES RESEARCH JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008Jenet JacobArticle first published online: 2 JUL 200 This study explores work, family, and individual factors associated with mothers attaining their preferred work situations, including full-time, part-time, work from home, and no paid work. Data are taken from a sub-sample of 1,777 mothers from a nationally representative sample contacted by random-digit dialing phone interviews by the University of Connecticut Center for Survey Research and Analysis and the Motherhood Study. Actual work situation, household income, spouse or partner's work situation, perception of family financial responsibility, race, and religion are associated with attaining preferred work situations using logistic regression, ANOVA, and chi-square analyses. Thirty-six percent of mothers who are in their preferred work situations have experienced fewer negative emotions and more positive emotions, suggesting implications for individual and family well-being and work,family policies. [source] Learning in interactive work situations: It takes two to tango; why not invite both partners to dance?HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2006Hanneke Koopmans Learning that arises from interactions at work is the focus of this study. More specifically, the concrete activities of adult learners and their interaction partners were of interest because such learning activities largely determine the quality of learning outcomes. The results of the study are summarized in the form of a typology of interactive learning behaviors for adult learners (that is, workers) and their interaction partners at work. The similarities and differences among three occupational groups, teachers, financial service professionals, and police officers groups,were examined, and explanations were sought based on the nature of work and power. The results can help adult learners and their interaction partners enter into a more equal, dyadic, and reciprocal learning process and thereby contribute to a critical human resource development perspective. [source] The implications of meta-qualities for HR rolesHUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT JOURNAL, Issue 4 2004Finian Buckley A great deal has been written about the types of competencies that HR managers need. However, there is little known about how these might be acquired and which ones prove most valuable in carrying out HR tasks. This article provides insights into this issue from a study carried out in Ireland. The study examined HR managers' perceptions of the ways in which their competencies changed over the timespan of a management education process and the ways that they utilised these competencies within their work situations. The study suggests that the acquisition and development of ,meta-qualities'(Pedler et al, 1994) can be important to HR professionals in managing the complexity and ambiguity in their roles. [source] The story of socio-technical design: reflections on its successes, failures and potentialINFORMATION SYSTEMS JOURNAL, Issue 4 2006Enid Mumford Abstract., This paper traces the history of socio-technical design, emphasizing the set of values it embraces, the people espousing its theory and the organizations that practise it. Its role in the implementation of computer systems and its impact in a number of different countries are stressed. It also shows its relationship with action research, as a humanistic set of principles aimed at increasing human knowledge while improving practice in work situations. Its evolution in the 1960s and 1970s evidencing improved working practices and joint agreements between workers and management are contrasted with the much harsher economic climate of the 1980s and 1990s when such principled practices, with one or two notable exceptions, gave way to lean production, downsizing and cost cutting in a global economy, partly reflecting the impact of information and communications technology. Different future scenarios are discussed where socio-technical principles might return in a different guise to humanize the potential impact of technology in a world of work where consistent organizational and economic change are the norm. [source] Impact of recurrent changes in the work environment on nurses' psychological well-being and sickness absenceJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 6 2006Rik Verhaeghe MSc RN Aim., This paper is a report of a study of how the occurrence and appraisal of recurrent changes in the work environment of hospital nurses affect psychological well-being (i.e. job satisfaction, eustress and distress) and absence through illness. Background., Many researchers have demonstrated the impact of major organizational changes on employees' psychological well-being, but only a few have focused on the permanent consequences in work conditions. In a contemporary healthcare setting, an increased number of recurrent operational changes has become a normal characteristic of nurses' work environment. Specific work situations have frequently been associated with occupational stress, whereas employees' appraisal of recurrent changes as stressors and their relation to psychological well-being and health outcomes (i.e. sickness absence) have been dismissed. Methods., A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in 2003 with 2094 Registered Nurses in 10 general hospitals. Logistic regressions were used to investigate the impact on psychological well-being and prospectively measured rates of sickness absence (frequency and duration). Results., The occurrence of changes in the work environment (in the past 6 months) had had a negative impact on staff psychological well-being. Nurses who had been confronted with changes scored statistically significantly higher for distress. Changes appraised as threatening were negatively related to job satisfaction and eustress, and positively related to distress and sickness absence (frequency and duration). Changes appraised as challenging were positively related to job satisfaction and eustress but had no impact on distress and sickness absence. Conclusion., Future research should take into consideration the impact of the occurrence and appraisal of recurrent changes in the work environment of healthcare employees (i.e. Registered Nurses) on psychological well-being and sickness absence. This should also be considered by managers when dealing with these nursing workforce issues. [source] Downsizing and reorganization: demands, challenges and ambiguity for registered nursesJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2004Anna Hertting MD Background., The 1990s were characterized by substantial financial cuts, and related staff redundancies and reorganizations in the Swedish health care sector. A large hospital in Sweden was selected for the study, in which downsizing had occurred between 1995 and 1997. The number of staff in the hospital was reduced by an average of 20%, and 10% were relocated to other departments. Objective., The aims of this study were to explore registered nurses' experiences of psychosocial ,stressors' and ,motivators', and how they handled their work situations, following a period of personnel reductions and ongoing reorganization. Method., Interviews were undertaken with 14 nurses working in one Swedish hospital. Nurses were interviewed in 1997 about the recent and last round of redundancies, and were followed up 1 year later in 1998 and again in 2001. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analysed for thematic content. Results., Five themes emerged in relation to nurses' perceived stressors, motivators, and coping options: ,distrust towards the employer', ,concurrent demands and challenges', ,professional ambiguity, ,a wish for collaboration', and ,efforts to gain control'. A common feature was duality and ambiguity in nurses' descriptions of the phenomena studied, meaning that identified themes had underlying sub-themes with both negative and positive dimensions. Conclusions., The concurrence of ,ever-growing job demands' and ,work going unrewarded' contributed to a feeling of being taken advantage of by the employer. The ,waste of human resources' and ,competence drain' that followed redundancies provoked anger. Unfulfilled collaboration with doctors was a major stress producer, which related to both the downsized work organization, and the complex ,deference-dominance' doctor,nurse relationship. The well-being of nurses depends on being an equal/parallel health professional in a comprehensive team that shares knowledge and improves collaborative care of patients. A consciously formulated nursing philosophy emerged as a health-promoting resource. This study demonstrates the importance of analysing feelings relating to professional ambiguity and gaining influence in a gender-related, hierarchical environment, and the need to support professional assertiveness in relation to superiors and doctors. It is also important to stress considerations that relate to differences in the age, care philosophy, and psychosocial health conditions of nurses. [source] Work Situations Triggering Participation in Informal Learning in the Workplace: A Case Study of Public School TeachersPERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2003Margaret C. Lohman ABSTRACT Interviews and site visits were conducted with 22 teachers to identify the work situations that trigger their engagement in informal learning and the personal characteristics that enhance their motivation to engage in informal learning when dealing with such situations. Analysis of the data found that three types of work situations triggered engagement in informal learning: new teaching tasks, new leadership roles, and adherence to policies and procedures. Motivation to engage in informal learning was enhanced by teachers' initiative, self-efficacy, commitment to life-long learning, and interest in their content area. Implications of the findings for theory, research, and the facilitation of informal learning are discussed. [source] Assignment of work involving farm tractors to children on North American farms,AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2001Barbara Marlenga PhD Abstract Background Children are at high risk for tractor-related injury. The North American Guidelines for Children's Agricultural Tasks (NAGCAT) provide recommendations for the assignment of tractor work. This analysis describes tractor-related jobs assigned to farm children and compares them to NAGCAT. Methods A descriptive analysis was conducted of baseline data collected by telephone interview during a randomized, controlled trial. Results The study population consisted of 1,138 children who worked on 498 North American farms. A total of 2,389 farm jobs were reported and 456 (19.1%) involved operation of farm tractors. Leading types of tractor jobs were identified. Modest, yet important, percentages of children were assigned tractor work before the minimum ages recommended by NAGCAT. Conclusions Children on farms are involved in tractor work at a young age and some are involved in jobs that they are unlikely to have the developmental abilities to perform. NAGCAT is a new parental resource that can be applied to these work situations. Am. J. Ind. Med. 40:15,22, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Occupational exposures to high frequency electromagnetic fields in the intermediate range (,>300 Hz,10 MHz)BIOELECTROMAGNETICS, Issue 8 2002Birgitta Floderus Abstract The aim of this study was to identify work situations with electromagnetic fields of 300 Hz,10 MHz and to characterize the occupational exposure. Work place investigations included descriptions of the work environment and physical measurements. We estimated electric (E) and magnetic (H) fields by spot measurements in air, by logged exposure data, and when possible, we recorded induced currents in limbs. The instruments used were Wandel and Golterman EFA-3, NARDA 8718, Holaday HI-3702. The exposure sources comprised five induction furnaces, seven induction heaters, one surface treatment equipment, four units of electronic article surveillance (EAS), and medical devices for surgery and muscle stimulation. The induction furnaces operated at 480 Hz,7 kHz, and the maximum values of logged data varied between 512,2093 V/m (E field) and 10.5,87.3 A/m (H field). The induction heaters (3.8 kHz,1.25 MHz) also showed high maximum exposure values of both E and H fields. Three EAS units, an electromagnetic plate at a library, a luggage control unit, and an antitheft gate, showed E fields reaching 658,1069 V/m. The H fields were comparatively lower, except for the antitheft gate (5 and 7.5 kHz) showing a maximum value of 27.2 A/m (recorded during repair). Induced currents of 5,13 mA were measured for the medical devices. The study improves the basis for an exposure assessment for epidemiological studies of long term effects of exposures to high frequency electromagnetic fields. Bioelectromagnetics 23:568,577, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Multiple Encounter Simulation for High-acuity Multipatient Environment TrainingACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2007Leo Kobayashi MD Patient safety interventions for multitasking, multipatient, error-prone work settings such as the emergency department (ED) must improve assorted clinical abilities, specific cognitive strategies, and teamwork functions of the staff to be effective. Multiple encounter simulation scenarios explore and convey this specialized mental work-set through use of multiple high-fidelity medical simulation (SIM) manikins in realistic surroundings. Multipatient scenarios reflect the work situations being targeted yet have the benefit of scripted control and instructor guidance to advance specific educational objectives. The use of two or more SIM patients promotes the exploration not only of multiple distinct clinical issues but also of interdependent processes pervasive in EDs. Cascading shortages of time, personnel, equipment, and supplies are re-created, thereby replicating process limitations at various levels, in a safe environment in which compensatory actions and adaptive behaviors can be learned. Distinguishing features of multipatient exercises include 1) broadened educational scope and expanded indications for SIM application, 2) enhanced scenario complexity, 3) controlled exposure to high workload environments, 4) expanded communication requirements, and 5) increased potential for reflective learning. Widespread and effective training in well-replicated, carefully coordinated representations of complex multipatient work environments may strengthen educational interventions for personnel working in high acuity and work-overloaded settings such as the ED. The use of concurrent patient encounter SIM exercises to elicit calculated stressors and to foster compensatory staff behaviors is an educational advance toward this objective. The authors present SIM methodology using concurrent patient encounters to replicate these environments. [source] | |||||||||||||