Professional Activity (professional + activity)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


WILLIAM H. REHNQUIST AWARD FOR JUDICIAL EXCELLENCE ADDRESS

FAMILY COURT REVIEW, Issue 2 2009
Hon. Jonathan Lippman
The William H. Rehnquist Award is one of the most celebrated judicial honors in the country. It is given each year to a state court judge who demonstrates the "highest level of judicial excellence, integrity, fairness, and professional ethics." The 2008 recipient, Jonathan Lippman, was recently appointed and confirmed as Chief Judge of the State of New York. Chief Judge Lippman was previously the Presiding Justice of the Appellate Division of the First Judicial Department of the New York State Supreme Court. He was appointed New York's Chief Administrative Judge by Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye and served from January 1996 to May 2007 and was responsible for the operation of a court system with a $2.4 billion budget, 1300 state-paid judges, 2300 town and village judges, and 16,000 nonjudicial personnel. Among his numerous professional activities, Chief Judge Lippman served as president of the Conference of State Court Administrators from 2005 to 2006 and was the vice-chair of the National Center for State Courts from 2005 to 2006, where he was a member of the Board of Directors from 2003 to 2007. During his tenure, Chief Judge Lippman has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions, including the 2006 Fund For Modern Courts Cyrus R. Vance Tribute for Vision, Integrity and Dedication to the Fair Administration of Justice Personified by Cyrus R. Vance (November 27, 2006); the New York County Lawyers' Association Conspicuous Service Award in Recognition of Many Years of Outstanding Public Service (September 28, 2006); and the Award for Excellence in Public Service of the New York State Bar Association's Committee on Attorneys in Public Service (January 24, 2006). Chief Judge Lippman received a Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Relations from New York University, Washington Square College, where he graduated cum laude in 1965. He also received his J.D. from New York University in 1968. Below is the speech he delivered after accepting the William H. Rehnquist Award from U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts. [source]


The future role of the Scandinavian anaesthesiologist: a web-based survey

ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 9 2010
A. ÅNEMAN
Background: The Board of the Scandinavian Society for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (SSAI) decided in 2008 to undertake a survey among members of the SSAI aiming at exploring some key points of training, professional activities and definitions of the specialty. Methods: A web-based questionnaire was used to capture core data on workforce demographics and working patterns together with opinions on definitions for practice/practitioners in the four areas of anaesthesia, intensive care medicine, emergency medicine and pain medicine. Results: One thousand seven hundred and four responses were lodged, representing close to half of the total SSAI membership. The majority of participants reported in excess of 10 years of professional experience in general anaesthesia and intensive care medicine as well as emergency and pain medicine. While no support for separate or secondary specialities in the four areas was reported, a majority of respondents favoured sub-specialisation or recognition of particular medical competencies, notably so for intensive care medicine. Seventy-five percent or more of the respondents supported a common framework of employment within all four areas irrespective of further specialisation. Conclusions: The future of Scandinavian anaesthesiology is likely to involve further specialisation towards particular medical competencies. With such diversification of the workforce, the majority of the respondents still acknowledge the importance of belonging to one organisational body. [source]


An Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse's Guide to Professional Writing,

PERSPECTIVES IN PSYCHIATRIC CARE, Issue 4 2007
Peter C. Campanelli PsyD
TOPIC.,Many good ideas are not communicated to the community of mental health practitioners because advanced practice psychiatric nurses (APPNs) are not being well informed about writing for public dissemination. PURPOSE.,This study aims to support APPNs through the various stages of manuscript preparation so they can enlarge the scope of their written contributions to the mental health field. CONCLUSIONS.,An appreciation for the skills, mechanics, and attitudes that support the authoring enterprise can result in APPNs enjoying the multiple benefits that accrue to those who write about their professional activities for clinical, administrative, advocacy, fund-raising, and other purposes. [source]


A three-year study of chaplains' professional activities at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York city

PSYCHO-ONCOLOGY, Issue 8 2003
Kevin J. Flannelly
The pastoral-care interventions of chaplains at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center were documented during two-week periods in each of three years. The study describes the pattern of referrals to and from chaplains and the kinds of interventions performed during the chaplains' contacts with patients and their families and friends. Nearly a fifth of all chaplain interventions were the result of referrals. The vast majority of staff referrals to chaplains came from nurses, with the frequency and proportion of referrals from nurses significantly increasing over time. More than a third of all chaplain contacts were with friends and family without the patient present, and over 40% of referrals to chaplains were for the friends and family of patients. Pastoral visits were significantly shorter when patients were not present. In particular, pastoral-care interventions were found to differ according to the patient's religion and the circumstances of the chaplain's visit to the patient (i.e. patient status). Visit duration also varied by patient status, with pre-operative visits being significantly shorter than post-operative or treatment visits. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Social Desirability of Earnings Tests

GERMAN ECONOMIC REVIEW, Issue 2 2008
Helmuth Cremer
Earnings tests; social security; age-related taxation; retirement age Abstract. In many countries, pension systems involve some form of earnings test; i.e. an individual's benefits are reduced if he has labor income. This paper examines whether or not such earnings tests emerge when pension system and income tax are optimally designed. We use a simple model with individuals differing both in productivity and in their health status. The working life of an individual has two ,endings': an official retirement age at which he starts drawing pension benefits (while possibly supplementing them with some labor income) and an effective age of retirement at which professional activity is completely given up. Weekly work time is endogenous, but constant in the period before official retirement and again constant (but possibly at a different level), after official retirement. Earnings tests mean that earnings are subject to a higher tax after official retirement than before. We show under which conditions earnings tests emerge both under a linear and under a non-linear tax scheme. In particular, we show that earnings tests will occur if heterogeneities in health or productivity are more significant after official retirement than before. [source]


Quality of life and attitudes towards psychotropics and dependency: consumers vs. non-consumers aged 50 and over

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL PHARMACY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 5 2004
M. Baumann SocD PhD
Summary Aim:, To assess the relationships between socio-demographic factors, quality of life and attitudes towards psychotropic drugs and dependency and to compare those relationships in continuous consumers (CC), occasional consumers (OC) and non-consumers (NC) of those drugs. Methods:, Quality of life (SF36) and attitudes (14 statements) were measured in 601 subjects (45,60 years old) from the SUVIMAX cohort (SUpplémentation en VItamines et en sels Minéraux AntioXydants). Data were obtained on 334 NC, 142 CC, 125 OC from the inclusion questionnaire and the monthly consumption report notebooks kept by subjects between 1994 and 1998. Dichotomous and polychotomous logistic regressions were used for the analysis. Results:, The lower the quality of life score the more frequent was consumption. NC tended to be men, with high quality of life scores. They entertained negative attitudes towards psychotropics and dependency. OC tended to be women reporting a chronic pathology, with fairly high social status. They had intermediate quality of life and denied dependency. CC tended to be men with no professional activity and low quality of life scores in particular for mental health and perceived health. They had positive attitudes towards psychotropics and accept dependency. Discussion:, Assessment of patients' quality of life and understanding of their attitudes towards psychotropics can provide essential information for those in charge of health promotion programmes and may help in identifying new intervention strategies. Preventive education and follow-up of therapy may be better suited to the needs of patients. [source]


Bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw.

JOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 5 2010
Knowledge, attitudes of dentists, dental students: a preliminary study
Abstract Objective, The objective was to determine the knowledge of dentists and dental students of bisphosphates and osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) in the Autonomous Community of Murcia, Spain. Material and method, A structured questionnaire was elaborated on knowledge, attitude and practice regarding aspects of the aetiology, diagnosis and prevention of bisphosphonate-associated ONJ. The questionnaire was administered to two groups: group I with 60 dental students and group II, 60 dentists with well-established professional activity. Results, As regards the subjects' knowledge of bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis, 30 (50%) students and 41 (68.36%) dentists (P = 0.0041) had up to date knowledge. Most correctly identified risk factors involved. Only eight (13.33%) students and 20 (33.33%) dentists (P = 0.010) knew how to treat osteonecrosis once established. Conclusions, Training strategies need to be established as regards bisphosphonate-associated ONJ. [source]


Driving towards an improved research and development culture

JOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2008
MARY P. McNICHOLL BSc (Hons)
Background, This study examined the research and development culture and capacity within one NHS Trust in Northern Ireland. Strengths and challenges were identified and opportunities for further research and development expansion were sought. Methods, This is a two-stage project incorporating a baseline survey (n = 379) followed by consultation with key stakeholders across the Trust (n = 11). Findings, In the survey, over half of the respondents (n = 194) stated they had participated in a research project and a significant number (n = 313) read health care journals. Identification of barriers to research resulted in findings similar to other published work. Staff responded positively about using research in practice (n = 328) and that practice should be influenced by research (n = 312). Nurse Managers indicated support for research and development activity. Conclusion, The study provides a starting point from which to develop a positive research and development culture within this Trust. Implications for nursing management, After establishing a baseline of research and development activity across a large acute Trust, the strengths and weaknesses of such activity were identified with a view to informing a strategy to develop this aspect of professional activity. A change in an organizational culture cannot be made without full support of both the clinicians and their managers. [source]


Dentists' preferences of anterior tooth proportion,a Web-based study

JOURNAL OF PROSTHODONTICS, Issue 3 2000
Stephen F. Rosenstiel BDS
Purpose This study aimed to determine dentists' esthetic preferences of the maxillary anterior teeth as influenced by different proportions. The goal was to link choices to demographic data as to the experience, gender, and training of the dentist. Materials and Methods Computer-manipulated images of the 6 maxillary anterior teeth were generated from a single image and assigned to 5 tooth-height groups (very short, short, normal height, tall, and very tall). For each group, 4 images were generated by manipulating the relative proportion of the central incisors, lateral incisors, and canines according to the proportions 62% (or "golden proportion"), 70%, 80%, and "normal" or not further altered. The images were randomly ordered on a web page that contained a form asking for demographic data and fields asking for a ranking of the images. Dentists were asked via e-mail to visit the web page and complete the survey. The responses were tabulated and analyzed with repeated measures logistic regression with the alpha at 0.05. A subset of North American respondents was chosen for further analysis. Results A total of 549 valid responses were received and analyzed from dentists in 38 countries. There were statistically significant differences in all groups for the variables of proportion, group (tooth height), and their interaction. The 80% proportion was judged best for the Very Short and Short groups. Three of the choices were almost equally picked for the Normal Height and Tall groups, and the golden proportion was judged best for the Very Tall group. The variables of year of graduation, gender, professional activity, generalist or specialist, or number of patients were not significantly correlated with the choices for the North American respondents. Conclusions Dentists preferred the 80 percent proportion when viewing short or very short teeth and the golden proportion when viewing very tall teeth. Golden proportion was worst for normal height or shorter teeth and the 80% proportion for tall or very tall teeth. They picked no clear-cut best for normal height or tall teeth, and their choices could not be predicted based on gender, specialist training, experience, or patient load. [source]


Assessment of competence and progressive independence in postgraduate clinical training

MEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 12 2009
Marja G K Dijksterhuis
Context, At present, competency-based, outcome-focused training is gradually replacing more traditional master,apprentice teaching in postgraduate training. This change requires a different approach to the assessment of clinical competence, especially given the decisions that must be made about the level of independence allowed to trainees. Methods, This study was set within postgraduate obstetrics and gynaecology training in the Netherlands. We carried out seven focus group discussions, four with postgraduate trainees from four training programmes and three with supervisors from three training programmes. During these discussions, we explored current opinions of supervisors and trainees about how to determine when a trainee is competent to perform a clinical procedure and the role of formal assessment in this process. Results, When the focus group recordings were transcribed, coded and discussed, two higher-order themes emerged: factors that determine the level of competence of a trainee in a clinical procedure, and factors that determine the level of independence granted to a trainee or acceptable to a trainee. Conclusions, From our study, it is evident that both determining the level of competence of a trainee for a certain professional activity and making decisions about the degree of independence entrusted to a trainee are complex, multi-factorial processes, which are not always transparent. Furthermore, competence achieved in a certain clinical procedure does not automatically translate into more independent practice. We discuss the implications of our findings for the assessment of clinical competence and provide suggestions for a transparent assessment structure with explicit attention to progressive independence. [source]


Fusidic acid viscous eyedrops , an evaluation of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and clinical use for UK optometrists

OPHTHALMIC AND PHYSIOLOGICAL OPTICS, Issue 4 2006
Michael J. Doughty
Abstract Recent changes in UK law have allowed UK-based optometrists to sell and supply fusidic acid viscous eyedrops, providing it is in the course of their professional activity and in an emergency. Alternatively, the optometrist may access fusidic acid viscous eyedrops, for a named patient, using a written order supplied to a pharmacy. This review provides details of the legal background to these changes, examines the common causes of a bacterial conjunctivitis, examines the mechanism of action of this narrow spectrum antibiotic as a bacteriostatic agent, reviews the susceptibility of common ocular isolates of bacteria to the drug and presents details of the expected pharmacokinetics of the viscous eyedrops. From this perspective, a systematic review is provided of the clinical studies which have investigated the use of fusidic acid viscous eyedrops and their outcome. The indicated use is generally for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis and/or blepharoconjunctivitis, especially that caused by Staphylococcus, but not Streptococcus or Haemophilus sp. (more likely associated with concurrent nasopharyngeal infections). The usual regimen for use is twice daily for 5,10 days, depending on severity, and can initially be used more intensively (four times per day). It may also be used for the management of corneal and conjunctival abrasions and foreign body injuries, or some cases of chronic blepharitis. [source]


The Current State and Future Direction of Counseling Psychology in Australia

APPLIED PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
Robert G.L. Pryor
Cet article décrit l'état actuel de la psychologie du counseling en Australie en termes de forces, faiblesses, opportunités et menaces. Parmi les forces identifiées, on trouve un champ professionnel très énergique, un large éventail d'activités de plus en plus acceptées de la part du public, des revues à comité de lecture, et une activité de recherche significative s'appuyant sur un engagement manifeste dans une démarche basée sur la preuve et appliquée au counseling. Les faiblesses soulignent l'accès inéquitable en termes de coût et d'éloignement géographique aux services de counseling de larges parties de la population australienne. La technologie fournit une occasion de relever des défis d'accès, de coût et d'implantation. En outre, les rapides changements économiques fournissent des opportunités pour les counselors de travailler activement avec des clients confrontés à des changements rapides et inattendus. Clairement, la psychologie du counseling se différencie comme champ théorique, de recherche et de pratique. Simultanément, elle peut mettre à disposition les compétences des psychologues du counseling lors d'investigations transdisciplinaires et d'applications ce qui constitue l'un des plus grands défis pour les psychologues australiens du counseling. Les développements futurs de la psychologie du counseling en Australie sont dépeints. This article outlines the current state of counseling psychology in Australia in terms of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Strengths identified include a vibrant field of professional activity, a wide range of activities, increasing levels of public acceptance, successful peer-reviewed journals, and significant research activity that underlies a widespread commitment to an evidence-based approach to counseling. Weaknesses include the inequitable access to counseling services both in terms of cost and the geographic remoteness of parts of the Australian population. Technology provides an opportunity to address access, cost, and delivery challenges. Furthermore, the rapidly changing economic landscape provides opportunities for counselors to work proactively with clients who are confronted by rapid and unplanned change. Clearly differentiating counseling psychology as a field of theory, research, and practice while at the same time being able to integrate the skills of counseling psychologists within cross-disciplinary investigations and applications constitute the greatest challenges for Australian counseling psychologists. A vision of the future development of counseling psychology in Australia is proffered. [source]


Picturing Architecture Otherwise: the voguing of the Maison Mallet-Stevens

ART HISTORY, Issue 4 2000
Richard Becherer
This essay pursues the answer to a simple question: How was it that Robert Mallet-Stevens's career masterpiece, the Maison Mallet-Stevens, built in Paris in 1927, found its way into a 1929 Hollywood movie vehicle for Greta Garbo? To respond to this query, this essay confects an understanding of the Maison Mallet-Stevens as photographic image. It explores the designer's longstanding involvement with the French film industry, and his understanding of set décor as photogenic and fully geared to its reception by the camera. It also probes Mallet-Stevens's view of his architecture as publicistic, that is, as presented within the press and as capturing specific visual operations of publicity, especially montage. To make the argument, this essay describes Mallet-Stevens's collaboration with Thérèse Bonney, the Paris-based American photographer and press agent. Bonney apprised Mallet-Stevens of photography's informational value and especially its propagandistic potential, fostering in him an understanding of his craft as engaged in an exchange with other visual industries, particularly fashion and film. As he came to acknowledge the productive capacities of these proximate realms, Mallet-Stevens also indexed their specific production modes to his increasingly image-attuned architecture. Doing so, the designer challenged a time-honoured understanding of architecture as autonomous professional activity. Instead, Mallet-Stevens came to see his architecture as a manifold, mutable, visual world capable of colonizing and annexing allied industries, vastly expanding its scope, allure and desirability , the very functions, coincidentally, it served for Garbo. [source]


Les transformations du travail et de l'entreprise : qu'attendre des politiques publiques?1

CANADIAN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION/ADMINISTRATION PUBLIQUE DU CANADA, Issue 2 2009
Stéphanie Bernstein
Sommaire : Les politiques publiques du travail ont été conçues pour offrir des mesures de protection aux salariés travaillant à temps plein, pour un seul employeur, sous son contrôle et sur les lieux de l'entreprise. Or, le marché du travail est aujourd'hui composé d'une pluralité de relations d'emploi qui limitent l'efficacité de ces protections. Ce constat soulève la question suivante : que devraient contenir les politiques publiques pour être mieux adaptées au marché du travail? La première partie de cet article examine les voies de renouvellement possible des politiques publiques pour tenir compte des transformations du travail et de l'entreprise. Certaines suggèrent de faire reposer l'octroi de droits et d'avantages sur l'existence d'un travail ou d'une activité professionnelle alors que d'autres les rattachent à l'individu ou au citoyen. Ces propositions ne pourront cependant voir le jour que si elles font l'objet d'une appropriation par les acteurs sociaux et étatiques. Une réflexion sur le contenu des politiques doit ainsi être combinée à l'étude des processus sociaux susceptibles de faire émerger de telles réformes. Cette question est abordée dans la deuxième partie de l'article à partir de trois exemples récents de réformes législatives. Abstract: Public labour policies were developed to ensure the protection of workers who work for one employer on a full-time basis, at the employer's place of work and under his control. However, today's labour market is composed of a multiplicity of employment relations that limit the effectiveness of the protection. This raises the following question: what features should public policies include to better meet the needs of the labour market? The first part of this article examines how public policies could be renewed in order to take work and organizational transformations into account. Some policies suggest that rights and benefits should be granted on the basis of a job or professional activity, whereas others link rights and benefits to the individual or the citizen. However, these proposals will only emerge if they are appropriated by social and governmental stakeholders. A reflection on the content of the policies must therefore be undertaken in combination with a study of the social processes that may influence the emergence of such reforms. This question is examined in the second part of the article through a review of three recent examples of legislative reform initiatives. [source]


The mobility of optometrists practising in Australia in 2005: Do optometry graduates move to states without schools of optometry?

CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL OPTOMETRY, Issue 1 2008
Patricia M Kiely BScOptom PhD
Background:, Three schools of optometry in the eastern states of Australia provide optometrists for the entire country. Concerns have been expressed about attracting optometrists to practise in the other states. This paper analyses the source of optometric qualification of optometrists practising in each state, to assess the proportion who have chosen to practise in a state different from that in which they qualified and to determine whether there are gender differences in preparedness to move to a different state. Method:, Data on year and school of qualification, primary professional activity and current state or territory of practice were extracted from the Optometrists Association Australia database to determine a profile of place of qualification of optometrists in each state or territory of Australia in 2005. Results:, More than 77 per cent of practising optometrists from Australian schools practised in the state where they graduated. The majority of optometrists for the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), South Australia (SA) and Western Australia (WA) were New South Wales graduates; the majority of Tasmanian optometrists were Victorian graduates. Optometrists from overseas accounted for 17.3, 24.6 and 19.9 per cent of optometrists in practice in SA, Tasmania and WA, respectively, but less than 7.5 per cent elsewhere. The highest number of optometrists who had qualified outside Australia practised in NSW. Female graduates from 2000 and later were more likely to move interstate than their male counterparts. Discussion:, Approximately 14 per cent of practising optometry graduates practised in states without schools, where 21 per cent of the population resided. This indicates some degree of mobility but the market needs to work further to match supply of optometric services to demand at state level. Further analysis is necessary to determine patterns of graduate movement in the years following graduation, to determine whether movement to different states is short- or long-term. [source]


Relationship of abdominal obesity with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hyperlipidaemia in Spain

CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 1 2010
Felipe F. Casanueva
Summary Objectives, To evaluate the relevance of obesity and abdominal obesity in the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension in primary care patients and to ascertain whether waist circumference (WC) measurement should be included in routine clinical practice in addition to body mass index (BMI). Methods, As part of the IDEA study, primary care physicians from Spain recruited patients aged 18,80 years. WC and BMI and the presence of CVD, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidaemia and hypertension were recorded. Finally, 17 980 were analysed. An age-related increase in adiposity was observed. Overall 33% were obese by BMI, and 51% of subjects presented abdominal obesity by the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) (WC > 102 cm for men and > 88 cm for women). Although there was a correlation between BMI and WC, they presented different distribution patterns. Women, but not men, with a high level of education, professional activity and smoking were associated with a lower WC. Abdominal obesity was significantly associated with CVD. Some subjects with abdominal obesity but lean by BMI, showed an increased prevalence of CVD and diabetes. Furthermore, abdominal obesity was strongly associated with dyslipidaemia and hypertension. Conclusions, Half of the primary care patients studied showed abdominal obesity as measured by WC, whereas one-third was obese by BMI. Abdominal obesity was strongly associated with CVD and diabetes, even in patients lean by BMI. WC should be included in the routine clinical practice in addition to BMI. [source]