scholarly journals Making the Most of Adversity: A Fully Remote Ecological Momentary Assessment and Actigraphy Study of Hospital Nurses

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 914-915
Author(s):  
Taylor Vigoureux ◽  
Christina Mu ◽  
Soomi Lee
Keyword(s):  
Study Protocol ◽  
Hospital Nurses ◽  
Behavioral Measures ◽  
Daily Stress ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Communication Problems ◽  
Qualitative Feedback ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Aging Populations ◽  
Ecological Momentary

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges and opportunities for research. This is especially true for research on essential workers, such as hospital nurses. In adaptation to the pandemic, the current study aimed to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a fully remote study to collect data on psychological and behavioral measures such as daily stress and sleep, utilizing ecological momentary assessments (EMA) and sleep actigraphy. Our remote study protocol was conducted through a web platform that provided detailed video and written instructions regarding the study and facilitated virtual onboarding meetings with participants. Outpatient day shift nurses (n=86) responded to a background survey, 84 of whom completed 14 days of EMA and sleep actigraphy. Feasibility was assessed by compliance rates to the 14-day study protocol. Acceptability was assessed by analyzing qualitative feedback provided during onboarding meetings (n=82). The compliance rates of EMA (91.8%) and actigraphy (97.9%) were high. The EMA compliance was higher than that from a pre-COVID, non-remote study of inpatient day shift nurses from the same hospital (86.6%, p=.030). Themes from content analysis were mostly positive with 51.2% reporting “easy, clear, simple onboarding process” and 16.3% reporting “helpful website”. Only six participants provided solely negative feedback (e.g., “communication problems” or “technical difficulties/preferences”). Our remote study protocol was feasible and well-accepted by nurses. A similar methodology could be used in studies on broader healthcare workers and those caring for aging populations to better understand their unique challenges and develop effective strategies to help them, both during and after the pandemic.

scholarly journals Efficacy of a Multicomponent Intervention for Fibromyalgia Based on Pain Neuroscience Education, Exercise Therapy, Psychological Support, and Nature Exposure (NAT-FM): Study Protocol of a Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 634 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayte Serrat ◽  
Juan P. Sanabria-Mazo ◽  
Elna García-Troiteiro ◽  
Anna Fontcuberta ◽  
Corel Mateo-Canedo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Study Protocol ◽  
Emotional Regulation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire ◽  
Number Needed To Treat ◽  
Treatment As Usual ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Activity Therapy ◽  
Ecological Momentary

The study protocol of a prospective and randomized controlled trial for the assessment of the efficacy of nature activity therapy for people with Fibromyalgia (NAT-FM) is described. The primary outcome is the mean change from baseline in the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR) score at post-treatment (12 weeks) and at 9 months of follow-up, and secondary outcomes are changes in the positive affect, negative affect, pain, fatigue, self-efficacy, catastrophising, and emotional regulation. A total of 160 patients with fibromyalgia will be divided into two arms: treatment-as-usual (TAU) and NAT-FM+TAU. Pre, during, post, +6, and +9 months assessments will be carried out, as well as an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) of intrasession and intersessions. Results will be subjected to a mixed group (NAT-FM+TAU vs. TAU) × phase (pre, post, +6 months, +9 months) general linear model. EMA intrasession measurements will be subjected to a 2 (pre vs. post) × 5 (type of activity) mixed-effects ANOVA. EMA between-session measurements obtained from both arms of the study will be analysed on both a time-domain and frequency-domain basis. Effect sizes and number needed to treat (NNT) will be computed. A mediation/moderation analysis will be conducted.

World trends and the state of Portuguese tourism – round table on opportunities for businesses development

2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 670-676 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Costa ◽  
Silva Carvalho
Keyword(s):  
Round Table ◽  
Tourism Industry ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Current State ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Tourism Experience ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to identify the current state of the Portuguese tourism, its opportunities and challenges based on the conclusions of the International Tourism Forum (ITF)/Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes (WHATT) Round Table attended by representatives of the main public and private entities of the tourism sector in Portugal. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents and discusses the main conclusions resulting from the ITF/WHATT Round Table. The event was organized by the Institute for Tourism Planning and Development, under the theme “Tourism in 2016: from trends to results”. Findings The ITF/WHATT Round Table concluded that the tourism industry worldwide and in Portugal, in particular, is facing major challenges that call for innovative ways of managing the tourism experience. On the other hand, world tourism growth was seen as a reality that will remain, and destinations will have to continue working to achieve better tourists instead of getting more tourists. Practical implications This analysis provides knowledge about the current state of the Portuguese tourism, its challenges and opportunities while identifying innovative ways and likely solutions to improve the experience of tourists visiting Portugal. Originality/value The profiling of the current state of the Portuguese tourism, its opportunities and challenges contributes to the design of more effective strategies to improve the Portuguese tourist offer and the experience of tourists visiting Portugal.

Aging in South Asia: challenges and opportunities

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masud Chand
Keyword(s):  
South Asia ◽  
Older Workers ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Gradual Transition ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Demographic Transitions ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Aging Populations

Purpose The countries that make up South Asia have young but rapidly aging populations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate some of the challenges that this rapid aging creates for societies and organizations in South Asia. It also points out how, properly managed, aging populations can create multiple opportunities for societies and organizations alike. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses secondary data about the aging situation globally. It pays special attention to the demographic situation in South Asian countries and uses as examples policies dealing with aging populations in other countries that have gone through demographic transitions in the recent past. Findings Aging populations are bringing about numerous challenges in the region, including rising costs for pensions and healthcare, higher dependency ratios, and changing family dynamics. South Asia will enjoy a one-time demographic dividend. Policy makers and managers need to put the right policies in place to ensure that they take maximum advantage of this opportunity. Research limitations/implications The study is based on secondary data. It is a perspectives piece and does not provide an in-depth study of the specific issues raised. Practical implications The study details how organizations can best manage this transition. This includes planning for a multigenerational workforce, providing accommodations for older workers, and fostering mentoring, knowledge transfer, cross-training and mixed-age work teams. Social implications This study analyzes some of the social issues that arise because of aging populations, such as the challenge of creating pension and healthcare systems, dealing with a rising old age dependency ratio, and dealing with a gradual transition to single-family households. Originality/value This is one of the first studies that look at the coming demographic transition in South Asia, and details some of the challenges and opportunities that arise both in terms of policies and managerial implications.

Price reopeners—challenges and opportunities

2010 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 681
Author(s):  
Paul Griffin ◽  
Herbert Smith
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Rapid Change ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Price Review ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

The long-term sale and purchase agreements which have long under-pinned the LNG business have seen increasing sophistication in their price review provisions and price re-openers in recent years. But, for all the contractual ingenuity and foresight of these provisions at the time these agreements are entered into, the emergence of connected geographical markets and the increasing volatility of price and volume risk have meant that these provisions are now regularly applied and a number of these provisions found wanting when submitted to practical application. Among the factors that have contributed to these difficulties are recent changes in the commercial and political aims of a number of the important producer economies and the rapid change in the circumstances of a number of the economies of those states and regions that are consumers of LNG. This paper contemplates the ways in which today’s circumstances are putting increased stress on these traditional provisions and looks particularly at the challenges of developing effective strategies to mitigate risks and enhance opportunities while maintaining relationships during periods of disagreement. It also includes case studies that highlight some of the issues of triggering price re-openers and then managing their progress through the resulting re-negotiations or, increasingly, arbitrations and expert determinations. These case studies include reviews of published decisions on price re-openers and analyses of some of the more usual contractual provisions found in the price and price clauses revision of long-term LNG sale and purchase agreements.

On-Ramps to more effective teaching: Quick-start guides to strategies for actively engaging students in the classroom to improve learning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Tewksbury ◽  
Florian Fusseis ◽  
Phillip Resor ◽  
Jennifer Wenner ◽  
Kim Blisniuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Web Sites ◽  
Teaching Strategy ◽  
University Teaching ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Web Pages ◽  
College And University ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Skill Building ◽  
Interactive Lecture

<p>The landscape of college and university teaching in the geosciences has changed over the past 20 years.  Research has documented 1) that faculty in the U.S. now spend less time lecturing and more time actively engaging students in the classroom, and 2) that active engagement is more common in geoscience classrooms than it is in biology, chemistry, physics, or engineering. The web sites of <em>Teach the Earth</em>  and <em>On the Cutting Edge</em> have thousands of web pages of resources for geoscience faculty who want to more actively engage their students in the classroom. But what if you want to incorporate more active learning but aren’t sure where to start or how these techniques might work in your courses? Or what if you are looking for new approaches or fresh ideas to add to techniques that you already use?</p><p>On-Ramps are quick-start guides designed to bring you up to speed in effective strategies for engaging students more actively in the classroom. Each 2-page On-Ramp focuses on a particular teaching strategy, rather than on how to teach a particular topic. The current On-Ramps cover interactive lecture, brainstorming, concept sketches, jigsaws, discussions, quantitative skill-building, just-in-time approaches, case studies, and re-thinking course coverage and linearity. Each On-Ramp includes a simple example that illustrates the strategy, why the technique is valuable, implementation tips, additional examples and modifications, and links to activities, supporting research, and other resources. On-Ramps will be available at the poster and can also be downloaded as pdfs from serc.carleton.edu/onramps/index.html</p><p>On-Ramps originated from the 2018 community vision report to US National Science Foundation on <em>Challenges and Opportunities for Research in Tectonics</em>, and their development was supported with a grant from NSF. The On-Ramps writing team is a group of geoscientists at a variety of career levels with specialties across the range of subdisciplines that regularly address tectonic problems. Although examples currently focus on the broad field of tectonics, On-Ramps can be easily adapted for courses in other geoscience disciplines at all levels.</p><p> </p>

scholarly journals Daily Stressors Degrade Perceived Cognitive Abilities in Healthcare Professionals

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 892-892
Author(s):  
Rhitik Joshi Taylor Drury ◽  
Soomi Lee
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Work Performance ◽  
Daily Stressors ◽  
Daily Stress ◽  
Memory And Attention ◽  
Quality Patient Care ◽  
Mental Focus ◽  
Ecological Momentary ◽  
Momentary Assessment

Abstract Stress negatively impacts cognitive functioning. Less is known about whether daily stress is associated with perceived cognitive abilities in healthcare workers who require mental sharpness and attention to provide high-quality patient care. We examined daily associations between stressors and perceived cognitive abilities in nurses and whether the associations differed between workday vs. non-workday. Using 14-day smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment, 61 inpatient nurses at a U.S. cancer hospital reported the frequency and severity of daily stressors (e.g., arguments, accidents). Each day, participants subjectively evaluated their mental focus, memory, and attention. Multilevel modeling examined the within- and between-person associations of daily stressors with cognitive abilities adjusting for sociodemographics, work shift, and workday. Nurses reported experiencing stressors once every other day. More stressors were associated with poorer cognitive abilities. At the between-person level, those with more frequent or severe stressors reported poorer mental focus (B=-22.4, p<.01; B=-0.35, p<.01, respectively), worse memory (B=-24.35, p<.01; B=-0.37, p<.01, respectively), and lower attention (B=-25.47, p<.05; B=-0.40, p<.01, respectively). At the within-person level, on days with more frequent or severe stressors, participants reported poorer mental focus (B=-2.05, p<.05; B=-.03, p<.05, respectively) and lower attention (B=-1.95, p<.05; B=-.04, p<.01, respectively). Some of the between-person associations were more apparent on workdays; those with more stressors reported poorer mental focus and lower attention on workdays than on non-workdays. Nurses’ perceived cognitive abilities at work vary by daily stressors. Disconnecting the linkage between stressors and perceived cognition may help improve work performance in nurses who may encounter frequent stressors at work.

Marketing in an Economic Downturn – Challenges and Opportunities

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-56
Author(s):  
Pratap Chandra Mandal
Keyword(s):  
Business Environment ◽  
Economic Downturn ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

The business environment is uncertain. It becomes even more turbulent during recession. This uncertainty directly affects the investments made by firms. Firms hesitate to invest during a recession because of the belief that the returns will not be commensurate with the investment made. Nevertheless, there are firms which develop strategies and invest during recession. The article discusses various strategies which firms may adopt to survive and also excel during recession. The advantages and the disadvantages of the following those strategies are discussed. The article also focuses on firms which implemented strategies to overcome recession and established themselves in the minds of customers. This article might help firms and practitioners in identifying the most effective strategies to be adopted for excellence during an economic downturn.

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