503 Burn Camp Volunteer Engagement

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S98-S99
Author(s):  
Miranda L Yelvington ◽  
Gretta E Wilkinson

Abstract Introduction Much has been published in burn literature regarding the positive impact of camp participation on burn survivors. Less has been said about the positive benefits reaped by the volunteers who freely give their time to support burn camp initiatives. Often these volunteers are fire fighters, members of the hospital’s burn team, family members or burn survivors or adult burn survivors. Occasionally, volunteers have no prior ties to the burn injury community. These individuals donate their time to attending burn camp as a counselor or camp volunteer and many serve through the year on planning and organization committees. Prior studies have reported a positive professional benefit from camp participation including improved job effectiveness and motivation. Counselors also reported personal benefits including personal growth and socialization. The same benefits may be present for non-counselor volunteers. Methods This survey-based project explored the attitudes of burn camp volunteers. Surveys were sent to current and past volunteers of one facility’s Pediatric Burn Camp. These include but are not limited to community members, firefighters, medical staff and Burn Team members. Surveys were sent via mail with a follow-up email sent one month later to encourage survey completion. Results Surveys were sent to 40 pediatric burn camp volunteers. 28 respondents reported between 1 and 27 years of camp participation. 75% report no regular contact with burn survivors related to their occupation. 29% of respondents were firefighters, 18% were burn team members and 32% were burn survivors. Respondents answered write in questions related to what they love about camp and how their camp experience could be made better. Nine topics related to attitudes were addressed in a Likert scale format. Statistical analysis will be performed to evaluate trends in volunteer attitudes and to compare attitudes to longevity of camp participation, volunteer age and occupation. Trends in recommended camp improvements will be addressed. Conclusions Longevity of camp participation is directly related to volunteer believes and attitudes. Whether because of other responsibilities, changing vocations or a loss of interest in the cause, often volunteers fail to return year to year. Volunteer engagement is an essential part of keeping burn camp a viable resource for pediatric burn survivors. By assessing volunteer perceptions, camp directors can discover areas for improvement and camp attributes that draw volunteers to burn camp. Volunteer recruit strategies developed with these trends in mind may be more successful in attainment and retention of dedicated volunteers.

Author(s):  
Dinis Caetano ◽  
Miguel T. Preto ◽  
Miguel Amaral

This chapter focuses on the role played by business incubators in developing and facilitating knowledge transfer, networks, and business support to tenant firms through a sustainable ecosystem. The authors conduct an in-depth qualitative case-study of one tech-based business incubator in Portugal—IPN, created in 1991 by the University of Coimbra—to provide insight on how the incubator's direction/management board and a group of incubatees perceive incubation and its impact. Primary data was collected via participant observation/focus group involving the incubators' CEO and six team members. Semi-structured interviews were carried out among the CEOs and top managers from 11 companies supported by IPN whether as (1) incubates, (2) under acceleration, and (3) graduates. Results show a positive impact of incubation on internationalization and growth for incubatees and companies under acceleration. However, there is a need for new post-incubation follow-up mechanisms and a normative context promoting richer interactions with graduates.


2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S243-S244
Author(s):  
Alaina Tiani ◽  
Desiree N Williford ◽  
Carrie B Jackson ◽  
Kristine Durkin ◽  
Ariana Langholz ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Sustaining a burn injury is associated with increased risk of mental health issues, and common among these are depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use. Unfortunately, less than half of these adult burn survivors receive services related to their mental health concerns. Moreover, few studies have examined the routine implementation of a psychosocial screener in an outpatient burn clinic setting, and there is a paucity of research which examines how to proceed when patients endorse symptomology. The aim of the current study is to report on outcomes of a routine psychosocial screener in a sample of adult burn survivors and patient response to brief psychological consultation at initial screen and 1-month follow-up. Methods A psychosocial screener was developed and implemented (October 2016-August 2019) in an outpatient burn clinic to identify patients who endorse clinically significant psychosocial distress. Comprised of very brief, validated scales (and their clinical cut-off scores), the screener assessed for safety at home, suicidal risk, depression, anxiety, and substance use. Adult burn survivors completed the questionnaire at their first outpatient appointment. Patients who endorsed safety concerns at home and/or suicidal ideation/risk were immediately evaluated by a physician or psychology staff. Those who endorsed significant distress, but no suicidal or safety risk, were contacted by psychology staff within one week of the screener date. Those who did not indicate significant clinically significant distress did not require further action. Results Of the 393 patients who completed the screener, 102 individuals (26%) indicated clinically significant mental/behavioral distress. Psychology staff were able to reach 80 patients (78%) for initial brief consultation (i.e., within one week). Of those contacted, 14 (18%) indicated that they were already receiving psychological services, 25 (31%) reported they were not interested in a psychological referral, 20 (25%) accepted a new referral for psychological services, and 19 (24%) endorsed minimal or decreased symptoms. In February 2019, we began to conduct 1-month follow-up. A total of 19 individuals were eligible (had positive screens) and 8 (42%) were reached. Of those reached, 2 (25%) accepted a new psychological referral, 2 (25%) indicated no interest in a referral, and 3 (37%) reported minimal/no psychological symptoms. Conclusions Implementing a psychosocial screener is a feasible way to screen for distress in outpatients. Applicability of Research to Practice A 1-month follow-up contact helps staff to understand whether referrals are utilized or how symptoms may change over time and yields another opportunity to provide referrals to those previously uninterested.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S9-S10
Author(s):  
Clifford C Sheckter ◽  
Gretchen J Carrougher ◽  
Mallory B Smith ◽  
Steven E Wolf ◽  
Jeffrey C Schneider ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Burn injuries can be life-altering events that involve intensive healthcare, changes in body image, psychological stress and financial toxicity. Burn survivors frequently experience numerous and varied barriers to returning to work. For those who return to work, little is known regarding whether they achieve pre-injury productivity (i.e., equivalent work output and/or pay). Understanding return to productivity and patients at risk of not achieving pre-injury productivity is important for targeting services that support this population and their families. Methods Burn survivors with complete occupational and personal income data through 24 months post-injury were extracted from the NIDILRR Burn Model System National Database. Participant annual income was reported in six groups: < $25k, $25k-50k, $50k-99k, $100k-149k, $150k-199k, $ >199k. Participants were classified by their change in income at each follow up (i.e., gain, loss, equivalent). Explanatory variables of interest included demographics, payer, job type, and injury characteristics. Logistic regression modeled return to productivity (i.e., equivalent or gain in income compared to pre-injury status) at each follow up interval. Results Data from 402 participants were analyzed. At 6-, 12-, and 24-months post-injury, 77%, 79%, and 71% of participants reported equivalent or gain in income, respectively. Physical and labor-based jobs were reported by 60% of participants who had return to productivity versus 63% of those who lost income. Demographics, payer, and job type were not significantly associated with differences in return to productivity. Mean %TBSA burn size was 17.4% in those who returned to productivity versus 26.1% among those who did not. Burn size ≥50% TBSA was the only predictor of decreased likelihood for return to productivity (OR 0.24, 95%CI 0.06–0.90). Post hoc comparison to participants who did not have complete financial data demonstrated that participants with complete data were significantly more likely to be older, white, have smaller burns, and carry private insurance. Conclusions Most burn survivors returned to pre-injury productivity by 24-months after injury regardless of demographics, job type, and payer status. Burn survivors who experienced ≥50% TBSA burns were much more likely to not return to pre-injury productivity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pandora Patterson ◽  
Fiona E. J. McDonald ◽  
Elizabeth Kelly-Dalgety ◽  
Bianca Lavorgna ◽  
Barbara L. Jones ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) bereaved by the death of a parent or sibling from cancer report unique psychosocial needs and can have difficulty adjusting to their loss. Unaddressed, this can result in poor long-term bereavement outcomes. This paper describes the development and evaluation of Good Grief – a 3-day camp-based program focused on meeting coping, social support, and respite needs of AYAs bereaved by familial cancer. Methods One hundred and nine Australian AYAs (68% female; age: 12–25 years, M = 16.63) participated in the evaluation. Grief intensity (Texas Revised Inventory of Grief), meaning-making (Grief and Meaning Reconstruction Inventory), trauma coping (Perceived Ability to Cope with Trauma Scale) and unmet needs (Bereaved Cancer Needs Instrument) measures were administered pre-program and 3-months post-program. Acceptability was measured after each session and at the program’s conclusion. Appropriateness was measured at 3-month follow-up. Thirteen participants were interviewed three months post-program on their perceptions of the program. Results Participants reported high program satisfaction, engagement with psychosocial sessions, and enjoyment of recreational activities. Significant improvements were observed in trauma coping abilities and reductions in unmet needs for managing emotions, social support, respite, future planning, and accessing information and support domains. No change was evident in grief intensity or meaning-making as measured quantitatively. Interviews supported these quantitative findings but also identified evidence of personal growth, a component of meaning-making. Conclusions Good Grief is a highly acceptable and beneficial intervention that addresses the unique needs of AYAs bereaved by familial cancer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4513
Author(s):  
Summaira Malik ◽  
Muhammad Taqi ◽  
José Moleiro Martins ◽  
Mário Nuno Mata ◽  
João Manuel Pereira ◽  
...  

The success of a construction project is a widely discussed topic, even today, and there exists a difference of opinion. The impact of communication and conflict on project success is an important, but least addressed, issue in literature, especially in the case of underdeveloped countries. Miscommunication and conflict not only hinder the success of a project but also may lead to conflicts. The focus of this paper was to examine the impact of communication on project success with the mediating role of conflict. By using SPSS, demographics, descriptive statistics and correlation were determined. Smart PLS version 3.0 was used for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), internal accuracy and validity estimates, hypothesis checking and mediation testing. The results showed that formal communication has a negative impact on the success of a construction project, resulting in conflicts among project team members, whereas informal communication and communication willingness have a positive impact on project success because people tend to know each other, and trust is developed. Task, process and relationship conflicts were used as mediating variables. It was found that task conflict effects the relations positively because project team members suggest different ways to do a certain task, and, hence, project success is achieved. On the contrary, process conflict and relationship conflict have a negative impact on communication and project success. Both of these conflicts lead to miscommunication, and project success is compromised. Hence, it is the responsibility of the project manager to enhance communication among project team members and to reduce the detrimental effects of process and relationship conflict on project success.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. e000839
Author(s):  
Heather Cassie ◽  
Vinay Mistry ◽  
Laura Beaton ◽  
Irene Black ◽  
Janet E Clarkson ◽  
...  

ObjectivesEnsuring that healthcare is patient-centred, safe and harm free is the cornerstone of the NHS. The Scottish Patient Safety Programme (SPSP) is a national initiative to support the provision of safe, high-quality care. SPSP promotes a coordinated approach to quality improvement (QI) in primary care by providing evidence-based methods, such as the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s Breakthrough Series Collaborative methodology. These methods are relatively untested within dentistry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact to inform the development and implementation of improvement collaboratives as a means for QI in primary care dentistry.DesignA multimethod study underpinned by the Theoretical Domains Framework and the Kirkpatrick model. Quantitative data were collected using baseline and follow-up questionnaires, designed to explore beliefs and behaviours towards improving quality in practice. Qualitative data were gathered using interviews with dental team members and practice-based case studies.ResultsOne hundred and eleven dental team members completed the baseline questionnaire. Follow-up questionnaires were returned by 79 team members. Twelve practices, including two case studies, participated in evaluation interviews. Findings identified positive beliefs and increased knowledge and skills towards QI, as well as increased confidence about using QI methodologies in practice. Barriers included time, poor patient and team engagement, communication and leadership. Facilitators included team working, clear roles, strong leadership, training, peer support and visible benefits. Participants’ knowledge and skills were identified as an area for improvement.ConclusionsFindings demonstrate increased knowledge, skills and confidence in relation to QI methodology and highlight areas for improvement. This is an example of partnership working between the Scottish Government and NHSScotland towards a shared ambition to provide safe care to every patient. More work is required to evaluate the sustainability and transferability of improvement collaboratives as a means for QI in dentistry and wider primary care.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S2-S3
Author(s):  
Callie Abouzeid ◽  
Audrey E Wolfe ◽  
Gretchen J Carrougher ◽  
Nicole S Gibran ◽  
Radha K Holavanahalli ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Burn survivors often face many long-term physical and psychological symptoms associated with their injury. To date, however, few studies have examined the impact of burn injuries on quality of life beyond 2 years post-injury. The purpose of this study is to examine the physical and mental well-being of burn survivors up to 20 years after injury. Methods Data from the Burn Model System National Database (1997–2020) were analyzed. Patient-reported outcome measures were collected at discharge with a recall of preinjury status, and then at 5, 10, 15, and 20 years after injury. Outcomes examined were the Physical Component Summary (PCS) and Mental Component Summary (MCS) of the Short Form-12. Trajectories were developed using linear mixed methods model with repeated measures of PCS and MCS scores over time and controlling for demographic and clinical variables. The model fitted score trajectory was generated with 95% confidence intervals to demonstrate score changes over time and associations with covariates. Results The study population included 420 adult burn survivors with a mean age of 42.4 years. The population was mainly male (66%) and white (76.4%) with a mean burn size of 21.5% and length of hospital stay of 31.3 days. Higher PCS scores were associated with follow-up time points closer to injury, shorter hospital stay, and younger age. Similarly, higher MCS scores were associated with earlier follow-up time points, shorter hospital stay, female gender, and non-perineal burns. MCS trajectories are demonstrated in the Figure. Conclusions Burn survivors’ physical and mental health worsened over time. Such a trend is different from previous reported results for mental health in the general population. Demographic and clinical predictors of recovery over time are identified.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S98-S98
Author(s):  
Jessica Banks ◽  
Matt Ferdock ◽  
Jennifer Nagle

Abstract Introduction Skin is not the only casualty following a burn accident. Many children suffer long term, debilitating emotional effects from their burn injury (Abdullah et al. 1994; Kornhaber et al. 2018). Armstrong-James et al. (2018) and Maslow and Lobato (2010) found that summer camps explicitly designed for burn survivor children can positively impact children’s adaptability to stares and comments and improve their sense of self-esteem. Camp Susquehanna has been a summer camp for burn survivors for the past 25+ years. When the COVID19 pandemic closed many businesses, we decided to transition our in-person camp to 100% online. Researchers demonstrated the positive effects of summer camp for burn survivors (Maslow & Lobato, 2010; Bakker et al. 2011). However, the effects of a 100% online camp are not known. Our concern was, are we able to transition and be as impactful as it is face to face at camp? What will the schedule and activities look like in this new format? How will we ensure all children participating will have access to online and the supplies necessary? Methods We opted to select a three-week format with two sessions a day divided into two age groups. We ensured every child had internet access then mailed out a “camp in the box.” It contained all the things needed for each planned activity. The critical question remained, however, will we be as impactful? The current research looks at quantitative and qualitative measures of self-esteem, happiness, and satisfaction following participation in a three-week summer program held in July 2020. We make comparisons to previous years’ results. The authors expected that self-esteem, happiness, and satisfaction levels matched or exceeded last years’ levels. Results We collected data from 42 campers and 22 volunteer camp counselors. Results show that campers were able to receive the support they needed, not only from the staff but also from their peers. Conclusions The delivery method was indeed different this year, but the positive effect on our campers remained the same.


Author(s):  
Irina P Karashchuk ◽  
Eve A Solomon ◽  
David G Greenhalgh ◽  
Soman Sen ◽  
Tina L Palmieri ◽  
...  

Abstract For medical and social reasons, it is important that burn patients attend follow up appointments (FUAs). Our goal was to examine the factors leading to missed FUAs in burn patients. A retrospective chart review was conducted of adult patients admitted to the burn center from 2016-2018. Data collected included burn characteristics, social history, and zip code. Data analysis was conducted using chi-square, Wilcox Rank Sum tests, and multivariate regression models. A total of 878 patients were analyzed, with 224 (25.5%) failing to attend any FUAs and 492 (56.0%) missing at least one appointment (MA). Patients who did not attend any FUAs had smaller burns (4.5 (8)% vs. 6.5 (11)% median (inter quartile range)), traveled farther (70.2 (111.8) vs. 52.5 (76.7) miles), and were more likely to be homeless (22.8% vs. 6.9%) and have drug dependence (47.3% vs. 27.2%). Patients who had at least one MA were younger (42 (26) vs. 46 (28) years) and more likely to be homeless (17.5% vs. 2.6%) and have drug dependence (42.5% vs. 19.4%). On multivariate analysis, factors associated with never attending a FUA were: distance from hospital (odds ratio (OR) 1.004), burn size (OR 0.96), and homelessness (OR 0.33). Factors associated with missing at least one FUA : age (OR 0.99), drug dependence (OR 0.46), homelessness (OR 0.22), and ED visits (OR 0.56). A high percentage of patients fail to make any appointment following their injury and/or have at least one MA. Both FUAs and MAs are influenced by social determinants of health.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul White ◽  
Gene George

Purpose Organizational leaders and human resource professionals affirm that to have (and keep) an effective workforce, understanding one’s employees is critical. Thus, understanding the differences between employees of different age groups is important. Simultaneously, studies have demonstrated the significant positive impact appreciation has on the functioning of organizations. When team members feel truly valued, numerous positive benefits result, including lower staff turnover, less absenteeism, higher customer ratings and greater profitability. Design/methodology/approach Because individuals prefer to be shown appreciation in different ways and prior research has shown some age differences, this study examined how appreciation preferences differ across seven employee age groups. Over 190,000 individuals completed an online assessment based on the five languages of appreciation, which identifies employees’ preferred ways of receiving appreciation. The respondents were separated into seven age groups, from 19 years old and younger to 70 years old and above. Findings The results of an analysis of variance found that there were significant differences across groups. Although the patterns of preferences were largely the same across many groups, post hoc analyses found both the youngest and oldest age groups differed from employees in their 30s with regards to their desire for quality time. Additionally, older employees were extremely low in their desire for tangible gifts. Originality/value As the proportion of employees shifts from older to younger groups of employees, these results raise important implications for organizations’ approaches regarding how appreciation and other motivators should be adjusted for different groups of employees.


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