scholarly journals Examining the Environmental Effects of Athletic Training: Perceptions of Waste and the Use of Green Techniques

2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 1121-1130
Author(s):  
Kelly Potteiger ◽  
William A. Pitney ◽  
Thomas A. Cappaert ◽  
Angela Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Daily Practice ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Practice Size ◽  
Direct Measures ◽  
Field Setting

Context:  Environmental sustainability is a critical concern in health care. Similar to other professions, the practice of athletic training necessitates the use of a large quantity of natural and manufactured resources. Objective:  To examine the perceptions of the waste produced by the practice of athletic training and the green practices currently used by athletic trainers (ATs) to combat this waste. Design:  Mixed-methods study. Setting:  Field setting. Patients or Other Participants:  A total of 442 ATs completed the study. Sixteen individuals participated in the qualitative portion. Main Outcome Measure(s):  Data from sections 2 and 3 of the Athletic Training Environmental Impact Survey were analyzed. Focus groups and individual interviews were used to determine participants' views of waste and the efforts used to combat waste. Descriptive statistics were used to examine types of waste. Independent t tests, χ2 tests, and 1-way analyses of variance were calculated to identify any differences between the knowledge and use of green techniques. Interviews and focus groups were transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively. Results:  Participants reported moderate knowledge of green techniques (3.18 ± 0.53 on a 5-point Likert scale). Fifty-eight percent (n = 260) of survey participants perceived that a substantial amount of waste was produced by the practice of athletic training. Ninety-two percent (n = 408) admitted they thought about the waste produced in their daily practice. The types of waste reported most frequently were plastics (n = 111, 29%), water (n = 88, 23%), and paper for administrative use (n = 81, 21%). Fifty-two percent (n = 234) agreed this waste directly affected the environment. The qualitative aspect of the study reinforced recognition of the large amount of waste produced by the practice of athletic training. Types of conservation practices used by ATs were also explored. Conclusions:  Participants reported concern regarding the waste produced by athletic training. The amount of waste varies depending on practice size and setting. Future researchers should use direct measures to determine the amount of waste created by the practice of athletic training.

scholarly journals An Exploration of Athletic Trainers’ Perceptions of the Continuing Education Process

2008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacy Walker ◽  
William Pitney ◽  
Christine Lauber ◽  
David Berry
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Continuing Education ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Individual Work ◽  
Education Activity ◽  
Field Notes

Purpose: Many health care professionals, including athletic trainers, utilize continuing education to maintain their certification or licensure status. Little is known about the perceptions of athletic trainers toward this educational process. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of athletic trainers toward the continuing education process.Method: Data were collected from 2 sources: field notes from 6 focus groups with 43 individuals, and 6 hours of transcribed audiotape recordings from focus groups. Trustworthiness was established through member checks and multiple analyst triangulations. Results: Continuing education is valued and it is believed to advance the profession of athletic training and maintain competence. Engagement in continuing education was generally based on individual learning interest and applicability of the content to their individual work setting. Lastly, athletic trainers feel they are ultimately accountable for honestly engaging in learning activities and reporting continuing education activity. Conclusion:Continuing education is valued by credential holders and is an integral part of what it means to be a professional. It can be effective as long as athletic trainers appropriately select continuing education programs and responsibly engage in learning. Knowledge that is applicable and pertains to individual work duties is perceived as more meaningful. The benefits of effective continuing education are the maintenance of competency, improved self-efficacy, and enhanced professional respect, all of which can have a positive impact on and advance the profession.

scholarly journals Athletic Trainers' Attitudes and Perceptions of Environmental Sustainability

2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (12) ◽  
pp. 1109-1120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Potteiger ◽  
William A. Pitney ◽  
Thomas A. Cappaert ◽  
Angela Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Sequential Mixed Methods ◽  
Quantitative Results ◽  
The Mean ◽  
National Athletic Trainers Association ◽  
Post Hoc

Context:  Environmental sustainability efforts are becoming a critical concern in health care. However, little is known regarding how athletic trainers feel about the environment or what can be done to reduce the environmental impact of the practice of athletic training. Objective:  To examine athletic trainers' attitudes toward and perceptions of factors related to environmental sustainability. Design:  Sequential, mixed methods using a survey, focus groups, and personal interviews. Setting:  Field study. Patients or Other Participants:  Four hundred forty-two individuals completed the survey. Sixteen participated in the qualitative portion. Main Outcome Measure(s):  Quantitative results from the Athletic Training Environmental Impact Survey included data from a 5-point Likert scale (1 = lowest rating and 5 = highest rating). Descriptive statistics and 1-way analyses of variance were used to describe perceptions and determine differences in mean opinion, National Athletic Trainers' Association district, and use of green techniques. Qualitative data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively. Results:  The mean score for opinion of the environment was 3.30 ± 0.52. A difference was found between opinion and National Athletic Trainers' Association district (F9, 429 = 2.43, P = .01). A Bonferroni post hoc analysis identified this difference (P = .03) between members of District 2 (Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania) and District 9 (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee). An inductive analysis resulted in 3 emergent themes: (1) barriers to using green techniques, (2) motivators for using green techniques, and (3) solutions to overcoming the barriers. The information gleaned from participants in the qualitative portion of the study can be useful for clinicians wishing to implement basic conservation efforts in their practice settings and may guide future sustainability projects. Conclusions:  Overall, participants reported a positive opinion of environmental sustainability topics related to athletic training. However, many barriers to practicing green techniques were identified.

scholarly journals An intervention to decrease burnout and increase retention of early career nurses: a mixed methods study of acceptability and feasibility

BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy Brook ◽  
Leanne M. Aitken ◽  
Julie-Ann MacLaren ◽  
Debra Salmon
Keyword(s):  
Mixed Methods ◽  
Nursing Students ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Healthcare Organisation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Aims To understand the experiences of nursing students and academic staff of an intervention to decrease burnout and increase retention of early career nurses, in order to identify acceptability and feasibility in a single centre. Background Internationally, retention of nurses is a persistent challenge but there is a dearth of knowledge about the perspectives of stakeholders regarding the acceptability and feasibility of interventions to resolve the issue. This study reports an intervention comprising of mindfulness, psychological skills training and cognitive realignment to prepare participants for early careers as nurses. Methods This is an explanatory sequential mixed methods study, conducted by a UK university and healthcare organisation. Participants were final year pre-registration nursing students (n = 74) and academics (n = 7) involved in the implementation of the intervention. Pre and post measures of acceptability were taken using a questionnaire adapted from the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was used to assess change in acceptability over time. Qualitative data from semi-structured interviews, focus groups and field notes were thematically analysed, adhering to COREQ guidelines. Data were collected February to December 2019. Results One hundred and five questionnaires, 12 interviews with students and 2 focus groups engaging 7 academic staff were completed. The intervention was perceived as generally acceptable with significant positive increases in acceptability scores over time. Student nurses perceived the intervention equipped them with skills and experience that offered enduring personal benefit. Challenges related to the practice environment and academic assessment pressures. Reported benefits align with known protective factors against burnout and leaving the profession. Conclusion Planning is needed to embed the intervention into curricula and maximise relationships with placement partners. Evaluating acceptability and feasibility offers new knowledge about the value of the intervention for increasing retention and decreasing burnout for early career nurses. Wider implementation is both feasible and recommended by participants.

scholarly journals The Challenges of Intersectionality in the Lives of Older Adults Living in Rural Areas with Limited Financial Resources

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 233372142110093
Author(s):  
Adrienne Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Focus Groups ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Financial Resources ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Community Members ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Study Population ◽  
Southern Georgia ◽  
Multiplicative Effects ◽  
Limit Access

The objective of this study was to use intersectionality to better understand the challenges of having the combined statuses of being an older adult, living in a rural area and having limited financial resources. Eight focus groups and 38 individual interviews were conducted in southern Georgia. Participants included program participants and staff, community members, and community leaders. Thematic analysis was done using verbatim transcripts from focus groups and interviews. Results demonstrate that the multiplicative and intersecting statuses of the study population create challenges in the areas of transportation, health care, food, and housing. The challenges of these intersectional statuses limit access to services in ways that each individual status did not, thereby compounding challenges. While previous literature describes the challenges of one or two of these statuses, this work explores the multiplicative effects of the combination of the three statuses using intersectionality. Programmatic and policy recommendations and implications are discussed.

Athletic Trainers’ Viewpoints of Patient-Centered Care

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carly J. Wilson ◽  
Lindsey E. Eberman ◽  
Ansley S. Redinger ◽  
Elizabeth R. Neil ◽  
Zachary K. Winkelmann
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Task Force ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Core Competency ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Patient Centered Care ◽  
International Classification Of Functioning ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Centered Care ◽  
Icf Model

Abstract Background The core competency of patient-centered care (PCC) states that for positive patient outcomes, the provider must respect the patient’s views and recognize their experiences. The Athletic Training Strategic Alliance Research Agenda Task Force identified a profession-wide belief that examining the extent to which athletic trainers (ATs) provide PCC in their clinical practice would benefit the profession. To first address this line of inquiry, we must study the subjectivity of how ATs view PCC. Methods We used Q methodology to allow participants to share their viewpoints while simultaneously exploring the study aim from a quantitative and qualitative perspective. A total of 115 (males = 62, females = 53, age = 37 ± 10 y, experience = 13 ± 10 y) ATs dispersed between 11 job settings volunteered for this study. Participants were asked to pre-sort (agree, disagree, neutral) 36 validated statements representing the 8 dimensions of PCC. The participants completed a Q-sort where they dragged-and-dropped the pre-sorted statements based on perceived importance in providing PCC. The Q-sorts were analyzed using QMethod software. A principal component analysis was used to identify statement rankings and factors. Factors were determined by an Eigenvalue > 1 and analyzed using a scree plot. The 6 highest selected statements per factor were assessed to create the distinguishing viewpoints. Results Two distinguishing viewpoints emerged from the Q-sorts. The statement “ATs treat patients with dignity and respect” appeared as a high ranked statement in both distinguishing viewpoints. The lowest ranked statement from viewpoint 1 was “ATs integrate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) model as a framework for delivery of patient care.” The lowest ranked statement from viewpoint 2 was “Appointment scheduling is easy.” Conclusions ATs value patient’s preferences. However, a lack of importance was identified for incorporating the ICF model, which is a core competency and adopted framework by the NATA since 2015.

Frequency of Leadership Behaviors Among Athletic Trainers in University Settings

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R. Kutz ◽  
Jennifer Doherty-Restrepo
Keyword(s):  
Athletic Training ◽  
Leadership Behaviors ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Leadership Behavior ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Training Context ◽  
Paired Samples ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
University Settings

Context: Leadership has been reported to be an important factor in the practice of athletic training. However, no research has identified the frequency in which leadership is practiced by athletic trainers. Objective: To explore and compare the frequency with which athletic trainers practice leadership in their athletic training and non–athletic training roles. Setting: Survey design using athletic trainers in clinical and academic roles. Patients or Other Participants: One hundred one athletic trainers in university settings (69% program directors; 31% university-based clinicians), yielding a 12% response rate and a satisfactory effect size (d = 0.73); mean age of respondents was 41 ± 9.5 years, mean experience was 18 ± 9.0 years, and 98% of respondents had at least a master's degree. Main Outcome Measure(s): Frequency of leadership behavior by athletic trainers was assessed using the Frequency of Leadership in Athletic Training Scale (FLATS). Data on frequency of use were organized by different demographic variables and between athletic training roles and non–athletic training roles. Results: The FLATS psychometric analysis yielded satisfactory internal consistency and validity (α = 0.91 to 0.96; correlations ranged from r = 0.39 to r = 0.87, P ≤ .05; concurrent validity was supported by differences between scale items and selected demographic characteristics). Paired-samples t tests indicated significant differences between practice frequencies of leadership behaviors in athletic training roles when compared with out of athletic training roles (mean = 2.24 ± 0.33 versus 1.98 ± .38, P = .000). Furthermore, mean scores for 44 (of 47) FLATS items were significantly higher for in versus out of athletic training roles (P ≤ .05). Independent t tests showed significant differences between specific item frequencies among different variables (ranges: t43–99 = −3.290 to 3.339, P = .001 to .05). Conclusions: A majority (85%) of leadership behaviors are practiced frequently (often or always) by athletic trainers. Frequency of leadership behavior by athletic trainers decreases when they are not functioning in an athletic training context.

scholarly journals Statistical Primer for Athletic Trainers: Understanding the Role of Statistical Power in Comparative Athletic Training Research

2018 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 716-719
Author(s):  
Monica R. Lininger ◽  
Bryan L. Riemann
Keyword(s):  
Sample Size ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Treatment Effect ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Significant Treatment ◽  
Training Research ◽  
Α Level

Objective: To describe the concept of statistical power as related to comparative interventions and how various factors, including sample size, affect statistical power.Background: Having a sufficiently sized sample for a study is necessary for an investigation to demonstrate that an effective treatment is statistically superior. Many researchers fail to conduct and report a priori sample-size estimates, which then makes it difficult to interpret nonsignificant results and causes the clinician to question the planning of the research design.Description: Statistical power is the probability of statistically detecting a treatment effect when one truly exists. The α level, a measure of differences between groups, the variability of the data, and the sample size all affect statistical power.Recommendations: Authors should conduct and provide the results of a priori sample-size estimations in the literature. This will assist clinicians in determining whether the lack of a statistically significant treatment effect is due to an underpowered study or to a treatment's actually having no effect.

scholarly journals Drivers of ‘clinically unnecessary’ use of emergency and urgent care: the DEUCE mixed-methods study

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (15) ◽  
pp. 1-256
Author(s):  
Alicia O’Cathain ◽  
Emma Knowles ◽  
Jaqui Long ◽  
Janice Connell ◽  
Lindsey Bishop-Edwards ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
General Practice ◽  
Mixed Methods ◽  
General Practitioner ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Emergency Departments ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Coping Capacity

Background There is widespread concern about the pressure on emergency and urgent services in the UK, particularly emergency ambulances, emergency departments and same-day general practitioner appointments. A mismatch between supply and demand has led to interest in what can be termed ‘clinically unnecessary’ use of services. This is defined by the research team in this study as ‘patients attending services with problems that are classified as suitable for treatment by a lower urgency service or self-care’. This is a challenging issue to consider because patients may face difficulties when deciding the best action to take, and different staff may make different judgements about what constitutes a legitimate reason for service use. Objectives To identify the drivers of ‘clinically unnecessary’ use of emergency ambulances, emergency departments and same-day general practitioner appointments from patient and population perspectives. Design This was a sequential mixed-methods study with three components: a realist review; qualitative interviews (n = 48) and focus groups (n = 3) with patients considered ‘clinically unnecessary’ users of these services, focusing on parents of young children, young adults and people in areas of social deprivation; and a population survey (n = 2906) to explore attitudes towards seeking care for unexpected, non-life-threatening health problems and to identify the characteristics of someone with a tendency for ‘clinically unnecessary’ help-seeking. Results From the results of the three study components, we found that multiple, interacting drivers influenced individuals’ decision-making. Drivers could be grouped into symptom related, patient related and health service related. Symptom-related drivers were anxiety or need for reassurance, which were caused by uncertainty about the meaning or seriousness of symptoms; concern about the impact of symptoms on daily activities/functioning; and a need for immediate relief of intolerable symptoms, particularly pain. Patient-related drivers were reduced coping capacity as a result of illness, stress or limited resources; fear of consequences when responsible for another person’s health, particularly a child; and the influence of social networks. Health service-related drivers were perceptions or previous experiences of services, particularly the attractions of emergency departments; a lack of timely access to an appropriate general practitioner appointment; and compliance with health service staff’s advice. Limitations Difficulty recruiting patients who had used the ambulance service to the interviews and focus groups meant that we were not able to add as much as we had anticipated to the limited evidence base regarding this service. Conclusions Patients use emergency ambulances, emergency departments and same-day general practitioner appointments when they may not need the level of clinical care provided by these services for a multitude of inter-related reasons that sometimes differ by population subgroup. Some of these reasons relate to health services, in terms of difficulty accessing general practice leading to use of emergency departments, and to population-learnt behaviour concerning the positive attributes of emergency departments, rather than to patient characteristics. Social circumstances, such as complex and stressful lives, influence help-seeking for all three services. Demand may be ‘clinically unnecessary’ but completely understandable when service accessibility and patients’ social circumstances are considered. Future work There is a need to evaluate interventions, including changing service configuration, strengthening general practice and addressing the stressors that have an impact on people’s coping capacity. Different subgroups may require different interventions. Study registration This study is registered as PROSPERO CRD42017056273. Funding This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Services and Delivery Research programme and will be published in full in Health Services and Delivery Research; Vol. 8, No. 15. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

scholarly journals Feasibility and Conceptualization of an e-Mental Health Treatment for Depression in Older Adults: Mixed-Methods Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christiane Eichenberg ◽  
Markus Schott ◽  
Adam Sawyer ◽  
Georg Aumayr ◽  
Manuela Plößnig
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Mental Health Treatment ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Mixed Methods Study ◽  
Health Treatment ◽  
Web Based ◽  
The Everyday

BACKGROUND Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in older adults. Unfortunately, it often goes unrecognized in the older population. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify how Web-based apps can recognize and help treat depression in older adults. METHODS Focus groups were conducted with mental health care experts. A Web-based survey of 56 older adults suffering from depression was conducted. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 2 individuals. RESULTS Results of the focus groups highlighted that there is a need for a collaborative care platform for depression in old age. Findings from the Web-based study showed that younger participants (aged 50 to 64 years) used electronic media more often than older participants (aged 65 years and older). The interviews pointed in a comparable direction. CONCLUSIONS Overall, an e-mental (electronic mental) health treatment for depression in older adults would be well accepted. Web-based care platforms should be developed, evaluated, and in case of evidence for their effectiveness, integrated into the everyday clinic.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Student Persistence into Athletic Training Programs

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heather Hudson ◽  
Valerie Herzog
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Athletic Training ◽  
Clinical Education ◽  
Student Persistence ◽  
Athletic Trainers ◽  
Athletic Training Students ◽  
Clinical Integration ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Introductory Course ◽  
Athletic Training Program Directors

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that contribute to student persistence and gauge prospective athletic training students' perceptions of experiences that contributed to their persistence. Method: The Athletic Training Student Persistence-Revised Survey was developed to gather data about program attributes, social, academic, clinical integration, and program commitment. Institutional demographics, program demographics, and program attributes were collected during interviews. Surveys were administered online through SurveyMonkey. Survey data were returned anonymously by designated contact persons (Athletic Training Program Directors or Clinical Education Coordinators) for all freshmen prospective athletic training students enrolled in the athletic training introductory course/s. Descriptive statistics and non-parametric differences and correlations were calculated. The inductive process was used in coding open-ended data. Results: The Mann Whitney U test and Spearman Rho analysis demonstrated significant results. Program attributes along with clinical integration had the weakest correlations (r = -0.36 and r = -0.32, respectively), while academic integration and program commitment had the strongest (r = -0.58 and r = -0.76, respectively). No predictive variables were found. Qualitatively, persisters and non-persisters managed the pre-application period differently. Additionally, the rapport between athletes and athletic trainers serving as preceptors, the relationships between prospective athletic training students and extant athletic training students, and the mentorship displayed by athletic training students were all contributors to persistence. Conclusions: Communication between the athletic training program director and prospective athletic training students is vital, but the core of the study revealed that what transpires during clinical observation hours, within the introductory course/s, between athletic trainers and athletes, and between athletic training students/preceptors and prospective athletic training students are of even greater importance. The findings demonstrated that decisions to persist are the result of all parties and components associated with the athletic training program, not just one.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document