Learning from adversity: Occupational therapy staff experiences of coping during Covid-19

Introduction The Occupational Therapy profession is adaptable and flexible (Thorner (1991) and these characteristics have the potential to act as protective factors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding the mechanisms that support coping during adversity can help promote future wellbeing. The aim of this study was to explore how Occupational Therapy staff felt and coped during the first peak of the pandemic. Method A questionnaire was developed to explore the experiences of Occupational Therapy staff during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The questions explored feelings, mechanisms of support and challenges to both practice and wellbeing. A total of 75 staff responded across one NHS Health Board and reflections were analysed using inductive content analysis. Findings Staff reflected on how their ability to adapt and remain flexible were protective factors. This combined with supportive family members, friends and colleagues led respondents to reflect on how well they coped. Barriers to coping included organisational challenges, personal challenges and professional challenges. Conclusion The importance of consistent communication, the need for staff to remain connected to their profession and the importance of engaging in meaningful occupations were highlighted as key to maintaining wellbeing during adversity.

Struggling with good intentions: Music education research in a “post” world

In this Perspectives article, the author grapples with the personal challenges of attempting to do ethical and high-quality research in the post world of the maturing 21st century. Among the challenges addressed are matters of purported relevance of research, equity research conducted by nonmembers of equity-seeking groups, the impact of rankings and metrics, peer review, and the relationship between good intentions and symbolic violence.

Exploring the sustaining factors that motivate nurses to work in the rural areas of Papua New Guinea

<p>Papua New Guinea is among other developing countries that are faced with a critical shortage in human resources in health, specifically nurses, and rural areas are the most affected. Initially, and perhaps unsurprisingly, there were only two relevant studies that directly related to Papua New Guinea in this area based on the literature search. The first of these two studies was focused on nurses and the social aspect of rural motivation compared to the other which was focused on rural health professionals in general. Nevertheless, other research studies were eventually found from other developing countries such as certain Pacific, African and Latin American countries that served to assist in focusing the research on the chosen topic. This descriptive-exploratory study set out to explore the sustaining factors that influenced existing nurses to remain (or otherwise) in their work in Papua New Guinea’s rural areas. As such, the study involves 10 rural nurses with over two years of rural work experience in two different organisations; government and church. The interviews were semi-structured and were designed to explore the motivating factors for rural nurses and how any challenges, or demotivating factors, were overcome. The interviews were conducted in the common spoken language Tok Pisin which was translated into English, transcribed and analysed thematically. Overall the study found that rural nurses are disadvantaged because they struggle with limited resources to deliver effective health care, and they also face several personal challenges which are often overlooked. The main findings are categorised under two major themes, 1) safety and 2) socioeconomic, and each are explored by further exploration of the themes and sub-themes that are evident in both. The implications of this study are examined, including recommendations, to develop policies that are designed to address the ongoing needs of rural nurses in Papua New Guinea.</p>

Exploring the sustaining factors that motivate nurses to work in the rural areas of Papua New Guinea

<p>Papua New Guinea is among other developing countries that are faced with a critical shortage in human resources in health, specifically nurses, and rural areas are the most affected. Initially, and perhaps unsurprisingly, there were only two relevant studies that directly related to Papua New Guinea in this area based on the literature search. The first of these two studies was focused on nurses and the social aspect of rural motivation compared to the other which was focused on rural health professionals in general. Nevertheless, other research studies were eventually found from other developing countries such as certain Pacific, African and Latin American countries that served to assist in focusing the research on the chosen topic. This descriptive-exploratory study set out to explore the sustaining factors that influenced existing nurses to remain (or otherwise) in their work in Papua New Guinea’s rural areas. As such, the study involves 10 rural nurses with over two years of rural work experience in two different organisations; government and church. The interviews were semi-structured and were designed to explore the motivating factors for rural nurses and how any challenges, or demotivating factors, were overcome. The interviews were conducted in the common spoken language Tok Pisin which was translated into English, transcribed and analysed thematically. Overall the study found that rural nurses are disadvantaged because they struggle with limited resources to deliver effective health care, and they also face several personal challenges which are often overlooked. The main findings are categorised under two major themes, 1) safety and 2) socioeconomic, and each are explored by further exploration of the themes and sub-themes that are evident in both. The implications of this study are examined, including recommendations, to develop policies that are designed to address the ongoing needs of rural nurses in Papua New Guinea.</p>

Psychological Benefits and Challenges of Ph.D. Entrance Exam Virtual Interviews During COVID-19 Pandemic: Does Gender Play a Role?

This study aimed to investigate the reflections of Iranian students on Ph.D. entrance exam interviews held virtually nationwide during the Pandemic. Two hundred thirty-one Ph.D. applicants were invited to fill out an anonymous online survey designed in Google Forms, 36 out of whom volunteered to participate in follow-up semi-structured interviews. Two ANOVA measures were used to investigate the possible influences of gender and prior virtual interview experience on the applicants’ perceptions. Thematic analysis was also adopted to explore the participants’ attitudes and perceptions toward virtual interviews (VI). Quantitative findings showed that Iranian Ph.D. applicants perceived VI as a flexible and helpful procedure that provided them with satisfactory interpersonal treatment. Still, they did not favor the procedure’s perceived behavioral control and ability to communicate information to perform procedural justice. Moreover, neither their gender nor their prior experience of the virtual interview was a predictor of their perspectives’ discrepancies. The thematic analysis of the qualitative data revealed that despite having some cognitive, personal, and financial benefits, VI posed some technical, communicative, and personal challenges. This study provides implications for universities and applicants who will use VI for different purposes in higher education.

Law enforcement wellness: Promoting the “good” during the “bad” and “ugly”

Wellness and resilience have been at the epicenter of attention amongst many law enforcement researchers, clinicians, and professionals in recent years. Both resilience and wellness aim to provide law enforcement officers with knowledge and effective tools that can be employed during both professional and personal challenges. The current manuscript presents wellness within a context of prevalent conditions and/or situations (i.e., what is called “Good” during the “Bad” and “Ugly”) that law enforcement officers experience as part of their duties as well as in their personal lives. The authors aim to raise awareness of police wellness that needs to be viewed within the context of police work and not in a vacuum. Considering that, tangible actions and recommendations are also discussed.

Impact of parental bonding on academic resilience

Parent-child relationships are silent predictors for fostering the resilience in the academic arena of children. Parental bonding denotes the intensive attachment that develops between parental and their children through the process of mutual relations. In the field of academic it removes the adversity on part of child and makes him capable to face the academic and personal challenges effectively. Parental bonding emerged as an effective temperament that influences the academic associated activities of the child. It provides an anti-maltreatment approach for shaping the physical, psychological and academic capital of students. The survival and development of the child is mainly based on parental bonding. Parental bonding provides an abundant opportunity for children to boast their own pace in the field of learning. Parental bonding as a life span development has deeply rooted right from the infancy stage to last moments of life by establishing toddler relationship with mother father of primary caregiver. In the later stages of life, parental bonding gradually develops the resilience among children and make them enough competent to cope the stress and challenges in the field of academies. Indian education system is at stake because there is prevalence of heavy overload of academics and tough competition.

The Effects of Natural Landscapes on Inspiration: An Exploratory Study

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the relationship between natural landscapes and inspiration through the lens of topophilia—the affinity people have for certain places or landscape features. Participants were students on a traveling college field course called American Ecosystems. The 2015 course (n=15, 26 days) visited 19 U.S. National Parks, Monuments, and Grasslands. The 2017 course (n=15, 18 days) visited 14 locations. On both courses, students studied the flora, fauna, ecology, climate, geology, landforms, and environmental issues associated with each location. Four factors emerged that encouraged inspiration: 1) vertical landscape features, 2) direct and varied experience of place, 3) overcoming personal challenges provided by the landscapes, 4) novel experiences. Students ranked landscapes as more inspirational if they spent more time there, had opportunity to see and learn about them from a greater number of vantage points, and had more direct and varied experiences within them. Subscribe to JOREL

SWOT Analysis of the Universiti Sains Malaysia Medical Educationists’ Preparations to Make a Regional Medical Education Hub: A Qualitative Study

The aim of this study was to analyse the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that describe the current circumstances of medical educationists in the School of Medical Sciences in Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), particularly towards preparing themselves for becoming a regional hub in medical education. A total of 21 documents, including nine strategic management records, three department meeting documents and nine researchers’ observation journals were engaged in this study. The gained data were clustered by themes for each of the four categories which were strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats regarding medical educationists in the USM. High motivation and interest of the lecturers, interest in writing, presence of medical background, experienced in clinicals, experienced in management, presence of good health status, presence of postgraduate medical education and the presence of international students were designated as strengths of medical educationists. Presence of personal challenges, a majority of young lecturers and a majority with no PhD were stated as weaknesses of medical educationists. Positive support from family, strong support from the top administration to the medical education department, positive attention to individual instructors, two instructors having a PhD, supportive cadre, positive international perception to the department of medical education and large opportunities for research and school-provided grants were indicated as opportunities for medical educationists. Financial issues and facilities were expressed as threats to medical educationists. Consistent with the positive mode to move forward, there is a good chance for the USM medical faculty to become a medical education hub.