Occupational Stress And Its Associated Factors Among Academician In A Research University, Malaysia

The prevalence of occupational stress among academician is increasing in developed and developing countries. The job is not only to teach, but also involve in doing research, publications, consultation and administrative work. This study aims to assess the prevalence of occupational stress among academic staff in a research university and to investigate the association and correlation between stress and job factors which are career development, research, teaching and interpersonal relationship. One research university in Malaysia was selected randomly. A cross-sectional study was conducted and the respondents were recruited by using a randomized stratified sampling method. A total of 380 self-administered and validated Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and Stress Sources Questionnaires (SSQ) were distributed among academic staff between March to May 2012. The statistical analyses used were χ2, independent–t test and Pearson Correlation. Response rate was 81.1%. Stress prevalence was 22.1%. All socio-demographic factors showed no association with stress except ethnic group. Teaching, research and career development had significant association with stress among academic staff (p<0.05). Overall result showed career development, that include university condition and required publications for promotion were the greatest source of stress among the academicians. Occupational stress showed positive linear relationship to career development, research and teaching. There was a fair positive relationship between occupational stress and career development, research and teaching. It is recommended to organize continuous stress assessment program to identify and evaluate the current level of stress at the university level. This data could be a foundation for implementing prevention and control measures to reduce stress in the workplace.

Expected Qualities of a Lecturer: Perceptions of Medical Students in a Remote Setting.

Studies on medical student perceptions of their lecturers, in a resource poor setting is scarce. Lack of basic infrastructure hampers learning. Quality lecturers can compensate this handicap to some extent. In 2009, as a new medical school located in rural Sri Lanka 220 km away from Colombo, the Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences at Rajarata University had scarce human resources and lacked sufficient lecture halls, labs, and clinical space. In order to understand qualities students sought in a lecturer, 55 medical students were given a single, self-administered open-ended question, and responses were subjected to direct thematic analysis. Themes of ―Lecturer Qualities,‖ ―Lecture Preparation Procedure,‖ and ―Lecture Delivery Procedure‖ were identified, and then further divided into sub-themes, the most common of which being ―Speaking Style,‖ ―Content Design,‖ and ―Content Organization.‖ While the findings in this study closely mirrored those of similar studies, identified qualities were underpinned by implicit meaning that accurately reflects the emotional stressors among students coping with limited educational resources. Students emphasized the importance of clear communication due to language barriers and a strong desire for lecturer loyalty to their faculty and country. The examination of these real-life perceptions will not only help us better identify how to improve medical education in this medical faculty and may be useful to similar resource poor rural medical colleges around the world.

Olores agradables y desagradables en las exposiciones científicas orales / Pleasant and unpleasant smells in the oral scientific expositions

La imagen personal influye en la opinión de la audiencia sobre un discurso y quien lo pronuncia; por tanto, si la persona aspira a que ese aspecto de la comunicación no verbal se convierta en una herramienta que impulse su éxito ante el público, debe ser siempre un arma a su favor en cualquier momento u oportunidad. En el artículo, además de un poco de historia sobre el asunto, se ofrecen determinados consejos y orientaciones -- quizás algunos desatendidos y otros obviados involuntariamente -- acerca de los perfumes y ciertos olores, pero sin duda muy trascendentes en las exposiciones científicas orales.

The personal image influences on the opinion of the audience about a speech and about who pronounces it; therefore, if the person pretends that this aspect of the non verbal communication becomes in a tool which impels his success in front of the public, it should always be a weapon to his favor at any moment or opportunity. In the article, besides some history on the matter, certain advices and orientations are offered -- maybe some disregarded and others involuntarily obviated -- about the perfumes and certain smells, but undoubtedly very transcendent in the oral scientific expositions.

Influência da formação docente no perfil do egresso de graduação em enfermagem / Influencia de la formación docente en el perfil del egreso de graduación en enfermería / Influence of lecturer training on the profile of the graduate of the undergraduate course in nursing

Este estudo objetiva conhecer pesquisas realizadas na área de enfermagem, que abordam a formação do enfermeiro docente como elemento que influencia a construção do perfil do egresso de enfermagem. O método adotado foi a revisão integrativa, no período de 2007 a 2012, nas bases de dados LILACS e Dedalus e na base de texto SciELO. Foram encontrados 24 artigos e analisados 14 por estarem de acordo com os critérios de inclusão do estudo. A partir dos perfis dos egressos de enfermagem prevalentes nos artigos, a análise temática propiciou a elaboração das categorias: Ser educador na perspectiva humanística; Ser educador na construção da dimensão crítico/reflexiva e Ser educador com responsabilidade social. Nos artigos é evidenciada a necessidade de se refletir sobre a formação do docente de enfermagem, as características essenciais deste profissional e a influência que esta formação pode ter na proposição do perfil do egresso de enfermagem.

Este estudio objetiva conocer investigaciones realizadas en el área de enfermería, que abordan la formación del enfermero docente como elemento que tiene influencia en la construcción del perfil del egreso de enfermería. El método adoptado fue la revisión integrativa, en el periodo de 2007 a 2012, en las bases de datos LILACS y Dedalus y en la base de texto SciELO. Fueron encontrados 24 artículos y analizados 14 ya que estos estaban de acuerdo con los criterios de inclusión del estudio. Con base en los perfiles de los egresos de enfermería prevalentes en los artículos, el análisis temático posibilitó la elaboración de las categorías: Ser educador en la perspectiva humanística; Ser educador en la construcción de la dimensión crítico/reflexiva y Ser educador con responsabilidad social. En los artículos es evidenciada la necesidad de reflexionar acerca de la formación del docente de enfermería, las características esenciales de este profesional y la influencia que esta formación puede tener en la proposición del perfil del egreso de enfermería.

This study aims to investigate research undertaken in the area of nursing, which addresses the training of the nurse lecturer as an element which influences the construction of the profile of the nursing graduate. The method adopted was the integrative review, in the period 2007 - 2012, in the LILACS and Dedalus databases and in the SciELO text base. 24 articles were found, of which 14 were analyzed, meeting the study's inclusion criteria. Based on the profiles of the graduates of undergraduate nursing courses prevalent in the articles, the thematic analysis allowed the elaboration of the categories: Being an educator in the humanistic perspective; Being an educator in the construction of the critical/reflexive dimension and Being an educator with social responsibility. The articles evidence the need to reflect on the training of the nursing lecturer, this professional's essential characteristics and the influence which this training may have on the proposition of the profile of the nursing graduate.

Reflective learning through distance education: a critical reflection on the possibilities in developing countries

To develop critical thinking skills that are typical of a reflective practitioner is for most students in nursing a difficult process. Not only is it difficult for them to evaluate themselves, but they can find it extremely difficult to evaluate their own colleagues. The process can, however, be simplified. When students are supported by reflective lecturers who are willing to let themselves be evaluated and who encourage the students to evaluate them, the process becomes less threatening. Through this they learn that nobody has all the knowledge that is needed to optimally nurse patients and that there ought to be a continued search for new information and knowledge. Interpersonal contact between lecturers and students is therefore crucial in the development of the students into reflective nurses.Distance education in developing countries is currently viewed as an innovative development. It is in accordance with the concept of lifelong learners. In countries like Africa, and certainly also in other developing countries worldwide, education for persons in rural areas are made accessible through distance education. However, the question that also arises is whether reflective learning through distance education is possible.