Narrative encounters of pedagogic partnership, and the development of collegial capital in higher education

PurposeThe study explores the relational encounters of five higher education tutors and programme leaders, working in collaboration across contrasting institutions: one, a modern, civic university in the Global North, and the other, a parastatal institution in the Global South. The purpose of the study is to deepen the understanding of evolving collegiality within a transnational partnership, stimulated by the COVID-19 pandemic related shift to online teaching and learning.Design/methodology/approachThe inquiry is informed conceptually by the concept of narrative encounter as a site of learning, with inductive, meta-analysis undertaken across our individual reflective narratives.FindingsThe narratives reveal three emergent themes: shared purpose, shared responsibility - through focus, routinised dialogue and concreteness;collective and individual risk-taking - through negotiated decision-making;and trust in self and in peers - through reciprocity, caring, duality and building on stable practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe data from which this paper is developed and its related central thesis of collegial capital are limited and partial. However, when agility within higher education partnerships is at a premium, this paper is a useful touchstone for further reflection.Originality/valueThe paper seeks to further the concept of collegiality and collegial capital, a dialogical affordance which enabled the partnership to build on previous collaborative successes.

Application of the theory of planned behaviour to understand sustainable food choices across Western and non-Western cultures: a scoping review protocol

: The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) has been widely used to understand environmentally sustainable food choices. However, the theory has been criticised for disregarding culturally specific variables, and the assumption that intentions will predict behaviour. This scoping review will identify the extent to which studies have applied the TPB to understand sustainable foods choices within Western and non-Western cultures. Supplementary questions guiding the review will focus on what demographic information is reported about participants, and variability across cultures. Seven databases will be searched for journal articles published from 2002. For inclusion, studies must include concepts that relate to the TPB (whether explicit or implicit). Furthermore, outcomes of interest refer to studies that predict intentions to eat or purchase sustainable foods and reduce food waste. Sustainable behaviours unrelated to food won't be considered. Considering inclusivity, studies conducted in any country will be included, but must be written or translated into English. Studies will be reviewed using Covidence, a software which facilitates data screening (i.e., title, , full text) and data extraction. Data extraction from studies will include whether the original or an extended version of the TPB was used, how the theory is represented in studies, what information is reported about participants and what country the study was conducted in. An evidence map produced will illustrate drivers of sustainable food choice intentions, the geographical distribution of studies and precisely how the theory applies to both Western and non-Western cultures. This study is pre-registered on Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/yu753/). Copyright © 2022

The challenge of meeting protein requirements in critically ill patients in the COVID era

Critically ill patients often face progressive and rapid losses of body and muscle mass due to hypermetabolism and increased protein catabolism. Certain population groups (such as obese patients or those requiring Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) require a higher protein provision as advised by both ASPEN1 and ESPEN2. Furthermore, critically ill patients often receive significant energy provision from non-nutritional sources such as propofol. As a consequence, calorie provision via enteral feed is commonly restricted to avoid overfeeding, and protein provision to the patient is further compromised. Retrospective data was collected for 58 patients who were either confirmed or suspected of COVID-19 and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) during April 2020. 31% (n=18) of patients were unable to meet their protein requirements from the feed formula alone, based on initial dietetic assessment. Recommended protein requirements were not achieved in any patients who were obese (n=10;defined as BMI ≥30 kg/m2) or receiving CRRT (n=6). The maximum protein provision for obese patients was 1.5g/kg IBW and 1.6g/kg for patients receiving CRRT. The situation was exacerbated for patients receiving high dose propofol (defined as >10 ml/hr), where protein provision decreased to 0.8 – 1.2g/kg and 1.1 – 1.3g/kg respectively. [Formula presented] In the non-obese, non-CRRT ICU population, the available enteral feeding regimes were appropriate to meet the majority of patients’ protein requirements (as shown in Figure 1). However the review almost certainly overestimates protein provision, as percentage feed delivery was not assessed and the results assume 100% feed delivery. We know from previous audits on our unit that feed delivery is often <80% of target, and although this review was based on COVID-19 patients, the ‘typical’ patients in ICU often have specific nutrition requirements, which includes high protein. The challenges faced during COVID-19 has raised awareness of the importance of protein delivery in ICU and our review highlights the need to continually monitor and augment protein delivery in critically ill patients. The findings support the need for a high protein supplement in specific population groups;particularly those who may be obese, require CRRT or are receiving high dose propofol in an ICU setting. 1 McClave S A, Taylor B E, Martindale R G et al. Guidelines for the Provision and Assessment of Nutrition Support Therapy in the Adult Critically Ill Patient: Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.) J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2016;40(2): 159-211. 2 Singer P, Blaser A R, Berger M M et al. ESPEN Guideline on clinical nutrition in the intensive care unit Clin Nut 2019;38: 48-79

Improvements in malaria testing and treatment after a national community health worker program in rural Liberia

Background: Progress in reducing malaria incidence and deaths has stalled, in part due to limited access to quality malaria testing and treatment amongst rural populations. This time-series analysis aims to describe changes in rural malaria diagnosis and treatment before and during the rollout of Liberia's National Community Health Assistant (CHA) program. It also explores how malaria service delivery changed during the COVID-19 epidemic.

Development of a Rapid Prototyping COVID-19 Geographic Information System and the Influence of Testing Centers on Data Visualization

Federal, state, and local governments have been tracking the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, an infectious disease caused by a coronavirus. As a result of this pandemic, a consistent stream of health data has been produced that tracks the state of health for the seven billion plus people in the world each day, much of which has been publicly released. This open-source data can be used to analyze, visualize, and explain the spread of COVID-19. Here, a COVID-19 information system was created with the business intelligence software Tableau utilizing big data analysis techniques to contribute to general knowledge about the global pandemic. At a state level, data was collected from the big data initiative, the Covid Tracking Project. At the county level, if not provided in a downloadable format, the data was transcribed into a comma-separated values (CSV) file format and used for analysis. Data collection, cleaning, merging, and filtering was a time consuming and tedious task. The COVID-19 pandemic and increased amount of data collection has highlighted the need to perform rapid data analysis and visualizations. Tableau was used for the rapid prototyping of information system. The available data was decentralized and showed the lack of consistency and lack of nation-wide standardization in collecting COVID-19 data. Uncertainties in the data could be reduced through emphasizing how not all states release the same information, as well as efforts for transparency with how published statistics are calculated. The work aims to draw attention to the need for standardized data collection and the viability of using software such as Tableau for the creation of rapid visualizations. © 2021 ACM.

Internet accessibility and willingness of patients with chronic respiratory disease to use an internet-based breathlessness self-management intervention

Introduction: Breathlessness support services for patients with chronic breathlessness improve patients' self-management and reduce their distress due to breathlessness. The provision and access to such services within the UK's National Health Service is limited. Delivering online breathlessness supportive services maybe one way of improving access to non-pharmacological self-management interventions for people living with chronic breathlessness. Aim: To explore internet accessibility and willingness of patients with chronic respiratory disease to use an internet-based breathlessness selfmanagement intervention. Methods: Patients attending 3-specialist respiratory outpatient services at a large NHS Foundation Trust over a 2-week period (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic) completed a standardised questionnaire regarding internet accessibility. The questionnaire asked;if the patient had internet access, modes of accessing the internet, frequency of internet use and if they would use an internet based breathlessness support service. Results: 46 patients (COPD: 19, Bronchiectasis: 22, Asthma: 4), 17 male, with a median (range) age 68 (41 - 86) years, MRC Dyspnoea Score of 2 (2-4) completed the questionnaire. Of these, 35 (76%) patients had access to the internet at home;28 (61%) accessed the internet daily;and 26 (57%) had two or more modes of accessing the internet. Of the 35 patients with home internet access, 33 (94%) reported that they would use an internet-based breathlessness self-management intervention, if available. Conclusion: These preliminary findings suggest that patients that have access to the internet would use an internet-based breathlessness selfmanagement intervention, if given the opportunity.

Nursing Professional Development Practice During a Pandemic.

From staffing and supply shortages to furloughs and layoffs, few expected-let alone had a plan for managing-the COVID-19 pandemic. The crisis allowed nursing professional development to demonstrate its value like never before. This article explores the impact of the pandemic on nursing professional development practice at the micro (unit), meso (organization), and macro (national) levels of our specialty. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020;51(8):349-351.].

Supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disability during the first 100 days of the COVID-19 outbreak in the USA.

BACKGROUND: It is unknown how the novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, the cause of the current acute respiratory illness COVID-19 pandemic that has infected millions of people, affects people with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD). The aim of this study is to describe how individuals with IDD have been affected in the first 100 days of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Shortly after the first COVID-19 case was reported in the USA, our organisation, which provides continuous support for over 11 000 individuals with IDD, assembled an outbreak committee composed of senior leaders from across the health care organisation. The committee led the development and deployment of a comprehensive COVID-19 prevention and suppression strategy, utilising current evidence-based practice, while surveilling the global and local situation daily. We implemented enhanced infection control procedures across 2400 homes, which were communicated to our employees using multi-faceted channels including an electronic resource library, mobile and web applications, paper postings in locations, live webinars and direct mail. Using custom-built software applications enabling us to track patient, client and employee cases and exposures, we leveraged current public health recommendations to identify cases and to suppress transmission, which included the use of personal protective equipment. A COVID-19 case was defined as a positive nucleic acid test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. RESULTS: In the 100-day period between 20 January 2020 and 30 April 2020, we provided continuous support for 11 540 individuals with IDD. Sixty-four per cent of the individuals were in residential, community settings, and 36% were in intermediate care facilities. The average age of the cohort was 46 ± 12 years, and 60% were male. One hundred twenty-two individuals with IDD were placed in quarantine for exhibiting symptoms and signs of acute infection such as fever or cough. Sixty-six individuals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and their average age was 50. The positive individuals were located in 30 different homes (1.3% of total) across 14 states. Fifteen homes have had single cases, and 15 have had more than one case. Fifteen COVID-19-positive individuals were hospitalised. As of 30 April, seven of the individuals hospitalised have been discharged back to home and are recovering. Five remain hospitalised, with three improving and two remaining in intensive care and on mechanical ventilation. There have been three deaths. We found that among COVID-19-positive individuals with IDD, a higher number of chronic medical conditions and male sex were characteristics associated with a greater likelihood of hospitalisation. CONCLUSIONS: In the first 100 days of the COVID-19 outbreak in the USA, we observed that people with IDD living in congregate care settings can benefit from a coordinated approach to infection control, case identification and cohorting, as evidenced by the low relative case rate reported. Male individuals with higher numbers of chronic medical conditions were more likely to be hospitalised, while most younger, less chronically ill individuals recovered spontaneously at home.