‘You Took me Back to the sea:' Using Narrative to Explore and Inform the Practice of Social Work with Dying People

This article centres on a qualitative interview extract, the ‘Story of the Pebble', in which a West African Hospital Social Worker Ado, working in a UK context, and identifying as a Shaman, describes successfully trusting his instincts to create a symbol for a dying patient. Despite criticisms from colleagues, Ado's capacity to understand his patients needs are justified both before and after her death.The article discusses significant themes from the interview extract, including the meaning of professionalism, practice wisdom and cultural influences in a UK social work context, as well as through Ado's heritage and identification as a Shaman. The article considers holistic patient care in a medical context and suggests this has some useful lessons for social workers, particularly those involved with dying people. Although the extract, and wider research study from which it is drawn, pre-date the Covid 19 pandemic, this is referenced throughout, linking the interview extract to ways of helping practitioners and educators to consider people holistically at end of life. AD -, Chichester, UK ;, Chichester, UK

Taking a Collaborative Approach to Our Students' Research in Education Settings

In the United Kingdom (U.K.), all students who are studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree need to complete a piece of independent research in order to gain their "honours" (U.S. "honors") status. As a university faculty we have very specific ideas about the purpose of this research and the positive impact that we hope that it will have upon the U.K. settings (mainly schools and kindergartens) in which it is carried out, which we discuss in this article. Although our approach would appear successful, this judgement has so far been based upon the evidence of the final, summative project alone. Obtaining a small amount of funding from the university for students to act as co-researchers provided the ideal opportunity to explore the topic further by collecting empirical data from students and settings. Because our original plans for data collection were disrupted by COVID-19, we gained responses through an anonymous survey which enabled frank responses from both students and staff in settings. Although the data collected was, overall, encouraging, it did raise some issues for us, as faculty tutors, to consider. These include the way that we convey the portance of students carrying out their projects independently (that is, without university supervisor intervention) to settings themselves, and how we ensure that the students collaborate with settings at all stages of the project.

COVID19, the war in Ukraine, the economic crisis, the energy crisis, climate change

Each month brings new fears and new reasons to worry about the future. In a world marked by permanent change, by the occurrence of the unthinkable generating a continuous feeling of insecurity, having confidence has become increasingly difficult: confidence in the future, confidence in our environments, in our organisations, confidence in our contemporaries, confidence in our collaborators and confidence in our ability to face a difficult tomorrow. Confidence and fear are inseparable and they are like the opposite sides of the same coin. Unable to look at both sides of a coin at the same time, we must constantly fight our fears with confidence. Therefore, more than ever, trust is an essential element to obtain team security and it only takes one person feeling insecure for the overall confidence of the team to be eroded. This feeling of low self-confidence is particularly true for the younger generation of veterinary surgeons and specialized veterinary assistants. This can result in difficulties that are often unexpressed and can lead professionals to abandon these vocations of "passion" since they do not feel up to the expectations of clients and managers alike. Building the self-confidence of the people concerned has become a professional priority. The origin of the feeling of lack of self-confidence is collective. Therefore, its treatment is collective. Since each member has the capacity to fight against their fears, he or she can play their part and increase security in the team.

University and COVID-19: The Experience of the Academic Community of the Single-Cycle Master's Degree in Law of the University of Genoa

The article focuses on challenges and disruption in the higher education sector in Italy due to COVID-19 pandemic. The study explores the experience of the Single-Cycle Master's Degree in Law of the University of Genoa, especially taking into account students' perspective.

Impacts, Learner Diversity, and Curricular Framework of a Virtual Global Health Elective Catalyzed by the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: Place-based international electives that build global health competencies have existed for decades. However, these electives require travel and are infeasible for many trainees around the world, particularly those with insufficient financial resources, logistical complexities, or visa limitations. The emergence of virtual approaches to global health electives, catalyzed by the travel pause related to the COVID-19 pandemic, necessitates the exploration of learner impacts, participant diversity, and curricular frameworks. Child Family Health International (CFHI), a non-profit global health education organization that partners with universities to expand immersive educational offerings, launched a virtual global health elective in 2021. The elective drew on faculty from Bolivia, Ecuador, Ghana, Mexico, the Philippines, Uganda, and the United States. Objective: This study aimed to describe a newly developed virtual global health elective curriculum and evaluate the demographics of and impacts on trainee participants. Methods: Eighty-two trainees who were enrolled in the virtual global health elective from January to May 2021 completed both 1) pre- and post-elective self-assessments of domains of competency mapped to the elective curriculum and 2) free text responses to standardized questions. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistical analysis, paired t-testing, and qualitative thematic analysis. Findings: The virtual global health elective had 40% of its participants hail from countries other than the United States. Self-reported competency in global health broadly, planetary health, low resource clinical reasoning, and overall composite competency significantly increased. Qualitative analysis revealed learner development in health systems, social determinants of health, critical thinking, planetary health, cultural humility, and professional practice. Conclusion: Virtual global health electives effectively develop key competencies in global health. This virtual elective had a 40-fold increase in the proportion of trainees from outside the United States, compared to pre-pandemic place-based electives. The virtual platform facilitates accessibility for learners from a variety of health professions and a wide range of geographic and socioeconomic environments. Further research is needed to confirm and expand on self-reported data, and to pursue approaches to greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in virtual frameworks.

Development, Implementation and Evaluation of an Acute Care Physical Therapy 'Float' Placement during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Report.

Clinical education is a mandatory component of physical therapy curricula globally. COVID-19 disrupted clinical education, jeopardizing students' abilities to meet graduation requirements. The objective of this case report is to outline the development, implementation and evaluation of a multiple clinical instructor (CI), multiple unit, acute care float clinical placement for a final year, entry-level physical therapy student and offer implementation recommendations. This placement included an eight-week, multiple CI (one primary, four supporting), multiple (five) unit clinical placement which was developed between St. Joseph's Healthcare and the McMaster University Masters of Science (Physiotherapy) Program between 10 August and 2 October 2020. Student evaluations and reflections by the student and CIs were collected and analyzed using interpretive description. Analysis from the reflections revealed six themes: (1) CI and student attributes; (2) increased feasibility; (3) varied exposure; (4) central communication and resources; (5) organization; and (6) managing expectations. An acute care clinical experience is required for students in Canadian entry-to-practice physical therapy programs. Due to COVID-19, placement opportunities were limited. The float placement allowed clinicians to offer supervision despite staff re-deployment and increased organizational and work-life pressures during the pandemic. This model provides an approach to extenuating circumstances and may also increase acute care placements during non-pandemic times for physical therapy and other similarly structured healthcare professions.

Admission into healthcare education in France: half-baked reform that further complicates the system.

France has undertaken the most ambitious reform of healthcare education in more than 10 years. It has resulted in a hybrid system with multiple pathways, granting admission into the healthcare professions after competitive exams. The reform continues the trend to increase the quotas limiting the number of second year healthcare students, and also creates new local access options to healthcare education. However, the heterogeneity in implementation has led, in conjunction with the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, to great dismay among students and parents. This article seeks to outline the historical underpinnings of the reform program(s) and argues that the core question - selecting students from the very high number of candidates in a fair and effective manner - remains largely unresolved.

AN ANALYSIS OF THE ONGOING CLINICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE WORKFORCE SHORTAGES IN THE U.S

Laboratory medicine and the services provided throughout the healthcare system remain critical components in the ability to deliver quality patient care. Over the years and as of recently, due to COVID-19, delivery of proper care has been challenged with continual staffing constraints within the clinical laboratory. While this is not a new issue, its exacerbation poses an ongoing threat to clinical laboratories nationwide and has many healthcare administrators and executives searching for viable solutions. This paper focuses on exploring the depth and breadth of the issue to get to the root of the cause(s) of the critical shortage. Once these keys issues are identified, then realistic and effective solutions can be proposed and implemented throughout the laboratory field.

La porosité des frontières du travail notarial à l'heure du « distanciel »

Depuis la pandémie de Covid-19, le télétravail s'est généralisé dans des entreprises notariales de proximité jusqu'alors peu concernées. Leurs employés l'ont expérimenté lors du premier confinement, pendant lequel les notaires ont en partie maintenu à distance leur activité. Le dynamisme de ce secteur, sa libéralisation, la dématérialisation des activités et le profil des travailleurs, féminisé et qualifié, ont facilité la généralisation du télétravail sous divers statuts (salarié, intérimaire, indépendant…). Cette pratique s'est répandue au prix d'une porosité croissante des frontières du travail notarial et de stratégies diversifiées de circonscription du temps et de l'espace. Celles-ci varient selon les métiers, offices, statuts, profils socio-démographiques, trajectoires, ressources et conditions de vie des travailleurs concernés, dans un milieu marqué par d'importantes hiérarchisations genrées. La volonté de travailler autrement motive en partie ce choix du travail à distance, mais aussi de formes alternatives d'emploi, voire de sortie de ce secteur.Alternate :Since the Covid-19 pandemic, teleworking has become widespread in notary offices which, as small local businesses, were hardly concerned before. Their employees have experimented it during the first containment, during which notaries have partly maintained their activity at a distance. The dynamism of this sector, its liberalization, the dematerialization of activities and the feminized and qualified profile of workers have facilitated the generalization of telework under various statuses (salaried, temporary, self-employed, etc.). This practice has spread at the cost of an increasing porosity of the boundaries of notarial work and of diversified strategies for circumscribing time and space. These strategies vary according to the professions, offices, status, socio-demographic profiles, trajectories, resources and living conditions of the workers concerned, in an environment marked by significant gender hierarchies. The desire to work differently partly motivates this choice of remote work, but also of alternative forms of employment, or even of leaving this sector.

Agents of Change? Families, Welfare and Democracy in Mid-to-Late Twentieth-Century Europe

Families have always been vulnerable. They have long been torn apart by the mass migrations of warfare, the oppression of minority groups, the closure of international borders and the refugee crises governed ‘from above'. Families have also always been powerful symbols. Nationalist–populist movements have capitalised on fears about familial decline and liberal democracies have built moralistic views of the family into their welfare systems. Yet, this special issue aims to demonstrate that families have not merely been objects or subjects buffeted by political and social change. Rather, families have also consistently acted as ‘agents of change'. This is not to valorise the family – families have been patriarchal, damaging and oppressive as well as supportive, empowering and caring. However, this is to say that historical work must take ‘the family' seriously as an active participant in shaping historical change.

Resilient Coping is More Important Than Previous Virtual Learning Experience: Predicting Pharmacy Student Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a swift transition to online learning in medical and health sciences. This study investigated the associations of previous experience with online learning, current confidence with online learning, and resilient coping skills with perceived stress reported by pharmacy students during the emergency transition to online learning. Methods: Undergraduate pharmacy students (N=113, response rate = 41%) completed an online, self-report, cross-sectional survey during April-June 2020. Measures included Likert items measuring prior experience and current comfort levels with online learning, the Brief Resilient Coping Scale (BRCS), and the Perceived Stress Scale 10-Item Version (PSS-10). Experience, comfort with online learning, reported scores, and internal consistency for the BRCS and PSS-10 were summarized. A linear regression model examined the associations of prior experience with online education, gender, and resilient coping with perceived stress. Results: Of the 113 respondents (78% female, mean age 22.3 years), > 50% had only occasional prior experience with online learning, coursework, and examinations, but 63% expressed confidence with online learning. Mean PSS-10 and BRCS scores were 23.8 and 13.3, respectively, and both scales demonstrated good internal consistency (α > 0.80). BRCS score was the single predictor of the PSS-10 score (r2 = 0.18, p < 0.001). Female gender was not a significant predictor (p = 0.11). A multiple regression model explained moderate variation in perceived stress (adjusted R2 = 0.19). Conclusion: PSS-10 and BRCS scores indicated moderate levels of stress and coping skills among students during online teaching. Most students had some prior exposure to online learning, coursework, and examinations. Higher resiliency scores, but not prior online learning experience, predicted lower perceived stress.

Mental Health and Unhealthy Behaviors among Health College Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between mental health concerns, positive and negative feelings, and engagement in unhealthy behaviors among US college students during the pandemic. A secondary purpose was to explore positive changes in health and well-being. Methods: College students completed a 45-item online survey in the fall of 2020 that examined demographics, health literacy, health behaviors, overall health and well-being, and academic and financial impacts. Median-unbiased estimation for odds ratio and exact mid-p method inference methods were conducted using R version 4.0.3. We conducted content analysis for qualitative open-ended survey responses. Results: Gender, degree program, and religiosity were associated with having mental concerns. These socio-demographic variables, along with age and ethnicity, were linked to positive and negative feelings. Participants who felt threatened, afraid, stressed, and sad were likely to report mental concerns. Participants who felt cheerful, calm, rested, and full of interests were likely to report no mental concerns. Students who felt sadder, less calm, and less full of interests were likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors. Conclusions: Findings contribute to an increased understanding of mental health and engagement of unhealthy and healthy behaviors among students informing recommendations for services across campuses and communities.

Hubungan antara Kecerdasan Emosi dengan Kepuasan Perkahwinan Sewaktu Pandemik COVID-19 Di Malaysia

Kecerdasan emosi merupakan salah satu elemen psikologi yang penting dan mendapat perhatian dalam kalangan ahli psikologi yang mengkaji tentang perhubungan dalam perkahwinan. Maka, kajian ini bertujuan untuk menyelidik hubungan di antara kecerdasan emosi dengan kepuasan perkahwinan dalam kalangan individu yang berkahwin dan tinggal di Malaysia sewaktu pandemik COVID-19. Kajian ini menggunakan reka bentuk kajian penerokaan dan pensampelan mudah dengan menggunakan soal selidik dalam talian melalui platform media sosial. Soal selidik terdiri daripada soalan yang berkaitan kecerdasan emosi dengan menggunakan Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) dan kepuasan perkahwinan dengan menggunakan Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS), yang telah diadaptasi untuk kegunaan dalam konteks budaya Malaysia. Secara keseluruhannya, hasil ujian korelasi Pearson menunjukkan bahawa terdapat hubungan signifikan yang positif dan lemah di antara kecerdasan emosi (penggunaan emosi) dan kepuasaan perkahwinan (r = 0.10·, p <0.05). Hasil kajian ini menunjukkan kepentingan aspek penggunaan emosi dalam perhubungan perkahwinan. Dapatan ini memberikan panduan kepada profesion menolong seperti kaunselor dan pekerja sosial dalam membantu mengendalikan klien yang berkahwin. Pengkaji juga telah memberikan cadangan bagi membantu pengkaji pada masa akan datang dalam menyelidik aspek emosi dan kepuasan perkahwinan.Alternate :Emotional intelligence is one of the crucial psychological elements and receives attention among psychologists whom study relationships within marriage. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence and marital satisfaction among married individuals residing in Malaysia during the pandemic COVID-19. This study applies the exploratory research design and convenience sampling using questionnairs via social media platform. The questionnaire includes questions relating to emotional intelligence using Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT) and marital satisfaction using Kansas Marital Satisfaction Scale (KMSS) which has been adapted to fit the context of Malaysian culture. Overall, the Pearson correlation test results show a positive and weak significant correlation between emotional intelligence (emotional use) and marital satisfaction (r = 0.10·, p < 0.05). Findings suggested the importance of the emotional application within marital relationships. Findings also provide guidelines to helping professions such as counsellors and social workers who works with married individual clients. The researcher also provided recommendations for future researchers in examining into emotional aspects and marital satisfaction.

The impact of COVID-19 on the Australian outdoor recreation industry from the perspective of practitioners. (Special Issue: Covid-19 and outdoor recreation.)

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted, and continues to impact, the viability of many industries worldwide. In Australia, the outdoor recreation industry, already severely affected by the summer 2019-2020 bushfires, was further affected by COVID-19 restrictions including internal border closures, stay at home orders, social distancing requirements and travel restrictions. We surveyed outdoor recreation industry representatives in Australia to assess the impact of COVID-19 on professionals in the industry, views on career choices, and perspectives on the future of the industry in a post-COVID world. We found that COVID-19 affected outdoor recreation businesses in multiple ways, with a pessimistic outlook for the industry until travel restrictions and social distancing requirements are eased and economic confidence returns. This is unlikely to happen until vaccinations are rolled out nationally and herd immunity has been achieved. Even after this, however, the industry is likely to continue to suffer through loss of qualified staff and the flow-on effects of the imposed pause in guided outdoor recreation and tourism activities. We identify an urgent need for the industry to adapt and futureproof itself against future disruptors, including the very real possibility of future novel virus epidemics or pandemics.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution: Teachers' Views on Integrating Digital Technologies As a 21-Century Teaching Strategy

Teachers in South Africa are faced with the colossal task of having to prepare learners for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (commonly referred to as 4IR). This undertaking entails aligning their teaching practices with the new demands and aspirations of 4IR goals and standards. Impelled by these new 4IR requirements, this paper asks two key questions: (i) How do selected Physical Science teachers understand the 4IR and their need to prepare learners adequately for 21-century learning? (ii) What are their views on integrating technological applications into their lessons to develop the 4IR skills the learners need in order to take advantage of the products of the 4IR? Theoretically, the paper draws on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model. The UTAUT model were deployed to report and discuss the teachers' views about integrating technology into their lessons. Methodologically, the paper adopted a Husserlian phenomenological approach to explicate data elicited from 12 purposively selected experienced Physical Science teachers. One-on-one, face-to-face semi-structured interviews and field notes were the main sources of data. The findings show that the teachers' understanding of 4IR is very basic and counterfactual. However, their views about integrating technology into their science lessons were directly shaped by their perception of the usefulness (PU) and effort expectancy (EE) associated with the use of technology. These aspects (PU and EE) affected their behavioural intentions, which in turn influenced their attitude towards the shift to 4IR teaching. The findings have implications for the professional development of experienced in-service teachers to effectively integrate digital technologies into their lessons to equip learners with the 4IR skills to take advantage of the products of the 4IR.

New Horizons or Business as Usual? New Zealand's Medico-Legal Response to Digital Harm

A socio-legal commentary, this article examines the emerging issue of digital harm in New Zealand's health settings. There are recent cases, and an increasing number of them, demonstrating the medico-legal response to various forms of digital harm. Of these, several representative cases are considered in order to identify features of digital harm within the health context. The article questions whether this is a new type of harm, enabled by the creation of new technologies, or simply a different manifestation of conventional unprofessional or unethical behaviour. The article considers whether the existing medico-legal framework can appropriately respond to this harm and whether new legal or policy tools are required. The cases suggest that the rights and disciplinary systems in place can adequately deal with digital harm within their existing scopes, particularly when individuals have been harmed. However, gaps in the legal framework are identified, with particular reference to the actions of unregistered providers and harm to professions. Further, a future challenge for the system may be the response to COVID-19 vaccine denial and misinformation. As the legal response to digital harm in the health context is a relatively unexamined area of research, this work may guide future research.

Predictors of undergraduate occupational therapy students' academic performance during the Covid-19 pandemic: A hierarchical regression analysis.

BACKGROUND: The rapid switch to online learning in response to the Covid-19 pandemic affected occupational therapy students' education delivery. It is, therefore, important to investigate these impacts. AIMS/OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the potential predictors of academic performance in undergraduate occupational therapy students after moving to online or blended learning post-Covid-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 208 students from three Australian universities completed a demographic questionnaire and the Distance Education Learning Environment Scale (DELES). Hierarchical linear regression analyses were completed to identify significant students' academic performance predictors. RESULTS: Hierarchical regression explained a cumulative total variance of 24.6% of students' academic performance. The following independent variables were significant predictors: DELES student autonomy (p = 0.033), number of hours per semester week dedicated to indirect online study (p = 0.003), number of hours per semester week dedicated to indirect offline study time (p = 0.034), gender (p = 0.005) and English as a first language (p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: The findings add to the knowledge base on the range of factors that have impacted occupational therapy students' academic performance during the Covid-19 pandemic. SIGNIFICANCE: The outcomes will assist faculty in developing supportive and pedagogically sound learning modes across online, hybrid and traditional forms of instruction within occupational therapy curricula.

Innovation in Collaborative Online Learning Yields Sustainable Model for University-wide Interprofessional Education

BACKGROUND: Growing health professional accreditation mandates and expectations for interprofessional education (IPE) have led to heightened interest amongst health professions educators and administrators in the creation and development of effective and sustainable IPE programming. IPE ACTIVITY: At the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, an institution-wide initiative called Linking Interprofessional Networks for Collaboration (LINC) was initiated to strengthen IPE knowledge and skills, increase IPE offerings, and integrate IPE into curricula. In 2020, stakeholders developed, implemented, and evaluated a university-wide IPE activity called the LINC Common IPE Experience, which includes three collaborative online learning modules that students complete synchronously using a videoconference platform without direct faculty facilitation. Mini-lectures, interprofessional discussions, and authentic case studies using innovative media facilitated meaningful engagement of 977 students from 26 different educational programs. DISCUSSION: Quantitative and qualitative results from evaluations demonstrated significant student engagement, increased awareness and understanding of teamwork, progress towards interprofessional competency development, and benefits related to professional development. The LINC Common IPE Experience provides a valuable example of a robust, high-impact foundational IPE activity that can serve as a sustainable model for university-wide IPE. J Allied Health 2023;52(1):16-23.

Developing public health capacities of frontline public health workforce in Uttarakhand

Recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of increase in the ability of public health workforce to detect and respond to the public health threats. For timely implementation of an adequate response and mitigation measure, the standardized and sustainable capacity building programme for frontline public health workforce is the need of hour. National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in partnership with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), developed a three-month in-service Basic Epidemiology Training programme. This is a tailor-made programme for frontline public health workforce to strengthen epidemiological skills. This training was a practical interactive approach to field epidemiology for three months on the job training for frontline public health workforce that addressed the critical skills needed to conduct surveillance effectively at the local level while focusing on improving disease detection, reporting and feedback. The training also demonstrated the role of learning model in form of interaction between the mentor and the mentees. The importance of handhold support given by the mentors to the mentees in quality outbreak investigations and documentation.