Collegiality among social- and health care educators in higher education or vocational institutions: A mixed-method systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Social- and health care educators collaborate on national and international levels; this collaboration is intrinsically related to collegiality, a concept which has only been scarcely studied among social- and health care educators. OBJECTIVES: To identify the best evidence on social- and health care educators' experiences of collegiality and factors influencing it in educational institutions. DESIGN: A mixed-methods systematic review. DATA SOURCES: Keywords were defined according to PICo and PEO inclusion and exclusion criteria. A search was performed across five databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Medic, Scopus, and ProQuest) for articles published in Finnish and/or English REVIEW METHODS: During the screening process, three researchers separately screened original studies by title and abstract (n = 806), and subsequently, based on the full-text (n = 40). The JBI Qualitative Assessment Research Instrument was used to evaluate qualitative studies, while the Critical Appraisal Checklist for Analytical Cross-sectional Studies was used to evaluate quantitative studies. RESULTS: The systematic review included a total of 15 articles. Collegiality among social- and health care educators was described through united and safe work culture, along with the dissemination of relevant expertise. The benefits of mentoring, communication on national and international levels, and collaboration are all issues that affect an educator's work. In the context of social- and health care educators, collegiality does not only include the interactions between the educators, but also involves their mentors and supervisors. Mentoring and collaboration between educational institutions were found to be associated with collegiality. CONCLUSIONS: Collegiality among educators can be maintained through networking, collaboration, mentoring, mutual communication and the consideration of professional ethical issues. It would be important for educational organisations to pay attention to collegiality and encourage educators to collaborate with their colleagues. It is important to emphasise the role of collegiality in the education of new social- and health care teacher candidates and the continuing education of current educators.

Development and testing of an instrument to measure the collegiality competence of social and health care educators.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have investigated the competence of social and health care educators from different perspectives. However, there has been little research on the collegiality competence of social and health educators. AIM / OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop and psychometrically test a new collegiality competence instrument (CollegialityComp) designed to enable social and health care educators to self-evaluate their competence in collegiality. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study design for instrument development and psychometric testing. METHODS: Data were collected in the winter of 2020-2021 from social and health care educators at ten universities of applied sciences and ten vocational institutions in Finland (N = 1179), of whom 243 decided to participate. Face and content validity was assessed by seven experts, while structural validity and internal consistency were evaluated using exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha, respectively. RESULTS: The CollegialityComp development and testing process produced an instrument that includes 35 items representing five factors: (1) individual-centered collaboration, (2) educator action and fairness, (3) collaboration among colleagues, (4) collaboration outside the organization, and (5) communication and trust. CONCLUSION: The CollegialityComp instrument can be used to measure the collegiality competence of social and health care educators in the context of vocational and higher education. It may also be useful during the training of teacher candidates.

Psychrotolerant and microaerophilic bacteria in boreal groundwater.

Abstract Growth temperature and microaerophily of 39 phylogenetically different isolates from boreal oxygen-deficient groundwater were studied. Based on growth temperatures, the isolates were mainly psychrotolerant bacteria as 35 grew at 2 degrees C and only three at 35 degrees C. Growth rates in the range of 4-35 degrees C fitted the Ratkowsky square root model well. Optimum temperatures of the groundwater isolates varied between 18 and 30 degrees C. In semisolid glucose and PYGV media, 59% and 28% of the isolates, respectively, preferred microaerophilic growth and 33% were catalase-negative. The microaerophilic isolates had the highest sensitivity to H(2)O(2) whereas sensitivity to the superoxide generator paraquat was similar among microaerophilic and aerobic isolates. The results show that the cold (6-8 degrees C) and oxygen-deficient groundwater harbors psychrotolerant and microaerophilic bacteria of different phylogenetic origins which are well adapted to their environment.

In situ polychlorophenol bioremediation potential of the indigenous bacterial community of boreal groundwater.

The composition and chlorophenol-degrading potential of groundwater bacterial community in a permanently cold, oxygen-deficient chlorophenol contaminated aquifer at Kärkölä, Finland was studied with the aim of evaluating in situ bioremediation potential. The groundwater contained from 10(4) to 10(7) microscopically counted cells/ml and up to 10(5) CFU/ml heterotrophic bacteria cultivable at 8 and 20 degrees C. Of the 102 pure cultures, of which 86% Gram-negative, from the plume area (10,000 microg of chlorophenols/l), 57% degraded 2, 3, 4, 6-tetrachlorophenol (TeCP), the main component of the wood preservative which was the source of contamination: 17% also degraded pentachlorophenol (PCP). The degraders were scattered among 16 different clusters of Gram-negatives mainly proteobacteria and members of Cytophaga/Flexibacter/Bacteroides phylum judged by the composition of whole-cell fatty acids. Only one Gram-positive degrading cluster was found containing seven actinobacteria closest to Nocardioides. Of the 88 pure cultures isolated from outside the plume (< 10 microg of chlorophenols/l) 67% were Gram-negative. Seven percent of the isolates degraded 2, 3. 4, 6-TeCP and/or PCP. Five of the Gram-positive isolates from outside the plume were Mycobacterium/Rhodococcus-related actinobacteria and O-methylated 2, 3, 4, 6-TeCP and PCP. The results show that chlorophenol degrading bacterial flora had been enriched as a result of contamination of the aquifer. This suggests significant in situ bioremediation potential of the site.

Degradation of 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol at low temperature and low dioxygen concentrations by phylogenetically different groundwater and bioreactor bacteria.

Effects of low temperature and low oxygen partial pressure on the occurrence and activity of 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol degrading bacteria in a boreal chlorophenol contaminated groundwater and a full-scale fluidized-bed bioreactor were studied using four polychlorophenol degrading bacterial isolates of different phylogenetic backgrounds. These included an alpha-proteobacterial Sphingomonas sp. strain MT1 isolated from the full-scale bioreactor and three isolates from the contaminated groundwater which were identified as beta-proteobacterial Herbaspirillum sp. K1, a Gram-positive bacterium with high G + C content Nocardioides sp. K44 and an alpha-proteobacterial Sphingomonas sp. K74. The Sphingomonas strains K74 and MT1 and Nocardioides sp. K44 degraded 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol as the sole carbon and energy sources. Close to stoichiometric inorganic chloride release with the 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol removal and the absence of methylation products indicated mineralization. Tetrachlorophenol degradation by the Herbaspirillum sp. K1 was enhanced by yeast extract, malate, glutamate, pyruvate, peptone and casitone. At 8 degrees C, Sphingomonas sp. K74 had the highest specific degradation rate (mu(max) = 4.9 x 10(-2) mg h(-1) cell(-1)) for 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol. The Nocardioides strain K44 had the highest affinity (K(s) = 0.46 mg l(-1)) fortetrachlorophenol. K1 and MT1 grew microaerophilically in semisolid glucose medium. Furthermore, the growth of MT1 was inhibited in liquid glucose medium at high oxygen partial pressure indicating sensitivity to accumulating toxic oxygen species. On the other hand, trichlorophenol degradation was not affected by oxygen concentration (2-21%). The isolates K44, K74 and MT1, with optimum growth temperatures between 23 and 25 degrees C, degraded tetrachlorophenol faster at 8 degrees C than at room temperature indicating distinctly different temperature optima for chlorophenol degradation and growth on complex media. These results show efficient polychlorophenol degradation by the isolates at the boreal groundwater conditions, i.e., at low temperature and low oxygen concentrations. Differences in chlorophenol degradation and sensitivities to chlorophenols and oxygen among the isolates indicate that the phylogenetically different chlorophenol degraders have found different niches in the contaminated groundwater and thus potential for contaminant degradation under a variety of saturated subsurface conditions.

Temperature- and growth-phase-regulated changes in lipid fatty acid structures of psychrotolerant groundwater Proteobacteria.

Cellular fatty acid compositions of five psychrotolerant groundwater isolates representing alpha- and beta-Proteobacteria were studied at temperatures ranging from 8 to 25 degrees C. Unsaturation of straight-chain fatty acids was the most common response to decreasing temperature and was detected in four of the isolates. On solid media, decrease of temperature resulted in a decrease of cyclopropane fatty acids in beta-proteobacterial isolates. The formation of cyclopropane fatty acids depended, however, to a greater extent on the growth phase than the temperature and increased drastically as the cells entered stationary phase. The alpha-proteobacterial isolates contained a branched C(19:1) fatty acid. The formation of the branched C(19:1) increased during growth in the same way as the cyclopropane fatty acids in beta-proteobacterial strains, indicating possibly an analogous formation of the branched fatty acid by methylation of the 18:1 fatty acid. Sphingomonas sp. K6 possessed a novel temperature-induced modification of lipid fatty acids. As temperature decreased from 25 to 8 degrees C, the fatty acid composition shifted from predominantly even-carbon fatty acids to odd-carbon fatty acids. The results show completely different fatty acid modifications in two strains of the same genus Sphingomonas.

Subtercola boreus gen. nov., sp. nov. and Subtercola frigoramans sp. nov., two new psychrophilic actinobacteria isolated from boreal groundwater.

Psychrophilic actinobacterial isolates from permanently cold groundwater in Finland were characterized using a polyphasic approach. Growth on agar plates was observed at temperatures down to -2 degrees C, with an optimum at 15-17 degrees C, but no growth was observed at 30 degrees C. The peptidoglycan type was B2y and the characteristic diamino acid was diaminobutyric acid. The cell wall sugars of strain K265T were rhamnose, ribose, xylose and mannose and those of strain K300T were glucose, rhamnose and xylose. The polar lipids included phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, one unknown phospholipid and two glycolipids. The main whole-cell fatty acids were 12-methyltetradecanoic acid, 14-methylpentadecanoic acid and 14-methylhexadecanoic acid. Large amounts of anteiso-1,1-dimethoxy-pentadecane and also iso-1,1-dimethoxyhexadecane were present as diagnostic markers. The predominant menaquinones were MK-9 and MK-10. The G+C content of the DNA of strains K265T and K300T was 64.4 and 67.8 mol%, respectively. Comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains K265T and K300T represent a new lineage among the type-B-peptidoglycan actinomycetes. The closest relatives were Clavibacter michiganensis, Frigoribacterium faeni and Rathayibacter rathayi. On the basis of 16S rDNA sequence, G+C content and chemotaxonomical and physiological characteristics, K265T and K300T clearly represent a new genus. The genus Subtercola gen. nov. is described, together with two species, namely Subtercola boreus sp. nov. (type strain K300T = DSM 13056T = CCUG 43135T) and Subtercola frigoramans sp. nov (type strain K265T = DSM 13057T = CCUG 43136T).

Diversity of chlorophenol-degrading bacteria isolated from contaminated boreal groundwater.

Chlorophenol-degrading bacteria from a long-term polluted groundwater aquifer were characterized. All isolates degraded 2,4,6-trichlorophenol and 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol at concentrations detected in the contaminated groundwater (< 10 mg 1(-1)). Pentachlorophenol was degraded by three isolates when present alone. In two gram-positive isolates, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol was required as an inducer for the degradation of pentachlorophenol. The gram-positive isolates were sensitive to pentachlorophenol, with an IC50 value of 5 mg/l. Isolates belonging to the Cytophaga/Flexibacter/Bacteroides phylum had IC50 values of 25 and 63 mg/l. Isolates belonging to alpha-, beta- and gamma-Proteobacteria generally tolerated the highest pentachlorophenol concentrations (> 100 mg/l). Polychlorophenol-degrading capacity was found in strains of Nocardioides, Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, Flavobacterium, and Caulobacter previously not known to degrade polychlorophenols. In addition, six polychlorophenol-degrading sphingomonads were found.

Simulation of in situ subsurface biodegradation of polychlorophenols in air-lift percolators.

Air-lift percolator experiments simulated in situ subsurface degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, 2,3,4,6-tetrachlorophenol and pentachlorophenol, in mixtures and individually, by indigenous microorganisms from a chlorophenol-contaminated aquifer. Inoculation with a chlorophenol(CP)-degrading gram-positive isolate from the CP-contaminated groundwater did not significantly increase CP degradation rates. Feed concentrations of up to 55 mg CP l-1 were degraded. Stable CP degradation was maintained for over 6 months. CP degradation rates up to 54.3 mg l-1 day-1 and effluent concentrations below 40 micrograms CP l-1 were achieved. CP were mineralized as shown by CP reduction, dissolved organic carbon removal and release of inorganic chloride.

Are trustees needed on the medical staff credentials committee?

More board involvement is needed in the credentialing process, but what form should that involvement take? Some hospitals have restructured the medical staff credentials committee to include trustee representation. This article examines the antitrust and personal liability implications of that move, as well as the likely reaction of the medical staff.

Trustee survey: trends in board committee structure.

How are changes in the health care environment and in the roles and responsibilities of governing boards affecting board committee structures? This article, based on a recent survey of board chairmen, looks at the latest trends in standing board committees, from which type of committees are most prevalent to recent changes in nonboard membership.

The 'peer' approach to board development.

This article looks at the Governing Board Mentor Program, a special project designed to help boards evaluate their performance. The project, which was developed by the Hospital Research and Educational Trust, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association, and funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, is based on the concept of having a peer serve as a facilitator and discussion leader during a one- to two-day retreat.

Orchestrating an ethics committee: who should be on it, where does it best fit?

What is the board's role in ethical policy and decisionmaking? What is the most appropriate place for an ethics committee within the hospital organization? This article presents the viewpoints of some of today's leaders in the area of biomedical ethics on those questions and their thoughts as to what changes ethics committees may undergo in the future.

Multis' delicate balancing act: corporate goals and local board autonomy.

Do the responsibilities of local boards in multihospital systems differ from one system to another? Can local board autonomy be maintained within the corporate goals and mission of the system? This article, which is based on informal interviews with system executives, examines how a number of multihospital systems select local board members, what duties are typically delegated to local boards, and the powers reserved by corporate boards.

Is deregulation likely to affect hospital design and construction?

Is the deregulatory thrust of this administration having an effect on hospital design and construction? does it threaten to create an expansion and construction free-for-all in the industry? A number of architects and construction industry professionals comment on what effect, if any, they expect deregulation to have on health care construction, as well as the expected effect of financing and management in an increasingly competitive environment.