Relationships Between Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Short Form SSQ12 Item Scores and their Use in Guiding Rehabilitation for Cochlear Implant Recipients.

Cochlear implantation successfully improves hearing in most adult recipients. However, in rare cases, post-implant rehabilitation is required to maximize benefit. The primary aim of this investigation was to test if self-reports by cochlear implant users indicate the need for post-implant rehabilitation. Listening performance was assessed with the Speech, Spatial and Qualities short-form SSQ12, which was self-administered via a web-based survey. Subjects included over 2000 adult bilateral or unilateral cochlear implant users with at least one year of experience. A novel application of regression tree analysis identified core SSQ12 items that serve as first steps in establishing a plan for further rehabilitation: items 1, 8, and 11 dealing with single-talker situations, loudness perception, and clarity, respectively. Further regression and classification tree analyses revealed that SSQ12 item scores were weakly related to age, degree of tinnitus, and use of bilateral versus unilateral implants. Conversely, SSQ12 scores were strongly associated with self-rated satisfaction and confidence in using their cochlear implant. The SSQ12 total scores did not vary significantly over 1-9 or more years' experience. These findings suggest that the SSQ12 may be a useful tool to guide rehabilitation at any time after cochlear implantation. Identification of poor performance may have implications for timely management to improve the outcomes, through various techniques such as device fitting adjustments, counseling, active sound exposure, and training spatial hearing.

The impact of training on self-reported performance in reproductive, maternal, and newborn health service delivery among healthcare workers in Tanzania: a baseline- and endline-survey.

BACKGROUND: Delivery of quality reproductive health services has been documented to depend on the availability of healthcare workers who are adequately supported with appropriate training. However, unmet training needs among healthcare workers in reproductive, maternal, and newborn health (RMNH) in low-income countries remain disproportionately high. This study investigated the effectiveness of training with onsite clinical mentorship towards self-reported performance in RMNH among healthcare workers in Mwanza Region, Tanzania. METHODS: The study used a quasi-experimental design with pre-and post-intervention evaluation strategy. The baseline was compared with two endline groups: those with intervention (training and onsite mentorship) and those without. The differences among the three groups in the sociodemographic characteristics were analyzed by using chi-square test for categorical variables, independent-sample t-test for continuous variables and Mann-Whitney U test for ordinal or skewed continuous data. The independent sample t-test was used to determine the effect of the intervention by comparing the computed self-reported performance on RMNH services between the intervention and control groups. The paired-samples t-test was used to measure the differences between before and after intervention groups. Significance was set at a 95% confidence interval with p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The study included a sample of 216 participants with before and after intervention groups comprising of 95 (44.0%) and 121 (56.0%) in the control group. The comparison between before and after intervention groups revealed a statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) in all the dimensions of the self-reported performance scores. However, the comparison between intervention groups and controls indicated a statistical significant difference on intra-operative care (t = 3.10, df = 216, p = 0.002), leadership skills (t = 1.85, df = 216, p = 0.050), Comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care (CEMONC) (t = 34.35, df = 216, p ≤ 0.001), and overall self-reported performance in RMNH (t = 3.15, df = 216, p = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that the training and onsite clinical mentorship to have significant positive changes in self-reported performance in a wide range of RMNH services especially on intra-operative care, leadership skills and CEMONC. However, further studies with rigorous designs are warranted to evaluate the long-term effect of such training programs on RMNH outcomes.

Reproductive maternal and newborn health (RMNH) in low- and middle-income countries continue to face critical challenges. Training healthcare workers especially using a combined approach (training followed by immediate clinical mentorship) in RMNH have been documented as an essential strategy to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality in low-and middle-income countries closer to those in high-income countries. This study investigated the effectiveness of a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) trainings on performance among healthcare workers in Mwanza Region. The study included a sample of 216 participants with before and after intervention groups comprising of 95 participants and control group comprising of 121 participants. The findings revealed that in comparison between before and after intervention groups all dimensions of the self-reported TNA questionnaire had a statistically significant difference. However, the comparison between intervention and controls groups indicated a statistical significant difference on leadership skills, intra-operative care, Comprehensive emergency obstetric and newborn care (CEMONC) and overall RMNH self-reported performance. In conclusion, the findings demonstrated that healthcare workers' self-identified and prioritized training needs that are supported with clinical mentorship results in significant positive changes in performance across a wide range of RMNH tasks. Therefore, conducting TNA that is followed by training and mentorship according to the identified needs among healthcare workers plays a significant role in improving performance on RMNH services among healthcare workers.

Predictors of Self-Reported Hand Hygiene Performance among Nurses at Tertiary Care Hospitals in East Coast Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: Hand hygiene (HH) is the simplest and most effective way to reduce the incidence of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). METHODS: This cross-sectional study aimed to determine factors associated with self-reported HH performance among nurses at Kelantan tertiary care hospitals. A sample of 438 registered nurses was selected through a stratified random sampling method. Self-reported HH performance was assessed using a validated WHO self-administered HH knowledge and perception questionnaire for healthcare workers. RESULTS: A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors. The factors that significantly predicted self-reported HH performance among nurses included perception score (beta coefficient (ß) = 0.260; 95% CI: 0.200, 0.417; p < 0.001), pediatric department (ß = -0.104; 95% CI: -9.335, -2.467; p < 0.001), and orthopedic department (ß = -5.957; 95% CI: -9.539, -0.720; p < 0.023), adjusted R2 = 0.102; p < 0.001. Nurses with a strong perception and belief in HH were more likely to have better HH performance. Compared to pediatric and orthopedic, surgical departments were associated with better self-reported HH performance. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the importance of factors that could improve the intervention's performance in HH strategy. Lack of perception and HH program intervention in departments engaged in patient care could lead to poor HH practices, thus increasing HCAIs and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Managers' individual values and performance / Valores individuais e desempenho de gerentes

The paper presents a study in the field of organizational behavior concerning individual values and self-reported performance of intermediate leaders. Its main objective was to identify priority values, specially the hierarchy of values according to the intermediate leaders' personal priorities and link them to job performance using exploratory and descriptive methodology, through a survey, scaled with questionnaires "SVS individual values" and "self reported performance," both through Likert scale and deductive logic. It was made a census with leaders in intermediate leadership positions in a medium-sized food industry in the state of Ceará - Brazil. Data were collected electronically and analyzed by SPSS software, using descriptive and factorial statistics. The results pointed to the priority values of motivational types "Benevolence" associated with Compliance. Those with better self-reported performance presented a different result: Benevolence was associated with Self-determination. The overall objective was achieved because the priority values were identified in the intermediate leadership and they were related to professional performance, otherwise checking which values are on top for leaders with better self-reported performance. The study brought new contributions in the area of Organizational Behavior, particularly in what concerns organizational management, the importance of the intermediate leaders in the context of organizational leadership, the understanding of their values, performance, as well as their motivation

O presente artigo apresenta um estudo no campo do comportamento organizacional sobre valores individuais e desempenho auto-reportado de médias lideranças. O objetivo principal do estudo foi identificar as prioridades axiológicas, nomeadamente a hierarquização dos valores conforme as prioridades pessoais de médias lideranças e relaciona-las ao desempenho profissional se utilizando de metodologia exploratória e descritiva, por meio de um levantamento ou survey, dimensionado com os questionários "SVS de valores individuais" e "Desempenho auto-reportado", ambos em escala likert e com lógica dedutiva. Foi realizado um censo com os indivíduos que ocupam cargos de médias lideranças em uma indústria de alimentos do estado do Ceará. Os dados foram coletados por meio eletrônico e analisados pelo software SPSS com estatística descritiva e fatorial. Os resultados das prioridades axiológicas apontaram para os tipos motivacionais Benevolência associado com Conformidade, enquanto para aqueles com melhor desempenho auto-reportado a combinação se deu diferente: Benevolência associado com Autodeterminação. O objetivo geral do trabalho foi atingido porque as prioridades axiológicas das médias lideranças foram identificadas e relacionadas ao desempenho profissional, verificando quais os tipos motivacionais estão no topo dos líderes que apresentam melhor desempenho auto-reportado. O trabalho trouxe novas contribuições na área do comportamento organizacional, em especial no que tange à gestão empresarial, à importância das médias lideranças no contexto da liderança organizacional, à compreensão dos seus valores, performance e, consequentemente, motivações