Risky business: Investigating influences on large truck drivers' safety attitudes and intentions.

INTRODUCTION: Safety research in the U.S. motor carrier context remains important, as the trucking industry employs approximately 1.7 million large truck drivers. Drivers face many competing pressures in this unique high risk, high regulation, and low direct supervision context. They represent the cornerstone of safe carrier operations. METHODS: Using a multi-theoretical approach, this study investigates how drivers' perceptions of carrier safety climate influence their safety-related attitudes and intentions. RESULTS: Responses from nearly 1500 over the road drivers provide evidence that safety climate directly influences drivers' attitudes toward safety, safety norms, and driver risk avoidance, and indirectly influences drivers' intentions to commit unsafe acts. These findings replicate previous findings and also extend the nomological network of theory in this context, adding driver risk avoidance as a central factor to the driver safety theoretical framework. Additionally, carrier managers are encouraged to reflect on the study's evidence and pursue a better understanding of their drivers' risk perceptions and tolerance, while minimizing avoidable risk through prudent safety and operational policies, procedures, and processes. Future research in this area is highly encouraged.

Prophylaxis against infective endocarditis for dental procedures--summary of the NICE guideline.

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has developed a guideline on 'Prophylaxis against infective endocarditis'. This paper details the recommendations from these guidelines which relate to dental practice and discusses the clinical and cost-effectiveness evidence pertaining to them. This is taken from the full NICE guideline, which also includes guidance relating to non-dental procedures (http://www.nice.org.uk/CG064).

Clinical supervision for mental health nurses in Northern Ireland: formulating best practice guidelines.

Nurses work in a constantly challenging and changing environment. Within this context, there is a continuing need for support. Such support will help increase morale, decrease strain and burnout, and encourage self-awareness and self-expression. Clinical supervision address all these issues and enhances the quality of care for patients. While clinical supervision is a policy imperative in Northern Ireland, it was clear that there were problems in its implementation in mental health nursing. The aim of this project was to explore ways to make clinical supervision available to all mental health nurses and to improve and evaluate their contribution to patient care. The research team undertook a comprehensive literature review and a baseline survey of relevant stakeholders. Results represent the outcome of the group work. They will assist healthcare providers to develop local policies and procedures on clinical supervision for practising mental health nurses.

Effects of task interdependence on the relationship between helping behavior and group performance.

The authors examine whether task interdependence moderates the relationship between the helping form of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and group performance. In a laboratory study, 62 groups with 3 members each completed a card-sequencing activity in which the level of task interdependence among group members was manipulated. Independent evaluators assessed helping by viewing videotapes of the groups' interactions during the sequencing activities. Performance was measured as a combined function of group speed and accuracy. Two prior field studies reported contradictory results regarding the impact of helping on group performance. Results from this study suggest that task interdependence may explain these results, and that the relationship between helping and group performance depends on the level of task interdependence required of group members.

Organizational citizenship behavior and performance evaluations: exploring the impact of task interdependence.

The influence of task interdependence on the importance attributed to organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) in evaluations of employee performance was investigated in 3 studies. In Study 1,238 undergraduates were exposed to a task interdependence manipulation and a unit-level performance manipulation and provided citizenship ratings. In Study 2,148 master of business administration students were exposed to a task interdependence manipulation and then rated the importance of OCB in their evaluations of employee performance. In Study 3,130 managers rated the task interdependence in their unit of principal responsibility and the importance of OCB in their overall evaluations of employee performance. The results suggest task interdependence may affect the importance attributed to OCB by evaluators. Implications of these results are explored.

The distribution of advanced practice nurses in Arkansas: gaps in the care of rural underserved populations.

PURPOSE: To examine the relationships between advanced practice nurses' (APN) practice sites and economic factors, racial and ethnic characteristics of the populations they serve, and the likelihood of APNs practicing in underserved areas. DATA SOURCES: Retrospective analysis of U.S. census data and records supplied by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing. CONCLUSIONS: Nurse practitioners (NPs) were the only APN group with equal distribution in rural or urban areas. Overall, APNs and NPs were more likely to practice in counties with higher rates of poverty and lower education levels. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: More effort needs to be made in recruiting and retaining APNs in rural and underserved areas.

Populations at risk for penicillin-induced seizures.

OBJECTIVE: This article reviews principles associated with penicillin's epileptogenic activity in an effort to alert clinicians of patients at high risk for penicillin-induced seizures. The case presentation exemplifies the most prevalent factor predisposing patients to penicillin-induced seizures--renal impairment. DATA SOURCES: References are identified from pertinent articles and books. DATA SYNTHESIS: The epileptogenic properties of penicillin are explained on the basis of the beta-lactam ring's binding to gamma aminobutyric acid receptors. Several patient populations are at risk for potentially fatal neurotoxic symptoms. Most of these patients demonstrate impaired renal function, either as the primary condition or secondary to an infectious process. The other at-risk populations include infants and the elderly, patients with meningitis, patients undergoing intraventricular antibiotic therapy, and patients with a history of seizures. Treatment remains controversial; however, benzodiazepines theoretically produce a favorable response. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacokinetic parameters explain patient populations most at risk; a guideline equation has been recommended to allow clinicians to make appropriate dose adjustments based on creatinine clearance. Physicians and pharmacists must recognize the populations most at risk for high-dose, penicillin-induced neurotoxicities; monitor these patients at least during the first 72 hours, and reduce or discontinue therapy when appropriate.