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Biomedical subjects

B Beech

Publications and source records attributed to B Beech.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Go the extra mile--use the Delphi Technique.

AIM: The Delphi Technique is reviewed and its potential contribution to the management of change assessed. BACKGROUND: Change management is an essential skill required, not just by managers, but by all staff working in health care. Modern theories advocate participation and free communication to engender commitment and ensure successful change. Data collection methods associated with surveys--interviews and questionnaires--are regularly used to obtain information for service development. Indications of likely resistance are more difficult to obtain. KEY ISSUES: The Delphi Technique is critiqued and found to incorporate many attributes that can produce information which would be otherwise difficult or impossible to obtain. A recently published study performed by the author illustrates this potentiality. An indication of the impact of the findings on the subsequent implementation of change by service managers is provided. CONCLUSION: The Delphi Technique is a useful management tool that can provide data that are difficult to obtain by other means.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1999

Sign of the times or the shape of things to come? A 3-day unit of instruction on 'aggression and violence in health settings for all students during pre-registration nurse training'.

In the UK, figures based on a recent survey of NHS Trusts suggest that health-care workers are at greater risk (four times higher than normal) from work related violence than the general population. Studies also show that, of all health professions and grades, student nurses are at the greatest risk of being the victim. Yet, training in self-protection and pro-active management of aggression and violence remains predominantly a post-registration preserve. Despite English National Board (1993) recommendations recognizing that all pre-registration courses for nurses and midwives should contain material on aggression and violence delivered by appropriately qualified trainers and teachers, this input is still likely to be uncoordinated and disparate within curricula. This paper reports the design, and early experience of delivery, of an integrated, 3-day unit of instruction for pre-registration students within a Common Foundation Programme of a diploma-level course. The unit designer/leader is a University Lecturer and Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Institute Registered Trainer in the management of actual and potential aggression. Consequently, all aspects involving teaching physical skills (breakaway skills) adhere to the recently published RCN training standards. In addition, initial student feedback on the delivery and suitability of the unit will be presented, along with a discussion of related issues.

Aggression↗
PubMed1998

Impact of breakfast consumption on nutritional adequacy of the diets of young adults in Bogalusa, Louisiana: ethnic and gender contrasts.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of breakfast consumption patterns on the nutritional adequacy of diets of young adults and determine possible ethnic and gender differences. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional survey of young adults in Bogalusa, La. SUBJECTS: Twenty-four-hour dietary recalls were collected from October 1988 through October 1991 on 504 young adults (mean age=23 years, 58% women, 70% white). STATISTICS: Analysis of variance and logistic regression techniques were used to investigate the relationship of breakfast consumption, ethnicity, and gender on dietary adequacy. The P values are from an analysis of variance model that adjusted for gender and ethnicity. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent of young adults skipped breakfast. Of those who ate breakfast, 75% ate at home, 10% ate a fast-food breakfast, and 15% reported other sources. Mean energy intake from breakfast was 485 kcal; men consumed more energy than women (P<.001), and blacks consumed more energy than whites (P<.01). The breakfast meal provided an average of 13% of energy from protein, 55% from carbohydrate, 14% from sucrose, 34% from fat, and 12% from saturated fat. Whites consumed a breakfast higher in carbohydrate and sucrose than blacks, who consumed a breakfast higher in fat and saturated fat. Variations in breakfast foods consumed explained the racial differences in the nutrient composition of the breakfast meal. Young adults who skipped breakfast had lower total daily intakes of energy (P<.0001), protein per 1,000 kcal (P<.05), and saturated fat per 1,000 kcal (P<.01) than those who consumed breakfast. For all vitamins and minerals studied, a higher percentage of young adults who skipped breakfast did not meet two thirds of the Recommended Dietary Allowance than those who consumed a breakfast. APPLICATIONS: Encouraging consumption of breakfast, along with selection of more healthful breakfast food choices or snacks that are culturally appropriate, may be important strategies for improving the nutritional quality of young adults' diets.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Studying the future: a Delphi survey of how multi-disciplinary clinical staff view the likely development of two community mental health centres over the course of the next two years.

Two community mental health centres (CMHCs) in North Staffordshire, England were the sites for a recent Delphi survey of multi-disciplinary clinical staff. The views of staff were sought on the likely developments over the next 2 years, at the CMHC where they worked. Each group of staff independently produced healthy numbers of suggestions, with few contradictions; and displayed predominantly positive attitudes, both towards particular suggestions and the future in general. Summarized results were classified within seven themes, producing similar distribution patterns for both CMHCs. The most frequently occurring themes were changing staff roles and CMHC functions and developments in therapies and skills. Mid-placed themes concerned community development and communication/continuity. The least frequently reported themes covered general management, user involvement and quality assurance. Issues raised by the study are discussed and related to other published works, followed by consideration of how the findings might be utilized. Clinical staff have generated a large number of suggestions and, importantly, via rounds of confidential voting, indicated the group consensus on each item. Consequently, management of change should stand a high chance of success. Finally, one means of taking the findings forward is described.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1997

Sounding off.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Transitions out of high school: time of increased cancer risk?

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of lifestyle behavior interventions with children to reduce chronic disease risks in adulthood assumes stability in the lifestyle behaviors across time. The transition out of high school is a time when many changes occur in social roles, e.g., changing schools, leaving the parents' home, changing peers, finding employment, getting married, and becoming a parent. Cancer risk behaviors may increase as a result of some of these social role changes. METHODS: Concepts relevant to the stability or change in lifestyle behaviors through the transition out of high school are presented. Literature concerning diet, smoking, smokeless tobacco, alcohol, physical activity, sexual practices, and sun exposure behaviors through the transition is reviewed. RESULTS: Most lifestyle behaviors display increasing cancer risk around the transition out of high school. Different levels of change were associated with different pathways through the transition. Inconsistent findings were obtained in the pattern of co-occurrence of these behaviors. CONCLUSION: Priority research includes establishing the pattern of co-occurrence of lifestyle behaviors through the transition, identifying the pattern of tracking of each behavior through the transition, and identifying the primary influences on the group values and tracking of the behaviors. Longitudinal research is needed to control for preexisting differences between pathways through the transition.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A collaborative model for community-based health care screening of homeless adolescents.

Because of their survival life-style, homeless youth are at extremely high risk for contracting life-threatening and debilitating diseases, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and hepatitis B, and for engaging in chronic substance abuse; yet health services are often limited and not easily accessed. This article describes an innovative health-screening project for 150 homeless youth between the ages of 11 and 23 years in an urban metroplex. The Homeless Youth Services Project was the initial phase of a multiphase project to investigate the social and health services available to homeless youth. The study project was a collaborative effort between several community agencies that shared the multiple goals of identifying the homeless adolescent population, documenting the rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seroprevalence and level of risk, and identifying community services and resources. Results of the screening project included the psychosocial and physical risks associated with homeless adolescents as well as the laboratory results of blood and urine screens. Consistent with the literature, the study population had a history of runaway behavior; physical, sexual, and substance abuse; and high rates of HIV seroprevalence and hepatitis B. Implications for advanced practice nurses working with homeless youth are also addressed.

Adolescent↗