Histopathologic features of bone marrow in myelodysplastic syndromes

The findings of this pilot study provide some support that there is a significant positive relationship between the level of achievement rating of critical case (basic psychomotor skills) and the level of barmentoring (encouragement) of novice nurses in clinical nursing practice. The leadership gained from the developmental refinement of the mentor/protégé relationship is a key to acting and thinking as a professional in nursing practice. Although the mentor/protégé relationship may contribute to personal and professional goal attainment, mentoring should not be regarded as a panacea, but as one modality for enhancing professional development (Messner, 1991; Yoder, 1990). The limitations of the study include a fairly homogenous sample, self-reported data, and lack of knowledge of the sample's preceptors. The sample size notably affects the generalizability of the findings as well as the statistical findings in the study.     

Emotional reminiscing and the development of an autobiographical self.

According to autobiographical memory theorists, past event conversations provide children with a framework for evaluating and connecting past events into a coherent autobiography (R. Fivush, 1994; K. Nelson, 1993; M. K. Welch-Ross, 1995). Two studies were conducted to empirically examine the association between past event conversation style and an independent measure of children's self-concept consistency. In Study 1, 50 New Zealand mothers discussed everyday past events with their children at 51 and 65 months of age. In Study 2, 51 New Zealand parents discussed 1 positive and 3 negative past events with their 5- and 6-year-old children. The consistency of children's self-views was assessed in both studies using the Children's Self-View Questionnaire (R. Eder, 1990). Children's self-concept consistency was moderately associated with greater explanation of the causes and consequences of children's negative emotions, resolution through social contact, and evaluation of positive events but not with simple attributions of emotion. These findings implicate parent-child conversations as a medium through which children can begin to understand the personal meaning of past experiences. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Methodological issues in research with refugees and immigrants.

A growing number of psychologists are becoming involved in research with migrants, particularly those from developing countries. This article highlights the unique methodological difficulties in research with refugees and immigrants. The main examples given are from Indochinese refugees and Pacific Island immigrants to New Zealand. Six areas of difficulty are identified: (1) contextual differences between migrants and the receiving society, (2) conceptual problems with translation of instruments, (3) sampling difficulties, (4) linguistic problems, (5) observation of etiquette, and (6) personality characteristics of researchers. Recommendations are made to resolve some of the difficulties encountered in each area. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparable Performance Measurement System for Construction Companies

The construction industry has mainly relied on financially focused performance measurements, and studies on performance measurement systems (PMSs) have been carried out at the project level. However, recently, the demand for performance evaluation and management at the company level has increased. A few previous efforts have aimed to develop a conceptual framework for company performance, but there have been few follow-up studies. From this perspective, we have developed an implementation model and practical methodology to measure and compare the performance of construction companies. First, our thorough qualitative and quantitative analysis was used to develop a set of indicators for performance measurement, and an analysis of the relative weightings of the indicators was carried out. Second, we calculated the performance score of construction companies using a study of 34 Korean construction companies. Finally, we carried out a performance evaluation and system analysis using the calculated performance scores and identified practical issues for the implementation of our PMS. Using the results of our analytical processes identified in this work, further research is suggested.     

The art and science of mentoring in psychology: A necessary practice to ensure our future.

Skillful faculty mentoring of graduate students is essential for producing the next generation of scholars. Unfortunately, the mentoring process is underappreciated and understudied. This article initially presents an overview of the extant literature. Subsequently,it borrows models from a related but more advanced field of study to stimulate the development of conceptual frameworks for guiding research on mentoring. Until the field progresses from its current state (i.e., an art) to a science, there will be few empirically informed answers regarding how to mentor effectively. Nevertheless, some suggestions are warranted and are offered in order to encourage effective mentoring. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

International contributions of the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists: Voices from abroad.

In this article, eight psychologists from different parts of the world (Argentina, Australia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Turkey, and the United States) comment on the international significance of the Canadian Code of Ethics for Psychologists. The most common themes expressed about the Canadian Code were the value of the foundational moral framework, the value-based ethical decision-making model, the positive aspirational focus, and the conceptual clarity. The Code that was developed nationally for Canadian psychologists 25 years ago is now acclaimed internationally. In a troubled and globalizing world, the need for strong worldwide humanizing ethical principles has never been greater. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Faculty mentoring and administrative support in schools of nursing

This study investigated the relationship between senior nursing faculty mentoring activities and support for faculty mentoring provided by nursing program administrators. Eighty nurse administrators and 389 senior nursing faculty from NLN-accredited MSN programs completed questionnaires. Twenty-five percent of the faculty sample reported that they did not mentor junior faculty in their present work setting, while 75% reported being engaged in mentoring activities which focused on career and personal development. Mentoring activities reported by senior nursing faculty were not significantly related to the three levels of administrative support: (1) formal support, (2) conceptual support, and (3) no support. The majority of institutions expressed support for the concept of mentoring and nurse administrators used informal mechanisms to support faculty mentoring. Significant differences were found between the three different levels of support and two supportive activities used by nurse administrators to facilitate mentoring relationships: (1) to arrange gatherings, and (2) to provide funding for joint projects.     

The implications of social influence research for a conceptual framework for psychological social psychology.

The conceptual framework of psychological social psychology is scientific (in the image of the natural sciences) and includes, but is not limited to, determinism, behaviorism, and individualism. Focusing on research on social influence, this paper demonstrates problems with, and changes occurring in, that conceptual framework while setting the research in its historical context. Those problems, it is argued, are fundamental to, and not resolvable within, the conceptual framework of the subdiscipline. A reformulation of the conceptual framework of psychological social psychology is recommended. (French abstract) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Mentors' perceptions of negative mentoring experiences: Scale development and nomological validation.

Three studies were conducted to develop a psychometrically sound, multidimensional measure of mentors' perceptions of negative experiences with their protégés. In Study 1, items were developed, and content-related validity was established. In Study 2, CFA was used to establish the dimensionality of the new measure. Construct-related (convergent and discriminant) and criterion-related validity evidence were also obtained by using data from matched mentor-protégé dyads. Study 3 replicated the factor structure of the instrument and provided additional validity evidence by using a sample of female academic mentors. The findings are discussed in terms of broadening the scope of mentoring research to consider the mentor's perspective of relationship problems and dyadic processes in mentoring relationships. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The Meaning of Race in Psychology and How to Change It: A Methodological Perspective.

The primary purpose of this article was to offer a methodological critique in support of arguments that racial categories should be replaced as explanatory constructs in psychological research and theory. To accomplish this goal, the authors (a) summarized arguments for why racial categories should be replaced; (b) used principles of the scientific method to show that racial categories lack conceptual meaning; (c) identified common errors in researchers' measurement, statistical analyses, and interpretation of racial categories as independent variables; and (d) used hierarchical regression analysis to illustrate a strategy for replacing racial categories in research designs with conceptual variables. Implications for changing the study of race in psychology are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Culture care of Iranian immigrants in New South Wales, Australia: sharing transcultural nursing knowledge

Discovery and analysis of care meanings, expressions, and practices of Iranian Immigrants in New South Wales, Australia was the focus of this ethnonursing qualitative research. The purpose of the study was to systematically discover, describe and analyse the values, beliefs, and practices of Iranian immigrants in New South Wales, Australia. The aim of the investigation was to discover transcultural nursing knowledge to guide nurses and health professionals to provide culturally congruent nursing and health care to Iranians. Leininger's theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality (Leininger, 1991) was used as the conceptual framework for the study. It was predicted that care meanings and expressions of Iranian immigrants would be influenced by their worldview, social structure features, language, and cultural values rooted in their long ethnohistorical past and reflected in their lifeways in Australia. Using the ethnonursing qualitative research method, key and general informants were purposefully selected among Iranian immigrants residing in New South Wales. Three care themes supported by a number of universal and some diverse patterns were identified for Iranian immigrants. The three themes were: (1) Care meant family and kinship ties (hambastegie) as expressed in daily lifeways and interactions with family, friends, and community; (2) Care as expressed in carrying out traditional urban gender roles (role-zan-o-mard) (Azadie zan) as well as in fulfilling emerging new role responsibilities related to equality for female Iranian immigrants; and (3) Care as preservation of Iranian identity (inhamoni, hamonandi) as expressed in traditional cultural events and health care practices. Leininger's (1991) three modes of actions and decisions were used to develop appropriate and culturally meaningful nursing care actions and decisions which were in harmony with the cultural beliefs of Iranian immigrants.     

General practitioner attitudes toward mandatory reporting of doctor-patient sexual abuse

AIM: To explore general practitioner attitudes toward mandatory reporting of doctor-patient sexual abuse. METHODS: Anonymous questionnaire mailed to a randomised sample of 217 New Zealand general practitioners. Attitudes toward mandatory reporting of doctor-patient sexual contact, seductive or sexually demeaning behaviour were appraised including an indication of whom the perceived appropriate reporting body should be. RESULTS: Forty-seven per cent of respondents supported the notion of mandatory reporting for doctor-patient sexual contact, 42% for sexually demeaning behaviour and 35% for seductive verbal behaviour. These respondents indicated that the most appropriate body to report to was a Doctor's Health Advisory Service. CONCLUSION: There was a lack of strong consensus on mandatory reporting of doctor-patient sexual abuse.     

Halo and performance appraisal research: A critical examination.

The different conceptual and operational definitions of halo are reviewed, and problems when using halo as a dependent measure in performance rating research and practice are pointed out. Four major points are emphasized: (1) There is no agreed on conceptual definition of halo; (2) the different conceptual definitions of halo are not systematically related to different operational definitions (i.e., measures) of halo; (3) halo measures may be poor indexes of rating quality in that different halo measures are not strongly interrelated and halo measures are not related to measures of rating validity or accuracy; and (4) although halo may be a poor measure of rating quality, it may or may not be an important measure of the rating process. The utility of assessing halo to determine the psychometric quality of rating data is questioned. Halo may be more appropriately used as a measure to study cognitive processing, rather than as a measure of performance rating outcome. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Weaning from mechanical ventilation: concept development

This article, the first in a series, is written to clarify the process of weaning from mechanical ventilation and to promote the development of a common language for understanding the complex weaning process. The Third National Study Group on Weaning From Mechanical Ventilation proposes a conceptual model and definitions that will provide a framework for future research on this important topic. This conceptual framework describes the preweaning phase, the weaning process, and the outcome phase of mechanical ventilation. Potential outcomes are completion of weaning, lack of completion, and terminal weaning. The weaning decision continuum incorporates: (1) when and how to begin the weaning process, (2) how to select therapies to assist with difficult weaning and chart progress during weaning, and (3) when to stop weaning if progress is no longer being made. An inherent assumption of this model is that each patient will display unique responses to the weaning process. The proposed conceptual framework and definitions provide a foundation for developing clinical practice guidelines and for guiding future ventilator weaning research.     

Mentoring women graduate students: A model for professional psychology.

There is much discussion about the importance of mentoring women graduate students but not an equal amount of practical research-based guidance about how best to do this. This article summarizes a mentoring model that was developed using a pilot survey of 55 women graduate students throughout the United States, followed by grounded theory research by conducting qualitative interviews with 8 eminent women psychologists. It augments current research on mentoring to provide an integrated set of hypotheses about the theory and practice of mentoring; an operational definition of mentor and mentoring; overarching assumptions about mentoring; strategies for forming, structuring, managing, and maintaining mentoring relationships; and the roles and functions of the mentor, the mentee, and the relationship. It describes examples of mentoring practices specifically for use with women mentees and discusses how mentoring relationships may end or change as they mature. While the mentoring model was developed based on research with women, many of the tenants can be applied to both men and women. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The role of mentors for women in animal science: perspectives from government

The purpose of a mentor is to empower individuals to succeed in a professional career in animal science. Effective mentorship programs in animal agriculture will guarantee that more qualified women are retained in our profession, and thereby contribute to workforce diversity. Good mentors are the single most significant contributor to building a successful career. Mentorship programs can be informal or formal. Effective informal mentoring depends on selection of a mentor with a positive attitude that can be a trusted advisor and good listener. The Beltsville Area of USDA, ARS, offers a Mentor Program in which employees voluntarily participate as mentors or protégés. The participants are paired according to individual objectives with the overall goal to enhance their career development. The program has approximately 35% of mentors and 88% of protégés that are women. A key to its success has been improving the supervisor's understanding of mentoring as it relates to employee productivity. There are many other programs within the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Program that affect women in science as government employees, including a special emphasis program called the Federal Women's Program, as well as annual evaluation for performance in Civil Rights, supervisory training, and flexible work schedules. Improving our mentorship of women in animal science will benefit animal agriculture. Behind successful women in animal science there has been encouragement from a network of mentors.     

Screening for colorectal cancer: a survey of New Zealand general practitioners

AIM: To determine the attitudes and reported behaviours of New Zealand general practitioners concerning colorectal cancer screening and diagnosis with special consideration of the use of faecal occult blood tests. METHOD: A postal survey of a random sample of 400 New Zealand general practitioners. RESULTS: The response rate to the survey was 63%. Most of the respondents did not support a screening programme for average risk patients but did support screening in high risk groups. General practitioners favoured a screening programme offered by themselves rather than a centrally organised screening programme. A majority of respondents agreed that there was a lack of clear guidelines and a need for education regarding screening for bowel cancer. CONCLUSION: Guidelines for colorectal cancer screening are required for New Zealand general practitioners. There appears to be a need for medical education concerning screening for colorectal cancer in particular and screening and prevention in general.     

Performance Modeling for Contractor Selection

This paper proposes a contractor selection system that incorporates the contractor’s performance prediction as one of the criteria for selection. This research was developed working with an owner organization that was interested in developing a framework for evaluating contractors for future work. A modeling framework, developed in previous research, was used to develop a conceptual model of a project that depicts a causal structure of the variables, risks, and interactions that affect a contractor’s performance for a specific project from the owner’s point of view. The conceptual model helps to identify information needed for a comprehensive evaluation; some information can be readily available from historical records, while other can be unavailable and can be replaced by estimates based on experience. Ideally, over time, the owner should collect most of the information required for future evaluations. A mathematical component of the model can generate predictions of multiple project performance outcomes for each contractor under evaluation; these predictions and a contractors’ bid prices are then used for contractor evaluation purposes.     

New Zealand children's attitudes towards Maoris.

"A picture story technique designed to measure the attitudes of whites in New Zealand towards Maoris was employed to investigate the development of ethnic attitudes in relation to age, and contact between whites and Maoris of approximately equal status." Ss in schools in different parts of New Zealand with differing densities of Maori population showed common increase in unfavorable attitudes towards Maoris between the ages of 8 and 12. Between the ages of 12 and 16, Ss exposed to greater number of Maoris who had been assimilated into the local Caucasian culture showed significantly less unfavorable attitudes. From Psyc Abstracts 36:04:4GD01V. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Oral clonidine premedication does not prolong analgesia after herniorrhaphy under subarachnoid anesthesia

Very little research has been devoted to the design of epidemiological tools for the monitoring and evaluation of National Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) Control Programmes and daily management decisions are made in the absence of accurate knowledge of the situation. This paper identifies key indicators necessary to make decisions in the field and constantly adjust control activities to changing situations. Examples are derived from the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) HAT Control Programme in Adjumani, Uganda. Based on the principles of quality assurance, the focus is placed on process indicators. A conceptual framework derived from a system view/planning cycle perspective is also described for the construction of indicators. Finally, some specific challenging aspects of the epidemiology of HAT are presented and the limitations of the interpretation of the indicators discussed.