AI in patient flow: applications of artificial intelligence to improve patient flow in NHS acute mental health inpatient units

Introduction: Growing demand for mental health services, coupled with funding and resource limitations, creates an opportunity for novel technological solutions including artificial intelligence (AI). This study aims to identify issues in patient flow on mental health units and align them with potential AI solutions, ultimately devising a model for their integration at service level. Method: Following a narrative literature review and pilot interview, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with AI and mental health experts. Thematic analysis was then used to analyse and synthesise gathered data and construct an enhanced model. Results: Predictive variables for length-of-stay and readmission rate are not consistent in the literature. There are, however, common themes in patient flow issues. An analysis identified several potential areas for AI-enhanced patient flow. Firstly, AI could improve patient flow by streamlining administrative tasks and optimising allocation of resources. Secondly, real-time data analytics systems could support clinician decision-making in triage, discharge, diagnosis and treatment stages. Finally, longer-term, development of solutions such as digital phenotyping could help transform mental health care to a more preventative, personalised model. Conclusions: Recommendations were formulated for NHS trusts open to adopting AI patient flow enhancements. Although AI offers many promising use-cases, greater collaborative investment and infrastructure are needed to deliver clinically validated improvements. Concerns around data-use, regulation and transparency remain, and hospitals must continue to balance guidelines with stakeholder priorities. Further research is needed to connect existing case studies and develop a framework for their evaluation

Leadership Strategies in the Course of Change

Educational Leadershi

Perceptions and Experiences of Diverse Architectural Technology Students Learning through Formative Feedback & Formative Assessment: a Multiple-case Study

Technological leaps along with increased numbers and greater student diversity is altering the higher education teaching landscape constantly. The academic\u27s workload is escalating all the time, arising from resource constraints in a time of economic stringency. This places even more pressure on dealing with assessment rather than on enhancing learning. Despite evidence that supports formative assessment as being vitally important to students\u27 learning, it is not widely appreciated among lecturers in higher education. As a result, lecturers under pressure, understandably, will maintain existing assessment and teaching systems rather than attempt to apply new techniques. Immeasurable hours, days or even weeks, spent providing detailed written feedback on students\u27 work that was never read or acted upon (and was too late anyway for some students), was the motivation for this research which commenced in 2008. Replicating that initial inquiry over two further years, with two additional first year cohorts, then followed. This paper will argue that the application of the feedback technique applied throughout this research, including analysis of the students\u27 perceptions of learning, has contributed towards understanding the first-year student\u27s learning experience. It will be demonstrated that an effective formative assessment and formative feedback method that enhances learning can support the different educational needs of a diverse student population, without compromising standards. Published research underpinning formative assessment and feedback to improve learning for a more diverse tertiary student population, including some pragmatic stratagems, were examined and appraised within this study. Key words: Formative assessment, student diversity, enhancing learning, perceptions of learning, Studio environment

Conflict Dynamics and Opportunities for Second-Generation Family Businesswomen in Saudi Arabia: A Phenomenological Research Study

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experiences of second-generation Saudi Arabian females working in their family businesses, in order to reach conclusions and make recommendations to improve the dynamics and outcomes of conflict experienced now and in the future. Research here analyzed the lived experiences of twenty-two second-generation Saudi Arabian females who work in a family business, inquiring about their perceptions of female roles within the Saudi Arabian business world, their lived experiences of conflicts in their family businesses, and their understandings about best management and resolution of such conflicts. This pioneering study’s findings about second-generation businesswomen’s lived experiences are vital to encourage the growth, sustainability, and longevity of the subject family business entities, as power transfers from one generation to the next. This qualitative study applied transcendental phenomenology and feminist theory to analyze the participant’s interviews, contributing valuable missing data to the literature. Conclusions reached and recommendations offered were informed by the collected data’s analysis and will serve all Saudi Arabian family businesses by: preparing future generations, guiding and giving hope to Saudi women workers, and benefiting those interested in employing females as it will greatly contribute to their understanding of employment for women in a Saudi Arabian family business

Articulating the Experiences and Perceptions of Graduates From An Inner City Field-Based Teacher Preparation Program: A Sociocritical Perspective

ARTICULATING THE EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF GRADUATES FROM AN INNER CITY FIELD-BASED TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: A SOCIOCRITICAL PERSPECTIVE Cynthia L. Thompson 208 Pages May 2015 Teacher preparation has been the center of educational reform in the United States for many years. A review of literature suggests that many universities are addressing the educational challenge of developing stronger teacher preparation programs by collaborating with neighborhood schools to implement field-based teacher preparation programs. However, little research is available to determine the effectiveness of field-based teacher preparation programs. In order to improve programs of this nature programs, it is pertinent to explore the experiences and perceptions of graduates who participated in the program. A number of recommendations for educational reform exist on the topic of teacher preparation, but much-needed research must be done on the experiences and perceptions of participants\u27 in field-based teacher preparation programs. Current research on field-based teacher preparation suggests that there is a critical need to identify whether these programs prepare teachers adequately for the teaching profession. Previous research has suggested that it is critical to provide an interpretation of their subjectivities and to inform educational policymakers, state boards of education, schools of education and the wider educational community in the continued development of field-based teacher preparation programs nationwide

RE-EXAMINING SCHOLARSHIP: EXPLORING THE MEANINGS OF BOYER'S DIMENSIONS TO THE PROFESSORIATE

Since Boyer's (1990) seminal publication on scholarship there has been a steadily expanding body of knowledge concerned with reviewing the priorities of the professoriate in higher education (HE). This dissertation enters that discourse by exploring HE educators' perceptions of Boyer's (1990) multiple dimensions of scholarship. It also accepts the challenge offered by Schon (1996) that examination of the new dimensions of scholarship requires a new epistemology by designing and employing a spiral methodology. This twofold task forms the basis of this dissertation. This investigation is contextually located in an education department in a large university in the United States of America. It delves into the opinions of educators as they relate to scholarly practices, and the influence of the institutional ideology embedded in the structure of HE in today's modem universities. The study then focuses on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and renders problematic the proposed assessment standard of reflective practice. The use of my spiral methodology in action opens up both the framework and the theoretical structure for critical examination. It reveals, through the praxis how the phased structure has allowed the research project to extend into using such diverse research methods as an email survey, interviews through conversations and autoethnography. This study offers contributions in two distinct areas. Firstly, the investigation into educators' perceptions of scholarship revealed four important issues: • a strong desire to see the definitions expanded • that the SoTL is a contested and poorly understood dimension • the rhetoric of reflective practice is often very different to the practice • the ideology and epistemology of the institution dictate the priorities Secondly, the spiral methodology which holds reflexivity as a central tenet proved capable of offering a sensitive, flexible, interconnected framework within which to conduct research in the complex and context bound environment of research in educational settings. There are a number of potential future directions that could be developed from my research some of which include: • investigating institutional commitment to implementing campus changes • the impact of proposed changes on the student population • examining the contested meaning of reflective practice in theory and practice • further development of a reflexive spiral methodology • expansion of the combination of critical analysis and boundary conversations This dissertation should be read both as a very personal sequential journey into researching, and as a growing understanding of the research topics. This evolution has led to altering some of my early methodological claims and demonstrates my commitment to an open and honest account

Sensitivity analysis in a scoping review on police accountability : assessing the feasibility of reporting criteria in mixed studies reviews

In this paper, we report on the findings of a sensitivity analysis that was carried out within a previously conducted scoping review, hoping to contribute to the ongoing debate about how to assess the quality of research in mixed methods reviews. Previous sensitivity analyses mainly concluded that the exclusion of inadequately reported or lower quality studies did not have a significant effect on the results of the synthesis. In this study, we conducted a sensitivity analysis on the basis of reporting criteria with the aims of analysing its impact on the synthesis results and assessing its feasibility. Contrary to some previous studies, our analysis showed that the exclusion of inadequately reported studies had an impact on the results of the thematic synthesis. Initially, we also sought to propose a refinement of reporting criteria based on the literature and our own experiences. In this way, we aimed to facilitate the assessment of reporting criteria and enhance its consistency. However, based on the results of our sensitivity analysis, we opted not to make such a refinement since many publications included in this analysis did not sufficiently report on the methodology. As such, a refinement would not be useful considering that researchers would be unable to assess these (sub-)criteria

Perceptions of palliative nursing

This thesis describes a three-year study which explored the lived experiences of nurses delivering palliative care, and dying patients receiving palliative care. The aim of the study was to examine the perceptions of patients and nurses regarding palliative care, and in particular, how they described a good palliative care nurse. The study generated interesting and significant findings. The lived experience of dying patients was characterised by maintaining their independence, and remaining in control, even in the latter stages of their illness, as well as wanting to feel safe and secure and being supported by their family and the nurses who were looking after them. Patients wanted palliative nurses to be there for them, by spending time with them, provide comfort, by meeting their needs, and for nurses to listen to their fears. The lived experience of palliative nurses was characterised by effective and ineffective interpersonal communication, the building of therapeutic relationships with dying patients, attempting to control pain and distressing symptoms, endeavouring to work as an effective multi-disciplinary team with their colleagues, and developing knowledge and experience in palliative care. The two most important characteristics of a good palliative nurse, as far as both patients, and nurses, were concerned, was to be interpersonally skilled, in particular the ability to be 'willing to listen', as well as, the need for the nurse to possess personal, humane qualities such as kindness, warmth, compassion and genuineness. Nurses, in particular, perceived that a good nurse should have knowledge, experience and keep up to date via professional development, in addition to, being skilled in controlling pain and distressing symptoms

Being Authentic in Life and on Stage: A Phenomenological Investigation of the Actor as Character

The purpose of this study is to describe the process of character development as experienced by the actor. Twelve professional actors participated in 60 to 90 minute phenomenological interviews in which they were asked to talk about their experiences of character development. Each participant was asked to respond to the following statement, \u27\u27Take a moment to think about a specific character you played. Please describe for me in as much detail as you can what stood out for you during the development of that character. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. The transcripts were analyzed individually and in a group format using an existential/phenomenological method. Data analysis revealed a thematic structure comprised of five themes: (a) Preparation, (b) Use of Self, (c) Connection, (d) Being in the Moment, and (e) Personal Gain. Analysis also revealed that the five figural themes were contextualized within the frame of one experiential ground: Authenticity. In other words, this ground provides the primary context through which the themes of the experience of character development become figural. Participants\u27 descriptions of their experiences were always situated within the context of being authentic to all aspects of character development. The first theme Preparation was comprised of three sub-themes: The Script, Research, and Meaning of the Text. The theme Use of Self was comprised of six subthemes: Association of Self with Character/Past Experiences, Own Emotions, Body/Embodiment, Intuition, Availability of Self, and Reciprocity of Two Worlds. The theme Connection was comprised of three sub-themes: Relating to the Character, Connection with Scene Partners, and Connection with the Director. The theme of Being in the Moment was comprised of two sub-themes: Being in the Zone and The Ultimate Goal. The last theme, Personal Gain was comprised of the following three sub-themes: Catharsis, Security, and Personal Transformation. Results are discussed in relation to existing literature. This was followed by implications for the fields of psychology and theatre and suggestions for further research