Public experiences of mass casualty decontamination

In this article, we analyze feedback from simulated casualties who took part in field exercises involving mass decontamination, to gain an understanding of how responder communication can affect people’s experiences of and compliance with decontamination. We analyzed questionnaire data gathered from 402 volunteers using the framework approach, to provide an insight into the public’s experiences of decontamination and how these experiences are shaped by the actions of emergency responders. Factors that affected casualties’ experiences of the econtamination process included the need for greater practical information and better communication from responders, and the need for privacy. Results support previous findings from small-scale incidents that involved decontamination in showing that participants wanted better communication from responders during the process of decontamination, including more practical information, and that the failure of responders to communicate effectively with members of the public led to anxiety about the decontamination process. The similarity between the findings from the exercises described in this article and previous research into real incidents involving decontamination suggests that field exercises provide a useful way to examine the effect of responder communication strategies on the public’s experiences of decontamination. Future exercises should examine in more detail the effect of various communication strategies on the public’s experiences of decontamination. This will facilitate the development of evidence-based communication strategies intended to reduce anxiety about decontamination and increase compliance among members of the public during real-life incidents that involve mass decontamination

Preparing Learners for the Innovation Economy: It’s time to rethink almost everything about technology education

Have you ever noticed that when the economy shows strong growth in job creation, the stock market often drops, when jobs are slashed by as many as thousands or that when a company invests in new labour replacing technology in its production, the stock value of the companies involved rises (Chasan, 2006; Isidore, 2005)? Despite all the efforts to produce skilled people in traditional fields, the tide of sustainable employment in those areas, appears to be structurally prohibitive raising basic questions of whether traditional perceptions of Technology in school curriculum remains viable and whether a rethink of why Technology ought be taught is now due for a new discourse. In our complex new world, the one right here and now and unfolding outside the school gate, we ought cast forward and rethink the new opportunities before us with Technology studies as a subject in waiting. This paper explores the proposition that, in the context of understanding the role of innovation and knowledge in the world economy, it may be time to completely rethink the role of Technology in schooling as having a unique purpose in the curriculum. One that is characterised by its focus on graduate attributes rather than specific traditional equipment skilling expressed in the finish of ‘objects’ and by its responsive behaviour to a modern world economy, with complex social and ecological pressures

Guideline for the German Sustainability Code. Guidance for SMEs

By issuing this guide, the Council for Sustainable Development (RNE) and the Bertelsmann Foundation wish to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)* in particular to apply the German Sustainability Code (GSC). We want to support them to the best of our ability. The Sustainability Code is not only a reporting tool that is tailored to you, but it also provides you with guidance relating to sustainability management. With its 20 criteria for sustainable management, drawn up in dialogue with stakeholders in 2011 and revised in 2014, the GSC helps businesses to see clearly what is meant by the term “sustainability”, to maintain their focus on the essentials and, at the same time, to attend to their responsibility towards the environment and society in a more effective and more ambitious fashion

Barriers and facilitators to smoking cessation in pregnancy and following childbirth: literature review and qualitative study

Background: Although many women stop smoking in pregnancy, others continue, causing harm to maternal and child health. Smoking behaviour is influenced by many factors, including the role of women’s significant others (SOs) and support from health-care professionals (HPs). Objectives: To enhance understanding of the barriers to, and facilitators of, smoking cessation and the feasibility and acceptability of interventions to reach and support pregnant women to stop smoking. Design: Four parts: (1) a description of interventions in the UK for smoking cessation in pregnancy; (2) three systematic reviews (syntheses) of qualitative research of women’s, SOs’ and HPs’ views of smoking in pregnancy using meta-ethnography (interpretative approach for combining findings); (3) semistructured interviews with pregnant women, SOs and HPs, guided by the social–ecological framework (conceptualises behaviour as an outcome of individuals’ interactions with environment); and (4) identification of new/improved interventions for future testing. Setting: Studies in reviews conducted in high-income countries. Qualitative research was conducted from October 2013 to December 2014 in two mixed urban/rural study sites: area A (Scotland) and area B (England). Participants: Thirty-eight studies (1100 pregnant women) in 42 papers, nine studies (150 partners) in 14 papers and eight studies described in nine papers (190 HPs) included in reviews. Forty-one interviews with pregnant women, 32 interviews with pregnant women’s SOs and 28 individual/group interviews with 48 HPs were conducted. Main outcome measures: The perceived barriers to, and facilitators of, smoking cessation in pregnancy and the identification of potential new/modified interventions. Results: Syntheses identified smoking-related perceptions and experiences for pregnant women and SOs that were fluid and context dependent with the capacity to help or hinder smoking cessation. Themes were analysed in accordance with the social–ecological framework levels. From the analysis of the interviews, the themes that were central to cessation in pregnancy at an individual level, and that reflected the findings from the reviews, were perception of risk to baby, self-efficacy, influence of close relationships and smoking as a way of coping with stress. Overall, pregnant smokers were faced with more barriers than facilitators. At an interpersonal level, partners’ emotional and practical support, willingness to change smoking behaviour and role of smoking within relationships were important. Across the review and interviews of HPs, education to enhance knowledge and confidence in delivering information about smoking in pregnancy and the centrality of the client relationship, protection of which could be a factor in downplaying risks, were important. HPs acknowledged that they could best assist by providing support and understanding, and access to effective interventions, including an opt-out referral pathway to Stop Smoking Services, routine carbon monoxide screening, behavioural support and access to pharmacotherapy. Additional themes at community, organisational and societal levels were also identified. Limitations: Limitations include a design grounded in qualitative studies, difficulties recruiting SOs, and local service configurations and recruitment processes that potentially skewed the sample. Conclusions: Perceptions and experiences of barriers to and facilitators of smoking cessation in pregnancy are fluid and context dependent. Effective interventions for smoking cessation in pregnancy should take account of the interplay between the individual, interpersonal and environmental aspects of women’s lives. Future work: Research focus: removing barriers to support, improving HPs’ capacity to offer accurate advice, and exploration of weight concerns and relapse prevention. Interventions focus: financial incentives, self-help and social network interventions

In Their Shoes: Student Perspectives on the Connection between Empathy and Engineering

An emerging body of literature highlights the importance of empathy within engineering work and explores how engineering students develop empathic tendencies and utilize empathy during design. Still, more work needs to be done to better understand how engineering students conceptualize empathy and view its role in engineering practice. In this study, we explored the ways that engineering students described empathy and its application in their engineering work. Eight engineering students, from seven different majors, ranging from juniors to doctoral students, participated semi-structured interviews focused on the empathy in engineering. Using thematic analysis we uncovered three themes revealing engineering students’ experiences with empathy (understanding others’ feelings, important in everyday life, generally outside the scope of engineering) and four themes revealing potential uses for empathy in engineering work (team settings, problem contextualization, human-centered design, individual inspiration). These findings highlight existing gaps between students’ perceptions of empathy as compared to scholarly literature on the role of empathy in engineering and perceptions from engineering faculty and practicing engineers. For example, the themes demonstrate that students are often generally aware of certain potential uses of empathy, but have not necessarily experienced those uses in their own work. In the paper, we discuss how alignments or discrepancies between student and expert perceptions both extend our notions of the role of empathy in engineering and identify areas that can be better supported through engineering instruction

Seminar on Long-Range Planning, November 11-12, 1965, Hyatt House, Burlingame, California

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/aicpa_comm/1452/thumbnail.jp

Information Pack on the "large market"

DIRECTIONS FOR USE. This information pack on "the large market: the general picture" is intended to help you understand the mechanisms and implications of building a large internal Community market. In its White Paper on the subject, the Commission of the European Communities set a target date of 31 December 1992 for completing a genuine market without frontiers. The "background documents" paint a detailed picture of the situation in the Community today, including not only past achievements but also the aspirations nurtured by the large market. The fresh impetus imparted by the Single Act should make it possible to keep to the schedule set out in the White Paper, despite the delays. The "illustrations" explain the everyday impact of the measures affecting European citizens, financial circles or technology. The "speeches" by the Commission President and Vice-President express the political will of the entire Commission to attain the objectives set. "To convince you" sets out a detailed analysis of this will. It catalogues the advantages of the large market within the Twelve. But there are still a host of barriers for the Commission to remove, if need be with the help of the Court of Justice of the European Communities. NOTE: the attached Word file contains links to many of the documents in the Table of Contents