Using auto ethnography as a learning tool within the social work class-room: the experience of delivering an ‘immersive’ module

This paper explores the first delivery of an introductory module, ‘What is Social Work’ to a Year 1 cohort of students on a B.A Social Work programme. Unusually, this module is delivered in an immersive format. Delivery of teaching via the vehicle of an ‘immersive module’ lies under an umbrella term for shortened, intensive courses. The immersive module is constructed with an aim of achieving double/triple loop learning via auto ethnographic practice. Specifically, with relation to Social Work education, auto ethnography is utilized within this accelerated teaching space to assist students to assimilate a rigorous form of critical reflection. Auto ethnography also provides the educator with a form of data collection and method of analysis. My findings reveal how this method of teaching provides an opportunity to model practice that is contextualised and relationship-based. This is in contrast to a current U.K practice background of largely statutory based de-politicized, individualistic Social Work

Evidence-Based Education Program to Reduce Nurse Manager Burnout

Nurse managers face numerous challenges and stressors in their daily practice. The support services offered to managers to facilitate coping in stressful situations vary among employers and may be ineffective depending on the stressors faced. Implementation of evidence-based best practices may positively impact nurse managers\u27 ability to manage stress. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based stress reduction education program to empower nurse managers to handle work-related stressors and reduce burnout. The primary theory used to inform this project was the job demands-resource model, which explains how job demands and resources have multiple effects on job stress, ultimately impacting a worker\u27s level of engagement. Sources of evidence included peer-reviewed journals, evidence-based studies, and published documents or programs. Education was synthesized based upon evidence obtained during the literature review. Consistent with the evidence, topics covered in the education were; nurse manager-initiated methods of stress reduction, methods of modifying a workplace environment to decrease stress, nurse manager peer support, senior leadership involvement in nurse manager stress reduction, and the inclusion of future leader development as a stress management method. The focused learning objectives were nurse manager specific, measurable, and supportive of an adult learner. The social change impacted by this project will be derived from fostering a nurse managers ability to better cope with stressful situations, thus enhancing their role as a nursing leader

Workplace Health and Its Impact on Human Capital: Seven Key Performance Indicators of Workplace Health

Health, a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being according to the World Health Organization, is a critical issue in the workplace as it is directly related to human capital, the most important and expensive asset of an organization. When it comes to workplace health, there are seven key performance indicators to consider. These include physical fitness, physical comfort, physical nourishment, cognitive well-being, social well-being, emotional well-being, and environmental well-being. Various environmental attributes in these seven KPIs in the workplace affect not only health but also performance and engagement of employees via their physical, mental, and social interactions within the environment. For instance, ergonomics, acoustics, lighting, thermal comfort, and olfactory comfort address the overall physical comfort while biophilic components contribute to employee cognitive functions as well as their capacity to cope with mental stress and fatigue. These seven KPIs of workplace health ultimately contribute to five positive organizational outcomes, including healthy organizational culture, higher productivity, improved individual health and safety, financial savings, and enhanced reputation of the organization. This chapter discusses critical health factors in the workplace and their contributions to the capacity of human capital at the individual as well as organizational levels

Exploring Resiliency to Burnout: A Phenomenological Study of Addiction Counselors Resilient to Burnout

This transcendental phenomenological study aimed to describe the lived experiences of addiction counselors who appeared resilient to burnout (BO) and compassion fatigue (CF). The research question to frame this study was: What are the lived experiences of addiction counselors who appear resilient to severe levels of burnout and compassion fatigue, leading to longevity in the addiction counseling field? This included resiliency factors to resolve BO and CF, coping skills to resolve symptoms of BO and CF, and internal and external factors that contributed to BO and CF. Several theories were used to conduct this study, including Social Cognitive Theory, Social Exchange Theory, Organizational Theory, Existential Theory, and Resilience Theory (Edú-Valsania et al., 2022; Hunsaker et al., 2015; Li et al., 2014; Masten, 2014; Meng et al., 2019; Pines & Keinan, 2005; Southwick et al., 2014). Data was collected from nine participants using semi-structured interviews. Data was then analyzed using Moustakas’ modified van Kaam seven steps method (1994a). The implications of these results can be applied to addiction counselors, their supporters, employers, and those who work with them

Strategies Small Business Owners Use to Remain Sustainable

In the United States, 41% of small retail businesses fail to succeed for longer than 5 years. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies small retail business owners used to remain sustainable for more than 5 years. The conceptual framework that grounded this study was Schumpeter\u27s innovation theory. The sample size of this research included 4 successful retail business owners located in the southeastern region of the United States who have successfully started and managed their business activities for more than 5 years. Data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews with successful owners of small retail businesses and reviews of the organizations\u27 internal documents. Data were coded, categorized, and labeled using coding techniques, and then validated using member checking. Data analysis processes included a thematic analysis method to identify emerging themes. The results of data analysis revealed 3 significant themes: passion and determination for doing business, market development and customer satisfaction, and business model innovation. The results indicated that the use of innovation theory enabled small retail business owners to develop innovative strategies to sustain the business for more than 5 years. The results also showed that innovation increases sales and profits for the longer term. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to create new jobs, enhance tax revenues and growth for governments, and improve social environments from revenue generated by employment