1,244,688 research outputs found

    THE IMPACT OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN IMPROVING STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

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    The thesis is about knowledge management in education: how to create quality knowledge through the e-learning environment which is positively related to students’ perceptions of their learning outcomes; and secondly, how to develop communities of practice to ensure effective transfer of tacit knowledge to improve student learning. An effective knowledge management system must address both the creation and transfer of explicit as well as tacit knowledge. This research set forth that tacit knowledge must be converted into high quality explicit knowledge through the e-learning environment. The success in converting educator’s tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge to be internalised by the learner as tacit knowledge is very much depended on information quality as the medium for the conversion process. Thus, in this thesis, information quality is an essential concept to examine in the conversion process. This is to ensure that learners are able to derive quality tacit knowledge from this information. Information quality is always relative and depends on the individual or group of students who are evaluating it. Thus, any standardising of information quality has to match to a considerable large group of students’ cognitive structures. This research provides an empirical investigation of the relationship between information quality and student learning outcomes. Data for this study were collected by means of questionnaires through the survey manager in the Blackboard Learning System and were evaluated through a combination of multiple regression analysis. Data analysis revealed evidence that the relationship between the quality of information and student learning outcomes is systematically measurable, in that measurements of information quality can be used to predict student learning outcomes, and that this relationship is, for the most part, positive. Furthermore, this research set forth the conceptual review of developing communities of practice (CoPs) to transfer sustained tacit knowledge effectively to improve student learning

    Standardizing the Process for Diagnosing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the Primary Care Setting

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    Standardizing the Process for Diagnosing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in the Primary Care Setting Louise Moon Rosales, MSN, APRN Purpose. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common problem that primary care providers diagnose and treat. Yet, there is a current lack of standardization to diagnose ADHD in many primary care settings. This purpose of this project was to standardize the process of diagnosing ADHD through introduction of screening instruments. Objectives included: assessment of clinician knowledge and attitudes about ADHD, implementation of a clinician-directed educational intervention, and development of a work flow procedure to standardize the diagnostic process. Methods. Clinicians at a family practice participated in a project to standardize the ADHD diagnostic process. Knowledge and attitude assessments via informal interviews and pre-intervention surveys were conducted with the five practice clinicians; three physicians and two nurse practitioners. An ADHD educational intervention was implemented followed by post-intervention surveys. A work flow procedure was implemented to assist in diagnosing ADHD through the use of psychometrically proven instruments embedded into the electronic health record (EHR). The scales used were the Vanderbilt ADHD Assessment Scale and Wender Utah Rating Scale. To measure clinician and subsequent patient outcomes, a data collection plan was created. Results. All five clinicians completed the pre and post knowledge and attitudinal surveys. The results demonstrated increased provider knowledge and confidence in diagnosing ADHD. A standardized process to diagnose ADHD was successfully developed, and scales to aid in the diagnosis of ADHD were embedded into the EHR. A data collection plan to monitor ongoing clinician and patient outcomes was implemented. Conclusions. An educational intervention and standardized workflow procedure by which to diagnose ADHD were successfully implemented in a family practice, thereby laying the foundation for continued quality improvement in the diagnosis of ADHD. To refine the process and gain a better appreciation of the impact of the intervention on clinicians and patients, data collection on established outcome measures continues. Keywords. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, ADHD, diagnosis, rating scales, primary care

    Work outcomes of sickness absence related to mental disorders: a systematic literature review.

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    ObjectivesThe purpose of this systematic literature review is to examine the current state of knowledge regarding the return-to-work outcomes of sickness absences related to mental disorders that increase costs borne by employers. We address two questions: (1) Based on the existing literature, from the employer's perspective, what are the relevant economic return-to-work outcomes for sickness absences related to mental disorders? and (2) From the employer's economic perspective, are there gaps in knowledge about the relevant return-to-work outcomes for sickness absences related to mental disorders?SettingThe included studies used administrative data from either an employer, insurer or occupational healthcare provider.ParticipantsStudies included working adults between 18 and 65 years old who had a sickness absence related to a mental disorder.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe studies considered two general return-to-work outcome categories: (1) outcomes focusing on return-to-work and (2) outcomes focusing on sickness absence recurrence.ResultsA total of 3820 unique citations were identified. Of these, 10 studies were identified whose quality ranged from good to excellent. Half of the identified studies came from one country. The studies considered two characteristics of sickness absence: (1) whether and how long it took for a worker to return-to-work and (2) sickness absence recurrence. None of the studies examined return-to-work outcomes related to work reintegration.ConclusionsThe existing literature suggests that along with the incidence of sickness absence related to mental disorders, the length of sickness absence episodes and sickness absence recurrence (ie, number and time between) should be areas of concern. However, there also seems to be gaps in the literature regarding the work reintegration process and its associated costs

    Peran Quality Tools Dalam Upaya Peningkatan Kepuasan Konsumen Di Sektor Perhubungan = The Role of Quality Tools in Improving Customer Satisfaction on Transportation Sector

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    This research aims to identify application quality tools for improving quality - related outcomes (process improvement, employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, quality performance) in transportation indushy. The hypotheses are leadership was positively associated with teamwork, process improvement, employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction (hypotheses la, lb, lc, I d). Teamwork was positively associated with quality tools knowledge (hypotheses 2). Quality knowledge, if followed up with application can be effective in improving processes (hypotheses 3, 7). Quality tools application was positively associated with customer satisfaction, quality performance (hypotheses 4, 5). Process improvement was positively associated with employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction (hypotheses 8, 9b). Em- ployee satisfaction was positively associated with customer satisfaction (hypotheses 9a), andquality performance was positively associated with cus- tomer satisfaction ((hypotheses 6). The data collected survey method and questioners distributed to respond of the 230 questioners were distributed to employee in transportation sector. 147 questioners that can be analysis on this study. The statistic method used was structural equation modeling (SEM) assisted by the application of AMOS 4.01 programs. The research concluded that leadership was positively associated with teamwork, process improvement. Teamwork was positively associated with quality knowledge. Quality tools application waspositively associated with process improvement, customers satisfaction, quality performance. Process improvement was positively associated with employee satisfaction. Surprising by there are no significant associated between leadership, employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction. Quality tools knowledge and quality tools application, employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction against quality performance and customer satisfaction. Keywords: Leadership, teamwork, quality tools knowledge, quality tools application, process improvement, employee satisfaction, customer satisfaction, structural equation models

    Introduction

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    BACKGROUND: National quality registries (NQRs) purportedly facilitate quality improvement, while neither the extent nor the mechanisms of such a relationship are fully known. The aim of this case study is to describe the experiences of local stakeholders to determine those elements that facilitate and hinder clinical quality improvement in relation to participation in a well-known and established NQR on stroke in Sweden. METHODS: A strategic sample was drawn of 8 hospitals in 4 county councils, representing a variety of settings and outcomes according to the NQR's criteria. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 25 managers, physicians in charge of the Riks-Stroke, and registered nurses registering local data at the hospitals. Interviews, including aspects of barriers and facilitators within the NQR and the local context, were analysed with content analysis. RESULTS: An NQR can provide vital aspects for facilitating evidence-based practice, for example, local data drawn from national guidelines which can be used for comparisons over time within the organisation or with other hospitals. Major effort is required to ensure that data entries are accurate and valid, and thus the trustworthiness of local data output competes with resources needed for everyday clinical stroke care and quality improvement initiatives. Local stakeholders with knowledge of and interest in both the medical area (in this case stroke) and quality improvement can apply the NQR data to effectively initiate, carry out, and evaluate quality improvement, if supported by managers and co-workers, a common stroke care process and an operational management system that embraces and engages with the NQR data. CONCLUSION: While quality registries are assumed to support adherence to evidence-based guidelines around the world, this study proposes that a NQR can facilitate improvement of care but neither the registry itself nor the reporting of data initiates quality improvement. Rather, the local and general evidence provided by the NQR must be considered relevant and must be applied in the local context. Further, the quality improvement process needs to be facilitated by stakeholders collaborating within and outside the context, who know how to initiate, perform, and evaluate quality improvement, and who have the resources to do so

    Promoting Environments that Measure Outcomes: Partnerships for Change

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    This paper describes the development of the PrEMO© (Promoting Environments that Measure Outcomes) program. PrEMO© is an innovative model promoting evidence-based practice (EBP) while developing capacity and quality of Level II fieldwork placements. The PrEMO© program is described from initiation to completion, including development of site-specific learning objectives, the twelve week schedule and the role of faculty mentorship. Occupational therapy (OT) students, and university OT program faculty including academic fieldwork coordinators, partner with fieldwork educators at the site to implement EBP using a data-driven decision making (DDDM) process to guide the development of evidence-based practices. PrEMO© appears to be a useful strategy for building Level II fieldwork capacity and enhancing student and fieldwork educators’ knowledge and skills about EBP and outcome measurement in routine OT practice

    Quality assurance using international curricula and employer feedback.

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    The focus of this paper is the quality assurance process for the bachelor program in the School of Computer Science at Reykjavik University, which is a combination of outcome- and process-oriented quality assurance. Faculty members and employers of graduates provided information for the quality assessment. The results provide both detailed quantitative data and more qualitative information that give all stakeholders a variety of ways to interpret the status of the quality of education. This type of assessment has raised the awareness of the faculty members on how abstract topics and learning outcomes from an international standard can be used when revising the curricula of a particular course. A notable feature of this type of analysis is its use of employer-generated data to examine graduate knowledge and skills. The contribution of the paper is to provide an example of how a quality assurance process can be made more valuable to both faculty and degree stakeholders by combining outcome- and process-oriented quality assurance strategies

    Understanding Nurses\u27 Knowledge Work

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    Hospitals are increasingly investing in technologies and electronic knowledge management systems to improve patient care outcomes. Yet, effective implementation of these initiatives has been difficult with questionable return on investment outcomes (Ontario Hospital Association [OHA], 2007, 2008). Paton (2009) argues that understanding how employees put their knowledge into action at work is essential to successful knowledge management for organizations. Thus, strategies that target nurses’ knowledge work may be more effective for hospitals; particularly in times of mounting fiscal deficits and demands for health services. This study examined the behaviors, influences, and outcomes of nurses’ knowledge work. The hypothesized model was based on Kelloway & Barling’s (2000) knowledge work theory; explaining the impact of empowering leadership on nurses’ accountability, role-breadth self-efficacy, and control over practice to influence their knowledge work behaviours and ultimately, patient care delivery outcomes. The model was tested on a random sample of 318 registered nurses in Ontario, and initially demonstrated poor fit with the observed data; with further refinement to improve the overall model fit [χ2(df) = 512.66 (199), p \u3c .001, SRMR = .064, CFI = .91, RMSEA = .071]. Final model results suggest that empowering leadership practices increase nurses’ knowledge work behaviors, which subsequently enhances their care coordination activities and patient care quality. Empowering leadership specifically increases nurses’ knowledge work by positively influencing their accountability and role-breadth self-efficacy, but not control over practice. This study is among the first to identify the behaviors by which nurses’ demonstrate their knowledge work, and the process by which empowering leadership influences such work behaviors to improve patient care quality
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