An Open Context for Near Eastern Archaeology

The common use by archaeologists of ubiquitous technologies such as computers and digital cameras means that archaeological research projects now produce huge amounts of diverse, digital documentation. However, while the technology is available to collect this documentation, we still largely lack community-accepted dissemination channels appropriate for such torrents of data. Open Context aims to help fill this gap by providing open access data publication services for archaeology. Open Context has a flexible and generalized technical architecture that can accommodate most archaeological datasets, despite the lack of common recording systems or other documentation standards. It includes a variety of tools to make data dissemination easier and more worthwhile. Authorship is clearly identified through citation tools, including web-based publication systems that enable individuals to upload their own data for review, and collaboration is facilitated through easy download and "tagging" features. Near Eastern archaeologists will benefit from Open Context's flexibility to share a variety of content from diverse projects, no matter how large or small. This article was originally published in Near Eastern Archaeology (ISSN 1094-2076), Volume 70, Number 4, December 2007

One way forward: non-traditional accounting disclosures in the 21st century

Recent empirical studies (Deegan and Rankin, 1999; Deegan et al., 2000) have indicated that although many corporations have begun to respond to perceived demand for environmental disclosures in published accounts, their perspective of organisational legitimacy is a narrow view, in which information is targeted towards specific stakeholders and not to the general public. This paper considers a range of models (variously called guidelines, standards and charters) which have been put forward by different organisations to aid the development of social and environmental disclosures. In all cases verification and attestation are part of the proposed regimen. The question which the papers attempts to answer is whether any one of the models would be capable of rapid adoption as part of an expanded GAAP, should the professional accounting bodies think that this is desirable. The outcome of our deliberations is cautious support for the use of EMAS and ISO 14000 as the basis for a modified GAAP plus the further development of the GRI 2000 guidelines into a set of standards covering both social and environmental reporting

Supporting newly qualified nurses in the UK: a systematic literature review

Aim: This is a systematic literature review of the existing published research related to the development of preceptorship to support newly qualified nurses in the United Kingdom (UK). Background: It has been known for some time that newly qualified nurses experience a period of unsettling transition at the point of registration. In the UK, preceptorship has been the professional body’s recommended solution to this for over 20 years. Data Sources: Searches were made of the CINAHL Plus and MEDLINE databases. Review Methods: A systematic review was carried out in August 2011. Twelve separate searches were conducted generating 167 articles, of which 24 were finally reviewed. Papers were critically reviewed and relevant data were extracted and synthesised using an approach based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis ( PRISMA). Results and Discussion: A results table is presented of the twenty-four sources generated by the systematic search. Three themes were identified from the empirical evidence base: ‘Managerial Support Framework’; ‘Recruitment and Retention’; and ‘Reflection and Critical Thinking in Action’;. Conclusion: There is strong evidence that the newly qualified nurse benefits from a period of supported and structured preceptorship, which translates to improved recruitment and retention for the employing organisations. Recommendations for Further Research and Practice: The existing literature provides an evidence base upon which to construct a preceptorship programme and a means by which to measure its efficacy and monitor its future development. Case study research projects should be considered for future preceptorship programmes in order to find the most effective methods of delivery.Research funded by Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Trus

Rural Health Clinic Readiness for Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition: Preparing for the Evolving Healthcare Marketplace [Working Paper]

The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) model reaffirms traditional primary care values including continuity of care, connection with an identified personal clinician, provision of same day- and after-hours access, and positions providers to participate in accountable care and other financing and delivery system models. However, little is known about the readiness of the over 4,000 Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) to meet the PCMH Recognition standards established by the National Council for Quality Assurance (NCQA). The authors present findings from a survey of RHCs that examined their capacity to meet the NCQA PCMH requirements, and discuss the implications of the findings for efforts to support RHC capacity development. Key Findings: Based on their performance on the “must pass” elements and related key factors, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) are likely to have difficulties gaining National Center for Quality Assurance’s (NCQA) Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition. RHCs perform best on standards related to recording demographic information and managing clinical activities, particularly for those using an electronic health record. RHCs perform less well on improving access to and continuity of services, supporting patient self-management skills and shared decision-making, implementing continuous quality improvement systems, and building practice teams. RHCs are likely to need substantial technical assistance targeting clinical and operational performance to gain NCQA PCMH Recognition

Basic Skills for Complex Lives: Designs for Learning in the Community College

Outlines the Strengthening Pre-collegiate Education in Community Colleges project's activities, results, and lessons learned, including five principles for teaching underprepared students. Recommends an institution-wide focus and faculty collaboration

An exploration of the range of approaches a children’s centre can adopt to maximise collaboration with professional stakeholders in responding to postnatal depression

"The project stemmed from the need of a local children’s centre team and multidisciplinary practitioners to further address maternity and child outcomes as part of key national and local targets, together with addressing approaches a children’s centre could adopt. We decided to set up a pilot group to look at how we could better address the needs of mothers experiencing low level postnatal depression (PND), as well as supporting the ongoing development of integrated working within a children’s centre. A group of managers, practitioners, a GP practice, a link health visitor (HV) and commissioner, who are already working together with children’s centres, agreed to dedicate time to meet regularly to support the project. Anecdotal evidence from practitioners was that mothers experiencing low level PND had increased. It was agreed by the group to focus on this as a priority." - Page 4

Built to Change: Catalytic Capacity-Building in Nonprofit Organizations

Summarizes the results of a broad survey of programs, and business and nonprofit experts, in the field of organizational effectiveness

Digital exclusion in later life : a Maltese case-study

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are driving profound changes in the way in which individuals, organizations and governments interact. In particular, the internet has been a major force behind the development towards a more globalized, knowledge-based economy. However, in terms of computer access and internet usage, a digital divide between the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ has long been recognized. One key sector of non-users consists of older persons. For various reasons – including no exposure to computers over their lifetime and in their occupations, income levels, physical disability and access to affordable ICT training – only limited percentages of older people have adequate ICT skills. A growing concern is that older adults who do not engage with ICTs face social disadvantages and exclusion. This article reports upon a qualitative study on older non-users of ICTs, with its key goal being to understand what leads to, and the effects of, digital exclusion in later life. Results found that older persons who never made use of ICTs were significantly delineated by gender and socio-economic status patterns - namely, women (especially housewives, who had never been in paid employment), individuals who worked in blue-collar and working-class occupations, and the long-term unemployed. Data also demonstrated that access was not the main issue at hand, and that the failure of older adults to become digital citizens was the result of a continuum of overlapping barriers. This study provided information highlighting the rationales and motivations underlying individuals’ non-use of computers - namely, believing that they were now ‘too old’ to use new technologies, a lack of relevance or ‘life-fit’ of computers, perceived non-usefulness and difficulty to use, anxiety about computer usage, concern about security and privacy issues, and the facing of disability issues.N/