The Relationship between Power Bases and Influence Tactics of First-Line Nurse Managers

Background: As the role of first-line nurse managers (head nurses) has evolved into which is clearly managerial, the issue of power and influence has become more crucial for success in their managerial position. Building a strong power base and developing effective influence tactics to produce power dynamics is an important leadership challenge to get things done. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between power bases and influence behaviors as perceived by first-line nurse managers. Methods: The study conducted at all in-patient care units at five hospitals at Alexandria governorate. All first-line nurse managers (N = 100) who are working in these hospitals were included. Power-Base Scale was used to measure interpersonal power bases and Influence Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ -R) was used to measures influence tactics utilized by first-line nurse managers with their staff. Result: The findings of this study revealed a positive significant correlation between overall power bases and overall influence tactics first-line nurse managers perceived they utilized where (r= 0. 317, p= 0.001). First-line nurse managers perceived that their expert, legitimate and referent powers are the most frequently power bases they possessed in their positions. In addition, they are most likely to influence their subordinates with tactics of rational persuasion, inspirational appeal and collaboration. Conclusion and implications for practice: Nurse Managers should demonstrate the advantage of controlling a broad range of power bases and know well the appropriate power base to use in each situation and how to exercise influence behaviors skillfully to attain the desired goals. Keywords: Power Bases, Influence tactics, power and influence, first-line nurse managers.

Dielectric properties of Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ superconductor added with nano-Fe2O3

A series of high-temperature superconducting samples of type Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3O10-δ, (Cu0.5Tl0.5)-1223, added with nano-Fe2O3 (0.0- 1.0 wt. %) was prepared by a solid-state reaction technique via short time preparation procedure and under ambient pressure. The prepared samples were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) for phase analysis and microstructure examination. The volume fraction results indicated that nano-Fe2O3 addition was significant in enhancing the formation rate of the (Cu0.5Tl0.5)-1223 phase, especially for x ≤ 0.2 wt. % samples. The electrical resistivity of the prepared samples was measured by the conventional four-probe technique from room temperature down to the zero superconducting transition temperature (T0). An increase in the superconducting temperature, Tc, is observed up to x = 0.2 wt. %, followed by a systematic decrease with increasing nano-Fe2O3 addition. The dielectric constants (ε\u27 and ε\u27\u27), dissipation factor (tan Δ) and real ac conductivity (σ\u27ac) were investigated as a function of temperature (113- 293 K) and frequency (102- 106 Hz). The results clarified that all these dielectric parameters show a strong dispersion with temperatures at low and moderate frequency ranges. Moreover, they are strongly dependent on nano-Fe2O3 addition. Furthermore, the high content of nano-Fe2O3 addition (x = 1.0 wt. %) enhanced ε\u27 and reduced tan D of (Cu0.5Tl0.5)-1223 phase, which is a desirable demand for practical applications

Application of olive mill waste-based biochar for improving wheat response to salt stress

The production of olive mill solid waste (OMSW) raises concerns due to its toxicity and negative environmental impact. However, by utilizing pyrolysis, OMSW can be converted into biochar, a carbon-rich material that detoxifies the waste and preserves its nutrient content. The OMSW-based biochar possesses alkaline properties (pH 9.6), low electrical conductivity (EC), high cation exchange capacity (CEC), a porous surface morphology, various surface functional groups, and high mineral content. This study assessed the influence of two concentrations (5% and 10%) of OMSW-based biochar on wheat plants' growth biomarkers and physiological characteristics subjected to salt stress conditions (150 mM NaCl). Findings of the study revealed that salt stress had deleterious effects on various parameters, including shoot height, fresh and dry weights of shoots and roots, relative water content (RWC%), membrane stability index (MSI%), photosynthetic pigments, and photosynthetic parameters such as the coefficient of the effective quantum yield of photochemical energy conversion of PSII (ØPSII), photochemical quenching (qP), and photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fo, Fm, Fv/Fo, and Fv/Fm). Furthermore, the levels of lipid peroxidation (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and peroxidase (POD) activities significantly increased in stressed plants. On the other hand, applying both concentrations of OMSW-based biochar effectively improved the overall performance of wheat plants, irrespective of the presence of salinity. OMSW-based biochar is a promising strategy for promoting wheat growth in salt-stressed soil by improving various growth parameters and mitigating plant oxidative stress

The medical writings of Rufus of Ephesus

This thesis studies the works of a Greek doctor who lived in the first century A. D. Rufus of Ephesus. It is based on a reading of primary sources in both Greek, Latin and Arabic. The materials preserved in Arabic translation has not been fully studied before. This thesis attempts to draw a general picture of Rufus' life and practice of medicine. It looks for Rufus' learning centre, places of his practice of medicine and lists his writings and the various editions and translations they went through. The thesis discusses Rufus' status as a practitioner and, in particular, the criteria on which his choice of therapies were based. His explanations of the occurrences of diseases, whether expressed explicitly or implicitly are considered in detail. His views on humoral causation are investigated at length in this study in order to establish Rufus originality or conventionality. Bed-side medicine is another important aspect of Rufus' activities. In order to have an insight into Rufus' clinical thinking, this thesis studies carefully his treatise Medical Questions, in which Rufus advocates interrogating the patient in order to recognize his or her case more accurately and promote a better treatment. This treatise has an important value per se as it is the first ever Greek medical treatise which discusses exclusively the art of medical questioning. This thesis discusses Rufus' methods of therapy by concentrating on three different diseases, lithiasis, melancholy and jaundice. It concludes with paying attention to the issues of the Arabs' interest in the Greek civilization by investigating the reasons behind the translation of Rufus' works into Arabic, identifying the translators, and studying the Arabs' reception of Rufus' teaching

Nursing Students' Perception of Conflict Management Styles of their Nursing Educators

Background: The interactive nature of the teaching process is built on a social relationship between teachers and students. Conflicts in the relationship between students and teachers may occur for a several reasons. Effective and constructive management of conflict can decrease its negative effects on the learning environment, students, and educators. Purpose: This study aims to investigate nursing students' perception of conflict management styles of their nursing educators. Methodology: The study was conducted in Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University. 475 nursing students enrolled in the four academic years of the faculty were participated in the current study. Rahim Organizational Conflict Inventory–II (ROCI–II) used in this study to determine conflict management styles nursing educators use to handle conflict with students as perceived by students. Results: Nursing students perceived that Avoiding was the most frequently style used by their nursing educators for conflict management. While, Integrating style was the lowest one. Other variables could influence their perception of conflict management styles such as sex, class year, frequency of experiencing conflict, and status of feeling successful in conflict management. Recommendation: The findings highlighted the importance of providing appropriate training programs for conflict management and resolution periodically to nursing educators in order to teach them how to deal with student’ conflict more effectively. Nurse educators should utilize strategies like communicating respect, clarifying course goals, involving students in solving problems, and encouraging a sense of clinical and classroom community  which could be helpful in managing conflict successfully. Keywords: Conflict management style, nursing educators, student - teacher conflict, ROCI-I

Theoretical Study of One-Intermediate Band Quantum Dot Solar Cell

The intermediate bands (IBs) between the valence and conduction bands play an important role in solar cells. Because the smaller energy photons than the bandgap energy can be used to promote charge carriers transfer to the conduction band and thereby the total output current increases while maintaining a large open circuit voltage. In this paper, the influence of the new band on the power conversion efficiency for the structure of the quantum dots intermediate band solar cell (QDIBSC) is theoretically investigated and studied. The time-independent Schrödinger equation is used to determine the optimum width and location of the intermediate band. Accordingly, achievement of maximum efficiency by changing the width of quantum dots and barrier distances is studied. Theoretical determination of the power conversion efficiency under the two different ranges of QD width is presented. From the obtained results, the maximum power conversion efficiency is about 70.42% for simple cubic quantum dot crystal under full concentration light. It is strongly dependent on the width of quantum dots and barrier distances

SIMULATION OF POLLUTANT TRANSPORT RESPONSES TO LOADING AND WEATHER VARIATIONS IN LAKE ST. CLAIR AND THE CONNECTING CHANNELS.

This dissertation presents a mathematical modelling framework which can be used to simulate the transport of toxic and conventional substances in surface waters for the Huron-Erie corridor of the Great Lakes. In simulating the transport of conventional pollutants in the rivers, a simple hydrodynamic submodel, which includes flow around islands, diversions and confluences, is used to establish the velocity fields. Then a stream function form of the transport equation is coupled with the k-(epsilon) equations in order to obtain the turbulent dispersion coefficients. The submodel uses a variable grid finite difference scheme. Once the velocity fields and dispersion coefficients have been obtained, the EPA (TOXIWASP) model is used to simulate the interaction between sediments and contaminants. In an attempt to include the effects of the seasonal variations on the circulation patterns in Lake St. Clair, a three dimensional finite element model which includes wind stress, bottom friction, Coriolis force, inflow, outflow and the bottom topography of the lake was developed and verified with field data. The overall root mean square differences between predicted and measured current magnitudes and directions were 1.3 cm.s(\u27-1) and 22.5(DEGREES), respectively, whereas the correlation coefficients were 0.99 and 0.95, respectively. The Hydrodynamic submodel was tested for stability, convergence, and sensitivity to parameters such as wind shear, wind direction, slip-coefficient for bottom friction and vertical eddy viscosity effects. This submodel was used to generate the typical lake circulation patterns for different steady state wind and ice conditions which are required for the long-term pollutant simulation study by the EPA (TOXIWASP) model. The depth averaged velocities were also used in finite element pollutant and suspended sediment transport models. An upwind finite element formulation was used to obtain a stable solution for the steady state convective transport phenomena.Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Paper copy at Leddy Library: Theses & Major Papers - Basement, West Bldg. / Call Number: Thesis1986 .I373. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-05, Section: B, page: 2084. Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Windsor (Canada), 1986