Moral Development of Eco-Martyrs

Moral Development of Eco-Martyrs Ashley Sanico, Depts. of Psychology and Gender Studies, Women, & Sexuality, Ian McFadden, and Victoria Bee, with Dr. Richard Bargdill, Dept. of Psychology Over the past 18 years, close to 2,000 individuals have been murdered in attempts to preserve the natural world. Those who have carried out the killings are corrupt individuals or institutions that wish to discard and destroy the environment for personal gain and wealth. For the past two years, we have been studying these venerable Eco-Martyrs and their efforts to preserve the ecosystems and communities around them. Today, we are commenting on how these late heroes exemplify Lawrence Kohlberg’s final two stages of Moral Development, the Post-Conventional stages. The four individuals seen above, as well as their numerous counterparts are all consciously taking action to promote the stability and well-being of the environment around them while simultaneously bolstering the culture of the communities they belong to. These traits are indicative of individuals who have transcended the first two levels of moral development. It is a shame for us to have lost such forward-thinking individuals but it would be a greater dishonor to let these individuals die in vain and continue to reap rewards with no thought as to how it affects the world around us.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1323/thumbnail.jp

Computational Fluid Dynamic Modelling of a Small-Scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

A small scale vertical axis wind turbine with bamboo blades was built at the University of Vermont in 2014. Prior to 2016, the efficiency of the wind turbine was not fully quantified. Thus, it was desirable to estimate the efficiency using computational fluid dynamic models. Thus, a SolidWorks file of the geometry was created and imported into SimScale, a cloud based CFD software, for anal ysis. Steady-state, quasi 2D simulations of the geometry were simulated with a constant unidirectional wind flow to mimic wind tunnel testing conditions. Simultaneously, a UVM Senior Design team was completing a physical wind tunnel test of the bamboo wind turbine. From the simulations the VAWT was found to have a range of efficiencies from 0-0.55% at TSR’s of 0.06-0.11, while from the wind tunnel test the efficiencies were in the 0-0.13% range for TSR’s of 0-0.125. Though the simulations calculate a slightly higher efficiency of the wind turbine than physically obtained data, they provide a good estimate. Because the wind turbine’s efficiency is \u3c 1%, future work will be done with CFD to test altered geometries for the bamboo VAWT to improve its’ performance

Adapt and Overcome : The Relationship Between Emergency Departments and the Opioid Epidemic

In my thesis, I argue that the opioid epidemic poses challenges but also opportunities for emergency departments to assess and improve their performance under duress for the betterment of future generations and ailments to come. I first delve into the history of emergency medicine as a specialty to put its recent emergence into context. Subsequently, I will discuss the opioid epidemic, its origin, and various causes that have contributed to its relevance and significance in public health. Then, I will examine data from emergency departments throughout the United States to track performance. After, I will describe opioid overdose cases from emergency departments throughout the country and strategies they have implemented to combat the epidemic. I will then discuss the relevance of social determinants of health. Last, I will conclude by tying in my thesis argument with the COVID-19 pandemic

Nurses worth listening to

[Executive Summary]: In 2001 the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) in conjunction with the Queensland Nurses’ Union (QNU) undertook a study of enrolled and registered nurse and assistant-in-nursing members. In Queensland, registered nurses (RNs) and enrolled nurses (ENs) are qualified to practice nursing and are licensed by the Queensland Nursing Council (QNC), an independent body responsible for the setting and maintaining of nursing standards in the State. Although not licensed by the QNC Assistants in Nursing (AINs) work within a nursing model of care. These workers may also have other titles such as Personal Care Assistants or Carers. Regardless of their title, they work under the direct or indirect supervision of a RN. The study was confined to nurses employed in the public sector (acute hospitals, community health), the private sector (acute hospitals and domicillary nursing) and the aged care sector (government and non-government). In 2004 a similar study was conducted. The major findings of the 2004 study were that nurses believed: • nursing is emotionally challenging and physically demanding • their workload is heavy and that their skills and experience as a professional nurse are poorly rewarded (remunerated or recognised) • work stress is high and morale is perceived to be poor and, similar to 2001, deteriorating • there are insufficient staff in their workplace and that the skill mix is inadequate • the majority of nurses are unable to complete their work to their level of professional satisfaction in the time available. While there were some changes between 2001 and 2004 (some could be seen as improvements, others deteriorations), the overwhelming impression one has, especially from the qualitative data, is of a workforce frustrated and unable to provide safe and quality care to their patients/clients within the time allocated

Workforce issues in nursing in Queensland: 2001 and 2004

[Abstract]: Aims and objectives: The aim of the study was to identify the factors impacting upon nursing work and to use the results to inform strategic planning of the Queensland Nurses Union. Background: In 2001 and 2004, a study was undertaken to gather data on the level of satisfaction of nurses with their working life. This paper reports the 2004 results on workload, skill mix, remuneration and morale. Where applicable, the results are compared to 2001 data. Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to 3000 Assistants-in-Nursing, Enrolled and Registered Nurses in October 2004. All participants were members of the Queensland Nurses Union. The results are reported in three sectors – public, private and aged care. A total of 1349 nurses responded to the survey, a response rate of 45%. Results: Nurses in the 2004 study believed: their workload was heavy; their skills and experience poorly rewarded; work stress was high; morale was perceived to be poor and, similar to 2001, deteriorating; the skill mix was often inadequate; and the majority of nurses are unable to complete their work in the time available. Nursing morale was found to be associated with autonomy, workplace equipment, workplace safety, teamwork, work stress, the physical demand of nursing work, workload, rewards for skills and experience, career prospects, status of nursing, and remuneration. Conclusion: Overall the findings of the study are consistent with those determined by the 2001 survey. Relevance to clinical practice. The findings of this study indicate the importance of factors such as workplace autonomy, teamwork, the levels of workplace stress, workload and remuneration on nursing morale. The data also indicate that workplace safety and workplace morale are linked. These findings provide information for policy makers and nurse managers on areas that need to be addressed to retain nurses within aged care, acute hospital and community nursing

Understanding Academic Success for Onkwehonwe (Indigenous) Students Through the Use of an Onkwehonwe\u27neha (Indigenous Methodology)

School-retention rates for Indigenous (Onkwehonwe) students are disproportionately lower than the non-Indigenous population in Canada (Mendelson, 2006). Currently, few studies on Native education acquire the perspectives and knowledge from successful OS. Many nonpersistence factors for OS have been uncovered, but few studies have offered solutions. Additionally, there is minimal (re)search using an Indigenous methodology (Onkwehonwe’neha) in the exploration Onkwehonwe education. This search (study) focused on the perspectives and experiences of six successful OS (i.e., five graduate students and one entering a graduate program). Two of the six participants were Aboriginal student-services coordinators at accredited universities within Ontario, Canada. Through the use of culturally relevant Onkwehonwe’neha methods of conversations and a sharing circle, the participants shared their perspectives on factors that contributed to their success in school and on interventions that might increase academic success for other OS. Four areas of Onkwehonwe academic success were identified: challenges that OS face in their journeys towards success, motivators that increase OS’s motivation to continue in school, supports that assist OS’s success, and interventions and strategies to increase success. As a result of using an Onkwehowne’neha, the author was able to understand the interconnectedness and interrelatedness of the findings. A cultural framework was developed to illustrate the integrated, multi-level, and wholistic approaches needed to address challenges that OS face at various levels of education (i.e., elementary, high school, and post secondary). Specifically, combinations of motivators, supports, and interventions were identified as ways to mitigate challenges that OS face in their academic journeys. Some supports and interventions also were found to increase motivators among OS

Consequences of emotional stimuli: age differences on pure and mixed blocks of the emotional Stroop

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Studies of aging and emotion suggest that older adults show diminished responsiveness to negative information, possibly resulting from increased emotion regulation, but the mechanisms accounting for this effect are uncertain.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To examine whether aging affects the allocation of attention to negative stimuli, we compared 20 younger and 20 older adults on 2 versions of the emotional Stroop task: "pure blocks," in which all words in each block were either emotional or neutral, and "mixed blocks," a pseudorandomized design in which either a negative emotional or a neutral category word was always followed by six neutral words. The emotional Stroop task typically elicits slower reaction times for naming the font color of negative emotional words compared to neutral, but no studies have examined the effects of aging on the immediate and sustained components of the emotional Stroop effect.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both groups showed an emotional Stroop effect on pure blocks manifest as slower RTs on the emotional, relative to the neutral, block. However, only younger adults showed persistent slowing that carried over from emotional words onto subsequent neutral words in mixed blocks.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results suggest that the consequences of emotional stimuli may differ with age. Younger and older adults showed equivalent interference from the emotional words themselves, but older adults did not show a sustained effect of negative information.</p

Understanding Academic Success for Onkwehonwe (Indigenous) Students Through the Use of an Onkwehonwe\u27neha (Indigenous Methodology)

School-retention rates for Indigenous (Onkwehonwe) students are disproportionately lower than the non-Indigenous population in Canada (Mendelson, 2006). Currently, few studies on Native education acquire the perspectives and knowledge from successful OS. Many nonpersistence factors for OS have been uncovered, but few studies have offered solutions. Additionally, there is minimal (re)search using an Indigenous methodology (Onkwehonwe’neha) in the exploration Onkwehonwe education. This search (study) focused on the perspectives and experiences of six successful OS (i.e., five graduate students and one entering a graduate program). Two of the six participants were Aboriginal student-services coordinators at accredited universities within Ontario, Canada. Through the use of culturally relevant Onkwehonwe’neha methods of conversations and a sharing circle, the participants shared their perspectives on factors that contributed to their success in school and on interventions that might increase academic success for other OS. Four areas of Onkwehonwe academic success were identified: challenges that OS face in their journeys towards success, motivators that increase OS’s motivation to continue in school, supports that assist OS’s success, and interventions and strategies to increase success. As a result of using an Onkwehowne’neha, the author was able to understand the interconnectedness and interrelatedness of the findings. A cultural framework was developed to illustrate the integrated, multi-level, and wholistic approaches needed to address challenges that OS face at various levels of education (i.e., elementary, high school, and post secondary). Specifically, combinations of motivators, supports, and interventions were identified as ways to mitigate challenges that OS face in their academic journeys. Some supports and interventions also were found to increase motivators among OS