Methodologies for determining staffing needs in healthcare: systematic literature review

The determination of staffing needs in healthcare is not just calculating the optimal number of professionals but is defining how the professional contingent accompanies the development of the healthcare organisation and of the population’s care needs. This research investigates the existence of a gold standard for determining health personnel requirements. We perform a systematic literature review to explore several approaches worldwide, examining a wide range of contextual variables, useful for the definition of an omni-comprehensive approach. A total of 557 articles was initially detected, then reduced to 57 after excluding everything not related to healthcare context and staff planning models. Results do not reveal a recognized standard for determining staffing needs. Approaches to the definition of staffing standards are mainly ex-ante (31%), based on the characteristics of specific models and organisational needs, or ex-post (62%), based on production analysis and historical trends. Most of these refer to the medical and nursing category (68.4%), while the minority proposes a multi-professional approach (17.5%). This review highlights innovative approaches based on algorithms which, starting from historical data, are adjusted by moderating key variables such as contextual factors, healthcare organisation models and professional attributes. The review suggests: 1. Develop and share a unique tool for defining standards based on several variables that identify the characteristics of the context 2. Use up-to-date information flows and quality data 3. Consider a multi-professional approach 4. Adopt a long-term vision and continuous dialogue with the training process It is clear the need to develop a tool for the definition of personnel requirements in line with internal and external changes in the health system. Therefore, such models need to account for an adequate number of variables, useful to identify the characteristics of the overall context. Key messages: The development of staffing needs estimates must necessarily rely on a certain level of standardisation, but at the same time must take into account the variability characterising different contexts. In order to respond to recent demographic and epidemiological trends, it is crucial to include in the model skill mix and task shifting strategies involving health professionals as a whole

Preparation of mupirocin-loaded polymeric nanocapsules using essential oil of rosemary

Abstract The purpose of this study was to prepare and characterize mupirocin-loaded polymeric nanocapsules using two different oils and to develop and validate an analytical method for quantitative determination by high performance liquid chromatography. The mean size of the nanoparticles was 233.05 nm and 275.03 nm for nanocapsules with a rosemary oil like oily core and caprylic/capric triglyceride, respectively, and a good polydispersity index below 0.25 for both formulations. The nanocapsules showed good stability when stored at 40 ºC and room temperature for 30 days. The quantitative method was performed with a mobile phase consisting of ammonium ammonium acetate (0.05 M adjusted to pH 5.0 with acetic acid) and acetonitrile 60:40 (v/v); the flow rate was 0.8 mL/min, UV detection at 230 nm. The analytical method was linear in the range of 5.0-15.0 µg/mL, specific for both oils, accurate, precise (intermediate precision RSD = 1.68% and repeatability RSD = 0.81%) and robust under the evaluated conditions. Therefore, this method can be performed for quantification of mupirocin in polymeric nanocapsules containing both oils

When job performance is all relative: how family motivation energizes effort and compensates for intrinsic motivation

Supporting one's family is a major reason why many people work, yet surprisingly little research has examined the implications of family motivation. Drawing on theories of prosocial motivation and action identification, we propose that family motivation increases job performance by enhancing energy and reducing stress, and it is especially important when intrinsic motivation is lacking. Survey and diary data collected across multiple time points in a Mexican maquiladora generally support our model. Specifically, we find that family motivation enhances job performance when intrinsic motivation is low—in part by providing energy, but not by reducing stress. We conclude that supporting a family provides a powerful source of motivation that can boost performance in the workplace, offering meaningful implications for research on motivation and the dynamics of work and family engagement

Il Public Management e l’Impact Factor depresso

L’articolo analizza i rischi connessi alle modalità di utilizzo degli indici bibliometrici adottate nelle università italiane per la valutazione comparativa della produttività scientifica nell’ambito disciplinare del Public Management. Si propone quindi un sistema alternativo, che tenta di correggere alcuni degli effetti distorsivi generati dalle metodologie attuali

I risultati di un indagine pilota nel settore dei servizi sociali

Il volume propone un modello di benchmarking tra amministrazioni comunali incentrato sulla partecipazione attiva degli operatori e su di un sistema di indicatori quali-quantitativo in grado di descrivere, con la massima precisione possibile, le performance ottenute in un dato periodo. Un’ indagine pilota realizzata su un campione di comuni (con popolazione compresa tra i 30.000 ed i 100.000 abitanti) nel settore dei servizi sociali, ha consentito la comparazione dei risultati ottenuti da enti che hanno affrontato e risolto problemi analoghi adottando strategie vincenti. La sperimentazione condotta individua quanto può essere considerato “riproducibile” e cioè diventare “sistema” ma, anche i limiti, che comportano le operazioni di confronto tra realtà diverse su temi e problemi comuni

Identificação de cultivares de trigo pelo teste de fenol Cultivars identification of wheat by phenol test

O teste de fenol é recomendado para a identificação de cultivares de trigo em laboratório e se baseia na reação de compostos presentes no pericarpo das sementes. Devido à reação constante para cada cultivar, o teste serve para caracterização rápida e fácil de materiais com reações diferentes. No presente trabalho, com o objetivo de facilitar a identificação varietal em trigo, determinou-se a reação ao fenol de 42 cultivares, que estiveram ou estão em recomendação no Brasil.<br>The phenol test is recommended for wheat cultivar identification and is based on the reaction of compounds present in the seeds pericarp. Due to the constant reaction for each cultivar, the test may be used for a rapid and easy characterization of different reactions materiais. In this essay, the phenol reaction was determined in 42 brazilian wheat varieties aiming to facilitate its identification