Psychological rumination and recovery from work in Intensive Care Professionals : associations with stress, burnout, depression, and health

Background The work demands of critical care can be a major cause of stress in intensive care unit (ICU) professionals and lead to poor health outcomes. In the process of recovery from work, psychological rumination is considered to be an important mediating variable in the relationship between work demands and health outcomes. This study aimed to extend our knowledge of the process by which ICU stressors and differing rumination styles are associated with burnout, depression and risk of psychiatric morbidity among ICU professionals. Methods Ninety-six healthcare professionals (58 doctors and 38 nurses) who work in ICUs in the UK completed a questionnaire on ICU-related stressors, burnout, work-related rumination, depression and risk of psychiatric morbidity. Results Significant associations between ICU stressors, affective rumination, burnout, depression and risk of psychiatric morbidity were found. Longer working hours were also related to increased ICU stressors. Affective rumination (but not problem-solving pondering or distraction detachment) mediated the relationship between ICU stressors, burnout, depression and risk of psychiatric morbidity, such that increased ICU stressors, and greater affective rumination, were associated with greater burnout, depression and risk of psychiatric morbidity. No moderating effects were observed. Conclusions Longer working hours were associated with increased ICU stressors, and increased ICU stressors conferred greater burnout, depression and risk of psychiatric morbidity via increased affective rumination. The importance of screening healthcare practitioners within intensive care for depression, burnout and psychiatric morbidity has been highlighted. Future research should evaluate psychological interventions which target rumination style and could be made available to those at highest risk. The efficacy and cost effectiveness of delivering these interventions should also be considered

Nurses' perceptions of online continuing education

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is increasing attention to online learning as a convenient way of getting professional training. The number and popularity of online nursing continuing education programs are increasing rapidly in many countries. Understanding these may contribute to designing these programs to maximize success. Also, knowing the perceptions and preferences in online learning aids development and orientation of online programs. The aims of this study are to show nurses' perceptions of online continuing education and to determine perceptions of various groups; area groups, working companies, frequency of computer usage and age.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The survey method was used in this quantitative study to reveal perception levels and relationship with related variables. Data were collected through an online instrument from a convenience sample of 1041 Registered Nurses (RNs) at an online bachelor's degree program. Descriptive and inferential analysis techniques were performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Nurses generally have positive perceptions about online learning (<it>X </it>= 3.86; SD = 0.48). A significant difference was seen between nurses who used computers least and those with the highest computer usage [<it>F </it>(3, 1033) = 3.040; <it>P </it>< .05]. Neither nurses' ages nor lengths of working experience are significantly related to perceptions of online programs (<it>r </it>= -.013; <it>P </it>> .05 and <it>r </it>= -.036; <it>P </it>> .05, respectively). Nurses' perceptions are significantly different depending on the settings where they work [<it>F </it>(3,989) = 3.193; <it>P </it>< .05]. The difference between perceptions of nurses living in urban areas (<it>X </it>= 3.82; SD = .51) and those living in rural areas (<it>X </it>= 3.88; SD = .47) was not significant [<it>t </it>(994) = -1.570, <it>P </it>> .05].</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We found that nurses regard online learning opportunities as suitable for their working conditions and needs. Nurses should be provided with continued training through online learning alternatives, regardless of age, working experience or area of residence.</p

Programa de intervención en representaciones de creatividad y motivación académica de adolescentes

Creativity and its promotion are widespread concerns in education. However, few efforts have been made to implement intervention programs designed to promote creativity and other related aspects (e.g., academic motivation). The Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI), aimed for training creativity representations and creative problem solving skills in young people, has been one of the most implemented programs. This intervention’s materials and activities were adapted for Portuguese students, and a longitudinal study was conducted. The program was implemented during four months, in weekly sessions, by thirteen teachers. Teachers received previous training for the program and during the program’s implementation. Intervention participants included 77 Basic and Secondary Education students, and control participants included 78 equivalent students. Pretest-posttest measures of academic motivation and creativity representations were collected. Results suggest a significant increase, in the intervention group, in motivation and the appropriate representations of creativity. Practical implications and future research perspectives are presented.A criatividade e sua promoção geram grande preocupação em educação. Contudo, poucos esforços têm existido para implementar programas destinados a sua promoção e de outros aspetos relacionados (e.g., motivação acadêmica). O Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI), criado para melhorar as representações de criatividade e a resolução criativa de problemas em jovens, tem sido um dos mais implementados. Os seus materiais e atividades foram adaptados para estudantes portugueses, efetuando-se um estudo longitudinal. O programa foi implementado durante quatro meses, semanalmente, por treze professores, que receberam formação antes e durante a implementação. O grupo experimental incluiu 77 estudantes do Ensino Básico e Secundário, apresentando o grupo de controlo 78 estudantes com características equivalentes. Os dados sobre a motivação e criatividade foram recolhidos num pré e pós-teste. Os resultados sugerem um aumento significativo na motivação e crenças apropriadas de criatividade no grupo experimental. Implicações práticas e perspectivas para investigações futuras são apresentadas.La creatividad y su promoción generan gran preocupación en educación. Sin embargo, han sido llevados a cabo pocos esfuerzos para implementar programas de promoción de la creatividad y otros aspectos (e.g., motivación académica). El Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI), creado para mejorar las representaciones de creatividad y la solución creativa de problemas en jóvenes, ha sido bastante implementado. Se adaptaron sus materiales y actividades para estudiantes portugueses, y se desarrolló un estudio longitudinal. El programa se implementó semanalmente durante cuatro meses por trece profesores, que recibieron formación antes y durante la implementación. El grupo experimental incluyó 77 estudiantes de Educación Primaria y Secundaria y el grupo de control incluyó 78 estudiantes con características semejantes. Los datos de motivación y creatividad fueron recogidos en un pre y post-test, sugiriendo un aumento significativo de motivación y creencias apropiadas sobre la creatividad en el grupo experimental. Se presentan implicaciones prácticas y perspectivas para futuras investigaciones.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - SFRH/BPD/80825/201

A Statistical Design for Testing Transgenerational Genomic Imprinting in Natural Human Populations

Genomic imprinting is a phenomenon in which the same allele is expressed differently, depending on its parental origin. Such a phenomenon, also called the parent-of-origin effect, has been recognized to play a pivotal role in embryological development and pathogenesis in many species. Here we propose a statistical design for detecting imprinted loci that control quantitative traits based on a random set of three-generation families from a natural population in humans. This design provides a pathway for characterizing the effects of imprinted genes on a complex trait or disease at different generations and testing transgenerational changes of imprinted effects. The design is integrated with population and cytogenetic principles of gene segregation and transmission from a previous generation to next. The implementation of the EM algorithm within the design framework leads to the estimation of genetic parameters that define imprinted effects. A simulation study is used to investigate the statistical properties of the model and validate its utilization. This new design, coupled with increasingly used genome-wide association studies, should have an immediate implication for studying the genetic architecture of complex traits in humans

As One Size Doesn’t Fit All, Personalized Massive Open Online Courses Are Required

International audienceMost of the time, lifelong learners have different backgrounds,abilities, experiences and prior knowledge. This is especially true in case ofMOOCs that can reach a large number of learners but the same content isproposed for learners. According to the low average completion rate forMOOCs, the “one size fits all” policy is not relevant. This paper aims to definethe functional and technical architecture to personalize content in Massive OpenOnline Courses in a Lifelong Learning (LLL) perspective to overcome thesedrawbacks. The main goal of the European project ITEA 3, called MOOCTABto create a Tablet-based platform dedicated to LLL using an on-demand cloudbased MOOC platform with a personalized content. Our approach is applied ona Java course where we present the domain model modelled in the LMAP editorand the learner model for three different learners

Nexos recíprocos entre desarrollo humano y crecimiento económico

En este artículo se presenta un análisis descriptivo, explicativo y reflexivo de la relación recíproca entre desarrollo humano y crecimiento económico. Por un lado el crecimiento económico promueve el desarrollo humano a medida que la base de recursos se amplía, en tanto que un mayor desarrollo humano genera más crecimiento económico en la medida que una población más sana y educada contribuye a mejorar el desempeño económico. El propósito de este estudio consiste en fundamentar teóricamente la relación de cadenas existentes entre desarrollo humano y crecimiento económico. La investigación, es documental, se centra en la revisión bibliográfica, y análisis teórico y conceptual de diferentes bibliografías relacionados al tema. Entre los principales resultados de la investigación figuran: el desarrollo humano es el objetivo central de la actividad humana y el crecimiento económico un medio que podría llegar a ser muy importante para promoverlo. La asignación de recursos al mejoramiento del desarrollo humano, es una función del gasto total del sector público; existen fuertes conexiones de dos vías entre el crecimiento económico (CE) y el desarrollo humano (DH) y finalmente los vínculos entre desarrollo humano y crecimiento económico pueden hacer que uno y otro se influencien recíprocamente