Improving New Nurse Manager Orientation and Onboarding Program

ABSTRACT Purpose: Identify and adapt the best evidence for nurse manager orientation and onboarding programs into practice. Assess the program\u27s impact on job satisfaction and retention of new Nurse Managers (NMs) and Assistant Nurse Managers (ANMs). Background: Constant turnover of ANMs and NMs within local and regional facilities is expensive and negatively impacts nursing leaders\u27 work environment, job satisfaction, and patient outcomes. Local Problem: The lack of formal orientation and onboarding at the focus facility impacts the retention and job satisfaction of NMs. The sunsetting of a regional hub model of new NM orientation and onboarding led to a just-in-time model that was not developing NM competence or promoting job satisfaction and contributed to extensive ANM/NM turnover. Methods: CINHAL and PubMed were reviewed and identified seventeen studies discussing nurse manager orientation onboarding, job satisfaction, and retention; single research, systematic reviews, and a meta-analysis were included and limited to 2008-2023 publications and English-only articles, inclusive of reverse reference reviews. Interventions: Six key themes were identified from these studies: (a) the use of multi-modal interventions to impart knowledge, (b) organizational factors impacting NM effectiveness, (c) mentoring and coaching, (d) individual traits and characteristics, and (e) job satisfaction and retention, and (f) the impacts to organizations and patients. Results: Pre- and post-interventional surveys using Qualtrics software were analyzed and evaluated for trends to demonstrate the impact of a structured, evidence-based orientation program on NM job satisfaction and retention. Outputs generated quantitative statistical outcomes using SPSS software: a paired t-test from pre-and post-data sets. Conclusions: In the targeted hospital, a quality intervention focused on improving new nurse manager orientation and onboarding demonstrated improvements in NM perceived competency and reductions in travelers on assignment

Redefinition of Aureobasidium pullulans and its varieties

Using media with low water activity, a large numbers of aureobasidium-like black yeasts were isolated from glacial and subglacial ice of three polythermal glaciers from the coastal Arctic environment of Kongsfjorden (Svalbard, Spitsbergen), as well as from adjacent sea water, sea ice and glacial meltwaters. To characterise the genetic variability of Aureobasidium pullulans strains originating from the Arctic and strains originating pan-globally, a multilocus molecular analysis was performed, through rDNA (internal transcribed spacers, partial 28 S rDNA), and partial introns and exons of genes encoding β-tubulin (TUB), translation elongation factor (EF1α) and elongase (ELO). Two globally ubiquitous varieties were distinguished: var. pullulans, occurring particularly in slightly osmotic substrates and in the phyllosphere; and var. melanogenum, mainly isolated from watery habitats. Both varieties were commonly isolated from the sampled Arctic habitats. However, some aureobasidium-like strains from subglacial ice from three different glaciers in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard, Spitsbergen), appeared to represent a new variety of A. pullulans. A strain from dolomitic marble in Namibia was found to belong to yet another variety. No molecular support has as yet been found for the previously described var. aubasidani. A partial elongase-encoding gene was successfully used as a phylogenetic marker at the (infra-)specific level

Queensland 'vineyard walks' - bringing growers together

As part of the Queensland Wine Industry Action Plan developed by the Queensland Government and the Queensland Wine Industry Association, many wine growers throughout the state’s growing regions now have the opportunity to work together for the benefit of the state’s wine industry. By working closely with regional associations many growers benefit from spending time with their colleagues who have the same goals...to continuously improve local growing practices and resultant wine quality. An important medium facilitating growers’ interaction are the ‘Vineyard Walks’, conducted periodically throughout the year. Vineyard walks entail a visit to the vineyard of a grower and the discussion of a topical issue pertinent to vineyard management at any given time of the season, and expert presenters are also invited to speak to the grower group. Vineyard walks are coordinated by Mark Deegenaars, the Wine Industry Development Officer for the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation

Influence of bunch exposure in a commercial Queensland vineyard on chardonnay and shiraz fruit and wine quality

Queensland wine industry development has relied upon adoption of viticultural practices from established winegrowing regions. Such procedures are not necessarily best practice under Queensland conditions. The wine grape growing regions of Queensland are climatically distinct from other Australian regions with relatively wet growing seasons, sometimes with severe peak heat loads. Queensland also hosts the most northerly and some of the highest altitude vineyards in Australia, with higher ultra violet radiation exposure than any other Australian grape growing region. Furthermore, fruit exposure may be exacerbated by regional management practices used to minimise risk of fungal infection. The Queensland wine industry has identified fruit exposure management as a critical issue to be addressed. We studied the impact of management options on exposure of Chardonnay over the 2008/9 vintage, extended during 2009/10 to treatments in Chardonnay and Shiraz in the Granite Belt, South Burnett and Scenic Rim. Demonstrated options included sprawl, VSP, fruit zone leaf removal at pea size and véraison (morning sun or both sides of canopy), bird netting, or commercial sunscreen products (calcium carbonate or kaolin clay). Differences in fruit exposure, grape and wine quality were noted in 2008/9 as well as 2009/10. Growers inspected the demonstration sites prior to harvest and provided feedback on fruit quality. Fruit has been harvested, analysed and wines made. Analyses are being compiled for discussion along with sensory evaluation of the wines by industry personnel at a workshop in June 2010. Results of these analyses will be presented at the AWITC. This work is supported by the Queensland industry and GWRDC RITA grant RT08/03-1 “Addressing fruit exposure and sunburn in Queensland wine grape vineyards”

Physiological and Molecular Analyses of Stress Responses in Psychrophilic Psychrotrophic, Mesophilic and Thermophilic Yeast

The response to heat and oxidative stress in seven yeast species isolated from Antarctica was examined. The yeast were classified into two groups, one psychrophilic, with a maximum growth temperature of 20°C and the other psychrotrophic. capable of growth at temperatures above 20°C. In addition to species specific heat shock protein (hsp) profiles, a heat shock (15°C to 25°C for 3 h) induced the synthesis of a 110 kDa protein common to the psychrophiles. 'Candida psychrophila', 'Mrakia stokesii', 'M. frigida' and 'M. gelida', but not in 'Leucosporidium antarcticum'. Preliminary amino acid sequence characterization of hsp 110 revealed similarity to fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase. Immunoblot analyses revealed heat shock inducible proteins corresponding to 'Saccharomyces cerevisiae' hsps 70 and 90 in psychrophilic and psychrotrophic yeast ('L. fellii' and 'L. scottii'). Interestingly, no protein corresponding to 'S. cerevisiae' hsp 104 was observed in any of the psychrophilic species examined, however a hsp 104 homologue was identified in psychrotrophic yeast. In psi chrotrophic yeast, as observed in psychrophilic yeast, there was a noticeable absence of a protein corresponding to hsp 60 with the notable exception of a hsp 60 homologue detected in 'C. psychrophila'. A 10°C increase in temperature above the growth temperature (15°C) of psychrophiles and psychrotrophs induced thermotolerance. On the other hand in psychrotrophic yeast grown at 25°C. only a 5°C increase in temperature was necessary for heat shock induced thermotolerance. Induced thermotolerance in all psychrophilic and psychrotrophic yeast species was coincident with hsp synthesis and trehalose accumulation