Barriers to Timely Activation of Rapid Response Teams

Timely activation of the rapid response team (RRT) depends on the nurse\u27s willingness and ability to make a rapid decision. The practice-focused questions for this DNP project sought to identify barriers that contribute to delays in activating the RRT when needed in medical-surgical patients. The self-efficacy theory was the guiding theory and was used to examine self-confidence and performance along with Donabedian\u27s health care model. Qualitative data were obtained through focus groups and identified 2 prominent thematic barriers among nurses with less than 3 years\u27 experience: a lack of self-confidence and the of lack of knowledge and experience. Results of a chart review included 34 charts to determine if the RRT were called appropriately and were inconclusive. Finally, an 11 item survey with 9 demographic questions showed a statistically significant difference on the summed survey score between nurses with less than 3 years of experience and more tenured nurses, indicating a lack of perceived support, self-confidence, and knowledge among the nurses with less than 3 years of experience (Pearson chi square = 7.403 with 2 df and p = .025). Results were presented to leaders at the site and the recommendations resulting from these observations include the use of high-fidelity simulation education. Nurse educators and senior leadership from the medical surgical units agreed to accept the recommendations and proceed with developing an educational solution to address the barriers. Building knowledge, skills and self-confidence in nurses reduces the barriers to effective use of the RRT, and results in better outcomes for hospitalized medical-surgical patients, a positive social change

Effects of habitat complexity loss on eastern slope Rocky Mountain Brook Trout populations

2016 Summer.Includes bibliographical references.Western U.S. rivers are currently influenced by legacy effects of reduced large wood (LW) loading and retention that has led to reduced in-stream habitat complexity. Historical land use practices such as tie-driving, snag removal, and beaver trapping have all contributed to declines in either input or retention of LW in mountain streams. Effects from these practices have persisted over a century after the activities ceased; suggesting streams have entered an alternative stable state. The alternative state is characterized by loss of multi-thread stream reaches, reduced sediment and nutrient retention, steeper channel gradient, reduced pool volume and altered pool geometry. The cumulative effects of these changes lead to narrower and shallower streams with higher width to depth ratios, and overall decreased stream and valley complexity. Using a few of the last remaining patches of old-growth forest on the Front Range of Colorado (USA), I compared population densities, individual growth rates, diet compositions, and annual prey consumption demand of Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis in streams across a gradient of wood volumes. Brook Trout population size was sampled via multi-pass electrofishing and approximately 30 individuals at each site were sacrificed for growth and diet studies. Individual growth was back-calculated from otolith sections, and diet composition was estimated from stomach samples collected at each site. Average growth rates and diet compositions were then combined in a bioenergetics model that provided an estimate of the amount of prey resources needed to support observed growth and population densities. Trout population density appears to be positively related to the number of pools, and standing stock biomass of aquatic insects. The scale of measurement was an important consideration in predicting trout biomass. At both the local (square-meter) and landscape (valley length) scales, standing stock biomass of aquatic insects was the best predictor of trout biomass. However, at the valley scale, the number of pools was important in predicting trout biomass in combination with of standing stock biomass of aquatic insects. Annual individual prey consumption demand did not differ between two sites with high and low wood volume and trout biomass. Therefore, total prey demand at a site was determined by population density, and less so by physical habitat. Between the two sites, however, diet compositions were significantly different during the summer season. Fish at the high wood site were consuming more small aquatic insect larvae (e.g., Family Chironomidae and Simullidae) to support growth and fish biomass, whereas diet composition at the low wood site consisted of terrestrial insects (ants) and larger aquatic insect larvae. Individual growth rates of age-1 Brook Trout were negatively affected by increasing density. However, growth for the largest and smallest individuals at each site was not affected by density. The largest fish at each site are presumably dominant individuals, and can out compete all other individuals for optimum foraging positions regardless of density, and are therefore not affected by density. While the smallest fish, presumably the most subordinate individuals, are outcompeted for resources at all densities, and are likewise not affected by increasing density. Large wood, in the correct geomorphic context, can drastically alter stream and valley habitat complexity. My results suggest the pool habitat created by LW and available prey resources can dramatically increase trout populations. However, the negative effects of historical land uses have persisted >100 years and a loss of aquatic animal production in mountain watersheds due to land use changes incurred over a century ago is occurring

Cubesat Application for Planetary Entry Missions (CAPE)

The Cubesat Application for Planetary Entry Missions (CAPE) concept describes a high-performing Cubesat system which includes a propulsion module and miniaturized technologies capable of surviving atmospheric entry heating, while reliably transmitting scientific and engineering data. The Micro Return Capsule 2 (MIRKA2) is CAPEs first planetary entry probe flight prototype. Within this context, this paper summarizes CAPEs configuration and typical operational scenario. It also summarizes MIRKA2s design and basic aerodynamic characteristics, and discusses potential challenges drawn from the experience of missions such as Stardust and MUSES-C. CAPE not only opens the door to new planetary mission capabilities, it also offers relatively low-cost opportunities especially suitable to university participation

Influence of Specific Energy Inhomogeneity on the CO2 Splitting Performance in a High-Power Plasma Jet

Plasma-based CO2 conversion is a promising pathway towards greenhouse gas recycling. In the corresponding research field, various types of plasma reactors are applied for carbon dioxide dissociation. So far, spatial inhomogeneities of the specific energy (SEI) distribution in plasma generators, e.g., induced by non-uniform heating or an inhomogeneous mass distribution, are not the focus of the investigations. In this work, the spatial inhomogeneity of mass-specific enthalpy in the plasma jet of the inductive plasma generator IPG4 at the Institute of Space Systems (IRS) is examined. For this, the mean mass-specific enthalpy as well as the radial distribution of the local enthalpy are measured using plasma probes. Moreover, the influence of the determined specific enthalpy inhomogeneity on the CO2 splitting performance is quantified. It is shown that an inhomogeneous radial distribution of the specific energy can significantly lower the carbon dioxide conversion, compared to a homogeneous case. With regards to IPG4, the performance reduction is 16 %.Comment: 30 pages, 12 figure

Pulsed Plasma Thruster -Subsystem Engineering at IRS

The Institute of Space Systems in Stuttgart (IRS) has developed a Pulsed Plasma Thruster subsystem demonstrator as part of a three year development program to take the step from equipment to S/S level. The iMPD project, funded by the German Aerospace Center, has recently been successfully concluded at IRS. The demonstrator builds on the heritage iMPD thruster ADD SIMP-LEX. Modification of the thruster has achieved integration of the self-contained high TRL propulsion subsystem and internationally competitive thruster performance levels. The next step at IRS is to consolidate subsystem engineering and verification to demonstrate compliance with relevant space standards and requirements. Design options are described to ensure compatibility with identified coarse mission level and system level design drivers for the iMPD. The goal at IRS is to prepare for a qualification of an iMPD propulsion system

Development of an innovative validation strategy of gas–surface interaction modelling for re‑entry applications

Abstract This paper summarises the final synthesis of an ESA technology research programme entitled “Development of an Innovative Validation Strategy of Gas Surface Interaction Modelling for Re-entry Applications”. The focus of the project was to demonstrate the correct pressure dependency of catalytic surface recombination, with an emphasis on Low Earth Orbit (LEO) re-entry conditions and thermal protection system materials. A physics-based model describing the prevalent recombination mechanisms was proposed for implementation into two CFD codes, TINA and TAU. A dedicated experimental campaign was performed to calibrate and validate the CFD model on TPS materials pertinent to the EXPERT space vehicle at a wide range of temperatures and pressures relevant to LEO. A new set of catalytic recombination data was produced that was able to improve the chosen model calibration for CVD-SiC and provide the first model calibration for the Nickel–Chromium super-alloy PM1000. The experimentally observed pressure dependency of catalytic recombination can only be reproduced by the Langmuir–Hinshelwood recombination mechanism. Due to decreasing degrees of (enthalpy and hence) dissociation with facility stagnation pressure, it was not possible to obtain catalytic recombination coefficients from the measurements at high experimental stagnation pressures. Therefore, the CFD model calibration has been improved by this activity based on the low pressure results. The results of the model calibration were applied to the existing EXPERT mission profile to examine the impact of the experimentally calibrated model at flight relevant conditions. The heat flux overshoot at the CVDSiC/PM1000 junction on EXPERT is confirmed to produce radiative equilibrium temperatures in close proximity to the PM1000 melt temperature.This was anticipated within the margins of the vehicle design; however, due to the measurements made here for the first time at relevant temperatures for the junction, an increased confidence in this finding is placed on the computations