Physicians Must Lead! A Comparative Study of Two Approaches to Physician Leadership Development

Finding ways to execute physician leadership development programs and how individuals and teams are affected by these programs are of particular interest to those in the healthcare industry. This mixed-methods study compares the resultant outcomes of two identical physician leader development courses conducted under different conditions, one a homogeneous (physician-only) class and the other an interprofessional (doctors, nurses, administrators) class. Quantitative and qualitative surveys were used to determine and compare the effectiveness of participation in the homogeneous or interprofessional condition

Turing machines on represented sets, a model of computation for Analysis

We introduce a new type of generalized Turing machines (GTMs), which are intended as a tool for the mathematician who studies computability in Analysis. In a single tape cell a GTM can store a symbol, a real number, a continuous real function or a probability measure, for example. The model is based on TTE, the representation approach for computable analysis. As a main result we prove that the functions that are computable via given representations are closed under GTM programming. This generalizes the well known fact that these functions are closed under composition. The theorem allows to speak about objects themselves instead of names in algorithms and proofs. By using GTMs for specifying algorithms, many proofs become more rigorous and also simpler and more transparent since the GTM model is very simple and allows to apply well-known techniques from Turing machine theory. We also show how finite or infinite sequences as names can be replaced by sets (generalized representations) on which computability is already defined via representations. This allows further simplification of proofs. All of this is done for multi-functions, which are essential in Computable Analysis, and multi-representations, which often allow more elegant formulations. As a byproduct we show that the computable functions on finite and infinite sequences of symbols are closed under programming with GTMs. We conclude with examples of application

Representing Variable-Length Codes in Fixed-Length T-Depletion Format in Encoders and Decoders

T-Codes are a class of variable-length codes. Their self-synchronisation properties are useful in compression and communication applications where error recovery rather than error correction is at issue, for example, in digital telephony. T-Codes may be used without error correction or additional synchronisation mechanisms. Typically, the representation of variable-length codes is a problem in computers based on a fixed-length word architecture. This presents a problem in encoder and decoder applications. The present paper introduces a fixed-length format for storing and handling variable-length T-Code codewords, the T-depletion codewords, which are derived from the recursive construction of the T-Code codewords. The paper further proposes an algorithm for the conversion of T-Code codewords into T-depletion codewords that may be used as a decoder for generalized T-Codes. As well as representing all codewords of a T-Code set (the leaf nodes in the set's decoding tree), the T-depletion co..

Representing Variable-Length Codes in Fixed-Length T-Depletion Format in Encoders and Decoders

T-Codes are a class of variable-length codes. Their self-synchronization properties are useful in compression and communication applications where error recovery rather than error correction is at issue, for example, in digital telephony. T-Code s may be used without error correction or additional synchronization mechanisms. Typically, the representation of variable-length codes is a problem in computers based on a fixed-length word architecture. This presents a problem in encoder and decoder applications. The present paper introduces a fixed-length format for storing and handling variable-length T-Code codewords, the T-depletion codewords, which are derived from the recursive construction of the T-Code codewords. The paper further proposes an algorithm for the conversion of T-Code codewords into T-depletion codewords that may be used as a decoder for generalized T-Codes. As well as representing all codewords of a T-Code set (the leaf nodes in the set s decoding tree), the T-depletion code format also permits the representation of "pseudo-T codewords" --- strings that are not in the T-Code set. These strings are shown to correspond uniquely to all proper prefixes of T-Code codewords, thus permitting the representation of both intermediate and final decoder states in a single format. We show that this property may be used to store arbitrary finite and prefix-free variable-length codes in a compact fixed-length format. 1.) The authors' research is supported by the Department of Computer Science, the Division of Science and Technology (Tamaki Campus), and the Graduate Research Fund, all of The University of Auckland, the Centre for Discrete Mathematics and Theoretical Computer Science (CDMTCS) of the University of Auckland and the University of Waikato, and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). 2.) Proceedings of the First Japan-New Zealand Workshop on Logic in Computer Science, special issue editors D.S. Bridges, C.S. Calude, M.J. Dinneen and B. Khoussainov

Impact of an Interprofessional Leadership Program on Collaboration in Practice

Purpose The purpose of this project was to improve attitudes towards collaboration between nurse and physician leaders and to describe the changes in attitudes and behaviors following completion of an interprofessional education (IPE) leadership development program. Significance The Institute of Medicine (IOM) 1999 study, To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System, demonstrated that poor collaboration among clinicians can contribute to negative patient outcomes and further outlined that traditional methods of learning in healthcare result in nurses and physicians becoming isolated from one another and thus unprepared to work collaboratively (Delunas & Rouse, 2014). The nurse-physician (RN-MD) relationship is complex and is influenced by differences in both methods of academic preparation and the perceived value and definition of collaboration between the two groups (Hughes and Fitzpatrick, 2010). Unhealthy relationships such as those that are hostile or disruptive can result in lower levels of job satisfaction, retention, and safety and quality of care delivery (Rosenstein & O’Daniel, 2005; Manojlovich & DeCicco, 2007). The collaborative relationship includes mutual trust, open communication and respect for the skills of each discipline (Schmalenberg, et al., 2005). For true collaborative relationships to develop, each professional must value the other discipline’s contribution, creating mutual or equal power in their relationship (Nelson, King, & Brodine, 2008). This requires confronting the perception that each party has of the other’s role. The theoretical framework that supports this process is Critical Social Theory (Freire 1972 as cited in Fulton, 1997), which promotes social phenomenon as being explained by evaluating the history of the social development. The theory framework is dependent on the assumption that knowledge of the current state will facilitate change in the relationship. Utilizing social theory allows for the application of praxis, or reflection with action. Praxis is the first step towards empowerment to change. Identifying the attitudes towards collaboration will provide objective data on the true state of perceptions and provide for reflection with actions that facilitate the RN-MD empowerment to change their relationship