Winged Prometheans: Arctic Aviation as Socialist Construction in Stalinist Russia, 1928-1939

During the 1920s and especially the 1930s, aviation became an increasingly important tool in the exploration and development of the USSR’s Arctic territories. The deployment of aircraft proved a boon to scientific research, but Soviet priorities in the Arctic during these years, particularly with the advent of Stalin’s five-year plans from 1928 onward, were more about building infrastructure and realizing the region’s potential for resource extraction. The use of aircraft in the Soviet Arctic was affected accordingly, with economic and developmental needs privileged over scientific ones. In line with its cultivation of pilots as national heroes, the Stalinist regime also took advantage of the international and domestic popular appeal of polar aviators—and the many exploits they staged in 1928 and afterward—to generate positive publicity for itself. Integrating Arctic aviation into the larger cultural framework of socialist realism, the USSR’s state-controlled media complex transformed polar fliers into symbols of Soviet virtue, exemplifying not just trailblazing courage, aptitude, and the mastery of futuristic technology—motifs common to the aviation cultures of many countries during this era—but also self-discipline and collective effort on behalf of the Soviet homeland and the attainment of socialist utopia.Durant les années 1920, et surtout les années 1930, l’aviation est devenue un outil de plus en plus important dans l’exploration et le développement des territoires de l’Arctique appartenant à l’URSS. Le déploiement d’avions s’est avéré une aubaine pour la recherche scientifique, mais les priorités soviétiques dans l’Arctique au cours de ces années, particulièrement avec l’avènement des plans quinquennaux de Staline à partir de 1928, étaient davantage axées sur la construction d’infrastructures et la réalisation du potentiel de la région en matière d’extraction de ressources. L’utilisation d’aéronefs dans l’Arctique soviétique a conséquemment été modifiée, les besoins économiques et les besoins en développement primant sur les nécessités scientifiques. Entretenant le culte du pilote comme héro national, le régime stalinien profite également de l’appel populaire national et international pour les aviateurs polaires – et les nombreux exploits mis en scène à partir de 1928 – afin de générer de la publicité positive pour lui-même. Intégrant l’aviation arctique dans le cadre culturel plus large du réalisme socialiste, le complexe des médias, contrôlé par l’État, transforme les aviateurs polaires en symboles de la vertu soviétique, ce qui illustre non seulement le courage du pionnier, l’aptitude et la maîtrise de la technologie futuriste – motifs communs aux cultures de l’aviation de nombreux pays à cette époque – mais aussi l’auto-discipline et l’effort collectif au nom de la patrie soviétique et la réalisation de l’utopie socialiste

Training and action for patient safety: embedding interprofessional education for patient safety within an improvement methodology

INTRODUCTION: Despite an explosion of interest in improving safety and reducing error in health care, one important aspect of patient safety that has received little attention is a systematic approach to education and training for the whole health care workforce. This article describes an evaluation of an innovative multiprofessional, team-based training program that embeds patient safety within quality improvement methods. METHODS: Kirkpatrick's "levels of evaluation" model was adopted to evaluate the program in health organizations across one city in the north of England. Questionnaires were used to assess reaction of participants to the program (Level 1). Improvements in patient safety knowledge and patient safety culture (Level 2) were assessed using a 12-item multiple-choice questionnaire and a culture questionnaire. Interviews and project-specific quantitative measurements were used to assess changes in professional practice and patient outcomes (Levels 3 and 4). RESULTS: All aspects of the program were positively received by participants. Few participants completed the MCQ at both time points, but those who did showed improvement in knowledge. There were some small but significant improvements in patient safety culture. Interviews revealed a number of additional benefits beyond the specific problems addressed. Most importantly, 8 of the 11 teams showed improvements in patient safety practices and/or outcomes. DISCUSSION: This program is an example of interprofessional education in practice and demonstrates that team-based learning using quality improvement methods is feasible and can be effective in improving patient safety, but requires time and space for participants. Alignment with continuing education arrangements could support mainstream adoption of this approach within organizations