Aging and health: Self-efficacy for Self-direction in Health Scale

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To validate the Escala de Autoeficácia para a Autodireção na Saúde (EAAS – Self-efficacy for Self-direction in Health Scale). METHODS Non-experimental quantitative study of EAAS validation, by confirmatory factorial analyses, evaluating a sample of 508 older adults from the north and the center of Portugal with mean age of 71.67 (from 51 to 96 years), to whom the Self-efficacy for Self-direction in Health Scale, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale were applied. The EAAS was developed from the theoretical constructs of self-efficacy and from self-directed learning within the PALADIN European project framework, aiming to develop an instrument able to assess the extent to which older adults take good care of their health. RESULTS The internal consistency was 0.87 (Cronbach’s alpha) and confirmatory factorial analyses enabled to find a model near the one theoretically proposed, indicating a structure consisting of four dimensions: physical exercise, healthy diet, engaging in health-related learning, and visits to health professionals. From the psychometric point of view, the model in four factors showed quite satisfactory fit indicators. CONCLUSIONS The Self-efficacy for Self-direction in Health Scale, with 16 items, is adequate to evaluate to what extent older adults have confidence in their ability to take care of their own health, with high degree of autonomy

Study of the most suitable new glass laser to incorporate ytterbium: alkali niobium tellurite, lead fluorborate or heavy metal oxide

Diode-pumped Yb-doped glass lasers have received considerable attention for applications such as high-power beam production or femtosecond pulses generation. In this paper, we evaluate the laser potential of three different glass families doped with Yb3+ : alkali lead fluorborate (PbO-PbF2-B2O3), heavy metal oxide (Bi2O3-PbO-Ga2O3) and niobium tellurite (TeO2-Nb2O5-K2O-Li2O). Spectroscopic properties were studied for the samples and calculations of the minimum laser pump intensity (I-min), saturation fluence (U-sat) and the theoretical limit of peak power (P-max) are also presented. A comparison of laser properties of these three different glasses and their importance is shown and analyzed. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. B.V. All rights reserved

Tele-education and competencies assessment to Brazilian's auxiliary nurse A Tele-educação e a avaliação de competências profissionais da auxiliar de enfermagem no Brasil

This paper presents Brazilian's experience with the organization of methods and strategies for the assessment of competencies for technical level of nursing workers. The evaluative process proposed includes the creation of a learning-oriented and distance-based virtual assessment environment. The proposed methodology for professional competencies assessment adopted a critical-emancipatory perspective. A tele-education environment was deployed, involving software development - a virtual man - and an assessment cybertutor. Learning modules for the cybertutor were developed and videos of clinical simulations, structured around assessment in cognitive, behavioral, and simulation areas. The evaluation modules considered aspects of competencies in know-know, know-how and know-act professional ethics. Also the variability of practices of nursing - hospitals and primary health care units - was considered. This instrument showed as an important strategy for the optimization of assessment procedures that are widely used across Brazil and it is a powerful tool for incorporation into the continuing professional education.<br>Presenta-se la experiencia brasileña en la organización de metodología y estrategias de evaluación de las competencias profesionales de los afiliares de enfermería. El proceso evaluativo propuesto por el Ministerio de la Salud incluí la creación del ambiente virtual que tiene como premisa la evaluación formativa y à la distancia. Dentro de la propuesta metodológica de evaluación de las competencias profesionales en la perspectiva critico-emancipatória, fue desarrollado un ambiente de tele-educación, con la creación de software, del hombre virtual y del cybertutor de la evaluación. Los módulos de evaluación consideraran las competencias en las dimensiones del saber-saber, sa-ber-hacer y saber-ser, con bases en perfil de los profesionales de los hospitales y de unidades de salud. El instrumento mostró ser una importante estrategia de optimización de los procedimientos de eva-luación para uso en larga escala en Brasil, además de se mostrar un potente medio de educación permanente.<br>Este trabalho apresenta a experiência brasileira na organização de metodologias e estratégias de avaliação de competências profissionais do auxiliar de enfermagem. O processo avaliativo proposto pelo Ministério da Saúde inclui, além de outras etapas, a criação do ambiente virtual de avaliação, que tem como premissa a avaliação formativa e à distância. Dentro da proposta metodológica de avaliação de competências profissionais na perspectiva crítico-emancipatória, foi desenvolvido um ambiente de tele-educação, com a criação de softwares, do homem virtual e do cybertutor de avaliação. Os módulos de avaliação consideraram as competências nas dimensões do saber-saber, saber-fazer e saber-ser, baseado em perfil profissional das praticas hospitalares e de unidades básicas de saúde. O instrumento mostrou ser uma importante estratégia de otimização dos procedimentos de avaliação para uso em larga escala no Brasil, além de um instrumento importante para educação permanente