5,243 research outputs found
Hospital-based social workersâ perceptions of generalist- and specialist-level palliative social work activities
Summary: A social work advisory group recently proposed 41 generalist-level palliative social work activities applicable to any venue, including hospital-based social work, but this applicability has not been empirically tested. Therefore, we used critical realist grounded theory analysis of qualitative interviews to explore whether the activities proposed by the advisory group reflect inpatient social workersâ perceptions of their generalist-level palliative activities when caring for patients alongside specialist-level palliative social workers. Fourteen Masters educated social workers from six hospitals in the Midwest United States participated. Corresponding concepts from interview data of hospital-based social workersâ perceptions of what facilitates or hinders collaboration with specialist-level palliative social workers were identified and mapped onto the 41 generalist-level palliative social work activities. We used NVivo to organize and track data. Findings: Inpatient social workers find it challenging to engage in specific generalist-level palliative social work activities; provision of generalist-level palliative services is shaped by discharge planning duties, the consultation model, and the concentrated role of specialist-level palliative social workers. Competency in cultural and spiritual aspects of care could be lacking. Applications: Most of the 41 generalist-level palliative social work activities are present in hospital-based social workersâ clinical practice. However, not all activities may be applicable or realizable in the inpatient venue. In the hospital, an emphasis on discharge planning and related time-barriers can mean seriously ill patients and their families lack access to generalist-level palliative social work services. Clarification is needed about which of the 41 activities are relevant to and actionable within the inpatient venue
Bolometric technique for high-resolution broadband microwave spectroscopy of ultra-low-loss samples
A novel low temperature bolometric method has been devised and implemented
for high-precision measurements of the microwave surface resistance of small
single-crystal platelet samples having very low absorption, as a continuous
function of frequency. The key to the success of this non-resonant method is
the in-situ use of a normal metal reference sample that calibrates the absolute
rf field strength. The sample temperature can be controlled independently of
the 1.2 K liquid helium bath, allowing for measurements of the temperature
evolution of the absorption. However, the instrument's sensitivity decreases at
higher temperatures, placing a limit on the useful temperature range. Using
this method, the minimum detectable power at 1.3 K is 1.5 pW, corresponding to
a surface resistance sensitivity of 1 for a typical 1
mm1 mm platelet sample.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Review of Scientific Instrument
An analysis of Australia's carbon pollution reduction scheme
The authors review the decision-making since the Labour Government came into office (November 2007). The Australian Governmentâs âCarbon Pollution Reduction Schemeâ White Paper (15 December 2008) proposes that an Australian Emissions Trading Scheme (AETS) be implemented in mid-2010. Acknowledging that the scheme is comprehensive, the paper finds that in many cases, Australia will take a softer approach to climate change through the AETS than the European Union ETS(EUETS). The paper assesses key issues in the White Paper such as emissions reduction targets, GHG coverage, sectoral coverage, inclusion of unlimited quantities of offsets from Kyoto international markets and exclusion of deforestation activities
Vlasov scaling for the Glauber dynamics in continuum
We consider Vlasov-type scaling for the Glauber dynamics in continuum with a
positive integrable potential, and construct rescaled and limiting evolutions
of correlation functions. Convergence to the limiting evolution for the
positive density system in infinite volume is shown. Chaos preservation
property of this evolution gives a possibility to derive a non-linear
Vlasov-type equation for the particle density of the limiting system.Comment: 32 page
Ferromagnetic redshift of the optical gap in GdN
We report measurements of the optical gap in a GdN film at temperatures from
300 to 6K, covering both the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases. The gap is
1.31eV in the paramagnetic phase and red-shifts to 0.9eV in the spin-split
bands below the Curie temperature. The paramagnetic gap is larger than was
suggested by very early experiments, and has permitted us to refine a
(LSDA+U)-computed band structure. The band structure was computed in the full
translation symmetry of the ferromagnetic ground state, assigning the
paramagnetic-state gap as the average of the majority- and minority-spin gaps
in the ferromagnetic state. That procedure has been further tested by a band
structure in a 32-atom supercell with randomly-oriented spins. After fitting
only the paramagnetic gap the refined band structure then reproduces our
measured gaps in both phases by direct transitions at the X point.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
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