Cultural Moderation of the Relationship Between Anticipated Life Role Salience and Career Decision-Making Difficulties

The perceived importance of, and commitment to, work and family roles has significant implications for the career decision-making difficulty (CDMD) of undergraduate college students. Additionally, cultural variables have been shown to influence undergraduate students’ anticipated life role salience (LRS) as well as the amount of difficulty experienced in making a career decision. Given this information, the current study assessed the relationship between LRS and CDMD specifically in terms of differences that may occur within this relationship for different cultural groups. Using a sample of college students (total N = 246), an online survey was used to gather information about their LRS and current CDMD. Race, sex, collectivism/individualism, and religiousness/spirituality were also assessed in efforts to determine whether or not these specific multicultural variables moderate or buffer the effects of LRS on CDMD using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Results of this study indicate that Daily Spiritual Experience, a specific sub-construct of religiousness/spirituality, was the only significant multicultural moderator in the relationship between LRS and CDMD. Specifics of this moderation for each of the four life roles, as well as clinical implications, are discussed

Staff awareness of the application of Mental Health and Guardianship Legislation in the care of hospitalised older persons

Objective: The study aimed to survey hospital staff knowledge of the application of the Mental Health Act 2007 (NSW) (MHA) and the Guardianship Act 1987 (NSW) (GA) in the care and treatment of older persons in a teaching hospital in Sydney. Method: Over a two-month period in 2017, a survey questionnaire was distributed to staff involved in older persons’ care across the hospital. Results: The majority of the hospital staff demonstrated basic theoretical knowledge of both the GA (76%) and of the MHA (84.5%). Fewer (64.5%) appeared to understand the practical application of the MHA in the hypothetical clinical situations. An even lower proportion of staff appeared to understand the application of the GA either to obtain consent for medical treatment or to appoint a guardian through the Guardianship Division of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT). Conclusion: Although clinical staff of the hospital displayed fair knowledge and awareness about the application of the MHA and the GA to inpatient care of older adults, further education is necessary, particularly about the application of the GA. The authors suggest similar findings may occur at other New South Wales hospitals, which may raise concern and need for education

ORNITHOPTER TESTBED TO DISCOVER FORCES PRODUCED BY FLAPPING WING MOVEMENT

An ornithopter is a biologically inspired robot that produces lift by flapping its wings. Many hobby-sized ornithopters currently exist, however, large-scale models have been historically unsuccessful. Continuing last year’s MQP, a new testbed was developed to replicate various wing stroke patterns and measure relevant forces. A custom four bar linkage mechanism, capable of generating multiple coupler curves, was created to manually adjust the wing trajectory. The testbed utilizes load cells, an encoder, IMU, and a LabVIEW interface to gather forces and corresponding position data. In future projects, this testbed can be used to test and develop optimal wing design and wing tip pattern for ornithopter innovation

Appliance Energy Efficiency Labels in Costa Rica

Despite Costa Rica’s goal to become carbon neutral by 2021, the country burns increasing amounts of imported fuel to meet its energy demands. The goal of this project, sponsored by the Cámara de Industrias de Costa Rica (CICR), was to develop an energy efficiency label to inform consumers of the energy consumption of household appliances. This was done via surveying consumers to assess their opinion on the matter and test label features. Our research identified several flawed aspects of the current implementation process for energy efficiency labels, which led to recommendations of standardization, communication, and education

Inpatient care to community care: improving clinical handover in the private mental health setting

Objectives: To develop and test a standardised clinical handover discharge strategy for improving information transfer between private mental health hospitals and community practitioners. Design, setting and participants: A quality improvement intervention using collaborative, literative methods to develop a standardised discharge and outcome assessment strategy. 150 patient participants were consecutively recruited from two private mental health care hospitals in New South Wales between April and September 2008. Opinions of community practitioners and patients on the discharge process and discharge documentation were soliticited by written questionnaires and telephone interviews. Main outcome measures: Community practitioner satisfaction; patient satisfaction; documentation of discharge date at least 48 hours before discharge; faxing of discharge summaries to community practitioners within 48 hours of discharge; proportion of patients receiving a follow-up telephone call within 7 days or 14 days of discharge. Results: Both community practitioners and patients believed the intervention was positive. Between Cycle 2 and Cycle 3, documentation of the discharge date at least 48 hours before discharge remained unchanged at 50%; the proportion of discharge summaries faxed within 48 hours of discharge went from 0 to 82% in Cycle 2 and fell to 65% in Cycle 3. Telephone follow-up of patients within 7 days and within 14 days improved by 10% and 6%, respectively, between Cycle 2 and Cycle 3. Conclusions: A standardised discharge communication strategy improved the timeliness, content, and format of information provided to community practitioners. The intervention was well accepted by patients and providers

The Integration of Science and Practice In One Training Program: Outcomes of a Manualized Career Counseling Group

© 2015 Taylor & Francis. An example of training Counseling Psychology graduate students in integrating science and practice is detailed through the presentation of the development, implementation, and evaluation of a Cognitive Information Processing approach-based career counseling group. Pilot data on initial group outcomes is presented and involves a sample of 59 undergraduate students that participated in the five-session intervention developed by faculty and students. Following the intervention, participants reported significant decreases in negative thinking and significant increases in career decision-making self-efficacy. The continued development of this collaboration and benefits of involving students in their training as scientist-practitioners is discussed

Geriatrician involvement in community-based psychogeriatric service

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of geriatric assessment and interventions in a psychogeriatric community service and to assess the prevalence of delirium in patients referred to this service. Methods. 16 female and 14 male psychogeriatric patients aged 65 to 97 (mean, 81.1) years were referred to a tertiary hospital in southwestern Sydney, Australia and assessed by the psychogeriatric team and a geriatric registrar. Data collected included patient characteristics and demographics, referral source, reasons for referral, medications, medical comorbidities, and clinical assessments made by the geriatric registrar. Differences between patients deemed to require interventions and those who did not were compared. Results. After assessment by the geriatric registrar, 10 of the patients were considered to require further medical interventions. Two of them were hospitalised for delirium; 2 were treated for osteoporosis owing to minimal trauma fractures, and 6 needed medication adjustments. Hypertension was more common in those not deemed to require an intervention (85% vs. 30%, p=0.005), whereas seizures were more common in those deemed to require an intervention (30% vs. 0%, p=0.03). Conclusion. Psychogeriatric patients may benefit from medical input by a geriatric registrar in terms of evaluating and managing complex medical issues and proceeding to a medical intervention