A Real-Time Video-Streaming System for Monitoring Demining

The most deployed detection technology for landmine clearance is the metal detector (MD).1 Other detection technologies exist, such as ground penetrating radar,2 chemical sensors,3 biological sensors,4 and infrared imaging,5 to name a few. However, despite their widespread use, MDs suffer from high false-alarm (FA) rates since they cannot differentiate between the metal components in a landmine and harmless metal clutter. Deminers using MDs usually rely on their personal experience to differentiate between the sounds emitted by the MD when scanning a landmine or an item of clutter. Usually, they continue to excavate on a large number of occasions and end up finding a harmless piece of metal. For each found single landmine, it is estimated that a hundred to a thousand false positives are encountered.6 The high FA rate substantially slows the demining process and increases costs. This delays the recovery of contaminated land and the resumption of everyday activities around the affected areas

Use of the job demands-resource model to understand community pharmacists’ burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundCommunity pharmacists are one of the most accessible healthcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whilst playing a vital role in medication supply and patient education, exposure to the pandemic demands and prolonged stressors increase their risk of burnout. ObjectivesUsing the Job Demands-Resources model, this study aims to understand the factors that led to community pharmacists’ burnout and to identify their coping strategies and perceived recommendations on interventions to mitigate burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. MethodsA qualitative phenomenological approach was used with focus groups and interviews of community pharmacists in Qatar who were recruited using purposeful, convenience, and snowballing sampling methods. Interviews were conducted between February and April 2021, were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Using thematic analysis methodology, manual inductive and deductive (based on the model) codes from the interviews were used for synthesis of themes. 11 themes emerged from six focus groups, six dyadic interviews and mini focus groups, and four individual interviews with community pharmacists. ResultsThe contributing factors to community pharmacists’ burnout have been identified as practical job demands, and emotional demands including fear of infection. On the other hand, government and workplace-specific resources, personal characteristics such as resiliency and optimism, as well as the implementation of coping strategies, have reduced their stress and burnout. ConclusionsThe use of the Job Demands-Resources model was appropriate to identify the contributing factors to community pharmacists’ burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on these factors, individual, organizational, and national strategies can be implemented to mitigate burnout in community pharmacists during the pandemic and future emergencies.This work was supported by a student grant (grant number QUST-1-CPH-2021-14) from Qatar University Office of Research and Graduate Studies. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of Qatar University