A peer-driven community-based supervisory model: development from an evaluation of an ethics workshop for doctoral students undertaking research with children

Differing doctoral supervision models currently exist. Three key conceptual supervisory models relevant to doctoral students from within the healthcare professions were identified from a literature review: the ‘functional pre-modern’ model, the ‘team’ model and the ‘community group’ model. However, whilst these models exist, for the most part, supervision remains embedded within home academic institutions. Method and material: (1) An extensive review of the literature was undertaken, drawing on: Australian Education Index, British Education Index, the British Humanities Index, the British Nursing Index, EBSCOHOST EJS and Google™ Scholar; (2) an outcome-oriented evaluation of a workshop delivered to seven current or prospective doctoral candidates from within the health care professions and researching with children and/or young people, concerning the conduct of ethical research was undertaken Results: Five key categories related to ‘best things about the day’ were identified from a four-item, anonymous questionnaire appraising the day. These concerned: round table discussions, plenary seminars, workshop organisation, value of experiential learning and future workshop opportunities. From these themes an ‘innovative’ peer-driven, community based model of doctoral supervision was developed that is extrinsic to and complements the supervision provided in students’ home academic institutions. Conclusions: The innovative supervisory model developed through an outcome-oriented evaluation of a workshop for doctoral candidates has particular relevance for doctoral students who are healthcare professionals generally and nurses in particular, especially those studying in highly specialised areas where there may be a dearth of subject specific supervisors

Renewable and Nonrenewable Resource Theory Applied to Coastal Agriculture, Forest, Wetland, and Fishery Linkages

This paper addresses tradeoffs in wetland development using a framework that integrates economic theory of renewable and nonrenewable resources. The theory treats wetland development as use of a nonrenewable resource, while wetland preservation protects critical fishery habitat. The framework recognizes that wetland quality may vary for either development or fisheries. An illustrative application assesses tradeoffs in converting pocosin wetlands to agriculture rather than maintaining wetlands to protect salinity in estuarine nursery areas. Results reveal the marginal value of salinity protection may be substantial, while location may affect a wetland's value to an estuarine shrimp fishery. Comparisons between agricultural and forestry landuses show that ecological links may cause wetland values to depend upon the land-use chosen for the developed state. Future assessments of other development may reveal additional impacts through impacts on salinity.nonrenewable, renewable, fishery, wetland value, pocosin, Pamlico Sound, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Peer-based Social Support for Young-People with Juvenile Arthritis: Views of Young People, Parents/Carers and Healthcare Professionals within the UK

Purpose: A deeper understanding was sought of what peer-based social support means to young people with juvenile arthritis within the UK and ways in which it could be best provided. Design and Methods: A secondary analysis of underused, descriptively rich data relating to peer-based support contributed by young people with juvenile arthritis, their parents/carers and healthcare professionals from a qualitative study (seeking their views on a potential self-management mobile-app) was carried out using methods suggested by Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Results: Peer-based support can provide a new kind of ‘normality’ for young people with juvenile arthritis, including greater understanding, relief, reassurance, shared learning and increased self-efficacy. However, the risk of stigma through this shared identity suggests a need to offer various forms of access including using new electronic media. Conclusion and Implications: The evidence suggests that although desired, the potential social cost of identifying with peers living with juvenile arthritis is influenced by the way such support is provided, which in turn impacts on how readily it will be accessed. This suggests the need to provide various means of accessing peer-based contact, including electronic media, to ensure that young people with juvenile arthritis benefit. Therefore, when promoting and supporting peer-based social support, as far as possible, professionals need to individualise ways in which such support can be accessed because there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach

Collaborating to develop an online resource for parents

Background The development and evaluation of Online Parent Information and Support (OPIS) involved the creation of a web resource for parents who needed support for the home-based management of their child's chronic kidney disease (CKD)

When is Galois cohomology free or trivial?

Let p be a prime and F a field containing a primitive pth root of unity. Let E/F be a cyclic extension of degree p and G_E < G_F the associated absolute Galois groups. We determine precise conditions for the cohomology group H^n(E)=H^n(G_E,Fp) to be free or trivial as an Fp[Gal(E/F)]-module. We examine when these properties for H^n(E) are inherited by H^k(E), k>n, and, by analogy with cohomological dimension, we introduce notions of cohomological freeness and cohomological triviality. We give examples of H^n(E) free or trivial for each n in N with prescribed cohomological dimension.Comment: 29 pages; removed hypothesis on perfect fields in main results, and added reference

Emerging communities of child-healthcare practice in the management of long-term conditions such as chronic kidney disease: Qualitative study of parents' accounts

Background: Parents of children and young people with long-term conditions who need to deliver clinical care to their child at home with remote support from hospital-based professionals, often search the internet for care-giving information. However, there is little evidence that the information available online was developed and evaluated with parents or that it acknowledges the communities of practice that exist as parents and healthcare professionals share responsibility for condition management. Methods. The data reported here are part of a wider study that developed and tested a condition-specific, online parent information and support application with children and young people with chronic-kidney disease, parents and professionals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 fathers and 24 mothers who had recently tested the novel application. Data were analysed using Framework Analysis and the Communities of Practice concept. Results: Evolving communities of child-healthcare practice were identified comprising three components and several sub components: (1) Experiencing (parents making sense of clinical tasks) through Normalising care, Normalising illness, Acceptance & action, Gaining strength from the affected child and Building relationships to formalise a routine; (2) Doing (Parents executing tasks according to their individual skills) illustrated by Developing coping strategies, Importance of parents' efficacy of care and Fear of the child's health failing; and (3) Belonging/Becoming (Parents defining task and group members' worth and creating a personal identity within the community) consisting of Information sharing, Negotiation with health professionals and Achieving expertise in care. Parents also recalled factors affecting the development of their respective communities of healthcare practice; these included Service transition, Poor parent social life, Psycho-social affects, Family chronic illness, Difficulty in learning new procedures, Shielding and avoidance, and Language and cultural barriers. Health care professionals will benefit from using the communities of child-healthcare practice model when they support parents of children with chronic kidney disease. Conclusions: Understanding some of the factors that may influence the development of communities of child-healthcare practice will help professionals to tailor information and support for parents learning to manage their child's healthcare. Our results are potentially transferrable to professionals managing the care of children and young people with other long-term conditions. © 2014 Carolan et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd