MH-60 Seahawk / MQ-8 Fire Scout interoperability

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimitedAs part of a Naval Postgraduate School's capstone project in Systems Engineering, a project team from Cohort 311-0911 performed a Systems Engineering analysis. This Project focused on defining alternatives for enhanced Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW) mission effectiveness through increased interoperability and integration for the Fire Scout Unmanned Air Vehicle and Seahawk helicopter. Specifically, the Project explored the available trade space for enhancing communications back to the ship for analysis and decision-making. Modeling and Simulation (MandS) was used to assess the impact of enhanced communication on specific Key performance Parameters (KPPs) and Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) associated with the ASUW mission. Once the trade space was defined, alternatives were analyzed and a recommendation provided that supports near-, mid-, and long-term mission enhancement

Development of a nurse home visitation intervention for intimate partner violence

Background: Despite an increase in knowledge about the epidemiology of intimate partner violence (IPV), much less is known about interventions to reduce IPV and its associated impairment. One program that holds promise in preventing IPV and improving outcomes for women exposed to violence is the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), an evidence-based nurse home visitation program for socially disadvantaged first-time mothers. The present study developed an intervention model and modification process to address IPV within the context of the NFP. This included determining the extent to which the NFP curriculum addressed the needs of women at risk for IPV or its recurrence, along with client, nurse and broader stakeholder perspectives on how best to help NFP clients cope with abusive relationships. Methods. Following a preliminary needs assessment, an exploratory multiple case study was conducted to identify the core components of the proposed IPV intervention. This included qualitative interviews with purposeful samples of NFP clients and community stakeholders, and focus groups with nurse home visitors recruited from four NFP sites. Conventional content analysis and constant comparison guided data coding and synthesis. A process for developing complex interventions was then implemented. Results: Based on data from 69 respondents, an IPV intervention was developed that focused on identifying and responding to IPV; assessing a client\u27s level of safety risk associated with IPV; understanding the process of leaving and resolving an abusive relationship and system navigation. A need was identified for the intervention to include both universal elements of healthy relationships and those tailored to a woman\u27s specific level of readiness to promote change within her life. A clinical pathway guides nurses through the intervention, with a set of facilitators and corresponding instructions for each component. Conclusions: NFP clients, nurses and stakeholders identified the need for modifications to the existing NFP program; this led to the development of an intervention that includes universal and targeted components to assist NFP nurses in addressing IPV with their clients. Plans for feasibility testing and evaluation of the effectiveness of the IPV intervention embedded within the NFP, and compared to NFP-only, are discussed. © 2012 Jack et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Identification and assessment of intimate partner violence in nurse home visitation

Aims and objectives: To develop strategies for the identification and assessment of intimate partner violence in a nurse home visitation programme. Background: Nurse home visitation programmes have been identified as an intervention for preventing child abuse and neglect. Recently, there is an increased focus on the role these programmes have in addressing intimate partner violence. Given the unique context of the home environment, strategies for assessments are required that maintain the therapeutic alliance and minimise client attrition. Design: A qualitative case study. Methods: A total of four Nurse–Family Partnership agencies were engaged in this study. Purposeful samples of nurses (n = 32), pregnant or parenting mothers who had self-disclosed experiences of abuse (n = 26) and supervisors (n = 5) participated in this study. A total of 10 focus groups were completed with nurses: 42 interviews with clients and 10 interviews with supervisors. The principles of conventional content analysis guided data analysis. Data were categorised using the practice–problem–needs analysis model for integrating qualitative findings in the development of nursing interventions. Results: Multiple opportunities to ask about intimate partner violence are valued. The use of structured screening tools at enrolment does not promote disclosure or in-depth exploration of women\u27s experiences of abuse. Women are more likely to discuss experiences of violence when nurses initiate nonstructured discussions focused on parenting, safety or healthy relationships. Nurses require knowledge and skills to initiate indicator-based assessments when exposure to abuse is suspected as well as strategies for responding to client-initiated disclosures. Conclusion: A tailored approach to intimate partner violence assessment in home visiting is required. Relevance to clinical practice: Multiple opportunities for exploring women\u27s experiences of violence are required. A clinical pathway outlining a three-pronged approach to identification and assessment was developed

Effect of Addition of an Intimate Partner Violence Intervention to a Nurse Home Visitation Program on Maternal Quality of Life: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Importance: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a public health problem with significant adverse consequences for women and children. Past evaluations of a nurse home visitation program for pregnant women and first-time mothers experiencing social and economic disadvantage have not consistently shown reductions in IPV. Objective: To determine the effect on maternal quality of life of a nurse home visitation program augmented by an IPV intervention, compared with the nurse home visitation program alone. Design, Setting, and Participants: Cluster-based, single-blind, randomized clinical trial at 15 sites in 8 US states (May 2011-May 2015) enrolling 492 socially disadvantaged pregnant women (≥16 years) participating in a 2.5-year nurse home visitation program. Interventions: In augmented program sites (n = 229 participants across 7 sites), nurses received intensive IPV education and delivered an IPV intervention that included a clinical pathway to guide assessment and tailor care focused on safety planning, violence awareness, self-efficacy, and referral to social supports. The standard program (n = 263 participants across 8 sites) included limited questions about violence exposure and information for abused women but no standardized IPV training for nurses. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was quality of life (WHOQOL-BREF; range, 0-400; higher score indicates better quality of life) obtained through interviews at baseline and every 6 months until 24 months after delivery. From 17 prespecified secondary outcomes, 7 secondary end points are reported, including scores on the Composite Abuse Scale, SPAN (Startle, Physiological Arousal, Anger, and Numbness), Prime-MD Patient Health Questionnaire, TWEAK (Tolerance/Worry About Drinking/Eye-Opener/Amnesia/C[K]ut Down on Drinking), Drug Abuse Severity Test, and the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (physical and mental health), version 2. Results: Among 492 participants enrolled (mean age, 20.4 years), 421 (86%) completed the trial. Quality of life improved from baseline to 24 months in both groups (change in WHOQOL-BREF scores from 299.5 [SD, 54.4] to 308.2 [SD, 52.6] in the augmented program group vs from 293.6 [SD, 56.4] to 316.4 [SD, 57.5] in the standard program group). Based on multilevel growth curve analysis, there was no statistically significant difference between groups (modeled score difference, -4.9 [95% CI, -16.5 to 6.7]). There were no statistically significant differences between study groups in any of the secondary participant end points. There were no adverse events recorded in either group. Conclusions and Relevance: Among pregnant women experiencing social and economic disadvantage and preparing to parent for the first time, augmentation of a nurse home visitation program with a comprehensive IPV intervention, compared with the home visitation program alone, did not significantly improve quality of life at 24 months after delivery. These findings do not support the use of this intervention. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01372098

Development of a nurse home visitation intervention for intimate partner violence

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Despite an increase in knowledge about the epidemiology of intimate partner violence (IPV), much less is known about interventions to reduce IPV and its associated impairment. One program that holds promise in preventing IPV and improving outcomes for women exposed to violence is the Nurse-Family Partnership (NFP), an evidence-based nurse home visitation program for socially disadvantaged first-time mothers. The present study developed an intervention model and modification process to address IPV within the context of the NFP. This included determining the extent to which the NFP curriculum addressed the needs of women at risk for IPV or its recurrence, along with client, nurse and broader stakeholder perspectives on how best to help NFP clients cope with abusive relationships.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Following a preliminary needs assessment, an exploratory multiple case study was conducted to identify the core components of the proposed IPV intervention. This included qualitative interviews with purposeful samples of NFP clients and community stakeholders, and focus groups with nurse home visitors recruited from four NFP sites. Conventional content analysis and constant comparison guided data coding and synthesis. A process for developing complex interventions was then implemented.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Based on data from 69 respondents, an IPV intervention was developed that focused on identifying and responding to IPV; assessing a client's level of safety risk associated with IPV; understanding the process of leaving and resolving an abusive relationship and system navigation. A need was identified for the intervention to include both universal elements of healthy relationships and those tailored to a woman's specific level of readiness to promote change within her life. A clinical pathway guides nurses through the intervention, with a set of facilitators and corresponding instructions for each component.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>NFP clients, nurses and stakeholders identified the need for modifications to the existing NFP program; this led to the development of an intervention that includes universal and targeted components to assist NFP nurses in addressing IPV with their clients. Plans for feasibility testing and evaluation of the effectiveness of the IPV intervention embedded within the NFP, and compared to NFP-only, are discussed.</p

Is what you see what you get? Medical subject headings and their organizing work in the violence against women research literature

In this paper we argue that the broader definition of classification offered by sociologists and by Geoffrey Bowker and Susan Leigh Star addresses pertinent knowledge organization processes that we can use to investigate the moral, scientific, and aesthetic implications of different kinds of knowledge organization systems. We do so by systematically investigating the organization of the violence against women research literature by medical, allied health, and social sciences bibliographic databases and in particular by the National Library of Medicine's Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). Our findings indicate that underlying these knowledge organization systems are certain discourses on violence against women that may reinforce a gender-neutral understanding of violence

MH-60 Seahawk / MQ-8 Fire Scout interoperability

As part of a Naval Postgraduate School's capstone project in Systems Engineering, a project team from Cohort 311-0911 performed a Systems Engineering analysis. This Project focused on defining alternatives for enhanced Anti-Surface Warfare (ASUW) mission effectiveness through increased interoperability and integration for the Fire Scout Unmanned Air Vehicle and Seahawk helicopter. Specifically, the Project explored the available trade space for enhancing communications back to the ship for analysis and decision-making. Modeling and Simulation (MandS) was used to assess the impact of enhanced communication on specific Key performance Parameters (KPPs) and Measures of Effectiveness (MOEs) associated with the ASUW mission. Once the trade space was defined, alternatives were analyzed and a recommendation provided that supports near-, mid-, and long-term mission enhancement.http://archive.org/details/mhseahawkmqfires109456952Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited