Composing the symphony of interprofessional care: A reflection on innovations in interprofessional education

Following the succession of high profile serious case and service reviews (for example Lord Laming, 2003 and Francis, 2013), interprofessional working continues to be an identified area of development within health and social services. In response to this, the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) have issued guidelines and recommendations for interprofessional education to become embedded across the professional courses (NMC, 2010; HCPC, 2014). The University of Huddersfield continued their proactive approach to inter-professional education (IPE) by revalidating all health professional courses in 2012, creating new and innovative modules across the professions. This poster will focus on the experience of facilitating a Year 2 module, ‘Interprofessional working in context’. The module includes students and staff from all fields of nursing, midwifery, occupational therapy, podiatry and physiotherapy, and explores the key features and challenges of interprofessional working within the context of contemporary health and social care services (Day, 2013; Thistlethwaite, 2012). Due to practice placement commitments of the different professions, this module is predominantly delivered through weekly online directed study supported by an online communication tool and a one day conference event mid-way through the academic year. The multiprofessional group assessment encourages students to meet and collaborate with their peers, whilst also considering the priorities and commitments of the different courses. Colleagues from clinical areas are invited to provide the key note lectures to support student participation in creative workshops to consolidate the learning experience. This approach facilitates ‘real life’ experience of team-working within an interprofessional and interagency context. The module philosophy actively encourages the students to work within a team whilst maintaining the integrity of their own profession and the professional codes which regulate them. This poster will be a visual representation of how effective multiprofessional teams are able to work and learn together to successfully deliver effective person centred care. This will include a metaphorical visual reflection of staff and student experiences on the modul

Views and Experiences of New Zealand Women with Gestational Diabetes in Achieving Glycaemic Control Targets: The Views Study

Introduction. Optimal glycaemic control in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) reduces maternal and infant morbidity. Method. A survey was administered to women diagnosed with GDM to explore their views and experiences in achieving optimal glycaemic control. Results. Sixty women participated. Enablers included being taught to test capillary blood glucose in group settings where the health professional demonstrated this on themselves first (60, 100%); health professionals listening (41, 68%); being reminded to perform blood glucose testing (33, 55%); and being provided healthy meals by friends and family (28, 47%). Barriers included not having information in a woman’s first language (33, 55%); being offered unhealthy food (19, 31%); not being believed by health professionals (13, 21%); receiving inconsistent information by health professionals (10, 16%); never being seen twice by the same health professional (8, 13%); and long waiting hours at clinics (7, 11%). Two-thirds of women (37, 62%) reported that food costs were not a barrier, but that they were always or frequently hungry. Conclusion. Optimising experiences for women with GDM for achieving glycaemic control and overcoming barriers, regardless of glycaemic targets, requires further focus on providing meaningful health literacy and support from health professionals, family, friends, and work colleague

The Emerging Role of Group Medicare Private Fee-for-Service Plans

Examines the legislative and regulatory changes contributing to the rapid growth of enrollment in group Medicare Advantage plans in private fee-for-service plans. Considers projected trends and implications for retirees, employers, and policy makers

Telling the Story of Mexican Migration: Chronicle, Literature, and Film from the Post-Gatekeeper Period

This study examines how the social process of undocumented Mexican migration is interpreted in the chronicle, literature, and film of the post-Gatekeeper period, which is defined here at 1994-2008. Bounded on one side by the Mexican economic crisis of 1994, and increased border security measures begun in that same year, and on the other by the advent of the global economic crisis of 2008, the post-Gatkeeper period represents a time in which undocumented migration through the southern U.S. border reached unprecedented levels. The dramatic, tragic, and compelling stories that emerged from this period have been retold and interpreted from a variety of perspectives that have produced distinct, and often paradoxical, images of the figure of the undocumented migrant. Creative narrative responds to this critical point in the history of Mexican migration to the U.S.by applying the inherently subjective and mediated form of artistic interpretation to a social reality well documented by the media, historians, and social scientists. Throughout the chronicle, literature, and film of this period, migration is understood as a cultural tradition inspired by regional history. These stories place their undocumented protagonists on a narrative trajectory that transforms migration into a heroic quest for personal and community renewal. Such imagery positions the undocumented migrant as an active agent of change and provides discursive visibility to a figure often represented, in media and political rhetoric of the period, as an anonymous, collective Other. Filtered through this creative lens, migration is revealed as a complex social process in which individual experience is informed not only by personal ambition, but also by the expectations of the home community and its culture of migration. The creative works examined here foreground the history, motivation, and experience of their migrant protagonists in relation to the socio-historical context of this period. In doing so, they compose tales of migration in which the figure of the undocumented migrant plays a primary role, one informed not only by the experience of migration, but also by personal and community history

Erratum to ‘Bateman's principles and human sex roles’

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Carstairs Scores for Scottish Postcode Sectors, Datazones and Output Areas from the 2011 Census

Carstairs deprivation scores, originally created in 1981, provide a measure of material deprivation. Four census variables (male unemployment, no car ownership, overcrowding and low social class) were used in the creation of the score. As near as possible the same four variables have been used to update Carstairs scores decennially, despite changes to the definition of some of the variables over time. Researchers at the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow have now updated Carstairs scores for 2011 for Scottish postcode sectors and for the first time datazones and output areas

Physical Activity, Aging, Waist Circumference, and Medication Use in Relation to Metabolic Health and Mortality Risk

Research that investigates effective assessment or treatment of conditions associated with physical inactivity and obesity is warranted, as these factors pose a large public health challenge. The first study in this thesis demonstrated that participating in physical activity (PA) even once a week was associated with lower all-cause mortality risk compared to no PA (P0.05), and a higher mortality risk compared to physically active adults without hypertension (P<0.05). These studies demonstrate the importance of a higher frequency of PA in very old adults, and the benefits of PA on mortality risk in adults with hypertension or T2D. The fourth study demonstrated that adults with overweight and not attempting weight loss had the greatest error in estimating vigorous energy expenditure, and calories in food. However, among all participants, there was a large individual error in calorie estimation. The overall poor understanding of energy expended through exercise and calories in food may have important implications for weight management. The fifth study determined that adults consider the clinically recommended waist circumference (WC) measurement sites (iliac crest and midpoint) the most difficult sites to self-measure (P<0.05). However, there were no differences in the accuracy of self-measurement, or the association between WC and blood pressure between measurement sites, but there were large variations in the prevalence of abdominal obesity between sites (0-18% for normal weight; 21-78% for overweight). Therefore, there may be no clear advantages of measuring one WC site over another. In summary, even modest amounts of PA are effective for reducing mortality risk, and may be particularly beneficial in very old adults, and among adults with T2D or hypertension. In addition, effective methods for long term weight management are needed

Integration in Interscholastic Sport: What is still missing 23 years after ADA?

On January 25, 2013, the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published a guidance document clarifying that extracurricular activities are a component of the public education program under Section 504. In the years to come, creating opportunities for integrated participation in interscholastic sports will be essential. Research in Physical Education has shown positive attitudes from students with disabilities in regards to integrated settings and hesitancy from Physical Educators and coaches. There are questions as to whether or not the feelings about integration in an education setting and integration in a sports setting will parallel one another. Training for adults facilitating integration will be essential as the window for integration widens in interscholastic sports. A recommendation is to provide these adults with information in a minimum of three key areas: the legal obligations and compliance with the law; appropriate integration practices; and education about different types of disabilities

Communication Networks of Men with Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer can be a difficult disease to manage but men who are diagnosed with it have networks of others around them who can be ready to offer support through the treatment. The effectiveness with which these networks can be mobilised is partly determined by the willingness of men to disclose their diagnosis. The main purpose of this research was to determine both the structure and content of the networks of men who have recently had a biopsy for prostate cancer. This qualitative study was conducted from an egocentric network perspective in which nodes and ties are fundamental features; nodes being the individuals or groups within a network and ties the relationships between them. All men who were on the waiting list for a prostate biopsy were eligible to be included in this study. A total of 41 men participated and completed a semi-structured interview that sought to elicit who were in the men’s networks and what was talked about. Particular emphasis was placed on the types of relationships together with the context in which they existed. Only 22 interviews from participants who received a positive biopsy were used for the analysis. A thematic analysis of the transcriptions enabled assessments to be made of which individuals and organisations were important and their relationships to the ego at this point in the medical process. The findings revealed that network structure is comprised of both general and health communication networks. General networks were those in everyday life and were determined by relationship status, employment status and geographical proximity of the men’s immediate family. Health communication networks were based around health issues and the factors which influenced these were men’s previous medical experience or whether they had medical professionals in their immediate family. Network content is the communication which occurs between individuals and the major theme concerns disclosure. The men’s decision about whether to disclose their prostate issues to others in their networks was based on the perceived presence of four factors in others: homophily, close proximity, strong ties and the professional or personal medical experience of others. Discerning if one or more of these factors were present in others, the men were increasingly likely to disclose about their own health. The second theme examined the tensions which existed between the benefits and barriers to disclosure. This depended on individuals and the context and were managed by the men when assessing each situation on a case-by-case basis. Theoretical implications of this research concern the recognition and functionality of health communication networks together with the four factors of disclosure. Future research would be focused around a longitudinal study to assess the dynamic nature of egocentric networks in responding to chronic illness. In addition, networks of single men and the value of siblings could be identified. Emphasis on the practical implications involve identifying and promoting favourable opportunities for disclosure to benefit the men who can receive support from their networks