This chapter is an exploration of both current and potential uses of IT in the learning and teaching of sociology in higher education in Britain. The ideas and arguments presented have been refined as a result of the author's recent experience of TQA in Scotland. The arguments and evidence are restricted to undergraduate learning. The primary questions underpinning the analysis are:1. To what extent do universities have strategies for ensuring that students have opportunities, encouragement and support to use everyday IT skills as an integral part of their own learning process?
SUMMARY Organisms utilize sophisticated neurocircuitry to select optimal food sources within their environment. Methylobacterium is a lifespan-promoting bacterial diet for C. elegans that drives faster development and longevity, however after ingestion, C. elegans consistently choose any other food option available. A screen for genetic regulators of the avoidance behavior toward Methylobacterium identified the AWB and AWC sensory neurons and the odr-1 guanylate cyclase expressed exclusively in those four ciliated neurons as mediators of the antipathy response. Metabolic profiling of the Methylobacterium diet reveals a macromolecular profile enriched in saturated fats and here we show that C. elegans sense and integrate signals related to the type of ingested lipids that subsequently cues food-related behaviors. Moreover, disruption of endogenous lipid metabolism modifies the intensity of antipathy toward Methylobacterium which suggests that the current state of lipid homeostasis influences food preference. Enhanced expression of the sphingolipid degradation enzyme Saposin/ spp-9 enhances antipathy behaviors and activation of the sphingosine rheostat and more specifically modulation of the bioactive lipid mediator sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) acts as a signal to promote avoidance of Methylobacterium . Taken together, our work reveals that C. elegans modify food choices contemporaneously based on the availability of dietary lipids and the ability to metabolize dietary lipids. HIGHLIGHTS Uncover new molecular mechanisms underlying the decision matrix an animal uses to choose what foods to eat. Define the molecular mechanisms underlying an antipathy behavioral response toward foods after initial ingestion that contemporaneously integrates dietary needs with nutritional profile. ODR-1 signaling from AWB and AWC ciliated neurons of the C. elegans nervous system mediate the antipathy response to diet. Manipulation of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) of the sphingosine rheostat controls the intensity of the antipathy behavioral response. Modulating antipathy behaviors can impact the magnitude of the lifespan-promoting effects of longevity diets.
Because of the complexity of burn injuries, few nurses have the knowledge, expertise, or skills needed to care for this unique patient population. This lack of experience requires every new staff nurse to undergo extensive training with an individual preceptor. Ensuring that all new nurses receive identical and thorough training can be challenging, particularly during times of staffing fluctuations. Despite best efforts, mismatching between preceptor and preceptee may occur based on personality, communication, and teaching/learning styles, which can contribute to less than ideal training experiences for both parties.Our 21-bed burn intensive care unit (ICU) recently experienced an influx of new hires. From May 2016 through September 2016, 19 new nurses started on the unit. More than half were new graduates and only 2 had previous burn experience. Because precepting lasts 12 to 20 weeks on the unit, preceptors felt overwhelmed and preceptees had less than ideal precepting experiences. Being a preceptor is one of the most important, influential roles a nurse can take on. The preceptor role is vital because it sets up a new team member for success, which in return leads to success for the entire team and the unit and, ultimately, improves patient care. Therefore, the assistant nurse managers invited 7 preceptors and 2 preceptees to form a task force that would identify actionable improvements in our precepting program.The precepting improvement task force collected qualitative data from 2 focus groups (16 preceptors and 17 preceptees) to pinpoint main themes for improvement. Staff nurses were enlisted to improve the precepting experience on the basis of information from the focus groups. We used the Lean Six Sigma A3 thinking method1 to identify gaps within our precepting system and to produce solutions. Task force members distributed surveys before, during, and after the project to both preceptors and preceptees.2The survey results identified the following gaps in our unit:Root causes for each of the identified gaps included:After identifying the critical areas of concern from both the preceptees and the preceptors, the task force divided into subgroups to work on solutions for each area. The areas of focus were standards, matchmaking, engaging the new hire before arrival, and preceptor support.Inconsistent teaching among preceptors was a common theme. Inconsistency, incomplete information, and inaccurate information taught by preceptors can lead to extreme frustration for the preceptees. We created a set of specific, easy-to-follow, easily accessible standards and placed them online (see Table). These standards include daily goal sheets, skills checklist, wound care standards, assessment tools, flow of the day guide, step down goals/evaluation, ICU goals/evaluation, and a week-by-week guide with expectations of preceptees and preceptors. All preceptors were trained on the new standards during preceptor meetings. New preceptors are required to attend a training class before precepting.In our unit, preceptees have a primary and secondary preceptor. New graduates precept for a total of 12 to 13 weeks, 4 weeks (16-20 shifts) with step-down patients and 8 weeks with ICU patients. Ideally, the preceptee keeps the same preceptor for day shifts and has another preceptor on night shifts. New nurses are required to rotate days and nights for 18 months. Because disaccord between preceptees and preceptors was a problem, we wanted to change the way new nurses were paired with preceptors. Previously, preceptors had been paired with preceptees randomly. We decided to use an established personality assessment tool, the Smalley Institute Personality Test,3 to enhance the pairing process of preceptees with preceptors. Even with mismatched personality types, knowledge of the preceptee's personality may help the preceptor tailor an effective training approach. When new graduates accept a position in our unit, they receive a link to complete the personality assessment; then they are paired with a preceptor who is comfortable teaching to their personality type. Preceptors complete the assessment as well. Knowledge of learning style, personality, and how that personality type responds to certain situations really allows the relationship to form in a more positive, proactive manner.When a new employee is welcomed to the unit, it instills a sense of pride and enthusiasm that can affect the employee's perception, attitude, and commitment to the position. Establishing a relationship with the preceptee before arrival occurs in 2 ways. First, a video link is emailed to the preceptee upon acceptance of the position in our unit. This video was created by 3 members of the task force, using a professional videographer, to help welcome the new nurses to the unit. The video gives a snapshot of what to expect; it uses stories from burn survivors and burn nurses to send the message "you are going to be part of something bigger than yourself" and "we are looking forward to having you join our team" (to view the video go to iplayerhd.com/player/video/964ab903-419a-4d94-87ab-05687cdfb9db/share).Second, the preceptor invites the future preceptee to an informal meeting off-site. Meeting with the preceptor ahead of time allows the preceptee to get to know the preceptor and feel more comfortable on the first day in the unit. Coming into a burn ICU as a new graduate can be terrifying. The informal meeting is intended to help alleviate some of that anxiety.It is not uncommon for the main focus of support to be on the new nurse during precepting; however, our data clearly show that preceptors need support as well. Preceptors feel overwhelmed, unprepared, and underappreciated per our survey results. To improve the support of preceptors, our unit implemented "preceptor coffee time" once a month for preceptors to meet and discuss what is going well and what they may be struggling with. A member of the leadership team is present during these discussions to support the preceptors.The burn ICU is a complex, unique, and challenging area. Training new nurses as well as experienced nurses from other areas presents challenges for preceptors as well as preceptees. Implementing centrally located standards, uniformed training of standards, engaging new staff before their arrival on the unit, pairing preceptors with preceptees based on personalities, and providing adequate preceptor support are all valuable pieces of a process that can often be puzzling. Feedback from both sides of the preceptorship program was key to developing effective solutions and improving the precepting experience.The authors thank Drs Hyrkas and Shoemaker for permission to use their preceptor surveys in our project.
Objective: To replicate the finding that illness perceptions influence quality of life in adults with muscle disease and to explore the additional influence of coping and optimism on quality of life and mood. Design: A postal survey including questionnaires recording quality of life, mood, illness perceptions, optimism, coping and functional impairment. Setting: National Health Service muscle clinics in the United Kingdom. Participants: A convenience sample of adults with muscle disease. Interventions: Not applicable. Main outcome measures: Individualised Neuromuscular Quality of Life Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: A total of 226 completed questionnaires were returned. Although functional impairment explained most of the variance in three out of eight quality of life domains, psychological factors explained greater amounts of variance (between 19% and 52% of variance) in all other quality of life domains and in both mood domains (between 45% and 48% of variance). Overall, illness perceptions explained much of the variance in quality of life and mood score (between 5% and 37% of variance), while coping (up to 8% of variance) and optimism (up to 15% of variance) explained smaller amounts of variance. Conclusion: The results confirm that illness perceptions are associated with quality of life in muscle disease and suggest that they also influence mood. The addition of optimism and coping variables into the analysis yielded small increases in the proportions of variance in quality of life and mood which were explained. These results have implications for the composition of future psychological interventions.
Key Facts Key Cases: EU Law will ensure you grasp the main concepts of your EU Law module with ease. This book explains the facts and associated case law for: The constitution of EU law, its institutions, the sources of EU law and the means of enforcement The relationship with national law The law of the single market EU competition law EU discrimination law and other social policy Key Facts Key Cases is the essential series for anyone studying law at LLB, postgraduate and conversion courses. The series provides the simplest and most effective way to absorb and retain all of the material essential for passing your exams. Each chapter includes: diagrams at the start of chapters to summarise key points structured headings and numbered points to allow for clear recall of the essential points charts and tables to break down more complex information Chapters are also supported by a Key Cases section which provides the simplest and most effective way to absorb and memorise essential cases needed for exam success. Essential and leading cases are explained The style, layout and explanations are user friendly Cases are broken down into key components by use of a clear system of symbols for quick and easy visual recognition
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