Perceptions of Coping Capacity and Burnout Among Psychiatric Social Workers

U.S. mental health social workers practicing in psychiatric settings are susceptible to developing burnout. Burnout is a prominent and enduring social problem faced by many helping professionals, but especially among licensed mental health social workers. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the role coping capacity plays in mental health social workers developing burnout while employed in an inpatient psychiatric setting. The conceptual framework was sense of coherence, a core construct of the salutogenic theory of health. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 clinical social workers employed in inpatient psychiatric settings in North Carolina. Data were thematically analyzed. Emergent themes identified were contributors to burnout, comprehensibility of burnout, manageability of burnout, and meaningfulness of burnout. Key findings indicated that most participants experienced emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment as they perceived their work environment as unreasonable, convoluted, and ineffectual. Findings may be used to improve clinical social work practice at the practice, research, and policy level through enhanced understanding of how social workers’ capacity to comprehend, manage, and create meaning out of stressful occupational situations influences their ability to cope with demanding workplace settings

Reducing Cost of Healthcare Facilities by Decreasing Nursing Turnover

Registered Nurse (RN) turnover is costly for hospitals and healthcare facilities. The problem that healthcare administrators face today is their inability to retain nurses for long periods of time and the detrimental effects that come from the lack of retention. The purpose of this quantitative secondary data analysis is to explore the relationship between the retention of RNs and the geographic regions in which they work. The theoretical framework for this study was Barney\u27s concept of viewing people as resources. Deidentified secondary data of RNs was utilized from the Healthforce Center at the University of California San Francisco to probe differences in retention rates between full-time and part-time RNs and the differences in retention rates between new graduate and specialty RNs in California geographic regions. The data was analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistical techniques to perform a t test of independent means. As a result, it was determined that there was no significance in geographic regions in California influencing the retention rates of full and part-time RNs neither was there a significant finding that geographic regions in California influence the retention rates of new graduate RNs or specialty nurses. It was concluded that the retention of RNs is determined by how well they are maintained and managed. A recommendation would be to investigate retention strategies that create longevity among RNs. This study can contribute to positive social change by having a cohesiveness that builds trust and creates a better work environment and positive outcomes for healthcare facilities which will reduce overall cost

Perceptions of Coping Capacity and Burnout Among Psychiatric Social Workers

U.S. mental health social workers practicing in psychiatric settings are susceptible to developing burnout. Burnout is a prominent and enduring social problem faced by many helping professionals, but especially among licensed mental health social workers. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the role coping capacity plays in mental health social workers developing burnout while employed in an inpatient psychiatric setting. The conceptual framework was sense of coherence, a core construct of the salutogenic theory of health. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 clinical social workers employed in inpatient psychiatric settings in North Carolina. Data were thematically analyzed. Emergent themes identified were contributors to burnout, comprehensibility of burnout, manageability of burnout, and meaningfulness of burnout. Key findings indicated that most participants experienced emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment as they perceived their work environment as unreasonable, convoluted, and ineffectual. Findings may be used to improve clinical social work practice at the practice, research, and policy level through enhanced understanding of how social workers’ capacity to comprehend, manage, and create meaning out of stressful occupational situations influences their ability to cope with demanding workplace settings

A critical appraisal of the criminalisation and prosecution of sexual violence under international criminal law

Magister Legum - LLMSexual violence leaves the victims psychologically traumatised and stigmatised in the eyes of its community. Used on a large scale, sexual violence can destabilise a society as a whole and when used during armed conflicts, it serves as a powerful weapon against members of a community. During armed conflicts, sexual violence is widespread and systematically used as a tool of war and this makes sexual violence amount to crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes. This research paper critically analyses and evaluates sexual violence as an international crime, as well as its prosecution under international criminal law mainly by the International Criminal Court (hereafter ICC), International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (hereafter ICTY) and International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (hereafter ICTR). It discusses the problem of selectivity that can be observed in prosecuting sexual violence that has in fact, left many victims of sexual violence dissatisfied. By doing so, it analyses the law as it is to determine whether the law applied during sexual violence prosecutions is sufficient. The paper also states recommendations that can contribute to the effective prosecution of sexual crimes under international criminal law.South Afric

Removal of recalcitrant organic compounds from an industrial complex effluent by heterogeneous Fenton-type treatment

Because of their chemical complexity, industrial chemi-mechanical pulping effluents are evaporated and burned, in spite of the high associated cost involved in these processes. The aim of this study was to remove recalcitrant compounds from this kind of wastewater using a Fenton-type treatment. The main parameters involved in the process and their influence on the results were determined. Homemade catalysts based on CuO, Fe2O3, NiO and ZnO, supported on γ-Al2O3 have been tested for catalytic oxidation, and the CuO/γ- Al2O3 catalysts showed the greatest effect on total organic carbon (TOC) reduction (52.7%). A series of twolevel factorial experiments was subsequently applied to evaluate the most favorable range of conditions for CuO/γ-Al2O3 application. The studied variables were hydrogen peroxide concentration ([H2O2], g/L), active phase content (metal oxide supported on alumina, %), mass of catalyst (metal oxide/alumina system, g), and reaction temperature (°C). The highest reduction of all parameters was obtained at the superior level of all variables with CuO/γ-Al2O3, achieving reductions of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and TOC between 40 and 50%. Increasing catalyst mass did not produce additional benefit. This variable has a significant effect only on the reduction of aromatic compounds. At its low level, reduction in aromatic content exceeded 80%. Color reduction was influenced only by temperature (maximum reduction of 90%)Fil: Covinich, Laura Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones; ArgentinaFil: Felissia, Fernando Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones; ArgentinaFil: Fenoglio, Rosa Juana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales; ArgentinaFil: Area, Maria Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Químicas y Naturales. Instituto de Materiales de Misiones; Argentin

“How do we get to them?” Insights on Preconception and Interconception Health for Women in Rural Northwest Ohio

Background: Rural women in the United States are at increased risk for poor preconception and interconception health. In a previous study, women living in Hardin County, a Primary Care Health Professional Shortage Area and maternity care desert in rural northwest Ohio expressed their concerns and their need for more resources to improve their health. As a follow-up study, key informants of Hardin County were interviewed to provide further insight on current resources for preconception and women’s health available to community members, barriers and challenges community members face, and interventions could be implemented in the county to improve health and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: A purposive sample of 14 key informants from community assets in Hardin County were recruited and individually interviewed with semistructured questions from 2 domains: perceived needs and barriers to care. Interview recordings were transcribed, precoded, and thematically analyzed. Participants received a $20 gift card as a token of appreciation. Results: Three themes were characterized from the data: current resources available, community observations, and suggested intervention strategies. Key informants identified the federally-qualified health center and YMCA, among others, as potentially underutilized resources for reproductive-age women. The small-town culture was described as both an advantage and disadvantage when trying to raise awareness about preconception/interconception health. Interventions built on partnerships and utilizing various outlets were suggested. Childcare, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and trust were issues crossing multiple themes. Conclusion: Key informants gave direction on available resources for reproductive-age women and potential approaches to provide education and outreach regarding preconception/interconception health and care

Synthesis of multiwall α-Fe2O3 hollow fibers via a centrifugal spinning technique

Highlights Hollow hematite (α-Fe2O3) fine fibers were fabricated via a simple, flexible, and scalable technique. An aqueous solution with iron precursor/polymer was used in the centrifugal spinning process Developed fibers show average wall thickness of 55 ± 15 nm and outer fiber diameter of 852 ± 86 nm Abstract Hollow hematite (α-Fe2O3) fine fibers with multiwall structure were synthesized by utilizing a centrifugal spinning technique. Aqueous solutions of polyvinyl pyrrolidone and iron (III) nitrate nonahydrate were prepared and spun into fibers. The precursor fibers were heat treated at 650 °C to form iron oxide fibers. Scanning electron micrographs revealed the formation of iron oxide hollow fibers with multiwall structure with average wall thickness of 55 ± 15 nm and outer fiber diameter of 852 ± 86 nm. The formation of α-Fe2O3 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis and the phase identification was verified by XRD pattern and transmission electron microscopy analysis. These hollow structure α-Fe2O3 fibers have promising uses in important biological processes and biomedical applications