The Pre-Conceptual Map Methodology: Development and Application

The objective of this article is to present the Pre-Conceptual Map methodology as a formalized way to identify, document, and utilize preconceived assumptions on the part of the researcher in qualitative inquiry. This technique can be used as a stand alone method or in conjunction with other qualitative techniques (i.e., naturalistic inquiry). This document explains how to utilize the process and includes specific examples based on a formal study of the pilot of The Drama Discovery Curriculum. The article highlights the Pre-Conceptual Map methodology for use by other researchers by examining: the need for the methodology, how it is related to the literature, the implications for other professions, and the contribution to the field of qualitative methodology

Life on the Floodplain: An Analysis of Falmouth, Massachusetts and Osaka, Japan

After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the awareness of flooding threats to coastal areas increased. For Massachusetts in particular, Cape Cod is still at high risk of flooding with any storm that comes and goes. However, all of these recent devastating floods and natural disasters have caused insurance prices to skyrocket. With my research, I specifically looked at Falmouth, Massachusetts and the possibilities to lessen the risks and which of these options would be the most financially sound for a homeowner. The possibilities include elevating a house in a high flood risk zone, selling a current house to move in to a house in a less flood prone area, or simply keep the house as is and continuing to pay the mortgage and annual flood insurance over a 15 year time period. Afterwards, the earthquake insurance available in Osaka, Japan is briefly compared to the flood insurance of Falmouth, Massachusetts

Pressure Injury and Restraint Prevalence Surveys: Saving Time and Dollars for Patient Care by Automating Manual Chart Abstraction

Bronson Healthcare Group performs quarterly pressure injury and restraint audits as part of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI). The chart abstraction portion of the audit previously required nurses to manually abstract 31 data points. To save time and cost, we used Lean and PDSA process improvement tools to automate the chart abstraction portion of the audit, reducing the number of data points requiring manual abstraction to 2. We validated the automated abstraction by comparing it to abstractions done manually by the audit nurses. We found that an automated process has the potential to reduce the impact of human error inherent in manual abstraction

The Impact of Formal Nursing Education and Nursing Experience on Medication Errors Made by Nurses in the Hospital Setting

The occurrence of medication errors is a problem that is common to health care systems worldwide. There has been countless research performed to try to determine the cause of medication errors. It has been found that shifts worked, pharmacy involvement, miscommunication and multiple other elements contribute to the occurrence of medication errors. The primary person involved in medication administration is the nurse. This study was performed at a Western North Carolina hospital examining recorded medication errors from January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2007. Using a retrospective, descriptive, correlation design (n=293), the study determined that a significant correlation exists between the level of education (Diploma, Associate, Bachelor and Master Degree in Nursing) and years of experience of nurses to medication errors among nurses in the hospital setting

Slow dynamics at the smeared phase transition of randomly layered magnets

We investigate a model for randomly layered magnets, viz. a three-dimensional Ising model with planar defects. The magnetic phase transition in this system is smeared because static long-range order can develop on isolated rare spatial regions. Here, we report large-scale kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of the dynamical behavior close to the smeared phase transition which we characterize by the spin (time) autocorrelation function. In the paramagnetic phase, its behavior is dominated by Griffiths effects similar to those in magnets with point defects. In the tail region of the smeared transition the dynamics is even slower: the autocorrelation function decays like a stretched exponential at intermediate times before approaching the exponentially small asymptotic value following a power law at late times. Our Monte-Carlo results are in good agreement with recent theoretical predictions based on optimal fluctuation theory.Comment: 7 pages, 6 eps figures, final version as publishe

Fluid Routing System: Industrial Automation and Simulation

Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) builds the biggest ships in the world. These ships store and deliver millions of gallons of fluids via computer-controlled networks of pipes, valves, pumps, and tanks. A working, small scale demonstrator of these systems is needed for NNS to use in training and educational demonstrations. The demonstrator needs to allow for functional control of physical parameters by implementing a working instrumentation and control (I&C) system. Core components of this system are a programmable logic controller (PLC), a software development platform, a simulator, and a graphical user interface (GUI) on a human machine interface (HMI). Project deliverables are the physically built demonstrator, as well as the PLC code with algorithm, HMI, GUI, simulator hardware and all of the applicable connections and driver boards. The demonstrator and all accessory equipment needs to be tabletop size while also being complex enough to show valid path finding techniques of the coded algorithm. The students went with a simplified yet still multifaceted design based on four tanks, twenty-one electric valves and two pumps. With this degree of complexity, the demonstrator exemplifies how shipboard systems work, while also showing the routing algorithm’s ability to help increase efficiency in a larger network. The project’s simulator can be used to model arbitrarily complex networks, while the project’s routing algorithm can determine ideal paths through these modeled networks. The future of the project could see an interface that allows for more control of physical system that would have the ability to dynamically change due to conditions, such as sensed flow rates and blockages. The routing algorithm could improve the efficiency of any fluid routing system. It also could allow for the reduction in the level of manual intervention needed during emergency situations, thus reducing the possibility of human error.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1105/thumbnail.jp

Molecular interconversion behaviour in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC x GC) is shown to provide information on dynamic molecular behaviour (interconversion), with the interconversion process occurring on both columns in the coupled-column experiment. The experiment requires suitable adjustment of both experimental conditions and relative dimensions of each of the columns. In this case, a longer column than normally employed in GC x GC allows sufficient retention duration on the second column, which permits the typical plateau-shape recognised for the interconversion process to be observed. The extent of interconversion depends on prevailing temperature, retention time, and the phase type. Polyethylene glycol-based phases were found to result in high interconversion kinetics, although terephthalic acid-terminated polyethylene glycol had a lesser extent of interconversion. Much less interconversion was seen for phenyl-methylpolysiloxane and cyclodextrin phases. This suggests that for the oximes, interconversion largely occurs in the stationary phase. Examples of different extents of interconversion in both dimensions are shown, including peak coalescence on the first column with little interconversion on the second column

Do gender-specific and high-resolution three dimensional body charts facilitate the communication of pain for women?:A quantitative and qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is more prevalent among women; however, the majority of standardized pain drawings are often collected using male-like androgynous body representations. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess whether gender-specific and high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) body charts facilitate the communication of pain for women. METHODS: Using mixed-methods and a cross-over design, female patients with chronic pain were asked to provide detailed drawings of their current pain on masculine and feminine two-dimensional (2D) body schemas (N=41, Part I) or on female 2D and 3D high-resolution body schemas (N=41, Part II) on a computer tablet. The consistency of the drawings between body charts were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots. Semistructured interviews and a preference questionnaire were then used to obtain qualitative and quantitative responses of the drawing experience. RESULTS: The consistency between body charts were high (Part I: ICC=0.980, Part II: ICC=0.994). The preference ratio for the masculine to feminine body schemas were 6:35 and 18:23 for the 2D to 3D female body charts. Patients reported that the 3D body chart enabled a more accurate expression of their pain due to the detailed contours of the musculature and bone structure, however, patients also reported the 3D body chart was too human and believed that skin-like appearance limited ‘deep pain’ expressions. CONCLUSIONS: Providing gender-specific body charts may facilitate the communication of pain and the level of detail (2D vs 3D body charts) should be used according to patients’ needs