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published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

Fissile materials in the form of aqueous homogeneous solutions are used during the chemical processing of nuclear materials. In this form there exists the possibility of an accidental criticality. A one-dimensional multi-region model was developed for simulating fast power excursions in a cylinderical homogeneous aqueous fissile solution. The model includes a novel method for computing reactivity feedback that accounts for the axial distribution of power and solution density. The feedback method is based on the change in neutron leakage due to a change in solution density. The model also includes an equation of state derived from quasi-static thermodynamic theory for a solution containing gas bubbles. The model was compared to the KEWB-5 (Kinetic Experiments on Water Boilers) series of experiments. The model could approximate the values of peak power and pressure found in the experiments, but the pressure curves did not match the shapes of the experimental pressure traces.

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Student Number : 99112152G - MA dissertation - School of Human and Community Development - Faculty of Humanities / Aviation maintenance is an area where better efficiency is needed to cope with ever increasing workloads. However aviation maintenance has also been identified as one of the major causes of accidents and also where maintenance personnel can sustain injuries. Consequently, if further efficiencies are to be achieved, they cannot come at the cost of reduced safety margins. The present study was concerned with identifying the reasons and attributions of injury incidents in major maintenance operations. Moreover compare team leaders and technicians and also investigate whether human error contributes to injury incidents. Much of previous research in this area has employed human error theory. In the present research the researcher tapped into the mainstream psychological theories to help clarify the mechanism underlying the links between the injury incidents and behaviour. The present study employed attribution theory and the theory of reasoned action to share light on explaining behaviour. The sample consisted of 17 participants, five team leaders and twelve aircraft technicians from different departments in major maintenance. Results of the study indicate that participants experienced different injury incidents in major maintenance. These injury incidents occurred as a result of various contributory factors. Contributory factors cited were equipment deficiencies, pressure, slippery and dirty floors and stands. Team leaders and technicians had similar and different responses towards the research questions asked. Types of errors that contributed to these injury incidents were slips, skill-based, knowledge-based errors and most importantly, violations. Participants made external attributions towards injury incidents. Explanations using reasoned action theory with regard to the reasons and actions that lead to injury incidents were related more subjective norm and also associated with violations and pressure.

The rapidly increasing loss of industrial accidents has become a big barrier to the development of modern industry. Therefore, safety and reliability in the industry should be treated seriously. Although there are many achievements in safety and reliability research, still many challenges are waiting for people to address. Human reliability is one of the most representative challenges. The source idea and methodology of human reliability are very different with facility reliability analysis, so in most system reliability analysis, facility reliability and human reliability are isolated with each other, and sometimes, human reliability is even neglected, which decrease the quality of system reliability analysis. However, according to many safety reports, human factors are always playing the root reason or one of the root reasons to activate the accidents. Regarding that, the integrated model, which involves human reliability and facility reliability, should be constructed. Therefore, in this Ph.D. research, a Markov chain based mathematical model, which contains human reliability and facility reliability, is established. Besides, only a simple model is not enough in solving the integrated reliability analysis problem, so the mathematical will be taken in optimization to find the best solutions for system reliability with the consideration on reliability requirements and budget requirements. Afterwards, based on the optimized result on human reliability, a Cognitive Reliability and Error Analysis Method (CREAM) based method is adopted to predict the real human reliability data, and if the real data fails to meet the optimized human reliability data, the CREAM will be used as a method to reasonably and logically provide a variety of human reliability promotion plans for people use. Finally, facing those plans, a decision supporting model should be built to help people choose the most reasonable plan for current use and future updating. Overall, an integrated model for both human and facility factors is constructed for industry use. This new proposed model has been tested on Beihai LNG Terminal in Guangxi China.

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Falls risk factor assessment is the first step in the development of appropriate intervention strategies for the prevention of falls. However, few multifactorial, validated falls risk assessments exist which are suitable for use in busy clinical settings. This project aimed to develop a reliable and valid falls risk assessment that was feasible for use in various clinical settings. The QuickScreen Clinical Falls Risk Assessment was developed and evaluated via four methods; a) the test-retest reliability of the measures was assessed with 30 community-dwelling older people, b) the concurrent validity of the measures was assessed by comparison with performance in the Physiological Profile Assessment, c) the predictive validity of the measures was assessed by comparison of performance with prospective falls in two studies involving large samples of community dwelling older people and d) the feasibility of the assessment was evaluated with 40 clinicians who trialled the assessment with their patients. The QuickScreen clinical falls risk assessment consists of eight measures, including previous falls, total medications, psychoactive medications, visual acuity, touch sensation, the sit to stand test, the near tandem stand test and the alternate step test. The test-retest reliability of the assessment measures was acceptable (intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.56 to 0.89) and the assessment measures discriminated between multiple fallers and non-multiple fallers with relative risk values ranging from 1.4 to 2.5. The clinicians that trialled the assessment reported that it was quick and easy to administer and that it assisted in the management of their elderly patients. These results show that the QuickScreen Clinical Falls Risk Assessment has proven validity, test-retest reliability and is practical for use in a variety of clinical settings.

Falls risk factor assessment is the first step in the development of appropriate intervention strategies for the prevention of falls. However, few multifactorial, validated falls risk assessments exist which are suitable for use in busy clinical settings. This project aimed to develop a reliable and valid falls risk assessment that was feasible for use in various clinical settings. The QuickScreen Clinical Falls Risk Assessment was developed and evaluated via four methods; a) the test-retest reliability of the measures was assessed with 30 community-dwelling older people, b) the concurrent validity of the measures was assessed by comparison with performance in the Physiological Profile Assessment, c) the predictive validity of the measures was assessed by comparison of performance with prospective falls in two studies involving large samples of community dwelling older people and d) the feasibility of the assessment was evaluated with 40 clinicians who trialled the assessment with their patients. The QuickScreen clinical falls risk assessment consists of eight measures, including previous falls, total medications, psychoactive medications, visual acuity, touch sensation, the sit to stand test, the near tandem stand test and the alternate step test. The test-retest reliability of the assessment measures was acceptable (intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.56 to 0.89) and the assessment measures discriminated between multiple fallers and non-multiple fallers with relative risk values ranging from 1.4 to 2.5. The clinicians that trialled the assessment reported that it was quick and easy to administer and that it assisted in the management of their elderly patients. These results show that the QuickScreen Clinical Falls Risk Assessment has proven validity, test-retest reliability and is practical for use in a variety of clinical settings.