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Seventy-two employees working in an engineering firm completed a series of surveys assessing their level of job burnout, number of recent stressful life and work events experienced, level or aerobic fitness, and the degree to which each was overweight. A significant and positive relationship was found between the number of stressful work events experienced and job burnout. Multiple regression analysis showed that the number of stressful work events experienced, level of aerobic fitness, and percentage of pounds overweight jointly and significantly contributed to the relationship with job burnout. A discussion of these results and their implications for future research is included.

<p>Unexplained acoustic emission spikes have been reported to occur at the workpiece entry and exit in interrupted machining operations, most notably during grinding. These AE spikes have yet to be fully explained in terms of their cause, or interpreted to yield useful information regarding the grinding process. This thesis research hence focuses on investigating this phenomenon. What started as a curiosity-driven project has resulted in an experimental technique to measure the actual contact length between the workpiece and the grinding wheel, as well as a technique for detecting grinding burn, which are of remarkable practical significance.</p> / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

No / Nanotechnology can offer new opportunities in the fight against infection. The aim of current work was to investigate an eco-friendly method for synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNP) which have the ability to load lipophilic compounds onto their surface. Pharmaceutically acceptable hydrophilic lipid (Gelucire® 50/13) has been used as a reducing agent for in situ reduction of silver nitrate so as to obtain silver nanoparticles. Propolis is used as model molecule for loading onto surface of AgNP owing to its well reported broad range of pharmacological activities including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Propolis loaded silver nanoparticles (PLSN) were prepared and characterized for silver content, surface plasmon resonance, particle size, XRD, FTIR, TEM, antibacterial activity and burn wound healing in wistar rats. Propolis constituents were successfully loaded onto surface of AgNP using the proposed conceptual method. The formation of PLSN having size 24.3 ± 2.5 nm was confirmed using surface plasmon resonance, FTIR, XRD and TEM. The combination of propolis with AgNP significantly reduced minimum inhibitory concentration of AgNP alone when tested against Staphylococcus aureus. PLSN gel showed comparable burn wound healing in wistar rats when tested against marketed silver sulfadiazine gel. The use of Gelucire® as solubilizing agent for lipophillic drugs was effectively utilized for loading lipophillic constituents of propolis onto the AgNP. This potentially provides an effective method for the green synthesis of AgNP which can be used to load lipophillic molecules onto their surface whenever such combination is required.

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Rehabilitation therapists are at risk for burnout as a result of their emotionally challenging and stressful jobs. No South African studies could be found that focus on burnout in therapists who work in the field of rehabilitation. This study attempted to determine the prevalence of burnout amongst a select group of therapists in South Africa i.e. therapy staff employed by Life Rehabilitation. In addition, contributing factors to burnout in this environment, current management of the problem and suggestions for future management were explored. A descriptive design which used both quantitative and qualitative methods was utilised. Forty-nine therapists and seven managers participated in the study. No sampling was done. Quantitative data was collected through a demographic coding sheet and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). Data were statistically analysed and a p value of < 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Interview schedules were used to guide the qualitative interviews on participants’ understanding of burnout, contributing factors, its impact on the therapists and company as well as management strategies. Qualitative data was analysed according to the inductive method. Regarding burnout prevalence in each of the subsections of the MBI, 57.14% of the therapy staff had high levels of Emotional Exhaustion (EE), 20.4% reported depersonalisation (DP) and 38.77% had low levels of Personal Accomplishment (PA). The variables associated with high burnout scores were: male gender (p=0.0238) (PA), absence of children (P=0.02994) (EE), (p=0.03895) (PA), ≤ four years tertiary education (p=0.03640) (PA), ≤ R15 000 income (p=0.02262) (PA), not working weekends (p=0.02882) (DP), none or poor coping skills (p=0.03180) (EE), high overwhelming work load (p=0.03972) (EE), (p=0.01227) (DP), overwhelming/too small patient load (p=0.02365) (EE), high administration load (p=0.00302) (PA), seldom achievable deadlines (p=0.03693) (DP), postponed contact with patients (p=0.02023) (DP), (p=0.01164) (PA) and a poor work environment (p=0.02162) (EE), (p=0.04034) (DP). The qualitative data identified the following factors as causes of burnout: relationship challenges, lack of planning and coping skills, personality type, disempowerment, the nature of rehabilitation work, private health care environment, ethical dilemmas, time pressures, lack of rewards, lack of space and resources, uncertainty/change, lack of support from management and high workload. The following burnout management strategies emerged from the qualitative data: psycho-social intervention, team building, decrease in workload/increase in staff, adjustment of administrative workload, acknowledgement of staff through salaries and other rewards, adjustment to leave package, improved orientation and induction of staff, “time-out” opportunities, development of staff and managers, improved treatment facilities, feedback from discharged patients as well as implementation of burnout monitoring systems and development of a burnout policy and burnout management system. Recommendations to Life Rehabilitation focus on practical strategies regarding the detection, prevention and management of burnout in therapists. The groundwork has been done through this research. Successful strategic implementation will depend on the leadership of the organisation and without these key players and all the other role players involved, commitment in terms of time, money and allocation of resources it will remain an academic exercise. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die gevaar bestaan dat gesondheidswerkers hulle kan “uitbrand” as gevolg van die emosioneel uitmergelende aspekte van hul werk en die kroniese inspanning waaraan hulle blootgestel word. Geen Suid-Afrikaanse studies kon gevind word wat op uitbranding van die terapeut of die terapeut-assistent in die rehabilitasieveld fokus nie. Hierdie studie het die oogmerk om die prevalensie van uitbranding onder ’n selektiewe groep terapeute, die terapeute in diens van Life Rehabilitasie in Suid Afrika, te bepaal. Ter aanvulling van die prevalensie van uitbranding, is die bydraende faktore van uitbranding in hierdie omgewing, die huidige bestuur van die probleem en voorstelle vir toekomstige bestuur ondersoek. ’n Beskrywende studie-ontwerp, wat sowel kwantitatiewe as kwalitatiewe metodes insluit, is vir data-insameling en -ontleding gebruik. ’n Steekproef is nie gebruik nie. Nege-en-veertig terapeute en sewe bestuurders het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die demografiese inligting is met behulp van ’n demografiese kodeblad ingesamel en maak deel uit van die kwantitatiewe data. ’n P waarde van < 0,05 is as statisties beduidend beskou. Daar is van die Maslach Uitbranding-Inventaris (Maslach Burnout Inventory) gebruik gemaak om die prevalensie van uitbranding te bepaal. Onderhoudskedules is gebruik tydens die kwalitatiewe onderhoude waartydens deelnemers se begrip van uitbranding, die bydraende faktore en die impak op die terapeute en maatskappy, asook die bestuurstrategieë te bepaal. Die kwalitatiewe data is volgens die induktiewe metode ontleed. Aangaande die dimensies van uitbranding, het die studie bevind dat 57,14% van die terapeute hoog getoets het vir emosionele uitputting (EU), 20.4% het in die hoë kategorie vir depersonalisasie (DP) geval en 38,77% het lae vlakke van persoonlike vervulling (PV) gehad. Die veranderlikes wat met hoë uitbranding-tellings verband gehou het, was manlike geslag (p=0.0238) (PV), gebrek aan kinders (p=0.02994) (EU), (p=0.03895) (PV), ≤ vier jaar tersiêre opleiding (p=0.03640) (PV), ≤ R15 000 inkomste (p=0.02262) (PV), geen werk oor naweke (p=0.02882) (DP), geen of min bybly-vermoëns (p=0.03180) (EU), hoë, oorweldigende werklas (p=0.03972) (EU), (p=0.01227) (DP), oorweldigende of ontoereikende pasiënt-belading (p=0.02365) (EU), hoë administratiewe werklas (p=0.00302) (PA), selde bereikbare spertye (p=0.03693) (DP), uitgestelde kontak met pasiënte (p=0.02023) (DP), (p=0.01164) (PV), ’n swak werksomgewing (p=0.02162) (EU), (p=0.04034) (DP). Die hoof-oorsake van uitbranding is faktore wat met individue, pasiënt/werk, bestuur en administrasie verband hou. Strategieë is geïdentifiseer wat gebruik kan word om uitbranding konstruktief in hierdie omgewing te bestuur en sluit psigiese-sosiale behandeling, spanverbeteringe, werk/pasiënt aanpassings, erkenning van personeel, verlofaanpassings, vakansietyd-geleenthede, personeelontwikkeling en bestuursverbetering, asook die implementering van moniteringsisteme en beleidsontwikkeling in. Aanbevelings vir Life Rehabilitation is onder meer praktiese strategieë vir die opsporing, voorkoming en bestuur van uitbranding onder terapeute. Die aanvoorwerk is deur hierdie navorsing gedoen. Suksesvolle implementering van die strategieë sal van die leierskap in die organisasie afhang. Sonder hierdie en ander sleutelfigure, hul toegewydheid ten opsigte van tyd, geld en toewysing van middele sal dit slage akademise waarde hê.

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

Thesis (doctoral)--Fernuniversität, Hagen. / Includes bibliographical references (p. [154]-165).