Emergency on-call duties have been highlighted as a key stress factor in newly qualified physiotherapists whose job performance may be affected. The concept of stress relating to on-call work, the general lack of interest or confidence in the respiratory on-call field, and subsequent difficulties with recruitment and retention, pose a difficult problem for managers of services responsible for the maintenance of a competent workforce and a high standard of service provision. Differences in novice and expert physiotherapists’ patient management and clinical reasoning strategies have been previously examined in orthopaedic, neurology, domiciliary and cardiorespiratory fields. However, no such investigations have been undertaken in the field of emergency on-call. The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed between novice and expert physiotherapists who had by definition differing levels of context-related experience within the emergency on-call environment. This study also aimed to consider what factors may influence their physiotherapy intervention for an acute cardiorespiratory patient. A purpose-designed vignette-based postal questionnaire was administered to 26 emergency on-call providers in New Zealand. The questionnaire sought demographic data, investigated participants’ attitudes towards emergency on-call service provision and presented a vignette-based clinical scenario which asked questions throughout an evolving clinical case scenario. Analysis was performed using the computer software package for social sciences, SPSS for Windows (version 14), results were analysed using descriptive statistics, and significance testing was performed using non-parametric methods. A good response rate was achieved (78.8%; n = 56). Statistically significant differences between novices and experts were determined in scores for confidence, stress, and support required, also in the factors affecting stress levels. Novices are less confident (p = < .0001), more stressed (p = < .001) and require more support than experts (p = < .001). Factors which influenced both novice, and to a lesser extent, expert stress levels when working as emergency on-call physiotherapists, were established. A relationship was determined between confidence and level of support required (r = -.65; p = < .001); confidence and amount of stress felt (r = -.58; p = < .001); and support required and stress felt (r = .47; p = < .001). Some differences were demonstrated between novice and expert physiotherapists in their answers to a clinical case scenario. Although these were not statistically significant, a trend was noted which may reflect the different clinical reasoning strategies of these physiotherapists. There is a need for novices to gain the type of experience which includes independent problem solving and guided reflection; the use of vignette-based case studies may be one method which could be further exploited. The profession is responsible for the provision of better ways to meet the needs of our future emergency on-call workforce. If this is not achieved, other professional groups will be required to fill the gaps and physiotherapy; particularly cardiorespiratory physiotherapy will lose out.

Emergency on-call duties have been highlighted as a key stress factor in newly qualified physiotherapists whose job performance may be affected. The concept of stress relating to on-call work, the general lack of interest or confidence in the respiratory on-call field, and subsequent difficulties with recruitment and retention, pose a difficult problem for managers of services responsible for the maintenance of a competent workforce and a high standard of service provision. Differences in novice and expert physiotherapists’ patient management and clinical reasoning strategies have been previously examined in orthopaedic, neurology, domiciliary and cardiorespiratory fields. However, no such investigations have been undertaken in the field of emergency on-call. The purpose of this study was to determine if differences existed between novice and expert physiotherapists who had by definition differing levels of context-related experience within the emergency on-call environment. This study also aimed to consider what factors may influence their physiotherapy intervention for an acute cardiorespiratory patient. A purpose-designed vignette-based postal questionnaire was administered to 26 emergency on-call providers in New Zealand. The questionnaire sought demographic data, investigated participants’ attitudes towards emergency on-call service provision and presented a vignette-based clinical scenario which asked questions throughout an evolving clinical case scenario. Analysis was performed using the computer software package for social sciences, SPSS for Windows (version 14), results were analysed using descriptive statistics, and significance testing was performed using non-parametric methods. A good response rate was achieved (78.8%; n = 56). Statistically significant differences between novices and experts were determined in scores for confidence, stress, and support required, also in the factors affecting stress levels. Novices are less confident (p = < .0001), more stressed (p = < .001) and require more support than experts (p = < .001). Factors which influenced both novice, and to a lesser extent, expert stress levels when working as emergency on-call physiotherapists, were established. A relationship was determined between confidence and level of support required (r = -.65; p = < .001); confidence and amount of stress felt (r = -.58; p = < .001); and support required and stress felt (r = .47; p = < .001). Some differences were demonstrated between novice and expert physiotherapists in their answers to a clinical case scenario. Although these were not statistically significant, a trend was noted which may reflect the different clinical reasoning strategies of these physiotherapists. There is a need for novices to gain the type of experience which includes independent problem solving and guided reflection; the use of vignette-based case studies may be one method which could be further exploited. The profession is responsible for the provision of better ways to meet the needs of our future emergency on-call workforce. If this is not achieved, other professional groups will be required to fill the gaps and physiotherapy; particularly cardiorespiratory physiotherapy will lose out.

Au fil des générations, l'évaluation de programme a traversé de nombreux changements (nécessaires), qui l'ont conduite à devenir une activité à la fois technique et sociopolitique. Aujourd'hui, elle est d'une indéniable complexité du fait notamment de la nature des situations évaluatives rencontrées, dont les caractéristiques influencent la faisabilité, la fiabilité et l'utilité de l'évaluation. Des situations animées de contraintes sociopolitiques et organisationnelles importantes, de problèmes sur le plan des intrants disponibles, de l'accessibilité des données, etc. En outre, la qualité de l'évaluation est tributaire de la capacité de l'évaluateur à mobiliser des savoirs pratiques en situation, son expertise, et son jugement afin d'entreprendre les choix méthodologiques les plus appropriés. Inscrite dans une perspective interprétative, cette étude explore et tente de comparer les choix méthodologiques opérés par des évaluateurs novices et experts œuvrant dans des cabinets de conseil (n=8) lors de la réalisation de leurs évaluations de programme ; et la façon dont ils appréhendent et gèrent les contraintes situationnelles. Elle mobilise deux types d'activités reconnues pour l'analyse des pratiques professionnelles des évaluateurs de programmes : 1. la métaévaluation d'un projet tierce rapportée durant un entretien non dirigé ; et 2. l'entretien d'explicitation centré sur un projet d'évaluation passé avec, en amont, l'analyse des devis évaluatifs faisant l'objet de l'exercice d'explicitation. À partir de ces deux types d'activités, il devient possible d'examiner et croiser les bonnes pratiques et les pratiques réelles des participants. Les résultats s'inscrivent dans le contexte de l'évaluation externe de programmes publics fédéraux sous la direction d'un chef d'évaluation interne responsable de la planification initiale et la suppression de l'évaluation, et la consultation d'un comité interne composé d'utilisateurs ciblés. Au sein des équipes évaluatives externes, on observe une certaine hiérarchie dans l'organisation du travail. L'évaluateur expert est le gestionnaire de l'évaluation et il est chargé d'activités cruciales comme la conception et la communication de l'évaluation. L'évaluateur novice peut exercer dans une capacité d'exécutant/exécutant avancé de tâches de collecte et d'analyse de données (travail en silo), ou de collaborateur et participer à l'évaluation dès sa conception. Ultimement, les choix méthodologiques sont du ressort de l'évaluateur expert. Les pratiques réelles des évaluateurs novices sont ancrées dans le développement de leurs compétences méthodologiques et de leurs capacités analytiques, ce qui transparaît sur le plan de leurs bonnes pratiques. L'articulation de leurs pratiques se centre sur une logique technique/méthodologique de production de connaissances quant aux objets évalués. Pour eux, il est essentiel de démontrer le caractère approprié de la démarche d'évaluation, l'effort de rigueur, la fiabilité et la représentativité de la méthodologie évaluative (c.-à-d. l'alignement du contenu du cadre d'évaluation, le caractère systématique des procédures, la représentativité des sources d'information, la transparence du raisonnement évaluatif, etc.). Si dans le cadre de l'analyse critique d'un devis tierce, les évaluateurs novices reconnaissent l'influence de différents facteurs contextuels sur l'évaluation, leur analyse demeure superficielle et décontextualisée comparativement aux évaluateurs experts. En effet, les pratiques réelles tout comme les pratiques recommandées des évaluateurs experts sont influencées par la situation évaluative réelle et centrée sur les résultats. La priorité, pour eux, est de veiller au caractère approprié et faisable du devis d'évaluation à la lumière des caractéristiques de l'objet évalué ou evaluand (complexité de la théorie de programme, envergure des objectifs, caractère facilement observable de ses résultats ou non, etc.), des exigences politico-organisationnelles (la Politique évaluative fédérale, ses directives méthodologiques et ses normes, la collaboration avec le chef de l'évaluation interne, etc.), et des ressources disponibles (temps, argent, données probantes existantes et accessibles, etc.). Et ce, tout en assurant la fiabilité, la représentativité et l'utilité de l'évaluation. Il s'agit d'un raisonnement que les évaluateurs novices semblent commencer à s'approprier dès lors qu'ils ont l'occasion de participer à l'évaluation dès la phase de conception. Les résultats montrent que la pertinence du devis d'évaluation repose sur la capacité des évaluateurs à réaliser un diagnostic efficace de la situation évaluative rencontrée afin de revoir et opérationnaliser les paramètres de l'évaluation initialement prescrits par les clients, et de s'assurer de la faisabilité et de la légitimité de l'évaluation. Cette entreprise nécessite la mobilisation de savoirs méthodologiques procéduraux et expérientiels, de connaissances spécifiques à l'environnement professionnel (programmes publics, système politico-organisationnel du gouvernement fédéral, politique évaluative, gouvernance de l'évaluation externe de programmes publics, etc.), de savoir-faire relationnels, et de savoir-faire cognitifs acquis dans et par l'expérience (indispensables à l'analyse de la situation et à la résolution de problèmes, à la conception et à la réalisation de l'évaluation). Les résultats soulignent ici l'incidence du niveau d'expertise de l'évaluateur de programme externe sur sa capacité à anticiper, identifier, comprendre et gérer efficacement les contraintes situationnelles afin de concevoir une évaluation fiable et utile. Ils montrent l'importance d'offrir le plus tôt possible aux évaluateurs novices l'occasion de participer à des projets d'évaluation du début à la fin, d'accroître les occasions d'observation et de contribution sur le plan de la conception et de la gestion de l'évaluation dans le cadre de petits projets où le devis est plutôt simple. Des tâches cruciales qui, dans le présent contexte de pratique, sont réalisées par les évaluateurs experts.

Text in English / The literature review indicated similarities between education and chess playing and possible transfer of knowledge between these two different domains. A link was then suggested between some aspects of intellectual abilities and chess instruction in children, but not in adults (Frydman & Lynn, 1992; Waters, Doll & Mayr, 1987). In this research study the aim was to explore the relationship between chess playing and cognitive and intellectual development in Grade R learners at Garsieland. Therefore the positive influence that chess playing brings to bear on the intelligence of 64 Grade R learners (as measured on intelligence scales) was investigated. The data was collected through short biographical questionnaires and psychometric tests and the participants in both groups were assessed on two occasions. The study suggested that chess instruction exerted a positive (small) effect on Performance intelligence and subsequently on the Global scale of the Junior South African Intelligence Scales. The children in both groups also exhibited improved cognitive development after the 40 week period during 2009. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

Text in English / The literature review indicated similarities between education and chess playing and possible transfer of knowledge between these two different domains. A link was then suggested between some aspects of intellectual abilities and chess instruction in children, but not in adults (Frydman & Lynn, 1992; Waters, Doll & Mayr, 1987). In this research study the aim was to explore the relationship between chess playing and cognitive and intellectual development in Grade R learners at Garsieland. Therefore the positive influence that chess playing brings to bear on the intelligence of 64 Grade R learners (as measured on intelligence scales) was investigated. The data was collected through short biographical questionnaires and psychometric tests and the participants in both groups were assessed on two occasions. The study suggested that chess instruction exerted a positive (small) effect on Performance intelligence and subsequently on the Global scale of the Junior South African Intelligence Scales. The children in both groups also exhibited improved cognitive development after the 40 week period during 2009. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)