Highly skilled nurses amongst the OR team, are needed in the operating room (OR) to ensure optimal patient safety. Shortages in experienced OR nurses and a stressful working environment prove to have a negative influence on effective safe patient care as well as a negative effect on nurses’ own well-being. The research focused on the effectiveness of sensory stimulation therapy (SST) to strengthen the well-being of nurses in the OR of a private hospital in the North-West Province. SST, better known as Snoezelen™, is a blend of sight, sounds, textures, aromas and motion providing stimulation to the primary senses (Collier, McPherson, et al., 2010:698). The five primary senses are gently stimulated without any intellectual activity needed. A particular aim with SST is to improve the well-being of individuals by setting them at ease. The well-being of OR nurses was studied from a resilience viewpoint assuming that, if exposure to stressors was limited and the individual did have an opportunity to recover, stressors may have a positive, toughening effect. Well-being and resilience was used interchangeably in the study. The objectives of the study were to explore and describe OR nurses‟ needs for SST, to explore and describe OR nurses’ suggestions with regard to the implementation of SST in an OR and to explore and describe the effectiveness of a SST intervention to strengthen the well- being of OR nurses in a private hospital in the North-West Province. An explorative, descriptive quasi-experimental design within a quantitative approach was used. Seventy two participants from two private hospitals in the North-West Province voluntarily participated in the research. A pre-/post-test design was used. One pilot group, one intervention group and one comparison group were identified. Participants from all three the participating groups completed a self administered resilience scale questionnaire before and after the implementation of a SST intervention. Before the intervention 100% participants from the pilot group, 100% participants from the intervention group and 96% participants from the comparison group completed the self administered resilience scale questionnaire. Participants of the intervention group also completed a self report questionnaire from which their needs could be determined and suggestions were made on the implementation of a SST intervention. A 98% response rate was obtained for these self report questionnaires. After the intervention the intervention group’s participants were invited to write narratives regarding their experiences after visiting the SST room. The intervention was implemented for a period of two consecutive months in the OR of one of the private hospitals. After the intervention an 88% response rate from the pilot group, 100% response rate from the intervention group and a 63% response rate from the comparison group, completing self administered resilience scale questionnaires, were obtained. Data was analysed with the assistance of a statistical consultant at the North-West University in Potchefstroom by using STATISTICA (version 10) and SPSS (version 20, release 20.0.0) (StatSoft Inc., 2011, SPSS Inc., 211). Results indicated that there was no statistical difference between the three participating groups regarding their resilience before the intervention. However, after the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated a statistical increase in their resilience levels. Based on these results, as well as on conclusions of relevant literature and the feedback from participants in their written narratives, recommendations were formulated with regard to nursing education, nursing practice and further research. Briefly it means that there should be more consideration for OR nurses’ well-being by means of a SST program providing for their needs. Recommendations included the benefits of a SST room in a hospital environment as well as complete instructions on how to create and to furnish such a room. Attributes of resilience, factors influencing resilience levels and methods to increase resilience levels in the workplace should be included in a regular in-service training program. For future research the researcher recommended further studies in order to determine the resilience levels in various departments of private hospitals. This could mean the successful implementation of a SST room in other departments as well which will eventually lead to the improved well-being of all nursing staff. The researcher is willing to act as a consultant if the need arises for the comparison groups to implement a SST intervention in their different departments. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Highly skilled nurses amongst the OR team, are needed in the operating room (OR) to ensure optimal patient safety. Shortages in experienced OR nurses and a stressful working environment prove to have a negative influence on effective safe patient care as well as a negative effect on nurses’ own well-being. The research focused on the effectiveness of sensory stimulation therapy (SST) to strengthen the well-being of nurses in the OR of a private hospital in the North-West Province. SST, better known as Snoezelen™, is a blend of sight, sounds, textures, aromas and motion providing stimulation to the primary senses (Collier, McPherson, et al., 2010:698). The five primary senses are gently stimulated without any intellectual activity needed. A particular aim with SST is to improve the well-being of individuals by setting them at ease. The well-being of OR nurses was studied from a resilience viewpoint assuming that, if exposure to stressors was limited and the individual did have an opportunity to recover, stressors may have a positive, toughening effect. Well-being and resilience was used interchangeably in the study. The objectives of the study were to explore and describe OR nurses‟ needs for SST, to explore and describe OR nurses’ suggestions with regard to the implementation of SST in an OR and to explore and describe the effectiveness of a SST intervention to strengthen the well- being of OR nurses in a private hospital in the North-West Province. An explorative, descriptive quasi-experimental design within a quantitative approach was used. Seventy two participants from two private hospitals in the North-West Province voluntarily participated in the research. A pre-/post-test design was used. One pilot group, one intervention group and one comparison group were identified. Participants from all three the participating groups completed a self administered resilience scale questionnaire before and after the implementation of a SST intervention. Before the intervention 100% participants from the pilot group, 100% participants from the intervention group and 96% participants from the comparison group completed the self administered resilience scale questionnaire. Participants of the intervention group also completed a self report questionnaire from which their needs could be determined and suggestions were made on the implementation of a SST intervention. A 98% response rate was obtained for these self report questionnaires. After the intervention the intervention group’s participants were invited to write narratives regarding their experiences after visiting the SST room. The intervention was implemented for a period of two consecutive months in the OR of one of the private hospitals. After the intervention an 88% response rate from the pilot group, 100% response rate from the intervention group and a 63% response rate from the comparison group, completing self administered resilience scale questionnaires, were obtained. Data was analysed with the assistance of a statistical consultant at the North-West University in Potchefstroom by using STATISTICA (version 10) and SPSS (version 20, release 20.0.0) (StatSoft Inc., 2011, SPSS Inc., 211). Results indicated that there was no statistical difference between the three participating groups regarding their resilience before the intervention. However, after the intervention, the intervention group demonstrated a statistical increase in their resilience levels. Based on these results, as well as on conclusions of relevant literature and the feedback from participants in their written narratives, recommendations were formulated with regard to nursing education, nursing practice and further research. Briefly it means that there should be more consideration for OR nurses’ well-being by means of a SST program providing for their needs. Recommendations included the benefits of a SST room in a hospital environment as well as complete instructions on how to create and to furnish such a room. Attributes of resilience, factors influencing resilience levels and methods to increase resilience levels in the workplace should be included in a regular in-service training program. For future research the researcher recommended further studies in order to determine the resilience levels in various departments of private hospitals. This could mean the successful implementation of a SST room in other departments as well which will eventually lead to the improved well-being of all nursing staff. The researcher is willing to act as a consultant if the need arises for the comparison groups to implement a SST intervention in their different departments. / Thesis (MCur)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Toronto, 2006. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-06, Section: B, page: 3485. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-132).

O trabalho intitulado “Jardim Sensorial e Práticas Pedagógicas em Educação Ambiental” relata uma pesquisa desenvolvida em uma escola privada localizada na cidade de Pato Branco, Paraná. O estudo teve como objetivo analisar práticas pedagógicas conduzidas por docentes em um Jardim Sensorial implantado nesta escola, com o intuito de identificar possíveis relações entre as práticas desenvolvidas pelos docentes e diferentes perspectivas de Educação Ambiental no Brasil, ainda que as atividades não fossem pensadas explicitamente como de Educação Ambiental. Neste texto apresentamos um breve histórico dos jardins ambientais e sensoriais no Brasil, bem como apresentamos uma revisão de estudos que tenham discutido a utilização desses espaços para o desenvolvimento de práticas pedagógicas. Focalizamos teoricamente a Educação Ambiental, situando-a historicamente no contexto da crise ambiental. Contemplamos algumas considerações teóricas sobre as atuais tendências dessa educação no país. Os dados foram coletados mediante observação participante e entrevistas com professores e alunos após as práticas desenvolvidas no Jardim Sensorial. O desenvolvimento das práticas pedagógicas pelos professores utilizando esse espaço suscitou questões e reflexões que poderiam ser consideradas do âmbito da Educação Ambiental, as quais talvez não tivessem aparecido se tais práticas tivessem sido desenvolvidas em sala de aula. Os resultados da pesquisa apontam para a importância de os professores estarem preparados para uma atuação pedagógica que extrapole os limites de suas disciplinas de formação, no sentido da interdisciplinaridade e para a pertinência da transversalidade na Educação Ambiental. Acreditamos que as práticas desenvolvidas no Jardim Sensorial e relatadas nesta dissertação, por mais simples que tenham sido, encaminharam alunos e professores ao desenvolvimento de uma visão mais crítica sobre o meio ambiente. Por fim, o trabalho demonstra que a utilização de ambientes diferentes dos convencionais em práticas pedagógicas pode propiciar aprendizado e crescimento mútuo entre docentes e discentes, bem como promover uma Educação Ambiental de forma criativa, na direção contrária das práticas pontuais e sem sentido, as quais têm pouco ou nenhum impacto duradouro. / This work entitled Sensory Garden and Pedagogical Practices in Environment Education reports a research developed in a Private School located in Pato Branco, Paraná. The study aimed to analyze pedagogical practices conducted by teachers in a sensory garden installed in this school, in order to identify possible relationship between the practices developed by teachers and different perspectives on Environment Education in Brazil, even though the activities were not designated explicitly to Environment Education. In this dissertation we present a brief history of environmental and sensory in Brazil and make a revision of studies that have discussed the use of these spaces to the development of pedagogical practices. We focus theoretically the Environment Education, situating it historically in the context of environment crisis. We contemplate some theoretical considers about current trends in this education in Brazil. The data were collected through participant observation and surveys with teachers and students after the practices developed in the sensory garden. The development of pedagogical practices by teachers using this place raised questions and reflections that could be considered the scope of environmental education, which might have not appeared if such practices have been developed in classroom. Finally, this work demonstrates that the use of different spaces in pedagogical practices can promote mutual growth and learning between teachers and students, as well as promote Environmental Education in a creative way, in the opposite direction of the specific practices and meaningless, which have little or no lasting impact.

Preterm infants are exposed to high levels of modified early sensory experience in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Reports that preterm infants show deficits in contingency detection and learning when compared to full-term infants (Gekoski, Fagen, & Pearlman, 1984; Haley, Weinberg, & Grunau, 2006) suggest that their exposure to atypical amounts or types of sensory stimulation might contribute to deficits in these critical skills. Experimental modifications of sensory experience are severely limited with human fetuses and preterm infants, and previous studies with precocial bird embryos that develop in ovo have proven useful to assess the effects of modified perinatal sensory experience on subsequent perceptual and cognitive development. In the current study, I assessed whether increasing amounts of prenatal auditory or visual stimulation can interfere with quail neonates’ contingency detection and contingency learning in the days following hatching. Results revealed that augmented prenatal visual stimulation prior to hatching does not disrupt the ability of bobwhite chicks to recognize and prefer information learned in a contingent fashion, whereas augmented prenatal auditory stimulation disrupted the ability of chicks to benefit from contingently presented information. These results suggest that specific types of augmented prenatal stimulation that embryos receive during late prenatal period can impair the ability to learn and remember contingently presented information. These results provide testable developmental hypotheses, with the goal of improving the developmental care and management of preterm neonates in the NICU setting.

No description available.

Although human beings continuously learn through their experiences and impressions, the most important years in determining all actions and decisions which will be made in life, are during childhood. In designing spaces for children, their perception of the built environment and interaction with their surroundings needs to be understood in terms of the influence that elements of architecture and the landscape have on their sensorial and motoric actions as well as social activities. FEEL + LEARN + HEAL, the subject of this dissertation, is a centre for childhood development and an ambulatory clinic, which will demonstrate how built environments enhance perceptual experience by means of sensory stimulation and healing environments. The study area is located on the urban edge, north east of Pretoria's Central Business District and forms a gateway into the city at a large intersection, where Boom, Soutpansberg, Dr. Savage and du Toit Street intersect. / Dissertation MArch(Prof)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Architecture / MArch(Prof) / Unrestricted

Since many educators and philosophers, including Montessori and Piaget, advocate training of the sense as a prerequisite to formal learning, and since two ERIC searches failed to turn up such research it was decided to test out it the use of a multi-sensory curriculum does influence the achievement level of young children.

Orientador: Ana Cláudia Moreira Almeida-Verdu / Coorientador: Maria Cecília Bevilacqua / Banca: Aline Roberta Aceituno da Costa / Resumo: Considerando a privação severa da audição e a reabilitação pelo implante coclear o presente estudo teve como objetivos verificar os efeitos de um programa sistemático de fortalecimento de repertório de linguagem receptiva sobre o repertório expressivo. Participaram desse estudo 06 crianças deficientes auditivas implantadas na faixa etária de 11 anos e 4 meses a 14 anos e 2 meses, todos com deficiência auditiva neurossensorial profunda bilateral, com categoria de linguagem 5 e de audição 6, regularmente matriculadas no Ensino Fundamental. Para coleta de dados foi utilizado um microcomputador e o software MST para a programação das rotinas de ensino e teste e registro das respostas do participante. As sessões foram filmadas para o registro e análise das vocalizações. O delineamento consistiu no ensino da tarefa pelo procedimento de emparelhamento com o modelo (pré-treino), em seguida uma avaliação do repertório do participante em modos ativos e receptivos de linguagem (pré-testes gerais). Foram selecionadas seis palavras cujas vocalizações apresentavam distorções para compor as rotinas de ensino e de teste e o fortalecimento ocorreu três a três. O ensino consistiu no fortalecimento do reconhecimento auditivo (relações condicionais auditivo-visuais AB); posteriormente foi realizado um pós-teste de nomeação de figuras (BD) e de leitura de palavras (CD), conduzidos com as seis palavras selecionadas dos pré-testes gerais. Na seqüência, o participante foi exposto ao fortalecimento de relações entre palavra ditada e palavra impressa (AC), seguido, novamente, pelos pós-testes de nomeação de figuras (BD) e leitura de palavras (CD). Após o segundo pós-teste de nomeação era verificada a formação de classes pelo teste das relações BC e CB, seguido pelos pós-testes de nomeação de figuras (BD) e de leitura de palavras (CD)... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Considering the severe deprivation of hearing and cochler implant rehabilitation for the present study was designed to evaluate the effects of a systematic program of building a repertoire of receptive language on the expressive repertoire. Study partiicipants 06 deaf children implanted at the age of 11 years and 4 months to 14 years and 2 months, all with profound bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, with language category 5 and hearing, regularly enrolled in elementary school. To collect data we used a microcomputer and software MST for pragramming the routines of teaching and recording of participant responses. The sessions were taped for the record and analysis of vacalizations. The experient consisted in teaching the task by the pairing procedure with the model (pretraining), then evaluate the repertoire of the participant active and receptive modes of language (pre-tests overall). Six words were selected which had distorted vocals to make up the routines of teaching and strengthening occurred three to three. The teaching consisted in strengthening the auditory recognition (auditory-visual conditional relations AB), later a post-test of picture naming (BD) and word reading (CD), conducted with the six selected words of the pre-tests General. Next, the participant was exposed to the strengthening of relations between word dictated and printed words (CA), followed again by post-tests of picture naming (BD) and word reading (CD). After the second post-test appointment was checked by testing training classes BC and CB relations, followed by post-tests of picture naming (BD) and word reading (CD). Finally, the teaching was done in the selection of syllables that made up the words of instruction (AC) followed by post-tests of vocalization. The relations, have learned auditory-visual relations and class formation attested; results showed variability in the repertoire... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre