To document the design, prototype and manufacture of a lounge, which stimulates communication and human interaction. The lounge will also question conventional seating arrangements, and redefine how two people can sit in relation to each other, converse, interact and exchange body language. The process began with an initial design sketch, and producing a prototype. This step was required, as it was the starting point for the major project. It provided me with an initial design to criticize and improve on. The major project is intended to test the validity of the initial design, analyse the markets, and improve the design in relation to ergonomic issues, material/manufacturing resolution and produce a marketing plan. The next stage of the process was the gathering and analysis of relevant information in order to redefine the design brief. This involved preliminary research into marketing, ergonomics, materials and manufacturing processes. With the design brief now established, concepts were prepared and compared against the products criteria. The design solution which best met the criteria was further detailed and developed. Finally, a business plan was put together to test the commercial viability of the lounge. The business plan was comprised of the viable markets, production cost, investment cost, discounted cash flow, and sensitivity analysis.

The nursing workforce has experienced considerable change during the previous decade, resulting in a chronic shortage of nurses. Issues such as economic rationalism, increased workloads, changes in nursing education and the advancing age of the current nursing workforce are the chief contributors to this shortage (Australian Institute of Health & Welfare, 2005b; Buerhaus, Staiger, & Auerbach, 2000b). Operating room (OR) nursing is a primary specialty area that has been especially affected by rising nurse attrition and a reduction in nurse recruitment (Australian College of Operating Room Nurses, 2003; Australian Health Workforce Advisory Committee, 2002). Accordingly, the loss of skilled nurses from the OR specialty compounds the negative effects on morale for those who remain in the environment, as they struggle to provide safe patient care while concomitantly being responsible for the clinical development of neophyte and inexperienced nurses (Australian Health Workforce Advisory Committee, 2002; Arndt, 1998). In the midst of working in the OR environs where the nature of the associated stressors is unique, resilient qualities may assist nurses to meet and overcome these challenges. If there is to be a continued nursing presence in the OR, it is essential that nurses be given the opportunity to develop resilience. At this time when nurse retention rates are continuing to decline steadily, there is a compelling need to identify and describe the relationship between resilience and its predictors in the context of the OR. To date, little is known about predictors of resilience and their potential to ameliorate the effects of workplace stress in the OR. The overall purpose of this study was to identify and describe the predictors of resilience in OR nurses. A literature review and concept analysis of resilience was initially conducted. Hope, self-efficacy, coping and personal characteristics were identified as defining characteristics of resilience. Next, the research was conducted as a mixed method phased study that was underpinned by the pragmatist paradigm, and employed a sequenced combination of qualitative followed by quantitative inquiry (Morgan, 1998). The first phase used a mini-ethnography to identify and describe the components of workplace culture in an OR in relation to their potential impact on nurses’ ability to adapt in this culture. A triangulated approach was used involving participant observation, a reflective journal, field notes and interviews. This phase revealed that competence, knowledge, collaboration, peer support and the ability to manage challenges were central components of OR workplace culture. From these categories, three themes were abstracted and subsequently developed into constructs that were measured and validated in the larger second phase. The second phase used a predictive correlation survey to describe empirically the relationship between resilience and its hypothesised predictors in a systematic random national sample of nurses who were members of the Australian College of Operating Room Nurses (ACORN), and a combined sample of hospital nurses purposively drawn from two similar hospital sites. The survey included scales measuring perceived competence, collaboration, managing stress, self-efficacy, hope, coping, and resilience, as well as gathering information about the demographic characteristics of nurse respondents. Out of a total potential sample of 1,730 OR nurses, the overall response rate was 51.7% (n = 896). Differences between the ACORN and hospital samples were found in age, years of experience, education and years of employment; therefore, the national and hospital samples’ findings were analysed separately. Five independent variables – hope, self-efficacy, coping, managing stress and competence – predicted resilience in the larger sample of ACORN respondents (n = 772). For the substantially smaller sample of hospital respondents (n = 124), hope, self-efficacy and managing stress predicted resilience. Given that the smaller hospital sample resulted in a similar model, this consistency lends strength and weight to the revised resilience model. Over 60% of the variance in resilience was explained by the independent variables in each model. Given the dearth of literature describing the efficacy of resilience in ameliorating stress in OR contexts, the results of this study have extended the theoretical application of the resilience concept to include a nursing context. There is a need to implement resilience-building strategies that address the culture of the OR, both at the departmental and organisational levels. Strategies that provide a supportive workplace environment in relation to goal-orientation, the provision of stress management and education programs, and strategies that facilitate cultural assimilation may improve resilience, and hence retention and recruitment rates in the OR. The findings of this study support the need for further research not only to test the stability of the proposed model among other groups of nurses but also to explore further predictors of resilience in the OR setting.

No description available.

<p>Inom operationssjukvård förebyggs postoperativa infektioner genom att operationspersonalen utför preoperativ handdesinfektion. Det finns två handdesinfektionsmetoder som rekommenderas att använda, Metod 1 för alkoholbaserad handdesinfektion (Sterillium) och Metod 2 för antiseptisk handdesinfektion (Hibiscrub). Syftet med studien var att studera och jämföra olika preoperativa handdesinfektionsmetoder inom operationssjukvård. Metoden var en litteraturstudie som baserades på 11 vetenskapliga studier. Systematiska sökningar gjordes i databaserna CINAHL och Medline samt via manuella sökningar. Sökorden användes enskilt och i kombination. Jämförelse gjordes av de två rekommenderade handdesinfektionsmetoderna utifrån evidens samt framkomna kategorier: effekter, hudens tolerans och tid. Den preoperativa alkoholbaserade handdesinfektionsmetoden med Sterillium (Metod 1) var betydligt mer effektiv än den preoperativa antiseptiska handdesinfektionsmetoden med Hibiscrub (Metod 2). Den visade även bättre resultat gällande hudens tolerans, operationstidens längd samt att den var mer tidssparande och smidigare att utföra. Det visade sig också ha betydelse på effekten hur den preoperativa alkoholbaserade handdesinfektionen utfördes. I studiens resultat framkom inget som styrkte Metod 2.</p> / Uppsatsseminarium utfördes 2008-05-16

Inom operationssjukvård förebyggs postoperativa infektioner genom att operationspersonalen utför preoperativ handdesinfektion. Det finns två handdesinfektionsmetoder som rekommenderas att använda, Metod 1 för alkoholbaserad handdesinfektion (Sterillium) och Metod 2 för antiseptisk handdesinfektion (Hibiscrub). Syftet med studien var att studera och jämföra olika preoperativa handdesinfektionsmetoder inom operationssjukvård. Metoden var en litteraturstudie som baserades på 11 vetenskapliga studier. Systematiska sökningar gjordes i databaserna CINAHL och Medline samt via manuella sökningar. Sökorden användes enskilt och i kombination. Jämförelse gjordes av de två rekommenderade handdesinfektionsmetoderna utifrån evidens samt framkomna kategorier: effekter, hudens tolerans och tid. Den preoperativa alkoholbaserade handdesinfektionsmetoden med Sterillium (Metod 1) var betydligt mer effektiv än den preoperativa antiseptiska handdesinfektionsmetoden med Hibiscrub (Metod 2). Den visade även bättre resultat gällande hudens tolerans, operationstidens längd samt att den var mer tidssparande och smidigare att utföra. Det visade sig också ha betydelse på effekten hur den preoperativa alkoholbaserade handdesinfektionen utfördes. I studiens resultat framkom inget som styrkte Metod 2. / Uppsatsseminarium utfördes 2008-05-16

The issue of odour, greenhouse gas emissions and indoor air quality in swine buildings have become a great concern for the neighbouring communities as well as governments. Air dispersion models have been adopted widely as an approach to address these problems which determine science-based distance between livestock production site and neighbours. However, no existing model considers the diurnal and seasonal variations of odour, gas (ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, greenhouse gas), and dust concentrations and emissions, which may cause great uncertainty. The primary objective of this project is to monitor and model the diurnal and seasonal variations of odour, gases, and dust concentrations and emissions from nursery, farrowing, and gestation rooms. Additionally, this study tried to quantify the greenhouse gas contribution from swine buildings and evaluate the indoor air quality of swine barns. <p>Strip-block experimental design was used to measure the diurnal variation of odour and gas concentrations and emissions in PSC Elstow Research Farm. It was found that: 1) odour and gas concentrations in winter were significantly higher than those in mild and warm weather conditions for all three rooms (P<0.05); 2) the nursery room had higher level of odour and gas concentration and emission than the other two types of rooms, no significant difference existed between the farrowing and gestation rooms (P>0.05); 3) significant diurnal variations occurred in August and April (P<0.05) for odour and some gas concentrations and emissions, while no significant diurnally variations were found in February (P>0.05); 4) apparent diurnal variation patterns were observed in August and April for NH3, H2S and CO2 concentrations, being high in the early morning and low in the late afternoon; 5) positive correlation was found between odour concentrations and NH3, H2S, and CO2 concentrations, respectively. <p>A whole year ( August 2006 to July 2007) monitoring of odour, gas and dust concentrations and emissions revealed that: 1) significant seasonal effect on odour and gas concentrations and emissions, total dust concentrations and dust depositions were observed (P<0.05), but no specific variation pattern was discovered for odour and gas emissions; 2) the total greenhouse gas emission from all the rooms in the gestation, nursery and farrowing area was 2956 CO2 equivalent tons per year, where gestation area, nursery area, and farrowing area accounted for 39.3 %, 37.2% and 23.5%, respectively; the CO2 emission contributed 53.4% to the total greenhouse emission, and CH4 contributed to 43.9%, 2.7% for N2O; N2O could be considered negligible; 3) indoor air quality of the swine barn met the requirements set by the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (1996) of Saskatchewan for NH3, H2S, and CO2. <p>Statistical models were developed for each type of room to predict the odour and gas concentrations and emissions based on four variables: ventilation rate, room temperature, ambient temperature, and animal unit. The predicted results showed agreeable with measured values for most models (R2 = 0.56-0.96). Generally, gas prediction models performed better (R2=0.61-0.96) than odour prediction models (R2=0.56-0.85).<p>This study was conducted in the province of Saskatchewan throughout one year and the results could be used as representative data for Canada Prairies. Due to the large diurnal and seasonal variabilities of odour emissions, it was recommended to take multiple measurements of odour emission rate under different weather conditions in order to improve the accuracy of air dispersion modeling.

Emission of odorous and gaseous compounds such as hydrogen sulphide (H2S) from livestock facilities can be a major impediment to its daily operations and potential expansion. Occupational and environmental concerns require the control of H2S emissions. A treatment approach used in the oil industry in which nitrite and/or molybdate are used as metabolic inhibitors to control the production of H2S in oil reservoirs was shown to be effective in controlling H2S emissions from swine manure.<p> The addition of nitrite and molybdate to swine manure was investigated in closed laboratory scale systems and then evaluated in semi-pilot scale open systems and in specifically designed chambers aiming to simulate an actual swine barn. The effect of manure age (extent of storage) on H2S emissions and the levels of nitrite and molybdate required for effective control of these emissions were assessed. Laboratory scale tests showed that emission of H2S was dependent on manure age. Fresh manure emitted the highest level of H2S and the level of emission decreased as manure age (1-6 months) increased. With fresh 1, 3, and 6-month old manures average H2S concentration in the headspace gas of the closed systems were 4856b460, 3431b208, 1037b98 ppm, and non-detectable (<0.4 ppm), respectively. This translated to lower levels of nitrite or molybdate required to control H2S emission with increase in manure age. When compared to molybdate, the addition of nitrite initially led to lower levels of H2S but its effect was only temporary and not as persistent as molybdate. In the semi-pilot and room scale tests H2S levels emitted from untreated fresh manure (831¡Ó26 ppm and 88.4 ppm, respectively), were significantly lower than those observed in the laboratory system (4856¡Ó460 ppm). Moreover, the levels of molybdate required to control the emission of H2S were much lower in both the semi-pilot system and in the room scale chamber than in the closed system (0.1-0.25 mM as opposed to 2 mM).<p> Small scale land application of manure treated with 0.1 mM molybdate did not raise the level of molybdenum in the soil that could cause potential toxicity to plants and animals. No major differences in the nutrient properties of the soils exposed to the treated and untreated manure were observed. Finally, a preliminary feasibility study of this treatment approach showed that the cost associated with this control approach was less than 1% of the total production cost.

No description available.

Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur sköterskor som arbetar på en operationsavdelning där WHO´s Surgical Safety Checklist används, upplever kommunikation, samarbete och patientsäkerhet. Kort metodbeskrivning: Kvantitativ metod. Design: Deskriptiv, retrospektiv, icke-experimentell tvärsnittsstudie. Datainsamlingen genomfördes på en operationsavdelning som använt WHO´s Surgical Safety Checklist drygt ett år. Deltagarna fick anonymt besvara ett frågeformulär med strukturerade frågor, en översatt version av the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) anpassad till operationspersonal (OR). I studien undersöktes 3 av frågeformulärets 6 teman: säkerhetskultur, samarbetsklimat och stressidentifiering. Vidare undersöktes hur sköterskorna tyckte att kommunikationen på operationssalen fungerade; samt i vilken grad checklistan hade förbättrat kommunikationen, samarbetet och patientsäkerheten på operationssalen. Varje fråga besvarades genom en femgradig Likertskala. Huvudresultat: Fynden visar att man kan anta att sköterskorna upplevde att kvaliteten på kommunikationen och samarbetet på operationssalen var hög. Vidare ser det ut som om deltagarna ansåg att patientsäkerheten fungerade adekvat och att checklistan var viktig för patientsäkerheten. Resultaten visar också att sköterskorna tyckte att checklistan i hög grad har förbättrat kommunikationen, samarbetet och patientsäkerheten på operationssalen. Slutsats: Sköterskornas upplevelse av kommunikation, samarbete och patientsäkerhet på operationssalen antas huvudsakligen vara positiv 1 år efter att WHO´s Surgical Safety Checklist infördes. / The aim of the study was to examine the nurses´ experiences of communication, teamwork and patient safety in an operation ward where WHO´s Surgical Safety Checklist is used.  Quantitative method. Design: descriptive, retrospective, non-experimental cross-sectional study. The data collection was implemented in an operation theatre where WHO´s Surgical Safety Checklist had been applied for the last year. The participants responded to a structured questionnaire, a translated version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) adjusted for operating rooms (OR). In the study 3 of 6 themes of the questionnaire was examined: safety culture, teamwork climate and stress identity. The study examined the nurses´ experiences of communication in the operating room; and to what extent the checklist has improved the communication, teamwork and patient safety in the operating room. Each item was answered using a 5-point Likert scale. The findings reveal nurses´ experience of high quality of communication and collaboration in the operating room. Further it seems that the participants thought the patient safety was sufficient, and the checklist briefing was important for the patient safety. The results also show that nurses thought the checklist briefing has improved the communication, collaboration and patient safety in the operating room. The nurses´ experiences of communication, teamwork and patient safety in the operating room were assumed as mostly positive 1 year after the introduction of the WHO´s Surgical Safety Checklist.

The issue of odour, greenhouse gas emissions and indoor air quality in swine buildings have become a great concern for the neighbouring communities as well as governments. Air dispersion models have been adopted widely as an approach to address these problems which determine science-based distance between livestock production site and neighbours. However, no existing model considers the diurnal and seasonal variations of odour, gas (ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, greenhouse gas), and dust concentrations and emissions, which may cause great uncertainty. The primary objective of this project is to monitor and model the diurnal and seasonal variations of odour, gases, and dust concentrations and emissions from nursery, farrowing, and gestation rooms. Additionally, this study tried to quantify the greenhouse gas contribution from swine buildings and evaluate the indoor air quality of swine barns. <p>Strip-block experimental design was used to measure the diurnal variation of odour and gas concentrations and emissions in PSC Elstow Research Farm. It was found that: 1) odour and gas concentrations in winter were significantly higher than those in mild and warm weather conditions for all three rooms (P<0.05); 2) the nursery room had higher level of odour and gas concentration and emission than the other two types of rooms, no significant difference existed between the farrowing and gestation rooms (P>0.05); 3) significant diurnal variations occurred in August and April (P<0.05) for odour and some gas concentrations and emissions, while no significant diurnally variations were found in February (P>0.05); 4) apparent diurnal variation patterns were observed in August and April for NH3, H2S and CO2 concentrations, being high in the early morning and low in the late afternoon; 5) positive correlation was found between odour concentrations and NH3, H2S, and CO2 concentrations, respectively. <p>A whole year ( August 2006 to July 2007) monitoring of odour, gas and dust concentrations and emissions revealed that: 1) significant seasonal effect on odour and gas concentrations and emissions, total dust concentrations and dust depositions were observed (P<0.05), but no specific variation pattern was discovered for odour and gas emissions; 2) the total greenhouse gas emission from all the rooms in the gestation, nursery and farrowing area was 2956 CO2 equivalent tons per year, where gestation area, nursery area, and farrowing area accounted for 39.3 %, 37.2% and 23.5%, respectively; the CO2 emission contributed 53.4% to the total greenhouse emission, and CH4 contributed to 43.9%, 2.7% for N2O; N2O could be considered negligible; 3) indoor air quality of the swine barn met the requirements set by the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations (1996) of Saskatchewan for NH3, H2S, and CO2. <p>Statistical models were developed for each type of room to predict the odour and gas concentrations and emissions based on four variables: ventilation rate, room temperature, ambient temperature, and animal unit. The predicted results showed agreeable with measured values for most models (R2 = 0.56-0.96). Generally, gas prediction models performed better (R2=0.61-0.96) than odour prediction models (R2=0.56-0.85).<p>This study was conducted in the province of Saskatchewan throughout one year and the results could be used as representative data for Canada Prairies. Due to the large diurnal and seasonal variabilities of odour emissions, it was recommended to take multiple measurements of odour emission rate under different weather conditions in order to improve the accuracy of air dispersion modeling.