No abstract

Group interventions are an important aspect of the roles of professionals in the schools. The literature on school based group interventions primarily provides a description of specific interventions and their component parts, with inslructional steps for implementation. However, for a school based group intervention to be successful, the intervention must become institutionalized in the system within which it is being implemented, and planning for institutionalization must begin at the earliest stages of program or intervention design. Tllis article provides guidelines for the professional working in the schools to follow to facilitate Ule long-term stabilization or institutionalization of an intervention. Structures that consultants and/or implementers can establish to help operadonalize the guidelines are described and illustrated through case examples with em-

The world of professional practice, and hence of professional practice qualifications, is informed by a range of core exploratory theories: transformational learning (Mezirow, 1991) and experiential learning theories (Kolb, 1984); and critical incident/event technique (Woolsey, 1986), which more recently morphed into an educational theory itself (Tripp, 1993). Famously Kolb wrote: "learning is the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience" (1984, p. 38). These approaches accord with epistemologies where 'knowing' or 'coming to know' comes from responding with initiative, innovativeness and resilience to moments or even extended periods of flux, uncertainty and the unforeseen. These are responses, characteristic of learners in professional learning settings, that I have elsewhere called "thinking on your feet" (Andrew & Razoumova, 2019). This paper brings together nine short narratives of learners on a Doctor of Professional Practice (DPP) programme sharing their dilemmas and 'work-arounds' or solutions. The study demonstrates the resilience that can result from concerted individual acts of reflection; and, on a collective level, illustrates the range of complex situations in which those on doctoral journeys can find themselves.

No abstract

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) staff carry a high risk for the burnout syndrome of increased emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and decreased personal accomplishment. Previous research has shown that task-oriented coping skills were associated with reduced levels of burnout compared to emotion-oriented coping. ED staff at one hospital participated in an intervention to teach task-oriented coping skills. We hypothesized that the intervention would alter staff coping behaviors and ultimately reduce burnout. Methods: ED physicians, nurses and support staff at two regional hospitals were surveyed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS). Surveys were performed before and after the implementation of communication and conflict resolution skills training at the intervention facility (I) consisting of a one-day course and a small group refresher 6 to 15 months later. Descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis assessed differences in staff burnout and coping styles compared to the control facility (C) and over time. Results: 85/143 (I) and 42/110 (C) ED staff responded to the initial survey. Post intervention 46 (I) and 23(C) responded. During the two year study period there was no statistically significant difference in CISS or MBI scores between hospitals (CISS: (Pillai's trace = .02, F(3,63) = .47, p = .71, partial η2 = .02); MBI: (Pillai's trace = .01, F(3,63) = .11, p = .95, partial η2 = .01)) or between pre- and post-intervention groups (CISS: (Pillai's trace = .01, F(3,63) = .22, p = .88, partial η2 = .01); MBI: (Pillai's trace = .09, F(3,63) = 2.15, p = .10, partial η2 = .01)). Conclusion: We were not able to measure improvement in staff coping or burnout in ED staff receiving communication skills intervention over a two year period. Burnout is a multifactorial problem and environmental rather than individual factors may be more important to address. Alternatively, to demonstrate a measurable effect on burnout may require more robust or inclusive interventions.