Claire Armstrong

Lecture absenteeism among students in higher education: a valuable route to understanding student motivation

The reasons associated with lecture absenteeism among student groups could shed significant light on student motivation levels and orientations in university settings. Paying attention to the rationales for lecture absence provided by students themselves could also help institutions to diagnose levels of student engagement and respond in appropriate ways. This study demonstrates these assertions by engaging in a critical analysis of the evidence linking lecture attendance and academic performance, using a qualitative analysis of student accounts of their absenteeism. It argues that innovative approaches to higher education would benefit from the extension and development of this kind of inquiry.

The impact of leadership and quality climate on hospital performance

OBJECTIVE To explore the relationship between leadership effectiveness and health-care trust performance, taking into account external quality measures and the number of patient complaints; also, to examine the role of care quality climate as a mediator. DESIGN We developed scales for rating leadership effectiveness and care quality climate. We then drew upon UK national indices of health-care trust performance-Commission for Health Improvement star ratings, Clinical Governance Review ratings and the number of patient complaints per thousand. We conducted statistical analysis to examine any significant relationships between predictor and outcome variables. SETTING The study is based on 86 hospital trusts run by the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. The data collection is part of an annual staff survey commissioned by the NHS to explore the quality of working life. PARTICIPANTS A total of 17,949 employees were randomly surveyed (41% of the total sample). RESULTS Leadership effectiveness is associated with higher Clinical Governance Review ratings and Commission for Health Improvement star ratings for our sample (beta = 0.42, P < 0.05; beta = 0.37, P < 0.05, respectively), and lower patient complaints (beta = -0.57, P < 0.05). In addition, 98% of the relationship between leadership and patient complaints is explained by care quality climate. CONCLUSIONS Results offer insight into how non-clinical leadership may foster performance outcomes for health-care organizations. A frequently neglected area-patient complaints-may be a valid measure to consider when assessing leadership and quality in a health-care context.

Understanding the Role of Networks in Collective Learning Processes: The Experiences of Women

The problem and the solution. Despite the rapid increase of women in both junior and middle management positions in organizations globally, women comprise a very small percentage of senior executives. One explanation for the scarcity of senior women in organizational life is that women tend to lack access to the relevant networks, which are often biased toward male membership.To reach senior executive positions, women need to either bypass or establish a way into these networks.Within these networks, the learning tends to begin as individualized incidental learning, but develops into collective learning, as women form their own networks and learn from each other in an anticipatory fashion.The authors believe that through efforts to provide more direct access to formal female networks, collective learning can take place in a more structured and efficient fashion. Providing such structured opportunities for knowledge sharing among female managers could form the lynchpin of a successful collective learning strategy.

Role of the general practitioner in providing early intervention for youth mental health: a mixed methods investigation.

Youth suicide in Ireland is now the second highest in the European Union. General practitioners (GPs), as the health‐care professional most often consulted by young people, have a central role in early detection of youth mental health problems. However, evidence regarding the perspectives of young people and health‐care workers towards screening and treatment for such issues in primary care in Ireland is lacking.

SHOULD HIGH PERFORMANCE WORK SYSTEMS INCLUDE DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

The article reports on diversity management in high performance work systems. Labor quality in high performance work systems has been increased through strategic human resource management as well as productivity. High performance work systems include those with employee recruiting and selection practices, efficient training and development programs, and communication and employee participation practices. These management systems should also include training in diversity and equality due to the diverse labor market.

‘Nobody really gets it’: a qualitative exploration of youth mental health in deprived urban areas

To examine the experience of developing and living with mental health and substance use disorders among young people living in urban‐deprived areas in Ireland to inform primary care interventions.

Supporting patients during their breast cancer journey: the informational role of clinical nurse specialists.

Background: Research evidence suggests that a multidisciplinary team approach improves the outcomes of patients with breast cancer. However, limited attention has examined the extent to which the clinical nurse specialist’s (CNS’s) role can impact Irish patients’ care, particularly given the novelty of this role in Ireland. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the informational role of CNSs in supporting Irish patients during their breast cancer journey and the extent of its impact on their care. Methods: Three Irish breast cancer teams were investigated. A Picker questionnaire was administered to more than 100 patients per team who had completed treatment. Questions focused on the patients’ journey from diagnosis through to treatment completion. Follow-up interviews with the teams’ CNSs were conducted to achieve a deeper understanding of the care received. Results: While patients reported an overall positive impression of their care, they were least satisfied with the amount of information and emotional support they received during their chemotherapy. Clinical nurse specialists commented that there is insufficient staffing in medical oncology to address this need in part because the ill-defined job description makes it difficult to quantify the impact of this role. Conclusions: The informational role of the CNS is inadequately recognized and is thus not currently able to fully address patients’ care needs. Implications for Practice: Clarification of the CNS’s role description in oncology care in Ireland is needed as is sufficient CNS staffing to maintain the vital informational role of CNSs throughout the patients’ breast cancer journey.