Marital and Family Therapy Training and Supervision:

It has been difficult and sometimes impossible for rural community mental health therapists to obtain on-going marital and family therapy training and supervision outside fo their centers. On the other hand, reports of innovative in service programs to provide for training and supervision have been few in number. The following paper presents a model for an on-going regional marital and family therapy training and supervision program. It was judges successful by the planners, supervisors and participants. The program is presented her as an example of the creative pooling of resources that is possible to provide for training and supervision needs in rural mental health.     

Stress management in hospitals]

Job stress in employees in hospitals has been recognized as a key issue in the workplace. In this paper, characteristics of job stress in the medical profession, especially in doctors and nurses, and the effectiveness of stress management are overviewed. The important points in stress management in hospitals are summarized as follows: 1) improvement of work environment, 2) assurance of participation and autonomy, 3) education or training to reduce job stress (ex. coping behavior, self-care, relaxation), 4) career development, 5) total support among medical professions. Some reports have demonstrated that the establishment of constant meetings is an effective method of reducing job stress and improving mental health in the medical profession, but few prospective intervention studies have been carried out. Further research is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of stress reduction and to develop effective intervention programs for medical professions in hospitals.     

Rehabilitation Supervision:

Rehabilitation practitioners often are promoted to positions in administration and supervision. Even though they may receive two or more years of education and training in some rehabilitation specialty, it is not unusual for them to have little or no training as preparation for their new positions in management. The article examines the status of rehabilitation counselor training programs and suggests a new focus directed toward preparing counselers for possible future positions and careers as supervisors and administrators.     

Effects of an education program for stress reduction on supervisor knowledge, attitudes, and behavior in the workplace: a randomized controlled trial

Supervisors at work play a large role in stress management at the workplace. Providing supervisors with necessary information and useful skills might be one effective approach that will lead to stress reduction. However, very few studies have investigated the effect of supervisor education by using a rigorous study design. In a randomized controlled trial, we tried to clarify how an education program for stress reduction influences supervisor knowledge, attitudes, and behavior concerning stress management. The subjects were 46 supervisors of an old, established sake brewery manufacturer of 301 employees. The supervisors were assigned to either the intervention group (24 supervisors) or the control group (22 supervisors). We conducted a single-session education program that included the guidelines for worker mental health promotion to the intervention group. The education program was composed of a basic education lecture and active listening training. The effects of this program on supervisor knowledge, attitudes, and behavior were measured using an original, self-administered questionnaire. The intervention effect was tested by examining an interaction effect between groups and time (before education, three and six months after education). The education favorably affected supervisor knowledge (F=7.92; p=.001). As for behavior, the intervention effect was marginally statistically significant (F=2.51; p=.088). For the attitude score, however, there were no beneficial effects. In conclusion, the provision of necessary information and useful skills to supervisors seems to improve supervisor knowledge and behavior regarding stress management at the workplace for at least six months.     

The pillars of health management education: lessons from the CEE experience.

AUPHA faculty members have had the opportunity to provide health care executive training and to work in partnership with academic institutions in Central and Eastern Europe and in the New Independent States of the former Soviet Union. This article presents some observations on health management education that demonstrate the similarity in issues faced by programs in the U.S. and in CEE. The health management educational partnership program was designed to provide technical assistance to emerging health management programs in the CEE. The partnership program has been mutually beneficial for several reasons. The role of physicians in leadership and the management educational needs that result provide one example of an issue that health management educational programs must address. The emergence of the roles of other health professions and growing contribution that they will make has its parallel in the American ascendance of the role of interdisciplinary team in clinical decision making. The partnership and executive training experiences have caused U.S. partners to focus consciously on pedagogical methods. The nature of the issues faced by emerging CEE health management programs suggests that mutual support among programs in the region after the partnership program is necessary in order to provide a forum for debate. The focus of the debate should continue to be on the role of management in health reform, content of curriculum, research focus and pedagogical methods appropriate for health care management undergraduate and graduate programs. The result will be a strengthening of the health management academic discipline in the region. The future of the AUPHA should predicated on the same principles, the roots from which it has grown.     

Training Child Life Students: Guidelines for Hospital Supervisors

The majority of child life programs offer some type of student practicum experience At present there are no programmatic guidelines for hospital supervisors to follow in their task of training professionals There is growing concern within the child life profession that students are being trained in field programs that have widely divergent content, objectives, expectations, supervisory methods, and evaluation criteria There is a need to establish some commonly endorsed standards for clinical supervision within the hospital In the spring of 1982, the Child Life Council appointed a committee for this specific purpose This paper represents the begining of that task The guidelines put forth here have not yet been presented to the Council for endorsement.     

Training Child Life Students: Guidelines for Hospital Supervisors

The majority of child life programs offer some type of student practicum experience At present there are no programmatic guidelines for hospital supervisors to follow in their task of training professionals There is growing concern within the child life profession that students are being trained in field programs that have widely divergent content, objectives, expectations, supervisory methods, and evaluation criteria There is a need to establish some commonly endorsed standards for clinical supervision within the hospital In the spring of 1982, the Child Life Council appointed a committee for this specific purpose This paper represents the begining of that task The guidelines put forth here have not yet been presented to the Council for endorsement.     

Effects of the job stress education for supervisors on psychological distress and job performance among their immediate subordinates: a supervisor-based randomized controlled trial

As job stress is now one of the biggest health-related problems in the workplace, several education programs for supervisors have been conducted to reduce job stress. We conducted a supervisor-based randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of an education program on their subordinates' psychological distress and job performance. The subjects were 301 employees (46 supervisors and 255 subordinates) in a Japanese sake brewery. First, we randomly allocated supervisors to the education group (24 supervisors) and the waiting-list group (22 supervisors). Then, for the allocated supervisors we introduced a single-session, 60-min education program according to the guidelines for employee mental health promotion along with training that provided consulting skills combined with role-playing exercises. We conducted pre- and post-intervention (after 3 months) surveys for all subordinates to examine psychological distress and job performance. We defined the intervention group as those subordinates whose immediate supervisors received the education, and the control group was defined as those subordinates whose supervisors did not. To evaluate the effects, we employed a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Overall, the intervention effects (time x group) were not significant for psychological distress or job performance among both male (p=0.456 and 0.252) and female (p=0.714 and 0.106) subordinates. However, young male subordinates engaged in white-collar occupations showed significant intervention effects for psychological distress (p=0.012) and job performance (p=0.029). In conclusion, our study indicated a possible beneficial effect of supervisor education on the psychological distress and job performance of subordinates. This effect may vary according to specific groups.     

Assessing the continuing education needs of long-term care administrators in Ontario: results of a survey

This article reports the results of a 1989 survey of the professional characteristics and educational needs of 429 managers and supervisors in long-term care institutions and community-based service agencies in greater metropolitan Toronto. The data identify important gaps in the professional training of these administrators: while two-thirds report attainment of postsecondary education credentials, the remaining third, including a quarter of senior managers, have no formal college or university training. Moreover, of those with postsecondary credentials, only a minority are trained in health or human services and administration--skills and knowledge areas key to establishing and managing a client-centered continuum of long-term care. The data also demonstrate that there is widespread support in principle and practice among current administrators in the Toronto region for programs of education which address the particular challenges of long-term care administration, and that specific credentials in the field are seen as a future requirement for promotion to management positions. Preferred modes of education program delivery are short, intensive seminars and night classes.     

Examining the HIV/AIDS case management process

Eight themes in the HIV/AIDS case management process emerged from a 1998 study of 14 Ryan White Title I-funded case management programs in the New York City tri-county region. For individuals who were struggling with multiple environmental stressors, the diagnosis of HIV or AIDS was merely one of the many pressures that brought them to case management programs. Most came when they were in crisis. Using both chart reviews and focus groups with case managers and supervisors, this article reports that the activities that characterize this region's case management introduce alternative ways of thinking about the HIV/AIDS case management process.     

Disability Management Training for Supervisors: A Pilot Intervention Program

Proactive disability management practices among employers have been associated with reduced frequency and duration of disability. Supervisors have a critical role in disability prevention. However, few studies have evaluated training efforts to modify supervisor responses in order to improve disability outcomes. In this study, 108 supervisors representing seven employers were provided a 1.5-h training session to reinforce a proactive and supportive response to work-related musculoskeletal symptoms and injuries among employees. Pre- and post training results showed improvements in supervisor confidence to investigate and modify job factors contributing to injury, to get medical advice, and to answer employees' questions related to injury and treatment (p < .05). More supervisors reported decreases (38.5%) than increases (9.6%) in lost work time within their departments. These data provide evidence that this approach may improve disability outcomes of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Controlled trials with disability outcome data are needed to confirm these results.     

“Chaplains for Wellbeing” in Primary Care: A Qualitative Investigation of Their Perceived Impact for Patients’ Health and Wellbeing

The growing importance of professional chaplains in patient-centered care has raised questions about education for professional chaplaincy. One recommendation is that the curricula of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) residency programs make use of the chaplaincy certification competencies. To determine the adoption of this recommendation, we surveyed CPE supervisors from 26 recently re-accredited, stipended CPE residency programs. We found the curricula of 38% of these programs had substantive engagement with the certification competencies, 38% only introduced students to the competences, and 23% of the programs made no mention of them. The majority of the supervisors (59%) felt engagement with the competencies should be required while 15% were opposed to such a requirement. Greater engagement with chaplaincy certification competencies is one of several approaches to improvements in chaplaincy education that should be considered to ensure that chaplains have the training needed to function effectively in a complex and changing healthcare environment.     

Workplace literacy education: writing skills

Remedial programs must be flexible and planned to meet the needs of the participants. Using both work and creative writing exercises provides a balance and relieves boredom. Educators need to be alert to the varying education and skill level of employees. For example, many management development program planners assume a certain level of literacy and English fluency among the managerial group. As a result, some supervisors may avoid programs or not learn the material because of difficulty in comprehending the material. The basic thread of our program was the integration of humor and content. Few classes ended without laughter. This laughter was not at the expense of an individual's self-esteem. We laughed at humorous examples of unclear writing and mistakes unintentionally made by the instructors. We laughed at some of their own humorous writing. One of the participants wrote a particularly amusing and entertaining story of a disastrous camping trip. Other times members delighted in catching mistakes in hospital communications. It was obvious that they were reading with more alertness. An unexpected result of the program was the increased rapport between the involved supervisors, their managers, our department, and our local community resources. The program opened channels that have led to an on-site GED program and closer ties with the county literacy efforts. Managers in plant services have increased their involvement and support for employees seeking to improve their education. The TMC educational reimbursement system has been made more available for all.     

Is Quality Field Education a Matter of Academic Credentials?

Concomitant with the growth of baccalaureate social work programs over the last decade has been a growing concern over student supervision at the participating field work agencies. In an effort to learn more about thIs aspect of the field education curriculum, a questionnaire was sent to the undergraduate Field Work Directors at 299 C.S.W.E. accredited programs. Results underscore continued reliance on supervisors with academic training in social work. The use of non-academically trained social workers seems to pivot around student's interest and resources available, and points to a possible need for training in the area of social work values.     

Performance appraisal and pay-for-performance start at the top.

In summary, while performance appraisal has always been present in health care, it is taking on a new dimension. Evaluative criteria based on personality traits are being replaced by quantifiable, specific, job-related factors. Performance appraisal in many organizations is no longer an abstract, generalized concept, but is predicated on specific, predetermined corporate or institutional goals for which the CEO is held directly responsible and accountable. In other words, the activities at the lowest level in the organization have direct impact on the highest levels. While pay-for-performance is still more common at the management level, an increasing number of institutions are applying the concept across the board. It is imperative that first-line supervisors understand how their own performance is appraised and their compensation determined before trying to explain a new concept to their subordinates. Even more important, the first- and second-line supervisors should have direct input into the development of new pay programs for their subordinates.     

A study of some home and school factors which influence the social behaviour of some pre-schoolers in Singapore

In Singapore, parents' aspirations for their children include the provision of pre-schools which stress high standards of attainment and behaviour management. This has resulted in a need for both quality and quantity in provision. However, quality has tended to be linked with an academic-type of curriculum and teacher directed activities which include strict behavioural control. More recently the emphasis has changed to include sensitising teachers to alternative methods of presenting ideas and especially the management of pre-schoolchildren. Through inservice training the teachers have become accustomed to the merits of a variety of behaviour management techniques. In order to measure the extent to which some of the techniques have influenced the teachers, this paper reports some of the results of an investigation of the behaviour management techniques of both teachers and parents of pre-school children, especially those with behaviourial problems. The findings indicate that parents are less punitive than teachers who have higher expectations even though they are aware that the children are atypical. It is suggested that the implications for the lasting benefits of pre-school for these children could be affected unless teachers are more sensitive to their management needs.     

Skills,knowledge, and abilities of graduates from accredited environmental health science and protection undergraduate programs

The National Environmental Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council (EHAC) has the mission of enhancing the education and training of students who intend to become environmental health science and protection practitioners/professionals. Academic programs that demonstrate compliance with EHAC guidelines can become accredited with the expectation that graduates of accredited programs will have the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for professional success. The study reported on here reviewed these guidelines in light of results from a survey of program graduates and their supervisors. The survey results were found to establish that the current approach is quite successful, and that graduates of the programs have the potential to make substantial professional contributions in protecting environmental health.     

How developmental supervision and performance management improve effectiveness

Health care supervisors play an important role in helping organizations achieve their goals by ensuring that employees perform their jobs as effectively and efficiently as possible. In most organizations, ill-defined and improperly designed systems exist for assessing and managing employee performance. Health care managers and supervisors can use knowledge of developmental supervision and performance management to increase employee job performance and satisfaction while providing useful information to human resource departments regarding training needs of employees.     

Stress management in large-scale establishments]

Due to a recent dramatic change in industrial structures in Japan, the role of large-scale enterprises is changing. Mass production used to be the major income sources of companies, but nowadays it has changed to high value-added products, including, software development. As a consequence of highly competitive inter-corporate development, there are various sources of job stress which induce health problems in employees, especially those concerned with development or management. To simply to obey the law or offer medical care are not enough to achieve management of these problems. Occupational health staff need to act according to the disease type and provide care with support from the Supervisor and Personnel Division. And for the training, development and consultation system, occupational health staff must work with the Personnel Division and Safety Division, and be approved by management supervisors.