The role, duties and responsibilities of technologists in the clinical laboratory

Within the United Kingdom, the job functions of the technologist are carried out by Biomedical Scientists who account for the greater proportion of staff employed within clinical laboratories. Their traditional responsibilities have involved providing a quality service through their scientific, technical and clinical skills. During the 1990s, a number of factors combined, leading to a change in the way which quality was viewed within the National Health Service (NHS). This has changed the role of the technologist, encouraging them to broaden their knowledge and take on new skills and responsibility.     

Feminist music therapy pedagogy: a survey of music therapy educators

This study surveyed 188 music therapy educators regarding their views and use of feminist pedagogy and feminist music therapy. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to determine how many music therapy educators used feminist pedagogy and (b) to determine if there was a relationship between the use of feminist pedagogy and academic rank of the participants. Seventy-two participants responded to this study, with 69 participants included for data analysis. Stake and Hoffman's (2000) feminist pedagogy survey was adapted for this study, examining four subscales of feminist pedagogy: (a) participatory learning, (b) validation of personal experience/development of confidence, (c) political/ social activism, and (d) critical thinking/open-mindedness. The results revealed that 46% (n=32) of participants identified as feminist music therapists and 67% (n=46) of participants identified as using feminist pedagogy. Results of a mixed analysis of variance revealed a statistically significant difference within the four survey subscales (p<.0001), no significant difference (p=.32) for academic rank, and no significant interaction (p=.08) of academic rank and the four survey subscales. Tukey's post hoc analysis of the data indicated that the survey subscale measuring political activism (p<.0001) was significantly lower than the other three survey subscales. In addition, a qualitative analysis on open-ended responses is also included. Discussion of the results, limitations, and areas for future research are addressed.     

特勤人员脂肪肝的调查分析

脂肪肝是指肝内脂类含量超过肝脏湿重的10%～15%,或在组织学上超过50%的肝实质脂肪化。由于B超检查有经济、迅速、准确、无创伤等优点,目前已成为诊断脂肪肝的首选检查方法。现将2006—2009年来我院体检的特勤人员脂肪肝的发病情况调查如下。1对象和方法1.1体检对象来院体检的特勤人员共2063人,均为男性;年龄25～54岁,平均38岁;其中飞行人员1764人     

音乐疗法合并行为矫正治疗精神分裂症77例

BACKGROUND: Music plays strong influence on humanpsyche and physiology. It can ameliorate people' s emotion and cog-nition level and change people' s volitional behavior. Behavioralcorrection changes cognitive process and ideas and corrects badmotion and behavior through positive reinforcement, negative rein-forcement, positive punishment and negative punishment.     

CLT and CLS job responsibilities: current distinctions and updates.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to address the following questions: 1. What tasks distinguish the job of a clinical laboratory scientist (CLS) from that of a clinical laboratory technician (CLT)? 2. What changes in role distinctions, have occurred for entry-level CLS and CLT practitioners over the five-year period 1993-98? 3. What tasks have been deleted from the CLT and CLS content outlines because they were not frequently performed or not considered entry-level? 4. What changes in practice are reflected in the current job analyses? DESIGN: A national job analysis of tasks constituting the job of clinical laboratory scientists (CLSs) and clinical laboratory technicians (CLTs) was conducted in 1998-99 as part of a standard setting process for the certifying examinations of the National Credentialing Agency for Laboratory Personnel (NCA). The job analyses relied upon mail surveys to 1200 individuals for each job level asking respondents to identify tasks significant to effective practice at job entry. The task lists resulting from statistical analysis of those surveys were examined to answer the study questions. PARTICIPANTS: The sample for each survey included 1200 practitioners, educators and laboratory managers selected at random from membership in professional organizations or from NCA certificant lists. Sampling was stratified to insure adequate practitioner representation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The mean rating on a four point scale for each item on the surveys was evaluated for overall significance as well as significance across geographic regions. The tasks meeting specified criteria were retained in the final task lists. Tasks were counted and their content evaluated to compare CLS and CLT job tasks. RESULTS: The response rates to the surveys were 33% for CLT and 21% for CLS. Reliability was judged based on average intraclass correlation coefficients of .86 and .82 for the CLT and CLS surveys, respectively. There were 952 tasks retained on the CLS content outline and 725 retained on the CLT content outline of the 1151 tasks on the original survey. Seven hundred and twenty two tasks were found on content outlines of both job levels, representing a 76% overlap. Tasks found only on the CLS outline included advanced technical tasks, a few management tasks, and more communication tasks. CONCLUSIONS: The jobs of CLS and CLT practitioners are distinct at job entry level with CLSs performing a broader array of technical and communication tasks as well as some management tasks. Though CLS staff uses few management skills at job entry, those tasks are performed by CLS staff in the laboratory and curricula must help prepare graduates for these tasks expected of experienced staff. CLTs perform tasks requiring problem solving and high level reasoning. CLT curricula must address the need for CLTs to perform these tasks.     

Implications of technology in music therapy practice and research for music therapy education: a review of literature

This article reviews the use of technology in music therapy practice and research for the purpose of providing music therapy educators and clinicians with specific and accurate accounts of the types and benefits of technology being used in various settings. Additionally, this knowledge will help universities comply with National Association of Schools of Music requirements and help to standardize the education and training of music therapists in this rapidly changing area. Information was gathered through a literature review of music therapy and related professional journals and a wide variety of books and personal communications. More data were gathered in a survey requesting information on current use of technology in education and practice. This solicitation was sent to all American Music Therapy Association approved universities and clinical training directors. Technology applications in music therapy are organized according to the following categories: (a) adapted musical instruments, (b) recording technology, (c) electric/electronic musical instruments, (d) computer applications, (e) medical technology, (f) assistive technology for the disabled, and (g) technology-based music/sound healing practices. The literature reviewed covers 177 books and articles from a span of almost 40 years. Recommendations are made for incorporating technology into music therapy course work and for review and revision of AMTA competencies. The need for an all-encompassing clinical survey of the use of technology in current music therapy practice is also identified.     

Research in music therapy: a survey of music therapists' attitudes and knowledge

To examine attitudes toward and knowledge of research in music therapy, a three-part survey was administered to 150 randomly selected music therapists, with complete surveys returned by 66 respondents. The survey consisted of a cover page gathering background information, a series of 20 statements assessing attitudes toward music therapy research, and 25 true-false questions examining subjects' knowledge of research terminology and methodology. Analysis of survey responses indicated a generally positive attitude toward research, but dissatisfaction with the current status of research in the field. No relationship was found between research attitudes and research knowledge, and no significant effects on research knowledge were discerned for education, present position, or research background. Results of this study are discussed in terms of implications and issues to be addressed by academicians, clinicians, and researchers in music therapy.     

An overview of music therapy research

There is a broad literature covering the application of music therapy, but a general absence of valid clinical research material from which substantive conclusions can be drawn. Group creative music therapy in psychiatric hospitals reflects the acceptance of the creative arts therapies themselves in such settings. Receptive taped music, used as an anxiolytic for individual patients, has found favour particularly in coronary care units and in cancer pain care. Music therapy with adults and children is seen as part of a necessary creative arts environment within hospital settings for the management of the mentally handicapped of varying ages. Music therapy is accepted as a valid therapeutic treatment for children.Observations in the realm of psychotherepy highlight a critical feature of music therapy research; well intentioned, and often rigorous work, is spoiled by a lack of research methodology. Music therapy clinical research needs to develop a common methodology such that standard research tools and methods of clinical assessment be developed which can be replicated, which are appropriate to music therapy itself and develop a link with other forms of clinical practice. The research which has been produced is notably lacking in follow-up data, without which it is difficult to make valid statements about clinical value.