Strengthening Advising Knowledge To Improve Consistency And Coordination In Academic Advising, Rella Ng

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

This Organizational Improvement Plan (OIP) aims to improve consistent and coordinated academic advising at a medium, multi-campus higher education institution (HEI). It recognizes the vital role of academic advising in supporting a student’s academic journey. The OIP delves deeper into the responsibilities of HEI leaders with regard to facilitating the capacity of academic advisors to support students in their academic and personal growth and development. The present state of affairs suggests that academic advisors are not positioned to support and facilitate a student’s growth and development. The OIP seeks to gain a comprehensive understanding of the underlying factors contributing to …

Simulation Approaches To X-Ray C-Arm-Based Interventions, Daniel R. Allen

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mobile C-Arm systems have enabled interventional spine procedures, such as facet joint injections, to be performed minimally-invasively under X-ray or fluoroscopy guidance. The downside to these procedures is the radiation exposure the patient and medical staff are subject to, which can vary greatly depending on the procedure as well as the skill and experience of the team. Standard training methods for these procedures involve the use of a physical C-Arm with real X-rays training on either cadavers or via an apprenticeship-based program. Many guidance systems have been proposed in the literature which aim to reduce the amount of radiation exposure …

Addressing Early Attrition In The Navy, Liza A. Sprang

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The Naval Training System (NTS) is the authority for training across the Navy, responsible for trainees until the completion of their on-the-job training (OJT) or ‘apprenticeship’ at sea. An emerging challenge are the rising rates of trainee attrition during OJT. Surveys indicate that trainees are motivated to go to sea, ready to apply their knowledge and skills (NTS, 2016, 2018); however, an increasing number of trainees are opting not to complete their OJT (MP, 2017). With new ships in production and the fleet returned from refit, the modern Navy is facing an unprecedented period of growth and with it, the …

Training, Barriers, And Self-Efficacy To Physical Education Instruction, Stephanie Truelove

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The overall purpose of this dissertation was to explore the physical education (PE) training that generalist and PE specialist elementary school teachers receive during their pre-service programs across the province of Ontario, and the differences between these two types of teachers regarding barriers faced and self-efficacy in instructing PE. Using an online survey, Study 1 aimed to examine and compare the PE teaching self-efficacy of generalist and PE specialist elementary teachers across Canada and the barriers to instruction faced. Study 2 qualitatively explored the experiences of elementary school generalist and PE specialist teachers when instructing PE, and the perceived barriers …

The Lived Experiences Of Formal Caregivers In Communicating With Persons Living With Dementia In Their Own Homes, Pabiththa Kamalraj

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is limited literature focused on formal caregivers’ communication with persons living with dementia (PLWD) in home settings. Yet, there is an expected need and demand for formal caregiver support within home care. Thus, the aim of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand better the lived experiences of personal support workers (PSWs) during their communication with PLWD in home environments. Three major themes were identified through thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews (N=15): (1) challenged by dementia-related impairments; (2) valuing communication in care; and (3) home is a personal space. Findings reveal that PSWs experience difficulties communicating with PLWD, despite …

Quality Assurance In Competency Training Of Pre-Anesthesia Consultation Skills, Michelle Wong

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

The absence of quality assurance in training clinicians to perform pre-anesthesia consultations at a Canadian university is the Problem of Practice addressed in this Organizational Improvement Plan. This competency requires learners to apply their anesthesia knowledge to take medical histories; perform physical examinations; diagnose anesthetic risks; and generate anesthesia plans. Random chart audits of many learners identify deficiencies and suggest inconsistent training of this competency. This Organizational Improvement Plan analyzes the anesthesia program’s organizational context to be a complex adaptive system; organizational structure to be a hierarchy; and organizational state to be static. Through the paradigms of complexity theory, interpretivism, …

Strategies For Improving The Organizational Value Of Training In A Corporate Setting, Anthony Meloche

The Dissertation in Practice at Western University

Training departments and the products and services they provide are often viewed by organizational leaders as expenses rather than investments. As organizations struggle to remain competitive and viable, the money and effort spent on training comes under increased critical examination. This Organization Improvement Plan (OIP) focuses on a training department, Corporate University (CU), operating within a specific organizational context at the Insurance Institute (II). The OIP examines the organization through various critical lenses including structural, human resource, technological, and symbolic perspectives to assess and propose practical actions the CU can take to demonstrate how the products and services they provide …

Exploring The Physical Activity And Screen Viewing-Related Knowledge, Training, And Self-Efficacy Of Early Childhood Education Candidates, Brianne Bruijns

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Early childhood educators (ECEs) greatly influence young children’s physical activity (PA) and screen viewing (SV) behaviours. This study explored the PA and SV-related knowledge (i.e., of important PA/SV concepts), training (i.e., PA/SV courses/content received), and self-efficacy (i.e., to facilitate PA and limit SV in childcare) of early childhood education students. A sample of 1,292 students from 61 Canadian colleges/universities completed the online survey. In general, students exhibited the least amount of knowledge regarding the link between SV and health. Further, 67.8% and 73.3% of students had not completed PA or SV courses during their post-secondary training, respectively, and students who …

Understanding Transition Into Practice After Post Graduate Medical Education In Surgical Specialties, Mohammed M. Malak

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Introduction: Becoming independent in the operating room is a source of tremendous stress in the initial years of practice. There is paucity of research describing the challenges surgeons face during transition and their coping strategies.

Methodology: We conducted semi-structured interviews using rich pictures as an elicitation method. Qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results: Surgeons described their transition as revolving around two goals: achieving good outcomes and minimizing their fear of complications. They also described challenges related to being a surgeon and beyond being a surgeon. Contextual factors related to the surgical specialty played a pivotal role …

Development Of A Physical Shoulder Simulator For The Training Of Basic Arthroscopic Skills, Laura C. Mccracken

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Increasingly, shoulder surgeries are performed using arthroscopic techniques, leading to reduced tissue damage and shorter patient recovery times. Orthopaedic training programs are responding to the increased demand for arthroscopic surgeries by incorporating arthroscopic skills into their residency curriculums. A need for accessible and effective training tools exists.

This thesis describes the design and development of a physical shoulder simulator for training basic arthroscopy skills such as triangulation, orientation, and navigation of the anatomy. The simulator can be used in either the lateral decubitus or beach chair orientation and accommodates wet or dry practice. Sensors embedded in the simulator provide a …

“Soldiers First”: The Evolution Of Training For Peacekeeping In The Canadian Forces, 1956-2000, Trista L. Grant-Waddell

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This dissertation aims to revise conventional wisdom regarding Canada’s contribution to international peacekeeping through an examination of peacekeeping-specific training in the Canadian Forces from 1945 to 2000. There is a need to study training to understand how Canada’s peacekeepers have been prepared for peacekeeping missions since the creation of the United Nations Emergency Force in 1956. Peacekeeping training was neglected in the historiography of Canadian participation in international peacekeeping and in the operations of the Department of National Defence and other government bodies. This topic deserves more attention given the important role that peacekeeping has played as a primary task …

An Exploration Of Early Childhood Education Students' Knowledge And Preparation To Facilitate Physical Activity For Preschoolers, Olivia Martyniuk

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Early childhood educators play an important role in influencing preschoolers’ physical activity levels. The current study sought to explore Early Childhood Education (ECE) students’ physical activity (PA)-related knowledge and educational experience. A total of 1,113 ECE students from 20 Ontario Colleges completed the study survey (online or on paper), which examined students’ PA course content; awareness of PA guidelines; understanding of health-related benefits of PA; self-efficacy to facilitate PA for preschoolers; as well as PA resource needs. Survey results identified that 72.1% of ECE students had not completed any PA/physical education specific courses, while only 28.7% were familiar with, and …

Metrics For Evaluating Surgical Microscope Usage During Myringotomy, Arefin M. Shamsil

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Abstract

Although teaching and learning surgical microscope manoeuvring is a fundamental step in middle ear surgical training, currently there is no objective method to teach or assess this skill. This thesis presents an experimental study designed to implement and test sets of metrics capable of numerically evaluating microscope manoeuvrability and qualitatively assessing surgical expertise of a subject during a middle ear surgery called myringotomy. The experiment involved performing a myringotomy on a fixed cadaveric ear. As participants, experienced ear-nose-throat (ENT) surgeons and ENT surgical residents were invited. While performing the procedure, their microscope manoeuvring motions were captured as translational and …

Filling The Ranks: Recruiting, Training And Reinforcements In The Canadian Expeditionary Force 1914-1918, Richard Gottfrid Larsson Holt

Digitized Theses

This dissertation deals with the evolution of manpower management in the Canadian Expeditionary Force from 1914 to 1918: recruiting, entry-level training and the provision o f reinforcements from Canada to England and England to France. The central theme is the increasing professionalism in the Canadian Forces with the development of an efficient and comprehensive system of recruiting, training and reinforcing units at the 'front.-

This work argues that from first to last, the government did not appreciate the need to husband manpower although the Canadian Forces made continual efforts to manage the pool by altering recruiting criteria and seeking alternative …

Motivational Interviewing Training: Impact On Health Care Practitioners’ Attitudes And Motivation For Facilitating Behaviour Change, Erin Jane Wiley

Digitized Theses

Purpose: To investigate the impact of a one-day workshop in Motivational Interviewing (MI) on health care practitioners’ perceived competence, perceived autonomy, and experiences and attitudes towards facilitating behaviour change among patients.

Methods: This single subject multiple baseline design study targeted a sample of 10 health practitioners. One-on-one interviews were conducted prior to the workshop and at one and four weeks post-training. Participants completed a series of questionnaires multiple times prior to and following the workshop. Results: Participants described improvements in their abilities to facilitate behaviour change following the workshop. Significant increases in perceived competence (Cohen’s effect size £=4.61), perceived autonomy …

On Time And Off Time Career Trajectories In The New Economy: The Case Of Information Technology Work, Emily Vera Jovic

Digitized Theses

There are significant changes happening in the world of work, under the guise of a 'new' economy that embraces innovation and technology, flexible labour, and risk and uncertainty. With the proliferation of less conventional work arrangements and new career forms, traditional notions of employment careers and life trajectories are in flux. To better understand these trends and potential consequences for workers, this research considers the relative timing of entry to a prototypical new economy sector, information technology (IT). Using the life course perspective as a guide, I investigate entry pathways to IT, assessing who is 'on time' (i.e., made a …

Virtual Reality Simulation For Myringotomy Training With Haptic Feedback, Govind Singh Rehal

Digitized Theses

Myringotomy is a surgical procedure in which an incision is made in the eardrum, primarily to treat middle-ear infections. It is a difficult procedure for surgical residents to master because excellent hand-eye coordination is required to work under a surgical microscope and within the narrow ear canal. We have been developing a virtual-reality based surgical simulator for training residents. The current simulator does not include tactile feedback, but such feedback is a very important part of ear surgery. Therefore, the objectives of this work were to incorporate haptic feedback capability into our simulator, estimate the haptic parameter for the eardrum …

Virtual Reality Simulation For Myringotomy Training, Brian Burton Wheeler

Digitized Theses

A Virtual reality simulator has been developed with the purpose of training otolaryngology residents to perform myringotomy. For input, we used a stereo optical tracking device. This device allows for the tracking of surgical tool and anatomy positions in real time. For the output of the device, we designed a simulated microscope. This contains a stereo display for viewing the simulated environment. All processing such as physics calculations and graphical rendering are done in the system using an amalgamation of software tools. These hardware and software tools have been combined together to create a cohesive training simulator. After the design …