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7 - Developing a Collaborative AutoNetnographic approach to researching doctoral students’ online experiences
- Edited by Helen Kara, Su-ming Khoo, National University of Ireland, Galway
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- Book:
- Qualitative and Digital Research in Times of Crisis
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 13 May 2022
- Print publication:
- 29 November 2021, pp 113-128
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Summary
Out of adversity comes opportunity.
Benjamin FranklinIntroduction
2020 was a year few will forget. The COVID-19 global pandemic resulted in massive changes to people's lives, particularly in relation to the use of online communication tools. While video conferencing and communication tools had been used before the global 2020 COVID-19 crisis, this increased across all aspects of society, including healthcare (Lee, 2020; Wosik et al, 2020), business (Obrenovic et al, 2020), education (Dhawan, 2020), entertainment and recreation (Agostino, Arnaboldi, and Lampis, 2020; Son et al, 2020b), and for personal use (Farooq, Laato, and Islam, 2020). Schools and universities rapidly shifted to online learning modalities (Garbe et al, 2020; Rapanta et al, 2020). In tertiary education, this presented both challenges and opportunities. One challenge was to continue to support learning in an engaging environment. However, this also provided research opportunities focused on the impact and benefits of online learning as well as opportunities to develop innovative research methodologies aligned to an online world.
This chapter reveals the development of one such methodology, Collaborative AutoNetnography. The development of a Collaborative AutoNetnographic methodology stemmed from an online initiative created to support doctoral students during COVID-19. Discussions by Higher Degree by Research (HDR) candidates during online sessions related to the potential of conducting a research project focused on their experiences concerning the initiative.
We begin this chapter by reviewing the context within which the initiative was developed. We then discuss the various individual methodologies that we drew upon to develop Collaborative AutoNetnography and discuss how the research methodology was implemented, including reflections of key enablers, barriers, and ethical aspects.
Background
A key public health response to COVID-19 was to impose physical and social distancing restrictions on all citizens (Lewnard and Lo, 2020). In Australia these restrictions were imposed across the country in late March 2020. These restrictions resulted in people being required to spend much of their time at home, with only some limited opportunities to venture to other locations, primarily for food and medical care (Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2020).
Working with catatonia: a qualitative exploration of inpatient team emotional responses
- Emma Salter, Linda Pow, Emma Stacey, Victoria Stephens, Paul Beckley, Jenna Oliphant, Lottie Heimes, Courtney Foster
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- Journal:
- BJPsych Open / Volume 7 / Issue S1 / June 2021
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 18 June 2021, p. S347
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Aims
Child and adolescent mental health (CAMHS) wards treat patients with variable presentations. During diagnosis and treatment, psychiatric professionals use structured criteria, but also honed awareness of countertransference. Unacknowledged emotional responses can produce powerful dynamics and impact patient care.
Limited information exists on possible emotional responses and team dynamics when working with catatonia.
This project aimed to establish common themes relating to staff felt-experience of working with a specific case of catatonia on a Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) ward. A secondary aim was to establish potential areas for future training and service improvement.
MethodTrust Research and Development department approved this work. Inpatient professionals working with the specified patient during admission were eligible. Participants were invited via email and face-face discussion with one of the authors. Participants, patient and mother provided written consent.
A questionnaire was created and disseminated via email to eligible staff (n = 33). 27 questions asked individuals to rate responses on Likert scales, plus space for further comments. Questions involved emotional responses to different catatonic states, feelings towards self, patient, colleagues and plans. Descriptive analysis was completed on this anonymised data.
Qualitative data were gathered via 1-hour recorded focus group, led by a systemic psychotherapist and psychologist. The session was transcribed anonymously. Two clinicians, using Thematic Analysis, reviewed the transcript independently.
Result16 (48.5%) questionnaires were completed. Participants felt negatively about themselves and colleagues more frequently than about the patient. Participants felt positively about themselves less frequently than about colleagues and the patient. Participants identified with more feelings during immobile patient states than lucid states. During immobile states, participants identified with abusive, guilt, hopeless and neglectful responses; during lucid states, with helpful, caring, happy responses
Eight (50%) participants felt they sometimes did not understand their feelings towards colleagues/plans. Nine (57%) participants felt they sometimes did not understand their feelings towards themselves. Ten (66%) participants felt they sometimes did not understand their feelings towards the patient.
Ten (62.5%) participants felt confused by their emotions at least some of the time. Two (12.5%) frequently felt confused by their emotions.
Four participants attended the focus group. Themes included confusion, internal and team conflict.
ConclusionWorking with catatonia involved confusion and team splitting. Staff conflict between plans and morals resulted in painful emotions. Prompt psycho-education within teams working with uncommon presentations was identified as a focus for improvement. The authors plan to explore possible avenues for future teaching, learning and team support.
A quality improvement project on timely completion of bloods and ECGs on a tier 4 child and adolescent inpatient unit
- Emma Salter, Philippa Snow, Kiera Friel, Nicola Biddiscombe
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- Journal:
- BJPsych Open / Volume 7 / Issue S1 / June 2021
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 18 June 2021, p. S217
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Aims
Physical health monitoring is paramount to optimal care for psychiatric patients. Blood tests and ECGs are invaluable tests throughout a patient's care. At baseline, they aid investigation of potential organic causes of psychiatric presentations and provide organ and electrolyte status before starting medication. Common psychotropic medications carry physical health risks: bloods and ECGs aid in monitoring potential side effects of prescribed medication.
In this local Tier 4 inpatient unit, anecdotal observation revealed completion of these basic investigations was noted to be suboptimal.
This project aimed to improve timely completion of baseline (within 72 hours of admission) and monitoring (within one week of due date) bloods and ECGS.
MethodThis project was completed within a 12-bed child and adolescent inpatient unit. Using Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) methodology, the multidisciplinary team collated driver diagrams to identify potential areas for intervention. Following baseline analysis, colleague communication was considered key. Consequently, a chart for bloods and ECG completion was created.
Each monthly PDSA cycle included the following consecutive interventions:
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PDSA cycle 1: chart implementation
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PDSA cycle 2: chart simplification and font size increase
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PDSA cycle 3: allocated change in team leader for this cycle
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PDSA cycle 4: Blood request pocket in office
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PDSA cycle 5: chart simplification through removal of dates
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PDSA cycle 6: ECG pocket
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PDSA cycle 7: box on handover list
ResultMonthly investigations and admission numbers are unpredictable and inconsistent in this cohort: relevant case numbers per PDSA ranged from zero to ten. The results were presented as percentages to allow for direct comparison between cycles.
Baseline and results of each consecutive PDSA cycle described above were as follows (N/A represents a cycle where no investigations were required):
Admission bloods were completed within 72 hours in 50%, 100%, 50%, 80%, N/A, 100%, 100%, 100%
Admission ECG was completed within 72 hours in 30%, 66%, 50%, 70%, N/A, 100%, 100%, 100%
Monitoring bloods were completed within one week of due date in 25%, 33%, 0%, 80%, 100%, 100%, 100%, 100%
Monitoring ECG was completed within one week of due date in 0%, 0%, N/A, 66%, 100%, 66%, N/A 100%
ConclusionThrough close multidisciplinary collaboration and chart implementation, completion of bloods and ECGs improved. Low patient numbers per PDSA cycle resulted in large changes in percentage results, limiting the significance of these findings. Wider implementation of the chart within local Trust inpatient wards is considered.
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four - Education: New Labour’s top priority
- Edited by John Hills, Tom Sefton, Kitty Stewart
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- Book:
- Towards a More Equal Society?
- Published by:
- Bristol University Press
- Published online:
- 22 January 2022
- Print publication:
- 25 February 2009, pp 71-90
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Summary
Introduction
Education has been central to the New Labour mission – its top priority in every election manifesto. The government has focused on raising school standards and on expanding opportunities for post-compulsory education and training in order to tackle what Gordon Brown (2007b) has referred to as the problem of ‘no room at the bottom’ – the disappearing demand for unskilled and low-skilled jobs in Britain's economy. Reducing inequality has been a central theme for economic as well as social reasons. ‘For generations’, New Labour has argued, ‘our country has been held back by an education system that excelled for the privileged few but let down the majority’ (Labour Party, 2005). In the 2004 Comprehensive Spending Review, tackling the attainment gap between more and less advantaged groups became a specific government target and Gordon Brown has since reaffirmed this commitment, emphasising its importance to the achievement of ‘social justice for all’.
The overall picture is one of investment and expansion. UK public expenditure on education has risen as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) from 4.7% in 1996-97 to 5.5% in 2006-07, and is now at its highest level for 30 years (DCSF, 2008a), rising on average by 4.3% per year in real terms, compared with 1.4% under the Conservatives (Sibieta et al, 2008), and nearly reaching the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average. In England, per capita spending on schools rose 84% from 1997-98 to 2007-08 (DCSF, 2008b), including a big increase in capital expenditure with a commitment to renew the buildings of every secondary school by 2020. There are now over 35,000 (9%) more teachers and many more support staff, leading to a large reduction (from 27.9% in 1997 to 10.8% in 2008) in the percentage of primary school classes with more than 30 pupils (DCSF, 2008c). The total number of students (home and overseas) in higher education (HE) increased by nearly a third between 1997 and 2005-06.
New Labour has presided over an expansion of education policy ‘through the day and through the lifecourse’ (Ball, 2008). For schools, the initial focus was on standards in primary schools, shifting to an emphasis on secondary schools in the second term and more tailored and individualised provision in the third.