The aim of this exploratory study was to assess whether practicing social workers currently enrolled in Master Social Work (MSW) programs (hereafter referred to as MSW students) were more oriented to the evidence-based practice (EBP) process and more engaged in it than practicing social workers who are not currently enrolled in MSW programs (hereafter referred to as social workers) in the Netherlands. Data were collected from MSW students (n = 32) and from social workers (n = 341) using the EBP Process Assessment Scale. MSW students reported a stronger orientation toward the EBP process, more positive attitudes toward EBP, more familiarity with EBP and more intentions to engage in EBP than social workers did, however, they were less positive about the feasibility of implementing EBP in practice. These preliminary results suggest that there are grounds for optimism about MSW students’ acceptance of and engagement in the EBP process. Implications for social work education are discussed.
Background: Fifty to eighty percent of patients suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience a form of sexual dysfunction (SD), even after renal transplantation. Despite this, inquiring about SD is often not included in the daily practice of renal care providers. Objectives: This paper explores the perspectives of renal social workers regarding sexual care for patients and evaluates their practice,attitude towards responsibility and knowledge of SD. Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a 41-item online survey. Participants: Seventy-nine members of the Dutch Federation of Social Workers Nephrology. Results: It was revealed that 60% of respondents discussed SD with a fifth of their patients. Frequency of discussion was associated with experience (p¼0.049), knowledge (p¼0.001), supplementary education (p¼0.006), and the availability of protocols on sexual care (p¼0.007).Main barriers towards discussing SD consisted of ‘culture and religion’ (51.9%), ‘language and ethnicity’ (49.4%), and ‘presence of a third person’ (45.6%). Sufficient knowledge of SD was present in 28% of respondents. The responsibility for discussion was 96% nephrologists and 81% social workers. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that a part of Dutch nephrology social workers do not provide sexual care regularly, due to insufficient experience and sexual knowledge, absence of privacy and protocols and barriers based on cultural diversity. According to the respondents the responsibility for this aspect of care should be multidisciplinary. Recommendations include a need for further education on the topic, private opportunities to discuss SD and multidisciplinary guidelines on sexual care
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The number of employees above 50 is increasing in organizations because of demographic changes. People above 50 feel less involved in work and societal activities as they should be and as they are expected to be. Older workers‟ employment is accompanied by stereotyping that workers are less productive and less capable than younger workers. The current research is about older workers‟ wishes, desires and wants to further develop gradual retirement schemes as scenarios for both employers' and employees' mutual benefit. Furthermore, the perception of ICT tools supportiveness is researched for older workers‟ sustainable employability. The study is conducted in the northern part of the Netherlands and data were collected by questionnaires and interviews. Data were analysed with the statistical tool SPSS and with Excel for the search of patterns. Results suggest that workers between 50 and 65 like to retire gradually by applied flexible working schemes, reducing the workload and reducing the weekly hours. ICT tools are considered as helpful tools as long as they do not affect workers‟ health. Training is required as well as constantly being updated in the ICT arena. Respondents also indicated that they want to work after retirement either voluntarily or on a small-scale salary to cover their basic costs.
Dit Living lab staat in teken van het bevorderen van sport en bewegen voor bewoners waarvoor het sportaanbod nu niet voldoende of moeilijk te bereiken is. Het project is hierbij opgedeeld in drie deelprojecten, waar we voor elke specifieke doelgroep (40-65 jaar) een werkwijze ontwikkelen om een duurzame samenwerking op te zetten.Doel Het overkoepelende doel is bewoners uit de doelgroep naar beweging en sporten toe te leiden. Door middel van design thinking methoden borduren we voort op de geïdentificeerde oplossingsrichtingen in fase 1. Deelproject 1: Het bouwen aan een groeiend platform waarin sportaanbieders en sporten gekoppeld worden en zo een flexibel sportaanbod te creëren. Verder willen we inzicht krijgen in wat er nodig is om de al werkende – sportplanner – app beter aan te laten sluiten bij haar gebruikers. Deelproject 2: Het opzetten van een duurzaam sportmaatjesproject voor mensen met een beperking (fysiek, verstandelijk of door bijvoorbeeld long COVID) in samenwerking met HU-studenten, de buurtsportcoach aangepast sporten en minimaal één werkplaatsdocent van de HU met als doel de sportdeelname voor deze doelgroep te vergroten. Deelproject 3: Het verbinden van de hulpvraag met het beweegaanbod verbinden en daarmee aan te sluiten op de behoeften van deze doelgroep. Bewegen wordt ingezet als middel en door een inclusief co-design ontwerpproces zal dit aanbod passend gemaakt worden. Het bereiken van de doelgroep en het uitvoeren van kleine pilots staat centraal. Resultaten uit de eerste fase De behoefte van de doelgroep (40-65 jaar) op het gebied van bewegen en gezondheid is in kaart gebracht. Er is inzicht verkregen in de complexiteit van de doelgroep met de uitkomst dat het belangrijk is oog te hebben voor de verschillende subgroepen binnen de doelgroep. Er zijn drie deelprojecten opgezet aan de hand van deze subgroepen; de sporter met behoefte aan een flexibel sportaanbod, de sporter met een fysieke beperking en de groep waar een zodanige complexe hulpvraag speelt dat sport kan worden ingezet als middel ter bevordering van het welzijn van deze groep. Er is een nieuw netwerk ontstaan waarin de nadruk ligt op inwonerparticipatie. Looptijd 31 december 2019 - 01 februari 2022 Aanpak In het Living Lab zal gewerkt gaan worden met de Design thinking methode. Ook zullen ervaringsdeskundigen op het gebied van eenzaamheid en een verbeterde leefstijl ingezet worden. Het levert een kruisbestuiving op tussen dorpsteams, buurtsportcoaches, en (ervaringsdeskundige) inwoners. Relevantie van het project Dit project zal vernieuwend zijn voor beleidsmedewerkers, social workers en sportprofessionals die zich bezig houden met de onderwerpen gezondheidsbevordering en preventie. Ook past het op een nieuwe wijze ervaringsdeskundigen toe in het outreachend werken. Cofinanciering Dit project ontvangt een cofinanciering van ZonMw.
The Healthy Workplace monitor is being developed to monitor the health and well-being of knowledge workers in relation to the office space and their home workplace. Since the corona period, a lot has changed in the way knowledge workers work. Both offices and employees require more flexibility to carry out work in an efficient but also healthy and enjoyable way. It is important to identify office workers needs with regard to workspaces at the office and at home from a holistic view, in which mental , physical and social aspects play a role. A vital, happy employee is a productive employee.
Manual labour is an important cornerstone in manufacturing and considering human factors and ergonomics is a crucial field of action from both social and economic perspective. Diverse approaches are available in research and practice, ranging from guidelines, ergonomic assessment sheets over to digitally supported workplace design or hardware oriented support technologies like exoskeletons. However, in the end those technologies, methods and tools put the working task in focus and just aim to make manufacturing “less bad” with reducing ergonomic loads as much as possible. The proposed project “Human Centered Smart Factories: design for wellbeing for future manufacturing” wants to overcome this conventional paradigm and considers a more proactive and future oriented perspective. The underlying vision of the project is a workplace design for wellbeing that makes labor intensive manufacturing not just less bad but aims to provide positive contributions to physiological and mental health of workers. This shall be achieved through a human centered technology approach and utilizing advanced opportunities of smart industry technologies and methods within a cyber physical system setup. Finally, the goal is to develop smart, shape-changing workstations that self-adapt to the unique and personal, physical and cognitive needs of a worker. The workstations are responsive, they interact in real time, and promote dynamic activities and varying physical exertion through understanding the context of work. Consequently, the project follows a clear interdisciplinary approach and brings together disciplines like production engineering, human interaction design, creative design techniques and social impact assessment. Developments take place in an industrial scale test bed at the University of Twente but also within an industrial manufacturing factory. Through the human centered design of adaptive workplaces, the project contributes to a more inclusive and healthier society. This has also positive effects from both national (e.g. relieve of health system) as well as individual company perspective (e.g. less costs due to worker illness, higher motivation and productivity). Even more, the proposal offers new business opportunities through selling products and/or services related to the developed approach. To tap those potentials, an appropriate utilization of the results is a key concern . The involved manufacturing company van Raam will be the prototypical implementation partner and serve as critical proof of concept partner. Given their openness, connections and broad range of processes they are also an ideal role model for further manufacturing companies. ErgoS and Ergo Design are involved as methodological/technological partners that deal with industrial engineering and ergonomic design of workplace on a daily base. Thus, they are crucial to critically reflect wider applicability and innovativeness of the developed solutions. Both companies also serve as multiplicator while utilizing promising technologies and methods in their work. Universities and universities of applied sciences utilize results through scientific publications and as base for further research. They also ensure the transfer to education as an important leverage to inspire and train future engineers towards wellbeing design of workplaces.
