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This qualitative study examined recruitment and retention of home support workers (HSWs) providing home support in rural communities. Thirty-two participants were recruited across four island-based communities located in British Columbia, Canada. Thematic analysis of interview data revealed several key themes: (a) how the rural context shapes HSWs’ employment decisions and opportunities; (b) why people become (and stay) HSWs in rural communities; and (c) how rurality influences the nature and scope of HSWs’ work. These findings suggest that health human resource policies and programs aimed at HSW recruitment and retention should be tailored to characteristics, strengths, and challenges of rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many women suffer with Premenstrual Tension Syndrome (STPM) that has symptoms that precede menstruation, causing irritation, anxiety and low self esteem. The STPM affects women in the productive stage causing physical, psychological and social alterations. The aim of the research was to identify the users of an ambulatory health clinic of Tupanciretã, RS. This is a descriptive and exploratory study with qualitative-quantitative approaches. The results provided that women have STPM with different intensity, symptoms range from physical and mental and interfere with daily functioning of women. It was concluded that overall efforts, especially those from health professionals, and through practices which provide communication and health education for women affected by the STPM. In addition to the implementation of actions that provide changing habits, attitudes and behaviors that these women are looking for a better quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review positions public health as an endeavour that requires a high order of professionalism in addressing the health of populations; this requires investment in an educational capacity that is designed to meet this need. In the global context, the field has evolved enormously over the past half century, supported by institutions such as the World Bank, the World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine. Operational structures are formulated by strategic principles, with educational and career pathways guided by competency frameworks, all requiring modulation according to local, national and global realities. Talented and well-motivated individuals are attracted by its multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary environment, and the opportunity to achieve interventions that make real differences to people's lives. The field is globally competitive and open to many professional backgrounds based on merit. Its competencies correspond with assessments of population needs, and the ways in which strategies and services are formulated. Thus, its educational planning is needs-based and evidence-driven. This review explores four public health education levels: graduate, undergraduate, continuing professional education and promotion of health literacy for general populations. The emergence of accreditation schemes is examined, focusing on their relative merits and legitimate international variations. The role of relevant research policies is recognized, along with the need to foster professional and institutional networks in all regions of the world. It is critically important for the health of populations that nations assess their public health human resource needs and develop their ability to deliver this capacity, and not depend on other countries to supply it. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Objectives: To test a service-based health human resources (HHR) planning approach for older adults in the context of home and long term care (LTC); to create a practical template/tools for use in various jurisdictions and/or health care settings. Design: The most serious health needs of seniors in 2 Canadian jurisdictions were identified and linked to the specific services and associated competencies required of health care providers (HCPs) to address those needs. The amounts of each service required were quantified and compared against the capacity of HCPs to perform the services, measured using a self-assessment survey, by using a previously developed analytical framework. Setting: Home and LTC sectors in Nova Scotia and Nunavut, Canada. Participants: Regulated and nonregulated HCPs were invited to complete either an online or paper-based competency self-assessment survey. Results: Survey response rates in Nova Scotia and Nunavut were 11% (160 responses) and 20% (22 responses), respectively. Comparisons of the estimated number of seniors likely to need each service with the number who can be served by the workforces in each jurisdiction indicated that the workforces in both jurisdictions are sufficiently numerous, active, productive, and competent to provide most of the services likely to be required. However, significant gaps were identified in pharmacy services, ongoing client assessment, client/family education and involvement, and client/family functional and social supports. Conclusion: Service-based HHR planning is feasible for identifying gaps in services required by older adults, and can guide policy makers in planning hiring/recruitment, professional development, and provider education curricula. Implementation will require commitment of policy makers and other stakeholders, as well as ongoing evaluation of its effectiveness. More broadly, the ongoing effectiveness of the approach will depend on workforce planning being conducted in an iterative way, driven by regular reevaluation of population health needs and HHR effectiveness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses human resource management in hospitals in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. It considers the relevance of the debate within contemporary management and its implications for the healthcare model advocated by the hospitals under consideration. From the data collected (semistructured interviews with managers and human resource professionals and the analysis of relevant documents to existing rules and practices), the study indicates a lag in that the human resource policies and practices and hiring via tender cannot supply the needs of supportive activities sufficiently. The results also indicate that this is a determining factor in the setting and motivation of staff. This differs in terms of autonomy from those hospitals where human resource management is based on rules of private sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores nurses' perceptions of the implementation of occupational specific dispensation (OSD) at two selected district hospitals in the Gauteng province of South Africa. At each hospital, in-depth interviews were conducted with key informants that included the chief executive officer, nursing service manager, human resource manager, and trade union shop steward (n=8). Day duty nurses (n=27), who were permanently employed, completed questionnaires after informed consent had been obtained. Both the interview schedule and questionnaire focused on the OSD policy and its implementation. Key informants and nurses were of the opinion that the OSD resulted in nurses' salary improvements and facilitated the hospitals' ability to attract nurses with specialised skills. However, 72.0% of day duty nurses indicated that the OSD had been implemented unfairly, 54.1% that OSD demoralised them and 58.3% that OSD adversely affected the relationships between management and nurses. Only 24.0% of the nurses agreed that communication around OSD was good, and 22.7% agreed that OSD improved service delivery. The participating nurses had both positive and negative perceptions about the OSD implementation. Recommendations include: clear communication to ensure the same understanding of the policy; involvement of front-line nurses; training to ensure uniform interpretation and implementation; and improved monitoring and evaluation of the OSD implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the influence that intrinsic and extrinsic job values have on the turnover intention of continuing care assistants (CCAs) who work either in home care or facility-based care in Nova Scotia (n = 188). Factor analysis of job values identified three latent job values structures: “compensation and commitment,” “flexibility and opportunity,” and “positive work relationships.” Using binary logistic regression, we examined the predictive utility of these factors on two indices of turnover intention. Regression results indicate that, in general, job values constructs did not significantly predict turnover intention when controlling for demographics and job characteristics. However, a trend was found for the “positive work relationships” factor in predicting consideration of changing employers. In addition, CCAs who work in facility-based care were significantly more likely to have considered leaving their current employer. With projected increases in the demand for these workers in both home and continuing care, more attention is needed to identify and address factors to reduce turnover intention. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This report examines the supply and distribution of Canadian health human resources based on geographic region, area of residence, Aboriginal identity, and occupation. Analyses are from the Census' long form survey (20 per cent data sample) from 1996, 2001, and 2006. Statistics are used to illustrate trends in health care. In 2006, health care providers accounted for 1,012,615 people; 2.15 per cent identified as Aboriginal and of this, 46 per cent were First Nations, 48 per cent were Métis, and 2 per cent were Inuit. Upward trends are noted in registered nursing, midwifery and practitioners of natural healing, dieticians and nutritionists, and physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cuadernos Médico Sociales is the property of Colegio Medico de Chile (A.G.) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: This thesis will comprehensively analyze the internal conditions (superiority and inferiority) and external environment (opportunities and threats) of health human resources of the forest industry region in Heilongjiang province based on SWOT system. Then it will provide the development strategy on health human resources in order to promote the development in the forest industry region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study aimed to characterize the professional profile of physiotherapists from the Program Enhancement Professional (PAP) in 2010 linked to a Teaching Hospital. This is a prospective, quantitative and cross-sectional nature, which included 31 therapists and used a questionnaire previously developed for data collection. The results showed a predominance of females with a mean age of 23.9 ± 1,24 years, graduates of private educational institutions. These professionals have developed extension projects and undergraduate research during their undergraduate consider their therapist-patient relationship and gives very good concept good improvement to the course in which they live. The profile of physiotherapists included in the PAP is characterized by young professionals who sought to develop during the undergraduate education-research-axis extension and are in search of better professional through programs such as the improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recruiting and retaining health professions remains a high priority for health system planners. Different employment sectors may vary in their appeal to providers. We used the concepts of inflow and stickiness to assess the relative attractiveness of sectors for physical therapists (PTs) in Ontario, Canada. Inflow was defined as the percentage of PTs working in a sector who were not there the previous year. Stickiness was defined as the transition probability that a physical therapist will remain in a given employment sector year-to-year. Methods: A longitudinal dataset of registered PTs in Ontario (1999-2007) was created, and primary employment sector was categorized as 'hospital', 'community', 'long term care' (LTC) or 'other.' Inflow and stickiness values were then calculated for each sector, and trends were analyzed. Results: There were 5003 PTs in 1999, which grew to 6064 by 2007, representing a 21.2% absolute growth. Inflow grew across all sectors, but the LTC sector had the highest inflow of 32.0%. PTs practicing in hospitals had the highest stickiness, with 87.4% of those who worked in this sector remaining year-to-year. The community and other employment sectors had stickiness values of 78.2% and 86.8% respectively, while the LTC sector had the lowest stickiness of 73.4%. Conclusion: Among all employment sectors, LTC had highest inflow but lowest stickiness. Given expected increases in demand for services, understanding provider transitional probabilities and employment preferences may provide a useful policy and planning tool in developing a sustainable health human resource base across all employment sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Canadian medical schools have increased enrollment and recruited more rural students in an effort to address general and rural physician shortages. The success of this approach depends on the recruitment of these newly trained physicians to under-serviced areas. Studies from North America suggest that the career expectations and practice patterns of younger, more recently graduated physicians differ from those of their older counterparts. This study explored the factors that influenced the work location choices of physicians of differing generations, who trained at universities in Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador, two Canadian provinces with large rural populations and no community larger than 235 000 population. Methods: Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with physicians who graduated from either the Memorial University of Newfoundland or the University of Saskatchewan. Generation definitions were based on the graduation year. Early-career physicians graduated between 1995 and 1999; mid-career physician graduated between 1985 and 1989; late-career physicians graduated between 1975 and 1979; and end-career physicians graduated between 1965 and 1969. Each physician was asked questions about the number and nature of work location changes over the course of their careers and the factors related to their decision to choose each location. Interview transcripts and notes were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Although the study focus was on generational differences, similarities and differences between universities, sexes and specialties (family physicians/GPs vs specialists) were also examined. Recruitment to the provinces was focused on as a whole, because the largest communities in the provinces are small compared with most urban communities. Results: Forty-eight physicians were interviewed, five to nine physicians who graduated in each decade and from each university. The desire to be near family and friends was cited as the primary consideration when choosing a work location, regardless of generation. Likewise, residency training location, the ability to use their skills and knowledge fully, and the quality of recruitment efforts were important considerations in choosing a work location for all physicians. For some, remuneration was very influential in their work location decision; however, many physicians who chose to remain in their smaller 'home' provinces noted the lower cost of living in these provinces. Physicians who graduated in the 1980s and 1990s placed greater emphasis on work-life balance and spouse's employment opportunities than their older generation counterparts. In contrast, physicians who graduated in the 1960s and 1070s highlighted the medical need of the community, and the desire for adventure and to see new places as important. Conclusions: While many factors for choosing a work location appear to be stable over generations, a number of generational differences were found. Younger physicians placed greater emphasis on work-life balance and spouse's employment than older generation physicians. These differences may have important implications for small population regions which may not be able to support physician-spouse pairs or certain subspecialties. Although economic factors have largely been the focus of recruitment and retention initiatives in these provinces, the findings highlight the importance of addressing the needs and expectations of younger generation physicians in order to attract these physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economists have generated a large body of theoretical and empirical knowledge with respect to the design of physician remuneration methods (PRM). This knowledge is difficult to use for a policy maker, because of its technical nature and its fragmentation. The article brings together the scattered elements of theory and evidence into a structured framework that adds practical use value to economic theory, useful in the applied practice of policy development, design, implementation, and evaluation. The article argues that the optimal choice of PRM depends on the goals of the health care system, and on external contextual factors. Fee-for-service payments are best when the goals are quantity of care and risk acceptance. Capitation is best when the goals are collaboration between providers and delivery of preventive services and health promotion. Salaries are best when population density is low, and the goal is to recruit physicians to rural and remote areas. Blended payment models are recommended for the achievement of multiple goals. As a demonstration of use value, the framework is applied to the assessment of Canadian PRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home care is considered an essential pillar of the health care systems in many industrialized countries. With an increased demand for home health workers, there has been growing interest in examining recruitment and retention of these workers. With a focus on recruitment of home support workers, in this study we draw on data from interviews with 57 home support workers in three Canadian provinces, to examine the factors that attract individuals to employment in this sector. These factors include: previous experience, financial considerations, and enjoying working with people. Understanding these overlapping factors can aide in the recruitment of future workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Ciência & Saúde Coletiva is the property of Associacao Brasileira de Pos-Graduacao em Saude Coletiva and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cogitare Enfermagem is the property of Cogitare Enfermagem and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

bakker d., butler l., fitch m., green e., olson k. & cummings g. (2009) Journal of Nursing Management  18, 205–214 Canadian cancer nurses' views on recruitment and retention Aim The purpose of this study was to explore oncology nurses’ perceptions about recruitment and retention. Background Competition among healthcare organizations to recruit and retain qualified nurses is a real-life challenge. Focusing attention on human resource planning in oncology is highlighted by both the worsening nursing shortage and cancer incidence. Methods A participatory action research approach was used and 12 focus groups with 91 cancer nurses were conducted across Canada to collect data about strategies that could improve recruitment and retention. Results Four themes emerged reflecting oncology nurses’ beliefs and values about organizational practices that attract and retain nurses and they are as follows: (1) recognizing oncology as a specialty, (2) tacit knowledge no longer enough, (3) gratification as a retaining factor, and (4) relationship dependent on environment. Conclusions Participants highlighted leadership, recognition and professional and continuing education opportunities as critical to job satisfaction and organizational commitment. Implications for nursing management Recruitment and retention were viewed as a continuum where organizational investment begins with a well-developed orientation and ongoing mentorship to ensure knowledge development. The challenge for nurse leaders is to use the evidence generated from this study and previous studies to develop professional practice environments that facilitate the cultural changes needed to build and sustain a quality nursing workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

schreiber r. & macdonald m. (2010) Keeping Vigil over the Patient: a grounded theory of nurse anaesthesia practice. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(3), 552–561. Aim. This paper is a report of a study exploring the role and practice of nurse anaesthetists, with particular attention to describing how it is ‘nursing’. Background. In many countries, there is no nurse anaesthetist role. Recent events suggest that hesitancy about the role may be changing in Canada. Yet, there is limited understanding in Canada about nurse anaesthesia, and many nurses do not believe it is nursing. Method. This grounded theory study involved theoretical and purposive sampling to gather data through: (i) participant observation and face-to-face interviews at the 75th annual American Association of Nurse Anesthetists convention in August, 2006, (ii) follow-up telephone interviews and (iii) a 4-day site visit to a small city in the west of the United States to observe anaesthetists in practice and working with students, visit an educational program, and conduct further interviews. Data collection and analysis were iterative and continued until saturation was reached in December, 2007. Findings. A basic social process of how nurse anaesthetists practise, Keeping Vigil over the Patient, was identified. Keeping Vigil over the Patient is comprised of four categories: Engaging with the Patient, Finessing the Human–Technology Interface, Massaging the Message and Foregrounding Nursing. Conclusion. Nursing was clearly evident in anaesthesia practice, reflecting a seamless integration of divergent ontological perspectives. Based on this examination, this role has considerable potential as a new advanced practice nursing role in countries where it has not yet been adopted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aging populations, limited budgets, changing public expectations, new technologies, and the emergence of new diseases create challenges for health care systems as ways to meet needs and protect, promote, and restore health are considered. Traditional planning methods for the professionals required to provide these services have given little consideration to changes in the needs of the populations they serve or to changes in the amount/types of services offered and the way they are delivered. In the absence of dynamic planning models that simulate alternative policies and test policy mixes for their relative effectiveness, planners have tended to rely on projecting prevailing or arbitrarily determined target provider-population ratios. A simulation model has been developed that addresses each of these shortcomings by simultaneously estimating the supply of and requirements for registered nurses based on the identification and interaction of the determinants. The model's use is illustrated using data for Nova Scotia, Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cogitare Enfermagem is the property of Cogitare Enfermagem and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction: Health sciences programs are being designed to attract students who are likely to stay and practice in rural and northern Canada. Consequently, student recruitment and screening are increasingly including assessment of suitability for rural practice. Although retention factors among rural physicians and nurses have been investigated, little is known about factors that contribute to the retention of other healthcare professionals who work in rural areas. The primary objective of this project was to identify the personal characteristics and experiences of allied health professionals who have worked long term in northern British Columbia (BC), Canada. Methods: The study used a qualitative descriptive approach. Six speech language pathologists, four psychologists, four occupational therapists, eight social workers, and four physiotherapists practicing long term in northern BC were recruited, using a convenience sample and the snowball technique, to participate in semi-structured telephone interviews. The interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. A thematic content analysis identified the motivations for their decision to begin or stay working in northern communities, the reasons for choosing rural or northern education and key themes concerning personal characteristics and experiences. A process of member checking and an external audit validated the analysis and findings. Results: There were two major themes for choosing rural and northern education. For some, selection of rural or northern training was based on accessibility to health education programs; all participants who chose rural and northern education had already decided that they were going to practice rurally. Generally, participants identified past positive experiences and rural background as influencing their practice location decision. Participants named the community's need for healthcare professionals, career advancement opportunities, welcoming employers, peer support, as well as promises of continuing education and interprofessional teamwork as key to their decision. Professional preferences for variety, challenges, and trying new aspects of the job such as teaching also impacted their decision. Also identified were individual factors and personal preferences such as the need for adventure, wilderness, and outdoor recreation, and community factors (eg people's friendliness and the slow pace). Such factors also influenced retention; however, retention was also affected by factors such as job satisfaction, and some community factors were only associated with retention. The analysis revealed a number of personal characteristics and experiences shared by longterm healthcare professionals, and that there is not one particular factor that determines duration of practice in rural and northern communities. Conclusion: The findings imply a combination of varying personal values impact the decision to come or stay in rural and northern communities. Personal characteristics and experiences help to shape these personal values. Over time and depending on stage of life, personal values change. Age and stage of life, rural background, and location of family members also have bearing on personal values, which in turn impact recruitment and retention. An explicit identification of values that have emerged out of personal characteristics and experiences may be useful in the selection of students for rural health education programs, as well as the recruitment and retention of healthcare professionals in rural and northern areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last few decades have seen considerable changes in the characteristics of the healthcare workplace and workforce. There is a significant emphasis on recruitment and retention of healthcare providers internationally especially within the profession of Nursing, where there is a critical and growing shortage of nurses. Career choice is a critical component of recruitment and retention strategies and has significant organizational implications in regards to person–environment fit, career satisfaction and commitment. Many extant career choice theories fail to capture the challenges, complexities and uncertainties of the 21st century. Moreover, some early theories do not recognize the unique characteristics of upcoming generational cohorts and the multivariate influences on their career decisions. An extensive review and synthesis of the related literature provide the basis for a critical discussion on the adoption of new methodological approaches to exploring career choice in Nursing. The use of qualitative and mixed method approaches, a focus on generational differences and an exploration of adaptive and adjustment processes to career change provide a foundation for future career choice research and theoretical development which are reflective of the characteristics of the contemporary employee and the reality of modern healthcare organizations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Healthcare systems rely heavily upon human resources to ensure high-quality access to care for the general population. With significant health worker shortages predicted worldwide in the coming decades, maximizing the current workforce by means of a physician resource planning (PRP) strategy that ensures the right number, mix, and distribution of physicians to meet population needs is warranted. In Canada, there is an insufficient number of primary care providers, and disproportionately low numbers of specialist physicians in rural compared to urban regions. Currently, Canadian medical students are not effectively included in PRP strategy and lack the required information for career orientation to help rebalance the population's workforce needs. This paper present the Health Human Resource (HHR) Platform, a comprehensive web tool that includes relevant workforce data to empower medical students in choosing a discipline based on both personal interests and social accountability.Results: Physician workforce data, comments from Canadian residency program directors, and career planning resources were collected by the Canadian Federation of Medical Student's (CFMS) HHR Task Force. This information was consolidated to create a national interactive platform that uses a map, comparison table, and trend graphs to illustrate over 500,000 unique data points from 37 datasets, including specific information and resources spanning 62 medical specialties from 2015 onwards. There was a 24.6% response rate for program director comments. During the first 4 months of the HHR Platform launch, there were 2434 different users, of which 985 were returning, with an average of 20.0 users per day spending on average 3 min on the platform.Conclusions: The HHR Platform constitutes a national approach to PRP informing medical students on the mix and distribution of physicians needed to meet the future healthcare demands of the Canadian population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is based on a presentation to a symposium on Building Global Alliances in a World of Healthcare Inequities, sponsored by CGFNS International and held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in December 2007. The presentation focuses on four areas related to the symposium's theme of "Global Health Challenges in a World Divided by Health Inequities: Global Health Disparities, Health Financing Disparities, Donor Assistance for Health, and Human Resources". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent literature considering the state of the social work profession has primarily focused on concerns about deprofessionalization. This article provides an overview of the literature on professionalization and professional decline in order to situate the social work profession within a broader context. The article then describes the emergence of a new role for social workers in Canada that crosses the boundaries between clinical, managerial, and legal aspects of client care in the area of mental health forensics. It is argued that the future of social work's professionalization project around the world may not be as bleak as has been portrayed in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]