Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Ewert

Publications and source records attributed to T Ewert.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

The role of tacit knowledge in the work context of nursing.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: Previous research on the role of tacit knowledge is ambiguous. Some studies show the superiority of expertise, while other studies found experts would not be better than laymen. This paper aims at clarifying the contribution of tacit knowledge to expertise in the domain of nursing. BACKGROUND: Two important concepts for dealing with critical situations are outlined - tacit knowledge and experience-guided working. The framework of tacit knowledge and experience-guided working can contribute to an explanation of the ambiguous results. Tacit knowledge is acquired implicitly in the course of working and is therefore not subject to reflection. For this reason it can contain erroneous or problematic contents. METHODS: A method for the explication of tacit knowledge was developed and a laboratory study with 16 experienced nurses conducted. In the laboratory study the nurses had to deal with a critical nursing situation that was developed in co-operation with nursing experts. The explicit knowledge of the nurses was tested before the laboratory study. RESULTS: No systematic differences in explicit knowledge could be observed, i.e. differences in performance could not be attributed to this knowledge mode. Results from multidimensional scaling procedures illustrate differences in the tacit knowledge of nurses who successfully accomplished the critical situation and those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: The findings are in line with the assumption that experience-guided working is of the utmost importance for dealing with critical situations. Consequences of these results for nursing and person-related services in general are discussed and the aim of future research is outlined.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2000

[Intuition as implicite knowledge].

The article relates the terms intuition, tacit knowledge and experience and describes their meaning for nursing. An empirical study with 16 experienced nurses is presented whereby the nurses had to deal with a simulated critical nursing situation. Basing on their actions a method for explication of action-guiding tacit knowledge was developed so that a closer scrutinizing of this type of knowledge became possible. Results underline the assumption of many practitioners that intuition as a resource in nursing activities is not to underestimate. At the same time a warning is given: Intuition and tacit knowledge is not always and at all times to evaluate positively. Finally, this differentiated point of view is discussed regarding consequences for nursing practice.

Humans↗
PubMed1990

Effects of lead on neurophysiological and performance measures: animal and human data.

This paper reports lead-induced changes in neuropsychological measures and behavioral performance measures in monkeys and children. Monkeys were pre- and postnatally exposed to lead via the diet. Blood lead levels at the time of testing were 9.3, 40.3, and 55.7 micrograms/dL in controls, and animals exposed to 350 ppm or 600 ppm lead acetate, respectively. Flash-evoked and brainstem auditory-evoked potentials were recorded in adult animals. Results indicate latency increases in both measures as well as amplitude decreases in the flash-evoked response. Delayed reaction time and serial choice reaction were determined as measures of behavioral performance in lead-exposed school-age children from two lead smelter areas. In addition, pattern-reversal-evoked potentials and nerve conduction velocity were investigated. Neither nerve conduction velocity nor latency of the pattern-reversal-evoked potential were consistently influenced by lead. Of the behavioral measures, serial choice reaction performance revealed a consistent lead-related deficit, which became more pronounced with increasing task difficulty.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Comparing the effects of perinatal and later childhood lead exposure on neuropsychological outcome.

Blood lead values (PbB) from cord blood and maternal samples as well as present PbB from venous blood samples were available for 114 six- to seven-year-old children living in or near the city of Nordenham (FRG). These children represented 30% of all children born between July 1975 and August 1976 in the district hospital (N = 383). The range of cord blood PbB was 4-31 micrograms/100 ml (mean = 8.2 micrograms/100 ml) and of maternal PbB was 4-30 micrograms/100 ml (mean = 9.3 micrograms/100 ml), whereas the range for present PbB was 3.9-22.8 micrograms/100 ml (mean = 8.2 micrograms/100 ml). The degree of correlation between maternal and cord blood PbB was 0.79, despite the poor technical quality of many cord blood samples as compared to maternal blood samples (less coagulation). These children were given a battery of neurophysiological and neuropsychological tests. The present report is restricted to psychological performance measures. The test battery covered intelligence (reduced Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children), visual-motor performance (Bender Test, GFT), serial reaction performance (Wiener Reaction Device), and cued as well as choice reaction times. After correction for confounding by means of stepwise multiple-regression analysis, few significant associations between blood lead levels and performance deficit occurred. In general the degree of association was somewhat stronger for present PbB than for perinatal PbB: With increasing present PbB there was a borderline drop of performance IQ (P less than 0.1), as well as a significant disruption of serial reactions, which was more pronounced for the difficult (P less than 0.01) than for the easier version of the Wiener Device (P less than 0.05). A similar but less pronounced pattern of associations was observed for maternal PbB but not for cord blood PbB. Some influence of perinatal lead exposure on later performance can, thus, still be detected if, in addition to cord blood PbB, maternal PbB is taken into account as well.

Child↗
PubMed1985

[Sural nerve neurography using surface and needle electrodes in polyneuropathies. Comparative study].

It was the objective of our study to find a simple and reliable method for the electroneurographic examination of the sural nerve of patients suffering from polyneuropathy. As a first step, the normal values of persons not affected by this disease were taken by orthodromic technique and surface electrodes. The results were as follows: nerve conduction velocity: 59,44 m/s +/- 5,05; amplitude of the nerve action potential: 6,58 microV +/- 3,05; duration of the amplitude: 2,08 ms +/- 2,7; prolongation of latency after double stimulation: 3,37% +/- 0,77. Then potentials were stimulated by surface- and needle electrodes on the patients affected by polyneuropathy and recorded. Comparing the results gained by the different methods, we found that they correlated in a highly significant way, which means that all the methods are equally applicable. The stimulation and recording by surface electrodes, however, has apart from its reliability the additional advantage of being a simple, quick, and gentle method of examination. There is little objection to applying it repeatedly to the same patient. Further information about polyneuropathy can be obtained by the examination of the relative refractory period.

Action Potentials↗