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Globally, acute abdominal pain (AAP) is one of the most common reasons for emergency admissions, yet little is known about how this patient group experiences the delivery of fundamental care across the acute care delivery chain. The purpose of this paper is to describe how patients with AAP experienced fundamental care across their acute care presentation, and to explicate the health professional behaviours, reported by patients, that contributed to their positive experiences.

A qualitative descriptive study, using repeated reflective interviews, was analysed thematically (n=10 patients).

Two themes were identified: developing genuine, caring relationships with health professionals and being informed about one’s care. Patients reported that health professionals established genuine professional–patient relationships despite the busy care environment but perceived this environment as impeding information-provision. Patients were typically accepting of a lack of information, whereas poor professional–patient relationships were seen as inexcusable.

To provide positive fundamental care experiences for patients with AAP, health professionals should establish caring relationships with patients, such as by using humour, being attentive, and acknowledging patients’ physical pain and emotional distress; and should inform patients about their care, including allowing patients to ask questions and taking time to answer those questions.

This is the first Australian study to explore the experiences of patients with AAP across the acute care delivery chain, using a novel method of repeated interviews, and to demonstrate how fundamental care can be delivered, in clinical practice, to ensure positive patient experiences.

This paper examines the determinants of success in seeking local government earmarked funding. We compile data of the aggregate amounts of the New York City Council discretionary expense grants received or requested by each council district every year during 2011-2013. The statistical results show that the allocation of the expense grants are politically motivated with more earmark funds flowing to the districts council leaders and key committee chairpersons represent. Furthermore, constituents of key committee chairpersons are more successful in the earmarking process. Districts with larger African American population have lower success ratios possibly because they request significantly more earmarks. These empirical findings are consistent with anecdotal perceptions that earmarking is not substantially effective in meeting community need.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of free and open source (FOSS) geographic information system (GIS) software within the broader contexts of the open source software movement and developments in GIS, and pose the question of whether libraries and academic departments should consider adopting FOSS GIS.

The process of creating a basic thematic map was used to test six FOSS GIS software packages, as it is a multi‐step process and a good example of a common task GIS users would want to perform. The test demonstrates what the process of creating a thematic map using FOSS GIS involves and how it compares to proprietary software like ArcGIS.

Each of the individual FOSS GIS packages had their own particular strengths and weaknesses and some performed well for thematic mapping. The FOSS packages generally were weaker compared to ArcGIS in terms of support for various projection and coordinate systems, joining attribute data to GIS files, and automatic labeling, but their advantage is that they were free in terms of cost and licensing restrictions. When coupled with plug‐ins and helper applications the viability of the FOSS GIS packages increased.

There is little published research to date on the capabilities and applications of FOSS GIS despite the fact that it is a growing movement. This research provides a practical, application‐based overview and critique of FOSS GIS.

This paper seeks to provide researchers and librarians with an overview of the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), with a specific focus on practical issues that users must face when choosing and using ACS datasets.

Each of the following issues are explored subsequent to a general overview of the ACS: choosing among census datasets from different census programs, interpreting and choosing between the different ACS period estimates, selecting census geography, understanding and recalculating margins of error, and accessing the data. Samples of ACS tables and formulas for creating derived estimates are used to illustrate how to interpret and work with the data.

The ACS datasets are fundamentally different from the decennial census as they are period estimates created from rolling sample surveys. The ACS has a steeper learning curve; this complexity is due in part to the number of choices users must make between datasets, but the primary challenge is learning how to understand and work with estimates as opposed to population counts.

While other papers have discussed the benefits and challenges of the ACS, this paper is structured around the practical issues that researchers must face when using it. Special consideration is given to calculating derived estimates using spreadsheet formulas, as this is a key task that many users will need to perform and spreadsheets are the most likely tool users will employ to manipulate the data.

This whistleblowing case study engages students in discussions about when and how to disclose differences of opinion on a revenue recognition matter with higher-ups in an organization. Factors to consider include the morality of whistleblowing, confidentiality obligations, the rules of conduct in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Code, Sarbanes–Oxley Act (SOX), Dodd–Frank, and the US Supreme Court ruling in Digital Realty, Inc. v. Somers that addresses when to report matters to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Case questions are designed to promote students’ critical thinking skills, ethical reasoning skills, and decision-making. A flowchart of AICPA ethics rule 2.130.020 (Subordination of Judgment) provides the framework for making decisions when differences exist in financial reporting. The case provides learning objectives, implementation guidance, and teaching notes. The case was used in an accounting ethics course taught at the undergraduate senior level but can also be used in auditing, fraud examination, and advanced financial reporting courses.

This research develops a set of specific modern slavery disclosure principles for organisations. It critically evaluates seven legislative Acts from five different countries and 16 guidelines and directives from international organisations. By undertaking an in-depth content analysis, the research derives an index comprising nine principles and 49 disclosure items to promote best-practice disclosure in tackling modern slavery. We promote nine active principles for organisations to implement and disclose: recognising modern slavery practices, identifying risks, publishing a modern slavery risk prevention policy, proactive in assessing and addressing risks, assessing efficacy of actions, garnering internal and external oversight, externally communicating modern slavery risk mitigation, implementing a suppliers' assessment and code of conduct to ensure transparency and specifying consequences for non-compliance. The research is motivated by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8, which focusses on economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work. The research findings will assist practitioners seeking to discover and disclose evidence of modern slavery practices and their mitigation to minimise and encourage the elimination of this unethical and illegal practice in domestic and global supply chains and operations.

This case examines the merger of two nonprofit organizations from the point of view of the board of directors and senior staff leaders.

The case is designed to teach students about the complex issues in nonprofit mergers and to stimulate thinking about the role of the board of directors in mergers.

This paper aims to identify and model the key barriers to implementation of project-based learning (PjBL) in higher educational institution.

Using the interpretive structural modelling (ISM) technique, the study has developed a hierarchical-based model, depicting the mutual relationships amongst the key barriers to implementation of PjBL. Additionally, the paper has performed Matrice d’ Impacts Croises Multiplication Appliqué an Classement (MICMAC) analysis to categorize the barriers in terms of their driving and dependence power.

The study has identified the key barriers to implementation of PjBL and presented an integrated model using ISM. Higher educational institutions need to pay attention to diagnose and overcome these hindrances for effective implementation of PjBL in their programmes.

The study adopts a systematic way to model the relevant barriers to implementation of PjBL. The ISM-based model would help higher education institutions to prioritize the issues as the barriers are hierarchically structured. As the input to model development is based on the experts’ opinions, it may be biased, influencing the final output of the structural model.

The presentation of PjBL implementation barriers in the form of an ISM-based model is a new effort. The model would be useful to understand the barriers and overcome these for the successful implementation of PjBL in higher educational institutions.

Discrimination has been identified as a major stressor and influence on immigrant health. This study examined the role of perceived discrimination in relation to other factors, in particular, acculturation, in physical and mental health of immigrants and refugees. Data for US adults (18 +  years) were derived from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Mental and physical health was assessed with SF-12. Acculturation and perceived discrimination were assessed with multidimensional measures. Structural equation models were used to estimate the effects of acculturation, stressful life effects, perceived discrimination, and social support on health among immigrants and refugees. Among first-generation immigrants, discrimination in health care had a negative association with physical health while discrimination in general had a negative association with mental health. Social support had positive associations with physical and mental health and mediated the association of discrimination to health. There were no significant associations between discrimination and health among refugees, but the direction and magnitude of associations were similar to those for first-generation immigrants. Efforts aiming at reducing discrimination and enhancing integration/social support for immigrants are likely to help with maintaining and protecting immigrants’ health and well-being. Further research using larger samples of refugees and testing moderating effects of key social/psychosocial variables on immigrant health outcomes is warranted. This study used multidimensional measures of health, perceived discrimination, and acculturation to examine the pathways between key social/psychosocial factors in health of immigrants and refugees at the national level. This study included possibly the largest national sample of refugees.