Some personality differences among the multidisciplinary team

Entry to the burns team: stressors, supports and coping strategies

Employment as a member of a multidisciplinary burns team presents the individual with an enticing professional and personal challenge. Patients sustaining major burns require intense physical and psychological rehabilitation over an extended period of time, often drawing upon the services of a sole therapist. Although more attention is being paid to professional issues of 'burn-out' and general care of the health professional, there has been little published with regard to actual stressors experienced by burn staff. An understanding of stressors faced, and current support systems utilized, by an occupational therapist in the first 12 months in a major burns unit, illustrates the unique demands placed upon junior staff. Following this review possible coping strategies for the individual and institution at large are discussed. It is suggested that continuing education, supervision by senior staff and better staff/patient ratios, may facilitate an easier transition into the burns team and render staff better able to cope with continuing stressors.

What Do Employers Want: Functions, Knowledge Areas, and Characteristics Desired of Professional Psychologists

To determine what they prefer when they select a psychologist, we surveyed a sample of 105 administrators in the Philadelphia area. Most respondents held doctorates in clinical, counseling, or school psychology. Preferences for functions, areas of knowledge, and characteristics suggested discrepancies with APA standards for training. There was only moderate support for a scientific, quantitative orientation. Factor analyses identified six functions, six areas of knowledge, and two characteristics. Treated as composites, the intercorrelations suggested a further reduction into a practitioner-oriented and a scientist-oriented pattern. Over-all, respondents rated highest the personal characteristics of a practitioner (rather than scientist), knowledge of human development and of psychodiagnostics, and the appraisal function. When 10 selected agency characteristics were analyzed by composite scores, sponsorship of setting and typical age range of clientele accounted for the most differences. Implications for the professional identity of the major specializations, for education, and for practice were discussed.

The role of modulator: a strategy for treatment of learning disabilities

Meeting the diagnostic and treatment needs of the learning disabled child is a task as varied as the number of children involved. Individualization and ongoing evaluation are therefore essential aspects of intervention strategy. Implementation of these aspects is greatly aided by the involvement of a modulator. This paper discusses the history, job description, funding base, and effectiveness, as determined from a preliminary study of these new professionals.