Teesside University

About: Teesside University is a education organization based out in Middlesbrough, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 2155 authors who have published 5540 publications receiving 118373 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Teesside.

Research awareness: managerial challenges for nurses in the Republic of Ireland.

Abstract: timmins f., McCabe c. & McSherry r. (2012) Journal of Nursing Management20, 224–235 Research awareness: managerial challenges for nurses in the Republic of Ireland Background In spite of the growing body of literature, the reality of getting research into practice remains problematic. Objective The present study aimed to establish contemporary levels of research awareness among nurses in Ireland. Population, sample, setting A random sample of 234 registered nurses (RNs). Methods A self-report survey Research Awareness Questionnaire (RAQ) was used to collect data in March 2005. Results Most agreed (92%) that research can improve patient care and 93% agreed that it is the way forward to change clinical practice. Most nurses’ perceived research as being integral to their role. However, 71% of the nurses within the present study indicated that they had insufficient support and encouragement from peers and professionals. Similarly, 69.2% indicated insufficient support from management. Conclusions Consistent with other countries, nurses in Ireland have a positive attitude towards evidence-based nursing but face many obstacles which include a lack of time, support, knowledge and confidence. Implications for nursing management Nurse managers have a vital role in the use and dissemination of research among staff. It is imperative that nurse managers have clinical expertise, research awareness training, and awareness to promote research-based practice and attempt to provide positive role modelling in addition to protected time for research efforts.

Automatic generation of game level solutions as storyboards

Abstract: Interactive Storytelling techniques are attracting much interest for their potential to develop new game genres but also as another form of procedural content generation, specifically dedicated to game events rather than objects or characters. However, one issue constantly raised by game developers, when discussing gameplay implications of Interactive Storytelling techniques, is the possible loss of designer control over the dynamically generated storyline. Joint research with industry has suggested a new potential use for Interactive Storytelling technologies, which stands precisely as an assistance to game design. Its basic philosophy is to generate various/all possible solutions to a given game level using the player character as the main agent, and gameplay actions as the basic elements of solution generation. We present a fully-implemented prototype which uses the blockbuster game HitmanTM as an application. This system uses Heuristic Search Planning to generate level solutions, each legal game action being described as a planning operator. The description of the initial state, the level's objective as well as the level layout, constitute the input data. Other parameters for the simulation include the Hitman's style, which influences the choice of certain actions and privileges a certain style of solution (e.g. stealth versus violent). As a design tool, it seemed appropriate to generate visual output which would be consistent with the current design process. In order to achieve this, we have adapted original HitmanTM storyboards for their use with a generated solution: we attach elements of storyboards to the planning operators so that a complete solution generates a comic strip similar to an instantiated storyboard for the solution generated. We illustrate system behaviour with specific examples of solution generation.