The ripple effect: How the Australian Awards for University Teachers (AAUT) build and maintain excellence in teaching and learning across the nation

In this commentary I provide an overview of the national award program, the Australian Awards for University Teachers (AAUT), that has been running for 23 years. The current federal government has made the decision not to fund the awards after 2021, a decision I believe is not only short-sighted but could be damaging for Australia in the global education market. I argue that the benefits of the awards are widespread in higher education. They recognise and reward creativity and innovation, they have created a culture of collaboration and mentoring that extends across universities and states, and most of all they validate the importance of good quality teaching in universities, providing a recognition and promotion pathway to match that of research awards. I propose three possible options to continue support for this valuable award program and encourage senior academics and past award winners to work as a group and pursue replacement funding and a sustainable management model for this program. The AAUT awards have an integral role in promoting creativity and innovation in teaching and learning, as well as the ripple effect of open promotion pathways, and collaborations across and between universities and across and between disciplines.

End of life practice and perceptions among physicians and residents in Intensive Care Units managed by anesthesiologists: a French national survey

Background In France, death after decision to withdrawal or withholding sustaining life therapies concerns about 10% of intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Clayes-Leonetti law published in 2016 intend to frame our medical exercise. The purpose of this study is to review the current practice concerning end of life (EOL) management in French ICU. Methods Two national surveys were conduct, the first one consisted in 30 multiple choices questions about epidemiology, EOL decisions making, care organization and self-opinion sent by mail to senior physicians members of “Société Française d’Anesthésie Réanimation (SFAR)”. Evaluation of practices on analgesia and sedation was conduct with two clinical cases. The second survey consisted in 24 multiples choices questions sent by mail to residents members of “SFAR jeunes”. Results Between October 2016 and October 2017, 695 physicians participated to the study. They majority work in a medico surgical unit in an University Center. Withholding and withdrawal life sustaining therapies decisions occur after collegial meeting (88%), a third doesn’t report decision in medical record, 46% always include medical third in decision making and only a third of physicians collect anticipate directive. Majority of them continue support care on these patients. In half of cases they haven’t sedation and analgesia protocol. Only 5% of physicians are completely satisfied of EOL care, where a better pain monitoring support is expected. Conclusion Heterogeneity for EOL management is important between physicians, we need to improve care and set up protocols to help physicians particularly concerning analgesia and sedation. Trial registration NA

Citizen Satisfaction and Continuing Intentions Regarding Support and Compensation Prescribed by the Chernobyl Act: A Case Study of the Russian Central Federal District

Using the case study of the Russian Central Federal District, this paper analyzes the degrees of satisfaction among citizens regarding the support and compensation as prescribed by the Chernobyl Act, and their desire for this support to continue. After the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, the Chernobyl Act named the State as being responsible for compensation of damages and provided that liquidators and refugees could receive support. Using a questionnaire survey, citizens’ levels of satisfaction concerning this support, as well as the speed of response to the nuclear accident, the information provided by the government, the decontamination of heavily polluted forests, and the compensation for liquidators were evaluated. The results found that support measures regarded as necessary for the reconstruction of affected areas and development of society and economy were the continued observations of the health status of the affected people, and continued pollution control. The degree of satisfaction among women and those with children, who are given preferential treatment under the Chernobyl Act, was high in regard to the Russian government’s response to the accident. Conversely, there are many who feel negatively about the provision of company housing and housing to citizens as prescribed under the law. Overall, 80% of the respondents wanted to continue support for the victims, particularly those with children, and desired to continue support such as migration rights, the early receipt of pensions, and the provision of free medicines, but many did not want preferential treatment regarding rent subsidies. Citizen satisfaction was generally high concerning the support and compensation as defined by the Chernobyl Act. However, there were also negative opinions regarding the preferential treatments prescribed by law, and it is necessary to consider these measures when formulating laws to protect victims in the future.