Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Innovative Virtual Wellness Interventions At An Academic Medical Center: A Pilot Feasibility Study, Ritika Baweja, Michael Hayes, Aditya Joshi, Raman Baweja

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: There is generally a concerning likelihood of burnout in healthcare workers. Given the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers, our institution identified the need for wellness interventions to foster adaptive functioning and mitigate burnout. The purpose of this pilot project was to assess the feasibility of virtual holistic interventions like meditation, art, laughter therapy and dance and their impact on overall well-being of physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs).

Methods: A series of 12 virtual sessions (art therapy, dance therapy, mindfulness-based practices/meditation and laughter therapy) were offered to providers over a 6-month period. Participants completed an online survey reporting …

Perceptions Of Preparedness Regarding Administrative Responsibilities: A Comparative Analysis Of Preservice And In-Service Secondary Music Educators., Ashley Ann Hokenson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated perceptions of knowledge and preparation regarding administrative responsibilities among in-service and preservice music teachers. Samples were selected randomly through NAfME and NASM databases. Data collection and analysis answered research questions asking how knowledgeable these groups felt about administrative topics, how they felt their undergraduate coursework prepared them for administrative responsibilities, and if there were any significant differences in preparedness among different subject areas taught by in-service directors. The findings report in-service teachers felt more knowledgeable of all administrative topics. Among in-service and preservice teachers, one significant difference was found; regarding preparedness pertaining to laws of communication via …

Wellness Review 2022, Part 2, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson, Jacob Shreffler

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Similar to prior reviews, the Journal of Wellness editors searched the literature from the second half of 2022 for an interesting and impactful selection of publications on wellness in healthcare professionals.

Methods: Editors conducted a standard keyword search in Pubmed, focusing chiefly on large journals, interventional trials, and other prospective research. We included papers published between July 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022.

Literature in Review: Finding several hundred publications, we excluded editorials, reviews, and some smaller, less generalizable papers. A final 25 significant studies focusing on wellness in medical professionals were sorted into the following categories: logistics, creativity …

A New Direction For Public Understanding Of Science: Toward A Participant-Centered Model Of Science Engagement., Christopher Rickels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Engaging the public with science is not an easy task. When presented, scientific findings, public health recommendations, and other scientific information filter through the personal values, beliefs, and biases of members of the public. Science communicators must contend with these differences in order to be effective in cultivating a public understanding of science. Given the importance of scientific understanding for living well in a complex world, increasing science understanding through science engagement is imperative. The field of public engagement with science is dichotomized by a public information deficit approach and a contextualist approach. The deficit approach prizes the factual content …

Wellness Review 2022, Part 1, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson, Jacob Shreffler

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article represents the first of a two-part assessment of 2022 literature addressing wellness in healthcare professionals published from January 1, 2022 to June 30, 2022.

Methods: Three editors conducted a similar keyword search in Pubmed, also adding manually curated articles. Focusing chiefly on clinical trials and other prospective research, we settled on a final 25 significant papers focusing on wellness in medical professionals to include in this review.

Literature Review: Recent literature into HCW wellness continues to describe burnout factors and COVID-19 impact, but includes more resilience-targeting interventions and systematic reviews of trials seeking bolstering of well-being. Subsections …

"I Am Who I Am": Lgbtq+ Student Experiences At A Baptist Liberal Arts University., Edwin Pavy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Though studies exploring the experiences of LGBTQ+ students on Christian college and university (CCU) campuses are increasingly prevalent, research continues to demonstrate that CCU environments are often unwelcoming. Gender and sexual minority students often face additional challenges or risks in attending a faith-based institution. To drive meaningful change, recommendations need to be tailored to individual institutions. This study sought to make meaning alongside LGBTQ+ students at a single institution – Baptist Heritage University (BHU) – with a decidedly appreciative approach. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecology of human development, we conducted an arts- based action research study to gain a deeper understanding …

Wellness Review 2021, Part 2, Brian A. Ferguson, Martin Huecker

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article presents Part 2 of the biannual JWellness Review of literature from 2021 (July – December). We emphasize new science and resilience initiatives published outside of JWellness that seek understanding of burnout and thriving among healthcare professionals (HCPs).

Methods: For the interval of July 1 to December 30, 2021, PubMed was queried for empirical and observational research studies, review articles, guideline summaries, letters, and editorials. Of 93 results, we reviewed methods and salient points to arrive at a final list of 48 articles for inclusion.

Literature in Review: Common themes that emerged included teamwork, EMR optimization, group decompression, …

The Last Conversation, Muhammad Ismail Khalid Yousaf

Journal of Wellness

The brain-death exam is one of the most sensitive undertakings for a physician, especially a neurologist, because of its social and legal implications. It is the vital examination establishing a clear lack of meaningful vitals, allowing a family to mark the end of a journey and a life finally complete. Physicians who perform and establish this death-decision must ensure they are au courant with the family's sentiments and concerns. It would behoove this obligated physician to bear in mind that it is a human being who will go through this invasive and rough exam. This comatose person is a father …

Writing Centers, Enclaves, And Creating Spaces Of Change Within Universities, Bronwyn T. Williams

Faculty Scholarship

Writing center scholarship often high-lights the ways in which their distinctive, less directive, nongraded, and individualized instruction can make them distinctive social and pedagogical spaces. There is a simultaneous argument, however, that writing centers are often institutionally vulnerable and may be unable to engage in or promote such differences within the larger college or university. Yet, despite their size and possible vulnerability, the daily practices and institutional positioning of writing centers can help change conversations and work toward a different vision, political approach, and institutional presence. Drawing on Victor Friedman’s concept of “enclaves of different practice” and Brian Massumi’s theories …

From The Field: Using A Simple Guide To Help Students Write Better Abstracts, Rochelle H. Holm, Anna Karin Roo

Faculty Scholarship

Students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) often write abstracts for research assignments but may not understand the purpose of an abstract. This paper presents the pilot of a simple guide for writing abstracts which gave student support to two undergraduate Malawian ELL students for their undergraduate research assignment. The two students and the instructor found the handout was helpful for the students to develop technical writing skills for the abstracts.

Student Pharmacists’ Emotional Responses And Coping During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Hannah E. Johnson, Deaundre Bumpass, Aric Schadler, Jeffrey Cain

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Health professions students, including student pharmacists, have been impacted by the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19 pandemic) as schools have transitioned to remote learning and cancelled milestone events. During times of crises, media consumption and hobby participation also impact well-being. The adverse emotional responses and coping strategies of student pharmacists amidst the COVID-19 pandemic have not been evaluated, nor have factors that may contribute to emotional responses. The purpose of this study is to determine Doctor of Pharmacy students’ emotional responses and coping precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the influence of media use, working status, and participation in hobbies. …

Reducing “Treble” With Performance Focused Music Programs In Medical School: A Student Driven Needs Assessment To Clarify Participation Barriers Amongst Undergraduate Medical Students, Alexander Tu, Tiffany Truong, Kristy J. Carlson, Matthew J. Brooks, Jayme R. Dowdall

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: The beneficial impact of performing arts involvement within undergraduate medical education, such as music, has been studied, but support for the arts varies significantly by institution. Research has suggested that medical student involvement in the arts can help develop their identities as physicians and may reduce stress and burnout, an increasingly difficult problem within the medical student community.

Methods: We used a mixed-method cross-sectional study design, using a questionnaire and semi-structured interview designed amongst a team of music professionals and healthcare providers with music backgrounds. Out of 511 enrolled medical students, 93 students participated in the study for a …

Medical Schools Ignore The Nature Of Consciousness At Great Cost, Anoop Kumar

Journal of Wellness

The essential question of the relationship between consciousness and matter is ignored in medical school curricula, leading to a machine-like view of the human being that contributes to physician burnout and intellectual dissatisfaction. The evidence suggesting that the brain may not be the seat of consciousness is generally ignored to preserve the worldview of the primacy of matter. By investigating new frameworks detailing the nature of consciousness at different levels of hierarchy, we can bring intellectual rigor to a once opaque subject that supports a fundamental reality about our experience: We are human beings, not only human bodies.

Demographics, Activities, And Environmental Factors Impact Burnout In A National Survey Of Emergency Medicine Residents, Nicole Battaglioli, Tim P. Moran, Simiao Li-Sauerwine

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Burnout in emergency medicine and in residency training has been well-described. The impact of demographic, individual, and programmatic factors on burnout have not previously been determined in a national survey of emergency medicine residents. This study aimed to identify personal and environmental factors impacting resident burnout in a national sample of emergency medicine residents.

Methods: A prospective Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Survey was administered in 2017. We surveyed respondents on demographic, personal, and environmental factors; each respondent also completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey. Linear regressions were used to identify variables associated with the Maslach Burnout …

Chronic Codeswitching: A Phenomenological Study Examining Multiracial Student Sense Of Belonging In A Predominantly White Institution., Nicholas Lamar Wright

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Constantly feeling a lack of acceptance and getting the comment “You are too Black” or “You are too White” is a challenging, common occurrence for multiracial students, but especially those in predominantly White institutions. This is just one of the barriers that stand between multiracial students and forming a sense of belonging at a predominantly White institution. The majority of research examining sense of belonging focuses on either Black or White students, but neglect multiracial students and their experiences. This dissertation examines sense of belonging for multiracial (Black/White) students in a predominantly White institution, by interviewing 11 multiracial students at …

Shifting Sands., Rachid Tagoulla

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Shifting Sands is a re-exploration of the presentation of North Africans in colonial postcards, an examination of identity, and a critique of the modern Western museum. Since the inception of photography, colonizers used this medium- especially in the form of postcards- to categorize and exoticize Eastern peoples in order to more easily subjugate them. Shifting Sands is a series of reconstructed colonial postcards which challenges colonial-era stereotypes of North African peoples. The colonial gaze, represented by the camera lens, is subverted through a lensless image-making process in which sand is used to remove the subject from the colonial gaze and …

The Health Of Haitian Schoolchildren: Longitudinal Effect Of Annual Visits On Growth, Jamarie Geller, Mary Starrs, Andrew Bartholomew, Sara Kaliszak, Jeri Kessenich

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Objectives: Haiti has one of the highest rates of childhood undernutrition in the world, devastating overall health. This study focuses on the growth of children offered longitudinal healthcare by Kids Health for Haiti, using BMI to indicate developmental and nutritional status. Objectives include collecting baseline prevalence data, examining the longitudinal impact of longitudinal interventions, and discussing future investigation and programming areas.

Methods: A retrospective longitudinal observational chart review on 245 students over a six-year period analyzing height, weight, and BMI. All data was collected as part of routine health provision and underwent statistical analysis using a single-subject design.

Results:46.3%, …

A Comparative Analysis Of The Knowledge And Stigmatizing Attitude Of Ghanaians And Nigerians Towards Covid-19 Survivors, Emmanuel Lamptey, Dorcas Serwaa, Maxwell Hubert Antwi, Theckla Ikome Ms, Nkechi Odogwu

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Introduction: In Africa, COVID-19 associated stigmatization still remains the contextual factor that poses a challenge for the mitigation and suppression of COVID-19 spread, especially among the illiterate populations. This comparative study was therefore conducted to assess the knowledge and willingness of Ghanaians and Nigerians to associate with COVID-19 survivors.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect information from 290 Ghanaian and 220 Nigerian nationals aged 18 years and above between 11th July-30th October 2020. An electronic-based questionnaire was developed to collect information on the public. The data were analyzed with SPSS v 22 and factors influencing knowledge and willingness …

Wellness Review 2020, Part 2, Brian Ferguson, Martin Huecker

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: This article comprises Part 2 of the Journal of Wellness review of 2020 wellness literature (July – December). In this review, JWellness editors continue the goal of offering a cohesive summary of recent publications within the wellness domain. We summarize new science and resilience initiatives published outside of JWellness that seek understanding of either burnout and its prevention or thriving in the medical community.

Methods: From the interval of 01 July – 31 Dec 2020, PubMed was queried for empirical research studies, review articles, and editorials in accordance with the following algorithm: an article was required to …

The Crossroads Of Wellness And Second Victim Syndrome: Identifying Factors That Alter The Pathway Of Caregiver Recovery Following An Unanticipated Adverse Patient Outcome, Kimia Zarabian, A. Katharine Hindle, Ivy Benjenk, Anita Vincent, Jamil M. Kazma, Benjamin Shambon, Raymond Pla, Eric Heinz

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Second Victim Syndrome (SVS) describes the phenomenon in which a caregiver experiences a traumatic psychological and emotional response to an adverse patient event or medical error. Using quantitative survey analysis, we aim to better understand the personal factors that affect SVS development and recovery.

Methods: Caregivers at a small urban academic medical center who had experienced an adverse patient event in the past six months were invited to take part in this institution-wide, voluntary, quantitative, cross-sectional study. Three surveys were administered; the Holmes-Rahe Life Stress Inventory (HRLSI) was used as a surrogate to measure stressful life events. The …

From The Democratic Republic Of The Congo To North Carolina: An Examination Of Chronic Disease Risk, Lauren R. Sastre Dr.

Journal of Refugee & Global Health

Refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo are one of the largest refugee groups globally and in the US, however, there is limited research with this group. Therefore, objectives of this study were to examine: 1) obesity and hypertension rates, 2) diet and lifestyle behavior changes, and 3) diet, lifestyle and social factors of obesity and hypertension risk of Congolese refugees in the US. This cross-sectional data collection utilized a survey developed specifically for this project. Clinical and anthropometric measures including height, weight and blood pressure were also obtained. Data analysis included descriptive and regression analysis. Participants (n=48, >18 …

“It Doesn’T Feel Like A Conversation”: Digital Field Experiences And Preservice Teachers’ Conceptions Of Writing Response, Alison Heron-Hruby, James S. Chisholm, Andrea R. Olinger

Faculty Scholarship

Research shows that preservice English teachers (PSETs) lack opportunities to respond to student writing and that they may view student writing through a deficit lens. To address this need, the authors developed the Writing Mentors (WM) program, a digital field placement that gave PSETs experience providing feedback to high school writers. In this analysis, we examine how PSETs’ views of response were shaped by their digital interactions with high school writers. The challenges of interacting asynchronously created opportunities for PSETs to identify limitations in the mode of communication, propose approaches to providing feedback, and reflect on how teacher feedback can …

Doc’Apella: A Vocal Performance Group Designed To Reduce Stress And Prevent Burnout Among Medical And Health Sciences Students, Kristy J. Carlson, Laura E. Newton, Paul J. Brosnihan, Steven P. Wengel, Jayme R. Dowdall

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Burnout is common among health professions trainees characterized by emotional exhaustion induced by repeated stressors. Although traditional stress management activities to promote wellness are effective in reducing stress short-term, alternative approaches are needed with the potential for long-term impact. To address burnout among students at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), a vocal group was formed to provide a creative outlet. The purpose of this study was to determine the students’ motivation for joining Doc’Apella and assess the impact on burnout.

Methods: Students enrolled in a health sciences program were invited to participate during the 2018-19 academic year …

Optimist Prime- Emergency Medicine Residents Are An Optimistic Group, Nicole Battaglioli, Sarah Mott, Tim P. Moran, Simiao Li-Sauerwine, Matt Melamed

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: No study before has been conducted looking at the level of optimism and pessimism in emergency medicine residents and how it may be linked to resident burnout. This is the first national- level assessment of these personality factors.

Methods: This was a prospective survey study leveraging data obtained through the 2017 National Emergency Medicine Resident Wellness Survey, which included the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R). The Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) is a 10-item tool that measures levels of optimism versus pessimism.

Results: We found that the majority of our resident respondents scored in the moderate category of the LOT-R. Additionally, …

A King's Royal Scars., Xavier Mikal Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This monograph is divided into five chapters covering my exploration of black male identity in America and the scars that come with it. Through a character study of the black male protagonist I portrayed in August Wilson’s King Hedley II, I will discuss the racial stigmas and circumstances that are tied to black male identity. Chapter one will consist of analyzing the prison system in America and how its unfair system targets black men. Chapter two will discuss the plight of poverty that largely affects black communities. Chapters three and four will discuss King Hedley’s dual identities created by …

A Cuticular Romance, Anne F. Liu

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

Books: The Original And Final Refuge For Mental Wellness, Kyle Christopher Miller

Journal of Wellness

An appreciation for literature and how reading fights to stay relevant in the fast moving era of technology.

A New Paradigm For Improving Race Relations, Teresa Reed

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Of Restorative Practices Among Black Girls: Talking Circles In An Urban Alternative Middle School., Vanessa Marie Mcphail

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that Restorative Justice approaches have shown promise in terms of their impact on school climate, student behavior, and relationships. The purpose of this study is to explore Black female students’ perceptions of Restorative Practice (RP) talking circles at an alternative school. The study examined literature on Zero Tolerance, School Discipline Disparities, African American Female students, Intersectionality, Restorative Justice, and Alternative Schools. A qualitative case study method was used for this study, drawing from two sources: (a) face-to-face interviews and (b) observations of the Black female students who attend the alternative school and participate in the talking circles. Analyses …

Wellness Review 2019, Part 1, Martin Huecker, Brian A. Ferguson

Journal of Wellness

Welcome to the first Journal of Wellness review of recent literature. Wellness leaders are aware that a literature search yields thousands of articles on burnout, less on wellness, and no consistent, reliable source of publication. This validates the mission of JWellness, to collect editorials and research in one location, free for all to read and publish, allowing dissemination to all healthcare professionals.