Digital Commons Network^™

Owning Difficult Outcomes: Navigating Medical Error Disclosure For Trainees In Accordance With Acgme Standards, Sara Andrabi, Anita Rohra, Kelly Keene, Alison Haddock, Daniela Ortiz

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

The American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandates that physicians promote patient safety and high-quality care, including training trainees in disclosing adverse events to patients and families. Despite its importance, many trainees lack formal preparation in error disclosure, leading to inconsistent practices. Structured training programs are essential to meet societal expectations and professional responsibilities.

Methods

A simulation-based curriculum was integrated into our annual "Difficult Communications" simulation day in response to feedback from residents. The curriculum employs standardized patients to create realistic error disclosure scenarios. Sessions include pre-briefing with faculty facilitators and standardized patients, simulated encounters, and structured debriefings. …

Building A Better Clinical Competency Committee: A Multi-Institutional Approach To Improving The Quality Of Resident Feedback Through Appreciative Inquiry, Nikita Khetan, Emma Omoruyi, Elizabeth Hanson

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires pediatric faculty to convene twice yearly as a Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) to review resident performance and provide feedback. Variability in review processes and limited feedback quality remain common challenges. Incorporating Appreciative Inquiry within a Deliberate Practice framework may enhance the quality of summative feedback provided to residents.

Methods

This project was conducted with pediatric residents and faculty during the 2019–20 academic year at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Health San Antonio (UTHSA) and during the 2021-22 academic year at The University of Texas Health Science Center …

Novel Strategies To Optimize Individual Performance On The In-Service Training Exam: A Case Series, Julie Zemaitis Decesare, Christina Deangelis, Ana I. Decesare, Elizabeth Teets

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Obstetrics and gynecology residents in the United States take the Council on Residency Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology (CREOG) in-service training exam on an annual basis. Performance on the exam is essential to assess any deficits in a resident’s knowledge as well as to evaluate the probability of passing the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) qualifying board exam. Given the substantial number of residents who experience performance issues during the exam, residency programs and individual learners benefit from the development of personalized learning plans to ensure trainee success. Test-taking anxiety is a big part of these performance …

Optimizing Antibiotic Strategies With A Clinical Pathway Approach: Enhanced Initiation And De-Escalation In Community-Acquired Pneumonia, Ahmad Behzadpour

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) remains a leading cause of hospitalization, mortality, and health care expenditure worldwide. Inappropriate use of broad-spectrum antibiotics contributes to antimicrobial resistance, adverse drug events, and increased costs. Antibiotic stewardship and standardized clinical pathways are key strategies to improve prescribing practices.

Methods

This quality improvement (QI) initiative was conducted at a 240-bed tertiary care teaching hospital from January 2023 through January 2025. A CAP-specific digital clinical pathway was developed using Curbside Health® and integrated into the electronic health record (EHR), accessible through a structured order set to support real-time clinical decision-making. The intervention included provider education and …

Establishing Nurse Innovator Competencies: A Collaborative Initiative, Lori M. Brodie, Susan B. Patton, Dara Lanman, Ismail Dilek, Noah R. Zanville, Tracy A. Ortelli

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Rapid advancements in augmented and artificial intelligence (AI) are reshaping health care, necessitating a strategic approach to integrating innovation into nursing education and practice. This article details a collaborative initiative between academic and practice partners aimed at the initial steps towards establishing the required knowledge, skills, and abilities for nurses to lead change through the creation of Nurse Innovator Competencies.

Methods

After an extensive review of literature, the team identified the absence of established Nurse Innovator Competencies. Through a collaborative and iterative process involving subject matter experts (SMEs) in both innovation and academia, key domains for the competencies, including …

An Interdisciplinary, Case Study-Based Approach To Teaching The Un's Sustainable Development Goals, Allison Bellaire, Meghan Mcdonough, Becky Tugman, Julia Sherry, Claire Dancz, Jim Strickland

Land-Grant Press — Teaching Section

Collaborative learning across disciplines can be advantageous. A Creative Inquiry (CI) course paired Animal and Veterinary Sciences and Public Health Sciences students to compete in a Global Solution Competition. This CI challenged the student pairs to develop solutions toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a low-income nation. Course participants reported a deeper understanding of SDGs through collaborating with non-discipline peers, as reflected in survey and focus group findings.

Lost In The Fine Print: A Phenomenological Inquiry Of Adhd, Student Loans, And Scarcity, Gaurav R. Sinha, Lakshya Kadiyan, Leon Banks, Kannappa V. Shetty

Journal of Student Financial Aid

The primary objective of this phenomenological study was to explore the cognitive and affective challenges faced by individuals experiencing ADHD and their student loans, particularly through the lens of “scarcity theory”. We analyzed 250 posts (~86 pages/67,000 words) from an online community on Reddit, where individuals experiencing ADHD shared experiences related to student debt. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes in these posts. Four key themes emerged: (1) ADHD and baseline mental bandwidth, highlighting preexisting executive functioning challenges that limit cognitive and affective capacity; (2) demands of student loan debt, which intensify stress through complex repayment systems and …

Exploring Self-Sufficiency And Economic Behavior In Economic Education Students, Rizza Megasari, Sheerad Sahid

International Conference on Business and Management Research (ICBMR)

This study investigates the self-sufficiency and economic behaviors of economics education students, focusing on how independent living shapes their financial management, consumption habits, and overall approach to life. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, using a question list informed by literature on 21st-century skills, sustainable development, and self-sufficiency. The interview explored the student's understanding and practice of self-sufficiency, examining their experiences with financial management (budgeting, saving, spending), living arrangements (boarding house choices, facilities, and habits), consumption patterns (food, clothing, transportation), and engagement in self-reliant activities (cooking, minor repairs). The study highlights the interplay between economic knowledge, personal values, and practical …

Toward Greater Wellbeing: Student-Guided Strategies For Improving Sport And Recreation Engagement, Vinu Selvaratnam, Laura Wood, Ryan Snelgrove

Journal of Applied Sport Management

Despite widespread recognition of campus recreation as a key contributor to student well-being, many university students remain underactive, even when programming is available. This study explores student-generated strategies for improving participation in campus recreation, drawing on open-ended responses from 182 undergraduates at a large Canadian university. Using thematic content analysis and chi-square comparison, we examine how suggestions differ between students who report being sufficiently active and those who do not. Seven core themes emerged, with underactive students more likely to identify structural barriers such as inconvenient scheduling, limited facility access, and insufficient communication. These suggestions are interpreted through the Leisure …

Ai- Ready Assignments: Using Infographics To Translate Pedagogy Into, Kim Nehls

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

I developed an AI teaching infographic assignment in a doctoral-level Seminar in College Teaching (EDH 780) that requires students to design their own original course assignment for any course that meaningfully integrates AI, and then they communicate the assignment visually through an infographic.

Empowering Mental Healthcare Providers Through A Breathing Exercises Educational Program To Enhance Stress Management And Resilience At An Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Ophelia Osinachi Matthews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This staff education project involved enhancing stress management and resilience among mental healthcare providers by introducing diaphragmatic and box breathing techniques. The practice problem was the high prevalence of occupational stress and burnout among outpatient mental health providers, which has been linked with decreased job satisfaction, reduced patient care quality, and increased staff turnover. The purpose of this doctoral project was to design, implement, and evaluate an evidence-based educational program that was aimed at empowering providers with simple, accessible, and effective stress-reduction strategies. The guiding practice-focused question involved determining the impact and increases in knowledge regarding a breathing exercises educational …

Utilizing Supervised Practice In School Settings As An Opportunity To Increase Student Awareness Of Food Waste Reduction Strategies, Maria Givler

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) play a vital role in facilitating nutritional health across a wide range of settings, from clinical care to community-based environments. As the profession continues to evolve, dietetics training programs are emphasizing experiential learning opportunities that address real-world public health challenges (Wegener, 2018). One such challenge is food waste, an issue with significant nutritional, environmental, and economic implications (Seberini, 2020). Within school food service systems, where millions of meals are served daily (Toossi et al.,2024), reducing waste while maintaining student satisfaction presents both a challenge and an opportunity. This article will discuss four ways supervised practice rotations …

Prevalence Of Low Energy (Lea) Risk In Division Iii Female Distance Athletes, Ciara Murphy

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Context 

Low energy availability (LEA) occurs when energy intake is insufficient to support normal physiological functions after exercise (Loucks, 2011). Prolonged LEA can negatively affect metabolic functions, reproductive health, and bone density, and contribute to the development of the female athlete triad and relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) (Papageorgiou, 2017).

Objective

The objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of LEA among Division III female distance athletes.

Design

Cross-sectional study

Setting

Online questionnaire administered through Qualtrics

Participants 

A total of 12 Division III female distance athletes (ages 18-23).

Intervention

Anonymous, electronic questionnaire assessing symptoms associated with low …

The Grizzly, April 30, 2026, Renee Washart, Alex Zelaya, Erik Groff, Cassidy Denning, Andrew Mihniak, Adam Denn, Erin Ewing, Dylan Mchugh

Ursinus College Grizzly Newspaper, 1978 to Present

Meet the Language Fellows • The Rocky Horror Picture Show: A BSP Classic • The Fitness Court • What is Greek Week? • In Case You Missed the URSPYs • Pick a Straw: Sustainable or Gluten-Free • Ursinus Track Gears Up for Champs • Ursinus Women's Golf Faces Uncertain Future

Catalyzing Learner-Centered Ecosystems In Pennsylvania For A Future Of Human Thriving, Danielle S. Shylit

Graduate Theses & Dissertations

School-centric education has failed to produce equitable outcomes for Pennsylvania's learners. Declining student engagement, widening opportunity gaps, and the demoralization of educators and leaders escalate an urgent need to shift systems, mindsets, and praxis from a school-centric to a learner-centric paradigm. This action research dissertation elevates what is learned at individual, group, and system levels through disciplined inquiry with aligned district public education leaders in Pennsylvania willing to co-create learner-centered ecosystems with community stakeholders for a future of human thriving. Grounded in Education Reimagined's definition of Learner-Centered Ecosystems, and the theoretical frameworks of Bryk et al.'s Networked Improvement Communities and …

Facilitating Student Success Through Scholar Programs, Jenna Heath, Isabella Shenouda

College of Liberal Arts Faculty Research

This poster features a series of career highlights from the UNLV Engelstad Scholars Program. This document profiles four exceptional current and former students—Fyona Mortel, Nikki Adams, Jordan Paul Guimarey, and Haydee Herrera—who demonstrate how the program's unique blend of mentorship, financial support, and community engagement accelerates career readiness. Through hands-on internships, leadership roles, and diverse professional networking opportunities, these scholars have cultivated essential competencies such as leadership, critical thinking, empathy, and professional branding, effectively preparing them for future success in their respective fields.

Examining The Psychometric Structure Of An Instrument To Measure Students’ Interests And Motivation In Science Learning: Factor Analysis And Measurement Invariance, Fuhui Tong, Shifang Tang, Zhuoying Wang, Beverly J. Irby

Faculty Publications

In this study, we examined the psychometric properties (reliability, validity, and underlying factor structure) and measurement invariance of a researcher-developed instrument: Motivated Strategies for Science Learning (MSSL). Data were collected from 2765 fifth-grade students across [state withheld] school districts. Results from exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses suggested satisfactory psychometric properties of MSSL. We further identified strong evidence to support configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance across school location groups (i.e., rural and non-rural), confirming that the instrument can accurately capture the construct of science learning motivation among fifth-grade students from both rural and non-rural Texas schools. The study provides the …

The Digitalisation Of Administrative Processes And Institutional Agility In Sucs Cebu City: The Mediating Role Of Employee Digital Readiness, Leovigilda L. Bithay

The South East Asian Journal of Management

Research Aims: This study examines how the digitalisation of administrative processes influences institutional agility in SUCs in Cebu City, Philippines, and explicitly investigates employee digital readiness as a mediating capability that translates digital investments into organisational adaptability.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A quantitative predictive research design was employed using a structured survey administered to 300 administrative employees selected through purposive sampling. PLS-SEM was used to test direct and indirect relationships.

Research Findings: The digitalisation of administrative processes has a significant positive effect on institutional agility. Employee digital readiness partially mediates this relationship, indicating that technological modernisation alone yields limited gains in agility unless …

Research Remix: Teams, Tech, And Texts, Jaime Carbajal

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The pedagogical innovation that enhanced student learning in the Research Methodologies in Health Sciences course is described as Integrated Digital Collaborative Inquiry-Based Learning (IDCIBL). The IDCIBL approach leveraged digital tools (lecture videos, podcasts, recorded poster presentations, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms), integrated journal article analysis, utilized research-informed active learning, and included team-based learning activities. The combination of multiple innovative strategies into the IDCIBL model intentionally transforms the educational environment and optimizes the student learning experience, relating to the TLC priority area of teaching and assessments in the age of Gen AI.

From Pages To Practice: Course Design For Integrative And Connected Learning, Prutha Deshpande

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The poster provides resources for the design of courses to incorporate considerable reading, paired with purposeful activities and reflection questions that deepen understanding of key points of learning, support knowledge transfer, and encourage dialogue and connection.

“Finding From The Field”—An Approach To Encourageexperiential And Epistemological Reflection, Julian Kilker

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The “Findings from the Field” teaching practice asks students to document and analyze experiences, locations, or artifacts encountered outside the classroom. While traditional field trips emphasize experiential learning by, ideally, linking course concepts to real-world experiences, this “Findings from the Field” approach extends this model through epistemological reflection guided by annotating observations. Students are prompted to consider not only what they observe, but how they know what they know, encouraging metacognition about observation, experience, and empirical research.

Transparency And Personalized Feedback Curb Ai Misuse In Asynchronous Online Biology, Elana A. Paladino

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The rapid expansion of generative AI (Gen-AI) has reshaped teaching and assessment in online, asynchronous introductory biology courses, creating new challenges for academic integrity and meaningful learning. This poster examines practical strategies to promote ethical AI use while maintaining student engagement. Transparency of instructions and timely, personalized feedback were found to curb AI misuse in online discussion posts. Structured use of AI tutors encouraged responsible engagement with Gen-AI, and surveillance methods for summative exams had mixed effects.

Facilitating Freirean Pedagogy And Asset-Based Learning In An Asynchronous Environment In A Doctoral Public Health Course, Manoj Sharma, Liliana Davlos, Sharmistha Roy

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The Department of Social and Behavioral Health offers an asynchronous course, Advanced Applications of Social and Behavioral Theories (HED 762), to doctoral students in public health. In this course, commonly used behavior and social change theories are taught. One such theory is the Freirean theory of adult education, which emphasizes dialogue, critical conscientization, praxis, transformation, and critical consciousness. The instructor of this course uses a variety of methods to imbibe this pedagogy that comprise (a) the use of the fourth-generation multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change to motivate students, (b) Freirean dialogue in the Canvas discussion forum with students …

Playing To Learn: Game-Based Maternal-Newborn Review Using "Forbidden Words" (Taboo-Style), Nikki Rose Ty-Albright

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

TEACHING PRACTICE & NEED IT ADDRESSES Prelicensure nursing students often struggle to translate medical terminology into patient-friendly language (Rodrigues & Moreira, 2022) Gen Z learners frequently disengage from traditional post-conference lecture formats (Thi, 2025) "Forbidden Words" (Taboo-style) game used during post-clinical conference to bridge this gap in an engaging way Students explain maternal-newborn concepts in jargon-free language while avoiding forbidden words on a card

Streaming Success: Using Summer Fellowships And Asynchronous Lecture Videos To Scale Relationship-Rich Learning In Large Enrollment Courses, Van "Docdoc" Whaley

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

Supported by SIHS Summer Teaching Fellowships, this initiative developed 110+ asynchronous lecture videos embedded in Canvas to enhance accessibility, engagement, and alignment across large-enrollment A&P courses. Results include 92,000 minutes of views for the 2025 vides, 330,000 minutes viewed of the 2024 videoss, and over 4.8 million minutes of total student engagement and documented impact on student outcomes and program scalability.

Sparking Engagement: Using "Lightning Debates" To Transform Dry Policy Into Dynamic Learning, Minnie Wood, Ericka Yelle, Necole Leland

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

To address a gap in health policy application among nursing undergraduates, we piloted Lightning Debates, a high-energy teaching strategy that replaces passive lecture with active learning. Students are assigned Pro or Con stances on contentious local policies, using role-play and improvisation to present evidence-based arguments in five-minute sprints. This asset-based approach leverages student creativity to deconstruct complex fiscal and clinical issues. Results demonstrate significant impact: 87.5% of students reported an improved ability to analyze policy, and the percentage of graduates feeling prepared to apply policy knowledge rose from 57% to 77%. This session provides scalable implementation tips for fostering critical …

Preparing Dental Students To Lead Teledentistry Programs Addressing Oral Health Inequities: An Evidence-Informed Teaching Practice Grounded In Multi-Theory Model (Mtm) & Social Cognitive Theory (Sct), Asma Awan, Christina Demopoulos, Manoj Sharma

UNLV Best Teaching Practices Expo

The rapid expansion of telehealth and teledentistry demands dental professionals proficient in remote care delivery, digital communication, and community-based service models. This practice prepares students to lead and implement teledentistry programs addressing oral health inequities among underserved and rural populations in Nevada and beyond

Understanding Higher Education Resources: A Critical Policy Analysis Of The Fafsa Simplification Act Of 2019 Implementation At A Private, Catholic University, Jasmine Hamm

LMU Theses and Dissertations

The qualitative study examined a private, Catholic university’s implementation of the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2019 alongside the broader, layered federal and state policies involved in financial aid award allocation in higher education (Glaser & Strauss, 1967; Rubin & Rubin, 2011; Strauss & Corbin, 1990). Critical Policy Analysis and Institutional Theory guided the research in examining (1) policy development, (2) implementation, (3) external pressures, and (4) organizational adaptation (Diem et al., 2014; Meyer & Rowan, 1977). Eight administrators and staff members who worked in the Enrollment Management Division and the Financial Aid Office were interviewed regarding the implementation of the …

Second April 2026 General Education Council Minutes, University Of Nebraska At Kearney General Education Council

General Education Council

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of Traditional Training And Xr-Based Simulation In Healthcare Professional Education, Fazal Qudus Khan, Gohar Khan, Ibrar Ahmad, Owais Khan, Suleman Shah

All Works

Immersive Virtual Reality or VR/VX stands poised to revolutionize healthcare education through interactive learning modules, overcoming current deficiencies in existing methodologies for instruction. This research compared the effectiveness of VR/VX-based training to traditional CT scanner operator training using a within-subjects design, involving 30 subjects, and concluded the effectiveness of using VR/VX in enhancing knowledge retention, task accomplishment, and engagement, and proved it by showing significant enhancement in immediate knowledge acquisition scores (Δ = 8.87, t(29) = 6.71, p < .0001), relative to delayed knowledge retention scores (Δ = 11.03, t(29) = 6.85, p < .0001), procedural achievement scores (Δ = 5.40, t(29) = 4.45, p = .0001), reduced overall task completion time using VR/VX for increased speed of execution (t(29) = 10.74, p < .0001), as well as reduced task errors for lower error rates using VR/VX in comparison to existing methodologies, as testified by the results, t(29) = 8.14, p < .0001, respectively, while showing no significant difference in usability, although assessed superior in terms of engagement and relative usefulness by the involved subjects.