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College Of Nursing Response To The Ebola Education Crisis: The Need For A Safe, Interactive, Clinical Education Strategy, Linda Carl, Dee Mcgonigle

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Sunday, November 8, 2015: In 2014, reports emerged about spread of the deadly Ebola virus from South Africa to the United States (US) (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2014). News media, political figures, healthcare professionals, and the public showed grave concern and fear over healthcare delivery system failures to protect against cross contamination across US borders, in the community, and within hospitals. As the Ebola crisis played out in multi-media forums and around the world, hospitals and providers voiced the need to know how to render safe and effective care and how to protect from acquiring …

Conference Grows, Gives Students Opportunities To Present Research, Madison Wait

GWU-Today

The Life of the Scholar (LOTS) Multidisciplinary Conference, Gardner-Webb’s annual showcase of undergraduate and graduate research, was held in the Ritch Banquet Hall of the Dover Campus Center on Saturday, March 19.

The Effectiveness Of Educating Rns On Stethoscope Disinfection, Amanda S. Berg Bsn, Rn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Horizontal Gene Acquisitions, Mobile Element Proliferation, And Genome Decay In The Host-Restricted Plant Pathogen Erwinia Tracheiphila, Lori R. Shapiro, Erin D. Scully, Timothy J. Straub, Jihye Park, Andrew G. Stephenson, Gwyn A. Beattie, Mark L. Gleason, Roberto Kolter, Miguel C. Coelho, Consuelo M. De Moraes, Mark C. Mescher, Olga Zhaxybayeva

Dartmouth Scholarship

Modern industrial agriculture depends on high-density cultivation of genetically similar crop plants, creating favorable conditions for the emergence of novel pathogens with increased fitness in managed compared with ecologically intact settings. Here, we present the genome sequence of six strains of the cucurbit bacterial wilt pathogen Erwinia tracheiphila (Enterobacteriaceae) isolated from infected squash plants in New York, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Michigan. These genomes exhibit a high proportion of recent horizontal gene acquisitions, invasion and remarkable amplification of mobile genetic elements, and pseudogenization of approximately 20% of the coding sequences. These genome attributes indicate that E. tracheiphila recently emerged as a …

Local Health Agencies, The Bloomberg Soda Rule, And The Ghost Of Woodrow Wilson, Paul A. Diller

Fordham Urban Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Health Reform And Correctional Health Care: How The Affordable Care Act Can Improve The Health Of Ex-Offenders And Their Communities, Joel B. Teitelbaum, Laura G. Hoffman

Fordham Urban Law Journal

No abstract provided.

March Agenda, Wku Graduate Council

Graduate School

Meeting agenda.

The Soil And Plant Biogeochemistry Sampling Design For The National Ecological Observatory Network, Eve-Lyn S. Hinckley, Gordon B. Bonan, Gabriel J. Bowen, Benjamin P. Colman, Paul A. Duffy, Christine L. Goodale, Benjamin Z. Houlton, Erika Marin-Spiotta, Kiona Ogle, Scott V. Ollinger, Eldor A. Paul, Peter M. Vitousek, Kathleen C. Weathers, David G. Williams

Faculty Publications

Human impacts on biogeochemical cycles are evident around the world, from changes to forest structure and function due to atmospheric deposition, to eutrophication of surface waters from agricultural effluent, and increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) will contribute to understanding human effects on biogeochemical cycles from local to continental scales. The broad NEON biogeochemistry measurement design focuses on measuring atmospheric deposition of reactive mineral compounds and CO2 fluxes, ecosystem carbon (C) and nutrient stocks, and surface water chemistry across 20 eco‐climatic domains within the United States for 30 yr. Herein, we …

Improving Maternal Child Health Using Mhealth Technology In A Middle-Income Country With Community Health Care Workers, Susan M. Bonnell

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015:

Purpose: For this pilot project our team trained eight community health care workers (CHW) to monitor pregnant third trimester women for complications of pregnancy by evaluating them in their homes. Data collected at each home visit was transmitted through the use of mobile cell phone technology to the monitoring primary care physician to determine the health status of the mother. The pilot was implemented with data collection over a 6 month period. This pilot was implemented in El Cercado, located in the rural and remote 'frontier' of the Dominican Republic (DR). Maternal mortality …

Best Practice Guidelines For Treatment Of Uncomplicated Utis In Women While Decreasing Risk Of Antibiotic Resistance, Romina Lo-Montano

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Friday, July 24, 2015:

Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to educate providers about the most appropriate evidence-based treatment for uncomplicated UTIs in women and to improve awareness of the current problem with antibiotic resistance due to inappropriate prescribing.

Methods: A review of the literature was conducted of meta-analysis and observational studies as well as findings from RCTs. Various current guidelines were reviewed and the recommendations from the Infectious Disease Society was decided upon as the recommended guideline in this project.

Results: Antibiotics have been used inappropriately. Rates of resistance have been on the rise. Uncomplicated …

Technologies To Influence Nursing Practice In Rural Areas Promoting Alcohol Screening, Heeyoung Lee, Kathryn Puskar, Ann M. Mitchell, Irene Kane, Holly Hagle, Dawn Lindsay, Susan A. Albrecht, Marie Fioravanti, Linda Rose Frank

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015:

Purpose: Over 23 million individuals in the U.S. are identified as need treatment for alcohol and/or other drug problems, however only 1 in 5 receive treatment. Further, lack of specialist and lack of access to services in rural areas makes Interprofessional Collaborative Practice (IPCP) imperative for the most effective patient care. Social attitudes and stigma associated with the use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs make substance abuse one of the most complex public health issues (Healthy People 2020). Health professionals must be skilled to identify, assess, and intervene to reduce the risks/effects …

An Evidence-Based Intervention To Improve Vaccination Rates For Seasonal Influenza Among Registered Nurses, Debra A. Maitre

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Saturday, July 25, 2015.

Seasonal influenza continues to cause the hospitalizations and deaths of tens of thousands every year in the U.S. (National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, 2008). Vaccination of healthcare workers for influenza has been recommended for more than 30 years (Willis & Wortley, 2007) and reports of transmission of influenza by Registered Nurses (RN) to patients are well documented. In spite of these facts, RN vaccination rates remain below the recommended target of 90% (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2012). Evidence suggests that RNs who refuse influenza vaccination are less knowledgeable about influenza, …

Nursing And Midwifery Students' Self-Medication Practices In Victoria, Australia, Allison Fiona Williams, Kimberley Crawford, Katherina Puy

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015:

Purpose: Self-medication is a global phenomenon and a major form of self-care with increasing numbers of people taking greater responsibility for their own health (Jain et al. 2011). Self-medication involves the use of medicinal products to treat self-recognised disorders or symptoms, or the intermittent or continued use of a medication prescribed by a physician for chronic or recurring diseases or symptoms (WHO 2000). In most instances, self-medication is the first step in self-care, since professional care for minor ailments is often unnecessary and contributes to healthcare burden (World Self-Medication Industry 2007). However, problems …

Alcohol Brief Intervention For People With Chronic Viral Hepatitis: A Randomised Controlled Trial, Carol L. Reid, Mary Fenech, Lee Jones, Mark Daglish, Richard Skoien

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015:

Purpose: Viral hepatitis is among the top 10 infectious disease killers and the leading cause of liver cancer and cirrhosis with more than 500 million people living with this disease. A synergy has been found to exist between heavy alcohol consumption and chronic hepatitis virus infection in the aetiology of hepatocellular carcinoma. Heavy alcohol consumption and chronic viral hepatitis are both risk factors significantly associated with liver cirrhosis, accelerated development of fibrosis and subsequent increased mortality risk. It is therefore suggested that these patients should abstain from consuming alcohol. Little quality research has …

Environmental Exposures Influence On The Antenatal Microbiome And Health Of Offspring, Michelle Lynn Wright, Angela R. Starkweather

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015:

Background: Environmental exposures relevant to health outcomes occur from preconception through death. Maternal exposures are believed to be especially influential in programming health outcomes in offspring since they occur during a critical developmental period. The interaction between maternal and fetal environments plays a critical role in high risk birth outcomes, fetal development, and later adult onset of disease. There is accumulating evidence that these exposures may alter the antenatal microbiome and subsequent microbiome and health of the offspring.

Objectives: The purpose of this presentation is to summarize and evaluate the current state of …

Transformational Processes In Developing Cultural Understanding: Nursing Students' Experiences In Swaziland, Bethany A. Murray

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015: Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of an overseas service-learning health care delivery program in a group of Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) students. According to the United States (US) Census Bureau, minorities made up 37% of the US population in 2012. However, only 19% of minority backgrounds were represented in the Registered Nurse (RN) workforce, and only 12.3% of nursing faculty self-identified as an ethnic or racial minority (AACN, 2014). In 2014, a group of nursing students were accompanied by their university professor to Swaziland, Africa …

Building A Sustainable Clinical Nursing And Midwifery Research Network To Improve Health Outcomes In Southern And Eastern African Countries, Jennifer Dohrn, Hester C. Klopper, Elaine L. Larson, Grace M. Omoni, Address Malata, Yu-Hui Ferng, Carolyn Sun, Kenrick Cato

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Saturday, July 25, 2015:

Purpose: Worldwide, nurses comprise the largest proportion of health care professionals and are the backbone of health care systems. To address the large global health disparities and provide universal coverage at the primary care level, the development of a robust nursing profession needs to be a critical goal in countries and regions with minimal human resources for health and huge disease burden. The African region bears 25% of the disease burden and only 1% of healthcare workers. Many gains have been made in nursing/midwifery clinical practice, such as nurse-initiated and managed HIV care …

Primary Care Or Acute Care: Healthcare Access On A Coffee Farm Clinic In Rural Nicaragua, Jessica Alicea-Planas

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Friday, July 24, 2015:

Purpose: Nicaragua is a country with nearly 6 million inhabitants and is considered the second poorest country in Latina America. In Nicaragua rural areas contain 45 % of the country's population, yet 65% of the poor and 80% of the extreme poor live in these areas. Rural poverty is often more profound than urban poverty, with rural communities facing multiple challenges which may put them more at risk for negative health outcomes. Migrant workers, especially, are considered a marginalized population and may face an assortment of health challenges like infectious diseases, chemical and …

Educational Activities For Health Care Promoters In Haiti: Insights Gained Over The Years, Ellen L. Palmer, Becky M. Baird

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Thursday, July 23, 2015:

Purpose: For more than fourteen years, several nurse educators from the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area have participated in educational activities for health care promoters in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. A collaborative effort began with U.S. nurse educators first developing a trust relationship with colleagues at Grace Children's Hospital. Identifying what the educators could accomplish and following through with commitments was key.

Methods: In the beginning, nurse educators did informal walking rounds with nursing management at Grace Children's Hospital. learning needs were identified by management and staff. Nursing leadership requested assistance to develop a program for …

Measuring Health In Coffee Farm Workers In Rural Nicaragua: What Matters?, Jessica Alicea-Planas, Philip A. Greiner, Lydia H. Greiner

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Monday, July 27, 2015:

Purpose: Nicaragua is a country with nearly 6 million inhabitants and is considered the second poorest country in Latin America. In Nicaragua, rural areas contain 45 % of the country's population, yet 65% of the poor and 80% of the extreme poor live in these areas. The average expenditure for the urban poor is 11% below the poverty line, while the rural poor are 37% below. The Nicaraguan poverty profile also demonstrates major regional disparities, with areas like Jinotega (north central area) being disproportionately affected by extreme poverty (World Bank, 2008). Rural poverty …

Evaluation Of Health Care Worker Vaccination Rates In Utah Outpatient Clinics, Karlen E. Luthy, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Renea Beckstrand, Lacey M. Eden

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015:

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore vaccination rates of health care workers (HCW) employed in the outpatient clinic setting in Utah. It was hypothesized that Utah outpatient clinic settings (namely pediatric clinics, family practice clinics, and oncology clinics) mirrored the established vaccination policies of Utah HCWs employed in the in-patient hospital setting and the recommendations of the Utah Department of Health.

Methods: Institutional Review Board approval was granted for this study prior to data collection. The study included a convenience sample of 178 clinic managers of Utah pediatric, family practice, …

Contextualization Of Health Interventions: Community-Based Health Care In Papua New Guinea, Carol J. Bett

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Sunday, July 26, 2015:

Purpose: Contextualization of health interventions requires a paradigm shift from the curative, biomedical model to a health promotion focus that emphasizes community empowerment. Successful community health interventions involve engagement of the community as an entity in addressing health disparities. The development of local level resources that lead to improved health indices requires an awareness of both the cultural context and the relational components of social capital that link people within the community. Social capital has been defined as resources that are an inherent part of a social group and the elements of social …

Impact Of A Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (Cauti) Education Package On Nurses' Knowledge, Attitude And Indwelling Catheter Management Practices, Monina Gesmundo

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Friday, July 24, 2015:

What is the impact of a CAUTI education package on the knowledge, attitude and indwelling catheter management practices of nurses?

The Effect Of The Enhancement Re-Check Rate Program For Those Who Have Been Screened As Abnormal For Their Liver Function Examination, Chiu-Yen Chen, I-Chuan Li, Yu-Chi Chen

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Session presented on Saturday, July 25, 2015:

Background: Since 1986, chronic liver disease and liver cirrhosis have been listed as top ten causes of death. In 1996, Ministry of Health and Welfare began promoting free health examination for adults above age 40. However, more than half of those with abnormal liver function results are not return or follow-up outpatient visits and needs to be increased to ensure prevention of hepatopathy.

Purpose: To compare the rate of follow-up outpatient visits for subjects with abnormal liver function before and after implementing the enhancement re-check rate Program.

Method: The study design of program …

An Investigation Into B Cells In Peripheral Blood And Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissues In The Red Eared Slider Turtle, Trachemys Scripta, Sarah Marie Marrochello

Theses and Dissertations

As in endotherms, immunity in ectotherms is vital to survival and contributes to the overall fitness of an organism. For reptilians, there are a number of environmental factors, such as temperature, season, and pathogen prevalence, which are known to influence both innate and adaptive immunity. Of particular interest, is the effect of these factors on B cells, a component of adaptive immunity. Reptilian B cells are reported to secrete antibodies, much like their mammalian counterparts, and undergo phagocytosis. The work reported here primarily focused on understanding the effect of environmental temperature, incubation temperature, and nesting season on B cells in …

Ebola And The Tcbm Moment, Meghan May

Akesis

This short piece was inspired by the story of a mother at the forefront of the Ebola epidemic. She was forced to choose between caring for a sick son and surviving for a healthy son. This story impacted an infectious disease researcher (me!), another woman with two sons, profoundly. We must do everything we can, as soon as we can, next time. Next time, after all, it could be any of us.

The Signature Of God In Medicine And Microbiology An Apologetic Argument For Declarative Design In The Discoveries Of Alexander Fleming, Alan L. Gillen, Michael Cargill

Faculty Publications and Presentations

In logic and reasoning, a signature indicates the presence of an author; likewise, the characteristics of staphylococci indicate the presence of a Creator. Staphylococci and its “kind” are common bacteria, particularly in colonized people.1 Staphylococcus aureus has a complex molecular mechanism of assembling its golden pigment, staphyloxanthin. The biosynthesis of staphyloxanthin is a stellar example of irreducible complexity. Similar to staphylococci, the life and works of Alexander Fleming show the fingerprints of Providence. The so-called “serendipitous” achievements of Fleming have contributed to modern medicine, convincing Fleming and others that God was at work in his life. Fleming recognized that …

Respiratory Muscle Paralysis Associated With Colistin, Polymyxin B, And Muscle Relaxants Drugs: A Case Report, Thein Myint, Martin E. Evans, Donna R. Burgess, Richard N. Greenberg

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Polymyxins B and E (colistin) exert a bactericidal effect on the gram-negative bacterial cell wall, causing permeability changes in the cytoplasmic membrane, leading to cell death. Their use was substantially decreased in clinical practice from the 1970s to 2000s due to their significant nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity compared to the newly introduced antibiotics. The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria infections in this century has led to an upsurge in the use of these “older” drugs. Respiratory paralysis caused by neuromuscular blockage associated with the use of polymyxin B and E was reported mostly in literature published in the 1960s to …

Proteome And Protein Network Analyses Of Memory T Cells Find Altered Translation And Cell Stress Signaling In Treated Human Immunodeficiency Virus Patients Exhibiting Poor Cd4 Recovery, Sausan Azzam, Daniela M. Schlatzer, Sean Maxwell, Xiaolin Li, Douglas Bazdar, Yanwen Chen, Robert Asaad, Jill S. Barnholtz-Sloan, Mark R. Chance, Scott F. Sieg

Faculty Scholarship

Background. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients who experience poor CD4 T-cell recovery despite viral suppression during antiretroviral therapy (ART) are known as immunological nonresponders. The molecular mechanism(s) underlying incomplete immune restoration during ART is not fully understood. Methods. Label-free quantitative proteomics on single-cell type central memory T cells were used to reveal relative protein abundance changes between nonresponder, responder (good CD4 recovery during ART), and healthy individuals. Proteome changes were analyzed by protein pathway and network analyses and verified by selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry. Results. Proteomic analysis across groups detected 155 significant proteins from 1500 nonredundant proteins. Pathway and …

Αβ-Peptide Mimics Of Z-Domain Peptides, Samuel H. Gellman, James W. Checco

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Described are αβ-peptide mimics of Z-domain scaffold pep tides, methods of making them, and methods of using them. The αβ-peptide mimics include B-amino acid residues and, optionally, disulfide bonds to stabilize the conformation of the mimics. The compounds may be truncated as compared to conventional Z-domain scaffold peptides and are resistant to proteolytic degradation due to the presence off-amino acid residues. The mimics can be made so as to bind selectively to a desired target.