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Psychometric Evaluation Of The Chinese Version Of The Death Literacy Index Among Nursing Students, Shu-Fen Wu, Li-Er Hung, Hsiu-Chen Liao, Shih-Ting Lo, Chia-Yu Chen

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Death literacy encompasses the knowledge and skills enabling individuals and communities to access, understand, and act on end-of-life care options. For nurses, it influences communication, decision-making, and palliative care quality. However, few studies have examined death literacy among healthcare providers, and no validated Chinese instruments exist for its assessment.

Purpose: To translate the Death Literacy Index (DLI) into Chinese and examine its reliability and validity among nursing students in Taiwan.

Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted. The DLI underwent translation and back-translation to ensure conceptual and linguistic equivalence, followed by expert review for content validity. Convenience sampling was …

Parent Perspectives On The Potential For And Process Of Infant Organ Donation, Julia St Louis, Amy L. Wright, Sonny Dhanani, Charles Keown-Stoneman, Jennifer Woolfsmith, Danielle Joseph, Kimberley Widger

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: Despite the potential to shorten waitlists for life-saving transplants, infant organ donation is rare globally (1). Infant donors (less than one year of age) can reduce waitlist mortality for both infants and children who require size-matched organs like hearts and lungs, and adults who can receive kidney transplants from infant donors (2). Infants can donate their organs after death by circulatory criteria (DDCC) (i.e., the heart stops beating)(1) if the death follows the withdrawal of life-sustaining measures (WLSM) (i.e., mechanical ventilation and hemodynamic supports like vasopressors). However, donation rates are very low(2). Providers have reported rarely offering donation due …

Implementation Of The Clinician’S Guide To Spiritual Recovery From Fetal Loss, Donald K. Eckhardt Jr.

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Obstetricians and midwives care for a surprising number of patients experiencing perinatal loss each year, yet they lack formal training in grief support. Lack of training heightens their stress, anxiety, and burnout, especially when chaplain support is unavailable. Miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death profoundly affect families, and healthcare providers share in their pain as they deliver the deceased baby and offer comfort, counseling, and hope. This project’s creator hypothesized that enhancing providers’ knowledge of grief support and biblical Scripture as well as highlighting how God’s grace and love can ease guilt, grief, anxiety, and depression would reduce provider burnout while …

Association Between Opioids And Leukemia/Lymphoma In Adults Living In The United States, Brenda Sue Newberry-Colasanti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Opioid prescribing rates and opioid misuse remain high throughout the United States. Exposure to opioids has been positively associated with various cancers; however, research evaluating associations between opioid exposure and hematologic cancers like leukemia and lymphoma is limited. Using the Socio- Ecological Model as a foundation, this quantitative cross-sectional study aimed to analyze the association between medicinal opioid use, opioid misuse, and leukemia/lymphoma while exploring how selected social determinants of health (SDOH) may modify that relationship. Secondary data were pooled from the 2015–20-year United States National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH). One thousand three hundred and twenty binary …

Fifty Nine Realty Llc V. Gottesman

All Decisions

The court dismissed this nonpayment petition because the landlord LLC failed to comply with the publication requirements of Limited Liability Company Law § 206 at the time the proceeding was commenced. The landlord had published notice of its articles of organization for only 5 consecutive weeks rather than the 6 required by statute. The court rejected the landlord's argument that this noncompliance is curable nunc pro tunc, relying on controlling Appellate Division authority.

Exploring Academic–Practice Partnerships In Community Settings: A Narrative Review, Laura C. Sarver

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Purpose: This narrative review explored the literature on academic–practice partnerships in community settings within prelicensure nursing education. Methods: A search of three databases—MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus—led to the review of 12 articles exploring academic–practice partnerships in community settings within prelicensure nursing education. Results: Emergent themes encompassed components for planning, implementing, and evaluating academic–practice partnerships. Planning themes included completing community assessments, considering financial resources, and identifying guiding frameworks or models. Implementation themes included diverse nursing education and community partners and settings, academic–practice partnership initiatives, and integration of partnerships in prelicensure nursing education curricula. Lastly, evaluation themes included the exploration of a …

Impact Of High-Fidelity Simulation On Nursing Students’ Attitudes Toward Care Of The Dying, Meredith Joyner

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: End-of-life (EOL) care is a vital yet often underemphasized component of nursing education. Limited clinical opportunities to engage with dying patients can leave nursing students unprepared to provide compassionate care. High-fidelity simulation provides an evidence-based, immersive learning environment that allows students to practice communication, decision-making, and emotional responses in a safe setting.

Research Question/Aims: This study aimed to determine whether participation in a high-fidelity simulation focused on EOL care would improve nursing students’ attitudes toward caring for dying patients. It was hypothesized that simulation participation would positively impact student attitudes as measured by a validated instrument.

Methods: A quantitative …

Jerusalem, City Of David Visitor Center: The Early Islamic, Medieval And Late Ottoman Pottery, Benjamin J. Dolinka

Qadum: Journal of Excavation Reports from Israel

The excavation at the entrance to the Visitor Center in the City of David uncovered a small but significant assemblage of ceramics, all from stratified contexts, including bowls, basins, storage jars, jugs, a cooking pot and a clay tobacco pipe. The pottery dates from the Abbasid period (ninth–tenth centuries CE), the medieval period (mid-twelfth–late fourteenth centuries CE) and the late Ottoman period (mid- to late nineteenth century CE). The ceramic evidence from the excavation provides important insights into the occupational history of the site during these periods.

Rare Presentation Of Sequential Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma, Follicular Lymphoma, And Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Case-Based Review, Khushi J. Desai, Ansy H. Patel, Patrick T. O’Dowd, Joseph A. Tworek, Preeti G. Misra, Li Ding

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Introduction: Occurrence of 2 (or more) Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma concordantly or sequentially in a single patient is very rare.

Case: An 88-year-old Italian male with a history of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma in remission and indolent follicular lymphoma under surveillance, presented with acute autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA). While initially speculated to be secondary to follicular lymphoma relapse, stable mesenteric lymphadenopathy compared to prior CT abdomen/pelvis and smudge cells on peripheral smear prompted further evaluation. Peripheral blood flow cytometry indicated a mature B-cell neoplasm, which was confirmed to be chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with a bone marrow biopsy. Minimal …

Corynebacterium Bacteremia In A High-Risk Host: A Diagnostic Dilemma Of Contamination Versus True Infective Endocarditis, Arman Manjikian, Christopher Aboujaoude, Nicole Rock, Don Pepito

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Corynebacterium species are often regarded as skin contaminants when isolated from clinical cultures. However, in select high-risk patients, these organisms can lead to significant infections, including infective endocarditis. We present the case of a 76-year-old woman with multiple comorbidities, including end stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis and an exposed tunneled central catheter, who developed Corynebacterium-associated native mitral valve endocarditis requiring surgical intervention. Despite prompt antimicrobial therapy and bioprosthetic valve replacement, her hospital course was complicated by heart block, empyema, and eventual cardiac arrest. This case highlights the importance of recognizing Corynebacterium as a potential pathogen in vulnerable patients …

Severe Multisystem Toxicity From Combination Ipilimumab And Nivolumab In Metastatic Melanoma: A Case Report, Bushra Amer, Sheetal Manerkar

Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed cancer therapy by enhancing antitumor immunity. Despite their remarkable efficacy in malignancies, particularly metastatic melanomas, the use of ICIs have been linked to life-threatening immune-related adverse events (irAEs) affecting several organ systems. Combination therapy with ipilimumab and nivolumab increases both efficacy and the risk of severe irAEs. We report a rare case of metastatic melanoma treated with combination ipilimumab and nivolumab, complicated by multisystem irAEs. The patient developed hepatitis, cholangitis, ocular toxicity, and neurologic progression, highlighting the severity and complexity of immune-mediated toxicities following dual checkpoint blockade. This case underscores the potential for severe, …

The Data Broker Loophole: Medicare’S Version, Ana Wacker

Washington Journal of Law, Technology & Arts

U.S. consumers participate in the exchange of less data privacy for the benefit of cheaper pricing, innovative services, and the illusion of choice. However, consumer choice at the expense of minimal data privacy has encouraged data broker markets to thrive on pure profit incentives. Seniors participating in Medicare enrollment feel the impact of these profit motives acutely. The Medicare enrollment process is littered with Third Party Marketing Organizations (TPMOs) who use lead generators to target seniors. With no consent, lead generators target Medicare eligible individuals and forward their personal information to insurance agents for a fee. The lead generators operate …

Occupational Therapists’ Emerging Role In Running Bereavement Support Groups, Diana Daus, Rondalyn V. Whitney, Susan Taddonio

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Grief is well recognized as a stress response and, as such, significantly impacts engagement in meaningful occupational performance and engagement in meaningful occupations. Prolonged grief disorder (PGD), a newly recognized diagnosis, reflects the public health risk for the bereaved. Multiple client factors and performance patterns of those experiencing grief disrupt multiple areas of occupation. This opinion paper evaluates occupational therapy’s role in bereavement groups in the occupational therapy scope of practice.

Reflections: The Journey Continues, Jerry L. Pitts

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Reflections: The Journey Continues is a deeply moving memoir of faith, loss, love, calling, and the quiet strength that carries a life forward when everything familiar has been shaken. In this powerful continuation of Reflections: My Personal Journey, Dr. Jerry L. Pitts invites readers into the chapters that followed his first book—the ones marked by profound suffering, unexpected grace, and a renewed sense of purpose.

This memoir traces the season when Jerry’s life was transformed by his late wife Janice’s four‑year battle with cervical cancer. With honesty and tenderness, he recounts the surgeries, treatments, setbacks, and moments of courage …

Olli Fall 2026 Catalog, Toniann Leavitt

Osher Lifelong Learning Institute

No abstract provided.

Human Cancer Genomes Harbor The Mutational Signature Of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines Nnn And Nnk, Michael Korenjak, Nuri Alpay Temiz, Stéphane Keita, Bérénice Chavanel, Claire Renard, Cécilia Sirand, Jiehong Guo, Et Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

BACKGROUND: Tobacco use is linked to multiple cancer types and a quarter of cancer deaths. Tobacco smoke contains numerous mutagenic chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), however, the mutagenicity of many chemicals in tobacco products remains underexplored. The tobacco-specific nitrosamines 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) and N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), both International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Group 1 carcinogens, form pre-mutagenic pyridyloxobutyl (POB) DNA adducts, yet little is known about the associated genomic mutation landscape(s) in humans. METHODS: We applied bulk and error-corrected next-generation sequencing to a battery of experimental systems comprising mammalian cell lines and animals exposed to NNK or NNN, …

The Emotional Labor Of Clinicians And The Need For Reflective Support, Benedicta Olonilua, Bs, Evan Nardone, Md

The Medicine Forum

Physicians who work in Palliative Care or adjacent fields like Oncology often bear a unique emotional weight in addition to the typical responsibilities that come with the job. The nature of their work puts them in frequent contact with serious illness, dying, and grief. Additionally, they are often required to engage in conversations that are not only medically complex but also deeply personal and, at times, emotionally charged. While this emotional labor is an inherent part of the job, it can become especially heavy when there is no space to process it. Over time, this can build up and eventually …

The Intersection Of Ventilator Support And Hospice In Late Als Diagnosis, J. Marco Cipriaso, Md, Kenna Hawes, Md, Margot Noyelle, Md, Megan Cecchine, Md

The Medicine Forum

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) often leads to respiratory failure that can be treated with respiratory support in the form of tracheostomy plus invasive mechanical ventilation. It typically occurs late in the disease course, often allowing patients to adequately prepare by discussing their goals of care. We describe a case of a patient whose ALS was diagnosed after he had TMV initiated. As a result, the patient and family faced a daily decision on when to withdraw ventilator support, and he was unable to achieve his ultimate wish to die at home. We highlight this to recognize that serious illnesses with …

Lvad Patient With Delayed Family Involvement Due To Incarceration, J. Marco Cipriaso, Md, Kathleen Mechler, Md

The Medicine Forum

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement requires an extensive support system for success. Patients who are incarcerated face unique challenges in achieving this due to prison rules. We describe a case in which an LVAD patient suffered a massive intracranial hemorrhage, leaving him unable to make his own decisions. Medical teams did not involve his family in admissions for his slow chronic decline, but family were asked to make decisions for him at this acute change causing them significant distress. We advocate that families of incarcerated patients be more routinely involved in provider communications and education related to their chronic …

Table Of Contents: The Medicine Forum, Volume 27, 2025-2026

The Medicine Forum

Table of Contents: The Medicine Forum, Volume 27, 2025-2026

The Medicine Forum: Volume 27

The Medicine Forum

The Journal of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital - Department of Internal Medicine, Volume 27, 2025-2026

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Case Reports
• Letter to the Editor
• Research Studies
• Humanities & Reflections

Reducing Caregiver Burden In Hospice Care, Aubrey Martin Bsn, Rn

Nurse Residency

In family caregivers of adult hospice patient’s, does a nurse-led support program, compared with usual hospice education, reduce caregiver burden?

14 Affirmed In Their Calling, Lake Union Conference Of Seventh-Day Adventists

Lake Union Herald

No abstract provided.

A Qualitative Study Of Key “Regulatory” Factors Influencing Patient Access To Medical Assistance In Dying In Canada, Ruthie Jeanneret, Eliana Close, Jocelyn Downie, Ben P. White

Dalhousie Law Journal

Medical assistance in dying (“MAiD”) was legalized federally in Canada after the landmark case, Carter v Canada (AG), 2015 SCC 5. Bill C-14 introduced a federal legislative framework for MAiD in 2016, which was amended by Bill C-7 in 2021. Some Bill C-7 amendments directly responded to the decision in Truchon c Canada (PG), 2019 QCCS 3792. Other amendments responded to several factors identified as barriers to patient access, including the requirement for two independent witnesses, the 10-day reflection period, and the requirement to provide final consent at the time of administration of MAiD medication. However, emerging literature identifies that …

Reducing Missed Appointments In An Ambulatory Infusion Center, Jacqueline G. Jones

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Missed appointments at ambulatory infusion centers (AIC) continue to be a problem, even with improved scheduling systems and care coordination efforts. Nationally, missed appointment rates average 10%–12%, and in Central Alabama, the rate is 11.7%. However, one local AIC has a much higher missed-appointment rate of 17.8%. Missed appointments lead to wasted facility resources, increased healthcare costs, and interruptions in infusion therapies.

Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing Practice project used live reminder calls to help lower missed appointments in an AIC. The goal was to improve attendance, reduce missed appointments, and maintain consistent care.

Project Design: Over ten weeks, …

Utilizing A Multidisciplinary Team Approach To Opioid Stewardship In A Long-Term Acute Care Hospital, Lesley Moore

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project

Problem:

The opioid crisis continues to negatively affect patient safety and healthcare outcomes across the United States. Long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs) care for medically complex patients who often require prolonged pain management and are at increased risk for opioid-related adverse events. At the project site, a 32-bed LTACH, 72% of reviewed patient charts included an opioid prescription upon admission, exceeding recommended prescribing benchmarks and identifying a gap in opioid stewardship practices. The absence of a standardized opioid stewardship program (OSP) and opioid risk screening process increased the risk of opioid misuse, dependency, and adverse patient outcomes.

Aim of the …

Identifying Palliative Care Needs In The Emergency Department, James Sullivan

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project

This quality improvement project evaluated the implementation of the Palliative Care and Rapid Emergency Screening (P‑CaRES) tool to improve early identification of unmet palliative care (PC) needs among adults with advanced, life‑limiting illnesses presenting to a community emergency department (ED). The problem addressed was the absence of a standardized PC screening process, resulting in delayed recognition, missed referral opportunities, fragmented care, and repeated ED utilization. Guided by Plan‑Do‑Study‑Act cycles and the OhioHealth Change Management Model, the project integrated P‑CaRES into ED workflows, provided staff education, and established structured referral pathways. Over 12 weeks, clinicians completed 65 screenings; 57 patients met …

A Quality Improvement Approach To Reducing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Readmissions, Florwisse Rubio

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project

Problem:

The problem identified at the project site is that care transitions for patients with COPD lack standardized discharge processes, leading to inconsistent education, limited follow-up, and poor coordination of care.

Aim of the Project:

The primary aim was to improve patient outcomes by reducing the 19.6% 30-day readmissions among older adults diagnosed with COPD at the selected project site by implementing a standardized discharge intervention over 12 weeks, measuring progress, and ensuring appropriate workflow. The initiative of this project sought to foster a sense of proper continuity of care through timely follow-up, interprofessional communication among patients and providers, and …

Improving Timely Hospice Pain Reassessments Through A Quality Improvement Initiative, Brianna Strong-Mosley

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project

Problem: In a hospice care organization, a practice gap was observed in prompt pain reassessment with an onset or increase of pain, as mandated within a 48-hour timeframe by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Baseline data showed that only 40% of eligible patients with a pain score of ≥ 6 received a documented pain reassessment within 48 hours. Overall patient satisfaction with hospice services was 45%.

Aim of the Project: The quality improvement project aimed to enhance pain management by increasing the percentage of eligible hospice patients with a documented pain score of ≥ 6 from a …

Immediate Postoperative Pacing Dependency Is Not Associated With Worse Mid-Term Survival In Redo Mitral Valve Surgery, Devon Kelley, Joyce Ho, Andrew Belec, Takahiro Tashima, Victoria Li, James Lao, Varun Kathawate, Kazuhiro Ueno, Amit Iyengar, Jessica Dominic, Pavan Atluri

Division of Cardiology Faculty Papers

Risk factors (RF) for permanent pacemaker (PPM) placement in cardiac surgery include valvular operations and redo operations. We aim to identify RF for PPM placement prior to discharge (DC) specifically among redo mitral valvular operations, and to analyze outcomes in this population. Our retrospective review considered 943 patients undergoing redo MV operations between 01/2002 and 12/2021, excluding patients experiencing in-hospital death within 48 hours of their operation and patients with existing PPM or implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD). Patients (n = 742) were categorized based on whether they received a PPM before DC or not. Of the 742 patients analyzed, 47 …