Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Social Determinants Of Mental Health Outcomes, Ariana Fein

Honors Theses

Mental health disorders, particularly anxiety and depression, are a growing global concern with profound consequences on individuals' well-being and societal functioning. The burden of these disorders is not only psychological but also economic, affecting quality of life. Mental health outcomes are heavily influenced by a range of social determinants, such as financial status, education, and access to healthcare. While extensive research has focused on WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic) countries, there remains a significant gap in understanding how these determinants affect mental health in low-resource settings or non-WEIRD countries. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring the …

Emergency Action Plan Adoption Across Athletic Training Practice Settings, Samantha E. Scarneo-Miller, Rebecca L. Stearns, Christianne M. Eason, Alicia M. Pike Lacy, Rebecca M. Lopez, Zachary K. Winkelmann, Rebecca M. Hirschhorn, Susan W. Yeargin

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Context:

The 2024 NATA Position Statement provides updated recommendations for EAP adoption. Past research on the 2002 statement showed limited adoption by ATs. Assessing current adoption across practice settings offers a clearer picture of the EAP implementation landscape.

Objectives:

To examine ATs' adoption of new EAP best-practice recommendations across practice settings.

Design:

Cross-Sectional study.

Setting:

Online questionnaire.

Patients or Other Participants:

Clinically active ATs (n=614) working in any practice setting (Youth, Secondary School, Division 1 Power 4, Collegiate athletics – Not Power 4, Non-Major Professional Sports, Professional Sports, Non-Sideline).

Main Outcome Measures:

Prevalence of an EAP, adoption of recommendations, and …

Rcpneoperu Trial: A Cluster Randomized Pilot Trial To Assess Traditional Neonatal Resuscitation Compared To Partially Virtual Training In Remote Areas., Carlos A Delgado, Enrique Gómez Pomar, Pablo Velásquez, Víctor Sánchez, Roberto Shimabuku, Luis Huicho

Pediatrics Faculty Publications

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of a neonatal resuscitation training program using traditional training and partial distance learning.

METHOD: Through an open cluster-randomized trial, the authors compared a traditional approach involving face-to-face theory and practice sessions using information and communication technology to offer theory and distance examination, followed by face-to-face practice. Twelve health facilities were allocated by blocked randomization. Comparisons were made adjusting for clustering in qualitative and quantitative data. The primary outcome was the percentage of infants with heart rates ≥100 per minute at the second minute after birth. The authors performed a cluster-level analysis for cluster randomized trials, …

Letter Of Concern From The Association Of Academic Chairs Of Emergency Medicine Regarding Acgme Proposed Changes, Richard J. Hamilton, Lance B. Becker, Richard E. Wolfe, D. Adam Algren, Arnold Thomas, Michael Baumann, Ross P. Berkeley, Terrell S. Caffery, Chad Cannon, Theodore J. Corbin, Michael E. Chansky, Harinder S. Dhindsa, Charles L. Emerman, David A. Farcy, Chris Fox, Michael A. Gibbs, Christopher S. Goode, Steven "Andy" Godwin, Dietrich Jehle, David Johnson, Samuel M. Keim, Babak Khazaeni, Barry J. Knapp, Clint Hawthorne, John D. Hoyle Jr., Michael Christopher Kurz, Evan Leibner, Robert Mcnamara, Robert F. Mccormack, Edward A. Michelson, Chadwick Miller, Ashley Norse, Andrew Nugent, Brian J. O'Neil, David T. Overton, Edward A. Panacek, William F. Paolo, Denis R. Pauzé, Amanda L. Perez, Ralph J. Riviello, Scott W. Rodi, Peter S. Pang, Juan A. Gonzalez Sanchez, David P. Sklar, Ben C. Smith, Jeffrey R. Stowell, Marc D. Squillante, J. Jeremy Thomas, Terry Vanden Hoek, Gregory A. Volturo, E. Lea Walters, Thomas E. Wyatt, Donald M. Yealy

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

This letter, signed by over 50 academic chairs of emergency medicine, urges the ACGME to reconsider a proposed mandate requiring all emergency medicine residency programs to adopt a four-year training model. The authors argue that current three-year programs are supported by data demonstrating equivalent educational and clinical outcomes compared to four-year formats. They criticize the flawed survey methodology underpinning the proposal, note the loss of milestone-based training flexibility, and highlight the lack of added scholarly or clinical value in the fourth year. The letter also outlines negative consequences for fellowship participation, workforce development, trainee debt, and diversity. The signatories advocate …

Improving Intensive Care Unit Nurses' Knowledge And Confidence In Performing Effective Spontaneous Awakening Trials: A Quality Improvement Project, Sophia T. Merry-Carreiro

Master's Theses and Capstones

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Mechanically ventilated ICU patents often require sedation for comfort and ventilator compliance. However, oversedation is linked to negative outcomes such as delirium, prolonged ventilation, and increased duration of ICU stay. Current best practices now support the use of daily sedation interruptions such as Spontaneous Awakening Trials (SATs). Despite these recommendations, implementation of SATs remain inconsistent and suboptimal.

LOCAL PROBLEM:

Within the ICU in a northern new England hospital, there was a need to improve nurse confidence and knowledge in SATs practices through staff education.

METHODS:

Using the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) model, a quality improvement project was developed to improve …

A Quality Improvement Initiative: Enhancing Knowledge And Confidence In Effective Eclamptic Seizure Management Among Maternity Nurses, Emma C. Donigian

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: Preeclampsia and eclampsia (PE/E) are leading contributors to maternal morbidity and mortality rates globally. Timely recognition and intervention are essential for improving maternal outcomes. However, evidence indicates that healthcare professionals often lack sufficient knowledge and confidence in managing these conditions, highlighting a critical need for ongoing education to ensure safe, effective care.

Local Problem: At a small maternity unit in Northern New England, nurses expressed concern about their preparedness to manage eclamptic seizures, a rare but high-risk obstetric emergency. Although preeclampsia is commonly encountered, eclampsia occurs infrequently, limiting staff exposure and hands-on experience. This combination of low frequency and …

Why A Healthy Diet Is Important For Women's Health, Halley Doster

Theses and Dissertations

Nutrition plays a critical role in women’s reproductive health, yet many women face barriers to maintaining a balanced diet. This study aimed to examine the relationship between nutritional intake and reproductive health outcomes among women of reproductive age, as well as to assess their knowledge and challenges related to healthy eating. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 50 women at a community health center and analyzed using SPSS to generate descriptive statistics and explore patterns through chi-square and regression analyses. Findings revealed that most participants had moderate to low fruit and vegetable intake, and fewer than half …

Sickle Cell Disease Nursing Education: A Mixed Methods Program Evaluation, Lauren Brooke Clemons

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a common disorder of the hemoglobin and affects more than 100,000 people in the United States and millions worldwide. In response to a drastic lack of available education a group of SCD experts developed the Sickle Cell Boot Camp to Promote Nursing Excellence Train the Trainer. This initiative provided the first opportunity for nurses worldwide to gain knowledge and skills curated by the leading experts in a safe and interactive environment. By adapting the program to a train the trainer modality, education materials are provided to the attendees, and they are encouraged …

Moving Beyond Simplistic Research Design In Health Professions Education: What A One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design Will Not Prove, S Beth Bierer, Gary Beck Dallaghan, Nicole J Borges, Sam Brondfield, Cha Chi Fung, Kathryn N Huggett, Cayla R Teal, Satid Thammasitboon, Colleen Y Colbert

Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy Staff Publications

Introduction: Educational research presents unique study design challenges. Novice researchers in health professions education (HPE) frequently misuse the one-group pretest-posttest design, highlighting the need for improved training in research design. This workshop aimed to enhance understanding of research design among novice HPE researchers, specifically addressing the inherent limitations of the one-group pretest-posttest design and offering alternative approaches.

Methods: Experienced HPE researchers developed this workshop to address common misunderstandings of research design. Leaders from the AAMC Medical Education, Scholarship, Research, and Evaluation section facilitated 60-75-minute workshops conducted at the four 2024 regional meetings hosted by the AAMC Group on Educational Affairs …

Development, Delivery, And Evaluation Of The Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute Infection Control Module Program 200 Series, Kayla E Ruch, Anabel Rodríguez, Janelle Rios

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: The Texas Epidemic Public Health Institute (TEPHI) aims to safeguard public health and the Texas economy by preparing for infectious disease outbreaks. The Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Webinar series was created to offer free educational resources and continuing education for public health and healthcare personnel responsible for IPC programs in rural regions of Texas. The IPC 200 Series succeeds the founding IPC 100 Series established by the TEPHI Small Rural Healthcare Preparedness.

Methods: IPC registration and attendance data were collected through WebEx® and Microsoft Teams®, which also served as the platforms for module delivery. Learning assessments and post-module …

Large-Vessel Occlusion Stroke Knowledge And Training For Stroke Severity Assessment Among Emergency Medical Services Personnel In The United States, Kaiz S Asif, Robin Novakovic, Thanh N Nguyen, Santiago Ortega-Gutierrez, Youngran Kim, Amanda Jagolino-Cole, Sushanth Aroor, Alicia Castonguay, Prateek Kumar, Ashutosh P Jhadav, Dileep Yavagal, May Nour, Gabor Toth, Maxim Mokin, Sunil A Sheth, Mouhammad A Jumaa, Alhamza Al-Bayati, Mohamed Teleb, Ossama Y Mansour, Shashvat M Desai, Joshua Hartman, David S Liebeskind, Ameer E Hassan, Brijesh P Mehta, Svin Education And Speed Committees

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Background: Prehospital identification of large-vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke facilitates the development of a regional triage protocol that could lead to an improvement in intrahospital and interhospital workflows. This requires stroke education of emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to improve stroke recognition, severity assessment, and prenotification. However, the current state of EMS personnel's knowledge of LVO stroke, their training for stroke severity assessment, and their preferences for educational methods are unknown. We conducted a nationwide EMS survey across the United States to glean insights that can inform and customize future EMS educational efforts.

Methods: The Society of Vascular and Interventional Neurology, …

How Identities Shape Belonging In Occupational Therapy Education: A Phenomenological Exploration Of Student Belonging, Quinn P. Tyminski, Rowhea Elmesky

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Belonging is defined in a variety of ways but most often refers to an individual’s feelings of acceptance, inclusion, support, and respect within a certain environment. Belonging is an innate human need and contributes to success in academic and professional settings. Within occupational therapy (OT) education, minimal attention has been paid to the specific concept of belonging with no research focused on long-term qualitative explorations of student belonging for students with historically minoritized identities (HMIs). Thus, the goal of the present study was to better understand how students with multiple HMIs experienced the phenomenon of belonging in OT education. Utilizing …

Identifying, Organizing, And Prioritizing Ideas On How To Support The Entangled Relation Between Theory And Practice In Occupational Therapy Education: A Group Concept Mapping Study, Rina Juel Kaptain, Jacob Østergaard Madsen, Anna Marie Lassen, Kristina Tomra Nielsen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Transfer of learning from an academic setting to clinical practice and vice versa represents a challenge. The aim of this study was therefore to identify, organize, and prioritize ideas on how to support the entangled relation between theory and practice in occupational therapy (OT) education. To gain broad perspectives on the topic, Group Concept Mapping (GCM) was applied among OT students, lecturers, and fieldwork educators. GCM included six phases: Preparing (formulating a focus prompt), Generating ideas (brainstorming based on focus prompt: “To support the relation between theoretical and practical elements in the OT program there is a need for.. …

Why Occupational Therapy?: A Qualitative Analysis Of Incoming Students’ Reasons For Entering The Profession, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck, Carli Friedman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Insight into students’ views and understandings of what occupational therapy (OT) practitioners do and what a career will be like can shed light into how the profession is socially perceived. Additionally, this knowledge can be useful for recruitment, retention, and curriculum design, especially for addressing misunderstandings and inaccurate perceptions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the narratives of incoming OT students when asked why they chose to enter the profession of OT. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze sociodemographic data, and then thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data about why participants wanted to become occupational …

Vision Rehabilitation In Ot And Ota Curricula: A Survey To Academic Programs, Angela Butler, Beth A. Barstow

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapists are trained to evaluate and treat occupational performance problems. Client factors, such as vision, greatly impact an individuals’ ability to participate in meaningful occupations. New accreditation standards do not include language related to vision. Therapists must be prepared to evaluate and treat the increasing prevalence of visual challenges from children with cerebral visual impairment to older adults with age related conditions. This survey explored how vision rehabilitation is covered in accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant programs and the expertise of faculty teaching vision content. A thirteen-question survey was sent to accredited programs. Questions included multiple response, …

Decline In Attrition Rates In United States Pediatric Residency And Fellowship Programs, 2007–2020: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study, Emma Omoruyi, Greg Russell, Kimberly Montez

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: Declining fill rates in US pediatric residency and subspecialty programs requires trainee retention. Attrition, defined as transfers, withdrawals, dismissals, unsuccessful completions, or deaths, disrupts program function and impacts the pediatric workforce pipeline. It aims to evaluate attrition trends among pediatric residents and fellows in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited programs from 2007 to 2020.

Methods: This repeated cross-sectional study analyzed publicly available ACGME Data Resource Book records. Attrition rates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated overall and by subspecialty. Logistic regression assessed temporal changes; odds ratios (ORs) compared 2020 to 2007.

Results: From 2007-2020, pediatric residents …

Editorial: Surface Emg And Other Measurement Techniques In Rehabilitation Research And Practice: Are New Educational Programs Needed?, Marco Tramontano, Sheng Li, Roberto Merletti

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

No abstract provided.

Hpv Self-Sampling Promotion Among African American (Aa) And Sub-Saharan African (Sai) Immigrant Women: Adaptation And Usability Testing, Adebola Adegboyega, Gia Mudd-Martin, Nancy Schoenberg, Mark Dignan

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Cervical cancer (CC) rates have declined nationally but rates remain high in Black women with most cases occurring among unscreened and under-screened women. This paper describes the adaptation, acceptability, and useability of an education intervention, “Health is Wealth: A Cervical Health Intervention”, to promote cervical screening and reduce perceived barriers to CC screening among two subgroups of Black women: African American (AA) and sub-Saharan African immigrant (SAI) women.

Methods: In this paper, we describe the process of adapting the Health is Wealth intervention using the Barrera and Castro adaptation framework. The iterative adaptation process included formative focus groups (n …

The Role Of Game-Based Learning Simulation To Enhance Leadership In Pandemic Preparedness For Nursing Students, Scott James Andrews

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses around the world suffered with the impact of resource scarcity on the provision of quality nursing care to patients. Nursing staff were at higher risk of infection than all other healthcare workers, with working conditions during the pandemic resulting in significant staffing pressures. The challenges faced by staff during the pandemic inevitably influenced the quality and delivery of clinical education, highlighting the need for innovative solutions such as digital learning to address emerging training needs. Further, the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on clinical education has highlighted the benefits of digital learning environments as alternatives to …

Exploring Laurier Health Sciences Students’ Knowledge Of Lgbtq+ Health, Grace Emma Henry, Todd Coleman

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

In all health-related fields, the need for well-informed, holistic healthcare providers is paramount. For the heathcare field to be impactful in positive ways, providers should emerge from multifaceted academic backgrounds, equipped with an array of knowledge and skills to address the complex needs of different patients. Central to this is the idea that all aspects of an individual's identity and the intersectionality of these identities should be considered when providing care. Intersectionality recognizes that various social and personal identities, such as race, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic status, intersect to shape individual experiences and health outcomes (Kelly et al., 2022).

Lesbian, …

Assessment Practices For Dietetic Students: An Updated Systematic Review (2017–2024), Janica Jamieson, Claire Palermo, Margaret Hay, Simone Gibson

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: Evaluate assessment practices and outcomes for dietetic students and compare findings with those from a previous systematic review. Methods: A systematic review was conducted whereby four databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index in Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Education Resources Information Centre) were searched on 11 October 2023 with terms related to dietetics, students, and assessment. The search was repeated on 8 January 2025 to identify new publications. Eligibility criteria were primary research published after 1 June 2017 reporting at least one assessment method for dietetic students with an assessment-related outcome. Assessment practices and outcomes were evaluated using Miller's …

Integration Of Virtual Simulation Within A Nursing Curriculum: A Mixed Methods Study, Martina Costello, Hugh Davies, Fiona Williams, Michelle Gay, Jennifer Jennings, Joyce Muge-Sugutt, Olivia Gallagher

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Virtual simulation is a valuable learning tool for health professionals to facilitate knowledge, skills, and confidence. Simulation-based learning in Nursing has increased with advances in digital technologies, embedding diverse virtual modalities. The integration of virtual simulations requires careful consideration of pedagogical approaches and implementation strategies. The vSim® for Nursing platform was integrated into the curriculum of an undergraduate nursing program at an Australian university to enhance clinical learning experiences. Aim: To evaluate the implementation of the vSim® for Nursing learning platform within the second-year curriculum. Methods: A mixed-methods cross-sectional survey design was used, guided by Kirkpatrick's training evaluation model. …

Multifactorial Fall Interventions For People Over 65 Years In The Acute Hospital Setting: Pre–Post-Test Design, Allison Wallis, Christina Aggar, Deb Massey

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Falls are the most reported patient safety incident for patients >65 years in acute hospital settings worldwide. While multifactorial fall interventions reduce the number of falls in subacute and rehabilitation settings, fall interventions in acute hospital settings are unknown. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of multifactorial fall interventions on the number of falls using codesigned education targeting staff and the patient and review the environment in acute hospital settings in NSW, Australia for patients over 65 years of age. Method: A pre–post-test design with a non-equivalent group was conducted. All acute hospital inpatient falls occurring both pre- and post-intervention …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of A Serious Game To Deliver Health Education About Invasive Meningococcal Disease: Clustered Randomized Controlled Equivalence Trial, Lauren Bloomfield, Julie Boston, Martin Masek, Lesley Andrew, Donna Barwood, Amanda Devine

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is a serious, vaccine-preventable infectious disease that can be life-threatening. Teaching adolescents about the early detection and prevention of IMD can be challenging in a school environment, with educators reporting they lack confidence or expertise to cover this in the classroom environment. Professional guest educators are an alternative to cover specialist topics such as IMD; however, time and resourcing constraints can mean that these educators are not always available. Serious games may be an alternative to face-to-face education, where complex health information may be delivered via self-directed gameplay. Objective: This study aims to develop a …

Game-Based Learning Contributions To Clinical Leadership In Times Of Resource Scarcity, Scott James Andrews, Olivia Gallagher, Alecka Miles, Carol Crevacore, Jessica Watson, Sean Cashman, Wyatt De Souza, Martin Masek, Julie Boston, Lisa Holmes, Brennen Mills

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Early progression of Registered Nurses into leadership roles is commonplace in clinical settings. Student nurses can prepare for leadership by gaining exposure through simulation-based learning. A novel and expanding modality are Game-based learning (GBL) simulation.

Aim: To understand if a GBL simulation is useful in preparing student nurses for leadership roles during times of resource scarcity, student nurses were asked to evaluate a novel GBL simulation requiring learners to manage patient triage and hospital resources during a pandemic.

Methods: The study design leveraged Kirkpatrick's Training Evaluation Model. Nursing students (n = 74) from one university in Perth, Western Australia, …

Implementing A Gerontological Nursing Competencies Programme In Aged Care: Participant Experiences, Victoria Traynor, Nicole Britten, Diane Gibson, Stephanie Munk, Lynn Chenoweth, Jolan Stokes, Tracey Moroney, Karen Strickland, Toni Donaghy, Kasia Bail

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aims: To explore the experience of registered nurses and their mentors in the implementation of the Gerontological Nursing Competencies in long-term aged care and the perceived effectiveness and suitability of the programme to support nurse development. Background: The global population is ageing and needs a reliable aged-care nursing workforce. Introduction: Opportunities for education and mentorship for newly qualified and experienced aged-care nurses warrant investigation. Methods: Qualitative evaluation using semi-structured focus groups was conducted following the implementation of the programme into five not-for-profit long-term aged-care organisations and analysed by a reflexive qualitative thematic approach and reported according to COREQ criteria. Results: …

Dentistry’S Best Advocate—You, Michaela Mishoe

Virginia Dental Journal

The document discusses strategies to address the shortage of dental hygienists in Virginia by promoting dentistry as a career. It suggests partnering with educational institutions, hosting career fairs, empowering staff to mentor, leveraging social media, and using patient interactions to inform about dental careers. It highlights the importance of community involvement and provides resources like the G3 tuition assistance program for aspiring dental professionals. The document also outlines various dental career roles, including dental assistants, hygienists, office managers, and administrators.

Bridging The Gap: Clearing The Pathways To In-Demand Careers In Dentistry, Ryan Dunn

Virginia Dental Journal

The document discusses the critical shortage of dental professionals in Virginia, particularly dental hygienists and assistants, which is hindering patient access to essential dental care. Despite high demand for dental programs, limited capacity restricts student admissions. The Virginia Dental Association (VDA) is working with political and educational leaders to address this issue by advocating for increased investment in dental education and training. Efforts include expanding program capacities, improving licensure portability, and supporting mental health initiatives for dental professionals. The goal is to ensure a robust dental workforce to meet the growing oral health care needs in Virginia.

Va Dent J April, May And June 2024

Virginia Dental Journal

The April-June 2024 issue of the Virginia Dental Journal (VDJ) explores significant themes affecting the dental profession in Virginia. Key highlights include a feature on the dental workforce crisis, addressing shortages and its impact on patient care and practice expansion. The Virginia Dental Workforce Council provides a comprehensive report with recommendations to enhance workforce capacity through educational investments, policy changes, and collaborative efforts. Other topics include scientific studies, such as a pilot investigation on non-invasive treatments for xerostomia, advocacy updates on legislative successes like the SafeHaven™ program for mental health support, and industry insights on sustainability and cybersecurity in dental …

Challenges And Change, Dustin Reynolds Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

Dr. Dustin Reynolds, President of the Virginia Dental Association (VDA), reflects on the past three months and outlines key challenges and initiatives for 2024. He emphasizes the importance of supporting dental education programs to address workforce shortages and highlights the need for legislative support for interstate licensure compacts and transparency in dental insurance. Dr. Reynolds also discusses the impact of staffing challenges on dental practices and the importance of innovative technology in shaping the future of dentistry. He remains optimistic about improving access to oral healthcare in Virginia.