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This mixed-methods research examined student nurse retention methods perceived as best practice by directors and coordinators in selected Associate Degree Nursing (AND) programs within the Florida Community College System (FCCS). A critical nursing shortage is expected to worsen over the next twenty years due to the aging workforce and the inadequate supply of qualified nurse graduates. The Associate degree nursing programs supply the majority of nursing graduates to the workforce. Thus, the associate degree nursing programs and student retention measures were studied. The research was conducted using a Delphi survey of directors of nursing in ADN programs within the FCCS. This survey served as the template for faculty surveys, which were distributed to faculty members under the selected ADN program directors. Students were surveyed with a similar Likert type scale with focus groups to allow for open-ended interviewing. Following analysis of the data, directors of nursing, faculty, and students in the ADN programs identified eleven best practices. Extensiveness strengthened the research. Resulting information will be helpful for nursing program curriculum and program planning. Future research can examine best practices quantitatively. This study can also be replicated at other venues.

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A growing trend in high schools across the state is the use of dual credit and dual enrollment courses to better prepare high school students for college or the work force. Given the increase in dual credit and dual enrollment participation and the goal of creating a more seamless transition from high school to college, the effectiveness of these programs needs to be researched. The research hypothesis for this study states that students who participate in a dual credit and dual enrollment program during high school are more likely to complete an associate degree within 3 years than students who do not participate in dual credit and dual enrollment, when accounting for covariates such as gender, race, and socioeconomic status. This study examined the effectiveness of dual credit and dual enrollment programs, particularly with regard to associate degree completion, credit hour accumulation, and college GPA. The participants in this study were 1st-time, full-time students enrolled during Academic Year 2007 at 5 of the 15 community and junior colleges in state of Mississippi. The sample included 6,029 students, of which 255 had previously participated in a dual enrollment or dual credit program. This study revealed that dual credit and dual enrollment participation positively affects postsecondary outcomes for students enrolling in community colleges in the areas of associate degree completion and college GPA. Students who started college with prior experience in a dual credit or dual enrollment program were 2.51 times more likely to complete an associate degree within 3 years of first-time, full-time college enrollment than individuals who did not participate. Additionally, the study revealed that factors such as SES, gender, and race had an effect on college GPA; and that SES and race affected the number of credit hours earned by community college students. Given the positive outcomes resulting from participation in dual credit and dual enrollment programs, these programs certainly bear consideration for expansion and further study in the future, particularly given the growing availability of longitudinal data within statewide longitudinal data systems that have launched in recent years across the United States.

During the recent year of 2023 Artificial Intelligence (AI) have been a major talking point and subject matter where the question is how AI implementation in certain areas can affect the current society. Whilst many jobs and industries already have experienced major changes and digital advancements, auditing have not changed as much in the recent time. Auditing is seen as an important role in society ensuring that companies and other entities follows laws and regulations when conducting business. With the possible implementation of AI in auditing the question is how it will affect the legitimacy of the audit and the audit process. The purpose of this study aims to explore from the auditor’s viewpoint how AI might affect auditing in the near time and future. To get a better understanding and identify the areas and factors in auditing that might be changed and affected the most. The study used a qualitative method and interviewed auditors working at different audit firms in Sweden. Where the auditors where asked questions of which their own thoughts and viewpoints surfaced. When conducting this study, on one hand it became clear that AI in auditing is seen as positive thing, where the participants acknowledged the analytical capabilities of AI and how it can make the auditing process more effective and precise at the same time. Leading to the possible change in audit classifications and the replacements of certain work tasks in the future. Auditors of the study also exhibited a certain level of distrust towards AI currently, even though they see it as a possible addition to the field in the near future.  The result of this study derived from the interviews is the findings of four themes where AI implementation affects auditing and its legitimacy. These themes are Scoping, Laws and Regulation, Competencies and Distrust. The findings of this study can contribute to better understand the factors and areas affected if AI implementation in auditing is conducted and how the legitimacy of the audit is affected.

The purposes of this descriptive study were to identify and describe criteria used to identify students at-risk for withdrawal or failure, and strategies in place to assist and retain students. Data were collected regarding admission policies, retention strategies, assistance programs, and perceptions of the administrators regarding the effectiveness of retention and assistance strategies. A survey method of data collection was conducted using an instrument developed by the researcher for the study. A stratified random sample of 156 NLNAC accredited associate and baccalaureate degree nursing programs was carried out and program administrators were sent the survey for voluntary, anonymous participation. The study sample consisted of the 57 programs whose surveys were returned. Retention/ Assistance Programs. Similar percentages of associate and baccalaureate degree programs reported having retention/assistance programs. Programs were found more prevalent at private, secular institutions; at smaller programs; and in the Central region. A Pearson correlation determined no relationship between the existence of an organized assistance program with NCLEX-RN pass rate or retention rate. Retention/Assistance Strategies. Strategies reported available in the nursing program most often were academic advising of nursing and pre-nursing students, academic assistance in the form of a skills lab and computer access, and early notification to students when they are failing. Comparison of the mean NCLEX-RN pass rate and the mean retention rate with 29 strategies was conducted using Pearson correlation coefficients. Analysis determined a positive and statistically significant relationship between pass rate on NCLEX-RN and the presence and perceived effect of a cultural diversity program, grading options, and early notification to students when they are failing. Positive, statistically significant relationships were determined between retention rates and the presence and perceived effect of childcare, academic advising of nursing and pre-nursing students, early notification to students when they are failing, and faculty office hours. Administrators' Perceptions. Program administrators perceived the strategies financial aid, academic assistance to reinforce course content, academic advising of nursing students, and faculty mentors to have the greatest effect on student retention. Additional survey responses revealed a strong academic background and financial aid were strategies reported by administrators to affect both success and failure. Advising, orientation, and academic preparation were ranked by administrators as the top factors contributing to student retention and success. They ranked academic/cognitive variables and outside responsibilities as the top factors leading to student withdrawal or failure.

This study surveyed the opinions of academic administrators of associate degree nursing programs, community college social science programs, and community college biological science programs regarding major benefits and concerns associated with the employment of part-time faculty. This study found that most part-time social science faculty teach in the classroom, half participate in non-teaching faculty activities, and most are paid a contract amount per course or credit hour. Part-time biological science faculty differed only in that most teach a combination of classroom and lab/practicum. Part-time nursing faculty differed in all three areas. Most part-time nursing faculty teach in lab or practicum settings, most participate in more non-teaching activities than other part-time faculty, and most are paid an hourly wage. However, the benefits and concerns associated with the employment of part-time nursing faculty were not significantly different from those identified by academic administrators of the other programs with one exception. Academic administrators felt that part-time nursing faculty expose students to the latest technologies in specialty areas and part-time social science faculty do not. The benefits cited by the respondents, that were in addition to the benefits most frequently cited in the literature, include increased interaction with the community and the ability to "try out" prospective full-time faculty. The concerns cited by respondents, that were in addition to the concerns most frequently cited in the literature, include the inability to find qualified part-time faculty to fill available positions and the concern that the employment of part-time faculty causes resentment among full-time faculty. The results from this study indicate that the literature pertaining to the benefits and concerns associated with the employment of social science and biological science part-time faculty in community colleges can be used to develop policies regarding part-time faculty in associate degree nursing programs.

La protéine kinase activée par AMP (AMPK) est un senseur et régulateur central de l'état énergétique cellulaire, mais ces voies de signalisation ne sont pour le moment que partiellement comprises. Deux criblages non-biaisés pour la recherche de partenaires d'interaction et de substrats d'AMPK ont précédemment été réalisés dans le laboratoire. Ces derniers ont permis l'identification de plusieurs candidats (protéines), mais leur rôle fonctionnel et physiologique n'était pas encore établi. Ici nous avons caractérisé la fonction de la relation entre AMPK et quatre partenaires d'interaction : gluthation S-transferases (GSTP1 and GSTM1), fumarate hydratase (FH), l'E3 ubiquitine-ligase (NRDP1), et les protéines associées à la membrane (VAMP2 and VAMP3). Chacune de ces interactions parait avoir un rôle différent dans la signalisation AMPK, agissant en amont ou en aval de la protéine AMPK. GSTP1 et GSTM1 contribueraient à l'activation d'AMPK en facilitant la S-glutathionylation d'AMPK en conditions oxydatives moyennes. Cette régulation non-canonique suggère que l'AMPK peut être un senseur de l'état redox cellulaire. FH mitochondrial est l'unique substrat AMPK clairement identifié. Etonnamment le site de phosphorylation se trouve dans le peptide signal mitochondrial, ce qui pourrait affecter l'import mitochondrial. NRDP1, protéine pour laquelle nous avons pour la première fois développé un protocole de production de la protéine soluble, est faiblement phosphorylée par l'AMPK. L'interaction ne sert pas à l'ubiquitination d'AMPK, mais affecte le renouvellement de NRDP1. Finalement, l'interaction de VAMP2/3 avec AMPK n'implique pas d'évènement de phosphorylation ou d'activation d'un des partenaires. Nous proposons un mécanisme de recrutement d'AMPK par VAMP2/3 (" scaffold ") au niveau des vésicules en exocytose. Ce recrutement favoriserait la phosphorylation de substrats de l'AMPK à la surface des vésicules en exocytoses. Une fois mis en commun, nos résultats enrichissent les connaissances sur les voies de signalisation AMPK, et suggèrent une grande complexité de ces dernières. Plus que les kinases en amont et des substrats en aval, la régulation de la signalisation d'AMPK se fait via des modifications secondaires autres que la phosphorylation, via des effets sur le renouvellement de protéines, et probablement via un recrutement spécifique de l'AMPK dans certains compartiments cellulaires. / AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a central energy sensor and regulator of cellular energy state, but the AMPK signaling network is still incompletely understood. Two earlier non-biased screens for AMPK interaction partners and substrates performed in the laboratory identified several candidate proteins, but functional and physiological roles remained unclear. Here we characterized the functional relationship of AMPK with four different protein interaction partners: gluthatione S-transferases (GSTP1 and GSTM1), fumarate hydratase (FH), an E3 ubiquitin-ligase (NRDP1), and vesicle-associated membrane proteins (VAMP2 and VAMP3). Each of these interaction partners seems to have a different function in AMPK signaling, either acting up- or down-stream of AMPK. GSTP1 and GSTM1 can contribute to AMPK activation by facilitating S-glutathionylation of AMPK under mildly oxidative conditions. This non-canonical regulation suggests AMPK as a sensor of cellular redox state. Mitochondrial FH was identified as the only clear AMPK downstream substrate, but surprisingly the phosphorylation site is present in the mitochondrial targeting prepeptide, possibly affecting mitochondrial import. NRDP1, whose expression as a full-length soluble protein was achieved here for the first time, is phosphorylated by AMPK only at low levels. The interaction does neither serve for AMPK ubiquitinylation, but rather affects NRDP1 turnover. Finally, interaction of VAMP2/3 with AMPK does not involve phosphorylation or activation events of one of the partners. Instead, we propose VAMP2/3 as scaffolding proteins that recruit AMPK to exocytotic vesicles which could favor phosphorylation of vesicular AMPK substrates for exocytosis. Collectively, our results add some new elements to the AMPK signaling network, suggesting that it is much more complex than anticipated. In addition to upstream kinases and downstream substrates, regulation of AMPK signaling occurs by second

The United States is in the middle of a gripping nursing shortage; a shortage that is putting patients' lives in danger. This study determined the impact community and tribal colleges in severely economically distressed counties of the United States have on the nursing shortage faced by health care facilities serving these areas. The initial sample of 24 institutions selected in the Ford Foundation's Rural Community College Initiative (RCCI) (1995-2000). Data were collected from the Fall 1998 National Study of Post Secondary Faculty to obtain characteristics of faculty and from the 2003 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) to obtain characteristics of students, both at all publicly-controlled community colleges, all tribal colleges, and the 24 RCCI colleges that included 18 community and six tribal colleges. A survey was sent to the directors/deans/chairs of the nursing programs to ascertain issues related to the nursing program, nursing faculty, and nursing students. Respondents were asked to identify the healthcare facilities used for students' clinical experiences. A survey was then sent to each of these facilities asking about rural health, and source of nursing staff. Findings: 1) 87% of these these rural healthcare facilities are experiencing a significant shortage of nurses, and they are challenged to recruit and retain nursing staff; 2) Nursing programs, including both Licensed Practical Nursing and Associate's Degree Nursing are important to these rural community and tribal colleges, have seen growth over the past 5 years and expect to continue growth (86%); 3) Financial aid for nursing students is critically important; 4) Students are predominantly white and female; minorities are significantly under-represented; 5) Lack of subsidized public transportation and child care for nursing students even at tribal colleges are barriers that impact program completion; and 6) A shortage of nursing faculty exists at rural community and tribal colleges that negatively impacts student enrollment in these programs, thus reducing the rural nursing workforce pipeline. It is the rural community and tribal college nursing programs help provide severely economically distressed counties of the United States with the nursing workforce needed to decrease the nurse to patient ratio.