<p> The purpose of this study is to compare satisfaction, self-confidence, and engagement of baccalaureate nursing students using defined observational roles and expectations versus traditional observer role assignments in high fidelity simulation and debriefing and to evaluate student perceptions of these constructs. The NLN/Jeffries Simulation Theory serves as the theoretical framework for the study. A convenience sample of 132 freshman level baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a BSN program in the spring 2017 semester was utilized for the study. A quasi-experimental comparative mixed method design was utilized for the study. </p><p> Data analysis of the study indicates a statistically significant difference between overall satisfaction score, <i>t</i>(119.83) = 2.43, p = .017, overall self-confidence score, <i>t</i>(102.86) = 3.823, p&lt;.001, overall engagement score, <i>t</i>(100.9) = 4.11, p&lt;.001, of baccalaureate nursing students using defined observational roles and expectations (<i>N</i> = 67) versus traditional observer role assignments <i> N</i> = 65) in high fidelity simulation and debriefing. Student&rsquo;s perceptions of satisfaction, self-confidence, and engagement were increased with the use of defined observational roles and expectation.</p><p>

<p> Substance use and abuse has been studied for years and has been proven to be a problem among college students and there is a growing number of students who abuse prescription stimulants, despite increased campaigns to educate, raise awareness and prevent this health epidemic. The rate for prescription type drug abuse among nurses is more than twice that of the general population. Additionally, nurses have particular risk factors specific to the occupation. Despite these overwhelming statistics, prevalence studies for nursing students with legitimate prescriptions who use appropriately, or misuse their prescription are very scarce.</p><p> A quantitative approach was used to examine use and misuse of prescription stimulant medications among nursing students who were members of a professional nursing organization within Alabama. Investigate predictive risk factors and motives for any illicit use were examined as well. Of the 1,111 members, a response rate of 9.2% was obtained (n = 102). Of the 102 respondents, 3 were ineligible, 11 declined participation of did not progress past the informed consent document. There were 88 participants with usable data. This study found 54.5% who reported no use at all. Legitimate use was found to be 14.8%. Illicit use was found to be 30.7% of participants. There was a statistically significance (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) in grade point averages between the groups that is consistent with prior findings. However, this study did not yield significant findings for age, time in extracurricular activities, or PanHellenic membership. Motivations for illicit prescription stimulant abuse were similar to those in previous studies.</p><p> These findings have importance in the field of nursing education and substance abuse prevention. By increasing our knowledge base, faculty can be better equipped to educate their nursing students on the dangers of self-medication, diverting medications and the harm that eventually comes from this illegal activity.</p><p>

<p>This prospective, exploratory, single case study is about health care simulation as a learning approach for faculty to develop as teams of interprofessional facilitators. The research was aimed at understanding how simulation-based team training, designed around an interprofessional theme, promotes both teamwork and interprofessional facilitator competencies among participants representing 6 health care professions (medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant and pharmacy). The central research question asked how faculty attitudes, knowledge, and skills/behaviors in the areas of teamwork and interprofessional education (IPE) facilitation are characterized after experiencing a faculty development workshop designed as interprofessional simulation based team training (IP-SBTT). Four sub-questions focused inquiry into the workshop&rsquo;s: use of TeamSTEPPS^&reg;, unique instructional design, impact on the peer-to-peer attitudes of faculty, and impact on faculty&rsquo;s personal perspectives about simulation-based learning (SBL). </p><p> The examined case was the shared experiences of 9 faculty who participated in a 2-day, 14-hour workshop conducted in a university based simulation center. The workshop entailed immersion in team-based scenarios involving IPE issues. Learning objectives focused on facilitation skills. Data from multiple sources included video recordings of all activities, media material, observation notes/tool, surveys and a focus group interview. An iterative analysis of the evidence employed the use of HyperRESEARCH, qualitative data analysis software for video and text. Twelve key findings are based on triangulation of the frequency of coded behavioral markers on 12.5 hours of video, quantitative and qualitative data from post-simulation survey data, as well as focus group interview results. </p><p> Triangulation via analysis using 3 theoretical constructs lead to the study conclusions which are presented in 3 thematic clusters: (a) IP-SBTT enhances attitudes of mutual trust and team orientation, and the knowledge achievement of shared mental models; (b) the TeamSTEPPS framework is an effective approach to developing teams of IPE facilitators, and the Tension Triangle framework closely aligns with SBL components; and (c) Interprofessional-Meta-Simulation Based Team Learning (IP-M-SBTL) fosters an increased awareness of the emotional vulnerability associated with SBL, and enhanced self-reflection skills, increasing competence in interprofessional facilitation. The IP-M-SBTL model for faculty development is strongly recommended for building teams of interprofessional facilitators. </p>

<p> Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction that disproportionally affects college students as a population group and can disrupt college careers. While gambling disorder has not traditionally been one that institutions of higher education have addressed, the rapid growth of legalized gambling in the United States and the resulting widespread availability and acceptability of gambling in general have led to calls for policies and programs to prevent the negative consequences that even mild to moderate gambling disorder can cause. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine the stage of readiness of a university campus community to address the issue of students&rsquo; disordered gambling, to identify the barriers and needs of the community prior to the implementation of disordered gambling prevention on campus, and to explore the reliability of using the Community Readiness Tool (Oetting, 2014) as a repeated measure tool over time to appraise changes in levels of community readiness, particularly when re-interviewing the same key informants. </p><p> Eleven mid-level university administrators participated in the study. Each participant was interviewed using an adapted version of the CRT. All interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and scored according to the standard scoring procedures. Grounded theory analysis was used for the purpose of identifying barriers and needs of the community not fully captured by the CRT. The results indicated an overall lack of awareness of problem gambling as a higher education issue. Eight barriers and nine needs emerged from the qualitative analysis. To examine the use of the CRT as a repeated measure, four participants were re-interviewed one year after their initial interview, and scores were compared to both their own original scores and the scores of a second cohort of participants who were interviewed only once but at the same time. There were no significant differences in overall CRT scores from time 1 to time 2, or between the two cohorts of participants. Implications for appropriate prevention programming and future research are discussed.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to increase the understanding of the factors that contribute to or detract from the educational preparation of graduates between associate (AD) and baccalaureate degree (BD) respiratory therapy programs through the use of graduate and employer survey ratings, Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credentialing success, and document analysis of various institutional and program mission, course content, and goals.</p><p> This study employed quantitative analyses to compare the perceptions of AD graduates and their employers with the perceptions of BD graduates and their employers regarding the educational program&rsquo;s ability to prepare graduates for entry into the profession. Graduate and employer ratings of cognitive, psychomotor, and affective competencies obtained from the follow-up surveys from 16 BD and 88 AD respiratory therapy programs were analyzed to determine whether there were perceived differences in preparation of associate and baccalaureate degree graduates. Credentialing success data for graduates of 361 AD and 57 BD respiratory therapy programs were also analyzed to determine whether differences in program type had an effect on RRT credentialing success. Multivariate analyses of variance, Welch&rsquo;s F tests and Mann-Whitney two-sample test were used to analyze the data. Additional information obtained from 22 AD and 22 BD institutions were also analyzed to explore similarities and differences in mission, vision, learning outcomes and coursework.</p><p> The three most significant findings in this study were that (1) Employers rated BD graduates higher than AD graduates in the cognitive (mean ratings 4.442 and 4.256 respectively) psychomotor (mean ratings 4.508 and 4.308 respectively) and affective domain (mean ratings 4.642 and 4.496 respectively); (2) BD employer survey ratings were also higher than AD employer ratings (mean ratings 4.49 and 4.21 respectively) on the mean rating for the single item that asked graduates to rate the overall quality of their preparation for entry into the profession and (3) Findings from the document analysis revealed that BD programs required courses beyond the minimum general education, prerequisite and RT course requirements. Thus, the results of this study support the &ldquo;2015 and Beyond&rdquo; recommendation that the BD be the minimum entry-level education required for entry into the profession.</p>

<p> Medical dosimetry education occupies a specialized branch of allied health higher education. Noted international shortages of health care workers, reduced university funding, limitations on faculty staffing, trends in learner attrition, and increased enrollment of nontraditional students force allied health educational leadership to reevaluate current admission practices. Program officials wish to select medical dosimetry students with the best chances of successful graduation. The purpose of the quantitative ex post facto correlation study was to investigate the relationship between applicant characteristics (cumulative undergraduate grade point average, science grade point average, prior experience as a radiation therapist, and previous academic degrees) and the successful completion of a medical dosimetry program as measured by graduation. A key finding from the quantitative study was the statistically significant positive correlation between a student&rsquo;s previous degree and his or her successful graduation from the medical dosimetry program. Future research investigations could include a larger research sample representative of more medical dosimetry student populations and additional studies concerning the relationship of a prior history in radiation therapy and the impact on success as a medical dosimetry student. Based on the quantitative correlation analysis, allied health leadership on admissions committees could revise student selection rubrics to place less emphasis on an applicant&rsquo;s undergraduate cumulative GPA and increase the weight assigned to previous degrees.</p>

<p> This study explored students&rsquo; perceptions of developing cohort cohesiveness while progressing through a doctoral level interprofessional health administration program. Drawing upon Tuckman and Jenson&rsquo;s Theory of Group Development (1977), this study specifically emphasized the group development process and its inherent relationship to achieve cohesion within a group. To better understand this process, an in-depth qualitative research design, using semi-structured interviews, was implemented to illustrate the experiences of an interprofessional group of students enrolled in a distance learning program that utilized a closed cohort model. Emerging from the data was the core category of shared experiences, supported by main categories of collegiate unity, required interactions, group maturation, and interprofessional appreciation. The significance of interaction between students and faculty emerged as fundamental and inseparable to students&rsquo; achievement of cohort cohesion. The data suggest the value of group development within these types of programs as well as how cohesive groups enhance the learning experience and contribute to student success. Results of this study have implications for the promotion of educational programs to foster group development within distance learning cohorts. Attention should be given to a broad base of understanding by faculty of the development of cohort cohesion and the value of cohesion in higher-level education. Findings from this study support the notion of faculty involvement in cohort cohesion and the importance of helping students make connections as a group.</p><p>

<p> Student perceptions of academic dishonesty and clinical integrity were explored in this qualitative study, with Bandura&rsquo;s social learning theory utilized as the primary framework for the study and Kohlberg&rsquo;s theory of moral development as the secondary framework. A basic qualitative methodology was employed to answer the research question: what are student perceptions of moral beliefs and their actions related to ethical decision making in a four-year Bachelor of Science in nursing (BSN) program? The target population was junior or senior year nurses in a four-year BSN program. The sample included 17 students who met the inclusion criteria. Participants were asked 17 open-ended interview questions to gain insight into their perceptions of academic dishonesty and clinical integrity. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed manually to provide further immersion in the data. Data analysis and collection occurred simultaneously and was inductive and comparative. During data analysis, five themes emerged, each with subthemes which were identified through supporting narrative comments from participant interviews. The five identified themes were used to answer the research question and included: student perceptions of academic dishonesty, student perceptions of clinical integrity, student perceptions of moral beliefs, student perceptions of ethical decision making, and student perceptions of what influenced academic dishonesty. This study adds to the current body of knowledge of nursing literature regarding academic dishonesty and clinical integrity. Results could provide assistance to higher education institutions to solve problems involving academic dishonest behaviors on college campuses. This study builds on the current literature and serves as a foundation for future research to solve this decades old problem. </p><p>

<p> Gross inequality in access to health services is a common problem in developing countries like Panama. This study responds to the current shortage of physicians from economically depressed communities in Panama. By using qualitative research methods, I examined the personal, financial, curricular and environmental factors that shape low-income students&rsquo; commitment to become physicians; the forces that shape these medical students to practice medicine once they graduate; and how policies and institutional practices in medical schools in Panama influence rates at which low-income students become physicians. Specifically, data sources were used to explore how the nation&rsquo;s educational policies, as well as recruitment, admissions, and student support practices in medical schools, influence rates at which low-income students become physicians. Documents were analyzed to determine statistical trends in medical school enrollment and completion for some of the selected medical schools; and the availability and effectiveness of various policy initiatives enacted to increase the production of physicians across the country. </p><p> Interviews were conducted with senior academic officers of medical schools (e.g., vice provost, deans and directors) and others who know much about the country&rsquo;s current human resources challenges in medicine (e.g., a former minister of health, the deputy minister of education, and the health senior adviser to the president of Panama). Interviews with these stakeholders provided insights into the educational, political, and economic forces that shape whoever enrolls in and ultimately completes medical school. Additionally, recent graduates or students in their final year of medical school from four schools of medicine in the Republic of Panama participated in focus groups, to offer information into the personal, familiar and institutional factors that supported and undermined low-income students&rsquo; goals of becoming doctors. Some attention was paid to socioeconomic demographics of communities in which certified physicians ultimately choose to practice. </p><p> The findings of this study provide Panamanian policymakers with valuable information for defining better approaches to train physicians for underserved areas and may help Panama achieve compliance with the millennium objectives that were agreed to by member countries of the World Health Organization in 2000. Finally, implications for future research on the training of low-income students to become physicians in underserved communities are proposed.</p>

Objective. The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of teaching strategies used by approved clinical instructors (ACI) to facilitate student learning during clinical experiences in athletic training. Design and setting. A qualitative case study design was used to examine the questioning skills of ACIs at an athletic training education program (ATEP). Subjects. Participants consisted of eight ACIs and 24 athletic training students (ATS) affiliated with an ATEP. Measurements. Data consisted of: 23 field observations and field audio recordings, eight interviews with ACIs, and 64 stimulated recall interviews with ATS and ACIs. Data was analyzed through open, axial, and selective coding and coding for process. Cognition level of questions posed by ACIs was analyzed using a Question Classification Framework (Sellappah et al, 1998). Results. Three themes emerged. Theme 1: Approved Clinical Instructors in Athletic Training: training technicians or educating problem-solvers. Theme 2: Creating and nurturing learning relationships to establish enriching clinical learning environments. Theme 3: Cognitive engagement of the learner: active or passive participant. Conclusions. The affective and cognitive tone of the clinical learning environment appears to be related to ACIs beliefs and attitudes, ATS active or passive participation in the experience and the strength of the learning relationship between the ACI and the ATS. ACI selection and utilization of teaching and questioning strategies is related to ACI beliefs and attitudes toward clinical education and the purpose of clinical experiences. ACIs who identify more strongly with ACI as athletic training educator tend to possess student centered teaching strategies that support student exploration and creativity. ACIs that identify more strongly with ACI as service provider tend to possess instructor centered teaching strategies that support student identification and replication of athletic training skills and knowledge. Implications. ACIs use of strategic questioning and student centered teaching strategies appears to be strongly related to the ACI's beliefs and attitudes toward clinical experiences and his or role as an ACI. A shift away from apprenticeship learning environments toward problem-solving learning environments may require a shift in ACI beliefs and attitudes.