Latinidad & The Institution: Serving the Racialized Student Identity

This study observes the racialized experiences of Latino students in higher education. Revisiting the embedded Mestizaje and Blanqueamiento foundations that exist in the ethno-national identities of current Latinos in relating to their Latin American origin. The study aims to further understand the conflation of Latinidad as a racial and ethnic identity – and how this impacts the ways in which students experience racialization, develop a racial identity, and navigate the ivory tower. Furthermore, the study pays close attention to the mission of HSIs, the Cultural Wealth Model, and Servingness in how they aim to serve the racial identity development of Latine students and their racial realities. Latinidad, or Latino Identity, is approached in this study through critical race theory, racial identity development theory, and race formation theory

Implementation of Standardized Mobilization Assessment Tools to Promote Patient Ambulation at Medical Surgical Units

The objective is the cardiac medical surgical unit in a hospital in San Francisco not meeting the ambulation goal. This study aims to provide a context for enhancing patients\u27 ambulation levels by using standardized assessment tools Prior Level of Functional (PLOF) and Current Level of Functional (CLOF) in daily practice, thereby strengthening care plans and shortening hospital stay. The methods are microsystem evaluation, SWOT analysis, causal analysis, cost-benefit analysis, Gantt chart, pre & post survey, and flyer education for staff to guide the project implementation. The results are that after the intervention, the compliance of PLOF and CLOF documentation and the number of patients achieving the ambulation goal increased by at least 25%. The post-survey results showed that 30% staff got full points compared to 0% staff got full points of the pre-survey, indicating an improvement in knowledge of nurses. In conclusion, this project has improved the mobility of patients, nurses have more understanding of the use of PLOF and CLOF to guide the patient\u27s mobility, thereby improving the quality and efficiency of patient-centered care

Skin Care Excellence: Increasing RN Skin Check Frequency to Prevent HAPIs

Background: This quality improvement project was implemented in the Transitional Cardiac Unit (TCU), a 32-bed telemetry unit primarily serving older adults recovering from cardiac procedures. A microsystem assessment revealed a hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) rate of 1.49 per 1,000 patient days, exceeding the regional target of 0.82. Key barriers included limited skin assessment frequency, inconsistent documentation, and gaps in staff training. Problem: From June to December 2024, six HAPIs occurred in the TCU. Despite existing protocols requiring two-RN skin assessments at admission, transfer, and discharge, early detection of skin breakdown remained insufficient. Contributing factors included inconsistent surveillance, varied assessment skills, and missed follow-up on early signs of skin compromise. The project aimed to reduce HAPIs to no more than two cases in six months by implementing weekly two-RN skin assessments. Intervention: Guided by the Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice model and Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles, a standardized weekly two-RN skin assessment protocol was implemented for high-risk patients (Braden score ≤18 or length of stay ≥7 days) from January to July 2025. The initiative included targeted staff education, visual checklists, CNL oversight, wound care specialist input, and collaboration with the Unit Council and Daily Integrated Safety Huddle (DISH). Results: The project led to improved assessment consistency, early identification of at-risk skin, and enhanced accountability. Only three HAPIs were reported—a 50% reduction. Estimated cost avoidance was $210,000. Conclusion: Weekly two-RN skin assessments effectively reduced HAPI incidence. Ongoing refinement aims to achieve zero HAPIs by end of 2025, supporting organizational safety goals

Red Room Redesign: Improving Operating Room Workflow for Urgent and Emergency Procedures

Problem: Limited operating room (OR) availability is a significant challenge in many healthcare facilities. Overbooked or understaffed ORs can lead to delays in surgical procedures, which are particularly detrimental in urgent and emergency situations (Cholewa et al., 2024). The OR is among the costliest areas in a hospital; it is essential to improve efficiency in surgical throughput to deliver timely care for urgent and emergent cases, enhance patient outcomes, and manage healthcare costs effectively. Context: The microsystem for this project is a Northern California OR that handles a high volume of surgical procedures. There is a dedicated red room for urgent and emergent cases, with a target turnover time (TOT) of 45 minutes. Intervention: Three Plan, Do, Study, Act cycles were introduced, focusing on streamlining communication using alpha text,environmental services (EVS) to use OR tape barrier during room turnover, and daily huddles between OR, post-anesthesia care unit, and supply chain at 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. to review the day’s schedule and to address potential issues that could cause delays. Measures: TOT is defined as the interval from one patient exiting the OR to the next patient entering, with a target of 57 minutes; any arrival after this time is recorded as a delay. The causes and durations of these delays are monitored using Health Connect. Process measures include the use of OR tape barriers by EVS during room turnover, alpha text messaging to facilitate communication with surgeons and anesthesia, and daily huddles involving the OR, PACU, and supply chain teams. Results: Data were collected from January 2025 to June 2025. In January, the baseline average of TOT was 71 minutes. After implementing interventions, we observed rapid improvement in February, an average of 63 minutes. In March, there was a continuous improvement to 57 minutes. April saw an increase to 63 minutes, but there was a rapid decrease to 49 minutes in May, and by June we are sustaining the improvement with an average TOT of 52 minutes. Conclusions: In conclusion, we decreased the TOT in the red room from 65 minutes to 57 minutes over 5 months. Although there were increases in TOT in February and April, it has recovered in the last 2 months, and the progress is significant

Bridging the Gap: Enhancing Medical Interpreter Utilization for Patients with Limited English Proficiency in Healthcare Settings

The Impact of Utilizing Medical Interpreters and Associated Patient Outcomes Abstract Background: In the United States, approximately 21% of households speak a language other than English, emphasizing the need for accessible language services for patients with limited English proficiency (LEP). Problem: Despite legal mandates, medical interpreters remain underutilized, leading to adverse health outcomes, such as misunderstanding discharge instructions, medication use, and disease processes. Methods: This DNP student-led evidence-based project explored barriers to medical interpreter utilization among healthcare professionals. Intervention: A continuing education module was implemented by a DNP student at the University of San Francisco’s School of Nursing and Health Professions to educate graduate nursing students about interpreter laws, the significance of medical interpreter utilization, and their effects on patient care. Results: Survey responses revealed increased familiarity with medical interpreter modalities and greater clarity regarding appropriate interpreter use. While knowledge gains were evident, dependent t-test analysis of the results did not yield statistically significant differences in overall pre- and post-survey scores, likely due to sample size limitations. Conclusions: This educational module emphasized the ethical and legal consequences of failing to utilize qualified medical interpreters. Keywords: medical interpreters, language barriers, health literacy, nurse practitioners, patient outcomes, health equit

Strengthening the Birthing Bridge: Educating Labor and Delivery Nurses on Scope and Impact of Volunteer Doulas

The objective of this quality improvement project was to address the lack of collaboration between the Labor and Delivery (L&D) nurses and the volunteer doulas on a L&D unit at a Bay Area hospital. There were reports of not understanding the role of the volunteer doula, which may have led to a lack of collaboration between both teams. The aim of this project was to improve the L&D nursing staff\u27s understanding of the scope of practice of the volunteer doula to increase positive perception and collaboration between both professions by 25%, from 63% to 88%, following an educational intervention at the monthly unit-based council meeting on March 25th, 2025. The method includes an education-based intervention that was implemented during the unit-based council meeting on March 25, 2025. This education session was delivered to L&D nurses and highlighted the benefits and scope of the volunteer doulas. Volunteer doulas were also in attendance at this meeting, providing an open source of communication between them and the L&D nurses. Results post-intervention revealed, 21% more nurses reported their willingness to present a volunteer doula to all of their patients, showing increased collaboration efforts. 84.2% of the nurses in attendance reported an increased understanding of the scope of practice of a volunteer doula. In conclusion, implementing educational sessions increases interprofessional collaboration and leads to an increase in understanding other individuals\u27 scope of practice

Building on Uncle Louis’ Lessons: A Recovering Academic’s Reflections on Death[and Life]

In this ceremony (offering), I reflect on the life lessons of my uncle, Louis Williams, who taught me about labor, resilience, and the beauty of letting go. From the patience needed to build a home to the wisdom of choosing the right tools, his lessons reach beyond practicality—they offer a framework for life, learning, and especially, death. As a recovering academic and death doula, I examine how we can mourn dead structures and ways of being, like schooling, to truly honor our sacredness. Through these reflections, I explore what it means to build toward remembered futures

Thinking Beyond the University: Toward a Black Abolitionist Pedagogy

This track centers the spaces I co-create that attend to my overall well-being as a Black woman educator making demands for Black student well-being and educational justice. Situated within higher education, this study accounts for the current realities of anti-Blackness within academia while creating spaces that support Black students ’ well-being. It builds on literature that advances abolitionist and fugitive praxes and emphasizes radical self-care for Black women in academia. This research uses autoethnography and concepts from Black critical theory, school abolition, and engaged pedagogy. The findings highlight one model of a Black abolitionist pedagogy

The Community University of Social Work: The Creation of an Alternative Educational Space in Kenya

Colonization has scarred African social work, especially in Nairobi, Kenya, where neoliberal politics has turned a profession dedicated to advancing social justice into an arm of the state. State education for social work is highly restrictive; new social workers do not learn about the impact of racism and capitalism on mental health. Instead, they are trained to serve the government’ s interests. Thus, I conceived an alternative fugitive higher education community to educate and train social workers through an antiracist and decolonized curriculum. Grounded in African education theory, this community-based collaboration of future social workers is a revolutionary act of disengagement from state education. This track follows the planning, creation, and implementation of the pilot program of the Community University of Social Work and provides a path for others to develop and realize this intervention within their local contexts

Prison Education and Abolitionist Praxis: Insights and Reflections from Inside-Out Participants

This track draws on our experience in an Inside-Out course taught at a state correctional institution in Pennsylvania. As an outside student, inside student, and instructor in our learning community, we consider the abolitionist potential of classes taught behind prison walls. Does it necessarily perpetuate the prison industrial complex, or can it render boundaries porous? We take an autoethnographic approach to our experiences, frustrations, challenges, and triumphs, considering if, and under what conditions, such a program can promote abolition. Based on our reflection, we see the potential to intentionally create liberatory classroom spaces on a small scale. We offer some guidance on how to work to create these types of spaces