Addressing the Opioid Epidemic in Minnesota: Improving Health Outcomes by Expanding Harm Reduction Strategies A Prospective Policy Analysis

Background: Morbidity and mortality from opioid misuse is worsening in Minnesota, and synthetic opioids have exacerbated the public health problem for vulnerable communities. People who inject drugs (PWID) due to social, health, economic and environmental factors are experiencing increased fatal overdoses. Minnesota has a broad approach to tackling the opioid crisis, but policies are needed, using new harm reduction strategies, to address the existing gaps. Methods: A prospective policy analysis was conducted using a public health and trauma informed approach using an extensive literature review to understand ways to improve health outcomes in PWID. A Center for Disease Control policy analysis framework was used comparing two policy options: safe consumption sites (SCS) and expansion of Narcan utilizing public health vending machines (PHVM). Results: Both policy options were found to be beneficial, feasible, and cost-effective approaches which would increase enrollment in addiction treatment services and decrease healthcare costs to society. Implementation of a SCS pilot study and PHVM, into areas most affected by the epidemic, would reduce overdose deaths by increasing access and availability of life saving treatments. Three repeating themes appeared in the analysis: language, stigma, and research. Conclusion: A multi-pronged approach can improve MDH opioid epidemic response. Innovative harm reduction policy inclusion and expansion is critical to reduce overdose deaths and must be on Minnesota lawmakers’ policy agenda. Inclusion of affected populations in policy development is vital. Properly framing the issue and use of first-person language is important. Further education and health communication programs are needed to reduce stigma among all stakeholders. Evaluation research of utilization patterns will strengthen evidence for the further expansion of new policy solutions

High Reliability in Prelicensure Nursing Clinical Onboarding: A Standardized Checklist

Background: Prelicensure nursing student clinical onboarding is a complex task. Students must complete site-specific onboarding to ensure compliance to safely be at clinicals. The complexity and size of this clinical requirement is enormous. Utilizing the principles of high reliability, this quality improvement project created a standardized onboarding checklist for a baccalaureate nursing program at a private university in the Upper Midwest United States. This checklist can assist with the complexity of onboarding at any healthcare educational institution, especially those with multiple clinical partners and various nursing programs. Methods: A quality improvement project consisting of a standardized onboarding checklist with pre- and post-implementation surveys was implemented. Intervention: 97.8% of a pilot group of 46 students at the junior-level of a prelicensure nursing program utilized standardized checklists for their Spring 2023 clinical rotations onboarding. Results: 85.7% of students in the pilot group were satisfied with the change to utilizing onboarding checklists. The work of the Clinical Education liaison at the university decreased by 26.5%, as evidenced by the decreased volume of emails for this semester compared to the previous semester. Conclusion: There is very little information about student onboarding in the healthcare literature. This project, the standardized onboarding checklist, was a positive intervention to manage the complexity and volume of onboarding for a pilot group of prelicensure nursing students. This cost-effective tool is easy to use and could be implemented for health sciences students

The Impact of Dialogue Journals and Circles on Social and Self-Awareness in 6th Grade

This action research project aims to measure the social and self-awareness of 6th grade math intervention students in a suburban school in central North Dakota from the end of January to the beginning of March 2023. This study focused on two methods to promote student-teacher relationships and build a classroom community. The two methods employed were Circles for whole group activities and Dialogue Journals for individual correspondence between students and teachers to build that relationship. Surveys were done before and after the six-week intervention to gauge student perceptions on their own emotions, academic, and social-emotional activities in school. Students were interviewed after the intervention to collect qualitative and quantitative data on their opinions about the activities in the intervention. This study concluded that students see the importance of Social Emotional Learning and enjoy building relationships. All schools and communities that play a role in the development of children need to take time to teach and practice Social Emotional Learning

Leaders Need Spiritual Intelligence

The complexity of our world calls for leaders to have spiritual intelligence and the transformational capacity to lead organizations and communities (Al Eid et al., 2021; Crichton, 2008; Hacker et al., 2017; Sisk, 2016). Spiritual intelligence can be affiliated with a religion but grounded in the belief that all humans align with a greater calling (Emmons, 2000; King & DeCicco, 2009; Lee-Fong et al., 2022; Shea, 2000; Vaughan, 2002). Through qualitative methods using surveys and interviews with thirty leaders, this study found that contemplative spiritual practices enable spiritual intelligence and build transformational leadership capacity. Transformational leadership is the favored approach to implement sustainable change and address complex issues (Bell et al., 2022; Morton, 2020; Wigglesworth, 2004). This study contributes to existing literature supplying research on contemplative spiritual practices’ effect on spiritual intelligence and transformational leadership capacity. Conclusions include the necessity of contemplative spiritual practices and a trusted community for leaders to deepen and broaden perspectives, develop capacity, and support others while addressing complex issues. Recommendations include further research and enhancing the graduate curriculum at St. Catherine University and like institutions. This research is critical because neglecting our spiritual intelligence further complicates our world. The Enabling Spiritual Intelligence study expands the transformational leadership theory and extends the understanding of the importance and accessibility of spiritual intelligence. Spiritual intelligence is relevant now as more complex issues exist in our organizations and communities. Our world needs leaders with spiritual intelligence (SQ) and greater leadership capacity to lead organizations and communities through such issues (Al Eid et al., 2021; Burrows & Gnad, 2018; Crichton, 2008; Hacker et al., 2017; Sisk, 2016). This research explores how to achieve SQ and transformational leadership capacity and why it is crucial now. It determines the relevancy of SQ and how to achieve it, the presence of complex issues, and the importance of SQ for leaders. The introduction of this study provides the significance, scope, limitations, and an overview of the research structure. The challenges with this research include a narrow sample of participants and the personal nature of spirituality. This study includes participants with undergraduate degrees who studied contemplative spiritual practices at St. Catherine University or similar institutions. This is a biased group to research as they sought to learn about their spirituality and practices, creating an opportunity for a control group. Due to time constraints, this study lacks a control group; however, it sets the foundation for further study. In addition, it lacks follower participant input, a balancing component of the transformational leadership theory (Bass, 1985). Another limitation includes the personal nature of discussing spiritual intelligence and practices. This personal topic can make participating in surveys and interviews challenging. As a result of this sensitivity, I use pseudonyms, signed consent forms, and clear communication of the opportunity to stop participation at any time. The background, reflexivity, problem, and purpose statements follow, along with the research objectives and question following. This study argues the value of this research along with known limitations. The next portion of the research includes the Literature Review, organized by key terms and thematic analysis to represent the related identified literature. Next, the Theoretical Framework uses two spiritual intelligence models and the transformational leadership theory to organize the research. The Method portion of this research conveys a qualitative approach and analysis explaining the tools and data collected. It also reviews the reflective thematic approach to coding and identifying themes. The Findings section of this study includes the definition and support of five themes through participant input. The findings align with the transformational leadership theory dimensions in the Discussion section and include the limitations of this study. Finally, the Summary and Recommendations address the limitations, ending the research with the Conclusion. SQ and leadership capacity fuel transformational leadership, the favored approach to enable sustainable change by addressing complex issues (Bell et al., 2022; Morton, 2020; Wigglesworth, 2004). Spiritual intelligence can sometimes seem out of reach or even mysterious, but we all have the potential or opportunity to develop it through contemplative spiritual practices. This study aims to extend the existing literature, education, and beliefs by understanding how contemplative spiritual practices affect spiritual intelligence and how vital SQ is today for transformational leadership capacity. Finally, this study extends research into how contemplative spiritual practices and SQ education can integrate into leadership programming. The opportunity to provide awareness of contemplative spiritual practices and education to develop spiritual intelligence could give St. Catherine University students greater transformational leadership capacity to address complex issues

Advanced Mental and Behavioral Health: Community-Based Practice

The purpose of this Masters project was to emphasize community psychosocial practice through collaboration with a local mental health organization by conducting a needs assessment, implementing a project at the community site, and evaluating the outcomes. Prior to collaboration with the organization, a literature review was conducted analyzing the role of occupational therapy working with individuals with serious mental illness. From this, it was found that occupational therapists can work with individuals with serious mental illness to engage in meaningful occupations, increase a sense of accomplishment, competence, and satisfaction, and participate in community living. Additionally, it is within occupational therapy\u27s scope of practice to provide resources and equip individuals with serious mental illness with the tools necessary to engage in social participation, community engagement, and leisure. From the information gathered in the literature review and needs assessment, it was determined to create and implement an activity resource binder and activity leader board to increase community engagement and leisure participation and provide leadership opportunities for the residents living at the community site. Overall, the resource binder and leader board received positive feedback from the stakeholders. It is anticipated that the community site will continue to use the activity resource binder and activity leader board for the long-term as we believe it will increase their leisure participation in diverse activities in their community and with one another

Impacts of Using the Reggio Emilia Approach to Technology on Social Skills in an Early Learning Classroom

This action research was to study the impact of using technology (i.e.: iPad tablets and a media projector) on student’s social skills in an inspired Reggio Emilia Approach (REA) classroom. The setting was a class of four and five-year-old students in an urban early learning school in Minnesota. The study produced three data sources: 1) Data was collected by choosing three students at random, videotaping them each Wednesday for eight weeks and coding their interactions, 2) a teacher and students’ caregivers completed with questionnaires and 3) a journal with notes and other observations by myself. The study had a four-week baseline and a four-week intervention using technology Observation and coding showed improvement in social skills for two students but not for one student. Based on the questionnaires, teachers perceived that some children did better in social skills and some caregivers that the children were more interested in school while using technology. More research needs to be done with a larger sample size of early learning students when introducing technology and the effects on social skills. This research may be beneficial for early learning centers, schools, and preschools when introducing technology into their classrooms

Spirituality and Awe Experiences in Second-Generation Minnesota Hmong: A Phenomenological Study

Due to the effects of relocation and acculturation, some Hmong may have lost touch with traditional spiritual practices, potentially limiting second-generation’s access to spirituality’s health benefits. Awe is an emotion linked to spirituality, shown to serve as a spiritual catalyst. Acculturation impacts how spirituality and awe are experienced, understood and expressed across the generations. To date, there are more than 81,000 Hmong people who live in Minnesota. Through a constructivist lens, the purpose of this study is to describe spirituality and awe experiences within the second-generation Hmong living in Minnesota. Utilizing a phenomenological approach and a holism framework, Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of nine semi-structured interviews shows that participants do in fact experience spirituality and awe. These experiences are intertwined, involve the senses and emotions, and result in a sense of interconnection, spiritual identity, purpose, and open-mindedness. This study emphasizes the importance of intergenerational dialogue surrounding spiritual and awe experiences to increase understanding of their own culture, religious practices, and spiritual identity. Spirituality should be included in health practitioner education and health care models to promote Hmong spiritual, mental, interpersonal and community health and well-being

Patient Safety Event Reporting System: A Reviewer Access Time Reduction Project

Background: To reduce preventable medical errors, event reporting systems (ERS) are recommended error prevention tools to improve patient safety and high reliability in healthcare. Patient Safety ERS identify safety hazards and help mitigate risk and eliminate preventable harm to zero. Problem: There is a delay in reviewer’s obtaining system access to the safety event reporting system (ERS) preventing safety event awareness, follow-up, and closure of patient safety events within the recommended best practice of 15 days. In current state, it takes an average of 132 days for a new leader to gain access to review and address patient safety events. This is 132 days where a similar patient safety event could impact another patient in the system. The lack of access threatens the safety of our patients and staff, resulting in inefficiencies in the system patient safety event management process and potential prevention of a similar event. Interventions: This project aims to reduce the time it takes for a reviewer to have access to the ERS, by implementing three improvements. The three improvements include the development of a new Advanced Access Request (AAR) submission form, a new AAR approval process, and a new AAR submission process. Results: Post implementation results were statistically significant in both process and outcome measures. Conclusion: A standardized advanced access submission process to a patient safety event reporting system is recommended to ensure timely access to patient safety events