Impact of Race on the Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experience and Mental Health in the Minnesota Homeless Population

It is well established that the homeless population endorses more adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) than the general population and is also more susceptible to mental health and substance use disorders. Of note, individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are disproportionally affected by homelessness compared to their White counterparts. Little is known about the relationships between ACEs, mental health, and substance use in the homeless community. The present study examined the relationship between ACEs and a number of psychosocial outcomes, including mental health diagnoses, current substance use, and long-term substance use in an adult homeless population (N = 412) located in Minnesota. The impact of participant race and ethnicity as a moderator on the relationship between ACEs and various psychosocial outcomes was also explored. The study utilized archival data from the Minnesota Homeless Study (Wilder Research, 2018), which focuses on capturing the experience of the homeless population in Minnesota. Results showed that as the number of ACEs increased among the sample, so did the likelihood of a mental health disorder. Additionally, the number of ACEs reported was significantly associated with long-term substance use, indicating that as the number of ACEs increased, so did the likelihood of long-term substance use. ACEs were not associated with current substance. However, when the homeless population was considered as a whole. When separated by racial/ethnic identity, only White participants were more likely to endorse current substance use as ACEs increased. Directions for future research (short versus long-term substance use) and clinical implications, such as ACE-specific interventions, are discussed

An Examination of the Big Five, Mental Illness Stigma, and Crisis Intervention Training

The number of individuals incarcerated with mental illness continues to grow, and correctional officers may play a critical role in rehabilitation. A correlation analysis was conducted between Big Five personality traits and mental illness stigma to determine whether there is a significant relationship in a sample of state correctional officers who participated in Crisis Intervention Training. A mixed model ANOVA was also conducted to assess whether personality traits impacted levels of mental illness stigma following completion of the training. A moderate negative correlation was found between agreeableness and mental illness stigma. All other findings were not clinically significant, potentially due to the study’s limitations. Future research is necessary to continue to address the gap in the research regarding personality and mental illness stigma amongst correctional officers

The Effects of Health Coaching on Stress Levels in College Students

Although a majority of mental health problems, including stress, emerge by early adulthood, few young adults can get the support they need. College students are at the forefront of this health concern due to the various stressors during this period of life. Health coaching is a holistic method used to improve health outcomes and lower costs through a supportive partnership between a coach and a client. The purpose of this scholarly project was to determine if access to a health coach could facilitate healthy habits to support students in achieving their health-related goal of decreasing stress. A thorough literature review was completed prior to the implementation of this scholarly project which included stress with college students, health coaching, self-efficacy, and the transpersonal caring relationship. Watson’s Theory of Human Caring was used as a theoretical framework to guide the project. The patient population for implementation of the project included college students in the Minneapolis/St. Paul region who were attending undergraduate or graduate school and were experiencing stress. Ten students were selected and completed the health coaching sessions. Health coaching included two 20–30 minute coaching sessions held via zoom over a three-to-four-week period. The PSS and Wellness Wheel were used as tools to measure health coaching results and guide the coaching sessions. The overall average PSS score decreased by 2.3 points before and after coaching sessions and all students gave positive feedback about the benefits of coaching. Health coaching has the potential to benefit the overall health and wellness of college students who are stressed and can be expanded to other patient populations and health conditions. Therefore, this scholarly project is significant to the future practice of advanced nurse practitioners

The Efficacy of Common Prosthetic Joint Infection Prevention Strategies: A Systematic Review

Thousands of total hip and knee arthroplasty patients suffer from prosthetic joint infections every year, making them a leading cause of arthroplasty failure. As the number of these procedures continues to grow, so will the healthcare and socio-economic burden of prosthetic joint infections. A comprehensive search for up-to-date literature was completed via the PubMed database, identifying eighteen retrospective and prospective cohort studies that focused on the four prosthetic joint infection prevention methods of interest. Tobacco use cessation of all forms is an efficacious prosthetic joint infection prevention strategy. The common practices of withholding intra-articular injections prior to surgery, using prophylactic single dose cephalosporins, and using the glycemic marker of HbA1c were found to be partially efficacious but require further considerations. Surgeons should be aware of the various considerations involved in validating or discrediting their preferred prevention strategies in order to prevent prosthetic joint infection

Impact of Physical Intimate Partner Violence on Postpartum Depression and Breastfeeding Duration in American Indian and Alaska Native Women

In Alaska, 46 to 91 percent of American Indian and Alaska Native women have experienced physical intimate partner violence (IPV), compared to all women in other states, where the prevalence ranges from seven to 51 percent (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2000). Experiencing physical IPV has negative consequences on the mother’s physical and mental well-being, and has been associated with increased vulnerability to postpartum depression (PPD). Compared to other populations, American Indian and Alaska Native women are at greater risk for PPD due to less access to resources and less research on treatments (MacDorman, 2011). Additionally, American Indian and Alaska Native women face shared historical trauma, including cultural genocides and forced relocation (Brown, 2019; Brown-Rice, 2020). This trauma is believed to play a role in the prevalence of both physical IPV and PPD in these cultures (Rosay, 2016). Protective factors against the development of PPD after IPV also exist in these cultures, including spirituality, family values, and group unity (Kenyon & Hanson, 2012). Despite protective factors, physical IPV and PPD are detrimental to the health of mothers and could impact the mother’s choices, such as choosing to breastfeed (Hamdan & Tamim, 2012). While research shows that physical IPV and PPD separately lead to a shorter duration of breastfeeding, there is no research on how these factors contribute to breastfeeding duration in the among American Indian and Alaska Native peoples. The author sought to fill this gap in the research using the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring and Surveillance (PRAMS) Alaska 2020 dataset. Results showed that women who reported physical IPV both before and during pregnancy had more PPD symptoms than women who reported no physical IPV. The results also showed no relationships between physical IPV and breastfeeding duration, and PPD symptoms and breastfeeding duration. Findings of this study shed light on the mental health consequences of physical IPV in the American Indian and Alaska Native population. Despite significant challenges in this community, there are numerous strengths, such as spiritual factors, healing traditions, wisdom, and community support (Heck, 2018; Kenyon & Hanson, 2012)

Exploring the Implementation of a Nurse Professional Development Specialist (NPDS) in the Cardiac-vascular Ambulatory Care Setting: a Role Proposal

In the modern healthcare environment, increasing patient acuity, and ongoing staffing challenges have placed strain on nursing staff. Nurses in ambulatory care need leaders to be champions of change. The project coordinator used Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring as a framework to propose the addition of a Nurse Professional Development Specialist (NPDS) into the cardiac-vascular service line (CVSL) of a large-scale health care organization located in multiple suburbs and rural outreach areas of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The NPDS role aims to fill in gaps in orientation and continuing education to meet patient quality standards. Following a literature search focused on the ambulatory care environment, the nurse professional development specialty, and key concepts related to teaching and learning, a letter introducing the proposed new role, a detailed proposal document with key details regarding the rationale for the role, and an NPDS job description were created. The plan was to present these documents to the CVSL’s executive leadership team. Ultimately, the project was halted due to the abrupt announcement of nursing layoffs within the CVSL. Reflection and review of the project illustrated a need for resilience amongst nurses and strengthened work relationships to further encourage innovation. Transformational leadership skills allowed the project coordinator to identify a gap in ambulatory services and implement a process designed to improve the health of the organization

Accompanying Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Nurse-Led Support Group

Parents of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) babies experience a large amount of stress that negatively impacts their experience in the hospital and can lead to detrimental health outcomes. A lack of support for these parents can make combatting stress difficult and may cause caregiver burnout. The author previously worked as a Registered Nurse (RN) in a NICU at a large, level I adult and pediatric trauma center and safety net hospital in the Midwest and witnessed the stress of the NICU parents. Furthermore, a summer internship program working with unhoused and marginally housed individuals in Minneapolis inspired this project and helped the author craft the design for the project. Drawing upon the author’s experiences as well as Jean Watson’s theory of Human Caring, the author created a design for a nurse-led support group in this particular NICU for parents of babies with the goal of reducing parental stress. A project plan proposal and flyer outlining the specifics of the support group were developed. A project model was created to give a visual representation of the project design, with the theme of accompaniment being expressed through the model. The project’s success will be evaluated using a post survey to obtain feedback and insight. Future steps could include a needs assessment, implementation, a research study, and expansion into other settings, including both inpatient and outpatient units

High Beta Brainwaves and Emotion Dysregulation in a Sample of Children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. The current study investigated the relationship between high beta brain wave activity, anxiety, emotion dysregulation, and comorbid mental health diagnoses in children with ADHD. Utilizing archival data from the Clinic for Attention, Learning, and Memory (CALM) in Minneapolis, MN, the study included 184 participants aged 6-14 years who underwent quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) assessments. The study utilized linear and logistic regressions to test three hypotheses: whether high beta activity predicted (1) increased anxiety symptoms, (2) emotion dysregulation, and (3) the likelihood of comorbid mental health diagnoses. Results indicated that high beta activity significantly predicted increased anxiety symptoms when controlling for age, aligning with existing literature that associates high beta with anxiety and stress. However, high beta activity did not predict emotion dysregulation or the presence of comorbid mental health diagnoses. The findings suggest that high beta activity does not directly correlate with broader emotional dysregulation or comorbid conditions. The study\u27s limitations include a predominantly Caucasian sample from a single private practice, reliance on parent-reported measures, and the retrospective nature of the chart review. Future research should aim to include more diverse samples and consider longitudinal designs to better understand the causal relationships between high beta activity, anxiety, and emotion dysregulation. Clinically, the findings highlight the importance of comprehensive assessments for anxiety and emotion dysregulation in children with ADHD, particularly when considering treatment options such as stimulant medications, which may not be effective for those with high beta activity

Conversations on Self-care: Supporting the Well-Being of Peer Mental Health Care Workers

As health systems work to save lives and prevent death, it is vital to recognize the resulting stressors upon health care workers (HCWs) and seek ways to reduce stress and improve health for all. Health care workers are exposed to the crisis of their patients resulting in accumulating stressors, rising mental health concerns, and suicidality. Self-care practices can reduce stress and improve well-being. This project supported the well-being of peer mental HCWs in Midwestern settings through conversations about self-care. A psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) utilized experiences, theory, and literature to develop a project model, conversations, and surveys about self-care for peer mental HCWs. The conversations and surveys provided the PMHNP insights and served as an opportunity to reflect on well-being practices. Eight peer mental HCWs across four mental health systems shared similar stressors. Self-care was defined differently among these HCWs, yet each described theirs as a journey. All felt their well-being depended on their follow through with self-care, yet feeling supported and comfortable talking about stress and self-care with co-workers was limited. Peer conversations can support HCWs’ well-being, so they are well when taking care of others. As a PMHNP, being a presence of wellness for others through conversations and by exemplifying what self-care means can create an energy of well-being for all

Positive Self Talk in Young Adults with Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder is a preoccupation with a perceived defect or flaw in one’s appearance that is either not noticeable or only slightly observable by others, and it is severe enough that there is impairment in other areas of functioning due to the distress, rituals and thoughts regarding their bodies (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Body dysmorphia is common, especially amongst young women ages 18-24, with little options for treatment. Affirmations or positive self-talk might reduce the significance and impact of this diagnosis. Through literature review and research, it is evident that there is a gap in the literature when it comes to the utilization of positive self-talk and body dysmorphia. This gap has led to a limited amount of treatment options for those suffering from body dysmorphia. This scholarly project supported the idea that implementing positive affirmations could be helpful for those with body dysmorphia. Self-affirmation may be a strategy for creating awareness about how one speaks to themselves, as well as awareness to work on changing those thoughts in an attempt to create a better relationship with one’s body and self