Experiences of Non-Tenured African American Female Nursing Faculty at Predominately White Institutions

The proportionally fewer female African American nursing faculty at predominately White institutions (PWIs) have frequently reported adverse employment conditions in academia. The faculty within nursing schools at PWIs does not reflect society’s diversity. The problem addressed through this study is the low number of female African American nursing faculty in PWIs. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to examine the experiences of non-tenured female African American nursing faculty at PWIs. The conceptual framework that informed this study is Crenshaw’s intersectionality. The research question addressed the experiences of non-tenured female African American nursing faculty at PWIs. Six non-tenured female African American nursing faculty from PWIs across the United States participated in semistructured interviews. The key findings revealed that institutional racism contributed to the lack of faculty wanting to attain tenure, a convoluted tenure process for those on the tenure track, and the interactions with White colleagues in faculty meetings created toxic work environments. Implications for positive social change include providing context for the experiences of non-tenured female African American nursing faculty at PWIs. Nursing academia at PWIs acknowledging that institutional racism affects female African American faculty and promoting sincere conversations surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion may mitigate these factors. The end goals for these conversations are to create safe spaces for female African American nursing faculty, develop and implement actionable items for dismantling the institutional pillars that uphold racism, inequity, and the lack of diversity in nursing academia

2016 Research & Innovation Day Program

A one day showcase of applied research, social innovation, scholarship projects and activities.https://first.fanshawec.ca/cri_cripublications/1003/thumbnail.jp

Concurrent and Convergent Validity of the Simple Lifestyle Indicator Questionnaire

Lifestyle issues including physical activity, diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and self-reported stress have all been shown to predispose people to higher risk of cardiovascular disease. This study provides further psychometrics on the Simple Lifestyle Indicator Questionnaire (SLIQ), a short, easy-to-use instrument which measures all these lifestyle characteristics as a single construct. One hundred and ninety-three individuals from St. John’s, Newfoundland, and Labrador, Canada completed the SLIQ and reference standards for diet, exercise, stress, and alcohol consumption. The reference standards were a detailed Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ), the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS), the SF36 Health Status Questionnaire, and a survey of eight questions from a cardiovascular risk questionnaire. Physical activity score was compared with number of steps on a pedometer. Correlations between scores on the SLIQ and the reference standards were the SLIQ versus DHQ (r = 0.679, P = 0.001), SLIQ versus pedometer (r = 0.455, P = 0.002), SLIQ versus alcohol consumption (r = 0.665, P = 0.001), SLIQ versus SRRS (r = −0.264, P = 0.001), SLIQ versus eight-question risk score (r = 0.475, P = 0.001), and SLIQ versus Question 1 on SF36 (r = 0.303, P = 0.001). The SLIQ is sufficiently valid when compared to reference standards to be useful as a brief assessment of an individual’s cardiovascular lifestyle in research and clinical settings

A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Investigation of White Matter in Pediatric Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Background: To explore normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). DTI study provides measures of WM integrity in adult MS patients. Pediatric MS patients provide a uniquely early window for exploring pathological components of myelin disruption. Methods: DTI data were obtained for 23 pediatric MS patients and 17 healthy children. Images were acquired using GE LX1.5T scanner (DTI parameters: 25 directions, 5mm slice thickness, b=1000s/mm2). Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion co-efficient (ADC) were analyzed in lesions and NAWM throughout corpus callosum (CC) and hemispheres. Results: Altered NAWM integrity in MS patients relative to controls is demonstrated by: reduced FA values (p<0.0001) and elevated ADC values (p<0.05) throughout CC and hemispheres. Conclusions: DTI measures show widespread disruption of WM integrity in children with MS extending beyond visible lesions. These findings implicate diffuse and potentially very early WM degeneration in MS pathobiology.MAS

Assessing Australian undergraduate clinical learning

Determining the clinical preparedness of undergraduate nursing students is vital in developing graduates who are ready to assume the roles of registered nurses. This paper reports findings relating to clinical assessment in Australian undergraduate nursing programs. Using data collected in a national survey and selected case studies, current assessment practices are described. Although students were increasingly exposed to a narrower range of clinical experiences, claims to comprehensive preparation of nurses remain prominent. Issues in the congruity between assessment methods and purported outcomes of clinical learning programs are discussed.<br /

Cavitation Feedback Control of Focused Ultrasound Blood-Brain Barrier Opening for Drug Delivery in Patients with Parkinson&rsquo;s Disease

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS), in conjunction with circulating microbubbles, is an emerging technology that can transiently enhance the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) locally and non-invasively to facilitate targeted drug delivery to the brain. In this clinical trial, the feasibility and safety of BBB modulation in the putamen were evaluated for biweekly therapeutic agent delivery in patients with Parkinson&rsquo;s disease. The performance of the clinical MRgFUS system&rsquo;s cavitation feedback controller for active power modulation throughout the exposures was examined. The putamen was targeted unilaterally by an ExAblate Neuro MRgFUS system operating at 220 kHz. Definity microbubbles were infused via a saline bag gravity drip at a rate of 4 &micro;L/kg per 5 min. A cavitation emissions-based feedback controller was employed to modulate the acoustic power automatically according to prescribed target cavitation dose levels. BBB opening was measured by Gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced T1-weighted MR imaging, and the presence of potential micro-hemorrhages induced by the exposures was assessed via T2*-weighted MR imaging. A total of 12 treatment sessions were carried out across four patients, with target cavitation dose levels ranging from 0.20&ndash;0.40. BBB permeability in the targeted putamen was elevated successfully in all treatments, with a 14% &plusmn; 6% mean increase in Gd-enhanced T1-weighted MRI signal intensity relative to the untreated contralateral side. No indications of red blood cell extravasations were observed on MR imaging scans acquired one day following each treatment session. The cavitation emissions-based feedback controller was effective in modulating acoustic power levels to ensure BBB permeability enhancement while avoiding micro-hemorrhages, however, further technical advancements are warranted to improve its performance for use across a wide variety of brain diseases