SELECTING SUCCESS: ADMITTING ADN STUDENTS WITH THE HIGHEST PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS

Abstract Declining numbers in healthcare workers are nearing critical levels. In the next few years, more than a million nursing positions are predicted to be needed, increasing the demand on institutions to produce quality and competent graduates in health-related fields. Hundreds of potential students apply for nursing programs each semester, and numerous qualified applicants are denied admission due to limited space, thus placing emphasis on the selective admissions process. This study serves to validate current admissions criteria utilized by the nursing program at Hopkinsville Community College (HCC) to ensure students with the highest probability for success are admitted. Participants include admitted nursing students (n = 237) from the Spring 2014 through Spring 2017 admission cycles. Analyzed data focused on NLN PAX-RN entrance exam scores to determine if relationships exist between individual scores and probability for successful completion of the nursing program, as well as passing the NCLEX-RN on first attempt. Limited current research was available for comparison, but results concluded that the NLN PAX-RN does minimally predict student success. Each of the three individually tested sections on the NLN PAX-RN were evaluated and Mathematic scores have the highest correlation for predicting success. Contrary to the current ideology at HCC, no statistically significant relationship was identified between national percentile scores on the NLN PAX-RN and student success. Discussion on findings from the study and suggested continued research, provide opportunities to more effectively assist with closing the growing divide in healthcare. Keywords: ADN program, student success, admissions criteria, NLN PAX-R

Eye-Tracking in the Study of Visual Expertise: Methodology and Approaches in Medicine

Eye-tracking is the measurement of eye motions and point of gaze of a viewer. Advances in this technology have been essential to our understanding of many forms of visual learning, including the development of visual expertise. In recent years, these studies have been extended to the medical professions, where eye-tracking technology has helped us to understand acquired visual expertise, as well as the importance of visual training in various medical specialties. Medical decision-making involves a complex interplay between knowledge and sensory information, and the study of eye-movements can reveal the mechanisms involved in acquiring the visual component of these skills. Eye-tracking studies have even been extended to develop computational models of procedures for “expert” skill assessment, and to eliminate potential sources of error in image-based diagnostics. This review will examine the current eye-tracking frontier for the study of visual expertise, with specific application to medical professions

Sociodemographic characteristics, distance to the clinic, and breast cancer screening results

Timely detection and follow-up of abnormal cellular changes can aid in early diagnosis of breast cancer, thus leading to better treatment outcomes. However, despite substantial breast cancer screening initiatives, the proportion of female breast cancer cases diagnosed at late stages remains high. Distance to screening clinics may affect access to care, particularly for women living in impoverished areas with limited means of reliable transportation. Utilizing breast cancer screening data collected by the Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program between 1996 and 2010, we examined the effect of travel distance to the clinic from which women received breast cancer screening tests on stage of diagnosis. The proportion of abnormal mammograms in White women (1.6%) was higher than in Black women (1.1%) or Hispanic women (0.5%). The average distance traveled to a clinic was also farthest among White women (6.7 mi) than for Hispanic (5.3 mi) or Black women (4.4 mi). Distance to a clinic was significantly associated with increased odds of having abnormal results. When distance to clinic was controlled for, the observed disparity in odds of having an abnormal mammogram between White and Black women was no longer statistically significant. Individual and neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics were significantly associated with distance to clinic, but were not associated with increased odds of having an abnormal mammogram, controlling for distance to the clinic. Findings showed that individual and neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics are directly and indirectly associated with abnormal mammogram results, and that distance to a clinic may mediate, in part, the effects of individual characteristics and neighborhood disadvantage on the probability of having an abnormal mammogram

A descriptive and comparative study of the school adjustment counsellor program in the commonwealth of Massachusetts and in the communities of Waltham, Malden, Brookline, and Northborough

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

Researching health inequalities with Community Researchers : practical, methodological and ethical challenges of an ‘inclusive’ research approach

Background: Inclusive research approaches are increasingly employed by public health researchers. Recent methodological development includes the engagement of Community Researchers (CRs), who use their knowledge and networks to facilitate research with the community with which they identify. Few studies have explored the experiences of CRs in the research process, an important element of any comprehensive assessment of the pros and cons of such research endeavours. We report here on the experiences of CRs engaged in a study of health inequalities and poverty in ethnically diverse and disadvantaged areas of London, UK. Methods: We draw on the experiences of 12 CRs. Two sets of data were generated, analysed and integrated: debriefing/active reflection exercises throughout the 18-month research process and individual qualitative interviews with CRs, conducted at the end of the project (n = 9). Data were organised using NVivo10 and coded line-by-line using a framework developed iteratively. Synthesis and interpretation were achieved through a series of reflective team exercises involving input from 4 of the CRs. Final consolidation of key themes was conducted by SS and ES. Results: Being an ‘insider’ to the communities brought distinct advantages to the research process but also generated complexities. CRs highlighted how ‘something would be lost’ without their involvement but still faced challenges in gathering and analysing data. Some CRs found it difficult to practice reflexivity, and problems of ethnic stereotyping were revealed. Conflict between roles as community members and investigators was at times problematic. The approach promoted some aspects of personal empowerment, but CRs were frustrated by the limited impact of the research at the local level. Conclusions: Working with CRs offers distinct practical, ethical and methodological advantages to public health researchers, but these are limited by a range of challenges related to ‘closeness’, orthodox research structures and practices and the complexities of dynamic identities. For research of this type to meet its full potential and avoid harm,there is a need for careful support to CRs and long-term engagement between funders, research institutions and communities

Current Outcomes Following Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: A Composite

Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty (RTSA) is a popular treatment for patients with rotator cuff damage, glenohumeral arthritis, complex fractures, and previously failed total shoulder arthroplasty given its ability to alleviate pain and increase range of motion and function. Although RTSA significantly improves functionality, pain, and satisfaction, patients need to be given realistic expectations for when to expect improvements, peak performance, and plateaus as well as potential risks for negative outcomes. As with any surgical procedure, patients are at risk for intraoperative, perioperative, short-term, and long-term complications. Thus, the purpose of this review is to discuss the short-term and long-term complications, metrics, and length of follow-up for patients who have undergone RTSA. In addition, we provide recommendations for a cut-off point between short-term and long-term outcomes for RTSA

First-trimester medical abortion with mifepristone 200 mg and misoprostol: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The dose of mifepristone approved by most government agencies for medical abortion is 600 mg. Our aim was to summarize extant data on the effectiveness and safety of regimens using the widely recommended lower mifepristone dose, 200 mg, followed by misoprostol in early pregnancy and to explore potential correlates of abortion failure. STUDY DESIGN: To identify eligible reports, we searched Medline, reviewed reference lists of published reports, and contacted experts to identify all prospective trials of any design of medical abortion using 200 mg mifepristone followed by misoprostol in women with viable pregnancies up to 63 days' gestation. Two authors independently extracted data from each study. We used logistic regression models to explore associations between 15 characteristics of the trial groups and, separately, the rates of medical abortion failure and of ongoing pregnancy. RESULTS: We identified 87 trials that collectively included 120 groups of women treated with a regimen of interest. Of the 47,283 treated subjects in these groups, abortion outcome data were reported for 45,528 (96%). Treatment failure occurred in 2,192 (4.8%) of these evaluable subjects. Ongoing pregnancy was reported in 1.1% (499/45,150) of the evaluable subjects in the 117 trial groups reporting this outcome. The risk of medical abortion failure was higher among trial groups in which at least 25% of subjects had gestational age >8 weeks, the specified interval between mifepristone and misoprostol was less than 24 h, the total misoprostol dose was 400 mcg (rather than higher), or the misoprostol was administered by the oral route (rather than by vaginal, buccal, or sublingual routes). Across all trials, 119 evaluable subjects (0.3%) were hospitalized, and 45 (0.1%) received blood transfusions. CONCLUSIONS: Early medical abortion with mifepristone 200 mg followed by misoprostol is highly effective and safe

Effects of Small Rodent and Large Mammal Exclusion on Seedling Recruitment in Costa Rica 1

We examined whether the experimental exclusion of large mammalian and small rodent seed predators had differing effects on seedling recruitment under natural seed rain conditions. In both primary and late-successional secondary forested areas, exclosure experiments using natural seed densities were designed to assess seedling recruitment. To assess the differences in seedling recruitment, we monitored three exclosure treatments (1.2 m radius/1.5 m height) in two forest types (primary vs. late-successional secondary forest): (1) fenced exclosures that excluded large mammals; (2) fenced exclosures that excluded both large and small mammals; and (3) open controls. Within each exclosure treatment, we marked and identified all seedlings at the beginning of the experiment (February 2001), followed the marked seedlings' fate for a year, and then marked and identified all new seedlings after a year. Two preliminary findings were generated from these data: for some tree species, small rodents and large mammals have differential effects on seedling recruitment, and the effect of excluding mammals did not differ with habitat type (primary vs. late-successional secondary forest). These preliminary results highlight the need to examine further how the effects of small rodent and large mammal exclusion may affect species-specific seed predation and seedling recruitment in a variety of habitat/land use types ( e.g. , primary forest, late-successional forest, and early-successional forest).Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/74037/1/j.1744-7429.2006.00117.x.pd