Employer-based support for registered nurses undertaking postgraduate study via distance education

Previous literature has focused on the need for support of undergraduate nursing students during clinical placements. Little is known about the support provided by employers for registered nurses (RNs) who pursue further education. This study sought to identify and describe the types, levels and perceived need for support in the workplace for RNs as they undertake further postgraduate nursing study by distance education (DE).Using an exploratory descriptive design a self-report questionnaire was distributed to a convenient sample of 270 RNs working in one acute care public hospital in Tasmania, Australia.92 questionnaires (response rate 34%) were returned with 26 (28%) reporting being currently enrolled in further study by DE and a further 50 (54)% of RNs planning future study. Results revealed that 100% of participants with a Masters degree completed this by DE. There were differences between the support sought by RNs to that offered by employers, and 16 (34%) who had done or were currently doing DE study, received no support to undertake DE. There was an overwhelming desire by RNs for support; 87 (94%), with a majority believing some support should be mandatory 76 (83%).This study may encourage employers to introduce structured support systems that will actively assist nurses to pursue further study. © 2010

The Effect of Patient Reminders on Osteoporosis Screenings

Osteoporosis is characterized by reduction of bone mass and compromised bone strength, resulting in an increased fracture risk. Since a reduction of bone mass has been shown to be predictive of future fracture risk, prevention strategies target screening those patients at risk for decreased bone mass by using bone mineral density (BMD) dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans. Current national guidelines recommend that all women 65 years and older undergo BMD testing using central DXA every two years. Despite these recommendations, women age 65 years and older still do not participate in this screening. Greater rates of osteoporosis screening could be achieved by identifying an efficient, effective way for healthcare providers and patients to schedule DXA scans. The purpose of this EBP project was to determine if a mailed patient reminder would increases BMD screening rates in women at risk for osteoporosis, as compared to the previous practice of provider recommendation during a scheduled visit. The Stetler Model was used to guide the EBP project, and Kotter and Cohen’s eight steps for successful change provided support for the behavioral change. The population of focus consisted of female Medicare recipient’s age 65 years and older who were active patients within a Midwestern community care clinic in the fall of 2013. Overall, the mailed reminder for osteoporosis screening demonstrated effectiveness in improving BMD screening rates. At the end of the 12-week project, the percentage of female Medicare recipients who were up to date in their BMD screening increased from 17.07% to 31.40%. Those participating in BMD screening during the 12-intervention intervention period ranged in age from 65 to 98. Of the 47 female patients who were not up to date and had a DXA scan as a result of the intervention, a significantly larger percentage were patients of the physician (87.23%) versus patients of the NP (12.77%) who focused on women\u27s wellness during routine office visits (χ² = 9.824, p = .002)

Effect of a Student Success Program on the Academic Success of First Semester Junior BSN Students

Problem: The expectation of the current nurse workforce is to deliver safe quality care while meeting the demands of an ever-changing healthcare system. More nurses are needed to combat the ongoing nursing shortage, as Baby Boomers reach retirement and the need for health care continues to rise. The healthcare industry has a vested interest in schools of nursing graduation rates as they impact the needed supply of nurses to fill vacant positions. Multiple variables collectively influence student success in a nursing program. Many students do not realize the rigor of a nursing curriculum until they are in the midst of it. Attrition rates, at all degree levels, are high across the United States. It is imperative that nursing programs take a proactive approach and utilize best practices to assist qualified students to succeed academically. Purpose: The purpose of the project was to determine if first semester nursing students who participate in a student success program would have a higher percentage of academic success than those students who did not participate. Background: Schools of Nursing are under pressure to increase their number of graduates to meet the nursing workforce demand. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) states that an increase in Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) prepared nurses is imperative to provide the care needed in a complex healthcare system and has set a goal of increasing the percentage of currently employed nurses with a BSN to 80% by 2020 (IOM, 2011). Schools of nursing need to provide essential measures to assist in student success, decrease attrition, and enable students to graduate from nursing programs so they can pursue becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) in order to join the nursing workforce. Project Implementation: The goal for this DNP project was to decrease the attrition rate of first semester students in a BSN program by utilizing a collaborative student success program and identifying students at risk for failure early in their nursing education journey. Outcome: This project resulted in the development of a student success program that provided each student entering a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program with strategies to promote academic success through the first semester of their nursing education. Following assessment and analysis of multiple variables that could affect academic success, all students had the opportunity to collaborate with faculty and Academic Advising staff and develop an individualized plan with supportive interventions. The goal of a required, proactive approach was to identify students at risk for failure early in their nursing education and provide assistance in order to decrease attrition. The attrition rate at the end of the first semester following the student success program implementation was 22.2%, less than the 38.8% attrition rate from the previous fall without a student success program in place. The SNAP program will be sustained, with continued monitoring and evaluation of each student’s plan throughout the BSN curriculum

Ruth and the theology of hope: a meaning reconstruction strategy for the bereaved.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.This study posits that a narratological reading of Ruth will elicit responses to grief. This study acknowledges that loss and grief are part of life, and that those who are grieving often need to make sense of their loss in order to regain hope and meaningfully reconstruct their lives. Within this context of loss and grief, Naomi and Ruth manage to rediscover hope in God and find ways to reconstruct their lives. The study argues that even though Naomi and Ruth suffer major losses in their lives, they are able to cope, find meaning and hope, and have faith in God. This study shows that life-restoring hope is possible after loss, and that lives can be meaningfully reconstructed. Through Contextual Bible Study (CBS), congregants can begin to work through their grief in a meaningful way. Ministers ought to be agents of hope to those who are grieving. As such, minsters should be able to help those who are grieving to move forward with God, and with hope. This, with the intention of enabling the one grieving to be able to meaningfully reconstruct their life, such that they can both see and believe in potential solutions. To be the agent of hope is what ministry is inherently and ultimately about

Relationships Between Dietary Habits, Demographics, And Hike Outcome Among 2015 Pacific Crest Trail Backpackers

This quantitative research study explores the relationship between dietary patterns, hiker demographics, and total miles hiked during a backpacking trip on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Long hiking distances, low rate of thru-hike completion, consumption of processed and ready to eat foods, weight loss, and large time and monetary strains are comthemes accepted anecdotally by the backpacking population11. However, these themes have yet to be adequately researched and validated for long distance backpackers and PCT backpackers specifically. The online survey gathered data from 151 backpackers who hiked the PCT in 2015. Significant positive correlational relationships were found between the number of times per day the participants ate ready to eat commercially prepared foods, and total miles hiked (r(151) =.198, p =.015), times per day participants ate commercially prepared foods that needed to be cooked, rehydrated, or prepared before eating, and total miles hiked (r(151) =.171, p =.021), and finally the average amount of water consumed in liters per day, and the total miles hiked (r(151) =.188, p =.021). Participants who were out of work by choice also had a significant relationship to total miles hiked, compared to other employment statuses (r(151) =.182, p =.025). Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that, there were significant predictive relationships between miles hiked, ready to eat foods that were home made, commercially prepared foods that needed to be cooked, rehydrated, or prepared before eating, average daily water intake, and hikers who were out of work by choice. All findings are indented to stimulate further research of dietary habits and their relationships with hike outcomes among this population

A longitudinal assessment of the employment productivity of former alternative school students in Iowa

This study examined productivity among students who dropped out of alternative schools in Iowa. Productivity was assessed in the areas of employment, political participation and volunteer involvement. Levels of involvement in counterproductive activities such as the public assistance and penal system were also under investigation, along with locus of control of this group. Also, within the scope of this study are comparison data from 1987-1989 graduates of alternative schools in Iowa;One hundred students who became dropouts during the 1991-1992, 1992-1993 and 1993-1994 academic school years completed the Student Interview Form via telephone interviews during the fall of 1995. Chi-square tests were used to analyze the data;On employment, participants experienced an unemployment rate that was slightly lower than the national average for this population; and JTPA (Job Training Partnership Act) involvement was not found to affect the employment rates among the JTPA participants or nonparticipants. Males experienced higher full-time employment rates than females in small, medium and large communities;No political activity was found within this sample, although there was interest in becoming active in the political process. A small number of volunteers were identified within the group. Only females were involved in the public assistance system, and only males were involved in the penal system. The majority of the participants had an external locus of control;Concerning alternative school graduates, no difference between graduates and nongraduates was found on post-secondary education and public assistance involvement. Volunteer involvement and political participation was higher for graduates. Homemakers were more prevalent among the graduates; and more graduates possessed talents and skills which were not utilized on the job. Dropouts were twice as likely as graduates to participate in the penal system

A Study in Training for Applied Anthropologists Working in Business and Industry

This research attempted to shed some light on one of the currently central issues in applied anthropology, that of training for applied anthropology students specializing in business anthropology. The data for this project came from a sample of anthropologists currently practicing in the domain of business and industry. This panel of experts was chosen because of their uniquely emic point of view. Much of the information concerning this subject has come from the academic community, there is very little from the practitioners themselves. The data was gathered from the respondents with two questionnaires; An initial survey was sent out to a large group in order to identify an appropriate sample of anthropologists practicing in business and industry. Then a second in depth survey was sent to the group of individuals selected for the panel based on their careers that were almost exclusively based in business and industry. The respondents were questioned on issues such as: personal training and job experiences, skills and where they were acquired, accreditation and personal certification, and a standard curriculum for applied anthropology graduate programs. The respondents were in favor of a graduate student being a generalist first then allowed to take collateral training in a specific area of interest, in this case business courses. It was very important to many of the individuals in the sample that all of this be sanctioned and supervised by the anthropology department. Personal certification was seen in a very negative light by almost all of the individuals in the sample, but accreditation was acceptable if it applied only to a generalized standard curriculum, not special areas of practice. The respondents also saw a need for more practitioner involvement in the training of graduate students and development of curriculum for these students. The data gathered from this panel of experts were used to develop recommendations for training programs presented in the thesis conclusion

Fatwas: Their role in contemporary secular Australia

In Australia, there has been confusion and misunderstanding surrounding the term 'fatwa'. This goes both to its meaning and also to the role fatwas fulfil for Muslims, whether in Australia or in other parts of the world. This paper seeks to address both of these issues, first by demystifying fatwa through exploration of the distinctive place the have in Islamic jurisprudence, and second by identifying the methodology used by jurists in ifta (the giving of fatwas), which has enabled Islamic law to be responsive to new developments and contemporary challenges. Given the recent expansion of technological, economic and medical advances and the pattern of migration of Muslims to secular societies, the paper argues that the need for fatwas is in fact increasing as Muslims strive to accommodate Islamic religious requirements within these new environments. The paper surveys the sources of Islamic authority in Australia, concluding that a process of collective ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) would best be suited to the diversity that is the hallmark of Islam in Australia. However, it is stressed that this would not lessen the primacy of Australian law but rather would complement it, as fatwas give guidance to Muslims Australians in the personal, individual and private spheres of life