Health policy engagement among graduate nursing students in the United States

Aim The aim was to understand how health policy education is currently being delivered in the United States’ graduate nursing programs. Methods This exploratory cross‐sectional design used an anonymous online survey to target graduate nursing students attending American Association of College of Nursing (AACN) member institutions. Results Over 75% of the sample (n = 140) reported taking a dedicated health policy course and 71.5% ( n = 131) of the sample responded that a health policy course was required and an equal distribution among master’s and doctoral students. There was no significant difference between type of graduate degree sought and the requirement to take a health policy course ( P = 0.37). For students involved in health policy, there was a greater proportion of master’s students involved at the state level, than doctorate of nursing practice (DNP) or PhD students ( P = 0.04). Conclusions Health policy and advocacy education are important aspects of graduate nursing curriculum and have been integrated into curricula. Graduate nursing students at all levels reported that health policy AACN Essential competencies are being included in their program, either as stand‐alone health policy courses or integrated health policy learning activities during matriculation

Manuel d'archéologie médiévale et moderne

International audienc

Improving Access Through Implementation of Site-Based Well-Child Visits in Head Start

Children in poverty are at greater risk for developmental and health problems and face significant barriers in accessing routine preventive healthcare. Evidence based guidelines recommend stricter adherence to the schedule of well-child care to promote early identification and treatment. Literature indicates that well-child visits in school settings make a difference among low-income children with unmet preventive healthcare needs. This study describes the implementation of a well-child visit program in a Head Start site with enrollments of children living in poverty. The comparison study design measured the aggregate percentage of children up to date with well-child visits against historical pre-data. There were increases in the proportion of children up to date with the site-based intervention. Implications support the establishment of school-based health centers in Head Start sites that provides well-child visits as well as illness management

Practical Implications for Site Based Well Child Visits in Head Start

Children in poverty are at greater risk for developmental and health problems and face significant barriers in accessing routine preventive healthcare. Evidence based guidelines recommend stricter adherence to the schedule of well-child care to promote early identification and treatment. Literature indicates that well-child visits in school settings make a difference among low-income children with unmet preventive healthcare needs. This study describes the implementation of a well-child visit program in a Head Start site with enrollments of children living in poverty. The comparison study design measured the aggregate percentage of children up to date with well-child visits against historical pre-data. There were clinical increases in the proportion of children up to date with the site-based intervention. Implications support the establishment of school-based health centers in Head Start sites that provides well-child visits as well as illness management

The Horse: An Unexpected Animal Model for (Unexpected) Neuroendocrinology

Neuroendocrine research on the horse has mostly focused on the neuroendocrine control of reproduction and more specifically on the control of ovulation, which represents an economically important matter in horse breeding. Knowing the timing of ovulation is economically important in the equine industry, as it can be used to improve reproductive success during management of brood mares (i.e. insemination close to the time of ovulation) particularly when semen is valuable. Mares display a seasonal (long days) mono‐ovulatory polyestrus cycle. During the reproductive season in spring and summer, the estrus cycle length is about 22 days, with 5‐7 days of estrus. There are significant differences in estrus length between individuals and also within a given animal, according to the timing within the reproductive season. Ovarian cyclicity is controlled by the pituitary gonadotrophins: Luteinizing Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH). LH and FSH are themselves under the control of the hypothalamic neurohormone: Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH). One of the most successful research approaches in this field relies on a non‐invasive methodology allowing the collection of blood from the pituitary efferent vein and the measurement the pulsatile release GnRH, LH and FSH. During the luteal phase, when the progesterone concentration is high, GnRH pulse frequency is low (mean inter‐pulse interval (IPI) 120min). Whereas during the pre‐ovulatory period, when estradiol concentration is high, GnRH pulses are high (IPI 30 min). In contrast to other mammals studied, there is no obvious GnRH surge preceding ovulation but an increase in pulse frequency, and the LH peak lasts for approximately 6 days, with the concentration peak occurring approximately 24h post‐ovulation. In sheep, primates and rodents, GnRH secretion is stimulated by a neuropeptide, Kisspeptin, which is also responsible for triggering the GnRH and LH preovulatory peaks. In the mare, despite stimulating LH and FSH secretions, Kisspeptin does not induce ovulation

Management of a cryptosp oridiosis outbreak in a day-care center

Abstract N°: P351info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublishe

The beta Nerve Growth Factor triggers ovulation in the mouse by acting upstream of GnRH neurons

International audienceThe timed induction of ovulation requires a cascade of events in which GnRH neurons play a key role. In mammals, ovulation can take place either spontaneously or be induced by mating. For induced ovulators, β-Nerve Growth Factor (βNGF) was described as an important stimulatory factor. We tested whether βNGF could induce ovulation in a spontaneous ovulator, the mouse, and investigated if GnRH is involved in its mechanism of action. Fifty mice (21 days) received 5IU of PMSG and, 48 hours later, one of the following treatments: 0.9% NaCl, 5IU of hCG, or βNGF (0.1µg, 1µg, or 10µg/mouse). All three βNGF doses induced ovulation (p <0.001) with an efficacy similar to that of hCG: ovulation rates were 80% for hCG or βNGF (0.1µg and 1µg), 100% for βNGF (10µg), and 10% for NaCl. To check if the effect of βNGF on ovulation required GnRH receptor activation, we tested responses in mice pre-treated with a GnRH receptor antagonist (Cetrorelix). Prepubertal mice (128) were allocated to five groups of treatment: βNGF (1 µg), Cetrorelix (50 ng) + βNGF (1 µg), GnRH (50 ng), Cetrorelix (50 ng) + GnRH (50 ng), or 0.9% NaCl. Both βNGF and GnRH triggered ovulations and this effect was blocked by Cetrorelix co-administration (ovulation rate: Cetrorelix + βNGF vs βNGF, p<0.05). These results suggest that βNGF requires the action of GnRH to trigger ovulation. To search for the central site of βNGF action we performed a series of double immunohistochemical labelling reactions in the hypothalamus of adult OVX+E2 female mice to localize the βNGF receptor p75 NTR. We found that p75 NTR is expressed in organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT), hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC) and Median Eminence (ME ). In these regions, p75 NTR was found in neurons and tanycytes, but was not expressed by GnRH or Kisspeptin immunoreactive neurons. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that βNGF induces ovulation in the mouse and that its action requires the release of GnRH. By using Kiss and Gpr54 KO mice, we are currently investigating if the Kisspeptin signalling is also involved in mediating the effect of βNGF on ovulation