Faculty development workshop

Paper approved May 2016 by the faculty of UMKC in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Nursing PracticeFaculty development has a number of benefits in academiaacademia. Specifically, in nurse anesthesia education, doctoral programs are required to provide faculty development for their clinical instructors. In order to fulfill this requirement and satisfy faculty’s desire for growth, an evidence-based faculty development workshop on clinical evaluation was implemented at a school of nurse anesthesia education program which offers a doctorate of nursing practice and a nurse anesthesia certificate. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if a workshop on clinical evaluation will have an impact on faculty’s clinical evaluation practices. Of the 35 eligible clinical instructors, 30 participated in at least one session of the two education sessions. To measure changes in evaluation practices, scores on the assessment portion of the survey tool developed for the American Therapy Association Clinical Instructor Education and Credentialing Program prior to the workshop were compared to scores following the workshop at eight and 16 weeks. There was a significant difference (p<0.5) in post education sessions survey scores for three questions on the second post-test. The findings of this study were then utilized to develop a clinical evaluation tool and will further be used to plan future faculty development offerings

“It is tough being a boy”: a grounded theory study of help-seeking pressures and promoters encountered by 12 and 13 year old boys

Background: This grounded theory study explored the views of adolescent boys aged 12 and 13 on the factors that influence their help-seeking decisions for less severe forms of psychological distress. Method: Semi-structured interviews with 12 participants from a local secondary school and a community setting were analysed according to grounded theory methods. The data analysis abstracted categories of data to construct a substantive theory of helpseeking. Results: Participants’ views revealed an interaction of ‘pressures and promoters’ that affected adolescent boys’ help-seeking decisions. These related to relationships with others, mental health support and education, being a boy, and individual factors. Conclusion: Mental health education and awareness should be promoted amongst adolescent boys and the adults and professionals that they encounter so that they may be encouraged to seek help for psychological distress

Co-designing an online ‘Utility Tool’ to bridge science and community knowledge through storytelling [Abstract]

The often large gaps between the views of professional scientists and those of the general public (Funk et al., 2015), suggest that the public's science literacy leaves something to be desired (Crowther et al., 2016). After having identified recurrent gaps between scientific and lay knowledge around drought risk in UK, the DRY Project team was involved in a complex participatory process to co-design with stakeholders from a variety of sectors an online ‘Utility Tool’ in which science and community knowledge were merged through storytelling. DRY is a 4-year project, funded under the RCUK Drought and Water Scarcity Programme, with the aim of developing an evidence-based resource for drought risk management in which scientific data and multiple narratives are brought together to facilitate decision-making processes and improve community resilience. Working from the premise that storytelling has value in enabling different forms of knowledge, inclusivity and capitals (Goldstein 2013; Constant & Roberts 2017; Valentine & Sadgrove 2014), this paper critically reflects on our learning experience around evolving approaches to facilitate stakeholders’ engagement for the development of the ‘DRY Utility Tool’. It will explore in particular stakeholders’ role in choosing and shaping the methodology and evaluating the two main tools: the ‘DRY Story Bank’ to make stories accessible, searchable and usable, and the ‘DRY Story Map’ to triangulate narrative, science and place. It will also describe how developing those tools, revealed a critical tension around the interaction between facts and opinions, data and personal memories, and stimulated a deeper reflection on the beliefs that drive people’s behaviours

Strategies for Monitoring Multiuse Trail Networks: Implications for Practice

Many municipalities, park districts, and nonprofit organizations have begun monitoring nonmotorized traffic on multiuse trails as the need for information about the use of facilities has grown and relatively low-cost sensors for automated monitoring have become available. As they have gained experience, they have begun to move from site-specific monitoring on individual trails to a more comprehensive monitoring of trail networks. This case study review compares strategies developed by 10 organizations for monitoring traffic on multiuse trails, including local, multicounty, statewide, and multistate trail networks. The focus is on approaches to the design of monitoring networks, particularly the rationales or objectives for monitoring and the selection of monitoring sites. It is shown that jurisdictions are following principles of monitoring established by FHWA and that the design of monitoring networks is evolving to meet new challenges, including monitoring large-scale networks. Relevant outcomes and implications for practice are summarized. The researchers concluded that FHWA guidelines can be adapted to many circumstances and can increase information for decision making. Trail monitoring is informing decisions related to facility planning, investment, and safety

Prevalence and Predictors of Depressive Symptoms in NCAA Division III Collegiate Athletes

Mental health disorders are important health concerns among collegiate athletes. Estimations of elevated depressive symptoms in this population range from 1.1-26%. However, these data are derived mostly from NCAA Division I institutions or professional athletes. Evidence from lower divisions (e.g., NCAA Division III) is currently sparse in the literature. Hence, the primary purpose of the present study was to examine the prevalence of depressive symptoms in NCAA Division III collegiate athletes. The secondary purpose was to examine which mental health indicators predict depressive symptoms. In total, 186 participants completed several mental health scales (e.g., PHQ-9, DASS-21). The results revealed a prevalence of 16.2% of elevated depressive symptoms. A multiple regression predicted 46.1% of the variance of depressive symptoms. Significant predictors were stress, anxiety, devaluation, and emotional exhaustion. While NCAA Division III collegiate athletes may face lower athletic expectations, the prevalence of mental health concerns is similar to those observed in Division I collegiate athletes

Prior learning assessment: Systematic review of academic literature

Many argue a college degree is more important than ever and required for many occupations. However, pursuing one requires time and money. Prior learning assessment (PLA) offers one solution to overcome such barriers by documenting outside learning through competency portfolios or assessment testing to receive academic credit. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to examine the academic literature related to PLA within the United States. The review searched 669 databases, across 72 disciplines/fields, and yielded 47 peer-reviewed journal articles, published in 14 journals, during the last decade. Findings included six major themes with implications for adult education theory and practice

Municipal Utilities and Electric Cooperatives in the United States: Interpretive Frames, Strategic Actions, and Place-Specific Transitions

Renewable energy and social justice advocates are organizing around the potential for community-based democratic organizations to promote more decentralized, sustainable, and just societies. Within this movement, consumer-owned electric utilities are often seen as central actors. Yet, there has been little systematic investigation into why integration of distributed energy resources (DERs) varies across these utilities. We explore this question using literature on sustainability transitions and strategic action fields. Choices about when and how to integrate DERs are shaped by new interpretations of long-standing principles, existing institutional relationships, and a utility’s political power. We identify how four divergent strategies shape distinct technology configurations with differences in physical scale, concentration of political authority, and distribution of economic benefits. These differences suggest that local technology ownership may not be sufficient to motivate change in some contexts. Policy addressing political processes and ownership scale may be needed to accelerate more sustainable and just energy transitions