A study of allied health care entry -level employee workplace basic skills and competencies

This study utilized quantitative research methodologies to investigate the perceptions of Nevada allied health care providers regarding the importance of the workplace basic skills and competencies identified by the United States Department of Labor Secretary\u27s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS,1991). Since it was assumed that employers possess direct knowledge of their employees\u27 work skills, a questionnaire was developed and distributed to allied health care department supervisors in all of the identified hospitals within the state of Nevada; A primary purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which allied health care providers in Nevada considered each of the SCANS (1991) skills and competencies as adequately identifying those necessary for entry-level employment into the allied health care industry. Additionally, the study determined to what extent Nevada allied health care employers perceived their entry-level employees as sufficiently possessing SCANS (1991) skills and competencies. Existing differences between perceived allied health care industry requirements and perceived entry-level skills and competencies were also determined. Finally, the study determined the importance of the SCANS (1991) skills and competencies to the productivity and profitability of respondent\u27s hospitals; This study suggested that the workplace basic skills and competencies identified by the United States Department of Labor Secretary\u27s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS, 1991) are perceived to be valid and necessary for the allied health care industry. Furthermore, the study indicated that skill gaps are apparent between perceived allied health care industry requirements and perceived entry-level skills and competencies of entry-level employees. Finally, it was determined that the identified workplace skills and competencies of employees were considered very necessary for a hospital\u27s productivity and profitability

Oral Health Needs and Parental Attitudes, Behavior, and Knowledge of Lower SES Children

Despite the declining prevalence of dental caries over recent decades, caries remain the most common chronic childhood disease, especially in high-risk (low socio-economic status) populations. This appears to be true even when parents are aware of good oral health habits. The purpose of this study was to gather oral hygiene data on high-risk children in Nevada and to assess parental attitudes and education concerning their children’s oral health. Using visual examinations and a dmft (decayed, missing, filled, teeth) severity index, 235 lower SES children were screened and given treatment recommendations. The screenings showed larger than expected prevalence in both caries experience and untreated decay. Following the screenings, all the elementary school parents (754) were surveyed concerning their knowledge and attitudes toward oral health. A total of 386 surveys were completed and returned for a 55% response rate. Surprisingly, results from the parental survey showed positive attitudes and educational knowledge of oral health related to their children’s dentition. Based upon the findings, the authors suggest that future programs, designed to educate parents/guardians concerning childhood oral health, may not be as effective as previously thought in controlling childhood caries. However, future investigations of programs designed to better motivate parents/guardians, as well as create better access to oral health care for their children’s dental needs may find these programs to be more useful in improving the oral hygiene of Nevada’s children

Nutrition Education in Clark County, Nevada

Over 51 million school hours are missed annually by school-aged children due to a dental problem or visit, with 117 hours missed per 100 children (NIDCR, 2002). Approximately half a million of California\u27s 7.2 million school-age children missed at least one day of school in 2007 because of dental issues such as toothaches (Pourat, & Nicholson, 2009). Independent research regarding various educational and intervention programs have been conducted in elementary schools across the country that focus on nutrition and/or physical activity, some of which have found that the programs positively impacted students’ dietary behaviors (Edwards, Mauch, & Winkelman, 2011; Muth, Chatterjee, Williams, Cross, & Flower, 2008; Tuuri et al., 2009). However, there does not appear to be literature regarding the standardization of nutrition and oral health education curricula for elementary school children. Nevertheless, there are school districts that have well structured health education curricula that cover nutrition and oral health education (California Department of Education, 2009; Central Michigan University, 2005). All of these reports are in agreement with Dietz, et al (2008) which reported that nutrition and oral hygiene education should be an integral part of keeping growing children healthy and forming good nutrition habits that will carry into adulthood

A Scientific and Technial Review of the Use of Bioremediation as a Clean Up Technique at the Savannah River Site

This report provides an overview of the fundamentals and field applications of in situ bioremediation in contaminated soil and groundwater. Bioremediation has been presented to the impacted communities as a technology that is currently being used and tested at the Savannah River Site (SRS). The primary focus this report explain bioremediation as a clean-up technology and analyze what role the technology will play in the new accelerated clean up strategy at SRS as approved by Environmental Management at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The objective is to understand how bioremediation is being used at SRS for clean up. This research was completed money allocated during Round 5 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/harambee/1003/thumbnail.jp

Report Summary: Analysis of Environmental Justice

This is a scientific review of the impact of the receipt of Foreign Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) and Plutonium Disposition programs at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in Aiken Country, South Carolina and its impact on surrounding communities. This research was completed money allocated during Round 1 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/harambee/1002/thumbnail.jp

Executive Summary: Analysis of Environmental Justice

This is a scientific and technical review of the Department of Energy\u27s Final Environmental Impact Statement on the Proposed Nuclear Weapons Nonproliferation Policy Concerning Foreign Research Reactor Spent Nuclear Fuel (FRR-SNF). The receipt of FRR-SNF adds an additional and important component to DOE\u27s programmatic Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) activities. This review also looks at the EIS processes associated with the revised Surplus Plutonium Disposition initiatives. The purpose of this review is to analyze the adequacy of the environmental impact assessment and public participation approaches taken by DOE as part of its decision-making process on spent fuel and surplus plutonium, particularly, at the Savannah River Site (SRS) as required by NEPA (1969). Particular emphasis is placed on the aspect of Environmental Justice to help stakeholders in the local affected communities in understanding the resulting impacts on their communities and DOE policy and practices for implementing the mandates of relevant environmental laws and regulations. This research was completed money allocated during Round 1 of the Citizens’ Monitoring and Technical Assessment Fund (MTA Fund). Clark University was named conservator of these works. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us at [email protected]://commons.clarku.edu/harambee/1001/thumbnail.jp

Increasing Dental Student Diversity Through the UNLV Dental Prospects Program

Adequately providing for the health care of the growing minority population in the United States requires increased racial and ethnic diversity of the health care workforce. Long-term diversity in the dental profession depends on a more diverse student population in dental schools. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas School of Dental Medicine\u27s (UNLV SDM) Dental Prospects Club is a predental education program that has increased the number of underrepresented minority and disadvantaged students in the school by concentrating on outreach, recruitment, and retention initiatives. The approaches used by the club members and faculty advisors to increase the number of underrepresented minority students recruited to and enrolled in the UNLV SDM are discussed in this report. Also described are the strategies, methods, internal infrastructure, and organizational support used to increase the number of underrepresented minority students at the school

Ninth-Grade Students\u27 Perceived Attitudes and Behaviors in a Tobacco Cessation Program Delivered by Dental Educators

This study measured whether a tobacco cessation program in Nevada\u27s Clark County School District (CCSD) delivered by dental educators affected ninth-grade students\u27 short-term perceived knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and intentions (KABI) toward tobacco use and whether the CCSD\u27s immersion approach led to positive changes in students\u27 KABI. A quantitative research methodology with a descriptive research design was used. Data were collected from 617 students using pre- and post-program surveys self-administered by the participants. The surveys were based on those used previously in national and other large-scale epidemiologic studies assessing tobacco intervention program effectiveness. The survey data revealed that, after the program, more students had an increased awareness of tobacco use dangers to their health and significantly increased awareness of the negative consequences of tobacco use. The number of students who did or did not use tobacco changed very little as a result of the program, but the tobacco users on the post-program survey did report statistically significant decreases in overall use. Significant reduction in tobacco usage by the tobacco users indicates some desire on the part of smoking students to quit or reduce their tobacco usage. Little evidence of major changes in student attitudes was found

The Effect of Tobacco and Marijuana Use on Dental Health Status in Nevada Adolescents: A Trend Analysis

Purpose: Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. If current trends persist, tobacco will kill more than 8 million people worldwide by 2030 and 1 billion by the end of the century. The purpose of this study was to determine trends in tobacco/marijuana use in Nevada adolescents and their effect on dental health status. Relative comparative data were compared with nationally reported data.Methods: Retrospective data in this cohort study was from an ongoing statewide, school-based, dental health screening initiative that was conducted across 8 years (2002-2010) in public/private middle/high schools in Nevada. A total of 66,941 dental health screenings of adolescents between ages 13-18 were conducted. Self-reported data were collected on tobacco/marijuana use. Descriptive statistics and trends were reported. Means (SE) were computed for caries prevalence and severity. Effect size was reported on dental caries and use of tobacco/marijuana.Results: Overall, percentage prevalence of tobacco use was approximately the same as the national average; however, there were significantly higher rates of marijuana use (12.0% vs. 3.3%). Prevalence and severity of dental caries was significantly higher in those who used tobacco/marijuana than those who did not across all variables and across all 8 years controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, where they lived, and exposure to secondhand smoke.Conclusions: Tobacco use negatively affected dental health status with marijuana having the largest negative effect. The findings from this study identified the need for tobacco/marijuana prevention services targeting adolescents residing in the geographic areas most at risk. (C) 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. All rights reserved

Preparing the Dental Workforce for Oral Disease Prevention in an Aging Population

The growing proportion of older adults in the U.S. population, as well as escalating dental expenditures, is leading to major changes in the demands on oral health care delivery. Researchers over the years have clearly demonstrated the shortcomings of traditional restorative treatment and the cycle of repeat interventional care. Oral health care professionals are constantly seeking advances in technology, protocols, methodologies, and materials to meet the needs of the growing, diverse older population. Early stages of oral diseases such as caries and periodontal disease are vigorous, preventable, and reversible. Assessment of social, systemic, and oral risk factors that emphasize patient counseling to facilitate risk reduction, along with individualized evidence-based disease prevention planning, is more cost-effective than traditional restorative treatment and will improve overall outcome. The purposes of this article are to briefly describe current issues and challenges related to oral health promotion for older adults and to examine strategies for disease prevention and health promotion in health and dental care settings