Strategic Planning: Plan-to-Plan Final Report

In January 2007, a group of USD graduate students in Nonprofit Leadership and Management, selected a San Diego museum for their applied project. The USD team\u27s purpose was to collect data that would be useful to the museum in its strategic planning process and to provide the client with two products: a Plan-to-Plan and this final report.https://digital.sandiego.edu/npi-bpl-strategicplanning/1003/thumbnail.jp

Engaging Student Learning with Interactive Videos

The experiences of passively watching a video online and actively engaging in a lecture in person are markedly different. During an on-campus lecture, an instructor has the ability to pose questions to students and give individualized feedback based on responses. In an online environment, however, these questions are at best rhetorical, and students\u27 ability to receive feedback on their responses is limited. As a result, students are unable to check their understanding of a topic while watching a video. Similarly, non-classroom environments may prove to be more distracting for students, and the resulting potential decrease in engagement may be detrimental to learning outcomes. We will share some video tools that allow you to add questions and other interactive elements to your videos. We will also show some examples of completed videos and share useful tips and resources. Multiple Audiences

Defining Family: Naming, Orientation, and Redemption in the Case of Terri Schiavo

This paper undertakes a detailed analysis of the Terri Schiavo case as it was covered in popular media. Drawing on Burkean theory, we argue a critical issue in the case was a struggle between Terri\u27s parents and husband to be seen as the more legitimate family in order to determine the duration and extent of Terri \u27s medical care. We discuss how the private debate over Terri\u27s health and the decision to remove her feeding tube entered into the public scenes of legal and political action. This shift to the public scene represented problems for the parties directly involved in the debate and turned Terri into a symbol of the larger right-to-die controversy

Assessing the Writing Achievement of Young Struggling Writers: Application of Generalizability Theory

This study examined the number of writing samples needed to obtain a reliable estimate of young struggling writers’ capabilities. It further assessed if performance in one genre was reflective of performance in other genres for these children. Second- and third-grade students (81 boys, 56 girls), who were identified as struggling writers in need of special assistance by their teacher and scored at the 25th percentile or lower on a norm-referenced story-writing test, wrote four compositions: a story, personal narrative, opinion essay, and informative text. Applying generalizability theory (G-theory), students’ scores on three writing measures (total number of words [TNW], vocabulary diversity, and writing quality) for the four compositions were each portioned into variance due to the following sources: students, writing tasks, and the interaction between students and writing tasks. We found that 14, 8, and 11 compositions, respectively, would be needed to obtain a reliable estimate of these students’ writing capabilities in terms of TNW, vocabulary diversity, and writing quality. Furthermore, how well these students wrote in one genre provided a weak prediction of how well they wrote in other genres

A Comparative Evaluation of Antimicrobial Coated versus Non-antimicrobial Coated Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters on Associated Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are a common life-threatening risk factor associated with central venous catheters (CVCs). Research has demonstrated benefit in reducing CLABSIs when CVCs coated with antimicrobials are inserted. The impact of chlorhexidine (CHG)-impregnated versus non-CHG peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) on risk of CLABSI is unknown. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is also a complication associated with CVCs. This study compares the impact of both PICC lines on these outcomes. Methods Patients in 3 high-risk units were randomly assigned to receive either a CHG-impregnated or non-CHG PICC line. Laboratory data were collected and reviewed daily on all study patients. The PICC dressing site was assessed daily. Medical record documentation was reviewed to determine presence of CLABSI or VTE. Results There were 167 patients who completed the study. Three patients developed CLABSI (2 in the CHG group, and 1 in the non-CHG group), and 3 patients developed VTE (2 in the non-CHG group, and 1 in the CHG group). No significant relationship was noted between the type of PICC line on development of a CLABSI (P = .61) or VTE (P > .99). A significant difference was noted in moderate bleeding (P ≤ .001) requiring thrombogenic dressing in the patients who had the CHG PICC line. Conclusions No differences were noted in the development of CLABSI and VTE between the CHG and non-CHG groups

Excess gestational weight gain : an exploration of midwives\u27 views and practice.

BackgroundExcess gestational weight gain (GWG) can affect the immediate and long term health outcomes of mother and infant. Understanding health providers\u27 views, attitudes and practices around GWG is crucial to assist in the development of practical, time efficient and cost effective ways of supporting health providers to promote healthy GWGs. This study aimed to explore midwives\u27 views, attitudes and approaches to the assessment, management and promotion of healthy GWG and to investigate their views on optimal interventions. MethodsMidwives working in antenatal care were recruited from one rural and one urban Australian maternity hospital employing purposive sampling strategies to assess a range of practice areas. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 15 experienced midwives using an interview guide and all interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. ResultsMidwives interviewed exhibited a range of views, attitudes and practices related to GWG. Three dominant themes emerged. Overall GWG was given low priority for midwives working in the antenatal care service in both hospitals. In addition, the midwives were deeply concerned for the physical and psychological health of pregnant women and worried about perceived negative impacts of discussion about weight and related interventions with women. Finally, the midwives saw themselves as central in providing lifestyle behaviour education to pregnant women and identified opportunities for support to promote healthy GWG. ConclusionsThe findings indicate that planning and implementation of healthy GWG interventions are likely to be challenging because the factors impacting on midwives\u27 engagement in the GWG arena are varied and complex. This study provides insights for guideline and intervention development for the promotion of healthy GWG. <br /

Design for success: Identifying a process for transitioning to an intensive online course delivery model in health professions education.

Intensive courses (ICs), or accelerated courses, are gaining popularity in medical and health professions education, particularly as programs adopt e-learning models to negotiate challenges of flexibility, space, cost, and time. In 2014, the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership (CRL) at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences began the process of transitioning two online 15-week graduate programs to an IC model. Within a year, a third program also transitioned to this model. A literature review yielded little guidance on the process of transitioning from 15-week, traditional models of delivery to IC models, particularly in online learning environments. Correspondingly, this paper describes the process by which CRL transitioned three online graduate programs to an IC model and details best practices for course design and facilitation resulting from our iterative redesign process. Finally, we present lessons-learned for the benefit of other medical and health professions\u27 programs contemplating similar transitions. ABBREVIATIONS: CRL: Department of Clinical Research and Leadership; HSCI: Health Sciences; IC: Intensive course; PD: Program director; QM: Quality Matters

Views of women and health professionals on mHealth lifestyle interventions in pregnancy: a qualitative investigation

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that women are failing to meet guidelines for nutrition, physical activity, and weight gain during pregnancy. Interventions to promote a healthy lifestyle in pregnancy demonstrate mixed results and many are time and resource intensive. mHealth-delivered interventions offer an opportunity to provide trusted source information in a timely and cost-effective manner. Studies regarding women\u27s and health professionals\u27 views of mHealth in antenatal care are limited. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore women\u27s and health professionals\u27 views regarding mHealth information sources and interventions to assist women to eat well, be physically active, and gain healthy amounts of weight in pregnancy. METHODS: A descriptive qualitative research approach employed focus groups and in-depth interviews with 15 pregnant or postpartum women and 12 in-depth interviews with health professionals including two from each category: obstetricians, general practitioners, midwives, dietitians, physiotherapists, and community pharmacists. All interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed. RESULTS: Women uniformly embraced the concept of mHealth information sources and interventions in antenatal care and saw them as central to information acquisition and ideally incorporated into future antenatal care processes. Health professionals exhibited varied views perceiving mHealth as an inevitable, often parallel, service rather than one integrated into the care model. Four key themes emerged: engagement, risk perception, responsibility, and functionality. Women saw their ability to access mHealth elements as a way to self-manage or control information acquisition that was unavailable in traditional care models and information sources. The emergence of technology was perceived by some health professionals to have shifted control of information from trusted sources, such as health professionals and health organizations, to nontrusted sources. Some health professionals were concerned about the medicolegal risks of mHealth (incorrect or harmful information and privacy concerns), while others acknowledged that mHealth was feasible if inherent risks were addressed. Across both groups, there was uncertainty as to who should be responsible for ensuring high-quality mHealth. The absence of a key pregnancy or women\u27s advocacy group, lack of health funds for technologies, and the perceived inability of maternity hospitals to embrace technology were seen to be key barriers to provision. Women consistently identified the functionality of mHealth as adding value to antenatal care models. For some health professionals, lack of familiarity with and fear of mHealth limited their engagement with and comprehension of the capacity of new technologies to support antenatal care. CONCLUSIONS: Women exhibited positive views regarding mHealth for the promotion of a healthy lifestyle in antenatal care. Conversely, health professionals expressed a much wider variation in attitudes and were more able to identify potential risks and barriers to development and implementation. This study contributes to the understanding of the opportunities and challenges in developing mHealth lifestyle interventions in antenatal care

Mesocorticolimbic monoamine correlates of methamphetamine sensitization and motivation.

Methamphetamine (MA) is a highly addictive psychomotor stimulant, with life-time prevalence rates of abuse ranging from 5-10% world-wide. Yet, a paucity of research exists regarding MA addiction vulnerability/resiliency and neurobiological mediators of the transition to addiction that might occur upon repeated low-dose MA exposure, more characteristic of early drug use. As stimulant-elicited neuroplasticity within dopamine neurons innervating the nucleus accumbens (NAC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC) is theorized as central for addiction-related behavioral anomalies, we used a multi-disciplinary research approach in mice to examine the interactions between sub-toxic MA dosing, motivation for MA and mesocorticolimbic monoamines. Biochemical studies of C57BL/6J (B6) mice revealed short- (1 day), as well as longer-term (21 days), changes in extracellular dopamine, DAT and/or D2 receptors during withdrawal from 10, once daily, 2 mg/kg MA injections. Follow-up biochemical studies conducted in mice selectively bred for high vs. low MA drinking (respectively, MAHDR vs. MALDR mice), provided novel support for anomalies in mesocorticolimbic dopamine as a correlate of genetic vulnerability to high MA intake. Finally, neuropharmacological targeting of NAC dopamine in MA-treated B6 mice demonstrated a bi-directional regulation of MA-induced place-conditioning. These results extend extant literature for MA neurotoxicity by demonstrating that even subchronic exposure to relatively low MA doses are sufficient to elicit relatively long-lasting changes in mesocorticolimbic dopamine and that drug-induced or idiopathic anomalies in mesocorticolimbic dopamine may underpin vulnerability/resiliency to MA addiction