Resolving the Uncertainty of Preterm Symptoms: Women’s Experiences With the Onset of Preterm Labor

Objective: To describe expectant women\u27s experiences with the onset of preterm labor. Design: Qualitative, using grounded theory methods. Setting: Southwestern tertiary women\u27s hospital. Participants: Thirty pregnant women who were less than 35 weeks gestation, had experienced preterm labor within the past 7 days, and had no previous experience with preterm labor. Data Source: Taped and transcribed interviews. Results: Themes that emerged from the interview data included the following: recognition and naming of sensations, a consistent pattern of attribution of symptoms, the threat or risk inferred by the attributed cause of the symptom pattern, the associated certainty or uncertainty about these attributions, the process of interpreting and verifying symptom meaning, and the decision to self-manage the symptoms or engage health care assistance. The core process of women experiencing the onset of preterm labor symptoms was identified as resolving the uncertainty of preterm labor symptoms: recognizing and responding to the possibilities. Conclusions: Preterm labor often is not within expectant women\u27s consciousness. They may attribute the symptoms to nonthreatening causes, which results in delays in seeking care for preterm labor. Education about symptom patterns at the onset of preterm labor will increase the probability that women and their health care providers will recognize and interpret the early, subtle symptoms that herald the onset of preterm labor. Uncertainty in illness theory and attribution theory offer frameworks for understanding women\u27s experiences with the onset of preterm labor

The Impact of Professional Development in Data Based Decision Making on the Teaching Practices of Educators

The utilization of educational data by teachers\u27 at the classroom level to plan lessons and assessments is limited. Professional development is one tool that can be used to build data literacy in teachers. This study assessed how professional development in data based decision making impacted educators\u27 efficacy and use of educational data. This research was based on constructivists learning theories and used professional development as a model for changing teachers\u27 instructional practices. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of professional development in data-based decision-making on teacher efficacy and use of data at the classroom level. A one group pretest posttest quantitative study was used on a sample group of public school educators (N=226) from a school district in the Northeastern US. Surveys were administered before and after the intervention to determine if a significant difference in the efficacy and use of data to plan instruction resulted from professional development in data-based decision making. A Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test was used to analyze the data. The analysis indicated no significant difference in teacher efficacy (W=27.50; p=1.00) but did show a significant increase in the use of data at the classroom level (W=70.00; p=.003). Based on this study, professional development is an effective tool for increasing the use of data-based instructional methods at the classroom level; however, it is not effective in changing teacher efficacy. This study contributes to positive social change by promoting meaningful conversations about the power of professional development models in data-based decision making as an effective means to change teaching practices

The Female Imagery of Mary Beth Edelson and Ana Mendieta

Two major contributors to the invention of a feminine iconography in the 1970\u27s are Mary Beth Edelson and Ana Mendieta. Edelson\u27s method of inventing and defining female imagery concerns psychological and historical concepts. Mendieta’s use of body art is seen in the form of regeneration symbols, silhouettes, and animal symbols that relate to primitive cultures which are part of her Cuban heritage

Culinary Competence: Skills and Knowledge Assessment for Dietetic Students

Graduates of didactic programs in dietetics are entering internships with little cooking experience. The Food and Culinary Professionals’ Dietetic Practice Group (FCP DPG) has identified 11 core competencies that were developed as a recommendation to dietetic educators to include more culinary knowledge into existing programs. The purpose of this study was to determine if developing and incorporating experiential learning targeted to the competencies would increase dietetic students’ culinary skills and knowledge at a southern land-grant university. Food and Culinary Professionals’ DGP core competencies were used to guide the development of curriculum, experiential learning, and assessment in the Principles of Foods course for dietetics. Example experiences included identifying fruits and vegetables and culinary equipment, and performing culinary skills. The skills assessment, comprised of 50 testable components, was completed in the laboratory. The knowledge assessment was comprised of 50 short answer and fill in the blank questions, and was completed during class lecture time. Thirty- two students were assessed at the beginning of the course and after completing the course. Data were collected and analyzed by paired t-test using SPSS. There was a statistically significant increase in both assessments. There was a mean increase of 13.96± 1.1 points (

Winter Marketing Initiative: Missoula Convention and Visitors Bureau: Phase One Focus Group Results

Presents concerns and preferences of Missoula businesses for winter markets as well as their perceptions of the Missoula Convention and Visitors Bureau and Chamber of Commerce

The Effect of Mindfulness Techniques on Teacher Resilience as Moderated by Conscientiousness

Burnout continues to be apparent among teachers and often leads to increased health care costs, absenteeism, and turnover rates. Burnout stems from unmanaged stress, which is the result of teachers’ response to challenges in the workplace. The purpose of this cross-sectional design study was to examine the relationship between mindfulness techniques and resilience in high school teachers. An additional purpose was to examine whether the personality trait and conscientiousness moderate the relationship between mindfulness techniques and resilience. The frameworks for this study were based on the self-awareness, -regulation, and -transcendence (S-ART) framework, the theory of planned behavior, and the concepts of resilience and job burnout. Four surveys were used to gather data from 133 high school teachers to understand the relationship between mindfulness techniques and resilience as well as how conscientiousness moderates the relationship. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the data. This study found a significant relationship between mindfulness techniques and resilience in high school teachers. Additionally, this study found that conscientiousness does not significantly moderate the relationship between mindfulness techniques and resilience in high school teachers. These results might be used to create a professional development tool for teachers to help them learn how to increase the quality of classroom interactions and their resilience through the use of mindfulness techniques. The outcome may be a more positive social and academic environment for students as well as teachers, based on the encouraged use of mindfulness techniques