Background: Community engagement is a promising method for teaching about social determinants of health (SDOH) through experiential learning. The purpose of this article is to report the implementation and evaluation of a baccalaureate nursing degree course focused on addressing social determinants of health through community engagement. Method: The class was structured as a flipped classroom, during which students spent the majority of the time engaged with a community site. Students were required to attend two in-class seminars. Course evaluations were used to provide feedback to refine course delivery and assess course impact. Results: Thirty-six students enrolled in the course over two semesters. Knowledge and self-reported competencies in addressing SDOH in under-resourced populations increased. Course evaluations demonstrated an increase in students' knowledge and clinical skills related to SDOH. Conclusion: A course focused on addressing SDOH through community engagement provided a promising approach for preparing nursing students to provide care to underresourced populations. [ J Nurs Educ. 2019;58(7):423–426.]
Introduction The aim of this study was to investigate nurse and allied health professional experiences and attitudes toward critical care research in Wales. Methods Data were collected related to demographic characteristics, involvement in and understanding of research, perceived influences and attitudes towards research. We calculated means (ranges) for continuous variable and frequencies (proportions) for discrete variables and performed an exploratory factor analysis. Results Response rate was 55% ( n = 575). Most respondents (84%) had participated in research less than five times in the previous 12 months, yet 91% believed research led to improved care patients. Only 32% respondents felt they were encouraged by managers to participate in research. Only 25% respondents had undertaken research training. Few respondents (29%) reported receiving adequate information regarding study progress or results (25%). Linear regression models indicate that a higher level of formal education was associated with a more positive view of research across all attitude factors. Promotion of research by colleagues and recognition/ opportunities for involvement in critical care research, were positively associated with the acceptability and experience of research. Discussion A number of factors have been identified that could be targeted to improve recruitment to critical care research, including identification of staff to promote research, improved communication of study progress and findings and management encouragement to attend research training. Staff attitudes were positive towards the benefit of research on patient care in Wales.
Within the UK, there is a rapidly rising incidence of malignancies, including cutaneous cancers. Over 1 million new patients are referred to dermatology each year and a large proportion require a diagnostic or therapeutic biopsy. Dermatologists often rely on histopathology to confirm or diagnose cancers, determine margins and perform specialist testing. The increasing rates of cancers are adding significantly to the histopathology workload. According to the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPath), only 3% of departments report having adequate staff to meet clinical demand. There are a significant number of unfilled training posts and a concurrent retirement crisis, with 25% of all pathologists over 55 years old. It can take up to 15 years to train consultants, with the more experienced able to handle greater workloads. The lack of pathologists, with widespread vacancies, has a significant impact. The resulting costs to the health service of employing locums and outsourcing work have been estimated to be £27 million annually. For patients, the costs of these shortages mean delays in diagnosis and treatment. A RCPath key performance indicator advises that 80% of cases should be reported within 7–10 calendar days. Across dermatology departments, there is wide reported variation in reporting times from 1 to 28 weeks. In 2019, the longest wait, on average, was 5.8 weeks. We surveyed 60 histopathology consultants across different National Health Service trusts in England to determine the reasons behind these delays. The survey response rate was 45%. The results showed that 78% of departments have unfilled posts, 83% have employed locum staff or outsourced reporting of skin biopsies in the last 5 years and only 20% are able to meet the RCPath guidance. Additionally, almost one-quarter reported that they have had complaints or serious incidences related to delayed dermatopathology reporting. Survey comments revealed many other areas of potential diagnostic delay from sample labelling and prioritizing to prolonged laboratory processing times, unclear pathways to expedite samples and the lack of histopathology secretaries. This survey highlights the increasing workforce demands and emphasizes the need for innovative changes to avoid delays in patient care. Possible solutions to address increased workload in an understaffed environment include adequate secretarial support, increasing pathology pathway navigators who prioritize urgent cases, improving information technology services, digital slide reporting and developing artificial intelligence to screen samples. Increasing dermatopathology training and exposure to histopathology at a junior level is mandatory. Raising these issues and making them a key investment priority for the government is imperative.
Like Any Other Woman is Becky's story of living through treatment and beyond for a gynaecological cancer and the profound impact that it has had on her life and that of her family. It takes courage to share the story of such a difficult journey and we, as readers, can learn much from it, but just possibly, and I hope it's true for Becky and the other women that have shared snippets of their cancer journeys, the very act of storytelling can be therapeutic in itself. Storytelling is a powerful way to convey experience and help the reader gain new insights from another's perspective. It teaches us to listen, to look past the facts, to hear and understand in our own way the real story, the real meaning of dis-ease. Jac Saorsa helps us negotiate the stories and challenges us to question the history (her-story) of the disease in order to unearth, and maybe to begin to understand, the experience of the women themselves and the implications of a diagnosis of gynaecological malignancy. In the book, there are other stories that weave in and out of those of the main protagonists, including those of Jac herself, the surgeons, the medical and nursing staff, the mother, the husband. We can all learn from these stories and in so doing aspire to making the journeys just a little easier, whether that be as a healthcare professional, a family member or a friend. Each of us will take away different messages, but the central importance of supportive partners and the families to those affected will be evident to all. As a mother, daughter, friend, sister, wife, doctor and cancer surgeon myself, there are many aspects of Like Any Other Woman that resonate with my own experience, living alongside those journeying with illness.vi Like Any Other Woman Gynaecological disease is often shrouded in stigma, embarrassment and discomfort. There is often ignorance, and sometimes shame. In cases of gynaecological cancer these attributes may be heightened, the afflicted 'patient' feeling isolated and alone while facing an uncertain future.One of the early things I appreciated in the book was the importance of a 'diagnosis' or naming the unknown, classifying the disease and perhaps making one feel more in control. The disease process hasn't changed, but naming it offers hope that now it is known something 'can be done' , that somehow it makes sense. One of the women puts this very clearly in her own words. ' Actually it was massive relief, because there was one stage when I thought I was going mad -I can't think of another way to put it -a freak of nature, because nobody seemed to know what I was talking about. ' Diagnosis often comes with 'relief ' therefore, although, as a doctor, I can't help but feel this might sometimes be a cruel relief once the enormity of the treatment process comes into view. But still, in Like Any Other Woman, even finding the 'VIN clinic' sign was associated with relief, the disease was named, known, classified.The manner in which any cancer diagnosis is imparted cannot be underestimated in terms of impact on a patient a...
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