Taking Action on Asthma: Increasing Influenza Vaccination Rates in Pediatric Asthma Through Quality Improvement.

Introduction: Through a QI Collaborative, a school-based health center (SBHC) program was tasked with identifying ways to decrease asthma mortality and promote national asthma guidelines with evidence-based interventions. Children with asthma are at increased risk for influenza complications such as pneumonia, hospitalization, and death. Flu vaccinations reduce these morbidities.

Animal-Assisted Therapy in Pediatric Palliative Care.

Animal-assisted therapy is an emerging complementary strategy with an increasing presence in the literature. Limited studies have been conducted with children, particularly those with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions. Although outcomes show promise in decreasing suffering of children receiving palliative care services, more work is needed to validate evidence to support implementation of animal-assisted therapy with this vulnerable population.

Critical Analysis of Interventional Research Designs to Promote Coping in Pediatric Patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to analyze the strengths and limitations of research designs of studies implementing coping based training interventions in adolescents.

Methods: Quantitative and mixed methods studies were selected and reviewed for critical analysis of strengths, limitations, and validity concerns.

Results: Methodological strengths and weaknesses were assessed.

The Role and Impact of Animals with Pediatric Patients.

Animal-facilitated therapy (AFT), more specifically known as animal-assisted therapy (AAT) or "pet therapy," has had an increased presence in the literature with a surge of recent research methodologies exploring this complementary alternative medicine (CAM) intervention. However, limited studies have been conducted in the pediatric population, with many articles anecdotal in nature. A literature review included primary data sources PubMed, PsychINFO, Medline, and CINAHL, and yielded positive and beneficial outcomes to be gained through AAT in the pediatric population.

Improving management of patients with autism spectrum disorder having scheduled surgery: optimizing practice.

Introduction: Surgical preparation for children with autism spectrum disorders can be a challenge to perioperative staff because of the unique individual needs and behaviors in this population. Most children with autism function best in predictable, routine environments, and being in the hospital and other health care settings can create a stressful situation. This prospective, descriptive, quality improvement project was conducted to optimize best practices for perioperative staff and better individualize the plan of care for the autistic child and his or her family.

Novice to expert: the evolution of an advanced practice evaluation tool.

Professional performance evaluation provides an opportunity to measure the practice of health providers within healthcare settings. Standardized evaluation can be challenging as a result of diverse practice arenas, multiple evaluators and standards of care. Using Benner's novice to expert model, a Performance Excellence and Accountability tool (PEAC Tool(©)) has been designed to measure advanced practice providers performance based upon facets of professional practice.