Minnesota Alliance for Nursing Education (MANE): A Unique Multi-institutional Approach to Preparing Nurses for the Future.

Aim: The purpose of this article is to inform nurse educators of an innovative and transformative approach to advancing nursing education through the creation of the Minnesota Alliance for Nursing Education (MANE).

Background: MANE was formed to answer national appeals to transform nursing education and demands by health care organizations for a more highly educated nursing workforce.

Method: An action plan was developed with the Minnesota Action Coalition to create a dual admission community college and university eight-semester baccalaureate curriculum that students could complete seamlessly in four years.

Autism litigation: outcomes for 2010, trends in decision making and changes in diagnostic criteria.

The diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder has systematically risen since Kanner's description in 1943 and Asperger's definition in 1944. An increase in numbers has met with an increase in litigation regarding autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA). Outcomes that first favored parents (2002-2004) have moved to outcomes favoring school districts.

Staying connected: Native American women faculty members on experiencing success.

Purpose: To document how medical school faculty who are Native American women describe their sense of personal and professional success, so that mentoring can be better informed and diversity increased.

Method: This qualitative study was designed using snowball sampling methodology. Open-ended questions were developed with the authors' expertise and asked of five Native American women physician faculty participants until saturation was achieved.

Sense of belonging as connectedness, American Indian worldview, and mental health.

The concept of sense of belonging as connectedness is an abstract dimension of relatedness. Gaining an understanding of this concept within a cultural worldview has the potential to positively impact the mental health of ethnic minority populations. Sense of belonging as connectedness portrays the dynamic nature of human existence.

Providing Culturally Appropriate Education on Type 2 Diabetes to Rural American Indians: Emotions and Racial Consciousness.

Healthy and balanced emotions are an important aspect of well-being. Today, diabetes has a high prevalence in American Indian communities. Four Talking Circle facilitators were interviewed in a phenomenological research study to describe their experience of facilitating Talking Circles during a diabetes research intervention, Diabetes Wellness: American Indian Talking Circles.