Using complex adaptive systems theory to guide the transition to DNP nurse anesthesia education.

The opportunities and challenges when transitioning from a master's to DNP in nurse anesthesia education are complemented by using a complex adaptive system (CAS) theory to guide the curricula modifications. Major functional changes included reorganizing the curriculum to incorporate AACN DNP Essentials, COA competencies and integrating the scholarly work of a DNP improvement project. These changes were infused while balancing the intensive clinical requirements of a nurse anesthesia curriculum.

Using the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model: implications for practice.

Background: Schools, school districts, and communities seeking to implement the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model should carefully and deliberately select planning, implementation, and evaluation strategies.

Methods: In this article, we identify strategies, steps, and resources within each phase that can be integrated into existing processes that help improve health outcomes and academic achievement. Implementation practices may vary across districts depending upon available resources and time commitments.

Pedometer-determined step-count guidelines for afterschool programs.

Background: Policies to require afterschool programs (ASPs, 3 PM to 6 PM) to provide children a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) exist. With few low-cost, easy-to-use measures of MVPA available to the general public, ASP providers are limited in their ability to track progress toward achieving this policy-goal. Pedometers may fill this gap, yet there are no step-count guidelines for ASPs linked to 30 minutes of MVPA.

Peripheral arterial tone: assessment of microcirculatory function in pregnancy.

Objective: Endothelial dysfunction is known to play a key role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, but the majority of methods for its detection are too invasive to be used in pregnancy. In this study we report a novel method - peripheral arterial tonometry (PAT) - for examining microcirculatory function in pregnancy.

Methods: One hundred and eighty women with at least two risk factors for preeclampsia were examined at gestational weeks 16 and 28; 80 women were examined at 6-9 months postnatally.

Convergent validity of pedometer and accelerometer estimates of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of youth.

Background: Pedometer step-frequency thresholds (120 steps·min-1, SPM) corresponding to moderate-to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) have been proposed for youth. Pedometers now have internal mechanisms to record time spent at or above a user-specified SPM. If pedometers provide comparable MVPA (P-MVPA) estimates to those from accelerometry, this would have broad application for research and the general public.

Convergent Validity of Pedometer and Accelerometer Estimates of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity of Youth.

Background: Pedometer step-frequency thresholds (120 steps·min, SPM) corresponding to moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) have been proposed for youth. Pedometers now have internal mechanisms to record time spent at or above a user-specified SPM. If pedometers provide comparable MVPA (P-MVPA) estimates to those from accelerometry, this would have broad application for research and the general public.

Adherence to accelerometer protocols among women from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Background: Objective measurement of physical activity with accelerometers is a challenging task in community-based intervention research. Challenges include distribution of and orientation to monitors, nonwear, incorrect placement, and loss of equipment. Data collection among participants from disadvantaged populations may be further hindered by factors such as transportation challenges, competing responsibilities, and cultural considerations.

Promoting recruitment of minority ethnic groups into research: qualitative study exploring the views of South Asian people with asthma.

Background: We sought to understand the barriers and facilitators to participation in research from the perspectives of South Asian people with asthma.

Methods: Eight focus groups were conducted in the preferred language of participants. Sampling was purposeful to ensure inclusion of males and females from differing ethnic, linguistic and religious backgrounds.

Evaluation of policies to promote physical activity in afterschool programs: are we meeting current benchmarks?

Background: Policies now recommend afterschool programs (ASP, 3-6 pm) provide children a minimum amount of physical activity daily. We examined the extent to which children attending ASPs meet existing national and state-level policies that specify expected levels of physical activity (PA).

Methods: Accelerometer-derived physical activity (light and moderate-to-vigorous, MVPA) of 253 children (5-13 years) was compared to policies that recommend varying amounts of PA children should achieve during an ASP.