Rural School Nurses Face Challenges in Colorado: A Qualitative Study.

Rural school nurses are on the front lines of providing health care for children and families in rural Colorado, but there is little research from their perspective. To fill this gap, a descriptive phenomenological study examined the experiences of nine rural school nurses through in-person audiotaped interviews. Analysis of data revealed three main themes: (1) rural school nurses' efforts to meet students' extensive physical and mental health issues, (2) school nurses struggle to help rural students in extreme poverty, and (3) communication challenges experienced by rural school nurses.

Nursing Students' Perceptions of a Hearing Voices Simulation and Role-Play: Preparation for Mental Health Clinical Practice.

Background: Baccalaureate nursing students experience anxiety before working with patients with mental illness who hear voices. A hearing voices simulation and role-play was proposed as an approach to preparing students for clinical practice.

Method: A qualitative interpretive phenomenological method was used to determine students' perceptions of the simulation experience before their first mental health clinical rotation.

Hypertensive Black Men's Perceptions of a Nurse Protocol for Medication Self-Administration.

A factor contributing to uncontrolled hypertension in older persons is medication nonadherence. Older Black men in a rural cardiology clinic were not taking blood pressure medication as prescribed resulting in uncontrolled hypertension. A nurse protocol to assist with self-administration of hypertensive medication was proposed to address the problem.

Mobile microbiological laboratory support for evaluation of a meningitis epidemic in Northern Benin.

Background: Fixed laboratory capacity in Africa may be inadequate; mobile microbiological laboratories may address this issue but their utility has seldom been evaluated.

Methods: During 2012, the Benin Ministry of Health requested mobile microbiological laboratory (LaboMobil®) support following the failure of polysaccharide meningococcal A+C vaccine to prevent an epidemic in five Northern districts. Within four days, the intervention was initiated.

The Supporting Independent Immunization and Vaccine Advisory Committees (SIVAC) initiative: a country-driven, multi-partner program to support evidence-based decision making.

Multiple health priorities, limited human resources and logistical capacities, as well as expensive vaccines with limited funds available increase the need for evidence-based decision making in immunization programs. The aim of the Supporting Independent Immunization and Vaccine Advisory Committees (SIVAC) Initiative is to support countries in the establishment or strengthening of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs) that provide recommendations on immunization policies and programs (e.g.