Concurrent enrollment pathway: A model for ADN-BSN programs.

Introduction: The purpose of this article is to share the collaborative planning and execution of these two public universities and one community college in developing an innovative program to increase BSN-prepared nurses. The aim of the collaboration is to offer a high quality, affordable, and time-saving pre-licensure, concurrent enrollment program (CEP) which allows community college ADN students direct access to BSN study, while maintaining excellent program outcomes, and increasing diverse baccalaureate-prepared nurses in practice.

Methods: Key stakeholders in two public educational systems met to discuss the development of a regional collaboration between two state universities and one local community college.

Grit Levels of Graduate Nursing Students: Why Grit Is Needed in Nursing.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created a need for nurses who are perseverant and passionate, the definition of grit. This study examined grit levels in Master in Nursing (MSN) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students.

Method: MSN and DNP students were surveyed using the Grit-S scale, which is composed of two parts: Grit-CI (consistency of interest) and Grit-PE (perseverance of effort).

Building coalitions: A statewide nursing organization's role in changing nursing education regulation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The California Association of Colleges of Nursing (CACN), representing California's baccalaureate and higher degree nursing education programs, has raised concerns for over two-years about the number, relevance, and legitimacy of nursing education regulations. Formal CACN letters to state regulators did not affect change. While California nursing education regulations require 75% direct patient contact for all clinical courses, meeting this requirement became impossible as clinical agencies closed to nursing students during the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Use of Licensed Vocational Nurses in California Schools: A Descriptive Study.

The demand for schools to provide complex health-care services for students with chronic conditions has induced districts to hire licensed vocational nurses (LVNs). Questions remain about how overlapping responsibilities and skills of nursing staff works to facilitate care. The purpose of this mixed-methods descriptive study was to examine the use of LVNs to identify factors related to the supports and impediments to school nurse (SN) practice.

Addressing Illness-Related Chronic Absences.

School attendance is a predictor of academic achievement. Chronic absenteeism, defined as missing 10% or more school days affects 14% of all students nationwide. District attendance processes, policies, and data were analyzed in a demographically diverse southern California high school.

Depression Screening in the School Setting: Identification of the Depressed Adolescent.

Adolescent depression is a silent epidemic in this country. Untreated depression has detrimental effects on physical health, psychosocial well-being, and academic productivity. It is important for school nurses to be able to recognize depression and refer students promptly for treatment.

Does Moral Distress Differ Between California Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists in Independent Versus Medically Supervised Practice: An Exploratory Study.

The purpose of this exploratory, descriptive study was to determine if moral distress levels differed between certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) working in medically supervised versus independent practice in California. A 63-question survey was administered to 1,190 California CRNAs. Moral distress was measured by the included Ethics Stress Scale.

Sailing the "Seven C's" of Leadership.

Nurses are increasingly being called upon to lead changes within health care. How do nurses and, in particular, school nurses become leaders? School nurses lead daily in their work but often do not recognize themselves as leaders. The "Five C's of Leadership"-character, commitment, connectedness, compassion, and confidence-identified by Kowalski and Yoder-Wise are foundational to the development of leadership and are particularly relevant to school nurses and their role.

School nurses and care coordination for children with complex needs: an integrative review.

Health care for students with chronic needs can be complex and specialized, resulting in fragmentation, duplication, and inefficiencies. Students who miss school due to chronic conditions lose valuable educational exposure that contributes to academic success. As health-related disabilities increase in prevalence so does the need for the coordination of care within the school and between the school and service providing agencies.

Assessing health literacy in renal failure and kidney transplant patients.

Context: A report released in 2004 by the Institute of Medicine estimated that as many as 90 million Americans do not have the necessary skills required to manage complex treatment regimens or navigate through current health care systems successfully.

Objectives: To identify the level of health literacy in patients seen at a suburban transplant center by using the Newest Vital Sign tool to assess health literacy.

Design And Setting: This descriptive study used survey methods.

School asthma screening and case management: attendance and learning outcomes.

Asthma is related to school absenteeism and underperformance in elementary students. This pilot study assessed whether school nurse case management (CM) in children identified with asthma impacts academic performance and school absenteeism in one school. A validated questionnaire was used to identify children at risk for asthma and CM was provided to link these students to medical care and assure asthma action plans at school.

Asian motivators for health promotion.

Change in health behaviors requires motivation on the part of the individual. The aim of this article is to compare elements of the motivation process across cultures. A secondary aim is to determine whether a Western model of behavior change for health promotion, such as the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, can be applied to Asian populations.

Elementary school nurse interventions: attendance and health outcomes.

Regular school attendance is a necessary part of the learning process; student absenteeism has a direct association with poor academic performance. School nurses can influence student attendance. This study describes the impact of school nurse interventions on student absenteeism and student health.

Effect of a brief antiretroviral adherence intervention delivered by HIV care providers.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is effective in controlling viral load in many people infected with HIV, but high levels of adherence to ART are needed for prolonged viral suppression. This study evaluated a brief adherence intervention delivered to HIV-positive patients by primary care providers during routine medical examinations. Six clinics were randomly allocated to deliver an intervention focusing on ART adherence (2 clinics) or safer sex (4 clinics).

Prevalence of and associated risk factors for fluoroquinolone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae in California, 2000-2003.

Background: Rates of fluoroquinolone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae (QRNG) are increasing worldwide and in California.

Methods: As a supplement to established surveillance, the investigation of QRNG in California included expanded surveillance in southern California, with in-depth interviews of patients (who had QRNG during the period of January 2001-June 2002) and a cross-sectional study of patients at 4 sexually transmitted diseases clinics with gonococcal isolates that underwent susceptibility testing (for the period of July 2001-June 2002).

Results: The rate of QRNG increased from <1% in 1999 to 20.

Use of and adherence to antiretroviral therapy is associated with decreased sexual risk behavior in HIV clinic patients.

Previous research suggested that the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART) was associated with increased risky sexual behavior. This study examined the relationship between unprotected anal or vaginal sex (UAV) and ART use and adherence in a cross-sectional survey conducted in 874 randomly selected, sexually active patients at 6 public HIV clinics in California. Patients completed a standardized interview in 1998-1999 regarding HIV history, sexual behavior, illicit drug use, and ART use and adherence.

Using patient risk indicators to plan prevention strategies in the clinical care setting.

Objective: Successful behavioral interventions to promote safe sex must be tailored to the sexual behaviors and relationships of individual patients. The aim of this study is to examine the distribution of unprotected anal and vaginal sex (UAV) and nondisclosure (ND) among categories of HIV-positive men and women based on relationship factors. These factors can be easily assessed and used as a basis for tailoring safer sex counseling in the clinic setting.

Effect of brief safer-sex counseling by medical providers to HIV-1 seropositive patients: a multi-clinic assessment.

Objective: To test the efficacy of brief, safer-sex counseling by medical providers of HIV-positive patients during medical visits.

Setting: Six HIV clinics in California.

Design: Clinics were randomized to intervention arms evaluated with cohorts of randomly selected patients measured before and after the intervention.

Are HIV care providers talking with patients about safer sex and disclosure?: A multi-clinic assessment.

Objectives: To examine HIV-positive patients' reports of whether HIV care providers ever talked with them about practicing safer sex and disclosing seropositive status to sex partners.

Design: Cross-sectional survey (1998-1999) of HIV-positive men and women sampled randomly at six public HIV clinics in California.

Methods: Participants were interviewed and asked whether applicable clinic providers (physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, nurse, social worker, health educator, psychologist, psychiatrist) ever talked with them about safer sex or disclosure.