S.O.S. (STUDENTS' OPTIMAL SUCCESS): A MODEL FOR INSTITUTIONAL ACTION TO SUPPORT MINORITY NURSING STUDENTS.

Background: Success of minority students in higher education is an issue of great relevance today, as the changing United States demographic necessitates that programs in higher education afford success across cultural groups.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine thematic concepts of academic success as perceived by current nursing students in 2 entry-level nursing programs, and to propose a theoretical model to maximize the success of minority students.

Method: Data were collected from 31 students enrolled in two registered nursing (RN) programs (baccalaureate and associate) at separate urban academic institutions in the Midwestern region of the United States.

MINORITY UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENT SUCCESS.

Background: Minority providers are more likely to practice in underserved areas with minority populations. Currently the representation of minorities in healthcare professions is less than that of the United States population. More research is needed to examine specific variables associated with educational success of minority students.

Implementation of a nursing home quality improvement project to reduce resident pain: a qualitative case study.

This article describes the experiences of staff members working within nursing homes that successfully implemented a quality improvement project aimed at reducing resident pain. Interviews were conducted with 24 nursing home employees from within 8 facilities participating in the quality improvement project. Findings were organized using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research.

Pain, opioids, and confusion after arthroplasty in older adults.

Background: Postoperative confusion is a common complication in older adults, particularly after total joint replacement (arthroplasty). Confusion after surgery can result in slower mobility progression, longer hospital stay, and increased patient distress. Postoperative pain has been shown to be a risk factor related to confusion; however, there is limited evidence regarding pain level, medication use, and confusion development in postoperative arthroplasty patients.

Amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity: case study with syndrome analysis.

Amiodarone is often prescribed for the control of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. While generally effective, the potential for a variety of side effects is substantial. Pulmonary toxicity, leading to acute or chronic respiratory failure, manifests with cough, dyspnea, infiltrates on chest radiograph, and a potential for progression to death.

Impact of missing data on analysis of postoperative cognitive decline (POCD).

Background: There are a variety of techniques to handle missing data, such as removing observations with missing data from the analyses or estimating the missing values using various imputation algorithms. Dropping subjects from standard regression models and analyzing only completers, however, may bias results from the true value of reality. Likewise, 'last-observation-carried-forward' may not be an appropriate technique for studies measuring a particular variable over time.

Twelve-month fall outcomes among delirium subtypes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine falls as an outcome measure at 12 months for two-group comparison (delirium cases and noncases) and five-group comparison (noncases, hypoactive, hyperactive, mixed delirium cases, and subsyndromal delirium cases).

Design: Three hundred and twenty patients enrolled in the Delirium in Rural Long-Term Care Facilities Study, which examined subjects for delirium during a 28-day surveillance period, were followed longitudinally for fall events for 12 months. Fall events were recorded and data analyzed using date of "first fall" as the referent for statistical analysis.

Saitohin and APOE polymorphisms influence cognition and function in persons with advanced Alzheimer Disease.

Background/aims: Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized by variability in the onset and progression of cognitive, functional and behavioral symptoms. The purpose of this study was to identify genetic correlates of symptom variability in persons with moderate-to-advanced AD.

Methods: Repeated measures of cognition, function and behavior were collected from institutionalized persons with AD over 12 months.

Twelve-month mortality among delirium subtypes.

This study used data from the Delirium Among the Elderly in Rural Long-Term Care Facilities Study and data from the National Death Index (NDI) to examine mortality among 320 individuals. Individuals were grouped into noncases, subsyndromal cases, hypoactive delirium, hyperactive delirium, and mixed delirium on the basis of scoring using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), NEECHAM Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Clinical Assessment of Confusion-A (CAC-A), and Vigilance A instruments. Risk ratios of mortality using "days of survival" did not reach statistical significance (α = .

Factors associated with recovery from early postoperative delirium.

Delirium occurs in 14% to 56% of postoperative, hospitalized elderly persons, making it one of the most common postoperative complications for the older patient. The aim of this study was to determine factors associated with recovery of delirium from postoperative day one (POD 1) to postoperative day two (POD 2). The hypothesis was that those with less pain are more likely to recover from delirium by POD 2.

Bioelectrical impedance analysis and other hydration parameters as risk factors for delirium in rural nursing home residents.

Background: The study investigators conducted a vigorous screening protocol for delirium in rural long-term care (LTC) facilities for a period of 28 days focusing on Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) and other hydration parameters as risk factors.

Methods: A two-stage cluster sampling procedure was used to randomly select participants (n = 313) from 13 LTC facilities located in southeastern Iowa, stratified on facility bed size. BIA was used to estimate intracellular water (ICW), extracellular water (ECW), and total body water (TBW) on four occasions--baseline and follow-up days 7, 14, and 28.