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The Reality of Restorative: The Impact on Discipline Disparities in a Large Urban School District
Full text linkDisparities in exclusionary discipline rates persist for African American students, who often receive harsher punishments than their White peers, especially for subjective offenses. Implicit bias contributes to perceptions of African American children as older, less innocent, and more deserving of severe discipline (Gilliam et al., 2016; Lewis & Diamond, 2015; Welsh & Little, 2018). Excessive discipline correlates with negative long-term outcomes, including higher dropout rates and incarceration (Skiba et al., 2014). This study evaluates the impact of restorative justice in reducing these disparities in a large urban district. While general linear modeling indicated significant suspension rate changes for grades 9-12 students, no overall reduction in suspensions for African American students was observed
Wait, We May Need That: Saving Thousands of Born-Digital Documents from Imminent Deletion
Full text linkAt East Tennessee State University (ETSU), a common misconception existed that storing university documents (e.g., minutes, reports, newsletters) on the website was equivalent to archiving them. This perception began to shift after ETSU’s Office of University Marketing and Communications (UMC) announced in December 2023 that documents dated five years or older would be deleted from the university’s website starting July 2024. Around the same time, the US Department of Justice’s (DOJ) had its final rule on Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in April 2024 mentioning requirements for accessibility on web content. Recognizing that many of these documents pending deletion were of enduring value to the University, Digital Scholarship Services (DSS) within the Charles C. Sherrod Library seized this opportunity to promote the use of the institutional repository, Digital Commons@ETSU (DC@ETSU). Because the institution lacks a dedicated university archivist, DSS worked together with library administration, UMC, and the Archives of Appalachia (ETSU’s cultural archive) to gain an official recommendation that DC@ETSU be the designated repository for older documents that, while they might not meet modern accessibility standards, still require public accessibility. DSS worked tirelessly to appraise any at-risk documents, scouring dozens of departmental and unit webpages for anything of enduring value. Once the bulk of what was at risk was secured before the July deadline, they began advocating to various stakeholders across campus about the upcoming purge and their plan to ingest as much as possible within the IR. For many, this email was the first time they had been notified of UMC’s policy change, highlighting the importance of DSS’ outreach and archival plan. The advocacy and work of Digital Scholarship Services resulted in over 1,500 documents uploaded into the institutional repository in approximately 40 new collections, inclusion in university-wide communications and policies, and partnerships across campus. However, undertaking such a project in the absence of a university archivist exposed many of the challenges in archiving born-digital university documents, as well as the difficulties in maintaining long-term momentum to continue their preservation. Join us to hear more about the successes and learned lessons of this project as well as discover workflows and communication strategies to apply at your own institution
Implementing a Pressure Injury Prevention Bundle on a Medical Surgical Unit: A Quality Improvement Project
Full text linkHospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) continue to be one of the biggest challenges healthcare facilities face which has required increased attention on prevention. The national cost of treating HAPIs ranges from approximately 22 billion annually and as a result, hospitals have faced a tremendous financial burden, which has led hospitals to strengthen reduction strategies (Padula & Delarmente, 2019). The aim of this evidence-based project was to increase nurses’ knowledge about HAPI prevention bundles and increase the compliance with a HAPI prevention bundle implemented within 8 hours of admission or transfer to the unit. The preventative HAPI bundle consists of a two-person initial skin assessment, implementation of redistributing specialty mattresses, application of prophylactic sacral foam dressing, WOCN, and nutrition consult implemented within 8 hours of admission or transfer to the unit. The project was guided by Kurt Lewin’s Change Theory, the intervention was evaluated by pre- and post-surveys and real-time audits. Post-implementation data showed a 17% increase in nurse and healthcare knowledge and a significant improvement in bundle compliance, with two-person skin assessment compliance rising from 36% to 100%. Despite the challenges in the application of sacral foam dressing and consult delays, no HAPIs were acquired during the implementation period. These findings affirm that targeted education and timely implementation of evidence-prevention bundles can enhance patient outcomes
Stress to Success: The Impact of Aromatherapy on Nursing Students with Test Anxiety
Full text linkTest anxiety has been identified as a significant problem in pre-licensure nursing students. This project aims to investigate how aromatherapy can alleviate the stress and anxiety associated with lower test scores and the emotional and psychological impacts it has on students\u27 overall well-being. A literature review supported that students who experience test anxiety characteristically scored lower on high-stakes nursing exams than students who did not experience the same stress. The potential results of this project are multifaceted and include improved test scores, enhanced students’ psychological well-being, and completion of their nursing degree
Pursue and Persist: A Mixed Methods Inquiry of Female Leaders\u27 Experiences as High School Principals and Superintendents
Full text linkThis mixed methods study explored the experiences of female district superintendents and high school principals working in North Carolina and investigated the internal and external factors that contributed to their resilience and motivation to pursue and persist in top educational leadership positions. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to explore how these women described their leadership experiences and the key factors that sustained their resilience in these demanding positions. By examining the challenges and motivators that influenced their journeys, the study will add to existing research and literature regarding female leadership. Findings from the study revealed that female leaders described their leadership as meaningful work shaped by their experiences of growth, workplace environments, and a commitment to overcome challenges. Despite barriers, their resilience was sustained through purposeful work, supportive relationships, and collaborative work environments. Implications highlighted the need for structured mentorships, improved working conditions, and targeted support to strengthen leadership retention
The Impact of High-Stakes Summative Reading Outcome Measures on Student Self-Efficacy
No full textThe purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the influence of high-stakes reading tests on student self-efficacy, or confidence, as readers. The study focused on sixth-grade students who had taken the reading end-of-grade (EOG) test in Grades 3, 4, and 5. I analyzed their third-grade reading EOG scores to determine if that score was predictive of the fourth-grade reading EOG score and repeated the same analysis to see if fourth-grade reading EOG scores were predictive of fifth-grade scores. Then, those sixth-grade students\u27 reading self-efficacies, as measured by the Butz and Usher (2015) Self-Efficacy Survey, were compared to their reading EOG score historical results to learn if a relationship existed between reported self-efficacy and EOG score. Additionally, interviews were conducted with teachers and parents/guardians about the factors they perceived as impacting student reading self-efficacy most. The analysis identified themes that highlighted how students connect their test scores and experiences to their reading self-efficacy. Results of the study show that students use testing performance to develop their identity as readers and internalize the positive and negative messages they attach to a score result, which in turn impacts their motivation, leading to such predictability in scores year after year. By providing a closer look at the relationship between test scores and self-efficacy in the elementary grades, this dissertation contributes insights into how self-efficacy develops around academic subjects in the school setting
Do Oral Contraceptives Increase Breast Cancer Risk in Adult Women?
Full text linkIntroduction: Breast cancer ranks as the most frequently diagnosed cancer globally. These numbers are on the rise annually, possibly influenced by changes in shifts in women’s lifestyles including sedentary lifestyle, obesity, consumption of alcohol, and oral contraceptive use. This paper aims to assess whether the use of oral contraceptives elevates the risk of breast cancer in adult women.
Methods: A search via PubMed using the key terms “contraceptives, oral” AND “breast neoplasms” resulted in 1,398 articles. After applying operators and filters for the last five years (January 2019 through June 2024), the results were narrowed down to five high-quality studies, which were selected for review and reference.
Results: One study evaluated the impact of using oral contraceptives at a young age, before having a full-term pregnancy, while another explored the effects of BRCA gene mutations. Additionally, two studies investigated the influence of the duration of oral contraceptive use, and another compared the effects of progesterone-only contraceptives with combined hormonal options. Although all studies utilized a 95% confidence interval (CI) for statistical analysis.
Discussion: The data did not show a general increased risk of breast cancer for all women using oral contraceptives. However, studies focusing on specific subgroups of women have revealed a higher risk of breast cancer in those using oral contraceptives compared to those who do not. Further research is needed to fully understand how oral contraceptive use affects breast cancer risk in these specific populations
Prophylactic Aspirin for the Prevention of Pre-Eclampsia in High-Risk Pregnant Women
Full text linkIntroduction: Pre-eclampsia is a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. The purpose of this clinical review is to analyze the efficacy of aspirin vs placebo in the prevention of pre- eclampsia in high-risk pregnant women.
Methods: PubMed, COCHRANE, and JAMA Network were searched with terms “pre- eclampsia” AND “prevention” AND “aspirin. Operators and filters were added to find RCTs, reviews, and meta-analyses within the last five years. One article was found using article reference searching. Four articles were chosen for review.
Results: One article was a randomized controlled trial comparing low dose aspirin against placebo in women identified as high risk for developing pre-term pre-eclampsia. The other three articles were systematic reviews and meta-analyses reviewing the evidence produced by large trials that compared the efficacy of aspirin vs placebo in the prevention of subgroups of pre- eclampsia. The subgroups were term vs pre-term pre-eclampsia and mild vs severe pre- eclampsia.
Conclusion: The articles reviewed produced mixed results. The administration of low dose aspirin(50-150mg) in high-risk women to prevent pre-eclampsia appears safe. The official recommendation of low dose aspirin administration for women at high risk of developing pre- eclampsia whether term or pre-term, remains in effect
Lateral vs. Medial Parapatellar Approach Efficacy in Total Knee Arthroplasty
Full text linkIntroduction: Total knee arthroplasties are the mainstay of treatment in patients with osteoarthritis and can be completed in a lateral parapatellar surgical approach or a medial parapatellar surgical approach. The purpose of this review is to compare if the lateral parapatellar approach has superior clinical outcomes to the medial parapatellar approach.
Methods: PubMed was searched using MeSH terms and Boolean operators “lateral” AND “medial” AND “knee replacement” AND “outcomes”. Filters were applied to narrow the results to four articles directly related to the comparison of clinical outcomes. Four articles were selected for clinical review.
Results: In all articles reviewed it was concluded that there was not a statistically significant difference between the lateral or medial surgical approach to a total knee arthroplasty. One metanalysis found that the lateral parapatellar surgical approach had a higher survivability rate in short term follow up compared to the medial parapatellar surgical approach. Two articles found that the postoperative knee society score was higher in patients who underwent the lateral parapatellar surgical approach.
Discussion: The articles reviewed provided evidence that both surgical approaches had positive clinical outcomes when directly compared. Comparable functional outcomes are shown throughout the reviewed articles for both surgical approaches. 3 Lateral vs. medial parapatellar approach efficacy in total knee arthroplast
Steroid Injections Versus Hyaluronic Acid in Knee Osteoarthritis
Full text linkIntroduction: Osteoarthritis is a degenerative disorder that affects more than 300 million individuals. Individuals with osteoarthritis have limitations in function and quality of life due to knee pain, swelling, difficulty walking, tightness, and neurologic symptoms. There have been increasing efforts to treat the condition, including corticosteroids, hyaluronic acid, PRP, and other injectables. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness of corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis
Methods: A search via PubMed database was completed using the keywords “knee osteoarthritis” AND “hyaluronic acid” AND “intra-articular” with an additional search completed using “knee osteoarthritis” AND “hyaluronic acid” AND “steroids.” These searches contained 125 studies. Out of those, 26 were reviewed, and 4 meta-analysis and 1 randomized control trial (RCT) were examined. These articles examined various injectables used for treatment, including more than just the focus of this review.
Results: Studies reviewed used a 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and predetermined significant P-values of P
Discussion: Results of the data favored the use of hyaluronic acid over corticosteroids in the treatment of osteoarthritis, although other injectables were superior to hyaluronic acid. Further research is required to determine the most effective injectable medication option for patients