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Integration of Afghan Refugee Professionals Into American Society
Get PDFThis study explored the social and psychological challenges Afghan refugee professionals experienced when they entered the U.S. workforce after being forcibly displaced. Trauma, job loss, and cultural adjustment significantly impacted their mental health and reintegration. The study examined how social and psychological obstacles impacted their cultural adjustment, well-being, and capacity to deal with credentialing and professional demands. This research employed a qualitative phenomenological design, grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory and the Stress Appraisal Model, using 60-minute audio-only, semi-structured interviews with 10 Afghan refugee professionals. Using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA), according to the findings, participants faced challenges relating to language competency and credential recognition, widespread underemployment, emotional strain from trauma and acculturation, and loss of professional identity. Participants reported feeling alone and devalued, but they also showed resilience backed by cultural coping mechanisms, family, and the community. To better serve Afghan refugee professionals, these findings have implications for the need for formal credentialing processes and culturally sensitive mental health treatments. Strengthening community-based initiatives that improve the integration and well-being of Afghan refugees, reducing underemployment, and expanding fair workforce access can all lead to positive social change. Helping Afghan refugees with their professional reconstruction and psychological well-being improves their quality of life, promotes safer communities, and aids in the prevention of violence
Effective Strategies for Minimizing Employee Turnover to Enhance Profitability in Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises
Get PDFAbstract Employee turnover in micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) is a persistent business problem that can negatively impact financial performance. Business owners are concerned about employee turnover because it disrupts operations, weakens customer relationships, and reduces profitability. Grounded in social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies that business owners use to minimize employee turnover and enhance profitability. The participants were six business owners of MSMEs who successfully implemented practices that reduced employee turnover. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of organizational documents related to employee management and retention. Through thematic analysis, five key themes were identified: (a) employee support systems and incentives; (b) continuous learning and development; (c) feedback, communication, and participation; (d) organizational structure and role clarity; and (e) leadership and relationship-based retention. A key recommendation for business leaders is to integrate structured employee support programs and enhance leadership visibility to build trust, strengthen commitment, and reduce turnover. The implications for positive social change include the potential for MSME business owners to implement effective employee retention strategies that promote workforce stability, enhance employee well-being, and support the economic sustainability of local communities
Assessing the Impact of Substance Abuse on Occupational Injuries using Workers Compensation Claims in Ohio
Get PDFOccupational injuries remain prevalent across various industries, resulting in significant financial burdens for both organizations and employees through increased workers’ compensation claims. One potential contributing factor is substance use in the workplace, which has been linked to decreased productivity, impaired judgment, and workplace conflict. Despite these risks, the relationship between substance use and occupational injuries remains underexplored. As such, grounded in constructivism and interpretivism, this study investigated the extent to which substance use influences injury outcomes and whether its role is underestimated in workplace incident reporting by analyzing worker’s compensation claims in Ohio. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining a systematic qualitative review with quantitative analysis of 673 workers’ compensation claims spanning 26 years (1994 to 2019) in Ohio. Data were analyzed using comparative statistics and thematic analysis to identify patterns and themes related to substance abuse and workplace injuries. Results of the comparative analysis indicated that medical-only claim costs were significantly higher among claims involving substance use, while indemnity and total cost were lower in the sample than in the overall population. These findings suggest that substance use is associated with an increased prevalence of workplace injuries, while its impact may also be underreported or underestimated. Additionally, 86% of reviewed claims involved male workers, with 50% occurring among men aged 16–35 years. These results highlight the need for targeted interventions for high-risk groups, including younger male workers, and support the use of randomized substance testing and technological strategies to improve workplace safety
Leadership Strategies for Navigating the Integration of Physical and Behavioral Healthcare
Get PDFThe separation of physical and behavioral healthcare and a dominant medical model have left a void in practice and research, especially pertaining to the leadership strategies necessary to integrate the two forms of care in college campus healthcare clinics. This is especially important given the rise of mental health concerns on and off college campuses. Without integration, there are missed opportunities for care delivery, in general, and a missed opportunity for the provision of care to individuals who historically have not accessed physical and behavioral healthcare at equivalent rates as other populations. The subject of care integration is addressed in this qualitative study by reviewing the leadership strategies that may hinder integration, examining organizational barriers to integration, and exploring practices of integration found in the literature. The Baldrige Excellence Framework was used to evaluate the organizational efforts toward and the barriers to the integration of physical and behavioral healthcare in a midsized university health and wellness clinic in the southeastern United States. Data were collected from a semi-structured interview with a leader of the organization, the university website, organizational consultation reports, peer reviewed literature articles, and proprietary organizational materials. This process resulted in 10 recommendations designed to improve integrative care by addressing barriers that are common in the literature. By increasing integration, social change can be realized by creating access to care for students who previously have not been exposed to or sought out behavioral healthcare. This is especially true for those populations that have traditionally been underserved and are historically less likely to seek out behavioral healthcare
Reserve Officer Training Corps Officers’ Perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusionary Practices in Commissioning Minority Officers in the U.S. Military
Get PDFThe problem addressed in this study was the lack of research on Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) officers’ practices using diversity, equity, and inclusionary (DEI) in commissioning minority officers in the U.S. military. This deficiency of literature and research illustrates the necessity to explore ROTC officers\u27 perspectives of practices in this context. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore ROTC officers’ perspectives on DEI practices related to commissioning minority officers in the U.S. military. The conceptual framework was grounded in critical race theory and aversive racism theory. The research question was focused on ROTC officers\u27 perspectives on DEI practices in commissioning minority officers in the U.S. military. For this basic qualitative design, one-on-one semistructured interviews were conducted to collect data from 12 ROTC officers with 1 year of experience in commissioning minority officers. The participants were from universities that offer ROTC programs in the United States. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data from which five themes emerged: (a) understanding DEI practices, (b) justification and rationale for DEI practices, (c) training and education in DEI practices, (d) strategies and initiatives for DEI practices, and (e) challenges and successes of DEI practices. The data indicated that embracing DEI practices aligns military institutions with societal values while enhancing military cohesion and effectiveness. Findings may be used by military administrators who employ ROTC officers to develop strategies and improve efforts to recruit, retain, and promote minority officers, aligning with broader DEI goals in the U.S. military benefitting ROTC students
Kindergarten Through Sixth Grade Teachers’ Experiences of Conflict Resolution Instruction in Social and Emotional Learning Curricula
Get PDFEducators have agreed that an education should include the development of social-emotional competencies and conflict resolution (CR) skills. However, only some social-emotional learning (SEL) programs are designed to promote mastery of CR skills. The problem this study addressed was the increase in behavioral incidents in public Colorado elementary schools despite incorporation by kindergarten to sixth (K–6) grade teachers of SEL instruction to prevent student conflict. The purpose of this study was to explore Grade K–6 teachers\u27 successes, challenges, and suggestions for improvements to incorporate CR instruction into SEL curricula at public Colorado elementary schools. Bandura\u27s social learning theory and the collaborative for academic, social, and emotional learning served as the study’s frameworks. Two research questions addressed K–6 teachers’ successes and challenges incorporating CR instruction and their suggestions for improved implementation of CR instruction into SEL curricula at Colorado elementary schools. In this basic qualitative study, semistructured individual interviews were conducted with 10 K–6 teachers with 2 or more years of experience implementing SEL curricula. Data were inductively analyzed, resulting in four themes. Aligned with the first research question, two themes described implementation obstacles, namely ineffective curriculum and a lack of partnership with the home environments. Aligned with the second research question, two themes identified teachers’ desire for targeted training and the support of expertly trained personnel. This study’s findings drive positive social change in both classroom and community through supporting more effective implementation of SEL curricula, specifically CR instruction, in the elementary classroom
Forging Sustainable Retention Strategies for Medical-Surgical Registered Nurses in Rural Texas Hospitals
Get PDFBackground: Health care delivery in rural medical-surgical units is significantly hindered by nurse shortages, particularly in underserved areas. While various approaches to retention have been studied, there remains a lack of focus on sustainable strategies explicitly tailored for rural settings. Purpose: In this integrative review, guided by the situational leadership theory (SLT) framework, sustainable nurse retention strategies for rural medical-surgical units were investigated. The SLT emphasizes four leadership components, supporting, delegating, directing, and coaching, which were the foundation for categorizing themes and subthemes in this analysis. Method: A review of peer-reviewed literature published between 2019 and 2024 was conducted while applying the Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice model, which has been used for quality appraisal and thematic analysis of synthesized findings across qualitative and quantitative studies, as a guide. Results: From thematic analysis, seven critical themes influencing nurse retention emerged: workplace well-being and engagement, work-life balance, leadership and organizational support, vacancy management, professional growth and career development, job embeddedness, and workplace environment. Conclusions: Findings demonstrate that the SLT provides a sustainable framework for improving nurse retention. By fostering leadership support, adequate staffing, mentorship, and flexible scheduling, the retention strategies identified in this review can replicate the success of Magnet-designated hospitals, reduce turnover costs, and improve patient care quality. These findings offer actionable insights for rural health care administrators striving to create resilient and thriving health care systems for underserved communitie
The Impact of AI Adoption in Protecting Patient’s Information in the Healthcare Industry
Get PDFData breaches are a critical concern in healthcare settings. Protecting patient information is a major priority for healthcare providers, information technology (IT) security teams, policymakers, and patients in the United States (U.S.) healthcare system. Failure to address this issue may lead to legal penalties, financial losses, and diminished patient trust. Grounded in technology threat avoidance theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore the strategies healthcare IT security managers employ to protect patient information when adopting artificial intelligence (AI). The participants were six IT security managers and employees who successfully implemented strategies to protect patient information when adopting AI in the U.S. healthcare system. Data was collected through semistructured interviews and document reviews. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: risks of data protection violations, safe practices and controls, persistent challenges, and actionable recommendations for implementing robust data protection strategies. Key recommendations are for healthcare IT security managers to incorporate multiple data protection strategies, enhance current privacy and security policies, enforce obligatory user training, and ensure leadership commitment to the overall protection portfolio. The implications for positive social change include the potential to improve IT security managers\u27 understanding of safeguarding patient data and to foster greater confidence among healthcare workers, patients, and families by ensuring compliance with privacy and security guidelines
Relating Average Teacher Salary, Student-Teacher Ratios, and Percent of Title I Schools to Teacher Retention Rates in Georgia School Districts
Get PDFThe problem that was addressed through this study was high teacher turnover in Georgia school districts. Guided by the job demands-resources theory, the purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to investigate average teacher salary, student-teacher ratios, and the percentage of Title I schools in terms of teacher retention rates in Georgia school districts. Archival data were collected from 180 public school districts in Georgia and obtained from the Georgia Department of Education and the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. Multiple regression and Chi-square analyses were used to examine the relationships among variables. Chi-square analysis was used due to concerns about the normality of the variables, based on their skewness and kurtosis values. Both the multiple regression and Chi-square analysis results revealed that average teacher salary was the only statistically significant predictor of teacher retention (p \u3c .001), whereas student-teacher ratio and the percentage of Title I schools were not significant. These findings underscore the critical role of competitive teacher salaries in retention, suggesting that investment in teacher compensation should be a priority for policymakers, educational leaders, and school administrators. Improving teacher retention has the potential to generate social change by enhancing student academic outcomes, fostering educational equity in underserved communities, and strengthening school climates
Non-Fatal Overdose Among Florida Opioid Users: A Quantitative Analysis of Anxiety, Depression, and Insurance Providers
Get PDFNonfatal overdose (NFOD) is a critical yet often overlooked aspect of the opioid crisis, significantly contributing to the public health burden of opioid use disorder (OUD). The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between depression severity, anxiety severity, and health insurance type with repeated nonfatal opioid overdoses among individuals with Opioid use Disorder (OUD) in Florida. This study was guided by the biopsychosocial model, which highlights the interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors in health outcomes. A total of 90 anonymous surveys were collected from participants who met the requirements. A multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess predictors of NFOD frequency. The regression model was statistically significant, F(5,89) = 15.112, p \u3c .001, with an R2 value of .474, indicating that 47.4% of the variance in NFODs was explained by the predictor variables: GAD-7 Score, PHQ-9 Score, and health insurance. The findings revealed that health insurance status was a significant predictor of NFODs, while the severity of depression and anxiety did not show a significant relationship. Post hoc analysis, indicated that Medicaid recipients had significantly higher rates of NFODs compared to individuals with all other types of health insurance, suggesting that Medicaid funding and coverage limitations may impact NFOD risk. This study underscores the importance of positive social change by advocating for healthcare policies that improve access to comprehensive, integrated treatment for individuals with OUD, ultimately reducing overdose risk and enhancing public health outcomes