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Efficacy of Probiotics in Decreasing Rates of Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Sepsis in Preterm Neonates
Get PDFBackground: The incidence of preterm infants developing serious infections is a common finding in many neonatal intensive care units. Probiotics have been a supplement that has been used by numerous people to improve the microbiota of the intestine for prevention of infection.
Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to explore the efficacy of using probiotics in preterm infants for prevention of serious infections such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and sepsis.
Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using Lindell Library, Pub Med, Science Direct and Google Scholar. Using the search terms probiotics, probiotics in premature infants, probiotics and microbiota, probiotics and NEC in infants. Inclusion criteria were studies that were in English that were published in the last decade and studies that were trials. Exclusion criteria were studies that were not in English and research that did not help to answer the research question.
Conclusions: There are many circumstances that put preterm infants at a disadvantage for developing serious infections such as prolonged hospital stay, low birth weight, early gestational age, antibiotic use and feeding method. Probiotics were found to be beneficial from numerous clinical studies in preventing serious infections. It is important for the provider to decide with the parents of the patient if the benefits of using probiotics in infants outweighs the risks of probiotic induced sepsis
The Efficacy of Cannabis as a Substitute Addiction for Opiates
Get PDFBackground: Approaches to opiate addiction focus on abstinence and/or a harm reduction model that often utilizes substitute medications. Methadone and suboxone are the most prescribed drugs for opiate maintenance therapy. The long-term side effect profile and health consequences are undesirable. Research is looking for healthier alternatives.
Purpose: Opiate maintenance therapy participants have a mortality rate greater than twelve times that of the normal population, we seek to discover if cannabis can be a useful/safer alternative.
Methods: Following a comprehensive literature review a 7-question online survey was designed with SurveyMonkey to gauge current Augsburg students’ perception of cannabis as an alternative to opiates. This class-based project was designated IRB-Exempt from Augsburg University IRB, #2023-06-04. The survey was sent to current Augsburg students via mass email titled “Augsburg A-mail”. To qualify participants must have been current Augsburg students, age eighteen or older, and be living within the United States. Data was collected via survey monkey for approximately 5 weeks.
Conclusions: Upon review of the literature, it is reasonable to conclude that cannabis has some efficacy in the setting of opiate maintenance, as well as other therapeutic uses. Based upon this study’s research, cannabis perception among students was positive and reflected the themes of the literature. Putting this all together, cannabis is likely effective in harm reduction, however perceptions and knowledge vary. More research and work around awareness is recommended to establish this as viable therapy
Cross-Cultural Mentorship
No full textGuided by Margaret Newman’s theory of Health as Expanding Consciousness, this project aims to build a Cross-Cultural Mentorship Program within a large, academic medical center in the Midwest. Diversity within leadership roles is not reflective of the diversity of the total health care workforce or the communities served by the organization. Currently, there is a visible homogeneously demographic of White health care professionals within leadership roles. This project aims to bridge the gap for racial and ethnic minoritized health care staff to advance into formal leadership roles. Mentorship is a well-recognized approach to career development and was chosen as the primary program intervention. In addition to traditional concepts of mentorship, cross-cultural mentorship intentionally embraces potential differences between individuals. The Papadopoulos, Tilki, and Taylor model was used as a guiding framework for developing cultural competence in nursing. The Cross-Cultural Mentorship Program prioritizes leadership career development for employees who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color (BIPOC)
Utilizing Aromatherapy to Decrease Anxiety in Adults Experiencing Homelessness
Get PDFThis scholarly project analyzes health disparities faced by people experiencing homelessness, specifically in regard to their mental health and how they experience heightened levels of anxiety when compared to individuals who have stable housing. Through a literature review, the use of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) was analyzed and has shown to be an effective non-pharmacologic treatment for anxiety in a multitude of settings. Utilizing a theoretical framework distilled from Margret Newman’s theory Health as Expanding Consciousness, and Martha Rogers’ The Science of Unitary Human Beings. The quality improvement project was implemented at an inner city resource center for people experiencing homelessness. Visitors were given a short presentation about the project and that there would be one follow up survey at the conclusion of their experience. Completing follow up was the most difficult part of the project, with around 10% of participants following through with the return visit. This scholarly project provides recommendations on how to implement a similar quality improvement project in other communities and offers recommendations in more successfully implementation of this project in the future
An Examination of the Big Five, Mental Illness Stigma, and Crisis Intervention Training
Get PDFThe number of individuals incarcerated with mental illness continues to grow, and correctional officers may play a critical role in rehabilitation. A correlation analysis was conducted between Big Five personality traits and mental illness stigma to determine whether there is a significant relationship in a sample of state correctional officers who participated in Crisis Intervention Training. A mixed model ANOVA was also conducted to assess whether personality traits impacted levels of mental illness stigma following completion of the training. A moderate negative correlation was found between agreeableness and mental illness stigma. All other findings were not clinically significant, potentially due to the study’s limitations. Future research is necessary to continue to address the gap in the research regarding personality and mental illness stigma amongst correctional officers
Preserving Pediatric Wellness: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols and Pain Management in Pediatric Surgery
Get PDFBackground: Enhanced recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocols and multimodal pain management strategies have revolutionized perioperative care in adult surgical practice by leading to improved postoperative outcomes and better pain management. However, the adoption of these protocols to pediatric surgical care remains underexplored.
Purpose: This systematic review aims to examine recent randomized clinical trials on the implementation of ERAS protocols and multimodal pain management strategies in pediatric surgical patients.
Methods: A computer-based literature search of databases through Google Scholar and PubMed with manual reference searches was used to identify eligible studies. The review includes randomized controlled trials focusing on multimodal pain management and ERAS protocols’ efficacy in pediatric surgical patients.
Conclusion: ERAS protocols were effective at decreasing pain levels and decreasing hospital stay in adult patients, with most studies calling for future research and implementation in pediatric surgical patients. The most effective pain management strategy was early multimodal pain management with an emphasis on a shared decision-making model. Future research emphasis was centered on adapting the same early pain intervention in pediatric patients, compared to the research that shows delayed pain management initiation. Findings highlight the urgent need to address pediatric pain management, advocating for earlier implementation of pain management strategies in this population. The analysis highlights the lack of clinical trials implemented in ERAS protocol application in this population. Recommendations for future research and clinical practice are proposed and this systematic review serves as a comprehensive resource for health care providers, researchers, and policymakers striving to enhance pediatric surgical care
A Systematic Review of Racial Disparities in Emergency Department Pain Evaluation and Treatment in the United States
Get PDFBackground: Providers working in emergency departments (ED) must balance the need to relieve patients’ pain with the dangers of overprescribing opioids. Lack of standardization of pain evaluation and treatment may contribute to inequities in the management of pain in emergency departments. Evaluating differences in how different populations receive care in emergency departments can help to identify problems and areas where improvements need to occur.
Purpose: The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate what current research states about the prevalence and causes of racial disparities in pain evaluation and treatment in United States emergency departments and determine what gaps in knowledge are a priority for future research.
Methods: A literature review was conducted using the Augsburg University library search engine and PubMed. Exclusion criteria were any articles published prior to 2020, any articles discussing hospitals outside the United States, systematic reviews, and articles which did not discuss racial disparities in pain evaluation or treatment.
Conclusions: Many patient populations, such as Black, Hispanic and Native American patients, experience lowered rates of opioid prescription for pain in emergency departments across the United States. Racial disparities in the evaluation and treatment of chest pain are also widespread. Pediatric patients presenting with pain also experience racial disparities in rates of opioid prescription and imaging studies ordered. More research needs to be done into the efficacy of trainings and policy implementation to reduce these inequities
Barriers Primary Care Physician Assistants Face in Referring Patients to Palliative Care Services Early in the Disease Process
Get PDFBackground: Medical specialties such as hospice and palliative care have been proven to improve quality of life for patients facing end-of-life and chronic illness. Though increasing awareness of these specialties has resulted in greater availability, it is essential to investigate the barriers clinicians, such as Physician Assistants, face in making these referrals in order to provide quality healthcare to those who need it. Physician Assistants specifically are an essential clinician group to evaluate, as they continue to become more prevalent in the healthcare system.
Purpose: To determine barriers primary care Physician Assistants face when identifying candidates for and referring to palliative care services early in the disease process.
Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed and ScienceDirect using the search terms palliative care, end of life care, hospice, barriers, physician assistant, education, qualitative, cultural, challenges, innovation, telehealth, improvement, strategies, diversity, and race. Inclusion criteria included studies published in English, peer-reviewed, and published in an academic journal no later than 2010. Limitations to this review are that it does not include non-westernized medicine views, as perspectives about palliative care and other end-of-life services may differ across cultures. Additionally, few research studies are aimed specifically at a Physician Assistant’s role in the care and referral process.
Conclusions: In order to allow for greater access to palliative care services, primary care clinicians, such as primary care PAs, require more training and support surrounding palliative care utilization and principles. Barriers to refer patients early in the disease process to palliative care were identified such as lack of education, inadequacies in interpersonal skills or training in initiating end-of-life discussions, and difficulty addressing unique barriers to care in diverse patient populations
What are the Most Effective Non-Pharmacologic Practices for the Management of Primary Insomnia in Adults?
Get PDFObjective: Primary insomnia is a mental health condition in which individuals struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep or early morning awakenings. As there are many treatments available that claim to help those with primary insomnia, this review looks specifically at therapy, exercise and acupuncture as management strategies.
Methods: This is a review of 15 peer-reviewed, randomized controlled trials completed in 2018 or later with one additional study completed in 2010. Also, there are four non primary insomnia based studies used to support the efficacy of alternative therapies to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). All the studies used in this review come from 2 educational databases (PubMed, Google Scholar). Keywords used to find these articles include primary insomnia, management, adults, CBT, therapy, exercise and acupuncture.
Discussion: Following a detailed and standardized review of each study, all three management strategies (therapy, exercise and acupuncture) were found to be effective in reducing insomnia symptoms to varying degrees.
Conclusion: Therapy, exercise and acupuncture are all effective forms of treatment in adults with primary insomnia. The most effective include CBT, moderate intensity aerobic exercise and true acupuncture at multiple acupoints with or without added auricular acupoints. This review is unable to claim one form of management is more effective than another as there is no research currently available, within the constraints of this review, that compares them. More research is needed here
Catalysts for Change: Promoting Health Equity Through Nurse Storytelling
No full textCatalysts for Change: Promoting Health Equity Through Nurse Storytelling, explores the implementation of a multi-session interactive nurse-led storytelling workshop designed to promote health equity. The scholarly project will take place within a large Midwestern teaching hospital and focus on nurses working in a general medical unit. Nurses working in this nursing unit often encounter patients experiencing health inequities, providing the context for exploring the impact of storytelling on their professional practices and advocacy efforts. The storytelling project is grounded in Jean Watson\u27s Theory of Human Caring, specifically Caritas Processes Four, Seven, and Eight, which emphasizes developing trusting relationships, engaging in genuine teaching-learning experiences, and creating healing environments. Utilizing portions of the Nurstory curriculum, the storytelling workshop sessions aim to empower nurses to share their experiences, foster empathy, cultivate advocacy, and spark action toward health equity. Through qualitative analysis, the project will assess how storytelling can influence nurses\u27 attitudes, practices, and advocacy efforts. It aims to illuminate the potential of storytelling practices to enhance nurses\u27 capacity to advocate for historically marginalized populations, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and compassionate health care environment. This project underscores the transformative power of storytelling in nursing, highlighting its role in promoting health equity and supporting nurses\u27 professional and personal growth