Are Nursing Faculty Future-Ready? The Effects of Emerging Technologies on Nursing Education.

BACKGROUND: Preparing the next generation of nurses requires consideration for the integration of emerging technologies. This refers specifically to technologies that will shape and affect how care is delivered-not in today's health care facilities but in facilities 20 years from now and beyond. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey examining how seven emerging technologies were integrated into nursing curricula was developed and distributed to nursing faculty. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the data for the level of integration. The model was adjusted for all demographic measures, and the independent variables of interest were developed from unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) constructs. RESULTS: Performance, attitude, social influence, and effort were insignificant. Education and training, costs, and complexity were noted as top barriers to adoption. CONCLUSION: A literature gap regarding integrating emerging technologies in nursing curricula exists. Further research is warranted to understand factors influencing integration. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(12):689-700.].

Pandemic-Related Life Events and Physical Inactivity During COVID-19 Among Israeli Adults: The Smoking and Lifestyles in Israel Study.

BACKGROUND: Public health measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic have led to disruptions in daily life, such as job loss and changes in activity. The present study examines the relationship between pandemic-related life events and disuse (prolonged sitting coupled with inactivity) among adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 4084 adults in Israel (September 2020). The primary independent variables were pandemic-related life events, such as job loss. The primary dependent variable was disuse as measured by the Rapid Assessment Disuse Index (RADI). The RADI was examined continuously and dichotomously as a low RADI score (<26: yes/no). RESULTS: Linear regression indicated that experiencing a major life event during the pandemic was associated with lower RADI scores (-1.04; 95% confidence interval, -1.48 to -0.61). Similarly, logistic regression revealed that those experiencing a major life event had 1.18 (95% confidence interval, 1.03 to 1.34) times greater odds for low RADI scores in comparison to those not experiencing an event. CONCLUSIONS: Experiencing pandemic-related major life events was linked to less sitting time and increased activity levels among Israeli adults. Future research should examine underlying mechanisms explaining this relationship to facilitate the design and implementation of targeted interventions.

Emotional Eating in Adults: The Role of Sociodemographics, Lifestyle Behaviors, and Self-Regulation-Findings from a U.S. National Study.

BACKGROUND: Emotional eating, the tendency to overeat in response to negative emotions, has been linked to weight gain. However, scant evidence exists examining the prevalence and correlates of emotional eating among large samples of adults in the United States (U.S.). Hence, we examine the relationship among individual and socioeconomic factors, health behaviors, and self-regulation with emotional eating patterns among U.S. adults. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of 5863 Family Health Habits Survey participants. Multivariable, ordered, logistic regression was employed to examine the relationship between the frequency of the desire to eat when emotionally upset (never, rarely, sometimes, often, and very often) and the independent variables. RESULTS: Analysis reveals that 20.5% of the sample tended to emotionally eat often or very often. Being female, non-Hispanic White, and of younger age were all related to a higher likelihood of emotional eating. Additionally, inability to delay gratification (impatience) was related to an 18% increased likelihood (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-1.33) for emotional eating. Finally, emotional eating was significantly related to more frequent fast-food consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Program planners might need to develop targeted interventions aimed at enhancing emotional regulation skills while addressing these less healthful behaviors (e.g., fast-food intake) with the goal of obesity and chronic disease prevention.

The Efficiency of Ophthalmic Ambulatory Surgery Centers.

Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are important providers of ambulatory surgeries. However, little research exists examining the efficiency of ASCs in providing ambulatory surgical services. This study examined the technical efficiency of ASCs that concentrated on performing cataract surgeries, which are among the surgeries most commonly performed in the outpatient setting. This study, based on data from all active ASCs that provided the two most common cataract surgeries in California, found that a large proportion of ophthalmic ASCs were operating at low technical efficiency levels. The amount of slacks in input and output variables was estimated for each ASC, and the mean slacks were reported. The numbers of cataract surgery patients and operating rooms were found to significantly affect the efficiency of ophthalmic ASCs.

Emergency department utilization at a large regional hospital: a strategy for survivability.

This research effort provides a brief picture of the operational, patient, and financial patterns of the multiple emergency departments of a large hospital system located in the southeastern United States. The results are presented anonymously as a descriptive case study. A multifaceted strategy is presented to assist hospital leaders as they strive to ensure the survivability of their emergency departments in this era of high uncompensated care.

Sustainability and the health care manager: Part II.

Are there additional costs associated with achieving goals of sustainable health care? Will going green enhance or impede financial performance? These are questions that all health care managers should confront, yet there is little evidence to show that health care sustainability is affordable or profitable. This article considers what is presently known and suggests that health care managers use an assessment framework to determine whether they are ready to achieve health care sustainability.

Nursing home safety: does financial performance matter?

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the relationship between financial performance and selected safety measures of nursing homes in the State of Florida. METHODS: We used descriptive analysis on a total sample of 1,197. Safety information was from the Online Survey, Certification and Reporting (OSCAR) data of 2003 to 2005, while the financial performance measures were from the Medicare cost reports of 2002 to 2004. Finally, we examined the most frequently cited deficiencies as well as the relationship between financial performance and quality indicators. RESULTS: Nursing homes in the bottom quartile of financial performance perform poorly on most resident-safety measures of care; however, nursing homes in the top two financial categories also experienced a higher number of deficiencies. Nursing homes in the next to lowest quartile of financial performance category best perform on most of these safety measures. CONCLUSIONS: The results reinforce the need to monitor nursing home quality and resident safety in US nursing homes, especially among facilities with poor overall financial performance.

Sustainability and the health care manager: part I.

Given the current operating climate, organizations are coming under pressure to develop and implement sustainability programs and projects, yet few managers truly understand what is meant by sustainability and its implications for managing organizations. This article examines the concept of sustainability and provides a broader definition of the term than going "green." Using a puzzle metaphor, the authors outline and explain the different components of sustainability and provide a checklist for achieving sustainability goals. In addition, resources such as guides and tools are reviewed and offered to assist managers in gaining more insight into the challenges and complexity of sustainability.

The distribution of physicians workforce in Louisiana: results from a cross-sectional study.

For the past two decades, Louisiana's population health rankings as reported by the United Health Foundation have been among the lowest in the nation. In addition, the 2009 Commonwealth State Scorecards Report ranked the Louisiana health system performance, in terms of health outcomes, among the poorest in the nation. One reason for this disparity could be attributed to shortages of physicians and other healthcare resources in the state. These shortages were exacerbated by the damage from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 to hospitals and physicians' practices in New Orleans and throughout the state. This descriptive cross-sectional study focused on the geographical dimension of access and on one of its critical determinants: the availability of physicians. The objective behind this study was to offer a better understanding of the determinants of geographical imbalances in the distribution of physicians in the state of Louisiana. This study is part one of a three-part series that examines the association between total physician supply, primary care, and specialty care supply on mortality amenable to healthcare (MAHC).

Malpractice paid losses and financial performance of nursing homes.

BACKGROUND: Florida's nursing home industry has experienced significant financial pressure over the past decade. One of the primary reasons is the dramatic increase in litigation activity for nursing home providers claiming negligent care and abuse. Although anecdotal reports indicate a higher cost because of malpractice in nursing facilities, few studies have examined the extent of malpractice paid losses and their effect on the financial performance of nursing homes. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of malpractice paid losses on the financial performance of nursing homes. METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: Medicare Cost Report data and Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting data for Florida skilled nursing facilities over the 6-year period from 2001 to 2006 were used to calculate the malpractice paid losses and the financial performance indicators as well as the nursing home organizational and market factors. Descriptive analysis and multivariate regression analysis were used to examine the effect of paid loss on financial performance. FINDINGS: The paid loss for malpractice claims was strongly associated with financial performance. Nursing facilities with malpractice paid losses had consistently lower total margins over the study period. The threat of nursing home litigation may create an incentive for nursing homes to improve quality of care; however, large paid claims can also force nursing homes into a financial situation where the organization no longer has the resources to improve quality. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Nursing home managers must assess their malpractice litigation risk and identify tactics to mitigate these risks to better provide a safe and secure environment for the older persons. In addition, this research offers support for local, state, and federal policymakers to revisit the issue of malpractice litigation and the nursing home industry through its insight on the relationship of nursing home margins and litigation.

Retire already! Managing physicians who no longer want to work, but have to.

The economic downturn has wreaked havoc on our professional lives and has presented a whole host of challenges including managing physicians who can no longer retire due to the reduced value of their retirement savings. As a result, many medical practices are burdened with physicians who are disinterested in continuing to work in the practice, but who remain solely due to financial reasons. This article will provide practice managers with several means to encourage these "retired-on-the-job" physicians to improve their attitudes and productivity levels, or do what they have already informally done--retire. Specifically, this article reviews four options for dealing with such employees, including: (1) coaching; (2) offering flexible work options; (3) changing revenue-sharing agreement; and (4) dismissal.

Emergency department utilization by insured users: a study of motivating factors.

Emergency departments (EDs) represent a critical entryway into America's health care delivery system and are under significant pressure. This study seeks to understand why insured patients use EDs rather than more appropriate medical alternatives available to reduce the strain they are placing on this critical portal of entry. This exploratory research study surveyed insured patients presenting to 1 of 4 Central Florida EDs. Factor analysis and cluster analysis were used to identify groups of insured ED users defined by motivating factors. This study found that there exists a disconnect between insured individuals and the primary care system.

Consumer-directed health plans: are medical and health savings accounts viable options for financing American health care?

When Americans voted in November 2008, many had the presidential candidates' positions on health care reform in mind. Health savings accounts, which are high deductible health plans coupled with a tax-protected savings account, are 1 type of consumer-directed health plan (CDHP) that gained strong support from the Bush administration. Despite evidence of the effectiveness of CDHPs in constraining costs in other countries, the Obama health plan contains no mention of their role in future US health reform. This article seeks to provide the reader with a better understanding of how CDHPs can help to improve the use of health resources and reduce national health care expenditures by exploring the history and previous research on several types of consumer-directed plans and by providing a comparative analysis of the use of CDHPs in other countries.

You've got them, now what? Successfully mentoring student interns.

This article, the third in the series, is designed to help medical group practices understand the mentoring process, which is critical to the success of the internship. This article provides medical group practices with tips to successfully mentor student interns in order to maximize the experience for both parties. This article provides characteristics of good mentors, a framework for the learning experience, tips on how to successfully mentor student and a discussion of the benefits to the mentor and student intern.

Internship logistics: successfully navigating the internship process.

This article, the second in the series, is designed to help medical practices understand how the internship process works. This article helps practice managers perform a needs analysis in order to determine if a student intern is appropriate, provides tools to help structure the internships and forms to evaluate the process, and identifies ways for the practice to avoid legal pitfalls when "employing" interns.

Free labor! How to successfully use student interns in your practice.

Medical practices have an untapped talent pool of free labor. students needing internships in health administration, health information management, and related programs. An internship, or pre-professional practice, refers to the experience whereby students are able to gain invaluable field experience that is beneficial to both medical practices and students. The first article of a three-part series on utilizing student interns in medical practice, this article provides an overview about this untapped resource and provides the reader with information about internships; the different types of internships available; the benefits to the practice, preceptor, and intern; and pitfalls to avoid.

Administrative decision making: a stepwise method.

Today's health care organizations face tremendous challenges and fierce competition. These pressures impact the decisions that managers must execute on any given day, not to mention the ever-present constraints of time, personnel, competencies, and finances. The importance of making quality and informed decisions cannot be underestimated. Traditional decision making methods are inadequate for today's larger, more complex health care organizations and the rapidly changing health care environment. As a result, today's health care managers and their teams need new approaches to making decisions for their organizations. This article examines the managerial decision making process and offers a model that can be used as a decision making template to help managers successfully navigate the choppy health care seas. The administrative decision making model will enable health care managers and other key decision makers to avoid the common pitfalls of poor decision making and guide their organizations to success.

The facility audit and review method: evaluating institutional ethics in health care organizations.

Auditing processes--such as financial, compliance, and investigative audits-are commonplace in the health care industry. However, an audit to assess institutional ethics in health care facilities is a fairly new concept. The Facility Audit and Review Method is an assessment tool that provides an evaluation scheme to review the organization's policies, procedures, and outcomes using an ethical perspective. This article discusses ethics in the context of health care, the various types of auditing mechanisms used in health care facilities, and how these two--ethics and audits--come together to form the 4-stage Facility Audit and Review Method.

The view from within: a comparison of traditional and non-traditional doctoral education from students' perspectives ... then and now.

This article compares and contrasts the differing doctoral experiences of the traditional and nontraditional doctoral programs. This paper examines the doctoral experiences at a traditional doctoral program, the University of Alabama at Birmingham's (UAB) Administration of Health program, and at a nontraditional program, the University of Central Florida's (UCF) Public Affairs doctoral program. Additionally, this paper explores the characteristics of each of these types of programs, including the benefits and drawbacks based upon research, as well as from firsthand experience. The authors share their personal experiences from the perspective of academics working in the field for several years. Lastly, the authors present several avenues for future research to further explore the differences between traditional and nontraditional doctoral educational programs.