Mapping the intersection of social determinants of health, postpartum visit attendance, and pregnancy-related deaths: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Maternal health outcomes in the United States raises concern due to elevated rates of pregnancy-related deaths compared to other developed and underdeveloped countries. This scoping review explores relationships between social determinants of health (SDOH), postpartum visit attendance, and pregnancy-related deaths. METHODS: Utilizing the Arksey and O'Malley framework and PRISMA-Scr guidelines, a systematic review was conducted to identify pertinent literature. RESULTS: Eight studies were analyzed, providing insights into SDOH, postpartum visits, and pregnancy-related deaths. The findings highlight healthcare access/quality, economic stability, education, and social/community context as influential in postpartum care utilization. Health insurance emerges a key factor for postpartum attendance.  In addition, disparities in geographic access to maternity care services were linked to pregnancy-related deaths. Social contextual factors, such as marital status and social support, exhibited varying associations with postpartum visit attendance. CONCLUSION: While the analyzed studies provided valuable insight, there remains a gap in the literature examining all three key elements: SDOH, postpartum visit attendance, and pregnancy-related deaths. In conclusion, this scoping review highlights the vital role of addressing social determinants in improving maternal health outcomes.  Further research is necessary to better inform interventions to reduce pregnancy-related deaths.

Social determinants of health and preventable emergency department patient encounters among adults with hypertension.

Limited access to resources promoting optimal health outcomes can lead to increased emergency department utilization for conditions often manageable by primary care resulting in rising healthcare costs, overcrowding in emergency departments, and poor patient outcomes. Social determinants of health often affect an individual's ability to achieve optimal health. To examine the association between social determinants of health and hypertension-related patient encounters among adults, we analyzed data from a 340-bed community hospital in the southeast region of the United States. Gender, race, and geographic location were strongly associated with hypertension-related encounters. Hypertension-related encounters in the emergency department were highest in women, African Americans, and young adults. Insurance status and geographic location were also strongly associated. Public health nursing is positioned to prevent disease and increase access to care, considering hypertension-related encounters in the emergency department account for a significant number of overall visits.

Examining the Impact of Structured, Reflective Prebriefing on Student Performance During Simulation.

ABSTRACT: Little is known about the impact of prebriefing on students' experiences of learning with simulation. This mixed-methods study evaluated the impact of prebriefing activities on nursing students' satisfaction, confidence, and performance of nursing skills during a simulation. Findings revealed students who experienced a structured, more robust prebriefing had improved performance during the simulation and reported higher levels of confidence and satisfaction in learning compared to a group that experienced a standard prebriefing. Findings are significant to the profession, they support the incorporation of structured, reflective prebriefing activities in simulation-based experiences.

Student and Faculty Experiences in the Flipped Learning Environment in Undergraduate Nursing.

AIM: The aim of the study was to describe student and faculty experiences in the flipped learning environment. BACKGROUND: Studies of flipped instruction in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics reveal improvements in student performance. There is limited research related to student and faculty experiences in the learning environment. METHOD: This study utilized a multiple-case study research design with two undergraduate nursing courses at two institutions. RESULTS: Student participants in Case A felt the implementation of flipped learning reflected the pillars of flipped learning more than Case B participants. The strategies used to implement flipped learning in the two cases were different as were student experiences. CONCLUSION: Three conclusions resulted from the study: flipped learning results in a shift in the student role that requires additional instructor support, instructors would benefit from guidance in the form of best practices, and nurse educators can use flipped learning to better meet the learning needs of their students.

Perceptions to Overcoming Barriers to Prenatal Care in African American Women.

Pregnancy-related deaths affect African American women at a rate four to five times higher than White women. These deaths occur during pregnancy or up to 1 year after childbirth. Inadequate or delayed prenatal care is a factor associated with poor maternal health outcomes in African American women. Identifying factors that pose as facilitators and barriers to prenatal care is essential in developing interventions aimed at improving maternal health outcomes.

Food Intake, Source, and Planning and Shopping Behavior Differences Among Hispanic, White, Black, and Asian Females.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal obesity remains a high public health concern. Within the United States, there are noted disparities among different ethnic/racial groups in relation to obesity, especially for females. PURPOSE: The purpose of this secondary analysis project was to examine the differences in nutritional intake, food sources, and meal planning and food shopping between Hispanic, White, Black, and Asian females by abdominal obesity level in the United States. METHODS: The 2017-2018 National Health Nutrition Examination data was used. Major variables included race/ethnicity, waist circumference (WC), nutritional intake, food source, and food shopping and meal planning behaviors. Descriptive statistics, correlational analyses, a series of two-way factorial analysis of variance, and odds ratio analyses were conducted to address research questions. FINDINGS: When comparing nutritional intake and food source by different racial/ethnic groups and abdominal obesity level, there were no interaction effects for all categories across groups. However, for the racial/ethnic main effects and obesity main effects, significant differences among groups were noted for nutritional intake and food source categories. There were no differences in food shopping and meal preparation between abdominal obesity and non-obese participants in each racial/ethnic group. CONCLUSIONS: Similarities and differences were noted between racial/ethnic groups for nutritional intake and sources of food. However, no significant differences were noted between racial/ethnic groups for food shopping and meal preparation behaviors. More research should be done to confirm these findings and further understand food shopping and meal preparation behaviors.

Student Perceptions of a Cardiac Skills Laboratory Using a Just-in-Time Teaching Approach.

BACKGROUND: Clinical instructors noted students in an advanced medical-surgical nursing course frequently struggled to identify cardiac rhythms in clinical settings. Course faculty redesigned a skills lab incorporating the Just-in-Time Teaching (JiTT) teaching approach, which was selected to guide teaching practices and encourage interactions among students and faculty during the lab. METHOD: This mixed-methods study examined student perceptions of implementing JiTT to enhance learning. Data were collected through the use of a questionnaire that included 10 Likert-type and four open-ended questions completed by 269 baccalaureate nursing students. RESULTS: Students provided high evaluative remarks regarding the teaching approach. The following four themes were noted from qualitative data: assessed prior knowledge, student-centered, interactive, and provided clarity. CONCLUSION: Students reported incorporation of a JiTT skills lab provided an effective approach to gain a greater understanding of cardiac rhythms and prepare for clinical practice. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(8):472-475.].