Mental Health in Farming Communities.

Occupational stressors are causing unprecedented levels of stress, depression, and suicide among our nation's farmers, and little is known about how farmers view their personal stress and potential stress-relieving strategies. The current study used a descriptive qualitative approach to conduct focus groups comprising farmers and farm family members (N = 26). Participants were recruited using a snowball approach based on the investigators' connections to farming communities. Preliminary analysis indicates that primary stressors are: lack of control over many aspects of farming and the public's lack of understanding/appreciation for farming. In addition, two communities identified high levels of anticipatory stressors. Despite these stressors, they continue to farm because of their love for farm life and their generational connection with the land. To decrease farmer stress, participants suggested educating the public about farm life and the impact farming has on the general public, creating social groups for farmers to talk to each other, and sharing the farmer story. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(10), 39-43.].

The cerebral microvasculature: Basic and clinical perspectives on stroke and glioma.

Microvascular networks are vital components of the cardiovascular system, performing many key roles in maintaining the health and homeostasis of the tissues and organs in which they develop. As discussed in this review, the molecular and cellular components within the microcirculation orchestrate critical processes to establish functional capillary beds, including organization of endothelial cell (EC) polarity, guiding investment of vascular pericytes (PCs), and building the specialized extracellular matrix (ECM) that comprises the vascular basement membrane (vBM). Herein, we further discuss the unique features of the microvasculature in the central nervous system (CNS), focusing on the cells contributing to the neurovascular unit (NVU) that form and maintain the blood-brain barrier (BBB). With a focus on vascular PCs, we offer basic and clinical perspectives on neurovascular-related pathologies that involve defects within the cerebral microvasculature. Specifically, we present microvascular anomalies associated with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) including defects in vascular-immune cell interactions and associated clinical therapies targeting microvessels (ie, vascular-disrupting/anti-angiogenic agents and focused ultrasound). We also discuss the involvement of the microcirculation in stroke responses and potential therapeutic approaches. Our goal was to compare the cellular and molecular changes that occur in the microvasculature and NVU, and to provide a commentary on factors driving disease progression in GBM and stroke. We conclude with a forward-looking perspective on the importance of microcirculation research in developing clinical treatments for these devastating conditions.

Interactive Poverty Simulation: Nursing Students' Perceptions of Poverty.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of a poverty simulation on the attitudes of baccalaureate nursing students toward those living in poverty. A single-group pretest-posttest design was used. Participants' attitudes were measured using the Attitude Toward Poverty Scale-Short Form. Results indicated significant improvement in 11 out of 21 items, along with the subscales for stigma and structural perspectives. However, four items, along with the overall personal deficiency domain score, indicated a significant worsening of attitudes. Results of this study are mixed and suggest that valid concerns exist regarding the administration of the simulation.

Beyond Biometrics: Including Mental Health Screenings in Annual Wellness Programs.

Mental health is an important component of overall wellness and is a growing concern in occupational settings. Approximately one half of Americans will experience a mental health disorder at some time in their life. The current descriptive correlational study used a convenience sample of manufacturing employees (N = 236) to examine the association of mental and physical health risks collected during an annual wellness program. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to holistically screen for health risks. Pearson's r and chi-square tests were performed to determine the relationship among variables. Younger workers and individuals with higher body mass index had increased anxiety and depression scores (p = 0.005). Results suggest younger workers may have increased risk for mental health and biometabolic disorders. Due to the connections between mental and physical health, screening for anxiety and depression should be included in annual worker wellness programs to potentially improve overall health and wellness outcomes. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59(10), 19-25.].

The Burden of Farmer Suicide on Surviving Family Members: A Qualitative Study.

The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to better understand the burden of farmer suicide on surviving family members. Themes included: (1) family members expressed guilt; (2) family members experienced symptoms of psychological distress; (3) family members felt attached to the land and chose to remain on the farm; (4) short-term coping mechanisms included family, friends and faith; (5) long-term coping mechanisms included acts of honoring their loved one; (6) there was a lack of awareness of community support resources following the suicide.

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Missed Opportunities by Nurse Practitioners to Screen Adult Clients.

Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) occur as a result of abuse/neglect during childhood and household dysfunction. More than one half of adults have experienced at least one ACE, and this can lead to impaired coping and risky health behaviors. The purpose of the current study was to determine the relationship between nurse practitioner (NP) knowledge of ACE and screening practice for childhood trauma in a mid-southern state. Forty-four NPs participated in the survey. Of NP participants, 15% reported routinely screening for a history of childhood abuse. Psychiatric-mental health NPs were more knowledgeable about ACE screening and more confident in screening practices. All providers reported lack of time as the most frequent barrier to screening for ACE. NPs who regularly screen patients are more knowledgeable about the nine knowledge questions regarding ACE. Insufficient time to evaluate or counsel clients was a universal barrier across the sample. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 58(3), 20-27.].

Using a Poverty Simulation Exercise in Mental Health Nursing.

Simulation exercises can be used to provide poverty-related content that might be lacking in traditional clinical settings. A descriptive qualitative study design was used to examine the use of a poverty simulation in mental health nursing. Thematic analysis of reflective journals indicated students viewed the poverty simulation as a positive, realistic, and informative learning experience; had a better understanding of how poverty impacts health; and expressed changes in attitudes toward providing care. Results from this study suggest poverty simulations can be used to illustrate key concepts taught in mental health nursing, including empathy, advocacy, and refrainment from judging patients.

A Survey of School Nurses' Perceptions of Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Therapies.

Complementary, alternative, and integrative therapies (CAIs) involve the use of practices outside of mainstream, conventional medicine. Few studies have been conducted on nurses' perception and knowledge of CAI therapies. There is limited information on the protocols school nurses must follow in their practice on CAI use. The purpose of this study is to assess school nurses' perception and knowledge of CAI therapies. A cross-sectional, nonexperimental survey study design was used, and participants were sampled with a cross-sectional convenience method. Members of four state School Nurses Associations were invited to participate in the study. Of the 290 participants, 100% of certified school nurses and 63% of non-certified school nurses believed CAI therapies have a place in their current practice (χ2 = 1.83, df = 1, p < .05). The study found that school nurses believe CAI therapies have a role in the school setting; however, the participants were not comfortable with assessing and administering these therapies.

Addressing Compassion Fatigue and Stress of Special Education Teachers and Professional Staff Using Mindfulness and Prayer.

Alternative therapies are promising nursing interventions for improvement of compassion fatigue in educators working in special education. A convenience sample of 27 teachers and professional staff working in special education participated in a quasi-experimental pilot study and completed a pre/posttest of demographic questions, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (10-item) and Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL). All attended a presentation on stress, compassion satisfaction (CS), mindfulness, prayer, and social support. Nearly, one half received weekly electronic text message reminders encouraging use of mindfulness and prayer. All were offered support groups. Use of alternative therapies was self-selected and self-reported. Significant improvement occurred in posttest PSS scores ( p = .0485) of participants with the highest reported levels of use of mindfulness. ProQOL CS scores ( p = .0289) and PSS scores ( p = .0244) significantly improved when evaluating difference in means between groups with the highest levels and lowest levels of prayer and mindfulness. ProQOL burnout scores ( p = <.0001) increased from pretest to posttest. Findings were not significant in regard to reminders and social support.

Sitting Time: An Increasing Heath Risk Among Nurse Educators.

Prolonged sitting time (ST) is a distinct risk factor for early mortality and cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to examine ST and health of Kentucky nurse educators. The written survey included demographic items, general health items, and ST. Total average ST was 10.8 hours (workdays) and 8 hours (non-workdays). There was no relationship between body mass index and ST; however, the medication used to treat hypertension and hypercholesterolemia was associated with increased ST. Nurse educators are at risk for negative health effects of prolonged ST, and effective interventions are imperative.

BSN Admission Group Interviews: Perceptions of Students, Faculty, and Community Nurses.

: To assist in the selection students for a baccalaureate program, a school of nursing instituted a group interview process. An exploratory qualitative design was used to assess faculty, community nurse, and student perceptions of the process. Faculty, community nurses, and students who participated in interviews were asked to complete a five-item, open-ended survey. Data analysis revealed that they enjoyed the process and identified it as beneficial. A positive aspect included students' getting to present themselves as more than a GPA. The use of group interviews provides additional information for faculty who are challenged with selecting students for enrollment in programs of nursing.

The emergence of spatial cyberinfrastructure.

Cyberinfrastructure integrates advanced computer, information, and communication technologies to empower computation-based and data-driven scientific practice and improve the synthesis and analysis of scientific data in a collaborative and shared fashion. As such, it now represents a paradigm shift in scientific research that has facilitated easy access to computational utilities and streamlined collaboration across distance and disciplines, thereby enabling scientific breakthroughs to be reached more quickly and efficiently. Spatial cyberinfrastructure seeks to resolve longstanding complex problems of handling and analyzing massive and heterogeneous spatial datasets as well as the necessity and benefits of sharing spatial data flexibly and securely. This article provides an overview and potential future directions of spatial cyberinfrastructure. The remaining four articles of the special feature are introduced and situated in the context of providing empirical examples of how spatial cyberinfrastructure is extending and enhancing scientific practice for improved synthesis and analysis of both physical and social science data. The primary focus of the articles is spatial analyses using distributed and high-performance computing, sensor networks, and other advanced information technology capabilities to transform massive spatial datasets into insights and knowledge.

E-books: nurse faculty use and concerns.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to identify nurse educators' stage of concern regarding e-books and examine relationships between stage of concern and demographic variables. BACKGROUND: The use of e-books is growing, and nursing faculty must be prepared to use this evolving technology. METHOD: A descriptive design was used with a convenience sample of 50 nurse educators attending a professional conference. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire and the Stages of Concern (SoC) questionnaire. RESULTS: Sixty-four percent of participants' first high stage was Stage 0 (awareness); 22 percent had a first high stage of Stage 1 (informational). Using ordinal regression, no statistical significance was noted with the highest Stage of Concern and age (p = .431) or experience as a nurse educator (p = .893). CONCLUSION: Findings indicate low usage, faculty concerns, and the need for ongoing education regarding e-books.

Promoting Farmer Appreciation in Kentucky through a Farmer Cultural Awareness Project.

OBJECTIVES: To address the perception among farmers of lack of appreciation and being devalued by the non-farming public. METHODS: Oral history interviews were conducted to gather farmers' viewpoints of what the non-farming public needs to know about their occupation. RESULTS: The creation of a public awareness campaign utilizing interview data, including canvas bags, information cards, and a website. CONCLUSION: The public awareness campaign provides the non-farming public with opportunities to learn about the lives of farmers and their contributions to society.

Nursing student voices: reflections on an international service learning experience.

For the past decade participation in service and experiential learning in higher education has increased. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of BSN and MSN students participating in a multidisciplinary service-learning course in a rural, underserved village in Belize. Researchers analyzed student journals utilizing qualitative data analysis techniques. There were eight consistent themes found in the student journals. The findings indicate that international service learning opportunities increase students' awareness of their place in a global society and the potential contribution they can make in society. For the past decade, service and experiential learning in higher education, including nursing education, has become increasingly important. Simply put, service and experiential learning combine community service activities with a student's academic study for the sole purpose of enriching the academic experience. As faculty, we feel the goal of baccalaureate and graduate nursing education is to produce an educated professional who will become a responsible citizen.

Voluntary consensus based geospatial data standards for the global illegal trade in wild fauna and flora.

We have more data about wildlife trafficking than ever before, but it remains underutilized for decision-making. Central to effective wildlife trafficking interventions is collection, aggregation, and analysis of data across a range of source, transit, and destination geographies. Many data are geospatial, but these data cannot be effectively accessed or aggregated without appropriate geospatial data standards. Our goal was to create geospatial data standards to help advance efforts to combat wildlife trafficking. We achieved our goal using voluntary, participatory, and engagement-based workshops with diverse and multisectoral stakeholders, online portals, and electronic communication with more than 100 participants on three continents. The standards support data-to-decision efforts in the field, for example indictments of key figures within wildlife trafficking, and disruption of their networks. Geospatial data standards help enable broader utilization of wildlife trafficking data across disciplines and sectors, accelerate aggregation and analysis of data across space and time, advance evidence-based decision making, and reduce wildlife trafficking.

Parental perception of preschool child body weight.

Obesity in preschoolers has risen dramatically in the last decade. Although studies have demonstrated that parents of preschoolers have incorrect perceptions of their child's body weight, little is known about the factors that may be associated with these perceptions. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between parental perceptions of preschool child body weight and parental psychosocial factors. Quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics, correlations, and regression analyses. More than one third of the children in the sample were at risk for being overweight or were already overweight. However, less than 6% of parents felt that their child had an elevated body weight. Results from univariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the parent's health literacy level was a significant predictor of the accuracy of their perceptions regarding their child's body weight (p < .05). Parental concern regarding child weight and perceived level of efficacy did not significantly predict the accuracy of their perceptions. Results from this study indicate that assessing parental perceptions of preschool child body weight can help providers accurately understand how parents view their children and lead to tailored educational interventions. In addition, the results support previous research suggesting that parental health literacy is a key to providing high-quality family-centered care.

Mental Health Issues Among Farmers: An Online Continuing Education Program for Nurses.

BACKGROUND: An asynchronous online continuing education (CE) program was created to increase nurses' awareness and knowledge of occupationally related mental health issues among farmers. METHOD: The ADDIE (analysis, design, development, implementation, evaluation) model was followed to create the CE program. Articulate Storyline 3 (Articulate 360), a software tool, was used to build an interactive, e-learning, and virtual training module. RESULTS: The course was completed by 113 nurses. Eighty-two (72.5%) of these nurses completed the course evaluation. Of these, 69 (84.1%) reported that the course met their expectations. The majority of respondents indicated that the material was presented in a clear, organized manner (80.0%, n = 80) and that all course objectives were met, including being able to identify sources of stress among farmers (86.3%, n = 80), recognize manifestations of stress among farmers (86.4%, n = 81), understand farmers' mental health status (86.3%, n = 80), and identify mental health nursing practices (87.3%, n = 79). CONCLUSION: Nurses can provide more salient care to the farming population when they are equipped with an understanding of the culture and stress associated with farming. This online educational program has the potential to improve mental health care for farmers and their families. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(10):482-488.].

A descriptive study of bathing practices in acute care facilities in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Patient bathing basins are a potential source of health care-acquired infections. This descriptive study was designed to describe current patient bathing procedures and the cleaning and storage of disposable bath basins after use. METHODS: After instrument validation, a 20-item questionnaire designed by the researchers was delivered electronically to infection prevention professionals working in acute care facilities in the United States. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A total of 344 participants completed the survey. Of those responding, most were employed in facilities with ≤300 beds and accredited by the Joint Commission. Many of the facility staff assisting patients with bathing were nursing aides. Participants reported varying bathing procedures in their facilities. CONCLUSIONS: A collaborative approach is needed to ensure standard and efficient procedures that focus on quality, safety, and patient satisfaction. A mechanism to continually evaluate patient bathing practices should also be developed to address evolving changes in the health care system.