Vaccine Attitudes and Uptake Among Latino Residents of a Former COVID-19 Hotspot.

Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified Prince William County (PWC), Va. as a hotspot with a high disease rate among Latinos. This study uses spatial, survey, and qualitative data to understand attitudes towards vaccine uptake among PWC Latinos. A quantitative analysis (n=266) estimates the association for vaccine acceptance among Latinos. Next, qualitative interviews with Latinos (n=37) examine vaccine attitudes. Finally, a spatial analysis identifies clusters of social vulnerability and low vaccine uptake in PWC and adjacent counties. Our findings show that a substantial proportion of PWC Latinos had low vaccination rates as of December 2022, two years after the vaccine's release. Side effects and safety and approval concerns were cited in both the quantitative and qualitative studies. Persistent vaccine disparities are concerning given the high hospitalization and mortality rates that prevailed among Latinos early in the pandemic.

Moving the Needle: A Qualitative Exploration of the School Nurses' Experience with Virginia's Human Papillomavirus Mandate.

In all US localities, students provide proof of compliance with vaccination requirements to attend school. Despite benefits, vaccine legislation remains contentious. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is recommended for adolescents and prevents cancer, but its inclusion in school immunization requirements is challenged. Virginia was the first state to mandate HPV vaccination. HPV is the only required vaccine in VA that allows caregivers to elect out. School nurses are trusted members of communities and enforce vaccine compliance. This study aims to understand Virginia school nurses' practice in implementing the HPV vaccine mandate through the exploration of their subjective experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis using the socioecological model guided data analysis. Factors that influence nursing practice were identified at all socioecological model levels The data from this study is intended to provide an understanding of school nursing practice so that interventions to improve HPV vaccination rates can be developed.

School Nurses' Experiences and Roles in Promoting and Administering the HPV Vaccine: A Systematic Review Using the Socioecological Framework.

Understanding the school nurse's experience in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine promotion can reduce vaccine disparities. HPV vaccination is critical to cancer prevention. Despite the importance of the school nurse in vaccine promotion, there is a lack of understanding. This article aims to examine the knowledge, attitude, experience, and role of school nurses related to HPV vaccination and promotion in school settings. A systematic search for school nurses and their experiences related to HPV vaccination was conducted. A thematic synthesis was undertaken using the socioecological model. This review highlights the complexity of HPV vaccine promotion in schools over time. Multilevel factors impact nursing practice. Nurses have good vaccine knowledge and positive attitudes. Poor workflow processes, competing demands, and vaccine communication challenge school nurses. The themes that were synthesized informed the LEADS model. With the support of school nurses, reaching the goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem is possible.

A Multilevel Analysis of School-Level Human Papillomavirus Vaccination Coverage in Virginia.

School nurses improve public health through vaccine promotion and mandate compliance. Despite recommendations and support for comprehensive adolescent HPV vaccination from organizations like the National Association of School Nurses as of 2023 only Virginia, Washington DC, Rhode Island, and Hawaii mandate HPV vaccine in schools. Virginia's mandate allows caregivers to opt out of vaccination. It is important to consider how school-level vaccine compliance is associated with school and community factors. A multilevel analysis explored the association between school and county-level factors and HPV vaccination rates. This study shows schools that report higher rates of economically disadvantaged students had higher HPV vaccine coverage. HPV vaccine rates increased from 2019 to 2021 after the implementation of a gender-inclusive mandate. Virginia HPV rates still lag behind states with no mandate. The results suggest that school nursing practice related to HPV vaccine compliance may be impacted by community factors like economic status.

Interventions to Support Diversity in Nursing Education.

BACKGROUND: Despite increased awareness of the importance of cultural competence in the reduction of health care disparities, the nursing profession does not reflect the patient demographics of the United States. The purpose of this article is to report the results of a comprehensive review of the experiences of nontraditional nursing students in undergraduate nursing programs and the interventions used by nursing programs to increase their success. METHOD: Data from 13 studies were extracted, summarized, and synthesized. This review was organized using concepts from Jeffreys' nursing undergraduate retention and success model. RESULTS: Nontraditional nursing students faced unique challenges when pursuing undergraduate nursing education. CONCLUSION: This review highlighted the need for continued efforts to support nontraditional students that pursue nursing education. Future research is necessary to identify and prioritize interventions that enhance nontraditional students' experiences and improve student outcomes. [J Nurs Educ. 2019;58(11):641-646.].

Wanted: your expertise.

Trustees' expertise is needed to help shape AHA policies.

Leadership development: an external-internal coaching partnership.

Professional coaching is a leadership development strategy that has the potential to improve individual and organizational performance, retain leadership talent, support succession planning, and help healthcare leaders meet professional and personal goals. The authors describe the development and benefits of a partnership between an external and an internal coach who joined forces to provide individual and group coaching to 64 clinical leaders in a health system. Program evaluation demonstrated an excellent return on investment. Recommendations for implementing professional coaching programs in other healthcare organizations are provided.

Preparing tomorrow's leaders through succession planning from the provider perspective.

"We never know.... Fate has a way of showing up at the most inopportune times. We had been planning for Ann's retirement for months. It was going to be a loss. Not only was she a long-term employee and strong manager, she could step in and lead anything. She would be sorely missed. We knew who was going to cover each of her areas of accountability. Sue would take one unit. John would manage the Dialysis Program. We had completed a job analysis, and everything was covered. We had already begun the shifting of accountabilities. September 2 was the big day. We had 3 months to go. Then the big opportunity came. We had been working on the merger for months before it finally happened. There was only one glitch. The culture shift was going to be huge. We needed someone to lead the process. Of course, who could do it better than Ann? She had been leading change for years. She was a master. She had the one skill for which we had no succession plan. We had one person that we could call, and within 3 months she would be gone. We had missed the mark. We had not completed our succession plan." These real-life stories show how critical succession planning can be to an organization. To do it well requires a clear vision of the strategic objectives of the organization, focused development programs, and continuous enrollment of both executives and employees within the organization. Leadership training, learning projects, and creating a coaching environment also are crucial elements of a successful succession plan.