Innovative Strategies to Address Systemic Inequities in Youth Sexual Health Programs: A Preliminary Program Evaluation.

Disparities in sexual health outcomes between racial and ethnic groups throughout the state of Washington suggest the presence of systemic inequities impeding young people's experience with and access to sexual health care and education. Emerging innovations in sexual health look to center young people, particularly those who have been historically excluded, in the design and implementation of programs that aim to serve them. The Washington Youth Sexual Health Innovation and Impact Network (WYSHIIN) and 11 grant-funded partners engaged communities of youth across the state of Washington, including Two Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and/or asexual (2SLGBTQIA+) and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) youth, with the goal of equitably engaging participants and stakeholders to broaden services in schools and community settings. Evaluation staff from the Washington State Department of Health conducted virtual interviews with community partners for preliminary program evaluation purposes and identified 6 strategies for engaging youth. WYSHIIN partners highlighted strategies for centering youth voice and needs at all levels of program development and implementation, embracing holistic and culturally relevant approaches, and 2SLGBTQIA+ inclusion. These themes, reflective of wisdom across multiple Washington communities, offer strategies to address systemic issues that negatively impact youth access to and experience with sexual health care.

Development and Psychometric Testing of the Workplace Civility Index: A Reliable Tool for Measuring Civility in the Workplace.

BACKGROUND: Fostering civility in practice and academic health care settings is a desirable goal for individuals, teams, and organizations and is paramount to safe patient care. METHOD: A convenience sample of 393 nursing faculty and practice-based nurses in the United States participated in a study to test the psychometric properties of the Workplace Civility Index (WCI). RESULTS: A factor analysis and other reliability analyses support the use of the WCI as a valid and reliable measurement to measure perceptions of workplace civility acumen. CONCLUSION: The WCI is a 20-item psychometrically sound instrument used to measure perceptions of workplace civility among individuals and groups within work environments. The index may be completed as an individual exercise; however, it is highly recommended that the index be completed with a trusted coworker, colleague, or work group to improve self-awareness, give and receive constructive feedback, and form the basis for continuing strengths and addressing areas for improvement. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2018;49(9):400-406.

Development and Testing of the Healthy Work Environment Inventory: A Reliable Tool for Assessing Work Environment Health and Satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: Fostering healthy work environments that enhance job satisfaction and reflect high levels of employee engagement and productivity is imperative for all organizations. This is especially true for health care organizations where unhealthy work conditions can lead to poor patient outcomes. METHOD: A convenience sample of 520 nursing faculty and practice-based nurses in the United States participated in a study to test the psychometric properties of the Healthy Work Environment Inventory (HWEI). RESULTS: A factor analysis and other reliability analyses support the use of the HWEI as a valid and reliable instrument to measure perceptions of work environment health. CONCLUSION: The HWEI is a 20-item psychometrically sound instrument to measure perceptions of the health of the work environment. It may be completed either as an individual exercise or by all members of a team to compare perceptions of work environment health, to determine areas of strength and improvement, and to form the basis for interviewing. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(10):555-562.].