Career outcomes and satisfaction among graduates of a 4-year oral health and welfare baccalaureate program at Niigata University, Japan: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Globally, baccalaureate programs in dental hygiene are increasingly established. In addition, in Japan, many dental hygienists (DHs) and social workers (SWs) are prematurely leaving the workforce. This study aimed to investigate the most recent employment, career outcomes, reasons for a job change, and satisfaction with the job and undergraduate curriculum among graduates of the baccalaureate program at the Department of Oral Health and Welfare (DOHW), Faculty of Dentistry, Niigata University. METHODS: All 262 graduates (graduating classes 1-10) of the DOHW were invited to participate in this survey; an original self-administered questionnaire was distributed to those who consented. Responses were received from 114 (43.5%) graduates. RESULTS: Almost all respondents (89.5%) had dual licensure as both DH and certified SW. They were employed immediately after graduation (99.1%) and at the time of the survey (96.5%). Over 60% of them worked as DHs, mainly in hospitals. SWs mainly worked in administration. Among the 113 respondents who were employed, 39.8% changed jobs at least once. The main reasons for job selection were 'interest in job content' and 'flexible working hours'. Nearly 90% of the respondents felt satisfied or fairly satisfied with their job and their undergraduate education. CONCLUSIONS: A quality 4-year baccalaureate degree program in dental hygiene and social welfare positively influenced graduates' work continuity. Most graduates felt satisfied or fairly satisfied with their job and the undergraduate curriculum. Employment rates within each profession and the prevalence of hospital and administrative roles were higher than national averages. Long-term studies of graduates' career outcomes are warranted.

Redefining the term "Disadvantaged student": A post baccalaureate program's role in underrepresented students' success and reclaiming of narratives.

PURPOSE: Racial/ethnic minority groups and low-income students continue to be underrepresented in medicine (URiM) despite years of diversity and inclusion efforts. Post baccalaureate programs (PBP) are shown to prepare underrepresented students to successfully matriculate to medical school. However, identification of the aspects of a PBP that are key to future success in medicine from the student perspective is lacking. Therefore, this study was designed to answer the question, "What aspects of a post baccalaureate program do URiM students see as valuable to their future success?" METHODS: This is a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with alumni of the UCSF PBP who completed the program between 2015-2020. Interviews were conducted via phone or video call, audio recorded, and transcribed verbatim. Names and years of attendance were removed from the transcripts prior to review to protect confidentiality. Transcripts were coded following an inductive qualitative approach using methodology rooted in grounded theory. Demographic data was collected upon enrollment in the program. RESULTS: Forty study participants were interviewed (58% of eligible subjects). Participants self-identified as Latinx (70%), African American (8%), Southeast Asian (10%), Native American (2%), Multiethnic (10%), and 60% female. The average age at enrollment was 24 years. Most participants (75%) were first-generation college students and 85% grew up with a family income <$49,999. Qualitative findings were categorized into five main themes: (1) Academic, Professional, and Personal Skills Development, (2) Supportive Student Cohort, (3) Resources, Personalized Advising, and Mentorship, (4) Gaining Confidence and a Sense of Belonging in Medicine, and (5) Redefining "Disadvantaged" Status. A novel finding was the importance of redefining the narrative of belonging to a "disadvantaged" community. During the program, the study participants reported gaining confidence and a sense of belonging in medicine as they recognized the unique qualifications and advantages they bring to medicine. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that in addition to academic preparation, PBPs for students who are underrepresented in medicine should empower students to recognize their strengths and qualifications in the field of medicine. Our study participants rejected the term "disadvantaged" as they celebrated the value of their backgrounds and what they bring to medicine.

Addressing the Perioperative Nursing Shortage Through Education: A Perioperative Imperative.

Perioperative nurse leaders are facing an unprecedented nursing shortage. Very few baccalaureate nursing programs in the United States prepare graduates for perioperative nursing, and many current perioperative nurses are retiring from practice or leaving the field for other reasons. It is a challenge for nursing administrators to fill the vacant positions because it takes several months to orient a novice perioperative nurse and it involves significant costs. This article provides current information about perioperative nurse and leader shortages, discusses the effects of the shortages on patient safety and health care facility finances, and reviews the available literature about perioperative nursing education from both an academic and health care facility administrative perspective. In addition, this article presents strategies for addressing the nursing shortage and describes implications for clinical practice, education, and research.

Student Nurses in the OR: Improving Recruitment and Retention.

Changes in nursing education have made it difficult for students to find or participate in perioperative clinical experiences, which makes it difficult for employers to find experienced perioperative nurses. We developed a perioperative preceptorship for senior-level nursing students, to provide them with the opportunity to learn RN circulator skills based on AORN's Guidelines for Perioperative Practice. Senior nursing students had the opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking skills within the context of patient-centered care while integrating knowledge and skills learned in the classroom. The students applied the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom in the OR setting during a required minimum 210-hour clinical commitment. We believe the course has been successful in providing the foundation needed to become a competent perioperative nurse, because, to date, all students who were hired are still employed in the OR.

U.s. Undergraduate education in public health: hot or not?

OBJECTIVES: Undergraduate public health education has received growing attention in recent years. This includes a Washington Post article referring to undergraduate public health education as a "hot field" for a global generation, the Critical Component Elements of an Undergraduate Major in Public Health developed by the Association of School and Programs in Public Health (ASPPH), and a recent report from the de Beaumont Foundation and ASPPH. To evaluate the demand for the degree and assess the current state of undergraduate public health education, the researchers examined the number and characteristics of publicly reported U.S. baccalaureate public health programs. METHODS: The researchers reviewed three 2013 college directories and the ASPPH website and identified 112 institutions that used the term "public health" in their baccalaureate degree listings that guide prospective students in selecting an academic program. The researchers defined the undergraduate degree in public health as a major leading to a B.S., B.A., or other baccalaureate degree in public health or public health studies that provides students with a strong general background in areas of knowledge basic to public health, or a specialized training in at least one of the five core disciplines of public health. The researchers then compared the degree contents as listed in the directories to the institutions' websites to verify offering a public health curriculum. Carnegie Commission on Higher Education's classifications of colleges and universities were applied to assess the characteristics of institutions offering baccalaureate degrees in public health. RESULTS: Only 54 of the 2,968 U.S. institutions of higher education provided online information meeting the definition of an active undergraduate public health degree program. CONCLUSION: While public health may be a "hot" field in terms of the interest that it generates, the actual number of verified undergraduate programs presently available is relatively modest.

HESI admission assessment (A(2)) examination scores, program progression, and NCLEX-RN success in baccalaureate nursing: an exploratory study of dependable academic indicators of success.

In an effort to meet the demand for well-educated, high-quality nurses, schools of nursing seek to admit those candidates most likely to have both timely progression and first-time success on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Finding the right combination of academic indicators, which are most predictive of success, continues to be an ongoing challenge for entry-level baccalaureate nursing programs across the United States. This pilot study explored the relationship of a standardized admission examination, the Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) Admission Assessment (A(2)) Examination to preadmission grade point average (GPA), science GPA, and nursing GPA using a retrospective descriptive design. In addition, the predictive ability of the A(2) Examination, preadmission GPA, and science GPA related to timely progression and NCLEX-RN success were explored. In a sample of 89 students, no relationship was found between the A(2) Examination and preadmission GPA or science GPA. The A(2) Examination was correlated with nursing GPA and NCLEX-RN success but not with timely progression. Further studies are needed to explore the utility and predictive ability of standardized examinations such as the A(2) Examination and the contribution of such examinations to evidence-based admission decision making.

Discussion on setting up of community nursing specialty for baccalaureate program in nursing college and university / 中华医学教育探索杂志

The necessities and feasibilities of setting up of community nursing specialty for baccalaureate program in nursing college and university are discussed. And the cultivating approach from aspects of training target; training mode, curriculum design and training of community practical abilities is explored.