High School Student Driving Perceptions Following Participation in a Distracted Driving Curriculum.

Objectives. Distracted driving is a major public health issue in the United States. In response to requests from high school students participating in a university-based initiative, the authors describe the collaborative development and implementation of a curriculum designed to address distracted driving behaviors among students in four high-needs school districts in the northeastern United States. Method. The curriculum integrates current statistics on distracted and drowsy driving and three interactive learning stations: driving while distracted, walking while distracted, and driving while drowsy. Pre- and postsurveys were conducted to collect student driving data, assess student satisfaction with the program, and assess their likelihood of speaking up as a passenger in a high-risk situation. Results. The majority of students reported that they learned new information and would recommend the program to others. A Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that students were more likely to speak up as a passenger with a distracted or drowsy driver (p < .001) after the program. Conclusion. This experience demonstrates a voluntary, multidisciplinary, university-based collaboration in the development of a novel public health education initiative. Based on the success of this phase, school districts elected to participate in Train the Trainer sessions to continue the program within their local high-needs school district.

A Pre-Pandemic Evaluation of the State of Staffing and Future of the Respiratory Care Profession: Perceptions of Louisiana Respiratory Therapists.

BACKGROUND: Workforce development for the respiratory therapy (RT) profession is a growing concern. Upcoming staffing difficulties are expected due to retirement, attrition from the profession, and decreased enrollment in accredited RT programs nationwide. This study assessed respiratory therapists' perceptions of staffing needs and future trajectory of the RT profession. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized a modified 39-question survey tool delivered via e-mail to 618 Louisiana members of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) between November 2019-February 2020. RESULTS: The response rate was 19% (118/618). Although 50% of respondents perceived understaffing, 77.6% indicated the importance to remain in the RT profession. A majority (93.1%) agreed on the importance of maintaining an active membership in the AARC. Respondents working in a hospital setting perceived understaffed work environments more often than other groups. Salary was most important to the employee (33.6%, 39/116), followed equally by room for growth (14.7%, 17/116) and scope of practice (14.7%, 17/116). For the future of the profession, the ability to assess patients and develop care plans and the ability to receive reimbursement for services were indicated as most important factors. Most (69.8%) agreed that the entry-level minimum should be increased to the bachelor's degree, and 21.6% agreed the master's degree in RT should be supported to increase scope of practice. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated a consistent perception of understaffed work environments in respiratory care, and respondents expressed a perceived importance of remaining in the RT profession. This study also indicated support for raising the entry-level standard in RT and a desire for higher education to achieve professional growth and advancement.

The Future of Respiratory Care: Results of a New York State Survey of Respiratory Therapists.

BACKGROUND: In the current health-care environment, respiratory care may need to make significant changes to academic preparation and clinical practice. The purpose of this research was to assess current needs of respiratory therapists (RTs) in New York State and to understand how RTs perceive their future clinical and academic roles. METHODS: This study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional non-experimental design. Between October and December 2014, a 32-item online survey was distributed via e-mail to the 2,170 members of the New York State Society of Respiratory Care. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize responses, and bivariate analyses were assessed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. RESULTS: The response rate was 22% and resulted in 435 valid surveys returned. Seventy percent of 415 respondents agreed that the practice of respiratory care is at risk of losing practitioners. The most important incentive for retention of practitioners in the field was professional growth and an expanded scope of clinical practice. Specifically, the most important of these roles was gaining the ability to assess patients, develop a plan of care, and receive reimbursement for services. Sixty-four percent of 415 respondents strongly agreed that the minimum academic standard for RTs should be raised to the baccalaureate level. Of 415 respondents, the majority (78%) agreed that it is important for therapists to remain in the profession and to be an active member of the American Association for Respiratory Care (83%). CONCLUSIONS: These data are useful to the profession, notably for academic programs that must meet the need for a more highly prepared and skilled workforce. The findings emphasize that viability of the profession in the current health-care environment calls for the evolution of a more autonomous RT who can be reimbursed for services and obtain salaries that are competitive with other health professions.