Kathleen Mathieson

Comparison of Student and Instructor Perceptions of Social Presence.

As enrollment in online courses continues to grow and online education is increasingly recognized as an established instructional mode, the unique challenges posed by this learning environment should be addressed. A primary challenge for virtual educators is developing social presence such that participants feel a sense of human connection with each other. Accomplishing this within learning management systems (LMS) that are often restrictive can be difficult. Prior research has established a relationship between student perceptions of social presence and satisfaction, but little research has included perceptions of instructors. This study compares student and instructor perceptions of social presence and the importance placed on social connections. While students and instructors reported high levels of social presence, students reported significantly lower levels than instructors. In particular, students found the LMS more impersonal than instructors and were less comfortable participating in LMS activities than instructors. Students had less desire for social connections with other students and instructors, and reported having less time available for such connections. Strategies to facilitate social presence, including offering social networking opportunities outside the LMS, are discussed in light of these differences in perceptions between students and instructors.

The Effect of Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring Among Inmates With Diabetes.

The increasing prevalence and risk of complications from diabetes necessitate patient participation and attentiveness to select appropriate foods, perform regular physical activity, and be active in diabetes management and self-maintenance. Diabetes is often largely asymptomatic; consequently, early diagnosis and treatment are necessary. Inmates are a unique population challenged by the increased prevalence of chronic conditions including diabetes. Diabetes standards for inmates contain diagnostic and treatment management guidelines that incorporate personal glucose monitoring for insulin users. In December 2009, the Federal Bureau of Prisons initiated a program to distribute glucose meters to insulin-dependent inmates to facilitate self-monitoring blood glucose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of these glucose meters on hemoglobin A1c levels.

Differences in quality of life between pediatric sickle cell patients who used hydroxyurea and those who did not

PURPOSE The purpose of this paper is to examine the differences in quality of life (QoL) between two groups of pediatric sickle cell patients: those who used hydroxyurea and those who chose not to use the medication to treat sickle cell disease. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH The study was a quantitative, non-randomized, cross-sectional, comparative study. In total, 100 children ages seven to 17 participated in the study. Parents of the patients completed a demographic questionnaire while the participants completed the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (Peds QoL) and Sickle Cell Disease Quality of Life Inventory (SCD QoL). FINDINGS The Ped QoL regression analysis revealed that hydroxyurea use and parental marital status accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in Ped QoL. The SCD QoL regression analysis also revealed that hydroxyurea and age accounted for a significant proportion of the variance in SCD QoL. Finally, the regression analysis revealed that SCD, parental marital status, parental income, sex, age, race and number of siblings did not account for a significant proportion of the variance in SCD crises per year. ORIGINALITY/VALUE This paper proved a need to study the differences in QoL between those pediatric patients who used hydroxyurea and those who did not use the medication.

Rethinking Your Involvement: A Survey on Hospital Library Committee Participation

There has been a great deal of discussion in recent years about hospital libraries regarding budgets, reductions in force, and closures. This has, in turn, brought up conversations about the visibility and value of hospital libraries and librarians. The authors wanted to learn what other hospital librarians were doing at their institutions regarding committee participation. During MLA ’10 (Medical Library Association 2010 Annual Meeting), Daniel H. Pink discussed the T-shaped employee, who has both depth of specialized knowledge and breadth of reach. In A Whole New Mind, he discusses the boundary crossers who develop expertise in multiple spheres (1). Perusing survey findings, librarians might discover ways they can rethink involvement in their institutions by serving on committees or taking other leadership roles, thereby improving their visibility and proving their value.

Randomized trial of oral versus intravenous acetaminophen for postoperative pain control

Purpose. Results of a study comparing pain control outcomes with preoperative oral versus intraoperative i.v. acetaminophen use in adults undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty are reported. Methods. A single‐center, randomized, placebo‐controlled, equivalence trial was conducted. Patients were assigned (1:1) to receive 2 500‐mg capsules of acetaminophen before surgery, with an i.v. placebo infusion during surgery (the oral group), or 2 oral placebo capsules followed by an i.v. infusion of acetaminophen 1,000 mg/100 mL (the i.v. group). Patients were followed after postanesthesia care unit (PACU) admission up to 24 hours postoperatively. Results. Among 486 patients included in a modified intention‐to‐treat analysis (mean ± S.D. age, 66.3 ± 9.4 years), there were no significant differences in preoperative and intraoperative use of pain medication between the oral and i.v. groups. Postoperative opioid use in morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) was equivalent in the oral and i.v. groups (i.e., the mean difference in median MME values was within the prespecified equivalence margin), with no significant between‐group differences in mean pain scores over 24 hours. Conclusion. In patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty, oral acetaminophen given preoperatively was equivalent to i.v. acetaminophen administered in the operating suite in controlling pain in the immediate postoperative period. I.V. acetaminophen was not superior to oral acetaminophen in reducing postoperative nausea and vomiting, time to ambulation, time to first dose of as‐needed pain medication, length of PACU stay, or total length of hospital stay.

Student and faculty perceptions of plagiarism in health sciences education

Abstract Academic misconduct is a problem encountered by many academic programmes, including programmes in the health sciences. The primary purpose of the present study was to assess doctoral student and graduate faculty perceptions of academic misconduct, specifically plagiarism. We used a cross-sectional survey design, and separate surveys were developed for students and faculty. The student survey measured student perceptions of the prevalence of plagiarism among students in general and assessed the occurrence of each student’s plagiaristic behaviours. The faculty survey measured faculty perceptions of the prevalence of plagiarism among students in general and among students in their courses specifically. Two hundred and thirty-eight students and 92 faculty completed the surveys. Students were doctoral health sciences students enrolled in a campus-based, online or hybrid programme. Compared with the self-reported behaviour of students, faculty believed more students were involved with plagiarism. Self-rated knowledge about plagiarism was significantly higher among online students and faculty than among campus-based students and faculty (p<0.001). Both students and faculty believed the most common plagiaristic activity was citing and referencing a full-text source when only the abstract was read, but only a few students reported personally doing this. Additionally, more campus-based students than online students reported working closely with another classmate on an assignment when they were not authorised to do so (p<0.001). In the present study, surveyed students and faculty believed plagiarism was prevalent among the general student population; however, few students self-reported this behaviour.

A descriptive analysis of factors influencing physician assistant specialty selection.

This study assessed factors impacting practice selection among primary care and specialty physician assistants (PAs). Certified PAs randomized by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) (30,000) were surveyed, with 2,020 responses (RR = 6.7%). Results showed that factors influencing primary care and specialty selection differ. Increasing reimbursements may not increase selection of primary care by PAs.