Search

(1) Background/Objective: California has one of the highest rates of pediatric dental caries in the nation. One way to combat this problem is through non-dental provider training programs that focus on prevention. However, there are limited data on healthcare provider training program integration and evaluation of oral health curricula focused on prevention of early childhood caries. This study will assess the change in healthcare providers’ attitudes, knowledge, and skills by implementing an interprofessional educational (IPE) oral health curriculum in medicine and nurse practitioner programs at one university in Southern California. (2) Methods: A mixed method design was employed using a pre- and post-educational survey, and end-of-program focus group interviews. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used to assess group differences and thematic analyses for the focus groups. (3) Results: A total of 81 students (14 pediatric medicine residents, 18 pediatric, and 49 family nurse practitioners) completed the curriculum and surveys. Attitudes related to oral hygiene remained unchanged, with the nurse practitioner group showing improved clinical skills (all questions; p < 0.021). Knowledge scores significantly improved across all groups (paired t-test; p < 0.001). All focus groups expressed the helpfulness of the educational modules, the usefulness of the skills learned, and the benefits of IPE activities. (4) Conclusion: Healthcare providers showed improved oral health knowledge and clinical skills acquired through the oral health program and can serve as a model to educate across disciplines on the prevention of early childhood caries.

(1) Introduction: Adolescents with complex congenital heart disease (CCHD) show brain tissue injuries in regions associated with cognitive deficits. Alteration in cerebral arterial perfusion (CAP), as measured by arterial transit time (ATT), may lead to perfusion deficits and potential injury. Our study aims to compare ATT values between CCHD patients and controls and assess the associations between ATT values, MD values, and cognitive scores in adolescents with CCHD. (2) Methods: 37 CCHD subjects, 14–18 years of age, who had undergone surgical palliation and 30 healthy controls completed cognitive testing and brain MRI assessments using a 3.0-Tesla scanner. ATT values and regional brain mean diffusivity [MD] were assessed for the whole brain using diffusion tensor imaging. (3) Results: The mean MoCA values [23.1 ± 4.1 vs. 28.1 ± 2.3; p < 0.001] and General Memory Index, with a subscore of WRAML2 [86.8 ± 15.4 vs. 110.3 ± 14.5; p < 0.001], showed significant cognitive deficits in CCHD patients compared to controls. The mean global ATT was significantly higher in CCHD patients versus controls (mean ± SD, s, 1.26 ± 0.11 vs. 1.19 ± 0.11, p = 0.03), respectively. The partial correlations between ATT values, MD values, and cognitive scores (p < 0.005) showed significant associations in areas including the hippocampus, prefrontal cortices, cerebellum, caudate, anterior and mid cingulate, insula, thalamus, and lingual gyrus. (4) Conclusions: Adolescents with CCHD had prolonged ATTs and showed correlation with clinical measurements of cognitive impairment and MRI measurements of brain tissue integrity. This suggests that altered CAP may play a role in brain tissue injury and cognitive impairment after surgical palliation.

Abstract Introduction Adolescents with single ventricle congenital heart disease (SVHD) show functional deficits, particularly in memory and mood regulation. Hippocampi are key brain structures that regulate mood and memory; however, their tissue integrity in SVHD is unclear. Our study aim is to evaluate hippocampal volumes and their associations with memory, anxiety, and mood scores in adolescents with SVHD compared to healthy controls. Methods We collected brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 25 SVHD (age 15.9 ± 1.2 years; 15 male) and 38 controls (16.0 ± 1.1 years; 19 male) and assessed memory (Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning 2, WRAML2), anxiety (Beck Anxiety Inventory, BAI), and mood (Patient Health Questionnaire 9, PHQ‐9) functions. Both left and right hippocampi were outlined and global volumes, as well as three‐dimensional surfaces were compared between groups using ANCOVA and associations with cognitive and behavioral scores with partial correlations (covariates: age and total brain volume). Results The SVHD group showed significantly higher BAI (p = .001) and PHQ‐9 (p

Abstract: This was a pilot study of novice and expert nurses participating in a simulation to determine the predictors of clinical judgment. Covariates included age, nursing experience, simulation experience, and six measures of pupil dilation as a measure of stress with scores on the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric as the dependent variable. A stepwise linear regression found years of RN experience was the only predictor of better clinical judgment. Despite evidence of stress, only years as a nurse was a statistically significant predictor., (Copyright © 2020 National League for Nursing.)