Comparison of different methods of screening to identify intimate partner violence: A randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE

Screening for intimate partner violence in the home is often challenging due to the lack of privacy. The aim of this study was to compare two different screening methods (paper-pencil vs. tablet) for identifying intimate partner violence during perinatal home visits.

DESIGN

Randomized control trial.

SAMPLE

Pregnant women (N = 416) in perinatal home visiting programs were randomized to either paper-pencil or computer assisted, intimate partner violence screening.

MEASUREMENTS

The Abuse Assessment Screen was used to screen for physical and sexual IPV and Women's Experiences with Battering for emotional intimate partner violence.

RESULTS

No significant differences in prevalence were found between the screening methods. Intimate partner violence prevalence rates for the year before and/or during pregnancy using paper-pencil was 21.8% versus 24.5% using tablets (p = .507). There were significant differences in prevalence among the three race/ethnic groups (Caucasian, 36.9%; African American, 26.7%; Hispanics, 10.6%; p < .001) and significant differences in rates across three geographical areas: urban 16.0%; rural 27.6%, suburban women 32.3% (p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides evidence that both methods are useful for identifying intimate partner violence during perinatal home visits.

Best Practices for Depression Screening Among College Students: A Literature Review

Rates of depression among the college-aged population are alarming, particularly in light of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. It is important for providers who care for this population to have proper screening and referral processes to meet growing student needs. The purpose of this literature review was to examine current best practices for depression screening among college students. Comprehensive searches of PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, and Cochrane databases were completed with the assistance of a medical librarian. A total of 775 studies were screened, and 17 articles were included in the review. Evidence supports universal-based depression screenings; use of screening methods to include brief and online screenings; use of validated screening tools, including the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) -2 and PHQ-9; and the importance of a proper referral process and adequate access to treatment measures. An appropriate depression screening and referral process within campus health centers is critical to meet the needs of college students. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, xx(x), xx-xx.].

The impact of full practice authority on nurse practitioner compensation, collaboration, and billing

BACKGROUND

Although there is a substantial body of evidence regarding full practice authority's (FPA) effects on health care access and quality, very little research has examined how nurse practitioner (NP) licensure laws affect the status of NPs as clinicians, employees, and leaders in health care organizations.

PURPOSE

This study examined whether states' implementation of FPA leads to higher pay, business ownership, assigned patient panel, and billing transparency for NPs' and whether NPs' gains from FPA increase over time in states where FPA has been in effect longer.

METHODOLOGY

Data from a nationwide survey of licensed NPs ( N = 5,770) were used to compare NPs' employment conditions between FPA and non-FPA states. After balancing the FPA and non-FPA groups on demographic characteristics (e.g., urbanicity, education), adjusted mean differences in outcomes between the groups were estimated using weighted multivariable regression.

RESULTS

Compared with NPs in non-FPA states, NPs in FPA states had higher mean earnings ( p < .05), were more likely to be practice owners or shareholders ( p < .01), and billed a greater percentage of their patient visits under their own National Provider Identifier ( p < .001). Having FPA in place for ≥10 years was associated with greater improvements in conditions of employment compared with having FPA <10 years.

CONCLUSIONS

States' adoption of FPA for NPs is associated with improved conditions of employment among NPs.

IMPLICATIONS

Untethering NPs from physicians establishes a cascade of modest gains in income and practice ownership that may indicate changes over time. Additional research is needed to determine the trajectory of these increases and if they are consistent.

Nurse Practitioner Students' Knowledge Assessment and Perceived Preparedness to Triage Ophthalmology Complaints in a Primary Care Setting: An Educational Intervention

Purpose  In this proof-of-concept pilot study, we aimed to increase nurse practitioner (NP) student knowledge of ophthalmology to prepare NPs for encounters in primary care settings. The Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology (AUPO) and the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) endorse core knowledge that medical students should achieve. We assess the effectiveness of an innovative ophthalmologist-led curriculum based on these competencies tailored to issues NPs encounter in primary care. Methods  Johns Hopkins University NP students enrolled in a pre-post-cohort study and educational intervention. The didactic program was developed according to AUPO and AAO core ophthalmology content for medical students and was taught in-person by an ophthalmologist. Pre-post-assessments evaluated students' perceived readiness to encounter ophthalmic issues in the clinic and baseline knowledge of core competencies of ophthalmology. Results  A total of 42 NP students were included in the analysis. NP students improved in core knowledge and readiness to encounter ophthalmology issues. After the educational event, there was a statistically significant improvement in students' ratings of preparedness to obtain a focused history, exam, perform initial management and decide the urgency of a referral for acute painless vision loss ( p  < 0.001), chronic vision loss ( p  < 0.001), or a patient with a red/painful eye ( p  < 0.001). Students showed a statistically significant improvement in postdidactic event core ophthalmology knowledge assessment scores ( p  = 0.002). Conclusion  Primary care NPs are increasingly the initial point of contact for patients with ophthalmic complaints, and thus, high-quality and thorough education regarding ophthalmology triage and referral for NPs is necessary. NP student comfort with and knowledge of ophthalmic complaints and triage may be improved by a brief educational intervention taught by an ophthalmologist early in the NP curriculum.

Erratum: Nurse Practitioner Students' Knowledge Assessment and Perceived Preparedness to Triage Ophthalmology Complaints in a Primary Care Setting: An Educational Intervention

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1055/s-0043-1771355.].

Web‐based chlamydia education for university students: A pilot project

Aims

Chlamydia disproportionately affects individuals aged 15–24 years. A lack of chlamydia knowledge in this high‐risk group likely contributes to decreased testing, but interventions to increase chlamydia knowledge in this population are not well‐described in the literature. The purpose of this pilot project was to increase chlamydia knowledge in a sample of university students using nurse‐developed web‐based education.

Design

A pre‐ and post‐test design was used to evaluate participant knowledge of chlamydia before and after completing a nurse‐developed web‐based education intervention designed for university students.

Methods

Forty‐seven undergraduate students at one U.S. university participated. A focus group and scientific evidence informed the development of the web‐based education.

Results

Participants had a significant increase in chlamydia knowledge after completing the online educational intervention (M = 8.0, SD = 0.000) compared to baseline (M = 6.5, SD = 1.5), t(33) = −5.821, p < .0001. Pilot results provide promising evidence that web‐based nurse‐developed education designed specifically for university students can increase chlamydia knowledge.