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Communication is essential for safe, effective patient care. In perioperative services, where interdisciplinary teamwork is crucial, communication breakdowns may lead to increased errors, decreased staff member satisfaction, and poor team performance. This process improvement project focused on instituting perioperative huddles for two months and measuring the effect that they had on staff members' satisfaction, engagement, and communication effectiveness. We used validated, Likert‐style survey tools to gauge participants' satisfaction, level of engagement, communication practices, and opinions about the value of huddles before and after implementation, in addition to an open‐ended descriptive question in the postsurvey. Sixty‐one participants completed the presurvey and 24 participants completed the postsurvey. Scores across all categories increased post huddle implementation. Benefits of the huddles noted by participants included timely and consistent messaging, sharing essential information, and increased feelings of connection between perioperative leaders and staff members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Rural adolescents engage in higher smoking and smokeless tobacco use rates than those from urban communities; urban adolescents are more likely to use e‐cigarettes. The study investigated whether place of residence (rural vs urban) is associated with tobacco use prevalence and change in prevalence among middle and high school students over time. Methods: We analyzed data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey (2011‐2016). Multiple logistic regression methods for weighted survey data assessed the relationship of place of residence with current tobacco product use over time, adjusting for demographics. Findings: There was no difference in rate of change in use of any tobacco product between rural and urban middle or high school students. Adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and survey year, both middle and high school rural students were more likely to use cigarettes and smokeless tobacco, whereas urban high school students were more likely to use hookah. Significant polynomial trends were observed for e‐cigarette and hookah use patterns, whereas linear changes in use patterns were detected for cigarette and smokeless tobacco use over time. Conclusions: Rural high school students are more likely to smoke cigarettes and use smokeless tobacco than their urban counterparts, although prevalence rates have decreased over time. However, use of hookah and e‐cigarettes among middle and high school students has increased over time regardless of place of residence. To stem the rapid increase in use of hookah and e‐cigarettes, comprehensive tobacco control policies are needed regardless of rural or urban location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Objectives were to (1) explore perceived effectiveness of existing smoke‐free print advertisements in rural communities and (2) generate message content, characteristics, and media delivery channels that resonate with residents. Design and Sample: Qualitative methods design. Thirty‐nine rural adults recruited by community partners. Measures: Content analysis of findings from individuals in four focus groups who participated in general discussion and reviewed eight print ads related to secondhand smoke (SHS) and smoke‐free policy. Results: Six content themes were identified: smoking/SHS dangers, worker health, analogies, economic impact, rights, and nostalgia. Seven message characteristics were recognized: short/to the point, large enough to read, graphic images, poignant stories, statistics/charts/graphs, message sender, and messages targeting different groups. Four media delivery channels were considered most effective: local media, technology, billboard messages, and print materials. Conclusions: Seeking input from key informants is essential to reaching rural residents. Use of analogies in media messaging is a distinct contribution to the literature on effective smoke‐free campaigns. Other findings support previous studies of effective messaging and delivery channels. Further research is needed to examine effectiveness of themes related to message content in smoke‐free ads and delivery strategies. Effective media messaging can lead to policy change in rural communities to reduce exposure to SHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death, resulting in 443,000 US deaths per year. Rural adults have higher smoking prevalence and less access to tobacco dependence treatment than their urban counterparts. This study examined exposure to a culturally specific smoking cessation outreach intervention, assessing whether exposure was associated with cessation behaviors. Design and Sample Post-test only quasi-experimental study. Targeted adult smokers ( N = 251) living in a rural, economically distressed southeastern US county for at least 6 months. Measurements Five outreach elements (brochures/pushcards, posters, print and radio advertisements, quilt made by local artisans) based on themes from focus groups with current and former smokers and paired with brief tobacco cessation counseling, and were delivered over 6 months in 2009-2010. Exposure and cessation behavior indicators were collected via cross-sectional random-digit dial survey. The total intervention exposure score was 4.8 ( SD = 4.3, range 0-19). Results Intervention exposure was associated with having talked to a health care provider about quitting smoking in the past 6 months and planning to quit smoking in the next 6 months. Conclusions Culturally specific outreach materials based on personal narratives are a promising population-based intervention to motivate rural smokers to consider cessation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess attitudes and behaviors related to smoke-free policy among undergraduate student alcohol drinkers on a campus in a community with smoke-free bars. Design and Sample This was a secondary data analysis of a study in which participants completed mailed surveys assessing demographic characteristics, attitudes and behaviors related to alcohol and tobacco use and smoke-free policy ( n = 337). Opinion and behavior items were summarized descriptively; associations were examined using Kruskal Wallis tests and chi-square tests of association. Logistic regression tested for predictors of importance of smoke-free policy. Results Respondents were predominantly female and Caucasian; mean age 20.3 years. One fourth were current smokers. Seventy-nine percent said the community smoke-free law had no effect on frequency of visiting bars. Eighty-seven percent said smoke-free policy in campus buildings was 'somewhat' or 'very important.' Predictors of perceived importance of smoke-free policy included gender and smoking status. Conclusions Most smokers in this sample did not experience a change in their motivation to quit smoking or in number of cigarettes smoked daily. Implementation of a community smoke-free law did not reduce the likelihood of visiting bars. Women and nonsmokers were more likely to rate smoke-free campus policy as very important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors related to motivation to quit among smoking family members of lung cancer patients. Relatives of multidisciplinary lung cancer clinic patients were recruited during family members' treatment. Participants ( N=29) were primarily female and Caucasian. The items assessed included the effect of their relative's disease on motivation to quit, intent to quit in the next 6 months, stage of change, perceived risk from smoking, and attitudes about being approached about cessation. Most indicated that their relative's disease had increased motivation to quit smoking (71%); 72% planned to quit within 6 months. One fourth (28%) were in precontemplation stage of change; 65% in contemplation; and 7% in preparation. The average perceived risk of developing lung cancer was 6.3. Two thirds were glad or very glad that someone had talked with them about quitting; 91% thought it was somewhat or very appropriate to talk about cessation with family members of lung cancer patients. Motivation to quit smoking was positively correlated with stage of change and perceived lung cancer risk. Public health nurses who interact with families of lung cancer patients may be able to promote cessation in an at-risk group that is motivated to quit smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: The incidence of meningococcal meningitis in college students is higher than in other populations. College students, especially 1st-year students living in dormitories or residence halls, are among those at highest risk of developing the disease. It is estimated that immunization can prevent up to 83% of cases among adolescents and college students. A review of the literature was undertaken to identify and critique the research-based prevention programs that are focused on college students. Method: An extensive search of the Cochrane Database of systematic reviews, Medline, PubMed, and CINAHL was undertaken. The Journal of American College Health was hand searched, and bibliographies were reviewed for studies not otherwise identified. Four publications met the search criteria. These studies were reviewed and graded for level of evidence. Findings: One study could not be compared with the other three because of its lack of detail. Of the other three studies, two were descriptive and factors were identified that related to vaccination and nonvaccination in the college student population (both Evidence Grade C). Only one study was described that included an educational intervention, which resulted in increased vaccination rates in a college student population (Evidence Grade B). Conclusions and Implications: The published literature is severely limited in the area of meningococcal meningitis prevention programs in the at-risk college student population. A critical need exists for controlled studies to test the interventions that are most effective in this population as well as broader-based studies to further identify those students at increased risk for the disease as well as for nonvaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a teaching technique concerning HIV and AIDS education. Lesson objectives; Activities and strategies in teaching safer sex; Lesson procedures; How to evaluate students' achievement in the lesson.