Developing Dramatic Movies to Teach Interdisciplinary Collaboration to Allied Health, Medical and Nursing Students

Many times a Hollywood movie has scenes that are useful to illustrate aspects of health care practice. However, it is often impractical to use an entire two-hour movie in class, and a clip or two really does not convey the dramatic picture that the complete movie reveals. [See PDF for complete abstract]

Evaluating Learner Perceptions of Use of Simulations for New nurses – A Collaboration Between the UT SON and the Methodist Hospital

The purpose of this evaluation project was to describe the integration of simulation into a nursing internship program and to help prepare new graduate nurses for patient care. Additionally, learning styles and perceptions of active learning, collaboration among peers, ways of learning, expectation of simulation, satisfaction, self-confidence, and design of simulation were examined. [See PDF for complete abstract]

Evaluating Family Preservation in Nevada: A University-State Agency Collaboration

In this paper, concepts from the emerging family-centered paradigm in child welfare and mental health are applied to evaluative research in family preservation: the ecological perspective, enhancement of competence, a consumer orientation, and collaborative relationships. The experience of family preservation research collaborators from the School of Social Work at the University of Nevada, Reno and the Nevada Division of Child and Family Services illustrate these concepts. The researchers apply the theory of isomorphism to the research endeavor to produce eight principles of effective research partnerships derived from family-centered concepts and their own experiences.

Evaluation of Knowledge Regarding Diagnostic Strategies for Genetic Diseases in Select Residents

Genetics education for physicians has been a popular publication topic in the United States and in Europe for over 20 years. Decreasing numbers of medical genetics professionals and an increasing volume of genetic information has created a dire need for increased genetics training in medical school and in clinical practice. This study aimed to assess how well pediatrics-focused primary care physicians apply their general genetics knowledge to clinical genetic testing using scenario-based questions. We chose to specifically focus on knowledge of the diagnostic applicability of Chromosomal Microarray (CMA) technology in pediatrics because of its recent recommendation by the International Standard Cytogenomic Array (ISCA) Consortium as a first-tier genetic test for individuals with developmental disabilities and/or congenital anomalies. Proficiency in ordering baseline genetic testing was evaluated for eighty-one respondents from four pediatrics-focused residencies (categorical pediatrics, pediatric neurology, internal medicine/pediatrics, and family practice) at two large residency programs in Houston, Texas. Similar to other studies, we found an overall deficit of genetic testing knowledge, especially among family practice residents. Interestingly, residents who elected to complete a genetics rotation in medical school scored significantly better than expected, as well as better than residents who did not elect to complete a genetics rotation. We suspect that the insufficient knowledge among physicians regarding a baseline genetics work-up is leading to redundant (i.e. concurrent karyotype and CMA) and incorrect (i.e. ordering CMA to detect achondroplasia) genetic testing and is contributing to rising health care costs in the United States. Our results provide specific teaching points upon which medical schools can focus education about clinical genetic testing and suggest that increased collaboration between primary care physicians and genetics professionals could benefit patient health care overall.

Editorial: Family Preservation: Collaboration and Teamwork

Tis the season of the National Basketball Association finals and the beginning of the Professional Women's Basketball Association. The skills of collaboration and teamwork required to achieve the ballet of basketball is learned by players over a number of years. On school grounds everywhere, children are learning the techniques and skills necessary to play the game of basketball. Recently, I saw a coach on the sidelines screaming at a young player to make her free-throws, and if she missed, she would have to run laps. This reminded me of traditional services to families which threaten, or at best demand a certain level of performance of parents without providing any true "coaching". I often watch our college coach work from a strengths perspective with the team on minute techniques such as the match-up defense and in-bounds plays. This is the approach that family preservation must employ with families, programs, and their communities.

Intersystem Collaboration: A Statewide Initiative to Support Families

The study described in this paper utilized a qualitative case study method to assess the processes involved in inter-system collaboration in the context of one state's system change initiative. The collaborative experience is described from the perspective of participating service system professionals and family members. The major themes of collaboration that emerged from the study included changes in communication across systems, changes in inter-system relationships, changes in attitudes, changes in interactions with families, and changes in the ways services are delivered. Lessons learned and practice implications of each theme are discussed.