Perceptions of Live Streaming Compared With an In-Person Nursing Conference: A Quality Improvement Project.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to understand registered nurses' (RNs') perceptions of attending a live streaming versus in-person continuing education event. BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 global pandemic, in-person continuing education events for healthcare providers required conversion to digital platforms. Literature is sparse regarding healthcare providers' perceptions on attending a live streaming continuing education event. METHODS: Registered nurses completed a survey after a live streaming research conference from a large US healthcare system. Likert-scale survey items were analyzed using descriptive statistics and open-ended questions with content analysis and thematic coding. RESULTS: A total of 219 RNs participated. The RNs reported an overall positive experience with the live streaming event and indicated a preference for this platform for the future. Three benefits emerged: savings, self-care and safety, and user-friendly. Perceived drawbacks were coded with 3 themes: technical issues, impaired focus, and social/networking challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Despite challenges, live streaming conferences may be satisfying and preferable for nurses.

Pandemic response policies' democratizing effects on online learning.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed peoples' lives in unexpected ways, especially how they allocate their time between work and other activities. Demand for online learning has surged during a period of mass layoffs and transition to remote work and schooling. Can this uptake in online learning help close longstanding skills gaps in the US workforce in a sustainable and equitable manner? We answer this question by analyzing individual engagement data of DataCamp users between October 2019 and September 2020 (n = 277,425). Exploiting the staggered adoption of actions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 across states, we identify the causal effect at the neighborhood level. The adoption of nonessential business closures led to a 38% increase in new users and a 6% increase in engagement among existing users. We find that these increases are proportional across higher- and lower-income neighborhoods and neighborhoods with a high or low share of Black residents. This demonstrates the potential for online platforms to democratize access to knowledge and skills that are in high demand, which supports job security and facilitates social mobility.

Remote Learning During COVID-19: Examining School Practices, Service Continuation, and Difficulties for Adolescents With and Without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

PURPOSE: This study examined remote learning practices and difficulties during initial stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic in adolescents with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: Participants were 238 adolescents (132 males; 118 with ADHD) aged 15.64-17.99 years and their parents. Adolescents and parents completed questionnaires in May/June 2020 when in-person schools were closed in the U.S. RESULTS: Twenty-two percent of families incurred financial costs to support remote learning, and only 59% of school-based services received before COVID-19 continued during COVID-19 remote learning. Adolescents with ADHD had fewer routines and more remote learning difficulties than adolescents without ADHD. Parents of adolescents with ADHD had less confidence in managing remote learning and more difficulties in supporting home learning and home-school communication. Thirty-one percent of parents of adolescents with ADHD with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or receiving academic accommodations (504 Plan) reported remote learning to be very challenging, compared with 18% of parents of adolescents with ADHD without an IEP/504 Plan, and only 4% of parents of adolescents with neither ADHD nor an IEP/504 Plan. Fewer adolescent routines, higher negative affect, and more difficulty concentrating because of COVID-19 were each associated with greater adolescent remote learning difficulties only in adolescents with ADHD. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides initial findings of the nature and impact of remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is imperative for schools and communities to provide the necessary supports to adolescents, particularly those with mental health and/or learning difficulties, and to their parents.