Addressing Food Insecurity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Intervention Outcomes and Lessons Learned from a Collaborative Food Delivery Response in South Florida's Underserved Households.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted underlying disparities in health, healthcare access, and other social factors that have been documented for racial/ethnic minorities. The social-distancing mandate exacerbated the impact of social determinants of health, such as unemployment and food insecurity, particularly among underserved minority populations. We highlight intervention outcomes and lessons learned from the Florida International University (FIU) Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) NeighborhoodHELP's response to pandemic-related food insecurity among Miami Dade County's underserved population. METHODS: Following the stay-at-home mandate, a weekly needs assessment of program households was conducted by the NeighborhoodHELP team, during which food insecurity emerged as a pandemic-related urgent need, rising from three percent of program Households in March 2020 to 36.9 percent six months later. Consequently, the program staff collaborated with another FIU department, community partners, and a benefactor to develop a food donation and delivery project. RESULTS: Fifteen hundred and forty-three culturally appropriate food boxes were delivered to 289 participating households, comprising 898 household members, over a 14-month period. CONCLUSION: This project underscores the importance of leveraging community assets to address their needs during a crisis and the significance of sustained community engagement for researchers and service providers who work in underserved communities.

Reflections on an Innovative Approach to Studying Abroad in Nursing.

Nursing students are largely excluded from travel-abroad studies because of demanding curricula, lack of time, and cost. A poll was conducted and distributed to bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) and master of science in nursing (MSN) students who participated in 8-day observational trips. Questions were framed around the themes of cultural awareness, global health care perspective, translating theory into practice, and personal and professional growth. The results were compared with traditional long-term study-abroad outcomes. Participants reported increased cultural awareness through personal interactions and personal growth through continued reflection. Perceived impact on nursing practice was rated as neutral, but narrative comments implied actual influence on practice.

Hidden Grief and Lasting Emotions in Emergency Department Nurses.

The emergency department (ED) environment poses unique risks to developing moral distress and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in nurses. This impacts ED registered nurses' (RNs') ability to remain resilient. The purpose of this article is to explore the benefit of recognizing the signs and symptoms of burnout, introduce interventions to combat PTSD, and improve resiliency in ED RNs. The use of the wounded healer theory provides a framework to help nurse managers develop strategies such as critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) to address emotional distress.