Development and Analysis of a Scale for Meauring Teachers' Sense of Efficacy in Urban Schools (SEUS).

Research in teacher self-efficacy has a long history that can be traced back to Bandura (1986) and has been shown to be linked to teacher performance. This article presents evidence for teacher self-efficacy in urban schools, a construct that is separate from but related to the more general construct of teacher self-efficacy. An instrument was developed and validated by a team of university faculty, urban teachers, and school administrators. The Teachers' Sense of Efficacy in Urban Schools (SEUS) is a 15-item instrument designed to address factors that are important for success in teaching in an urban environment, including working effectively with English language learners, students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students, cultural diversity, literacy, technology, differentiation, and assessment data. The present study analyzes SEUS on multiple levels, using the Rasch partial credit model.

Setting a benchmark for the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) V: striving for first-semester success in nursing school.

Every nursing school strives to admit students who will be successful in completing their program and passing the NCLEX(®). Many schools use standardized testing, such as the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) V, as part of their admission criteria. This study was conducted to set an institutional benchmark of the TEAS V composite score, as recommended by the test developers. Having a benchmark would help the authors' school of nursing to identify students who were more likely to be successful during the first semester of their nursing studies. Using past students' composite TEAS V scores and ATI RN Fundamentals of Nursing 2010 Assessment results, a benchmark was identified.

Socio-demographic variables and perceptual moderators related to mental health stigma.

BACKGROUND: For many, seeking mental healthcare services remains a clandestine, shameful, or secret activity due in part, to the stigma associated with it. AIM: This study examined the mental health stigma associated with mental illness within the USA as a product of differences in ethnicity, gender, perceptions of a just worldview, and individual controllability. METHODS: A total of 466 participants completed a questionnaire measuring perceptions of social sensitivity, likelihood of engaging in helping behaviors, perceptions of danger, and global just worldviews. RESULTS: Women were stigmatized less than men with mental illness (p = 0.0113), just worldview was not significantly correlated with the stigma, and controllability of mental health condition was positively associated with increased stigma (p < 0.0001). Finally, trends in individual perceptions of ethnicity suggest that both African Americans and Hispanics were less stigmatizing toward those with mental illness versus Asian Americans or Caucasians (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Mental health stigma, while not associated with one's just worldview, remains relevant in examining, and ultimately changing the acceptance of receiving mental health services. Implications of the findings are discussed about increasing public mental health awareness and reducing mental health stigma as a function of gender, ethnic disparity, and shared life experiences.

Emergency physician-administered propofol sedation: a report on 25,433 sedations from the pediatric sedation research consortium.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: We describe the adverse events observed in a large sample of children sedated with propofol by emergency physicians and identify patient and procedure characteristics predictive of more serious adverse events. METHODS: We identified sedations performed by emergency physicians using propofol as the primary sedative, included in the Pediatric Sedation Research Consortium database from July 2004 to September 2008. We describe the characteristics of the patients, procedures, location, adjunctive medications, and adverse events. We use a multivariable logistic regression model to identify predictors of more serious adverse events. RESULTS: Of 25,433 propofol sedations performed by emergency physicians, most (76%) were performed in a radiology department. More serious adverse events occurred in 581 sedations (2.28%; 95% confidence interval 2.1% to 2.5%). There were 2 instances of aspiration, 1 unplanned intubation, and 1 cardiac arrest. Significant predictors of serious adverse events were weight less than or equal to 5 kg, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification greater than 2, adjunctive medications (benzodiazepines, ketamine, opioids, or anticholinergics), nonpainful procedures, and primary diagnoses of upper respiratory illness or prematurity. CONCLUSION: We observed a low adverse event prevalence in this largest series of propofol sedations by emergency physicians. Factors indicating greater risk of more serious adverse events are detailed.

Effect of MRI strength and propofol sedation on pediatric core temperature change.

PURPOSE: To determine core body temperature variations in children undergoing MRI exams on 1.5 Tesla (T) and 3T magnetic field strengths and with and without propofol sedation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Temporal artery temperatures were prospectively collected on 400 consecutive patients undergoing 1.5 Tesla (T) or 3.0T MRI scans. A cumulative logistic regression model was created using age, weight, MRI protocol, sedation status, pre-MRI temperature and MRI strength to assess risk of temperature change. RESULTS: For patients with complete pre- and post-MRI temperature data, mean temperatures did not significantly change (-0.0155°C, 95%CI, -0.035, 0.064; n = 385). Temperature changes differed significantly between propofol-sedated and nonsedated patients (-0.26°C ± .44 versus 0.24°C ± 0.42; P < 0.0001), as did temperature changes for patients on the 3T (0.076°C ± 0.52) versus 1.5T (-0.06°C ± 0.48; P = 0.011). Sedation status, age, MRI strength, and MRI protocol accounted for 44.17% of temperature variance. The temperatures of 15 patients' (3.9%) decreased >1°C; 12 were on the 1.5T. All 7 patients (1.8%) who increased >1°C were non-sedates. CONCLUSION: Clinically significant core body temperature change is uncommon in children undergoing MRI with different magnetic field strengths, and with and without propofol sedation.