National AgrAbility Project impact on farmers and ranchers with disabilities.

The impact of AgrAbility was evaluated through a survey of farmers and ranchers with disabilities who have been served by AgrAbility. The general demographics of the client population and assistance received were evaluated. Other information gathered included client ability pre- and post-onset of a disability and implications of self-reported outlook for the future. Eight states with AgrAbility programs participated in this cooperative survey with the National AgrAbility Project, with a 58.7% response rate (N = 618). The client population was mostly male (85.2%) with an average age of 53.3 with many working full-time (42.4%), part-time (27.6%), only off-farm (3%), or both off and on the farm (27%) in predominately row-crop (58.2%), cattle (not dairy) (46.6%), and hay or forage (41.4%) operations. Nearly half (48.2%) of the clients reported that the origin of the disability was due to a chronic health condition, as opposed to an injury. The majority of clients reported receiving information referring them to a funding source (42.0%) and receiving technical assistance with modifications around the farm or ranch (41.3%). Only two areas of farm operation were reported to have increased after the onset of disability (farm office from 43.8% to 61.2% and household chores from 30.9% to 36.0%). Field machinery operation continues to be the most common activity on the farm, with 73.3% reporting operating field machinery after the onset of disability. The present sample was more optimistic than expected. From a simultaneous multiple linear regression analysis, the factors contributing to positive future outlook include: ability to manage one's chores, machinery, and farm, F (5, 387) = 34.91, p < 0.001). Implications for safety professionals are included.

Musculoskeletal discomfort, injuries, and tasks accomplished by children and adolescents in Wisconsin fresh market vegetable production.

Little or no research is available about the tasks that children and adolescents perform in small scale, fresh market vegetable production. A mail questionnaire was administered in an exploratory study to an age-stratified, convenience sample of children and adolescents age 5 to 18 (n = 81) who were working on Wisconsin fresh market vegetable operations. Children and adolescents reported averaging 349 hours of farm work last year. Youths completed over 1/5 of all the tractor operation and produce loading and unloading that was completed by adults or children on their farms; 1/7 of the weeding, produce washing, and packing; and 1/12 of the hand harvesting during typical weeks when they worked. Fifty percent of 15-18 year olds reported experiencing low back discomfort in the last year, and 25% reported disabling discomfort. Children and adolescents performed the same range of tasks and often the same scope of work as adults. Further investigation with larger, more representative youth samples is needed to confirm these findings.

Nursing recruitment: do health care managers gear strategies to the appropriate audience?

Senior management at Guthrie Healthcare System, a regional referral center located in rural Pennsylvania, discovered several fascinating findings in its nursing recruitment research. Anticipating the consequences of the nursing shortage and seeking to avoid the entrapments of lucrative short-term recruitment enticements, Guthrie directed its recruitment efforts toward developing a supply of new nursing resources. Through the development of a career opportunity program that underwrites baccalaureate nursing education for qualified individuals, Guthrie management uncovered a vast supply of interested, potential nursing student candidates. Intrigued by the possibility of developing this market in the face of a dire nursing shortage, Guthrie Healthcare System management conducted an investigation to analyze the characteristics of these prospective nursing students. The findings of the study identify a large existing pool of qualified potential applicants. Most important, these individuals possess a true interest in nursing. This investigation suggests that removal of financial barriers to a nursing education uncovers a large market of nursing student candidates. Thus a reexamination of recruitment strategies is required to refocus efforts toward reaching this identified market.