Evaluation of a media literacy education program for sexual health promotion in older adolescents implemented in Southern universities.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated a media literacy education program designed for sexual health promotion, Media Aware, in southeastern universities. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included college students from four universities in the southeastern United States (n = 457). METHODS: Media Aware was implemented on college campuses either in a group setting, one-on-one setting, at a student event, or online only. Media Aware contains four sections on sexual health promotion including on how media messages influence sexual health, gender stereotypes and representations of romantic relationships, sexual violence, substance use, consent, sexual risk behaviors, contraception, STIs, and partner communication. RESULTS: Results indicated significant changes in intention to visit a healthcare provider for sexual health services, intention to use condoms and other forms of birth control, and awareness of Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives after participation in Media Aware. CONCLUSION: Future research should explore how to extend program impacts and use an experimental study design to assess between group differences.

Knowledge and perceptions of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) among prelicensure nursing students.

OBJECTIVES: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impact health outcomes in adulthood. Positive childhood experiences (PCEs) are associated with resiliency and improved mental and physical health outcomes. There is often a lack of content on ACEs in nursing education. The purpose of this project was to determine the knowledge and perceptions of ACEs and PCEs among prelicensure nursing students. METHODS: A mixed-method pilot study was implanted. Prelicensure nursing students received didactic instruction on ACEs and PCEs and completed online, anonymous ten-item pre- and post-surveys about knowledge on ACEs and PCEs. RESULTS: A positive percent change was observed with all ten statements from pre- to post-surveys. Six themes emerged from qualitative analysis, revealing the importance and benefits of education on ACEs and PCEs. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that nursing students valued education regarding ACEs, were willing to incorporate their knowledge of ACEs into their practice, and discovered they might have been exposed to ACEs themselves. Implications for International Audience: All nursing programs must include content on ACEs and PCEs to prepare better nurses to care for patients.

Resilience and GRIT among undergraduate nursing students during the COVID 19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: Grit and resilience are related but separate concepts. Grit is a long-term commitment toward goals, and it impacts student success and academic achievement. Resilience is the ability of students to recover from stress. Both are important factors in nursing students. METHODS: This descriptive study included surveys measuring demographics, grit, and resilience among two cohorts of senior nursing students in their last semester and explored challenges and difficulties experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: The mean grit score for all students was 4.0 (0.52) and the mean resilience score was 3.63 (0.73). Directed content analysis of the ten open-ended survey questions revealed three themes: Impact on Education, Personal Impact, and Coping Mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: Grit and resilience are important factors that can contribute to success in nursing programs and as graduate nurses in the healthcare settings.

Junior and Senior Nursing Students: A Near-Peer Simulation Experience.

BACKGROUND: Near-peer teaching is a form of peer-assisted learning with at least 1 year of difference between the groups of students. METHOD: A near-peer simulation allowed junior nursing students to obtain a focused history and assessment, administer medications, and provide patient education to senior students. Senior students provided performance feedback to the junior students. Faculty gave additional feedback and facilitated a group debriefing session. All students were asked to complete an anonymous online postsurvey. RESULTS: One hundred nine junior and senior students completed the immediate postsurvey. The mean score was 2.14, corresponding to the "agree" response. Nearly three quarters (73%) of the students indicated they agree or strongly agree that "the simulation provided a variety of ways to learn." Five themes emerged: Improved Confidence in Assessment Skills, Communication, Connecting Nursing Content, Peer Feedback and Interaction, and Awareness of Community Resources. CONCLUSION: Near-peer simulation is a beneficial teaching strategy for nursing students. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(1):54-56.].

It's Your Game Keep It Real in South Carolina: A Group Randomized Trial Evaluating the Replication of an Evidence-Based Adolescent Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention Program.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of an evidence-based HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI)/pregnancy prevention program for middle schools implemented by school staff in South Carolina. METHODS: Twenty-four schools, representing 3143 youths, participated in a randomized trial from 2011 to 2014. Students completed surveys before programming (fall of seventh grade), after completing the 2-year It's Your Game…Keep It Real program (spring of eighth grade), and 1-year postprogram (spring of ninth grade). RESULTS: There was no statistically significant effect on initiation of vaginal sex between baseline and eighth grade. Significantly fewer students in the comparison condition reported initiating sex at ninth grade, relative to the intervention condition. No group differences existed on other behavioral outcomes that addressed sexual activity in the past 3 months at ninth grade. Seven of 26 psychosocial outcomes (3 knowledge, 1 attitude, 1 self-efficacy, 2 personal limits) were positively affected at eighth grade; 4 remained significant at ninth grade. CONCLUSIONS: The original studies' behavioral effects were not replicated in this population, possibly as a result of this being an effectiveness trial instead of an efficacy trial, counterfactual exposure design issues, or postprogram exposure to evidence-based programming.

Using data to improve fidelity when implementing evidence-based programs.

In fall 2011, the South Carolina Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy (SC Campaign), with funding from Office of Adolescent Health, began replicating an evidence-based curriculum, It's Your Game, Keep It Real in 12 middle schools across South Carolina. Fidelity of the curriculum was monitored by the use of lesson fidelity logs completed by curriculum facilitators and lesson observation logs submitted by independent classroom observers. These data were monitored weekly to identify possible threats to fidelity. The innovative model Fidelity Through Informed Technical Assistance and Training was developed by SC Campaign to react to possible fidelity threats in real time, through a variety of technical assistance modalities. Fidelity Through Informed Technical Assistance and Training guided the 55 hours of technical assistance delivered by the SC Campaign during the first year of It's Your Game, Keep It Real implementation to 18 facilitators across 12 SC middle schools, and achieved 98.4% curriculum adherence and a high quality of implementation scores.