Experiences of Adult Men Who Are Homeless Accessing Care: A Qualitative Study.

INTRODUCTION: Homeless individuals experience increased rates of chronic physical and mental health conditions. They also experience difficulty accessing care and poor health outcomes compounded by social and economic factors, such as housing insecurity, unemployment, and limited social support. The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of homeless individuals related to their health and experiences accessing care. METHOD: Qualitative descriptive methods and content analysis were used to gather, analyze, and interpret the data and identify themes. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: men who are homeless experience bias throughout their health care and interpersonal relationships, the best care is person-centered and considers patients' priorities, and care coordination resources are inadequate. DISCUSSION: The housing needs of homeless individuals are best contextualized by their health and social needs. In addition, their priorities must be taken into consideration to develop culturally congruent services that are appropriate and effective care for this population.

Chaplain Care in the Intensive Care Unit at the End of Life: A Qualitative Analysis.

Background: The provision of spiritual care is a key component of high-quality patient-centered care, particularly in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, the integration of spiritual care into the care of patients in the ICU is variable, especially at the end of life, which may be due in part to poor or incomplete provider knowledge of the work of chaplains. Objective: To characterize the care and services provided by chaplains to patients in an ICU at the end of life and/or their families. Design: A retrospective chart review was performed to identify all patients admitted over a three-month period to an ICU who had visits with a chaplain and an ICU course that ended in death, discharge to a palliative care facility or discharge to hospice. Subjects/setting: Twenty-five chaplains at a U.S. medical center. Measurements: Qualitative analysis was performed using directed content analysis on the notes written by the chaplains. Results: Qualitative analyses of the chaplain notes revealed four broad themes regarding the activities of chaplains in the ICU with respect to patients and families. These were that chaplains provide comfort to patients and family facing the end of life, provide prayers with a variety of purposes, assist in supporting family members through complex medical decision making, and provide connections to appropriate resources. Conclusions: Chaplains contribute to the care of patients in the ICU through a wide range of activities that demonstrate the unique intermediary and collaborative role chaplains can play within the health care team at the end of life in the ICU.

Dear Unknown: A Letter to a Teenage Gunshot Victim.

A medical student/adjunct clinical chaplain reflects on the significance of a young life lost to gun violence.

How Should Physicians Manage Neuroprognosis with ECPR?

Rapidly advancing technologies in the field of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) have presented a new challenge in accurate neuroprognostication following cardiac arrest. Determination of brain state informs the prognostic picture and allows providers to begin effective communication regarding likelihood of meaningful neurological recovery as defined by patients or family members. The evolving role of sedation during ECPR and its impacts on ethical tension in decision-making is reviewed. Work surrounding the advancing field of neuroprognostication after cardiac arrest and hypothermia is summarized and implications of premature withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments are discussed. Advances that improve predictive value for neurological recovery are utilized in affirming and discussing the implications for end-of-life wishes of individuals in the setting of intensive resuscitative therapies.

University⁻Community Partnerships Using a Participatory Action Research Model to Evaluate the Impact of Dance for Health.

Little is known about fostering sustainable, collaborative community-academic partnerships that effectively improve physical activity and health in residents of under resourced communities using Participatory Action Research (PAR) driven models. The purpose of this PAR study was to evaluate the impact of an urban, intergenerational, and physical activity dance program by identifying community preferred measurable outcomes that promote program participation and sustainability. A descriptive, qualitative design was employed using semi-structured interview guides to facilitate discussions for two adult focus groups and one youth focus group. Exactly 19 community-residing adults and six youth who lived in urban neighborhoods in West Philadelphia participated in the discussions. The audiotapes were transcribed and analyzed using directed content analysis. Five outcome themes emerged and included: (1). Enhancing the psychological and emotional well-being of the individual, (2). Enhancement of social well-being and management of interpersonal relationships and responsibilities (3). Enhancing and promoting physiologic well-being (4). Changes in health promoting behaviors and skill acquisition, and (5). Concerns about accessibility of dance for health and other physical activity programs in the community. Focused attention to measuring community preferred outcomes can promote sustainability of Dance for Health and possibly other urban-based physical activity dance programs.

Children with Short Stature and Growth Failure: Heightism, Gender and Racial Disparities.

Growth is the single most important indication of the health of a child. Identification of growth disorders in all children is crucial as growth failure can be the first sign of a number of acute and chronic conditions. However, gender and racial biases have resulted in inequities in the identification, referral and treatment of children with growth disorders. In addition, short children have been impacted by a number of psychosocial issues. Heightism is prejudice or discrimination against individuals based on height, and refers to discrimination against individuals whose height is not within the normal acceptable range. Studies have shown that short children have been affected by juvenilization, teasing, bullying, victimization, loss of independence/ overprotection, and exclusion. The role of the advanced practice nurse is critical in addressing heightism and racial and gender disparities in children with growth failure/short stature.