Bridge Program Research Articles

A case study of a novel summer bridge program to prepare transfer students for research in biological sciences

Undergraduate research experiences enculturate students into the research community by providing support networks to explore advanced professional opportunities. However, transfer students are at a considerable disadvantage for pursuing these opportunities due to the time constraints imposed by institutional structures. Here, we report a case study of a novel summer bridge program to prepare incoming transfer students for research experiences in biological sciences. During the summer, participants committed to full-time program activities, including hands-on training with laboratory techniques through research projects and designing and executing an independent project. Pre- and post-program surveys were administered, and participants reported substantial gains in research self-efficacy and knowledge of scientific career pathways. Participants also reported strong learning and social support in the program. After the program, 30 out of 32 participants secured positions in faculty laboratories, with most continuing on to positions in industry, graduate programs, or medical and health professions. In a post-program interview, participants reported many benefits from the program, such as mentorship from faculty, developing transferable skills and research interests, and an easier transition from community college to university. While descriptive, this summer bridge program could inform future design-based research and implementations in different institutional contexts.

The bridging program for social reinsertion. Early detection of people with serious mental illness who are prosecuted in Spain

A high prevalence of mental health problems is found in people sentenced to alternative non-custodial measures. This paper analyses the data obtained during a year of operation of the Extended Bridge Program of the Secretaria General de Instituciones Penitenciarias (SGIP) which aims to detect and care for people with serious mental illness, who could comply with a judicially imposed measure by participating in specific intervention programs, improving their health, their adherence to treatment and promoting their inclusion in the society, through psychosocial rehabilitation interventions.

Nursing Students’ Satisfaction with and Experiences of Using Movies in Teaching Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: A Mixed Methods Study

Movies have become a widely used educational tool in the medical and nursing fields. They have been understood to be facilitators of theoretical learning, cultural practices and awakening interests. Thus, it is necessary to understand students’ experiences in using this advanced method. The present study aimed to assess nursing students’ satisfaction with and experiences of using movies in teaching psychiatric mental health nursing. A cross-sectional mixed methods research design using a qualitative approach was used. A purposive sample was taken from 84 Year 1 Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing Bridge Programme students, recruited from a university in the United Arab Emirates during the 2018/2019 academic year. Two tools were used: (1) a self-administered sheet for participants’ demographic data and satisfaction level; and (2) an interview schedule conducted as a focus group discussion according to the participants’ preferences in order to assess their experiences. The questionnaire’s content validity and the themes were revised by three PhD faculty who are specialists in the field of qualitative research and nursing education. The findings showed that most of the students were satisfied with using movies as a teaching strategy and the qualitative data fell into three themes and nine sub-themes. The students expressed that using movies allowed them to assess the environment where the patients lived and grew up. The study highlighted that nursing students found movies were an enjoyable educational method; helped them to understand psychiatric disorders; and improved their critical thinking skills. The study proved that using movies in teaching psychiatric mental health nursing is a promising strategy.

Using Early Exam Results to Predict Online MLS Program Success

Abstract Introduction/Objective The objective of this effort is to demonstrate the impact of early didactic exam results for potential early intervention for students in an online medical laboratory science bridge program. Methods/Case Report For this study, we took retrospective data of 299 students from 2018 to 2021 who took MLSC 4312, Hematology, in their first semester. We then analyzed their first exam score and then used this data to evaluate its potential use as an early predictor of overall student success in both this course and the program. Specifically, the exam one score in the course was used to evaluate progression to the second semester, graduation, UAMS GPA, and ASCP Board of Certification total score and Hematology sub-score. Descriptive statistics and 2-sample T-tests were calculated using Number Cruncher Statistical System. Fisher’s exact test was performed using Graphpad software. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) Of the 296 students whose records were examined, 49 scored below a 76% on Hematology exam 1. 247 students scored above 75%.35 students who scored below 76% progressed to the second semester and of those, 33 (94.2%) graduated on time. 14 students were dismissed from the program after the first semester. The overall graduation rate of students who started the program and scored less than 76% on the first hematology exam was 67%. Of the 247 students who scored above 76% on exam 1, 229 (93%) progressed to the second semester and of those, 214 graduated on time (93.4%). 18 of these students were dismissed from the program. The overall graduation rate of students who started the program and scored greater than 76% on the first hematology exam was 86.70%. The overall ASCP Board of Certification pass rate was almost 19 percent higher, 81.7% vs. 62.9% in those who scored greater than 76% on the first hematology exam. Each of the comparisons was statistically significant (P=<0.05) using a 2-sample T-test or Fisher’s exact test as appropriate. Conclusion This study revealed the importance of doing well on the first major didactic exam in the Medical Laboratory Sciences program. Students who score < 76% on their first exam fail to progress to the second semester at four times the rate of those who score >76%. In addition, those who score <76% and progress fail the ASCP Board of Certification Exam at almost double the rate of those who score >76% on the first hematology exam. In the future, we will reach out earlier and offer targeted help to these students.

ACS selects 4 new institutions to join the ACS Bridge Program

The American Chemical Society Bridge Program is an effort to increase the number of chemical science PhDs awarded to students from underrepresented racial groups. This effort is achieved by providing students opportunities to attend transitional programs and partnering with chemical science departments that have demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting students of underrepresented races. This year, ACS is excited to announce that four new partner departments will join the ACS Bridge Program, making for a total of 44 chemical science departments that have participated since the program began in 2018. Congratulations to the new ACS Bridge partner departments for 2022: Florida International University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry University at Buffalo Department of Chemistry University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Department of Chemistry University of Virginia Department of Chemistry If your department is interested in becoming an ACS Bridge partner, visit the ACS Bridge Program website at bit.ly/3fgZLRK .

ACS selects 4 new institutions to join the ACS Bridge Program

ACS selects 4 new institutions to join the ACS Bridge Program

Repercussions of the Continuous Instability for the Quality of Education in the State of Libya: An Investigational Study within the Faculty of Education, University of Benghazi (UoB)

Many confirmed negative signs and facts point to the general deterioration of the quality of Libya’s entire education system, with serious consequences for the future of the state of Libya. This deterioration is due to countless factors, such as ongoing political and militant conflicts, semi-paralyzed educational administrations, a lack of continuing professional development (CPD), and insufficient awareness within the Ministry of Education (MoE) of the state of the education system. Other contributing factors are the inefficient educational legislations from the parliament and the poor desire of policy makers to empower profound research, teamwork, reform ideas, or any suggested transformational strategies. Furthermore, the Centralized Management System (CMS) has detrimental effects, along with official reports on corruption issues in the MoE. Parallel to these causes, other circumstances impact the quality of the input and output of the Libyan education system (LES), such as the prevailing culture, beliefs, and attitudes on how education should be, whose most significant features are memorization and indoctrination. Such challenges have produced unqualified leadership and a huge number of decision makers who have harmed the LES instead of supporting it. Moreover, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and various suspensions (strikes/wars) of basic, secondary, and even vocational university education, several classes were postponed, canceled, or disrupted, which led to a great loss of knowledge among both teachers and learners. Correspondingly, Elabbar’s ([1], p. 121; [2], p. 19) studies have raised the warning indications to the highest level for the government, parliament, and all education authorities in the state of Libya, stating that the whole LES “may collapse very soon” if they do not adopt serious steps and fundamental measures “before it is too late.” Thus, this research study attempts to investigate such impacts on the quality of the education process and knowledge management (QEPKM) among students, teaching assistants, lecturers, and administrators at the Faculty of Education, University of Benghazi (UoB), with a special focus on the English Department. To closely classify the scale of impacts on the LES, this study uses four qualitative tools to collect and analyze data gathered from a wide range of participants: official documents, authentic academic reports, and experimental face-to-face interviews. The study recommends adding bridge programs for present and new students at the Faculty of Education, besides returning to the annual system (for at least 8 years) instead of the existing semester system, in addition to endorsing Elabbar's [2] proposed seven years of connected gradual reform phases for the reform strategy of the entire LES; otherwise, if all leading authorities do not seriously act toward reform, the whole education system in Libya will face major failings.

Writing for Social Sciences and Humanities: Bridge Programs and Improving Graduate Student Outcomes

Graduate student writing is an under-attended to challenge for many incoming graduate students, whose skill levels often do not match the expectations of their graduate programs. Utilizing socialization theory as a foundation, we propose a Writing Bridge Program model to quickly, affordably, and clearly, develop graduate student writing, improve retention, and demystify the hidden curriculum. This article lays out the need for explicit graduate writing instruction and offers a model for meeting this need, particularly in low-resource environments. In order to evaluate the success of the program, we look at qualitative student comments regarding their experience in the Writing Bridge Program. We offer evidence for how dedicated writing programs can impact student attitudes toward the writing process through improved confidence and familiarity, and by decreasing feelings of impostor syndrome and isolation.

Three paths to a Swedish nursing license: Two for internationally educated nurses and one for regular nursing students – A cross-sectional study of self-rated professional competence, self-efficacy, and thriving

BackgroundBridging programs are offered to support migrated nurses, but in some countries, nurses can also choose to validate their nursing competence. Thus far, little is known about how migrated nurses estimate their competence when they are about to enter working life in a new country and how this differs from regular nursing students. ObjectiveTo compare two groups of internationally educated nurses' – those from bridging programs and those who chose validation – and one group of regular nursing students' self-rated professional competence when they are about to start working as registered nurses. The hypotheses were: 1) internationally educated nurses rate their competence higher than regular nursing students and 2) those from bridging programs rate their competence higher than those who chose validation. In addition, the aim was to compare the groups' self-efficacy and thriving. DesignA cross-sectional, comparative design. SettingsFive universities in Sweden. ParticipantsNurses educated in non-European countries from a bridging program (n = 128, response rate 79.0 %) or validation process (n = 61, response rate 59.2 %) and students graduating from the regular nursing program (n = 213, response rate 68.3 %). MethodsData were collected with coded questionnaires (paper or online) between 2019 and 2021 and analyzed using non-parametric tests, e.g., Kruskal-Wallis. ResultsBoth groups of internationally educated nurses had higher median scores on total nursing competence (both groups p < 0.001), general self-efficacy (bridging programs p < 0.001, validation p = 0.020), and total thriving (bridging programs p < 0.001, validation p = 0.012) than regular nursing students did. However, comparing the groups of internationally educated nurses showed no significant differences. ConclusionInternationally educated nurses rated their competence high but with differences within the groups for different competence areas. More research is needed to investigate whether the different paths are important for nurses' competence later in working life, and some of the competence areas might need extra attention when nurses start working.

RAMP summer bridge: Room acoustics: Connecting research, academics and mentoring

The Research, Academics and Mentoring Pathways (RAMP) to Success summer bridge program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell prepares new engineering students from all majors for an early transition from high school to college. Over the last five years, RAMP has engaged 107 students, the majority being women and underrepresented minorities, in a six-week research, academics and mentoring experience. During RAMP, students are enrolled in Calculus and Introduction to Engineering courses, earning six credits towards their degree pathway. Groups of 5–6 students take on research projects with engineering faculty while also meeting weekly with professionals from industry. The structuring of a room acoustics research project is presented. A project-based learning model helps build skills in collaborative problem solving while also supporting each student to find authentic interest in the research. The project integrates experiments on measuring room impulse responses and spatial variation of source pressure amplitude in rooms of different sizes with a model-driven analysis of the data collected. Concepts of reverberation time, backward integration and room constants reinforce calculus concepts being studied. Coding experiments on rendering speech and music through measured impulse responses and filters created interest across a range of acoustics topics from concert halls to virtual audio.

57 Buprenorphine Initiation for Pregnant Patients With Opioid Use Disorder: A Multicenter Observational Study of California Bridge Sites

57 Buprenorphine Initiation for Pregnant Patients With Opioid Use Disorder: A Multicenter Observational Study of California Bridge Sites

Spirituality: A Key Component of the Salvation Army’s Bridge Programme Model of Treatment in Aotearoa New Zealand

Spirituality is vital to The Salvation Army’s Bridge model of treatment for alcohol and drug addiction. Spirituality is expressed through Recovery Church, prayer, spirituality lifters, the 12-step programme, and focuses on meaning and purpose. We recruited participants from several regional centers throughout Aotearoa New Zealand and evaluated spirituality using the WHOQol-SRPB and open-ended questions. Most participants held broad understandings of spirituality, only a minority equating it with religion. Participants who completed the Programme had statistically significant increases in spiritual wellbeing at end-of-treatment. These increases were maintained at a 3-month follow-up. Increases in spiritual wellbeing were associated with decreases in severity of alcohol and drug use.

Health information-seeking behavior among Congolese refugees.

BackgroundThe purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine the extent to which Congolese refugees seek health information, to identify and assess the resources used while exercising Health Information-Seeking Behavior (HISB), and to identify individual determinants that affect their HISB.MethodologyBuilding Bridges program participants who resided in Texas between 2017–2020, reported country of origin as Democratic Republic of Congo, and responded to HISB questions were included in this study. Four HISB questions asked about frequency seeking health information, preferred source and perceived trustworthiness of source, and frequency worrying about their health. Associations between HISB and sociodemographic factors (age, gender, education years, years in US, proficiency speaking English, marital status) were tested using Pearson chi-square or Fisher’s exact tests (α≤0.05).ResultsMost participants (59%) reported seeking health information sometimes. Less than half (44%) of participants identified doctors as their preferred source of health information, Twenty-five percent relied on family, friends, and community leaders, and 23% used media sources. Doctors were identified as the most trustworthy source (71%), family and friends were the second highest trusted source (25%), whereas media sources were the least trusted (4%). Sociodemographic factors age (p = .02), gender (p < .01), and education years (p < .01) were the only significant predictors of preferred information sources. Conversely, those residing in US <5 years were more likely to seek health information more frequently (p = .01). The majority of participants did not worry about their health, and it was not significantly associated with source or frequency of seeking health information.ConclusionsThe high trust in doctors represents an opportunity for healthcare professionals to educate and address individual barriers contributing to refugees’ underutilization of preventive care services such as routine immunizations and preventive health screenings.

Education Environment and Role Transition of Internationally Educated Nurses Enrolled in a Practical Nursing Bridging Program in Ontario, Canada

The purpose of this study is to explore a practical nursing bridging program’s education environment and the role transition of internationally educated nurses (IENs) who were enrolled full-time at a community college in Toronto, Canada, during the winter semester of school year 2018–2019. A survey questionnaire consisting of three parts was used to gather data from 68 IEN students who volunteered to participate in this study. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze data. Participants’ responses to the open-ended question “Could you please list any problems/issues you have encountered in the bridging program?” were thematically analyzed. Results indicate that all bridging program education environment components, as well as role transition subscales, were described as “agree.” There is a significant relationship between the respondents’ perception of learning within their bridging program’s education environment and role transition. However, views on teachers and atmosphere, as well as academic and social self-perception, seemed insignificant predictors of role transition. Participants’ responses to the open-ended question were analyzed and grouped into four themes: concern with teachers, program content issues, program pace, and financial issues.

Tracking reading development in an English language university-level bridging program: evidence from eye-movements during passage reading

AbstractIncreasing numbers of international students enter university education via English language bridging programs. Much research has overlooked the nature of second language reading development during a bridging program, focusing instead on the development of literacy skills of international students who already meet the language requirement for undergraduate admission. We report a longitudinal eye-movement study assessing English passage reading efficiency and comprehension in 405 Chinese-speaking bridging program students. Incoming IELTS reading scores were used as an index of baseline reading ability. Linear mixed-effects regression models fitted to global eye-movement measures and reading comprehension indicated that despite initial between-subjects differences, within-subject change at each ability level progressed at the same rate, following parallel growth trajectories. Therefore, there was significant overall reading progress during the bridging program, but no evidence that the gap between low and high ability readers either closed or widened over time.

A Survey on Student’s Academic Self-Efficacy on International Program Bridging Course

Mastering English in academic context is prominent to prepare university students for global competition, and therefore awareness of academic self-efficacy towards language skills is needed to learn English correctly and effectively. This study aims to examine the academic self efficacy of students from International Program who took Bridging program Course. To collect the data, the researcher distributed a questionnaire by Djokic (2021) that was adapted from Owen and Froman’s (1988) College Academic Self Efficacy Scale (CASES). The data show that students from Bridging Program course have the highest efficacy when it comes to attending the lectures. However, they have the lowest efficacy on their note-taking skill and their ability to answer questions from the professors. The result implied that students were more confident in doing a routine activity as they are accustomed in it, and felt less confident when they have to respond to lecturers as it required their readiness to learn.

The Strike for Black Lives: Growth of community in the Cal-Bridge program

The engagement inspired by the June 2020 call for action in academia has blossomed into change-promoting groups that the bridge program's scholars both participate in and lead.

Myth-busting in an Aboriginal pre-university bridging program: Embedding transformative learning pedagogy

Pre-university bridging programs can address the significant under-representation of Indigenous students in Australian universities by providing culturally supported alternative pathways into undergraduate study. However, successful completion of bridging programs does not always correlate with university enrolment for Indigenous students. This paper offers a pedagogical rationale for an Indigenous bridging program that aims to address this discrepancy. The program curriculum challenges deficit myths about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and education, while developing foundational academic skills for university study. Leveraging Transformative Learning and Cultural Interface theories, the program aims to empower students with the opportunity to develop their own narratives about Indigeneity and university, free from deficit stereotypes. Since implementation of this myth-busting pedagogy, Indigenous student records indicate marked improvement in bridging program pass rates and in transitions into undergraduate study. Additionally, enrolments into Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) tripled. Students’ weekly reflections, collected over seven iterations of the course, suggest that the transformative pedagogy developed students’ self-awareness, self-efficacy, self-confidence and sense of belonging at university.

HSD33 Patient Utilization and Switching Patterns of Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs) for Monoclonal Antibodies Targeting the Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide (CGRP) Pathway for Migraine Prevention: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Manufacturers offer PAPs (e.g. free trial program, bridge program, copay card, eVoucher, denial conversion) to reduce out of pocket costs for patients. This study describes utilization and switching patterns of PAPs among patients treated with anti-CGRP pathway monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for migraine prevention.

Nurse Migration in Australia, Germany, and the UK: A Rapid Evidence Assessment of Empirical Research Involving Migrant Nurses.

Forecasts predict a growing shortage of skilled nursing staff in countries worldwide. Nurse migration is already a common strategy used to address nursing workforce needs. Germany, the UK, and Australia are reviewed here as examples of destination countries for nurse migrants. Agreements exist between countries to facilitate nurse migration; however, it is not evident how nurse migrants have contributed to data on which these arrangements are based. We examined existing primary research on nurse migration, including educational needs and initiatives to support policymakers’, stakeholders’, and health professions educators’ decisions on measures for ethical and sustainable nurse migration. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment to review available empirical research data which involved, was developed with, or considered migrant nurses to address the research question: what are the findings of research that directly involves migrant nurses in producing primary research data? A total of 56 papers were included. Four main themes were identified in this research data: Research does not clearly define what is meant by the term migrant nurses; discrimination is often reported by migrant nurses; language and communication competencies are important; and structured integration programs are highly valued by migrant nurses and destination healthcare employers.Migrant nurses continue to experience discrimination and reduced career opportunities and therefore should be included in research about them to better inform policy. Structured integration programs can improve the experience of migrant nurses by providing language support (if necessary), a country-specific bridging program and help with organisational hurdles. Not only researching migrant nurses but making them active partners in research is of great importance for successful, ethical, and sustainable migration policies. A broader evidence base, especially with regard to the views and experiences of migrant nurses and their educational support needs, should be promoted to make future immigration policy more needs-based, sustainable and ethically acceptable.