Completion Of Program Research Articles

PRESCHOOL TEACHERS PREPARATION FOR WORKING WITH CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS IN CALIFORNIA

Following the realization of the importance of early development and the low quality of early childhood education programs in the United States the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) were established to develop professional standards for special educators. It was found that the most important factor in providing education for children with special needs is well-trained teaching staff. Principles for ensuring the existence of high-quality programs for kindergartens began to be developed. A new concept of “Developmentally Appropriate Practice” was formed by The National Association for Nursery Education (NANE and seven standards for the professional training of early childhood teachers were proposed. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was passed by the Congress in 1975. IDEA regulates how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and other services. The state has established grants to improve the quality of school education by attracting and retaining effective teachers. It was found that 7 million, or 14% of all public school received special education services. The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing is revising the Special Education Standards for Children with Disabilities. The commission developed draft teaching, administration, and preparation program guidelines in collaboration with a technical advisory group of early childhood education professionals. It was clarified that there are additional internship programs in California, Completion of the internship program leads to a Certificate of Eligibility to Teach, which is identical to completion of a traditional teacher preparation program. It was concluded that the policy of the Department of Education, the educational laws of the United States are aimed at encouraging participation in formal and informal professional learning, but it should be a continuous process, because adults providing care and education are responsible for the progress of children throughout their lives.

Effectiveness of electrocardiogram interpretation education program using mixed learning methods and webpage

AimThis study was conducted to develop an electrocardiogram education program that incorporates an HTML webpage and blended learning methods to enhance electrocardiogram interpretation skills. Through continual and efficient education, the program aims to assist nurses in providing appropriate care and treatment to patients.DesignPre-post design study.MethodsWe developed an electrocardiogram interpretation HTML webpage based on an electrocardiogram interpretation algorithm and implemented an 18-week (2023.5.15 ~ 2023.9.22) electrocardiogram education program, which included daily 5-minute training sessions. Twenty-seven ward nurses were provided with the URL (https://ecgweb.github.io/ECGwebEN) to the electrocardiogram interpretation HTML webpage and shared one electrocardiogram case daily for self-interpretation. Electrocardiogram interpretation performance and confidence were evaluated through questionnaires at three phases: before the program, after 6 weeks of basic electrocardiogram and arrhythmia education, and after 12 weeks of application of the electrocardiogram interpretation HTML webpage and case-based lecture education. The statistical tests used were repeated-measures ANOVA or the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.ResultsThe average score for electrocardiogram interpretation performance before the electrocardiogram education program was 11.89(SD = 3.50), after 6 weeks of basic electrocardiogram and arrhythmia education it was 14.15(SD = 3.68), and after 12 weeks of application of the electrocardiogram interpretation HTML webpage and case-based lecture education, it was 15.56(SD = 3.04). This shows that electrocardiogram interpretation performance significantly improved over time (p < .001). Additionally, post-hoc analysis revealed significant differences in electrocardiogram interpretation performance at each stage, i.e., before, during, and after the application of an electrocardiogram education program. Furthermore, the electrocardiogram interpretation confidence questionnaire score (pre-Median 18, IQR = 5; post-Median 23, IQR = 3) was improved significantly after the completion of the 18-week education program (p < .001).ConclusionsBased on the results of this study, we believe that an electrocardiogram education program using HTML webpage, and a blended teaching method would be very beneficial for maintaining and improving electrocardiogram interpretation skills of clinical nurses. Such a program can help nurses interpret electrocardiograms more effectively and assist them in making important decisions in patient care.

Addressing social determinants of mental health through cognitive behavioral therapy

AbstractCognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a widely studied and implemented means of counseling. Researchers have emphasized the need for counselors to consider wider contextual factors that affect clients in their use of CBT, including the social determinants of mental health (SDMH). We conducted a concurrent nested mixed methods study to better understand the outcomes of a 3‐month CBT‐based SDMH training program for N = 8 professional counselors. We implemented a quasi‐experimental quantitative design and a phenomenological qualitative design. Results of Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests indicate statistically significant increases in participants’ SDMH and multicultural competence following completion of the training program. Thematic analysis findings suggest practical steps participants intend to take to address SDMH in their CBT practice with clients, including use of universal assessment tools and engagement in further training. Implications for counseling practice conclude.

How Does Comprehensive Art Education Facilitate Children’s Creativity? A Mixed-Methods Study in China

ABSTRACT Research Findings: Comprehensive art education (CAE) can be an effective way to develop children’s creativity development. However, little is known about how CAE is implemented in kindergarten classrooms in China. The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of CAE activity implementation. To assess the effectiveness of CAE in terms of early childhood creativity, 64 children in a Chinese kindergarten were assigned to experimental (n=32; 15 boys and 17 girls) and control (n=32; 15 boys and 17 girls) groups. The complete CAE intervention program, including teacher training and CAE activities, lasted for 11 months. Both groups of children took the Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT) pretest and posttest to assess their creativity. The findings showed that the experimental group had significantly higher TTCT scores than the control group. In addition, interviews with five teachers echoed the test results and raised the need for related teacher training. Practice or Policy: Results indicated a clear connection between the CAE activities and the enhancement of the children’s creative thinking abilities. These findings suggest that CAE nurtures children’s creativity and should form an essential component of early childhood and teacher education curricula.

Abstract B107: Community scientist research advocacy program: Training our research community

Abstract Community Scientist Research Advocacy (CSRA) training programs serve as fundamental bridges between communities and researchers. By engaging community members, these programs leverage networks, knowledge, and community perspectives to enhance research endeavors. This approach facilitates trust-building between disadvantaged populations and cancer researchers, particularly in the context of clinical trials participation and tissue donation. The purpose of our program was to develop and evaluate an innovative, bi-coastal, and bilingual program to inform, educate and encourage community members to become cancer research advocates in Florida (FL) and California (CA). Our program was culturally tailored for Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino/a adults. Primary objectives were to increase manpower for cancer research advocacy and increase multi-directional communication between cancer advocates with cancer patients, survivors, caregivers, community members, academic scientists, and policy makers. The CSRA program is a 13-week hybrid program implemented by the CaRE2 Health Equity Center, a bi-coastal partnership between the Florida A&amp;M University, University of Florida, and University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Participants studied into cancers disproportionately affecting Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino/a groups, completing pre- and post-surveys to measure knowledge, self-efficacy, and program satisfaction. Additionally, participants concluded mentored advocacy projects for community implementation, with follow-up implemented at three months post-program completion. To date, a total of 45 adults have graduated from our CSRA program. We present data from the 2023 CSRA cohort (pre, N=21, post, N=19) that included participants from FL and CA, which are among the top five states in the U.S with the largest Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino/a populations. Regarding race and ethnicity, 6 participants were Black/African American, 13 Hispanic/Latino/a, 1 Asian, 1 Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, and 9 White, with 95% female participants. This cohort had 90% program completion and 7 advocacy projects: 2 on lung cancer, 2 on pancreas cancer, and 3 on prostate cancer. Participants showed an increased in knowledge, from pre- mean 68.1 to post- mean 74.0, and a p-value of 0.018. There was an increased in self-efficacy; program satisfaction and evaluation were rated as high. In summary, our study depicts the effectiveness of a unique CSRA program tailored for Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino/a adults, fostering robust communication channels between cancer research advocates and diverse stakeholders. We emphasize the potential of such initiatives in addressing cancer health disparities and advocating to address specific inequalities by imparting educational initiatives in cancer research advocacy. We look forward to evaluating and enhancing our training program with an additional 21 research advocates in our cohort of 2024. Citation Format: Brooke Hensel, Ileana Guzman, Carolina Aristizabal, Eduardo Ibarra, Rosa Barahona, Lourdes Baezconde-Garbanati, Mariana C. Stern, Sandra Suther, Fern J. Webb. Community scientist research advocacy program: Training our research community [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 17th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2024 Sep 21-24; Los Angeles, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2024;33(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B107.

Affirmative Action for Black, Indigenous and Quilombola Students at a Brazilian University

Multiculturalism and cultural diversity permeate various sectors of society, including higher education. The educational policies implemented in this sphere appear to promote social and educational equality. The aim of this study was to examine this subject by analysing the affirmative action policy implemented in a Brazilian university. It sought to understand whether this policy has contributed to the access and completion of undergraduate programmes of black and mixed-race, indigenous and quilombola students. The analysis was conducted based on data relating to the access and dropout of students who enrolled in the university through the quota and reservation systems. Data were collected from university administrative datasets and a questionnaire administered to undergraduate course coordinators and students who had benefited from the policy in question and dropped out of university. The findings reveal, on the one hand, an increase in the intake of black and mixed-race, indigenous and quilombola students. On the other hand, a high dropout rate was observed among these students, which may raise the possibility that the policy in question is not completely successful.

Identification of statewide core competencies for new graduate nurses at the beginning of practice and after a 12-month nurse residency program

AimTo inform the development of statewide core competencies for new graduate nurses at the beginning of their professional career and after completing a 12-month nurse residency program. BackgroundAlthough studies have attempted to clarify the expected core competencies of new graduate nurses at the beginning of their professional career, results are mixed. Additionally, nurse residency program competency expectations vary. DesignA retrospective cross-sectional study using a purposive sample of a national nurse residency program database. MethodsWilcoxon Signed Rank tests compared retrospective self-report data between January 1st 2017 and December 31st 2019, from 2916 acute care hospital new graduate nurses working in the state of Maryland, USA, to examine their perceptions of competency at hire and after completing a nationally standardized 12-month nurse residency program. The study used six domains from the Casey Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Survey© 2006 and the Vizient/AACN Nurse Residency Program™ Progression survey. ResultsNew graduate nurses' self-report of competency increased from a mean score of 4.81 at the beginning of a nurse residency program to 6.67 after completion of 12-month nurse residency program (scale of 0–10). At the beginning of a nurse residendy program, new graduate nursesreported a low level of comfort in three of the six survey domains: communication and leadership, high-intensity skills and patient safety. At 12 months, new graduate nurses reported higher levels of comfort in all six survey domains, with statistically significant increases (Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, α =0.05). ConclusionsFour domains for ongoing competency development were identified for the nurse residency program curriculum—communication and leadership, patient safety, complex patient assignments and end-of-life care—with the expectation that new graduate nurses achieve competency at program completion. New graduate nurses’ perceptions corroborated findings from a statewide study of academicians and practice leaders, thus helping to develop realistic core competencies for new graduate nurses entering the workforce and after completing a 12-month nurse residency program.

Long-term self-reported attendance in exercise training or lung choir and status of quality of life following initial pulmonary rehabilitation for COPD.

Both adherence rates to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programmes and long-term attendance in exercise training after PR remain a challenge. In our previous randomised controlled trial (RCT), effects were positively associated with a dose-response pattern, regardless of whether PR contained conventional physical exercise training (PExT) or Singing for Lung Health (SLH) as a training modality within a 10 weeks' PR programme for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, long-term status of this RCT cohort remains unknown. In this study, we investigated whether current status (=attendance in supervised exercise training or a lung choir and scoring in quality of life (QoL)) was related to initial PR completion, randomisation, or adherence. We collected data via telephone, using a researcher-developed questionnaire on current self-reported attendance in supervised exercise training or a lung choir and on perceived benefits of the initial RCT intervention. Additionally, we used COPD-validated questionnaires (primarily: QoL (measure: St George's Respiratory Questionnaire; SGRQ). In 2023 (i.e., mean/median 4.7 years after initial PR), surviving participants were contacted (n = 196; 73% of 270), and 160 (82% of 196) were included. Out of the included participants, 30 (19%) had not completed initial PR. Compared to the initial PR-completers, non-completers reported less current attendance in exercise training or lung choir (24% vs. 46%, p = 0.03) but SGRQ scores were comparable. Yet, those who attended exercise training or lung choir at present (n = 66/160; 41% out of 160) reported better QoL score than those with no current attendance (SGRQ; Attending: 39.9 ± 15.4; Not attending: 43.1 ± 16.7; p = 0.02). Neither having had SLH instead of PExT, nor adherence level during initial PR, was related to current attendance or to QoL scores. This study indicates that long-term self-reported attendance and current QoL scores are positively related to initial completion of a PR programme. Surprisingly, neither initial PR content (PExT or SLH) nor initial PR adherence was related to long-term outcomes. We suggest that future PR programmes include special attention to those who do not complete PR to support long-term attendance and QoL status.

Efficacy of combined exercise training during different menstrual phases in young students with primary dysmenorrhoea

AbstractObjectivesThe objective of the study was to compare the effectiveness of combined exercise training during different menstrual phases on pain, quality of life and menstrual symptoms.MethodsA total of 72 participants for the study were randomly assigned into three groups: Group 1 (N = 24), Group 2 (N = 24) and Group 3 (N = 24) which had undergone combined exercise training during the follicular, luteal and bleeding phases of their menstrual cycle, respectively. The treatment programme included combined exercise training involving deep breathing exercises, Kegel exercises, core strengthening exercises and stretching exercises. Exercises were repeated 5 times with hold duration of 15 s with total of 30–40 min session with 5–10 min of warm‐up and cooldown sessions. Demographic data and outcome measures (Visual Analogue Scale [VAS], Menstrual Symptom Questionnaire [MSQ], and Working ability, Location, Intensity, Days, Duration [WaLIDD]) were assessed at baseline and assessed again during the first menstrual cycle after the completion of the treatment programme. One‐way ANOVA was used for between‐group comparisons of the normally distributed data.ResultsWithin‐group comparison of the outcome variables except VAS in group 3 showed a statistically significant difference in all groups. Comparison of post‐intervention results of the outcome measures of all the groups revealed a statistically significant difference for the VAS, while there was no statistically significant difference for in between the comparison of the WaLIDD and MSQ scoring.ConclusionCombined exercise training is effective in reducing pain only when performed during follicular and luteal phases and significantly improve quality of life and menstrual symptoms in all phases of the menstrual cycle.

Leap to Greatness: Unveiling the Transformative Influence of Rope Skipping among Pe Students

This research investigates the incorporation of a complete rope skipping program into the physical education curriculum to improve students' physical fitness and emotional resilience. The rope skipping exercise was chosen for its versatility and affordability since it can enhance cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, agility, coordination, and mental concentration. The research used a pre-test and post-test approach to evaluate the influence of frequent rope-skipping sessions on students' competence in essential fitness domains. Students were assessed on fundamental jumping methods, the ability to maintain rhythm and timing, coordination and balance, different footwork variants, pace control, endurance, and stamina. In addition, the study investigated the lasting impact of rope skipping on cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, agility, speed, weight control, and mental resilience. The findings demonstrated substantial improvements in all areas from the first assessment to the final evaluation, with pupils displaying notable advancements in their physical and cognitive capabilities. The post-test results revealed a transition from mediocre to excellent competence in all domains, indicating the efficacy of the rope-skipping intervention. Pearson's r correlation study provided more evidence of beneficial associations between rope skipping skills and improved athletic performance, namely in endurance, coordination, and mental resilience. The research finds that rope skipping is a valuable and versatile activity for students of school age, promoting enhancements in physical fitness, mental resilience, and good living choices. The program's implementation may be beneficial for educators to foster comprehensive student growth and a lifetime commitment to physical exercise.

Generative Artificial Intelligence: A Reflexive Thematic Analysis of Nursing Students' Perceptions Following a Guided Learning Activity.

Understanding the functionality, benefits, and limitations of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) is important for nurses and nursing students. This study explored nursing students' perspectives on GAI after a guided learning activity in which students used a chatbot to answer a clinical question. A qualitative approach using reflective thematic analysis of written reflections was conducted with 19 nursing students in a nursing baccalaureate completion program. Student reflections demonstrated 4 themes: surprisingly familiar; the importance of critical thinking and external validation; a good summary lacking depth and nuance; and cautious optimism. Two subthemes were also identified: validation is time-consuming and a new perspective. Learning activities using GAI influence students' knowledge and attitudes and instill critical awareness of the advantages and limitations of this technology. Additional emphasis on bias in GAI is needed when teaching about AI.

Perceptions and Lived Experiences of Nurses After Completion of a Perinatal Nurse Residency Program.

This study was designed to explore the perceptions and lived experiences of new graduate or new-to-specialty labor and delivery nurses. These nurses had completed a perinatal nurse residency program at a high-risk metropolitan medical center in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Eight nurses were interviewed for this study with qualitative individual interviews. Qualitative content analysis was used. Three main themes emerged: assimilating a specialized knowledge base and skill sets, navigating challenging circumstances, and coping with the transition to independence. Nurse residency programs can ease the transition to practice in the labor and delivery specialty. Revisions to future perinatal residency programs should include enhanced preceptor education, prolonged night shift orientation, assessment of nurse learning style and needs, and increased consistency of debriefing after traumatic events. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 202x;5x(x):xx-xx.].

Online yoga programme for resident physicians in Québec: an evaluation of feasibility and impact on mental health

ObjectivesTo evaluate the feasibility of the Bali Yoga Programme for Residents (PYB-R), an 8-week virtual yoga-based intervention and determine its impact on the mental health of resident physicians.DesignSingle-group repeated measures...

Not “that kind” of doctor: an exploratory study on Doctor of Physical Therapy-patient introductions in the United States

ABSTRACT Objective This exploratory study examined the prevalence and determinants of the use of the title ‘doctor’ among the United States (U.S.) licensed Doctors of Physical Therapy (DPTs) during patient-provider introductions. Methods A cross-sectional analysis of DPTs across eight states was conducted. Binary logistic regression analyzed demographic and experience-related factors influencing title use, including years of experience, board certification status, and clinical instructor (CI) experience. Stepwise logistic regression with forward selection identified significant predictors. Beliefs influencing title use were evaluated through descriptive statistics from multiple choice questions with an option for open-ended responses for additional opinions. Results Of the 1,311 participants who met the inclusion criteria, 19.9% reported using ‘doctor’ during patient-provider introductions. The odds of using the title increased with age and was higher among males, with age controlled for. Completion of a residency program and not being a CI were also associated with greater odds of title use, with age and sex controlled for. Beliefs about demonstrating expertise, having earned the title, and advancing the profession were primary reasons for using the title, while concerns about patient confusion and therapeutic alliance were reasons for not using it. Both DPTs who did and did not report using the title ‘doctor’ commonly cited the impact on therapeutic alliance as justification Conclusions A minority of our sample of U.S. DPTs use the title ‘doctor’ during patient-provider introductions, with significant variation across age, gender, and professional experience. Deciding whether to use the title was primarily based on their perceived effects on patient beliefs. Discussion This is the first study to formally investigate how DPTs refer to themselves during patient-provider introductions. Understanding title use in healthcare can inform best practices during patient interactions. This study provides a foundation for future research on the impact of DPTs mentioning their doctoral title on patient experiences and outcomes.

Supporting caregivers of children living with disability in a humanitarian context: realist-informed evaluation of the ‘Mighty Children’ programme in Afghanistan

IntroductionTo ensure that humanitarian action is disability-inclusive, evidence is needed to understand how different strategies to support children living with disabilities and their families can work in these settings. Evidence...

FP1.8 - Optimizing Rectal Cancer Treatment: Comprehensive response to Neoadjuvant therapy

Abstract Aims This study aimed to assess the outcomes and feasibility of a watch-and-wait strategy in patients with rectal cancer showing a complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The primary objectives included evaluating the oncological results, disease-free interval, and survival rates in patients who underwent the watch-and-wait approach after a complete clinical response. Methods The study involved a retrospective analysis of last 10 years of rectal cancer patients enrolled in a complete responder surveillance program in an acute general hospital. Cohort characteristics, including age, performance status, tumor histology, distance from the anal verge, and treatment modalities, were documented. Results The median age was 74 (57-90), and the median performance status was 1, with the age at diagnosis being 69. All cohort members had a histologically confirmed rectal adenocarcinoma. The median tumor-to-anal-verge distance was 5 cm (1-10 cm). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 55% of patients. All patients underwent long-course radiotherapy, and 35% received papillon contact brachytherapy. Total neoadjuvant therapy was received by 10%. The median follow-up involved approximately 9 colonoscopies. During follow-up, 25% of patients experienced recurrence, with a median disease-free interval of 3.5 years. Conclusion The findings of this study, in addition to ongoing prospective clinical trials and insights from databases such as EURECCA and OnCore, indicate that a watch-and-wait approach can be safe and effective for selected rectal cancer patients who have achieved a complete response to neoadjuvant CRT. This study highlights the significance of additional research to identify appropriate patients for this approach and to refine its implementation in rectal cancer management.

Intentions versus outcomes in doctoral degree completion

ABSTRACT The decline in doctoral program completion has become one of the main challenges in doctoral education worldwide. As concern about this issue grows, the number of studies examining the topic has also increased. Many of these studies, which aim to identify the factors that contribute to high attrition rates, rely on cross-sectional data and often use students’ degree completion plans as a proxy for either completion or attrition. This approach raises a crucial question: How well do these proxies correlate with actual graduation outcomes? Utilizing a quasi-longitudinal dataset, our study investigates the relationship between various indicators of student plans, as used in cross-sectional studies, and students’ eventual completion or withdrawal from doctoral programs. Our analysis reveals a significant disconnect between student intentions and their actual outcomes, which indicates that students’ plans may not always be a reliable predictor of graduation results. The findings suggest that using these proxies can lead to misinterpretations or the omission of key factors that affect outcomes. Such insights are valuable for developing more accurate scales and indicators to measure dropout intentions in cross-sectional studies and contribute to the broader understanding and discussion of doctoral student outcomes and success.

Impulsivity, trauma history, and interoceptive awareness contribute to completion of a criminal diversion substance use treatment program for women.

In the US, women are one of the fastest-growing segments of the prison population and more than a quarter of women in state prison are incarcerated for drug offenses. Substance use criminal diversion programs can be effective. It may be beneficial to identify individuals who are most likely to complete the program versus terminate early as this can provide information regarding who may need additional or unique programming to improve the likelihood of successful program completion. Prior research investigating prediction of success in these programs has primarily focused on demographic factors in male samples. The current study used machine learning (ML) to examine other non-demographic factors related to the likelihood of completing a substance use criminal diversion program for women. A total of 179 women who were enrolled in a criminal diversion program consented and completed neuropsychological, self-report symptom measures, criminal history and demographic surveys at baseline. Model one entered 145 variables into a machine learning (ML) ensemble model, using repeated, nested cross-validation, predicting subsequent graduation versus termination from the program. An identical ML analysis was conducted for model two, in which 34 variables were entered, including the Women's Risk/Needs Assessment (WRNA). ML models were unable to predict graduation at an individual level better than chance (AUC = 0.59 [SE = 0.08] and 0.54 [SE = 0.13]). Post-hoc analyses indicated measures of impulsivity, trauma history, interoceptive awareness, employment/financial risk, housing safety, antisocial friends, anger/hostility, and WRNA total score and risk scores exhibited medium to large effect sizes in predicting treatment completion (p < 0.05; ds = 0.29 to 0.81). Results point towards the complexity involved in attempting to predict treatment completion at the individual level but also provide potential targets to inform future research aiming to reduce recidivism.

Effect of pulmonary rehabilitation duration on exercise capacity and health-related quality of life in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (PuRe Duration Trial): A randomized controlled equivalence trial.

There is no strong evidence on the optimal duration of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programmes. The aim of the study was to determine whether an 8-week PR programme was equivalent to a 12-week PR programme in improving endurance exercise capacity in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Participants with COPD were randomized to either an 8-week (8-wk Group) or 12-week (12-wk Group), twice weekly, supervised PR programme consisting of endurance and strength training and individualized self-management education. Between group comparisons were made at completion of each programme (i.e., week 8 or week 12), for both programmes at week 12, and at 6-12-month follow-up. The primary outcome was endurance exercise capacity measured by the endurance shuttle walk test (ESWT) with the minimally important difference of 186 s set as the equivalence limit. Sixty-six participants [mean (SD); age 69 (7) years, FEV1 48 (17) %predicted] were randomized (33 per group). Between-group comparisons demonstrated that the ESWT time was equivalent for the 12-wk Group compared to the 8-wk Group at programme completion [mean (95% CI)] [71 s (-61 to 203)], week 12 [70 s (-68 to 208)], and 6-12-month follow-up [93 s (-52 to 239)], though superiority of the 12-wk Group could not be ruled out at each time point. Equivalence was shown between 8-and 12-week PR programmes for endurance exercise capacity, but superiority could not be ruled out for the 12-wk Group. Decisions about programme duration may depend on local waitlist times, healthcare budgets and patient preference.

A Pilot Study to Evaluate an Educational Intervention on Motivation and Learning Strategies in Prelicensure Nursing Students.

Nursing student attrition affects the nationwide nursing shortage. Interventions that improve student retention are needed. The Jeffreys nursing universal retention and success model provided a framework for an educational intervention that introduced students to validated study techniques and test-related anxiety management techniques. The intervention was evaluated using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire. Results from our pilot study suggest that this type of intervention may impact the use of learning strategies and motivation and may improve overall retention and program completion.