Alamance Community College

Clinician-ordered peripheral smear review by pathologist (CPSR) is commonly ordered and has been recommended for decades. However, the clinical utility of this labor-intensive test in the reference laboratory has not been examined. The objective of this study is to assess hematologic abnormalities identified in CPSR orders and to correlate them with complete blood count (CBC) and laboratory-derived smear review (LDSR) in the reference laboratory. Two hundred consecutive CPSRs with corresponding CBCs from April 2023 were run by Sysmex® XN-11 analyzers, and their peripheral smears were examined by a board-certified hematopathologist. Hematologic abnormalities of CPSRs were assessed, and the correlation between CPSR and CBC/LDSR was reviewed. Nearly one-third of CPSRs (29%) had normal peripheral smears and CBCs. The majority of CPSRs showed nonspecific quantitative abnormalities. When compared against CPSR results, LDSR criteria identified 100% of hematologic abnormalities appropriately. Samples that were not flagged for review by LDSR rules were also reviewed (n = 174) to rule out clinically meaningful false negatives. One minor discrepancy (0.6% of cases) of small platelet aggregates was observed in a patient with a reported platelet count of 139 K/uL that was missed by the LDSR process. In the reference laboratory setting, our findings demonstrate that LDSR adequately detects significant hematologic abnormalities and, therefore, CPSR should be discontinued.

Purpose: This conceptual piece applies what we know about student success to introduce a faculty model of success called the Faculty Pathway to Excellence. The model elevates faculty voices in the conversation of student success in community colleges. Method: We collected qualitative data from interviews with faculty at two community colleges and focus groups with faculty from six community colleges to help inform a faculty-focused framework. Proposed model: By changing the conversation to a more comprehensive perspective of faculty success, the model emphasizes the connections, establishment, navigation and leadership, and teaching and learning excellence of faculty members throughout their career trajectories. We define faculty success as faculty retention, faculty satisfaction/sense of belonging, faculty productivity, and ultimately student success (e.g., learning, retention, completion, transfer). Contributions: The development of this Faculty Pathway to Excellence suggests a wider variety of strategies by administration to attract, support, and retain faculty. It also has the potential to help faculty members envision and prepare for the multiple and non-linear pathways in academia. Understanding faculty and their career progression is critical to advance student success conversations. Finding ways to enhance faculty growth and development across all career stages helps students and faculty succeed.

This article reports on the development and the exploration of the underlying psychometric properties of the School Counselor Self-Advocacy Questionnaire, a measure of skills school counselors can use to advocate for their roles and programs. An exploratory factor analysis (N = 188) suggested a unidimensional model, and a confirmatory factor analysis indicated the overall model robustly explains the data, accounting for 80% of the variance. Cronbach's alpha reliability estimates ranged from .84 to .87 for the questionnaire and the estimates of concurrent validity were promising. Implications for school counselor advocacy practice are also included.

Individuals with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) have been shown to benefit from participation in pulmonary rehabilitation programs that include exercise training and education. Outcomes following pulmonary rehabilitation are typically evaluated using functional and perceived quality of life measures. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between improvements in 6 minute walk distance and perceived quality of life in individuals with COPD following completion of a pulmonary rehabilitation program. METHODS: The records of 139 individuals completing a pulmonary rehabilitation program (3 times a week for 8 weeks; including approximately 45 minutes of aerobic exercise, generalized muscular strengthening, and education) were examined. Prior to entry and upon completion of the program each individual completed a 6 minute walk test, the SF-36 Health survey, and the UCSD Shortness of Breath Questionnaire (SOB). SF-36 results were analyzed according to eight subscales (Physical Functioning (PF), Role Physical (RF), Pain, General Health (GH), Vitality, Social Functioning (SF), Role Social (RE), and Mental Health (MH)). RESULTS: Participation in pulmonary rehabilitation resulted in significant improvements in 6 minute walk distance (Pre=845+37 ft, Post=1127+32 ft, p<0.001), PF (Pre=15.0+0.3, Post=17.0+0.3, p<0.001), RF (Pre=5.0+0.1, Post=5.5+0.1, p=0.002), GH(Pre=13.3+0.3, Post=13.8+0.3, p=0.02), Vitality (Pre=11.6+0.3, Post=13.1+0.3, p<0.001), SF (Pre=6.9+0.2, Post=7.9+0.2, p<0.001), RE (Pre=4.9+0.1, Post=5.2+0.1, p=0.03), MH (Pre=22.6+0.4, Post=25.0+0.3, p<0.001) and SOB (Pre=53+2, Post=47+2, p<0.001). The change in 6 minute walk distance was not related to changes in PF (r=0.15), RF (r=0.03), GH (r=0.03), Vitality (r=0.01), SF (r=0.01), RE (r=0.04), MH (r=0.05) or SOB (r=−0.10). Furthermore, the magnitude of improvement in 6 minute walk distance (68%) was much greater than the improvements seen in PF (15%), RF (16%), GH (6%), VT (18%), SF (20%), RE (14%), MH (14%), or SOB (8%). CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary rehabilitation has a positive impact on 6 minute walk distance and perceived quality of life in individuals with COPD; however, changes in 6 minute walk distance appear to have no relationship to changes in perceived quality of life.

While it is widely written that advanced clinical information systems can help healthcare organizations reduce adverse medical events and increase patient safety, Alamance Regional Medical Center (ARMC) has proven that it truly does. ARMC chose Eclipsys' Sunrise Clinical Manager for its ability to provide knowledge-based clinical decision support and its alert capabilities at the time of order entry. Since its organization-wide rollout in summer 2000, ARMC has been using the computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system with widespread success and has transformed the care delivery process.

This inquiry examined the concept of workplace power as related to community college engineering/technical graphics graduates employed at their first job after graduation. In particular, the investigation focused upon the following three groups: (a) cooperative education graduates who remained with their former co-op employer, (b) cooperative education graduates who gained employment with a new employer and (c) graduates who lacked co-op experience. Following the same mission as other past co-op studies, this research was conducted to broaden the understanding of cooperative education. While studies exist which concern cooperative education's effect on the process of socialization into organizations (e.g.,Williams, Sternberg, Rashotte & Wagner, 1993;Aultman, 1997), most co-op research supports other types of benefits. A literature review into this subject exposes such a reality and that additional studies exist which suggest that cooperative education experience enhances various aspects of the educational process (e.g.,Carrell & Rowe, 1993;Gregory, 1990). Cooperative education experience is also linked to helping students after they graduate. For instance, students who experience cooperative education may obtain their first job after graduation as a result of co-op involvement. An investigation by Weintraub (1984) supports this benefit by revealing that 41% of community college graduates who gain employment receive jobs as a result of having cooperative education experience. A study by Wessels & Pumphrey (1995) reports that community college graduates who attain jobs through their former cooperative education employers appear to undergo less time in finding their first jobs. After graduation, students with previous cooperative education experience may realize additional benefits as a result of such experience. For example, a study by Gardner, Nixon & Motschenbacker (1992) indicates that students with cooperative education experience can realize greater salary benefits versus traditional students when beginning their careers. This benefit also applies to graduates who begin work with their former cooperative education employers. However, students and graduates are not the only beneficiaries of cooperative education programs. An assessment by Weinstein & Wilson (1983) reveals that employers value cooperative education because it provides an opportunity for both students and employers to experience the work situation before making a final commitment. Cooperative education is also associated with providing employers with an excellent opportunity to recruit and retain co-op students upon graduation. Furthermore, a study by Phillips (1978) indicates that employers value cooperative education programs because they believe co-op graduates are better trained and have valuable company experience. These employer benefits of cooperative education participation are supported by various additional comprehensive co-op studies (e.g.,Laporte, 1994;Dobreci, 1996). The previous studies should be carefully considered when reviewing the results of this investigation.