Molloy College

The advent of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing represents a transformative moment in biotechnology, enabling genome editing with unprecedented precision, scale, and accessibility. This scientific breakthrough holds genuine promise for curing heritable diseases and advancing personalized medicine, yet it also introduces profound moral and theological challenges. This paper offers a Christian bioethical analysis of CRISPR through the lens of the imago Dei, drawing from the moral reasoning of Augustine and Thomas Aquinas. It contrasts utilitarian and autonomy-based frameworks in contemporary bioethics with a theological anthropology that grounds human dignity in the divine image rather than in genetic perfection or functional capacity. After presenting the scientific foundations of gene editing, the paper examines key ethical tensions-therapy versus enhancement, eugenic reasoning, the destruction of embryos, and intergenerational responsibility. Finally, it proposes a theological framework informed by virtue ethics, the principle of double effect, and a Christ-centered vision of human flourishing. The goal is not to reject gene editing categorically but to cultivate moral wisdom that upholds the sanctity of life, respects human limitation, and directs scientific vocation toward healing and justice.

Math anxiety represents a substantial barrier to many students' math learning. In this paper, we apply interdisciplinary perspectives to data on over 13,200 ninth graders and their math teachers from the High School Longitudinal Study. Results suggest that being perceived as dis/abled relates to heightened math anxiety regardless of adolescents' gender, or race and ethnicity. Our intersectional approach reveals that adolescents' expressions of math anxiety do not always correspond with gender, racial, and ethnic stereotypes, with Black girls, Black boys, and Latine boys expressing relatively low levels of math anxiety. Finally, consistent with the principles of inclusion and universal design, placing students into groups of mixed ability is the only teacher approach to grouping that does not relate to high levels of math anxiety for any subgroup of students. With intersectionality and interdisciplinariness the pillars of Disability Studies in Education, this study contributes to critical research approaches and policy considerations.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of Emergency Department nurses working during the first phase of the COVD19 pandemic. Background: The impact of the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic to the national health care system was unexpected and devastating in many ways. Emergency Department nurses were overwhelmed with very little time to process this situation. Guidelines kept changing for dealing with this pandemic. Registered nurses working in the Emergency Department, as first responders, were called upon to make decisions for which they were not prepared. Methods: A purposive sample of 15 registered nurses working in the Emergency Department during the first phase of the COVID-19 pandemic were recruited using snowball technique. Data collection was conducted using unstructured interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method which guided this study. Results: Analysis of the data revealed six essential themes: uncertainty and fear; overwhelmed and fatigued; stoicism and resilience; teamwork, ethical dilemma, and spirituality. These themes highlighted the failures in policy to address the health and well-being of Emergency Department nurses as they respond to public health disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic Conclusion: Emergency department nurses were affected physically, emotionally and professionally by the pandemic. Looking at the beginning of the pandemic, effective strategies for future crises should be developed so that nurses do not succumb to the stresses that Emergency Department nurses were confronted during this crisis.

The HIMSS Nursing Innovation Advisory workgroup, formed in 2023, set out to address critical challenges in health care technology, including a lack of artificial intelligence literacy and accessible innovation resources for clinicians, aligning with national nursing and HIMSS strategic visions. This paper describes the development and evaluation of tools designed to improve AI readiness among nurses and informaticists, with a focus on identifying barriers in transitioning from informatics education to practice. An AI toolkit and innovation resources were developed by the workgroup and presented at an interactive Fishbowl session during HIMSS 2025. This is a descriptive report of an educational activity conducted at a professional conference where authors and presenters utilized discussion and poll questions to gauge perceived barriers in transitioning from informatics education to clinical practice and the usefulness of the tools. Out of 67 responses, 52% identified informatics competency as the primary gap in transitioning from education to practice. The session was well-received, with over 80% of attendees finding the content "very helpful" or "somewhat helpful," highlighting the value of the resources. These findings emphasize the need to update informatics curricula to better prepare graduates with essential digital and data literacy skills. The positive reception of the AI toolkit highlights its potential to bridge the gap between academic preparation and practical application, fostering the ethical integration of AI in health care. Continued learning, early adoption of innovations, advocating for change, and ensuring ethical AI practices are crucial next steps for clinicians and health care leaders.

Cultural competence is essential in delivering high-quality, patient-centered care, especially in increasingly diverse clinical environments. Despite its importance, cultural competency training in health professions education remains inconsistent and often inadequate. This quantitative study examined the impact of a 3-month behavioral medicine course on first-year physician assistant (PA) students' cultural intelligence and preparedness to provide culturally competent care. A presurvey and postsurvey design was used to assess changes in cultural sensitivity using a validated assessment tool, the Cultural Sensitivity Questionnaire. 6 A priori power analysis (effect size = 0.5, power = 0.8) determined a minimum sample size of 34. Paired samples t -test analyzed differences between precourse (group A) and postcourse (group B) scores. A total of 44 participants completed both surveys. Postintervention scores showed a statistically significant improvement in cultural sensitivity awareness (group A: M = 4.863, standard deviation [SD] = 0.732; group B: M = 5.548, SD = 0.794; t (39) = 4.279, P < .001). Findings support the integration of structured behavioral medicine curricula that incorporate cultural competency tools in PA education. Enhancing cultural intelligence among PA students may improve clinical communication and mitigate health disparities across diverse populations.

ABSTRACT This article explores innovative strategies for educators to harness the potential of generative AI in writing instruction. Specifically, it focuses on pedagogical approaches teachers can use to help students navigate the complex landscape of AI while supporting their creative and critical thinking and instilling a firm ethical foundation in using AI. We anchor the strategies in the well-established educational theory of cognitive apprenticeship.

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a global health concern with an incidence of 8.9 million people annually. More than 350,000 incidences of OHCA occur yearly in the United States, with an average survival of 10%. Provision of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillator (AED) use have been noted to significantly improve survival rates. Aim: The aim of this quality improvement project was to strengthen the OHCA chain of survival on the university campus and within the surrounding community. Methods: This was a multifaceted evidence-based quality improvement project involving community CPR/AED education, improving AED awareness, and policy creation. Results: Participant (n = 759) knowledge of CPR and AED use improved between pre-test (M = 3.34, SD = 1.18) and post-test scores (M = 5.23, SD = 0.82). Participant knowledge of AED locations in areas they frequent improved from 58% to 91%, and comfort level for performing CPR improved from 59% to 97% post implementation. Adoption of a Cardiac Emergency Response Plan for the university was achieved, an additional 23 AEDs were placed on campus and uploaded to an AED location app. Conclusion: There is strong evidence to support that communities who place an emphasis on strengthening the OHCA chain of survival report better OHCA outcomes.

A growing body of educational research uses opportunity hoarding as a construct to understand advantaged families’ engagement in K–12 U.S. schooling. Our systematic review of the literature reveals that advantaged parents hoard educational resources and opportunities in three key areas: (1) the creation and maintenance of white space; (2) school choice/selection; and (3) organizational routines. While much can be learned from the extant research, we detail conceptual, empirical, and methodological gaps in the literature as well as outline a future research agenda that can inform equity-oriented educational policy, practice, and scholarship. We argue that the concept of opportunity hoarding serves as a useful analytic tool for understanding how actors advantaged by race and/or class create and maintain educational inequities and can guide efforts to ameliorate it; therefore, it is important to understand how educational researchers might extend its use.