Background checks are intended to ensure a quality workforce, but they may also exclude qualified workers. Though these background checks may appear straightforward, they rely on information from a variety of sources, and are governed by a complex regulatory environment. Various laws, industry norms, and court precedents shape what background information is gathered and/or maintained….
With the graduation of more females from dental school, the dental profession is becoming more gender diverse. This study, conducted by the Oral Health Workforce Research Center (OHWRC), builds on previous work on gender diversity in dentistry. Researchers used data from the 2014-2018 American Community Survey (ACS) to evaluate the impact of dentists’ personal characteristics…
Positive transition to practice experiences for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) are important for reducing turnover and maintaining continuity of care for patients. Onboarding programs are an important element of transition to practice experiences, but little is known about what specifically makes certain onboarding programs successful and why. This brief describes a study…
Many post-baccalaureate programs provide a way for underrepresented and disadvantaged students to improve their applications for medical education programs after graduating from college. These programs have changed significantly over the years and more research is needed to understand this evolution. This report describes a study that examined information about post-baccalaureate programs for dental schools and…
Navigators in the federal Insurance Navigator Program provide enrollment assistance, outreach, and education to individuals who are eligible for health insurance coverage. Their work is key to public health efforts to address inequities but continues to be poorly understood and undervalued. This article examines the navigator profession to better understand the equity work they do,…
In the US, some health systems and emergency medical services agencies are leveraging the versatility and experience of community paramedics to meet needs for COVID-19 testing, care, and vaccination. This report describes models of community paramedic practice that have been utilized in the US during the pandemic and discusses changes in law and regulation that…
Health care workers in long-term care (LTC) settings often face financial security concerns due to low wages, inconsistent hours, and lack of benefits. As a result, there are higher rates of LTC workers who hold multiple jobs, which can increase workers’ exposure to COVID-19. Because COVID-19 is an especially serious threat to the frail elderly,…
Implicit bias of healthcare providers often influences patient care. Bias awareness is a key element included in implicit bias education and can help motivate behavior change. This article discusses a study that evaluated whether exposure to a brief online course on implicit bias increased bias awareness for health providers.ArrayArticle Arrayhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10872981.2021.2025307February 9, 2022Array, Array, Array, Array,…
Treating the complex issues of people living with dementia is difficult because behavioral symptoms often occur in combination with pain symptoms. In addition, increasing cognitive impairment and communication challenges exist as dementia severity progresses. Little is known about either the contributions of different clinical specialties in prescribing medications for this population or prescribing patterns by…
Peer support providers are individuals who have been trained to use their personal experiences with mental illness and substance use disorders to help others in recovery. Organizations that provide behavioral health treatment are increasingly employing peer support providers as vital team members. Prior studies have focused on evaluating the effectiveness of peer providers in terms…