March Headlines
Faculty share findings and expertise, alumna examines the role for social media in hospitals, and UMSN’s simulation lab is highlighted for innovative teaching methods.
--Adolescent males who participate in sports could be at greater risk of misusing opioid medication because they 
have greater access to these controlled substances, according to new research from UMSN Clinical Assistant Professor Paula L. Ross-Durow, Ph.D., RN and Professor Carol J. Boyd, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, and colleagues. “Painfully Obvious: A Longitudinal Examination of Medical Use and Misuse of Opioid Medication Among Adolescent Sports Participants" was published in the March 2014 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. The researchers analyzed data from more than 1,500 students who participated in a larger National Institute on Drug Abuse–funded study of middle school and high school students. They found male adolescents who participated in organized sports had higher odds of being prescribed an opioid medication, misusing the medication by taking too much, and intentionally using the medication to get high, compared to 
males who did not participate in organized sports. “Increasingly, adolescents are being prescribed controlled medications, which can put them at risk for a number of undesirable consequences, including accidental or intentional overdose and possible addiction,” says Dr. Ross-Durow. “I’m very interested in how we can keep adolescents safe and healthy, and understanding what activities are associated with misuse of controlled medications lays the groundwork for interventions that might be beneficial to prevent untoward outcomes.”
have greater access to these controlled substances, according to new research from UMSN Clinical Assistant Professor Paula L. Ross-Durow, Ph.D., RN and Professor Carol J. Boyd, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, and colleagues. “Painfully Obvious: A Longitudinal Examination of Medical Use and Misuse of Opioid Medication Among Adolescent Sports Participants" was published in the March 2014 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. The researchers analyzed data from more than 1,500 students who participated in a larger National Institute on Drug Abuse–funded study of middle school and high school students. They found male adolescents who participated in organized sports had higher odds of being prescribed an opioid medication, misusing the medication by taking too much, and intentionally using the medication to get high, compared to males who did not participate in organized sports. “Increasingly, adolescents are being prescribed controlled medications, which can put them at risk for a number of undesirable consequences, including accidental or intentional overdose and possible addiction,” says Dr. Ross-Durow. “I’m very interested in how we can keep adolescents safe and healthy, and understanding what activities are associated with misuse of controlled medications lays the groundwork for interventions that might be beneficial to prevent untoward outcomes.”--“A new policy statement by the European Cancer Concord (ECC) is a welcome first step to improve outcomes for European patients with cancer and their families,” says UMSN Assistant Professor Christopher R. Friese, Ph.D., RN, AOCN®, FAAN, in a co-authored commentary published in the February issue of The Oncologist. In “The European Cancer Patient’s Bill of Rights: Action Steps for Success,” Dr. Friese and John Ayanian, MD, MPP, director of U-M’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation, call for additional steps, including developing a robust cancer registry of European Union countries to prioritize problems and evaluate change, monitoring the quality of cancer care, engaging a broader group of stakeholders and disseminating best practices.
--Parents often worry as they give their children more independence–even more so with diabetic children. However, preparing teens for different scenarios can go a long way in easy fears, and more importantly, in keeping them safe, says UMSN Clinical Assistant Professor Donna Marvicsin, Ph.D., PNP-BC, CDE. Dr. Marvicsin shares more ideas, including specific scenarios for parents to consider in “’What If…’ Planning With Your Teen,” on Disney’s spoonful.com.
--UMSN’s focus on engaged learning is the topic of a U-M Center for Research on Learning and Technology blog and 
video. The article highlights UMSN’s Clinical Learning Center (CLC) and the experiential learning of students through patient simulation. UMSN’s Director of the CLC, Michelle Aebersold, Ph.D., RN, shares three research-supported elements of good practice for experiential learning including pre-learning, guided observations, and reflection. According to the blog, “Whatever form it takes, research has found that such opportunities for reflection are key to prompting learning gains from service-learning activities--an insight that readily extends to all experiential courses and assignments.”
video. The article highlights UMSN’s Clinical Learning Center (CLC) and the experiential learning of students through patient simulation. UMSN’s Director of the CLC, Michelle Aebersold, Ph.D., RN, shares three research-supported elements of good practice for experiential learning including pre-learning, guided observations, and reflection. According to the blog, “Whatever form it takes, research has found that such opportunities for reflection are key to prompting learning gains from service-learning activities--an insight that readily extends to all experiential courses and assignments.”--Alumna Pamela Ressler, MS (BSN '79), shares how her teenage son’s battle with cancer made her aware of how important social media can be to patients. In 2000, her son was admitted to the hospital, and Ressler says watching him connect with friends over instant messenger allowed him a temporary reprieve from thinking about cancer. Ressler shares her experience in Johnson and Johnson’s Nursing Notes’ "Logged On and Linked In: How Social Media is Reshaping Healthcare Conversations." Ressler, a lecturer at Tufts University School of Medicine and founder of Stress Resources, also shares “Best Practices” for nurses to follow when using social media.
Accolades
Clinical Assistant Professor Katie A. Moriarty, Ph.D., CNM, CAFCI, has been elected to the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) Board of Directors. Dr. Moriarty will represent Region IV, which covers 7 states, and she will serve as a liaison between the region and the Board of Directors. ACNM is a professional organization that aims to advance the health of women and newborns through midwifery excellence. The organization also works to lead the profession through education, clinical practice, research, and advocacy. 
