In the fall of 2011, the FDA announced a shortage of important chemotherapy drugs; this shortage, in turn, disrupted clinical trials and led to potential challenges in assessing data from those studies. Experimental research, which includes clinical trials, plays a pivotal role in the advancement of disease prevention and treatment. Once a risk factor has…

NURS 8310 Week 5: Epidemiologic Applications, Part 1 Week 5: Epidemiologic Applications, Part 1   A healthy environment is fundamental to life, and attention to the effects of the environment on human health is essential if we are to achieve the goal of health for all.   —Naomi Higenbottam, RN, The Luminary Project: Nurses Lighting…

NURS 8310 Week 7: Application of Measures of Effect Week 7: Application of Measures of Effect   Working near farm fields may be hazardous to your health. A recent epidemiologic study revealed a link between three agricultural pesticides and the development of Parkinson’s disease (Wang et al., 2011; UCLA, 2011). This link was initially suspected…

NURS 8310 Week 1: Introduction to Epidemiology and Population Health Imagine walking out of your home to a chaotic scene of disaster relief personnel dressed in hazmat suits. Hollywood has long played upon fears of a catastrophic epidemic with movies such as Outbreak (1995) and Contagion (2011). In films such as these, the protagonist races…

NURS 8310 Week 8: Screening for Diseases Week 8 Discussion   Screening for Disease   Although many individuals and organizations may endorse the goal of screening programs, the details and implementation are often controversial. For some types of screening, it can be quite challenging to weigh the human and economic costs and benefits and determine…

NURS 8310 Week 6: Epidemiological Applications, Part 2 and Data Interpretation Can a person’s experience with racial discrimination impact aging and his or her physical health? The answer may be yes, according to a preliminary epidemiologic research study sponsored by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the National Institute of Health (Szanton et al.,…

NURS 8310 Week 2: Descriptive Epidemiology and Sources of Population Health Data In 2009, the FDA and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) made policy recommendations that all girls ages 11 or 12 should consider receiving the Human Pappillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in an effort to prevent cervical cancer. What investigations led to this controversial recommendation? How…

NURS 8310 Week 3 Analytic Epidemiology Designs Observational  Consider for a moment the great strides made in treating breast cancer, or as noted last week, the change in life expectancy for patients with HIV/AIDS. These strides toward improving health outcomes are a result of research; research has helped health care professionals and others better understand…

NURS 6224 – Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance week 1- 11 This course will cover compliance regulations resulting from federal and state laws governing health care in various settings. Students will learn the essential elements of an effective compliance program and how to implement them. Topics will include: setting up and maintaining a compliance program,…

NURS 6223 – Healthcare Quality Assurance and Risk Management in Healthcare Organizations week 1-11 This course will examine health care quality assurance and risk management and the methods that are utilized to achieve improvements in health care organizations. Topics will include: the link between patient safety and legal and regulatory compliance; the role of accreditation…