Interactions among host, microbiota and viral pathogens are complex and poorly understood. The goal of the present study is to assess the changes in the skin microbial community of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in response to experimental infection with salmonid alphavirus (SAV). The salmon skin microbial community was determined using 16S rDNA pyrosequencing in five different experimental groups: control, 7 days after infection with low-dose SAV, 14 days after infection with low-dose SAV, 7 days after infection with high-dose SAV, and 14 days after infection with high-dose SAV. Both infection treatment and time after infection were strong predictors of the skin microbial community composition. Skin samples from SAV3 infected fish showed an unbalanced microbiota characterized by a decreased abundance of Proteobacteria such as Oleispira sp. and increased abundances of opportunistic taxa including Flavobacteriaceae, Streptococcaceae and Tenacibaculum sp. These results demonstrate that viral infections can result in skin dysbiosis likely rendering the host more susceptible to secondary bacterial infections.

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Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic led to a rapid transition in operations for higher education institutions. The delivery of traditional teaching methods shifted to online instruction. Much of the research has explored student experiences during COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this project was to explore faculty experiences with COVID-19 in a Midwest state within the United States.Methods: The team utilized a convenience sample of faculty employed at colleges and universities in a Midwest state that taught in the spring of 2020. An email was sent to the faculty, informing them about the nature and purpose of the study and the criteria for participation along with a link to the survey. The survey was a 33-item online survey utilizing Qualtrics®.Results: The sample size for this study was N = 329. Majority of respondents (n = 89) felt that the transition to online learning was difficult. Lastly, common challenges reported were communication with students and peers and isolation.Conclusions: Understanding faculty experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic is essential to future teaching curriculum. The majority of faculty felt that transition to online learning was difficult and affected their mental wellbeing. Communication with students was identified as the biggest challenge for faculty. Yet, faculty felt as though student grades were not affected. As future curriculum and faculty experiences are explored, an emphasis on improving student-faculty communication must be priority. Exploration regarding mental wellness services and resources should be considered for faculty within higher education institutions.

Self-care is often lacking in nursing students worldwide. The objectives for this study were to discover the current self-care practices of one group of entry level undergraduate nursing students, the students’ understanding of self-care, and the students’ preferences for self-care interventions aimed at improving self-care. Quantitative and quantitative measures were used to measure the students’ current self-care practices, needs, and recommendations for interventions to be used in future semesters to improve nursing student self-care. The students were found to generally be deficient in areas related to nutrition, obtaining healthcare information or guidance, pacing themselves to avoid exhaustion, and performing relaxation exercises. They scored well on areas related to psychosocial self-care, such as believing their life has meaning or having meaningful relationships. Several suggestions were made by the students for encouraging nursing student self-care. Nursing students are often lacking in self-care. It is important for nursing programs worldwide to develop and encourage student self-care.

BACKGROUND: Mental health and wellness outreach has been an area of concern at colleges and universities in the United States and a variety of electronic methods have been used to successfully promote health and wellness. This pilot project was in response to a previous descriptive study examining mental health issues on campus. AIMS: The primary aim of this project was to determine if implementing a peer-led outreach program in the form of bi-weekly, short-form educational videos would increase knowledge of mental health and wellness in students developing the videos. The secondary aim was to provide students an alternate clinical assignment that improved presentation development and group dynamics. METHODS: Nursing students enrolled in a psychiatric nursing course collaborated in small groups to create bi-weekly videos on topics related to mental health and wellness. RESULTS: The peer-led outreach intervention demonstrated positive outcomes, such as increased understanding of the common mental health issues facing college students and awareness of campus, as well as outside resources to assist with mental health and wellness. CONCLUSION: This project may increase the body of knowledge related to the importance of campus outreach, peer support, and general awareness of mental wellness and resources during pandemic restraints. Utilizing condensed, peer-led educational outreach via video format has the potential to aid in the educational development of psychiatric nursing students.

Objective: The American Association of Colleges of Nursing has identified competency-based education (CBE) as a priority in nursing education. The Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) has been used across health professions as a tool to incorporate competency-based education. However, the OSCE has been correlated with intensive faculty resources and high costs. The objective of this study was to discuss the evaluation of a low cost OSCE and its ability to incorporate the role of self-assessment in competency-based education within a nurse practitioner program.Methods: Faculty at a public university developed and evaluated an OSCE, exploring its implementation as a component of CBE while minimizing costs using a quasi-experimental design. Nine nurse practitioner students in their third year of a BSN-DNP program completed a pre- and post- assessment of their perceived ability in three OSCEs. Undergraduate nursing students were recruited for the standardized patient role. The OSCEs were recorded for evaluation by faculty and for self-evaluation by the students.Results: There was no significant difference noted in student self-evaluations pre- and post-assessment. There was a statistical difference in the faculty ratings of the student in the otitis media OSCE, with the student rating their performance higher than faculty. There was no statistical difference noted in either the women’s health or hypertension assessments.Conclusions: Recordings of the OSCEs allowed students to identify strengths and weaknesses, cultivating the practice of self-assessment. Integration of minimal cost OSCEs provides opportunities for programs with varying budgets to incorporate it as a component of CBE.