RSS 1.0PPD 2021
Browse by
Recent Submissions
-
Adult Rheumatoid Arthritis: Evaluating Treatment Effectiveness Among PatientsIn the real world, how medications are prescribed and taken by patients differs from a patient enrolled in clinical trials. For example, medications may be given to patients with disease severity ranging from mild to very severe, who have comorbidities, and who have variable adherence to the treatment regimen. After a drug is licensed and on the market, comparative effectiveness studies are conducted with real world data to assure that the drugs remain effective when used by real world patients. CorEvitas conducts comparative effectiveness research among cohorts of patients enrolled in the Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry. This poster presents the design of an observational cohort study, including study protocols.
-
Salem Board of Health Informational Brochure What We DoMany businesses have an informative handout that anyone can receive from their offices. These handouts usually come in the form of brochures, booklets, or pamphlets. Contained in these handouts are important details regarding the business, organization, or company, such as their mission objectives, their everyday activities and responsibilities, and how they work with their clients. The Salem Board of Health does not have any form of informative handout and as such, many people are unaware of what the organization does. This poster serves as a brochure template that the Salem Board of Health can utilize and create handouts from to distribute to the public with the goal of increasing public awareness about the organization's tasks and responsibilities in the City of Salem.
-
Program Advisory Committee (PAC) & Accrediting Commission of Career Schools & College (ACCSC): Journey Towards Accrediting a Medical Assistant ProgramThis study was conducted to establish and observe the creation of an advisory committee, lead the committee through the accreditation process to determine strengths and weakness of the current medical assistants program and guide this committee through the development of recommendations for improvements based on accreditation standards of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools & Colleges (ACCSC). Recommendations included the creation of adequate space for practicing & evaluation of skills, expansion of reliable equipment for clinical practices & classroom teaching, update and maintain appropriate certifications for instructors, recognize the needs for available resources for students in a variety of platforms, and recognize the need for students to become BLS certified. This process has helped this organization by meeting and maintaining certain acceptable levels of educational standards and quality.
-
Interpretation and Translation: The Bridge to Linguistic and Cultural GapsOne of the ways in which we can combat healthcare inequities and improve the quality of care for patients is through cultural responsiveness. This project explored ways we can be culturally responsive on an individual level and on an institutional level. A newsletter was designed to inform participants on ways they can engage in cultural responsiveness. This newsletter was sent to 19 participants through email, and it was also posted on the organization’s webpage. Inquiries were made on behalf of the organization to acquire language support for families accessing the family visitation program at Children’s Services of Roxbury. A relationship was established with a translation company to address the gap in culture and language within the program.
-
Recreation During a Pandemic: The Impact of COVID 19 on Programming in MassachusettsThis project is a review of the impact of COVID 19 on recreation programs in Massachusetts from 2020 through November 2021. The pandemic and how we interact with people have changed the landscape of community gathering and the programs that cities and towns can provide. A review of city/town websites and a pool of telephone interviews helped describe that within communities across Massachusetts there have been changes to available programming. This is significant in both rural and urban environments. Results of this review show that there is some change in the types of programs available, use of staffing, and budget levels.
-
Veterinary Practice: Maximizing Efficiency and ConsistencyThe purpose of the internship was to create educational materials and improve the workflow in veterinary practice at Banfield Pet Hospital. Client education is one of the most significant aspect of veterinary medicine, which helps owners make informed decisions and improve their pet’s wellness. It is essential to increase client awareness about the benefits of comprehensive Optimum Wellness Plans and their roles in preventive veterinary care. A survey was created and distributed to 40 participants to determine whether these materials were effective in assisting clients to sign up on a plan. The results revealed the perceived role of educational materials in the care of veterinary patients.
-
Bridgewell’s Day Program at Rosewood: Creating Instructional ResourceBridgwell’s Rosewood Day program in Danvers, MA is a daily day program for adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. These clients come in for the day to continue working and developing daily living skills, communication skills, and motor skills. This project was devoted to the development of instructional resources for the staff when working with clients. After observing the various activities and programming provided, three topic areas emerged including communication skills, four-step cooking/ recipes, and exercise/stretching activities. Each area was researched culminating in three binders that were created to provide readily accessible instructional resource materials for use by both staff and clients.
-
Fetal Maternal Medicine/Infertility: Proposal for a Support Group at a Community Health CenterThis project investigated the effectiveness of support groups and how to start one. Based on data from a needs assessment, the need for a support group was proposed to the CEO of the Health Center due to the high levels of pregnancy loss and infertility in the community. Advocacy and outreach were strongly recommended for the community being served given the low-income base and lack of resources. With support of medical students, qualified patients were surveyed for feedback on their interest in attending a support group session. The proposed support group program was approved with an initial start date of December 2021. It was concluded that the impact of communicating with patients is far more effective if the caregiver has similar experiences to theirs.
-
Exercise and Substance Use Disorder Recovery: Utilizing Yoga as a Rehabilitation AidSubstance use disorder relapse is commonly experienced amongst patients admitted to addiction recovery treatment centers. During the detox phase of addiction treatment, patients are offered psychoeducational therapeutic groups to assist in their recovery process. Tools and guides are offered to help maintain their sobriety post treatment. The purpose of this senior-level undergraduate internship was to provide a new therapeutic group for patients during their detox recovery. The group focused on exercise in the form of yoga as a rehabilitation aid. The program was designed so that case managers could repeat the exercise-based activity without the need for assistance. Surveys were distributed to collect patient feedback at the site. Data suggests exercise, in the form of yoga, is a beneficial therapeutic addiction recovery tool.
-
Nutritious Food for All: Lack of Access to Healthy Food Before and During the PandemicFinancial issues in America have often caused an increase in unhealthy eating. Low income areas are often filled with cheap high calorie sugar foods. Since the global pandemic unemployment has gone up and more people have been struggling making money to live. Places like the Salem Food Pantry were created to help people with finance problems have access to healthy food. I used data of the amount of people who eat at the Salem pantry before COVID verses after COVID to compare numbers. It was noticed that since COVID many more people have been coming to the Salem Pantry. One of the head workers of the pantry named Mike has said many customers that get food at the pantry experienced financial issues because of unemployment.
-
eHana Database: Classifying Client File Types Manual (Digital/Hardcopy): To Ensure Proper Client File Documentation and the Effectiveness of File TypesCloud-based Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems are used to store patient health files in an external (cloud) server rather than an internal server located at a medical facility or practice. Bridgewell uses an EHR system called eHana that helps faculty/staff/providers better manage care for clients and provide quality care by providing accurate, up-to-date, complete information about patients with diagnosis and treatment. A manual was elaborated to classify client’s file types to create an easier way to find clients documents, provide accurate documentation, and manage quality of care. A survey was created to gage the efficacy of using eHana at Bridgewell.
-
Responsibilities of Human Resources in a Community Health Center: Recruiting Ethically Diverse EmployeesIt is important for a community health center to provide quality services to underserved populations such as the low income, uninsured, non-English speakers, and families living at the federal poverty level. Recruiting healthcare employees who are from similar backgrounds and speak the same language as their patients improves quality of care. The goal for this senior-level internship was to market different healthcare positions at a local community health center and attract potential candidates from different ethnic backgrounds. In the recruitment process, data was collected on health center employees and surrounding community demographics which led to the creation of flyers in both English and Spanish. The flyer was distributed to local Hispanic and black churches as well as targeted geographical areas where different ethnic populations exist.
-
Learning About Hospice: Honoring Veterans’ Lives With Compassion and ComraderyHospice care is vital to patients, their caregivers, and loved ones by providing care, comfort, and companionship when facing chronic and/or life limiting disease or illness of a loved one. The impact of these services is vital to quality of end-of-life for the impacted individual and for those who support and love them. A veteran and senior student intern at Salem State University (MA) was charged with the goal of improving pinning ceremonies for veterans at Beacon Hospice. Developments included implementation of Veteran Acknowledgement Cards, bedside honor kits for rapidly declining veterans, and updating literature. Internship objectives were completed despite setbacks related to COVID-19 and remote learning.
-
Growth of a Non-Profit: A Social Media Case Study: Massachusetts School Based Health AllianceSocial media is a powerful tool for non-profit organizations to build their online presence. It allows organizations to share their message on a global and local level. This project focuses on how a non-profit organization like the Massachusetts School Based Health Alliance, can grow their social media presence on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. By doing this, children and their families can get an inside glimpse of public health campaigns and the benefits of school-based health centers in their communities.
-
Locally Grown Food for Wellspring ResidentsEvidence shows that spending time outdoors can be beneficial to many aspects of health. It is also known that low-income families and individuals have less access to fresh, nutritional food. These two facts in conjunction provide compelling reasons for the use of community gardens and food education in homeless shelters. Wellspring House, Inc, has incorporated locally grown food in its shelters since its founding. This project focused on documenting and scheduling the work that is done in the gardens at Wellspring in order to make the gardens more efficient, effective, and beneficial to both residents/guests and staff. In addition, fresh vegetables from the garden were used to make goods for gift baskets that were gifted to residents and staff during the 2021 season.
-
Massage Therapy and Chronic Pain: Assessing Client SatisfactionChronic pain is often overlooked by our society, the health care system, and by many people until it happens to them. Chronic pain affects physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Western medicine has improved with treating chronic pain, however, considering the person as a whole and how it affects every aspect of their lives needs to be a priority. Nontraditional medicine practices may include massage therapy, acupuncture, and chiropractic. Massage therapy helps many people cope with chronic pain and can reduce pain days per month. When mixing both western and nontraditional medicine together many who struggle with chronic pain have less pain days per month and an improved quality of life.
-
Organizational Strategies for PPE Supplies: Quality Assurance and Safety Protocol for End of Life CareAt the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was difficult for healthcare facilities to locate sites that could provide the correct amounts of PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). The purpose of this senior-level internship was to ensure Good Shepherd Hospice Care had an adequate amount of PPE supplies for their employees and patients. As a part of my project, I worked to guarantee the PPE supply room was organized and that staff could locate their materials promptly. I also maintained proper documentation in Microsoft Excel to calculate the difference of the supplies used during the two-week time frame. I also gained valuable insight into the coronavirus impact on hospice and palliative care.
-
Social Media Effects on LGBT Youth: Learning How to Navigate Social Media Productively and EffectivelySocial media is everywhere and no matter what, we will hear about it every day. Whether we see it or not, adolescent use of social media can be very triggering or uncomfortable for young minds. Adolescents use social media differently other than watching the news or school, which can lead to dark places on the internet. This senior-level internship experience has brought attention to the dark sides of social media that children can experience, especially those a part of the LGBTQ community. The CREW program encourages adolescents to use social media in ways that promote happiness and positivity instead of causing stress. CREW also offers life skills that work for each individual and allows them to express themselves.
-
Physical Activity and Its Importance for Brain Injury SurvivorsBrain injuries are a disruption to the brain caused by a bump, blow, jolt, or penetrating injury to the head. Such injuries can have many complications that affect the overall quality of life for survivors. Since the brain plays such an important role in not only the function of the body, but also in everyday life, it is important that individuals have an outlet to be able to gain more independence. To help survivors of brain injuries, Supportive Living Inc. runs neuro-fit exercise programs that allow individuals to exercise with assistance from interns. The main focus of this poster is to understand how physical activity can improve the overall quality of life for survivors whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally.
-
Reducing Overdose Risk Among Patients After Rehab: Improving Patient Participation in Prevention GroupsThe United States is currently facing an epidemic of opioid overdoses. Roughly 841,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose. Recovery Centers of America [RCA] in Danvers, Massachusetts is one of thousands of recovery centers throughout the United States. RCA’s mission is to help save 1 million lives from the disease of addiction using evidence-based practices and clinical expertise to deliver quality patient care tailored to individual patients’ needs. (RCA 2021). The purpose of this senior-level internship was to discover ways to engage patients participating in RCA’s overdose prevention group. To encourage engagement, patients were asked to compete a questionnaire that assessed what they wanted from the prevention group and implement it. Patients were also provided resources for Narcan administration training.
