Americas & Caribbean

The objective of this research was to assess the results of a strategy implemented between 2008 and 2011 to develop nursing capacity for health systems and services research in 14 national research institutes based in Havana. [from abstract]

The main objective of this study was to assess evidence-based medicine learning (knowledge, attitudes and self-reported skills) in undergraduate medical students with a randomized controlled trial. [from abstract]

This presentation discusses the the characteristics of public health research in Latin America which are poorly known in terms of scale, subjects of study, sources of funding and human resources for development. [adapted from author]

This paper reports on a collaboration to develop, deliver, and study a community-based first response training program in a remote indigenous community. [from author]

This paper gives an overview of the approaches, methods and materials used in a mobile-based educational platform designed to enable health care workers involved in HIV/AIDS care in urban peripheral stations in Peru to access the state-of-the-art in HIV treatment and care. [adapted from introduction]

While pay-for-performance incentives are frequently used in human resource management programs, there is less knowledge of alternative incentives for recognizing provider achievements in improving quality—especially in the private health sector. This report identifies which types of recognition mechanisms private providers prefer and provides recommendations for Peru and other countries on implementing a quality improvement program with a recognition component. [from abstract]

The enormous fiscal pressures facing trauma centers may lead trauma centers to reduce nurse staffing and to make increased use of less expensive and less skilled personnel. The goal of this study was to examine whether nurse staffing levels and nursing skill mix are associated with trauma patient outcomes. [from abstract]

The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of residents, residency directors and pharmacists within Canadian family medicine residency programs that employ a pharmacist educator to better understand the impact of the role. [from abstract]

This case study describes the development of a forecasting tool to inform its position on key workforce parameters, focused on modeling the situation for registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and health care aides in Alberta. [adapted from abstract]

This article presents a taxonomy of new operational models of nursing care delivery that maximize the use of available nursing resources while ensuring safe, high-quality care - using the context of acute care units in Quebec and comparing their distinctive features. [adapted from abstract]

Using the case of Brazil, the authors measure changes in inequalities in the distribution of the health workforce and account for the sources of inequalities at sub-national level to identify whether policies have been effective in decreasing inequalities and increasing the density of health workers in the poorest areas between 1991 and 2005. [from abstract]

The purpose of this study was to explore the use of the innovative research approach called photovoice as an educational strategy to foster learning about and interest in rural locations and rural nursing as future practice settings. [from abstract]

Given concerns regarding the effects of this loss to their countries of origin, the authors undertook a study of international medical graduates from lower income countries currently practicing in the United States. [from abstract]

This study examined the factors associated with a physician’s decision to leave a work location. We compared different generations of physicians to assess whether these factors have changed over generations. [from abstract]

The purpose of this review of nursing intervention literature was to document the comparative effects and costs of models of nursing intervention on patient outcomes, such as morbidity and mortality, and on system outcomes, such as health resource use. This information will be used to provide suggestions about innovative, effective and efficient models of nursing intervention. [from summary]

The objectives of this study were develop and implement a discipline based on the World Health Organizations’s “Guide to Good Prescribing”; evaluate course acceptance by students; and assess the impact that the knowledge had on the students habits of prescribing medication in a university hospital in Brazil. [adapted from abstract]

This paper describes the development of a large, public telehealth system that supports primary care professionals in remote regions of the Brazilian as part of a government strategy to provide universal access to high-quality health care. Combining assistance and in-service education with simple and inexpensive technology, the telehealth model has been shown to be effective, technically feasible and economically viable. [adapted from publisher]

The purpose of this study was to assess students’ experiences and attitudes toward legislative advocacy using a convenience sample of premedical and medical students attending a National Advocacy Day in Washington, DC. [from abstract]

This study attempted to determining personnel’s acceptance of the surgical safety checklist, which reflects their intention to use the checklist, as well as their awareness and knowledge of the checklist which assesses the effectiveness of the training process. [adapted from abstract]

Research reveals a close link between inappropriate nurse staffing levels and higher rates of unwanted outcomes for patients. This report highlights evidence-informed recommendations for improvements in patient outcomes through advancements in nurse staffing. [from summary]

This study compares and contrasts two provider types - obstetric nurses and professional midwives - with the medical model, analyzing perspectives on their respective training, scope of practice, and also their perception and experiences with integration into the public system as skilled birth attendants. [from abstract]

The purpose of this study was to examine the approaches utilized by clinical nurse specialists to access and transfer research knowledge in their daily practice. [from author]

This article describes the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Health Policy Research Institute’s (HPRI) role in collecting, analyzing and disseminating information about the surgical workforc in the United States, as suggests it as a possible model to assist in government surgical workforce planning. [adapted from author]

This research aimed to assess knowledge, awareness and compliance of universal precautions for prevention and transmission of blood-borne pathogens among health care workers at the University Hospital of the West Indies, Jamaica. [adapted from abstract]

This brief discusses interprofessional education as an emerging theme in the education of health care professionals in response to issues such as patient safety and workforce shortages. [from abstract]

This brief shows that lay health workers can successfully engage significant numbers of consumers in increasing knowledge and reducing barriers to health care quality. It also discusses the fundamental issues of monitoring performance, obtaining recognition and developing an effective training model. [adapted from author]

This film tells the story of Mirta Nubia Rosero, the only health worker in a remote village in south-western Colombia. After five decades of conflict, unexploded landmines and remnants of war lie hidden in the ground. [from publisher]

Four decades of conflict in southern Colombia have made health care a rare commodity on the Rio Caguan, a remote tributary of the Amazon. In this video, Abdi Ismail explains his work taking mobile health clinics along the river to thousands of villagers who would otherwise be cut off from medical care. [from publisher]

This article discusses the issues facing rural physicians, analyzes efforts to recruit and retain them, and outlines what it will require to increase their numbers.

This paper is a synthesis of research on recruitment and retention challenges for home support workers in Canada. [from author]