A Pilot Of Outcome Measures

Safford School District, like many school districts, has a policy strictly prohibiting the use, possession, or sale of any drug on school grounds, including prescription drugs, without advanced administrative permission. Students in violation will be subject to removal from school property and will be subject to prosecution in accordance with the provisions of the law.Students attending school in the District who are in violation of the provisions of this policy shall be subject to disciplinary actions in accordance with the provisions of school rules and/or regulations. Safford is like many other public schools where it finds itself on the front lines of a war against drug abuse among students. As such, Safford has firsthand experience with some of the trends in this area that are by no means unique to its community. With students beginning to experiment with drugs at a rapidly earlier age precisely middle school. the abuse of prescription and over-the- counter drugs has become more prevalent because of the relatively easy access to these drugs and a prevailing notion that they provide a “safe” high. As a result of student giving out over the counter drugs one boy who took the pills had a bad reaction and became seriously ill leaving him several days in an intensive care unit.

The primary prevention topic of this community healthy and population field experience is related to the Healthy People 2020 goal to “reduce substance abuse to protect the health, safety, and quality of life for all, especially children.” (Healthy People 2020, 2018). This topic correlates with the Roanoke Valley’s increase in fatal drug overdoses and the public health emergency that was declared by the Virginia state health commissioner in 2016, related to the opioid addiction crisis (Virginia Department of Health, 2016). While all members of the community are affected by this health concern, the primary focus of this assessment will be on the effects of and prevention of substance abuse within the areas youth.

For staff, parents and community members, a survey can be a highly effective tool in gathering data. Questions for staff could include the training backgrounds and language fluency of district instructional personnel, the number of trained support staff available, along with relevant experience, personal observations and educated recommendations. It is important to ascertain early whether there are sufficient, qualified

Substance abuse among young adults is hardly a new thing, but experts believe the progression of prescription drug overdoses, in addition to an increase in binge drinking, is becoming alarming for today’s college-age students. Post-secondary students are abusing several prescription medications, illegal drugs, including Adderall, alcohol, OxyContin, medical marijuana, and even over the counter cold medications. There are hundreds of

Lead practice that promotes individuals’ health and choices and control over the outcomes they want to achieve (O3.3, O3.4, O4.4)

Prior to the conduction of this study, the researcher sought the approval of the Institutional Review Board with the Protection of Human Subjects in research. The researcher completed re-certification with the Institutional Review Board training on May 29, 2014 (See Appendix C). The researcher provided IRB with information such as research protocol, interview protocol, Demographic Questionnaire, researcher’s background information, consent form, and investigator’s assurance. Upon IRB approval, the research contacted the contacted the Superintendent of each school district for their permission to conduct the study in their districts. Next the principals of the schools were contacted for their permission to interview teachers in their building. At this point, the research was able to contact the participants for an interview. The Principals, after permission was given for the study, were asked to provide the participants e-mail addresses and phone numbers.

The DARE program was first conceived twenty years ago by the Los Angeles Police Department and has since been adopted by almost eighty percent of schools nationwide. It places uniformed offices in the schools to teach of the dangers of drugs and alcohol,however throughout the course of numerous studies it’s effectiveness has been called into question. For example in numerous studies it has been shown that the graduates of the program are not less likely to use drugs and alcohol then the student that had no experience with the program.However despite of its ineffectiveness it can’t be replaced due to the fact that any suggestion to replace

Evidenced-based practice (EBP) is now considered to be best practice but, although great strides have been made in applying the research in practice, there is still progress to be made. EBP is central to delivering the highest quality healthcare and ensuring the best outcomes for patients. However, EBP guiding the practice in healthcare systems is not the norm in many healthcare systems across the United States (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2011). The most overwhelming evidence for using EBP in practice is that is provides better outcomes in patients and provides a higher quality of care. Therefore, patients are more satisfied, healthcare costs are reduced and there is a reduction in differences in delivery of care according to geographic area (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2011).

Outcome based practice, is defined by the Scottish Government as “an outcomes-based approach encourages us all to focus on the differences that we make and not just the input or processes over which we have control” (Scottish Government 2011). In 2011, the English Government launched is first framework of outcomes for adult health and social care. Within this framework, they stated “set of outcomes measures which have been agreed to be of value, both nationally and locally for demonstrating the achievements of adult social care”.

Many schools have broad anti-drug policies and have tightened their safety procedures in attempt to combat the growing drug abuse statistics. But how far is too far for ‘safety’? In the past ten years, schools have gained nearly free reign over their ability to try to control drug use among their students.

“The neuroscience area - which is absolutely in its infancy - is much more important than genetics,” by Leon Kass. Something about the way the brain functions has intrigued me for so long. The simple questions of how we do things, why we do the things we do, why we feel the way we feel, where does this all come from have been the questions that sparked my interest in the human brain. I have chosen Neuroscience as my major and I aspire to become a neurologist.

Early on in research, scientists discovered that recreational drugs are addictive, but this did not stop people from trying recreational drugs due to many reasons, like peer pressure. Judith Bernstein who has her PhD and is a professor at Boston College where she specializes in teaching community health sciences, conducted a study on the addictive properties of recreational

Although the MTF only included samples of high school seniors in the report released in 1986, the Monitoring the Future project conducted by the Institute of Survey Research at the University of Michigan periodically surveys the same young adults—who completed high school in the past year or earlier—and eighth, tenth, and twelfth grade students at 400 secondary schools around the country regarding their drug use and attitudes regarding legal and illegal drugs. The high school students complete the self-administered survey in classrooms during school hours each year while a selected representative sample of graduates from each senior class completes a mail-questionnaire every two years. The Institute of Survey Research uses a multi-stage random sampling procedure in order to choose which students participate in the survey by separating the sample by geographic areas, and then choosing classes within one or more secondary schools in each geographic area relative to size.

The quantitative method for this study is being used because of the statistical, arithmetical, or a numerical study of facts gathered through surveys, and questionnaires (Babbie, 2010). The quantitative will allow to measure before and after. This quantitative research is significant because it will statistically show the number of teachers that improve with a before and after test design. The methodology will be a Quantitative Quasi-Experimental Pre-Post Test Design.

Alcohol and illicit drug consumption are all too prevalent today in high schools, colleges, and all across the globe. Students seeking to fit in or forget about the repetitiveness of school and homework have a tendency to experiment. Drug addiction is known by the scientific community to be a psychological condition based on excessive, obsessive, and compulsive actions. Once that regular user crosses the line into addiction their only concern is their self and their life revolves around the getting, using, and finding ways and means to get and use more. Most people start using drugs and alcohol occasionally, which is a voluntary decision,