Crooks has published a paper, titled “The Impact of COVID-19 Among Black Girls: A Social-Ecological Perspective,” in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, reporting on the findings of a qualitative study that featured interviews with 25 Black girls—ages 9 to 18—from December 2020 to April 2021. Most participants reported significant psychological and physical consequences, including depression and anxiety, disrupted eating, distorted body image, and changes in self-esteem.
“Black girls are a very vulnerable and unprotected population, especially within the context of COVID,” Crooks says. “I thought it was a really critical question to be asking youth: How has this impacted their perceptions of self?”
Black girls are particularly vulnerable because they enter puberty and develop secondary sex characteristics earlier than their non-Black peers, according to the paper, causing them to suffer from “adultification” and “sexualization by society.” This can lead to elevated sexual and mental health risks.
Crooks found that only two of the girls in the study received any formal sexual education during the pandemic, as schools opted to delay teaching sex education during online learning due to the sensitive nature of the topic.
“Missing such a critical component of education was alarming to me,” she says. “This is a critical period in their life. Just because the world stops, doesn’t mean their bodies stop growing and evolving.”
Social media also played an outsized role in the girls’ lives as they found themselves isolated from peers during quarantine. Some girls struggled with body image issues and eating disorders, Crooks says.
“They were sitting in their houses watching TV, or they were on social media sites like Instagram or Tik Tok, so they were constantly exposed to overly-sexualized, unrealistic expectations for what their bodies are supposed to look like,” Crooks says.
Conversely, a majority of the participants said the isolation and reduction in peer interactions allowed them to engage in emotional healing and self-discovery, independent from peer pressure.
The pandemic also intersected with the Black Lives Matters movement. As the participants increasingly turned to media in lieu of social interactions, they saw mistreatment of Black people by police, including the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, nationally broadcasted. These messages led to mixed feelings among the participants.
“A lot of what the girls talked about was feeling empowered to be Black and having a sense of pride within their identities,” Crooks says. “On the other hand, there was fear that came with color of their skin – fear of being harmed themselves, or their fathers, brothers or other family members being hurt. There was this constant fear and threat to Black families.”
Crooks says her research shows the need for more school-based programming to bridge the gap in sexual health education in schools, as well as the need for family interventions to instill protective strategies in Black girls to help them be prepared to handle threatening situations.
Higher education is evolving. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, distance education in master’s nursing programs has been steadily rising since 2015, offering improved access, flexibility, and student advancement. In fact, a recent survey reports that a primary target demographic for online programs is adults returning to school.
Distance education opens opportunities for non-traditional students to advance their careers under different circumstances. A recent report by Deloitte showed that 26% of higher education students hold full-time jobs while attending school, and 44% are 24 or older. A virtual learning experience is a good fit for professionals juggling work and home responsibilities along with their post-graduate education.
A roundup of data on higher learning noted that, among graduate students in the United States, 52% felt their online courses were a “better learning experience” than their onsite classes. The flexibility of online learning accommodates the schedules of busy professionals, while the constant technological evolution of distance learning provides a more customizable experience than traditional classroom learning.
Early distance education was similar to the one-dimensional lecture style of in-person learning. From the original mail-based correspondence courses and televised classes to the first fully online degree programs in 1989, the concept largely remained the same—you read, watched, or listened to an educator lecture.
This model may be familiar, but it’s an inflexible learning environment that is only optimal for some students, while others struggle to adapt their learning needs to fit. In recent years, this approach has begun to evolve, leveraging more innovations in technology.
The Harvard Business Review reports that colleges allocate only 5% of their budget to IT, but that is expected to quickly change. Global impact intelligence platform HolonIQ predicts that EdTech venture capital will nearly triple over the next decade.
As distance education shifts from simple remote learning to next-generation technologies and as non-traditional students become the new normal, it’s time to set aside the old one-dimensional learning tools and engage your graduate students in a learning experience that empowers them to reach their next-level goals.
Digital Test Prep Is the Next Step
The growing momentum in the digital learning environment has created new ways to reach different types of learners. Online learning has gone from static to interactive, using innovations such as virtual simulations, virtual and augmented reality, mobile devices, and cloud technology.
As education evolves with technology, educators are finding modern ways to adapt the one-size-fits-all lecture style to accommodate different learning needs.
Interactive exam preparation is the natural next step for today’s nursing and social work graduate students. One tool has everything you need to connect your faculty and students for a powerful learning experience. Using technology and analytics, ExamPrepConnect University Solutions creates a personalized interactive learning experience to prepare your students for the culmination of their post-graduate education—their certification and licensure exams.
Supercharge Your Recruitment
When you give faculty a customizable tool that improves student engagement, outcomes, and exam pass rates, you create a compelling recruitment narrative for prospective students. Your graduates’ successes say more to prospective students than a brochure ever could.
Empower Your Faculty
While other exam prep tools leave students to prepare on their own, ExamPrepConnect University Solutions brings your faculty into the process to provide students with support to achieve passing scores. Increase engagement and identify the unique needs of your students’ by assigning curricula backed by a powerful metric dashboard to prepare them to pass their certification or licensure exam.
ExamPrepConnect for Faculty:
Assess test performance.
Assign and tracking curricula.
Identify strengths/weaknesses.
Intervene based on data.
Tailor teaching to student needs.
Engage Your Students
Interactive content is designed to boost student performance through customizable study plans, optimized to support personal learning styles. Students can review content any time, on any device, that accommodates their preferred learning styles.
Whether they learn best through visual, auditory, reading/writing, or hands-on means, ExamPrepConnect University Solutions has the tools to support their learning process and ensure they’re certification or licensure ready.
ExamPrepConnect for students:
Interactive content review.
Q&A with rationales.
Simulated exams.
Discussion boards.
Flashcards.
Games.
Seeing Is Believing
Meet with an ExamPrepConnect expert for a demonstration of how ExamPrepConnect University Solutionsprepares your students for high stakes exams, such as FNP, PMHNP, and AGNP certifications in nursing and ASWB, master’s, and bachelor’s licensure in social work. The demonstration is customized to your needs, just as ExamPrepConnect University Solutions is customized to your faculty and student needs. Click Request Demo to send a message to our demo team.
Evidence-based practice is at the heart of nursing—and most of that evidence is based on quantitative research. For nurses who are merely competent in math, though, interpreting the numbers can be a challenge. And if your own facility with statistics is middling, trying to mentor semi-numerate DNP students may leave you feeling helpless at times.
Help is on the way. On May 19, data analysis expert James Lani, Ph.D., MS is hosting a free webinar specifically aimed at faculty members who mentor graduate students for dissertation, thesis, or scholarly projects and are seeking to take their command of statistics to the next level to better guide those students.
Dr. Lani, the CEO of Intellectus Statistics, has been helping faculty and graduate students with their quantitative research for over two decades.
In his upcoming webinar session, Dr. Lani will use mock data to work through faculty and students’ research questions, prepare and graph data, select and conduct the correct statistical analyses, and demonstrate how to appropriately present results. He will also cover sample size and power analysis, data management, and visualization techniques, and at the end of the presentation, he can even provide faculty with project-specific help.
James Lani holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, an MS in Psychology with an emphasis in Experimental Methods from California State University Long Beach, a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, and minors in Mathematics and Human Services from California State University, Fullerton.
Who can attend: Faculty members in nursing, social work, counseling, public health, psychology, and health administration at any stage of their research or faculty who mentor students’ research as they pursue their degree (i.e., Dissertations, DNP Project for Nurses, Fieldwork and Supervision for Behavior Analysts, etc.)
The famous biblical verse, “To whom much is given, much will be required” (Luke 12:48) is more than a quote for Constance Smith Hendricks, PhD, RN, FAAN. For the influential University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing alumna (BSN 1974, MSN 1981), it is a mantra to live by.
With more than 40 years of trailblazing experience educating, mentoring and inspiring students who want to fulfill their dreams and become leaders in nursing and health care, Hendricks has blazed a trail on another front as the first African American to establish an endowed scholarship in the UAB School of Nursing.
“I had the privilege of doors being open for me growing up,” Hendricks said. “I want to give students a chance to reach their full potential and have access to higher education, much like I have.”
In 2016, Hendricks accomplished her goal and established the Dr. Constance Smith Hendricks Endowed Scholarship in Nursing in the hopes that it inspires students to give back to their communities and strengthens the bond between the community and minority-run community hospitals.
Hendricks has been a “first” and “only” at almost every step of her career. After earning her BSN and MSN from the UAB School of Nursing, she was hired by Auburn University’s School of Nursing as an instructor in community health nursing, where she was the only African American faculty member. She then followed that up with a milestone only she can say she’s accomplished.
“Going to Boston College in 1989 and being the first African American to graduate from their prestigious PhD program in 1992 was a tremendous honor and a life-changing event for me,” Hendricks said. “I hope my continued efforts have inspired the next generation of students and show them that with hard work and dedication, anything is possible.”
Hendricks has devoted her career to developing quality nursing programs at universities across the southeast and even in her hometown of Selma, Alabama. She was dean of the School of Nursing and Allied Health at Tuskegee University, a professor (now emerita) and the Charles W. Barkley Endowed Professor at Auburn University, dean of the Hampton University School of Nursing, developed the DNP Program at Kentucky State University, implemented the first Doctor of Philosophy nursing program in the state of Louisiana at Southern University and A&M College and founding dean of Nursing and Allied Health at Concordia College Alabama in Selma.
Recently Hendricks, along with her friends, have been working on a book, “Alabama’s Notable Nurses,” that recognizes notable nurses in the state of Alabama.
“We are shining a light on nurses who have been in the field for at least 35 years or more and may not necessarily get the recognition they deserve because they are in a smaller county in Alabama,” said Hendricks.
Having spent her career “truly on the front lines making a difference,” Gloria McNeal, PhD, MSN, ACNS-BC, FAAN, will receive an AACN Pioneering Spirit Award at the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) 2022 National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition in Houston, May 16-18.
McNeal’s award recognizes her efforts to bring healthcare directly to those most in need and introduce telehealth and remote monitoring to critical care. The AACN Pioneering Spirit Award, one of AACN’s Visionary Leadership awards, recognizes significant contributions that influence progressive and critical care nursing and relate to the association’s mission, vision and values.
The health equity trailblazer is associate vice president for community affairs in health at National University headquartered in San Diego, the flagship institution of the National University System, which comprises three nonprofit universities serving more than 45,000 students nationwide, both on-site and online. In this role, she leads the university’s comprehensive community and global outreach strategies efforts related to healthcare services and education. She previously served as dean for the university’s School of Health and Human Services for six years.
“Dr. McNeal has a passion for healthcare and serving those who are underserved,” said AACN President Beth Wathen. “Her community service efforts and nurse-led clinic model sponsored by the university bring healthcare directly to those most in need. She is truly on the front lines making a difference.”
At National University, McNeal has worked with community-based organizations to establish nurse-managed clinics at churches, community centers and shelters in South Los Angeles. The initiative was expanded to offer telehealth services for patient-provider interactions that do not require in-person visits.
Among her academic appointments, she has held the administrative positions of director, assistant dean, associate dean, dean and founding dean at various research-intensive public and private universities. As dean, McNeal has led several academic nursing programs on their journey to acquire national accreditation for both graduate and undergraduate curricula of study.
Her interprofessional, nurse-led and other projects, totaling more than $12 million in extramural funding, have been continuously funded for over 20 years. She currently serves as project director for the Health Resources and Services Administration Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention (NEPQR) Simulation Education Training (SET) Program, a highly competitive grant-funded project initially awarded to a cohort of only five nursing programs nationwide. With this latest project, she is spearheading the use of virtual reality and immersive technologies to better prepare nursing students to practice in real-world settings through simulation.
Developing the protocols of care, she helped lead the transition of critical care nursing practice beyond the traditional walls of the intensive care unit, and was among the first to publish work on the remote monitoring and electronic transmission of ambulatory electrocardiographic data, revolutionizing the manner by which critical care nurses could remotely monitor their patients.
As a result of her work, she was invited to author “AACN Guide to Acute Care Procedures in the Home,” which describes over 100 complex nursing home-care procedures written in collaboration with 20 nursing expert contributors.
Her nursing career began as a critical care nurse in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps at Philadelphia Naval Hospital, where she received two medals of commendation and three promotions leading to the rank of Lieutenant.
She obtained her bachelor’s degree from Villanova University Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, where she currently sits on the Board of Consultors, and her master’s degree at University of Pennsylvania (Penn) School of Nursing, later receiving the Outstanding Alumna Award. She returned to Penn for doctoral studies in the Graduate School of Education. For her PhD, which was awarded with meritorious distinction, she investigated the scholarly productivity of minority nurse academicians.
The American Academy of Nursing awarded her the coveted Media Award in 1994, inducted her into the Academy in 2006, and most recently named her a 2020 Edge Runner Award recipient.
She served as an invited co-contributor for the IOM (now National Academy of Medicine [NAM]) text on “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change Advancing Health” and is a featured speaker for the current NAM podcast on “The Future of Nursing 2020-2030,” Episode 2 – Health Equity.
“You know, when I was in nursing school, I never saw anyone that looked like me as an instructor.” Erik Carter, PhD, MS, APRN, CNS, CCRN-A, PHN, director of undergraduate programs for the Wayne State University College of Nursing, recalls “thinking it would be nice, at some point in my career, if I could be a face that students could see in themselves and say, “Hey, wow, that could be me one day.”
Carter – who teaches the college’s transition to practice class and is currently serving a three-year term as a human rights commissioner for the City of Detroit – was barely old enough to drive when he launched his career.
The California native became an LVN at 17 after completing a program in high school, and by 1990 he had earned his RN as a public health nurse. Carter caught the teaching bug about 10 years later while working as an acute and critical care cardiovascular nurse in San Fransisco. Observing Carter sharing his experience with local students during clinical rounds, an impressed faculty member urged him to add teaching to his skill-set. The young man was soon dividing his time between bedside nursing and work as a clinical instructor at a community college.
About two years later, Carter’s career lanes started to merge after yet another impressed colleague – this time, an African American faculty member – encouraged him to join the growing ranks of melanin-enhanced nurse educators. It was an inspired idea, as “no one had ever asked me if I was interested in graduate work,” and BSN grads from California to Michigan are certainly glad that someone finally did pop the question.
However, long before there was a string of credentials following his name, Carter had just three letters to his credit: LVN. Below, he recounts his journey…
Why did you become a nurse?
My matriculation into nursing was a little bit different than the traditional route. I started my nursing career as a licensed vocational nurse. In high school, where I lived in Los Angeles County, a program offered interested and eligible students a portal into the health care realm. I applied for the program toward the end of my junior year. I completed the program in my senior year, with additional requisite courses that I took at night to fulfill my graduation requirements. After the program, I met the requirements and was able to sit for the NCLEX for vocational nurses, so that’s how I started my career in nursing. I was 17 at the time and had to wait until I turned 18 because they were unsure if a 17 year old should have access to drugs and dispensing narcotics; nevertheless, I became licensed and started work in long-term care after graduating high school.
“If you genuinely want to serve others in your community, nursing is one of the best ways to go about doing it.”
How did you get into teaching?
I worked at this hospital in San Francisco — California Pacific Medical Center — in a heart transplant unit. One of the local colleges had instructors who would bring students to our department. I loved having the students and sharing what I knew regarding nursing. One of the instructors observed all this activity happening between myself and the students, so I was approached and asked if I would be interested in being a clinical instructor. So, I applied to the college and became a clinical instructor for this community college nursing program on top of my regular bedside nursing position.
“‘Have you ever thought about going back to grad school?’
It was a surreal question, as no one had ever asked me if I was interested in graduate work, nor did I think it was an option for myself.”
A couple of years into that program, I met another African American faculty member working there. He was completing his Ph.D. at the University of California San Francisco. We just started having a conversation, and he said, “Have you ever thought about going back to grad school?” It was a surreal question, as no one had ever asked me if I was interested in graduate work, nor did I think it was an option for myself. In high school, this conversation never took place.
I hadn’t actually, but I thought about it for about a month or so, and I said, “You know, when I was in nursing school, I never saw anyone that looked like me as an instructor.” I remember thinking it would be nice, at some point in my career, if I could be a face that students could see in themselves and say, “Hey, wow, that could be me one day.”
You were appointed last June as a human rights commissioner for Detroit District 5. How did that come about?
The Human Rights Commission falls under the auspices of CRIO, which is the Civil Rights, Inclusion & Opportunity Department for the City of Detroit. I know the director — she’s a friend of mine — and we often have conversations. One day, I talked about wanting to do more within the community. As a faculty member of the College of Nursing, there’s a trifecta that includes teaching and scholarship and the element of service to the nursing profession and the communities that we serve.
“One day, I talked about wanting to do more within the community…”
At Wayne State, I’m charged with training students to become nurses to provide care for those who live within our community. I was trying to think of a way I could connect these endeavors, and she said, “Well, have you ever thought about being a commissioner for the Human Rights Commission in your district?”
I started thinking about it and was like, Yes, I can see that connection. So, we had further conversations. I had to be interviewed by the Detroit City Council, and they agreed that this was a good fit, and I was appointed as a human rights commissioner for District 5. To be part of the commission, you must live within that district, and we live in the downtown area, which encompasses District 5.
What are your responsibilities with this appointment?
Primarily, [the commissioner] is the point person for constituents who want to get information on equal economic, political and educational opportunities so that all have equal access. When I was reading through the charter, the part that stuck out to me was access to educational opportunities. For me, it always goes back to representation. We’re an urban university nestled in Detroit, which is a large percentage, I would say 80%, African American — but when you look at our nursing cohorts admitted into our programs, they are an underrepresented population, so I am trying to think of a way to increase potential nursing students’ admission into our programs and how that connects to that charter and my role as a human rights commissioner in Detroit.
We are still in a pandemic. Why should people consider a career in nursing?
I think the exact reason you would come into nursing if there were not a pandemic. If you want to offer something to your community in your heart of hearts, I think it speaks volumes to you as a human being to provide needed care to those who require it.
The nursing profession has tentacles that reach so many different areas of health care. You can begin your career in primary care and move to a community setting. After a couple of years, you can start in the med-surg department and transition into critical care. There’s just so much that you can do in this profession. If you genuinely want to serve others in your community, nursing is one of the best ways to go about doing it.
Crooks has published a paper, titled “The Impact of COVID-19 Among Black Girls: A Social-Ecological Perspective,” in the Journal of Pediatric Psychology, reporting on the findings of a qualitative study that featured interviews with 25 Black girls—ages 9 to 18—from December 2020 to April 2021. Most participants reported significant psychological and physical consequences, including depression and anxiety, disrupted eating, distorted body image, and changes in self-esteem.
Help is on the way. On May 19, data analysis expert James Lani, Ph.D., MS is hosting a 
