MATERNAL HEALTH DISPARITIES ADDRESSED
The higher incidence of poor maternal and newborn outcomes among Black women is being spotlighted and addressed, particularly as financial results from COVID are more evident. A study of more than 88,000 births in the state of Georgia, published in JAMA Pediatrics in March 2021, concluded that women who are evicted from their place of residence while pregnant are more likely to deliver their babies prematurely and to have newborns of lower birth weight (Himmelstein & Desmond, 2021). The later during pregnancy the eviction occurred, the poorer the birth outcomes.
The research also showed that eviction affects more Black than White mothers at a rate of 2.5 to 1. Other low-income groups, such as Hispanics, also are more commonly evicted. More than 2.3 million families face eviction in the United States yearly; the economic strain of COVID-19 is adding to the number. Researchers suggested that more affordable housing policies and legal assistance in eviction court are needed. Also, healthcare providers can begin using screening questionnaires with topics of social determinants of health to improve connections between mothers at-risk with social services and resources.
Himmelstein G., Desmond M. (2021). Association of eviction with adverse birth outcomes among women in Georgia, 2000 to 2016. JAMA Pediatrics, E1-E7. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2020.6550[Context Link]
NURSING SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS RISE
The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be spurring an increase in nursing school enrollment in the United States. Preliminary annual survey results from 900 nursing schools by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing showed that baccalaureate program enrollment grew by about 6% in 2020 (Andrews, 2021). Nursing has featured prominently in news and research over the past months due to the pandemic's effects on the workforce and the laudable efforts of nurses caring for patients in strenuous and sometimes high-risk settings. Kaiser Health News reported from Google trends data in February 2021 that "nurse" was the top term being used in 2020 with the phrase, "how to become" (Andrews, 2021).
Media stories of nursing school students describe how individuals in other professions are making a career move to nursing. According David Benton, CEO of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, people who had earned nursing degrees but didn't practice nursing were reconsidering their decision. Benton indicated that the number of U.S.-educated nurses who took the NCLEX in 2020 rose by 5% compared with 2019 (Gooch, 2021).
Employment of registered nurses (RNs) is projected to grow by 7% from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This growth will occur for several reasons, including more emphasis on preventive care, the growing prevalence of chronic conditions, and a demand for healthcare services from the aging baby-boom population (Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2021).
Andrews M. (2021, February 18). 'I wanted to go in there and help': Nursing schools see enrollment bump amid pandemic. Kaiser Health News. https://khn.org/news/article/i-wanted-to-go-in-there-and-help-nursing-schools-se[Context Link]
Gooch K. (2021, February 18). US nursing school enrollments rose 6% in 2020. Becker's Hospital Review. https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/nursing/us-nursing-school-enrollments-rose[Context Link]
Occupational Outlook Handbook. (2021). Registered nurses. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm[Context Link]
LOOKING LIKE JESUS
Between Joseph's dream and his deliverance, a decade passed. Really, it was closer to two decades. That leaves a lot of space for transformation.
Joseph's hardships were making him fit for the dreams God had for him. To be a ruler in God's economy first meant a stretch of humbling.... Before Joseph could lead a people or save a nation, [h]e had to know-to be convinced of-the all-sufficiency of God's presence with [h]im. ... Leading through serving is God's upside down way[.] Joseph's rise to power ... was one of rescues, kindness, and deliverance. He would leverage his influence to sustain lives. If Joseph's heart hadn't been refined in prison, I don't think he could have reflected the heart of Christ so clearly in the palace. I don't know what future plans God is readying you for, but arriving where you are going looking more like Jesus is a destination in and of itself. As we experience this sanctifying transformation, we'll begin to realize that wherever we are headed isn't nearly as thrilling as reflecting [h]im when we get there. (Minter, 2019, pp. 66-67)
Minter K. (2019). Finding God faithful: A study on the life of Joseph. Lifeway. [Context Link]
PulseBeats is compiled by Karen Schmidt and Cathy Walker.