Completing accreditation during the COVID-19 pandemic: A step-by-step process for success

Many higher-education administrative processes have transitioned to the online environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nursing program accreditation site visits were not spared from this shift. This article describes the step-by-step online, interactive, and collaborative process one nursing department used for program re-accreditation. Kotter's 8-step process for accelerating change informed this work. Positive outcomes included increased faculty engagement and knowledge in the accreditation process and an ongoing accreditation readiness team. Recommendations include forming an accreditation committee, appointing program champions, utilizing a learning management system and a cloud-based storage system, and celebrating successes. This process could be replicated by other nursing programs undergoing accreditation.

Three-Year Nursing PhD Model Recommendations from the RWJF Future of Nursing Scholars

BACKGROUND

In response to the 2011 Future of Nursing report, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation created the Future of Nursing Scholars (FNS) Program in partnership with select schools of nursing to increase the number of PhD-prepared nurses using a 3-year curriculum.

METHOD

A group of scholars and FNS administrative leaders reflect on lessons learned for stakeholders planning to pursue a 3-year PhD model using personal experiences and extant literature.

RESULTS

Several factors should be considered prior to engaging in a 3-year PhD timeline, including mentorship, data collection approaches, methodological choices, and the need to balance multiple personal and professional loyalties. Considerations, strategies, and recommendations are provided for schools of nursing, faculty, mentors, and students.

CONCLUSION

The recommendations provided add to a growing body of knowledge that will create a foundation for understanding what factors constitute "success" for both PhD programs and students. [J Nurs Educ. 2022;61(1):19-28.].

Urban, Low-Income, African American Parents' Experiences and Expectations of Well-Child Care

PURPOSE

Well-child care is the foundation of pediatric health promotion and disease prevention. Primary care quality is lower for low-income and African American children compared to white children, and social determinants have an increasingly acknowledged impact on child health. Ensuring that high-quality well-child care fulfills its potential to mitigate the negative effects of social determinants on African American children is imperative. This study provides an understanding of urban, low-income, African American well-child care experiences and expectations.

DESIGN AND METHODS

A qualitative, focus group method was used. A purposive, volunteer sample of low-income, African American parents with children birth to age five was recruited from St. Louis and Milwaukee. Focus groups were held in convenient, community sites. Data was audio-digitally recorded. Transcribed data were coded and analyzed through inductive content analysis.

RESULTS

Thirty-five caregivers, 86% females, participated in four focus groups. Categories (and sub-categories) identified include: Community factors (We want better schools, It's getting more rough where I live); Sources of parenting advice (Google it, Call your parent, Older remedies); System challenges (Cost, Frequent new faces, Politics); Challenges with providers (Couldn't help me, Missed something important, Treated differently, Are you really listening?); Anticipatory guidance (Breastfeeding, Discipline, Vaccines, Development); and What parents desire (Know them, trust).

CONCLUSIONS

This study reveals the contexts that give rise to health care disparities and provides insight into parent's healthcare behaviors.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Results offer providers guidance in providing well-child care for this population to improve pediatric care quality and child health.

Urban, Low-Income, African American Well-Child Care: Comparison of Parent and Healthcare Provider Experiences and Expectations

OBJECTIVES

Urban, low-income, African American children and parents report lower quality primary care and face negative social determinants of health. High-quality well-child care is critical for this population. The purpose of this qualitative study was to compare and contrast parent and health care provider experiences of well-child care for urban, low-income, African American families to better understand the complex factors involved in care quality and health outcomes.

METHODS

Two data sets were analyzed using conventional content analysis, parent focus group data, and provider interviews. After analysis, results were sorted into similar categories, and convergence coding was completed to identify areas of agreement, partial agreement, dissonance, and silence.

RESULTS

Thirty-five parents took part in four focus groups, and nine providers were interviewed. Following convergence coding, five categories and 31 subcategories were identified. The five categories included: social determinants of health, sources of advice and support, challenges with the healthcare system, parent-provider relationships, and anticipatory guidance topics.

CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE

Triangulation demonstrated convergence between parents and providers understanding of the concepts and functions of well-child care, however the prominence and meaning varied within each category and sub-category. The variance in agreement, areas of silence, and dissonance shed light on why the population reports lower overall quality primary care.

"I can't breathe": A call for antiracist nursing practice

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Nurses are positioned to respond to the epidemic of racism in our healthcare system and communities.

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This call to action highlights ways that nurses can adopt antiracist practices.

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Actions include recognition of personal biases, confronting systemic inequities, policy and political action, new approaches to research, and using antiracist pedagogy.

Pediatric Primary Care Relationships With African American Families: A Critical Review

INTRODUCTION

High-quality primary care is critical to help African American families mitigate the effects of social determinants of health that negatively affect child health and well-being. At the core of primary care is a healthy relationship between the parent and provider. This critical review of the literature evaluates what is known about the parent-provider relationship for African Americans.

METHODS

We identified 277 studies in Ovid MEDLINE and screened them for inclusion. Data extraction and qualitative synthesis were used to describe what is known and identify themes.

RESULTS

Twelve cross-sectional analyses and one mixed cross-sectional and longitudinal design research studies were identified. Studies identified parent factors, provider factors, parent-provider interaction factors, and health care system factors that affected the parent-provider relationship.

DISCUSSION

The results identify best practices and future research directions for providers, which would improve pediatric primary care quality for African American children.