Strategies and criteria targeting the reform and development for the teaching resource of nursing undergraduate: A multi-center cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Teaching resource of nursing students play an important role in improving clinical performance, while there is a little know and dearth of the access and development criteria or guidance of teaching resources for nursing undergraduates.To develop the admission and development criteria of education resources for nursing undergraduates, and to explore and determine its composition and connotation.A cross-sectional survey has been used.A total of 22 Chinese nursing schools and affiliated teaching bases (hospitals and community health centers).A total of 20 nursing experts were consulted to develop the questionnaire of admission and development criteria of teaching resource for nursing undergraduates in China, and then 285 valid experts from 22 Chinese nursing schools and affiliated teaching bases (hospitals and community health centers) conducted the questionnaire survey to evaluate experts' consensus rate and view on the composition and connotation of the developed criteria.There were 6 domains and 43 items included in the admission and development criteria of teaching resource for nursing undergraduates, which domains included educational budget and allocation of resources, infrastructure, clinical teaching bases, books and information services, educational experts, and educational exchanges. The experts' consensus rate was more than 90.2%.The standard is helpful to guide the future admission and development of teaching resource for nursing undergraduates, and favor the education quality improvement of nursing undergraduates.

A Summer Professional Immersion in Nursing Program for Underrepresented Minority Undergraduate Students

BACKGROUND

By 2044, more than 50% of the U.S. population will consist of ethnic/racial minorities. To facilitate optimal health, the projected nursing workforce should mirror this statistic. This pilot study examined the effects of a Summer Professional Immersion in Nursing Program (SPIN) on confidence in career decision making of under-represented minority undergraduate students. The 4-week program exposed participants to various nursing experiences.

METHOD

The Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale was administered pre- and post-SPIN to measure level of confidence in career decision making.

RESULTS

The sample included eight women, with an average age of 19.63 years (SD = 0.52). Comparative analysis was performed using a reliable change index. The pre- to post-SPIN change was 0.38, indicating a meaningful significant increase in confidence.

CONCLUSION

SPIN is an example for nursing programs interested in attracting undergraduate underrepresented minority students. The program positively influenced self-efficacy toward career selection and may positively influence enrollment of underrepresented nurses in the future. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(11):631-636.].

Academic and professional characteristics of Australian graduate emergency nursing programs: A national study

BACKGROUND

Specialist graduate emergency nursing education programs are essential to the delivery of high quality and safe healthcare to patients with complex needs in emergency care. Little is known about tertiary emergency nursing programs in Australia. This study aimed to determine the academic and professional characteristics of Australian emergency programs.

METHOD

This embedded mixed-method study examined the academic and professional characteristics of Australian emergency programs in two interdependent phases: (1) document and content analysis of Australian graduate emergency nursing program websites; and (2) semi-structured interviews with the associated convenors. The data underwent framework analysis using eight pre-identified categories of (i) course entry, (ii) fee arrangement, (iii) mode of delivery, (iv) volume of learning, (v) clinical assessment, (vi) employment requirements, (vii) graduate expectations, and (viii) influence of healthcare employers and professional engagement.

RESULTS

Prior clinical experience and the requirement for concurrent practising in an emergency care environment influenced were common, however fee arrangements were not clearly articulated. The College of Emergency Nursing Australasia Practice Standards for the Emergency Nursing Specialist featured in part within 12 programs, principally to guide development of clinical assessments.

CONCLUSION

Establishment of emergency nursing graduate practice standards could better inform the design and delivery of emergency nurse programs, and yield benefits in terms of graduate expectations and satisfaction and improved patient care.

Academic Advocacy: Opportunities to Influence Health and Science Policy Under U.S. Lobbying Law

Medical school faculty and their colleagues in schools of nursing, public health, social work, and elsewhere often research issues of critical importance to health and science policy. When academics engage with government policymakers to advocate for change based on their research, however, they may find themselves engaged in "lobbying," thereby entering a complex environment of legal requirements and institutional policies that they may not fully understand. To promote academic advocacy, this article explains what is and is not legally permitted when it comes to engaging with policymakers and encourages academic institutions to facilitate permissible advocacy activities.U.S. law permits academic researchers to conduct certain types of policy-focused advocacy without running afoul of legal restrictions on lobbying. Academics acting in their personal capacities and with their own resources may freely engage with policymakers in any branch of government to provide their expertise and advocate for desired outcomes. When acting in their professional capacities, academics are free to engage in most advocacy activities directed to the executive and judicial branches, and they also may advocate to influence legislation and legislators within certain limits that are particularly relevant to academic work. In all cases, academics must take care to not use restricted funds for lobbying.Academic researchers have an important role to play in advancing evidence-based health and science policy. They should familiarize themselves with legal restrictions and opportunities to influence policy based on their research, and their institutions should actively support them in doing so.

Education News

The International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists (IFNA) is a federation of 45 national anesthesia organizations. Among its activities are setting global standards for anesthesia practice, patient monitoring, and anesthesia education, as well as creating a code of ethics. This article focuses on the use of its education standards as the foundation for the International Federation of Nurse Anesthetists' Anesthesia Program Approval Process. The approval process strongly encourages educational institutions throughout the world to improve the education of nurse anesthetists and other nonphysician anesthetists, with the ultimate goal being patient safety. The approval process also promotes the use of nurses to administer anesthesia whenever adequate resources are available.

Increased adoption of smoke-free policies on campuses with schools of nursing

BACKGROUND

In 2015, the majority of U.S. American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)-accredited schools of nursing resided on campuses without smoke-free policies.

PURPOSE

To determine the presence of smoke-free policies at AACN-accredited after resolutions from AACN and the American Academy of Nursing, and the creation of online resources.

METHODS

Smoke-free policies (2015-2017) were determined through listings on the ANRF College Campus Policy Database© and survey responses from nursing deans.

RESULTS

Smoke-free policies for 689 schools of nursing increased from 36% in 2015 to 91% in 2017. There were no significant differences by nursing program types or geographic area. Twenty percent of deans reported using the resources, with over 1700-page views.

CONCLUSION

Smoke-free policies increased after support from two national nursing organizations. Learning in a smoke-free environment should be an expectation for nursing students to protect their own health, and to support their future critical role in tobacco control.

Positioning public nursing colleges in South African higher education: Stakeholders' perspectives

BACKGROUND

 Public nursing colleges (PNCs) are currently redeploying from provincial departments of health to higher education to become part of a unified higher education system in South Africa. As primary producers of nurses, this migration process needs to be managed carefully, with stakeholders having a common understanding of this process.

OBJECTIVES

 This study aimed to explore the stakeholders' perspectives on the positioning of PNCs in higher education.

METHOD

 The study followed a qualitative grounded theory design. Purposive and theoretical sampling were utilised to achieve a sample size of 40 participants, including representatives from the Department of Higher Education and Training; professional associates; nursing educators; student leaders; nursing leaders; and nurses from the healthcare setting. Data were collected through observations, interviews and document analysis.

RESULTS

 It emerged from the study that the integration of PNCs into higher education is a result of the country's political and legal context. A number of policy and legal frameworks emerged as contextual conditions that provided a basis for the change. The integration of PNCs into higher education was conceptualised as a functional shift in the governance of colleges; a political tool to transform nursing education; a means to enhance the quality of college-based nursing programmes, and a vehicle for the greater professionalisation of nursing. Conflicting legislation and funding emerged as two issues of concern.

CONCLUSION

 Integrating PNCs with higher education came about because of political changes and the resolution of the ruling party to improve the quality of graduates produced, who will in turn improve the quality of healthcare service delivery offered.

[Implementation of midwifery school accreditation mechanisms in Ivory Coast, Mali and Chad.]

One strategy to improve quality of care to eliminate preventable maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity is to improve the training of health professionals, particularly midwives. Accreditation is a mechanism designed to reinforce education programmes and institutional capacities, using a situation analysis based on predefined criteria for decision-making. This paper describes the ongoing efforts of three Francophone African countries, Ivory Coast, Mali and Chad, to establish accreditation mechanisms of midwifery schools and to describe the necessary steps to implement these measures. Political will to support and regulate this sector, adoption of the License-Master-Doctorate (LMD) system, private sector support and an independent national accreditation commission are critical components.

Learning environment and emotional well-being: A qualitative study of undergraduate nursing students

BACKGROUND

Students can experience multiple stressors during their academic life which have an impact on their emotional health and academic progress.

PURPOSE

This study sought to explore students' understanding of and factors affecting their emotional well-being in an undergraduate nursing programme at a private nursing institution in Karachi, Pakistan.

METHOD

In this qualitative study, data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews using a self-designed guide from 16 participants in total, drawn from various years of the selected undergraduate programme.

FINDINGS

Participants noted that the quality of the 'learning environment' was a key influence on their emotional well-being. They highlighted faculty role and teaching approaches, academic expectations and availability of learning resources as important factors that affected their emotional well-being as well as their academic performance. Institutional support was also deemed important. Factors associated with a 'hidden curriculum' were found to be a threat to students' emerging sense of professionalism.

CONCLUSION

Suggestions are given as to how the learning environment in the nursing programme under study can be improved to take into account students' emotional well-being. Emphasis needs to be laid on developing supportive faculty role to provide conducive learning environment and professional development of students. Efforts to develop stress-free academic environment with supportive institutional policies need to be considered.

Informing the scale-up of Kenya's nursing workforce: a mixed methods study of factors affecting pre-service training capacity and production

BACKGROUND

Given the global nursing shortage and investments to scale-up the workforce, this study evaluated trends in annual student nurse enrolment, pre-service attrition between enrolment and registration, and factors that influence nurse production in Kenya.

METHODS

This study used a mixed methods approach with data from the Regulatory Human Resources Information System (tracks initial student enrolment through registration) and the Kenya Health Workforce Information System (tracks deployment and demographic information on licensed nurses) for the quantitative analyses and qualitative data from key informant interviews with nurse training institution educators and/or administrators. Trends in annual student nurse enrolment from 1999 to 2010 were analyzed using regulatory and demographic data. To assess pre-service attrition between training enrolment and registration with the nursing council, data for a cohort that enrolled in training from 1999 to 2004 and completed training by 2010 was analyzed. Multivariate logistic regression was used to test for factors that significantly affected attrition. To assess the capacity of nurse training institutions for scale-up, qualitative data was obtained through key informant interviews.

RESULTS

From 1999 to 2010, 23,350 students enrolled in nurse training in Kenya. While annual new student enrolment doubled between 1999 (1,493) and 2010 (3,030), training institutions reported challenges in their capacity to accommodate the increased numbers. Key factors identified by the nursing faculty included congestion at clinical placement sites, limited clinical mentorship by qualified nurses, challenges with faculty recruitment and retention, and inadequate student housing, transportation and classroom space. Pre-service attrition among the cohort that enrolled between 1999 and 2004 and completed training by 2010 was found to be low (6%).

CONCLUSION

To scale-up the nursing workforce in Kenya, concurrent investments in expanding the number of student nurse clinical placement sites, utilizing alternate forms of skills training, hiring more faculty and clinical instructors, and expanding the dormitory and classroom space to accommodate new students are needed to ensure that increases in student enrolment are not at the cost of quality nursing education. Student attrition does not appear to be a concern in Kenya compared to other African countries (10 to 40%).

Competence areas of nursing students in Europe

The focus of this study is on European nursing education, where there have been several reforms over the last two decades attempting to harmonise curricula and degree structures. One of the most powerful reforms was started by the Bologna Declaration in 1999; since then, significant progress has been made towards achieving the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) and the implementation of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) in education practice. The Directive of recognition of professional qualifications (2005/36/EC) regulates nursing education. All these strategies aim to harmonise nursing education, but specific competence areas in nursing are still missing within the European Union (EU). The purpose of this review was to seek competence areas for nursing students within the EU as identified in previous studies and other documents. Altogether, 67 competence areas were identified and classified into eight main categories: (1) professional and ethical values and practice, (2) nursing skills and intervention, (3) communication and interpersonal skills, (4) knowledge and cognitive ability, (5) assessment and improving quality in nursing, (6) professional development, (7) leadership, management and teamwork, and (8) research utilisation. In order to obtain a comprehensive concept of competence, more research is needed on nursing students' competence areas across the EU due to the fact that the EU is a common labour market and nurses are educated for the EU as a whole. Nursing is a global profession and nurse competence is central to patient care outcomes, so it is also internationally important that nurses have good competence.

[Reform of nursing studies, impact on the nurse training institutes]

The reengineering of nursing training led to the creation of a training reference framework in September 2009, which has considerably modified the reference pedagogical model, pedagogical practices and the monitoring of students. The notion of a partnership with the university has been created; pedagogical and technological innovations have been encouraged.

[Different perspectives on the reform of nursing studies]

Two students and two recently qualified nurses describe their training within the new reference framework, and their reception by their course tutors and by their colleagues in their first jobs.

[The nurse training reference framework in Ile-de-France]

In 2009, the changes introduced by the nurse training reference framework revolutionised the nursing curriculum. Partnerships were set up from the beginning of its implementation. The first three-year cycle has ended and the experience acquired opens up a new phase of further reflection and evolution.

Students' learning as the focus for shared involvement between universities and clinical practice: a didactic model for postgraduate degree projects

In an academic programme, completion of a postgraduate degree project could be a significant means of promoting student learning in evidence- and experience-based practice. In specialist nursing education, which through the European Bologna process would be raised to the master's level, there is no tradition of including a postgraduate degree project. The aim was to develop a didactic model for specialist nursing students' postgraduate degree projects within the second cycle of higher education (master's level) and with a specific focus on nurturing shared involvement between universities and healthcare settings. This study embodies a participatory action research and theory-generating design founded on empirically practical try-outs. The 3-year project included five Swedish universities and related healthcare settings. A series of activities was performed and a number of data sources secured. Constant comparative analysis was applied. A didactic model is proposed for postgraduate degree projects in specialist nursing education aimed at nurturing shared involvement between universities and healthcare settings. The focus of the model is student learning in order to prepare the students for participation as specialist nurses in clinical knowledge development. The model is developed for the specialist nursing education, but it is general and could be applicable to various education programmes.

Preparing nurses for the new world order: a faculty development focus

The new world order demands nursing faculty members be as competent in teaching and coaching students as they are about the art and science of nursing. The complexity associated with classroom management requires mastery of innovative learning modalities to assist students to think critically using research-based evidence in making patient care decisions. Grand Canyon University has made faculty competence a priority to ensure quality student outcomes. The College of Nursing has embraced a systematic process for creating faculty excellence through a comprehensive faculty development initiative. Developing faculty requires university support through policy and resources that is essential to prepare nurses for the new world order and therefore closing the education practice gap.

Pre-registration paid employment choice: the views of newly qualified nurses

In Australia, nurse education was transferred from hospital based nursing schools to the higher education sector. This transfer resulted in a change for students, from hospital employee to an unpaid, supernumerary role during professional placements. The majority of undergraduate nursing students now combine part time employment with their studies, working mainly within health settings or service sectors such as hospitality and retail. The aims of this study were to identify if newly qualified registered nurses engaged in paid employment during their final year of undergraduate studies, the types of employment they chose, reasons for that choice, skills acquired and their views on any link between employment choice and transition to practice. Focus group interviews involving sixty seven new graduates were conducted. From the data, four organising themes were identified; financial independence and autonomy, confidence and experience, future opportunity and ease of transition. The global theme maximising opportunity describes nurse's views about their decisions on student employment. Participants had differing views on employment choice and transition to practice. Further research is needed in the area to identify whether there is any link between student employment choice and transition to practice.

The International Confederation of Midwives essential competencies for basic midwifery practice. an update study: 2009-2010

OBJECTIVE

a 2-year study was conducted to update the core competencies for basic midwifery practice, first delineated by the International Confederation of Midwives in 2002. A competency domain related to abortion-related care services was newly developed.

DESIGN

a modified Delphi survey process was conducted in two phases: a pilot item affirmation study, and a global field survey.

SETTING

a global survey conducted in 90 countries.

PARTICIPANTS

midwifery educators or clinicians associated with midwifery education schools and programmes located in any of the ICM member association countries. Additional participants represented the fields of nursing, medicine, and midwifery regulatory authorities. A total of 232 individuals from 63 member association and five non-member countries responded to one or both of the surveys. The achieved sample represented 42% of member association countries, which was less than the 51% target. However, the sample was proportionally representative of ICM's nine global regions.

MEASUREMENTS

survey respondents expressed an opinion whether to retain or to delete any of 255 statements of midwifery knowledge, skill, or professional behaviour. They also indicated whether the item should be a basic (core) item of midwifery knowledge or skill that would be included as mandatory content in a programme of midwifery pre-service education, or whether the item could be added to the fund of knowledge or acquired as an additional skill by those who would need or wish to include the item within the scope of their clinical practice.

FINDINGS

a majority consensus of .85 was required to accept the item without further deliberation. An expert panel made final decisions in all instances where consensus was not achieved. The panel also amended the wording of selected items, or added new items based on feedback received from survey respondents. The final document contains 268 items organised within seven competency domains.

Development of a nursing practice based competency model for the Flemish master of nursing and obstetrics degree

The aim was to identify a set of competences for the Flemish academic Master of Nursing and Obstetrics degree that answer perceived needs in health care. The competency model was to demonstrate a degree of consensus among key nurses. The study was conducted in all Flemish hospitals registered to have 400 beds or more. Head nurses of surgery, geriatrics and intensive care units were eligible to participate, as well as one nurse from administration per hospital. A two round Delphi process allowed participants to comment on items identified in an analysis of existing international competency profiles of master level nurses and adapted to the Flemish context. Competences agreed to by 90% of the respondents were considered to have consensus. Fifteen out of 19 eligible hospitals were recruited in the study, 45 nurses participated in the Delphi panel. Consensus was reached on 31 competences that can be assigned to 5 nurse's roles: nursing expert, innovator, researcher, educator and manager. The resulting competency profile is in accordance with published profiles for similar programs. The reported study demonstrates a practical method to develop a consensus competency model for an academic master program based on the input of key individuals in mainstream nursing.

Accreditation of prior learning in pre-registration nursing programmes 2: the influence of prior qualifications on perceived learning during the foundation year

The perceive learning of pre-registration students nurses during the foundation programme in relation to their prior entry qualifications is investigated at two universities using a quantitative questionnaire. Having 'A' levels or National Vocational Qualifications was found to have a significant influence on an individual's perceived learning. The effect of having level 3 vocational qualifications had a slight negative influence, whilst that of 'A' levels was stronger. Findings in relation to perceived learning and prior experiential learning obtained from the application of this questionnaire were reported earlier (Scott, 2007). The implications of both the findings from Scott (2007) and the analysis are discussed here. No evidence was found to support the notion that those with relevant prior learning suffer costs through having to undertake learning the foundation year.

Developing and examining an Objective Structured Clinical Examination

Objective Structured Clinical Examinations are commonly used within pre-registration and post-qualification nurse education to test clinical competence. Station development and refinement of the pass mark is essential to the examination process. In this paper the process of blue-printing and standardisation are described as one method of agreeing examination content and subsequent pass mark. Issues of validity and reliability are discussed in relation to these and to the process of examining. The development of good practice guidelines to ensure consistency between different markers of the same station and of a single marker examining different students on one station is described. Recommendations in relation to transparency are made to optimise student understanding of what they are being tested on and hence their performance in the examination.

[Accompanying the apprenticeship of clinical reasoning in nurses]

The nurses' professionalisation is something difficult to situate between an historical model, the recognition of competences and the assertion of the health care service autonomy part. The requests and conditions sanitary needs evolutivity of the French population, the constant progresses of medicine, the economic context put nurses in the heart of tensions between the demand of quality and the continuity of the cares, the professional polyvalency and the health savings. The situations of cares, more and more complex, require a nearly permanent adaptation of the nurses. One of the stakes of the nursing college is to develop their health training model which integrates the development of competences in reference to prevailing professional situations. The clinical reasoning, a competence in the heart of the nurses' job, goes through all the situations of cares. It takes part of the cares adaptation processes. The professional didactic develops our understanding of professional situations and gives us training prospects linked to competences.

[Clinical practice quality in BNC (Bachelor of Nursing Course). Evaluation of students' satisfaction in the Italian Red Cross School of Nursing, University of Bologna]

This study is linked to the previous our "UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 quality system. Project and application at BNC (Bachelor of nursing Course), University of Bologna: degree of satisfaction of third year's students". The aim of this study, carried on in 2006, were to find out how satisfied second (n=61) and third years (n=95) nursing bachelor course students, University of Bologna, were with their clinical practice, about each essential element in this kind of learning. The data were collected using a questionnaire purposely made, with 48 items in 9 fields. 279 questionnaires returned ,79 by second year students and 190 by third year students. Results suggest a general satisfaction of students about their clinical practice experiences. Also in this study, the intermediate evaluation, very important in nursing clinical learning, is a critical variable.

Admission criteria and subsequent academic performance of general nursing diploma students

OBJECTIVE

To determine the relationship between admission criteria used to select students and their subsequent academic performance in general nursing diploma Programmeme in the province of Sindh

METHODS

Using a descriptive co-relational study design, data was collected retrospectively from records of the entire nursing student population of the batch of 2004. Using multiple linear regression analysis method, three regression models were developed to identify the group of variables that could predict academic performance of the students in the three-year general nursing diploma programme.

RESULTS

Results identified a significant relationship between admission criteria and subsequent academic performance of the students in the general nursing diploma programme. Specific factors which were found significant included entry qualification, previous academic performance and gender.

CONCLUSION

The study concluded that academic factors considered in the admission criteria were better predictors of students' academic performance than the non academic factors. These factors should be considered in the admission criteria for general nursing diploma programme.

[Planning and application of a valutation methodology in UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 quality system, for the analysis satisfaction level of third-year student University of Bologna, Bachelor of Nursing Course, CRI School of Nursing formative section]

The quality of nursing assistance is closely related to the quality of training. In the certification UNI EN ISO 9001:2000 in 2004 of the Bologna nursing school regarding Planning and performance of theoretical-practical nursing training a continual improvement of the product/service is implicit. A method was therefore devised to evaluate the degree of satisfaction in third-year nursing students in Bologna which demonstrated a medium/high level of satisfaction regarding all teaching-related procedures. By monitoring satisfaction levels , it is possible to identify any critical areas and to implement improvement where needed.

Orientation to student placements: needs and benefits

A review of evidence on the benefits and challenges of student orientation is used in this article alongside experiences of orientation days on a children's ward to consider ways in which such programmes could be improved. Orientation to clinical placements can enhance learning by helping students to feel they fit in, reduce anxiety and increase motivation to learn through early identification of learning outcomes. However, there are challenges in the practical implementation of orientation including timing of students' starting dates, staff time, consistency and level of information and teaching. Increased involvement of individual mentors could improve orientation and optimise students' learning experiences.

Preparando enfermeiros para o SUS: o desafio das escolas formadoras

O estudo bjetiva a seleção de algumas estratégias a serem utilizadas pelos cursos de graduação em Enfermagem para despertar no aluno maior interesse na área de saúde coletiva. Trata-se de um estudo de caso, que toma como cenário um curso particular de graduação do sul do Brasil, no qual foi percebido a opção sistemática dos alunos pela área hospitalar quando da escolha de campos de estágio para desenvolvimento da Monografia de Conclusão de Curso. Foi utilizado o método de Planejamento Estratégico Situacional (PES) como uma ferramenta para ampliar a análise do problema e alcançar os objetivos propostos. Como resultado, o método se apresentou eficiente no sentido de permitir a reavaliação das estratégias pedagógicas do curso para alcançar o perfil pretendido do egresso.

Human rights education for nursing students

This article is based largely on a research study undertaken by the author into the teaching of human rights in nursing courses in the UK on behalf of the national section of the human rights organization Amnesty International. It attempts to provide a baseline estimate of human rights education in nursing curricula in the UK while making suggestions on how the teaching of human rights issues could be more clearly incorporated into nursing curricula, ending with some recommendations for further research.