Pertussis infection in a baccalaureate nursing program: clinical implications, emerging issues, and recommendations.
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Pertussis is a significant public health problem with a dramatic rise in reported cases. Academic and clinical nursing educators are challenged to develop policies based on evolving national immunization guidelines. Of relevance to clinical educators, several outbreaks involving health care facilities and universities have been reported in the past few decades because of failure to adequately recognize pertussis infection and treat disease spread among adults and lack of control measures. The purpose of this article is to present information about pertussis transmission in a baccalaureate nursing program, outline actions taken, and explore emerging issues and recommendations. (+info)
The crusade--a metaphorical explication of the journey made by mature female undergraduate nursing students.
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INTRODUCTION: Mature students now account for a significant percentage of undergraduate nursing students. For most mature students, application for access to a university course and subsequent enrollment will generate changes that can have long-term effects on their and their family's lives. Commencing university study is a major transition in the mature student's life, producing increased stress and lifestyle adjustment and changes. The mature age student participating in tertiary study has undergone, and continues to experience, transition, resulting in new social networks, new behaviours and a new sense of self. Little has been written about this rite of passage and the journey these students take as they negotiate learning to nurse. METHODS: The constructivist grounded theory utilised is an interpretive research method that uses the constant comparative method to reduce data and develop categories and codes. Data collection and data analysis occurs concurrently but also cyclically. Ten participants were interviewed from two rural Australian universities for this study. RESULTS: The mature students in this study identified five discrete yet overlapping stages in their university journey, expressed as: (1) initiating the crusade; (2) engaging the force; (3) retreating and regrouping; (4) soldiering on; and (5) the victory march. Initiating the crusade involves mature students preparing for university, while engaging the force examines the beginning of the university journey whereby participants identify new skills needed to learn to navigate their student role. Retreating and regrouping occurs when students' emotional integrity is threatened and involves students harnessing emotional strength through support from peers that allows them to soldier on or to keep going despite crisis and conflicting role demands. Finally, students spoke of a victory march, that is the day they have successfully completed their degree and the feelings of self-actualisation and pride they experience at that time. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study indicate that the rurality factors that impact significantly on mature female nursing undergraduates are lack of resources, minimal formal support structures, and long travel time and associated costs. (+info)
Critical thinking ability of new graduate and experienced nurses.
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Nursing research has a tremendous influence on current and future professional nursing practice, thus rendering it an essential component of the educational process. This article chronicles the learning experiences of two undergraduate nursing students who were provided with the opportunity to become team members in a study funded by the National Institute of Nursing Research. The application process, the various learning opportunities and responsibilities performed by the students, and the benefits and outcomes of the experience are described. The authors hope that by sharing their learning experiences, more students will be given similar opportunities using the strategies presented in this article. Nursing research is critical to the nursing profession and is necessary for continuing advancements that promote optimal nursing care. (+info)
An innovative model improving success at university for regional Australians suffering educational and social disadvantage.
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CONTEXT: Regional Australia is critically short of registered nurses (RNs) due to an ageing nursing workforce and difficulty in attracting new staff. It is recognised that rural background is the most influential factor shaping a health professional's decision to practise in regional areas. Because of this, Charles Sturt University (CSU), with campuses throughout regional New South Wales (NSW), Australia, offered a bachelor of nursing by distance education (DE), enabling rural and remote enrolled nurses (ENs) trained by the Department of Technical and Further Education (TAFE) to upgrade their qualifications to RN. However, despite the flexible study mode offered, many rural and remote ENs were reluctant to progress to university study. This article describes an outreach model developed in recognition of the importance of supporting ENs to undertake RNs studies. ISSUE: Theories of social capital informed the model, which assisted understanding of the reluctance of rural and remote ENs to undertake university studies to become RNs. Most of the ENs lived and worked in communities where this was not an expectation; in addition, they were not members of social networks that knew about university study. The model assisted the development of participants by recognising and respecting barriers to their university participation. These barriers included their: self-perception as learners; concept of a university and themselves as university students; understanding of enrolment processes and course progression; understanding of what university study entails and the supports available in both community and university. Central to the model was the provision of face-to-face academic workshops for the ENs in the communities where they lived and worked. This allowed direct contact with university lecturers and support staff, enabling the rural ENs to establish the trustworthiness of 'the messengers'. Once this was achieved they were able to build a personal connection with the university and potential support providers, and to develop their own support networks. The workshops occurred at least 6 months before an intake of bachelor of nursing by DE. LESSONS LEARNED: Eight academic preparation workshops were conducted between 2003 and 2008 throughout rural and remote NSW with a total of 168 participants. Currently 89 participants (63%) have enrolled in the CSU Bachelor of Nursing course by DE. Successive workshops have built on knowledge acquired in this process. The model was supported by CSU and industry partnerships; since 2005 the academic preparation workshops have been supported by area health services' (AHSs) promotion, participation and funding. The workshops now form part of the AHSs' nursing recruitment strategy and have been endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Office, Aboriginal Nursing and Midwifery, NSW Health. The CSU believes the model has potential application beyond prospective nursing. (+info)
Cultural diversity in nursing education: perils, pitfalls, and pearls.
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Transfer of learning to the nursing clinical practice setting.
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INTRODUCTION: The aim of this project was to identify if there is a link between what nursing students learn in simulated clinical laboratory sessions and what they experience during their clinical placements. Clinical laboratories are commonly used to assist students to develop clinical nursing skills through simulation of clinical experiences. ISSUE: Little research has been conducted into the effectiveness of clinical laboratory sessions for nursing students and whether these sessions play a role in linking theory to practice. The intent is to determine if the clinical laboratory sessions assisted students to integrate theory and practice in the rural nursing setting. METHOD: The participants were a cohort of first year undergraduate Bachelor of Nursing students at a rural campus of an Australian regional inland university during a first year clinical placement in small rural hospitals. The mixed methods utilised included a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews undertaken with nine first year nursing students. Questions asked related to the students' perceptions of what they were taught in the clinical laboratory sessions and what they experienced during clinical placements. RESULTS: The results reinforced the need to utilise a combination of lecture and clinical laboratory sessions while highlighting the necessity for clinical placement and 'hands on' experience. Discrepancies and differences were recognised in the area of documentation and in the practice of some skills. CONCLUSION: Parity between what is taught and what is experienced is imperative to ensure safe practice in nursing students. (+info)
Development, implementation, and assessment of a distance module in endocrine physiology.
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