Calvin Moorley

First year nursing students’ experiences of social media during the transition to university: a focus group study

Background: Social media platforms are useful for creating communities, which can then be utilised as a mean for supportive, professional and social learning. Objective: To explore first year nursing student experiences with social media in supporting student transition and engagement into higher education. Design: Qualitative focus groups. Methods: Ten 1st year Bachelor of Nursing students were included in three face-to-face focus groups. Data were analysed using qualitative thematic content analysis. Results: Three key themes emerged that illustrates the experiences of transition and engagement of first year student nurses using social media at university. (1) Facilitating familiarity and collaboration at a safe distance, (2) promoting independent learning by facilitating access to resources, and (3) mitigating hazards of social media. Conclusion: This study has demonstrated the importance of social media in supporting informal peer–peer learning and support, augmenting online and offline relationships, and building professional identity as a nurse.

Selecting the sample

Sample selection is a key factor in research design and can determine whether research questions will be answered before the study has even begun. Good sample selection and appropriate sample size strengthen a study, protecting valuable time, money and resources. In the context of healthcare research, poor design could lead to use of harmful practices, delays in new treatment and lost opportunities for high quality care. Not every study can achieve design perfection and researchers often seek a balance between the ideal sample and one that is feasible or convenient, acknowledging the limitations of their design decisions. Sample selection is far from simple but here are some of the techniques to think about as you read research and make the most out of your research endeavours. It is critical to take the time to clearly identify the population of interest for the specific research question. Nursing researchers are usually interested in answering questions about very specific patient populations which can span an incredible array of possibilities applying to international, national, local and organisational contexts. Research populations closely reflect nursing specialties, some of which are gender (eg, pregnant women) and age specific (eg, adolescent diabetes). It is rarely feasible to conduct a study that reaches every patient in the population of interest, therefore a subset or sample of that population is selected for study. Different sampling methods are used depending on the aim of the study and whether the research question seeks a confident answer about the population of interest. If it does then the sample/s should represent the population for inferences to be made. Not all research questions depend on making inferences and there are many examples in qualitative research where the aim is theory development or exploration of patient experiences and inferences are not the focus. Probability (representative) sampling …

Editorial: Being responsive: promoting LGBTI health and well‐being

In the past decade there has been considerable positive change regarding the civil rights and liberties of those from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities. For example, the decriminalisation of homosexuality, the recent recognition of marriage and civil partnerships in some European, American and North and South American and Australasian countries, as well as the passing of anti-discriminatory laws that support equality. While these positive changes are welcomed there are areas that remain a challenge for LGBTI individuals and communities

Life after Stroke: Coping mechanisms among African Caribbean Women

In the UK, stroke is the third most common cause of death for women and the incidence in African Caribbean women is higher than that in the general population. Stroke burden has major consequences for the physical, mental and social health of African Caribbean women. In order to adjust to life after stroke, individuals affected employ a range of strategies which may include personal, religious (church) or spiritual support (i.e. prayer), individual motivation or resignation to life with a disability. This study explored these areas through the coping mechanisms that African Caribbean women utilised post stroke in the context of stroke recovery and lifestyle modification efforts needed to promote healthy living post stroke. A qualitative approach using interpretative phenomenological analysis was adopted. Seven women were recruited into the study. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were audio recorded and were transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using a four-stage framework: familiarisation, sense making, developing themes, and data refinement and analysis. Three main themes on coping emerged: the need to follow medical rules to manage stroke, strength and determination, and the use of religion and faith to cope with life after stroke. These findings illustrate both a tension between religious beliefs and the medical approach to stroke and highlight the potential benefits that religion and the church can play in stroke recovery. Implications for practice include acknowledgement and inclusion of religion- and church-based health promotion in post-stroke recovery.

Editorial: Defining, profiling and locating older people: an inner city Afro-Caribbean experience

This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: Moorley, C.R. and Corcoran, N.T. (2014), Editorial: Defining, profiling and locating older people: an inner city A fro‐C aribbean experience. J Clin Nurs, 23: 2083-2085. which has been published in final form at doi:10.1111/jocn.12487 This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. The group labelled ‘older people’ has attracted various definitions, opinions and perspectives across the globe (Victor 2010). The main reason for this is the way different cultures view ageing and the ageing process. The predominant opinion is that being ‘old’ is a biological and social context; for example, a calendar age is used to mark ageing, linking ‘old’ to biological ageing. There are also commonly held markers of old age, for example retirement age, state pension age or becoming a grandparent.