Geralyn Meyer

Ethics Education in MSN Programs: A Study of National Trends

The aim of this study was to determine the manner in which masters of science in nursing programs, accredited by either the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, conduct ethics education. A survey method was employed to obtain requisite data. Among the main variables investigated were: the percentage of programs that require a course with formal ethics content; the average number of class hours a program or track dedicates to ethics education; required and actual credentials of instructors who teach ethics; and objectives, topics, teaching methods, and grading methods of required courses with formal ethics content. Results indicated that most programs do not require instructors to have completed formal ethics training. In terms of content, few common trends exist and there are important gaps in clinical ethics topics. Comparisons between school of medicine ethics content reported in the literature and MSN ethics content reported in this study indicate that medical schools are more exacting of their students. The study concludes with a call for the establishment of guidelines or standards relevant to ethics content in MSN curricula in the United States.

The transition to practice of Direct Entry Clinical Nurse Leader graduates

This study looks at Direct Entry Clinical Nurse Leader graduates and how their transition to practice experiences develops over time as well as factors influencing their transition. Graduates were surveyed at graduation, three, six and 12 months. Seventeen participated; eight completed all surveys. Most were from the Millennial generation. The survey consisted of two parts: school satisfaction and the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Scale. The results showed the Casey-Fink total score at 12 months was 0.75 points higher than at three months; suggesting a positive transition. The highest score occurred at six months which conversely had the lowest levels of satisfaction with both educational experience and intent to stay in their current role. Despite having 850 precepted/mentored clinical hours, 57.1% of these graduates stated they felt unprepared for the reality of nursing after 12 months. Regardless of feeling unprepared, the results suggest these students displayed a positive transition to practice. At 12 months, 88.2% were still with their first employers which contrasted the results of Casey-Fink and other studies of Millennial gradate nurses, which showed higher actual and intent to leave results. This study suggests that Direct Entry Clinical Nurse Leader students do indeed transition to practice more positively than traditional nursing graduates.

State Boards of Nursing and the Bridge to Quality

The 2003 Institute of Medicine report, Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality, delineated a set of core competencies for health care professionals-providing patient-centered care, working in interdisciplinary teams, using evidence-based practice, applying quality improvement processes, and using informatics. The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which these core competencies have been incorporated in the rules and regulations of state boards of nursing in the United States as required curricular content for professional nursing programs. A research team compiled state boards of nursing regulations related to prelicensure nursing curricula from all 50 states, and content analysis was performed. Eight states incorporated all five competencies in their regulations. Other states incorporated some of the five competencies; evidence-based practice and informatics were the competencies most frequently excluded from state regulations. The lack of emphasis on these competencies has implications for the ongoing development of the profession of nursing.

Resilience and transition to practice in Direct Entry nursing graduates

Resilience may be one factor that influences new graduates transition to practice. This pilot study looked at one cohort of Direct Entry Accelerated Masters in Nursing graduates and compared the relationship over time between their transition to practice experience and their resiliency. Seventeen of 21 graduates participated in surveys at graduation and then three, six and 12 months post-graduation. The survey consisted of four parts: Demographics, Educational/Professional Satisfaction Scale (2016), the Casey-Fink Graduate Nurse Experience Scale (2004), and the Wagnild & Young Resiliency Scale (1993). The results indicated that professional satisfaction fluctuates during the first year of practice. At 12 months post-graduation only 57% of the respondents felt their education prepared them for the reality of nursing practice. Resilience at 12 months post-graduation accounts for 79% of the variance in the Casey Fink scores at 12 months. Interventions to improve resilience in new nursing graduates may be one way to positively impact transition to practice.

Experiences of Master's Prepared Clinical Nurse Leaders at Three Years Post-Graduation

&NA; Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing programs that incorporate Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) education are relatively new in the United States. Little is known about the transition to practice experience of Masters prepared CNL graduates. This evaluation explored how Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing CNL graduates perceived their transition to practice experience three years post‐graduation. All graduates (n = 21) of an inaugural Direct Entry CNL program were invited to be interviewed 3 years after graduation; 16 (76%) opted to participate. Major findings from the semi‐structured interviews included educational satisfaction, challenges in transition to practice, uneven use of CNL education, and anxiety about student debt. Satisfaction with their education and their early application of leadership skills were overshadowed by their frustrations with student debt and the preponderance of bullying experienced in the workplace.

Review of State Boards of Nursing Rules and Regulations for Nurse Preceptors

BACKGROUND The clinical education of undergraduate nursing students relies heavily on the use of staff nurses who assume the preceptor role. The best and most efficient utilization of preceptors is unknown. METHOD This study reviewed Board of Nursing rules and regulations for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. territories for their published requirements regarding preceptors. Specifically, this review focused on preceptor-student and faculty-student ratios, role responsibilities, and requirements of preceptors and faculty in undergraduate precepted clinical experiences. RESULTS Although some commonalities were noted, such as eligibility (RN licensure), degree requirements (baccalaureate), and years of experience (1 to 3), 11 states had no documented regulations. The existing documents appear to lack depth, specificity, and consistency. CONCLUSION Because preceptors are utilized to such a great extent, the eligibility, selection, preparation, and expectations of preceptors and faculty who work with them should be more explicit. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(3):134-141.].

NLINKS: Online, Peer‐Reviewed Bibliographic References on Sleep

PURPOSE To develop a methodology for establishing an online (http://www.nlinks.org), peer-reviewed, annotated bibliography. Disturbed sleep patterns and sleep deprivation were the arbitrarily selected foci. METHODS Tasks included developing an annotated bibliographic form and collecting reviews, first from investigators and next from an online solicitation, and improving the annotated form as needed with the implementation of each of the following steps: (a) selecting MEDLINE and CINAHL search strategies for the years 1966–1982 and 1982–2001, respectively, (b) classifying an articles evidence base and its contribution to language development; (c) evaluating construct and content validity of the evidence base and the contribution to language development classifications, (d) determining interrater reliability in evaluating reviews, (e) publishing the results online, and (f) preparing for the deductive phase of the research and future research efforts. FINDINGS There was high interrater reliability within the contribution to language development scale but not within the evidence-based scale. This finding led to a discussion on the evidence base of nursing. Comparisons between evidence base of medicine and nursing were made. A three-tiered matrix was developed to allow for the cross-categorization of level of nursing evidence with diagnoses, defining characteristics, related factors, interventions or treatments, and outcomes. Access to literature within any one cell of the matrix required knowledge of filters used by MEDLINE and CINAHL and adapting these filters to capture subject headings consistent with language development subjects and terms. CONCLUSIONS Future searches are planned and the implications for nursing informatics, education, practice, and research have been articulated. The move toward evidence-based nursing is international in nature.