Kathleen M. Buckley

An Untapped Resource: Using Youtube in Nursing Education

Minimal information is available in the literature addressing video sharing in nursing education. Using multiple examples, the authors discuss the use of YouTube, a popular video-sharing and social networking site. YouTube is used to illustrate theoretical content, involve students, and inspire innovative teaching methods. Faculty can use this technology to stimulate student discussions, share information, and create a learning community. YouTube stimulates active learning and brings new relevance and applications to nursing curriculum.

Promoting active learning through on-line discussion boards.

The authors describe faculty experiences in developing and evaluating on-line discussion boards for an undergraduate nursing program. The advantages and limitations of on-line discussions as well as various applications of the methodology are presented. A variety of innovative applications for on-line discussions in undergraduate didactic and clinically based nursing courses are illustrated.

Get the picture! Developing a wound photography competency for home care nurses.

Nursing, Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, and a Home Health Nurse, Adventist Home Health, Silver Spring, Md. Linda Koch Adelson, BSN, RN, CWOCN, Private Practice and a Consultant for Adventist Home Health, Silver Spring, Md. Cathy Thomas Hess, BSN, RN, CWOCN, President, Wound Care Strategies, Inc., Harrisburg, Pa. Corresponding author: Kathleen M. Buckley, PhD, RN, Associate Professor, School of Nursing, The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064 (e-mail: buckleyk@cua.edu).

Finding a Balance: Health Promotion Challenges of Military Women

In this study, we explored what may determine, or predict, United States military womens health promotion behaviors. Using a descriptive correlational design grounded in Penders Health Promotion model, 491 military women completed instruments measuring their demographic variables, perception of health, definition of health, self-efficacy, and interpersonal influences to determine the significant factors affecting participation in health promotion activities. The outcome indicated that self-efficacy and interpersonal influences were the most influential in determining health promotion. This research illuminates some of the challenges working women face in meeting health promotion activities and how best to support their ability to participate in healthy behaviors.

Long-Term Breastfeeding: Nourishment or Nurturance?

Mothers frequently describe the primary benefit of breastfeeding beyond a year as providing comfort rather than nourishment. Little is known about the effect of extended breastfeeding on the growth or nutritional status of children in the United States. Data collected on 38 long-term breastfeeding children (12 to 43 months old) included growth measurements, breastfeeding patterns, and dietary intake obtained through diaries and dietary recalls. Although the childrens weight-for-age, length/height-for-age, and weight-for-length/height Zscores clustered belowzero, they fell within two standard deviations of the median, suggesting normal growth. The daily time and frequency of breastfeeding were not different between the 1-year-old and 2-year-old age groups but were significantly lower in the 3-year-old age group. In an analysis of non–breast milk diets, the childrenwould need an average intake of 100 to 460mL of breast milk per day to meet the RDA for energy intake and nutrients that were lower in their diets compared to national food intake surveys.

Reconceptualization of a Doctoral EBP Course From In-Class to Blended Format: Lessons Learned From a Successful Transition

In 2008, the University of Maryland School of Nursing transitioned the doctor of nursing practice core courses from an in-class to a blended (hybrid) course delivery method. As part of this transition, the evidence-based practice course was reconceptualized, implemented in its new format, and evaluated after being completed by 2 cohorts. The transition was successful because of a strong open interprofessional team, faculty training in blended course best practices, support by experts in instructional design and Web-based learning throughout the transition, and continual formative evaluation by students and faculty. The resulting course received strong positive evaluations by students and was certified by Quality Matters, indicating the incorporation of best practices in online teaching.

Training Future Providers in Home Care and Telehealth Technologies: A Collaborative Effort between Nursing and Biomedical Engineering

Trends in telehealth technologies have promoted a unique collaboration between nursing and biomedical engineering faculty in a training program at the Catholic University of America. The goalof the program is to prepare future nurses and biomedical engineers to collaborate in providing improved health care services for the elderly living at home. Nursing faculty provide graduate biomedical engineering students with information on nursing assessment, clinical foundations, and care of the elderly as a knowledge base to improve their designs of technology for this population. In return, undergraduate nursing students are given the opportunity to obtain a hands-on experience with new and emerging telehealth technologies in home care and to expand their therapeutic communication skills.

Evaluating the Impact of Wikis on Student Learning Outcomes: An Integrative Review

Although wikis appear to have been reported as effective tools for educators, uncertainty exists as to their effectiveness in achieving student learning outcomes. The aim of this integrative review was to examine the current evidence on the impact of wikis on student learning in courses requiring collaborative or co-developed assignments or activities. The authors searched several electronic databases for relevant articles and used R. Whittemore and K. Knafls (2005) integrative review method to analyze and synthesize the evidence. Twenty-five articles met the selection criteria for this review, and four major themes for wiki use were identified: (a) writing skills, (b) collaboration, (c) knowledge acquisition, and (d) centralized repository. Although wikis have been found useful in improving student learning outcomes and hold great potential as an instructional strategy to aid students in learning various skills and gaining new knowledge, more research is needed on their effectiveness, especially in the area of nursing education.

Benefits & barriers to adoption of health IT in an elderly low-income, minority community-based environment

This paper provides a detailed discussion regarding the attitudes, benefits, and barriers to adoption of health IT for low income, minority, elderly populations in a community-based affordable housing setting. Results show that despite challenges to adoption of technology amongst minority populations, senior residents will adopt technology if they understand the benefits of these technologies for improving their health and for remaining independent, thereby enabling them to age-in-place.

Low-Bandwidth Telephony for Urban and Rural Access to Nursing Services for Survivors of Stroke and Their Caregivers

Trends related to rapidly aging populations nationally and internationally, combined with shortages in skilled health professionals and rising health care costs have necessitated efficient and cost-effective technologies for improved access to health care services. This paper discusses the use of low-bandwidth telephonic technology for providing nursing and counseling services to stroke caregivers in urban and rural areas and addresses factors that affect adoption and utilization of technologies for their intended use. Twenty-one subjects with recent stroke and their caregivers and five nurses were enrolled in the study. Seventy-two telehealth visits (i.e. tele-visits) were made to urban and rural locations using standard plain-old-telephone-service (POTS). Eighty-three percent of televists experienced first-time completion success at a bandwidth of 27.6+3 kbps. Over one-third (36%) of visits were unsolicited and initiated by caregivers using the protocol. Each tele-visit lasted approximately 20 minutes. Televisit sessions ranged from providing health care instruction for caregivers to stroke-related education to caregiver counseling. Televists were widely accepted by stroke subjects and caregivers. Acceptance and utilization of telehealth services correlated with rapport between at-home users and nurses.