Mary Ellen Smith Glasgow

Transdisciplinary Teamwork Simulation in Obstetrics–Gynecology Health Care Education

This program evaluation was designed to assess whether a transdisciplinary teamwork simulation experience improves collaborative attitudes among womens health students toward the goals of reducing medical errors and improving patient outcomes. This program evaluation used a pretest-posttest comparative design to measure changes in collaborative attitudes among 35 multidisciplinary womens health students before and after a transdisciplinary simulation experience. Collaborative attitudes were measured by the Team Attitudes Questionnaire. Data analysis consisted of descriptive analysis, paired t tests, and post hoc item analysis. Findings suggest significant increases in collaborative attitudes for mutual support and communication but no significant increases in attitudes for structure, situation monitoring, or leadership from pretest to posttest. Trans-disciplinary simulation experiences among womens health students may enhance mutual support and communication and promote better patient outcomes. Future research should focus on mechanisms to facilitate improvements in structure, situation monitoring, and leadership.

A Report on a National Study of Doctoral Nursing Faculty

This article reports on a national study of doctoral nursing faculty, including both PhD and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) faculty. Using a national sample of 624 doctoral nursing faculty, we surveyed individuals on a variety of issues, including succession planning, retirement, quality of life as a doctoral faculty member, their views on the new DNP degree, and how they view the future of doctoral nursing education. Study implications for both DNP and PhD faculty are explored and the meaning of the findings of the study for the future are discussed, including new items that will be investigated in a repeat survey in 2012.

Curriculum Innovation in an Accelerated BSN Program: The ACE Model

As the demand for registered nurses continues to rise, so too has the creation of accelerated baccalaureate nursing programs for second-degree students. This article describes an 11-month Accelerated Career Entry (ACE) Nursing Programs innovative curriculum design, which has a heavy emphasis on technology, professional socialization, and the use of a standardized patient experience as a form of summative evaluation. In addition, challenges of this program are presented. Since 2002, the ACE Program has graduated over 500 students with an average first-time NCLEX pass rate of 95-100%. Although the number of graduates from accelerated programs does not solve the severe nursing shortage, the contributions of these intelligent, assertive, pioneering graduates are important for health care.

The future of oncology nursing science: who will generate the knowledge?

393 The current system for doctoral education in nursing does not have the capacity to prepare the number of graduates necessary to replace retiring faculty, nor does it have a sufficient number of nurse researchers to generate knowledge for the discipline (Potempa, Redman, & Anderson, 2008). According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (2007), a large percentage of senior nursing faculty members will retire by 2012, and nearly half the current nursing faculty is likely to retire by 2016. Many senior faculty members are PhD-prepared faculty as well as funded researchers. Therefore, in the United States, the nursing profession is at an important crossroads that could determine the direction of doctoral nursing education. Given the projections, doctoral nursing education will need to be re-evaluated, even with the introduction of the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree. The practice and research contexts of the nursing discipline will have to be reconnected, and focus will have to be placed on nursing knowledge development (Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2009). Many forces influence doctoral education and knowledge development: (a) the nursing faculty shortage; (b) the older age of individuals who complete their PhDs, many on a lengthy part-time basis; and (c) the creation of the nonresearch DNP degree, a professional practice doctorate. In reports by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), student enrollment in DNP programs has increased 176% (N = 3,291), from 1,874 students in 2007 to 5,165 students in 2009 (Fang, Tracy, & Bednash, 2010; Raines, 2010). The extraordinary growth of DNP student enrollment is related to the surge of new DNP programs in that period, 53 in 2007 to 119 in 2009. However, PhD programs have remained stagnant, with an increase in student enrollment of only 5% (N = 204), from 3,973 students in 2007 The Future of Oncology Nursing Science: Who Will Generate the Knowledge?

Faculty colleagues in your classroom as doctoral students: is there a conflict of interest?

The 4 authors, a faculty member, department chair, associate dean, and college dean, identify and analyze issues surrounding nursing faculty as doctoral student, particularly when faculty members are enrolled in their employers doctoral nursing program.

Student Drug Testing in Nursing Education

Nursing faculty and administrators have a responsibility to keep abreast of current research, legal regulations, and professional standards that affect students in the classroom and clinical setting. The purpose of this article is to examine whether empirical research supports the current trend of mandatory drug testing, provide a synopsis of current practice, and discuss the legal and ethical implications for nursing faculty.

The Nurse-Engineer: A New Role to Improve Nurse Technology Interface and Patient Care Device Innovations

PURPOSE The purpose of this article is to describe two innovative biomedical engineering and nursing collaborations designed to educate a new cadre of professionals and develop new knowledge and innovations (robots, patient care devices, and computer simulation). ORGANIZING CONSTRUCT Complex health problems demand a highly skilled response that uses teams of professionals from various disciplines. When the biomedical engineering lens is expanded to include the practical perspective of nursing, opportunities emerge for greater technology-nurse interface and subsequent innovation. A joint nursing-engineering degree program provides the ideal preparation for a well-informed nurse-engineer who can explore new and innovative solutions that will improve care and patient outcomes. APPROACH A review of the literature provides the background on innovation and engineering in nursing and a rationale for the development of two innovative joint degrees, as well as a description of those programs. FINDINGS These innovative programs will advance healthcare-related technology and maximize the potential contribution of the nursing profession in the design and implementation of creative solutions. They also have the potential to increase the skills and knowledge for students enrolled in biomedical engineering or Bachelor of Science in nursing programs individually, providing them with interdisciplinary training and exposure. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Important patient care improvement opportunities are missed when nurses are not actively engaged in patient care device innovation and creation. Innovative nurse and engineer collaborations are needed in various forms to leverage nurse ingenuity and create patient care innovations.