Patricia Ravert

Institutional issues in the implementation of an international student exchange program.

This article discusses institutional issues related to the development and implementation of an undergraduate student exchange program in nursing. A consortium of four universities in the United States and six nursing schools in three European countries developed an exchange program to teach a common community health module. Thirty-one students from the United States and 30 students from Europe participated in this program, which was funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the European Union. The project commenced with a 3-week meeting of faculty and students to design the 8-week exchange program and cultural preparation module. This article describes institutional issues related to the project. Academic issues, nonacademic issues, and exchange procedures are presented. The extended meeting of faculty and students that occurred early in the funding period was critical to this programs success.

Breast cancer screening in women: An integrative literature review

Purpose: To (a) conduct a thorough search of the literature for breast cancer screening studies utilizing mammography, ultrasound, or breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and (b) critically appraise these studies to aid the nurse practitioner in choosing the most appropriate screening tool for their individual patients. Data sources: Articles were identified from the following databases: CINAHL, Medline, PubMed, EBSCO, ISI, and Cochrane Library. Reference lists from all articles were reviewed and an authority in breast cancer screening was contacted regarding the reference list. Conclusions: Breast MRI had a higher sensitivity than mammography and ultrasound in all studies comparing breast MRI. The specificity was lower for breast MRI than for mammography in five out of six studies. The ultrasound had a higher sensitivity than mammography in all five studies examining women with dense breast tissue. Implications for practice: Women who fall into high‐risk categories should be screened yearly with breast MRI and mammography. Women with dense breast tissue according to a standardized density score should be screened yearly with ultrasound and mammography. Women in the general population should be screened yearly with mammography.

Hospital Nursing Research Program: Partnership of Service and Academia

Hospitals in a nonprofit mountain west corporation conducted a gap analysis to determine readiness for Magnet Recognition. Major gaps included nursing research and availability of consultation and resources for research. Based on the findings, the development of a dynamic research program promoting nursing research and evidence-based practice within hospitals was undertaken. A nursing research council was reestablished with representatives from service and academia. A literature review and analysis of corporate/academia resources were completed. The plan called for a nursing research coordinator position and development of a research budget. Academia continues to be represented on the hospital institutional review board. A semiannual research symposium including poster presentations by nursing staff and nursing students was implemented. The plan calls for development of a research fellowship program and unit-based evidence-based specialists. With administrative support and resources and partnering with nursing academia, nonteaching hospitals can develop successful dynamic nursing research and evidence-based practice programs.

Situated Peer Coaching and Unfolding Cases in the Fundamentals Skills Laboratory

Abstract Using unfolding case studies and situated peer coaching for the Fundamentals Skills Laboratory provides students with individualized feedback and creates a realistic clinical learning experience. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-intervention data was used to evaluate changes in student ratings of the course. An instrument was used to examine students’ self-ratings and student comments about each lab. We found that students’ ratings of the lab remained high with the new method and self-evaluations of their performance were higher as the semester progressed. Students appreciated the personalized feedback associated with peer coaching and demonstrated strong motivation and self-regulation in learning. By participating in unfolding case studies with situated peer coaching, students focus on safety issues, practice collaborative communication, and critical thinking in addition to performing psychomotor skills.

Updating the Simulation Effectiveness Tool: Item Modifications and Reevaluation of Psychometric Properties

AIM This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the modified Simulation Effectiveness Tool (SET), the SET‐M. BACKGROUND The SET, developed in 2005, was updated to be consistent with INACSL Standards of Best Practice, QSEN practices, and American Association of Colleges of Nursing baccalaureate essentials. METHOD Undergraduate nursing students from two nursing programs, one with multiple campuses, completed the SET‐M following completion of a simulated clinical experience; 1,288 students took part in the study. RESULTS Exploratory factor analysis was completed using unweighted least squares. Four subscales were identified with acceptable internal consistency: Prebriefing (&agr; = .833), Learning (&agr; = .852), Confidence (&agr; = .913), and Debriefing (&agr; = .908). CONCLUSION Revisions made to modify the SET to current standards of simulation practice have resulted in the SET‐M, which has been shown to be a valid and reliable method of evaluating students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of learning in the simulation environment.