Suzanne Hetzel Campbell

Clinical lactation practice: 20 years of evidence

Lactation consultants depend on a vast multidisciplinary knowledge base to support their practices. To coincide with the 20-year anniversary of the International Lactation Consultant Association, the authors sought to highlight the knowledge base to demonstrate how practice has been affected. Using standard databases, they extracted English-language scientific literature related to breastfeeding and maternal and infant health outcomes; factors associated with breastfeeding initiation, exclusivity, and duration; lactation physiology; common breastfeeding challenges; breastfeeding practices within vulnerable populations; health professional support of breastfeeding; and breastfeeding practices in developing countries of Africa. Summaries of research are provided to demonstrate scientific method and knowledge evolution. As the knowledge of the biological, behavioral, and environmental factors that affect breastfeeding continues to grow, researchers and lactation consultants will identify additional research areas. Thus, the cycle of describing and explaining phenomena, testing interventions to improve practice, and ultimately improving breastfeeding outcomes worldwide will continue.

Integrating Spirituality into Undergraduate Nursing Curricula

Nursing programs have done a commendable job keeping pace with the rapid advances in disease management. Yet, spirituality has received far less attention in nursing curricula (Keefe, 2005) and nursing students often do not have a strong foundation in this area. The purpose of this project was to integrate spirituality into the undergraduate nursing curricula and measure student outcomes related to spiritual knowledge and attitudes. Nursing faculty participated in a spirituality education program and followed this with sessions focused on integration of spiritual content into individual nursing courses. Student pre and post-tests were administered using a standard instrument to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Significant differences in spirituality knowledge and attitudes among senior-level nursing students (t = -3.059, p = .004) were revealed. As the healthcare system becomes increasingly complex, providing students with tools to identify and strengthen inner resources is essential to patient care.

Integration of End-of-Life Care Content in Undergraduate Nursing Curricula: Student Knowledge and Perceptions

Studies indicate that nurses spend more time with patients at the end of life than any other health care discipline (K. M. Foley & H. Gelband, 2003). So it is imperative that nurses be educated so they can provide this high-quality end-of-life care. The purpose of this project was to provide a current state of end-of-life nursing education in the literature and to report on end-of-life knowledge and experiences of two groups of nursing students in one small, liberal arts university. A total of 111 undergraduate students (61 sophomores and 50 seniors) were administered a 50-item, multiple-choice test to determine their baseline knowledge about end-of-life care. Sophomore scores ranged from 20% to 86% with a mean of 60.98 (SD = 11.83). Senior pretest scores ranged from 70% to 96% with a mean of 83.26 (SD = 6.6). An independent samples t test was conducted to determine if there was a difference in group mean knowledge between sophomore and senior students. Levenes test for equality of variance was significant (F = 4.22, P < .05); thus, a t test with equal variance assumed revealed a significant difference between sophomore and senior group means (t = -10.44, P < .001). The review of literature and student knowledge and experience assessment resulted in the development of a model of end-of-life curriculum integration implemented at the university and sets the stage for future program evaluation studies.

Preceptor rewards: How to say thank you for mentoring the next generation of nurse practitioners

Purpose: To answer the question how do faculty nurture and reward clinical preceptors and what supports do preceptors require? Data sources: Data came from the literature and from surveying a purposive sample of 26 faculty members teaching clinical courses and arranging precepted experiences for nurse practitioner (NP) students at 26 public and private institutions across the United States. The vehicles for the survey were personal contact and e‐mail. Conclusions: Schools offer preceptor rewards varying widely in their monetary value, from tuition and continuing education vouchers, verification of hours toward recertification, access to services and events on campus, reduced price or free admission to museums, cultural and sports events, and lectures. Faculty nurture preceptors by nominating them for awards, providing letters of reference, editing manuscripts, and collaborating on research projects. Supports for preceptors from the literature reflected National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties guidelines (2000), and the policies of schools and clinical agencies, such as providing copies of program objectives and student credentials. Implications for practice and education: As NP programs have proliferated, there is increased pressure on faculty to find, nurture, reward, and retain good preceptors. Faculty must continue to work with program and agency administrators to comply with policies and create preceptor rewards to recognize their gifts to us, to our schools, and to the profession.

E-baby skin integrity: evidence-based technology innovation for teaching in neonatal nursing

Objective: To develop and validate the serious game e-Baby: skin integrity along with a panel of experts. Method: Methodological research approaching the following development steps: scope definition, game format and functions, script and communication with software developers, creation of prototype with evaluation and production; and validation by four experts using the tool Heuristic Evaluation for Digital Educational Game. Results: The serious game was built in a 3D technology with multimedia including animation and scientific-based content. The educational technology was validated by the experts in all heuristics, and among the all 36 analyzed items. 18 (50%) presented no errors, and regarding the remaining items with any error, none had more than 25% errors within levels 3 and 4, according to Nielsens classification. Conclusion and implications for the practice: The validated serious game is a virtual simulation educational technology with potential to contribute with learning in nursing and with evidence-based clinical practice.

Experiences of Iranian nursing students regarding their clinical learning environment

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to explain the experiences of Iranian nursing students regarding their clinical learning environment (CLE). METHODS Twenty-one nursing students participated in this qualitative study. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis. RESULTS Analysis of interviews identified six categories: educational confusion, absence of evaluation procedures, limited educational opportunities, inappropriate interactions with nursing staff, bullying culture, and discrimination. Systematic and consistent methods were not used in clinical education and evaluation of nursing students. In addition, there were inadequate interactions between nursing students and health-care staff, and most students experienced discrimination and bullying in clinical settings. CONCLUSION Findings showed that the CLE of Iranian nursing students may be inadequate for high-level learning and safe and effective teaching. Addressing these challenges will require academic and practice partnerships to examine the systems affecting the CLE, and areas to be addressed are described in the six themes identified.

Limits to Growth: A Private Family Health Practice

The Case Study section of the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation serves two purposes. First, the case studies presented are concerned with problematical issues that are pertinent to students of entrepreneurship. Thus they constitute appropriate teaching and learning vehicles on a variety of postgraduate and undergraduate programmes. Each case study is accompanied by a set of guidelines for the use of tutors. Second, it is envisaged that those engaged in entrepreneurial activities will find the cases both interesting and useful. This issue’s case study describes a unique medical practice that has experienced significant growth since it was started five years ago. The practice faces several growth-related challenges, including process capacity, demand management, staffing, facilities planning, financial risk management, information technology, and competition with similar services in the region.