Enhancing Baccalaureate Nursing Students’ Perception of Competence and Confidence During an Alternative Dedicated Education Unit Experience: A Pilot Study

Nursing Students' and Nurse Preceptors' Perspectives of an Ambulatory Dedicated Education Unit in Primary Care and General Internal Medicine

BACKGROUND

The sustainability of prelicensure nursing clinical learning models within ambulatory care is dependent on strong partnership and the availability of ambulatory nurse preceptors. Evaluation of preceptor and student satisfaction with ambulatory clinical experiences is necessary to identify program strengths and opportunities.

METHOD

Nursing students' and nurse preceptors' perceptions of an ambulatory dedicated education unit (DEU) in primary care and general internal medicine practices were measured from 2021 to 2023.

RESULTS

Students' survey responses indicated a high level of agreement for 20 (90.9%) of 22 items in 2021, 35 (100%) of 35 items in 2022, and 32 (91.4%) of 35 items in 2023. Preceptor responses demonstrated favorable agreement with all of the work-life satisfaction across the 3 years of the survey, with the exception of one question on the 2021 survey.

CONCLUSION

Nursing students and staff nurse preceptors found the ambulatory DEU teaching and learning experience to be positive and satisfying. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(3):171-177.].

Role Transition of Newly Graduated Nurses: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Newly Graduated Nurses in different socio-cultural contexts confront dissimilar situations and influences on role transfer. It is important to understand how newly graduated nurses reconstruct their own professional concept of clinical nurses.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore how Taiwanese newly graduated nurses perceived their new role and the process through which they transition into the professional role.

METHODS

Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory guided the study's design and implementation. Purposive and theoretical sampling and the snowball technique were used to recruit 30 participants from 3 tertiary and 2 community hospitals in Taiwan. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim into a readable format. Initial, focused and theoretical coding was utilized for data analysis. The criteria of credibility, originality, resonance and usefulness guided assessment of the study's quality and ensured the trustworthiness of the study process.

RESULTS

The process of role transition to become a nurse comprised four stages: hesitation, psychological preparation, development and appreciation. The hesitation stage was interpreted as a phase of passive learning. In the psychological preparation, newly graduate nurses began to take full work responsibility. The development stage saw them gain work confidence and, in the appreciation stage, they acquired a full picture of their roles.

CONCLUSION

To bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practice and reduce the time new graduate nurses need for role adjustment contributes to an early stage of Hesitation rather than the Appreciation stage of role transition. The findings suggest the need for further research to explore newly graduated nurses' needs during the process of role transition.

Characteristics and processes of the dedicated education unit practice education model for undergraduate nursing students: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

The objective was to review literature related to the dedicated education unit practice education model for undergraduate nursing students, and identify common characteristics and processes for implementing and sustaining this model.

INTRODUCTION

Although practice education is central to undergraduate nursing education, evidence-informed practices for learning in the clinical setting remain elusive. Changes to health care over the past decades related to the role and scope of practice for nurses, gradual shifts to community- and population-based care delivery, and expectations for interprofessional practice require forward-looking education models. The dedicated education unit model was developed in 1997 as a potential solution to globally recognized challenges in nursing education amidst discourses of nursing resource scarcity. Despite more than two decades of innovation and expansion, there is still limited understanding of the effectiveness of the dedicated education unit as a solution to those challenges, or for the anticipated benefits for students and patients, through enhanced evidence-informed health care. This analysis of the characteristics and processes of the model is timely for evaluating and sustaining implementation of the dedicated education unit across nursing practice and education settings.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

English-only publications related to the dedicated education unit practice education model for undergraduate nursing students in baccalaureate and associate degree programs using qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods research, and quality improvement, program evaluation, and opinion publications were included.

METHODS

Using selected keywords including "dedicated education unit," we searched CINAHL, Google Scholar, MEDLINE, Academic Premier Search, ERIC, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, JBI EBP Database, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts against inclusion criteria. We reviewed reference lists for gray literature and additional references. Data were extracted from the included articles and categorized for characteristics and processes. Eighty-two publications from January 1997 to May 2020 were included. The findings were presented descriptively with tables and figures to support the data.

RESULTS

Dedicated education unit models were based on five characteristics and four processes. Characteristics of the dedicated education unit model included effective academic-practice partnership, adaptability to diverse contexts, unit culture of educational excellence, responsive and supportive unit leadership, and clarity of roles and responsibilities. Processes included building nurse and faculty capacity, facilitating student learning, communicating regularly at systems and unit levels, and evaluating and sustaining the model.

CONCLUSIONS

Evidence demonstrated that the dedicated education unit practice education model is well-established. However, there were existing gaps in this evidence, specifically evaluation and economic analyses. There was also limited attention to long-term sustainability of the model. The common characteristics and processes identified in this review may be used to support planning, implementation, and evaluation, including development and validation of evaluation tools. Although administrative infrastructure was noted as central to the dedicated education unit strategy, it was rarely acknowledged as part of management and thus also requires further study.

Developing a Psychiatric Mental Health Dedicated Education Unit: Student, Staff Nurse, and Patient Experience

BACKGROUND

There is an urgent need to increase the psychiatric mental health (PMH) nursing workforce in the United States. The dedicated education unit (DEU) model may provide a creative solution to this need.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to describe the student, staff nurse, and patient experience in a PMH DEU.

METHODS

Thirty-three students and 7 staff nurses participated in focus group interviews. Sixty-one patients were asked to describe their experience with students in the PMH DEU.

RESULTS

Students reported that participation in the PMH DEU helped in breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness. Staff nurses described the benefit of staying current and faculty presence. Both students and staff nurses identified teamwork and understanding the PMH nursing role as key themes. All patients reported positive interactions with students.

CONCLUSIONS

The PMH DEU is a potential strategy to provide students with a deeper understanding of the PMH nursing role.

Peer learning and collaborative placement models in health care: a systematic review and qualitative synthesis of the literature

AIMS

To summarise the international empirical literature to provide a comprehensive overview of peer learning and collaborative practice placement models in health care and to synthesise their benefits and challenges.

BACKGROUND

Practical placements for students are in high demand due to the need for an increased nursing, midwifery and health professional workforce, thus collaborative placement models are an attractive solution to potentially increase placement capacity and enhance the student learning experience.

DESIGN

A systematic search of the literature and qualitative data synthesis using the PRISMA checklist and ENTREQ guidelines.

REVIEW METHODS

MEDLINE and CINAHL searched in March 2020. Quality appraisal of studies conducted. Collaborative models and empirical findings summarised. Reported benefits, challenges and implementation recommendations synthesised. Two tables developed for data representation.

RESULTS

172 studies were identified by the search strategy. Of these, 47 articles were included for appraisal and synthesis. 30 articles employed qualitative, seven quantitative and ten mixed-methods approaches. Research took place in eight countries. The majority of studies employed focus groups, interviews as well as questionnaire design. The total participant sample was 3462 consisting of students and educators.

CONCLUSIONS

This review confirmed that any peer learning is beneficial in supporting students' confidence and team working skills. It is especially helpful when pairing first year with third-year students. The latter can demonstrate their clinical skills and prepare for working in practice. Simultaneously, expert-led learning is important for role modelling and for the recognition of acquired skills. Evidence on the optimal placement experience is inconclusive; however, it can be concluded that any form of collaborative placement model requires careful planning and continuous preparation for staff and students.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Decision makers should consider implementing at least some form of peer learning to assist students with peer support, and ideally work towards a collaborative learning environment.

The effectiveness of partnership models in clinical nursing education - A scoping review

OBJECTIVES

To examine the effectiveness of partnership models in clinical nursing education with regards to cost effectiveness; student employability, work-readiness, confidence, and competence; and stakeholders' satisfaction.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

DATA SOURCES

Research studies published in English were searched electronically through EbscoHost (CINAHL and ERIC), Scopus, Medline (via Ovid), ProQuest Central, and Web of Science databases. Criteria were developed to guide the selection of original studies published in English before 2019 for review.

REVIEW METHODS

Arksey and Malley's framework (2005) and relevant enhancements guided the conduct of the review. An informal appraisal of selected studies was applied.

RESULTS

Two theses and 31 articles with a variation in methodologies, methods, sample sizes, research populations and quality of evidence were included for review. Four themes were identified: (i) Description of partnership models in clinical education, (ii) length of model implementation prior to evaluation, (iii) positive qualitative findings, and (iv) quantitative findings limited by data collection periods and methods.

CONCLUSIONS

Shared among the reviewed studies is stakeholder view of the positive impacts of partnership models on the clinical learning environment, and the increased level of support and individualised instruction for students. However, the use of not fully validated survey instruments and the lack of description about the implementation period before evaluation in many reviewed studies limit the interpretation of quantifiable effect of the partnership models. This review identifies a lack of attention on student employability, work-readiness, cost evaluation, patient perspective, and partnership models in low-income countries. Future research to address these knowledge gaps using high quality data collection methods and rigorous research design is warranted.

Exploring the Impact of a Dedicated Education Unit on New Graduate Nurses' Transition to Practice

Adequately preparing new graduate nurses for contemporary practice remains a challenge. This innovative mixed-method study explored the impact of a dedicated education unit on new graduate nurses' transition to practice. Results indicated that new graduate nurses with dedicated education unit experience were better prepared for contemporary practice compared to their peers with traditional clinical experiences. This study highlights the positive impact collaborative clinical teaching models can have on preparing new graduate nurses for practice.

Collaborative learning in practice: A systematic review and narrative synthesis of the research evidence in nurse education

Collaborative Learning in Practice is a model of placement learning for student nurses that is currently being implemented in the United Kingdom, apparently originating in Amsterdam. Potential benefits are reported to be increased placement capacity, reduced burdens on mentors as practice assessors, improvements in qualified nurses' job satisfaction, recruitment and retention, and better-developed preparedness for registrant practice amongst student nurses. We conducted a thorough, rigorous systematic review between October and December 2018 of the literature on Collaborative Learning in Practice to discover whether there was a research evidence base for these claims. We found nothing published in English in peer reviewed journals. We found 14 related papers, although these were about the Dedicated Education Unit concept, and we have conducted a narrative synthesis of them. Key findings support the assertions related to Collaborative Learning in Practice, albeit in different models of placement learning. Further research is necessary with Collaborative Learning in Practice stakeholders including staff and students, and regarding patient care metrics, to demonstrate benefits or otherwise and until that research takes place potential gains remain unproven.