Assessing the impact of academic-practice partnerships on nursing staff

Nursing students led simulations to improve healthcare workers' hand hygiene compliance

BACKGROUND

Hand hygiene compliance (HHC) is recognised as a major factor in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections. Healthcare workers (HCWs) compliance is still suboptimal. Simulation as an educational strategy may contribute to improved performance.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the effect of simulation interventions led by nursing students on HCWs' HHC.

METHOD

A prospective quasi-experimental design with before and after intervention measurements was implemented in an 1150-bed tertiary hospital. Four consecutive periods, measuring before and after HHC, were examined in four hospital divisions. For each division, unique simulation activities were developed and led by nursing students, educators, and hospital leaders. Sixty seven students and 286 healthcare workers, along with two nurse educators, participated in the simulation sessions. HHC of all HCWs in the divisions was assessed by hospital infection control personnel.

RESULTS

Hospital HHC rose across the four periods in all four divisions during this study. In three out of four periods and divisions, HHC increased significantly more in the simulation intervention groups compared to the overall hospital improvement.

CONCLUSION

Student-led simulation for HCWs is an additional effective method to improve HHC. Nursing managers should consider joining forces with nursing educators to enable students to become agents of change in healthcare settings and encourage further collaboration.

Effective academic-practice partnership models in nursing students' clinical placement: A systematic literature review

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review examines the effectiveness of academic-practice partnership models which include clinical faculty and clinical mentor roles in improving nursing students' clinical learning when compared with traditional models.

REVIEW METHODS

PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO and Cochrane Library were searched to locate Randomized Control Trials and quasi-experimental studies published from 1999 to 2020. The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools were used to ensure methodological quality.

RESULTS

Fourteen studies were included in the review. The Collaborative Teaching Model and the Dedicated Education Unit model were tested in randomized controlled trials. Dedicated Education Unit, Dedicated Education Centre, Clinical Education Units, Education Partnership model, Collaborative educational-practice model and Collaborative clinical practicum model were evaluated in four experimental studies and ten quasi-experimental studies. Studies did not include patient participation, and staff and faculty had anecdotal presence.

CONCLUSION

There is limited evidence on the effectiveness of academic-practice partnership models. However, the complementary roles of clinical faculty and clinical mentor, in addition to education and health institutions managers commitment could successfully facilitate students' clinical learning.

Impact of the Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) Program Maturity Status on the Nursing Home Resident's Place of Death

The Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) program was developed to enhance quality of care delivered at End-of-Life (EoL). Although positive impacts of the POLST program have been identified, the association between a program maturity status and nursing home resident's likelihood of dying in their current care settings remain unanswered. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the POLST program maturity status on nursing home residents' place of death. Using multiple national-level datasets, we examined total 595,152 residents and their place of death. The result showed that the long-stay residents living in states where the program was mature status had 12% increased odds of dying in nursing homes compared that of non-conforming status. Individuals residing in states with developing program status showed 11% increase in odds of dying in nursing homes. The findings demonstrate that a well-structured and well-disseminated POLST program, combined with a continued effort to meet high standards of quality EoL care, can bring out positive health outcomes for elderly patients residing in care settings.