Envisioning Nursing Education for a Post-COVID-19 World: Qualitative Findings From the Frontline

Development and psychometric testing of the nurses' core competencies for public health emergencies scale: A multicenter cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The significance of addressing public health emergencies (PHEs) emphasizes the pivotal role of a skilled nursing workforce in effective preparedness and response. However, there's a lack of comprehensive assessments tailored to nurses' core competencies, serving as a standard for ongoing education in preparedness.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to develop a psychometrically sound scale for identifying and measuring essential core competencies crucial for nurses during public health emergencies.

DESIGN

A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted.

SETTINGS

Twelve tertiary hospitals in Shanghai.

PARTICIPANTS

Affiliated nurses with prior experience and significant exposure to public health emergencies were recruited.

METHODS

The study underwent development and validation in two stages, utilizing qualitative data analysis, a Delphi expert panel, and an empirical quantitative cross-sectional survey. The Nurses' Core Competencies for Public Health Emergencies (NCC-PHEs) scale and a demographic questionnaire were distributed between January 2023 and March 2023. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, Pearson correlations, and Cronbach's alpha analyses were employed to identify theoretical constructs, assess scale reliability, and establish validity.

RESULTS

Analysis was conducted on valid data collected from 1481 nurses. Factor analysis identified 47 professional nursing competencies arranged within a four-factor high-order model: prevention competencies (9 items), preparation competencies (7 items), response competencies (comprising basic and advanced levels) (26 items), and recovery competencies (5 items). Structural equation modelling confirmed satisfactory factor loadings and a good model fit, validating construct integrity. The reliability of the total scale was confirmed.

CONCLUSION

This study presents a valid scale that empirically measures nurses' core competencies crucial for preparedness and response during public health emergencies. The findings offer instrumental support for guiding the development of future courses and training programs in nursing research and practice.

Nursing Graduates' Preparedness for Practice: Substantiating the Call for Competency-Evaluated Nursing Education

Practice readiness continues to be a challenge in healthcare. This was especially evident during the COVID-19 pandemic. This focused descriptive-correlational study examined nurses' perceived preparedness for practice during the pandemic. One hundred and eighty-four registered nurses (RN) responded to Qualtrics survey questions addressing the competencies they perceived they had and the competencies they felt they needed that would have better prepared them to care for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results demonstrated that although these nurses felt competent in certain areas, they perceived that they needed more education in those same areas to feel better prepared. Bivariate correlations and linear regression analysis indicated that institutional competency development, education, and work experience influenced perceived competency.

Nursing experience during COVID-19 pandemic in Korea: a qualitative analysis based on critical components of the professional practice models

BACKGROUND

Nurses have an essential role and responsibility to work at the forefront of patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the press and public have praised the dedication of nurses in the COVID-19 pandemic, there are several points to consider for nursing professional development. The purpose of this study is to collect the experiences of the nursing profession in the COVID-19 pandemic through interviews, seek improvements for the development of the nursing profession, and suggest directions for the future.

METHOD

This qualitative study adopts semi-structured interviews analyzing the nursing experience of the COVID-19 pandemic based on the professional practice models (PPMs). Ten nurses with at least two years of working experience and thorough work changes in the COVID-19 pandemic from various settings have participated in the study.

RESULTS

We identified thirty-nine problematic codes and nineteen improvement codes which mapped to 12 key concepts and corresponded to 6 constructs of the PPM model.

CONCLUSION

Nurses had to take on tasks beyond their duties in urgent situations, which restrained nurses from concentrating on their work. Clarifying working boundaries is fundamental for collaborative care and independent nursing practice. Collaboration and communication among healthcare workers based on mutual understanding can create a respectful working environment. Although there were many difficulties due to the uncertain situation, we can find that the nursing profession can make achievements through systematic and organizational support for sticking to the basics of nursing, securing technical expertise, cultivating critical thinking, and developing various professional attributes. In this way, the establishment of roles based on professional values and duties and the ascertainment of clear boundaries for nursing will ultimately help to improve the quality of patient care.

US Nurses’ Challenges with Personal Protective Equipment during COVID-19: Interview Findings from the Frontline Workforce

This study aimed to describe nurses’ experiences with personal protective equipment while providing patient care during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the US. From May 2020 to September 2020, 100 individual interviews were conducted with nurses from diverse backgrounds and practice settings. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and verified for thematic analysis. Three key themes emerged related to personal protective equipment during COVID-19: (1) concerns with safety, (2) concerns with personal protective equipment supply, and (3) concerns with health care systems changing personal protective equipment policies. These findings support the importance of transparent and equitable institution-wide PPE standards in creating safe working environments. Clear communication around personal protective equipment policies and procedures, personal protective equipment education, and assurance of equitable access to equipment that can mitigate risk and disability while also reducing fear, confusion, and frustration among nurses. Maintaining clear and consistent personal protective equipment guidelines and communication regarding supplies and procedures enhances transparency during both routine and critical times de-escalating the inevitable strain concomitant with providing patient care during a global pandemic.