Enhancing Nurse Roles in Community Health (ENRICH): The Impact of a Primary Care-Based Undergraduate Nursing Fellowship

BACKGROUND

Low numbers of new graduate nurses entering careers in primary care settings are insufficient to meet the demand of the current nursing shortage. The Enhancing Nurse Roles in Community Health (ENRICH) Fellowship is aimed at increasing undergraduate nursing students' exposure to population health concepts by providing opportunities to practice in primary care settings.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to implement and evaluate an undergraduate nursing fellowship program to enhance competency development in the primary care setting.

METHODS

Fellows received targeted exposure to population health content and immersive primary care experiences through participation in 150 dedicated clinical hours in primary clinics, coupled with up to 250 hours of dedicated curriculum.

RESULTS

Students who participated in the ENRICH Fellowship showed increased knowledge, improved perception of skills performance, and changed attitudes about population health and primary care nursing.

CONCLUSION

Participation in a population health-based fellowship that includes targeted curricular content and primary care-based clinical experiences during an undergraduate nursing program improves knowledge, attitudes, and competency-based skills related to primary care and population health.

Corrigendum to The Professional Quality of Life and Work Engagement of Nurse Leaders [Nurse Leader 19 (2021) 95-100]

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.mnl.2020.08.001.].

Effects of Postpartum Fatigue and Depressive Cognitions on Life Satisfaction and Quality of Life in Arab Postpartum Women: The Intervening Role of Resourcefulness

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationships among postpartum fatigue (PPF), depressive cognitions, resourcefulness, quality of life, and life satisfaction in Arab postpartum mothers. A conceptual framework is used in this study based on the middle range theory of resourcefulness, which Zauszniewski developed in 2006. The study is a cross-sectional descriptive design with 123 postpartum women who had given birth within the past six months. used WhatsApp and Facebook for recruitment. developed the self-administered online survey in Qualtrics and collected data from 6 January 2017, to 6 February 2017. Correlation analysis is used to address the research aim and used the P value of 0.05 to determine the significance of the results. There were significant correlations among depressive cognitions and resourcefulness, life satisfaction, and quality of life; there were also significant correlations between PPF and life satisfaction, as well as among resourcefulness, quality of life, and life satisfaction. The results of this study emphasized the importance of assessing depressive symptoms and PPF in mothers early in the postpartum period. The results may contribute to designing future intervention studies aimed toward decreasing the risk of mothers with PPF developing more serious depressive symptoms.

The Professional Quality of Life and Work Engagement of Nurse Leaders

Even before the current pandemic, the nurse leader (NL) role was demanding of time, energy, and resources. These demands often cause stress, fatigue, and burnout. The focused-on outcome metrics, increased regulations, and economic downturn are challenges that NLs have continued to face. This study, undertaken before the pandemic, provides understanding of the professional quality of life and work engagement among NLs. Findings revealed that experienced NLs with doctorates have higher levels of compassion satisfaction and engagement, and have lowest levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Minimizing compassion fatigue among NLs is imperative as they foster organizational cultures of compassion and engagement. Future research post-pandemic is recommended, especially as the demands have increased significantly.

Professional values, self-esteem, and ethical confidence of baccalaureate nursing students

Professional identity and competent ethical behaviors of nursing students are commonly developed through curricular inclusion of professional nursing values education. Despite the enactment of this approach, nursing students continue to express difficulty in managing ethical conflicts encountered in their practice. This descriptive correlational study explores the relationships between professional nursing values, self-esteem, and ethical decision making among senior baccalaureate nursing students. A convenience sample of 47 senior nursing students from the United States were surveyed for their level of internalized professional nursing values (Revised Professional Nursing Values Scale), level of self-esteem (Rosenberg’s Self-Esteem Scale), and perceived level of confidence in ethical decision making. A significant positive relationship (p < 0.05) was found between nursing students’ professional nursing values and levels of self-esteem. The results of this study can be useful to nursing educators whose efforts are focused on promoting professional identity development and competent ethical behaviors of future nurses.

Empowerment and job satisfaction in associate degree nurse educators

The purpose of this study was to examine empowerment, job satisfaction levels, and relationships among 139 associate degree nursing educators.The Conditions of Work Effectiveness II, Psychological Empowerment Scale, and Job Diagnostic Survey were used. Findings indicated that the majority of educators were satisfied with their jobs as nursing faculty and felt empowered in their workplaces. Psychological empowerment demonstrated the strongest positive correlation with job satisfaction. There were no significant differences in empowerment or job satisfaction based on educators' tenure status, educational level, evidence of scholarship, or academic rank. Based on the findings of this study, the authors recommend that deans use resources to provide faculty opportunities to expand their departmental influence and spend more time with students, as well as place faculty in positions that highlight their relevance to the college and nursing program.

The effect of an educational session on pediatric nurses' perspectives toward providing spiritual care

This study evaluated the effect of a spiritual education session on pediatric nurses' perspectives toward providing spiritual care. A one-group pretest and posttest design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational session. Participants consisted of 41 pediatric and neonatal nurses that worked in a large university-affiliated children's hospital. Findings confirmed that the spiritual education session had a positive effect on nurses' perspectives toward providing spiritual care. In addition, a positive correlation was identified between the pediatric nurses' perception of their own spirituality and their perspective toward providing care.

Internet versus face-to-face therapy: emotional self-disclosure issues for young adults

The purpose of this study was to compare differences in emotional self-disclosure between young adult Internet users who prefer face-to-face therapy to those who prefer Internet therapy. A convenience sample of 328 was recruited from Facebook to complete an online survey. A total of 263 preferred face-to-face therapy (F2FT) while 65 preferred Internet therapy (IT). Significant differences were found with the F2FT group willing to disclose emotions of depression, jealously, anxiety, and fear to a therapist more frequently than the IT group. The majority reported a preference for F2FT over IT. Recommendations for future professional practice and research are included.

Differences in Perceptions of Empowerment Among Nationally Certified and Noncertified Nurses

OBJECTIVE

To examine the difference in perceptions of empowerment between nurses who were nationally certified and those who were not.

BACKGROUND

Nurses are encouraged to obtain certification in their specialty. The focus of most nursing research on certification has been on motivation to acquire certification and perceived benefits of certification. Research related to empowerment indicates that access to empowerment structures results in achievement and success.

METHODS

This descriptive comparative study used the Conditions of Work Effectiveness II Questionnaire to measure registered nurses' perceptions of empowerment. Certification status was recorded on the demographic section of the questionnaire.

RESULTS

Significant differences were noted in empowerment scores for certified and noncertified nurses as measured by the Conditions of Work Effectiveness II Questionnaire. Findings suggest that nurses who are certified have higher perceptions of empowerment. Certification may increase nurses' perceptions of empowerment and therefore improve work effectiveness.

CONCLUSION

Certified nurses in this study had increased access to job-related power and opportunity structures. Certification provides recognition of the nurses' knowledge and expertise in the specialty area which in turn is empowering. Organizations that support and recognize this achievement may experience improved turnover and retention rates.