Qualitative study on the core competencies of nursing personnel in emergency medical rescue teams at comprehensive hospitals in Chongqing, China.

OBJECTIVE: As an integral part of emergency medical rescue teams during public health events, understanding the core competencies that nursing personnel should possess-including theoretical knowledge, practical skills, comprehensive abilities and personal traits-can provide a practical basis for better preparation and targeted training for future emergency rescue works. Thus, this study aims to provide a scientific and applicable reference for perfecting the routine training strategy of nursing personnel assembled by emergency medical rescue teams and improving the overall guarantee ability level of this group. DESIGN: This is a qualitative study conducted using individual semi-structured interviews. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim for the purpose of thematic analysis and extraction. SETTING: Participants were recruited from February to March 2023, from four comprehensive hospitals in Chongqing China with the highest number of emergency relief works. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of experts (N=15) with extensive experience in emergency relief works was recruited in Chongqing, China. RESULTS: 60% of the experts held master's degrees or higher, 73.3% held senior or higher titles, 36.7% had participated in work execution more than five times and 73.3% held leadership positions in their current units and in the execution of emergency relief works. Four main themes and 22 corresponding subthemes were derived for the core competencies required for nursing personnel selected for emergency medical rescue teams in public health events, including theoretical knowledge, practical skills, comprehensive abilities and personal traits. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that through interviews with 15 experts with extensive experience in the public health event, the essential elements of core competencies for nursing personnel assigned to emergency medical rescue teams during the public health event were identified. These can serve as a reference standard for the selection of nursing personnel in public health events, and provide a basis for the cultivation and evaluation of competency for nursing personnel assigned to emergency medical rescue teams in the public health event in China and globally.

Exploring the competencies of Chinese critical care nurses in mobile medical teams based on the onion model: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: With frequent conflicts, natural disasters, and public health emergencies globally, mobile medical teams (MMTs) are becoming increasingly critical. Importantly, the competency of critical care nurses in MMTs can substantially affect the effectiveness and quality of its rescue efforts. Yet, these nurses' competencies are not well understood. AIM: This study examined the competencies of critical care nurses in MMTs using the Onion Model. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive method was used to describe the competencies of Chinese MMT critical care nurses. METHODS: From April to May 2022, a convenience sample of 18 participants (14 critical care nurses and 4 surgeons) from 10 MMTs was recruited for semi-structured interviews. Deductive and inductive coding methods were combined for content analysis. RESULTS: In total, 29 competencies were identified, which were grouped into four major domains using the Onion Model. From the outer to inner layers, these domains were knowledge and skills, professional abilities, professional quality, and personal traits. Several novel competencies emerged, including field medical equipment operation skills, on-site hazard identification and safety prevention skills, triage knowledge, and field survival skills. CONCLUSIONS: Using the Onion Model, this study furthers the understanding of the competency of critical care nurses in MMTs, especially by revealing the novel competencies. Further, the results can be used to recruit, evaluate, and train critical care nurses for MMTs. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Understanding MMT critical care nurses' competencies can help managers plan and provide relevant training and education before deployment, which can improve nurses' performance, and especially reduce the mortalities and disabilities from trauma.

Exploring the competencies of operating room nurses in mobile surgical teams based on the Onion Model: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: With the frequent occurrence of public health emergencies, conflicts and natural disasters around the world, mobile surgical teams are becoming more crucial. The competency of the operating room (OR) nurse has a substantial impact on the effectiveness and quality of the surgical team's treatment, still there is limited knowledge about OR nurse competencies in mobile surgical teams. This study aimed to explore the competencies of OR nurses in mobile surgical teams based on the Onion Model. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative descriptive study of participants from 10 mobile surgical teams in 2022. Twenty-one surgical team members were interviewed, including 15 OR nurses, four surgeons, and two anesthesiologists. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The data were analyzed using Mayring's content analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-eight competencies were found in the data analysis, which were grouped into four major domains using the Onion Model. From the outer layer to the inner layer were knowledge and skills, professional abilities, professional quality, and personal traits. The qualitative data revealed several novel competencies, including triage knowledge, self and mutual medical aid, outdoor survival skills, and sense of discipline. CONCLUSIONS: The application of the Onion Model promotes the understanding of competency and strengthens the theoretical foundations of this study. New competencies can enrich the content of the competencies of OR nurses. The results of this study can be used for clinical recruitment, evaluation and training of OR nurses in mobile surgical teams. This study encourages further research to develop competency assessment tools and training programs for OR nurses.

Learning needs of nursing postgraduates in Southwest China based on Hutchinson's learning needs theory: a qualitative research.

BACKGROUND: The process of education is mutual. The learning needs of students need to be paid attention to and can affect the learning outcome. In order to make nursing postgraduates' curriculum better, meet the learning needs of students, and help to achieve the learning objectives of students, this study based on Hutchinson's learning needs theory, aims to collect the learning experience of nursing graduates, as well as the gap between learning needs and target needs, and explore the benefits and barriers of nursing graduates in the curriculum learning. It may provide beneficial reference for further optimizing teaching content and improving teaching methods. METHODS: This study was designed as a qualitative research. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 17 nursing postgraduates in the only two universities in Chongqing, Southwest China, 2021. Semi-structured, in-depth individual interviews were conducted to explore how they subjectively experience the benefits and demands of the professional curriculum. Data was analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes "clear learning cognition and goals," "positive learning attitude," and "the gap between learning goals and actual needs" were identified from the original data. Respectively, Subthemes concerning the first theme included "improve scientific research capabilities, enlighten thinking and broaden your horizons, and learn new knowledge and new skills." Subthemes of the second theme were "improve abilities in practice and actively seek diversification of course content and format." Subthemes of the third theme included "the course has a certain depth and breadth, but the course study does not meet the needs of scientific research, the course contents are theoretical, not knowing how to use the research method in certain conditions." CONCLUSIONS: The learning needs of nursing postgraduates in Southwest China could be divided into two parts: benefits and barriers, among which the benefits were participants had clear learning goals and positive learning attitudes. When curriculum could not meet their needs, they actively sought methods (e.g., networks or off-campus resources) to close the gap between those needs and their goals. Follow-up educators should focus on learning needs and build curricula by optimizing the contents and methods of existing teaching resources.

Development and evaluation of competency-based curriculum for continuing professional development among military nurses: a mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential for career progression and maintaining military nursing competency. A well-designed CPD programme can improve the effectiveness of transforming knowledge and skills in healthcare organisations. This study aimed to develop a competency-based CPD curriculum for military nurses in China and evaluate its effectiveness from a developmental pilot study. METHODS: In phase one, a two-round Delphi was conducted to design a competency-based curriculum of CPD based on a clinical ladder model among military nurses. In phase two, the curriculum of one CPD programme was redesigned, and a pilot quasi-experiment was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of this programme. RESULTS: A competency-based curriculum was developed for primary, intermediate, and senior titles, respectively. The trainees' overall satisfaction with the redesigned CPD programme was 100%. The four themes in the qualitative data were: 1) learning motivation and learning barriers; 2) professional growth; 3) role model promoted career planning; 4) learning environment mattered. CONCLUSION: This study developed a competency-based curriculum for continuing professional development among military nurses that can be used in designing CPD programmes. Competency-based curriculum can be utilised in the CPD activities to facilitate the improvement of nursing competency.

The effectiveness of simulation-based training on the competency of military nurses: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Simulation is an integral component of healthcare education and military training. There is substantial evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of simulation-based training in nursing and the military; however, its effectiveness for military nurses has not been established in systematic reviews. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of simulation-based training on the competency of military nurses and provide guidance for future research on the training of military nurses. DESIGN: A scoping literature review of PRISMA was used to guide the review. METHODS: Six databases (PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Embase, and the Cochrane Library) were searched for English articles. The following search terms were used in different combinations: simulation, simulate, military, army, nurses, competency, training, and education. Our database search began in 2000 and ended in February 2022. Additionally, we conducted a manual search of the references of the identified studies. RESULTS: In this review, ten studies published between 2008 and 2021 were included, nine were from the United States and one was from the United Kingdom. The results showed that simulation-based interventions were effective in military nurse competency training, including individual knowledge, skills, abilities and thinking, team communication and collaboration abilities, competency enhancement and maintenance. Simulations can effectively train the competencies of newly graduated military nurses, nurses during daily work, and in preparing nurses during deployment. CONCLUSION: Existing studies on simulation-based training of military nurses are limited. Additional research is needed to assess other competency training for military nurses, pre-deployment training, and training using other simulation methods. It is important to find suitable simulation training methods for the different competencies required of military nurses.

Professional quality of life in nurses on the frontline against COVID-19.

AIMS: This study aimed to investigate professional quality of life (ProQOL) in nurses who were fighting against COVID-19 in Wuhan and its related factors. BACKGROUND: COVID-19 epidemic is a major threat to public health. Frontline nurses have engaged in infection prevention and control, isolation, containment and public health. However, available data on ProQOL in these nurses are limited. METHODS: From 15 to 21 March 2020, the Chinese version of ProQOL was utilized to survey a total of 102 nurses through an electronic questionnaire. The stepwise regression analysis was performed to determine which factors (e.g. demographic and work-related factors) were related to ProQOL. RESULTS: The scores of compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO) and secondary traumatic stress (STS) were 38.09 ± 5.22, 21.77 ± 4.92 and 20.75 ± 6.27, respectively. The STS and CS scores were higher than the critical value. None of the nurses reported a low level of CS or a high level of BO and STS. Nurses' ProQOL was related to working hours, workload, job satisfaction and salary satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses who were fighting against COVID-19 had better CS and BO, whereas STS was relatively worse. Nurses who worked for long hours had more severe STS. BO of nurses with heavy workload and dissatisfaction with their salary was more severe. Nurses who were unsatisfied with their job had poor CS. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: It is believed that these results may help nurse managers to improve ProQOL of nurses who were fighting against COVID-19 by minimizing working hours, reducing workload and improving job satisfaction and rewards.

Identifying the Unmet Supportive Care Needs, with Concomitant Influencing Factors, in Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients in China.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study is to assess the unmet needs of cancer caregivers and to identify the possible predictors of their supportive care needs in China. METHODS: This multicenter, cross-sectional study enrolled 449 cancer patients' family caregivers' dyads. Patients provided general information and Karnofsky performance status (KPS); caregivers provided general information and completed a survey of Chinese version of the Supportive Care Needs Survey-Partners and Caregivers Scale. The independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple stepwise regression were used to analyze the factors that influence the needs of caregivers. RESULTS: A proportion of caregivers who had no needs were 5.6%. A proportion of caregivers with ≥ 5 moderate or high unmet needs and with ≥ 10 moderate or high unmet needs were 77.7% and 63.2%, respectively. Healthcare services and information needs and communication and relationship needs were the most prominent areas of caregivers' unmet needs. The item "Finding out about financial support and government benefits for you and/or the person with cancer" was the highest level of unmet needs at 78.6%. The level of unmet needs was related to the patient's physical function (KPS score), caregiver's educational levels, financial burden of healthcare, as well as the level of burden related to caregiving (working status, caring for others, caregiving experience, and total caregiving time). CONCLUSIONS: The level of unmet needs of family caregivers of cancer patients in China was higher. In clinical practice, more attention should be paid to family caregivers who take care of the patient with poor physical function, those who are highly educated, faced with higher financial burden of healthcare, and are currently working, as well as those who need to take care of others, spend more time caregiving, and have no caregiving experience.