Incorporating Social Needs Screening in Simulation for Family Nurse Practitioner Students.

BACKGROUND: A pilot simulation was implemented at a private university school of nursing to provide an opportunity for family nurse practitioner (FNP) students to apply their knowledge of assessing and addressing social determinants of health (SDOH). METHOD: The Social Needs Screening Tool (SNST), developed by the American Academy of Family Physicians, and SDOH content were incorporated into a tele-health simulation-based learning experience. Using Zoom [Zoom Video Communications, Inc.], students encountered a standardized patient who sought care for shoulder pain and shared concerns about transportation and finances. RESULTS: Thirty-nine FNP students individually completed the simulation. Evaluation was conducted via an adapted Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified and written feedback to assess confidence and skills. Eighty-nine percent of students reported they felt more comfortable using the SNST following the simulation. CONCLUSION: Incorporating SDOH content and the SNST within simulation-based learning is an effective learning activity to enhance FNP student confidence and skills in assessing and addressing SDOH. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(X):XXX-XXX.].

Ambulatory Care Simulation: A Collaboration Between MSN and BSN Students.

BACKGROUND: A university school of nursing initiated a pilot project to include Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) students in two existing Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) student scenarios. The result was a valuable collaboration among the student learners. METHOD: Using a Zoom platform, students were introduced to their patient in a telehealth scenario. Students then encountered the same patient in an urgent care setting. The BSN student assessed the patient, then reported to the MSN student. The MSN student provided feedback and treatment orders. Individual BSN and MSN student pairs debriefed immediately after their scenarios and again at the end with other students and faculty. RESULTS: Evaluation was conducted using an adaptation of the Modified Simulation Evaluation Tool (SET-M) and free-text questions developed by nursing faculty. Both SET-M responses and written comments indicated students were satisfied with the simulation experience, and students' confidence and skills in communication and collaboration improved. CONCLUSION: This simulation was beneficial for both MSN and BSN students and will become an ongoing addition to the simulations. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(5):293-297.].

Integrating Early Brain Science and Skills Into Prelicensure Nursing Curriculum to Promote Parent-Child Interaction.

BACKGROUND: Research shows that the number of loving words children hear in their first 3 years of life has a tremendous impact on their health, developmental, and literacy outcomes. Early language transactions should be rich in engagement, quantity, quality, and context-a term called language nutrition. PROBLEM: The curriculum in most nursing programs does not emphasize the importance of early language exposure and ways to empower families to talk with their babies. APPROACH: The Talk With Me Baby Curriculum for Nurses, which includes techniques to empower families to better engage conversationally with their babies, was integrated into the prelicensure nursing curriculum. OUTCOMES: More than 1,300 nursing students have received knowledge and skills on early language exposure and ways nurses can promote parent-child interactions. CONCLUSION: Nurses have the opportunity to empower families to engage with their babies socially, emotionally, and linguistically as a means of promoting healthy brain development.

Efficacy of the I Can Control Asthma and Nutrition Now (ICAN) pilot program on health outcomes in high school students with asthma.

Asthma is the most prevalent chronic illness in childhood affecting 7 million youth. Many youth with asthma face another risk factor in obesity. Obesity, in turn, increases disorders such as asthma. Studies have recommended that asthma programs also address weight management in youth. Taking this into consideration, the I Can Control Asthma and Nutrition Now (ICAN) program is an innovative school-based program composed of (1) nutrition and weight management education, (2) asthma education, and (3) monthly reenforcement visits. This pilot study tested the initial effectiveness of the ICAN pilot program on a variety of asthma and nutrition outcomes in 25 urban minority students with asthma. Over the course of the pilot program, significant increases in asthma knowledge, asthma self-efficacy, asthma quality of life, asthma self-care, nutrition knowledge, nutrition self-efficacy, and asthma control were observed. The ICAN program has demonstrated promising preliminary results in improving nutrition and asthma health outcomes with urban minority high school students.