Supporting Clinical Nurses Through a Research Fellowship.

After reviewing the literature, nurses at the bedside seeking answers to clinical questions may find their inquiries remain unanswered. This article describes the yearlong Research Fellows Program in which candidates, funded for 12 hours per month of research release time, answered formal research questions in a curriculum designed to provide the skills to complete their study. Five have completed their studies; 1 has received a grant to continue. Two are in process of submitting manuscripts to journals.

Using Simulation to Model Improvements in Pediatric Bed Placement in an Acute Care Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this project was to use an interdisciplinary approach to analyze strategies through simulation technology for improving patient flow in a pediatric hospital. BACKGROUND: Various statistics have been offered on the number of children admitted annually to hospitals. For administrators, particularly in smaller systems, the financial burden of equipping and staffing pediatric units often outweighs the moral desire to maintain a pediatric unit as a viable option for patients and pediatricians. METHODS: Discrete event simulation was used to model current operations of a pediatric unit. Cost analysis was conducted using simulation reflecting various percentages of patients being referred to a discharge holding area (DHA) upon discharge and of the use of all private rooms. RESULTS: Both DHA and private rooms resulted in increased patient volumes. CONCLUSIONS: Administrators should consider the use of a DHA and/or private rooms to ease the census strains of pediatric units and the resultant revenue of this service.

Clinical simulation as an instructional strategy for animating the clinical nurse framework.

The Clincal Nurse Leader (CNL) roles include both the management of clinical outcomes and management of the clinical environment. In a program in which students learn the CNL roles as a Master's Entry Option program, both the bedside and the systems roles must be mastered. This article describes how simulation can animate the curriculum by challenging students at both the bedside and microsystem level in a pediatric setting. Fourteen MEO/CNL students were exposed to two clinical days of simulated experience in both well assessment and emergency-response case-based scenarios. Results of a post-experience survey revealed high rates of agreement on the constructs measured. Another cohort of eight MEO/CNL students were assigned to observe and report on the systems-level issues of two cohorts of junior-level baccalaureate students who were engaged in pediatric simulations. Simulation can be used to animate both the bedside and system level roles expected of the Clincal Nurse Leader.

Conducting root cause analysis with nursing students: best practice in nursing education.

This article describes a novel approach that allows students to actively participate in a root cause analysis, whether the error was committed in the clinical setting or in the simulation setting. This process can develop student awareness of the responsibility and professional duty to participate in creating a safer patient environment.

Pediatric environmental health and nursing leadership.

Children of poverty and children of industrialization share problems inherent in their vulnerability to environmental conditions and their dependence on leaders to protect them. Children are often the silent sentinels of changing conditions. Unable to articulate their concerns, and possessing immature physiologic systems, the very young are vulnerable to disease. Sophisticated and sustainable societies can be measured in part by the health of their children; nursing leaders have the vision, authenticity, and power to influence a broad constituency. This article discusses the impact of the environment on children's health and the important role of nurse leaders.