Medication dosage calculation among nursing students: does digital technology make a difference? A literature review.

BACKGROUND: Patient safety is a major part of nursing care and following patients' medication orders is considered one of the greatest responsibilities of individual nurses and nursing Failure to make safe drug calculations poses serious risks to patient safety. It is therefore important to strengthen nursing students' numeracy skills and conceptual abilities during their education. Research suggests that digital technologies play an increasingly important role in promoting nursing students' knowledge and medication dosage calculation (MDC) skills. The present review aims to identify and critically evaluate research investigating how the use of digital technologies informs the development of nursing students' MDC skills. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed within Scopus (Elsevier), Academic Search Elite (Ebsco), Cinahl (Ebsco), ERIC (Ebsco), Web of Science and PubMed. Research papers on MDC using digital technologies were considered for inclusion. Starting from 2843 sources, eighteen research articles met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: The results show that use of digital technologies can reduce nursing students' medication errors. Interestingly, web-based courses were the most commonly used digital technologies aimed at developing nursing students' MDC skills. However, such courses had limited impacts the development of these skills. CONCLUSION: The present review concludes by mapping the current knowledge gaps and making suggestions for further research.

Malpractice claimed calls within the Swedish Healthcare Direct: a descriptive - comparative case study.

BACKGROUND: Medical errors are reported as a malpractice claim, and it is of uttermost importance to learn from the errors to enhance patient safety. The Swedish national telephone helpline SHD is staffed by registered nurses; its aim is to provide qualified healthcare advice for all residents of Sweden; it handles normally about 5 million calls annually. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have increased call volume with approximate 30%. The aim of the present study was twofold: to describe all malpractice claims and healthcare providers' reported measures regarding calls to Swedish Healthcare Direct (SHD) during the period January 2011-December 2018 and to compare these findings with results from a previous study covering the period January 2003-December 2010. METHODS: The study used a descriptive, retrospective and comparative design. A total sample of all reported malpractice claims regarding calls to SHD (n = 35) made during the period 2011-2018 was retrieved. Data were analysed and compared with all reported medical errors during the period 2003-2010 (n = 33). RESULTS: Telephone nurses' failure to follow the computerized decision support system (CDSS) (n = 18) was identified as the main reason for error during the period 2011-2018, while failure to listen to the caller (n = 12) was the main reason during the period 2003-2010. Staff education (n = 21) and listening to one's own calls (n = 16) were the most common measures taken within the organization during the period 2011-2018, compared to discussion in work groups (n = 13) during the period 2003-2010. CONCLUSION: The proportion of malpractice claims in relation to all patient contacts to SHD is still very low; it seems that only the most severe patient injuries are reported. The fact that telephone nurses' failure to follow the CDSS is the most common reason for error is notable, as SHD and healthcare organizations stress the importance of using the CDSS to enhance patient safety. The healthcare organizations seem to have adopted a more systematic approach to handling malpractice claims regarding calls, e.g., allowing telephone nurses to listen to their own calls instead of having discussions in work groups in response to events. This enables nurses to understand the latent factors contributing to error and provides a learning opportunity.

A scoping review of complexity science in nursing.

AIM: To describe how complexity science has been integrated into nursing. DESIGN: A scoping review. DATA SOURCE/REVIEW METHOD: Academic Search Elite, Scopus, PsycINFO, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed and Web of Science were searched November 2016, updated in October 2017 and January 2020. The working process included: problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, synthesizing and presentation. RESULTS: Four categories were found in the included 89 articles: (a) how complexity science is integrated into the nursing literature in relation to nursing education and teaching; (b) patients' symptoms, illness outcome and safety as characteristics of complexity science in nursing; (c) that leaders and managers should see organizations as complex and adaptive systems, rather than as linear machines; and (d) the need for a novel approach to studying complex phenomena such as healthcare organizations. Lastly, the literature explains how complexity science has been incorporated into the discourse in nursing and its development. CONCLUSION: The review provided strong support for use in complexity science in the contemporary nursing literature. Complexity science is also highly applicable and relevant to clinical nursing practice and nursing management from an organizational perspective. The application of complexity science as a tool in the analysis of complex nursing systems could improve our understanding of effective interactions among patients, families, physicians and hospital and skilled nursing facility staff as well as of education. IMPACT: Understanding complexity science in relation to the key role of nurses in the healthcare environment can improve nursing work and nursing theory development. The use of complexity science provides nurses with a language that liberates them from the reductionist view on nursing education, practice and management.

Giving advice to callers with mental illness: adaptation among telenurses at Swedish Healthcare Direct.

Purpose: Our aim was to describe Swedish Healthcare Direct (SHD) and its features as a complex system. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 SHD telenurses, covering their experiences and skills when encountering and advising callers with mental illness. Complexity science was used as an a priori theoretical framework to enhance understanding of the complex nature of telenursing. Results: SHD was described as a complex system as nurses were constantly interacting with other agents and agencies. During these interactions, dynamic processes were found between the agents in which the nurses adapted to every new situation. They were constantly aware of their impact on the care-seekers, and perceived their encounters with callers with psychiatric illness as "balancing on a thin line". SHD was also described as both an authority and a dumping ground. The openness of the system did not give the nurses possibility to control the number of incoming calls and the callers' intentions. Conclusions: These new insights into SHD have important implications for organization developers and nursing management in terms of overcoming linear thinking.

Self-regulated learning ability, metacognitive ability, and general self-efficacy in a sample of nursing students: A cross-sectional and correlational study.

The healthcare sector is fast-growing and knowledge-intensive, and to meet the demands associated with it, nursing students must have high levels of self-regulated learning (SRL), metacognition, and general self-efficacy (GSE). In this cross-sectional, correlational study, data were collected from 216 nursing students through a questionnaire. The aims were: 1) to describe the levels of SRL ability, metacognitive ability and GSE among second- and third-year nursing students; 2) to explore the relationships between the SRL ability, metacognitive ability and GSE of second- and third-year nursing students; 3) and to compare SRL ability, metacognitive ability and GSE between second- and third-year nursing students. Nursing students had moderate levels of SRL ability and metacognitive ability, but lower levels of GSE. Positive relationships between SRL ability, metacognitive ability, and GSE were observed. Third-year nursing students had a higher level of SRL ability but lower levels of GSE, compared to second-year students. In terms of metacognitive ability, no significant differences were observed between the student batches. Interventions are required for the improvement of nursing students' SRL ability, metacognitive ability, and GSE.

Expert in nursing care but sometimes disrespected-Telenurses' reflections on their work environment and nursing care.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To describe telenurses' reflections on their work environment and how it impacts on their nursing care. BACKGROUND: Telenursing is one of the largest healthcare settings in Sweden today; approximately 5.5 million care-seekers call the designated number-1177-each year. Telenursing is regarded as highly qualified nursing care, and providing care over the telephone is considered a complex form of nursing. Within other fields of nursing, the work environment has been shown to affect the outcome of care, patient safety, nurse job satisfaction and burnout. DESIGN: The study used a descriptive design and followed the COREQ checklist. METHODS: Twenty-four interviews were performed and analysed using qualitative content analysis. RESULTS: The main theme concerned "feeling like a nursing care expert but sometimes being disrespected." The telenurses reported that their work environment supported their work as nursing care experts via the telephone in some respects, but also hindered them. Appreciation and respect they received from the vast majority of callers positively impacted the work environment and contributed to work satisfaction. However, they also felt disrespected by both their employers and healthcare staff; they sometimes felt like a dumping ground. Receiving support from colleagues seemed invaluable in helping them feel like and be a nursing care expert. CONCLUSION: Work was perceived as cognitively demanding and sometimes exhausting, but appreciation from care-seekers and the feeling of being able to provide qualified nursing care made working as a telenurse worthwhile. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: If telenurses are to perform good nursing care over the telephone, managers must provide them with resources, for example, support, education and opportunities for recovery during shifts. It seems that the role of the 1177 service has not been properly implemented and accepted within the healthcare system, and politicians need to anchor its mission within the healthcare organisation.

When all other doors are closed: Telenurses' experiences of encountering care seekers with mental illnesses.

The aim of the study was to describe the telephone nurses' experiences of encountering callers with mental illnesses. Telenursing services are solely staffed with telenurses, who with the support of a decision support system (CDSS) independently triage callers based on the severity of the main symptoms presented by the care seeker. The system focuses on somatic symptoms, while information regarding mental health and mental illnesses is limited. Information about telenurses' experiences of encountering care seekers with mental illnesses is scarce, despite the increase in mental illnesses in the population. The study used a descriptive design with a qualitative approach. Twenty telenurses were interviewed, and the data were then analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. The results are elaborated in the following three categories: (i) Experiences of encountering care seekers with mental illnesses; (ii) Experiences of facing difficulties and challenges; and (iii) Experiences of facing dissatisfaction and threats. Encountering care seekers with mental illnesses is metaphorically addressed as 'when all other doors are closed'. Encountering care seekers with mental illnesses was perceived as time-consuming and did not adequately correspond to the resources given by the service. Even though telenurses strive to achieve agreement, there is a collision between human needs and organizational structures. The study pinpoints the lack of resources for and education about mental illnesses and the limitations of the decision system, which needs to be updated in order to provide all care seekers care on equal terms.

Increased Mental Illness and the Challenges This Brings for District Nurses in Primary Care Settings.

Patients with mental illness generally make their initial healthcare contact via a registered nurse. Although studies show that encountering and providing care to care-seekers with mental illness might be a challenge, little research exists regarding Primary Care Nurses' (PCN) view of the challenges they face. The aim of this study was to qualitatively explore PCNs' reflections on encountering care-seekers with mental illness in primary healthcare settings. The results consist of three themes: constantly experiencing patients falling through the cracks, being restricted by lack of knowledge and resources, and establishing a trustful relationship to overcome taboo, shame, and guilt.

Telephone nursing in Sweden: A narrative literature review.

Telephone nursing services are expanding globally. Swedish Healthcare Direct is the largest healthcare provider in Sweden. This paper provides a comprehensive understanding of telephone nursing, as reflected by research on Swedish national telephone nursing, and discusses the findings in relation to international literature. A descriptive, mixed-studies literature review was conducted. Twenty-four articles from January 2003 to April 2015 were identified from PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL, and included. The issues explored in this study are how telephone nursing is perceived by callers, telephone nurses, and managers, and what characterizes such calls. Callers value reassurance, support, respect and satisfaction and involvement in decisions can increase their adherence. The telephone nurses' perspective focused on problems and ethical dilemmas, communication, the decision support tool, and working tasks. The managers' perspective focused on nursing work goals and malpractice claims. Concerning call characteristics, authentic calls, incident reports, and threats to patient safety were considered. Telephone nursing seems safe, but gender can play a role in calls. Future research on caller access, equity, and efficiency, healthcare cost-effectiveness, distribution, and patient safety is needed.

Identified obstacles and prerequisites in telenurses' work environment - a modified Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: Telenursing is an expanding part of healthcare, staffed with registered nurses whose work environment is typical of a call centre. Work-related stress has been shown to be a major problem in nurses' work environments and of importance to the outcome of care, patient safety, nurse job satisfaction and burnout. Today, however, we have a limited understanding of and knowledge about the work environment for telenurses. The aim of the present study is to explore and reach consensus on perceived important obstacles and prerequisites in telenurses' work environment. METHODS: A modified Delphi design, using qualitative as well as quantitative data sequentially through three phases, was taken. Data were initially collected via semi-structured interviews (Phase I) and later using a web survey (Phase II-III) between March 2015 and March 2016. RESULTS: The findings present a consensus view of telenurses' experiences of important obstacles and prerequisites in their work environment. Central to the findings are the aspects of telenurses having a demanding work, cognitive fatigue and having no opportunity for recovery during the work shift was ranked as important obstacles. Highly ranked prerequisites for managing were being able to focus on one caller at a time, working in a calm and pleasant environment and having technical support 24/7. CONCLUSIONS: Managers need to enable telenurses to experience control in their work, provided with possibilities to control their work and to recover during work; shortening work time could improve their work environment. Limited possibilities to perform work might contribute to feelings of stress and inability to perform work.