Building decolonial nursing curricula to address disparities in Indigenous women's maternal health.

BACKGROUND: Social and health inequities and inequalities are rising all over the world (Chinn & Falk-Rafael, 2018; McGibbon et al., 2014; Smtih, 2012). Nursing students should therefore be educated to understand the multifaceted factors creating health inequities and the degree to which non-biological elements can be embodied and become biological (e.g., environmental stress leading to changes in health.). PURPOSE: We suggest pathways to decolonize nursing curricula and pedagogy through decentering the colonial knowledge structures and practices that harm Indigenous health and wellbeing. METHODS: This discursive analysis utilizes decolonial theory and postcolonial feminism. DISCUSSION: Colonization, broadly speaking, characterizes the Eurocentric project to "civilize" the rest of the world utilizing various forms of violence (McGibbon et. al., 2014). The persistent and ongoing reproduction and recurrence of colonialism, enacting cycles of disenfranchisement and oppression, creates significant inequities in physical, mental, and emotional health and well-being for historically marginalized groups of people (Smith, 2012). CONCLUSION: The need for innovative undergraduate nursing curricula reform is apparent. The lack of nursing courses highlighting the effects of colonization, environmental justice, upstream structural and social determinants of health, globalization, and state violence must be addressed. Because gaps in nursing curricula and outdated teaching practices may support persistent inequities, scholars and students have advocated for decolonization of nursing curricula (Chinn & Falk-Rafael, 2018; McGibbon et al., 2014; Smtih, 2012).

A realist synthesis of dementia education programmes for pre-registration nurses.

AIMS: The escalating prevalence of dementia globally highlights the urgency for effective nursing care and dementia education. The aim of this review was to synthesize evidence on dementia education programmes for pre-registration nursing, exploring the types implemented, the contexts in which they operate, the mechanisms influencing their success, and their intended and unintended outcomes. DESIGN: A realist synthesis approach was employed to explore the functioning of complex interventions within specific contexts, acknowledging the intricate nature of dementia education programmes and the diverse settings in which they are implemented. DATA SOURCES: A rigorous search strategy was implemented across databases including Medline, CINAHL, Scopus, and ProQuest Health and Medical, supplemented by hand searching and citation searching. Preliminary screening and refinement processes ensured comprehensive coverage of relevant literature. REVIEW METHODS: A systematic and iterative approach was adopted, involving quality assessment under the headings of relevance, rigour, and richness. Data extraction and synthesis processes were focused on identifying contexts, mechanisms, and outcomes relevant to dementia education in nursing. RESULTS: A total of 25 studies were reviewed. Key findings highlight the effectiveness of narrative-based learning, varied educational methods, and experienced providers in improving nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, and confidence. These approaches influenced care priorities and increased interest in working with people living with dementia. However, there is a noted gap in understanding the long-term benefits and academic impact of these programmes. CONCLUSIONS: Dementia education programmes are pivotal in preparing nursing students for effective dementia care. The co-production and design involvement of people living with dementia in curricula development is recommended to enhance relevance and applicability. We call for further research into the long-term benefits of dementia education, the impact of academic recognition, and the alignment of programmes with nursing curricula.

Awareness of Shaken Baby Syndrome among Saudi Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Child abuse is a global problem. Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is a result of child abuse, with shaking being the most common form of maltreatment, causing mortality or severe brain damage in infants. A lack of awareness of SBS among current and future healthcare professionals can have serious consequences. To date, no studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia to examine student nurses' awareness of SBS, so we sought to assess this issue in an academic institution in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. For this questionnaire-based study, we employed a cross-sectional, descriptive design. The target population was nursing students from every year of study in the institution's five-year undergraduate nursing programme, who received an online questionnaire during the 2022-2023 academic year. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Of the 293 respondents, 100.0% confirmed that they were not aware of SBS through their nursing curricula, and 62.1% reported not being made aware of SBS at all during their academic journey. The majority of participants were unaware of the negative consequences of shaking a baby. Most were not aware that shaking a baby vigorously can cause permanent blindness (73.4%), postural impairments (56.7%), sleep disorders (61.1%), or convulsions (60.1%). The results of our study revealed a statistically significant relationship between nursing students' awareness of SBS and both their year of study and marital status. Those at higher academic levels and those who were married were more aware of SBS. To improve nursing students' knowledge of SBS and help them to better inform the public of this syndrome, particularly parents, child maltreatment topics should be added to nursing curricula in Saudi Arabia, and their importance should be emphasised. This will help reduce the prevalence and burden of SBS nationally.

Designing Implementation Strategies for the Inclusion of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer, and Allied and Key Populations' Content in Undergraduate Nursing Curricula in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Protocol for a Multimethods Research Project.

BACKGROUND: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and allied (LGBTQIA+) individuals encounter challenges with access and engagement with health services. Studies have reported that LGBTQIA+ individuals experience stigma, discrimination, and health workers' microaggression when accessing health care. Compelling evidence suggests that the LGBTQIA+ community faces disproportionate rates of HIV infection, mental health disorders, substance abuse, and other noncommunicable diseases. The South African National Strategic Plan for HIV or AIDS, tuberculosis, and sexually transmitted infections, 2023-2028 recognizes the need for providing affirming LGBTQIA+ health care as part of the country's HIV or AIDS response strategy. However, current anecdotal evidence suggests paucity of LGBTQIA+ and key populations' health content in the undergraduate health science curricula in South Africa. Moreover, literature reveals a general lack of health worker training regarding the health needs of LGBTQIA+ persons and other key populations such as sex workers, people who inject drugs, and men who have sex with men. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the design of a project that aims at facilitating the inclusion of health content related to the LGBTQIA+ community and other key populations in the undergraduate nursing curricula of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. METHODS: A multimethods design encompassing collection of primary and secondary data using multiple qualitative designs and quantitative approaches will be used to generate evidence that will inform the co-design, testing, and scale-up of strategies to facilitate the inclusion of LGBTQIA+ and key populations content in the undergraduate nursing curricula in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Data will be collected using a combination of convenience, purposive, and snowball sampling techniques from LGBTQIA+ persons; academic staff; undergraduate nursing students; and other key populations. Primary data will be collected through individual in-depth interviews, focus groups discussions, and surveys guided by semistructured and structured data collection tools. Data collection and analysis will be an iterative process guided by the respective research design to be adopted. The continuous quality improvement process to be adopted during data gathering and analysis will ensure contextual relevance and sustainability of the resultant co-designed strategies that are to be scaled up as part of the overarching objective of this study. RESULTS: The proposed study is designed in response to recent contextual empirical evidence highlighting the multiplicity of health challenges experienced by LGBTQIA+ individuals and key populations in relation to health service delivery and access to health care. The potential findings of the study may be appropriate for contributing to the education of nurses as one of the means to ameliorate these problems. Data collection is anticipated to commence in June 2024. CONCLUSIONS: This research has potential implications for nursing education in South Africa and worldwide as it addresses up-to-date problems in the nursing discipline as it pertains to undergraduate students' preparedness for addressing the unique needs and challenges of the LGBTQIA+ community and other key populations. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/52250.

Taking responsibility for sexual health curricula content: A national study of Israeli nursing faculty.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about sexual health education for nursing practice that nursing students receive in their undergraduate curricula. OBJECTIVES: This study examined nursing curricula for sexual health content and the context in which it was taught. Faculty's professional background, attitudes, perceived barriers, and facilitators were examined. METHODS: A mixed-methods national cross-sectional study was conducted. All Israel's nursing school directors were approached (n = 27) with a 51.8 % response rate. RESULTS: All participants (100 %) reported positive attitudes (M = 4.5, SD = 0.51) toward integrating sexual health content into nursing practice curricula; however, the general perception of most nursing schools (79.6 %) was that nursing students received insufficient preparation to deal with patient sexual concerns. Sexual health assessment was integrated into academic curricula only in two nursing schools (n = 2), with no school including clinical competencies for sexual health in their clinical practice (0 %). According to the results of the qualitative analysis, education, including faculty education and student curriculum, and comfort were identified as facilitators for the inclusion of sexual health content into nursing curricula. In contrast, discomfort, education, and cultural issues were described as barriers. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive sexual health education is mandatory content for nursing practice. The lack of sexual health content in the nursing curricula may limit the student's ability to assess the patient's sexual health in professional practice. Therefore, regulatory organizations in nursing education need to include this competency as a mandatory component of nursing education content.

Nursing students' knowledge of and exposure to human trafficking content in undergraduate curricula.

BACKGROUND: Human trafficking is a public health crisis. Perpetrators of human trafficking gross billions of dollars annually from the sale of human cargo. Due to its pervasive and hidden nature, these crimes are happening at exponential rates, but go undetected. Lack of identification of these victims are seen across numerous disciplines such as law enforcement, social services, education, judicial services, and healthcare. One of these barriers in identification is lack of proper education. Within the healthcare disciplines, a majority of victims are seen by a healthcare professional during their trafficking, yet remain unidentified. With over 4 million nurses in the U.S., they are ideally situated to identify and treat these individuals, if properly educated. OBJECTIVE: This study examined RN nursing students' knowledge of and exposure to human trafficking content in pre-licensure undergraduate curricula. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional quantitative study using the National Student Nurses' Association was conducted. Data were collected electronically via email recruitment of its members yielding a total sample population of n = 644, which included current and recently graduated RN undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: The researchers' developed tool, Student Nurse Human Trafficking Education Assessment Tool (Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.828), was sent via email. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way between groups ANOVA, correlation procedures, and multiple regressions were conducted using SPSS 27. RESULTS: Findings showed approximately all participants reported minimal to no human trafficking content taught in undergraduate nursing curricula. Over three-quarters of participants reported some to no human trafficking knowledge. <5 % of participants reported having full confidence in recognizing signs or clinical presentations of human trafficking in a client, as well as executing their role as a current/future healthcare professional in intervention and response to a victim. Multiple linear regressions showed significant predictors for outcome variables of confidence in recognizing signs or clinical presentations of human trafficking in a client, and in executing the role as a current/future healthcare professional in intervention and response to a victim as number of minutes taught on human trafficking, perceived human trafficking knowledge, and attending a school in a mandated state for continuing education on human trafficking for licensed healthcare professionals. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Human trafficking content is taught at a minimal to zero amount in pre-licensure RN nursing curricula. Only eight states mandate continuing education on human trafficking for healthcare professionals. Once licensed, nurses who live in non-mandated states continue to be irregularly/inadequately educated on this topic. The data suggest that human trafficking content is not present in most pre-licensure RN nursing curricula. The implications of this study strongly suggest that human trafficking content be taught across all undergraduate RN programs with continuing education mandated in all U.S. states and U.S. territories.

Understanding primary palliative nursing education in undergraduate nursing programs.

BACKGROUND: Nurses are the largest segment of health care professionals and often the first one to interact with individuals about their health and illness. Ensuring nurses have the education to care for individuals with serious illness is essential to quality health care. The new AACN Essentials: Competencies for Professional Nursing Education delineates hospice/palliative/supportive care as one of four spheres of nursing care. Surveying undergraduate schools/colleges of nursing in Massachusetts about content pertaining to care of individuals with serious illness provides the foundation for a state strategy to ensure quality primary palliative education for undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: A Massachusetts statewide college/school of nursing survey approach to assessing primary palliative nursing education within undergraduate baccalaureate nursing curricula was performed from June 2020 to December 2020. Because the project was a collaboration with the Deans of the college/school of nursing, the survey identified the programs. RESULTS: Survey results revealed that only a small number of Massachusetts nursing programs are preparing nurses with specific and formal primary palliative nursing education. However, programs are open to support and resources. CONCLUSION: The survey provided information to inform a successful strategy to support primary palliative nursing education within Massachusetts undergraduate baccalaureate nursing curricula. A survey approach can serve as a model for other states.

Using LEGO® Serious Play® Methodology in supporting Nigerian nursing students' sociocultural transitions to UK higher education: A phenomenological research study.

INTRODUCTION: From an historical perspective the United Kingdom (UK) has been the first European country of choice for Nigerian students wishing to study overseas. As an international contingent, Nigerian students continue to represent the UK's third largest international student body. This paper provides an insight into research undertaken to examine students' capacity to transition into the UK Higher Education system from a sociocultural perspective. Across the UK Higher Education Institutions (HEI's) have addressed issues surrounding internationalisation and decolonisation of the portfolio of programmes available to overseas students, with strategic curriculum design and justification processes evident in the extant literature. This project uses an innovative approach for the facilitation of dialogue with international students about their experiences of transitioning into UK systems of learning and teaching using a social constructivism approach. AIMS: The aim of the research was to explore sociocultural perspectives which impacted on self-reported transitions to UK HEI's by Nigerian students. The objectives of the study were to a) provide a reflective lens of perspective on international student transitioning experiences for HEIs, educators and policymakers b) illuminate the challenges and barriers faced by Nigerian students during their transition from Nigerian to UK HE systems and infrastructures and c) to co-construct authentic and pragmatic knowledge of how best Nigerian students can be supported in their transition to UK HEI's. METHODS: Smith (2010) interpretive phenomenological analysis, integrating qualitative research methods was implemented as a means of undertaking research facilitated using LEGO® Serious Play® Methodology as an innovative method of data collection. Twenty participants were recruited purposively to the study from an annual cohort of nursing students at a satellite Higher Education Institution (HEI) campus in Metropolitan city. Quirkos was used as a software package in analysing the data and establishing the salience as well as the commonality of emergent themes. RESULTS: Findings reveal the extent to which sociocultural acclimation is of importance in the process of transition to UK HEIs. The perception of complex ambiguity surrounding the design and delivery of UK academic curricula was also reported as challenging by Nigerian students. Self-reported comments from Nigerian nursing students revealed the priori existence of negative learning experience, including lack of IT facilities, culturally rooted family expectations and responsibilities which then influenced perceptions and experiences of learning and teaching in the UK. Negative experiences included perceptions of racism regarding skin colour, fashion sense and UK practice focused on authentic assessment opportunities. CONCLUSION: The small purposive sample of participants who engaged in this study, illuminated that students' prior experiences have the potential to influence their current pedagogical experience, in accordance with the principles of social constructivism. Most participants reported their experience of the transition period of entry to UK education varied between individuals, perhaps most significantly that perceptions of acculturation, acclimatisation and overall transition to the UK took between four and six months for a programme that may only have one year's duration.

A teaching role practicum during the COVID-19 for final year nursing students in Spain: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, suspension of face-to-face learning and clinical placements for nursing students in Spain led us to expand and adapt clinical training to a teaching role. Final-year nursing students conducted an online clinical training focused on developing their health education competence. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of final-year nursing students who completed their clinical training in a teaching role practicum during the pandemic outbreak (March-June 2020). METHOD: A qualitative content analysis of reflective journals from eighteen final-year nursing students was conducted. FINDINGS: Three themes were revealed: 1) An array of emotions due to not being able to complete their final clinical placement and deciding not to join the nursing workforce; 2) Perceived benefits of a teaching role such as being able to help, contributing to knowledge, acquiring competence, and learning support and companionship; and 3) Recognizing the teaching role as fundamental to the nursing profession and becoming aware of the importance of scientific evidence in clinical practice. DISCUSSION: Nursing students appreciated how teaching and health education are an integral part of the nurse's role. A teaching role allowed final-year students to acquire competence in a key nursing role during the pandemic outbreak providing a good practice for nursing education.

Nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, preparedness and practice towards intimate partner violence against women: a scoping review and thematic synthesis.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students regularly work with women who have experienced intimate partner violence in their clinical placements and subsequently as registered nurses. They have a role in early detection, intervention, onward referral and education of women about intimate partner violence. Therefore, it is necessary to gain a comprehensive understanding of their capability to care for abused women and identify learning needs. Nonetheless, the level of preparedness of nursing students to deal with intimate partner violence has not been reviewed. AIM: To search and review the existing evidence on nursing students' knowledge, attitudes, preparedness and practice towards intimate partner violence. METHOD: This scoping review was guided using the PRISMA extension checklist for scoping reviews. Four databases were searched to identify relevant evidence published between 2010 and 2021. The review included eighteen empirical studies (10 quantitative, 4 qualitative and 4 mixed-method studies). Data were extracted and synthesized into seven themes. RESULT: Nursing students were more knowledgeable of and readily recognized physical and sexual abuse than psychological abuse. Nursing students' roles and attitudes varied widely between different countries. Students faced difficulty in identifying and managing intimate partner violence clinically. Students who received education on domestic violence held more positive attitudes and were more knowledgeable and prepared. CONCLUSION: Nurse educators need to enhance students' understanding and perception of intimate partner violence and optimize their capability to manage it in the clinical setting. This study identifies barriers to nursing students' readiness to manage intimate partner violence and suggests four areas of development for nursing curricula.

Perioperative Nurse Recruitment: An OR Placement Program for Fourth-Year Nursing Students in Ontario.

Nursing associations have predicted a worldwide shortage of perioperative RNs as more nurses reach retirement age. Additionally, the lack of perioperative exposure during undergraduate nursing programs is contributing to the failure to attract recently graduated nurses to this field. In 2019, multiple hospital sites within the St. Lawrence College network in Ontario, Canada, expressed difficulty recruiting perioperative RNs and expressed an interest in collaborating with the college to increase exposure to the perioperative specialty and recruit students to their ORs after graduation. The college has run a successful preceptor-supported OR placement program for fourth-year baccalaureate nursing students since 2019. Eleven out of thirteen students were hired into the OR after their 2020-2021 placement program. This article outlines the steps taken to initiate this program as well as results of a formal program evaluation conducted in 2021, including detailed feedback from participating students, preceptors, and leaders at the involved hospitals.

Emphasizing the need to integrate and teach sociocultural determinants of health in undergraduate nursing curricula.

Sociocultural determinants affect health and illness experiences, care choices, and preferences of patients. Nursing curricula include limited content about sociocultural determinants of health in clinical courses. Nevertheless, nursing students must be prepared to understand the complexities of nursing practice beyond acute care and to examine the influence of sociocultural determinants and their linkages to health behaviors of various patient populations. The purpose of this discussion is to emphasize the need for greater integration and teaching of social determinants of health in undergraduate nursing curricula.

Nursing students on the frontline: Impact and personal and professional gains of joining the health care workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Final-year nursing students in Spain augmented the health care workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. PURPOSE: To understand the lived experience of nursing students who joined the health care workforce during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak (March-May 2020). METHOD: Qualitative content analysis of the reflective journals of 40 nursing students in Spain. FINDINGS: The analysis identified four main themes: 1) Willingness to help; 2) Safety and protective measures: Impact and challenges; 3) Overwhelming experience: Becoming aware of the magnitude of the epidemic; and 4) Learning and growth. DISCUSSION: The wish to help, the sense of moral duty, and the opportunity to learn buffered the impact of the students' lived experience. Despite the challenges they faced, they saw their experiences as a source of personal and professional growth, and they felt reaffirmed in their choice of career. Promoting opportunities for reflection and implementing adequate support and training strategies is crucial for building a nursing workforce that is capable of responding to future health crises.

Integrating the ELNEC undergraduate curriculum into Nursing Education: Lessons learned.

Nurses are called to lead and transform palliative care, compelling nurse educators to provide the requisite education to do so. All nursing students need to learn primary palliative care to be prepared to care for the growing number of patients with serious illness and their families. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Competencies And Recommendations for Educating nursing Students (CARES) document outlines 17 palliative care competencies to be attained by graduation from their pre-licensure programs. Integrating standardized primary palliative care education into curriculum remains a challenge for nurse educators. The End of Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC) Undergraduate online modules represent one educational strategy that supports faculty and students in meeting AACN competencies as well as other national guidelines for palliative care education. Despite its ease of use, only about 25% of all undergraduate programs are incorporating these into their programs. Faculty continue to report barriers to implementing palliative care education, including saturated curricula, limited content expertise, and cost. This paper describes lessons learned from palliative care champion nursing schools to help overcome these barriers.

Education on childrens complex care needs in general nursing curricula in Europe: An inductive content analysis.

Nursing programmes must prepare children's nurses to respond effectively to the health needs of children and young people. The aim of this study was to examine general nursing curricula for child-related content. A non-experimental descriptive study design was used. Curricular plans from 18 countries where general nursing education was the only requirement to care for children with complex care needs in the community were analysed. Curricula were obtained from institutions who educated the largest number of student nurses in each country. An inductive analysis of the curricula was carried out. Almost three-quarters of the curricula (n = 13) offered one or more compulsory core modules on children. The content varied from one to sixteen ECTS credits showing a wide variation in the focus on children in these curricula. In 12 of the 18 countries most of the child-related content was in other modules. The sample curricula from five countries had no compulsory modules on children. Child-related curricular content varied considerably across countries, with little content focused on children with complex care needs. This can illustrate that nurses are not always adequately prepared to meet the needs of sick children.

Nursing students' knowledge of palliative care: a short literature review.

BACKGROUND: Health professionals must be knowledgeable and skilled in providing palliative care. This short report reviews the literature that has assessed student nurses' knowledge of palliative care. METHOD: The following databases were searched: CINHAL, ScienceDirect, Medline, PubMed and Google Scholar for manuscripts published from 2014 to 2020. Only six articles met the inclusion criteria and were thoroughly reviewed. FINDINGS: Students were found to have a poor knowledge of palliative care, especially the management of a patient's symptoms and the definition of palliative care. CONCLUSION: Integrating palliative care education within nursing curricula is a priority, although the best method to accomplish this is yet to be established.

Identification and comparison of France to other countries of the teaching of research to nursing students: Results of an international survey of nursing educator.

PURPOSE: Registered nurses must have a level of scientific literacy to be able to interpret research data and access Scientific's knowledge. Several studies have been conducted to explore barriers and levers to the dissemination of nurse's knowledge; however, the scientific literacy that nursing students acquire has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to examine and compare the way that research is taught to undergraduate nursing students in France and other countries. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, Internet survey. SETTINGS: Universities providing undergraduate nursing programs around the world. PARTICIPANTS: Nurses educators. METHODS: Schools of nursing and universities were contacted by mail, through social networks and with the help of national or international nursing organizations. Respondents provided demographic data on schools and faculties of nursing, the teaching of scientific databases, Reading Critical Analysis and the teaching of scientific English. Information on the transmission of articles and access to scientific knowledge by students through the institution were also requested. FINDINGS: A total of 245 nursing schools/universities participated. Most respondents were educational research referees (52.2%), worked in a public institution (85.7%) and were in the nursing program leading to a bachelor's degree (74.3%). Databases were taught at 56.8%, Critical Reading of Articles at 70.1%, scientific English at 60.6% of nursing schools or universities. Articles were provided to students at 89.6% of institution and students had access to data through the institution in 66.1% of nursing schools or universities. Several significant differences were found between French schools of nursing and nursing schools/universities in other countries. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that most schools or universities of nursing teach the three majors' components to promote, provide articles to students and give access to scientific knowledge. However, there is wide heterogeneity between countries. There is a need to standardize research education for nursing students worldwide to promote the development of scientific literacy skills.

Older adult care in nursing education: How have curricula been developed?

Given the rapidly growing older adult population, future nurses should increase their knowledge and skills in gerontological nursing to deliver high-quality care to older adults. The aim of this national survey (n = 40 nursing schools) was to analyse the status of gerontology education in Portuguese baccalaureate nursing programmes. Data were collected using a 51-item questionnaire about baccalaureate nursing education programmes and gerontology-related topics. Descriptive analysis was used. A total of 18 nursing schools returned the questionnaire (response rate = 45%). Results showed that 66.7% (n = 12) of nursing schools integrated gerontology content into several courses, 38.9% (n = 7) of them had stand-alone courses, and 11.1% (n = 2) of them had both options. The most significant factor inhibiting the development of the gerontological nursing curriculum was the negative image of gerontological nursing (44.4%). Gerontological-related competencies were identified in only two nursing programmes. Thirteen schools reported needing help to strengthen the gerontological content in the nursing curriculum. This study has demonstrated that gerontological content is covered in the nursing curriculum of all nursing schools. The increase of knowledge and skills in gerontological nursing and the development of a standard gerontological curriculum could contribute to enhancing gerontological nursing education and practice.

Using an Academic-Practice Partnership to Implement a Perioperative Nursing Elective in a Baccalaureate Nursing Program.

Many perioperative nurses are reaching retirement age and hospital leaders are experiencing difficulty with maintaining staffing levels. When baccalaureate nursing students seek employment after graduation, they may not consider perioperative nursing because of a lack of familiarity with the specialty. Faculty members at one college of nursing collaborated with hospital leaders in Oklahoma and developed a perioperative nursing elective course to address this gap. During the first three years of the partnership, 34 students completed the course. Nine students accepted perioperative nurse externships and nine graduates accepted perioperative nurse positions. All the students who completed the perioperative nursing course passed the NCLEX-RN examination on the first attempt. The academic-practice leaders continue to offer the course as a strategy to recruit perioperative nurses in Oklahoma. This article describes a process for developing a perioperative nursing elective course to prepare baccalaureate nursing students for employment after graduation.