Clinical Nurse Specialist and Clinical Nurse Leader Collaboration During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe an innovative strategy to maintain healthcare worker safety and optimal patient outcomes that was implemented by a healthcare system in the Southeastern United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: During the surges of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems have struggled with healthcare worker burnout, high staff turnover rates, and redeployment of staff to unfamiliar areas and the uncertainty regarding COVID-19 personal protection and patient care. Clinical nurse specialist/clinical nurse leader teams were created to help ensure healthcare worker safety and optimize patient care outcomes. OUTCOME: Healthcare worker safety and desired patient outcomes were maintained. Throughput was expedited for emergency department patients, and there was timely implementation of therapeutic modalities for critically ill patients. CONCLUSION: Clinical nurse specialist/clinical nurse leader team collaboratively cross-trained staff to ensure their safety and delivery of quality patient care. The team was pivotal in helping safeguard staff from harm while optimizing patient outcomes. Lessons learned will help us in future disasters as well as our daily operations.

An evaluation of a sitter reduction program intervention.

Hospitals use sitters as an alternative to reduce patient falls. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a sitter reduction program by examining the differences between sitter use and falls in an acute care hospital. Findings indicate that a significant decrease in sitter use and falls remained constant. Reducing sitter use is possible without significantly increasing fall rates.

The effectiveness of nurses' ability to interpret basic electrocardiogram strips accurately using different learning modalities.

BACKGROUND: Historically, the instructional method of choice has been traditional lecture or face-to-face education; however, changes in the health care environment, including resource constraints, have necessitated examination of this practice. METHODS: A descriptive pre-/posttest method was used to determine the effectiveness of alternative teaching modalities on nurses' knowledge and confidence in electrocardiogram (EKG) interpretation. A convenience sample of 135 nurses was recruited in an integrated health care system in the Southeastern United States. Nurses attended an instructor-led course, an online learning (e-learning) platform with no study time or 1 week of study time, or an e-learning platform coupled with a 2-hour post-course instructor-facilitated debriefing with no study time or 1 week of study time. Instruments included a confidence scale, an online EKG test, and a course evaluation. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences in knowledge and confidence were found for individual groups after nurses participated in the intervention. Statistically significant differences were found in pre-knowledge and post-confidence when groups were compared. CONCLUSION: Organizations that use various instructional methods to educate nurses in EKG interpretation can use different teaching modalities without negatively affecting nurses' knowledge or confidence in this skill.