THRIVE: A Theory-Based Program to Support Hospital Nursing Assistants.

Nursing assistants are vital healthcare team members who often experience personal challenges to professional success. The Transformational Healthcare Readiness through Innovative Vocational Education (THRIVE) program is designed to combat these challenges through coaching and curriculum that is steeped in adult learning and social theories. The program's goal is to increase retention and success of newly hired nursing assistants through personal and professional support. Components of THRIVE can be adapted in a variety of healthcare settings.

An Innovative Assistant Nurse Manager Residency Program Focused on Participation, Satisfaction, Promotion, and Retention.

Assistant nurse managers (ANMs) were asked what they needed to be successful, fully engaged, and equipped to perform in their roles. The ANM Residency Program was created to support development of new ANMs through resources, education, and mentoring. Evaluations were used to guide curriculum enhancements and improve course facilitation. Participation, satisfaction, promotion, and retention were measured. Similar programs may be used to support development for all levels of nurse leaders.

Academic Faculty Shadowing Their Graduate Nurses: A Case Study.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to describe insights gained by academic nursing faculty after shadowing one of their new graduate nurses. BACKGROUND: Shadowing experiences have been successfully used to orient students and new nurses to the role and reality of clinical practice. However, no studies were found on the experience of faculty shadowing a new graduate. This study addressed that gap. METHOD: A case series design and methodology used both qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures. Qualitative data were derived from faculty during a debriefing session; quantitative data were obtained from a short survey completed by new graduates and faculty. RESULTS: Faculty identified challenges faced by new graduates and opportunities to modify their nursing programs by addressing patient care delivery, time management, communication, and role ambiguity in more detail. CONCLUSION: A shadowing experience for academic faculty leaders can help bridge the academic-practice gap and promote collaborative efforts to improve preparation for practice.

Reducing Barriers for RN-BSN Education: The Assessment Competency Evaluation.

The Northeast Team of the Ohio Action Coalition, composed of regional clinical and academic educators, identified a potential barrier for nurses pursuing a baccalaureate degree. Duplication of health assessment content was identified for some associate degree graduates enrolled in RN-BSN programs, thereby adding extra time and cost for attaining the baccalaureate degree. In response, the Northeast Team of the Ohio Action Coalition developed an assessment competency evaluation that, if successfully passed, would grant credit for the health assessment course. The assessment competency evaluation provided the opportunity for students to demonstrate competency in both health assessment and clinical judgment skills.

Advanced technology leads to earlier intervention for clinical deterioration on medical/surgical units.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if enhancements developed to support the use of an electronic Early Warning System (EWS) resulted in quicker stabilization of clinical deterioration. BACKGROUND: Early Warning Systems are effective for alerting nurses to patient deterioration, but have not demonstrated positive clinical impact. An EWS embedded within an electronic medical record (EMR) was enhanced with tools to support nurses' ability to recognize and intervene in a timely manner for signs of deterioration. METHODS: A comparative design using retrospective EMR review evaluated time patients spent with higher risk EWS scores and time to reassessment after an EWS alert pre-and post-implementation of an enhanced EWS. RESULTS: There was a significant (p < .001) decrease in time patients spent with higher risk EWS scores and time to reassessment following an EWS alert after implementing an enhanced EWS. CONCLUSION: Technology can be leveraged to support nursing practice and clinical decision making around management of clinical deterioration.