Cross-sectional evaluation of pharmaceutical care competences in nurse education: how well do curricula prepare students of different educational levels?

BACKGROUND: Nurses play an important role in interprofessional pharmaceutical care. Curricula related to pharmaceutical care, however, vary a lot. Mapping the presence of pharmaceutical care related domains and competences in nurse educational programs can lead to a better understanding of the extent to which curricula fit expectations of the labour market. The aim of this study was to describe 1) the presence of pharmaceutical care oriented content in nursing curricula at different educational levels and 2) nursing students' perceived readiness to provide nurse pharmaceutical care in practice. METHODS: A quantitative cross-sectional survey design was used. Nursing schools in 14 European countries offering educational programs for levels 4-7 students were approached between January and April 2021. Through an online survey final year students had to indicate to what extent pharmaceutical care topics were present in their curriculum. RESULTS: A total of 1807 students participated, of whom 8% had level 4-5, 80% level 6, 12% level 7. Up to 84% of the students indicated that pharmaceutical care content was insufficiently addressed in their curriculum. On average 14% [range 0-30] felt sufficiently prepared to achieve the required pharmaceutical care competences in practice. In level 5 curricula more pharmaceutical care domains were absent compared with other levels. CONCLUSIONS: Although several pharmaceutical care related courses are present in current curricula of level 4-7 nurses, its embedding should be extended. Too many students perceive an insufficient preparation to achieve pharmaceutical care competences required in practice. Existing gaps in pharmaceutical care should be addressed to offer more thoroughly prepared nurses to the labour market.

The development of cultural competences in nursing students and their significance in shaping the future work environment: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Working in a culturally diverse environment entails a moral and professional responsibility to provide culturally competent care. This has been recognised as an important measure to reduce health inequalities, improve the quality of care and increase patient satisfaction. The aim of this study was to assess the level of cultural competence in nursing students a decade after the introduction of transcultural nursing content into the nursing curriculum in Slovenia. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional design with 180 s-year nursing students as a convenience sample was used. Cultural competence was assessed using the Cultural Competence Assessment Tool (CCATool) via an online survey. IBM SPSS facilitated statistical analysis, using descriptive statistics and inferential methods, including the chi-square test. Non-parametric tests (Mann Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H and Wilcoxon signed-rank) were used for non-normally distributed data (Shapiro-Wilk test, p < 0.05). The significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The results indicate that students demonstrate a high level of cultural competence, although there is room for improvement in terms of cultural sensitivity, as determined by coding the CCATool. The results also show a remarkable contrast between their self-assessed scores and the objective scores obtained from CCATool coding of the statements in each subscale (p < 0.005). In addition, significant differences (p = 0.002) are found in subscale "Cultural Knowledge" particularly between students who have lived abroad for more than 6 months and those who have not. The latter group has a higher score in the CCATool, indicating greater cultural knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that the presence of transcultural elements in the Slovenian nursing curriculum is associated with higher self-reported levels of cultural competence among nursing students, although the present research design does not allow for causal interpretations. This competence is of immense importance in preparing students for their future professional environment. However, it is crucial to further refine the nursing curriculum, especially through greater integration of transcultural content in all health disciplines. In addition, the introduction of innovative teaching and learning approaches can better prepare students to deal with the diverse cultural experiences they will encounter in their nursing careers.

Newly graduated nurses' perceptions of their professional role and professional competency: a qualitative focus group study.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, complex and rapidly changing healthcare settings have placed high demands on nursing graduates, who must effectively assume new professional roles with a wide variety of competencies. However, in an ever-altering environment it is impossible to teach students everything. This means that assessing nursing students' perceptions of their ability to practise their competencies and assume their professional roles is critical for faculty to further develop the nursing education curriculum and to assist healthcare organisations in supporting the transition of graduates. The aim of the study was to explore newly graduated nurses' perceptions of their new professional role and professional competency associated with this role. METHODS: A qualitative study using the focus group method. The purposive sample included 18 nursing graduates with an average of 29 years, most of whom were female. The average time that had elapsed since graduation was 1.5 years. Four face-to-face focus group interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes and subthemes. RESULTS: Three main themes describing newly graduated nurses' perceptions were found: (1) significance of the transition period; (2) commitment to the nursing profession; and (3) perceived needs and challenges to professional competency. CONCLUSION: The transition from a safe academic environment to turbulent clinical practice is shaped by both graduates' expectations and reality. The results of the study indicate a high level of commitment to the profession immediately after graduation and point to groups of competencies that need greater emphasis in the nursing curriculum. Although the responsibility for adequately preparing and supporting nursing students for their new professional roles rests with faculty and healthcare organisations, the responsibility for professional development should also lie on the students themselves.

Developing the better and effective nursing education for improving transcultural nursing skills cultural competence and cultural sensitivity assessment tool (BENEFITS-CCCSAT).

BACKGROUND: A clear need for the development of new comprehensive, reliable, sensitive and valid measurement tools to adequately asses the cultural competence and cultural sensitivity of nursing students exists. This study aimed to develop a new measurement tool to assess the nursing students' cultural competence and sensitivity. METHODS: This cross-sectional, instrument development study's first phase included postgraduate nursing students (n = 60) for the piloting study, and the second one included undergraduate nursing students (n = 459) for the main survey. This study used two data collection forms: The Student Descriptive Information Form and the Better and Effective Nursing Education for Improving Transcultural Nursing Skills Cultural Competence and Cultural Sensitivity Assessment Tool (BENEFITS-CCCSAT) draft. The content validity index was calculated using the Davis method. Cronbach's α coefficient and the item total correlation were calculated during the reliability analysis. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) coefficient test, Bartlett significance test, and explanatory factor analysis (EFA) were used to evaluate the validity of the assessment tool. RESULTS: Scale validity and reliability analyses showed that the BENEFITS-CCCSAT included 26 items and five sub-dimensions: respect for cultural diversity; culturally sensitive communication; achieving cultural competence; challenges and barriers in providing culturally competent care; and perceived meaning of cultural care. CONCLUSION: The BENEFITS-CCCSAT appears to be a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the cultural sensitivity and cultural competence of nursing students. This can be of great use, especially before attending clinical areas, and can offer both students and faculty reliable information to promote reflective and critical thinking, especially in areas where improvement is needed.

Ambulance personnel's perceptions on their workplace well-being: A descriptive interpretative study.

BACKGROUND: Ambulance personnel face numerous challenges during their working hours. Exposure to stressful situations and other factors in the outpatient emergency medical service can affect the health of ambulance personnel as well as their well-being. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of ambulance personnel regarding their physical and mental well-being at the workplace. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive-interpretative research design was used. Individual face-to-face and online interviews were conducted between February and April 2022. A total of 26 interviews were conducted to explore employees' perceptions regarding the impact of work on their health and well-being. RESULTS: Ambulance personnel described in detail their perceptions of the impact of work on their physical and mental health and well-being. Three main themes emerged from our data: 1) the impact of work on the psychophysical condition of ambulance personnel; 2) the impact of work on the lifestyle of ambulance personnel; 3) the impact of work and the work environment on the lives of ambulance personnel. CONCLUSION: Long-term work in emergency medical services affects the health and well-being of ambulance personnel. As demonstrated by this study, raising awareness on the importance of preventive and health promotion programmes, understanding employees' problems by considering their opinions, and providing relevant training are extremely important tools for preventing such problems among employees.

Determining the Impact of Lifestyle on the Health of Primary School Children in Slovenia Through Mixed Membership Focus Groups.

Lifestyle choices made by children and adolescents can lead to a variety of health problems. It is therefore crucial to evaluate the state health-related lifestyles of primary school children's and identify areas for improvement. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences and perspectives of those involved in educating current generations of primary school children about their lifestyle and the associated health implications of their behavior. Four focus groups were formed, comprising parents, primary school teachers, health professionals, and leisure activity teachers, with five participants in each group. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each group as part of the qualitative research paradigm of the study. The study revealed three central themes, emphasizing the need to promote health and educate children about healthy behaviors, environmental influences, and health literacy. Community nurses need to take a proactive role in promoting school health. Although adults, peers, and the environment exert a strong influence on children's lifestyles, they often fail to live up to their responsibilities and allow harmful habits to form. To instill positive behaviors and an optimistic attitude towards a healthy lifestyle, all those involved in a child's education need to collaborate. Health-related topics should be included or reinforced in primary school curricula, and parents and school staff should receive appropriate training.

The influence of an 8-week therapeutic exercise program on the patient experience of patellofemoral pain: a qualitative descriptive study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore patients' experience of patellofemoral pain (PFP), in order to help improve the mutual understanding between the patient and the physiotherapist and consequently enhance the efficacy of treatment. METHODS: A qualitative study design with focus groups was used to explore patient experience prior to the implementation of the therapeutic exercise program, during its duration, and up to twelve months after its conclusion. RESULTS: Patients provided a detailed description of their lifestyle prior to the enrollment in the therapeutic exercise program, their experience of the therapeutic exercise program and the behavioral changes that remained after its conclusion. Three main themes emerged from our data: 1) PFP characteristics and the impact of PFP on daily life; 2) experience with the therapeutic exercise program; and 3) changes in PFP and daily behaviors following the therapeutic exercise program. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that a targeted therapeutic exercise program effectively reduces short- and long-term PFP and enhance overall well-being. Further research is needed to investigate the effects of different therapeutic exercise programs with a focus on the role of self-motivation.

UNDERSTANDING DEMOGRAPHIC AND EPIDEMIOLOGIC CHARACTERISTICS OF HOSPITALIZED IMMIGRANT FEMALE PATIENTS: A RETROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY.

Precise epidemiologic and demographic characteristics of immigrant women admitted to gynecology or obstetrics departments are rarely explored. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to analyze the epidemiologic and demographic characteristics of immigrant female patients hospitalized between 2012 and 2017 in one maternity hospital in south-west Slovenia. Clinical data retrieved from hospital electronic information system were used to analyze these characteristics. In the mentioned period, 605 immigrant women were hospitalized, most of them originating from countries of the former Yugoslavia (60.50%) or former Eastern Bloc (14.05%). The results show that in recent years there has been a constantly growing trend of immigrant women being admitted compared to the total number of hospitalizations. No statistical differences were established in the incidence of abortion, preterm delivery or vacuum extraction between Slovenian and immigrant women, although the analysis revealed a higher rate of cesarean section among immigrant women (χ2=26.960, p<0.01). Education level seems to be a significant predictor of the likelihood of an abortion in the group of immigrant women (B=-0.492, p=0.015), where less educated women are at a greater risk. To improve what is known about the sexual and reproductive health-related problems of immigrant women, a large-scale epidemiologic study is needed in the near future.

Nurse students' competences in interprofessional pharmaceutical care in Europe: Cross-sectional evaluation.

BACKGROUND: Safe pharmaceutical care requires competent nurses with specific knowledge, skills and attitudes. It is unclear whether nursing students are adequately prepared to perform pharmaceutical care in practice. Mapping their pharmaceutical care competences can lead to a better understanding of the extent to which curricula fit expectations of the labour market. OBJECTIVES: To assess pharmaceutical care competences of final-year nursing students of different educational levels. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey design. SETTINGS: In 14 European countries, nursing schools who offer curricula for level 4 to 7 students were approached. PARTICIPANTS: Through convenience sampling 1741 final-year student nurses of level 4 to 7 were included. Sampling strategies were country-specific. METHODS: A web-platform was developed with an assessment of the level in which students mastered pharmaceutical care competences. Knowledge questions, case studies (basic/advanced level), self-reported practical skills and attitudes were evaluated. RESULTS: Mean scores for knowledge questions differed significantly (p < 0.001) between level 5 (56/100), level 6 (68/100) and level 7 students (72/100). For basic cases level 5 students reached lower scores (64/100) compared with level 6 (71/100) and level 7 (72/100) students (p = 0.002 and p = 0.005). For more advanced cases no difference between levels was observed (overall mean 61/100). Most students (63-90 %) considered themselves skilled to perform pharmaceutical care and had positive attitudes towards their participation in pharmaceutical care (65-97 %). CONCLUSIONS: Relatively low knowledge scores were calculated for final-year student nurses. In some domains, lower levels of students might be insufficiently prepared to take up responsibilities in pharmaceutical care. Our assessment can be used as a tool for educators to evaluate how prepared nursing students are for pharmaceutical care. Its further implementation for students of different educational levels will allow benchmarking between the levels, both within and between countries.

Nursing students' perception of gender-defined roles in nursing: a qualitative descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Gender stereotypes influence both women and men who work as nurses as well as individuals considering nursing as a profession. The aim of this study was to explore male and female nursing students' experiences and perspectives regarding gender-defined roles as well as how they view their future professional roles. METHODS: The study used a descriptive qualitative design. A convenience sample included 72 full-time second- and third-year undergraduate nursing students. Data were collected in 2017 using a self-administered qualitative questionnaire consisting of 11 essay-type questions. As an additional data collection method, a drawing method was applied. The data were analysed by content analysis separately for the male and female perspectives. RESULTS: Altogether, eight themes emerged, with half explaining the male and the other half the female students' perspectives. Students choose nursing for altruistic, opportunistic and organisational reasons. Among the female students, another reason "family and social incentives" was also identified. Female students' vision of their future professional role included altruism and positive representations of 'being a nurse', whereas the male students' vision included management and leadership, and technical aspects of nursing. CONCLUSIONS: Both male and female nursing students face the limits of their own gender roles, yet they are prepared to challenge these gender-based perceptions. Tackling stereotypes and raising public awareness, using gender-inclusive language and strategies for recruitment, ensuring gender diversity in nursing teams and revising the nursing curriculum where appropriate, are just some of the implications that arise to help overcome gender differences.

Financial competencies as investigated in the nursing field: Findings of a scoping review.

AIM(S): This study aims to map the extent of the research activity in the field of financial competencies and nursing and identify main patterns, advances, gaps, and evidence produced to date. BACKGROUND: Financial competencies are important indicators of professionalism and may influence the quality of care in nursing; moreover, these competencies are the basis of health care sustainability. Despite their relevance, studies available on financial competencies in the nursing field have not been mapped to date. EVALUATION: A scoping review was guided according to (a) the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Review and (b) the Patterns, Advances, Gaps and Evidence for practice and Research recommendations framework. KEY ISSUE(S): A total of 21 studies were included. Main research patterns have been developing/evaluating the effectiveness of education programmes and investigating the nurse's role in the context of financial management, challenges and needs perceived by them, and tool validation to assess these competencies. The most frequently used concept across studies was 'financial management competencies' (n = 19). CONCLUSION(S): The sparse production of studies across countries suggests that there is a need to invest in this research field. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurses with managerial roles should invest in their financial competencies by requiring formal training both at the academic and at the continuing education levels. They should also promote educational initiatives for clinical nurses, to increase their capacity to contribute, understand, and manage the emerging financial issues.

Evaluation of E-Learning Experience among Health and Allied Health Professions Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Slovenia: An Instrument Development and Validation Study.

COVID-19 had an impact on everyday life, especially during the lockdown. This also impacted higher education, leading to a sudden and complete shift to online e-learning. The purpose of this study was to develop, validate, and test a measurement tool suitable for evaluating students' e-learning experience among health and allied health professions students. The convenience sample consisted of 342 students. A validation of the instrument E-learning Experience Evaluation Scale (3E-Scale) was conducted before the study began. Factor structure, reliability, content, and face validity were assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a four-factor structure of the scale that explained 61% of the total variance. The overall scale demonstrated a high level of reliability and appears to be a reliable measurement tool. The results show that there are statistically significant differences between female and male students (p < 0.05). In addition, nursing and dietetics students perceive more barriers related to the open-source learning management system than other students (p < 0.05). Positive learning experiences contribute to greater learning satisfaction and, consequently, greater learning engagement. E-learning content design should be aligned with teaching pedagogy and learning outcomes. Future studies should also address the negative consequences of e-learning experiences.

A systematic integrative literature review of the factors influencing the professionalization of midwifery in the last decade (2009-2019).

BACKGROUND: The professionalization of midwifery is not only important for midwives themselves, but for women and society in general since professionalism is associated with high-quality services and moral and ethical standards. AIM: This systematic integrative literature review seeks to investigate the factors that have affected the professionalization of midwifery in the last decade (2009-2019). METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted in EBSCO, PubMed, ScienceDirect, SAGE and the Web of Science Core Collection. Critical appraisal was conducted using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The findings were synthesised through a thematic analysis. The PRISMA statement was used to guide the reporting. FINDINGS: Analysis of the 20 studies included detected two main themes: professionalization barriers and professionalization opportunities. The first theme includes issues concerning power imbalance, social recognition, conflicting perspectives on childbirth, professional autonomy, work characteristics, midwifery associations, and regulation. The second theme includes opportunity issues related to woman-centred care, expansion of professional competency, interprofessional collaboration, and education. KEY CONCLUSIONS: Over the last decade, the midwifery profession has faced several barriers that seem to be historically entrenched in the professionalization of midwifery, yet changes in the professionalization process are visible in the shift towards elements of the 'new professionalism' that is rising to the surface during this process. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings suggest the socialisation process of midwifery candidates must focus on raising their self-awareness, self-esteem and confidence in their professional role; woman-centred care needs to be further promoted and implemented; and interprofessional collaboration should be addressed in educational programmes for all health professionals.

The NUPHAC-EU Framework for Nurses' Role in Interprofessional Pharmaceutical Care: Cross-Sectional Evaluation in Europe.

Clear role descriptions promote the quality of interprofessional collaboration. Currently, it is unclear to what extent healthcare professionals consider pharmaceutical care (PC) activities to be nurses' responsibility in order to obtain best care quality. This study aimed to create and evaluate a framework describing potential nursing tasks in PC and to investigate nurses' level of responsibility. A framework of PC tasks and contextual factors was developed based on literature review and previous DeMoPhaC project results. Tasks and context were cross-sectionally evaluated using an online survey in 14 European countries. A total of 923 nurses, 240 physicians and 199 pharmacists responded. The majority would consider nurses responsible for tasks within: medication self-management (86-97%), patient education (85-96%), medication safety (83-95%), monitoring adherence (82-97%), care coordination (82-95%), and drug monitoring (78-96%). The most prevalent level of responsibility was 'with shared responsibility'. Prescription management tasks were considered to be nurses' responsibility by 48-81% of the professionals. All contextual factors were indicated as being relevant for nurses' role in PC by at least 74% of the participants. No task nor contextual factor was removed from the framework after evaluation. This framework can be used to enable healthcare professionals to openly discuss allocation of specific (shared) responsibilities and tasks.

Cross-cultural adaptation and psychometric evaluation of the Slovenian version of the nurse professional competence scale.

BACKGROUND: The competency-based approach to the assessment of nursing practice has been adopted as a key policy in the developed world. The continual self-assessment of competence gives nurses the opportunity to reflect on their competencies and has a significant impact on the quality of nursing practice and patient safety. The study was designed to describe the process of cross-cultural adaptation and to assess the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of a short form of the Nurse Professional Competence scale (NPC-SF) and to evaluate the efficacy of this instrument in a sample of registered nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional and validation study was conducted in 425 registered nurses to test the psychometric properties of the Slovenian version of a short form of the scale and to evaluate nurses' professional competence. A multilevel approach was used: Translation, back-translation, language validity, face and content validity, construct validity, and reliability of the Slovenian version of the scale were analysed respectively. Participants completed an online survey, with the data being collected between April and July 2020. RESULTS: Factor analysis showed that the Slovenian version of the scale could be used in four dimensions explained with 65 % of the variance. Cronbach's α was 0.972. The four-factor model fit the data (RMSEA = 0.083, CFI = 0.731). Self-reported competence was high and rated higher by nurses employed at the tertiary level of healthcare, followed by nurses employed at the secondary and primary, and from social care institutions. Nurses with more years of experience assessed their competence higher. CONCLUSIONS: The NPC-SF helps understand and identify nurses' self-reported core competencies in clinical settings, thereby providing an important predictor of the professional development of nursing. The Slovenian version of the scale demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties and may be used in research and clinical practice to evaluate nurses' professional competence.

The relationship between intercultural effectiveness and intercultural awareness and xenophobia among undergraduate nursing and vocational schools of health services students: A descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: Students who will become health professionals should be educated according to universal standards of providing foreign patients with culturally satisfying health care, free from discrimination. AIM: This study aims to identify the relationship of intercultural effectiveness and awareness with xenophobia in undergraduate nursing students and vocational schools of health services students. METHOD: This descriptive study was conducted with undergraduate nursing students (N= 257) and vocational schools of health services students (N = 341) in a region with a high refugee population in Turkey. Data were collected through the "Intercultural Awareness Scale," the "Intercultural Effectiveness Scale," and the "Xenophobia Scale." RESULTS: Of all the participants, 70.1% were females, and the mean age was 20.70 ± 2.64 years; 57% of the students were from the vocational school students, and 43% from the undergraduate nursing program. Female students had significantly higher scores in intercultural effectiveness, behavioral flexibility, xenophobia (p = 0.036, p = 0.041, p = 0.001, respectively), interaction relaxation and interactant respect (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), while male students had significantly higher intercultural awareness (p < 0.001). The median intercultural effectiveness score of the students living in the rural area was low (p = 0.044), and the median xenophobia score of the students who lived abroad was significantly lower (p = 0.032). There was a negative correlation between the Intercultural Effectiveness Scale total and Intercultural Awareness and Xenophobia Scale total mean scores (r = -0.085, r = 0.182), and there was a weak, positive correlation between the Intercultural Awareness Scale total mean scores and the Xenophobia Scale mean scores (r = 0.113). CONCLUSION: Intercultural sensitivity is considered to be improved by including course content in the curriculum to improve students' intercultural effectiveness and awareness levels and decrease their xenophobic prejudices.

Developing a competence framework for nurses in pharmaceutical care: A Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: Nurses play an important role in pharmaceutical care. They are involved in: detecting clinical change; communicating/discussing pharmacotherapy with patients, their advocates, and other healthcare professionals; proposing and implementing medication-related interventions; and ensuring follow-up of patients and medication regimens. To date, a framework of nurses' competences on knowledge, skills, and attitudes as to interprofessional pharmaceutical care tasks is missing. OBJECTIVES: To reach agreement with experts about nurses' competences for tasks in interprofessional pharmaceutical care. METHODS: A two-phase study starting with a scoping review followed by five Delphi rounds was performed. Competences extracted from the literature were assessed by an expert panel on relevance by using the RAND/UCLA method. The experts (n = 22) involved were healthcare professionals, nurse researchers, and educators from 14 European countries with a specific interest in nurses' roles in interprofessional pharmaceutical care. Descriptive statistics supported the data analysis. RESULTS: The expert panel reached consensus on the relevance of 60 competences for 22 nursing tasks. Forty-one competences were related to 15 generic nursing tasks and 33 competences were related to seven specific nursing tasks. CONCLUSIONS: This study resulted in a competence framework for competency-based nurse education. Future research should focus on imbedding these competences in nurse education. A structured instrument should be developed to assess students' readiness to achieve competence in interprofessional pharmaceutical care in clinical practice.

Fostering an ethos of cultural humility development in nurturing inclusiveness and effective intercultural team working.

AIM: To discuss the importance of fostering an ethos of cultural humility development in cultivating inclusiveness and effective intercultural team working. BACKGROUND: Widening cultural and ethnic diversity of the health care workforce enriches the working environment and encourages a broader perspective on health care services and delivery. However, the intricacies of learning to work effectively within intercultural health care teams and adapting to new ways of working are often under estimated and thus overlooked. EVALUATION: In adopting a framework for cultural humility development (Hughees et al., 2020, 10.1016/j.profnurs.2019.06.005), this paper proposes some practical suggestions for nurturing intrapersonal, interpersonal and system level cultural humility simultaneously. KEY ISSUES: Fostering an ethos of cultural humility development within the workplace can support inclusiveness and better intercultural team working relationships. Nurses need support in developing awareness of their own cultural beliefs, whilst examining perceptions of cultural difference. CONCLUSION: Examining cultural factors that influence intercultural working relationships will help in identifying structures, supports and approaches required for integration and inclusiveness. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurturing ways of supporting interpersonal, intrapersonal and systems levels cultural humility development inspires the self-awareness, openness and respect for cultural difference required. Developing culturally responsive leadership styles and prioritizing their own cultural humility development is critical.

Nurses' core disaster-response competencies for combating COVID-19-A cross-sectional study.

The core competencies in disaster nursing, nurses' roles in disaster management and the potential barriers are assessed with a view to developing disaster nursing in Slovenia. Despite training and experience, many indicators show nurses are deficient in skills involving emergency and disaster-preparedness competencies. Nurses report little familiarity with disaster-planning skills, the implementation of disaster guidelines and assessment of patients subject to a disaster circumstance. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted based on data collected through an online survey. 118 registered nurses from different clinical settings in Slovenia participated in the study. Data were collected according to the Slovenian version of the Disaster Nursing Core Competencies Scale (Sl-DNCC-Scale). The scale was limited to a 7-point Likert response format (from 1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree). The results show the registered nurses perceive the core competencies of disaster nursing to be important to their preparedness for disaster situations (median = 161; range 74-189). Registered nurses who work in nursing homes and nurse managers are more aware of the importance of acquiring the listed competencies for unexpected events (p = 0.011 and 0.060 respectively) and the importance of their active role in disaster management (p = 0.027 and p = 0.004, respectively). To effectively deal with a disaster, nurses must be well prepared for unexpected events and more actively involved in disaster management. This study demonstrates that nurses regard the core disaster nursing competencies as important and greatly needed in various healthcare facilities. Future studies in this area should focus on ways to implement these competencies in nursing education.