Identifying and addressing the challenges experienced by nursing associates.

BACKGROUND: The nursing associate role is relatively new, with the first few registrants qualifying in 2019. Nursing associates contribute to the care of patients under the supervision of a nurse; however, they can often experience challenges in practice associated with variations in the tasks they are permitted to undertake. AIM: To explore the lived experiences of nursing associates and the perspectives of people who work with them to understand what weaknesses and threats are associated with the role. METHOD: A realist ethnographic approach was used, incorporating semi-structured interviews with nursing associates ( n =8) and focus groups with healthcare professionals who had experience of working with nursing associates ( n =8). RESULTS: Analysis of the data identified three overarching themes relating to threats to the nursing associate role: incivility and role ambiguity; curriculum and placements; and motivations and career opportunities. The data also revealed five 'entities' that influence the nursing associate journey - the individual's status, the healthcare team, education providers, the employing organisation, and nurses' professional organisations. CONCLUSION: A framework addressing the weaknesses and threats to the nursing associate role was produced. This outlines interventions and improvements that can encourage, enable, empower and ennoble nursing associates, while also supporting the implementation of the role into practice.

When and in what circumstances is patient-targeted googling acceptable for health and social care professionals? A narrative review and thematic analysis.

Background: Patient-targeted Googling (PTG) is the use of Internet search engines by care professionals to source information about their patients. Objective: To thematically analyse research evidence on PTG and explain what, why and how it can be used for the benefit of patient care. Methods: The Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review articles was used as a reporting tool. Studies were identified via AMED, CINAHL, MEDLINE and APA PsycInfo, ProQuest, and grey literature via Google Scholar. Results: 19 studies were included, and content was thematically analysed. Themes included practitioner behaviours, attitudes and experience, the nature of online information, when PTG is not acceptable, when, why and how is PTG acceptable and the need for education and training on PTG. Discussion & conclusion: In the absence of professional guidance, it makes practical recommendations about why and in what circumstances can use patient-targeted Googling for the benefit of patient care.

A Novel Content and Usability Analysis of UK Professional Regulator Information About Raising a Concern by Members of the Public.

BACKGROUND: Health and social care regulators ensure that professionals have the correct qualifications and experience to practice in their profession. Globally, there are over 130 regulators of nursing alone and 13 health and social care statutory regulators in the United Kingdom. The public are the largest source of concerns to regulators about the registrants' fitness to practise (FtP). AIM: This study aimed to examine the amount, type and content of the information available from UK regulators and evaluate the usability of the process for members of the public considering raising a concern with a regulator about a registrant's fitness to practise (FtP) and the experience of those who had recently raised a concern. METHODS: The websites of the UK's 13 statutory health and social care regulators were searched between November 2021 and February 2022 for information about the process of raising a concern. Webpages and public-facing documentation were downloaded, and qualitative content analysis was conducted. The usability of regulator websites and the concerns referral form were assessed by 11 people using an adapted 'system usability scale'. Seven interviews, a focus group (n = 5) and a survey (n = 62) of people who had raised a concern were used to explore their experiences to validate our findings and recommendations. RESULTS: Themes were identified related to format and layout, the process and support to raise a concern, with wide variation found between regulators. Focus groups, interviews and surveys validated these findings. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Information and the ease of finding this information are fundamental in promoting public confidence and trust in regulator purpose and process. When raising a concern, it is important that information is honest, clear and accurate and available in a range of different formats so that it suits the diverse needs of members of the public. Improvements in these processes could support regulators to better achieve their primary purpose of protecting the public. PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The public were consulted on our findings using two focus groups, seven interviews and 62 survey respondents. Our project advisory group of people with lived experience of involvement in FtP discussed the findings and contributed to the recommendations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: N/A.

Witness to Harm; Holding to Account: What Is the Importance of Information for Members of the Public Who Give Evidence and May Be Witness in a Regulatory Hearing of a Health or Care Professional?

BACKGROUND: Health and social care regulators are organisations that seek to maintain public trust in professionals and protect the public from harmful practitioners. For example, they ensure that practitioners have the correct qualifications to practice and investigate any concerns raised about them. Serious concerns can result in a fitness to practise (FtP) hearing where a member of the public may be required to give evidence as a witness. Being a witness and being cross-examined is known to often be traumatic, particularly for members of the public in criminal trials. There is some research evidence that registered professionals who are the subject of the proceedings may suffer mental ill health as result of the experience. But there is scant research that specifically explores the experiences of members of the public giving evidence in a FtP hearing. The regulator web pages are an important source of information for public witnesses to prepare themselves for a FtP hearing. AIM: This study aimed to examine the publicly available information for public witnesses from the 13 health and social care regulators in the United Kingdom to evaluate the content, amount, type and format of information available and make recommendations about how regulators can improve these. METHODS: Regulator websites were searched during November 2021-February 2022 for information for the public on what happens after raising a concern with a regulator. Resources were downloaded and qualitative content analysis conducted. Our findings were validated by interviews (n = 7) with the public including people with experience of FtP and a focus group of the public (n = 5). RESULTS: One hundred and forty-six resources (97 webpages and 25 public facing documents, 20 videos and 4 easy read documents) were found. Topics included screening and investigation, preparing for a hearing, during a hearing and after a hearing, and support for witnesses. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We conclude that there are many deficiencies in the information content and its presentation for the public and some exemplars, such as the use of flowcharts and short videos to explain the FtP processes. Recommendations for practice take the form of a framework with three themes, (i) co-production, (ii) preferred content and (iii) format. It may be used by regulators to enhance their support for members of the public as witnesses in FtP hearings. PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Our advisory group of people with lived experience of involvement as members of the public in FtP discussed the findings and contributed to the recommendations.