A Call to the CMS: Mandate Adequate Professional Nurse Staffing in Nursing Homes.

Editor's note: This article is by 22 nursing gerontology experts who are all advocates of nursing home reform. They are listed at the end of this article.

Arteriovenous access practices in Australian and New Zealand dialysis units.

BACKGROUND: The creation and maintenance of dialysis vascular access is associated with significant morbidity. Structured management pathways can reduce this morbidity, yet practice patterns in Australia and New Zealand are not known. We aimed to describe the arteriovenous access practices in dialysis units in Australia and New Zealand. METHODS: An online survey comprising 51 questions was completed by representatives from dialysis units from both countries. In addition to descriptive analysis, responses were compared between units inside and outside of major cities. RESULTS: Of 64 contacted units, 48 (75%) responded (Australia 43, New Zealand 5), representing 38% of dialysis units in Australia and New Zealand. While 94% of units provided pre-dialysis education, only 60% reported a structured pre-dialysis pathway and 69% had a dedicated vascular access nurse. Most units routinely monitored fistula/graft function using flow rate measurement (73%) or recirculation studies (63%). A minority used routine ultrasound (35%). Thrombectomy, fistuloplasty and peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion were rarely performed by nephrologists (4%, 4% and 17% of units, respectively). Units outside of a major city were less likely to have access to a local vascular access surgeon (6/13 (46%) vs 35/35 (100%), P < 0.001). There were no other significant differences between units on the basis of location. CONCLUSION: Much variation exists in unit management of arteriovenous access. Structured pre-dialysis pathways and dedicated vascular access nurses may be underutilised in Australia and New Zealand. The use of regular access blood flow measurement and ultrasound is common in both countries despite a lack of data supporting its effectiveness. There is room for both practice improvement and a need for further evidence to ensure optimal arteriovenous access care.

Construction and validation of a tool to assess nursing interpersonal relations.

OBJECTIVE: construct and validate a tool to identify the factors that influence interpersonal relations and the health of nursing workers in a University Hospital in the South of Brazil. METHOD: methodological study, in nine steps. The face validation was carried out, with the participation of five experts, professor nurses doctors in Nursing, content with 26 nurses, stricto sensu Nursing Postgraduate students, and the validation of the construct was performed through a quantitative approach with 213 nursing workers. We used the exploratory factorial analysis and the Cronbach's Alpha in the validation of the construct. RESULTS: the tool consisted of 29 questions and six constructs were identified. The Cronbach's Alpha value.879 showed satisfactory internal consistency. CONCLUSION: the tool was valid and reliable for use in the assessment of interpersonal relations among nursing workers in Brazilian University Hospitals.

Construction and validation of a tool to assess nursing interpersonal relations / Construcción y validación de instrumento para evaluar las relaciones interpersonales en la Enfermeira / Construção e validação de instrumento para avaliar as relações interpessoais na Enfermagem

ABSTRACT Objective: construct and validate a tool to identify the factors that influence interpersonal relations and the health of nursing workers in a University Hospital in the South of Brazil. Method: methodological study, in nine steps. The face validation was carried out, with the participation of five experts, professor nurses doctors in Nursing, content with 26 nurses, stricto sensu Nursing Postgraduate students, and the validation of the construct was performed through a quantitative approach with 213 nursing workers. We used the exploratory factorial analysis and the Cronbach's Alpha in the validation of the construct. Results: the tool consisted of 29 questions and six constructs were identified. The Cronbach's Alpha value.879 showed satisfactory internal consistency. Conclusion: the tool was valid and reliable for use in the assessment of interpersonal relations among nursing workers in Brazilian University Hospitals.

RESUMEN Objetivo: construir y validar un instrumento para identificar los factores que influencian las relaciones interpersonales y la salud de los trabajadores de enfermería en un Hospital Universitario en el Sur de Brasil. Método: estudio metodológico, en nueve etapas. Se realizó la validación de cara, con la participación de cinco expertos, enfermeros docentes doctores en Enfermería, de contenido con 26 enfermeros, estudiantes de la Postgrado en Enfermería stricto sensu, y la validación de construto fue realizada mediante abordaje cuantitativo con 213 trabajadores de enfermería. En la validación del construto, se utilizó el análisis factorial exploratorio y el Alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: el instrumento quedó compuesto por 29 cuestiones y se identificaron seis construtos. El valor de Alfa de Cronbach, 879 presentó consistencia interna satisfactoria. Conclusión: el instrumento se presentó válido y fidedigno para ser utilizado en la evaluación de las relaciones interpersonales entre trabajadores de enfermería en Hospitales Universitarios brasileños.

RESUMO Objetivo: construir e validar um instrumento para identificação dos fatores que influenciam as relações interpessoais e a saúde dos trabalhadores de enfermagem em um Hospital Universitário no Sul do Brasil. Método: estudo metodológico, em nove etapas. Realizou-se a validação de face, com a participação de cinco experts, enfermeiros docentes doutores em Enfermagem, de conteúdo com 26 enfermeiros, estudantes da Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem stricto sensu, e a validação de construto foi realizada mediante abordagem quantitativa com 213 trabalhadores de enfermagem. Na validação do construto, utilizou-se a análise fatorial exploratória e o Alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: o instrumento ficou composto por 29 questões e foram identificados seis construtos. O valor de Alfa de Cronbach ,879 apresentou consistência interna satisfatória. Conclusão: o instrumento se apresentou válido e fidedigno para ser utilizado na avaliação das relações interpessoais entre trabalhadores de enfermagem em Hospitais Universitários brasileiros.

Nursing Professional Development's Spirit of Inquiry Focus Areas.

An Association for Nursing Professional Development (ANPD) task force was charged with redesigning the association's small research grant process. One step in this process included identifying focus areas for the specialty's spirit of inquiry. Using input from a round table discussion with ANPD annual convention attendees, the Journal for Nurses in Professional Development Editorial Board, and the convention evaluation query, 10 spirit of inquiry focus areas were identified that align with the Nursing Professional Development Practice Model.

Trends in the primary health care nursing workforce providing diabetes care in Auckland, New Zealand: A cross-sectional survey.

AIMS: To describe trends from 2006-8 to 2016 in demographic, education and work settings of the primary health care nursing workforce who provide diabetes care in the Auckland region. METHODS: A total of 1416 practice, Accident and Medical, district and diabetes specialist nurses were identified who provide community-based care. Of those, 459 were randomly selected and 336 were interviewed in 2016, and were compared with 287 nurses interviewed in 2006-8. RESULTS: A 73% response rate was attained in 2016. Compared with nurses in 2006-8, primary health care nurses in 2016 were younger, less experienced, more likely to be Asian, undertook more post-graduate education, worked more in Accident and Medical Clinics and worked in larger practices with ≥4 doctors. However, less worked with a dietitian or received visits from specialist nurses compared with nurses in 2006-8. Significantly more nurses in 2016 had their own room for administrative work and the ability to email patients suggesting greater autonomy. CONCLUSIONS: Major demographic, educational and workplace changes have occurred in the Auckland primary health care nursing workforce from 2006-8 to 2016. A significant increase in practice nurses and a large decrease in the number of diabetes specialist nurses were evident, in the Auckland region.

Hospital nursing leadership-led interventions increased genomic awareness and educational intent in Magnet settings.

BACKGROUND: The Precision Medicine Initiative will accelerate genomic discoveries that improve health care, necessitating a genomic competent workforce. PURPOSE: This study assessed leadership team (administrator/educator) year-long interventions to improve registered nurses' (RNs) capacity to integrate genomics into practice. METHODS: We examined genomic competency outcomes in 8,150 RNs. FINDINGS: Awareness and intention to learn more increased compared with controls. Findings suggest achieving genomic competency requires a longer intervention and support strategies such as infrastructure and policies. Leadership played a role in mobilizing staff, resources, and supporting infrastructure to sustain a large-scale competency effort on an institutional basis. DISCUSSION: Results demonstrate genomic workforce competency can be attained with leadership support and sufficient time. Our study provides evidence of the critical role health-care leaders play in facilitating genomic integration into health care to improve patient outcomes. Genomics' impact on quality, safety, and cost indicate a leader-initiated national competency effort is achievable and warranted.

Distribución de la fuerza de trabajo en enfermería en la Región de las Américas / Distribution of the nursing workforce in the Region of the Americas

Objetivo: Describir la distribución de la fuerza de trabajo de enfermería en países de la Región de las Américas y relacionar el número de recursos humanos en enfermería con las tasas de mortalidad materna. Métodos. Análisis descriptivo y exploratorio de 27 países de la Región. Las variables del estudio fueron la proporción de profesionales por país y subregión, la categoría profesional y la razón de enfermero-médico. Se utilizó la proporción de mortalidad materna, que es un indicador general de salud de la población, para analizar la relación con el cuantitativo de los enfermeros. Se analizaron la distribución de frecuencias y la densidad del recurso humano de enfermería por país y subregión. Resultados. La distribución de enfermería es heterogénea. Existen países con más de 80 enfermeros por 10 000 habitantes y otros con menos de cinco profesionales por 10 000 habitantes. En 34,1% de los países, la relación enfermero-médico es menor a uno. Se observan diferencias en la distribución de personal de enfermería por región, subregión y al interior de país. Conclusiones. En varios países, el número de enfermeros por habitantes es menor a lo esperado. La mayoría de los países muestran un retraso importante en la relación del número de enfermeros licenciados respecto al personal técnico y auxiliar. Es necesario implementar iniciativas para aumentar el número de enfermeros licenciados en toda la Región. (AU)

Three approaches to safe staffing levels.

We have a natural experiment emerging, with different UK countries looking at different approaches to NHS nurse staffing. For example, in June, Scotland first minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that Scotland will enshrine the use of existing local nurse workforce planning tools in law. This was misrepresented in some media coverage as being about legislated staffing levels, but it actually legislates what was already common local practice: flexibility framed by tested workforce tools, underpinned by professional judgement.

Practice nursing: the pitfalls and the potential.

A survey by the Queen's Nursing Institute has confirmed that practice nursing is facing major pressures, with one third of practice nurses due to retire by 2020, patchy access to training and widespread discrepancies in pay. But there is also cause for optimism, as new initiatives aim to ensure practice nurses are better supported and rewarded.

Findings From the 2015 National Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers Annual Meeting.

Estimating the future nursing workforce needs is critical to all aspects of nursing care. Currently, the healthcare system is undergoing chaotic change, and predicting the workforce needs over the next 10 years has been challenging. The efforts of Dr Peter Buerhaus and his associates in addressing nursing workforce issues over the last 25 years are a hallmark. Dr Buerhaus joined forces with the state nursing workforce centers to discuss new approaches to this critical issue.