An Online Module to Promote Self-Care and Resiliency in Nursing Students.

ABSTRACT: Because the demands of nursing education can impact the physical and mental health of nursing students, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's revised Essentials require inclusion of self-care and resilience education in nursing curricula. This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a self-care module in a new online undergraduate course. Using the REST mnemonic (relationships, exercise, soul, and transformative thinking), students developed personalized self-care plans for the semester. End-of-course evaluations revealed an increase in self-care activities. The most used activities were exercise, humor, intentional rest, and healthy eating.

Climate and Health: Impact of Climate Education on Nursing Student Knowledge, Confidence, and Intent to Act.

BACKGROUND: Because climate change negatively impacts human health, nurses need skills to mitigate climate change and nurse educators need effective educational strategies to teach climate change content in undergraduate nursing programs. To address this need, we embedded an energy efficiency treasure hunt and Climate for Health Ambassador Training into our prelicensure nursing curricula. PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of these educational activities on self-reported knowledge, confidence, and intent to engage in climate action. METHODS: A quasi-experimental one-group posttest design examined the effectiveness of 2 educational interventions on increasing knowledge, confidence, and intent to engage in climate action. A convenience sample of prelicensure nursing students completed 2 Likert scale surveys (n = 57, n = 60), with additional open-ended questions. RESULTS: Participants reported increased awareness, knowledge, and intent to act on personal and professional climate-related issues. CONCLUSION: Our energy efficiency treasure hunt and Climate for Health Ambassador Training were effective educational strategies.

Original Research: Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding the Sustainable Development Goals: A Global Study.

BACKGROUND: Nurses have a critical role to play in achieving the United Nations' 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). While Goal 3 (good health and well-being) is of particular importance to nursing, every SDG contributes to the advancement of universal health and well-being. Yet many nurses are unfamiliar with the SDGs and how they relate to everyday nursing practices. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine RNs' knowledge of and attitudes toward the SDGs. METHODS: This study used a descriptive correlational cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of RNs from multiple countries completed an anonymous online survey that included eight demographic items and 25 items exploring participants' knowledge of and attitudes toward the SDGs. Descriptive, parametric, and nonparametric statistics were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The majority of nurses in this study perceived themselves as lacking knowledge of the SDGs. Most wanted to know more, including how they could take action to help achieve the goals. Overall, participants agreed that the SDGs are relevant to nursing practice and that nurses are integral to their advancement. Participants who were younger than age 50, those living in the United States, and those who practiced primarily in a clinical or community setting were more likely than others to self-report lower SDG knowledge scores. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings contribute to our collective understanding of RNs' knowledge and attitudes regarding the SDGs. They can assist nurse educators and leaders worldwide in developing targeted strategies to better inform nurses and prepare them for actions that will advance these goals. Increasing nurses' knowledge of the SDGs, especially as these goals relate to daily clinical practice, may lead to greater nursing engagement and impact.

Educating Nursing Students About Chronic Pain Management and Opioids: A Research Study.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals' knowledge of safe use of opioids for chronic pain management is critical in preventing opioid abuse and overdose. Undergraduate curricula of health professional schools, including undergraduate nursing programs, need to improve and adopt a comprehensive educational plan regarding this issue. METHOD: This study implemented and assessed an educational module on undergraduate nursing students' knowledge and attitudes regarding prescription opioids. RESULTS: The educational module improved nursing students' knowledge and attitudes. Students reflected positively on the module. CONCLUSION: Undergraduate nursing students benefited from the educational module on prescription opioids and preferred to include a similar module in their undergraduate curricula.

Use of the Rasch Model for Fit Statistics and Rating Scale Diagnosis for the Student Perception Appraisal-Revised.

Background and Purpose: Nursing student retention is essential to meet workforce demands. Jeffrey's Nursing Student Retention Student Perception Appraisal-Revised (SPA-R1) has been used extensively to understand factors that impact retention. Psychometric testing of the SPA-R1 contributes to greater confidence in the instrument's reliability and validity. Methods: Item response theory and specifically, the single parameter polytomous Rasch model was used as a framework for fit statistic testing and rating scale diagnostics of the SPA-R1. This was a secondary analysis of a convenience sample of undergraduate prelicensure nursing students. The setting for the previous study was virtual, and the study period was 2022. Results: The model item characteristic curves for the 27 items of the SPA-R1 have similar shapes and are clustered in proximity. Overall, there are three clusters of items evident in the Rasch standardized residual contrast. The Rasch scale diagnostics indicated that the scale appropriately monotonically increases. However, there is a greater than 5 logit distance between does not apply and severely restricts, between severely restricts and moderately restricts, and between does not restrict or support and moderately supports. These large threshold distances indicate that additional steps in the scale may be warranted. The items cover the mid-range of the amount of retention perceptions; however, there are no items that represent the highest magnitude of the perceived amount of influence on retention. Conclusions: This study contributes further evidence to support the validity and reliability of the SPA-R1. We recommend adding steps to the scale, removing the does not apply response option, and considering scoring by three domains or clusters.

Creating a Primary Care Track in Prelicensure Nursing Education.

BACKGROUND: RNs practicing in primary care (PC) increase access to health care and contribute to better patient outcomes and cost savings, yet undergraduate nursing education traditionally focuses on disease-oriented care. This article describes a curricular track for infusing PC prelicensure programs. METHOD: PC content is threaded across four semesters with targeted assignments and clinical experiences. Providing clinical immersion experiences with practicing RNs as preceptors in community and PC settings is a key component of this initiative. RESULTS: Student feedback has been favorable. Students stated they gained insight to the role of RNs in PC through class assignments and clinical rotations. Graduating seniors were offered employment in PC settings where they completed their practicum clinical rotations. CONCLUSION: The PC track contributes to building a nursing workforce to meet health care demands and promote health equity. Nurse educators interested in infusing PC content throughout the curriculum can adapt this model for all student populations. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(3):171-174.].

Service-learning abroad: a life-changing experience for nursing students.

Incorporating service-learning experiences into nursing education is one way to help prepare students for practice in a global, culturally diverse society. Partnering with a church with a long-term mission program in El Salvador offers the nursing school at Old Dominion University opportunity to develop a service-learning program and support healthcare missions.

Global Health and Nursing Advocacy.

Editor's note: The Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing is a global organization focused on leadership and scholarship, with more than 135,000 members from more than 100 countries. This second article in a series highlights the work of Sigma's representatives at the United Nations and their perspectives on advocating for global health and nursing leadership.

Effects of music listening to reduce preprocedural dental anxiety in special needs patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Dental anxiety is particularly problematic for individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD), resulting in a greater reluctance to undergo dental procedures and exacerbating poor oral health. Drugs commonly used for dental anxiety have undesirable side effects and may not be preferred by patients and guardians. Alternative methods for managing dental anxiety are needed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of music listening on anxiety levels of patients with IDD awaiting dental procedures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A convenience sample of 15 patients with IDD listened to piano music for 10 min before scheduled outpatient dental procedures. Preprocedural dental anxiety levels as measured by Revised ADAMS scores, pulse rates, and blood pressures were compared pre and post music listening. Participants' premedication requirements for the procedure with music listening was compared to their respective previously scheduled procedure with no music listening. RESULTS: Post music listening, patients demonstrated reduced anxiety levels as evidenced by lower Revised ADAMS scores (p = 0.001), mean arterial pressures (p = 0.09), pulse rates (p = 0.02), and reduced premedication requirements. CONCLUSION: Study results suggest that music listening offers an effective, nonpharmacologic alternative to reducing preprocedural dental anxiety in patients with IDD.

Nurses Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals: The United Nations and Sigma.

This article is one in a series in which contributing authors discuss how the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are linked to everyday clinical issues; national public health emergencies; and other nursing issues, such as leadership, shared governance, and advocacy. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, a 15-year plan of action to achieve the goals, was unanimously adopted by all UN member states in September 2015 and took effect on January 1, 2016. The Agenda consists of 17 SDGs addressing social, economic, and environmental determinants of health and 169 associated targets focused on five themes: people, planet, peace, prosperity, and partnership. The SDGs build on the work of the UN Millennium Development Goals, which were in effect from 2000 to 2015. The current article highlights SDGs 5 (gender equality), 8 (decent work and economic growth), and 17 (partnerships for the goals), along with the advocacy of these goals by Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing in the UN system.

Behind the Scenes of an Educational Escape Room.

Educational versions of interactive escape room games can be used to teach and reinforce knowledge and clinical skills. In this article, the authors describe their experience creating, piloting, implementing, and evaluating a safe medication educational escape room for first-year nursing students. They highlight the steps needed to develop an effective learning experience and provide insight into lessons they've learned throughout this process.

Educational Model to Increase the Number and Diversity of RN to BSN Graduates From a Resource-Limited Rural Community.

Increasing the number of BSN-prepared nurses at the bedside is directly linked to improved health care outcomes. However, employers are challenged to find enough BSN graduates to meet workforce demands. This article presents an educational model that uses evidence-based practices to increase enrollment, retention, and graduation rates of RN students in a BSN program (RN-BSN) in a resource limited rural community. This exemplar may equip nurse educators with strategies to adopt in their own communities.