Creating a Statewide Nurse Residency: Using an Apprenticeship Model.

The Institute of Medicine recommends residency programs be implemented for new graduates across all settings, yet hospitals have not consistently hardwired this into their organizations. The value proposition is in recruitment, retention, and the conservation of resources. New Jersey's experiences using the US Department of Labor apprenticeship model for nurse residency programs provides a strategy that can be implemented on a statewide basis.

Organizational Readiness of a Health System for Nurse Residency Program Accreditation.

The project aim was to assess the readiness of a healthcare organization to successfully achieve national accreditation of its nurse residency program and to determine the program's capacity to meet the accreditation standards. The only other discoverable article published related to this topic was conducted by Franquiz and Seckman (2016). This project further expands on their study and adds to the body of knowledge regarding organizational readiness to undergo nurse residency program accreditation.

Trainees' use of supervision for therapy with sexual minority clients: A qualitative study.

In the supervision literature, research on sexual orientation considerations often focuses on sexual minority supervisees and less often on their work with sexual minority clients. Yet both heterosexual and sexual minority supervisees serve sexual minority clients and may have different supervision needs. Twelve predoctoral interns from 12 APA-accredited counseling center internships were interviewed about how they made use of supervision for their work with a sexual minority client. The sample consisted of 6 heterosexual-identified supervisees and 6 supervisees who identified as lesbian, gay, or queer (LGQ). Data were analyzed using consensual qualitative research. All participants reported positive gains from supervision that carried over to their work with heterosexual and sexual minority clients, even when not all supervisors disclosed or discussed their own sexual orientation. Heterosexual supervisees used supervision to ensure that their heterosexuality does not interfere with an affirmative experience for their sexual minority client, whereas LGQ supervisees used supervision to explore differences in sexual identity development between themselves and their client to minimize the negative impact of overidentification. Thus, affirmative supervision may unfold with different foci depending on supervisees' sexual identity. Implications for training and supervision are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record

Desired professional development pathways for clinical pharmacists.

The 2012 American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) Certification Affairs Committee was charged with developing guidelines for the desired professional development pathways for clinical pharmacists. This document summarizes recommendations for postgraduate education and training for graduates of U.S. schools and colleges of pharmacy and describes the preferred pathways for achieving, demonstrating, and maintaining competence as clinical pharmacists. After initial licensure within the state or jurisdiction in which the pharmacist intends to practice, completion of an accredited PGY1 pharmacy residency is recommended to further develop the knowledge and skills needed to optimize medication therapy outcomes. An accredited PGY2 pharmacy residency should be completed if a pharmacist wishes to seek employment in a specific therapeutic area or practice setting, if such a residency exists. Clinical pharmacists intending to conduct advanced research that is competitive for federal funding are encouraged to complete a fellowship or graduate education. Initial certification by the Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) or other appropriate sponsoring organizations should be completed in the desired primary therapeutic area or practice setting within 2 years after accepting a position within the desired specific therapeutic area or practice setting. Clinical pharmacists subsequently will need to meet the requirements to maintain pharmacist licensure and board certification. Traineeships, practice-based activities, and certificate programs can be used to obtain additional knowledge and skills that support professional growth. Pharmacists are strongly encouraged to adopt a lifelong, systematic process for professional development and work with ACCP and other professional organizations to facilitate the development and implementation of innovative strategies to assess core practice competencies.

Feedback in patient counselling training--pharmacy students' opinions.

OBJECTIVE: The aims were to analyse Finnish pharmacy students' opinions of feedback given to them in patient counselling training during their internship period, and to evaluate the guidelines used. METHODS: The study was based on reports written by 136 students, analysed qualitatively. To examine the significance of the guidelines and the perceived quality of the feedback, students were categorised into groups. Correlations were assessed by frequencies and cross-tabulations. RESULTS: A statistically significant correlation was found (p<0.001) between the perceived quality of the feedback and the use of the guidelines. The relations between the perceived usefulness of the guidelines and the use of the guidelines in patient counselling exercises were also statistically significant (p=0.034). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the perceived quality of the feedback was indeed associated with the use of the guidelines. They not only offer a training method focusing on essential communication skills in patient counselling, but are also a useful tool for developing counselling practices in general. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: Since mentors are probably unfamiliar with the guidelines, students should be trained to explain their use. To ensure that mentors are competent in analysing communication skills, further training for them is essential.

Assessment of teaching experiences completed during accredited pharmacy residency programs.

OBJECTIVES: To examine teaching experiences in residency programs accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and how they relate to career choices of residents. METHODS: An online survey instrument was developed that asked former residents about the type of teaching experiences they completed during their residency and the effect of these experiences on the decision to pursue an academic career. Our target population was pharmacists completing accredited residencies from 2003-2006. RESULTS: Four hundred fifty-five (11% of the target population) pharmacists who had completed a residency responded. Former residents who completed 2 years of postgraduate training were significantly more likely to participate in all teaching experiences identified by this survey (p < 0.008). Former residents in college- or school-affiliated programs were significantly more likely to participate in all of the teaching experiences identified (p < 0.003). Former residents who went on to take a faculty position were more likely to have given lectures, participated in problem-based learning (PBL) or small group seminars (SGS), and served as a primary preceptor (p < 0.008) during their residency. CONCLUSIONS: Residents who eventually became faculty members were more likely to have acquired training and experience in teaching during their residency programs.

Residency training programs in veterinary clinical pathology: a comparison of experiences at two institutions.

Two institutions with different residency training formats in clinical pathology are compared with respect to application procedures, learning and teaching opportunities, learning resources, research training, publication requirements, and assessment methods of the program and trainees. The University of Florida and Purdue University programs are both based on an emphasis in morphologic recognition and interpretation of disease processes as well as training in basic science and applied research principles. The progress of trainees through each program is carefully monitored to meet individual needs as well as to meet the training requirements to allow candidates to sit for the certifying examination in clinical pathology. Periodic mock board exams are a critical tool to assess trainee progress and learning. The differences in format focus on coursework and publication requirements as well as on program assessment tools. While one program provides training in the form of 75% clinical diagnostic service, the other uses a mixture of 50% coursework and 50% clinical diagnostic training. Despite the contrast between a pure residency training program and one combining residency training with an MS degree, both institutions provide a solid program structure, ample learning resources, and adequate faculty mentorship to produce a high pass rate of board-certified specialists, the major focus for both programs. Numbers of post-training employment positions for both institutions are similar for those selecting faculty positions at veterinary schools. During the period studied, however, the combined residency and MS graduate program at Purdue University produced more graduates employed in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, while the residency program at the University of Florida produced more graduates employed by diagnostic laboratories.

Perceived value and outcomes of residency projects.

Residency program directors' attitudes toward residency projects were studied. A questionnaire about the residency project experience was mailed in January 2000 to 446 pharmacy practice residency program and specialty residency program directors in the program database of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Recipients responded to opinion statements on a 5-point scale. Responses to the opinion statements were separated into seven categories for analysis. A total of 278 usable questionnaires were returned, for a raw response rate of 63.6%. During the preceding three years, residency directors had served as primary advisors on 917 projects; 171 had served as advisor on at least one of every type of project allowed in the accreditation standards. Of the 917 projects, 364 were presented at national professional meetings, 124 were published, and 484 were believed to have resulted in a positive change in pharmacy services. There were no significant differences in total response scores among any of the subgroups analyzed. There was strong agreement that residency projects were valuable and should continue to be part of the residency program experience. The directors' views of the importance of original research as a project option were more neutral. Overall residency program directors had positive perceptions of the value of residency projects to both residents and institutions and believed that they should continue to be a requirement of residency programs.

Minority recruitment and retention in dietetics: issues and interventions.

To better understand the reasons why minorities and males are underrepresented among registered dietitians (RDs) and dietetic technicians, registered, (DTRs) and to develop focuses for intervention, the investigators performed a telephone survey of newly credentialed RDs and DTRs and directors of RD and DTR education programs. Using lists of students recruited by the American Dietetic Association for participation in the survey, the investigators interviewed 83 RDs and DTRs and 20 education program directors. RDs and DTRs attributed minority underrepresentation primarily to the field's lack of visibility and underrepresentation of men to the traditional association with women. Education program directors attributed minority underrepresentation to educational disadvantages, particularly in scientific subjects. Findings from this study support program-level interventions such as increasing program flexibility, initiating outreach to K-12 schools and lower-division college students, providing tutoring in a nondemeaning atmosphere, and visibly expressing commitment to minority representation. More fundamental changes in the profession itself appear necessary for large-scale increases in minority representation. These include increasing internship opportunities; raising the profession's level of remuneration, prestige, and independence; increasing scholarship support; and advertising nationally through channels capable of reaching minorities.

Maintaining a balance in service and education in a climate of fiscal crisis.

Doubling enrollment in the undergraduate occupational therapy programme at McMaster University was introduced in a climate of fiscal crisis. This paper will discuss the creative implementation of a Quality Circle Model in the Occupational Therapy Department at Chedoke-McMaster Hospitals, Hamilton, Ontario, which promoted concerted staff participation and self management development in light of increased student learning needs. An alternate model of Clinical Supervision was examined. The impact of this proactive, problem solving approach will be addressed and may encourage application in other occupational therapy settings.

Nursing internships: taking a second look.

Nursing internships are associated with recruitment and retention efforts of hospitals to gain new nursing employees. They are recognized as a benefit to new nursing staff and the hospital as well. Reported to bridge the gap and ease the transition to registered nurse, internships have been reported in the literature for over 30 years. But how effective are they? This article reviews the recent literature for evidence that internship programs improve recruitment and retention, have a positive cost benefit ratio, and ease the role transition of newly employed nurses.

Nursing internships: a tri-state survey and model for evaluation.

Results of a survey of 14 nursing internship programs are presented, and discussed. The results indicate that objective and systematic evaluation of the derived costs and benefits of these programs is often not considered. A methodology is described and suggested as one model for evaluating program effectiveness.