Promoting Health Through Policy and Systems Change: Public Health Students and Mentors on the Value of Policy Advocacy Experience in Academic Internships.

Emerging professionals and new Certified Health Education Specialists often lack academic training in and actual experience in National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Area of Responsibility VII: Communicate, Promote, and Advocate for Health, Health Education/Promotion, and the Profession. For undergraduate and graduate students who have an opportunity to complete an internship or practicum experience, gaining experience in Competencies 7.2: Engage in advocacy for health and health education/promotion and 7.3: Influence policy and/or systems change to promote health and health education can have a profound impact on their career development and their ability to advocate for policies that promote health and health equity. Compelling evidence suggests that interventions that address social determinants of health such as poverty and education and those that change the context through improved policy or healthier environments have the greatest impact on public health, making it vital for emerging public health professionals to gain experience in policy advocacy and systems change. In this commentary, students and faculty from two large universities in the U.S.-Mexico border region reflect on the value of policy advocacy in academic internship/fieldwork experiences. Based on their experiences, they highly recommend that students seek out internship opportunities where they can participate in policy advocacy, and they encourage university faculty and practicum preceptors to provide more opportunities for policy advocacy in both classroom and fieldwork settings.

Nurse residency programs and the transition to child health nursing practice.

Nurse residency programs for newly licensed RNs are a critical component in bridging the clinical practice gap between education and practice. In May 2013, the Institute of Pediatric Nursing invited leaders from pediatric nursing organizations and children's hospitals to attend a forum on nurse residency programs for pediatric nurses. This article presents a summary of the discussions that occurred during the forum and makes recommendations for addressing issues related to nurse residency programs.

['Sandwich PhD': considerations for a successful experience abroad]. / Doutorado sanduíche: considerações para uma experiência de sucesso no exterior.

International PhD internship, named "Sandwich PhD" in Brazil is an opportunity to improve research abilities, to become known in academic area and to establish and/or increase work opportunities in an international context. In this article, we describe key factors regarding the planning and development of the "Sandwich PhD" as experienced by professors and students involved in the collaboration between the School of Nursing, University of São Paulo and Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, Canada. We also present the participation of PhD students' network as an alternative to the "Sandwich PhD". An international experience, when well-planned and developed correctly, promotes students' personal and professional development and favors the internationalization of Brazilian graduate programs and research groups.

Development of a model home health nurse internship program for new graduates: key lessons learned.

A nursing shortage, the aging baby boomer population, an escalating need for home health care, and limited availability of health care dollars are threatening to undermine the quality of health care in the United States. The National Center for Health Workforce Analysis projects a deficit of 275,000 full-time equivalents by 2010 (-12%) and a deficit of 800,000 by 2020 (-29%). This article focuses on one home health agency's strategy to support nurse graduates transitioning from student to professional nurse. Based on Benner's (1984) hallmark theory from novice to expert, the goals of this program are to enhance job satisfaction and social integration, facilitate autonomy, increase critical thinking and psychomotor skills, and develop additional competencies. Eleven key lessons learned are outlined.

The mandatory residency dilemma: parallels to historical transitions in pharmacy education.

OBJECTIVE: To review recent literature regarding mandatory residencies in the perspective of the historical entry-level degree debate. DATA SOURCES: Articles were identified through searches of MEDLINE/PubMed, national pharmacy association Web sites, and a review of the references of related literature. STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION: Several studies, commentaries, and reviews are examined to discuss viewpoints from both the entry-level degree and mandatory residency debates. Similarities were observed between the 2 debates in regard to objectives and rationale for change, educational issues, pharmaceutical care issues, and economic issues. DATA SYNTHESIS: Fewer than 10 years ago, after many years of debate, colleges of pharmacy made the transition to offering the PharmD degree as the sole entry-level degree for licensure as a pharmacist. Similar debates have taken place over the past several years and continue to take place regarding the necessity for residency training. One key 2006 document by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy calls for mandatory residency training for entry into pharmacy practice by 2020. CONCLUSIONS: In parallel with the entry-level degree debate, consensus has yet to be reached among pharmacists and pharmacy organizations, but several have shown support for mandatory residency training for all pharmacists involved in direct patient care. Many questions have yet to be answered regarding the timeline, economics, and feasibility of such a mandate.

Accreditation of Transition to Practice Programs: Assessing the Value and Impact.

Accreditation of transition to practice (TTP) programs are rapidly increasing. A review was completed on 13 TTP programs, accredited by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Practice Transition Accreditation Program. The review found six benefits of TTP accreditation that can translate into value for organizations. Nursing professional development practitioners should seek accreditation for TTP programs to elevate the potential for funding from national agencies.

Highlights from the Hill: NIWI: the Nurse in Washington Internship Program--a call to all SOHN members.

Recent findings from the membership survey conducted in 2002 by the Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head-Neck Nurses (SOHN) revealed that many members of SOHN were unfamiliar with the Nurse in Washington Internship program (NIWI). SOHN has been participating in the NIWI endeavor since the late eighties. To date, SOHN's NIWI interns have been either active members of the Government Relations Committee or the President-Elects of the Society. At the January 2003 Mid-Winter Board Meeting, the Board of Directors voted to expand the opportunity for participation in NIWI to SOHN's members-at-large. This article provides a brief overview of the NIWI program and describes the plan for extending this opportunity to the general membership.

Designing a pharmacy residency program: focus on a common accreditation challenge.

PURPOSE: One organization's stepwise approach to achieving full compliance in an area often cited for improvement in pharmacy residency accreditation surveys is described. SUMMARY: Principle 4 of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accreditation standard for postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) residencies lists requisite components of program design, conduct, and evaluation; many organizations seeking accreditation are evaluated as being in partial compliance with one or more elements of Principle 4. Several years ago, the Marshfield Clinic, a physician group practice in Wisconsin, launched an initiative to expand its postgraduate medical training program to include a PGY1 pharmacy residency. After a gap analysis of current practices and accreditation requirements, monthly meetings of pharmacy, faculty, and corporate leaders were conducted to address program development challenges, with ongoing input from the clinic's division of education. Strategies were developed for meeting all Principle 4 criteria. For example, with regard to component 4.2 (Program Delivery), the clinic developed a residency program handbook including standing operating procedures and a residency preceptor guide with a trainee evaluation scale, professional development resources, and guidance on providing resident feedback. After an internally conducted mock site visit to identify and resolve Principle 4 issues and other compliance issues, the clinic underwent an ASHP site visit and was subsequently accredited by the ASHP Commission on Credentialing. CONCLUSION: Marshfield Clinic used an efficient step-by-step process in the development of its PGY1 pharmacy residency program and achieved full compliance with all of the criteria outlined in Principle 4 of the ASHP accreditation standard.