Breaking out of the system and moving to strengths-based care.

ABSTRACT: Strengths-based approaches focus on identifying an individual's assets and resources to find solutions that support their health. These principles are already inherent in nursing philosophies and processes. This article presents a call to reshape the current deficit-based, provider-centric model by formalizing inclusion of holistic, strengths-based approaches into nursing care.

Accelerating Our Global Impact in the Year of the Nurse and Midwife.

Confronting global health crises requires nurses who demonstrate leadership and the ability to collaborate with other disciplines. Regional partnerships can act as "accelerant synergists" to develop the capacity of nurses locally benefiting the region as a whole.

Development and validation of the specific instrument for assistance complexity of puerperal and newborns: Fantinelli Scale / Desenvolvimento e validação do instrumento específico para complexidade assistencial de puérperas e recém-nascidos: Escala Fantinelli

Abstract Objectives: to develop and validate a care complexity assessment system adapted for mothers and newborns, based on two pre-existing scales. Methods: this is a cross-sectional study of psychometric validation of instruments, applied in a roomming-in, in 2016. The instrument has 13 indicators, submitted to the evaluation of a panel of judges for validation. For the psychometric analysis of the instrument, five criteria were adopted: a) internal consistency through Cronbach's alpha (αC); (b) intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC); c) correlation between categorical items, mediating Kendall correlation; d) ceiling and floor effect; e) Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin test. Results: after evaluating the judges on the categories, the agreement was satisfactory, being equal to or greater than 80%. The mean total score of the 13 items was 22.5 ± 4.2, with an intermediate level score of 52.9%. For psychometric validation purposes, the instrument presented αC scores of 0.73 points, between minimum items of 0.70 and maximum of 0.74 points. In the correlation of αC by items and the total score, the instrument showed high relationships (r2: 0.84). In the ICC assessment of 0.73 points (CI95%= 0.71-0.75; p<0.001). Conclusion: the questionnaire presented psychometric indicators of acceptable content validity, with statistical evidence of reliability, obtained by satisfactory inter-rateragreement.

Resumo Objetivos: desenvolver e validar um sistema de avaliação de complexidade assistencial adaptado para puérperas e recém-nascidos, com base em duas escalas preexistentes. Métodos: trata-se de um estudo transversal, de validação psicométrica de instrumentos, aplicado em um alojamento conjunto, no período 2016. O instrumento possui 13 indicadores, submetidos à avaliação de um painel de juízes para validação. Para análise psicométrica do instrumento foram adotados cinco critérios: a) consistência interna por meio do Alfa de Cronbach (αC); b) Coeficiente de correlação intraclasse (CCI); c) correlação entre itens categóricos, mediando a correlação de Kendall; d) efeito teto e piso; e) teste de Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin. Resultados: feita a avaliação dos juízes sobre as categorias, a concordância foi satisfatória, sendo igual ou maior a 80%.A média do escore total dos 13 itens foi de 22,5±4,2, com classificação do nível intermediário em 52,9%. Para fins de validação psicométrica, o instrumento apresentou escores de αC de 0,73 pontos, entre itens mínimos de 0,70 e máximo de 0,74 pontos. Na correlação do αC por itens e o escore total, o instrumento demonstrou relações elevadas (r2: 0,84). Na avaliação do CCI de 0,73 pontos (IC95%= 0,71-0,75; p<0,001). Conclusão: o questionário apresentou indicadores psicométricos de validade de conteúdos aceitáveis, com evidência estatística de confiabilidade obtida pela satisfatória concordância interavaliadores.

Practitioner Engagement by Academic Researchers: A Scoping Review of Nursing, Midwifery, and Therapy Professions Literature.

BACKGROUND: Engagement of frontline practitioners by academic researchers in the research process is believed to afford benefits toward closing the research practice gap. However, little is known about if and how academic researchers engage nurses, midwives, or therapists in research activities or if evidence supports these claims of positive impact. METHOD: A scoping review was undertaken using the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) framework to identify the extent to which this phenomenon has been considered in the literature. RESULTS: An iterative search carried out in CINAHL, Pubmed, Medline, and Embase retrieved 32 relevant papers published 2000 to 2017, with the majority from the last 2-years. Retained papers described or evaluated active engagement of a practitioner from nursing, midwifery, and therapy disciplines in at least one stage of a research project other than as a study participant. Engagement most often took place in one research activity with few examples of engagement throughout the research process. Limited use of theory and variations in terms used to describe practitioner engagement by researchers was observed. Subjective perspectives of practitioners' experiences and a focus on challenges and benefits were the most prominently reported outcomes. Few attempts were found to establish effects which could support claims that practitioner engagement can enhance the use of findings or impact health outcomes. CONCLUSION: It is recommended that a culture of practitioner engagement is cultivated by developing guiding theory, establishing consistent terminology, and building an evidence base through empirical evaluations which provide objective data to support claims that this activity can positively influence the research practice gap.

Nurse Case Manager: Measurement of Care Coordination Activities and Quality and Resource Use Outcomes When Caring for the Complex Patient With Hematologic Cancer.

BACKGROUND: The lack of coordination of care for complex patients in the hematology setting has prompted nurse case managers (NCMs) to coordinate that care. OBJECTIVES: This article aimed to identify the frequency of NCM care coordination activities and quality and resource use outcomes in the complex care of patients in the hematology setting. METHODS: NCM aggregate data from complex outpatients with hematologic cancer were retrieved from electronic health records at a comprehensive cancer center in the midwestern United States. Total volume of activities and outcomes were calculated as frequency and percentage. FINDINGS: Care coordination activities included communicating; monitoring, following up, and responding to change; and creating a proactive plan of care. Quality outcomes included improving continuity of care and change in health behavior, and resource use outcomes most documented were patient healthcare cost savings.

Reaching out to reduce health inequities for Maori youth.

AIM: This paper describes an initiative facilitating comprehensive assessment and delivery of brief interventions for Maori youth in Northland, New Zealand. BACKGROUND: The population in Northland is predominantly Maori and is one of New Zealand's most deprived populations. Maori youth have the highest youth suicide rate in the developed world and elevated numbers of youth displaying mental health issues and/or risk behaviours are of grave national concern. Like Indigenous peoples worldwide, inequities persist for Maori youth accessing and engaging with healthcare services. DESCRIPTION: Taking services out to Maori youth in remote and isolated areas, Northland's youth specialist nurses are reducing some barriers to accessing health care. The youth version of the Case-finding and Help Assessment Tool is a New Zealand-developed, e-screening tool for youth psychosocial issues, facilitating comprehensive assessment and brief intervention delivery. DISCUSSION: Early detection of, and timely intervention for, mental health and risk behaviours can significantly improve health outcomes in youth. However, for this to happen barriers preventing youth from accessing appropriate care need to be overcome. CONCLUSION: Youth specialist nurses could improve access to care for youth from ethnic minorities, rural and isolated regions, and areas of high deprivation without overwhelming the medical profession. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY: Specialist nurses are trained and empowered to practice at the top of their scope. With general practitioner oversight and standing order sign off specialist nurses can work autonomously to improve access to health services, without increasing the workload of doctors. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Encouraging continuous self-reflection of the nurse's effectiveness in meeting patient needs, holistically and culturally, facilitates the provision of accessible care that is patient-centred and culturally safe.

Role of the Advanced Nurse Practitioner Within Teenage and Young Adult Oncology. What is the Impact on Patient and Staff Experience of a New Nurse Practitioner Role to a Teenage and Young Adult Service?

Background: Advanced Practice is recognized by the Royal College of Nursing as a distinctive level of practice encompassing direct care provision, education, research, and management. Advanced Nurse Practitioners (ANP) are educated to MSc level and assessed as competent in their field. A teenage and young adult advanced nurse practitioner (TYA ANP) was introduced in 2015, one of few within the United Kingdom. This service evaluation assesses the impact of the new role on patient and staff experience. Aims/Objectives: To evaluate the impact of TYA ANP role on the experience of TYA oncology patients and the multidisciplinary team (MDT) and to assess perception of quality, safety, and efficiency of this role. Methodology: Retrospective data collection using Australia Nurse Practitioner Study Questionnaire to MDT and patients treated within the TYA unit since the ANP role was introduced. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze outcomes of the data collected. Results: Eighty-six percent of patients and 90% of staff felt they understood the ANP role. While 100% of patients felt the TYA ANP service was a success, met their needs, prescribed correctly, offered holistic and safe care, and had a positive impact on care. Furthermore, 86% of patients felt the TYA ANP service was easy to use and 90% of staff felt the TYA ANP service met the needs of the patients. Discussion/Conclusion: Overall patients and staff reported a positive experience particularly on correct diagnosis, safe prescribing, and having a positive impact on care. Areas for improvement include wider understanding of the role.

Nursing and midwifery advocacy to lead the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda.

The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was implemented on January 1, 2016 and is composed of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and further delineated by 169 targets. This article offers background information on the 2030 Agenda as it relates to nursing and midwifery, professional organizational initiatives currently advancing the SDGs, the ethos of global citizenship, the urgency to respond to dwindling planetary health, the salience of nursing and midwifery advocacy in SDG attainment, and the myriad opportunities for nurses to lead and collaborate toward realizing these Global Goals. A US-based perspective is employed to underscore the Agenda's relevance to the US nursing workforce and healthcare system. The SDGs, with their holistic bio-psycho-social-environmental approach to health, present enormous opportunities for nurses and midwives. The SDG framework is naturally aligned with the foundational philosophy and purpose of our professions.

US nursing and midwifery research capacity building opportunities to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals.

To meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the United States, research by nurses and midwives has a real opportunity to make a significant impact. This paper identifies opportunities to strengthen research capacity in the United States amongst nurses and midwives in ways that will help meet the SDGs and ensure its sustainability. Research capacity means that in a country, there are individuals and teams capable of defining problems, setting priorities, establishing objectives for the goals of the research study, and following rigorous scientific procedures. By strengthening U.S. research capacity by addressing critical weaknesses in content expertise, nursing and midwifery's voices in policy dialogues, and global research initiatives will be have greater assurance of being included.

A Systems Approach to Cultivate a Flourishing Nurse Workforce.

Large integrated health care systems face myriad challenges in bridging national nursing strategy with functional workstream initiatives. The example of a regional Workforce Workstream is outlined to demonstrate how a national nursing agenda may be successfully operationalized to unite and advance an organization's mission, vision, and values. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2019;50(6):248-251.].

Making health a shared value: Lessons from nurse-designed models of care.

BACKGROUND: Nurse-designed models of community-based care reflect a broad definition of health; family- and community-centricity; relationships; and group and public health approaches. PURPOSE: To examine how nurse-designed models of care have addressed "making health a shared value" based on the framework of the Culture of Health. METHOD: A mixed-methods design included an online survey completed by 37 of 41 of "Edge Runners" (American Academy of Nursing-designated nurse innovators) and telephone interviews with 13 of the 37. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and standard content analysis. FINDINGS: Two main areas of "making health a shared value" were increasing the perceptions that individual health is interdependent with the health of the community and community health promotion. Themes were the value of social support (interventions that engage an individual's inner circle and a group environment to reveal shared experiences); messaging (a holistic definition of health, the value of both culturally- and medically-accurate information, and the business case); and building trust (expertise sits locally and trust takes time). DISCUSSION: Refinement of the COH framework may be warranted and can provide strategies for making health a shared value within a community. Shifting the orientation of healthcare organizations must be a long-term, deliberate goal.

Gaming the system to care for patients: a focused ethnography in Norwegian public home care.

BACKGROUND: With its emphasis on cost-reduction and external management, New Public Management emerged as the dominant healthcare policy in many Western countries. The ability to provide comprehensive and customized patient-care is challenged by the formalized, task-oriented organization of home-care services. The aim of this study is to gain deeper understanding of how nurses and the patients they care for, relate to and deal with the organizational systems they are subjected to in Norwegian home care. METHODS: The focused ethnographic design is based on Roper and Shapira's framework. Data collection consisted of participant observation with field notes and semi-structured interviews with ten nurses and eight patients from six home care areas located in two Norwegian municipalities. RESULTS: Findings indicate cultural patterns regarding nurses' somewhat disobedient behaviors and manipulations of the organizational systems that they perceive to be based on economic as opposed to caring values. Rigid organization makes it difficult to deviate from predefined tasks and adapt nursing to patients changing needs, and manipulating the system creates some ability to tailor nursing care. The nurses' actions are founded on assumptions regarding what aspects of nursing are most important and essential to enhance patients' health and ensure wellbeing - individualized care, nurse-patient relationships and caring - which they perceive to be devalued by New Public Management organization. Findings show that patients share nurses' perceptions of what constitute high quality nursing, and they adjust their behavior to ease nurses' work, and avoid placing demands on nurses. Findings were categorized into three main areas: "Rigid organizational systems complicating nursing care at the expense of caring for patients", "Having the patient's health and wellbeing at heart" and "Compensating for a flawed system". CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that, in many ways, the organizational system hampers provision of high-quality nursing, and that comprehensive care is provided in spite of - not because of - the system. The observed practices of nurses and patients are interpreted as ways of "gaming the system" for caring purposes, in order to ensure the best possible care for patients.

European Union Project 'BestCARE': improving nursing care with best complementary therapy strategies.

AIM: This paper introduces the study on the European Union Project on complementary therapies and discusses project outputs and results. The goal of the European Union Project was to improve the professional knowledge and skills of women's health and oncology nurses regarding CT. BACKGROUND: The increasing and widespread use of complementary therapies in the women's health and oncology population requires nurses to be educated about their suitable and safe use. Many nurses do not have proper training in complementary therapies and therefore should not inform their patients about them. METHODS: The 'Improving the Nursing Care with Best Complementary Therapy Strategies Based on European Union Standards' (BestCARE) project was a strategic partnership within Erasmus plus for vocational education and training. The BestCARE project was coordinated by the Akdeniz University Nursing Faculty and was carried out with six partners from Turkey and Europe. RESULTS: Fifteen nurses from Turkey and Italy were trained in complementary therapies in England. In addition, training courses and seminars were held in Turkey and Italy for women's health and oncology nurses. The BestCARE programme consisted of 14 work packages. The BestCARE programme was implemented via websites, an e-learning training programme, training videos, reference and handbook, a curriculum proposal on complementary therapies and a simulation laboratory. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND/OR HEALTH POLICY: The BestCARE project allowed nurses to gain knowledge, experience and skills about complementary therapies and created a cultural awareness and sensitivity towards patients, caregivers and health professionals.

Análise da conformidade dos atendimentos segundo Protocolo de Manchester em um Serviço de Urgência e Emergência / Conformity analysis of care according to the Manchester Protocol in an emergency and emergency service

Os serviços de urgência e emergência são um importante componente da assistência à saúde, mas a superlotação é o retrato do desequilíbrio entre a oferta e a procura. A avaliação do acolhimento com classificação de risco se apresenta como uma ferramenta que busca melhorar a qualidade e a segurança aos usuários e profissionais de saúde desse serviço, sendo recomendado o uso de protocolos preestabelecidos e validados para realizar a classificação de pacientes confere segurança tanto ao paciente quanto ao profissional de saúde. Na prática diária do enfermeiro que atua no setor de urgência e emergência, muitos são os momentos, durante a classificação de risco, em que o tempo não se faz suficiente para reconhecer a real demanda do cliente, seja decorrente do volume de pacientes e tipologia dos mesmos, seja pela dificuldade do protocolo de não permitir a identificação do fluxograma mais adequado. Esse estudo teve como objetivo identificar a conformidade dos atendimentos de pacientes classificados como urgentes pelo Protocolo de Manchester e o desfecho clínico. Estudo descritivo retrospectivo, quantitativo realizado no Serviço de urgência e emergência de um hospital geral, de grande porte e referência regional para atendimento de urgência e emergência, de uma cidade no interior de São Paulo. Os dados foram coletados de prontuários eletrônicos, no mês de junho/2017, e os atendimentos realizados aos pacientes classificados na cor amarela (urgentes) totalizaram 1.822 (42,7%), dos quais 954 atenderam ao critério de inclusão para o estudo. Dos prontuários analisados, 507 eram do sexo feminino e 69% (658) dos pacientes tinham menos de 60 anos de idade, com mediana de idade de 46 anos. O período de maior procura por atendimento correspondeu ao período diurno (das 7 às 19 horas), equivalente a 66,2% (632) dos atendimentos. O tempo mediano de espera entre a retirada da senha e o início da classificação de risco foi de 11 minutos; já o tempo mediano referente à duração da classificação de risco foi de 3 minutos; a mediana para o atendimento médico após a saída da classificação de risco foi de 5 minutos e o tempo mediano para finalização do desfecho médico foi de 142 minutos. Na análise dos desfechos, observou-se que 91% (868) dos pacientes desse grupo receberam alta após atendimento médico. A queixa mais prevalente foi de "problemas em extremidades" e o discriminador foi "dor moderada". A mediana de pacientes classificados por hora entre os enfermeiros foi de 13 pacientes, como sugerido pelo Protocolo de Manchester, e a concordância entre a classificação do paciente urgente feita pelo enfermeiro do serviço de urgência e emergência e pelo pesquisador foi de 84% (802). Este estudo identificou que os tempos de atendimentos para o grupo de pacientes classificados como urgentes foram considerados de acordo com a recomendação do protocolo. Um dos maiores desafios nos serviços de urgência e emergência refere-se a uma qualificação do processo de trabalho, de modo a garantir melhoria do cuidado prestado, redução dos tempos de espera para atendimentos e satisfação dos pacientes

Emergency and emergency services are an important component of health care, but overcrowding is the picture of the imbalance between supply and demand. The evaluation of the reception with risk classification is presented as a tool that seeks to improve the quality and safety of the users of this service. The use of pre-established and validated protocols to perform the classification of patients confers safety to both the patient and the health professional. In the daily practice of nurses working in the emergency and emergency sector, there are many moments during the risk classification where time is not enough to recognize the actual demand of the client, due to the volume of patients and the typology of the patients or because of the protocol's difficulty in not allowing the identification of the most adequate flowchart. The aim of this study was to identify the conformity of the care of patients classified as urgent by the Manchester Protocol and the clinical outcome. A descriptive, retrospective, quantitative study performed in the emergency and emergency department of a large general hospital and a regional reference for urgent and emergency care of a city in the interior of São Paulo. Data were collected from electronic medical records in June 2017, and the visits to patients classified as yellow (urgent) totaled 1,822 (42.7%), of which 954 met the inclusion criteria for the study. Of the records analyzed, 507 were female and 69% (658) of the patients were less than 60 years old, with a median age of 46 years. The period of greatest demand for care corresponded to the daytime period (from 7 am to 7 pm), equivalent to 66.2% (632) of the visits. The median waiting time between the withdrawal of the password and the start of the risk classification was 11 minutes; the median time for the duration of the risk classification was 3 minutes; the median for medical care after leaving the risk classification was 5 minutes and the median time for completion of the medical outcome was 142 minutes. In the analysis of the outcomes, it was observed that 91% (868) of patients in this group were discharged after medical care. The most prevalent complaint was "extremity problems" and the discriminator was "moderate pain". The median hourly rate among nurses was 13 patients, as suggested by the Manchester Protocol, and the concordance between the classification of the urgent patient by the emergency and emergency nurse and the researcher was 84% (802). This study identified that the times of care for the group of patients classified as urgent were considered according to the recommendation of the protocol. One of the greatest challenges in emergency and emergency services is a qualification of the work process, in order to guarantee improved care, reduction of waiting times for care and patient satisfaction

First week of integral health for the newborn: nursing actions of the Family Health Strategy. / Primeira semana saúde integral do recém-nascido: ações de enfermeiros da Estratégia Saúde da Família.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the nurses' actions of the Family Health Strategy about the First Week for Integral Health regarding the care devoted to the newborn. METHOD: It is a descriptive, exploratory research with qualitative approach carried out from October 2014 to February 2015, through a semi-structured interview, with nine nurses from the Family Health Strategy of João Pessoa-PB. Data were submitted to thematic analysis. RESULTS: The actions identified at the first visit to the newborn child are based on maternal guidance on basic newborn care, breastfeeding, neonatal screening, immunization and childcare, as well as evaluation of the puerperal, but it was sometimes performed outside the period recommended and with incomplete and outdated guidelines. CONCLUSION: Although there are potentialities in nurses' actions to this population, the fragilities compromise the care of the newborn and the puerperium, and it is necessary to sensitize these professionals about the importance and effectiveness of First Week for Integral Health.