Evaluating a system-wide, safety investigation in healthcare course in Norway: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE AND SETTING: National, system-wide safety investigation represents a new approach to safety improvement in healthcare. In 2019, a new master's level course in Safety Investigation in Healthcare was established to support the training and development of a new team of investigators from an independent investigatory body. The course was established at one Norwegian university and a total of 19 students were enrolled and completed the course. The aim of this study was to qualitatively evaluate the course, and the objectives were to explore the students' needs and expectations prior to the course conduct, and their experiences and suggestions for improvements after course completion. DESIGN: The study design was a qualitative explorative study with individual and focus group interviews. Data collection included five individual interviews prior to course participation and two focus group interviews, after course participation, with a total sample size of 13 participants. Data were analysed according to thematic analysis. RESULTS: The results showed a need for a common conceptual foundation for the multidisciplinary team of safety investigators who were all employed in the same investigatory body. Course participation contributed to create reflexive spaces for the participants and generated new knowledge about the need for a broad range of investigatory tools and approaches. This contrasted with the initial aspiration among the participants to have a recipe for how to conduct safety investigations. CONCLUSIONS: Course participation contributed to a common language among a highly multidisciplinary group of safety investigators and supported building a culture of collaborative learning. The need for additional activities to further develop a safety investigation curriculum in healthcare was identified. It is recommended that such a curriculum be co-created with independent investigators, safety scientists, patients and users, and healthcare professionals to ensure a strong methods repertoire and a sound theoretical backdrop for investigatory practice.

Status of knowledge on student-learning environments in nursing homes: A mixed-method systematic review.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To give an overview of empirical studies investigating nursing homes as a learning environment during nursing students' clinical practice. BACKGROUND: A supportive clinical learning environment is crucial to students' learning and for their development into reflective and capable practitioners. Nursing students' experience with clinical practice can be decisive in future workplace choices. A competent workforce is needed for the future care of older people. Opportunities for maximum learning among nursing students during clinical practice studies in nursing homes should therefore be explored. DESIGN: Mixed-method systematic review using PRISMA guidelines, on learning environments in nursing homes, published in English between 2005-2015. METHODS: Search of CINAHL with Full Text, Academic Search Premier, MEDLINE and SocINDEX with Full Text, in combination with journal hand searches. Three hundred and thirty-six titles were identified. Twenty studies met the review inclusion criteria. Assessment of methodological quality was based on the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data were extracted and synthesised using a data analysis method for integrative reviews. RESULTS: Twenty articles were included. The majority of the studies showed moderately high methodological quality. Four main themes emerged from data synthesis: "Student characteristic and earlier experience"; "Nursing home ward environment"; "Quality of mentoring relationship and learning methods"; and "Students' achieved nursing competencies." CONCLUSION: Nursing home learning environments may be optimised by a well-prepared academic-clinical partnership, supervision by encouraging mentors and high-quality nursing care of older people. Positive learning experiences may increase students' professional development through achievement of basic nursing skills and competencies and motivate them to choose the nursing home as their future workplace. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: An optimal learning environment can be ensured by thorough preplacement preparations in academia and in nursing home wards, continuous supervision and facilitation of team learning.