Psychometric Testing of a Tool to Assess Midwifery Clinical Educator Skill Acquisition.

BACKGROUND: Midwifery clinical educators balance expertise in clinical practice and academia. PURPOSE: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess midwifery clinical educator skill acquisition and psychometric properties of the Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Tool (ACNESAT) with midwifery clinical educators. METHODS: A convenience sample of 143 educators completed the 40-item ACNESAT aligned with the National League for Nursing academic clinical nurse educator competencies. RESULTS: Participants reported extreme confidence overall with ACNESAT items ( M = 168.99, SD = 23.61), highest confidence with Ensures Safe Care is Delivered by Learners in the Clinical Setting ( M = 4.51, SD = 0.659), and lowest with Applies Theory to Clinical Practice During Clinical Nursing Education Experiences ( M = 4.01, SD = 0.934). CONCLUSIONS: Academic leaders are empowered to utilize the ACNESAT to personalize clinical educator orientation programs with targeted professional development activities.

Psychometric Testing of a Tool to Assess Nurse Anesthesia Clinical Educator Skill Acquisition.

ABSTRACT: Nurse anesthesia clinical educators bridge didactic content and clinical practice. A sample of 99 nurse anesthesia clinical educators completed the Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Tool (ACNESAT) to assess their skill acquisition and ACNESAT psychometric properties. Participants reported extreme confidence (M = 170.07, SD = 22.31) overall; highest confidence with Ensures Safe Care is Delivered by Learners in the Clinical Setting (M = 4.55, SD = 0.627) and lowest with Applies Theory to Clinical Practice (M = 4.01, SD = 0.942). Academic leaders can utilize the ACNESAT to support role development and excellence among clinical educators.

Experiences of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)-prepared nurses choosing to pursue a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree.

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, nurses with a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree are seeking a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. This subset of students may provide valuable insight for bolstering the PhD-prepared workforce, which is in decline. PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to understand the essence of the lived experience of DNP-prepared nurses choosing to pursue a PhD degree. METHOD: An existential phenomenological study was undertaken, with 10 DNP-to-PhD students interviewed. RESULTS: The DNP-to-PhD experience is about being On a Mission. The Nursing Hierarchy was an implicit force influencing students' missions, and their experiences were characterized by five themes: (a) Having Needs the DNP Can't Meet: "I had to go back and do more," (b) Considering Dreams and Circumstances: "Now's the time," (c) Developing Confidence: "You can do this!" (d) "I've been very supported"/"I had no support," and (e) "It had to be an internal drive for me." CONCLUSIONS: Study findings demonstrate profound effects of the nursing hierarchy on students' decisions as well as misperceptions that still surround DNP and PhD education and careers. Nursing academicians, organizational leaders, and researchers must address PhD program disinterest, intimidation, and imposter syndrome and improve messaging about both degrees.

Exploring the Experiences of Doctor of Nursing Practice Students' Use of Flipgrid to Create a Community of Inquiry in a Predominantly Online Program.

ABSTRACT: The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the experiences of Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students utilizing Flipgrid, a free, asynchronous online video discussion forum, as an alternative to written journals and discussion boards in a predominately online program. Results suggest greater student engagement, efficiency, and public speaking skills with Flipgrid than with conventional journals and discussion boards. Flipgrid can serve as an active learning strategy to promote a community of inquiry among online DNP students.

Development and Psychometric Testing of the Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Tool.

AIM: This article reports the development and psychometric testing of an instrument to measure academic clinical nurse educator skill acquisition. BACKGROUND: Little research explores clinical nurse educator competence. METHOD: Using the National League for Nursing Academic Clinical Nurse Educator core competencies and a literature review, newly created clinical nurse educator skill acquisition items underwent two rounds of content validity testing. The resulting 40-item Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Tool was pilot tested with a convenience sample of 133 clinical nurse educators. RESULTS: The Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Tool demonstrated adequate validity and internal consistency reliability. Factor analysis identified two factors: facilitating clinical learning through the use of effective teaching, assessment, and evaluation and promoting nursing enculturation. CONCLUSION: Further use of this tool may provide insight about the psychometrics, offer information about clinical teaching competence, and could lead to improved orientation and mentoring programs for clinical nurse educators.

Examining the Influence of Academic Nurse Educator Doctoral Degree Preparation on National League for Nursing Core Competency Skill Acquisition.

AIM: The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of academic nurse educator doctoral degree preparation on National League for Nursing (NLN) core competency skill acquisition. BACKGROUND: Doctor of nursing practice (DNP) and doctor of philosophy (PhD) graduates frequently seek faculty positions, yet neither degree exclusively prepares graduates for careers in academia. METHOD: A descriptive, correlational design was utilized to examine the influence of doctoral degree preparation on NLN core competency skill acquisition. A randomized, nationwide sample (N = 160) of full-time nurse educators teaching in American Association of Colleges of Nursing member schools across the United States completed the Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Assessment. RESULTS: PhD-prepared educators reported higher NLN core competency skill acquisition scores than DNP-prepared nurse educators. There were statistically significant differences in overall skill acquisition scores between DNP- and PhD-prepared nurse educators and for the "use assessment and evaluation" and "engage in scholarship" domains. CONCLUSION: These findings provide opportunities for NLN core competency skill acquisition among DNP- and PhD-prepared faculty.

Exploring the Experiences of DNP-Prepared Nurses Enrolled in a DNP-to-PhD Pathway Program.

The advancement of the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) degree and the need for nurse researchers with a doctor of philosophy (PhD) has led to significant growth in doctoral nursing education. Some DNP graduates have chosen to pursue a second terminal degree. This descriptive study explored the experiences of students completing a DNP-to-PhD pathway program. Data analysis revealed that DNP-to-PhD students desired acceptance in academia. Implications suggest the need for additional pathway programs, clear communication about program outcomes for both degrees, formal teaching preparation for all nurse educators, and collaborative opportunities for DNP- and PhD-prepared faculty.

Promoting HPV prevention in the school setting.

In pediatrics especially, it is important to incorporate the latest immunization and Healthy People 2020 guidelines while working to promote health and prevent disease in children. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States with at least 20 million people infected. Consequently, approximately 18,000 women and 7,000 men are diagnosed with HPV associated cancers yearly. Gardasil is a quadrivalent vaccine that protects against HPV strains 6, 11, 16, and 18. It is currently recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for both males and females between 11 and 26 years of age. HPV immunization rates are lower than the intended 80% goal of Healthy People 2020, with only 26.7% of the population having completed the vaccination series. Focused, timely, and persistent education and prevention efforts are needed in school settings to increase vaccination rates and decrease HPV morbidity.

Developing a tissue donation advocacy program in a rural emergency department.

Although major strides have been made with regard to organ and tissue donation, there continues to be a lack of available donors. Currently more than 100,000 persons are awaiting a life-saving transplant, and 1 million others have conditions such as blindness, dermal burns, and malfunctioning heart valves that could be improved with a tissue transplant. Because approximately 40 persons can benefit from just one donor and because many families are comforted knowing that their loved one was able to help others in need, tissue donation efforts are a priority for health care professionals. A limited number of emergency departments across the United States have developed programs in which nurses introduce tissue donation to families after cardiac death occurs. The concept of emergency nurse-initiated tissue donation dialogues with family members is relatively new. As a result, few resources, literature, and programs are available, and thus guidance and support in the development of future programs are needed. This article discusses the development and implementation of a tissue donation advocacy program in a rural emergency department. Planning, training, and recommendations for others wishing to implement a similar program are highlighted. Preliminary outcome information and planned evaluations are included.