The use of electronic health records in advanced practice nursing education: a scoping review.

Electronic health records are integral to the advanced practice registered nurse role, yet access and training during academic preparation are profoundly limited. Lack of exposure to electronic health records prevents students from becoming fully prepared for the responsibilities of clinical practice and potentially impacts quality of care, patient safety, and communication among patients and providers. This scoping review of 20 articles on electronic health record use in advanced practice registered nursing student education shows significant gaps in current research. Nine articles were classified as research. The remaining 11 were non-research reports of teaching innovations describing the use of simulated electronic health records in graduate nursing education or the use of an electronic health record in interprofessional education activities. Most of the limited research did not use valid and reliable instruments or robust designs, employed disparate approaches and tools to study the phenomenon, and measured low-level outcomes such as student navigation and confidence in using electronic health records. The non-research literature draws attention to the deficits in educational resources, including unaffordable electronic health records for academic use. Although rigorous evidence is lacking, a common theme throughout the reviewed literature was the benefit of simulation to develop electronic health record skills.

Effectiveness of Screen-Based Simulation as a Strategy to Improve Nurse Practitioner Students' Access to Electronic Health Records in Clinical Education.

Learning to use electronic health records is essential for family nurse practitioner students to inform practice and clinical decision-making. Limited access to electronic health records during clinical training can lead to suboptimal use. Academic programs often rely on healthcare organizations to provide opportunities for students to learn electronic health record skills. However, clinical experiences are highly individualized, and students may not have access to electronic health records. Alternatives are needed to develop this critical competency. This study compared self-reported ratings regarding comfort and access to electronic health record documentation between students who participated in screen-based simulation and students who completed traditional clinical experiences with a preceptor during the last 70 hours of clinical training in one family nurse practitioner program. There was a significant difference in electronic health record access between students who participated in simulated versus traditional clinical experiences ( P = .002). There were no significant differences in ratings of comfort using electronic health records between groups. Both groups reported limited access to electronic health records in the first 500 hours of clinical experience. However, students who participated in screen-based simulation reported a quarter-fold increase in electronic health record access during their last 70 hours of clinical training.

Nursing Student Experiences Regarding Safe Use of Electronic Health Records: A Pilot Study of the Safety and Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience Guides.

Previous research has linked improper electronic health record configuration and use with adverse patient events. In response to this problem, the US Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology developed the Safety and Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience guides to evaluate electronic health records for optimal use and safety features. During the course of their education, nursing students are exposed to a variety of clinical practice settings and electronic health records. This descriptive study evaluated 108 undergraduate and 51 graduate nursing students' ratings of electronic health record features and safe practices, as well as what they learned from utilizing the computerized provider order entry and clinician communication Safety and Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience guide checklists. More than 80% of the undergraduate and 70% of the graduate students reported that they experienced user problems with electronic health records in the past. More than 50% of the students felt that electronic health records contribute to adverse patient outcomes. Students reported that many of the features assessed were not fully implemented in their electronic health record. These findings highlight areas where electronic health records can be improved to optimize patient safety. The majority of students reported that utilizing the Safety and Assurance Factors for EHR Resilience guides increased their understanding of electronic health record features.

Improving nurse practitioners' competence with genetics: Effectiveness of an online course.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an online genetics course for improving nurse practitioners' knowledge, competence, and comfort with genetic principles and their application to clinical practice. DATA SOURCES: A genetics knowledge test and survey were administered to 232 nurse practitioner students, between 2011 and 2013, before and after completing a 15-week online genetics course taught by a multidisciplinary team of instructors at a private east coast U.S. university. The 65-item survey allowed participants to rate competence regarding genetic principles, diseases, and terminology, as well as comfort performing various clinical tasks related to genetics. The 21-item knowledge test contained multiple choice questions regarding core competencies in genetics. Paired t-tests were used to compare mean pre- and postscores. CONCLUSIONS: Participants significantly increased postcourse knowledge (p < .001) and comfort with genetic core competencies and clinical skills related to genetics (p < .001). This study demonstrates the effectiveness of an online genetics course for increasing nurse practitioners' knowledge, competence, and confidence with genetics and identifies specific topics educators should consider when designing curricula for nurse practitioners. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Findings from this study can improve genetics education for nurse practitioners, which will in turn improve patient health.

The Gene Pool: The Ethics of Genetics in Primary Care.

AIM: The purpose of this integrative review is to critically analyze the research literature regarding ethical principles that surround the integration of genetics and genomics in primary care clinical practice. BACKGROUND: Advanced practice nurses (APRNs) play an important role in the provision of primary care services, in the areas of obstetrics, pediatrics, family practice, and internal medicine. Advances in genetic and genomic science are infiltrating these day-to-day health-care systems and becoming an integral part of health-care delivery. It is imperative for primary care providers to understand the ethical, legal, and social implications of genetics and genomics. METHODS: A comprehensive multistep search of CINAHL, MEDLINE, Academic Search Premier, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus databases was conducted to identify primary research articles published from 2003 to 2015 that evaluated ethical issues related to genetics and genomics in U. S. primary care practice. A sample of 26 primary research articles met the inclusion criteria. Whittemore and Knafl's (2005) revised framework for integrative reviews was used to guide the analysis and assess the quality of the studies. Key findings from the studies are discussed according to Beauchamp and Childress's (2009) ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. RESULTS: Research conducted to date is mainly qualitative and descriptive and the analysis revealed several ethical challenges to implementing genetics and genomics in primary care settings. CONCLUSION: The review suggests that there are several implications for research, education, and the development of primary care practice that support APRNs delivering genetic and genomic care while incorporating knowledge of ethical principles. More research needs to be conducted that evaluates the actual genetic/genomic ethical issues encountered by primary care providers.

Teaching through storytelling: an exemplar.

Many new faculty are being hired to fill the ever-increasing vacancies created by the attrition of current faculty members. To meet the diverse demands of today's educational climate, new faculty must develop an understanding of a variety of learning environments and skill in traditional and contemporary teaching strategies. This article presents storytelling as one strategy for educating potential new faculty in online instruction in an undergraduate nursing research course.

Accelerated nursing programs: What do we know?

Accelerated nursing programs, also referred to as second-degree programs, are targeted to students who enter with a baccalaureate or higher degree in a field other than nursing. While these programs are rapidly increasing across the United States, a sparse amount of literature pertains to them. This article provides a review of the current literature related to accelerated programs in nursing and suggests areas of inquiry that could be developed to address the need for research in this area.

Experiences from the National Institute of Nursing Research: Summer Genetics Institute 2004.

The National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) Summer Genetics Institute (SGI) prepares nurses with training in molecular genetics for use in clinical practice, research, and education. Experiences from the SGI 2004 are recounted. More than 35 genetic experts from National Institutes of Health and surrounding universities in Washington, D.C., provided lecture and laboratory experiences. The lecture portion of the SGI focused on the molecular aspect of genetics and the laboratory component included experiments designed to provide an understanding of genetic approaches for diagnostic and research purposes. The SGI prepares nurses with the genetic foundation to meet the healthcare challenges of the future.