Nurses Taking on Readiness Measures (N-TORM): A nurse-facilitated household emergency preparedness intervention feasibility study.

Aim: This research evaluated the effect of a nurse-facilitated intervention on elderly or medically frail community members' level of household emergency preparedness as measured in knowledge, actions taken, and supplies gathered. These community members had access and functional needs that must be accommodated during disasters to mitigate their increased risk of injury, illness, and death because of the disaster. With adequate preparedness, it is plausible these community members may survive the aftermath of a disaster without needing assistance from disaster responders. Methods: This was a non-randomized, single group, before-after feasibility study (N = 31) conducted in a one-on-one session with a nurse interventionist in an urban community setting in the United States of America. We used the Household Emergency Preparedness Instrument to measure intervention effectiveness and a Participant Experience Survey to evaluate participant satisfaction with the intervention. The intervention included an educational booklet that provided instruction to participants on how to create a disaster-related evacuation and communication plan and identify community resources. Upon completion of the booklet, participants received a complimentary disaster supply kit. Results: Mean general preparedness scores increased from 5.5 (SD = 4.1) pre-intervention to 20.2 (SD = 3.1) post-intervention (p < .001). Preparedness in all sub-scales also increased significantly (all ps < .001). Conclusions: Study findings provide support for the feasibility of the intervention to increase all measured aspects of emergency preparedness (knowledge, behaviors, and supplies) among elderly and medically frail adults with access and functional needs during disasters.

A Multisite Study of a Quality Improvement Teaching Strategy to Build Competency.

BACKGROUND: Quality improvement (QI) is an essential part of nursing education. Although there are robust examples of teaching strategies for QI, there is a distinct lack of research on effective strategies for teaching QI in nursing education. METHOD: This multisite study included students from six nursing programs. A treatment fidelity plan was developed and followed to ensure consistency for implementation of the study and data collection. A quasiexperimental, nonpaired, pre- and posttest study design was used to examine changes in student perspectives of QI after participating in a QI teaching strategy. Pre- and posttest questions were mapped to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing's Essentials subcompetency statements for QI. RESULTS: A total of 254 pre- and 116 posttest responses were included for analysis. Significance (p = .05) was found at the beginning level within three questions. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study indicate beginning-level students can benefit from a competency-based QI learning activity. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(1):38-42.].

Perinatal Bereavement in Racially, Culturally, and Gender Diverse Families.

ABSTRACT: Perinatal loss, the tragic event of losing a baby before, during, or shortly after birth, is a profoundly distressing experience for any family. We focus on the unique challenges faced by diverse families, encompassing those from underrepresented racial, ethnic, religious, and LGBTQ+ backgrounds. Diverse families often encounter inadequate support, misunderstandings, and even mistreatment during their perinatal loss journeys due to cultural insensitivity and biases. This review underscores the necessity of a trauma-informed, person-centered approach to perinatal bereavement care that respects the diversity of those affected. We emphasize the importance of understanding various cultural perspectives on grief and mortality to provide appropriate and empathetic care.Our core purpose is to elucidate the challenges confronting diverse families dealing with perinatal loss and to offer actionable strategies for health care providers. By addressing these unique challenges, nurses and other health care professionals can offer culturally sensitive, person-centered support during this distressing time. This review can serve as a resource for nurses and other health care providers, enabling them to provide personalized, culturally sensitive care to diverse families experiencing perinatal loss through a trauma-informed lens. Recognizing and addressing these distinctive needs fosters healing and ensures that nurses and other health care providers are better equipped to guide families through the challenging journey of perinatal bereavement.

Key Factors Related to Household Emergency Preparedness Among Parents of Newborn Infants.

BACKGROUND: A natural disaster can have devastating consequences for newborn infants. Despite this fact, there are few studies that have explored household emergency preparedness (HEP) among parents of newborn infants or factors affecting HEP in this population. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between various demographic and socioeconomic variables and levels of HEP among parents of newborn infants. METHODS: Parents of newborn infants born at a single medical center in Brooklyn, New York, completed a pre- and posttest to determine their level of HEP before and after implementing the Nurses Taking on Readiness Measures (N-TORM) intervention. For this study, a secondary statistical analysis was performed on the HEP scores gathered prior to the intervention and the demographic data collected from participants. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant relationship between HEP scores and homeownership t(62) = 2.75, P = .008, level of education t(66) = 2.31, P = .024, and income t(46) = 2.39, P = .021. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH: Findings from this study indicate that there are various demographic and socioeconomic factors that influence HEP. Another critical finding was that most participants were significantly underprepared for an emergency with an average HEP score of 4.75 (SD = 2.61) out of a possible 11 points. Findings from this study support the need for neonatal and pediatric providers to develop targeted interventions to enhance the preparedness of parents of newborns in general, and in particular, those with lower household incomes, lower levels of education, and those who rent their homes.

An Exploration of Resiliency Among Nurse Educators During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to explore resilience among nursing faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine associations or differences that may exist among variables and between groups. BACKGROUND: Nurse educators' resilience has been identified as an important characteristic because of the challenges involved in nursing education. It is important to explore resilience among nurse educators to determine which factors promote or inhibit this important characteristic. METHOD: This correlational research study used an online survey to explore factors related to resilience among nurse faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic. Correlational analyses were used to determine the relationship between various resilience constructs and select demographic variables. RESULTS: Findings indicated that higher levels of resilience were associated with age (ρ = .21, p < .001), experience teaching online ( r = .22, p < .001), and professional development related to online teaching ( M = 80.7, SD = 11.0), t (276) = 2.41, p = .017. CONCLUSION: Resilience and related characteristics have the potential to assist nurse educators in adapting successfully to stressful circumstances. It is crucial that schools of nursing develop programs to enhance or develop resilience among nurse educators. Support and training in the area of online education are also of paramount importance.

An exploration of technology acceptance among nursing faculty teaching online for the first time at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront the importance for schools of nursing to use creative and innovative tools that are of high quality and accessible to learners. Faculty who may have been resistant to teaching online prior to the pandemic, no longer had the option to teach face-to-face and were mandated to teach online despite any apprehensions they may have had. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to learn more about faculty attitudes and acceptance of teaching online by applying the Technology Acceptance Model to nursing faculty teaching online for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This descriptive-correlational study used an online survey tool to explore factors related to technology acceptance among nursing faculty teaching online for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic. A sample of 87 full-time and part-time nursing faculty completed an adapted version of the Faculty Acceptance Survey. RESULTS: Findings from this study revealed an overall enjoyment of teaching online, confidence in online teaching skills and comfort with technology. However, findings also indicated struggles with workload balance, inferior interactions with students and the need for additional support. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study demonstrate that nursing faculty are generally accepting of technology and positive outcomes are possible if identified concerns are addressed and positive feelings are fostered and supported.

A Nurse-Led Home Disaster Preparedness Intervention for New Parents.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse-led intervention on the household emergency preparedness (HEP) level of parents with newborns and describe the nurses' perceived facilitators/barriers to providing this intervention. DESIGN: A non-randomized, non-blinded, quasi-experimental pilot study conducted with maternal/child nurses and neonatal parents. The intervention used an educational booklet on what is needed to prepare for disasters and how to develop evacuation and communication plans. Parents completed booklets during their infant's hospital stay, after which they received a free disaster kit from the nurses. SAMPLE: 68 parents, 13 maternal/child nurses. MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE: Level of HEP. RESULTS: HEP scores increased from 4.75 to 10.66 out of 11 from pre- to post-intervention (p < .001). Barriers to implementing this intervention included the weight of the disaster kit, parent anxiety, and need for follow-up with parents. Facilitators included the booklet, disaster kit, and speed/cost of the intervention.

Managing Ambiguity When Caring for Women Who Experience Stillbirth.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the interactions and social processes involved when nurses care for women who experience fetal demise and subsequent stillbirth. DESIGN: Qualitative design using grounded theory. SETTING: Single-site urban medical center in New York City. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty registered nurses who worked in the labor and delivery department. METHODS: I collected data via in-depth interviews and recorded, transcribed, and analyzed the data using constant comparative analysis. RESULTS: Managing Ambiguity emerged as the overarching preliminary theory to describe how nurses cared for women who experienced stillbirth. This preliminary theory included three themes: Experiencing a Spectrum of Emotions, Managing Patient Care in an Ambiguous Context, and Managing Institutional Ambiguity. These themes provided an overview of the creative/protective and avoidant/conflicted behaviors that nurses brought to their work with women whose fetuses died in utero and were stillborn. These interactions were complicated by institutional policies and additional factors, such as workload, that often denied nurses the resources needed to engage in the patient care processes required to address the trauma experienced by women and their families. CONCLUSION: The preliminary theory Managing Ambiguity provided a perspective on the experiences, behaviors, and social processes involved in caring for women who experience stillbirth. The absence of preparatory education, effective protocols, and institutional support contributed to the ambiguity inherent in caring for these women.

Application of Caring Theory to Nursing Care of Women Experiencing Stillbirth.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which labor and delivery nurses used the tenets of Swanson's middle-range theory to care for women whose babies were stillborn. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A secondary analysis of qualitative in-depth interview data from 20 labor and delivery nurses obtained during a recent grounded theory study was conducted using the directed content analysis method. The five caring processes as described in Swanson's theory were used as a priori codes to conduct the analysis. RESULTS: Nursing care of a woman experiencing a stillbirth included finding a way to connect with her and to understand what she was experiencing (knowing), spending extra time with her (being with), protecting her and preserving her dignity (doing for), providing information and explanations in a clear and methodical manner (enabling), and ensuring that she did not blame herself to facilitate the grieving/healing process (maintaining belief). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The caring processes outlined in Swanson's theory of caring provide a valuable guide that can be used when caring for women experiencing stillbirth.