New graduate registered nurses' experiences with psychological safety.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to gain insight into new graduate registered nurses' experiences with psychological safety. BACKGROUND: Organizational learning allows acute care hospitals to consistently provide high-quality patient care. Psychological safety is critical for organizational learning. New graduate nurses in particular need to feel psychologically safe as they transition into professional nursing practice. Understanding new graduate registered nurses' experiences of psychological safety can guide leaders and others to create work environments that foster psychological safety and organizational learning. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 newly graduated registered nurses working in inpatient hospital settings. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Four primary themes featured prominently in the new graduate nurses' experiences of psychological safety: building credibility, making personal connections, feeling supported and seeking safety. CONCLUSION: Understanding these themes will help nursing education programmes, nurse managers, nurse colleagues and new graduate registered nurses foster psychological safety and create environments conducive to organisational learning. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: All members of the health care team involved in the new graduate registered nurses' transition to practice have a role in fostering psychological safety. Additional research is needed to better understand psychological safety and how to foster it.

Organizational learning in hospitals: A realist review.

AIM: To establish a middle-range theory of organizational learning in hospitals. DESIGN: A realist review of the literature, conducted according to established standards for realist and meta-narrative evidence syntheses. Middle-range theory development was performed according to Smith and Liehr's recommendations. DATA SOURCES: Two comprehensive scientific databases and six discipline-focused databases spanning health care, life sciences, business, sociology, and psychology were searched from inception to 12 May 2016. REVIEW METHODS: Citations meeting the inclusion criteria were appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Data extraction was guided by a focus on the contextual factors, mechanisms, and outcomes associated with organizational learning. RESULTS: The initial search yielded 2,332 citations, 147 of which were ultimately included in the review. The included citations were generally of high quality. Reviewed evidence indicates certain aspects of organizational context can be conducive to mechanisms of organizational learning, leading to a range of positive organizational outcomes. CONCLUSION: This review updates and expands on a previous review of the literature on organizational learning in hospitals, refines the concept of organizational learning in hospitals, and provides a middle-range theory of organizational learning in hospitals. IMPACT: This updated review provides a strong evidence base for future work on the topic of organizational learning in hospitals. The refined concept of organizational learning makes it possible to develop reliable, valid research instruments that better reflect of the full scope of organizational learning. Finally, the middle-range theory guides researchers and clinical leaders as they advance the science and practice of organizational learning.

User Evaluation of a Dynamic Arm Orthosis for People With Neuromuscular Disorders.

This paper presents the results of an online survey conducted with users of a functional upper extremity orthosis called the Wilmington Robotic EXoskeleton (WREX). The WREX is a passive anti-gravity arm orthosis that allows people with neuromuscular disabilities to move their arms in three dimensions. The paper also describes the design of a novel lightweight 3-D printed WREX used for ambulatory children. Three different versions of the WREX are now offered to patients. Two can be mounted on a wheelchair and one to a body jacket for ambulatory patients. An online user survey with 55 patients was conducted to determine the benefits of the various WREXs. The survey asked ten questions related to upper extremity function with and without the WREX as well as subjective impressions of the device. Results show a statistically significant improvement in arm function for everyday tasks with the WREX.