Registered nurses' perceptions of nursing associates' professional identity.

The nursing associate (NA) role was introduced in 2017 with a pilot programme of trainees, and in 2019 became regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The role bridges the gap between the healthcare assistant (HCA) and registered nurse (RN), allowing RNs to focus on complex care. With over 9000 NAs on the NMC register and more in training, it is important to understand RN perceptions of the NA professional identity. The findings of a qualitative survey of RNs (n=23) identified the following themes: NMC standards and scope of practice; The 'cheap nurse'; Skills development and progression; A supportive bridging role. Although valued, the role was perceived as a threat, ambiguous and inconsistently implemented. The implications are that the role ambiguity and lack of standardisation need addressing and a clear understanding of these must be articulated for the professions and public alike.

Emotional intelligence in preregistration nurse education.

Emotional intelligence (EI) is considered essential to nursing practice, but it is unclear how best to support nursing students to develop EI skills. This article details a literature review that was undertaken to explore EI in preregistration nurse education and to identify effective methods for developing nursing students' EI skills. A total of 12 articles were included in the review, from which data were extracted, compared and categorised. Three main areas were identified regarding EI in preregistration nurse education: EI constructs, EI components and EI teaching methods. The review found that a range of EI constructs and components may be included in nurse education curricula, meaning that there is often inconsistency in the approaches used. Classroom teaching methods were primarily used, alongside online methods and experiential methods such as simulation-based learning. The findings of the review suggest there is a need for greater consistency in the EI constructs and components used in preregistration nurse education, as well as further research to determine which EI teaching methods are most effective.

Effectiveness of an online short compassion strengths course on nursing students compassion: A mixed methods non-randomised pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Although student nurses are expected to demonstrate and show understanding of compassion in their learning and practice, literature suggests that this is not always the case. To address this, nursing students need to be introduced to the value and behaviours of compassion during their education. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effectiveness of an online course to help nursing students develop their strengths and further validate the Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators. DESIGN: A pre-and post-mixed methods non-randomised pilot study. SETTING: A university in the north west of England. PARTICIPANTS: A sample of first year undergraduate nursing students (67), in two groups, with 33 in the online control and 34 in the on-site group. METHODS: Both groups took part in the Short Compassion Strengths Course (SCSC). The online group took the course in their own time over a 3-week period, while the on-site group completed the course during their time at University. In both groups baseline assessments were carried out using the Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicator (BCSI). Post-test data were collected 3 weeks after in the online group and immediately after in the on-site group, for the BCSI and reflective accounts. Data were analysed using ANOVA in SPSS27. RESULTS: The online group did not complete the course but filled out the questionnaires. The on-site group had significantly higher scores on all indicators but self-care and engagement. CONCLUSIONS: The SCSC is an effective course for teaching and developing compassion strengths when delivered on-site. This paper adds further validity for the BCSI.

Development and validation of a new instrument to measure nursing students compassion strengths: The Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators.

Despite considerable research and rhetoric on the importance of compassion in nursing, progress has been hindered by the lack of an adequate psychometric instrument to measure its multidimensional nature. This paper reports several studies conducted over three stages, to develop and validate a new instrument to measure nurses' compassion strengths. A purposive sample of UK pre-registered nursing students studying at a University took part in this study. The eight indicators highlight the multidimensional nature of compassion. The Bolton Compassion Strengths Indicators (BCSIs) demonstrated robust psychometric properties and could provide the means by which nursing students can empower themselves, as they strive to develop their professional identity as compassionate practitioners. This new measure will also help other researchers and educators who wish to study the development of compassion strengths in nursing.

Stakeholder perspectives of compassion in nursing: The development of the compassion strengths model.

AIMS: To explore stakeholder perspectives of compassion in nursing. BACKGROUND: Studies show that nurses' compassion can be characterized by 11 characteristics. A growing body of research illustrates how courses aimed at teaching nursing students about compassion can be effective. Including the views of key stakeholders in the design of these programmes is recommended, yet the number of studies that have explored this are limited. DESIGN: This study used a qualitative exploratory design, applying a directed content and thematic analysis to the data. METHODS: Key stakeholders (N = 34), including nurse educators, nursing students, registered nurses and service user/patients, were recruited between September 2016 - July 2017. Focus groups and semi-structured one-to-one interviews were conducted. Data were transcribed verbatim. Directed content analysis and thematic analysis were applied to transcripts to address two separate research questions. RESULTS: In relation to question 1, 'What are the characteristics of a compassionate nurse'? eight themes: (a) character; (b) self-care; (c) connection; (d) empathy; (e) interpersonal skills; (f) communication; (g) competence; and (h) engagement, emerged from the content analysis. For question 2, 'How can compassion be taught to nursing students'? there were five separate themes that emerged from the thematic analysis: (a) beliefs about teaching compassion; (b) motivation; (c) the 5 W's needed to teach compassion to nursing students; (d) barriers to compassion in practice;  and (e) compassion requires strength CONCLUSION: The findings of this research support previous research into compassion in nursing. The Compassion Strengths model may serve as a framework for nursing students and nurses' compassionate practice. This may also assist nurses internationally to develop further research in this vital area.

Qualities, teaching, and measurement of compassion in nursing: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Compassion has global implications for nursing care. However, failure to provide compassionate care is reported by patients. Nursing and nurse education have been scrutinized about the impact training can have on student's compassion. Furthermore, there is a paucity of standardised measures to assess levels of nurses' compassion. OBJECTIVES: To identify (1) the qualities of a compassionate nurse, (2) how compassion is taught to nursing students, and (3) the instruments used to measure compassion in nursing. DESIGN: Systematic literature review. DATA SOURCES: CINHAL, EBSCO, SCOPUS, PubMed, Ovid Nursing. SEARCH METHODS: A systematic review of published research was conducted with. No limitations in the search timeframe were used. Articles were included if they were (1) nurses (2) nursing students (3) educators and (4) patient groups, (5) written in English. Articles that were, peer reviewed, research articles, or articles grounded in evidence based practice were also included. RESULTS: Fourteen studies (6 UK, 3 USA, 2 Canada, 1 Korea, 1 Thailand, and 1 Netherlands) identified eleven characteristics of a compassionate nurse. Two UK and one Australian study investigated teaching compassion to nursing students. Four articles reported on instruments used to measure compassion in nursing. Three were American, and one Korean. CONCLUSION: This review identified only 21 papers overall. Several qualities of a compassionate nurse were found. In addition, few studies have explored how compassion is taught to nursing students. Also, there are a limited number of instruments for measuring compassion in nursing. More research is needed in nurse education to develop a teaching approach and psychometric measure for nurses' compassion.

Risk reduction and sudden infant death syndrome.

This article explores the concepts of 'risk' and 'risk reduction' in relation to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and the implications for practice. Risk reduction is a term utilised in public health, which is usually linked to evidence-based outcomes. The Back to Sleep campaign is a high profile initiative which seeks to raise awareness of risk factors relating to SIDS and is largely credited with contributing to a significant reduction in the incidence of SIDS in the UK. Misunderstandings may occur between the terms 'risk reduction' and 'prevention' of health conditions and parents may feel that one equates to the other. There are also tensions which are inherent in defining risk in the context of SIDS. Certain measures may become 'shorthand' for a range of interventions and contributing factors. The practice of offering additional monitoring as support may reinforce a (mis)understanding about risk reduction and SIDS. There are implications for practice regarding how health professionals approach this issue, explain the guidelines and offer support.A clearer understanding of risk reduction would potentially enable bereaved parents to articulate their experiences without becoming too self critical in questioning their own consistent adherence to the accepted guidelines.