State of Constant Readiness: Lessons Learned From the Military.

The purpose of this article is to compare and discuss the preparation of civilian and military nurses in meeting the demands of the COVID-19 pandemic. The military nursing system exemplifies a program of ongoing training and evaluations to prepare nurses to care for patients in austere environments. The lessons learned during the pandemic include adapting, collaborating, and expanding current practices in nursing to train and validate nursing skills continuously. The COVID-19 pandemic brought out the best in nursing and also provided a platform for further advancements toward organizing and delivering extraordinary care under unexpected circumstances.

Academic Tenure: Perceptual Variations Among Tenured, Tenure-seeking and Non-tenure Faculty.

BACKGROUND: Tenure is a hallmark of higher education, but its value and relevance is questioned. PURPOSE: This study examined faculty perceptions of the value of tenured and non-tenured nursing faculty appointments. METHODS: A descriptive correlational design using an anonymous survey was sent to members of the American Association of College of Nursing. Participants (N = 542) from 44 states completed the survey. RESULTS: Significant differences in workload were found in teaching, administrative responsibilities, scholarship, and academic service. Compared to non-tenured faculty, tenured faculty had higher scores on Career Opportunities (p < 0.001), lower Life Balance scores (p = 0.001) and higher Academic Support scores (p = 0.014). Non-tenured faculty were less likely to agree than tenured faculty that tenure improves quality of education (χ2 = 86.48, p < 0.001) or is relevant to the modern university (χ2 = 75.20, p < 0.001). Narrative responses revealed six themes about tenure. Faculty on both tracks questioned the value of tenure. CONCLUSIONS: Faculties in schools of nursing nationwide need to re-evaluate the purpose of tenure and the tenure criteria in light of each institution's unique mission and expectations to determine how they are meeting the needs of both academic institution and nursing faculty. Although the idea of tenure is institutional, implementation is initiated at the school level. Our study revealed naivete about tenure among nursing faculty at the school level.

Actualizing veterans education in nursing.

A grant driven partnership among a west Texas university, Texas Workforce Commission's College Credits for Heroes, and the Health Resources and Services Administration provided the funding needed to create a competency based education (CBE) model for recognizing military veteran service training and experience. Through this model, we call Competency Assessment Placement (CAP), prior learning credits can be awarded for upper division nursing courses leading to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. The process used by faculty to create this direct assessment method for awarding credit, performance data of Cohort I using the CAP, and our initial "lessons learned" are provided. Incorporating an on-going reflection of military veteran student learning needs, a persistent concern for improvement of the nursing program, as well as a frequent review of veteran educational benefit policies will continue as this CAP model provides beneficial outcomes for the students.

Exploring Shared Governance for an Academic Nursing Setting.

BACKGROUND: A beneficial work environment influences staff and employee satisfaction and contributes to enhanced organizational execution. METHOD: This article communicates a literature review of the existing knowledge to describe the potential influence of job satisfaction, empowerment, and work engagement on a faculty and staff academic shared governance model and impact on the improvement of a healthy work environment. RESULTS: References from PubMed (from 1975 to 2014) and ERIC (from 2006 to 2016), along with manuscripts included in the reference lists of the selected articles, served as the basis of the review. Definitions and descriptions of shared governance in academic settings suggested the potential influence on the development of a faculty and staff shared governance model within a school of nursing on job satisfaction, empowerment, and work engagement, resulting in the maintenance of a healthy work environment. CONCLUSION: This shift is essential for the resilience of nursing academia and the building of novel, more inclusive approaches to innovation that tap into the talent and skill of all organizational members. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(4):197-203.].

Simulation evaluation using a modified Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to describe the process of evaluating senior nursing students in the simulation laboratory using a modified Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR). BACKGROUND: The LCJR is a clinical evaluation tool used to measure outcomes in simulated learning settings. The LCJR was revised to provide numeric grading and clarity regarding expectations of clinical competency. METHOD: The study was conducted over two years with students enrolled in their final bachelor of science in nursing semester (Phase I, n = 86; Phase 2, n = 102) using high-fidelity simulation. RESULTS: The modified rubric measured student performance more holistically than a procedural checklist and provided objective criteria for evaluation. CONCLUSION: A well-constructed rubric provides a mechanism to evaluate student performance in simulation by focusing on clinical reasoning essential for patient safety and allowing numeric evaluation of performance.