Closing the Academic-Practice Gap With Enhanced Preceptor Training.

A successful pilot program served as a model for how educators in healthcare organizations can reduce the academic-practice gap by supporting preceptors. Preceptors received enhanced training using self-paced online modules and an asynchronous online problem-based learning. Statistically significant increases in self-efficacy and satisfaction with training were reported. Preceptor training included strategies for teaching prioritization, communication, and clinical judgment. Preceptors experienced sustained resilience, increased awareness of well-being, and more engagement in the precepting role.

Using Text Messages to Support Nurse Well-being.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant nurse stress and contributed to burnout for a number of reasons, including but not limited to personal protective equipment shortages, furloughs, overtime, reassignment to unfamiliar work environments, and alternate staffing patterns, all of which contribute to grief, loss, fear, and anger. While the nursing profession and employers offered support and psychological first-aid resources, there was a disconnect in effectively linking stressed nurses with these needed resources. An innovative statewide pilot project in Arizona, RNconnect 2 Wellbeing, was created to determine whether nurses might respond to and use supportive resources via opt-in text messages. Over a 12-week enrollment trial, 2997 nurse users opted to receive brief, twice weekly, well-being text messages about subjects, such as increasing awareness, self-care, and gratitude. By the end of the pilot, 2777 nurse users remained enrolled (7% opt out). Convenience evaluation surveys were conducted at midpoint (n = 294) and pilot completion (n = 404). Satisfaction with the messages ranged from 73% to 86%. Forty-eight percent indicated they had integrated the resources into their daily lives. RNconnect 2 Wellbeing, an innovative and cost-effective approach to communicating with nurses, has laid the groundwork for the use of technology via brief text messages to improve nurse well-being.