Psychometric analysis of two new scales: the evidence-based practice nursing leadership and work environment scales.

BACKGROUND: Those in nursing have been charged with practicing to the full extent of their education and training by the Institute of Medicine. Therefore, evidence-based practice (EBP) has never been more important to nursing than in the current healthcare environment. Frequently the burden of EBP is the responsibility of the bedside practitioner, but has been found to be a process that requires leadership and organizational support. A key underlying component of a strong EBP environment includes effective communications and collaboration among staff and nursing leadership. AIMS: Developing measurement tools that examine the milieu and nursing leadership in which the staff nurse practices is an important component of understanding the factors that support or hinder EBP. The aim of this study is to report on the development and analysis of two new scales designed to explore leadership and organizational support for EBP. The EBP Nursing Leadership Scale (10 items) examines the staff nurses perception of support provided by the nurse manager for EBP, and the EBP Work Environment Scale (8 items) examines organizational support for EBP. METHODS: Staff nurses who worked at least .5 FTE in direct patient care, from two inner city hospitals (n = 422) completed the scales. The scales were evaluated for internal consistency reliability with the Cronbach alpha technique, content validity using a panel of experts, and construct validity by RESULTS: The content validity index computed from expert rankings was .78 to 1.0 with an average of.96. Cronbach's alpha was .96 (n = 422) for the EBP Nursing Leadership Scale and .86 (n = 422) for the EBP Work Environment Scale. Factor analysis confirmed that each scale measured a unidimensional construct (p < .000). LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: The EBP Nursing Leadership Scale and the EBP Work Environment Scale are psychometrically sound instruments to examine organizational influences on EBP.

Dedicated education units: Redirecting for success.

This process paper describes the evolution and growth of Dedicated Education Units through an academic-practice partnership at a college of nursing and urban medical center. This collaboration marked a period of rapid expansion from a single unit pilot dedicated education unit to five within a six-year timeframe. During the expansion from the pilot phase to creation of the dedicated units, it was determined that success in one unit did not translate to success in others. Using Tuckman's Group Development Theory as a lens for analysis of barriers and facilitators, suggested oversight and monitoring parameters were identified and include: (1) a dedicated clinical faculty coordinator is a necessity; (2) clearly defined dedicated education unit vision and goals need to be articulated to all; (3) a unit must commit to providing dedicated education unit clinical experiences only; (4) designated resources are needed for attending to staff and student scheduling requirements; (6) established and barrier-free clinical instructor educational support for nurse educator transition; (7) an objective evaluation plan with established benchmarks, (8) a need to evaluate the coordinator role as partnerships expand to multiple units, and (9) awareness of potential storming among new and experienced dedicated education units.

Transforming Nursing Education With Apple Technology.

The widespread adoption of technology has the potential to redefine nursing education. Currently, there is limited knowledge of how to implement technological advancements in nursing curricula. This article describes 1 college's journey to transform nursing education through leadership, professional development, and innovative learning and teaching. The iPad opens the classroom experience to resources and learning opportunities for students. Facilitating the culture change required to adopt the iPad as a teaching and learning tool required a supportive vision, strong leadership, commitment to provide adequate technological support, early adopters, and planning.