Nurse education: factors associated with attrition

Title.  Nurse education: factors associated with attrition.
Aim.  This paper is a report of a study to identify the factors having an impact on student completion rates in a preregistration programme.
Background.  Nursing student attrition is an international issue causing concern in many parts of the developed world including Australia, the United States and Europe. In the United Kingdom, nursing student attrition has become a major issue, despite having one of the lowest general university dropout rates in the developed world.
Method.  A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 2007 using routinely-collected demographic and completion data on four cohorts of nursing students (1259 in total) studying at a large English university.
Findings.  Students who were older on entry were more likely to complete the programme than younger students, and those who had only the minimum educational qualifications on entry were less likely to complete than those with higher-level qualifications. There was some evidence of increased risk of resigning from the course in students taking the child branch, and increased risk of discontinuation (involuntary removal) from the course in both male and black/minority ethnic students. There was also some evidence that the healthcare organization responsible for a student's placement could influence completion rates.
Conclusion.  To improve attrition rates on preregistration nursing programmes, higher education institutions should actively target recruitment at mature candidates; increase the level of qualification required to gain entry; examine course structures for flexibility and provide multi-level student support.     

麻醉恢复室规范化护理管理模式的探讨

目的 保障麻醉恢复期患者的安全,减少并发症的发生,便于连台手术的衔接.方法 某院2002年建立了拥有6张监护床位的麻醉恢复室,参照美国麻醉恢复室的先进护理管理模式,同时结合该院恢复室的运作特点,自行制定了一套规范化的管理模式;加强对护理人员基础理论和专业技能知识培训和考核;要求熟练掌握麻醉恢复期的各种急救技术及监护仪器设备的操作使用;充分合理利用麻醉复苏护士的人力资源;配备完善的监护设备及急救物品.结果 2002年5月-2008年5月,通过对24 408例患者麻醉恢复期的监护,及时发现和处理麻醉后并发症,除102例因病情需要转ICU继续监测治疗外,其余患者平稳度过麻醉恢复期,苏醒后转回原病房.结论 麻醉恢复事的设立,减少了患者在手术室的逗留时间,加快了外科手术的进度,提高了手术室的利用率和工作效率.其科学化、程序化、规范化的管理模式,能有效保障麻醉恢复期患者的安全.     

Effects of the Educational Leadership of Nursing Unit Managers on Team Effectiveness: Mediating Effects of Organizational Communication

Purpose

This study identifies the effects of the educational leadership of nursing unit managers on team effectiveness and the mediating effects of organizational communication satisfaction; it highlights the importance of educational leadership and organizational communication and provides the data needed to enhance the education capacity of managers.

Self-care in Heart Failure Hospital Discharge Instructions—Differences Between Nurse Practitioner and Physician Providers

Patients with heart failure (HF) are at risk for frequent readmission potentially due to self-care deficits. Medical doctors (MDs) and nurse practitioners (NPs) both provide discharge instructions. However, each type of provider may emphasize different elements of care. The aim of this study was to analyze and compare the content of the documentation of 50 discharge instructions of heart failure patients written by NPs and MDs. Compared with MDs, NPs placed greater emphasis on symptom identification, and were more likely to advise and schedule follow-up appointments with primary care and cardiology providers rather than advising an appointment was needed without scheduling one.     

A National Study of Australian Nurse Practitioners’ Organizational Practice Environment

The nurse practitioner (NP) workforce in Australia plays a vital role in helping the country meet the current demand for health care. Data from Australian NPs using the Nurse Practitioner Primary Care Organizational Climate Questionnaire demonstrated that one-seventh of the overall Australian NP population completed the study. The response was overwhelmingly positive in the area of practice; 71.6% of NPs had no restriction on their practice and felt valued by their organization. The results of this study enable a benchmark for ongoing national evaluations in addition to international comparative data.     

A New Approach for Solving an Old Problem in Nurse Practitioner Clinical Education

Increasing enrollment in nurse practitioner programs to meet the current demand for primary care providers is a major focus of schools of nursing across the United States. Competition with other schools for clinical sites and a labor-intensive 1:1 preceptor/student education model limit the number of sites available for educational experiences. This article explains some of the barriers to obtaining clinical sites and how 1 school changed clinical education.     

Opioid Use Disorder: Challenges During Acute Hospitalization

Opioid use is a major public health concern increasing the volume of need for medical care and the national tragedy of accidental overdose deaths. Patients with opioid use disorders have higher numbers of emergency department visits, acute hospitalizations, and complications secondary to opioid use. Acute care nurse practitioners are challenged to manage increasingly complicated patient encounters related to opioid use. This article addresses effective strategies for inpatient management of opioid use disorder including identification and the use of measurement-based tools, as well as providing supportive care.