Nursing Council Research Articles

Perception of Female Nurses Regarding Re-entry of Males in Nursing Profession: A study from Pokhara, Nepal

Introduction: The number of male nurses in the world is very low. Within the nursing profession men remain a minority. Women have been entering male-dominated fields for decades, but it’s less common for a predominantly female occupation to have a substantial increase in its share of men. On 19th of June 2018 the Nepal Nursing Council has issued a notice making it mandatory for all nursing institutions across the country to allocate 15% seats for male students in nursing courses. Hence this study aims to identify the perception regarding re-entry of males in nursing profession among female nurses of Pokhara.
 Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted using purposive sampling technique among 219 Registered Nurses (RN) working in hospital and academic institutions of Pokhara. Structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Chi-square test was used to assess the association between perception of female nurses regarding re-entry of male in nursing profession and selected variable.
 Results: Maximum (70.3%) of participants were in the age group of 19-29 years, about half of the participants (49.8%) educational level were certificate level, nine out of ten (90.0%) of the participants were from clinical site. More than half of the participant (51.6%) had negative perception regarding entry of males in nursing profession whereas (48.4%) participants had positive perception regarding re-entry of males in nursing profession. Total work experience was associated with the level of perception as its p value is <0.05 i.e. 0.02.
 Conclusion: More than half of the participants had negative perception regarding re–entry of males in nursing profession. Total work experience of the participants is associated with perception of female nurses regarding re-entry of males in nursing profession.

A comparative review of advanced practice nurse programmes in the Nordic and Baltic countries

BackgroundAdvanced practice nurses (APNs) programs are career-development opportunities significant for nursing workforce retention as well as for the quality of patient care. Inconsistency regarding policy, education, titles, scope of practice, skills and competencies have been identified as major challenges in developing advanced practice nursing in Europe. APN roles and education are under development in the Nordic and Baltic countries. However, there is a lack of information on the current state in this region. ObjectiveThe purpose of this paper is to compare APN programs in the Nordic and Baltic countries to identify their commonalities and differences. Design and methodsThis descriptive comparative study reviewed seven master's level APN programs in six Nordic and Baltic countries. Data was extracted from the programme by the expert teachers or leaders of the programmes (N = 9). Competencies recommended in the European Tuning Project (ETP) and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) guidelines on advanced practice nursing, were used to evaluate the programs. The same informants provided additional information on the current state of APN education in the country. ResultsThe admission requirements were similar in the six countries but in two, clinical work experience is an entry requirement. There are two commonly identified APN roles: clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and nurse practitioner (NP). Most of the programs included all the EPT and ICN competencies. The main differences regarded prescribing competencies. All programmes included clinical training, but the methods on how it is implemented varies. ConclusionThe findings indicate that APN programs in the Nordic and Baltic countries correspond with the recommendations of the European Tuning Project and ICN guidelines. This is an important message for administrators, policymakers, and politicians, as well as the nursing community, on providing opportunities for APNs to practice to their full potential within each country as well as cross-country. Tweetable abstract“APN programmes in the Nordic and Baltic countries correspond with international guidelines. Special attention is needed in future on the clinical training of APNs”.

Creating an International Resource Center for Pandemic and Disaster Nursing Education and Training

Introduction:Globally, nurses play pivotal roles in epidemic and emergency response. Nurses’ actions include supporting and informing surveillance and detection, dispensing live-saving medical countermeasures, implementing prevention and response interventions, providing direct care for patients, educating patients and the public, providing health systems leadership, and counseling community members. Despite these roles, there exist gaps in how countries train and prepare their nursing workforce for these health threats.Method:To help address this gap, the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security has developed an International Resource Center for Pandemic and Disaster Nursing. We have established an international working group to provide input on the goals and mission of the center, website development and functionality, and advocacy efforts. This working group has met four times over the course of the last year. We have also met with several organizations involved in nursing and epidemic and disaster preparedness and response, including the World Health Organization and the International Council of Nurses (ICN), to identify ways to align our work with other ongoing efforts.Results:Presently, we have developed a static website that provides access to evidence-based, open-source trainings and educational resources applicable to pandemic and disaster nursing. The website also provides listings of upcoming webinars, guest blog posts, trainings, and conferences relevant to disaster and pandemic nursing. The website will be launched in early 2023.Conclusion:The long-term vision for this center is to expand beyond a static website and create a vibrant and fully staffed virtual center. This center would be the first of its kind dedicated to developing the resources, technical assistance, partnerships, and advocacy efforts needed to build and support a global nursing workforce that is prepared for outbreaks and disasters. It would build on the existing wealth of expertise within the working group and forge lasting connections between disaster nurse experts across the globe.

Global challenges and initiatives in oncology nursing education

Oncology nursing requires specialized education and clinical training. It is not possible to deliver safe cancer nursing care across the cancer continuum with only a general nursing education and experience. Complex cancer therapies, e.g., immunotherapies, and technologies, e.g., radiotherapy, and advanced surgeries, demand nursing support delivered by knowledgeable and skilled professionals. To achieve this required workforce, necessitates cancer education that begins at pre-licensure, strong onboarding training, competency standards, continuing education and oncology nursing leadership across cancer control activities, e.g., national cancer control planning. Nevertheless, current nursing shortages, the lack of qualified oncology nursing faculty and adequate nursing schools, as well as government accreditation of oncology nursing specialties threaten appropriate cancer nursing care in the future. Given the exponential growth of the public health burden of cancer everywhere, prompt attention to the single largest workforce to support this patient population is urgent. Guidance from international authorities such as the World Health Organization, International Council of Nurses, and oncology nursing associations/societies allows governments to appropriately scale up their oncology nursing workforce to improve survival. We present the challenges in oncology nursing education and successful interventions to address those challenges to provide an overview of the current status of oncology nursing education from around the world.

Regulation and the scope of practice of the RNA role

The nursing associate role was introduced in in 2017, and is now registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. This article looks at the importance of understanding the registered nursing associate (RNA) scope of practice. In some areas, the roles of the RNA and registered nurse have become interchangeable with detriment to patient safety. The author explores the differences between the role of a registered nurse and an RNA, the training completed by RNAs and ways in which they can free the time of the registered nurse to provide more complex nursing care. As a registrant, nursing associates are accountable for their own practice and responsible for accepting tasks, as well as delegating tasks. Again, it is important that RNAs themselves and members of the multidisciplinary team understand what this means in practice and for maintaining patient safety.

Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN) News page

Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN) News page

Underpaid Nurses of India: Absence of Recognition, and Respect

In India, nurses and midwives make about 30% of the country's total healthcare employment. Nursing has developed over time to play an important role in achieving the aim of a healthy India, and caring for a convalescent patient from conception to death. The Covid-19 epidemic has shown their importance and profound influence on healthcare outcomes. In the modern world, nurses perform health assessments, develop novel care models, oversee patient care, research new nursing interventions, assess the results of nursing care, increase operational effectiveness, and improve the standard of care (Kaushik, 2022)1 . Many patients don't even recall the names of the nurses who helped them while they were in need, but to these nurses, every patient is the same, and they all want the patients to go back to their families and live healthy lives. India needs more nurses, greater nursing expertise, and a new strategy to meet the country's expanding requirements. India also needs to include "nursing" or fundamental medical training in its high school curricula. This will not only assure more public understanding, but it will also foster a more sympathetic atmosphere towards India's healthcare system. Providing nursing education in schools would make India healthier. Boys and girls who acquire a fundamental grasp of health and wellbeing will ensure a healthy environment. This action will not only spread a fundamental grasp of nursing practise, but it will also stress the value of healthy living, which will contribute to the medium to long-term development of a healthy India and lessen the needless strain on the Indian healthcare system. Nurses frequently deal with challenging situations while carrying out their jobs. Even yet, these women (and some men) are motivated to help the less fortunate by living by the slogan "service the needy." The Indian healthcare system needs more nurses to meet the escalating demand in the coming years because nursing is a demanding job. It is impossible to overstate the significance of the role nurses perform in the healthcare sector. India has made great strides in closing the gaps in the total supply of nurses during the past 20 years. India saw a doubling of its nursing workforce in the past two decades, going from 80 nurses per lakh people to 170. This was made possible by various tangible initiatives made by the Indian government but it’s necessary to implement more structural improvements because this figure is still below the WHO guideline of 300 nurses per lakh people. The #NurseMidwife4Change campaign has allowed the campaign partners, ‘Indian Nursing Council’ (INC), ‘All India Government Nurses Federation’ (AIGNF), ‘Trained Nurses Association of India’ (TNAI), ‘Society of Midwives-India’ (SOMI), and Jhpiego, to start a dialogue about the problems that our nurses and midwives face. They’re hopeful that this conversation will put a measurable impact in the months to come. Successful voice-mobilization for the nursing profession has resulted from the campaign (India Stands at 1.7 Nurses per 1,000 Population, WHO Norm Is 3 Nurses per 1,000: Associations, 2023)2

Utilization of Research in Clinical Nursing and Midwifery Practice in Ghana: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Study.

The International Council of Nurses' 2021 code of ethics mandates nurses to provide evidence-informed care to patients. Globally, using research evidence has led to improvement in nursing and midwifery practice, according to the World Health Organization. A study in Ghana found that 25.3% (n=40) of nurses and midwives use research in clinical care. Research utilization (RU) increases therapeutic effectiveness, improves health outcomes, and enhances the personal and professional development of clinicians. However, it is uncertain the extent to which nurses and midwives are prepared, skilled, and supported to utilize research in clinical care in Ghana. This study aims to develop a conceptual framework that can facilitate RU among clinical nurses and midwives in Ghanaian health facilities. This will be a cross-sectional study with a concurrent mixed methods approach. It will be conducted in 6 hospitals and 4 nursing educational institutions in Kumasi, Ghana. The study has 4 objectives which will be executed in 3 phases. Phase 1 follows a quantitative approach to describe the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of clinical nurses and midwives on the use of research in their practice. Using a web-based survey, 400 nurses and midwives working in 6 health facilities will be recruited. Data analysis will be conducted using SPSS, with statistical significance set at .05. Qualitative methodology, using focus group discussions with clinical nurses and midwives, will be conducted to identify the factors influencing their RU. In phase 2, focus group discussions will be used to examine and describe how nurse educators in 4 nursing and midwifery educational institutions prepare nurses and midwives for RU during their education. Views of nurse managers on the RU in Ghanaian health care facilities will be explored in the second section of this phase through one-on-one interviews. Inductive thematic analysis will be used to analyze the qualitative data, and Lincoln and Guba's principles of trustworthiness will be applied. In phase 3, the stages of model development proposed by Chinn and Kramer; and Walker and Avant will be used to triangulate findings from all objectives and formulate a conceptual framework. Data collection started in December 2022. Publication of the results will begin in April 2023. RU in clinical practice has become an acceptable practice in nursing and midwifery. It is critical that nursing and midwifery professionals in sub-Saharan Africa shift their practice to embrace the global movement. This proposed conceptual framework will empower nurses and midwives to improve their practice of RU. DERR1-10.2196/45067.

Barriers to nurses health advocacy role.

Speaking up to safeguard patients is a crucial ethical and moral obligation for nurses, but it is also a difficult and potentially dangerous component of nursing work. Health advocacy is gaining impetus in the medical literature, despite being hampered by barriers resulting in many nurses in Ghana remaining mute when faced with advocacy-required situations. We explored situations that thwart nurses from performing their health advocacy role. What would cause nurses to take no action when they witness situations that require them to act as health advocates for their clients or communities? An inductive, descriptive qualitative design was used to collect and analyse data on barriers that prevent nurses from practising their health advocacy role in Ghana. Individual one-on-one in-depth interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. The data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Twenty-four professional nurses and midwives registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council were recruited from three regional hospitals in Ghana. These public hospitals were chosen from the upper, middle and coastal regions. The UKZN Ethics Review Committee in South Africa and the GHS Ethics Review Committee in Ghana both gave their approval for this study. Intrapersonal barriers, interpersonal barriers, and structural barriers emerged as major obstacles that nurses experience when performing their health advocacy role. Barriers to health advocacy have undermined nurses' ability to function as health advocates and are preventing them from utilising their health advocacy position in nursing practise. Giving nursing students positive role models in the classroom and in the clinic can help them become more effective health advocates.

Advanced practice nursing initiatives in Africa, moving towards the nurse practitioner role: Experiences from the field.

This paper discusses the development and progression of the advanced practice nurse practitioner role in Africa. Providing adequate primary health care is problematic in Africa. The World Health Organization and International Council of Nurses proposed that nurses, specifically advanced practice nurse practitioners with the requisite skills in disease prevention, diagnosis and management, can be key to solving the primary care issue. This paper utilized publications from PUBMED, CINAHL, policy papers, websites, workgroups, conferences, and the experiences and knowledge of authors involved in leading and moving forward key events and projects. Four African countries have formally adopted the advanced practice nurse practitioner role, with significant interest from countries throughout Africa, and ever-increasing requests for assistance regarding initiation, development and integration of advanced practice roles. Initiatives to advance the roles have been supported by the International Council of Nurses Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Practice Nurse Network and Global Academy of Research and Enterprise. Next steps and projects for future role development are discussed. There is a progression towards the adoption of the advanced practice nurse practitioner role in Africa, and further mechanisms are suggested to allow full uptake and utilization. Prioritization and investment in initiatives implementing nurse practitioner/advanced practice nurse roles in Africa allows nurses to pursue further education, advanced role and leadership opportunities consistent with Nursing Now goals. Implementation of nurse practitioner/advanced practice nurse roles increases the primary care workforce, consistent with recommendations and priorities in the World Health Organization Global Strategic Directions for Nursing and Midwifery 2021-2025 helping countries ensure that nurses optimally contribute to achieving universal health coverage and other population health goals.

Competencies and standards in nurse education: The irresolvable tensions

This paper explores the inherent contradiction between the purpose of nurse education – to produce critical thinking, autonomous and accountable future nurses – and the prescription of standards and competencies to realize this goal. Drawing on examples from the United Kingdom's Nursing and Midwifery Council's (NMC) ‘Future Nurse’ standards, we argue that standards and competencies offer little more than a veneer of protection to the public and that, fundamentally, educational approaches based on ‘dot point’ formulations are antithetical to conditions in which genuinely critical-thinking, autonomous and accountable practitioners can develop. The purpose of this paper is to raise debate about the hegemony of competencies and standards. For the sake of academic health and the future of the nursing profession, the ubiquity of competency-based education must be critiqued and challenged.

Child health nursing in the Solomon Islands: A qualitative evaluation of the impact of the 'Bachelor of nursing - Child health'.

To explore graduates' perceptions of the impact on nursing practice of a new postgraduate course in child health, developed and implemented in the Solomon Islands in 2016. The Bachelor of Nursing -Child Health was implemented in 2016 to develop nurses' knowledge and skills in child health and paediatric care with the intent to improve national child health outcomes. A qualitative exploratory, descriptive design was used to evaluate the impact of the Bachelor of Nursing -Child Health on graduates' nursing practice. Fourteen nurses who graduated from the first cohort of students enrolled in the child health course were purposively selected to participate. Participants engaged in individual semi-structured interviews, conducted between August and December 2018. A thematic analysis was undertaken following Braun and Clarke's six-phase process. Findings from the study demonstrate positive impacts of the course on graduates' nursing practice. These include a perceived enhanced quality of care through their commitment to evidence-based practice, the ability to contribute to capacity building of colleagues, the reinforcement of provincial public health programmes and expanded participation in managerial activities. Following graduation, most alumni took on senior roles and greater responsibilities, felt more confident in managing unwell children, felt there was better access to and quality of child health care at the community and broader country levels and felt recognised by colleagues and communities. Some graduates faced resistance from colleagues to change practice and felt that despite being given greater responsibilities, nursing levels and salaries remained unchanged. This reflected a potential lack of recognition from hospital or provincial managers, the Nursing Council as the regulatory body for the nursing profession, and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services. A lack of human and material resources also impacted quality of care. Findings from this study underline the need for the Solomon Islands National University, the Nursing Council, the Public Service and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to concord and delineate formal accreditation standards for child health nurses. Overall, collaborative efforts and commitments at local, regional and global levels are required to support child health nurses in their ability and ambition to improve national child health outcomes. Findings from this study demonstrate positive impacts of the course on graduates' nursing practice. The impact of increasing nurses' knowledge and skills on national child health outcomes could be significant. Ongoing implementation and recognition of this course in the Solomon Islands, as well as more broadly across the Pacific region, are recommended.

Developing a pre-course workbook for advanced practice students in the UK.

British Journal of NursingVol. 32, No. 4 CommentDeveloping a pre-course workbook for advanced practice students in the UKAnna Jones, Colette Henderson, Jonathan Thomas, Angie Banks, Melanie RogersAnna JonesE-mail Address: [email protected]PGT Director for Learning and Teaching, Cardiff University and Deputy Chair Association of Advanced Practice Educators UK (AAPE UK)Search for more papers by this author, Colette HendersonProgramme Lead MSc Advanced Practice, University of Dundee and Chair Scottish Advanced Practice Educators Network (SAPEN)Search for more papers by this author, Jonathan ThomasProgramme Director MSc Advanced Practice, Swansea University and Chair Wales Advanced Practice Educators Network (WAPEN)Search for more papers by this author, Angie BanksProgramme lead MSc Advanced Clinical Practice, Sheffield Hallam UniversitySearch for more papers by this author, Melanie RogersProfessor of Advanced Practice, University of HuddersfieldSearch for more papers by this authorAnna Jones; Colette Henderson; Jonathan Thomas; Angie Banks; Melanie RogersPublished Online:24 Feb 2023https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2023.32.4.224AboutSectionsView articleView Full TextPDF/EPUB ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail View article References Department of Health and Social Security. Neighbourhood nursing: a focus for care. Report of the Review of Community Nursing chaired by J Cumberlege. London: HMSO; 10986 Google ScholarDepartment of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. Advanced nursing practice framework. 2016 (revised version of document first published 2014). https://www.health-ni.gov.uk/publications/advanced-nursing-practice-framework (accessed 13 February 2023) Google ScholarGloster A, Leigh J. The knowledge and skills required of advanced level practitioners for accreditation and safe practice. Br J Nurs. 2021;30(3):168-171. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2021.30.3.168 Link, Google ScholarHealth Education England. Multi-professional framework for advanced clinical practice in England. 2017. https://www.hee.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/multi-professionalframeworkforadvancedclinicalpracticeinengland.pdf (accessed 13 February 2023) Google ScholarInternational Council of Nurses. Guidelines on advanced practice nursing. 2020. https://tinyurl.com/5asnjbrx (accessed 14 February 2023) Google ScholarLeary A, MacLaine K, Trevatt P, Radford M, Punshon G. Variation in job titles within the nursing workforce. J Clin Nurs. 2017; 26(23-24): 4945-4950. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13985 Crossref, Medline, Google ScholarNational Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare. Framework for Advanced Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professional Practice in Wales. 2010. https://heiw.nhs.wales/files/weds-introducing-advanced-practice/nliah-advanced-practice-framework/ (accessed 13 February 2023) Google ScholarNHS Education for Scotland. Advanced practice toolkit. 2018. https://www.advancedpractice.scot.nhs.uk (accessed 13 February 2023) Google ScholarPhillips SJ. 30th Annual APRN legislative update: Improving access to healthcare one state at a time. Nurse Pract. 2018;43(1):27-54. doi: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NPR.0000527569.36428.ed Crossref, Medline, Google ScholarRogers M, Gloster A. Advanced practice nursing in the UK. In: Hassmiller SPulcini J (eds). Advanced practice nursing leadership: a global perspective. Springer; 2020 Crossref, Google ScholarScottish Government. Transforming Nursing Midwifery and Health Professions' (NMaHP) Roles: Paper 2 Advanced Nursing Practice. Chief Nursing Officer Directorate. 2017. https://www.gov.scot/publications/transforming-nursing-midwifery-health-professions-roles-advance-nursing-practice/ (accessed 13 February 2023) Google Scholar FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails 23 February 2023Volume 32Issue 4ISSN (print): 0966-0461ISSN (online): 2052-2819 Metrics History Published online 24 February 2023 Published in print 23 February 2023 Information© MA Healthcare LimitedPDF download

Preparing nurse educators for NMC standards for student supervision and assessment: the impact 4 years on

Four years on from its launch in 2018 (at the time of writing), the authors provide an up-to-date efficacy assessment of the ongoing implementation of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Future Nurse: Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses (NMC) (2018a). Although these standards have comprehensively transformed the mentorship practices of nursing education courses within higher education, this article provides the first attempt to gauge and synthesise attitudes towards their implementation. Presenting the results of an evaluative survey that collates educators' current views on the implementation of these NMC standards, the authors detail and analyse the past and continuing impacts of this paradigm shift on staff, students, and practice. The findings contribute to the nascent body of knowledge, primarily clustering around four interlinked themes: slow acclimatisation to new models of assessment and supervision; variation in levels of preparation; prohibitive workloads; and role conflict. The authors conclude by providing a recommendation that more robust training resources around the NMC's standards are implemented nationally, in order to provide consistency of delivery by educators across the sector.

Research placements: are they a suitable alternative for student nurses?

COVID-19 has affected those undertaking courses in higher education, especially programmes in health care with clinical placements. Many student nurses were unable to undertake their planned clinical placements and had to adjust to self-directed learning and an increase in simulated learning. As a suitable alternative to clinical placements, a research placement for two second-year BSc adult nursing students was trialled, and this article presents an account from one placement. The academic team devised specific questions for students to consider for their research electives and provided a template for their written work with the aim of writing up a weekly report to reflect their learning. In particular, the students had to identify how their learning related to the UK Nursing and Midwifery Council code of conduct. The research placement was successful and shows great potential, offering students tangible opportunities to seek out the evidence for themselves and use it to inform their clinical practice.

Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN) News page

Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN) News page

Nurses' Knowledge, Communication Needs, and Future Directions in Neonatal Research: Results of an International Survey.

Preterm birth is a significant contributor to neonatal morbidity and mortality. Despite legislative efforts to increase pediatric drug development, neonatal clinical trials continue to be infrequent. The International Neonatal Consortium (INC) includes nurses as key stakeholders in their mission to accelerate safe and effective therapies for neonates. INC developed a survey for nurses, physicians, and parents to explore communication practices and stakeholders' perceptions and knowledge regarding clinical trials in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). A stepwise consensus approach was used to solicit responses to an online survey. The convenience sample was drawn from INC organizations representing the stakeholder groups. Representatives from the National Association of Neonatal Nurses and the Council of International Neonatal Nurses, Inc, participated in all stages of the survey development process, results analysis, and publication of results. Participants included 188 nurses or nurse practitioners, mainly from the United States, Canada, the European Union, and Japan; 68% indicated some level of research involvement. Nurses expressed a lack of effective education to prepare them for participation in research. Results indicated a lack of a central information source for staff and systematic approaches to inform families of studies. The majority of nurses indicated they were not asked to provide input into clinical trials. Nurses were uncertain about research consent and result disclosure processes. This study indicates the need to educate nurses in research, improve NICU research communication through standardized, systematic pathways, and leverage nurse involvement to enhance research communication.

A qualitative exploration of the thoughts, feelings, experiences and expectations of student district nurses

A District Nurse (DN) is a registered nurse who has undertaken a Nursing and Midwifery Council approved programme. Over the years, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of qualified DNs. However, this is slowly changing, with the number of nurses enrolled on to a Specialist Practitioner Qualification in District Nursing (SPQDN) programme now increasing. There is a strategic drive, as outlined in the NHS Long Term Plan, which strives to bring care into people's homes, as opposed to the acute setting. However, to do this, a highly skilled and competent workforce is needed. In order to explore the experiences and expectations of student DNs, a qualitative study was undertaken. A cohort of SPQDN students (programme commencing September 2019) located in the North West of England, were interviewed. A face-to-face focus group (n=9) was held within the first week of the start of the programme. An online focus group (n=7) and a single online interview (n=1) took place at the end of the programme (July 2020). Key themes were identified within the two data collection points. These included 'feelings', 'career aspirations', 'the role and title of District Nurse' and 'future practice'. Findings showed that initially, students were anxious, apprehensive and excited with regards to starting the SPQDN. However, at the end of the programme, the students noted that they had grown in confidence as a clinical practitioner and as a leader.

Evaluation of resource allocation for undergraduate nursing professional experience placements coordination in Australian Higher Education; A cross-sectional study with descriptive qualitative thematic analysis

Aims and objectiveTo assess the implementation of standards by Australian Nursing higher education providers as set by accrediting and regulating bodies and to identify any barriers or enablers to optimizing Professional Experience Placement. To recommend strategies for safeguarding and improving any identified enablers as well as mitigating factors for any identified barriers. BackgroundProfessional Experience Placement is an essential element of all accredited Nursing Programs in Australia. The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council is responsible for developing accreditation standards and mandates minimum of 800 h of Professional Experience Placement scaffolded across curriculum which some Higher Education Providers set as their exact baseline for clinical placement duration. DesignDescriptive study using; questionnaire survey with qualitative thematic analysis and CROSS checklist. MethodQuantitative method with descriptive qualitative thematic analysis and purposive sampling was used to target 37 higher education institutions that offer BN and BN/BM programs, 33 of these institutions were randomly selected for inclusion. Data was collected over a six-week period from 24th May to 4th July 2022 using Qualtrics online survey. ResultsOut of the 33 Higher Education providers who were invited to participate, 51.5 % (n = 17) responded. The respondent’s demographics were: 94 % Bachelor of Nursing only placements coordinators while one respondent reported covering both Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Midwifery; Most of the respondents (65 %) were in 40–55 years age group. The respondents reported to have overall responsibility across one to 6 campuses (Mean = 2.2) and having support/administrative staffs ranging from 0 to 15 (Mean = 4.11). Student population among the institutions ranged from 500 to 7500 with a mean of 2365.38. The number of campuses covered had statistically significant relationship with the student population (p < 0.001; 0.392–0.929 confidence interval) however no statistically significant relationship with the number of administrative staff allocated (p = 0.319; −0.297 to 0.704 confidence interval). ConclusionsWhile great processes are in place across higher education sector in formalizing nursing professional experience placement, important challenges still exist across the nation that need to be addressed. The quantitative findings should be interpreted with caution given the low questionnaire response rate.

A global perspective of advanced practice nursing research: A review of systematic reviews protocol.

In 2020, the World Health Organization called for the expansion and greater recognition of all nursing roles, including advanced practice nurses (APNs), to better meet patient care needs. As defined by the International Council of Nurses (ICN), the two most common APN roles include nurse practitioners (NPs) and clinical nurse specialists (CNSs). They help ensure care to communities as well as patients and families with acute, chronic or complex conditions. Moreover, APNs support providers to deliver high quality care and improve access to services. Currently, there is much variability in the use of advanced practice nursing roles globally. A clearer understanding of the roles that are in place across the globe, and how they are being used will support greater role harmonization, and inform global priorities for advanced practice nursing education, research, and policy reform. To identify current gaps in advanced practice nursing research globally. This review of systematic reviews will provide a description of the current state of the research, including gaps, on advanced practice nursing globally. We will include reviews that examine APNs, NPs or CNSs using recognized role definitions. We will search the CINAHL, EMBASE, Global Health, HealthStar, PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library Database of Systematic Reviews and Controlled Trials Register, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Joanna Briggs Institute, and Web of Science electronic databases for reviews published from January 2011 onwards, with no restrictions on jurisdiction or language. We will search the grey literature and hand search the reference lists of all relevant reviews to identify additional studies. We will extract country, patient, provider, health system, educational, and policy/scope of practice data. We will assess the quality of each included review using the CASP criteria, and summarize their findings. This review of systematic reviews protocol was developed following the PRISMA-P recommendations. CRD42021278532.