Nursing Administration Programs Research Articles

Nurse Leader Perspectives on Precepting in a Graduate Nursing Administration Practicum.

To describe practicum experiences as perceived by nurse leader preceptors of graduate students in a nursing administration practicum. Practicum experiences in graduate nursing administration programs provide students with exposure to the real-life experiences of nurse leaders, bridging the gap between academic knowledge gained and the application of that information to the workplace. The literature lacks best practices for graduate nursing administration practicum experiences. Eight nurse leaders were interviewed using a semistructured format. Data were transcribed and subjected to selective thematic analysis. Five themes were identified: professional and personal growth, transition of education into practice, academic partner engagement and support, time, and contributions to the organization. Leadership practicum experiences provide a real-world perspective and are an essential part of growing future nurse leaders. This study yielded invaluable insight from nurse leader preceptors, recommendations for structuring graduate nursing administration practicums, and implications for sustaining resilient academic-practice partnerships.

The academic portfolio: Validation of the learning journey

As academicians, students’ learning achievements must be described to ascertain programmatic quality and professional accreditation. Additionally, demonstrating accountability is pivotal for application to nursing students’ learning in patient situations and leadership decision-making. In this process review, nursing student learning was validated by the use of academic portfolios. Learning was authenticated by having the students identify evidence of their learning applied to school of nursing and program outcomes for nursing administration, the Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing, and the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) competencies. The AONL competencies were a crucial measurement which enabled students to better view the full scope of their roles as nursing leaders. These academic portfolios provided illustrative vignettes of application of students’ learning throughout the master in nursing administration program. Academic portfolios personify the students’ learning experiences to validate student learning for academic reviewers, provide continuous quality improvement for nursing programs, and guide the learning application to the students’ future careers and lives. These results will also demonstrate program success during an upcoming accreditation survey thus fulfilling a triple objective with one academic project: assessment of student goal achievement, program goal attainment, and accreditation preparedness.

Nurse Manager Competency: Views from Executives in Thai Community Hospitals

# Background: Adolescent mothers may find the transition to motherhood to be Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the viewpoints of nurse managers and directors of nursing services in community hospitals regarding the essential competencies of head nurses. # Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used to investigate the perspective of nurse managers and directors of nursing services about essential competencies of nurse managers in community hospitals. A total of ten participants (four directors of nursing services and six nurse managers) were interviewed. # Findings: Nurse managers and directors of nursing services identified leadership, management, communication, professional ethics, and policy and healthcare environment as the essential competencies for their positions in community hospitals. # Conclusions: These findings can be used by executives of community hospitals and nursing institutes to plan for competency development for nurse managers. They should be included in nursing administration programs.

Toward a just culture

Bryan Kennedy is a director of nursing at AnMed Health in Anderson, S.C., and a clinical instructor in the graduate nursing administration program at Clemson (S.C.) University. The author has disclosed no financial relationships related to this article.

Leader to Honor: Amy E. Brown, MS, RN, NE-BC

Amy Brown began her nursing career at the University of Iowa with a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) (which included studying in London) and a master of science (MS) in nursing administration from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She chose to start her nursing career at the Mayo Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota, because of its sterling reputation for patient care quality. The experience of serving on shared-governance councils with such a prestigious and complex health system jumpstarted her interest in leadership as a career. Amy next decided to work as a traveling registered nurse (RN) so she could determine what was so special about Mayo and why there was such a disparity between nursing care environments. Today Amy serves at the Director of Inpatient Surgical Services for Exempla St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and is an affiliate faculty member at Colorado Christian University.

Graduate Practicums in Nursing Administration Programs

Nurse educators, administrators, and stakeholders vigorously debate best practices for administrative practicums in graduate nursing administration education. Issues debated include practicum objectives and sites, curriculum placement, length, and outcome competencies. Consensus regarding best practices for administrative practicum experiences is non-existent. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing’s (AACN’s) accrediting body requires 1000 hours of clinical for the doctor of nursing practice (DNP), yet the implementation of this requirement has not been well understood in relation to nursing administration programs. The recent proliferation in DNP programs with a focus on nursing administration have made this issue one requiring careful consideration at both the master’s and doctoral levels. The educational needs and backgrounds of current students vary greatly; consequently, it is imperative for the discipline to identify and standardize, or at least gain consensus on, best practices in order to thoughtfully inform discussion and accreditation recommendations thus ensuring that graduates of these programs are prepared to influence healthcare. Recognizing this need, the Council of Graduate Education in Administrative Nursing (CGEAN) board appointed a 6-member task force on clinical experiences and intensity. In 2011, the task force administered a survey to identify current, national practices related to administrative practicum experiences for both masters of science in nursing (MSN) and DNP programs in nursing administration and related areas.

Carol Reineck, PhD, CNAA-BC, COI

Carol Reineck, PhD, CNAA-BC, COI

Nursing Administration in Russia

During graduate studies in a nursing administration program, an opportunity presented itself to travel to a rural Russian community of 10,000 to study the healthcare system. The Russian healthcare system has not changed much since the Soviet days. All healthcare facilities are government owned and all healthcare providers are government employees. Basic healthcare provided to citizens is paid for by the government.1,2 Fee-for-service physicians are available in larger cities but at costs that are prohibitive for most Russians. On average, nurses working at the clinics make 4,000 rubles a month, or approximately $148. Hospital nurses are paid more than those working in clinics and home health agencies. Physicians' salaries are only slightly higher than those of nurses, averaging $160 to 180 a month.

Allow Natural Death: A More Humane Approach to Discussing End-of-Life Directives

Crissy Knox, Kentuckiana Chapter, is Student, Masters in Nursing Administration Program, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Ind; and Clinical Practice Educator, Emergency Services, University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, Ky. John A. Vereb, Kentuckiana Chapter, is Staff Nurse, Emergency Department, Baptist Hospital East, Louisville, Ky. For correspondence, write: Crissy Knox, 1115 Harvest Ridge Blvd, Memphis, IN 47143; E-mail: Christkn@ulh.org. J Emerg Nurs 2005;31:560-1. 0099-1767/$30.00 Copyright n 2005 by the Emergency Nurses Association. doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2005.06.020

Program Evaluation in Graduate Nursing Education: Hardiness as a Predictor of Success Among Nursing Administration Students

In an effort to develop meaningful program evaluation data, this exploratory study examined hardiness and stress among a select group of graduate nursing administration students at The University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, TX. Students completed a questionnaire, which included the Hardiness Scale and Perceived Stress Scale, at both beginning and end of their program. Six to 12 months after graduation, each participant completed a telephone survey with items related to hardiness and American Association of Colleges of Nursing and American Organization of Nurse Executives core competencies. Mean scores for both hardiness and stress did improve from beginning to end of program; however, alpha coefficient reliabilities were disappointing, so no further quantitative analyses were completed. Most enlightening were the telephone interviews, which revealed that graduates were engaged in behaviors indicative of high hardiness. Use of hardiness as a guiding construct may prove useful to nursing administration program faculty in developing and refining a quality program; use of both quantitative and qualitative methods are recommended for obtaining meaningful program evaluation data.

A Model for Bridging the Gap

A successful future for the nursing profession requires leaders who are willing and able to lead. The Graduate Nursing Administration Program at UCLA has developed a program to prepare these future leaders. Based on the leadership model of James Kouzes and Barry Posner, this program includes the 5 practices of exemplary leadership: Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others to Act, and Encourage the Heart.

Using online learning technology to develop nurse leaders

Clearly, one of the major challenges facing nurse administrators is the need to develop and support nurse managers. The fact that there is a shortage of well-prepared nurse managers to build and maintain work environments that retain nurses while providing cost-effective, quality health care outcomes for consumers is widely accepted. The issues surrounding this shortage are multifocal and complex, including dissatisfaction with the role, lack of preparation and ongoing development for the role, the declining graduate enrollments in nursing administration programs, and the aging of nurse managers.

Ask AONE's experts

About the author: Sharon Judkins, RN, CNAA, PhD, is Director, Nursing Administration Program, University of Texas at Arlington.

Graduate nursing administration programs are alive and well.

Graduate nursing administration programs are alive and well.

Education in administration. Trends in MSN/MBA and MSN in nursing administration.

Avenues for the preparation of nurses who wish to pursue administrative careers continue to be debated. The author reports changes in the numbers and enrollments of master of science in nursing/master of business administration (MSN/MBA) programs as well as trends in MSN in nursing administration programs since 1993. Respondents to a survey of all U.S. nursing graduate programs indicated that both types of programs have undergone substantial changes on a variety of measures. The author considers these results in suggestions for building new approaches to administrative preparation.

Will nursing administration programs survive in the 21st century?

Why are graduate nursing administration (MSN/A) program enrollments declining? Do these programs truly meet the needs of potential students? Will they help them to be effective and innovative partners on the healthcare management team? The authors explore reasons for the decline in MSN/A enrollments, potential negative outcomes, and currently available alternative educational choices. They then suggest MSN/A program redesign and other courses of actions. Nurse administrators and nurse educators must be aware of these trends and have equal input into the creation of a viable MSN/A program that will be able to survive in the 21st century.

Nurse executive. Support your local nursing administration program.

Nurse executive. Support your local nursing administration program.

The See-Saw Administrator

JOYCE L. SCHWEIGER, MS, RN, is an Adjunct Lecturer in the Nursing Administration Program of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing.

Solving the Role Puzzle

JOYCE L. SCHWEIGER, MS, RN, is a Nursing Consultant and an adjunct lecturer in the Nursing Administration Program of the University of Pennsylvania's School of Nursing. RUTH HUEY, BSN, RN, is a nursing instructor at Delaware Technical and Community College in Newark, Delaware.

7th National Nursing Administration Program.

7th National Nursing Administration Program.