Pre-registration Nurses Research Articles

A distance-learning journey from healthcare assistant to registered nurse

This article discusses the findings from a naturalistic case study that explored the views of final year, distance learning university, practice-based student nurses on their preparation for the role of registered nurse. The students were all healthcare assistants (HCAs), who were sponsored by their employers on the DipHE Adult Nursing Pre Registration Nursing Programme (PRNP). The findings and themes that evolved from this study show the significant areas that informed these student nurses' journeys and their preparation to become registered nurses. The practice areas had a vested interest in preparing these sponsored students to be competent, skilled practitioners, as they were ‘growing’ their own workforce. The study reported that all of the students obtained posts as Newly Qualified (NQ) nurses, 80% in the practice areas where they were dual-role HCA/students, thereby demonstrating the effectiveness of the PRNP working in partnership with employers to support workforce development.

Using poems to explore the meaning of compassion to undergraduate nursing students

Background: Compassionate care provision is an integral part of nursing practice, but the ways in which pre-registration nurses are enabled to explore the concept are less well understood. Aim: The aim of this work was to consider how student nurses experience and understand compassion in the context of their education and clinical practice, using reflective poetry as a source of data. Method: This study drew on reflective poetry writing, underpinned by an interpretive phenomenological approach. Poems authored by study participants were analysed to explore how compassion is understood and experienced by pre-registration nursing students. Findings: Compassion was described and experienced by the students in many ways. It was discussed as a challenging aspect of practice, on an emotional and on a practical level. Feelings of vulnerability emerged through the data, often linked to the novice status of the students. Reflective poetry writing enabled students to write in a meaningful way about their thoughts and feelings, and offers educators a rich insight into the lifeworld of the student nurse. Conclusion: Compassion is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that can be difficult for student nurses to engage with in real world practice settings. Creative ways of working, including the use of poetry, can offer student nurses, and those who support them, valuable help in understanding the challenges they encounter and identifying working practices that can make a positive contribution to nursing practice and associated education programmes. Implications for practice: Educators need to understand the meaning of compassion as it is lived by student nurses, in order to support their development Educators are required to develop their teaching practice to enable the exploration of thoughts and feelings about compassionate care provision Creative ways of teaching and learning can lead to a more unpredictable learning environment and ways to manage this need to be considered Poetry writing offers opportunities for educators to role model the personal behaviours expected of student nurses, as a way to help develop compassionate care provision.

Clinical leadership and pre-registration nursing programmes: A model for clinical leadership and a prospective curriculum implementation and evaluation research strategy

AimTo present for wider debate a conceptual model for clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programmes and a proposed implementation plan. BackgroundGlobally, leadership in nursing has become a significant issue. Whilst there is continued support for leadership preparation in pre-registration nursing programmes, there have been very few published accounts of curriculum content and/or pedagogical approaches that foster clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing. A doctoral research study has resulted in the creation of an overarching model for clinical leadership. DesignA multi-method research study using theoretical and empirical literature 1974–2015, a focus group, expert opinion and a national on-line survey. DiscussionA conceptual model of clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programme is presented, including the infinity loop of clinical leadership, an integral curriculum thread and a conceptual model: a curriculum-pedagogy nexus for clinical leadership. In order to test out usability and evaluate effectiveness, a multi method programme of research in one school of nursing in Australia is outlined. ConclusionImplementation of the proposed conceptual model for clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programmes and a programme of (post-doctoral) research will contribute to what is known about curriculum content and pedagogy for nurse academics. Importantly, for nursing students and the profession as a whole, there is a clearer expectation of what clinical leadership might look like in the novice registered nurse. For nurse academics a model is offered for consideration in curriculum design and implementation with an evaluation strategy that could be replicated.

Active involvement of learning disabilities service users in the development and delivery of a teaching session to pre-registration nurses: Students' perspectives

A teaching session about service users' experiences of accessing and receiving health and social care was designed and delivered by service users to first year BSc Nursing students. The aim was to enhance students' knowledge, skills and confidence in caring for people with a learning disability. An evaluation research study was undertaking at one university in London into the perceived effectiveness of the teaching session, including students' perceptions of the extent to which the service users' teaching session was useful, the impact of the session, its benefits and challenges and the sustainability of teaching sessions delivered by service users. Data were collected through an online questionnaire. Quantitative analysis was undertaken of Likert-style questions and qualitative analysis was undertaken using the Framework Method. The session impacted on students' knowledge and understanding of people with a learning disability. Students reported that they felt more comfortable and confident interacting with people with a learning disability. In addition, they reflected on their feelings about caring for people with a learning disability.

Problem-based learning in pre-registration mental health nursing: the student experience

Problem-based learning in pre-registration mental health nursing: the student experience

Learning outcomes associated with patient simulation method in pharmacotherapy education: an integrative review.

The aims of this systematic integrative review were to identify evidence for the use of patient simulation teaching methods in pharmacotherapy education and to explore related learning outcomes. A systematic literature search was conducted using 6 databases as follows: CINAHL, PubMed, SCOPUS, ERIC, MEDIC, and the Cochrane Library, using the key words relating to patient simulation and pharmacotherapy. The methodological quality of each study was evaluated. Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria. The earliest article was published in 2005. The selected research articles were subjected to qualitative content analysis. Patient simulation has been used in pharmacotherapy education for preregistration nursing, dental, medical, and pharmacy students and for the continuing education of nurses. Learning outcomes reported were summarized as follows: (1) commitment to pharmacotherapy learning, (2) development of pharmacotherapy evaluation skills, (3) improvement in pharmacotherapy application skills, and (4) knowledge and understanding of pharmacotherapy. To develop effective teaching methods and ensure health care professionals' competence in medication management, further research is needed to determine the educational and clinical effectiveness of simulation teaching methods.

Clinical placements in Australian general practice: (Part 1) the experiences of pre-registration nursing students

An international shift towards strengthening primary care services has stimulated the growth of nursing in general (family) practice. As learning in the clinical setting comprises a core component of pre-registration nursing education, it is logical that clinical placement opportunities would follow the workforce growth in this setting. Beyond simply offering placements in relevant clinical areas, it is vital to ensure high quality learning experiences that meet the educational needs of pre-registration nurses. Part 1 of a two part series reports on the qualitative study of a mixed methods project. Fifteen pre-registration nursing students participated in semi-structured interviews following a clinical placement in an Australian general practice. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and underwent a process of thematic analysis. Findings are presented in the following four themes; (1) Knowledge of the practice nurse role: I had very limited understanding, (2) Quality of the learning experience: It was a fantastic placement, (3) Support, belonging and mutual respect: I really felt part of the team, (4) Employment prospects: I would really, really love to go to a general practice but …… General practice placements exposed students to a diverse range of clinical skills which would equip them for future employment in primary care. Exposure to nursing in general practice also stimulated students to consider a future career in this clinical setting.

Nursing students’ experiences of clinical placement in community settings: A qualitative study

Changing community demographics and the rising incidence of chronic and complex conditions has exacerbated the primary care workload. Encouraging beginning nurses to view primary care nursing as a viable career option will help alleviate the workforce stress of this specialty. Whilst higher education institutions (HEI's) have increased the exposure of pre-registration nurses to community settings, there has been limited exploration of this experience from the perspective of pre-registration nurses. As potential key service providers, it is important to identify factors which influence how pre-registration nurses view primary care placements in the community. This study seeks to explore the experiences of pre-registration nursing students following community based clinical placements and to explore the impact of this placement on their learning. A qualitative design was employed in this study. Nine pre-registration nursing students were recruited from a research intensive single campus of an Australian university. In-depth semi-structured interviews. Findings are presented in the following four themes: (1) autonomy in practice: "you make your own decisions", (2) working with highly skilled nurses: "their knowledge was just incredible", (3) focusing on holistic care: "they'd obviously built rapport with these people", and (4) showing genuine interest in educating students: "they got me involved". Exposure to community settings was a positive learning experience for pre-registration nursing students. Further research needs to focus on the impact of these placements on both clinical skills acquisition and job choices into the future.

The value of Master's degrees for registered nurses.

The value of graduates in the nursing workforce has been recognised in the move to all-graduate preparation of pre-registration nurses in England ( Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2010 ). Increasingly, after registration continuing professional development programmes for nurses are being offered at Master's level. However, there is limited evidence of the relationship between postgraduate study and improved patient outcomes. Evidence that does exist suggests that nurses who engage in postgraduate study are more likely to have improved critical thinking and decision-making skills, demonstrate leadership qualities to empower them to challenge poor practice, and have the skills needed for advanced clinical practice roles. This article explores these issues and makes recommendations for further work in this area.

Putting people first

When Nicky Genders began her career as a learning disability nurse she was thrown in at the deep end. Now she is head of the school of care sciences at the University of South Wales, responsible for pre-registration nursing and midwifery programmes. Here, she talks to Colin Parish about her career so far and her research into nursing identities

Mentorship part 2: assessing pre-registration student nurses.

The role of the mentor has been evolving since it was introduced following Project 2000 in 1986. The role that mentors of pre-registration nursing students are tasked with on a daily basis is crucial to the overall assessment of the student nurse. Assessment and the importance of the mentor's role when assessing the students in practice will be discussed in this article. The reliability and validity of assessment and the mentor's responsibility in assessing the competencies in the learning environment is explored, together with the roles of formative and summative assessment. The introduction of the sign-off mentor and the ongoing achievement record as part of the assessment process will also be explored. It can be argued that mentoring is not a simple task, and that there are a number of barriers to successful assessment.

Individual face-to-face tutorials: the value in nurse education.

The individual, face-to-face tutorial is one means by which academic support can be provided to students in higher education. This mode of tutorial support has been deemed effective but it can be considered labour-intensive, which is a concern in the UK with the recession currently impacting on higher education institutions. Nevertheless, with increasing student fees come higher student expectations. With all UK pre-registration nursing study programmes at degree level and with the emphasis on widening access, students may require additional academic support to ensure success. This study aimed to examine the value of individual, face-to-face tutorials for academic support in nurse education. A descriptive and exploratory design was used, mixing qualitative and quantitative methods. The survey approach employed a web-based, self-completion questionnaire, which was distributed to lecturers and pre-registration student nurses in a UK university. Following analysis of the questionnaire results, students were invited to attend a group interview. Findings highlighted the importance of individual, face-to-face tutorials with qualitative data supplying detailed accounts regarding their value.

Safeguarding vulnerable adults: learning from the reflective assignments of pre-registration students in the adult field of nursing practice

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to identify safeguarding concerns for vulnerable adults, including exploring the implementation of safeguarding policy and procedures into practice. This was achieved by reviewing the content of reflective assignments written by pre-registration student nurses, identifying areas of concerns and proposing action plans. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative approach was initially utilised to scrutinise a random 10 per cent sample of work, which was thematically analysed. From this, an audit tool was devised and then applied to evaluate a 35 per cent sample of work from the following cohort of students. Approval and consent was gained. Findings – From the initial 10 per cent sample, themes emerged around: practice issues; areas for student's development and marking or assessment issues. The standardised audit tool was devised and applied to a 35 per cent random sample of work. This determined that students identified local safeguarding policies and procedures were being followed in the majority of placement areas, although application of the Mental Capacity Act remained inconsistent. Research limitations/implications – The assessor feedback from the reflective assignments was not available to the reviewers, limiting the reviewers ability to identify if assessors had recognised and corrected any policy or practice issues that the student raised. Only assignments from the adult field of nursing were considered within the scope of this study. The authors recommend further empirical investigation into this area. Practical implications – This paper offers knowledge that can be applied in practice within both academic and health care provider services that deliver and facilitate nursing education. It has generated an audit tool that can be utilised to evaluate the knowledge of pre-registration students and has resulted in the implementation of safeguarding adults policies within an academic institution. Originality/value – Safeguarding adults concerns may be identified through studying pre-registration student assignments and promptly acting upon any concerns raised. Aspects of good practice can be acknowledged within health care provider services.

Should assistant practitioners be allowed to administer medicine?

Should assistant practitioners be allowed to administer medicine?

A modified systematic review of research evidence about education for pre-registration nurses in palliative care.

BackgroundWe undertook a modified systematic review of research regarding educational approaches to and effectiveness of pre-registration palliative care nursing, to inform the development of a short course in palliative care for pre-registration nursing students in Cameroon. The aim of this review was to examine educational approaches applied to pre-registration palliative care nursing education and their effectiveness, and to discuss implications for the development of palliative care curricula in resource-poor countries.MethodA modified systematic review of research on palliative care educational interventions, conducted with pre-registration student nurses was undertaken. Relevant literature was gathered from CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE and PsychINFO databases for the period 2000–2013. Inclusion was limited to studies of educational interventions evaluating the effectiveness and outcomes of palliative and end of life care education with pre-registration student nurses.Results17 studies were found, all of which were conducted in resource-rich countries: United States of America, Canada, Australia, and United Kingdom. Palliative care nursing education at pre-registration level is either delivered as a discrete course within the curriculum or palliative care content is embedded into other nursing specialty courses throughout the wider curriculum. Palliative care education is delivered to students at a variety of stages in their nursing program, using a mix of both didactic and experiential educational strategies. Course facilitators span palliative care specialists, educators who have attended ‘train-the-trainer’ courses in palliative care, and nurses with hospice experience. Education is underpinned by transformative and experiential learning theories and reported as effective in improving students’ attitudes towards care of the dying.ConclusionThe educational strategies identified in this review may be applicable to resource-poor countries. However, there are challenges in transferability because of the lack of availability of specialist palliative care practitioners who can serve as educators, specialist palliative care units/institutions for experiential learning, funds to design and use high fidelity simulations, and palliative care textbooks and other educational materials. There is thus a need for innovative educational strategies that can bridge these barriers in resource-poor countries. There is also a need for further research into how palliative care education impacts on pre-registration student nurses’ knowledge and practice.

Foundations for a human science of nursing: Gadamer, Laing, and the hermeneutics of caring.

The professions of nursing and nurse education are currently experiencing a crisis of confidence, particularly in the UK, where the Francis Report and other recent reviews have highlighted a number of cases of nurses who no longer appear willing or able to 'care'. The popular press, along with some elements of the nursing profession, has placed the blame for these failures firmly on the academy and particularly on the relatively recent move to all-graduate status in England for pre-registration student nurses. This has come to be known in the UK as the 'too-posh-to-wash' argument, that there is an incommensurability between being educated to degree level and performing basic nursing tasks. I will argue in this paper that the diagnosis of the problem is substantively correct, but the formulation and the prescription are misguided and dangerous. I will suggest that the growing emphasis on research-based and evidence-based practice is the logical conclusion of an inappropriate scientific paradigm for nursing which is underpinned by the social sciences, by technical rationality, and by a focus on people. In contrast, I will suggest that a more fruitful way of thinking about and practising nursing and nurse education is to consider it as a human science with a focus on persons in which evidence for practice derives largely from practice itself. The history of the idea of a human science is traced from its roots in nineteenth century hermeneutics to the work of Gadamer and R.D. Laing in the 1960s, and I attempt to imagine a paradigm for nursing practice, scholarship, and education based on Laing's 'existential-phenomenological' approach with a focus on the endeavour to understand and relate to individual persons rather than to make broad prescriptions for practice based on statistical and other generalizations.

Informing Pre-Registration Nurse Education: A Proposal Outline On The Value, Methods And Ethical Considerations Of Involving Children In Doctoral Research

As pre-registration nurse education programmes evolve within the United Kingdom, it is imperative to involve patient/client groups within the research process, as the outcome may invoke a change in the care delivery of the registered nurse (RN). This paper focuses upon children and how children might hypothetically contribute to informing a generic nursing programme in their capacity as a rights holder and expert in their own lives. Even though their contribution and value has been debated around their capacity as research advisor, research participant and co researcher, this paper explores how the child’s view of their experience of hospital and of the good nurse could be best captured. Research is a powerful vehicle that can enable their voice to equally inform UK nurse educators and policy makers so that the child’s health care needs are effectively met in hospital by RN’s who complete a generic programme.

Exploring Australian undergraduate pre-registration nursing curricula: Where do science subjects fit?

Despite several attempts to define what foundational science is required by and for the nursing profession, uncertainty has long existed in this area. Several attempts have been undertaken to elicit the appropriate level and depth of foundational science with the only clear result being that science has been recognised as key to good practice. The aim of this research was to review the amount of science content in pre-registration curricula and explore how science was incorporated into educational programs. Two sets of data were obtained: approved curriculum documents supplied by universities, and public university website course subject information. Heads of Schools at Australian universities teaching pre-registration Nursing were invited to provide approved curriculum documents in 2007 and again in 2014. The 2007 documents demonstrated diverse approaches with no convergence towards one theory, philosophy or teaching strategy. In 2014, a clear move to flexible, online, case-based or inquiry learning and simulations strategies was observed. The volume of science was calculated by determining the proportion of science content based on credit point allocations to subjects for all publicly available course descriptions in 2006 and 2012. This calculation was also undertaken for the nine matched 2007 and 2014 volunteered curriculum documents. Results indicate a decrease in overt science content between 2006 and 2012. However, there is evidence of an increase in science content integration into nursing subjects in the 2012 and 2014 documentation.

Enhancing student nurses’ experience through cardiac research placements

Introduction: The importance of clinical research and evidence-based practice is well known, yet there is anecdotal evidence that clinical research is poorly perceived. A cardiovascular research placement for pre-registration student nurses was piloted to provide students with access to this important area of cutting edge clinical practice. Methods: University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) NHS Trust's standardised placement feedback forms were audited for service evaluation, judging responses against the placement aims and NMC domains. A web-based survey was disseminated to all pre-registration student nurses in De Montfort University, Leicester, to support the pilot programme. Results: The research placement scheme has achieved its aims, with glowing endorsement from students, research staff, CCU staff and the PLLs. The students benefitted from exposure to the wide and varied world of cardiac research, gaining first-hand experience of the contribution clinical research plays in providing the evidence base for practice. Discussion: The data shows that there is a perceived value to students completing a clinical research placement. The suggestions from the feedback have recommended more coherent working between De Montfort University and UHL for the research education and exposure to clinical research throughout their degree programme.

Effectiveness of educational interventions on the research literacy of post-registration nurses: a systematic review protocol

REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE The objective of this review is to identify the effectiveness of research literacy interventions on the research literacy of registered nurses. More specifically, the objectives are to identify: The effectiveness of workplace, tertiary-level educational or other interventions designed to improve or increase post-registration nurses’ research literacy, defined as their understanding of research literature and ability to critically interact with research literature, with the aim of promoting the use of research evidence in practice. INCLUSION CRITERIA Types of participants This review will consider studies that include post-registration registered nurses working or studying in any healthcare or educational setting. Studies including enrolled nurses, assistant nurses, licensed vocational nurses, other equivalent non-registered nurse occupations, or other healthcare workers will be excluded unless the reported data clearly separates the results for registered nurses from other participants. Studies of undergraduate or pre-registration nurses will be excluded. Types of intervention This review will consider studies that evaluate the effectiveness of workplace educational programs or interventions conducted in a healthcare organization or tertiary-level educational facility that aim to improve or increase participants' research literacy. These may be short courses, workshops, education for a formal qualification such as graduate diploma or certificate, or other activities with the stated purpose of improving nurses’ research literacy. The interventions of interest may be in comparison to different interventions or to usual educational practice, whether historical or concurrent, or there may be a comparison to no intervention at all. Types of outcomes This review will consider TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS