The core competencies in disaster nursing, nurses' roles in disaster management and the potential barriers are assessed with a view to developing disaster nursing in Slovenia. Despite training and ...experience, many indicators show nurses are deficient in skills involving emergency and disaster-preparedness competencies. Nurses report little familiarity with disaster-planning skills, the implementation of disaster guidelines and assessment of patients subject to a disaster circumstance. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted based on data collected through an online survey. 118 registered nurses from different clinical settings in Slovenia participated in the study. Data were collected according to the Slovenian version of the Disaster Nursing Core Competencies Scale (Sl-DNCC-Scale). The scale was limited to a 7-point Likert response format (from 1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree). The results show the registered nurses perceive the core competencies of disaster nursing to be important to their preparedness for disaster situations (median = 161; range 74-189). Registered nurses who work in nursing homes and nurse managers are more aware of the importance of acquiring the listed competencies for unexpected events (p = 0.011 and 0.060 respectively) and the importance of their active role in disaster management (p = 0.027 and p = 0.004, respectively). To effectively deal with a disaster, nurses must be well prepared for unexpected events and more actively involved in disaster management. This study demonstrates that nurses regard the core disaster nursing competencies as important and greatly needed in various healthcare facilities. Future studies in this area should focus on ways to implement these competencies in nursing education.
Abstract
Background
Working in a culturally diverse environment entails a moral and professional responsibility to provide culturally competent care. This has been recognised as an important measure ...to reduce health inequalities, improve the quality of care and increase patient satisfaction. The aim of this study was to assess the level of cultural competence in nursing students a decade after the introduction of transcultural nursing content into the nursing curriculum in Slovenia.
Methods
A descriptive cross-sectional design with 180 s-year nursing students as a convenience sample was used. Cultural competence was assessed using the Cultural Competence Assessment Tool (CCATool) via an online survey. IBM SPSS facilitated statistical analysis, using descriptive statistics and inferential methods, including the chi-square test. Non-parametric tests (Mann Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis H and Wilcoxon signed-rank) were used for non-normally distributed data (Shapiro-Wilk test, p < 0.05). The significance was set at p ≤ 0.05.
Results
The results indicate that students demonstrate a high level of cultural competence, although there is room for improvement in terms of cultural sensitivity, as determined by coding the CCATool. The results also show a remarkable contrast between their self-assessed scores and the objective scores obtained from CCATool coding of the statements in each subscale (p < 0.005). In addition, significant differences (p = 0.002) are found in subscale “Cultural Knowledge” particularly between students who have lived abroad for more than 6 months and those who have not. The latter group has a higher score in the CCATool, indicating greater cultural knowledge.
Conclusions
The study suggests that the presence of transcultural elements in the Slovenian nursing curriculum is associated with higher self-reported levels of cultural competence among nursing students, although the present research design does not allow for causal interpretations. This competence is of immense importance in preparing students for their future professional environment. However, it is crucial to further refine the nursing curriculum, especially through greater integration of transcultural content in all health disciplines. In addition, the introduction of innovative teaching and learning approaches can better prepare students to deal with the diverse cultural experiences they will encounter in their nursing careers.
Abstract
Background
In recent years, complex and rapidly changing healthcare settings have placed high demands on nursing graduates, who must effectively assume new professional roles with a wide ...variety of competencies. However, in an ever-altering environment it is impossible to teach students everything. This means that assessing nursing students’ perceptions of their ability to practise their competencies and assume their professional roles is critical for faculty to further develop the nursing education curriculum and to assist healthcare organisations in supporting the transition of graduates. The aim of the study was to explore newly graduated nurses’ perceptions of their new professional role and professional competency associated with this role.
Methods
A qualitative study using the focus group method. The purposive sample included 18 nursing graduates with an average of 29 years, most of whom were female. The average time that had elapsed since graduation was 1.5 years. Four face-to-face focus group interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes and subthemes.
Results
Three main themes describing newly graduated nurses’ perceptions were found: (1) significance of the transition period; (2) commitment to the nursing profession; and (3) perceived needs and challenges to professional competency.
Conclusion
The transition from a safe academic environment to turbulent clinical practice is shaped by both graduates’ expectations and reality. The results of the study indicate a high level of commitment to the profession immediately after graduation and point to groups of competencies that need greater emphasis in the nursing curriculum. Although the responsibility for adequately preparing and supporting nursing students for their new professional roles rests with faculty and healthcare organisations, the responsibility for professional development should also lie on the students themselves.
COVID-19 had an impact on everyday life, especially during the lockdown. This also impacted higher education, leading to a sudden and complete shift to online e-learning. The purpose of this study ...was to develop, validate, and test a measurement tool suitable for evaluating students’ e-learning experience among health and allied health professions students. The convenience sample consisted of 342 students. A validation of the instrument E-learning Experience Evaluation Scale (3E-Scale) was conducted before the study began. Factor structure, reliability, content, and face validity were assessed. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed a four-factor structure of the scale that explained 61% of the total variance. The overall scale demonstrated a high level of reliability and appears to be a reliable measurement tool. The results show that there are statistically significant differences between female and male students (p < 0.05). In addition, nursing and dietetics students perceive more barriers related to the open-source learning management system than other students (p < 0.05). Positive learning experiences contribute to greater learning satisfaction and, consequently, greater learning engagement. E-learning content design should be aligned with teaching pedagogy and learning outcomes. Future studies should also address the negative consequences of e-learning experiences.
Background: Measurements of nursing students’ cultural awareness are needed to evaluate education that intends to improve nurses’ cultural competency skills. The purpose of this study was to assess ...the level of cultural awareness held by undergraduate nursing students. Method: A nonexperimental, cross-sectional design was applied to a purposive sample of 149 undergraduate nursing students. Data were collected based on the Cultural Awareness Scale (CAS). Results: The results show that the nursing students had a moderately high level of cultural awareness for all CAS subscales (M = 194.0). However, no statistically significant differences were seen between the students’ demographic (gender and age) and other data (year of study and religion) related to the overall CAS score (p > .05). Discussion: Building on the satisfactory results obtained from this study, in the future, both the transcultural nursing contents as well as various strategies for teaching cultural competencies should be carefully evaluated.
Precise epidemiologic and demographic characteristics of immigrant women admitted to gynecology or obstetrics departments are rarely explored. The aim of this retrospective observational study was to ...analyze the epidemiologic and demographic characteristics of immigrant female patients hospitalized between 2012 and 2017 in one maternity hospital in south-west Slovenia. Clinical data retrieved from hospital electronic information system were used to analyze these characteristics. In the mentioned period, 605 immigrant women were hospitalized, most of them originating from countries of the former Yugoslavia (60.50%) or former Eastern Bloc (14.05%). The results show that in recent years there has been a constantly growing trend of immigrant women being admitted compared to the total number of hospitalizations. No statistical differences were established in the incidence of abortion, preterm delivery or vacuum extraction between Slovenian and immigrant women, although the analysis revealed a higher rate of cesarean section among immigrant women (χ2=26.960, p<0.01). Education level seems to be a significant predictor of the likelihood of an abortion in the group of immigrant women (B=-0.492, p=0.015), where less educated women are at a greater risk. To improve what is known about the sexual and reproductive health-related problems of immigrant women, a large-scale epidemiologic study is needed in the near future.
The relationship between health, environmental sustainability, and food systems has garnered increasing attention, emphasizing the crucial role of healthcare professionals in advocating for ...sustainable food practices. This systematic literature review aimed to examine their role in promoting health and environmental sustainability through sustainable food advocacy. Following a systematic and rigorous methodology, eligible articles published in English within the past five years were searched and screened, resulting in a total of five articles for further analysis. The review revealed the fragmented debate on food security and sustainability, emphasizing the need for sustainable food systems to address various challenges. Specific actions identified include reducing plate waste in hospitals, implementing sustainable food sourcing strategies in healthcare to mitigate the climate footprint, and promoting sustainable nutrition. The findings underscore the importance of education, community engagement, governance, and a systemic approach in driving positive change regarding nutrition, health, and sustainability. This review offers important perspectives for healthcare practice, allied health educational programs, research, and public health policy development. It highlights the importance of healthcare professionals in advocating for sustainable food practices, which play a critical role in improving health outcomes and reducing environmental impacts.
Purpose
To develop a methodology for identifying the universal nursing competencies required for registered nurses (RNs).
Design
A mixed‐methods approach was used.
Methods
The research in this ...article entails a combination of different methodological approaches, namely the Delphi technique and an empirical quantitative nonexperimental study. A total of 14 experts with credentials in the nursing field participated in the former. Consensus was defined as at least 80% agreement. Subsequently, a purposive sample of 321 RNs participated in the empirical quantitative nonexperimental study. The data were collected during 2014.
Findings
In the study's first stage, 39 professional nursing competencies were identified using the Delphi technique. In the second stage, factor analysis resulted in seven factors: professional nursing clinical practice; professional communication and quality in nursing; determinants of health and safety in nursing; critical thinking and self‐planning of professional work; new knowledge and knowledge transfer in nursing; management and coordination in nursing; and nursing research. Together they explain 74.9% of the variance.
Conclusions and Clinical Relevance
In the future, the identification of the national nursing competencies should be considered. The study has some limitations; however, the proposed methodology revealed in this study may be the first step in overcoming them.
The aim of this study was to identify existing tools that purport to measure clinical nursing competence through the use of a systematic literature review to consider the possibilities of using them ...in nursing education in Slovenia.
A systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines.
The databases that were searched included MEDLINE, Cinahl, Cochrane Library and Science Direct. The search was limited to available full text articles in English, published between 2003 and 2013.
After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, seven papers were included. The review indicated the availability of some highly reliable tools that enable assessment of clinical competences in nursing education. At the same time, however, it is still not clear as to what competences nursing students must achieve during their education.
Our review showed that various tools exist for assessing clinical nursing competences. In addition, for each country it is important to compose an assessment tool, which measures actual clinical nursing competences, and means customized for their needs and based on their national guidelines. Slovenia has three academic faculties and five colleges with a nursing education program. Common standards regarding assessment of nursing competences among them would definitely lead to better practices and success of graduates and subsequently for the professionals in nursing field. What emerges from the literature is the need to move forward, to foster creativity, freedom of thought and originality and for these reasons we have to consider the possibility of developing a model for obtaining universal clinical competencies.
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