The importance of evidence-based practice (EBP) and research within nursing has been acknowledged since the 1970s. Research proficiencies for nurses include the abilities to search for and evaluate ...evidence, disseminate findings and apply findings to practice within the context of caring. However, there is a lack of information on how new undergraduate nursing curriculums have impacted on student nurses' perceptions on and importance of EBP and research.
The study aimed to explore student nurses' perceptions on and importance of EBP and research.
Data were collected via focus groups in 2013 with undergraduate student nurses from the University of Greenwich, England (n=7) and the Faculty of Health Care Jesenice, Slovenia (n=3). Cross-sectional sampling included focus groups with 1st year nursing students (4, n=22), 2nd year (4, n=38) and 3rd year (2, n=10). Data were analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).
Four emergent themes regarding students' perceptions of EBP and research were ‘provided confidence, knowledge and empowerment in clinical practice’, ‘vital for improvements in patient care and safety’, students' ‘responsibility to develop nursing as a profession’ and ‘realities of research in clinical practice’.
Student nurses found EBP and research daunting and difficult to understand, although perceived EBP and research as necessary for their current and future practice. However, student nurses highlighted the lack of clinical nurses' involvement in research and therefore struggled to conceptualise how they could maintain their EBP and research skills on leaving the academic setting.
The importance of EBP and research was realised by student nurses across the two institutions. However, further development and involvement of clinical nurses with EBP and research is required to enable students to develop a clear understanding of how to take these skills forward in their future careers.
Providing adequate training for mentors, fostering a positive mentorship culture and establishing the necessary operational procedures for ensuring mentorship quality are the keys to effective ...clinical mentoring of nursing students.
The purpose of the research was to explain different dimensions of clinical mentors’ professional development and their capability of developing ethical values in nursing students.
A non-experimental quantitative research design was employed. Data were collected by means of a questionnaire administered to the population of clinical mentors (N=143). The total number of questions was 36. Descriptive statistics were used, and bivariate analysis, factor analysis, correlation analysis and linear regression analysis were performed.
The professional development of clinical nurse mentors was explained (R2=0.256) by career advancement (p=0.000), research and learning (p=0.024) and having a career development plan (p=0.043). Increased professional self-confidence (R2=0.188) was explained by career advancement (p=0.000) and the time engaged in record keeping (p=0.028). Responsibility for the development of ethical values in nursing students (R2=0.145) was explained by the respondents’ level of education (p=0.020) and research and learning (p=0.024). Applying ethical principles and norms into practice (R2=0.212) was explained by self-assessed knowledge in ethics (p=0.037) and research and learning (p=0.044).
Clinical nurse mentors tended to lack a career development plan, had low work time spent on research and insufficiently participated in education and training activities, which turned out to be significant explanatory factors of their professional development and their capability of developing ethical values in nursing students. The research showed that nursing and higher education managers often failed to assume responsibility for the professional development of clinical nurse mentors.
The World Health Organization has identified developing the knowledge and skills of healthcare professionals who are involved in dementia care as a priority. Most healthcare professionals lack the ...necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to provide high quality dementia care. While dementia education amongst most UK university health and social care programmes is inconsistent, we know little about the provision of dementia education in European universities.
To examine the provision of accredited higher education on dementia in European countries, to illustrate that it is highly variable despite universities being the major provider of education for healthcare professionals internationally.
An exploratory research design was used.
The providers of higher education undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the Czech Republic, Portugal, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
Higher Education Institutions who provide undergraduate and postgraduate education in the fields of nursing, medicine, psychology, social work, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and gerontology in six European countries.
The data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Researchers in each country conducted an internet-based search using the websites of Higher Education Institutions to identify existing accredited dementia education.
These searches revealed a lack of dementia education in undergraduate health and social care study programmes. Three of the six countries offered postgraduate study programmes on dementia. There was a significant variation amongst the countries in relation to the provision of dementia education at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels.
Dementia is a global challenge and educating and upskilling the workforce is a policy imperative. To deliver the best dementia care, investment in interprofessional evidence-based education is required if we are to respond effectively and compassionately to the needs of people living with dementia and their families. Higher Education Institutions have an important role to play in equipping health and social care professionals with the knowledge, skills and understanding to respond to this imperative.
•Provision of accredited higher education on dementia varies in the six countries.•Master's programmes on dementia in the six European countries are scarce.•There is variation in the content and duration of master's programmes on dementia.•There is a dearth of education on advanced dementia.
The research aimed to assess the perception on nursing and nurses among schoolchildren of Slovenian elementary schools.
Among the general public, nursing remains under-recognized as an occupation and ...a science. Especially young people have unrealistic perceptions of nurses.
A cross-sectional research design was undertaken.
The study included 1984 eighth grade schoolchildren from 103 elementary schools. Data were collected with a structured questionnaire.
The research results revealed a positive general perception of nursing. Surprisingly, only 2.5% of respondents would consider a career in nursing. Girls had more understanding of nursing compared to boys (p < 0.001); having a nurse relative meant better understanding of nursing (p = 0.032). The influence of the traditional view of nursing and the biomedical model of care which describes nursing not as autonomous, but as subordinate to medicine, was considerate (p < 0.001).
The study shows that elementary school children do not express an interest in a career in nursing. They perceive the job of a nurse as female-dominated, they cling to the traditional perception of nursing being subordinate to medicine, and they indicated dominance of the biomedical model of care. Healthcare policy makers must remember that healthcare systems cannot function without nurses, so developing nursing is crucial. To increase interest in the profession, a national campaign promoting nursing programs and the nursing profession and presenting horizontal and vertical career opportunities is needed. Young people must have realistic information on nursing as an occupation and a science, its role in the healthcare system, and career opportunities. Activities aimed at changing public opinion on nursing must be planned.
•A shortage of nine million nurses is expected worldwide by 2030.•Only 2.5% of respondents would consider a career in nursing.•Young people still perceive nurses as subordinate to physicians.•Acquired social norms continue to greatly influence the development of nursing.•A national campaign could increase interest in the nursing profession.
Introduction: Measures to improve nurses' work environments include ensuring adequate staffing levels, recognising the importance of nursing work, involving nurses in decision-making processes, and ...improving interprofessional communication. The aim of this study was to analyse the job characteristics reported by nurses and their association with the dimensions of clinical practice environments in hospitals.Methods: A cross-sectional explorative research design was employed. The Slovene-language version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI(SI)) and data on nurses' job characteristics were used. A total of 1,010 nurses (403 general care nurses and 605 healthcare assistants) from ten Slovenian general hospitals participated in the study. Permission to conduct the research was granted by the Commission of the Republic of Slovenia for Medical Ethics.Results: The mean score of the PES-NWI(SI) was low (2.64), and the scale reliability was 0.937. The original theoretical five-factor structure was confirmed. The regression model explained the five factors in 26–47% of cases. The explanatory variables included opportunities for advancement, educational opportunities, professional status, satisfaction with current job and work environment, independence at work, and study leave.Discussion and conclusion: The study revealed managers' inadequate ability to ensure sufficient staffing, insufficient involvement of both respondents and managers in hospital affairs, and the lack of promotion opportunities. Creating an optimal work environment for nurses is an important task for managers and leaders. National healthcare policy must consider nurses as equal healthcare professionals and nursing as both a professional and scientific discipline.
Fast-paced development of society and increasing needs for healthcare services call for a discussion on knowledge in nursing which could help meet these new demands. This leading article further ...develops some topics previously touched on in the leading article Professionalism in nursing: what is its current level in Slovenia (Skela-Savič, 2016a), adding new evidence from the project Nursing as a scientific discipline in Slovenia (Skela-Savič, et al., 2017a).
Introduction: An occupation becomes a profession once it uses a systematic approach to generate new knowledge and transfer it directly into professional work. The aim of this paper is to show the ...attitudes of nursing care professionals towards the professionalization of nursing care and make a contribution by means of identifying the factors that are important for the development of the professionalization of nursing in Slovenia. Methods: The group interview technique was used with two rounds. Participants responded to 15 open premises/questions. Purposive sampling was used and groups were comprised of professionals from all levels of clinical environments, secondary and higher education teachers and master's and doctoral degree students (n = 48). Results: The results of the first round produced 3 themes, while the second round generated findings related to 4 themes. The synthesis of the findings from both rounds resulted in two overarching themes. The first is "National responsibility" which includes the responsibility of the nursing care management and the management of higher education institutions as well as the responsibility of the Nurses and Midwives Association of Slovenia for developing nursing care as a scientific discipline. The second theme is "National indicators for the realization of national responsibility" which includes (1) Classification of jobs in nursing care to reflect the 4 levels of nursing care competencies, (2) research and development as work tools in nursing care, and (3) the national institute for nursing care research. Discussion and conclusion: The responsibility for the development of professionalization lies with several sectors. A clear and ambitious vision, and a strategy for the development of nursing care that should include responsibility for setting a new paradigm for the development of nursing care as a response to the needs of the society, occupation and science, are needed. The strategy should be supported by means of a planned distribution of means to facilitate its realisation.
In the European context regulated by the Bologna Process principles, there is little evidence to date on the different profiles, if any, of nursing students enrolled in the 1st academic year and ...their academic outcomes.
To describe and compare the nursing student profiles and their academic outcomes at the end of the 1st year across European Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNS) courses.
An exploratory multicentre cohort study involving five countries: Nursing students who were enrolled in nursing programmes for the academic year 2011/2012 in the participating BNS courses, willing to participate and regularly admitted to the 2nd academic year, were included in this study undertaken in 2013. Individual and faculty level variables were collected after having ensured the validity of the tools developed in English and then appropriately translated into the language of each participating country.
A total of 378/710 (53.2%) students participated in the study. They attended from 390 to 810h of lessons, while clinical experience ranged from 162 to 536h. The students reported a mean average age of 21.4 (Confidence of Interval CI 95%, 21.0–22.3) and foreign students were limited in number (on average 3.7%). The students reported adopting mainly individual learning strategies (92.9%), duplicating notes or lecture notes prepared by professors (74.4%), and concentrating their study before exams (74.6%). The majority reported experiencing learning difficulties (49.7%) and a lack of academic support (84.9%). Around 33.2% reported economic difficulties and the need to work while studying nursing on average for 24h/week. Personal expectations regarding the nursing role were different (45.6%) than the role encountered during the 1st year, as learning workloads were higher (57.2%) with regard to expectations. Around one-third of students reported the intention to leave nursing education while the proportion of those reporting early academic failure was on average 5.6%.
More strategies aimed at harmonising nursing education across Europe, at supporting nursing students' learning processes during 1st year, and identifying factors influencing their intention to leave and their academic failure, are recommended.
•The general profile of EU nursing students was found to be a young female student, born in the country, with limited family commitments, and with occasional previous degrees in fields other than nursing.•Different nursing role expectations and higher learning workloads than those expected have been reported by around half of the students.•A number of students reported the intention to leave the Bachelor's degree course, while a few reported early academic failure.
Introduction: Frailty is a geriatric syndrome characterized by a diminished physiological reserve of multiple organs, which means increased of vulnerability of older people to adverse outcomes. As ...the process which leads to frailty can be decelerated or even completely reversed, early prevention interventions are crucial.
Methodology: A systematic literature search was conducted in the following databases: PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Cinahl and UpToDate. The criterion in selecting the literature was that articles were published from 2002 to 2017. From 391.910 initial hits, 31 publications were selected.
Results: Early diagnosis of frailty and functional decline are considered effective measures against age-related comorbidities. Targeted interventions have a significant impact on preventing the progression of frailty and the negative consequences of frailty. Lifestyle, including physical activity (particularly resistance exercise) and nutrition (higher protein intake and vitamin D supplement), is a good measure for preventing disorders associated with age.
Conclusion: Targeted interventions have a significant modifiable influence on preventing frailty. Frailty management and early interventions comprise comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach including clinical management with physical management, nutrition and drugs.
Internationalization of practical training in health and social care study programs is an important aspect of higher education. However, field mentors' and classroom teachers' competence in guiding ...culturally diverse students varies widely in European countries, and the majority does not have enough training in guiding foreign students.
This study aimed to examine which factors enhance the efficacy of international practical placement experiences in health and social care study programs.
A qualitative descriptive case study design was used.
The study was conducted at six higher education institutions—two in Finland and one in Croatia, Estonia, the Netherlands and Slovenia.
A convenience sample of 14 mentors, 15 teachers and 14 students with international experiences from six higher education institutions which are part of the Bologna Process was recruited.
The data were collected from six focus groups using a semi-structured questionnaire based on a literature review. Each higher education institution conducted one group interview that was tape-recorded, transcribed and analysed for themes.
Participants made several recommendations for enhancing the practical placement experience of students, teachers, and mentors. Most recommendations dealt with practical supervision of students. Three major themes noted were: ‘Attitudes towards internationalization of practical placements’, ‘Factors impacting the international placement experience’, and ‘Pedagogical methods used and structural support available for internationalization.’
The study highlights the need for strengthening the multicultural knowledge and skills of mentors and teachers. The findings provide practical guidelines for improving the international placement experience across health and social care fields.
•Mentors and teachers perceive the internationalization of practical placements as a rewarding and challenging experience.•Various factors influence the nature and outcome of the international placement experience.•Variation existed in the level of formal structure of pedagogical methods supporting multicultural placements.
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