A systematic review of online education initiatives to develop students remote caring skills and practices.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has altered caring professions education and the range of technological competencies needed to thrive in today's digital economy. We aimed to identify the various technologies and design strategies being used to help students develop and translate professional caring competencies into remote working environments. Eight databases were systematically searched in February 2021 for relevant studies. Studies reporting on online learning strategies designed to prepare students to operate in emerging digital economies were included. Quality assessment was undertaken using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool and/or the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research. Thirty-eight studies were included and synthesized to report on course details, including technologies being used and design strategies, and study outcomes including curriculum, barriers and facilitators to technology integration, impact on students, and impact on professional practice. Demonstrations of remote care, videoconferencing, online modules, and remote consultation with patients were the most common instructional methods. Audio/video conferencing and online learning systems were the most prevalent technologies used to support student learning. Students reported increased comfort and confidence when working with technology and planning and providing remote care to patients. While a recent influx in research related to online learning and caring technologies was noted, study quality remains variable. More emphasis on assessment, training, and research is required to support students in using digital technologies and developing interpersonal and technological skills required to work in remote settings.

A Dog with an Office: The Process of Embedding a Wellness Dog Intervention in a University Setting.

Universities are places to promote the wellbeing of people who learn, work, and live within them. This article reports on an innovative, holistic, and embedded wellness dog program that was developed by the Faculty of Nursing to support the wellbeing of students, faculty, and staff. The innovation included a collaborative partnership between two faculties (the faculties of Veterinary Medicine and Nursing), and the targeted purchase, training, and socialization of a wellness dog. Pet wellness programs have the potential to be an important mental health intervention on university campuses. While the program was postponed due to COVID-19, the purpose of this article is to share processes used to create the wellness dog program, with suggestions regarding implementation and evaluation.

'The office of disaster management' nurse managers' experiences during COVID-19: A qualitative interview study using thematic analysis.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of nurse managers during the COVID-19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: There is a growing body of knowledge about the experiences of clinical nurses during COVID-19. However, there is less evidence about the experiences of nurse managers during the pandemic. METHODS: Eight nurse managers, from acute care and outpatient settings, completed semistructured interviews about how their roles had changed during the pandemic, how they felt about these changes, and what had gone well or been difficult. Each participant was interviewed once, for 20-60 min. We used thematic analysis methods to analyse the interview transcripts. FINDINGS: Nurse managers had to coordinate care in a context of uncertainty and guidance that changed frequently. Participants found that their roles and responsibilities either expanded to include more duties, or they were asked to take on a completely new role, with no orientation or training. Nurse managers were expected to provide support to their staff and patients, but did not necessarily receive support themselves. Participants were expected to plan simultaneously for care during the pandemic and for a return to normal working conditions. These factors contributed to challenging and difficult participant experiences of managing during COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Nurse managers' experiences during COVID-19 are influenced by changes to their roles and the support they received. Nurse managers continue to support high-quality care despite working a difficult context. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Where possible, nurse managers can be supported to extend their roles or receive additional education and support if they are required to take on new responsibilities. Nurse managers require support in order to be a resource for their staff.

Translating caring competencies to remote working environments: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Caring professions attend to the health, educational and social needs of society rather than its material needs. Caring professionals are a vital part of the world's response to COVID-19, yet the global pandemic and its aftermath have significantly changed the ways in which care is provided. The rapid pivot to remote care, where the essential caring cues and opportunities are not as readily available, has put unprecedented pressure on caring professions. There is currently a lack of clear understanding and accepted standards for teaching caring profession students how to provide care remotely. The objective of this systematic review is to identify and assess the ways in which educators can integrate online learning opportunities to help students develop effective caring practices and translate these into today's remote and virtual care environments. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This systematic review will consider diverse quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies of innovative online education initiatives and required technology for caring profession education. Articles will be retrieved from academic databases and limited to articles reporting primary data and published in English within the last 10 years. Data extraction procedures will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses reporting guideline. The methodological quality of all studies will be assessed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project Quality Assessment Tool and/or the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research. Study characteristics will be tabulated and narratively synthesised to integrate and explore relationships within the data. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No ethics approval is required to conduct this review. Review findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and be used to inform and guide caring profession education policy, practice and research agendas with the goal of improving education for caring profession students, and care for the patients, clients and learners they serve.

A grounded theory of clinical nurses' process of coping during COVID-19.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore clinical nurses' process of coping during COVID-19 and develop a grounded theory that can be used by leaders to support clinical nurses during a disaster. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has provoked widespread disruption to clinical nurses' work. It is important to understand clinical nurses' processes of coping during disasters to support the nursing workforce during events such as global pandemics. DESIGN: We employed the Corbin and Strauss variant of grounded theory methodology, informed by symbolic interactionism, and applied the EQUATOR guidelines for qualitative research publication (COREQ). METHODS: Data collection entailed semi-structured interviews with experienced clinical nurses (n =20) across diverse settings. We analysed data by identifying key points in the nurses' coping processes inductively building concepts around these points. RESULTS: The predictor of nurses' outcomes in this grounded theory was their confidence in their ability to cope during the pandemic. When nurses lacked confidence, they experienced working in the context of acute COVID-a state of chaos and anxiety, with negative consequences for nurses. However, when nurses were confident in their abilities to cope with the pandemic, they experienced working in the context of chronic COVID, a calmer state of acceptance. There were many workplace factors that influenced nurses' confidence, including adequacy of personal protective equipment, clear information and guidance, supportive leadership, teamwork and adequate staffing. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding clinical nurses' experience of coping during COVID-19 is essential to maintain the nursing workforce during similar disasters. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nurse leaders can target areas that support nurses' confidence, such as adequate PPE and staffing. In turn, increased confidence enables clinical nurses to cope during disasters such as a global pandemic.