Cognitive preceptorship: An emerging nurse practitioner role transition to practice model.

BACKGROUND: Transition to practice is difficult for nurse practitioners (NP) pre and post-graduation. At the core of NPs' successful transition to practice is clinical education. There is a lack of theoretical knowledge to guide NPs' transition to practice through preceptorship. The current academic clinical education model and onboarding process in clinical settings require restructuring. Preceptorship is the most important element of NPs' transition to practice; it is in need of restructuring. There is a need for evidence to guide the restructuring of pre and post-graduation NP preceptorship. AIM: This paper aims to provide a description and application of the Cognitive Preceptorship Model to the nurse practitioner role transition process. METHOD: An extensive literature review of NPs' preceptorship during role transition was conducted and the Cognitive Preceptorship Model (CPM) derived from the literature review of other theories and models: the Schlossberg's Transition Theory; Collin's et al. Cognitive Apprenticeship Model;. and Barnes's NP transition attributes. The CPM model's concepts and application to practice are described; included is a description of preceptorship, CPM model origination, as well as CPM model concepts and application. CONCLUSION: The CPM model's concepts guide the specific application of the preceptorship process to both NP students and novice NPs' transition to practice pre and post-graduation.

A proactive classroom management model to enhance self-efficacy levels in teachers of adolescents who display disruptive behaviors.

The aims of this project were to determine teachers' self-efficacy levels at baseline and after participating in a proactive classroom management model intervention. Teachers (N = 26) were recruited from a rural middle school in a south central state. Data required for analysis were drawn from the Teachers' Sense of Efficacy Scale (long form). A statistically significant difference (t[25] = 7.68, p < 0.001) was noted in teachers' self-efficacy levels from pre- to post-intervention. Findings support the need for proactive classroom management training for teachers as well as the need for psychiatric and mental health nurse consultants within the school system. Teacher classroom management strategies should also include appropriate response to individual student's needs, effective communication, and insight regarding the behaviors of students from diverse backgrounds.

Minority women victims of recent sexual violence: disparities in incident history.

AIMS: The aims of this descriptive study were to (1) describe assault and care characteristics and (2) determine differences in assault and care characteristics between black women and white women who sought emergency care following sexual violence. METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional design was used to examine forensic examination data characterizing the incident history reported by women victims of sexual violence at the time of a forensic nurse examination. Examinations occurred at an urban university-affiliated hospital emergency department (ED) over a 2-year period. RESULTS: Of the women (n = 173) seeking care in the ED, 58.4% were black and 41.6% were white. When compared with white women, black women were more likely to have weapons used in their assaults (42.6% vs. 16.7%, p < 0.00) and to be assaulted in the city rather than the suburbs (82.8% vs. 56.5%, p < 0.00). In general, substance use prior to the assault was reported to have occurred in 49.1% of the victims and 41% of the assailants; however, differences existed in the type and pattern of substance use by race/ethnicity. Black victims were more likely to report use of illicit drugs (28.7% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.01). White women were more likely than black women to report personal alcohol use prior to their assault, with significant differences for drinking by victims (47.2% vs. 23.8%, p = 0.01) or assailant use of alcohol (47.2% vs. 23.8%, p = 0.00). White women were more likely than black women to report both they and the assailant had used some type of substance (38.9 vs. 21.8, p = 0.01). Black women were more likely to arrive to the ED via EMS services (45.5% vs. 29.2%, p = 0.03). There were no reported differences in care characteristics by race. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study suggest that differences exist in assault characteristics between black and white women. Use of substances, including alcohol, plays an important role in sexual violence in women and should be a focus of preventive intervention initiatives when conducting a forensic examination. Both coordinated responses and comprehensive, individualized care by specially trained providers are important in the emergency care of minority women who are victims of recent sexual violence.

Assault history and follow-up contact of women survivors of recent sexual assault.

The purpose of this comparative descriptive study is to describe and examine differences in assault characteristics and the issues surrounding follow-up contact of women survivors of a recent sexual assault. This study identified assault characteristics: half of the assaults were by strangers; approximately one-third of the assaults occurred in the victim's home; 29% of the victims were abducted; weapons and physical force were used in over half of the cases; 63% were vaginal assaults; and 86% involved penile penetration. Three months after the assault and the initial examination, only 23% (n = 18) of the study participants could be contacted by telephone for follow-up. The study's findings provide not only data regarding the characteristics of sexual assault, but also the difficulties in contacting adult female survivors for follow-up services. Recommendations outline the importance of thorough, individualized examinations and the need for improved, timely, follow-up services for sexual assault victims.

The forensic exam: assessing health characteristics of adult female victims of recent sexual assault.

Sexual assault of women is a major problem in the United States, and information about characteristics of adult female sexual assault victims who report and undergo a forensic exam is lacking. This study describes the health characteristics of recent adult female sexual assault victims who received a forensic exam and/or prophylactic treatment at a sexual assault center located in a southern urban area.