Student Nurses as Workforce Extenders: A Pandemic-Proof Education Innovation.

BACKGROUND: The authors developed an innovative academic-practice partnership to meet the clinical experience needs of student nurses in a public health clinical course and support the nursing workforce due to the COVID-19 pandemic in a community-based hospital. METHOD: The partnership (1) prioritized student and staff safety, (2) complied with local and state policies, (3) used faculty to supervise students, and (4) was built on the preexisting relationship between nursing faculty and hospital leaders. Student nurses deployed as workforce extenders with the clinical instructor on-site as the primary supervisor. RESULTS: Students reported improved prioritization, independence, problem-solving, task delegation, supportive communication, and feeling valued as team members. Patient care provided by supervised students helped staff improve their time management by assisting with skills and offering support for patients that optimized the patient care experience. CONCLUSION: The partnership was safe and feasible, allowing students to meet the clinical objectives without additional burden to staff nurses. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(7):416-419.].

Undergraduate nursing students' COVID-19 vaccine intentions: A national survey.

INTRODUCTION: In December 2020, the first two COVID-19 vaccines were approved in the United States (U.S.) and recommended for distribution to front-line personnel, including nurses. Nursing students are being prepared to fill critical gaps in the health care workforce and have played important supportive roles during the current pandemic. Research has focused on vaccine intentions of current health care providers and less is known about students' intentions to vaccinate for COVID-19. METHODS: A national sample of undergraduate nursing students were recruited across five nursing schools in five U.S. regions in December 2020. The survey measured perceived risk/threat of COVID-19, COVID-19 vaccine attitudes, perceived safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines, sources for vaccine information and level of intention to become vaccinated [primary, secondary (i.e., delayed), or no intention to vaccinate]. RESULTS: The final sample consisted of 772 students. The majority (83.6%) had intentions to be vaccinated, however of those 31.1% indicated secondary intention, a delay in intention or increased hesitancy). The strongest predictors of primary intention were positive attitudes (OR = 6.86; CI = 4.39-10.72), having lower safety concerns (OR = 0.26; CI = 0.18-0.36), and consulting social media as a source of information (OR = 1.56; CI = 1.23-1.97). Asian (OR = 0.47; CI = 0.23-0.97) and Black (OR 0.26; CI = 0.08-0.80) students were more likely to indicate secondary intention as compared to primary intention. Students in the Midwest were most likely to indicate no intention as compared to secondary intention (OR = 4.6; CI = 1.32-16.11). CONCLUSIONS: As the first two COVID-19 vaccines were approved/recommended in the U.S. nursing students had overall high intentions to vaccinate. Findings can guide development of educational interventions that reduce concerns of vaccine safety that are delivered in a way that is supportive and affirming to minoritized populations while being respectful of geo-political differences.

Undergraduate nursing students' perceptions on nursing education during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic: A national sample.

BACKGROUND: In 2020, nursing educational programs were abruptly interrupted and largely moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PURPOSE: To explore nursing students' perspectives about the effects of the pandemic on their education and intention to join the nursing workforce. METHODS: Undergraduate nursing students from 5 universities across 5 United States regions were invited to participate in an online survey to elicit both quantitative and qualitative data. FINDINGS: The final sample included quantitative data on 772 students and qualitative data on 540 students. Largely (65.1%), students reported that the pandemic strengthened their desire to become a nurse; only 11% had considered withdrawing from school. Qualitatively, students described the effect of the pandemic on their psychosocial wellbeing, adjustment to online learning, and challenges to clinical experiences. CONCLUSION: Findings highlighted the need to develop emergency education preparedness plans that address student wellbeing and novel collaborative partnerships between schools and clinical partners.

Effects of Animal-assisted Activities on Biobehavioral Stress Responses in Hospitalized Children: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PURPOSE: This study assessed the effectiveness of animal-assisted activities (AAA) on biobehavioral stress responses (anxiety, positive and negative affect, and salivary cortisol and C-reactive protein [CRP] levels) in hospitalized children. DESIGN AND METHODS: This was a randomized, controlled study. METHOD: Forty-eight participants were randomly assigned to receive a 10-minute AAA (n=24) or a control condition (n=24). Anxiety, positive and negative affect, and levels of salivary biomarkers were assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Although increases in positive affect and decreases in negative affect were larger in the AAA condition, pre- and post-intervention differences between the AAA and control conditions were not significant. In addition, pre- and post-intervention differences between the conditions in salivary cortisol and CRP were not statistically significant. Baseline levels of anxiety, cortisol, and CRP had a significant and large correlation to the corresponding post-intervention measures. Scores on the Pet Attitude Scale were high but were not associated with changes in anxiety, positive affect, negative affect, or stress biomarkers. CONCLUSIONS: Although changes were in the expected direction, the magnitude of the effect was small. Future randomized controlled trials with larger recruitment are needed to determine the effectiveness of AAAs in reducing biobehavioral stress responses in hospitalized children. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Nurses are positioned to recommend AAA as a beneficial and safe experience for hospitalized children.