Are Future Nurses Ready for Digital Health?: Informatics Competency Baseline Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Research continues to show significant gaps in nursing graduates' preparedness in digital health. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to explore nursing students' self-perceived nursing informatics competency and preparedness in digital health, describe learning opportunities available, and identify perceived learning barriers and facilitators to developing informatics competency. METHODS: A sequential mixed-methods design, using a cross-sectional survey and interviews, was used. Senior undergraduate students (n = 221) in BScN programs in a Western Canadian Province participated. RESULTS: Participants self-reported being somewhat competent in nursing informatics. Three themes were identified: struggling to make sense of informatics nursing practice; learning experiences; and preparedness for future practice. CONCLUSION: Addressing inconsistencies in informatics education is an urgent priority so that nursing graduates are competent upon joining the workforce. Implications for nursing education, practice, and policy are discussed.

Academic Electronic Health Records in Undergraduate Nursing Education: Mixed Methods Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Teaching students about electronic health records presents challenges for most nursing programs, primarily because of the limited training opportunities within clinical practice settings. A simulated electronic health record is an experiential, learner-centered strategy that enables students to acquire and apply the informatics knowledge needed for working with electronic records in a safe learning environment before the students have encounters with real patients. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to provide a preliminary evaluation of the Lippincott DocuCare simulated electronic health record and determine the feasibility issues associated with its implementation. METHODS: We used one-group pretest-posttest, surveys, and focus group interviews with students and instructors to pilot the DocuCare simulated electronic health record within an undergraduate nursing program in Western Canada. Volunteering students worked through 4 case scenarios during a 1-month pilot. Self-reported informatics knowledge and attitudes toward the electronic health record, accuracy of computerized documentation, satisfaction, and students' and educators' experiences were examined. Demographic and general information regarding informatics learning was also collected. RESULTS: Although 23 students participated in this study, only 13 completed surveys were included in the analysis. Almost two-thirds of the students indicated their overall understanding of nursing informatics as being fair or inadequate. The two-tailed paired samples t test used to evaluate the impact of DocuCare on students' self-reported informatics knowledge and attitudes toward the electronic health record revealed a statistically significant difference in the mean score of knowledge before and after using DocuCare (before: mean 2.95, SD 0.58; after: mean 3.83, SD 0.39; t 12=5.80, two-tailed; P<.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean scores of attitudes toward the electronic health record before and after using DocuCare (before: mean 3.75, SD 0.40; after: mean 3.70, SD 0.34; t 12=0.39, two-tailed; P=.70). Students' documentation scores varied from somewhat accurate to completely accurate; however, performance improved for the majority of students as they progressed from case scenarios 1 to 4. Both the faculty and students were highly satisfied with DocuCare and highly recommended its integration. Focus groups with 7 students and 3 educators revealed multiple themes. The participants shared suggestions regarding the DocuCare product customization and strategies for potential integration in undergraduate nursing programs. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the feasibility and suitability of the DocuCare program as a tool to enhance students' learning about informatics and computerized documentation in electronic health records. Recommendations will be made to academic leadership in undergraduate programs on the basis of this study. Furthermore, a controlled evaluation study will be conducted in the future.

Interprofessional simulation to promote teamwork and communication between nursing and respiratory therapy students: A mixed-method research study.

BACKGROUND: Collaboration and teamwork are vitally important for safe patient care. Experiential learning through interprofessional simulation helps prepare students for the expansive requirements of today's complex healthcare environment. PURPOSE: To develop and evaluate an interprofessional simulation educational activity to promote teamwork and communication between respiratory therapy and nursing students. DESIGN: A mixed method design employing surveys, observation, and focus groups with educators and students was used. Thirty-six students from two institutions in Western Canada participated in this study. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and content analysis. RESULTS: Baseline assessment revealed students were most familiar and comfortable with team functioning and communication interprofessional competencies, familiar but uncomfortable with collaborative leadership, conflict resolution, patient-centered care, and role clarification competencies. Correlation between communication and teamwork and collaborative leadership suggests these competencies play an important role in students' ability to enact more complex skills, such as conflict resolution competency. Overall, participants were highly satisfied and shared invaluable insights for improving this simulation experience in the future. CONCLUSION: This evaluation study demonstrated feasibility of interprofessional simulation and its potential to enhance acquisition of interprofessional competencies. A future study will incorporate additional disciplines, such as medicine and pharmacy, applying a controlled evaluation design.

Role of occupational therapy in musicians' health: a scoping review protocol.

REVIEW QUESTION/OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this proposed review is twofold: first, to understand the role of occupational therapy presented in the musicians' health literature; and second, to explore the potential for this role. INTRODUCTION: The intense movement, awkward postures, concentration and emotional communication required of musicians can place them at increased risk of music-related health conditions, such as musculoskeletal disorders and performance anxiety. The development of music-related health conditions can be emotionally and financially devastating. The role of occupational therapy in musicians' health has been previously discussed; however, no rigorous reviews of the scholarly literature have been published. We will, therefore, undertake a scoping review with the following research questions: (1) what is known about the role of occupational therapy in instrumental musicians' health? and (2) what is the potential role of occupational therapy in musicians' health? METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A preliminary search of Medline, CINAHL, SCOPUS and Web of Science was previously undertaken by the first author to determine the extent of the research on this topic and to confirm that no other reviews have been conducted or are in progress. Study selection and analysis will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews guidelines for conducting a scoping review. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Formal ethics approval is not required at our institution for a review of published literature. The results of this review will be shared through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and traditional and social media.

Sit-to-stand activity to improve mobility in older people: A scoping review.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To identify the current state of knowledge about the use of the sit-to-stand intervention with older people and to identify implications for further research. BACKGROUND: Many older people experience mobility challenges which can negatively affect their well-being. Physical activities are vital to improving or maintaining mobility. Although there is evidence that mobility challenged older people benefit from the sit-to-stand intervention, there is a need to systematically examine the state of knowledge about this intervention. DESIGN: Scoping review using Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. METHODS: A systematic search of three databases was completed. Abstracts were evaluated for relevance using predetermined inclusion criteria. Studies that met the inclusion criteria had data extracted and were appraised for internal and external validity. Narrative synthesis was based on methods described by Popay and colleagues. RESULTS: Of 3,041 papers, six studies met the inclusion criteria. Publications provided a range of sit-to-stand interventions with durations varying from four weeks to six months. The frequency of each intervention fluctuated from three to seven times/week with a duration of 15-45 min. Different professionals prompted the activity. Three themes were identified the following: (a) sit-to-stand activity as an intervention; (b) generalisability of findings; and (c) sustainability. CONCLUSIONS: Most of the studies reviewed indicated improvements in performance of the sit-to-stand activity and in motor function. However, issues with studies rigour do not allow us to make generalisations. Further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of the intervention. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Healthcare providers are expected to offer evidence-based patient care. This review details current knowledge about the sit-to-stand intervention with older people.

Student Nurses' Perceptions About Older People.

Educating nursing students about the ageing population is situated within negative societal, heath care and nursing perceptions. A cross-sectional design using Burbank's perceptions towards older people scale was used to survey students in a pre-licensure nursing program in western Canada. Findings revealed that students' perceptions about older people were lower in the third year of the nursing program and after four clinical experiences. We suggest that students' first experiences in long-term care settings, in which they learn to provide basic care to older people, be balanced with experiences of older people in a variety of settings. Such experiences would allow students to develop the knowledge and skill needed to work with an ageing population with complex healthcare needs. More research is needed to better understand students' experiences and perceptions about where in the program more learning strategies about how to best work with older people would be helpful.