Educating Nurses in Sleep Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral for Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Poor sleep is an unrecognized problem among cancer survivors that affects quality of life. However, screening for sleep disorders is not routine in cancer care. To fill this gap, a self-paced online training program was designed for RNs to screen patients for sleep disturbance and provide brief intervention or referral for treatment (Sleep-SBIRT). METHOD: A three-phase evaluation pilot study included the following steps: (a) develop an online training program with in situ simulation; (b) implement the program with RNs at a comprehensive cancer center; and (c) evaluate module and quiz completion rates and focus group thematic analysis. RESULTS: Of the 22 RNs participating, 17 completed online modules and in situ simulation. The RNs were satisfied (M = 4.74/5, SD = 0.42) and self-confident (M = 4.45/5, SD = 0.45) with the learning. Focus group themes were learning new knowledge, learning online effectively, applying learning to in situ simulation, and intending to implement. CONCLUSION: The RNs gained knowledge applying Sleep-SBIRT, but future larger studies are warranted. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 202x;5x(x):xx-xx.].

Nursing teams: behind the charts.

AIMS: To examine the nature and characteristics of both received and provided mutual support in a social network within an acute care hospital unit. BACKGROUND: Current evidence regarding the social network in the health care workforce reveals the nature of social ties. Most studies of social network-related support that measured the characteristics of social support used self-reported perception from workers receiving support. There is a gap in studies that focus on back-up behaviour. METHODS: The evaluation included a social network analysis of a nursing unit employing 54 staff members. A 12 item electronic survey was administered. Descriptive statistics were calculated using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Social network analyses were carried out using ucinet, r 3.2.3 and gephi. RESULTS: Based on the study findings, as providers of mutual support the nursing staff claimed to give their peers more help than these peers gave them credit for. Those who worked overtime provided more mutual support. CONCLUSION: Mutual support is a key teamwork characteristic, essential to quality and safety in hospital nursing teams that can be evaluated using social network analysis. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Because of a discrepancy regarding receiving and providing help, examining both receiver and provider networks is a superior approach to understanding mutual support.

Evaluating Simulation Methodologies to Determine Best Strategies to Maximize Student Learning.

Limited evidence exists as to the most effective ways to provide simulation experiences to maximize student learning. This quasi-experimental study investigated 2 different strategies repeated versus 1 exposure and participation versus observation on student outcomes following exposure to a high-fidelity acute asthma exacerbation of asthma scenario. Immediate repeated exposure resulted in significantly higher scores on knowledge, student satisfaction and self-confidence, and clinical performance measures than a single exposure. Significant intergroup differences were found on participants' satisfaction and self-confidence as compared with observers. Implications for nurse educators include expanding the observer role when designing repeated exposure to simulations and integrating technical, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes as a way for faculty to evaluate students' clinical performance.

Hourly rounding: perspectives and perceptions of the frontline nursing staff.

AIMS: To gain knowledge of a nursing staff's perspectives and perceptions of hourly rounding in an acute care hospital setting. BACKGROUND: Research has shown hospitals that have successfully implemented hourly rounding have significant decreases in adverse patient events with improvements in patient and staff satisfaction. More recent studies and clinical observations by the author are revealing barriers and difficulties in translating this evidence-based practice to the bedside. METHOD: An original survey was distributed to direct care staff on six inpatient units. Descriptive analysis of each survey item and subanalysis of the registered nurse (n = 52) and patient care assistant (n = 15) responses was reported and aggregated according to demographic data and Rogers' Theory of Diffusion of Innovation. RESULTS: Findings varied considerably between job category, shift worked, unit worked on and educational level of the registered nurses. Overall only 25% (n = 13) of the registered nurses felt a sense of ownership of the hourly rounding initiative and only 23.1% (n = 12) agreed that completion of the hourly rounding paper documentation tool was a true indication that hourly rounding was actually being done. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Results from this study may give nursing leadership and educators' insight on how to lead and sustain a new initiative or evidence-based practice.

Assessing the relationships between nurse work hours/overtime and nurse and patient outcomes: systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: The effects of work hours/overtime on nurse and patient outcomes and specific components of work hours (per shift and per week) and overtime on these effects have not been systematically examined. PURPOSE: The purpose of this review was to systematically evaluate the effect of nurse overtime and long work hours on nurse and patient outcomes. METHODS: An online search of six electronic bibliographic databases was conducted for research published from 2000 to 2013. DISCUSSION: Twenty-one nurse outcome measures and 19 patient outcome measures were found in relationships with work hours and overtime. A total of 67 relationships to nurse outcomes and 41 relationships to patient outcomes were examined. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this review suggested that evidence supporting positive relationships between working long hours and adverse outcomes to the nurses is strong. However, to make a conclusion of the positive relationship between long work hours and adverse patient outcomes, more evidence is needed.