A National Survey of RN-to-BSN Programs: Are They Reaching Rural Students?

BACKGROUND: Increased representation of Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)-prepared nurses improves health and reduces costs. Fewer rural U.S. nurses have BSN degrees compared with the national average. RN-to-BSN programs provide an opportunity to increase the number of BSN-prepared rural nurses. However, the number of these programs targeting rural students is unknown. METHOD: Directors of RN-to-BSN programs were surveyed regarding program characteristics and efforts to target rural learners. Using mail and online return options, the response rate was 31.3%. RESULTS: Only 38% of programs targeted rural RNs for recruitment. Supports for rural student recruitment and retention, including partnerships with community colleges, rural clinical placements, and online offerings, were limited in number and/or scope. CONCLUSION: RN-to-BSN programs with the capacity to recruit and retain rural learners may help increase the number of BSN-prepared rural nurses. Increased collaboration among stakeholders will support rural nurses in continuing their education. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(10):557-565.].

PsyConnect: Constructing Layered Engagement for Optimal Learning in Clinical Education.

BACKGROUND: The increasing volume of nursing students placed in shrinking numbers of clinical sites has resulted in clinical overcrowding in behavioral care settings. Overcrowding has resulted in the deterioration of the clinical teaching and learning experience for students, faculty, and nurses. PsyConnect is a layered, multiplatform engagement learning experience that uses multiple teaching methods to increase student engagement, reduce inpatient overcrowding, maximize learning opportunities, and improve teaching and learning experiences. METHOD: PsyConnect was implemented in a baccalaureate mental health nursing course during one term. Investigators surveyed students, faculty, and nurses who attended campus simulation. Data analysis included measures of central tendency and Pearson correlation coefficient. RESULTS: Setting rotations, clinical checklists, off-unit learning modules, and simulation with staff nurses improved educational experiences, as reported by students, faculty, and participating nurses. CONCLUSION: The PsyConnect evaluation suggested that layered, multiplatform, engagement-based learning addressed critical barriers to high-quality, clinical education. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(9):541-543.].

Nursing home director of nursing leadership style and director of nursing-sensitive survey deficiencies.

BACKGROUND: Nursing homes are becoming increasingly complex clinical environments because of rising resident acuity and expansion of postacute services within a context of historically poor quality performance. Discrete quality markers have been linked to director of nursing (DON) leadership behaviors. However, the impact of DON leadership across all measured areas of DON jurisdiction has not been tested using comprehensive domains of quality deficiencies. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of DON leadership style including behaviors that facilitate the exchange of information between diverse people on care quality domains through the lens of complexity science. METHODOLOGY: Three thousand six hundred nine DONs completed leadership and intent-to-quit surveys. Quality markers that were deemed DON sensitive included all facility survey deficiencies in the domains of resident behaviors/facility practices, quality of life, nursing services, and quality of care. Logistic regression procedures estimated associations between variables. FINDINGS: The odds of deficiencies for all DON sensitive survey domains were lower in facilities where DONs practiced complexity leadership including more staff input and shared decisional authority. DON quit intentions were aligned with higher odds of facility deficiencies across all domains. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Results supported the hypotheses that DONs using complexity leadership approaches by interacting more freely with staff, discussing resident issues, and sharing decision making produced better care outcomes from every DON sensitive metric assessed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The mechanism linking poor quality with high DON quit intentions is an area for future research. Encouraging DON use of complexity leadership approaches has the potential to improve a broad swath of quality outcomes.