The Impact of Students Studying Abroad on the Subsequent Career of the Professional Nurse.

ABSTRACT: A study abroad course adds to the academic experience of nursing students by offering exposure to other cultures, service opportunities, and an introduction to international healthcare systems. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceived impact of a student study abroad experience on the subsequent career of the professional nurse. The phenomenological qualitative study approach revealed three themes: changed personal perspectives in practice, appreciation and service orientation, and insights on the healthcare system. Nurses reported that the study abroad experience helped to shape their views as professional nurses.

Living up to the job: Confessions of a Brigadier General on the lived experiences of becoming a leader in the Air Force Nurse Corps.

Today, nurse leadership positions are more and more common. However, there have been many exemplary Nurse Leaders in the past whose contributions and sacrifices enabled nursing to transform to the leadership position it is today but have not been documented. It is important to recover and record this history so that future generations of nurses can learn from past examples in a way they cannot learn with current nursing education alone. This article examines the development of the professional nurse through the lens of the service of Brigadier General Sue Ellen Turner. The oral history method guided the exploration of memories and experiences. The recurring characteristics of discernment, reflection, and ability to break barriers/build relationships contributed most to the general's success in restructuring organizational systems to optimize leadership opportunities for nurses. The conclusion discusses the lasting impact and future implications of Turner's work on the profession of nursing.

Nonacademic Factors That Influence Nontraditional Nursing Student Retention.

The purpose of this study is to identify the most supportive and restrictive factors contributing to students' ability to persist through nursing program course completion as perceived by 59 nontraditional students enrolled in a nursing associate degree program. The Student Perception Appraisal-Revised tool was used. Results include that encouragement by friends within school is the top supportive factor, while financial status was found to be the most restrictive factor. Students' perceptions of why they are not successful in staying in school may help nurse educators to plan and implement changes for improvement based on changing student needs.

"The Good Ole' Girls' Nursing Club": The Male Student Perspective.

BACKGROUND: Diversity in nursing remains limited with little progress made in the recruitment of males. The purpose of this research was to garner the male nursing students' perspectives of their lived experiences while enrolled in their undergraduate program. METHOD: A phenomenological group focus approach was utilized with male nursing students regarding their lived experiences of what factors support or negate their being successful in completing a nursing program. RESULTS: Four themes were interpreted: exclusion, gender bias, career expectations, and acceptance. Exclusion and gender bias were seen as negative impact factors, while career expectations was both a motivating factor and a negating factor. Acceptance was interpreted as an important positive factor. CONCLUSION: A call for change to the profession of nursing from a culture of the "good ole' girls' nursing club" to one of "great nurses from both genders and all ethnicities" is critical for the future growth of the profession.

Back to Reality: The Use of the Presence Questionnaire for Measurement of Fidelity in Simulation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Simulation fidelity includes three aspects: physical, conceptual, and psychological. This study reports on strengths and limitations of the Presence Questionnaire (PQ) for measurement of fidelity in human patient simulation. METHODS: This nonexperimental correlational study includes a convenience sample of 83 undergraduate nursing students who participated in an emergency simulation and completed the PQ. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) on the 7-item PQ Realism subscale between groups who did or did not experience simulation equipment malfunction measured the PQ's sensitivity to this challenge to fidelity. RESULTS: Students (n = 23) experiencing simulation equipment malfunction scored significantly lower on the PQ Realism subscale than students (n = 58) not experiencing equipment malfunction. CONCLUSIONS: The modified PQ Realism subscale is a valid measure of physical fidelity in nursing simulation and may advance the study and development of simulation for researchers and nursing educators.