In defense of clinical conferences in clinical nursing education.

Clinical conferencing has been a consistent feature of clinical education, but the current clinical education environment poses many challenges to its continuance. The paper raises concern regarding the current state of clinical conferencing as part of clinical practice education in nursing. This topic is of great concern, but has there is little direction for clinical educators. The paper reviews the literature on conferencing and recommends avenues for future research.

A practical approach to implementing new CDC GBS guidelines.

Group beta streptococcus (GBS) is a well-documented pathogen causing serious maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. The CDC guidelines for managing clients who test positive for GBS in pregnancy were revised and published in 2010. However, CDC and extant literature provide limited guidance on implementation strategies for these new recommendations. Although several algorithms are included in the CDC (2010) document, none combine the maternal risk factors for practical and consistent implementation from pregnancy to newborn. In response to confusion upon initial education of these guidelines, we developed an algorithm for maternal intrapartum management. In addition, we clarified the CDC (2010) newborn algorithm in response to provider request. Without altering the recommendations, both algorithms provide clarification of the CDC (2010) guidelines. The nursing process provides an organizational structure for the discussion of our efforts to translate the complex guidelines into practice. This article could provide other facilities with tools for dealing with specific aspects of the complex clinical management of perinatal GBS.

Health disparities of coal miners and coal mining communities: the role of occupational health nurses.

This article investigates how the health disparities of Appalachian coal miners and coal mining communities could be decreased through a partnership with occupational health nurses. On-site health clinics managed by occupational health nurses working in the coal mining industry are proposed as a means to improve health care outcomes. Health effects, economic considerations, environmental impacts, and U.S. coal mining legislation and regulation are examined. An epidemiological approach is presented to the unique health effects experienced by Appalachian coal miners and coal mining communities within the context of existent socioeconomic disparities. The long-standing health crisis in Appalachian coal mining communities requires a multidisciplinary approach led by occupational health nurses.

Teaching professional values in a BSN program.

Values are core to the practice of nursing, determining priorities in healthcare and forming the foundation of relationships with clients. Specific values have been recognized as essential to professional nursing practice and are considered central content within a baccalaureate nursing program. While these professional values are identified and defined, there is little guidance in nursing pedagogical literature as to teaching approaches, range and depth of content, and evaluative methods in this area. Clear discussion of an effective educational approach to professional values would be a significant contribution to the discipline of nursing. The paper expands on the brief summary of the five professional values identified by AACN as essential to professional nursing practice. It is easy to understand these values on a superficial level, but these values have many layers and are very difficult to live out in nursing practice. The discussion moves beyond definition and gives specific examples to lend clarity and depth to the topic. The discussion includes common areas in which students have difficulty, noting the inherent challenges for each of the values.

Timing of the newborn first bath: a replication.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effects on thermoregulation of bathing a healthy newborn within the first hour of life compared to bathing four to six hours after birth. DESIGN: Quasi-experimental. SETTING: Newborn nursery of a 30-bed obstetric unit in an urban university hospital. SAMPLE: Fifty-one healthy term newborns with a minimum axillary temperature of 36.5 degrees C (97.7 degrees F). INTERVENTION: Newborns in an experimental group were bathed within the first hour of birth; those in a control group were bathed at the standard four to six hours of age. MAIN OUTCOME VARIABLE: Axillary temperatures were measured before the bath, immediately after the bath, one hour later, and two hours later. RESULTS: Axillary temperatures as measured at four different times did not differ significantly between infants bathed within one hour of birth and those bathed four to six hours after birth. CONCLUSIONS: A flexible bathing time is recommended according to the characteristics and stability of the newborn and to family desires.

Caring: from philosophical concerns to practice.

I read Hilde L. Nelson's article with great interest. To be "against caring" is tantamount to being against apple pie and motherhood. Caring as philosophy, theory, behavior, and ontology is pervasive in the literature of almost all socially interactive professions. Nelson's article raises common concerns about caring.... My difficulties with Nelson's argument against caring center around three issues: misunderstanding of caring in nursing practice, discomfort with ambiguity, and heroism as a replacement for the ethics of care....