Revisiting the Impact of Accreditation on Transition to Practice Programs: Findings From a Replication Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Accreditation of transition to practice (TTP) programs is on the rise across the United States; however, few studies have investigated the effect of program recognition on health care organizations. Even less is known about the organizational value of residency/fellowship program accreditation and which measures support the long-term sustainability of these programs. The goal of this retrospective content analysis is to revisit the effect of accreditation by replicating a previous analysis of TTP programs. METHOD: An administrative survey was distributed in 2019 to TTP programs recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Practice Transition Accreditation Program® (PTAP). Directed content analysis methods were used to compare thematic results on the perceived effect of accreditation with those in the original analysis. RESULTS: A coding matrix was used to categorize responses into broad concept categories with subthemes. All themes from the original publication were replicated in the current analysis; additionally, new categories and subthemes emerged. CONCLUSION: Implications from this analysis may be used by nursing leaders, educators, and policymakers to increase TTP funding and recognition, engage stakeholders in organizational improvement, and expand residency/fellowship science through professional dissemination. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2021;52(11):525-533.].

Gamification of Nursing Education With Digital Badges.

Digital badges (DBs) serve as an innovative approach to gamifying nursing education by engaging socially connected, technologically savvy nursing students in learning. Because assessment and credentialing mechanisms are housed and managed online, DBs are designed as visible indicators of accomplishment and skill. This article describes important considerations for faculty when incorporating game-based pedagogies such as DB into nursing education and identifies potential pitfalls with DB use that faculty should consider.

Harnessing the Power of Learning Management Systems: An E-Learning Approach for Professional Development.

E-learning provides an alternative approach to traditional professional development activities. A learning management system may help nursing professional development practitioners deliver content more efficiently and effectively; however, careful consideration is needed during planning and implementation. This article provides essential information in the selection and use of a learning management system for professional development.

Paediatric neurological melioidosis: a rehabilitation case report.

CONTEXT: Melioidosis is a rare condition, endemic to northern Australia and south-east Asia, caused by an infection from the bacteria Burkholderia pseudomallei. The largest epidemiological review to date describes 540 cases of melioidosis seen at Darwin Hospital, in northern Australia, over a 20-year period. Of these, 14 (less than 3%) presented with neurological manifestation, with three deaths. Reports of paediatric cases of melioidosis are rarer. In a review of paediatric cases in northern Australia only eight cases were identified in 10 years. Three of these patients presented with neurological melioidosis, of whom two died in hospital. ISSUES: Whilst the literature refers to prolonged periods of hospitalisation for survivors, the trajectory of functional recovery and process of rehabilitation has not been described. This is a case report describing a 14-year-old boy who presented to a remote medical post with acute neurological symptoms (vomiting, severe headache, ataxia, cranial nerve VI and VII palsy) and was referred to the tertiary paediatric hospital in Perth, Western Australia. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging showed an extensive infiltrative lesion in the posterior fossa and hydrocephalus. Diagnosis of neurological melioidosis required isolation of the pathogen by brain biopsy through sub-occipital craniotomy. Medical treatment included surgical management of hydrocephalus, parenteral antibiotic treatment with meropenem and then a prolonged course of oral co-trimoxazole, enteral feeding and tonal management with levodopa-carbidopa and botulinum toxin A injections. Associated neurological signs and symptoms (bradykinesia, tremor, dysphagia, aphasia, hypertonia, exotropia) required intensive rehabilitation to address functional deficits and to promote independence. The purpose of this case report is to document the functional recovery and rehabilitation process of a paediatric case of neurological melioidosis. Knowledge of the recovery pathway is important to add to the understanding of natural history and treatment of this rare disease. LESSONS LEARNED: Occasions of service and functional assessments were recorded prospectively. Inpatient therapy (932 hours, with 934 occasions of service) was delivered across physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech pathology over 9 months of an inpatient admission. Initial paediatric functional independence measure (WeeFIM) was 18/126, indicating complete dependence in all physical and cognitive domains. Following 9 months of intensive rehabilitation the WeeFIM was 53/126, indicating significant residual disability. This proved to be a challenge for discharge planning back to a remote region of Western Australia. Paediatric neurological melioidosis can lead to significant disability and long-term dependence, despite the provision of lengthy intensive rehabilitation. This case report highlights the challenges and complexity of the rehabilitation services required to optimise outcomes for this patient and achieve a safe discharge to a remote community where limited support services are available.