Research on faculty orientation programs: guidelines and directions for nurse educators.

The objective of this study was to review the literature for the quality of evidence available regarding faculty orientation programs and to identify practice and research implications. Computerized searches in Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Educational Resources Information Center, and references cited in articles, were the data sources reviewed. Keywords used in the search were faculty orientation, faculty development, faculty development programs, faculty mentoring, new faculty needs, nursing, teaching, and mentoring. All relevant articles published after 1980 were evaluated. Nineteen reports of research from indexed journals in English relevant to the keywords were reviewed: 14 were quantitative reports, and 5 were qualitative. Characteristics consistently present in the literature were that an orientation program takes place over a prolonged period of time, is incorporated into faculty development plans, creates or fosters an inviting environment, includes information about the tripartite role of the academician, and identifies a specific institutional resource person such as a mentor. Most research to date has been descriptive, consistent with the third level of quality of evidence (III; Marek, 1995). Faculty for whom orientation programs are offered might immerse themselves more effectively in their new environments. Mentoring relationships can ease faculty transitions.

Recruitment and retention of women in two longitudinal studies of recovery from coronary events: A secondary analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify demographic and clinical characteristics of women who refused, dropped out of, or completed 2 longitudinal studies about recovery from coronary events and to identify reasons for refusal or drop out. DESIGN: The study was a secondary analysis of data from 2 longitudinal studies on women's recovery from coronary events. SAMPLE: The subjects for this study were 254 women recovering from coronary events. RESULTS: Demographics did not distinguish refusers from completers or dropouts from completers. Completers were more likely than dropouts to have had surgery and to have diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Reasons for refusal and dropout were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical and psychosocial variables might play a more important role than demographics in refusal and dropout. Researchers should collect demographic and refusal data at the outset of studies and consider collecting baseline psychosocial data. Researchers should over sample for women without coexisting chronic conditions, and clinicians should educate women about the importance of their participation in studies.

Medication errors. A bitter pill.

According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, over 770,000 hospitalized Americans are injured or die each year from adverse drug events. The scope of the problem is now recognized by governmental and professional agencies. Traditionally, the legal and healthcare systems have focused on identifying incompetent and poorly performing healthcare providers as the cause of patient injury instead of systematically making the system safer. The solution to this problem lies in understanding how and why medication errors occur and identifying what can be done to prevent them. This article will identify the factors that contribute to adverse medication events in healthcare and discuss current initiatives to prevent errors. The role of nursing in improving medication administration and reducing adverse events will be detailed.