Investigation of social support as a mediator of the relationship between physical and psychological health among hospitalised patients.

AIM: To investigate the self-reported levels of social support from friends and family and from nurses as mediators of the relationship between self-rated physical and psychological condition in hospitalised patients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of adult inpatients at a large tertiary-care hospital in the northeast United States. METHODS: Multiple mediation analysis of survey data. RESULTS: In surveys received from 324 inpatients, one fourth of the variation in patients' self-rated psychological condition was explained by self-rated physical condition. Social support from family and friends mediated a significant proportion (11.0%) of the relationship between self-rated physical and psychological condition, however social support from nurses did not. CONCLUSION: Social support from family and friends can positively influence the psychological health of inpatients, but nurses are not an adequate replacement for the social support provided by family and friends. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Although nurses cannot replace the social support provided by family and friends, the assessment of social isolation and care planning of interventions to support patients is a fundamental nursing role. Technology to connect patients with friends and family should be used to mitigate isolation for hospitalised patients unable to receive in-person visits from loved ones. IMPACT: The influence of social support from family and friends and nurses was addressed. The study found social support from family and friends, but not nurses, to influence the relationship between physical and psychological ratings. This finding has implications for the role of nurses in the hospital setting. REPORTING METHOD: Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines were followed.

Recruitment and Retention of Occupational Therapy Practitioners and Students of Color: A Qualitative Study.

IMPORTANCE: Matching the demographics of health professionals and patient populations increases access to quality care. However, a consensus has not been reached regarding the most effective strategies for recruitment and retention of diverse practitioners. OBJECTIVE: To answer the question "What are the perceived challenges to and facilitators of the recruitment and retention of occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) and students of color?" DESIGN: A qualitative interpretive, constructionist design was used. Purposive recruitment that used convenience sampling was conducted at the 2017 American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference & Expo and via the National Black Occupational Therapy Caucus Facebook group. Data were collected online from three focus groups and four interviews. SETTING: Online through social media. PARTICIPANTS: The total sample included 5 OTPs and 7 students; 91.7% identified as African-American or Black. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Inductive analysis was used to interpret the open-ended questions. After transcription, each interview or focus group transcript was reviewed with Colaizzi's seven-step method of data analysis. RESULTS: Five themes were identified: (1) lack of representation in and knowledge about occupational therapy, (2) feeling like an outsider, (3) need for financial support, (4) individualized mentor-mentee relationships, and (5) connections with national organizations specifically for people of color. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This study identified experiences of OTPs and students of color and how identified barriers can be addressed. Implications for the profession include purposive recruitment, professional development for faculty, provision of mentoring, and financial support. Future research should focus on creation and evaluation of evidence-based strategies for the recruitment and retention of students of color in occupational therapy. WHAT THIS ARTICLE ADDS: This study provided voices of OTPs and students of color regarding challenges and facilitators experienced in the profession. With an accurate understanding of experiences of people of color, effective strategies can be developed to foster their successful transition into the occupational therapy workforce.

African American Nurses' Perspectives on a Leadership Development Program.

United States demographics are changing, but that change is yet to be recognized in the makeup of the nursing workforce. The underrepresentation of minorities in nursing is a longstanding problem, resulting in missed opportunities for culturally sensitive care that can foster optimal patient care outcomes. This report describes qualitative analysis of leadership opportunities emerging from a collaborative leadership development program between an urban baccalaureate nursing program and a large healthcare system in the northeast United States. The investigative team used qualitative methods to analyze the experiences of 19 participating African American (AA) RN graduates. Findings demonstrated that, for program participants, active engagement in personal and professional nursing leadership activities was enhanced. The academic-practice leadership program was an effective tool for enculturating AA nurses into the practice environment and into eventual leadership in nursing and healthcare.

Evaluating dedicated education units for clinical education quality.

Dedicated education units (DEUs) have emerged as an important clinical education innovation within academic practice partnerships. However, rigorous evaluation has not been conducted previously. This article presents findings from a randomized, controlled, multiyear, multisite study comparing the clinical education quality for students educated in either the DEU innovation or traditional clinical education model within the same nursing course. The evaluation occurred within a larger study focusing on teaching capacity, faculty work life, and educational quality at one large, urban university collaborating with three agency partners. To examine learning outcomes, the question posed was, "In what ways, if any, does the DEU intervention, when compared to traditional clinical education, enhance educational quality?" Results indicate that educational quality and learning gains are significantly more positive for students clinically instructed in DEUs. Findings will be of interest to education and practice leaders seeking to enhance the quality of clinical teaching, learning, and nursing practice.