Toward standardization (Part 2): National nursing minimum data sets consensus building and implementation status.

With the passage of the Affordable Care Act and the development of a National Workforce Commission, multiple entities have increased their interest in collecting standardized health care workforce data at the state and national levels. In a tight budget environment, developing data sets which collect the minimum needed information that is necessary for workforce planning and supply/demand projections has become critically needed. This article represents the second of a two part series describing the work that the Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers has undertaken during the last 3 years toward standardizing nursing workforce data. Part I described the initial steps that informed the development of national nursing workforce minimum data sets. Part II describes the consensus model used to develop the minimum data sets as well as an update on the implementation of the minimum data sets in individual states including challenges and barriers encountered.

A pilot study: a descriptive correlational study of factors associated with weight in college nursing students.

From a convenience sample consisting of junior level nursing students enrolled in a research class at a southern Historically Black College and University (HBCU), this pilot study investigated the percent of participants who were overweight as determined by Body Mass Index (BMI) measurements, and the percent satisfied with their body image as measured by the Strunkard Body Image Scale. BMI measurements were correlated with self esteem, body image, self care, and self efficacy in the regulation of eating habits and exercise regimens. The study found that students with greater BMIs had lower self efficacy beliefs about regulating their exercise habits. Self care, post the self directed intervention, significantly correlated with the pre and post intervention scores of self efficacy to regulate exercise, and with the post intervention scores of self efficacy to regulate eating habits. However, the study found that students' self care capacity was significantly different at the end of the study period.