Leveling the core competencies of public health nursing to evaluate senior baccalaureate nursing students.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed a revised instrument based on the tier one Core Competencies for Public Health Nurses. Following instrument revision, the self-reported competence of prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students was examined. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: In this descriptive study, 102 senior, prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students completed a revised Core Competencies instrument prior to and immediately following completion of public health nursing courses. Parametric statistics were used to determine if there were significant differences in pre- and postcourse domain scores and the impact of selected demographic variables on postcourse domain scores. RESULTS: Pilot testing confirmed the reliability and validity of the revised instrument. A paired t test determined postcourse domain scores were significantly higher than precourse domain scores. Overall, students rated themselves as competent in all domains, with the lowest ratings of competence in policy development/program planning. Likelihood of choosing a future career in public health was significantly higher for students in traditional public health clinical settings. CONCLUSION: The revised tier one Core Competency instrument provided information related to students' self-reported competence in public health nursing competencies. These findings provide valuable insight for development and revision of public health nursing courses ensuring a nursing workforce competent in the provision of population health.

Development of a new graduate public health nurse residency program using the core competencies of public health nursing.

BACKGROUND: Due to the continued shortage of public health nurses, some local public health agencies have begun hiring new graduate baccalaureate nurses into the public health nurse role. These new graduates require an increased level of support for transition to practice. AIMS: The goal of this project was creation of a transition to practice program designed specifically to meet the needs of new graduates hired in public health settings. METHODS: The core competencies of public health nursing were used as a framework to develop this residency program. A group of public health staff, supervisors, and faculty met monthly for three years to develop this program. Key features include general orientation, preceptors, looping experiences, case studies and peer support. RESULTS: The program is available as a web resource beginning spring 2018. In order to evaluate this program, data on job satisfaction, employee retention and level of competence in the core competencies of public health will occur using instruments administered prior to beginning and immediately following completion of the new graduate residency. DISCUSSION: The components of the program mirror best practices for new graduate residencies and are based on core competencies for public health nursing. This residency program is an important step for enhancing the professional development of new baccalaureate graduates in public health settings, and preparing the next generation of public health nurses. CONCLUSION: Through the increased support and intentional education of the residency program, public health agencies will be able to attract and retain new graduates who develop the essential knowledge and skills to provide safe and effective care in the public health setting.

Baccalaureate nursing students' intention to choose a public health career.

OBJECTIVE(S): To determine nursing students' public health career intentions, and to determine recruitment strategies and other factors that influence students' public health career intentions. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: Descriptive, correlational design. 354 junior and senior baccalaureate nursing students. MEASURES: Students completed a researcher developed survey about choosing public health career intentions and recruitment incentives. RESULTS: Students indicated that they were likely or very likely to consider a career in public health immediately following graduation (21.1%), 1 year after graduation (26.4%) and more than 1 year after graduation (35%). Significant variables influencing career choice immediately following graduation were enrolling institution [t(3,340) = 2.66, p = .008] and traditional clinical site [t(3,340) = -2.306, p = .022]. One year after graduation, traditional public health clinical site [t(3,340) = -2.648, p = .008], and more than 1 year after graduation enrolling institution [t(4,339) = -2.364, p = .019] and gender [t(4,339) = 2.094, p = .037] were significant variables influencing career intentions. The top three recruitment strategies ranked by students were comparable wages, flexible scheduling, and tuition reimbursement. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying priority recruitment strategies for public health students will enhance the ability of public health leaders to recruit graduate registered nurses to public health. Faculty should continue to evaluate both clinical and classroom experiences to stimulate excitement and interest for public health as a career choice.

The impact of Web-delivered education on preceptor role self-efficacy and knowledge in public health nurses.

OBJECTIVE: Preceptors are an essential component in preparing student nurses to become practicing public health nurses. Preparation for the preceptor role is important for achieving a quality learning experience for students. This study was conducted to explore the relationship between completion of a Web-delivered preceptor education program and both knowledge of the preceptor role and self-efficacy to perform in the preceptor role. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: This study used a pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design. The participants were experienced public health nurses (n=31) working in one state in the United States. MEASURES: Pretest and posttest Web-delivered survey using the preceptor self-efficacy questionnaire and an instrument assessing knowledge gain. INTERVENTION: A Web-delivered preceptor education program tailored for public health nurses. RESULTS: The program was associated with improved self-efficacy scores at both the immediate and the 3-month posttest, and with increased knowledge of the preceptor role evident at the immediate posttest only. Self-efficacy scores were independent of knowledge scores. Preceptor age was not correlated with self-efficacy or knowledge scores. Nurses with higher levels of education demonstrated higher self-efficacy scores in all 3 measurements. CONCLUSIONS: Web-delivered continuing education targeted to public health nurse preceptors is an effective method to increase confidence and knowledge for the preceptor role.

Effectiveness of cultural immersion and culture classes for enhancing nursing students' transcultural self-efficacy.

With diversity increasing in the United States, educators are struggling to find the most effective methods to prepare nursing students to care for diverse populations. This study's purpose was to determine the impact of immersion experiences and cultural classes on nursing students' transcultural competence. A pretest-posttest, quasi-experimental design was used. Nursing students completing a 2-week to 3-week immersion experience (n = 14) completed the Transcultural Self-Efficacy Tool online 1 week prior to and immediately following an immersion experience. The control group (n = 25), who were students not participating in an immersion experience, completed the instrument during the same time frame. Students who participated in an immersion experience had significantly higher posttest transcultural self-efficacy scores (p < 0.001). Compared with the control group, the students in the immersion group had significantly higher change scores (p < 0.001). In addition, the number of culture classes completed was not correlated with transcultural self-efficacy scores. Recommendations included encouraging student participation in immersion experiences to enhance transcultural competence.