Assessment of Nurse Educator Leadership: Instrument Development and Psychometric Analysis.

AIM: Study purposes were to 1) establish the relevance and clarity of a new instrument, the Leadership in Nursing Education (LNE©) for nurse educators, and 2) provide evidence to support the reliability and validity of the LNE. BACKGROUND: The future of nursing education is dependent upon the leadership of nurse faculty. Competency development requires self-assessment to engage in meaningful pathways for leadership development. METHOD: A Delphi study was conducted with 50 nurse faculty leaders to determine the content validity of the LNE. The final instrument was then sent to nurse faculty across the United States to assess its psychometric properties. RESULTS: The LNE was determined to be a reliable instrument for the population tested. Three distinct subscales emerged from the exploratory factor analysis: strategic, relational, and authentic. CONCLUSION: The LNE fills a gap in nurse educator leadership assessment and provides evidence to support the instrument's reliability and validity.

Faculty as Learners: Neuroscience in Action.

BACKGROUND: Today's nursing education environment requires a contemporary approach to teaching and learning that consistently challenges nurse educators to develop their expertise and embrace advanced teaching techniques. The application of neuroscience principles is one such approach. METHOD: For this descriptive study, nurse faculty (N = 16) attending a 10-week faculty development course were recruited to participate in focus groups. Discussion topics included the influences of a program using neuroscience principles to enrich an educator's teaching practice. RESULTS: Qualitative content analysis resulted in a model depicting a safe learning container contributing to a cognitive shift from teaching to learning in mind. Safe learning included communication of shared vulnerability, intentionality, and transparency. The shift required energy, risk taking, and time. CONCLUSION: The findings contribute to an increased understanding of how neuroscience principles are perceived through direct application by faculty using a novel approach to teaching and learning, thus advancing the science of nursing education. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(5):291-297.].

Cognitive and Noncognitive Factors Influencing Nursing Students' Academic Success: Structural Equation Model Analysis.

AIM: The study aim was to identify and explore relationships among cognitive and noncognitive factors that may contribute to prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students' academic success across their program of study. BACKGROUND: Nurse educators are challenged to improve students' academic success. With limited evidence, cognitive and noncognitive factors have been identified in the literature as potential factors that influence academic success and may support students' readiness for practice as new graduate nurses. METHOD: Data sets from 1,937 BSN students at multiple campuses were analyzed using an exploratory design and structural equation modeling. CONCLUSION: Six factors were conceptualized as contributing equally to the initial cognitive model. The final noncognitive model, with deletion of two factors, yielded the best fit for the four-factor model. Cognitive and noncognitive factors were not significantly correlated. This study provides a beginning understanding of cognitive and noncognitive factors associated with academic success that may support readiness for practice.

Nurse Faculty Administrators' Experiences of Communication, Cooperation, Coordination, and Collaboration During Educational Disruption.

AIM: The primary purposes of the study were to describe nurse faculty administrators' experiences of rapid transition and disruption in nursing education during the COVID-19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: The disruption and shift to remote learning for nursing education programs posed challenges for these administrators. METHOD: A descriptive survey methodology with a convenience sample was used with the Four Cs of Disaster Partnering framework. RESULTS: The findings revealed that key elements of the Four Cs framework played a role in the successful adaptation to new learning environment realities. Time was an overarching finding. Connectedness with faculty, staff, and students was a significant challenge. CONCLUSION: The application of the Four Cs of Disaster Partnering framework demonstrated utility for examining academic nurse administrators' preparedness.

Building Academic Leadership Capacity Through Coaching.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of coaching in a 12-month leadership development program for nurse faculty and administrators who transition to leadership positions or who aspire to lead. BACKGROUND: There is a critical need in nursing education to build leadership capacity. One strategy to foster leadership development is through coaching. Although developmental leadership programs for nurse educators exist, limited empirical data exist in nursing academia examining the effectiveness of coaching on leadership. METHOD: The design was qualitative descriptive. Using a semistructured interview guide, participants ( N = 12) responded to open-ended questions about their coaching experience. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed three themes: encouraging intentional reflection of self and leadership, validating perceptions of challenging professional situations, and strategizing options for action plans and behaviors. CONCLUSION: Coaching holds a great deal of promise as a means to develop the next generation of academic nurse leaders.

The Feasibility of Accelerating to Practice™ for Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Capstone Experience.

ABSTRACT: With the ongoing debate on transition-to-practice gaps and lack of readiness for practice by novice nurses, curricular enhancements and innovation are imperative. A feasibility study was undertaken to inform and assess the integration of an Accelerating to Practice (A2P) curriculum in an academic context. Data from senior capstone students, faculty, and clinical preceptors provide evidence of the usefulness and applicability of A2P to provide intentional learning outcomes targeted at new graduates' areas of weakness. This experience was aimed at clinical decision-making with psychomotor skill-laden activities deemphasized. A2P scaffolding aided in deeper learning and resulted in improved student learning.

Predictors of student veterans progression and graduation in Veteran to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (VBSN) Programs: A multisite study.

BACKGROUND: Capitalizing on the veteran's extensive service experience, values, and norms, Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) proposed Nurse Education, Practice, Quality and Retention - Veterans' Bachelor of Science (VBSN) Program grants (2016-2019). PURPOSE: The purpose was to identify predictors of student veterans' (SV) progression and graduation rates in VBSN programs. METHODS: A descriptive correlational retrospective design was used. Two hundred and eighty-two (282) SV records were examined. RESULTS: One hundred and forty (140) SVs graduated (49.6%) and 107 (37.9%) were still enrolled. Only program delivery mode (hybrid) was significantly associated with completion and confirmed by logistic regression modeling. An increased representation of SVs' gender, race/ethnicity was present; however, gender, age, race, ethnicity, and veteran status did not significantly predict progression nor graduation. CONCLUSIONS: Hybrid program delivery became the single predictor influencing VBSN progression and graduation. As non-traditional students in higher education with a history of social isolation and help-seeking stigma, this delivery mode may have assisted SV retention and persistence. With a registered nurse shortage and workforce calls for increased gender, race, and ethnic diversity, the findings suggest nursing education programs designed for veterans are a viable solution.

Developing Authentic Leadership Voice: Novice Faculty Experience.

AIM: The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of 14 novice nurse faculty of a 20-month experiential leadership academy on the leadership development. BACKGROUND: Managing the complexities of nursing faculty roles requires significant leadership skills that often are hard won. Evidence suggests that leadership preparation to prepare nursing faculty through guided mentoring can enhance faculty recruitment, satisfaction, and retention. METHOD: Participants completed open-ended questions about their experiences in Sigma Theta Tau International's Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed a meta-theme of "Finding Authentic Leadership Voice." Four subthemes emerged to shape the meta-theme: Identifying Inner Strengths and Areas for Improvement, Increasing Self-Confidence and Self-Awareness, Increasing Focus on Others, and Clarifying Aspirations for a Leadership Future. CONCLUSION: Reflecting on their experiences, participants recognized changes in their leadership roles as they found an authentic voice that helped them persist and thrive amid the complexities of their faculty roles.

Gender Differences and Similarities in Accelerated Nursing Education Programs: Evidence of Success From the New Careers in Nursing Program.

AIM: The aim of the study was to examine the profile of male students in accelerated nursing education programs (ANEPs) focusing on key demographic, educational, and outcome variables and compare male and female students on these variables. BACKGROUND: Though ANEPs have proliferated over the last two decades, there has been little study of students enrolled in these programs and, consequently, the role ANEPs could play in enhancing nursing workforce diversity. METHOD: This study is a secondary analysis of data collected from 3,502 students who participated in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation New Careers in Nursing Program from 2008 to 2016. RESULTS: ANEP completion and NCLEX-RN success rates were strong overall. Male and female ANEP students differed on several dimensions often associated with academic success, differences that have relevance for purposes of teaching, research, and program planning. CONCLUSION: ANEPs could be an effective mechanism for increasing the gender, racial, and ethnic diversity of the nursing workforce.

Discovering a New Purpose: Veterans' Transition to Nursing Education.

With the downsizing of military forces and the support of GI Bill benefits, a growing number of veterans are returning to college. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, the researchers sought to understand the transition experiences of 11 veterans enrolled in baccalaureate nursing programs. Data suggest the transition process is challenging, marked by significant change in structure and culture from one context to the next. Veterans return to school to learn and seek meaning and purpose in the pursuit of a nursing degree. Faculty understanding of military culture is a first step in guiding the student veteran to success in nursing education.