Graduate nurse program coordinators' perspectives on graduate nurse programs in Victoria, Australia : A descriptive qualitative approach
- Authors: Missen, Karen , McKenna, Lisa , Beauchamp, Alison
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Collegian Vol. 23, no. 2 (2016), p. 201-208
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- Description: Aims: The purpose of this study was to describe the formal preparation nursing graduates are given throughout their first year of nursing in terms of educational structure and content of work-based year-long graduate nurse programs, from the perspectives of Graduate Nurse Program Coordinators. Background: In Australia, graduate nurse programs aim to provide a supportive learning environment, assisting nursing graduates in applying their theory to practice and supporting them in becoming safe, competent and responsible professionals. Internationally, research has demonstrated an increase in the job satisfaction and more importantly retention rates of newly qualified nurses who are supported in their first year of employment in some type of transition program. Method: Using a descriptive qualitative approach, individual semi-structured interviews were used. These interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed to reveal themes and sub-themes. Results: The interviews provided an insight into the various aspects of preparation that nursing graduates are given in their first year of practice with the main theme to emerge from analysis, nature of transition programs. The three subthemes associated with nature of transition programs consisted of composition of rotations and study days and supernumerary strategies. Findings indicate variation in pedagogical models underpinning graduate nurse programs across Victoria. Clinical rotations varied between three to twelve months, the number of study days offered were between four and thirteen days and there was variation in supernumerary time and strategies within the programs investigated. © 2015 Australian College of Nursing Ltd.
Managing deteriorating patients: Registered nurses' performance in a simulated setting
- Authors: Cooper, Simon J. , McConnell-Henry, Tracy , Cant, Robyn , Porter, Joanne , Missen, Karen , Kinsman, Leigh , Endacott, Ruth , Scholes, Julie
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: The Open Nursing Journal Vol. 5, no. (2011), p. 120-126
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- Description: Aim: To examine, in a simulated environment, rural nurses’ ability to assess and manage patient deterioration using measures of knowledge, situation awareness and skill performance. Background: Nurses’ ability to manage deterioration and ‘failure to rescue’ are of significant concern with questions over knowledge and clinical skills. Simulated emergencies may help to identify and develop core skills. Methods: An exploratory quantitative performance review. Thirty five nurses from a single ward completed a knowledge questionnaire and two video recorded simulated scenarios in a rural hospital setting. Patient actors simulated deteriorating patients with an Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as the primary diagnosis. How aware individuals were of the situation (levels of situation awareness) were measured at the end of each scenario. Results: Knowledge of deterioration management varied considerably (range: 27%-91%) with a mean score of 67%. Average situation awareness scores and skill scores across the two scenarios (AMI and COPD) were low (50%) with many important observations and actions missed. Participants did identify that ‘patients’ were deteriorating but as each patient deteriorated staff performance declined with a reduction in all observational records and actions. In many cases, performance decrements appeared to be related to high anxiety levels. Participants tended to focus on single signs and symptoms and failed to use a systematic approach to patient assessment. Conclusion: Knowledge and skills were generally low in this rural hospital sample with notable performance decrements as patients acutely declined. Educational models that incorporate high fidelity simulation and feedback techniques are likely to have a significant positive impact on performance.