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Item Formal mentor toolkit(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2018-12) Baer, Nichole; Barker, Molle; Melcher, Candace R.BACKGROUND: The nursing profession is plagued with a major nursing shortage due to the aging population of the nursing workforce, baby boomers and due to the increasing demands of the healthcare organizations. The turnover rate of new graduate nurses within the first year of employment only compounds this problem. Up to 50% of new graduate nurses change jobs during their initial year of employment, 13% contemplate leaving their job, and some leave the professional altogether (Boamah & Laschinger, 2015). Nurse residency programs (NRP) were found to decrease the 12 month turnover rate from 36% to 6.5% (Trepanier, Early, Ulrilich, & Cherry, 2012). In addition, the retention rate of new graduate nurses assigned to a mentor was 91% compared to non-mentored nurses with a retention rate of 66% (Schroyer, Zellers, & Abraham, 2016). PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to focus on developing a toolkit to be utilized as a resource for implementing a formal mentor program to support the retention of new graduate nurses. The population of interest were new graduate nurses participating in the Nurse Residency Program at a Midwestern regional hospital. METHOD: Researchers reviewed literature that supports a formal mentor program. Based off of information obtained in the literature, the formal mentor program was developed. This proposal was then formally presented to key stakeholders, including the Chief Nursing Officer. RESULTS: After presenting the toolkit to the key stakeholders, dialogue took place that afforded the opportunity for further clarification and suggestions to take place. Recommendations from the stakeholders for various changes were made and notes were taken of their questions and recommendations. Key recommendations for strengthening the formal mentor program were: offer the mentor program to experienced nurses new to the organization as well as to the new graduate nurses; change the timing of the initiation of the program from 6 months to 12 months for the new graduate nurses; offer the formal mentor program to experienced nurses beginning just prior to their orientation ending; the mentor may need to be assigned to more than one mentee due to the volume of new hires or experienced nurses interested in participating in the program; the mentor/mentee would ideally be paired together from the same unit however if the volume of new hires outnumbered the qualified mentors, mentors from sister units could be assigned to the mentee. CONCLUSION: The results of the presentation of the formal mentor program to the key stakeholders was favorable. Additional collaboration to further develop the formal mentor program is necessary for further development and successful implementation.Item Assessing undergraduate nursing students' confidence utilizing simulated bedside shift report(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2018-12) Bratt, Julie; Ehmke, Courtney; Park, Emily; Barbara Sittner, Ph.D., RN, APRN-CNS, ANEF. Bryan College of Health SciencesPURPOSE: The purpose of this quality improvement project is to use simulation training for bedside nurse reporting with undergraduate nursing students to increase their confidence levels. BACKGROUND: Typically, nursing students are not taught how to perform handoff communication systematically; handoff reporting is learned through vicarious observations and apprenticeship experiences. As a result, they may observe many clinical handoff reports but lack the ability to independently conduct effective reports during care transitions and critique the reports of others (Lee et al, 2016). Clinical simulation training helps to ensure participants receive the same content, affording them the opportunity to practice new skills, and help to work through challenging situations and learn from their own and others' mistakes in a safe environment (Connolly, 2017). METHOD: An educational power point was reviewed by the students at the beginning of their simulation day. Students completed a 4 question pre and post survey developed by the research team to assess student confidence utilizing SBAR format. RESULTS: Results were analyzed using a Paired T test. The average pre and post scores have a p value of <0.0001, and it was found that 267 percent of undergraduate nursing students said they strongly agreed feeling confident when delivering bedside shift report after participating in a simulated environment. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this survey indicate the need for continued bedside shift report during simulation experiences to increase future nursing students' confidence.Item Compassion awareness(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2018-12) Belz, Marsha; Gerken, Ashton; Kimminau, Linda; Barbara Sittner, Ph.D., RN, APRN-CNS, ANEF. Bryan College of Health Sciences.PURPOSE: To increase awareness and educate on compassion fatigue versus compassion satisfaction, with two progressive care units, at a midwestern medical center. Following education, does this improve the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) nursing composite scores? BACKGROUND: Since the implementation of the HCAHPS, hospital reimbursement has been associated with quality metrics and patient experience ratings. The transparency and focus on metrics has created additional stress on critical care nurses. These nurses report less capacity for compassionate feelings toward patients when they perceive their role expectations are not met. METHOD: There were 29 participants involved. The nurses were educated on compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue and were invited to take the Professional Quality of Life survey (ProQOL). Chi-Square analyzes were used to find the relationships between burnout and age, education, unit tenure and nursing experience. A statistically significant relationship was found between burnout and unit tenure (chi sq = 15.3, p <.009). Nurses, with a tenure between one and three years were almost three times as likely to experience burnout compared to nurses with less than one year and more than three years of unit tenure. A statistically significant relationship was also found between burnout and nursing experience (chi sq = 10.6, p <.05). However, there was no correlation with the HCAHPS. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies were provided to the nurse managers on ways to identify and prevent compassion fatigue. These recommendations include: utilizing the ProQOL, being a transformational leader and implementing a meaningful recognition program.Item Standardizing the Evaluation of Service Learning(2019-05) Hunt, Tiffany AnnAbstract Background: Service learning is an educational pedagogy that provides students with an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real-life situations. There are three components of service learning: course outcomes, service, and reflection. One barrier to incorporating service learning into nursing curriculum is the lack of a standardized measurement to evaluate students’ service learning experiences. Purpose: The purpose of this study was two-fold: first, to develop a standardized rubric to evaluate nursing students’ experiences of service learning within an undergraduate nursing school program, and second, to test the reliability and validity of the newly developed measurement tool, the Hunt Service Learning Evaluation (HuSLE) rubric to evaluate students’ experiences of service learning. Methods: This descriptive study used a convenience sample of five undergraduate faculty who provided data for the development of the HuSLE rubric’s psychometric properties. Results: Analyses indicated that overall, the items within the HuSLE rubric have a high percentage of agreement among raters; six out of the eight items were statistically significant. The reflection domain had the greatest amount of variation between raters. The content validity index (CVI) completed by the raters was statistically significant during phase I. The CVI completed by the content experts was statistically significant for all items except number of service hours, type of service, and reflection-bridging the experience. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the design and development of a standardized rubric used to evaluate undergraduate nursing students’ experiences of service learning that has not yet been reported in the literature. A standardized rubric with statistically significant validity was established. The HuSLE rubric is reliable and valid and may be an easy tool for nurse educators to use as a strategy for measuring nursing students’ service learning experiences.Item Factors Influencing the Recruitment and Hiring of Early Career Nurse Faculty(2019-05) Sladky, Katie AnnThe nursing faculty and subsequent nursing shortages have plagued the profession for decades with little progress made in altering the trajectory of the problem (AACN, 2005; IOM, 2010; NLN, 2017). Primary influences on the faculty shortage include later entry into faculty roles, the aging of faculty, and early retirements, and a logical solution is to recruit nurses to faculty roles earlier in their careers. The purpose of this study was to examine factors relating to recruitment strategies and hiring practices used by administrators of undergraduate, prelicensure nursing programs for early career nursing faculty. This study contributes new knowledge about administrators’ perspectives on hiring well-qualified young nurses for faculty roles and the most effective recruitment strategies for that demographic. A cross-sectional, descriptive survey design was used. The sample consisted of 80 nursing program administrators from eight Midwestern states. The survey tool was developed by the researcher based on the literature and consisted of 15 questions regarding hiring practices for open faculty positions and recruitment methods that were evaluated for how effective they could be, their frequency of use, and how effective they have been if used. Results of the study showed that nursing program administrators have a strong desire to hire well-qualified young nurses for faculty roles but that this population is not applying for open faculty positions as frequently as older nurses. The strategies that have been most effective for early career nurse faculty recruitment are recruiting individuals recommended by current faculty, the direct recruitment of individuals, and engaging in direct conversations encouraging a future faculty role. These results demonstrate the need for intentionality in recruiting potential candidates for academic careers and the importance of shedding a positive light on nursing education and the faculty role. Administrators, faculty, and all other stakeholders within nursing education must take ownership in putting these methods into action.Item An Assessment of Burnout and Associated Characteristics among Midcareer Prelicensure BSN Faculty(2019-05) Bentjen, MelindaThe United States is projected to experience a shortage of registered nurses due to aging baby boomers and growing need for health care. Nursing faculty shortage directly impacts the supply and demand for nurses. Each career stage of nursing faculty, early, middle, and late, have components that effect the work group. There is a need to explore midcareer nursing faculty based on the majority of faculty fall in this career stage and have many challenges in work-life. The purpose of this study is to understand more about the pragmatic issues of education by investigating the prevalence of active, Midwestern, prelicensure, midcareer Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) faculty experience of burnout. The main aim is to discover if midcareer prelicensure BSN faculty experience burnout. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES) was used to collect data from a sample of 44 Midwestern midcareer nursing faculty. In this descriptive, cross-sectional design, midcareer nursing faculty were chosen by a convenience sampling. The results of frequency distribution and t tests (p=0.0086) showed that midcareer nursing faculty (mean=23.55) had a significantly higher level of burnout based on their Emotional Exhaustion Subscale score compared to postsecondary teachers (mean=18.57). Pearson’s correlation coefficients found that midcareer nursing faculty who exercised (2-tailed=0.007) and taught more credit hours (2-tailed=0.14) in a semester had a low level of burnout based on their Personal Accomplishment Score. Results of this study indicate that midcareer nursing faculty have high Emotional Exhaustion. Findings from this study suggest that midcareer nursing faculty who have a hobby, exercise, and teach more credit hours in a semester demonstrate a high Personal Accomplishment. Further investigation into the work/life balance of midcareer nursing faculty would assist in supporting professional development and mentoring program.Item The Lived Experience of College Faculty Following Student Suicide: A Phenomenological Inquiry(2019-05) Summers, MichelleAbstract The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of college faculty following student suicide. Doka’s Theory of Disenfranchised Grief was used as a theoretical framework. The research methodology of phenomenology was utilized for this study. Six participants completed face-to-face interviews and shared their complete and personal experience with student suicide. Data were analyzed using Tesch’s eight steps. The participants’ stories yielded themes of missed clues, postvention, awareness of student problem, guns, and loss of potential. Faculty members who have experienced the suicide of a student are often faced with many challenges. Overall, the participants expressed a belief that they failed to notice clues of students’ suicidal ideations, and the belief that they lacked formal training in the area of mental health. The participants also expressed a need for postvention, including debriefing, following a student suicide. A lack of available resources for students with mental health needs was highlighted, along with the challenges associated with being unable to force a student to engage in therapy. Based upon the findings of this study, there is a need to acknowledge the feelings and emotions of faculty members following student suicide. Grief is a unique and personal experience. The results of this study suggest that faculty members need training and support in suicide prevention, intervention and postvention.Item A framework to standardize faculty development of interprofessional education(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2019-12-11) Kinnett, Katie; Francis, Lindsey; Kornfeld, Dixie; Wehrman, KristiThe purpose of this capstone project was to create a framework to standardize the process of faculty development of Interprofessional Education (IPE). Background & Significance: Current research focuses on the learner and fails to address the educational needs of faculty with IPE. Standardized faculty development of IPE is essential due to faculty being taught in the traditional single-professional models. A lack of understanding of IPE exists in all aspects, making a framework imperative to create meaningful learning experiences for students. Methods: SMART objectives with Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were utilized as follows: finding evidence-based IPE guidelines, framework building, and collaboration with an instructional design expert to solidify the framework presentation. Stakeholders within academia were found and provided insight into the use of a framework. Literature was reviewed and themes were selected as a guide for faculty development. The theoretical frameworks of Lewin’s Change Theory and the Transformational Learning Theory drove the construction of the framework. Results: The completed framework depicts how the themes intertwine with Lewin’s Change Theory and the Transformational Learning Theory to guide faculty development in a continuous process. Conclusion: The vision of the framework is to provide a standardized guide for development of faculty to increase the implementation of meaningful IPE learning activities into the curriculum.Item Exploring the methods and value of retaining Master's prepared nurses at the bedside(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2019-12-11) Meyer, Kris; Hayes, Bryanna; Bedient, KamaThe purpose of this quality improvement project was to explore the methods and value of retaining advanced degree nurses at the bedside and determine incentives that would support this action. BACKGROUND: Literature supports the benefit of master’s prepared nurses (MPNs) providing bedside care to improve patient outcomes, decrease mortality and failure to rescue, and address the nursing shortage. METHODS: A survey was developed using Google Forms to evaluate the nurses’ awareness of the supporting literature and identify desired incentives. The key stakeholders included nursing directors. The setting was a large medical center located in the Midwest. The survey was emailed to all registered nurses at the medical center and yielded 208 responses. The sample included 66 nurses with a master’s degree or higher, or planning to obtain a master’s degree in the next 5 years. RESULTS: Over half of the respondents had minimal to no knowledge of the benefits of having MPNs at the bedside and only 16.1% of nurses were motivated to remove themselves from the bedside by seeking a higher degree. The most significant incentives to keep MPNs at the bedside included pay increase (90.3%) and weekend/holidays off (71%); 67.7% of MPN respondents were currently practicing bedside nursing. The qualitative data identified a tuition assistance program and recognition on name badge as common incentives. RECOMMENDATIONS: Take the findings to an interprofessional focus group for further analysis, educate employees of the benefits of having MPNs at the bedside and discuss the results with the stakeholders.Item The Lived Experience of Trans Nursing Students(2020) Dubas, Jenna M.; Dubas, J. M. (2020). The lived experience of trans nursing students. [Doctoral dissertation, Bryan College of Health Sciences].It is widely accepted that gender diversification of the nursing workforce will positively influence healthcare access and outcomes. Gender diversification of the nursing workforce is desired to enhance culturally congruent care, including gender-affirming care of trans persons. Trans persons experience discrimination in academic and employment settings, but trans persons’ experiences during pursuit of a career in nursing have not been disseminated. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of trans students in U.S. prelicensure nursing programs. A phenomenological approach was used. Analysis of individual interviews with four participants representing baccalaureate programs from across the United States resulted in the emergence of six themes: (a) language is a barometer for respect and safety, (b) traversing deep-rooted assumptions about gender and nursing, (c) the burden of altruism as default educators and advocates, (d) navigating transition and coming out, (e) pride in nursing, and (f) personal gender experiences enhanced nursing care. The burden of altruism as default educators and advocates resulted from three subthemes: (a) faculty were unprepared to teach trans students and to teach trans health concepts and, (b) the formal curricula on trans health were inadequate, cisnormative, and pathologizing, and (c) transinvisibility on campus. Illuminating experiences of nursing students who identify as trans, a historically marginalized and stigmatized sector of the population, holds the power to transform future experiences for trans students. Study findings inform gatekeepers of the nursing profession about systems and interactions with potential to influence trans students’ experiences. The study findings lead to short-term and long-term recommendations for gatekeepers to mitigate minority stress of trans nursing students, including enhancing integration of trans health concepts in formal curricula and supporting faculty to develop knowledge of trans students and trans health. Finally, this study implores the nursing profession at-large to consider the mutual value in actively welcoming gender diverse individuals into the profession, benefitting trans persons as future nurses and benefitting future recipients of their care.Item The Perceived Challenges of Advising Undergraduate Nursing Students and the Effects on Faculty as Advisors(2020) Davis, Krystal L.Academic advising can significantly influence academic success. However, little is known about the challenges and the effects on nurse faculty advising baccalaureate nursing students. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study was to explore the challenges faculty experience advising baccalaureate nursing students and the effect those challenges have on faculty advisors. Semi-structured interviews were utilized with a purposeful sample of six nurse faculty advisor participants at three Midwest undergraduate nursing program. Participants perceived four challenges of workload, lack of training, lack of student accountability, and the student-advisor relationship. The effect from these challenges consisted of a sense of emergency, lack of purpose, and stress and anxiety. These findings add to the lack of literature in academic advising in nursing education to better support nursing faculty advising nursing students to retain qualified nursing faculty.Item Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists' Perceptions of Incivility and Bullying by Healthcare Providers in the Clinical Setting(2020) Chandler, Holly AnneBackground and Significance: Limited research exists regarding Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists' (SRNAs’) perceptions of incivility and bullying by healthcare providers in the clinical setting. Outcomes of incivility and bullying include effects on learning, physiological, and psychological needs. Purpose: To explore SRNAs’ perceptions of incivility and bullying by healthcare providers in the clinical setting. Methods: Purposive sampling was utilized to select SRNAs who were full-time second or third-year nurse anesthesia students from nurse anesthesia programs who were actively attending clinical rotations. Private interviews were conducted using semi-structured questions. Data analysis was completed through Tesch’s Eight Steps (Creswell & Poth, 2018), bracketing, member checking, and triangulation. Results: The coding process revealed six themes: 1) educational experiences, 2) professionalism, 3) relationships, 4) coping, 5) health and well-being, and 6) perceived prevalence of incivility and bullying. Conclusions: SRNAs perceive the prevalence of incivility by healthcare providers in the clinical setting to be pervasive. All 10 participants perceived they had experienced incivility by healthcare providers in the clinical setting. SRNAs perceive the prevalence of bullying by healthcare providers in the clinical setting to be common. All participants had witnessed or heard of bullying, while four of the ten had experienced it. Keywords: bullying, incivility, healthcare provider, preceptor, clinical rotation, school of nurse anesthesia, anesthesia services, student registered nurse anesthetist, and certified registered nurse anesthetistItem Sleep Quality and Daytime Sleepiness in Pre-licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Students(2020-02-13) Blome, MelissaAbstract Introduction: Poor sleep quality and maladaptive sleep hygiene may lead to chronic daytime sleepiness, which may, in turn, impact daily functioning. The purpose of this research study was to further investigate sleep in pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing students, and describe factors that impact their sleep quality and daytime sleepiness. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional descriptive design. A convenience sample was used to recruit participants from thirteen baccalaureate nursing programs from a Midwest region in the United States. An Invitation to Participate was emailed to deans who forwarded the invitation to the pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in their programs. Research questions included relationships and differences in student year of study, enrollment status, behaviors, obligations, and their sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, and sleep hygiene. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and the Sleep Hygiene Index. Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 and Mplus version 8.4. Results: The sample (N = 254) was mostly 19-24 years old (83.8%), primarily White (85%) and female (93.3%). Overall, the participants reported poor sleep quality, excessive daytime sleepiness, and maladaptive sleep hygiene, regardless of their year of study or enrollment status. Student obligations and behaviors most frequently reported as reasons for losing sleep were classes (94.1%), work (72%), technology use into the night (85%), and caffeine use (44.5%), respectively. Classes and finances for food were inversely and statistically significant with sleep quality, daytime sleepiness and sleep hygiene. Mediation results indicated work, classes, and technology use into the night significantly predicted sleep hygiene; work, family, activity with friends, and classes significantly predicted sleep quality. Discussion: Learning the importance of sleep hygiene, good sleep quality, and the associated health benefits may assist pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing students with achieving optimal daytime functioning. Providing undergraduate nursing students with routine educational sessions on sleep health to promote holistic well-being is essential. The findings support future research on testing the effect sleep hygiene has on academic performance and how sleep health affects their nursing profession. Consideration should be given to sleep health content as a thread through nursing curriculum. Keywords: sleep, sleep quality, daytime sleepiness, sleep hygiene, nursing student, college studentItem Essential Emotional Social Intelligence Skills for Nursing(2020-03-20) Minster, April LeighThere is research to support that emotional-social intelligence skills positively impact academic and practice performance outcomes in nursing. Based on the literature, there was a need to explore the most important emotional-social intelligence skills used in nursing practice and how those skills are developed. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand the emotional-social intelligence skills used and developed in nursing practice. Participants were chosen through purposeful sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and an emotional-social intelligence skills checklist based on the Bar-On Model of Emotional-Social Intelligence (2006) was used. The emerging Minster Five-Factor Model of Emotional-Social Intelligence for Nursing was developed based on the data collected. This study revealed four essential skills that registered nurses use in practice: empathy, stress tolerance, flexibility, and problem solving. Self-awareness was determined to be a key skill needed for registered nurses to develop emotional-social intelligence skills. This study found that emotional-social intelligence can be learned and developed. Mentors, role models, and coaches within the context of the acute care setting assisted in the development of emotional-social intelligence. Engagement was an important factor for development to occur. This study recommends including emotional-social intelligence skills in nursing curriculum. Further studies are recommended to validate the essential emotional-social intelligence skills for nursing.Item Years of Nursing Experience and Resiliency During a Pandemic(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2020-12-09) Martin, Ginnie; Townsley, KarenPurpose: This quality improvement project was conducted to understand resiliency of new nurses during the COVID19 pandemic. What is the self-reported resiliency of newly graduated nurses with 0-3 years of experience during the COVID19 pandemic? Literature Review: Nursing is a rewarding, often challenging, and at times emotionally draining profession. Stress in nursing can lead to burnout, nurse turnover, and potentially contribute to poor patient outcomes. Providing care within a pandemic can increase the stress. Literature shows the first year of practice is the most stressful in a nurse’s career, and nurse residency programs (NRP) are beneficial with the transition. Resiliency, defined as the “ability to thrive in the face of adversity”, is teachable and can provide nurses with emotional adaptability. Patricia Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory provides a theoretical framework which can be utilized to understand the nurse’s growth and development. Methods: NRP co-coordinators, as the stakeholders, provided permission to conduct this project within the NRP. The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) was used. The CD-RISC assessed resiliency differences of nurses with less than one-year experience and nurses with 1-3 years of experience. After IRB review, data were collected and analyzed for 62 valid responses. Results: Nurses completed the survey with n=23 reporting having less than one-year experience and 39 reporting having 1-3 years of experience. The mean resiliency scores for nurses with less than one-year experience was 26.83 and nurses with 1-3 years of experience was 28.31. The results did not show a statistically significant difference. Conclusion: This data suggests that utilizing a resiliency scale and providing training to all nurses in the organization would be beneficial. This allows the individual the opportunity to see how they score regarding resiliency to identify areas of strength and potential areas for improvement.Item Troubleshooting Vascular Access Device Selection(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2020-12-09) Badura, Nicole; Beil, LindsayPurpose: To educate registered nurses (RN) regarding the necessity for pre-assessment of risk factors, and importance of vascular access device (VAD) selection. Will providing this education to RNs, improve understanding of appropriate VAD selection? Literature Review: Identified knowledge gaps and patients presenting with co-morbidities and associated risk factors are affecting VAD selection, leading to inappropriate prescriptions from providers. Central lines (CL) are associated with central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), leading to increased morbidity/mortality rates. Even with national initiatives created to improve safety and education regarding VAD selection, CLABSIs are still occurring. Three factors leading to complications with VADs (host factors, device factors, and provider factors) have been identified. Mandatory annual training on maintenance of VAD improves confidence and competence. The Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle provides a framework for developing, testing, implementing change and improvement in VAD selection. Methods: The setting for the QI project was general/progressive/critical care areas in an urban hospital. Project stakeholders were a Clinical Educator, and a Clinical Nurse Specialist. The RNs on selected units were given comprehensive VAD education on pre-assessment of risk factors, and importance of appropriate VAD selection. The participants completed a pre-test, and then completed a post-test following education, to determine understanding. The data were reviewed and analyzed. IRB reviewed the project and deemed it a quality improvement project. Results: The project question was supported by the outcomes, as evidence by, improved post education scores. It was determined that the location of the education session can be detrimental to the learning outcomes. Future testing considerations would include review of test question verbiage to be more succinct and unit directed. Conclusion: VAD selection education improved the knowledge of the RNs regarding appropriate VAD selection. Plan to disseminate education to all units, and commit to implementing annual education.Item Generational Diversity Among Registered Nurses in the Workplace: A Quality Improvement Project for Enhancing Communication and Collaboration(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2020-12-09) Weise, Jackie; Bernecker, WhitneyPurpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to enhance intergenerational communication and collaboration among staff RNs in the workplace. What are the strategies to enhance communication and collaboration among generationally diverse RNs? Literature Review: The RN workforce is currently comprised of three generational cohorts including baby boomers, millennials, and generation X. RNs from generation Z will soon be entering the workforce. Generational diversity influences many workplace outcomes including morale, commitment, and patient care. Generational diversity among RNs effects communication and collaboration in the workplace. The Dynamic Social-Ecological Model of Generational Identity in the Workplace identifies how differences in generational diversity can negatively impact workplace outcomes. Methods: A comparative correlation design was used to analyze three generational cohorts on six acute care hospital units. The units’ nursing directors served as stakeholders. The SMART objective was to identify ten strategies to improve communication and collaboration among staff RNs to foster an inclusive, intergenerational work environment. The Workplace Intergenerational Climate Scale (WICS) was utilized to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The IRB determined this to be a quality improvement project. Results: The results guided the identification of strategies which included generational competence and sensitivity education, team building, reverse mentoring, embracing generational strengths, and building a culture supportive of generational diversity. The strategies were shared with the stakeholders and unit staff via posters. Conclusion: An implementation plan and timeline are necessary to incorporate the recommended strategies within the project’s setting.Item Workplace Attributes Leading to Job Satisfaction of the Bedside Nurse(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2020-12-09) Johnson, Stephanie; Speer, KatiePurpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project is to better understand workplace attributes of selected units within an acute care hospital to provide recommended strategies for improving the workplace attributes as a way to promote nurses’ job satisfaction. The guiding question was “What are the attributes that promote nurses’ job satisfaction within the workplace?” Literature Review: Communication, relationships with physicians, and nursing involvement in decision making are workplace attributes discussed in the literature leading to job satisfaction. Nurses having autonomy and control over their work environment are also strong factors for satisfaction with the work environment. Methods: The project took place on both intensive care and progressive care units. The stakeholders were the nurse managers and directors of these units and the CNO of the organization. A Google Form was developed to administer the questionnaire and participants were invited via email. SMART objectives were created, partially met, with one being delayed. The PDSA framework relates to change theory in planning, implementing, and evaluating the project. Data were collected via the NWI-R as the instrument. The capstone project was reviewed by the IRB and deemed as a quality improvement project. Results: The outcome of this quality improvement project was to identify strategies as recommendations, which included implementing task forces for nurse's involvement in controlling costs, employee forums increased to bi-monthly, twice monthly informal CNO rounding, maintaining a culture of safety, and professional/career development opportunities with improved marketing. Recommendations were given via a flyer and presentation. Conclusion: The project's outcomes supported the guiding question, in that we learned work attributes that scored higher on job satisfaction, which were also supported in the literature. Initially, stakeholders should focus on the most influential recommendations provided and create SMART goals as a framework to implement strategies going forward.Item Using a Checklist as a Strategy to Reduce Errors During the Administration of High Alert Continuous Intravenous Medications(Bryan College of Health Sciences, 2020-12-09) Gowan, Christine; Schwartz, Lindsay; Buchholtz, AbbiPurpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to create a medication safety checklist for high alert medications (HAMs) to be used by nurses during any patient handoff, and to evaluate its effectiveness. Will the implementation of a checklist, to be completed at all nurse to nurse handoffs, improve patient safety by decreasing the risk of HAM errors compared to not using a checklist or other double check processes? Literature Review: Reason’s Swiss cheese model of accident causation likens failures that occur on human and systematic levels to a stack of Swiss cheese slices. Research supports that when nurses do not utilize double check systems to their full potential, errors occur and negatively impact patients. Utilizing a medication safety checklist can aid in the reduction of errors by adding an additional layer of defense. Methods: After IRB review of the quality improvement (QI) project the stakeholders granted permission to begin the project. The stakeholders were managers of two ICUs in the Midwest. A checklist and survey were provided to bedside nurses. The checklist was utilized for HAMs at all nurse handoffs. Nurses also answered a short survey regarding their experience with the checklist. Completed forms were kept in a secure folder. Results: Three errors were identified by the checklist. Results showed that 81.5% of participants felt that the checklist helped improve patient safety. In total, 96.2% of participants felt that the checklist was easy to use. Some felt that the checklist added to their workload. We recommend stakeholders implement the checklist into the current workflow. Stakeholders received results via email along with a visual aid for them to use at their discretion. Conclusions: The utilization of a checklist as a double check is a valuable tool to help reduce or prevent patient harm and aids in positive patient outcomes.Item Exploring the Transitions of Student Veterans Who Have Experienced a Traumatic Event While Serving in the Military Then Attended a Nursing Program(2021) Warren, JessicaThe purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the transition of student veterans who have experienced a traumatic event while serving in the military then attended a nursing program. Schlossberg’s Transitional Theory was used as a theoretical framework. The research methodology of phenomenology was utilized for this study. Five student veteran participants completed interviews via Zoom and shared experiences about their transition through nursing school. Data was analyzed using Tesch’s eight steps. The participants’ experiences generated themes of: Transitional Barriers, Transitional Support, Personal Growth, and Driving Forces. Student veterans who experience a traumatic event while in the military are often faced with numerous challenges. Overall, the participants expressed several barriers and obstacles that they encountered while in their nursing program. The participants also expressed different types of support that allowed them to preserver despite the challenges they faced. Based upon the findings of this study, there is a need for more awareness of student veterans and the unique support services they may require while in a nursing program. The results of this study also suggest a need for additional training of nursing faculty and staff concerning student veterans and their unique needs.