Quality and Safety Education for Nurses

Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) addresses the challenge of preparing nurses with the competencies necessary to continuously improve the quality and safety of the health care systems in which they work. The QSEN faculty members adapted the Institute of Medicine competencies for nursing (patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics), proposing definitions that could describe essential features of what it means to be a competent and respected nurse. Using the competency definitions, the authors propose statements of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) for each competency that should be developed during pre-licensure nursing education. Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) faculty and advisory board members invite the profession to comment on the competencies and their definitions and on whether the KSAs for pre-licensure education are appropriate goals for students preparing for basic practice as a registered nurse

Parental Expectations for a Child with a Birth Defect.

Previous research findings indicate that some parents who have a child with a birth defect attribute greater consequences to a child's physical or psychological well-being than are warranted by the actual birth defect. These inaccurate assumptions may affect parenting styles and consequently the course of a child's development thus creating the conditions for a self-fulfilling prophecy. Parent knowledge about the defect (knowledge) and parental perception of professional support for the feelings engendered in birthing a child with a defect (professional support) appear to be important in the development of parental perceptions regarding the effect of the defect on the child's future development. A cross sectional design was used to gather data from two groups of parents, 27 couples who had a child with hypospadius and 30 couples who had a child with cleft lip/palate. Investigator developed questionnaires were used to ascertain parental perception of professional teaching and support in the immediate post-partum period, current knowledge about the defect, and parental expectations regarding the effect of the child's birth defect on the child's life. Parents in the cleft group were told sooner and were together more often when told the diagnosis than parents in the hypospadius group. Couples in the cleft group reported receiving significantly more teaching and support in the immediate post-partum period from health professionals than couples in the hypospadius group. Mothers and fathers in both groups believed the defect would have some effect on their children's lives although mothers in both groups generally believed the defect would have less of an effect than fathers. Spouse expectations, years of formal education and elements of support positively influenced the accuracy of male expectations for their children. For female groups, elements of knowledge were components for both groups. Further exploration of these relationships and replication with couples who have infants with different birth defects is necessary before a more specific theoretical model can be posited.Ph.D.NursingUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/160262/1/8502761.pd

Newly Licensed RN Retention: Hospital and Nurse Characteristics.

ObjectivesThe aims of this study were to examine the relationship between 1-year retention of newly licensed RNs (NLRNs) employed in hospitals and personal and hospital characteristics, and determine which characteristics had the most influence.MethodsA secondary analysis of data collected in a study of transition to practice was used to describe the retention of 1464 NLRNs employed by 97 hospitals in 3 states. Hospitals varied in size, location (urban and rural), Magnet® designation, and university affiliation. The NLRNs also varied in education, age, race, gender, and experience.ResultsThe overall retention rate at 1 year was 83%. Retention of NLRNs was higher in urban areas and in Magnet hospitals. The only personal characteristic that affected retention was age, with younger nurses more likely to stay.ConclusionHospital characteristics had a larger effect on NLRN retention than personal characteristics. Hospitals in rural areas have a particular challenge in retaining NLRNs

Newly Licensed RN Retention: Hospital and Nurse Characteristics.

ObjectivesThe aims of this study were to examine the relationship between 1-year retention of newly licensed RNs (NLRNs) employed in hospitals and personal and hospital characteristics, and determine which characteristics had the most influence.MethodsA secondary analysis of data collected in a study of transition to practice was used to describe the retention of 1464 NLRNs employed by 97 hospitals in 3 states. Hospitals varied in size, location (urban and rural), Magnet® designation, and university affiliation. The NLRNs also varied in education, age, race, gender, and experience.ResultsThe overall retention rate at 1 year was 83%. Retention of NLRNs was higher in urban areas and in Magnet hospitals. The only personal characteristic that affected retention was age, with younger nurses more likely to stay.ConclusionHospital characteristics had a larger effect on NLRN retention than personal characteristics. Hospitals in rural areas have a particular challenge in retaining NLRNs