Faculty Descriptions of the Student Preparation Phase in Undergraduate Nursing Simulation: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Simulation is being used for clinical experiences in many undergraduate nursing programs across the United States. With the widespread use of simulation, best-practices for design and implementation are important for faculty using this instructional method. The first phase, preparation, has not been investigated as thoroughly as the simulation and debriefing phases. When literature related to the student preparation phase was reviewed, a gap in the current knowledge related to the phase was identified. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe the student preparation phase of simulation in pre-licensure nursing programs in and around the Denver, Colorado area, from the perspective of nursing faculty currently teaching simulation in these programs as well as provide recommendations from the faculty for practice. The sample consisted of eight nursing faculty who volunteered to participate. Semi-structured interviews and observations were used to answer the following research questions: 1) How do faculty describe current practice in the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? 2) What are faculty perceptions of current practice in the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? 3) What are faculty recommendations for the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? 4) How do faculty currently refer to the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? 5) What term do faculty recommend to refer to the student preparation phase of the simulation experience? The results of the data analysis revealed five categories. Category 1: Student Preparation Phase describes the characteristics, elements and faculty role, Category 2: Spectrum of Preparation describes the range of preparation faculty can provide for students, Category 3: Faculty Insights describes faculty perceptions of current practice, Category 4: Learning along the Way describes the process faculty go through in learning about student preparation for simulation and Category 5: What’s in a name? describes the terminology used to refer to this phase

Uniformity of Food Protein Interpretation Amongst Dietitians for Patients with Phenylketonuria (PKU): 2020 UK National Consensus Statements.

In phenylketonuria (PKU), variable dietary advice provided by health professionals and social media leads to uncertainty for patients/caregivers reliant on accurate, evidence based dietary information. Over four years, 112 consensus statements concerning the allocation of foods in a low phenylalanine diet for PKU were developed by the British Inherited Metabolic Disease Dietitians Group (BIMDG-DG) from 34 PKU treatment centres, utilising 10 rounds of Delphi consultation to gain a majority (≥75%) decision. A mean of 29 UK dietitians (range: 18-40) and 18 treatment centres (range: 13-23) contributed in each round. Statements encompassed all foods/food groups divided into four categories based on defined protein/phenylalanine content: (1) foods high in protein/phenylalanine (best avoided); (2) foods allowed without restriction including fruit/vegetables containing phenylalanine ≤75 mg/100 g and most foods containing protein ≤0.5 g/100 g; (3) foods that should be calculated/weighed as an exchange food if they contain protein exchange ingredients (categorized into foods with a protein content of: >0.1 g/100 g (milk/plant milks only), >0.5 g/100 g (bread/pasta/cereal/flours), >1 g/100 g (cook-in/table-top sauces/dressings), >1.5 g/100 g (soya sauces)); and (4) fruit/vegetables containing phenylalanine >75 mg/100 g allocated as part of the protein/phenylalanine exchange system. These statements have been endorsed and translated into practical dietary management advice by the medical advisory dietitians for the National Society for PKU (NSPKU)