Learning preferences of Enrolled Nursing students: Educational preparation and training for workplace readiness

In Australia there are two entry levels in nursing: the Registered Nurse (RN) and the Enrolled Nurse (EN). Nursing education research is predominately focused on higher education for Registered Nurses and postgraduate nursing students; as a result, the educational preferences of Enrolled Nursing students in the vocational education and training (VET) setting have not been identified. Enrolled Nursing students have some distinct educational needs as they transition through education into the workforce due to their diversity in learner characteristics and backgrounds. As the role of this group continues to expand in the workplace to meet the demands of the health workforce, attention to the educational preparation of this cohort of learners is relevant and timely. This requires identifying targeted educational strategies to support learner preferences for the planning and delivery of education to these students. A qualitative research study using focus groups was undertaken to identify specific learner preferences for teaching modalities among Enrolled Nursing students in a Diploma of Nursing program. A thematic analysis of the data identified the following five main themes: a variety of teaching and assessment methods; educator-directed or guided learning; practical application and simulated learning; face-to-face learning; and closer integration of theory to clinical practicum. The main focus of these learners was preparation for workplace settings. The findings have implications for education strategies in the diploma program, in terms of planning the program structure and its delivery; teaching and learning methods; educator development; development of practical and clinical skills; experiential learning; and the promotion of skills for independent and lifelong learning, the latter being essential preparation for professional nursing practice

Perspectives on the implementation of health informatics curricula frameworks

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the necessity of equipping health professionals with knowledge and skills to effectively use digital technology for healthcare delivery. However, questions persist about the best approach to effectively educate future health professionals for this. A workshop at the 15th Nursing Informatics International Congress explored this issue. To report findings from an international participatory workshop exploring pre-registration informatics implementation experiences. A virtual workshop was held using whole and small group interactive methods aiming to 1) showcase international examples of incorporating health informatics into pre-registration education; 2) highlight essential elements and considerations for integrating health informatics into curricula; 3) identify integration models of health informatics; 4) identify core learning objectives, resources, and faculty capabilities for teaching informatics; and 5) propose curriculum evaluation strategies. The facilitators' recorded data and written notes were content analysed. Fourteen participants represented seven countries and a range of educational experiences. Four themes emerged: 1) Design: scaffolding digital health and technology capabilities; 2) Development: interprofessional experience of and engagement with digital health technology capabilities; 3) implementation strategies; and 4) Evaluation: multifaceted, multi-stakeholder evaluation of curricula. These themes were used to propose an implementation framework. Workshop findings emphasise global challenges in integrating health informatics into curricula. While course development approaches may appear linear, the learner-centred implementation framework based on workshop findings, advocates for a more cyclical approach. Iterative evaluation involving stakeholders, such as health services, will ensure that health professional education is progressive and innovative. The proposed implementation framework serves as a roadmap for successful health informatics implementation into health professional curricula. Prioritising engagement with health services and digital health industry is essential to ensure the relevance of implemented informatics curricula for the future workforce, acknowledging the variability in placement experiences and their influence on informatics exposure, experience, and learning

Integrating Health Informatics into Pre-Registration Nursing Education: Insights from a Participatory Workshop.

The implementation of health informatics in pre-registration health professional degrees faces persistent challenges, including curriculum overload, educator workforce capability gaps, and financial constraints. Despite these barriers, reports of successful implementation of health informatics pre-registration nursing programs exist. A virtual workshop was held during thein 15th International Nursing Informatics Conference in 2021 with the aim to explore successful implementation strategies for incorporating health informatics into the nursing curriculum to meet the accreditation standards. This paper reports recommendations from the workshop emphasising the importance academic-clinical partnerships to develop innovative approaches to enhance theof capacity of academic teams and access to contemporary point of care digital technologies that reflect applications of health informatics in interdisciplinary clinical settings

Rapid Review: What are the barriers and enablers for implementation of clinical practice guidelines in maternity and neonatal settings related to pregnancy, labour and post-partum care?

The objective of this rapid review is to gather evidence-based information related to barriers and enablers for implementation or translation of clinical practice guidelines (CPG) or recommendations into practice in maternity and neonatal settings. The aim is to identify potential factors that act as facilitators and obstacles for guideline implementation in maternity and neonatal settings related to pregnancy, labour and post-partum care

Learning preferences of enrolled nursing students: a qualitative study

In Australia there are two entry levels in nursing, Registered Nurse (RN) and Enrolled Nurse (EN). Whilst much of the focus of nursing education research is attentive to RN and postgraduate nursing students (higher education), the educational preferences of EN students has not been recognised or identified previously. EN students in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) setting as learners have unique educational needs. As learners, EN students are diverse in terms of learner characteristics and background. Despite these important considerations there does not appear to be the targeted attention in educational learning methodology to support learner preferences in the planning and delivery of nursing education for EN students. This research identifies specific learner preferences for teaching modalities among EN students in the Diploma of Nursing program. A qualitative research methodology using an explorative descriptive approach in the naturalistic setting has been adopted for this study. The study was set in a private Registered Training Organisation (RTO). Data was collected through focus group discussions with data analysis involving a thematic framework. Five main themes were identified through the thematic analysis; variety of teaching and assessment methods, educator directed or guided learning, practical application and simulated learning, face to face learning and closer integration of theory to clinical practicum. This research recognises specific learning needs of EN students from the learner's perspective. The knowledge generated from this study will help guide future planning strategies in teaching and learning education for the Diploma of Nursing (EN) program

Learning preferences of enrolled nursing students: a qualitative study

In Australia there are two entry levels in nursing, Registered Nurse (RN) and Enrolled Nurse (EN). Whilst much of the focus of nursing education research is attentive to RN and postgraduate nursing students (higher education), the educational preferences of EN students has not been recognised or identified previously. EN students in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) setting as learners have unique educational needs. As learners, EN students are diverse in terms of learner characteristics and background. Despite these important considerations there does not appear to be the targeted attention in educational learning methodology to support learner preferences in the planning and delivery of nursing education for EN students. This research identifies specific learner preferences for teaching modalities among EN students in the Diploma of Nursing program. A qualitative research methodology using an explorative descriptive approach in the naturalistic setting has been adopted for this study. The study was set in a private Registered Training Organisation (RTO). Data was collected through focus group discussions with data analysis involving a thematic framework. Five main themes were identified through the thematic analysis; variety of teaching and assessment methods, educator directed or guided learning, practical application and simulated learning, face to face learning and closer integration of theory to clinical practicum. This research recognises specific learning needs of EN students from the learner's perspective. The knowledge generated from this study will help guide future planning strategies in teaching and learning education for the Diploma of Nursing (EN) program