Advancing long term care: central European perspectives.

Item does not contain fulltext1 september 201

A new complex ternary phase in the Al-Cr-Sc push-pull alloy

International audienceThe purpose of this study is to find new ternary intermetallic compounds within the Al-Cr-Sc system, which is typical of a push-pull system in which two constituents (Cr and Sc) are immiscible, whilst they form compounds, respectively, with the third constituent (Al). By arc-melting of the three components aluminium (Al), chromium (Cr) and scandium (Sc) under inert atmosphere, a range of different alloys was produced. The microstructure was observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the phase compositions were analysed by electron dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The samples were measured with X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy. The results were confirmed by Rietveld refinement. Three different phases were found in the microstructure of the samples, the two known binary phases Al 16 Cr 10 and Al 3 Sc and a new ternary phase coined f-Al 8 Cr 4 Sc. f-Al 8 Cr 4 Sc showed great similarities to other Al 8 Cr 4 RE compounds with tetragonal I4/mmm crystal structure. Starting from the structure of already known Al 8 Cr 4 RE crystals, ab initio calculations were performed to determine the crystallographic parameters of f-Al 8 Cr 4 Sc and also to investigate its electronic structure, which identified the energy band factor as the key factor that determines the stability of this compound. The lattice parameters and atomic positions were found in good agreement with the ones obtained by Rietveld refinement. Experimental atomic resolution high-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) image analysis of the f-Al 8 Cr 4 Sc phase confirmed the predicted atomic model

Nursing student profiles and occurrence of early academic failure: findings from an explorative European study

Background: In the European context regulated by the Bologna Process principles, there is little evidence to date on the different profiles, if any, of nursing students enrolled in the 1st academic year and their academic outcomes. Aims: To describe and compare the nursing student profiles and their academic outcomes at the end of the 1st year across European Bachelor of Nursing Science (BNS) courses. Design: An exploratory multicentre cohort study involving five countries: Nursing students who were enrolled in nursing programmes for the academic year 2011/2012 in the participating BNS courses, willing to participate and regularly admitted to the 2nd academic year, were included in this study undertaken in 2013. Individual and faculty level variables were collected after having ensured the validity of the tools developed in English and then appropriately translated into the language of each participating country. Findings: A total of 378/710 (53.2%) students participated in the study. They attended from 390 to 810 h of lessons, while clinical experience ranged from 162 to 536 h. The students reported a mean average age of 21.4 (Confidence of Interval [CI] 95%, 21.0-22.3) and foreign students were limited in number (on average 3.7%). The students reported adopting mainly individual learning strategies (92.9%), duplicating notes or lecture notes prepared by professors (74.4%), and concentrating their study before exams (74.6%). The majority reported experiencing learning difficulties (49.7%) and a lack of academic support (84.9%). Around 33.2% reported economic difficulties and the need to work while studying nursing on average for 24 h/week. Personal expectations regarding the nursing role were different (45.6%) than the role encountered during the 1st year, as learning workloads were higher (57.2%) with regard to expectations. Around one-third of students reported the intention to leave nursing education while the proportion of those reporting early academic failure was on average 5.6%. Conclusions: More strategies aimed at harmonising nursing education across Europe, at supporting nursing students' learning processes during 1st year, and identifying factors influencing their intention to leave and their academic failure, are recommended

Teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing curricula in six European countries\u2014A descriptive study

Background: Teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) in nursing education varies among nurse educators and universities. Lack of nurses' knowledge and skills are among the barriers commonly associated with the limited use of EBP in practice. Objectives: To describe the presence, characteristics and content of courses of EBP in nursing bachelor's, master's, and PhD programs in six European countries. Design: A descriptive study design was employed. Settings: The study was implemented as part of the EBP e-Toolkit Project as a strategic partnership of six European higher education institutions from six countries in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme. Participants: Census sampling (N = 225) was used. A total of 162 (72%) faculties responded from the following countries: Spain (79), Italy (44), the Czech Republic (15), Poland (12), Greece (7), and Slovenia (5). Methods: Three structured instruments were developed by using the consensus development panel. The research was conducted from December 2018 to March 2019. For names of subjects, a manual narrative Template Analysis was used with open descriptive coding. Results: Subjects in \u201cEBP in Nursing or Health Care\u201d are included in 45 (29.2%) bachelor's programs, mostly worth 180 European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits, 30 (28%) master's, and 6 (40%) PhD programs. In bachelor's programs, an average of 134 h are spent teaching EBP steps, followed by 127 h in master's programs and 52 h in PhD programs. EBP subjects have different focuses: clear topics in EBP, development of research knowledge, awareness of the need for evidence-based clinical work, and understanding the needs of the profession. Conclusions: Teaching EBP is not yet sufficiently integrated into nursing curricula. For more efficient integration, guidelines on the standardization of teaching approaches and content have to be developed in all three cycles of higher education. Further research is needed on the implementation of teaching at master's and PhD levels of nursing curricula

Providing a teaching and learning open and innovative toolkit for evidence-based practice to nursing European curriculum (EBP e-Toolkit): Project rationale and design

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an instrument of great utility in making clinical decisions in nursing care, improving the quality of nursing care and patients\u2019 health outcomes. There is no European framework for EBP competency, and no guidelines for EBP teaching. The general concept of the project \u2018Providing a Teaching and Learning Open and Innovative Toolkit for Evidence-based Practice to Nursing European Curriculum: (EBP e-Toolkit)\u2019 is to fill this gap in Nursing education across Europe and to foster and harmonize the teaching and learning of EBP in the European nursing curricula and to produce the acquisition of EBP competence earlier in professional life. The project is organized along four major outputs, and a dissemination and sustainability plan has been set up. A mixed method research constitutes the main methodological approach applied in the project. This methodology requires the active participation of all research groups, partners, steering committee, nursing students, and educators, in the project. The use of the EBP e-Toolkit will increase nurses\u2019 and nursing students\u2019 level of EBP competence by formulating specific guidelines to be implemented in EBP teaching

Core Evidence-Based Practice Competencies and Learning Outcomes for European Nurses: Consensus Statements

Background: Consensus on evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies and associated learning outcomes for registered nurses has not yet been achieved in the European context. Aims: To establish a set of core EBP competencies for nurses and the most important EBP learning outcomes encompassing attitudes, knowledge, and skills dimensions for implementation into nursing education in European countries. Methods: A multi-phase modified Delphi survey was conducted: Phase 1, a literature review; Phase 2, a two-round consensus of experts; and Phase 3, a Delphi survey. Experts from six European countries participated. Results: In Phase 1, 88 records were selected and 835 statements extracted, which were grouped according to the seven steps of EBP. After removing 157 duplicates, the remaining competencies (n = 678) were evaluated in Phase 2. Then, a two-round expert consensus was reached, with 24 competencies and 120 learning outcomes identified and divided into affective, cognitive, and skills domains. In Phase 3, based on a Delphi survey expert consensus, all evaluated statements were included in a final set of competencies and learning outcomes. Only two learning outcomes were recommended for allocation to a different domain, and four were reformulated as suggested, with no further changes to the others. Linking Evidence to Action: The set of EBP competencies and learning outcomes can guide nurse educators, managers, and EBP stakeholders in the development of content that incorporates EBP knowledge, skills, and attitudes into educational programs. Prioritizing the EBP competencies and learning outcomes that are most necessary and adapting them to every context will provide healthcare organizations with guidelines for enhancing the continuing education of nurses. These results could facilitate the development of effective tools for assessing nursing students’ and nurses’ perception of competencies required for EBP processes