Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the impact of applying the anchored teaching mode with nursing interns on the cardiac surgery intensive care unit (CSICU). METHOD: A total of 110 interns were divided into a control group (taught through traditional methods) and an experimental group (taught using the anchored teaching mode). The anchored mode, emphasizing student-centered learning, included creating scenarios, identifying problems, using self-directed and collaborative learning, and evaluating outcomes...

For the novice nurse researcher, identifying a clinical researchable problem may be simple, but discerning an appropriate research approach may be daunting. What are the differences among quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, and triangulation research? Which method is applicable for the study one wants to conduct? This article discusses the two main research traditions (quantitative and qualitative) and the differences and similarities in methods for front-line nurses. It simplifies and clarifies how the reader might enhance the rigor of the research study by using mixed methods or triangulation...

BACKGROUND: Nurse educators are experiencing a vocational crisis, and the unsustainable rate at which nurses are leaving the profession impacts the health of the nation. Nurse educators, including academic and professional development faculty and preceptors, need skills to manage the complex academic and clinical environments. This article describes the development of a course for nurse educators and preceptors around Stoicism and cognitive strategies, describes the perceived takeaways of one group of learners who experienced the course, and offers recommendations for the use of this content...

BACKGROUND: Despite the efforts of academic nursing educators to prepare students to make sound clinical judgments, the literature suggests new graduate nurse (NGN) competence with this critical skill continues to decline. This study sought to identify how practicing nurses describe their observations of the use and outcomes of clinical judgment by NGNs in nursing practice. METHOD: A multisite, cross-sectional survey using multiple-choice, Likert scale, and open response items to identify participants' observations of NGN clinical judgment was sent with snowball sampling and resulted in a sample of 314 participants from 19 U...

BACKGROUND: This article provides nursing educators practical tips and evidence-based strategies for effective construction of multiple-choice questions (MCQs). Well-designed MCQs that align with the intended learning objectives are critical for implementing sound assessment practices. METHOD: This article offers a step-by-step approach to test construction, starting with the assessment blueprint and followed by important considerations when writing the specific components of the MCQ...

BACKGROUND: Qualitative analysis can be a daunting and time-consuming task for those who are attempting to code qualitative data for the first time. METHOD: This article presents select secondary data analysis from a previously published study to demonstrate the applicability and usefulness of implementing a logic model approach to provide a framework for qualitative analysis. RESULTS: The use of the logic model provided systematic organization during the analysis process, efficiency for analytical tasks, and enhanced trustworthiness by documenting each analysis step...

BACKGROUND: This study provides an analysis of the concept of nurse faculty job satisfaction. METHOD: Walker and Avant's (2019) eight-step method guided this analysis. Searches of the CINAHL, PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane databases were performed with the following terms: faculty , nursing , nurs* faculty , nurs* educator , job satisfaction , work satisfaction , and employee satisfaction . Thirty-seven articles published between 2010 and 2022 in the field of nursing were included...

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality simulation (VRS) is an innovative modality in nursing professional development that has the potential to affect patient outcomes. METHOD: An experimental cluster randomized controlled trial was performed with RNs on two inpatient units at a large academic health system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of VRS compared with traditional education on Clostridium difficile rates. Return on investment of nursing professional development activities was also measured to support decision-making and resource allocation...

BACKGROUND: Person-centered care is critical to quality health care, but difficult to implement. This challenge is attributed to cultural factors derived from group values about work practices. Work-based educational interventions allow nurses to develop shared meanings of practice, in this case, promoting the value of person-centered care. METHOD: A 30-minute, work-based educational intervention incorporating reflection on videorecorded practice scenarios was evaluated with a quasi-experimental pre-post design...

BACKGROUND: A clinical preceptor (CP) provides the vital link to apply didactic learning in clinical practice for nurse practitioner (NP) students. A nationwide shortage of CPs continues. The goal of this pilot project was to evaluate a model for developing preceptors from the school of nursing alumni that addressed modifiable academic barriers to precepting. METHOD: Six NP alumni from the school of nursing participated in a comprehensive novice CP training program based on Kolb's experiential learning theory and unparalleled faculty support through regularly scheduled contact...

BACKGROUND: Traditional competency evaluations and manual tracking created a problem within one organization. Subjective competency assessments and inconsistent recordkeeping resulted in increased organizational costs. These factors increased the workload of nursing professional development (NPD) practitioners, leading to job dissatisfaction and turnover. METHOD: The project lead evaluated how implementing a digital competency management system (CMS) affected nurse training costs and assessed NPD practitioners' satisfaction after the digital CMS conversion...

BACKGROUND: As rates of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) reached pandemic levels in early 2020, the need for intensive care unit (ICU) nurses with mechanical ventilator knowledge increased. In response to the pandemic, hospital systems with limited resources reported moving ICU nurse educators to direct patient care roles and reassigning non-ICU nurses to work in the ICU. With fewer resources to educate non-ICU nurses and many newly assigned nurses reporting feeling unprepared for work in the ICU, the need for an accessible and scalable introduction to ICU nursing became clear...

BACKGROUND: Nurse professional development practitioners (NPDPs) support licensed nurses as they transition into practice. The NPDPs themselves benefit from opportunities to grow professionally in their role as educators. METHOD: A nursing school and hospital leadership pilot initiative was conducted to support staff development for NPDPs at a Midwestern health system. Four sessions were developed by academic educators and presented to NPDPs: educational theory, backward curricular design, active learning strategies, and assessment and evaluation principles...

BACKGROUND: Few studies have explored the potential educational value of immersive 360° video in continuing education. This study explored the potential value of immersive 360° video as an acceptable educational method in a continuing education module in nursing. METHOD: A convergent parallel mixed methods design was adopted. The setting was a nursing and midwifery school at a university. The 11 participants were RNs. Data were collected at three time points with surveys and focus groups...

BACKGROUND: Training in speaking up skills for nursing professionals provides the groundwork for promoting a culture of curiosity and inquiry. At the foundation of speaking up is psychological safety for team members to disagree, offer alternative ideas, and ask questions. METHOD: A large-scale training session, Finding Your Voice: Speaking Up & Listening Skills, was designed and delivered to 1,306 nurses at an academic medical center. RESULTS: Most participants reported that the session met the training goals (97%)...

BACKGROUND: Traumatic experiences can adversely affect a child's health. These effects often continue into adulthood, especially when trauma is not addressed. Although the evidence shows benefits with addressing trauma earlier in life, trauma-informed care of children is underused in primary care. Health care providers (nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians) report gaps in knowledge of trauma-informed care and in their comfort level addressing trauma in primary care. METHOD: This project investigated the use of continuing education sessions to increase health care providers' knowledge and readiness to implement trauma-informed care into their practice...

American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Accreditation in Nursing Continuing Professional Development (NCPD) emphasizes the importance of maintaining competence, ensuring patient safety, and supporting career advancement in nursing through learning and development. It underscores the shift toward competency-based and outcome-oriented education models, addressing challenges such as misconceptions about the demands of NCPD and focusing more on the impact. This column provides the "why" for organizations, leaders, and nurses to engage in ANCC accredited NCPD educational programs...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

One-on-one mentoring is not a fit for all transition to practice programs because of the need to recruit large numbers of mentors several times a year and the cost associated with supporting many mentor/mentee relationships. A group mentoring model is sustainable because it can foster a collaborative learning environment and emphasize knowledge sharing, skill acquisition, and emotional support within the group dynamic. Models can be replicated and applied in any setting. [ J Contin Educ Nurs. 2024;55(4):161-164...

The inaugural year of a doctoral nursing program is a challenging transition from a clinical practitioner to a scholarly expert. Drawing on personal and peer experiences, we offer a comprehensive guide for thriving in this transformative period. Covering crucial aspects such as work-life balance, time management, research skills, and self-care, we offer insights to empower future doctoral nursing students, equipping them to confidently navigate the challenges and emerge as successful scholars in the field. [ J Contin Educ Nurs...