Mentoring has been proposed as a human resource strategy to encourage recruitment and retention of nurses in Canada. However, very little research exists related to mentoring in nursing. The purpose of this study was to describe the mentoring perceptions of acute care, clinical registered nurses based on their years of nursing practice, age, gender, and education level. A descriptive correlational design was performed on an analysis of a subset of the pre-workshop data gathered as part of the research of Ferguson, Myrick, and Yonge (2006). The conceptual framework used to structure the research questions was Benners Novice to Expert model (Benner, 1984; Benner, Tanner, & Chesla, 1996). The main research question related to the relationship between nursing experience level and mentoring perceptions. More specifically, what is the relationship between age, years of nursing practice, education level, gender, and mentoring perceptions including perceived costs and benefits to mentoring, willingness to mentor, mentoring functions of coworkers, and satisfaction with current mentoring relationships? This research established that age, years of nursing practice on the current unit, and education level had some impact on mentoring perceptions. Older nurses believed that the mentor played a greater psychosocial function in the mentorship than did younger nurses. Nurses with fewer years of practice on their current unit perceived fewer costs to mentoring, were more satisfied with their mentor, and were more willing to mentor. Previous experience as a protégé positively impacted mentoring perceptions. Nurses with prior mentoring experience were more willing to mentor. There were no significant differences between nurses with diplomas or degrees as their basic or highest level of education in nursing and mentoring perceptions. Nurses with a baccalaureate degree in another discipline perceived more benefits to mentoring than their diploma-prepared colleagues. No significant differences were noted when comparing gender with mentoring perceptions. The results of this study will provide healthcare organizations with a deeper understanding of mentoring perceptions and mentorships. From the knowledge acquired by this study, organizations can better encourage and endorse formal and informal mentoring in acute care environments. Retention and recruitment of registered nurses can be facilitated through support for mentoring.

Mentoring has been proposed as a human resource strategy to encourage recruitment and retention of nurses in Canada. However, very little research exists related to mentoring in nursing. The purpose of this study was to describe the mentoring perceptions of acute care, clinical registered nurses based on their years of nursing practice, age, gender, and education level. A descriptive correlational design was performed on an analysis of a subset of the pre-workshop data gathered as part of the research of Ferguson, Myrick, and Yonge (2006). The conceptual framework used to structure the research questions was Benners Novice to Expert model (Benner, 1984; Benner, Tanner, & Chesla, 1996). The main research question related to the relationship between nursing experience level and mentoring perceptions. More specifically, what is the relationship between age, years of nursing practice, education level, gender, and mentoring perceptions including perceived costs and benefits to mentoring, willingness to mentor, mentoring functions of coworkers, and satisfaction with current mentoring relationships? This research established that age, years of nursing practice on the current unit, and education level had some impact on mentoring perceptions. Older nurses believed that the mentor played a greater psychosocial function in the mentorship than did younger nurses. Nurses with fewer years of practice on their current unit perceived fewer costs to mentoring, were more satisfied with their mentor, and were more willing to mentor. Previous experience as a protégé positively impacted mentoring perceptions. Nurses with prior mentoring experience were more willing to mentor. There were no significant differences between nurses with diplomas or degrees as their basic or highest level of education in nursing and mentoring perceptions. Nurses with a baccalaureate degree in another discipline perceived more benefits to mentoring than their diploma-prepared colleagues. No significant differences were noted when comparing gender with mentoring perceptions. The results of this study will provide healthcare organizations with a deeper understanding of mentoring perceptions and mentorships. From the knowledge acquired by this study, organizations can better encourage and endorse formal and informal mentoring in acute care environments. Retention and recruitment of registered nurses can be facilitated through support for mentoring.

Registered Nurses (RNs) have a history of policy leadership that has altered the health care system and the profession. The purpose of the qualitative inquiry was to describe the experiences of six select Saskatchewan formal Registered Nurse leaders (RNLs) in policy. Through open-ended interviews and letters, personal experiences were interpreted using content analysis. The researcher identified key ideas from the interview data and requested a reflective letter expanding or clarifying the chosen text, serving to enhance triangulation and member-checking of personal transcripts. Meaningful patterns and/or similarities describing three themes of values, vision, and career paths emerged from the textual data. The coding framework evolved into ten categories describing individual experiences, such as mentoring, change management, and work-life balance. Three RNLs described how they wished more RNs were involved in policy, as they believed that RNs could harness more power in policy processes. Five RNLs told stories about how graduate education influenced their thinking and they gained appreciation for leading action on policy issues.<p> The qualitative data were presented in categories for discussion. One RNL described how organizational structures may a limiting factor to RNs participation in policy. Implications and recommendations of the findings are outlined for education, practice, administration, research, and policy. Findings are relevant for professional, health care, and government organizations, as well as education programs. Relevance may be found by individual practitioners considering a leadership role, to assist in informing potential career paths.

More patients are turning to the Internet as a source of health information. Nurses occupy the frontline of healthcare and must have information literacy (IL) competencies to guide themselves and their patients to the correct and appropriate health information on the Internet. Within magnet hospitals, which are exemplars for excellent nursing practice, there is an increased emphasis on evidence based practice and research, which requires IL. Exploring IL at magnet hospitals was reasonable considering such competence is promoted. Previous research indicates that nurses lack IL competencies which are necessary to inform their patients and impact healthcare but many studies rely on self-report measures. The purpose of this research study was to objectively measure the information literacy competencies of registered nurses at magnet hospitals, specifically their competencies in accessing and evaluating electronic health information, self-perception of information literacy, reliance on browsing the Internet for health information (versus libraries), and the relationship among these competencies. A convenient sample of 120 registered nurses, at four magnet hospitals, all components of a single healthcare organization, completed the Research Readiness Self-Assessment—Nurse (RRSA-Nurse), an interactive online instrument and a demographic data form. Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlation, and regression statistical methods. Nurses employed at magnet hospitals had a high ability to access and evaluate health information and high overall IL. Their self-perception in their abilities to access and evaluate health information was high and a majority did not rely on browsing the Internet for health information. Seven variables were significantly correlated to overall information literacy including role, graduate prepared nursing education, ability to access health information, ability to evaluate health information, library and research experience, contact with library staff, and library use. Nurses who were not reliant on browsing the Internet for health information and those with a graduate prepared nursing education had higher information literacy. Further research is necessary to explore qualities within magnet hospitals that contribute to the promotion of information literacy competencies in nurses. Understanding these qualities may assist with the development of interventions to increase information literacy among practicing nurses. / text

The moral distress experiences of Registered Nurses who work in non-acute, continuing care settings were examined using qualitative methods. Previous research suggests that in general, nurses experience moral distress when they are not able to pursue actions in accordance with their moral conscience. Moral distress in nurses is expressed negatively in both the nurses’ professional and personal lives. However, most research on moral distress among nurses has focused on acute care settings. Registered Nurse participants were recruited from non-acute continuing care settings and described their experiences of moral conflict and distress. Particular attention was placed on the nurses’ experiences and reactions to their experience. The findings from this study indicated that as in other settings, moral distress is present in Registered Nurses practicing in non-acute continuing care. The nurses’ practicing in non-acute continuing care settings experienced moral distress after facing a barrier to their moral conscience involving organizational functioning, end of life decisions, patient advocacy, and resource utilization. Nurses experienced feelings including powerlessness, concern, regret, disappointment, suspicion of others, and feeling devalued. Future studies may focus further on the subspecialties in the non-acute continuing care sector. Research on strategies to resolve moral distress and research on the effectiveness of current interventions to combat moral distress among Registered Nurses in this setting should be pursued. / Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2009-09-01 10:02:08.043

Purpose: Describe the perceptions of military registered nurses (RNs) on being prepared to provide nursing care during a deployment. Background: Injuries sustained by war are different from trauma-related injuries occurring within the Unites States. Nurses who provide care during overseas deployment encounter patients with poly-trauma, multiple and highly complex injuries; consequently, this type of nursing requires strong clinical skills beyond what is required in stateside facilities. Additionally, military nurses undergo intense stress related to overseas deployment in a war zone. In fact, military medical providers have one of the highest rates of post-traumatic stress post-deployment. Methods: This project employed a qualitative, case study approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with military RNs who worked as nurses during overseas deployment. A script was developed to guide the interview, and further discussion stemmed from participant responses. Recorded interviews were transcribed into text and analyzed for commonalities. Findings: Five military nurses who previously provided nursing care during overseas employment participated in this study. Commonalities included the realization that higher acuity injuries are seen in a deployed setting versus a military stateside hospital. Participants also shared fears that they would not be prepared enough to provide excellent patient care. Another commonality was not knowing how to prepare for an unknown experience. A positive commonality was the sense of pride expressed by the participants regarding their military service and deployment experience. All participants outlined what they had learned and what might have helped them to better prepare for deployment. Unanimously, more clinically relevant training was recommended. The participants shared that they had grown and changed from their deployment experience. Implications: All five participants felt a gap in perceived adequate pre-deployment preparation. They believed they lacked the training to care for the high acuity patients they would encounter during overseas deployment; this shook their self-confidence and caused them to worry about being an effective team member. Military preparedness programs should be expanded to include skills and knowledge relevant to nursing in high acuity, hostile environments. Research looking at the personal preparations, specifically mental and emotional, of military members may be helpful in determining any links between mental resilience and the development of PTSD.

Thesis title: Registered partnership "his diplom- thesis -ddresses the su je t of registered p-rtnershipF "his theme is urrently very topi -l even though the egistered -rtnership e t w-s -dopted ten ye-rs -goD espe i-lly the rights -nd o lig-tions of registered p-rtners -re widely dis ussedF "his thesis des ri es the pro ess th-t pre eded the in orpor-tion of the institution of registered p-rtnership into the legisl-tion of the gze h epu li F in e the institution of registered p-rtnership is -ssigned to homosexu-lsD this thesis -lso outlines the evolution of the per eption of homosexu-lityF "he m-in p-rt of this thesis is dedi -ted to the urrent legisl-tion of the gze h epu li F sn spite of the f- t th-t the v-st m-jority of so iety toler-tes homosexu-lity -nd now-d-ys homosexu-lity is onsidered -s sexu-l orient-tion whi h is equiv-lent to heterosexu-l orient-tionD it is o vious th-t s-me sex ouples -re still don¡t h-ve the s-me -mount of rights -s ouples heterosexu-lF "he (rst hint of this inequ-lity of registered p-rtners -nd spouses is the f- t th-t -lthough the new ivil ode re odi(es the ivil l-wD it does not in lude the institution of registered p-rtnership whi h is thus regul-ted sep-r-telyF purthermore the rights gu-r-nteed to the registered p-rtners -nd their o lig-tions -re...

Magister Curationis - MCur / Background: Mental illness has become more common than many other diseases such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes. Aggression or violence by patients towards psychiatric nurses is a global issue. These nurses, therefore, face the huge challenge of providing nursing care to aggressive psychiatric patients. Without the necessary knowledge and skills, the nurses are vulnerable to all kinds of injuries, given the time spent managing aggressive patients. Purpose and objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine the level of knowledge and skills that professional nurses possess to manage the aggression of psychiatric patients. The objective of the study was to ascertain whether the knowledge and skills of professional nurses were sufficient to manage aggressive psychiatric patients. Method: A quantitative approach and descriptive design was used to conduct this study at a Psychiatric Hospital in the Western Cape, South Africa. The target population consisted of 149 professional nurses employed at the Psychiatric Hospital. The sample for the study was all-inclusive i.e. all professional nurses employed at the hospital. Only 70 participants were available for the study. Structured questionnaires were distributed to the participants for data collection and the response rate was 77% (n=54). Data analysis was done with the aid of a statistician using a Statistical Package for Social Science, version 22, and nominal as well as ordinal data was analysed using descriptive analysis. The process and purpose of the study was explained to the participants, who gave their consent, prior to the distributing of the questionnaires. The researcher obtained permission from the necessary authorities before commencing with the study. Findings: The study found that nurses were more likely to be exposed to verbal aggression as opposed to sexual aggression. It also revealed that nurses with less years of experience had more knowledge than their counterparts who had more years of experience in same position. Furthermore, the study revealed that those who had training in aggression management reported that the training did not meet their needs. Overall, the findings revealed that nurses had a fair knowledge of managing aggressive psychiatric patients. The overall findings also revealed that professional nurses had the required skills to manage aggressive patients. Recommendations: There is a need for on-going in-service training and refresher courses in the management of aggression. There should also be a needs analysis before commencing with these training courses which should be made compulsory for all staff to attend. Further studies should be conducted on the different categories of nurses, and other disciplines within nursing, to ascertain their knowledge of the management of aggression. Qualitative studies should also be conducted on nurses‟ experience of aggression in different settings.

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