Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Nurse experiences'

Access to safe abortion care has been linked to better maternal and child health outcomes (Sedgh et al., 2012) and identified as essential for advancing women’s economic and social equality (Lang, 2013; Bengsch, 2015). Around the world, nurses, including nurse practitioners (NPs) and certified nurse midwives (CNMs), are integral members of the health care teams that provide care to women considering or electing to have an abortion. Evidence supports NPs and CNMs as safe and effective providers of comprehensive early abortion care, and acceptable to patients (Barnard, Kim, Park, & Ngo, 2015; Kallner et al., 2015; Weitz et al., 2013).

Currently in the United States (US), almost one million women have an induced abortion each year (Jones & Jerman, 2017). National abortion data reveal significant disparities in rates, and inequities in access (Jerman, Jones, & Onda, 2016). An inconsistent legal and regulatory landscape precludes NPs and CNMs from providing comprehensive abortion care in many states, including some where there are few providers. Vermont and New Hampshire comprise two of the four states where laws and practice regulations allow NPs and CNMs to perform aspiration abortion, and across New England. These advanced practice nurses (APRNs) are extensively involved in providing and managing the care of women undergoing medication abortion.

Little literature describes nurses’ experiences providing comprehensive early abortion care around the world, including in the US. The aim of this qualitative, exploratory, descriptive research study was to explore the experiences of NPs and CNMs who provide comprehensive early abortion care in New England. Data were collected through in-person individual interviews with seven NPs and one NP/CNM. Providing comprehensive early abortion care was generally a positive experience for most participants, though it did include challenges. Critical influences to becoming an NP or CNM who provided comprehensive early abortion care included the era in which participants came of age, values of their family of origin, exposure to feminism, reproductive rights and social justice during emerging adulthood, having a role model or mentor, and a personal experience of having an abortion were. Support at every level from interpersonal to societal was found to be a key enabling or constraining factor. Laws and regulations at the societal level were also noted to facilitate or impede abortion care provision by NPs and CNMs in the study. Finally, participants offered words of wisdom to others considering providing comprehensive early abortion care that ranged from clinical pearls to inspirational statements. They were universally encouraging in recommending this as a service to incorporate into clinical practice. This study has a number of implications for the future including the need for further research on NPs and CNMs experiences providing early abortion care in other regions of the US, and to remove state legislative and regulations that constrain practice for clinicians in this area of reproductive health care.

Incivility in the nursing literature is a term used to identify situations where distractions or discord invade the learning atmosphere. Nursing student incivility is an ongoing problem in nursing education and may cause disruption or conflict in the learning environment. Students deserve a learning environment free of distractions or harassment. Additionally, the instructor should be able to teach in a productive, positive learning environment.

Many researchers have examined the impact of incivility but the lived experience of male nurse educators has not been examined. This study examined incidents of incivility to study the lived experiences of male nurse educators, as well as the effect nursing student incivility has on pedagogy and job satisfaction.

A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to evaluate the data. Nine male nurse educators in the northeastern United States met the inclusion criteria for the study. Interviews were conducted and transcribed verbatim by the researcher. Codes were assigned and were analyzed into themes. Themes were used to describe and understand the lived experiences of male nurse educators who have experienced nursing student incivility.

The results of the study revealed that male nurse educators experienced many of the same uncivil events with the similar physical and emotional symptoms as found in previous studies. Intuitively, or through trial and error, the study participants implemented many of the comparable techniques to prevent or control student incivility as found in the literature. Where the study findings differed, though, was the aftermath of student incivility. Male nurse educators did not take the same ownership responsibility nor have as many physical and emotional symptoms as female nurse educators. Nursing student incivility did not impact job satisfaction or inspire any participant to leave nursing education. This study discovered that many of the male nurse educators acted as unofficial mentors to male nursing students to promote male student retention in the nursing profession.

These study findings provide a better understanding of the lived experiences of the male nurse educator who has experienced nursing student incivility. This information may be used by faculty and administrators to improve their understanding and management of nursing student incivility. The study results suggest a need for further research in the impact of a male nurse educator mentor on the retention and graduation of the male student nurse.

Faculty shortages are a primary obstacle to increasing the supply of potential nurses. Research indicates that few academically qualified nurses are choosing to work in faculty jobs. Among nurse faculty, reported turnover intention rates are high. Faculty departures for non-academic positions contribute to the growing shortage. The purpose of this research was to understand the faculty work experience and identify career decision factors from the perspective of former nurse faculty. The research was designed using Maxwell’s (2013) interactive model for qualitative research. The investigator purposefully selected a diverse sample of 12 participants who left academia for other employment. Data were collected with in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Analysis was inductive and used open coding, categorizing, and connecting strategies. Ten themes emerged to answer the research questions. Six themes described the nurse faculty work experience: (a) enjoyment of teaching role, (b) leadership quality, (c) collegial relationships, (d) work hours / workload, (e) career advancement and pay, and (f) student attitudes. The decision to change careers was shaped by two themes: (a) disenchantment, and (b) opportunity. Two themes summarized participant recommendations to make the faculty work experience more enticing: (a) improve compensation and (b) improve the work environment and organizational support. The results were interpreted using a conceptual model of determinants of nurse faculty career decisions.

This transcendental phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of novice clinical nurse educators’ role transition as an educator at a large, hospital system within the southwest region of the United States. The lived experiences and perceptions voiced by novice clinical nurse educator participants added a clear perspective of the phenomenon of role transition. Clinical nurse educators are hospital-based educators who educate and train new and experienced healthcare members. Novice clinical nurse educators are hospital-based educators new to the role with no prior experience as an educator. This study involved a purposive sampling of 15 novice clinical nurse educators employed at a large hospital system in the role for 2 1/2 years or less. Novice clinical nurse educator participants described their experiences in interviews using an open-ended, person-to-person, audiorecordings process. The theoretical framework guiding this study was Meleis’ transition theory on an individual’s journey from one phase of life to another. The modified van Kaam method of data analysis was used to review transcripts, create individual statements, and construct written-structural statements to synthesize the essences and meanings of experiences of role transition. Four themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) passion for professional development and teaching, (b) skills, knowledge, and attitude to be an educator, (c) organizational resources and support, and (d) challenges in the transition process. This study brings awareness of the challenges and issues faced by novice clinical nurse educators to assist nursing leaders in healthcare organizations develop strategies and interventions to support novice clinical nurse educators’ transitional process.

Tens of thousands of qualified applicants are turned away from baccalaureate and associate degree nursing programs each year due to the ongoing shortage of nurse educators. It is anticipated that many nurse educators will retire, adding to the current shortage. To meet the need for the ongoing shortage, additional qualified nurse educators are needed. Benner’s Novice to Expert Theory provided the theoretical framework for this qualitative phenomenological study which explored the transition experiences of novice nurse educators. As expert clinicians transition from clinical practice to academic settings, specific factors emerge as motivators, challenges, and barriers during the transition from expert clinician to novice nurse educator. The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations and experiences of expert clinicians, with at least five years of clinical experience, as they transition to the role of novice nurse educator. The underlying concept that emerged from this study was being at sea, which symbolizes the expert clinician embarking on a new adventure, entering the sea of academia, as a novice nurse educator. Narratives from this study shed light on the myriad of issues that continue to affect the transition from expert clinician to novice nurse educator. The perspectives of 12 novice nurse educators provide an understanding of the difficulties faced during the transition and lend to the current body of knowledge by providing insight into the needs and desires of expert clinicians as they transition to the role of novice nurse educator in the first academic year.

This is a qualitative study, the aim of which is to explore experiences influencing the
academic performance of 1st Year nursing students at the Western Cape College of Nursing,
South Africa, during 2008 when the College was confronted with unprecedented failure rates
among 1st Year students. It describes the College‟s collaboration with a higher education
institution and the changes that emanated from this collaboration. The influence of
situational factors on 1st Year nursing students is explored. These include the legacy of the
inequality of past learning opportunities, institutional factors which hamper students‟ sense of
belonging, and the social and academic integration of students into their learning
environment. The methodology used in the process of exploring these factors included focus
group discussions with students and in-depth interviews with staff in order to explore their
respective perceptions of the problem. From this it is hoped that the quality of human
resources for health will be enhanced.