Tag: nursing students

The Nursing Shortage: What Can Nurse Educators Do?

developing nursing students with resilienceby Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

The Problem

Approximately 100,000 Registered Nurses and 34,000 Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses have left the workforce in the last two years as a result of stress, burnout, and retirement. These findings from the 2022 National Nursing Workforce Survey are quite alarming. However, additional findings paint an even more disturbing picture. Another 610,388 nurses reported an “intent to leave” the workforce by 2027. An additional 188,962 RNs younger than forty reported similar intentions to leave nursing. Altogether, about one-fifth of RNs nationally are projected to leave the workforce by 2027 (Smiley, Allgeyer,2023).

Why are these nurses, particularly those under forty, planning to leave?  continue reading

Kindness and Listening: Core Components of Patient-Centered Care

a nurse listening to an elderly patient

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

Recently, three of my friends have described a health care experience of a loved one as they transitioned from care in an acute setting to rehabilitation, and ultimately home. The patient in each of these situations was elderly, and although each ultimately returned to their home in satisfactory condition, the journey through the health care system was traumatizing for the patient and their families.  The themes in each of these stories included poor communication with the patient and the family regarding all aspects of care, inappropriate medication administration, and inadequate preparation for transitions from one level of care to another. Continue reading “Kindness and Listening: Core Components of Patient-Centered Care”

Setting Students Up for Success

nursing student set for successBy Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

Ashley’s Story

Regular readers of the Collaborative Momentum Consulting blog may remember the November 2020 story of Ashley, a high school dropout who wanted to be a nurse. A single mother of a small boy, Ashley had been working at low paying jobs when she was encouraged by a friend to complete a GED and take prerequisite courses necessary for a nursing degree. Grades in these courses, although not outstanding, were sufficient for admission to the nursing program.  Ashley struggled her first year in the nursing program—making low C’s in all her nursing courses, although she performed well in during her clinical experience.

We all have had students like Ashley. Continue reading “Setting Students Up for Success”

Developing Clinical Judgment in an Online Environment

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

Perhaps the most critical challenge we face is to ensure that our graduates are competent when making clinical judgements appropriate for novice nurses. Developing this competence has always been important—after all, effective clinical judgment is what keeps the clients we serve safe. However, the implementation of the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) in 2023 has brought this need into prominence. At the same time, the pandemic has created the need to deliver more instruction for nursing students in an online format. Let’s look at four principles to help us achieve the outcomes of developing novice nurses who make effective clinical judgment the core of their nursing practice, all of which can be implemented in an online setting. Continue reading “Developing Clinical Judgment in an Online Environment”

Addressing Cheating in Online Testing

By Susan Sportsman, PhD, RN ANEF, FAAN

The Coronavirus pandemic has forced most nursing schools to increase their use of online testing, as we reported recently. As I talk to faculty around the country, I continue to hear concerns about the security and validity of online testing. How valid is this concern, and what can we do to mitigate it? Continue reading “Addressing Cheating in Online Testing”