Improving Discharge Teaching for Adult Patients with an Ileostomy.

Local Problem: Discharge teaching is essential to the self-care and successful recovery of colorectal surgery patients, yet the trend toward shorter hospital stays for patients with new ileostomies limits opportunities for patient education. As a result, discharged patients at our institution are initiating calls to providers with questions that could have been addressed prior to discharge.

Purpose: The aim of this quality improvement (QI) project was to decrease patient-initiated postdischarge inquiries using a frequently asked questions (FAQs) handout at discharge.

Increasing Understanding and Perceived Confidence of Nurses Working in an Emergency Department in Assessing Patients at Risk of Violent Behavior.

Purpose: The aims of this quality improvement project were to improve understanding and perceived confidence in using a tool that assesses patients at risk of violence.

Project Description: The Brøset Violence Checklist is valid at assessing patients at risk of violence. Participants were given access to an e-learning module that demonstrated how to use the tool.

Supporting Role Knowledge and Role Transition in Neonatal APRN Students.

Advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) play a critical role in alleviating provider shortages and expanding access to health care services for medically underserved populations. To meet these shortages, the APRN workforce is growing faster than the average for all occupations. This creates a critical need for effective transitioning from the role of student to APRN provider.

A Proposed Ninth Essential: Supporting Doctor of Nursing Practice Students With Current or Anticipated Roles in Nursing Education.

The doctor of nursing practice (DNP) essentials do not specifically include a teaching competency, yet several require teaching skills. To prepare the future nursing workforce and achieve essential competencies, DNP nurses must be prepared to teach. Despite the assumption that advance practice expertise makes them intuitive teachers, gaps exist in essential faculty development, including evidence-based teaching theory, methodology, and scholarship.

The Neurointensive Care Nursery and Evolving Roles for Nursing.

Neonatal neurocritical care is an emerging subspecialty that combines the expertise of critical care medicine and neurology with that of nursing and other providers in an interprofessional team approach to care. Neurocritical care of the neonate has roots in adult and pediatric practice. It has been demonstrated that adults with acute neurologic conditions who are treated in a specialized neurocritical care unit have reduced morbidity and mortality, as well as decreased length of stay, lower costs, and reduced need for neurosurgical procedures.

Using technology to enhance nurse practitioner student engagement.

Active learning strategies applied to nursing education can enhance student understanding, stimulate inquiry, and encourage critical thinking. Effectively applied technology can facilitate active learning processes and engage learners in their process of learning. This article will describe some technology-based strategies to support engagement in nurse practitioner education.

Anemia: when is it not iron deficiency?

Anemia presents a challenge both in determination of cause and appropriate management. Careful history taking and appropriate screening in keeping with AAP recommendations will aid in identifying cases of anemia. Judicious use of laboratory testing will assist in achieving accurate diagnosis.

Anemia: when is it iron deficiency?

Iron deficiency anemia, the most common of childhood anemias, presents many challenges to the practitioner. Careful history taking that includes nutritional assessment may uncover this frequently subtle condition. In keeping with AAP recommendations, screening will aid in diagnosing this condition in populations at risk.