Inside Looking Out: Updated Competency Model for Professional Rehabilitation Nursing Practice.

Background: The original Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) Competency Model for Professional Rehabilitation Nursing published in 2016, and updated in 2020, provides a framework for rehabilitation nursing practice.

Aim: This companion, but stand-alone, article to a 2022 publication further explicates and informs the updated Competency Model from inside looking out toward an increasing application for evidence-based practice (EBP).

Approach: An eight-member 2020 ARN Task Force used an iterative process to review the original four domains and related competencies and came to consensus for the updated model.

Six Steps in Reading to Appraise Scientific Publications: Discover a Different Path.

Background: Effectively reading scientific publications, for example, research/quality improvement, is an acquired skill. Critical appraisal identifies articles' strengths and weaknesses related to credibility and authenticity or appropriate standards.

Aim: To stimulate rehabilitation nurses' interest/participation in reading to appraise published studies (using brief evaluation questions).

Male Caregivers' Stories: How They Successfully Adjust to Partners With Stroke.

Men transitioning from noncaregiver to caregiver for their partner (wife or long-term friend) with stroke may find that role unsettling. Male caregivers' success stories in caring for these partners through authors' reflections from their experience are shared. These men's stories focused on achievements: (1) gaining confidence through functional improvement; (2) nurturing success through mutually positive attitude; and (3) resuming "normal" roles.

Updated Competency Model for Professional Rehabilitation Nursing: Practice Applications.

Background: The Competency Model for Professional Rehabilitation Nursing is a lens through which nurses can view their practice; the four domains provide a template that guides that practice.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe a task force's review procedures and share the updated model.

Appraisal Process: A rehabilitation nursing task force appraised the model over the course of 1 year.

The Journey of Web-Based Education for Caregivers of Persons With Dementia: It Didn't Happen Overnight.

Family caregivers provide long-term, complex care in home settings where most persons with dementia (PWD) live. These men/women caregivers differ in responses and approaches to caring problems. Following our review of the research literature and needs assessment from caregivers of PWD (group 1), a comparison revealed key caregiver gender differences in caring problems and approaches.

Innovative qualitative research data collection and analysis activities that engage nursing students.

Background: Rather than traditional teacher-centered classrooms, it is important for instructors to shift to student-centered models, encouraging active learning.

Problem: The challenge for instructors is to design in-person and/or virtual classroom activities that introduce and engage students in essential aspects of qualitative research data collection and analysis.

Approach: Two instructor-created and student-centered activities focused on qualitative data collection and analysis strategies that connect instructors and undergraduate or graduate nursing research students are described.

State Tested Nursing Assistants' Workplace Experiences That Threaten or Support Intent to Stay.

Purpose: Over 1 million Americans utilize skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) annually. Within SNFs, State Tested Nursing Assistants (STNAs) are primary caregivers; however, low retention rates are notable and threaten patient care.

Design: A phenomenological, qualitative study was conducted to explore intrinsic factors that influence STNAs' intent to stay in their positions.

Professional Development for Inexperienced Speakers: Making Effective Oral Presentations and Audience Connections.

This article addresses how inexperienced speakers can prepare and deliver oral presentations that make connections to audiences. Nursing students/providers, university and staff development instructors, or managers may find these tips helpful. Successful content delivery (beginning, middle, and ending "remarks") depends on setting the right tone, incorporating engaging activities, and concluding with recommendations for audiences.

Nurse Author: Who Me? Yes, You!

Background And Purpose: Potential nurse authors may find writing a challenge, including managing the publication process from getting started through submission to revision of the work and its acceptance. This special article presents strategies to help inexperienced writers develop and hone skills for journal publication.

Potential Publication Strategies: Tips discussed here that may lead to manuscript acceptance include selecting a topic of interest, using motivational self-talk approaches and structuring time to write, choosing coauthors, targeting a journal for submission, writing strong sentences in active voice, developing a structured abstract, using correct citation and reference formats, understanding reviews and resubmitting the manuscript, and keeping momentum to produce continued writing results.

Male Caregivers Report Problems in Caring at Home After Spouses Survive Stroke.

STROKE is sudden and often traumatic with results that affect both the patient and family members who provide care. Approximately 40% of individuals caring for family members/friends are male. Transitioning from the noncaregiver role to caregiver can be unsettling.

Family caregivers' reports of hospitalizations and emergency department visits in community-dwelling individuals with dementia.

Individuals with dementia in the United States have higher rates of hospitalizations and emergency department visits compared to those without. This descriptive study examined the frequency of hospitalizations and emergency department visits among community-dwelling individuals with dementia, reasons for hospitalizations and emergency department visits, and caregivers' actions to prevent these events. Family caregivers ( n = 63) from education/support groups offered through Alzheimer's Association chapters in western Ohio completed a survey.

Instructor-Created Activities to Engage Undergraduate Nursing Research Students.

Background: In flipped or blended classrooms, instruction intentionally shifts to a student-centered model for a problem-based learning approach, where class time explores topics in greater depth, creating meaningful learning opportunities.

Method: This article describes instructor-created activities focused on research processes linked to evidence-based practice that engage undergraduate nursing research students. In the classroom, these activities include individual and team work to foster critical thinking and stimulate student discussion of topic material.

The e-Poster Conference: An Online Nursing Research Course Learning Activity.

Background: Posters have become one of the most important types of scientific communication. This article describes an e-poster conference as an online learning activity for professional nursing students.

Method: Research and evidence-based practice (EBP) project posters from colleagues across the country were placed on a university research course Web site, along with an evaluation tool and discussion prompts.