A study of the workforce in emergency medicine: 2007 research summary.

Introduction: This paper summarizes nurse-specific elements reported in a study of the emergency medicine workforce in 2007.

Methods: In 2008, surveys were distributed to over 2600 ED medical directors and nurse managers in the United States.

Results: The response rate was 21% from nurse managers.

The medical-surgical nurse perspective of advocate role.

Unlabelled: Nursing advocacy for patients is viewed as a vital role for the nursing profession; however, there is little empirical research regarding nursing advocacy.

Problem: The medical-surgical nursing specialty is the largest specialty in acute care settings, but few advocacy studies have focused exclusively on this specialty population.

Methods: The purpose of this study was to explore the nurse advocacy actions and workplace support for advocacy using written narrative responses to a mailed survey using a medical-surgical nursing sample.

Development and testing of an instrument to measure protective nursing advocacy.

Patient advocacy is an important aspect of nursing care, yet there are few instruments to measure this essential function. This study was conducted to develop, determine the psychometric properties, and support validity of the Protective Nursing Advocacy Scale (PNAS), which measures nursing advocacy beliefs and actions from a protective perspective. The study used a descriptive correlational design with a systematically selected sample of 419 medical-surgical registered nurses.

Effectiveness of 2 methods to teach and evaluate new content to neonatal transport personnel using high-fidelity simulation.

Neonatal transport team members undergo initial and periodic training to ensure knowledge and performance competencies. Given that various methods can be employed in this effort, it is important to evaluate how well new knowledge is learned and applied by transport team members and assess learner satisfaction. Self-paced modular learning and expert-modeled learning using high-fidelity simulations (HFSs) are 2 teaching/learning/evaluation tools for content application for team members.

Care practice #6: no separation of mother and baby, with unlimited opportunities for breastfeeding.

This updated edition of Care Practice Paper #6 presents the evidence for the benefits of keeping mothers and babies together after birth. The normal physiology of the postpartum and early newborn periods is explained. The author reviews the influence of early and frequent skin-to-skin contact and rooming-in on breastfeeding and early attachment.

Safety and effectiveness of large-volume enema solutions.

The effectiveness and side effects of three types of enema solutions were compared in healthy subjects. Using a repeated-measures, double-blind design, the three different enemas (soapsuds, tap water, and polyethylene glycol-electrolyte solution) were given at 1-week intervals to 24 healthy volunteers. Soapsuds and tap water enemas produced significantly greater returns than polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution (PEG-ES) and were also more uncomfortable.