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Nurse educators play a critical role in preparing prelicensure students for the updated NCLEX-RN, which focuses on clinical reasoning and judgment. Despite evidence in the nursing and education literature supporting active teaching-learning strategies, faculty continue to use lecture-based approaches. Little is known about the factors influencing faculty choice related to teaching-learning strategies. The purpose of this hermeneutic study was to explore the lived experiences of nurse faculty in implementing active teaching-learning strategies for developing clinical reasoning and judgment in prelicensure nursing students. Purposive sampling was used to obtain 21 nurse faculty from 13 states. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews via Microsoft Teams. Atlas.ti was used to analyze the data following van Manen's six-step interpretation process. Findings of this study suggest nurse faculty bring their experiences and their ability to connect those experiences, to the content students are learning. In their attempt to implement effective teaching-learning strategies, nursing faculty face both enablers and obstacles. The enablers "pull" nurse faculty toward implementing active classroom teaching-learning strategies while the obstacles "pull" them away from implementation. Ten subthemes emerged, identifying specific enablers and obstacles. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2020) estimated about 24% of adults in the United States live with a disability. However, the literature suggested only 4.4% of healthcare workers reported having a disability in the United States. Stigmatization and ableism have likely led to nurses hiding their disabilities while practicing, creating less diversity and representation in practice. When healthcare workers have little resemblance to the population they serve, it can lead to distrust, uncaring behaviors, and feelings of exclusion. Increasing diversity and helping to recognize the value of disability in practice could begin in nursing school. This study aimed to explore the varying degrees of ableism pre-licensure nursing students with disabilities experienced while in school. Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed, and analyzed for reoccurring themes. Five themes were validated through member-checking and peer review: (a) shared perception of disability, (b) navigating the complexities of disability identity, (c) obstacles to accommodations, (d) insufficient focus on clinical accommodations, and (e) empathy for patients. The findings revealed most participants experienced internalized ableism, conscious or unconscious negative beliefs about their disabilities. Different types of disabilities experienced different levels of ableism; mental health disabilities were less likely to be disclosed than others. Formal clinical accommodations were poorly understood and despite a possible need, none of the participants had accommodations for the clinical setting. The participants' experiences highlighted the need for nursing schools to consider developing systems to ensure students receive proper accommodations for safe patient care. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Preparation of new graduate nurses is more important now than ever given the current state of health care. The pandemic has caused online nursing education to be a permanent content delivery modality across all degree programs. Best practices for e-learning only address course organization, instructional materials, learner interaction, course technology, and support while having no regard for the unique learner needs of different degree levels. Online learning success could be determined by how well students are able to self-regulate their learning; however, these behaviors have rarely been measured and compared in nursing students at different degree levels taking online nursing courses. The purpose of this study was to explore and compare the differences in self-regulated learning behaviors of traditional undergraduate and traditional graduate nursing students in online nursing courses. This quantitative comparative descriptive study measured self-regulated learning (SRL) behaviors in traditional undergraduate and traditional graduate nursing students in online nursing courses. An electronic 32-item survey measuring SRL and developed by Artino and Stevens (2009) was utilized for data collection. Demographic data were also collected. A purposeful sample of 100 nursing students--55 traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing undergraduates and 45 traditional graduates in Master of Science in nursing, Doctor of Education, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and Doctor of Philosophy programs from across the United States--participated in the study. Data were exported to Statistical Package for the Social Sciences for analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics with non-parametric testing. A statistically significant difference was found when comparing age categories to the task value SRL subscale. Scores in the task value, elaboration, self-efficacy, and critical thinking subscales were not statistically significant between undergraduate and graduate nursing students in online courses. Scores between healthcare experience were also not statistically significant with SRL subscale comparisons. Recommendations for faculty based on this study included give more support and instructional strategies to undergraduate nursing students in online nursing courses; self-regulated learning ought to be assessed at the start of a course; an assessment of SRL at the beginning of a course would establish a baseline that could be useful to both students and faculty; scaffolding should be implemented to help students improve their self-regulated learning skills; and professional development should be completed to learn the unique competencies required for online teaching. More research is needed in assessing SRL in real time, possibly with the use of tracking or artificial intelligence and studying how SRL affects educational outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Healthcare teams are comprised of several individuals from various backgrounds who must respect each other and understand each other's roles and responsibilities while effectively communicating to work toward the shared goal of quality patient care. Interprofessional education (IPE) prepares health professions students for collaboration and communication in the workforce which ultimately improves patient outcomes. Early exposure to learning and working with other health professions students helps build the foundation for interprofessional understanding and respect. This explanatory, sequential mixed methods study aimed to evaluate, via a validated IPE readiness assessment, IPE and IPE readiness with Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Health Information Management (HIM) students at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) before and after participating in an introductory IPE workshop known as "IPE is Key." The researcher also aimed to explore these students' perceptions of and experiences with IPE and interprofessional collaborative practice via two student focus groups. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to better answer the research questions. The results of a statistically significant difference in pre/post assessment scores (p<0.001), in conjunction with the observed increase in mean scores, suggested that the "IPE is Key" workshop significantly improved the readiness of these students for IPE. Additionally, students' perceptions revealed a need for increased exposure to each other and IPE during their academic years at the UL Lafayette. This study's findings highlight the need for an annual introductory IPE workshop for early BSN and HIM learners and the potential to include other health related professions students at UL Lafayette. The findings also suggest that the introductory workshop may improve the readiness for and satisfaction with the fall-semester IPHE 310 interprofessional academic course which includes BSN and HIM students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Clinical judgment is a priority nursing skill to ensure the delivery of safe and effective nursing care. New graduate nurses lack the clinical judgment skills that are necessary for entry-level nursing practice. Nurse educators must therefore implement teaching strategies that foster clinical judgment. This study evaluated the clinical judgment of undergraduate nursing students after the implementation of multimedia case studies related to the concept of perfusion. Two research questions guided this study: (a) in what ways do undergraduate nursing students demonstrate clinical judgment after completing a series of perfusion-related multimedia case studies and (b) to what extent do undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of clinical judgment change after the completion of perfusion-related multimedia case studies? This study utilized a convergent mixed methods approach with 34 undergraduate nursing students who engaged in 4 weeks of multimedia case-based learning related to the concept of perfusion. Quantitative data was collected during two nursing simulations and analyzed with the Lasater Clinical Judgment Rubric (LCJR) using descriptive statistics and a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. A significant increase was noted in the subscale of interpreting from the pre-intervention score to the post-intervention score. The other subscales of the LCJR did not demonstrate a significant difference. Qualitative data obtained during a pre-intervention and post-intervention clinical care reflection was analyzed against predetermined keys through a process of deductive analysis to evaluate clinical judgment. Four participants were noted to have improved clinical judgment, while two participants' clinical judgment stayed the same and one participant's clinical judgment decreased. Qualitative data obtained from a semi-structured interview was analyzed using inductive analysis to reveal three themes: (1) noticing patient data, (2) interpreting patient data, and (3) responding to patient care situations. During the interview, participants displayed sound clinical judgment in each of the five aspects of the LCJR. Participants found that the case studies promoted clinical judgment by increasing familiarity with course content, stimulating deeper connections, and providing opportunities for extra practice. These findings support the use of multimedia CBL as a strategy to facilitate clinical judgment within nursing education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologists (CRNAs) are in an ideal position as healthcare providers to eliminate health disparities and inequities in the many areas of healthcare CRNAs influence while providing anesthesia and pain management care. The problem is that the CRNA workforce lacks the ethnic and racial diversity necessary to mirror the diversity in the patient population within the United States. Developing a diverse workforce is significantly enhanced when the faculty teaching in healthcare education programs are diverse. The purpose of this study was to identify perceived barriers and facilitators for underrepresented (URM) current and former CRNA faculty in nurse anesthesiology programs and to identify possible strategies for increasing the success of URM CRNAs in nurse anesthesiology faculty roles. Using interpretive description as the qualitative research methodology, data was collected through interviews with 14 current or former URM CRNA faculty. The three themes identified through data coding and analysis were (a) "support and mentorship," (b) "workload and compensation," and (c) "racism and isolation." Additionally, five strategies were identified that participants perceived facilitate URM CRNA faculty success. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Introduction: The variability of nursing education quality and regulations between states raises questions about consistency of learner outcomes. The lack of standardization raises questions regarding its impact on new graduate nurses' transition to professional practice, their ability to provide safe patient care and the overall impact on public health. Methods: A policy analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of the Florida Board of Nursing regulation for prelicensure nursing programs. Data was collected for all 50 states related to the guidelines for implementing clinical and simulation learning and was systematically reviewed. A thematic analysis identified key themes within the guidelines and facilitated comprehensive exploration of the data by systematically examining the approaches taken by each board. Results: The policy analysis revealed notable discrepancies among state boards on nursing related to regulatory standards, requirements, and guidelines. Some states provided clear and comprehensive regulations, other states guidelines were ambiguous or absent. When comparing the NCLEX pass rate for first time test takers, a mean difference of 2.5529% was observed in states with clinical and simulation guidelines versus states without regulation. Conclusions: While the analysis revealed notable discrepancies among state boards in their regulatory standards, no definitive data was found that provides a direct correlation between regulatory standards and nursing practice outcomes. By recognizing the potential for graduate nurses to have vastly difference education experiences, hospitals can facilitate processes to assist new graduate nurses' transition to practice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Research has shown that new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) do not possess the critical thinking skills needed to provide adequate patient care upon entrance into the workforce. Today's healthcare facilities demand that NGRNs possess the critical thinking skills that will allow them to apply their knowledge to patient care situations. Traditional nursing programs focus on time spent in the classroom, with hands-on experience limited to the time spent in clinical site rotations. Clinical experiences provide the environment for students to transfer their knowledge to patient care situations. These clinical hours are the only opportunities for students to apply their classroom knowledge to real-life situations. Clinical experiences are limited by facility staffing, census, and acuity. Implementing computer simulations in the nursing program curriculum provides opportunities for students to apply their knowledge to clinical scenarios, which assists in developing critical thinking skills. This project was designed to demonstrate the effect that added simulations have on the critical thinking development in students, and the objectives were to obtain quantitative and qualitative data to support this demonstration. Quantitative and qualitative data were obtained using 3-point Likert scale surveys and open-ended discussion questions. Participating faculty completed pre-project, post-simulation, and post-project surveys. Results: Faculty survey results indicated that simulation scenarios assist in developing critical thinking skills while providing hands-on experiences in a controlled environment without fear of negative impacts on patients. Student survey results included positive aspects such as immediate instructor feedback and the opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to patient situations. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Nursing educators are challenged to find strategies that will develop critical thinking and clinical judgment abilities in students. As technology has advanced, the use of virtual simulation platforms has increased in use in nursing courses. This study examined the effect of a pilot virtual simulation intervention on critical thinking and clinical judgment abilities in Associate Degree Nursing students. A convenience sample of thirteen students from a community college in Northern New Jersey participated in this pre-test, post-test study. The increase in critical thinking and clinical judgment test scores were not statistically significant, yet there was a noted increase in group mean and several individual scores. No noted correlation was observed in the critical thinking and clinical judgment test scores post virtual simulation cases. Age, gender, ethnicity, and prior experience in healthcare were not significant predictors of critical thinking and clinical judgment abilities post virtual simulation cases. The increase in mean and individual test scores showed promise for feasibility for testing this intervention on a larger scale. As virtual simulation is being used more in nursing education, additional research is warranted to examine the impact of this teaching strategy on critical thinking and clinical judgment abilities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how clinical instructors describe their preparedness of the QSEN patient safety competencies and subsequent experiential teaching strategies in pre-licensure registered nurse programs in the United States. The study was guided by D. A. Kolb's experiential learning theory and the knowledge, skills, and attitude learning construct by Kraiger et al. The research questions were: How do clinical instructors describe their teaching preparedness of the QSEN patient safety competencies in pre-licensure Registered nurse programs? How do clinical instructors describe their experiential teaching strategies of the QSEN patient safety competencies in pre-licensure registered nurse programs? Data were obtained from 17 registered nurse clinical instructors from pre-licensure nursing programs using one-to-one semi-structured interviews and an open-ended questionnaire and analyzed according to Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis. Two themes emerged to answer both research questions, one additional theme emerged to answer the first research question, and two themes emerged to answer the second research question. Clinical instructors lack preparation to teach patient safety competencies and are self-taught, but they do have a working knowledge of patient safety competencies. Clinical instructors describe their experiential teaching strategies as hands-on, and discussion based. The results may help nursing programs better understand the needs of their clinical faculty so they can provide the necessary tools to provide effective patient safety education and apply those tools to other nursing topics. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Introduction: Empathy is an essential trait for nursing. Empathy as a construct consists of a cognitive and affective domain. The construct is associated with decreased clinician burnout, reduced stress, and improved patient-centered care. Nursing education has recognized the clinical benefits of empathy and has implemented various educational interventions to foster empathy in students. Although there is evidence that nursing students' empathy can be improved through training, little research has been completed to identify if students' baseline empathy level affects their benefit from training. There have also been few studies that attempt to discover what domain of empathy is developed from participation in educational interventions. This study aimed to understand how nursing students' baseline empathy level affected their experience with a simulation, how students expressed their empathic responses after participating in a simulation experience, and whether there was a relationship between empathy level and empathic experience. Methods: A mixed-methods study consisted of 82 undergraduate nursing students who participated in a simulation from the patient's viewpoint. The Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professions Student (JSE-HPS) captured empathy quantitative data one week before and immediately following the simulation. A hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was performed on the pretest JSE-HPS data to identify baseline empathy levels. Qualitative data were gathered using open self-debriefing questions. A two-way ANOVA was performed between the empathy level and the change in the JSE-HPS score. A chi-squared test for independence assessed for associations between qualitative themes and level of empathy determined. Results: The HCA revealed two clusters representing a high empathy group (n=47) and a low empathy group (n=35). The low empathy group had significantly higher empathy (p < 0.001), while there was no change (p=0.149) in the high empathy group following the training. Qualitative analysis revealed four themes: appreciating the patient's perspective, self-other awareness, personal distress, and empathic concern. The chi-square revealed no relationship (p=0.193) between empathy level and their empathic response. Conclusion: Students identified as having low empathy at baseline significantly benefited from empathy training, while high empathy students did not have a change. Students demonstrated cognitive and affective empathetic responses to the simulation regardless of baseline level. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

In the past century there has been a significant amount of literature regarding the waves of feminism and the advancement of womxn in higher education. In addition to the waves of feminism and womxn's influence on higher education, there has also been a thorough recounting of the history of academic advising. However, despite all three of these areas being studied in great detail, the connections between all three has not yet been explored in the literature. This dissertation explored feminism and feminist pedagogy in two helping professions though (a) an examination of the use of feminist pedagogy existing literature in nursing, and (b) the lived experience of female primary-role academic advisors. These findings then shaped a model of feminist academic advising grounded by feminist pedagogy. This dissertation was guided by the following research questions: How do scholars discuss feminist pedagogy in nursing, an exemplary helping profession? How do female primary-role advisors who identify as womxn and feminists express feminist identity in the academic advising workplace? This dissertation consists of three related papers. Paper #1, a structured literature review, explored the available literature of the use of feminist pedagogy in an exemplary helping profession, nursing. Articles from were pulled from Nursing Allied Health and Google Scholar under the designators of including "feminist pedagog*" in nursing and written in English to include articles that used the term feminist pedagogy and feminist pedagogies. After a 5-phase protocol, 12 articles were accepted into the final sample. Three themes emerged: classroom climate, curriculum design, and care versus cure. The implications for the field were: the need of feminist pedagogy in the education of nurses due to the hierarchical nature of medical fields, the need for nurses to be prepared to fight against the policies in healthcare that oppress certain populations, and the importance of feminist pedagogy in nursing for the education of all gender identities. Paper #2, a phenomenology, explored how primary-role advisors who identify as womxn and feminists describe the role feminism plays in their advising practice. This study explored the use of feminism in the practice of 22 participants. Data was collected through three semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: mindfulness of physical space as a cornerstone for comfort, power of communication in forging meaningful connection and relationships, and empowering students to make their own decisions. There were three implications for this research: the focus on the experience of the academic advisor themselves, the impact personal identity has on advising practice, and how feminism can impact academic advising as a field. In Paper #3, I introduce a new approach to academic advising incorporating feminist pedagogy with seven tenets: the positionality of the advisor, relationship-centered approach, mindful of power dynamics, intentionality of physical space, social justice and advocacy, a holistic understanding, and resilience and community building. The adoption of a feminist model in academic advising promises a transformative shift within the educational landscape, poised to redefine interactions between advisors and students, the institutional approach to student support, and the broader scholarly understanding of advising practices. Collectively, the papers from this dissertation suggest four important overarching themes: an emphasis on inclusive and welcoming environments, challenging traditional power dynamics, integrating personal experiences and social justice, and a holistic approach to education and advising. These findings have important implications for the profession of academic advising in the available research that advisors and institutions can use as a basis for new advising approaches. Additionally, this dissertation will introduce new ways to increase social justice, advocacy, and inclusion, and use other helping professions as examples of how to incorporate new and potentially innovative ideas into advising practice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Medication administration errors (MAEs) present a significant risk for harm to patients and healthcare providers alike, yet little is understood about how nursing students conceptualize MAEs. Similar risks for harm are faced in the aviation industry, yet they have transformed into a highly reliable organization (HRO) using the threat and error management (TEM) framework. The purpose of this study was to apply concepts of the TEM framework to MAEs and identify what students believed to be threats, threat management interventions, errors, and error management interventions in the process of medication administration. Nursing students have not yet entered the professional practice environment and must be competent for safe practice upon their arrival. This qualitative study utilized semi-structured interviews. Participants were in their final year of nursing school. IRB approval was obtained. Participant responses reflected the trends of current nursing literature. More emphasis was placed on validating medication rights, utilizing technology, and following hospital policy and procedures. Little attention was given to medication dosage calculation, their lack of experience contributing to errors, or using a second nurse to validate a drug before administration. Participants expressed concern about a lack of exposure to errors while in school. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this quantitative study was to compare mean first-time pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) of nursing graduates who were trained in hybrid versus traditional prelicensure nursing programs in California from 2018 to 2023. A theoretical framework in constructivism connects this research with prior literature. The participants in this study were graduates from traditional or hybrid prelicensure RN programs who earned either an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) at a California Board of Registered Nursing (CBRN)-approved college or university. This study used secondary data from a public data set available on the CBRN website and employed a non-experimental and correlational design. The Welch's t-test with an alpha level of 0.05 was used to statistically analyze the differences between mean first-time pass rates. The results of this study indicated no statistically significant differences between mean NCLEX-RN pass rates of traditional and hybrid graduates in both ADN and BSN programs in each annual period as well as in the five-year cumulative comparison from 2018 to 2023. These findings indicate that learning modality does not impact the standards required for graduates to pass the NCLEX-RN. Further research into the effectiveness of hybrid learning models in nursing education could identify the optimal balance of online and in-person learning activities to achieve effective student learning outcomes, evaluate other metrics of student success besides NCLEX-RN performance, and use larger sample groups that include nursing programs across different states or countries. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Despite the benefits of collaboration, first-year nursing students prefer not to work together. It was important to find out why nursing students do not want to collaborate. The purpose of this study was to discover first-year nursing students' and faculty's perceptions of how instructor-created opportunities for collaboration contributed to first-year nursing students' collaboration. Using Wenger's communities of practice (CoPs) model as a lens, the data were explored using a qualitative explanatory case study approach. This study consisted of individual interviews of 12 first-year nursing students and nursing faculty. Inclusion criteria included students enrolled in or faculty teaching first year of nursing school courses, and in a bachelor of science nursing program in the United States. The data were analyzed using inductive open code thematic analysis and the results revealed that students and faculty had new perceptions of how to successfully implement collaborative opportunities. The results revealed from faculty participants' perceptions were that they should make an effort, rotate group members, provide a rubric, and model collaboration themselves. Student participants' themes found were smaller group sizes, be allowed to choose group members, roles should be assigned, faculty should randomize groups, allow students to evaluate groups, and schedule time for group work. These new perceptions of implementing successful collaborative experiences in nursing education are implications for positive social change by improving nursing education delivery for students, improving educational outcomes, and producing nurses who can work together intra professionally to produce positive patient outcomes and increase job satisfaction. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Professional nursing is faced with critical staffing shortages in the wake of a global pandemic. First professional degree nursing programs are acutely focused on support programs and retention programs for degree completion leading to professional licensure. This approach includes the support and retention of students who must repeat coursework after course failure. The decision to repeat the course is often based upon the student's determination to pursue their dream of becoming a nurse. However, the circumstances surrounding repeating coursework have their challenges. The purpose of this action research study was to explore the experience of the repeating student in a baccalaureate undergraduate nursing program in one institution in the northeastern United States. Cycle 1 of this study employed interviews with students who had experienced course failure. The themes informed the action step, the purpose of which was to support the identified needs of the repeating students in an accredited, first professional degree nursing program in New England. Data collection with those who participated in the pilot course utilized semi-structured interviews, as well as The Mindfulness Self-Care Survey and the Readiness to Return Survey. These techniques were employed to assess the dimensions of the participants' experiences. In addition, focus groups were conducted with academic advisors as key stakeholders. Three data themes were identified including the impact of the academic standings process, socio-emotional impact, and reflecting to regain control. The challenges associated with repeating a nursing course included academic and cultural rigor, the stress of the academic standings process, the financial, emotional, and social strain experienced with failure, as well as the impact on their perceived academic ability and lack of self-care. The development of programs to address the challenges repeating students face is needed to support degree completion and entry into the workforce. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

People with disabilities have been identified as representing the largest marginalized group worldwide. A negative attitude towards people with disabilities has been an extended paradigm in American society. Improving the treatment of people with disabilities has led to national policy and legislation changes. However, health inequities continue to be a significant issue faced by people with disabilities. Bourdieu's Theory of Practice provided the theoretical basis for this research. Using the Scale of Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons survey, this quantitative descriptive research aimed to examine factors that may impact attitudinal barriers among three groups, graduate nursing students, current practicing nurses, and retired nurses, when diagnosing physical symptoms of patients with disabilities. The survey results were analyzed by performing statistical tests to determine whether significant differences existed in the attitudes toward persons with disabilities for the groups. The quantitative results have indicated statistically significant differences in the participants' attitudes. The results of this study may foster positive attitudes among nursing professionals and other healthcare workers and potentially improve medical services for individuals with disabilities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Electronic communication, most notably email, is ubiquitous in higher education and remains the dominant, most commonly used communication method in the workplace. Unfortunately, student emails are often abrupt, lack salutations and signatures, and can even be riddled with errors that make it difficult to understand their intended message. This basic qualitative research study explored baccalaureate nursing faculty members' experiences with email communication with their students. The following question guided the study: How do nursing faculty describe their experiences with email communication with undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students? The sample was 15 nursing faculty teaching in an undergraduate baccalaureate nursing program in the United States who use email to communicate with their students. Data were collected through semi-structured Zoom interviews. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, resulting in five central themes: (a) positive email aspects; (b) generation differences; (c) email conventions; (d) work-life balance; and (e) negative email characteristics. Findings from the study added to the body of literature available to nurse educators who seek a deeper understanding of the experiences of using email to communicate with their undergraduate nursing students. Outlining the experiences of nurse educators using email to communicate with their students informed nursing educators who may develop programs and write policies that address email communication within nursing education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this qualitative hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of nursing program students with grant funding investment in a nursing, allied, and physical health program at a rural community college in Western New York. This rural institution is a member institution of the State University of New York system. The research was guided by the underlying central research question, "What are the perceptions of lived learning experiences made possible through grant funding investment of nursing program students at a rural community college?" Three different data collection methods were used in interviews, a focus group, and documents. The perception of grant investment efficacy was defined through perceptions of experiential learning of program students as having resulted from grant funding investment. Guided by the work of van Manen, a hermeneutical phenomenology design framed the study, while Astin's student involvement theory was utilized as a theoretical framework for the research and subsequent findings. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Research evidence supports the presence of secondary traumatic stress (STS) among nursing professionals, yet little is known about nursing students' experiences with STS. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to explore how baccalaureate nursing students experience STS, as well as the coping strategies they employ to navigate (successfully or unsuccessfully) their experiences. Fifteen senior-level undergraduate nursing students were interviewed one-on-one to explore what educational clinical experiences have contributed to the development of STS, how STS manifested, and how each student attempted to cope with STS during their nursing education. Eight main themes and one sub-theme emerged from the data. Regarding STS triggers, the first two themes of this study were: first encounters with traumatic events; and poor treatment of patients and peers. The sub-theme of personal ties and previous trauma also relates to the educational STS triggers participants identified. Manifestations of STS were centered around the next three themes: sympathetic nervous system activation; negative emotional responses; and long-term consequences. Coping with STS was summarized in the final three themes: ill-prepared to cope effectively; personal strengths and support; and recommended preparation for effective coping. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Objective: Accelerated Second-Degree (ASD) programs play a crucial role in addressing the nursing shortage. However, when ASD students drop out, it negatively impacts all involved parties. Despite facing similar challenges as adult learners, some ASD students successfully graduate while others do not. By comparing and contrasting these two groups, we can explore their similarities and differences, support future students' success, and ultimately alleviate the nursing shortage. Participants: For this study, we purposefully selected 17 cases of ASD students with information-rich backgrounds. These participants attended seven different universities across three states and either completed or dropped out of the ASD program within two years of the study. Study Method: We conducted a qualitative comparative cross-case study using semi-structured interviews to retrospectively explore students' experiences and outcomes. Findings: Our analysis revealed five overarching themes: the complex interrelationship of factors, the non-binary definition of success, and 17 factors grouped into external, institutional, and personal categories. Conclusions: Each of the 17 external, institutional, and personal factors is critical to students' experience and outcome. However, assigning supportive and impeding values requires examining them within the context of their interrelationship with other factors on a case-by-case basis. By leveraging supporting factors against impeding factors, stakeholders can increase students' chances of success. Simply counting impeding factors cannot predict failure, while multiple supporting factors do not guarantee success. Ultimately, students personally define success according to the context of their lives without limiting it to the duration or completion of the program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Background: The National League for Nursing (NLN) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (ACN) recognize that nurse educators are crucial to providing quality education, and innovative approaches are needed for preparing the future nursing workforce. Domestic study away programs led by nurse faculty can be an effective strategy to meet this need. However, there is a gap in the literature on faculty perspectives regarding domestic study away learning experiences, which requires further research. Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative descriptive (QD) study was to examine and acquire a greater understanding of the critical factors that influence nurse faculty knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors toward domestic study away program development. Philosophical Underpinnings: The philosophical underpinnings that were used to guide this study were interpretivism and constructivism, where reality was constructed through subjective interactions. Methods: This study employed a qualitative descriptive design that used aspects of Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory. Collected data and analysis included purposive and snowball sampling. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather data from research participants. Memo-writing, reflexive journaling, and initial and focused coding were utilized during the interview and analysis process to generate notable themes. The sample range included nurse faculty participants, study away expert nurses, and non-nurse experts. One-on-one dialogues via a virtual platform were used to conduct all interviews. Results: Coding, content analysis, categorization, and thematic analysis yielded three primary themes related to the development of off-campus experiential domestic study away programs: nurse faculty experiences, measures for program success, and critical components for program development. These themes are aligned with categories related to participants' knowledge, perceptions, attitudes, behaviors, collaborative engagement, end-product deliverables, faculty training and education, advanced planning, instructional approach, and program design. The themes and categories were supported by current literature. Conclusions: Based on the views of nurse faculty members, nursing curricula should prioritize the development of cost-effective domestic immersive experiences for students. These experiences should involve community collaborations and aim to integrate global concepts and cultural diversity. By doing so, students can benefit from personal growth and transformational learning and become better prepared as future nursing leaders and global citizens. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to explore nurse educators' beliefs using the conceptual framework of the theory of planned behavior to investigate faculty behavioral, normative, and control beliefs toward providing academic accommodations for prelicensure nursing students with disabilities. The theory of planned behavior served as the study's framework to guide data collection and analysis. Semi-structured interviews from 13 study participants representing all regions of the United States were conducted. Nurse educators described their experiences providing academic accommodations to students with physical, sensory, learning, emotional/mental health, and medical disabilities in clinical, lab, and didactic learning environments. Data analysis employed the use of provisional and inductive coding methods with constant comparative analysis to identify three themes and eight sub-themes. These findings represented the general beliefs of nurse educators regarding academic accommodations, perceived internal and external motivators in this process, and their views regarding the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to effectively implement requested accommodations. The importance of the role of nursing program administrators, nurse educators, and professional nursing organizations in this process were highlighted with suggestions describing multiple opportunities for improving the process of providing academic accommodations to prelicensure nursing students with disabilities. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This qualitative phenomenological research study explored nursing educators' meanings of the phenomenon of racism and their perceptions of the effects of racism on Black nursing students at Predominately White Institutions (PWIs). In an online qualitative survey and individual interviews, faculty, staff, and administrators of PWI nursing programs discussed meanings of racism, their understanding of the obstacles Black nursing students face at PWIs, and support systems in place for Black students in their nursing programs. The researcher selected Critical Race Theory (CRT) as the theoretical framework for this study, with an understanding that Black students are often faced with greater challenges to completing nursing programs than their White counterparts. The attrition rate is higher among Black nursing students at PWIs than it is for other students (Eudy & Brooks, 2022) and Black students experience racism more often than students of other races (Ackerman-Barger et al., 2020; Hall & Fields, 2012). Findings from this study indicate that there is an awareness among educators of the effects of racism on Black nursing students. However, poor communication and lack of personal accountability for supporting Black students prevent many nursing educators at PWIs from providing tangible, realistic help to their students. Recommendations for future practice coming out of this study suggest that nursing program administrators lead the charge in demonstrating a commitment to equity and inclusion by encouraging increased communication among nursing educators and students, and by adopting practices that are more considerate and inclusive of Black nursing students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

RN-BSN programs in the United States, especially in the Mid-Atlantic region, have experienced a decrease in enrollment in the last several years (AACN, 2023). In addition, Northeast University has faced retention challenges in recent years. Mentoring is beneficial in higher education when implemented, nurtured, and sustained throughout a student's course progression. I developed a mentoring program for RN-BSN students at Northeast University using a dedicated faculty nurse mentor (FNM). The FNM was the class instructor and utilized a researcher-designed Canvas course in combination with class materials. I explored the benefits of a mentoring program and FNM; the goals of the mentoring programs included easing the transition for students back to school to help them succeed and retain. Study participants were randomly selected and included students in one NUR 303, Transition to Baccalaureate Nursing Practice class in the fall of 2023; the study ran for seven weeks. I analyzed quantitative Likert scale results and qualitative open-ended survey questions using a mean and standard deviation design. Using thematic analysis, I coded the open-ended survey responses, found themes, and mapped them to the inquiry questions to determine if the content was favorable. The study results indicated that the mentoring program was helpful and that most modules in the Canvas course were beneficial. Two limitations were the sample size of seven participants and the study timeframe of seven weeks. Upon the culmination of the study and analysis, I recommend using the Canvas course in combination with an FNM to establish a mentoring program in the RN-BSN program at Northeast University, where the study was conducted. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine how communication evaluation by clinical faculty compared in a clinical setting versus a simulation setting for Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students. Fifty (50) BSN students from three different schools of nursing were scored using the Interprofessional Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation Nurse to Physician Rubric in both clinical and simulation settings by seven nursing faculty. Scoring for each student occurred in both settings during one semester. Following the evaluation, students and faculty were asked to participate in a focus group to discuss their experience. Results from this study showed that scores from both settings were statistically the same, implying that a rubric used in a simulation setting could also be used in a clinical setting. Both the faculty and student focus groups found the rubric beneficial for improving student skill with hand-off report. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Community college nursing students, specifically African American women, faced a myriad of challenges in the pursuit of higher education during the first year of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Most notably, in March 2020, the pandemic caused many community colleges to expeditiously transition to remote learning modalities. African American rural community college students often have limited resources and were doubly impacted by the pandemic. Education technology became an increasing area of concern with the shift to remote learning. This phenomenological qualitative study explored the lived experiences of African American women who were enrolled in associate degree in nursing (ADN) programs at rural community colleges in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the participants' perceptions of educational technology within their ADN program during the first year of the pandemic. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

There is a critical national nursing workforce shortage, with estimates of over 200,000 new job openings for Registered Nurses (RNs) annually through 2031 (AACN, 2022). These forecasted workforce needs challenge nursing programs to increase student enrollment (Dowling et al., 2021) while maintaining high-quality education standards. Student learning is facilitated by collaborative academic healthcare practices that provide active learning environments for students to engage in direct patient care under the direct supervision of a licensed nurse. The interactions between students and mentors within the clinical environment are essential for cultivating a sense of belonging while fostering the development of the professional nurse role. Exploring factors impacting the quality of learning experiences from a student's perspective provides valuable information to support best practices in an ever-changing education and healthcare environment. Although research has examined nursing student perceptions of clinical learning experiences with trained faculty and preceptors (Chan, 2001; Blegen et al., 2015), there is a lack of survey instruments designed to explore the inviting behaviors of nursing staff. This project aimed to examine the psychometric properties of a new instrument designed to examine nursing student perceptions of nursing staff behaviors during clinical learning experiences. Collaborative academic healthcare practices facilitated the refinement and piloting of the survey instrument. Rasch methods were used to examine responses from nursing students enrolled in licensed practical, associate, and baccalaureate nursing programs who had attended clinical experiences at one hospital organization. Several aspects of validity were explored using Russell's (2022) Justification of Use model and Messick's (1994) unified framework of construct validity as a guide. Study findings reinforce the importance of examining more than one aspect of validity before using survey results to make inferences or generalizability claims. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Nurse educators lack preparation when using simulation as a teaching modality in educating nurses and nursing students within their clinical environment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand nurse educators' perceptions of the challenges in preparing for simulation-based training experiences for nurses and nursing students. Vygotsky's constructivist theory was used as the conceptual framework for the study to emphasize students' innate ability to learn using active and hands-on processes through simulation experiences. Questions were developed to explore the challenges nurse educators encounter when preparing for simulation activities. Survey questionnaire invitations were sent through email to hundreds of nurse educators and completed survey questionnaires from 10 respondents were analyzed using NVivo, a computer-assisted software program. Data were first analyzed using open codes and axial codes, and later analyzed to identify emerging themes from the completed surveys that reflected the participants' perceptions. Identified themes were (a) nursing unit buy-in; (b) preparation; (c) resource availability; (d) professional development; (e) nurse education simulation feedback; (f) facilitation of knowledge, skills, and abilities; (g) mentorship and collaboration; and (h) collaboration and support. These findings led to the development of a 3-day professional development program to help nursing educators build confidence in using simulation as a teaching modality. This project study has potential for positive social change implications to improve patient care leading to increased longevity and community stability. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Having an adequate supply of nurses is critical to maintaining the health care system. The problem for this study was that undergraduate nursing students were leaving a local Midwest community college's nursing program before obtaining a degree. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the program's recent graduates, regarding nonacademic factors that they believe helped to facilitate their success. Jeffreys's nursing universal retention and success model served as the conceptual framework. The research question was focused on identifying nurse graduate perceptions of nonacademic factors that contributed to their success. A basic qualitative research design was used to capture the insights of 12 nurse graduates who graduated between January 2019 and December 2020 through semi structured interviews. A purposeful sampling approach was used to select the participants. Emergent themes were identified through open coding, and the findings were developed and checked for trustworthiness through member checking, rich participant descriptions, and researcher reflexivity. The findings revealed that nursing students faced familial, financial, and work-related challenges that often caused them to leave the program without completing or obtaining their degree. Family, peer, financial and faculty support were shown to facilitate student retention and lead to successful student outcomes. A professional development project was created to provide the nursing school's faculty and administrators with effective strategies to improve student retention and completion rates. This study has implications for positive social change by creating a structure to provide nurse instructors with strategies and approaches for improving student retention and persistence to graduation. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The research study topic was the persistence experience of male nursing students pursuing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing (BSN). Persistence describes students who continually progress despite obstacles. There is a well-known and confirmed gender gap in nursing education and the nursing profession. The most significant aspect of the literature gap is that few research articles directly address the actual persistence experience of male nursing students. The research question for this study was, "How have male nursing student experiences influenced their persistence in their BSN program?" The research methodology for this study was the basic qualitative methodology grounded in the self-efficacy theory used to elicit participant responses. The sample for this study came from the larger population of nursing students currently enrolled in but not yet graduated from a representative BSN nursing program in the Midwest United States. The sample consisted of participants who identified as male, were actively enrolled in a BSN program, had completed at least two semesters of their BSN program, were in good academic standing, and were 18 years of age or older. Open coding was used to help identify themes. Semistructured interviews were conducted to collect data. Thematic analysis was used for this study's data analysis. The emergent themes included the importance of family, peers, academic advising, self-belief, and equal treatment in the clinical setting, regardless of gender. Family is always there for the participants. Peers provided support by being teachers of content, a driving force, and a social support network. The academic advisor was identified as a prominent source of support from an accountability standpoint to a resource provider standpoint. Males who completed the labor and delivery rotation reported feeling treated differently because of their male status. Self-belief kept participants grounded and engaged in their nursing program. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This research gathered information on the knowledge and readiness of nursing faculty to teach lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) health in baccalaureate undergraduate nursing programs. The attitudes and knowledge of nursing faculty to teach LGBT health issues, and gaps in the knowledge of faculty's willingness to incorporate LGBT health into the nursing curriculum were identified. The purpose of the study was to collect information to answer the research question: "How do nursing faculty describe their knowledge and readiness to teach LGBT health in baccalaureate undergraduate nursing programs? This study aimed to increase faculty and administration's awareness of the importance of including LGBT health in the nursing curriculum. Goals of this study were to add to the knowledge base on this topic and clarify nursing faculty's knowledge and readiness to teach LGBT health. A generic qualitative design was used. Twelve nursing faculty currently teaching in a baccalaureate nursing program were interviewed using open-ended, semi-structured interview questions. Eleven of the participants were female, and one was male. Nine of the faculty were Caucasian, two were African American, and the male faculty is a mixed race of Asian and Caucasian. Their ages range from 31 to 68 years old. The faculty had an educational level of at least a master's degree, along with other specialty certifications. Themes of "knowledge," "ability and comfort," "LGBT content in curriculum," "barriers," "teaching strategies," "support needed," "training," and "comments" emerged from the data. The study's findings were analyzed considering Madeleine Leininger's nursing theory of cultural care diversity and universality. An inductive data analysis process followed the standard procedures model of Percy et al. (2015). The study's results identified gaps in faculty knowledge and readiness to teach LGBT health. Faculty's responses stressed the need for structural faculty training, professional development, representation, an open dialogue, and planned ways of including LGBT health topics in the classroom. Some of the participants shared their knowledge of LGBT health issues while others admitted to having limited knowledge. They offered a range from zero to two hours per semester that is spent lecturing on LGBT health. When the topic of LGBT health is presented in the classroom, it is covered mainly in the context of sexual health, HIV/AIDS, and STIs. The topic of LGBT health is rarely covered in clinical activities or curriculum committee meetings. Recommended future research are to explore students' perspectives on including LGBT health in their nursing curriculum and on the effectiveness of additional faculty professional development and training programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

This research study explored a gap in the knowledge related to nontraditional RN-to-BSN students and their retention and persistence. Nontraditional students face a higher risk of leaving their undergraduate program before completion, and the attrition rates for RN-to-BSN programs vary greatly. Research has shown a positive correlation between students who use academic advising and their retention, and working with academic advisors creates the needed link between the student and the institution. Although the literature has addressed the need to retain RN-to-BSN students, there is little research beyond the student's characteristics and perceptions on their retention or the effects of BSN-prepared nurses on healthcare outcomes. This study answered the following research question through a basic qualitative methodology: How has the retention and persistence of nontraditional RN-to-BSN students been shaped by their academic advising experiences? Twelve nontraditional RN-to-BSN program graduates discussed their experiences with academic advising through a semi-structured interview protocol. A thematic analysis of the interview narrative data yielded four major themes. The first theme was returning to school as a nontraditional student. Most study participants reported that they were hesitant about returning to school, but they considered the experience positive. The second theme, internal motivation, emerged when a majority of the study participants described their internal motivation to obtain their BSN; their future goals were the driving force to complete their program. Student use of academic advising was the third theme, which included the events leading to the advising sessions, the information students needed to stay on the program track, and the resources provided by the academic advisors. An important note found during the exploration of the use of academic advising was the variations in definitions being used in academic advising. Participants discussed their thoughts about program withdrawal and the ramifications of COVID-19 events on their program completion, leading to the final theme of persistence and retention. Most participants listed their advising experiences as positive but noted that their goal to earn their BSN was the biggest motivator for program completion. Several participants had in-depth conversations about their goals with their advisors, who used those conversations to motivate the students to continue their program. Therefore, the study showed that the students' internal motivation was the driving force behind their persistence. The findings from this study contribute to the body of knowledge surrounding academic advising and the retention and persistence of nontraditional RN-to-BSN students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

New graduate nurses report critical hands-on skills are not taught in school and contribute to the increased stress they feel when managing a life-threatening patient condition (Bennett et al., 2017). In the United States, approximately 290,000 in-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually (Andersen et al., 2019). The current Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) curriculum at a large university in northern New Jersey does not include the implementation of a high-fidelity cardiac arrest simulation. This project was designed to enhance classroom didactic education of nursing care during an emergency cardiac arrest by exposing traditional senior-level BSN students to a high-fidelity cardiac arrest simulation conducted in a controlled environment. This type of simulation allows students to experience, understand, and practice the necessary nursing response while caring for a patient suffering a life-threatening emergency prior to becoming licensed nurses. This initiative will prepare them to respond promptly and with confidence as novice licensed registered nurses when faced with an emergency in the clinical practice setting. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Background: Thriving in associate degree nursing students has not been well studied. Nursing students frequently describe their education as very stressful. When self-care and stress management are inadequate, students' well-being is adversely affected, adversely affecting patient care. Objective: This study examined whether creative thinking by nursing students in an associate degree nursing program moderates stress and promotes students' thriving. Methods: Eighty nursing students in a New Jersey suburban community college were studied. Relationships between demographic variables, creative thinking, and thriving were examined. Creative thinking was measured using Runco's Ideational Behavior Scale -- Short Form (RIBS). Thriving was measured with the Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-Being (PWB). Distributions, bivariate relationships, and multiple regressions were examined. Seventeen follow-up interviews used Charmaz's grounded theory approach to elucidate nursing students' perceptions of stress, creative thinking, and thriving during school. Results: Inverse relationships between stress and thriving (r = -0.23, p = 0.044), and stress and environmental mastery (r = -0.33, p = 0.002) indicated that students' wellbeing was adversely affected since entering nursing school. A positive correlation between progress in nursing school and students' ratings of purpose in life was seen (p = 0.04). No quantitative relationships were found between other demographic variables, creative thinking, and thriving. Interview data revealed that all interviewees used creative thinking but did not consider themselves to be consistently thriving. Students used creative problem-solving to individualize stress management skills to survive nursing school. A model was created to illustrate relationships between thriving and surviving in community college nursing students. Conclusions: This study suggests that students do not report consistent thriving in nursing school, despite evidence that creative thinking is used. Research should continue to investigate creative thinking to mitigate stress in nursing programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this qualitative study, using a hermeneutic phenomenological design, was to explore the lived experiences of how nursing faculty are trained, developed, and emotionally supported in addressing academic misconduct in the classroom. The problem to be addressed by this study was that nursing faculty lack training, development, and emotional support in addressing academic misconduct. The conceptual framework chosen for this study was holistic faculty development, with the following themes: self-efficacy, accountability, self-determination, emotional intelligence, and psychosocial support. A hermeneutic phenomenological study was the chosen method and design. The target population was nursing faculty who resided in the United States of America, including seven nursing faculty who currently teach or have taught as a full-time or part-time nursing faculty at some point in their career. A purposive sampling method was used to select participants for this study. I was the primary instrument, and data was collected from each participant using semi-structured one-on-one interviewing through Zoom. The interview protocol included 15 open-ended interview questions. NVivo Pro was the software used for coding and analysis. The data analysis chosen for this study was Braun and Clarke's sixstep thematic analysis. Through this analysis, eight themes emerged from the data. The themes indicated the need for nursing faculty to receive formalized training, ongoing development, and emotional support to address academic misconduct. Recommendations included providing nursing faculty opportunities to assess their understanding of academic misconduct, ongoing development that includes technology training, and emotional support. This study contributes to the existing body of literature by exploring the lived experience of how nursing faculty are trained, developed, and emotionally supported to address academic misconduct in the classroom. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Exploring Perceptions of Peer Mentoring, Stress, and Confidence of Associate Degree in Nursing Student Mentors During Clinical Learning ExperiencesDue to a critical nursing shortage, the nursing profession needs many new graduate nurses prepared for practice. Many preparation strategies exist, yet there is a gap in nursing research regarding peer mentoring in clinical learning environments or on the use of mentors as a strategy to reduce clinical stress and nurture clinical confidence in new graduates. Guided by three research questions, the purpose of this phenomenological qualitative research study was to explore the perceptions of peer mentoring, stress, and clinical confidence of associate degree in nursing student mentors during clinical learning experiences. The learn, practice, master by mentoring model framework, adapted from Benner's novice to expert cognitive learning theory, supported this study. Data were collected through individual, semi-structured, virtual interviews with nine mentors from the last course of an associate degree nursing program. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Ten identified themes included a positive experience, reflective learning, mentoring challenges, potential clinical mistakes, peer support, faculty impact, transitional experiences, the impact of clinical confidence, the impact of stress on confidence, and professional growth. Offering peer mentoring in clinical learning experiences may provide new graduates with tools for a successful transition into the nursing workforce. Limitations of the study include a small sample size; however, the positive results warrant further exploration of the implementation of peer mentoring in nursing programs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Research suggests that newly graduated nurses lack confidence in caring for deteriorating patients and this lack of confidence could lead to poor patient outcomes. The aim of this project was to examine the effectiveness of a simulation intervention on the confidence level of Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) students in caring for deteriorating patients. The method used was a one group pretest and posttest design. The participants of this project were 11 students in their final semester of an ADN program. These students completed a demographic survey and a pre-test confidence survey. They then participated in the intervention and completed the post-test confidence survey. The project showed an increase in all the five confidence scores questions after the intervention with a p=0.002 for the sum of the confidence scores. An intervention such as the one used in this project may be helpful in increasing confidence and patient care. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Patient outcomes are influenced by the social determinants of health (SDOH), which influence differing exposures to opportunities or health risks. Holistic care of geriatric patients includes considering SDOH in patient assessment, diagnosis, and care delivery. Understanding how NP students care for geriatric patients using a SDOH lens provides insight into their practice behaviors and helps educators understand how to strengthen NP programs to achieve better patient outcomes and advance health equity for the geriatric population. The purpose of this study was to describe how NP students conceptualize SDOH for geriatric patients, explore NP student comfort in asking about patient SDOH as part of their assessment, and to describe how NP students apply their knowledge of SDOH to their assessment and plan of care for geriatric patients. This study utilized a multi-method descriptive approach with both qualitative and quantitative methods within three separate study arms. Participants included family nurse practitioners (FNP) and adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioners (AGPCNP) in their last clinical practicum who took care of geriatric patients in an outpatient setting. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected from study participants in the form of survey responses, debriefing sessions, and care management plans. The findings of this study revealed that NP students could identify SDOH associated with geriatric patients. They were most comfortable asking about, and most frequently identified, considered, and incorporated SDOH of social support, transportation, and access to care into the plan of care of geriatric patients. NP students were least comfortable asking about, and least frequently identified, considered, and incorporated SDOH of discrimination, civic participation, and crime and violence into the plan of care of geriatric patients. Identification and interventions by NP students were limited to the most common SDOH. This study contributes to the understanding of the transfer of knowledge about SDOH to the clinical practice of NP students when caring for geriatric patients. This study informs nurse educators on how to strengthen NP programs to teach SDOH and practical SDOH mitigation interventions in the plan of care for geriatric patients. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Providing students with effective retention strategies allows nursing schools to help as many struggling students as possible, leading to an increased number of graduates. A nationwide nursing shortage has forced schools to try to keep up with the demands. However, many obstacles prevent students from being successful. This qualitative study gained insight and perspectives from faculty members who teach nursing students about what strategies are successful and what strategies are not successful in retaining nursing students. Once the student is admitted to a nursing program, faculty must ensure that the student encounters a positive learning environment. Someone must train nursing instructors to provide academic support to those students who may have issues that may affect their performance in nursing school. Equally, nursing school admission departments must work to ensure that the most qualified students receive admission. The pressure to keep up with the demands of the nursing workforce should not be a higher priority than ensuring that a student can succeed in nursing school. This study also uncovered the importance of student participation in their education and faculty support efforts to engage the students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of the retrospective quantitative cohort regression study was to identify predictors of success on the Next Generation National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NGN-NCLEX-RN) and determine if changes are needed in the nursing program curriculum. Nurse educators and nursing administration are responsible for aligning the nursing curriculum with the accreditation organization's standards, adhering to the state Boards of Nursing's rules and regulations, and graduating safe and competent entry-level nurses. The most significant nursing program outcome and the key indicator of program effectiveness is the National Council of Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) first attempt passing rate. The study collected archived records of students' Elsevier Adaptive Quizzing (EAQ) scores, the highest Health Education Systems Incorporated (HESI) program exit examination scores, and the cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) to determine if these variables predicted success on the NGN-NCLEX-RN. Linda Caputi's "Think Like Nurse Model" provides the framework for this study to measure prelicensure undergraduate students' ability to think and learn according to the cognitive processes necessary for passing the NGN-NCLEX-RN on the first attempt. This retrospective quantitative cohort regression study design had 28 participants who graduated from a prelicensure nursing program in the southeastern United States. The participants completed EAQ assignments and the HESI exit examination during their last semester, and their cumulative GPA was available before taking the NGN-NCLEX-RN. The results show the student's highest HESI program exit examination, the EAQ score, and cumulative GPA were not statistically sufficient predictors of passing the NGN-NCLEX-RN. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Nursing literature has reported episodes of nursing student anxiety in the simulated class. The students gave accounts of their experiences, difficulties learning, and performing nursing skills. The purpose of the qualitative descriptive study was to explore how nursing students describe the influence of anxiety on their skill performance and skill transfer in the simulation class in Southern California nursing programs. Jeffries simulation theory, a framework for the study, was designed for learning with technology. The cognitive interference theory explains the difficulties with anxiety in nursing students while learning new skills. The research questions for this study are as follows: RQ1: How do nursing students describe the influence of anxiety on their skill performance in the simulation class and RQ2: How do nursing students describe the influence of anxiety on skill transfer in the simulation class? The qualitative descriptive study used a purposeful sample of registered nursing students and vocational nursing students from Southern California nursing programs. There were four focus groups and ten individual interviews. Data were collected through individual interviews and focus groups, using open-ended questions. The process of thematic coding was the result of several descriptive accounts, as students described their experiences in the simulation. There were five themes from the data: satisfaction with learning, no orientation, lack of understanding, COVID-19 caused cancellations, and anxiety. The results showed that numerous students enjoyed simulation and learned new skills. The data also revealed several were anxious and had difficulty thinking and performing. Further data displayed the experience is modifiable and consideration is needed to enhance the educational experience of the ESL nursing students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Background: PPE training is essential to prevent transmission of infections or autoinoculation of infections among healthcare providers and patients. Student nurses play a vital role in infection control practices to protect themselves and patients from transmittable infections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate an innovative teaching and learning strategy known as virtual reality simulation in teaching proper PPE use in comparison to more traditional learning. Research Questions: This study aimed to answer three research questions: (1) What is the acceptability among faculty of using a head mounted VRS to train undergraduate nursing students in the proper donning, doffing, and disposing of PPE compared to standard teaching modalities? (2) What is the feasibility and acceptability among students of using a head mounted VRS in proper donning, doffing, and disposing of PPE? (3) What is the efficacy of using a head mounted VRS for PPE use on the accuracy, clinical judgement, fear, and reported self-confidence among sophomore baccalaureate nursing students compared to standard teaching modalities? Methods: A small group evaluation design with repeated measures was used to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a newly developed training module. Using head mounted VRS, donning, doffing, and disposing of various types of personal protective equipment (PPE) among 38 undergraduate nursing students at West Virginia University was evaluated. Measures included the Accuracy Checklist, Lasater Clinical Judgement Scoring Sheet for Virtual Patients, Student Satisfaction and Confidence in Learning Scale, and the Fear Affect Fixed Form Ages 18+ v2.0. Data was analyzed in SPSS version 26. Analysis was conducted using chi-square test for independence to analyze differences between groups at each time point and ANOVA to analyze differences between groups over three time points. Results: Analysis of results showed a decrease in fear from time one to time two and an increase in accuracy, self-confidence, and clinical judgement for those using the head mounted VRS over three time points. Conclusions: The study findings indicate that VRS improves accuracy, increases clinical judgement, and increases self-confidence among sophomore undergraduate nursing students. This type of teaching modality is preferred by students and increases knowledge attainment. Future studies should consider a longer amount of time for learning to inquire if this improves accuracy in donning, doffing, and disposing of PPE. Future studies should also consider more in-depth scenarios to assess clinical judgement among undergraduate nursing students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Calculation of the correct dosages is a key factor for safe patient medication administration. For decades nurse educators have aimed to improve the knowledge and skills of the pre-licensure nursing students for medication administration. In a midwestern prelicensure nursing school, a program was implemented using a curriculum wide approach for the teaching, remediation, and assessment of the math skills required for safe medication administration; known as the Math and Medication Administration Proficiency (MMAP) program. This dissertation evaluates the MMAP program using a logic model and mixed methods approach. Results indicated improvement in the pre-licensure nursing students' success with the testing of calculations required for safe medication administration; and improved scores on national benchmarked testing completed by senior students. Subsequently, a survey was completed by the pre-licensure nursing faculty who teach in the clinical setting and/or the simulation lab. Survey responses indicated missed opportunities to reinforce the skills for safe medication dosage calculations at the bedside. Faculty survey also reported a lack of confidence in their abilities to teach students about safe medication dosage calculations. Findings of this program evaluation can guide undergraduate nursing faculty in the development of a curriculum wide program to improve mathematical calculations for safe medication dosages. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The Institute of Medicine (2015) reported that hospice and palliative care are generally not taught in medical or nursing schools. The aim of the study was to discover the palliative care self-competence of faculty who teach in pre-licensure nursing programs, determine if the "Competencies and Recommendations for Educating Nursing Students" ("CARES") (AACN, 2016) are utilized within nursing programs, and determine if the End-of-Life Care Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC, 2022) is used to deliver the content. A null hypothesis was offered that there is no significant relationship between the faculty participants' reported palliative care self-competence and the presence of the palliative care competencies in pre-licensure nursing programs in the U.S. The shared theory of palliative care by Desbiens et al. (2012) was applied. Surveys (1710) were emailed to pre-licensure accredited nursing programs using a systematic sampling plan, yielding a 4.3% response rate. Participants (N = 73) stated that they possessed the ability to meet the 17 palliative care competencies, but only ten of the 17 competencies were included in at least 75% of the programs. Moreover, only 15% of programs reported using the ELNEC curriculum to deliver the palliative care competencies. The null hypothesis was rejected after testing revealed a weak to moderate positive relationship between the participants' reported palliative care self-competence and the presence of palliative care competencies in pre-licensure nursing. The results suggest that faculty need staff development to educate nursing students and display an urgency to re-invigorate the promotion of palliative and end-of-life care nursing education for faculty and students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Nurse educators are faced with many challenges while preparing students to safely enter clinical practice. Due to technological advances in the health care field and student demographic changes, educators have been looking for alternative methods to traditional lecture format to meet the needs of current learners. Using the framework of Adult Learning Theory, this quasi-experimental two-group, repeated measures study explored the use of gaming in the classroom on cognitive performance, course engagement, and metamotivational state in undergraduate nursing students. The study was conducted with a convenience sample of 63 nursing students enrolled in a nursing pharmacology course during the second year of the nursing curriculum. The intervention consisted of three sessions of "Kahoot!" "Teach with Slides" lasting approximately 60 minutes to reinforce course content each week during scheduled class sessions. Instruments to measure outcomes included: (a) Student Course Engagement Questionnaire (SCEQ), (b) Telic/Paratelic State Inventory (T/PSI), and (c) module examination developed by faculty. The English Language Acculturation Scale (ELAS) was used to measure study participants' use of English providing insight to the effect of gaming on students with varied levels of English acculturation. The sample exhibited a wide range of ELAS scores, 5-25 (M = 19.95; SD = 7.32), indicating students in both groups had varying English language acculturation levels. An independent sample t test showed no significant difference between intervention and control groups, t(54) = 1.093, p = 0.140. The first study used a quasi-experimental two-group, pretest-posttest design to assess cognitive performance and course engagement. An independent samples t test showed a statistically significant difference in cognitive performance between groups, t(61) = 2.160, p = 0.035. English Language Acculturation was a statistically significant predictor of cognitive performance; however, there was no difference between intervention and control groups in language acculturation. There was no statistically significant interaction between group and time of testing for course engagement scores between groups over time. There was no correlation between cognitive performance and course engagement, r(34) = 0.102, p = 0.565. The second study employed a quasi-experimental two-group, repeated measures design to assess the metamotivational states of students along with the relationship of metamotivational state to cognitive performance and course engagement. Chi-square analyses of metamotivational states between groups revealed no statistical difference between intervention and control groups. A two-way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant interaction between gaming and metamotivational state, F(1,30) = 4.603, p = 0.041. Paratelic students in the intervention group had statistically significantly higher course engagement, t(18) = -3.06, p = 0.007. The study findings indicate that gaming is a comparable activity to non-gaming active teaching strategies such as group discussion and case studies. There was an increase in course engagement for those in the paratelic state of the intervention group indicating that those who are playful can be engaged in the classroom. The results of this study indicate that "Kahoot!" is a gaming activity that can be used in nursing education to increase cognitive performance. Further research is needed to explore other student learning outcomes. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The call for transformation of nursing education continues to be supported by professional nursing organizations and nursing leaders. It is needed to support transition of nursing graduates who are facing an increasing technological work environment, higher patient acuity, and the challenges of making rapid critical decisions for care. The current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced faculty and students to leave the "brick and mortar" structures of classes behind in Spring 2020. It also promoted new teaching strategies, such as mobile polling, for online learning environments to support engagement of students. Poll Everywhere and Kahoot are applications that can provide an alternative to the "sage on the stage" and traditional PowerPoint-only lectures while augmenting learning and promoting engagement. The purpose of this study was to explore student engagement in large classes using mobile polling. This qualitative study was conducted with 17 prelicensure students from two cohorts who had experienced large classes with and without mobile polling. Data were collected from the participants of two focus groups and 14 individual interviews. The study used Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory (1986) as a framework for development of the study and as a lens to filter the data collected. Qualitative inquiry produced descriptive data, which focused on three major themes and points of discussion including (a) mobile polling activity, (b) learner attributes, and (c) social learning. Multiple subthemes emerged from the first major theme including mobile poll characteristics, timing of polls, and discussions. Additional subthemes developed from the second major theme including learning style, accommodations, motivation, accountability, self-efficacy, prior experiences, and participants' engagement definitions. From the third major theme, additional subthemes of interaction between students and faculty emerged. These data points provided valuable insight into the use of effective mobile polling to promote engagement in large classes. Overall, the participants reported the use of mobile polling in large classes increased their engagement and encouraged faculty to continue and increase the use of polling for future courses. The effective use of mobile polling to promote engagement from the participant's perspective is dependent on various factors, which are discussed as themes and subthemes in this research study. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and describe how a realistic and evidence-based simulation training on clinical skills impacts nursing students' proficiency, self-assessment of proficiency, confidence, enjoyment, and anxiety. The study explored the impacts this simulation training program had on FSU's nursing students enrolled in 2nd and 3rd semesters. A total of 170 nursing students participated in this study. Different modalities of simulation equipment (task trainers and high fidelity mannikins) were utilized to achieve the learning objectives of each skill taught during this training. The design of this skills training follows the Simulation Design standard of best practice by INACSL (Watts et al., 2021). Questionnaires with Likert scale and open-text responses were used to collect data on the students' self-reported proficiency, confidence, enjoyment, and anxiety. Achievement of skill proficiency was measured by faculty using checklists for each skill taught. I served as both the researcher and the designer of the boot camp skills course. The results of this study indicated that most nursing students who participated in the simulation training achieved proficiency in the clinical skills taught. Results also revealed that self-reported proficiency, confidence, and enjoyment significantly increased for all skills taught in the training program. However, the findings did not reveal a statistically significant difference between the pre and post-simulation means for self-reported anxiety. Introducing a simulation boot camp for skills practice before students start clinical rotations seems like a good adjunct that supplements clinical practice. Students enjoyed the training, receiving feedback, and practicing in a simulated environment resembling reality. However, it remains to be seen whether the skills learned in this boot camp transfer into real-world practice. More research is needed to evaluate the transferability of skills acquired through simulation into clinical practice. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

The Next Generation NCLEX (NGN) tests nursing graduates' clinical judgment based on the Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (CJMM). Faculty are facing challenges because based on Benner's Novice to Expert conceptual model, nursing students are novices and therefore do not possess intuitive clinical judgment due to lacking clinical experience. While research has revealed insights into how clinical judgment based on analytical reasoning can be taught to nursing students, there was no research describing the experiences of nursing faculty who were teaching it. This research gap presented a problem because students are required to pass the NGN to receive nursing licensure. The purpose of this study was to explore how nursing faculty were teaching clinical judgment compared to the conceptual models of Tanner's Clinical Judgment Model (CJM) and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing's CJMM (NCSBN-CJMM). Sixteen qualitative interviews were conducted with full-time nursing faculty at seven universities from the Northeast and Southeast. Semi-structured interview data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed. Participants were teaching clinical judgment in the classroom, simulation, and clinical using the Tanner CJM, the NCSBN-CJMM, Caputi's clinical judgment framework, and without a conceptual model. There was one negative case in which the participant was not teaching clinical judgment. The findings provided insights into the lack of depth, inconsistencies, and omissions in participants' pedagogy in teaching students how to think and arrive at their clinical judgments. Since the Tanner CJM and the NCSBN-CJMM are conceptual models, they were too generally constructed to provide in-depth guidance on how faculty should teach clinical judgment. The study also provided the unexpected findings of program, student, and faculty factors affecting their teaching clinical judgment. The study has implications for policy makers because faculty are teaching the application of clinical judgment in a manner to support passing the NGN without teaching students how to think deeply, for educators because they lack pedagogical knowledge which necessitates the need for professional development, and for practitioners because staff nurses and preceptors lack clinical experience and professional development in clinical judgment to teach nursing students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]

Introduction: Technology is embedded in many aspects of healthcare. This is especially true in nursing, where technology is used daily in charting, medication administration, clinical decision-making, healthcare team communication, and information resource utilization. In nursing programs, students are exposed to healthcare technologies and expected to use them once entering the workforce. Healthcare technologies such as electronic health records (EHR), barcode medication administration, medication dispensing machines, and mobile technologies are critical to adopt to leverage their efficiencies and safety mechanisms to provide the best patient care. Despite evidence indicating the benefits of using healthcare technologies, new graduate nurses enter the workforce unprepared to use them due to a complex interaction of factors, including their acceptance of technology, attitudes toward technology, self-efficacy with using the technology, and experience with using the technology. This study aimed to investigate the factors that influence technology acceptance, attitudes, self-efficacy, and experience on technology readiness in pre-licensure nursing students applying a comprehensive approach. Furthermore, this study investigated the extent to which technology acceptance, attitudes toward technology, and technology self-efficacy mediate the relationship between technology experience and technology readiness. Methods: A convenience sample of final-term pre-licensure nursing students aged 18 years or older enrolled in four Southern Nevada Nursing schools were asked to answer items in an electronic, anonymous survey. Students selected represented those about to graduate and enter the workforce as novice nurses; thus, an understanding of their technology readiness was captured as the study outcomes. The survey consisted of questions from the following instruments and demographic information: Modified Technology Acceptance Model Questionnaire, Pretest for Attitudes Toward Computers in Healthcare v.3, Technology Self-efficacy Scale, Technology Readiness Index 2.0, modified Technology Experience Questionnaire. Results: To answer the first research question, hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to assess whether attitudes, self-efficacy, and technology acceptance predicted technology readiness while controlling for age and level of education. The significance of the regression results indicated that the variables predict technological readiness collectively, explaining 63% of the variance (F (7,72) = 21.73, p < 0.001). To answer the second research question, three separate hierarchical multiple linear regressions were carried out to evaluate whether technology experience predicted technology acceptance, self-efficacy, and attitudes and indicated that technology experience significantly predicted both technology acceptance (F (5,80) = 3.18, p = <0.001) and attitudes toward technology (F (5,75) = 3.63, p = 0.005), explaining 13% and 12% of the variances, respectively. For the third research question, three separate mediation analyses were conducted to evaluate if technology acceptance, attitudes towards technology, or self-efficacy, mediated the link between technology experience and technology readiness and revealed that attitudes toward technology and technology acceptance mediated the direct relationship found between technology experience and technology readiness. Discussion: This study demonstrated that technology experience influences pre-licensure nursing students' technology readiness and is further influenced by process of change feelings, such as technology acceptance and attitudes. Nursing schools are responsible for preparing competent nurse graduates to deliver safe care; therefore, it is vital that healthcare technology education is included in nursing education. The results suggest that nursing programs should establish curricula emphasizing the importance of these tools and invest in training and resources to provide more hands-on experiences. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]