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Purpose: The purpose of this project was to explore digital health technologies in the healthcare environment through the use of concept and mind mapping tools in a graduate level informatics practicum course. Design: This descriptive course evaluation project was conducted at a large university school of nursing during the 2019–2020 academic year and included a convenience sample of 163 doctor of nursing practice students. Methods: Students completed four major deliverables exploring digital health technologies and data sources using mind maps. Project goals were evaluated using detailed rubrics and data from a course evaluation questionnaire (CEQ) then analyzed using descriptive statistics. Comments from the CEQ and reflection documents were reviewed for themes and validated by two experts. Findings: The variety and creativity of the mind maps along with student comments indicated their ability to apply critical thinking skills to the specific content and technologies being examined. Overall CEQ mean scores were high (M = 4.35), indicating that the mind mapping deliverables were logical, relevant, appropriate, and meaningful to learning. Conclusions: Nurse educators and healthcare professionals should consider using mind mapping techniques because this venue allows for expanded understanding of the complexities of the healthcare environment and integration of related digital health technologies. Clinical Relevance: The recent pandemic highlighted the necessity for new technologies to continue providing patient care services. Mind maps are a fast and economical tool for understanding and prioritizing the needs of an organization as well as a unique teaching strategy to promote critical thinking and sharing of ideas related to digital health technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer patients and survivors can experience an adverse effect profile from anti-neoplastic treatments. Frequency and intensity of hot flashes, a prevalent adverse event, compromises adherence to cancer treatment. This quality improvement project sought to implement and evaluate the effects of nurse education on evidence-based treatments and assessment for hot flashes using best practice guidelines from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). A pre/posttest intervention design was utilized with a 30-minute one group didactic education intervention for 7 nurse participants on an outpatient oncology unit. Education was delivered on hot flashes, non-hormonal evidence-based treatments and the documentation process using the NCI Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) flowsheet. 86% of nurse participants demonstrated a statistically significant score increase from pre to post intervention, indicating an increase in nurse knowledge (p<.028). A median 21-point (IQR: 12) score improvement was identified. Three patients had documented hot flashes using the NCI CTCAE flowsheet at intervention end, indicating a lack of nurse adherence to documentation. Knowledge of hot flashes, modalities of treatment, and documentation in accordance with best practice guidelines, can be increased with nurse education. Nurses as educators can impart knowledge of treatments upon patients to promote adherence to anti-neoplastic therapies, which may be compromised due to the distressing adverse event of hot flashes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an opinion paper on the role of the hospital-l based nurse educator and the relevance of Informatics training for that position. The term “Nurse Educator” (NE) is used here describing a non-faculty position in a hospital or facility that deals with staff development of nurses. The standard roles for Informatics Nurses tend to be in the Information Technology (IT) department where exposure to practicing nurses is limited and decisions can be made without nursing practice input. The standard roles for the nurse staff educators tend to be involved with nursing decisions and nursing practice on various levels. This paper will discuss how having nurse educators prepared in informatics can strengthen nursing and patient care. Examples of problems where the nurse educator can use appropriate informatics solutions are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oncology inpatient nursing care is more diverse than non-oncology care and different than traditional intermediate (IMC) care. The complexity and level of debilitation of medical oncology inpatients constitute higher numbers of patient care hours. Staffing ratios for care of oncology patients often differ from non-oncology nursing units, and validated workload and acuity tools are not readily available. A nursing workgroup in this 77-bed Comprehensive Cancer Center was formed to evaluate existing Oncology and IMC nursing workload and Acuity tools in the literature and select one for implementation. Evidence-based literature showed two tools used for inpatient oncology acuity, but they did not address all essential variables. Six non-validated instruments and eight articles were examined to identify key variables and common anchors to develop an organization-specific tool. Unique specialty care such as administration of research drugs, venous access management, and complex discharge planning were considered in tool creation of domains and variables. The first draft had 34 variables within four levels of oncology care. The aim of this series of pilots was to develop content and face validity in preparation for an institutional review board (IRB) approved research study to test construct validity and reliability. The first draft was piloted in summer 2020, then modified for clarity and variable reduction. A second pilot in October 2020 helped reduce it to 24 variables with additional rephrasing. This project reports the results of 4913 entries from February-March 2021. There were appropriate relationships between the staff level assessment and the point distribution. It also defined the number of patients at each level of acuity/workload on the inpatient units and which variables were most prevalent. Descriptive statistics showed the frequency of high acuity technologies, the clinical burden of physical care, blood product and chemotherapy administration volumes, frequent assessments, and need for psychosocial support or discharge planning. The diversity of cancer patients' needs and available resources may indicate necessity for development of an organizational-specific tool for measurement of oncology acuity and workload. This project demonstrates a methodical approach to development of a tool with face validity and the process to create a research study based on pilot data. There is now an ongoing IRB approved research study testing the instrument for construct validity and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Staffing changes within this Comprehensive Cancer Center during the pandemic clarified the need for standardized change of shift nursing handoff processes. Five inpatient units had different processes for shift handoff. Current literature indicates that standardization of handoff can positively affect nurse satisfaction and decrease adverse patient events. Improving communication through optimal handoff is a Joint Commission national patient safety goal, with safety experts recommending evidence-based criteria for handoff communications. This quality improvement project aimed to implement a web or mobile accessible technology to ensure social distancing and standardization of shift handoff among all inpatient units. A mobile application was implemented, allowing easy shift handoff according to a structured templates via verbal recordings or web-accessed written summaries. Staff who participated downloaded the HIPAA-approved application to their personal phone or logged into a secure network computer. Report accuracy was measured by audits comparing reports against Joint Commission recommended criteria for four weeks after the process change. Staff satisfaction with the new process was measured through a survey two months after implementation. Audit data showed the most prevalent criteria included in the handoff report included illness assessment, patient summary, action items and contingency plans. Over 46% of users found the web-based application "extremely easy", with 26% finding it at least "somewhat easy". Both handoff methods demonstrated errors in timing of chemotherapy or lab tests. The new mobile verbal report was preferred by 62% of users, citing that written report encourages frequent copying and pasting which can lead to error. Users who preferred a typed report noted it was easy to print and write on during the shift. Some staff declined to download the application on their personal phone due to privacy concerns or unwillingness to use their own data for work needs, giving them only the typed option. The use of hospital approved phones to access this application would eliminate this concern, but is not a current option. Standardizing handoff report across all inpatient oncology units to web-based and mobile applications was successful, aligned with Joint Commission criteria, and received positively by staff nurses. More work is needed to enhance adherence to best practices, but the standardized approach provides an objective method to identify and address inconsistencies in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is an opinion paper on the role of the hospital-l based nurse educator and the relevance of Informatics training for that position. The term "Nurse Educator" (NE) is used here describing a non-faculty position in a hospital or facility that deals with staff development of nurses. The standard roles for Informatics Nurses tend to be in the Information Technology (IT) department where exposure to practicing nurses is limited and decisions can be made without nursing practice input. The standard roles for the nurse staff educators tend to be involved with nursing decisions and nursing practice on various levels. This paper will discuss how having nurse educators prepared in informatics can strengthen nursing and patient care. Examples of problems where the nurse educator can use appropriate informatics solutions are outlined.