Understanding roles in health care through interprofessional educational experiences

Background: Students can find interacting within a healthcare team challenging. It is important for students to understand their role and respect those of other healthcare team members. Interprofessional education (IPE) is a strategy for exploring the roles of self and others within the team. Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate nursing students' perceptions of roles and responsibilities following an IPE experience. Methods: Students in an undergraduate baccalaureate degree nursing programme participated in a two-day IPE event with students in the physician's assistant's (PA) programme, pharmacy programme, and physical therapy (PT) programme. Findings: Self-perception and the perception of others were two main themes that emerged. The results suggested that roles and responsibilities are often misunderstood. Conclusion: Educators must be committed to educating our future healthcare workforce on role expectations and responsibilities within an individual's own profession and that of others. This education should start in the foundation stages of each discipline's educational curricula.

Focused on the Objective: Experience of Male Combat Veterans in BSN Programs

BackgroundVeterans may provide a recruitment source to increase the diversity of the nursing workforce and increase the percentage of baccalaureate-prepared nurses. This study sought to understand the lived experience of male combat veterans in pre-licensure baccalaureate degree nursing programs.MethodUsing Van Manen’s interpretive phenomenology methodology, a purposive sample of seven male combat veterans in pre-licensure baccalaureate degree nursing programs participated through written lived-experience descriptions (n = 2), photo-elicitation (n = 2), and unstructured interviews (N = 7).FindingsThe essential nature of the phenomenon is focused on the objective and four themes describing the participant’s experiences were identified: tools of the trade, identity, turbulent waters, and fuel.ConclusionDespite the presence of barriers and frustrations, participants applied their identity and used the strengths gained through military service along with supports to focus on their objective of becoming a nurse. Thus, this research has implications for nurse educators.

Professionalism in Practice Between Diploma and B.Sc Nursing (4 year) Graduates in Hospital Settings

Purpose: Professionalism construct on encompassing the commonly accepted attributes of altruism, respect, honesty, integrity, dutifulness, honor, excellence and accountability. The objective of this study was to compare the professional values orientation among the graduates of Diploma and Baccalaureate degree Nursing (BSN) program in hospital settings. Design and Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted from October -December 2011 in four Hospitals of Punjab. Data was collected from a total of 300 nurses, one fifty each from BSN and Diploma graduates. Selection of hospital as well as nurses was done by convenient sample design. Mean and frequencies were reported for demographic and professional attributes while two sample Independent T- test and ANOVA were used to compare the means of groups under study. Results: The study showed that diploma graduate nurses had higher level of values of professionalism than BSN graduate nurses in all four subscales including Professional self-concept (4.38 ± 0.73 and 3.80 ±0.83, P= 0. 000), social awareness (4.14±0.68 and 3.46 ± 0.84, P= 0. 000), nursing professionalism (4.58±0.54 and 4.10±0.81, P= 0. 000), and nursing services role (4.46±0.60 and 3.78±0.93, P= 0. 000). But in fifth subscale, nursing originality, BSN graduates had higher mean score than diploma graduates (2.47 ± 0.98 and 2.36 ± 1.03, P= 0. 361). They are not significantly different. Conclusion: The diploma graduates exhibit better professional values as compared to BSN graduates in these hospital settings. The identified gaps need to be bridged and stepped on to move forward to improve professional nursing values with more training and through mentoring program.