AIM The aim of the study was to determine if using a writing scaffold influenced nurse educator students' self-assessed use of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) of scholarly writing. BACKGROUND According to sociocultural theory, scaffolding instruction supports learners. However, the impact of a writing scaffold on graduate nursing students' writing development is unclear. METHOD A retrospective, longitudinal design was used to examine change in 65 Master of Science Nurse Educator students' self-assessed use of the KSAs of scholarly writing after using a writing scaffold for 4 and 10 weeks. RESULTS One-way repeated measures analysis of variance indicates significant increases in the self-assessed use of the KSAs of scholarly writing after using the scaffold for 10 weeks. CONCLUSION Academic nurse educators can use a writing scaffold within and across curricula to increase students' use of the KSAs of scholarly writing, which can foster writer competence and future author development.
Nursing students experience rising stress and burnout, yet well-being education remains fragmented across curricula. National calls prompted the development of Grow RN (Growing Resilient Nurses for the Workforce), an innovative, theory-grounded well-being program that aligns interactive, competency-based well-being strategies with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials Domain 10. The program integrates mental, physical, and emotional skill-building using scalable, engaging methods that foster a culture of well-being. Preliminary outcomes demonstrate improved student engagement, coping confidence, and faculty feasibility. Grow RN is sustainable and adaptable; it can be used across nursing programs to prepare students for entering practice as resilient nurses and community well-being leaders.
This study explored the effects of a virtual nature-based intervention (NBI) on nursing students’ levels of stress and anxiety, academic performance, and resilience. Forty-four participants completed a virtual NBI. Pre- and post-intervention scores of resilience, academic stress, test anxiety, and academic performance were assessed. The NBI led to a statistically significant improvement in exam scores with no significant changes in test anxiety, resilience, or academic stress postintervention. Findings suggest that viewing a virtual NBI prior to completing an academic exam could boost exam performance. Additional research is warranted using novel nature-focused interventions targeting anxiety reduction.
An innovative virtual interprofessional education activity was designed to address a gap in ethics-focused learning for nurse practitioner (NP) students. Participants, including NP, pharmacy, and clinical psychology students, engaged in small-group discussions of ethical vignettes using each profession’s respective code of ethics. The session aimed to promote ethical reasoning, shared decision-making, and alignment with the interprofessional education core competencies. An individual reflection reinforced key themes. This approach offers a replicable model for integrating ethics into NP curricula and preparing students to navigate ethical challenges collaboratively in team-based healthcare settings.
Nurse educators face challenges designing assignments that meet diverse competencies while fostering student engagement. The Hot Topic Video Assignment is a signature assignment that combines community assessment, nursing knowledge, and video presentation skills. Students create action plans, use data to support interventions, and receive peer feedback. This assignment develops competencies in several domains, including population health, informatics, professionalism, and leadership. The Hot Topic Video Assignment is innovative and integrative, enhances student academic and clinical development, aligns with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essentials, and promotes professional nursing.
