BACKGROUND:Clinicians delivering palliative care require the specific knowledge, skill and understanding to meet the needs of the dying. Research shows that undergraduate nursing students report feeling inadequately prepared to provide safe and effective palliative care. OBJECTIVES:To identify existing empirical evidence on generalist palliative care content within international undergraduate nursing curricula and to synthesize existing generalist palliative care topics. DESIGN:An integrative systematic review was conducted and reported in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines and registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO). DATA SOURCES:Keywords were searched in six electronic databases CINAHL, Medline, APA PsycINFO, SCOPUS, Cochran Library and ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Database, between January 2000 and February 2022. REVIEW METHODS:Studies were selected as per a pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Methodological quality was appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Tabulation of the author, year, country, aim, participants and setting, method, generalist palliative care content topics, additional findings and limitations were compiled. A thematic analysis of the data was conducted to organise and categorise generalist palliative care topics into an additional table followed by a narrative synthesis. RESULTS:Of the n = 1014 papers retrieved, n = 13 studies of varying methodological quality were included in the analysis (n = 8 quantitative descriptive, n = 5 mixed method). Most studies were published in high income countries with developed economies. Methods used to obtain data include survey, extraction of secondary data and expert consensus. Generalist palliative care topics were presented as a list reporting frequency taught/discussed/cited (n = 10), recommended competencies (n = 2), and teaching modules (n = 1). A large variety of topics were identified with differing levels of detail and clear differences in topics identified globally. Overall, the most frequently mentioned generalist palliative care topics were pain and symptom management (n = 12), grief loss & bereavement (n = 12) and communication (n = 11). CONCLUSIONS:This review demonstrates for the first time that international primary research evidence on generalist palliative care content in undergraduate nursing curriculum is minimal, of varying methodological quality, with visible inconsistencies among studies designed to inform curriculum verses studies reporting what is taught to students. More research is required to create evidence informed generalist palliative care content for undergraduate nursing curriculum. RECOMMENDATIONS:It is recommended for future research to use international consensus-based methods to inform and develop internationally agreed educational topics to optimise patient care at the point of nurse registration.

Introduction According to EU standards, 50% of the bachelor education program in nursing should take place in clinical learning environments. Consequently, this calls for high quality supervision, where appropriate assessment strategies are vital to optimize students’ learning, growth, and professional development. Despite this, little is known about the formal assessment discussions taking place in clinical nursing education. Objective The aim of this study was to explore the characteristics of the formal assessment discussions taking place during first-year students’ clinical education in nursing homes. Method An exploratory qualitative study was performed. The data consist of passive participant observations of 24 assessment discussions (12 mid-term and 12 final assessments) with first-year nursing students ( n =12), their assigned registered nurse mentors ( n =12) and nurse educators ( n =5). The study was conducted in three public nursing homes in a single Norwegian municipality. Data were subjected to thematic analysis. The findings were reported using the Standards for Reporting of Qualitative Research. Results Three themes were identified regarding the characteristics of the formal assessment discussions: (1) adverse variability in structuring, weighting of theoretical content and pedagogical approach; (2) limited three-part dialogue constrains feedback and reflection; and (3) restricted grounds for assessment leave the nurse educators with a dominant role. Conclusion These characteristic signal key areas of attention to improve formal assessment discussions to capitalize on unexploited learning opportunities.

•COVID 19.•Education.•Transformation.•Opportunities.•Challenges.

International Journal of Nursing PracticeVolume 26, Issue 3 e12871 EDITORIAL Nursing in the best and worst of the time of COVID Lin Perry PhD, MSc, Cert Ed, RN, Editor in Chief, Professor orcid.org/0000-0002-8507-1283 International Journal of Nursing PracticeSearch for more papers by this authorDaphne Stannard PhD, CNS, FCCM, RN-BC, Associate Editor, orcid.org/0000-0001-5633-9669 International Journal of Nursing PracticeSearch for more papers by this authorPatrick Crookes PhD BSc Cert Ed, RN, Associate Editor, Professor orcid.org/0000-0001-8669-7176 International Journal of Nursing PracticeSearch for more papers by this author Lin Perry PhD, MSc, Cert Ed, RN, Editor in Chief, Professor orcid.org/0000-0002-8507-1283 International Journal of Nursing PracticeSearch for more papers by this authorDaphne Stannard PhD, CNS, FCCM, RN-BC, Associate Editor, orcid.org/0000-0001-5633-9669 International Journal of Nursing PracticeSearch for more papers by this authorPatrick Crookes PhD BSc Cert Ed, RN, Associate Editor, Professor orcid.org/0000-0001-8669-7176 International Journal of Nursing PracticeSearch for more papers by this author First published: 22 June 2020 https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12871Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume26, Issue3June 2020e12871 RelatedInformation

OBJECTIVES:The aim of this paper is to provide an integrative review of the literature associated with signature pedagogies and to discover what lessons have been learned about unearthing, articulating and applying signature pedagogies across a variety of disciplines, but particularly with respect to nursing.DESIGN:A systematic search of databases using key terms was utilised with a particular focus to papers emerging from nursing disciplines.DATA SOURCES:The databases MEDLINE, CINAHL, ERIC, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched for literature from 2005 to 2018 inclusive.REVIEW METHODS:An initial examination of titles and abstracts by the authors resulted in the retrieval of 45 papers and following the application of exclusion criteria, 25 papers were included.RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS:Signature pedagogy literature is a developing area and scholars both in nursing disciplines and beyond, often fail to develop on Lee Shulman's framework in their identification of signature pedagogies, resulting in poorly adapted conceptions. Ways forward include closer linking with the original signature pedagogy framework in research, the development of robust evidence-based signature pedagogy identification processes in disciplines and a reconsideration of the esteem of scholars performing signature pedagogies within disciplines.

While there has been some growth in the body of literature on threshold concepts in health science disciplines, the nature of this discourse and which approaches have proved successful remains unclear. This paper illustrates one of the primary issues facing the development of threshold concepts in nursing education literature specifically a lack of transparent and rigorous processes for their identification. The paper briefly examines the methods that have been utilised to identify threshold concepts in the nursing education literature, and what issues using these approaches raise. It then considers how the field might further develop in order to best engage the benefits that threshold concept analysis and identification may have for curriculum development and teaching in nursing.

Effective supervision in doctoral research is critical to successful and timely completion. However, supervision is a complex undertaking with structural as well as relational challenges for both students and supervisors. This instructional paper describes an internationally applicable approach to supervision that we have developed in the health and social care disciplines that offers structure, but is also dynamic and responsive to the needs of students and supervisors and aims to develop the research competency of students. Our approach called Solution Focused Research Supervision (SFRS) is based on solution focused approaches, adapted from Solution Focused Brief Therapy and questioning techniques derived from coaching. This approach has enabled our supervision teams to effectively develop focused research questions and decide on appropriate research methodologies and methods. We offer the SFRS approach as a way of working that seeks to recognize and build upon strengths, foster engagement and openness to learning as well as build trust between students and supervisors. The authors, from (countries deleted for peer review), are supervisors and students who have developed the approach and provide practical examples of its application.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE:To develop nursing-sensitive patient indicators to measure the outcomes of nursing practice.BACKGROUND:Nurses play an important role in the healthcare system, yet there is no consensus on how the impact of nursing work should be evaluated. Limited research has previously examined the views of clinical nurses on the important concepts for measuring nursing practice.DESIGN:A four-round modified Delphi survey sought opinions from patients and nurses about the relevant concepts and their relative priority as indicators of quality nursing practice.METHOD:Round 1 comprised semi-structured interviews with patients and nurses to identify key concepts. Nurses were then asked to participate in three rounds of Delphi survey to identify and rate key concepts from which indicators were developed. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data.RESULTS:By the end of Round 4, the process had generated 103 concepts and participants had agreed on eight overarching constructs, namely care and caring; communication; coordination and collaboration; safety; patient characteristics; workload; Nurses work environment; and organisational characteristics.CONCLUSIONS:Consensus was achieved between nurses on the most important concepts, which can provide the basis for measuring the quality and safety of nursing practice in a comprehensive and holistic way.RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE:The identification of concepts that patients and nurses consider important for measuring nursing practice will guide the development of methods for evaluating nursing in the future. Ensuring that nursing practice is rigorously evaluated has the potential to identify opportunities to improve nursing quality, patient safety and improve health outcomes.

This paper provides a commentary on a significant collaborative international project to set up an effective system for promoting innovation in the Australian higher education sector. This project was the pilot Transforming Practice Programme (TPP), which was run in Australia in 2014. A sophisticated knowledge translation methodology, the TPP was influenced by the UK's Higher Education Academy's (HEA's) thematic change programmes and focused on enhancing the reward and recognition of quality teaching in Australian higher education. The paper explains the intentions of the TPP and how it was run in conjunction with the HEA in both Australia and the UK. Thirteen Australian universities took part in the pilot, and nine UK universities took part in the UK version of the programme. Having detailed the content and process of the pilot TPP, this article also presents details of feedback received via surveys and interviews with participants, and closes with some evidence-informed conclusions on what worked in the pilot and why. Alongside these conclusions, recommendations are outlined regarding what people in other higher education sectors might learn from the pilot TPP.

This paper presents data regarding how experienced clinicians and academics said they assess the competency of nursing students progressing through eligibility to practice programmes in Australian universities. The development of competence during nursing education programmes is an essential part of university based nursing eligibility to practice courses and so facilitating consistent, reliable and valid assessment of the demonstration of those competencies is critical.A consensus methodology incorporating a modified nominal group technique was used to explore how clinicians assessed nursing students whilst on workplace experience. These assessment strategies were then analysed to develop guidance notes for assessors.Consensus was reached regarding strategies for assessing the competence of nursing students as they progress through their programme of study based on the views of experienced clinicians and academics.This work culminated in the production of guidance notes to assist assessors to feel confident that the student they were assessing was competent. The identification of strategies and activities, including the 'work of the nurse' could be observed within specific practice activities.Through using these 'everyday activities' the assessor would be able to observe, question and measure (within the student being assessed) all aspects of the NMBA (2006) Competencies of the Registered Nurse. (C) 2016 Australian College of Nursing Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

BACKGROUND:Individuals who have recently completed accredited courses and are eligible to register as a nurse in Australia are often referred to as not being 'work-ready' by clinically based colleagues. This project identified the level of competence that can be reasonably expected of a newly registered nurse (RN) graduating in Australia. The research was undertaken using the necessary skills identified by Crookes and Brown in 2010.METHODS:A consensus methodology using a modified Delphi technique invited experienced nurses to identify the level of competency expected by the new RN in each of the skills areas.RESULTS:More than half of respondents did not believe that new graduates could practice independently in 18 of the 30 skills areas. There were only four skills areas where more than two thirds of the respondents believed the new graduate could operate independently.CONCLUSIONS:There is a lack of clarity about the level of competency of the newly graduating registered nurse in Australia. The profession and employers need clarity regarding the areas and level of competence that can reasonably be expected of a newly graduated RN. Utilising the findings of this research will enable the skills and competencies to be integrated into eligibility to practice programmes. Further research needs to be undertaken to review the foci of nursing preparation programmes to meet the needs of novice practitioners and the health care consumer population.

Background: In recent years there has been a growth in leadership development frameworks in health for the existing workforce. There has also been a related abundance of leadership programmes developed specifically for qualified nurses. There is a groundswell of opinion that clinical leadership preparation needs to extend to preparatory programmes leading to registration as a nurse. To this end a doctoral research study has been completed that focused specifically on the identification and verification of the antecedents of clinical leadership (leadership and management) so they can shape the curriculum content and the best way to deliver the curriculum content as a curriculum thread.Objectives: To conceptualise how the curriculum content, identified and verified empirically, can be structured within a curriculum thread and to contribute to the discussion on effective pedagogical approaches and educational strategies for learning and teaching of clinical leadership.Design: A multi-method design was utilised in the research in Australia. Drawing on core principles in critical social theory, an integral curriculum thread is proposed for pre-registration nursing programmes that identifies the antecedents of clinical leadership; the core concepts, together with the continuum of enlightenment, empowerment, and emancipation.Conclusions: The curriculum content, the effective pedagogical approaches and the educational strategies are supported theoretically and we believe this offers a design template for action and a way of thinking about this important aspect of preparatory nursing education. Moreover, we hope to have created a process contributing to a heighten sense of awareness in the nursing student (and other key stakeholders) of the what, how and when of clinical leadership for a novice registered nurse. The next stage is to further test through research the proposed integral curriculum thread. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Providing institutionally recognized evidence of community engaged scholarship has long been problematic for engaged scholars when applying for recognition through promotion or probation pathways. To combat this, the University of Wollongong [in New South Wales, Australia] developed an online tool for use by engaged scholars to track and measure their engagement activities in a consistent and institutionally recognized form. This article outlines the process that was undertaken to develop the online system for measuring and tracking engagement (the MaTE tool). It outlines the initial recognition of the key issues arising from a comprehensive review of the literature; the drafting process undertaken to develop a prototype for the tool; and the interview stage and subsequent re-drafting process and finalization of the tool. The article concludes with a consideration of future directions for the tool and its further implementation at the university.

Aim: To present for wider debate a conceptual model for clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programmes and a proposed implementation plan.Background: Globally, leadership in nursing has become a significant issue. Whilst there is continued support for leadership preparation in pre-registration nursing programmes, there have been very few published accounts of curriculum content and/or pedagogical approaches that foster clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing. A doctoral research study has resulted in the creation of an overarching model for clinical leadership.Design: A multi-method research study using theoretical and empirical literature 1974-2015, a focus group, expert opinion and a national on-line survey.Discussion: A conceptual model of clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programme is presented, including the infinity loop of clinical leadership, an integral curriculum thread and a conceptual model: a curriculum-pedagogy nexus for clinical leadership. In order to test out usability and evaluate effectiveness, a multi method programme of research in one school of nursing in Australia is outlined.Conclusion: Implementation of the proposed conceptual model for clinical leadership development in pre-registration nursing programmes and a programme of (post-doctoral) research will contribute to what is known about curriculum content and pedagogy for nurse academics. Importantly, for nursing students and the profession as a whole, there is a clearer expectation of what clinical leadership might look like in the novice registered nurse. For nurse academics a model is offered for consideration in curriculum design and implementation with an evaluation strategy that could be replicated. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

With an academic workforce undergoing transformation, it is vital that universities rethink how they define and value scholarship through their processes for academic promotion. A key part of this rethink is to review and refine existing documentation about promotion to reflect changing conceptions of scholarly work, in a way that enables scholars from non-traditional academic pathways to be valued equally through the promotion process with their more traditional counterparts. This process of reviewing scholarship was the aim of a promotions review project which began at the University of Wollongong in 2011 and concluded with the production of an Academic Performance Framework (APF). This framework outlines a new way of articulating performance expectations in order to recognise scholarship more broadly, as well as to emphasise more clearly the imperative for academics to be able to articulate evidence of the impact of their work.

Background: There appears to be a sense of disappointment with the product of contemporary nursing programs in Australia in that new graduate RNs are often referred to as not possessing appropriate skills by clinical colleagues. This work identifies the skills that the profession believes that newly graduating RN's should possess at the point of registration.Methods: A qualitative consensus methodology was used in the form of a modified Delphi survey. Expert panels were used to review and validate data.Results: Consensus was reached on the top 25 skills areas that can be reasonably expected of a new graduate Registered Nurse in Australia. The top ranked skills areas included efficient and effective communication, professional nursing behaviours, privacy and dignity and managing medication administration.Conclusions: The consensus methodologies used to develop the skills areas indicated broad agreement across the profession in Australia. The complexity and context of practice was highlighted in the comments within the Delphi rounds. Interestingly no new skills were added and none removed from the initial list - some were prioritised over others but the majority agreed that all the skills areas were important for a newly graduating nurse.

The role of history in developing professional identity in nursing is well known, and the discipline of nursing history research continues to flourish. Yet this work often struggles to find its way into undergraduate university nurse education courses. We put forward a model for "history as reflective practice" in which we suggest that historical studies can be used as a form of evidence to develop critical thinking and clinical reasoning, as well as situate nursing practice within its social and political context. In this model, we draw on historical scholarship related to the profession, practice and person, focusing on work which demonstrates nursing's contribution to broader systems of health care. Drawing on Lewenson and Lynaugh's 'history by stealth' approach, curriculum mapping and constructive alignment techniques are used to identify the moments in an existing programme where historical scholarship is relevant to an intended learning outcome. We then use an interdisciplinary team to develop learning activities and assessment tasks drawing on both primary and secondary sources that are then embedded within existing subjects. This model encourages students to consider history as a way of knowing and as a form of evidence within their reflective practice. Furthermore, it creates knowledge that continues to foster and acknowledge nurses', and nursing's, contribution to the development of human health.

Despite receiving growing international recognition and regard, the scholarship of engagement remains undervalued internally at academic institutions, especially in relation to career development and academic promotion. This form of scholarship presents difficulties relating to evaluation, assessment, and evidencing that are not generally present in the traditional scholarships of learning and teaching, research, and governance and service. Thus, scholarly engagement work is often not valued or rewarded by promotional bodies, and a gap is appearing between the career development opportunities, promotion, and probation outcomes of engaged scholars and those who focus on more traditionally recognized scholarly outcomes. To combat this, the University of Wollongong has undertaken a project that aims to embed the scholarship of engagement as a scholarly method of doing. This approach involves applying new and reformulated promotions guidelines to traditional scholarships in a way intended to remove barriers to promotion for “engaged scholars.”

BACKGROUND:A competitive Carrick Institute Competitive Grant (CG7-523) was obtained to explore what skills were taught and what assessment of practice approaches were used in nursing programmes in Australia. The intention was twofold; firstly to identify what skills were being taught which would contribute to the development of an assessment of practice toolkit for eligibility to practice programmes in Australia. This paper specifically reports on the skills taught in nursing programmes in Australia.METHODS:A qualitative research methodology was used through a documentary analysis of university curriculum documents. This was undertaken independently by two researchers; the data was then reviewed by an expert group. The skills taught were explored, listed and categorised using a conceptual framework, then refined and reported.RESULTS:Over 1300 skills were initially identified within nursing programmes across Australia; these were 'clustered' using a framework into 30 skills areas. These included psychomotor skills to skills areas that relate to human factors such as communication, team work, leadership and supervision.CONCLUSIONS:A wide range of skills were referred to in university nursing programme curriculae in Australia. There were some significant variations; some universities taught their student nurses how to manage a client/patient requiring external invasive ventilator support. There were however a number of similar skills areas identified; such as acute care assessment skills (monitoring vital signs) and mental health assessment skills. The range of skills taught within nursing curriculum is challenging as there is only limited time to expose students to those skills and afford the student the opportunity to practice those skills in order to achieve competence prior to registration.