RESUMEN
Attrition in the public health nursing work force combined with a lack of faculty to teach public health prompted development of a "long-distance" learning project. Practicing associate degree nurses enrolled in an online course in population-based practice worked with experienced public health nurse "e-mentors." Student-mentor pairs worked through course assignments, shared public health nursing experiences, and problem-solved real-time public health issues. Nursing faculty served as coordinators for student learning and mentor support. Over 3 years, 38 student-mentor pairs participated in the project. Students reported they valued the expertise and guidance of their mentors. Likewise, mentors gained confidence in their practice and abilities to mentor. Issues related to distance learning and e-mentoring centered around use of technology and adequate time to communicate with one another. E-mentoring is a viable strategy to connect nurses to a learning, sharing environment while crossing the barriers of distance, agency isolation, and busy schedules.
Asunto(s)
Educación a Distancia/organización & administración , Graduación en Auxiliar de Enfermería/organización & administración , Internet/organización & administración , Preceptoría/organización & administración , Enfermería en Salud Pública/educación , Actitud del Personal de Salud , Competencia Clínica , Planificación en Salud Comunitaria , Instrucción por Computador , Docentes de Enfermería/organización & administración , Necesidades y Demandas de Servicios de Salud , Humanos , Relaciones Interprofesionales , Mentores/educación , Mentores/psicología , Missouri , Modelos Educacionales , Modelos de Enfermería , Investigación en Educación de Enfermería , Personal de Enfermería/educación , Personal de Enfermería/psicología , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud , Salud Pública/educación , Estudiantes de Enfermería/psicología , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
Professional nurses are challenged by the increasing complexity of their own healthcare delivery systems and by the growing interconnectivity of healthcare systems worldwide. There are increasing calls for practice across boundaries; however, the role and scope of nursing practice within individual countries are often unclear, ill-defined, and misunderstood by nurses from other countries. In this collaborative educational project among six schools of nursing located in Canada, México, and the United States, nursing students and faculty are exploring the role of the nurse within each country's healthcare system while striving to develop their multicultural awareness. Participating faculty describe the process, challenges, and keys to success found in creating and living this international project. They share strategies for addressing challenges, which included meeting deadlines, time differences, differing academic schedules, writing joint documents in two languages, designing and presenting a shared course, and creating an exchange process between the six partner schools. They describe the evolution of their working relationships, the language challenges, and the joy of coming together as newfound colleagues and friends.
Asunto(s)
Bachillerato en Enfermería/organización & administración , Intercambio Educacional Internacional , Rol de la Enfermera , Enfermería Transcultural/educación , Actitud del Personal de Salud , Actitud Frente a la Salud/etnología , Canadá , Barreras de Comunicación , Conducta Cooperativa , Diversidad Cultural , Docentes de Enfermería/organización & administración , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Humanos , México , Investigación en Educación de Enfermería , Autonomía Profesional , Desarrollo de Programa , Evaluación de Programas y Proyectos de Salud , Facultades de Enfermería/organización & administración , Estudiantes de Enfermería/psicología , Enfermería Transcultural/organización & administración , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
The need for solutions to the nursing shortage in rural areas, teamwork, and new ways of thinking about management and nursing education prompted the development of an innovative clinical activity in a rural hospital that utilizes a differentiated practice nursing model. The activity is part of a project titled University and Community College Partnership in Education (supported by a grant from the Fund for Improvement of Postsecondary Education). The activity links baccalaureate students at a mid-western university with associate degree students at a rural community college to study the management model in a two-day immersion clinical experience.