This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
As an African Nova Scotian (ANS) woman, registered nurse, full-time doctoral candidate and activi... more As an African Nova Scotian (ANS) woman, registered nurse, full-time doctoral candidate and activist, I have decided to share key moments from my experience navigating academia. I discuss how being an ANS woman is significant to this journey as well as the ways in which anti-Black racism reinforces the underrepresentation of Black folks in nursing. The purpose of this scholarly personal narrative (SPN) is to generate meaning from my journey to becoming a nurse leader. The guiding question for this work is: What is the experience of an ANS woman in becoming a nurse leader? Guided by Narrative Inquiry and Black feminist theory, my SPN uses the Ten Tentative Guidelines for Writing SPNs offered by Nash (2004). This unconventional approach to research situates stories as the fundamental unit of measurement which emphasizes the significance and meaning of our lives. The iterative approach to this reflective exercise produced two key overarching themes, namely: Developing Personal and Professional Identity, and Potential vs. Power. Each theme contains additional subthemes that capture salient elements of my journey to nursing leadership. This SPN has implications for both education and the nursing profession. For education, this work offers insight to address institutional barriers that perpetuate anti-Black racism. Improving program access for Black students, providing adequate resources to facilitate success and ensuring the representation of Black students, staff and faculty throughout institutions are vital. Likewise, similar insights apply to nursing in the areas of practice, education, research and policy. Specifically, addressing issues of representation and visibility, to foster inclusivity, within the profession is essential.
The migration of nurses from Canada to the United States has occurred for decades, although subst... more The migration of nurses from Canada to the United States has occurred for decades, although substantial increases have been noted since the 1990s. A survey of 4,295 Canadian-educated nurses in the US identified that this trend in mobility is largely unchanged. Almost half the nurses in this study migrated to the US in search of full-time work, often after unsuccessfully seeking employment here in Canada prior to leaving. Incentives to migrate were provided, although the opportunity for fulltime work was often perceived as an incentive to move. While some intent to return is apparent, this is unlikely to occur given the levels of satisfaction with work and the high value attributed to Canadian nurses by US employers. Policy makers and nurse leaders are urged to use these data to formulate strategies aimed at retaining Canada's nurses in this country.
Nurses who are early in their careers make important decisions that begin them on unique career t... more Nurses who are early in their careers make important decisions that begin them on unique career trajectories. One of these decisions may be migration. Little is known about the experiences and career decisions made by early career nurses who were educated in Canada and are working in the United States. Focus groups were conducted with nine nurses to explore and describe their experiences. Utilizing the Learning Theory of Career Counselling as a framework, the analysis highlighted the environmental conditions and learning experiences described by the participants. Two themes were identified: early decisions and ongoing decisions. The career trajectories of these nurses were characterized by decision-making. They made decisions about becoming a nurse, where to work and in what clinical specialty. The learning experiences and environments to which they were exposed influenced their early decisions and continued to influence their ongoing decisions about returning to Canada. CAnAdiAn nurSe MiGrAtion to tHe uS 20 21 The Experiences of Canadian-Educated Early Career Nurses Who Practise in the US
Aims and objectivesTo use a poststructuralist framework to critique historical, social and instit... more Aims and objectivesTo use a poststructuralist framework to critique historical, social and institutional constructions of emergency nursing and examine conflicting discourses surrounding suicide prevention. The aim is to also demonstrate practical guidance for enhancing emergency nursing practice and research with regard to suicide prevention.BackgroundEmergency departments have been historically constructed as places for treating life‐threatening physical crises, thereby constructing other "nonurgent" health needs as less of a priority. Physical needs take priority over psychological needs, such as suicide‐related thoughts and behaviours, negatively impacting the quality of care that certain groups of patients receive.DesignA theoretical analysis of the published literature on the topic of emergency nursing and suicide prevention was conducted and analysed using a poststructuralist framework.MethodsRelevant literature on the topic of emergency nursing related to suicide prevention was analysed for a poststructuralist construct of power, language, subjectivity and discourse. Implications to practice and research were identified, as well as expanding emergency nursing using a poststructuralist framework. SQUIRE guidelines were used (see Supporting Information).DiscussionThe emergency department is a critical point of intervention for patients with urgent and life‐threatening needs. However, the biomedical model and historical, social, and institutional expectations that influence emergency nurses' beliefs and values do not effectively respond to the needs of suicidal patients. One step to address this issue is to deconstruct the current understanding of emergency nursing as a treatment for only life‐threatening physical crises in order to become inclusive of psychological crises such as suicide‐related thoughts and behaviours.Relevance to clinical practiceHow a poststructural framework can be used to expand emergency care is discussed. Examples include empowering nurses to challenge the "taken‐for‐granted" emergency nursing and recognizing the health needs that fall outside of the dominant discourse of emergency care.
International Journal of Nursing Studies, Feb 1, 2009
The last few decades have seen considerable changes in the characteristics of the healthcare work... more The last few decades have seen considerable changes in the characteristics of the healthcare workplace and workforce. There is a significant emphasis on recruitment and retention of healthcare providers internationally especially within the profession of Nursing, where there is a critical and growing shortage of nurses. Career choice is a critical component of recruitment and retention strategies and has significant organizational implications in regards to person-environment fit, career satisfaction and commitment. Many extant career choice theories fail to capture the challenges, complexities and uncertainties of the 21st century. Moreover, some early theories do not recognize the unique characteristics of upcoming generational cohorts and the multivariate influences on their career decisions. An extensive review and synthesis of the related literature provide the basis for a critical discussion on the adoption of new methodological approaches to exploring career choice in Nursing. The use of qualitative and mixed method approaches, a focus on generational differences and an exploration of adaptive and adjustment processes to career change provide a foundation for future career choice research and theoretical development which are reflective of the characteristics of the contemporary employee and the reality of modern healthcare organizations.
For almost half a century, research has identified that effective teamwork is essential in order ... more For almost half a century, research has identified that effective teamwork is essential in order to enhance care provision and health outcomes for patients. Although the value of teamwork is well-recognized in healthcare, the historically rooted dynamics of workplace relationships create a myriad of challenges to creating collaborative teams. Understanding the history of interpersonal dynamics between health professionals can provide direction for future interprofessional education and collaboration strategies. The aim of this paper is to provide a historical overview of the social positioning of nursing and medicine in the context of interprofessional collaboration. Few professions work as closely as nursing and medicine. Despite the well-recognized benefits of interprofessional collaboration, these two professions are often socially positioned in opposition to one another and depicted as adversarial. This analysis will seek to advance our understanding of the historical roots between these two professions and their relationships with and among each other in relation to career choice, early socialization and patient care delivery. An exploration of the historical social positioning of nursing and medicine can provide an enhanced understanding of the barriers to interprofessional collaboration and inform future successes in interprofessional education and practice among all health and social care professions.
Nursing is considered both an art and a science, yet the nature of art and science has been histo... more Nursing is considered both an art and a science, yet the nature of art and science has been historically depicted as two distinct fields of inquiry in the health professions. To meet the health challenges of the future, blending science and art through nursing theory, research, and practice is critical. This article describes how nurses in a master's of nursing program at Dalhousie University broke with tradition for the practicum course to articulate and apply the theoretical elements of knowing using aesthetic inquiry. The challenge was in articulating and guiding students through the theory of aesthetic knowing, the linkages with the fine arts, and the conceptualization of nursing art.
Objective and aims: Using a queer phenomenological approach, the objective of this philosophical ... more Objective and aims: Using a queer phenomenological approach, the objective of this philosophical analysis is to explore the transgender experience in highly gendered clinical areas, such as the birth unit, and make recommendations on how to provide perinatal care that is inclusive of gender diversity within these areas. This paper aims to describes a hypothetical clinical experience to provide insight on the institutional barriers that currently exist and to provide nurses and midwives with pragmatic strategies to enhance gender-diverse care in general and gendered clinical areas. Background: Currently, general healthcare providers are not sufficiently educated on how to care for and meet the needs of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, queer or questioning and other communities (LGBTQ+). This vulnerable population continually faces stigma, discrimination, and marginalization, which act as barriers to accessing healthcare services. Although transgender people often have difficulty accessing healthcare in general settings, they experience an even greater challenge within traditionally gendered clinical care areas. Design: Queer Phenomenology was used to guide a critical philosophical analysis of hypothetical case reflecting a clinical scenario regarding a transgender man's experience in labour and birth. Discussion: Healthcare professionals often provide insufficient care to transgender persons, inadvertently leading to further marginalization of this vulnerable population. Special consideration to provide gender-diverse care throughout the perinatal period is needed. Structures and supports are essential to enhance the care from providers in attending to the unique needs of transgender individuals and reduce oppressive effects from heteronormative environments.
The rapid growth in the proportion of adults over the age of 65 translates into greater need of c... more The rapid growth in the proportion of adults over the age of 65 translates into greater need of complex, highly specialized care. Hence, coupled with other factors, healthcare expenditures in Canada have grown exponentially, creating tension for a high-quality care while managing costs. Interventions with community-based interprofessional teams have been piloted across Canada as a means to provide efficient specialized care. These teams must, however, work collaboratively for a more comprehensive and patient-centered care. This metasynthesis aimed to identify common factors or characteristics found to be essential for a collaborative practice among members of an interdisciplinary team delivering coordinated care to community-dwelling seniors in both rural and urban centers in Canada. Six databases (Medline, CINAHL, Sage, JSTOR, ProQuest, Web of Science) were searched for qualitative peer-reviewed articles on community-based interventions with interprofessional teams in Canada and published between 2005-2018. Six articles were included and appraised using the COREQ guidelines for quality, followed by a thematic analysis for common themes related to team collaboration. Overarching themes related to practices of interprofessional collaboration were trust and respect, communication, and shared vision. Sub-themes included trust in the relationship between health care professional, professional identity and role clarity, interprofessional communication, communication with the client or family, and common goals. Interprofessional teams work collaboratively when trust and respect, communication, and shared vision are valued and present. Agencies coordinating interprofessional teams for community-based care could be pivotal in ensuring an environment conducive to collaboration, such as learning and team building opportunities.
MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, May 1, 2007
To explore the meaning and significance women attach to family and friend presence during childbi... more To explore the meaning and significance women attach to family and friend presence during childbirth within a tertiary care birth unit. Qualitative descriptive study using interviews conducted with 16 women in the immediate postpartum period after vaginal birth. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Overall, women revealed that they greatly value companionship and social support in labor. The women's choice of who would be present was often related to who "knew them best." They chose to have individuals present not for the purpose of visiting but to provide support and share in the birth experience. The women believed that decisions regarding visitation in labor were theirs to make and as a result often didn't discuss their choices with healthcare professionals beforehand. The findings have implications for family-centered maternity care and visitation policy development. Nurses who work in the childbearing area should be aware of women's desires for supportive friends and relatives during the birthing process and work toward helping women achieve their goals for a supportive birth experience.
JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, May 1, 2016
Review questions/objectives The objective of this review is to explore the experiences and percep... more Review questions/objectives The objective of this review is to explore the experiences and perceptions of emergency department nurses in providing palliative care to adults with advanced cancer so as to contribute to the developing knowledge base on this phenomenon and, in turn, inform future practice and policy changes. Specifically, the review question for this qualitative review is as follows: what are the experiences and perceptions of emergency department nurses in providing palliative care to adults with advanced cancer?
The critical and growing shortage of nurses is a global concern. The growth and sustainability of... more The critical and growing shortage of nurses is a global concern. The growth and sustainability of the nursing profession depends on the ability to recruit and retain the upcoming generation of professionals. Understanding the career choice experiences of Millennial nurses is a critical component of recruitment and retention strategies. An interpretive, narrative methodology, was used to understand how Millennial nurses explain, account for, and make sense of their choice of nursing as a career. Individual, face to face interviews were conducted with 12 Millennial Nursing students (born 1980 or after), for whom nursing was their preferred career choice. Participants were interviewed twice and chronicled their career choice experiences within reflective journals. Data was analyzed using Polkinghorne's method of narrative configuration and emplotment. The participants' narratives present a shift from understanding career choice within a virtuous plot to one of social positioning. Career choice was initially emplotted around a traditional and stereotypical understanding of nursing as a virtuous profession: altruistic, noble, caring, and compassionate. The narrative scripts evolved from positioning nursing as virtuous iv DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to my fellow nurses: past, present and future. This is a study of nurses, by nurses, for nurses. This work would not be possible without the inspiration I have received from nurse mentors and colleagues throughout my career. In particular I want to recognize Maxine, Donna, Barbara, Verna, Lorna and Megan for their central roles in my personal career narrative. I would also like to recognize past nursing students who provided the inspiration behind this research, particularly Jennifer, Matt and Kate.
BackgroundThe complexity of nursing practice increases the risk of nurses suffering from mental h... more BackgroundThe complexity of nursing practice increases the risk of nurses suffering from mental health issues, such as substance use disorders, anxiety, burnout, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These mental health issues can potentially lead to nurses taking leaves of absence and may require accommodations for their return to work. The purpose of this review was to map key themes in the peer-reviewed literature about accommodations for nurses’ return to work following leaves of absence for mental health issues.MethodsA six-step methodological framework for scoping reviews was used to summarize the amount, types, sources, and distribution of the literature. The academic literature was searched through nine electronic databases. Electronic charts were used to extract code and collate the data. Findings were derived inductively and summarized thematically and numerically.ResultsAcademic literature is scarce regarding interventions for nurses’ return to work follow...
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
As an African Nova Scotian (ANS) woman, registered nurse, full-time doctoral candidate and activi... more As an African Nova Scotian (ANS) woman, registered nurse, full-time doctoral candidate and activist, I have decided to share key moments from my experience navigating academia. I discuss how being an ANS woman is significant to this journey as well as the ways in which anti-Black racism reinforces the underrepresentation of Black folks in nursing. The purpose of this scholarly personal narrative (SPN) is to generate meaning from my journey to becoming a nurse leader. The guiding question for this work is: What is the experience of an ANS woman in becoming a nurse leader? Guided by Narrative Inquiry and Black feminist theory, my SPN uses the Ten Tentative Guidelines for Writing SPNs offered by Nash (2004). This unconventional approach to research situates stories as the fundamental unit of measurement which emphasizes the significance and meaning of our lives. The iterative approach to this reflective exercise produced two key overarching themes, namely: Developing Personal and Professional Identity, and Potential vs. Power. Each theme contains additional subthemes that capture salient elements of my journey to nursing leadership. This SPN has implications for both education and the nursing profession. For education, this work offers insight to address institutional barriers that perpetuate anti-Black racism. Improving program access for Black students, providing adequate resources to facilitate success and ensuring the representation of Black students, staff and faculty throughout institutions are vital. Likewise, similar insights apply to nursing in the areas of practice, education, research and policy. Specifically, addressing issues of representation and visibility, to foster inclusivity, within the profession is essential.
The migration of nurses from Canada to the United States has occurred for decades, although subst... more The migration of nurses from Canada to the United States has occurred for decades, although substantial increases have been noted since the 1990s. A survey of 4,295 Canadian-educated nurses in the US identified that this trend in mobility is largely unchanged. Almost half the nurses in this study migrated to the US in search of full-time work, often after unsuccessfully seeking employment here in Canada prior to leaving. Incentives to migrate were provided, although the opportunity for fulltime work was often perceived as an incentive to move. While some intent to return is apparent, this is unlikely to occur given the levels of satisfaction with work and the high value attributed to Canadian nurses by US employers. Policy makers and nurse leaders are urged to use these data to formulate strategies aimed at retaining Canada's nurses in this country.
Nurses who are early in their careers make important decisions that begin them on unique career t... more Nurses who are early in their careers make important decisions that begin them on unique career trajectories. One of these decisions may be migration. Little is known about the experiences and career decisions made by early career nurses who were educated in Canada and are working in the United States. Focus groups were conducted with nine nurses to explore and describe their experiences. Utilizing the Learning Theory of Career Counselling as a framework, the analysis highlighted the environmental conditions and learning experiences described by the participants. Two themes were identified: early decisions and ongoing decisions. The career trajectories of these nurses were characterized by decision-making. They made decisions about becoming a nurse, where to work and in what clinical specialty. The learning experiences and environments to which they were exposed influenced their early decisions and continued to influence their ongoing decisions about returning to Canada. CAnAdiAn nurSe MiGrAtion to tHe uS 20 21 The Experiences of Canadian-Educated Early Career Nurses Who Practise in the US
Aims and objectivesTo use a poststructuralist framework to critique historical, social and instit... more Aims and objectivesTo use a poststructuralist framework to critique historical, social and institutional constructions of emergency nursing and examine conflicting discourses surrounding suicide prevention. The aim is to also demonstrate practical guidance for enhancing emergency nursing practice and research with regard to suicide prevention.BackgroundEmergency departments have been historically constructed as places for treating life‐threatening physical crises, thereby constructing other "nonurgent" health needs as less of a priority. Physical needs take priority over psychological needs, such as suicide‐related thoughts and behaviours, negatively impacting the quality of care that certain groups of patients receive.DesignA theoretical analysis of the published literature on the topic of emergency nursing and suicide prevention was conducted and analysed using a poststructuralist framework.MethodsRelevant literature on the topic of emergency nursing related to suicide prevention was analysed for a poststructuralist construct of power, language, subjectivity and discourse. Implications to practice and research were identified, as well as expanding emergency nursing using a poststructuralist framework. SQUIRE guidelines were used (see Supporting Information).DiscussionThe emergency department is a critical point of intervention for patients with urgent and life‐threatening needs. However, the biomedical model and historical, social, and institutional expectations that influence emergency nurses' beliefs and values do not effectively respond to the needs of suicidal patients. One step to address this issue is to deconstruct the current understanding of emergency nursing as a treatment for only life‐threatening physical crises in order to become inclusive of psychological crises such as suicide‐related thoughts and behaviours.Relevance to clinical practiceHow a poststructural framework can be used to expand emergency care is discussed. Examples include empowering nurses to challenge the "taken‐for‐granted" emergency nursing and recognizing the health needs that fall outside of the dominant discourse of emergency care.
International Journal of Nursing Studies, Feb 1, 2009
The last few decades have seen considerable changes in the characteristics of the healthcare work... more The last few decades have seen considerable changes in the characteristics of the healthcare workplace and workforce. There is a significant emphasis on recruitment and retention of healthcare providers internationally especially within the profession of Nursing, where there is a critical and growing shortage of nurses. Career choice is a critical component of recruitment and retention strategies and has significant organizational implications in regards to person-environment fit, career satisfaction and commitment. Many extant career choice theories fail to capture the challenges, complexities and uncertainties of the 21st century. Moreover, some early theories do not recognize the unique characteristics of upcoming generational cohorts and the multivariate influences on their career decisions. An extensive review and synthesis of the related literature provide the basis for a critical discussion on the adoption of new methodological approaches to exploring career choice in Nursing. The use of qualitative and mixed method approaches, a focus on generational differences and an exploration of adaptive and adjustment processes to career change provide a foundation for future career choice research and theoretical development which are reflective of the characteristics of the contemporary employee and the reality of modern healthcare organizations.
For almost half a century, research has identified that effective teamwork is essential in order ... more For almost half a century, research has identified that effective teamwork is essential in order to enhance care provision and health outcomes for patients. Although the value of teamwork is well-recognized in healthcare, the historically rooted dynamics of workplace relationships create a myriad of challenges to creating collaborative teams. Understanding the history of interpersonal dynamics between health professionals can provide direction for future interprofessional education and collaboration strategies. The aim of this paper is to provide a historical overview of the social positioning of nursing and medicine in the context of interprofessional collaboration. Few professions work as closely as nursing and medicine. Despite the well-recognized benefits of interprofessional collaboration, these two professions are often socially positioned in opposition to one another and depicted as adversarial. This analysis will seek to advance our understanding of the historical roots between these two professions and their relationships with and among each other in relation to career choice, early socialization and patient care delivery. An exploration of the historical social positioning of nursing and medicine can provide an enhanced understanding of the barriers to interprofessional collaboration and inform future successes in interprofessional education and practice among all health and social care professions.
Nursing is considered both an art and a science, yet the nature of art and science has been histo... more Nursing is considered both an art and a science, yet the nature of art and science has been historically depicted as two distinct fields of inquiry in the health professions. To meet the health challenges of the future, blending science and art through nursing theory, research, and practice is critical. This article describes how nurses in a master's of nursing program at Dalhousie University broke with tradition for the practicum course to articulate and apply the theoretical elements of knowing using aesthetic inquiry. The challenge was in articulating and guiding students through the theory of aesthetic knowing, the linkages with the fine arts, and the conceptualization of nursing art.
Objective and aims: Using a queer phenomenological approach, the objective of this philosophical ... more Objective and aims: Using a queer phenomenological approach, the objective of this philosophical analysis is to explore the transgender experience in highly gendered clinical areas, such as the birth unit, and make recommendations on how to provide perinatal care that is inclusive of gender diversity within these areas. This paper aims to describes a hypothetical clinical experience to provide insight on the institutional barriers that currently exist and to provide nurses and midwives with pragmatic strategies to enhance gender-diverse care in general and gendered clinical areas. Background: Currently, general healthcare providers are not sufficiently educated on how to care for and meet the needs of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, queer or questioning and other communities (LGBTQ+). This vulnerable population continually faces stigma, discrimination, and marginalization, which act as barriers to accessing healthcare services. Although transgender people often have difficulty accessing healthcare in general settings, they experience an even greater challenge within traditionally gendered clinical care areas. Design: Queer Phenomenology was used to guide a critical philosophical analysis of hypothetical case reflecting a clinical scenario regarding a transgender man's experience in labour and birth. Discussion: Healthcare professionals often provide insufficient care to transgender persons, inadvertently leading to further marginalization of this vulnerable population. Special consideration to provide gender-diverse care throughout the perinatal period is needed. Structures and supports are essential to enhance the care from providers in attending to the unique needs of transgender individuals and reduce oppressive effects from heteronormative environments.
The rapid growth in the proportion of adults over the age of 65 translates into greater need of c... more The rapid growth in the proportion of adults over the age of 65 translates into greater need of complex, highly specialized care. Hence, coupled with other factors, healthcare expenditures in Canada have grown exponentially, creating tension for a high-quality care while managing costs. Interventions with community-based interprofessional teams have been piloted across Canada as a means to provide efficient specialized care. These teams must, however, work collaboratively for a more comprehensive and patient-centered care. This metasynthesis aimed to identify common factors or characteristics found to be essential for a collaborative practice among members of an interdisciplinary team delivering coordinated care to community-dwelling seniors in both rural and urban centers in Canada. Six databases (Medline, CINAHL, Sage, JSTOR, ProQuest, Web of Science) were searched for qualitative peer-reviewed articles on community-based interventions with interprofessional teams in Canada and published between 2005-2018. Six articles were included and appraised using the COREQ guidelines for quality, followed by a thematic analysis for common themes related to team collaboration. Overarching themes related to practices of interprofessional collaboration were trust and respect, communication, and shared vision. Sub-themes included trust in the relationship between health care professional, professional identity and role clarity, interprofessional communication, communication with the client or family, and common goals. Interprofessional teams work collaboratively when trust and respect, communication, and shared vision are valued and present. Agencies coordinating interprofessional teams for community-based care could be pivotal in ensuring an environment conducive to collaboration, such as learning and team building opportunities.
MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, May 1, 2007
To explore the meaning and significance women attach to family and friend presence during childbi... more To explore the meaning and significance women attach to family and friend presence during childbirth within a tertiary care birth unit. Qualitative descriptive study using interviews conducted with 16 women in the immediate postpartum period after vaginal birth. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Overall, women revealed that they greatly value companionship and social support in labor. The women's choice of who would be present was often related to who "knew them best." They chose to have individuals present not for the purpose of visiting but to provide support and share in the birth experience. The women believed that decisions regarding visitation in labor were theirs to make and as a result often didn't discuss their choices with healthcare professionals beforehand. The findings have implications for family-centered maternity care and visitation policy development. Nurses who work in the childbearing area should be aware of women's desires for supportive friends and relatives during the birthing process and work toward helping women achieve their goals for a supportive birth experience.
JBI database of systematic reviews and implementation reports, May 1, 2016
Review questions/objectives The objective of this review is to explore the experiences and percep... more Review questions/objectives The objective of this review is to explore the experiences and perceptions of emergency department nurses in providing palliative care to adults with advanced cancer so as to contribute to the developing knowledge base on this phenomenon and, in turn, inform future practice and policy changes. Specifically, the review question for this qualitative review is as follows: what are the experiences and perceptions of emergency department nurses in providing palliative care to adults with advanced cancer?
The critical and growing shortage of nurses is a global concern. The growth and sustainability of... more The critical and growing shortage of nurses is a global concern. The growth and sustainability of the nursing profession depends on the ability to recruit and retain the upcoming generation of professionals. Understanding the career choice experiences of Millennial nurses is a critical component of recruitment and retention strategies. An interpretive, narrative methodology, was used to understand how Millennial nurses explain, account for, and make sense of their choice of nursing as a career. Individual, face to face interviews were conducted with 12 Millennial Nursing students (born 1980 or after), for whom nursing was their preferred career choice. Participants were interviewed twice and chronicled their career choice experiences within reflective journals. Data was analyzed using Polkinghorne's method of narrative configuration and emplotment. The participants' narratives present a shift from understanding career choice within a virtuous plot to one of social positioning. Career choice was initially emplotted around a traditional and stereotypical understanding of nursing as a virtuous profession: altruistic, noble, caring, and compassionate. The narrative scripts evolved from positioning nursing as virtuous iv DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to my fellow nurses: past, present and future. This is a study of nurses, by nurses, for nurses. This work would not be possible without the inspiration I have received from nurse mentors and colleagues throughout my career. In particular I want to recognize Maxine, Donna, Barbara, Verna, Lorna and Megan for their central roles in my personal career narrative. I would also like to recognize past nursing students who provided the inspiration behind this research, particularly Jennifer, Matt and Kate.
BackgroundThe complexity of nursing practice increases the risk of nurses suffering from mental h... more BackgroundThe complexity of nursing practice increases the risk of nurses suffering from mental health issues, such as substance use disorders, anxiety, burnout, depression, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These mental health issues can potentially lead to nurses taking leaves of absence and may require accommodations for their return to work. The purpose of this review was to map key themes in the peer-reviewed literature about accommodations for nurses’ return to work following leaves of absence for mental health issues.MethodsA six-step methodological framework for scoping reviews was used to summarize the amount, types, sources, and distribution of the literature. The academic literature was searched through nine electronic databases. Electronic charts were used to extract code and collate the data. Findings were derived inductively and summarized thematically and numerically.ResultsAcademic literature is scarce regarding interventions for nurses’ return to work follow...
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