|
|
|
Alpha Xi
Chapter, Sigma Theta Tau
Poster Abstracts
Mary Ann Parsons Lectureship (Formerly Viewpoints)
|
|
Alpha Xi Index page
|
2007
|
|
Cox, De Anna, MN, APRN, BC,
University of South Carolina College of Nursing.
Teaching Physical Assessment
Techniques: Clinical Breast Exams
|
An interactive, hands-on method of teaching the core
competencies of clinical breast examination (CBE) during
a physical assessment course for advanced practice
registered nurse (APRN) students. Statistical data from
a southern state (South Carolina) are given to increase
awareness of health disparity issues and to support
reasons why CBE skill mastery is an essential part of
APRN professional development as it relates to state and
national goals for early breast cancer detection and
mortality reduction. An innovative partnership among an
academic institution, a community agency, and state
department of public health is described in relation to
teaching CBE to APRN students.
|
Previous
Poster for Viewpoints
|
2005
|
|
Alexander,
Judith, Alexander, Ann, Burgess Stephanie, Guffey,
Donald , & Haynes, Bonnie J.,
University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC;
Lee, Ann , Cumbey, Dorothy, Green, Vicki, Heim, Marge,
Johnson, Linda & Tucker, Sandra, South Carolina
Department of Health and Environmental Control,
Columbia, SC
Addressing the Public Health Nursing Shortage:
A Collaborative Education/Practice Partnership to
Create Experiences for BSN Students |
|
Purpose/Specific
Aims:
South Carolina
is experiencing a shortage of both nursing faculty and
public health nurses.
To address these shortages, the
University
of
South Carolina
and South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control collaboratively implemented a
project that provides community/public health clinical
experiences for BSN senior students in health
departments and trains public health nurses to serve as
preceptors for these students.
Design/Methods: The project provided a daylong
training session for 20 public health nurses on the role
of a student preceptor and break out sessions on the
preceptor role and the project attended by 40 public
health nurses each of
the 2003 and 2004 statewide public health nursing
meetings. To
date, 105 BSN nursing students have participated in
experiences in nine county health departments across the
state. The
experiences have emphasized population health and core
public health functions. Students are involved with
clinical services related to child health including
immunizations and rehabilitation, family planning,
sexually transmitted diseases, and TB; care of clients
in the home; case management of pregnant teens,
newborns, and HIV+ clients; disease investigation and
surveillance; environmental health related to
inspections of restaurants and sewer systems; and
bioterrorism.
Findings: Evaluation of the project included
conference calls with the project team, focus group
interviews with the students, survey feedback from the
preceptors, and tracking of students related to
employment following graduation.
Student feedback was very positive with the students being impressed with the
level of autonomy of PHNs, being grateful for knowledge
gained and seeing benefit
of the experiences regardless of their future practice
setting. Negative feedback from the students related to
the time and expenses of the travel and frustrations
with down time in clinic when show rates were low.
Likewise, preceptors had positive responses, enjoyed
this role, and were willing to participate in the
future. Of
the first 76 students to participate, 25 graduates
responded. All, but one, are employed in acute care
facilities with 19 planning to attended graduate school.
Six were considering careers in public/community health
nursing, and one RN student who was a school nurse
continues in that role.
Implications: This
collaborative project was successful; however, expanded
preceptor development through health department is
needed to increase pool of preceptors. On-going planning
meetings with DHEC administrative staff and preceptors
are essential prior to the start of each semester.
Supported by
HRSA Grant #6 D52HP00553-01-02
|
|
| |
|
|
Return
to Alpha Xi Index page |
| |
|
|
