Browsing by Author "Fisher, Mary L., Ph.D."

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    THE EFFECT OF CURRICULAR SEQUENCING OF HUMAN PATIENT SIMULATION LEARNING EXPERIENCES ON STUDENTS’ SELF-PERCEPTIONS OF CLINICAL REASONING ABILITIES
    (2011-11-18) Jensen, Rebecca Sue; Ebright, Patricia; Pesut, Daniel J.; Fisher, Mary L., Ph.D.; Welch, Janet L.
    It is unknown whether timing of human patient simulation (HPS) in a semester, demographic (age, gender, and ethnicity), and situational (type of program and previous baccalaureate degree and experience in healthcare) variables affects students’ perceptions of their clinical reasoning abilities. Nursing students were divided into two groups, mid and end of semester HPS experiences. Students’ perceptions of clinical reasoning abilities were measured at Baseline (beginning of semester) and Time 2 (end of semester), along with demographic and situational variables. Dependent variable was Difference scores where Baseline scores were subtracted from Time 2 scores to reveal changes in students’ perceptions of clinical reasoning. Students who were older and had previous healthcare experience had higher scores, as well as students in the AS program, indicating larger changes in students’ perceptions of clinical reasoning abilities from Baseline to Time 2. Timing of HPS, mid or end of semester, had no effect on Difference scores, and thus students’ perceptions of clinical reasoning abilities.
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    Factors that Facilitate and Inhibit Engagement of Registered Nurses: An Analysis and Evaluation of Magnet versus Non-Magnet Designated Hospitals
    (2012-03-16) Wonder, Amy C.; Fisher, Mary L., Ph.D.; Pesut, Daniel J.; Ebright, Patricia; Halstead, Judith A.
    Work engagement of registered nurses (RNs) has gained attention in health care, as an organizational process that is requisite to promoting optimal patient outcomes. Improving patient outcomes has caused a movement to examine what can be done to bridge the disparity between good and excellent care. Standards that enhance RN engagement to promote professional care are seen as vital to excellence. Magnet designation, awarded by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, signifies an organization meets such standards. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a correlation exists between RN engagement and the organizational structures common to Magnet designation. This study also evaluated the influence of social and institutional demographics on the relationship between engagement and Magnet designation. The variables in this study included: age (generation), gender, nursing degree, years of RN experience, years of unit longevity, shift, hours scheduled and worked per week, percentage of time in direct patient care, nursing unit, and shared governance council participation. Finally, this study evaluated the influence of RN perception related to organizational support for work on the relationship between engagement and Magnet designation. A total of 370 RNs in Magnet (n = 220) and non-Magnet (n = 150) designated hospitals completed a 17-item engagement survey and a 15-item demographic survey. Major findings of the study indicated no significant difference in RN engagement between nurses who work at Magnet versus non-Magnet designated hospitals. Within the Magnet sample, significant relationships were found between engagement and shift, years of RN experience in any clinical setting, and RN perceptions related to organizational support for work. Scatter plots for nursing experience showed positive slopes for total engagement, vigor, dedication, and absorption. Post-hoc results for RN perception related to organizational support for work identified the significant areas of engagement were total engagement, vigor, and absorption. No significant post-hoc results were noted for the variable of shift. Through significant and non-significant findings, several insights were gained about engagement. As a result of this study, leadership can better assess the needs of the RN workforce to provide what RNs perceive to be important to professional practice and RN engagement.
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    The Relationship between Individual and Organizational Characteristics and Nurse Innovation Behavior
    (2011-07-08) Baumann, Paula Kerler; McDaniel, Anna M.; Braxton-Brown, Gregory; Fisher, Mary L., Ph.D.; Meek, Julie
    Nurses are a key component of the health care system and have the ability to provide innovative solutions to improve quality and safety for patients, while improving workplace conditions, and increasing recruitment and retention of nurses. Encouraging innovation behaviors among nurses is essential to improving health care. Innovation behaviors are defined as behavior from an employee toward developing new products, developing new markets, or improving business routines in their employing organization. The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the relationships among individual and organizational characteristics and employee innovation behavior among nurses. The proposed model, The Framework for Study of Innovation Behaviors among Nurses, was developed based on the work by Kuratko, Hornsby, and Montagno and is specific to nursing innovation behaviors.
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    The Relationship Between Undergraduate, Baccalaureate Nursing Student Engagement and Use of Active Learning Strategies in the Classroom
    (2010-03-03T17:17:34Z) Popkess, Ann M.; Halstead, Judith A.; McDaniel, Anna; Fisher, Mary L., Ph.D.; Stokes, Lillian
    Nursing schools are facing demands to admit and graduate increasing numbers of students to meet the needs of the future healthcare system. Nursing schools must therefore admit, retain and graduate qualified applicants, able to provide care in complex healthcare environments. Educators are challenged to identify the best educational practices to retain and engage learners in the learning process. Research has indicated that student engagement contributes to student success in college. Learning environments may influence student engagement through the use of active learning strategies in the classroom. The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the extent of engagement reported by nursing students in classrooms and determine relationships among student engagement, demographic and academic variables and learning environments. Astin’s (1985) Input-Environments-Output model provided the framework for this study, linking student characteristics, and student engagement in learning with outcomes of learning. A sample of 347 undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students from 5 mid-western schools of nursing completed the Adapted Engaged Learning Index (AELI) and the Active Learning Environments Scale (ALES), measuring their level of engagement and perceived degree of active learning in the classroom, respectively. Subjects also provided demographic data including age, academic level, type and number of hours worked off campus, and prior learning experience. T-test and ANOVA analyses were conducted to compare group differences on demographic, learning environments (active, passive and mixed) and levels of engagement. Results indicated a significant (p≤.001) difference in the level of student engagement related to the perceived active learning occurring in the classroom. Students in active and mixed learning environments reported higher engagement levels than those in passive learning environments. Students over 25 years (p=.003), students with higher GPA’s (p≤ .05) and junior students (p≤ .001) reported significantly higher engagement scores than their counterparts. Findings from this study indicate that student engagement in the learning process may be positively influenced by an active learning environment in the classroom.