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Aim: To investigate the mental well‐being of early career nurses working in the United Kingdom during the COVID‐19 pandemic, with a particular emphasis on symptoms related to post‐traumatic stress disorder. Design: A longitudinal survey study. Methods: Data were acquired at three timepoints during the COVID‐19 pandemic (between May 2020 and March 2021) to determine whether symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder persisted over time. Quantitative measures of well‐being were supplemented with survey data on the nurses' experiences of working during the pandemic. Results: Twenty‐seven per cent of participants suffered from persistent symptoms of post‐traumatic stress while working as nurses during the pandemic. The nurses' baseline resilience, as well as their perception of the quality of their work environment, were significant negative predictors of symptoms of post‐traumatic stress. Participants identified a range of strategies that would have helped them during the crisis, including visible, consistent and empathetic leadership, adequate training and a supportive work environment. Conclusion: The context of the pandemic has highlighted the vulnerability of the psychological well‐being of early career nurses in the workforce. Immediate implementation of some of the more simple interventions suggested in this paper would provide early career nurses with rapid support. More complex support mechanisms should be given immediate consideration, with a view to implementation in the longer term. Implications for the Profession: This study contributes new knowledge about the psychological well‐being of early career nurses working during the pandemic and suggests support mechanisms that will be crucial for the retention of these nurses in the profession. A measurement of resilience may be useful for determining the appropriate level of support to provide to early career nurses. Impact: Early career nurses are vulnerable to attrition from the profession. This could be exacerbated if the psychological well‐being of these nurses is not being supported.Around 25% of early career nurses suffered from persistent symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder while working as nurses during the height of the pandemic, which is a novel finding compared to other longitudinal studies.Understanding the psychological well‐being of early career nurses working during a crisis period (such as a pandemic) equips nurse managers with appropriate strategies to improve nurses' emotional health and to enhance their retention within the workforce.The current findings may be of interest to clinical practitioners who have responsibility for the retention of nursing staff. No patient or public contribution. One of the authors is a statistician. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To ask: (i) is it feasible to include Twitter as an assessed element of the first-year nursing curriculum; (ii) how should it be introduced and assessed; and (iii) do students think it worthwhile and learn anything from its use? Background Nursing students need to use social media professionally, avoiding pitfalls but using learning opportunities. Design This case study (2014-2015) comprised: (i) pilot introduction of Digital Professionalism (including Twitter) with second- and third-year students; (ii) introduction and assessment with a first cohort of 450 first-year students. Based on feedback, methods were revised for; (iii) a second cohort of 97. Methods Students received a face-to-face lecture, two webinars, used chat rooms and were asked to create course Twitter accounts and were assessed on their use. Results Few second and third year students started optional Twitter use whereas nearly all first years used it. Most students (70·1% first, 88·0% second cohort) thought inclusion of Twitter was worthwhile. Changes from first to second cohort included better peer-peer support, more contextualization and more emphasis on nursing communities. More second cohort students learned from Twitter (44·4% vs. 70·8%) and used Twitter recently (43·3% vs. 81·6%). Students gained wider perspectives on nursing, better understanding of social media, 'being student nurses' and topics like health promotion. Students mostly followed not only online nursing communities but also patient organizations. Conclusion Including Twitter as an assessed element for first-year nursing students was feasible, students think it worthwhile and other nursing schools should consider introducing it in the broader context of Digital Professionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To investigate student nurses' and midwives' knowledge, confidence and educational needs regarding recognition and responses to domestic abuse. Background Domestic abuse is a serious global problem and has greater, negative effects on long-term health than more obvious diseases, such as diabetes. Nurses and midwives are well-placed to recognize and respond to domestic abuse but many lack confidence in this area. There is firm evidence that training can increase the confidence of Registered Nurses and midwives in responding to domestic abuse. But the issue of undergraduate preparation is significantly under-investigated. Design A qualitative study. Methods Nursing and midwifery students were recruited using purposive sampling. We facilitated eight focus groups with a total of 55 students (student midwives N = 32; student nurses n = 23). Data were collected between May-November 2014. Findings Students in the study viewed the issue of domestic abuse as important and they possessed sound theoretical knowledge of its nature and consequences. However, they lacked confidence in recognizing and responding to abuse and were concerned about the implications of this for their future practice as registered practitioners. Interactive learning opportunities that engaged with service users and involved experts from practice were viewed as important educational requirements. Conclusion Most students in the study felt insufficiently prepared to deal with the issue of domestic abuse. They perceived this as a cyclical state of disempowerment that would impact negatively on their practice and on their own ability to support nursing and midwifery students of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To provide depth and breadth in the analysis of nursing students' written narratives of 'most memorable' professionalism dilemmas. Background While nursing students are taught professionalism through formal curricula, they commonly experience workplace-based professionalism dilemmas. Although non-UK studies have begun to explore students' lived experiences of dilemmas, they lack detail about when and where dilemmas occur, who is involved, what students do and why and how students feel. Design Online survey of healthcare students including 294 nursing students from 15 UK nursing schools. Method Nursing students provided a written narrative of their most memorable dilemma (December 2011-March 2012) as part of a survey examining the impact of professionalism dilemmas on moral distress. We conducted thematic and discourse analysis of all narratives and narrative analysis of one exemplar. Findings The most common themes were patient care dilemmas by healthcare personnel or students, student abuse and consent dilemmas. Of the dilemmas, 49·6% occurred over 6 months previously, 76·2% occurred in hospitals and 51·9% of perpetrators were nurses. 79·3% of students reported acting in the face of their dilemma. Of the narratives, 88·4% contained negative emotion talk and numerous significant relationships existed between types of emotion talk and dilemmas. Our narrative analysis demonstrates the impact of dilemma experiences through emotion talk and more subtle devices like metaphor. Conclusion Findings extend previous research with nursing and medical students. Nurse educators should help students construct emotionally coherent narratives to make sense of their experiences, actions and identities and to better prepare them for future professionalism dilemmas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To explore associations among breastfeeding duration, maternal personality and maternal attitudes and experiences of breastfeeding. Background Understanding influences on breastfeeding initiation and duration is critical to increasing breastfeeding rates and supporting new mothers. Maternal characteristics such as self-efficacy, knowledge and confidence are known to enable women to breastfeed, but little is known about the influence of maternal trait personality on breastfeeding. Design An exploratory cross-sectional survey. Method A total of 602 mothers with an infant aged 6-12 months old completed a self-report questionnaire examining maternal trait personality, breastfeeding duration and attitudes and experiences of breastfeeding. Data were collected between March-June 2009. Results Mothers who reported high levels of extraversion, emotional stability and conscientiousness were significantly more likely to initiate and continue breastfeeding for a longer duration. Attitudes and experiences significantly associated with these personality traits such as perceived difficulties and lack of support may explain these patterns. For example, characteristics associated with introversion and anxiety may prevent women from seeking support or challenging negative attitudes of others at this critical time. Conclusion Understanding the influence of maternal personality may thus be a useful tool in antenatal support to recognize women who may need extra, directed support while facilitating discussion of potential barriers to breastfeeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

smith k.m. & crookes p.a. (2012) The Study of Nursing Care project: back to the future for contemporary nursing research? Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(11), 2586-2593. Abstract Aims. To discuss the Study of Nursing Care project, an initiative from the late 1970s in the UK. The article explores the impact of the Study of Nursing Care on nursing research, and considers to what extent it presents a useful model for contemporary nursing research. Background. It is acknowledged internationally that the nursing academic workforce is ageing and dwindling. Many possible solutions are being debated with all agreeing that the next generation of evidence based nurse leaders is urgently required. Data sources. In this article, the authors survey existing workforce schemes, describe the Study of Nursing Care series, published in the 1970s, and draw on interviews and correspondence conducted in 2009 with four of the original Study of Nursing Care research assistants. Discussion. The Study of Nursing Care project poses a potential response to academic workforce issues. This article discusses the evolution of the project, its methods and operation and considers its possible implications for contemporary practice. Implications for nursing. The Study of Nursing Care model demonstrates the clear benefits of fully committed funding, a programmatic approach towards research development, and the importance of selecting the right kind of people for the work, in a National scheme. Conclusion. The authors argue that although the clinical outcomes it set out to achieve remain elusive, the project produced a cohort of nurse researchers who went on to give important leadership in nursing, including in nursing academia/research. A contemporary version of the Study of Nursing Care has important potential to generate the next generation of nurse researchers, and leaders, into the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

anthony d., baggott r., tanner j., jones k., evans h., perkins g. & palmer h. ( 2012) Health, lifestyle, belief and knowledge differences between two ethnic groups with specific reference to tobacco, diet and physical activity. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(11), 2496-2503. Abstract Aims. To compare physical activity levels, body mass index, habitual diet, tobacco use and prevalence of non-communicable disease between the two ethnic groups and to identify predictors for differences between groups. Background. Tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity are major lifestyle risk factors for chronic cardiovascular diseases, certain cancers, diabetes and chronic lung diseases. There are higher risk and incidence of these diseases in some ethnic groups, for example Asians have higher incidence of diabetes. Design. Cross sectional survey. Methods. Cross sectional survey of Asians of Indian descent and white British adults conducted between October-December 2009. Main outcome variables were lifestyle behaviours and BMI. Self-reported disease diagnosis was also collected. In a regression analysis, predictors of outcome variables were demographic variables and beliefs/attitudes/knowledge towards lifestyle behaviours. Results/Findings. Body mass index, tobacco use and non-communicable disease (except diabetes) were lower in Indians. Indians reported lower physical activity levels and greater salt use than Whites. Tobacco use was higher in Whites, but knowledge, attitudes and beliefs were similar between Whites and Indians. Conclusion. Health risk behaviour and morbidity are different between the two ethnic groups. Gender, age, educational level, beliefs, attitudes and knowledge do not explain these differences. Health promotion that aims to improve knowledge will probably not work and innovative methods are needed to improve health in high risk groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]