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The authors emphasise the importance of citations and provide some advice on how nurse academics can increase citations to their work. Topics discussed include the impact of the number of citations a paper receives on the field to which it relates, the contribution of citations per staff member to nursing's world rankings, and the rate of discovery and turnover of research in bench science and some topical and novel areas of medicine.

The aim of the authors of this paper is to analyze Watson’s theory of human caring for its usefulness and worth in education, practice, and research. The reason for undertaking this analysis is to evaluate if Watson’s theory would be useful for nursing in those countries where such theories were not an established part of the nursing curriculum. Furthermore, in some European countries, their political past or cultural influences led to an unquestioned adoption of the biomedical model. As their political culture changes, many social structures have had to be revisited, and for nursing, this has meant the introduction of theoretical reasoning, teaching, and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To explore the unregistered healthcare worker's role and influence on student nurses' clinical learning experience. Background Across the developed world, the role of the unregistered worker is exceeding its traditional boundaries. Evidence suggests that this includes the day-to-day mentoring of pre-registration student nurses. However, no research to date has explored reasons as to why this is occurring, what types of tasks are taught, and the consequence of this. Design A sequential exploratory mixed method research design was adopted. Method Reporting on the final qualitative phase of a mixed method sequential research study, semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 59 unregistered healthcare workers across four hospitals in Northern Ireland. Transcriptions were analysed using a content analysis approach; all data were collected in 2010. Results Findings show the diversity of the unregistered healthcare workers' roles and confirm that they play a major part in the education of student nurses with regards to basic, clinical, and non-clinical tasks, with and without the approval of registered staff. However, their involvement did not reflect their levels of expertise as evidenced by certified training. Their participation was justified based on mentor unavailability, their closeness to the student and the patient. While some did raise concerns, they recommended that these workers be formally involved in nurse education. Conclusion Mechanisms of workforce planning need to pay particular attention to the expanding role of unregistered healthcare workers as 'role drift' has the potential to alter patterns of work and affect current educational approaches impacting on the acquisition of clinical skills. Further research is recommended in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Nursing profession has intensified education and training of nurse researchers who could enhance the health of people through the discovery and dissemination of knowledge. This resulted in rapid increase in the number of doctoral programs in nursing in many countries in recent decades, but the guidelines for quality programs are lacking. Objectives: To develop guidelines for quality criteria, standards, and indicators for doctoral programs in nursing that may be used worldwide. Methods: The work of the quality criteria, standards and indicators (QCSI) committee of the International Network for Doctoral Education in Nursing formed the basis of this paper and authors supplemented it by a literature review and consultation with international experts. Findings: The major criteria of quality of doctoral program were: the nature of the mission, the quality of faculty, the students, the curriculum, program administration, and resources. Sub-criteria, standards and indicators for each of these criteria were identified in sufficient detail to provide guidance for quality doctoral programs in nursing. Concerns as to whether the QCSI would apply to those countries and doctoral programs that focus on a research thesis only, without formal coursework were addressed. Experts from across the world felt that the QCSI would be applicable for most program types. Conclusions: Global criteria, standards, and indicators for doctoral programs in nursing presented in this article may serve as guidelines for most doctoral programs in the world as these were developed by experienced nurse scholars representing eight countries from five continents. The degree of detail in these parameters is sufficient to enhance the utility of the QCSI for all doctoral programs worldwide. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

mckenna hp, keeney s&hasson f (2005) Journal of Clinical Nursing14, 426–434Views on the ground: teaching and clinical assessors’ views on vocational training for healthcare assistants in IrelandThis paper reports the views of teaching staff and clinical assessors on their experience of programme delivery and assessment.In 2001, the Irish Department of Health and Children developed a vocational training programme for healthcare assistants. This programme was piloted nationally across 14 hospital and community sites. Teaching staff and clinical assessors at each site delivered the programme.One-to-one semi-structured interviews were undertaken with 16 clinical staff and 26 teaching staff. With consent, all interviews were tape-recorded, from which the transcripts were subject to content analysis.A lack of experience and preparation among teaching staff and clinical assessors was evident. The staff's commitment to their role on the programme while maintaining their normal duties caused frustration and uncertainty. Not withstanding, the value of the programme in terms of increased motivation, satisfaction and knowledge of healthcare assistants and the impact on care delivery, was recognized by respondents.This programme represents the provision of a national standard training programme for healthcare assistants. It provides an insight into the delivery of such a programme and the educational and training needs of healthcare assistants through the views of staff that taught and assessed on it.Findings suggest that the development and implementation of a national training programme for healthcare assistants is achievable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

cutcliffe j.r. & mckenna h.p. (2004) Journal of Advanced Nursing 45(2), 126–135 Expert qualitative researchers and the use of audit trails Determining the credibility of qualitative research findings remains a contested area and leaves the way open for additional theoretical and methodological discussion. In this paper we focus on audit trails and confirmability, within the context of ‘expert’ qualitative researchers. Having outlined the audit trail process, we develop existing arguments about the ‘expert’ qualitative researcher. We then juxtapose the two, highlighting a number of issues in an attempt to advance the debate. These issues discussed are: (1) The shifting sands of methodological orthodoxy – the historical context in which audit trails emerged. (2) The individual construction of logic. (3) ‘Grounded in the data’ or ‘going beyond the words’– the key differences between descriptive and interpretive findings. (4) The singular relationship between qualitative researcher and their data. (5) The growing acknowledgement that method alone is insufficient. (6) The challenging example of visionaries. We argue that using audit trails as a means to achieve confirmability of qualitative research findings is an exaggeration of the case for method, and may do little to establish the credibility of the findings. We also introduce a preliminary case for testing the credibility of theory induced by expert qualitative researchers, in part by means of its usefulness; its ‘fit and grab’, rather than by the researcher's adherence to contemporary methodological orthodoxy. In other words, the absence of audit trails does not necessarily challenge the credibility of qualitative findings, particularly if an expert qualitative researcher produced the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

mckenna h. p., ashton s. & keeney s. (2004) Journal of Advanced Nursing 45(2), 178–189 Barriers to evidence-based practice in primary care Evidence-based practice is one of the most important underlying principles in modern health care. In the United Kingdom, successive governments have highlighted the fact that a quality health service is built upon the use of best evidence. Health professionals are becoming more accountable within clinical governance structures for the care they provide. The need to use robust research findings effectively is a critical component of their role. However, studies show that a number of barriers prevent the effective use of best available evidence. This study aimed to identify barriers to evidence-based practice in primary care. A specially designed questionnaire was used to gather respondents’ perceptions of the barriers to evidence-based practice. Data were collected in 2000/2001. Findings show that general practitioners (GPs) ranked barriers differently to community nurses. GPs believed that the most significant barriers to using evidence in practice were: the limited relevance of research to practice, keeping up with all the current changes in primary care, and the ability to search for evidence-based information. In contrast, the most significant barriers to the identified by community nurses were poor computer facilities, poor patient compliance and difficulties in influencing changes within primary care. This suggests that these two groups may require different strategies for barrier removal. Identifying barriers is just the first step to addressing issues surrounding the use of evidence-based practice. Extra resources will be needed if these barriers are to be tackled. However, if the resultant change improves the health and wellbeing of people and communities, then the extra costs would be offset by more efficient use of services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientists and philosophers have struggled with issues of knowing for many years, and few credible researchers would deny that they wish to conduct studies that increase the ability to ‘know’. However, it can be argued that nurse researchers and theoreticians have paid insufficient attention to answering the fundamental question—when do we know that we know? To this end, this paper examines in a critical manner some of the key epistemological, philosophical and methodological issues and challenges some widely accepted, yet seldom confronted, myths. It looks firstly at ‘knowing’ as it is generally perceived by those who adhere to the quantitative paradigm and then focuses on knowing within the qualitative paradigm.From our examination, we note that knowing in the quantitative paradigm does not appear to be as concrete as some might wish to believe, especially if the often stated but never challenged assumptions are considered. Similarly, we argue that knowing in the qualitative paradigm is complicated and can be seen to be bound up with the relationship with the participants. Thus, knowing in the qualitative paradigm may well, at least in part, be a product of the reciprocal relationship between researcher and the participants.Consequently, this ‘knowing through the relationship’ indicates that qualitative research can be thought of as a craft and we make additional arguments that support this conceptualisation. We conclude by pointing out that, ultimately, knowing is temporary and fleeting, but in ‘knowing through the relationship’, in qualitative research as craft there exist the mechanisms and opportunities for the researcher to become empirically confident that he knows. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards nursing models in Great Britain. Trends in the use of nursing models; Perception of traditional nursing students on the models; Comparison between traditional and undergraduate nursing students.

Studies the perception of psychiatric-hospital ward sisters and charge nurses in Northern Ireland towards nursing models. Positive factors of nursing models considered by ward managers in continuing-care and rehabilitation psychiatric-hospital wards; Work, model and application related negative opinion of ward managers on models; Responsibilities of nurses towards improving nursing models.

Aim. The purpose of this study was to examine articles in ISI-ranked nursing journals and to analyse the articles and journals, using definitions of international and article content. Background. Growing emphasis on global health includes attention on international nursing literature. Contributions from Latin America and Africa have been reported. Attention to ranked nursing journals to support scholarship in global health is needed. Method. Using an ex post facto design, characteristics of 2827 articles, authors and journals of 32 ranked nursing journals for the year 2005 were analysed between June 2006 and June 2007. Using definitions of international and of article content, research questions were analysed statistically. Findings. (a) 928 (32⋅8%) articles were international; (b) 2016 (71⋅3%) articles were empirical or scholarly; (c) 826 (89⋅3%) articles reflecting international content were scholarly or empirical; (d) among international articles more were empirical (66⋅3% vs. 32⋅8%; χ2(1) = 283⋅6, P < 0⋅001); (e) among non-international articles more were scholarly (29⋅9% vs. 22⋅7%; χ2(1) = 15⋅85, P < 0⋅001; 22⋅7%); (f) 1004 (78⋅0%) articles were international, based on author characteristics; (f) 20 (62⋅5%) journals were led by an international editorial team; and (g) international journals had more international articles (3⋅6% vs. 29⋅2%; χ2(1) = 175⋅75, P < 0⋅001) and higher impact factors than non-international journals (t = -14⋅43, P < 0⋅001). Conclusion. Articles with empirical content appear more frequently in international journals. Results indicate the need to examine the international relevance of the nursing literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the number of healthcare assistants (HCA) in employment has continued to increase, the provision of training and development for this role has, to date, been largely dependent upon the discretion of individual employers. In response to this, the Department of Health and Children in Ireland decided to establish a national training course for HCAs and commission its evaluation. As part of this evaluation, the views of the trainees on the national training course were explored. The behaviour, attitudes and experience of these trainees were explored, as was their perception of the relevance of the training course to their role in employment as a HCA. One-to-one semistructured interviews with 22 randomly selected trainees were conducted. All interview respondents felt that the training course had been beneficial. Findings indicated positive changes in practice following their training. The interview respondents indicated that they felt more confident in their ability to undertake delegated duties and believed that the skills learned on the course would be useful to them in their future work. Other issues, such as course duration, selection procedure and level of assessment, caused some dissatisfaction. The training course led to a significant improvement in the trainees’ knowledge and care skills. Suggestions for changes to the course from the trainee's perspective include amending the trainee selection procedure and improving the organization and content of the course and follow-up support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the extent of an international perspective in publication in nursing journals. Design: Characteristics of 2,581 articles, authors of articles, and journals (editorial purpose and editorial team) of 42 high-ranking nursing journals for the year 2000 were analyzed. Methods: The characteristics were assessed using seven operational definitions of "international." Findings: Major findings were: (a) 747 (28.9%) articles were identified as international, of which (b) 705 (94.3 %) were placed in the scholarly or empirical categories; (c) more articles were categorized as empirical in the international articles; more articles were categorized as scholarly among the noninternational articles; (d) 763 (79.3%) articles met an international definition based on author characteristics; and (e) 20 (47.6%) journals had international editorial teams. Conclusions: Nearly 30% of articles had international content. Articles with international content were more frequently databased than were noninternational articles. The study provides a baseline indication of the extent of international perspectives in published articles in nursing journals. The extent to which these international articles make substantial contributions to knowledge has yet to be discovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]