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Background: New graduate registered nurse (RN) competencies are complex and difficult to measure. Psychometrically sound tools are needed to evaluate competencies for nurses participating in nurse residencies. Purpose: Project aims were to develop an item pool for a tool to measure new graduate RN competencies for the Veterans Health Administration RN Transition-to-Practice Residency Program; validate item pool content; and use consensus methods to improve item pool content validity. Methods: A sequential, mixed-methods design was used. Item pool creation, content validation, and revisions included a collaborative process with the evaluation team, operational stakeholders, and subject matter experts (SMEs). Results: Inclusion of SMEs in item development enhanced item pool content validity to measure nurse competency. Stakeholder feedback ensured programmatic logistical and evaluation concerns were met. Conclusions: Engaging SMEs in conceptualization, item development, and aligning existing standards enhanced item pool content validity to measure nurse competencies for new graduate RNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a multi-component method for capturing nutrient intake, which used observation, photography, and an innovative computer program. To assess reliability and accuracy, multiple responsible employees (REs) independently conducted nutrient intake assessments on simulated meals; each RE's results relating to energy intake were compared to those from the other REs and to those obtained by pre- and post-meal weighing of the food items. System efficiency was assessed by having REs perform independent assessments on the same set of simulated meals using either the new or traditional hospital method for which the REs had to document each food item served and then find the items in a computer database--steps that were automated in the new method. Interrater reliability for energy intake estimated on clinic wards was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.975, 95% CI 0.958 to 0.992) and there was a high level of agreement between the REs' estimates and the true values determined by food weighing; per the method of Bland and Altman the mean difference between the two types of estimates was 0.3 kcal (95% CI, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aim Design Methods Results Conclusion Patient or Public Contribution Impact Reporting Method To examine nurse workplace bullying relative to diverse sexual orientation and gender identity groups.Observational cross‐sectional study.Using an annual organisational satisfaction survey from 2022, we identified free‐text comments provided by nurses (N = 25,337). We identified and themed comments for specific bullying content among unique respondents (n = 1432). We also examined close‐ended questions that captured organisational constructs, such as job satisfaction and burnout. We looked at differences by comparing diverse sexual orientation and gender identity groups to the majority using both qualitative and quantitative data.For the free‐text comments, themed categories reflected the type of bullying, the perpetrator and perceived impact. Disrespect was the most frequent theme with supervisors being the primary perpetrator. The reported bullying themes and workplace perceptions differed between nurses in the diverse gender identity and sexual orientation group compared to other groups. Nurses who reported bullying also reported higher turnover intent, burnout, lower workplace civility, more dissatisfaction and lower self‐authenticity.Diverse sexual orientation and gender identity groups are understudied in the nurse bullying research, likely because of sensitivities around identification. Our design enabled anonymous assessment of these groups. We suggest practices to help alleviate and mitigate the prevalence of bullying in nursing.No Patient or Public Contribution. We examined differences in perceptions of nurse bullying between diverse sexual orientation and gender identity groups compared to majority groups. Group differences were found both for thematic qualitative content and workplace experience ratings with members of minority groups reporting less favourable workplace experiences. Nurse leaders and staff can benefit from learning about best practices to eliminate bullying among this population. STROBE guidelines for cross‐sectional observational studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this project was to describe nurse scientists' roles, functions, and work experiences in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA)., Background: Nurse scientists play a critical role in shaping the culture of clinical inquiry and closing the gap between knowledge and practice., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was used to collect information on sociodemographics, workload, research, clinical practice, education, and time/effort. Data were examined using descriptive statistics and χ2 analyses., Results: One hundred forty-four nurse scientists completed the survey. These nurse scientists serve dynamic and critical roles in conducting research, implementing evidence-based practice, and reforming policy. Research effort was limited due to workload and infrastructure constraints. Better research infrastructure was associated with higher research productivity and funding., Conclusions: This survey highlights the needs and challenges nurse scientists experience in conducting research and advancing VHA's mission. Given the national shortage of PhD-prepared nurses, long-term strategies are needed to attract, hire, and retain nurse scientists in healthcare systems., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine best practice for evidence-based practice (EBP) education that leads to implementation., Background: Current methods of teaching EBP do not reliably translate to implementation., Methods: Participants in an EBP immersion were compared with participants in EBP immersion plus a follow-up EBP course., Results: The EBP immersion group implemented 18% of their initiatives. The EBP immersion plus the follow-up EBP course implemented 35% of their initiatives, and an additional 22% were in the process of implementation., Conclusion: Evidence-based practice education may not be sufficient in promoting EBP implementation. Additional ongoing support may be needed to bring EBP initiatives through implementation., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Written work prepared by employees of the Federal Government as part of their official duties is, under the U.S. Copyright Act, a “work of the United States Government” for which copyright protection under Title 17 of the United States Code is not available. As such, copyright does not extend to the contributions of employees of the Federal Government.)

Although the VHA primarily relies on teams for anesthesia care, unsupervised certified registered nurse anesthetists also are used to meet veterans' surgical care needs., Competing Interests: Author disclosures The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest with regard to this article.

Obtaining a detailed assessment of a hospitalized patient's nutrient intake is often critically important to ensuring the patient's successful recovery. However, this process is often laborious and prone to error. Inaccurate nutrient intake assessments result in the inability of the healthcare team to recognize patients with developing nutritional deficits that contribute to delayed recovery and prolonged lengths of stay. This paper describes an innovative, easy to use system designed to increase the precision of calorie count reports by using a combination of photography, direct observation, and a specially developed computer program. Although the system was designed specifically for use in a Department of Veterans Affairs Hospital, it has the potential to be adapted for use in other hospital environments.