No abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among the independent variables of age, gender, years of experience as a nurse educator, and previous technology training, and the dependent variables of feeling compelled to respond to students after hours, level of stress experienced by nurse educators with technology (in general), and level of stress experienced by nurse educators with technology in the classroom/clinical setting. The researcher also investigated the coping strategies demonstrated by these nurse educators. The target population was defined as master's prepared nurse educators in a nursing program who utilize technology while teaching a nursing theory or clinical course. Of the thirty-six inquiries sent, twenty-two subjects participated in the voluntary survey, resulting in a 61% response rate. Overall, the independent variables were found to not be significantly associated with the measure of the dependent variable of overwhelming feelings of stress or anxiety related to technology. For the measure of the dependent variable of "feeling compelled to answer emails/texts after hours", age was the only significant predictor. It is now ever more important for nursing faculty to engage in life-long learning in informatics. Deans need to support IT initiatives, and ensure that all faculty members have competency in computer literacy during the interview process.

We conducted a qualitative survey of 20 occupational physicians (OPs) in southeastern France in 2008 to study their attitudes and practices regarding the prevention of occupational cancers. Occupational physicians' practices regarding occupational cancers centered mainly on prevention. Numerous difficulties impeded these activities: attitudes that minimized the carcinogenic risks by employers and employees, the absence or inadequacy of mandatory risk assessment to identify health hazards, and difficulties in obtaining individual exposure forms, which employers are supposed to complete to identify employees exposed to carcinogens. Other problems were related to the resources available to OPs and the constraints on their time. Finally, some OPs reported that they lacked self-efficacy. The results of this study suggested the need to strengthen OPs' initial training, draft and adopt good practice guidelines for various aspects of their practices, and improve collaborations between OPs and other professionals specialized in the prevention of occupational risks.

We studied occupational physicians' (OPs) practices of referrals for imaging of workers occupationally exposed to lung/pleural carcinogens and the factors associated with them. This cross-sectional telephone survey of 379 OPs practicing in Southeastern France showed that 81% of them referred exposed patients for chest radiographs, 33.5% for computed tomography (CT), and 16.1% for neither. Making no referral was positively associated with believing cancer risks are lower in one's own geographic sector than elsewhere and negatively associated with keeping employee risk records up-to-date. Referrals for CT were positively associated with work at in-house occupational health services (OHS), and completing employee exposure histories often/always. Both the OHS type and factors that may shape OPs' awareness of cancer risks in their sector appear to influence imaging referral practices. Occupational physicians would benefit from guidelines clarifying benefits and risks associated with imaging in such patients. An effort to harmonize regulatory provisions and guidelines also appears necessary.

Nursing graduates need to be "real world ready", and able to meet the demands of the healthcare workforce. Research indicates that baccalaureate graduates have adequate theoretical base, but often lack competence in the clinical setting. Preceptorship programs are an effective way of developing clinical competence in the nursing student. The purpose of this study was to compare a traditional senior clinical course to a preceptorship model on students, faculty, and nurses' perceptions of student preparedness for the nursing role. A formal preceptorship program with the support of a clinical nurse faculty member was developed to enhance the success of clinical nursing education. A quasi-experimental design with nonequivalent groups was used to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a preceptorship model for senior nursing students comparing the students', the faculty, and the nurses' perceptions of the students' preparedness for clinical practice after a traditional clinical and a preceptor clinical experience. The sample consisted of the fall 2017 senior semester cohort and the spring 2018 senior semester cohort, senior faculty who taught in those semesters, and nurses at the participating facilities. Overall, findings did not show a statistically significant difference between the traditional cohorts and the precepted cohorts; however, there is evidence of clinical significance. After implementation of the preceptorship model, there was an increase in the percent of nurses (100%), faculty (100%), and students (95%) who felt that the senior nursing students were ready for the professional role of a registered nurse.