Thursday, May 14, 2009

Vickie's Research Corner

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Welcome to Vickie’s Research Corner. Spring is here and just like the flowers blooming so are our new group of Evidence-Based Practice Clinical Experts. In 2005-2006, nurses here at St. Joseph Hospital were interviewed and reported that when a clinical question arises they go to nurses at the highest level of the clinical ladder- Clinical Nurse III/IVs. Dr. Dana Rutledge then reviewed education for Clin III/IVs here at SJH and determined that the majority have had not had training in evidence-based practice (EBP). This then raises the question; if staff are asking Clin III/IVs questions could they (Clin III/IVs) be empowered to appropriately use and facilitate others to use EBP, then is it more likely that EBP is enhanced, are nurses more likely to seek evidence beyond that known by their peers?
Dr. Rutledge, with Katie Skelton’s approval and support, designed a two year study to answer these very questions. Starting in May, 2008, Clin III/IVs were encouraged to apply for a seat in the Clinical Nurse Experts in EBP curriculum. Eleven applicants were selected (via blind peer review). Starting in July they attended a four day didactic class (24 hours) extending over a two week period on multiple aspects of EBP, research, and literature search using library resources. During the course of their training they were asked to fill out questionnaires periodically, attend Nursing Research Council meetings, and attend quarterly meetings to discuss goals and projects. At the end of the two years, Dr. Rutledge will analyze the data she has collected and see if this format for increasing EBP to the bedside is working. This is such an exciting project! We are now currently in the process of getting ready for the second group to attend classes starting in July.
Now I would like to introduce you to two of our Clinical Nurse Experts- Christine Marshall and Wendy Escobedo and discuss their experience in this role:
Christine Marshall has been an RN at SJH for 14 years. She currently works in the Emergency Room as a Clin IV. She became a Clin III when the project was started and has since advanced to a Clin IV. She became interested in becoming a Clinical Nurse Expert when she realized Dana Rutledge would teach the class. She was very inspired by her and thought that having her as a teacher at some point in her life would be so much fun. Since she already had an MSN learning more about EBP made sense. For Christine the class taught her the power of EBP for teaching. She has also learned that this role has gained her the title of facilitator for projects within her own unit. Recently she performed an entire literature search on jaundice products for some colleagues and was the expert for the evidence!
Our second Expert is Wendy Escobedo. Wendy currently works as the Inpatient Care Coordinator for the kidney transplant program; she has been at SJH for 7 years, started here as a new graduate, and has been a Clin IV for 1 year. She decided to become a Clinical Nurse Expert because she wanted to make sure that what she was teaching to nurses and patients was EBP based. For Wendy, this class has really changed her practice. She has performed literature searches, developed teaching protocols, and standards of practice, and just sent in a manuscript for review. For Wendy her main goal as an Expert is to empower nurses to ask questions related to EBP and promote practice change as well as make sure her patients are more educated.
Both Clinical Experts are very interested in performing more research and both have ideas for the future. They both feel this class pushed them more into the world of EBP with a better understanding. Each feels that this class gave them the tools to both effectively and confidently teach both patients and nurses as well as empower nurses to ask that most important question- are we making the right choices and are those choices evidence-based in nursing?

3 comments:

Tracy said...

I am a nursing student who is currently in Nursing Research class. I came across your blog and became interested as EBP is one of our assignments. I have never worked in a research facility. Any golden words of wisdom for this newbie?

http://nurse211.wordpress.com/

Anonymous said...

As a nurse, you may never work in a "research" facility. Nurses usually do research in normal settings where patients are - hospitals, home health agencies, etc.

I hope you're able to get involved in some nursing research.

Unknown said...

Hello Nursing Practitioner,

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As you know, all health professionals must take Continuing Education coursework to maintain licensure. Sometimes the breadth of diversity offered at a CEU conference can be a valuable investment in professional growth. In addition, CEU conferences enable nursing professionals to network, share best practices, learn about other professional settings related to their respective specialty and create professional connections which may not have been acquired without the attendance. Finally, CEU conferences enable nursing professionals the opportunity to bring back the skills they have acquired and put them into practice in their specific setting.

The following topics will be discussed and offer 8 hours of Continuing Education Units:
◆ Advanced Pharmacology
◆ Advanced CPR/dysrhythmia
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◆ Ethics
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◆ Current trends in nursing and health care
◆ Cultural & ethnic diversity
◆ Grief and Cancer
◆ Therapeutic interpersonal relationship skills with patients and clients
◆ Crisis intervention/Trauma nursing
◆ Counseling
◆ Publishing for professional journals or books
◆ Behavioral Sciences - abnormal psychology, mental health and child psychology

There will be professionals from all over California who will speak on these topics. Currently, we have Dr. Ernie Bodai, from Kaiser Permanente in Sacramento, as a Keynote Speaker, Lasonya Smith from UCD Trauma Center, Dr. Natalie Coss from California Department of Corrections, Psych Crisis Bed Unit and Christine Bennett from Kaiser Permanente Pediatric Triage Nursing Unit. There will be additional speakers who work in many different settings, including, but not limited to UCD Trauma Center, Kaiser Hospital, California Prison Health Care Services, US Department of Veteran Affairs and the California Department of Mental Health. In addition, there will be tables for recruitment, marketing and public relations of your respective organization. Recent nursing graduates will be encouraged to pay to attend to have an opportunity to learn more about different nursing settings which may have vacancies and placement options and network with the directors of nursing within various settings. Academic institutions, private hospitals, Federal, state and county funded hospitals are encouraged to request a booth space for purchase, as each of you will be privy to Northern California Nursing professionals and recent college graduates.

WHAT: Northern California Nursing Conference 2010

WHO: Licensed RNs, LVNs, CNAs and recent Nursing school graduates

WHERE: Scottish Rite in Sacramento, California

WHEN: January 2010


* Continental breakfast & gourmet lunch will be provided and included with price of conference.

If you think your staff may be interested in learning more information, please reply back. Space is filling fast and there is room for only 1750 participants.

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Professional Regards,

Chanel Schrier
CS Business Solutions
(916) 205-5585
http://www.cssalessolutions.com