As we get ready to host researchers worldwide, both in person and virtually, at the 35th International Nursing Research Congress, we reached out to five presenters to share their enthusiasm for their research and explain its significance to the field of nursing.
Engage to Educate: Leveraging QR Code Technology to Enhance Patient Knowledge and Outcomes
With Jasmine Sandoval, DNP, MBA, RN (North America)
I implemented a quality improvement project to explore the innovative application of QR code technology in the healthcare setting to serve as an engaging educational tool to boost patient knowledge and enhance health outcomes. The technology includes a QR code directing to a landing page with links to various digital activities such as educational crossword puzzles, word searches, and interactive animated games.
As the world evolves and digital devices are at our fingertips, it is important for me to find ways to educate patients so that they can enjoy and retain the vast information that comes with a cancer diagnosis. In oncology care, patients are inundated with information the moment the word “cancer” is mentioned. Often, patients are handed a folder, and all of the paper resources are stowed away in there—never to be reviewed again. I think it is necessary to find ways to bring these educational resources back to the surface in a fun and engaging way. I wanted to find creative ways to leverage technology with patient care to improve our patient outcomes by providing information that is useful to both patients and family members. Additionally, QR codes accessed with smart devices reduce our carbon footprint by digitalizing an education tool that our patients can revisit online in the future.
As nurses, we are educators to patients and their caregivers. Having additional educational tools that patients and caregivers find engaging helps with knowledge retention and reinforces the education nurses are providing at the bedside. For example, each educational activity was created based on current nursing education provided to the patients regarding their pre- and post-operative oncology care. The more ways we can deliver key information to patients and caregivers, the better the outcome will be for patients.
Jasmine is a nurse manager at an oncology clinic and a member of Sigma’s Beta Tau Chapter.
Perceived Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Students’ Clinical Placement Experiences
With Zaina Mubarak Al Harmali, PhD, RN (Middle East)
My research is based on the real situation that was faced by nursing education during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am passionate about my research because it is focused on the clinical placements of nursing students, which is a cornerstone in nursing education, and how it affected nursing students’ competencies. Unfortunately, I do not believe the pandemic is a one-time event, and therefore, we need to learn from our mistakes and ensure that future students' clinical experiences are not affected.
The results of my research suggest many ways to improve future policies and strategies to facilitate clinical nursing practices during a pandemic crisis, which will benefit educational institutions in Oman. In nursing education, clinical placements are an integral part, and it is essential to create safe and productive clinical placements for nursing students to acquire holistic training experiences. Ensuring their competency is going to guarantee the quality of the nursing profession in the future.
Zaina is the Associate Dean of Oman College of Health Science-Al Dakhiliya and a member of Sigma’s Alpha Nu Chapter.
Easing the Global Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health Crisis
With Jennifer L. Uzzell, DNP, MSN, CPNP-PC, CLC, PMHS, EBP-C (North America)
Twenty percent of US children and adolescents suffer from mental health concerns. In fact, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends evaluating for anxiety with a screening tool beginning at age 8 in the pediatric primary care setting where families feel comfortable receiving care.
During the pandemic, families came to my pediatric primary care clinic in mental health distress, and I didn’t know how to help them because I had very little mental health training. I referred them to mental health specialists, but they either couldn’t get an appointment or didn’t feel comfortable seeing an unfamiliar provider. Unfortunately, only about one-fifth of children receive needed mental health services, due to barriers such as a lack of access to care, social stigma, and a long wait time for referred services. I wanted to relieve their suffering and help the children receive the care they desperately need. Since the primary care clinic is often the first place patients express their mental health concerns, I became certified as a Pediatric Mental Health Specialist (PMHS). Now I can evaluate children and adolescents for mental health concerns, educate families on treatment options, and start the management plan in the primary care setting while waiting on referrals to mental health specialists for more complicated care.
Through this, I noticed that Texas (where I live) does not require mental health screenings for children or adolescents during their well visits. With suicide as the second leading cause of death in this age group, I feel passionate about evaluating mental health at each wellness visit. I implemented the 2022 USPSTF guidelines for screening for anxiety in my pediatric clinic as my doctoral project. With the use of a screening tool, we significantly increased our referral rate for anxiety management from 6.1% to 21.3%, most notably in the younger age range of 8-11 years old. Now, I am championing health policy change to require mental health evaluations during pediatric well visits. With increased training, nurse practitioners can provide mental health management in the primary care setting. I hope that our pilot project is successful and can be disseminated to other pediatric clinics, allowing families to receive care where they are comfortable.
Jennifer is pediatric nurse practitioner and a member of Sigma’s Alpha Alpha Xi and Beta Beta Chapters.
Challenges in Clinical Learning and Teaching Among Nursing Students in a Middle Eastern County
With Arcalyd Rose Ramos Cayaban, MSN, RN, RM (Middle East)
Clinical teaching is essential for nursing education, but there are unique challenges in the Sultanate of Oman that haven't been fully explored. My research examines Omani nursing students' experiences, identifying issues with the clinical environment, instructor interactions, and transportation. Understanding these challenges can help improve nursing education and better prepare future healthcare professionals.
We are a group of authors from diverse specializations, united by our concern for this topic because it directly affects healthcare quality and the development of skilled nursing professionals. By understanding the unique challenges nursing students face in the Sultanate of Oman, we aim to develop improved educational strategies and support systems, ultimately enhancing patient care and outcomes. This research has the potential to bridge the gap between theory and practice, ensuring that future nurses are well-prepared to meet the demands of the healthcare industry.
Our research is vital to nursing as it tackles significant deficiencies in the clinical education of nursing students, especially in the Sultanate of Oman. By pinpointing and comprehending these students' unique challenges and requirements, we can refine the clinical training process to ensure future nurses are more proficient and well-prepared. This will enhance patient care, safety, and overall healthcare quality.
Arcalyd is a lecturer at Sultan Qaboos University and a member of Sigma’s Alpha Alpha and Alpha Beta Delta Chapters.
Human Trafficking in Colombia: Needs Assessment for Healthcare Workers
With Noel K. Johns, BSN, RN (North America)
A few years ago, a friend who had been an ER nurse told me a story about a human trafficking victim that she encountered on one of her shifts. She described what she had done to assist this victim in escaping her situation. At the time that I heard this poignant story, I was living in Bogotá, Colombia, and I began investigating the human trafficking situation there. I quickly discovered that in Colombia women are trafficked at a higher rate than the global average, and that they are trafficked primarily for sexual exploitation purposes. I have always had an interest in women and children’s health, so this statistic stuck with me. I knew right away that I needed to find a meaningful way to contribute to anti-trafficking efforts in Colombia, and after conversations with my mentor at my university, we decided that a needs assessment would be a great way to combine my desire to do more in my community with the need for me to complete my DNP project. As the project evolved and I spoke with the hardworking and caring people involved in anti-trafficking efforts in Colombia and the United States, I felt inspired and motivated to disseminate information about the issue in Colombia worldwide to get more people involved.
The needs assessment serves as a foundation for future advocacy efforts and emphasizes the urgent need to identify educational and other resources available to assist victims of human trafficking and those caring for human trafficking victims in the country of Colombia. The project team conducted interviews of human trafficking experts and created a database of anti-human trafficking resources to include relevant education and other resources available in Colombia.
Human trafficking is a serious and widespread global problem and has many health consequences, such as sexually transmitted infections and psychological disorders. Nurses are often in a unique position to identify and care for victims of human trafficking; as evidence shows, they can play a crucial role in anti-human trafficking efforts.
Noel is a DNP student at the University of Cincinnati and a member of Sigma’s Beta Iota Chapter.