Family Nursing

Biography

Biography: Teresa V. Hurley

Abstract

The driving forces in healthcare delivery are quality patient care outcomes, patient satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. Resolution of issues or problems is these areas, are contingent on nurses understanding the role of research in supporting their practice decisions. Exposure to evidenced-based practice typically occurs in academic settings at the undergraduate level; undertaking research occurs at the graduate level, where nurse educators are in a prime position to facilitate the utilization of research in varied practice settings using experiential and constructivist teaching/learning strategies. At Mount Saint Mary College, graduate students enrolled in the nurse or the family nurse practitioner program is making profound changes in healthcare. Their evidenced-based projects are from birth through dying that requires administrative support and inter-professional collaboration Projects occur in acute care, educational (K-6 grades), nursing homes, military, clinics, group and private practice settings, projects examples are maternal laboring down, kangaroo care, pre-operative warming; fall reduction, hand hygiene compliance, tobacco cessation, pain assessment and re-assessment; adolescent suicide risk assessment, pre-colonoscopy stress reduction and anxiety; reduction in CHF re-admissions; antibiotic compliance; hepatitis C viral load reductions; decrease urinary catheter use and infections, pressure ulcer reduction, Intervention examples included traditional educational approaches, simulation, videography, telephonic follow-up, inter-professional coaching and complementary and alternative modalities as lavender and Yoga. These interventions obtained from research and applied to specific problems and issues, the graduate students identified resulted in positive outcomes and policy changes. The prime focus of the nurse educator is to tap into the students’ passion and provide positive and frequent formative feedback.