Kaitlin E Mueller, Valerie Rakes, Brianna Randall, Allie Thomas
{"title":"Low Ropes Course Nursing Leadership Session for Baccalaureate Nursing Students.","authors":"Kaitlin E Mueller, Valerie Rakes, Brianna Randall, Allie Thomas","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20251124-03","DOIUrl":"10.3928/01484834-20251124-03","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Advancing nursing leadership education is essential for cultivating future leaders who can positively affect outcomes for health care providers and patients. However, limited literature explores experiential learning experiences within adventure therapy interventions, such as a low ropes course (e.g., an outdoor challenge constructed close to the ground), to promote the learning of leadership skills. This article explores baccalaureate nursing students' learning during a leadership training session on a low ropes course.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Nursing students engaged in four elements of the low ropes course to work on leadership skills, such as applying leadership styles, trust building, and professional accountability.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Students who engaged in this teaching strategy on a low ropes course as an adventure therapy intervention reported enhanced learning of leadership skills.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Nursing students could benefit from using adventure therapy interventions, such as a low ropes course, to learn and practice leadership skills for future implications in practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":" ","pages":"495-497"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147470749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Nurse Educators' ChatGPT Use in Canadian Undergraduate Nursing Education: A Qualitative Study.","authors":"Laura Vogelsang, Anila Naz, Manal Kleib","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20260316-05","DOIUrl":"10.3928/01484834-20260316-05","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Heath care and education have both experienced rapid growth in artificial intelligence (AI) use, especially with generative tools such as ChatGPT. This study explores nurse educators' perspectives on ChatGPT's educational value, implementation challenges, and implications for professional standards.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Data collection included 26 semistructured interviews with Canadian undergraduate nursing educators.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seven themes were generated by the research team through thematic analysis. Despite the perceived usefulness of ChatGPT, educators expressed concerns about plagiarism, overreliance, diminished critical thinking, and risks to clinical competence. While nurse educators are cautiously optimistic about the potential for ChatGPT integration into nursing curricula, concerns remain.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study provides the first overview of Canadian undergraduate nurse educators' perspectives on ChatGPT use. As generative AI evolves and changes over time, nursing education must continue to evaluate and monitor the pedagogical influence and support necessary competencies for both students and educators to ensure responsible use.</p>","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":" ","pages":"461-469"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147793633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
DeLisa M Cofer, Kerstin M Palombaro, Shirlee Drayton-Brooks, Kathleen W Neal
{"title":"Effective Retention Strategies for Ethnic Minority Nursing Students at Predominately White Institutions.","authors":"DeLisa M Cofer, Kerstin M Palombaro, Shirlee Drayton-Brooks, Kathleen W Neal","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20260302-01","DOIUrl":"10.3928/01484834-20260302-01","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Predominately White colleges and universities recruit and enroll underrepresented ethnic minority students to help meet the health care needs of the nation. To be successful in the retention of ethnic minority students, predominately White institutions (PWIs) must employ innovative, targeted retention strategies designed to promote successful outcomes in undergraduate nursing programs.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A descriptive research design, 14-item survey examining perceptions of effective retention strategies was sent to ethnic minority nurses who attended an undergraduate baccalaureate nursing program at a PWI.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Retention strategies that included faculty availability were highly effective for student success among ethnic minority nursing students. Financial aid was found to be especially important to younger students.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Nursing programs must integrate retention strategies that ensure faculty are both academically supportive and consistently available to students.</p>","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":" ","pages":"453-460"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147793631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Towards a Trauma-Informed School of Nursing: A Mixed Methods Assessment Study.","authors":"Kala A Mayer, Oluwatoyin Olukotun","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20260224-02","DOIUrl":"10.3928/01484834-20260224-02","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Trauma-informed practices (TIPs) support academic success and align with nursing values, yet their integration into nursing education is understudied.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A mixed-methods online survey was administered in Spring 2024 to faculty and staff at a private U.S. School of Nursing to assess TIPs across three domains using Likert items and open-ended prompts.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall implementation averaged 1.73 (<i>SD</i> = 0.39) on a 0 to 3 scale, indicating early stage implementation. Scores were highest for Staff Interaction (2.23) and Awareness (1.99), and lowest for Environment (1.43) and Policies (1.49). Qualitative responses confirmed early-stage implementation and emphasized the need for education, leadership modeling, policy integration, and ongoing evaluation.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Findings highlight opportunities to enhance TIPs in nursing education. Targeted strategies can improve well-being and support trauma-sensitive environments for both students and staff.</p>","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":" ","pages":"491-494"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147470713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Collaborative Exams and Reflections as Learning Strategies in Undergraduate Nursing Pharmacology.","authors":"Rachel McMahan Thomas, Donna Teresa Linck","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20260106-01","DOIUrl":"10.3928/01484834-20260106-01","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Although collaborative exams have long existed, they often are overlooked in nursing programs due to the belief that individual testing best prepares students for NCLEX success. This article challenges that notion by (1) reviewing literature on collaborative exams as a tool to enhance engagement and retention in nursing education; and (2) presenting insights from two nursing faculty who implemented this method in undergraduate pharmacology.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Over a 16-week semester, faculty replaced some traditional high-stakes exams with collaborative testing and structured postexam reflection.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Student feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and faculty also noted improved classroom engagement and critical thinking.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Collaborative exams support decision making in complex, team-based clinical scenarios. Incorporating them-along with exam wrappers-into nursing curricula fosters group learning, deepens understanding, and better equips students for real-world practice.</p>","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":" ","pages":"498-501"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147470649","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Voice of a Nurse: An Innovative One-Minute Assessment Method.","authors":"Elizabeth Berro, Pierce DiMauro","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20260218-03","DOIUrl":"10.3928/01484834-20260218-03","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Traditional pathophysiology and pharmacology assessments fail to capture students' ability to apply knowledge in patient communication. There is a need for assessment methods that integrate clinical knowledge with person-centered nursing care. This article describes a pilot assessment method called \"Voice of a Nurse,\" evaluating students' ability to explain pathophysiology and pharmacology concepts by responding to a patient's question with a 1-minute audio recording.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Nursing students enrolled in a combined pathophysiology and pharmacology course read a prompted patient concern. After a 5-minute preparatory period, participants recorded a 1-minute response, which was evaluated on professional introduction, clinical accuracy, patient-friendly language, empathy, and time management.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This low-stakes assessment method successfully integrates clinical knowledge with communication skills and is easy to implement and grade.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The Voice of a Nurse assessment offers nursing educators a practical and scalable method for evaluating the knowledge and communication skills of undergraduate nursing students.</p>","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":" ","pages":"e92-e95"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147597283","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Raquel González-Hervías, Leyre Rodríguez-Leal, Leticia López-Pedraza, Rosa Raventós Torner, Roser Cuesta-Martínez, Marina Gómez de Quero Córdoba
{"title":"LEGO Serious Play and Metaplan Enhance Knowledge and Creativity in Nursing Students.","authors":"Raquel González-Hervías, Leyre Rodríguez-Leal, Leticia López-Pedraza, Rosa Raventós Torner, Roser Cuesta-Martínez, Marina Gómez de Quero Córdoba","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20260302-02","DOIUrl":"10.3928/01484834-20260302-02","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>LEGO Serious Play (LSP) and Metaplan are innovative, student-centered teaching strategies that promote creativity, critical thinking, and meaningful learning. Their combined use offers an experiential approach to addressing complex topics in mental health education.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A pre-post experimental design was implemented with 131 nursing students. Participants engaged in interactive workshops where they built LEGO models to represent mental health disorders and used Metaplan to discuss symptoms, treatments, and care strategies. Academic performance, motivation, and critical thinking were assessed before and after the intervention.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The intervention significantly improved students' academic performance, motivation, engagement, and critical thinking. Participants demonstrated a deeper understanding of mental health concepts, reduced abstraction, and enhanced knowledge of retention.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Integrating LSP and Metaplan techniques effectively strengthens learning outcomes and competency development in mental health nursing education. Their inclusion in nursing curricula is recommended to foster creativity, reflection, and applied understanding.</p>","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":" ","pages":"447-451"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147694589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Partial Credit Scoring: A Helping Hand or a Crutch?","authors":"Lauryn M Norton, Jean Yockey","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20260224-05","DOIUrl":"10.3928/01484834-20260224-05","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Partial credit scoring, introduced with the Next Generation NCLEX (NGN), aims to better measure clinical judgment and knowledge. This project evaluated the impact of partial credit scoring on unit exam performance for students repeating a third-semester prelicensure nursing course asking: Is partial credit scoring a helping hand, or a crutch?</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>A retrospective, comparative design was used to analyze unit exam scores of repeating students across two semesters: Fall 2024 using traditional scoring and Spring 2025 using NGN-aligned partial credit models. Paired samples <i>t</i>-tests were used for analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Statistically significant score improvements were found across all four unit exams (<i>p</i> < .05). However, repeating students' averages did not consistently exceed the overall cohort average.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Partial credit scoring improved student exam performance measurement without evidence of grade inflation. Findings suggest this scoring method supports more accurate assessment, making it a pedagogically sound option for nursing education programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":" ","pages":"502-504"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147392191","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Protecting the Nurse Scientist Workforce-A Conservation Lens on the Ph.D. Pipeline.","authors":"Mona Newsome Wicks","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20260709-03","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3928/01484834-20260709-03","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":"65 8","pages":"444-445"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148703322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Simulated IV Pumps in Pathopharmacology: A Safety-Focused Approach for Mastering Medication Safety.","authors":"Dawn M Terzulli, Cathryn F Bachir, Amy M Smith","doi":"10.3928/01484834-20260218-04","DOIUrl":"10.3928/01484834-20260218-04","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Medication safety is a core nursing competency, yet up to half of new graduate nurses are involved in errors. Traditional dosage calculation instruction often lacks clinical context, leaving students unprepared to translate dosage calculation into practice. This project explored the integration of tablet-based simulated IV pumps into a prelicensure nursing pathopharmacology course to strengthen experiential learning and confidence.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Second-semester accelerated baccalaureate nursing students (<i>N</i> = 88) used simulated IV pump tablets alongside existing dosage calculation curriculum. Students completed infusion calculations manually and programmed the calculated rates into the tablets. Data included dosage exam first-time pass rates and pre/post self-reported confidence with IV pump programming.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Students exposed to the innovation demonstrated higher first-time pass rates (87.5% vs. 76%) and increased confidence in programming continuous infusions.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Preliminary findings suggest simulated IV pump tablets are a feasible and scalable educational strategy to enhance medication safety and practice readiness in prelicensure nursing curricula.</p>","PeriodicalId":94241,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of nursing education","volume":" ","pages":"e85-e87"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147535364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}