The International Home Care Nurses Organization (IHCNO) Board of Directors is pleased to provide financial support for innovative research related to home-based nursing practice. The recipient of the IHCNO 2022 annual research award is Jodi Sutherland, PhD, RN, ACRN, and her research team at Binghamton University, Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Johnson City, New York. Coinvestigators are Deborah Palmer, MS, RN, Lori Sprague, PhD, RN, CHSE, and Patti Reuther, MS, RN, CHSE, all at Decker College of Nursing.
The purpose of the pilot study titled Bringing Nursing Home: Examining the Effectiveness of Home Care Simulation Among Practicing Home Care Nurses is to examine the effectiveness of home care simulation toward achieving autonomy and confidence among practicing home care nurses. An additional outcome will be the creation of an electronic patient chart using Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) items. Two research questions guiding the study are: 1) Does participation in a home care simulation scenario influence home care nurses' confidence and level of autonomy? and 2) What demographic variables are associated with home care nurses' autonomy? The tool used to measure nurses' confidence and level of autonomy before and after the simulation scenario was adapted from The Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified Survey (Leighton et al., 2015). A convenience sample of home care nurses (N = 20) will be invited from four hospital-based home care agencies in the states of New York and Pennsylvania. Statistical methods will include t-tests and correlation analyses. Data will be organized using the Neal Theory of Home Health Nursing Practice (Neal, 1999; 2000).
The study incorporates faculty-facilitated manikin simulations (Blando-George, 2020) in a home care suite with a bed, living area, full bathroom, and a life skills suite with kitchen and laundry areas. As part of the simulated home visit, documentation of patient care into an electronic record will reflect the charting experience of a home care nurse. Accurate and timely documentation using an electronic device at point of care is essential to establish the home health patient with the payor. Teaching electronic documentation in a simulation scenario allows the nurses to improve skills in a safe, controlled environment.
Findings of the study will provide valuable information to support home health nurses toward achieving confidence and autonomy in their practice. The findings can support the development of clinical education for prelicensure students as well as education of licensed nurses to increase their skills and knowledge in home care residency programs (Linscheid & Bell, 2021), the transition of practice to the home care setting, and the clinical learning of experienced nurses on their journey toward expertise (Hinck, 2021).
Apply for the 2023 Research Award
Nurse researchers interested in applying for the 2023 IHCNO research award can find information about the application process at http://www.ihcno.org under the Research tab. The deadline for application submission is September 30th.
REFERENCES