Evaluation of a New Dedicated Education Unit Megan Gray, MS, APRN, FNP-BC, CNL

University of New Hampshire and Portsmouth Regional Hospital

Introduction

Improving healthcare quality and safety through the

translation of evidence into practice is intricately tied to the

education of nurses, both at the pre-professional and

practice levels (Future of Nursing, 2011). To achieve the

requisite knowledge, skills and expertise required of nurses

for today’s complex clinical arena, new models of pre-

licensure clinical education and professional development in

nursing are needed. One such model is a dedicated

education unit (DEU). The DEU is believed to enhance the

learning of pre-licensure students through an immersive

experience in clinical practice as well as enhance the

adoption of evidence-based practices (EBP) by forging

partnerships between clinical agencies and nursing schools.

In the DEU, students work directly with experienced nurses,

and this learner-nurse dyad is then provided support and

guidance through strong role modeling in evidence based

practice from knowledgeable faculty.

Methods

A longitudinal descriptive study design was utilized to

evaluate the DEU implementation and it’s impact on nurses

and students self-efficacy and patient satisfaction. After

receiving university and hospital institutional review board

approval, formative evaluative strategies were initiated to

explore the following objectives:

1. The influence a DEU has on staff nurses’ self-efficacy

related to evidence-based practice.

2. The influence a DEU has on student general self-efficacy

3. The experience of patients who were cared for by DEU

students and nurses via patient questionnaire surveys.

4. The student perception of the clinical learning

environment, the role of the clinical instructor, and clinical

teacher.

Conclusion

Overall, the findings from this implementation project

support the continuation of the DEU and begins to describe

the difference between DEU and non-DEU on key variables

considered to be important to promote safe and effective

nursing practice.

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 1740

50

60

70

80

90

100

RN Confidence For Supporting and Ensuring EBP

NON DEU RN's (n=21) DEU RN's (n=6)

Survey Question #

% confident max= 100

During this hospital stay, how often did the nurses treat you with re-

spect and courtesy

During this hospital stay, how often did the nurses listen to you carefully

During this hospital stay, how often did the nurses explain things to you

in a way you could understand

During this hospital stay, after you pressed the call button, did you get help as soon as soon as you wanted

it

0.03

0.130.17

0.23

0.97

0.8 0.8

0.57

0.07

0.17

0.03 0.03

Patient HCAHPS Responsesn=30

Never sometimes usually always

Patients

Results

UNH Nursing Students

Theme #1: Unintended benefits Theme #2: Breath of Fresh Air

“Very helpful, good listener, helped with all of my care, overall very pleasant” Pt. 1

“Very engaging, professional, they will be very good” Pt. 2

“Did well explaining things, nurse was hands off, let her (student) do things herself” Pt. 3

“Great to see teamwork which is important in healthcare, student was ambitious, seems

to be enjoying what they are doing, very important” Pt. 4

= Responsiveness of staff, NH State average 70%*

= Communication with nurses, NH State average 80%*

RNs