Out of the Closet: Nurse Practitioner Faculty Knowledge, Comfort and Willingness to Incorporate LGBTQ2SA Content into the Curriculum

Background To improve the health of LGBTQ2SA individuals, nurse practitioners need to increase their knowledge related to the health needs of sexual and gender minorities. However, nurse practitioners often feel unprepared as a result of a lack of content in their educational training. In order to better understand the current state of nurse practitioner education around sexual and gender minorities, it is critical to assess educational preparedness and faculty knowledge teaching the content. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and experience of nurse practitioner faculty in Ontario around LGBTQ2SA health and their comfort level teaching this material in the nurse practitioner program. Methods This quantitative descriptive study used purposeful sampling to recruit faculty from the Ontario Primary Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program. Data was collected using a modified survey administered on the Opinio platform. Results Twenty-three individuals completed the study. Most participants felt that LGBTQ2SA health content was important, but rarely or never taught. The most frequently identified strategies to promote faculty readiness to integration of LGBTQ2SA health topics into the curriculum included faculty development seminars, reviewing curriculum to identify gaps and partnering and utilizing LGBTQ2SA specific agencies as clinical sites. Conclusions Results indicate that barriers exist at the faculty level which may limit the extent to which LGBTQ2SA health topics are incorporated into the curriculum. Supporting faculty to develop their knowledge and comfort with this topic will allow them to better educate students to care for LGBTQ2SA clients.

Simulating Treating in Place in Long-Term Care: Interprofessional Team Care Video Case for Nurse Practitioners

As a means of enhancing clinical simulation opportunities for adult-gerontology nurse practitioner students, a series of video simulations were created for use for nurse practitioner education. With funding through the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) Advanced Nursing Education Workforce grant and partnering with nurse practitioner clinical educators from Optum Health Care, a video simulation focused on the concept of treating an older veteran within a long-term care facility rather than transferring to the acute care setting was developed. The case Treating in Place: Nurse Practitioner-Led Team Management of a Long-Term Care Patient Video involved a nurse practitioner collaborating with a physician, a registered nurse, a social worker, and a family member. The interactive simulation video was developed using the eLearning authoring tool H5P to create learning experiences for students that can be used either in face-to-face classroom experiences or embedded in learning management systems. H5P is a web-based authoring tool that helps faculty build interactive course content. H5P activities provide instant feedback to students, allowing them to self-assess their understanding of the dynamic video simulation case. A faculty handbook that describes the case scenario with the interactive questions and suggested discussion questions is available. The adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner competencies addressed for this case are identified in the faculty handbook. These videos have been widely disseminated and are being included in nurse practitioner curriculum across the country. A QR code with access to direct viewing of the video will be included in the presentation.

The Tension Between Regulation and the Pursuit of Quality in Canadian Nurse Practitioner Education Programs

Nurses in advanced practice roles have existed in Canada for over 100 years, yet only in the last two decades, have nurse practitioners (NPs) been recognized as advanced practice nurses (APNs). During this time, NP educational programs have increased and transitioned from post-baccalaureate level to graduate level. Legislation and national NP regulatory approval processes have contributed to existing barriers to NP role implementation and full scope of practice. While regulation is mandatory and focused on public safety, an emphasis towards quality has led to the introduction of a national voluntary NP program accreditation process. The purpose of this paper is to initiate a discussion between Canadian NP regulators and educators related to proposed regulatory approaches and accreditation processes that balance public safety while promoting quality and excellence in NP education. Having two separate and costly processes has led to tension during a time of provincial fiscal restraint on university budgets coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on nursing education. An integrated pan-Canadian approach of regulation and accreditation may ensure public safety, continuity, and consistency in quality NP education, enhance mobility of the NP workforce, and systematic planning to guide successful future NP role development and practice.