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☐ ☆ ✇ Journal of Advanced Nursing

Success by Design: Senior Leadership Perspectives on Optimising the Role of Clinical Nurse Specialists

ABSTRACT

Aims

To report on the unique perspectives of senior nursing leaders on the value proposition of the Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) role, their organisational experience and the barriers and facilitators to optimise and promote the long-term sustainability.

Design

A qualitative sub-study of a larger multi-method study focused on informing policy recommendations to optimise the CNS workforce, informed by integrated knowledge translation.

Methods

Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) and other senior leaders in all health authorities in British Columbia, Canada, were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews via video call between August–December 2023. We recruited 13 participants from diverse health regions, including 5 CNOs.

Results

Leaders collectively conveyed a renewed interest in the CNS role to support nursing and multidisciplinary teams to better meet patient and system needs, and a sense of urgency to optimise the role in diverse settings. The overarching theme of “success by design” was supported by three thematic priorities: (1) understanding the CNS role, (2) a role that needs protection and connections and (3) moving forward together. Views were aligned to co-construct implementation-ready policy recommendations to guide provincial strategies.

Conclusion

Senior leaders reported a common understanding of the value-add of the CNS workforce and had a shared experience of barriers to optimisation. Contemporary policy guidance is needed to equip health systems to address this gap.

Impact

Across international regions, the role of CNSs is not fully optimised. This is a wasted opportunity to address the pressing need for nursing practice leaders to transform health systems and improve outcomes. This study provides new knowledge about the perspectives of Chief Nursing Officers and other nursing leaders to shape comprehensive and targeted policy recommendations and address enduring and new challenges to realise the full impact of the CNS workforce.

Reporting Methods

We have adhered to COREQ reporting guidelines (See supplemental file).

Patient and Public Involvement

This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.

☐ ☆ ✇ Journal of Clinical Nursing

Cultural considerations at end‐of‐life for people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds: A critical interpretative synthesis

Por: Elizabeth Lambert · Karen Strickland · Jo Gibson — Noviembre 3rd 2025 at 11:48

Abstract

Purpose/Aim

To establish cultural considerations for people from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds at the end-of-life in Australia.

Background

Globally, there is a rapidly increasing proportion of the ageing population, and high levels of migration to Australia, the Australian healthcare community must recognise individualised and cultural needs when approaching death and end-of-life care. Many people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds do not traditionally practice the palliative care approaches that have been developed and practised in Australia.

Design

A Critical Interpretive Synthesis.

Methods

A review protocol was established using PRISMA 2020 guidelines and the literature searched using CINAHL, PubMed, Psych INFO and Medline from January 2011 to 27th February 2021. This search protocol results in 19 peer-reviewed results for inclusion in critical analysis.

Results

Included studies were qualitative (14), quantitative (4) and mixed methods (1). Four themes were identified from the literature: (i) communication and health literacy; (ii) access to end-of-life care services; (iii) cultural norms, traditions and rituals; and (iv) cultural competence of healthcare workers.

Conclusions

Healthcare workers have an essential role in providing care to people with life-limiting illnesses. Cultural considerations during end-of-life care are imperative for the advancement of nursing practice. To achieve effective care for people of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds during end-of-life care, healthcare workers need to increase their education and cultural competency. There is inadequate research conducted within specific cultural groups, rural and remote Australian communities and individual cultural competence of healthcare workers.

Implications for Practice

Continuing advancement within nursing practice relies on health professionals adopting a person-centred and culturally appropriate approach to care. To ensure individualised person-centred care is provided in a culturally appropriate way, healthcare workers must learn to reflect on their practice and actively advocate for people with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds during end-of-life care.

☐ ☆ ✇ Journal of Advanced Nursing

Using FRAME Documentation to Achieve RE‐AIM Goals During Iterative, Stakeholder‐Engaged Refinement of a Family Management Intervention for Parents of Preterm Infants

ABSTRACT

Aims

To co-identify adaptations with key stakeholders needed to optimise elements of a video-based intervention (i.e., PREEMIE PROGRESS [PP]), which trains parents in evidence-based family management skills to care for their very preterm infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Design

Descriptive qualitative study oriented with a pragmatic philosophy, informed by the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, maintenance (RE-AIM) framework and the framework for reporting adaptations and modifications-expanded (FRAME).

Methods

Semistructured interviews to identify potential adaptations with key stakeholders: family management researchers (n = 5), clinicians (n = 9), technology experts (n = 5) and parents of preterm infants (n = 17). Weekly design team meetings to select and implement high-priority adaptations necessary for the next research phase. Monthly NICU parent partnership meetings to review adaptations and make recommendations for potential adaptations with conflicting data.

Results

Stakeholders (N = 36) suggested 98 potential adaptations: 32 (33.0%) were completed, 8 (8.2%) were abandoned, 5 (5.2%) have work that is ongoing and 52 (53.6%) were tabled for future research phases. Content adaptations (70, 71.4%) were the most frequently suggested adaptation type. Potential adaptations mostly addressed RE-AIM dimensions of effectiveness (43, 43.9%), and implementation (46, 46.9%) and were directed at the parent (i.e., intervention recipient) level (79, 81.4%).

Conclusion

Use of the RE-AIM framework ensured we systematically identified needed adaptations with key stakeholders across a range of dimensions that would improve PP for parents now and in future phases of this research.

Implications for the Profession

Co-identifying potential adaptations with key stakeholders, paired with FRAME documentation, can help nurses prioritise adaptations most appropriate for each phase of implementation.

Impact

Our paper highlights for nurse clinicians and researchers how FRAME documentation of potential adaptations can support stakeholder engagement and a systematic approach to incorporating adaptations throughout all phases of the research process, thereby shortening the evidence to practice gap.

Reporting Method

COREQ guidelines for qualitative reporting.

Patient/Public Contribution

The research team was supported by members of the NICU's Parent Partnership Council (PPC), whose mission is to promote family-centred care improvement projects and research within the NICU. This committee is comprised of nursing, physician, allied health leadership and parents of infants previously hospitalised in the NICU. The NICU PPC met monthly to review conflicting data on potential adaptations and provide recommendations on adaptation decisions.

☐ ☆ ✇ Journal of Advanced Nursing

Advancing evidence‐based practice through the Knowledge Translation Challenge: Nurses’ important roles in research, implementation science and practice change

Por: Amanda Chisholm · Angela Russolillo · Michelle Carter · Marla Steinberg · Leah Lambert · Andrea Knox · Agnes Black — Octubre 18th 2025 at 19:05

Abstract

Aim

To describe a knowledge translation capacity-building initiative and illustrate the roles of nurses in practice change using an exemplar case study.

Design

The report uses observational methods and reflection.

Methods

The Knowledge Translation Challenge program involves a multi-component intervention across several sites. The advisory committee invited eligible teams to attend capacity-building workshops. Implementation plans were developed, and successful teams receive funding for a 2 year period. Evaluation involved collecting data on program uptake and impact on practice change. Data has been collected from five cohorts. The exemplar case study employed an action-research framework.

Results

Four nurse-led teams have demonstrated successful implementation of their practice change. The case study on implementing a clinical toolkit for clozapine management further illustrates a thoughtful planning process, and implementation journey and learnings by a team of nurses.

Conclusion

The Knowledge Translation Challenge program empowers nurses to use implementation science practices to enhance the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services. Success of this initiative serves as a model for addressing the persistent gap between knowledge and practice in clinical settings and the value of activating nurses to help close this gap.

Implications

As the most trusted and numerous profession, it is vital that nurses contribute to efforts to translate research evidence into clinical practice. The Knowledge Translation Challenge program supports nurses to lead practice change.

Impact

The Knowledge Translation Challenge program successfully equips nurses and other health care providers with the knowledge, skills and resources to implement practice improvements which enhance the quality and effectiveness of healthcare services and nursing practice.

Patient or Public Contribution

The Knowledge Translation Challenge advisory committee has three patient-public partners that support teams to develop a patient-oriented approach for their projects by providing feedback on the implementation plans. Each team was also supported to include patient-public partners on their project.

☐ ☆ ✇ Journal of Advanced Nursing

Advance Care Planning in Oncology Nursing: An Interpretive Description Study

Por: Heather M. Kilgour · Leah K. Lambert · A. Fuchsia Howard · Michael Mckenzie · Sally Thorne — Septiembre 25th 2025 at 07:02

ABSTRACT

Aim

To explore oncology nursing advance care planning practices and understand how to better support nurses in conducting advance care planning with patients and their families.

Design

Qualitative interpretive descriptive methodology.

Methods

Semi-structured, individual telephone or Zoom interviews with 19 oncology nurses in a Western province of Canada between May and August 2022. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, de-identified, and analysed using inductive, thematic, and constant comparative techniques.

Results

Oncology nurses highlighted several factors affecting their ability to engage in advance care planning, including (1) uncertainties related to the nursing role in advance care planning, such as how and when a nurse ought to engage; (2) the educational, experiential, and training environment; and (3) structural barriers, such as a lack of time, space, and privacy; models of care that inhibit nurses from developing longitudinal relationships with their patients; and team dynamics that affect advance care planning interdisciplinary collaboration.

Conclusion

To create environments that support oncology nurses to conduct advance care planning, the findings suggest uncertainties be addressed through a clear and cohesive organisational approach to advance care planning and ongoing, integrated educational opportunities. Further, service delivery models may need to be restructured such that nurses have dedicated time and space for nurse-led advance care planning and opportunities to develop trusting relationships with both patients and their interdisciplinary colleagues.

Implications for the Profession and/or Patient Care

Impact

Oncology nurses recognised the value of advance care planning in supporting patient-centred care and shared decision making, yet they reported limited engagement in advance care planning in their practice. To support oncology nurses in conducting advance care planning, healthcare leaders may address (1) advance care planning-related uncertainties and (2) structural barriers that prevent nurses from engaging in advance care planning with patients and their families. Findings may guide modifications to care models, enhancing support for oncology nurses in conducting advance care planning.

Reporting Method

We selected and adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) as the most applicable guideline.

Patient or Public Contribution

No patient or public contribution.

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