Alternative Guidelines to the Fieldwork Requirement for NU 623 (2023)
Option A: Nurse Leader Interviews
In this option the student will focus on interviewing three (3) nursing leaders about their experience during the Covid-19 pandemic. The nurse leaders can be former or current professional nurses with experience leading a department, division, unit, or other comparable health care setting. The student will conduct an interview as appropriate (via Zoom/Skype, FaceTime telephone, or conference call line, email questions with written responses, or if at the student’s workplace on site). The length of each interview should be 45-60 minutes. The student will take written notes during the interview and/or may audio record the interview with the written permission of the interviewee. All interviewees will remain anonymous. The interviewee will be assigned a pseudonym or will be identified by position currently or previously held.
After completion of each interview the student will review their notes (or recording) for the interviewee’s responses and to document any important themes expressed. This portion of the fieldwork assignment will be the equivalent of ten hours of fieldwork (10 Hours).
Option B: Nurse Educator Interviews
In this option the student will focus on interviewing three (3) nurse educators about their experience during the Covid-19 pandemic. These nurse educators can be former or current nurse educators with experience teaching or developing educational programs in a service or academic setting. The student will conduct an interview as appropriate (via Zoom/Skype, FaceTime telephone, or conference call line, email questions with written responses, or if at the student’s workplace on site). The length of the interview should be 45-60 minutes. The student will take written notes during the interview and/or may audio record the interview with the written permission of the interviewee. All interviewees will remain anonymous. The interviewee will be assigned a pseudonym or will be identified by position currently or previously held.
After completion of each interview the student will review their notes (or recording) for the interviewee’s responses and to document any important themes expressed. This portion of the fieldwork assignment will be the equivalent of ten hours of fieldwork (10 Hours).
Option C: Nurse Clinician Interviews
In this option the student will focus on interviewing three (3) nurse clinicians (staff nurses) about their experience during the Covid-19 pandemic. These clinicians can be former or current professional nurses with experience taking care of patients in the health care setting. This health care setting can be in acute care/hospitals, rehabilitation or skilled nursing, outpatient or a clinic setting, or in home care/community nursing. The student will conduct an interview as appropriate (via Zoom/Skype, FaceTime telephone, or conference call line, email questions with written responses, or if at the student’s workplace on site). The length of the interview should be 45-60 minutes. The student will take written notes during the interview and/or may audio record the interview with the written permission of the interviewee. All interviewees will remain anonymous. The interviewee will be assigned a pseudonym or will be identified by position currently or previously held.
After completion of each interview the student will review their notes (or recording) for the interviewee’s fieldwork assignment will be the equivalent of ten hours of fieldwork (10 Hours).
Note: It is important to note that any of the individuals interviewed during this fieldwork experience will not be representing their institutions where they may be employed. Rather these nurses will represent only their own professional views regarding the Covid-19 pandemic and related matters.
For All Options (A, B, and C)
Review of the Literature:
For each of the options chosen a comprehensive review of the literature is expected (review of between 10-12 articles, books, etc.). It is expected that many of these articles, books, websites, etc. will become a part of your References list in your final Portfolio. Be sure to include scholarly articles that are peer-reviewed and many of your references should be published within the past 5-7 years. Also, note that there are several very good leadership articles published during the pandemic – for example, in Nursing Administration Quarterly Vol. 45 (2) in 2021: the article – Implementing a mentoring program for new nurses during a pandemic. Articles and resources should focus on leadership, quality, safety, regulatory issues, and, any recent articles/resources on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The review and evaluation of the pertinent literature for this fieldwork project and this portion of the assignment will be the equivalent of ten hours of fieldwork (10 Hours).
Educational Sessions:
For each of the options chosen participation in viewing 10 hours of webinars, online/video instruction, podcasts, etc. will be expected. Also, there is the option to attend any in-person educational events concerning the pandemic and credit these hours towards the 10 hours required. Content area must include the Covid-19 pandemic, and the relevant leadership, education, or clinical practice material based on the professional group chosen for interviews (e.g. nurse leader, nurse educator, nurse clinician). For example, on the AONL leadership website www.aonl.org/about/overview there are at least three videos/webinars that can be viewed: 1) “Leadership Through COVID-19: Nurse Executive Perspectives”, 2)“Pandemic Surge Staffing – Insights from the Front Lines in NY”, and 3) “Unique Staffing Models and Wellness of Caregivers During Surge”. In addition to these there are several more, for example, leadership through academic-service partnerships in the time of the pandemic, etc. The ANA website also has videos and webinars that can be viewed for no charge. They have ANA’s Covid-19 Video Education Series. The website is https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/work-environment/health-safety/disaster-preparedness/coronavirus/education/ana-covid-19-video-education/. For example, some of the topics include PPE, Ventilator Management of Covid-19 Patients, Ethics Webinar, Racial Disparities of Covid-19, Self-care Webinar, Covid-19 Disease Progression and Nursing Interventions, etc.
Note that for each program viewed or webinar participated in the student will write a short reflection (2-3 paragraphs) on the main messages of the educational session and the key areas of learning for the student.
The participation in, review of, and written reflections concerning the various educational media will be equivalent to 15 hours of fieldwork (10 hours of actual viewing/participation and 5 hours of reflection and write-up) (15 Hours).
