2018 TNA and TSNA Joint Annual Conference

2018 TNA-TSNA JOINT CONFERENCE | ADVOCACY IN ACTION
Following approval of the presentation (peer review process) the group presents their group project to a
high school class (mostly in the Upper Cumberland area) to raise awareness about the effects of substance
use during pregnancy. The ultimate goal is to reduce the number of pregnancies effected by substance use.
The target audience for the project: high school students who are for the most part pre-pregnancy status.
Findings:
N/A
Recommendations for Practice/Research:
N/A
The Thirst is Real: Increasing Access to Water for Floor Nurses
Allyson Shambaugh (Presenter)
Tara Roeder (Co-Presenter)
Problem Addressed:
Dehydration amongst floor nurses is a serious and overlooked problem in the healthcare environment. The
fast pace of the acute care setting combined with a physical absence of water on the floor (due to OHS
regulations) leads to a dehydrated nursing staff. Given the negative impacts of dehydration on cognitive
function, dehydrated nurses can prevent patients from receiving optimal care.
Objectives:
Our study seeks to develop a better understanding of hydration amongst floor nurses and assess strategies
to improve nurse hydration status.
Methods/Procedures:
We intend to evaluate hydration of nurses before and after the installation of a hydration station and
educational posters on the unit. Participants will complete a standardized cognitive function test, record
their fluid intake, and submit a urine sample at the beginning and end of their shift.
Findings:
Results are expected Fall of 2018.
Recommendations for Practice/Research:
We hope this study will further efforts to advocate for better hydration amongst nurses. Nurses exert
a dramatic impact on healthcare team success and patient well-being. In the healthcare environment,
maintaining adequate hydration levels in nurses is paramount to the health and safety of all.
Transition into Practice Socialization of Graduate Nurses
Angel Boling (Presenter)
Pamela Cherry (Co-Presenter)
Queen Welch (Co-Presenter)
Problem Addressed:
In this time of unprecedented change in healthcare, as reflected by Kavanagh and Szweda (2017),
“delivering on the promise of safe, high quality patient care requires a highly engaged and competent team”
(p.57). Nurses play a critical role in the success of the patient experiences and positive patient outcomes.
However, the widening preparation-to-practice gap challenges the ability of health care systems to deliver
consistent, safe, quality care. Often the problems associated with the transition of nursing students into
professional nursing practice have been acknowledged as traumatic and stressful. Although there have been
improvements in nursing education to bridge the gap, increased opportunities to prepare nurse for this
transition from education to practice still exist.
In the fall of 2017 the Nursing Division at Baptist College of Health Sciences in Memphis, Tennessee
partnered with Baptist Hospital-Memphis to strengthen new graduates’ professional socialization through a
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