OHIO nursing students published in academic journals

A photo from the second floor looking down at students walking through the Grover Center Atrium

Six Ohio University nursing students, working with ADVANCE member Melvina Brandau, Ph.D., co-director of the Nurse Educator Program at Ohio University, published articles in academic journals recently.

Brandau has published research on adolescent violence and behavior, teen relationships, bullying and cyberbullying. She teaches nursing courses on writing for nursing and health care professions and writing for publication in nursing. Her students’ recent contributions surround health equity in nursing. Brandau spoke of the importance of health equity in nursing.

“Nurses play an essential role in promoting health equity by bringing attention to and addressing the healthcare needs of diverse populations,” Brandau said. “Publishing their research, QI projects, and even their opinions and insights is important for advancing health equity because it facilitates knowledge sharing, identifies inequities, influences policy, and empowers the professional growth and recognition of nurses as leaders in healthcare.”

OHIO’s recently published students

Evan Hughes

Evan Hughes published a letter to the editor on the “silent epidemic” of workplace violence against nurses in the “Journal of Clinical Nursing.”

Hughes commented in the letter about the significance of workplace violence in nursing.

“In no other profession would it be an acceptable part of the job to be threatened, struck, spit on, cursed at, pinched, and sexually harassed. ... However, this describes events of a regular shift in any emergency department worldwide.” ... “[Hospital administrators] should be reminded that they must keep us nurses safe and care for us so that when the time comes, we are there to take care of them,” Hughes said.

Sally Jonas

Sally Jonas published a letter to the editor on shared governance in “Nurse Leader.”

In her letter to the editor, Jonas conveyed the importance of shared governance (a systematized structure of transparent decision-making that reflects shared interests and shared responsibility of all constituency groups) in nursing. Jonas commented about the importance of shared governance in nursing.

“I believe [a] tailored shared governance model allows the full engagement of staff, leading to a trickle-down effect of lower turnover and improved patient outcomes and satisfaction,” Jonas said, suggesting that it would enhance clinical nurses’ voices, engage and empower them, and ultimately improve patient care, experiences, and outcomes through shared ideas and decision-making.

Tiajuana Been-McKenzie

Tiajuana Been-McKenzie published a response to the article “Using Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to address the nursing shortage” in “Nursing 2024.”

Been-McKenzie discussed the neglect of nurses’ basic needs: safety, psychological needs and self-actualization, from Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. She highlighted how the COVID-19 pandemic amplified the issue of nursing burnout. She provided an important reminder to organizations that they must invest in the growth and development of nurses.

Pamela Olszko

Pamela Olszko published a letter to the editor on moral distress, compassion fatigue, and burnout among nurses since/during the COVID-19 pandemic in the "Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing."

Olszko commented about the high-stress, high-demand nature of the nursing profession and how the COVID-19 pandemic exposed the need for institutions to support nurses in reducing stress levels and recognize the significant impact nurses have on the overall morale of their organizations.

Donald "Neal" Whisman

Donald "Neal" Whisman, in a letter to the editor of "Journal of Perioperative Nursing," wrote on the experiences of nurses on the surgical floor.

Whisman explained that perioperative nursing involves high stakes, high emotion, and high stress; working with patients who are at their most vulnerable and holding their life in your hands while working with a surgical team with many moving parts. Whisman discussed the direct correlation between patient outcomes and staffing shortages and suggested that educating nursing staff on the latest and best practice strategies to be aware of safety considerations; with the aim to improve patient safety.