Background and objectives The need to provide an empathic response to the care of people with dementia has long been advocated. Virtual reality‐based programmes continue to gain momentum across health sectors, becoming an innovative tool that provides staff with the opportunity to experience a dementia‐like experience within a relatively short time frame. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of an interactive training experience on moral, emotive, behavioural and cognitive elements of empathy. Research design and methods A qualitative exploratory design was adopted employing purposive sampling to identify participants, aged over 18 years, who participated in the Virtual Dementia Tour (VDT®) programme. Interviews were conducted over a two‐month period, and qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results The four components (moral, emotive, behavioural and cognitive) of empathy were reflected in findings. Overall the interactive training programme was perceived as useful, and emotionally, it provided an opportunity to “imagine what it is to live with dementia,” enabling a cognitive, moral and behavioural reflection to occur, enhancing the empathic state. Discussion In this study, the VDT® provides a different way of learning, with participants reporting the emergence of an empathic response. Results suggest that the emotional response laid the foundations to the behavioural or cognitive (objective and subjective) reaction which was underpinned by a moral reaction. Implications for practice Virtual reality programmes are one step in the process for healthcare professionals caring empathetically for people with dementia; however, further research is required.

Peer observation, feedback and reflection for development of practice in synchronous online teachingPeer observation of teaching is an established developmental tool in face-to-face settings. While there have been studies into peer observation as applied to asynchronous online teaching, less is known about its application to teaching online using synchronous communication systems. We describe a small-scale study of an online peer observation scheme with a group of Associate Lecturers in Physical Sciences at the UK Open University. This cohort of teaching staff was engaged in a series of peer observed tutorials, with the aim of fostering their development through subsequent reflection and dialogue. The study was evaluated through the thematic analysis of subsequent structured conversations.Emergent themes lead us to consider the value of peer observation in the context of synchronous online tuition.

Background: Although patient safety and quality are cornerstones of healthcare practice, little is known of the knowledge, skills and competence of nurses and midwives in Ireland.Objectives: To investigate the perceptions of nurses and midwives regarding their continuing professional development-based preparedness for, and participation in quality and safety. Design:A cross-sectional survey was undertaken across the Republic of Ireland in 2016 examining perceptions of preparedness in quality and safety methods and tools, competency domains from the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) framework (person-centred care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics), and participation related to access to data and engagement in the field.

Aim and objectives To develop a suite of metrics and indicators to measure the quality of children's nursing care processes. The objectives were to identify available metrics and indicators and to develop consensus on the metrics and indicators to be measured. Background The Office of Nursing and Midwifery Services Director, Health Service Executive, in Ireland established seven workstreams aligned to the following care areas: acute, older persons, children's, mental health, intellectual disability, public health nursing and midwifery. Design A comprehensive design included stakeholder consultation and a survey with embedded open‐ended questions. Methods A two‐round online Delphi survey was conducted to identify metrics to be measured in practice, followed by a two‐round online Delphi survey to identify the associated indicators for these metrics. A face‐to‐face consensus meeting was held with key stakeholders to review the findings and build consensus on the final metrics and indicators for use. A STROBE checklist was completed. Results A suite of eight nursing quality care process metrics and 67 associated process indicators was developed for children's nursing. Conclusions By creating a national suite of metrics and indicators, more robust measurement and monitoring of nursing care processes can be achieved. This will enable the provision of evidence for any local and/or national level changes to policy and practice to enhance care delivery. Relevance to clinical practice The roll‐out of the metrics and indicators in clinical practice has commenced. This national suite of metrics and indicators will ensure that a robust system of measurement for improvement is in place to provide assurance to Directors of Nursing of the quality of nursing care being provided to children and their families. It supports the value of nursing sensitive data to inform change and improvement in healthcare delivery and to demonstrate the contribution of the nursing workforce to safe patient care.

Background Measuring care processes is an important component of any effort to improve care quality, however knowing the appropriate metrics to measure is a challenge both in Ireland and other countries. Quality of midwifery care depends on the expert knowledge of the midwife and her/his contribution to women and their babies’ safety in the healthcare environment. Therefore midwives need to be able to clearly articulate and measure what it is that they do, the dimensions of their professional practice frequently referred to as midwifery care processes. The objective of this paper is to report on the development and prioritisation of a national suite of Quality Care Metrics (QCM), and their associated indicators, for midwifery care processes in Ireland. Methods The study involved four discrete, yet complimentary, phases; i) a systematic literature review to identify midwifery care process metrics and their associated measurement indicators; ii) a two-round, online Delphi survey of midwives to develop consensus on the set of midwifery care process metrics to be measured; iii) a two-round online Delphi survey of midwives to develop consensus on the indicators that will be used to measure prioritised metrics; and iv) a face-to-face consensus meeting with midwives to review the findings and achieve consensus on the final suite of metrics and indicators. Results Following the consensus meeting, 18 metrics and 93 indicators were prioritised for inclusion in the suite of QCM Midwifery Metrics. These metrics span the pregnancy, birth and postpartum periods. Conclusion The development of this suite of process metrics and indicators for midwifery care provides an opportunity for measuring the safety and quality of midwifery care in Ireland and for adapting internationally. This initial work should be followed by a rigorous evaluation of the impact of the new suite of metrics on midwifery care processes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12884-019-2346-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.