Teaching for creativity.

Although nurse education programs state that creativity is a valued attribute of the nursing student, some programs do not stimulate creative nursing approaches in their students. The author applies the psychophysiological theory of brain hemisphericity to nurse education to identify teaching approaches that model and encourage the development of creativity. Teaching methods that encourage right-hemisphere divergent thinking are emphasized to facilitate creative nursing care in nursing practice.     

Effect of creativity training on teaching for creativity for nursing faculty in Taiwan: A quasi-experimental study

BackgroundCreativity and innovation are considered important core competencies in Taiwan for nursing students. Teachers play a critical role in the development of student creativity. Although studies have investigated creativity training, there is no consensus on how best to evaluate the effectiveness of the training.ObjectiveTo evaluate whether a teaching for creativity module (TCM) can enhance teaching behaviors and self-efficacy of teaching creativity for capstone course nursing faculty. The TCM intervention was taught in two stages by experts in diverse areas of industrial design. A 2-day teaching creativity workshop was followed by reinforcement of creativity skills in the classroom with nursing and design faculties teaching side-by-side for 6 h of the 18-week capstone course.DesignThis quasi-experimental study employed a pretest-posttest design to compare an intervention and control group.Participants and settingCapstone course nursing faculties were recruited from five science and technology universities in Taiwan.ResultsForty-two capstone faculty members participated; 21 completed the TCM intervention and 21 were in the control group. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) demonstrated the TCM intervention group had significantly better post-test mean scores for creative teaching behaviors and self-efficacy of teaching creativity than the control group. Our findings suggest participation in a creativity workshop and reinforcement of teaching skills with classroom interdisciplinary teacher training can augment teaching for creativity of nursing faculty.ConclusionThe findings of this study indicate that an intervention program in creativity can increase teaching behaviors as well as perceptions of self-efficacy regarding teaching for creativity, which could foster student creativity. These findings have important implications for educational settings, as they suggest that the workshop and reinforcement of learning with hands-on guidance in creativity with interdisciplinary teaching should be integrated into the curriculum, which could facilitate student creativity by increasing teaching behaviors and improving self-confidence regarding teaching creativity.     

Nursing students' preparedness and practice in critical care settings: A scoping review

BackgroundDue to the demanding nature of critical care settings, students are prone to experience stress and lack of confidence, which hinders their learning and affects patient care. Educators should be knowledgeable about students' roles, stressors, and challenges as well as strategies to enhance students' competence and confidence to efficiently practice in critical care.PurposeTo map and analyze the literature about nursing students' placement, preparedness, and practice in critical care settings and identified areas for future research and practice.MethodsA scoping review using PRISMA guidelines. The literature was searched within eight databases using indexed terms. In total, 32 sources were selected for review. Literature summary tables, thematic synthesis, narrative summaries were used for data extraction and synthesis.FindingsThree themes and 12 sub-themes were generated. The themes included students' experiences and perspectives about critical care placements, strategies to enhance student learning, and the impact of clinical placements and teaching strategies on students.ConclusionsCritical care placements allow students in understanding the care of complex patients, enhancing their observational skills, and improving their interpersonal relationships in critical care teams. To enhance student preparedness for effective practice, high fidelity simulations and course-based teaching have been demonstrated to be effective.     

A predictive model of student nursing competency in clinical practicum: A structural equation modelling approach

BackgroundClinical teaching is the most important element in the development of students' nursing competencies. However, students' learning modalities in clinical settings are unclear.ObjectiveTo analyse path relationships affecting students' learning outcomes in clinical practicum using LISREL software.DesignA cross-sectional survey was administered.Settings and participantsParticipants were 392 senior students who had completed their final internship recruited from two nursing programmes in central Taiwan.MethodsAdministration and completion of the following structured questionnaires: the Competency Inventory of Nursing Students, the Teaching Competence of Nurse Preceptor questionnaire, the Student Evaluation of the Clinical Education Environment, Level of Reflective Thinking, and the Metacognitive Inventory for Nursing Students.ResultsThe results suggested that teaching competence may indirectly affect nursing competence through metacognition and reflection. The clinical learning environment may directly affect nursing competence or indirectly affect nursing competence through metacognition. Both metacognition and reflection have direct effects on nursing competence, and reflection exerts indirect effects on nursing competence through metacognition. The path relationships differed according to the employment plan group.ConclusionsReflection and metacognition are essential skills for the development of nursing competence in clinical settings. Clinical instructors must facilitate student learning by fostering a positive learning environment and teach students the reflective and self-regulation skills necessary to achieve favourable learning outcomes in clinical settings.     

Nurse educators’ experiences of fostering undergraduate students’ ability to manage stress and demanding situations: A phenomenological inquiry

AimTo understand the lived experience of nurse educators when mitigating nursing students’ stress and fostering their ability to manage demanding situations.BackgroundSupporting and advocating for nursing students during their stressful and challenging times is one of the core competencies of nurse educators. Much of the research has focused on understanding nursing students' views and experiences of managing their stress. No research could be found to have explored the role and contribution of nurse educators in managing student well-being and supporting them during demanding situations.DesignA hermeneutic phenomenology was conducted in Pakistan. The COREQ guidelines were followed for reporting.MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted from February to May 2021 with a purposive sample of 13 nurse educators with atleast a bachelor's degree in nursing or a three-year diploma with one-year specialization and at least three months of teaching experience in educational or clinical settings. Data were analyzed using Ricoeur’s interpretation theory. The three steps included: (a) explanation, (b) naïve understanding and (c) in-depth understanding.ResultsSix themes captured educators’ experience: Sharing personal experiences, developing a trustworthy relationship, creating a stress-sharing culture, demonstrating stress management, encouraging to speak up and confront and prompting management to address student issues. Policymakers and management should collaborate with educators to strengthen existing mechanisms and revisit the policies directed toward supporting students in managing their clinical and academic stress.ConclusionsNurse educators should continue to play their part by creating a stress-sharing culture, sharing personal experiences and enhancing student stress management abilities by teaching through demonstration and building their courage to speak up for their issues. Nursing institutions should develop policies to expand nurse educators’ role in supporting student stress management. Institutions also need to collaborate with educators to establish mechanisms and resources to mitigate student stress.     

Comparing undergraduate student nurses' understanding of sustainability in two countries: A mixed method study

AimTo explore sustainability education in nursing students in two countries.DesignMixed methods including a sustainability survey and focus groups.MethodsFirst-year undergraduate nursing students from two countries were invited to participate. 69 students from China and 32 students from England agreed to take part. Data were collected between December 2015 and February 2016. Students completed the Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey (SANS_2) and a purposive sample were invited to participate in focus groups in each country.ResultsAll students had a positive attitude towards sustainability. However, for these four items, the results indicated that Chinese nursing students rate them significantly higher in importance than English students:Climate change is an important issue for nursingIssues about climate change should be included in the nursing curriculumSustainability is an important issue for nursingSustainability should be included in the nursing curriculum.The qualitative data identified four themes:Student nurses' conceptual understanding of sustainability focused mostly on environmental aspects and clinical waste management;Promoting sustainability within nursing education: teaching and learning methods.Promoting sustainability within nursing education: evaluating and certifying learning.Factors to consider when introducing sustainability to nursing education.The paper outlines the similarities and differences between Chinese and English nursing students' perceptions.ConclusionSustainability in nurse education has similar concerns across countries.ImpactSustainability is an important issue for student nurses but strategies promoting incorporation of sustainability issues within nursing curricula are needed.     

Nurses' experiences of their competence at mentoring nursing students during clinical practice: A systematic review of qualitative studies

AimTo identify and synthesize the best available evidence on nurse mentors' experiences of their competence in mentoring nursing students during clinical practice.DesignThe research employed a systematic literature review that followed the guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI).Data sourcesThe databases CINAHL, Medline Ovid, Scopus, Eric, Web of Science, Medic, and OATD were systemically searched from 2000 to 2017.Review methodsThe identified studies were screened by title, abstract (n = 3080) and full-text (n = 91) using the following inclusion criteria: registered nurses, nurses' experiences of competence in mentoring nursing students, acute and primary care organizations providing clinical practice for nursing students, qualitative study. Quality appraisal was performed, data extracted and findings from the included studies (n = 21) were pooled using meta-aggregation with the Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument (JBI-QARI).ResultsA total of 92 extracted findings were aggregated into 21 categories and then further grouped into five synthesized findings: 1) creating an interactive relationship with the student; 2) developing mentor's characteristics and cooperation with stakeholders; 3) providing goal-oriented mentoring; 4) supporting students' development to nurse profession; 5) supporting the student's learning process.ConclusionsThis review demonstrated that multifaceted mentoring competence is essential to supporting students' learning processes and helping them become confident professionals. For this reason, the findings suggest that healthcare organizations which provide clinical practice for students should emphasize developing the mentoring competence of nurses by offering nurse mentors adequate education, ensuring that the organizational structure affords them sufficient support, and creating a receptive learning atmosphere.     

Nursing handoff education: An integrative literature review

AimThis integrative review aimed to identify nursing students' experiences of handoff practices and the effects of handoff education in the curriculum on nursing student learning outcomes.BackgroundAppropriate handoff communication skills are essential for nursing students to maintain patient safety and prevent adverse events.MethodA systematic literature search was conducted with keywords related to nursing, student, and handoff in April 2020. Articles should focus on nursing students' handoff education published in English in 2015–2020. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review.ResultsNursing students reported discrepancies in handoff experiences; diverse factors influenced their handoff experiences, such as knowledge, anxiety, confidence, and type of student supervision. Various handoff educations were implemented across studies. Some handoff educations significantly improved nursing students' attitudes toward other disciplinary providers, satisfaction, confidence, quality, and clarity in handoff communication; some did not substantially affect their selected outcomes.ConclusionThis review identified that there are still limited handoff experiences among nursing students and many factors affecting opportunities for their handoff experience. Some handoff education (e.g., structured handoff formats, role-play, simulated scenarios) effectively improved students' communication clarity, confidence levels, and handoff education satisfaction. More handoff education is needed for nursing students to learn safe and quality handoff practices.     

Desperately seeking consistency: Student nurses' experiences and expectations of academic supervision

BackgroundAcademic supervision - the support available to students when writing assignments - is a fundamental element in the provision of support within nurse education. Not only can it underpin high levels of academic achievement, but it also has a role in enhancing the retention of students. Despite its importance, there is little investigation of undergraduate academic supervision within the nursing literature.ObjectivesTo explore students' experiences and expectations of academic supervision as part of an undergraduate programme of nurse education.DesignA qualitative approach to explore student perceptions.SettingThe research was undertaken at a Higher Education Institution in the United Kingdom. The institution offers undergraduate nurse education programmes to approximately 800 students.ParticipantsEight pre-registration nursing students from a Bachelor of Science programme participated in a focus group interview. All were in the first semester of their final year.MethodsData were collected using focus group interviewing, based around a semistructured question framework. The focus groups explored students' expectations and previous experiences of academic supervision. The focus group was recorded, responses were transcribed and thematic analysis was undertaken to identify key findings.ResultsThree themes were identified from the data: relationship with supervisor, variation between supervisors, and the link between supervision and marking. Overall, students identified frustration with variability in the provision of academic supervision.ConclusionsEffective academic supervision depends on a strong relationship between student and supervisor - something that can be difficult to achieve if supervision is only for a short period of time. Equally, students crave a consistent approach to supervision, in terms of both the amount and content of feedback. Students are able to identify and articulate a clear link between effective supervision and academic achievement.     

Nursing students' perceptions of using the Clinical Education Assessment tool AssCE and their overall perceptions of the clinical learning environment - A cross-sectional correlational study

BackgroundClinical education is a vital part of nursing students' learning; the importance of assessment tools and feedback in stimulating student learning has been stressed, but this needs to be studied in more detail.ObjectivesTo examine relationships between nursing students' perceptions of using an Assessment tool in Clinical Education (AssCE) during their mid-course discussion and final assessment, the content discussed during these meetings between the student, preceptor and nurse teacher and the students' overall perception of the clinical learning environment.DesignA cross-sectional, correlational design was used.Setting and ParticipantsA convenience sample of 110 nursing students from one Norwegian university college with two campuses.MethodsData were collected with self-developed questionnaires and analysed using logistic regression with SPSS and the PROCESS macro for mediation analysis.ResultsThere was a positive relationship between nursing students' perceptions of using the assessment tool AssCE and their overall perception of the clinical learning environment. This relationship was, in turn, mediated by the content discussed during the formative mid-course discussion and summative final assessment.ConclusionsOur conclusion is that the assessment tool AssCE supported students' clinical learning and that this relationship, in turn, was mediated by the degree to which the conversation during the assessment meeting focused on the student's knowledge, skills and professional judgement.     

The written nursing process: is it still useful to nursing education?

As nursing practice becomes more complex, and patient care more variable, it will be crucial for nurse educators to teach students to think creatively and to develop a repertoire of strategies to resolve patient problems. The written nursing process has been the primary tool that nurse educators use to teach students to identify patient problems and plan for their resolution, but is it still useful? We combined a review of the literature with an informal survey of BSN nursing students to examine the usefulness of the nursing process from three perspectives: as a problem-solving tool, as a means of fostering the art and creativity of nursing, and as a method of individualizing patient care. Current nursing literature and students' comments about the nursing process suggest that this approach may no longer be realistic or germane to current practice needs.     

The inclusion of cognitive behavioural therapeutic components in the undergraduate nursing curriculum. A systematic integrative review of the evidence

BackgroundDespite the increasing evidence base for the use of cognitive behavioural interventions in nursing, the extent to which therapeutic interventions and their components are included in the undergraduate curriculum in Australia remains unclear.ObjectivesTo explore if and how cognitive behavioural components are being taught to undergraduate nursing students to deliver outcome benefits to students and patients.DesignAn integrative literature review reporting links between CBT components and methods taught in pre-registration nurse education.Findings and conclusionBased on an analysis of current literature, it is suggested that evidence-based cognitive behavioural components are being taught to undergraduate nursing students. The study reports that teaching cognitive behavioural components can bring clinical benefits to positive patient outcome, to student wellbeing and study performance. However, the teaching of cognitive behavioural conceptual models as a therapeutic skill was found to be limited. Recommendations to incorporate a simple, evidence based cognitive behavioural conceptual tool, highlights how nurse educators can address the requirement to teach from the current evidence base.     

Nursing student experiences in turmoil: A year of the pandemic and social strife during final clinical rotations

BackgroundThe duration and magnitude of the coronavirus (COVID-19) posed unique challenges for nursing students, whose education was altered because of the pandemic.PurposeTo explore the perceptions and experiences of nursing students whose clinical rotations were abruptly interrupted by COVID-19's initial surge in the United States.MethodsThis qualitative study was conducted at a midwestern, academic medical center to elicit senior nursing students' experiences. An online survey was administered with eight open-ended questions asking about: initial impressions of the pandemic; experiences of being a senior nursing student; sources of stress and coping mechanisms; preparing to work as a registered nurse; and views on the nursing profession.ResultsAmong the 26 students who completed the survey, the majority were female (92%), aged 28 ∓ 4.1 years. A total of 18 subcategories emerged with four main themes identified as: a) breakdown of normal systems, b) feeling alone and the inability to escape, c) protective factors/adaptability, and d) role identify and formation.ConclusionsFindings indicate students implemented a variety of strategies while adapting to the abrupt interruption of in-person clinical rotations, mandated restrictions, and social unrest. The cascading themes illustrate the enormity of sudden changes and their significant impact on daily life.     

Undergraduate nursing students' perceptions of the effectiveness of clinical teaching behaviours in Malaysia: A cross-sectional,correlational survey

BackgroundClinical teachers are a critical determinant of the quality of nursing students' clinical learning experiences. Understanding students' perceptions of clinical teachers' behaviours can provide the basis for recommendations that will help improve the quality of clinical education in clinical settings by developing better clinical teachers.ObjectivesTo understand clinical teaching behaviours and their influence on students' learning from the perspective of undergraduate nursing students.DesignA cross-sectional, correlational survey.SettingA nursing faculty in Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.ParticipantsA sample of 120/154 (78%) students from Year 2–Year 4 were recruited according to set criteria.MethodsA self-administered questionnaire was employed to collect demographic data, and students' perceptions of clinical teaching behaviours and their impact on learning using the Nursing Clinical Teaching Effectiveness Inventory (NCTEI).ResultsYear 3 and 4 students perceived faculty clinical teaching behaviours positively. There was a significant association between clinical teaching behaviours and their influence on students' clinical learning. Teachers' competence rated as the most significant influential factor, while teachers' personality rated as least influential.ConclusionParticipants were able to identify the attributes of good clinical teachers and which attributes had the most influence on their learning. Overall, they perceived their teachers as providing good clinical teaching resulting in good clinical learning. Novice clinical teachers and nursing students can use this positive association between teaching behaviours and quality of clinical learning as a guide to clinical teaching and learning.