How adequately are nurses being prepared for their health teaching role?

Forty-five Australian faculties and schools of nursing were surveyed by questionnaire to gain information about the health education component of undergraduate and postgraduate programs, and about current research activity relating to the educational role of nurses. Response rate achieved was 69%. Almost all institutions indicated involvement in preparing nursing students for an educational role, yet only five respondents described research activity relating to this. Most preparation was provided in an integrated context rather than in separate course units and the length of time allocated varied substantially. Responses to questions about content and clinical experiences were often omitted or were very general, with those involved in providing separate courses being much more likely to supply detailed or specific information. It is hypothesised that in general nurses are graduating from Australian colleges and universities inadequately prepared for the health educator role.     

Preparing for practice: how well are practitioners prepared for teamwork

This article reports on the findings of a study that aimed to explore how relevant initial training is in relation to teamwork, and to explore the perceptions of newly qualified practitioners about their confidence to work as a member of a team. A cross-sectional postal survey was used to ascertain the views of nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and physiotherapists who had been qualified between six months and two years prior to the survey, and had qualified at one of three London universities. Fifty questionnaires were sent out to each professional group (a sample of 200 overall) and there was a 43% response rate. Findings revealed that respondents reported positive experiences of team working, with only one area--equality of status within teams--being highlighted as problematic. While no other area generated this level of disagreement, there were two other areas in which respondents felt unsure: cooperation within the team and conflict resolution within the team.     

Supporting students in clinical practice: pre-registration nursing students' views on the role of the lecturer

Learning in clinical practice is an essential aspect of student nurse education yet debate persists in the United Kingdom regarding the role of the lecturer in supporting the student within clinical practice. This debate has been rekindled with developments in mentorship and establishment of a clinical role designed to facilitate and support mentors; the Practice Education Facilitator. Hence it is timely to re-examine the role of the lecturer in providing clinical support to students. This article discusses nursing students' views of clinical support provided by lecturers on a Diploma/Degree programme. Qualitative and quantitative data was obtained from an online questionnaire which indicated that students thought the most important part of the lecturers' role was to provide academic support for assignments. The students also appreciated lecturers visiting them in clinical placement to facilitate the student-mentor relationship and to provide personal support. It is argued, that with the enhancement of other supportive mechanisms for students and mentors and the current economic climate, lecturers should work in partnership with mentors and practice education facilitators to avoid duplication of effort. The students in this evaluation suggested that academic support for assignments should be the main focus for lecturers.     

Supporting nursing students with learning disabilities: a metacognitive approach.

As more students with diagnosed learning disabilities (LD) enroll in college nursing programs, nursing educators must increase their understanding of ways to support these students without compromising their academic standards. This article describes a framework for understanding LD including issues in diagnosis, intervention, and accommodation and is designed to assist nursing faculty in maximizing the likelihood of success of these students. Specifically, this article examines the characteristics of students with LD from a metacognitive perspective, identifies curricular issues specific to a typical nursing curriculum, reviews legal obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), and provides examples of classroom and clinical modifications including teaching approaches that can benefit all students.     

Promoting smoking cessation among nursing students: how faculty can help

Cigarette smoking is a major health issue in the United States. Research has shown that more than a quarter of young adults aged 18-24 are smokers, and there has been a recent rise in the prevalence of cigarette smoking among college students. Many researchers have investigated smoking among nursing students, in the United States and worldwide. This article provides an overview of these research findings and a discussion of interventions that may help promote smoking cessation. Nurse faculty are encouraged to take a lead in smoking cessation efforts.     

A qualitative analysis of examination questions set for students of nursing in Scotland

The construction of essay-type questions for inclusion in nursing examination papers is a time consuming task for teachers. In this paper, the findings of the qualitative analysis of the examination systems in basic nursing education in Scotland are discussed, with specific reference to questions set in internal and external formal examinations. The form and type of questions which seemed to create difficulties for students are identified and discussed. Several issues are raised, including coverage of the syllabus content, the science base for nursing, and determining levels of question difficulty. The paper concludes with recommendations concerning the format of assessment, especially if the NBS were to delegate more responsibility to colleges and when the proposals on curriculum reform evisaged in Project 2000, are implemented.     

Perspectives of Iranian male nursing students regarding the role of nursing education in developing a professional identity: A content analysis study

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to explore the perspectives of Iranian male nursing students regarding the role of nursing education in developing a professional identity. Methods: A qualitative design, based on the content analysis approach, was used to collect the data and analyze the perspectives of 14 Iranian male nursing students who were chosen by using a purposive sampling strategy. After the selection of the participants, semistructured interviews were held in order to collect the data. Results: During the data analysis, three main themes emerged: “reality–expectation incompatibility”, “being supported by the educational system”, and “nursing image rectification”. The second theme consisted of two categories: “feeling trusted” and “being defended”. Conclusions: This study will be useful to nurse educators and administrators in relation to what constitutes nursing students' professional identity within the Iranian culture and context and how nursing education can play an effective role in developing their professional identity in order to devise strategies to attract male students to the nursing profession and promote their retention after graduation.     

加强护理学院学生德育教育探讨

护理主要是关怀照顾,提供使病人感到舒适的措施,让病人即使在面临疼痛和极端衰弱时仍保持人格尊严,并使病人最大限度地参与健康的恢复。然而,在我国,人们长期以来,普遍认为护士只是医生的助手,护士所能做的只是执行医生的医嘱,在关怀照顾病人中护士只是医生言听计从的助手或部下,而没有能力在关怀照顾病人的问题上作出决策。近年来国际护理学专家得出的结论是:护士是终身探究和实践关怀照顾的学者。这也意味着护士是道德行动者,护士的行动始终是关怀照顾他人,尤其是患病的、虚弱的和有残疾的人。护理学院是培养未来护理人员的摇篮,探索加强…