Retention of nursing students with English as a second language

The purposes of this study were to: (a) determine nursing students' perceptions of the learning activities which contribute the most to their knowledge and skills; (b) determine students' perceptions of their learning difficulties; (c) compare the perception of English as a second language (ESL) and non-ESL students; (d) determine nursing faculty perceptions of ESL students' learning difficulties; (e) compare the perception of ESL students and faculty; and (f) indentify needs for educational and/or supportive programmes for faculty and students. Differences in perceptions of faculty and students regarding areas of difficulty and studetnts' needs may influence the services provided to students and therefore contribute to their lack of success and attrition.
A questionnaire was given to students in the first and second years of the University of British Columbia (UBC)/Vancouver Hospital (VH) Nursing Programme to collect data regarding their high school and post-secondary education, date of arrival in Canada, first language, and their perceptions of helpfulness and difficulty of learning activities. A similar questionnaire was given to faculty members working with these students to collect data about their perceptions of areas of difficulty and activities that contribute the most to the learning of ESL students. Data analysis consisted of t -test for statistical comparison of the responses of ESL and non-ESL students, and ESL students and faculty. The results indicated statistically significant differences between the perceptions of faculty and ESL students, particularly in the areas of difficulty. The need for educational programmes for both faculty and students was identified.     

Navigating nursing curriculum change during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-synthesis

AimTo consolidate the evidence around the experiences of nursing undergraduates and faculty members navigating through remote and online education during the COVID-19 pandemic.BackgroundThe Coronavirus disease 2019 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Virus (COVID-19) has placed massive pressure on healthcare, economic and education systems globally. Restrictive social distancing policies and public health measures necessitated educational institutions to switch from face-to-face to remote and online education to sustain the learning process. These changes have created an uncertain path and undue stress for healthcare learners and faculty, especially for professional roles that traditionally require more hands-on and access to clinical practice particularly pre-licensure nursing students. As such, there is an urgent need to consolidate evidence on the experiences of nursing undergraduates and faculty members as they navigate the rapid transition from face-to-face to remote and online education to ensure continuity of learning in achieving optimal learning outcomes and to support them during current and future public health crises.DesignA systematic review and meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature was undertaken using Sandelowski and Barroso’s approach.MethodsSix electronic databases, CINAHL, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus, were searched systematically using the eligibility criteria from December 2019 to September 2022. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist for qualitative studies was used to conduct the critical appraisal of the selected articles.ResultsForty-seven studies were included in this review, which encapsulates the experiences of 3052 undergraduates and 241 faculty members. An overarching meta-theme ‘Remote and online education: a rollercoaster ride’, emerged along with three main meta-themes: (1) Transition to remote and online education: A turbulent road, (2) Acceptance of the untravelled road, (3) Hopes and recommendations for the road ahead.ConclusionTo improve nursing undergraduates’ and faculty member’s navigation of remote and online education, more institutions should move towards establishing hybrid education as the new ‘normal’ and exercise prudence in the organisation and delivery of curriculum, teaching, well-being and clinical attachment contingencies of their healthcare courses.     

A blended learning teaching strategy strengthens the nursing students’ performance and self-reported learning outcome achievement in an anatomy,physiology and biochemistry course – A quasi-experimental study

In nursing, bioscience is regarded as one of the cornerstones of nursing practice. However, bioscience disciplines as anatomy, physiology and biochemistry are considered challenging for students and the failure rate is high. In this study we explore a blended learning teaching strategy in an anatomy, physiology and biochemistry course for first year Bachelor nursing students. In the blended learning teaching strategy, short narrated online digital resources of bioscientific terms and concepts were integrated into the teaching design along with digital metacognitive evaluations of learning outcomes. Results show that compared to students receiving traditional face-to-face teaching, the students with a blended learning approach performed better on their national exam with a small to medium effect size (Cohen’s d=0.23). Student course evaluations supported the blended learning delivery with small to medium effect sizes. The students reported that the digital resources supported their learning outcome achievement, that they better understood the teacher’s expectations and that they were more satisfied with their virtual learning environment. This study adds to the growing literature of blended learning effectiveness in higher education, and suggests the use of digital resources as an enrichment of teaching and enhancement of students’ study experience.     

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.     

Bringing your a-game: Educational gaming for student success

BackgroundThe purpose of this article is to describe the theoretical basis for the integration of gaming in nursing education and discuss aspects related to the implementation of “The Race for Nursing Student Success” game.MethodsThis game was designed for 112 junior-level baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a fundamentals nursing course. Students were divided into groups of 5–8 and rotated through ten specific learning activities that took place in various locations throughout the nursing building.ResultsStudent and faculty feedback indicated positive responses to this instructional strategy and also promoted a learner-centered teaching environment.ConclusionThis learning activity supports the use of educational gaming as a means to develop learner-centered environments that provide experiential experiences, enhance learning, and stimulate interest, and motivation for students to learn.     

Implementing faculty practice: a question of human and financial resources

Two issues confronting nursing education are: improving the relationship between nursing service and nursing education, and achieving status as an academic discipline. The concept of faculty practice addresses both of these problems. By definition faculty practice requires demonstration of clinical competence through practice, and scholarly outcomes of practice which satisfy the research requirement of the nursing faculty role. While scholarly practice by nursing faculty members may benefit the nursing service-education relationship, it is a myth that nursing faculty members were more effective teachers prior to nursing education's move into institutions of higher education. While few argue against the need for clinical competence of nursing faculty members for effective teaching, the need to attain educational preparation for effective teaching must not be overlooked. The vast majority of nursing faculty members hold master's degree as their highest earned credential. To establish itself as an equal in academe and to increase teaching effectiveness, nursing education needs faculty prepared at the doctoral level. If nursing faculty members add faculty practice and doctoral study to the standard faculty role requirements of teaching, research and service, chronic overload will result. Nursing faculty members cannot solve all the problems confronting nursing education by continuously increasing their workload. Nursing programmes need to assess their resources and priorities. For all of its merits, faculty practice should not be implemented until a programme has adequate resources to support it.     

Effects of board game play on nursing students’ medication knowledge: A randomized controlled trial

AimThis study aimed to examine the effectiveness of an educational board game in improving nursing students’ medication knowledge.BackgroundMaintaining patient safety is a core practice for nurses. Medication management is a central principle of patient safety. Nurses acquire pharmacology knowledge and medication safety skills in the classroom training. Thus, solidifying and strengthening nursing students’ medication knowledge are crucial tasks for nursing faculty members. In recent years, board games, which offer both entertainment and competitive play, have been employed to educate students in a variety of disciplines and settings. Through board game play, students can learn in an enjoyable and fun atmosphere.DesignA randomized controlled trial design.MethodsA convenience sample of 69 nursing students was obtained from a university in Taiwan. Participants were randomly assigned either to an experimental (board game) group (n = 35) or a comparison group (n = 34) using block randomization. The experimental group engaged in board game play to learn about medications, whereas the comparison group attended a one-hour didactic lecture. Using questionnaires, data were collected before the intervention, immediately post intervention and one month post intervention.ResultsFollowing the intervention, regardless of the learning method, both groups showed significant improvements in their immediate recall of medication information. However, when retested after one month, the experimental group obtained significantly higher scores than the comparison group. Moreover, students in the experimental group reported more satisfaction with the learning method than those in the comparison group.ConclusionsThe study results suggest that learning through board games could enhance nursing students’ retention of knowledge. Students reported favorable reactions to using a board game learning method for increasing knowledge of medication. With respect to this finding, faculty members may consider employing board games as teaching tools in nursing and other health science courses. Moreover, the findings of this study can also provide additional information for nursing managers in hospital wards or long-term care facilities where nurses are trained to familiarize themselves with frequently administered medications.Tweetable abstractBoard game play can enhance nursing students’ retention of knowledge; students reported positive reactions to game-based learning for medication training.     

Increasing nursing students' understanding and accuracy with medical dose calculations: A collaborative approach

BackgroundAccurate calculation of medication dosages can be challenging for nursing students. Specific interventions related to types of errors made by nursing students may improve the learning of this important skill.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to determine areas of challenge for students in performing medication dosage calculations in order to design interventions to improve this skill.DesignStrengths and weaknesses in the teaching and learning of medication dosage calculations were assessed. These data were used to create online interventions which were then measured for the impact on student ability to perform medication dosage calculations.SettingThe setting of the study is one university in Canada.ParticipantsThe qualitative research participants were 8 nursing students from years 1–3 and 8 faculty members. Quantitative results are based on test data from the same second year clinical course during the academic years 2012 and 2013.MethodsStudents and faculty participated in one-to-one interviews; responses were recorded and coded for themes. Tests were implemented and scored, then data were assessed to classify the types and number of errors.ResultsStudents identified conceptual understanding deficits, anxiety, low self-efficacy, and numeracy skills as primary challenges in medication dosage calculations. Faculty identified long division as a particular content challenge, and a lack of online resources for students to practice calculations. Lessons and online resources designed as an intervention to target mathematical and concepts and skills led to improved results and increases in overall pass rates for second year students for medication dosage calculation tests.ConclusionThis study suggests that with concerted effort and a multi-modal approach to supporting nursing students, their abilities to calculate dosages can be improved. The positive results in this study also point to the promise of cross-discipline collaborations between nursing and education.     

The effectiveness of shared clinical teaching in nursing

AimClinical learning is a critical component of a nursing curriculum. Student satisfaction in clinical environment is crucial to foster a positive learning experience. Faculty shortages have made clinical teaching more challenging; as such, alternate models of clinical teaching must be explored by nursing programs. The purpose of this study was to measure the perception of student satisfaction in regard to the effectiveness of shared clinical teaching in nursing.MethodsUtilizing Chan's Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI), this quantitative comparative study examined nursing students' preferred and actual clinical learning environment. The CLEI contains 42 questions in six subscales: Individualization, Innovation, Involvement, Personalization, Task Orientation, and Satisfaction in both the actual and preferred clinical learning environment. The sample consisted of 202 nursing students in two groups: the first group had 91 students who experienced shared clinical teaching with two faculty, whereas the second group had 111 students who experienced the traditional, single faculty model. The results were analyzed using independent sample T-tests.ResultsThe preferred learning environment was rated highest in all six subscales. Scores of the Satisfaction subscale and the Innovation subscale for Actual Learning Environment, and the score of the Innovation subscale for Preferred Learning Environment of students experiencing shared clinical teaching with two faculty were higher than the scores of students experiencing traditional, single faculty model, with statistically significance (P＜0.05).ConclusionThe results indicated students preferred the shared clinical teaching model with two faculty over the single faculty model. Nursing programs can utilize this model and apply these results to develop and maintain quality clinical teaching.     

An examination of technologies in complementary medicine education and practice: The perceptions and experiences of naturopathy students,faculty and educational leaders

ObjectivesLittle is known about the education of future CM practitioners. The objective is to explore the perceptions and experiences of students, faculty and professional leaders toward technologies in complementary medicine education and practice.Design and settingQualitative focus groups and one-on-one semi-structured interviews were conducted in CM educational organizations and institutions in North America (United States / Canada) and Australia involving seven focus groups (29 naturopathic students), and 30 one-on-one interviews (faculty, educational and professional leaders of the naturopathic profession).ResultsData analysis identified five issues reported. These related to perceptions of; the shortfalls of CM classroom technology, the value of technology within CM clinical practice, learning technologies in the classroom, addressing equity concerns as a consequence of learning technology use, and the need to develop technology literacy skills amongst students and faculty.ConclusionThis is the first study to examine the perceptions of students, faculty and professional leaders toward technologies in CM education and practice within an education setting. CM students exhibited complex attitudes and adoption patterns to technology. CM students were critical of faculty who have perceived low levels of digital literacy. The technology issue that students in our study found most challenging was PowerPoint use in the classroom. There is an urgent need to establish a strategic research agenda and modelling around this important area of health care education in order to ensure a well-educated, effective workforce able to deliver the best outcomes for the patients and communities they serve.     

Experiences of nursing students and educators during the co-construction of clinical nursing leadership learning activities: A qualitative research and development study

BackgroundStudent voice posits that students' unique perspectives on teaching and learning can be used in conjunction with those of educators to create meaningful educational activities.ObjectiveThe study aimed to describe nursing students' and educators' experiences during the co-construction of educational activities involving clinical nursing leadership.DesignQualitative research and development model.SettingThe study was conducted at a French-Canadian nursing faculty that provides a 3-year undergraduate program.ParticipantsFive undergraduate nursing students, four nursing educators, and the principal investigator formed the co-construction team.MethodsData collected included all documents (written and audio) related to the co-construction process: three 2-hour team meetings, PI's fieldnotes and a focus group discussion that occurred once the co-construction process was completed. Thematic analysis was performed guided by Paillé and Muchielli's (2010) method.ResultsData analysis revealed two interrelated themes: (1) unique, purposeful collaboration and (2) change that makes a difference. A space described as safe, without hierarchy and that included the “right” people helped the team achieve their objective of creating new educational activities on clinical nursing leadership. The two new learning activities developed by the team were perceived as useful for future nursing students. At the individual level, team members appreciated how co-construction helped them understand teaching and learning from new perspectives.ConclusionsA structured, efficient co-construction process contributed to positive changes in the nursing program and participants. Additional research is required to enhance understanding of the factors that facilitate and hinder student-educator collaboration outside the classroom.     

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.     

Usability testing of the sexual orientation and gender identity nursing education eLearning toolkit and virtual simulation games

BackgroundIndividuals of the LGBTQITS community face significant disparities when accessing healthcare, including stigma, oppression, and discrimination contributing to health inequities. Integrating cultural humility practice in nursing education is needed to navigate barriers.MethodA mixed methods usability study evaluated a bilingual online educational toolkit including curated instructional videos, personal bias quiz, and virtual simulation games VSGs. A convenience sample of nursing faculty and students were invited to participate.ResultsParticipants (N = 11) were observed playing the games, overall average time was 14 mins per game. Largely usability testers agreed or strongly agreed VSGs were easy and fun and helped them understand personal assumptions. Presimulation preparation was mostly viewed as relevant and engaging.ConclusionsResults support the feasibility of educating nurses and students about cultural humility, sexual orientation, and gender identity (SOGI) using VSGs. The SOGI-Nursing toolkit was found to be functional and a valuable and engaging teaching and learning strategy.