A triad of research roles: experiential learning in an undergraduate research course

This article describes an innovative approach to teaching undergraduate research content directly involving students in a faculty research study, and a student research project undertaken in a nursing research course. Junior-level students participated as research subjects in a faculty study focusing on the health perceptions of baccalaureate nursing students, became data collectors in a related student project on the health perceptions of lay people, and became consumers of the research by analyzing the findings and clinical relevance of these studies. This strategy for teaching research assisted students to master undergraduate research content by participatory involvement in several distinct phases of the research process. The project generated considerable interest and served to foster positive attitudes toward nursing research while concurrently increasing students' comfort level with the total process.     

Attitudes toward people with disabilities

Attitudes toward people with disabilities are learned, emotionally toned predispositions. This study compares such attitudes held by nursing faculty, beginning nursing students, graduating nursing students, registered nurses, and people with disabilities. Results of the study indicate that persons with disabilities were significantly more positive in their attitudes. Faculty held the least positive attitude, closely followed by graduating nursing students.     

中年住院患者家属的死亡态度及死亡教育需求的调查

目的了解中年住院患者家属的死亡态度及死亡教育需求情况,并分析其死亡态度的影响因素。方法 2011年1-6月,采用便利抽样法选取成都市二级甲等及以上级别医院的中年住院患者家属200名为研究对象。采用死亡态度调查问卷和自行设计的《死亡教育需求调查表》对其进行调查,并分析结果。结果 131名研究对象对死亡持接受态度,69名持排斥态度。文化程度、接触死亡及濒死情况、参加葬礼次数及在家中谈论死亡情形对其死亡态度均有影响(P<0.05或P<0.01)。108名研究对象愿意接受死亡教育,最喜欢的教育方式是参加社会团体活动。结论绝大多数研究对象对死亡持接受态度,且死亡态度受多种因素的影响;死亡教育需求较高,护理人员在实施护理时,应注重死亡教育。     

Faculty's Empathy and Academic Support for Grieving Students

This study assessed a voluntary sample (n = 123) of college faculty's attitudes toward grieving students and likelihood to provide referrals and course accommodations. Empathy levels of faculty were also measured. Although 91% of faculty indicated that at least 1 student had reported a death, only 36% had referred a student to counseling services. Mean number of referrals was .75, ranging 0 to 10. Empathy, attitude toward grief, and a personal history of experiencing death during college were significant predictors of comfort level discussing death and likelihood to provide accommodations. Faculty were more likely to provide accommodations immediately following loss rather than weeks or months later.     

Introducing baccalaureate student nurses to gerontological nursing.

The faculty at the University of Missouri-Columbia Sinclair School of Nursing (MUSSON) developed and implemented a gerontological nursing care course, with support from the Health Resources and Services Administration, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, and the John A. Hartford Foundation. The course, with both didactic and clinical components, was mandatory for all students in the baccalaureate program. The course drew on two resources unique to the MUSSON: Senior Care, the school's home care agency, and TigerPlace, a retirement community closely linked to the school. Goals of the course were to increase knowledge of gerontology and gerontological nursing and to promote more positive student attitudes toward older adults. Evaluation of six semesters of pretest and posttest data found that knowledge increased although attitudes toward older adults did not become more positive. However, despite the lack of quantifiable improvement in attitudes, some students wrote positive comments on end-of-semester course evaluations about experiences and interactions with older adults during the course.     

高职护生掌握老年人态度和老化知识的调查

目的 探讨高职护生对老年人的态度和老化知识的掌握情况,为制定和改革老年护理人才培养模式提供参考.方法 通过分层随机抽样方法,选取成都市某高职学校护生266人作为研究对象,采用中文修订版老年人态度(KAOP)、老化知识第一部分量表(FAQ)进行调查.结果 高职护生对老年人态度KAOP总分(110.77±13.816)分.女生对老年人态度明显高于男生,KAOP(-)、KAOP(总)差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01).高职护生对老年人老化知识得分(10.70±3.703)分.参加过老年活动的护生与没参加过老年活动的护生比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.01).79.32%高职护生认为学校应该开设老年相关课程,对学校开展相关老年护理课程态度不同的护生FAQ、KAOP(-)、KAOP(总)差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01).10.9%的高职护生愿意从事老年护理工作,53%的护生稍微愿意从事老年护理工作,从事老年护理工作意愿不同的护生FAQ、KAOP(+)、KAOP(总)比较差异均有统计学意义(P<0.01).结论 高职护生对老年人态度处于中等水平,对老年人老化知识了解不够,可通过开设老年护理专业,构建课程体系,完善教学计划,提升老年护理师资队伍整体水平,从而使高职护生全面、系统、正确地认识老年护理相关知识,增加护生积极性和专业认同感,解决人口老龄化带来的老年护理人才紧缺问题.     

Cooperative learning effects on teamwork attitudes in clinical laboratory science students.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate clinical laboratory science (CLS) student attitudes toward teamwork when using cooperative learning (CL) as compared to individual learning (IL) in a course and to determine if learning method affects student attitudes toward the course itself. DESIGN/SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: This was a multi-institutional study involving eight classrooms in seven states. The effects of CL and IL on student attitudes were compared for 216 student participants. INTERVENTION: One group of students learned the course material through a CL approach while a second group of students learned via a traditional IL approach. For each course, the instructor, class material, and examination content was identical for the CL and IL students; the only variable was learning method. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Student attitudes toward teamwork and toward the course were evaluated with a 35-item Attitude Questionnaire administered as a posttest. Mean scores for the CL and IL groups were compared using the Student t-test for independent samples. RESULTS: No significant difference was seen between the CL and IL students when assessing the first 30 questions on student attitudes toward teamwork (means = 98.42 and 98.22, respectively) when all institutions were combined. Comparable results were seen for each of the eight institutions. For the five questions comparing attitudes toward the course itself, there usually was no significant difference in attitude between CL and IL students. The only classrooms where CL students had more positive attitudes were those with instructors who had more than 10 years experience with CL. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that CL produces similar student attitudes toward teamwork and toward a CLS course as does IL.     

Collaborative student-faculty research to support PhD research education

This paper describes a three-semester hour applied research course taught over three semesters in a revamped PhD research curriculum at a Midwestern high research activity (R2) university-based nursing program. Faculty developed this strategy to help students become adequately prepared nurse scientists. Students and faculty engaged in a collaborative research project to provide students with opportunities to develop, integrate, and apply research knowledge, skills, and attitudes while concurrently advancing through the related research courses. A summary of these experiences and what was learned is organized within a knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) framework. The collaboration between faculty and student peers was essential to students' success in the course. Student and faculty perspectives were used to describe what was learned during the first year this course was taught, together with future recommendations.     

护理学生预防医疗事故的态度及其相关影响因素

目的研究护理学生预防医疗事故的态度及其相关因素。方法以调查问卷形式,对219名护理学生进行调查,调查内容包括一般资料、相关因素及预防医疗事故的态度量表。结果被调查学生态度得分为33~79分,平均分为（60.89±6.55）分;本科及接受相关课程的护理学生在态度认知、情感、意向方面与专科及未接受相关课程的护理学生有差异;影响护理学生态度的主要因素是医疗事故经历、课程设置及学历。结论护理学生对预防医疗事故的态度是积极、正性的,专科和接受相关课程的护理学生态度相对更积极。护理学生预防医疗事故的态度及相关因素的研究为护理法律教育提供了方向。     

Mean differences and individual changes in nursing students' attitudes toward statistics: The role of math background and personality traits

Nursing students have compulsory statistics courses in their degree program, but they usually have negative attitudes toward statistics that may hinder their learning. The present study aims: (i) to investigate nurse students’ attitudes toward statistics and the relationships with mathematical background and personality traits; (ii) to stress individual changes in attitude that occur during the course; and (iii) to explore if mathematical background and personality traits influence these changes. We adopted a one-group pre-post survey study. Fifty nursing students were enrolled in an introductory statistics course at the Sapienza University of Rome in Italy during the 2018–2019 academic year. Participants were surveyed at the beginning and end of the course administering a multidimensional measure of attitude toward statistics. Multiple regression analyses were run to establish the relative impact of mathematical background and Big Five personality factors on attitude components, as well as the changes in these attitude components. Results confirmed the predictive role of mathematic competence on some attitude dimensions and showed that also personality traits influenced attitudes toward statistics. However, the observed changes in attitudes during the course were minimally influenced by these factors. Findings suggest that course pedagogy can enhance students’ attitudes regardless their mathematical background and personality.     

Students and faculty perceptions of standards-based grading for clinical education

Designing safe and effective student clinical courses is an essential component of nursing education. A variety of approaches have been used to measure student achievement of clinical competencies. Standards-based grading (SBG) is a unique approach to student assessment and clinical course grading that has been used in Higher Education to promote student-centered learning, application, and prioritization, and of course, learning outcomes. At our institution, a mixed-method pilot and follow-up study were conducted to examine student and faculty attitudes and experiences concerning the incorporation of SBG in a nursing clinical capstone course. The results of our study found that students and faculty felt that SBG effectively measured student learning, provided clear grading expectations, increased student motivation, improved course grading consistency, and minimized conflict between students and faculty. Overall, students and faculty preferred SBG as compared to a traditional-points based grading system.     

Chinese nursing students' attitudes toward traditional Chinese medicine

In this study, we examined Chinese nursing students' attitudes toward and use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Survey questionnaires were distributed to 439 nursing students, 263 of whom (60%) returned them. Of the respondents, 92% had used TCM, while 48% had used TCM at least once during the previous year. Forty-five percent of respondents reported positive attitudes toward TCM use, 52% had neutral attitudes, and only 3% reported negative attitudes. The majority of respondents (76%) reported no change in their attitude toward TCM after studying nursing. Mean scores related to the adequacy of the current curriculum in TCM training and the state of respondents' TCM knowledge were generally low. Of the respondents who had used TCM during the past year, the most common use was for upper respiratory tract infection. The most common type of TCM used by respondents was herbal tea or soup. Final-year nursing students were more likely to have used TCM during the previous year, report they would like more courses on TCM, and consult Western medicine physicians before using TCM; they were also less likely to develop more negative attitudes toward TCM after studying nursing.     

Nursing faculty and students' attitudes regarding HIV.

A multidisciplinary group of health professional educators examined the faculty and student attitudes related to AIDS in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs and in a dental hygiene program. Results indicated consistent differences in attitudes toward homosexuality and intravenous drug users, AIDS-phobia, AIDS-related work stress, and willingness to work with HIV, homosexual, or intravenous-drug-using patients among faculty, undergraduate, and graduate nursing students, and certificate-level dental hygiene students. Faculty and master's-level nursing students consistently indicated the most positive attitudes and behavioral intentions. A one-year follow-up of a sample of undergraduate students revealed little change in these attitudes or behavioral intentions. Implications of these findings for nursing educators are discussed.     

Computers in nursing practice. A comparison of the attitudes of nurses and nursing students

This study was undertaken to compare the attitudes of nurses and nursing students toward computer use in nursing practice and to clarify factors that influence these attitudes. Three factors within the student sample were examined: changes over time, prior experience with computers, and attitudes toward technology in general. Second, the attitudes of the nursing students were compared with those of a sample of practicing nurses. Finally, the multidimensional structure of Stronge's attitude scale was analyzed. A total of 353 sophomore nursing students and 358 staff nurses participated in the study. The analysis produced a refined 17-item attitude scale composed of three identifiable subscales: computers and patient care, computers and personal security, and general attitude. It was found that students had less experience with computers than the investigators had anticipated, and there was little change over three successive cohorts of students. However, in general, students' attitudes toward computer use in nursing were positive, and the more computer experience students had, the more positive their attitudes. The attitudes of the practicing nurses also were generally positive, but differences between students and nurses were observed.     

Nursing home employment for nursing students: valuable experience or a harsh deterrent?

AIM OF THE STUDY: The primary aim of the study was to examine the attitudes of undergraduate nursing students at the both the beginning and end of their nursing course. BACKGROUND: Throughout Australia there is increasing awareness of the ageing of the population and the widespread implications this will have for the future. The ramifications for the health system are expected to be wide and far-reaching. For the nursing profession the increase in the number of aged people will increase the demand for nurses to practice within the aged care area. This raises serious concerns in light of the negative attitudes that Registered Nurses and undergraduate nursing students hold towards working with older people. METHODS: This paper reports the results of a longitudinal study of undergraduate nursing students at the start (n = 793) and at the end (n = 524) of their nursing education programme. FINDINGS: The findings support the literature in demonstrating that working with older people is the least preferred area of practice for students, and that its popularity actually declines during the education process. One interesting finding from this research suggests that part-time employment of student nurses in nursing homes can further influence students' negative attitudes. CONCLUSIONS: If nursing students are to continue working in aged care, strategies to address the potential detrimental impact need to be identified and developed as a matter of urgency.