Simulation in pediatric nursing education: Are there enough evidence for future practice?

Research on simulation is still a developing field in nursing and simulation-based learning is gaining momentum with its application over the past two decades in nursing education. Simulation is utilized as a method of training, by helping the learners for competent practice and to improve patient safety, but not much evidence is available for its application in pediatric nursing education.This study aimed to (1) describe the application of simulation in teaching pediatric nursing education and (2) explore the evidence for its application in developing clinical competencies and skills in nursing students taking pediatric courses.A literature search was conducted in Google Scholar, PubMed, Medline, Science Direct & ProQuest for the relevant articles available on the internet. Descriptive, experimental, and systematic reviews concerning simulation in pediatric nursing were included.Mixed results were cited in studies about imparting the knowledge concerning the applicability of simulation in pediatric nursing courses. Available evidence shows that simulation can improve the competency of students in clinical practice and in improving patient care outcomes and communication skills. There is a paucity of studies about the applicability of simulation in pediatric nursing education. Simulation is found to be a useful strategy in providing a near-to-real experience for the students to practice high-risk, rare procedural skills in pediatric nursing education. However, further, evidence is required to replace clinical practice experience with simulation, for sustained improvement in patient care outcomes, and in critical thinking and knowledge retention in nursing students.

Patient safety in nursing technician training

ABSTRACT Objectives: to analyze the contents on patient safety in the training of nursing technicians. Methods: a documentary study, conducted in three technical nursing courses at a public university in northeastern Brazil, based on the Multi-Professional Patient Safety Curriculum Guide, published by the World Health Organization. Results: we found that, of the 26 subjects in each course, the tracking terms were found in 22 subjects in the A/C courses, 23 in the B course. The topics of the guide with the highest number of terms were the improvement in medication safety, with 85 terms (22.6%), and Infection prevention and control, with 75 terms (20%). The contents do not express the comprehensiveness of patient safety education; some subjects had this focus, while others did not. Conclusions: the documents revealed gaps in the contents related to patient safety and demonstrated that they are addressed only in the course syllabus and discipline plans.

Blended learning in a health assessment course: A mixed-methods study

Objective: The purpose of this study was to get students’ perceptions about changes made to the health assessment course delivery format from face to face to blended learning (BL). Health assessment is a foundational course in nursing undergraduate programs. Research has suggested that students have high levels of satisfaction with a blended learning format.Methods: A survey was used to gather students’ perceptions about changing a health assessment course from face-to-face delivery format to a blended learning format. All second year BSN students who were registered for the course (N = 88) were invited to participate in the survey at the end of the semester.Results: Most students in this study preferred face to face course delivery. Qualitative results were grouped together into themes: 1) Engagement, 2) E-learning tool, and 3) Confidence. Opinions were mixed concerning the e-learning materials that were used. Overall, students felt they were confident in their assessment skills as they prepared to enter the clinical environment.Conclusions: Findings from this study will impact methods of teaching health assessment and other nursing courses in the future.

Health-Related Quality of Life and Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Narrative Review

Background: Undergraduate nursing students are vulnerable to stressful university learning environments and poor working conditions in clinical rotations. This can result in students leaving nursing programs or abandoning the profession following graduation. As a result, the health-related quality of life of nursing students is an important indicator to monitor student quality of life adequacy. Preventing premature student nurses' departure from the profession is necessary to reduce the nursing shortage. Objective: To describe the body of knowledge about the health-related quality of life for undergraduate nursing students during their qualification process. Methods: This was a narrative review through a six-database search, including Cochrane, CINAHL, Pubmed, Medline, PsycINFO and Livivio, from between January 1990 and June 2018, with updates in the search followed until November 2019. To assess study quality, the STROBE checklist was used. Results: Eight studies were included in a narrative synthesis. All studies were of cross-sectional design, and none included follow-up procedures. Most of the studies recruited participants from nursing courses and only one study recruited students from a national register. Sample sizes ranged from 110 individuals to 4,033 participants in the register-based study. Common health-related dimensions evaluated included stress, social support, mental health, fatigue, quality of life, and drug abuse. Stress, the most commonly studied dimension, was associated with clinical placements, final exams, and non-prescribed drugs. Social support networks were positively associated with coping abilities and self-esteem. Conclusion: There is low-quality evidence of the impact of nursing courses upon student health-related dimensions (stress, self-esteem, health-related behaviors). Nurse educators should be aware of these associations and support routine screening of students and their health-related dimensions. Interventions, such as consultation and study redesign, might increase the level of health-related dimensions. Nursing schools should further collaborate to investigate these associations and tailored interventions to positively affect health-related dimensions in nursing students.

Effectiveness of applying clinical simulation scenarios and integrating information technology in medical-surgical nursing and critical nursing courses

Background To determine the impact of combining clinical simulation scenario training and Information Technology Integrated Instruction (ITII) on the teaching of nursing skills. Methods 120 4th-year students in a nursing program who were enrolled in medical and surgical nursing courses. 61 received innovative instruction (experimental group) and 59 received conventional instruction (control group). The ADDIE model, systematic method of course development that includes analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation,was used to build simulation teaching and clinical scenarios and to create and modify objective structure clinical examination (OSCE) scenario checklists for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) care, basic life support and operation of automated external defibrillator (BLS), and subdural hemorrhage (SDH) care. The modified OSCE checklists were assessed for reliability, consistency, and validity. The innovative training included flipped classrooms, clinical simulation scenarios, ITII and blended learning formats. Results The reliability and validity of the OSCE checklists developed in this study were acceptable and comparable or higher than checklists in past studies and could be utilized as an OSCE performance tool. Students in innovative instruction obtained significantly better OSCE performance, lab scores and improvements from the previous year’s grades. Significant differences were found in situational awareness (SA). No strong correlations were found between OSCE scores and clinical internship scores, and no significant differences were found between the groups in overall clinical internship performance. Conclusions Innovative instruction showed better performance than conventional methods in summative evaluation of knowledge components, OSCE formative evaluation and clinical nursing internship scores, as well as improved situational awareness in nursing students.

ADDRESSING THEMES RELATED TO STOMATHERAPY IN UNDERGRADUATE NURSING EDUCATION: DOCUMENT ANALYSIS

Objective: discuss the approach of themes related to stomatherapy in Pedagogical Projects (PP) and syllabuses of undergraduate nursing courses from public institutions of higher education (PIHE) in the Brazilian Midwest. Method: documentary research, exploratory, with a qualitative approach, developed from March to June 2020. The nursing courses were located through access to the Ministry of Education’s online portal (e-MEC) and the PP and the subject syllabuss were accessed, when available. Results: The sample consisted of 17 graduation nursing courses. Themes related to stomatherapy are present in mandatory, elective or extension activities. It was identified a predominance of wound content in mandatory subjects, and the themes ostomy and incontinence are offered mainly in elective subjects or extension activities. Conclusion: the research aims to offer the PIHE subsidies for reflection and curriculum evaluation in the dissemination of topics related to stomatherapy in higher education in nursing.

Cultural Competence and Cultural Sensitivity Education in University Nursing Courses. A Scoping Review

When assessing the fragility that characterizes the health of an immigrant person, a culturally competent transformation of the nurse–patient teaching-learning process is necessary. Therefore, it is considered essential to incorporate cultural competence and intercultural communication in higher nursing education.ObjectiveTo determine the content and knowledge of cultural competence and intercultural communication offered in higher education in nursing courses.DesignThe Campinha-Bacote model of cultural competence was used as the primary reference.MethodA scoping review was conducted about studies published in the period 2003 and 2020. The research was conducted between May and October 2020. More than a hundred documents (books, chapters, articles, conference proceedings) have been consulted.ResultsUndergraduate nursing courses and postgraduate education move toward promoting cultural competence and sensitivity through teaching strategies.ConclusionsTeaching projects that combine multiple competencies are more effective, including teacher training. A predominant element is a need for continuous and transversal projects. University nursing education must adapt culturally competent curricula.

The assistance to families with cancer through the Calgary Model: contributions to the teaching of nursing in public health

The aim of this study is describing the importance of teaching the Calgary Model in nursing courses, to develop its application in the care of families with cancer in public health. This is a descriptive study of literature review about 10 national and international scientific works. The analysis of the results was performed in a qualitative and descriptive method. It became evidenced the relevance of the insertion of the Calgary Model in teaching, in nursing courses to promote active learning of students about the evaluation and intervention of families with cancer in public health, developing care under the Family Health Strategy. Thus, highlighting the importance of teaching focused on practices since the beginning of academic training so that students can be experiencing the reality.