Person-centred care and online pedagogy in nursing education: a discussion paper

AIM

To discuss person-centred care in nursing education and the role of online pedagogy to facilitate meaninful learning.

BACKGROUND

The core principles and values of person-centred care are at the centre of national and international healthcare education. Person-centred care recognises partnerships and relationships between nurses, healthcare practitioners and individual patients, carers and their families and part of the training of healthcare professionals. However, the literature on how person-centred care is taught to facilitate meaningful learning in nursing education particularly in the context of online pedagogy is limited.

DESIGN

A critical discussion paper.

METHODS

A critical discussion of person-centred care and online pedagogy that can facilitate teaching practices are presented, drawing on authors' positionality and case exemplars.

RESULTS

Teaching person-centred care using online pedagogy appears to have a promising impact on undergraduate and postgraduate nursing students' experiences. Engaging students in critical examination and reflection on the complexities of person-centred care in practice creates meaningful experiential learning for both students and educators.

CONCLUSION

Evidence suggests that the use of online pedagogy is a beneficial and effective way to incorporate the teaching of person-centred care into nursing education, yet more evidence is needed to evaluate its impact on nursing practice.

The predicting factors of chronic pain among nursing students: a national study in Iran

BACKGROUND

Nursing students are faced with a variety of challenges that demand effective cognitive and emotional resources. The physical and psychological well-being of the students plays a key part in the public health of the community. Despite the special lifestyle of nursing students, few studies have addressed chronic pain in this population. Accordingly, the present study aims to identify the predictors of chronic pain among nursing students.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,719 nursing students aged 18-42 years, between February and November 2019. Sampling was carried out in several stages. Data were collected using seven instruments, namely a demographics survey, the characteristics of chronic pain form, Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the Bar-on Emotional Quotient Inventory, Academic Satisfaction Scale, and Procidano and Heller Social Support Scale. Descriptive statistics, multinomial logistic regression, and regression models were used to describe the characteristics of the pain and its predictive factors.

RESULTS

The average age of the participants was 22.4 ± 2.96 years. The results of univariate analysis showed that gender (P = 0.506), mother's education (P = 0.056, P = 0.278, P = 0.278), father's education (P = 0.817, P = 0.597, P = 0.41), place of residence (P = 0.215), depression (P = 0.501), grade point average (P = 0.488), academic satisfaction (P = 0.183) and chronic pain weren't significantly correlated with chronic pain in nursing students. The results of the multiple logistic regression models showed that chronic pain was positively correlated with age, social support, state anxiety, and trait anxiety (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 1.02-1.12; OR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.93-0.97; OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02-1.05; and OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 0.95-1.99; respectively).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of chronic pain was relatively high in these students. In addition, age, social support, and anxiety could be important factors in the development or persistence of chronic pain in nursing students. The results also provided basic and essential information about the contributing factors in this area. However, consideration of factors such as referral for treatment, home medications for pain relief, and outcomes of chronic pain are suggested in future longitudinal studies.

Nursing students who identify as men; efficacy and persistence

AIM

To evaluate the efficacy of nursing students who identify as men and its correlation with intent to complete their nursing program.

BACKGROUND

Men are an underrepresented population in nursing, despite mandates to improve the diversity of the nursing profession. There also exists a nursing shortage, that is worsening as nurses retire or change professions. Improving the recruitment and retention of men in nursing could have a positive impact on both of these problems.

DESIGN

Quantitative correlational research METHODS: The Belongingness Scale-Clinical Placement Experience instrument was used to measure efficacy and one item from the Undergraduate Nursing Intention Survey was used to measure the student's intent to complete their nursing program. A SurveyMonkey link was sent by the National Student Nursing Association to those students who identified in their database as men and were enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. The inclusion criteria required that the participants identified as a man, were a student in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and they had one or more years of clinical experience in their nursing program. Students who have completed one or more years of clinical experience, have completed all nursing pre-requisites and a portion of their nursing courses. At this point in a nursing program, the students' age would be 18 years of age or older. Inclusion criteria or 18 years of age or older would also make the consent process easier, as the study would not include a vulnerable population.

RESULTS

There were 290 responses, 252 of which met inclusion criteria and completed the survey in its entirety. The dependent variable, student intent to complete their nursing program, was not normally distributed. For this reason, Spearman's correlation and eta squared were used for statistical evaluation. Spearman's correlation was significant at 0.05 and eta squared demonstrated effect size at 0.01, 0.06 and 0.14 for small, medium and large effect sizes, respectively. Spearman's rho, p=0.147, demonstrated a correlation between efficacy and student intent to complete their nursing program. The eta squared effect size was 0.96 which represented a large effect.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing students who identify as men could demonstrate improved persistence in their nursing programs if effective interventions targeting efficacy were undertaken.

Emotional intelligence and self-esteem among Saudi Arabian and Indian nursing students: findings from two countries

INTRODUCTION

Understanding the emotional intelligence (EI) and self-esteem of Indian and Saudi nursing students is important because their future nurse-patient relationships may be influenced by factors related to their unique cultural contexts. Hence, this study sought to investigate the EI and self-esteem of nursing students in Saudi Arabia and India.

METHODS

A descriptive-comparative research design was used to compare 660 nursing students from Saudi Arabia and India who were enrolled in the study from September 2022 to January 2023. Nursing students were recruited from University A in Riyadh and University B in Abha, Saudi Arabia, and from University C in India.

RESULTS

The study found significant differences in EI scores based on year of study (p < .011), age (p < .024), residence (p < .005), and academic performance (p < .008). Students in later years, over 20 years old, from urban areas, and with good grades, had higher EI scores. Conversely, only age showed a significant difference in the self-esteem scores (p < .002). The year of study (p > .670), residence (p > .430), and academic performance (p > .526) did not significantly affect self-esteem. Finally, urban residence and good academic performance were significant predictors of EI (p < .005), while none of the demographics predicted self-esteem (p > .005).

CONCLUSION

Higher emotional intelligence among nursing students can be associated with several variables, such as being in the higher years of study, older age, residing in an urban area, and good academic performance, whereas self-esteem appears to be hardly affected by these indicators but probably influenced by other aspects that were not measured. This implies that educators in relation to self-esteem should know the relationship between emotional intelligence and nursing practice besides healthcare establishments; they need to enhance their teaching methods so that learners can have more resilient attitudes towards work, provide quality patient care, and promote a better learning environment for nurses who will become stronger professionally in the future.

The role of perceived stress and social support in nursing students' satisfaction with their initial clinical placement: A cross-sectional study

AIM

To explore: a) students' perceived stress, social support and satisfaction with their initial clinical placement; and b) identify the relationship between perceived stress, social support and student's satisfaction with their initial clinical placement.

BACKGROUND

Clinical placements are a central element in shaping future nursing professionals. Students' satisfaction with clinical placements influences their learning outcomes and intention to continue their studies. Students experience stress from various sources during their clinical placements and social support has been found to moderate their stress. However, there is a paucity of studies addressing the associations between perceived stress, social support and satisfaction with the initial clinical placement.

DESIGN

Quantitative cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Participants included 165s-year nursing students enrolled in the bachelor's program at a central university in Israel during their initial clinical placement. Data were collected between December 2022 and February 2023 using an online questionnaire that contained four parts: personal details, perceived social support, perceived stress and satisfaction with clinical placement.

RESULTS

Students' perceived stress was found to be negatively correlated to satisfaction with their clinical instructor (r = -0.47, p < 0.001) and with their clinical placement (r = -0.47, p < 0.001). Positive associations were found between satisfaction with the clinical placement and satisfaction with the clinical instructor (r = 0.67, p < 0.001). Significant differences were found in perceived stress and social support according to sociodemographic characteristics. Students perceived stress, social support from family and friends and satisfaction with their clinical instructor explained 54% of their satisfaction with their initial clinical placements.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical instructors and nurse educators are central to students' initial clinical experience. It is recommended that they assess students' perceived stress in the clinical environment, integrate stress reduction strategies into the curriculum and encourage students to turn to various sources for social support. These can promote students' satisfaction and success in their studies.

Preparedness for a first clinical placement in nursing: a descriptive qualitative study

BACKGROUND

A first clinical placement for nursing students is a challenging period involving translation of theoretical knowledge and development of an identity within the healthcare setting; it is often a time of emotional vulnerability. It can be a pivotal moment for ambivalent nursing students to decide whether to continue their professional training. To date, student expectations prior to their first clinical placement have been explored in advance of the experience or gathered following the placement experience. However, there is a significant gap in understanding how nursing students' perspectives about their first clinical placement might change or remain consistent following their placement experiences. Thus, the study aimed to explore first-year nursing students' emotional responses towards and perceptions of their preparedness for their first clinical placement and to examine whether initial perceptions remain consistent or change during the placement experience.

METHODS

The research utilised a pre-post qualitative descriptive design. Six focus groups were undertaken before the first clinical placement (with up to four participants in each group) and follow-up individual interviews (n = 10) were undertaken towards the end of the first clinical placement with first-year entry-to-practice postgraduate nursing students. Data were analysed thematically.

RESULTS

Three main themes emerged: (1) adjusting and managing a raft of feelings, encapsulating participants' feelings about learning in a new environment and progressing from academia to clinical practice; (2) sinking or swimming, comprising students' expectations before their first clinical placement and how these perceptions are altered through their clinical placement experience; and (3) navigating placement, describing relationships between healthcare staff, patients, and peers.

CONCLUSIONS

This unique study of first-year postgraduate entry-to-practice nursing students' perspectives of their first clinical placement adds to the extant knowledge. By examining student experience prior to and during their first clinical placement experience, it is possible to explore the consistency and change in students' narratives over the course of an impactful experience. Researching the narratives of nursing students embarking on their first clinical placement provides tertiary education institutions with insights into preparing students for this critical experience.

The mediating effects of self-efficacy and study engagement on the relationship between specialty identity and career maturity of Chinese nursing students: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Career maturity is a crucial indicator of career preparedness and unpreparedness can cause the turnover of new nurses. Considerable empirical work demonstrates the potential associations between specialty identity, self-efficacy, study engagement, and career maturity. This study aimed to explore the mediation role of self-efficacy and study engagement on the relationships between specialty identity and career maturity among Chinese nursing students.

METHODS

Four hundred twenty-six Chinese nursing students were recruited between September 11 and October 30, 2022. The online survey was conducted following the CHERRIES checklist. Electronic questionnaires assessed their perceived specialty identity, self-efficacy, study engagement, and career maturity. The descriptive analysis, Harman single-factor analysis, Pearson correlation tests, structural equation modeling, and the bootstrap method were employed in data analysis.

RESULTS

Bivariate correlation analysis identified a positive correlation between specialty identity, self-efficacy, study engagement, and career maturity (r = 0.276-0.440, P < 0.001). Self-efficacy and study engagement partially mediated the relationship between specialty identity and career maturity. Self-efficacy and study engagement played a chain mediating role between specialty identity and career maturity.

CONCLUSIONS

The underlying mechanism can explain the relationships between specialty identity and career maturity: a direct predictor and an indirect effect through self-efficacy and study engagement. Policymakers and educators should emphasize the importance of specialty identity and provide tailored strategies for improving care maturity depending on nursing students' specialty identity, self-efficacy, study engagement in the early stages of career development.

Stress, mental health, and protective factors in nursing students: An observational study

BACKGROUND

Nursing students suffer high levels of stress, especially in the first year.

OBJECTIVES

to compare academic stress at the beginning and end of nursing studies; to analyse the relationships between academic stress, mental health, and protective factors; and to examine whether resilience mitigates the effect of academic stress on psychological well-being.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Sample was 370 first- and fourth-year nursing students from Spain (University of Castilla-La Mancha, University of Cantabria, and University of Sevilla).

VARIABLES AND DATA COLLECTION

We assessed academic and clinical stress, coping skills, anxiety, depression, psychological well-being, and resilience were measured.

DATA ANALYSIS

We performed a descriptive analysis of the study sample, as well as correlation and hierarchical regression models. Additionally, mediation models were estimated.

RESULTS

First-year students presented higher academic stress than fourth-year students. Clinical stress, anxiety, depression, and emotional coping predicted academic stress, while academic stress, depression, and coping skills predicted psychological well-being. Mediation models showed a significant path between academic stress, resilience, depression, and psychological well-being.

CONCLUSION

Academic stress has a detrimental effect on the mental health. Coping strategies and resilience may be protective factors that should be encouraged in interventions designed to improve psychological well-being.

Perceptions of spirituality and predictors of competence in spiritual care among nursing students in five middle eastern countries: A cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Spiritual Care is integral to holistic nursing; however, it often remains underprovided due to a lack of education.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined perceptions of spirituality and predictors of competence in spiritual care among nursing students in Middle Eastern countries.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional survey was used.

PARTICIPANT/SETTING

Nursing students (n = 785) from five universities in Middle Eastern countries were included.

METHODS

Participants completed the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale-Arabic and Spiritual Care Competency Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of perceived competence in spiritual care.

RESULTS

Nursing students showed positive attitudes towards spirituality, with a mean score of 5.1 (SD = 0.60) on the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale-Arabic. However, their perceived competence in providing spiritual care was low to moderate with a mean score of 79.0 (SD = 32.0) on the Spiritual Care Competency Scale. The bivariate analysis indicated significant relationships between students' spiritual care competence and gender, previous exposure to spirituality education, willingness to undergo spirituality training, and total spirituality score. Finally, significant predictors of higher competence included regular admission status, prior spiritual education, willingness to undergo spiritual care training, and higher personal spirituality scores.

CONCLUSION

Nursing students in the Middle East have positive attitudes towards spirituality, but low to moderate competence in providing spiritual care. The influence of personal spirituality on competence underscores the importance of fostering a supportive environment for students to reflect on their beliefs. Comprehensive curriculum revisions and training programs, along with the recognition of the impact of personal spirituality, are essential to prepare future nurses for holistic people's care.

Fostering belonging and social connectedness in nursing: Evidence-based strategies: A discussion paper for nurse students, faculty, leaders, and clinical nurses

BACKGROUND

The phenomenon of loneliness among healthcare providers, particularly nurses, has garnered increasing attention due to its detrimental effects on individual well-being and professional retention. The isolation experienced by nurses has been linked to heightened turnover rates and intentions to leave the profession, posing significant challenges to healthcare systems globally. Recognizing loneliness as an epidemic in 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General highlighted the urgency of addressing this issue within the healthcare workforce.

PURPOSE

This paper explores evidence-based strategies to mitigate loneliness and promote social connectedness among nurses, drawing insights from various stakeholders. It aims to offer actionable recommendations to enhance the nursing experience and retain professionals in the field.

DISCUSSION

Strategies include peer support programs, mentorship initiatives, wellness activities, and fostering open communication. Leveraging technology for virtual connections is also highlighted, especially in remote work scenarios.

CONCLUSION

A holistic approach is vital, combining individual, interpersonal, and systemic interventions to combat nurse loneliness. Prioritizing social connectedness fosters a supportive work environment, benefiting both nurses and patient care quality.

Disaster response self-efficacy of nursing students: Perceived level and associated factors

OBJECTIVES

The study aimed to assess the level of disaster response self-efficacy (DRSE) among nursing students in Bangladesh and examine the factors influencing their level of DRSE.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study design was used for this research. A self-administered descriptive structured questionnaire was used to collect survey data from 573 students of nursing colleges in four districts: Chattogram, Dhaka, Khulna, and Rajshahi. The Bengali version of the DRSE Scale was adopted and used to measure the outcome variable.

RESULTS

The nursing students exhibited a moderate level of disaster response self-efficacy (Mean = 3.63; SD = 0.73), as well as moderate levels of knowledge (Mean = 3.87; SD = 0.71), skills (Mean = 4.24; SD = 0.91), and preparedness (Mean = 4.31; SD = 0.76) in disaster management. Significant positive correlations were found between respondents' disaster knowledge (r = 0.447, p < 0.01), skills (r = 0.516, p < 0.01), and preparedness (r = 0.701, p < 0.01) with disaster response self-efficacy. Gender, age, having children in the household, post-basic BSc in nursing students, and disaster knowledge were significantly associated with nursing students' DRSE. Female respondents had a 0.27-unit lower DRSE (β = -0.270 (95 % CI: -0.389, -0.115), p < 0.001) than male respondents. Besides, the respondents per unit increase in disaster knowledge occurred a 0.438-unit increase in DRSE (β = 0.438 (95 % CI: 0.367, 0.510), p < 0.001). However, no statistically significant associations were found between the respondents' disaster experience and disaster-related training with their DRSE scores.

CONCLUSION

Improving disaster management knowledge by including disaster management-related courses and organizing more training, drills, seminars, and workshops may improve their DRSE.

Competency gap among graduating nursing students: what they have achieved and what is expected of them

BACKGROUND

Nurses' professional competencies play a significant role in providing safe care to patients. Identifying the acquired and expected competencies in nursing education and the gaps between them can be a good guide for nursing education institutions to improve their educational practices.

METHODS

In a descriptive-comparative study, students' perception of acquired competencies and expected competencies from the perspective of the Iranian nursing faculties were collected with two equivalent questionnaires consisting of 85 items covering 17 competencies across 5 domains. A cluster sampling technique was employed on 721 final-year nursing students and 365 Iranian nursing faculties. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent t-tests.

RESULTS

The results of the study showed that the highest scores for students' acquired competencies and nursing faculties' expected competencies were work readiness and professional development, with mean of 3.54 (SD = 0.39) and 4.30 (SD = 0.45), respectively. Also, the lowest score for both groups was evidence-based nursing care with mean of 2.74 (SD = 0.55) and 3.74 (SD = 0.57), respectively. The comparison of competencies, as viewed by both groups of the students and the faculties, showed that the difference between the two groups' mean scores was significant in all 5 core-competencies and 17 sub-core competencies (P < .001). Evidence-based nursing care was the highest mean difference (mean diff = 1) and the professional nursing process with the lowest mean difference (mean diff = 0.70).

CONCLUSION

The results of the study highlight concerns about the gap between expected and achieved competencies in Iran. Further research is recommended to identify the reasons for the gap between the two and to plan how to reduce it. This will require greater collaboration between healthcare institutions and nursing schools.

Effect of simulation-based zoom learning on clinical decision-making among undergraduate nursing students and experiences of students and instructors: A mixed methods study

Aim

To determine the effect of simulation-based Zoom learning (SBZL) on perceived capabilities and clinical decision-making skills among undergraduate nursing students and to explore experiences of the instructors and students participating in SBZL.

Background

Nursing is a practice profession and students acquire clinical decision-making skills in clinical settings. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted conventional clinical learning activities. In this study, the outcomes of implementing SBZL in an undergraduate programme to support students' clinical learning were examined.

Design

A mixed methods design was employed.

Methods

This study recruited 195 final-year students to participate in the SBZL programme, which was developed based on the NLN Jeffries Simulation Theory to guide its design, implementation and evaluation. Case scenarios were developed and simulated through Zoom. Students' perceived capabilities, perceptions of the learning environment and clinical decision-making skills were assessed before and after SBZL. A historical control group of 226 previous final year students who had received a clinical practicum was included for comparison. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 instructors and 19 students to explore their experiences of participating in SBZL.

Results

A total of 102 students completed the post-SBZL questionnaire. An increase in perceived creative thinking (mean difference = 0.24, p < 0.001) was observed post-SBZL. After SBZL, the perceptions of the learning environment were significantly improved. However, the SBZL group demonstrated lower perceived problem-solving capability than the control group (mean difference = 0.14, p = 0.007). Clinical decision-making was significantly improved in the SBZL group than in the control group (p < 0.001). Both the instructors and students reported positive experiences with SBZL, and highlighted challenges and factors for improving its implementation.

Conclusions

SBZL showed improvement in perceived creative thinking, perceptions of the learning environment and clinical decision-making. This innovative teaching and learning method can be valuable for nursing education in various regions to prepare students for real-life roles.

Tweetable abstract

Simulation-based Zoom learning is better than traditional teaching in improving clinical decision-making skills among undergraduate nursing students.

Nursing students' expectations of group supervision while writing a bachelor thesis: A pre-post survey

BACKGROUND

Writing a bachelor thesis has a central role in nursing education. Nursing students require both information and academic literacy in order to write their theses, and there is an expectation that these skills will contribute to putting their knowledge into practice.

OBJECTIVES

To describe students' perceptions of the student and supervisor roles and to investigate students' experienced self-efficacy during the supervision of their bachelor thesis.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional pre-post design.

SETTINGS

Four universities were included. All four had bachelor thesis courses organized as a group supervision process, with a student active approach. Nursing students met together one hour prior to meeting with their supervisor, in order to discuss concerns, try to solve upcoming problems, and plan the agenda for the upcoming supervision session.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 472 undergraduate nursing students were invited to participate.

METHODS

A web-based questionnaire was used, incorporating the Supervision of Thesis Questionnaire and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Data were collected at two points: before and after the thesis course. Descriptive statistics and frequencies were calculated, and the independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U test were used for analytic analysis.

RESULTS

The response rate was 39 % (160/472) pre-course and 28 % (130/472) post-course. Nursing students had high expectations of supervision at both time points. Students reporting high self-efficacy had higher expectations of the supervisor's knowledge of the subject and the methods, compared to those reporting lower self-efficacy.

CONCLUSIONS

Nursing students reported high expectations for the supervision process, the supervisor, and themselves, both when entering and when ending the bachelor thesis course. Self-efficacy may contribute to these expectations. Active learning in a group (i.e., collaborative learning) may contribute to nursing students' commitment during the group supervision process in a bachelor thesis course. Further studies are warranted on the optimal group composition to support learning during bachelor thesis courses.

Rising gamification in health education: A bibliometric study

BACKGROUND

The rising gamification in educational contexts has been driven by its potential to increase student motivation, engagement, interest and learning outcomes. Thanks to these effects, gamification has gained popularity in health education. Due to the increase in studies on gamification in health education in recent years, this study has been carried out to present the studies in the relevant literature to researchers.

AIM

This study presents a quantitative mapping of gamification in health education through a bibliometric analysis of its publications.

METHODS

In this study, a total of 475 articles were analyzed by searching "health education*" and "gamif*" and similar terms from Web of Science and Scopus databases. R bibliometric package program was used for the analysis. 1971 authors contributed to the studies, which were spread between 2012 and 2024. The number of studies on gamification in the field of health education has grown in recent years. In particular, it was seen that 2018 can be seen as the breaking point and the highest number of publications was in 2023, with 101 publications.

RESULTS

The descriptive results showed that Zhang, X. was the most productive author, Nurse Education Today and BMC Medical Education were the most productive journals and the United States was the most productive country. It is concluded that terms such as gamification, medical education, game-based learning, education, serious games, simulation and e-learning are the most frequently used words in gamification studies in the field of health education. It has been observed that the concept of gamification is trending, especially in 2018-2023, with a frequency of 150 uses.

CONCLUSIONS

This study is expected to guide researchers in terms of key points for future research on gamification in health education contexts. It is expected that the knowledge provided by this study will enable researchers to be involved in this field and/or focus their research more effectively.

Nursing students' perspectives on patients' safety competencies: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Nurses constitute the largest body of healthcare professionals globally, positioning them at the forefront of enhancing patient safety. Despite their crucial role, there is a notable gap in the literature regarding the comprehension and competency of nursing students in patient safety within Egypt. This gap underscores the urgent need for research to explore how nursing students perceive patient safety and the extent to which these competencies are integrated into their clinical and educational experiences. Understanding these perspectives is essential for developing targeted interventions that can significantly improve patient safety outcomes. The objective of this study was to fill this gap by assessing the perspectives of nursing intern students on patient safety competencies, thereby contributing to the global efforts in enhancing patient safety education and practice.

METHODS

In this research, a cross-sectional study design was employed to investigate the topic at hand. A purposive sample of 266 nursing intern students was enrolled from the Faculty of Nursing at Mansoura University. The data were collected using a patient safety survey. Subsequently, the collected data underwent analysis through the application of descriptive and inferential statistical techniques using SPSS-20 software.

RESULTS

Among the studied intern nursing students, we found that 55.3% and 59.4% of the involved students agreed that they could understand the concept of patient safety and the burden of medical errors. Regarding clinical safety issues, 51.1% and 54.9% of the participating students agreed that they felt confident in what they had learned about identifying patients correctly and avoiding surgical errors, respectively. Concerning error reporting issues, 40.2% and 37.2% of the involved students agreed that they were aware of error reports and enumerated the barriers to incident reporting, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the nursing student patient safety overview domain and their age (p = 0.025).

CONCLUSIONS

Our study's compelling data demonstrated that intern students who took part in the patient safety survey scored higher overall in all patient safety-related categories. However, problems with error reporting showed the lowest percentage. The intern students would benefit from additional educational and training workshops to increase their perspectives on patients' safety competencies.

Effectiveness of simulation-based interventions on empathy enhancement among nursing students: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to secure and analyze evidence regarding the enhancement of nursing students' empathy through simulation-based interventions. It comprehensively analyzed self-reported emotions and reactions as primary outcomes, along with the results reported by nursing students who experienced simulation-based interventions, including empathy.

METHODS

This systematic literature review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of simulation-based interventions on enhancing empathy among nursing students. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were used for the systematic review and meta-analysis. The following details were considered: population, nursing students; intervention, simulation-based interventions targeting empathy enhancement; comparators, control groups without intervention or those undergoing general non-simulation-based classes; and outcomes, self-reported empathy.

RESULTS

In the systematic review of 28 studies, it was found that the use of simulation-based interventions among nursing students led to an increase in empathy, albeit with a small effect size. This was demonstrated through a pooled, random-effects meta-analysis, yielding an effect size (Hedge's g) of 0.35 (95% CI: 0.14, 0.57, p = 0.001). The results of meta-regression and subgroup analysis significantly increased in empathy for studies published after 2019 (Hedge's g = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.73, p < 0.001), quasi-experimental research design (Hedge's g = 0.51, 95% CI: 0.27 to 0.74, p < 0.001), more than 60 participants (Hedge's g = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.02 to 0.59, p = 0.034), and simulation-based interventions in nursing education (Hedge's g = 0.43, 95% CI: 0.22 to 0.65, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Considering factors such as variations in sample size, research approaches, and the effects of independent studies on empathy, this systematic literature review and meta-analysis suggests that simulation-based education can significantly improve nursing students' overall empathy skills.

Nursing students' stressors and coping strategies during their first clinical training: a qualitative study in the United Arab Emirates

BACKGROUND

Understanding the stressors and coping strategies of nursing students in their first clinical training is important for improving student performance, helping students develop a professional identity and problem-solving skills, and improving the clinical teaching aspects of the curriculum in nursing programmes. While previous research have examined nurses' sources of stress and coping styles in the Arab region, there is limited understanding of these stressors and coping strategies of nursing students within the UAE context thereby, highlighting the novelty and significance of the study.

METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews. Overall 30 students who were undergoing their first clinical placement in Year 2 at the University of Sharjah between May and June 2022 were recruited. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analyzed for themes.

RESULTS

During their first clinical training, nursing students are exposed to stress from different sources, including the clinical environment, unfriendly clinical tutors, feelings of disconnection, multiple expectations of clinical staff and patients, and gaps between the curriculum of theory classes and labatories skills and students' clinical experiences. We extracted three main themes that described students' stress and use of coping strategies during clinical training: (1) managing expectations; (2) theory-practice gap; and (3) learning to cope. Learning to cope, included two subthemes: positive coping strategies and negative coping strategies.

CONCLUSIONS

This qualitative study sheds light from the students viewpoint about the intricate interplay between managing expectations, theory practice gap and learning to cope. Therefore, it is imperative for nursing faculty, clinical agencies and curriculum planners to ensure maximum learning in the clinical by recognizing the significance of the stressors encountered and help students develop positive coping strategies to manage the clinical stressors encountered. Further research is required look at the perspective of clinical stressors from clinical tutors who supervise students during their first clinical practicum.

"They bring the topic [of social justice] but stop there": Nursing students' perceptions of teaching practices that develop awareness and engagement with social justice

BACKGROUND

Pedagogical frameworks grounded in social justice, such as decolonizing and anti-racist educational practices, are essential in nursing programs. While scholars have begun to examine nurse educators' conceptualizations of social justice, there remains a lack of knowledge about student perspectives regarding nurse educators' approaches to incorporating social justice in education.

OBJECTIVE

To understand nursing students' perceptions about educational strategies that develop critical awareness and engagement with social justice and positively influence professional practice.

DESIGN

A qualitative study informed by Critical Feminist Pedagogy and guided by Interpretive Description methodology.

SETTINGS

A school of nursing in Western Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

Ten undergraduate and graduate nursing students recruited through convenience sampling.

METHODS

Students participated in one-on-one semi-structured interviews. A set of questions developed to facilitate data analysis allowed the deconstruction of the data to identify broad-based inductive categories. Contrast and comparison methods were also used. Members of the research team provided analytic insights into the categories, and subsequently, all members discussed the findings and developed the interpretive frame.

RESULTS

Student participants reported that educational strategies promoting awareness and engagement with social justice need to go beyond superficial engagement and awareness of social justice. Researchers' analysis suggests that cohesiveness between awareness and action in social justice is urgently needed within academia to adopt a decolonizing and anti-racist pedagogy in nursing and better prepare students for professional practice. From the data analysis, teaching strategies that enhance cohesiveness include: embracing personal development, creating community spaces and disrupting knowledge and curriculum hierarchies.

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding students' perceptions and incorporating their suggestions is critical to integrating socially just teaching practices that embrace a learner-centred pedagogy. Our findings offer suggestions for teaching strategies that foster critical awareness and engagement with social justice. Combined, these contribute to our understanding of signature pedagogies in nursing with the intention of increasing the adoption of anti-racist and decolonizing approaches.

Emotional and Psychological Experiences of Nursing students caring for Dying Patients: A phenomenology study at Mulago National Hospital, Uganda

Introduction

Caring for dying patients is associated with psychological trauma, strong emotions and enormous stress for nursing staff and nursing students who are relied on by patients and relatives in such difficult situations. Although nurses have an ability of self-control and calm approach towards death, there are still some emotions they need to "work through". Research studies have documented limited exposure of nursing students to end-of-life care and inadequate understanding of the psychological and emotional experiences they encounter during clinical placements. This study explored the psychological and emotional experiences of Ugandan student nurses on caring for the dying patients at Mulago national referral hospital during clinical placement.

Methods

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted among fifteen undergraduate nursing students of Makerere University in clinical placement at Mulago hospital. An In-depth interview guide was used to gather data on nursing students' emotional and psychological experiences and coping mechanisms. Data was audio recorded, verbatim transcribed and thematically analyzed using Atlas. ti version 6 software.

Results

The nursing students emotional and psychological experiences when caring for dying patients were emerged into two themes; (1) Psychological and emotional reactions, (2) Coping mechanisms. The sub themes were; anger, anxiety and depression which is triggered by a combination of issues of pressure from relatives, failure to save the dying patient, thoughts of wasted efforts to reverse the dying process, limited resources, limited technical and emotional support. The students cope by seeking help from peers, engagement in problem solving, distancing from patients, spirituality and engaging in personal stress reducing activities.

Conclusion

Insights from this study provide educators with a snapshot of student encounters, emotions, and coping strategies when facing dying patients and their families. Nursing students experience various negative emotional and psychological stressors triggered by a combination of issues that need to be addressed during care of dying patients. However, they devise different coping mechanisms to continue with provision of necessary end of life care as the clinical placement contributes to their learning, experience and builds confidence among student nurses.

Professional self-concept of BSN students: A cross-sectional correlational study

BACKGROUND

Professional self-concept consists of one's judgments, attitudes about oneself professionally, and one's own perception as a professional. A positive professional self-concept can support students and new nurses throughout their nursing careers.

OBJECTIVE

To describe levels of self-concept among pre-licensure undergraduate students.

PARTICIPANTS/SETTING

The participants were nursing students in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program in the United States.

DESIGN/METHODS

This is a cross-sectional correlational study with self-report instruments, including demographics and the Professional Self-Concept of Nurses Instrument. Data (N = 103) were analyzed with SPSS/WIN 29.0. Descriptive statistics and professional self-concept scores were examined with independent t-tests, ANOVA, and Pearson's correlations.

RESULTS

Most participants were female (n = 90), with a mean age of 20 years (SD = 1). The mean professional self-concept of nurses score was 78 (SD = 7), ranging from 27 to 108, and professional self-concept was positively correlated with receiving tutoring through the university's program, working as a tutor for nursing students or students in prerequisite classes, transferring into the nursing program, and participating in campus nursing organizations. Professional self-concept was negatively correlated with advancement in semesters of the nursing program, being a first-generation college student, having a family member who is a nurse, GPA, and having clinical-related work experience in healthcare.

CONCLUSIONS

Higher levels of exposure to nursing may be related to lower professional self-concept. This is important to recognize and it may generalize to other nursing schools and health-related departments. Schools of nursing should enhance students' resilience by promoting self-concept. Our findings also shade light on self-care and the mental health of healthcare professionals.

Experiences of nursing students in A peer mentoring program during their clinical practices. A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Clinical placements allow nursing students to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to provide care. Peer mentoring programmes seem to facilitate these achievements, but there are very few studies on the effects of peer mentoring on clinical placements and what it can bring to both mentors and mentees.

AIM

To describe the perspectives of nursing students on a peer mentoring programme during their clinical placements.

DESIGN

A qualitative descriptive and exploratory study.

SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS

First year and third year nursing students were included.

METHODS

Focus groups were conducted with students after they participated in a peer mentoring programme during their clinical practice rotation.

RESULTS

The support received from the student mentors was very important both academically and personally. Mentors also acknowledged having improved their teaching and leadership skills.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results can be applied to future studies to inform peer mentoring programmes as a complementary teaching tool in clinical placements to improve leadership and empowerment in nursing students.

Nursing students' use of products and substances to reduce stress or improve cognition during exam periods

AIM

The aim of the project was to evaluate the prevalence, motivation and effects of the use of substances to improve cognitive function by nursing students during examination.

BACKGROUND

Exam periods are among the most stressful weeks of the academic year for nursing students. During these times, some students may use substances to support cognitive functions. Some of them are used despite their potential harmfulness, even by nursing students.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

The study was based on a voluntary, anonymous survey including 26 questions about use of various products belonging to food, dietary supplements, drugs, alcohol and tobacco. The study population was 221 students of nursing studying at Medical University of Warsaw.

RESULTS

During the exam session, the most frequently used substance was strong tea. Dietary supplements are less popular. The surveyed students rarely use procognitive prescription drugs. However, consumption of alcohol, cigarettes or marijuana during the session was lower than outside of it declared by 61.5 %, 28.5 % and 6.3 % respectively (while outside of the exam session, 80.1 %, 29.0 % and 11.8 %, respectively). As for the purpose of using, most students mention improving concentration and memory, but most are not sure whether the products they use help them achieve their goals. Nearly two-thirds of students are aware of the harmfulness of stimulants and therefore do not use them and the products they do use are relatively safe for health.

CONCLUSIONS

Most nursing students probably are aware of the harmfulness of listed products, especially belonging to prescription drugs, alcohol and stimulants and therefore do not use them. In turn, the products they use, such as chocolate or certain dietary supplements, are relatively safe for health, i.e. they do not cause dangerous addiction or side effects that may require seeking medical help. However, it is worrying that most of them regularly drink alcohol, many of them smoke tobacco and also use marijuana. The results do not indicate that a medical university and nursing vocational schools effectively promotes a healthy lifestyle for nursing students and changes in education in this area are necessary. A wide discussion on how to improve the health habits of future nurses should be taken.

Bibliometric and content analysis of ChatGPT research in nursing education: The rabbit hole in nursing education

AIM

This study was conducted to perform the bibliometric and content analysis of ChatGPT studies in nursing education.

BACKGROUND

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence-based chatbot developed by OpenAI. The benefits and limitations of the use of ChatGPT in nursing education are still discussed; however, it is a tool having potential to be used in nursing education.

DESIGN

Bibliometric and content analysis.

METHODS

The study data were scanned through Scopus and Web of Science. Bibliometric analysis was carried out with VOSViewer and Bibliometrix software. In the bibliometric analysis, science mapping and performance analysis techniques were used. Various bibliometric data, including most cited publications, journals and countries, were analyzed and visualized. The synthetic knowledge synthesis method was used in content analysis.

RESULTS

We analyzed 53 publications to which 151 authors contributed. The publications had been published in 29 different journals. The average number of citations of publications is 8.2. It was determined that most of the articles were published in Nurse Education Today and Nurse Educator journals and that the leading countries were the USA and Canada. It was observed that international cooperation on the issue was weak. The most frequently mentioned keywords in the publications were "ChatGPT", "artificial intelligence" and "nursing". The following three themes emerged after the content analysis: (1) Integration of ChatGPT into nursing education; (2) Potential benefits and limitations of ChatGPT; and (3) Stepping down the rabbit hole.

CONCLUSIONS

We expect that the results of the study can give nursing faculties and academics ideas about the current status of ChatGPT in nursing education and enable them to make inferences for the future.

Characteristics of background check findings in nursing students

BACKGROUND

Background checks are used in nursing education to assess public risk. To date, no study has described the most common and most serious findings in nursing students.

PURPOSE

Our study describes the most common and most serious characteristics of BGC findings in nursing students attending large universities.

METHOD

Our retrospective study describes characteristics of aggregated, de-identified background check data from a convenience sample of 16 US nursing programs set in large universities 2014-2019.

FINDINGS

Sampled programs collected 45,613 background checks, with 1548 findings (3.4 %). Severity of findings included criminal (62.5 %), non-criminal (4.6 %), felony (0.8 %), and other (11.6 %). Severity data were missing from 20.4 % of records. Finding types included substance use (23.7 %), disorderly conduct (8.7 %), property crimes (2.4 %) and crimes against persons (1 %). Type data was missing from 64.3 % of records.

DISCUSSION

Future research should examine whether background check type or severity indicates a nursing student poses a public risk.