Interpersonal skills mediate the relationship between communicative and clinical competencies among nursing students: A descriptive study

Collaborative learning linking nursing practice and education - Interview study with master's students and teachers

BACKGROUND

Collaborative and innovative educational approaches are essential to building nurses' competencies in responding to healthcare challenges and to enhance high-quality nursing practice. Nurses are increasingly learning in various contexts, and thus, the understanding and organising of collaborative learning needs further exploration.

AIM

To describe collaborative learning in nursing practice and education from the point of view of nurses, involved as students and teachers in master's education in nursing.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Qualitative study using semi-structured focus groups involving 33 nurses as master's students and teachers from Estonia and Norway. The data were analysed using inductive content analysis.

FINDINGS

The essence of collaborative learning in the context of nursing practice and education was identified as the aggregation of diverse learners' skills and reflections while working towards shared aims. This fostered the development of workplace competencies, professional attitudes, and personal growth. Organising collaborative learning requires careful planning and synchronisation between clinical and educational organisations.

CONCLUSIONS

Collaborative learning is an inclusive method, aiding nurses at different phases of their career to gain knowledge and enhance their soft skills, and potentially reducing professional hierarchies. Further research is needed to develop methods for evaluating the outcomes of collaborative learning.

Perceived competence and related factors affecting the development of the clinical competence of nursing students at two university sites in Namibia: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Ensuring that nursing students graduate with the required clinical competence in nursing is a global challenge. To address this challenge, several studies have looked at various aspects of competency and competency development, however there is scanty evidence on factors affecting development of clinical competency in nursing students. Therefore the, purpose of this study was to investigate nurses' perceived competence and related factors affecting the development of clinical competence of nursing students at two university sites in Namibia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional design was utilised. Simple random sampling was applied and 272 nursing students at two university campuses in Namibia were selected. An online questionnaire was used. Data were collected between April and May, 2022, over a period of six weeks, and were analysed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Chi-square and Spearman correlations were used to assess the associations and correlations, respectively, among the variables. Logistic regression was used to assess the factors associated with the development of clinical competence using a p-value < 0.05 confidence interval.

RESULTS

Forty-seven percent (47%) of the students were found to be competent while more than half (53%) were not. A Chi-square test found a statistically significant difference between students studying at different campuses and between different year levels (p =  < .05). A regression analysis showed that nursing educators' competence (β = .128; p = .36) had a positive influence on nursing students' competence levels, unlike the mode of learning (β = -.140; p = .013), which negatively predicted the development of clinical competence. No significant relationship was found between the development of clinical competence and teaching approaches, assessment, feedback, constructive alignment, theory-practice gap and reflective practice (p = ˃.05).

CONCLUSION

Educator's competence levels and the mode of learning were the two major factors that were more likely to influence the development of clinical competence among nursing students. Therefore, it is recommended that nursing training institutions prioritise the development of educators' competence and apply various modes of learning to enhance development of nursing students' competence.

Perceived professional preparedness and identity among senior nursing students: a latent profile Analysis

BACKGROUND

Senior nursing students' perceptions of their professional preparedness help them for expectations of their future nursing role with more confidence, and professional identity may contribute to cultivating nursing students' perceptions of professional preparedness. In this study we applied latent profile analysis to identify the latent profiles of perceived professional preparedness among senior nursing students and to examine their identity and predictors.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. A total of 319 senior nursing students from five universities in China were enrolled. Data were collected using the Perceived Professional Preparedness of Senior Nursing Students' Questionnaire and the Professional Identity Scale for Nursing Students.

RESULTS

Three latent profiles were identified and labeled as "low perceived professional preparedness" (n = 90, 28.2%), "low clinical competency-low EBP (Evidence-Based Practice)" (n = 190, 59.5%), and "high perceived professional preparedness" (n = 39, 12.2%). Place of residence, average clinical practicum hours per day, part-time experience, good relationships with classmates, and feeling nobility toward nursing due to COVID-19 significantly predicted profile membership. The average professional identity score was also statistically different across the three profiles (F = 54.69, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Senior nursing students' perceptions of their professional preparedness were divided into three profiles, and out results show that promoting professional identity may effectively foster their perceived professional preparedness. This study therefore highlights the importance of targeted interventions by considering their distinct perceptions of professional preparedness patterns.

Effectiveness of Using a Self-Directed Learning Program to Teach Physical Examination and Health Assessment Skills: A Quasi-Experimental Study

BACKGROUND

Conducting health assessments and physical examinations are essential skills for independent practice. Exploring how to teach these skills effectively is essential.

PURPOSE

This study was designed to validate the effectiveness of a self-directed learning program in improving nursing student outcomes in terms of their learning health assessment and physical examination skills.

METHOD

A quasi-experimental design was used, and second-year nursing students enrolled in a health assessment and physical examination course at a university of science and technology in central Taiwan were recruited using purposive sampling. Both the control and experimental groups were taught using a traditional teaching method. The experimental group additionally participated in a self-directed learning program. Structured questionnaires, including the Chinese version of the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale, Scales of Motivation and Learning Strategies, Interpersonal Skills Assessment Tool, the Course Satisfaction Evaluation Scale, and the Perception of Health Assessment and Physical Examination Competence Scale, were used to collect data at three time points.

RESULTS

After controlling for the effects of pretest scores, after the intervention, the experimental group achieved significantly higher scores than the control group for self-directed learning (creative learning and love of learning), learning motivation (goal orientation, work value, expected success, and test anxiety), and cognitive strategies (total score, elaboration strategy, recitation strategy, and monitoring strategy). In addition, the health assessment exercise improved interpersonal and communication skills, and learning satisfaction was significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group.

CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

A physical examination and health assessment course designed using the self-directed learning framework can effectively improve student competence in related skills to enhance their ability to assess patient health problems in clinical settings. This study presents an alternative approach to teaching health assessment and physical examination courses and validates the positive effect of this approach on student learning outcomes.

Self-directed learning and clinical competence: The mediating role of the clinical learning environment

Introduction

Recognizing the factors affecting clinical competence among internship nursing students is crucial. This study was aimed at determining the effects of self-directed learning on internship nursing students' clinical competence under the mediating role of the clinical learning environment.

Methods

This cross-sectional research was performed on 300 internship nursing students selected by convenience sampling with a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. Data were collected in one stage with three tools: the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education, Education Environment Measure, and Clinical Competence Questionnaire. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 21 and Smart-PLS version 3 with partial least squares-SEM. Measurement and structural model data were assessed with a significance threshold of p < 0.05.

Results

A total of 20.5 % of the variance in clinical competence was explained by self-directed and clinical learning environments. Self-directed learning had a significant positive effect on clinical competence (path coefficient = 0.14, 95 % CI: 0.02, 0.26; p = 0.027), and on the clinical learning environment (path coefficient = 0.41, 95 % CI: 0.31, 0.52; p < 0.001). A relationship was observed between the clinical learning environment and clinical competence (path coefficient = 0.38, 95 % CI: 0.25, 0.50; p < 0.001). The indirect effect of self-directed learning on clinical competence was positive and significant (path coefficient = 0.11, 95 % CI: 0.07, 0.17; p < 0.001). Self-directed learning had a significant total effect on clinical competence (path coefficient = 0.30, 95 % CI: 0.19, 0.40; p < 0.001).

Conclusions

According to the results, we recommend that nursing education managers and instructors consider plans to enhance self-directed learning among nursing students and improve the clinical learning environment.

Development and psychometric properties testing of the Non-Cognitive Skills Scale for nursing students

BACKGROUND

Non-cognitive skills are crucial for nursing students to achieve their academic performance successfully and perform clinical practice effectively. Although different non-cognitive assessment tools have been established in various disciplines, few are focused on nursing students.

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to develop and psychometrically validate the Non-Cognitive Skills Scale (NCSS) for nursing students.

DESIGN

Qualitative and quantitative research design.

SETTING

One university in Singapore.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 347 nursing educators and students participated in this study.

METHODS

A two-phase design was used. In the first phase, focus group discussions and literature reviews were conducted to generate the preliminary items of the NCSS. Content validity was established with an expert panel of 10 members, and the tool was pilot tested on 20 students. In the second phase, the number of items was reduced based on correlation coefficients and factor loading. The psychometric properties of the NCSS were tested on survey responses from 300 students. The Brief Resilience Scale, Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire, and Big Five Inventory-10 were used to investigate concurrent and convergent validity.

RESULTS

A 39-item six-factor NCSS was developed with satisfactory model fit indices (χ2/df: 1.60, IFI: 0.92, TLI: 0.90, CFI: 0.92 and RMSEA: 0.05). Content validity was confirmed with a content validity index of 0.90. A pilot test was conducted to improve readability and clarity. Known-group validity discriminated against age and gender group differences in a predictable way. Concurrent validity and convergent validity were confirmed with acceptable correlation coefficients. Cronbach's α was 0.91, and test-retest reliability was 0.84.

CONCLUSIONS

The NCSS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the non-cognitive attributes of nursing students. This scale can be considered an admission tool for selecting the suitability of nursing applicants for nursing programmes. Further validation of NCSS is needed using a longitudinal study design in multiple settings across countries.

Pediatric outpatient experiences of senior nursing students: A qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore the experiences of senior nursing students working in a pediatric outpatient clinic.

METHODS

This study adopted a descriptive phenomenological approach, through semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to select 12 senior nursing students in the pediatric outpatient clinic of West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, China, from August 2020 to March 2021. The collected data were analyzed using the Colaizzi method.

RESULTS

Four themes were identified in this study: knowledge and skills (triage, emergency care), communication (courage, communication skills), value re-evaluation (understand of outpatient nurses, judgment of outpatient nurses), and outpatient feelings (satisfaction, empathy, pressure).

CONCLUSION

Pediatric outpatient internships have a positive impact on senior nursing students. Research has found that constructing a nursing clinical practice pathway in pediatric outpatient clinics helps teachers and students clarify the objectives and content of internships, and the "shadow teaching" model is conducive to nursing students' empathy and thinking. In addition, outpatient internship experience can help students gain communication courage.

Factors associated with perceived resilience among unergraduate nursing students: findings of the first cross-sectional study in Palestine

BACKGROUND

Resilience has emerged as a concept that could explain and predict good academic and well-being of students in stressful and traumatic situations. This study was conducted to assess resilience and identify predictors of high or low resilience scores among future nurses in Palestine.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study adhered to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement. Undergraduate nursing students in all academic years were recruited and asked to complete a questionnaire that contained the Trait Resilience Scale and the State-Resilience Scale. Multiple linear regression models were used to identify predictors of higher resilience scores and to control for potentially confounding factors.

RESULTS

In this study, 290 students completed the questionnaire (response rate = 92.4%). The means of trait, state, and combined resilience scores were 71.4 (SD: 7.5), 62.7 (SD: 6.7), and 134.1 (SD: 12.8), respectively. There was a significant moderate positive correlation between state resilience scores and trait resilience scores (r = 0.63, p < 0.001). Having a study routine on daily basis predicted higher trait (β = -0.20, p < 0.001), state (β = -0.12, p = 0.032), and combined (β = -0.18, p = 0.001) resilience scores. Trait and combined resilience scores were predicted by the absence of chronic diseases (β = 0.12, p < 0.05), experiencing addiction issues (β = -0.11, p < 0.05), living in Israeli seized areas (β = 0.16, p < 0.05), and living in a house with enough number of rooms per siblings (β = 0.13, p < 0.05). On the other hand, state and combined resilience scores were predicted by being in the first academic year (β = -0.18, p < 0.01), and state resilience scores were predicted by living in urban areas (β = -0.12, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Undergraduate nursing students in Palestine reported relatively high trait and state resilience scores. Higher trait, state, and combined resilience scores were predicted by having a study routine on daily basis. More studies are still needed to investigate the relationship between resilience scores, perceived well-being, willingness to care, and the future success of nursing students in Palestine.

Bibliometric analysis of core competencies associated nursing management publications

AIMS

This study aimed to identify high-impact papers on global nursing to determine and analyze the publication of articles on core competencies in nursing-related journals and the research trends in the era of globalization.

BACKGROUND

Bibliometrics has been shown to be an effective method for analyzing publications. Through bibliometrics, nursing managers and researchers can understand the trends of high-impact international nursing core competencies research, identify mainstream research directions, and obtain relevant knowledge and information, thereby facilitating the translation of research outcomes into nursing management practice.

EVALUATION

The study adopted bibliometric analysis and the VOSviewer software to explore dynamic publication trends and analyze the current situation of nursing research from a comprehensive development perspective, which was realized by searching for nursing core competencies papers in the Web of Science (WoS) database, calculating citations, and determining the trends of the most influential papers.

RESULTS

Nursing core competencies research grew rapidly between 1997 and 2022. Countries with the most core competencies publications were the United States, England, Australia, and Canada. The Journal of Nursing Management has attracted substantial attention from researchers worldwide. Education, Management, and Nurses were the most frequently used keywords in the study. A total of 534 papers were retrieved from the WoS database with the main research fields, including nursing, business economics, public environmental occupational health, and health care science services.

CONCLUSION

Equipping nursing graduates with core competencies has always been an important goal of global medical and nursing education. This study analyzed papers across 35 years, most of which were published in the Journal of Nursing Management. In addition, the study identified some of the main research topics of nursing management, such as the integration of education with nursing management and the cultivation of nurses' core competencies. The study also provides a fresh review of highly cited articles. The results of the study show that high-quality articles play the role of improving both the quality and the quantity of related research. By analyzing the trends of the research on core competencies, this study lays a bibliometric foundation for researchers regarding international journals, hot topics, and relevant fields. In addition, the highly cited articles reveal new perspectives for the nursing field, providing inspiration for nursing management and education researchers.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

This study provides scholars and managers with an overview of the current situation of nursing management research and the development of benchmark journals. The study provides researchers not only with a better understanding of various international journals, allowing them to transition out of traditional thinking in the era of science and technology, but also with innovative thinking by combining research with nursing management. The results of this study invite nursing managers to study relevant topics of core competencies and integrate information technology to education, management, and nurses, thereby contributing to nursing management and educational research.

COVID 19-transformed nursing education and communication competency: Testing COMFORT educational resources

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic brought a disruption to nurse education for both nursing faculty and students as all non-clinical nurse education courses worldwide moved to distance or online learning. The sudden shift to online education meant the loss of traditional activities for students to learn communication skills creating a critical demand for open educational resources for students and nursing faculty. Tools to support nursing faculty development for teaching communication are nearly non-existent and pedagogical content knowledge is needed.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to test two COMFORT COVID-19 Communication Modules (PPE and Video/Phone) for undergraduate nursing students and evaluate student communication competency post-intervention.

DESIGN

This pre-post study includes qualitative and quantitative data collected to evaluate student communication competency post-intervention.

SETTINGS

Undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students at four university campuses in the Pacific and MidSouth regions of the United States.

PARTICIPANTS

BSN nursing students (n = 197) predominantly in the third year of study (n = 138, 70%).

METHODS

Students completed online modules as part of a nursing course. Faculty provided information and a link to access online learning modules. A pre-post assessment was completed for each module.

RESULTS

Significant statistical differences were found across variables of communication attitude, knowledge, and skill across both modules.

CONCLUSIONS

As nursing education in the United States shifts to competency-based education which emphasizes skill development across the BSN program, it is imperative to establish communication learning objectives that are measurable and ensure communication theory and evidence-based practice is part of curriculum content.