Using constructive alignment theory to develop nursing skills curricula

Changing the delivery of continuing professional education: An action research approach

AIM

A participatory action research project was used to change the design and delivery of continuing professional education in a large Irish academic teaching hospital.

BACKGROUND

Participation in continuing professional education, designed as a short course, is often a method to maintain competence for many nurses. Structured short education courses are often used to orientate and upskill new staff to specialist clinical areas. Traditionally many courses relied on face-to-face delivery over a period of weeks which is challenging for one clinical area to release staff to attend theoretical days in person.

DESIGN

A six-stage participatory action research cycle over a 3-year period in a large Irish academic teaching hospital.

METHODS

Multiple methods were used in the cyclical process of participatory action research. Constructive alignment theory and instructional design principles were used to redesign the educational framework. Data collection included audits of courses, questionnaires and focus groups with key participants.

RESULTS

Analysis of the focus group themes included 1) underestimated time 2) the process of change 3) teaching and learning styles and 4) acceptance and integration. 20 learners completed the evaluation and reported a positive synergy between e-learning and clinical workshops. E-learning was reported as time-consuming. 75 % of learners reported they were motivated to learn. 90 % of the learners reported they gained new knowledge and skills, 84 % reported the clinical area benefited from the education and 80 % identified a direct improvement in their clinical skills in the specialist area.

CONCLUSIONS

Participatory action research supports organisational change in continuing professional education. Constructive alignment theory supports the value of outcomes-based learning. In this context it resulted in successfully blending theory and clinical skills for nurses working in specialist areas. The redesigned continuing professional education framework was positively evaluated across nurses in the organisation.

Improving light microscopy training routines with evidence-based education

The low reproducibility of scientific data published in articles has recently become a cause of concern in many scientific fields. Data involving light microscopy is no exception. The low awareness of researchers of the technologies they use in their research has been identified as one of the main causes of the problem. Potential solutions have hinted at the need to improve technological and methodological education within research. Despite the pivotal role of microscopy core facilities in the education of researchers being well documented, facility staff (FS) often learn their trade on the job, without receiving themselves any structured education about the technology they teach others to use. Additionally, despite endorsing an important role at the highest level of education, most FS never receive any training in pedagogy, the field of research on teaching and learning methods. In this article, we argue that the low level of awareness that researchers have of microscopy stems from a knowledge gap formed between them and microscopy FS during training routines. On the one hand, FS consider that their teaching task is to explain what is needed to produce reliable data. On the other, despite understanding what is being taught, researchers fail to learn the most challenging aspects of microscopy, those involving their judgement and reasoning. We suggest that the misunderstanding between FS and researchers is due to FS not being educated in pedagogy and thus often confusing understanding and learning. To bridge this knowledge gap and improve the quality of the microscopy education available to researchers, we propose a paradigm shift where training staff at technological core facilities be acknowledged as full-fledged teachers and offered structured education not only in the technology they teach but also in pedagogy. We then suggest that training routines at facilities be upgraded to follow the principles of the Constructive Alignment pedagogical method. We give an example of how this can be applied to existing microscopy training routines. We also describe a model to define where the responsibility of FS in training researchers begins and ends. This involves a major structural change where university staff involved in teaching research technologies themselves receive appropriate education. For this to be achieved, we advocate that funding agencies, universities, microscopy and core facility organisations mobilise resources of time and funding. Such changes may involve funding the creation and development of 'Train-the-trainer' type of courses and giving incentives for FS to upgrade their technological and pedagogical knowledge, for example by including them in career paths. We believe that this paradigm shift is necessary to improve the level of microscopy education and ultimately the reproducibility of published data.

Developing, Implementing, and Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Sleep Health Educational Module for Pharmacy Students

OBJECTIVE

Pharmacists need sleep health knowledge and management skills to deliver evidence-based treatments to patients with sleep disorders/disturbances. This study aimed to develop, implement, and evaluate a pedagogically informed, interactive sleep health educational module for pharmacy students.

METHODS

An educational module utilizing a flipped classroom approach, with an interactive lecture, student self-reflection of sleep patterns, case discussions, and pharmacist-patient role-play scenarios, was designed and implemented. A questionnaire assessing pre/post-module changes in knowledge about and attitudes toward sleep health as well as post-module learning satisfaction, was administered to all participating second-year pharmacy students at an Australian university.

RESULTS

Mean total knowledge scores for participating students (n = 125, 70.4% female) improved significantly, from a baseline of 11.1 ± 3.8 to 17.1 ± 3.5 post-module (range: 0-25). Attitudes toward sleep health were moderately high at baseline (28.8 ± 3.2) and improved marginally post-module (29.4 ± 3.8) (range: 10-50); however, this increase was insignificant. Participants expressed high satisfaction with the module through subjective feedback, and post-module reflective statements indicated plans for changing sleep behaviors.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study have shown that a targeted educational module for pharmacy students improved sleep health knowledge. It appeared that positive attitudes toward sleep health were not significantly increased which may reflect a ceiling effect. Future modules should focus on attitudinal aspects of positive sleep health to enhance pharmacists' skills in providing clinically related sleep health care to patients with sleep disturbance.

Which lecturers' characteristics facilitate the learning process? A qualitative study on students' perceptions in the rehabilitation sciences

BACKGROUND

In education, lecturers play a crucial role in facilitating students' learning process. However, only a few studies explored which lecturers' characteristics can facilitate this process in higher education for rehabilitation healthcare professionals. Starting from students' perspectives, our qualitative study investigated the lecturers' characteristics that facilitate students' learning process in the rehabilitation sciences.

METHODS

A qualitative interview study. We enrolled students attending the 2nd year of the Master of Science (MSc) degree in 'Rehabilitation Sciences of Healthcare Professions'. Different themes were generated following a 'Reflexive Thematic Analysis'.

RESULTS

Thirteen students completed the interviews. From their analysis, we generated five themes. Specifically, a lecturer that facilitates students' learning process should be: 1) 'A Performer who Interacts with the Classroom', 2) A Flexible Planner who Adopts Innovative Teaching Skills', 3) 'A Motivator who Embraces Transformational Leadership', 4) 'A Facilitator Who Encourages a Constructive Learning Context' and 5) 'A Coach who Devises Strategies to Reach Shared Learning Goals'.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study underscore the importance for lecturers in rehabilitation to cultivate a diverse set of skills drawn from the arts and performance, education, team building and leadership to facilitate students' learning process. By developing these skills, lecturers can design lessons that are worth attending not only for their relevant content but also for their value in human experience.

Active learning in Mental Health Nursing - use of the Greek Chorus, dialogic knowing and dramatic methods in a university setting

This article recounts a teaching method employed in a mental health module delivered in Ireland to international nursing students. In it the authors propose that there is a place for innovative teaching methods which combine active learning, dialogue, hard-fun and metacognition to stimulate student engagement and rich learning. We discuss an innovation 'Movie-shoot' which incorporated role-play with an analytical commentary by a Greek Chorus of nursing students. We argue this flexible teaching method enhanced active and rich learning, critical reflection and engagement and may be appropriate for use in nursing education.

Evaluation of Clinical Nursing Practice Programme with Preceptorship Supervision (Stake’s Countenance Evaluation Model)

Introduction: Preceptorship is clinical education for nursing students by conducting constructive partnerships between nurse educators and practitioners. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to find out the effectiveness of the preceptorship programme using the Stake Model Evaluation Programme in terms of aspects antecedents, transactions, outcomes and behaviours.Methods: This study uses descriptive design with quantitative and qualitative approaches. The sample consists of 131 students, 22 clinical preceptors and 22 academic preceptors. The quantitative data were collected using questionnaires, observation and document studies. Qualitative study was conducted using an interview. Descriptive analysis uses mean, standard deviation, percentage, frequency distribution and qualitative analysis using a content analysis.Results: The study evaluation found that at antecedent stage. About 68.2% to 90.9% clinical preceptors had a good preparation on the student preparation stages as perceived by the academic preceptor and preceptee. While in the stage of transaction, preceptors are able to teach nursing care and students to perform nursing care from simple to complex in accordance with the competencies achieved.  Only less than half (45.5%) of students had good implementation of nursing care, including assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation and evaluation.  However, more than 68% of them showed good professional attitudes and communication. The outcome phase obtained consistency in the result of the practice phase with the national competency test with value from 76.2% to 97.4%.Conclusion: The majority of the antecedent, transaction stage, and outcome showed an average condition which requires an improvement in order to provide a good quality education programme. Future studies may also need to design an alternative approach for students’ supervision in clinic.

Developing a trauma care syllabus for intensive care nurses in the United Kingdom: A Delphi study

BACKGROUND

Increased rates of mortality in the intensive care unit (ICU) following injury have been associated with a lack of trauma specific training. Despite this, training relevant to nurses is limited. Currently, little consideration has been given to understanding the potential training needs of ICU nurses in caring for critically injured patients.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to construct a consensus syllabus of trauma care for registered nurses working in an intensive care setting.

DESIGN

A two round modified Delphi was conducted.

METHODS

Twenty-eight intensive care professionals participated in the study in 2014 in the United Kingdom. Data were analysed using content and descriptive statistics.

RESULTS

Round-1 generated 343 subjects. Following analysis these were categorised into 75 subjects and returned to the panel for rating. An 82% (23/28) response rate to round-2 identified high consensus (equal to or greater than 80%) in 55 subjects, which reflected the most severely injured patients needs.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a requirement for specific training to prepare the ICU nurse for caring for the critically injured patient. This survey presents a potential core syllabus in trauma care and should be considered by educators to develop a meaningful programme of trauma education for ICU nurses.

Undergraduate healthcare ethics education, moral resilience, and the role of ethical theories

BACKGROUND

This article combines foundational and empirical aspects of healthcare education and develops a framework for teaching ethical theories inspired by pragmatist learning theory and recent work on the concept of moral resilience. It describes an exemplary implementation and presents data from student evaluation.

OBJECTIVES

After a pilot implementation in a regular ethics module, the feasibility and acceptance of the novel framework by students were evaluated.

RESEARCH DESIGN

In addition to the regular online module evaluation, specific questions referring to the teaching of ethical theories were added using simple (yes/no) and Likert rating answer formats.

PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT

At the Bern University of Applied Sciences, a total of 93 students from 2 parallel sub-cohorts of the bachelor's program in nursing science were sent the online survey link after having been exposed to the same modular contents. A total of 62% of all students participated in the survey.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The survey was voluntary and anonymous. Students were free to write their name and additional comments.

FINDINGS

Students consider ethical theories-as taught within the proposed framework-as practically applicable, useful, and transferable into practice.

DISCUSSION

Teaching ethical theories within the proposed framework overcomes the shortcomings described by current research. Students do not consider the mutually exclusive character of ethical theories as an insurmountable problem.

CONCLUSION

The proposed framework is likely to promote the effectiveness of healthcare ethics education. Inspired by pragmatist learning theory, it enables students to consider ethical theories as educative playgrounds that help them to "frame" and "name" the ethical issues they encounter in daily practice, which is seen as an expression of moral resilience. Since it does not advocate a single ethical theory, but is open to the diversity of traditions that shape ethical thinking, it promotes a culturally sensitive, ethically reflected healthcare practice.

An implementation framework for using OSCEs in nursing curricula

The implementation framework outlined in this paper has been developed from feedback of a trial across three different nursing and midwifery programmes and is designed to assist educators to incorporate OSCEs within their curricula. There is value in flagging the pedagogical principles embodied in the framework and alerting educators to their importance for more meaningful student learning. For each step practical advice is provided contributing to the utility of this approach. Considerations are systematic ensuring that the use of OSCEs in health care curricula assures judicious use of resources to achieve desired student outcomes.