Internet Teaching Methods for Use in Baccalaureate Nursing Education

Beyond the classroom walls: Stakeholder experiences with remote instruction in Post RN baccalaureate nursing program during the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative inquiry

The COVID-19 pandemic led to the closure of educational campuses and the suspension of conventional classroom teaching globally and locally, and many switched overnight to an online modality. The change was experienced differently by varied audiences, given the availability of resources. The study aimed to examine stakeholders' experiences of emergency remote instructions in the Post-RN Baccalaureate Nursing Program during the COVID-19 pandemic. A qualitative descriptive exploratory design with a purposive sampling technique was used at a private nursing university in Karachi, Pakistan. Focus group discussions with students and faculty were conducted separately, while in-depth interviews with key informants were held using semi-structured interview guides. The focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were recorded electronically and transcribed and translated, coded, and analysed manually. Findings uncovered two major themes. (a) Remote teaching and learning-a paradigm shift; and (b) Remote learning ecosystem-a challenging team sport. The first theme denotes a major shift in pedagogical approach migrating from blended learning model to a complete online modality. Theme two uncovers the efforts and teamwork of the various stakeholders who assisted in mitigating the challenges collaboratively when migrating to virtual learning environment. Findings suggest that to continue to thrive in the post-COVID world, faculty, students, and key informants must collegially enhance the teaching, learning, and assessment strategies and student-teacher interaction, capitalising on evidence-based practices, trial and error, multi-level support mechanisms, and partnerships. The study recommends building resilience in instructional and administrative infrastructure to prepare for future events like pandemics and suggests development of evidence-informed blended and online nursing programmes in the region.

Digital serious games in developing nursing clinical competence: A systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

This review aimed to synthesise evidence from experimental studies of the application of digital serious games in developing nursing clinical competence.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES

Eight databases were searched for randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies published in English from 2000 to 2021.

REVIEW METHODS

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were adopted in this review. Quality appraisal was conducted using Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool and the Joanna Brigg's Institute Critical Appraisal Tool for Quasi-Experimental Designs. A narrative synthesis of studies, and a meta-analysis and subgroup analysis, was performed on the study outcomes.

RESULTS

22 experimental studies including 13 randomized controlled trials and nine quasi-experimental studies were included. Of these, 19 studies examined nursing students and three examined qualified nurses. These studies applied serious games to develop nursing competencies in management of nursing care, clinical reasoning skills, procedural skills, legal practice and quality improvement. Compared with control groups, serious games improved knowledge (SMD = 1.30, 95% CI [0.75, 1.86]) and skills (SMD = 0.38, 95% CI [0.17, 0.60]). Subgroup analysis for both knowledge and skills outcomes demonstrated that serious games were more effective than control groups with either no intervention or other educational interventions. A large effect size (SMD = 1.13, 95% CI [0.91, 1.34]) was found in favour of serious games for improving knowledge scores in management of nursing care.

CONCLUSION

The reviewed studies identified a broad application of digital serious games for developing nursing competencies. The knowledge and skills performance outcomes supported the use of serious games, which were found to be superior to conventional educational interventions. More serious games are required to be incorporated into undergraduate and continuing nursing education for workplace training, with more rigorous studies examining the effect of serious games in improving the quality and safety of clinical nursing practice.

What Are We Looking for in Computer-Based Learning Interventions in Medical Education? A Systematic Review

Background

Computer-based learning (CBL) has been widely used in medical education, and reports regarding its usage and effectiveness have ranged broadly. Most work has been done on the effectiveness of CBL approaches versus traditional methods, and little has been done on the comparative effects of CBL versus CBL methodologies. These findings urged other authors to recommend such studies in hopes of improving knowledge about which CBL methods work best in which settings.

Objective

In this systematic review, we aimed to characterize recent studies of the development of software platforms and interventions in medical education, search for common points among studies, and assess whether recommendations for CBL research are being taken into consideration.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of the literature published from 2003 through 2013. We included studies written in English, specifically in medical education, regarding either the development of instructional software or interventions using instructional software, during training or practice, that reported learner attitudes, satisfaction, knowledge, skills, or software usage. We conducted 2 latent class analyses to group articles according to platform features and intervention characteristics. In addition, we analyzed references and citations for abstracted articles.

Results

We analyzed 251 articles. The number of publications rose over time, and they encompassed most medical disciplines, learning settings, and training levels, totaling 25 different platforms specifically for medical education. We uncovered 4 latent classes for educational software, characteristically making use of multimedia (115/251, 45.8%), text (64/251, 25.5%), Web conferencing (54/251, 21.5%), and instructional design principles (18/251, 7.2%). We found 3 classes for intervention outcomes: knowledge and attitudes (175/212, 82.6%), knowledge, attitudes, and skills (11.8%), and online activity (12/212, 5.7%). About a quarter of the articles (58/227, 25.6%) did not hold references or citations in common with other articles. The number of common references and citations increased in articles reporting instructional design principles (P=.03), articles measuring online activities (P=.01), and articles citing a review by Cook and colleagues on CBL (P=.04). There was an association between number of citations and studies comparing CBL versus CBL, independent of publication date (P=.02).

Conclusions

Studies in this field vary highly, and a high number of software systems are being developed. It seems that past recommendations regarding CBL interventions are being taken into consideration. A move into a more student-centered model, a focus on implementing reusable software platforms for specific learning contexts, and the analysis of online activity to track and predict outcomes are relevant areas for future research in this field.

Perceived sense of community, cognitive engagement, and learning outcomes among undergraduate nursing students enrolled in an internet-based learning course

Internet-based learning environments are a popular instructional delivery method that provides flexibility, easy access, convenience, and self-directed learning. There is concern that Internet-based learning creates a loss of community and lacks the power to fully engage the student, leading to negative learning outcomes. This descriptive, correlational study evaluated the relationship among a perceived sense of community, cognitive engagement, and learner outcomes among undergraduate nursing students enrolled in an Internet-based learning course. A convenience sample of 96 undergraduate nursing students enrolled in an online health informatics course participated in this study. Findings indicated a moderate sense of community and a positive relationship between student engagement and learning outcomes. A variety of group activities such as wikis, blogs, and discussion board were helpful in promoting a sense of community, but students emphasized a desire for more faculty feedback and interaction. Nursing is a collaborative profession where community building is a critical skill; therefore, innovative teaching/learning techniques that promote a sense of belonging and community are needed to improve learning outcomes, prepare students to provide quality patient care, and interact with an interprofessional team.

The role of education in the prevention and control of infection: a review of the literature

This paper discusses a literature review which was undertaken prior to a research study about student nurses' and midwives' experiences of learning infection control in clinical practice. Its aim is to identify the role of education in the prevention and control of infection, with a specific focus on compliance with infection control precautions and reduction in infection rates. It also identifies the methods used for teaching infection control. The review concludes that there is no rigorous and convincing evidence that education improves compliance with infection control precautions or reduces rates of infection, particularly in the long-term. Areas for future research are identified.

What do we mean by web-based learning? A systematic review of the variability of interventions

OBJECTIVES

Educators often speak of web-based learning (WBL) as a single entity or a cluster of similar activities with homogeneous effects. Yet a recent systematic review demonstrated large heterogeneity among results from individual studies. Our purpose is to describe the variation in configurations, instructional methods and presentation formats in WBL.

METHODS

We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, ERIC, CINAHL and other databases (last search November 2008) for studies comparing a WBL intervention with no intervention or another educational activity. From eligible studies we abstracted information on course participants, topic, configuration and instructional methods. We summarised this information and then purposively selected and described several WBL interventions that illustrate specific technologies and design features.

RESULTS

We identified 266 eligible studies. Nearly all courses (89%) used written text and most (55%) used multimedia. A total of 32% used online communication via e-mail, threaded discussion, chat or videoconferencing, and 9% implemented synchronous components. Overall, 24% blended web-based and non-computer-based instruction. Most web-based courses (77%) employed specific instructional methods, other than text alone, to enhance the learning process. The most common instructional methods (each used in nearly 50% of courses) were patient cases, self-assessment questions and feedback. We describe several studies to illustrate the range of instructional designs.

CONCLUSIONS

Educators and researchers cannot treat WBL as a single entity. Many different configurations and instructional methods are available for WBL instructors. Researchers should study when to use specific WBL designs and how to use them effectively.

Connecting congregations: technology resources influence parish nurse practice

This descriptive pilot study evaluated the influence of health resource information education and the use of Web-based communication technology on the professional practice of the parish nurse in the congregational setting. Five parish nurse participants from varied denominations in rural and nonrural Virginia received a laptop computer, printer, video projector, and webcam along with high-speed Internet access in each congregational setting. The nurses attended two group education sessions that incorporated computer applications and training in accessing and using quality health information resources and communication applications such as a group "chat" software and webcam to communicate with others through high-speed Internet access. Qualitative analysis from semistructured interviews of nurses confirmed that participants found the project to be beneficial in terms of awareness, education, and applicability of technology use in parish nurse practice. Quantitative data from preproject and postproject surveys found significant differences in nurses' abilities and confidence with technology use and application. Findings showed that the knowledge and experience gained from this study enhanced parish nurse practice and confidence in using technology for communication, health education, and counseling.

Impact of an online course on infection control and prevention competencies

AIM

This paper is a report of a study to examine the impact of an online course on nurses' and allied healthcare professionals' competency in infection prevention and control and the influence of organizational climate on knowledge transfer.

BACKGROUND

Nosocomial infection, globalization, international travel and bacterial resistance are among the factors contributing to heightened awareness of the importance of infection prevention and control in today's healthcare environment. An online course in infection control was developed to facilitate the delivery of standardized training to large numbers of health providers.

METHOD

A quasi-experimental, pre-and post-test study using questionnaires and open-ended questions was conducted in 2006 with a convenience sample of 76 healthcare professionals, the majority of whom were Registered Nurses.

FINDINGS

Participants made statistically significant increases in their perceptions of competency in infection control following the course. The majority were very satisfied with the course and reported that what they had learned was useful and relevant to their practice. Participants who worked in supportive organizations that were open to change reported a higher incidence of knowledge transfer activities. Two course design features in particular, video and interactive quizzes and games, motivated learners and enhanced the learning experience.

CONCLUSION

Online learning can provide ongoing, convenient and effective access to up-to-date information on best practices in infection control and prevention. This standardized delivery approach minimizes demand on limited training resources which are under strain and gives learners the opportunity to refresh 'rusty' infection control and prevention skills.

Using Synchronous Software in Web-based Nursing Courses

To promote learning and enhance immediacy and satisfaction, a college of nursing at a large research I southern university undertook a pilot project to incorporate synchronous classroom software into an ongoing online program. Two synchronous class sessions using voice over Internet protocol were offered in the Community/Public Health Nursing course through Elluminate Live! Upon conclusion of the lecture, students were divided into breakout groups to work on group projects. Surveys were administered to the students and faculty before and after the class sessions. Evaluation of the pedagogical strategies used in the synchronous sessions was conducted by instructional technology faculty. Students in the pilot group reported higher levels of satisfaction with the Web-based course with synchronous sessions. In addition, students reported that group time at the end of the session was helpful for completing group projects. A majority responded that synchronous session activities and assignments facilitated their understanding of course content. This article presents a description of the synchronous classroom pilot project along with recommendations for implementation and pedagogical approaches.

[Use of Internet resources in nursing: a review]

Resources of Internet system are widely popularized in most of all human activities in the society. This paper aims to identify and to describe major modalities of Internet utilization in nursing areas of Education, Care, and Research. This is a bibliographic review which data source was MEDLINE database, using pertinent descriptors for the focused areas. From referred publications, it was selected 63 articles. Major utilization in Education area is the development of applications to promote distance education; in Patient Education area is the development of applications to make health information available; in Care area are the applications to make care protocols available to promote evidence-based practice, and in Research area is online data collection. It was concluded that nursing is using Internet resources in a satisfactory way, and it has contributed for the profession evolution.

Computer Courses in the Undergraduate Nursing Curriculum in Turkey

This study surveys computer courses in undergraduate nursing schools in Turkey. To accomplish this, the investigator gave an assignment to first-year students at the Ege University School of Nursing as part of a computer course in 2003-2004. The assignment consisted of having students use their computer skills and do research on the Internet to obtain information about computer classes at other Turkish nursing schools. The objective of this assignment was to correspond by e-mail with first-year students at these institutions. Because of this assignment, at least 70 contacts were established, and information has been exchanged between nursing students at 45 different universities in Turkey. This study shows that one method used by undergraduate nursing schools in Turkey to educate their students in modern nursing practices is to integrate computer courses in their curricula, thereby providing students important practical technology skills.