Nursing Student Control Over Using a Computer Simulation Program About Empowering Discourse

Instruments for Patient Education: Psychometric Evaluation of the Expected Knowledge (EKhp) and the Received Knowledge of Hospital Patients (RKhp)

Purpose

In patient education, there is a need for valid and reliable instruments to assess and tailor empowering educational activities. In this study, we summarize the process of producing two parallel instruments for analyzing hospital patients’ expectations (Expected Knowledge of Hospital Patients, EKhp) and received knowledge (Received Knowledge of Hospital Patients, RKhp) and evaluate the psychometrics of the instruments based on international data. In the instruments, six elements of empowering knowledge are included (bio-physiological, functional, experiential, ethical, social, and financial).

Patients and Methods

The original Finnish versions of EKhp and RKhp were tested for the first time in 2003, after which they have been used in several national studies. For international purposes, the instruments were first translated into English, then to languages of the seven participating European countries, using double-checking procedure in each one, and subsequently evaluated and confirmed by local researchers and language experts. International data collection was performed in 2009–2012 with a total sample of 1,595 orthopedic patients. Orthopedic patients were selected due to the increase in their numbers, and need for educational activities. Here we report the psychometrics of the instruments for potential international use and future development.

Results

Content validities were confirmed by each participating country. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the original theoretical, six-dimensional structure of the instruments. For some subscales, however, there is a need for further clarification. The summative factors, based on the dimensions, have a satisfactory internal consistency. The results support the use of the instruments in patient education in orthopedic nursing, and preferably also in other fields of surgical nursing care.

Conclusion

EKhp and RKhp have potential for international use in the evaluation of empowering patient education. In the future, testing of the structure is needed, and validation in other fields of clinical care besides surgical nursing is especially warranted.

The Knowledge Test Feedback Intervention (KTFI) increases knowledge level of spinal stenosis patients before operation-A randomized controlled follow-up trial

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of a preoperative educational intervention on the knowledge level of patients with spinal stenosis.

METHODS

One hundred spinal stenosis patients were randomized into a preoperative educational intervention group (IG, n=50) or a control group (CG, n=50). All the patients received routine preoperative education. In addition, the IG went through an empowering telephone discourse based on a knowledge test performed before admission to hospital. Data on patients' knowledge level were collected at baseline (after the treatment decision), admission to hospital, discharge from hospital and at 3 and 6 months follow-up.

RESULTS

At baseline, there was no difference in the knowledge level of the study groups. At admission, the knowledge level was significantly higher in five of six dimension of empowering knowledge in the IG compared to the CG. During follow-up, the knowledge level within the study groups remained stable.

CONCLUSION

A preoperative KTFI significantly increased the patients' knowledge level in most dimensions of empowering knowledge.

PRACTICE IMPLICATION

KTFI is an effective method of preoperative education in patients with spinal stenosis.

Comparison of learning strategies in face-to-face and online courses on sexually transmitted diseases

The goal of this study was to compare undergraduate nursing students' learning after using educational hypermedia with the traditional approach in lectures on the subject of sexually transmitted diseases. This is a quasi-experimental study conducted at two federal universities in the Northeast from June till August 2013. A total of 58 students participated, who were divided into two similar groups (control and intervention). Values of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. In the post-test, the statistical analysis did not show significant differences in learning performance between the groups (p=0.151). The intervention group answered the largest number of questions correctly (54.46%). It is concluded that educational hypermedia represents a complementary tool for face-to-face teaching in undergraduate nursing courses.