Enterprising tendency and interpersonal communication of nursing students

OBJECTIVE

To identify general enterprising tendency and competence in interpersonal communication of nursing students and correlate them with personal and academic variables.

METHOD

A cross-sectional study at a university in São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Three instruments were used for data collection: 1 - A questionnaire with personal and academic variables; 2 - The General measure of Enterprising Tendency test (GET); and 3 - The Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale (Escala de Competência em Comunicação Interpessoal - ECCI).

RESULTS

The sample consisted of 150 participants. The highest averages were on the GET 'Need for Achievement' dimension (M = 7.88; SD = 2.12 and median = 8.00) and the ECCI 'Availability' dimension (M = 12.50; SD = 1.99 and median = 13.00). Students in the less advanced periods of the course obtained higher averages on the GET 'Drive and Determination' dimension (p = 0.032), while those who performed paid work a higher average on the ECCI 'Interaction Management' dimension (p = 0.030).

CONCLUSION

Higher Education Institutions should look for strategies to teach the content of these competencies in a more dynamic and engaging way throughout education which encompass the student's capacity and the needs of the labor market.

Exploring attitudes of physiotherapy students towards a community-based project used as a learning tool

BACKGROUND

Community-based projects are an experiential learning tool that provides students with an opportunity to work within a team, to apply their skills and to learn in real workplace settings. Promoting physical activity is an important component of physiotherapy education, but the best method for training students to promote physical activity is open for discussion.

PURPOSE

This study explored the attitudes and learning experiences of physiotherapy students who worked in groups to complete a community-based project involving the delivery of physical activity programs to a healthy population.

METHODS

Data were collected from a focus group of eight physiotherapy students each of whom had participated in a community-based project early in their studies.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged from the analysis of the data: 1) self-confidence and independence; 2) creativity and innovation; 3) effective communication; and 4) team dynamics. The students had positive attitudes toward community-based projects and reported that their experiences were a highly valued component of their early practice-based learning. The findings of this study are expected to encourage educators to use community-based projects early in undergraduate physiotherapy programs, as it helps students develop professional skills such as effective communication, creativity, and innovation. Students also learned to innovate to solve real-world problems in the workplace such as resource limitations. They also learned to appreciate the importance of team dynamics in a successful intervention.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest early participation in community-based projects is an excellent way for physiotherapy students to develop the competencies required for clinical practice and for their role in promoting physical activity.

Establishing Relationships and Navigating Boundaries When Caring for Children With Medical Complexity at Home

Children with medical complexity receive care from many healthcare providers including home healthcare nurses. The objective of our study, based on a conceptual framework, was to describe the relationships between parents/caregivers of children with medical complexity and home healthcare nurses caring for these children. We collected qualitative data in 20 semistructured in-depth interviews (15 English, 5 Spanish) with 26 primary caregivers of children with medical complexity, and 4 focus groups of 18 home healthcare nurses inquiring about their experiences about home healthcare nursing services for children with medical complexity. During an iterative analysis process, we identified recurrent themes related to caregiver-nurse relationships. Our study showed that: (1) caregiver-nurse relationships evolved over time and were determined by multiple factors; (2) communication and trust were essential to the establishment of caregiver-nurse relationships; (3) both caregivers and nurses described difficulties of navigating physical, professional, personal, and emotional boundaries, and identified strategies to maintain these boundaries; and (4) good caregiver-nurse relationships helped in the care of children with medical complexity, reduced caregiver burden, resulted in less stress for nurses, and was a factor in nurse retention. We conclude that trusted relationships between caregivers and nurses are important to the home care of children with medical complexity. Interventions to develop and maintain good caregiver-nurse relationships are necessary.