Near-peer mentoring and virtual reality for adult basic life support education in high school students

Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can improve cardiac arrest survival; however, lack of willingness or community training lead to low bystander CPR rates. Virtual Reality (VR) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) training among high-school students is an innovative method to train bystander CPR skills. VR is well received by "technology natives" inherent among high school students and induces a greater sense of presence and agency compared to office-based CPR training. We describe a pilot trial with high school students using a near-peer mentoring framework using a single- player VR CPR training software (CBS, TetraSignum, Seoul, KR) in which both students collaboratively coach each other while performing in-VR CPR. Our pilot program recruited 3 pairs (n = 6) high school students during a local summer camp. During each 1.5-hour session, each pair learned about CPR and basic life support through a VR avatar either in-VR or displayed on a TV screen. The in-VR student practiced on the manikin while the other student could take notes on paper. Then each student was assessed on their CPR skills in-VR on a cardiac arrest avatar superimposed onto a real QCPR manikin, coached by the other student who could visualize CPR quality projected on the TV screen. The students then switched roles and debriefed about their experience. Overall, the students universally performed well and appreciated the collaborative nature of the learning experience. Further study is needed to explore barriers and enablers to implementation of VR CPR training at the high school level.

Fostering collaborative learning and leadership through near-peer mentorship among undergraduate nursing students

BACKGROUND

Innovative teaching strategies in nursing education are essential with increasing enrollment. Collaborative learning and leadership (CLL) activities encourage near-peer learning through mentorship between senior-level and novice students while supporting teaching ratios in lab and clinical. In this study, senior nursing students' perceptions and performance during CLL activities were explored.

METHODS

Final-semester senior students participated in CLL activities and were evaluated on their leadership and engagement. Grading rubric results were summarized using descriptive statistics. Thematic analysis of students' post-CLL reflections supported common themes.

RESULTS

Students' average scores (97.53%) confirm students were prepared and engaged in CLL activities. Senior students enjoyed "building confidence" through these activities, with a consistent theme of "becoming a leader," noted in reflections.

CONCLUSION

Near-peer learning activities assisted senior students in development of leadership and communication skills, preparing them for nursing practice. Recommendations include developing instructions for varied CLL activities and exploring faculty perspectives regarding this experience.

Mentoring in palliative medicine in the time of covid-19: a systematic scoping review : Mentoring programs during COVID-19

INTRODUCTION

The redeployment of mentors and restrictions on in-person face-to-face mentoring meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic has compromised mentoring efforts in Palliative Medicine (PM). Seeking to address these gaps, we evaluate the notion of a combined novice, peer-, near-peer and e-mentoring (CNEP) and interprofessional team-based mentoring (IPT) program.

METHODS

A Systematic Evidence Based Approach (SEBA) guided systematic scoping review was carried out to study accounts of CNEP and IPT from articles published between 1st January 2000 and 28th February 2021. To enhance trustworthiness, concurrent thematic and content analysis of articles identified from structured database search using terms relating to interprofessional, virtual and peer or near-peer mentoring in medical education were employed to bring together the key elements within included articles.

RESULTS

Fifteen thousand one hundred twenty one abstracts were reviewed, 557 full text articles were evaluated, and 92 articles were included. Four themes and categories were identified and combined using the SEBA's Jigsaw and Funnelling Process to reveal 4 domains - characteristics, mentoring stages, assessment methods, and host organizations. These domains suggest that CNEP's structured virtual and near-peer mentoring process complement IPT's accessible and non-hierarchical approach under the oversight of the host organizations to create a robust mentoring program.

CONCLUSION

This systematic scoping review forwards an evidence-based framework to guide a CNEP-IPT program. At the same time, more research into the training and assessment methods of mentors, near peers and mentees, the dynamics of mentoring interactions and the longitudinal support of the mentoring relationships and programs should be carried out.

Enhancing geriatric oncology training through a combination of novice mentoring and peer and near-peer mentoring: A thematic analysis ofmentoring in medicine between 2000 and 2017

OBJECTIVES

Training in Geriatric Oncology is in crisis, facing increasing demands in the face of a growing population of older adults, a lack of trainers, and the need to adapt training to different settings and trainee needs. A combination of novice mentoring and near-peer and peer mentoring (C-NP mentoring) has been proposed to provide trainees with personalized training and additional support. This study proposes to evaluate the possibility of establishing a C-NP mentoring program in geriatric oncology, through extrapolation of data from well-established practices in Internal Medicine programs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A systematic scoping review was carried out to provide scope of prevailing data and highlight the key processes behind effective C-NP mentoring programs. Six reviewers carried out independent literature searches on C-NP mentoring in medicine using Embase, ERIC, PubMed, and Scopus databases for articles published between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2017. The Best Evidence Medical Education (BEME) collaboration guide and the STORIES (STructured apprOach to the Reporting In healthcare education of Evidence Synthesis) statement were used to develop a narrative from the thematic analysis of selected articles. Braun & Clarke (2006)'s approach to thematic analyses [1] and Sambunjak et al. (2010)'s approach of "negotiated consensual validation" were then used to identify the final list of themes.

RESULTS

3913 citations were identified, 133 full-text articles were reviewed, and fifteen full-text articles were included. Thematic analysis was employed to circumnavigate mentoring's context-specific nature and identified ten semantic themes including the need, outcomes, obstacles, and improvements for C-NP mentoring, mentee and mentor participation and training, and matching and mentoring processes.

CONCLUSION

Data from this review allows the forwarding of the C-NP Mentoring Framework that will potentially enhance Geriatric Oncology training. The framework ensures a balance of consistency in recruitment, training, matching, pre-mentoring meetings, assessments processes, and flexibility to inculcate personalized aspects to the training and support. The C-NP Mentoring Framework will also enable effective oversight of the program and timely support of mentees in need.

Value of Near-Peer Mentorship from Protégé and Mentor Perspectives: A Strategy to Increase Physician Workforce Diversity

PURPOSE

Mentorship is a critical aspect of personal and professional development in academic medicine and helps to improve career satisfaction, productivity, and social networking. However, individuals from communities underrepresented in medicine (URiM) across the training continuum experience difficulty obtaining mentors, even prior to college. The value of near-peer mentorship is less well studied in medicine relative to other fields. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to explore the mentorship experiences of high school student protégés and their medical student mentors, as well as provide a description of the key features of the Doctors of Tomorrow (DOT) program.

METHODS

From November 2014 to September 2015, the authors used focus groups and critical incident narratives with 9th grade high school students as well as focus groups and semi-structured interviews with medical students to examine mentor-protégé experiences in the Doctors of Tomorrow (DOT) program. In 2016, thirty-one medical student mentors were asked to complete an online survey about their mentor experiences. Focus group and interview data were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. All data were coded using thematic analysis and recurring codes were organized into categories, then compared, scrutinized and arranged into broader themes by all authors.

RESULTS

The analysis of data from 70 medical students and 52 high school students revealed that mentors and protégés valued their mentor relationships based on regular in-person and electronic contact, shared common non-academic interests, and the anticipated prolonged nature of the relationship. Mentors also reported they initiated contact with their protégés every 2-3 weeks and monthly outside of program events, with email communication as the most common modality.

CONCLUSIONS

Near-peer relationships between high school and medical students may be an innovative strategy to promote health care careers, increase access to mentorship and develop meaningful mentorship relationships for URiM high school students.