Nurse Education Today RSS feed: Current Issue. 4th International Nurse Education Conference will take place at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel, Baltimore, USA • 17-20 June 2012 • visit www.netnep-conference.elsevier.com for forthcoming details and further information. Nurse Education Today is the leading international journal providing a forum for the publication of high quality original research, review and debate in the discussion of nursing, midwifery and interprofessional health care education, publishing papers which contribute to the advancement of educational theory and pedagogy that support the evidence-based practice for educationalists worldwide. The journal stimulates and values critical scholarly debate on issues that have strategic relevance for leaders of health care education. The journal publishes the highest quality scholarly contributions reflecting the diversity of people, health and education systems worldwide, by publishing research that employs rigorous methodology as well as by publishing papers that highlight the theoretical underpinnings of education and systems globally. The journal will publish papers that show depth, rigour, originality and high standards of presentation, in particular, work that is original, analytical and constructively critical of both previous work and current initiatives. Authors are invited to submit original research, systematic and scholarly reviews, and critical papers which will stimulate debate on research, policy, theory or philosophy of nursing and related health care education, and which will meet and develop the journal's high academic and ethical standards. The journal employs a double blind peer review process for all submissions and its current Impact Factor is 1.113 making it one of the leading nursing education journals (© Thomson Reuters Journal Citation Reports 2011). http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/?rss=yesElsevier Inc.en © 2012 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Nurse Education Today0260-6917324May 2012 © 2012 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. healthpermissions@elsevier.comhttp://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691712000792/abstract?rss=yesEditorial Board10.1016/S0260-6917(12)00079-2Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2012-05-01Nurse Education Today2012-05-01324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0iihttp://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711002784/abstract?rss=yesIn 333 B.C., Alexander III of Macedon (now known to us as Alexander the Great) had invaded Asia Minor and arrived in the central mountains at the town of Gordium, near modern Yassıhüyük in Turkey. He was 23years old, and on his way to creating what is widely considered to be one of the largest empires in ancient history.Student attrition and retention: Untangling the Gordian knotMichael Sabin, (on behalf of the Scottish Recruitment and Retention Delivery Group)10.1016/j.nedt.2011.10.016Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-11-24Nurse Education Today2011-11-24324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Guest Editorial337338http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711003121/abstract?rss=yesLike most nurse academics, I am familiar with the basic tenets of Benner's seminal book From Novice to Expert, although like many of my colleagues, I had never sat down and read it from cover to cover. On properly reading it for the first time, I was struck by a double and somewhat unexpected irony. Firstly, that one of the most influential books on nursing theory in recent times is, if not anti-theoretical, then most certainly atheoretical. Thus, in the foreword to the original edition, Myrtle Aydelotte praises Benner for giving ‘a lucid, colourful description [rather than theory] of nursing practice as rendered by expert nurses’ (, p. v, my emphasis and brackets). She goes on to say that, ‘The value of this document lies in the understanding it gives us about the mystery of expert practice and in the creation of an awareness that we must respect this mystery, rather than pretend that we can dispel or standardise it by submitting it to rules, procedures, and regulation’ (pp. v–vi). This apparent warning, which is echoed by Benner later in the book, is that we should not (indeed, we cannot) look too deeply into the ‘mysteries’ of expert practice. Indeed, when expert practitioners are asked to describe their practice, the accounts they give are not a reflection of what they actually do; there is a mismatch between their espoused theories and their observed actions. Thus, ‘formal structural models, decision analysis, or process models cannot describe the advanced levels of clinical performance observable in actual practice’ (p. 38). Benner cautions that it is not simply ‘that the rules and formulas just move to the unconscious level or go underground’ (p. 37); there are no rules and formulas. Further, according to Benner, if experts are forced to practice by the book, according to established research- and theory-based procedures, their performance actually deteriorates. Benner's ‘theory’, then, is that expert practice cannot be theorised.From Novice to Expert: Benner's legacy for nurse educationLyn Gardner10.1016/j.nedt.2011.11.011Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-12-19Nurse Education Today2011-12-19324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Big Ideas Series339340http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711003169/abstract?rss=yesNurses and student nurses require assessment of their practice to ensure that they are meeting the standards specified by the nursing professional regulator; the Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC). The NMC has a role in protecting the public and ensuring that nurses have achieved specific competencies and standards of practice to become a qualified nurse and continue to practice at this level (). The competencies deemed to be essential are specified by the NMC and must be evidenced by student nurses before being accepted onto the NMC register (). An area of practice that has received a lot of attention in recent years is the standard of drug calculation skills of nurses. This led to drug calculation skills becoming one of the competencies outlined in the Essential Skills Clusters by the NMC and must now be assessed by individual Universities as part of their nursing programmes (). However, the method of assessment of this competency was not specified by the NMC and has led to a non uniform approach to drug calculation assessments both at universities and in Trusts as evidenced by research studies examining calculation skills of student nurses and nurses (). This article aims to evaluate the current assessment criteria used for drug calculation skills and calls for an urgent review of what constitutes drug calculation proficiency and how this is assessed.The assessment of drug calculation skills — Time to rethink the whole processKerri Wright10.1016/j.nedt.2011.11.015Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-12-08Nurse Education Today2011-12-08324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Contemporary Issues341344http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001043/abstract?rss=yesSummary: University schools of nursing in Australia are the main providers of nursing education programmes for international students. The large cohort of overseas students requires that universities, as education providers, understand their needs and the problems related to studying and living in Australia. An exploratory descriptive quantitative study was conducted to investigate 119 Chinese international undergraduate nursing students' acculturative stress and sense of coherence at an Australian university in Sydney. Two validated scales were used: Acculturative Stress Scale for International Students (ASSIS) and Sense of Coherence (SOC). Results indicated that overall Chinese nursing students had a moderate level of acculturative stress and sense of coherence. However, there was a significant difference in the level of acculturative stress among three groups of Chinese nursing students enrolled in the Bachelor of Nursing course, and SOC was negatively correlated with the level of acculturative stress. This study extends the knowledge of the experiences of Chinese nursing students studying and living in an English-speaking country. The study also highlights the need for universities to provide relevant support to overseas students to make their study journey smoother and more successful.Perceived acculturative stress and sense of coherence in Chinese nursing students in AustraliaFlora X. He, Violeta Lopez, Maria C. Leigh10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.004Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-06Nurse Education Today2011-06-06324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Original Research345350http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001225/abstract?rss=yesSummary: This study was undertaken in response to concerns raised by Duffy (2003) that assessors of practice were reluctant to fail student nurses in assessments. This generated doubts about the fitness to practice of some registered nurses.An investigation was undertaken into whether quantitative evidence supported the view that pre-registration nurses rarely failed practical assessments. Comparative failure rates from theoretical and practical assessments were requested from all 52 universities in England that offered pre-registration nursing programmes. Responses were received from 27. Findings indicated that a very small proportion of students failed practical assessments; failure rates for theory outstripped practice by a ratio of 5:1. A quarter of universities failed no students in practice. Students were most likely to fail in year one and least likely in year three. This study supports the belief that assessors of practice are reluctant to fail student nurses. It raises a number of questions about the influence that the systems and practices of professional bodies and universities have on practical assessment. However it also indicates that some student nurses have failed practical assessments and that some universities do have systems in place to address this issue.Assessment of student nurses in practice: A comparison of theoretical and practical assessment results in EnglandLouise A. Hunt, Paula McGee, Robin Gutteridge, Malcolm Hughes10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.010Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-06Nurse Education Today2011-06-06324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Original Research351355http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001274/abstract?rss=yesSummary: This study aimed to examine nurse students' interest in gerontological nursing and the factors enhancing and decreasing that interest. The quantitative data was collected in the autumn of 2009 using a structured instrument with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), which was developed for this study based on the literature review. Graduating nurse students (n=183) from three polytechnics in Southern Finland participated in the study. The data was analysed statistically using descriptive statistics and t-test for independent samples to indicate statistical significance. The students did not clearly state if they are interested in gerontological nursing as a future career choice or not. Students who had prior gerontological nursing work experience, women, and students who had learned about gerontological nursing through an independent course were the most interested in the field. The factors that enhance interest are the quality of gerontological nursing, the challenging aspects of the field and the opportunities for career advancement, the gerontological nursing education and the practical training in gerontological nursing. On the basis of the results, it seems that it is possible to enhance nurse students' interest in gerontological nursing as a future career choice.Graduating Finnish nurse students' interest in gerontological nursing — A survey studySanna Koskinen, Maija Hupli, Jouko Katajisto, Leena Salminen10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.015Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-13Nurse Education Today2011-06-13324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Original Research356360http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001377/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Evaluation of doctoral education in nursing is needed with the rapid increase in doctoral nursing programs in Japan. This study aimed to compare the evaluations of doctoral nursing education by students, graduates, and faculty. All 46 doctoral nursing programs in Japan were target settings. 127 students who had been in the doctoral program, 24 graduates and 87 faculty members had responded to the survey. A questionnaire with 17 items for program evaluation, 12 items for faculty evaluation, 9 items for resource evaluation, and 3 for overall evaluations was distributed in November and December 2008. Responses to 1 program evaluation item, 2 faculty evaluation items and 4 resource evaluation items indicated significant differences among evaluators. While 79.2% of graduates responded positively that the number of faculty members was sufficient to facilitate learning, only 36.1% of faculty members and 49.6% of students responded affirmatively. Graduates' ratings were the most positive and faculty members were the least positive, especially for infrastructure or equipment such as libraries, computers, and the number of technical and support staff. The significant differences among the evaluators suggested that having evaluators in various roles is important to evaluate the quality of doctoral nursing education.Research highlights: ► Nationwide survey about evaluation of doctoral nursing education in Japan. ► Comparative study of 3 types of evaluators: students, graduates and faculty. ► Graduates' ratings were the most positive; faculty members' were the least positive.Evaluation of doctoral nursing education in Japan by students, graduates, and faculty: A comparative study based on a cross-sectional questionnaire surveySatoko Nagata, Misuzu F. Gregg, Yuko Miki, Azusa Arimoto, Sachiyo Murashima, Mi Ja Kim10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.019Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-13Nurse Education Today2011-06-13324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Original Research361367http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001201/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Contemporary paramedic practice involves the emergency assessment, management, treatment and transport of the public with minor and major; potentially life threatening conditions (Caroline, 2008). Paramedics are exposed to a myriad of human emotions related to suffering, pain, devastating trauma and death. Managing their own and others emotions appears to be a crucial component of their work, however there is a paucity of evidence relating to this aspect of the role. The movement of preregistration paramedic education into higher education has impacted on nurse educators in some settings, who are undertaking key administrative, managerial, teaching and personal tutoring roles. This is a valuable opportunity for nurse educators to contribute to the education of student paramedics in the crucial area of emotion work as part of interprofessional health care education. This paper examines emotional labour in health care, historical influences on paramedic education, the limited empirical research and the impact of gender, which provide insights into this profession crucial for nurse educators. The implications of emotion work for the educational curriculum and the support of student paramedics are discussed and strategies such as counselling, reflection and personal tutoring are suggested. Mentorship selection and preparation are highlighted and the need for a cultural change in attitude towards emotion work.Emotion work in paramedic practice: The implications for nurse educatorsAngela Williams10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.008Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-06Nurse Education Today2011-06-06324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Theoretical368372http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001250/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Aim: This article describes the results of a study into the psychometric properties of a questionnaire about student nurses' perceptions of mental health care. The questionnaire was constructed in 2008, but has not yet been tested in terms of construct validity and reliability. A validated questionnaire is essential as a standardized method of analyzing student nurses' perceptions of mental health care.Method: To investigate the construct validity, an exploratory factor analysis was performed. Reliability was determined by measuring the internal consistency of the questionnaire.Results: A principal component analysis (PCA) yielded a two-factor solution. The first factor comprised 9 items referring to the views of student nurses on psychiatric patients; the second factor comprised 6 items referring to the views of the students about professional careers in mental health care.Conclusion: The factor analysis and questionnaire produced two easily interpretable factors covering the same categories as those identified in the literature as determinants of a student nurse's choice for or against a career in mental health care. The questionnaire's construct validity was rated as sufficient, its reliability as acceptable. The problem is the low explained variance (25.6%). The usefulness of the questionnaire is therefore questionable. The usefulness might be improved through the expansion of some of the categories by additional items. Relevant suggestions are made in this article.Student nurses' perceptions of mental health care: Validation of a questionnaireAlex van der Heijden, Jaap van der Bijl, Corine H.M. Latour, Hanneke Hoekstra, Berno van Meijel10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.013Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-20Nurse Education Today2011-06-20324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Methodological373377http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711000992/abstract?rss=yesSummary: A work-based educational programme was the intervention used in a collective case study aiming to develop, strengthen and maintain personal resilience amongst fourteen nurses and midwives. The participants attended six, monthly workshops and formed a participatory learning group. Post-intervention, participants reported positive personal and professional outcomes, including enhanced self-confidence, self-awareness, communication and conflict resolution skills. They strengthened relationships with their colleagues, enabling them to build helpful support networks in the workplace. The intervention used new and innovative ways of engaging nurses and midwives exhibiting the effects of workplace adversity — fatigue, pressure, stress and emotional labour. Participants were removed from their usual workplace environment and brought together to engage in critical reflection, experiential learning and creativity whilst also learning about the key characteristics and strategies of personal resilience. Participants' experiences and skills were valued and respected; honest airing of the differences within the group regarding common workplace issues and concerns was encouraged. The new contribution of this intervention for nursing and midwifery education was supporting the learning experience with complementary therapies to improve participants' wellbeing and reduce stress.A work-based educational intervention to support the development of personal resilience in nurses and midwivesGlenda McDonald, Debra Jackson, Lesley Wilkes, Margaret H. Vickers10.1016/j.nedt.2011.04.012Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-07-04Nurse Education Today2011-07-04324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Professional Development378384http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001055/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Purpose: To review published studies evaluating the impact of continuing professional development (CPD) programmes on rural nurses palliative care capabilities in order to inform the development of targeted learning activities for this population.Design: An integrative review.Methods: Searches of key electronic databases and the World Wide Web was undertaken using key words, followed by hand searching for relevant articles. All studies were reviewed by two authors using a critical appraisal tool and level of evidence hierarchy.Results: The search strategies generated 74 articles, with 10 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. All of these studies evaluated palliative care CPD programmes involving rural nurses which focused on increasing palliative care capabilities. The evidence generated by this review was limited by the absence of randomised controlled trials. A level III-1 study, with a small sample size provided the highest level of evidence, but the lack of control negated the investigators' capacity to confirm causality. Few studies measured the impact of CPD on the quality of care or utilised novel technology to address the tyranny of distance. Despite, these limitations valuable insights into the barriers and facilitators to engaging rural nurses in palliative care learning opportunities were identified.Conclusions: Evidence that CPD impacts positively on patient and families outcomes is necessary to sustain an on-going investment in learning activities. In order to optimise the opportunities afforded by emerging web-based technology rural nurses' need to develop and maintain their computer competencies. Further investigation of the impact of specialist clinical placements on rural nurses' palliative care capabilities is also indicated.Continuing professional development programmes for rural nurses involved in palliative care delivery: An integrative reviewJane L. Phillips, Michael Piza, Jane Ingham10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.005Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-06Nurse Education Today2011-06-06324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Professional Development385392http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001213/abstract?rss=yesSummary: This paper present findings from research on the following issues: How nurses from surgical unit learn a caring theory by being co-researchers in a research group. The aim was to describe the learning process of the nurses when they were co-researchers in a research group. The study has a qualitative design and a hermeneutical approach. Data were collected through interviews with seven registered nurses in hospital in mid Sweden. The study shows that nurses learn caring by listening to each other. Four sub-themes emerged through the interpretation: Nurses learn caring theory by listening to each other when they are; giving time to talk to one another, expressing their actions in words, sharing thoughts with others and allowing themselves to be touched by each other's stories. The new understanding highlights that learning in research groups can be understood as a learning process, where nurses listen to one another and thereby create an expression and meaning of their experiences through caring theory, while at the same time developing their profession. Nurses learn caring theory by being co-researchers in a research group. In order for this to happen, the research collaboration should be characterized by realism and engagement.Nurses learn caring theory by being co-researchers in a surgical settingLena Boussaid, Monica Dahlgren, Lillemor Lindwall10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.009Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-09Nurse Education Today2011-06-09324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Professional Development393398http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001286/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Aim: The aim of this review was to identify factors associated with nurse students' medication competence.Background: Registered nurses play an important role in safe and effective medication management. Previous nursing literature has highlighted deficiencies in nurse students' medication competence, yet little is known about specific factors which are associated with their medication competence.Method: Integrative literature review.Results: Nineteen articles met the selection criteria for this review. The main competence area the reviewed articles focused on was medication calculation skills of nurse students. However, a total of twelve factors were identified to be associated with nurse students' medication competence. They constitute three main categories: factors associated with individual nurse students' particular circumstances, the clinical learning environment, and the educational institution. Individual factors such as students' attitudes towards mathematics and their self-confidence seem to be associated most strongly with medication competence.Conclusion: First, based on this review, the focus in medication competence research has been strongly on nurse students' medication calculation skills. Therefore, in future research and practice, attention needs to be paid to other competency areas as well, such as medication administration and patient medication education skills. Second, overall, only a limited amount of research exists that explores what factors are associated with medication competence.Nurse students' medication competence — An integrative review of the associated factorsVirpi Sulosaari, Satu Kajander, Maija Hupli, Risto Huupponen, Helena Leino-Kilpi10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.016Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-08Nurse Education Today2011-06-08324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Professional Development399405http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001407/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Nurse consultants are recognised experts and are one of the most senior nursing ‘clinical’ grades. How these roles have developed has varied but all require an armoury of expanded and extended skills. However, since their introduction in the UK little has been written about how they should be effectively prepared for the role.This study used a multi-method approach to establish a rich picture of the nurse consultant role (specialising in safeguarding children) in relation to their existing skills and perceived education needs. The job descriptions and specifications of a sample of consultant nurses (n=4) established role expectations and content, whilst in-depth individual semi-structured interviews with the nurses and six key ‘stakeholders’ explored perspectives about the educational preparation and ongoing learning needs of those either in the role or aspiring to be.The findings suggest that whilst there are differences there is also some convergence in their developmental needs. For example, that mentorship and academic and leadership support were integral to meeting their learning needs, to optimise effectiveness and to enhance future role development. It is vital therefore that those wishing to ‘grow’ consultant nurses implement a range of educational strategies to support the continued professional and clinical development of current and future post holders.Daring to be different: A qualitative study exploring the education needs of the nurse consultantFranks Helen, Howarth Michelle10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.021Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-20Nurse Education Today2011-06-20324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Professional Development406411http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711000608/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Nursing students' clinical experiences are important with respect to their impact on attitudes towards care for older people and preferences for future workplaces. The purpose of this paper is to explore how professional dialogue has an impact on nursing students' clinical learning and professional development in nursing homes.A qualitative design based on field work, field notes and qualitative research interviews was employed with 12 third year nursing students undergoing clinical practise in three nursing homes in Norway.The nursing students who participated in this study displayed positive attitudes towards older people. However, their experiences and perceptions of the learning environment in the nursing homes, varied. The nursing students expressed that a positive learning environment included participation in nursing care and professional dialogue to support their learning process and outcomes. Their primary wish was to develop their knowledge about care for older people through participation and dialogue as critical and reflective processes in a community of practise.Nursing homes as learning environments: The impact of professional dialogueMari Wolff Skaalvik, Ketil Normann, Nils Henriksen10.1016/j.nedt.2011.03.001Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-04-04Nurse Education Today2011-04-04324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning412416http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS026069171100061X/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Graduates' perception of the value of their undergraduate program is a critical component of professional program evaluation and contributes a viewpoint rarely reported in the literature. It has been proposed that Problem Based Learning (PBL) enhances knowledge acquisition, clinical competency and professionalism as a consequence of students assuming the role of registered nurse as they work through real practice situations on a daily basis in the classroom. The purpose of this study was to determine how PBL graduates describe the contribution of the educational experience to their professional practice as nurses. Using focused ethnography, PBL graduates (N=45) participated in the study as individuals or through focus group discussions. Graduates described themselves as: self aware and self directed critical thinkers, patient advocates able to engage in evidence based holistic practice and interdisciplinary team members able to take on leadership roles and handle conflict.The influence of an undergraduate problem/context based learning program on evolving professional nursing graduate practiceBev Williams, Jude Spiers, Ann Fisk, Liz Richards, Barb Gibson, Willy Kabotoff, Debra McIlwraith, Aziza Sculley10.1016/j.nedt.2011.03.002Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-04-01Nurse Education Today2011-04-01324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning417421http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711000621/abstract?rss=yesSummary: The OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) is considered the most valid and reliable method for assessing the clinical skills of students training for health professions, but its use is limited by the related high costs. We analyzed the cost retrospectively of using an OSCE designed for second-year students (2009) in our degree course, adopting the Reznick et al. guidelines (1993), which recommend assessing both high-end costs and low-end costs. The high-end costs adopting the OSCE amounted to €145.23 per student, while the low-end costs were €31.51 per student. Considering the economic crisis and the cost-containment measures applied also in nursing education, strategies for further reducing costs are discussed.The cost of the objective structured clinical examination on an Italian nursing bachelor's degree courseA. Palese, G. Bulfone, E. Venturato, N. Urli, T. Bulfone, A. Zanini, S. Fabris, M. Tomietto, I. Comisso, C. Tosolini, S. Zuliani, A. Dante10.1016/j.nedt.2011.03.003Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-04-07Nurse Education Today2011-04-07324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning422426http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711000645/abstract?rss=yesSummary: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 536 Chinese nursing students to explore students' readiness for self-directed learning (SDL). The Self-Directed Learning Readiness (SDLR) Scale for nursing education (Chinese translation version) was used. The value of the content validity index tested by five experts was 0.915. A measure of internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.925 on the total scale. Students possessed readiness for SDL with a mean score of 157.72 (S.D.=15.08, 62.3% in high level, and 37.7% in low level). The attributes of Chinese students, such as a strong sense of responsibility and perseverance, due diligence and rigorous self-discipline, enable students to take the initiative and responsibility for their own learning. The existing variation in students' readiness for SDL is helpful in identifying student characteristics that might be used to modify learning activities for these students. Senior students had higher scores for SDLR than junior students. This finding likely reflects the maturational process of developing self-directedness. Promoting SDL skills is a challenging process for faculty members and students. It is helpful if nurse educators assess the learning styles and preferences of their students in order to determine the level of SDL activities to include from year to year in the curriculum.Chinese baccalaureate nursing students' readiness for self-directed learningHao Bin Yuan, Beverly A. Williams, Jin Bo Fang, Dong Pang10.1016/j.nedt.2011.03.005Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-04-01Nurse Education Today2011-04-01324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning427431http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711000694/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Academic nursing leaders play a crucial role in the policy context for nursing education. Effectiveness in this role requires that they work together in presenting nursing education issues from a position of strength, informed by a critical analysis of policy pertaining to the delivery of quality nursing education and scholarship. We describe a collective process of dialog and critical analysis whereby nurse leaders in one Canadian province addressed pressing policy issues facing governments, nursing programs, faculty, and students. Consensus among academic nurse leaders, formalized through the development of a policy action framework, has enabled us to take a stand, at times highly contested, in the politicized arena of the nursing shortage. We present the components of a policy action framework for nursing education and share examples of how we have used a critical approach to analyze and frame policy issues in nursing education for inclusion on policy agendas. We believe our work has influenced provincial and national thinking about policy in nursing education is the foundation of our conclusion that political presence and shared strategy among academic nursing leaders is undeniably critical in the global context of nursing today.Policy analysis and advocacy in nursing education: The Nursing Education Council of British Columbia frameworkSusan M. Duncan, Sally Thorne, Jocelyne Van Neste-Kenny, Betty Tate10.1016/j.nedt.2011.03.009Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-04-13Nurse Education Today2011-04-13324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning432437http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711000712/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Aim: Develop in-hospital tutorials where the hospital unit's nurse preceptor, the college teacher and student nurses discuss clinical experiences and together acquire knowledge.Method: Literary research combined with examples from a clinical tutorial/discussion group project with B.A. student nurses, clinical nurses and college teacher.Conclusion: Clinical reflection groups may be an important step towards accomplishing stability in a collaborative effort between hospital and college to help students become knowledgeable, perceptive, reflecting, caring and effective nurses. The teacher's role in clinical practice is changing. The learning method described in this text, however resource-demanding, furthers close collaboration between hospital and college, and success depends on the educator's and clinician's collective competency. Our experience is that all parties concerned found that they gained a more holistic view of nurse education through participating in a forum focused on students' experiences through patient histories.The importance of dialogue in student nurses' clinical educationGrethe Haugan, Ann-Hallfrid Sørensen, Ingrid Hanssen10.1016/j.nedt.2011.03.011Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-04-18Nurse Education Today2011-04-18324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning438442http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711000852/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Knowledge and skills relating to cardiopulmonary resuscitation tend to be lost over time. The combination of simulation sessions with online video records and online feedback allows for an enduring record of skills sessions to assist students in retaining and revising their learning. This paper reports a qualitative evaluation of such a combination used in inter-disciplinary sessions for volunteer nursing and medical students. Methods included focus groups and free text questionnaires; data were gathered from fourteen students and three teachers. Students had used the online material in a variety of personal ways, and found that the addition to their learning was significant. Their memories of the simulation sessions and of the feedback received immediately afterwards were incomplete, and repeated viewing enabled them to identify good and poor practice with more confidence, and to reflect more carefully on their own and others' practice. Teachers found it easier to give more detailed feedback when given the chance to watch the video than immediately after the session. All felt that the sessions would ideally be embedded in the curriculum.Web-based video and feedback in the teaching of cardiopulmonary resuscitationTracey Bowden, Angela Rowlands, Margot Buckwell, Stephen Abbott10.1016/j.nedt.2011.04.003Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-05-06Nurse Education Today2011-05-06324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning443447http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711000980/abstract?rss=yesSummary: Background: An undergraduate nursing health assessment course provided three experiential modalities for practicing health assessment skills: high-fidelity human simulators (HFS), standardized patients (SP) and community volunteers (CV). Previous research has examined the impact of each distinct modality on learning outcomes. However, few studies have compared these learning strategies. This study investigates learners' satisfaction, self-efficacy and performance behaviors among three learning approaches.Method: Forty-four undergraduate nursing students were randomly assigned to perform focused respiratory assessments on a HFS, SP or CV. Participants completed the Health Assessment Educational Modality Evaluation (HAEME) survey to assess self-efficacy and modality satisfaction. A performance checklist evaluated assessment skills.Results: Performance behaviors were significantly greater with HFS, but learners were significantly less satisfied with this modality. Significant differences in students' self-efficacy were not found across the three modalities.Conclusions: Significantly lower satisfaction with HFS may reflect learners' perceived lack of realism. However, HFS may provide a low-stress opportunity for novice learners to practice skills. Results support the integration of distinct experiential learning modalities in an undergraduate nursing health assessment course.Evaluating high-fidelity human simulators and standardized patients in an undergraduate nursing health assessment courseMarian Luctkar-Flude, Barbara Wilson-Keates, Monica Larocque10.1016/j.nedt.2011.04.011Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-05-12Nurse Education Today2011-05-12324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning448452http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001237/abstract?rss=yesSummary: The aim of the study was to explore nursing students' experiences of aspects important for their learning process and their ability to handle the complexity of the nursing degree program. The study was longitudinal and qualitative based on interviews with nursing students, six women and two men aged 20–36, during their three years of education.In all, seven patterns were found embracing aspects of importance for the students' learning: Having a clear goal, being able to re-evaluate one's ideas, being acknowledged, when the abstract becomes tangible, using one's own experiences as a tool for learning, hovering between closeness and distance regarding one's future profession and handling theory and practice in relation to one another. The results show the importance of providing clinical courses, strongly connected to the theoretical parts of the program and to use reflection and experience-based learning in the nursing program.Swedish nursing students' experience of aspects important for their learning process and their ability to handle the complexity of the nursing degree programPetra Lilja Andersson, Anna-Karin Edberg10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.011Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-08Nurse Education Today2011-06-08324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning453457http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001249/abstract?rss=yesSummary: This study confirmed the educational effectiveness of practical exercises (PE) using intravenous (IV) simulators incorporating virtual reality (VR)/haptics (based on the sense of touch) device technologies. First-year nursing students (n=114) were randomly divided into three PE groups: Group A, utilizing a conventional arm model (IV arm); Group B, utilizing a VR/Haptics IV Simulator (IV sim); and Group C, utilizing both the IV arm and IV sim. Group C scored highest on procedures for conducting venipuncture. Group B was more successful in performing injections than Groups A and C. Group C required significantly less time than Group B to complete a venipuncture injection and was faster than Group A, although this difference was not significant. In conclusion, a new paradigm of PE is suggested using both IV sim and IV arm.Research Highlights: ► Verification of the educational effectiveness used by the IV Simulator. ► Combining IV Simulator and IV arm achieved the highest score of success in cannulations. ► IV Simulator showed higher rate of success in the venipuncture than IV arm. ► Suggests a new paradigm for venipuncture methods combining two education methods.Evaluation of practical exercises using an intravenous simulator incorporating virtual reality and haptics device technologiesEun-Young Jung, Dong Kyun Park, Young Ho Lee, Hyun Sook Jo, Yong Su Lim, Rae Woong Park10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.012Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-13Nurse Education Today2011-06-13324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning458463http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001262/abstract?rss=yesSummary: The article describes the students' experiences of taking a blended learning postgraduate programme in a school of nursing and midwifery. The indications to date are that blended learning as a pedagogical tool has the potential to contribute and improve nursing and midwifery practice and enhance student learning. Little is reported about the students' experiences to date. Focus groups were conducted with students in the first year of introducing blended learning. The two main themes that were identified from the data were (1) the benefits of blended learning and (2) the challenges to blended learning. The blended learning experience was received positively by the students. A significant finding that was not reported in previous research was that the online component meant little time away from study for the students suggesting that it was more invasive on their everyday life. It is envisaged that the outcomes of the study will assist educators who are considering delivering programmes through blended learning. It should provide guidance for further developments and improvements in using Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and blended learning in nurse education.Students' experiences of blended learning across a range of postgraduate programmesSiobhan Smyth, Catherine Houghton, Adeline Cooney, Dympna Casey10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.014Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-06-07Nurse Education Today2011-06-07324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Teaching and Learning464468http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691712000536/abstract?rss=yesSummary: The reasons behind attrition rates in nursing and midwifery are many and complex. However, of the four UK countries, Scotland has been consistently cited as having the highest attrition rate from its pre-registration nursing and midwifery education programmes. This paper provides an overview of a nationally coordinated programme of work to support evidence-based intervention and identifies both opportunities for further national and international initiatives and presents early indicators of improvement in retention and completion.Untangling a complex issue: An overview of initiatives to support nursing and midwifery student recruitment, selection and retention in Scottish UniversitiesMichael Sabin, Ruth Taylor, Colin Tilley10.1016/j.nedt.2012.02.009Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2012-04-05Nurse Education Today2012-04-05324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0The Student Experience469474http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001006/abstract?rss=yes“Supervising the Reflective Practitioner” is written from an inter-professional perspective and is of equal value to educators and practitioners from the fields of both health and social care. Scaife not only reviews and critically analyses a range of reflective approaches, she also models what it is to be a reflective practitioner and effective supervisor through her approach to the material. Her use of quotations from students and practitioners from a range of disciplines to supplement her own reflections ensures that Scaife's work is grounded in real-world experience. Of equal value are the pertinent questions posed throughout the book that encourage the reader to reflect on the material as they go along, therefore grounding it in their experiences.Charlotte Robson10.1016/j.nedt.2011.05.001Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-05-30Nurse Education Today2011-05-30324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Book Reviews475475http://www.nurseeducationtoday.com/article/PIIS0260691711001663/abstract?rss=yesThis book is a “collectively produced multi authored book” that discusses the contributions health service users and carers can make to the education of health care professionals in universities. The service users and carers draw on a diverse range of experiences of the health service, including those who have had positive and negative experiences.Patricia Gillen10.1016/j.nedt.2011.07.001Nurse Education Today 32, 4 (2012)2011-08-24Nurse Education Today2011-08-24324S0260-6917(12)X0003-0Book Reviews475476