Mary K. McCurry

Engaging millennial learners: Effectiveness of personal response system technology with nursing students in small and large classrooms.

Nurse educators must explore innovative technologies that make the most of the characteristics and learning styles of millennial learners. These students are comfortable with technology and prefer interactive classrooms with individual feedback and peer collaboration. This study evaluated the perceived effectiveness of personal response system (PRS) technology in enhancing student learning in small and large classrooms. PRS technology was integrated into two undergraduate courses, nursing research (n = 33) and junior medical-surgical nursing (n = 116). Multiple-choice, true-false, NCLEX-RN alternate format, and reading quiz questions were incorporated within didactic PowerPoint presentations. Data analysis of Likert-type and open-response questions supported the use of PRS technology as an effective strategy for educating millennial learners in both small and large classrooms. PRS technology promotes active learning, increases participation, and provides students and faculty with immediate feedback that reflects comprehension of content and increases faculty-student interaction.

Knowledge for the good of the individual and society: linking philosophy, disciplinary goals, theory, and practice.

Nursing as a profession has a social mandate to contribute to the good of society through knowledge-based practice. Knowledge is built upon theories, and theories, together with their philosophical bases and disciplinary goals, are the guiding frameworks for practice. This article explores a philosophical perspective of nursings social mandate, the disciplinary goals for the good of the individual and society, and one approach for translating knowledge into practice through the use of a middle-range theory. It is anticipated that the integration of the philosophical perspective and model into nursing practice will strengthen the philosophy, disciplinary goal, theory, and practice links and expand knowledge within the discipline. With the focus on humanization, we propose that nursing knowledge for social good will embrace a synthesis of the individual and the common good. This approach converges vital and agency needs described by Hamilton and the primacy of maintaining the heritage of the good within the human species as outlined by Maritain. Further, by embedding knowledge development in a changing social and health care context, nursing focuses on the goals of clinical reasoning and action. McCubbin and Pattersons Double ABCX Model of Family Adaptation was used as an example of a theory that can guide practice at the community and global level. Using the theory-practice link as a foundation, the Double ABCX model provides practising nurses with one approach to meet the needs of individuals and society. The integration of theory into nursing practice provides a guide to achieve nursings disciplinary goals of promoting health and preventing illness across the globe. When nursing goals are directed at the synthesis of the good of the individual and society, nursings social and moral mandate may be achieved.

Effective pedagogies for teaching math to nursing students: A literature review

Improving mathematical competency and problem-solving skills in undergraduate nursing students has been an enduring challenge for nurse educators. A number of teaching strategies have been used to address this problem with varying degrees of success. This paper discusses a literature review which examined undergraduate nursing student challenges to learning math, methods used to teach math and problem-solving skills, and the use of innovative pedagogies for teaching. The literature was searched using the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature and Education Resource Information Center databases. Key search terms included: math*, nurs*, nursing student, calculation, technology, medication administration, challenges, problem-solving, personal response system, clickers, computer and multi-media. Studies included in the review were published in English from 1990 to 2011. Results support four major themes which include: student challenges to learning, traditional pedagogies, curriculum strategies, and technology and integrative methods as pedagogy. The review concludes that there is a need for more innovative pedagogical strategies for teaching math to student nurses. Nurse educators in particular play a central role in helping students learn the conceptual basis, as well as practical hands-on methods, to problem solving and math competency. It is recommended that an integrated approach inclusive of technology will benefit students through better performance, increased understanding, and improved student satisfaction.

Evaluating the effectiveness of personal response system technology on millennial student learning.

As nurse educators, we must explore new technologies that capitalize on the characteristics of millennial learners. One such technology, the personal response system (PRS), is an effective way to promote active learning and increase comprehension. Few nursing studies have examined the benefits of PRS technology on student outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of PRS technology on learning outcomes in two sections of an undergraduate nursing research course. A crossover design compared class quiz averages between and within groups. Findings related to between and within class quiz scores were mixed, whereas the effectiveness of in-class PRS questions on paper-and-pencil quiz scores and PRS-targeted quiz items was significant. Knowledge gained from this study can be used to enhance our ability to actively engage our technologically savvy undergraduate students. By threading technology into the undergraduate curriculum, learning outcomes may be improved.

Systematic review of text messaging as an intervention for adolescent obesity.

Purpose:Adolescent overweight and obesity is a significant problem for health care with associated quality of life and financial concerns. This systematic review investigated text messaging as an intervention to treat or prevent obesity in adolescent populations. Data sources:The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) statement was used as a guideline for the literature search and interpretation of findings. CINAHL, Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, and SocINDEX were searched using a combination of search terms. The initial 95 articles that met the search criteria were narrowed to seven that fit the focus. Conclusions:Text messaging is acceptable to adolescents as an obesity treatment but data about content and timing of messages vary. The effects of text messaging on body mass index (BMI) were difficult to determine because messaging was often part of a multicomponent intervention. Text messaging as an intervention for adolescent obesity was used in various settings. There were no included studies from primary care settings. Implications for practice:Further research is needed to determine the effect of messages on BMI and the most helpful content, timing, and frequency. This information may provide advanced practice nurses with effective, affordable tools to manage adolescent obesity in different settings.Purpose Adolescent overweight and obesity is a significant problem for health care with associated quality of life and financial concerns. This systematic review investigated text messaging as an intervention to treat or prevent obesity in adolescent populations. Data sources The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was used as a guideline for the literature search and interpretation of findings. CINAHL, Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PsycINFO, and SocINDEX were searched using a combination of search terms. The initial 95 articles that met the search criteria were narrowed to seven that fit the focus. Conclusions Text messaging is acceptable to adolescents as an obesity treatment but data about content and timing of messages vary. The effects of text messaging on body mass index (BMI) were difficult to determine because messaging was often part of a multicomponent intervention. Text messaging as an intervention for adolescent obesity was used in various settings. There were no included studies from primary care settings. Implications for practice Further research is needed to determine the effect of messages on BMI and the most helpful content, timing, and frequency. This information may provide advanced practice nurses with effective, affordable tools to manage adolescent obesity in different settings.

An exploratory study of decision making by informal caregivers of individuals with multiple sclerosis.

ABSTRACT The types of assistance informal caregivers provide has been well documented. However, the day-to-day decisions and the resources caregivers use to make decisions have not been investigated. This study explored the decisions made by informal caregivers of multiple sclerosis care recipients and the resources they use to inform those decisions. A qualitative, exploratory-descriptive research design was used. Two separate in-depth face-to-face, audiotaped interviews were completed with each caregiver. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, and data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Results revealed that multiple sclerosis caregivers make decisions in four topic areas: healthcare, financial, social, and family. Decisions increased in complexity and severity as the care recipient’s disease progressed. Triaging acute illnesses, managing medication side effects, and end-of-life decisions were the most difficult for caregivers. Caregivers used a variety of resources to support their decision making and identified areas where resources were lacking. By more fully understanding the types of decisions informal caregivers make and the resources they use to aid these decisions, healthcare professionals can develop interventions that support these devoted individuals, increasing the quality of life for both the caregiver and the care recipient.

Postflood disaster management and the home health nurse: using theory to guide practice.

Few frameworks exist to guide home health nurses during the response and recovery phases of disasters such as flooding. The Double ABCX Model of Family Adaptation is offered as an example of a guiding framework for nurses in postflood management. Phases of the model are linked to the nursing process, and management strategies are applied to individuals and families living in the community. Postcrisis decision-making is detailed through the discussion of nursing diagnoses, interventions, and evaluation. Implications highlight the value of using a theoretical framework to guide practice, develop knowledge, and clarify the home health nurses role in postflood management.

Facilitating the Transition of Nurse Clinician to Nurse Scientist: Significance of Entry PhD Courses

Transitioning into the role of nurse scientist requires the acquisition of new knowledge but also involves the development of new scholarly skills and the appropriation of the unique values and goals of the new role. Students engaged in doctor of philosophy education in all practice disciplines are confronted with a necessary shift in perspective and identity from that of the practice expert to the research scientist and experience a tension referred to as the research-practice dualism. The purpose of this article is to examine the ramifications of this identity shift in nursing doctor of philosophy education and to detail one programs strategy to address the inherent tension. This transition into the role of nurse scientist includes learning to value scholarly literature, expanding ones philosophical and disciplinary vocabulary, cultivating disciplinary inquisitiveness, learning scholarly communication and dissemination skills, and developing new collegial relationships. It is essential that this process of transitioning from clinician to scholar be purposively supported from the outset of the program. Faculty must critically examine current educational strategies and design new approaches to more effectively integrate the practice and science worlds, thereby enhancing program completion and graduating nurse scientists who are equipped to contribute to the knowledge of the discipline.

When Caregiving Ends: The Experiences of Former Family Caregivers of People With Dementia.

Purpose of the Study Numerous adverse physiological and psychological effects of family caregiving are documented in the literature. However, there is little knowledge about family caregivers after caregiving ends. The purpose of this study is to examine the health of former family caregivers and describe their experiences following the death of a care recipient with dementia. Methods Eight former family caregivers were recruited using convenience sampling. Each caregiver participated in one semi-structured interview ranging from 45 minutes to 3 hours in length. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed for qualitative content analysis. Results Three overarching themes emerged from the data: (a) sleep disturbances, (b) changes in health status, and (c) learning to live again. Despite relief from caregiving duties, sleep disturbances in former family caregivers persisted for as long as 10 years post-caregiving. Caregivers reported changes in health such as acute health crises, ongoing illness, or a cascade of nonacute illnesses. Caregivers illustrated post-caregiving as a process of learning to live again, characterized by initial uncertainty about how to proceed in life and a reluctance to relinquish caregiving after years of identifying with the caregiver role. Implications The results of this study suggest that there may be long-term effects of caregiving on health that persist well beyond the first year post-caregiving. Former caregivers would benefit from further research on the physical and psychological health of former caregivers after the first year of post-caregiving, the role of triggering events during post-caregiving, and interventions to meet the needs of former caregivers.

An exploration of caregiver choice through the lens of Sartrean existentialism

There are innumerable social and ethical factors which affect ones decision to become an informal caregiver for someone with chronic illness. The existential philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre provides unique insight into human motivation and choice. The purpose of this paper was to examine the social and ethical influences on the individuals decision to become a caregiver through the lens of Sartrean existentialism and discuss how this unique philosophy can advance nursing knowledge. The factors affecting ones choice to become a caregiver were considered using the Sartrean existential concepts of The Other, human freedom, choice, bad faith, shame and authenticity. When explored through the perspective of Sartrean existentialism, the choice to become a caregiver is strongly influenced by fear of judgement from The Other and the resulting sense of social obligation and shame. However, the interaction with The Other often results in the loss of authenticity through the pursuit of bad faith. To avert bad faith, potential caregivers must act authentically by exercising their freedom to choose and by choosing an action for its own sake and not for some extraneous purpose. The results of this philosophical inquiry contribute to nursing knowledge by providing a unique, alternative perspective by which nurses may understand the choices of potential caregivers and support them in making authentic decisions. This perspective may provide a foundation for theory development and promote further nursing knowledge which will improve caregiver health and well-being.