Characterizing effective teaching in nursing pharmacology YouTube videos: A mixed methods study.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacology is a vital course in nursing involving numerous concepts, making it challenging for educators and students to teach and learn the course, respectively. As YouTube videos become a powerful academic resource in understanding challenging courses, most studies demonstrate that online educational videos effectively improve students' learning process. However, what makes these videos effective in teaching has yet to be discovered. OBJECTIVES: This paper typified the teaching strategies of nursing pharmacology YouTube videos to manage cognitive load and promote student engagement. Additionally, the use of these strategies was correlated with the videos' Video Power Indexes [VPIs]. METHODS: This study employed a mixed methods design. 52 YouTube videos about nursing pharmacology were used for analysis. Watching these videos generated transcriptions to typify teaching strategies using thematic content analysis. Quantitative parameters such as likes, dislikes, and videos were computed to get the Video Power Index [VPI]. VPI of the videos was correlated with the identified strategies using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r). RESULTS: With the comprehensive characterization of strategies from the videos, this study uncovered two themes, Infoxication Antagonists and Attention Agonists, as the composition of the V-CAPS: Video's Constructive and Adaptive Pedagogical Strategies. This model describes how nurse YouTubers simplify complex pharmacology concepts while maintaining the viewers' concentration in watching the videos. Results also revealed that Infoxication Antagonists and the duration of the videos have significantly moderate influence, and Attention Agonists have a significantly weak correlation with the VPIs. CONCLUSION: The study's findings present teaching strategies to reduce cognitive load and promote student engagement. These can provide valuable insights for nursing educators in teaching the course and using videos to promote the students' optimum learning.

Detection of tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected in the suburban area of Monte Romano, Lazio Region, Central Italy.

BACKGROUND: A study on tick species characterization and tick borne pathogens detection was performed by a survey conducted during 2012 and 2013 in the Viterbo province (Lazio Region, Central Italy). Seven sites were selected for the study investigation, including two farms and a military zone. METHODS: A total of 255 ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus (n = 215), Rhipicephalus bursa (n = 28), and Hyalomma marginatum (n = 12) were screened individually by molecular methods for the tick borne bacterial agents: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato group, Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetii, Ehrlichia spp., Francisella spp., and Rickettsia spp. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Overall, 182 ticks (71%) were infected with at least one pathogen; among these co-infections were found in 94 ticks. Tick borne pathogens identified were C. burnetii, B. burgdorferi s.l., Bartonella spp., Rickettsia spp., Francisella spp., and Ehrlichia spp. In R. bursa and H. marginatum, the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. was positively correlated with that of C. burnetii, Rickettsia spp., and Bartonella spp. and their coinfection probabilities were 29.8%, 22.7% and 11.7%, respectively; the probability of coinfection for Francisella spp. and Rickettsia spp. and for Francisella spp. and Bartonella spp. was 14.9% and 17.9%, respectively. In R. (Boophilus) annulatus, the probability of coinfection between C. burnetii and B. burgdorferi s.l. was 11.3%, while those between C. burnetii and Bartonella spp. and between B. burgdorferi s.l. and Bartonella spp. were 0.8%. Further studies are needed in order to assess the risk associated with these unusual tick-borne pathogens in Central Italy.

Molecular characterization of Babesia and Theileria species in ticks collected in the outskirt of Monte Romano, Lazio Region, Central Italy.

BACKGROUND: In 2012-2013, an investigation was carried out in the Viterbo province, Lazio region, on ticks and tick-borne Apicomplexan protozoa of the Babesia and Theileria genera. This followed the reporting of high density of ticks by soldiers operating in a military shooting range, and the signaling by owners and local veterinary authorities of several cases of babesiosis among cattle. METHODS: A total of 422 ticks were collected from 35 heads, whereas 96 ticks were collected by dragging. Ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) annulatus Say (n = 373), Rhipicephalus bursa Canestrini & Fanzago (n = 63), Rhipicephalus sanguineus/turanicus (n = 32), Hyalomma marginatum Koch (n = 49) and Dermacentor marginatus Sulzer, 1776 (n = 1). A randomly selected sample of ticks (235 from animals and 36 by dragging) was analyzed using molecular methods to detect species of Babesia and Theileria. RESULTS: In total, 11 ticks collected from animals (4.7%) and two ticks (5.5%) collected by dragging were positive. Sequencing of PCR products of the small subunit ribosomal RNA gene revealed Babesia caballi (n = 2), Babesia bigemina (n = 3), Theileria sergenti/buffeli/orientalis (n = 7) and Theileria equi (n = 1). None of the detected species has been associated with human infection.