Effectiveness of agile methodology on metacognitive ability, and clinical performance among nursing students-An interventional study.

BACKGROUND: The emerging trend focuses on the need for an active agile method in the nursing curriculum. It helps to improve student engagement, the interaction between the students and teachers, higher-order thinking, teamwork, and practical skills. This study was done to assess the effectiveness of agile methodology on metacognitive ability and clinical performance among nursing students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this interventional study, two groups of the pre-post design were adopted. Each college was considered a cluster. By using the chit method, the colleges (four) were randomly selected for the experimental and control groups. To avoid contamination, all the fourth-year students were included either in the experimental group (133) or the control groups (132), respectively. The pretest was conducted using a metacognitive awareness inventory (metacognitive ability (MA)) and an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) tool (clinical performance (CP)) in the experimental and control groups. Leaders were selected using leader attribute inventory (leadership ability (LA) in the pretest and posttest 2 among the experimental and control groups before the agile teaching. By using agile methodology, the newborn course was taught for 21 days in the experimental group. To assess the effectiveness of agile methodology, the control group was not given any teaching. Posttests were conducted immediately and after 1 week to assess the MA and CP in the experimental and control groups. The control group had agile training for 10 days after the posttests to understand the newer agile methodology. The data were analyzed by using SPSS version 28. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to assess the data for effectiveness. RESULTS: The result showed that there is an improvement in the metacognitive ability (MA) score and clinical performance score over time in the experimental group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The study finding supports that incorporating agile methodology in education impacts the metacognitive ability and clinical performance among nursing students. However, the teacher must be familiar with the methodology while incorporating agile in teaching.

Resting heart rate variability as a diagnostic marker of cardiovascular dysautonomia in postural tachycardia syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a disorder of the autonomic nervous system characterised by orthostatic intolerance and orthostatic tachycardia without hypotension. Heart rate variability (HRV) is the most reliable and objective tool for assessing autonomic dysfunction severity. In the present study, we aimed to investigate HRV changes in resting supine position, predicting severity and cardiovascular risk in patients with POTS. METHODS: We compared 100 POTS patients with 160 healthy controls matched for age and gender in a case-control design. Along with clinical characterization, heart rate variability was evaluated using ambulatory 5 min ECG in lead II and expressed in frequency and time-domain measures. RESULTS: The resting heart rate of patients with POTS was significantly higher than that of healthy controls. In HRV measures, root mean square successive difference of RR intervals (RMSSD), total and high frequency (HF) powers were statistically lower with an increased low frequency (LF) to high-frequency ratio in patients with POTS compared to healthy controls. Further, stepwise logistic regression analysis showed increased basal HR and LF/HF as significant predictors of POTS and its severity. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study on a large cohort of patients with POTS from India wherein HRV was assessed. The study showed reduced parasympathetic activity and increased sympathetic activity in patients with POTS compared to healthy controls. These findings of increased resting heart rate and LF/HF were found to be potential predictors of POTS and future cardiovascular risks, which need to be replicated in a larger and more homogenized cohort.

Effectiveness and Factors Associated with Improved Life Skill Levels of Participants of a Large-Scale Youth-Focused Life Skills Training and Counselling Services Program (LSTCP): Evidence from India.

(1) Background: To empower and facilitate mental health promotion for nearly 18 million youth, a pioneering state-wide Life Skills Training and Counselling Services Program (LSTCP) was implemented in Karnataka, India. This study assesses the changes in life skills scores, level of life skills and factors associated with increased life skills among participants of the LSTCP. (2) Method: This pre-post study design was conducted on 2669 participants who underwent a six-day structured LSTCP. Changes in mean life skills scores and level of life skill categories pre- and post-LSTCP were assessed. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to assess the factors associated with increases in life skills. (3) Results: The LSTCP resulted in significant changes in life skill scores and level of life skills, indicating the effectiveness of the training. All life skill domains, except empathy and self-awareness, increased post-training. There was a positive shift in the level of life skills. Age (AOR = 1.34, CI = 1.11-1.62), gender (AOR = 1.39, CI = 1.15-1.68), education (AOR = 1.44, CI = 1.05-1.97) and physical (AOR = 1.02, CI = 1.01-1.03) and psychological (AOR = 1.02, CI = 1.01-1.03) quality of life was associated with an increase in life skills among participants. (4) Conclusions: The LSTCP is effective in improving the life skills of participants. The LSTCP modules and processes can be used to further train youth and contribute to mental health promotion in the state.