Introducing Twitter as an assessed component of the undergraduate nursing curriculum: case study.

AIMS: To ask: (i) is it feasible to include Twitter as an assessed element of the first-year nursing curriculum; (ii) how should it be introduced and assessed; and (iii) do students think it worthwhile and learn anything from its use? BACKGROUND: Nursing students need to use social media professionally, avoiding pitfalls but using learning opportunities. DESIGN: This case study (2014-2015) comprised: (i) pilot introduction of Digital Professionalism (including Twitter) with second- and third-year students; (ii) introduction and assessment with a first cohort of 450 first-year students. Based on feedback, methods were revised for; (iii) a second cohort of 97. METHODS: Students received a face-to-face lecture, two webinars, used chat rooms and were asked to create course Twitter accounts and were assessed on their use. RESULTS: Few second and third year students started optional Twitter use whereas nearly all first years used it. Most students (70·1% first, 88·0% second cohort) thought inclusion of Twitter was worthwhile. Changes from first to second cohort included better peer-peer support, more contextualization and more emphasis on nursing communities. More second cohort students learned from Twitter (44·4% vs. 70·8%) and used Twitter recently (43·3% vs. 81·6%). Students gained wider perspectives on nursing, better understanding of social media, 'being student nurses' and topics like health promotion. Students mostly followed not only online nursing communities but also patient organizations. CONCLUSION: Including Twitter as an assessed element for first-year nursing students was feasible, students think it worthwhile and other nursing schools should consider introducing it in the broader context of Digital Professionalism.

Effectiveness of the e-NurSus Children Intervention in the Training of Nursing Students.

The paediatric population is the most vulnerable to exposure to environmental risk factors. Institutions of higher education have to equip nursing students with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills to respond to this using blended learning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of e-NurSus Children intervention on student nurses' attitudes, knowledge, and skills. A quasi-experimental study of time series was designed using pre and post educational intervention evaluation in 2018. The participants were nursing students (N = 267) from Spain (n = 110) and the United Kingdom (n = 157). Three instruments were used: the Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey, the Children's Environmental Health Knowledge Questionnaire, and the Children's Environmental Health Skills Questionnaire. The attitudes (15.81%), knowledge (39.02%), and skills (29.98%) of nursing students improved following the e-NurSus Children intervention. It is necessary to include topics on children's environmental health in nurse education as students are aware of this issue but do not have the knowledge or skills required to manage problems or illness caused by the environment. The e-NurSus Children intervention is an effective tool to address this educational gap.

Perceptions of young people about decision making in the acute healthcare environment.

AIM: This study explored young people's perceptions of their involvement in healthcare decisions affecting their management of care. METHOD: A phenomenological approach was used to allow in-depth examination of the young people's personal accounts of their experiences. Data were obtained from 10 hospitalised young people between the ages of 12-16 years from both genders and from different medical and surgical specialities using focused interviews. Transcribing, reading and listening to the data enabled data analysis through reflection and analysis. FINDINGS: Three themes were identified: level of involvement in decision-making; psychological impact of involvement in decision making; and communication. CONCLUSION: Professional practice in the care of young people should include effective communication, a policy of inclusion and active assessment of competence.

Developing awareness of sustainability in nursing and midwifery using a scenario-based approach: Evidence from a pre and post educational intervention study.

BACKGROUND: The delivery of healthcare has an impact on the environment and contributes to climate change. As a consequence, the way in which nurses and midwives use and dispose of natural resources in clinical practice, and the subsequent impact on the environment, should be integral component of nursing and midwifery education. Opportunities need to be found to embed such issues into nursing curricula; thus bringing sustainability issues 'closer to home' and making them more relevant for clinical practice. OBJECTIVES: The study was designed to measure the impact of a sustainability-focussed, scenario-based learning educational intervention on the attitudes and knowledge of student nurses and midwives. DESIGN: Pre test/Post test intervention study using scenario-based learning as the educational intervention. The Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey (SANS_2) was used as the outcome measure. SETTINGS: Clinical skills session in a UK University School of Nursing and Midwifery. PARTICIPANTS: 676 second year undergraduate nursing and midwifery students. METHODS: The 7-point scale SANS survey was completed before and after the teaching session; standard non-parametric analysis compared pre and post intervention scores. RESULTS: Changes were observed in attitude towards climate change and sustainability and to the inclusion of these topics within the nursing curricula (p=0.000). Participants demonstrated greater knowledge of natural resource use and the cost of waste disposal following the session (p=0.000). Participants also reported that sessions were realistic, and levels of agreement with statements supporting the value of the session and the interactive nature of delivery were higher following the session. CONCLUSIONS: Using a scenario-based learning approach with nursing and midwifery students can change attitudes and knowledge towards sustainability and climate change. Embedding this approach in the context of clinical skills provides a novel and engaging approach that is both educationally sound and clinically relevant.

Nursing students' attitudes towards sustainability and health care.

Aim To evaluate attitudes towards embedding sustainability and climate change in nursing curricula among nursing students, some of whom had participated in a sustainability and health skills session, and determine whether the session could improve knowledge of sustainability. Methods Three months after the sustainability session, students who had participated along with a sample of students who had not, completed a Sustainability Attitudes in Nursing Survey questionnaire. This investigated attitudes towards climate change and sustainability in nursing curricula and the costs of clinical and domestic waste disposal. Results Nursing students were positive about sustainability and climate change and its inclusion in the curriculum, irrespective of their participation in the sustainability scenario session. Participants in the sustainability session were more likely to identify correctly the cost of clinical waste disposal in the NHS. Conclusion The sustainability and health skills session has the potential to improve nursing students' knowledge of the cost of clinical waste disposal.

The use of evidence-informed sustainability scenarios in the nursing curriculum: development and evaluation of teaching methods.

BACKGROUND: Climate change and resource scarcity pose challenges for healthcare in the future, yet there is little to raise awareness about these issues in the nursing curriculum and nurses are poorly equipped to practice in a changing climate. The aims of this paper are to describe how an evidence-informed 'sustainability and health' scenario based on two sustainability issues (resource depletion and waste management) was introduced into a nursing clinical skills session, and to report the evaluation of the session. METHODS: Based on evidence from our own research on waste management, sustainable procurement and resource scarcity, a practical hands-on skill session was delivered to 30 second year student nurses as part of a scheduled clinical skills day. The session was observed by one of the facilitators and interactions recorded and this was followed by a brief questionnaire completed by participants. FINDINGS: Observations of the group sessions and discussion found that students demonstrated limited knowledge about natural resources (such as oil) used in the production of items used in healthcare; they engaged in discussions following the use of Internet resources, and were able to segregate waste appropriately. Thirty (100%) students completed the evaluation questionnaire, found the resources used in the skill session helpful, and thought that the scenarios were realistic. Nineteen reported being more aware of peak oil; 30 were more aware of risks to patient experience and service delivery if resources become unavailable; 30 reported greater awareness of the management of waste in healthcare. Comments on the questionnaire indicated a high level of engagement and interest in the subject. CONCLUSION: The problem of climate change and resource scarcity can too easily be seen as a distant or intractable problem. However one way to make this topic real for students is through the use of clinically relevant scenarios in skill sessions.

Effect of climate change and resource scarcity on health care.

Climate change and resource scarcity pose significant threats to healthcare delivery. Nurses should develop the skills to cope with these challenges in the future. Skills sessions using sustainability scenarios can help nursing students to understand the effect climate change and resource scarcity will have on health care. Involving design students in clinical skills sessions can encourage multidisciplinary working and help to find solutions to promote healthcare sustainability.