Core components of end-of-life care in nursing education programs: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: So far, there have been many studies on end-of-life nursing care education around the world, and in many cases, according to the cultural, social, and spiritual contexts of each country, the results have been different. The present study intends to gain general insight into the main components of end-of-life care in nursing education programs by reviewing scientific texts and the results of investigations. METHODS: This study was a scoping review conducted with the Arksey and O'Malley methodology updated by Peters et al. First, a search was made in Wos, ProQuest, Scopus, PubMed, Science Direct, Research Gate, and Google Scholar databases to find studies about end-of-life care education programs. Then, the screening of the found studies was done in four stages, and the final articles were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria of the studies. Due to the nature of the research, editorials, letters, and commentaries were excluded. The screening steps are shown in the PRISMA-ScR diagram. RESULTS: 23 articles related to end-of-life care education programs were reviewed. The studies included eleven descriptive and cross-sectional studies, two qualitative studies, eight interventional studies, one concept analysis article, and one longitudinal study. By summarizing the data from the studies, six themes were obtained as the main components of end-of-life care education: principles of end-of-life care, communication skills, physical considerations, psychosocial and spiritual considerations, ethical considerations, and after-death care. CONCLUSION: End-of-life care is one of the most challenging nursing care in the world. Since many nurses are not prepared to provide such care, the information obtained from this review can help nursing education and treatment managers develop more comprehensive training programs to improve the quality of end-of-life care.

Predictors of the quality of life in siblings of children with chronic diseases.

PURPOSE: Advances in medical sciences have contributed to the increase in children living with chronic diseases. The diagnosis of a chronic disease in a child can affect the quality of life of all family members, including siblings. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the predictors of quality of life among siblings aged 8 to 12 years who have a brother or sister with chronic diseases. METHODS: In this case-control study conducted in Rasht, 85 siblings of children with chronic diseases as the case group and 172 siblings of healthy children as the control group were recruited using cluster sampling. The two groups were matched for age and gender. Data were collected using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL TM) and a demographic questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis, and logistic regression analysis tests via SPSS version 16. RESULTS: The mean quality of life scores in the case and control groups were 88.86 ± 10.33 and 87.39 ± 10.89, respectively, indicating a desirable level within both groups. No statistically significant difference was found in this regard between the two groups. Based on the logistic regression analysis, three variables of number of family members (P = 0.03), mother's education level (P = 0.025), and family's income level (P = 0.023) were identified as significant predictors of quality of life. In this regard, it was found that the number of family members and the mother's education level were positively related to the quality of life, increasing the mean scores by 2.32 and 1.48, respectively. Conversely, a higher family income level was associated with a decrease in quality of life scores by 0.543. CONCLUSIONS: The study found that the quality of life among siblings of children with chronic diseases is good, comparable to that of their peers. The findings imply that the chronicity of the disease does not significantly impair siblings' adaptation and overall well-being. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The findings of this study can be used in various fields, including healthcare management, nursing clinical services, nursing education, and nursing research.

The effect of serious game and problem-based learning on nursing students' knowledge and clinical decision-making skill regarding the application of transfusion medicine in pediatric nursing.

PURPOSE: Comparing the effect of serious game and problem-based learning on nursing students' knowledge and clinical decision-making skill regarding the application of transfusion medicine in pediatric nursing. DESIGN AND METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, 76 undergraduate nursing students were enrolled through a convenience sampling method, and were allocated to one of the three groups of serious game, problem-based learning, and control through the block randomization method. Data were collected using a valid and reliable 3-part researcher-made tool, completed before and two weeks after the intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using paired t-test, analysis of covariance, and Bonferroni post hoc test. A significance level of <0.05 was considered. RESULTS: After the intervention, mean scores of both knowledge and clinical decision-making skill increased significantly in both intervention groups (p < 0.05). Mean post-test scores of both knowledge and clinical decision-making skill in the serious game group, and only clinical decision-making skill in the problem-based learning group were significantly higher than the control group (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed regarding mean post-test scores of both knowledge and clinical decision-making skill between the intervention groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both serious game and problem-based learning are proven to be effective in improving nursing students' knowledge and clinical decision-making skill regarding the application of transfusion medicine in pediatric nursing. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Since learning now occurs beyond classrooms and the new generation of students spend most of their time in virtual places, utilizing technology-based teaching methods like serious games can benefit both educators and students by providing continuous education, saving their time and expenses, etc.

The quality of nursing care from the perspective of hospitalized school-age children.

PURPOSE: Hospitalized children's satisfaction with the care they receive is the main indicator for evaluating the way nurses should provide services and the quality of these services. The current study aimed to examine school-aged children's perceptions of nursing care quality. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 144 children aged 7-11 years were selected through a convenience sampling method. The data collection tool included The Child Care Quality at Hospital Questionnaire, and the personal- and family-related and disease-related factors questionnaire. Independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression test were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Based on the findings, the highest score of nursing care quality was related to characteristics domain (13 ± 1.7). In addition, the children's age, father's education and history of hospitalization were related to nurses' characteristics domain; mother's education and length of hospital stay were related to nursing activities domain; and mother's education, father's occupation and length of hospital stay were related to nursing environment domain. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study showed that children's nurses can provide better quality care to children by paying attention to nurses' characteristics and then the scope of activities and care environment. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Considering the factors affecting the nursing care quality, a conscious step should also be taken for strategic planning of care.

Comparing the impact of different transfusion medicine teaching methods-A mobile application versus task-based learning-On two dimensions of clinical competence among nursing students: A quasi-experimental study.

AIM: To evaluate and compare the impact of a transfusion medicine training course delivered via two different teaching methods-a mobile application and task-based learning-on nursing students' knowledge and clinical decision-making skill. BACKGROUND: To advance nursing education and clinical competence, it is crucial to integrate innovative methods, such as mobile applications and task-based learning, that promote active and competency-based learning. Evaluating these methods provides educators with insights to enhance nursing students' knowledge and clinical decision-making skill, ultimately improving patient care and supporting professional development. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study using a pretest-intervention-posttest design with a control group. METHODS: This study included 82 nursing students from the 6th to 8th semesters, selected through convenience sampling and randomly assigned to three groups-mobile application (n=30), task-based learning (n=30) and control (n=30). The first group received educational content through a mobile application, the second group through task-based learning and the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using a valid and reliable three-part researcher-made tool, including a demographic/educational checklist and questionnaires on knowledge and clinical decision-making skill, administered before and two weeks after the intervention. Analysis was done using paired t-test, analysis of covariance and Bonferroni post hoc test, with a significance level set at p<0.05. RESULTS: Following the intervention, both intervention groups showed a significant increase in knowledge and clinical decision-making skill scores (p<0.05). Although both groups had higher knowledge scores than the control group, the differences were not significant (p>0.05). In contrast, clinical decision-making scores were significantly higher in both intervention groups compared with the control (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed between the intervention groups regarding the mean post-test knowledge and clinical decision-making skill scores (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Both teaching methods effectively improved nursing students' knowledge and clinical decision-making skills in transfusion medicine. To leverage these findings effectively, educational authorities should integrate mobile applications and task-based learning into nursing curricula, test these methods in various settings to assess their impact and use the findings to update curricula in line with current educational needs.

Comparing the effects of problem- and task-based learning on knowledge and clinical decision-making of nursing students concerning the use of transfusion medicine in pediatric nursing: An educational quasi-experimental study in Iran.

Background: In the pediatric care field, ensuring safe and effective blood transfusions, promptly identifying adverse reactions, and implementing appropriate interventions are crucial. Therefore, undergraduate nursing curricula need to be structured to meet these professional standards and prepare nursing students, as future team members, to respond to relevant clinical situations. The objective of this study was to investigate how problem- and task-based learning affects knowledge and clinical decision-making of undergraduate nursing students concerning the use of transfusion medicine in pediatric nursing. Material and methods: This quasi-experimental study involved 82 nursing students recruited from two nursing schools in Iran using convenience sampling. Participants received educational content through either problem- (n = 40) or task-based learning (n = 42) methods. A researcher-made tool, comprising three parts and proven to be valid and reliable, was utilized for data collection. The tool was administered both before and immediately after the intervention. Data were analyzed using Wilcoxon rank-sum, Mann-Whitney U, Spearman's correlation and multivariate analysis of covariance tests via SPSS v16.0. A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant for all tests. Results: The median post-test knowledge and clinical decision-making scores within problem- and task-based learning groups were 62.68 vs. 74.65 and 53.33 vs. 76.67, respectively. Significant differences were observed between the mean pre- and post-test scores of both variables within both intervention groups (p < 0.05). Multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that task-based learning resulted in significant differences between the two groups in terms of knowledge (F = 87.9 %, p = 0.002, Eta2 = 0.114) and clinical decision-making (F = 99.9 %, p < 0.001, Eta2 = 0.271). Conclusions: Given the greater effectiveness of task-based learning, nursing schools are advised to utilize this method in undergraduate nursing curricula to ensure the adequacy of the clinical skills acquired by nursing students prior to graduation.

Frontline nurses experiences about human caring during pandemic of COVID-19: A directed content analysis study.

AIM: This study aims to investigate experiences of frontline nurses about human caring during COVID-19 pandemic based on the Ten Caritas Processes® of Watson's Human Caring Theory. DESIGN: A directed content analysis was performed. METHODS: A total of 15 frontline nurses were recruited by purposive sampling from Razi hospital (north of Iran), in 2020 and semi-structured interviews were conducted. RESULTS: Extracted categories based on Ten Caritas Processes® included feeling satisfied in providing care to patients, effective presence with patients, moving towards self-actualization (moving towards transcendence), care with trust and compassion, experience positive and negative emotions, creativity in providing care, self-directing learning experience in the field of care, unfavourable environment for providing care, feeling acceptance and worth, uncertainty (facing the unknown). This study showed that communication skills, self-sensitivity, patient dignity, teaching-learning and problem-solving skills, holistic attention to the patient, and the provision of a healing environment are necessary for patient care.

Factors Improving Oncology Nurse Role Performance in Providing Pediatric Palliative Care: A SWOT Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Palliative care is provided by an interdisciplinary team in which, nurses play an important role, and improving their role performance can be effective in providing high-quality care. This study aimed to explore the factors related to improving oncology nurses' role performance in providing pediatric palliative care. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 22 nurses, physicians, hospital supervisors, children, and their parents from September 2022 to January 2023. Data analysis was performed based on conventional content analysis proposed by Elo and Kyngas using MAXQDA 2020. Finally, subcategories of each main category were summarized in the SWOT analysis matrix. RESULT: Data analysis led to the extraction of 1250 codes, three main categories (nurse-related factors, child and family-related factors, and organizational factors), five generic categories, and 32 subcategories that were ultimately classified in the SWOT analysis matrix. CONCLUSION: This study showed that oncology nurses' role performance in providing palliative care is influenced by many internal and external factors. In this regard, in order to improve their role performance, increasing knowledge among nurses, nursing students, and the community on integrating pediatric palliative care topics into the nursing curriculum, fair access to palliative care services, drug accessibility, financial support, and further research are recommended.

Evaluating the impact of a multimedia training versus lecture training on attitudes and practices in paediatric nurses in children pain management: A randomized controlled trial.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a multimedia training on pain management attitudes and practices of paediatric nurses. Design: A single-blind randomized trial. Methods: Paediatric nurses (N = 120) from a public hospital randomly allocated into two groups, lecturing and multimedia training groups. Nurses in the control group received four one-hour training sessions. In the intervention group, the same educational content was used as a film with text, audio and animation and presented as a multimedia CD. In both groups, using a questionnaire, we measured pain management attitudes and skills at baseline and then 1 week and 1 month after the training over. Data were analysed in SPSS20 software, and p < .05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean of attitude scores of the lecturing group was 104.74 one week after the study and 109.40 one month later versus 74.72. The above-mentioned scores in the multimedia group were 112.72 and 115.04, respectively, versus 78.70 (p < .001). Also, the mean scores of nurses' performance in the lecturing group before, 1 week and 1 month after the study were 12.48, 26.60 and 28.22, respectively, versus 12.58, 28.68 and 28.98, in multimedia group; this difference was statistically significant (p < .05).

A qualitative study on individual experiences of chronic hepatitis B patients.

AIM: The aim of this study was to explain the perception of patients with chronic hepatitis B regarding problems in the Iranian society. DESIGN: Descriptive qualitative research. METHODS: In this qualitative study, 27 patients with chronic hepatitis B in Iran were selected through purposive sampling. The data were collected over 22 months, in 2015-2016, by means of semi-structured interviews and field notes. The interview transcripts were coded using MAXQDA10 software®. To extract categories and themes, the thematic analysis approach was used. RESULTS: The participants' age ranged from 25-52 years. Analysis of the data revealed seven themes: insufficient self-care, misperceptions, stigmatization, psychological consequences, failure, spiritual struggle and post-traumatic growth.