Problem-Based Learning for Didactic Presentation to Baccalaureate Nursing Students.

Nursing judgment is an essential component in the delivery of safe, quality patient care. Nurses must have the knowledge and skills to question authority, make judgments, substantiate evidence, and advocate for the patient. Traditional pedagogy in content-laden courses remains primarily lecture based. Incorporating active strategies to strengthen professional practice is essential. A pilot study assessed senior baccalaureate nursing students' perceptions of problem-based learning (PBL) and their readiness for self-directed learning. In addition, the authors analyzed the relationship between readiness for self-directed learning and course content mastery using PBL. Students completed the Self-directed Learning Readiness Scale, the Problem-Based Learning Environment Inventory, and course content mastery exams. Students reported positive experiences with PBL and readiness for self-directed learning. Readiness for self-directed learning and 2 of 5 exam scores were inversely, significantly related. Students' perceptions of their readiness for self-directed learning did not always correspond with course content mastery. Specifically, some students who perceived themselves as ready for self-directed learning did not perform well on course content exams. This inverse relationship has not been reported by other researchers and brings an interesting perspective to student perceptions and actual performance. Four themes emerged from students' narrative responses: Prepared Me for Real Life Professional Situations, Stimulated My Critical Thinking, Promoted Independent Problem Solving, and Supported Learning Retention. PBL as a pedagogical approach provides opportunities for nursing students to explore their professional independence while attempting to master content.

Use of Simulated Psychosocial Role-Playing to Enhance Nursing Students' Development of Soft Skills.

Effective communication and interaction enable nurses to develop caring, empathetic, and respectful relationships with patients and families. However, most nurses feel a lack of preparation in the "soft" skills of communication, professionalism, and leadership. Nurse managers are seeking graduates with strong emotional quotient characteristics such as self-awareness, motivation, self-regulation, empathy, and social skills. Assisting nursing students to develop these intangible, high-level skills presents an ongoing challenge to nurse educators. This creative teaching learning strategy examines the use of psychosocial role-playing skits to enhance nursing student development of the soft skills of nursing. In this strategy, senior level nursing students work in small groups to develop and present realistic 3- to 5-minute skits based on common nurse-patient, nurse-family, or nurse-health care team interactions that incorporate the concepts of therapeutic communication, interpersonal interaction, empathy, active listening, teamwork, delegation, and/or professionalism, followed by a debriefing session. Student feedback suggests that confidence and competence related to the skills of therapeutic communication, interpersonal interaction, empathy, active listening, teamwork, delegation, and professionalism may improve by incorporating soft skill psychosocial role-playing into a nursing education course of study.

Cultural competence in nursing faculty: a journey, not a destination.

Nurse educators work with the intention of empowering students to provide holistic and comprehensive care. One concept that is essential in the delivery of patient-centered comprehensive care is cultural competence. The process of cultural competence is an imperative for nurses, faculty, and students. Little research exists to substantiate cultural desire in nursing faculty. Subsequently, questions arise about the faculty's desire to teach and promote nursing care that is culturally competent. Therefore, are nursing faculty committed to the process of culturally competence for themselves, students, and the profession? This article reviews the literature on cultural competency as it applies to nursing faculty. Campinha-Bacote's model of cultural competence provides the theoretical underpinning for the discussion and implications of enhancing cultural competence for nursing faculty. Cultural competency among nursing faculty could yield a significant impact by facilitating achievement and provision of culturally competent care for nurses at the local, national, and global level.

Millennial generation student nurses' perceptions of the impact of multiple technologies on learning.

AIM: To determine how millennial nursing students perceive the effects of instructional technology on their attentiveness, knowledge, critical thinking, and satisfaction. BACKGROUND Millennial learners develop critical thinking through experimentation, active participation, and multitasking with rapid shifts between technological devices. They desire immediate feedback. METHOD; A descriptive, longitudinal, anonymous survey design was used with a convenience sample of 108 sophomore, junior, and senior baccalaureate nursing students (participation rates 95 percent, winter, 85 percent, spring). Audience response, virtual learning, simulation, and computerized testing technologies were used. An investigator-designed instrument measured attentiveness, knowledge, critical thinking, and satisfaction (Cronbach's alphas 0.73, winter; 0.84, spring). RESULTS: Participants positively rated the audience response, virtual learning, and simulation instructional technologies on their class participation, learning, attention, and satisfaction. They strongly preferred computerized testing. CONCLUSION: Consistent with other studies, these students engaged positively with new teaching strategies using contemporary instructional technology. Faculty should consider using instructional technologies.