Comparing factors related to perceived control and preventive behaviors from COVID-19 between Japanese and American nursing students: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: Higher levels of perceived control are important to maintain health. The difference in factors related to perceived control and preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic between Japanese and American nursing students remains unknown. This study aimed to compare factors related to perceived control and infection preventive behaviors between the two countries. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included nursing students attending four universities in Japan and one in the United States. Using Google Forms, the participants answered a survey comprising sociodemographic data, the Perceived Control and Self-Efficacy Scale, the Perceived Health Competence Scale, and a preventive behavior questionnaire. The data were collected from November 2020 to May 2021. Linear and logistic regressions were used to analyze the factors related to perceived control and preventive behaviors, respectively. RESULTS: Data from 878 students were analyzed. University/campus emerged as a strong predictor for perceived control and preventive behaviors in both countries, with a positive correlation between perceived control and preventive behaviors. Older age, less frequent alcohol consumption, higher perceived health competence, less frequent work in Japan; and chronic conditions in the United States were associated with frequent preventive behaviors. Younger age was correlated with higher perceived control in Japan, while religion and increased workload were potential factors for American students. CONCLUSION: Individual factors were pivotal in Japan, whereas interpersonal factors were more likely related to perceived control in the United States. Additionally, in both countries, policy or organizational factors significantly influenced students' preventive behaviors.

Cross-sectional study of factors related to COVID-19 vaccination uptake among university healthcare students.

Introduction: Healthcare students are more likely to become infected than other university students as they may encounter patients with COVID-19 during clinical training. Vaccination uptake is essential to prevent infection. This study explored factors related to COVID-19 vaccination uptake among healthcare students. Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted online surveys of undergraduate and graduate nursing and healthcare graduate students from four medical universities in the Tokyo Metropolitan Area of Japan. Data were collected from June to August 2022, when the fourth vaccination program was initiated. Results: Data from 1,169 students were analyzed (response rate = 37.3%). The mean age was 25.1 ± 7.6 years, and most were female (82.3%). Academic majors included nursing (68.0%), medicine (16.3%), dentistry (9.3%), and others (6.4%). Thirty students (2.6%) were not vaccinated, one student (0.1%) had received one vaccination, 997 (85.3%) had received three, and 27 (2.3%) had received four. The major reason for not being vaccinated was insufficient confirmation of its safety (n = 25). Students who had received at least one vaccination (n = 1,139), 965 (84.7%) reported experiencing adverse side effects, the most frequent being pain at the injection site (76.2%), followed by fever (68.3%). In the logistic regression, a greater number of vaccinations (3-4 times) was associated with older age (odds ratio, OR = 1.53), working (OR = 1.67), and more frequent infection-preventive behaviors (OR = 1.05). Significantly fewer students were vaccinated at University B than at University A (OR = 0.46). Additionally, those majoring in subjects other than nursing (OR = 0.28), and students from non-Asian countries (OR = 0.30) were less likely to be vaccinated. Discussion: It is necessary to pay attention to and encourage the vaccination of students who engage in low levels of preventive behavior, students who are young, international, or unemployed, and those in non-healthcare professional majors.

Factors related to mental health effect among nursing students in Japan and the United States during the coronavirus pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

In the context of mental health, university students have been considered a vulnerable population. However, limited studies have underscored the association between preventive health behaviour levels and mental health effects among nursing students. The current cross-sectional study provides a comparative analysis of the impact of mental health factors on nursing students in Japan and the United States (US) in the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study consisted of 878 participants, comprising both undergraduate and graduate nursing students from four universities in Japan, and one from the US. Hierarchical logistic regression was used to analyse the participant data in this study. In contrast to the American students, the Japanese students demonstrated significantly lower levels of perceived control and significantly higher levels of preventive health behaviours. Furthermore, Japanese students exhibited significantly higher levels of stress and/or symptoms of depression induced by the social distancing orders compared to the American students (z = -4.218, P < 0.001). However, no difference was observed after adjusting for perceived control, individual factors, socio-economic factors, and preventive behaviours. During the pandemic, risk factors that can worsen mental health among the nursing students included younger age [odds ratio (95%CI) = 0.62 (0.48-0.81)], women [OR = 2.17 (1.02-4.61)], higher preventive health behaviour [OR = 1.05 (1.02-1.08)], lower perceived control [OR = 0.97 (0.94-0.99)], and lower perceived health competence [OR = 0.93 (0.90-0.96)]. Thus, this study recommends establishing training programmes that enhance perceived control and perceived health competence while encouraging preventive behaviour to support the mental health of nursing students, particularly young female students.

Perceived Control, Preventative Health Behaviors, and the Mental Health of Nursing Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: Perceived control is an individual's subjective beliefs about the amount of control he or she has over the environment or outcome. Objective: To examine the relationship between perceived control, preventive health behaviors, and mental health effects of undergraduate nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional correlational study used online self-administered questionnaires. Participants were nursing students attending 3 universities in Tokyo, Japan. Relationships among variables were quantitatively analyzed using linear regressions and a structural equation modeling after adjusting for demographic factors. Results: A total of 557 students participated in the survey. The analysis indicated that higher levels of perceived control were significantly related to higher levels of preventive health behaviors. Although higher preventive health behaviors were related to negative mental health effects, higher levels of perceived health competence translated to improved mental health effects. Perceived control was not directly related to mental health effects but positively related to perceived health competence. Long work hours per week and short hours of sleep per day were associated with lower preventive health behaviors. There were significant differences in the levels of perceived control and preventive health behaviors among students at the 3 universities. Discussion: To improve health behaviors and health competence and subsequently alleviate the mental health effects caused by strictly adhering to recommended health behaviors, students may be supported by the strategies that increase their perceived control. In addition to institutional support, students also require adequate sleep and financial stability to help prevent infections while protecting their mental health.

Effectiveness of Health Guidance Simulation in Community Settings for Public Health Nursing Students: A Preliminary Study.

INTRODUCTION: Simulation-based learning is a relatively new concept in public health nursing education, and little is known about the efficacy of this approach for teaching of health guidance. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of health guidance simulation in community settings for public health nursing students. METHODS: Using a pre/post-test design, 29 public health nursing students in their third year participated in a high-fidelity simulation program with standardized patients. We developed six scenarios on health guidance for three themes (mother and child, tuberculosis, and adult occupational health) and practice guidelines for the standardized patients to act and assist in understanding of the purpose of the course. Data were collected at baseline and after the simulation sessions through evaluation sheets that the students placed in a designated box on campus. Changes in the level of self-confidence of the students were evaluated based on the "practical skills required for public health nurses and achievement level at graduation" of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and the skills in the minimum requirements for public health nurse education defined by the Japan Association of Public Health Nurse Educational Institutions. RESULTS: The total score for self-confidence and the mean self-confidence scores for health guidance skills for mother and child, tuberculosis, and adult occupational health nursing were significantly higher post-test compared to pre-test (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that high-fidelity simulation focused on health guidance in community settings can bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practice of students.

Does the mutual recognition agreement on nursing services accelerate nurse migration in member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations?

Aim: To clarify the situations of nursing education and activity, its affecting factors and the nursing educators' views on nurse migration relating Mutual Recognition Agreement on Nursing Services in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Design: Descriptive qualitative research. Methods: The individual semi-structured interviews with 11 nursing educators, analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Nursing educators acknowledged that the change in nursing was mainly due to the creation and amendment of laws, acts and regulations regarding nursing and improvements in nursing education systems. Some of these improvements occurred by this mutual agreement. The conceptualization of the progress indicated an improvement in the quality of nursing. Nurse migration to the outside of Southeast Asian countries might be accelerated due to concurrent improvements in the quality of nursing. New trends among nurses working as caregivers in surrounding countries such as China, South Korea and Japan to deal with demographic ageing should be considered.

Concept analysis of reflection in nursing professional development.

AIM: The aim of this concept analysis was to describe attributes, antecedents, and consequences of reflection in nursing professional development, as well as surrogate terms and a model case to inform nursing educators, students, and nurses about developing reflective skills. METHODS: Rodgers' evolutionary cycle for concept analysis was used. The published work search was conducted using five databases: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Ichushi, and British Nursing Index. The inclusion criteria were: (i) academic articles; (ii) written in English or Japanese; and (iii) including descriptions about reflection. From the pool of extant published work, 50 articles were selected for the thematic analysis. RESULTS: For the concept of reflection in nursing professional development, four antecedents were identified: (i) theory and practice gap; (ii) expansion of the role and competency in nursing; (iii) educational and learning needs; and (iv) educational responsibility. The major attribute was the process of learning from experience, and the circular process included emotional reaction, description, internal examination, critical analysis, evaluation, and planning new action. The consequences were transforming new perspective, enhanced communication, professional development, and quality of care. CONCLUSION: Reflection is used as a method or tool that connects knowledge and experiences. Through the process of reflection, students/nurses become aware of themselves, which helps them review and improve clinical skills. They also become more able to communicate with patients and colleagues. Reflection enhances self-directed learning and professional maturity. Nurses who use reflection can be better positioned to provide excellent patient care.

Stakeholders' perception of the desired Master's program for Kenya in community health nursing: areas of competency*.

INTRODUCTION: After the World Health Assembly approved the WHA 45.5 in 1992, which addressed the nursing shortage by refocusing nurses and midwives to meet community health needs, community demands for educated nurses and the needs of higher nursing education in developing countries increased. However, in developing countries that suffering from multiple resource deficiencies, such as Kenya, the strategic direction of higher education in nursing was unclear. Therefore, in Kenya, a major university school of nursing initiated a collaborative study with a well-established Japanese nursing college to determine the service-providers' perspective about upgrading the Master's community nursing curriculum. PURPOSE: The aim of the study was to describe the Kenyan stakeholders' perspective and the expected roles and abilities of Master's graduates in community nursing. METHODS: This qualitative, cross-sectional study used convenience sampling to obtain 21 participants. The content analysis of the data was based on 19 semistructured interviews. RESULTS: Sixteen categories and 42 subcategories were derived from the five key questions that related to the expectations of the Master's program. The Master's graduates were expected to acquire knowledge and skills relating to administration, management, epidemiology, research, and education. The participants recognized that epidemiology, important for preventive care, was minimal among the current community health nurses. Also, Master's graduates must be prepared to manage health programs. CONCLUSION: The stakeholders expected that Master's graduates would become leaders in community health nursing, with a broad range of knowledge and skills, most notably in the areas of management and administration, epidemiology, and research. Those abilities should be reflected in the curriculum content.