Prelicensure Nursing Students Research Articles

Teaching Prelicensure Nursing Students Reasoning in Clinical Experiences: A Pilot Study.

Clinical experiences are foundational learning components for prelicensure nursing students. Given the complexities of modern nursing practice in an aging America, clinical educators must teach nursing students to reason when engaging in patient care. Contemporary pedagogy to enhance reasoning relies on case studies and simulation. Specific and standardized methods for clinical education are largely absent in the literature. This pilot study measured the clinical reasoning ability of nursing students using the Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT). Participants completed the test before their first clinical day and again after their last clinical day. Pre- and posttest HSRT scores were analyzed by control and intervention groups as well as student levels. Posttest HSRT scores improved significantly in the intervention group at the end of the semester. The PREP framework is a novel approach to clinical education and improved the clinical reasoning of prelicensure nursing students. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(8):467-470.].

"It's So Easy" for Prelicensure Nursing Students to Enter a Patient's Room.

"It's So Easy" for Prelicensure Nursing Students to Enter a Patient's Room.

Stress, Grit, Satisfaction With Life, and Remediation of Prelicensure Nursing Students.

Stress and poor academic performance often lead to high levels of nursing school attrition. To explore nursing students' perceived stress, grit, and satisfaction with life, and assess the effectiveness of a remediation program for students at risk for poor academic performance. Perceived stress, grit, and satisfaction with life were measured, and the effect of remediation given to at-risk students was studied. Examination and psychometric scores were compared between remediation and nonremediation groups. The remediation group had higher levels of perceived stress and a lower satisfaction with life compared with the rest of the cohort. Remediation significantly improved examination scores of at-risk students although scores remained lower than those among nonremediation students. Perceived stress and grit scores were high in nursing students, and satisfaction varied among age groups. Remediation based on metacognitive theory significantly improved at-risk students' examination scores.

Effectiveness of Debriefing for Meaningful Learning (DML) Combined with Empathy Map on Prelicensure Nursing Students’ Competency: A Quasi-Experimental Study

BackgroundDebriefing for Meaningful Learning (DML) is a systematic debriefing process. DML combines with empathy map has yet to be empirically tested. MethodThis is a quasi- experimental study to evaluate effectiveness of DML combined with empathy map on prelicensure nursing students. Participants were recruited from the final semester of baccalaureate nursing program. Cluster were randomly assigned to the control group or interventional group using a computer- generated block randomization table. Data were collected through a self-administered structured questionnaire from March 2021 to June 2021. ResultsThe DML combined with empathy map showed significantly better improvements in four aspects of clinical reasoning: awareness of clinical signals, confirmation of clinical problems, decision and implementation of the action, and assessment and reflection (p < .05). The total and subscale empathy scores of the interventional group also showed significantly different at post-test than the control group (p < .05). ConclusionsDML combined with empathy map in debriefing enhanced nursing students’ ability to analyze a patient's information from patients' perspectives, integrate theoretical knowledge and care activities.

Reducing Medication Math Anxiety of Prelicensure Nursing Students Using Social Media Tutorials: A Feasibility Study.

First-semester prelicensure nursing students commonly report experiencing math anxiety that negatively affects academic performance and triggers fear of causing patient harm. Students often turn to social media platforms to supplement their learning experience. To explore the feasibility of using Instagram tutorials to reduce math anxiety of first-semester prelicensure nursing students. A quasi-experimental descriptive survey design was used to evaluate the utility of posting supplemental math tutorials on Instagram and examined the effect of tutorials on math anxiety levels. A convenience sample of 20 students used the tutorials. Math anxiety levels were evaluated using the Single-Item Math Anxiety Scale. A statistically significant inverse relationship was observed between math anxiety levels and tutorial use. The Instagram platform was familiar to students and simple to access. Brief tutorials appealed to audio-visual learners. Using Instagram-based tutorials is feasible and appears effective in reducing medication math anxiety.

Focusing on Prelicensure Nursing Students’ Ability to Prioritize Clinical Problems

Focusing on Prelicensure Nursing Students’ Ability to Prioritize Clinical Problems

A Hostile Environment: An Exploratory Study of Prelicensure Nursing Student Exposure to Patient Aggression.

The literature regarding the increased risk of violence toward registered nurses and health care workers is plentiful; yet, data on prelicensure nursing student exposure to violent patient behaviors are limited and did not exist for the university's nursing program. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine nursing student exposure to patient aggression or violent behavior in a prelicensure nursing program in the Midwestern United States. The research design was an exploratory study using surveys completed by nursing students in their junior and senior years. Almost 74% of male students and 85% of female students experienced some form of verbal aggression from their patients, with a statistically significant difference between male and female nursing students on their exposure to sexual harassment. Students also experienced extreme emotions and feelings. The survey results reveal nursing students are exposed to patient aggression or violent behavior, do not feel prepared to manage these situations, and desire faculty mentoring.

Experiential Learning for Prelicensure Nursing Students: A Pediatric Special Needs Respite Program.

A respite program at a southeastern university was developed to provide respite services to local families of children with special needs and to integrate a hands-on clinical experience for nursing students. To assess the nursing students' perceptions of participating in the respite program experience, a survey was administered to prelicensure nursing students. Analysis of survey data revealed all participants were satisfied with the respite experience, perceived they will be able to apply knowledge obtained, and acknowledged opportunities to enhance soft skills. Survey results can be used to affirm positive student perceptions associated with a respite clinical learning experience. Valuable data describing experiences of undergraduate nursing students who participated in the respite program was obtained. This innovative learning experience meets a community need for children with special needs while providing experiential learning with diverse populations. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(3):180-182.].

The Development and Pilot Testing of Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation Training for Prelicensure Nursing Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Nursing schools struggle to increase enrollments due to insufficient faculty and limitations in clinical site placements. New strategies must be employed to optimize learning, engage learners, and provide methods to ensure competency in future nursing graduates. A convenience sample of junior-level prelicensure nursing students (n = 48) were assigned to the immersive virtual reality (VR) group (n = 24) or the hospital-based group (n = 24). This mixed-methods quasi-experimental pilot study examined the effectiveness of an immersive VR simulation training program to replace pediatric clinical practice. The intervention group participated in immersive VR. The control group received the usual inpatient clinical training. Both groups then completed a traditional in-person simulation to compare performance outcomes. Performance scores for the immersive VR training group were significantly higher for total performance compared to the hospital-based training group. These preliminary results offer promise and demonstrate the potential of VR in the future of nursing education.

Mental Health Characteristics of Traditional and Accelerated Baccalaureate Prelicensure Nursing Students

Mental health issues in college students are increasing, and nursing students may experience higher stress and anxiety levels than other college students. Limited data differentiate mental health characteristics of traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) students. This descriptive mixed-methods study compared mental health characteristics between BSN (n = 21) and ABSN (n = 51) students. Mild to moderate distress was identified with the Psychological Distress Profile, and moderate levels of stress were identified on the Perceived Stress Scale. No significant differences in scores were found between groups. More ABSN students reported mental health diagnoses than BSN students. Common reasons for stress included academic obligations, relationship challenges, and financial concerns. Nursing students report experiencing psychological stress, although reasons may vary by cohorts. Further investigation and development of support programs for student mental health is warranted. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(2):105-108.].

Evaluating a Low-Cost Disaster Preparedness Simulation for Prelicensure Nursing Students.

This innovation in simulation evaluated the effectiveness of a time sensible, low-cost simulation on prelicensure nursing students' knowledge and confidence in responding to public health emergencies. One hundred eighty-two nursing students, in groups of 5, participated in a 75-min emergency preparedness disaster simulation. A mixed methods design was used to evaluate students' knowledge and confidence in disaster preparedness, and satisfaction with the simulation. Students reported an increase in knowledge and confidence following the disaster simulation and satisfaction with the experience. Prelicensure nursing programs can replicate this low cost, time sensible disaster simulation to effectively educate students in emergency preparedness.

Psychological first aid intervention: rescue from psychological distress and improving the pre-licensure nursing students’ resilience amidst COVID-19 crisis and beyond

BackgroundThe public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in mental and psychological ramifications on the healthcare professionals. The pre-licensure nursing students found themselves not only fighting against the baneful virus but also weak ego resilience. At this point, enriching the pre-licensure nursing students with psychological first aid (PFA) could help them to recover from the feeling of psychological distress and improve their resilience capacity to encounter any upcoming outbreaks. MethodsA quasi-experimental two groups, a pre-post-test study was used in which sixty-four pre-licensure nursing students completed a baseline survey which revealed high levels of psychological distress and low resilience capacity due to the COVID-19 crisis. The study group engaged in the Psychological First- aid Intervention (PFA) at the end of the clinical practicum course period, while the comparison group received routine psychological support. ResultsA significant reduction in the psychological distress levels among students in the PFA group (FET=7.83, P = 0. 001). Likewise, significant improvements in the students' resilience capacity level immediately after the intervention (FET=3.34, P = 0.019) and during the two-month follow-up (FET=12.94, P = 0. 001). The implementation of PFA enhanced the pre-licensure nursing students' psychological health status and resilience capacity levels after their clinical training amid the ambiance of the COVID-19 crisis. ConclusionThe PFA effectively fostered the pre-licensure nursing students’ recovery from the COVID-19 related- psychological distress and improve their resilience capacity. The application of RAPID model is recommended to reduce stress and prevent burnout among novice and future nurses who show signs of psychological exhaustion.

Vicarious learning and communication self-efficacy: A pediatric end-of-life simulation for pre-licensure nursing students.

End-of-life clinical experiences, particularly in pediatrics, are quite limited for pre-licensure nursing students. Though effective, end-of-life simulations can be costly, require facilitators trained in palliative and end-of-life care, and are restricted by limited space and time availability. Such barriers prompt the question as to whether there is an effective alternative to simulation by which students can gain improved self-efficacy in therapeutic communication during pediatric end-of-life situations. Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory and work exploring self-efficacy posits that vicarious learning provides learners opportunities to gain experience and knowledge through observation of peers in simulated settings. This study evaluated the effectiveness of vicarious versus active learning on pre-licensure nursing students' perceived self-efficacy in providing therapeutic communication during a pediatric end-of-life situation. Data were collected over three time points - pre-simulation, post-simulation, and post-debriefing - using a modified Self-Efficacy in Communication Scale. Learners in both groups had significant improvement in self-efficacy across all time points. Only two items had significant differences between vicarious and active learner groups, but the effect was minor. Vicarious learning presents as a viable pedagogical approach for providing pre-licensure nursing students important learning opportunities related to pediatric end-of-life simulations during both the scenario and debriefing.

Remote Virtual Simulation With Prelicensure Nursing Students During Rapid Course Transition.

The advent of COVID-19 required educational programs to rapidly transition courses to the remote environment. A postpartum hemorrhage simulation used within a traditional prelicensure bachelor of science in nursing program was rapidly transitioned to the remote virtual format to meet required social distancing guidelines. This quasi-experimental study examined student knowledge before and after participation in a remote virtual simulation (RVS) with a postanalysis of student confidence and satisfaction. RVS can increase student knowledge and provide adequate student satisfaction. However, hands-on learning appears to result in higher student confidence and satisfaction compared to RVS.

English-as-a-second language baccalaureate prelicensure nursing students' perception of simulation experiences.

The changing demographic landscape in the United States and the need to achieve workforce diversity in nursing call for strategies designed to enhance graduation rates of minority nursing students. Simulation is an effective teaching-learning strategy in nursing programs; however, limited studies exist that examine the experiences of English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) nursing students in simulation environments. To explore the lived experiences of ESL Baccalaureate Prelicensure Nursing (BSN) students in simulation environments. A phenomenological design with content analysis was used. Using purposive sampling, traditional prelicensure BSN students who self-identified as ESL and have participated in simulation activities were recruited. Data were collected through one-on-one interviews. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using ATLAS.ti version 8.0. Nine students participated in the study. Eight themes were identified: active engagement, adaptation strategies, mutual connectedness, peer and faculty support, linguistic difficulties, cultural challenges, feeling of being vulnerable, and pressure to perform. The study provides extensive insights into the simulation experiences of ESL nursing students and identifies factors that influence learning and performance among these students in simulation environments. Nursing programs need to be intentional and consistent in implementing teaching-learning strategies that will enhance the academic success of ESL nursing students.

Peer Mentoring of Prelicensure Nursing Students in Simulation.

Peer Mentoring of Prelicensure Nursing Students in Simulation.

Relaxation Room for Prelicensure Nursing Students.

Relaxation Room for Prelicensure Nursing Students.

Simulated Home Visit to Promote Chronic Disease Management Competencies in Prelicensure Nursing Students.

Conducting a best possible medication history (BPMH), while using effective patient communication skills, falls within the nursing scope of practice and is recommended at all care levels. Nursing students should be taught these skills before entering clinical practice, but evidence about effective teaching strategies is limited. A standardized patient-facilitated home visit simulation was utilized in a prelicensure nursing program to practice a BPMH while using effective patient communication skills. All students correctly identified medications listed on the patient history, and most identified omitted medications (90.1%), transposed medications (91.6%), and incorrect medication usage (91.6%). All students demonstrated effective patient communication skills-using open-ended questions and inquiring about medication usage. Incorporating a standardized patient-facilitated home visit BPMH simulation allows students the opportunity to practice and achieve BPMH competency essential for nurses.

Lights, Camera, Active Learning! Using Visual Cue Cards With Prelicensure Nursing Students.

Riley, Elizabeth DNP, PED-BC, RNC-NIC, CNE; Rainey, Larronda DNP, RN; Steele, Taylor MNSc, RN, CPN; English, Beverly MNSc, RN, CPN Author Information

Concerns of Prelicensure Nursing Students Before a Maternal–Newborn Clinical Rotation

ObjectiveTo describe the concerns of prelicensure nursing students before their clinical rotation in the maternal–newborn setting. DesignQualitative descriptive design with one open-ended survey question. Setting/ProblemA private U.S. Midwest master’s entry prelicensure nursing program. Students’ concerns before beginning a maternal–newborn clinical rotation have not been fully explored in the literature and may differ from those reported by students in other clinical rotations. If not addressed, these concerns could negatively affect the clinical learning experience and hinder student success. ParticipantsPrelicensure nursing students enrolled in the Nursing Care of Women and Newborns course at an urban graduate college of nursing. Intervention/MeasurementsOn the first day of the course, students were asked to write on an index card their most pressing concern related to their upcoming maternal–newborn rotation. Participation was voluntary and anonymous. Course directors analyzed the responses for themes and further divided them by setting: labor and birth, newborn, postpartum, generalized (concerns across maternal–newborn clinical areas), and miscellaneous (nonclinical concerns). ResultsA total of 130 concerns were reported by 125 students. Of these concerns, 47% (n = 62) were related to labor and birth, and 4.6% (n = 6) were related to caring for newborns; 40% (n = 51) were general clinical concerns, and 8.5% (n = 11) were of a nonclinical nature. No students in this study expressed concern about being assigned to care for individuals on the postpartum unit. Although some concerns were similar to those reported previously in the literature, others were unique to the maternal–newborn setting. ConclusionPrelicensure nursing students have concerns that are unique to the maternal–newborn setting. When student concerns are known before clinical rotations, course faculty, clinical instructors, and staff nurses can adapt strategies to reduce stress and improve the clinical learning environment for students so that they can be successful.