Journal of Nursing Education
Year:2014 | Volume:3 | Issue:3 (9)|Papers Count:7

Introduction: Critical thinking is an essential part of nursing education. Having Interpersonal communication skills is a vital characteristic of nurses with critical thinking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between critical thinking and interpersonal communication in nursing students of Azad University Tehran medical Branch in 2013.Method: This was a descriptive correlational study. 300 nursing students of Azad University Tehran medical Branch took part in the study. Data collection tools include demographic specifications and standard questionnaires “California critical thinking and inter-personal communicative skills”. For statistical analysis, descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used after entering data into SPSS v.17.Results: Most of the students (%71) had a great tendency to unstable critical thinking with very weak inter-personal communications skills (%52). There was a significant relationship between critical thinking and interpersonal communications skills. (r=0.62, P=0.0001).Conclusion: University students with good inter-personal communication skills had better critical thinking. Those with negative inter-personal communication skills had weaker inter-personal communication skills. Therefore, in theory and practice, nursing educators and managers are recommended to have more focus on the interpersonal communication skills of nursing students.

Introduction: Learning Approaches are among effective factors in students’ learning that play an important role in educational performance and achievement. Understanding how students’ learning approaches change over time is important since one of the main purposes of higher education is to enable students to develop advanced learning as they progress through their studies. The aim of this study was to determine learning approaches of nursing and midwifery students of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences in 2012-13.Method: This was a descriptive-analytic study conducted in a cross-sectional method in 2012-13. Learning approaches of nursing and midwifery students of Bushehr University of Medical Sciences were evaluated by means of revised two factor version of the Study Process Questionnaire. We used census for data collection, then the data entered into SPSS ver. 18 and analyzed using descriptive and analytic statistics.Results: Students use deep learning approach more than surface learning approach; however, Kruskal-Wallis test didn’t show a significant differences in surface and deep learning approaches of students in different courses (P=0.165, P=0.449) and years of study (P=0.357, P=0.768). Mann-Whitney test showed a significant difference in surface learning of deferent genders (P<0.001).Conclusion: Majority of students uses deep approach; however in higher years of education, there was no change in the students' approaches. In higher education there was a great emphasize on developing deep learning. Therefore a deep assessment is required to be conducted on educational programmers and faculty members.

Introduction: One of the ways to improve quality of education is to assess Students' Learning styles. Several factors such as learning styles can affect the learning process. Frequency of using learning styles varies in different countries. The purpose of this study is to introduce an overview of experiental learning styles in nursing education.Method: After searching for available resources and articles related to experiential learning including Pubmed, Scopus, Proquest, Google Scholar, Elsevier, Iranmedex and SID, this study was conducted in 2013. Key words were "Learning styles, Experiental learning, Kolb, Nursing student and Nursing education".Results: According to conducted studies among nursing students, superior learning styles among students are convergent and assimilator learning. However, in different studies it is revealed that some students use two or more learningstyles.Conclusion: There are more learning styles in nursing students, especially convergent and assimilating styles. Therefore, coordination of learning styles and teaching methods is a way to improve quality of education.

Introduction: Complications due to lack of awareness are one of the most important factors in re-hospitalization of these patients. This study conducted to determine effect of small group intervention program on knowledge and health literacy among patients with heart failure.Method: This randomized clinical trial carried out on 150 patients with heart failure hospitalized at hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. After obtaining informed consent, subjects randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. Before the study, demographic, health literacy, and knowledge questionnaires were completed by the participants. The control group received routine care; while, in the intervention group training were conducted in small groups, in addition to the manual about disease and self-care that created by the research team. Finally after 6 months questionnaires were completed by two groups and the data were analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: Mean and standard deviation of knowledge and health literacy in the control group were 1.78±0.87 and 1.77±0.83 and in the intervention group they were 2.48±0.68 and 2.53±0.72, respectively. Covariance analysis also showed significant differences in the level of knowledge and health literacy scores of patients in the intervention group compared to the control group (P=0.01).Conclusion: Improving knowledge and health literacy using small group education method is recommended in the care plane of patients in the hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

Introduction: Applying blended electronic education has benefits of both elearning and face to face courses and can be an excellent option for higher education, including nursing. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of blended education on learning and self-efficiency in nursing students in the cardiovascular intensive care course.Method: This interventional study is a queasy experimental research. Study population was six semester nursing students who were randomly assigned to two case and control groups. We conducted pre and post-test in both groups. In the case group, in addition to routine education we presented an electronic teaching package. After completion of a 16 hours course, we assessed the participants learning changes in the diagnosis of arrhythmia via a questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 14 using t-test (independent and paired), Mann-Whitney U and Pearson correlation coefficient.Results: Mean learning score of nursing students through a blended education (electronic and traditional) which were trained in the field of cardiovascular disorders (21.7±2.59), compared to students with routine learning style showed a significant difference. Students in the blended training group had a higher self-efficiency in the management of these patients.Conclusion: Given the shortcomings of current systems and traditional methods of teaching, a blended learning and education strategies is recommended. It can increase the depth and efficiency of learning.

Introduction: Work shifts have many physiological and psychological consequences and can lead to a number of consequences for nurses. The present study carried out with the aim of comparison of psychological components of quality of life associated with health in nurses in fix and variable shifts.Method: This was a comparative-cross sectional study. Participants in this study consisted of all nurses in Tabriz hospitals who were selected randomly and the sample size for each group were estimated as 80 participants. We used two demographic and psychological questionnaires.Results: Collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistical methods, mean and standard deviation and inferential statistical methods. There are significant differences in mental health and the component of role playing limitation due to emotional, and Happiness (P<0.01); but there are not significant differences between two groups in social function (P>0.05).Conclusion: Nurses with fixed work shifts reported better degrees of quality of life compared with nurses who work variable shifts.

Introduction: Academic burnout is the feeling of inadequacy and mental fatigue induced by chronic stress in students lacking the necessary resources to carry out their duties and tasks assigned to them. This study was conducted to determine the status of academic burnout and related factors.Method: In this cross-sectional study 264 students at nursing, anesthesia, operating room and medical emergencies were randomly selected. Demographic information - Education and Academic burnout was used to collect data. Reliability and validity of the scale was determined with Cronbach's. After entering data into SPSS version 16, we used descriptive statistics and logistic regression.Results: Mean (±SD) score of the academic burnout of students participated in the study was (28.52±15.84) and overall 24.1% and 46.6% of students had high and moderate level of academic burnout respectively. Based on the results obtained from multivariate GPA (grade point average) in emotional exhaustion (OR:0.75 95% CI:0.58-0.96) and cynicism subscales (OR:0.73 95% CI:0.56-0.96) were significantly related to academic burnout and in inefficacy subscale GPA (OR:0.68 95% CI:0.5-0.92), residing at personal home (OR:4.10 95%CI:1.27-13.20) and studying anesthesiology (OR:3.19 95% CI:1.12-9.10) were significantly related to academic burnout (P<0.05).Conclusion: Based on the findings of the present study a significant percentage of students were experiencing academic burnout. GPA had a protection role against academic burnout and studying anesthesia and living in your own home were risk factors for academic burnout. GPA scores for the two subscales were significantly related to emotional exhaustion and doubts, therefore planning to improve academic burnout can improve the academic performance of the students.