Iranian Journal of Medical Education
Year:2013 | Volume:13 | Issue:2 (52)|Papers Count:10

Introduction: Mobile learning, a new stage in development of e-learning, seeks to provide opportunities for information transfer, strengthen, and improve lifelong learning in medical students. The aim of this study was identifying strategies to develop mobile learning, according to the perspectives of students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and IT professionals.Methods: This was a mixed and exploratory research. The study population in the qualitative phase was IT experts in Isfahan University from whom 10 were chosen through purposeful sampling. The quantitative phase included all students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences from whom 251 were selected through stratified random sampling. The data were collected through and deep semi-structured interviews in qualitative part and a researcher-made questionnaire in the quantitative part. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-sample t-test and Friedman test.Results: Qualitatively, emphasis was on cultural infrastructure, provision of a comprehensive definition of mobile learning, and identification of characteristics of mobile devices for learning. 85.28% of the students were familiar with mobile learning. Mean and standard deviation of each educational, managerial, organizational-structural, and motivational- recreational strategies were 0.39±3.82, 0.38±3.70, 0.47±3.95, 0.58±3.68 respectively. These were significantly higher than the theoretical average (=3) of the scale (p≤0.05).Conclusion: Educational courses, educational planning, awareness raising, and providing financial support were considered the most important mechanisms for the development of mobile learning in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. It is suggested the authorities take measures to develop the learning.

Introduction: Medical errors are among the most threatening faults against patient’s safety in all countries.The most frequent medical errors are medication errors which can lead to serious effects and even death in patients. Therefore, this study aimed to explain factors affecting medication eroors from the viewpoints of nurses in order to present strategies to reduce these errors.Methods: This study is a qualitative research based on directed content analysis approach. A porpuseful sample of 20 nurses working in Imam Hossein teaching hospital of Tehran, who had at least two years of clinical experience participated in semi-structured interviews. The regour and confirmability of data were verified through external check (member and peer check) as well as confirmation by participants. Data was simultaneously analyzed using qualitative content analysis.Results: Participants stated factors influencing errors in two themes: individual approach (including "individual and psychological characteristics of nurses, " "characteristics of patients", "error resulted from physician orders"), and organizational culture and approach (including" working conditions", "learning process", "risk management procedures and how to deal with it", "drug information", "inevitability of errors in nursing", and "complications of medication errors").Conclusion: Factors affecting medication errors are diverse, variable, and influenced by personal, organizational, and situational factors. The results of this study showed the importance of comprehensive educational programs, qualified role models, opportunity for field experience, and availability of useful feedbacks in a favorable environment during academic years and in workplace.

Introduction: Empathy is a component of patient care. There is general agreement that empathy is crucial in physician-patient relationship and thus an important issue in medical education. We tested whether an empathy training workshop for family physicians could improve their empathic practice rated by patients.Methods: This was a quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test study and was performed in 2010 in Jahrom University of Medical Sciences. All 20 family physicians in Jahrom were included and divided randomly into two equal groups. To evaluate the practice of family physicians, we assessed their practice through their patients. Five patients from each doctor (using convenient sampling) were polled (total of 100 patients in pre-test and 100 patients in post-test). Baseline emphatic practice of each doctor was assessed using Jefferson Scale of Patient’s Perceptions of Physician Empathy (JSPPPE). Then, one group of doctors participated in the empathy skills workshop, while the other group did not. One month after the workshop, empathic practice of both groups of doctors was re-assessed. The scores of both groups before and after the communication skills workshop were compared.Results: The mean scores of emphatic practice of both groups before the workshop (1.85±0.2, 1.83±0.39, out of 5) were compared and the results showed that there was no significant difference between them (p=0.673, t=0.423). There was a significant difference between the mean score of empathic practice in experimental group (2.95±0.45) compared to the control (1.82±0.33) in post-test measurement (p<0.000, t=14.19).Conclusion: Our training intervention was effective in producing a significant change in family physician' s empathic practice as well as the patient's satisfaction. Empathy is a skill that can be acquired by practice.

Introduction: Environment and perceptions about it play an important role in educational performance and its associated processes. Study of these relationships is valuable in educational process improvement.Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between perceived classroom assessment and achievement objectives with nursing students' academic achievement.Methods: This descriptive correlative study included undergraduate B.A students of nursing and midwifery school in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences who were enrolled within 2011-2012. A sample (n-220) was selected through stratified random sampling based on gender. Participants completed perceived classroom assessment, and Midgly et al’s goal orientation questionnaire. Also, students' grand point averages were used to measure academic achievement. Data was analyzed using LISREL software using appropriate statistical tests according to variable types such as Pearson correlation coefficients and path analysis.Results: There was a significant negative relationship between perceived mastery classroom assessment and academic achievement (r=-0.20, p<0.01). On the other hand, a relationship was observable between approach goals and academic achievement (r=0.24, p<0.01). Also there was a significant positive relationship between mastery goals and perceived learning-oriented classroom assessment (r=0.21, p<0.01). The causal model about relationship between mastery based class assessment and academic achievement mediated by achievement goals orientation was confirmed.Conclusion: Structures of classroom assessment can affect objective-based achievement procedures and academic performance. Therefore the type of evaluation and its consequents should be considered in developing educational methods.

Introduction: In spite of the critical value of possessing a high level of knowledge and skills in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by health care team, knowledge and skills of nurse interns (final year nursing students) has not been studied. This study aimed to longitudinally investigate knowledge and skills of CPR in nurse interns of Kashan University of Medical Sciences.Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted on 96 nurse interns of Kashan University of Medical Sciences (final year) in three consecutive semesters during 2010-2011 academic years. Data was collected using a demographic questionnaire, a knowledge questionnaire, and four checklists for assessing skills. Tests were conducted in three phases at four month intervals. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, independent ttest and ANOVA.Results: In total, students gained 59.05% of knowledge and 70.12% of skill scores. The mean of knowledge and skill scores showed fluctuations through the three phases as knowledge scores decreased from 24.91±4.08 in first phase to 22.80±4.88 in the second and finally showed an insignificant increase to 23.05±4.85 in third phase (p=0.057). Also the total mean score of resuscitation skill decreased from 41.20±3.90 in first phase to 30.37±5.58 in the second and finally showed an improvement to 37.15±4.62 in third (p=0.001). No significant relationship was detected between background variables like students’ grand point averages and their experience (observation and attending times) in resuscitation, with knowledge and skill scores.Conclusion: The research showed that trainees' knowledge and skills had a variable trend over time. Given the importance of resuscitation skills, it is recommended to retrain the students in this filed at the beginning and the end of the internship courses.

Introduction: Nursing and midwifery students are exposed to high stress as they face multiple stressors in their educational and clinical experiences. This can threaten their mental health, which in turn, can affect their function. Considering the impact of mental health on individual performance, this study examined mental health and its relationship with academic achievement in students of Tabriz nursing-midwifery school.Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, a sample of 251 Nursing and Midwifery students of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences was selected. Data were gathered by General Health Questionnaire (GHQ- 28). The students’ grand point averages were regarded as academic achievement of students. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (Ttest, ANOVA and Pearson Correlation Coefficient).Results: The mean general health scores of students participating in the study were 25.7±11.02. The highest mean was belonged to social function subscale (11.84±2.9) and the lowest to depression (3.5±3.83). A significantly negative correlation between scores of mental health and academic achievement was observed (P≤0.00, r=-0.229), so that students with better mental health status had higher scores of academic achievement.Conclusion: According to the results, there was a significant relationship between mental health and academic achievement in students. It is necessary to conduct further studies about mental problems of students and activation of counseling centers.

Introduction: It is important to identify the factors affecting academic achievement. This study investigated the role of critical thinking and self- regulated learning strategies in predicting academic achievement in the nursing students, in order to propose a predictive model.Methods: This descriptive-correlation study was conducted on 104 undergraduate nursing students of Islamic Azad University- Shahroud Branch, in 3rd, 4th and 7th semesters. They were selected out of 290 nursing students by stratified random sampling. Data gathering tools included two questionnaires: Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire of Pintrich and De Groot (1990), and Critical Thinking Skills Questionnaire, California (Form B). Academic achievement of students was measured by grade point average (GPA) of previous semesters. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation, multiple regressions, multivariate analysis of variance and analysis of covariance.Results: Mean of self-regulation learning scores was at the good level (103.5±14.7), grade point average of previous semesters (academic achievement scores) was 14.3±1.5 and critical thinking was at the low to moderate level (9.2±2.7). Analyses showed that three variables including self- regulated learning, critical thinking and high school GPA could predict 31.3% of variations in academic achievement of nursing students (p=0.000), but only coefficients of self- regulated learning and high school GPA were statistically significant. Critical thinking was not significantly responsible for any variance in the academic achievement scores.Conclusion: This study showed that high school GPA and self-regulatory learning strategies are effective in academic achievement of nursing students. To achieve professional development and training of self-directed nurses, efforts should be focused on identifying and helping students especially those who have low academic achievement.