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The current situation in Germany is characterised by significant differences between the two types of higher education institutions offering bachelor's degree programmes in midwifery at both universities of applied sciences and universities. These differences are noticeable in admission procedures, resource allocation, content focus and competence assessment at the respective institutions, which in turn result in heterogeneous study experiences. This article highlights the challenges currently facing bachelor degree programmes and the academic qualification of midwives, and identifies future requirements for the development of degree programmes in theory and practice as well as theory-practice transfer, and assessment formats. Furthermore, this article covers the content-related and structural-organisational requirements to develop in-depth academic skills grounded in theory teaching, the facilitation of clinical placements at an academic level, the training of qualified practical instructors and the development of applicable competence-based assessment formats, especially for the state exam. The development of a standardised, high-quality academic education for midwives in Germany requires networking of the different academic sites/locations to exchange experiences in teaching/learning and assessment formats. Furthermore, it can facilitate the development of a standardised competence-oriented model and core curriculum as well as the definition of quality criteria and standards for study programmes of midwifery science. The Midwifery Science Committee (AHW) in the DACH Assoviation for Medical Education (GMA) offers an optimal platform for cooperation between the different universities. The existing challenges for the further professional development of midwives can only be overcome by collaboration and pooled expertise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gao L.-L., Chan S.W.-C. & Cheng B.-S. (2012) The past, present and future of nursing Education in the People's Republic of China: a discussion paper. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(6), 1429-1438. Abstract Aim. This article presents a discussion of nursing education development in the People's Republic of China in its historical, economic and sociopolitical contexts. Background. China has a population of 1·3 billion with about 2·18 million nurses. With the recent surging economic and social development in China, nursing education has undergone transformation changes in the past two decades. Data sources. Online bibliographical databases from 1990 to 2010 were searched including CINAHL, MEDLINE, Wan Fang Data and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure. Search terms included nursing education, China and development. Methods. Thematic analysis and narrative synthesis were used to identify and report themes from literature. Results. Database searches yielded 1674 papers, and 34 met the inclusion criteria for review. The standard of nursing education varies greatly in different parts of China, because of its huge size and population, with pre-registration programmes offered at the secondary, associate degree and baccalaureate level. Multi-level nursing education is one of the major barriers for professional development. There is a need to upgrade the pre-registration education to at least associate degree level. There is also a need to enhance graduate nursing education at master and doctoral level to prepare advanced practice nurses, nurse scientists and nursing faculty. Conclusion. The challenges for nursing education development in China are echoed and encountered in many parts of the world. The experience in China and the lessons learned would be relevant to developing countries. Nursing in China must continue to develop in parallel to international trends. Promoting communication and maintaining international links are important for the global development of nursing practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environment and natural resources were crucial to the existence of abiotic and biotic organisms, which included human beings. As the environment degraded, one of the key solutions was the next generation's perception, understanding, and attitude toward environmental laws. Thus, the paper studied the knowledge and attitude of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture students toward environmental laws in the Philippines. The study was conducted through a structured survey questionnaire and interview. The study revealed that students of the Bachelor of Science in Agriculture of the DEBESMSCAT-Cawayan Campus had poor knowledge and awareness of environmental laws. However, their attitude towards environmental law enforcement was considered essential. Additionally, students believed that the government was not effective in enforcing environmental laws in the country, their level of confidence in the government towards environmental law was low, and they perceived that most people were not aware of environmental laws. Lastly, community clean-up drives, tree planting, conservation of electricity, and everyone's responsibility were pro-environmental behaviors of Bachelor of Science in Agriculture students. Therefore, strict implementation and molding of agriculture students in their subjects were necessary to strengthen their attitude toward environmental laws. It was also vital to enhance their leadership skills to influence the community as they had positive behavior in the implementation of environmental laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I am delighted to announce that the winner of the 2018 B JCC Best Paper Award b is given to Miss Wei Chen at Tongji School of Pharmacy, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China, for her outstanding research paper "Mechanism investigations of the activation process of I S i -2-[(propan-2-yl)sulfinyl]benzyl (SPSB) glycosides" published in the I Journal of Carbohydrate Chemistry, i 2018, 37, 498. Miss Chen was born in 1992 and received her B.S. degree in Pharmaceutical Science in 2014 from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China. She is currently pursuing her PhD degree under the supervision of Professor Qian Wan at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. [Extracted from the article]

Those who read more books, have more chances of mental development and better opportunities of success. Hence, this paper is an attempt to find out relationship between students' reading habits and their academic performance in Government Post Graduate College Nowshera, Pakistan at Bachelor of Sciences (BS) level. To collect the relevant data, a questionnaire was designed and distributed among 420 (270 males and 150 females) students studying at BS level. The questionnaire investigated students' reading habit and their attitudes towards reading. Students' academic performances were recorded through the transcripts of their examination in the previous semester. The collected data were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The researchers concluded that students do not read books frequently and female students take more interest in reading books than male students. It is recommended that teachers and parents should create a conducive environment for students to read more and more books for effective learning. Students should also make library their first point of call to get updated from time to time for development of reading habits. Adequate and updated books, journals, newspaper must be available in the libraries, so that students could be attracted for more reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite many initiatives to improve graduate student and faculty diversity in engineering, there has been little or no change in the percentage of people from racially minoritized backgrounds in either of these groups. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this paper is to counter the scarcity fallacy, in which institutions blame the "shortage" of qualified people from traditionally marginalized backgrounds for their own lack of representation, related to prospective PhD students and prospective faculty from traditionally marginalized groups. This study identifies the BS‐to‐PhD and PhD‐to‐tenure‐track‐faculty institutional pathways of Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino engineering doctorate recipients. Design/Method: Using the US Survey of Earned Doctorates, we tracked the BS‐to‐PhD institutional pathways of 3952 Black/African American and 5732 Hispanic/Latino engineering PhD graduates. We also used the Survey of Doctorate Recipients to track the PhD‐to‐tenure‐track faculty pathways of 104 Black/African American and 211 Hispanic/Latino faculty. Results: The majority of Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino PhD graduates in this study did not earn their BS degrees from Top 25 institutions, but rather from Not Top 25, non‐US, and minority‐serving institutions. The results also show the relatively small proportion of PhD earners and faculty members who move into highly ranked institutions after earning a bachelor's degree from outside this set of institutions. Conclusions: The findings of this study have important implications for graduate student and faculty recruitment by illustrating that recruitment from a narrow range of institutions (i.e., Top 25 institutions) is unlikely to result in increased diversity among racially minoritized PhDs and faculty in engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learners' academic performance is affected by a multifaceted array of aspects. This paper focused on the effects of the boarding houses' environment on the educational performance of 279 students of Central Mindanao University from SY 2015-2016. Data concerning the students' demographic profile, academic performance, and characteristics of their boarding houses were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. They were evaluated statistically using mean, frequency counts, percentage, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation statistical tools. Statistical outcomes showed that more than half of the respondents were below 18 years old, females, enrolled in a BS degree in Agriculture, and single. Regarding religion, Catholics composed the majority of the respondents. The monthly allowance varies according to the parent's income, as the majority were academic scholars with grades below 2.20 and 2.19 for the school's two semesters. All variables relating to the features of the boarding houses were rated as satisfactory based on rental rate, health and sanitation, facilities, accessibility, safety and security, and policies implemented. Moreover, the study found that gender and scholarship type were significantly related to academic performance. Government and private institutions can use the identified factors as the basis for educational program planning and implementation to support the learners' academic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faculty members' soft skills are vital for developing students' knowledge, understanding, values, and skills. How teachers integrate soft skills with the subject matter influences how their students acquire the skills they need in their academic life and beyond. Soft skills are a key factor for students' success--not just in their academic work, but also in their careers. These skills are also highly sought by employers when recruiting new graduates. The main purpose of this study was to determine students' perceptions of soft skills integration in emergency remote learning (ERL) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A self-constructed questionnaire distributed through Google forms was used for data collection. Forty-three Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (BSBA) first-year students from Southern Luzon State University (Philippines) participated in the study. It was found that most BSBA first-year students perceived that soft skills were moderately integrated during ERL. There was a mean of 3.16 for personal skills, 3.02 for character-building skills, and 2.95 for organisational skills. It was also found that there was no significant difference in students' perception of the integration of soft skills in emergency remote learning when the students were grouped according to gender and learning modalities. This paper suggests that further study should be conducted with a wider scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical tutor (CT) in mental health nursing is a role aimed at supporting the learning needs of mental health nursing students undertaking a 12-month post-registration programme. This paper aims to examine the role of the clinical tutor in mental health nursing in Ireland by describing the experience of nursing students and key service stakeholders. A qualitative descriptive design was employed using focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews. Two focus groups were conducted with 14 nursing students in the final week of their one-year programme. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with seven service stakeholders and service leaders. Participants reported positive experiences of working with the clinical tutor and valued the role in terms of educational and pastoral support. Participants suggested the role strengthened the link between theory and practice and enhanced the relationship between the higher education institute and clinical sites. However, a lack of clarity existed in terms of role description. Participants suggested the CT role enhanced the link between the university and clinical areas providing benefits to both student and service stakeholders. Implementing similar roles may benefit post-registration mental health nursing students in other jurisdictions. Further investigation on how the role operates from the perspective of those in the post may provide more clarity and enhance the development of such roles in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This ethos is infused throughout the papers presented, which offer thoughtful commentary, research, and practice for teaching and learning that address diverse groups and marginalized populations. These lessons help frame a pedagogy for DEI that can transcend individualistic approaches and transform it into a pedagogy for DEI praxis. Keywords: diversity and inclusion; diversity; equity; pedagogy EN diversity and inclusion diversity equity pedagogy 171 173 3 08/22/22 20220901 NES 220901 It seems that every day we read another news report of a local school board rolling back efforts to promote equity in education and remediate the lack of diversity and inclusion in curricula. [Extracted from the article]

This paper examines practices that are used in STEM fields to attract women. According to the FAA, the estimated active mechanic certificates held as of December 31, 2020 was 306,301. Of those 306,301, it is estimated that 7,860, or 2.5%, were held by women. In 2009, there were 329,027 active mechanics certificates held, and 6,980 or 2.1% were held by women. There was a steady growth of certificated women mechanics from 2009 through 2015 - growing from 2.1% to 2.5%, respectively. In 2016, there was a drop to 2.3%. The percentage for 2017 and 18 was 2.4%. In 2019, the number increased from 2.4% to 2.5%, with a slight increase to 2.56% in 2020. With the increased need for AMTs, it is imperative to determine best practices for engaging women in Science, Technology Engineering, Aviation, and Math (STEAM) fields. There is limited data available specific to women in the aviation maintenance fields. What is known is that in 2018, women earned more than half of all bachelor's degrees in science and engineering fields. Women earned 42.3% of bachelor's degrees in mathematics and statistics and 22.2% of bachelor's degrees in engineering in 2018. Conversely, in 2018, the number of certificated women aviation mechanics was 2.4%. What is drawing women to the fields of mathematics, statistics, and engineering? Can those methods be successful in attracting women to the field of aviation maintenance? Examining the tactics used in STEM disciplines may lead to successful practices to increase the number of women AMTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an increased focus on the tenets of implementation science in special education research, namely on the degree to which interventions are implemented as intended (i.e., fidelity of implementation) and factors that influence fidelity of implementation. For complex interventions, such as the Self-Determined Learning Model of Instruction (SDLMI), there is an ongoing need to refine conceptualizations of fidelity of implementation and the factors that influence it in inclusive educational contexts. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is two-fold: (1) to describe a framework for conceptualizing fidelity of implementation factors that influence fidelity when evaluating a complex intervention like the SDLMI and (2) to present initial content validity and internal consistency of a new measure designed to assess specific aspects of fidelity of implementation of the SDLMI in inclusive, general education classrooms. Implications and future directions for research in implementation science, special education, and self-determination interventions are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service Marketing is a relatively new discipline taught in recent years at the Bulgarian universities. Within the contact and the relationship with the service, people are experiencing „the moment of true”. Thus, they evaluate the quality of the offered service by the company or university. The aim of the author of this paper is to go deeply through the world of the chosen target group – marketing students at the university “Prof. D-r. Assen Zlatarov” in Burgas, Bulgaria. Thereby data was collected and transformed into an information about their needs, wants, expectations, interest and role in the context of the subject Service Marketing. The survey is limited to marketing students, Bachelor of Science, 4th year in summer semester 2019 at the university “Prof. D-r. Assen Zlatarov” in Burgas. Service Marketing is an elective class, chosen by the majority of students as an alternative to Product Marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alongside calls in the literature for research skills development for undergraduates, University College Dublin's College of Social Sciences and Law (CoSSL) has identified a need for research skills education for its new Bachelor of Social Sciences programme. In collaboration, academics and the library have created a new course, the Social Sciences Research Accelerator, designed to provide foundational learning of research skills for students transitioning to conduct research projects in their final year. Preliminary testing of the course, which included a small user-testing group of undergraduates who engaged with course activities and then completed a survey evaluation, has been positive. This paper details the partnership between academics and library staff towards a common scholarship goal, including the creation of learning materials, early testing of content, and future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students' performance is a crucial aspect for university programs effectiveness and organization. In this paper, we introduce and analyze a performance index for the first-year students of a private Italian university, namely the Libera Università Maria Ss. Assunta. We use administrative data on 532 undergraduate students enrolled in any of the eight available bachelor degrees in 2015. Our aim is to improve the general understanding of performance linking it with personal student's characteristics and with degree-specific aspects. A beta inflated latent class approach is employed to identify clusters of performance establishing a link with all available explanatory variables. The empirical analysis unveils that a good and balanced degree organization may improve students' performance. The student's ability plays a crucial role in discriminating between good and bad performances, and also strongly depends on individual-specific characteristics, such as the final mark obtained at high school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at The University of the West Indies' (UWI’) St Augustine Trinidad and Tobago Campus conducted a review and revision of its BSc mathematics programming in 2009. The review was framed to take account of strategic as well as operational imperatives of an accredited degree in the context of a number of resource and other constraints typical of small island developing states. Intake, content and delivery were examined and the findings were used to guide the revision exercise. Associated interventions were assessed five years later. This paper provides an account of the considerations and process for the review and revision exercises. It discusses student performance and other indicators before and after the interventions; and examines the new curriculum against fit for purpose criteria alongside programming in best in class institutions and UK-based accreditation reference points. The paper closes with recommendations for ongoing review and revision cycles applicable to the Department at the UWI and other similarly situated institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers insights into the increasing dichotomy that exists between official forms of opportunity and access and the actual ‘lived experience’ of young peoples' trajectories towards careers in the UK's market-orientated Sport-Fitness and Physical Education employment sectors. It does so by drawing on data generated by an 18-month ethnographic study to provide a case study of two students who chose to make the transition from a Foundation Degree in Sport Coaching (FdSc) onto a ‘Top Up’ Bachelor of Science (BSc) Sports Science and Coaching qualification. The paper illustrates their experiences of this transition in relation to the following phases of their trajectory (1)facilitators of transition(2)managing expectations(3)transformationand (4)isolation. The findings highlight how, for some individuals, current transitions facilitate a critical distance between individual dispositions towards education and the positions and practices of higher education. We suggest that education and employers must further listen to the voices and experiences of students that transcend the rhetorics of official policy discourse to facilitate a process in which the conditions of transition may begin to be reimagined. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

George C. Messenger, Jr., was born on July 20, 1930, in Bellows Falls, VT, USA. He entered Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, USA, at age 16 with a scholarship that, combined with outside jobs, enabled him to graduate with a B.S. degree in physics. He went on to earn an M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA, and a Ph.D. degree in engineering from California Coast University, Santa Ana, CA, USA. He published more than 50 refereed technical papers, as well as a number of advances in semiconductor devices and IC hardening and seminal publications in the areas of displacement damage effects and single-event effects. George also was awarded a number of patents, and was a leader in the radiation effects community for more than six decades. He is known particularly for the Messenger–Spratt Equation, which describes the effects of neutron radiation on bipolar devices built using germanium and silicon. The seminal paper describing this work was published in 1958, while George was a member of the Research Division of Philco Corporation, four years before the first conferences on radiation effects in semiconductor devices were held. He then moved to the Applied Research Department of Northrop Corporation, and then Autonetics/Rockwell International Corporation. George then became a full-time consulting engineer, working with a number of defense contractors and automotive suppliers including Autonetics/Rockwell, Litton, and General Motors, as well as the U.S. Department of Defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes to the nursing profession over recent decades have provoked an increasing migration of nursing education into the tertiary sector. For nurses who live and work in developing nations, such as Malaysia, opportunities for further study might be limited, particularly for those located in more remote regions. This paper reports on a research study of registered nurses who undertook baccalaureate degree studies in off-campus mode in Malaysian Borneo. A grounded theory methodology was employed in this research, which is part of a larger study into the nature and outcomes of change experienced as a result of postregistration degree studies. This paper explores the reasons why nurses in this location enrolled in one such course and the extent to which completion of their studies addressed their motivational goals. The findings indicate that the experience of learning and acquisition of knowledge was well beyond what was expected, resulting in a sense of achievement that was similarly unanticipated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Variations exist internationally in the types and numbers of nurses registered to practice. Whilst the United Kingdom has phased out second level nurses, countries such as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and the United States have maintained a two level system. In Australia, the two levels of nurse authorised to practice are the registered nurse whom complete an undergraduate nursing degree, and enrolled nurse (EN) whom complete either a certificate or diploma programme. Recent changes to educational preparation and resulting scope of practice for ENs have resulted in increased confusion between roles and expectations of the different levels. Aim: This paper reports on findings of a study aimed at identifying differences in educational preparation of the different levels of nurse in Australia. Method: Course coordinators from nine organisations offering pre-registration nursing programmes completed self-reporting questionnaires designed to obtain information on types and lengths of courses, and details of curricula including course objectives, teaching and assessment methods and content areas. Results: Comparative analysis of survey responses identified similarities and differences between registered and EN programmes. Common areas included teaching and assessment methods, core theoretical units and general nursing skills. The diploma and degree programmes appear aligned in most theory and clinical skills. The main difference identified existed between skills taught in the two EN programmes. Conclusions: Findings further add to confusion regarding registered and ENs in Australia. Further research is required to determine expectations of employers and other major stakeholders with regard to the differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes to educational preparation and scope of practice for enrolled nurses (ENs) in Australia have impacted on role expectations. This paper reports results of a survey of senior nurses in Victoria, Australia, regarding opinions of the differences in role expectation and scope of practice for graduate registered and ENs. Content analysis of open-ended survey questions was used to identify themes in the written data. Results identified education, skill level and responsibility as differences between the levels of graduate nurses despite many respondents perceiving there to be no or little difference in graduate roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present shortage of registered nurses (RNs) in many European countries is expected to continue and worsen, which poses a substantial threat to the maintenance of healthcare in this region. Work-family conflict is a known risk factor for turnover and sickness absence. Objective: This paper empirically examines whether the nurse practice environment is associated with experienced work-family conflict. Design: A multilevel model was fit with the individual RN at the 1st, and the hospital department at the 2nd level using cross-sectional RN survey data from the Swedish part of RN4CAST, an EU 7th framework project. The data analyzed here is based on a national sample of 8356 female and 592 male RNs from 369 hospital departments. Results: We found that 6% of the variability in work-family conflict experienced by RNs was at the department level. Organizational level factors significantly accounted for most of the variability at this level with two of the work practice environment factors examined, staffing adequacy and nurse involvement in hospital affairs, significantly related to work- family conflict. Due to the design of the study, factors on ward and work group levels could not be analyzed, but are likely to account for additional variance which in the present analysis appears to be on the individual level, with private life factors likely explaining another major part. Conclusion: These results suggest that higher level organizational factors in health care have a significant impact on the risk of work-family conflict among RNs through their impact on the nurse practice environment. Lower level organizational factors should be investigated in future studies using hierarchical multilevel sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflection is widely regarded as important for learning from practice in Nursing. Academic reflective writing (ARW) is increasingly being used to assess reflective practice. However, there is currently scant literature on ARW, which is extremely complex, requiring students to link their own experiences to published literature. There are also concerns in the literature about the validity of ARW as a medium of assessment. In this paper, an exploratory discussion on ARW is illustrated with reference to the views of 8 self-selected students on a course for post-registered nurses. These students found ARW extremely challenging, and highlighted a range of difficulties associated with it. In conclusion, it is argued that the student experience of ARW warrants further investigation. In addition, it is suggested that either scaffolding should be put in place to facilitate the production of successful ARW, or alternatives should be explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the evolution of undergraduate nurse education within the University of Southampton. It highlights the continuing responsiveness of the university to the rapidly changing policy initiatives and landscape of healthcare delivery with subsequent workforce needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nursing profession has experienced significant change over the last 100 years. Consequently, the work-force of the 21st century is a diverse entity that is edging toward the specialization of nurses in a specific clinical setting. In such an environment, a common knowledge base is demanded of nurses - a factor that has affected the development of second level, or enrolled nurses (ENs). The forces at play raise questions about nursing roles and scopes of practice. The establishment of education pathways that promote career development has been the stimulus for conversations about the effectiveness of the transition of EN to registered nurse (RN). This paper presents a review of the literature that identifies and explores common emerging themes (making the move from EN; adapting to Bachelor of Nursing; transitioning to RN) associated with this transition through the process of undertaking baccalaureate studies in nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NEMATOLLAHI R. & ISAAC J.P. (2012) Bridging the theory practice gap: a review of Graduate Nurse Program (GNP) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. International Nursing Review 59, 194-199 Background: One of the prime concerns of government is the investment in people and resources for the education and health care of its nation. The United Arab Emirates has invested in improving Arab nurse education to reflect the latest emerging standards in international nurse education as part of this ongoing investment: a need to bridge the theory practice divide was identified. Introduction: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA), which is the main government healthcare provider in Dubai, granted full scholarship for Arab nationals to enrol in the first baccalaureate nursing degree program offered by a local university in the country. Problem: Since its conception, 56 students have graduated from the program, of which eight graduates have resigned or did not join the nursing workforce. Current new graduates expressed lack of confidence and not feeling work ready to join the workforce; in addition, the nurses in service also voiced the opinion that the new Arab nursing graduates were inadequately prepared for service provision at the time of graduation. Conclusion: A graduate nurse program to bridge the gap between theory and practice and to ease the transition of new graduate nurses into the nursing workforce was developed by the DHA. Discussion: This paper offers a positional discussion on the development of this program in Dubai, its findings, action planning and works in progress to resolve identified issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

van de mortel t.f., kermode s., progano t. & sansoni j. (2012) A comparison of the hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs and practices of Italian nursing and medical students. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(3), 569-579. Abstract Aim. This paper reports a study examining the hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs and practices of Italian nursing and medical students with the aim of informing undergraduate curricula. Background. In comparison with registered nurses, physician status is a risk factor for non-compliance with hand hygiene guidelines. Little research has been conducted to determine if differences between the professions in relation to hand hygiene are apparent at the undergraduate level. Cross-disciplinary studies that may provide an insight into this topic are lacking. Methods. A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 117 nursing and 119 medical students in a large university in Rome, Italy, to determine their hand hygiene knowledge, beliefs and practices. The data were collected in 2007-2008. Results. Nursing students' hand hygiene knowledge ( F = 9·03(1,230); P = 0·003), percentage compliance ( Z = 6·197; P < 0·001) and self-reported hand hygiene practices ( F = 34·54(1,230); P < 0·001) were significantly higher than that of medical students. There were no statistically significant differences between hand hygiene beliefs. Mean scores on the knowledge questions were low for both groups, reflecting primarily a knowledge deficit in relation to the use of alcohol-based hand rubs to decontaminate hands in the healthcare setting. Conclusion. Statistically significant disciplinary differences in hand hygiene knowledge and self-reported practices were apparent among undergraduate Italian healthcare students. Further research is needed to determine the causative factors. The overall low scores on the knowledge items indicate that these students require further education on hand hygiene, particularly in relation to the use of alcohol-based hand rubs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

wollin j.a. & fairweather c.t. (2012) Journal of Nursing Management 20, 20-27 Nursing education: a case study of a Bachelor of Science Nursing programme in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Aim The aim of the present study was to report the process and outcomes of a collaborative venture to offer a Bachelor of Science Nursing programme in Abu Dhabi. Background An international educational collaboration between the Abu Dhabi government in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Griffith University (GU) Australia, successfully established a College of Health Sciences offering a Bachelor of Science Nursing (pre- and post-registration). Methods The report was written to reflect the chronological order of events as the Bachelor of Science Nursing programme was rolled out in Abu Dhabi commencing in 2007. Results The results of this initiative included the successful delivery of the programme and the gaining of initial accreditation in Abu Dhabi. Conclusion The paper presents important insights into the collaborative nature of the agreement and the unique outcomes; dual awards from UAE and Australia. Implications for nursing management The success of this initiative required ongoing commitment from the collaborating partners. The programme required ongoing support from the School of Nursing and Midwifery in Australia. Griffith University provided the Head of School and Deputy Head of School for Abu Dhabi and the curriculum. The academic and administrative support from Australia was significant and must be incorporated into any business plan when planning such a venture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

salamonson y., bourgeois s., everett b., weaver r., peters k. & jackson d. (2011) Psychometric testing of the abbreviated Clinical Learning Environment Inventory (CLEI-19). Journal of Advanced Nursing 67(12), 2668-2676. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a test of the psychometric properties of a 19-item version of the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory. Background. Although the clinical learning environment provides the 'real-life' context essential for preparing nursing students for their professional role, the quality of student learning is influenced by the quality of the clinical placement. Methods. Nursing students completed an abbreviated (19-item) form of the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory to rate their perception of the clinical learning environment. Descriptive statistics, principal component analysis, discriminant validity and Cronbach's alpha reliabilities were computed. Results. Between March and December 2009, 231 online surveys were submitted. The mean age of participants was 30·3 years ( sd: 10·4) and 87% were female. All 19 items loaded on two factors, 'Clinical Facilitator Support of Learning' and 'Satisfaction with Clinical Placement', with factor loadings above the 0·4 threshold. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0·93 for the total Clinical Learning Environment Inventory-19, with subscales ranging from 0·92 to 0·94. Multiple regression uncovered that participants who engaged in health-related paid work were independently and significantly more positive on the 'Clinical Facilitator Support of Learning' subscale, whereas those who worked >16 hours a week, or allocated the afternoon shift were independently and significantly more negative on the 'Satisfaction with Clinical Placement' subscale. Conclusion. Providing an effective and productive clinical experience is vital in preparing nursing students to become competent clinicians. The Clinical Learning Environment Inventory-19 offers a useful measure to explore nursing students' satisfaction with two aspects of this clinical experience - clinical facilitator support of learning and the clinical learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims. This paper is a report of a qualitative study of students' experiences of cooperative learning in the clinical setting. Background. Although cooperative learning is often used successfully in the classroom, it has not been documented in the clinical setting with sophomore nursing students being paired with other sophomore nursing students. Methods. Using a grounded theory methodology a sample of 64 participants (32 student nurse dyads, eight clinical groups, in two different acute care institutions) were observed on their first day in the clinical setting while working as cooperative partners. Interviews were also conducted with students, patients and staff preceptors. Data were collected in the fall of 2008, spring and fall of 2009 and the spring of 2010 using semi-structured interviews and reflective surveys. Data were analysed using the constant comparative method. Results/Findings. A holistic clinical education theory for student nurses was identified from the data. This theory includes a reciprocal relationship among five categories relevant to a community of learning: supportive clinical experience; improved transition into practice; enhanced socialization into the profession; increased accountability and responsibility; and emergence of self-confidence as a beginning student nurse. Conclusion. The use of student dyads creates a supportive learning environment while students were able to meet the clinical learning objectives. Cooperative learning in the clinical setting creates a community of learning while instilling very early in the education process the importance of teamwork. This approach to clinical instruction eases the transition from the classroom to the clinical learning environment, and improves patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this paper was to evaluate a 2-day critical care course (CCC) delivered to a cohort of adult branch nursing students. Background: In today's health care system there is an increase in the number of critically ill patients being cared for in a ward environment. As a result, nurses require the knowledge and skills to effectively manage this patient group. Skills such as prompt recognition of the sick patient, effective communication and performing basic management care skills are necessary. Methods: The CCC was provided to final year adult branch nursing students ( n = 182) within a university in the UK. On completion of the course, participants were invited to undertake a Likert scale questionnaire. The questionnaire also contained a free response section to elicit qualitative information. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS version 17·0 and descriptive statistics produced. Qualitative responses were analysed thematically. Results: There was a 73·7% ( n = 135) response rate. Overall, there was a positive evaluation of the course. Students (89·6%; n = 121) reported a perceived increase in confidence when caring for critically ill patients following the course and 88·2% ( n = 119) felt that their knowledge and skills had improved at the end of the 2-day course. Conclusion: This study supports the implementation of critical care training for undergraduate nursing students. There are implications for the development of specific modules, aiming to improve undergraduate nursing students' recognition, assessment and management of the critically ill patient. Relevance to clinical practice: There is a shortage of critical care practice placements for undergraduate nursing students. It is essential that an undergraduate curriculum incorporates critical care teaching so that critical care skills are evident at the point of registration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Over the last decade several innovative approaches to enhance students' transition to graduate nurse year have been implemented or piloted. This paper describes a study that investigated how the social practices of clinical partnership placement model underpin workplace learning for undergraduate students as they transitioned to graduate. Methods: A mixed method approach was utilized comprising individual interviews with students, observation of clinical workplaces across six different areas of nursing practice, student surveys of the clinical learning environment and participant workshops. Results: Three themes were identified that influenced participants' preparedness for work and enhanced the transition into the workplace: 'organizational familiarity', 'continuity' and 'social participation'. Conclusion: A clinical partnership model offers a degree of work readiness for novices when commencing their professional practice role. It enables individuals to participate and engage in workplace activities which are a central component of their learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preparation of the public health nursing (PHN) workforce requires public health nurses from academia and practice to collaborate. However, a shortage of PHN clinical sites may lead to competition between schools of nursing for student placements. The Henry Street Consortium, a group of 5 baccalaureate schools of nursing and 13 local health departments in the state of Minnesota, developed a model for collaboration between PHN education and practice. This paper describes the development process-the forming, storming, norming, and performing stages-experienced by the Henry Street Consortium members. The consortium developed a set of entry-level core PHN competencies that are utilized by both education and practice. It developed menus of learning opportunities that were used to design population-based PHN clinical experiences. In addition, the consortium created a model for training and sustaining a preceptor network. The members of the Henry Street Consortium collaborated rather than competed, used consensus for decision making, and respected and accepted different points of view. This collaboration significantly impacted how schools of nursing and local health departments work together. The consortium's ability to retain its relevance, energy, and momentum for both academic and agency partners sustains the collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This paper is a report of a qualitative descriptive study of nurses' experiences of uncertainty in clinical practice. Background. Uncertainty as a complex phenomenon is inherent in many nursing and medical encounters and can vary along different dimensions. Despite the existence of studies on the theoretical definitions of uncertainty, few studies have been conducted to explore nurses' experiences in this regard and strategies employed by them to encounter situations of uncertainty in nursing practice. Methods. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2009 with 18 female bachelor's degree nurses working in a teaching hospital in an urban area of Iran. Content analysis was used to identify themes. Findings. The data analysis resulted in three main themes: 'unclear domain of practice', 'compatibility with uncertainty', 'psychological reactions to uncertainty'. The second theme consisted of two categories: 'losing sensitivity' and 'avoiding trouble'. The themes were not mutually exclusive or independent, but rather overlapping and intertwined. The themes and their related categories summarized the nurses' experiences of uncertain situations and the way they used to present efficacious care and meet patients' needs in spite of being immersed in uncertainty. Conclusion. Enhanced awareness and increased understanding about uncertainty can be important factors in improving nursing work environment and the quality of care presented to patients. The findings will be helpful for nurse managers to educate and prepare nurses in order to encounter uncertain situations in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory has been used for curricula framework for years, it was not until 2001 that Orem identified the nursing practice sciences and the foundational nursing sciences and specified the appropriate content for the two sciences. The broad purpose of this paper is to reinforce the importance of utilizing nursing theories as curricular conceptual frameworks. The specific purpose is to delineate the appropriate content for baccalaureate programs that adopt a Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory conceptual framework for their curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sessional teachers are taking an increasing role in classroom teaching in Schools of Nursing. However, there is a paucity of literature reporting the experiences of, and impact on, career academics working with or alongside the burgeoning numbers of sessional teachers. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the experiences of continuing academics working with sessional teachers. This qualitative study used purposive sampling to recruit nurse academics and collect narrative data related to their experiences of working with sessional teachers. Four major themes emerged from the data, namely: They have got real credibility -- perceptions of clinical currency, We've got people who are very good clinically, but don't know how to teach - lacking skills and confidence, No allegiance to the school or the students -- perceived lack of commitment and accountability, and A terrible burden -- workload implications for continuing academics. The development and implementation of standards for the recruitment and employment of sessional teachers would benefit both continuing academics and sessional teachers, and assist in the delivery of quality teaching and learning to nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a report of a study to examine the influence of demographic, learning behavior and learning performance variables on learning outcomes of baccalaureate nursing students within a blended learning environment. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using the self-structured demographic questionnaire, case analysis attitude scale (CAAS), the case analysis self-evaluation scales (CASES), the metacognition scale (MS) and blended learning satisfaction scale (BLSS) to measure learning outcomes after the blended learning course. A total of 99 senior undergraduate nursing students currently studying at a public nursing college in Taiwan were eligible to participate in the study in 2008. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. Univariate analysis showed significant associations between frequency of online dialogues, time spent on the internet, CAAS, and MS and scores on the ethical course. However, frequency of online dialogues, time spent on the internet, and the CAAS were significantly independent predictors for scores on the ethical course in the final model of multivariate analysis. The final model of the data analysis could account for 78% variances scores of ethical course (R2 = 0.78 and adjusted R2 = 0.77). It can be concluded from this study that frequency of online dialogue, time spent on internet, and the CAAS score are all useful predictors for learning outcome. In addition, blended learning was found to have contributed to learners' learning outcome by facilitating their metacognitive development and self-regulatory development. In blended learning courses, students have more responsibilities placed upon them than in traditional face-to-face learning environments. The first step of constructing a working blended learning model is to develop student-oriented teaching pedagogies that include face-to-face and online instruction, rather than just focusing on the provision of technical skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Emergency Management undergraduate Bachelors of Science Degree program at Western Illinois University (WIU) is one of the more recent additions to the group of college-level Emergency Management programs. As the WIU program is reaching its fourth anniversary, faculty are now able to pause and reflect on both the challenges and opportunities the program has faced. The authors suggest that the issues faced by the WIU program are indicative of the issues that are generally faced by many college-level Emergency Management programs. Therefore, this paper intends to contribute to the developing body of knowledge concerning Emergency Management education by providing a case study of the development and implementation of the WIU program, within the context of Emergency Management-related higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. This paper is a report of an evaluation of the effects of a transformational leadership training programme on Unit Charge Nurses' leadership practices. Background. Current healthcare regulations in the European Union and accreditation efforts of hospitals for their services mandate transformation in healthcare services in Turkey. Therefore, the transformational leadership role of nurse managers is vital in determining and achieving long-term goals in this process. Method. The sample consisted of 30 Unit Charge Nurses with a baccalaureate degree and 151 observers at two university hospitals in Turkey. Data were collected using the Leadership Practices Inventory-Self and Observer (applied four times during a 14-month study process from December 2005 to January 2007). The transformational leadership training programme had theoretical (14 hours) and individual study (14 hours) in five sections. Means, standard deviations and percentages, repeated measure tests and two-way factor analysis were used for analysis. Results. According the Leadership Practices Inventory-Self and Observer ratings, leadership practices increased statistically significantly with the implementation of the programme. There were no significant differences between groups in age, length of time in current job and current position. The Unit Charge Nurses Leadership Practices Inventory self-ratings were significantly higher than those of the observers. Conclusion. There is a need to develop similar programmes to improve the leadership skills of Unit Charge Nurses, and to make it mandatory for nurses assigned to positions of Unit Charge Nurse to attend this kind of leadership programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Henry Street Consortium, a collaboration of nurse educators from universities and colleges and public health nurses (PHNs) from government, school, and community agencies, developed 11 population-based competencies for educating nursing students and the novice PHN. Although many organizations have developed competency lists for experts, the Consortium developed a set of competencies that clearly define expectations for the beginning PHN. The competencies are utilized by both education and practice. They guide nurse educators and PHNs in the creation of learning experiences that develop population-based knowledge and skills for baccalaureate nursing students. Public health nursing leaders use the competencies to frame their expectations and orientations for nurses who are new to public health nursing. This paper explains the meaning of each of the 11 population-based competencies and provides examples of student projects that demonstrate competency development. Strategies are suggested for nurse educators and PHNs to promote effective population-based student projects in public health agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research was to use narrative analysis to study final papers in a Social and Cultural Issues in Health Care course in order to understand how to improve nursing student learning about discrimination and oppression in health care.The study addressed two questions: a) What were the dimensions of diversity in the student population, including hidden dimensions such as social class and religion? b) How effectively did students analyze and synthesize course content on race, class, and privilege through autobiographical reflection and cognitive, attitudinal and applied learning? Dimensions of diversity were identified through narrative analysis of student autobiographical information. Four levels of learning emerged from a thematic narrative analysis of how students used personal autobiographical reflection and cognitive, affective, and applied learning to analyze and synthesize course content on race, class, and privilege in health care. This study makes a unique contribution to nursing educational research by exploring the use of narrative analysis in evaluating student learning about discrimination in health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), the Faculty of Engineering at The University of the West Indies (UWI) had since the 1980s operated its degree of Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering for the Caribbean region. The degree concepts are well-known to the employment market in other parts of the world, a quite-difference situation has been prevalent in T&T and the region over the years. This paper presents the findings of a study that investigated into the challenges facing Industrial Engineers in the employment market of T&T. Empirical findings showed that many respondents were lacking understanding ofIE applications in their organisations. It was also not uncommon that T&T organ isations hired other non-Industrial Engineers to perform IE-related jobs one hand, and then expected good operational results of these tasks on the other hand. The prevalence of misconstrued perception towards JE would have deteriorated the competitiveness of many T&T organisations. There is a pressing need to break such prevalence by recognising the JE roles and contributions to industry and the society at large. The government and stakeholders in both public and private sectors should work together to break the prevalence chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bologna process has triggered an important change in the course outline towards a sustainable, transparent and quality- driven European education system. In Belgium, engineering education had to be completely revised. The transformation of the former system, leading to the degree of academic engineer after five years of study, into the typical Bologna 3+2 structure leading to the academic degrees of Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Engineering, respectively, has created opportunities to completely reconsider and restructure the engineering education at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. One of the main objectives of the new programme was to explicitly meet all the requirements with respect to the education output contained in the 'Dublin descriptors' and that of present-day society at large. In this paper, we report on our experience in this transformation. To this end, we use the outcomes of the consultation with alumni, our self-assessments and assessments by an international panel appointed by the VLIR-VLOA (Flemish-Dutch inspection commissions) that took place in 2004 and 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a study involving the trends of BS Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) graduates in employment that would be easily outsourced to offshore entities in the near term. Graduates from Purdue's BS MET program were tracked from May of 1989 until May of 2005. The data was observed for first-time secured employment and a decision was made on whether or not this employment was easily outsourceable with very little effort. The data was also compared to the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) values for this time period, as well as the overall job placement for MET graduates during this same period. The findings indicated that recent trends should be of an immediate concern to those involved in student recruitment, curricular, and placement activities for MET students. Future efforts will be directed at assessments of employment trends of graduates in mid-term and long-term outsourcable occupations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]