Relationship Between Patient Factors And Specific Learning Needs Of Women On Breast Cancer

The type of specific learning needs of women with breast cancer using the Information Needs Questionnaire (INQ) had been identified prior to developing a breast cancer education package. It is also important to determine the types of patient factors such as demographic and clinical factors that influence women’s specific learning needs on breast cancer. This study thus reports the findings on what type of patient factors influence women’s specific learning needs related to the types of INQ. A total of 140 women with breast cancer who sought treatment at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Medical Centre participated in this cross sectional study. Age showed a significant relationship with specific learning needs on sexual attractiveness (p=0.001) and self-care (p=0.048). Duration of illness was related to information on spread of breast cancer (p=0.040) and self-care (p=0.047). Education level showed a significant relationship with cure (p=0.001), sexual attractiveness (p=0.007) and spread of breast cancer (p=0.003). Occupation showed a significant relationship with specific learning needs on sexual attractiveness (p=0.005), chemotherapy (p=0.043), radiotherapy (p=0.039) and hormonal therapy (p=0.043). On treatment received, a significant relationship was noted with sexual attractiveness (p=0.009), radiotherapy (p=0.029), hormonal therapy (p=0.038) and targeted therapy (p=0.047). Ethnicity and Marital status showed no significant relationship with all the specific learning needs. Findings of this study concluded that certain patient factors had significant relationship with certain specific learning needs. All the patient factors studied and their influence on the specific learning needs were taken into consideration prior to developing the breast cancer education package.

Clinical Decision Making Ability of Nursing Students in a Tertiary Hospital

Decision making in nursing is one of the most important skills nurses must apply and utilize in their nursing practice. The aim of this study was to determine the perception of clinical decision making ability among nursing students. A descriptive crosssectional study was conducted in a tertiary hospital. A total of 54 nursing students were recruited using a modified version of Clinical Decision Making in Nursing Scale (CDMNS) adapted from Jenkins (1985). The findings showed good CDMNS score with mean and standard deviation of (124.24±12.713). The four sub-scales of CDMNS were: searching for alternative (33.24±4.821), canvassing (28.74±3.514), evaluation and re-evaluation (31.43±3.922), searching for information(30.83±4.765). Nineteen (35%) of the participants chose nursing as their first choice, whereas 35 participants (65%) did not. Thirthy seven (69%) participants were satisfied with their nursing competency, 17 (31%) were unsatisfied. There were significant differences between searching for alternatives, evaluation and re-evaluation, and nursing as their first choice (p=<0.05). There were also significant differences between searching for alternatives and satisfaction with nursing competency (p=<0.05). There was significant difference between education level and searching for alternatives and information (p=<0.05). The nursing students possessed adequate clinical decision making ability. Although most of the nursing students did not choose nursing as their first choice, they sought for alternatives and evaluated-reevaluated during their decision making process. Nursing students’ satisfaction also contributed to appropriate clinical decision making in the critical care setting.