Distance learning in nursing.

OBJECTIVES: To inform oncology nurses about distance-learning technologies and to offer suggestions for how nurses can locate, appropriately select, and use distance learning to their benefit. DATA SOURCES: Published articles, research studies, and review articles pertaining to distance education and learning in nursing. CONCLUSIONS: Distance learning offers new opportunities for nurses who are seeking basic or advanced degrees, certificates, or lifelong learning for professional development. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Oncology nursing practice is a dynamic specialty and requires the nurse to be a lifelong learner. Distance learning facilitates this requirement.

Benchmarking best practices in Web-based nursing courses.

This article describes the framework and process to determine best practices in online learning communities for Web-based nursing courses. The benchmarks for best practices were determined based on evidence-based research in higher education. These quality indicators were then used to develop and pilot test a benchmarking survey across three state schools of nursing. The results of the pilot test, as well as the applications and implications for benchmarking best practices, are discussed.

Development of continuing nursing education offerings for the World Wide Web.

Nurses are seeking continuing professional development that is easily accessible, convenient, and available at any time and any place. As nurses have increasing access to Internets and Intranets at home and their workplace, courses for continuing nursing education must be available to meet this need. This article discusses the planning, implementation, and evaluation of continuing nursing education (CNE) on the World Wide Web. The article explains how to develop a strategic plan, develop course offerings, select technology tools to support teaching and learning, and market and evaluate the courses.

Peer review of teaching in Web-based courses in nursing.

With the explosion of college-level Web-based courses, concern has arisen about the quality of online courses. Peer review of online courses is one method of ensuring that these courses meet the highest standards. Although numerous colleges and universities use peer review for classroom presentations, clinical experiences, and course materials, peer review of an online course may require a different type of expertise. This article describes the process for conducting a peer review of teaching in Web-based courses and explains how documentation of peer review of an online course can be used for faculty development, promotion and tenure decisions, curriculum decisions, and program review.

Coping and physical health during caregiving: the roles of positive and negative affect.

The associations among coping, mood, and health variables were examined prospectively over 2 years in 86 HIV positive (HIV+) and 167 HIV negative (HIV-) gay men undergoing the stress of AIDS-related caregiving. Path models suggested that including both positive and negative mood and the men's associated coping strategies increases understanding of why some people suffer adverse health effects during times of stress. Among the HIV- caregivers, higher levels of social coping predicted increases in positive affect, which in turn resulted in lower levels of physical symptoms. In contrast, higher levels of cognitive avoidance predicted increases in negative affect, which in turn resulted in higher levels of physical symptoms. Self-injurious forms of avoidance coping predicted higher levels of physical symptoms independent of mood among the HIV+ caregivers.

Computerized test development software. A comparative review updated.

This article provides a comparative review of nine commercially available software programs: A+ Test Manager and Test Taker, CATSoftware, Diploma 97, Examaker for Windows, FastTEST, Microtest Pro, Pedagogue, Question Mark, and Test Construction Set. Issues for using test development software are covered including security, pedagogical uses, and test design and administration. Nurse educators are encouraged to consider the unique needs of each setting when selecting a software package to support test development and administration.

A framework for assessing outcomes and practices in Web-based courses in nursing.

This article presents a framework to assess the dynamic interaction of technology used to offer Web-based courses, the teaching-learning practices in these courses, and the outcomes enabled by the technology. Concepts of the model include outcomes, educational practices, faculty support, learner support, and use of technology. Variables are identified for each of the concepts.

Creating linkages between incomplete abortion treatment and family planning services in Kenya.

Postabortion care has received increasing emphasis as an important intervention to address part of the problem of unsafe abortion. Although a good deal of attention has been paid to improving emergency treatment of abortion complications, the other elements of postabortion care, including providing postabortion family planning services, have received less attention and are rarely found in health-care settings around the world. This report describes a study that was conducted in Kenya to test three different models of ways to provide postabortion family planning. The study shows that these new services are both feasible and acceptable to providers and patients, and also shows how effective they can be. Whereas only 7 percent of women received family planning counseling according to the baseline survey, this proportion increased to 68 percent in the postintervention period. In addition, 70 percent of women who decided to begin using contraceptives received a method, compared with only 3 percent at baseline. The provision of postabortion family planning counseling and methods on the gynecological ward by ward staff was found to be the preferred and most effective model.

Evaluation of a mechanical hand-support for facilitated communication.

A specially designed hand-support device was evaluated to determine its effectiveness in assisting nonspeaking mentally handicapped children transition from facilitated communication (FC) to independent typing. Six autistic individuals (age range: 5 to 31) participated in the main experiment. All six had been reported to be moderately to highly proficient in the use of FC prior to the study. Pre- and posttraining tasks included pointing to pictures, numbers, and letters as well as copying single words by typing on a keyboard or letterboard. After 8 weeks of training, subjects' ability to point or type on all four tasks was assessed in three different conditions: (a) with an experienced facilitator, (b) independently, and (c) with the mechanical hand-support system. Postassessment measures did not reveal any evidence of independent communication with or without the device. An informal extension of the study, in which four of the original six subjects and three additional subjects were included for 4 additional months, also failed to provide evidence of significant communication.

Issues in teaching and learning at a distance: changing roles and responsibilities of administrators, faculty, and students.

Distance learning delivery systems can make nursing education accessible, asynchronous, active, and affordable. At the same time, these benefits must be balanced by a "systems view" of teaching and learning that supports administrators, faculty, and students as their roles and responsibilities change to meet the demands of a restructured educational environment. Nurse educators can continue to build on a growing experience base in distance education while conducting further research to answer questions about "best practices" for teaching and learning at a distance.

Computerized NCLEX-RN preparation programs. A comparative review.

Nursing faculty and students, as well as schools of nursing, are concerned about maintaining or improving pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). This article offers a comparative review of eight computerized NCLEX-RN preparation programs: Compass RN; Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) Assess Test; NLN-CAT-RN Pharmacology Test; Meds, incorporated Comprehensive Q & A; Mosby's NCLEX Review; Medi-Sim Computer-Assisted Preparation for NCLEX-RN; Preparing for NCLEX-RN CAT; and NLN-CAT Practice RN. Criteria for evaluating these programs include program design features, types of questions and feedback, performance reports, screen design, ease of use, technical support and documentation, warranty and upgrade policy, and price. Issues associated with using NCLEX-RN preparation programs also are discussed.

Distance education in nursing.

Although not for everyone, distance education is a "connecting point" for faculty and students who are separated by time and space. As technology becomes increasingly available to nurse educators, the instructional and public relations advantages become significant benefits to nurse educators.

Designing nursing learning centers of the future.

As Drucker notes in The Atlantic Monthly (1994:53), the 21st century will be one of transformations and challenges. Nurse educators will need to think through the purposes, values, and content of educational programs and lifelong learning opportunities. Nurse educators as knowledge workers must prepare to meet challenges by developing nursing learning centers for future needs. Whereas a bold vision of the future, concrete plans that a customer driven, and monitoring for improvement are important, the nurse educator as manager/dean/director for the learning center and faculty teaching here will be key to facilitating nursings' transformation into the information age.

Computerized test development software a comparative review.

Nurse educators, searching for the best use of technology to facilitate the development and administration of tests, are confronted with a wide variety of computerized test development programs from which to choose. This article provides a comparative review of seven commercially available computerized test development programs: A+ Test Manager and Test Taker, AUTOGENT, CATSoftware System, LXR*TEST, MicroCAT, Question Designer for Windows, and Test Construction Set. Criteria for evaluating these programs including ease of use, psychometric properties, security, and system requirements are discussed. Issues associated with the implementation of computerized test development and computerized test administration are considered. It is imperative that nurse educators understand their goals for computerized test development and administration in the context of their own setting before purchasing a program.