The effects and measures of auricular acupressure and interactive multimedia for smoking cessation in college students.

The earlier one starts to smoke, the more likely it is that one's tobacco use will increase. Either auricular acupressure or multimedia education could improve physiological health status and reduce smoking for young smokers. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 10-week auricular acupressure (AA) and interactive multimedia (IM) on smoking cessation in college smokers. A pre- and posttest control research design with two experiments (AA and IM) and one control was used. Thirty-two participants were in each of three groups. A significant difference from pretest to posttest among three groups was exhibited on carbon monoxide (CO), cotinine, and nicotine dependence. Scheffe's post hoc test found significances on CO in the AA between the IM and the control and cotinine and nicotine dependence between the AA and the control. After controlling the covariates, the main effect of the group was no difference in all outcomes. The interventions, especially AA, may contribute to a decrease of CO, cotinine, and nicotine dependence along with the time change. An analysis without controlling influences may overestimate interventional effects.

Developing a short version of the test anxiety scale for baccalaureate nursing skills test--a preliminary study.

AIM: In this study, a brief and rapid skills test anxiety scale was developed to measure nursing students' anxiety before their first skills assessment test, and the measurement results were assessed using factor analysis. METHODS: A survey questionnaire design was used to gather cross-sectional data for the scale. The study subjects comprised 250 first-year bachelors of nursing students who completed a test anxiety survey before taking their first nursing skills test. This questionnaire evaluated first-year baccalaureate students' anxiety associated with applying nursing skills. RESULTS: The results indicated that students were most anxious about the attitudes of the teachers proctoring the tests (94.6%), followed by the test atmosphere (92.2%). These 2 items were determined to be conducive to high anxiety and were statistically correlated. Exploratory analysis was used to extract 2 common factors, nonspecific information and test atmosphere. Meanwhile, factor loadings were 19.45% and 50.41%, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study evaluated the validity and reliability of the proposed scale. The evidence-based results presented in this investigation provide teachers with a crucial reference for helping students reduce their anxiety before their first skills assessment test.

[Taiwan nursing student assessment of the value of a competence-based medical-surgical clinical performance examination model].

BACKGROUND: Assessment of nursing student abilities with regard to competent nursing practice has played an important role in the clinical nursing education revolution. PURPOSE: This study was designed to evaluate the value to Taiwanese BSN graduates of a competence-based clinical performance examination model for medical-surgical nursing. METHODS: Four semi-structured questions were used to explore the learning experience of 30 nursing students through their performance on a medical-surgical nursing clinical performance examination (CPE). Qualitative content analysis was used to identify categories. RESULTS: Differences found between the CPE and traditional clinical practicum included learning situation, learning process decision making procedures, and result evaluation procedures. Advantages of the CPE included confidence in self-competence, enhanced stimulation in clinical settings, self-directed learning, revised learning, and flexible learning. Disadvantages included poorer control over the overall learning process and less control of outcomes. Benefits to subjects from participating in the CPE included increased awareness, acceptance, and cultivation of self competence. A number of students expressed they perceived no specific benefits attributable to the CPE. CONCLUSION: Study findings are hoped to contribute to the development of the CPE in medical-surgical nursing in Taiwan.