An online international learning project in an undergraduate children's nursing programme.

Internationalisation of the curriculum (IoC) is a focus for higher education institutions. IoC aims to equip students with essential enhanced skills in relation to becoming global citizens and ensuring that their practice is culturally competent. Undergraduate courses must furnish children's nursing students with learning opportunities that meet the outcomes of the 2018 Nursing and Midwifery Council standards of proficiency. The standards require that nursing education, supervision and training should provide students with the learning opportunities needed to achieve the desired proficiencies and programme outcomes. This article analyses and evaluates the implementation of an online international learning (OIL) project in an undergraduate children's nursing programme in the UK. The pilot project has been identified as a useful and successful teaching method for promoting intercultural awareness among students and provides guidance for future OIL design. Finally, this article offers recommendations on how to address barriers and challenges related to this teaching method.

Investigating the use of Barrows Cards to improve self-management and reduce healthcare costs in adolescents with blood cancer: a pilot study.

AIM: To test if the Barrows Cards method improves adherence to immunosuppressive therapy self-management following hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation in adolescents affected by blood cancer and reduce costs. BACKGROUND: Chronically ill adolescents need to be helped to improve self-management, make sure they can confidently and safely manage therapy at home and reduce readmissions and costs. We identified the Barrows Cards method, originally used to test decision-making skills and critical thinking in medical students. In this pilot study, we tested the efficacy of the Barrows Cards Method in improving adhesion to immunosuppressive therapy in a group of adolescents following hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation and analysed its cost-effectiveness. DESIGN: A mixed-method study. METHODS: The Barrows Cards method is an educational intervention based on the theory of problem-based learning that uses at least 15 cards specially designed to teach participants how to manage a specific problem. We piloted the Barrows cards method in terms of adherence to immunosuppressive therapy and self-management in a group of 17 adolescents affected by blood cancer before being discharged. Participants were enrolled between 2013-2015. Activity Based Costing was used to analyse the cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: The Barrows Cards method significantly improved adherence to immunosuppressive therapy in blood cancer adolescents and reduced readmissions. We also showed how this method could significantly reduce healthcare costs. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is required, but the Barrows Cards method could be effectively used by nurses to improve self-management in chronic patients and reduce health costs.

Transitioning HIV-infected children and adolescents into adult care: an Italian real-life experience.

As young people living with HIV age, transition to adult care is increasingly required. The aim of our study was to describe how a care transition program was developed in an HIV adult clinic in Genoa, Italy. This is a descriptive study including 45 HIV-infected patients who participated in the transition process from a pediatric unit to an adult Infectious Diseases Unit, which started in 2000. A dedicated day, patient-customized environment, psychological support, and all health services in one site were provided. In 2014, a survey form was created to investigate the efficacy of the transition. At survey compilation time, 38 patients (84.4%) were retained in care, 2 were lost to follow-up, 2 were transferred to another adult clinic, and 3 had died. We highlight the importance of planning the transition process and the role of the interprofessional team to guarantee a successful transition for HIV-infected children and adolescents.