Nursing faculty development program for digital teaching competence.

BACKGROUND: Nursing faculties need to develop digital competencies to effectively use information, communication, and technology-based nursing education. PURPOSE: The study aimed to develop and apply a theory-guided faculty development program on digital teaching competencies. METHODS: A faculty development program was developed. Between March and April 2020, three five-hour web workshops participated by ninety-three faculty members were held. The program was assessed via mixed methods, combining satisfaction surveys post-workshop with content analysis of open-ended questionnaires to gauge participant evaluation of program content and learning experience. RESULTS: Participants were highly satisfied with the program contents and their opportunity for integrating digital technology into education and improving faculty proficiency in digital teaching technology. CONCLUSIONS: The program provides faculties with the self-confidence and essential skills to teach students using information, communication, and technology-based nursing education by enhancing their digital teaching competencies. It is critical to integrate both digital proficiency and nursing practice education.

User experience and interface assessment for metaverse platforms on nurses and nursing students: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The metaverse, a rapidly evolving virtual environment, offers new opportunities for healthcare education. The effectiveness of the metaverse as a learning tool depends on user readiness and platform characteristics. AIM: This study aimed to examine the current use of metaverse platforms among nurses and nursing students in South Korea and explore the relationship between user characteristics and their metaverse experience, focusing on presence, usability, and user experience. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. SETTINGS: Registered nurses and nursing students from various healthcare settings and educational institutions in South Korea participated in this study. PARTICIPANTS: This study included 428 participants, comprising 188 nurses and 240 nursing students. METHODS: Between September and November 2022, participants provided voluntary informed consent. The participants engaged with one of the following two metaverse platforms: ZEPETO (mobile-based) or Gather (screen-based). After four structured exploration phases, the participants completed online questionnaires. These surveys assessed general characteristics, metaverse self-efficacy, sense of presence, usability, and user experience. RESULTS: Most participants had previous experience with the metaverse and rated their metaverse self-efficacy at 3.60. Nurses scored higher than nursing students in terms of presence, usability, and user experience in the metaverse. Higher work self-efficacy in nurses and academic self-efficacy in nursing students were associated with more positive experiences in the metaverse. Nurses consistently rated higher across all subdomains of presence, usability, and user experience than nursing students. The type of metaverse platform also significantly influenced user experience. CONCLUSIONS: A significant proportion of Korean nurses and nursing students are familiar with the metaverse, reflecting a global trend towards virtual environments in education and healthcare. Although the metaverse holds promise for healthcare education, its effectiveness depends on user readiness, platform characteristics, and the development of a reliable, structured, and user-friendly educational programme.

Understanding community health workers' activities in a community-based child health promotion project in Kyrgyzstan.

BACKGROUND: Community health workers (CHWs) have strong potential for conducting health initiatives in vulnerable countries. Their continuing activities are essential for positive outcomes. The purpose of this study is to understand CHW activities in Kyrgyzstan migrant villages and their impact on individuals and communities. METHODS: This study used a mixed-method design. All active CHWs were invited to participate in the survey and the first reflection note regarding their experience and satisfaction with CHW activities. Respondents who agreed to participate in the second reflection notes wrote additional reflection notes. Participatory observational CHW activity report meeting data was collected for additional qualitative analysis. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed thematically. RESULTS: CHWs started their activities with altruistic and personal motives, such as social recognition and knowledge acquisition. Job-related satisfaction after the activity tended to be high. After performing home visits and resident participatory events, they experienced intrinsic motivation, resource mobilization efforts, increased autonomy, and social recognition. Although the material rewards were small as volunteers, they recognized their positive impact on individuals and communities and gained pride and happiness. CONCLUSIONS: CHWs participating in health promotion projects had training and CHW-nurse network activities and were gradually empowered in the process. When considering the sustainability of CHW activities, it is important to increase self-confidence and strengthen social recognition through empowerment.

Development and assessment of a curriculum model for virtual simulation in nursing: curriculum development and pilot-evaluation.

BACKGROUND: To introduce virtual simulation as a strategy of nursing education and provide valid educational content, the best curriculum model of virtual simulation needs to be developed. METHODS: Curriculum development process and pilot evaluation was used. The curriculum content and structure was developed by analyzing literature including previous studies and major nursing classification systems, and key words derived from focus group interviews of 14 nurses and 20 faculty members with expertise in simulation education. 35 nursing students participated in the evaluation of the developed virtual simulation curriculum. RESULTS: The curriculum developed for virtual simulation in nursing education contained three domains of content areas: (1) enhancing clinical decision-making, (2) experiencing low-exposed situations, and (3) building professional resilience. In addition, seven subdomains of content areas and 35 representative topics in the virtual simulation curriculum were derived. Scenarios of nine representative topics were created, translated into 3D modeling and pilot-evaluated. CONCLUSIONS: Considering that nursing education is encountering new demands and challenges from students and the changing society, the newly suggested curriculum for virtual nursing simulation can help nurse educators to plan better educational opportunities for students.

Describing the Ecology of Parenting Based on Preschool Mothers' Social Relationships in Korea: An Ecological Theory Approach.

Mothers' social networks are important to their children's health but still remains poorly understood in Korea. The purpose of the study was to explore the elements of social relationships in Korean preschool mothers to describe their parenting ecology. Data were collected from interviews with 32 mothers according to the Social Network Interview questionnaire and from their seven-day diaries describing their daily social relationships. Eleven ecological elements were identified. The social relationships of these mothers involved seven types of people: relatives, mothers of their children's friends, kindergarten and learning center teachers, domestic workers providing parenting support, husbands, friends, and children's friends. The mothers' social relationships were also associated with four location types: kindergartens, private learning centers, health services centers, and private entertainment centers. The strongest element of the ecology of parenting in terms of frequency was relatives, followed by the mothers of their children's friends and kindergarten teachers; for the location, the strongest was kindergartens, followed by private learning centers and health services centers. In conclusion, the strongest elements in parenting ecology should be evaluated during the assessment of children's growth and development, and incorporated in the assessment tools used.

Prevalence of Iodine Deficiency among School Children from New Settlement in Kyrgyzstan.

This study assesses the status of iodine deficiency among at risk-children and adolescents living in migrant settlements in the Kyrgyz Republic. Children aged 7-15 years from two regional primary schools in the new settlement regions were screened for cognitive and behavioural signs of iodine deficiency using questionnaires. The functional state of the thyroid gland was assessed using ultrasonography and blood tests. Out of 1058 schoolchildren, 15.8% showed signs of iodine deficiency. Female children aged 10-12 years showed a higher prevalence of iodine deficiency. The families of schoolchildren reported limited use of seafood and iodised salt. Children in the migrant regions were at risk of iodine deficiency disorder. Among children, clinical manifestations of iodine deficiency were observed as negative hormonal levels or the presence of goitre. Further investigation on standardised screening instruments for iodine deficiency and the relationship among multilevel analyses are warranted.

CaV α2δ Autoimmune Encephalitis: A Novel Antibody and its Characteristics.

OBJECTIVE: Discovery of a novel antibody would enable diagnosis and early treatment of autoimmune encephalitis. The aim was to discover a novel antibody targeting a synaptic receptor and characterize the pathogenic mechanism. METHOD: We screened for unknown antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid samples from autoimmune encephalitis patients. Samples with reactivity to rat brain sections and no reactivity to conventional antibody tests underwent further processing for antibody discovery, using immunoprecipitation to primary neuronal cells, mass-spectrometry analysis, an antigen-binding assay on an antigen-overexpressing cell line, and an electrophysiological assay with cultured hippocampal neurons. RESULTS: Two patients had a novel antibody against CaV α2δ (voltage-gated calcium channel alpha-2/delta subunit). The patient samples stained neuropils of the hippocampus, basal ganglia, and cortex in rat brain sections and bound to a CaV α2δ-overexpressing cell line. Knockdown of CaV α2δ expression in cultured neurons turned off the immunoreactivity of the antibody from the patients to the neurons. The patients were associated with preceding meningitis or neuroendocrine carcinoma and responded to immunotherapy. In cultured neurons, the antibody reduced neurotransmitter release from presynaptic nerve terminals by interfering with tight coupling of calcium channels and exocytosis. INTERPRETATION: Here, we discovered a novel autoimmune encephalitis associated with anti-CaV α2δ antibody. Further analysis of the antibody in autoimmune encephalitis might promote early diagnosis and treatment. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:740-752.

[Collaborative Disaster Governance Recognized by Nurses during a Pandemic].

PURPOSE: We aimed to identify collaborative disaster governance through the demand and supply analysis of resources recognized by nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We used a descriptive study design with an online survey technique for data collection. The survey questions were developed based on focus group interviews with nurses responding to COVID-19 and expert validity testing. A 42-question online survey focusing on disaster governance was sent to nurses working in COVID-19 designated hospitals, public health offices, and schools. A total of 630 nurses participated in the survey. Demand and supply analysis was used to identify the specific components of disaster governance during a pandemic situation and analyze priority areas in disaster governance, as reported by nurses. RESULTS: Demand and supply analysis showed that supplies procurement, cooperation, education, and environment factors clustered in the high demand and supply quadrant while labor condition, advocacy, emotional support, and workload adjustment factors clustered in the high demand but low supply quadrant, indicating a strong need in those areas of disaster governance among nurses. The nurses practicing at the public health offices and schools showed major components of disaster governance plotted in the second quadrant, indicating weak collaborative disaster governance. CONCLUSION: These findings show that there is an unbalanced distribution among nurses, resulting in major challenges in collaborative disaster governance during COVID-19. In the future and current pandemic, collaborative disaster governance, through improved distribution, will be useful for helping nurses to access more required resources and achieve effective pandemic response.

Effective instructional design template for virtual simulations in nursing education.

BACKGROUND: Virtual-reality simulation (VRS) is an innovative teaching method in nursing education. However, information regarding the educational elements that should be included in the associated instructional design, and the technology necessary for its optimal implementation, is limited. OBJECTIVES: To develop an effective template for VRS-based nursing education, and to evaluate its usability. DESIGN: A methodological study. SETTING: Multimedia room in university. PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen undergraduate nursing students. METHODS: First, we developed a template, which was validated by content experts. The template was then modified based on the experts' feedback, and was then applied in three VRS scenarios. RESULTS: The developed template consisted of educational elements, virtual elements, and scenario outlines. The educational elements were learning target, learning objectives, instructional design, course flow, feedback strategies, follow-up and evaluation, debriefing structures, and human resources. The virtual elements were virtual framework, degree of virtuality, and virtual resources. The scenario outline included scenario target, learning objectives, evaluation, course flow, associated knowledge and skill, setting, scenario background, protocols, nursing intervention, algorithm and storyboard, documentation forms, mechanical supports, scenario characters, accessory items, and debriefing components. Three VRS scenarios were developed using this template. Students in focus group interviews described their learning experience. CONCLUSIONS: The template can help educators administer effective VRS-based nursing education; however, the technical level of the platform used should be considered.

Development and Evaluation of an Algorithm-Corresponding Instrument for Nursing Simulation.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to develop and validate an assessment instrument for students engaging with an algorithm-based simulation scenario addressing emergency measures for high-risk newborns with apnea in a neonatal intensive care unit. METHOD: The study was conducted in two phases of development and evaluation of the algorithm-corresponding instrument. One hundred sixty-nine senior nursing students from two universities in South Korea were evaluated using the developed instrument. RESULTS: The developed and validated instrument consisted of three dimensions (assessment points, nursing skills, and communication) measured through 13 items. The exploratory factor analysis revealed three factors of the instrument, and the confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a better model fit for a three-factor instrument model than for other models. CONCLUSION: The developed algorithm-corresponding assessment instrument is suitable for assessing the clinical decision-making ability of nursing students in a simulation scenario. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(11):617-626.].

Unmet Health Needs in Early Childhood in South Korea.

This study aimed to evaluate child health needs in South Korea and the country's healthcare system capacities to meet them. A comprehensive needs assessment was performed by reviewing child health programs in Korea, followed by focus group discussions and individual interviews with multiple health experts and practitioners. Analysis of the meeting and interview transcripts were identified seven major domains of child health needs and healthcare system capacities. Comparison of child health needs and healthcare system capacities revealed that a much-needed linkage system between child health resources and preventive healthcare services is lacking. A new government policy to integrate current child health programs with high-quality preventive care is required.

Validation of the Simulation Effectiveness Tool in Nursing Education.

BACKGROUND: The Simulation Effectiveness Tool (SET) frequently is used to assess perceived learning and confidence in simulation. However, few studies have reported the validity of the tool. This study assessed the reliability and validity of the SET. METHOD: This retrospective analysis evaluated the tool using 568 cases conducted at three nursing schools. RESULTS: A two-factor model showed reasonable fit indices. The fit statistics for the two-factor structure were: χ2, 152.98 (df = 53, p < .001); comparative fit index, 0.94; root mean square error of approximation, 0.05 (range, 0.04 to 0.06); and standardized root mean square residual, 0.04. In addition, weak convergence was identified between the confidence in the SET and responding in the Lasater rubric. CONCLUSION: The psychometric properties of the study indicate the SET has demonstrated acceptable evidence of validity and reliability to measure simulation effectiveness in Korean nursing students. The use of this instrument for brief simulation education is recommended. [J Nurs Educ. 2020;59(4):186-193.].

Exploring the unmet needs for creating an enabling environment for nurturing care to promote migrant child health in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan: A theory-guided community-based participatory action research.

Empirical evidence on community-driven child health promotion programs in disadvantaged migrant populations is limited despite various promotional strategies. Therefore, we implemented a developmental process to shape child health interventions using theory-guided community-based participatory action research (CBPAR) in a migrant community in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan between 2015 and 2019. The collaborative and iterative CBPAR process was conducted through participatory workshops and focus group discussions with support from trusting and collegial partnerships between community members and the research team. The goal and scope of the intervention was guided by enabling environments for nurturing care, including the four domains of caregivers' capabilities, empowered communities, supportive services, and enabling policies. Diverse interests and needs identified by community members were aggregated in the theoretical model and reflected in the intervention. Community-driven intervention is perceived as a culturally acceptable, sustainable, sensitive and relevant approach to solve problems. There are several challenges in conducting the CBPAR, such as the effort and time spent on building partnerships, co-learning and mutual understanding, and the power equilibrium involved. Despite this, the success of the CBPAR process provided opportunities for community mobilization, empowerment and sustainability of the intervention. Evaluation of the process and outcomes of the intervention provided community health researchers and practitioners with evidence of the theory-guided community participatory approach.

Development and usability of a Hands-On Assessment Tool for Child Health: The HATCH.

AIM: To develop a comprehensive, hands-on assessment tool for assessing health in children under five in underserved regions. DESIGN: Methodological study design and usability testing were used. SAMPLE: Eight nurses working at two health posts and 261 children under five living in the migrant villages participated in the study. MEASUREMENT: The developed tool was evaluated using 10 items of a questionnaire based on the honeycomb model of Morville (2004). Community nurses administered the questionnaire then followed with a focus group interview after completing a child health exam using the developed tool. Data were collected during July 2017. RESULTS: The Hands-on Assessment Tool for Child Health is composed of developmental screening, identification of risk factors and clinical signs, growth measurement, diagnostic tests and interpretation of each subdomain, and final impressions. Management strategies include parent education, resource networking, referral to a paediatrician, and follow-up plans. Usability testing revealed high scores on the facets "valuable," "useful," "desirable," and "findable." CONCLUSIONS: Considering the demand for hands-on tools in underserved regions, the developed tool can provide nurses with resources for competent management of child assessment, interpretation, and nurses' intervention strategies, fortified with clinical judgement processes.

[Factors influencing quality of life in post-menopausal women]. / 폐경 여성의 삶의 질 영향요인.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors influencing quality of life in post-menopausal women. Methods: The participants were 194 post-menopausal women who visited a women's clinic in Changwon, Korea from July 1 to August 31, 2018, and completed questionnaires containing items on menopausal symptoms, marital intimacy, current menopausal hormone therapy (MHT), and quality of life. Collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression using SPSS for Windows version 23.0. Results: Quality of life had a significant negative correlation with menopausal symptoms (r=-.40, p<.001), and a significant positive correlation with marital intimacy (r=.54, p<.001). The factors influencing the quality of life of post-menopausal women were current MHT (t=6.32, p<.001), marital intimacy (t=4.94, p<.001), monthly family income (t=4.78, p<.001), menopausal symptoms (t=-4.37, p<.001), and education level (t=3.66, p<.001). These variables had an explanatory power of 59.2% for quality of life in post-menopausal women. Conclusion: In order to improve the quality of life of post-menopausal women, nursing interventions are needed to help menopausal women choose appropriate MHT, alleviate menopausal symptoms, and increase marital intimacy. Interventions should also be prioritized for women of a low educational level and with a low income in consideration of their health problems.

A functional regulatory variant of MYH3 influences muscle fiber-type composition and intramuscular fat content in pigs.

Muscle development and lipid accumulation in muscle critically affect meat quality of livestock. However, the genetic factors underlying myofiber-type specification and intramuscular fat (IMF) accumulation remain to be elucidated. Using two independent intercrosses between Western commercial breeds and Korean native pigs (KNPs) and a joint linkage-linkage disequilibrium analysis, we identified a 488.1-kb region on porcine chromosome 12 that affects both reddish meat color (a*) and IMF. In this critical region, only the MYH3 gene, encoding myosin heavy chain 3, was found to be preferentially overexpressed in the skeletal muscle of KNPs. Subsequently, MYH3-transgenic mice demonstrated that this gene controls both myofiber-type specification and adipogenesis in skeletal muscle. We discovered a structural variant in the promotor/regulatory region of MYH3 for which Q allele carriers exhibited significantly higher values of a* and IMF than q allele carriers. Furthermore, chromatin immunoprecipitation and cotransfection assays showed that the structural variant in the 5'-flanking region of MYH3 abrogated the binding of the myogenic regulatory factors (MYF5, MYOD, MYOG, and MRF4). The allele distribution of MYH3 among pig populations worldwide indicated that the MYH3 Q allele is of Asian origin and likely predates domestication. In conclusion, we identified a functional regulatory sequence variant in porcine MYH3 that provides novel insights into the genetic basis of the regulation of myofiber type ratios and associated changes in IMF in pigs. The MYH3 variant can play an important role in improving pork quality in current breeding programs.

Community health needs assessment for a child health promotion program in Kyrgyzstan.

Despite over 10 years of support from government health programs and health organizations, children in migrant villages in Kyrgyzstan remain a public concern owing to high incidence rates of preventable diseases such as anemia. An effective community health promotion program is needed but there is a lack of knowledge of community barriers and health factors affecting children's health in these migrant villages. The purpose of this study was to conduct a community health needs assessment to develop strategies for a child health promotion program in these migrant villages. This study conducted using a mixed method that included literature review, reginal statistics, focus group and key person interviews, and a community survey. The analysis method was descriptive statistics for the questionnaires, and content analysis for the interviews. Results showed the following priorities for child health promotion: strengthening health care provider capacity, overcoming resource shortages, managing child health and preventable diseases, improving public hygiene, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and empowering school health. The strategies were identified: capacity building of health workers, increasing community participation and raising child health awareness, and supporting child health promotion services. These findings will help guide the implementation of a child health promotion program.

[Development of a Play Toolkit for Supporting Infant and Toddler Development in Kyrgyzstan with a Focus on the Symbolic Functioning and Fine Motor Development of Infants 6 to 36 Months Old]. / 키르기스스탄 ì˜ìœ ì•„ 성장발달을 위한 놀이도구 개발 및 사용효과 평가: 6~36개월 ì˜ìœ ì•„ì˜ ìƒì§•ì  기능 ì‚¬ê³ ì™€ 미세운동 발달 중심으로.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to develop a play toolkit to facilitate infants' and toddlers' symbolic thought and fine motor development. METHODS: This study used a methodological study design including two phases of development and evaluation. After reviewing the play culture and developmental health issues in Kyrgyzstan through a literature review and interviews with local experts and parents, the toolkit was developed and evaluated using content validity and utilization tests. RESULTS: The toolkit was based on Westby's symbolic play and the fine motor milestones in the Bright Futures Guidelines. The Toolkits were composed of an overall suggested play schedule according to the child's age, four kinds of play props, and a utilization guidebook for parents. The play props were a felt book, sorting and assembling blocks, cup blocks, and a tangram. The guidebook contained age-appropriate operating methods and alternative ways to use the materials. CONCLUSION: A play toolkit was developed to enhance nurturing practices among parents of infants and toddlers. The findings may help facilitate effective interactions between parents and their children. Considering that nurturing care is critical for achieving better child health outcomes, enhancing parenting resources and parent-child relations could function as an effective strategy for promoting child health.

[The Relationship between Parental Stress and Nurses' Communication as Perceived by Parents of High-risk Newborns]. / ê³ ìœ„í—˜ ì‹ ìƒì•„ 부모가 지각한 간호사의 의사소통과 부모 ìŠ¤íŠ¸ë ˆìŠ¤ì™€ì˜ 관계.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to characterize the relationship between parental stress and nurses' communication as perceived by parents of high-risk newborns in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). METHODS: The participants were 54 parents of high-risk newborns in a NICU. Data were collected from January to March 2018. Parental stress and parents' perceptions of nurses' communication ability and styles were measured using a questionnaire. RESULTS: The average scores for parental stress and nurses' communication ability were 3.39 and 4.38 respectively, on a 5-point scale. Parents most commonly reported that nurses showed a friendly communication style, followed by informative and authoritative styles. Mothers and fathers reported significantly different levels of parental stress. Parental stress showed a negative correlation with nurses' perceived verbal communication ability. Higher scores for nurses' verbal communication ability and for friendly and informative communication styles were associated with lower parental stress induced by the environment, the baby's appearance and behaviors, and treatments in the NICU. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that nurses need to offer proper information for parents and to support parents by encouraging them to express their emotions of stress and by providing parents with therapeutic communication and opportunities to participate in care.

[Evaluation of a Community-based Child (Infants and Toddlers) Health Promotion Pilot Project in a Migrant Village in Kyrgyzstan]. / 키르키즈스탄 이주민 마을 지역사회기반 ì˜ìœ ì•„ 건강증진 ì˜ˆë¹„ì‚¬ì— í‰ê°€.

PURPOSE: Children in migrant villages in Kyrgyzstan have a high incidence of anemia and need effective health promotion programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a pilot study of a health promotion project for infants and toddlers based on community participation. METHODS: This was a retrospective study conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the project. The project was carried out by nurses at a public health center, community health workers, and local residents in a migrant village. After the operational system of the project was established, health assessments, child-care education, provision of vouchers for iron supplements, and activities to improve residents' awareness were conducted during 6 months among 100 children, of whom 85 were finally analyzed. RESULTS: In international health projects, close cooperation of the project team with community residents and health workers is important. Access to the community-based program was feasible in the socially and economically poor migrant village, and improvements were shown in children's anemia and awareness of health care. CONCLUSION: By focusing on the effective aspects of this preliminary project, plans to utilize community health workers and promotion strategies can be added to the main project to improve health promotion among children in this area.