Comparison of the effectiveness of the virtual simulator and video-assisted teaching on intravenous catheter insertion skills and self-confidence: A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: With the advancement of technology, methods such as clinical scenarios, role playing, video demonstration and simulation are now used to develop psychomotor skills in nursing education. Virtual reality and video-assisted teaching are useful technologies for the development of skills and self-confidence. In the literature, there is a lack of studies comparing the effects of the two methods. OBJECTIVES: The aim of study is to compare the effect of the virtual simulator and video assisted teaching on the level of intravenous catheterization skills and self-confidence of nursing students. Thus, students are enabled to develop skills and work efficiently without the need for an instructor. METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled quasi-experimental study. A total of 60 students was included in the study (30 in the virtual simulator group and 30 in the video group). In the virtual simulator group, each student performed an intravenous catheter insertion in the virtual intravenous simulator. In the video group, each student watched a training video on the peripheral intravenous catheterization skill in a classroom setting. Each of the students' level of intravenous catheterization knowledge, psychomotor skill and self-confidence score was evaluated. RESULTS: Post-test knowledge scores was higher than pretest knowledge scores for both groups. There were no significant difference between the groups in terms of post-test scores. Students' scores of psychomotor skills were found to be higher in the virtual simulator group and self-confidence scores were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Teaching with the virtual simulator contributed to the students' skills more than the method used in the video training. Both methods are effective in the development of knowledge and self-confidence related to intravenous catheterization.

An Exploration of Nursing Students' Clinical Decision-Making Process.

PURPOSE: This study was carried out descriptively and retrospectively with the purpose of determining nursing diagnoses used by intern students in their clinical practice. METHODS: The study data were obtained by checking the care plans of the internship files of 248 students studying at a nursing faculty. FINDINGS: The students determined 77 different nursing diagnoses in 13 domains of North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA)-I taxonomy II. The total number of nursing diagnosis used in the care plans was 1,469. CONCLUSION: Most of the diagnoses determined by the students were in the "safety/ protection" domain; however, they determined no diagnoses in the "life principles" domain.

Examination of Subcutaneous Tissue Thickness in the Thigh Site for Intramuscular Injection in Obese Individuals.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the thickness of subcutaneous (SC) tissue in the dorsogluteal and thigh sites in obese adults and its suitability for intramuscular injection using a standard-length needle. METHODS: The sample for this prospective study consisted of 54 obese adults who presented to the ultrasound unit of the radiology clinic of a university hospital in the province of Izmir, Turkey, between June 2012 and August 2013. The study received Institutional Review Board approval, and informed written consent was obtained from all participants. The thickness of the SC tissue in the dorsogluteal and thigh sites was measured by sonography. The sonographic measurements were performed by a radiology specialist. RESULTS: The mean thicknesses of the SC tissue were 61.70 ± 15.73 mm in the dorsogluteal site, 27.05 ± 8.52 mm in the rectus femoris site, and 23.23 ± 8.44 mm in vastus lateralis site. The SC tissue was thicker in the dorsogluteal than the thigh site (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: A standard needle used in intramuscular injections to the thigh site would be effective in reaching the muscle in the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis sites in all men and in 77.8% of women, although it is not usually adequate for gluteal injection.

The effect of the use of ultrasound in the success of peripheral venous catheterisation.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ultrasound-guided peripheral venous catheterisation in patients where difficulty was experienced in peripheral venous catheterisation. The study was conducted in the emergency department at a university hospital in Izmir Turkey. After obtaining institutional review board approval and written informed consent, 60 patients with a history or suspicion of difficult cannulation were enrolled with 30 patients in traditional and 30 in ultrasound group. In the ultrasound group, peripheral intravenous catheterisation was performed using a portable ultrasound device with 13.5 MHz ultrasound probe and 20 gauge intravenous catheter. The success rate of peripheral venous catheterisation was 30% in the control group and 70% in the treatment group. The success rate was significantly higher among the treatment group. The mean intensity of felt pain was 6.00 ± 1.98 in the control group and 4.77 ± 1.74 in the treatment group. The mean intensity of felt pain was significantly lower in the treatment group. The state of chronic disease affected the success rate in patients in the treatment group.