Computer versus lecture: a comparison of two methods of teaching oral medication administration in a nursing skills laboratory.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of both an interactive, multimedia CD-ROM and a traditional lecture for teaching oral medication administration to nursing students. A randomized pretest/posttest experimental design was used. Forty-two junior baccalaureate nursing students beginning their fundamentals nursing course were recruited for this study at a large university in the midwestern United States. The students ranged in age from 19 to 45. Seventy-three percent reported having average computer skills and experience, while 15% reported poor to below average skills. Two methods were compared for teaching oral medication administration--a scripted lecture with black and white overhead transparencies, in addition to an 18-minute videotape on medication administration, and an interactive, multimedia CD-ROM program, covering the same content. There were no significant (p < .05) baseline differences between the computer and lecture groups by education or computer skills. Results showed significant differences between the two groups in cognitive gains and student satisfaction (p = .01), with the computer group demonstrating higher student satisfaction and more cognitive gains than the lecture group. The groups were similar in their ability to demonstrate the skill correctly. Importantly, time on task using the CD-ROM was less, with 96% of the learners completing the program in 2 hours or less, compared to 3 hours of class time for the lecture group.

Integrating theory and research into practice.

An experiential learning assignment was imPlemented in an undergraduate nursing course. The purpose of the assignment was to integrate theory and research into a nursing practice activity. The authors describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of the assignment. Evaluation data indicated that the assignment was an appropriate way to prepare beginning nursing students for building knowledge about nursing as a scholarly discipline.

Development and test of a model for designing interactive CD-ROMs for teaching nursing skills.

The use of interactive multimedia is well documented in the education literature as a medium for learning. Many schools of nursing and healthcare agencies purchase commercially-made CD-ROM products, and, in other cases, educators develop their own. Since nurses are increasingly designing CD-ROMs, they must be aware of the instructional design needed to develop comprehensive and effective CD-ROMs that do not compromise the quality of education. This article describes a process for developing and testing an interactive, multimedia CD-ROM on oral medication administration, using an instructional design model based on Chickering and Gamson's Principles of Good Practices in Education. Results from testing the model are reported. The findings can be used to guide the work of nurse educators who are interested in developing educational software.

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.

Learning how to perform a 12 lead ECG using virtual reality.

The most common cardiac examination ordered by physicians is the 12 lead ECG, frequently obtained with a computerized recording device that not only provides the ECG tracing but, may also provide the diagnosis. In the past, only persons working in the ECG laboratory were allowed to perform a 12 lead ECG on a patient. Today, however, this task has been delegated to a variety of health professionals, including registered nurses, licensed practice nurses, and even nursing assistants in some health care facilities. New nurses are taught the skill of obtaining a 12 lead ECG during their initial hospital orientation. Because of this, it is not uncommon to have staff development nurses teaching groups of health professionals how to perform a 12 lead ECG content and skill as many as 5 times in 1 week. For delivery of repetitive content, the use of an interactive CD ROM can be very cost effective. Many health care institutions purchase commercially made CD ROM products, while elsewhere nurse educators develop their own. An interactive CD ROM based on the principles of best practice in education and using embedded virtual reality, was designed by the author to teach nurses, students, and other health professionals how to perform a 12 lead ECG. This article will: 1) describe the interactive CD ROM reality as a teaching methodology; 2) discuss the preliminary evaluation of learning outcomes using CD ROM as the instructional method; and 3) describe the applications interactive CD ROMs may have in nursing practice and education.

Developing a drug awareness program in an international school. Cross-cultural issues.

In 1996, as an overseas school nurse/health educator, the author designed a health and personal development curriculum for an international school in Bandung, Indonesia, where 220 children from 26 different countries were enrolled. Part of the health curriculum included a drug awareness program for students from kindergarten through high school. Many parents, students, administrators, and faculty had never been involved in such a program before; therefore, obtaining acceptance from these groups was a first step in designing the drug awareness program. Because there have been no school or government anti-drug groups to promote drug prevention, this program was the first of its kind in the international community of Bandung. A review of the literature guided the choice of intervention strategies built into the program. Information also was collected about the major risk and protective factors that are known to be associated with an increased risk of drug use in the international community. Existing models of drug use prevention were used in designing the program. As in most prevention programs, drug use was viewed as a deficit in coping or self-regulation skills. The drug awareness program was developed with emphasis on peer, school, and community factors potentially influencing the tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use of the adolescent students.