Debates as an Active Learning Strategy to Enhance Students' Knowledge of Ethics in Professional Nursing Practice and Health Care.

BACKGROUND: Ethical debates as an active learning strategy encourage students to think critically through complex ethical issues while using evidence-based literature to compare views and support decision-making actions that affect patient outcomes. PROBLEM: The current complexity of health care implies that nurses will continue to encounter ethical dilemmas that demand essential knowledge of ethical principles, critical thinking strategies, and practical communication skills. APPROACH: Student groups were assigned a health care-related ethical issue and collaborated to present their pro or con position. The American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Baccalaureate Essentials guided the structure of the student debates. CONCLUSION: Utilizing the ANA Code and AACN Essentials as supportive frameworks to guide students' ethical debate preparation and execution enhanced students' knowledge and supported their critical thinking about ethical issues in health care.

Resourcefulness Training for Women Dementia Caregivers: Acceptability and Feasibility of Two Methods.

Almost 10 million women in the United States are caregivers for elders with dementia and many experience extreme stress that compromises their health. Acceptable and feasible interventions to teach them resourcefulness skills for managing stress may improve their health and facilitate continued caregiving. This study examined two commonly used methods for practicing skills taught during resourcefulness training (RT) to women caregivers of elders with dementia (n=63): journaling and digital voice recording. It also explored whether providing caregivers a choice between the two methods made it more acceptable or feasible. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected before, during, and after RT. Caregivers who recorded used more words (M=5446) but recorded fewer days (M=17) than those who journaled (M=2792 words and M=27 days). Similar concerns in relation to time management and practice method were expressed by women caregivers irrespective of practice method (journal versus recorder) or random versus choice condition. While journaling was more frequent than recording, more words were expressed during recordings. Perceived stress and depressive symptoms were unrelated to the number of practice days or word counts, suggesting RT acceptability and feasibility even for highly stressed or depressed caregivers. Because intervention feasibility is important for RT effectiveness testing, alternatives to the journaling and recording methods for practicing RT skills should be considered.