Cross-cultural validation and psychometric testing of the Debriefing Experience Scale (DES): a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The Debriefing Experience Scale (DES) is a tool that is used to explore nursing students' subjective experiences during a debriefing and to help determine best debriefing practices. A Chinese version of the scale has not been found; its development can enhance learning in simulation activites in Chinese healthcare education programs. METHODS: A simplified Chinese version of the DES was developed and tested using 34 Chinese undergraduate (second year) nursing students. They participated in six simulation scenarios and debriefings. Eight experts were consulted to determine the content validity of the scale. Critical ratio method, Cronbach's alpha, intraclass correlation coefficient, correlation coefficient and factor analysis were used in testing the psychometric properties of the scale. RESULTS: Analysis of 200 scales showed that the simplified Chinese version of the DES had good potential in discriminatiing Chinese nursing students' experiences of debriefing. CONCLUSIONS: The simplified Chinese DES was effective in evaluating the experience of debriefing. A larger sample size and multicenter research is needed to confirm these findings.

Honoring Motherhood: The Meaning of Childbirth for Tongan Women.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this ethnographic study was to describe the meaning of childbirth for Tongan women. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: In this qualitative descriptive study, 38 Tongan women, 18 from Tonga and 20 from the United States, who had given birth in the past year were invited to share their perceptions of childbirth. Themes were generated collaboratively by the research team. FINDINGS: The overarching theme was honoring motherhood; other themes include using strength to facilitate an unmedicated vaginal birth, describing the spiritual dimensions of birth, adhering to cultural practices associated with childbearing, and the influence of the concept of respect on childbearing. IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Understanding the value Tongan women and their families place on motherhood can help nurses to give culturally sensitive nursing care. Tongan beliefs and cultural practices should be respected. Nurses should assess women's personal preferences for their care and advocate for them as needed. Sensitivity to stoicism is important, especially on pain control and patient education. Nurses should be aware of Tongan values regarding modesty and respect, and provide an appropriate care environment. A culturally competent nurse understands the importance of sociocultural influences on women's health beliefs and behaviors and generates appropriate interventions.

Use of a blog in an undergraduate nursing leadership course.

In this study, the use of a blog in a senior leadership clinical nursing course was analyzed qualitatively through two means; focus group interviews of those using the blog, and analysis of blog content. Initial feelings expressed by students were annoyance and intimidation concerning the blogging assignment. These feelings quickly dissipated, with students verbalizing many positive aspects related to the blog, including having a place to reflect, feeling connected as a group, valuing feedback provided by their peers, and learning from theirs and others' experiences. The mechanics of having to synthesize their thoughts in written form, in a shared venue was also identified by students to be helpful for their learning. Blog posts were primarily related to student experiences, with students identifying a "lesson learned" in most posts. Student comments were geared to providing support of fellow students, through words of encouragement or through sharing similar experiences. Instructors felt the blog, in addition to helping students to synthesize their thoughts, helped to monitor how students were learning and progressing throughout the semester, and helped them to transition from nursing student to practicing professional. The researchers concluded that blogging in a senior leadership clinical nursing course promotes reflection is an effective way to enhance student learning.

Written debriefing: Evaluating the impact of the addition of a written component when debriefing simulations.

Debriefing, the reflective period following a simulation, is said to be where the bulk of simulation learning takes place. Many expert opinions regarding debriefing exist, but evidence-based best practices have yet to be identified. Written debriefing is one of these practices; experts state learning can be extended through the addition of a written component to the debriefing process, but no evidence exists to support this. This study compares three debriefing types: discussion alone, and discussion followed by journaling or blogging. Undergraduate nursing students participating in a simulation were randomized as a simulation group to one of these three debriefing types. Following completion of debriefing activities, students completed a Debriefing Experience Scale, a tool designed to evaluate the student experience during debriefing. Data obtained from completed scales were analyzed with ANOVA followed by Fisher LSD post hoc testing. The results showed the students preferred their experience with discussion debriefing over discussion debriefing with a written component added.