PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore changes in the test items in the preparation book for the national qualifying examination. Test items which developed in the year 2000 and 2004 through nationwide faculty workshop in Fundamentals of Nursing were examined. METHOD: Test items for the national qualifying examination for 2000 and 2004 in Fundamentals of Nursing were analyzed using frequencies and percent. RESULTS: The test items for the national qualifying examination for 2004 in Fundamentals of Nursing showed an increase in the number of test item over the year 2000. According to McGuire's taxonomy, domains of the test items in 2000 were recall(65.1%), interpretation (22.0%), and problem solving(12.9%) in that order. In 2004 items for the recall domain(74.7%) increased 9.6% above the level of 2000, and interpretation and problem solving domains showed a slight decrease. With regard to type of test items, the proportion of A type in 2004 was the same with 37.6% as 2000, and that of K type(61.5%) increased by 0.7% over the year 2000(60.8%). CONCLUSION: The test items for the national qualifying examination of 2000 and 2004 were not different except for the increase in the number of test items.
Classification ; Education ; Nursing* ; Problem Solving

PURPOSE: In 2002, extended-matching type (R-type) items were introduced to the Korean Medical Licensing Examination. To evaluate the usability of R-type items, the results of the Korean Medical Licensing Examination in 2002 and 2003 were analyzed based on item types and knowledge levels. METHODS: Item parameters, such as difficulty and discrimination indexes, were calculated using the classical test theory. The item parameters were compared across three item types and three knowledge levels. RESULTS: The values of R-type item parameters were higher than those of A- or K-type items. There was no significant difference in item parameters according to knowledge level, including recall, interpretation, and problem solving. The reliability of R-type items exceeded 0.99. With the R-type, an increasing number in correct answers was associated with a decreasing difficulty index. CONCLUSION: The introduction of R-type items is favorable from the perspective of item parameters. However, an increase in the number of correct answers in pick 'n'-type questions results in the items being more difficult to solve.
Discrimination (Psychology) ; Education, Medical ; Licensure* ; Problem Solving

In an effort to evaluate the usage of preceptorship in a department of family medicine, we analyzed the data which gathered during 10 months, from July 1990 to April 1991. The analyzed results were as follows ; 1. The number of precepting per preceptor was 3.5 during one day. 2. In the clinical learning, the residents needed instruction most frequently in the process for diagnosing the problems of their patients. 3. For the purpose of evaluating the teaching behavior of preceptors, we asked to 21 residents and 8 preceptors of the department who experienced the preceptorship for responding a questionnaire, which contained 30 questions. Residents perceived that the most contributable teaching behavior was "deals with students in a friendly, outgoing manner". Preceptors answered that behavior as "emphasizes problem solving approaches rather than solution per se". About the least contributable teaching behavior, residents and preceptors agreed that it was "emphasis on his/her personal research". For further improvement in clinical instruction and its evaluation, it would be necessary to develop a collaborative methodology for clinical instruction and to organize an ongoing professional communication.
Humans ; Learning ; Preceptorship* ; Problem Solving ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship among hesitation factor of questions, critical thinking disposition, and problem solving. METHODS: Data were collected from 370 students at a university in D city using a structured questionnaire from April 1 to April 15, 2015. It was analyzed with frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation analysis. RESULTS: Subjects scored an average of 2.62+/-.52 for hesitation factor of questions, 3.53+/-0.42 for critical thinking disposition, and 3.44+/-0.44 for problem solving. There were significant differences in the three variables according to satisfaction with major, self-expression, and interpersonal relationships. In addition, hesitation factor of questions exhibited a significant difference between genders. Hesitation factor of questions had a negative relationship with critical thinking disposition (r=-.23, p<.001) and with problem solving (r=-.34, p<.001). In addition, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between critical thinking disposition and problem solving (r=.69, p<.001). CONCLUSION: In order to improve critical thinking disposition and problem solving, we need to generate a lot of questions to the student's inside. We also need to develop appropriate teaching methods so that this can be expressed by the actual question coming from the control hesitation factor of questions.
Humans ; Learning ; Problem Solving* ; Teaching ; Thinking*

Deal with effect of understanding proprietary to development of now pharmaceutical industry, opinions to delay protection of understanding proprietary in pharmaceutical industry in Vietnam and the other countries. Some of measures must be synchronous performed to deploy performing copyright on pharmaceutical industry.
Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic ; Problem Solving ; Drug Industry

PURPOSE: This study was done to analyze core competencies affecting critical thinking ability of student nurses. Core competencies investigated in this study were problem solving ability, communication ability and self-directed learning ability. METHOD: Data were collected from a convenience sample of 322 student nurses in 2 provinces during the period from May 21 to June 8, 2007. Critical thinking, problem solving ability, communication ability and self-directed learning ability were measured using the Disposition towards Critical Thinking Scale by Park (1999-a) and the Core Competencies Scale by Lee (2003). Descriptive statistics and correlation coefficients with the SPSS WIN 12.0 program were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the critical thinking according to grade, type of high school, experience with PBL, preference for lecture-based learning, preference for discussion and perceived logicality. The score for critical thinking showed significantly positive correlations with scores for problem solving ability (r=0.54, p=0.00), communication ability (r=0.56, p=0.00) and self-directed learning ability (r=0.54, p=0.00). CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that problem solving ability, communication ability and self-directed learning ability are significant factors affecting critical thinking in student nurses.
Communication* ; Humans ; Learning* ; Logic ; Problem Solving ; Thinking*

Accurately understanding the features and connotations of complex engineering problems is an important prerequisite for setting graduation requirements, constructing curriculum and designing teaching contents. By discussing the characteristics of complex engineering problems in the biological industry, this paper explored the demands for undergraduates in Yangtze river delta region, summarized the typical jobs and their requirements, and expounded the connotation of complex engineering problems contained in various typical tasks. On this basis, a gradual curriculum system was constructed, which included multiple stages of conceiving, formation and application, to cultivate the ability to solve complex engineering problems in the major of bioengineering. The curriculum coordinated the implementation of deep integration of industry and education, research feed back course construction, course team and advanced courses building up, professional associations covered all crews and students, supporting the ability training of solving complex engineering problems.
Biotechnology ; Curriculum ; Engineering ; Humans ; Industry ; Problem Solving

Environmental pressures from such sources an economic condition, the government and inter-institutional competition create managerial challenges. Economic pressures may be forcing dietetic dept, in hospital to utilize cost, benefit analysis to assist them in their problem solving. Cost, benefit analysis have been widely used in business, industry and many other fields with only limited application to foodservice. Due to the lack or this information the purposes of this study were to identify use of cost, benefit analysis in hospital foodservice system to evaluate the economic efficiency of alternatives, and to make recommendation for operation system change. Using the cost?benefit method, cash flows are separated into cost and benefits. For an alternative to be selected, indicators, such as NPV, benefit-cost ratio (B/C ratio) with 5% discount rate per annum. The sensitivity analysis was also conducted with difference rate 3%, 7% respectively and reduced employee payroll change. The result of this study can be summarized as follows : 1. The total cost of investment for operation system change was 390,570 thousand won and the total benefit through operation system change was 865,808 thousand won. 2. Net present value(NPV) for 5 years was 475,239 thousand won and benefit-cost ratio was 2.22. 3. In sensitivity analysis with different discount rate 3%, 7%, benefit-cost ratio was 2.25, 2.18 respectively, with total reduced employee payroll change, benefit-cost ratio was 2.86. In conclusion, total benefits were exceeded total costs. Therefore, the project of operation system change in hospital foodservice was found to be economically efficient.
Commerce ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; Investments ; Problem Solving

PURPOSE: The objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) is considered to be one of the most robust methods of clinical assessment. One of its strengths lies in its ability to minimise the effects of examiner bias due to the standardisation of items and tasks for each candidate. However, OSCE examiners' assessment scores are influenced by several factors that may jeopardise the assumed objectivity of OSCEs. To better understand this phenomenon, the current review aims to determine and describe important sources of examiner bias and the factors affecting examiners' assessments. METHODS: We performed a narrative review of the medical literature using Medline. All articles meeting the selection criteria were reviewed, with salient points extracted and synthesised into a clear and comprehensive summary of the knowledge in this area. RESULTS: OSCE examiners' assessment scores are influenced by factors belonging to 4 different domains: examination context, examinee characteristics, examinee-examiner interactions, and examiner characteristics. These domains are composed of several factors including halo, hawk/dove and OSCE contrast effects; the examiner's gender and ethnicity; training; lifetime experience in assessing; leadership and familiarity with students; station type; and site effects. CONCLUSION: Several factors may influence the presumed objectivity of examiners' assessments, and these factors need to be addressed to ensure the objectivity of OSCEs. We offer insights into directions for future research to better understand and address the phenomenon of examiner bias.
Bias (Epidemiology) ; Humans ; Leadership ; Patient Selection ; Problem Solving ; Recognition (Psychology)

This study was designed to investigate the influence of the so-called IMF-related economic stress upon the mental health and to analyze the process of the influence. As the possible variables moderating the stress process, social resource, problem solving style, and hopelessness were included. 221 male and female subjects were recruited according to the intensity of economic stress and classified into four groups(employees of solid companies, employees of the companies at risk, short-term unemployed and long-term unemployed). Relevant measures including economic stress scale, selected SCL-90R subscales(somatization, depression, hostility, anxiety), social support scale, problem-solving scale, and job hopelessness scale were administered. As assumed, it was proved that economic stress had adverse effects on the mental health. In addition to this basic causal relationship, moderating effects of several variables were found as follows: First, social support had the buffering effect upon the economic stress. That is, strong social support played the role suppressing the development of psychiatric symptoms under high stress. Second, men were more vulnerable to the adverse effects of economic stresses than women. Third, economic stresses had influence on the helplessness concerning the problem solving. However other problem solving strategies such as creative style, approach style, avoidance style, etc were proven to have no relationship with the economic stress. Fourth, in the analysis of unemployed group, it was found that hopelessness mediates the relationship between economic stress and mental health. In conclusion, the clinical implications of such findings in economic stress process were discussed and several limitations and the suggestions for future researches were also addressed.
Depression ; Female ; Hostility ; Humans ; Male ; Mental Health* ; Problem Solving