Purpose: This study evaluated the effectiveness of a nursing intervention program to promote cancer pain self-management for outpatients using a non-randomized controlled trial. Methods: An intervention group underwent 3 sessions of the intervention program. The primary outcome measured was pain intensity (Japanese brief pain inventory [BPI-J]), and the secondary outcomes included the influence of pain on daily life, the effectiveness of pain relief treatment (BPI-J), quality of life (12-item short-form health survey [SF-12]), self-efficacy (pain self-efficacy questionnaire [PSEQ]), and psychological stability (hospital anxiety and depression scale [HADS]). Results: The data from 19 participants in the control and 16 in the intervention groups were analyzed. A comparison of changes in pain intensity before and after the study showed no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the SF-12 role physical, with a decrease in the control group and an increase in the intervention group ( P=0.020). Conclusion: The only significant difference in the amount of change was found in the SF-12 role physical, and the intervention effect of this program could not be clarified. The reason for this was that the number of subjects was less than the sample size.

Introduction: Fundamental Simulation Instructional Methods (FunSim) is an international simulation faculty development course for Japanese healthcare educators, with English and Japanese language versions. The objectives of this study were to assess post-course outcomes of international "FunSim" , and identify barriers to the implementation of simulation-based education (SBE) for Japanese simulation educators.

Methods: Using a 73-item web-based questionnaire, FunSim course outcomes were assessed at Kirkpatrick model level one (Reaction) ; two (Learning) ; and three (Behavior) . A Likert-type rating scale (1-7) was used for course evaluation (level one) , and for confidence and competency (level two) ; four different types of Yes-No question were used for level three. A Likert-type rating scale (1-5) was used to rate twelve pre-defined potential barriers to the implementation of SBE methods.

Results: A total of 178 (63%) of 283 participants responded; FunSim language was 47.8% English (E) and 57.3% Japanese (J) , with no differences between (E) and (J) "language barrier" responses. Eighty-eight percent of ratings for the 7-course evaluation items were > 4. Confidence and competency scores decreased "at the time of the survey" compared to "at the end of the course" (P<0.05) . Pre/Post-course participants who were active simulation faculty members increased from 68 to 112 (P<0.001) . Human factors such as "Simulation specialist availability" , " Time for teaching and faculty development" , " Number of trained faculty" , "Faculty development availability" , and "Faculty skill" were predominant barriers compared to other issues.

Conclusion: FunSim participants reported positive course feedback and no critical language barriers. Barriers to the implementation of SBE are primarily human factors. Work release, hiring simulation specialists, and faculty development must be addressed to establish effective SBE systems.

  To the best of our knowledge, there are few reports on acquirement of medical skills of infection control using a scenario simulation program. We report the development of a education program using scenario-based simulation named Infection Control Training Course （ICTC）. The three main aims of this course are basic comprehension of standard precautions and contact precautions, acquirement of skills for wearing and removal of personal protective equipment （PPE）, and precise selection of PPE for various situations.
・For the materials and methods, 225 medical staff members taking part in the ICTC at TMU participated in the study. Investigations using a questionnaire about standard precaution, contact precaution and PPE selection were carried out for the pre-course and post-course of the day. In addition, the satisfaction level was evaluated using free score text.
・The return rates of the completed questionnaire for investigating these areas were 88.4% （pre-course） and 95.1% （post-course）. Among all the items investigated, improvements were verified statistically （Wilcoxon signed-rank test）. The satisfaction level was 94.7 ± 9.4 points.
・In conclusion, the ICTC was considered to be effective for acquiring medical skills of infection control, particularly basic comprehension regarding standard precaution, contact precaution and precise PPE selection using a scenario simulation program.

  Committee for Information Infrastructure in the 16th term of JSME Board Members was newly created to edit Medical Education White Book issued every four years and to provide sooner and more comprehensive information infrastructure provision. MEAL was opened as a website for medical education information since August 2011. MEAL consists of glossary, articles, books and more resources using a system like Wiki or Blog on the Web. By such technological progress, not only one–way information provision from JSME but also bidirectional communication between JSME members and committees／board members became available. Internationally, similar websites are known, such as MedEdPORTAL by AAMC （Association of American Medical Colleges）, and expected to be new scholarly information added to journals.

1) We searched the Internet with Google and the key words "GIO," "SBO," "general objectives," and "behavioral objectives."2) Most of the top 100 Web sites found with searches using the key words "GIO" and "SBO" were related to Japanese medical education.3) Most of the top 100 sites found through searches using the Japanese key words "general objectives" and "behavioral objectives" were related to medical education.