PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the effects of a communication empowerment program based on situated learning theory for nursing students. METHODS: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. The study participants were 61 nursing students (31 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group) from G city. Data were collected from November 3, 2015 to December 10, 2015. The experimental group received eight sessions of the program, which were scheduled twice a week, with each session lasting two hours. The data were analyzed using chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and an independent t-test using SPSS/WIN 20.0. RESULTS: There were significant increases in self-efficacy for communication (t=2.62, p=.011), emotional intelligence (t=2.66, p=.010), and interpersonal communication competence (t=2.87, p=.006) in the experimental group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Based on the findings, our study suggests a need to include content from communication curricula or clinical communication training programs for improving undergraduate nursing students' communication skills in practice settings.
Curriculum ; Education ; Emotional Intelligence ; Humans ; Learning* ; Mental Competency ; Nursing* ; Power (Psychology)* ; Students, Nursing*

Good assessment is crucial for feedback on curriculum and to motivate students to learn. This study was conducted to perform item analysis on the Medical Education Assessment Consortium clinical knowledge mock examination (MEAC CKME) (2011–2016) and to evaluate several effects to improve item quality using both classical test theory and item response theory. The estimated difficulty index (P) and discrimination index (D) were calculated according to each course, item type, A (single best answer)/R (extended matching) type, and grading of item quality. The cut-off values used to evaluate P were: >0.8 (easy); 0.6–0.8 (moderate); and <0.6 (difficult). The cut-off value for D was 0.3. The proportion of appropriate items was defined as those with P between 0.25–0.75 and D ≥0.25. Cronbach α was used to assess the reliability and was compared with those of the Korean Medical Licensing Examination (KMLE). The results showed the recent mean difficulty and decimation index was 0.62 and 0.20 for the first MEAC CKME and 0.71 and 0.19 for the second MEAC CKME, respectively. Higher grade items evaluated by a self-checklist system had better D values than lower grade items and higher grade items gradually increased. The preview and editing process by experts revealed maintained P, decreased recall items, increased appropriate items with better D values, and higher reliability. In conclusion, the MEAC CKME (2011–2016) is deemed appropriate as an assessment to evaluate students' competence and prepare year four medical students for the KMLE. In addition, the self-checklist system for writing good items was useful in improving item quality.
Curriculum ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Education, Medical ; Humans ; Licensure ; Mental Competency ; Students, Medical ; Writing

PURPOSE: This study was done to describe the countertransference experience of nursing students in psychiatric nursing practice. METHODS: Data were analyzed using Strauss and Corbin's grounded theory. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 participants who were women nursing students. RESULTS: The core category was “narrowing mind distance with patients by exploring countertransference”. The countertransference experience process consisted of four sequential phases: exploring a countertransference, managing a countertransference, increasing understanding of patients, and establishing a trusting relationship. CONCLUSION: The results from the study contribute to promoting understanding of the countertransference experience of nursing students' during nursing practise and should be helpful in therapeutic communication competence education.
Countertransference (Psychology)* ; Education ; Female ; Grounded Theory ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Nursing* ; Psychiatric Nursing* ; Students, Nursing*

PURPOSE: The study was done to investigate effects of a parent empowerment program using MBTI (Myers-Brigs Type Indicator) on self-esteem, parent-child communication, and parenting sense of competence in mothers of elementary school students. METHODS: Research design was a quasi-experimental research with pre- and post-test. Participants were 26 mothers recruited from mothers of elementary school students. The program was provided to the experimental group for 60 minute sessions once a week for 8 weeks. Data were analyzed using Fisher's exact probability test, χ² test, and t-test with SPSS/WIN 12.0 program. RESULTS: The first hypothesis was verified as the score for self-esteem in the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group (t=3.14 p<.001). The third hypothesis was verified as the score for parenting sense of competence in the experimental group was significantly higher than the control group (t=2.58 p<.017). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the parent empowerment program applying MBTI enhances self-esteem and parenting sense of competence in mothers of elementary school children. Therefore, this program is an appropriate strategy for community mental health nurses to use to improve parent empowerment.
Child ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Mental Health ; Mothers* ; Parenting ; Parents* ; Power (Psychology)* ; Research Design

Development of a competence-based curriculum is important. This study aimed to develop competence assessment tools in emergency medicine and use it to assess competence of Cameroonian healthcare professionals. This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. Through literature review, expert survey, and discrimination tests, we developed a self-survey questionnaire and a scenario-based competence assessment tool for assessing clinical knowledge and self-confidence to perform clinical practices or procedures. The self-survey consisted of 23 domains and 94 questionnaires on a 5-point Likert scale. Objective scenario-based competence assessment tool was used to validate the self-survey results for five life-threatening diseases presenting frequently in emergency rooms of Cameroon. Response rate of the self-survey was 82.6%. In this first half of competence assessment, knowledge of infectious disease had the highest score (4.6 ± 0.4) followed by obstetrics and gynecology (4.2 ± 0.6) and hematology and oncology (4.2 ± 0.5); in contrast, respondents rated the lowest score in the domains of disaster, abuse and assault, and psychiatric and behavior disorder (all of mean 2.8). In the scenario-based test, knowledge of multiple trauma had the highest score (4.3 ± 1.2) followed by anaphylaxis (3.4 ± 1.4), diabetic ketoacidosis (3.3 ± 1.0), ST-elevation myocardial infarction (2.5 ± 1.4), and septic shock (2.2 ± 1.1). Mean difference between the self-survey and scenario-based test was statistically insignificant (mean, −0.02; 95% confidence interval, −0.41 to 0.36), and agreement rate was 58.3%. Both evaluation tools showed a moderate correlation, and the study population had relatively low competence for specific aspects of emergency medicine and clinical procedures and skills.
Anaphylaxis ; Cameroon* ; Communicable Diseases ; Curriculum ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Developing Countries ; Diabetic Ketoacidosis ; Disasters ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Emergencies* ; Emergency Medicine* ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Gynecology ; Hematology ; Mental Competency* ; Multiple Trauma ; Myocardial Infarction ; Obstetrics ; Professional Competence ; Shock, Septic ; Surveys and Questionnaires

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze addiction prevention related content shown in middle school text books. METHODS: Using a combination of the terms “addiction”, “drug”, “medicine”, “personal preference”, “smoking”, “drinking”, “sex”, “misuse” or “abuse” as key words, the researchers screened the table of contents of 23 randomly selected middle school textbooks from the 2009 curriculum. Finally 13 textbooks (physical education=10, health=3) were selected for this study, and analyzed using Krippendorff's contents analysis. RESULTS: Through indepth discussion and investigation of the relevant textbooks, content related to addiction prevention included material addiction (77.8%) and behavioral addiction (22.2%). The construction of addiction prevention in middle school textbooks included understanding addiction, rejection of peer temptation, and empowerment of self-control. CONCLUSION: When developing an intervention for addiction prevention that targets middle school students, education with accurate addiction information must be considered so that the students have the correct knowledge about addiction and addiction prevention. Additionally, the ability to reject peer temptation when invited to act upon related addiction behaviors should be treated seriously. The empowerment of self-control is also important, and can be promoted through strengthening self-regulation competence.
Adolescent ; Alcoholism ; Curriculum ; Education ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Power (Psychology) ; Self-Control ; Substance-Related Disorders

INTRODUCTIONEarly initiation of stroke thrombolysis is associated with improved outcomes. Procurement of consent is a key factor in prolonging the door-to-needle duration. This study aimed to determine the attitudes and preferences of stroke patients and their next of kin (NOK) towards decision-making for stroke thrombolysis in Singapore.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe surveyed acute ischaemic stroke patients (n = 171) who presented beyond the 4.5-hour therapeutic window and their NOK (n = 140) using a questionnaire with scenarios on obtaining consent for intravenous thrombolysis.

RESULTSIn the patient survey, 83% were agreeable for their NOK to decide on their behalf if mentally incapacitated and 74% were agreeable for the doctor to decide if the NOK was absent. In the NOK survey, the majority (81%) wanted to be consulted before mentally capacitated patients made their decision; 72% and 74%, meanwhile, were willing to decide on behalf of a mentally capacitated and mentally incapacitated patient, respectively. In the scenario where a doctor recommended a mentally incapacitated stroke patient to undergo thrombolysis but the family declined, there was a near equal split in preference to follow the family's or doctor's decision in both the patient and NOK surveys.

CONCLUSIONThe survey found that in the decision-making process for stroke thrombolysis, there was no clear consensus on the preference for the decision maker of the mentally incapacitated patient. In Singapore, there is a strong influence of the NOK in decision-making for thrombolysis.

Attitude to Health ; Brain Ischemia ; complications ; psychology ; therapy ; Decision Making ; Dissent and Disputes ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; Mental Competency ; Proxy ; Singapore ; Stroke ; etiology ; psychology ; therapy ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Thrombolytic Therapy ; Time-to-Treatment

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the strengthening process of advanced beginner's nursing competence through the concept mapping methods. METHODS: This study was conducted with focus group study for 1 month from November to December 2012 (n=5). Data were analyzed through open coding, axial coding and selection coding stage. RESULTS: Advanced beginner to represent the experience of nursing empowerment and the three categories of the nine concepts were derived. The first category is 'able to see the entire search.' This concept is to start a search query, the search process of thinking, behavior change is expected. The second category is 'behavior change through the acquisition of knowledge.', and this concept is the embodiment of knowledge, confidence rising, and action changing. The third category is 'nursing empowerment', the aesthetic, ethical, and personal knowledge acquisition, as well as self-growth. CONCLUSION: Advanced beginner saw the full flow through the concept mapping and obtained knowledge, and changed behavior. Thus, the concept mapping is effective to strengthen the nursing competence.
Clinical Coding ; Focus Groups* ; Humans ; Mental Competency* ; Nursing* ; Power (Psychology) ; Thinking

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the learning style, learning efficacy, transfer of learning, and confidence in performance competence of Core Basic Nursing Skills (CBNS) and factors influencing confidence in performance competence of CBNS by nursing students. METHODS: A descriptive study design was used. Participants were 148 nursing students. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 for descriptive statistics, ANCOVA, correlation and regression. RESULTS: Learning styles of the participants were assimilator 33.11%, accommodator 26.35%, diverger 23.65%, and converger 16.89%. Learning efficacy was significantly different according to learning styles, however, transfer of learning and confidence in performance competence of CBNS were not significantly different according to learning styles. Confidence in performance competence of CBNS positively correlated with transfer of learning and learning efficacy. Transfer of learning was a significant predictor of confidence in performance competence of CBNS. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study indicate that transfer of learning influences confidence in performance competence of CBNS. Thus, nursing faculty should develop educational strategies to enhance and improve transfer of learning, and development of effective confidence in performance competence of CBNS programs.
Clinical Competence ; Faculty, Nursing ; Humans ; Learning ; Mental Competency* ; Nursing* ; Students, Nursing* ; Transfer (Psychology)

The foundation of medical practice is the doctor-patient relationship. Before the implementation of National Health Insurance in Korea, it was not easy for patients to access doctors, and the doctor-patient relationship was immature. This study aims to describe doctors' social competency and determine measures of its strength in Korea. The current status of research on doctors' social competency in Korea and other countries was reviewed. There is recognition that Korean doctors have confidence in their medical knowledge, but their leadership in the health care sector and society is insufficient. A survey of citizens' expectations regarding doctors' social competency shows that they are not satisfied with their doctors' communication, and feel their doctors have not fulfilled their leadership duties as influential members of society e main reason for respondents' dissatisfaction was the doctors' pursuit of profit. They expected that the quality of care would increase if doctors' social capabilities were strengthened and both the doctors themselves and the government were to participate in capacity building. The preferable approach to reinforcing the social ability of doctors is to include medical humanities and social science in the medical education curriculum. Then, medical students can grow as good doctors and effective leaders. Several reports from outside Korea have confirmed this. Doctors need to recognize that the concept of health is broad, encompassing societal factors as one of the determinants of health. In conclusion, the effort of the community as a whole is needed for strengthening the social competence of doctors in Korea.
Capacity Building ; Curriculum ; Education, Medical ; Health Care Sector ; Humanities ; Humans ; Korea ; Leadership ; Mental Competency ; National Health Programs ; Power (Psychology)* ; Social Sciences ; Students, Medical