International Journal For Quality in Health Care, 1992
During the autumn of 1989 a mathematical test was given to 997 students attending a 2-year progra... more During the autumn of 1989 a mathematical test was given to 997 students attending a 2-year program of nursing education and 188 students on a 3-year program of nursing education. The test consisted of 65 items. Apart from the four fundamental rules of arithmetics, the test included calculations concerning fractions, scales, transformation of units and percentages. The level of the test was comparable to the 9-year compulsory school curriculum. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate whether nursing students had adequate knowledge and skills in mathematics when they started their studies. The result showed that approximately 50% of the items were solved correctly. The nursing students attending a 3-year nursing education program had higher average scores than the group attending a 2-year education program. The result is discussed in connection with medical errors. The Swedish Medical Responsibility Board supervises nurses' professional work and penalizes those who give wrong doses of drugs to patients.
There are no formal demands of mathematical skills and knowledge for students in Sweden who are a... more There are no formal demands of mathematical skills and knowledge for students in Sweden who are admitted to schools of nursing. In order to investigate these abilities in beginner nurse students a mathematics test was given. Average test scores are presented in relation to the students' educational background before they enter the nursing programme. Students coming from the two-year integrated nurse education at upper secondary school and students admitted on basis of age and work experience, had significantly lower scores in comparison to students from the regular two- or three-year upper secondary education. Differences with respect to background were also found concerning the type of items solved. The results are discussed in relation to patient safety and the scheduled time for training drug dosage calculation in schools of nursing. On average, the students had been offered 12 hours of scheduled time during the two-year nurse education. The consequence of this investigation would be to improve the Swedish nurse education programme in such a way that mathematical knowledge and skills from the upper secondary school will be a requirement for admission.
The nursing education programme in Lithuania has passed through many changes. The latest change h... more The nursing education programme in Lithuania has passed through many changes. The latest change has been carried out with support from Denmark. Ten female student nurses have been interviewed with the assistance of an interpreter. The purpose of this paper is to describe how student nurses perceived their preregistration training. The most outstanding feature of the nursing education programme in Lithuania was lack of adequate textbooks and students found this disadvantage caused a heavy workload. Students were spending the whole day in school, then studying during the evening. They were constantly tired. Although students were encouraged to be independent and to think actively during lectures, in reality this was difficult because of their workload. Students as a group were satisfied with their education, but they were doubtful about how to manage work as an independent nurse. Nowadays, many nurses in Lithuania view their work professionally and have taken over responsibility for some tasks that were carried out previously by physicians. Nurses trained previously may cause problems for newly graduated nurses because these nurses still work in a traditional manner. It will be impossible to evaluate the usefulness of the new nursing education programme in Lithuania until further investigations show how students qualify and manage their work as nurses.
International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 1994
A diagnostic test was used to assess the mathematical knowledge and skills in 545 experienced nur... more A diagnostic test was used to assess the mathematical knowledge and skills in 545 experienced nurses and 197 student nurses. The main purpose of this study was to investigate if student nurses and registered nurses have adequate knowledge and skills in drug dosage calculation. Nine out of fourteen test items were solved accurately and no differences were found in the average performance between the two groups. To evaluate physicians' knowledge about statutory regulations on drug prescription and legal responsibility, 36 physicians from different health care areas answered a questionnaire. The answers revealed that the majority was not familiar with these regulations. The results are discussed in relation to nurse education and the physicians' legal responsibility in connection with drug administration and prescription.
There is an extensive literature on the problem of translating scales for use across cultures, bu... more There is an extensive literature on the problem of translating scales for use across cultures, but very little is published on the problems of conducting qualitative interviews in another language with assistance of an interpreter. The aim of this paper is to describe and discuss threats to validity that arise when conducting qualitative interviews using an interpreter. Ten female student nurses in two cities in Lithuania were interviewed about how they perceived their educational program. All interviews were conducted in English with an interpreter. When using an interpreter to conduct interviews, potential threats to validity arise at various points in the interview process. A threat arises when the researcher, whose first language is Swedish, addresses a question in English to the interpreter, another during the translation by the interpreter from English to Lithuanian, and again when the interpreter translates the interviewee's Lithuanian responses to English. In the last situation, the researcher may not know whether the interpreter has summarized and/or modified the responses. To mitigate these problems, the interpreter should not only have the required linguistic abilities, but also be trained in the research field. The researcher has to be aware of these threats to validity and make efforts to meet and limit their effects.
The concept of evaluation is becoming increasingly ambiguous and a lot of processes may be called... more The concept of evaluation is becoming increasingly ambiguous and a lot of processes may be called evaluation without any clear definitions. A theoretical frame of reference may function as a compass in an evaluation context when collecting, analysing and interpreting data as well as drawing conclusions. The purpose of the present study was to present and discuss the applicability of an educational interaction model for the evaluation of nursing education programs and the professional competence of nurses. The model combines different dimensions in the educational process, using both a student and an educational perspective. It is not uncommon for evaluations to concentrate on one dimension only, which tends to give an insufficient picture of the process of interaction. Examples are provided from nurse students/nurses education and professional practise to show that the relationship between students' abilities and educational factors, in the form of intentional goals and educational frameworks, have an influence on educational outcome.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the transition from a 3-year nursing programme to a ... more The purpose of this study was to investigate the transition from a 3-year nursing programme to a professional role as a nurse. Eight subjects kept diaries during 2 months. Data were recorded in a notebook and categorization of data was based on interpretation by two independent persons.
Drug dosage calculations can be worrying for student nurses. Every nursing education programme th... more Drug dosage calculations can be worrying for student nurses. Every nursing education programme therefore presupposes knowledge of basic mathematics. A well-tried and validated mathematical test was given to two groups of beginner student nurses. The purp ose of this paper is to compare the results on the diagnostic mathematical test between student nurses who used a hand-held calculator and student nurses who worked without a calculator. The results showed that student nurses who carried out the test using a calculator correctly solved considerably more items than the other group. A separate analysis of rote learning items versus concept learning items was performed. This study gave evidence that student nurses will increase their ability to solve mathematical problems, comparable to the type and level of difficulty found in drug dosage calculations, using a calculator. Therefore, all future teaching and examinations during the nursing education programme should permit the use of calculators.
The nurse's function, no matter the working area, is guided by ethical approaches, grounded in sc... more The nurse's function, no matter the working area, is guided by ethical approaches, grounded in science and well-tried experiences, and has to be conducted according to national laws, statutes and instructions. Aim: To survey newly graduated Swedish nurses' knowledge about current statutes and laws that govern their healthcare system. Method: A questionnaire was developed from facts in relevant statutes and laws presented and used in the nursing education programmes. Following a pilot study testing the items, a 20-item questionnaire, with mostly open-ended questions, was distributed to student nurses in the last semester of their nursing education programme before graduation. Results: One hundred and seventy-eight participants answered the questionnaire (response rate 59%). Only 29% of responses on all questions showed correct knowledge about the different statutes and laws that regulate their work as nurses. The best knowledge was found in the area of documentation (range 35-86%) and in the area of information (range 16-54%) on group scores. Conclusion: This survey concerning novice nurses' knowledge about statutes and laws showed great deficiencies. It was surprising to find that, on existing demands regarding nurses delegating medical tasks, not a single respondent presented a correct answer. Evidence-based knowledge was difficult to recognize. Nurses will be more conscious of their own limitations and more prepared to meet the reality of practice if there is emphasis on relevant statutes and laws during their education.
Background: Caring has been seen as a nursing term/concept, including all the aspects that are us... more Background: Caring has been seen as a nursing term/concept, including all the aspects that are used to deliver nursing care to patients. Sometimes caring has been conceptualized as a relational expression of human concern and as a collection of human activities that assists others. Aim: This study is to identify and describe the nature of the concept 'caring' from the novice student nurse's perspective. Methods: A total of 127 Swedish novice student nurses wrote comments in essay form to the question: 'what is your image of the concept caring?' Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis, with the use of the theoretical framework: 'doing' and 'being' . Findings: Three categories of caring were identified as 'doing' , 'being' and 'professionalism' . The phenomena of caring and the caring process could be illustrated as including hand (doing), heart (being) and brain (professionalism). Conclusions: It is now time to make care more visible as a principle of practice and of moral action. This could be explicit in a clear professional framework and incorporated more fully into nursing education programmes. Caring is to take care of the entire human being physically, emotionally and intellectually. Nurses need to use hand, heart and brain in order to fulfil their commitments.
Nursing education programmes should be at an academic level and connected to research. In Sweden,... more Nursing education programmes should be at an academic level and connected to research. In Sweden, empirical studies are generally required in order to obtain a Bachelor's degree; hence, in some cases, these studies are replaced by a literature review. A study was conducted using 11 criteria. Thirteen theses produced in a department of nursing science were examined, elaborated and reproduced by reviewing international and national literature. Thereafter, the criteria themselves were scrutinized. Principal findings when critiquing the theses were that in eight theses the purpose was clearly identified and well defined in relation to the study accomplished; in three theses the purpose was indistinct and vague; and in two the definitions and research questions were lacking. The topic was relevant for the area of nursing in all theses. General problems identified were poor spelling and grammar, and unsatisfactory thesis structure. This article discusses whether criteria are useful when examining the Bachelor candidates' theses. The authors report that the criteria seemed to be useful, giving some guidance for scrutinizing theses and facilitating correspondence. Criteria could be appropriate guidelines for using to increase the quality of the theses as well as the quality of nursing.
International Journal For Quality in Health Care, 1992
During the autumn of 1989 a mathematical test was given to 997 students attending a 2-year progra... more During the autumn of 1989 a mathematical test was given to 997 students attending a 2-year program of nursing education and 188 students on a 3-year program of nursing education. The test consisted of 65 items. Apart from the four fundamental rules of arithmetics, the test included calculations concerning fractions, scales, transformation of units and percentages. The level of the test was comparable to the 9-year compulsory school curriculum. The main purpose of the present study was to investigate whether nursing students had adequate knowledge and skills in mathematics when they started their studies. The result showed that approximately 50% of the items were solved correctly. The nursing students attending a 3-year nursing education program had higher average scores than the group attending a 2-year education program. The result is discussed in connection with medical errors. The Swedish Medical Responsibility Board supervises nurses' professional work and penalizes those who give wrong doses of drugs to patients.
There are no formal demands of mathematical skills and knowledge for students in Sweden who are a... more There are no formal demands of mathematical skills and knowledge for students in Sweden who are admitted to schools of nursing. In order to investigate these abilities in beginner nurse students a mathematics test was given. Average test scores are presented in relation to the students' educational background before they enter the nursing programme. Students coming from the two-year integrated nurse education at upper secondary school and students admitted on basis of age and work experience, had significantly lower scores in comparison to students from the regular two- or three-year upper secondary education. Differences with respect to background were also found concerning the type of items solved. The results are discussed in relation to patient safety and the scheduled time for training drug dosage calculation in schools of nursing. On average, the students had been offered 12 hours of scheduled time during the two-year nurse education. The consequence of this investigation would be to improve the Swedish nurse education programme in such a way that mathematical knowledge and skills from the upper secondary school will be a requirement for admission.
The nursing education programme in Lithuania has passed through many changes. The latest change h... more The nursing education programme in Lithuania has passed through many changes. The latest change has been carried out with support from Denmark. Ten female student nurses have been interviewed with the assistance of an interpreter. The purpose of this paper is to describe how student nurses perceived their preregistration training. The most outstanding feature of the nursing education programme in Lithuania was lack of adequate textbooks and students found this disadvantage caused a heavy workload. Students were spending the whole day in school, then studying during the evening. They were constantly tired. Although students were encouraged to be independent and to think actively during lectures, in reality this was difficult because of their workload. Students as a group were satisfied with their education, but they were doubtful about how to manage work as an independent nurse. Nowadays, many nurses in Lithuania view their work professionally and have taken over responsibility for some tasks that were carried out previously by physicians. Nurses trained previously may cause problems for newly graduated nurses because these nurses still work in a traditional manner. It will be impossible to evaluate the usefulness of the new nursing education programme in Lithuania until further investigations show how students qualify and manage their work as nurses.
International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 1994
A diagnostic test was used to assess the mathematical knowledge and skills in 545 experienced nur... more A diagnostic test was used to assess the mathematical knowledge and skills in 545 experienced nurses and 197 student nurses. The main purpose of this study was to investigate if student nurses and registered nurses have adequate knowledge and skills in drug dosage calculation. Nine out of fourteen test items were solved accurately and no differences were found in the average performance between the two groups. To evaluate physicians' knowledge about statutory regulations on drug prescription and legal responsibility, 36 physicians from different health care areas answered a questionnaire. The answers revealed that the majority was not familiar with these regulations. The results are discussed in relation to nurse education and the physicians' legal responsibility in connection with drug administration and prescription.
There is an extensive literature on the problem of translating scales for use across cultures, bu... more There is an extensive literature on the problem of translating scales for use across cultures, but very little is published on the problems of conducting qualitative interviews in another language with assistance of an interpreter. The aim of this paper is to describe and discuss threats to validity that arise when conducting qualitative interviews using an interpreter. Ten female student nurses in two cities in Lithuania were interviewed about how they perceived their educational program. All interviews were conducted in English with an interpreter. When using an interpreter to conduct interviews, potential threats to validity arise at various points in the interview process. A threat arises when the researcher, whose first language is Swedish, addresses a question in English to the interpreter, another during the translation by the interpreter from English to Lithuanian, and again when the interpreter translates the interviewee's Lithuanian responses to English. In the last situation, the researcher may not know whether the interpreter has summarized and/or modified the responses. To mitigate these problems, the interpreter should not only have the required linguistic abilities, but also be trained in the research field. The researcher has to be aware of these threats to validity and make efforts to meet and limit their effects.
The concept of evaluation is becoming increasingly ambiguous and a lot of processes may be called... more The concept of evaluation is becoming increasingly ambiguous and a lot of processes may be called evaluation without any clear definitions. A theoretical frame of reference may function as a compass in an evaluation context when collecting, analysing and interpreting data as well as drawing conclusions. The purpose of the present study was to present and discuss the applicability of an educational interaction model for the evaluation of nursing education programs and the professional competence of nurses. The model combines different dimensions in the educational process, using both a student and an educational perspective. It is not uncommon for evaluations to concentrate on one dimension only, which tends to give an insufficient picture of the process of interaction. Examples are provided from nurse students/nurses education and professional practise to show that the relationship between students' abilities and educational factors, in the form of intentional goals and educational frameworks, have an influence on educational outcome.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the transition from a 3-year nursing programme to a ... more The purpose of this study was to investigate the transition from a 3-year nursing programme to a professional role as a nurse. Eight subjects kept diaries during 2 months. Data were recorded in a notebook and categorization of data was based on interpretation by two independent persons.
Drug dosage calculations can be worrying for student nurses. Every nursing education programme th... more Drug dosage calculations can be worrying for student nurses. Every nursing education programme therefore presupposes knowledge of basic mathematics. A well-tried and validated mathematical test was given to two groups of beginner student nurses. The purp ose of this paper is to compare the results on the diagnostic mathematical test between student nurses who used a hand-held calculator and student nurses who worked without a calculator. The results showed that student nurses who carried out the test using a calculator correctly solved considerably more items than the other group. A separate analysis of rote learning items versus concept learning items was performed. This study gave evidence that student nurses will increase their ability to solve mathematical problems, comparable to the type and level of difficulty found in drug dosage calculations, using a calculator. Therefore, all future teaching and examinations during the nursing education programme should permit the use of calculators.
The nurse's function, no matter the working area, is guided by ethical approaches, grounded in sc... more The nurse's function, no matter the working area, is guided by ethical approaches, grounded in science and well-tried experiences, and has to be conducted according to national laws, statutes and instructions. Aim: To survey newly graduated Swedish nurses' knowledge about current statutes and laws that govern their healthcare system. Method: A questionnaire was developed from facts in relevant statutes and laws presented and used in the nursing education programmes. Following a pilot study testing the items, a 20-item questionnaire, with mostly open-ended questions, was distributed to student nurses in the last semester of their nursing education programme before graduation. Results: One hundred and seventy-eight participants answered the questionnaire (response rate 59%). Only 29% of responses on all questions showed correct knowledge about the different statutes and laws that regulate their work as nurses. The best knowledge was found in the area of documentation (range 35-86%) and in the area of information (range 16-54%) on group scores. Conclusion: This survey concerning novice nurses' knowledge about statutes and laws showed great deficiencies. It was surprising to find that, on existing demands regarding nurses delegating medical tasks, not a single respondent presented a correct answer. Evidence-based knowledge was difficult to recognize. Nurses will be more conscious of their own limitations and more prepared to meet the reality of practice if there is emphasis on relevant statutes and laws during their education.
Background: Caring has been seen as a nursing term/concept, including all the aspects that are us... more Background: Caring has been seen as a nursing term/concept, including all the aspects that are used to deliver nursing care to patients. Sometimes caring has been conceptualized as a relational expression of human concern and as a collection of human activities that assists others. Aim: This study is to identify and describe the nature of the concept 'caring' from the novice student nurse's perspective. Methods: A total of 127 Swedish novice student nurses wrote comments in essay form to the question: 'what is your image of the concept caring?' Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis, with the use of the theoretical framework: 'doing' and 'being' . Findings: Three categories of caring were identified as 'doing' , 'being' and 'professionalism' . The phenomena of caring and the caring process could be illustrated as including hand (doing), heart (being) and brain (professionalism). Conclusions: It is now time to make care more visible as a principle of practice and of moral action. This could be explicit in a clear professional framework and incorporated more fully into nursing education programmes. Caring is to take care of the entire human being physically, emotionally and intellectually. Nurses need to use hand, heart and brain in order to fulfil their commitments.
Nursing education programmes should be at an academic level and connected to research. In Sweden,... more Nursing education programmes should be at an academic level and connected to research. In Sweden, empirical studies are generally required in order to obtain a Bachelor's degree; hence, in some cases, these studies are replaced by a literature review. A study was conducted using 11 criteria. Thirteen theses produced in a department of nursing science were examined, elaborated and reproduced by reviewing international and national literature. Thereafter, the criteria themselves were scrutinized. Principal findings when critiquing the theses were that in eight theses the purpose was clearly identified and well defined in relation to the study accomplished; in three theses the purpose was indistinct and vague; and in two the definitions and research questions were lacking. The topic was relevant for the area of nursing in all theses. General problems identified were poor spelling and grammar, and unsatisfactory thesis structure. This article discusses whether criteria are useful when examining the Bachelor candidates' theses. The authors report that the criteria seemed to be useful, giving some guidance for scrutinizing theses and facilitating correspondence. Criteria could be appropriate guidelines for using to increase the quality of the theses as well as the quality of nursing.
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