Measuring Sensitive Nursing Outcomes in Patient with Acute Myocardial Infarction: Tool Development and Validation

Context: The outcomes movement is a young science; improving care by determining the outcomes of nursing interventions will give scientific validity to strategies used by nursing in various venues. Cardiovascular nurses contribute significantly to health outcomes and frequently assume responsibility for the clinical and organizational processes to ensure positive outcomes for patients and families. Aims: This study aimed to identify nursing-sensitive outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction, to develop a tool to measure nursing-sensitive outcomes of caring patients with myocardial infarction, and to evaluate the content, face validity, reliability, and nursing sensitivity of 46 nursing-sensitive outcomes concerning bio-psycho-socio-educational aspects of care for patients with myocardial infarction from the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC). Methods: A survey research design was used in this study to assess the content and face validity of the designed instrument, and inter-rater reliability was utilized to assure its reliability. Thirty patients with acute myocardial infarction were subjected to measuring their nursing-sensitive outcomes during their stay in the CCUs or intermediate units. Fifty-nine experts were invited to participate in this study. Nursing-Sensitive Outcomes Measuring Scale was developed and subjected to testing reliability, validity, and sensitivity. Results: Most of the studied outcomes showed a high degree of consistency, as indicated by ICC above 0.900. 100% of the experts rated 14 out of 46 outcomes as very important; the remaining outcomes were assessed by more than 75% of the experts as important. Also, 18 out of 46 outcomes were rated by the 100% experts as very sensitive to the contribution of nursing intervention; no one outcome was rated as not important or not sensitive to nursing contribution. Conclusions: The study provided evidence of outcomes content validity, reliability, and nursing sensitivity of the studied outcomes. The study recommended the testing of NOC outcomes in various clinical settings with appropriate training for nurses and the inclusion of NOC into nursing curricula to be utilized in clinical education as a continuum for nursing diagnoses classification

Mobile-facilitated Time and Place among Iranian EFL Learners

Language learning is changing in a mobile technology-rich landscape and under the influence of new learner practices stemming from personal perspectives on the best places for learning and from evolving uses of available time. The key aim of this study is to conceptualize the relation between the focus of language learning and the dimensions of time and place among Iranian EFL learners. The study aims to assess what effect this might have on language learning in terms of curriculum or the design of learning activities. It draws on a survey study led by the authors, investigating how Iranian EFL learners use mobile technologies to support their learning, and particularly on interview data from the most recent project, which has focused on learners’ experiences with the use of mobile devices to support language learning. Learning activities undertaken by the interviewees were wide-ranging, with evidence of the importance of both easy learning and challenge. Specific findings relating to time and place of learning are reported. As mobile technology developments and the availability of mobile services and applications accelerate, educators and researchers need conceptual frameworks to enable them to interpret emerging learner practices. New language learning activities and services can be designed on the basis of this understanding. By reviewing individual learner experiences in learner-determined contexts, researchers and the language teaching community can work together to build up a picture of emergent practices and formulate the implications for the design of language teaching and learning now and in the future

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning: Practices among Iranian EFL Learners

Two hundred and fifty Iranian EFL learners participated in research into their use of mobile devices. Drawing on questionnaire and interview data, the paper examines how far the devices were embedded in the personal and professional lives of these learners, most of whom were aged 25-36. All had experience of online and distance education, and most worked in education or training. The study revealed some innovative uses of mobile devices, a selection of which is reported in this paper. The paper links the findings to wider debates about the changing relationship between learners and educational institutions, and the role of mobile devices in enabling individuals to engage in learning conversations. Data are provided on which devices were used by the learners and for what purposes, and the paper explores the implications of these findings for educators

Mobile-facilitated Time and Place among Iranian EFL Learners

Language learning is changing in a mobile technology-rich landscape and under the influence of new learner practices stemming from personal perspectives on the best places for learning and from evolving uses of available time. The key aim of this study is to conceptualize the relation between the focus of language learning and the dimensions of time and place among Iranian EFL learners. The study aims to assess what effect this might have on language learning in terms of curriculum or the design of learning activities. It draws on a survey study led by the authors, investigating how Iranian EFL learners use mobile technologies to support their learning, and particularly on interview data from the most recent project, which has focused on learners’ experiences with the use of mobile devices to support language learning. Learning activities undertaken by the interviewees were wide-ranging, with evidence of the importance of both easy learning and challenge. Specific findings relating to time and place of learning are reported. As mobile technology developments and the availability of mobile services and applications accelerate, educators and researchers need conceptual frameworks to enable them to interpret emerging learner practices. New language learning activities and services can be designed on the basis of this understanding. By reviewing individual learner experiences in learner-determined contexts, researchers and the language teaching community can work together to build up a picture of emergent practices and formulate the implications for the design of language teaching and learning now and in the future

Mobile-Assisted Language Learning: Practices among Iranian EFL Learners

Two hundred and fifty Iranian EFL learners participated in research into their use of mobile devices. Drawing on questionnaire and interview data, the paper examines how far the devices were embedded in the personal and professional lives of these learners, most of whom were aged 25-36. All had experience of online and distance education, and most worked in education or training. The study revealed some innovative uses of mobile devices, a selection of which is reported in this paper. The paper links the findings to wider debates about the changing relationship between learners and educational institutions, and the role of mobile devices in enabling individuals to engage in learning conversations. Data are provided on which devices were used by the learners and for what purposes, and the paper explores the implications of these findings for educators