The Effect of Formative Assessment on Test Anxiety of Nursing Students

Background and Objective: Assessment is recognized as one of the effective factors in the learning of students in higher education. In addition, the quality of learning outcomes depends on the quality of the evaluation. However, assessment can have negative effects on individual performance due to its association with test anxiety. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of formative assessment on test anxiety of students. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 68 nursing students and contained two groups, before and after the procedure. In the intervention group, a formative test was held every four weeks. However, subjects of the control group took only one final exam. In addition, the level of test anxiety of the participants was measured before and after the intervention using motivated strategies for learning questionnaire by Pintrich and De Groot. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 16. Results: In this research, mean and standard deviation of anxiety in the control group significantly increased from 18.5±08.63 before intervention (pretest) to 24.96±2.37 after the intervention (posttest) (P=0.001). In the interevention group, mean and standard deviation of test anxiety significantly reduced from 13.72±3.31 before the intervention to 18.5±08.56 after the intervention (P=0.001). While the comparison of mean score of test anxiety of both groups before the intervention revealed no significant difference (P=0.87), there was a significant difference between the groups after the intervention (P=0.001). Conclusion: According to the results of this study, performing formative assessment can help test anxiety control of students. In addition to the important effect of formative assessment on learning of students, this process prevents the effect of negative outcomes of anxiety on the actual performance of students

Effectiveness of feedback type on performance quality and satisfaction of nursing student: A comparative interventional study

BACKGROUND: Although feedback has a major impact on teaching and learning, the type and way of providing it can have diverse effects. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of two types of verbal and written feedback on nursing students' performance quality and satisfaction.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This experimental study, that carried out in 2019, has a crossover design. The participants included 30 bachelors of science in nursing at Shushtar Faculty of Medical Sciences, who were assigned to two groups of 15. The first group received first verbal feedback and then written, during basic nursing skills training. The second group received first written feedback and then verbal. At the end of each half of the training sessions, students' performance and their satisfaction were assessed by, researchermade observational checklists, and a satisfaction questionnaire, respectively. Data were analyzed using SPSS16 software and analyzed using Chi-square and paired t test. Significance level < 0.01 was considered.RESULTS: The mean scores of students' performance in the stages of verbal and written feedback were 15.7 ± 2.5 and 17.7 ± 2.3, respectively. Written feedback was more effective in students' performance (P = 0.001) and students were more satisfied with this type of feedback (P = 0.001).CONCLUSIONS: According to the present study, using written feedback can improve the quality of students' performances and is associated with high satisfaction. Thus, professors should pay more attention to feedback in their educational processes and use different types of feedback, especially written feedback, in line with the context

Effectiveness of Informational Support on Anxiety among Family Carers of Patients Undergone Open Heart Surgery

Background &amp;amp; Objective: Hospitalization of patients in the intensive care unit of open heart surgery (ICUOH) is often stressful for patients&apos; family carers. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the informational support on anxiety among families of patients undergone open heart surgery. Methods &amp;amp; Materials: In this double-group randomized clinical trial, 64 family carers of patients undergone open heart surgery were selected using convenience sampling method and were randomly allocated into two intervention or control groups. The informational support consistedof&amp;nbsp; holding the ICU orientation tours and educational sessions, and providing educational pamphlets and booklets. The members of the control group received routin information. The anxiety of the family carers was measured using the trait Spielberger anxiety questionnaire before surgery and in the day of discharge from the ICU. Independent and paired t-tests were used to analyze the data. Results: According to the findings, there were no significant difference between the two groups regarding demographic charachteristics. At the baseline, the mean of anxiety scores were 47.9&amp;plusmn;11.5 and 49.2&amp;plusmn;11.5 in the control and intervetion groups, respectively. The anxiety scores diminished in both groups after the surgery, however, the difference was not statistically significant between the two groups (P=0.18). Conclusion: For effective control of anxiety among family members of patients, both informational support and other supportive techniques such as psychological support and meeting other family needs should be considered. &amp;nbsp

Reasons and motives for selecting major of medical education as post-graduate course: a qualitative study

Introduction: The reasons for choosing a field of study, depending on the type of discipline and degree, are different. This study aims to explore the reasons of choosing and continuing post-graduate major in medical education from viewpoint of students and graduates. Method: This qualitative research was conducted using content analysis method. Purposeful sampling was used for data collection. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 post-graduation alumnus or students who were studying master degree of medical education. Results: According to the results, choosing post-graduate major in medical education for continuing education was due to for main themes; &quot;personal elements&quot; including scientific-personality growth, specific motivators, and unspecific motivators; &quot;systematic elements&quot; including occupational requirements, career escaping, examination escaping, and essence and implementation process of educational programs and &quot;social elements&quot; including credentialism. Conclusion: Although many factors play role in making decision to continue studying inmedical education, considering the diversity of factors such as entrance without an examination and ease of entry conditions in comparison with other disciplines, it seems that a review of the criteria and admission process in this program is required. &nbsp

Viewpoints of Nursing Students and Faculties about Clinical Performance Assessment Using Programmatic Approach

Introduction: Clinical assessment in nursing education is essential because of variety of objectives and complexity of clinical performance. Programmatic approach is an opportunity for comprehensive and multidimensional assessment. Opinions of stakeholders have an effect on application and effectiveness of a program. Thus, the aim of this study was evaluation of nursing students’ and faculties’ viewpoints about using programmatic approach in assessment. Methods: In this descriptive-analytic study, a census sample of 38 internship nursing students and 8 faculties in critical care rotation have participated. Clinical assessment of students was designed based on a programmatic approach and applied for one educational semester. Then, the viewpoints of faculties and students about this assessment method and its strengths and weaknesses were collected by a questionnaire. A visual analog scale in 0-10 measure was used to evaluate satisfaction of subjects. The data were analyzed using descriptive indices and t (paired and independent) tests. Results: The mean score of faculties and students’ satisfaction with programmatic assessment was 8.70±1.82 and 7.66±1.50, respectively. Totally, 87.5% of faculties and 97.3% of students were agreed with this method for students’ clinical performance assessment. According to attitudes of both groups, the strengths of this method were objectivity, impartiality, feedback provision, accurate coverage of educational objectives and specificity. 87.5% of faculties and 89.47% of students believed programmatic approach in assessment has a positive educational impact. Conclusion: The findings showed the majority of nursing students and faculties are satisfied with clinical assessment using programmatic approach and that is acceptable because of its objectivity, feedback provision, specificity, complete coverage of educational objectives and positive educational impact. Therefore, extensive application of this method in other clinical settings can be considered

Effect of Acupressure on Nausea in Patients Undergoing Strabismus Surgery

Background &amp;amp; Aim: Postoperative nausea is a common problem after general anesthesia, especially in ambulatory surgery. In ocular surgeries including strabismus surgery, intraocular pressure increase may lead to eye damage. Drug therapy has various side effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate acupressure on nausea in patients undergoing strabismus surgery. Methods &amp;amp; Materials: In this double-blinded clinical trial, 60 patients undergoing strabismus surgery were allocated into intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, a sea-band was placed on the P6 point of patients&apos; wrists 30 minutes before induction of anesthesia. In the control group, the sea-band was placed in the opposite position of the patients&apos; wrists. Data were collected during six hours after surgery in the recovery room. Data were analyzed using Chi square, t-test, and Mann-Whitney tests. Results: There were no differences in demographic and surgical characteristics between the two groups at baseline. The intensity of nausea in the recovery room (P=0.002) and six hours after surgery (P&amp;lt;0.001) were significantly less in the intervention group than the control group. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, acupressure decreases post operative nausea. Acupressure is a simple, noninvasive and cost- effective intervention which can be applied by nurses to prevent post operative nausea