Innovation in the assessment of nursing theory and its evaluation: a team approach

A proposal for student assessment in paramedic education

This paper develops a concept of assessment for paramedic education. The aim is to provide an improved learning environment for students as well as to increase the success of the school by providing alternative teaching methods to the current methods used, thus enabling the institution to reach its educational goals ('learning through assessment'). In order for this concept to be fully successful, a valid and reliable procedure must be implemented for these goals to be achieved. This concept was developed and implemented at a private paramedic school in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. First we must identify the strengths, unused opportunities, faults and threats of the actual procedures, so that a new concept can be established. As there are only a limited number of published papers available concerning Assessment in Emergency Medical Service (EMS), it has been necessary to look into other healthcare publications, especially those on medicine and nursing. The following areas are relevant for assessment: knowledge, communication skills, decision-making, technical skills, professionalism, ability for self-reflection, creativity and enthusiasm. For the assessment, nine methods have been selected and made into a blueprint. For the judgement, the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) for learning achievements has been adopted. The outcome is essentially determined by a triangulation of methods: orientation towards methods stimulating learning, flexible and continual judgement on learning achievements and arrival at high-quality criteria for assessment.

Psychosocial factors influencing personal control in pain relief

A questionnaire was administered to 100 women (50 primigravidae, 50 multigravidae) to investigate the influence of psychosocial factors on personal control in pain relief. Personal control was measured using a 36-item scale based on the concept of 'Rule'. The women were asked to rate each rule on a 7-point Likert scale. Measures of psychosocial factors included assessment of the women's expectations of labour pain, maternal confidence, pain intensity, antenatal training and partner support. Demographic variables including parity were also recorded. The questionnaires were completed prior to and within 48 h following the women's delivery (whilst they were inpatients on the postnatal ward).Two variables, antenatal training and pain intensity, emerged as predictors of personal control in pain relief following stepwise multiple regression analysis. These findings have implications for clinical practice particularly in the area of antenatal care and planning care during labour.