Teaching and learning in the Biosciences: the development of an educational programme to assist student nurses in their assessment and management of patients with wounds

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this project was to develop an educational package for undergraduate student nurses that would provide them with the theoretical knowledge and clinical judgement skills to care for a patient with a wound.

BACKGROUND

Internationally there is concern over the adequacy of preparation of undergraduate nurses for the clinical skill of wound care. Deficits have also been identified in the underpinning biological sciences needed for this skill. Expectations associated with wound management have altered significantly in the last two decades with decision making around wound care coming under the scope of practice of nurses. The treatment and care options for patients with wounds must be based on a sound knowledge of how wounds are formed and healed. If nurses do not have the evidence-based knowledge, it can affect wound healing adversely leading to increased patient suffering, pain and delayed healing. From an organisational perspective, delayed healing will increase the cost of care.

DESIGN

This project used constructivism learning theory to provide a framework for the development of a wound care educational package for undergraduate Irish nurses in their penultimate year of training.

METHODS

Collaboration was formed with key stake holders. Pertinent curriculum content was mapped. Learning strategies to suit the incoming student learning styles were incorporated into newly developed theoretical content and practical skill sessions.

CONCLUSION

The developed educational programme will assist student nurses in their care of patients with wounds.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

This study provides a model that can be followed to develop small units of the study to keep abreast of changes in health care delivery and the changing scope of practice of nurses. It also contributes to the debate on the teaching and learning of biosciences as it highlights the depth of biological knowledge required as a basis for good evidence-based nursing care.

Preregistration nurses' views on the delivery of tissue viability

This article outlines an evaluation of preregistration nursing students' views on the delivery of tissue viability during their preregistration education in preparation for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2010). Data were collected from two cohorts of preregistration (n=170) over a 2-year period by means of interactive voting keypads. The author concludes that preregistration preparation within the university was inadequate for both the prevention and provision of tissue viability care in clinical practice.

Preregistration nurses' views on the delivery of tissue viability

This article outlines an evaluation of preregistration nursing students' views on the delivery of tissue viability during their preregistration education in preparation for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC, 2010). Data were collected from two cohorts of preregistration (n=170) over a 2-year period by means of interactive voting keypads. The author concludes that preregistration preparation within the university was inadequate for both the prevention and provision of tissue viability care in clinical practice.

Final year student nurses' experiences of wound care: an evaluation

This article reports on research to explore if pre-registration nursing students felt prepared to manage patients' skin integrity effectively on registration. Final year nursing students completing adult, child and mental health fields were invited to complete questionnaires to investigate the amount of teaching sessions delivered in university in relation to managing skin integrity during their 3-year training programme, discover if pre-registration nursing students received supplementary management of skin integrity teaching in the clinical areas, explore which member of staff in the clinical areas supported the students' learning in the area of skin integrity. Data was collected on 217 final year students (196 females and 21 males) at two higher education institutions in the north of England. The majority of respondents (n = 146; 68%) reported receiving less than 10 hours formal teaching at university on the subject of skin integrity over their 3-year courses. Of those registered on degree courses, 134 students (71%) reported receiving less than 10 hours formal teaching over their 3-year courses, compared with only 12 students (46%) registered on diploma courses. Some 198 (99%) of respondents reported that their clinical teaching was undertaken by registered nurses all or some of the time. Other health professionals were reported to provide substantially less clinical teaching; with the next largest contribution reported to be provided by specialist nurses, who provided all clinical teaching to 36 respondents (19%) and some clinical teaching to 115 respondents (59%). Some 149 respondents (70%) reported that the teaching they received had developed their knowledge and skills to maintain skin integrity for all patients. Respondents claimed that teaching received had developed their knowledge and skills, reporting an average of 16.9 hours spent in directed study; whereas those who did not claim that teaching they had received had developed their knowledge and skills reported an average of 7.6 hours spent in directed study. The results of this study suggest that diplomate nurses are likely to feel more confident and competent than their graduate counterparts, despite spending the same amount of time with mentors and their peers.