Tobacco use and cessation counseling--global health professionals survey pilot study, 10 countries, 2005.
(25/194)
Tobacco use is projected to cause nearly 450 million deaths worldwide during the next 50 years. Health professionals can have a critical role in reducing tobacco use; even brief and simple advice from health professionals can substantially increase smoking cessation rates. Therefore, one of the strategies to reduce the number of smoking-related deaths is to encourage the involvement of health professionals in tobacco-use prevention and cessation counseling. Studies have collected information from health-profession students in various countries about their tobacco use and training as cessation counselors; however, no study has collected this information cross-nationally by using a consistent survey methodology. The World Health Organization (WHO), CDC, and the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) developed the Global Health Professionals Survey (GHPS) to collect data on tobacco use and cessation counseling among health-profession students in all WHO member states. This report summarizes findings from the GHPS Pilot Study, which consisted of 16 surveys conducted in 10 countries among third-year students in four health-profession disciplines (dentistry, medicine, nursing, and pharmacy) during the first quarter of 2005. The findings indicated that current cigarette smoking among these students was higher than 20% in seven of the 10 countries surveyed. Nevertheless, 87%-99% of the students surveyed believed they should have a role in counseling patients to quit smoking; only 5%-37% of these third-year students had actually received formal training in how to conduct such counseling. Schools for health professionals, public health organizations, and education officials should work together to design and implement training in smoking-cessation counseling for all health-profession students. (+info)
Smoking prevalence and attitudes toward tobacco among student and staff nurses in Niigata, Japan.
(26/194)
The present study investigated smoking prevalence and attitudes toward smoking in student and staff nurses, and activities to promote tobacco intervention by staff nurses. A total of 743 student nurses in 2 colleges and one university and 490 staff nurses in the university hospital in Niigata, Japan participated in the study and filled in self-administered anonymous questionnaires focused on smoking habits, attitudes toward smoking, and activities to promote tobacco intervention. The smoking prevalence among student nurses was 6% and increased with the year of study, whereas that of among staff nurses was 16% and increased by employment up to 3-5 years. Almost half of the student nurse smokers started the habit before admission to higher education facilities, and more than half of staff smokers also started smoking in their school years, in high school or college. Nicotine dependence, as defined by over 11 cigarettes per day and the first cigarette within 30 min after getting up, was high in smokers who started smoking before admission to college or university, but not in those who took up the habit thereafter. Thirty-six percent of student nurses and 25% of staff nurses agreed with the statement that "nurses should not smoke." Only 12% of staff nurses were involved in anti-tobacco interventions routinely, partly due to lack of broad knowledge and the necessary skills. Greater efforts are needed as a high priority to educate student and staff nurses systematically and comprehensively about the range of tobacco interventions available in Japan. (+info)
Public health nurses for Virginia's future: a collaborative project to increase the number of nursing students choosing a career in public health nursing.
(27/194)
A shift in the role of public health practice in the United States to population-focused care, together with demographic shifts increasing the diversity and age of the population, has created a need for a public health workforce more highly skilled in community and population-based practices. Despite this need, few changes have been made in the pattern of field placements for nursing students, in part because many public health nurses in population-focused roles are unfamiliar with models of successful student fieldwork in their areas. We describe the Public Health Nurses for Virginia's Future project, a successful project undertaken by nurse educators and public health leaders to increase the number of highly qualified graduates working in state and local health departments. (+info)
Undergraduate nursing students' compatibility with the nursing profession.
(28/194)
BACKGROUND: The high rate of attrition among nursing students has caused some nursing leaders to think about the necessity of considering students' personality during the process of admission into nursing schools. Due to the lack of studies on Iranian nursing students' personality traits, this study was designed to assess freshmen nursing students' personality characteristics and their compatibility with the demands of the nursing profession. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted at Tehran and kashan medical universities and one of the branches of Azad University. Convenience sampling was used and 52 freshmen nursing students were assessed using Holland's Vocational Interests Inventory. RESULTS: From the total participants 63.5% were females and 36.5% were males. Based on the Holland's Vocational Interests Inventory 44% did not have appropriate personality characteristics for the nursing profession. 77% of the nursing students participating in the study reported that they lacked information about nursing. CONCLUSION: It seems that personality tests can help to select the best students for nursing schools from those who show good academic capabilities. This would decrease the rate of attrition and could improve the quality of care. (+info)
The pattern of isolated sleep paralysis among Nigerian nursing students.
(29/194)
In a cross-sectional study of the pattern of isolated sleep paralysis among the entire population of nursing students at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Abeokuta, Nigeria (consisting of 58 males and 37 females), 44% admitted having experienced this phenomenon. The findings largely supported the results of a similar study of Nigerian medical students, except that there was a slight male preponderance among those who had the experience. Visual hallucination was the most common perceptual problem associated with the episodes, and all the affected subjects were most distressed by the experience. Whereas sleep paralysis in this country has not been found to be significantly associated with psychosocial distress or differences in personality profile, the popular view in Africa and the United States is that it is caused by witchcraft. (+info)
Evaluating teaching effectiveness in nursing education: an Iranian perspective.
(30/194)
BACKGROUND: The main objective of this study was to determine the perceptions of Iranian nurse educators and students regarding the evaluation of teaching effectiveness in university-based programs. METHODS: An exploratory descriptive design was employed. 143 nurse educators in nursing faculties from the three universities in Tehran, 40 undergraduate, and 30 graduate students from Tehran University composed the study sample. In addition, deans from the three nursing faculties were interviewed. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to determine the perceptions of both faculty and students about evaluating the teaching effectiveness of nurse educators, and an interview guide was employed to elicit the views of deans of faculties of nursing regarding evaluation policies and procedures. Data were analyzed using parametric and nonparametric statistics to identify similarities and differences in perceptions within the Iranian nurse educator group and the student group, and between these two groups of respondents. RESULTS: While faculty evaluation has always been a major part of university based nursing programs, faculty evaluation must be approached more analytically, objectively, and comprehensively to ensure that all nursing educators receive the fairest treatment possible and that the teaching-learning process is enhanced. CONCLUSION: Educators and students stressed that systematic and continuous evaluation as well as staff development should be the primary goals for the faculty evaluation process. The ultimate goals is the improvement of teaching by nurse educators. (+info)
Recruiting undergraduates to rural practice: what the students can tell us.
(31/194)
INTRODUCTION: There are still large gaps in the evidence base for the effectiveness of Australian undergraduate rural coursework and placements programs designed to increase the numbers of health graduates choosing rural practice. This article reports on an online survey conducted in 2004 of health science students at the University of Tasmania, Australia, designed as a part of a long-term study to test coursework interventions by tracking students' attitudes to, and experience of, rural practice from course entry to eventual practice. METHOD: All first and final year students in medicine, nursing and pharmacy in the Faculty of Health Science were invited to complete an online survey exploring the undergraduate experience of rural health. RESULTS: The survey was completed by 148 first year and 87 final year students, a response rate of 32.4% and 23.1% respectively. Over one-third (38.5%) of first years and 56.3% of final years indicated a general preference for rural life and practice and almost 90% expected to spend at least some of their career in rural practice. There was a statistically significant relationship between rural practice orientation and rural origin among first years, although this relationship was weaker among final years. Of first years, 82.4%, and 82.7% of final years appear to have made at least some commitment to a particular career path, and two-thirds to a particular practice environment. Rurally oriented first year students were significantly more committed to a career path than those without that orientation, although this did not hold for final years. When asked how much of their careers they expected to spend in capital city, rural, remote and/or overseas practice, both first and final year students' responses were notable for their spread. Few ruled rural or urban practice in or out entirely with most opting for middle range responses of 'most', 'about half' or 'part' of their career. Over half of both years expected to spend some time in remote practice and 75.1% of first years and 66.6% of final years some time in overseas practice. The factors rated most important in relation to career choice were those related directly to the realities of day-to-day professional practice--professional and peer support, work conditions and variety of work. Approximately three-quarters of those entering undergraduate education felt themselves to be at least 'somewhat informed' about rural practice but, apart from medical students, were little better informed by final year. The only perception of rural practice very widely shared (by more than 80% of respondents) was the possibility of developing better patient relations. Many of the other factors frequently identified as major issues in the rural practice literature--locality, flexibility, opportunities for further study, and spouse/partner and children's needs - while recognised by some, do not appear to loom large with undergraduates either in terms of career choice or perceptions of rural practice. Most final year students recalled receiving specific rural health training through rural placements and/or rural curriculum content. Overall recall of coursework was patchy, although placements were well-remembered and there was good support for increases in both. None of those who recalled undertaking rural coursework felt that it had influenced them towards a rural career and over two-thirds (n = 37, 69.8%) felt that this exposure had actually influenced them away from such a career. Three students reported that undertaking a rural placement influenced them towards, and 35 away from, a rural/remote career. CONCLUSION: The ultimate measure of the success of undergraduate interventions will be workforce changes over time. In the meantime more research is needed into undergraduate experience of rural health to provide the data needed for the careful design of coursework, detailed planning of the placement experience and long-term strategies to address those aspects of rural practice that are of most concern to these emerging health professionals. (+info)
Prevalence and incidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in nursing students in Vitoria, Espirito Santo.
(32/194)
This prospective study evaluated the incidence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection among nursing students at the Federal University of Espirito Santo, using the purified protein derivative test. In parallel, we evaluated whether knowledge on tuberculosis transmission mechanisms had any impact on nursing students' attitudes in relation to the risk of tuberculosis infection. The incidence of tuberculin conversion was 10.5% per year (p=0.035, 95% CI = 3.63-17.43), whereas the expected conversion rate in the overall population in Brazil is 0.5% per year. These results indicate nursing students as a group at risk for TB infection. Among the risk factors studied only the use of NIOSH95 masks was associated with protection against infection (RR=0.2). Furthermore there was no statistical difference among students that PPD converted and those who remained negative regarding disease knowledge and the existence of adequate facilities for patient hospitalization. Our data reinforces the need for implementing special biosafety programs targeting this professional group. (+info)