Biomedical subjects

Jaquelina Hewitt-Taylor

Publications and source records attributed to Jaquelina Hewitt-Taylor.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

National recommendations and guidelines.

Clinical guidelines and recommendations from organizations such as the National Institute for Clinical Excellence provide clinicians with information, based on an appraisal of the current evidence, regarding specific therapeutic interventions and conditions. These are designed to guide practice and to move towards achievement of best practice based on clinical and cost-effectiveness. The provision of such guidelines are potentially beneficial in developing health care practice. However, they also lead to potential problems or dilemmas for nurses. These include the conflict between standardization of service and client choice, the tension between professional autonomy and prescribed actions, and the balance between clinical and cost-effectiveness.

Benchmarking↗

PubMed2002

Learning preferences of paediatric intensive care nurses.

AIM: This paper reports the views of students on the teaching and learning strategies used in paediatric intensive care nursing courses. STUDY METHODS: Qualitative methods of data collection and analysis were used. A case study of one paediatric intensive care nursing course was carried out, followed by group interviews with students from a further seven courses. Local ethics committee protocols were followed. Data were analysed using constant comparative analysis. STUDY FINDINGS: Qualified nurses undertaking paediatric intensive care nursing courses seek a specific knowledge base, relevant to their clinical practice. Their preferred way of learning in this situation is teaching by knowledgeable experts who are also prepared to discuss issues that arise. Although in some instances student centred or self-directed approaches were considered acceptable, Students still require clear guidance and structure in their learning. Students did not summarily oppose student centred approaches to teaching and learning, however, time considerations and whether this would reduce the amount of study time provided by their employers were important factors. There was evidence that students do not necessarily have one specific learning preference. LIMITATIONS: This study explored only paediatric intensive care nurse education, and was not intended to be generalizable beyond this field. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study indicate that no single educational approach is universally seen as the most attractive for PICU nurses. The major considerations in designing and implementing PICU nursing courses should be that content is clearly rated to the clinical speciality, theory is clearly linked to practice, and that the time constraints for students who are additionally in full time employment are taken into account.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed2002

Students' views on the assessment processes used in paediatric intensive care nursing courses.

This paper presents one element of the findings from a large study of paediatric intensive care nursing (PICN) education. The findings are discussed using a case study of one PICN course. The case study related to students' views on the assessment processes used, and the extent to which these were perceived to measure their skills and knowledge. The findings are not intended to be generalizable, but may give an indication of issues which should be considered in other courses. The study demonstrated that course members recognized the need for assessment of theory and practice, and for clear assessment criteria. However, they believed the assessment processes could themselves detract from their learning, and were not convinced that the assessment processes used accurately measured their skills and knowledge in relation to PICN practice. There was also a suggestion that practice assessments should be designed to measure competence in a more specific manner. In relation to the concept of self-assessment, there was some evidence that students would underassess their achievements using this approach.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inside knowledge: issues in insider research.

Insider research, that is, conducting research in an organisation or culture to which the researcher belongs, poses specific problems for the design and conduct of a research study. In particular, researchers need to take account of the influence their connection with the culture has on the results and how they are interpreted. Benefits of this research approach include collecting in-depth data on the subject. In a personal account of her experiences of insider research, the author identifies some of these issues and makes suggestions about how they can be resolved.

Education, Distance↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Teachers' and students' views on self-directed learning.

AIM: To explore teachers' and students' understanding of the term 'self-directed learning', and elicit their views of its value in paediatric intensive care nurse education. METHOD: A qualitative case study, including a field diary, document examination, interviews with teachers and students, observation, and a student learning diary, was used to collect data. RESULTS: The study showed that teachers and students experienced some difficulty in articulating an exact definition of self-directed learning. They considered it to be of some value, but only when used in conjunction with teacher-led methods of learning. CONCLUSION: Attempts to implement self-directed learning in an observable form have led to confusion about its nature. It is also important to consider how far an educational philosophy or approach is congruent with the reality of any given course of study, as opposed to focusing on observable teaching and learning tools or methods.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗