Do medicines OSCEs improve drug administration ability?

Aim: To examine the efficacy of the early introduction of a medicines management 'objective structured clinical examination' (OSCE) into an undergraduate adult nursing students' programme of education and to determine if the acquisition of applied drug/pharmacology knowledge and drug administration of medicines had improved prior to qualification.

Method: A longitudinal comparative design was selected for this study. A convenience random samples method of three cohorts of adult nursing students (N=90) undertaking a pre-registration nursing programme was used to identify participants.

Simulated practice--a panacea for health education?

A variety of approaches to teaching and learning are required to encompass the complexity of nursing. Simulated practice involves computer-based simulated environments, human patient simulation and role play, enabling multiple learning objectives to be taught in a realistic clinical environment without harming patients. The Nursing and Midwifery Council recognizes the use of simulated practice and has enabled higher education pre-registration nurse programme providers to incorporate a maximum of 300 hours of simulated practice as part of the 2300-hour practice hours component.

Students' perspectives on their skills acquisition and confidence.

Aim: To investigate students' perspectives on their skills acquisition and knowledge during the foundation year of their nursing programme, and whether this improved students' levels of competence and confidence.

Method: Two groups of nursing students (n=140) responded to a clinical acquisition skills survey (CASS) to elicit their perceptions of clinical skills acquisition. Additionally, students' competence levels were examined, drawing comparisons with the students' objective, structured clinical examination (OSCE) results.

The impact of an integrated pharmacology and medicines management curriculum for undergraduate adult nursing students on the acquisition of applied drug/pharmacology knowledge.

Aims: To investigate the efficacy of a 14-month integrated pharmacology and medicines management curriculum for undergraduate nursing students on the acquisition of applied drug/pharmacology knowledge.

Background: Despite considerable debate regarding nurses' ability to be able to fulfill their medication management responsibilities, little is known about how nurses should be educated in medicines management.

Methods: Two groups of nursing students were compared.