Design, Implementation and Evaluation of Clinical Pharmacology Simulation Training Method for Nursing Students of Tehran School of Nursing and Midwifery

Introduction: Educating students in a safe environment such as simulated centers can be effective in providing educational services and preparation for clinical work. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the aim of designing, implementing and evaluating clinical pharmacology simulation training method for nursing students. Methods: This study was performed in 2019-2021 in three main phases of design, implementation and evaluation of Pharmaceutical Skills Center in Clinical Skills Center of Tehran School of Nursing and Midwifery. First, the design phase was accomplished by preparing the space and the desired drugs. Due to the prevalence of Covid-19 disease, part of the implementation and evaluation phase was carried out in the virtual context. Before and after the internship, students' knowledge, skills, satisfaction and clinical reasoning were measured using relevant questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. Result: The mean scores of the three variables in terms of pharmacology knowledge, drug calculation skills and clinical reasoning of pharmacology of nursing students before and after the internship were examined. The results demonstrated that all three means were significantly improved compared to that of before the intervention (P <0.001 and P = 0.001). The mean of total students' satisfaction with pharmacology internship course turned out to be 30.57 (3.2), which indicated the relative satisfaction with the training course. Conclusion: In general, the results of the study indicated an improvement at the level of pharmacological knowledge, clinical reasoning of pharmacology and a significant improvement in pharmacological skills. Despite the limitations of Covid 19, this training method seems to augment the performance of nursing students in pharmacology.

The Effect of Web-based Flipped Classroom Approach on Learning and Satisfaction of Medical Students Comparison with Lecture-based Method

Introduction: Student-centered educational models, such as Flipped classrooms, seem to provide more educational opportunities for learners, especially when combined with web technology. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and satisfaction of medical students with the web-based Flipped classroom method in comparison with the lecture-based teaching method. Method: This is a quasi-experimental case-control study that evaluates 51 people in each of the two intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, pulmonary physiopathology e-contents were delivered to the students one week before the presence-based class in the form of digital files such as video, text, image, audio and interactive applications through Navid learning management system. Students were required to read the content before the class. Then the face-to-face classroom time was completed with group discussion, question and answer and problem-based learning. In the control group, teaching was carried out by the traditional lecture method in the classroom. Data were analyzed using SPSS, 18. Result: In terms of age, sex and, mean pre-test scores, there were no significant differences between the groups. The mean scores in the final exam turned out to be 14.66 (10.16-66) in the intervention group but 12 (9.14-3.66) in the controls (P < 0.001) to make a significant difference. In addition to gaining higher final exam scores as for the flipped classroom group, they were also more satisfied with the procedure (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The flipped classroom approach not only improves learning but also leads to greater students’ satisfaction.

The Relationship between Metacognitive Awareness and Academic Success of Medical students at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Students' academic success is one of the important indicators of evaluating the performance of the higher education system. One of the factors influencing academic success is metacognitive awareness and knowledge and control of thinking and cognition. Therefore, assessment of its status helps in planning its promotion. The study aimed to investigate the relationship between metacognitive awareness and academic success of medical students at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Methods: Pearson parametric correlation was performed after stratified sampling method concerning 255 medical students with Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) of Schraw & Dennison (1994) with eight subscales and scoring of zero (incorrect) and one (correct). For academic success, the total grade point average was measured. The reliability and validity of the inventory were also determined. Result: Out of 255 participants, 95 (37.3%) were male and 160 (62.7%) were female. The minimum and maximum ages were 19 and 26 years, respectively. Totally, 85 first-year students, 85 after-the-basic-sciences exam students, and 85 senior learners were present. The lowest and highest grade point averages were 10.9 and 19.6, respectively. The relationship between academic success and metacognitive awareness in general in all students using Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.791 at a significant level of 0.0001. There was the highest correlation between GPA and subscales of real knowledge as for metacognition and metacognition control, and information management. In all students, the highest mean rank of metacognitive skills was related to the dimension of performance effectiveness and strategy analysis. Conclusion: There exists a relationship between students' metacognitive awareness and academic success at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences which can be used in educational planning.

How to improve English articles writing style: Twenty highly-applicable grammatical points

Introduction: Today, English and its use as an international language is agreed upon by all, and a wealth of scientific articles written every day in the whole world is in English. The purpose of this study is to project some commonly used grammatical points that native speakers of Persian, unfortunately, do not follow or do not have adequate knowledge to use when writing in English, but this style of writing in the scientific articles by authors whose mother tongue is English is quite obvious. Methods: In a retrospective study, the author has tried, by drawing on three decades of experience in editing English articles, to provide intriguing points needed to improve the quality of the English articles couched by researchers and authors through exemplification. Results: A review of English articles written by those whose mother tongue is English or Persian shows a noticeable difference, both structurally and lexically, between the two writing styles. Conclusion: Heading off this major problem requires holding numerous meetings and workshops on how to write English articles for Persian speakers to familiarize them with style and features of metadiscourse in research articles jenre.

The Effect of Problem-based Education on the Score of Clinical Examination of Rehabilitation Students at Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Problem-based education is a student-centered educational strategy in which students collaboratively analyze educational issues and reflect on their experiences. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of problem-based education on the evaluation of clinical skills of rehabilitation students at Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental interventional investigation. The study population comprised all fourth year undergraduate students in the fields of physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy at Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences. Based on random sampling method, a number of students were selected as the experimental group (problem-based education) and others as the control group (traditional education). Data were collected using an objective-structured clinical examination to assess students' clinical skills, and a researcher-made questionnaire to assess satisfaction with the problem-based education method. Result: The mean scores of clinical skills following education revealed a statistically significant difference between the two traditional and problem-based methods in all the three fields of study. Also, the results of the student satisfaction questionnaire showed approximately 60% of students in all three fields of study proving a high to very high level of satisfaction with problem-based education. Conclusion: Due to the increase in students' clinical skills following problem-based education and their high satisfaction with this teaching procedure, it is suggested that other faculties of rehabilitation sciences and related fields also use the method in teaching pertinent to clinical courses.

Recording and Evaluating Faculty Academic Aerformance: an Experience of Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences

The process of implementing a systematic and integrated evaluation program for the faculty members of universities needs svarious resources and methods. In this regard, a portfolio has been introduced as a tool that reflects the performance of the faculty members, and represents the activities and developments of teachers through the evaluation of educational documents. In recent years, the use of electronic portfolios has been considered in the medical universities an example of which is Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Accordingly, the document/electronic portfolio of the faculty members was developed which aimed at registration and evaluation process in determining duties of teachers at this University. The electronic educational portfolio was designed electronically which includes panels on teaching quantity, quality of educational performance, evaluation of documentation, research and technology, and executive-managerial activities. The results of the project can be used in the process of annual promotion, achieving grants, rewards and presenting performance and management report.

How to Become a Biostatistician: A study guide of Master's Degree in BioStatistics

Introduction: The aim of this study was to design of the study guide for the Master of BioStatistics program. Methods: In order to develop the study guide, the literature was reviewed and the first draft of the study guide was compiled using the opinions of experts. Then the face and content validity of the index was assessed from the perspective of the faculty members of Biostatistics across the country through electronic survey. Result: The present study guide includes a review of course titles, learning objectives and outcomes, educational prerequisites, a schedule of learning strategies, learning opportunities, assessment, and more resources for study. These titles are summarized in the present text. The face and content validity index were reported to be 87% and 92%, respectively. Conclusion: It seems that access to the study guide at the beginning of a master's degree in Biostatistics can put the learner on a better learning path, and the need to develop a unified study guide at the national level can be beneficial for the learners.

Investigating the dimensions of Incivility Scale in Learner-Trainer Interactions at Zanjan University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: This study aims to identify the psychometric properties of developmental tools observed by the learner and the trainer in the process of nursing training. Methods: In this study, 200 nursing students of Abhar University of Medical Sciences (110 males and 90 females), completed the perceived incivility tools in learner -trainer interactions. To evaluate the reliability, Cronbach alpha retest and calculation methods were used. To determine the structural validity of the tools, exploratory factor analysis was used. Result: After modification of the questions of scale, reliability was found to be acceptable. Exploration factor analysis revealed the first part of the scale containing four components thus determining 60.72% of the total variance. These components are referred to as: students' incivility in the classroom, lack of motivation, lack of planning and preparation of the learners, and the indifference of the learners to the opinions of others. The second part of the scale contains three components determining 64.69% of the total variance. These components are also referred to as incivility of professors in the classroom, ineffective teaching and lack of effective interpersonal communication skills. Conclusion: The above tool bears an acceptable validity for examining the perceived incivility between learner and trainer in the nursing training process and is suitable for Iranian students so that it can be deployed for other universities of medical sciences across the country.

Virtual Education of Students during Coronavirus 2019 Epidemic: Problems and solutions

The article's abstract is not available.

Investigating the relationship between leadership style of nursing department managers and work engagement in faculty members of Iranian universities of medical sciences

Introduction: The success of an organization is determined by its human ‎resources. Work engagement leads to higher productivity and performance of the organization. Leaders seek to understand the impact of ‎their leadership style on work engagement. This is even more important in educational organizations but research in this area is insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between department ‎manager’s leadership styles and faculty member’s work engagement in some Iranian universities of medical ‎sciences‎. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical correlational study. 149 people including faculty members and department managers with at least 6 months of work experience were selected through the convenience sampling method. Data collection tools included ‎a demographic questionnaire, a multi-factor leadership questionnaire, and a Schaufeli & Bakker work engagement questionnaire whose validity and reliability were examined. ‎Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 16. Result: A total of 114 faculty members with 13.42 ± 9.75 and 35 department managers with 19.91 ± 8.67 work experience participated in this study. Faculty members reported high work engagement. There was a positive and significant relationship between work engagement and interactional (P = 0.010) and transformational leadership (P = 0.001). ‎There was a significant difference between manager’s and employee’s views on the interactional ‎and transformational leadership (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Managers can promote job engagement by selecting the proper leadership style, and the advantages can be leveraged to boost organizational productivity.