This paper adds to the current debate on why it is important for nurse researchers to clearly understand phenomenology as a philosophy and research method before embarking on a study. The paper guides novice researchers on key methodological decisions they need to make when using descriptive or interpretive phenomenological research approaches.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever, caused by the highly virulent RNA virus of the filoviridae family, has become one of the world's most feared pathogens. The virus induces acute fever and death, often associated with hemorrhagic symptoms in up to 90% of infected patients. The known sub-types of the virus are Zaire, Sudan, Taï Forest, Bundibugyo and Reston Ebola viruses. In the past, outbreaks were limited to the East and Central African tropical belt with the exception of Ebola Reston outbreaks that occurred in animal facilities in the Philippines, USA and Italy. The on-going outbreak in West Africa that is causing numerous deaths and severe socio-economic challenges has resulted in widespread anxiety globally. This panic may be attributed to the intense media interest, the rapid spread of the virus to other countries like United States and Spain, and moreover, to the absence of an approved treatment or vaccine. Informed by this widespread fear and anxiety, we analyzed the commonly used strategies to manage and control Ebola outbreaks and proposed new approaches that could improve epidemic management and control during future outbreaks. We based our recommendations on epidemic management practices employed during recent outbreaks in East, Central and West Africa, and synthesis of peer-reviewed publications as well as published "field" information from individuals and organizations recently involved in the management of Ebola epidemics. The current epidemic management approaches are largely "reactive", with containment efforts aimed at halting spread of existing outbreaks. We recommend that for better outcomes, in addition to "reactive" interventions, "pre-emptive" strategies also need to be instituted. We conclude that emphasizing both "reactive" and "pre-emptive" strategies is more likely to lead to better epidemic preparedness and response at individual, community, institutional, and government levels, resulting in timely containment of future Ebola outbreaks.

This paper adds to the discussion of phenomenology as a guiding philosophy for nursing research. It aims to guide new researchers on important methodological decisions they need to make to safeguard their study's scientific rigour and phenomenological validity.

Living under the constant threat of Ebola is experienced as distressing in the physical, social, and psychological realms. In the future, prompt treatment and nursing care are recommended to minimize deaths and to reduce the widespread terror, anxiety, ostracism, and stigmatization that affected individuals and families face. Furthermore, it is recommended that the resilience of survivors and caregivers be increased to facilitate their better coping with the rampant antisocial overtones that they are likely to experience because of their association with Ebola.

ObjectivesAs the millennial generation enters the nursing profession, simulation takes on a key role in effective pedagogy. We sought to examine the efficacy of simulation versus case scenario as a teaching method for novice nursing students in the skill of nasogastric tube (NGT) feeding. We assessed the knowledge, competency, self-confidence, and satisfaction among these nursing students.MethodsThis quasi-experimental study was used to compare the efficacy of simulation and case scenarios in promoting knowledge, clinical competency, self-learning, and self-confidence among novice nursing students in the Middle East. The study sample included 69 students registered for the Fundamentals of Nursing Laboratory course at the College of Nursing, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman, during the spring and fall 2016 semesters. Thirty-five students were assigned to the intervention group and attended a simulation, while 34 students were assigned to the control group and were given the standard case scenario used in teaching this course. The competency of the students on NGT feeding skill was measured after a simulation or case scenario.ResultsIn both groups, the majority of students were ≤ 20 years old, female, hailed from rural areas, and had a cumulative grade point average of > 2.5. Data showed a significant improvement in the mean scores of competency between the intervention and control groups (t(67) = 3.869, p < 0.001) suggesting that simulation was effective in gaining competency compared to the case scenario. There was a positive statistical significance between satisfaction and self-confidence among the intervention group.ConclusionsSimulation has an effective role in clinical education for teaching practical skills. However, in this study, there was a statistically significant difference in the mean scores between the two methods of teaching. This helped us to conclude that competency gained by novice students’ learning a skill through simulation, was better than the competency gained through case scenario. We recommend simulation as an effective pedagogy among novice nursing students.KeywordsSelf Confidence; Female; Students, Nursing; Clinical Competence; Personal Satisfaction; Oman; Enteral Nutrition; Learning.

No abstract

No abstract

This paper complements the current dialogue on improving the understanding of grounded theory methodology in nursing research. The paper also suggests important procedural decisions researchers need to make to preserve their studies' scientific merit and fit with grounded theory.