Analysis of the Training Effect of a Nursing Undergraduate Course on the Management of Radiation-Related Health Concerns—A Single Group Experiment

Abstract

After the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi accident, demands regarding nursing staff’s management of nuclear disasters have increased. This study aimed to evaluate a basic training program to teach undergraduate nursing students on how to deal with public anxiety following a nuclear disaster. We analyzed the data of 111 third-year nursing students attending a Japanese university. We set attainment goals in three domains (cognitive, affective, psychomotor) regarding their acquisition of consultation techniques for radiation-related health concerns. We compared pre- and post-class response scores on a knowledge test and calculated word frequencies in health consultation scenarios. The pre-class mean score was 12.2 out of 27 points and the post-class mean score (directly after the course) was 21.0, a significant increase (p < 0.001). The mean level of attainment in each of the three domains increased significantly from pre-test to post-test (p < 0.001). The variety and number of words in the health consultations also increased. Students attained the program goals for radiation-related health concerns in all domains. During disasters, there is a great need for nursing staff to administer physical and mental care to the public. This program was evaluated to be one wherein nursing staff can acquire fundamental knowledge about radiation in a short time.

Remote Teaching Due to COVID-19: An Exploration of Its Effectiveness and Issues

“…The ARCS model design is considered particularly suitable for professional education in classes in areas where it is difficult to motivate students, since the ARCS model emphasizes its relevance to the learner’s expertise. We previously investigated the ARCS model in a conventional face-to-face classroom course for radiational education [ 22 , 23 ] and genetic education [ 24 ] and confirmed the usefulness of the ARCS model. To cope with emergencies, we hurriedly converted a conventional face-to-face course, developed using the ARCS model, to a remote reaching course.…”

“…The sample used for the analysis consisted of the records of the complete responses received from students consenting to participate in the study. Since at this university, there were no major differences in ability between students who were enrolled in different years [ 22 ], the work of students from different years of admission could be compared. The submitted work containing omissions was excluded.…”