Promoting Skill Building and Confidence in Freshman Nursing Students with a “Skills-a-Thon”

Abstract

Freshman nursing students returning for their second semester after summer break benefited by reviewing previously learned clinical skills presented in a Skills-a-Thon. Skills stations were established and facilitated by faculty and senior students. Senior students were first trained in mentoring and specific steps in skills competencies. Freshman students demonstrated skills in various mock clinical situations including catheter insertion, sterile dressings, medications, and physical assessment. The strategy reinforced learning and provided an opportunity for students to experience risk-free skills performance among peers. Freshman students gained proficiency and appreciated guidance by senior students without the pressures of testing. Seniors benefited from a condensed version of the program to review their own skills prior to the event. Responses were positive, with students reporting improved performance and confidence with hands-on application in a non-threatening environment. Nursing faculty observed improvement in skill performance and competence, and plan to offer future events.

The Effect of Peer Education on the Teaching of Nursing Skills

“…Roberts ve ark. (23) birinci sınıf öğrencilerinin damar yolu açma, steril ortam hazırlama, ilaç uygulamaları ve fiziksel değerlendirme becerilerini geliştirmek amacıyla son sınıf öğrencilerin desteklediği bir program uygulamışlardır. Araştırma sonucunda birinci sınıf öğrencileri sınav kaygısı duymadan becerileri uygulama ve öğrenme fırsatı bulduklarını belirtmişlerdir.…”

Evidence of clinical competence by simulation, a hermeneutical observational study

“…The emotional aspect of encountering patients and the affective component of learning are still hard to achieve (McCaughey & Traynor 2010, Berragan 2011, McGarry et al 2014, but considering these limitations, simulation can be used as a substitute for clinical work practise placements by offering students equal possibilities to learn (Khalaila 2014). Training in safe environments develops self-confidence, decreases anxiety when encountering real patients, enhances competence and makes students better prepared for clinical practise (McCallum 2007, Gordon & Buckley 2009, Roberts et al 2009, Kameg et al 2010, Yuan et al 2011, Jensen 2012, McGarth et al 2012, Reid-Searl et al 2012, Thomas & Mackey 2012. Simulation can be used in nursing education at all levels, e.g.…”

Promoting critical thinking through an evidence-based skills fair intervention

“…Evidence-based practice was defined as “the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of the individual patient” (Sackett et al , 1996, p. 71). Skills fair intervention, one type of evidence-based practice, can be used to engage students, promote active learning and develop critical thinking (McCausland and Meyers, 2013; Roberts et al , 2009). Skills fair intervention helps promote a consistent teaching practice of the psychomotor skills to the novice nurse that decreased anxiety, gave clarity of expectations to the students in the clinical setting and increased students' critical thinking skills (Roberts et al , 2009).…”

“…Skills fair intervention, one type of evidence-based practice, can be used to engage students, promote active learning and develop critical thinking (McCausland and Meyers, 2013; Roberts et al , 2009). Skills fair intervention helps promote a consistent teaching practice of the psychomotor skills to the novice nurse that decreased anxiety, gave clarity of expectations to the students in the clinical setting and increased students' critical thinking skills (Roberts et al , 2009). The researchers of this study had an opportunity to create an active, innovative skills fair intervention for a baccalaureate nursing program in one southeastern state.…”

“…The researchers of this study had an opportunity to create an active, innovative skills fair intervention for a baccalaureate nursing program in one southeastern state. This intervention incorporated evidence-based practice rationale with critical thinking prompts using Socratic questioning, evidence-based practice videos to the psychomotor skill rubrics, group work, guided discussions, expert demonstration followed by guided practice and blended learning in an attempt to promote and develop critical thinking in nursing students (Hsu and Hsieh, 2013; Oermann et al , 2011; Roberts et al , 2009). The effects of an innovative skills fair intervention on senior baccalaureate nursing students' achievements and their perceptions of critical thinking development were examined in the study.…”