Attitude and willingness on gamete donation among medical students:An experience from a state university in Sri Lanka

Objective:To assess the attitude and willingness of medical students of the Faculty of Medicine,University of Jaffna,regarding gamete donation.Methods:An institutional-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine,University of Jaffna,from September 2022 to May 2023 among undergraduate medical students who gave their voluntary participation.A self-administered questionnaire was used as a study instrument to collect data regarding their attitude and willingness toward gamete donation.Results:A total of 345 participants were recruited and their sociodemographic data revealed that 56.8%of the participants were female,62.3%aged between 26 and 30 years,and 92.2%were unmarried.Many of them received information regarding gamete donations during their clinical appointments.Over half(67.8%)of them showed a negative attitude towards gamete donation.Regarding willingness,only 39.7%of participants had a positive approach for being a gamete donor;among them,84.7%preferred anonymous donations.Religion and ethnicity had a significant influence on their attitudes and willingness.In addition,male was also found to be more willing to donate gametes.Conclusions:Most medical students have negative views about gamete donation.Imparting awareness and knowledge of assisted reproductive technology and gamete donation within medical students'sociocultural and ethical backgrounds might facilitate a change in attitude towards gamete donation amongst future medical practitioners.

Challenges Experienced by Nurse Educators in Promoting Acquisition of Clinical Reasoning Skills by the Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Qualitative Exploratory Study

Background: Clinical reasoning is an essential skill for nursing students since it is required to solve difficulties that arise in complex clinical settings. However, teaching and learning clinical reasoning skills is difficult because of its complexity. This study, therefore aimed at exploring the challenges experienced by nurse educators in promoting acquisition of clinical reasoning skills by undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A qualitative exploratory research design was used in this study. The participants were purposively sampled and recruited into the study. Data were collected using semi-structured interview guides. Thematic analysis method was used to analyze the collected data The principles of beneficence, respect of human dignity and justice were observed. Results: The findings have shown that clinical learning environment, lacked material and human resources. The students had no interest to learn the skill. There was also knowledge gap between nurse educators and clinical nurses. Lack of role model was also an issue and limited time exposure. Conclusion: The study revealed that nurse educators encounter various challenges in promoting the acquisition of clinical reasoning skills among undergraduate nursing students. Training institutions and hospitals should periodically revise the curriculum and provide sufficient resources to facilitate effective teaching and learning of clinical reasoning. Nurse educators must also update their knowledge and skills through continuous professional development if they are to transfer the skill effectively.

International Students’ Feeling of Shame in the Higher Education: An Intersectional Analysis of Their Racialised, Gendered and Classed Experiences in the UK Universities

The literature on international students’ experiences frequently depicts them within a ‘deficient’ framework, highlighting their perceived lack of essential skills for managing their studies. Moreover, international students’ emotional experiences are often construed as personal and psychological attributes, with their emotions viewed as transient and pathological phases that they will eventually overcome to assimilate into the local context. However, there exists a dearth of literature investigating international students’ experiences from a sociological perspective, particularly concerning their emotional experiences within the broader social and political milieu. Utilizing a longitudinal research design to monitor 25 Chinese international postgraduates from multiple universities in London and Glasgow over the course of one year, this study illuminates the racialised, classed, and gendered dimensions of international students’ experiences in UK higher education through an exploration of their feelings of shame. Drawing on the research findings, it is evident that power relations operate insidiously and covertly to systematically frame international students’ experiences as personal or cultural ‘deficiency’. This process represents a form of misrecognition, which manifests in racialised, gendered, and classed feelings of shame, experienced at the personal level as insecurity, ‘stupidity’, exclusion, and self-doubt. Consequently, social and cultural inequalities within higher education are often situated at the individual level.

Preceptors'experiences in guiding nursing students to use research findings and to implement evidence-based practice

Objective:Evidence-based practices(EBPs)have been taught to students by identifying the best evidence/evidence from research results.However,the experiences of Indonesian nurse preceptors in helping students implement research findings have not been explored thoroughly.This study aimed to explore Indonesian nurse preceptors in guiding nursing students to use research findings.Methods:This study used interpretive phenomenology analysis that involves 9 nurse preceptors from hospitals in West Kalimantan,Indonesia.Semi-structured in-depth interviews were recorded and then transcribed verbatim.Results:Three themes were generated during the analysis:“types of student supervision,”“issues during supervision,”and“the need for research literacy and supervision.”Conclusions:Nurse preceptors need support to supervise the nursing students to use research findings.In addition to upgrading nursing skills,nurse preceptors must receive training in research and its utilization.Developing an appropriate strategy to assist students in using research findings will enhance the promotion of evidence-based nursing practices on a daily basis.

Posttraumatic stress symptoms among Chinese university students during the COVID-19 pandemic:Prevalence,correlates,and mental health help-seeking

BACKGROUND Revisiting the epidemiology of posttraumatic stress symptoms(PTSSs)among university students during the coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic as well as understanding the mental health help-seeking behavior of individuals with PTSSs has critical implications for public mental health strategies in future medical pandemics.AIM To investigate the prevalence and correlates of PTSSs among university students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in China and to examine mental health help-seeking behaviors among these students.METHODS A total of 2507 Chinese university students were recruited via snowball sampling.The students completed the Seven-item Screening Scale for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.Sociodemo-graphic characteristics,pandemic-related characteristics,and mental health help-seeking behaviors of students with PTSSs were also collected.RESULTS The prevalence of PTSSs among the participants was 28.0%.Seven significant correlates of PTSSs were identified(odds ratio=1.23-3.65,P≤0.024):Female sex,being 19 years old or older,living with others or alone,a low level of family economic status,fair or poor interpersonal relationships,severe or very severe local pandemic,and having family members diagnosed with COVID-19.However,only 3.28%of the students with PTSSs reported seeking help from mental health specialists.Among the 23 students who sought help from mental health specialists,13 opted for online or telephone-based psychological consultation.CONCLUSION Our data suggest that there was a high risk of PTSSs among university students and a high level of unmet mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.The delivery of mental health services online or via telephone is a promising approach to address these unmet needs.

Imprinted “Melbourne Experience” on Students' Mind Lifelong——The Development and Highlight of “Melbourne Curriculum”

Helps students to promote lifelong learning ability and giveing them outstanding and unique Melbourne Experience is the University of Melbourne' s commitment to the students.Ten years ago,the University of Melbourne announced a major institutional reform in order to grow esteem,to improve the quality and to take up some of the challenges of international higher education competition.The Melbourne Curriculum was characterized by distinctive Melbourne Experience which are contribute to excellent classroom experience,research experience,practice experience,e- learning experience as follows:undergraduate courses focus on flexibility and preliminary,postgraduate courses focus on diversity and feasibility,practical courses focus on applicability and situationality,online courses focus on timeliness and interactivity.The development of Melbourne Curriculum highlights that we should pay particular attention to improving the quality of talent training and promoting the development of university centered on the curriculum reform,to promoting lifelong learning ability and directing research throughout the teaching process,to developing career skill and guiding with employability skills framework,to improving the quality of online courses and establishing reputation of a famous university on a new platform.

Exploration on Teaching Reform of Medical Functional Experimental Science for International Students

Medical Functional Experiment Science, a bridge between basic medicine and clinical medicine, integrates classical experimental teaching contents of three courses including physiology, pathophysiology and pharmacology. This course not only helps students to verify and reinforce theoretical knowledge, but also cultivates their capability of scientific thinking to discover and solve problems. Based on the characteristics of international students and current situation of the teaching platform in the laboratory at Yangtze University, this paper discusses a series of problems in the Medical Functional Experiment Science teaching for international students and puts forward some measures for teaching reform including optimizing experimental content, innovating experimental teaching methods and establishing effective experimental evaluation mode, in order to cultivate more international medical students with innovative ability.

Construction of Molecular Biology and Experiment Case Library for Graduate Students

Molecular Biology and Experiment is considered fundamental for graduate students specializing in aquaculture at Guangdong Ocean University.This discipline focuses on the examination of the structure and function of macromolecules,including proteins and nucleic acids.Moreover,it elucidates biological phenomena and principles at the molecular level,making it an essential foundational course for students pursuing various biology majors.As a foundational course for the basic application of aquaculture,Molecular Biology and Experiment requires guidance through numerous examples and cases.However,there are several challenges to address in developing the case library.Consequently,a case library has been established to meet the course requirements of Molecular Biology and Experiment for modern graduate students,with the central goal of reforming the educational model of higher education institutions and enhancing the effectiveness and quality of talent development.This strategy is designed to nurture highly skilled professionals who can address the current needs of the industry.

Effects of Perceived Teacher Support on Student Behavioral Engagement in the Blended Learning Environment:Learning Experience as a Mediator

Blended learning(BL)has been widely adopted to improve students’academic achievements in higher education.However,its success relies mainly on student engagement,which plays an essential role in active learning and provides a rich understanding of students’experiences.The study utilized three self-designed scales-the Teacher Support Scale,Student Engagement Scale,and Student Learning Experience Scale-to gauge and examine the impact and relationship between perceived teacher support,student behavioral engagement,and the intermediary role of learning experiences.A cohort of 899 college students undertaking the obligatory College English course through BL modes across five Chinese universities actively participated by completing a comprehensive questionnaire.The results showed significant correlations between perceived teacher support,learning experience,and behavioral engagement.Perceived teacher support significantly predicted students’behavioral engagement,with socio-affective support exerting the most substantial predictive effects.All predictive effects were partially mediated by learning experience(learning mode,online resources,overall LMS-based learning,interaction with their instructor and peers,and learning outcome).The influence of perceived teacher support on behavioral engagement differed between students who reported the most positive(vs.negative)learning experiences.Suggestions for further research are offered for consideration.

The experience of transition from nursing students to newly graduated registered nurses in Singapore

Objectives:To investigate the experience of newly graduated registered nurses(NGRNs)in Singapore following their initial 6-12 months of transition from nursing student to registered nurse.Methods:This mixed-methods study consisted of two phases.In the first phase,data were collected via the administration of the online survey to 30 NGRNs.The questionnaire contained 42 items of the fourpoint Likert scale survey.In the second phase,a focus group interview was conducted with 5 NGRNs to gather complementary information regarding the major findings from the first phase.Results:The survey revealed despite most NGRNs(80%)in this study expressed overall satisfied with their transition,the item score was(2.97±0.61)out of 4,the majority(83.3%)also perceived their transition to professional practice being stressful,the item score was(3.07±0.74)out of 4.Three themes emerged from the interview,'personal transition experience','professional transition experience',and'organizational transition experience',which are entwined to construct overall NGRNs'transition experiences.Conclusions:This study reaffirms the theory-practice gap phenomenon.This signifies the need for closer collaboration between educational,healthcare industry and regulatory stakeholders to examine and address factors that influence their transition experience to better support them for workforce readiness.

Problems-Based Learning during COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences by Nursing Students

Introduction: Problems-based learning (PBL) methodology seeks challenges in the daily life context, where students protagonise their own learning using new technologies as the ideal means to find updated and adequate information, for its processing and dissemination towards a better active and participative role. The aim was to analyze the usefulness and importance of PBL, as a strategy of significant learning in daily experiences of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: The study was qualitative and phenomenological, with 15 informant students of the Module “Attention to addictions in the health area” aged 20 - 25 years, enrolled in the sixth semester of nursing from a public university. Data were collected through oral testimonies, texts, and semi-structured interviews of relevant aspects to them in their everyday life facing the COVID-19 pandemic, telling their experiences. Students signed an informed consent, and the qualitative analysis followed De Souza Minayo. Results: Four categories emerged: Category 1. Students’ experiences along pandemic;1.1, Positive experiences;1.2, Negative experiences. Category 2. Students’ knowledge and abilities for self-care along pandemic. Category 3. Abilities to promote problem solving. Category 4. Impact and usefulness of PBL in students’ experiences for health education;4.1, Positive impact of PBL;4.2 Negative impact of PBL. Conclusion: PBL is very useful for significant learning. It opens knowledge, developing skills to face, support, debate, evaluate and make decisions;it does incorporate critical thinking and problem solving. PBL does encourage collaborative work.

Aspiring for competence in a multifaceted everyday life:A qualitative study of adult students’experiences of a blended learning master programme in Norway

Aim:To gain knowledge of how adult students experienced the first year of a blended learning master programme to better understand their learning process.Methods:A qualitative,exploratory,descriptive study based on data from two focus group interviews with students attending a blended learning Master programme.Qualitative content analysis based on Graneheim and Lundman’s procedures was applied.Findings:Our analyses revealed one main theme:aspiring for competence in a multifaceted everyday life and four main categories:acquiring professional competence,struggling to manage diverse forms of communication,demanding task juggling and confused student role.Conclusions:The participants experienced that the programme enabled them to acquire professional competence relevant to practice.Despite the challenges,the programme is recommended for prospective students who live in both urban and rural areas,who are working and also responsible for children and other family tasks.

Associations between Mental Health Outcomes and Adverse Childhood Experiences and Character Strengths among University Students in Southern China

Adverse childhood experiences(ACEs)can negatively affect mental health,whereas character strengths seem to be positively correlated with mental health.Detailed information on the history of ACEs among university students in China and the extent which mental health is associated with ACEs and character strengths can contribute to the needed empirical evidence for relevant stakeholders.Objectives of this study are 1)to estimate the prevalence of ACEs among undergraduate students in Southern China;and 2)to assess the extent which mental health outcomes(positive growth,well-being,and depression)are associated with ACEs and character strengths among undergraduate students in Southern China.We conducted a self-administered survey amongfirst and second-year students at a university in Southern China and analyzed data using descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses.Among the 779 students who completed the questionnaire,283 were males,439 were females,and 57 did not indicate their gender.The prevalence of ACEs among the participants was 32.1%.History of ACEs was associated with lower positive growth score(Adjusted Beta=-0.20;95%CI=-0.37,-0.02;p=0.030)and lower well-being score(Adjusted Beta=-1.13;95%CI=-2.04,-0.23;p=0.014).Vitality domain of character strength was associated with all three mental health outcomes after adjusting for covariables(all p-values<0.001).Our studyfindings provide empirical evidence for stakeholders in university mental health.However,caveats regarding lack of temporality,selection bias,social desirability bias,and lack of generalizability should be considered in the interpretation of the studyfindings.

Nursing students’ experiences of caring for dying patients and their families: a systematic review and meta-synthesis

Objective: Nurses play important roles in caring for dying patients and their families. Difficulties students confronted when facing dying patients challenge the quality of nursing education. A better understanding of students' experiences would enhance teachers' ability in helping students. This study aims to describe available evidence about nursing students' experiences when caring for dying patients and their families.Methods: A review of qualitative studies published between 2005 and 2017 was undertaken using the following databases: MEDLINE, CINAHL, ProQuest Central, ScienceDirect, and CNKI. The keywords included were nursing students, experience, care, end-of-life, and dying. Qualitative Assessment and Review Instrument was used to assess the quality of the studies by two independent reviewers. The data from the studies were analyzed by meta-synthesis.Results: Eighteen English and two Chinese studies were selected in this review. Four themes were emerged:(1) Students with dying patients: students did not have enough ability in symptoms control, comfort supply, and therapeutic communication for dying patients.(2) Students with the patients' families: students advocated more caring for patients' families.(3) Students with the surroundings: professional medical staffs, especially the nursing preceptors, were key roles in constructing a supporting system for students.(4) Students with themselves: nursing students underwent various negative feelings and adopted both negative and positive strategies to cope with such feelings;students experienced professional and personal development during the caring for dying patients.Conclusions: Nursing students' abilities in terminal symptom control, comfort supply, and therapeutic communication should be improved by more theoretic learning and simulation practice. The nursing preceptors were key roles in constructing a supporting system for students and helping them to control the negative emotions when facing dying patients.

Educational Experiences of Undergraduate Male Nursing Students: A Focus Group Study

Background: The educational experiences of undergraduate male nursing students in developing countries such as Jordan have yet to be fully investigated in the literature. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the educational experiences of Jordanian undergraduate male nursing students. Methods: A qualitative research design using inductive content analysis approach was used to explore educational experiences of undergraduate male nursing students at a prominent public university. Focus group interviews were used to obtain information of an interactive, conversational nature from male nursing students and to gain in-depth insight regarding their educational experiences. Twenty undergraduate male nursing participants representing the four academic levels of a nursing program were recruited. Four focus groups ranging between 4 - 6 students were used to gather data. Inductive content analysis was used. Results: Three themes emerged from this study: “nursing: a deliberate choice”, “nursing is wonderful yet challenging”, and “nursing is not for men”. Students articulated that they deliberately chose to study nursing and to enter this academic field. Participants indicated that studying nursing was a wonderful experience that was intertwined with several challenges. Students from different levels explicitly emphasized that they were challenged and bombarded with enduring negative stereotypes and negative societal views regarding males in nursing. Conclusions and Implications: Findings illustrated that educational experiences of undergraduate male nursing students varied between wonderful experiences upon deliberate entry into nursing programs to enduring negative stereotypes and views regarding male nurses. Nursing educators are expected to comprehend the educational experiences of their students, particularly male students, and provide counseling, role-modeling and support as needed. Additionally, nurse educators should encourage all students to manage gender related problems by emphasizing a nurse’s role identity without gender segregation or discrimination.

Dementia-related contact experience,attitudes,and the level of knowledge in medical vocational college students

BACKGROUND Dementia is a severe neurological and psychological disease that occurs in older adults worldwide.The knowledge and attitude of medical-vocational college students play an important role in supporting primary healthcare systems.AIM To investigate the level of knowledge,contact experience,and attitudes toward dementia among medical-vocational college students in China.METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted,and 3-year medical and medical-related students from eight vocational colleges in Anhui province were recruited.The contact experience,attitudes,and knowledge level of students toward dementia were assessed using a questionnaire designed according to the Chinese version of the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale(ADKS).RESULTS A total of 2444 medical and medical-related students completed the survey,of whom 86.7% of respondents had interests and concerns regarding Alzheimer’s disease(AD),and 29.2% of respondents had experiences of contact with dementia patients.Overall attitudes toward dementia were negative.Only 35.4% of students were interested in participating in the caregiving of dementia patients.The mean score of students’ knowledge about AD as assessed by the ADKS was 21.16(standard deviation,3.43) out of 30.CONCLUSION Dementia-related knowledge of medical-vocational college students was at a medium level,and their overall attitudes toward dementia were negative.

A Bifactor Analysis Approach to Construct Validity and Reliability of the Affective Exercise Experience Questionnaire among Chinese College Students

Affective exercise experience as an emerging theoretical concept has great potential to provide a more nuanced understanding of individual factors that influence exercise behavior.However,concerning the Affective Exercise Experiences(AFFEXX)questionnaire,it has not been examined yet whether the structural score of the AFFEXX is a useful index to predict physical activity(refers to any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure).Furthermore,there is currently a gap in knowledge regarding the psychological mechanisms that can explain the relationship between affective exercise experiences and the level of physical activity(PA).In order to adress these gaps in the literature,we conducted two studies among Chinese collge students that aimed(i)to investigated whether the total score of the three AFFEXX-C constructs(antecedent appraisals,core affective exercise experiences,and attraction-antipathy towards exercise)is a relaible indicator that can be utilized in research and pratical settings and(ii)to evalute the specific psychological mechanisms that can explain the relationship between affective exercise experience and PA.In Study 1,we recruited 801 voluntary Chinese college students for bifactor and correlational analyses.In Study 2,875 Chinese college students were enrolled to verify our findings from Study 1 and to explore the aforementioned mechanism.Results from the bifactor analyses supported our hypothesis that the total scores of the three AFFEXX-C constructs can be used among Chinese college students to establish a link with PA.Additionally,our results suggested that core affective exercise experiences and attraction-antipathy mediated the relationship between antecedent appraisals and the level of moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA.Therefore,measuring affective exercise experiences using the AFFEXX-C,specifically the total scores of each individual construct may be a useful approach to predict future PA levels.

Effects of Study-Abroad Experiences on Chinese Students’ L2 Learning Activities and Study-Abroad Motivations

This study explores how overseas exchange opportunities might influence Chinese students ’engagement in L2 learning activities and how far such opportunities may satisfy their motivation to study abroad. The analysis of the data, collected and filtered from carefully designed questionnaires and interviews, showed that students ’ L2 learning activities and study-abroad motivations underwent changes after their overseas experiences. Regarding the former, the overseas environment was the cause of the change because it provided students with more chances to talk with native speakers and increased the frequency of their using L2 in their daily life. Regarding the latter, the decline of the students ’ major study-abroad motivations was partly because they tended to treat L2 learning as a tool for realizing other goals and partly because the students had got other important motivations. In view of these findings, suggestions were raised to help future students get better prepared for their overseas study or short-term exchange life.

Undergraduate nursing students’experiences of online learning:gaining access in resource-limited circumstances

Background:In response to the need to mitigate the increase in Coronavirus Disease 2019(COVID-19)cases,nursing students undertake online learning in almost all nursing education institutions in Indonesia.These students face distinctive learning experiences,which have not yet been identified in the Indonesian context.This study aimed to explore students’experiences of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods:We used a descriptive exploratory design.Eleven students from three nursing education institutions in Indonesia were interviewed through telephone calls or video conference applications.Results:One main theme,Gaining access in resource-limited circumstances,was developed to describe students’experience of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.This theme was supported by five subthemes:struggling for internet connection;becoming familiar with the applications;flexibility;supported by others;and dealing with limitations.Conclusions:This current study provides insights into what support should be provided for nursing students to manage limitations in the online learning process.

Self-Reported Experiences, Attitudes and Expectations of Infant Contacts in Medical Students;A Cross-Sectional Study in Ten Years’ Interval

Introduction: Medical students worked earlier as independent practitioners before paediatrics courses. Now it is denied. We evaluated students’ experiences of infant contacts before and after the change. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study consists of students attending paediatrics courses at University of Oulu in 2004-2006 and 2014-2015. Results: 229 of 241 (95.0%) students in the first cohort and 236 of 258 (91.5%) in the second completed the questionnaire. The mean (SD) age of the students was 25.1 (3.0) and 25.9 (3.0) (p = 0.040). In both cohorts two thirds of the students were familiar with holding infants in the lap, but two thirds had never bathed an infant. A half of males and one third of females had never fed an infant. Students approximated to manage with infants and believed to manage increased with age in both cohorts (p < 0.001 vs. p = 0.019). Students’ perspective towards pediatrics as a future carrier choice declined from 30.3% to 22.0%. Conclusions: Students’ experiences in handling and care of infants are quite low before paediatrics courses. The denial not to work as independent practitioner before paediatric courses did not decrease experiences. Medical students are motivated to have infant experiences in practice.