Educational Effectiveness of a Regular Curriculum for Certified Nurses in Dysphagia Nursing

Abstract

[Purpose]　The purpose of this study was to clarify the educational effectiveness of a regular curriculum for certified nurses in dysphagia nursing.

[Methods]　The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Aichi Prefectural College of Nursing ＆ Health. Using a quality assessment scale of dysphagia nursing (QASDN) for certified nurses (CNs), a questionnaire survey by mail was conducted on CNs registered in 2006 seven months and one year seven months, respectively, after completion of the regular CN course. Similarly, the survey was conducted among CNs registered in 2007 at one month after admission, three months and seven months after completion of the regular CN course, respectively. The QASDN for CNs consisted of 69 items and seven factors: “Ⅰ: assessment of swallowing function”; “Ⅱ: assessment and practice for discharge planning”; “Ⅲ: risk management and practice of dysphagia rehabilitation”; “Ⅳ: practice of dysphagia rehabilitation for pharyngeal dysphagia”; “Ⅴ: assessment of risk management”; “Ⅵ: evaluation, leadership, consultation and coordination of nursing team”; and “Ⅶ: coordination with rehabilitation team.” The QASDN were rated on a scale of five by CNs. Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed-ranks test.

[Results]　1. The mean scores of six QASDN factors of 22 CNs registered in 2007 seven months after completion of the regular CN course were as follows: factor Ⅰ 2.95, Ⅲ 2.81, Ⅳ 2.28, Ⅴ 3.08, Ⅵ 2.42, and Ⅶ 1.89, respectively. They were significantly higher than at admission (p＜0.05).

2. The mean scores of 3 QASDN factors of CNs registered in 2006 and 2007 seven months after completion of the regular CN course were around 3.0 for factor Ⅰ, Ⅲ and Ⅴ.

3. The mean scores of 5 QASDN factors of 26 CNs registered in 2006 one year seven months after completion of the regular CN course were factor Ⅱ 2.50, Ⅲ 3.02, Ⅴ 3.29, Ⅵ 2.69 and Ⅶ 2.00, respectively. They also increased significantly compared with the score after seven months (p＜0.05).

[Conclusion]　These results suggested that the mean score one year seven months after completion of the regular CN course was at the level of “almost always provide such care” for risk management, assessment of swallowing function and dysphagia rehabilitation. They thus were educationally effective. The findings suggested the necessity to reinforce the curriculum so as to include discharge planning and coordination with the rehabilitation team.