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Volume 3
Journal of Nursing Research and Practice
Nursing & Pediatrics 2019
February 25-26, 2019
February 25-26, 2019 | London, UK
5
th
World Congress on
Neonatology and Pediatrics
World Congress on
Nursing Research and Evidence Based Practice
&
The effect of an unfolding case study on critical thinking, knowledge acquisition, and handoff
communication in baccalaureate nursing students
Antionella Upshaw
Southern University and A&M College, USA
Statement of the Problem:
Miscommunication during handoffs at time of transition for the older adult often results in hospital
readmissions. Researchers report that handoff communication (HOC) is a critical responsibility and varies in educational methods
creating a latent patient safety risk; therefore, it is imperative that nurses be educated and trained in how to communicate. The
unfolding case study (UCS) is increasingly being used to promote critical thinking and improve communication, but the lack of
evidence to guide educational practice limits the use in nursing programs. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an
UCS teaching pedagogy on critical thinking, knowledge acquisition and HOC.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation:
A quasi-experimental study design examined the effect among seventy-one (71)
baccalaureate nursing students. The basic tenets of Social Constructivism were utilized to guide the research. Students were asked to
complete pre- and post-test questionnaires in Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) custom exam, Handoff-Clinical Examination
(CEX), and Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT). The UCS using pre-clinical activities, faculty training, communication
workshop, and debriefing was conducted over a two-week period. The Solomon four-group meta-analysis approach was used to
determine the effect of the UCS on learning outcomes before and after the educational intervention and implementation of the
Introduction, Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation (ISBAR) standardized tool.
Findings:
No significant differences between the treatment and control groups on knowledge acquisition, HOC, and critical thinking
were observed. A positive correlation was found (r (70) = .322, p<.05), indicating a relationship between knowledge acquisition and
critical thinking. Participants exposed to the UCS had higher mean Handoff-CEX provider and receiver performance scores than
participants who had been exposed to the traditional case study. Findings supported the basic tenet of Social Constructivism in that
students learn by doing rather than observing in a social context.
antionella_upshaw@subr.eduJ Nursing Research and Practice
Volume 3