INTRODUCTION:
Nurses have a unique role and responsibility in medication administration, in that they are frequently the final person to check to see that the medication is correctly prescribed and dispensed before administration1. It is standard during nursing education to receive instruction on a guide to clinical medication administration and upholding patient safety known as the ‘five rights’ or ‘five R’s’ of medication administration2. Medication safety during administration is a major concern at a global level, and is related to safety and quality of patient care3. Medication errors (MEs) are unintended failures in the drug treatment process that can occur during prescription, dispensing, storing, preparation and administration of medications4. Web Quest is a teaching technique used to impart certain subjects with special needs. It is a learner-cantered strategy which involves the students in the development of knowledge and the creation of new concepts (Lahaie, 2007)5. It is not a tool to facilitate memorization of information, but rather, a method to encourage creativity, development, inquiry, analysis, reflection, synthesis, and evaluation6. The emergence of antibiotic resistance is a natural biological phenomenon, and even though numerous factors have been identified as the cause of this, such as clustering and overcrowding or increased elderly population, one of the most important factors is the inadequate use of antibiotics, a very worrying situation especially for healthcare professionals with high rate of antibiotic prescription7. Nursing students need to be prepared to face various professional challenges. By employing modern educational approaches and studying their effects on the students’ academic success and cognitive skills, we can ensure a suitable combination of approaches and find ways to use them more efficiently. This will help the students become more successful in their studies and acquire the necessary professional skills for future performance8. High-risk situations warrant special mechanisms to prevent medication errors, and when they do occur, should include means of identifying and intercepting them before they result in harm to the patient9.Hence this study is intended to determine the effectiveness of web quest on high alert medications.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:
An Experimental study to Determinethe Effectiveness of Web quest on High Alert Medications upon Knowledge among Nursing Students.
OBJECTIVES:
a) To assess the level of knowledge on high alert medications among control and experimental group of nursing students.
b) To determine the effectiveness of web quest on high alert medications on knowledge among control and experimental group of nursing students.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The study was conducted by using a true experimental research design at Apollo College of Nursing, Chennai, among 100 nursing students (50 in control group and 50 in experimental group), who were selected by using total enumerative sampling technique. Selected samples were allotted to control and experimental group by odd and even method). After obtaining the setting permission and informed consent from participants, data was collected using pretested and validated tools such as background variables proforma of nursing students, multiple choice questionnaire on high alert medications and rating scale to assess the acceptability of Webquest. Data was collected by self administration method using Google forms through Whats App and E Mails. The data regarding background variables was obtained along with the pretest assessment of knowledge on High alert medications through Google forms. Then post test was conducted for the control group of nursing students on day 3. On day 4, webquest was implemented for the experimental group of nursing students which includes MCQ, true or false, cross words, drug calculations, questions related to video presentation on High alert medications. On day 5 post test on High alert medications and level of acceptability on webquest was conducted for the experimental group of nursing students. The collected data was tabulated and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics..
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
More than half of the nursing students were aged 19yrs (54%, 60%), belonged to the native state of Tamil Nadu (52%, 58%), scored distinction and above in previous year academic performance (56%, 64%) in control and experimental group respectively.
In the pretest, majority of the students had inadequate knowledge on high alert medications (76%, 68%) in both the control and experiment group respectively. Whereas in post test, majority of the control group students still had inadequate level of knowledge (72%), while 72% of experimental group students had adequate level of knowledge on High Alert medications after the web quest program.
The paired ‘t’ test revealed that in control group, there was a significant difference in mean knowledge of scores on high alert medications between pre-test (M= 7.61/25 and SD = 2.29) and post-test (M = 10.86/25 and SD=4.75) with ‘t’ value of 4.73 at p<0.001. Whereas in experimental group also there was higher significant difference in mean knowledge scores of web quest on high alert medications between Pretest (M = 7.7/25 and SD = 2.63) and post-test (M = 18.97/25and SD = 2.17) with ‘t’ value of 25.26 at p< 0.001.
There was no significant difference in Pretest mean knowledge of web quest on high alert medications between control (M = 7.61/25 and SD = 2.29) and experimental group (M = 7.7/25 and SD = 2.63) of nursing students with ‘t’ value of 0.172 at p > 0.05. However, there was a significant difference in post-test mean knowledge scores of web quest on high alert medications between control (M =10.86/25 and SD = 4.73) and experiment group (M = 18.97/25and SD = 2.17) of nursing students with ‘t’ value of 10.29 at p < 0.001.
This can be attributed the effectiveness of web quest on high alert medications as a teaching tool on knowledge among nursing students.
There was a significant correlation between academic performance and the knowledge scores on knowledge on high alert medications value in control group. Whereas there was no correlation between academic performance and the knowledge scores on knowledge of high alert medications in experimental group of nursing students.
Table 1.Frequency andPercentage Distribution of Background Variables among Control and Experimental Group of Nursing Students. N=100
|
Demographic Variables
|
Control group (N =50) |
Experimental group (N =50) |
|
f % |
f % |
|
|
Age in Years 19 20 Native state Tamil Nadu Kerala Others Previous academic year performance Distinction and above First class Second class |
27 54 23 46
26 52 24 48 - -
28 56 22 44 - - |
30 60 20 40
29 58 21 42 - -
32 64 18 36 - - |
Table 1 reveals that more than half of the nursing studentswere aged 19 yrs (54%, 60%), belonged to the native state of Tamil Nadu (52%, 58%), scored distinction and above inprevious year academic performance (56%, 64%) in control and experimental group respectively.
Table 2: Frequency and Percentage Distribution of level of Knowledge on High Alert Medications among Control and Experimental Group of Nursing Students
N= 100
|
Knowledge on High Alert Medications
|
Control Group (n=50) |
Experimental Group (n=50) |
|
Pretest Post test f % f % |
Pretest Posttest f % f % |
|
|
Adequate Knowledge
Moderately Adequate Knowledge
Inadequate Knowledge |
- - - -
12 24 14 28
38 76 36 72 |
14 28 14 28
34 68 - - |
The data presented in table 2 shows that in the pretest, majority of the students had inadequate knowledge on high alert medications (76%, 68%) in both the control and experiment group respectively. Whereas in post test, majority of the control group students still had inadequate level of knowledge (72%), while 72% of experimental group students had adequate level of knowledge on High Alert medications after the web quest program.
Table 3 Comparison of Pre-test and Post-test Knowledge Scores on High Alert Medications among Control and Experimental Group of Nursing Students N=100
|
Knowledge |
Control Group (n=50) |
Experimental Group (n=50) |
|
Mean Paired Mean SD Diff “t” value |
Mean Paired Mean SD Diff “t”value |
|
|
Pretest
|
7.61 2.29 3.25 t=4.73
10.86 4.75 p<0.001 |
7.7 2.63 11.27 t=25.26
18.97 2.17 p<0.001 |
|
Post Test |
Maximum obtainable score = 25
Table 3 reveals that, in control group there was a significant difference in mean knowledge scores on high alert medications between pre-test (M= 7.61/25 and SD = 2.29) and post-test (M = 10.86/25 and SD=4.75) with ‘t’ value of 4.73 at p<0.001. Similarly in experimental group also there was significant difference in mean knowledge scores of high alert medications between Pretest (M = 7.7/25 and SD = 2.63) and post-test (M = 18.97/25 and SD = 2.17) with ‘t’ value of 25.26 at p< 0.001. However the mean difference is higher in experimental group than the control group, which can be attributed to the effectiveness of web quest on High alert medications upon knowledge among Nursing students.
Hence, the null hypothesis H01 “There will be no significant difference between Pretest and Post test knowledge scores of high alert medications in control and experimental group of nursing students” was rejected.
CONCLUSION:
The webquest was found to be effective in increasing the knowledge of nursing students. Therefore, from the study it can be concluded that, a game-based learning methodology can be used to foster the active participation of students and to increase competitiveness among them. Game- based learning tools not only improve the learning process and facilitate content acquisition and comprehension, also promote teacher-student interaction.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
I would like to thank all the participants for supporting me to conduct this study. I would like to thank my research guide and who helped me throughout the study. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks for all who has directly or indirectly helped me during my study period.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
No conflict of interest.
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Received on 09.02.2023 Modified on 12.04.2023
Accepted on 08.06.2023 ©AandV Publications All right reserved
Res. J. Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics.2023;15(3):99-102.
DOI: 10.52711/2321-5836.2023.00018