Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T13:10:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Janaina Daniel Ouchi.pdf: 885308 bytes, checksum: b75370f4369c210e43a0db35a66f510d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-09-25 / The care process, which involves the practice of nursing care to patients who are in the terminal phase of life, in addition to professional competence requires emotionally prepared to accept the moment of death. This force that nurse needs to have, is not always possible due to their (dis) academic preparation. Therefore it is necessary to include the issue of termination of life in nursing education, offering tools for development of total nursing care. Understand the social representations of nursing students about death and loss of the patient, revealing the weaknesses of this approach in the teaching learning process can contribute to a curriculum proposal that contemplates the development of trained nurses for care at end of life. Objectives: Understand the representations of nursing students about death; identify the feelings of the graduating before death the patient to their care; describe how undergraduates evaluate their training for care at end of life. Methods: This is a qualitative and quantitative study, based on the Theory of Social Representations, conducted through oral interviews with 23 graduating students of undergraduate nursing. The interview covered three guiding questions concerning representations of death, feelings caused by the death of the patient and evaluation of training for care at end of life. The statements were organized according to the Collective Subject Discourse and analyzed on thematic analysis method. Results: It was found that the profile of the participants was mostly represented by young adults, women who do not work in the nursing field. Discourses about the representations of death fell mainly about death as a passage. These participants believe that life, though invisible, continues after death. There are also respondents who regard death as a process inherent to life and get hold of it. Others see death as shocking, devastating. Multiple feelings surfaced this experience: frustration, shock, empathy, sadness, relief, loneliness, guilt. All study participants showed dissatisfaction with the teaching and learning of care at the end of life process. They considered themselves unprepared to care at end of life, mentioned that the death is not addressed in theory and practice, cited many missing content in their training, the teacher would like to have on the practice field and problematize the practice in the classroom. Conclusion: In addition to the technical and scientific knowledge about care at the end of life, addressing the feelings and different situations in which death is presented and individual coping difficulties that cannot be forgotten in the curricula of graduate courses in Nursing. Strategies of teaching-learning and problem-solving skills of nursing faculty for these approaches are equally important / O processo de cuidar ao fim da vida requer além de competência profissional preparo emocional para aceitar o momento da morte. Essa força que o profissional enfermeiro necessita ter, nem sempre é possível devido ao seu (des) preparo acadêmico. Portanto é necessária a inclusão da temática da cessação da vida na formação do enfermeiro, ofertando ferramentas para o desenvolvimento do cuidado integral. Conhecer as representações sociais dos estudantes de enfermagem sobre a morte e a perda do paciente, desvelando as fragilidades dessa abordagem no processo de ensino aprendizagem, poderá contribuir para uma proposta curricular que contemple a formação de enfermeiros capacitados para o cuidado no fim da vida. Objetivos: Conhecer as representações dos graduandos de enfermagem sobre a morte; identificar os sentimentos desses graduandos frente à morte do paciente aos seus cuidados; descrever como os graduandos avaliam a sua formação para o cuidado no fim da vida. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo qualiquantitativo ancorado na Teoria das Representações Sociais, conduzido por meio de entrevistas orais com 23 estudantes concluintes do curso de graduação em Enfermagem. A entrevista abrangeu três questões norteadoras referentes às representações da morte, sentimentos causados pela morte do paciente e avaliação da formação para o cuidado no fim da vida. Os depoimentos foram organizados segundo o Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo e analisados na modalidade Análise Temática. Resultados: Constatou-se que o perfil dos participantes foi constituído em sua maioria por mulheres, adultos jovens que não atuam na área de enfermagem. Os discursos sobre as representações da morte recaíram principalmente sobre a morte como passagem. Estes participantes acreditam que a vida, embora invisível, continua após a morte. Também há os entrevistados que encaram a morte como um processo inerente à vida e se apropriam dela. Os demais veem a morte como chocante, devastadora. Múltiplos sentimentos afloraram dessa vivência: frustração, choque, empatia, tristeza, alívio, solidão, culpa. Todos os participantes do estudo demonstraram insatisfação com o processo ensino-aprendizagem do cuidado no fim na vida. Eles consideraram-se despreparados para o cuidado no fim da vida, referiram que a morte não é abordada na teoria e na prática, citaram vários conteúdos ausentes em sua formação, gostariam de ter o professor no campo de prática e de problematizar a prática na sala de aula. Conclusão: Além do conhecimento técnico e científico sobre o cuidado no fim da vida, a abordagem dos sentimentos e situações diversas em que a morte se apresenta e das dificuldades individuais nesse enfrentamento não pode ser esquecida nos currículos dos cursos de graduação em Enfermagem. Estratégias de ensino-aprendizagem problematizadoras e capacitação dos docentes enfermeiros para essas abordagens são igualmente importantes

Estudamos nesta pesquisa a formação do enfermeiro enquanto sujeito crítico-reflexivo no Curso de Enfermagem da FAMEMA, tendo como objetivo captar através dos alunos como está sendo construído seu processo de formação, na direção da constituição de um profissional críticoreflexivo; identificar as marcas diferenciais do processo de formação percebidas pelos mesmos, a partir da lógica do Projeto Político-Pedagógico (PPP), bem como apreender quais as facilidades e dificuldades encontradas, pelos mesmos no transcorrer de um processo de formação crítico/reflexivo. Tomamos por pressuposto que a formação de um enfermeiro crítico-reflexivo implica que o aluno torne-se sujeito no processo de formação e, essa transformação do aluno em sujeito está determinada e determina o contexto da implementação do PPP adotado pelo Curso de Enfermagem da FAMEMA. A pesquisa foi realizada com os alunos da 4ª série do Curso de Enfermagem da FAMEMA, no ano de 2001, sendo utilizadas as técnicas de grupo focal e entrevista semi-estruturada. Para a organização do material empírico utilizou-se do método do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo (DSC), com posterior aplicação da técnica de análise temática proposta por Minayo. Na análise emergiram três eixos temáticos dos quais revelou-se que o processo de formação do enfermeiro crítico-reflexivo se dá pela construção de competências, as quais apresentam qualidade formal e política, iniciando-se na graduação e continuando ao longo da vida, numa perspectiva de renovação constante da profissão e do profissional. A mudança curricular deu-se por meio da implementação do PPP enquanto processo dinâmico, histórico, contraditório, construído pelos sujeitos que atuam no mesmo, apresentando adesão e resistências ao longo do processo. Ao utilizarmos a Metodologia da Problematização e o currículo integrado, verificamos ser importante a articulação entre ensino-serviço-comunidade através de parcerias, gerando novos cenários de ensino-aprendizagem, tomando o trabalho enquanto princípio da formação, provocando uma ação crítico-reflexiva acerca da realidade vivida no cotidiano, no entanto, gerando vários conflitos nesta nova relação. Os alunos apontam para uma ampliação do fazer do enfermeiro e da concepção de saúde-doença, utilizando as tecnologias leves no cuidado com o usuário, além de reconhecer que o trabalho em equipe requer uma nova postura do profissional na qual deve criar vínculo, ter argumentação fundamentada posicionando-se frente à equipe. O trabalho pedagógico ocorre em pequenos e no grande grupo, nos quais aprende-se a argumentar, a ouvir, conviver e respeitar a diversidade e diferenças de opiniões, aprende-se a lidar com os conflitos, os quais nem sempre são considerados pelos docentes que apresentam dificuldades para trabalhá-los enquanto processo educativo. O professor nesta metodologia faz a mediação entre o objeto a ser aprendido e o aluno para a construção do conhecimento, na perspectiva da autonomia no processo de aprender a aprender, sendo considerado como aquele que instiga o aluno a refletir sobre a realidade, orienta e auxilia o aluno nas suas atividades e dificuldades. O processo de avaliação deve ser contínuo e formativo, no entanto, manteve-se no geral uma concepção e prática tradicional, sendo realizada por vezes de forma burocratizada, sem significado e finalidade processual para alunos e professores. / In this study, we have investigated the education of nurses as critical and reflective subjects in the Nursing Program at FAMEMA, aiming at understanding through students how their education process is being constructed towards the constitution of a critical and reflective professionals; at identifying the differences in the education process perceived by them on basis of the logic stemming from the Political and Pedagogical Process (PPP) as well as at apprehending thedifficulties that they have encountered during a process of critical/reflective education. We based on the assumption that the education of a critical and reflective nurse implies that the student will become a subject in the education process and that this transformation of students into subjects determines and is determined by the context of implementation of PPP adopted by the Nursing Program at FAMEMA. The research was conducted with fourth-year students in the Nursing Undergraduate Program at FAMEMA in 2001. Focal group techniques and semi-structured interviews were used. In order to organize the empirical material, the Collective Subject Discourse (DSC) method was used, which was followed by the application of the thematic analysis technique proposed by Minayo. In the analysis, three thematic axes emerged from which it was revealed that the process of education of critical and reflective nurses occurs through the construction of competencies that present formal and Political quality. They begin in the undergraduate program and continue during life in a perspective of constant renovation of the profession as well as of the professional. Curricular change took place by the implementation of PPP as a dynamic, historical and contradictory process that was constructed by the subjects participating in it. It presented adherence and resistance as it developed. By using the Problematization Methodology and the integrated curriculum, it was verified that the teaching-service-community articulation through partnerships was important since it generated new learning-teaching scenarios by taking work as the educational principle, thus causing a critical and reflective action concerning the reality experienced in daily routine, although various conflicts were generated in this new relationship. The students pointed out an expansion of the nurse's performance as well as of the conception of healthdisease through the utilization of light technology to care for users in addition to the recognition of the fact that team work required a new attitude from professionals in which a tie must be created, and arguments must have a basis for one's positioning in relation to the team. Pedagogical work took place in small as well as in the big group, where students learned to discuss, to listen, to live with and respect diversity and different opinions. They learned to deal with conflicts which are not always taken into account by the patients who present difficulties in dealing with them as an educational process. In this methodology, the teacher is a mediator between the objective to be learned and the student for the construction of knowledge in the perspective of autonomy in the process of learning to learn. He is regarded as the one who instigates the student to reflect on reality, guides and helps the student in his activities and difficulties. The evaluation process must be continuous and educational; however, a practical and traditional conception was generally kept. At times, it was conducted in a bureaucratized fashion and had a processual meaning and purpose for students and teachers.

High nursing student attrition has been a pervasive problem in the nursing program at the research site of this study. The purpose of this project study was to investigate the relationship between attrition and nursing student characteristics, including age, gender, ethnicity, English as Second Language (ESL) background, licensed practical nurse (LPN) licensure, grade point average (GPA), the number of preadmission college credits, and the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) scores. This correlational study of archival data was guided by Jeffreys's nursing undergraduate retention and success model and included a convenience sample of 240 students admitted to the program between the Spring 2011 and Fall 2013 semesters. Point biserial and phi coefficient statistical analyses indicated that significant relationships existed between attrition and ethnicity, GPA, TEAS scores, college credits, and LPN status. There were no significant relationships between attrition and age, gender, and ESL background. Student characteristics correlated with higher attrition included ethnic minority background, more college credits, lower TEAS composite and math scores, lower GPA scores, and not having LPN licensure. These research results were the basis for policy recommendations for changes to the admission process within the nursing program and for early identification of students at risk for attrition, with the goal of providing early supportive measures. The overall goal of the policy recommendations was to decrease attrition at the local research site, which may help foster positive social change by promoting the educational and professional progress of nursing students. Nursing student attrition can negatively affect a nursing program's finances and reputation. For students, attrition represents lost time, lost finances, and a limited possibility for achieving socioeconomic progress.

Globally, health care professionals, administrators, educators, researchers, and informatics experts have found that minimum dataset and taxonomies can solve the problem of data standardization required in building an information system to advance disciplines body of knowledge. Disciplines continuously gather complex data, but data collected without an organizational context does not increase the knowledge-base. Therefore, a demand exists for developing minimum dataset, controlled vocabularies, taxonomies, and classification systems. To fulfill nursings needs for standardized comparable data, two minimum dataset are used in nursing for organizing, classifying, processing, and managing information for decision-making and advancing clinical nursing knowledge. No minimum dataset in nursing education currently exists. With common definitions and taxonomy of nomenclature related to nursing education, research findings on similar topics can aggregate data across studies and settings to observe overall patterns. Understanding patterns will allow educators, researchers, and administrators to interpret and compare findings, facilitate evidence-based changes, and draw significant conclusions about nursing education programs, schools, and educational experiences. This study proposes a generic methodology for building a Nursing Education Minimum Dataset (NEMDS) by exploring experiences of developing various minimum dataset. This study adapted the systems model as the conceptual framework for building the taxonomy and classification system of nursing education essential data elements to guide the analysis of structure, process, and outcome in nursing education. The study suggested using focus groups, an online Delphi survey, and the statistical techniques of Multidimensional Scaling, and kappa. The study presented these steps: identifying educational concepts and data elements; defining data elements as nursing education terminologies; building the taxonomy; conducting an empirical and theoretical validation; disseminating and aggregating the data in national dataset. The proposed methodology to build an NEMDS meets the criteria of having a nursing education dataset that is mutually exclusive, exhaustive, and consistent with the concepts that help nursing educators and researchers to describe, explain, and predict outcomes in the discipline of nursing education. It can help the transformation of simple information into a meaningful knowledge that can be used and compared by the school, state or country to advance nursing education research and practice nationally or internationally.

<p>Studiens syfte var att få kunskap om hur sjuksköterskor under specialistutbildning inom akutsjukvård med inriktning mot anestesisjukvård upplever förväntningar, möjligheter och hinder för lärande under deras verksamhetsförlagda utbildning. I bakgrunden finns beskrivet specialistutbildningens uppläggning och mål. Några av anestesisjuksköterskans centrala arbetsuppgifter fokuseras: mötet med patienten inför anestesi och operation och den fria luftvägen. För studien användes en kvalitativ metod med intervjuer av tio studenter. Intervjuerna bearbetades och analyserades utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv på lärande, vilken utgör studiens teoretiska ram. Analysen koncentrerades mot lärande som social praxis där fyra teman framkom vilka berörde praktikplatsen, yrkesidentiteten, samspelet med handledare, patient, arbetsteam och skola i lärandesituationer samt utvärderingen. Dessa teman anknöts till Nielsen och Kvales huvudaspekter på mästarlära och situerat lärande som beskriver lärande i en praxisgemenskap, lärande som utveckling av en yrkesidentitet, lärande utan formell undervisning och utvärdering genom praxis. Resultatet visade att samspelet med handledaren hade mycket stor betydelse för studenternas möjligheter till lärande och för utvecklingen av yrkesidentiteten. De kvaliteter som studenterna ansåg viktigast hos handledaren var motivation för handledaruppdraget, aktuella yrkeskunskaper, kommunikationsförmåga och ett pedagogiskt förhållningssätt. Praktikplatsen ansågs även ha stor betydelse för studenternas möjligheter till lärande där miljön, tillträde till lärandesituationer, gemenskapen och samspelet med teamet upplevdes ge goda förutsättningar. Utvärdering i form av feedback i samband med lärandesituationer och efterföljande reflektion av utförda handlingar upplevde studenterna vara nödvändigt för lärandets progress.</p>

Studiens syfte var att få kunskap om hur sjuksköterskor under specialistutbildning inom akutsjukvård med inriktning mot anestesisjukvård upplever förväntningar, möjligheter och hinder för lärande under deras verksamhetsförlagda utbildning. I bakgrunden finns beskrivet specialistutbildningens uppläggning och mål. Några av anestesisjuksköterskans centrala arbetsuppgifter fokuseras: mötet med patienten inför anestesi och operation och den fria luftvägen. För studien användes en kvalitativ metod med intervjuer av tio studenter. Intervjuerna bearbetades och analyserades utifrån ett sociokulturellt perspektiv på lärande, vilken utgör studiens teoretiska ram. Analysen koncentrerades mot lärande som social praxis där fyra teman framkom vilka berörde praktikplatsen, yrkesidentiteten, samspelet med handledare, patient, arbetsteam och skola i lärandesituationer samt utvärderingen. Dessa teman anknöts till Nielsen och Kvales huvudaspekter på mästarlära och situerat lärande som beskriver lärande i en praxisgemenskap, lärande som utveckling av en yrkesidentitet, lärande utan formell undervisning och utvärdering genom praxis. Resultatet visade att samspelet med handledaren hade mycket stor betydelse för studenternas möjligheter till lärande och för utvecklingen av yrkesidentiteten. De kvaliteter som studenterna ansåg viktigast hos handledaren var motivation för handledaruppdraget, aktuella yrkeskunskaper, kommunikationsförmåga och ett pedagogiskt förhållningssätt. Praktikplatsen ansågs även ha stor betydelse för studenternas möjligheter till lärande där miljön, tillträde till lärandesituationer, gemenskapen och samspelet med teamet upplevdes ge goda förutsättningar. Utvärdering i form av feedback i samband med lärandesituationer och efterföljande reflektion av utförda handlingar upplevde studenterna vara nödvändigt för lärandets progress.

L’approche par compétences est de plus en plus choisie pour guider les curriculums universitaires de formation professionnelle. Accordant un intérêt primordial au développement des compétences, les responsables des programmes élaborés selon cette approche doivent déterminer les stratégies pédagogiques qui seront les plus efficaces et qui permettront une participation active de l’étudiant. Depuis plus de 30 années (Cameron et Mitchell, 1993; Wellard et Bethune, 1996), le journal d’apprentissage favorise la construction des savoirs en pratique clinique et le développement de la pensée réflexive, une compétence nécessaire à la pratique des infirmières qui s’inspirent d’une vision spécifique de la discipline, comme celle du modèle de McGill (Kravitz et Frey, 1989; Thorpe, 2003). Malgré cela, les études sur les perceptions d’étudiants relativement au journal d’apprentissage sont rares, et ce, surtout au Canada (Epp, 2008). Il importe de s’intéresser aux perceptions d’étudiants afin d’atteindre l’efficacité optimale de l’outil. Le but de cette étude était d’explorer les perceptions d’étudiants au baccalauréat en sciences infirmières de l’utilisation du journal d’apprentissage. Elle a été réalisée auprès d’étudiants de 2e et 3e année, selon un devis de type qualitatif exploratoire. Les participants (n=52) ont rempli un formulaire constitué d’une mise en situation comprenant 5 questions ouvertes. L’analyse des données a fait émerger trois thèmes principaux de l’utilisation du journal soit : un outil personnel, un outil de communication et un outil d’apprentissage de la pratique. Des recommandations pour la formation et la recherche sont formulées. / The competency-based approach is increasingly chosen to guide university curriculum. In according an essential interest to the competency development, the responsible for programs developed using this approach must determine the most effective learning strategy. In the last 30 years (Cameron et Mitchell, 1993; Wellard et Bethune, 1996), the learning journal promote the building of clinical knowledge and the development of reflexive thinking, a competency that is necessary to the practice nurses inspired by a specific vision of the discipline, like the McGill model (Kravitz et Frey, 1989; Thorpe, 2003). Despite this, the studies on the student’s perceptions on the learning journal are rare, especially in Canada (Epp, 2008). It is important to look at student’s perceptions to attain the optimal efficacy of the tool. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of undergraduate students in nursing of the utilization of learning journal. It was realized with 2nd and 3rd year undergraduate students in nursing, using a qualitative exploratory research design. The participants (N=52) completed a form presenting a simulated situation that contained 5 open ended questions. The three main themes that emerged during data analysis on the utilization of the learning journal were: a personal tool, a communication tool and a learning practice tool. Recommendations for education and future research are offered.

Nursing throughout the world is striving for international competitiveness and accountability for effectiveness and trust to the students, patients and the community they serve, thus making the issue of accreditation increasingly important. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of the heads of private nursing education institutions on accreditation process by nursing education and training quality assurance body at eThekwini district. Reviewed literature has revealed that the South African Government has facilitated and encouraged the establishment of quality assurance through the South African Qualifications Authority Act, the National Qualifications Framework Act (NQF) and the Nursing Act. Data were collected by means of in-depth interviews with each of the heads of the seven selected private nursing education institutions. Qualitative content analysis using an editing style was performed in this study. Findings of this study revealed that nursing education institutions lack their own internal quality assessment processes as quality of teaching and learning depends on the interaction between the teacher and the students, the collective integrity as well as the professionals in the nursing education institution. Recommendations focused on periodic internal self-assessment as a vehicle to promote the culture of institutional internal self-assessment practices, as quality is seen as logical approach for conveying the importance of excellence to individuals who are nursing care recipients. Reports from the internal review should be provided by the institution to the external evaluation team prior to the external evaluators visit. / Thesis (M.N.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

When people hear the word "nurse," they often think of qualities such as compassion and patience. While these are essential characteristics, nurses must go even further when striving for professionalism. Nurses also need strong morals and ethics and the commitment to always act in the best interests of their patients. The term professionalism embraces a set of attitudes, skills and behaviours, attributes and values which are expected from those to whom society has extended the privilege of being considered a professional. The core values of professionalism include: honesty, integrity, altruism, respect, responsibility, accountability, compassion, empathy, dedication, self-improvement, competency of clinical skills and knowledge. Professional nursing practice is a commitment to compassion, caring and strong ethical values, continuous development of self and others, accountability and responsibility for insightful practice, demonstrating a spirit of collaboration and flexibility. Rapid changes in the nursing sector have recently occurred across all areas and settings, making for a chaotic and seldom unstable work environment. All of these changes have impacted the ability of ENA learners to maintain high levels of professionalism and collaboration. In particular, the researcher, as an educator within a private NEI responsible for teaching ENA learners, experienced a lack of professionalism amongst ENA learners during the course of their training, as well as after their enrolment with the South African Nursing Council (SANC). Currently, there seems to be a difference between the professionalism portrayed by ENA learners and that which is expected of them. The overall aim of this research is to enhance the professionalism of ENA learners in a private NEI in Potchefstroom, North West. The following objectives have been identified in order to reach this aim: * To explore and describe professionalism amongst ENA learners in a private NEI in Potchefstroom, North West, and * To formulate recommendations to advance professionalism amongst ENA learners in a private NEI in Potchefstroom, North West. This study was conducted by means of a case study approach as the selected topic focuses only on a private nursing education institution situated in Potchefstroom, North West. From the qualitative instrumental case study approach, a qualitative, explorative, contextual research design was followed. The population in the study was all the ENA learners of a private NEI in Potchefstroom, North West. A sample was selected through non-probable, purposive sampling according to inclusion criteria (n=25). Data collection was conducted by means of a ―World Café‖ method and a focus group. The data collected through the World Café method was recorded and transcribed and reconstructed by means of thematic analysis. The main theme that crystallised from data analysis was that ENA learners viewed professionalism as a set of behaviours that are displayed in their external environment. The behaviours are grouped into the following five subgroups, namely punctuality versus absenteeism, adhering to scheduling and duty hours, responsibility of observations and awareness, the role of dress code and the image of nursing and finally obedience to organisational rules and regulations and tolerance towards others. The World Café and focus group results were integrated with case records according to repetitive themes. From the results and conclusions, recommendations were formulated for nursing practice, nursing education and nursing research to enhance professionalism amongst ENA learners in general. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The purpose of the study The purpose of this research project was to develop and test an educational program for preparing Taiwanese nursing students for clinical practice. Study background The SARS outbreak revealed that health care professionals were ill-prepared for coping with the disease epidemic in terms of the rapid transmission of the infection, the high mortality and morbidity rate among health care workers, and the significant impacts on the public and health care personnel. Frontline nurses were the group at highest risk of becoming infected, as they are the health care personally that provide direct health care to infected patients. However, to date the ability of Taiwanese frontline nurses to respond to such a disease epidemic has not been examined. Study design This research project incorporated a three phase design, presented in the form of two separate studies. A small qualitative exploratory study was undertaken to validate the assumptions emerging from international literature regarding the preparedness nurses in managing an infection outbreak. The information gained was used to construct an infection control education program (Study I). A quasi-experimental design, using pre- and post-tests and experimental and control groups was then used to test the effectiveness of the education intervention (Study II). Participants A purposive sampling technique was used in the qualitative exploratory study, whereby six Taiwanese nurses who had provided direct nursing care to patients with SARS were interviewed. A convenience sampling approach was utilised in the quantitative study, which aimed to test the effectiveness of educational intervention. This, second study, had 175 participants in total, 80 in the experimental group and 95 in the control group. All participants were enrolled in the first semester of their fourth year in a five-year nursing program in two selected junior nursing colleges. The education intervention The purpose-designed standard and additional precautions (SnAP) program was the intervention. The experimental group received a SnAP program which consisted of 16 hours of classes over 16 weeks. The control group received a conventional education program. Data collection and instrument Data were collected at three time points during the study (baseline, four months, six month) using validated instrument. The reliability and validity of the instrument was established in a pilot study with a Taiwanese population prior to the present study. Data analysis t-tests and chi-square analyses were performed to assess any differences across demographic variables and baseline outcome variables between the experimental and control groups. Two-way repeated measures ANOVAs were used to examine the scores of the intervention and control groups across three time points. Results The data revealed that, at six months following the education program, there was a statistically significant improvement in the knowledge (F [2,180] =13.53, p=0.001) and confidence (F [2,94] =4.88, p= 0.01) of infection precautions in the intervention group compared to the control group. Also, the means of knowledge and confidence in intervention group showed a consistently increased across three time points; whereas, the mean of confidence relating infection control management in the control group resulted a drop at time 3. Although the application skills relating to infection control procedures did not show a statistically significant change during this period (F [2, 174] = 2.54, p=0.081), there were minor improvements in these scores at the six-month follow-up assessment. Conclusion The SnAP program had a positive impact on Taiwanese nursing students' readiness for clinical placement and potential outbreak of disease epidemics. Participation increased their knowledge about infection control precautions, their ability to properly use these specific precautions, and their confidence in solving infection-related issues in clinical practice.