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Biomedical subjects

D Billings

Publications and source records attributed to D Billings.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Evaluation of a mechanical hand-support for facilitated communication.

A specially designed hand-support device was evaluated to determine its effectiveness in assisting nonspeaking mentally handicapped children transition from facilitated communication (FC) to independent typing. Six autistic individuals (age range: 5 to 31) participated in the main experiment. All six had been reported to be moderately to highly proficient in the use of FC prior to the study. Pre- and posttraining tasks included pointing to pictures, numbers, and letters as well as copying single words by typing on a keyboard or letterboard. After 8 weeks of training, subjects' ability to point or type on all four tasks was assessed in three different conditions: (a) with an experienced facilitator, (b) independently, and (c) with the mechanical hand-support system. Postassessment measures did not reveal any evidence of independent communication with or without the device. An informal extension of the study, in which four of the original six subjects and three additional subjects were included for 4 additional months, also failed to provide evidence of significant communication.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Collaboration in distance education between nursing schools and hospitals.

Interactive television (ITV) is being used by increasing numbers of nursing schools and hospitals to provide educational access to geographically diverse learners and nurse employees. ITV-related research suggests that learner outcomes and satisfaction with such distance education courses are similar to those associated with the traditional classroom. The authors conducted an evaluation of a major nursing school's nursing telecourse program (NTP) to assess collaborative efforts with hospitals and regional campuses. The respondents, 15 site coordinators, were generally satisfied with the operational aspects of the NTP. Concerns raised by respondents included classroom space availability, operational costs, library resources, and communication equipment and processes. These stakeholders' perspectives were viewed as valuable in identifying problems and making improvements in the school's NTP.

Education, Nursing↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Faculty perceptions of teaching on television: one school's experience.

Videoteleconferencing (or teaching on television) represents a means of growing importance for distant learners to gain greater access to nursing education. Research has identified a number of key issues for nurse educators to consider related to videoteleconferencing: teaching/evaluation strategies, faculty workload, rewards and incentives, and support structures. The authors conducted an evaluation survey using a case study approach aimed at describing the perceptions of a convenience sample of faculty members (n = 17) regarding their recent television experiences. The survey, conducted by means of a mailed questionnaire, examined perceptions centering on sources of support, reception site logistics, rewards teaching strategies, and future directions. Key findings included: overall, respondents perceived television teaching positively; reception site, administrative support, and peer support were important to faculty; additional preparation time was required for television teaching; teaching on television required changes in style and pedagogical strategies; and student-teacher interactions were affected by the medium. Findings have implications for the implementation of videoteleconferencing operations, recruitment of faculty for television teaching, and evaluation of videoteleconferencing operations.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Videoteleconferencing: solving mobility and recruitment problems.

Many nurses and nursing students live far from the closest campus or health care agency that can provide basic or continuing education. Videoteleconferencing is one way to bridge this distance. As videoteleconferencing technologies become available and cost effective, nurse educators must be knowledgeable about their use. The authors explain telecommunications technologies of videoteleconferencing, identify advantages and disadvantages, and discuss planning, implementation, and evaluation for offering a program by videoteleconference.

Budgets↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Computerized NCLEX-RN preparation programs. A comparative review.

Nursing faculty and students, as well as schools of nursing, are concerned about maintaining or improving pass rates on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). This article offers a comparative review of eight computerized NCLEX-RN preparation programs: Compass RN; Health Education Systems, Inc. (HESI) Assess Test; NLN-CAT-RN Pharmacology Test; Meds, incorporated Comprehensive Q & A; Mosby's NCLEX Review; Medi-Sim Computer-Assisted Preparation for NCLEX-RN; Preparing for NCLEX-RN CAT; and NLN-CAT Practice RN. Criteria for evaluating these programs include program design features, types of questions and feedback, performance reports, screen design, ease of use, technical support and documentation, warranty and upgrade policy, and price. Issues associated with using NCLEX-RN preparation programs also are discussed.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗