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Student satisfaction and self-confidence in learning through pharmacology virtual reality simulations: A mixed methods evaluation
Get PDFBackground
Pharmacology remains challenging in preregistration nursing education. Virtual reality (VR) may support learning by visualizing medication mechanisms within patient scenarios. This study evaluated preregistration nursing students’ satisfaction and self-confidence when learning pharmacology through 3 patient-based VR simulations.
Methods
A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was conducted at a university in the United Kingdom. Phase 1 explored usability and learning experience through focus groups to inform iterative refinements to the simulations. Phase 2 evaluated student satisfaction and self-confidence using the National League for Nursing Student Satisfaction and Self-Confidence in Learning questionnaire. Qualitative data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, and quantitative data were descriptively summarized.
Results
Phase 1 identified themes of presence, flow, usability, learning consequences, and technology adoption. Phase 2 demonstrated high levels of student satisfaction and self-confidence.
Conclusions
Patient-based VR pharmacology simulations were associated with high levels of student satisfaction and self-confidence. Immersive visualization embedded within a structured learning sequence may support pharmacology education in preregistration nursing programs. Future research should examine knowledge retention, clinical performance, and transfer to practice
Systematic review of business strategies for climate-induced migration adaptation through ESG in Sub-Saharan Africa
Get PDFClimate change has displaced millions across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), deepening livelihood precarity and limiting prospects for return or resettlement. Yet the intersection of climate-induced migration and business sustainability strategies remains underexamined in both scholarship and practice. This systematic review investigates how Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies, typically applied for compliance and value creation, can be leveraged to enhance resilience and indirectly mitigate migration pressures. Drawing on evidence from the agriculture, energy, and service sectors, the review finds that while ESG interventions often support risk management and community stability, they seldom engage explicitly with migration dynamics. The paper highlights both the promise and limitations of current ESG practices and calls for more intentional integration of migration-sensitive approaches into business sustainability planning. It concludes by proposing the Sustainable ESG–Migration Integration Framework (SEMIF), a five-stage model to guide ESG–migration alignment and strengthen private sector contributions to adaptation and resilience
Book Review: Tomorrow’s lawyers: an introduction to your future: by Richard Susskind, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2023, 320 pp., £18.99 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-19-286472-7
No full textLearning Resources Review
Inclusive educational practice for children, young people and their families
No full textThis chapter is presented in two sections, first focussing on the contested topics of poverty and inclusion through the lens of lived experiences of children, young people and their families in relation to inclusive educational experiences. The impact of material deprivation on educational attainment is examined. Labels, such as ‘hard to reach’ are discussed, enabling reflection on their function in further diminishing marginalised and excluded families. The chapter critiques the progress of UK educational institutions to improve educational outcomes for children and young people experiencing inequalities, illustrating structural barriers which exacerbate exclusion. The next section focuses on the role of parents and carers as service shapers to influence quality early years' educational practice for young children experiencing special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Conceptualising service shaping as a model of participation, the chapter explains how participatory approaches can improve educational outcomes for young children. A case study undertaken in a Sure Start Children's Centre demonstrates how parental/carer participation can increase service user satisfaction and improve accessibility for children experiencing disability. Recommendations for practice include how to amplify parent voice to achieve the highest levels of participation and consider the willingness and abilities of organisations to position parents/carers as authentic partners
Urinary Epithelial Cell Adhesion Molecule (EpCAM) as a Noninvasive Biomarker for Detecting Clinically Significant Prostate Cancer in Men With Equivocal PSA Levels
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Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is widely used for prostate cancer screening, but its limited specificity in the diagnostic “grey zone” (4–10 ng/mL) results in unnecessary biopsies. This study evaluated urinary epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM), normalised to urinary creatinine, as a noninvasive biomarker for identifying clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) in men with equivocal PSA levels.
Methods
This cross-sectional study included 286 men with PSA levels of 4–10 ng/mL scheduled for prostate biopsy. Histopathological outcomes were classified using ISUP Grade Groups. Urinary EpCAM was quantified by ELISA, and diagnostic performance for csPCa was assessed using nonparametric analyses, ROC curves and logistic regression.
Results
Urinary EpCAM/Cr levels increased significantly across diagnostic categories and were highest in men with csPCa (p < 0.001). EpCAM/Cr showed strong discrimination for csPCa (AUC = 0.816), outperforming serum PSA and PSA density. In multivariable analysis, EpCAM/Cr (aOR = 1.07; 95% CI: 1.02–1.14; p = 0.009) and PSA density (aOR = 1.81; 95% CI: 1.20–3.18; p = 0.013) were independent predictors of csPCa, and EpCAM/Cr correlated positively with tumour aggressiveness (ρ = 0.609; p < 0.001).
Conclusion
Urinary EpCAM/Cr shows promise as a noninvasive biomarker for detecting csPCa in men with PSA levels in the diagnostic grey zone
A relationship- based approach to tackling unemployment in disadvantaged communities
Get PDFAs social pedagogues we have a keen interest in initiatives that benefit groups that are often overlooked, or groups suffering from multiple disadvantages. The Wellbeing Jobs Club is one such initiative. Set up by a community trust this club takes a holistic approach to supporting those trapped within the negative cycle of unemployment, recognising the impacts that this can have upon mental health and overall wellbeing. Our evaluation of the service collected survey and interview data from both club participants and job coaches. Our key findings included that: all participants were free to attend under their own volition and were always met with unconditional positive regard. This service provided a source of care and support with everyday challenges that caused attendees high anxiety and unique needs of a very diverse group were catered for. This club was clearly a lifeline to some of the most vulnerable in our communities and we call for increased funding for this, and similar initiatives
Loneliness and social isolation: What role can Meeting Centres for people affected by dementia in the United Kingdom play?
No full textLoneliness and social isolation are known issues for older people, particularly those living with dementia. As evidence-based social clubs helping people affected by dementia adjust to the changes that a diagnosis of dementia brings, Meeting Centres have the potential to reduce loneliness and social isolation.
Between May 2019 and December 2023, 29 Meeting Centres participated in data collection activities capturing demographics of members and carers. Loneliness data captured at six-month intervals were analysed using paired t-tests.
Over 1020 members and nearly 700 carers were supported by the 29 Meeting Centres. Attending a Meeting Centre had a positive impact on reducing loneliness and social isolation for members, with female members most likely to experience benefits. Similar benefits were not seen for carers, likely due to less participation in activities. While Meeting Centres play an important role in addressing loneliness and social isolation, greater impact may be possible by increasing their appeal to men and younger members, and encouraging active engagement and participation from carers, particularly those who are male and/or older.
The Meeting Centre network is ever-expanding with around 70 Meeting Centres operating across the UK. This study is the first to bring together data from those Meeting Centres engaging with data collection
Creating Patriotic Citizens for an Imperial Country? Value Inculcation in the Elementary Schools of Birmingham and Worcestershire, 1880–1902
Get PDFThis article investigates how, at a time of imperial growth, values of patriotic citizenship were taught to and learned by pupils in the elementary schools of Birmingham and Worcestershire. It argues that, although teaching in schools within the two areas was often very different, both nonetheless provided educational environments and curricula that encouraged the learning of moral, patriotic and imperial values through formal teaching and everyday school activities. This process was facilitated by frequent elision and conflation of morality with patriotic and imperial values. The reception of values is framed within research into children’s agency. A variety of techniques and materials are utilised to locate the hidden voice of schoolchildren, helping to illuminate their agentic ability to accept or refute the values taught
Are Specific Performance Factors Influenced by Stress-Related Sleep Disturbances in Basketball Players? A PRISMA-Guided Descriptive and Qualitative Systematic Review
Get PDFBackground: Basketball is an intermittent sport characterized by repeated high-intensity efforts interspersed with periods of active recovery. The physical and cognitive demands of the sport expose its players to multiple sources of stress, which may be associated with alterations in sleep and, in turn, with changes in athletic performance. The aim of this systematic review was to synthesize available evidence on whether stress-related sleep disturbances are associated with changes in specific performance factors in basketball players. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus (January 2010–July 2025). Studies assessing stress, sleep, and at least one performance-related outcome in basketball players were included. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Oxford Levels of Evidence and design-specific critical appraisal tools for observational and non-randomized studies. Due to methodological heterogeneity, no meta-analysis was performed, and a qualitative descriptive synthesis was performed. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (registration number: 1185938). Of the 202 records identified, 23 remained after screening, and 14 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the qualitative synthesis, requiring the assessment of stress, sleep, and performance outcomes in basketball players. Results: Most included studies reported associative relationships between competition or training-related stress and reduced sleep quality or duration, as well as alterations in selected basketball performance outcomes. Across studies, patterns emerged linking elevated competitive and personal stress, insufficient sleep and recovery outcomes, and performance-related changes, despite substantial variability in study design and measurement approaches. Conclusions: Overall, the evidence suggests that basketball-specific performance factors may be sensitive to stress-related sleep disturbances. These associative patterns underscore the importance of considering psychological well-being, recovery strategies, and sleep management in applied basketball contexts. Rather than supporting prescriptive intervention models, the findings highlight the value of integrated monitoring approaches that combine stress, sleep, and performance assessment to support player readiness and performance outcomes
Chronic ankle instability in females: effectiveness of home-based exercises following joint mobilisation
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Ankle sprains are the most common musculoskeletal disorder, with up to 70% developing CAI, linked to mechanical and functional insufficiencies such as reduced DFROM and disrupted afferent transmission. Joint mobilisations improve DFROM, increase afferent input, enhance dynamic balance, and self-reported function in those with ankle sprains. However, research on the combined effect of mobilisation and home-based exercises is limited. The study determines if home-based rehabilitation can enhance functional improvements in WB-DFROM and dynamic postural control, following Grade IV anterior-to-posterior ankle joint mobilisation in females with CAI.
Methods
The study adopted a randomised comparative intervention design. Forty-eight female athletes (age 22.5 ± 3.5 years) with unilateral CAI were randomly assigned to intervention or control groups. All participants received three 120-s Grade IV anterior-to-posterior talar joint mobilisation sessions, 48 h apart. The intervention group then completed 4 weeks of home-based rehabilitation exercises, with the control group maintaining normal activities. WB-DFROM and SEBT (ANT, PM, PL) were measured bilaterally before the first session, after the third, and weekly during rehabilitation. The uninjured limb served as a control. Data were analysed using mixed model ANOVAs and effect sizes with Hedge’s g.
Results
Significant differences were found after initial mobilisation in both groups (p ≤ 0.001) with ‘huge’ effect sizes. The intervention group showed significant improvements in WB-DFROM, PM, and PL across all 4 weeks, and in ANT for weeks 1, 2, and 3.
Conclusion
Joint mobilisation followed by home-based rehabilitation effectively treats CAI in females. An effective protocol includes three 120-s joint mobilisations in the first week, followed by 2 weeks of daily exercises targeting self-mobilisation and dynamic postural control