Testing the efficacy of a scaffolded writing intervention with online degree-completion nursing students: A quasi-experimental design

• Published in: Nurse education in practice Vol. 32; pp. 115 - 121
• Main Authors: Miller, Louise C., Russell, Cynthia L., Cheng, An-Lin, Zembles, Shawn
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Scotland Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2018; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Classrooms; Communication; Competence; Competency; Computer-Assisted Instruction; Curricula; Discipline; Documentation; Education; Education, Distance; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate - organization & administration; Female; Humans; Intervention; Literacy; Male; Midwestern United States; Nursing; Nursing baccalaureate; Nursing care; Nursing Education; Nursing Education Research; Nursing Evaluation Research; Pedagogy; Quasi-experimental design; Quasi-experimental methods; Research Design; Research Methodology; Self Efficacy; Student writing; Students, Nursing - psychology; Students, Nursing - statistics & numerical data; Teachers; Teaching Methods; Thinking Skills; Writing; Writing - standards; United States > US; Nursing baccalaureate; Education; Literacy; Competency; Quasi-experimental design; Self-efficacy
• ISSN: 1471-5953; 1873-5223
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2018.06.011

Writing should receive dedicated time in the nursing classroom for students to become competent writers, offering practical experiences for them to critically think and organize their ideas into meaningful messages. The purpose of this pre-post quasi-experimental study was to compare implementation of a scaffolded sequence of writing assignments (intervention) to typical writing assignments (comparison) in final coursework for baccalaureate nursing (BSN) completion students. Student writing self-efficacy and writing competency were measured pre and post coursework using the Post Secondary Writerly Self-Efficacy Scale, 6 + 1 Trait scale and Holistic scale. A convenience sample of 78 BSN-completion students at two Midwestern universities in the US were recruited to participate. The sample was primarily female (83%) and Caucasian (81%). There were no significant differences between the two groups on self-efficacy scores (p = 0.594). Significant group differences were noted on writing competency as assessed by the 6 + 1 Trait scale (p = 0.004) but not the Holistic scale (p = 0.024). No significant correlation between writing self-efficacy scores and writing competency were apparent (Holistic scale, p = 0.601; 6 + 1 Trait scale, p = 0.615). Writing skill-building needs attention to assure student competency. Educational interventions implemented in BSN education must be tested for efficacy and effectiveness. •Competency in writing are requisite skills for the baccalaureate prepared nurse.•Using simple to complex writing assignments increases student writing competency.•Writing self-efficacy can increase with structured repetition of writing tasks.•Educational interventions used in nursing classrooms should be tested for fidelity.