COMPARISON BETWEEN TWO TEACHING STRATEGIES FOR PEDIATRIC DRUG DOSAGE CALCULATION AMONG UNDERGRADUATING NURSING STUDENTS

Background: Calculation of medication dosages can be the challenging for nursing students. Nurse educators are able to design and develop effective methods that consider  the cognitive structures and how the mind processes information to teach pediatric medication content to nursing students. The aim of the study was to compare between two teaching strategies for pediatric drug dosage calculation among under graduating nursing students Research design: A quasi-experimental study research design. Sample: Ninety nursing students in the third academic year who were studying pediatric nursing course who divided into two groups: low fidelity simulation (group I, or the study group) and  traditional classroom (group II, or the comparison group). Setting: In the faculty of nursing in the South Valley University conducted this study. The tool of data collection: This study used one tool consisted of two parts: part 1 socio-demographic questionnaire and part 2: pre-dosage calculation test and post-dosage calculation test. Results: Increase mean score of knowledge among nursing students who included in the low-fidelity simulation experience (Group I) (6.69 ± 3.08; 12.71 ± 2.74) pre and posttest respectively as well as increase mean score of knowledge of nursing students who included in the traditional classroom experience (Group II) (3.20 ± 1.75; 11.58 ± 2.02) pre and posttest respectively, there was highly statistical significant p < 0.000. Illustrate that more increase the mean score of performance among nursing students who included in the low-fidelity simulation experience (Group I) than another group 2.58 ± 2.08; 12.73 ± 2.67) pre and posttest respectively. Conclusion: Lack of knowledge of basic math principles before intervention with different teaching strategies but after intervention with different teaching strategies increase the score of knowledge among nursing students who included in the low-fidelity simulation experience (Group I) equals as the score of knowledge who included in the traditional classroom experience (Group II). While increase mean score of performing of nursing students who included in the low-fidelity simulation experience (Group I) better than who included in the traditional classroom experience (Group II) posttest. Recommendations: Replicate the study with a larger sample size of students within each demographic group. Conduct a longitudinal study to measure retention of skills. Research could be conducted to see if the actual rates of dosage calculation errors are decreased in the clinical setting.