Nursing Practice Development: Blood Transfusion Lesson and Skills

This report provides a detailed analysis of a blood transfusion lesson designed for nursing students, focusing on facilitation and education skills. The lesson incorporates adult learning principles, including andragogy, experimental learning, and self-directed learning, to enhance knowledge retention and practical application. The report outlines the lesson plan, which includes a lecture, group discussion, and video demonstration of the blood transfusion procedure. It covers theoretical aspects such as indications and contraindications, along with practical considerations like adverse reactions and nursing responsibilities. The strategies to engage adult learners are discussed, emphasizing active learning, critical thinking, and the use of various instructional techniques. The report also highlights the importance of outcome-based teaching and learning, incorporating reflective analysis and the application of prior experiences to solve nursing problems. The goal is to empower students with the skills and knowledge necessary for effective and safe blood transfusion practices. The reflective analysis emphasizes the importance of critical reflection and the application of learned concepts to real-world scenarios, ensuring the lesson's relevance and practical value for nursing students. The report concludes by emphasizing the benefits of the lesson in both theoretical and practical aspects, highlighting the importance of empowering students to understand their accountability in the nursing field.

Facilitation and Education Skills for Practice
Development
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Introduction:
Nursing students are considered as the adult learners. Nursing students learning not only
comprise of education but it also contributes to the actual clinical practice. Hence, practical
aspects and life experiences need to be incorporated in the nursing education. Previous
educational experiences and sharing of knowledge and experiences need to be incorporated in
the nursing education. Bringing these experiences to the nursing education are being
considered as the characteristics of the nursing learners (Bland et al., 2011). In this activity,
educators and learners are of the same educational level. In this lesson, both theoretical and
practical aspects of the blood transfusion taught to the learners.
Lesson plan:
This teaching session include 15 minutes lecture and group discussion. This lecture is
planned to teach nurses about the blood transfusion. It also includes discussion among the
students and discussion with the instructor because interactive session would be beneficial in
the sharing of knowledge and improving knowledge of all the participants. In this lecture
almost all the aspects of the blood transfusion are covered which comprises of theoretical and
practical aspects. It starts with the outline of the subject; hence participants would come to
know what is going to happen in the next 15 minutes. This exercise would be helpful in the
augmenting interest of the participants and keep them engaged in the lecture. Outline
followed by objective of lecture. It would be helpful in the assessing the participants at the
end of the lecture. Nurse should be well versed with the practical aspects of blood
transfusion. However, nurse should understand theoretical aspects like introduction to the
subject, indications in which blood transfusion required and contraindications in which blood
transfusion should be avoided. After understanding theoretical aspects, nurse should be
demonstrated with practical procedure for blood transfusion (Rothgeb, 2008).
In this lesson, procedure for blood transfusion was demonstrated by using video media. Use
of video media would be more beneficial in demonstrating procedure as compared to the
other media. It would be helpful in providing every detail of the procedure. Hence, learner
learns the procedure with minimum margin of error. Learning with minimum error has more
importance because learning of procedure for the first time can be carried forward for the
longer duration in the real nursing practice. Information about adverse reactions of blood
transfusion during and after the procedure should be provided to participants. It would be
helpful for the nurses to take precautions during blood transfusion. Hence, nurse can
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implement nursing intervention to prevent or mange these adverse reactions (Paige & Morin,
2013). This lecture also give opportunity to the participants to think like performing blood
transfusion. Nursing responsibilities for blood transfusion also provided in the lecture. These
nursing responsivities along with the video for blood transfusion procedure provided
participants with detailed information about blood transfusion (Lasater, 2007).
Strategies to engage adult learners:
In this teaching session, attention was given to share responsibility by both instructor and
participants. Participants were given opportunity to be more proactive during the lecture and
self-directed in their learning. Along with nursing knowledge, participants got opportunity to
learn team process skills. Participants were evaluated to assess their knowledge gain during
lecture, along with this valuable feedback can also be obtained during the evaluation process.
Evaluation process also would be helpful in assessing participants progress towards meeting
objectives of the lesson. Reflection component of adult learners would be helpful in
establishing own criteria for self-assessment of learning. Learning-centred teaching and
learning was implemented in this lecture. This teaching method is inquiry based teaching and
learning process. In this approach, learner can apply critical thinking, analyse tangible
problems, work in collaboration, communicate effectively and demonstrate versatility.
Participants can search, evaluate and use literature resources in the learning process (Cant &
Cooper, 2010).
Teaching techniques:
There are different theories available for adult learning. These include andragogy,
neuroscience, experimental learning, self-directed learning and transformational learning.
Andragogy, experimental learning, self-directed learning and transformational learning were
incorporated in this lesson of blood transfusion. Knowle’s Andragogy theory states that
adults experience can guide them to improve their learning. Mezirow’s transformation theory
is based on the new ideas which are based on the prior experiences. Experimental theory
based on the application of prior experience in the learning. According to this, learning can
be augmented by experiencing learning instead of memorizing. Foundation of experiences
and knowledge of adult learners have implications like recognizing expertise of participants
and encouraging other participants to share their knowledge and experience (Kenner &
Weinerman, 2011; Abdullah & Islam, 2011).
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This is a clinical teaching method for nursing students. In clinical teaching method, different
components like exposure, participation, identification, internalization and dissemination
were incorporated. Participants got exposure to blood transfusion procedure through video
media. These participants took participation in learning process through discussion.
Identification quality developed in the participants through understanding of the critical
parameters like adverse reactions. Dissemination of the knowledge to the participants
occurred through different modes like theoretical teaching, practical exposure and group
discussion. ‘Cause and effect’ relationship is the important component of the nursing
education. In this lesson, this relationship is mentioned in the form of adverse reactions.
Teaching and learning in this nursing lesson comprise of different techniques, art and science
(Keskitalo et al., 2014).
Outcome based teaching and learning proved to be most effective method for nursing
education. In this method, regular evaluation of the of the learners is required to meet
objectives of the lecture. In this lesson also, outcome based teaching and learning was
impended in the form of activity. In activity, participant need to explain accurate role in
blood transfusion. Hence, it would be helpful in the evaluating outcome of the lesson. It is
difficult to designate a single method as the best method for nursing and method of teaching
should be based on the content of the lesson. Teaching method should be selected based on
the complex understandings like instructor and student’s context. Instructor should
understand knowledge and understandings of the student and practical skills. Teaching to the
adults should be designed based on the interest of the adults. This method proved beneficial
in adults because adult learners can tell specifically best method for their learning (Joseph,
2013).
Resources and skills :
Adult learners are goal-oriented and relevance-oriented. This makes adult learners more
organised with clear objectives. In this lesson also, specific objective of the learners is to gain
complete knowledge of the blood-transfusion technique. Relevance of adult learner’s training
can be evident from the orientation of training objectives with the training activities.
Relevance of the adult training is also evident from the activities and information gained
through training which is useful in the actual job. In this lesson, training was provided for
blood transfusion which is one of the important activities of the nursing intervention. Self-
directed and autonomous nature of the adult learners is beneficial in improving involvement
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of participants, serving as facilitator and in determining interests of learners. Satisfactory
respect should be given to the adult learners. Knowledge and experience of the adult learners
should be acknowledged and these adult learners should be equally treated rather than
treating them as subordinates. It can be accomplished by engaging them in the discussion
(Collins & Martin, 2010).
In this lesson of blood transfusion also appropriate respect was given to the participants by
involving them in the discussions during lecture. It was proved that active learning is more
beneficial for the adult learners. Active learning includes more engagement of the learner and
implementation of different instructional techniques to improve retention of knowledge. This
lesson is not only instructional, however it is based on the principle of critical andragogy.
According to this principle, there should be introduction of subject, concepts and theory to
the students and asking students to discuss about the subject (Phipps et al., 2013). This lecture
consists of all the qualities of effective lesson which comprises of minimum slides with
coloured pictures. There are different teaching techniques like lecture, reading, use of audio-
visual media, demonstration, group discussion and practice by doing. Efficiency of learning
and teaching in adult learners gets augmented from lectures to practice by doing with least
efficiency with lectures and highest efficiency with practice by doing. Instructional strategies
in the adult learning comprises of quiz, games, role-playing, brainstorming, group problem
solving and lecture. In this lesson of blood transfusion instructional strategies like role-
playing, brainstorming, group problem solving were implemented. Example of role-playing
in this training session was discussion among participants and with the instructor about the
blood transfusion (Lack & Bruce, 2014).
There are mainly six components for the adult learning like visual, aural, print, tactile,
interactive and kinaesthetic. In this lesson also visual and aural principles of adult learning
were used in the form of power point presentation. Print and tactile principles were not used
in this lesson. Interactive principle was used in this lesson by promoting participants in the
discussion. Adult learning principle also include self-directed learning for adults. In this
lesson also, self-directed learning included in the form of activity. In activity, participants
should think themselves as performing blood transfusion. It promotes self-understanding of
the blood transfusion procedure by the participants. Adult learning principle also include
opportunities for the learner to reflect critically. In this lesson, participants were given
opportunity to express their role during procedure. In this exercise of expression of role
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during procedure, participants can express their views in the both positive and negative
aspects (Hughes & Quinn, 2013; Guglielmino, 2013).
Instructional design prior to lesson, is important aspect in the adults learning. In this lesson
also, instructional design is provided in the form of outline of the lesson. For effective
training, objectives of the training and related outcomes and benefits of the training should be
mentioned in the lecture. This lesson also includes objectives directed towards outcome of the
lesson (Myrick & Tamlyn, 2007). All the components related to the andragogy like need for
knowledge, motivation, willingness, experience, self-direction and orientation to learning
were incorporated in this lesson. Critical thinking component of the transformation learning
was implemented in this lesson.
Reflective analysis:
Reflective observation component of the experimental learning was incorporated in this
lesson. Critical reflection is superior method as compared to criticising learner. Critical
reflection also promotes sharing of experiences instead of expressing experience of instructor
alone. These methods are helpful in knowledge retention, skill building and on-the-job
application. There should be purpose for the learning. This learning should have practical
application and solve the nursing problem. In this lesson also, participants learned blood
transfusion techniques because it is very important in effective health care delivery and has
potential to save lives of the people. It can be achieved by performing effective blood
transfusion in right quantity, good quality, to right person and for the right indication. Hence,
purpose of effective nursing intervention can be achieved in adult learning. Adults should use
their own experiences and knowledge for learning new things. In case of adverse reactions,
nurse should learn about the adverse reactions related to the blood transfusion. Nurse should
manage these adverse reactions during blood transfusion. For management adverse reactions,
learner can use prior knowledge of adverse reactions for its management (Rudolph et al.,
2007).
There was experience of professional authority during this training programme because wider
knowledge was delivered to the participants. Knowledge and information were directed in the
hierarchial relationship from the instructor to the participants. In this lesson, it was
established that nursing teaching more inclined towards learner-centred teaching. Critical
thinking during the teaching session could give the students opportunity to become better
caregivers. Nursing teaching can be more democratic even with the implementation of
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traditional hierarchical models. Goal of the nursing teaching was to empower students to
understand their definitive accountability. It is evident from this lesson that even though, few
students were sceptical about reflective practice, they found useful in nursing teaching (Graue
et al., 2015).
Conclusion:
From this lesson, participants benefited in both theoretical and practical aspects. Apart from
this, learners got opportunity to express self-directedness, suggestions and self-reflection. As
a result, instructors got immediate feedback of the lesson. Reflective discussions and
performance outcomes helped participants to get inspired to progress in actual clinical
practice. Most of the components incorporated in the lesson proved beneficial in improving
engagement of the participants in learning process. Augmented engagement in the learning
process can improve retention of the knowledge. In nursing teaching, educational
environment should be created based on the needs and understanding of the students which
would be helpful in creating more opportunity for adult learners.
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