Nursing Students Short Attention Span and How to Make the Class Interesting

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Attention is a highly complex cognitive process that involves selecting important issues while ignoring those that are less important. Attention and concentration are important for behavioral and physical responses. A conscious person has active and passive forms of attention. By definition, active attention is a voluntary process of increased concentration, alertness, and interest as well as the needs of an individual (Takase et al., 2019). For example, hunger and curiosity are stimulants for active attention. On the contrary, passive attention is a voluntary cognitive process that can be distracted easily by an external effect or stimuli. The span of attention or attention span is the maximum amount of material that one can attend to in one period of attention, whether auditory or visual (Hampton et al., 2020). In life, attention is a powerful asset for humans, and when used properly, it has numerous benefits to an individual. In education, attention is the most important aspect that learners must possess in class as it requires them to concentrate on the teacher and the items of study.

Identification of the Problem

In nursing, a prolonged attention plan is necessary for learners to concentrate on the issues discussed or studied and helps improve the rate of knowledge and skill acquisition. Nevertheless, this is not always the case in nursing schools because the problem of short attention span is common to many nurse students (Hampton et al., 2020). Nursing students tend to lose focus and attention in class due to a number of reasons, which reduces the attention span. For example, the presence of other people, objects, and materials in class as well as in healthcare facilities where nurses take some lessons can attract the attention of the learner and reduce attention span (Takase et al., 2019). In addition, the students are likely to start thinking about other matters in life, which also reduces attention span.

Prevalence of the Problem, Significance, and Relevance to Practice

The prevalence of short attention span among nursing students is not well studied, but it can be deduced from the results of other related studies in other fields. According to Hampton and Keys (2017), normal humans spend about 45% of their total time concentrating on other things apart from what they are supposed to do or think at a specific time. In addition, research shows that among college students, over 40% report that they are frequently disrupted and loses attention frequently when in class or during practical lessons (Hampton et al., 2020). Students report that out of a lesson of about an hour, about 20 minutes are wasted when thinking or looking at other issues apart from what they are expected to be doing at that particular time. Nursing students are essentially at the college level and are likely to fall victim to the short attention span problem. However, it is worth noting that the short attention span among nursing students is likely to be a much bigger problem than among the general college students because of the learning environment in nursing (Takase et al., 2019). For instance, most nursing lessons are conducted at medical facilities where other factors not common in a general class are present and can cause attention disruption. For example, the learning environment for nurse students may include such things as the presence of patients, staff, medical equipment, and others, all of which can disrupt the learners (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2018). Furthermore, the use of technologies such as smartphones, tablets, and computers in class is increasingly causing disruption and short attention spans among students. This problem is likely to reduce the rate of knowledge and skill acquisition and also reduce the general performance of the students if not well addressed.

Problem Statement

In nurse education, students are exposed to a learning environment that includes materials, people, and objects that are not common in common classrooms. Students are also exposed to a learning environment that demands them to practice and might include the presence of patients and hospital staff. Furthermore, nurse students are allowed to carry and use technology and gadgets such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets to enhance learning (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2018). In addition, the learning environment for nurse students includes medical equipment and technologies. The presence of all these objects, people, and technologies have some negative effects in that they can disrupt the learners and reduce their attention span (Hampton et al., 2020). These objects are likely to attract the attention of the learners and distract their attention. Consequently, this environment poses a challenge to the educators as they need to ensure that students’ attention is focused on education as much as possible.

Project Objectives

This project seeks to help nurse educators ensure that their classes are as interesting as possible as a means of attracting the full attention of the learners. The purpose is to address the problem of short attention span among the nurse students as they are exposed to the complex learning environment. Consequently, the specific objectives of this project are as follows:

To develop strategies for making nursing classes more interesting for learners
To design a curriculum that includes attention-seeking objects and activities in nursing classes
To help nurse students adapt to a complicated environment and increase attention span in class

Proposed Methods and Strategies for Improving Student Attention and Interactions

Nurse educators need to devise certain methods and strategies for making the classroom more interesting and attracting the attention of the learners. The idea is to make sure that there are minimal factors that disrupt the learners’ attention or affect their concentration (Hampton, Welsh & Wiggins, 2020). Based on this view, this project proposes four strategies- including discussions between the students during lessons, physical activities, attention breaks, and adjustment of time frames.

Class Discussions

Nursing is an interesting course that involves scientific and social approaches, practicals, and experiments. While experiments and practical lessons are less likely to be boring, a large part of the nursing curriculum requires theories, which could be less interesting to the learners (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2018). Indeed, students report that they are more likely to have short attention spans during theory classes than when doing experiments and practicals (Hampton et al., 2020). Therefore, it is necessary to focus on the theory classes where attention span is likely to be reduced among the learners.

For educators, it is important to ensure that the students are involved in interesting discussions during theory classes. The idea is to pose questions or problems and ask the learners to discuss among themselves to find solutions (Hampton et al., 2020). The discussions could involve debates and brainstorming where the teacher does not interfere but allows the learners enough freedom to speak their minds. In this way, it is possible to reduce the short attention span.

Physical Activities

Learners who struggle with attention tend to do better when given brief breaks for other active tasks. For nurse students, it is important that such activities be included in the lesson plan. For example, it is suggested that the learners be given time to walk and jog around for around ten minutes in the middle of the lesson (Im & Jang, 2019). Students can also be allowed a few minutes to sing in class, which is likely to attract their attention back to the lesson.

Attention Breaks

It is suggested that the nurse educators teach the learners what paying attention means. At periodic intervals, the educators should have practice attention breaks that. Using a timer of an app, the educator should have a signal go off during the learning period, and the students can mark whether they were paying attention (Hampton et al., 2020). The idea is to help the students understand the importance of paying attention in class and determine how often they are distracted. In addition, by making the students learn about the problem of short attention span, they can work out on their own to improve their ability to pay extended attention in class.

Adjust Time Frames

During a lesson, it is necessary for the educator to consider adjusting time frames and ensuring that tasks are broken into pieces. For instance, for theoretical classes, the educator should move the class to morning hours when the learners are still fresh and alert (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2018). Practical lessons and experiments should be moved to evening hours, especially after lunch, because this is the time they are likely to feel bored and have an urge to rest or sleep (Hampton et al., 2020). Furthermore, practical lessons should be broken into pieces such that the students are not bombarded with a lot of theories at a time.

Implications for Change in Practice

Once the proposed strategies in this project have been adopted and applied in the nurse curriculum and lesson plans, it is expected that the classrooms will be more interesting for the learners. The learning environment needs to be as interesting as possible for the learners to achieve their full concentration. First, discussions will change the classroom environment as it will increase the level of engagement among the learners and between the educator and the students (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2018). Discussions have been shown to be a major strategy for engaging the students and allowing them to learn on their own (Takase et al., 2019). The teacher acts as the leader and gives a lot of freedom to the students to discuss issues and find solutions freely. In addition, discussions will ensure that those who struggle with short attention spans are able to talk with each other and relieve their minds of the non-essential things that affect their attention (Chicca & Shellenbarger, 2018). In the same way, active tasks during lessons can ensure that the students relax their bodies and minds and interact with each other (Hampton et al., 2020). The idea is to ensure that those who struggle with short attention spans are able to relax and relieve their minds. Teaching the students some methods of improving their concentration in class can help fight the problem on their own (Takase et al., 2019). Since nurse students are most likely young adults, they can freely express their problems with short attention spans and adopt new skills and methods of solving the problem. Furthermore, adjusting time frames has proved effective in ensuring that learners pay attention to class and avoid thinking about other things (Takase et al., 2019). Boring lessons are best placed in the morning hours because the students are likely to be fresh from night sleep. Evening hours are good for the lessons that involve activities such as practical and experiments since the involved tasks attract the attention of the learners more than theory classes.

Conclusion

The problem of short attention span can affect learning and should be an issue for nurse educators when making lesson plans. It is worth noting that attention is a powerful asset for humans, and when used properly, it has numerous benefits to an individual. In education, attention is the most important aspect that learners must possess in class as it requires them to concentrate on the teacher and the items of study. A prolonged attention plan is necessary for learners to concentrate on the issues discussed or studied and helps improve the rate of knowledge and skill acquisition. However, many learners struggle with the attention plan and can lag behind in knowledge and skill acquisition in nursing. Therefore, this project has proposed the strategies that need to be adopted when making lesson plans for nursing students. The idea is to have multiple methods that can help improve the learners’ concentration and reduce disruptions likely to affect their knowledge and skill acquisition.

References

Chicca, J., & Shellenbarger, T. (2018). Connecting with Generation Z: Approaches in nursing education. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 13(3), 180-184.

Hampton, D. C., & Keys, Y. (2017). Generation Z students: Will they change our nursing classrooms. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 7(4), 111-115.

Hampton, D., Welsh, D., & Wiggins, A. T. (2020). Learning preferences and engagement level of generation Z nursing students. Nurse Educator, 45(3), 160-164.

Im, S., & Jang, S. J. (2019). Effects of a clinical practicum using flipped Learning among undergraduate nursing students. Journal of Nursing education, 58(6), 354-356.

Takase, M., Imai, T., Niitani, M., & Okada, M. (2019). Teaching context contributing to nursing students’ adoption of a deep approach to learning. Journal of Professional Nursing, 35(5), 379-388.

Appendix

Annotated Bibliography

Chicca, J., & Shellenbarger, T. (2018). Connecting with Generation Z: Approaches in nursing education. Teaching and Learning in Nursing, 13(3), 180-184. Web.

This article identifies the generational influences and the specific characteristics of the members of Generation Z who are now in college. Such characteristics can challenge nurse educators and require them to use new approaches when teaching nurse students who belong to Gen Z.

Hampton, D. C., & Keys, Y. (2017). Generation Z students: Will they change our nursing classrooms. Journal of Nursing Education and Practice, 7(4), 111-115. Web.

This research paper focuses on the characteristics of the members of Generation Z in their college years. The authors suggest the best methods for developing a good learning environment for teaching nurse students belonging to this generation.

Hampton, D., Welsh, D., & Wiggins, A. T. (2020). Learning preferences and engagement level of generation Z nursing students. Nurse Educator, 45(3), 160-164. Web.

In this study, the authors identify the teaching methods that best suit nurse students who belong to Generation Z based on their preferences to improve their engagement in class and skill acquisition.

Im, S., & Jang, S. J. (2019). Effects of a clinical practicum using flipped Learning among undergraduate nursing students. Journal of Nursing education, 58(6), 354-356. Web.

The aim of the study was to verify the effectiveness of flipped learning method when teaching nurse students of mental health programs. A retrospective research design was applied, and the authors found that the method is effective for improving nurse education programs as it helps in engaging the students.

Takase, M., Imai, T., Niitani, M., & Okada, M. (2019). Teaching context contributing to nursing students’ adoption of a deep approach to learning. Journal of Professional Nursing, 35(5), 379-388.Web.

This article provides detailed expert analysis on the best methods for teaching context contributing to the adoption of a deep approach to learning for nurse students.

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