This study investigated the effects of an online interprofessional education (IPE) program on nursing students at a university in Japan. It conducted a comparative analysis between traditional face-to-face and online interventions. All students who enrolled in the “Team Medical Practice” course in both 2019 and 2020 were invited to participate. After team-based learning with different healthcare professions, we quantitatively analyzed pre- and post-intervention outcomes using two measures: the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and the IPE Questionnaire TSUKUBA model (IPET). We compared the results of 153 nursing students. The RIPLS results demonstrate significant pre- and post-intervention score differences in the teamwork and collaboration subscale for the online group only. The post-IPE score analysis revealed that scores were significantly higher in the online group in all subscales: Teamwork and collaboration, Opportunities for IPE, and Uniqueness of profession. Based on the IPET results, there were no significant differences in pre- and post-intervention scores. However, the online group showed a significant increase in post-intervention scores in participation in group work, thoughts about the team in health and welfare, and thoughts about interprofessional collaboration. These findings indicate that the online IPE program improved nursing students’ readiness for interprofessional learning, demonstrating practical efficacy.

Aim: This study aimed to identify factors related to practical Pediatric Basic Life Support (PBLS) skills among nursery school teachers in regional Japanese cities. Background: Reducing the mortality rate of infants and young children owing to unintentional injuries is a critical issue in every country. Nursery school teachers, caring for preschool children should possess accurate knowledge and confidence in their responses to emergencies. However, their practical skills in this area have yet to be investigated. Methods: This study was conducted with 608 nursery school teachers from 45 nursery schools in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Data were collected using the PBLS practical skills questionnaire created by the authors and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Japanese version (UWESJ17). Multiple regression analysis extracted factors related to PBLS practical skills. Analysis was conducted using SPSS Statistics version 29.0, with the significance level set at less than 5%. Results: Among participants, 57.8% were in their 40s or older, and 61.8% had over 10 years of nursery school teaching experience. Multiple regression analysis resulted in a model with six predictors, including experience taking a PBLS course, UWESJ17 score, and regular PBLS training at nursery school. Conclusion: Factors related to the PBLS practical skills of nursery school teachers included personal and facility factors. Employers should establish regular and effective PBLS training programs, mandatory for all nursery school teachers. Injury prevention and response manuals should be distributed to all schools, ensuring consistency and preparedness. This study focused on one region of Japan; therefore, further research in diverse contexts is needed.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and the government’s emergency declarations in Japan may have influenced people’s mental health. In particular, among women, there are concerns about the occurrence of neuroses, such as depression and anxiety. Objective: This study aimed to identify the factors related to mental distress among women in Japan who were raising children amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online survey was conducted in 2020 among 730 Japanese women raising preschoolers. The survey included questions about child-rearing, anxiety, and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12). The average age of the respondents was 34.4 years (21–52 years), and 31.5% of the respondents were living in “Prefectures under Specific Cautions” areas. Results: The prevalence of clinically significant levels of mental distress according to GHQ-12 scores was 41.5%. The highest predictor of mental distress was “Maternal anxiety about child-rearing” (Odds Ratio = 3.27, 95% Confidence Interval: 2.41–4.45). Other factors that affected their mental condition included concerns about children’s health and avoiding visiting hospitals for treatment. Conclusion: Mothers raising preschoolers experienced increased mental distress because of pandemic-related closures and heightened maternal anxiety about child-rearing. Thus, women who are raising preschoolers and confined to their homes need to be provided mental healthcare.

Background/Objectives: Opportunities for pre-service midwifery students to manage postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), a high-risk, infrequent emergency, are limited. Virtual reality (VR) can provide contextual decision-making practice, whereas mannequin training provides tactile psychomotor practice. Evidence on combining these modalities and their instructional sequence remains limited. This exploratory pilot study examined implementation and preliminary outcomes of a blended lecture–VR–mannequin program. Methods: Ten final-year midwifery students were allocated by drawing lots to lecture–VR–mannequin (L–VR–M; n = 5) or lecture–mannequin–VR (L–M–VR; n = 5). Performance was assessed using an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) before and after the program; motivation was assessed using the Course Interest Survey after the program. Analyses were exploratory, with effect sizes and Hodges–Lehmann confidence intervals reported alongside p values. Results: No statistically significant between-sequence differences were found. Across all participants, the median OSCE score increased from 34.5 (IQR, 31.0–35.0) to 44.0 (IQR, 41.0–45.0); the paired median difference was 10.5 points (95% CI, 9.0–15.5; p = 0.005; r = 0.89). This change cannot be attributed solely to the program because there was no no-intervention control and the same scenario was repeated. Uterine fundal massage showed a relatively large exploratory effect favoring L–VR–M (r = 0.54), but the confidence interval included no difference. Conclusions: The program was deliverable within one approximately 4 h session and was associated with higher post-program OSCE scores in this small cohort. The design does not establish effectiveness or an optimal sequence because of the very small sample, baseline imbalance, non-blinded assessors, and possible testing and practice effects. A larger controlled study using alternate OSCE scenarios, blinded assessors, and delayed follow-up is required.

Background: Patients with hereditary neuromuscular disorders and their family members often experience emotions such as fear and shame toward the hereditary nature of those disorders. Aim: This study aimed to examine the support provided by public health and visiting nurses to patients undergoing home-based treatment and their family members in Japan, focusing on how their needs were perceived prior to being connected with forms of support. Methods: The Modified Grounded Theory Approach was employed. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants working in nursing-related occupations, all of whom had given consent. The interview contents were included in the form of transcripts, and text excerpts related to support provided for the purpose of continuous home-based treatment were identified. Concepts were generated from these excerpts and organized into categories, which were used to create a diagram illustrating relationships among them. Results: Support provided by those in nursing-related occupations involved a process using appropriate methods through the flexible adaptation of multiple roles. The central category was “Techniques for Opening Up”; grounded in this, nurses also took on the role of “Supporting Serious Decisions.” Through “Team Play,” nurses strengthened the social support available in regional areas. Nurses further assumed the role of “Advisor for Hereditary Problems” while continuing to engage in “Continue[ing] to Connect across Generations.” Conclusion: Individuals working in nursing-related occupations in Japan provided support to patients with hereditary neuromuscular disorders and their family members through flexible adaptation of multiple roles. These findings suggest the need for enhanced education and training in genetic nursing, particularly in community-based settings. These findings suggest the need for enhanced education and training in genetic nursing, particularly in community-based settings.