Contribution of an instructional module for lymph node evaluation: An experiment.
Francine Lima Fulquini, Cristina Mara Zamarioli, Bárbara Gadioli and 3 others
PMID 33852680WHAT IT FOUND
Nursing students using a simulated lymph node palpation module identified characteristics like size, consistency, and mobility significantly better than a control group.
The experimental group showed much higher odds of correct assessment, suggesting this tool effectively improves clinical examination skills.
Key findings
01The experimental group had significantly higher odds of correctly assessing consistency, mobility, and size compared to the control group in the final phase.
02Participants in the experimental group were far more likely to correctly assess lymph node characteristics in the final phase compared to the initial phase.
03The instructional module contributed to increased knowledge of nursing students on the assessment of lymph node size, consistency, mobility, and coalescence.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted on a simulation prototype, not real patients, so it measures knowledge acquisition rather than clinical diagnostic accuracy in practice. The instructional module was used only once; the authors note that multiple exposures might yield better results. Masking was limited to the outcome evaluator and statistician, not the students or instructors. The sample consisted of students from a single institution, limiting generalizability.
Declared interests
The study was financed by CAPES and CNPq, Brazilian public funding agencies. The authors declared no other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high odds ratios as evidence that this module improves patient outcomes or clinical diagnosis in real-world settings. The study measures performance on a simulated prototype among students, not the ability to correctly assess actual patients.