An analysis of the English language needs of nurses in Japan

2018 Fiscal Year Research-status Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K00770
• Research Institution: The Japanese Red Cross Hiroshima College of Nursing
• Principal Investigator: Simon Capper 日本赤十字広島看護大学, 看護学部, 教授 (90290527)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): Porter Mathew 福岡女学院看護大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (60511475) ; 奥村 英則 日本赤十字広島看護大学, 看護学部, 准教授 (50280144)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: Nursing / English / Needs / Analysis

Outline of Annual Research Achievements

While progress has been slower than expected in the first year of this project, our research led us to a deeper understanding of how best to construct our research instrument. Rather than conducting post-survey interviews with nurses, we will obtain input from nurses by conducting a series of focus groups. In this way, we expect to create a more reliable survey tool, and hence, more valid response data.
Our project has now been reorganised into three stages, the first of which involves obtaining the input of working nurses. These stages are (i) Conducting Focus Groups with practicing nurses (ii) administering a local pilot survey (iii) conducting a full nationwide survey.
Ethical clearance has been obtained for the first stage, and we expect to carry out the focus groups from May-June 2019.

Current Status of Research Progress

3: Progress in research has been slightly delayed.

Reason

Progress was slower than expected, a result of the researchers' unfamiliarity with the procedures for obtaining ethical clearance within the university. Problems were also encountered with the requirement to submit all ethical review materials in Japanese.

We have addressed these issues by adding an additional native Japanese speaking researcher, and expect to make progress more smoothly over the next two years. Our decision to reorganise the flow of our enquiry will also save time during the final phase of the research, and we are confident that the research will be back on schedule by the end of academic year 2019.

Strategy for Future Research Activity

We are now in the process of convening and conducting focus group consultations with nurses currently working in Japanese hospitals. On conclusion of this stage, we will revise our survey. Once ethical clearance has been received, we will carry out a pilot survey with local hospitals. This will enable us to confirm the logistical aspects of the research and allow for further revisions prior to carrying out the survey on a larger scale, in line with our overall goal.

Causes of Carryover

Obtaining clearance from the Ethics Review Board took longer than expected, and caused us to delay carrying out the focus groups and the survey until the second year of our project. Most of the costs involved will involve the focus groups and the survey.