Two foreigners who studied under Ms. Chizuru Salvador (head of Nihongo Salon ASA) passed the National Nursing Examination for 2023 in Japan. In the past, ASA has helped EPA retakers pass the exam with their original “memorization flashcards,” but this year, in January, ASA was able to provide more effective learning support with their newly developed “Past Exam Review Tool.” The questions in the past exams are extracted by keywords. Reviewers submit their answers via Google Form. Upon submitting their answers, they receive automated scoring results and explanations in plain Japanese. The instructor can observe trends in learners’ answers and also accumulate data on them.
ASA’s free online study sessions place particular emphasis on jokyo setttei mondai (questions about nursing situation). Previous studies have pointed out that the percentage of correct answers to jokyo setttei mondai among non-Japanese examinees is low. The reasons for this were said to include gaps in Japanese language ability and socio-cultural differences, but the ASA believes that the difference in scores between Japanese and non-Japanese examinees is due to “differences in training in the comprehensive assessment of patients” (Japanese nursing students are taught this thoroughly). (Japanese nursing students are thoroughly taught this. Naturally, this gives them an advantage on the National Exam.) This is difficult to acquire on one’s own. ASA aims to develop their assessment skills through repeated dialogues in simultaneous interactive classes. In doing so, students recognize areas in which they have difficulty. Then, using the “Past Exam Review Tool” by themselves, they overcome the weak areas and consolidate their assessment skills. According to Ms. Salvador, the combination of the simultaneous interactive online classes and the unique learning support tool has been very effective.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Ms. Salvador worked face-to-face with Filipino EPA nurse returnees to help them prepare for retaking the exam. Due to scheduling conflicts, those who were working were unable to participate. However, when ASA switched to online classes during the pandemic, foreign nurses who were working in Japan, as well as those in other countries, were able to take the course. For this year’s examinees, ASA had been holding online study sessions twice a week since last June. At the same time, the seventh wave of Covid-19 pandemic hit Japan from July to September in 2022, leading to significant disruption in hospitals and nursing care facilities. Foreign nurse aids and care workers with no family members living with them were forced to shoulder heavy burdens. Despite this backdrop, reviewers gave up every spare moment to attend online study sessions and actively engage in self-study tool assignments.
ASA plans to hold free study sessions twice a week this year, starting in June, in preparation for the National Exam for 2024. (Private study sessions will be held for a fee.) They are hopeful that they can offer more effective study support for the batch 2024 since they can introduce the new “Past Exam Review Tool” as early as June.
