ABSTRACT
The 2021 American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials: Core Competencies for Professional Nursing Practice articulate the standards for baccalaureate and graduate level nursing education in the 21st century. Integral to these expectations is the call for nurse educators to implement a competency-based education format. For nurse practitioner education programs, the curriculum must not only align with core competencies described by the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties (NONPF) and with the standards of the National Task Force (NTF), but will now also be framed in the Essentials. This article demonstrates a template for how nurse practitioner faculty can develop learning opportunities for students to demonstrate competency as they integrate and apply knowledge in the context of authentic practice situations. The impact of this innovation and standardization of nursing education sets the stage for a dynamic learning environment where all students can expect the same education and every employer can expect the same competence from their new hires.
Subject(s)
Education, Nursing, Graduate , Education, Nursing , Nurse Practitioners , Humans , Curriculum , Competency-Based Education , Clinical Competence , Nurse Practitioners/education , Faculty, NursingABSTRACT
PURPOSE: There is limited knowledge of nursing students' perspectives about engagement with special needs populations. The purpose of this study was to identify the advantages/benefits and disadvantages/challenges of nursing students' engagement experience with children with special mental and physical disabilities. Recommendations to enhance student engagement experiences were also provided. METHODS: A descriptive, qualitative design was employed. Undergraduate nursing students (N = 28) responded to open-ended questions about their civic engagement experiences at a community-based, respite care program for children with special needs. Student accounts underwent directed content analysis, with coding, category and theme development according to the Theory of Planned Behavior. The Atlas.Ti computer program was used to manage the data. RESULTS: Advantages/Benefits: Filling cognitive and experiential learning gaps, rewarding connections/relationships, positive emotions, perceptions and interactions, and fun and stress relief. Disadvantage/challenges: Managing negative/uncomfortable emotions and uncertainty, witnessing and managing disruptive behaviors, negative perceptions of program operations/expectations. CONCLUSIONS: Students experienced cognitive, emotional, interpersonal and educational advantages and/or disadvantages while engaging with this defined population. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: To enhance engagement faculty can provide education and anticipatory guidance, detail responsibilities and expectations, and/or utilize simulation for student preparation. Nurses and researchers can utilize community based participatory methods to guide discussions with community-based organizations to collaboratively develop strategies to institute, evaluate and enhance student engagement during service learning experiences with children who have special needs.
Subject(s)
Disabled Children , Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate , Students, Nursing , Child , Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate/methods , Humans , Learning , Problem-Based Learning , Students, Nursing/psychologySubject(s)
Education, Pharmacy , Nurse Practitioners , Pharmacy , Faculty , Humans , Nursing Education Research , PharmacistsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Clinical performance evaluation is a high-stakes assessment that requires a valid and reliable instrument. There appear to be no identified clinical evaluation instruments developed for nurse practitioner (NP) students that have undergone content validation. PURPOSE: This study describes the process to develop, validate, and pilot a clinical evaluation instrument for NP students framed in the Quality and Safety Education of Nurses Competencies for advanced practice. METHODS: Six expert nurse educators were recruited for the purpose of rating items for relevance for inclusion in the Quality and Safety Framed Clinical Evaluation Instrument for NP Students using the content validity index. The instrument was pilot tested in a primary care clinical course. RESULTS: Two rounds of review yielded a 34-item content validated instrument. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests that the Quality and Safety Framed Clinical Evaluation for NP Students is a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate the clinical performance of NP students.