Aligning Nursing Ethics With Critical and Open Pedagogy in Nursing Education: A Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: There is a need to increase access to nursing education that is meaningful and socially just. PURPOSE: To investigate the alignment of critical and open pedagogy in nursing education with nursing principles of ethics. METHOD: Narrative thematic synthesis literature review of Canadian and American sources related to nursing education. RESULTS: Thematic analysis of 29 full-text sources that align nursing ethical principles with critical and open pedagogy in nursing education. CONCLUSION: Critical and open pedagogy aligns with nursing practice ethics and facilitates meaningful and socially just nursing education experiences.

Establishing Meaningful Learning in Online Nursing Postconferences: A Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Effective teaching and learning strategies in online postconference can assist students to find meaning within clinical experiences. PURPOSE: To explore this, we completed a literature review about meaningful learning in online clinical postconferencing in prelicensure nursing education. METHODS: Articles that were peer-reviewed, published within the last 10 years, written in English, and addressed online learning in clinical postconferences in prelicensure nursing programs were included. RESULTS: Analysis revealed the following themes: connecting theory to practice, reflective practice, impact on future practice, peer and instructor support, mentoring and leadership development, giving and receiving feedback effectively, critical thinking, and engagement of active learners. Gaps were evident with minimal evidence-based practice described related to postconferences in general. Additionally, there is limited discussion of online postconferencing. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the nuances of meaningful learning in online postconference is critical to facilitating students' ability to connect theory to practice.

The Work of Preparing Canadian Nurses for A Licensure Exam Originating from the USA: A Nurse Educator's Journey into the Institutional Organization of the NCLEX-RN.

The licensing exam for registered nurses in Canada has recently been changed from a Canadian developed, owned and delivered exam to the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) which originates from the United States. Rationale for this exam change focused on transitioning to a computer-based exam that has increased writing dates, with increased security, validated psychometrics, increased exam result delivery, and an anticipated decrease in expense to students. Concerns have arisen around the acceptance, implementation and delivery of this exam to Canadian nursing students that reflects the broad Canadian landscape of education and nursing practice. The experience of a Canadian nurse educator in working to facilitate students' transition to this exam is addressed using an institutional ethnographic lens. Finally, we come to conclusions about the importance of countries utilizing licensing exams that reflect their nursing education and practice.

Educating Aboriginal Nursing Students: Responding to the Truth and Reconciliation Report.

A 2015 Canadian report from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission issued two calls for action that specifically challenge nursing education programs: a call to incorporate indigenous knowledge and learning, and a call to reduce health disparities between aboriginals and non-aboriginals. These calls to action raise questions for nurse educators regarding how best to recruit, retain, and educate aboriginal nursing students. A literature review was conducted to examine issues faced by aboriginal students in nursing programs, as well as cultural competence with nurse educators working with aboriginal students. While there is some literature that addresses the need for aboriginal students to successfully complete nursing programs and thus be able to provide effective health care to aboriginal people, the emphasis is largely upon strategies. Although there are some exceptions, these have largely been ineffective. We argue the need to think about thinking in order to improve the effectiveness of these strategies within Canadian programs, as well as nursing programs abroad.