Considering an Advanced Degree?

An advanced degree can expand knowledge and skills, enhance work performance, improve earning potential, increase contributions to the field, and promote a sense of accomplishment. This article provides nurses with a list of factors to consider prior to pursuing an advanced degree, and offers information on available master's and doctoral programs.

The Flipped Classroom Format and Nursing Professional Development.

The flipped classroom is increasingly described in the education literature. In the most basic terms, the phrase flipped classroom refers to learners doing some type of preparatory work prior to attending a class. Class time is then spent applying the content. This article includes an overview of evidence related to the flipped classroom, as well as examples of how the flipped format has been used in nursing professional development. Hints are included regarding planning and implementing a flipped classroom. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2019;50(10):449-454.].

Promoting Learning Using Case-Based Strategies in Nursing Professional Development.

Realistic situations can be used to develop a variety of learning activities, including case reports, standard and evolving case studies, and problem-based learning. Most case-based strategies are aimed at promoting learner interaction, problem solving, and collaborative learning. This article provides a description and discussion of how each can be applied. Hints for developing the different types of cases are included, followed by specific examples.

Strategies to Promote Learning and Engage Participants.

This article, the fifth part of the educational design series, addresses how nurse planners and nursing professional development practitioners can meet educational design process 5 in the American Nurses Credentialing Center primary accreditation criteria. This criterion corresponds with the Association for Nursing Professional Development's Nursing Professional Development: Scope and Standards of Practice. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2018;49(5):197-199.

Facilitating NPDP Role Development: One Healthcare System's Experience.

Transitioning into the Nursing Professional Development Practitioner role requires development of new knowledge and competencies, which takes time and resources. One healthcare system took advantage of the skills and experience of its expert Nursing Professional Development Specialists to efficiently and economically facilitate novices' role development. They created an online repository of learning materials to provide useful resources and demonstrate various presentation methodologies, thereby sharing their expertise and extending support to those new to nursing professional development practice.

Mobile Apps for Educational Purposes.

With the growing number of mobile resources, nurse educators and professional development practitioners have the opportunity to harness mobile applications as a tool for their education toolbox. Yet, the overwhelming availability of choices can lead to questions, such as the following: How do we locate apps without spending huge amounts of our valuable time? How do we know which apps to choose? How can we evaluate apps? This article is aimed at addressing these questions.

Mobile Apps for Educational Purposes.

With the growing number of mobile resources, nurse educators and professional development practitioners have the opportunity to harness mobile applications as a tool for their education toolbox. Yet, the overwhelming availability of choices can lead to questions, such as the following: How do we locate apps without spending huge amounts of our valuable time? How do we know which apps to choose? How can we evaluate apps? This article is aimed at addressing these questions.

Learning Needs Assessment: Not Only for Continuing Education.

An accurate assessment of what participants need to learn is a crucial initial step in planning educational activities. Methods for assessing learner needs can include reviewing the literature, benchmarking, reviewing documents, seeking learner input, and multiple other data collection methods. The purpose of this article is to provide nursing professional development practitioners with an overview of learning needs assessments, including definitions, categories, measurement tools, and steps to perform the assessment.

Engaging Learners With Social Media.

Can social media be used to promote learning? This article includes an overview of social networking sites with specific examples of how nursing professional development practitioners might use each for professional development activities.

Exploration of Learning Strategies Associated With Aha Learning Moments.

Educators recognize aha moments as powerful aspects of learning. Yet limited research has been performed regarding how to promote these learning moments. This article describes an exploratory study of aha learning moments as experienced and described by participants. Findings showed use of visuals, scenarios, storytelling, Socratic questions, and expert explanation led to aha learning moments. The findings provide guidance regarding the types of learning strategies that can be used to promote aha moments.

Balancing innovation and evidence.

Nurse educators are encouraged to use evidence to guide their teaching strategies. However, evidence is not always available. How can educators make decisions regarding strategies when data are limited or absent? Where do innovation and creativity fit? How can innovation be balanced with evidence? This article provides a discussion regarding other sources of evidence, such as extrapolations, theories and principles, and collective expertise. Readers are encouraged to review the options and then analyze how they might be applied to innovation in education.

Teaching Nurses About Research.

The purpose of this article is to provide educators with teaching and learning strategies aimed at engaging participants in learning more about research and related topics, such as quality improvement and evidence-based practice. This article includes various creative strategies.

Problem-based learning in the NICU.

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an educational strategy that provides learners with the opportunity to investigate and solve realistic problem situations. It is also referred to as project-based learning or work-based learning. PBL combines several learning strategies including the use of case studies coupled with collaborative, facilitated, and self-directed learning. Research has demonstrated that use of PBL can result in learners having improved problem-solving skills, increased breadth and analysis of complex data, higher-level thinking skills, and improved collaboration. This article will include background information and a description of PBL, followed by examples of how this strategy can be used for learning in neonatal settings.

Who is Billy Reuben? Health literacy and patient education.

The issue of health literacy is focused on whether health consumers understand and are able to apply the information provided to them. In the neonatal setting, limited parent and caregiver health literacy can result in increased stress and poor compliance with instructions. Health literacy and patient education go hand in hand. This article includes an overview of health literacy and how it applies to the neonatal setting. Information is provided to assist with assessing for health literacy. Hints and resources are also provided for improving patient and family education.

Education and learning: what's on the horizon?

Numerous organizations have called for significant changes in education for health care professionals. The call has included the need to incorporate evidence-based as well as innovative strategies. Previous articles in this column have focused primarily on evidence-based teaching strategies, including concept mapping, brain-based learning strategies, methods of competency assessment, and so forth. This article shifts the focus to new ways of thinking about knowledge and education. The article will also introduce evolving, innovative, less commonly used learning strategies and provide a peek into the future of learning.

Developing an interprofessional continuing education symposium for health care educators in Qatar.

An international interprofessional continuing education symposium was developed and implemented by a global faculty team in Qatar in March 2014. This symposium was undertaken as part of the country's goal of improving the quality of health care. After an extensive planning process, health care educators engaged in multiple types of learning experiences to enrich their knowledge and skills. Evaluation data support the value of this experience.

Contact hours, skills fairs, and competency assessment.

Various regulatory agencies have indicated the need to measure initial and ongoing competency among health care workers. Yet, what is competency and how can it be measured? In reality, competency assessment is about outcomes. Maintaining and advancing our knowledge, skills, and analytical abilities is important for achieving optimal patient outcomes. Competency assessment should go beyond the act of attending lectures and skills fairs. Competency assessment should be a time when nurses can demonstrate and document their problem-solving and decision-making skills, inclusion of best practices, and evidence of how those skills make a difference for the patients they care for.

NICU nurse educators: what evidence supports your teaching strategies?

One of our roles as nurse educators is to teach best practices related to patient care. However, have you ever stopped to think about what evidence supports your teaching strategies? Just as our patients deserve care that is based on the best available evidence, our learners also deserve education that is based on evidence.1-3 With so many advances in knowledge, technology, and even life itself, it is interesting that education has changed very little over the past 100 years. A study among 946 nurse educators documented that most teach the way they were taught.4 In addition, even after learning new strategies, educators often continue teaching in the manner they are most comfortable. However, this trend is beginning to change. Nurse educators are becoming increasingly aware of and willing to try new and innovative teaching strategies. Educators are also seeking out evidence-based teaching strategies and are becoming more involved in nursing education research.