Transforming Nursing Education Through Interprofessional Collaborative Innovation: A Project Story.

This project story is about transforming nursing education through interprofessional collaborative innovation to develop and use a complement of technology-based portable simulation devices collectively known as the Healthcare Education Simulation Station. This collection of inexpensive, simulated point-of-care instruments controlled wirelessly by an instructor or simulation operator were developed and field tested by an interdisciplinary team to enhance learning experiences in several configurations, including those using standardized patients and those using static and low-, mid-, and high-fidelity manikins. The core feature of this project story is the collaboration of students and faculty from two unrelated disciplines, nursing and engineering. The story includes a description of the development, field testing, and initial deployment of a simulated pulse oximeter, capnograph, automated sphygmomanometer, cardiac monitor, thermometer, and fetal monitor. Underpinning this project story is Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation theory and how the characteristics of the innovation, the personnel, and the environment worked together to enable this project and the innovation's subsequent diffusion into nursing education. The aspiration to improve learning experiences for students in multiple disciplines was paramount. The desire to acquire high-quality, dynamic educational tools for nursing educators, coupled with an environment that encourages collaboration, led to an innovation that can transform nursing preparation and ultimately improve patient care, while minimizing cost.

Effective Utilization of Computerized Curricular Assistive Tools in Improving NCLEX-RN Pass Rates for a Baccalaureate Nursing Program.

Achieving satisfactory first-time pass rates on the national nursing licensure examination represents a challenge for nursing programs across the United States. The consequences of examination failure for first-time test takers can be devastating, both emotionally and financially. Nursing programs are evaluated by national higher-education credentialing bodies and state boards of nursing based on the first-time pass rate of their students. One Midwestern nursing program faced unsatisfactory first-time pass rates and developed strategies for improving first-time pass rates over a 3-year period. The nursing program utilized several strategies documented in the literature but found implementing computerized curricular assistive tools that complemented the nursing program's curriculum to be most effective. In addition, changing faculty and student culture on preparation for the national licensure examination was beneficial to all involved in the process.