Not left to chance: introducing an undergraduate interprofessional education curriculum.

Teaching diverse health profession students to work in teams, communicate, understand each other's roles and responsibilities, and effectively collaborate is imperative for creating a practice-ready workforce. This short report introduces an innovative undergraduate interprofessional curriculum for students enrolled in the baccalaureate majors of applied exercise science, athletic training, dental hygiene, nursing and pre-occupational therapy. The process of designing this program of study, guided by the method of appreciative inquiry, is highlighted. The format and learning activities created for this novel curriculum are described. Congruence for this endeavor is explored through alignment with the recent national Interprofessional Education Collaborative expert panel report. Preparing graduates to fulfill the dual identity of discipline-specific clinician and interprofessional team member is an essential curricular consideration for contemporary health profession education.

Exploring the Development of Nursing Clinical Judgment Among Students Using Virtual Reality Simulation.

BACKGROUND: Virtual reality simulation (VRS) is an emerging pedagogy in nursing education. PURPOSE: The purpose of this qualitative exploratory study was 2-fold: to determine nursing students' learning experiences when engaged in VRS, and to explore learners' problem-solving/clinical reasoning approach after participation in a VRS clinical scenario. This article reports student descriptions of clinical reasoning/clinical judgment when considering their VRS experience. METHODS: Qualitative description provided a methodological orientation for the study. Widely accepted frameworks for nursing clinical judgment provided a theoretical basis. RESULTS: Focus group participant narratives reveal evidence about nursing clinical judgment when applied to established descriptions and phases. CONCLUSION: Study findings suggest that VRS experiences promote development of nursing clinical judgment among students.

What does an innovative teaching assignment strategy mean to nursing students?

The concept of innovation in nursing education has been addressed in published literature on faculty-defined and faculty-created teaching strategies and instructional methods. In this project, innovation is defined as "using knowledge to create ways and services that are new (or perceived as new) in order to transform systems" (Pardue, Tagliareni, Valiga, Davison-Price, & Orchowsky, 2005). Studies on nursing student perceptions of innovation are limited, and it is unclear how undergraduate and graduate students conceptualize innovative learning experiences. This project explored students' perceptions of their experiences with instructor-defined, innovative teaching/learning strategies in four types of nursing education programs. Issues nurse educators should consider as they apply new techniques to their teaching are discussed.

Millennials considered: A new generation, new approaches, and implications for nursing education.

A new generation is pursuing degrees in nursing. These students, 18 to 24 years old, aptly called Millennials, are technologically competent and described as optimistic and group oriented. Their propensity for multitasking, reliance on electronics, and need for immediate feedback often perplex and frustrate faculty and challenge customary approaches to teaching and learning. They often express doubt regarding their academic readiness for college. This article explores the authors' experiences with freshmen students of the Millennial generation and shares insights for working successfully with this cohort of learners. The authors assert that by developing strong partnerships with students, faculty may be able to bridge the generational gap to promote mutual understanding, personal growth, and academic success.

Becoming a nurse faculty leader: Taking risks by being willing to fail.

BACKGROUND: Higher education is undergoing rapid transformation requiring nurse faculty leaders to engage in risk taking. Consequently, what is known about the experience of taking risks? How do leaders decide what constitutes a risk worth taking? How do leaders who take risks tolerate failure? The purpose of this study was to explicate the leadership practices of risk taking in nurse faculty leaders. METHOD: Interpretive phenomenology was used to explore the experience of risk taking among 15 self-identified nurse faculty leaders. Unstructured audio recorded interviews were conducted in which participants described their experiences of taking risks. Transcribed interviews were analyzed by a research team to uncover themes in the narrative data. RESULTS: A theme, willingness to fail, and three subthemes, enacting a culture of experimentation, working hard for success, and learning from failure are reported. CONCLUSION: This study provides practical know-how and an evidence-base to support nurse academic leaders in the practice of risk taking during these challenging times in higher education.

Blending aesthetics and empirics: teaching health assessment in an art gallery.

An art gallery was used successfully as a clinical laboratory for nursing students studying health assessment. Art galleries provide students with a visually rich and stimulating environment that can support the development of astute visual inspection skills. Working in pairs, students examined artwork incorporating design elements common to both physical assessment and artistic inquiry. Students described new learning and clinical application through this innovative laboratory experience. Uniting traditionally empirical coursework with an aesthetic learning opportunity is important in the development of caring, humanistic professionals.

A framework for the design, implementation, and evaluation of interprofessional education.

The growing emphasis on teamwork and care coordination within health care delivery is sparking interest in interprofessional education (IPE) among nursing and health profession faculty. Faculty often lack firsthand IPE experience, which hinders pedagogical reform. This article proposes a theoretically grounded framework for the design, implementation, and evaluation of IPE. Supporting literature and practical advice are interwoven. The proposed framework guides faculty in the successful creation and evaluation of collaborative learning experiences.

Curriculum considerations for enhancing baccalaureate learning for international students.

BACKGROUND: International students studying nursing in the United States present unique teaching opportunities and challenges. Student language, culture, and academic expectations are major factors for faculty to consider in delivering international education. METHODS: An RN to BSN program provides baccalaureate completion study for registered nurses residing in Israel. Students can choose to complete the final semester in the United States. FINDINGS: Israeli nursing students demonstrate a strong collectivistic orientation to their academic work. Issues related to English language fluency and academic paper preparation were identified. CONCLUSION: Success in international teaching endeavors is facilitated when faculty carefully evaluate course materials and assignments. Clarity of language, cultural expectations, and availability of academic resources are important considerations for promoting student success.

Illuminating the experience of student precepting: insights and narratives from home care nurses.

Home care nurses precepting students eloquently describe the rewards and frustrations associated with this role. Narratives illustrating the experience give voice to home care nurses. Lessons learned provide planning suggestions and insight for nurses who might be contemplating this role as well as for student and faculty planning.

Becoming a nurse faculty leader: doing your homework to minimize risk taking.

Risk taking is an important aspect of academic leadership; yet, how does taking risks shape leadership development, and what are the practices of risk taking in nurse faculty leaders? This interpretative phenomenological study examines the meaning and experience of risk taking among formal and informal nurse faculty leaders. The theme of doing your homework is generated through in-depth hermeneutic analysis of 14 interview texts and 2 focus group narratives. The practice of doing one's homework is captured in weighing costs and benefits, learning the context, and cultivating relationships. This study develops an evidence base for incorporating ways of doing one's homework into leadership development activities at a time when there is a tremendous need for nurse leaders in academic settings. Examining the practices of doing one's homework to minimize risk as a part of leadership development provides a foundation for cultivating nurse leaders who, in turn, are able to support and build leadership capacity in others.

Becoming a nurse faculty leader: practices of leading illuminated through advancing reform in nursing education.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of becoming a nurse faculty leader. BACKGROUND: In a recent study of 24 nurse faculty leaders across the United States about their experience of becoming a leader, many of the participants hesitated to call themselves leaders. METHODS: This interpretive phenomenological study explored the meaning and significance of nurse faculty leadership. Exemplars of participant leadership development experiences are provided to assist readers in determining how the findings relate to their own practice. FINDINGS: The data revealed that leadership emerges as an embodied practice when nurse educators become involved in advancing reform. Practical leadership strategies for advancing reform in nursing education are presented. CONCLUSION: Leadership is learned through three everyday practices of advancing reform in nursing education: being involved with others; struggling to serve as a symbol and preserve authenticity; and creating an environment for change. This study offers new insight on leadership development, with practical implications for how leadership is taught in nursing curriculum and how nurses can more effectively own leadership roles.