Storytelling as a teaching-learning tool with RN students.

The Registered Nurse student returning to school brings both a knowledge base and experiences that lend themselves to enriching the learning environment. These experiences have helped to develop the practical knowledge and expertise that is evident in their practice. When these experiences are shared in the form of stories, they provide a mechanism for transformation within the learner. This study focused on the use of storytelling in teaching and empowering RN students to become involved in their own learning and fostering critical reflection. The RN students in this study represented a diverse ethnic/racial group. As a result, students were challenged to understand and manage cultural diversity and value cultural differences. The use of storytelling engaged students in reflective thinking, writing, and learning activities that identified assumptions, alternative ways of thinking, teaching, and practicing nursing.     

Evaluating clinical skills of RN students

A clinical performance examination was developed for basic baccalaureate nursing students and used to validate the clinical skills of registered nurses entering a baccalaureate degree program. With few exceptions, RNs returning to school demonstrated clinical competence in the secondary care area as measured by this examination. Therefore, another means of validating RN clinical skills was developed based on the evaluation criteria used for the clinical performance examination. Using employer and colleague validation, students individually documented competence in the area of practice. There was a decrease in student stress, an increase in self-esteem, conservation of the time and energy of students and faculty, and more effective use of program resources.     

Documented clinical experiences of primary care RN students: a preliminary report

A student-patient encounter form was developed for documenting patients' visits in the practicums of three primary care courses--obstetric-gynecology, pediatrics, and general adult patients--and from January 1973 to June 1974, 22 registered nurse students completed 1,027 student-patient encounter forms. Health problems were identified, using the Weed system and classified by the International Classification of Disease adapted for use in the United States. The study demonstrated that the encounter form facilitated the documentation of base-line data for student practicums. Preliminary analysis of the data revealed that: 1) health problems of patients classified as "without sickness" were important in the case loads of registered nurse students in obstetric-gynecologic and pediatric practicums; 2) health problems of patients classified as "symptoms of ill-defined conditions" were also important in all three student practicums, particularly with general adult patients: and 3) students encountered a cluster of health problems in dealing with patients in the three practicums. The study suggested a need to develop a classification scheme for health problems encountered in primary care nursing services.     

Strategies and faculty roles for teaching RN students.

To help maximize the learning of RN students, the author discusses strategies and faculty roles that are particularly effective with these students. Methodologies from nursing practice, supervision, and management, combined with principles from adult education, provide the basis for this success-oriented approach.     

Enhancing support for nursing students in the clinical setting

Quality clinical placement experiences are essential for effective student learning. Key factors that can influence this experience are students not feeling welcome in the clinical setting and limited opportunities for them to engage in learning. From a review of the literature and of personal experiences, this paper presents some guidelines that can be introduced at local level without requiring additional resources in order to improve students' experiences.     

Seminar methods for RN to BSN students

Registered Nurse (RN) students entering a bachelor of science in nursing program (BSN) often view themselves as competent nurses who practice in a professional manner. It is not always clear to these students why the baccalaureate degree is considered the foundation for professional nursing. This creates a challenge for faculty to develop teaching strategies that increase understanding of professional roles and responsibilities, foster appreciation for the different levels of nursing practice, and promote incorporation of theory and research into all aspects of nursing. The authors present three strategies that were used successfully in a seminar series for RNs enrolled in a BSN completion program.     

Helping students apply a nursing conceptual framework in the clinical setting

The author describes one way of helping nursing students apply a nursing conceptual model in their patient care experiences. A structured data collection tool designed to secure data on salient aspects of the nursing model is described and illustrated in part. Students reported that using this tool in daily patient care helped them transfer classroom content on nursing theory to their patient care experiences and guided their assessments of their patients according to the dictates of the model.     

Strategies for practice as a clinical nurse specialist in a small setting

The size of setting impacts the clinical nurse specialist's (CNS) practice in a myriad of ways. The many differences between small and large settings that affect the CNS role are identified, and the roles of clinician, educator, executive, and researcher illuminate facts and provide examples that demonstrate the limitations and benefits of a small setting. The three specialty areas represented include oncology, cardiovascular, and gerontology/community health. Practical strategies for practice of the clinical nurse specialist in a small or nontraditional setting are provided.     

Interprofessional clinical training for undergraduate students in an emergency department setting

Interprofessional education (IPE) for teams of undergraduate students has since 1999 been carried out at the orthopedic emergency department at the Karolinska University Hospital. During a 2-week period, teams of medical, nursing and physiotherapy students practice together. With the aim of training professional and collaboration skills, the teams take care of patients with varying acute complaints, under the guidance of supervisors from each profession. This study describes the educational model and compares the attitudes of the different student categories participating in this unique IPE model. All students who participated in this experience during the period 2008-2010 were asked to fill in a questionnaire on completion of their training period. Results showed that all three categories, with no significant difference, highly appreciated the setting and the team training. Results also showed that the training significantly increased the students' knowledge of their own professional role as well as their knowledge of the other professions. We conclude that training at an emergency department can provide excellent opportunities for interprofessional team training for undergraduate students. The teamwork enhances the students' understanding of the professional roles and can contribute to a more holistic approach to patient care.     

Helping students use research in the clinical setting

This series of articles, Managing Your Academic Career, presents ways to intentionally improve your teaching. This first article explains the concept of becoming an intention teacher. Subsequent articles will deal with strategies that are useful in clinical teaching, such as preparing students to value and use research in practice, and providing feedback to students in the clinical setting.