Engaging students in a QI/QM presentation to enhance QSEN concept learning

The Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Initiative addresses goals to better prepare future nurses by proposing and defining 6 competencies addressing knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) needed for undergraduate, pre-licensure nursing students to be successful, competent, and qualified registered nurses. Educators maintain the responsibility to bridge education and clinical preparation to enable nursing students to practice at a level that projects quality and safety. This article introduces and explains a guided Quality Indicator/Quality Measure (QI/QM) teaching-learning strategy aimed at the promotion of learning about QSEN competencies, in which students identify a clinical QI/QM issue, gather data, collaborate, apply research techniques, create a presentation, and report their findings. Specific QSEN competency sub-scores from an NCLEX test preparation strategy were used to measure students’ learning, and improvements on these sub-scores were observed. Introducing QSEN concepts sets the stage for competent nursing care in the future and this valuable teaching-learning strategy suggests how to infuse QSEN competencies into an undergraduate nursing curriculum.     

Computer competencies in a BSN program

Beginning nurses need informatics skills to work efficiently in an environment that increasingly relies on information technology to promote patient safety. In addition, a federal order mandates that all Americans have an electronic medical record by 2014. Nursing programs must integrate informatics content into their curricula to prepare nurses to use information technology. This article describes a baccalaureate (BSN) curriculum evaluation of nursing informatics content. Results can inform faculty about strategies that can strengthen informatics competencies. A research-based tool, based on the informatics competence work of Staggers, Gassert, and Curran, was developed to evaluate course syllabi. Although evidence of learning experiences related to computer skills was present, students were not routinely exposed to computerized systems. No syllabi included evidence that addressed informatics knowledge competencies. We conclude that students received limited informatics exposure and may not be adequately prepared to use information technology. Recommendations for increasing nursing informatics experiences within a BSN curriculum are offered.     

Use of the professional nurse case study as a method to earn credit in an RN to BSN program.

This article describes the author's experience in developing a professional nurse case study as a means of allowing registered nurse students enrolled in a baccalaureate degree nursing program to satisfy the clinical requirement at a public institution in New Jersey. The author used a survey to assess the lower level competencies of their RN students. In addition, a survey was mailed to the BSN graduates who completed the program within the past five years to determine if they would have selected an alternative to the clinical examination. Results showed that the PNCS could validate prior learning of basic nursing competencies for RNs returning to obtain a BSN degree.     

Integration of quality and safety competencies in undergraduate nursing education: A faculty development approach

Graduate nursing competencies in quality and patient safety should be integrated into theoretical and experiential learning using active, student-centered methodologies, and threaded through multiple nursing courses. A series of workshops designed to provide quality and safety content and innovative teaching techniques to faculty based on goals of the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) Faculty Development Institute were developed. Post-workshop survey results found a significant self-reported change in course design with a focus on the integration of QSEN competencies.     

RN-BSN completion programs: Equipping nurses for the future

The Institute of Medicine has outlined important components needed in nursing education to prepare the nursing workforce of the future. Previously published work on RN to BSN education has focused mainly on mode of delivery. The purpose of this paper is to examine RN to BSN program components for the facilitation of academic progression, innovative mechanisms of student engagement, and the curricular components that prepare graduates to meet future nursing challenges. Academic progression factors discussed include those relevant to recruiting RNs to BSN completion programs and factors important to retaining them through graduation. Recommendations for student engagement include the creation of honors programs, ethics teams, and practicum and service learning experiences. Suggestions for curriculum possibilities specifically address meeting the call of the Institute of Medicine report including content in community/public health, informatics, evidence-based practice, ethics, and health policy.     

Developing public health competence among RN-to-BSN students in a rural community

A new RN/BSN nursing program offers rural students in a western state the opportunity to address significant health care needs on a local level by developing public health leadership competencies in their home communities. The innovative program, funded by a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, makes it possible for RNs to complete their BSN degrees without travel, as they position themselves to provide critically needed health care leadership in their local areas. Partnerships between the university, community colleges, and local health agencies allow students in the RN-to-BSN program to benefit from a streamlined BSN admission process, onsite mentoring, and newly developed courses that lead students to reflect on health needs in their home communities. On the basis of Public Health Nursing Competencies as defined by the Nursing Quad Council (2004), the re-designed curriculum prepares students for public health leadership by encouraging application of competencies while participating in the delivery of essential public health services in their communities. Initial response to this new opportunity indicates that students can develop as leaders by developing public health competencies, and facets of the program may encourage more students to commit to completing the BSN while increasing capacity among PHNs.     

Using portfolios to evaluate achievement of population-based public health nursing competencies in baccalaureate nursing students

Public health nurses from 13 local public health agencies and nurse educators from five schools of nursing developed population-based public health nursing competencies for new graduates and novice public health nurses. Educators in one nursing program used a portfolio assignment to measure achievement of the competencies by traditional and RN to BSN students in a community health nursing course. Data were collected from surveys and focus groups to determine students' responses to the portfolio and their use of population-based public health nursing concepts. The assignment enhanced students' critical thinking skills; however, concerns about the structure and evaluation of the portfolio decreased student satisfaction. Recommendations are made for improving the portfolio format, increasing students' valuing of the portfolio, managing the tension between assessment and learning, and orienting clinical agency staff and nursing instructors.     

A course design format to facilitate teaching research online to RN - BSN students

Using research evidence to inform nursing practice and collaborate with other health care professionals is considered an essential professional competency in undergraduate nursing education. Yet teaching nursing research is often challenging because of the non-clinical nature of the content. Furthermore, non-traditional nursing students, such as those in RN – BSN programs, have unique needs such that course activities must be especially engaging, relevant to clinical practice, and flexible. The purpose of this paper is to present a course design format that facilitated teaching nursing research to RN – BSN students. Consideration of students' transitional experiences in RN – BSN programs as well as an integrative taxonomy of significant learning experiences are reported in the paper.     

Faculty identification of competencies addressing quality and safety education in Alabama Associate Degree Nursing Education Programs

This study described the extent to which Alabama associate degree nursing faculty, implementing a standardized curriculum, implement the Quality and Safety Education in Nursing (QSEN) selected competencies of safety and teamwork and collaboration. Full-time nursing faculty with a minimum of three years teaching in the Alabama Community College System associate degree schools of nursing participated in a Web survey. The survey instrument was created to incorporate the two selected QSEN competencies' knowledge, skills, and attitude statements.The participants were predominantly female, holding a master's degree in nursing with teaching responsibilities in both the classroom and clinical setting, and had 10 years of teaching experience on average. Faculty were asked to identify the hours of direct classroom and clinical instruction dedicated to each knowledge and skill statement and rate the attitude statements in relation to importance of inclusion in the curriculum.The data reflected inconsistencies between hours of instruction and the importance rating for each attitude statement. The findings of this study did not indicate that QSEN knowledge, skills, or attitudes had current widespread inclusion in the Alabama associate degree nursing curriculum.This was the first study to explore evidence of the QSEN knowledge, skill, and attitude statements within the Alabama standardized curriculum. Implications from this study suggest that the concepts of quality and safety, although familiar to faculty, are not identifiable nor taught at the complexity level, which relates to (a) safety and (b) teamwork and collaboration. A review of the statewide curriculum may be warranted.     

An assessment of students' confidence in performing psychiatric mental health nursing skills: the impact of the clinical practicum experience

Background: In 2008, the American Psychiatric Nurses Association and the International Society for Psychiatric Nursing jointed developed Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing competencies for BSN students. In the newly created accelerated track of the BSN program, students spend less time than traditional students in psychiatric mental health (PMH) clinical practica. Objectives: The primary objective was to discover how the PMH practicum experience influences BSN students' perceptions of their confidence in performing PMH clinical skills. Design: An evaluation design was used in this study. Results: There was significant improvement in students' confidence performing PMH clinical competencies after completing the PMH nursing practicum. The current structure of clinical provides students with experiences that promote their confidence. Conclusions: Students self-assessment about learning needs and skill level should be assessed preclinically to allow for practice to gain confidence.     

Measuring affective factors in RN/BSN programs.

Assessment of affective outcomes is needed in nursing education. This study examined changes in professional attitudes in RN/BSN programs and the relationships between selected affective factors and professional attitudes. Implications for nursing education are identified relative to student advising/counseling and curriculum.     

Increasing RN-BSN enrollments: facilitating articulation through curriculum reform

Increasing enrollments in nursing programs is one method to deal with the shortage of nurses. However, the majority of these new graduates will be educated at the associate degree in nursing (ADN) level. The need to increase the number of nurses educated at the baccalaureate (BSN) level is significant. Research has shown that patient outcomes can be attributed to higher levels of nursing education. A viable way to increase the volume of BSN graduates is to promote statewide and mandated articulation agreements and create an environment where academic progression is facilitated. The initial step in the process of implementing articulation agreements is to bring together nursing educators at the BSN and ADN level to assess prerequisites, transfer credits, and evaluate overall curriculum. This article reviews the current trends in registered nurse-BSN curriculum at 13 public 4-year universities in California and discusses the potential opportunities to reform curriculum and facilitate articulation.     

不同学制护理本科生临床沟通能力现状的调查

目的探讨不同学制护理本科生临床沟通能力现状,为临床护理教学改革提供依据。方法运用护生临床沟通能力测评量表对268名不同学制护理本科生进行问卷调查,包括5年制本科和2年制大专升本科护生。结果护理本科生临床沟通能力总分及各维度得分均在2．50分以上;大专升本科护生建立和谐关系得分较5年制本科护牛高,差异具有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论在优化护理课程和调整培养方案的基础上安排护理本科生尽早接触临床,形成护理理论与实践并重的实习模式,规范临床护理带教,提高本科护生的临床沟通能力。     

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.     

Quality and Safety Education for Nurses

Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) addresses the challenge of preparing nurses with the competencies necessary to continuously improve the quality and safety of the health care systems in which they work. The QSEN faculty members adapted the Institute of Medicine(1) competencies for nursing (patient-centered care, teamwork and collaboration, evidence-based practice, quality improvement, safety, and informatics), proposing definitions that could describe essential features of what it means to be a competent and respected nurse. Using the competency definitions, the authors propose statements of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs) for each competency that should be developed during pre-licensure nursing education. Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) faculty and advisory board members invite the profession to comment on the competencies and their definitions and on whether the KSAs for pre-licensure education are appropriate goals for students preparing for basic practice as a registered nurse.     

Evaluation of critical thinking outcomes of a BSN program

Following a curriculum revision, which emphasized critical thinking, a school of nursing selected the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST) as a standardized outcomes measure for its bachelor's of science in nursing (BSN) program. Students in three tracks of the program were administered the CCTST on entry into the nursing curriculum and again on exit. Paired t tests for dependent samples were used to analyze pretest-posttest differences of all students (N = 136) in the program. Results for students in each of the three tracks demonstrated significantly improved (P < or = .05) CCTST scores on all subscales and total scores, with one exception. RN to BSN students' scores on the Analysis subscale approached but did not reach significance (P = .058). Implications for evaluation are discussed.     

Using quality and safety education for nurses to guide clinical teaching on a new dedicated education unit

Gaps exist in health professional education versus the demands of current practice. Leveraging front-line nurses to teach students exemplary practice in a Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) may narrow this gap. The DEU is an innovative model for experiential learning, capitalizing on the expertise of staff nurses as clinical teachers. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a new academic-practice DEU in facilitating quality and safety competency achievement among students. Six clinical teachers received education in clinical teaching and use of Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) competencies to guide acquisition of essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes for continuous health care improvement. Twelve students assigned to the six teachers completed daily logs for the 10-week practicum. Findings suggest that DEU students achieved QSEN competencies through clinical teacher mentoring in interdisciplinary collaboration, using electronic information for best practice and patient teaching, patient/family decision making, quality improvement, and resolution of safety issues.     

Preparing the future nurses for nursing research: A creative teaching strategy for RN‐to‐BSN students

Developing effective teaching strategies to stimulate students' interest and enthusiasm are urgently needed in current research courses. The purposes of the study were to implement the Cookie Experiments teaching strategy in research course and examine the effects of the strategy on students' attitudes towards nursing research. The study was a pretest–post‐test design with 95 students at a Registered Nurses to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN‐to‐BSN) program enrolled in the nursing research course. Results indicated that there was a significant effect of the Cookie Experiments teaching strategy on students' attitudes towards research. Although students perceived a median high score of pressure from the research course, they regarded that the pressure is conducive to their learning of research. Students highly suggested to continuously applying this teaching strategy in the future nursing research courses. Developing and using various teaching strategies with attractive and hands‐on methods to motivate nurse students, learning research is strongly recommended.     

Teaching and learning activities to educate nursing students for interprofessional collaboration: A scoping review

To prepare new graduates with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to engage in effective interprofessional collaboration (IPC) in practice, healthcare professional programmes need to ensure their curriculum provides opportunities for interprofessional education (IPE) and IPC. To strengthen IPE within an undergraduate curriculum and meet the professional requirements set out by regulatory bodies to prepare new graduate nurses to achieve IPC competencies, a curriculum initiative was developed to expand IPE across the four years of the Baccalaureate of Science in Nursing (BSN) programme. The purpose of this scoping review was to identify published teaching-learning activities in undergraduate nursing programmes to inform the development and integration of IPE curricula. The literature included was identified by searching the following electronic databases: EMBASE and EBSCO (CINAHL, Medline, Education Research Complete, ERIC). The search was limited to articles with abstracts published between 2008 and 2016 in the English language. All ten studies that met inclusion criteria reported students’ perceived interprofessional education as valuable in facilitating their achievement of IPC competencies. Interprofessional education is an approach for preparing nursing students with knowledge, skills, and attitudes to achieve IPC competencies and therefore, urgently needs to become more prevalent in nursing curricula. Educators can use a variety of IPE teaching-learning activities to support students’ achievement of IPC competencies in order to prepare new practitioners to engage in effective IPC in a variety of healthcare milieus. Nurse educators are encouraged to intentionally integrate learning opportunities into current and future undergraduate nursing education to prepare collaborative ready graduate nurses.