Designing a New Nursing Curriculum the Process and the Pitfalls October 9, 2006

It all starts with your … Philosophy Philosophy –Identify major concepts that will be threaded throughout courses –Examples »Evidence-based practice »Informatics/Communication »Interdisciplinary teams »Quality improvement »Patient-centered care

The Second Step is… Organizing framework Organizing framework –Examples »NLN Competencies – Provider of care, manager of care, member of the discipline »NCSBN Core Competencies – Professional behaviors, Communication, Assessment, Clinical Decision Making, Caring Interventions, Teaching and Learning, Collaboration, Managing Care »NCLEX Test Plan – Safe, Effective Care Environment, Health Promotion and Maintenance, Psychosocial Integrity, Physiological Integrity. »Functional Health Patterns »Systems

The next step is … Educational Outcomes or Terminal Objectives Educational Outcomes or Terminal Objectives –This is what you want your graduate to look like or be able to do when they graduate –They will be broad statements that relate back to the major concepts identified in the philosophy

Next Come Level objectives or course objectives Level objectives or course objectives –Determine the number of levels for your program –These must demonstrate progression. –They also provide the framework for the clinical evaluation tool. –The objectives for the final course are the same as the educational outcomes or terminal objectives

After objectives… Determine the content for each course Determine the content for each course –The major concepts identified in philosophy are deepened throughout the program –The organizing framework provides the structure for the content –It is impossible to cover everything – the challenge is to identify the concepts that are critical

Design Learning Activities and Methods of Assessment Facilitate active student investigation, discovery, and learning of essential material Facilitate active student investigation, discovery, and learning of essential material Faculty do not need to feel responsible for covering all of the material Faculty do not need to feel responsible for covering all of the material All assessments should reflect the depth and breath of content described in course objectives. All assessments should reflect the depth and breath of content described in course objectives.

Why do we need a curriculum revision? Integrated and Non-integrated curriculum restricted transferability Integrated and Non-integrated curriculum restricted transferability Ensure seamless articulation among NCCCS institutions Ensure seamless articulation among NCCCS institutions Keep current with national trends and reflect contemporary nursing practice Keep current with national trends and reflect contemporary nursing practice

Factors/trends Influencing Nursing Education Regulatory changes set by NC BON Regulatory changes set by NC BON Recommendations cited in 2004 report of the NC IOM Task Force on Nursing Workforce including the need to meet NLNAC accreditation standards Recommendations cited in 2004 report of the NC IOM Task Force on Nursing Workforce including the need to meet NLNAC accreditation standards Elimination of summer funding Elimination of summer funding

How did it get started? NC Council of ADN Directors appointed a task force NC Council of ADN Directors appointed a task force Lucinda Gurley Carol Boles Lois Bradley Colleen Burgess Carolyn Jones Cathy Norris Camille Reese Linda Smith Lynn Tesh Kathy Williford Bonnie Pope Alma Thompson Kathy Phillips Jeannine Woody

Begin with the end in mind Used NLN competencies as organizing framework Used NLN competencies as organizing framework Three level objectives were developed for each competency Three level objectives were developed for each competency –Professional Behaviors –Communication –Assessment –Clinical Decision Making –Caring Interventions –Teaching and Learning –Collaboration –Managing Care

Course Development 12 courses 12 courses Separate courses for pharmacology, assessment and leadership Separate courses for pharmacology, assessment and leadership Geriatrics is integrated Geriatrics is integrated Professional Nursing Concepts and Assessment must be offered in the first semester and Nursing Care of Multi-system failure must be in the last, otherwise, courses may be offered in any sequence Professional Nursing Concepts and Assessment must be offered in the first semester and Nursing Care of Multi-system failure must be in the last, otherwise, courses may be offered in any sequence Can be offered in shorter blocks or over the entire semester Can be offered in shorter blocks or over the entire semester

Course Name ClassLabClinicalCredit Professional Nursing Concepts 3003 Pharmacology2303 Clinical Concepts 0602 Assessment2303 Nursing Care of the Individual 2064 Nursing Care of the Family 2064 Nursing Care of the Mentally Ill 2064 Nursing Care of the Acutely Ill 3064 Nursing Care of the Chronically Ill 3064 Leadership2303 Nursing Care of Multi-System Failure 2064 Practicum0093

Issues Why argue with present success? Why argue with present success? How will there be time for more content? How will there be time for more content? What will we give up? What will we give up? What if we dont teach the right things? What if we dont teach the right things? What if NCLEX rates go down? What if NCLEX rates go down? What if skill levels decline? What if skill levels decline? What if we cannot teach the new content effectively? What if we cannot teach the new content effectively? How will this impact my teaching load? How will this impact my teaching load?

Curriculum change requires… Courage – the willingness to take risks in order to achieve a goal Courage – the willingness to take risks in order to achieve a goal Trust in each other and the process Trust in each other and the process Strong commitment by faculty leaders Strong commitment by faculty leaders Communication and collaboration with each other and key stakeholders Communication and collaboration with each other and key stakeholders Ability to balance the need for change with the instinct to protect what has been Ability to balance the need for change with the instinct to protect what has been