Ann Nielsen

Concept-Based Learning Activities Using the Clinical Judgment Model as a Foundation for Clinical Learning

Several forces are influencing clinical education in the early 21st century. The clinical environment is changing as both patient acuity and patient-to-nurse staffing ratios increase. In many communities, the number of nursing students exceeds the number of clinical placements available. As nursing education moves forward, it is worthwhile to look more closely at how education occurs in the clinical environment regarding student progression from novice to more advanced levels of practice and how best to support development of student clinical judgment. Concept-based learning activities, first described by Heims and Boyd, are used to assist students in examining and addressing fundamental aspects (i.e., concepts) of pediatric patient and family care. The Clinical Judgment Model has been incorporated into concept-based learning activities as a framework to guide student thinking about the concepts.

Becoming a nurse: role formation among accelerated baccalaureate students.

To understand nursing role formation for students enrolled in an accelerated baccalaureate nursing program, end-of-term narrative reflections from 34 students were analyzed over the course of the 15-month program. Using thematic analysis, 4 major themes were identified: evolving role perception, extending nursing student-patient interaction, engaging with health care team and systems of care, and expanding clinical thinking.

Concept-Based Learning in Clinical Experiences: Bringing Theory to Clinical Education for Deep Learning.

BACKGROUND Concept-based learning is used increasingly in nursing education to support the organization, transfer, and retention of knowledge. Concept-based learning activities (CBLAs) have been used in clinical education to explore key aspects of the patient situation and principles of nursing care, without responsibility for total patient care. The nature of best practices in teaching and the resultant learning are not well understood. METHOD The purpose of this multiple-case study research was to explore and describe concept-based learning in the context of clinical education in inpatient settings. Four clinical groups (each a case) were observed while they used CBLAs in the clinical setting. RESULTS Major findings include that concept-based learning fosters deep learning, connection of theory with practice, and clinical judgment. Strategies used to support learning, major teaching-learning foci, and preconditions for concept-based teaching and learning will be described. CONCLUSION Concept-based learning is promising to support integration of theory with practice and clinical judgment through application experiences with patients. [J Nurs Educ. 2016;55(7):365-371.].