Linda Klotz

Creating a collaborative partnership between academia and service.

This article discusses how the experience of instituting preceptored clinical experiences throughout an undergraduate baccalaureate nursing curriculum resulted in a partnership between academia and service. The collaboration between academia and service built on the strengths of each institution to reach a common goal. Integration of the preceptor clinical model is unique in that implementation occurs in the second semester of a four-semester curriculum. Advantages and disadvantages to the model for students, preceptors, and faculty are presented. Unanticipated benefits to both institutions and ideas to help other programs and facilities develop a collaborative partnership for the education of baccalaureate nursing students are provided.

THE TEXAS MODEL OF Differentiated Entry-Level Competencies of Graduates of Nursing Programs

The Board of Nurse Examiners and the Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners for the state of Texas updated the states competency-based education model in collaboration with stakeholders in nursing service, state nursing organizations, and the deans and directors of the states 82 board-accredited professional nursing programs. Based on this collaborative effort, 14 differentiated entry-level competencies with associated knowledge and clinical behaviors/judgments were identified that set standards for graduates of vocational, diploma, associate, and baccalaureate degree programs.

A regional academic partnership for the early identification and retention of at-risk nursing students.

UNLABELLED In a 2006 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board report (Increasing RN Graduates in Texas: A Report to the 79th Legislature), nursing programs in Texas were challenged to increase the number of graduates to deal with the nursing shortage. This article describes the East Texas regions efforts to identify and intervene in the nursing student attrition rates of participating partners nursing programs. The primary purpose of this study was to identify and intervene with students at risk for attrition. Nine nursing programs participated in the study. METHODS Online surveys were used to assess variables associated with attrition. Online interventions and an intensive test review protocol were used as intervention methods. RESULTS Across the nine nursing programs, 898 students participated in the study. Regression and categorical data analysis revealed that lack of reading comprehension was the best predictor of a student being off track or out of a nursing program (P < .0001). Two other highly predictive variables of attrition were entrance examination composite scores (P = .0271) and a students grades in anatomy and physiology (P = .005). Grant intervention protocols were effective in reducing the attrition rate (P = .0002) between students who participated during the grant period and those prior to implementation of the grant.

Preparing for disasters: Education and management strategies explored

During the last half of the 20th century, the focus of nursing changed from home and field to high-tech clinics and hospitals. Nursing in the absence of technology due to man-made or natural disasters almost disappeared from the curriculum of many nursing schools. Numerous disaster events and threats in the early 21st century caused educators and practitioners to increase the emphasis on disaster nursing and those principles that guide the nurses practice in response to disasters. This article chronicles tools used by nurse educators to integrate disaster nursing into the didactic and clinical experiences of baccalaureate nursing students. We represent two nursing schools about 90 miles apart that collaborated to provide students with practical application of disaster nursing concepts. Part 1: An educational journey toward disaster nursing competencies: A curriculum in action provides an overview of the curricular tools used to insure adequate coverage of disaster nursing concepts across the curriculum. Part 2: Collaborative learning in Community Health Nursing for emergency preparedness relates the steps taken to plan, implement, and evaluate two different collaborative disaster simulation events. In this manuscript we have attempted transparency so that others can learn from our successes and our failures.

Implementing a nursing program via live interactive video: lessons learned.

Flexibility in scheduling and sensitivity to meeting the educational needs of today’s diverse student population is a must in nursing education. The authors present an overview of how a college of nursing implemented an entire generic BSN program via live interactive television for nursing students 45 miles from the main campus. The authors describe the experience of initiating the program, facilitating faculty and student adaptation to the challenges of live interactive video education, and a summary of the first five years.

Longitudinal evaluation of a live interactive video baccalaureate nursing program.

Beginning with a brief history of a community-inspired distance education initiative, the authors describe how one college of nursing offers an entire generic bachelor of science in nursing program over live interactive video for nursing students at 2 distance sites. The 10-year longitudinal evaluation of student and program outcomes is presented. Student and program success is evidenced by congruence of grades and National Council Licensure Exam (NCLEX) pass rates between sites.

Part II: collaborative learning in community health nursing for emergency preparedness

During the last half of the 20th century, the focus of nursing changed from home and field to high-tech clinics and hospitals. Nursing in the absence of technology due to man-made or natural disasters almost disappeared from the curriculum of many nursing schools. Numerous disaster events and threats in the early 21st century caused educators and practitioners to increase the emphasis on disaster nursing and those principles that guide the nurses practice in response to disasters. This article chronicles tools used by nurse educators to integrate disaster nursing into the didactic and clinical experiences of baccalaureate nursing students. We represent two nursing schools about 90 miles apart that collaborated to provide students with practical application of disaster nursing concepts. Part 1: An educational journey toward disaster nursing competencies: A curriculum in action provides an overview of the curricular tools used to insure adequate coverage of disaster nursing concepts across the curriculum. Part 2: Collaborative learning in Community Health Nursing for emergency preparedness relates the steps taken to plan, implement, and evaluate two different collaborative disaster simulation events. In this manuscript we have attempted transparency so that others can learn from our successes and our failures.

Preparing for disasters

During the last half of the 20th century, the focus of nursing changed from home and field to high-tech clinics and hospitals. Nursing in the absence of technology due to man-made or natural disasters almost disappeared from the curriculum of many nursing schools. Numerous disaster events and threats in the early 21st century caused educators and practitioners to increase the emphasis on disaster nursing and those principles that guide the nurses practice in response to disasters. This article chronicles tools used by nurse educators to integrate disaster nursing into the didactic and clinical experiences of baccalaureate nursing students. We represent two nursing schools about 90 miles apart that collaborated to provide students with practical application of disaster nursing concepts. Part 1: An educational journey toward disaster nursing competencies: A curriculum in action provides an overview of the curricular tools used to insure adequate coverage of disaster nursing concepts across the curriculum. Part 2: Collaborative learning in Community Health Nursing for emergency preparedness relates the steps taken to plan, implement, and evaluate two different collaborative disaster simulation events. In this manuscript we have attempted transparency so that others can learn from our successes and our failures.

Part I: an educational journey toward disaster nursing competencies: a curriculum in action

During the last half of the 20th century, the focus of nursing changed from home and field to high-tech clinics and hospitals. Nursing in the absence of technology due to man-made or natural disasters almost disappeared from the curriculum of many nursing schools. Numerous disaster events and threats in the early 21st century caused educators and practitioners to increase the emphasis on disaster nursing and those principles that guide the nurses practice in response to disasters. This article chronicles tools used by nurse educators to integrate disaster nursing into the didactic and clinical experiences of baccalaureate nursing students. We represent two nursing schools about 90 miles apart that collaborated to provide students with practical application of disaster nursing concepts. Part 1: An educational journey toward disaster nursing competencies: A curriculum in action provides an overview of the curricular tools used to insure adequate coverage of disaster nursing concepts across the curriculum. Part 2: Collaborative learning in Community Health Nursing for emergency preparedness relates the steps taken to plan, implement, and evaluate two different collaborative disaster simulation events. In this manuscript we have attempted transparency so that others can learn from our successes and our failures.

Journey to a Doctoral Program

Several nursing programs will be developing either doctor of philosophy or doctor of nursing practice programs in the near future. There is little literature available to advise and guide program planners about the challenges and rewards encountered when creating a new doctoral program. The intent of this article is to assist program planners in meeting some of the challenges associated with initiating a doctoral program by describing one institutions experiences in launching a doctoral program in nursing. Potential difficulties are identified, and recommended solutions are provided.