Dear Future Students

The proverbial teaching toolbox.

Dear Future Students,

            Once upon a time, there was a nurse who believed that all nursing education was just as she had experienced.  It was the 20^th century, and it was dull and dreary, full of lecture and passive learning.

            One day, in the fifteenth year of her nursing career, the nurse decided to go back to school, to learn how to become a 20^th century nurse educator.  But because fifteen years had passed since the nurse had been in school, it was a new age in nursing education.  It was the 21^st century, and it was bright and exciting, full of active learning and student-centered teaching strategies!  The nurse was so relieved to find such a bright future awaited her, where she could bring her creativity and her love of nursing to the classroom, to grow the next generation of caring, competent and holistic nurses.

            My dear future students, this has been my journey so far.  With every passing week, I am developing innovative ideas for student-centered nursing education.  With every passing week, my teaching toolbox expands with strategies that are active and engaging, for the traditional, hybrid and online classroom.  We will have games, simulation, discussion, reflection, technology, and so much more.  My dear future students, I am almost ready for you, to guide you on your own journey in nursing education.

Technology in the 21^st Century Classroom

I encourage you to take a moment to watch this video, How to Use Technology in Education.

          This is one of the better videos I have viewed on 21^st century classrooms and technology.  How do we meet the needs of the 21^st century learner?  Technology is not the sole solution.  We must look at the whole picture, including learning styles and other teaching strategies.  On the other hand, technology needs be integrated into the whole curriculum and applied in ways that are meaningful for learning.  Integrating technologically-enhanced teaching strategies aids the movement away from fact-based learning, into a deeper, higher level learning and development of critical thinking skills.

Transitioning to 21^st Century Nurse Educators

Finally, for the future nurse educators, I leave you with three links to help you transition into your new roles:

          From Janice Petrella Lynch (2016), Sage advice: Motivational teaching strategies for nurse educators.  This is a conglomeration of wisdom for nurse educators around the world.  There is a lot of great advice here!

          From Penn, Wilson & Rosseter (2008), Transitioning from Nursing Practice to a Teaching Role. This article from the ANA is for nurses considering a role in education and gives a great overview of nursing education in the 21^st century.

          From LinkedIn SlideShare, (2014), Nurse Educator Interview Questions.  This slideshow gives an overview of what to expect on your first interview for a job in nursing education.  (I am saving this link for me!). 

Until my next adventure,

Crystal

Competency in Nursing Infomatics

          I took seven years of Spanish language classes through high school and college, and then married a man that was born and raised in Budapest, Hungary.  If you are not familiar with the Hungarian language, I can assure you it is nothing like English or Spanish.  After several years of exposure, I remember one day sitting at the dining room table with his family, listening to them speak in Hungarian, suddenly realizing how much I could decipher from their conversation.    

            Beginning my graduate nursing informatics course reminded me of listening to Hungarian the first several years.  In the beginning of the course there was terminology and technology I was familiar with, but overall, I was lacking competency and confidence.  After several weeks of experimenting with technologically-enhanced teaching strategies and exploring information systems, my competency and confidence has grown.

            June Kaminski, RN, MSN, PhD, discusses competency in healthcare technology on her Nursing Informatics Learning Center website.  Kaminski breaks down competency level into User Level, Modifier Level, and Innovator Level.  The User level of competency is a nurse who is competent in the core nursing informatics skills, and is considered the minimum level of competency for all practicing nurses (Kaminski, 2016).  The Modifier demonstrates intermediate competency level.  Among many other competencies, this nurse applies technology in accessing evidence-based practice from multiple sources, uses technology to support decision making, has an understanding of computer systems and programs in relation to practice, and participates in leadership and education practices in regards to nursing informatics (Kaminski, 2016).  Finally, the Innovator is the nurse that demonstrates advanced and specialized competency level in nursing informatics.  This nurse participates in the design and development of information systems, applications for nursing practice, utilizes data sets for quality improvement, designs new nursing technologies, and so much more.  The Innovator may have advanced, specialized training in nursing informatics (Kaminski, 2016).

Using Nursing Informatics in Education and Leadership

            My role as a hospital nurse educator has helped to place me firmly in the Modifier level.  As I progress through graduate school and increase my responsibilities in nursing leadership, the more Innovator level competencies I am able to demonstrate.

            After fifteen years of marriage, I am far from fluent in Hungarian.  I do have a level of proficiency, however, that allows me to engage in polite conversation, order in a restaurant, and navigate the city.  Likewise, I am far from fluent in nursing informatics.  Will I ever reach the complete Innovator Level of competency?  I suppose, potentially.  As I have dedicated myself to lifelong learning in nursing, so will I continue to acquire knowledge and skills specific to nursing informatics. 

A legközelebbi kalandomig, 

(Until my next adventure),

Crystal

Reference

Kaminski, J. (2016). Nursing informatics competencies. Nursing Informatics Learning Center. Retrieved from http://nursing-informatics.com/niassess/plan.html

Becoming a Better Educator through Authentic Assessment and Feed Forward

         Is the measure of a good educator found in the final performance of her students, on say, a final exam?  Perhaps.  But perhaps a better measure of a good educator is in looking at the day to day assessment and feedback of the performance of her students.  My hope is that the latter is true, and why I will incorporate authentic assessment and formative evaluation into my role as a nurse educator.

          Authentic assessment can be described as what it is not—it is not what one would consider a traditional means of student assessment through methods like multiple choice examinations.  Instead, authentic assessment is meaningful and applicable to the real world (Mueller, 2016).  Simulation is a great example of authentic assessment, taking the student’s knowledge and applying it to skills necessary to become a competent nurse.  Authentic assessment techniques can be used in the classroom setting as well.  For example, how does a nursing student learn to provide patient education?  Certainly they can be tested on knowledge of learning theory, self-care, etc.  But does that provide an assessment as to whether or not a student can actually do patient teaching in a competent and caring manner?  In the classroom that uses authentic assessment, the student may be assessed on their ability to deliver patient teaching in role play, through a case a study, presentation or concept map. 

Authentic Assessment of Patient Teaching through a Classroom Presentation

          Formative evaluation is a form of feedback to both the student and the educator.  Formative evaluation is an assessment used for learning, to improve learning outcomes (Bonnel & Smith, 2010).  In other words, the educator may use formative evaluation to assess student learning and to drive further instruction.  Feed forward is the concept in which the teacher takes what she has learned in assessing the student learning to modify her teaching. Feed forward is a concept I have used in my role as a hospital nurse educator, without ever knowing there was a formal name for such a concept.  I will routinely trial new games or activity on a few members of the leadership team in order to make the necessary adjustments before introducing the activity in the classroom.

          Concordia University offers Advice on Using Authentic Assessment in Teaching.  The website offers tips for incorporating authentic assessment as well as several useful examples. The authors end with suggesting reflection as a way to gain understanding into what the students have learned.  Student reflections also give the educator the opportunity to feed forward.

          In their Educational Leadership article Feed Up, Back, Forward, Fisher and Frey distinguish the differences and provide specific examples of feed up, feedback and feed forward.  The authors refer to feed up as the beginning of the feedback process, where develops a clear overall purpose or learning objective.  That way, students know what to expect and the educator is able to tailor the teaching strategies to meet the learning needs.

          It is my continued hope that through the incorporation of authentic assessment and feed forward strategies, my classroom will develop knowledgeable, competent and caring nurses.  That would be my definition of a successful nurse educator.

Until my next adventure,
Crystal 

References

Bonnel, W. & Smith, K.V. (2010). Teaching technologies in nursing and the health professions. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

Mueller, J. (2016). Authentic assessment toolbox.  Retrieved from http://jfmueller.faculty.noctrl.edu/toolbox/index.htm

Interdisciplinary Learning & Collaboration

Did you know that according to the Joint Commission, the leading root cause of sentinel events in the hospital are caused by breakdowns in communications?  In response to this situation, the Joint Commission issued National Patient Safety Goals, with improving the effectiveness of communication among the healthcare team as well as a culture that promotes team training as priorities (Joint Commission in Dillon, Noble & Kaplan, 2009).  The American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN) also recommends that the healthcare team has access to educational activities that foster the development of critical communication skills (AACN in Dillon, et al., 2009).

Interdisciplinary collaboration not only involves understanding roles, developing skills and identifying expectations, but also valuing the contribution of each member of the healthcare team (Dillon, et al., 2009).  The successful interdisciplinary approach is built on a foundation of trust and mutual respect (Dillon, et al., 2009).  High fidelity patient simulation (HFPS) cultivates the development of clinical decision making, clinical skills as well as communication and teamwork.  In their study of interdisciplinary HFPS, Dillon, Noble and Kaplan found that the collaborative education resulted in mutual respect and valuing of the of the team members’ roles, as well as improved communication and teamwork (2009).

Interdisciplinary Learning with Technology in the Simulation Lab 

How does this look in academic nursing education?  In Dillon, Noble and Kaplan’s study, the authors were able to coordinate simulation with both nursing and medical students and demonstrated professional socialization as a result of their program.  Rochester is rich with both nursing schools and a large medical center, so it seems that emulating a similar program is plausible.  The impact that HFPS has on clinical quality and patient safety makes exploring interdisciplinary simulation in education both intriguing and perhaps even essential.  The NLN Simulation Innovation Resource Center offers an online course for the nurse educator coordinating Simulation-Based Interprofessional Education.     

Interestingly enough, my only exposure to simulation has been the interdisciplinary variety in my role as a hospital nurse educator on an OB unit.  Utilizing both high and low fidelity mannequins as well as standardized patients, the simulations range from shoulder dystocia, obstetric hemorrhage, eclamptic seizures, to neonatal emergencies.  One of the main objectives is always the effective communication and teamwork.  Over the last several years, simulation with debriefing as ongoing education has become part of my unit’s culture.  My partner and I have collected data from beginning our simulation program which demonstrates an improvement in critical clinical skills, communication and teamwork behaviors.  Though harder to track, the hope is that the improvement in simulation translates to increased positive outcomes and patient safety in real practice.

 

Developing scenarios for simulation can be challenging.  Often in the hospital setting, I will develop a scenario based on current issues or trends on the unit, a new protocol for patient care, or a high risk procedure or situation.  There are many free scenarios available on the internet for nurse educators to explore.  Sim Central offers a comprehensive list of Resources for Free Scenarios in a variety of specialties.  In order to encourage a safe learning environment with trust and respect, I review a modified version of URMC’s Ground Rules for Simulation and Debriefing in the briefing phase of simulation.  Participants then have a clear understanding of the expectations of simulation, and are able to “suspend disbelief,” making the scenario more realistic and engaging. 

Until my next adventure,

Crystal

Reference

Dillon, P., Noble, K., & Kaplan, L. (2009). Simulation as a means to foster collaborative interdisciplinary education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 30(2), 87-90.

Interactive Technology in the Classroom

          There are two things I remember most about my undergraduate calculus professor.  First, he was incredibly enthusiastic about the brand new computers that filled the classroom.  It was the mid-nineties, so the computers were rudimentary based on today’s standards, ran on the less-than-user-friendly DOS and they were GIGANTIC!  Apart from calculators, it was the first time the mathematics department had integrated technology into the classroom, and it was a big deal.  Second, (in the times I could catch a glimpse of the professor over the giant computers), every t-shirt, sweatshirt or sweater he wore was adorned with cats.  Yes, cats. 

          What do these two memories have in common?  He was risk-taker, in fashion and in teaching.  He had enthusiasm, for teaching and in life.  His joie de vivre was contagious.  Did it make me want to study calculus forever?  Oh my goodness, no.  But it did impress upon me that simply incorporating technology into the classroom is not enough.  Making a connection with students and the educator’s attitude toward teaching and technology are perhaps equally as important.

          Today, the nurse educator has a myriad of technologies to choose from in order to deliver content or assess learning in the online, hybrid or traditional land classroom.  The addition of technologically-enhanced teaching strategies should be meaningful to the students’ learning.  As a nurse educator, I will consider my learning objectives for the class when considering which teaching strategy to incorporate.  Am I looking for a realistic, authentic learning experience?  I may consider the addition digital storytelling or a YouTube video with classroom or forum discussion.  Am I looking for an applied, experiential learning experience?  I may consider high-fidelity simulation in the land classroom, or a virtual reality program for the hybrid or online classroom.   Each of these teaching strategies promotes active learning through the interactive use of technology.  Using a variety of teaching strategies also assures that the needs of diverse learners are being met.

          Making a connection with students through technology is an important consideration for the nurse educator.  How do I accomplish making a connection with students, and demonstrate my own enthusiasm for nursing, for nursing education, and for technology?  I believe the answer is simple.  I need to be me.  Incorporating tutorials or other created content, participating in discussions and having availability for students’ needs are ways to bring the human connection, to bring me, into the technologically-enhanced classroom.  My calculus professor was not afraid to be himself.  The connections he made with students and the enthusiasm he had for math and for technology made his class enjoyable and memorable.  I hope that one day, in the classroom and through technology, my own enthusiasm for nursing will be as contagious as his enthusiasm was for math.

Me, being me, connecting with students through interactive technology.

Interactive Technology of the Future

Take a glimpse into the future of classroom technology:

Did you know that Virtual Reality (VR) viewer technology is becoming available now?  Google has made VR technology accessible and affordable for students with the creation of Google Cardboard.  A quick search found the cardboard viewer costs anywhere between $3-15.  Using this technology would require students to have access to a smartphone.  Imagine the ability to create a virtual tour of the unit before clinical, or the ability to for students to observe a dressing change up close?  Teachers have the ability to develop their own applications for Google Cardboard, and professional developers are creating new VR experiences every day.  What a fascinating, creative, interactive technology to support the authentic and experiential learning experience of students!

Until my next adventure,

Crystal

21st Century Technology: From Trepidation to Triumph

          This week marked the beginning of my Nursing Informatics course.  To be an emerging nurse educator in the 21^st century age of technology, one must first learn what technology the 21^st century has to offer.  Guess what?  There is a lot.  I began this course with some trepidation.  How can I possibly become familiar enough to use any of this new technology to utilize in my own classroom?

          

          The first technology challenge assignment was to create an infographic based on my clinical area of concern.  Infographics are everywhere now and I LOVE THEM.  I had fleetingly considered becoming an art teacher early in my undergraduate studies, so the opportunity to mingle my two favorite subjects was intriguing.  I created my infographic on a free website called Venngage.  It was simple to use, and fun.  Fun?  Yes, technology is fun!

          

                      

          Navigating the first technology challenge triumphantly has given me the courage to continue to incorporate technology into my teaching.  I can see creating more infographics in the future as both a hospital-based and academic nurse educator.  Creating an infographic could be considered a modern take on a poster presentation, especially in an online classroom setting.

Reflection

          

         Completing the technology assignment has also made me think more about my role in the modern classroom.  I am part of Generation X, and believe I fall within the typical description.  I grew up within a world of ever-expanding technology, and am comfortable with computers and new technologies.  The majority of my students will be Millennials, known as digital natives.  As an emerging nurse educator, I will strive to maintain not only a level of comfort with technology, but proficiency as well in order to act as a guide or facilitator of my students' learning.  The student-centered classroom focuses less on lecture and more on active, collaborative learning. 


          In thinking about the student-centered pedagogy of this century, I am reminded of Jean Watson's thoughts on the teacher-learner relationship.  Our relationship is one of mutual respect; our learning journey is concurrent (Watson, 2008).  We will navigate the ever-expanding world of technology together, learning and growing together.  In the meantime, I will continue to learn new strategies for learning in the student-centered classroom that involve technology.  Because the time we have together is limited, the technological enhancements to the classroom will be worthwhile, and add value to the learning experience.  In the online classroom setting, technology will be used to connect with the students to promote the caring teacher-learner relationship, as described by Watson. 


          Going forward, I envision myself as a facilitator and guide to my students as they balance technology with nursing.  As fun and interesting as technology can be in both the classroom and the healthcare setting, it cannot replace care.  The role of the 21^st century nurse educator is balancing technology with the art of nursing.

Example of Infographic and Web Resources:

 

This is my infographic introducing undergraduate nursing students to Perinatal Loss.  Piktochart is another free, easy-to-use infographic design website.  This blog offers several other websites for creating free infographics.


Until my next adventure,

Crystal

Reference:

Watson, J. (2008). Nursing. The philosophy and science of caring (Revised ed.). Boulder, CO: University Press of Colorado.