Semester 2 Course Objective
III- E. The curriculum and teaching-learning practices consider the needs and expectations of the identified community of interest
Elaboration: Teaching-learning practices are appropriate to the student population and build on prior learning. Teaching-learning practices consider the needs of the program-identified community of interest (e.g., use of distance technology, simulation, adult learner needs, second language students).
Program Response:
To ascertain that the curriculum and teaching learning practices consider the needs and expectations of the community of interest, AUMSON works closely with groups identified as our community. As identified in Standard I, the communities of interest include students, graduates,
employers of graduates, community members, the Alabama Board of Nursing (ABON) and faculty. The methods used to gather input from these groups and how this input is utilized is described in Standard I.B and Standard I.D. Another important community of interest in terms of curriculum and teaching learning practices is the clinical agencies where our students have clinical practice experiences. The methods used to gather input from clinical sites and how this input is utilized will be described below.
The surrounding health care institutions are extremely supportive of the AUMSON. The School enjoys a close relationship with many health care entities in the community throughout Alabama. These health care facilities welcome our students to their institutions with the primary feedback from them being that they would like more AUMSON students.
Table III-E.1. Selected Health Care Institutions with AUMSON Students in Clinical Experiences
Health Care Institutions Location Services Provided
Baptist Medical Center South Montgomery, Alabama Inpatient medical surgical care, pediatric, critical care
Baptist East Montgomery, Alabama Inpatient medical surgical care, pediatric, critical care
Prattville Baptist Prattville, Alabama Inpatient medical surgical care (rural)
Jackson Hospital Montgomery, Alabama Inpatient medical surgical care, critical care
Children’s Hospital Birmingham, Alabama Inpatient pediatric care
Crossbridge Montgomery, Alabama In-patient mental health facility Community Hospital Tallassee, Alabama Inpatient medical surgical care
(rural)
Greil Montgomery, Alabama Inpatient mental health facility
Brookwood Medical Center Birmingham, Alabama In patient mental health facility Montgomery Council on Aging Montgomery, Alabama Health teaching
Lowndes County Adult Day Care and Nutrition Site
Lowndesboro, Alabama Health teaching
Table III-E.1 is not an all-inclusive list of clinical sites, rather selected clinical agencies to illustrate the wide variety of activities in which our students and faculty are involved and the diversity of clients. For example, we provide health promotion activities in rural and urban lower socioeconomic adult day centers and rural K-12 schools. Additionally, each semester students fulfill a 12-hour community service requirement. An example of selected activities is included in Table III.E.2. Over the years volunteer agencies have specifically sought our students because of their stellar performance in the past.
Table III-E.2 Selected Community Service Activities
Site Type of Service
Women of Hope Serve and supervise high school students helping
with fund raiser for cancer research
Montgomery Council on Aging Senior prom; Holiday party; Senior nutrition center Lowndes County Adult Day Care and Nutrition
Site
Monthly health screenings; health teaching
Camp Bones Orienting high school students to the various roles
in health care
Learning Tree School for intellectually challenged children 5-18
years of age
Lowndes County K-12 Health screenings and education
Elmore County K-12 Health screenings and education
MANE Serve and assist with children who are disabled
while horseback riding
Montgomery Area Food Bank Collect and organize food for distribution to needy families
Hospice Advantage Respite care or care for patients at end-of-life
Several methods are used to gather input from our clinical agencies. The Nursing Resource Center (NRC) Coordinator and at least one faculty that utilizes that agency attends clinical affiliate meetings held annually by some of our clinical agencies. For example, Baptist Medical Center South routinely has a clinical affiliate meeting each May. This meeting facilitates the sharing of information between the school and the agency and allows clinical site scheduling for the year. Changes in agency policies are communicated at this meeting and any changes throughout the year are communicated via email. Updates are added to the Clinical Agency Orientation site which is maintained on Blackboard.
Other communities of interest are the institutions that our students utilize for preceptorships. The relationship with our preceptorship agencies is also described in II.E. AUMSON routinely places students with RN preceptors in approximately 48 different sites in health care institutions across the United States each year. The NURS 4921 coordinator interacts with the nurse officers of these institutions responsible for setting up preceptor arrangements and receives regular feedback about the performance of our students. This feedback, which is essentially all very positive, is shared with faculty. Feedback from the preceptors working directly with our students is obtained in two ways. First, faculty advisors in NURS 4921 maintain phone and email contact with preceptors, as well as making site visits when possible.
Second, every preceptor completes a detailed evaluation of the preceptorship. This evaluation is assessed by the NURS 4921 course members so that any issues are identified and addressed promptly. Results of these evaluations are a part of the overall evaluation plan.
III-F. Individual student performance is evaluated by the faculty and reflects achievement of expected individual student learning outcomes. Evaluation policies and procedures for individual student performance are defined and consistently applied.
Elaboration: Evaluation of student performance is consistent with expected individual student learning outcomes. Grading criteria are clearly defined for each course, communicated to students, and applied consistently. There are processes by which the evaluation of individual student
performance is communicated to students. Student performance is evaluated by faculty. In instances where preceptors facilitate students’ clinical learning experiences, faculty may seek input from preceptors regarding student performance, but ultimately faculty are responsible for evaluation of individual student learning outcomes. The requirement for evaluation of student clinical
performance by qualified faculty applies to all students, including those enrolled in post-master’s DNP programs. CCNE recognizes that faculty evaluation of student clinical performance may be accomplished through a variety of mechanisms.
Program Response:
The AUMSON faculty has a long standing history of implementation of a Comprehensive Evaluation Plan and applying the findings to the development, maintenance, and revision of the program.
With the implementation of the new curriculum in 2010, the faculty, led by the COPE Committee, developed a new evaluation plan. The new plan can be found in Appendix G. The previous evaluation plan can be found in the resource room in the Standard Notebooks. Review of each of the aspects of the program occurs according to the specified time frame, as much as possible. The purpose of the evaluation plan is to utilize data gathered in assessment to evaluate program outcome objectives, to make necessary revisions and improvements, to allocate available resources, and to continually develop long-range plans.
Documentation of the evaluation results, annual summaries and appropriate use of the data may be found in the committee minutes on the AUMSON Committees Blackboard site.
The comprehensive evaluation plan is used to assure that student performance is evaluated by the faculty and reflects achievements of the expected outcomes. Table III.F.1 shows how each of the program outcome objectives is evaluated. Each outcome objective has at least one internal source of evaluation and the majority has an external evaluation component. Exit, alumni and employer surveys also include questions related to the outcomes. The employer survey can be found in the Resource Room and the process is explained in detail in Standard IV. The results are tabulated by the COPE committee and communicated to all faculty.
Table III.F.1 Evaluation Criteria for Curriculum Outcomes
Expected Outcome Assessment Criteria
1. Collaborate and communicate effectively with health care team members, patients and patients’
support networks to implement patient-centered care including appropriate teaching for
developmental stage, age, culture and health literacy to ensure high quality outcomes.
Nurs 3231
100% of students will receive a satisfactory grade Group scores on the ATI Exit Exam will be 70% in the Implementation/Therapeutic Nursing
Intervention category 2. Use information technologies to assist in
effective communication, facilitate patient care, and integrate evidence from all relevant resources to promote high quality patient outcomes within microsystems and greater healthcare systems.
Nurs 3220
95% of the students will score > 73% on the Assessment of Practice Protocol assignment Nurs 4810
Group scores on the ATI Leadership Exam will be
> 70% in the Information Technology Sub-scale 3. Demonstrate clinical judgment grounded in
theories and concepts from liberal and nursing education in the delivery of efficient, safe, compassionate, and evidence-based care.
Nurs 4231
95% of students will have an overall average > 2 for #2 (a-i) on the Clinical Evaluation Form Nurs 4920
Scores on the ATI Exit Exam will be > 70% in the Physiological Adaptation major content area 4. Exhibit ethics, caring and accountability for
patient outcomes in all aspects of professional nursing practice.
NURS 4921
Means of means for #2 on the Evaluation of Senior Students by Preceptor will be > 3
5. Implement evidence-based interventions to promote health, prevent disease and manage acute and chronic care of patients across the lifespan.
Nurs 4231
95% of students will have an overall average > 2 for #3 (a-e) on the Clinical Evaluation Form Nurs 4810
Group scores on the ATI Leadership Exam will be
> 70% in the Ethical Practice Sub-scale 6. Demonstrate consistent self- reflection
techniques to identify learning needs especially in areas where knowledge is complex and changing rapidly.
100 % of students will complete Clinical Evaluation tool in Nurs 3141, Nurs 3231, Nurs 4231
Nurs 4920
100% of students will complete a self-reflection of performance in the portfolio
7. Implement patient-centered care emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention to individuals, families and populations reflecting an understanding of human growth and development, psychobiological factors, pathophysiology,
pharmacology, and management across the health – illness continuum.
Nurs 3341
100% of students will satisfactorily complete the Vulnerable Population Teaching project
Nurs 4920
Scores on the ATI Exit Exam will be > 70% in the Health Promotion and Maintenance major content area
8. Use clinical judgment with attention to effectiveness, efficacy, and equality in providing nursing care during disaster, mass casualty, and other emergency situations.
Nurs 3341
100% of the students will successfully complete the Disaster Simulation Certification
Nurs 3340
Group scores on the ATI Community Exam will be
> 70% in the Disaster Management sub-category 9. Demonstrate a wide range of knowledge, skills
and attitudes including cultural awareness, humility, sensitivity and competency.
Nurs 3331
95% of students will have an overall average > 2 for #5 (a-e) on the Clinical Evaluation Form Nurs 3330
Group scores on the ATI Maternal Newborn Exam will be > 70% in the Psychosocial Integrity major category area
10. Incorporate holistic assessments, awareness of values and spiritual beliefs in the delivery of quality patient and family centered, evidence-based care of diverse and vulnerable populations.
Nurs 3340
90% of the students will score > 73% on the Vulnerable Population Presentation
Nurs 4920
Mean of means for #4 on the Evaluation of Senior Students by Preceptor will be > 3
11. Demonstrate ethical and critical decision making skills, mutually respectful communication, collaboration, delegation, and conflict resolution techniques.
Nurs 4810
100% of students will participate in simulations and submit a dossier of their work in this activity with a grade of > 73%
Nurs 4810
Group scores on the ATI Leadership Exam will be
> 70% in the Management of Care major category area
12. Facilitate patient-centered transitions of care using leadership skills based on current evidence, ongoing assessment of outcome measures, quality improvement and safety initiatives.
Nurs 4921
Means of means for #13 on the Evaluation of Senior Students by Preceptor will be > 3 Nurs 4810
Group scores on the ATI Leadership Exam will be
> 70% in the Management of Care major category area
13. Coordinate and manage care for diverse individuals, families, groups and populations in order to maximize health, independence, and quality of life at the mircosystem level.
Nurs 4921
Means of means for #10 on the Evaluation of Senior Students by Preceptor will be > 3 Nurs 4810
Adjusted group score on the ATI Leadership Exam will meet or exceed the national individual mean 14. Demonstrate an understanding of the ambiguity
and unpredictability of complex factors effecting health care such as health care policy, finance, and regulatory environments including local, national and global trend on equitable care of vulnerable populations.
Nurs 4810
90% of students will achieve > 73% Leadership Simulation Learning Activity
Nurs 4810
Adjusted group score on the ATI Leadership Exam will meet or exceed national individual mean Outcomes are evaluated through the use of clinical evaluation tools, portfolios, exit, employee and alumni surveys, ATI Specialty and Exit Exams, written papers, objective tests, oral presentations and the final evaluation, the NCLEX Exam. Full-time faculty, with input from clinical associates, evaluate student achievement of the expected program outcomes using course and clinical objectives. Evaluation policies are published in the Faculty Handbook, Nursing Student Handbook, in each course syllabus and are discussed with students at the beginning of each course. A minimum grade of “C” must be achieved in order to progress in the program. Course and clinical objectives are directly related to the AUMSON curriculum outcomes and reflect a progression from simple to complex expectations.
Evaluation in the EARN program is an ongoing process that begins in the first semester and is finalized in the student’s final semester of study. The evaluation is conducted by the over the three semesters of the program. Each student develops a professional portfolio which is evaluated by the
coordinator, who is also the faculty of record for each of the three courses in which portfolio activities are completed. The EARN students also complete an exit survey with results tabulated separate from the traditional students. Examples of portfolios are in the Resource Room in the Standard IV notebook.
The clinical evaluation tool used for the traditional program can be found in the Resource Room.
The tool was developed in 2010, piloted in several clinical courses and approved by a unanimous faculty vote in December 2011. The Clinical Evaluation Tool provides for formative and summative evaluation of student progress in the clinical setting. The evaluation specifies behaviors in the 6 skills areas
identified in the AUMSON curricular framework and outcomes (communication/collaboration, critical thinking/clinical judgment, scholarship for evidence based practice, clinical prevention/population health, diversity, and leadership) as essential to nursing practice by addressing competencies expected at each academic level. Clinical faculty complete the evaluation weekly for every clinical rotation and email to the student within 72 hours of the experience. Clinical faculty email weekly evaluations containing a 0 or 1 to the course coordinator. Course faculty review all clinical evaluations and provide the course
coordinator a hard copy, signed evaluation within one week of the last clinical day. Comments are invited after each clinical experience and at the conclusion of the clinical experience. If a 0 or 3 are assigned at any time, a written comment is required. At the conclusion of the clinical rotation, a semester average is assigned. Students are rated on a 0-3 scale with the following designation: 0 = does not meet standards; 1
= meets minimum standards; 2 = meets expected standards; 3 = exceeds expected standards. The objectives for each course are included on the cover page of the evaluation form. In order to promote consistency in the evaluation process, clinical associates are oriented to the clinical evaluation tool by each individual course leader and at meetings that take place every semester with the clinical associates.
The preceptor’s role in evaluation is described in Standard I.B. Preceptors complete the Evaluation of Senior Students by Preceptor form at the end of the preceptorship. The evaluation tool allows the preceptor to rank how effective they believe the program was in preparing the students to complete 15 components based on the curricular outcomes. The form also asks for feedback about what differentiates this student from other students as well as any additional comments related to the student and/or program.
In the senior portfolio, each student addresses how each of the expected program outcomes was achieved by giving specific examples of work accomplished during the curriculum. The course faculty in NURS 4920/4921 review the senior portfolios to identify themes or trends in how students are meeting each of the expected outcomes and compile these results in the course summaries. Examples of student work are located in the Resource Room.
Exit surveys and informal feedback from alumni and employers are also utilized to assess the outcomes of the nursing program. The exit survey is administered at the end of the program. Faculty
frequently receive anecdotal feedback from clinical faculty and employees about the quality of the program either via email or face-to-face. For example, an email dated August 11, 2010 from one of our clinical agencies stated, “Just wanted to let you know that your students did well on their Performance Based Development System (PBDS) results. Usually about 60-75% of new grads rate ‘does not meet expectations’ simply because they do not have enough experience.” Eighty percent of our graduates in that nurse residency program rated ‘acceptable” and above. Creative strategies have been tested to increase the formal feedback. For example, faculty have set up display tables at the local hospitals asking alumni and employees to give us feedback about the program. This increased the formal feedback slightly and in January 2012 an electronic survey was loaded onto agency computers asking for the feedback (Employer survey can be found in the Resource Room). We are currently compiling data from the survey.
A similar Alumni survey will be sent to graduates of the program. Efforts to keep in contact with graduates have improved since graduating seniors are asked to give a permanent email address before graduation. The EARN coordinator currently has working email addresses for over 200 graduates, many of whom pursue graduate study in our joint program and/or serve as clinical associates in the
undergraduate program. As a testimony to the preparation of the EARN program over 50% are currently pursing or have successfully completed graduate school.
The exit surveys are by Educational Benchmarking, Inc. (EBI). The purpose of EBI is to provide professionals and institutions with comprehensive, credible, comparative, and confidential assessment tools in support of continuous improvement efforts. The analysis provides a self-assessment, comparative assessment and continuous assessment. The data are reviewed by the COPE committee and shared at the Faculty Council. AUMSON consistently ranks above the Select 6 and the Carnegie in all areas.
Objective testing is the primary method used to evaluate didactic or classroom learning. An average grade of 73% must be achieved on all objective exams in order to pass theory courses.
Evaluations of student performance in the classroom setting are communicated to students by the faculty who grade and/or assess course work. Evaluation feedback on objective exams is given to students in a timely manner, typically via Blackboard grade book function within 72 hours of testing. Although many faculty review exams in groups in the classroom, students are encouraged to make individual appointments with faculty to review exams. Some courses require students scoring below 75% on any exam to meet with the MEREN Mentor before the next scheduled exam. Reviews are conducted on all
Evaluations of student performance in the classroom setting are communicated to students by the faculty who grade and/or assess course work. Evaluation feedback on objective exams is given to students in a timely manner, typically via Blackboard grade book function within 72 hours of testing. Although many faculty review exams in groups in the classroom, students are encouraged to make individual appointments with faculty to review exams. Some courses require students scoring below 75% on any exam to meet with the MEREN Mentor before the next scheduled exam. Reviews are conducted on all