The program is effective in fulfilling its mission, goals, and expected outcomes.
Actual student learning outcomes are consistent with the mission, goals, and expected outcomes of the program. Alumni satisfaction and the accomplishments of graduates of the program attest to the effectiveness of the program. Actual faculty outcomes are consistent with the mission, goals, and expected outcomes of the program. Data on program effectiveness are used to foster ongoing
improvement.
This standard is met for the baccalaureate program.
This standard is met for the master's program.
IV-A. Student performance is evaluated by the faculty and reflects achievement of expected outcomes. Evaluation policies and procedures are defined and
consistently applied.
Compliance Concerns? Baccalaureate: No
Master’s: No
Rationale:
The SON has a School of Nursing Evaluation Plan that is intended to provide a
systematic evaluation of program quality as supported by student performance. Faculty consistently evaluate student performance, and these evaluations reflected achievement of expected outcomes. The evaluation policies and procedures are listed in each course syllabus as well as the SON student handbooks-BSN and MSN. The SON faculty developed the criteria used in the student evaluations. It is reviewed and revised on an ongoing basis by the SON Program Evaluation Committee. Students are able to obtain course syllabi from the university bookstore or on-line via Blackboard.
Evaluation of student performance is completed using a variety of instruments and measures. These include course-specific examinations developed by the faculty, written and oral group and individual presentations, papers, posters, computerized
comprehensive tests, and clinical performance. HESI specialty exams are used in some courses. The SON has been using the comprehensive HESI exam since 2000. As a result of feedback from students and faculty regarding the helpfulness of standardized testing, several faculty have included the specialty exams in course expectations, and the scores are configured as a portion of students’ grades.
Grading policies and scales for both the undergraduate and graduate programs were found in the SON student handbook. University grading policies were found in the USF catalog and the student handbook. SON students earn a letter grade in all theory courses. Clinical courses are graded as Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory. If a student is unable to achieve a “B” or better or an “S” on the second attempt in a theory or clinical course, the student is disqualified from the nursing program. In order to remain in “good standing” at USF, graduate students must maintain a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and must earn a grade of “B” or better in each nursing course.
The SON has set a goal for demonstration of student mastery of content that is measured in N481 and N647. The goal is for 100 percent of students to successfully pass these courses the first time they are taken. The goal hasn’t been achieved yet, but the SON has implemented new strategies designed to help students be successful in this endeavor. Examples of these strategies include: review of profile of incoming students to the SON, enforcement of academic progression policies, and adding more value to exams and less value to homework assignments.
Academic Difficulty Forms (ADF) are used when a faculty member identifies that a nursing student is experiencing difficulty with meeting the expectations of the course.
The faculty member and student meet to review the form, explore options, and come to an agreement on an action plan for improvement.
IV-B. Surveys and other data sources are used to collect information about student, alumni, and employer satisfaction and demonstrated achievements of graduates. Student outcome data include, but are not limited to, graduation rates, NCLEX-RN® pass rates, certification examination pass rates, and job placement rates, as appropriate.
Compliance Concerns? Baccalaureate: No
Master’s: No
Rationale:
The SON Program Evaluation Committee is responsible for review of the Educational Benchmark Instrument (EBI) graduating student survey, theory course evaluations, a survey of course learning activities, HESI exam results, clinical course evaluations, the employer assessment project, the alumni assessment project, and the overall SON Evaluation Plan. They make reports on the findings to the appropriate group. The SON Evaluation Plan was recently reviewed and revised to better reflect the CCNE guidelines for accreditation.
USF alumni surveys were most recently conducted on-line during the spring of 2007.
Nursing graduates comprised 8.5 percent of the total responses. Overall, 95.8 percent of alumni from the SON indicated they would “recommend USF to others” and 97 percent reported they were satisfied with “academic coursework experience while at USF.” In regard to “meeting mission”, 97 percent of SON graduates reported they were skilled in assisting the underserved and marginalized population, and 100 percent indicated they felt that they can contribute positively and act ethically, being a “person for others.”
The SON administered an alumni survey on-line for BSN and MSN graduates during Fall 2007. The surveys were based upon specific program outcomes, employment
information, and professional/academic plans and accomplishments. A total of 39 graduate and 60 undergraduate alumni replied to the survey. Overall, the respondents reported that the MSN program prepared them “extremely well” or “very well” to fulfill the stated learning outcomes of the program. The majority of the BSN respondents reported that they were “very satisfied” with the BSN program in preparing them to fulfill the stated learning outcomes of the program. Both BSN and MSN respondents reported lower satisfaction rates with the advising process, bookstore, financial aid office, and the registrar’s office. These findings were also reported by SON students during meetings with the CCNE evaluation team. These findings led to the creation of the “One Stop Office” by Academic Services—this allows students to go to one person in one
designated place for all their registrar, financial aid, and admission questions. The SON responded to these concerns additionally by creating a Nursing Student Portal on the
USF SON computer Website. The portal contains information on all SON scholarships and financial aid. In addition, the associate dean developed a “Faculty Advising Handbook” and holds workshops for faculty members each semester in order to
standardize information given to students and to clarify expectations for faculty. A SON Advising Task Force has also been developed to explore the issues that contribute to satisfaction and dissatisfaction with the advising process.
The EBI graduating nursing student survey is administered to all students who are completing their coursework. It provides student perceptions of their experience and allows the SON to benchmark with other schools. The most recent response rate was 62 percent. The results show that the overall SON program effectiveness was “good to excellent”. The lowest rated items relating to satisfaction were with tuition level and financial aid. These concerns are currently being addressed at the provost level.
The most recent data available showed that the six-year graduation rate for SON undergraduate students is 71.4 percent and 97.5 percent for graduate students.
The NCLEX-RN pass rates for the SON are consistently high. Between the years 2003-2007, the pass rate ranged between 93.06-96.85 percent with an increase yearly since 2004.
The most recent certification pass rates were 100 percent for the ANCC FNP exam and 74 percent for the AACN CNL exam.
Job placement rates remain high in the San Francisco area for USF students. The average starting salary is $85,000 for a new BSN graduate. Employment patterns obtained in a recent alumni survey showed 81 percent of BSN respondents and 53 percent of MSN respondents are working in hospital settings.
A meeting was held with nursing executives and representatives from the area hospitals that provide clinical settings for USF SON students. There was 100 percent agreement that USF SON students are “a cut above”, “demonstrate compassion and
professionalism,” and all in attendance said they hire USF SON graduates consistently and are very pleased with their performance.
IV-C. Program outcome data are analyzed to provide evidence of program effectiveness and are used to foster ongoing program improvement.
Compliance Concerns? Baccalaureate: No
Master’s: No
Rationale:
The SON Evaluation Plan was developed in 2007 and is used to provide an outline for monitoring and enhancing program effectiveness. Key data for analysis are identified, and a mechanism for data collection has been implemented. Follow-up steps are activated as needed that indicate who is responsible and the time frame available.
Actions for improvement can be implemented by an individual or at the department level.
A recommendation that will affect the entire SON or the curricula is referred to the appropriate standing committee for review and recommendation to the full faculty.
Follow-through is then done via an assessment of impact.
The Program Evaluation Committee reviews the data from the alumni, graduating
student, and employer surveys. The committee reports on the findings to the appropriate group. Findings related to student advising were discussed in the Program Evaluation Committee, and recommendations were made to the Administrative Council for action by the dean, associate dean and director of student affairs. This process is discussed in detail in Element IV-B.
Employment rates are reported to funding agencies and used as input for students, faculty and Bay area employers.
Students complete course evaluations at the end of each course. The course faculty member prepares a written summary that is reviewed at department meetings. If needed, a planned response is then developed. The course evaluations have recently been moved from paper/pencil to on-line. Faculty reported some concern with response rates since the switch occurred. An example of an ongoing program improvement was found from a response to a course evaluation. In N450, a community/mental health clinical course, students indicated they needed additional help in connecting didactic material to their clinical setting. The Community/Psych Department responded by
presenting case studies to students via Blackboard to all clinical sections. Students mentioned during a meeting with the evaluation team that they found the faculty to be very responsive to their course evaluations and suggestions.
There is ongoing evaluation of data regarding clinical placements. The data are reviewed at the department level. Proactive discussion within the context of QSEN guidelines and concerns about patient safety led the SON faculty to implement three standardized risk reduction simulations for all sophomore II students.
IV-D. Faculty outcomes demonstrate achievement of the program’s mission, goals, and expected outcomes and enhance program quality and effectiveness.
Compliance Concerns? Baccalaureate: No
Master’s: No
Rationale:
SON faculty outcomes in teaching, scholarship, service, and practice clearly demonstrated achievement of the USF and SON mission, goals, and expected
outcomes and contribute to the enhancement of program quality and effectiveness of the SON programs. Since 2005, the SON faculty have published three books, four book chapters, and over 54 articles/manuscripts in journals and have been awarded more than 1.4 million dollars in grant funding. Also, faculty have made multiple presentations both nationally and internationally.
Many faculty are certified nationally in a specialty and maintain an active nurse practitioner or nurse-midwife practice. Part-time faculty are not required to have a master’s degree. The minimum educational requirement for teaching at the SON is a BSN degree.
SON faculty actively participate in school, university, and professional service. Service is a major part of the USF mission and vision. Nine faculty members are reviewers for professional journals, and several hold local, regional, and national office in professional organizations. The dean is also very active in service. She co-chairs the Academic-Practice Partnership sub-committee for the state-wide BIMNI Thought Leaders Initiative;
she is the vice president of the local chapter of the Association of California Nurse Executives; and represented the SON in a hosted international nursing visit to China. A number of faculty developed “immersion service learning programs” for their students.
Most recently, they took students to Belize and Guatemala.
Students evaluate faculty teaching after every course using paper/pencil method.
Summary evaluations of nursing faculty are consistently within the range of mean scores for USF units and national norms. Evaluation ratings figure in the Academic Career Prospectus (ACP), which is the evaluation process and planning mechanism for faculty.
The ACP provides an opportunity for faculty to discuss their contributions in the areas of teaching, research, practice and service with the dean and to collaboratively develop an academic agenda for the upcoming year. The dean does all faculty evaluations on an annual basis. Faculty who receive low scores on their evaluations are asked to do a self-assessment regarding which classes and which students are involved, and what factors may be contributing to the scores. Plans are made with the dean to address and follow-up the findings with future evaluation results and potential mid-term evaluations, peer coaching, and/or referral to a master teacher.
SON faculty have been awarded teaching excellence awards and recognized at the university and regional level for innovation and high quality instruction.
IV-E. The program has established policies and procedures by which it defines and reviews formal complaints; analyses of aggregate data regarding formal complaints are used to foster ongoing program improvement.
Compliance Concerns? Baccalaureate: No
Master’s: No
Rationale:
The SON has policies and procedures regarding formal complaints, and these are listed in the USF general catalog 2007-2009, pgs.55-64. The policies include Institutional Policy on Freedom of Expression, Student Academic Honesty Policy, Appeal Process of Change of Course Grade, Non-Academic Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures, Drug-Free Policy, Administrative Guidelines on HIV Disease, Privacy of Student
Records, and Prevention of Sexual and Other Unlawful Harassment Policy. Each of these policies is clearly defined, and the process for making a formal complaint is comprehensively detailed. At any stage of a formal complaint, either the faculty or the student may invite the university ombudsperson to help facilitate an agreement.
As a university executive officer, the SON dean is responsible to report any formal complaint to the appropriate office including the Office of General Counsel.
In 2002, a student filed a complaint against a faculty member regarding a grade change.
No other complaints or suits have occurred since that incident. Detailed analysis of this incident was done. Subsequently, ongoing program improvement in several areas resulted: clearly understanding the importance of well-kept notes regarding decisions relating to student actions, and assuring that written expectations for students remain consistent.