D. Teaching-learning practices and environments support the achievement of expected individual student learning outcomes and aggregate student outcomes

Elaboration: Teaching-learning practices and environments (classroom, clinical, laboratory, simulation, distance education) support achievement of expected individual student learning outcomes identified in course, unit, and/or level objectives.

Program Response:

The classroom and clinical teaching-learning practices of AUMSON are guided by and support the achievement of individual and aggregate student learning outcomes. In order to meet expected outcomes and reflecting faculty beliefs that the practice of professional nursing can take place in any environment, every semester of the professional curriculum requires theory courses with lab and/or clinical counterparts. Students are exposed to numerous hours of teaching/learning experiences throughout the curriculum in class and clinical. Clinical learning experiences increase throughout the curriculum from 135 in the first semester to 315 in the final semester, giving students the opportunity to systematically develop communication and collaboration, critical thinking/clinical judgment, scholarship for evidence based practice, clinical prevention/population health, diversity and leadership skills in the clinical area. The clinical experiences also increase in complexity throughout the curriculum. For example, in the first semester, prior to the first hospital experience all students attend Mock Hospital in the simulation lab. By the final semester, students are working with individual preceptors and taking responsibility for a full patient load. Table III.D.1 includes a summary of actual theory and clinical hours for the traditional program and Table III.D.2 includes a summary of actual theory hours for the EARN program.

Table III.D.1 AUMSON Professional Curriculum Credit Hours, Theory Contact Hours and Clinical Contact Hours

Courses by Semester Credit

Hours

Nurs 3110 Theoretical Concepts of Professional Nursing Practice (WI) Nurs 3120 Nursing Pathophysiology

Nurs 3130 Evidence Based Skills, Assessment, and Health Promotion

Nurs 3141 Concepts and Evidence Based Skills for Professional Clinical Practice

4 Semester 2 (Fall admission cohort)

Nurs 3210 Clinical Pharmacology Nurs 3220 Evidence Based Practice

Nurs 3230 Professional Nursing Concepts: Acute Care Across the Lifespan

Nurs 3231 Professional Nursing Concepts: Acute Care Across the Lifespan Clinical 2 Semester 2 (Spring admission cohort)

Nurs 3210 Clinical Pharmacology Nurs 3220 Evidence Based Practice

Nurs 3340 Professional Nursing Concepts Across Populations

Nurs 3341 Professional Nursing Concepts Across Populations Clinical

2 Semester 3 (Fall admission cohort)

Nurs 3330 Professional Nursing Concepts in the Childbearing Family &

Reproductive Health

Nurs 3331 Professional Nursing Concepts in the Childbearing Family &

Reproductive Health Clinical

Nurs 3340 Professional Nursing Concepts Across Populations

Nurs 3341 Professional Nursing Concepts Across Populations Clinical

3 Semester 3 (Spring admission cohort)

Nurs 3230 Professional Nursing Concepts: Acute Care Across the Lifespan

Nurs 3231 Professional Nursing Concepts: Acute Care Across the Lifespan Clinical Nurs 3330 Professional Nursing Concepts in the Childbearing Family &

Reproductive Health

Nurs 3331 Professional Nursing Concepts in the Childbearing Family &

Reproductive Health Clinical

6

Nurs 4230 Professional Nursing Concepts: Chronic and Complex Conditions Across the Lifespan

Nurs 4231 Professional Nursing Concepts: Chronic and Complex Conditions Across the Lifespan Clinical

Nurs 4810 Professional Nursing Leadership in Microsystems

5

Nurs 4910 Professional Nursing Leadership in Complex Systems Nurs 4911 Leadership Practicum

Nurs 4920 Transitions to Professional Nursing (WI) Nurs 4921 Nursing Practice Preceptorship

2 WI – Writing Intensive Course

Table III.D.2 AUMSON EARN Professional Curriculum Credit Hours

Courses by Semester Credit

Hours Semester 1 (Summer)

Nurs 4110 Transformation to the Professional Nurse Role (WI) Nurs 4120 Pathophysiology for the Professional Nurse

Nurs 4130 Nursing Informatics

5 3 3 11 Semester 2 (Fall)

Nurs 4210 Leading and Managing in Healthcare Micro-Environments/Preceptorship (WI)

Nurs 4220 Research for Evidence Based Practice

Nurs 4240 Concepts of Care for Families with Chronic or Complex Conditions Nurs 4152 Client Assessment for the Professional Nurse

5 3 3 3 14 Semester 2 (Spring)

Nurs 4310 Leading and Managing in Healthcare Macro-Environments (WI) Nurs 4320 Population-Based Health Care

Nurs 4330 Transformation to the Professional Role II

4 4 4 12 (WI) Writing Intensive Course

*Denotes online courses if the Hybrid Tack is selected, otherwise all courses available online

**Nurs 4110 must be the first course taken when on the part time or full time track. Upon successful completion of the course with a grade of “C” or higher, 24 semester hours of nursing credit will be awarded. These hours are not included in the 50 hours of actual course work which must be taken at AUM to be eligible for honors at graduation

A change in the teaching/learning environment that has resulted in major improvements is the incorporation of simulation across the curriculum. In 2008 a major renovation in the School of Nursing resulted in the conversion of a classroom to the simulation lab. The simulation lab is equipped with three learning stations, two high fidelity mannequins, a mock crash cart, a control booth with a one way mirror, a nurses’ station and several storage areas. A second classroom was converted to a debriefing room and is equipped with a large screen TV and conference table/chairs. The Nursing Resource Center (NRC) is staffed with a full time coordinator who also coordinates all clinical scheduling. The NRC includes 10 stations which are set up to simulate a fully functioning hospital room with a hospital bed and mock oxygen, suction and airflow controls. In addition, the NRC is equipped with 13 mannequins that simulate toddler patients, adolescent patients, and adult and geriatric patients. Students and faculty also have access to many of the supplies and equipment needed for patient care which is commonly found in most hospitals. Students have simulation experiences in every clinical course. To clarify simulation’s role in the curriculum faculty agreed that simulation should be a part of every clinical course. Simulation was defined and different levels differentiated which is reflected in May 4, 2011, COPE Minutes.

As part of the simulation experience, the SON also has a mutually beneficial relationship with The Baptist Health Institute for Patient Safety and Medical Simulation (Baptist Sim Center) located in

Montgomery. This institute houses a state of the science facility that can replicate virtually any clinical and home environment. By combining resources, SON faculty and students participate in a full spectrum of simulation experiences across the lifespan.

Auburn Montgomery SON works in collaboration with a variety of clinical agencies in

Montgomery and the surrounding areas to offer students a wide variety of clinical experiences. Students interact with patients in every area of the health care arena, including rural adult day care and urban senior nutrition sites, home health, clinics, school health nursing, mental health facilities, public health, rural county hospitals and major metropolitan teaching medical centers. Faculty have autonomy in selecting clinical agencies to meet objectives of the course and complement the expertise of the faculty.

All clinical courses have rotations in clinical sites that have been carefully chosen so that the blending of experiences maximize learning opportunities for the students. These sites include opportunities with patients across the lifespan and the wellness to illness continuum in a wide variety of settings. Written clinical agreements are signed and reviewed by designated officers of AUM and AUMSON and the agency involved. The contracts have clauses that ensure faculty have control of and freedom to select appropriate clinical learning experiences for students. Clinical sites are evaluated each semester and continuation of a contract is based upon review and satisfactory evaluation on the part of faculty, students and the agency involved. All contracts with clinical agencies are available for review in the office of the Dean’s Senior Administrative Associate. Prior to initiating a contract, at least one faculty conducts an onsite assessment and reports findings using the approved form found in the AUMSON Faculty Handbook. All inpatient acute care sites are appropriately accredited. A complete listing of agencies (Appendix F) for clinical rotations and preceptorships is maintained by the Senior Administrative Associate. Moore Hall, which houses the SON, and the library are described in Standard II-B.

In mental health experiences (NURS 3231/4231) the objectives are achieved by utilizing in-patient sites for in-patients with acute and chronic mental illnesses as well as outin-patient sites for in-patients with mental illnesses and addictive behaviors. Students also rotate through outpatient mental health clinics. Rotations emphasizing the inpatient pediatric population (NURS 3231) occur at The Children’s Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama. Outpatient pediatric experiences include health screenings in several rural elementary and junior high schools. In 2010 faculty and students conducted over 1500 health assessments in the Lowndes County public schools. Based on assessment findings, the following referrals were made: 261 vision; 125 abnormal vital signs such as elevated blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms; 123 for hearing deficits and 101 dental. These assessments were made possible in part by the acquisition of two outreach grants totaling over $25,000.

A variety of learning activities are incorporated in the classroom including role play, case studies, group activities, gaming, socratic questioning, and discussion. Faculty have also collaborated with the

Alabama Department of Senior Services to provide a Virtual Dementia Tour for students in NURS 3231.

Each classroom in the SON has the capabilities of lecture capture (ECHO 360) which is imported to the Blackboard course and allows students to review class presentations at any time. Other learning activities occur outside the classroom. For example, in the spring of 2010 a faculty member collaborated with members of the campus Army Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) to develop an annual educational experience in which students are involved in teambuilding activities. The goal of the affective learning activity Teamwork and Leadership Challenge is to promote internalization of values to advance teamwork, leadership and self-reflection. Student comments have been overwhelmingly positive and indicate a greater self-awareness as team members and as leaders. In an effort to raise awareness and expose all cohorts of traditional students to each other, seminars are conducted at the beginning of Fall and Spring semester. In the Fall, the seminar focus is professionalism and the Spring seminar focuses on legal and ethical issues. A brief presentation is made to all cohorts and then students are randomly assigned to groups to discuss specific case studies. Each group has representation from all four cohorts and a summary of the discussion from each group is shared when everyone re-convenes.

III-E. The curriculum and teaching-learning practices consider the needs and expectations of the